Croydon woman who set up training centre to help people on low incomes with financial knowledge and skills nominated for NatWest Everywoman award

By James Davies 

Julie Agbowu found herself holed up in her offices with her students on a summer’s afternoon in 2011.

The riots which had engulfed the city for a couple of days had now spread to Croydon.

As the baying mob advanced down Oakfield Road, edging closer to her base in the CVA building, she reflected on what had been achieved while building up the training centre over the previous six years, and the likely hard work which was to come.

Julie, pictured, said: “It has been great, but we’ve had some hard times. After the riots we lost most of our students because of the stigma Croydon had.

“We saved it, but it was hard.”

Now her hard work has been honoured. Julie was “shocked” to learn her staff had secretly nominated her for this month’s NatWest Everywoman Awards.

Julie set up social enterprise All Inclusive Advice and Training in 2005 to help people on low income or in social deprivation with practical financial knowledge and skills.

Julie was short-listed for the Gaia category, awarded to the most inspirational and successful female founders of social enterprises combining strong community benefit with a sustainable business model.

The enterprise also helps students find employment based on Julie’s close ties with local businesses and the community.

Julie helped bring local businesses together in the aftermath of the riots by setting up the London Road Business Association. She said: “We were crying out for a support network, so I pulled them all together. We gave support and assistance in helping with insurance and tried to figure out how to make sure London Road gets a positive feel.”

Grandmother Julie, 61, moved to Croydon from Brixton 30 years ago. She left school with no qualifications but worked hard to become a qualified accountant.

This inspired her to help others in difficult situations. She said: “I just need to make them know if people have problems or no qualifications, they can still do it.”

Julie and her staff help support around 50 people a year from all over South London. Most of her clients have had trouble finding work through a lack of qualifications or having taken time off.

She is especially proud of the help she gave to one young man trying to turn his life around.

She said: “He was in trouble doing things he shouldn’t. But he had good transactional skills. With a bit of support, he opened his own mobile car wash business. The training helped him to look after his business.”

Julie found out at an awards ceremony at Grosvenor House in December that she hadn’t scooped the gong. The award was won by Edinburgh based Sarah Hawkins’s wellness and fitness centre, Projekt 42.

Julie said: “It has been a pleasure to be put through, hopefully it inspires other women.”