North West

Enterprising new centre for Manchester

Based in Greater Manchester, The Message Trust is an award-winning Christian charity working to improve the lives of people in the surrounding area and beyond.

In 2012, The Message Trust opened the Message Enterprise Centre, a brand new business and training facility for young people, designed to address the rise in youth unemployment.

Now that The Message Enterprise Centre is in place, The Message Trust aims to create six new businesses, along with a number of new jobs to provide vital opportunities for ex-offenders and at-risk young people. The Message Trust – working in partnership with organisations such as the Jericho Foundation, Project Caleb and Betel of Britain – will use the centre as a central hub to create jobs including landscaping and gardening, cleaning, catering, car maintenance and health and beauty.

The creation of the site has already proved successful, with one of its apprentices – Adam Fountain – scooping an Urban Hero Award in 2012 under the category Special Award for Enterprise.

Commenting on the creation of the new centre, The Message Trust CEO Andy Hawthorne, said:

“This is without doubt our most ambitious and exciting initiative to date. For over twenty years, we have been entrepreneurial for the Kingdom, pioneering mission in words and actions. Now it feels like we have come full circle – it’s time to harness the power of business again.”

The Message Enterprise Centre was created through the refurbishment and transformation of an unused site situated next door to The Message Trust’s headquarters in Sharston, Manchester.

Specialist fit-out and building service company, TJM Projects Limited was the main contractor on the project. Established in 2004, TJM Projects Limited delivers high quality interior packages and has an excellent reputation for quality and reliability.

On The Message Enterprise Centre flooring specialist L & D Flooring was responsible for all screeding and vinyl installations.

L & D Flooring Floor Fitter, Michael Pritchard, commented:

“L & D Flooring is a young company and to date, working on The Message Enterprise Centre was the largest job that we have completed. We have worked with TJM Projects Limited on a number of schemes recently and when we were asked to be involved with this site, we were very pleased.

“At L & D Flooring we help to transform rooms through good quality workmanship.”

Hygienic Finishing Systems Ltd was responsible for the installation of PVC hygienic wall cladding within the kitchen area.

A spokesperson for Hygienic Finishing Systems Ltd, commented:

“The Message Enterprise Centre project was a fairly local project for us and The Message Trust is a well known company within the area. It was great to be a part of constructing this important facility for the Trust.”

Work began on the £1 million project in June 2012 and was completed in time for the opening of the new centre in November 2012. During the transformation process, most of the existing facility was demolished and rebuilt for its new purpose.

Working with TJM Projects Limited, Paul Darbyshire Construction North West Ltd conducted all first and second-fix joinery work on the project.

Paul Darbyshire Construction North West Ltd Company Director, Paul Darbyshire, commented:

“This site gives young people new opportunities and a fresh start, so it was very important for me to be involved with this particular site.”

Facilities at The Message Enterprise Centre include a training room, commercial kitchen, offices, a hair and beauty salon, a cycle recycling shop and a coffee shop called The Mess. The Message Enterprise Centre is open to the public throughout the week and is available for use by churches during evenings and weekends.

For more information about The Message Enterprise Centre or the work being conducted by The Message, please visit: www.message.org.uk.

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