A CHELMSLEY WOOD charity is set to help business grow thanks to a cash injection.
The Colebridge Trust has opened a Community Business Growth Hub thanks to funds from West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker.
The Savoy Centre in Netherton, Dudley, hub which is run by Black Country Housing Group in partnership with SWEDA (Skills Work and Enterprise Development Agency) has also received funds.
The new hubs are said to give entrepreneurs advice and funding they need to secure new investment, win more business and create jobs in their own communities.
This support is also being extended to disabled and female-led businesses, and those in deprived neighbourhoods.
Chet Parmar, chief executive, Colebridge Trust and Enterprises, said: “Too many businesses miss out on opportunities that include grants, training and access to mentoring.
“We’re working with partners such as Business Growth West Midlands, Rock Solid, Solihull Chamber and Solihull Council, to provide our local businesses the best possible chance of sustainability and growth.
“This support will focus on minority-led SMEs who have female, disability, ethnic and other owners who may be at risk of being marginalised from growth.
“As a charity with its own packing and assembly social enterprise and with the work that we have delivered as part of the social economy cluster, inclusive growth is important to the trust.”
The new hubs will build on the success of the first five launched by the Mayor last year in Coventry, Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Mr Parker said: “No one should be held back from fulfilling their potential, least of all because of their race, identity or background.
“These hubs are playing an essential role in breaking down barriers and unlocking the entrepreneurial spirit of leaders like Lucia, so more of our people and places can feel the benefit as we get our economy firing on all cylinders again.”
The Mayor’s Growth Plan sets outs plans to harness the entrepreneurial spirit of people from all walks of life to help fire up the regional economy and raise living standards.
There are now seven Community Business Growth Hubs which are funded by the Mayor and run in partnership with trusted community organisations, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM), and the region’s Race Equalities Taskforce.
They provide one-to-one expert advice, workshops and networking events, and direct links into regional and national support and funding programmes, as well as providing much-needed investment in the community locations in which they are based.
All small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands can access a whole range of business support from BGWM’s team of expert advisors.
BGWM was set up by the WMCA to help drive the Mayor’s plans to reignite the regional economy by providing tailored packages to help SMEs grow, decarbonise, adopt digital technologies, transition to new supply chains, and access finance.
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