In summary
Please do get in touch if I can help to support your business. We feature a different member every Monday for our #MemberMonday campaign on social media. If you’d like to be featured please do send me an image. On 17 July we will be at the Great British Expo at STEAM in Swindon. Do come over and see us if you’d like to find out more about the latest benefits included in your membership.
Featured news and events
Digital Support for Somerset Small Businesses
If you run a Somerset small business and would like to up your digital game then why not check out this fully funded Digital Leadership Programme which is a series of workshops from Cosmic available to businesses in the manufacturing or health and adult social care sectors, plus any business in any sector adopting more sustainable practices to achieve net zero.
The workshops will help you to:
- Develop your vision and strategy of your business in a digital world
- Get up to speed on technology for your sector and learn how to apply it today
- Learn how to support and improve digital skills and culture with your staff
- Develop a plan of implementation for action
- Gain feedback and support on your plan of action and next steps
Plus, it also offers mentoring and support sessions with the course leaders to help you build your skills and plans.
If that sounds good, then the next round of workshops starts online in July!
Find out more details on how to apply>
FSB Summer Picnic
Friday 16 August 2024 12-2pm, Bradford on Avon
Join us for a summer networking picnic at the beautiful woodland office of FSB Members Varn in Bradford on Avon. This networking picnic will be an opportunity to network over lunch with other small business owners in this beautiful hidden part of Bradford on Avon and to find out a little more about how Varn have grown as a local business and how MD Tom Vaughton has brought his vision of a woodland workspace to life, along with the benefits experienced by his team and on business productivity when working from the woods.
In other news
Support for Enterprising Women
Set Square have a new Enterprising Women programme, funded by NatWest, which is open to North Somerset Based businesses founders who have an early stage tech, or tech-enabled business or side hustle. This scheme provides a free six month business support programme and applications need to be in by 31st July.
You can find more details here>
Mentoring for Somerset Business Owners
Somerset Council is offering six hours of free mentoring to Somerset small businesses over a six-month period. A mentor offers a unique perspective that goes beyond what your team can provide. Drawing from their own experiences, mentors help identify blind spots, uncover hidden opportunities, and hold you accountable. Whether it’s optimising profits, finding new markets, refining growth strategies, or navigating complex business challenges, a mentor’s guidance can be invaluable.
Wiltshire Solar Panel Opportunity
Have you considered installing solar panels at home but don’t know where to start? Wiltshire Council are offering local residents access to the group buying initiative, Solar Together. Residents can club together to get the best prices for solar panels and installation as well as battery storage and EV chargers from trusted providers.
Still in the news
Growth Hub Roadshows
If you run a small business in the Swindon or Wiltshire area and are not sure what support you can get from your local Growth Hub then why not pop along to one of their upcoming roadshow events to find out more? Growth Hubs are the main source of government funded business support and the Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub are up to speed with any support running locally, plus they have access to the grant finder database and can do a search for any support for your business.
They currently have two dates planned:
➡️ Wednesday 10th July at the Digital Mansion in Corsham 10.30-12.30
➡️Thursday 18 July 10.30-12.30 at Workshed in Swindon
Local Business Expos
We are really excited to be exhibiting again at Great British Expo's South West Expo at Swindon STEAM Museum on 17 July 10-3pm. This is always a buzzing event in a great venue and is easily accessible by train or car. Do come and visit us at our stand to find out more about new benefits which may have been introduced since you joined FSB. We would love to see you.
Bag your free ticket via this link>
Do also watch out for us later in the year at the new Somerset Business Show in Taunton on 2 and 3 October, where we will also be hosting a networking breakfast and at the B2B Expo in Salisbury on 20 November.
More news and activity near you
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Somerset and Wiltshire is Ruth Lambert. 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]
- follow us on X: @FSBSomAndWilts
- follow us on Facebook: FSB Somerset and Wiltshire
- connect with me on LinkedIn: Ruth Lambert