Welcome from Mark Ryder

Hello and welcome to the May edition of Warwickshire Means Business.

In this edition we feature two recently-launched initiatives which we believe will benefit businesses and young people seeking to start and build their careers for many  years to come.

It was great to see so many businesses represented at the recent event to officially launch the Supportive Employers Forum. There was a real commitment in the room to providing more supported internships for people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and it is great news that these skills are to be more fully exploited and given the opportunity to grow.

Also recently up and running is our Apprentice Levy Share Programme. This new scheme will hold a fund of £300,000 this year to help businesses cover the full training costs associated with apprenticeships. It has been created principally to offer apprenticeship support but will also connect businesses to the numerous other ways in which the council and its partners offer support.

A scheme which has been up and running very successfully for some time is Liftshare and it is fantastic news that three local business alone have saved more than a million pounds by participating in the scheme. The benefits of Liftshare, in terms of both the environment and cost, are colossal and I would urge all businesses to sign up.

Also in this edition of Warwickshire Means Business we turn the spotlight on Mark Habberley, whose late-night brainwave while walking his dog in a dark Warwickshire lane has been turned into a budding start up by the right business support.

This month we welcomed new senior economist Sunny Parekh to our Economy & Skills team and this edition's guest columnist is Warwickshire County Council's Chief Executive Monica Fogarty who reflects that we have so much to be proud of within Coventry & Warwickshire's "absolute diamond of an economy."

I hope you enjoy this edition of WMB. If you have a story, would like to contribute a guest column, or think there is an issue that we should cover in a future edition, please email brianhalford@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Warwickshire announced as new Careers Hub

"This new funding which will build on and expand the work that we have been doing with our schools and colleges for a number of years through our Skills for Employment Programme."

Warwickshire County Council's longstanding commitment to providing young people with maximum career pathways has received a boost after the county was included in a new wave of Careers Hubs across the country.

Warwickshire and Coventry are to become two of 18 new Careers Hubs, the first in the area, following an announcement this week by the Secretary of State.

Warwickshire Careers Hub will be integrated with Warwickshire County Council's existing Skills for Employment Programme. It will add a new dimension to the ongoing work that the county council has been doing to establish bridges between education-providers and employers  for a number of years.

The first 20 Careers Hubs were launched by the Careers & Enterprise Company across England last September. Schools and colleges in that first wave are already outperforming the national average across all aspects of careers education.

This week's announcement is for a second wave of  Careers Hubs, backed by a further £2.5m investment. Just over 1,300 secondary schools and colleges (around a quarter of those in England) will now benefit from being part of a Careers Hub.

Each Hub brings together a group of up to 40 schools and colleges give every school and college in the area the opportunity to work together with universities, training providers, employers and career professionals.

Monica Fogarty, Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Warwickshire County Council welcomes this new funding which will build on and expand the work that we have been doing with our schools and colleges for a number of years through our Skills for Employment Programme.

“We know that effective careers and employability advice and support are critical components of a successful labour market, while also providing clear social benefits, increasing the likelihood of successful employment outcomes and lifetime earnings.

“Ensuring that all our young people develop strong employability skills, and are provided with effective and appropriate careers advice and support, is a key priority for the County Council.”

Schools and colleges in the hub will have access to further support and funding, including an expert ‘Hub Lead’ to help coordinate activity and build networks, a central fund to support employer engagement activities and training for a ‘Careers Leader’ in each school and college.

Employers are vital to the Hub model's success and more than 100 ‘Cornerstone Employers’ across the country have committed to driving and championing all-important connections to the world of work. Cornerstone Employers work with a specific Hub and underwrite careers provision in these areas. 

Marion Plant, Board Director of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate and build upon the careers education already taking place in schools and colleges in the area.

“Every school and college in Coventry and Warwickshire will have access to this additional support to enhance careers provision to ensure young people have the opportunities they need in the future.

“Improving the skills of young people will provide employers will the expertise they need and develop the next generation of talent which will also boost the local economy.”

Claudia Harris, CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Careers education is improving across the country. The accelerated progress we’re seeing in the first wave of Careers Hubs shows that this model is working and delivering for young people.

“We are delighted that the Government’s investment is supporting us to roll out this model to a quarter of schools and colleges in the country, helping more young people get the vital support and opportunities they need.”

The business that began with a brainwave in a dark lane late at night

"The project stalled, but then one day my wife Caroline said to me, 'come on, you'd better do something about it or one day you'll see it on Dragons' Den and somebody else will cash in.'"

An inventor who had a bright idea late one night in a dark Warwickshire lane has turned his brainwave into a business.

Mark Habberley was walking his dog near his home in Kineton when his phone rang. The process of answering it while holding a torch and keeping the dog-lead in handproved most troublesome - and made him think "there must be a better way." Mark did not want to wear a head-torch as they are uncomfortable.

He duly came up with a better way and it is now a blossoming small business - Twistii - after Mark's expertise and persistence was helped to become a start-up by business support from Warwickshire County Council.

Twistii, a torch worn on the wrist which allows both hands to be kept free, is now in the market place and receiving excellent feedback. It recently featured, and won, an episode of BBC TV's The Customer Is Always Right on which it received the seal of approval from the public judges on the programme.

It is now available to the wider public via the website: twistii.com, but it's path into production from the moment of conception that night in the wood was far from straightforward.

"When I had the idea in 2011, I strongly felt that it was a good idea," said Mark, whose business is based at Churchlands Business Park in Harbury, "but bringing it together as a product turned out to be very difficult.

"Working with my co-founder Darrell Butler, we got the first product together and then developed other prototypes, but finding a manufacturing was a problem. It was too small for UK manufacturers to consider.

"The project stalled, but then one day my wife Caroline said to me, 'come on, you'd better do something about it or one day you'll see it on Dragons' Den and somebody else will cash in.'

"That sparked it off again and the project really turned the corner when I approached Warwickshire County Council for help. Their business support team has been the catalyst for getting Twistii manufactured and then to market."

