Support for female owned businesses in Coolock

FEMALE owned businesses are being offered support from the Coolock Development Council under a new scheme.

The council, in partnership with Doras Bui – a parents’ alone resource centre – has been awarded

?¬18,000 from the Ulster Bank’s Community Impact Fund.

The purpose of the grant is to provide training, mentoring and peer group networking opportunities for female entrepreneurs.

Chairman Padraic White said the Support programme would enable the Coolock Development Council to support the development of local businesses and contribute to the development of an entre- preneurial culture within the community.

“At this time in particular any support that can be provided to emerging businesses is a vital contribution towards ensuring that Ireland continues on a path to recovery,

? he said.

The Coolock Development Council was established in 1986 with a specific focus on the provision of a physical space for community organisations providing activities and services that directly benefit the local community.

It is also geared towards the development and management of enterprise space to support the evolution of an entrepreneurial culture through the provision of small business incubator units.

In 2001 a 10,000sqft purpose built building, the Northside Enterprise Centre, was constructed to further promote these aims and objectives.

The Ulster Bank Community Impact Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and the Community Foundation for Ireland.

The foundations are leading organisations in their field delivering social change and support to voluntary and comm- unity projects in partnership with donors.

The purpose of the fund is to support local, regional and national projects that provide support in enterprise support/ education and financial education/inclusion.

The Support programme is due to commence in September.

If you are a female entrepreneur/small business owner and wish to register your interest and to find out more about the programme, tel Caroline Keane or Fiona Nolan on 01-8675200.