A businessman who ‘fell in love’ with Staffordshire has pledged to back Stoke-on-Trent’s City of Culture bid – by inspiring and finding work for people of ethnic minorities.
Brief: Businessman Danai moved to England from Zimbabwe to go to university. After ‘falling in love’ with Staffordshire he has set up his own recruitment company, in Newcastle, and is backing the City of Culture Bid by helping to find work for ethnic minorities.
Zimbabwe-born Danai Gombera moved to England in 1999 to study, live and work in Staffordshire.
Last year Danai, of Stone, launched his own company B.I.G Healthcare, from an office in Merrial Street, Newcastle.
The business, which has four employees, supports private sector organisations by placing nurses and support workers into temporary and permanent roles within the mental health sector.
Now Danai has pledged to further diversify his workforce and inspire other ethnic minority groups to start their own companies.
He said: “We want to support the local economy and the community by inspiring people, especially those who don’t necessarily have the same opportunities as everyone else, to get into work or even start their own business.”
B.I.G Healthcare is accredited to provide free training courses and, over the next 12 months, is set to host workshops for anyone looking to launch their own business.
Danai added: “We are a diverse business and we want to expand and employ more people from different cultures. We are demonstrating diversity and are encouraging other businesses to do the same.
“Staffordshire is an amazing place to live and work, the people are very warm and friendly.
“It didn’t take me long to establish good working and social relationships. Now I want to, through my business, give people the same opportunities that I’ve had.”
Danai believes that if Stoke-on-Trent was to be awarded the City of Culture title in 2021, it would help boost the economy and attract more people to the area.
He added: “It would raise the profile of the city internationally and will help to revive the pottery industry.
“I have been to Liverpool and I’ve seen what it’s done for them. The investment and the opportunities it’s created is amazing. It’s an attractive place for people to visit, live and work.”
Sara Williams, chief executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, is calling on businesses to back the bid.
She said: “We hope that this new purpose and ambition in Stoke-on-Trent will stimulate business growth, investment and change across the city region.
“Already, the very competitive bid process is highlighting what is happening to transform people’s perceptions of the city. We have already seen a huge amount of support from local businesses and would encourage others to back the bid.”-stokesentinel.co.uk
