Darwen Creates

Darwen Creates is a business incubation centre based at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy in Lancashire. Initially established with LEGI funding, the project aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by providing the space, support and advice young people and the wider community need to start a business.

The project recently received Royal support after Prince William and Catherine Middleton opened the Darwen Academy just two weeks before their wedding. Max Larcombe, Project Manager of Darwen Creates, gives an overview of the project and the Royal visit.

During the formal part of their visit, the couple visited our home on the Entrepreneurship Bridge, stopping to talk with the people working in the business pods, as well as touring the Academy itself, and then formally opening the building. Darwen Creates is an embodiment of how the Academy not only puts entrepreneurial thinking at the heart of what we do, but puts it into practice.

Budding businesses can also learn from the experiences of others, both about where they went right but also where they went wrong, and all of this is helping our clients build their businesses in the right way.

 The project is also playing a key role in creating new jobs in Darwen, at a time when many have been lost. Just looking at the work of Nik and Liam who founded Link Promotions shows what can be achieved. Link Promotions started at home, but the founders have moved into the Bridge, and now rent one of the 11 pods.

More importantly, their business has been developing so well, they are now employing people. So, from nothing, a new business has been created and is now providing local people with jobs.

 For more information about Darwen Creates visit www.daca.uk.com/darwencreates and follow @DarwenCreates on Twitter.