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To make a general business enquiry or to suggest further developments to this website, please use the Business Enquiry Form or the contact details at the foot of the page. (Pictures: Christopher Beech Photography)
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Business events
Investment Fund Consultation - 22 May – D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership, wants to hear from businesses looking for grant investment to create jobs but whose project may not meet the £1m threshold for the Regional Growth Fund. D2N2 hopes that with sufficient interest from business they can make a case to Government for funding a growth investment programme for local firms looking for grants of less than £1m.
Coalfield Regeneration Trust Surgery – 23 May - Small groups, both new and existing (with an income not exceeding £100,000) can apply for a grant from £500 to £5000, to extend their local community impact in eligible areas of the District. Grants are available for both capital, such as building and equipment costs, and revenue, examples being training and delivery costs, venue hire, volunteer expenses and publicity. Half hour discussion slots must be booked through Eric Clayton at SDCVS on 01283 550163 or ericc@sdcvs.org.uk
Engineering Your Future Success - 29 May - Businesses across the country are increasingly realising the enormous benefits that apprentices bring and the importance of exporting to ensure their future sustainability. Rolls-Royce and the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) are working together to create excellent opportunities for the British engineers of the future. UKTI are working hard to ensure that our excellent engineering companies are fully supported to win business overseas. You are invited to join all 3 organisations at a half day event to find out how to grow your engineering business at the Rolls-Royce Learning & Career Development Centre in Derby.
Forestry and Climate Change - 19-20th June - In recent years the forestry sector in the UK has been confronted with a growing number of threats from the effects of climate change. An increasing number of pests and diseases such as Red Band Needle Blight, Phytopthoras and extreme weather events are causing foresters to reassess their woodlands and how they manage them. Now, for the first time in the UK, foresters can obtain the skills and knowledge to cope with this situation and even use it to their advantage where possible. PLUS the course leads to a Lantra Awards Customised Award as evidence of their professional competence in this emerging subject. This event is being staged by Rural Development Initiatives at Catton Hall, Walton on Trent.
Made in The National Forest - 23/24 June – An opportunity for local artists and crafts people to exhibit in the ‘Made in The National Forest’ marquee at the Festival of Leisure. The Festival is Swadlincote’s major summer public event, which attracts over 10,000 people to Maurice Lea Memorial Park. For further information and to reserve a place, please contact Matt Hinks on 01283 228 766 or matt.hinks@south-derbys.gov.uk
Upcoming Derbyshire Chamber events - The Chamber offers a comprehensive programme of events throughout the year. These range from networking and social events through to business seminars and management training.
Free HMRC Courses - Subjects covered include self assessment, becoming an employer, statutory payments, paying expenses and benefits, construction industry scheme, becoming a director and VAT. For a list of courses email info@dncc.co.uk
Support for Manufacturers – A range of training courses are offered by the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) which is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. MAS is designed to help you, the manufacturer, streamline your processes, reduce waste, become more energy efficient and generally improve and grow your business.
eBusiness Programme - The eBusiness Club is your virtual support network created to help you make the best use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to boost your business performance. You'll find information, events, workshops and advice on topics like planning a website, online marketing, social media, e-commerce, security, wireless and mobile working to help take the confusion out of ICT and help you to maximise the benefits of ICT to increase productivity.
Exporting Events - UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) works with UK-based businesses to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice. With a wealth of international trade events taking place across the East Midlands, why not take a closer look at some of the events and overseas visits that could help you to win new business overseas? Each UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) visit comes with support, know how, financial assistance and much more.
Derbyshire Business Events - A comprehensive listing of business events offered by a range of organisations throughout the County.
Latest information
Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative Grants and Grants - This is a national initiative with a fund of up to £125m to create more competitive supply chains, sustain or create new employment opportunities, and create better synergies and sustained collaborative relationships throughout supply chains that participate in this initiative.
Catchment Sensitive Farming Grants - Catchment Sensitive Farming delivers practical solutions and targeted support to enable farmers and land managers to take voluntary action to reduce diffuse water pollution from agriculture to protect water bodies and the environment. This is a joint project between the Environment Agency and Natural England, funded by Defra and the Rural Development Programme for England, working in priority catchments including the River Mease.
Rural Economy Grant - This provides grants to enable a significant ‘game-changing', transformational performance in farm, forestry, tourism, agri-food businesses and micro businesses in rural areas in England. Rural businesses can apply for individual grants which could range from £25,000 to more than £1m each. The objective is to support the businesses in increasing competitiveness and profits. Successful applicants will receive up to 40% of the cost of projects and the five areas that it is anticipated that the scheme will support are farm competitiveness; agri-food; tourism; forestry; and, micro enterprises such as digital media technology and small scale, high value manufacturing.
Grants available to innovative East Midlands food and drink manufacturers - Food and drink businesses in the East Midlands with bright ideas for innovation are being urged to come forward to apply for a share of a £100,000 pot of funding available via The Food and Drink iNet. The iNet has been helping companies in the food and drink sector to introduce new products and new ways of working since 2008. Now it has announced that around £100,000 is available over the coming financial year to provide grants of 40% towards innovation projects to eligible small and medium-sized companies. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the iNet is now looking for suitable projects to support and is appealing for manufacturing companies to come forward with their ideas.
Marketing Grant for Derbyshire Artists - Derbyshire Arts Partnership provides marketing grants to new and emerging artists to help boost the county’s creative economy and promote Derbyshire’s local artistic talent. Individual professional artists and small arts based businesses based in Derbyshire and working in any artform are eligible to apply. The grant supports visual artists, musicians, writers, dancers and performers and can contribute towards a wide range of marketing including new publicity material, photography, advertising and website development.
