IN September of last year the Northamptonshire Growth Hub launched Ready2Grow, a business support project part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The project offers comprehensive support to growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Northamptonshire. It also can provide help-for any individual with the capability and aspiration to start and grow a new business.
Over 300 businesses applied to join the project within the first 6 months and of these, 20 per cent were start-up businesses.
The applicants, having been selected for either the Enterprise Club or the Growth Academy, two of the alternative elements of the project, were offered training through a series of skills workshops and direct one-to-one coaching support by experienced growth hub advisers. There have been 26 well-attended workshops since the project started – 13 for the Growth Academy and 13 for the Enterprise Club – and the feedback has been very positive with an overall workshop satisfaction rating of 94 per cent satisfaction rating with 83 per cent of attendees stating that after the workshops, they have a good understanding of the subject.
Some comments from the workshop feedback include:
Very good course, very relevant to what I needed – Gary Phillips, PFT Services
Really good workshop. Very useful information, opens eyes in many aspects – Damien Sodel, NN1 Personnel
Great interaction from the teacher and sound, excellent advice and tips – Lewis Ramoo, Hot Lead Generators
Following successful completion of the workshop part of the project, businesses can apply for various grants to support their growth plans and over 40 businesses have already applied for grant support.
Throughout their involvement in the project, clients are supported by their Growth Hub adviser who will coach the client and provide information, advice and guidance and if appropriate make a referral to an external provider for any specialist assistance.
The Northamptonshire Growth Hub was established in November 2013 to fulfil an obvious need for business support for SMEs in the county and in that time has helped over 3,500 businesses since it opened for business. It is based in the centre of Northampton in the Innovation Centre – a state-of-the art facility offering office space and meeting facilities. The Northamptonshire Growth Hub handles over 500 calls per quarter, 70 per cent of which are established businesses but with a significant portion from pre-start and start-up enterprises.
To enquire about assistance for your business call 01604 212696 or email
European Regional Development Fund
The project is receiving up to £1,431,974 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund
Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.
