Sector: Business, professional and technical services

1211

EmpowerHER: A Celebration of Women’s Leadership in the West Midlands

Calling all champions of women’s empowerment! EmpowerHER is an evening dedicated to acknowledging the remarkable achievements of female leaders in the West Midlands region.

Join Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM) for EmpowerHER, a special event to celebrate success, build connections, and inspire the leaders of the future.

The evening event takes place on Tuesday 19 March at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham.

BGWM says this isn’t just any gathering. It’s a chance to honour the amazing accomplishments
of female leaders in the West Midlands, while making meaningful connections and finding inspiration for your own leadership journey.

Hear from Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, as she shares her experiences, successes and strategies for overcoming obstacles in leadership.

Hear stories and get business opportunities

You can hear stories from other female leaders in the West Midlands. Learn from their experiences, the hurdles they’ve faced, and the moments that have defined their journeys.

Discover opportunities with Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM) Business Support Programmes to help you reach your goals.

Have a buffet dinner while networking with fellow attendees.

This event is FREE to attend for businesses in the West Midlands region. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has funded it. Business Growth West Midlands is the host.

There are limited spaces. Register now to secure your space.

See more events taking place soon
See more events taking place soon

Understanding the power of innovation: from Innovate Local

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has partnered with Innovate UK to hold an Innovate Local event in the West Midlands on Tuesday 12 March. The event will feature funding masterclasses and innovation accelerator sessions.

At the free half-day Innovate Local event attendees will be able to listen to keynote speeches from Innovate UK and WMCA, as well as attend panel sessions with local businesses.

It takes place at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley.

The agenda covers how to:

  • Drive business growth – learn how innovation can lead to increased profitability, market share and customer loyalty
  • Boost competitiveness – discover how staying ahead of industry trends and embracing innovation can give your business a competitive edge
  • Foster resilience – in today’s ever-changing business landscape, innovation is a key driver of adaptability and long-term success.

Who should attend?

The event is aimed at businesses based in and around the West Midlands. It has been designed to help you understand the power of innovation and its practical applications, regardless of whether your business is a small start-up or an established enterprise.

Why attend?

Attendees will have the chance to:

  • Connect with innovation experts and potential collaborators
  • Discover the opportunities and incentives for ambitious innovators and businesses in the region
  • Network with like-minded professionals from the West Midlands thriving business community.
  • Take your next practical step towards transforming your business through innovation.

To see the full agenda for the day and to register please visit the Innovate UK website.

Find out about WMCA by visiting https://www.wmca.org.uk.

Sign Up at Innovate UK

Get Connected in Sandwell – breakfast event

Join us at a free networking event on Thursday 7 March to celebrate International Women’s Day and National Careers Week.

Sandwell Business Growth has collaborated with Sandwell College and Black Country Chamber of Commerce to host our fourth free business breakfast networking event – Get Connected in Sandwell – on Thursday 7 March.

The event is taking place at our Sandwell Start-Up Hub in Jack Judge House, Oldbury, from 7.30am – 9am. Come along to hear from our inspiring speakers about how they can support your business.

To celebrate both International Women’s Day and National Careers Week, we have three inspirational female speakers representing education and senior leadership, engineering and technology, and inclusive workplace training.

We are delighted to welcome Julia Stevens, Vice Principal of Sandwell College as the event host. All of our guest speakers will discuss ways in which they can help support your organisation.

Our guest speakers are:

Anne Scrimshaw – Fab Lab Manager

Anne will be talking about what Industry 4.0 technologies can do for your business.

Vinita Simon – ACP Group Community Engagement Officer

Vinita will be asking: is your workplace menopause aware?

Breakfast

As always, there will be a free breakfast and plenty of opportunities to network.

We really do hope that you are able to join us at our next business breakfast networking event and look forward to seeing you there.

Please advise if you have any specific dietary requirements when you book your tickets.

For more business and tender opportunities visit our business opportunities page.

Sign up at Ticket Tailor

Come to our Sandwell ‘meet the buyer’ networking events

Posted on by Kate Christie

Sandwell Council has partnered with Constructing West Midlands and the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to host two ‘meet the buyer’ networking events in March.

The first meet the buyer event takes place on Wednesday 6 March [now fully booked]. This is followed by the second event on Tuesday 19 March. Both events are being held at West Bromwich Albion Football Club.

