New Growth Hub campaign sets the pace for business growth in 2022

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub is launching a new campaign, engineered to get businesses in prime position for the new year.

#GearingForGrowth2022 will celebrate the resilience of Staffordshire businesses throughout the pandemic and promote business growth moving forwards into 2022.

Through access to accredited and qualified business advisors and specialists, the initiative offers a gateway to a variety of CPD accredited workshops, webinars and seminars developed to help accelerate business growth.

These will include a diverse range of specialist subjects of wide appeal to SMEs, including a value proposition series, BID writing techniques, emerging technologies, starting out in export and user experience.

Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub has also brought together all the relevant partners and topics able to fuel business growth aspirations in 2022 from the 150-plus referral partners and organisations it works alongside, in areas ranging from business support programmes and mentoring to grant funding and finance.

These include access to:

• The Small Business Grant Scheme, offering fund of up to £10k.
• The Investment Readiness Grant, delivering funding of up to £3k.
• The ‘Growth and Recovery Mapper’ analytical tool, developed by Oxford Innovation.
• The Peer Networks programme, supporting business leaders to find practical solutions to strategic and operational challenges in the SMEs, implement and manage change, improve resilience and drive long-term productivity gains.
• Access to fully funded Skills & Training for growth
• Access to procurement opportunities for the Commonwealth Games
• Access to mentoring support via Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce

Established by the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership to play a major role in the drive for strong, sustainable business growth across the LEP area, the Growth Hub acts as the focal point for businesses that wish to grow, by referring them to co-ordinated and cohesive growth programmes, business networks, growth groups and links to specialist information, advice and services.

Nicola Kent, Business and Enterprise Support Manager at Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub, said:

#GearingforGrowth2022 celebrates the resilience of SMEs across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire throughout the pandemic, and will encourage their growth aspirations for the next 12 months by providing access to a range of service and support programmes.

As the economy moves forwards, we are here to help local SMEs to get the extra vision, insight and even emotional support to prepare for the opportunities ahead.”

#GearingforGrowth2022 is the next stage of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub’s operations, after providing urgent Covid-19 advice to SMEs on more than 18,000 occasions during the pandemic.

The helpline also took almost 10,000 calls, and nearly 7,000 emails were received from business leaders desperately seeking advice and support.

Nicola Kent added:

We recognise the struggle businesses have endured throughout the pandemic and we now want to help support their growth aspirations moving forward into the new year.

By bringing together our referral partners, organisations and programmes to showcase the support they can offer, #GearingforGrowth will provide the means to give SMEs the chance to learn more about all the opportunities available.”

The campaign will conclude in March with a celebration event at Aston Marina where a number of our referral partners and organisations will be exhibiting enabling opportunity to discuss the available support further.

More details can be found at Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub’s website www.stokestaffsgrowthhub.co.uk which offers businesses a wealth of support and resources. A business helpline is also available on 0300 111 8002.