We are excited to announce that we have entered into a partnership with Enterprise Nation, a small business network and business support provider with more than 70,000 members. Enterprise Nation offers businesses access to a wide range of business building tools, advisers, information, events and networking opportunities. Reigate & Banstead will be offering a year’s complimentary membership to successful Business Support Grant applicants and Entrepreneur Academy attendees.

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, spoke at our celebration event for entrepreneurs and new businesses in February, and her great enthusiasm for helping small businesses to grow and succeed was evident. Emma’s talk focused on practical ways that small businesses can grow, with tips including:

• Big chains are increasingly looking to stock small, local brands. They want to address a growing consumer demand and increase their local relevance. 
• Consider exporting - 60% of Amazon sellers sell more overseas.
• Make the most of digital technology to open up to a global market.

Click heading for more ...

Canon, world-leader in imaging solutions, has been named a Top Employer 2018 in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany and Spain.
This certification recognises the ongoing investment that Canon makes in developing its employees and providing an environment that helps its people to learn and grow. 

esure: The Chief Executive of the insurance business, who has its headquarters in Reigate, has stepped down. Stuart Vann joined esure in 2000. In this time esure has grown to 2.4 million in-force policies and more than £800 million in gross written premiums.

Holmesdale Building Society has agreed terms to merge with Skipton, subject to approval. The merger is expected to become effective on the 1st October 2018 and Skipton have received consent from the PRA to approve the proposed merger. Holmesdale was founded in 1855 and has one branch in Reigate, employing 26 people. Holmesdale concluded that "it is in the best interests of current and future members to merge with a much stronger building society able to offer more choice and value to members in the long-term".

e-foldi - Redhill-based firm e-foldi has raised £660,970 in their crowd funding campaign, almost doubling their £350,000 target.  Find out more. 

Ultimate Database The Web Application Development Company based in Redhill have reached the end of a two-year redevelopment programme of their Online Development Tool with £90k investment. Find out more

Regus UK have just launched their new serviced offices in Kingsgate House, Redhill. Find out more.

Gatwick Diamond Business Awards We are delighted that local companies have been short-listed for the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards - good luck!

Green Business of the year - 3FEV

Employer of the Year - Jellyfish Group Ltd

Business Person of the year - Rob Pierre, Jellyfish Group Ltd

Business of the year (over £1m) - Jellyfish Group Ltd

Last week we hosted our third partnership event with MP Crispin Blunt and Voluntary Action Reigate and Banstead (VARB) to promote the benefits of corporate volunteering.  There was a great turn out from businesses including Pfizer, Gatwick Airport, esure, We are Just and Canon, as well as the voluntary sector.

We were delighted to welcome some great local speakers:

Bob Pickles, Canon

Jen Sanderson and Kate Curtis, Loveworks

Graham Whitney and Linda Boucher, Skylark

Nina Porter, VARB 

Workshops established what the voluntary sector are looking for from their volunteers, as well as what businesses want.  We reached consensus that both sides want to establish long-term relationships, and really value skills-based volunteering to embed new skills within the voluntary organisations. Many businesses no longer provide money to organisations, but match-fund employees' fundraising, or facilitated payroll giving.

However large your company is, find out about the latest volunteering opportunities.

The Merstham Mix is a new kind of café aiming to bring together the local community for low-cost, healthy food in a sociable space while doing something proactive to address the problem of food waste. They have launched a crowd funding campaign to help them open for longer.

Crowding funding link

Click heading for more information ..