On 24 April, BD Giving launched GROW Fund 2025 at The Boathouse Studios in Barking, marking a bold new chapter for local entrepreneurship in the borough.
The launch party brought together residents, funders, and business owners to celebrate the borough’s thriving spirit of entrepreneurialism and community ambition.
GROW is our flagship, community-designed fund that provides local entrepreneurs with a £10,000 grant, tailored coaching and peer learning, and access to equity-free investment from £25,000.
BD Giving is seeking 10 ambitious entrepreneurs who are ready to grow their ventures while making a positive impact in the borough.
No prior investment experience is needed – we’ll guide you step-by-step. We want to back ventures that deliver both commercial success and social impact in Barking and Dagenham.
The Launch Party: An Evening of Storytelling
The launch event was held at The Boathouse Studios – a standout success story from the first GROW cohort in 2023. Since receiving £75,000 investment, The Boathouse has upgraded its facilities and expanded its reach as a creative and community hub. Their journey exemplifies how local investment can unlock potential and drive inclusive growth.
The Boathouse’s CEO and Creative Director, Carole Pluckrose was one of three entrepreneurs to share her story with the packed crowd. Carole, who has worked in the borough since the 80s talked about the challenges of establishing her business while feeling completely “unmoored” in her personal life. She inspired everyone with the passionate vision that kept her going through the tough years.
Our second speaker, Sarah Kasule, MD of Ultimate Counselling told the emotional story of moving to this country and working in the NHS where she learnt how underserved refugees and migrants are. She told the awestruck crowd that she vowed to turn that ‘pain into purpose’ and felt her business was not a dream but a necessity.
Sarah now offers free counselling services to migrant communities and aims to sustain that through a new-paid-for counselling service called MindBridge.
Our third speaker was Danielle Everitt of Final Checks Make Up Academy. Dagenham born and bred, Danielle’s energy and drive shone through in her story that included her work with Dame Shirley Bassey, the Harry Potter cast and hundreds of local young people!
Local Talent
Not only did we hear the stories of three successful entrepreneurs, the evening was 100% supported by local talent. That includes:
- exclusive foraged cocktails and cordials from Shaun at Company Drinks, a community-led social enterprise operating in Barking Park;
- delicious food prepared by Kamila, from Couleur Cafe in Barking;
- Malcom from Dagenham’s Eastbrook Studios took the photos;
- Mike and Aydan from 7 Point Productions captured the night on film; and
- it all took place in the Boathouse Studios, a beautiful arts and creative space in a lovingly restored historic building on the river.
We recommend you check them out for your events.
The GROW Story
The GROW Fund was developed by residents of the borough to build a market of investable businesses in the borough. Their vision was to nurture a thriving and inclusive local economy.
In its first year, 70% of applicants were from women-led enterprises, and 60% were Black-led ventures – all based in Barking and Dagenham. The community-led approach to designing the Fund, the application and decision-making process ensured that funding decisions reflected the borough’s diversity and priorities.
Ten local business owners were selected to join the first GROW Fund in May 2023. They each received a grant and took part in a seven-month accelerator programme, covering everything a business needs to GROW sustainably.
Since then, two of those businesses have taken on social investment.
- Listen to Carole from The Boathouse CIC’s journey on the 9 Miles East podcast.
- Read about our investment in Sarah Kasule and her vital counselling service for underserved people in the borough.
Thanks to funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, GROW will run for three years, from 2025 to 2027. F
