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Welcome to the latest edition of the SVBS newsletter.

This week, we're focusing on the ban of single-use plastics from 1 October, making your business a safe place and boosting your business' income with ShopAppy.

We're also highlighting the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023, selling to the councils and the Co-op Connections: Oxford networking event.

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
From 1 October, businesses must no longer supply, sell or offer certain single-use plastic items in England.   

The upcoming ban includes polystyrene cups and food containers, single use plastic cutlery and single use balloon sticks.  New restrictions will also apply for the supply of single-use plastic trays and bowls to members of the public, although businesses can continue to supply these items if they are used as packaging in shelf-ready, pre-packaged food items.

The government is introducing these measures to help tackle the environmental impact and litter resulting from single-use plastics. The ban compliments existing restrictions on plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers, and the carrier bag charge. 

To ensure you are prepared for 1 October, visit the single-use plastics’ information page on the government’s website. 
Is your business a Safe Place?

Would you like your business to become a safe place and support your local community?

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are looking for new businesses and premises that would consider being a Safe Place for people in need of help or somewhere to go where they feel safe, whether they may be frightened, are in need of medical support or just having a bad day.

The locations can be identified by a nationally recognisable sticker, which is often placed in a window or door and can be clearly seen from outside.

If you’d like to sign up to Safe Places, you can find out more on the Safe Places website, or by emailing the Councils’ Community Safety team.
Boost your business' income with ShopAppy

We’ve partnered with ShopAppy to provide an online marketplace for independent High Street businesses located in South and Vale, allowing them to sell their products and services.

Businesses in Abingdon, Botley, Didcot, Faringdon, Henley, Thame, Wallingford and Wantage are now live on ShopAppy. Under our current partnership, the platform will be free for the area’s businesses to access until March 2024 (excluding bank / card charges).

We're currently putting together a marketing campaign to encourage consumers to shop with our local businesses using the ShopAppy platform. This will be especially important as we approach Black Friday and the Christmas period.

If you're a local business and you'd like to boost your income over the coming months, get started by creating a ShopAppy account.
Applications now open for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that farmers can now sign up for the new and improved Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

The SFI pays farmers for taking actions that support food production, farm productivity and resilience, whilst protecting the environment.

The 2023 offer has been expanded and made more flexible in response to farmer feedback, and now offers more than twice as many new SFI paid-for actions as originally planned. Actions on offer include hedgerows, nutrient management, farmland wildlife and low input grassland, and improvements mean farmers can choose what combination of actions are right for them.

More information can be found on the Government's website.
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'.

A list of contracts shortly up for renewal can be found on the South Oxfordshire District Council website.

Further information can be found on our dedicated webpage.
Co-op Connections: Oxford

If your organisation is a co-operative, or you're interested in the co-operative movement, come along to the Co-op Connections: Oxford event to network with other like-minded co-ops.

Tuesday 10 October   |   7pm - 8:30pm
Flo's Café, Oxford

You will have the opportunity to meet other co-ops based in Oxfordshire, get inspired by their stories, and share experiences and skills that make the co-op movement so unique.

The event is free to attend. Register via the Co-operatives UK website.

Tue 26 Sep: Enterprise Nation: How to elevate your brand and shine at pop-up markets

Tue 26 Sep: FSB: Hospitality Sector Networking

Thu 28 Sep: OxLEP: Exploring and developing your Business Purpose
 
Fri 29 Sep: FSB: BIG networking for small businesses

Tue 3 Oct: Enterprise Nation: How to build online customer loyalty

Tue 3 Oct: OxLEP: OxBOoSt Network

Wed 4 Oct: Networking in... 'The Climate Emergency and what you can do about it'

Thu 5 Oct: LSIP: Shaping the future workforce in Berkshire and Oxfordshire

Thu 5 Oct: Business Buzz Thame

Fri 6 Oct: Business Netwalking in Goring and Streatley

Tue 10 Oct: OxLEP: Women in Business Gathering

Wed 11 Oct: Milton Park: Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
Watch the latest Networking in... session: 'Marketing: How to get noticed at your doorstep'

How collaborating with other small businesses can be beneficial for your company's growth

Setting SMART goals

Get tailored business advice with OxLEP's Business Support Tool

Want to expand your business overseas? Check out Enterprise Nation's Go Global hub

Get free business resources from the Outside Ideas Knowledge Bank

Pitching to retail buyers: Five things you must prepare

Copyright © 2023 South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, all rights reserved.

To find out more about how the council holds, uses and stores your personal data, please click on the appropriate council’s link:


South Oxfordshire District Council   |  Vale of White Horse District Council
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