Newsletter from Fenland for Business

February 2019

Welcome to the latest Fenland for Business newsletter.

We aim to keep you updated on issues and developments within the business sector that may be relevant to your business through this newsletter. If you have an interesting article you'd like to share, or even a positive story relating to your organisation, please do let us know!

We hope that our regular readers continue to find these newsletters useful, and we'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new readers as well!

And finally, don’t forget to check out our website here and follow us on Twitter: @FenlandBusiness

Events

For Fenland community groups, clubs, charities & social enterprises

Wednesday 27th March 2019

Wisbech Town Chambers, North Brink, Wisbech

10.30am to 1:30pm

This FREE event will be a series of short briefing by representatives of the various funds and then the opportunity to chat informally with them about your ideas & plans.

Funders attending include:

• National Lottery Heritage Fund

• National Lottery Community Fund

• Living Sport

• CLLD (community Led Local development Fund)

• Tesco Bags of Help

• John Lewis Partnership

• Healthy Fenland Fund

To book your space please click here or contact the CCVS by phone on 01223 464696 or Email enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk

News

The Business and IP Centre supports entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses from that first spark of inspiration to successfully launching and developing a business.

The Business & IP Centre Cambridgeshire is part of the British Library Business & IP Centre national network.

A team of people across Cambridgeshire within the libraries will help you take the right steps to start up, protect and grow your business.

The Business and IP Centres contain useful market research and company databases, they can assist you to learn new skills at a workshops or have a confidential one to one. Coming soon a range of free or low cost events at the Business & IP Centre. If you can’t visit them, you can still take advantage of the British Library’s expertise by registering for regular webinars, from wherever you are in the world.

Speak to an advisors for help and information on taking the first steps to self-employment, and take advantage of free full access to the library service's computer and internet facilities. Please book an appointment by contacting the Business & IP Centre Cambridgeshire.

More information on the Business and IP Centres please click here.

Brexit Information for Businesses

Following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the UK will no longer be an EU Member State from 29th March 2019. If a withdrawal agreement is agreed, a transition period will run from 29th March 2019 to 31st December 2020. However, if no deal can be reached there is a possibility that the UK will be leaving the EU without a deal. Therefore businesses are being encouraged to prepare themselves for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

Below are a set of useful links to help you and your business:

The Government has produced a seven-point business tool to help Prepare your business for the UK leaving the EU. By answering 7 simple questions the tool helps you find the exact guidance documents relevant to your business, based on specific business criteria including sector, size etc.

Use this tool to find out:

- what your business may need to do to prepare for the UK leaving the EU
- what’s changing in your industry
- information on specific rules and regulations

Seven-point Tool

Several government departments have recently published information on the steps that businesses may need to take to prepare for our exit from the EU, please see updates here.

Skills

College of West Anglia Rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted

The College of West Anglia (CWA) has received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted, the government’s inspection body for schools and colleges. The college’s Wisbech campus offers a range of vocational and apprenticeships throughout the area.

At the end of a 4-day inspection from 7 to 10 January 2019, a team of Ofsted inspectors judged CWA to be good across all eight areas of inspection: effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes for learners; 16 to 19 study programmes; adult learning programmes; apprenticeships; and provision for learners with high needs.

Principal David Pomfret said: “I am delighted with this outcome. Since the last inspection 2 years ago, staff, governors and management have worked hard to deliver improvements in a number of areas and Ofsted’s findings are a resounding endorsement of the progress we have made.

“I am sure that parents, students and employers will be reassured and encouraged by Ofsted’s recognition of the inclusive and supportive culture at CWA and by the description of the college as a welcoming and friendly place to study, where learners feel safe, are well behaved and motivated, have high attendance and develop substantial new skills that they will need for their future.

“The report is very detailed and contains a lot of extremely positive things about our college, its staff and students. It’s fantastic that Ofsted have recognised that we provide some of the best facilities in the country and that our learners benefit from using high quality resources in inspiring environments.

“Inspectors also noted how well the excellent industrial knowledge and skills of our staff prepares students and apprentices for the workplace, and how the vast majority of our learners progress into employment, apprenticeships or higher education. The report states that teachers and assessors motivate students and apprentices well and, as a result, learners become increasingly independent and interested in their own learning. This helps them to develop their skills and knowledge at an appropriate pace.

“This is a fantastic college, serving a diverse community and supporting the skills needs of the economies of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and beyond and this report recognises how well we do this. For young people and parents currently considering next steps after Year 11, this report illustrates that CWA is a real option for all students.”

The inspection report noted that ‘students and apprentices enjoy coming to college and many describe the welcoming, inclusive and supportive college environment as being like a big family in which they feel safe, make friends, and develop a wide range of new skills and knowledge.’

Ofsted found that ‘students and apprentices develop a good range of personal and social skills, are courteous, behave well, and display respect for each other and college staff’. The report notes that students have high aspirations as a result of effective and impartial careers education.

It also mentions the comprehensive work experience opportunities students have, which helps them to develop effective employability skills and deepen their understanding of the world of work and their knowledge of their chosen industry.

Grants and Funding

GRANTfinder

Fenland for Business has access to GRANTfinder which can search for funding sources to meet a variety of business requirements. We would be delighted to share with you the latest round of local funding.

Please contact us here to discuss your funding requirements.

Starting or expanding your business? Looking for offices or factory units? Our Business Centres and factory units offer fantastic facilities - with flexible lease arrangements and competitive rents.

To see our current availability click here

About Fenland for Business

Fenland for Business is the local network responsible for supporting economic development and business growth in Fenland. We're part of Fenland District Council and we're here to support local businesses from new start up businesses, existing businesses wishing to grow, to attracting new companies to move to the area.

Whether you've got a great business idea, are looking to grow your existing company or are interested in establishing a presence in Fenland, we're here to help you with free and independent support.

With our network of partner organisations and a deep knowledge of the local economy, we can help with any business-related enquiry. Our particular specialisms lie in:

• Finance and grant funding

• International trade

• Property and development

• Recruitment and skills

• Resource efficiency

• Supporting inward investors

We also manage a range of light industrial units and offices, including The Boathouse and the South Fens Business Centre, and organise a variety of networking and training sessions.

For more information on how we can help you, please get in touch:

Email us here

Call: 01354 622506

t: 01354 622506

e: business@fenland.gov.uk

w: http://www.fenlandforbusiness.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FenlandBusiness

Fenland for Business is the local network responsible for supporting economic development, inward investment and business growth in Fenland, and is part of Fenland District Council.

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