New firms put in the melting pot

Social enterprise centre The Melting Pot is to run a new business start-up programme.

The scheme will support ten people from the Lothians to set up a social enterprise. Participants will be offered a programme of seminars, visits to successful social enterprises, and be able to access up to 6000 of grant funding.

The scheme is run by BRAG Enterprises Ltd and called Motivate to Innovate.

Founder and managing director Claire Carpenter added: "I know from personal experience just what it takes to get a new social enterprise off the ground.

"The Melting Pot's co-working community is a source of support to many people starting out and we're looking forward to hosting this structured, practical and funded programme to help more people develop their good ideas for a better world."

Tracey Muirhead of BRAG Enterprises Ltd, which is based in Fife, added: "BRAG has successfully delivered the School for Social Entrepreneurs programme in Scotland since 2002 and we're delighted to be able to offer this new programme to people in the Lothians."