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Welcome to the latest update for Swale businesses.
In this month's newsletter:
- Free AI for business growth workshop
- Local government reorganisation consultation
- Funding for environmental projects
- Manston airport consultation
- Mayor's charity bike ride 2026
- Building safety advice
- Kent Business School
Free AI for Business Growth Workshop
Curious about AI but not sure how it fits in your business?
Join the Kent and Medway Growth Hub's AI for Business Growth workshop at 10am to 12pm on 28 April 2026 for a practical, straight-talking session for business owners who want to:
- Understand where AI can genuinely add value
- Explore a few real-world ways to work smarter and save time
- Get clear, actionable ideas without the jargon
- Gain confidence to make AI work for your business
The guest speaker, John Speed from Heliocentrix Limited, will share practical examples and guidance to help you think differently about how AI could support your day-to-day operations and future growth.
Whether you’re just starting with AI or want a fresh perspective, this session will help you move forward confidently and strategically.
The event is available online to Kent residents and in person at the Town Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS.
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Local Government Reorganisation consultation closes this Thursday
Government ministers want councils in Kent and Medway to work in a different way. Swapping smaller councils for fewer bigger unitary ones, to deliver all council services in an area, forms a huge part of their plan. The consultation closes this Thursday 26 March 2026.
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Funding for environmental projects
Grants of up to £25,000 are available through the Stephen Lloyd Awards for charities, not for profit organisations and social enterprises. The fund aims to nurture innovative ideas and projects that can lead to practical, sustainable social or environmental change. Apply by 8 April 2026.
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Reopening Manston Airport - 2026 Airspace Change Consultation
RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) plans to reopen Manston Airport as a dedicated air freight hub. Government consent for their plans was granted in August 2022, and work to prepare for operations is now underway.
Before the airport can reopen, new airspace and flight procedures must be designed and approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). These designs set out how aircraft will safely approach and depart the airport, and how the airspace around Manston will be managed.
They have developed a series of design options for how this airspace could operate. This consultation gives you the opportunity to review those options, understand the potential effects, and share your views.
This consultation represents Stage 3 of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airspace Change Process (CAP1616). At this stage, airports present detailed design options and assessments for public feedback, before submitting a revised proposal for final consideration.
The consultation closes on the 22 June 2026.
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Mayor's Charity Bike Ride
From the 8 to 10 May 2026, Swale Borough Council Officers will be participating in the Mayor's Bike Ride, cycling a total of 170 miles in support of two charities chosen by the Mayor of Swale. Participants will be cycling from the Swale Borough Council offices in Sittingbourne, through the villages and towns on the border of Kent County before circling back to Swale.
You can help sponsor the event by contributing towards essential expenses such as cycling jerseys, bike repairs, food for relief stops, and most importantly towards raising funds for SATEDA, a domestic abuse charity, and Cancer Research UK.
Sponsors will also have their logo and name included on the cycling jerseys and promotional material.
The ride is organised annually, with last year's route going from Calais to Brugge, and then returning from Brugge to Calais via Ypres.
To discuss any further, please email Samuel Brookfield at samuelbrookfield@swale.gov.uk
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Building Safety Advice
Kent Fire & Rescue's building safety team is dedicated to protecting all types of buildings and businesses in the county.
They have a created a website where you can find the latest safety advice organised by business type, including shops, warehouses, stables, open venues and more.
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Help upskill the next generation
The Kent Business School is looking for businesses to provide real-world business challenges for their students to work on (such as business analytics, logistics, supply chain management, project management, marketing and/or management).
Businesses would need to attend a short session to present their challenge and provide irregular check-ins with their student teams. Businesses can also attend student presentations at the end of the process, to hear the solutions which have been developed by their teams.
If you are interested in taking part, you can express an interest through the form at the link below.
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