Enterprising Habits Ltd was founded in February 2020 into the confluence of Brexit, a large influx of Continental European migrants into Burnley, the withdrawal of key statutory services by LCC and the NHS, and the onset of Covid-19. Where public services retreated, we stepped forward. Five years on, we support over 10,000 local residents through bilingual IAG, employment, enterprise, training and wellbeing programmes — funded by UKSPF and the National Lottery.
Enterprising Habits Ltd was founded in February 2020 into a perfect storm of community need. Brexit had just been delivered in January 2020, bringing a large influx of Continental European migrants into Burnley and placing enormous new pressure on already-stretched local services. Lancashire County Council, the NHS and other statutory agencies responded by closing or withdrawing key services from the area — leaving some of Burnley's most vulnerable residents with nowhere to turn.
Then Covid-19 arrived. The combination of Brexit uncertainty, a rapidly changing migrant population, withdrawn statutory support and a global pandemic created a crisis of access for Burnley's diverse communities — people who needed guidance in multiple languages, on multiple fronts, urgently.
Our co-founders — both UCLan graduates — stepped into that gap. We built a bilingual IAG service reaching families in English, Urdu, Punjabi and European languages, helping them navigate the EU Settlement Scheme, furlough, food banks, the vaccine programme, housing and benefits. We became the trusted bridge that statutory services could no longer be. Today we support over 10,000 local residents — and the need has never been greater.
We are constituted as a Company Limited by Guarantee without share capital. Every surplus is reinvested. Every programme is co-designed with our communities. Every partnership is built to outlast any single funding cycle.
English and community language support removes the barriers that most services ignore.
MBA-qualified leadership combined with lived experience of our communities.
CLG structure ensures all surpluses return to the community — never to shareholders.
Built on relationships, trust and 10+ years of credibility in Burnley.
January 2020: Brexit delivered. A large influx of Continental European migrants arrives in Burnley. LCC, NHS and statutory agencies begin withdrawing key local services. Then Covid hits.
The gap left by retreating public services — combined with a rapidly changing community population and a global pandemic — created a crisis. Enterprising Habits was founded to fill it: a trusted, bilingual, community-led organisation serving everyone statutory services had stopped reaching.
Five years on, we are one of Burnley's most trusted community enterprises — UKSPF-funded, Lottery-funded, and now regenerating two long-closed community assets for the next generation.
We have secured and delivered significant grant-funded programmes, demonstrating the trust commissioners and funders place in our ability to deliver real outcomes for Burnley's communities.
Secured and delivered a multi-strand UKSPF programme addressing the core skills barriers facing Burnley's communities — building numeracy, digital and employment capability through accredited and non-accredited provision.
Long-term Reaching Communities funding secured until August 2027. A dedicated employment support service that has supported over 150 individuals across 36 months — helping people move into sustainable employment, training and enterprise.
Our community hub is the foundation of everything we do — a trusted, welcoming space that brings together services and support for Burnley's diverse residents.
Information, advice and guidance in English, Urdu, Punjabi and European languages. Supporting 80+ families per month with benefits, housing, employment, education and EU Settlement Scheme applications for Continental European migrants.
A2 and B1 English language test preparation, Life in the UK test courses, and driving theory test preparation — empowering residents to reach key milestones.
Tailored programmes for young people, over-60s groups and men's wellbeing. Building capacity, connection and confidence across every generation.
Building on our established community hub, we are now regenerating two long-closed community facilities in Burnley — creating a permanent enterprise campus at the heart of the town.
Our anchor enterprise — reopened October 2025 after six years of closure. A warm, welcoming community cafe that doubles as a training kitchen, volunteer hub and community meeting space.
Chat & Chai connects directly to our wider programme delivery — providing practical training placements for ESOL and hospitality learners, volunteering pathways for employment-support participants, and a community venue for our IAG and wellbeing services.
Directly behind Chat & Chai — a community gym closed since 2019. Our next regeneration project: an affordable fitness and wellbeing space that extends our enterprise campus.
The gym reopening will create further employment opportunities, additional volunteering pathways, and an affordable fitness resource for communities who need it most. Together with the cafe, it forms a full community enterprise campus secured by a 10-year MOU.
From accredited qualifications to employment support, enterprise development to community wellbeing — our programmes address the full spectrum of need in Burnley's diverse communities.
