The winning entrepreneurs with Elevating Success organisers and L and Q officials pic: Raziye Akkoc

The Elevating Success enterprise programme toasted the achievements of ten men and women from south London who completed their scheme. Each hopeful entrepreneur is already preparing to launch his or her own profitable venture.

In conjunction with London and Quadrant housing association, the organisation gives interested individuals the chance to get the business acumen and know-how to start their own company. The scheme is available to those who live in L and Q properties in Croydon, Wandsworth and Lambeth.

They have over 2,000 properties in Croydon, and around 67,000 in London overall. Asif Chisty, resident investment officer at L and Q association told EastLondonLines why the programme is important to the housing association: “It is our social mission, helping our residents to get back into training and employment, as a landlord.”

The programme began in late July and ended only two weeks ago. There were three phases and it began with 47 individuals. The ten eventually successful graduates were Sofia Amedume, Randall Harrison, Fayann Simpson, Maureen Lewis, Louise Montague, Judith Taffe, Valerie Sookoo, Bianca Scott, Genevieve Cresswell and Mairead Gorman.

Andrew Brown, managing director of the charitable institution, spoke of his delight at the evening’s event and the success of the scheme: “It’s been outstanding, I’m really happy with the dedication and determination of the students. Couldn’t ask for a better bunch of graduates.”

This programme, and similar ones across the capital, has high female involvement and out of the 47 initial trainees, 36 were women. Brown told EastLondonLines why he thought women were getting more involved in courses such as this: “I think ladies are saying, ‘I am a boss, I can do it, I don’t have to rely on anybody’ and they go for it.”

Maureen Lewis, 48, was one of the ten graduates hoping to build on their success on the course and take charge of a successful business. The Purley resident is hoping to kick-start her complementary therapy enterprise where aromatherapy, reflexology, holistic massage and more are available from the ITEC qualified graduate.

Lewis praised the course and said it was “really instrumental in my decision to go out and be my own boss”.

Elevating Success recently became a charity after being a not-for-profit organisation since 2007.