Book Now for Free Workshops to Start or Grow Your Business

A series of free practical business workshops have been launched in South Cambridgeshire to help business-owners become more successful.

The 16 half-day events tackle the specific support businesses in the area have asked for in order to help their business thrive - from finding and keeping customers to starting a new business and market research.

The first workshop, which covers how to manage your money and make a profit, will be held on Wednesday 19 September with sessions on a variety of topics taking place through to March next year (see notes for full list).

The workshops have been launched by South Cambridgeshire District Council to help fill the gap left by organisations such as Business Link who no longer offer local firms support in this way.

Each session will be run by Exemplas - a leading business employment, skills and support solutions provider - on behalf of the Council.

The series of workshops follow recent news that an extra £20,000 has been set aside by the Council to provide training or business support to local firms to help them weather the economic downturn.

The Council's support fund was set up three years ago to offer eligible businesses up to £1,000 towards the cost of training and other business support and so far 70 companies have been helped.

To be eligible for the business support programme, companies must be based in the district, have no more than 250 employees, and be able to show that they have suffered financial hardship as a result of the recession.

The workshops are available to anyone based in the district who is thinking of starting or already running a business.

Exemplas, who will also be managing the £20,000 business support fund, will give eligible firms a ‘health check' and work with them to create an action plan. Grants will then be awarded to help businesses to source the specific support they need.

Cllr Nick Wright, South Cambridgeshire District Council's cabinet member for economic development, said:"We expect the practical business workshops will be very popular so I'd recommend booking your place early to avoid disappointment. We are very aware that other organisations that had previously provided support are no longer there for South Cambridgeshire businesses, and we are really pleased to be able to commit funding and step in to fill the gap. Making sure we take a very business friendly approach is really important for us, and by supporting the local economy we aim to help our businesses prosper and in turn create more jobs."

Malcolm Williamson, Head of Enterprise Support Services at Exemplas, said:"The free-to-attend workshop programme has been carefully designed by South Cambridgeshire District Council to provide the right kind of training support to businesses who are finding the current economic climate difficult, whilst many workshops are also available and relevant to those thinking of starting up a business too. In addition, those businesses that are eligible for Business Support will then have the opportunity to work with Exemplas' highly-experienced advisers and put into practice what they have learnt on a workshop."

To book on to your workshop or to talk about the business support fund, please phone0844 346 0755 or e-mailsouthcambsbusinesssupport@exemplas.com

Details of all the business workshops being held can be found by visitingwww.exemplas.com/southcambsorwww.cambridge-plus.com/content/business-support- a website set up by the Council to help support existing businesses in South Cambridgeshire and promote the area to encourage new firms to set up.

-ENDS-

Notes for Editors:

Exemplas

• Exemplas helps organisations to change, grow and prosper by delivering advice, support, information and training solutions to employers and individuals. Exemplas offers advice and support in Enterprise and Innovation; Leadership and Management; Diversity and Social Responsibility and Skills.

• The Exemplas Group also has an extensive record of successful public sector contract management. We work in partnership with our public sector clients to maximise the impact of funding and deliver robust accountable value for money at strategic and tactical levels.

For general media enquiries, please contact:

Ruth Oakey - Marketing Manager - SME, Exemplas

Tel: 01707 398166, Email: RuthO@exemplas.com