Solent LEP and FSB Team Up to Host Free Business Support Event on Isle of Wight

On Tuesday 18th July 2017 the Solent LEP hosted a free event with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) which saw local businesses attend a session at Newclose Cricket Ground on the IOW to hear about business support.

Delegates heard about the many funding and support opportunities that are available for Island businesses, both start-ups and those looking to grow, including The Solent Growth Fund Small Business Programme with grants from £10,000 to £75,000 being made available. Also of great interest was the Isle of Wight Rural Fund, which is a competitive fund managed by Natural Enterprise on behalf of the Solent LEP.

The event also provided an opportunity to hear from the Isle of Wight Distillery, a successful local business and beneficiary of the Solent LEP's IOW Rural Fund. They have been awarded over £55,000 to purchase a range of high-spec equipment to ensure consistency of quality and taste in their products and allow the business to create at least 7 jobs on the Island.

Xavier Baker, Co-founder of IOW Distillery, said:

Our grant has allowed us to move up to a more professional and sustainable level. The quality and longevity of our Spirits will be optimised as our volume production increases, so we can market our spirits further afield and explore export opportunities with confidence. 

A range of local business support organisations from Department for International Trade South East and UK Export Finance to the IOW College were also in attendance to provide businesses with information on the support and services they could offer from taking on apprentices to financial support with exporting.

Further information on current funding and support available through the Solent LEP is available at: https://solentlep.org.uk/funding-support/

This event is part of a wider network of themed Business Support Events taking place around the Solent LEP region in 2017. To ensure you receive an invitation to these events please sign up to our mailing list via events@solentlep.org.uk or at www.solentlep.org.uk