Sector: Sports & Recreation

Location: Leicester

Aim Strong Sport is a family run business established in 2012 providing high quality coaching and education in movement, sport and leadership.

Father and son team, Steve White MBE and Harry White provide professional development for teachers in SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) and run Holiday Clubs for young people. The business is based in Leicester and has four employees.

Challenges faced

Aim Strong Sport has had a few challenges over recent years including difficulties in retaining staff. There was also a need to improve marketing and promotion to bring in new business. In addition to this, the administrative burden was growing for the small team to handle and they also wanted to become a greener business.

Solution and Impact

Aim Strong Sport has been supported by the Accelerator project, funded by Leicester City Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Chamber Business Adviser, Joanna Moore has provided 1-to-1 business advice to Harry and conducted a business review to see where the business is now and where it wants to be.

With Joanna’s help Aim Strong Sport successfully applied for a Growth Voucher from the Accelerator project. This has enabled it to benefit from 20 hours of digital consultancy advice from Martin Broadhurst of Broadhurst Digital. Martin has helped the business implement a new CRM system and provided guidance on using AI to improve efficiency.

Harry commented: “It’s hard to put a figure on it but the guidance and CRM system support has been incredible. I can now log and track all outreach work and monitor our pipeline. It’s helped to increase my productivity with various tasks including emails, quoting and social media.”

Joanna also worked with UK Operations Manager, Anthony Raisbury to support the business with its sustainability goals. A fully funded premises energy audit provided several recommendations for improvements to help reduced energy usage and bills, and a decarbonisation plan was also completed to guide the business on reducing carbon emissions.

“The support has been fantastic. Martin was brilliant to work with and supported me to implement the CRM system and utilise AI.

I am already feeling the benefits and know that this will help the business grow and develop in so many ways! Thank you.”

- Harry White, Managing Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Leicester City Council.

Sector: Human Health

Location: Amber Valley

The Caregiving Journey CIC is a start up business created in June 2024 by Dr Elizabeth Rozario, a certified coach and former GP.

Through one-to-one coaching, group coaching and interactive workshops, Elizabeth provides caregivers with the tools and strategies they need to reduce stress, enhance well being and manage responsibilities effectively. The business is based in Swanwick, Amber Valley.

Challenges faced

Elizabeth faced several challenges when starting up including how to run the business, having never done this before. She also needed help with marketing and how to promote her services to the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

Solution and Impact

The Caregiving Journey has been supported by the Accelerator project. This is funded by Amber Valley Borough Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Elizabeth has been helped by Chamber Business Adviser, Cat Walls who has provided impartial and confidential advice on setting up and running the new business.

Elizabeth commented: “Cat has been a fantastic mentor to me. She has belief in my business and that it’s a vital service that needs to grow. She’s given me many tips and signposted me to other support and advised me to set up a Google Business page.”

The business also took advantage of Nottingham Trent University’s digital skills coach service, funded by the Accelerator project. NTU’s students supported Elizabeth with several digital projects including how to set up and run webinars, using Canva graphics, implementing the MailerLite email marketing platform and creating Google slides. Elizabeth found this help very rewarding and would recommend it to others.

On Cat’s recommendation Elizabeth also attended several Accelerator action-planning workshops including Using AI for SEO, Crafting your Start-Up Marketing Plan, the Start Up Accelerator and How to Safely Update your WordPress Website.

The support has had a huge impact on Elizabeth. She added: “It has been invaluable. It has boosted my self-confidence and self-esteem. Cat has faith in me and so I want this business to work. It’s been good to have monthly accountability calls as well.”

“Without the support, this unique service to carers could not exist. I have every hope that it will become a flourishing business within the coming year.”

- Elizabeth Rozario, Founder

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Amber Valley Borough Council.

Sector: Procurement

Location: Leicester

Unimed Procurement Services (Unimed) is an International Development Organisation based in Leicester, specialising in global health procurement and technical assistance.

