Following an announcement last month from the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) that OxLEP Business are set to deliver two new business support programmes for Cherwell-based entrepreneurs and businesses, the ‘Growth Hub’ for the county has announced a series of activities, including events, access to networks and resources – set to run over the coming months.

The Cherwell Business Spark will provide support to individuals looking to start their own successful business, or create a profitable ‘extra income stream’, with support covering key areas including business fundamentals, understanding customers, marketing and sales, financial planning and developing a first-year action plan.

The Cherwell Business Accelerator is set to back established and trading SMEs in the area with big potential to grow and create further jobs, with access to expertise and support to enable businesses to take those next steps towards their growth plans.

OxLEP Business are delivering the programmes on behalf of Cherwell District Council, with the project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Those wishing to participate in the ‘Business Spark’ strand of activity can sign-up to an introductory workshop set to cover ‘Business Fundamentals and the Business Model Canvas’, taking place at the beginning of October – with further events set to cover:

• Understanding Your Customers, Marketing and Sales
• Financial Planning and Management
• Developing Your Year One Action Plan
• Business Pitch for Success

Those wishing to engage in the ‘Business Accelerator’ programme of activity can sign up to the following events now:

• Business Planning for Growth Masterclass
• Mastering Innovation for Your Business
• Mastering Your Small Business Finances
• Investment Planning for Growth Masterclass
• Mastering Operational Efficiencies in SMEs

Dates for further events are set to be announced in due course.

Delegates can also expect to benefit from support including facilitated peer-to-peer sessions, an exit review and growth action plan and bespoke 1:1 support from a team of 20-plus business and innovation advisors.

The arrival of the Cherwell-focused programmes follows on from the recent introduction of a similar set of programmes which has already engaged with many dozens of individuals elsewhere in the county.

Helen Brind – Growth Hub Manager for OxLEP – said: “We are excited to share the range of support that will be on offer through our tailored Cherwell programmes, facilitating budding entrepreneurs, start-up business and those more established organisations with the tools they need to succeed in today’s business landscape.”

Interest is invited now as the programmes will run through until the end of March 2025 and support will only be available to residents and businesses in the Cherwell district.

OxLEP are however keen to point out that businesses right across the county can continue to benefit from multiple areas of support, provided by them.

OxLEP previously announced that between October 2016 and March last year, it had worked with over 6,200 businesses from across Oxfordshire, providing around 18,000 hours of support and advice, worth over £28.75 million.

Helen Brind added: “Support on offer is set to cover the fundamentals in starting or growing a business and it is through this we hope that we can bring some positive influence and results to this part of the county’s business community.

“Although this programme has been tailored to those in the Cherwell district of the county specifically, we would like to stress though that our commitment to the whole of Oxfordshire very much remains the case.

“Given our track record of supporting thousands of Oxfordshire businesses over the past decade, we would like to reiterate our delight to have secured the opportunity to deliver this support on behalf of Cherwell District Council.

“Our free diagnostic business support tool – which takes a short time to complete, resulting in a bespoke business action plan – remains the best way for organisations to find out what business support they could be eligible for, and we call on interested businesses to do this, particularly as activity as part of these programmes is set to get underway this autumn.”  

Find out more on both the Cherwell Business Spark and Cherwell Business Accelerator programmes and register your interest in them