News and blogs
We’ve collected all of the news and blog posts from across the team at Allia – read on for insights about impact; spotlights on some of the exciting projects our tenants and partners work on; and interesting thought-pieces from across the sector
Staying Alive: Pivoting through the Pandemic
By Alex Potter, Programme Manager East London
We have all heard the importance of shopping local, increasing sustainable consumption habits and supporting our local businesses. From podcasts to news articles, we’ve been inundated with the importance of resilience in times of crisis; easier said than done – especially for businesses that have historically had less help in terms of community, resource and business support.
Free support for local businesses in Cambridge and Peterborough to help them grow
Allia receives 3-year European funding to support delivery of programmes across Greater Cambridgeshire
Allia Future Business Centres has been awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund to support hundreds of local businesses across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through a range of free training, advice and support programmes.
Innovation Lab relaunches at Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough
State-of-the-art lab for developing and testing innovative products that address environmental and social challenges
Allia Future Business Centre today announces the relaunch of the Innovation Lab at its centre in Peterborough.
Allia Future Business Centre supports NHS by hosting local Covid-19 antibody test clinic
The business centre at Peterborough United’s stadium provides venue for free testing for the region’s care staff
Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough is proud to be supporting the NHS by providing a venue for its local Covid-19 antibody testing clinic.
Our centres are Covid-safe – we’re here when you’re ready to move forward
Recovery. A word we’re hearing a lot right now, as we start to emerge tentatively from the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. For some, the recovery will be a physical one, to gradually get well again after falling ill with the virus that has affected millions of people the world over.
Allia leads project to provide homeless people with supported housing in Cambridge
ALLIA WORKS WITH JIMMY’S AND NEW MEANING FOUNDATION TO DESIGN, BUILD AND INSTALL MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY HOUSING IN THE CITY
Six new homes have been built to provide supported living for homeless people in Cambridge. Led by Allia, a charity dedicated to the creation of positive impact, this innovative housing project was the result of a 12-month partnership with Jimmy’s, the Cambridge homelessness charity, and the New Meaning Foundation, an ethical construction social enterprise.
Origin8 teams up with Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough as catering partner
Focus on locally-sourced, freshly made food for the local business community
Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough is pleased to welcome Origin8 as its new catering partner, to run the café on the top floor of the centre, based on London Road, at the Peterborough United football stadium.
2021: the year to ask ‘how can I help?’
For many of us, 2021 could not come fast enough. I will not expound on the world’s collective gratitude in 2020 being finished, you can watch Netflix’s Death to 2020 for a much more humorous take on this! As we continue in yet another lockdown, I’d like to frame some of the work that Allia will be working on this year to support the impact start-ups and local businesses that are getting ready to step up and make a difference.
Future 20 spotlight: Sutrue
Medtech company Sutrue has created an automated suturing device that enables surgeons to easily perform stitches more accurately and safely in challenging sites.
Sutrue joined our Future 20 programme last year and is set to bring much needed innovation to the traditional suturing process which has not seen much progression in thousands of years.
Building resilience for local businesses over lockdown
Participants got expert advice in legal issues, HR, finance, strategy, marketing, productivity and coaching, with intensive and flexible 1-to-1 mentor support – through 17 workshops all delivered within one month. Two month-long programmes were run between May and July, and the cohort were able to form a tight-knit and supportive peer community, whilst learning practical skills such as how to take their business online, or to navigate a huge decrease in income.
Impact Accelerator kicks off in East London
And we’re off! Our latest Impact Accelerator in East London has just launched. We’re delighted to welcome 15 exciting ventures from across a range of diverse sectors – such as fashion, Fintech, health and wellbeing, transport, and more – that all focus on addressing global or local challenges in some way.
Five ways to get the most out of your mentor
By Emma Mee
If you want to do something well, it’s a good idea to learn from someone who has been there and made all the mistakes before; experience is crucial. If you are venturing into the unknown, finding someone with experience who can act as a sounding board and advise on decisions can be invaluable – and that is where a mentor comes in.