Case Studies

Stevie Davies Glass is a Derby based contemporary glass business specialising in warm glass processes to create distinctive art, sculptures, home décor and jewellery. Stevie’s devotion to the material, experimental approach to kiln fusing techniques, love of colour and texture gives her signature style an alluring aesthetic which is sure to start a conversation.

Stevie contacted the Growth Hub for opportunities to support her in thinking about a more broad range of business needs, such as branding and marketing. She wanted to learn skills outside of her own expertise in her art that would help to make the business more resilient and sustainable. This support was delivered by the Growth Hub in the form of our comprehensive webinar programme, with which Stevie attended several sessions on digital marketing, wellbeing and other areas. Support was also provided on a one to one basis by a dedicated Growth Hub business adviser.

I find the creative development side of my arts practice has naturally grown but it can be rather isolating. Finding the opportunities that D2N2 offer has enabled me to look at a broad range of business needs, spend time learning about aspects of social media, marketing and branding which I previously haven’t considered. Learning new skills or, often, where I need to seek to hire others to make my business more resilient and sustainable moving forward.

Stevie Davies, Stevie Davies Glass

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Blue Stamp Travel provide personal and tailored language experiences abroad for students looking to make a breakthrough with their language skills. Specialising in French, German and Spanish and working with individuals or schools they provide Work Experience programmes, Intensive Language Courses, Host Family Accommodation, Internships, Summer Camps, Au Pair and Study and Online Tuition.

Blue Stamp Travel applied for the D2N2 Growth Hub’s Business Investment Fund to support them with the substantial costs of becoming an independent company as they had previously been a division of Halsbury Travel. This included investing in a brand new e-commerce website and a multi-function printer. 

There is no doubt that we have benefited from the grant and support offered by D2N2. We look forward to continuing this relationship and hope that other businesses too will also be able to benefit in the future. Our new site www.bluestamptravel.com is now live and we are delighted with the look and functionality!

Steve Manderson, Managing Director at Blue Stamp Travel

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Infused Learning is a Nottingham based not for profit training company, offering a range of bespoke and tailored accredited and non-accredited qualifications and training courses to schools, and groups across the UK.

Tara and Natalie, the Infused Learning founders, contacted the Growth Hub as they needed further support in areas such as marketing, as they were lacking expertise internally. They were also looking for financial support to aid their business in expansion. The Growth Hub was able to support them via a dedicated business adviser who notified the Infused Learning team of grant funding opportunities. The team were also able to upskill by taking full advantage of the Growth Hub’s webinar programme.

Receiving funds to help automate processes will give us the capacity to increase our offering and reach more business and individuals not only throughout Nottinghamshire but UK wide.

Tara Askham, Director of Finance and Business Development

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Hanwell Wine Estate is a second generation family vineyard ran by husband and wife team William and Helenka Brown. Set amongst the rolling countryside of south Nottinghamshire, the vines of Hanwell Wine Estate are hand tendered to grow grapes for English sparkling wine.

The business approached the Growth Hub with the challenge of helping them to lead the   business by making the correct strategic decisions in order to not only grow but to motivate the team along the way from a leadership perspective. The Growth Hub were able to provide a dedicated business adviser to guide the business and support them when making important strategic decisions by acting as a sounding board. Hanwell Wine Estates also attended several of the Growth Hub's webinars in order to strengthen their knowledge on certain topics beneficial to the business. 

The Growth Hub team are easy to engage. Richard listened carefully to my requirement and reacted quickly to find me a Business Mentor. This has been a game changer for  Hanwell Wine Estate, adding value and increasing opportunity.

Big thanks to the Growth Hub!

Helenka Brown, Owner Hanwell Wine Estate

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Heal Her Retreats is a mother and daughter team, Nicole and Pamela, based in Nottingham. Delivering empowering and life-changing retreats for women.

The business approached the Growth Hub for help and support in building a strategy and a stronger business foundation in order to grow. The Growth Hub were able to support the business by helping them re-define their strategy, branch out their business network and to develop a B2B offering. 

The Growth Hub has given us the language and the confidence for us to speak to many different types of businesses. They have introduced us to many business-related contacts, which has opened up a lot of doors. Our business adviser has given us a way to structure our offerings which was something we were really struggling with. It’s comforting knowing that we’ve got this on-going support, can get feedback and help to think outside of our box.

Nicole & Pamela, Heal Her Retreats

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Upperton Pharma Solutions is a specialist Contract Development and Manufacturing
Organisation (CDMO) to the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology sectors based in Nottingham. 

Following a successful application for the D2N2 Business Investment Fund grant, Upperton Pharma Solutions were able to grow significantly. This included the purchase of new equipment which enabled the business to secure new contracts and to hire new staff. 

