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County council supports businesses with £140 million injection to boost local economy
“We know that this is a big commitment, but as a Council we are convinced that we need an ambitious and bold strategy to play our part in creating a healthy job market with opportunities for everyone to find work."
Businesses across Warwickshire are set to benefit from a £140m cash injection to boost the county’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
In a major statement about Warwickshire as a great place to do business, Warwickshire County Council has agreed the significant new fund to stimulate the local economy, create jobs, support local businesses and attract investment into the county.
The Warwickshire Recovery and Investment Fund (WRIF) addresses a gap that has been identified in the market for access to finance. The aim is to distribute £140m over the next five years, offering loans and other financial investments to existing and new businesses to help their long-term recovery and growth.
The investment is a fundamental part of the Council’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan - and, together with other support from the Council, is expected to create over 3,000 new jobs and safeguard many thousands more.
The first programme to open will be the Business Investment Growth (BIG) fund aimed at medium to large companies with a good track record. The funding will be targeted at businesses looking to expand as well as companies looking to make Warwickshire the place where they do business. The programme was launched earlier this month and a prospectus is available online for interested businesses.
Drawing on analysis, the Council expects that unemployment could rise significantly by the time the effects of the third national lockdown are fully felt. The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the county – its economic output – is forecast to fall sharply as a result of the pandemic.
Warwickshire County Council’s investment is designed to help address this, arrest the downward trend and drive growth and recovery of the county’s previously strong economy. It is anticipated that that the WRIF will also unlock and bring in around £100m of additional private sector investment and, through improved growth and productivity, create an annual increase in GVA of up to £160m .
Cllr Kam Kaur, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for economy and place, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Warwickshire County Council has launched the Warwickshire Recovery and Investment Fund and we can get on with helping businesses. We are absolutely committed to working with our partners and with local businesses to ensure that Warwickshire bounces back better with a vibrant and sustainable economy that is fit for the future in the world after the pandemic.
“Since the start of the pandemic we have been working with local businesses, most notably those in the hardest hit sectors – retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism along with their supply chains – to help them to access emergency finance to help them to be sustained or to help them to adapt so that they can look to grow in the changing market. These have been immensely helpful to local businesses but the WRIF is our next step, a much broader, long-term package of support which we expect to make a significant impact on the local economy.
“We know that this is a big commitment, but as a Council we are convinced that we need an ambitious and bold strategy to play our part in creating a healthy job market with opportunities for everyone to find work. And this will be done in a responsible manner so that it helps drive the county’s commitment to climate change. We are seeking applications that will have a positive impact not only on the economy but also on the environment.
“This exciting fund to help businesses prosper will be up and running in the coming weeks, and we will follow that with our new funding for smaller enterprises and our support for housing, regeneration and new business premises.”
Sarah Windrum, Chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “Warwickshire County Council’s £140 million fund mirrors perfectly with the Implementation Plan of the CWLEP’s Strategic Reset Framework to help with the long-term growth of our economy.
“It is vital we are innovative in our approach to create the conditions for businesses to recover from the pandemic and create jobs as well as attract inward investment to Coventry and Warwickshire and build on our global appeal.”
Louise Bennett, Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a major investment that is aimed at helping companies grow and thrive as we emerge from the shadow of Covid and is a bold move from Warwickshire County Council.
“We welcome the initiative as another measure which will help us maintain and grow our economy across the county.”
Further updates on the scheme, including when applications can be made can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wrif
New Local Rewards programme boosts local shopping in Warwickshire
“We are very excited to get involved in the new Warwickshire Local Rewards programme. It will help us connect with current customers and hopefully also help new customers discover us, as well as the many other independent businesses whose products that we stock."
A new programme to attract shoppers back to the High Street by harnessing digital technology has been launched across Warwickshire.
The initiative, Local Rewards, a collaboration between Warwickshire County Council and social media specialists, Maybe* Tech - aims to help businesses across Warwickshire recover from the impact of COVID-19 by giving them the support they need to reach more customers and make more sales.
Local Rewards allows businesses to communicate with, and reward shoppers when they hit the High Streets and has been created with the intention of ‘levelling the playing field’ between local retailers and giants like Amazon. Businesses can also cross-promote and support their High Street neighbours to create an online network of connected traders.
The technology enables shoppers to see businesses near them, view and engage with their social media content and shop with them via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
In addition, for every pound a shopper spends “in store” with a participating business they earn a point which can be used to claim rewards offered by local businesses across the county.
The Local Rewards programme already features over 7,050 businesses from across the county. Data within the technology shows that across Warwickshire, only around 25% of High Street businesses use social media.
