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Welcome to the September edition of Test Valley Business Matters.
TVBC was proud to sponsor the Sustainability Award at the Test Valley Business Awards last week. We visited a selection of inspiring companies and were delighted to present the award to Cobra Hydro UK Ltd for their long-standing commitment to sustainability and the difference they have made working alongside water companies to treat fat and grease build-up in Waste-Water Treatment Plants. R&B Industrial and Grateley Business Park were both Highly Commended: R&B Industrial has developed cutting-edge responsive technologies which dramatically reduce energy consumption while controlling hazardous and dangerous atmospheres; and Grateley Business Park is a showcase development for A+ rated commercial units with sustainability at the heart of their design and build.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists and to all the companies that threw their hats into the ring. Our thanks go to the TVBA Committee for organising such an inspiring event.
In separate news, it is Business Finance Week from 30 September. We've flagged some seminars that you might find useful.
We had a big response to our AI webinar on 7 October and workshop on the morning of 14 October in Andover. There are just a handful of spaces left. If you want a space, please book via these links: AI for Small Businesses - Introductory Webinar and Adopting AI in Business Workshop. I will run a waiting list when the spaces have all gone.
 Business Finance Week
Business Finance Week is designed to help smaller businesses across the UK to understand the different finance options that may be available to support their individual business needs, be that starting up, scaling up, or staying ahead. The British Business Bank and trusted partners including the FSB, Competition and Markets Authority, and UK Export Finance are running a range of free online webinars between 1 and 9 October. For the full list, see our Business Meetings and Events Diary; a selection is provided below:
From 1 October 2025 – HMRC – Tax basics – A starter guide for small businesses. Virtual recording. Tax webinar registration
1 October 2025 – British Business Bank – An introduction to Start Up Loans. Virtual. 11am to 12 noon An introduction to Start Up Loans
4 October 2025 – British Business Bank – Understanding different types of business finance. Virtual. 11am to 12 noon. Understanding different types of business finance
7 October 2025 – British Business Bank – Asset Finance Uncovered: Asset Solutions for Growing SMEs. Virtual 10am to 11am. Asset Finance Uncovered: Asset Solutions for Growing SMEs
Enterprise Nation has also produced a guide on Business Banking mistakes: Three banking mistakes that could be holding your business back | Enterprise Nation
FSB
The Federation of Small Business is a not-for-profit membership organisation. However, it offers a bank of free resources for all small businesses. You need to register but do not need to join in order to download guides on a range of topics including payroll, hiring staff, H&S business taxes: Business Basics | Small Business Guides & Resources. There's a new guide on AI too: FSB AI guide
FSB is discounting membership until the end of September. Members have access to 24/7 helplines offering advice in areas including legal compliance, tax, HR, H&S and crisis management. Details are here: The Federation of Small Businesses
 Funding for High St traders
Enterprise Nation is offering grants of £5k to six independent High St retailers along with expert design support and marketing tools. Apply here: Realising the Remarkable | Win a grant for your high-street business.
Grants remain available for Andover Town Centre businesses that want to improve their frontages. All work must be complete by 20 March 2026, and you will need to build in time to get any necessary consents for example if you want to change your signage or if you occupy a listed building. Further details of the grants can be found here: Andover Town Centre Frontage Grant | Test Valley Borough Council
 Solar Grants for commercial premises on business parks
We have some funding remaining for solar grants for owners, leaseholders or occupiers of business park premises. The grants will provide 20% costs to a maximum of £5k to reduce the payback times for solar installations. Further details can be found here: Business Solar Grants | Test Valley Borough Council
Note that all work has to be completed and claims have to be submitted by 20 March 2026. Unless you already have planning permission for Solar PV, you will need to build in time for an application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed installation, alteration or replacement of other Solar Photovoltaics (PV) equipment on the roofs of non-domestic buildings. The form for this can be downloaded from Application forms | Test Valley Borough Council (scroll down to the section Permitted development requiring prior notification, and then scroll down within that for the PV form).
Local MCS-certified installers can be found here: Find An Installer - MCS Certified
 Funding for tree and hedge planting
The Hampshire Forest Partnership’s tree and hedge planting funds are now open for applications for winter 2025/26. There are three dedicated funding streams:
- 🍃 Linking Leaves – for community-led planting in public or shared spaces.
- 🌳 Shoots Along the Routes – for farmers and landowners.
- 🌱 Disease Resistant Elms - helping re-elm Hampshire.
You can check your eligibility and apply here: Tree and hedge fund application
Farming Innovation Programme
DEFRA has announced funding for small R&D partnership projects. The projects should help boost productivity, enhance sustainable practices, improve environmental outcomes and/or reduce carbon emissions in agricultural and horticultural sectors. Further information can be found here: Small R&D Partnership Projects. The competition closes on 5 November 2025.
 Skills bootcamps
Skills bootcamps provide 60+ hours of training delivered over a maximum of 16 weeks to job seekers and employees. Employers can use them to recruit, by interviewing candidates that have finished the courses and are looking for work. Alternatively, employers can send their existing employees on them in order to upskill. For existing employees, the majority of the training costs are borne by the Government - SMEs need fund only 10% of the costs, and larger employers contribute 30%. There are various start dates over the autumn and winter.
Skills bootcamps are currently available in:
- Digital skills, including courses in AI, Coding, Cyber security, Data analytics. and Digital marketing
- Construction including courses for Excavation, Groundworks, Forklift operations, Lifting technicians and Specialist Plant
- Early years and Health & social care
- Leadership & management
- Project management
- Hospitality
- Air Source Heat Pumps
More information can be found here: Businesses | Business and economy | Hampshire County Council.
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