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PNE 30 Years

PNE Group, the NewcastleGateshead based social enterprise, is celebrating 30 years of delivering innovative, sustainable solutions for the development of people, performance and places in the North East, nationally and internationally.

To mark its 30th birthday, PNE is launching three new initiatives to boost young entrepreneurs, reward outstanding volunteers and to enable successful business leaders to pass on what they learned from their biggest business mistakes.

Said Sandy Ogilvie, CEO of PNE Group, “PNE started out in 1980 to provide innovative solutions to the region’s high unemployment problem, following the demise of its heavy industries. The outlook then for young people was particularly gloomy, and improving their prospects was a real focus for PNE.

“Thirty years later, we find ourselves again in equally challenging times, facing major cuts in the public sector and with the urgent need to provide those who lose their jobs with opportunities elsewhere. The Prime Minister has also launched his vision for a Big Society, with a focus on encouraging more social entrepreneurs and volunteers to provide services in the community.

“To celebrate our 30th year and to begin to provide some solutions to the pressing issues around encouraging more entrepreneurs and volunteers, PNE is delighted to offer its expertise and dig into its own resources to launch three new initiatives.”

PNE’s three new birthday initiatives are:

link icon PNE Centre for Young Entrepreneurs
link icon 2011 Volunteer Awards
link icon If Only I Knew
Foreword
Sandy Oglivie, CEO, PNE Group

Sandy Oglivie

"I hope that these initiatives will make a difference and become a catalyst for much greater things."

PNE was set up in 1980 at a time when the major industries of ship building and repair, steel and coal mining were in decline.

The first PNE report tried to answer the question “Where will the jobs come from when the boat goes out?” It is rather ironic that thirty years on  the question is where will the jobs come from when much of the public sector leaves town. 

It is partly in response to this that PNE has decided to celebrate our first thirty years by digging into our expertise and resource to contribute to some of the pressing issues of the moment by launching new initiatives to boost young entrepreneurs, to reward outstanding volunteers and to enable successful business leaders to pass on what they learnt from their mistakes.

I hope that these initiatives will make a difference and become a catalyst for much greater things.