The council's Economy & Skills team helped Mark and Darrell obtain a Proof of Concept grant from Coventry University Enterprises and further funding from the Coventry & Warwickshire Innovation Programme towards the costs of soft-tooling and electronics.

"The grants were a huge help but we also received a lot of great advice from the council's business support advisor Jagdish Soor on how to market and package the product," said Mark.

"We know the product and felt sure that we had a great idea but just needed that extra business advice on how to make the most of its potential. That's exactly what we received from the council team."

The episode of The Customer is Always Right featuring Twistii (Episode 12) will be available on BBC Iplayer until June 5th.

• The Access to Finance advice for Twistii was delivered as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support
  Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council

Warwickshire Innovation Centre celebrates 20 years as a home of pioneering technology

An award-winning centre has now been a pioneer in the world of business, design and technology for more than two decades.

The Warwick Innovation Centre first opened its doors in 1997 and has since helped to nurture cutting-edge businesses who are at the forefront of their industry.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of phase two of the site, which is a partnership between the University of Warwick Science Park (UWSP) and Warwickshire County Council - and the organisations that it supports continue to break new ground.

One of the most recent success stories from the centre is the groundbreaking 3D Technologies, which has developed a new type of motion-based measuring technology, enabling people to measure in completely new ways.

The company’s first product, Moasure ONE, is a handheld device which accurately measures volume, area, circumference, height, angle, level and more. Earlier this year it headed out to the CES exhibition in Las Vegas where it went head to head with 1,200 other start-up technology businesses from across the globe and was named the Hottest Start-Up by a panel of judges at the event.

The company, which started out in the Science Park’s Ignite incubator, has been supported in a range of ways by the University of Warwick Science Park over the past four-and-a-half years. It is now listed by Forbes as one of the 22 Technology Start-ups to Watch in 2019.

Alan Rock, the CEO and founder of 3D Technologies, said: “The Science Park has been a big support in terms of the flexibility of the office space they offer and, when potential clients or investors visit, this location provides the right impression.

“As well as that, we have received investment into the business through the Science Park’s Minerva angel investment programme and, through Business Ready, we were helped to successfully apply for an InnovateUK grant.”

Another burgeoning company at the Gallows Hill-based centre is IFS-mplsystems which last year took on new staff after seeing significant revenue growth.

The business was acquired by Swedish software company IFS last year after recognising that the innovative firm could strengthen its customer engagement and contact centre space offering.

IFS-mplsystems develops contact centre and self-service software, which uses AI to improve the speed and accuracy of resolving customer requests.

The Warwickshire Innovation Centre also plays home to industry leaders involved in ground- breaking work such as Arm, ZenZero, dSpace, European Business Solutions, Nimbus Maps and other pioneering organisations.

The University of Warwick Science Park has provided world-class and well-equipped spaces for knowledge and technology-based businesses to grow since 1982. It offers office and workshop space across four sites in Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull, including the Warwick Innovation Centre has a variety of unit sizes that are suitable for all stages of business development.

A variety of support services are also available including: Ignite coupled with incubation support; access to finance including the Minerva business angel network and professional market development services from Techmark; and the Business Ready programme, a support service for tech-based companies delivered in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Jane Talbot, manager of the Warwick Innovation Centre, said: “This year is significant for us at the centre as it marks 20 years since its second phase opened for business, which is a fantastic milestone for us.

“But, as a whole, we have been open for more than two decades and continue to go from strength to strength - now offering 36,000 sq ft of space and world-class business support for our tenants.

“We have seen some of the biggest and brightest companies come through our doors and we are available to give assistance to creative minds across Coventry and Warwickshire.”

For further information about the University of Warwick Science Park and its support programmes visit www.warwicksciencepark.co.uk

• The Access to Finance advice for 3D Technologies was delivered as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support
  Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council

 

Supportive Employers come together to create opportunities for supported interns

“The county council is committed to increasing the number of people with SEND who are getting opportunities to take on paid employment."

Warwickshire’s businesses came out in force for the inaugural Supportive Employers Inc forum with over 40 representatives from businesses joining Warwickshire County Council and the Careers and Enterprise Company in Coventry and Warwickshire (CEC).

The morning session was the first in a planned series of events to bring businesses together to share ideas and best practice on providing supported internships to people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The government has committed to a 20% increase in the uptake of apprentices with SEND by 2020.  Nationally, there are nearly a quarter of a million people currently in education with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Of this number, while nearly 80% would like to get a job, a mere 6% actually go into paid employment.

The Supportive Employer Inc. partnership between the county council and the CEC is looking to create a network of businesses that can offer work experience and potentially apprenticeships.

Speakers included Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council who stated the council’s commitment for 100 young people to access supported internships within Warwickshire across a range of different employers. Other speakers included Louise Saunders of National Grid, Deborah Pendleton of the RSC and Sandra Trainor of GEFCO, all of whom spoke about their businesses’ experience of supporting interns.

Giving the national picture was Claire Cookson, Deputy Chief Executive of the DFN Foundation, a charity which specialises in providing employability skills programmes for people with SEND.

Among the stark figures that Claire highlighted was the cost to the economy of people with SEND not working – an estimated £1million to the taxpayer in social care over the course of a lifetime for each person with SEND.

Harvey Duncan, a 23-year-old man who had undertaken an internship at Hereward College, gave the audience his own insight into his internship and how it had benefited him. Having worked at the college after finishing his education, Harvey is now set to return to his family home in London and seek full-time employment, armed with the skills and experience he has acquired through the internship.

The businesses who have already gone on the journey gave inspiring accounts of the benefits of taking on a supported intern. It is a real pipeline of talent as people with SEND consistently display great attention to detail, a conscientious approach to duties and attendance and the opportunity for businesses to make efficiencies via job carving.

The overall positive effect on staff morale, increased disability confidence in employees, enhanced skills developed by staff and the bond created within teams were also recurring themes. As they left, businesses signed pledges, promising levels of support to the programme ranging from offering work experience through to taking on an intern.

Future forums will help employers to understand the technicalities behind taking on a supported internship so that the intern’s needs are met and appropriate adjustments made to the workplace.  The Department for Work and Pensions will also provide advice on funding and support to help businesses make offers.

