Support for the local small business community has earned North East Lincolnshire Council an inaugural national award.
Its holistic and collaborative approach to supporting SMEs has been heralded as transformational, “creating an environment conducive to long term success for local businesses”.
Projects highlighted by the Federation of Small Businesses’ Local Government Awards included business workshops and events, business festivals, sector specific business growth advisors, start-up programmes, managed and co-working spaces, an investment hub and access to business investment advisors. It comes as Grimsby is once again included in the Small Business Saturday nationwide roadshow, in what is a tenth year for the initiative. It will arrive on November 10, spotlighting independent success stories in one of the most important periods of the year.
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Paula Gouldthorpe, FSB development manager for South Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “It is really pleasing to see North East Lincolnshire Council rewarded for their consistent hard work and effort to help businesses through what has been a very challenging couple of years. This was amid a high-quality field of entries by local councils. Both the quality and quantity of entries from this region and beyond was incredibly high so the council, its teams and individuals involved in supporting the business community should feel very proud to be among the winners. We look forward to continuing to work with them - and all our other business-supporting councils - to ensure we have a vibrant and strong local small business community.”
The authority’s lead in a new approach to providing a comprehensive business support was praised, with recent years seeing partnerships developed. E-Factor, the not-for-profit social enterprise and Investment Hub NEL were particular highlights, providing guidance across organisational and financial elements.
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of the council, said: “Small businesses are the real lifeblood of our local economy, with more than 95 per cent of all businesses in North East Lincolnshire employing under 49 people. This award is testament to the great work that many people put in and to the partnership and collaboration across our borough.”
E-Factor, led by Mark Webb, was founded in 2010, and offers business workshops, events such as the Great Big Small Business Festival, tailored one-to-one support via sector-specific business growth advisors, and important programmes such as Smarter Energy NEL, and the Start Up Academy programme launched in 2021. Investment Hub NEL is a unique service created in 2016, with a small team with a combined 100 years’ background in finance, acting as a signposting service. They put businesses in contact with commercial lenders including banks, finance companies, gap funders and peer-to-peer lenders to help their business move forward.
There was praise too for business investment advisors and the council’s economy and growth team.
Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday UK, is looking forward to a North East Lincolnshire return. She said: “This year’s campaign is all about shining a light on the nation’s fantastic small firms and showing them some major love, at a time when many are facing a lot of challenges. I would encourage all small businesses across Lincolnshire to get involved, whether it is in person or online."
One already basking is Grimsby Garden Centre, mental health service provider Navigo’s operation, that puts proceeds back into provision for the borough. It has been chosen as one of the nation’s 100 best independent businesses by Small Business Saturday UK for 2022 - following the likes of Riverhead Coffee and Red Herring Games.
Craig Champion said: “We’re so pleased to be one of only 100 to have made it onto the list out of so many brilliant small businesses in the UK. We’ve put a lot of hard work into developing and growing the garden centre in recent years. Alongside selling plants, gifts and homeware, we continue to provide horticultural therapy and develop employment opportunities, have doubled the size of our popular eatery - rebranding it as the Potting Shed - and have started our Grow with Us initiative, encouraging and equipping all primary schools in North East Lincolnshire to get out gardening.
“To be recognised for our achievements and celebrated at a national scale is brilliant and encourages us to push ourselves even further.”
The Small Business Saturday tour plans to be at St James’ Square from 10am to 12.15pm and in St Peter’s Avenue, Cleethorpes, from around 12.45pm to 2pm.
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