ENTERPRISING RESIDENTS were praised by Baroness Hanham when she visited Newham College last week.

The Communities Minister saw the impressive work that the East Ham Campus has been doing to kick start local businesses, including the UK’s first Women’s Business Centre.

The college is using funding from Europe to support local enterprises and to advise residents on how to put their ideas into practise.

Baroness Hanham said: “In a part of London with 70% unemployment, it is essential to support initiatives which help tackle this.

“I was delighted to be able to see these projects in Newham.”

The Minister saw the college’s Discovery Lab which is running a ‘Showcasing Innovation’ project to use new technology to help small businesses.

She later met female entrepreneurs at the Women’s Business Centre to talk about their ‘Innovate Her’ project.

Newham College also used the funding to buy the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey.