Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce

Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce

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News roundup from Dorset Gateway

Dorset Gateway is Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership’s growth hub. We’re here to help businesses across Dorset find the right advice, support and funding to enable them to grow and prosper. This is the latest edition of our newsletter.

Smart Grant Opportunities

UK registered organisations can apply for grant funding of between £100,000 to £2 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.  The current round of funding closes on the 27th July 2022.

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Net Zero Hydrogen Fund

The Net Zero Hydrogen Fund is now available to support the commercial redeployment of new low carbon hydrogen production projects.

The fund will provide grant funding of between £80,000 and £15 million to support development expenditure for front end engineering design (FEED) and post-FEED studies for low carbon hydrogen production facilities.

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Go Green with Free access to Climate Essentials

Local businesses across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with up to 250 employees are now eligible for a year of exclusive FREE ACCESS to the Climate Essentials platform – helping them manage and track their carbon emissions.

To sign up simply email ClimateEssentials@bcpcouncil.gov.uk and include your business name, sector, number of employees and contact information.

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Apprenticeships 2.0 Conference

Join Dorset Careers Hub on the 29th June at their 1-day conference for HR & Business Leaders.

The conference is designed to tackle the staffing issues facing companies and industries, whilst creating greater opportunities for all.

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National Manufacturing Day

On 7th July 2022, Make UK is encouraging manufacturers to open their doors in a UK wide event.

This initiative will give local communities the chance to see potential careers and jobs on offer within the wonderfully diverse manufacturing sector.  The aim of the event is to engage with a wide range of individuals from different age groups and at different stages of their careers, such as school leavers, graduates and people looking to reskill.

For Make UK and Manufacturers, this is an opportunity to showcase the diversity of the sector, the range of highly skilled jobs on offer and the amazing opportunities for reskilling and career development within manufacturing in the UK.

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Plastic Packaging Tax

From 1 April 2022, you must register for Plastic Packaging Tax if you’ve manufactured or imported 10 or more tonnes of plastic packaging within the last 12 months, or if you plan to do so in the next 30 days.

Businesses are advised to check they are meeting their obligations.

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Dorset Business Cyber-Crime Survey

This short survey is to help us gain an understanding of the issue of cyber-crime on local businesses and to see where there are areas, we can try to improve awareness and provide support.

Computer hacking, malware and cyber-enabled frauds now cost the UK just under one billion pounds every 6 months. The speed, convenience and anonymity of the internet – paired with the staggering rate at which technology is advancing – means that the entry point for cyber-crime is lower than ever before, and would-be criminals are able to learn and develop their skills with resources readily available.

Click here to take part in our survey.

 

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Groundbreaking BCP business & work TV show to launch – and we’re proud to be a part of it!

It’s coming soon to a screen near you…

A new video magazine programme aimed at the BCP business community – and also those transitioning jobs or looking to regain employment – is launched next month.

Three 20-minute pilot episodes of Working Live! are to be broadcast on May 4th, 6th and 9th. They will be delivered through www.workinglive.co.uk and will also simulcast on LinkedIn(https://www.linkedin.com/company/limetools-limited/)  and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/workinglivebcp ). Catch-up viewing will be available from the following day on the website.

It is being delivered by Bournemouth-based Limetools Ltd, in association with BCP Council, using a dedicated studio in Southcote Road, Bournemouth. The company is headed by John Dale, a former award-winning programmer-maker with the BBC, ITV and Channel Four.

The ground-breaking project is funded by BCP Council’s ARG Stream 3 Bounce Back Challenge Fund Grant Scheme. The pilot project is being watched closely by other local authorities as an example of best practice, as well as the government. If successful, funding could become available for a year-round series of Working Live!

Several local businesses and cluster organisations are supporting the concept through an Editorial Advisory Group, contributing ideas and providing feedback.

All the presenters of Working Live! are passionate entrepreneurs who own and run their own successful businesses in the region. Each 20-minute episode will feature interviews, case studies, studio discussions and video packages.

Topics due to be covered include:

    • Employment and apprenticeships
    • Wellbeing
    • Happiness in the workplace
    • The power of collaboration
    • Managing cyber security
    • Net Zero on low budgets

Viewers will be able to share their views through live voting and opinion exchange using a wide range of video conferencing platforms as well as more traditional TV phone-in contributions. It’s hoped that, in time, Working Live! will become an authoritative source of information and material, providing a valuable insight into the BCP world of work.

The project also aims to widen the information flow to ease employment issues and support the local economic bounce back.

John Dale said, “When we moved our business to this area, we were surprised at the strength of the networks. ‘Word of mouth’ is increasingly important not just in sales, but in recruitment, R&D and product design. Working Live! explores how we can widen that viral conversation to include everyone interested in work in the BCP city region, across sectors and including those transitioning careers and talent just starting out.”

To access Working Live! visit www.workinglive.co.uk and register. It will also be simulcast on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/limetools-limited/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/workinglivebcp )

The developer of Working Live! – Limetools Ltd – designs and builds behaviour change programmes in areas of high organisational risk. Visit www.limetools.biz

Recent clients for Limetools include BAE Systems, the Cabinet Office, European Commission, European Business Incubation Network, the MOD and Santander.

By Andrew Diprose, Editor @dorsetbusinessnews

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Ukrainian Aid Mission

In response to the crisis and rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, like many, Wai Man Cheung from W M C Wealth Management felt compelled to reach out further and offer physical time and services.

