MP meets young business talent

YOUNG entrepreneurs in South Tyneside were boosted by a visit from former Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson.

In one of his final engagements before taking over as Education Secretary, Mr Johnson met the cream of the borough’s young business talent at the landmark Quadrus Centre.

His surprise visit was set up so he could see for himself the burgeoning culture that has helped South Tyneside win a three-year £16.2m business support package.

Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) – will be used to help increase and sustain the rising rate of local business growth and entrepreneurship, which is marking out the borough as an increasingly potent centre for the north east’s evolving economy.

Elements of the bid were developed with the help of a new group set up by young business people to swap ideas and encourage more young people to launch their own enterprises.

Young Guns includes young entrepreneurs in fields ranging from creative media and PR to Internet-based businesses and consultants in fields as diverse as health and safety, and personal fitness.

Mr Johnson heard of the enthusiastic new generation from, among others,  Liz Bassnett, of Push Creative, Naomi Hill, of Internet-based Bottled & Boxed, Tony Pattison of Godsend Health and Safety Consultants.

Liz Bassnett of Push Creative was a Private Sector representative on the LEGI steering group, she assisted with creative ideas for the bid - her input included ideas for a business factory, cited as the lynchpin for the delivery of LEGI in the Borough.

Liz Bassnett, of Push Creative comments: “Our business community in South Tyneside is unique in its self-supporting nature. Equally unique is the borough’s passion and pride in its capabilities and future prospects. I’m confident our approach will make a difference for generations.”