Millwall Community Trust have launched a new initiative programme “ Get started with Millwall “. The Programme supports young people and adults that want to start their own business. With support with training, funding and mentoring helping them to become the best entrepreneur they can.
The programme leans on the experience of the Millwall Community Trust staff as business advisers, covering everything from business planning and marketing to sales, budgeting and tax.
The Trust then becomes a mentor for the business developing the business plan and help with support around funding application, and ongoing planning, developing once the business starts trading.
A individual that has benefited from the programme is Andrew Burnett, who has started a Fit 4 life gym based at the Lions Centre, which is open to the public and participants from MCT projects, which has already seen the London South bank University donate nearly £10000 pounds worth of gym equipment to the trust in support of the community Gym
Andrew said of the opportunity :
"This has been an unbelievable opportunity for me and something I have always wanted to get into but never had the resources, support or business experience to make it a reality. Without Millwall's support in providing both the space and also the daily advice, guidance and support that I get from my assigned mentor John there is no way that I would be able to say i manage a gym like i can today. There is a lot of work to do but John and the trust give me the confidence to keep on developing and help me recognise every positive step however small that i make. My dream is for the gym to be part of the local community and particularly the young people to keep them off the streets and into positive activities. Hopeful with our new MMA Octagon and plans for hosting boxing events I hope to create a hub for the best local boxing and mixed martial art talent"
John Scarborough education and employment manager and Andrews mentor on the programme quoted: "It would have been easy for the Trust to simply get a private or all ready set up gym organisation to take over the space, however we felt in keeping with our ethos it was imperative that we gave committed people from the community an opportunity to realise their dream and support our wider trust vision. I have worked with Andrew for the past 3 months as his mentor and the improvements made week on week have been fantastic which is all due to Andrews hard work and commitment to the young people and community we collectively serve. We will soon be a registered YMCA and with support of the LSBU plan to provide participants access level 1,2 and 3 Fitness and Gym Instructor courses in the near future. The gym is currently open from 9 -5pm currently and will soon be open from 8am till 10pm midweek and also Saturdays morning. So please if you want to get you self fit, let off some steam or require some specific training or 1:1 support please come in as Andrew and the trust are keen to help.
Andrew said of the opportunity :
"This has been an unbelievable opportunity for me and something I have always wanted to get into but never had the resources, support or business experience to make it a reality. Without Millwall's support in providing both the space and also the daily advice, guidance and support that I get from my assigned mentor John there is no way that I would be able to say i manage a gym like i can today. There is a lot of work to do but John and the trust give me the confidence to keep on developing and help me recognise every positive step however small that i make. My dream is for the gym to be part of the local community and particularly the young people to keep them off the streets and into positive activities. Hopeful with our new MMA Octagon and plans for hosting boxing events I hope to create a hub for the best local boxing and mixed martial art talent"
John Scarborough education and employment manager and Andrews mentor on the programme quoted: "It would have been easy for the Trust to simply get a private or all ready set up gym organisation to take over the space, however we felt in keeping with our ethos it was imperative that we gave committed people from the community an opportunity to realise their dream and support our wider trust vision. I have worked with Andrew for the past 3 months as his mentor and the improvements made week on week have been fantastic which is all due to Andrews hard work and commitment to the young people and community we collectively serve. We will soon be a registered YMCA and with support of the LSBU plan to provide participants access level 1,2 and 3 Fitness and Gym Instructor courses in the near future. The gym is currently open from 9 -5pm currently and will soon be open from 8am till 10pm midweek and also Saturdays morning. So please if you want to get you self fit, let off some steam or require some specific training or 1:1 support please come in as Andrew and the trust are keen to help.
