E-Newsletter May/June 2015

Shropshire Business Board Election Results

Mandy Thorn of Marches Care Ltd was elected Chair and Matthew Snelson of Grainger & Worrall was elected Vice - Chair.

The Digital Generation

Join colleagues in the Shropshire Business Partnership for breakfast and networking at the Gereenhous Meadow on 22 May to hear how the Digital Generation ‘hit the ground running’ with a portfolio of skills to aid your business.

Shropshire is enhancing its reputation as a place to live, learn and work with the arrival of University Centre Shrewsbury, offering undergraduate courses from September 2015.  Meet Professor Clare Schofield and Deputy Provost Paul Kirkbright from UCS who will share the opportunities for Shropshire businesses and the wider community that having a University Centre in Shrewsbury brings.

The Greenhous Group has the reputation as one of the best employers in the County and you will hear how its flagship apprenticeship scheme is training and developing its employees here in Shropshire.

The meeting is open to all, book online: http://www.shropshirebusiness.org/sbp-events/ 

Hobsons Brewery in Cleobury Mortimer recently upgraded to fibre broadband and we met up with their Commercial Director to find out how they found the switch in the early days.

“Ultimately what it’s allowed us to do is free up time, and our staff have become more efficient as a result [of the faster speeds] because they can finish the job quicker and move onto something else. The more efficient the workforce is, the more you can deliver without increasing your business costs, and as a result you can be a lot more ambitious and achieve a lot more in your time.”

For the full story, go to: http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/2015/04/fibre-in-focus-hobsons-brewery/

Food and Drink Production Units

Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre is the first of its kind in the Uk, housing 12 purpose built units for start-up and growing food and drink businesses, specifically designed to meet the latest food industry standards. The food production units are 1500 sq ft and 3000 sq ft and all include a large production area with a walk-in cold room, wash and hand basins and a computer-controlled system supplying filtered air to maintain the desired temperature between 15C - 30C.  There is easy in/out access, an office, toilet and changing area, parking spaces and all surfaces inside the production unit meet the BRC and EFSIS standards.  Units are available on easy in, easy out terms and competitive rates.

DUE TO COMPANY EXPANSIONS WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT A LARGE UNIT AND A SMALL UNIT HAVE JUST COME AVAILABLE TO RENT.  PLEASE CONTACT JANE AYRES QUICKLY ON (01743) 251081 AS DEMAND WILL BE HIGH. 

LEP EU Funding Launch

http://www.marcheslep.org.uk/what-we-do/european-structural-and-investment-fund/esif-programme-calls/

The Marches region has been allocated a total of around £105m from the European Union for projects being delivered between 2014 and 2020.

On March 27 2015, calls for proposals which could benefit from European funding were announced, with around £11 million available in the first round from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

For the launch calls, Government is only inviting projects that are seeking £500,000 or more in ERDF funding. Please note that ERDF supports programmes of activity, such as grant schemes, and public infrastructure. The funding is not available for businesses to bid for directly.

For further information, the Marches Technical Assistance Team can be contacted by phone on 01743 252976 or email gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk or hannah.owen@shropshire.gov.uk.

Optimising Business Broadband (OBB)

The Optimising Business Broadband (OBB) project is nearing its end and only has 3 more events:

• How to make your IT project succeed (Change Management) Thursday, 14th May from 13:00 to 17:00 at Business Solutions Centre, Wolverhampton Science Park, WV10 9RT 

• #Socshrop Getting Social in Shropshire (Digital Technology) Wednesday, 20th May from 18:00 to 20:00 at St Nicholas Cafe, Shrewsbury

• Email Marketing and SEO for your SME (Intermediate – Advanced) Thursday, 21st May from 8.30 to 15:15 at RAF Cosford Museum

Are you looking for free opportunities and advice to promote your business?  Are you interested in taking advantage of fibre based broadband?  Would you like to boost productivity, reduce costs and start to use new technologies?  OBB is still offering free 1:1 consultancies to eligible SMEs so if you are interested, give us a call...  Time is running out!  

FREE downloads, YouTube videos on The Cloud and more on our website: www.optimisingbusinessbroadband.co.uk 

Telephone: 01785 827600

Twitter @obbshropstaffs 

LinkedIn: optimisingbusinessbroadband

Lending ‘£1m in May’ - Shropshire Loans Available

During May and June 2015, Shropshire businesses will have a fresh opportunity to apply for Shropshire Council funded loans.  Impetus is part of the Responsible Finance sector and champions fair finance as a core value.  In the last 10 years, Impetus has supported the development of 100 businesses throughout Shropshire. 

As a part of its overall aim, which is to improve the regional economy by providing accessible finance, the Impetus ‘£1m in May’ initiative is welcoming an array of new business loan applications.  Fund Manager, Steve Williams explains, “Do you have a great business expansion idea and require a cash injection to help you get to where you need to be?  If yes, then our loans of up to £150,000 are easily accessible and are currently available to support limited companies in Shropshire.  The application and approval process is straight-forward and we can help all business sectors especially those with limited access to support from traditional banking.” 

Any organisation that would like to make a loan application and ‘present their pitch’ is asked to visit http://www.impetus-marches.co.uk/how-to-apply and fill in the online form.

Read more here: http://www.impetus-marches.co.uk/lending-1m-in-may/

Universal Credit

Universal Credit went live in Shropshire on the 20th April 2015.  To find out more, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/404232/uc-works-for-employers.pdf

Flaxmill

A funding package of £2.6m has been secured by English Heritage for the first stage of works which will kick start the site’s regeneration. This funding package includes £1,169,226 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The first stage of works compromises of:

• The conversion of the office and stables for use by the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings for cultural heritage and interpretation.
• The demolition of the 1950’s silo providing further external space for public realm.

The silo demolition was completed by mid-January and work immediately began on the redevelopment of the Office and Stables. An Interpretation company has also been appointed to assist the Friends of Flaxmill Maltings in bringing the site’s history back to life. 

Business Summit 2015

Save the date – The Shropshire Economic Growth Business Summit will be on 8th June 2015.

Keith Barrow, Leader, Shropshire Council and Clive Wright, Chief Executive, Shropshire Council invite you to Shropshire's Annual Business Summit 2015.

Shropshire Businesses are urged to reserve their place at this year's event, which takes place on Monday 8th June 2015 at the Shrewsbury Town Football Club Greenhous Stadium, with a light buffet from 5.30 p.m. to begin at 6.00 p.m and end at 8.30 p.m.

This year the summit occurs just after the General Election, so the event provides an early opportunity to understand the new Government’s economic policy and benchmark Shropshire’s economy, agreeing our future economic priorities.

To have your say, come along and make your contribution count.

To reserve your place register here: http://businesssummit2015.eventbrite.co.uk

COGS

COGS is the procurement sub-group of Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Business Boards. It’s not run by the Councils, it's run by Business and both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils have a representative on the board.  This year, they are holding their first annual Conference - Think, Talk, Do Business,  It will be 15:00 - 19:00, 15th June 2015 at the Shrewsbury Town Football Club.

The format will be an exhibition area and 8 breakout sessions throughout the afternoon to include:

A: The Growth Hub:

Funding Grants and business support – what you need to know

B: The Rules they are a changing:

Overview of the new Public Contract Regulations and what they mean for buyers and suppliers

C: Apprentices and Training:

How your business can support apprenticeships and training to benefit you and your workforce

D: Cross Sector Working – WIIFM WIIFY!:

Partnership and collaboration working between small and micro business and the voluntary sector.

To book: https://cogsconference2015.eventbrite.co.uk