Fermanagh and Omagh Enterprise Week
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is hosting its first ever Enterprise Week, in partnership with the local enterprise agencies, Omagh Enterprise Company Ltd and Fermanagh Enterprise Ltd. The week-long event, which focuses on fostering enterprise throughout the region, will run from Monday 29 February to Friday 4 March 2016.
This exciting event is aimed at the complete spectrum of the business sector, including start-ups, entrepreneurs considering starting a business, established SMEs, company directors and anyone who wants to learn and grow their business.
Enterprise Week will be five-days of free, dynamic business events, workshops, seminars and networking opportunities, delivered by leading experts. Events will be held at locations across the district, including Enniskillen, Dromore, Irvinestown and Omagh. Wide ranging topical advice for businesses will include e-commerce, digital marketing, website and Facebook training as well as advice for food and tourism business, social enterprises and funding advice to name but a few.
Enterprise Week kicks off on Monday next, 29 February 2016 with a Tendering and Procurement Workshop in the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh from 10.00 am to 12 noon. The workshop aims to assist local businesses to bid for potential public sector, and even large scale private sector, contracts.
A series of experts from the Council’s Procurement Section, the Central Procurement Directorate, InterTradeIreland and Global Education Ltd (GEL) will address the difficulties that many local businesses experience in engaging with public and private sector tendering procedures.
Speaking about the Council’s first ever Enterprise Week, the Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly welcomed the week-long series of events which will ensure our business community is provided with a supportive environment in which they can network, explore opportunities and learn how to run their business more effectively.
“As a Council we are committed to actively supporting local businesses and I have no doubt Enterprise Week will help address many of the issues our SMEs face on a daily basis. Through assistance like this, and other forms of support the Council offers, we look forward to seeing the continued growth and expansion of our local businesses over the coming years,” Councillor Reilly added.
During the week both Fermanagh Enterprise Ltd and Omagh Enterprise Centre will open their doors for on-the-spot advice and guidance on all sorts of business matters including health and safety, finance etc, while Euro Auctions in Dromore will also host a business open evening which will include a funding information session on the new Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme.
One of the highlights of Enterprise Week will be a Social Enterprise Conference – “Unlocking the Potential of Social Enterprise”. This will take place on Thursday 3 March in the ARC Healthy Living Centre, Irvinestown, where a host of inspirational speakers will provide a wealth of advice on the Social Economy Sector.
The week comes to a close on Friday 4 March with the official launch of a new and innovative business support programme, Generating Renewable Energy Business Enterprise (GREBE). This is a three-year programme being delivered by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to support renewable energy enterprises.
The launch of GREBE will take place at the BALCAS Plant in Enniskillen, with advice and assistance from representatives from Invest NI, the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme and the CREST Centre. Guests will also be invited to tour of the site.
To register for any of the events in Enterprise Week or for further information contact Sharon McGillion, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Telephone: 0300 3031 777 Ext 20328 or E-mail:sharon.mcgillion@fermanaghomagh.com
