Do you feel equipped to make the tough decisions you face in order to survive the current uncertainty?

Concerned about your staff, clients, cashflow, supply chain and being around when the recovery happens?

Once the recovery starts, your business needs to be ready to react to the ‘new normal.’ Be more resilient, more productive and better able to deliver to your customers.

The good news is that there is free expert advice and practical support available to assist you in taking the important decisions and actions required to help your business adapt and rebuild.

Buckinghamshire Business First’s highly-respected Growth Advice programme is fully-funded and accessible remotely via interactive webinars and video calls: 

• 1:1 support from a Business Adviser to help you identify and think through the problems that need addressing and come up with an actionable delivery plan.
• Online masterclasses with Cranfield School of Management and Harwood Hutton Accountants to help you adapt and focus your business strategy and financial planning
• Online ‘peer-to-peer’ discussions so you can talk and share insights and business models with other business owners facing similar challenges

Eligibility criteria

Your Buckinghamshire-based business can benefit from this programme if it has :

• a turnover of at least £500,000
• a minimum of five people in the business

To find out more, contact Jane Dell on 01494 927147 or at jane.dell@bbf.uk.com.

You can also visit our Growth Programme website for more details.

Westcott BIC business support programme open for applications

If you have a business idea that you would like to explore or develop, or are looking at growing your start-up but aren’t sure how to take those next steps, then the Westcott Business Incubation Centre (BIC) could help.

Despite the Westcott BIC being physically closed, applications for its programme of support are open as usual and the BIC is able to deliver the same level of support and guidance to businesses remotely, including sessions with business and technical experts, business sprints, and investor readiness.

The incubation programme for start-ups is designed to help you define your business idea and to develop a strong and compelling business proposition. The BIC also provides support for rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept.

Westcott BIC specialises in space propulsion, 5G communications and autonomous systems, and is in the heart of the test facility network at Westcott. During your time in the Incubation Centre, a tailored support package will see you access mentors and other support to accelerate the growth of your company.

The deadline for the next round of applications is June 30th 2020.

You could be the next company to benefit from:

• Access to funding
• Hands-on technical and business support tailored to your needs
• Support with prototype development and validation
• Signposting to specialist test facilities
• Collaborative co-working space in the Westcott Space Cluster
• Help with preparing for investment
• Connections to key stakeholders, industry partners and academic networks

Find out more and apply on the Westcott BIC website.

Get advice on how to craft a successful application

Westcott BIC has written a blog which explains the application process, offers advice on how to successfully apply, and outlines the benefits of being a part of the programme.

Do you want to build your customer base for the COVID-19 recovery period?

HS2 Ltd expect the high speed rail project to ramp up activity in the coming months, in line with Public Health England guidelines.

The project will need companies of all types and sizes to get involved during the construction phase, and HS2 is keen to work with local businesses wherever it can.  

Opportunities are listed on HS2’s tender platform Competefor, which you can register with for free to be kept informed of the latest procurement opportunities as they go live.

The main works contractor in the area (Eiffage Kier) has their own specific area within Competefor, where more localised opportunities will appear.

Here are some of the things that HS2 expect to be going to market for in the coming months:

• Vehicles – including busing services
• Services on site (sanitary services, pest control, milk, fruit)
• Office stationery
• Office consumables (cleaning / catering)
• Catering, venue bookings
• Fire safety & equipment
• Site signage
• Printing/repro services
• Site consumables (cones, barriers, fencing, hand tools etc.)
• Builders merchants (timber, pipes etc.)
• Steel
• Fixing
• Concrete accessories
• Formwork accessories
• Timber merchant / wood formwork
• Reinforcement steel accessories
• Power tools
• Facilities management
• Cleaning

You can also register with the HS2 business engagement team, who are working to promote the offer of local businesses within the supply chain.

For more information on ongoing works, and the HS2 response to the current COVID-19 crisis, you can visit their website.

Stay informed of the latest business support re: COVID-19

Remember to visit our COVID-19 business support hub for the latest support and information from the government, business support organisations and other avenues of support. Bookmark www.bbf.uk.com/covid-19 so you can easily find it in future.