ABDN South Yorkshire Breaking Barriers event receives media coverage in The Star.
ABDN is commited to supporting the Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnerships strategy and providing business support in the South Yorkshire region.
Sheffield Star 3rd November
Key role for ethnic firms
Paul Scriven: Asian key players
Published Date: 03 November 2010
By Bob Rae Industrial Editor
Asian businesses will be a key player in ensuring Sheffield prospers, according to City Council Lib Dem leader Paul Scriven.
Coun Scriven was speaking at a meeting for members of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) business community, organised by the South Yorkshire branch of the Asian Business Development Network (ABDN).
More than 250 people from across the county attended the meeting in the Royal Victoria Holiday Inn Hotel in Sheffield - 100 more than ABDN had expected.
Coun Scriven said he was delighted ABDN was strong and supporting local business people from the Asian community to create more local wealth and jobs.
"Sheffield's future is dependent on the growth of the private sector which in turn will lead to an increase in jobs and ABDN SY will be a key player in ensuring that this happens," said Coun Scriven.
Business Link Yorkshire's chief executive, Helen West, told the meeting that the new Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), launched by the Government to carry on the work of regional development agencies at a more local level, would need to work in collaboration with ABDN SY to ensure that business support can meet needs of "hard to reach" businesses.
ABDN South Yorkshire's chairman, Irshad Akbar, said he was amazed at the turnout.
"It was the first time mainstream businesses had the opportunity to network with Black Asian Ethnic Minority Businesses," said Mr Akbar.
"All key agencies in South Yorkshire, that includes the Chambers, the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities, educational providers and mainstream businesses, need to work in collaboration with ABDN to ensure that the private sector can regenerate South Yorkshire."
Mr Akbar said ABDN SY would work with educationalists to establish a mentoring programme for young and up and coming entrepreneurs.
The event raised nearly £1,000 for the Pakistan Flood Relief.
For more information about ABDN South Yorkshire, contact Irshad Akbar, tel: 07984553107.
To view the full article on The Star website click the following link:
http://www.thestar.co.uk/business/Key-role-for-ethnic-firms.6610942.jp |
