HERE is the weekly column from Copeland MP Trudy Harrison. 

I’d like to use my column this week to highlight a range of range of grants and support that is available to Copeland’s business community.

The Help to Grow scheme, funded by the Government, is a fantastic initiative that can help business owners or managers take their organisations to the next level.

It’s split into two strands - Help To Grow: Management Course supports senior managers of small and medium sized businesses to boost performance, resilience and long-term growth.

Run over 12 weeks in a combination of in-person and online learning, the course is accredited by the Small Business Charter and is funded 90 per cent by the Government.

- Help To Grow: Digital offers eligible businesses discounts of up to £5,000 off approved digital accounting software. Businesses can also access free specialised advice on how to choose the right digital technologies to boost their growth and productivity.

I encourage business owners to tap into these excellent resources.
And as the deadline for many grant applications approaches this week – at the end of the financial year on Thursday, March 31 – I’d like to direct readers to my website which is frequently updated with links to grants and funding that are available to the Copeland community.

This ranges from grants for music venues and museums, to funding that is available for heritage projects and farming initiatives.

For more information and to apply for any of the grants, please visit www.trudyharrison.co.uk/grants-and-funding.