Wokingham Borough Connect
 A taste of sunny Spain comes to town
Say 'hola' to Salty Olive, a new independent and authentic Spanish pinchos bar and restaurant in Elms Walk, in the heart of Wokingham town.
Elms Walk is part of the new Elms Field development, which was built under the multi-million-pound town centre regeneration project.
Susannah Stewart, owner of Salty Olive, has been a visitor to Spain for over 40 years and loves its informal and social approach to dining. It has been her dream to bring this home to the UK, so was thrilled to finally open her business in May.
She said: "I’ve been lucky enough to visit the Costa Brava in northern Spain since I was a child; it’s an area very close to my heart.
"I fell in love with the pinchos style of dining, which is all about sharing a variety of delicious small dishes with friends and family while relaxing and spending time together. I’m proud and excited to bring a ‘taste of pinchos’ to Wokingham."
 New hair salon is poetry in motion
Following a significant refurbishment of both salon and building, we welcome Hair Poetry to Denmark Street in Wokingham town. It's co-owned by Maria Chiorean and Baban Mohammad, who are delighted to join our community.
Baban added: "Hair Poetry offers a range of services from haircuts and beauty treatments to laydown sunbeds. Wokingham is a great location for Maria and I to set up our salon, so we are very happy to be here."
 Double scoop for IT firm at business awards
Congratulations to 1-Fix Limited, an IT support firm based at the Arena Business Centre in Winnersh, for winning the Workplace Health and Wellbeing Award at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.
They’ve shared how they came up with an award winning wellness programme that considers its teams’ wellness from all angles – including their financial, mental, social and physical health.
These measures include access to financial advice, counselling and mindfulness sessions, flexible working practices, team-building activities and social events, health workshops and much more.
1-Fix also scooped runner-up in the Excellence in Customer Service category. These accolades are a testament to the dedication and hard work of their team.
They say they place a strong emphasis on cultivating a positive and supportive work environment, where employees' wellbeing is at the heart of everything they do, and that this award shows their commitment to creating a workplace that nurtures and empowers everyone to thrive.
 Calling all entrepreuneurs - £5,000 grant opportunity
Enterprise Nation is a vibrant community of small businesses and business advisers that exist to shortcut your route to trusted business support.
They have set up a new fund to recognise small business owners whose work is driven by their values and are awarding grants for three winners across three categories through a competition.
The prize also includes a year of mentoring with an expert entrepreneur. Fill in a short application form explaining why you think your business should win. You must submit your completed form before midnight on 14 September 2023.
 Campaign shines spotlight on women in business
Do you know an inspiring female entrepreneur from Wokingham Borough - or do you consider yourself one?
Small Business Britain’s annual f:Entrepreneur campaign is searching for the nation's most inspirational female-led businesses to be part of its #ialso100 line-up.
This is a line-up of 100 inspirational women who run businesses while juggling a wide range of responsibilities. Applications are completely free and must be submitted online before 30 September.
Each #ialso100 member is showcased on f:Entrepreneur's website and social media. They enjoy monthly events and opportunities to host or speak on panels as part of Small Business Britain’s campaigns, as well as help with publicity.
 Consider hosting a work experience placement
Coffee Cup Solutions, an IT solutions provider and consultancy, based in Wokingham town, supports work experience - and would like to raise awareness of the opportunities this can bring.
The company offers placements for IT and general office work, and plans to continue offering at least one per year as it’s getting harder to find work experience with more people working remotely.
It has hosted several placements over the past year, arranged through community links, schools, and the Education Business Partnership (EBP), and says all were rewarding for both sides.
One young person said their favourite part was looking at coding with the company’s lead developer, which helped them think about their own career goals. The firm now arranges regular placements through the EBP and keeps the process as close to the ‘real world’ as possible.
If you’d like to help a young resident, contact our team or visit Berkshire Opportunities, which has a wealth of resources like employers’ guides on education and work-based activities like job shadowing and work experience.
 Helping nature across Berkshire to recover
We’re backing a long-term plan to help local wildlife and its habitats recover after years of decline – and you've got the chance to help shape it.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is producing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Berkshire with support from us and our neighbours in Bracknell, Reading, Slough and West Berkshire.
Each of these strategies, which are being created nationwide, will map out key areas for biodiversity and work with many groups, including businesses, to decide the best ways of supporting local flora and fauna.
It’s hoped that producing this document will help to improve the quality and quantity of natural spaces at both a local and national level, and we’d really like to hear your ideas and get your input.
To learn more about how you can help, a series of introductory webinars has been arranged through September and October, including a business focused session on 27 September at 11am.
 Wokingham Positive Difference + Networking
Date and Time: 22 September, 8.00am
Hosted by: WPD+
Face to face open networking
Date and Time: 12 September, 8.00am
Hosted by: Woodley Business Club
Wokingham Speakers
Date and Time: first and third Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm
Hosted by: Wokingham Speakers (Toastmasters)
Wokingham - People, Planet, Pint
Date and Time: Thursday 7 September 2023, 6.00pm
Hosted by: Small99
Wokingham WIBN - Women's Business Networking
Date and Time: Thursday Afternoon Group: 12.00pm to 2.00pm, 2nd Thursday of the month; Friday Morning group: 9.30am to 11.30am, 2nd Friday of the month
Hosted by: Wokingham Women in Business Network
Other events you may be interested in
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