This Autumn is packed with events and support to help your business grow, read on!






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The newsletter of the *Nottingham team* of the *D2N2 Growth Hub*

 

We're here to support "your business."

 




*This Autumn is packed with events and support to help your business grow, read on!*

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Nottingham Skyline

National Minimum Wage support for East Midlands’ Businesses

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is contacting East Midlands’ businesses to help them get their workers’ wages right and ensure they are paying at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW), as appropriate. 

The letters and emails include a checklist to help employers identify common minimum wage risks, details of how to review wage payments, and how to correct any mistakes. By law, workers must be paid at least the minimum wage for their age for all their time spent working, and HMRC can support businesses to do this.

Some employers will also be offered a free support call with one of HMRC’s NMW experts to talk about any minimum wage concerns they have, and to ask questions.

HMRC encourages those business receiving a support call invite letter to take up the offer. HMRC can help identify any mistakes and, if needed, support employers to put things right. HMRC will not charge penalties for wage underpayments if corrected as a result of the support call.

This is part of HMRC’s regular outreach activity across the UK. The current East Midlands focus is for Nottingham, West Northants, North Northants, Peterborough, Leicester, Bassetlaw and Chesterfield.

HMRC does not request any personal information in the letters or emails. Before sharing personal or financial details, you should search ‘HMRC tax scams’ on GOV.UK to access a checklist [ [link removed] ] to help you decide if any contact is a scam.

You can find more information about the NMW and common causes of underpayments by searching ‘NMW employer checklist’ [ [link removed] ] and ‘check your pay’ [ [link removed] ] on GOV.UK. __

Other sources of help from HMRC include pre-recorded webinars [ [link removed] ] on: ‘how to avoid common mistakes’, ‘record keeping’ and ‘what to expect from an HMRC check’.

The current National Minimum Wage* rates are:


* £11.44 - Age 21 and over (National Living Wage)
* £8.60 - Age 18 to 20
* £6.40 - Age under 18
* £6.40 – Apprentice

Those age 19 or over who have completed the first year of their apprenticeship are entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate [ [link removed] ] for their age. Confidential, free advice about the minimum wage is also available from the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100.

"*As of April 2024"

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Making the most of Google Analytics

Making the most of Google Analytics

*Date and Time:* 20 November 2024 at 9:30am - 4:00pm
*Location: *Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, NG2 3HJ

*Overview*

Google Analytics is a very powerful platform to gain insight into your website visitors, how they got there and what they did. This data can be used to improve your website, helping you to retain visitors and improve their conversion rate, ultimately generating more business from your website.

Google has announced that the old Universal Analytics platform will cease to report any data from 1st July 2023, forcing users to move to the new GA4, which is completely different and does not share data with Universal Analytics. This workshop is designed to walk you through setting up GA4 and Tag Manager to maximise the information you can gather about your website visitors. From there, you’ll explore all the major reports available to you and learn how these can give you invaluable insights into ways to boost traffic, enquiries and sales from your website.

Designed for beginners upwards, even if you’ve never even seen GA4 or Google Analytics before, the workshop explains all the basics to leave you with a solid understanding of how to use Analytics and what you’re looking at in the reports! Understanding this data is key to identifying what works, what needs fixing and how your digital marketing efforts are performing.

*Who Should Attend*

This workshop is for anyone who is responsible for managing a business website or for digital marketing in their company. It is aimed at beginner to intermediate users and no prior knowledge of Google Analytics is required. It is suitable whether you have a start-up or established business, even if you don’t yet have a website.

*Register at: **Making the most of Google Analytics Tickets | Eventbrite* [ [link removed] ]

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Nottingham Manufacturing Network

Nottingham Manufacturing Network

*Date and Time:* 11 December 2024 at 7:30am - 10:30am
*Location: *University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG7 2GX

The East Midlands Manufacturing Networks are led by East Midlands Chamber. It unites local manufacturers, enabling members to harness the cross-industry, business, engineering and manufacturing knowledge necessary to evolve and expand.

