About Us

The Oldham Enterprise Trust helps Oldham residents into enterprise and employability and contributes to long-term economic growth.

The Oldham Enterprise Trust focuses on Oldham residents including those who struggle to find economic independence, with some who are furthest away from earning a living and we blend universal and targeted provision to offer holistic interventions which are tailored to the individual.

There have been many projects and initiatives that aim to address structural barriers preventing access to work or to enterprise but participation rates among communities in Oldham remain low. We tackle those social barriers and help build self esteem and self confidence to nurture individuals towards employment.

The Oldham Enterprise Trust has evolved from the ‘Get Oldham Working’ initiative which was kick-started by a £1m donation from The Stoller Charitable Trust and aimed to help the next generation of entrepreneurs get businesses off the ground and also support young people into employment.  We are now a leading provider for employability support focussing on not only the skills needed to run a business, hold down a job but the essential skills of confidence, communication, problem solving, planning, team working, interpersonal skills, networking, creative thinking, and adaptability which improves employability.


Dave Benstead

Trustee, DiodesDave is HR Director at Diodes in Oldham and is committed to helping Oldham’s economy and skills grow. He is Chair of the Oldham Enterprise Trust, the local Economy and Skills Partnership, governor at Oldham Sixth Form College and Oldham Business Leadership Group. He sees the work of all these groups as contributing to making Oldham greater.

Cllr Shoab Aktar

Trustee, OMBCI have been an elected member for over 16 years representing Werneth Ward. Currently I am the Cabinet member for Employment and Skills. I love Oldham and want the best for our Borough. I genuinely believe that we have the best young people in the country and would like to create as many entrepreneurship opportunities as we can.

Eddie Moores

Trustee, OMBCI was first elected to Oldham Council in May 2011, I am currently a member of the Cabinet and I hold the Health and Wellbeing portfolio and I am a Trustee of OET.I was previously involved in the rail industry where I held a variety of technical, supervisory and management positions. I have been involved in education in the borough for over 20 years and I am Chair of Governors at both Blue Coat and Mills Hill schools and I am a Governor at the Radclyffe School. I also represent the OMBC as a Governor of the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

David Meredith

Trustee, Business ConsultantI had a long and varied 40 year career with Natwest Bank before leaving them in 2017. I have since developed a small business where I act as a management consultant to several SMEs and undertake some commercial finance advisory work through a business called Working Capital Solutions Ltd. I’m a born and bred Oldhamer and have lived here all my life. I became involved in the Oldham Enterprise Trust because it’s there to help local people to start and develop new businesses that will hopefully generate employment, wealth and success in the Town.

Laura Smart

Trustee, KPMGTrustee, Laura Smart is a Director at KPMG. She is a Chartered Accountant and chartered Tax adviser who started her career at a local firm of accountants. She is a governor at Oldham College and sits on the fundraising committee of Maggie’s, Oldham. As an Oldhamer, born and bred, she is committed to supporting the town fulfil its potential.


The Oldham Enterprise Trust helps Oldham residents into enterprise and employability – over £1 million pounds given out to support business start-ups in Oldham.

United Kingdom

Oldham

Civic Centre,
West Street,
Oldham, OL1 1UT

T: 07515188974

Graham McKendrick

Enterprise Trust Manager

07515 188 974

Kashif Ashraf

Enterprise Education Officer

07732100007

Wendy Brown

Enterprise Consultant

07713736552

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