Welcome to the latest edition of the SVBS newsletter.
This week, we're focusing on OxLEP's new Visitor Economy Grants. The grants are available to businesses whose main focus is tourism, culture, arts, heritage, leisure, events or hospitality. Further details can be found below.
We're also highlighting our ShopAppy scheme for businesses based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse, the South East Business Portal and our next Networking in... session.
There are lots more opportunities, events and resources to get stuck into this week, but as always, if you'd like to suggest content for the SVBS newsletter, please get in touch with us.
- Team SVBS
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OxLEP's new Visitor Economy Grants
The OxLEP Business-led Visitor Economy Grant Scheme is a part of a wider OxLEP Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme, which is being supported through funding secured by OxLEP via the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund.
The programme aims to back the sector’s ongoing re-emergence from Covid-19, with the new grant scheme providing funds to eligible businesses, with grants ranging from £5,000 to £24,999 per business. The scheme will be open to eligible businesses across two funding rounds, beginning in October.
Grants are available to Oxfordshire based businesses, with a primary function in one of the following sectors – tourism, culture, arts, heritage, leisure, events or hospitality.
The scheme was announced by OxLEP Business on 14 July. Watch the webinar on OxLEP's website here.
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Did you know that £1 in every £3 is now spent with larger online retailers like Amazon? ShopAppy disrupts this behaviour by providing shoppers with all the products and lovely independent shops in their area – a one-stop-local-online-shop!We've partnered with ShopAppy to pilot an online marketplace for independent High Street businesses located in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. Our partnership aims to consolidate local, independent businesses on a single online marketplace, allowing residents access to a platform through which they can purchase goods from South and Vale based businesses.
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Businesses - sign up today
If every business commits to being a gateway to their town and the other businesses, we will all be much stronger together and help to keep consumer spend within the local business community.
The platform will be free for the area’s businesses to access over the first 12 months of the scheme (excluding bank / card charges).
Plus, every Monday at 2pm, the ShopAppy team hosts an hour-long Onboarding Zoom session for businesses to learn how to get set up and upload their products.
You can find further details on how to get started on our dedicated webpage.
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Support our local businesses
We're also encouraging residents in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse to use the ShopAppy website to shop locally.
You can use the website to browse an assortment of products from businesses located in Thame and Wantage. We'll shortly be rolling the scheme out across more of our market towns, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!
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Selling to the councils - register for the
South East Business Portal
The councils buy goods and services from a variety of contractors, ranging from someone who is self-employed to national organisations. To provide cost-effective services for our residents, the councils often operate a joint procurement process, and therefore award joint contracts.
Opportunities to supply your services or goods to the councils are often available, either direct or as a sub-contractor.
If you are interested in selling to the councils, you will need to register on the South East Business Portal. Please note that contracts for both councils can be located under 'South Oxfordshire District Council'.
Further information can be found on our website.
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'3 ways to improve your rank on Google'
Join us for our next Networking in... South & Vale event as we welcome Kelly Drewett, a technical SEO and SEO website designer, to outline three ways to improve your website's rank on Google.
Wednesday 20 July | 9:30am - 11am
Kelly builds custom websites and assists business owners to work towards higher search engine listings.
The first 40 businesses to register for this event can claim a half-price ticket for just £5, using the code 'SVBS'.
Register for the event here on the official Networking in... event page.
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