*The agenda for our meetings can be found below:*


* Opening address from the Vice Chair – Martin Horsman
* Update from Make UK – Chris Corkan, Regional Manager, Midlands & East – Make UK
* Open debate – members’ challenges & concerns, and peer support on offer

*Overview*

We have laid strong foundations to make this and our other local networks across the East Midlands a success. How? By securing impressive host locations and by putting in place experienced facilitating leadership with a Chair & Vice Chair.

We now need you to come along and tell us what is most important to you and your business. We want to develop a trust peer to peer environment between all the members and shape the network to your needs – great or small!

*Who should attend?*

Business owners, directors and Senior Leaders who take a strategic overall responsibility to grow their business. Often the agenda is set by business external factors that all businesses face.

The East Midlands Manufacturing Network supports the manufacturers to help them to overcome business challenges in a trusted environment. This is a long-term supportive network for manufacturing businesses of all sizes.

*Register at: **Nottingham Manufacturing Network - East Midlands Chamber* [ [link removed] ]

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BE YOUR OWN BOSS - BUSINESS START-UP PROGRAMME

*Date and Time:* Wednesday, 13th November 2024 at 10:00am - 2:30pm
*Location: *Online

Join us for this free on-line business start-up programme.

This event provides you with short, to the point inter-active webinars to get you on the way to becoming your own boss.

*Who is it for?*

Anyone considering self -employment or planning to start their own business

*How is the programme delivered?*

Through a combination of inter-active small group webinars covering the key considerations of planning and starting a business, with an experienced business advisor. They are live and inter-active so that you can ask questions if you don`t understand something.

*How much will it cost?*

The programme is fully funded so there is no cost.

*What will I learn?*

You`ll be tapping into the knowledge of our accredited advisors, real life experience of running successful small businesses. The course gives guidance on numerous aspects that you must consider including, registering the business, legalities and regulations. We`ll also show you how to access the support you`ll need to find and write a business plan and identify grants and funding.

What happens after the programme?

You`ll be offered further support if you require it and because the programme is accredited. You`ll also be awarded a nationally recognised business qualification.

*Register at: **Planning to start a business - D2N2 Growth Hub* [ [link removed] ]

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wildlife trust
Want a green travel grant for YOUR business? Time is running out!

Did you know that there is a grant helping local businesses with green travel improvements like EV chargers, that could pay for 75% - 100% of the cost?

Our Workplace Travel Service team were happy to help Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust [ [link removed] ] with a grant to improve their shower and changing facilities and add a new secure bike shelter and bike ramp to enable staff who wanted to cycle into work, as well as Bridgeway Consulting [ [link removed] ], who benefitted from a grant to install EV chargers.

Could your organisation benefit too? As long as you are based in Nottingham city and interested in making green travel easier for your employees such as through adding EV chargers, pool e-bikes, bike shelters and changing facilities, you could qualify!

*The grants, funded from Government’s Local Transport Plan and Nottingham’s Workplace Parking Levy, are wrapping up soon so get your application in now.*

*Find out more and apply [ [link removed] ]*

bridgeway
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Covering Nottingham

Nottingham City Starting in Business Programme

*Date and Time:* 11 & 12 November 2024 at 9:30am - 3:30pm
*Location: *Online

*This programme is available to individuals based in Nottingham City area **

This two-day programme of workshops led by one of our experienced business trainers will teach you the nuts and bolts of starting and running a successful business.

*Over the course of the programme, we will cover:*


* Knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed by successful business owners
* Sole trader, limited company, partnership – which is best for you?
* Your legal responsibilities as a business owner
* Marketing your business
* Understanding tax, National Insurance and VAT
* Record keeping and business banking
* Start up and running costs
* Planning your personal survival budget
* How to price your product or service
* Importance of cash flow forecasting for your business

*Eligibility checks will be made

*Register at: **Nottingham City | Starting in Business Programme Group 16 * [ [link removed] ]

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NTU Amplify - Talent Grants and Innovation Community Lab (ICL)

*Talent Grants*

These grants offer part-funded financial support to businesses seeking to innovate and grow. £600 is available to eligible businesses to part-fund the hiring of a student or graduate to take on an innovative project or role.

