Rochford District Council’s Events Programme
The Economic Development Unit offers various FREE events and training throughout the year, which provides useful information and support to local businesses.
If you would like to be notified of events, training and initiatives you can join the Rochford Business Network. Please sign up online via 'Tell Me More'.
Rochford Environmental Business Alliance (REBA) Breakfast Meeting
On Thursday 30th March 7.30-10:30am at Trust Links House, Rochford.
This free event includes information on; Local SME Sustainability Case Studies ‘Walking the Walk’, Race to Zero UN SME Campaign, Carbon footprint your organisation* OWN LAPTOP/DEVICE NEEDED & Carbon Clinic, followed by tour of site to view Trust Links eco measures.
*This session will calculate your organisations carbon footprint on the spot for FREE!. Please bring along 12 months of energy & fuel data for a baseline year. Typically this is a pre-covid year FY 2018/19, but can be a recent 12 month period. Annual gas (kWh), or oil (litres), electricity (kWh) and fuel use for owned or fleet vehicles (litres).
The event has limited tickets on a first come first served basis. So book here now via Eventbrite!
Understanding Finance and Debt Management
On this FREE course, you’ll gain a basic understanding of finance and accounting concepts to drive the success of your business. This course aims to demystify the accounting language so that you are in control of the financial performance of your business, helping you forecast for the future, evaluate your current efforts, and establish strategies to meet your goals.
Dates: Wednesday 15th - Thursday 16th March 2023
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: The Plaza, Enterprise and Innovation Centre, Rutherford Park, Great Notley, Braintree. CM77 7AU
Register here via Eventbrite website.
Preparing for Growth During a Recession
This FREE 2 hour webinar covers everything that businesses need to think about when planning for their growth in a challenging economic environment. This webinar is being run in both March and April, so businesses can choose to attend whichever one is the most convenient. You can select either date using the same link below.
Dates: Thursday March 16th or Thursday 20th April
Time: 9.30am - 11:30am
Location: Online using ZOOM
Register your preferred date via the Eventbrite website.
Want to make money doing what you love?
The Rebel Business School have partnered with BEST Growth Hubto offer a free live online course that helps people from all backgrounds and situations to become equipped with the tools and skillset to become self-employed or run a business; be this as an alternative to traditional employment, to help supplement income and/or to take their passions a step further.
The practical and interactive course runs from 6th March-17th March 2023 between 10am – 3pm daily (Mon-Fri) and is a great move towards your first sale, building your confidence and getting your business idea off the ground in a debt-free way.
Sign up via The Rebel School website.
Want to reduce business costs and save money?
On behalf of Rochford District Council, Colbea and Auditel are offering a FREE to user, commercial cost review of your overheads. This will identify current usage and spend, and highlight potential opportunities for improved service, reduced admin and lower cost, through the ‘Rochford Business Cost Reduction Programme’. For any business with a premises in the Rochford District.
If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact Colbea on 01206 548833 or email enquiries@colbea.co.uk
3 Chambers Connect Professionals
These are regular informal, Professionals business networking events, with no fees or commitments, held on the last Thursday of each month in Rayleigh.
Connect Professionals is the network for you if you are in; Accounting, Coaching & Training, Digital & Creative, Employment & HR, Financial Services, Health and Medical, Legal, Management & Consultancy, Marketing & PR, Property.
It's a great way to meet up with like-minded professionals from your area. These ’get togethers’ are about getting to know people and sharing knowledge and experiences. The event is free of charge as a cash bar is available. Just turn up any time between 12.00 - 2.00pm and get involved. 3 Chambers look forward to welcoming you. Register via Eventbrite.
First steps to business success
Cut into two easy to digest chunks, Colbea’s First Steps to Business Success course helps prepare you for the road in fully expanding on your original business idea, setting up your finances, looking at potential marketing opportunities and guiding you through your next steps. Let their experts help you get business ready and ensure those first tentative steps into starting your own company run as smoothly as possible. Fully funded by Rochford District Council for residents and businesses located within the Rochford District.