Wednesday 6 March: Constructing West Midlands [fully booked]

The first event offers the opportunity to connect with top contractors and construction industry decision-makers. You can talk to representatives from local authorities and housing associations, as well as contractors from the Constructing West Midlands framework:

  • Galliford Try
  • GF Tomlinson
  • Interclass
  • ISG
  • Morgan Sindall
  • Seddon
  • Spellar Metcalfe
  • Willmott Dixon.

There will be presentations on opportunities stemming from major projects – including in Sandwell’s Regeneration Pipeline.

Attendees will also be able to hear presentations on where to find business opportunities and how to register for them. As well as the benefits of community wealth building, social value and sustainability, plus tender-writing tips.

After the presentations you’ll have time to network over lunch.

For more information about Constructing West Midlands visit the website.

Join the wait list for the Wednesday 6 March event

Tuesday 19 March: Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

At the second meet the buyer event on Tuesday 19 March you can talk to procurement representatives from the NHS, local authorities, housing associations and more.

The event will focus on upcoming opportunities such as the Learning Campus in Smethwick and other major projects. During the day you will have the opportunity to talk to buyers and procurement teams. 

After the presentations you can network over lunch.

Get more information about Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS.

Sign up for the Tuesday 19 March event

More information about both events

At both events you will have the opportunity to meet exhibitors to talk about:

  • Recruitment and training with the Think Sandwell employment and skills team
  • Business opportunities from Find It In The Black Country
  • Digital inclusion
  • Inclusion and ‘giving back’ with the Care Leaver Covenant
  • Shaping the workforce of the future
  • The green agenda and net zero support.

Why are we holding these events?

When Sandwell businesses thrive, they create jobs, raise aspirations, boost skills and generate wealth for our local economy. You’re Sandwell’s lifeblood – and so we want to champion your business at every stage. Getting you face to face with influential buyers and decision makers is just one of our many ways to help.

Go to our events page
Go to our events page

‘Meet the buyer’ networking event – with the NHS

Sandwell Council, in partnership with the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS, is holding a ‘meet the buyer’ event on Tuesday 19 March.

Please note that this event is now fully booked.

The meet the buyer event is an opportunity for you to connect with industry decision-makers, find tender opportunities and network. During the day attendees will be able to meet with key buyers, showcase their offerings and explore new business opportunities.

The event is taking place on Tuesday 19 March at West Bromwich Albion Football Club (10am to 3.30pm).

There will be presentations on:

  • Upcoming opportunities such as the Learning Campus in Smethwick and other major projects
  • Where to find business opportunities and how to register for them
  • Community wealth building, social value and sustainability – their benefits to your business.
  • ‘Making social value less scary and more relevant to you’ and tender-writing tips.

After the presentations you will have the opportunity to network over lunch with other business people.

You will have the chance to talk to procurement representatives from the NHS, local authorities, housing associations and more.

You can also meet exhibitors to talk about:

  • Recruitment and training with the Think Sandwell employment and skills team
  • Business opportunities from Find It In The Black Country
  • Digital inclusion
  • Inclusion and ‘giving back’ with the Care Leaver Covenant
  • Shaping the workforce of the future
  • The green agenda and net zero support.

During the afternoon you will have the opportunity to talk to buyers and procurement teams. However, due to the high number of delegates and buyers there will be no allocated individual time slots for delegates.

For more information about social enterprise support in Sandwell visit our social enterprise page.

To find procurement opportunities and to find tenders visit our business opportunities page.

For more information about Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS visit the website.

‘Meet the buyer’ networking event – with Constructing West Midlands

Sandwell Council, in partnership with Constructing West Midlands, is holding a ‘meet the buyer’ event on Wednesday 6 March.

This event is now fully booked. See our other meet the buyer event, with the NHS, on Wednesday 19 March.

The meet the buyer event on Wednesday 6 March is an opportunity for you to connect with top contractors and industry decision-makers.

 You can talk to representatives from local authorities and housing associations, as well as contractors from the Constructing West Midlands framework:

  • Galliford Try
  • GF Tomlinson
  • Interclass
  • ISG
  • Morgan Sindall
  • Seddon
  • Spellar Metcalfe
  • Willmott Dixon.

The event is taking place on Wednesday 6 March at West Bromwich Albion Football Club (9.30am to 4pm).

There will be presentations on:

  • Upcoming opportunities from major projects – including Sandwell’s Regeneration Pipeline
  • Where to find business opportunities and how to register for them
  • Community wealth building, social value and sustainability, and their benefits to your business
  • Tender-writing tips – and the business-winning benefits of social value.

