In summary
New plans for 2025? Need a hand? Why not check out the resources on our website. If the thought of admin and marketing makes you wince then Truro & Penwith College can make it less painful. Or if you have a project that could qualify for a share of £47.3 million, then check out our news pages on the link below. With all good wishes for the year ahead, don’t forget, we’re here to help!
Featured news and events
Why not look afresh at our helpful FSB website?
If you haven't done so for a while, maybe now is the time to investigate again the FSB website which has plenty of excellent support and resources to help you in your business as you plan your 2025 strategies.
If you go onto the FSB website home page at https://www.fsb.org.uk/ and then click, for example, on ‘Resources’ you will find a whole plethora of articles, business guides, specialist hubs and information about the wide range of training we have on offer. The ‘Content Hub’ alone has pages of information on subjects as varied as late payment, managing staff, business finances, workplace wellbeing and how to make your business more sustainable.
Elsewhere, if you want to know some of our current policy issues and business press comments then look under our dedicated section at FSB News.
Perhaps the most important area to keep looking at is our Benefits page which will remind you of all the great support you have at your fingertips and give you the link to log-in to take full advantage of them all.
So why not take the time to have a look at the website and then make sure you bookmark it to return on a regular basis as we constantly update it with the latest news and advice to help you and your business.
Cornwall Conversations virtual networking 16 January at 2.30pm
Why not set aside an hour each month to join in with our regular "Cornwall Conversations" virtual networking. You'll find lots of new contacts, some familiar faces and a great opportunity to network, chat, make some new friends and discuss some of the issues that are affecting all small businesses at the moment.
Every third Thursday of the month at 2.30pm we hold our friendly zoom session - we'd love you to join the conversation!
This free FSB virtual networking is open to all businesses - both FSB members and non-members are welcome to attend
In other news
Business Admin and Marketing Skills Invitation
Truro and Penwith College is delighted to invite you to an afternoon dedicated to discovering more about the Level 3 Business Administration and Multi-Channel Marketer apprenticeships delivered by the College. The'yll provide the biscuits and brew as this afternoon is the perfect opportunity to learn how apprenticeships are shaping the future of business and career development. You'll hear from experienced industry speakers and current apprentices, who will provide valuable insights into the essential role apprenticeships play in developing tomorrow’s workforce. They will also share first-hand experiences of the positive impact these programmes can have on business success and individual growth.
Location: STEM & Health Skills Centre, Ottery Building Old Callywith Road Bodmin PL31 2GU.
Date: Thursday Jan 23, 2025 at 1:00
Take the chance to connect with fellow professionals, exchange ideas, gain new industry insights, and celebrate the key role apprenticeships play in supporting business innovation and career advancement.
To secure your place, please click on this link.
If you are unable to attend but would like to enquire about the Business Administrator or Multi-channel Marketer Apprenticeships, please contact [email protected]
Does your project qualify for a share of £47.3 million?
In light of the announcement from UK Government on the extension of the Shared Prosperity Fund for an additional year and allocation of £47.3 million for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly for 2025/26, the Good Growth Programme is inviting businesses from a number of targeted sectors to apply for investment support.
Projects are encouraged to come forward that can enable distinctive and core sectors to grow, seize new opportunities, contribute to net zero, and increase high-quality, well-paid jobs.
The distinctive sectors being targeted for investment are:
- Critical Minerals: Harnessing sustainable extraction and processing in Cornwall.
- Renewable Energy: Innovations in floating offshore wind (FLOW), deep geothermal, and biomethane capture.
- Data, Space and Aerospace: Exploiting physical, digital, and intellectual assets to address local and global challenges.
- Marine: Including emerging FLOW opportunities and decarbonising shipping and associated activity.
Projects that improve job quality, earnings, and business performance in core sectors such as Visitor Economy, Agrifood, and Creative industries (with a strong emphasis on digital & tech) will also be considered.
Minimum grant award: £200,000
Application deadline: 5pm on 27 January 2025
Project delivery timeframe: April 2025 – March 2026
For full details click on the link: Year 4 Strategic Business and Enterprise Investment - Good Growth Shared Prosperity Fund
Still in the news
WorkWell Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
WorkWell Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is one of 15 pilots across the UK. Running initially until end of March 2025 the service pilot will also inform the wider work and health strategy and resultant investment and commissioning beyond then. WorkWell is an early intervention and support service offering participants an expert assessment of their health-related barriers to work along with a tailored plan to address these and will serve as a pathway to other local services to help people get the support they need. WorkWell can also provide advice and support to employers where appropriate; triage, signposting and referrals to clinical and non-clinical support including wider community provision, for example, financial advice.
Individuals can be referred to WorkWell through their employer, local services within their area, Jobcentre Plus and primary care network neighbourhood teams such as GPs, social prescribing workers, health and wellbeing workers, and themselves through self-referral. To be eligible for WorkWell people must be aged over 16; with the right to work in the UK; a CIOS address for either their home, their GP, or their local job centre; and a health-related barrier* to work which means that they are either:
- In-work, and either off sick or struggling in the workplace due to a health condition; or
- Recently out-of-work and requiring health related support to move into sustainable employment.
*A ‘health related barrier’ includes anyone with a health condition or disability, including mental health conditions.
Referrals can be made via email, telephone (8am-8pm) 01872 266383 or web form link.
Owens Family Need Your Help
Owen was from East Cornwall and just 18 when he sadly died on a trip to London caused by a food allergy. Owen’s family, want to see a change in the law that compels restaurants to state the 14 major allergens prescribed by EU law in their dishes in writing at the point of ordering and without the customer having to ask. This simple change would eliminate the risk that exists at the point of order when perhaps staff are not aware of the serious consequences of not checking food safety and suitability. This campaign will also help businesses to keep their customers safe and prevent the business getting embroiled in a tragic and damaging issue.
With their campaign for Owen’s Law now supported by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), it is hoped that the Government can be persuaded to change the law. To do this Owen’s family want to build on Natasha’s Law, which dealt with the ingredients and allergy listings on pre-packaged takeaway food. Natasha’s Law showed that the UK’s allergen laws were flawed and outdated, and needed reform, but it left an uneven situation where people taking away pe-packaged food have more protection than those eating in restaurants. The FSA are in agreement that to make such changes are of little cost, but immeasurable benefit to those whose lives are blighted by allergies and anaphylaxis.
So if you own or work at a business who offer dining to customers, or maybe you have catering at your office, school or university Owens Law would love to work with catering managers to support them making positive changes to how they deliver allergen information. Please get in touch directly, pass on the contact details of the relevant managers within your company, or ask them to make contact. They’d also love to hear from companies already implementing Owen’s Law to discuss any challenges or successes you’ve experienced. They look forward to working together to make dining experiences safe for everyone.
More news and activity near you
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Devon is Ann Vandermeulen. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email us: [email protected]
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