Alex Bird MIED, AIBC
I can help you with:-
- Strategic Planning
- Business Planning
- Funding & Fundraising
- Business Skills Training
- Values & Social Responsibility
My Services
• Specialising in the ‘Third Sector’ – Co-operatives, Community Businesses, Social Enterprises, Voluntary Organisations, and Charities - but with a strong commercial background, I can help with many areas of your business.
• Strategic & Business Planning – helping you through the process of consultation, discussion, drafting, review, financial forecasting, detailed planning and timetabling.
• Feasibility Studies – looking at new possibilities for expansion.
• Grant Applications – from talking to funders to final application.
• Governance, Social Responsibility, Co-operative Principles & Ethics – does your legal structure match your organisation's culture?
• Process Review & Improvement – looking at how the management and organisation is structured.
• Refinancing & Restructuring – looking at options and implications for expansion or consolidation as well as rescue from financial difficulty.
• Mentoring for social economy professionals - helping you develop the skills to manage projects
Skills & Experience
I have over 30 years Management experience in Commercial Business, Nationalised Industry, Social Enterprise, Public and Voluntary Sectors at Board and Practitioner level. Trained as an Engineer, my career has spanned Power Generation, Printing, Economic Development and Social Care.
For five years I was CEO of The Innovate Trust, a charity which provides a range of services to people with disabilities.
I was also Special Projects Manager, Wales, Prince’s Trust, Business, managing the New Deal for the Self Employed contract across Wales. Previously I was Community Enterprise Development Officer for Cardiff County Council and before that ran a successful printing co-operative for seventeen years.
I have been a Board member of a wide range of organisations including Cardiff YMCA Housing Association, the Wales Co-op Centre, Promo Cymru and Social Firms UK, as well as having been involved with the Prince’s Trust, chairing the local Grants & Loans Committee, and managing its New Deal contract across Wales.
I chair the Wales Institute for Research into Co-operatives at UWIC Business School as well as Co-operatives & Mutuals Wales (the representative Council for the Co-op Movement in Wales), and I am an occasional visiting lecturer at both UWIC and Cardiff Universities.
I have experience of setting up new businesses and the strains of rapid growth, as well as of successfully obtaining £millions of ESF, ERDF and Assembly Grant programmes.
I have considerable writing and presentational experience. I have worked closely with many campaign managers on charitable and political campaigns, and edited a Wales-wide Trades-Union journal for 8 years, as well as delivering training, speaking at Conferences and appearing on live TV and Radio.
Initial Meeting
I am always happy to meet up and discuss your project, so see in what way I can assist you. An initial meeting is always free of charge.
Membership of Professional Bodies
• Member, Institution of Economic Development.
• Associate, Institute of Business Consultants.
Professional Insurance
I am insured with Towergate SMG Professional Risks for:-
• Public Liability ~ £2,000,000
• Professional Indemnity ~ £1,000,000
Financial Assistance
Depending on the nature and location of your Organisation, it is possible that some public or other funds are available to assist with your costs. These can be discussed at our initial meeting.
Site maintained by Alex Bird. Last updated 05/08/2008
