{"id":2978,"date":"2016-08-08T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T09:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/?post_type=news_post&p=2978"},"modified":"2021-08-02T14:07:54","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T13:07:54","slug":"last-chance-enter-community-business-competition-win-6000-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/news\/last-chance-enter-community-business-competition-win-6000-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Last chance to enter community business competition to win \u00a36,000 award"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is just one week left to enter Power to Change\u2019s Community Business Bright Sparks competition<\/a>. The scheme offers budding community businesses in Merseyside and\u00a0Greater Manchester the chance to win \u00a36,000 of business development support.<\/p>\n

The charitable trust, set up with \u00a3150 million from the Big Lottery Fund to support and grow community business, wants to hear your new ideas for how you could change your local area for the better.<\/p>\n

Three finalists in Merseyside and three in Greater Manchester will be chosen to attend a friendly \u2018Dragon\u2019s Den\u2019 style event later this year where an expert panel will choose the winning idea. The winner will be awarded \u00a36,000 worth of expert business development support.<\/p>\n

The competition, which closes at 5pm on Monday 15 August 2016, will offer all finalists business support from experts at Locality to help them prepare before they pitch to the competition panel. As well as hosting the competition finale, the event on 2 November will bring together great local community businesses as well as commercial businesses to celebrate and showcase their achievements.<\/p>\n

Vidhya Alakeson, Chief Executive of Power to Change said:<\/strong> \u201cIf you are in the Merseyside or Greater Manchester area and have a fresh idea for how a community business could improve your local area then don\u2019t miss out on the chance to enter our competition.<\/p>\n

\u2018We are especially keen to hear ideas for new community businesses, and all three finalists will get business advice in advance of the friendly \u2018Dragon\u2019s Den\u2019 style pitch off that could help them secure future funding. This competition aims to help new community businesses to thrive and we know this prize of \u00a36,000 worth of expert support will really help bring their bright spark of an idea to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community businesses are hugely varied and can range from pubs, libraries and shops saved from closure to regeneration and employment projects that boost the local economy. They all invest their profits back in to the local area, boost their local economies, create jobs, improve local people\u2019s lives and make their local area a better place to live.<\/p>\n

Withington Baths<\/a> in Manchester is a great example of a community business. Local people came together to take over and run the swimming baths, turning it from a loss making business into a profit making one that reinvests in the community.<\/p>\n

Granby Four Streets<\/a> in Liverpool is a great example of a community business. Local people came together to save local houses from demolition, and after years of hard work and campaigning, they are now successfully regenerating the local area and have begun welcoming residents into the first newly refurbished homes.<\/p>\n

To be eligible to enter the Community Business Bright Sparks Competition<\/a>, your group must be based in Merseyside or\u00a0Greater Manchester and able to show that your idea for a community business is:<\/p>\n