Whether you’re new to all things digital, would like to know more, or are confident with digital technology in your business, this free event will give you the insight you need to harness digital technologies to grow your business as well as connecting you to the right support to get you one step further.

The event, which is being organised by the Heart of the SouthWest Growth Hub, will feature workshops and talks with practical advice and information from:

• Cosmic – ‘Digital Trends for 2023 and beyond'
• Cyber Resilience Centre South West - 'Cyber Security 101: Protecting your Business in the Digital World'
• AB Marketing - Mastering Digital Marketing: Insights, Tips, and Tricks from AB Brand and Marketing
• Heart of the South West Growth Hub - Introducing our new service for SME's -'Digital Link'
• Tech Exeter & other guest speakers
• Q&A and networking

For further information, or to book tickets visit Eventbrite

Published 16th March 2023

New Exmoor Business Directory Launched

A brand-new online directory of businesses operating in and around Exmoor National Park has been launched as part of the Rural Enterprise Exmoor initiative which seeks to retain greater community wealth in the area.

For any businesses working in or around Exmoor, or supplying goods or services to people within the National Park, the site can be found at Rural Enterprise Exmoor and already has over 200 listings, with other businesses from all sectors urged to sign-up for free.

Published 10th March 2023

New Government website launched to help businesses find information and support

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has unveiled a new centralised website, targeted at helping the UK’s 5.5 million businesses.

The new ‘Help to Grow’ site from DBT is aimed at upskilling both big and small businesses across the country by helping them to:

• Learn new skills
• Reach more customers
• Boost business profits

Businesses have reported that they need easy to find information from the Government, and this centralised page has been launched to make it simpler for firms to find, access and use the information and support they need in one central space.

For further information, read the Press Release from the Department for Business and Trade or to access the new website visit Help to Grow

Published 8th March 2023

Decarbonise Devon offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ for businesses in Devon that wish to implement energy-saving measures, with support from local experts through the whole process of developing and implementing a project. The service is being delivered by EPConnect with funding from Devon County Council and is hosted by the Devon Energy Collective.

Businesses are increasingly concerned about how they will manage rising energy costs and want to reduce their energy use but it can be difficult to know where to start.  Identifying which measures are right for your business, finding good installers and financing the project can all be challenging, so many businesses never get their projects off the ground.

Qualified energy assessors will offer free, no-obligation energy assessments for businesses in Devon. These will guide businesses on the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs: this could be through the use of technologies such as solar panels, efficient lighting, heating upgrades and insulation.

Decarbonise Devon can provide all the technical expertise to look after the whole process: planning, project management, accessing finance, finding trustworthy contractors, even verifying impact.

For further information click here

Published 19th January 2023

Delivered by SETsquared Exeter, this fully-funded, two-day workshop is designed for businesses looking to innovate, bridging the gap between groundbreaking new ideas and the value those ideas can create. Delivered in-person in Barnstaple, the workshop will take you through a creative problem-solving exercise around big real-world problems, designing and validating a potential solution for this problem, and crafting this solution into a something of value to a potential market.

For further information and to book a place, visit Eventbrite

Published 12th January 2023

Energy Bills Discount Scheme for UK businesses

The government announces the new “Energy Bills Discount Scheme” for UK businesses, charities, and the public sector from April.

Published 9 January 2023

The government unveils new “Energy Bills Discount Scheme” for businesses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Information about a couple of new programmes available locally:

Published 6th January 2023

Get Local Authority Procurement Ready with Get Set to Tender

If you want to win contracts from Local Government, Get Set to Tender will help you to better understand procurement and tenders and enable you to bid for opportunities in the public sector.

Through a blend of 2-hour group workshops and 1-2-1 support, Get Set to Tender will:

• Introduce you to procurement and tendering,
• Explore how to access public sector opportunities,
• Review your past bid performance,
• And help with a live tender bid.

The programme is funded by Devon County Council and delivered by Tender Victory. To apply online, please complete this short form or email admin@tendervictory.co.uk To register to attend a free workshop, please click here

Start 2023 afresh with Wellbeing Works

Wellbeing Works offers an exciting opportunity for Devon based businesses (excluding Plymouth and Torbay), employees, and individuals to benefit from the tools, techniques, and inspiration we need to prioritise and develop our wellbeing and resilience.

Through a 1-2-1 Wellbeing Check-In (online and in-person), Wellbeing Works can help you to take time out of your day to prioritise your wellbeing, and to:

• Take stock of your wellbeing and share your challenges
• Feel inspired to take positive steps towards greater wellbeing
• Be signposted to resources and support for your wellbeing journey

Book your wellbeing check-in here, or call 01392 248919

Wellbeing Works has a range of inspiring and informative online wellbeing workshops, including:

• Wellbeing at Work - Wednesday 11th January, 6pm-7:30pm
• 5 Ways to Wellbeing - Thursday 19th January, 12pm-1:30pm

Wellbeing Works can also offer workshops to your organisation completely free. This tailored 90-minute workshop can be delivered face-to-face or online, and can cover wellbeing in general, or be focused on meditation, mindfulness, using vision boards, or FIKA (the Swedish way to pause and connect).

For more information, please visit the Wellbeing Works website or contact Victoria.Grimberg@devoncommunities.org.uk

Delayed Implementation of MTD

Published 22 December 2022

The Government has announced that they will delay the implementation of Making Tax Digital (M.T.D.) for Income Tax Self-Assessment. Mandatory phasing-in is now due to start in April 2026 (instead of April 2024 as planned).

From April 2026, self-employed individuals and landlords with annual income in excess of £50k will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to H.M.R.C. with details of income and expenditure using M.T.D.-compliant software.

From 2027, this will be extended to those with income of between £30k and £50k.

The Government has also announced a Review to consider how M.T.D. can be shaped to suit the needs of smaller businesses (particularly those with income of less than £30k) – so, watch this space!

To read the Government announcement in full click this link

Household Support Fund October 2022 – March 2023

Published 15 December 2022

The Government has made more money available to local councils to provide further funding for households who might be struggling most with the increase in the cost of living.

Please visit the local council pages in your area to find out more:

North Devon Council click here

Torridge District Council click here

Autumn Statement 2022: what it means for small businesses

Published 21st November 2022

Click here for further details

Paperless trade for UK businesses to boost growth

Published 12 October 2022