Petchey Centre for Entrepreneurship opens at UEL
1st April 2009
An innovative centre that combines enterprise development, teaching, research, mentoring and community outreach to help budding entrepreneurs is now up and running as part of the University of East London's Business School and Knowledge Dock on the waterfront of the Royal Docks.
The Petchey Centre was formally opened on 25 March by entrepreneur and philantrophist Jack Petchey, along with Professor Susan Price, UEL Acting Vice Chancellor, and Harvey McGrath, Chair of the London Development Agency.
Focusing on fostering young people's entrepreneurship, the Centre has been set up with the support of a £500,000 donation from the Jack Petchey Foundation.
Jack Petchey OBE is one of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs. Growing up in East London he started out in 1948 with a one-man cab service in the Royal Docks, and he has since built a multi-million pound business. In 1999, he set up the Jack Petchey Foundation, which has since donated over £50 million to schools, clubs and projects which benefit young people in London.
Speaking at the launch, he said: "I am proud to support this fantastic new facility, which will give young people in East London access to some of the resources they need to succeed with their enterprises. Our Foundation encourages young people to achieve great things, and I fully expect those who are using this Centre to have a positive effect on our community and our economy in the future."