*Innovation Community Lab (ICL)*

NTU Employability will deliver a fully funded professional development programme focused on innovation, bringing together recent graduates* employed in Nottingham City based SME businesses.

The ICL features a diverse range of interactive activities and provides exposure to various tools and techniques essential for implementing new ideas. This presents an excellent opportunity for early career development and networking, whilst fostering innovative ideas that can brought back into the business.

*To find out more about the Innovation Community Lab, Talent Grants and eligibility, please contact Vicky Harvey at **[email protected]* <[email protected]>

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Connected Futures

*Can you support the future of inclusive workspaces?*

Our mission at the Connected Futures Partnership is to improve employment outcomes for young people with Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), and we need your support!

*Why join us? *


* High employer interest - Many employers want to recruit inclusively but don’t know where to start.
* We can support you! Best practice - We want to showcase what is working well within your organisation, so others can develop.
* Fill skills gaps - 89%* aspiration rate to work and yet only 1.8% young people with LD and/or ASC are employed.
* Debunk myths - Support isn’t as costly or time-consuming as you might think. Proven success - Inclusive and accommodating employers achieve high levels of retention.

*Our Request*

We need trailblazer employers willing to explore internal opportunities to boost inclusive practice in recruitment, retention, and career progression. Working with ‘Employment Researchers’, you will develop a plan that is tailored to your business.

*Contact: **[email protected]* <[email protected]>* or **[email protected]* <[email protected]>* for more information.*

*You can also visit: **Connected Futures* [ [link removed] ]

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Funding Business Growth

Funding Business Growth

*Date and Time:* 7 November 2024 at 10 - 11:30am
*Location:* Online

About this event

Delivered as part of the Nottingham Angel Investor Network programme, this interactive online webinar will help you to understand the funding landscape; assess the options available to you to fund your business growth; highlight the pros and cons of each option; and help you to map out your strategic finance and growth plan.

Places are limited and free for those businesses or budding entrepreneurs from the City of Nottingham

*Register at: **Funding Business Growth Tickets, Thu, Nov 7, 2024 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite* [ [link removed] ]

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High Growth Roadshow: Investment Ready Workshop

High Growth Roadshow: Investment Ready Workshop

*Date and Time:* 5 December 2024 at 9.00am to 1.00pm
*Location:* University of Nottingham, Jubilee campus

*About the Event*

Following on from the launch of the East Midlands Combined County Authority’s (EMCCA) £8m Early-Stage Angel Investment Fund in July, we're excited to announce that we will be hosting the second in a series of high growth focused investment ready workshops for 15 selected ambitious businesses in December.

Register to express your interest in attending the workshop and the FundingHero offer. We will let you know two weeks before the event if you have been chosen as one of the 15 businesses to attend the workshop and the twelve-month licence to the FundingHero investment readiness platform. Information on accessing the one-month FundingHero licence will be sent to you in the order confirmation message.

This fully funded workshop will be run by FundingHero, the Midlands based specialist high growth investment readiness provider. This initiative is being sponsored by East Midlands Combined County Authority, British Business Bank and Barclays Eagle Labs to specifically support businesses who are looking to raise their first or second major external funding round for Pre Seed to Series A companies to allow them to expand and scale.

These in-person workshops will provide access to high growth funding and CFO level scaleup expertise that may not normally be attainable to businesses based on their stage of growth.

The workshops will cover four key areas: Fundraise Planning, Financial Strategy, Fundraise Budget and Fundraise Timeline, so businesses understand the rigours of the process when

planning to raise external investment from the range of different funding sources of debt and equity. Alongside this, an exclusive twelve-month licence to the FundingHero investment readiness platform will be provided to the 15 selected workshop participants and a further one hundred one-month licences will be made available to interested parties considering raising external investment to grow and scale.

*Register at: **High Growth Roadshow: Investment Ready Workshop Tickets| Eventbrite* [ [link removed] ]

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Contact the Nottingham team of the D2N2 Growth Hub on 0333 0069178

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