A round up of business news including; information on new support services, grant funding, success stories, advice and information and dates for your diary.



National Minimum Wage Increased on 1st April
05 April 2019
The National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage both increased on the 1st of April. Employers need to make sure they update their payroll so employees are paid correctly. Check the rates. If you discover you’ve been paying your staff below the correct minimum wage, you must pay any arrears immediately. Even if you’re
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The Eco-Friendly Shop
03 April 2019
A SOMERSET ECO-FRIENDLY RETAILER WINS FAIRTRADE GOLD AWARD FOLLOWING MARKETING SUPPORT Over the course of 13 years, Amy Lawson has turned her passion on all things organic, recycled, up-cycled, fair-trade, and environmentally-friendly into a growing, eCommerce eco-friendly product supply business. With ambition to increase online sales, Amy was eager to find a way to compete
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£30,000 Rural Innovation Grant
01 April 2019
£30,000 rural innovation grant up for grabs The investment management firm, Quilter Cheviot, is offering UK businesses the chance to win £30,000 of grant funding. The firm is looking for the UK, Ireland and Jersey’s most innovative companies or individuals using innovation to benefit rural areas. The Rural Innovation Programme has been created to find
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Mendip Business Awards 2019
28 March 2019
Mendip Business Awards 2019 – Entries close Tues 2nd April! For all of the fantastic businesses wishing to celebrate their achievements and hard work over the past year – don’t forget you have just days left to submit your entry (or entries) to see who will shine at the year’s award ceremony. Whether you’re a
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Barclays backs UK SMEs through Brexit with a package of support including a £14bn lending fund
28 March 2019
Barclays has today announced a £14bn* lending fund as part of a series of initiatives to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to succeed and flourish through Brexit and beyond. Focused on building SME resilience during uncertain times, the package of support includes: A £14bn* dedicated lending fund for the businesses that are the lifeblood
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Innovative businesses invited to pitch to key influencers and investors
26 March 2019
Pitchfest 2019 applications now open to South West entrepreneurs Innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs with high growth potential seeking investment are encouraged to apply for Pitchfest 2019, a pitching competition being run as part of Venturefest South West on 17 June at Sandy Park, Exeter. Pitchfest offers innovators and entrepreneurs the opportunity to promote their businesses
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Using Electron Microscopy in the Microelectronics and Photonics Sector
25 March 2019
Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC) are hosting their Industrial Solutions series of events throughout 2019. Supported by Innovate UK, UKRI, ZEISS, the University’s own Research and Innovation team and funded by ERDF, PEMC invites industrial partners old and new to join us on the main University campus to discover what Electron Microscopy could do for
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The Link Academy Trust
20 March 2019
The Link Academy Trust is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) of 9 rural primary schools located in Totnes, Newton Abbot, Teign valley and Crediton providing education to over 700 pupils. The Trust has ambitious plans for the future as they continue on their growth journey – expanding the number of schools and pupils that the
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SW Manufacturing Barometer Winter 2018-19 (Q3)
11 March 2019
The results are in! You’ll see that over 1/5 of manufacturers in the South West are looking to relocate suppliers to the UK, over 2/3 are or plan to stockpile raw materials, and that the diversion of resources while they adopt a pragmatic approach to the uncertainty around Brexit means they’re holding back on investing
Read moreRetailers: Still a few remaining spaces Book Now!
05 March 2019
Retailers Workshop – harnessing digital tech to improve your sales and become more efficient This fully funded workshop will help Retail businesses to: Understand the digital technology options available to support retail businesses Learn about the benefits of integrating digital business systems such as CRM, Accounting, stock control and EPOS Understand multi channel retailing options
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