Default Retirement Age Online Toolkit - The Government has removed the Default Retirement Age so that people can choose to work for longer. The online toolkit will explain what this means for your business and workers, including information about how the law has changed, factsheets, case studies, help and support.
Business Angel Co Investment Fund - The fund is able to make initial equity investments of between £100K and £1M into Small & Medium-sized Enterprises alongside syndicates of business angels, subject to certain geographical restrictions and an upper limit of 49% of any investment round. Investment decisions will be made by the independent Investment Committee of the fund based on the detailed proposals put forward by business angel syndicates. The fund is not open to direct approaches from individual businesses and those seeking investment should first secure the interest of the business angel syndicate or network. Businesses seeking investment can find more information on business angels, syndicates and networks from the British Business Angels Association website www.bbaa.org.uk
Help to cut your energy bills - Are you a small or medium sized business looking to reduce your energy usage and cut your bills? Save money and energy with energy monitors from Derbyshire County Council.
Broadband Survey - Derbyshire County Council is carrying out 2 important broadband surveys, to identify local demand and discover where internet services are currently slow or even unacceptable. Please help them by completing the surveys, it may help to improve access in South Derbyshire.
Further information and links to the surveys can be found by following this link to the Derbyshire County Council website www.derbyshire.gov.uk.
Research Funding - The Eurostars Programme is the first European funding and support programme to be specifically dedicated to Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). Under Eurostars, funding is available to SMEs to undertake research and development in any technological area, but must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service. Eurostars supports collaborative projects involving at least two participants (legal entities) from two different Eurostars participating countries. In addition, the main participant must be a research-performing SME. Eurostars will support projects that are market-driven and that have a maximum duration of three years. In addition projects must be within two years of completion and ready for launch onto the market. The exception to this rule applies to biomedical or medical projects, where clinical trials must be started within two years of project completion.
Funding for Apprenticeships - Derbyshire County Council is to help fund 200 apprenticeships in local firms by offering grants of £2,500 to small and medium-sized enterprises. The recruitment process will start in January 2012.
English Woodland Grant Scheme - the EWGS provides grant support for landowners wanting to create new woodland and carry out sustainable woodland management, particularly where it protects and enhances the woodland’s environmental or social value.
Business Growth Fund - This is a major new £2.5 billion equity investment fund backed by five of the largest banks in the UK. The Fund will invest around £2 million to £10 million in return for an equity stake in businesses with sales of approximately £10 million up to £100 million per annum, offering longer-term funding over five to seven years or more.
Grant for Graduate Recruitment - £1,000 of grant-funding towards graduate recruitment is available through HotProspects - until September 2011. The grant allows small and medium-sized enterprises in the East Midlands to access fully supported recruitment for project-based or permanent graduate level positions. If the project is related to environmental sustainability, the business can claim 25% cash back on the graduate's salary for up to a year - this is available on a first-come first-served basis.
Forestry Micro-enterprise Grant - This grant is aimed at forestry and woodland related businesses, or businesses wanting to invest in wood fuel technology. Grants of between £2,500 and £25,000 are available towards buying new machinery or equipment, building handling or storage facilities or installing wood fuel systems. It is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England and is administered jointly by the Forestry Commission and the East Midlands Development Agency. A micro-enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 2 million.
Do you qualify for rate relief? Businesses with a rateable value of less than £18,000 in the 2010 list may be able to get rate relief which will reduce their business rates.
Getting British Business Online - Create a website for your business in 20 minutes, for free. Businesses of every type and size need to be found online. Use the simple online tool to create your first website - no technical knowledge needed. Update your site from any computer, for free. GBBO is a joint initiative by Google, Enterprise UK, BT, e-skills UK and many other partners to help small businesses create their first website and help them understand the opportunities offered by the Internet.
Helping Smaller Firms win Government Contracts - A free online public procurement course designed to help smaller firms bid for the £220 billion of public supplier contracts awarded each year.
Environmental Technology Centre - By considering environmental issues businesses can increase efficiency and profitability, while creating excellent marketing opportunities. Free help is available to small and medium sized businesses to make improvements through the adoption of more efficient use of resources, environmentally friendly working practices and the use of cleaner and more sustainable technologies.
Supplier Guide for 2012 Olympic Games - Advice and opportunities for businesses of all sizes looking to supply products and services to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from large construction contracts to small items for the Games themselves.
Rural Retailer - Advice and support for rural retailers from the Rural Shops Alliance.
New Loans for Entrepreneurs - aspiring entrepreneurs who have encountered problems raising finance for their business ventures, are set to benefit from the launch of a new initiative by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and First Enterprise Business Agency (FEBA). Enterprise Loans East Midlands aims to help 1,000 businesses over the next ten years, by offering loans of between £3,000 and £20,000. The loan fund is specifically designed for those people who are unable to access finance from traditional sources such as banks.
Workplace Health - Improve your health at work, with tips on dealing with stress, repetitive strain injury, back pain, exercise and healthy eating.
Rural Development Programme for England - grants mainly targeted at land-based businesses including farmers, foresters, horticulturists and equine businesses. The programme aims to: Add value to agricultural, horticultural or forestry products - including the development of new products, processes and technologies; Improve co-operation and collaboration between businesses to improve efficiency - including infrastructure and equipment investments; and, Promote diversification in the rural economy.
Derbyshire Against Business Crime - free security advice is available from local business crime advisers, tailored to the needs of individual companies.
Melbourne Shopping Directory - Melbourne Business Association launches guide to the historic town and its shopping centre of mainly independently owned businesses.
Online vacant commercial property search - find the latest office, industrial and retail premises, plus land and development opportunities.
Contact details
South Derbyshire District Council
Economic Development Service
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH
Tel: 01283 595755
Fax: 01283 595760
Online: contact form
email: economic.development@south-derbys.gov.uk
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