Of those retailers on social media around 27% are active, posting most days. Research conducted by Maybe* Tech suggests around 66% of consumers spend three hours per day using social media.
Lara Smith, the founder of Smithery, a shop on Warwick’s Smith Street that stocks handpicked and handmade items produced by small businesses from across the region, has signed up for the scheme. She explains:
“We are very excited to get involved in the new Warwickshire Local Rewards programme. It will help us connect with current customers and hopefully also help new customers discover us, as well as the many other independent businesses whose products that we stock.
“Warwickshire’s independent retail scene is thriving despite the challenges we have all faced across the last 18 months, but we still need local consumers and visitors to support our local businesses. There is an incredible amount of variety available on our high streets, it’s constantly changing and evolving, and each day brings something new.”
Cllr Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Economy and Place, said: “We saw real business success stories through the pandemic lockdown. These successes have been attributed to the increase in digital skills and innovation from Warwickshire businesses. In this climate of uncertainty, it’s wonderful to see small retailers and High Street businesses embracing social media, changing the way they interact with customers and gaining new customers as they do so.
“Giving businesses access to further digital monitoring tools as we emerge from the pandemic, on top of the continuing digital skills training will enable businesses to provide safe, interesting, social and unique experiences for locals and visitors.
“It’s vital that our businesses embrace the possibilities that digital marketing offers to reach new markets and respond to consumers’ changing habits.
“We are delighted to support with this. I would urge retailers to sign up to the Local Rewards Programme to help improve their resilience, as well as their town and trading environment.”
Every business that signs up to manage their listing on the Local Rewards High Street Guide will also have access to an extensive range of social media tools and training provided by Maybe* Tech.
High Street businesses and shoppers can access the Local Rewards programme online at https://www.localrewards.chat/ and can sign up to reap the benefits via Messenger or WhatsApp.
Employers urged to remain vigilant on roadmap out of lockdown
"Please continue with your existing COVID-Secure measures to continue to protect your workforce"
Employers in Warwickshire have been urged to remain vigilant and observe all the required protocols after the UK took Step 4 on the roadmap out of lockdown.
Following Step 4, on July 19th, the government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, so employers have been able to reopen workplaces and welcome back employees.
It is a hugely welcome development for the country, but one which must be taken with care and diligence, public health officials have urged.
New guidance includes an obligation on employers to carry out a risk assessment which includes measures to address the risk of COVID-19. All businesses are also encouraged to keep measures in place such as; social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, provision of hand sanitisers, maximising ventilation and enhanced cleaning, to limit the spread of COVID for as long as is practical.
Promoting vaccine uptake in your workforce and continuing to encourage twice weekly rapid (lateral flow) tests will also help reduce the risk for those coming into work, and improve the resilience of your business.
Warwickshire County Council Director of Public Health, Shade Agboola said: “As the country opens up many people will be relieved to be able to get back to the activities they enjoy, however many will be feeling anxious, particularly about returning to work if they have been working from home for some time.
“We urge business to move slowly and cautiously whilst local COVID-19 infection rates are high, and of course to encourage your workforce to get vaccinated. Please continue with your existing COVID-Secure measures to continue to protect your workforce; measures to improve hygiene and ventilation will help to reduce sickness absence in the longer term from other illnesses such as the flu.
“Please also be mindful of the wellbeing of your workforce, looking for signs of those who may be struggling and signposting to support, either in-house or from services provided across Warwickshire. Our Wellbeing for Life website provides information on how to support positive wellbeing and links to information on local services and national campaigns; www.wellbeing4life.co.uk”
For full guidance, please visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19/offices-factories-and-labs
For dates and locations of drop-in vaccination clinics please visit www.happyhealthylives.uk/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccination/vaccination-drop-in-clinics (the page will be updated regularly as new drop-ins are arranged)
Locations of static vaccination sites are available here: www.happyhealthylives.uk/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccination/vaccination-sites
Information on testing for COVID-19 in Warwickshire can be found at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/covidtesting
Access the latest picture on local infection rates and communication resources here: https://staysafecsw.info
If you have COVID-19 related queries, or to report an outbreak (2 or more cases in the workplace during a 14day period) please continue to report to the Warwickshire Public Health team for support dphadmin@warwickshire.gov.uk
Fire & Rescue recruitment campaign boosted by 'fantastic' Skills Hub project
"Their skills, passion and drive was second to none and we quickly asked if they could make some further films for us..."
A recruitment campaign for Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service has reached its target audience with extra polish thanks to support from Warwickshire Skills Hub that was "second to none."
