Help for Businesses and Individuals
Surrey Economic Partnership works with organisations that can help businesses. We have put together a list of contacts that might be useful to you.
Business Link offers free, impartial & confidential business information, advice and support to all businesses in Surrey. There are adviser teams in every borough and district, who have local knowledge and an understanding of current market conditions. Business Link also organises regular free seminars and events covering a multitude of hot-topics and business issues. Call 0845 600 9 006, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast or email success@businesslinksurrey.co.uk
Train to Gain offers businesses with 250 people or less access to funded and subsidised training packages to help their businesses become more competitive, for more information call 0845 751 2288; email info@traintogainse.co.uk or visit www.traintogain.gov.uk
Supply2.gov.uk - suppliers who sign up to the site receive advice on how best to access government contracts and a free daily email alert notifying them of new opportunities relevant to their business. It is estimated that around 108,000 contract opportunities have been advertised through the website, with around 3,500 new opportunities available every month. For more details visit www.supply2.gov.uk
Latest news on Supply2.gov.uk
A new Innovation Fund for technology based companies aiming to offer up to £1billion of Government and private sector funds has been launched as part of a new package of Government measures to help the UK through recession. The new fund will focus on investing in growing small businesses, start-ups and spin-outs, in digital and life sciences, clean technology and advanced manufacturing. The fund follows the 'New Industry, New Jobs' strategy which identified access to venture capital as one of the critical factors in developing innovative new companies in Britain. Plans have also been announced for a new National Skills Strategy to be launched later this year, looking at how enterprise can be more firmly embedded within higher and further education. Both these measures are included in the Government's new plan for "Building Britain's Future", a new vision for a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society.
Click "Building Britain's Future" to read it in full.
Real Help for Businesses Now - a range of free support to find finance, raise productivity, or save money by reducing waste and saving energy. Whether you need to increase cashflow, keep your staff on, improve their skills and flexibility, or simply reduce costs, you can get real help to keep your business fighting fit. You can find more detailed information in this document and on www.realhelpnow.gov.uk
Keeping The South East Working - The key agencies in the region have responded to the recession by pulling together to keep the South East working. You can find more detailed information in this document and on www.realhelpnow.gov.uk
The Centre for Sustainable Design offers free sustainable product and innovation support. If you are an inventor, start-up, service or product manufacturing company - a small or medium-sized business, with less than 250 employees, based in the South East region - you may be eligible for up to two days of free consultancy support.
The Centre for Sustainable Design in Farnham www.cfsd.org.uk is able to provide free research and advice related to greener product design and development, funding, marketing and commercialisation to eligible small or medium sized enterprises, through the 'EcoMind' project, with EU funding from the INTERREG IVA "2 Seas" Programme. This might include; identifying opportunities to reduce costs through environmental improvements, identifying new market opportunities, developing new product and service concepts, identifying the implications of product-related environmental legislation and exploring opportunities related to low carbon product or services.
For more information visit www.cfsd.org.uk/sids/ECOMIND/
or contact Tim Woolman, Project Coordinator, twoolman@ucreative.ac.uk
Direct Tel: 01252 892879
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funds a number of programmes that help individuals and businesses:
People can get help in finding suitable college courses, apprenticeships or work skills programmes. Contact Connexions Direct on 08080 013 219 (8am - 2am, seven days a week), text 07766 413 219, or visit www.connexionssurrey.co.uk
People out of work: the LSC works with Jobcentre Plus to increase training opportunities for unemployed people to get jobs and to progress when in work. The nextstep service offers face-to-face information, advice and support to people aged 20 and over. They can help with writing CVs, interview skills and returning to work, contact nextstep 0800 1954 700 or visit www.nextstepsoutheast.org.uk
For more information from the Learning and Skills Council, visit www.lsc.gov.uk call 08450 194 145 or email surreyinfo@lsc.gov.uk
For Jobcentre Plus, go to www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk for information on programmes or to find the nearest office.
Surrey Trading Standards carry out a wide range of duties and are renowned for their work in exposing and dealing with problem traders. To access more information please click the following links:
~ Consumer advice
~ Business advice
~ Buy With Confidence scheme
~ Eat Out Eat Well initiative Consumers and Businesses
To contact Surrey Trading Standards Service please call: 01372 371700
or visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/tradingstandards
South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has announced a £10 million package of support for a range of activities, for example:
Grants for business investment scheme - offers capital grants for small and medium sized businesses with long-term viability, whose investment plans need financial support. Email: innovation@businesslinksoutheast.co.uk
Finance South East
Finance South East is a regional funding organisation, backed by SEEDA and privately governed. With access to a breadth of public and private resources, they specialise in the identification, funding and development of ambitious, high-potential growth businesses. FSE manages a number of initiatives focusing on womens' enterprise. Finance South East have directly invested £12BDm in SE companies and have helped them raise a further £30m. For more information visit www.financesoutheast.com
Commercialisation Fund - supports businesses with high growth potential to bring new products and services to the market - call Business Link 08456 009 006 or click here.
Designing Demand programme called 'Immerse' - provides intensive extended design support to larger businesses. Contact: Robin Gillum-Webb on 01483 484229 or 07802 819 396 or robingillum-webb@seeda.co.uk
South East Business Innovation and Growth provides business support which is designed to have a tangible and positive impact on companies in the South East of England which have the potential to innovate and grow. http://www.innovationgrowth.co.uk/surreyhants/
The Hardship Fund - designed to help voluntary and community organisations in England that have been adversely affected by the recession. Click Hardship Fund for more information.
The Daphne Jackson Trust - enables scientists, engineers and IT specialists to return to work after career breaks. The Trust is a registered charity. A group of eminent scientists and engineers act as Trustees and members of management Committees. An effective administration team looks after the applicants, fellowships and all day-to-day operations.
Guidelines for Enquirers
www.DaphneJackson.org
Surrey Tourism Business Support - the help on offer includes a free one-to-one business review with a tourism and hospitality specialist, free or subsidised training, inclusion in tourism guides and a new free 'Guide to doing business in tough times'. More details available here.
Surrey Hills Leader Grant Scheme - Leader is a new source of funding for farmers, growers, foresters and rural communities helping to secure a sustainable future for rural Surrey. Full information available in the Surrey Hills Leader leaflet.
