Quick Pitch 2023
Practice pitching your new business or idea and access the knowledge of a specialist panel. Following on from the success of the QuickPitch22 event, the Enterprising Worcestershire team and the University of Worcester have announced they are hosting an even bigger pitching event on Tuesday 28 March at the Worcester Arena. Pre-start businesses and those trading for up to 24 months will get the opportunity to pitch their business idea to a small judging panel of local business experts and in front of a supportive entrepreneurial community.
Not sure if this is for its for you? Check out this highlight video from the last event. To submit your application, all you need to do is fill out this simple form and press submit. Applications will close at 11 pm on Friday 24 February.
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Visit the Spring Business Worcestershire Conference
Registration for the next Business Worcestershire Conference, organised by Worcestershire County Council and the Worcestershire Growth Hub, is now open.
The conference will be focusing on Marketing and Sales on Wednesday 15 March 2023 at Sixways Stadium Worcester 8:00am – 1:00pm.
Through thought-provoking discussions and talks, attendees will hear the latest thinking from expert speakers, on digital marketing, branding, relationship management and data driven decision marketing.
There will also be networking opportunities and time for attendees to learn about the support available to businesses throughout the county. This event is open to all businesses across the county from Start-ups to SMEs to large-scale corporations.
Spaces are limited. To ensure you don’t miss out on your chance to attend, book your free place now.
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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce business survey
This quarter’s survey focuses on the importance of sustainability and specifically green skills. The research conducted will be shared with the British Chamber of Commerce, along with 53 UK Chambers, and provide a framework from which Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce can influence local and national partners, and benefit Chamber Members in the two counties. By taking part in this survey, there’s also an opportunity to win afternoon tea for two at The Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford.
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Are you planning Coronation celebrations?
People across the country and the Commonwealth are invited to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort over a weekend of special events on 6 – 8 May 2023. Whether you’re planning an office party or a community get together, funding of up to £10,000 is available for events and activities through the National Lottery ‘Awards for All’ programme.
Although there is no deadline for applying to the National Lottery ‘Awards for All’ programme, it can take up to 12 weeks from the point of application submission to receiving funding if successful. This means applications for the Coronation weekend should be made now. For guidance on funding see the National Lottery Fund website.
For more information on the Coronation of King Charles, see the dedicated website which includes information for getting involved, a toolkit including templates and a Coronation playlist, and a form for submitting events.
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Now We’re Talking
The Now We’re Talking Partnership, led by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust alongside other local organisations, has launched a new ‘Professionals Portal’ which hosts resources to help people who may come into contact with staff or clients struggling with mental health or suicide.
Now We’re Talking is a partnership of local organisations from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire working together to reduce the stigma of mental health, as well as promote the range of support available for local people.
Anyone needing more urgent support, for example if they have an urgent concern about their mental health or that of a loved one, can contact the Herefordshire and Worcestershire 24/7 urgent mental health helpline on 0808 196 9127. The service is open to residents of all ages, across both counties. Alternatively, you can visit the Urgent Help webpage for further information and support.
For mental health support for children and young people, visit the dedicated Childrens’ Mental Health website.
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Support to help you follow your passions in 2023
A ‘New Year, New Start, New Opportunities’ campaign has launched to encourage individuals in Worcestershire to embrace the new year and follow their passions by starting a business. The Start-Up Club offers a free, five-day business start-up course to provide individuals with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to turn their ideas into a reality. The next workshops take place in Redditch, 6 - 10 March and 27 – 31 March in Worcester. Specialist start-up support is also on offer to young entrepreneurs through the EnRich programme. The next workshop takes place on 6 and 7 March.
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Calling employers in Worcestershire - we need you!
Help the Chamber to develop the Worcestershire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). The Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce has been appointed as the designated Employer Representative Body (ERB) for Worcestershire. The role of the Chamber is to lead the development and subsequent reviews of an LSIP for a specified geographical area working with employers, providers, and local stakeholders. The objective is to facilitate conversations between employers and educators to identify local employers’ skills needs which will help drive future post-16 technical education and training provisions. View our business engagement plan here. How can you help? We’re hosting a series of sector specific events. Discussions around the LSIP project will take place and employers will have the opportunity to share their skills needs and the priority changes required in the local area to help ensure post-16 technical education. You can also have your say by completing the questionnaire at this link.
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Worcestershire’s Business Expo in Malvern
Make a diary date to visit Herefordshire & Worcestershire’s Business Expo on Thursday 9 March 2023, 9.00am-2:30pm at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern.
Stands are already filling up at the upcoming Business Expo in partnership with Hewett Recruitment! Get your stand booked today to avoid disappointment. Are you looking to come along, network with local businesses and find new people to do business with? Why not register your place today. Find out more.
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Tap into the Sustainability Hub from GBSLEP
Are you a small business who wants to understand your carbon footprint? Would you like to see where you can strategically invest in your business to be more sustainable? Do you want to explore how you can innovate to tap into new low carbon commercial opportunities?
If you have answered yes to any of the questions above, or simply want to see what is on offer from the GBSLEP Sustainability Hub, visit the Hub and see the support programmes on offer.
Any SME registered for business within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP can receive 1-to-1 advice from a Growth Hub Adviser. Any business with between 11 and 249 employees registered for business within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP geography can access our Clean Growth support programmes.
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Registrations now open for new solar panel and battery storage scheme
A new scheme has launched in Worcestershire aimed at making the switch to clean energy as cost effective and hassle free as possible. Solar Together helps Worcestershire residents, community buildings and small/medium sized businesses come together to invest in renewables, through a group-buying scheme for solar panels and battery storage. Residents and businesses are able to register their interest between 23 January and 10 March. There will then be an auction for pre-approved installers to submit their bids for the work, with notifications sent out to people in mid-March, detailing the cost and specification of the work. It’s then up to individuals if they want to go-ahead, there’s no obligation to continue with the installation. Worcestershire County Council is working with local district councils and iChoosr to offer the Solar Together group-buying scheme.
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