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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
Swadlincote Farmers’ and Producers’ Market - 25 April, 30 May & 27 June 2013 – Between 9.00am-3.00pm on the last Thursday of the month farmers and producers are invited to sell products grown, raised, made, brewed, pickled, bottled, baked or caught within 35 miles of The National Forest on The Delph town square. For further information and to book a stall please contact Simon Wardle, Market Manager on Tel: 07879 276243 or simon.wardle@virgin.net
Free Training for Volunteers – 19 April-17 May – Do you volunteer, or are you thinking of volunteering? Then this course is for you! The Derbyshire Volunteer Passport offers FREE training for volunteers who support ‘Vulnerable Adults’ or ‘Children & Young People’ in Derbyshire. For more information contact Chris Wagstaff on 01283 219761 or email chrisw@sdcvs.org.uk
Love Your Local Market – 17-28 May - Swadlincote’s award-winning market is giving budding entrepreneurs five opportunities to set out their stalls for just a pound a day. Geraud, the market operators, are offering new to markets traders the opportunity to book five of the six market traditional Tuesday, Friday and Saturday markets from Friday May 17 to Tuesday May 28 for a total of just five pounds. ‘Love Your Local Market’ is a national initiative that aims to attract new market traders - to find out more about the scheme contact Market Manager Simon Wardle on 07879 276243.
Starting My Own Business: Is It For Me? - 13 June - A one day introduction taking you through each stage of setting up a new business. The event is FREE to anyone unemployed and looking for work, and leads to a nationally accredited enterprise skills qualification. This event is being staged by Being Your Own Boss at Swadlincote Adult Learning Centre.
Derbyshire Food & Drink Fair – 18 & 19 May - Elvaston Castle will see over one hundred and fifty stalls showcase the best local produce from Derbyshire and the Peak District region, as well as unique and exotic foods from further afield. TV chef Valentine Warner will be the celebrity demonstrator in the cookery theatre on Saturday 18th May. Renowned Derbyshire chefs will be demonstrating their signature dishes throughout the weekend. The popular arts and crafts section will house over 40 local artists and crafts people, displaying their wares, which will range from contemporary art to traditional craftworks. Crafts demonstrators will also be at work over the weekend. To showcase your business, contact Stephanie Walsh at Derbyshire County Council on 01629 538464 or email: stephanie.walsh@derbyshire.gov.uk
Open Evening - 20 May Burton & South Derbyshire College invite you to visit the South Derbyshire Construction Campus where you'll get to speak with the tutors, learn more about courses of interest, tour the facilities and get involved in exciting demonstrations!
Swadlincote Youth Training Fair – 28 June - Whether it’s a job, an apprenticeship, further training or education you are looking for - the Youth Training Fair will give you the chance to find out what the future may hold. If you are aged 16-24 come along and find out more. This FREE event is open to all and will take place between 10AM-2PM at Swadlincote Town Hall and on The Delph market square. For further information please contact Swadlincote Jobcentre on 01283 233523.
MAS Skills Workshop (3hrs): Best Practice Overview – 10 Sept - Lean Principles are essential in today’s business world. It is a business strategy that involves everyone in an organisation making sustained continuous improvement “without large capital investments” focusing on eliminating waste in all systems and processes of an organisation. This session is an overview of Lean comprising Workplace Organisation-5S, Quality Cost & Delivery and Process Mapping – Flow Process & Value Stream. The event is being staged by the Manufacturing Advisory Service at Kegworth.
Doing Business in China Clinics – 5 December - Whether you are just starting to look for opportunities in China, or planning to develop your existing activities, you may benefit from participating in one of these clinics. An experienced China Business Adviser will discuss on a one-to-one basis matters ranging from the market potential for your products or services, to how to establish a presence in the market, as well as the support and services available to help you develop your business in the China market in a cost effective way. Each Clinic session will last for 60 minutes and bookings will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. This event is being staged by the China-Britain Business Council, which is the leading organisation helping UK companies grow and develop their business with China.
BNI at Swadlincote Ski Centre - A new BNI group is meeting every Wednesday morning at Swadlincote Ski Centre. BNI is a business and professional networking organisation that allows only one representative from each profession to join any of its chapters. The sole purpose of the BNI chapter is to generate more business for its members. For further information, please contact Paul Evanson, Director Consultant, BNI Midlands, 07881 686661, paul@bnimidlands.co.uk
Looking for help getting back to work - A range of help is available including advice on CV writing, covering letters and searching for jobs online, plus the chance to improve IT and interview skills at the Old Post Centre in Newhall. Please contact the Centre on 01283 552263 for more information.
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
Unlocking Investment for Growth - D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, has secured £5m from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund to help local businesses grow and create new jobs. The programme will provide grants of up to 25% in support of capital investment projects with a minimum overall project value of £200,000. In exceptional circumstances up to £500,000 of grant funding is available for projects that can demonstrate real potential to create new jobs.
Derby Enterprise Growth Fund - Derby City Council has secured £20m from the Regional Growth Fund to grow enterprise and jobs in Derby and its travel to work area. There are three strands of support: Supply chain innovation; Enterprise expansion; and, an Enterprise Co-Investment Fund. Applications, particularly from small and medium-sized businesses in the eligible areas are invited to support business growth and job creation.
Digital Derbyshire Broadband Campaign - Digital Derbyshire needs residents and businesses to register their interest in receiving better broadband to be able to demonstrate demand to potential suppliers and investors. By doing so you'll be under no obligation to buy services when they are launched.
Coalfields Funds for Business Investment - The Funds invest in areas such as Swadlincote in support of new-start companies and established and more mature businesses seeking to expand, as well as mergers and acquisitions, management buy–outs and management buy–ins. The Coalfields Funds were established by the Government to finance growth-orientated companies and encourage entrepreneurship in England’s former coalfield areas. The Funds provide equity and equity related funding ranging from a minimum of £40,000 to a maximum of £1 million, normally structured as equity with loan or preference share capital, or a combination of both.
Growth Accelerator - This is the new service that helps ambitious businesses achieve rapid and sustainable growth. If you’re an ambitious business, you’re in a race for growth. You’re already good but you want to be bigger and even better. The service aims to help you double your business within three years. It will help you seize new business opportunities, open doors to the right funding, and match you with expert business coaches close to you and within your sector. It will also suggest ways to boost your innovation, develop your products and grow your markets. You need to be a business registered in England with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than approximately £40m. Just as importantly, you should have the potential for rapid, sustained growth and want to double or better within three years.
Wheels to Work - If you live in Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire, and are having difficulty getting to work or learning, Wheels to Work (W2W) could be the answer. If you have an offer of work or training but are worried about getting there, W2W have a range of transport solutions, including: Moped loans, training and equipment; Bicycles; Public transport fares; Travel information; and, Travel planning.
Start-up Loans - If you're between 18 and 30, living in England and thinking about starting a business, you can apply for new loans of £2,500, as well as business support and mentoring.
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 UK Association of Business Angels
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.
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.
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.
Rural Retailer - Advice and support for rural retailers from the Rural Shops Alliance.
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.
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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