Hub help available to make Shropshire businesses stronger in 2020

As Britain enters a transition period after leaving the EU, the free business support service is hoping more and more companies will join its £10 million Growth Challenge launched last year.

The Marches Growth Hub is also working with partners including specialist advisers, the Department for International Trade (DiT) and business networks including the Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses, to support businesses in the coming year.

Yasmin Sulaman, business support project officer with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, said the help and guidance on offer was for all businesses looking to grow in 2020.

“Businesses have faced uncertainty for a long time and some have held off from planning new investments or creating jobs until the way forward was clear.

“Now we have a great opportunity to remind businesses of the help and support on offer from the Marches Growth Hub and encourage them to join our £10 million Growth Challenge – a pot of funding for B2B companies offering grants up to £150,000.”

Loan finance is also available via the Midlands Engine Investment Fund. From April to September, four of the largest funding programmes which form part of the Growth Challenge awarded a combined £972,000 across the region in a move anticipated to create 29 new jobs.

“The Marches Growth Hub also has a searchable database of more than 150 schemes and projects specifically aimed at helping businesses – whether they want to save money on their energy bills, receive expert help to take a new product to market or explore new markets overseas.

“In addition to the online resource at www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk, businesses can access support directly from our hubs in Telford and Shrewsbury, delivered expertly by our local authority partners.” The Marches Growth Hub also has an online Brexit Toolkit to help businesses and is signposting companies to help via the Government’s online portal at www.gov.uk/euexit