In 2019 Fashion-Enter won a major bid to facilitate and manage an affordable workspace and retail unit in Islington. Today the retail shop on Fonthill Road showcases and sells a range of local designers collections and the designer workspace is set to open its doors in September 21.
Both spaces are funded and supported by Islington Council, Mayor of London and LEAP with the aim of bringing a circular economy to the borough of Islington allowing local entrepreneurs to maximise their full potential and to grow further by having space to sell their product.
In place of rent and business rates for each space Fashion-Enter is contracted to deliver a Social Value Matrix and report back to the council each quarter.
Social Value is defined in its broadest sense as any additional economic, social or environmental benefits brought to a community by a business, separate to contracted goods or services. To Matrix SCM, Social Value means using our skills and resources to support clients’ aspirations for their residents.
We are delighted to report that despite a challenging start to the project due to the pandemic and shop closures we have in fact surpassed the targets for quarter 1. This has involved employing a local person as a direct result of the contract, supporting 10 local businesses by selling their product in the retail shop, providing one-to-one business mentoring on a range of topics from finances to business development to marketing, offering the accredited Level 2 stitching academy course to two local individuals and much more.
This is only the start, and with the workspace opening next month we are confident we can continue this invaluable support, training and employment opportunities for local residents and businesses in Islington.
Photo Marie from Hashtag Made 4 Me – local resident