Cookstown Enterprise Centre

Owen Paterson MP, Shadow Secretary of State for N.I. (second left) recently visited Cookstown Enterprise Centre to hear about the work that the Centre does relating to local economic development.  Pictured welcoming Mr Paterson is Dennis Legge, Chairman, Trevor Wilson, Vice-Chairman  and Ciaran Higgins, Manager of Cookstown Enterprise Centre.

 Pictured is representatives of the board and management of Cookstown Enterprise Centre welcoming Owen Paterson MP, Shadow Secretary of State for N.I. on his recent visit to the Centre. 

 ”Can’t talk………. won’t talk…………” and that’s exactly what Zita did.  Zita Carlisle, Accounts Manager at Cookstown Enterprise Centre successfully completed a sponsored silence for Children In Need raising a grand total of £913.17.  Zita would like to thank everyone who supported and contributed to this very worthy cause.  Pictured is Dennis Legge, Chairman of Cookstown Enterprise Centre together with Ciaran Higgins, Centre Manager congratulating Zita on her fund raising efforts.

Pictured (from left) are Trevor Wilson, Vice Chairman of Cookstown Enterprise Centre; Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster; Ciaran Higgins, Manager of Cookstown Enterprise Centre and Paul Carr, DETI European Programmes.

Pictured at the launch of the Engineering Innovation Programme is (back row left to right) Myles Wylie, South West College Innotech Centre, Ian Kidd, DETI, Malachy Mc Aleer, South West College, Dennis Legge, Cookstown Enterprise Centre, Ciaran Higgins, Cookstown Enterprise Centre, (front row left to right) Gillian Winters, Engineering Training Council for NI, Councillor Tony Quinn, Chairman of Cookstown District Council and Fiona Mc Keown, Cookstown District Council.

Cookstown Enterprise Centre has just launched an exciting new Engineering Innovation Programme to help ambitious engineering businesses to accelerate their growth and innovation prospects. The Engineering Innovation Programme will assist a number of small engineering businesses in the Cookstown District to develop new or improved product and process developments and business improvement techniques, in order to enhance business competitiveness, performance and sustainability. This Programme is part financed by Cookstown District Council and the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Fund for Northern Ireland. Cookstown Enterprise Centre, in association with the InnoTech Centre at South West College will act as the delivery agents for the Engineering Innovation Programme.

For further information on the above programme please check the Business Development Section of this website.

 Pictured is Mary Monaghan, Office Manager at CEC trying out the new technology available in the logon.ni Mobile ICT demonstration Unit which recently visited Cookstown Enterprise Centre.  Also pictured is Karen Cox, ICT advisor at CEC and Ciaran Murray ICT business advisor for logon.ni. 

The mobile demonstration unit is equipped with the latest technology; including a satellite broadband internet connection, and is staffed by several experienced ICT advisors.  Cookstown based businesses were able to receive advice when the mobile demonstration unit visited Cookstown Enterprise Centre on 18^th June and local businesses availed of free guidance on a number of issues from setting up a broadband router, to simple practical ICT advice, as well as having the opportunity to avail of the new technology provided by the demonstration unit.  Ciaran Higgins, Manager of Cookstown Enterprise Centre said, ‘at a time when local businesses are feeling the effects of the economic downturn, there is an increased need for businesses to better embrace the opportunities afforded by effective use of ICT.  CEC is conscious that high value innovative use of broadband by SME’s can deliver business expansion, increase competitiveness and market share and lead to increased productivity.  For more information on the services offered by the logon.ni. Programme visit www.logon-ni.co.uk  or telephone 028 82 839012.   

Pictured is Ciaran Higgins, Cookstown Enterprise Centre making a presentation to John and Louise Girvan who recently received the Advantage NI District award for entrepreneurship, which recognises the achievements of entrepreneurship and young people in business.  John and Louise set up Ty-Tots with the help and support of Cookstown Enterprise Centre in 2007 and the business has grown to be a leading supplier of children’s accessories including nursery items such as children’s cots, beds, mattresses and changing facilities as well as travel accessories such as prams and car seats as well as feeding and playtime equipment. 

Cookstown Enterprise Centre recently appointed Dennis Legge as Chairman. 

He is pictured with Trevor Wilson, Vice Chairman

 A major new programme has just been launched to encourage those who are unemployed or economically inactive to explore self-employment as a route to sustainable employment.

The £2.4m Exploring Enterprise Programme has been welcomed by Cookstown Enterprise Centre.  The programme is funded by European Social Fund, Department for Employment and Learning, Enterprise NI and the network of Local Enterprise Agencies including Cookstown Enterprise Centre.  The programme will be delivered in the local area by Cookstown Enterprise Centre and Trevor Wilson, Chairman of CEC commented, “while this is a N.I. wide programme, Cookstown Enterprise Centre is delighted to be able to deliver this programme for people in the local area.  We are all aware of the current economic situation and initiatives such as this will provide local people with the opportunity to improve their enterprise skills through advice and training.  The Exploring Enterprise initiative will enable those who are unemployed or economically inactive to develop skills to enhance their individual chances of securing employment or entering self-employment. The accredited programme will also provide participants with a Level 2 Certificate in Business Enterprise.”

Ciaran Higgins, manager of CEC commented “This new initiative is particularly timely given the economic downturn and increased levels of unemployment.  Our aim is to deliver training and mentoring support to assist people in developing personal skills as well as achieving a qualification which will help them to re-enter the labour market”.  Those people who think they are eligible for the programme are encouraged to contact Dana Mc Keown, Business Advisor, Cookstown Enterprise Centre, on 028 8676 3660 or e-mail dana@cookstownenterprise.com

More and more people are starting a business with the support and guidance of Cookstown Enterprise Centre. The Enterprise Centre has helped over 100 new businesses to start in the local area in the past 12 months.

Clients can avail of FREE advice, training and mentoring as well as IT support and help to access grants and small business loans.

Under the Start a Business Programme, Cookstown Enterprise Centre Ltd. offers a business advisory service, where an expert business counsellor will work with individuals on a one-to-one confidential basis.

The short training course is designed to help the entrepreneur understand the practicalities of running their own business. In particular it will highlight sales and marketing, financial management, legal and statutory issues, and general business practices.

In addition, the programme offers a financial planning service to highlight potential sources of funds which includes access to programme grant support and small business loans. Participants can also avail of ICT mentoring and support.

Finally, individuals will be guided in the preparation of their own Business Plan and they can avail of a FREE Advisory Service to assist them during their first year of trading.

The programme is ongoing with courses running monthly.

Bella Rosa

Isobel Fischer and Roisin McGuckin recently set up a new business in Cookstown having completed the Start a Business Programme at Cookstown Enterprise Centre.

Trading as Bella Rosa, the promoters are fully qualified and experienced florists and retail a variety of floral bouquets and arrangements for a wide variety of occasions including weddings, funerals, birthdays and christenings, as well as conferences and other corporate events.

Commenting on the Start a Business Programme Roisin said ‘The support we received was invaluable in helping us to get started. We found the training and financial planning aspects of the programme particularly beneficial and we would certainly recommend the programme to others’.

Bella Rosa can be found next to Garden World on the Dungannon Road.

To hear more about the Go-For-It Start a Business Programme contact Dana McKeown at Cookstown Enterprise Centre Ltd.