About Us.

Firmstart (Manchester) CIC, St Wilfrid’s Enterprise Centre (“SWEC”), is located in a Grade II listed building and is a converted church situated in the centre of the beautiful award-winning Hulme Park.

The Centre opened in 1993, and though located in quiet peaceful parkland, is adjacent to the city centre of Manchester and supports thousands of people.

We are home to many charities and small local businesses and our culture is very much about supporting life chances and helping those most in need.

Our Ethos.

Our community building houses numerous charities and is a warm and welcoming space for vulnerable people to drop in. We have been the focal point for Hulme residents for over two decades, and many charities call us home. Our community provides opportunities to thousands of people who have suffering from…

Homelessness

Domestic Violence

Addiction

Long Term Unemployment

Poor Mental Health

Breaking down barriers.

St Wilfrid’s enterprise will work together with the community;

Encourage people, especially young people to be entrepreneurial
Support business start-ups and ensure their success through provision affordable office space
Promote the status of people who run community businesses
Promoting and encouraging Afro-Caribbean business ideas
Encourage the retention of wealth in the area with support for the development of the social economy

Community Strength

Our community is strong, proud and supports each other with partnerships. Collaborations are very much the fabric of what we are.

A Strong Bond

Despite difficulties, our community sticks together and support each other.

Serving the Community

The community we serve has pockets of extreme deprivation, high unemployment, poor health and low education attainment. Our aim is to house and support the charities our community needs.

Our Venue

We have 20 workspaces with a central reception service.

All units are individually monitored with intruder alarms and are fitted with internet, and power points.

The building has kitchen, toilet and meeting facilities and on-site parking. A number of small companies and organisations are accommodated at the Centre. We also offer a business address/’bureau’ service.

We have a space available for conferences and meetings with seating of up 30 people. This has an additional adjoining area which is available for display or as a catering area.

Number of Workspaces