CHAMBER NEWS


Kevin Harris, Chair, LLEP; Jack Romero; Carl Brown, Managing Director, Charles Blyth & Co Front: L-R: Shiraz Sidat, Director, Speedel; Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive at the Chamber


Collaborate provides boost to Leicestershire economy


As a partner in Collaborate for Growth, the Leicestershire business support project, the Chamber is proud to have supported hundreds of businesses to grow over the past three years. As the project came to an end


last month, Collaborate partners, businesses, support providers and guests came together to celebrate its achievements. One of the key highlights was


since inception the project has distributed a massive £1.2m in grant funding and created nearly 200 jobs. Collaborate has successfully


provided business advice, workshops and events, capital grants and an inward investment service to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) since it started in October 2016. It was funded by the European Regional Development Fund and partners Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the Chamber and the Food and Drink Forum. The three-year project also


provided 2,760 hours of intensive business support to 230 SMEs, ran 181 workshops with 1,950 delegates


34 business network October 2019


‘Since inception the project has distributed a massive £1.2m in grant funding’


and leveraged £2.4m in private sector investment. At the celebration Shiraz Sidat,


Director of UK-wide courier service Speedel, outlined how the project had helped the business forecast more efficiently, resulting in a 100% increase in turnover. While Carl Bown, Managing Director of Charles Blyth & Co, manufacturer of pocket springs for mattresses, said a Collaborate grant of £16,734 had resulted in the creation of a new department and helped increase capacity by 13.9%. Entrepreneur Jack Romero gave


an inspirational account of his personal journey and his unwavering passion for aviation, which saw him realise his dream of being a pilot and starting an international airline from scratch - BMED British Mediterranean Airways - at Heathrow Airport, which he later sold for £30m.


Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief


Executive at the Chamber, said: “The Chamber is really pleased with the partnerships we’ve developed and the impact Collaborate is having on the Leicester and Leicestershire economy.


“We’re looking forward to helping


more SMEs through the new Business Gateway Growth Hub project.”


See page 36 for testimonials from the many businesses that Collaborate for Growth has helped.


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