The Paper Trail
The Paper Trail was national runner-up in the Enterprising Britain 2007 awards. It earnt its place in the national finals by being named regional winner for the East of England.
The Hertfordshire based charity has been recognised for its success in transforming disused industrial buildings into a flourishing education, business and heritage centre.
Frogmore Mill in Hertfordshire’s Apsley village was the birthplace of paper’s industrial revolution in 1803, when it became the world’s first commercial mechanised paper mill. When this historic site was threatened with closure and possible demolition in 2002, The Paper Trail stepped in to convert the Victorian paper mill and disused industrial buildings into a unique heritage centre for education and innovation based around paper media.
The project was built on a business model with charitable aims and optimises the use of the charity’s assets; its buildings, heritage papermaking equipment and staff skills. Through these assets it offers a wide range of opportunities and income-generating activities including recycled papermaking, conferencing facilities, schools’ projects and training courses. This enterprising rescue package not only saved an important part of Britain’s industrial heritage but also sparked an economic revival in the surrounding area.
As well as the working Victorian mill and heritage centre at Frogmore Mill, the charity created an Enterprise centre from disused buildings, on its Apsley Mills site, home of the former John Dickinson Stationery Company. This centre, which opened in 2003, has provided office space to over 26 local start-up businesses including Randle Design Consultancy, Lock 67 Graphics, DQC, Paper Publishing Solutions and Gigajam, an online music tuition business. The Enterprise Centre also provided a lifeline to businesses displaced by the 2005 Buncefield fuel depot disaster, such as Colbree Engineering.
Both sites have excellent classroom facilities, to fulfill another key objective of The Paper Trail, which is to encourage and promote education and enterprise in the local area. In 2004 the project started a work experience for schools programme, which has already benefited over 6,000 students as well as many disadvantaged adults and young people. The Paper Trail also created the ‘Recycle for Learning’ scheme working in close partnership with local schools. Over 250 schools have now registered to the initiative, which recycles paper collected at the schools at Frogmore Mill and gives back new coloured paper.
The Paper Trail is now an integral part of the community and has had a major impact on the social and economic success of Apsley. Since the project was first established in 2000 the economic outputs have been impressive. As well as housing over 26 start-up and small businesses employing over 70 people, the two centres have created 25 direct jobs. From its operating start in 2002, recycled paper production has increased by 65 per cent and at least 300 indirect employment opportunities have been created.
Jacky Bennett, chief executive at The Paper Trail explained:
“Winning the regional heat of Enterprising Britain 2007 is a great achievement for a small charity and one that will really help to put our project on the map. The East of England is a region that prides itself on being a ‘space for ideas’ and it’s fantastic to be recognised as an example of this.’”
George Kieffer, chair of the East of England Development Agency's Resources committee and chair of the East of England Enterprising Britain judging panel, said:“We are delighted to name The Paper Trail as the East of England’s most enterprising place and the project really demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the East of England. This region has long been a centre of enterprise and has a rich history of entrepreneurs and places like The Paper Trail are helping us to preserve this important part of our economy and culture.”