The company was established in 2018 and works alongside aid and development agencies, charities, NGOs and governments to project manage, source and deliver medical commodities. It has delivered over 700 projects across 63 countries and won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Excellence in International Trade 2022. It currently employs 11 people.

Challenges faced

Political unrest, government changes and war have impacted the provision of funds for global aid, development and emergency relief projects. Instability also impacts the capability to deliver to sensitive regions. Like many organisations, Unimed also faced rising energy costs which added additional pressure to the team.

Solution and Impact

Unimed has taken advantage of support from the Accelerator project. This is funded by Leicester City Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Head of Quality at Unimed, Claire Harrington worked with Chamber Business Adviser, Joanna Moore on a 1-to-1 basis to look at the business and areas for growth or improvement.

As well as a business diagnostic, a fully funded energy audit was arranged through Will Syme-Nicholson of Vision Zero Consult. Following the recommendations from Will the business changed energy suppliers securing a contract which will save them approximately £8,000 a year in energy costs. This also meets their target of having a renewable energy source. A decarbonisation plan was also introduced to support its goals towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions

“It’s been very helpful to have an adviser to signpost us to the best specialist contacts for further assistance.

I’m happy that we are much better informed and focused after the support we have received – thank you.”

- Claire Harrington, Head of Quality

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Leicester City Council.

Sector: Manufacturing

Location: Ashfield

Ashfield Accelerator is a business support project designed to help established businesses based in the District of Ashfield find practical solutions to improve commercial operations leading to sustainable growth. This is being funded by Ashfield District Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Nottingham Zinc Group is a family business established in 1982 and is based on Lowmoor Business Park, Kirkby in Ashfield.

With over 40 years’ experience, its services are an integral part of the circular economy, focusing on extending the lifecycle of steel products through repair and refurbishment, to minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency. Refurbishing steel products prevents them from ending up in landfills, reducing environmental pollution and promoting a cleaner, greener planet.

Nottingham Zinc’s services include:

• Zinc electroplating – this provides corrosion resistance, ensuring metal components stay protected against the elements.
• Powder coating – this gives a smooth, high-quality finish that meets stringent industry standards.
• Refurbishment – this helps customers reduce costs by re-using existing material to minimise waste and efficiency.

The business has an impressive customer portfolio which includes household names like Tesco, Ford, Royal Mail, National Rail and Jaguar Land Rover. There were 29 employees but that has risen to 31 with the creation of two new roles.

Challenges faced

The challenge was to modernise its electroplating plant’s infrastructure with an emphasis on process streamlining and enhanced data management. The key objectives are to improve operational efficiency, ensure tighter process monitoring and control, and streamline management tasks.

These upgrades will strengthen its competitive position further and support its expansion into new markets that require rigorous process oversight.

Energy bills were also a major factor for Nottingham Zinc, and it was constantly looking for ways to minimise costs in this area.

Solutions

Nottingham Zinc has been supported by the Accelerator project and East Midlands Chamber Business Adviser, Richard Crowden. He invited Systems Improvement Manager William Bell and Jim Doran, an external Consultant who has been advising Nottingham Zinc on their commercial operations, to attend a workshop: How to make a Successful Grant Application’. This covered Accelerator business support and top tips on completing a grant application.

Nottingham Zinc was also introduced to consultant Sophie Wragg of Be Your Best Version, who carried out a fully funded energy audit to identify energy efficiency improvements and opportunities to reduce costs.

Impact

Nottingham Zinc submitted a strong application and was successfully awarded the £16,056 grant to support an energy improvement project that invested in state-of-the-art control systems with smart capabilities. This project enabled Nottingham Zinc to adopt new technologies, employ two additional members of staff and it can now provide more consistent product quality and greater operational efficiencies across the business.

William Bell commented: “Where we have made investments, we have seen electricity usage halved in some of those areas as a result.”

“For a SME business like us, the backing and support has been invaluable.  We have been able to take the company forward which we would not have been able to do without the Ashfield Accelerator Grant award.

