Consortium Members
The consortium is made up of seven organisations with an excellent track record in delivering business advice and support. Click the links below to find out more:
A4e Ltd - Cumbria and Lancashire
A4e is a private sector organisation with a strong sense of social responsibility. Our aim, in everything we do, is to improve people’s lives. We are a £120m, 2500-strong, global organisation that is focused on innovation, delivery and social change - for the individuals we commit to help, and for the governments we support.
As part of the Business Startup programme A4e is working to promote enterprise and encourage the development of existing businesses in Cumbria and Lancashire.
The A4e team has in-depth knowledge, skills and experience in delivering support to business start ups using:
- Ideas evaluation – the initial steps in assessing the business idea and the ‘pitfalls’ associated with transforming these ideas into actual businesses:-
- Diagnostics – the processes involved in understanding the risks and opportunities with a business idea, the business framework (or strategy) and the individuals own needs
- Action plans or a business plan - forming and developing the businesses core elements through a structured approach to each business element – this can include marketing, legal advice, bookkeeping etc.
Areas of support and advice can include:
- Market Research
- Marketing
- Cash Flow Forecasting
- Personal Skills Training
- Access to Finance
- Business Planning
- IT and eCommerce
For more information contact;
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Blue Orchid - Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside
Blue Orchid is an accredited provider of business support and consultancy. It delivers professional services for Start Up businesses, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and corporate clients.
Blue Orchid’s purpose is to give help to organisations and their people to develop, no matter where in ‘the business cycle’ they are.
Blue Orchid business support services include:
- Funding: Searches, Advice, Application, Approved suppliers
- Professional Training: Finance
- IT
- Management
- Sales & Marketing
- Health & Safety
- Business Start Up support
- Planning, Finance, Legal, HR
Blue Orchid has built strong relationships with its clients through its commitment and success in delivering first class support services. It understands first hand the success, stress and demands of running a successful business, developing a company department, funding a social enterprise, starting up or improving competitive advantage in today’s changing business environment. Blue Orchid’s management team and business advisors have a wealth of ‘real’ commercial experience that can make a big difference.
Blue Orchid has:
- Assisted over 3400 companies up-skill, retrain, raise productivity and improve overall performance
- Helped start over 510 businesses
- Delivered over £2.1 million of government funded programmes to businesses and individuals
For more information contact;
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Bolton Business Ventures - Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Bolton Business Ventures Ltd was established in 1983 and provides financial, technical and management assistance to help local people start, run and grow their businesses creating wealth and employment.
With a portfolio of business loans, managed workshops and serviced office centres which provide incubator space for new and growing businesses, and a team of professional business advisers, BBV provides high quality relevant and valued business support services.
Over the years we have helped hundreds of people realise their full potential to start and run their own business through a variety of innovative programmes. A team of experienced, professional advisers at BBV provides a confidential advisory service covering all aspects of business strategy and operation.
In addition BBV is a recognised Centre of Excellence for supporting women in business, having been awarded the prestigious Prowess Flagship status for our gender focused programmes. We have a dedicated team of female business advisers and mentors to provide ongoing business, training, and networking at each stage of business development. We also provide access to finance for women entrepreneurs, including a specific loan fund to assist women unable to raise all the required finance for business start up and growth.
A qualified business support team provides advice on a wide range of issues including:
- Business Planning
- Finance
- Marketing
- Legal Requirements
- Employing and Managing People
To find out more about our wide range of products and services for new and growing businesses call 01204 391400
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Business Support Solutions - Cheshire, Greater Manchester
Business Support Solutions offers a direct route to the advice, information and resources needed to help businesses improve and grow. BSS offer sound, professional advice and high quality, value-for-money services, meeting a wide range of business needs.
Business Support Solutions works in close partnership with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and supports businesses of any size, sector or stage of development.
Starting up your own business is exciting and fulfilling, but it requires hard work, enthusiasm and dedication. We understand that it can be daunting, and difficult to know where to start when thinking of setting up on your own.
Business Support Solutions is highly experienced in supporting new Start Up businesses to enable them to achieve their potential. We offer help with all aspects of new business formation including the provision of information, support & training, guidance in developing a business plan, and legal and financial advice. We provide both one-to-one guidance and a range of themed workshops to ensure access is available to an extensive range of support, which includes:
- Health & Safety
- Access to finance
- Accountancy and book-keeping
- Payroll Services
- Credit Reports
- Mailing Lists
- Market Research
- Business Training
- IT Training
- Business Health Checks
- Human Resources & Employment Law
- Room Hire
- Event Management
- Consultancy Services
- Financial Planning
- Implementing ICT solutions
- Developing products and processes
- Quality standards
- Sales and marketing strategies
- Web design
- International Trade Services
- NVQ, Train to Gain and Apprenticeship Training
For more information contact;
0161 976 4243, email Start Up@business-solutions-support.co.uk or visit www.manchester-solutions.co.uk
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Enterprise4all - Lancashire
Enterprise4all (North West) is a ‘not for profit’ company limited by guarantee it is led by a panel of successful business people and professionals and specialises in maximising engagement in enterprise, education and employment.
