Get on the road to net zero with free Clean Growth events
A series of free events packed with ideas about how businesses can make savings and contribute to net zero takes places this month thanks to New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.
Clean Growth for Business returns for a second series during November and will look at everything from how to finance green initiatives to accurately measuring your company’s carbon footprint.
The King’s Centre in Norwich will play host to a half-day, in-person event on 15 November which will feature speakers and finish with a networking lunch.
Speakers will explore the clean energy revolution, how to decarbonise agri-food and land management, challenges and solutions for the built environment, and the need to change the way we think about mobility.
Read more here Prestigious travel photography competition zooms in on future
One of the world’s high-profile photo competitions, Travel Photographer of the Year based in Suffolk, had its eye on the future when it launched a membership website with insightful content and tailored advice.
Celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary this year is a major milestone as founder Chris Coe strengthened the business by creating this new resource ‘Eye for the Light’. It has stories for those who want to hone their travel photography skills, listen to engaging podcasts and connect with others.
With the support of £2,372 from New Anglia LEP’s Small Grant Scheme, Chris was able to realise this new venture which took perseverance and belief in the project.
Read more here Apply for a grant Innovative equine bedding developed by Norfolk company
An animal bedding production company from Norfolk has developed special equine bedding out of wood fines with support from our Growth Through Innovation Fund.
Bed-Down specialises in the production of British premium animal bedding from locally-sourced wheat straw and softwood flakes for horses in all equestrian disciplines, retail outlets and wholesalers. During the bedding production, it creates a by-product from the wood and straw fines using a pellet machine which converts the fines into 6mm pellets. These pellets are highly absorbent and sold to the poultry market as litter. Ultimately, the pellet breaks down and it turns back to waste fines.
Making great use of the production process, the team decided to develop pelleted, absorbent, dustless animal bedding suitable for the equine market. The next step was to create additives as an option to hold the particles together while retaining the high absorbency and building a prototype to test the technique and theory. For this part of the project, it secured a £22,000 Growth Through Innovation Fund grant.
Read more here Apply for a grant How investing in digital skills will help grow your business
Every business that wants to grow needs a website of some sort. Every business needs to know how to use digital marketing to reach customers. And every business can benefit from having employees with the skills needed to operate successfully online.
That’s why New Anglia LEP has appointed Netmatters in Wymondham to run digital Skills Bootcamps for micro businesses and SMEs in Suffolk and Norfolk. Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, helping everyone gains skills for life. They are heavily subsidised, so SMEs only pay 10% of the cost – and they are free to learners.
Netmatters is offering Skills Bootcamps in web development, software engineering and digital marketing. These remote learning courses are normally full-time, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and run for 16 weeks. However, there is some flexibility for reduced hours for micro and small businesses that can’t afford to lose employees for that amount of time.
Free Road to Net Zero consultancy support available in Suffolk
Are you working on decarbonisation plans for your business? If so, there is a programme of free support available through which you have the opportunity to work with a consultancy on your net zero projects.
The Road to Net Zero Business Support Programme is an initiative designed to pro-actively pivot business support and grants on a net zero future, building business advice expertise, and developing a portfolio of tested interventions which can be rolled out further in future. This is a pilot project, funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund from HM Government.
There is still support available in Suffolk, although funds have been fully allocated in Norfolk. So get in touch and see if you are eligible.
New opportunities to join the New Anglia LEP team
New Anglia LEP currently has opportunities to join its team, with applicants being sought for two roles.
We have a vacancy for an Innovation & Sectors Coordinator on a 12-month temporary contract providing maternity cover. The post-holder will work closely with sector groups, support the delivery of our Industry Councils (Clean Energy, ICT/Digital and Agri-Food) and play a key role in our Connected Innovation programme, steering the agenda and delivery plan for the Innovation Board.
Separately, we are looking for two Enterprise Coordinators to help improve careers education programmes by recruiting secondary schools and colleges across Norfolk and Suffolk into the New Anglia Careers Hub.
