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Follow NWEDR | Connect With North Worcs EDR | Visit NWEDR
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Overview of grants and business support
NWedR has collated information on the current grants and support available to North Worcestershire businesses. This ‘at a glance’ summary has been designed to provide a quick overview for business leaders across the area. This is being updated regularly and displayed on the front page of our website.
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Roadmap out of lockdown
The Government has set out plans for easing out of the Covid-19 imposed lockdown over the next few months. Whist there is a clear timetable, the Prime Minister in his briefing on Monday 22 February said that the rollout “will be guided by data not dates”. The roadmap follows four incremental steps which start on Monday 8 March and run through to 21 June 2021.
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Car share safely
Despite the upcoming easing of lockdown measures, we now still need to continue to follow lockdown rules especially if we need to leave home to go to work. The virus spreads when we mix so we need to keep following the rules to keep people safe when they are at work including their work journeys. Here is a reminder on how we can car share safely.
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Take part in the H&W Chamber survey
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce has launched its 2021 Quarter 1 business survey. The data collected from the Economic Indicator survey will be anonymised and shared with the British Chambers of Commerce to lobby government on key business issues. Take a few moments to take part in this survey and your business will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win a pair of Apple AirPods!
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Job Retention Scheme – advice from HMRC
Claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) are now open for pay periods in February 2021. Claims for January are now closed, but if you find you need to make a change because you didn’t claim enough you can do this until 1 March.
Make sure you have the latest information by joining the live Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme webinar, which includes, who can claim , who you can claim for, how to calculate what you can claim, how to make a claim.
Register here
HMRC is also running monthly webinars on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme. Get the latest information on who can claim, who you can claim for, how to make a claim, what you may be entitled to, and more.
Register here
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Get FREE EU exit support for your business
The UK’s exit from the European Union has led to many businesses having to review their operation to take into account new regulations. The team at Worcestershire Business Central is offering new dedicated support service to access expert and impartial advice. WBC has joined forces with the other West Midlands Growth Hubs to bring this resource full of helpful information to Worcestershire businesses. All the information on this dedicated website is completely impartial and built to be a go-to for all Brexit business advice. There is also a programme of free events, all designed to make your EU transition as smooth as possible.
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Empower me – inspiring women in business!
On International Women’s Day, linking with the Unfinished Business national exhibition, Worcestershire Libraries are celebrating the contribution of women in business and aiming to inspire, empower and support all those thinking about starting up or challenging the status quo. Join free for an inspirational panel talk featuring four incredibly talented women, chaired by the fantastic Angela Podmore.
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Reset.Restart Business Webinars
BIPC Worcestershire (Business & Intellectual Property Centre, based in and led by Worcestershire Libraries) is running a series of webinars as part of the national Reset. Restart programme. This programme is specifically aimed at helping small businesses adapt and build resilience following the impact of Covid-19. All business webinars from @BIPC Worcestershire can be found on the BIPC Worcestershire Eventbrite channel
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First West Midlands Business Expo – coming soon
This Spring, the Chamber of Commerce network is bringing something special to the West Midlands and the wider business community. Its first, jointly produced Business Expo, is set to present a week-long virtual experience enabling companies and organisations to meet new customers, prospective partners and suppliers from many sectors and discover new opportunities. To find out more and book a stand visit the website
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The Apprenticeships Awards are back
Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council have announced that the popular apprenticeship celebration event, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards are returning in 2021. Apprentices, employers, schools, careers leads and training providers in Worcestershire are being encouraged to submit their nominations via the new online nomination process, before the 16 July 2021 deadline.
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Interested in sponsoring the Worcestershire Health and Social Care Awards 2021?
The awards, created to recognise the talent and dedication of those heroes who work in the industry, are being run by Newsquest's Worcestershire titles – The Shuttle, Droitwich & Bromsgrove Advertiser, Redditch Advertiser, Worcester News, Malvern Gazette and Evesham Journal.
There are 12 categories and finalists will be chosen by a panel of experts and the winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony broadcast live in May. Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has backed the awards by becoming a partner, and the publisher is looking for other organisations to sponsor the awards to show their appreciation for the county's health and care workers.
The 12 award categories are: The Health Care Team Award, The Care Hero Award, The Care Home Worker Award, The Care Trainer Award, The Health Care Employer Award, Domiciliary Care Worker Award, The Good Nurse Award, Adolescent and Child Health Care Award, The Dementia Carer Award, The Palliative/ End of Life Care Award, The Mental Health Award and GP Practice of the Year Award.
Any business or organisation interested in sponsoring an award can email stephanie.preece@newsquest.co.uk
Click here for more information
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Enter now - North Worcestershire calendar competition
NWedR and North Worcestershire Business Leaders (NWBL) have partnered once again to invite local businesses to submit just 50 words about the area for a chance to win a fantastic package of free marketing support. Now in its fourth year, the 2022 ‘Celebrating North Worcestershire’ competition provides the opportunity to win a valuable prize which will go to 12 lucky businesses. The prize includes a spotlight month in the wonderful ‘Celebrating North Worcestershire Calendar’ with a dedicated company photoshoot, features in the NWedR newsletter, social media PR campaign, an online feature in Business and Innovation magazine and your company photograph highlighted for a year on the NWedR and NWBL website photo galleries.
The competition winners panel judges are looking for the most memorable, clear and insightful descriptions of why North Worcestershire is the best location for business. See the 2021 Celebrating North Worcestershire calendar photo gallery. Entries for 2022 are open now and close on Tuesday 4 May 2021.
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Grant funding for diverse businesses
This is a great opportunity for owners of diverse businesses to receive grant funding (£2,500) and tender readiness workshops. The Diverse Supply Chains Programme is being delivered by Aston University in late March 2021. It is available to diverse businesses i.e. those owned by Women, Black & Minority Ethnic and Young Entrepreneurs (U-25). This also includes people with limiting disabilities, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBTQ+). Following the online workshops, the participating businesses can access grants of up to £2,500 (matched), to buy services such as:
- Bid writing; training in bid writing / support in bid writing.
- Marketing & branding e.g. developing websites and marketing material
- Supporting the cost of additional specialised consultancy support
- Acquiring accreditations(non-regulatory)
- Leadership training & confidence building
Please note - grants will only be available to eligible businesses that attend the workshop programme. To book a place on the online workshops which will take place in late March 2021, please email mpascommunications@gmail.com to express an interest in joining the programme.
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Book a personal Covid test
You can book a personal Covid test in Worcestershire as long as you are asymptomatic – not showing any symptoms of Covid such as a high temperature, a new continuous cough or any changes to your sense of taste and smell.
Lateral flow testing centre at Wyre Forest House
Businesses are being urged to take up the chance of free rapid tests for their employees without Covid-19 symptoms at Wyre Forest House.
Rapid turnaround tests are supplied by NHS Test and Trace and will help identify people who are positive for Covid-19 but have no symptoms.
Broadening testing to include those with no symptoms will mean finding positive cases more quickly, and help to break the chains of transmission.
The tests are taken using nose and throat swabs and the results are much faster than the standard test which goes to a lab. There are no costs but anyone getting a test will need to follow social distancing and wear a face covering.
To have a test at Wyre Forest House you must be over 18 years of age and have no symptoms of COVID-19.
Tests must be pre-booked online by visiting Worcestershire County Council's website.
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