Richard’s support and communication has been excellent – it’s so important for us to have someone telling us what we need to do, making sure we have covered the fine detail required to secure the award.”
 

- William Bell, Systems Improvement Manager

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Ashfield District Council.

Sector: Interior Design

Location: Rushcliffe

Howson Design is an interior design practice dedicated to creating timeless, sustainable spaces.

Founded by Katy Raywood in 2020, the business was born from her passion for creativity and a desire to follow in her late father Lewis Howson’s entrepreneurial footsteps. Naming the business in his honour, Katy ensures his inspiration and legacy lives on through her designs.

Based in Rushcliffe, Howson Design offers a personal, creative service to clients across Nottingham and the East Midlands. Katy collaborates with a diverse network of designers, suppliers, and artisans - from renowned manufacturers to exclusive brands transforming homes into beautifully curated spaces.

Challenges faced

Katy's biggest challenge as a new business was marketing, primarily due to cost and time constraints, as she had to manage this herself. While she occasionally hired freelance marketers for support, budget limitations remained a hurdle.

Solution and Impact

Katy has been part of the Rushcliffe Business Partnership for the past four years, regularly attending its events and networking opportunities. At this network, Katy learned about the support available through the Accelerator project and was referred to Chamber Business Adviser, Insan Farooqi.

Accelerator is funded through Rushcliffe Borough Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber. After enrolling onto the project, Insan provided tailored 1-to-1 business advice, helping Katy identify and access the right support to overcome the key challenges she was facing.

Katy accessed a £1,000 Growth Voucher, which allowed her to work with digital consultant Ian Lockwood, an expert in SEO. Through Ian’s guidance, Katy gained essential knowledge on improving SEO strategies to better reach her target audience. As a result, Katy enhanced her own expertise and successfully increased the online visibility of her business website leading to a higher search engine ranking.

The support from the Accelerator project has helped Katy streamline her marketing strategy, develop new digital skills, and gain confidence to implement effective growth strategies. With these improvements, Katy is confident in attracting new business opportunities and contributing to job creation in the future.

“It’s great to know there is support out there for new businesses. I would like to say a big thank you to the business advisers from East Midlands Chamber who have been so incredibly helpful and supportive.”

- Katy Raywood, Founder

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Sector: Visitor & Community Centre

Location: High Peak

Rock Mill Centre CIC (community interest company) is based in the centre of New Mills, Derbyshire.

It began by taking on the lease of the former Heritage and Information Centre three years ago and constituting itself as a small organisation. It opened to the public in September 2022 and became a CIC in August 2024.

Rock Mill Centre is a voluntary organisation with six directors. Its purpose is to provide a visitor and community hub for New Mills that works towards a sustainable future for everyone. The Centre itself aims to engage people with the environment and hosts activities that support community cohesion and mutual care.

It welcomes visitors to the town, provides leaflets about the area and has displays about the local rivers, landscapes and community. It also runs a small café with a monthly Supper Club. Registered as a Safe Space and Warm Space, throughout winter the team provide a free community meal known as Souper Fridays.

It runs a variety of community and environmental events throughout the year and accommodates the Brian Nolan Trust and Littlest Theatre in New Mills.

Rock Mill Centre CIC is currently working with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Time Swap, New Mills Town Council, Nature New Mills, Walkers are Welcome New Mills and the Solitary Bee Nursery, amongst many other groups. It is intentionally pursuing the goals of High Peak Borough Council’s Tourism and Biodiversity Strategies.

Challenges faced

The greatest challenge for the business is making the Centre sustainable – both financially and with volunteer staffing. The set-up phase was financed by director loans and some project grants.

In the long term the Centre will need a part-time paid administrator to manage the business, and this is likely to require some large grant applications.

