SOUTH BRISTOL ENTERPRISE SUPPORT CELEBRATES SUCCESS

The South Bristol Enterprise Support scheme has celebrated recruiting the 250th business to the free support programme, with three months to go until the end of the project.

South Bristol Enterprise Support (SBES) is a partnership led by Bristol City Council and a delivery group consisting of Knowle West Media Centre, The Princes Trust, School for Social Entrepreneurs and YTKO Ltd.

Businesses from a range of industries have benefited from SBES’s suite of business support - including the private sector, youth and social enterprise organisations as well as creative and digital manufacturing companies. The scheme is open to existing businesses and entrepreneurs based in South Bristol until 30 March 2023.

The entire project is funded with £1.7 million from the European Regional Development Fund and West of England Combined Authority. Offering a range of support to entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises, it includes training packages, bursaries and grants, access to workshops and business coaching as well as much more.

Entrepreneurs from engineers, bakers and wine retailers are already benefiting from their involvement in the scheme and the team are looking for applicants ahead of it coming to a close at the end of March.

www.sbes. org.uk.

Councillor Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance, Performance, and Culture, said: “The scheme has been an overwhelming success, with hundreds of businesses having benefited from the support on offer. For any South Bristol-based businesses who feel that the support would benefit them, please visit the South Bristol Enterprise Support scheme’s website or get in touch to find out how they can help assist their business journey. With just a few short months to go, don’t miss the chance to find out more and submit an application.”

Duncan Silvey, Co-director of HumanKiND Festival, a sustainably-led business based in South Bristol who has benefitted from the support, said: “South Bristol Enterprise Support and the School for Social Entrepreneurs have helped us by validating our project. Having an outsider looking in to help us to look objectively at ourselves, that’s the real value…it really helped align our strategy for how to do things both physically and digitally and think about those audience groups we want to attract.”

For further information and to apply, visit www.sbes.org.uk