Relight Business Support Cohort 2 -
Application deadline: 31st March
12 months free membership of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) or Black Country Chamber of Commerce (BCCC); a free Financial Review from SCA Management Consultants; a free Digital Review from MNA Digital or Access to Business; and a series of free Pivot webinars from the City Council's Business Development Team – that’s the Wolverhampton Relight Business Programme.
We are getting some great feedback from businesses in our first cohort so why not register now to be part of cohort 2? Read the testimonial below from ARISE Training...
ARISE Training was set up as a community interest company in November 2019 just months before the pandemic started. Its aim is to provide high quality accredited and non-accredited training in emotional resilience, restorative basic skills, and other educational programmes.
Business owner Maxine Grainger said, “The Relight Business Programme could not have come at a better time for me as I had spent much of 2020 shaping my online provision. The webinar programme was invaluable in gaining insight into how I should think about my business, and also the opportunity to learn from other like-minded businesses.
"And on top of that the Council's Business Development Team have supported me to get to a position where I can now support local people who have lost jobs due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The 12 months free membership of the FSB will provide that wrap around support that is invaluable to a micro business like mine”
Register for Free Rapid Flow Tests
Do you ask your employees to get regularly tested?
The city has picked up that some businesses haven't yet incorporated testing as part of their Covid safe practices. We understand the time and cost to businesses in getting employees tested and welcome a scheme introduced by the government for businesses to register for free workplace test kits.
We urge all businesses to register before March 31st for a free 3 month supply of testing kits for their employees.
Response to Redundancy
Wolverhampton City Council employment service Wolves at Work has joined key partners DWP, Skills Support for Redundancy delivered by Secro and the National Careers Service to create a robust offer to help people who have lost their jobs due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The package offers access to free local and national specialist support in identifying people’s transferable skills; establishing which jobs and careers they are suitable for; pursuing training opportunities to upskill in their current profession; discovering opportunities to acquire a new skillset and change career; exploring self-employment opportunities; improving employability skills, such as CV writing, completing applications and interview technique; and getting back into work.
City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “These are hugely challenging times for residents and businesses and in Wolves at Work we are fortunate to have an excellent and well-established model of what collaborative working can achieve when it comes to getting people into and keeping them in work.
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Final Call on Grants
City of Wolverhampton Council is urging businesses to act fast as the applications deadline for a number of existing grant schemes has been set by Government for Wednesday 31 March.
To further help businesses a new dedicated Council phone support team will guide people through the online application form.
Eligibility criteria and how to access the online application process for all Wolverhampton business support grants can be found at Government Business Grants. Businesses are urged to ensure they have all the correct evidence to hand before starting their application.
If you are unsure which grant you should apply for or have a general query, you can get in touch with the Council by emailing business.grants@wolverhampton.gov.uk or calling the business support phoneline on 01902 290242 between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Thursday or from 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays.
The Government has also announced new ‘restart’ grants. The scheme will make non-essential retail businesses eligible for grants of up to £6,000 per premises to help them reopen and begin trading safely. Hospitality, hotels, leisure, personal care and gyms, set to reopen later with further restrictions in place, can access up to £18,000, depending on their rateable value. Local authorities will administer and distribute the grants in their areas from April 2021.
The latest Government information on business grants and support can be viewed at GOV.UK.
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Forthcoming Webinars
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Department of International Trade (DIT) Clean Growth Webinar. Discover the link between the green agenda and exporting - Thursday 25th March 10am. Register here
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Economic Growth Board (EGB) Webinars (series of 6). The 1st Webinar of 6 is called 'End of Lockdown - Opportunity or Challenge' - Tuesday 23rd March 10am. To register, email info@thompsonavc.co.uk
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