"Compliments for a well run show. I watched the Webinar this morning, and I was impressed with the smoothness of your operation. I watch other such meetings and I think you could teach them a thing or two !" - Peter Buckley, ITSL Consultancy
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Kickstart Scheme - 12th November - 10:00 am for 60 minutes
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iSVWcpy8R2GZcfKU01tZGQ
Need more information? Please come along to our webinar to learn more!
We are very pleased that our panellists will be:
- Nigel Yates - Kickstart Co-Ordination Team Leader, London and Essex Group Office
- Jaswant Lall - Partnership Manager, Work & Health Services Group, Hounslow Jobcentre
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create new 6-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. This is part of the government’s Plan for Jobs and aims to create hundreds and thousands of new, fully funded jobs across England, Scotland and Wales.
- The Kickstart Scheme is a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month work placements for young people.
- Through the scheme, you’ll be able to access a large pool of young people with potential, ready for an opportunity. The candidates are aged between 16-24 and are on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.
- Employers from all industries and across the private, public and voluntary sectors can get involved.
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National Lockdown from 5th November confirmed (courtesy of White Label)
The government has released detailed information on the new national lockdown restrictions, including what they mean for working from home and business closures, and the financial support available.
The update follows the vote by MPs to approve the government's four-week lockdown across England. Boris Johnson told Parliament the new lockdown, which starts today, would "expire automatically" on 2nd December.
The list of businesses and venues, which are allowed to remain open following COVID-19 Secure guidelines, includes:
- Essential retail such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, hardware stores, building merchants and off-licences
- Petrol stations, car repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses
- Banks, building societies, post offices, loan providers and money transfer businesses
- Funeral directors
- Launderettes and dry cleaners
- Medical and dental services
- Vets and pet shops
- Agricultural supplies shops
- Storage and distribution facilities
- Car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas
- Outdoor playgrounds
You can find out about other restrictions here.
Further News and Updates
Government increases support for self-employed
The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is to be made more generous – with self-employed individuals receiving 80% of their average trading profits for November. Find out more here.
New guidance to support safe care home visits during lockdown
A message to the housing industry on continuing to work securely
A message to the housing industry from Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation and Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders.
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The London Business Hub is pleased to announce our COVID-19 Support Grants for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will reopen for applications this November.
Visitor Economy applications will reopen for 24 hours at 10.00am Tuesday 10 November (until 10.00am on 11 November).
Wider Economy applications will reopen for 24 hours 10.00am Tuesday 17 November (until 10.00am on 18 November).
Eligible SMEs will be able to secure grants of between £1,000 – £5,000 to help them access professional, legal, financial or other advice and /or new technology and other minor equipment to address their immediate needs in response to the impact of COVID-19.
The grant is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Please note the funds are extremely limited and based on the remaining funding pot sizes, this would amount to approximately the following number of grants available to those businesses who are successful in obtaining the grant:
Visitor Economy (remaining fund £243,085): Between 48-81 grants
Wider Economy (remaining fund £104,567): Between 21-36 grants
All information and criteria to assess an SME’s eligibility and prepare for the grant application are now available. Read our project information page and FAQs.
Please note:
- SMEs can apply for 100% of the costs, but funding will be paid in arrears. That is business will receive the fund after they have accepted the offer and have purchased and received the support or items that the grant has been approved for.
- In all instances, the London Business Hub will need to see copies of supplier’s invoices and a copy of the statement from the dedicated bank account for the business, evidencing that payment has been made to the relevant suppliers.
- Should an offer be made, successful applicants will have one calendar month (from the date of the grant offer letter) to accept the offer and purchase and receive the support/items that the grant has been approved for and submit a grant payment claim.
- The VAT element of any support or purchase is not eligible for grant support.
- The grant cannot retrospectively fund activity that has already started.
Applications will open at 10am and remain open for a 24hr period on the 10th and 17th November. Please ensure that you have SUBMITTED your application by the cut-off point. Applications not submitted by this point will not be considered. Please allow ample time to complete the application form. Applications will close as stated above and any applications that are in progress and have not been submitted by the deadline will not form part of the ballot.
To keep up to date on all the latest news from the London Growth Hub, please register for our newsletter or visit our brand new online portal at https://www.businesshub.london where you will find all the free, impartial, practical advice that you need to start, sustain and grow your business.
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Chamber member, Smart digitalPARTNERS offer a basket of Services in Business Transformations with a focus on digital - Cloud Platforms, eCommerce, Big data & Analytics. |
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Covid19 is providing us new challenges together with new opportunities, our Business Transformations - Advisory, Consulting Model and Tie-ups, offers the SME Customer a Complete Retail Solution :
These are excellent opportunities to take your customer online alongside your traditional presence.
Please do contact Basil Fernandes on: 07821 196033 or visit:
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We have made the sad but inevitable decision to hold the Awards on-line, rather than a live event. They will now take place online on Wednesday, 9th December at 6.00 pm. We are proud to announce Mark Ramprakash, the cricketer and "Strictly" winner, will be our guest speaker.
Mark Ramprakash, former England, Middlesex and Surrey batsman; a prolific run scorer and one of the best at County Level. Over the past 5 and a half years, Mark was the batting coach for the England cricket team. However, he is now currently Head of Cricket at Harrow School, London. Other than his impact on the cricketing industry, Mark was also the winner of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2006 and is now an ambassador for the British Asian Trust.
The costs are £59 plus VAT and booking fee per person for an Executive Ticket, this ticket includes the Ceremony and a Gift Bag with wine, a £25 food gift card and other goodies. Or £29 plus VAT and booking fee per person for a Standard Ticket, this ticket is just for the Ceremony.
I do hope you decide to enter into the spirit of the evening, to mark the end of 2020, with an enjoyable evening, albeit remotely, to boost the morale of our companies in this challenging current climate.
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With Lockdown 2 looming and many of the capital’s seasonal celebrations on hold, this winter might not go down as the most festive London has ever seen, but Christmas isn’t cancelled just yet!
Many of the city’s biggest and best Christmas light displays go up in early November, meaning ’tis officially the season to be jolly, even if ’tis also the season to stockpile loo roll and have another go at that banana-bread recipe. (courtesy of Time Out)
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West London Local Chambers & Hounslow Chamber of Commerce are the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.
We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment from businesses in Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough
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