The Fire & Rescue Service contacted the Skills Hub as they were launching a new campaign for firefighters and had heard about the highly successful Future Careers filming project.
Under the project, which is free, businesses have two videos made to showcase their current and future employment and career pathways. In the case of WFRS, the Skills Hub team leapt into action to meet a very short deadline.
Niki Takhar, Employability & Skills Project Officer at the Skills Hub, explains:
"The Fire & Rescue Service were working on a tight schedule so we spoke on the Friday and filmed on the Wednesday!
"We produced two films which they are using as part of their campaign. One is aimed at schools for young people to consider the service and the opportunities they have to offer, and the other is specifically for general recruitment.
"The films were turned around in a week and a half from our first conversation, so that they could make use of it very quickly and in the first weekend we launched it we had over 500 views.
"It is always brilliant to see how much value businesses get from our Future Skills filming, but more than ever with the Fire & Rescue Service because we all know what amazing work they do to keep us all safe."
Rob Hartrick, station manager for WFRS, said: "Warwickshire Skills Hub did a fantastic job in getting our recruitment messages out into our communities. Recruitment is so important to us and we really need to get our messages out to as many young people as possible. The Skills Hub helped us to do this in a really accomplished way.
"Their skills, passion and drive was second to none and we quickly asked if they could make some further films for us to showcase the exercises that potential recruits undertake as part of the recruitment process and training. We look forward to working with them again in the future."
The schools film has been shared with secondary schools to use as part of their careers activities and the recruitment film has been shared on the county council's social media and via the Fire & Rescue Service's recruitment platforms.
The links can be viewed here:
Schools film – https://youtu.be/5lDC-iLDPjI
Recruitment film – https://youtu.be/EscSVbcIqaA
* The Warwickshire Skills team are still on the lookout for more businesses, especially in the retail, IT and finance sectors, to get involved. If you are interested or would like to find out more, please contact nikitatakhar@warwickshire.gov.uk
Foreign direct investment in Coventry & Warwickshire points to strong post pandemic recovery
"It’s extremely positive that Coventry and Warwickshire continues to perform well in attracting inward investment."
Nearly 2,000 new jobs have been created thanks to investment from foreign companies in the last year, newly published data has revealed.
The figures show that despite a difficult 18 months for many parts of the local and national economy, Coventry and Warwickshire continues to be a leading location for foreign investment.
According to figures from the Department of International Trade (DIT), 1,909 new jobs have been created and 42 jobs safeguarded, with 45 successful foreign direct investments in the area, and a further five shared across multiple areas/
This 10% jump in projects compares well when set against the overall UK figures, which saw a decline of 12% in UK projects over the same period2. Local key sectors were strongly represented, with 8 projects from software/ games development and 11 from automotive and advanced engineering.
This year investors have included Hello Fresh, which has created a new e-commerce fulfilment centre in Nuneaton, Lotus Engineering which has expanded their local presence with a new base at Wellesbourne Innovation Campus, BSA/ Classic Legends which has established a design and development centre in Coventry, and games developer Electric Square which has set up a studio in Leamington Spa.
The Coventry and Warwickshire area has seen 17,985 jobs created from 302 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects over the last seven years.
Sarah Windrum, Chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “It’s extremely positive that Coventry and Warwickshire continues to perform well in attracting inward investment.
“Given the difficulties and uncertainty presented by the pandemic, our region has continued to perform strongly and attract major international investment, creating and safeguarding nearly 2,000 jobs.
“We’re pleased that with the combined efforts of CWLEP, Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and the CWLEP Growth Hub along with the Department for International Trade (DIT) and its partners, this area is continuing to reap strong results and strengthen Coventry and Warwickshire’s standing as a great place to live and to do business.”
Cllr Kam Kaur, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for Economy and Place, said: “There has been a concerted effort from all parties to make sure that we maximise our potential and to ensure that we are selling the undoubted attributes of the area. Attracting new investment and supporting existing businesses is more important than ever as we move out of the pandemic and back to recovery.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, portfolio holder Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council and CWLEP board director, said: “We continue to be a very attractive proposition for inward investors because of our location, skilled workforce and other attributes including our two leading universities. We’re also ensuring we’re well set to attract further investment – which is why we are working hard to establish a Gigafactory at Coventry Airport.
“Getting a job changes lives – that’s why we work so hard with our partners to land these projects and it’s why we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that Coventry and Warwickshire is at the forefront of investors’ minds."
Coleshill company at heart of 2022 Commonwealth Games
“One of our ambitions for Birmingham 2022 is to leave a positive legacy in the region by providing opportunities and benefits to local businesses."