We offer a range of consultancy services and funded programmes to support new and established businesses to start, grow and succeed.
We also work with many organisations from the public and private sector supporting them to ensure that their services are visible and accessible to a wider cross section of the community. We offer a range of tailor made programmes aimed at increasing skills and employability for socially excluded groups.
In the past five years we have provided FREE of Charge information, advice and guidance to over 3,000 people and helped well over in excess of 1200 entrepreneurs.
We believe the foundation of a unified and tolerant society is a vibrant local economy. By working in partnership we aim to remove all barriers preventing businesses to start, grow and succeed consequently creating wealth and opportunities for all.
Enterprise4all NW which is recognised nationally as a centre of excellence for enterprise development in BME communities has recently won European recognition for its important work.
For more information contact;
0845 6070786
Or visit www.enterprise4all.co.uk
Or visit www.enterprise4all.co.uk
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Prince’s Trust - Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. We give practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. We work with 14- to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law.
The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped more than 575,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each working day. More than three in four young people The Trust helped last year moved into work, education or training.
Our Business Programme helps unemployed young people to set up in business, through low interest loans and mentor support. Over the last 25 years we’ve helped 70,000 young entrepreneurs and 58% of Trust supported businesses are still trading into their third year.
The Business Programme helps young people, aged 18 – 30, to start their own business by offering financial, pre and post start support during the first 3 years of trading. Young people working up to 16hrs per week could also be considered for support.
The financial support comes in the form of low interest rate (3%) loans up to a maximum of £4000 per individual (£5000 for a partnership) repayable over a 2/3 year period or Start Up grants to a maximum of £1200.
Clients applying for support will attend a range of awareness sessions, workshops and 1-2-1’s with an experienced Adviser during the pre start stage. Workshops will generally cover a range of topics including:
- Business Planning and Cash Flow
- Sales, Marketing, Advertising
- Budgeting/Pricing Policy
- Finance and Book keeping
- Tax/Vat/National Insurance
- Insurance – Public and Employer
- Contract Law/Terms and Conditions
- Small Claims
Clients who have completed their business plan and have successfully been awarded support will be linked with a volunteer Business Mentor who will maintain regular monthly/quarterly contact during the first 2 years of trading. Prince’s Trust staff will also maintain regular contact during the first 3 years of trading.
Clients supported by The Prince’s Trust have access to a range of free or discounted services including:
- Free registration on our Business Finder website
- 12 free business guides covering a wide range of topics
- Free website design and hosting for 12mths
- Free legal helpline provided by Barclays Bank
- Free insurance sourcing from Endsleigh Insurance
- Discounted finance and bookkeeping packages
- Discounted joining fees to a range of trade organisations and associations
In the first instance clients should contact their local office, on the telephone numbers below, for an initial discussion:
Cheshire – 01244 403067
Cumbria – 01946 817940
Greater Manchester – 0161 874 7380
Lancashire – 01254 269560
Merseyside – 0151 794 3197
Alternatively clients can register their enquiry on our website: www.princes-trust.org.uk
The Trust needs to raise around £1 million every week to continue its vital work.
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Train 2000 - Cheshire, Merseyside
Train 2000 is a women’s organisation that provides enterprise and employment services and influences policy, in order to improve the economic position of women.
Back in 1996, our founder members, drawn from the voluntary, private and education sectors, identified that, the then existing business support provision, failed to recognise the specific needs of women setting up and developing their own businesses. Their vision of an integrated business support service laid the foundations for the way in which we now deliver our services, and has enabled Train 2000 to develop into one of the leading women's enterprise development organisations in the U.K.
Now, Train 2000 works with over 2000 women every year, helping them to set up 200 new businesses and creating over 300 jobs.
With this experience we work nationally and internationally to promote women's entrepreneurship and to share best practices.
Our Services
Working across Cheshire and Merseyside, our team of friendly, experienced and qualified business advisers will work with women to:
- Understand their business needs and agree a plan of action
- Provide accurate, relevant and up to date information to support their business development
- Produce a comprehensive business plan for their new business
- Identify available business grants and loans and assist with submitting applications
- Provide practical business skills advice and workshops in areas including book keeping, Marketing & PR and tax & national insurance
- Connect them to relevant and useful networks and other sources of business support
For more information about Train 2000 and the services we offer:
Call FREEPHONE 0800 587 0383 or 0151 236 6601
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