Free support for local businesses in Cambridge and Peterborough to help them grow
Allia receives 3-year European funding to support delivery of programmes across Greater Cambridgeshire
Allia Future Business Centres has been awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund to support hundreds of local businesses across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through a range of free training, advice and support programmes.
Kicking off the new suite of programmes is an Impact Accelerator, launching next month in both Cambridge and Peterborough – a six-month intensive programme dedicated to help start-ups and small businesses grow that are focused on addressing social and environmental challenges. With workshops, 1-2-1 mentoring, coaching and regular check-ins with advisors, the hands-on programme will help accelerate business growth and generate greater positive impact.
Following that, a Grow Your Business programme will be run for local businesses for the first time in Peterborough, starting at the end of March. Allia has successfully run its Grow Your Business programme in East London for over three years, helping almost 250 small businesses in Hackney and the surrounding boroughs in this time. This programme is designed to help established local businesses – such as cafes, bakeries, florists or garages – to grow, gain new customers and increase revenue, with a particular focus on routes to recovery from the current crisis.
The new funding by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will enable Allia to deliver programmes in both locations until June 2023. Through the programmes, Allia aims to encourage and support entrepreneurship in the area, encouraging new impact products and services to be developed, creating new jobs and supporting the development of new business ideas that can transform into successful businesses.
The not-for-profit organisation has been running programmes that support small businesses and ventures since 2013 and has received ERDF funding twice in the past. This has resulted in over 1,500 entrepreneurs and small businesses being supported, who have gone on to grow and create 700 jobs and raise over £72m in finance.
Martin Clark, CEO of Allia Impact, said: “This funding enables us to support businesses with a mission as well as local businesses that want to grow and create jobs to contribute to their local economy. We are particularly interested in helping businesses that want to build back and respond to the challenges facing society and believe our twin-track approach gives us the best chance of making a difference – locally, nationally, internationally.”
David Broach, Director of Allia Future Business Centres, added: “Our Future Business Centres are a hub for local innovation, providing an environment and community in which entrepreneurs, start-ups and scaling businesses can thrive. We are delighted to be able to launch this exciting range of programmes, welcome a new generation of businesses into our community, and support them in establishing, developing and growing their businesses during these challenging times.”
For more information about the programmes that will be running, please go to https://futurebusinesscentre.co.uk/our-programmes-2 or email us at hello@futurebusinesscentre.co.uk
Notes:
Allia Future Business Centres offers flexible workspace and a vibrant community for small businesses who are creating change, as well as running free business support programmes and innovative projects. It is dedicated to supporting businesses to thrive, grow and create jobs, so that they can make a positive impact on their community, as well as addressing social and environmental global challenges. It has four centres in Cambridge, East London and Peterborough.
www.futurebusinesscentre.co.uk | hello@futurebusinesscentre.co.uk | @ftrbusiness
ERDF – Allia’s business support programmes in Cambridge and Peterborough have received funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.