Next year's historic Commonwealth Games is already starting to stimulate the Warwickshire economy with a Coleshill-based company appointed by Birmingham 2022 as Official Workforce Uniform Provider.
Incorporatewear Ltd will design, produce and supply the uniform to the entire Games workforce, following a competitive tender process.
The company is also responsible for delivering the uniform for technical officials, Batonbearers during the Queen’s Baton Relay as it travels through the UK, and the Commonwealth Collective; the 13,000 volunteers that will come together to help deliver the biggest sporting and cultural event ever seen in the West Midlands.
The official uniform design will visually unite the Birmingham 2022 workforce so they are easily identifiable to athletes, spectators, Games family members, media, broadcasters and sponsors. The uniform will also incorporate the look and vision of the Games brand, whilst reflecting the history, heritage and diversity of Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Aligning with Birmingham 2022’s sustainability commitments, Incorporatewear will strive to achieve ‘zero waste to landfill’ for all Games products. This will see environmental considerations be applied throughout the design and manufacturing process, and minimise or avoid packaging where possible.
With Birmingham 2022 being the first Commonwealth Games to embed Social Value in every contract opportunity, Incorporatewear has also committed to support and create opportunities for local people and businesses. This includes working with a West Midlands-based tree-planting charity, offering work placements for local fashion students, providing sport bibs to local schools, and getting involved in fundraising events to support local charities including the ethical disposal of unused and unworn uniform.
Managing Director of Incorporatewear, Ed Grigg: “We are extremely proud to have been awarded this contract. As a local company, it is a fantastic boost for us and we’re delighted that our workforce will have the chance to supply and be associated with such a prestigious event that will be right on our doorstep next summer.”
Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022, said: “One of our ambitions for Birmingham 2022 is to leave a positive legacy in the region by providing opportunities and benefits to local businesses. After demonstrating expertise in design, manufacturing and logistics, I’m delighted that local company Incorporatewear Ltd has been appointed as our Official Uniform Workforce Provider.”
Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin said: “I am delighted to welcome Incorporatewear Ltd to the Commonwealth Games family. The appointment of our new Official Uniform Workforce Provider represents a huge boost for Birmingham and the West Midlands. Having yet another local company involved with Birmingham 2022 further demonstrates the ability of the Commonwealth Games to provide huge benefits for businesses across the region at a time when it is needed most.”
WCC wellbeing support available to all businesses
At this most challenging of times, the provision of wellbeing support for employers and employees alike has never been more important or more needed.
To help support businesses across the county, the Warwickshire Skills Hub, part of Warwickshire County Council’s Economy and Skills team, has launched a new section of their website - ‘Warwickshire Wellbeing’. WCC Employment & Skills Project Officer Niki Takhar explains...
As a council, Warwickshire County Council is keen to ensure that all of our staff are always supported, but particularly during this challenging time.
The wellbeing of our employees is a very high priority for us but we also want to share some of the wellbeing support we have at the Warwickshire Skills Hub, as well as across the council, to help you as an individual or as a business to support your employees.
'Warwickshire Wellbeing' covers the Thrive at Work programme, top tips for wellbeing, supporting your employees, events and webinars, where to get support and our ‘Story of the Week.’
The Thrive at Work programme is focused on wellbeing in the workplace and offers businesses around Warwickshire the opportunity to work with a dedicated team on improving and assessing their wellbeing provisions. Our top tips for wellbeing covers tips for working from home to everyday life, and supporting your employees covers how businesses can look after their employees – including access to the Employee Assistance Programme. We post events and webinars and also signpost to where individuals can access support.
Our Story of the Week covers a wide range of short articles from individuals and businesses describing how they look after themselves and their employees. We have included articles covering an individual’s perspective on the difficulties of working from home and juggling childcare to pieces sharing how staff are given a voluntary day to contribute to local charities and projects.
It is a great area in which to share ideas of best practice but also to share thoughts and ways of coping, particularly through the challenges the pandemic has brought to us.
“In January 2021, the MTC HR Team launched ‘Wellness Wednesday – Mind, Body & Soul’, an initiative over three months with a weekly newsletter sharing articles and features supporting a holistic approach to colleague Wellbeing” - Manufacturing Technology Centre
“Things that I’ve changed for the better are: taking actual time to eat lunch instead of eating snacks at my desk and doing more walking with friends and their dogs to appreciate the fresh air” - Heather Docksey, Business Skills Support Officer
If you are an individual or a businesses who would like to share how you look after your wellbeing or your staff wellbeing please get in touch with us to feature on Warwickshire Wellbeing. You can get in touch at skillshub@warwickshire.gov.uk or via Warwickshire Wellbeing LinkedIn or Twitter
Newly-opened Megalab will bring 1,000 jobs to Warwickshire
“The facility is named after the brilliant chemist Rosalind Franklin, whose work included significant contributions to the understanding of DNA and viruses. So, I hope her story will be an inspiration for a new generation of scientists and engineers recruited locally via apprenticeships and other routes into employment.”
Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council have warmly welcomed the opening of the largest diagnostic testing laboratory in the UK in Royal Leamington Spa by the Department of Health and Social Care.
The new Rosalind Franklin laboratory, on Harrison Drive, South Leamington, opened on July 13th and will play a key role in the fight against Covid-19 as part of the NHS Test and Trace programme. The facility has already created new jobs for 300 local people with an additional 700 offers pending, from highly skilled scientific roles to entry level positions for school leavers and graduates.
With links already forged with the University of Warwick and Coventry University, the new laboratory is expected to become a key centre for training and placements, as well as medical research. Once fully operational there will also be the opportunity to stimulate further local employment opportunities in the manufacturing and supply chain.
Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Councillor Izzi Seccombe said: “This great new national facility in Warwickshire is vital for the work of the NHS and their work around test and trace to keep us all safe. It also presents an excellent opportunity for the county and the West Midlands to grow the med-tech supply chain in the region, and the high-quality jobs and investment it brings to Warwickshire.
“The facility is named after the brilliant chemist Rosalind Franklin, whose work included significant contributions to the understanding of DNA and viruses. So, I hope her story will be an inspiration for a new generation of scientists and engineers recruited locally via apprenticeships and other routes into employment.”
Leader of Warwick District Council, Councillor Andrew Day commented: “This much anticipated opening of the Rosalind Franklin laboratory is a massive boost for our district, bringing up to 1,500 new jobs demanding a broad range of skill sets and opportunities for training and development for our young people.
“The location of the laboratory was of great importance to the government and we are proud that we were able to assist in making sure that our town met the rigorous selection criteria. The Council will continue to give this important new national facility its full support and we are confident that the benefits will be felt locally for many years to come."
Awards event celebrates the region's succulent food offer
"Your businesses are integral to the health of our local economy and communities and I’m delighted to see so many of you get involved in these awards."
The inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Foodie Awards Event, held recently, was a celebration of the great and good from the local food scene.
The evening was held at ‘The Box’ in Fargo Village, Coventry where a wonderful selection of street food outlets kept the crowds fully fuelled throughout the evening with five courses of award-winning food.
Starting with BiB Noodles, diners moved on to Panner Wrap, followed by a vegan brisket from Dirty Kitch and a set of sliders from Stripclub Streetfood. Dessert was a tasting menu from Swirls Gelato (a favourite being the Salted Caramel) washed down with a complimentary taste of Ghost Lager from the ‘Foodie Awards’ ‘Hat Trick’ winning Dhillons Brewery.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council attended the awards and had the honour of presenting the Independent Food/ Drink Retailer Award to Proof Bakery who are based in Coventry.
She told the audience: “Your businesses are integral to the health of our local economy and communities and I’m delighted to see so many of you get involved in these awards. Not only with the aim of celebrating, but also to help shine a spotlight on the amazing range and quality of the local foodie offer we have here – which is particularly important when the eyes of the world are on us with the City of Culture and Commonwealth Games.
“I want to say how much I admire the creativity, tenacity and drive from each and every one of you as you keep finding new ways to grow and flourish. Whilst the future may still bring uncertainty, I’m equally certain that our independent businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire will continue to rise to the challenge in every way possible and I look forward to see many of you back at the awards next year!”
There were 15 award categories with winners from across the region with a big shout out from Warwickshire County Council to all the winners - we are especially proud of our businesses from Warwickshire. A very deserving Prices Spices from Snitterfield took home two awards on the evening - the Warwickshire winners were:.
Hill Top Farm shop: Farm shop of the year,
Prices spices: Artisan Food Producer
Pasta Brothers: Newcomer
Bread for Life: Best Food and Drink Experience
Warwick Street Kitchen: Café/ Coffee Shop of the Year
Hooray Gelato: Covid-19 Resilience Award
Prices Spices and Swirls Gelato: Express to Success Award
A full list of the winners and finalists from across Coventry and Warwickshire can be found on the Foodie Awards Website.
The awards also promoted and support the work of the Trussel Trust who provide food bank support across Coventry and Warwickshire. Through a raffle and fun game of Heads and Tails the evening raised just over £1,000 for the charity.
Bright Vision embraces SSG support to adapt to the future...