After the presentations you will have the opportunity to network over lunch with other business people.

You can also meet exhibitors to talk about:

  • Recruitment and training with the Think Sandwell employment and skills team
  • Business opportunities from Find It In The Black Country
  • Digital inclusion
  • Inclusion and ‘giving back’ with Care Leaver Covenant
  • Shaping the workforce of the future
  • Green agenda and net zero support.

The event will finish with the chance to talk to contractors from the Constructing West Midlands framework, local authorities, housing associations and more.

For more information about Constructing West Midlands, visit the website.

To find procurement opportunities and to find tenders visit our Business opportunities page.

Sandwell Workplace Walking and Wheeling Competition

Posted on by Kate Christie

Join in the Sandwell Walking and Wheeling Competition for a chance to win a £50 shopping voucher! 

An active travel officer from Sandwell Council is working closely with Sustrans to encourage Sandwell residents to move more – through walking, wheeling, cycling or running. 

Sustrans is a national charity that works for and with communities, supporting walking, wheeling and cycling to create healthier places and happier lives for everyone.

The charity is running a ‘Sandwell Workplace Walking and Wheeling Competition’, funded by Transport for West Midlands, during tFebruary. The competition is aimed at workplaces in Sandwell. The idea is to encourage workers to go for a roll or stroll during their break times. 

Sandwell workers can choose any seven days in February to go for a stroll, or a roll if they are wheelchair/ mobility scooter users. All they have to do then is complete an online entry form to explain what they enjoyed about their strolls or rolls for a chance to win a £50 shopping voucher. 

There will also be a winning workplace certificate for the Sandwell workplace that does the best!   

Who can enter?

Anyone living in Sandwell who would like to spend more time walking or wheeling around their local neighbourhood can enter. However, the competition is primarily aimed at people working at workplaces within Sandwell.

How to enter

Choose seven days in February to go for a roll or a stroll. Let Sustrans know what you enjoyed most about each walk or wheel using the online competition form. 

The competition closes at 11.59pm on Thursday 29 February. 

One winner will be contacted before Friday 8 March to claim their voucher. A top workplace will also be announced by Friday 8 March. 

To enter complete a competition entry form here.

For more information about Sustrans visit the website.

Enter the competition here

Social Enterprise Boost Fund from Access to Business

Posted on by Alex Taylor

Access to Business is working with iSE to deliver the West Midlands Social Enterprise Boost Fund in Wolverhampton and Sandwell. This initiative aims to kick start and accelerate social enterprise activity across the region.

The SEB Fund runs until March 2025 and offers a range of grants and targeted business support. Its aim is to help new and existing social enterprises start up, scale up and grow. Organisers will also collect and share evidence on the impact of social enterprises on communities in the local area.

Are you eligible for a Social Enterprise Boost?

You need to be a Wolverhampton or Sandwell resident to apply to the Social Enterprise Boost Fund. You have to be thinking about starting a business, or have an existing business that is less than five years old, with an annual turnover under £250K. 

Your business doesn’t have to be officially registered as a community interest company (CIC) for you to apply to the fund. A wide variety of social businesses are eligible.

What does the fund offer?

New social entrepreneurs can attend a series of FUSE Start Up courses over the next two years, plus CIC Start sessions to help you register your new enterprise. Owners of more established businesses can attend a series of social enterprise MOT programmes. These cover topics such as contract readiness, social impact and managing people.

The fund will also provide one-to-one business support and networking, tailored to your specific needs. All recipients of business support will also be able to apply for a range of grant funding, up to a maximum of £10K.

Learn more about the Social Enterprise Boost Fund at the A2B website.

Go to our social enterprise support page
Go to our social enterprise support page

Kerching! Sell more with social shopping: webinar

Learn how to sell more with social shopping. Boost sales through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more. Business Growth West Midlands is hosting a webinar on Thursday 14 March aimed at businesses that sell physical products online.

Younger audiences use social media to browse for things to buy. They see celebrities using a product, they share content with their friends, and buy through social media platforms.

If your business is in the West Midlands selling physical products to a consumer market, embracing social shopping could open up a new channel of sales for your business. This webinar covers the principles of how to set up your social media accounts to achieve this.

Who should attend?

The webinar is for businesses in the West Midlands region that sell physical products online and are looking at additional avenues to generate sales. 

