Do you live in the UK's most enterprising place?

Tags: competitions | enterprise

The annual search for the most enterprising destination in the UK has begun.

Enterprising Britain showcases cities, villages, towns and neighbourhoods that have battled through the economic downturn to successfully create jobs, boost local business and nurture entrepreneurial talent.  Pam Hargreaves, Director of Partnerships at Enterprise UK, who run the competition on behalf of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), said: "Entering the Enterprising Britain competition is not only your chance to shout about what you've achieved, but will in turn help other organisations and communities learn from your successes."

The competition has been running since 2005. Lord Davies, Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business said: "Entrepreneurship is crucial to moving the economy back into growth and our future prosperity rests on encouraging talented Britons to develop their ideas."

The competition has, for the first time, expanded to five categories which organisations can enter any or all of:

• Enterprise culture
• Driving entrepreneurial skills
• Business support and start-up
• Global entrepreneurship
• Social cohesion

To mark the launch, Lord Davies visited last year's winner Lowestoft in the east of England to see how it had coped with declining industries and low aspiration, and turned itself into a place capable of business growth and job creation.  He said: "Enterprising Britain is a great opportunity to showcase communities who have come together to build better futures and inspire others to follow their example."

Lowestoft encouraged enterprising activity and self-employment with support from local enterprise agency NWES, who managed Orbis Energy: an offshore renewable business which has drawn small business enterprises to the region, and which has helped over 100 business start-ups in the past two years.   Kevin Horne, CEO of NWES, said:  "Winning Enterprising Britain really raised the profile of all the organisations working hard to regenerate the area."

Mr Horne thinks Lowestoft is now seen as ‘the place' to do business, but refuses to become complacent. He said: "We're also working with parts of the community who remain excluded from the mainstream business community and NWES has staff working with local schools to enthuse the next generation of entrepreneurs."  Lowestoft organisations have used their award to attract investment into the town from the offshore renewables industry, and the town's profile has been raised considerably by the publicity it has had through winning.

The Enterprising Britain competition is part of an attempt by the government to promote enterprise across the UK in the right conditions to survive in the long-term.  It seeks out areas which have embedded a culture of supporting and encouraging their entrepreneurs and businesses.  Ms Hargreaves said: "I would urge all the innovative projects out there that have used an entrepreneurial spirit to transform their local area to enter the competition."

Enterprising Britain is free to enter and open to all organisations working in partnership to create an enterprising place. The place can be a town, city, parish or neighbourhood, and organisations must demonstrate that enterprise is central to the economic and/or social transformation of the place.

To register interest email your contact details to enterprisingbritain@enterpriseuk.org.

Entries must be submitted by 31 May 2010 and the winner will be announced in October 2010.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.enterpriseuk.org/enterprisingbritain.