The Co-operative College is looking for local entrepreneurs in Rochdale to come forward with their business ideas as part of the Together Enterprise project.
Run by the Co-operative College and supported by the Co-operative Group, the scheme focuses on helping members of the public set up their own co-operative business.
The first session takes place at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum on Wednesday, 16 January, from 11am to 1pm. The session will explore the advantages of the co-operative business model, such as a higher success rate in the start-up phase. While only 44% of new businesses survive the difficult early years, 80% of co-operatives make it through.
Participants in the project will be matched with mentors to help develop their ideas further. The scheme aims to help regenerate the town’s highstreet and inspire new businesses to progress onto the Rochdale Market and then eventually into one of the vacant retail units on Drake Street.
Related: Rochdale Council to use co-operative heritage to regenerate the town
Simon Parkinson, chief executive and principal of the Co-operative College said: “As the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement, Rochdale is right at the heart of our plans for developing a new generation of co-operators. We’re delighted to be inspiring future entrepreneurs and will do all we can to bring their business ideas to life.”
The Together Enterprise project is part of a series of schemes in the national Heritage Action Zone programme run by Historic England in partnership with local councils and other organisations.
More information on the project and how to sign up for the session on 16 January is available at www.co-op.ac.uk/togetherenterprise.