If your business involves services and digital products lookout for our future webinars and workshops.

Social shopping topics

The webinar will cover:

  • How certain demographics use social media to discover products
  • The transition from bricks and mortar to online
  • Benefits of social shopping to consumers and businesses
  • Different platforms with shopping options: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok
  • The process of setting up your store
  • Examples from national and West Midlands-based businesses
  • Tips to succeed.

Outcomes

You will leave with an understanding of the potential social shopping offers your business and the next actions you need to take to start to learn how to implement it.

This event is free to attend. It is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and hosted by Business Growth West Midlands.

Sign up at Eventbrite

Find out more about Business Growth West Midlands here.

To learn about more ways to promote your business visit our Promote your business page.

Webinar: email marketing 101 for businesses

Learn to improve your business through effective email marketing. Discover the essentials of connecting, engaging, and growing your audience at a webinar hosted by Business Growth West Midlands on Thursday 28 March.

Email marketing is a tried and trusted way to make and maintain a connection with your customers and prospects. In a world driven by algorithms, email has the advantage of a recipient choosing whether to open what you create or not. All those opens of your emails are people wanting to hear what you have to say.

How do you take advantage of this customer intent and get people to open your emails when they receive them? How can you create a strategy that will get people signing up to hear more from you? What should you write about and how do you add value as well as promote offers?

This workshop will cover some of the essentials of email marketing including: 

  • Content 
  • Software 
  • Strategies for increasing your mailing list.

Who should attend?

The webinar is aimed at business owners in the West Midlands looking to start an email list or develop a robust email marketing strategy.

Things it will cover:

  • Why email is still an incredible marketing opportunity
  • Choosing a platform
  • Building and growing your email list
  • Different types of campaigns
  • Crafting an email that connects with your audience and builds trust
  • Writing a great subject line that makes people open
  • A/B testing
  • Understanding metrics to decide your next move.

Outcomes

You will leave with an understanding of the essentials of email marketing for your business and a plan to grow your audience. You will also be armed and ready to start emailing your list and help your business grow.

This event is free to attend. It is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and hosted by Business Growth West Midlands.

Sign up at Eventbrite

Find out more about Business Growth West Midlands here.

To learn about more ways to promote your business visit our Promote your business page.

Brum Rocks: Sandwell business event

Misfits Music Foundation is holding a business networking evening at Thimblemill Library on Thursday 21 March. There, you can learn about its Brum Rocks project.

Misfits Music Foundation is a local charity that holds community music activities for wellbeing in Birmingham and Sandwell. 

This year, the Misfits team is running a huge project called Brum Rocks. They are holding workshops across Birmingham and Sandwell, for adults who sing or play any instrument. These workshops will culminate in a Rock Extravaganza Finale Event in July 2024, with hundreds of people coming to sing and play together in Birmingham city centre.

To tell local businesses about Brum Rocks, Misfits invites you to a business networking evening on Thursday 21 March (7-9pm). Learn about sponsorship and volunteering opportunities, for an event that is likely to achieve a great deal of media coverage.

Brum Rocks logo in a plectrum shape

Over a glass of wine or soft drink and samosa, you’ll get to see a Brum Rocks workshop in action. This is thanks to members of Misfits’ Bearwood Rock Collective. You will also have time to network with people from other Sandwell-based businesses.

Send a message to rosie@misfitsmusic.org.uk if you’d like to attend. Tell her you heard about this event on the Sandwell Business Growth website.

Learn more about Brum Rocks

National Apprenticeship Week 2024: two Sandwell success stories

Posted on by Marie

For National Apprenticeship Week 2024, we share two stories about successful apprentices in Sandwell: Callum in carpentry and Paige in plastering!

National Apprenticeship Week 2024 takes place between Monday 5 and Sunday 11 February. It’s a chance to celebrate apprentices, their achievements, and the positive impact they make on communities, businesses and the wider economy.

Sandwell Council recommends apprenticeships to local businesses as a way of investing in the future. You can train an employee to have the skills that are exactly right for your industry, in a cost-effective way. In the meantime, you are fostering a culture of development and learning in your workplace.

A social value commitment

So we also recognise apprenticeships as a social value commitment: a way to give back to Sandwell and its people.

Therefore, we have been very glad to hear about the progress of local resident Callum Farmer. Callum started with a trainee multi-trade position with building contractors E Manton, which led to an apprenticeship with Sandwell Council.