Mark Ryder, Strategic Director for Communities at Warwickshire County Council, said: “The county council is committed to increasing the number of people with SEND who are getting opportunities to take on paid employment. The county council is looking at every way possible to increase our own take up of interns and we will encourage and work with local businesses to increase the breadth of offer across the county and across a range of businesses.”

Lizzie Mara, Enterprise Co-ordinator for the Careers and Enterprise Company in Coventry and Warwickshire, said:

“Young people with SEND are less likely to take exams that employers recognise, such as GCSEs. They also have higher rates of unemployment than other students. Many young people with SEND would benefit from additional cover support such as supported internships, apprenticeships and employment, extended workplace interviews, supported enterprise activities and volunteering.

 

"With the support and encouragement, many of these students can access the broad range of career outcomes available to their peers including apprenticeships, employer training schemes, university or employment.” 

Applications welcome for Apprentice Levy business support programme

The Apprentice Levy share programme has been created principally to bring apprenticeship support to businesses. However, it can also unlock a variety of other business services from the council and its partners

Warwickshire County Council is now welcoming applications for support from its newly-launched Apprenticeship Levy share programme.

The council is keen to make all apprenticeship funds shared reach as far as possible by supporting businesses and residents who would benefit greatly from such investment.

The Apprentice Levy share programme has been created principally to bring apprenticeship support to businesses. However, it can also unlock a variety of other business services from the council and its partners, such as staff training, business growth funding and advice on property searches, tendering opportunities and growing your network.

The new scheme will hold a 2019 fund of £300,000 to help businesses take on more apprentices by covering the full training costs associated with an apprenticeship. The council would like to hear initially from businesses looking to take on their first apprentice or increase their number of apprentices as part of the businesses growth plans.

The sectors below are of particular interest, however if you are on a business growth pathway please do get in touch as there may be an alternative route of support.

Health & Social Care          Travel & Tourism                        Rail

Advanced Manufacturing       Childcare                         Hospitality               

The Apprenticeship Levy Small Business Support Programme also offers the opportunity for businesses to recruit a supported young person with an apprenticeship work opportunity.

Across the county there are hundreds of supported young people with much to offer employers but who have not have found the right role for them. These youngsters possess a host of untapped skills which will  flourish in the right environment.

Warwickshire County Council business skills advisor Fay Winterburn said: "We believe these young people, who hold a wide variety of potential skills, are a really effective solution for businesses in combating skills shortages. As a recognised opportunity for businesses we have dedicated part of our budget to supporting business in doing just that.

"Whilst offering someone the opportunity to gain life skills and of course a qualification, businesses can also implement a new skills source and recruitment process with support from ourselves along the way."

The Apprenticeship Levy share programme opened last month and is subject to eligibly checks. Fay will work with each applicants to undertake a free review of training and recruitment needs, help identify whether an apprenticeship is the best route for each company and advise on suitable types of apprenticeship.

For more information, please contact Fay Winterburnon 01926 412216 or 07554 778316 or at faywinterburn@warwickshire.gov.uk

Brand new units available at Eliot Park Innovation Centre

Eliot Park Innovation Centre in Nuneaton has unveiled a number of brand new fully-serviced offices for start-up and early-growth businesses looking for a base.

The centre, in Barling Way, is run by Warwickshire County Council which manages over 240 offices and light industrial units at eight business centre sites across the county.

Eliot Park Innovation Centre has long enjoyed a high reputation for excellence as a business base and for the efficiency and friendliness of its staff. With Warwickshire's economy continuing to perform strongly despite uncertain times, the county council is determined to support small businesses in every way it can and, over years, Eliot Park Innovation Centre has helped many in the Nuneaton area to thrive.

Now the centre has scope to support even more small businesses with brand new offices ready to offer more local entrepreneurs a base.

"Eliot Park already offers a high standard of office accommodation," said Warwickshire County Council business centres strategic manager Duncan Haldane. "But we have just made available some new two and three-work station, easy-in, easy-out, fully-serviced offices.

"These smart new offices, available at affordable, all-inclusive monthly fees, are ideal for start-up or early growth businesses where flexibility and a professional working environment is key."

Eliot Park innovation Centre's offer stretches far beyond high-quality office space. Tenants also benefit from the centre's friendly and experienced support team while included in the monthly fee are 24/7 access, superfast broadband and wifi, car parking, the latest internet phone handset, free-to-use meeting rooms and reception services.

The needs and pressures of small businesses underpin the running of the centre. Tenants benefit from the flexibility and reassurance of being able to give just one month's notice should the need arise.

"Our aim is to help foster an entrepreneurial environment and support new, emerging and expanding enterprises together with the ability to offer a range of business support from both Warwickshire County Council and our partners," said Duncan.

"If you would like more information about our new serviced offices or any Warwickshire County Council business accommodation, please call us on 02476 796400 or email eliotpark@warwickshire.gov.uk

To see more about the new units please view here 

Liftshare leads to saving of millions of pounds

"It is great that so many businesses in our region are making sustainable transport a reality by giving employees the option of sharing their journeys to and from work" - Mark Ryder

Millions of pounds have been saved by employees at three major companies in Coventry and Warwickshire after signing up to a car-sharing scheme.

Leading car-sharing scheme provider Liftshare works with over 700 organisations across the UK including the University of Warwick, Stoneleigh Park and National Grid in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Transport and Infrastructure Business Group heard that Liftshare runs the most successful regional car-sharing scheme in the country in the West Midlands.

Sixty-one per cent of staff at Wolseley in Coventry have joined the scheme which in the first two years has led to £200,000 in savings in employee parking costs while savings of one hundred tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions will be made this year.

At National Grid in Warwick, eight million miles has been saved by staff travelling to and from work together which has led to savings in travel costs of £810,000.

Mark Ryder, chair of the CWLEP Transport and Infrastructure Business Group and Strategic Director, Communities, at Warwickshire County Council, said there were multiple benefits to employers and employees joining Liftshare.

He said: “The research highlights that not only does this scheme save employees money and combats single occupancy cars, it cuts carbon emissions and congestion at peak times on the roads.

