Herefordshire Growth Hub

16/09/2025

Unlock Innovation, Drive Efficiency — Discover How AI Can Elevate Your Business

Two dates available for this popular workshop:

Tuesday 14th October 2025, 09:00 - 17:00
and
Tuesday 21st October 2025, 09:00 - 17:00

Whether you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or professional, this workshop will teach you how to:

🔴Use ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude AI, Grok AI to create copy, images, video, code, and content
🔵Build automations, reports, and AI agents to streamline your workflow
🟢Edit professional-quality videos with free tools.
⚫️Master AI-driven marketing and strategy generation
🔴Implement mobile and desktop solutions for real-world use

Expect hands-on instruction, real-world examples, and expert guidance.

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop!

Transform your business with the power of AI

Unlock innovation, drive efficiency, discover how AI can elevate your business

Date: Tuesday 14th October
Time: 9am to 5pm
Location: Midlands Centre for Cyber Security, Hereford

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is designed for business professionals and entrepreneurs who have a basic awareness of AI but want to go deeper. If you’ve experimented with ChatGPT or heard about tools like Gemini or Claude but don’t yet know how to fully harness them—this class is for you.

We’ll demystify AI and show you why it is a paradigm shift in work practices. Rather than replacing your job, AI is an asset that can enhance your work and your business.

We'll show you why those who don't embrace AI are the ones who will fall behind. With free and low-cost tools more powerful than ever, there’s no reason to fall behind when your competitors are already saving time, cutting costs, and innovating faster.

This class isn't designed to make you an expert in one day, but rather to make you immediately productive with AI and help you appreciate how much it can enhance your business.

What’s Included:

Full-day expert instruction
PC Work stations
Catered lunch and refreshments
Digital resource kit with templates and tools
Small-group experience (only 16 places!)

What you need to bring:

Enthusiasm.
A Google Gmail

This workshop is being delivered by Mike Sandiford behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs.

This event will be repeated on 21st October.

Booking link in comments..

16/09/2025

Don’t know where to start with your business plan, Not reviewed your business plan in the last 12 months then your business could be missing out.

This interactive half-day workshop is designed to help Herefordshire SMEs (start-up and growing) build stronger business plans and prepare for future success. You’ll gain practical tools, expert insights, and a clearer view of where your business is—and where it could be going.

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop:

Plan Your Path to Growth
Date: 26/09/2025, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location: Midlands Centre for Cyber Security, Hereford

This interactive half-day workshop is designed to help Herefordshire SMEs (start-up and growing) build stronger business plans and prepare for future success. You’ll gain practical tools, expert insights, and a clearer view of where your business is—and where it could be going.

Led by Jamie Pratt of SBC, an experienced business support specialist, the session will guide you through assessing your current position, identifying your key priorities, and creating a simple but effective plan for growth.

What you'll learn:
▪️ How to write a business plan
▪️ What makes a business plan effective - and what hold's it back
▪️ How to assess where your business is now and where it's going
▪️ Tools to benchmark your progress and uncover growth opportunities
▪️ Practical ways to strengthen your business planning
▪️ Simple actions you can take immediately to improve clarity and focus
▪️ Where to find support and resources to help you succeed

This workshop is ideal for Herefordshire-based start-ups and established SMEs looking to improve their business planning, set clearer goals, and build a stronger foundation for growth.

This event is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and free to attend for eligible businesses.

Link to book in comments

Herefordshire Council Marches Growth Hub

10/09/2025

Canva ADVANCED for Business

This course is ideal for individuals who already have a basic understanding of Canva and are looking to enhance their design skills using a pro-Canva account. It's perfect for entrepreneurs, marketers, social media managers, educators, and anyone who wants to create professional-looking visuals.

Date: 23rd October
Time: 9:30 to 1pm
Location: Midlands Centre for Cyber Security, Hereford

This intensive 3-hour course is designed for Canva users who want to move beyond the basics and harness the platform's advanced features for truly stunning and professional designs. We'll delve into techniques and tools that will elevate your visuals, streamline your workflow, and empower you to create impactful designs for any purpose.

Prerequisites:

A Pro Canva Account, basic familiarity with the Canva interface and tools is recommended.

Materials:

Participants should bring a laptop or tablet with internet access and a Canva account (free or Pro).

Outcome:

Participants will leave this course with the skills and knowledge to create advanced, professional designs using Canva, empowering them to elevate their visual communication and achieve their design goals.

