Join Relight Business Support  - Cohort 2 

City of Wolverhampton Council is looking for 30 ambitious sole traders or small businesses in Wolverhampton to join the Relight Business Programme cohort 2. The Programme offers a package of support that includes a product, service, market, digital and financial review, along with free membership for a year with either the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) or Black Country Chamber of Commerce(BCCC).

Please visit the Wolves in Business web page to find out more about the Relight Business Programme and click here to register.

30 business owners joined cohort 1 and one of them, Lee Guest from Image Squad said:

"I found out about the scheme a couple of weeks ago and it has been a breath of fresh air to be involved in something positive during this testing time. Having attended both of the webinars so far, I’m finding that as a small business who is cut off from both clients and freelance staff, that being part of the scheme is a positive beacon.  It really is refreshing to talk with someone who shares my optimism, opposed to those around me who are of the opinion that it’s time to call it a day due to their lack of ambition and understanding of what it takes to be entrepreneurial”. 

Help to Grow Campaign 

The Government has announced a new 'Help to Grow' initiative, providing £520 million to help 30,000 SMEs recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting digital technologies and providing management training to boost productivity and innovation.

The initiative contains two schemes:

• Help to Grow: Digital – this scheme will provide SMEs with access to discounted software and expert advice on how to best utilise it.
• Help to Grow: Management – this scheme will offer MBA-style management training to SMEs with the aim of increasing innovation and boosting growth.

In addition, the ‘Help to Grow: Digital’ scheme will create an online platform offering free advice on tech to help businesses save time and reduce costs. SMEs may also be eligible to obtain vouchers offering 50% off the purchase of productivity-enhancing software, up to a total of £5,000 each.

Meanwhile, the ‘Help to Grow: Management’ scheme will provide SMEs with access to subsidised management training provided by leading British business schools, covering topics from marketing to the management of finances. Dozens of business schools across the UK will provide 50 hours of tuition in addition to one-on-one support with a business mentor, to build the skills of SME leaders and ultimately, increase efficiency, productivity, and growth.

To find out more and register your interest click here  https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/

Clean Growth and the Green Economy

Free Webinar Thursday 25th March 10-11.15am  Sign up here

Discover how the Green Growth agenda can help you grow your businesses and how the Department for International Trade (DIT) can support you to find international opportunities........

You can expect a packed agenda including the following key discussion points:

The session will end with a Q & A where you will get to ask the panel any questions. 

Sign up here 

End of Lockdown: Challenge or Opportunity

As the people of Wolverhampton would say 'Out of Darkness Cometh Light,' it looks like we might be finally seeing this 'Light' at the end of the tunnel, but we know that this doesn't mean that the challenges are over yet and for many they are only just the beginning.  

In response to this a group of local business leaders and owners, under the umbrella of the Wolverhampton Economic Growth Board, have come together to talk about how we overcome these challenges and the opportunities this may bring. As a result they will be delivering a series of interactive webinars.

There will be business leaders from varying sectors sharing real life business experiences, with an open forum of discussion and action, where you can get involved. 

The first webinar is called 'End of Lockdown: Challenge or Opportunity.' 

To register your interest please email : info@thompsonavc.co.uk