Solution and Impact

Rock Mill Centre CIC has been supported by the Accelerator project. Accelerator is funded by High Peak Borough Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

This involved an assessment of the business and immediate suggestions of the next steps around writing a business plan and encouraging and enabling donations with Chamber Business Advisers, including David Smith and Richard Crowden.

With adviser support a fully funded energy audit was completed resulting in the creation of a decarbonisation plan. Advisers also guided the business through all the stages of applying for High Peak Borough Council’s Decarbonisation Grant and the business was successfully awarded £5,000 towards the delivery of the first phase of its decarbonisation plan.

The energy audit, decarbonisation plan and grant will all help future proof the business and remove its reliance on gas. It will cut that volatile cost, avoid any future penalties and help the coherence of its business identity.

Director, Toby Hardwick commented: “Having a showcase decarbonisation project fits well with us being an information centre that is looking to guide people towards a sustainable future for all. It shows how our environmental displays and support for public transport, and local producers is all part of one aim. We see this as a way of increasing our footfall and delivering more of the Council’s strategies locally.”

Rock Mill Centre CIC is seeing the business potential of the decarbonisation project. For example, with their architect, they are exploring how to make the new porch a usable space that will increase its revenue by adding to its café area and bringing people using the public toilet into its building.

Based on estimates from the Energy Saving Trust the business could save at least £290 per year and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2.9t CO₂e.

The Decarbonisation project is a whole building approach that aims to reduce its overall energy use by increasing it thermal efficiency and will, it is hoped, also result in increased savings.

“I’m particularly grateful for how approachable and personally helpful all the members of the East Midlands Chamber have been. Although other directors have business experience, I do not. The Chamber team guided me throughout the grant process with lots of phone calls and emails. It feels a lot of expertise is openly shared.

The 1-to-1 business advice was really impressive – the assessment of what our business was and how it could work better was focused and knowledgeable.”

- Toby Hardwick, Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of High Peak Borough Council.

Sector: Veterinary Nurse Training and Animal Care

Location: South Derbyshire

Bottle Green Training has provided specialist training for the animal care industry since 1999.

Based in Melbourne, Derbyshire, the company offers apprenticeships in Animal Care & Welfare, Veterinary Nursing for Small Animal and Equine Practice, and Functional Skills. Their dedicated team consists of 28 employees.

Challenges faced

Director, Judith Parry identified two key challenges affecting the company's growth. They have seen a decline in student numbers due to the post-Covid downturn in veterinary practices and the rising operational costs driven by the current economic climate.

Solution and Impact

Judith first heard about the Accelerator project and the support on offer through the Chamber’s Business Adviser Sonny Lakhani. The Accelerator Project is funded by South Derbyshire District Council’s allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber. Accelerator provided Judith with several valuable opportunities to develop her business.

Sonny provided dedicated one-to-one advice and guidance, outlining the funded support services available to help drive the business forward.

As a result of this support, Judith enrolled on the Help to Grow: Management course to develop key business skills and how to navigate change effectively. Judith also engaged with Nottingham Business School, collaborating with their change management and research students looking at data and analytics in animal health and care. This tailored support allowed the business to identify a gap in the market and diversify their product and service range.

The business also took advantage of NTU’s Digital Skills Coach service, funded by Accelerator and were able to access dedicated support to raise the social media presence of the company and engage in digital marketing.  This support has provided the company with the tools to create multiple social platforms which has resulted in a significantly increased digital footprint. With the use of AI tools, the business has been able to send out bespoke marketing to raise revenue without increasing costs.

The business also undertook a funded energy audit to identify cost-saving opportunities and has developed a comprehensive decarbonisation plan to become sustainable. Improvements included reducing print and paper waste, improving energy efficiency when heating the buildings and working towards improving insulation to reduce costs and energy usage. They are also exploring grant funding opportunities for solar panels to be fitted.

This tailored support has enabled Judith to diversify and expand the business, safeguarding jobs and ensuring business resilience during a challenging time for the industry.

