135 | UK Enterprise Awards 2022 The BEC CIC delivers affordable workspaces and provides both digital and face-to-face training for businesses, as well as a one-to-one mentoring programme using industry experts to provide vital coaching and mentoring to the business community. We find out more about its latest project, Three Sixty, in the wake of the organisation being recognised in the UK Enterprise Awards. The Barking Enterprise Centre (BEC) has a long, successful history of working in Barking and Dagenham, becoming a Community Interest Company in 2016 with a mission to be a point of reference and a centre of excellence in supporting new business, business growth, and development across the borough the wider area of East London. The BEC’s core values include enabling startups and small business to incubate, grow and develop; to work in collaboration with local businesses providing a network of support; to work with a range of partners in developing a holistic approach to building business in the areas it works; and to be part of the ongoing development locally, seeking opportunities to share knowledge and grow the support available to start-ups and local businesses. A spokesperson for the BEC CIC shares with us what it is that differentiates it from the competition. “As a Community Interest company we take our commitment to the business community seriously,” they begin. “We are committed to providing support which gives an entrepreneur or start up the best chance of survival. We ensure that our ‘more than a workspace provider’ approach is central to all that we deliver. Our tenants benefit from excellent workspace offers which are affordable with access to reception services, and meeting room facilities. As well as access to excellent training and our one-to-one mentoring programme working with industry experts of which both the training and mentoring are free at the point of access.” Whilst the pandemic brought significant challenges as it did for every business, the BEC was in a position to set up remote support for all of the businesses it works with. Between April 2020 and July 2020, it delivered over 700 hours of emergency business support and assisted the local authority in manning the phones about grant and support enquiries allowing them the opportunity to focus on making payments to businesses at the time when the businesses needed financial help. “We are now seeing a return to the office, which is great news for our workspaces, the impact of Covid meant that some of the businesses we hosted left, despite us giving over £250k of rent free periods. We were the only operator locally to do this.” Beginning in 2016 with just one building, the BEC CIC is now at the point of opening its 4th building locally which will consist of a completely different offer and the first in the area of its kind. Three Sixty workrooms will launch which will offer the creator and/or/coworking community an affordable workspace. “It has been designed by award winning architects Assemble and offers an inclusive space specially designed for authentic creators to shine their light,” the spokesperson enthuses. “Together we will be pioneering a shared creator economy we are very excited.” Apr22332 Best Regional Business Support Initiative – East London =The area itself is rapidly changing with huge opportunities being created all the time such as the development of a new shopping centre, Vicarage fields. The film studios in Barking, and in Dagenham East will bring a new breed of industry to the area, and of course the move of the three markets of London to the borough bring hospitality and leisure to the fore for future business opportunities. Therefore, BEC CIC is ideally placed with its new Three Sixty workspace offering to really make a difference to the local community. Recently, the organisation was recognised in the UK Enterprise Awards 2022 and bestowed with the prestigious accolade of Best Regional Business Support Initiative – East London. Now, with the new Three Sixty project unfolding, the BEC CIC is well placed for future growth. “The future for the BEC is offering a range of flexible workspace opportunities which enable clients to work in a hybrid way as well as our valued wraparound support through training and mentoring.” Company: BEC CIC Web Address: www.beccic.co.uk www.threesixtyworkrooms.com
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