Clare graduates from the School of Social Entrepreneurs

We are very proud to announce that Clare recently graduated from the School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) after completing coursework and training on their Community Business Trade Up programme, a course run through a partnership between SSE and Power to Change. Clare has been on the course since April 2020 and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot about our business, our team and herself in the process.

‘The course has been absolutely brilliant in this year of change and uncertainty. The team at Action Hampshire, who delivered the training, have been so adaptable and flexible and it has been wonderful to feel supported and to share the challenges of this last year with a group of like-minded people.’

Action Hampshire quickly switched to delivering the training online at the start of the course and Clare has been lucky enough to be in conversation with many experts in the field of community business. From social media to story-telling, business models to social impact, the course has covered every aspect of running a community business.

In addition to the training, there is also £10,000 of matched funding available, of which over £6,500 has already been awarded to October Books. This has helped us to maintain our services this year, has covered some of Clare’s time while sheis developing ideas from the programme and has provided the funds for the team to complete a Motivational mapping exercise. We were also awarded £750 in order to update our till and cataloguing system to an integrated EPOS system, something we have dreamed of for a long, long time. A recent report has shown that this matched funding scheme has proved very successful with community businesses all over the country.

‘The funding has really helped this year and into next,’ said Clare ‘ but the real benefit of the course is in the knowledge transfer and action learning. Community businesses like October Books have proven to be more resilient and adaptable than more traditional forms of business this year. We hope that our experience and learnings we have gained from the course can also be used by others to create a new story for our high streets beyond the pandemic.’

If you would like to find out more about the course and what it has meant to October Books please do drop Clare a line clare@octoberbooks.org

———

We’re back open six days a week!

Mon: 9.30-5.30

Tues: 9.30-5.30

Wed: 9.30-1.30 (early close)

Thurs: 9.30-5.30

Fri: 9.30-5.30

Sat: 9.30-5.30

For our opening hours over the xmas period please see the blog here

Because of current Covid risks we ask that customers wear masks, sanitise their hands and avoid touching things unnecessarily. Customer numbers will be limited to allow for social distancing to keep our workers and customers safe, we ask for your patience and understanding.

You will see we have a QR code at the door, if you have the NHS COVID-19 app downloaded to your smart phone please scan this as you enter the shop.