Communities Minister Baroness Hanham CBE, from the Government's Department for Communities and Local Government department, will visit two projects in Leicester and Corby today (Tuesday 15th March 2011) to see how local communities are benefiting from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is responsible for delivering the East Midlands 2007-13 ERDF Competitiveness Programme, which aims to increase productivity through innovation, improve resource efficiency in businesses, and boost sustainable economic and enterprise activity in less advantaged communities.  

In the morning of 15th March Baroness Hanham will visit the Corby Enterprise Centre, which provides flexible office and studio space for new enterprises and business start-ups. The environmentally friendly building has created 32,000 sq ft of high quality employment space for Corby, with modern offices and workshops suitable for businesses of between two and 25 people. Shared facilities such as a boardroom and meeting rooms are also available to give companies a cost effective and convenient means to hold training events or client presentations.

The Enterprise Centre has received more than £1.1m ERDF and emda has contributed nearly £6.5 million to the scheme, which includes £1m from Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited (NEL) through Northamptonshire County Council.

Baroness Hanham will then visit the Leicester Business Women project in the afternoon of 15th March. Since it started in April 2009 the project has worked in conjunction with the Business Link Start-Up Service to enhance enterprise and start-up initiatives for business women in disadvantaged and isolated communities in Leicester, providing leadership roles for women from a minority ethnic background, local residents, young people and women in worklessness communities. 

Delivered by not-for-profit organisation Skills for Enterprise Ltd, the Leicester Business Women project has received £373,322 ERDF, which has helped them to establish a central women's 'hub'. The hub provides enterprise awareness, coaching and mentoring provision and undertakes scoping work to support and develop women's business ideas whilst developing their confidence to make those choices.

Andrew Morgan, Skills and Communities Director at emda said: "This is a great opportunity to demonstrate how ERDF support is having a real impact for local people and the wider benefits of both these projects for local communities and the business community in Corby and Leicester."

Communities Minister Baroness Hanham, from the Department for Communities and Local Government said:

"I am delighted to be able to meet women from Leicester and Corby who are a shining example of how learning new skills can open up life changing opportunities. I was impressed by their ideas, ambition and business acumen, and it's encouraging to know that many more local people will benefit from Government funding supporting these types of projects.  

"Local communities and local businesses know what works best in their area and this funding will contribute to the regeneration of Leicester and Corby communities, enabling local businesses to realise their potential in some very innovative ways".

The East Midlands 2007-13 ERDF Competitiveness Programme is providing €268.5m (currently approx. £233m) of investment support across the East Midlands during 2007-13. When combined with match funding this will provide a total Programme value of €537m (approx. £466m). The Programme supports a range of beneficiaries including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), universities, local authorities, business support intermediaries, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and community organisations.