Be The Boss scheme criteria changed to include all Service-leavers
26 July 2011
The Royal British Legion and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BiS) today announced the removal of the eligibility date criteria, meaning all Service-leavers, regardless of their discharge date are now eligible to apply for the Be the Boss scheme.
The initiative offers business start-up training, grants and loans up to £30,000, as well as on-going mentoring.
Funded by BiS, and delivered by the Legion, the scheme recently celebrated its one year anniversary, having had over 1,000 registrations during that time. Previously the scheme was only open to Service-leavers discharged from the Armed Forces on or after 7 October 2001.
Be the Boss is part of the Legion's resettlement programme for Service-leavers: www.civvystreet.org.
Alexander Knapp, Project Manager for the scheme said: "We welcome this exciting development, and look forward to creating further opportunities for those returning to civilian life. The scheme really does allow people to take control of their own future and start up their own business.
"It's been a pleasure to watch the scheme grow, and to witness one person's business idea come to fruition and succeed."
For more information about the scheme, visit our Be the Boss page.
Notes to Editors:
- The Royal British Legion is the nation's leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red poppy. www.britishlegion.org.uk
- In December 2010, BIS agreed to a final £3 million of endowment funding to The Royal British Legion Be the Boss scheme, to total £5 million now given to the scheme.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Jenny Keeling, PR Officer, The Royal British Legion
E:
jkeeling@britishlegion.org.uk T: 0203 207 2238.