“It is great that so many businesses in our region are making sustainable transport a reality by giving employees the option of sharing their journeys to and from work which is also helping the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

“The savings that have been achieved in terms of cost are huge and the scheme has certainly proved successful with our staff at Warwickshire County Council.”

George Beacock, Client Engagement Manager at Liftshare, said this was a great opportunity for businesses to invest in sustainable travel and incentives.

He said:“We’re very proud of our relationship with Coventry City Council and Warwickshire Country Council. One of the quickest and easiest ways that local authorities can help ease congestion and air pollution in their areas is to engage local businesses in sustainable travel initiatives, and this is evident around Coventry and Warwickshire with the incredible savings that have been achieved.

“What is great for businesses is that all of the savings and data are available to view in a dashboard, so companies can actually see the difference that they are making and the savings to their staff. The reporting can help with calculating your carbon savings throughout the year.”

Sunny excited by chance to affect his local community

"I have always been fascinated by how places work and fit together and a local authority is at the heart of all that"

Sunny Parekh is excited to have the opportunity to help shape his local community after joining Warwickshire County Council as a senior economist.

Sunny, who was appointed earlier this month, is settling into the Economy & Skills team at Barrack Street and can't wait to get stuck in to projects that will underpin policies rolled out by the council across the county.

Qualified to Masters level, having studied at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Birmingham, he is well-equipped to help deliver the required detailed research - and Coventry-born Sunny is delighted to have clocked on at the county council having decided to step away from the private sector.

"I love the idea of doing work that materially affects and helps the community," he said. "Working for a local authority is a great way to do that and, for me, Warwickshire County Council is a brilliant opportunity to work in my patch. I am from Coventry but have spent a lot of time in Warwickshire, especially in Leamington, Warwick and Rugby, and the connections between Coventry and Warwickshire are huge so I really feel that this is my area.

"I spent a couple of years working in the private sector after uni and that was quite enjoyable and I learned a lot. But I have always been fascinated by how places work and fit together and a local authority is at the heart of all that. I know I am right at the start of the learning curve but just can't wait to get stuck in."

Cricket-loving Sunny has always had an interest in economics but his real passion for the subject was ignited by a comment from a teacher at Woodlands School.

"I was studying A'level psychology when one of my teachers said 'with your knowledge and interest in business you should be doing economics'," he said. "That made sense so I switched and my passion for economic just grew and grew.

"Working in the private sector was interesting as far as it went but it was quite narrow, centred on just one sector. The county council works in so many sectors which means the work is so much more interesting and also there is the cope to learn so much more.

"The Economy & Skills team have made me feel very welcome and they really know their stuff so I am in the perfect place to learn - and hopefully make a difference to the communities of Warwickshire."

British Science Festival to be held in the region for first time

The British Science Festival will be held in Coventry and Warwickshire this year for the first time in its 188-year history.

The prestigious event, organised by the British Science Association with the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) as a major partner, will take place from Tuesday September 10 to Friday September 13.

The best of British science will be celebrated when hundreds of free talks, debates, performances and activities will be held throughout Coventry and at the University of Warwick between September 10 and 13, followed by a Family Day at the Warwick campus on Saturday September 14.

The British Science Festival, one of Europe’s longest-established science festivals, travels to a different part of the UK every year to bring a vast array of events, performances and installations with a scientific twist.

Ivvet Modinou, Director of the British Science Festival, said: “We are really proud to bring the British Science Festival to Coventry and Warwickshire this year, the first time in its history.

"The festival will shine a national spotlight on the world-class research taking place at the University of Warwick and the strength and depth of the research and development taking place across the Coventry and Warwickshire region. The events will span a diverse range of subjects and formats, encompassing science in the broadest sense, promising something for everyone.

“We are grateful to our industry partners and the regional Local Enterprise Partnerships who are supporting the British Science Association and the University of Warwick in putting on a must-see event this September and to build a legacy for public engagement with science and engineering across the region.”

Nick Spencer, a board director at the CWLEP and a senior director at Jaguar Land Rover, was among the guests who spoke at the official launch of the 2019 British Science Festival.

He said: “This is a wonderful time to be in Coventry and Warwickshire as we continue to celebrate so many positive events in the area. The British Science Festival will be a great addition to our build-up programme to Coventry being UK City of Culture in 2021 as well celebrating science and technology.

“Coventry and Warwickshire is enjoying a renaissance in all areas since the CWLEP is the fastest-growing LEP for economic growth, productivity and Gross Value Added per head.

"As a region, we have much to be proud of as innovators ourselves in a wide range of sectors. Europe's first multi-million-pound Smart City Mobility Centre is to be established at the University of Warwick's Wellesbourne campus, there has been a significant growth of creative businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire and ten per cent of staff from the UK’s gaming industry work in Coventry and Warwickshire particularly the games sector which currently employs around 2,000 people in the area."

Please support the carers in your workforce  

Monday 10 June will mark the first day of Carers Week 2019, bringing an opportunity for employers to raise awareness to their staff of the different services on offer in Warwickshire to help make carers’ lives a little bit easier.

A carer is anyone who regularly provides unpaid help to someone who could not cope without them. Unfortunately, many people do not realise that they are carers, while many who do realise are unaware that there is support available for them.

Three million people work and care in the UK - one in nine in every workplace - and this figure is set to increase. Given the stresses and strains that can result from balancing work and caring, it is unsurprising that many carers give up work or reduce their hours to care.

For businesses looking to support their members of staff with caring responsibilities, Employers For Carers is a useful resource that offers training, information and guidance. To find out more, go to https://www.employersforcarers.org/

Staff members who live in Warwickshire are eligible to get support from WCC’s Carers Wellbeing Service. To find out more, go to www.warwickshire.gov.uk/carers

Safety training available to Warwickshire businesses

Businesses in Warwickshire have been offered a range of training courses to help them become safer and more effective.

Safety in the workplace should be of paramount importance to any employer and Training Services, a training arm within Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, delivers courses on various subjects. These include First Aid, Fire Safety, Manual Handling and Evacuation Chair while advice is also available on water and animal awareness training. All courses are certificated and assessed where required.