As they pivoted to combat the potentially devastating effects of the pandemic, Bright Vision Events, based in Fenny Compton, received vital business support and funding from Warwickshire County Council's Sustain, Survive and Grow programme.
SSG consultants identified the challenges the business faced due to COVID and the need for them to adapt to deliver more and better virtual events. This guidance was accompanied by an SSG grant which helped the company to purchase the required technology. Bright Vision Events managing director Ben Hull explains...
Bright Vision Events has been streaming conferences live for some time but demand has now rocketed. So, what changed?
We've been streaming live conferences for several years and always had a virtual option available for clients. Uptake was steady as businesses slowly adapted to the platform, but the first lockdown from March 2020 was a game changer. We now deliver far more virtual conferences than traditional ones...which means we have had to adapt to that demand.
Live streaming is now the new normal for us. This is the world we are operating in...a world where digital capabilities allow us to have everything we need instantly and where virtual conference providers must combine meeting clients’ needs for instant answers with an understanding that planning is crucial to the success of any online event.
Since the first lockdown in March 2020 what changes have you noticed in terms of client expectations?
Back in March, clients were scrambling around looking for any solution to allow their event to continue. Almost overnight, conference streaming, which had been relatively niche, suddenly had a demand for which the market wasn’t prepared. For example, the volume of our events that had a virtual element rose from under 10% to 100% of our events in a matter of weeks.
We were lucky, we already had experience in the field, but it was still a huge period of adaptation for us. The word ‘pivot’ has been over-used recently, but it really does explain what we, and so many other production companies, went through. We did pivot from traditional to virtual almost instantly, and the range of options/solutions now available to clients is staggering.
Bright Vision Events had to adapt to the new challenges. And the business support from the county council was invaluable...
We have been very fortunate in receiving backing from Warwickshire County Council as part of their Survive, Sustain and Grow Programme. As I mentioned, we have always offered live streaming as an option for our conferences, but the streaming was hosted on external platforms. In March 2020 we took the decision to launch our own in-house streaming platform, a dedicated platform for hosting our clients’ events in a secure and bespoke way.
The SSG programme enabled us to fund new technical equipment to expand our technical studio capacity. This has been vital to support the growth of our virtual event capacity. To date we have delivered over 100 live shows on the platform, and it has been fantastic to see the variety and calibre of events delivered to date.
We are extremely pleased with how professional it looks and how well it has been received by our clients and are so grateful to the county council for their guidance and support.
Exciting public art project will entice shoppers
“We are delighted so many local artists have responded to the opportunity to take part in this exciting project which will transform public spaces across Warwickshire and help to create vibrant and attractive places for people to visit."
Artists and makers from across Warwickshire have responded to the call to take part in an innovative public art project led by Creative Giants, in collaboration with Warwickshire County Council and the region’s five district and borough councils.
Sixty-four artists have submitted expressions of interest to the Warwickshire ‘Our Spaces’ project which will see eight public spaces across the county reinvigorated with unique pieces of public art.
The initiative is designed to help create a sense of place, and encourage shoppers and visitors to the county’s high streets and town centre spaces. It’s part of the County Council’s multi-pronged strategy to support economic recovery.
The locations for the art installations are: Polesworth, Atherstone, Coleshill, Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby, Leamington, and Stratford.
A selection process is now underway which will choose a shortlist of 16 artists to go forward to the next stage of the process.
Leading the selection panel is Creative Giants - a specialist art-led project management team and studio which has worked with artists to create installations for Glastonbury Festival and Coventry City of Culture. Joining Creative Giants on the panel is a guest curator from the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as representatives from Warwickshire County Council, and the district and borough councils.
The project is funded with £150,000 from the County Council’s Place Shaping Fund, and £194,000 from the Government’s Getting Building Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP).
The next phase of the process will see the shortlisted artists go through a series of interviews and workshops to test and develop their ideas, which will result in the final choice of eight artists.
The eight successful artists will be carefully matched to one of the sites - each with its own unique brief created by Creative Giants and informed by the opinions and stories about the towns, provided by local people who took part in a recent survey.
The artists will be mentored by Creative Giants to work with a specialist delivery contractor who will design, build and install the installations in each of the towns.
The installations will be temporary and are expected to be in place for up four years.
Cllr Kam Kaur, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy and Place said: “We are delighted so many local artists have responded to the opportunity to take part in this exciting project which will transform public spaces across Warwickshire and help to create vibrant and attractive places for people to visit. Businesses and communities are working incredibly hard to adapt to the impact of covid and this project is one of many initiatives to help support their efforts.”