Information, advice and guidance in English, Urdu, Punjabi and European languages — supporting 80+ families monthly. Includes EU Settlement Scheme support for Continental European migrants and ESOL provision removing language as a barrier to employment and participation.
'Shaping Your Destiny' — our Reaching Communities-funded employment service has supported 150+ individuals over 36 months into sustainable employment and training pathways.
UKSPF-funded numeracy and ICT provision — building the foundational skills that unlock employment and independence for residents with limited digital access or confidence.
A2 and B1 English language test preparation, Life in the UK courses and driving theory test prep — helping residents reach essential milestones for residency, employment and independence.
In partnership with The King's Trust — supporting community members to develop business ideas, access enterprise skills and start sustainable businesses. We also deliver barista, food hygiene and allergy training.
Tailored wellbeing programmes for young people, over-60s and men's groups — alongside mental health provision with Lancashire Mind, Talking Therapies and Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
Our partnerships span further and higher education, health, housing, voluntary sector infrastructure, the arts, energy, and community organisations — a broad coalition united around community-led change in Burnley and East Lancashire.
Enterprise training & business start-up pathways
Mental health awareness & wellbeing programmes
Lancashire & South Cumbria health integration
Psychological wellbeing support
Community safety & trust-building
Nature engagement & green enterprise
Further education pathways & accreditation
University partnerships & research collaboration
Housing & community development
Voluntary sector infrastructure support
Community enterprise & regeneration
Community cafe & cultural space
Language centre, Blackburn
Arts, culture & community creativity
Town centre regeneration & enterprise
Fuel poverty & energy advice
Statutory partnership & commissioning
Inclusion, diversity & community equity
Our leadership team combines MBA-level professional qualifications with authentic lived experience of the communities we serve — giving us both credibility with funders and commissioners, and genuine trust within our communities.
Ibrar co-founded Enterprising Habits in February 2020 at the onset of Covid-19, driven by a determination to serve Burnley's diverse communities at their moment of greatest need. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan, 2020/21), combining academic rigour with deep lived experience of the communities Enterprising Habits serves.
His leadership has driven the organisation's growth from a pandemic-response community hub to a nationally-funded, multi-programme enterprise — securing UKSPF delivery, Reaching Communities long-term funding, and a 10-year community asset MOU.
Anam co-founded Enterprising Habits alongside Ibrar in February 2020, bringing academic excellence and professional dedication to the organisation's founding mission. She holds a degree through the Degree Apprenticeship programme at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan, 2020/21) — qualifying while helping to build Enterprising Habits from the ground up during one of the most turbulent periods in recent history.
Anam's commitment to community service and professional development embodies the values at the core of Enterprising Habits — proving that education, lived experience and community purpose are most powerful when combined.
Numbers only tell part of the story — but they demonstrate the scale of what a small, community-rooted organisation can achieve with the right values, partnerships and leadership.
Post-industrial, diverse, northern towns like Burnley are not unique. They are a pattern — repeated across Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Rochdale and beyond. What we build in Burnley can travel.
Burnley lost its industrial base decades ago. What replaced it — public services, council infrastructure, NHS provision — is now itself being withdrawn. The result is a gap between community need and statutory supply that no mainstream service is designed to fill.
Brexit brought a new wave of Continental European migrants to towns like Burnley — drawn by affordable housing and employment but arriving into communities with no bilingual IAG services, no EU Settlement Scheme support and no trusted navigator. We filled that gap in Burnley. The same gap exists across the North.
The Enterprising Habits model — a community-owned asset base (cafe + gym), bilingual programming, partnership infrastructure and professional governance — is designed to be replicable. The MOU model, the partnership network, the programme design and the governance structure can all be adapted and transferred to other towns facing the same pattern of need.
Before any model travels, it must be proven. Burnley is our proof point. We have five years of delivery data, two secured community assets, 18+ active partners, 10,000+ residents supported and long-term national funding. What we consolidate here becomes the evidence base for what comes next.
"Post-industrial, diverse, northern towns like Burnley are not exceptional. They are a pattern — repeated across Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Rochdale and beyond. What we build in Burnley can travel. Investing in Enterprising Habits is investing in a model, not just a moment."
Whether you want to access our services, volunteer, refer clients, partner with us or support our work — we'd love to hear from you.
Come and see what we're building. Everyone is welcome — whether you're looking for support, exploring volunteering, or want to discuss partnership or funding opportunities.