By helping Upperton expand our services and capabilities, the D2N2 Growth Hub have helped Upperton give back to the local community with 5 of our recent hires recently graduating from local universities as well as strengthening Upperton’s position which in turn supports our current staff. Upperton look forward to future collaborations with the Growth Hub and strongly recommend businesses explore how the Growth Hub could support them.

Dr Ian Lafferty, Technical Director at Upperton Pharma Solutions

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TQC is a privately owned company based in Nottingham, who for over 35 years have been providing innovative turnkey solutions to special  engineering applications. 

TQC were successfully awarded a grant from the D2N2 Growth Hub Business Investment Fund. The grant will allow investment into developing existing mechanical and electrical CAD systems including the purchase of software and hardware. 

"TQC is really excited about the grant assistance that the D2N2 ERDF has given. In the new work reality of remote working, this project will extend our capability to supply hi-tech machines whilst enabling safe working for our staff"

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Bridge The Gap are a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the mental health of children, parents and teachers in Derby City and beyond. They currently offer a range of services from free support sessions in the community and an active informative Facebook page, to low cost resources, courses and workshops. They also offer one-to-one support and training. With help from the D2N2 Growth Hub, Bridge the Gap have accessed government support and lottery funding to have successfully adapt their provision in order to continue trading through Covid-19. 

When Covid hit and we closed the doors on our space, I was heartbroken. We were half-way through  running courses and programmes for children, and they had to abruptly stop. We tried to bring the sessions to a therapeutic close online but when that was completed, I felt exhausted and drained, like my brain had switched off.  There was so much to think about, furloughing our small team and then considering what to do for myself. After getting in touch with Lisa and the hub again I spoke to two advisors and they just listened to me. They let me cry. I felt like they understood and then I was able to talk through my options with them. It helped me to plan, apply for funding and get my brain switched back on! I've worked hard throughout lockdown and now have the team back together; I believe we have evolved and grown throughout the crisis - I can't thank the hub enough.

Jennifer Wyman, Bridge the Gap  

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Poppy’s Café offers a selection of great tasting, locally sourced hot and cold meals to eat in or takeaway in the Clay Cross area of North East Derbyshire. However, when the Covid-19 crisis struck the business was forced to close its café operation. The takeaway and delivery service was able to continue but the business faced challenges as trade fell when workplaces closed. The business received extensive advice on several different government schemes from their business adviser to help them through a very challenging time. 

Your support had been invaluable to me. The day after Boris Johnson announced the closure of many businesses you rang me to offer your support and to ask me if I needed help with anything, which to me was like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders knowing that there was someone there for support in these difficult and scary times.
Then you helped me with vast information on furloughing my staff, also helped me find further information on the different loans available for small businesses. You sent me various information on the small business grant that was available to me too and gave me information on the webinars available.
You really have been a massive support to me and my business. Your help and advise has been invaluable to me. I really can’t thank you enough.

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The Anglers Rest is a community enterprise offering a pub, cafe and post office service to residents and tourists in Hope Valley, Bamford. The enterprise was seriously affected during the Covid-19 crisis and had to close all of its services other than the post office. With help and guidance from their Growth Hub adviser the Angler's Rest were able to access grant funding and government support to help with cash flow. 

The advice from D2N2 enabled us to access the hospitality grant from our local authority quickly and easily. We had been told that the council would contact us so we were waiting patiently for that to happen. Then Lisa signposted us to an online form to claim the grant and within a matter of days the money was in our account. This has helped enormously with cashflow whilst most of our business is closed and our staff furloughed.

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RISK & Safety Management Services is a multiple-award-winning health and safety training and consultancy solution provider, based in North Nottinghamshire. Having received grant funding from the D2N2 Capital Growth Fund, RISK have been able to develop a portal which gives delegates access to course materials, revision kits and other resources. 

The grant funding from the D2N2 Capital Growth Fund has enabled us to develop a portal which will allow delegates to access course materials, revision kits and a post-course alumni for those achieving the professional qualification standard.

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Koobr is a creative agency specialising in branding, graphic design, web & app design and digital marketing. Established in 2013 by Craig Barker, Koobr is currently reporting year-on-year growth of 25% and has recently moved to a new studio in Friar Gate, which hosts many of Derby’s leading creative businesses. With grant funding from the D2N2 Capital Growth Fund , Koobr have been able to invest in the equipment needed to support additional team members. 

Much of our business is won through referrals, and we had reached the point where we needed to grow the team in order to meet demand. The move into our new Friar Gate studio has provided dedicated meeting facilities and will facilitate our next stage of growth.

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