E Manton was the principal contractor working to expand the Ron Davis Centre in Smethwick. This is a learning hub run by Sandwell Adult and Family Learning Service (SAFL).

Funded by the Towns Fund, the £360k development added two new specialised digital classrooms to the Ron Davis Centre. It boosted the range of services that SAFL can offer.

The work enabled Callum to invest in tools and start saving for a car. Its varied nature – and further work with E. Manton – also allowed him to decide which area of the building trade suited him best.

Now Callum has gone on to do a carpentry apprenticeship with Sandwell Council’s Neighbourhoods Team. We hear that he is doing very well.

“I wanted to know how to get into a trade”

We’re also glad to hear about Paige, who is doing a three-year plastering apprenticeship.

Paige’s original plan was to work in the beauty industry. She had done a training course in beauty. She was also having one-to-one sessions with a mentor, who was helping her to find courses and look for suitable vacancies. The mentor was from Think Sandwell. This is Sandwell Council’s Employment and Skills Team, which helps local people into work and supports local employers to fill job and skills gaps in their workforce.

Paige’s career path took a change in direction, however, when her mum was having building work done on her home and struggling to find people to carry out work.

 “I realised that there was lots of work available and wanted to know how to get into a trade”, said Paige.

Responding to Paige’s change of heart, the Think Sandwell mentor arranged for Paige to do a construction overview course. This included training for a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. Carrying this card gives proof that an individual working on a construction site has the required training and qualifications for the type of work they carry out.

Paige got her CSCS card, and along the way, learned that she enjoyed plastering the most.

With support from Think Sandwell, Paige applied for relevant work experience placements. Soon, drywalling specialists DCL offered her an opportunity to work with them on the Windsor Olympus Academy site in Smethwick.

As a result of her strong work experience performance, DCL offered Paige a three-year plastering apprenticeship. She started it in April 2023.

Learning a skilled trade

Scott Joynes is a project manager at DCL. He said: “It’s nice to see younger age groups having an interest in learning a skilled trade. Having Paige on site has been a breath of fresh air, she certainly keeps us all on our toes. I started as an apprentice myself when I was sixteen and it’s great to see the support networks that are in place to support apprentices now.”

John Jacznik, director at DCL, said: “It’s refreshing to have someone with that enthusiasm on site. Her character and spirit will make her into a great asset. The support from Think Sandwell in finding an apprentice and setting up the apprenticeship has been a great example of partnership working”.

Learn more about apprenticeships in Sandwell – and read more social value stories.

Go to the National Apprenticeship Week website

Social media essentials webinar: LinkedIn

Business Growth West Midlands is hosting a series of webinars on social media essentials. Its latest one focuses on LinkedIn. This event caters specifically to businesses in the West Midlands region.

The webinar series ‘Social media essentials’ focuses on each of the major platforms. Each webinar goes through the essential information that you need to know about a platform one at a time.

The webinar taking place on Thursday 15 February will cover LinkedIn. LinkedIn claims to be the professional network and is popular with businesses as it enables them to connect with others and promote their organisations. 

This webinar outlines the basic principles for starting your journey on LinkedIn and explains the most effective methods for building loyalty.

Who should attend?

This webinar targets businesses in the West Midlands that want to improve their LinkedIn presence and learn key strategies for success.

Topics

The webinar will cover:

  • Why focusing on LinkedIn is a great idea for your business
  • Where the opportunity lies
  • Optimising your personal profile
  • Searching for leads
  • Company pages
  • The different content types in the platform.

Outcomes

Attendees will leave with a series of actions to maximise the potential that LinkedIn holds for their business. 

Additionally, you will gain the ability to advocate to others in your business about the importance of a LinkedIn strategy.

How to register

Hosted by Business Growth West Midlands, this event is free to attend. It is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Find out more about the event on the Business Growth West Midlands website.

To learn about more ways to promote your business visit our Promote your business page.

Sign up at Eventbrite

’Sales accelerator workshop’: sales training from Business Growth West Midlands

Business Growth West Midlands is offering a free sales accelerator workshop on Tuesday 27 February

This half-day sales accelerator event is for business owners and entrepreneurs in the West Midlands who want to boost their sales skills. It takes place at the TechnoCentre in Coventry. Experienced sales trainers Lindsey Newman-Wood and Iain Wood will be leading it.

