Flood Relief Scheme
Worcestershire County Council has opened its Local Flood Relief Scheme so eligible residents and businesses can now apply for financial help following the February floods.
Floods hit several parts of the county last month including Bewdley, Worcester City, Severn Stoke and Upton.
The Flood Relief Scheme, announced on Friday 25 February, will give residents and tenants who have seen habitable areas of their home damaged in the floods access to a one-off goodwill payment of £250 to help them get back on their feet.
Businesses affected by the flood waters will also be able to claim a one-off payment of £1,000.
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Leading experts drive cleantech revolution in Wyre Forest
Leading industry experts from the world of Cleantech innovation are helping local entrepreneurs, established companies and start-ups across Wyre Forest turn their innovative ideas for low and zero carbon technology into profitable new products and services.
Experts from the Climate Change Committee, Severn Trent, Vodafone, Worcester Bosch, The Clean Growth Fund, NatWest and Warwick University are joining local innovators and business leaders for a series of free, one-day workshops at Wyre Forest House in Kidderminster, as part of Betaden North Cleantech Bootcamp and Workshops.
The next workshop is on Thursday 28 April. Bea Natzler of the Climate Change Committee, Professor David Elmes of Warwick University, William Jones, relationship manager at NatWest, and Jonathan Tudor, investment partner at The Clean Growth Fund explain how sustainability criteria are increasingly shaping business loan and financing assessments, along with the implications for companies and innovators of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance with respect to securing finance and investment.
Places on the workshops are free, with businesses of all sizes and innovators with Cleantech ideas invited to attend. The project is being run by Wyre Forest District Council, Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire technology accelerator BetaDen, with funding from the UK Government’s Local Community Fund.
To find out more and to book a place on the Betaden North workshops, visit https://www.betaden-north.co.uk/. Or email info@betaden-north.co.uk or phone 01905 932532.
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Grant opportunity for creatives in Bromsgrove
NWedR, on behalf of Bromsgrove District Council, is calling creatives in Bromsgrove to respond to an exciting grant funded opportunity. The Recovery through Creative project is funded by a £50,000 GBSLEP grant secured by NWedR and match funded by Bromsgrove District Council.
Individuals, groups, businesses and collaborations in the creative industries sectors are invited to apply for grant funding to deliver activities and projects that will attract residents and visitors to Bromsgrove Town Centre and Local Centres through the provision of new experiences. These could be, but aren’t limited to, outdoor public art events, art exhibitions, local festivals, arts & crafts markets, food markets, community events, street art, and street performances. Expressions of interest are required by Sunday 13 March so don't delay in submitting your idea.
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H&W Chamber Awards entries open
The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is inviting entries for the Chamber Business Awards, sponsored by Karndean Design flooring. The awards are free to enter and will close for entries on Friday 25 March. The Chamber Business Awards are a celebration of success and help identify and acknowledge the exceptional achievements across the two counties’ business community. They are open to all businesses across Herefordshire and Worcestershire and are not limited to size, sector, Member or non-Member. The entry process is both quick and easy providing businesses with the perfect opportunity to spotlight their brand and achieve widespread recognition. Winners will be announced at the black-tie ceremony taking place on Thursday 7 July at Worcester Arena. For more information on the categories available to enter or if you would like to submit your business nomination, please visit hwchamber.co.uk/events/business-awards or contact events@hwchamber.co.uk.
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Creatives - have your say on a community space in Bromsgrove town centre
HemingwayDesign have been commissioned to produce a top line Vision for the former Market Hall site in Bromsgrove, currently the Birdbox, as a creative, cultural hub providing co-working facilities, flexible workspaces, arts and creative studios, multi-purpose events space and other creative uses.
Views are sought from across the creative sector including - but not limited to - freelancers, design agencies, advertising and marketing companies, copywriters, performance artists, digital media companies, and theatrical producers and actors.
It is essential that proposals for this new creative community venue meet the needs of the community it aims to serve. We therefore want this Vision to be co-created with Bromsgrove’s creative community. We want to hear your thoughts!
Take 2 minutes to complete the survey here
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New skills report highlights aims and focuses on growth
The Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has launched a new Local Skills Report to outline the aims for skills development in the county.
The updated Local Skills Report for 2022 onwards will be embedded in the Worcestershire LEP’s people strategy and will contribute to the economic recovery post-COVID and the continued sustainable growth of the Worcestershire economy.
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Careers and apprenticeships roadshows
If you’re an employer struggling to recruit, help is at hand! Book a stand at any of the upcoming careers and apprenticeship roadshows being organised by Worcestershire Apprenticeships with Worcestershire County Council. There will be potential apprentices and employees of all ages attending the events taking place across Worcestershire in March. Contact Kim Cook kim@hwstpa.co.uk regarding stand booking.
If you know someone aged 15 to 24 and unsure about what to do after leaving school or would like to find out about their options, direct them to one or more of the roadshows in March.
Find out more
Information on the Bromsgrove roadshow
Information on the Kidderminster roadshow
Information on the Redditch roadshow
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Retailers - reach more customers online
To support local high street businesses as we come out of one of the most difficult trading periods in history, the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP (GBSLEP) has developed a free 'Digital Marketing For The High Street’ programme
The programme is specifically for retailers, hospitality and leisure businesses to give you actionable marketing strategies to reach your potential customers via social media and online tools. If you haven't got a premises but see customers face to face, you're welcome too.