Depending on the level of training required, First Aid courses are available in four categories: Community First Aid, Emergency First Aid at Work, Paediatric First Aid and Emergency Paediatric First Aid. The service is also now starting to deliver First Aid courses for children, as well as Mental Health First Aid training.

Fire Safety courses are delivered in three categories: Fire Warden, Fire Extinguisher and Fire Awareness. The Fire Warden and Fire Extinguisher courses both offer a theory and practical element of training. The service also carries out annual testing and servicing of private hydrants for businesses in the local area. These tests all comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005 (article 38).

All courses can be delivered at a time and date to suit the business involved and can be held at either the Fire Station training rooms or a venue of the business's choice.

For more details please telephone 01926 413405, email wfrtrainingservices@warwickshire.gov.uk or vsit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WFRtrainingservices/ or the service website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wfrstrainingservice

Business rates: A brief guide to available reliefs

Business rates are a subject of critical importance to every small business but where should you go for the best advice and information? Ian B Sloan FRICS, of Bankier Sloan chartered surveyors, explains.

Most businesses across the county will tell you that at some point in the last few years they have received a cold-call from a firm of consultants offering to reduce their Business Rates bill; a highly attractive offer especially when costs are rising and profit margins are being squeezed      

Most ask if they can send a consultant round (who just happens to be in your area next week !) with no commitment on your behalf.

"Be warned" is the advice which continues to be given by Ian Sloan FRICS of Chartered Surveyors Bankier Sloan who, although based just over the border at Shenington in North Oxfordshire, has helped many Warwickshire based companies.   

Bankier Sloan have provided free advice to businesses across the country on Rates Relief for many years.  The major search engines will reveal this is no  recent fad as far as Bankier Sloan are concerned as they produced their first national report on Small Business Rates Relief in September 2012; a report which has been updated many times since. 

Many councils now publish free Rates Relief Tables produced to promote relief schemes in an attempt to give local businesses definitive guidance at no cost. This enables them to avoid the need to use the assistance of the many consultants, most based in the north-west, who offer in many cases  potential reductions that are impossible to obtain, according to Ian Sloan.

The easiest way to receive free assistance is to ask your Billing Authority , usually your local council, for guidance.   Almost without exception the best Relief Schemes are those set by Central Government , but all are  administered by local councils. This allows councils to take the credit for  such schemes. 

Because all such schemes are classed as "discretionary," all need local councils' approval, and therefore can be minuted and the record will show that individual councils have set/passed/approved the scheme - always good PR  for any local council!

For most local enterprise the most important relief is Small Business Rates Relief which will give 100 % to any business operating from a single property  which has a rateable Value of £12,000 or less. The scheme then gives tapered relief for those with Rateable Values up to £15,000 .     

If you are not already receiving this relief  it is still possible to backdate your claim to April 2012. You do not need to be employing anyone in the  premises to make the claim; if the unit which may simply be a store/lock-up has a rateable value, it  becomes eligible under the scheme. Full details of the scheme can be found on this table: Small Business Rates Relief 2019/20

April 1st 2019 saw the government introduce another major relief called Retail Rates Relief which has given 33.3% discount to retailers with Rateable Values under £51,000. This scheme has the added advantage that if a business has more than one property below the £51,000 they can claim on each property. The scheme will operate for two year commencing 1st April 2019.

The advice being given is don't sign any contract with any firm without seeking a second opinion. All Relief is given out free by your local council; if you're not sure that the guidance given on your council's website is correct, look on a neighbouring council's site - and keep repeating that exercise until you are totally happy that you understand the rules. Or, of course, you can always make contact with our team here at Warwickshire County Council.

Ian Sloan said: "At Bankier Sloan we know  how most reliefs work. We know the rules and helping small business is something we have enjoyed doing for many years and hopefully we will receive other professional  instructions relating to Industrial and commercial properties, such as advising on Lease renewals, Rent Reviews and the letting and sale of industrial premises, which has been the mainstay of the business since it's establishment in November 1984."

Warwickshire's economy is reassuringly future-based

The most recent Quarterly Labour Market Bulletin reveals a very positive picture for Warwickshire with the economy growing fast and the employment rate at a record high. Good news - but most encouraging of all, believes Warwickshire County Council chief executive Monica Fogarty, is how well-equipped the county is to face the challenges of a fast-changing future.

 

"We can say with some confidence that there are no economies in the UK more future-based than ours"

 

For the business world these are not the easiest of times, with the uncertainties surrounding Brexit having loomed large for almost two years, so it is all the more pleasing and impressive that Warwickshire, and the Coventry & Warwickshire region, continues to performing so strongly.

We have the fastest-growing economy outside London and are outperforming any other region. Coventry & Warwickshire is an absolute diamond of an economy and our growth and performance, and Warwickshire's in particular, is a centrepiece to the industrial strategy that the Mayor of the West Midlands is now developing for the whole region.

That is something of which we in Warwickshire should be very proud. There is no room for complacency, of course, and I know the people of this great county well enough to know there never will be a shred of complacency, but perhaps most encouraging of all is that so much of our growth is future-based. Our county and region has a great history, a buoyant present and a very exciting future.

So much of what we are doing in Coventry and Warwickshire is about futuristic technology. We have Vivarail at Long Marston and Very Light Rail at the University of Warwick. Aston Martin Lagonda is developing cutting-edge supercar technology with Red Bull racing. We are doing a lot of work around connected and autonomous vehicles and battery technology with a new Smart City Centre at Wellesbourne and global OEMs investing at MIRA and Ansty Technology Park. There are also local developments in Greentech and Agritech.

Our research tells us that many children now studying in school are training for jobs that don't even exist yet. A lot of those jobs will be involve digital technologies and artificial intelligence and, whilst automation will have a huge impact on the fabric of society, in terms of different ways of working and different elements to the economy, that's where our future graduates and school and college-leavers will be working.  

