Enterprise Hub opens in village

The new Menter Berllan Community Enterprise Hub hosted its first Open Hub and Workshop Owners Showcase at Llanerfyl Workshops.

The aim was to enable local people to learn about the social enterprise company’s plans to help local businesses grow and to see the meeting and IT training facilities.

Lesley Long, Enterprise Hub Manager said; “Our goal at the Menter Berllan Community Enterprise Hub is to grow a thriving rural enterprise economy that works for everyone. We are a not-for profit social business. This means that once we have settled our bills and paid our team, we plough any profit we make back into our community to help make it more resilient and sustainable.”

The evening also provided the opportunity to showcase the work of local craftspeople based at the Workshops and Mike Perks - Wood Designer / Maker, and Stan Jankowski of Jankowski Weathervanes and Garden Art had their work on display.

Co-Director, Laura Van der Velden added: “Many people are not aware of the hugely creative and skilful work our local craftspeople produce. It’s vital we raise their profile and help them connect and sell to markets beyond our Welsh borders. Our first Open Hub evening was just the start.”

Guests on Friday included Russell George AM, representatives from Age Cymru, Cwm Harry, Siawns Teg as well as a lively cross-section of the local community.

With access to superfast broadband and WI-FI, the Hub offers small business owners and community members a range of services including a co-work space, digital-skills training and micro B2B support.

The Hub is the only registered UK Online Centre in mid-Wales offering low-cost IT skills training to the community.

The training team aims to upskill and build confidence with local people excluded from an increasingly digital world and are currently recruiting local volunteer Digital Champions to help with outreach work.

They can offer friendly, learner-paced support to older residents, mums wanting to gain new skills and people looking for work. The goal is to enable everyone to become confident to get online for work and leisure.

The Hub has been specifically designed as a creative, welcoming and dynamic space that can be booked for small group craft workshops, writing groups, book clubs, Ebay photographic sessions, business team meetings, coding skills workshops for young people and much more.

With space limited to 25 at the Menter Berllan Hub, the team is hosting a second bi-lingual event at the Llanerfyl Village Hall on February 26 from 6.30pm–8pm and inviting members of the local community to meet with them. 

For more information contact Lesley or Robert on hello@menterberllan.co.uk or visit www.menterberllan.co.uk.

PICTURE (from left): Jamie Burt, Mike Perks, Russell George AM, Naomi Perks, Linda Muscroft, Lesley Long, Chrissie Menzies, Alex Evans, Romy Shovelton, Stan Jankowski, Pamela Clare-Joyce