A NEW entrepreneurship programme has been launched to help new arrivals into the UK set up their own businesses with the chance to gain £60,000 of seed funding.

The initiative ‘New Dawn’ is a partnership between Mercy Mission, The University of Bradford and the National Zakat Foundation.

New Dawn will support refugees and asylum seekers who have made Bradford their new home, come up with ideas for businesses and give them the opportunity to bring them to life.

Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford said: “The University of Bradford has a successful track record of nurturing and supporting entrepreneurship, not only in its students but in the local community and beyond.

“We are extremely proud to be working with this group of inspirational people who have overcome so much already, and I look forward to seeing how their business ideas develop and grow over the coming months.”

Those involved in the programme will be working with mentors from Bradford, such as MyLahore, Regal Food Products PLC and Kunafa Tea, to see how they built their businesses.

Waelalqarout, 48, a Palestinian refugee from Iraq, has only been in the UK for five months but it has taken him well over four years to get to the UK.

The father of four highlighted his struggles and how much being in Bradford means to him, he said: “I feel welcomed.

“Life in Iraq was difficult and I’m ready to take my opportunities here.

“In Iraq there was no sense of relief, we never felt safe; just before we moved here an explosion happened near our home and everything shook, the children were so scared.

“They are in school now and so happy, everything is better in the UK.”

Waelalqarout hopes to own an Arabian restaurant in Bradford specialising in falafel and Hummus.

MP for Bradford West, Naz Shah said: “It’s great to see such an initiative being launched in Bradford. New Dawn epitomises what Bradford as a city is about, it’s a city of business, and a city of a culture that supports entrepreneurs, business start-ups and those that come to our city and are starting new lives while seeking refuge.”

Kersten England, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, said: “We are proud to be a ‘City of Sanctuary’ providing a warm welcome and home to refugees.

“This initiative, supporting entrepreneurship and enterprising refugees, goes to the heart of these ambitions, and is brilliant to see.”