That is why we are investing in the skills for the future and why initiatives such as the Digital Schoolhouse (which now operates in four secondary schools in the county) are so important. For us to be able to develop and grow those skills and that technology right here on our doorstep in Coventry and Warwickshire is fantastic. We can say with some confidence that there are no economies in the UK more future-based than ours.

A pillar of that strength is our globally-renowned digital and gaming sector. By the very nature of their role and offer, companies in that sector can be located anywhere but it is Leamington Spa that has become the national home of digital and gaming. With around 15,000 employees in and around Silicon Spa,' with all their skills, and the proximity to the battery tech and CAV communities around the University of Warwick, that interface between that community and these businesses makes us really well-placed for the future.

Another big driver of our economy is JLR, of course, which brings about 7,500 jobs in Warwickshire and probably three times that number in the supply chain to the region. JLR continues to invest here in new technology and skills and has a number of new sites and facilities in the pipeline but we have done some research intothe economic impact of JLR on the local economy which revealed the range of other activity in the region and that growth is much more widespread than perhaps many people think.

In recent years we have spent a lot of time diversifying our economy in Coventry and Warwickshire so, while automotive is the centrepiece, there are some very strong other sectors too. We are not as dependent on JLR as we once were. In the digital and gaming sector we have around ten per cent of all those employed in games development sector nationally. As we are going to be part of the 5G Testbed for the Combined Authority, that sector is set to go from strength to strength. Evidence gathered for MIPIM 2019 suggested that our region has over £500m of new commercial property in development specifically for R&D in future transport technologies covering auto, aero and rail.

Technology across all sectors is advancing so quickly - and it is brilliant that our county and region is at the forefront of that. We have so much to be proud of - a bedrock of skills and innovation that leaves our economy and all the communities within it in very good stead for the future.

 

Upcoming events...

May

Email Marketing that Work: Thurs 23rd May, 09:30-16:00, Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Chamber House, Unit 8&9, Innovation Village, Cheetah Road, West Midlands, CV1 2TL ( Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/email-marketing-that-works-23rd-may-2019/

FREE Business Support Session:Warwick: Fri 24th May, 10:00-14:00, CWLEP The Old Clink, The Holloway, Warwick, CV34 4SJ http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/free-business-support-session-warwick-5

Coventry Priory’s 2nd Birthday Event: Sat 25th May 8:00pm, Coventry Priory, Priory Place, 6 Priory Row, Coventry, CV1 5EX (Free admission) https://www.coventry-warwickshire.co.uk/event/coventry-priorys-2nd-birthday-event

FREE Business Support Session:Bedworth: Mon 27th May, 10:00-14:00, The Mayor’s Cafe, The Miners Welfare Park, Bedworth, CV12 8JT http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/free-business-support-session-bedworth-0

One to One Business Support Session in Stratford-upon-Avon: Weds 29th May, 09:00-13:00, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, CV37 0HR (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-stratford-upon-avon-3

Legal Support Clinic: Thurs 30th May, 10:00-14:00, CWLEP Growth Hub, Enterprise Centre, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/legal-support-clinic-0

The Henley Hub: Thurs 30th May, 11:30, UBCUK Henley-in-Arden, Forward House, 17 High Street, Henley-in-Arden, B95 5AA (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-henley-hub-tickets-58080003855

Green Fleet Coventry: Road - 2 - Zero Roadshow: Fri 31st May, 09:00-17:00, Coventry Transport Museum, Millennium Place, Hales Street, Coventry, CV1 1JD http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/green-fleet-coventry-road-2-zero-roadshow-coventry

June

35 under 35 Evening: Mon 3rd June, 17:00-19:00, Spice Lodge, GL50 1TY (£20.00 exc VAT @ 20%%) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=6761&prodID=88072

Chamber Networking:Behind the Scenes at Amazon BHX4: Tues 4th June, 13:30-15:00, Amazon UK Services Ltd BHX4, Lyons Park, Sayer Drive, Allesley, Coventry, West Midlands, CV5 9DR (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/chamber-networking-behind-the-scenes-at-amazon-bhx4/

Customs Declaration Training: Tues 4th June, 09:00-16:30, Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce House, Unit 8&9, Innovation Village, Cheetah Road, West Midlands, CV1 2TL (Chamber Member: £280 +VAT,, Non-Chamber Member: £350 + VAT) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/customs-declaration-training-1/

One to One Business Support Session in Coventry: Tues 4th June, 10:00-14:00, CWLEP Growth Hub, Coventry University Technology Centre, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-coventry-1

INVESTABILITY - Make your business investment ready!: Tues 4th June, 08:00-18:00, Serious Games Institute (Floor 1), 6 Coventry Innovation Village, Cheetah Road, Coventry, CV1 2TL (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/investability-make-your-business-investment-ready-registration-60821388410

The Warwickshire Virtual Assistant Network Forum & Training: Weds 5th June, 10:00, The Fat Pug, 23 Guy’s Cliffe Road, Leamington Spa, CV32 5BZ (£25) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-warwickshire-virtual-assistant-network-forum-training-tickets-54060205530

Digital Photography / Video Workshop: Weds 5th June, 09:00-16:30, Telford Innovation Campus, Shifnal Road, Priorslee, Telford, TF2 9NT (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-photographyvideo-workshop-tickets-59216183198

Wordpress your Business: Weds 5th June, 09:30-16:00, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0HR (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/wordpress-your-business-5th-june-2019/

#FSBConnect Coventry First Wednesday Networking Breakfast: Weds 5th June, 07:00-08:45, Ramada Hotel & Suites Coventry, Butts Road, Earlsdon, Coventry, CV1 3GG (£10) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fsbconnect-coventry-first-wednesday-networking-breakfast-tickets-53174315810?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse

One to One Business Support Session in Stratford-upon-Avon: Weds 5th June, 09:00-13:00, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, CV37 0HR (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/one-to-one-business-support-session-in-stratford-upon-avon-tickets-60921593125

One to One Business Support Session:Atherstone: Thurs 6th June, 10:00-13:00, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Council House South St, Atherstone, CV9 1DE (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-sessions-atherstone-june

12@12 Professionals Lunch Stratford: Thurs 6th June, 12:00-14:00, El Greco (£12.50 exc VAT) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=6761&prodID=58686

