MERSEYSIDE-BASED ELECT is celebrating helping more than 1,000 business and social enterprise start-ups under the Intensive Start Up Support (ISUS) programme.

The Dovecot enterprise support organisation – which works across Merseyside and West Lancashire – delivered two Northwest Development Agency-funded ISUS programmes, from 2009 to 2011.

New figures show that ELECT, which stands for East Liverpool Economic and Community Trust, helped 1,012 individuals and groups to start up their own business or social enterprise.

The organisation said the figure is further boosted by the business survival rate of more than 75%.

Although the ISUS programme has now come to end, ELECT is continuing to offer business start-up support through other funding channels.

ELECT chief executive Graham Worrell said: “This has been a fantastic achievement for ELECT, reflecting the hard work and expertise of our business support advisors.

“These businesses have been launched by a diverse range of people, from young people fresh out of school or college, people over 50, to recent and long term unemployed people, a number of disabled people and ex-offenders.

“ELECT has provided vital support and advice to help them establish a business plan, access funding, comply with legal obligations/ HMRC and market their venture.

“As an inclusive organisation we are delighted that our output reflects the diversity of the region and the people living within its boundaries.”

A breakdown of the figures shows that of the 1,012 start-ups 660 were started by men and 352 by women.

They also showed that 189 were started by people aged 50-plus and 242 by those aged between 18 and 30.