About Us

The successful development of the Business support team part funded by Bradford Council and Bradford & District Training & Enterprise Council enabled a move to the Business Development centre run by Keighley Business Forum at the Aire Valley Business Centre Lawkholme lane. The town centre playroom remained at 1 Devonshire Street.

Holding monthly meetings across the area KLEA’s small business club for Aire-Worth & Wharfe Valleys featured both business and social topics and was supported both by Barclays and NatWest.

Funded by the Keighley SRB (Single Regeneration Budget) to provide one to one business advice, business start-up workshops including Business planning and cash flow forecasting, and training for existing businesses to develop and grow. During the 7 year period KLEA dealt with 8808 enquiries, assisted 321 new business start-ups and 248 businesses to surviving beyond 2 years

KLEA were instrumental in setting up Keighley Community Nursery that supports families with low cost childcare provisions. Originally based on Marlborough street, Keighley Community Nursery is a thriving service today and is now based in Braithwaite, Keighley.

Offering free computer training including accredited training such as: CLAIT and ECDL to all members of the public.

Aligning itself with the launch of the Airedale Masterplan the name change reflected the growth in demand for our services from right across the Airedale Corridor and beyond

2006-2014 Airedale Enterprise Services (AES) joined a consortium of partners to deliver Bradford Councils’ Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI). Branded as Bradford Kickstart AES’s contract was to deliver business support services across Keighley, Ilkley, Bingley & Shipley. We introduced the BizzFizz model employing 2 Enterprise Coaches offering grass roots support across our communities; in addition to the traditional Business support for start-ups and existing businesses. During this time we also delivered the Job centre’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme for Keighley, Shipley and Guiseley helping the unemployed to realise their dreams by starting their own business or becoming self-employed.

Yet another wet, muddy day in Keighley but still good fun for all concerned, AES won a cup for having the best trade stand, this was due to the pro-active approach made by the team. The stand included the Kickstart business counsellors from Airedale Enterprise Services, the Jobs@ team from Keighley, Celia Hickson Bizfizz coach for Keighley and Amy Driver from the “Grid” along with four new start-up businesses trading their goods.

AES is a founding member of the Keighley Business Awards, now Keighley & Airedale Business Awards. Growing in stature and popularity every year; due in no small part to the AES contribution and, in particular, the huge amount of time and effort put in by Wendy Spencer, our CEO.  

Chosen as the main delivery partner in West and South Yorkshire for Virgin StartUp loans – the government backed start up loan scheme. Since 2013 we have helped 89 Individuals to access loan funds totalling £1,152,100

Chosen as the Locally Trusted Organisation for Keighley Valley Big Local AES provides the management services to this 10 year £1m funded lottery programme (funded by the Local Trust) for Keighley East ward to make the area a better place to live, work & play

Relocating from Lawkholme Lane to our current offices on Sunderland Street, Keighley meant AES could expand our services offer, set up incubator offices to house 7 start-up businesses, introduce shared office space, improved training and meeting rooms, virtual office services. Created a welcoming environment for businesses to use our meeting and training facilities, developed a whole range of business development training opportunities and identified funding opportunities via the LEP skills service so that businesses could receive financial support towards the cost of training.

Launch of the very popular AWWEsome Business club, providing networking and information events for locally based businesses from across the Aire, Worth & Wharf Valley in partnership with Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who sponsors the events.

Very proud to have won a national award “The Future of Enterprise Support” at the National Enterprise Network award ceremony in London.”Airedale Enterprise Service’s application demonstrated sheer resilience in the face of change.  A major blow came with the end of its long term contract with Bradford Council – who had part funded Airedale’s business advice service for over 30 years – but Airedale have worked hard to introduce an incredible number of new initiatives to ensure they are still able to provide free advice to those starting up in the district.”

Awards were presented to organisations and individuals from within membership of National Enterprise Network; recognising excellence in the delivery of enterprise support and encouraging the exchange of good practice.

AES was chosen as the Local Action Group support team for the Keighley Community Led Local Development programme.  Keighley CLLD area has been successful in securing European Structural Investment Funds managed by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department of Works and Pensions a total of £1.4m of European Regional Development Fund (DCLG) and £1m of European Social Fund (DWP) to deliver a £4.8m programme.  Keighley Community Led Local Development is a locally managed funding programme that will target selected areas in Keighley. The programme is designed to encourage local groups & organisations rooted in the community to deliver projects that contribute to increased employment, develop new & existing businesses and improve opportunities to enhance local life. Bradford Council is the accountable body for the programme.

Awarded a contract from The Good Things Foundation in association with The Princes Countryside Fund to deliver “Digital Enterprise Support” to start ups and existing businesses within rural communities.

Awarded a contract with “We are Digital Training Ltd” to deliver the Home Office’s Assisted Digital Support for people requiring help with applications for EU settled status or visa renewals.  

Awarded a contract from The Skills Service, via the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, to offer Business development training to businesses within the Leeds City Region who can apply for 40% towards the cost of training (eligibility rules apply) get in touch now to discuss your needs.