Rushcliffe Accelerator business support programme to launch on October 25
Last updated: 10/10/2023
Local businesses are being invited to hear about support available from the new Rushcliffe Accelerator project at a Rushcliffe Business Partnership event taking place on Wednesday, October 25.
Rushcliffe Accelerator is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and East Midlands Chamber.
It signals a new era of local place-based support for businesses in Rushcliffe and will help local businesses at all stages of their development to start, sustain, grow and innovate, as well as invest in R&D and take steps to decarbonise.
Councillor Abby Brennan, Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) Deputy Leader & Portfolio Holder for Business & Growth, will take the opportunity at the Bingham Arena event to share details of the Council’s new UKSPF and Rural England Prosperity Funding grants.
Alongside Cllr Brennan, Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, will outline the range of support available under Rushcliffe Accelerator, and explain how businesses can register to join the project and secure their free place at future workshops.
Rushcliffe Business Partnership also welcome our speakers Di Tunney and Natalie Abbott.
Di Tunney, Marketing Consultant, and lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, will share how AI technology can be used by businesses to enhance their marketing efforts.
Natalie Abbott, Partner at Rothera’s Solicitors, will explain the importance of inclusive recruitment and how businesses of all sizes can use this approach to recruit the best people to join this team.
The Rushcliffe Accelerator offers:
· Training including action planning workshops and webinars in areas such as finance, HR and digital.
· Access to finance including specialised consultancy through growth voucher support and grants.
· Continuation of support under the Rushcliffe Digital High Street Programme to help high street businesses increase footfall and attract new customers through dedicated business adviser time and access to workshops on topics such as e-commerce, using social media as an online shopfront and improving customer journeys through social content.
· A team of locally based Advisers and Specialists, employed by the Chamber, who will offer high-intensity growth implementation support to businesses to create new jobs or exploit technology to improve performance. Diagnostics will be assessed, and a Business Action Plan produced through the Balanced Scorecard strategic management system model.
Councillor Brennan said: “We are excited to continue to work with East Midlands Chamber on this new business support initiative. The programme provides a wide range of support that we hope will meet the needs of many of our local businesses.
"This is one element of the Council’s plans for UKSPF projects, and we will continue to work with businesses to understand their needs to help develop locally tailored solutions.”
Diane Beresford, deputy chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, added: “Over the last year, the Chamber has had the opportunity to partner with Rushcliffe Borough Council on the Rushcliffe Digital High Street Programme.
"We’ve delivered one-to-one support from a Digital Adviser to some 41 businesses and fully-funded expert digital consultancy to 25 businesses. We’re now looking forward to reaching a much wider range of sectors to give businesses the skills and resources they need to build in the most robust way for the future.”
Shamshad Walker, vice chair of Rushcliffe Business Partnership said: “We look forward to bringing together businesses to learn more about hot topics as well as network and build relationships.
“In the current climate businesses need help to grow and the Rushcliffe Accelerator provides an excellent range of support that will be valued by the local business community.”