The impact of Staffordshire Means Back to Business
How we’ve helped businesses survive and grow - real business stories
Like everywhere in the country, Covid-19 response threatened to seriously impact on local business, especially small businesses which are the lifeblood of the Staffordshire economy. But here in Staffordshire, small businesses have coped well with the challenges of the pandemic, more businesses have started up than ever before and they grow quicker here than most other places in the UK. That is thanks to the many different types of support to help small businesses in our county, including the Staffordshire Means Back to Business scheme.
A UK-first partnership, Staffordshire County Council brought together all the borough and district councils in the county to pool resources and funding to help more businesses, quicker, when the pandemic hit.
Over two years on, the Staffordshire Means Back to Business scheme has invested over £3.4m into small businesses across the county to help them not just survive the pandemic, but grow, take on staff and equip their staff for the future of their business in a changing world.
Together, the partnership supported:
- 105 businesses grants totalling £390,000 to survive, grow or transform their business, including helping:
- eighty3creative in Tamworth to double their turnover
- Marisa from Safety Forward in Penkridge to offer training online and take on new staff
- Central Medical from Leek to survive and help director Jon to meet new customer expectations
- Sean from Print Box to help his business to survive by buying new equipment
- 205 businesses to take on over 400 apprentices
- Over 2,400 employees in 145 businesses with grants to folly-fund their training, including:
- 21 business (so far) with over £124,000 in start-up loans, including:
- Sarah, owner of Antidote hair salon in Perton
- Over 200 (so far) businesses with fully-funded professional advice and support to start up, including:
- Rosie, owner of an ethical florist collective to get online
- Julie, owner of Green Eye Productions to increase online sales
- Tabitha, owner of Cooper Beech Glamping, to improve their website and develop a support network
- Kieron, to take his medical invention company to the next level
- Over 11,000 students (so far) with training to set up their own business, including:
- Charlie, from Newcastle, who wants to set up a business like no other
You can still get help to start up through the Get Started scheme or Start – Up Loans
More information
This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The UK Community Renewal Fund is a UK Government programme for 2021/22. This aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Find. It invests in skills, community and place, local business and supporting people into employment. For more information, visit the Government's website.