Businesses offered free advice to help solve their funding puzzles

Cheshire East Council is inviting businesses from across the borough to learn about the business support and funding available for growth projects.

The free-to-attend lunchtime event on 25 January, provided by the authority’s arms-length Skills and Growth Company, will have guest speakers discussing the funding available to help your business grow.

The event will cover the practical support available to improve your chances of securing finance, as well as the government-backed lending scheme Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), which has been set up to provide more than £400m of investment to businesses.

After the speakers there will be a networking lunch, where there will be an opportunity to meet with a range of funding and business support specialists.

Speakers at the Alderley Park Conference Centre event will include representatives of The British Business Bank, The Skills and Growth Company’s ‘access 2 finance service’ and successful grant applicants, who will share their experience of applying and receiving grant funding. This will include a panel discussion from the speakers, with a question and answer session.

Nantwich-based Frank Olsen Furniture will be one of the businesses taking part following their £25,000 funding from the NPIF, which is helping fuel their growth and create new jobs.

To book on the event, which will run from 11.30am to 2pm at Alderley Park, go online at: www.skillsandgrowth.co.uk/events

Alternatively, call the Skills and Growth Company on 0300 1235001.

Cheshire East Councillor George Hayes, chairman of the Skills and Growth Company, said: “This event offers expert insight and advice into the range of support available to businesses looking to grow.

“Securing the right finance needed for growth can be difficult and we hope this event will help businesses to build upon their successes by showcasing the range of financial support available to them.”