Innovation Vouchers - Round 12

You can get an Innovation Voucher worth up to £5,000 to pay for an external expert to help your business grow.

Coast to Capital Wood Processing Grant Programme

The Coast to Capital Wood Processing Grant Programme is an £800,000 initiative over the next two years to support enterprising timber businesses.   The programme will provide capital grants to small and medium sized businesses to part-fund projects that create jobs and strengthen and expand the operation of the wood processing industry in the area.

If your forestry business operates in the Coast to Capital region (West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Lewes, Reigate and Banstead, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Tandridge and Croydon) you could apply for an individual grant of between £35,000-£150,000.  

Eligible expenditure may include machinery and equipment, or the refurbishment and expansion of premises.  

Businesses have until 18 May 2015 at 10am to submit an Expression of Interest.

The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's most prestigious Awards for business performance. They recognise and reward outstanding achievement by UK companies.  Awards can be won under any of the following three categories:

• International Trade - recognising companies that have demonstrated growth in overseas earnings.
• Innovation - recognising companies that have demonstrated commercial success through innovative products or services.
• Sustainable Development - recognising companies that have integrated environmental, social, economic and management aspects of sustainable development into their business.

Any United Kingdom 'Business Unit', whether large, medium or small, which produces goods or provides services can be considered for an Award if it carries out activities which meet the specified criteria.


The Natwest Everywoman awards The awards reward not only businesswomen who have achieved significant success, but also women who have overcome adversities such as financial constraints, social disadvantages or skills gaps.

Services:

• Business Clinics – Designed for businesses with a turnover of less than £250,000
  Pre-book your 1 hour slot for advice on developing your business.
  Cost: Surrey Chambers Members £25.00 Non Members £75.00 Clinics are currently available in the Woking, Reigate & Banstead and Surrey Heath – Camberley areas.

• Initial Needs Analysis for Your Business – Designed for businesses with a turnover of more than £250,000
  Identifying your goals and business requirements using an in-depth diagnostic tool with a consultant on a 1-2-1 basis. You will receive a report to help further your businesses development.

• Quality Assured Specialists
  Whatever your business needs, we can introduce you to a quality-assured provider of an service you require.

For more information about the available dates please contact Richard Guillaume  01483 735540

We are driving public and private sector investment in Redhill, Horley, Preston and Merstham over the next five years that will make the borough an even better place to live, work and do business.  Ambitious regeneration plans include redeveloping several key sites to deliver commercial, retail, community and residential developments, including 2,600 homes in two new neighbourhoods.

Nine out of ten of our borough’s businesses have fewer than four employees. To recognise their vital role in the local economy we have developed a range of initiatives to help them succeed and grow. These include:

• Business Support Grants of up to £1,000 for small businesses and start-ups who can find it difficult to get the funding needed to develop and grow.
• A free Entrepreneur Academy that gives budding entrepreneurs the information and skills they need to get their business started, along with the chance to win £5,000 start-up funding.
• Our popular Learning Lunches are an opportunity to hear informative presentations on a range of business topics and network with local like-minded professionals.

We are also working with property owners and agents with the intention of identifying low-cost office space so that home-based micro-businesses wanting to grow have the opportunity to do so.

Over the last three years our innovative Young Workers Scheme has helped 160 18-24 year olds gain valuable skills to help them get a foot on the career ladder. The initiative provides six-month paid work placements, along with learning and development support.

We are keen to help other local employers adopt similar schemes and enjoy the benefits.

To find out about these and our other small business support initiatives visit: www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/business or follow us on Twitter and Linked-In for updates.

Central Sussex College has recently been awarded a large pot of funding to FULLY FUND a range of courses previously not available before. The funding available is unique and flexible with what it can cover, including mandatory training such as Manual Handling, Health and Safety, First Aid, along with Professional and Management training, bespoke and short courses.

Central Sussex College can deliver any of the courses to a group of staff with a minimum of 10 in each group. If 50% have a level 2 qualification or lower, the other 50% can have any prior attainment level.  (Level 2 is 5 x GCSE's grades A-C or more or NVQ's at level 2). Staff must be aged 19 years or over.

The more lower level staff on funded training, the more funding will be available to you those who have higher level of qualification across your organisation..