The Grow Organisation UK Limited is a national umbrella enterprise for accredited training and work experience for individuals disadvantaged in the labour market. Based in Suffolk and incorporated in December 2008, the company works in some of the most deprived areas in the UK. Last month Hospitality and Grow was formed when Towering Leisure teamed up with Grow Organisation UK for a project in Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast.

The monthly magazine Social Enterprise aims to be the most engaging, informative and useful resource for business people who are passionate about changing lives, building communities and nurturing the environment. This month it features the social enterprise project in Great Yarmouth where the Caesars Palace arcade will be part of Hospitality and Grow’s £6 million seafront complex.

The complex will employ and train long-term unemployed people in its bars, nightclub and eco-friendly hotel for people with special needs. Caesar’s Palace profits will be used to fight gambling addictions by funding, training and employing gambling addiction advisors through another local social enterprise, Count Me Out, and help fund a gambling and substance misuse support group.

Trevor Lynn, co director of the Grow Organisation UK, said the casino was a case of ‘if you can't beat them, join them'. “In the summer tourists would spend a fortune, but in winter crime would go up and tourism went down. Yarmouth is now one of the most deprived places in the UK. When we saw this massive seafront complex, we knew we could use it to make a difference. We could train and employ people to renovate and run the hotel and in the casino we could teach customer services and administration.”

Not short of enthusiasm or optimism, he added, “All the profits will go back into the community and the profits from the casino will help stop gambling addictions. We can't stop gambling, but we can train advisors to stop people putting £100 in a machine only to get £60 out. If we get this right, we could have social enterprise casinos all over the UK. It could be a new model of best practice for the industry.” (E-06.12.09)

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