Mr Cheung arranged an aid mission to the Poland/Ukraine border, joining ranks with the organisation Van-Aid which is also working closely on logistics with the Polski Klub Southampton.

Here is a short video from Mr Cheung himself, sharing his story and journey:

To make a contribution via the crowdfunding page, please click here. 

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Busy and successful 12 months for chamber as Jacqui is re-elected president for second year

A busy and successful year.

The verdict of Jacqui Rock on her first year as President of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce (BCTC).

Speaking at the chamber’s annual meeting, Jacqui reeled off some of the highlights of the last 12 months including:

  • Sourcing £50,000 in Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG3) allowing trading districts to start to be opened outside the BID area. BCTC worked with Kinson/Northbourne (BH10/11); Winton/Moordown (BH9), Boscombe East Pokesdown/Iford and Wallisdown. Not all are progressing as trading districts.
  • Sourcing an additional £4,600 per area under ARG4 for events in Kinson/Northbourne, Winton and Moordown, Pokesdown/Boscombe East/Iford as well as £2,000 per area for Castle Lane West/Charminster/Holdenhurst Rd and Wallisdown.
  • Plans to set up in-depth business training workshops for businesses in these areas.
  • As a result of the new trading districts, 41 new members joined BCTC.
  • Return of monthly networking BHBanter on the 1st Monday of each month at BCTC Patron Oceana Hotels.
  • Partnering with the new Bournemouth Business Awards, launched earlier this year with the finals in May.
  • Looking to forge closer collaboration with Christchurch Chamber of Trade & Commerce.

Jacqui was re-elected as President with Yvonne Devereux as Vice President.

Bill Perkins is Chair of Board/Honorary Treasurer while other Directors are Roger Smith (Past President), Matt Maclean and David King.

Taylorcocks are Honorary Accountants and Rawlins Davy, Honorary Solicitors.

Following the annual meeting, held at Bournemouth’s Cumberland Hotel, members enjoyed the President’s Dinner.

Article Written By Andrew Diprose, Editor

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Grant Alert – March 2022

South West Enterprise Fund

Opens on 21st March 2022  

Closes on 17th June 2022

Young people in Dorset age 18 – 30 can apply for a grant of up to £2000 for support with business start-up costs. Applicants should either be planning to launch a brand new business or within the first two years of running a new business. The grant can be used for equipment, materials, stock or services needed for the business – not for salary or living costs.

Applicants need a referee to support their application – this could be a previous or current teacher, employer or support worker.

Applications received by April 30 will receive a decision in mid-May.

Subsequent applications will receive a decision in early July.

For more details, please CLICK HERE
Lord Lieutenant’s Fund for Young & Talented

Extension of closing date to 27th March

This Fund re-launched last month after a dormant 2 year period, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Fund supports young people age 16 – 25 who have a recognised talent in sport but are struggling to progress due to financial or social circumstances. Grants of up to £1,000 are available towards kit/clothing costs, competition fees, coaching, travel costs and accommodation (not an exhaustive list).

For more details, please CLICK HERE

 

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£115,000 available for Businesses to Support Cycling and Sustainable Travel to Work.

Businesses across south east Dorset are being invited to apply for grants of between £500 and £20,000 to spend on new workplace facilities that encourage their employees to cycle or adopt sustainable travel to work.

A total of £100,000 is available for the grants through BCP and Dorset councils’ Transforming Cities Fund programme which aims to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions by offering people safe, green and active travel alternatives to the car, particularly for short journeys.

Under this grant scheme, businesses in the south east Dorset Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) region can apply for grants of up to £20,000 to help them build, install or improve ‘trip end facilities’ at their place of employment.  This can include projects such as the installation of bike parking/storage, showers, lockers, bike repair stands, outdoor bike pumps, clothes drying facilities and electric bike charging points.

The scheme not only focuses on encouraging employees to cycle to work, but also many of the facilities supported by the grant scheme, such as shower and locker facilities, will also encourage employees to walk to and from the bus as well as to walk and run to work.

Similar grant schemes have been extremely popular and oversubscribed, and all grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Businesses wanting to apply for a grant should visit to our information page where they can download the guidance document and an application form.  These should be completed by 9 March 2022.

About the ‘Business Trip End Grant Scheme’:

  • More information on the grants and a copy of the scheme guidance document and application form is available here or by emailing the Sustainable Travel Team at BCP Council (a2b.team@bcpcouncil.gov.uk). Please put ‘Business Trip End Grant Scheme’ as the subject.
  • Businesses are required to provide a further 20% match funding from their own resources in addition to any grant that is awarded.
  • Businesses applying for the grants must be located no more than two kilometres from one of the six new sustainable travel routes currently being delivered under the south east Dorset TCF programme.
  • Businesses receiving grants must demonstrate a long-term commitment towards cycling by applying for Cycling UK’s Cycle Friendly Employer scheme and achieving a minimum of the bronze accreditation before grant funds will be released (details can be found here or contact accreditation@cyclinguk.org).

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Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant now open

The Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant has been set up to provide direct grants to hospitality and leisure businesses that have been severely financially impacted by the Omicron variant and have not been eligible for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.

This scheme is now open to applications. Please read the eligibility details and scheme document carefully before applying. If your business is eligible, please complete the application form without delay. The deadline to apply is 28 February 2022 at midnight.

 

Find out more and apply