To book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/canva-advanced-for-business-workshop-tickets-1679778435519?aff=oddtdtcreator

This workshop is being delivered by Herefordshire Means Business on behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs

10/09/2025

Business Energy Grants Available Through BEAS in Herefordshire.

Local businesses now have access to valuable support through the Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS), a pilot programme under Business Growth West Midlands. BEAS offers free energy assessments and match-funded grants of up to £100,000 to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reduce energy costs and invest in sustainable upgrades such as LED lighting, solar panels, and efficient equipment.

To be eligible, businesses must be SMEs, have been trading for at least 12 months, and operate from non-residential premises. With over 1,700 businesses supported in 2024 alone, BEAS is making a real impact on energy savings and carbon reduction. Visit the BEAS website to learn more and apply.

Details here: https://www.businessgrowthwestmidlands.org.uk/support-programmes/business-energy-advice-service-beas/

Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire Council Herefordshire Means Business HW Chamber Herefordshire Rural Hub

This new pilot service is offering over free energy assessments and grants to small businesses across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton, as well as Worcestershire and the Marches, Warwickshire and Stoke and Staffordshire.

08/09/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop!

HR Essentials for Sustainable Growth

Empowering People, Strengthening Business — Building a Resilient Future Through HR Excellence.

Date: Tuesday 28th October
Time: 10am to 2pm
Location: Ledbury Rugby Club

Our HR Essentials session provides a high-level overview of the key people management responsibilities every leader needs to understand. It’s ideal for:

🔴 those who are relatively new to managing people;
🟢 managers who want to build their confidence;
🔵 or seasoned leaders looking for a useful refresher.

Covering the full employee journey (from recruitment and onboarding through to performance, conduct, wellbeing and absence), the session also introduces workforce planning, helping leaders think ahead about the skills and capacity their teams will need.

Delivered in plain language with real-world examples, it offers a practical foundation for managing people well.

To book: https://lnkd.in/e3r23Gyc

This workshop is being delivered by Lorna Simpson & Louisa Hogan of Marches HR on behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs.

03/09/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub Workhop!

Self-Care is Smart Business

Join us for a practical and inspiring workshop designed to help you understand and support your mental wellbeing—both now and in the future.
Through guided reflection and hands-on activities, you’ll explore how to be your best self in business and beyond.

Date: Thursday 16th October
Time: 10am to 1pm
Location: Rural Enterprise Centre, Hereford

What to Expect:
🔴 Develop a personalised, realistic plan to maintain and enhance your mental health.
🟢 Receive a curated self-care pack filled with tools and resources to support your wellbeing—and to share with your team.
🔵 Connect with like-minded professionals in a supportive and uplifting environment.

Whether you're a business owner, team leader, or professional looking to build resilience, this workshop offers valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you thrive.

To book: https://lnkd.in/eZQ5xM2P

This workshop is being delivered by Mountain Perspective - Organisational Development on behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs.

03/09/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop!

Transform your business with the power of AI

Unlock innovation, drive efficiency, discover how AI can elevate your business

Date: Tuesday 14th October
Time: 9am to 5pm
Location: Midlands Centre for Cyber Security, Hereford

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is designed for business professionals and entrepreneurs who have a basic awareness of AI but want to go deeper. If you’ve experimented with ChatGPT or heard about tools like Gemini or Claude but don’t yet know how to fully harness them—this class is for you.

We’ll demystify AI and show you why it is a paradigm shift in work practices. Rather than replacing your job, AI is an asset that can enhance your work and your business.

We'll show you why those who don't embrace AI are the ones who will fall behind. With free and low-cost tools more powerful than ever, there’s no reason to fall behind when your competitors are already saving time, cutting costs, and innovating faster.

This class isn't designed to make you an expert in one day, but rather to make you immediately productive with AI and help you appreciate how much it can enhance your business.

What’s Included:

Full-day expert instruction
PC Work stations
Catered lunch and refreshments
Digital resource kit with templates and tools
Small-group experience (only 16 places!)

What you need to bring:

Enthusiasm.
A Google Gmail

This workshop is being delivered by Mike Sandiford behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs.

This event will be repeated on 21st October.

Booking link in comments..

01/09/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop!

Craft your brand with Canva
Learn to create stunning visuals for presentations, social media, marketing materials, and more.