“Without Sonny’s support, we would have been in serious trouble and wouldn’t have known about the funded support we’ve accessed so far. His guidance has made a huge difference to our business.”

- Judith Parry, Managing Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of South Derbyshire District Council.

Sector: Recruitment

Location: Broxtowe

Atkins Search is a Nottingham-based recruitment agency delivering permanent, temporary and retained search recruitment solutions throughout the Midlands, North West, London and Yorkshire regions.

It was established in 2016 and specialises in placing candidates in the construction, consultancy, freelance, executive search, engineering and residential sectors. There are currently 12 employees.

Challenges faced

The business faced challenges around finding the right calibre of people to join them and was also looking to expand but needed a clear plan.

Solution and Impact

Atkins Search has been supported by the Accelerator project. Accelerator is funded by Broxtowe Borough Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Chamber Business Adviser, Sonny Lakhani has been working with Managing Director, Antony Rowe on a business diagnostic and growth plans. In the 1-to-1 meetings Sonny covered all the funded support that was available to the business including Broxtowe Borough Council’s Business Grant.

With guidance from Sonny during the application process, the business was successfully awarded £3,465 towards for the development of an E-Brochure. This marketing collateral will be used to help Atkins Search expand the regions in which they operate, detailing additional services they provide.

The business also had an Accelerator Growth Voucher which has provided tailored marketing consultancy support from Lindsey Newman-Wood of Passion Marketing. This support has helped the business define its marketing strategy.

Many of the Atkins Search team have attended the funded workshops provide by the programme including Modern SEO, HR Essentials, Harnessing AI for Business, Generating and Winning New Sales and others.

Antony commented: “Accelerator has supported the business’s strategy which has in turn allowed us to continue to grow and increase headcount. Due to all this help, we currently have four vacancies in our business, which we are trying to recruit."

“It’s been excellent, very well-rounded business support. Sonny has been very supportive and is always in contact if he feels there is an opportunity we can benefit from.

I have been very pleased that we signed up for the programme, it’s been a great help.”

- Antony Rowe, Managing Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Broxtowe Borough Council.

Sector: Trade & Retail

Location: Chesterfield

Finney’s Wood Finishes is a partnership with husband-and-wife team, Mark and Sue Finney. In 1989 the business began by making and designing solid, hardwood furniture in Sheffield. It was recognised nationally for its design and craftmanship.

Over the years, Mark has published over 400 articles for national magazines and penned the international best seller ‘The Stanley Book of Woodwork’.

Alongside the furniture making business, they were selling wood finishing materials. Then from the early 2000s, after Mark suffered a back injury, this side of the business was expanded, and Finney’s Wood Finishes became the main focus.

The duo have developed and curated a full range of stains, waxes and finishes that cover all aspects of finishing interior and exterior wood.  This includes their Six of the Best range which customers love.

They also offer expert advice on wood finishing processes to guide people through projects and love to show people the very best way to make their wood look fantastic.

Challenges faced

Over the years, and particularly after COVID, the team noticed how people buy in a very different way - using the internet to get information and ordering online and receiving goods the next day. Customers use social media a lot more to buy - a channel which both Sue and Mark were unfamiliar with. Having said that, they both understood the power of video, as Mark had created four instructional videos 12 years ago to help customers learn how to use wood finishes. One of these has had around 300k views!

The world had changed since COVID and both Mark and Sue realised they didn’t have the skills to change with it.

They needed help with technology in particular social media, Google Analytics, creating e-newsletters, making quality video content as well as developing a marketing strategy.

Solution and Impact

The business has been supported through the Accelerator project which is funded by Chesterfield Borough Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

In August 2023 Sue and Mark met Business Adviser Adrian Williamson from Chesterfield Borough Council and have done everything he suggested.

Sue has attended many funded workshops and webinars covering topics from social media to photography, using video in content marketing through to Google Analytics 4.

They have also worked with Chamber Business Adviser Peter Lawrence and successfully applied for a Growth Voucher. This provided 16 hours of funded consultancy support from digital specialist, Paul Ince of LikeMind Media.