Cheltenham BIG Breakfast Meeting: Fri 7th June, arrivals from 7am, The Ivy, Montpellier (£12.50 exc VAT @ 20%) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=13439&prodID=87166

35 under 3 ‘Feastival’ Evening Warks: Mon 10th June, 17:00-19:00, Venture House, CV37 0HR (£20.00 exc VAT @ 20%) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=6761&prodID=88051

Thinking of starting a Business (Rugby): Tues 11th June, 09:30-13:30, Oxygen Graphics, 33 Albert Street, Rugby, CV21 2SG (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/thinking-starting-business-rugby

One to One Business Support Session in Stratford-upon-Avon: Weds 12th June, 09:00-10:00, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 0HR (Free)

http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-stratford-upon-avon-5

Business Breakfast Briefing: Weds 12th June, 08:00-10:00, University of Warwick, Sport & Wellness Hub, Leighfield Road, Coventry, West Midlands CV4 7EU (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/business-breakfast-briefing-june-2019/

Getting the Most out of Google for your Business - SEO & Analytics: Weds 12th June, 09:30-16:00, Eliot Park Innovation Centre, 4 Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7RH (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/getting-the-most-out-of-google-for-your-business-seo-analytics-12th-june-2019/

Warwickshire Property Forum Brunch: Weds 12th June, 10:00 - 11:30, Temperance, 33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 3AF (£16.66 exc VAT @ 20%)

http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=13382&prodID

Business Vision and Strategy (Session1/3) Nuneaton: 09:30-13:30,Weds 12th June, North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College, Hinckley Road, Nuneaton, CV11 6BH (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nuneaton-business-vision-and-strategy-session-13-tickets-58360832822

Chamber Commercial Academy Day: Thurs 13th June, 8:30-16:30, Dunchurch Park Hotel Rugby Road, Dunchurch Rugby, Warwickshire,CV22 6QW (Chamber Member: £20 + VAT, Non-Chamber Member:£40 + VAT) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/chamber-commercial-academy-day/

Branding Your Business Masterclass: What is a brand and How to Create One?:Thurs 13th June, 09:30-13:30, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 0HR (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/branding-your-business-masterclass-what-brand-and-how-create-one

Leamington Forum Big Breakfast: Fri 14th June, arrivals from 7am, The Kings High - Warwick (£12.50 exc VAT @ 20%) http://www.leamington-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=6820&prodID=59505

Improve the way your business manages waste & resources to save money: Tues 18th June, 08:00-10:30, Ricoh Arena, Judds Lane, Coventry, CV6 6GE (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/improve-way-your-business-manages-waste-resources-save-money

Coventry - A guide to business planning (session 3/4): Tues 18th June, 09:30-12:30, The Chace Hotel, Coventry, London Road, Coventry, CV3 4EQ (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coventry-a-guide-to-business-planning-session-34-tickets-59948692152

Getting started with finances: Coventry (Session 4/4): Tues 18th June, 13:30-16:30, The Chace Hotel, London Road, Coventry, CV3 4EQ (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/getting-started-finances-coventry-session-44

Charities and Not for Profit Forum: Tues 18th June, Riverside Stratford Upon Avon, 4pm-6pm (£10.00 exc VAT) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=13381&prodID=86945

Chamber Networking at PET-Xi Training: Weds 19th June, 08:30-10:30, PET-Xi Training Ltd, Head Office, West Oak House, Westwood Way, Westwood Business Park, West Midlands, CV4 8LB (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/chamber-networking-at-pet-xi-training/

One to One Business Support Session in Stratford-upon-Avon: Weds 19th June,09:00-13:00, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, CV37 0HR (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-stratford-upon-avon-6

Southam Business Forum June Meeting: Weds 19th June, 07:00-08:30, Southam Community Church, Coventry Street, Southam, CV47 0EP (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/june-meeting-tickets-61783487073

Put your Social Media House in Order: Thurs 20th June, 09:30-16:00, Althorpe Enterprise Hub, Althorpe Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV31 2GB (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/put-your-social-media-house-in-order-20th-june-2019/

The Queens Award for Enterprise A celebration: Thurs 20th June, 18:00-20:30, Hatton House, Warwick, CV35 7LD (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/the-queen-s-award-for-enterprise-a-celebration/

One to One Business Support Session in Rugby: Thurs 20th June, 10:00-14:00, Oxygen Graphics, 33 Albert Square, Rugby, CV21 2SG (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-rugby

FREE Business Support Session:Warwick: Fri 21st June, 10:00-14:00, CWLEP, The Old Clink, The Halloway, Warwick, CV34 4SJ http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/free-business-support-session-warwick-6

Stratford Business Forum BIG Breakfast: Fri 21st June, arrivals from 7:00, Billesley Manor Hotel (£12.50 exc VAT) http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=6760&prodID=58684

FREE Business Support Session:Bedworth: Mon 24th June, 10:00-14:00, The Mayor’s Cafe, The Miners Welfare Park, Bedworth, CV12 8JT http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/free-business-support-session-bedworth-1

Social Media Masterclass:Leamington: Tues 25th June, 09:30-13:30, Althorpe Enterprise Hub, Althorpe Street, Royal Leamington Spa, CV31 2GB (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/social-media-masterclass-leamington

One to One Business Support Session in Stratford-upon-Avon: Weds 26th June, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham, CV37 0HR (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/one-one-business-support-session-stratford-upon-avon-7

Winning and Keeping Customer (Nuneaton/Bedworth) Session 2/3: Weds 26th June, 09:30-13:30, North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College, Hinckley Road, Nuneaton, CV11 6BH (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/winning-and-keeping-customers-nuneatonbedworth-session-23-0

Wordpress your Business: Thurs 27th June, 09:30-16:00, Oxygen Graphics, 33 Albert Square, Warwickshire, CV21 2SQ (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/wordpress-your-business-30th-april-2019/

Instagram for startups: Masterclass (Intermediate Workshop): Thurs 27th June, 09:30-13:30, Rural Innovation Centre, Avenue H, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, CV8 2LG (Free) http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/event/instagram-startups-masterclass-intermediate-workshop  

