Summit to focus on finance for small business

April 1, 2019

A major event is being held in Hereford next week for finance organisations to find out how they can better support small businesses with their growth plans.
The Marches Growth Hub, the one stop shop business support service, in partnership with the Marches LEP will host the Access to Finance Summit on April 11, at the Hereford Business Solutions Centre at Skylon Court.
It forms part of the Get Finance initiative which was launched last year to help small and micro-businesses unlock new and alternative funding streams to aid their development.
Paul Kalinauckas, the Marches LEP board member championing the Access to Finance campaign, said a lack of finance was still proving a major issue for many small businesses in the area.
“Over recent years, there has been an explosion in the number of Alternative Finance streams available to small businesses from peer to peer lenders, equity funds, invoice discounters and crowd funders to locally-based small business loan funds.
“This is great news for businesses looking to grow and take their ventures to the next level but sometimes it can be difficult and confusing to know where to start with so many different lenders and organisations.
“The summit next week is specifically for advisors and professionals working with small businesses to hear from the region’s leading experts on alternative finance and to highlight exactly what is out there.
“They will explain what funding streams are available so that organisations working with small businesses have a better understanding and what options they can present.”
Paul added: “This event is really about reaching the intermediaries already working with businesses and getting them on board to help spread the word about the different finance options now available.”
The Access to Finance Summit will start at 2pm and finish at 4.30pm. It is a dedicated event for key players in the funding, legal and banking sectors to discuss alternative finance.
You can register your interest in attending the event here.

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The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has now ceased trading and transferred all its functions to Shropshire Council working with Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council, in line with the UK Government's plans for devolution.

The Marches LEP was established in 2011 and hands over an impressive legacy from its 13-year life. In that time the LEP invested over £196m in projects across the Marches, securing in excess of £100m of match funding and supported more than 66,000 business interactions.

The schemes supported have made tangible differences to local communities, increasing skills, creating jobs and improving the physical appearance of many towns.

We would like to thank all the LEP Board Members who have given their time freely over the life of the LEP, as well as all the staff who worked for the LEP over the years. We also want to thank our delivery partners, local education providers and local, regional and national stakeholders who helped us achieve so much.

The Marches Growth Hub will continue to support businesses and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Each of the three Local Authorities will also continue to provide direct business support locally. Details of this support will be available through the Marches Growth Hub website and from the Local Authorities directly. Website: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk | email: enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk.

The Marches Careers Hub will continue to be delivered and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Website: www.marchescareershub.co.uk | email: info@marchescareershub.co.uk

For any queries about Getting Building Fund (GBF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Marches Investment Fund (MIF) projects supported by the Marches LEP please contact: gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk

For any finance queries please contact: michelle.hodgkiss@shropshire.gov.uk

The solvent liquidation of the Marches LEP is being managed by the Evelyn Partners Limited. For any matter related to this please contact: Camilla.Mulholland@evelyn.com

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