Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons
Contact: Chris Brewerton T: 0845 6036650
Council revives small business grant scheme
Tamworth Borough Council’s scheme to help new entrepreneurs is once again underway in the town. The first round of grants made under the
Cathedral is fully
alive to opportunities Lichfield Cathedral is offering businesses the chance to sponsor a range of events which will form its new programme for 2020, called ‘Fully Alive’. ‘Fully Alive’ will be an exploration of what it
means to be alive, and will include screenings, concerts, exhibitions and art projects. The programme will feature a range of number of new corporate partnership opportunities, which the cathedral believes could help businesses in a number of ways, from raising their profile, to team building or hospitality opportunities. Cathedral executive director Simon Warburton
said: “Our ‘Fully Alive’ programme in 2020 offers a number of new exciting opportunities to work in partnership with local businesses to boost visitor numbers and raise Lichfield’s profile.”
council’s ‘Small Business Grant Scheme’, which will help small business start-ups, self- employment and entrepreneurship in Tamworth, have now been made available. The scheme, now in its third year, is offering
grants of between £500 and £1,500, before the application closing date at the end of this month.
Businesses who have benefited from the
scheme in the past year include a repair service, a music tutor, a barber and a driving instructor. A total of 55 businesses have so far been
supported, to the value of £45,821, in the three years since the scheme was launched in April 2017. To receive these small business grants, individuals are required to meet some basic criteria. This includes attending the ‘Enterprise for Success’ programme, which provides 12 hours of one-to-one advice and support delivered from Tamworth Enterprise Centre at Philip Dix House in Corporation Street.
Master planning (from left): Paul Faulkner, Cllr Craig Jordan, Cllr Doug Pullen and Cllr Iain Eadie
The ‘Enterprise for Success’ programme
ensures individuals and businesses have the right skills they need to run their business and results in the creation of a business plan.
‘Using the new Tamworth Enterprise Centre as a ‘hub’ of support and advice can only help grow the local economy’
Cllr Jeremy Oates, cabinet member for heritage and growth, said: “This successful scheme continues to support individuals wishing to start up in new businesses or who have been trading for less than three years. “Small businesses are the foundation of any
thriving economy and using the new Tamworth Enterprise Centre as a ‘hub’ of support and advice can only help grow the local economy.” Grant applications are recommended to the
Cabinet Grants Committee on a quarterly basis for approval. An annual budget of £20,000 has been allocated to the scheme, with around £5,000 being distributed per quarter.
Fundraising efforts support local charity
Generous staff at Dains Accountants, which has an office Lichfield, have raised more than £6,500 to support a local charity for the homeless. Kind-hearted employees have raised the cash
during the past nine months by staging a series of activities and charity events for SIFA Fireside. Fundraising events have included taking part
in the Birmingham Half Marathon, the ‘Tough Mudder’ challenge and the Dains Cake Club. The team have also staged regular dress down
Master plan shared over podcast
Lichfield is among a number of centres shaping its future by developing a master plan. And the Chamber has been given an inside track on what plans for Lichfield city centre might look like. Members of Lichfield District Council – including leader Cllr Doug Pullen – joined Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner for an in- depth podcast to discuss some of the developments that are on the horizon. These include the phased development of the
64 CHAMBERLINK February 2020
Birmingham Road site, as well as initiatives to facilitate business growth and better promote Lichfield as a tourist destination. Mr Faulkner and Cllr Pullen were joined by the
council’s head of economic growth Cllr Craig Jordan and cabinet member for investment, economic growth and tourism Cllr Iain Eadie. The podcast is available to listen to on Apple
Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer and Audiboom, as well as the Chamber’s website.
days and supported SIFA Fireside with food bank donations. Fundraising for SIFA Fireside will continue until the end of March – which is the end of the Dains’ financial year. Hoan Nguyen, forensic accountancy senior manager at Dains, said: “The Birmingham team have made a huge effort to support SIFA Fireside over the past nine months and we are delighted to have reached the £6,500 mark. “As well as our office events and food bank
donations, many staff have given up their time voluntarily outside work to take part in the Birmingham Half Marathon and Tough Mudder Challenge which were both great events to be part of.”
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