Simon Vaughan, Managing Director of Creative Giants, said: “The response from local artists has been fantastic. It's really exciting to have such a strong response from a great range of artists, architects and designers. The selection process is going to be really enjoyable but definitely difficult to pick just 16 for the shortlist - there are so many interesting and talented people who responded that we would love to work with in the future, and we can't wait to see the final 8 unleash their creative vision across the county!”
Helen Peters, chair of the CWLEP’s Culture and Tourism Business Group and CWLEP board director, said: “This is a fantastic initiative to help transform towns across Warwickshire which, in turn, will help to boost our economic recovery from the pandemic.
“Innovation is one of the key themes running throughout the CWLEP’s Strategic Reset Framework and these artists are undoubtedly showing plenty of that through this project which has certainly caught the imagination of the creative sector.”
Pug Pubs expand into Shipston with Duplex Fund support
Pugs Pubs was launched by Matt Crowther in 2012 when the Fat Pug was set-up in Leamington. That was followed two years later by the Royal Pug in Leamington and the Procaffeinate coffee shop in the town in 2016. In 2019, the Black Pug was established in Warwick as the Beer and Coffee Company continued to grow in Warwickshire, employing a total of 108 members of staff.
The Challenge
A pub, B&B, restaurant and coffee house, in need of investment, became available in Church Street in Shipston-on-Stour. It was different to others in the group as there were five ensuite bedrooms with a bar and restaurant, but it needed a total refurbishment.
The Solution
Matt sourced the finance through Martin Nwangwa, account manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub. Martin recommended the Duplex Investment Fund, a combined grant and loan initiative between the CWLEP, Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust to help with support such as buying machinery and vehicles, carrying out refurbishments or purchasing premises. The project is funded by £3.9 million of grants from the Government’s Local Growth Fund and the CWLEP. Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council are each investing a further £2 million in the scheme which is managed by CWRT.
The Result
The newly-named Lazy Pug opened in June, 2021, with a completely new look both inside and outside following a £160,000 investment which included £75,000 from the Duplex Investment Fund and has created 18 jobs. New furniture, lighting and decorations were added throughout the public areas and five boutique bedrooms added following a complete refurbishment.
Matt said: “We have refurbished the Lazy Pug to a standard that matches our existing three pubs and are really pleased with the work. Little investment had been made in the building over the last few years but we believe we have restored it so that it fits in with this beautiful town.
“I contacted Martin from the Growth Hub because I applied for a grant but he advised me that it wasn’t suitable for our needs, so he suggested the Duplex Investment Fund and introduced me to Andrew at CWRT. Andrew provided guidance on the way the scheme works as well as help with completing the forms and I really appreciated his guidance and help. Working with CWRT made the whole process really smooth.
“Martin has also been really helpful and we have built a business relationship since he keeps me up-to-date with everything that is going on that we need to know about to keep growing our businesses.”
Andrew Scarborough, head of lending at CWRT, said: “It is great to help a local business to grow like this, particularly at this stage of the pandemic. Duplex is a good solution for businesses needing low-cost finance for capital investment. The combination of loan and grant is ideal for this type of refurbishment and for those businesses who lack the spare cash to invest and grow.”
Martin Nwangwa, account manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, added: “It has been a pleasure to work with Matt throughout this project and we are here to provide businesses however small or large with impartial funding advice. Sometimes businesses are not sure where to go for information but at the Growth Hub, our experienced team is here to help on a wide range of subjects to help grow businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Warwickshire County Council leader Cllr Izzi Seccombe said: “With an increasing number of people looking to take breaks and holidays within the UK in the near future, I'm pleased to see Warwickshire's hospitality & tourist venues increasing and improving their offer. The benefits to the local economy will not only be felt through the increased visitors that this will bring to the area but also through the jobs created at the larger venues, reinvigorating employment possibilities in a sector that has been hard hit by the pandemic.”
For further information or to apply for the Duplex Investment Fund, call Andrew Scarborough or Leah Blocksidge on 02476 551 777 or email andrew.scarborough@cwrt.uk.com or leah.blocksidge@cwrt.uk.com
Daouda finds direction thanks to Accelerate support
"I feel more confident about finding a job thanks to the advice, support and training I was able to access through Accelerate into work.
Daouda King, an African American man aged 49, married with no dependents, moved from the USA to the Coventry and Warwickshire region in 2018 to be his wife.
Daouda was a teacher in the USA but in England could only find temporary job roles through agencies. He struggled to find a job in his field due to his qualifications not being valid in the UK and was also struggling to integrate within the community since his arrival in England.
