LEADER CELEBRATES
TAOISEACH IN TOWN T FOR 21 YEARS OF LEADER SHOWCASE
SLIGO LEADER Partnership Company has been funding, supporting and aiming to improve the quality of life for the people of Sligo for over 21 years.
It recently celebrated a 21st anniversary in the Sligo Park Hotel with a showcase from the many businesses in the communities it has supported. Set up by Michael Quigley in 1996, Leader began with two staff and now employs over 350 people from the surrounding areas.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended the celebrations and highlighted the importance of a company like LEADER to a growing city: “The Government are here to help, but the Government can’t come down and say this is what you have to do instead what do you want to do?
“There is always support or help available that’s why the local Enterprise office and LEADER provide the back up. That is why LEADER is so important to give the assistance, encouragement and confidence to people to say we are here to help you, we will tell you how to develop your idea.
“What are people who are passing through Sligo City in 50 years time going to find? Well they will find that the communities are re- sponding more, they will grow substantialiy. But how should it grow? What you need is the confidence to go out there and do it and LEADER is one group that provide that confidence,” said Taoiseach Kenny.
Sligo LEADER Chairman Tom Mc Gettrick thanked the communities who have helped to grow the company: “We have the most fantastic communities in the Country. What we have done couldn’t be done without them. I think every last person in Sligo has been touched by LEADER advice, LEADER help and this showcase shows just a small part of that.”
Marina Scally is the creator behind ‘ WithNora Designs’, a hand crafted Millinery designer from Ballinacarrow. She is one out of the hundred potential start- up businesses supported by LEADER.
“I was very excited about my idea and had all these visions of what I was going to do, but there was that in- between bit of the idea and making it reality. I went in and had a chat with LEADER and it made it realistic: they asked had I a business plan, had I done market research all the stuff I hadn’t done: it was a real eye opener,” said Mrs. Scally
“With the backing of Sligo leader enterprise allowance it means I get a weekly grant for the first year and year two it is 75 percent. It allows me to buy material while also having a weekly income. I would say to anyone, even if you have a little idea speak to Sligo LEADER, even if they can’t help you they will put you in the direction of someone who can,” she said.