President welcomes discussion on business grant funding

Businesses from across Sutton Coldfield were given the opportunity to hear from experts about grant funding opportunities at an event this week.

And the opportunity for members to speak to key business grant and funding providers was welcomed by Royal Sutton Coldfield Chamber president Naeem Arif.

Representatives from West Midlands Growth Company, Thrive at Work and Innovate UK Edge were hosted at BMet College’s Sutton campus, where roundtables took place with delegates able to ask questions and share experiences about the current and future business funding landscape.

Naeem, managing director of United Carpets Mere Green, said: “It is vitally important that we provide the opportunity for our members and business community to understand more about the funding landscape which can, at times, be hard to navigate or confusing for business owners.

“Welcome our three speakers provided those delegates with an opportunity to understand what was available for their business, take on board the advice from those offering the funding and hopefully go on to either apply themselves or share their newly acquired knowledge with their own networks across Greater Birmingham.

“The feedback from both delegates and speakers was very positive and I’d urge any small business, when undertaking a project which will create jobs, setting their strategy for the year ahead, planning how to best support their workforce or beginning an innovative project to reach out to funding organisations or speak with your Chamber account manager.”

Chamber vice-president Kate Curry, MD of CUDOS Creative, said; “My business has benefited over the years with support from the organisations we welcomed to the college this week and I’m a real advocate for people to explore what help is on offer.”

Avalon Maison, innovation growth specialist at Innovate UK Midlands, Charlotte Bowden, account manager at Business Growth West Midlands  and Mitzi Donovan , Thrive at Work co-ordinator at West Midlands Combined Authority spent two hours sharing advice.