October 2017 News and Blogs

The National Mentoring Conference Wales will bring together businesses, academics and personal mentors and provide opportunities for Mentor and Mentee networking and development. The event will include: the launch the 2018 National Mentoring Awards a keynote speech from the European Mentoring Council breakout sessions networking opportunities an expert panel The event takes place on Friday 27 October 2017 at the Catrin Finch Centre, Glyndwr University, Wrexham. For further information and to book your place please...

The IP (Unjustified Threats) Act for SMEs on threats, is a new law which is clearer, consistent across all relevant IP rights, and will help businesses to avoid expensive litigation. An unjustified threat is made when someone unfairly threatens someone else with legal action for infringing their intellectual property, when no infringement has actually taken place. These threats are costly and disruptive, drive customers away and stop businesses trading legitimately in goods and services. The...

UK businesses and research organisations can apply for a share of £15 million for innovative medicines manufacturing solutions. These should speed up access to new medicines and treatments, improve public health and build on the strengths of the UK’s biopharmaceutical sector. The aim is to develop innovative methods or technologies that improve the manufacture of medicines for people. Projects can include: packaging and storage processes formulation processes lowering of the cost of goods increasing the...

The Walter Dickie Leadership Bursary aims to help leaders in the third sector to develop their entrepreneurial leadership skills. A bursary of £2,500 will be awarded annually to someone in a leadership role within a third sector organisation in Wales to help them become a more entrepreneurial leader. This could be someone working in a social enterprise with an idea of how to develop their trading activity, or a leader within the third sector who...

Social enterprises can do a lot of the work that councils, health boards and other public sector bodies need done, and they can make money doing it. The public sector buys services such as, caring for people, catering and building management (and many other things) every day – but more often than not, not from social businesses. An estimated £6 billion is spent in Wales by the public sector each year. Social Business Wales are...

If you want to enhance your skills and knowledge across particular aspects of human resource management to help you and your business succeed, then why not register with BOSS to access the following new courses: managing your time coping with workplace change managing absenteeism effective induction coaching for leaders Registering for a learning account only takes a couple of minutes and you will have access to a wide range of courses, interactive guides, videos and...

The Co-operation and Supply Chain Development scheme (C&SCDS) will provide support for co-operation activities across the agriculture, food and forestry sectors. The scheme aims to support the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies in the agriculture, forestry and food sectors, including: small businesses working together to share production facilities and resources short supply chains and local markets including promotion activities in a local context pilot projects where the information is made publicly available...

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) will invest up to £950,000 in Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) innovation projects to address the challenges caused by the presence of drugs, drones and mobile phones in prison environments. The aim of this competition is to develop novel detection techniques to identify these and other contraband items. This competition will have 2 phases: phase one you should explain your new concepts and how they will be proved if you...

Did you know that 20% of Wales’ food and drink export goes to Ireland and with Ireland’s recent economic recovery makes this an ideal time for your business to connect with potential customers and buyers in grocery, retail and foodservice. The Welsh Government would like to invite you to participate in a Food and Drink Wales supported trade development visit to Ireland from 28 February to 2 March 2018. The visit includes: pre-visit workshop including...

A progressive tax regime will support first-time buyers and businesses when land transaction tax (LTT) and landfill disposals tax (LDT) are introduced on 1 April 2018, replacing stamp duty land tax and landfill tax, respectively. Under the new rates for LTT, Wales will have the highest starting threshold for the property tax in the UK. And Wales will become the first country in the UK to introduce a new higher rate of landfill disposals tax...