The workshop will focus on practical strategies to increase sales. It will also be very interactive with plenty of discussions, case studies and hands-on activities.

Practical and interactive

Attendees can expect to learn lead generation tactics, acquire practical skills, develop sales strategies and network with other Midlands professionals.

Business Growth West Midlands works in collaboration with seven local authorities to help businesses in the region grow and develop. It has links with government, education and the private sector, and offers tailored support to businesses of any size and any sector.

Places are limited, so register now:

Register for the Sales Accelerator

We’ve got more ideas for growing your Sandwell business.

‘Access to Finance’: taster session from Oxford Innovation Advice

Oxford Innovation Advice is giving a free interactive taster session for the Access to Finance programme on Thursday 21 March.

The Access to Finance programme offers guidance and support on business finance to West Midlands SMEs. The aim of the scheme is to demystify the world of business finance, enable growth and boost the regional economy.

This taster session is an opportunity to meet the Oxford Innovation Advice team and get an overview of the funding options available to businesses.

It takes place at our very own Sandwell Start-Up Hub here in Oldbury, from 10am to 3pm on Thursday 21 March.

The session will explore:

  • Debt finance and understanding interest rates
  • Alternative finance
  • Grant funding – is it free?
  • Crowdfunding – reward, social and equity
  • Angel investment and venture capital – when is it right for you?
  • The importance of creating a pitch deck or a business plan
  • Financial forecasting.

You can sign up via Eventbrite, or see other sessions on alternative dates.

Learn more about Access to Finance on our news page

Access to Finance programme open for applications

Posted on by Alex Taylor

The Access to Finance programme offers tailored guidance and support on business finance to West Midlands SMEs.

The aim of the scheme is to demystify the world of business finance, enable growth and boost the regional economy. It is fully funded – the only investment required is time and energy.

Access to Finance covers topics such as:

  • Loans and overdrafts
  • Asset finance
  • Finding and grant applications
  • Equity
  • Crowdfunding
  • Creating forecasts and business planning documents
  • Pitch decks

Three decades of experience

There are two stages of support available:

  • Stage 1: Business engagement, information and advice 
  • Stage 2: Mentoring support to develop the investment pitch and financial forecasts 

Each stage includes one-to-one support by a dedicated finance specialist.  

Oxford Innovation Advice, which delivers the programme, has been supporting entrepreneurs for over 30 years. Access to Finance is part of the Investment Readiness Programme. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Business Growth West Midlands are funding it.

Businesses in all sectors are eligible

To be eligible for support, your business must be based in Birmingham, Solihull or the Black Country. You must also be looking to grow your business, or require finance for your business. SMEs from all sectors are eligible.

There is a free, interactive taster session in the Sandwell Start Up Hub on Thursday 21 March. This is an opportunity to meet the team and get an overview of the funding options available to businesses.

Are you interested in joining Access to Finance? Contact the Oxford Innovation Advice team to discuss your support needs further:

Visit the A2F website

Christmas gift appeal: celebrating the generosity of our business community

Posted on by Marie

Sandwell Council held a breakfast celebration event to thank businesses for donating to a children’s Christmas gift appeal.

On Thursday 18 January, around 45 people attended the morning event at our Sandwell Start-Up Hub in Oldbury. Sandwell Council hosted it to say thank you for 300+ gifts donated to Sandwell Children’s Trust’s 2023 Christmas gift appeal.

Recognising that many children and young people would receive few, if any, Christmas presents, Sandwell Council had appealed to partners and local businesses to donate new toys and gifts for Sandwell Children’s Trust to distribute in the borough.

The campaign asked for items suitable for newborn babies and appropriate toys for children of various ages. Also, for older teenagers: fragrance, vouchers, hats or scarves.

Sandwell Council’s partners and business community responded with generosity, donating more than 300 gifts. These organisations included our social value partners: businesses committed to ensuring the work they do in Sandwell has social or environmental benefits that extend beyond the scope of their contracts.

The thoughtful businesses dropped their gifts off in Oldbury by late November. This gave staff at Sandwell Children’s Trust time to wrap and distribute them before Christmas to local children and young people.

‘A business community willing to do more for people’

Councillor Peter Hughes is Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and West Midlands Combined Authority. At the breakfast, he presented each participating business with a certificate of thanks.

He said: “It made me very proud to see our colleagues going the extra mile for the borough’s children – and I’m impressed with the businesses who rose to the challenge in supporting this campaign.

