New business support programme for firms in Coventry and Warwickshire

A major new business support service for small and medium sized firms in Coventry and Warwickshire has been launched. A drop in event is taking place in Atherstone on 13 October following an earlier event in Leamington last week.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund with further support from Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council. It is delivered by the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub, County Council, City Council and a wide range of specialist delivery partners.

The service is available to businesses with up to 250 employees and includes:

- Support to people looking to start a business.
- Support to help established businesses address barriers to growth.
- Specialist sector support.
- Workshops, events and seminars to provide networking and supply chain opportunities.
- Support with accessing finance e.g. grants, small business loans.
- Referrals to other specialist business support programmes.
- Recruitment service designed to meet the needs of employees.
- Support on improving health and wellbeing in the workplace.

If you’d like to find out more about how the new Business Support Programme can help your business, come along to the next event in Atherstone. You can book your place via Eventbrite at the details below:
Thursday 13 October 2016
Drop in between 7.30am – 10.30am
Memorial Hall, Atherstone
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coventry-warwickshire-business-support-programme-launch-atherstone-tickets-27044858901

Four 15-minute taster-sessions will take place on the day:
• Thinking of starting a business?
• Access to finance.
• Top tips for business planning.
• Introduction to social media.

The Atherstone event will also include information on the North Warwickshire & Hinckley & Bosworth Leader Programme which offers grants from £2,500 – £25,000 to help local rural businesses grow.

Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, said:

“We know that small businesses make up more than 99 per cent of all private-sector businesses, so it’s vital that we support this sector in order to ensure Warwickshire continues to be a place where businesses can thrive and employ local people. I would urge anyone with a good idea for a new business, or an existing firm that needs that extra push, to come along to one of our drop-in sessions; or get in touch and find out how the Business Support Programme can help you.”

Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of the council’s Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, added:

“The Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme can help both start-ups and established businesses. It provides expert support and advice that is free and impartial and has been developed to serve one function – to help our businesses grow and flourish.”

Jonathan Browning, Chairman of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership said:

“This is a major programme which will look at all areas of the economy across Coventry and Warwickshire. The Growth Hub was established by the LEP to drive forward the economy by helping companies achieve their potential by overcoming barriers to growth. The three-year the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme will help us support more businesses in that aim. Our businesses advisers are best placed to signpost the most valuable and relevant support which allow companies to cut through much of the legwork and access help quickly and in a way that best suits their needs.”

For further information please contact Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub, Tel: 0300 60 3747; Email: contact@cwgrowthhub.co.uk