He had been unemployed for 12 months when he joined Accelerate whom he heard about through a local radio station. He decided to get involved and immediately found engagement and the registration process to the project straightforward and relaxed.
As an Accelerate participant, Daouda was enrolled upon a radio training course with HillzFM, the station on which he first heard about Accelerate. After completing the course, he went on to become a radio presenter, hosting his own weekly radio show. Daouda has become a volunteer member of the station's steering group and was recently appointed as vice chair of the group.
Through the radio training, Daouda expanded his knowledge of all aspects of community radio and media including show content, interview skills and an understanding of requirements and guidance from Ofcom about the radio industry. As a result of his involvement in community radio, he has developed a professional network of contacts and access to further training opportunities.
If Daouda is able to continue each stage of the VRU Champion Volunteer training programme he will achieve IAG L3 (Information, Advice and Guidance) qualification which will excel his opportunities to secure sustainable employment.
"The mentoring and barrier breaking support received from my Journey Guide and the Accelerate project was very helpful to me." he said. "It especially helped me transition and meet new people after moving from the USA.
"I feel more confident about finding a job thanks to the advice, support and training I was able to access through Accelerate into work. I have gained more confidence and increased communication skills to continue to develop contacts and this whole experience has enabled me to develop a number of beautiful friendships and gain a deeper understanding of the British culture."
From the springboard of the Accelerate programme, Daouda will now continue in his volunteering roles and is looking forward to learning more and developing more new skills and support others in his community. He aims to complete all levels of the Community Champion Award by December 2021.
* The Accelerate project, funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund, supported by Warwickshire County Council, is a partnership of local organisations run by Coventry and Warwickshire CDA who are a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of enterprise, employability and financial inclusion services. For more information, please visit www.accelerate.org.uk/
Made Smarter programme will boost SMEs' productivity
Made Smarter has launched a £1.9 million digital adoption push to drive growth in West Midlands manufacturing and engineering SMEs and help them boost productivity.
Digital experts will provide advice to businesses on how to switch to advanced and automated technologies as well as working to improve employees’ overall digital skills.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub is leading the one-year Made Smarter scheme with its fellow Growth Hubs in the region on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Growth Hubs are working closely with the Combined Authority and their strategic partners WMG, at the University of Warwick, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry to tap into the expertise of their digital manufacturing specialists.
Craig Humphrey, managing director of the CWLEP Growth Hub, said potentially 14,500 SME manufacturers in the region could benefit from the Made Smarter movement.
He said: “All the Growth Hubs in the West Midlands are working together to contact SMEs in our areas who will benefit from this practical help. Digital technology can appear daunting and with the day-to-day efforts of owners and senior management teams to keep their businesses going during the pandemic, this kind of activity needs to be pushed to the upper end of their priorities.
“But we believe it is key to help SMEs in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector to run more efficiently for their long-term future success.
“The Growth Hubs will be assessing each business that applies to make sure we provide them with the kind of specialist support they need, which in Coventry and Warwickshire could be in the fields of robotics and automation, and artificial intelligence since we are working with WMG and the MTC.
“We will then help SMEs to develop an action plan for adopting digital technology in their own detailed roadmap, which could involve participating in a leadership training programme, being offered a student placement, or receiving a match funded grant.
“The National Made Smarter Movement aims to entice SMEs that are not often reached through the usual business programmes and services, by transforming the digital tools within their companies, which in addition to upskilling their staff and creating jobs, will benefit the regional economy.”
Charlotte Horobin, Make UK Region Director – Midlands & East of England, said: “The roll out of the Made Smarter Adoption programme across the West Midlands is great news for manufacturers, which we and our members welcome.
“Our 2020 Innovation Monitor highlighted that 18% of manufacturers in the West Midlands were not adopting industrial digital technologies, which we hope the programme will help address. Digital take-up will be key to boosting productivity as we come out of the current COVID crisis, creating more highly paid jobs and underpinning the region’s competitiveness.”
Neill Smith, Head of Manufacturing Support Services at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, said that the Made Smarter scheme perfectly complements its ongoing work to support manufacturing SMEs increase productivity, develop resilience, increase competitiveness and, ultimately, grow their business.
He said: “We help introduce digital systems to SMEs, that capture the right information at the right time, to enable them to make the right decisions and manage their companies more efficiently.
“From supporting the adoption of process control automation, robotics, and digitalisation tools, to helping SMEs with data or system integration and the adoption of augmented and virtual reality tools, we’re supporting companies to use digital data to drive digitally controlled equipment in the latest methods of manufacture.”
To register and find out more information, please visit http://bit.ly/MadeSmarterWestMidlands