Sue commented: “Paul has been superb and really helped us with hands-on training as well creating a marketing strategy document, which we are implementing.

We definitely feel more in control of our business now as we have a strategic plan towards growth.  This will enable us to reach more customers, to develop our offering by creating more educational content and so become more competitive. All our efforts are already seeing the business grow.”

“We were in a quandary, with a wonderful business but people were not able to find us.  We knew we needed help, and we tried all sorts of approaches, but we were hitting a brick wall, and then we found Adrian.

He helped us find direction through the maze by giving us a structure, identifying our priorities and showing us a path we could follow.

We felt worried, concerned and directionless but now we’re inspired, energised and empowered to learn new skills. We now think differently about the business – we feel positive and full of hope for the future.”

- Sue Finney, Co-Owner

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council.

Sector: Manufacturing

Location: Ashfield

Ashfield Accelerator is a business support project designed to help established businesses based in the District of Ashfield find practical solutions to improve commercial operations leading to sustainable growth. This is being funded by Ashfield District Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

HEC Showman is based in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire.

With a history that stems back to 1989, the business manufactures medical furniture for the healthcare industry. It currently employs 27 people.

Challenges faced

Production capacity was the main challenge for HEC Showman as it began to struggle to complete orders because it couldn’t get the goods powder-coated fast enough to meet demand. On top of this were rising energy costs, the cost-of-living crisis and outdated technology which were all impacting HEC Showman’s growth potential.

Solutions

Ashley Hopkinson, Managing Director at HEC Showman, was enrolled onto the Accelerator Project and was provided with one-on-one support by Chamber Business Adviser, David Smith.

• David arranged for a full diagnostic review looking at the business and its future goals. David also recommended alternative solutions and signposted the business to other available support opportunities.
• As a key challenge was energy costs, David also arranged for a premises energy audit to be carried out, funded by the Accelerator project. Consultant Sophie Wragg, of Be Your Best Version, then provided a detailed report with recommendations on where and how the business could save on costs and energy usage.
• In addition to the above, Ashley also heard about the Ashfield Enterprise Grant from David and was invited to attend a free workshop on ‘how to make a successful grant application’. With support from the Chamber, Ashley successfully put forward a grant application and was awarded £30,000 to invest in updating its machinery.

Outcome

This grant was used towards a new extended track for hanging goods waiting to be painted as well as two new application booths: one for reclaiming the white powder and the other as spray to waste for the colours.

Having updated machinery has allowed the business to streamline its processes, making it more energy and time efficient: in fact, saving the equivalent of 2.5 days a week!

The new powder booths feature new, more energy efficient motors, plus LED lighting throughout the factory and improved operation practices have reduced the gas usage. The longer track has also given more capacity and product cooling time allowing them to be more time efficient in the day and improve capacity rather than working weekends or overtime. This has also improved their work/ life balance.

The new machinery has also allowed the business to do at least 50% more work through its paint shop. This means stock is available enabling it to offer shorter lead times to customers.

There has also been a positive impact to the exiting workforce by creating two new jobs and safeguarding a number of others.

“The support from David Smith through the application process has been exceptional.

He has been thorough, supportive and knowledgeable and I know we wouldn’t have seen the process through without him.”

- Ashley Hopkinson, Managing Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Ashfield District Council.

Sector: Warehousing

Location: Ashfield

Ashfield Accelerator is a business support project designed to help established businesses based in the District of Ashfield find practical solutions to improve commercial operations leading to sustainable growth. This is being funded by Ashfield District Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Hucknall Self-Storage Ltd was created by director, Tom Clark in 2021. Tom was already running a machine embroidery threads business, TC Threads, at the time.

When spare capacity arose due to the departure of a tenant business, Tom decided to expand and open Hucknall Self-Storage.