Learn more at our 1 hour webinar on Tuesday 15 March introducing the programme. You'll also get some quick, actionable digital marketing tips, plus up to date information about how the Growth Hub can support you.
The free programme also includes workshops, networking opportunities and 1 to 1 support, all delivered online. You can join in all of it or just dip in and out of what you think will help your business the most.
Each week we'll be covering:
Follow the links above to book your place or take a look at our events calendar:
https://www.gbslepgrowthhub.co.uk/events
Please contact Samantha.yair@gbslepgrowthhub.co.uk if you need any more details or have any queries. We hope to see you online!
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The Worcestershire Growth Hub is providing additional business support to help local organisations. Building on the ongoing success of the Specialist Advisor programme, the Worcestershire Growth Hub team have added a new advisor to the programme as well as increasing the capacity of the support available to help more local businesses.
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We want your views on wellbeing priorities in Worcestershire
The Worcestershire Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation 2022-2032 is now open. The Health and Wellbeing board sets the priorities for health across Worcestershire. This formal consultation will be running for 12 weeks from 7th February to 2nd May 2022 and will help shape Worcestershire's health and wellbeing priorities for the next 10 years.
The consultation survey is open to everyone and will help the Health & Wellbeing Board build up a picture of what wellbeing means to people of all ages from across all areas of Worcestershire. We want to hear views from all our communities and your support is greatly appreciated. Find out more and give your views.
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Are you curiously creative?
Boxed Community are running Boxed Trailblazers: a start-up program for curious creatives.
Boxed Trailblazers is a free 13-week online program to support 30 creative business owners in the UK forge their path to success. The next programme dates are 5 April to 1 July 2022 and applications close 16 March 2022.
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New Business support available through the Growth Hub
The Worcestershire Growth Hub has announced new business support to help local organisations with recruiting and retaining staff. Building on the ongoing success of the Specialist Advisor programme, the Worcestershire Growth Hub team has added a new advisor to the programme. This new advisor, Hewett Recruitment, will be focused on recruitment and retention support.
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GBSLEP Zellar 100 sponsored licenses
GBSLEP (Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership) have partnered with Zellar, the UK’s first sustainability platform, to sponsor 100 licences for local businesses to help them become sustainable, reduce emissions, and go beyond ‘Net Zero’ faster.
Register your business at GBSLEP Expression of interest and you will get a personalised sustainability plan that you can implement at your own pace.
If you have any questions, Richard Garner Head of Partnerships at Zellar is happy to give you support. Email richard@zellar.com
GBSLEP Expression of interest form
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Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards opens for Entries
Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire County Council have announced that the popular apprenticeship celebration event, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards are returning in 2022.
Entries to the awards have now opened with apprentices, employers, schools and training providers in Worcestershire being encouraged to submit their entries or nominations via the online nomination process, before the 15 July deadline.
After the 'virtual' success of the awards in 2021, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships team have confirmed that this year’s awards will be returning to the physical awards evening format on 17 November, at the West Midland Safari Park.
Find out more.
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Consultation on the customs system
In February the government published a call for evidence inviting businesses, traders, and the public to feedback on the customs system.
Over a twelve-week period, HM Revenue and Customs and HM Treasury is asking businesses to share their thoughts and get involved in helping to shape long-term customs policy. The government will be asking businesses and the border industry for their suggestions on:
- improvements to help traders access a quality customs intermediary sector
- how the benefits of the Simplified Customs Declarations Process can be expanded
- how the transit facilitation can be improved
Councils are encouraged to promote and share details of this consultation with businesses in their area.
The call for evidence closes on 2 May.
Read the announcement
Have your say in the consultation
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Celebrating North Worcestershire Calendar - Jerroms celebrating 50 golden years
2022 is a particularly special year for local accountants and business advisors, Jerroms, as they are celebrating their 50th year anniversary!
As shown in their Celebrating North Worcestershire calendar February feature photograph, the team are no strangers to getting stuck into keeping their community clean and tidy, but they know how to celebrate too!
“Fifty years in business is a milestone that reflects the strength, stability and success only a few companies ever achieve. So, as we make plans to celebrate our achievements we wish to extend our sincerest gratitude to our clients as well as our current and former employees who have been part of the Jerroms journey.”
Read more.
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Actions to take when the cyber threat is heightened
The National Cyber Security Centre has updated the cyber security guidance in response to the malicious cyber incidents in and around Ukraine.
Businesses are urged to bolster their cyber security resilience and to take steps that reduce their risk of falling victim to an attack.
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Celebrating North Worcestershire Calendar - March feature
This month, we feature The Orangery and Old Rectory located in Ipsley Redditch. This beautiful restaurant and rooms venue offers an elegant country house setting for weddings and special occasions. With an outdoor tepee and alfresco dining and cocktails all year round, why not visit for Saturday brunch from 11.00am or book your table for a delicious Sunday roast with friends and family. For a special overnight stay, there are beautifully appointed bedrooms too.
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