The
nationally recognised John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank is delighted to
announce that Tony Robinson OBE of Enterprise Rockers and Micro
Business Champion, has
agreed to be its Patron in supporting the enterprising young people of Hull,
East Riding, Ryedale and Scarborough. As Patron, Tony will be the face of the
bank and its work at regional and national levels as well as helping it to
secure further support from the business community for its bondholder and
mentoring scheme.
Tony Robinson
OBE said:
"Wow what an honour to be asked to be Patron of John Cracknell
Youth Enterprise Bank. My Mum and Dad, if they were alive, would have
been so proud that this great City, which they built their own business in, was
leading the UK in enterprise promotion and skills for young people "
"I'm immensely grateful for all the backing we've received from
John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank for our annual, global #MicroBizMattersDay
and more so, in furthering our shared aim of overcoming economic and social
barriers for young people through enterprise".
'I've spent a lifetime trying to influence government policies,
education, training and business support provision to recognise that enterprise
- starting and running your own business' - requires a different skill set to
other business and management careers. The John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank
gets this and through many innovative and above all, enterprising, ways ensures
young people in and out of school can develop these survive and thrive skills.
I'm honoured to be Patron of this rocking partnership and movement'
Charles
Cracknell Secretary of John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank said:
“The John
Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank are delighted to have secured the support and
services of such a nationally recognised figure as Tony Robinson OBE of
Enterprise Rockers, not only does Tony have connections with Hull he is also a
national champion of Micro Businesses – over the last few years we have worked
with Tony and his colleagues at Enterprise Rockers on Micro Biz Day and it’s
through Tony we are now looking to establish links with Charlie Mullins of
Pimlico Plumbers. Over the last twenty years Tony has secured the well-deserved
title of “UK Micro Business Champion”
Further Information about Tony Robinson:
Tony and all his family are from East and West Hull. He lived in Hessle
and went to Beverley Grammar School and was proud to play cricket and tennis at
Hull YPI and more importantly, have a season ticket to watch Waggy at
Boothferry Park (he's very old).
Tony is known nationally and internationally as the Micro Business
Champion. Tony has been running his own business, with Clare Francis, for over
30 years. He started championing the skills, know-how and eco system, that
those starting their own business need to survive and thrive. In 1996, a
Government contract to describe the competences needed by those starting a
business and those advising them led to him founding the SFEDI Group (which
includes the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship) to raise the quality
of enterprise learning and support.
In January 2012 he founded, with Tina Boden, the indie, free, informal,
no contact details required, Enterprise Rockers CIC to make life better for
micro (0-9 employees) business owners everywhere. They run the annual, global
#MicroBizMattersDay which the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank supports.
The 4th #MicroBizMattersDay takes place on January 12th 2018 broadcasting live
from Manchester.
Most of Tony's work and campaigns to back micro enterprise has been
self-funded - unpaid and voluntary. This includes being a Director of the
Centre for Enterprise, Director of Yorkshire in Business (the Yorkshire Coast
Enterprise Agency), Vice President of the National Federation of Enterprise
Agencies (now NEN), Vice President of ISBE and Investors in People Small
Business Champion. His 20 year campaign that all organisations that
Government buy from, fund or licence should #PayIn30Days all their bills
found its way into the Labour Party manifesto at the last General
Election.
Tony was awarded an OBE for small firms and training and is the
recipient of 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards for his contribution to
Entrepreneurship (from the IAB and Start Your Business Magazine). He regularly
appears in the Top 100 Influencers in the UK on Entrepreneurship. He is
currently on a never ending (he hopes) tour with his one hour, one man 'Micro
Is Magic' show based on his best-selling fictional satire 'Freedom from Bosses
Forever'.
John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank:
The John
Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank is for young people who live in Hull, East
Riding and the towns of Malton, Norton on Derwent, Pickering in Ryedale and the
town of Scarborough, aged up to and including 21 years old. It offers grants of
up to £1,000 for individuals or groups of young people who need finance to help
make their idea happen. (More funding will be considered in exceptional
circumstances). The idea should benefit other people or help the applicant
develop an enterprising idea.
The Youth
Enterprise Bank (YEB) is not just about giving financial support, it also
offers practical help with developing your business idea. The Youth Enterprise
Bank is managed by a group of trustees, and linked to the Hull Youth
Enterprise Partnership.
To-date over
400 young people from Hull have benefited from this source of funding,
buying items such as: Computers, Business Stationery, Websites, Photography
Equipment, Bicycle Repair Equipment, Chocolate Making Equipment, Dance costumes
for local bands, equipment for mobile hairdressers and much more.
In 2015
the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank won Enterprising
Britain and was a runner up in the European Enterprise
Promotion Awards and in 2017 won best social enterprise in the East Coast Chamber
Awards.
