Business Support Available in North Somerset
Universal Business Support
The Universal Business Support programme can help you: Understand regulations, requirements and best practice when setting up a new business, Access free expert advice and guidance to get started with a new business, Access training to develop your business, Access a range of one to one support, workshops and resources to help with everything from digital marketing to accountancy.
Visit the NSEA page Starting in Business Course
When you’re starting in business it’s important that you get the essentials right. The North Somerset Enterprise Agency's business start-up course provides information and guidance to help deal with key issues that are fundamental to the performance and success of your business.
Visit the Starting in Business Course event page Sustainable Business Club
The North Somerset Sustainable Business Club is a free, open, grassroots community of local businesses interested in sustainability and themes such as social impact, ethical conduct, climate change and other environmental issues.
Visit the Sustainable Business Club page
Help to Grow: Digital
Help to Grow: Digital is a government backed, UK-wide scheme that supports eligible SMEs to choose, buy and integrate software into their business. Through the scheme you can access funding to help buy new software. and free, impartial advice and guidance.
Visit the Help to Grow: Digital page
Good Employment Charter
The West of England Good Employment Charter will set the standard for working practices in the region. Supporting businesses of any size or sector to improve investment in their staff, enabling more inclusive, equitable and sustainable working practices, positively benefitting people, society, and the wider economy.
Visit the Good Employment Charter page Sustainable Technologies Scale Up Programme
You could benefit from this fully funded specialist business and innovation support to help accelerate your growth. Delivered by specialists in sustainable technology.
Visit the Sustainable Technologies Scale Up Programme page Workforce for the Future
Workforce for the Future provides free tailored, in-depth support to help you ensure your employees have the access to the skills, training and support that your business needs to thrive. You’ll receive free support from our expert partners to ensure your business can identify ongoing skills needs, attract and retain talented people, access the right training and development and invest in your current and future workforce.
Visit the Workforce for the Future page Thrive at Work
The West of England Thrive at Work programme supports business leaders with the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce. The eLearning Managing Mental Health at Work is a free course that is designed to equip businesses with the confidence and skills to have supportive conversations with staff about mental health and wellbeing.
Visit the Thrive at Work page
Creatives Advice Sessions & Resources
Culture Weston have launched one-to-one advice sessions that are available every Tuesday and Thursday. Sessions are informal and open to anyone at any career stage. They are an opportunity to talk about anything from your creative ideas and project development to financing your work and funding applications.
Visit the Advice Session page
Food & Drink Workshops and Seminars
Eligible food and drink producers or businesses can now access a range of thematic seminars, workshops and practical events with industry speakers and business owners sharing their experiences.
Visit the The Food and Drink Forum events page
Business West Support
Business West offers a range of services & programmes to help businesses successfully start, grow, export, and innovate.
Visit the Business West page Business West - Trading to Net Zero
Business West is fully committed to safeguarding the environment and addressing the climate crisis. In December 2020, they were the first Chamber of Commerce in the UK to release their climate change position statement. As a carbon-neutral company they are focused on achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Find out more today.
Visit the Trading to Net Zero page
Somerset and North Somerset Virtual Networking
Join the FSB for a welcoming and supportive hour of networking with fellow small business owners on the first Thursday of every month. Except for June due to the bank holiday this is on the second Thursday
Visit the event page Let's Grow Business Together
The FSB's LGBT+ business hub includes free resources, interviews, advice, and networking events for LGBT+ small business owners and employers looking to make their workplace more inclusive.
Visit the Let's Grow Business Together page South West Women in Business Virtual Networking
Meet with like-minded business people across Somerset, North Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire.
Visit the event page
Business In The Community - Toolkits
At Business in the Community (BITC), we encourage businesses to be ambitious when setting targets – remember that the Paris agreement only gives a 50:50 change of limiting temperature rises to less than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the target with the best chance of averting the climate crisis. So, we believe even a science-based target needs to be aiming towards 2030 rather than 2050 for the best chance of success.
Visit the Business In The Community - Toolkits page
Modern Methods of Construction Training
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and offsite manufacturing are seen as the future with opportunities to improve productivity and attract new talent to the industry.
Visit the Modern Methods of Construction Training page
Business Declares An Emergency - campaign
We raise awareness across the business sector of the imperative to accelerate action to address climate change, biodiversity loss and social injustice. We celebrate all companies who declare. We are not perfect, and we are not judging others. We are part of a coalition of the willing looking to collaborate and accelerate action. We push the boundaries, facilitating conversations on the many complex challenges businesses are facing. We urge faster action than the Paris agreement.
Visit Business Declares An Emergency campaign page
Women Mean Biz
Join an established network of businesswomen and entrepreneurs working in all sorts of businesses from start-ups to established companies and large corporations. The only qualification you need to join is the desire to be successful in your business
Visit the Women Mean Biz page
Clevedon Chamber of Commerce
The Clevedon Chamber of Commerce is a collective of companies, working together to develop the success of the town’s business community. Members enjoy knowledge and best practice sharing with other members and a say in our economic development activity. The Clevedon Chamber is an active member of a number of initiatives including the Coastal Community Team and the North Somerset Ambassador group.
Visit the Clevedon Chamber of Commerce page
Portishead Chamber of Commerce
The Portishead Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organisation that offers support to the local business community. Whatever your business – retail, wholesale, manufacturing or service, high technology or crafts – you will benefit from being a member of this organisation, which aims to help put Portishead businesses on the map.
Visit the Portishead Chamber of Commerce page
Weston-super-Mare Chamber of Commerce
Open to all businesses that are based in or have business links to Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding area, the Weston-super-Mare Chamber of Commerce cultivates a local business network of members offering community, support and opportunity. Encouraging business development and growth.
Visit the Weston-super-Mare Chamber of Commerce page
COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund
The government has released guidance on the new COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF). This is a relief to be applied to a business’s business rates account and not a grant.
Visit the CARF page