Find out when the next FREE course is by visiting the Colbea website
Import and Export Training
Are you looking to start an Import/Export business? Or currently import/export goods and want to improve? Let Colbea’s Import & Export training courses help you get the best out of your business. The course will help develop your understanding of Incoterms®, Customs/Logistics, Distributors & Agents, and more. Fully funded by Rochford District Council for businesses located within the Rochford District.
This FREE workshop is delivered through weekly emails straight to your inbox, allowing you to watch the content at your own availability. Follow-up one-to-one sessions can also be booked via Colbea.
Please sign up via Colbea website
Colbea - Colchester Business Enterprise Agency
Rochford District Council have funded Colbea to deliver a brand new Low Carbon Sustainability Programme to local businesses. This programme helps businesses to understand the jargon behind climate science and offers the opportunity for you to work alongside sustainability experts to create your own carbon reduction plan, specifically tailored to your organisation.
The programme covers:
- Opportunity to create a free, bespoke carbon reduction plan for your business.
- Learn how to get started on the road to Net Zero.
- Find out how to measure & understand your carbon emissions.
- Define actions to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Understand the benefits to your business and the planet.
- Make connections with other organisations going through the same process.
These online workshops are running each month from June 2022 onwards. Visit the Eventbrite website to book a space on the new Low Carbon Sustainability Programme. Or for more information call 01206 548833 or email enquiries@colbea.co.uk
3 Chambers Network Meet-Up
These are regular informal, ‘no nonsense’ business networking events, with NO fees or commitments, held on the last Tuesday of each month in the evening.
These ’get togethers’ are about getting to know people and sharing knowledge and experiences.
Join their next FREE Face2Face network by using the link below.
Rochford District Business News
Rochford District Council is committed to supporting local businesses. We have set up the Rochford Business Network to enable us, the Economic Development Team, to make contact with local businesses, to provide information, help and support and to deliver this to the local business community.
Since launching the network , now rebranded 'Tell Me More' in July 2009, over 2100 businesses have joined and are enjoying the benefits the network has to offer. The Tell Me More service is free to join, and as a member you will have access to:
- E-bulletins detailing events and campaigns that assist local businesses
- Regular emails that include local and national information (including opportunities for grants and funding)
- Receive notification of business support services and initiatives that may help your business
- A support structure for local businesses to connect with each other
- Opportunities to engage with local businesses, business support agencies and Council Officers
- Consultations taking place in the District
To join all you need to do is sign up to Business News through the Council's 'Tell Me More' service
You can also keep up to date with all business related news by following us on twitter @Business_RDC
UK Imports and Exports
From the 1st January 2022 new rules apply for UK business operations regarding imports and exports.
Register now for HMRC live webinars - HMRC will explain existing guidance and answer general questions about the content. They’re unable to answer questions specific to the items you import or export on the webinars:
- Importing – steps you need to take before making your supplementary declaration – get advice on how to make a supplementary declaration and how intermediaries can help
- Customs Import Declarations: an overview – of the whole declarations process
- Exporting: what you need to do to keep your goods moving – covering zero-rated VAT, customs declarations, using an intermediary as well as licences, certificates, and authorisations
- Trader responsibilities when using an intermediary – your responsibilities if using an intermediary to complete import or export declarations
- Importing food and drink, and animal products from the EU to Great Britain – DEFRA webinars about upcoming changes and how to register and use the import system IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System).
You can also find webinars and videos from other government departments about trading with the EU.
Cyber Security
Studies have shown that historically there has been a rise in cybercrime following large notable events impacting the UK as criminals capitalise on any possible confusion such as a global pandemic.
Taking time now to review your businesses cyber security provision and colleague education will help to protect your business from any future disruption from a cyber incident. You may find the Metropolitan Police’s website a useful resource as well as the websites listed in Related Content section.