The Company, as Trustee of the Haberdashers’ Benevolent Foundation, is pleased to announce another three years support for the 2020 University of East London (UEL) / Haberdashers’ Entrepreneur Awards. 

In partnership, the Haberdashers’ Company and the UEL have supported the creation, survival and growth of over 100 entrepreneurs and created a rich, diverse community of thriving East London businesses.   The Haberdashers’ Entrepreneur Awards programme is delivered by UEL’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Team whose members have over 20 years combined experience in starting and growing successful businesses.

Over the last three years, the Haberdashers’ Entrepreneur Awards have supported 15 businesses - of which 100% are still trading, with the 2018 cohort being some of the highest performing businesses in the history of the 14-year programme - turning over an impressive £470,000 between them and employing 11 full-time staff.  Recently, one of the 2018 awardee businesses, Street Food Markets Ltd  won ‘Micro Business of the Year’ at the 2019 Newham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

Street Food Ltd director Kojo Smith, (centre) accepting the award, along with the company’s two UEL business interns.
Photo © Newham Chamber of Commerce.

The funding awarded from the Haberdashers’ Benevolent Foundation will be matched through in-kind support and financial support from UEL for the Development Programme, which provides training and support at a point in the business lifecycle where businesses are most likely to fail. In addition, UEL provides funded student intern placements for each winning business.

Applications for the 2020 Awards will close in late March and the five winning businesses will be announced at Haberdashers’ Hall on the evening of 14th July.