THE Oldham Festival for Business launched this week with an exhibition at Eastern Pavillion brimming with local businesses and a series of workshops.

The first event of the month-long festival was held on Monday and opened by Oldham Council Leader Cllr Arooj Shah.

Cllr Shah took to the stage in front of an audience of more than 70 businesses and entrepreneurs to outline her vision for the borough alongside Oldham Council chief executive Harry Catherall.

She told the audience: “We want to help you and your businesses to grow.

“Businesses have had such a hard time over the last eighteen months. We’ve done everything we can to keep you going, putting extra teams in place to get grants out as quickly as possible, but I know the road to recovery will be a long.”

Harry added: “This event is just the start of what I hope will be a new, closer relationship between a new leader, a new chief executive, a council with fresh plans for the borough, and the businesses who are proud to call Oldham home.”

The day also encompassed a series of workshops, including a BAME new entrepreneurs conference, and an exhibition featuring Oldham businesses and support organisations including Get Oldham Working and Oldham Council’s Business Investment Team.

In the evening, a Business Heroes dinner took place hosted by Oldham Mayor, Cllr Jenny Harrison, in aid of the Mayor’s Appeal. Proceeds from the event went towards the mayor’s charities which include which include Age UK Oldham, Andy’s Man Club, Oldham Street Angels, POINT, Terence O’Grady Social Club, UKEFF, Maggie’s Oldham and Inspiring Futures Partnership CIC.

Event organiser, Kashif Ashraf from Oldham Enterprise Trust said: “Festival for Business was postponed last year due to the pandemic so it’s great to be back and bringing the business community together once again.”

Over the coming weeks a number of other events will take place including a two-day workshop for anyone who wants to launch their own business and a football-themed networking session.

For more information on the festival residents can visit the Oldham Enterprise Trust website.