The Accelerating Women’s Enterprise (AWE) project has made an incredible impact and difference to the 37 women who have attended the programme since September last year, and we hope that their successes only continue!
We have now finished the facilitated delivery with 12 women attending the Accelerator weekend at the Norton Park Hotel last weekend (11th/12th). All participants had been in business for 2+ years to qualify to attend. Prior to this, 2 sofa sessions were run before Christmas for women in the very early stages of ideas and starting up their enterprises. In January, the early trading sessions ran for those who were slightly further into their enterprise journey. The programme is due to wrap up by the end of this month although there are still a couple of things planned; a celebration event to continue the network and share experiences as well as a piece on evaluating the impact of the programme.
We are ending a highly successful project from every perspective.
From the challenge set at the beginning to achieve £21k match funding in 10 days in order to be able to bid for the work, the team stepped up and delivered. We submitted a very strong bid achieving a high score on all criteria to win the work. We have hit our contracted outcomes. We are within budget. We have worked incredibly well at all levels with our partners, SSE, no matter what challenges have arisen. We have kept our match funders up to date on progress. We have carried out effective marketing to spread the word and achieve our numbers. We have created a hugely impactful delivery content and style where all the women felt safe, supported, and able to progress their goals.
This has all been done by our incredible team: Alison, Hannah, and our fantastic facilitator Jenny Walmsley.
Also, a big thank you to the great speakers who have also supported the programme with their insight and experience and of our incredibly generous match funders, Gentian, Paris Smith Solicitors, Winchester and the HCC Leaders Fund.
Click this link to learn more about AWE!
