‘Our businesses’ were projects supporting our business community through the pandemic, and enabled businesses to emerge stronger, more diverse and more resilient.
Please note that the content of the above video is included in this webpage.
Impact
The impact of the ‘Our Businesses’ projects included:
- Increased business and organisation growth in Devon
- The creation of the #MadeinDevon brand
- 48 businesses becoming local authority procurement ready
- Providing 262 business owners with wellbeing support
- Supporting businesses who felt ‘isolated’ that they were part of something bigger and not alone
- Supporting 319 farms to become more resilient
- Supporting 331 businesses to adapt business practises
- Supporting 593 businesses to digitally upskill
- Pre-start up support of 89 individuals and created 11 new enterprises
Digital Support and business adaptation
Supported businesses across Devon to be able to adapt their business through the uptake of digital solutions and business adaptations to help them recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
Digital Boost Devon (Cosmic)
Offered training and advice on digital via interactive online workshops and tailored 1:1 support for individual businesses across Devon (not including Plymouth and Torbay).
Taking business digital (Devon and Plymouth chambers)
Offered training and advice on getting businesses started digitally via group workshops and mentorship. The project was open to SMEs across all sectors.
Business adaptation
Get Set Adapt (YTKO)
Our GetSet Adapt supported 255 micro and small businesses (employing <250 staff) located in the Devon County Council area. The service was tailored for businesses that were adversely affected by the pandemic, it explored robust and resilient business strategies to aid recovery and growth.
Start up support
Devon Get Started – SSE Dartington
Was a comprehensive start-up support programme for new and emerging entrepreneurs aged 25 and over in Devon. The programme aimed to identify personal business “drivers” for starting a business, build entrepreneurial confidence, strengthen entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, and support collaboration. Devon Get Started supported 89 individuals and the creation of 11 new enterprises.
Thrive
A business support programme that offered / offers a range of business training and support services for the self-employed and small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) in Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.
Since its launch over 600 businesses have been supported through the Heart of the South West Growth Hub’s Thrive programme and the services continues.
Made in Devon
The Devon recovery fund helped create and promote the #MadeinDevon brand, promoting Devon businesses to millions of people, and encouraging them to support local.
The scheme provided free Trading Standards advice and membership to 86 Devon businesses.
Made in Devon’s vision is to bring long-term, sustainable prosperity to the region by:
- encouraging sales and consumption of Devon products and services
- supporting local businesses
- establishing Devon as a source of quality local products and services
“Being part of the Made in Devon scheme has been hugely beneficial. Along with the useful networking events, we’ve benefited from the direct link to trading standards for planning our future growth into Europe”.
Find out more about Made in Devon.
Made in Devon member – Ventons Cyder
Farming innovation
Supported agricultural businesses to emerge stronger, more diverse and more resilient through:
- peer-support groups
- workshops to support areas of interest and demand
- decarbonisation audits
- knowledge sharing
Supported emerging opportunities for farm businesses such as:
- sharing technologies such as utilising sensors, drones, and satellite technology
- grant fund opportunities such as the slurry infrastructure grant
- innovation, and regenerative practices through the Devon Agri-Tech Alliance newsletter
Promoted the innovative mindset of our alliance members through:
- case study videos
- hosting on-farm workshops
- sharing good practice and projects via our newsletter
Impact
- 26 carbon audits.
- Four deep-dive carbon plans.
- Five peer support groups to support 45 farms.
- 14 newsletters.
- 14 advisor drop-ins.
- Eight soil workshops.
- Six Spotlight events or workshops (NetZero, slurry infrastructure, sustainable farming incentive, Routes to market, Satellite Catapult webinar).
Links
- Devon Agri-Tech Alliance (DATA) – Economy and Enterprise
- Devon Agri-tech alliance case study – Lee farm Services
- Devon Agri-tech Alliance Case study – How now dairy
- Devon Argi-tech Alliance – Grant recipients
- Devon Agri-tech Alliance – Dart Valley Fungi
- Devon Agri-tech Alliance – Taw Valley Greens
Get Set to Tender
Tender Victory was contracted by Devon County Council to offer free support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have less than 250 employees, to help them respond to public sector organisation tendering opportunities.
Get Set to Tender provided support to organisations that were new to public sector contract tendering as well as those who already had some experience.
The support was provided through online workshops and one-to-one support, which included:
- an introduction to procurement and tendering – aimed at organisations who have yet to take advantage of the opportunities that exist
- intermediate support – aimed at organisations who have some experience in tendering for public sector contracts
- writing tender responses – aimed at all organisations who want to secure public sector opportunities
Impact
- 48 businesses to become Local Authority Procurement ready
- a successful grant application from one Community Interest Company (CIC)
- a successful bid application
- a Supply Chain SQ application
More information – Completed business support projects – Economy and Enterprise (devon.gov.uk)
Wellbeing Works (previously Listening Ear)
Run by Devon Communities Together, Wellbeing Works was an opportunity for Devon-based businesses, employees, and individuals to benefit from the tools, techniques and inspiration needed to prioritise and develop wellbeing and resilience during the pandemic recovery period.
262 individuals and 91 businesses were provided with wellbeing support.
Find out more: Wellbeing Works | Devon Communities Together
Wellbeing support offered through Devon’s recovery programme – News
Completed business support projects – Economy and Enterprise (devon.gov.uk)
Thank you to all the project stakeholders involved in Devon Recovery Fund projects.