The UK Space Agency is undertaking a programme of educational activity to inspire young people, particularly those from under-represented groups, to engage with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Maths) subjects. They hope to inspire the next generation of British space scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. To this end, the Agency is now inviting potential delivery partners to help create and manage a new competition aimed at primary-age children. The competition itself will task children in each nation of the UK between the ages of 4 and 11 to design a mission logo to commemorate the launch. The winning design will be featured on…
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Trade between the UK and the EU has plummeted since January 1st 2021 – but that’s just half the story. Many of the sales that have been made have incurred a loss. The cost of doing business has risen an estimated 30% – and in many cases the VAT, customs and delivery costs have been presented directly to the end customer. Repeat business has fallen off a cliff and companies have been forced to destroy stock in Europe rather than incur the cost of repatriating it into the UK supply chain. As a result, many UK businesses have simply pulled…
Mersen UK Teesside, a world-leading manufacturing facility specialising in machined graphite products, anti-corrosion and hot glass handling equipment (CERBERITE®), is now offering a 24-hour turnaround time for low volume, high precision engineering products following the introduction of a digitised manufacturing process developed in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Teesside University. Mersen is a global expert in electrical specialties and advanced materials for high-tech industries. With more than 50 industrial sites and 16 R&D centres in 35 countries, the company develops customised solutions and delivers key products to its clients to meet the new technological challenges shaping tomorrow’s world. For Mersen…
Retail is the UK’s best industry in which to start a business, new research has revealed. The analysis by cloud accounting company Ember revealed that retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles, tops the rankings after scoring highly in a number of key indicators for business success. The research used ONS data to assess Britain’s 15 broad industry groups on factors including the number of businesses that were started between 2014 and 2019, compared to the number that failed in that time period, and the number of companies in that sector turning over more than £1 million. Retail came out on…
Earlier this year Lucy Alexandra Spencer was awarded “Thames Valley Female Entrepreneur of the year”. Following her awards success Lucy spoke to SME Today about her business, it’s origins and her aspirations for the future. Lucy is the founder and Director of Education Boutique, a tutoring business for children of all ages, as well as being the Vice President of the Tutors association. Lucy founded Education Boutique 6 years ago and has now been acquired by the UK’s biggest education recruitment job site and Ed tech company, Eteach, allowing the company to expand it’s reach and customer base. Throughout the…
Many SMEs have an urgent need for cash but are being turned away from many ‘traditional’ lenders, leading to the risk of a major funding gap as they strive for growth post pandemic. New data from Allica Bank, acquired from a survey carried out across the Midlands and Yorkshire, shows that 46% of Yorkshire-based SMEs and 45% of Midlands-based SMEs will require additional funding within the next 12 months, but that nearly seven out of ten (69%) in Yorkshire and more than half (58%) in the Midlands say they have previously been rejected when applying for extra cash. The deficit in funding will potentially hamper recovery and growth in the region, only to…
In the current climate, many businesses, especially small businesses, have found themselves in need of short-term loans to cover expenses such as higher-tax bills, maintenance, buying crucial equipment. At the same time, businesses that are flourishing in the short-term may now be focused on medium to long term investment such as remodeling, expanding, investing in inventorying, or hiring new employees. – Scott Donnelly, Director of Board at CapitalBox explains what you need to know to secure a business loan. To secure a loan, there are a few requirements to tick off the checklist. For those businesses that are just starting off, going…
Founded in 2015, N&T Civils Ltd carry out high-quality groundworks and civils work across County Durham, Teesside and the North East, and the company has more than 20 years’ experience in the trade. N&T Civils Ltd qualified for R&D tax credits for their work on large-scale jobs that required innovative solutions and problem-solving to overcome the issues faced by the team. Within this sector, it is essential to effectively develop solutions as large projects cannot be halted for long periods of time due to cost loss and wastage reasons. An example of a qualifying project was when the business was contracted to work on the build of a fire station and fit suitable drainage…
Dealing with the challenges of the pandemic has been incredibly difficult for businesses across the board. A combination of lockdown restrictions and many businesses having to temporarily close their doors has meant that some companies have taken the option of new finance in order to better manage their cashflow. At Barclays alone, over 350,000 businesses were supported with access to more than £29b worth of funding through the government lending schemes during the height of the pandemic. While taking on new finance may not be a new experience for larger organisations, for some SMEs, this may be the first time…
Following the Government’s recent easing of lockdown restrictions, Cotswold Wildlife Park is reopening it’s doors. ADVANCE E-TICKETS UPDATE: Save money by purchasing your entrance ticket online before your visit. Available dates shown in green. Click here to buy your E-tickets. Please note: During the Summer holidays tickets are likely to sell out, therefore entry can not be guaranteed unless you buy E-Tickets online before your visit (subject to availability). For all other ticket options (including day tickets and season tickets), please click here. Season ticket holders and complimentary tickets have been accounted for and there is no need to pre-book. In line…