One to One Support for Social Enterprises in Suffolk - Social Enterprise Business Support (SEBS)

About Us.

As a retired business executive, with little interest in golf or gardening, I have become a social entrepreneur looking to help others - especially other social enterprises.

I'm a business graduate who has worked in a succession of research, product development, sales, marketing and general management positions. This work was mainly in in hi-tec business organisations e.g. Rank Xerox IHQ, The Medishield Corporation, British Olivetti, Thorn Ericsson, and BT. Most of my work focussed on innovation and “ Greenfield ” operations - researching and setting up new departments and new businesses, as well as managing change and rescuing a small subsidiary going into the red.

After retiring, I co-founded a business consultancy and was commissioned by the likes of Business Link and the Learning & Skills Council, in Surrey, and e-Skills UK to conduct research, training and website development projects.

For the period 1991-2007 I was also an elected member for a Borough Council (Epsom & Ewell) and then a Town Council (Saxmundham), following my family move from Surrey to Suffolk to enjoy a more leisurely life...

Now,based in Saxmundham - the "strategic hub of East Suffolk" - I have ready and easy access up and down the A12, A!4 and the rural hinterland.

Suffolk Enterprise Business Support will remain small and flexible - offering a rapid pragmatic response, with low overheads and providing a "hands-on" but inexpensive resource.

Suffolk Enterprise Business Support is your local one-to-one business support resource, covering East and North Suffolk, East and South Norfolk and East and North Essex.

I come to you.

The initial consultation – to understand your issues – is free. So contact us now – you have nothing to lose and possibly a great deal to gain!

In the last 8 years, in Suffolk, I have personally been a founding director or chair of the following social enterprises

The Brook Farm Residents Association - a pro-active community group and probably the largest residents' association in East Anglia, with over 300 private households as paid-up members.

PASTEL Community Interest Company - one of the first Community Interest Companies in Suffolk - a recognised Open College Network training centre, supporting young adults with learning disabilities with transition training workshops designed to help them become active citizens and/or gain employment, as appropriate.

Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company - a geograhically-focussed Community Interest Company looking to develop the economic, social and environmental well-being of most of the IP17 postal district.

I'm also the vice-chair of the Social Enterprise Netwok Suffolk - the trade association for social enterprises in Suffolk.

I personally set up and sponsor the running of SAXCOM to support, free-of-charge, local community and voluntary groups and social enterprises.

I'm also a Trustee of two charities, which trade.

In the past few years, because of my varied social enterprise experience, I have been invited to lead a Big Lottery Fund workshop on "Becoming a CIC" , given presentations to varios public sector and charitable bodies, sat on Suffolk County Council delivery boards and facilitated a meeting of all the social enterprise networks in the South East of England looking to develop their partnership arrangements.