Welcome to
The PRIME Initiative….
We are the only national organisation dedicated to helping people aged over 50 set up in business. PRIME’s Chief Executive, Laurie South, says: |
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"I believe passionately that you should have the opportunity for self-fulfilment and independence that starting your own business can provide. Enterprise may not be for everyone, but I do know that each one of you has more experience, talent and ability than you realise. PRIME is here to help you unlock this through self-employment. Do contact us. We are here for you" |
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BBC Money Programme Valerie Singleton, Sir Alan Sugar and PRIME's Laurie South on the over 60s who are too young to retire. more Smallwood report Read economist Christopher Smallwood's report into how the government could improve employment prospects for the over 50s. more New PRIME web site www.primebusinessclub.com is for people starting or running businesses in the UK. That's where you'll find all our practical information, news and case studies for older entrepreneurs. more Meanwhile this site, www.primeinitiative.org.uk , is for people looking for background on PRIME or research into issues affecting older people in business and the job market . Free PRIME guide "Working for YOURSELF" is a 40-page practical guide to sales, marketing and preparing a business plan specially written for people aged over 50. more Finding the right business PRIME has produced a free eight-page A4 workbook designed to help people find the right self-employment idea. It's based on a successful series of live workshops. Free booklet about self-employed pensions PRIME has published a 32-page guide to pensions for the 50+ self-employed. We feel too many people are simply ignoring the issue. more |
PRIME helps people over the age of 50 set up in business for themselves. We are a registered charity linked to Age Concern England, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, who remains PRIME's President, and a member of the Prince's Charities Group. We offer a sympathetic ear, free information and help, workshops and business networking events. We can also refer you to properly-accredited advisers in our Partner organisations for free business advice. We also provide help and advice on starting a social enterprise. We are also working at local, regional, national and EU level to ensure there is proper help and support for people over 50 considering enterprise because this has been, and remains, a neglected age group. PRIME (the Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprise) is the working name of The PRIME Initiative, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 4184314). PRIME is also a linked charity to Age Concern England, with the charity number 261794-2. PRIME’s registered address is Astral House, 1268 London Road, London SW16 4ER. PRIME operates in England and Northern Ireland. In Wales we have a sister organisation PRIME-Cymru which will help you if you are over 50 and considering running your own business. more |
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PRIME's original business start-up loan scheme for the over 50s has come to an end after running for almost four years, and we are taking this opportunity to review it. We're planning to have a new scheme up and running in 2008. We will announce the new scheme here on this web site once it has been finalised. In the meantime here’s a list of other business loans offered by our partners and other properly-regulated community organisations. All these schemes are for people who the banks would generally turn down, as was PRIME's. It is still worth contacting us if you are 50 or over and want to set up in business - as PRIME and its partners can help you in other practical ways with your plans. more |
Frazer Spence saw retirement as an opportunity to do something he and his wife, Rita, had thought up twenty years earlier. But now it was possible to do it even more effectively with the help of the Internet. STAYdontPAY is an innovative Bed & Breakfast exchange scheme. Frazer did the basic web-site design in the garden shed on an old computer. www.staydontpay.net went live with over 200 members in July 2005 and has been growing steadily ever since. Frazer says of PRIME "Many thanks for sparing time to look at STAYdontPAY - your help was greatly appreciated.” |
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03/04/08 Case study of PRIME and older entrepreneurship in academic journal |
27 Feb 08: How to start your own business - Barton Upon Humber 29 Feb 08: PRIME at One Life Live show - London 18 Mar 08: Working for yourself in Walsall 30 Apr 08: Starting your own business - Sheffield 8 May 08: Business networking club - Sheffield For more details click on the links above, or go to the full events list |
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PRIME's central office is at: Our telephone number is:
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