FORMER RAF aircraft engineer Irshad Khan is one of the beneficiaries of a local economic initiative which has operated successfully since 1987.

Mr Khan has opened Valley Snacks in one of the new industrial units created as part of the flagship City Challenge project in the Tonge Valley.

He was helped by Bolton Council's Ethnic Minorities Business Service when he took the crunch decision to go into business supplying popcorn, nuts and Bombay mix to outlets in the North West and the Midlands.

Mr Khan, who had a spell teaching the locals in Saudi Arabia how to service and maintain Tornado aircraft, has also worked as a freelance technical author.

But he needed expert help when it came to building a business on his 12 months' managerial experience in a popcorn company in Leicester.

He attended the EMBS Enterprise Club, which helped him prepare his business plan and attract funding from a major bank, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Halliwell Loan Fund, RSA grant and the Headstart allowance.

Mr Khan and his wife started on their own about 18 months ago and since then the business, which also offers a packaging service to other food processing firms, has expanded to the point that two more people have been recruited.

EMBS has also helped Mr Khan complete NVQ level three and is also providing him with consultancy support to help with the growth and implementation of Valley Snacks' management systems.

Sikander Badat, senior minorities business officer, said: "This consultancy programme is invaluable to new businesses as it helps to sustain the business in the early and critical stage of development."

EMBS started in May 1987 and arose out of concern about high unemployment levels in the ethnic minority community.

Grant Wolstencroft, an officer in the Bolton Economic and Physical Development Unit, prepared the original successful bid for Home Office cash for the project and has worked with Mr Badat as the organisation has grown.

It now operates from the Bolton Enterprise Centre in Washington Street and Mr Badat has three full-time colleagues.

Mr Wolstencroft said: "The aim was to provide a bridge into the mainstream economy."

Mr Badat said that since the start of the service in 1987 they had counselled 1,500 people and helped to set up just under 200 businesses.

The latest figures available, from 1993, show that there are 500 ethnic minority-owned businesses in Bolton generating about £55 million for the Bolton economy and providing employment for more than 1,500 people.

Businesses are predominantly in retail, manufacturing fashion clothing, and food and catering, but increasingly new businesses are being established in markets such as computers and plastics.

Mr Wolstencroft and Mr Badat have seen the demand for EMBS help increase dramatically.

The Home Office is reported to be impressed by the Bolton operation and other areas in the North West have sought advice on establishing similar projects.

The Enterprise Club, which acts as a mirror image of the Job Club, has seen the establishment of more than 30 businesses since it started in 1994.

All are still trading, providing work for about 80 people.

An awards evening is being held on Wednesday night at the Quest Centre in Halliwell.

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