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INVESTMENT AND CAMPAIGN
TO HELP SMALL FIRMS GROW IN NORTH WEST
THE Business Secretary
Vince Cable on Wednesday, 6 November 2013, has kicked off a wave of
activity to boost small businesses, including unveiling the first
funding allocation from the British Business Bank's investment
programme and launching a campaign to help small firms grow.
The 1st £45 million of funding is to be committed to Praesidian
Capital Europe (£30 million) and BMS Finance (£15 million) to
provide debt finance of approximately £125 million through their
respective new funds. Once legal terms are agreed it is expected
that both funds will start lending to small businesses in early
2014.
At the start of 2013 there were an estimated 481,000 private sector
businesses in the North West, which could benefit from the new
initiatives.
There have been 83 successful Regional Growth Fund (RGF)
applications in the region worth £430 million, and in addition RGF
is expected to generate another £2.4 billion of private sector
investment, creating or safeguarding up to 94,000 jobs.
1,402 North West businesses have also signed up to GrowthAccelerator.
GrowthAccelerator is available for companies with genuine potential
for rapid and sustainable growth. The partnership between the
private sector and Government will see proven business experts
working with companies to coach and identify barriers to growth and
ways to overcome them. This will be on issues such as securing
finance, commercialising innovation or developing leadership and
management capability.
Vince Cable has also set out other measures that will provide
support to small businesses.
These include:-
► A new £1 million Sector Mentoring
Challenge Fund that will enable firms to benefit from support and
advice from experienced business people in their own field of work.
► A £10 million synthetic biology start up
fund from the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council
(BBSRC) to help entrepreneurial scientists working in synthetic
biology get their business off the ground.
The successful Growth Accelerator scheme, which provides specialised
coaching to small businesses with high-growth potential, will have
helped 10,000 firms in the coming weeks.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:- "We have set out a
comprehensive package of measures that will address the concerns of
small firms. The first investments from the British Business Bank's
investment programme will provide choice to smaller businesses
looking to secure vital finance to help invest. Alongside cutting
red tape and increasing the take up of business rate relief,
Government has already made significant progress in improving the
business outlook for small firms and entrepreneurs."
A new business support
website, will also make it easy
to access the services and products, including Manufacturing Advice
Service, National Apprenticeship Service and Growth Accelerator,
that help businesses grow. The website will be supported by an
advertising campaign showcasing the very best in British small
businesses, to help inspire other small businesses to take steps to
grow. This is the first domestic use of the GREAT campaign.
The new measures were today welcomed by Wigan firm Northern Diver
International Ltd, a company which manufactures and distributes
military and commercial diving equipment as well as specialist
rescue equipment.
Mike Armitage, company founder, said:- "We work personally
with the Government through the Ministry of Defence and the current
support being offered to SME's has helped the economy no end. UKTI
have been a tremendous help to Northern Diver which has allowed us
to expand into foreign markets, now being a supplier of Military
Teams worldwide. I must commend the current government for the way
they are supporting the growth of SME's."
Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said:- "Small
firms are a vital driver of our economy's success, so it is
imperative we do all we can to ensure businesses don't just survive,
but thrive to compete in the global race. We have set out today the
start of our ambitious plans to help small businesses realise their
potential and the support available to them to help them grow.
Government has an important role in providing a coherent package of
measures to support businesses, but there is also a role for
business-to-business support, with successful, growing small
businesses talking to others about how exporting, hiring and
business planning can take a business to the next level."
In December a cross Government strategy on small business support
will be published. There are 4.9 million small businesses in the UK,
and providing them with the tools they need to thrive is an
important task for Government to ensure the recovery of the economy.
In December, the Government will publish a strategy for small
businesses with the ambition to grow, setting out how it will make
it easier for them to do so through a range of measures, including
improving access to finance and help to export and innovate.
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Chic
Networking's 1st Meeting
THE Chic Networking will be
holding their 1st networking event on Sunday, 1 December 2013, from
2pm, in Liverpool City Centre. The event, which will be held at The
Hilton, will bring together some of Liverpool's independent
businesses. The independent business community is small in stature
compared to its large branded counterparts however; the division is
easily noticeable and Chic Networking was formulated to combat the
diversity making smaller businesses up in the market.
During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to mix and
mingle with bloggers, models, fashion industry, local businesses and
magazine executives, photographers, independent designers and event
coordinators. The networking event will feature a business card
exchange, a runway show, a shopping experience and the opportunity
to speak to PR and marketing companies about expanding their
businesses.
"Chic Networking is a great opportunity to give smaller independent
businesses and its supporters the opportunity to learn more about
each other and unite a community. Supporting one another by bringing
the public a lot of hidden businesses all under one roof and opening
these up gaining exposure and custom to companies that may not have
the means to do it themselves in this tough climate . That is the
purpose of Chic Networking, unity from the top down." said
Lauren Greene, Event Coordinator and Director of Chic Networking.
There are 4 sections to our events:-
► Fashion
► Business and Lifestyle
► Health and Beauty
► Networking
Each event has a number of exclusive Businesses involved that are
looking for extra promotion, increased profits and brand awareness.
Email:-
Networkinguk@outlook.com for
more information.
£3 million investment in social
care hubs
MORE than £3 million is set
to be spent completing the upgrade of four social care 'hubs'
in Liverpool. A report recommending the investment will be
considered by the Mayor's Cabinet on, Friday, 8 November 2013.
It marks the final phase of the Transformation programme, which has
seen the creation of new and refurbished facilities across the City
to provide help and support for people with a range of conditions.
Much more emphasis is being placed on making sure that people can
continue living at home and do not end up in residential
accommodation unnecessarily. The money will be used to completely
refurbish bedrooms and renovate lounge, kitchen and dining areas
at:-
► Sedgemoor Dementia Centre in Norris
Green.
► Granby Reablement Centre in Toxteth.
► Venmore Health and Wellbeing Centre in
Everton (stroke recovery).
A 'telecare' suite will also be created at Sedgemoor
to train people to use technology to help them stay safe home at
home, as well as the installation of a 'techno gym' to
assist with strength and fitness.
► At Venmore, the short stay unit will
also start offering services to residents and the wider community.
► At The Lime in Kensington, which helps
people with complex needs, new furniture will be installed, together
with a gym and a summer house for activities.
Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for adult social care, Council lor
Roz Gladden, said:- "This marks the final phase of investment to
completely transform the services we deliver in our social care
buildings. It means all of our hubs will be welcoming and
comfortable places to spend time, kitted out with the latest
technology. I am really proud that we have been able to make a
significant investment in a new kind of care facility which is
completely transforming the way in which we provide support to
people. The whole emphasis now is on helping people lead independent
lives, so that they do not end up in long term care before it is
absolutely necessary."
There will also be investment in
new technology to enable social work staff to carry out integrated
assessments in the community, so people do not have to undergo
separate appraisals by different health and social care
organisations. |
