Upturn in fortunes after Lotto-grant joy

A social enterprise that has helped over 500 unemployed people find work is enjoying a double celebration this month — the business turns 10 and has also received a lottery grant of more than £300,000.

Upturn Enterprise, nominated for a Pride in Oldham award in 2010, began as a project aimed to regenerate Oldham’s businesses after the race riots of 2001.

Set up in the following February and funded by the council, the business, then named PRIO (Promoting Regeneration in Oldham), set about establishing an organisation that would benefit the borough in the long term.

And after a decade of dedicating their services to the town’s unemployed, Upturn has evolved into an independent business and plans to use their Big Lottery Fund grant of £325,000 to kick-start their newest project. The plan is to train a team of people in ground-maintenance jobs before securing them employment with local housing-association contracts.

Anwar Ali, chief executive at Upturn, said: “The aim of our new project is to train people in jobs such as caretaking or gardening, then secure contracts with housing associations who will take on our trainees, rather than looking to the private sector for workers.

“It gives people who have been in long-term unemployment more of a chance at a working life. When we started this business 10 years ago, a lot of people didn’t think we would last. But we’ve proved we’re a sustainable business which helps the community.

“I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to develop and manage the great little social enterprise that you see today.

“I could not have done what I have done without the wider support of Oldham Council and Guinness Northern Counties, not to mention all the staff members past and present who have worked tirelessly.”