The New Year is a natural time to consider how you can do things differently at home, but also in the business environment with the financial end of year in sight.
Now is an ideal opportunity to look at how you can get involved in local activity and benefit from business support and networking opportunities in the year ahead. Support and networking opportunities are available through Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, via UKTI for those looking to explore overseas markets and export and through Worcestershire.Business.Central., which has been supported through our Growth Deal funding.
I look forward to meeting many more of you in the year ahead. I would encourage all businesses to attend the upcoming Worcestershire Innovation Wednesday event on 20 January 2016. These bi-monthly innovation sessions have proven to be very popular and the Support for Innovation and Access to Funding workshop will provide information from experts as well as the opportunity to have questions answered. The sessions provide a space for businesses and experts to come together to share ideas and thoughts about innovation and creativity with guest speakers providing specialist insight.
I hope to see many of you on 13 April for a workshop on the WLEP Business Plan for 2016-18 to discuss how local businesses can be involved in the future plans for the County. Other dates for the diary include 4 November for the Worcestershire LEP’s 2016 Annual Conference and 3 March for the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Business Expo. Do keep updated with all local business events by subscribing to our newsletter and referring to our website and events page.
As always, the Worcestershire LEP is looking at how we can further improve the business environment and we are keen to hear from local businesses about their future plans. In particular, I would encourage local SMEs to take the part in a short survey for a potential new Worcestershire Business Gateway service. We are particularly interested to hear the level of interest in this concept which would enable small and medium sized companies in Worcestershire to market and project themselves within London more effectively. Complete the survey here.
Please take all opportunities to get involved in events and future plans so we can work together to position Worcestershire as a modern thinking economy and successful place to live and work.