Why MEDS was formed

MEDS' office enables our clients to access IT facilities.
Merseyside has a large Muslim community drawn from 45 countries with a high and disproportionate level of unemployment. Whilst there is a tradition of enterprise and self-employment, studies have revealed that exclusion exists through a lack of appropriate skills, education and knowledge of business and training support services.

Previous studies have shown a 71% rate of unemployment amongst Muslims residing in Merseyside, of which 58% were graduates. This was due to poor access to mainstream services due to social, cultural and religious barriers as well as lack of confidence and self-esteem.

MEDS has been formed to provide crucial links and support to address these needs and bridge this gap.

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MEDS' office enables our clients to access IT facilities.

Principal Activities

MEDS exists to:

Provide a business and training support service.
Assist in the identification and development of new business opportunities.
Market Merseyside as an area for inward investment and location by Muslim private sector.
Develop and manage appropriate loan and grant making services.
Develop and manage a Muslim business association, an enterprise club and credit union.
Cover the demands placed by the Muslim community and funding agencies and to turn these opportunities for growth and innovation.
Provide confidential and independent business advice to those involved in establishing new businesses.
Provide information on loans, grants and business regulations etc.
Help with business start-up, business action plans and proposal.
Provide independent business advisors to work with clients on an individual basis in developing business plans.
Provide advice on market research needs to start-up and new business.
Provide information on business properties in the city.

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Board of Directors

MEDS' Board of Directors consists of:

Mohammed Akbar Ali MBE (Chairman)
Galib Khan (Secretary)
Tahir Javid Chaudhary (Treasurer)
Capt. Miftah Osi-Efa
Dr Ahmed Hadi
Dr S A Hamad
Mariame Saleh
Huda Mamoun
Mohammed Sayid Ahmed
Dr Mohanned Ahmed
Mariam Al Kathiry
Capt. Ibrahim Nadim
Jahangir Mohammed

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Mumin Khan
- Executive Director

Mumin's role at MEDS involves encouraging entrepreneurship, business start-up, education, training and employment, in particular within the Muslim communities of Merseyside, as well as assisting existing businesses to expand and develop.

Peter Wensley (GME)
- Business Advisor

Peter is a qualified accountant and business adviser. He has a wealth of experience in providing confidential and independent business advice to those involved in establishing new businesses and expanding existing ones.

Volunteers

Souhila Serir

A Software Engineer graduated from John Moors University, working as a volunteer Web Developer currently developing MEDS website, in addition she is supporting MEDS business clients in the preperation of the business plan.

Azita Mehrbakhsh

She was an ESOL student at MEDS she is a biology teacher from Iran who is working as a volunteer administrative assistant dealing with day to day enquiries

Official Launch

On 14 June 2002, MEDS celebrated its official launch, which was sponsored by Barclays Bank, Hope University, Granby Toxteth SRB, Merseyside Special Investment Fund and Liverpool Business Centre. The function was attended by over 250 potential service users and member from public, private, statutory, voluntary and community organisations on Merseyside.

Members of the community chat with Lord Ahmed of Rotherham (third from right) and our chairman, Mohammed Akbar Ali (second from right).

The venue was filled with people from all nationalities to celebrate MEDS' launch.

Lady Pilkington, High Sheriff of Merseyside, and the Lord Mayor, Cllr Jack Spriggs

Among the special guests were Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Jack Spriggs, Lord David Alton of Mossley Hill and the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Lady Kirsty Pilkington. There were exhibitions from mainstream service providers including GME Business Link, UK Online, Train 2000, The Olive Tree, HMS Customs and Excise, Liverpool Business Centre and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

This provided service users the opportunity to meet and access mainstream and local service providers. MEDS also introducted its first entrepreneurial enterprise award for the year 2002. The event received good publicity from the local press and Channel One television.

Achievements and Highlights over the past two years

Introducing MEDS to the Muslim Community:

This was an informal reception held to introduce MEDS to the Muslim community on Merseyside, providing an opportunity to answer questions and clarity any queries about the organisation. The function was well attended by Muslims from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

Northwest Ethic Minority Commonwealth Business Event

Bolton MBC Ethnic Minorities Business Service in partnership with MEDS have organised the launch of Northwest Ethnic Business Development Network at Crown Plaza, Liverpool. The launch of this organisation will enable businesses to network and share business practice and have greater access to business information and funding opportunities at a regional level. It is estimated that 300 ethnic businesses from around the region will be attending the launch.

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Future Goals

Ethnic Enterprise Park in Granby

Muslims and generally BME (Black and ethnic minority) entrepreneurs are unable to access training skills and funds to start their business. Along with Muslim and other BME organisations, MEDS wishes to promote and develop the vacant and derelict land adjacent to the Al Rahma Mosque as an ethnic enterprise park, for a variety of uses. MEDS would like to develop the centre as a mixture of commercial and residential areas with ethnic flavour, strong links with the Muslim community and also promote links with the wider community. This project is being developed in association with Liverpool Muslim Society, Liverpool City Council, Riverside Housing and John Moores University. The project will regenerate part of the deprived ward or Granby and will encourage employment, inward investment from the private sector and economic prosperity in the area.

MEDS Centre for Enterprise and Development

MEDS wishes to expand its current services by acquiring a large premises preferably in the Granby or Toxteth areas of Liverpool, as a "one stop shop" for the community. MEDS will follow a three pronged approach consisting of the following:

1. Economic and Business Enterprise Development
2. Education, Training, Employment, Advice and Guidance
3. Social, Recreational, Health and Community Development

The above programmes will help alleviate social, cultural, educational and religious barriers and will promote self-belief, confidence and self-esteem among the deprived and isolated Muslim communities on Merseyside. This idea is currently being developed in association with Urban Hope of Hope University.

Other

MEDS hopes to help create a Northwest Muslim Professional Association and a Merseyside Muslim Business Association over the next year and has taken the first steps to achieving this goal.

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Annual Report

Click here to view our Annual Report for the period 2003 - 2005 , which gives much more detailed information about the structure of the organisation, more examples of our work and reports by the Executive Director and Treasurer.

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