Building connections within Blantyre community

Published: Tuesday 17 May 2022

This image shows a group of people enjoying the first co-working event held at E3's Blantyre hub

A new weekly co-working space has launched in Blantyre.

The aim is to rebuild connections between independent businesses working remotely in South Lanarkshire.

Community enterprise project E3 are inviting local people and independent business owners to their Blantyre hub to bring their remote work to a friendly, collaborative, and supportive workspace and build connections within their community.

The E3 project (Elevator Entrepreneurial Ecosystem) is delivered by social enterprise Elevator UK and supported by South Lanarkshire Council thanks to the UK Community Renewal Fund, (CRF) which aims to support people and communities across the UK.

The co-working space aims to help combat loneliness amongst local people and business owners who normally work from home, in turn growing a strong network of like-minded people within South Lanarkshire.

The first co-working day was held last month and, following its success, will continue to be held on varying weekdays until the end of June - at least.

Jack Getty, South Lanarkshire E3 Digital Manager, said: “I was so pleased to see such a great turnout at our co-working event in Blantyre.

“Learning about all the local businesses is what I enjoy most about my job and hearing it face to face is so important for this project. A highlight for me was seeing everyone interact with each other to share common experiences on their journey so far.”

Blantyre E3 Hub is fully equipped for remote working with free Wi-Fi access, tea and coffee, desk space and an accessible ramp for entry to the building. The hub also has laptops for communal use, subject to availability.

At each co-working day, there will also be members of the E3 team on site to discuss free business support on offer (including digital webinars, social media training and vouchers and accredited carbon literacy training) as well as bespoke Digital and Marketing 1:1 support for your business on the day.

Laura Mills, Economic Development Officer for South Lanarkshire Council, added: “The Economic Development Team at South Lanarkshire Council are delighted to support the E3 co-working days.

“It is a great opportunity for us to meet with local businesses and discuss the support we can offer them along with our partner organisations.

“It also offers great networking opportunities and we encourage local businesses to get involved.”

To find out when the next Blantyre E3 Hub co-working day will take place, visit the E3 Facebook page for regular updates or fill out an enquiry form on their website.