Lee Kingston and Councillor Peter Hughes

“Social value is important to Sandwell Council, and this has reinforced my belief that even in tough times we have caring partners and a business community willing to do more for people.”

‘You are all making a massive difference’

Jackie Hodgkins is Communications Manager for Sandwell Children’s Trust. She said at the time: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to help put smiles on children and young people’s face this Christmas.  Particularly for the vulnerable children in Sandwell who may not get a gift this year without the generosity of those who donate. 

“Thanks to everyone for their support and know that you are all making a massive difference to children’s lives.”

People sitting in green chairs at the Sandwell Start-Up Hub, clapping

Thank you

Thank you to everyone involved, both at the event and with the Christmas gift appeal. Special thanks to our colleagues from Sandwell Children’s Trust:

Emma Taylor – Chief Executive
Tara Malik – Director of Resources
Steven Gauntley – Director of Operations
Teo Bot – Director of Quality and Performance
Tom Davies – Engagement Manager
Jackie Hodgkins – Communications Manager

And to the generous businesses who both donated to the appeal and attended our event:

  • Axis Europe Plc
  • Birmingham, Garage & Industrial Doors Ltd
  • Bryant Electrical (Midlands) Ltd
  • Corroy Products
  • Countryside Partnerships
  • Doocey Group
  • Ideal Heating
  • J McCann & Co Limited
  • Jays Sourcing Group Ltd
  • Lift & Engineering Services Ltd
  • MCP Property Services Ltd
  • Newey Group
  • PHC Parts
  • Sandwell Jobs KPM
  • Sure Maintenance Ltd
  • Tricas Construction Ltd
  • Vinci Facilities
  • Welch & Phillips Building Contractors Ltd.
Social value in Sandwell
Social value in Sandwell







Venturefest Mobile Hub: for creative industries

The second Venturefest Mobile Hub will focus on immersive technology and the creative industries. It will be hosted by Coventry University on Thursday 8 February.

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with a wide range of businesses, local partners and business support organisations. Panellists will discuss their innovation journeys and offer advice on: 

  • How creative businesses can secure investment and funding
  • Working with specialist advisers
  • Creating opportunities for collaboration.

The event takes place from 1 – 3.30pm on Thursday 8 February and is split into two sessions.

Session 1: Creative inspiration

A panel of key business leaders will be talking about how their organisations are working with innovative, creative and immersive technology businesses. The topics will include supply chain, and how to design, develop and commercialise new products and services. 

Session 2: Voice of the customer

A panel of innovative and creative business owners will provide insights into working with Innovate UK EDGE. They will talk about how to grow a business and secure funding and investment.

Get more information about Venturefest Mobile Hub in the West Midlands here.

Sign up at Eventbrite
Search for funding opportunities
Search for funding opportunities

Regeneration West Midlands: we’re in the Express & Star

Posted on by Marie

Check out the Express & Star‘s ‘Regeneration West Midlands’ supplement for January 2024. It contains a lot of information about our support for Sandwell’s businesses.

We have a double-page spread in the 24-page Regeneration West Midlands pull-out from the Express & Star for January 2024. Pages twelve and thirteen outline our extensive support for Sandwell businesses this year, underpinned by our Sandwell Business Growth Plan.

The support includes …

You can read the digital version here.

See the Sandwell Business Growth Plan
See the Sandwell Business Growth Plan

Net zero workshop in Walsall

Posted on by Alex Taylor

Head to Walsall Football Club on Tuesday 6 February for a free workshop on how your business can work towards net zero.

The net zero workshop is for Black Country SMEs. It will provide advice and guidance for businesses on energy costs, decarbonisation and energy efficiency. You can also find out about a £35m grant fund for investments that reduce energy use.

Opportunities through carbon emission savings

The Black Country Industrial Cluster hosting the event This is a not-for-profit collaboration of over 3,500 energy-intensive manufacturing businesses across the West Midlands. It aims to reduce industrial carbon emissions in the region by 1.3 mega tonnes over the next ten years. This free net zero workshop is part of that strategy.

Matthew Rhodes [pictured] is director of the Black Country Industrial Cluster. He said: “We will discuss the opportunities the transition to net zero presents for Black Country businesses. We aim to continue to bring inward investment to the region, share best practice with our members, advocate at a local and national level, and provide businesses with access to specialist energy engineering knowledge and support.”

For further information on climate resilience for your business, visit our net zero page.

Go to our event listing