Date: 08/10/25, 9:30am to 13:30pm
Location: Grange Court, Leominster

Canva is a fantastic tool for anyone, regardless of design experience, to create stunning visuals for presentations, social media, marketing materials, and more. Even if you're brand new to the world of design, you can easily create professional-looking graphics with Canva's intuitive interface and vast library of resources. Canva is a game-changer for small businesses, offering an intuitive design platform packed with features to elevate your brand identity and marketing efforts.

This workshop is designed to give you a basic understanding of Canva and how to use it to create your own designs.

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:

🟢Create a free Canva account
🟢Find and use templates and elements
🟢Add text, images, and shapes to your designs
🟢Edit and format your designs
🟢Save and share your designs

The Workshop is aimed at complete beginners with delegates encouraged to bring their own laptops as they will have the opportunity to go through various processes to create a useable design.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs

Link to book in comments

01/09/2025

A Hereford hair salon is expanding into the beauty sector.

Elle Martin Hair Salon, on Broad Street, has received government funding to help with this venture.

The funding comes from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund via a grant scheme run by Herefordshire Council

The salon has recently moved into larger premises at 21 Broad Street, which was formerly a bank.

Elle Martin Hair Salon in Hereford expands into beauty services with UK Shared Prosperity Fund backing, moving to larger Broad Street premises this…

12/08/2025

The UK’s national Business Growth Service has been launched, complementing the business support available locally from the team at Herefordshire Growth Hub.

The Government’s Business Growth Service will make it easier to find and access the advice and support businesses need, with the Growth Hubs continuing to play a key role in providing local support in England.

In Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, the Marches Growth Hub service is delivered by business support teams based within the three local councils: Herefordshire Council’s Herefordshire Growth Hub, Shropshire Council’s Shropshire Growth Hub and Telford & Wrekin Council’s Thrive Telford.

Businesses will be able to access relevant support to help them start, grow and succeed including:

• Free, expert advice tailored to your business needs
• Local support delivered by our experienced teams
• More connections to wider UK Government resources and opportunities

At Herefordshire Growth Hub, we'll continue to provide personalised support while helping you navigate the full range of help available from partners, including the UK Government through the Business Growth Service.

You can check out the new website from the UK Government, Business.gov.uk

08/08/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop:

Leadership in Action

Date: 05/09/2025, 9:30am - 12:00pm
Location: NMiTE, Blackfriars Campus, Hereford

We are thrilled to announce an exciting seminar opportunity that you won't want to miss! Herefordshire Growth Hub brings you "Leadership in Action," a dynamic two-hour interactive session presented by Minerva Elite Performance, designed to ignite inspiration and bring leadership to life right before your eyes!

Kick off the session with an engaging introductory presentation by Guy Batchelor, a former SAS officer, whose stories and insights will leave you motivated and ready to conquer challenges. Following this, dive into two distinct, action-packed workshops facilitated by Craig Smith, our Head of Education. This workshop promise to be not just informative but actively engaging — think collaboration, interaction, and a whole lot of fun!

And to wrap up this experience, we’ll have an open Q&A panel with our facilitators, where your questions take centre stage, and the dialogues spark deeper insights!

This workshop is being delivered by Guy Batchelor & Craig Smith of Minerva Elite Performance on behalf of the Herefordshire Growth Hub.

This workshop is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and is open to Herefordshire based businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Link to book in comments

Herefordshire Council Marches Growth Hub

08/08/2025

New Herefordshire Growth Hub workshop:

Plan Your Path to Growth
Date: 26/09/2025, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location: Midlands Centre for Cyber Security, Hereford

This interactive half-day workshop is designed to help Herefordshire SMEs (start-up and growing) build stronger business plans and prepare for future success. You’ll gain practical tools, expert insights, and a clearer view of where your business is—and where it could be going.

Led by Jamie Pratt of SBC, an experienced business support specialist, the session will guide you through assessing your current position, identifying your key priorities, and creating a simple but effective plan for growth.

What you'll learn:
▪️ How to write a business plan
▪️ What makes a business plan effective - and what hold's it back
▪️ How to assess where your business is now and where it's going
▪️ Tools to benchmark your progress and uncover growth opportunities
▪️ Practical ways to strengthen your business planning
▪️ Simple actions you can take immediately to improve clarity and focus
▪️ Where to find support and resources to help you succeed

This workshop is ideal for Herefordshire-based start-ups and established SMEs looking to improve their business planning, set clearer goals, and build a stronger foundation for growth.

This event is fully funded by Herefordshire Growth Hub and free to attend for eligible businesses.

Link to book in comments

Herefordshire Council Marches Growth Hub