Support requests flood in for Growth Hub

SMEs from across Staffordshire made nearly 10,000 calls to the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub during the pandemic.

New figures revealed by the Growth Hub reveal the scale of support delivered to businesses across the region during the health crisis.

Nearly 7,000 emails from business leaders looking for advice were received by the Growth Hub team, as well as 550 individual diagnostics carried out.

Alun Rogers (pictured), chair of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The Growth Hub team has drawn on all its resources to manage the challenges, and to allocate advice, grant support and other activities to businesses across our area.

“The scope and scale of the enquiries has been exceptional.

“Our message now, as we move out of Covid-19 restrictions, is that we are still here to help businesses as they focus on taking advantage of the renewed momentum in the economy to move to thrive rather than survive, and take on the new challenges and opportunities ahead. ”

To help Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire SMEs to stabilise and plot a growth curve, the Growth Hub has developed package of fully funded services, under their new #EvolvingEnterprise initiative.

Bespoke, specialist support in areas including funding and finance, HR, marketing, international trade, recovery and growth is all provided, with a further 120 referral partners across the country able to support the most specific requests from businesses.

The three-stage process starts for all businesses across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire with an initial triage session, via the Growth Hub 's Business Helpline.

This is followed by a one-to-one diagnostic with an experienced business adviser, to establish the specific needs for their company to grow.

Eligible businesses can then go onto access a package of specialist support, tapping into the depth of knowledge and advice from Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub, to help power their ambitious growth plans.

The Growth Hub acts as a focal point for businesses in the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership area, driving strong, sustainable business growth and offering co-ordinated programmes, networks and groups alongside signposting to specialist information, advice and services.