The Henley Hub: Thurs 27th June, 11:30-14:00, UBCUK Henley-in-Arden, Forward House, 17 High Street, Henley-in-Arden, B95 5AA (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-henley-hub-tickets-58080004858

 

July

Email Marketing that works: Weds 3rd July, 09:30-16:00, Dunchurch Park Hotel, Rugby Road, Dunchurch, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 6QW (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/email-marketing-that-works-wednesday-3rd-july-2019/

#FSBConnect Coventry First Wednesday Networking Breakfast: Weds 3rd July, 07:00-08:45, Ramada Hotel & Suites Coventry, Butts Road, Earlsdon, Coventry, CV1 3GG (£10) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fsbconnect-coventry-first-wednesday-networking-breakfast-tickets-53174316813?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse 

Women in Business: Thurs 4th July, 11:00-14:00, The Stratford Park Hotel & Golf club Elizabethan Barn, Ingon Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0QE (Chamber Member: £35 +VAT, Non-Chamber Member £45 +VAT) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/women-in-business-july-2019/

Midlands Business Network July Expo 2019: Thurs 4th July,10:00-15:00, Aston Villa FC, Birmingham, B6 6HE (Free) https://themidlandsbusinessnetwork.co.uk/events/midlands-business-network-july-expo-2019/

Nuneaton & Bedworth Business Expo: Fri 5th July, 07:30-10:30, Ambleside Sports Club, Ambleside Way, Nuneaton, CV11 6AT (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nuneaton-bedworth-business-expo-2019-tickets-59900438825

Put your Social Media House in order: Thurs 11th July, 09:30-16:00, Eliot Park Innovation Centre, 4 Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7RH (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/put-your-social-media-house-in-order-thursday-11th-july-2019/

Southam Business Forum July Meeting: Weds 17th July, 07:00-08:30, Southam Community Church, Coventry Street, Southam, CV47 0EP (Free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/july-meeting-tickets-61783567313

Chamber networking at Prime: Tues 23rd July, 17:00-19:00, Prime Accountants Group, 5 Argosy Court, Scimitar Way, Whitley Business Park, West Midlands, CV3 4GA (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/chamber-networking-at-prime/

Getting the Most out of Google for your Business - SEO & Analytics: Weds 24th July, Venture House Business Centre, Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, Birmingham Road, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0HR (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/getting-the-most-out-of-google-for-your-business-seo-analytics-wednesday-24th-july-2019/

Email marketing that works: Weds 31st July, 09:30-16:00, Eliot Park Innovation Centre, 4 Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7RH (Free) https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/email-marketing-that-works-wednesday-31st-july-2019/

OTHER USEFUL EVENT PAGES TO FOLLOW

C&W Business Festival: https://www.cwbusinessfestival.com/

Tech Central: https://techcentraluk.com/events

Business Ready: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/business-ready-12629314668

Coventry University Enterprises: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/cue-business-solutions-13651209205

C&W Chamber of Commerce: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/

C&W Growth Hub: http://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/events

CW Champions: https://www.coventry-warwickshire.co.uk/events

Midlands Business Network: http://themidlandsbusinessnetwork.co.uk/events/

Leamington Hour: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/leamington-hour-7578817945

Stratford Business Forum: http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/

Leamington Business Forum: http://www.leamington-business-forum.co.uk/

The Henley Hub: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-henley-hub-tickets-51519328699

Southam Business Forum: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/southam-business-forum-8369172972

Warwickshire VA Network: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-warwickshire-virtual-assistant-network-16829545906

Local Business Headlines

£28m investment revealed for electric battery centre

The government will spend a further £28m on a national electric vehicle (EV) battery ‘centre of excellence’

https://airqualitynews.com/2019/05/16/28m-boost-for-coventrys-ev-battery-centre-of-excellence/

Lotus gearing up for new Warwickshire base

Lotus Cars has revealed plans to open a new engineering office in Warwickshire as part of its plans to hire 200 new staff this year.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/lotus-gearing-up-for-new-west-mids-base

Multimillion-pound stadium plans drawn up

Multimillion-pound plans are being drawn up for a new community stadium between Warwick and Leamington which could include a health centre and hotel as well as a local store and car showroom.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/multimillion-pound-stadium-plans-drawn-up

Gin Cruises coming to Warwickshire

Gin-lovers can now enjoy the taste of the locally-distilled drink whilst seeing the riverside sights of Stratford on the first 40-minute gin cruise to launch in the county.

https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/people/gin-cruises-coming-to-warwickshire-1-8929465

Nuneaton’s transformation given £1.5m boost

A plan to transform Nuneaton town centre has been given a £1.5m boost.

Warwickshire County Council has agreed in principle to contribute the funds to support the purchase by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC) of the town centre's Co-operative building, as part of the Transforming Nuneaton (TN) programme.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/town-centres-transformation-given-1.5m-boost

£10m investment plan for new technology centre in Leamington Spa

Part of a globl industrial, metals and energy group has invested in a new technology centre in Leamington Spa

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/10m-investment-plans-revealed-for-new-technology-centre

Bravissimo reaps benefits of investment

Revenues have edged towards the £60m at lingerie retailer Bravissimo, with profits also growing, as the brand begins to reap the benefits of investment in its estate, staff and marketing.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/bravissimo-reaps-benefits-of-investment

Snack food firm eyes £100m turnover after warehouse deal

A Leicester-based snack company has announced a £20m investment programme after acquiring an additional food production and warehousing facility to cater for significant growth and expansion. The business said the move will help grow its turnover to more than £100m.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/snack-food-firm-eyes-100m-turnover-after-warehouse-deal

Fernando Alonso signs deal with Codemasters

Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso is to become a race consultant for video game developer Codemasters and appear in its new GRID title which is set to be released later this year.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/alonso-signs-deal-with-video-game-maker

Coventry & Warwickshire Growth report revealed

This year’s growth report from the BDO highlights the fastest growing companies in the region

https://www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/insights/locations/birmingham/coventry-and-warwickshire-growth-report