It’s a family business run by Tom’s daughter, Helen Clark who is the sole employee. The business aims to provide hassle free storage at a competitive price and has storage units which range in size from 15 to 150 sq. ft. The facilities cater for every occasion both personal and professional. This includes storage for house and business moves, creating more space at home, or in your business as well as units which are perfect for storing the contents of student dorm rooms in the summer or Christmas breaks.

Challenges faced

One of its key challenges was rising costs, in particular energy bills which have spiralled in recent years. Energy is their highest cost being a storage facility, apart from wages (for Helen plus now a part-time assistant), other costs are minimal. With 64 units it is a large space to heat up.

As well as cutting bills Tom was keen to reduce energy usage from an ethical point of view and to make the business energy self-sufficient. There was a need to become more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint.

Solutions

Hucknall Self-Storage has been supported by the Accelerator project and East Midlands Chamber Business Adviser, Richard Crowden. Richard invited Tom to the ‘Ashfield Business Grants: How to make a Successful Application’ event where Accelerator business support and top tips on completing a grant application were covered.

Following this Richard arranged for a premises energy audit to be carried out, funded by the Accelerator project. Consultant, Sophie Wragg of Be Your Best Version provided a detailed report with recommendations on where and how the business could save on costs and energy usage.

With Richard’s assistance Hucknall Self-Storage successfully applied for the Ashfield Accelerator Grant to be used towards energy reduction measures. This grant of £28,000 has supported the implementation of solar panels and battery storage along with infra-red heaters in the business.

Impact

The investment in energy saving measures will drive the business towards its goal of becoming energy self-sufficient and is expected to reduce its carbon emissions by 5 tonnes of CO2e.

The business has doubled its turnover in the last year and continues to grow. With its 64 units it is now close to capacity. It has also created a new part-time job for a general assistant to support Helen following this growth.

“The support from Richard has been absolutely first class. His help in completing a complex grant application was really appreciated. The grant award has made a big difference to our business and the environment, which is important to us.”

- Tom Clark, Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Ashfield District Council.

Sector: Retail/Wholesale Craft Supplies

Location: North East Derbyshire

Highlight Crafts is based in Clay Cross, North East Derbyshire and has been trading since May 2021.

The business is predominantly involved in direct retail sales and training through e-commerce and face-to-face for craft related products as well as classes, which are designed and developed in-house. It employs 29 people.

Challenges faced

Although the business had done well in the past selling on television, the trends were showing television sales were on the downturn, and there was an urgent need to build more solid connections with customers and sell through the website.

Other issues included rising costs, copycat products from the Far East as well as a large wholesale customer going into administration. This has all had a major impact on sales and cashflow.

Solution and Impact

Highlight Crafts has been supported by the Accelerator project. Accelerator is funded by North East Derbyshire District Council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber.

Managing Director, Karl Shaw has been working with Chamber Business Adviser, Andy Bunn initially with a business diagnostic and on future growth plans. One of the main areas of support has been around growing the business’s marketing reach to combat declining television sales. The business was keen to push more potential customers towards its website to build contacts and its mailing lists.

Accelerator offers eligible businesses growth vouchers, up to the value of £2,000 which can be used towards specialist consultancy support. Highlight Crafts was successful with its application for the voucher and has been helped to create a Google Ads and YouTube advertising campaign to generate new B2C customer leads. This support has been provided by Liam Lally, a specialist in paid digital advertising.

The added benefit of this advice was improvements to its website in terms of key words and search engine optimisation, ensuring the site would be found by the kind of customers they were looking for.

The support has provided some security for the business and enabled it to create a new marketing position and safeguard jobs.

Some of the Highlight Crafts team have also taken advantage of the funded Accelerator workshops including Using AI for SEO, Marketing & Brand Development, and Blogging with Authority and Trust.

“The support was delivered in a professional, efficient and timely manner. 

It highlighted areas for the team to focus on to generate sales leads. This has had a direct and positive impact on our business.”

- Karl Shaw, Managing Director

Read the full Case Study

This initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council.