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Posted on:
3rd January, 2022

How LEPs are enabling business resilience and growth

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) is encouraging businesses to get in touch to see how CLEP can help them to move forward their business, after what has probably been the most turbulent 18 months on record.

How LEPs are enabling business resilience and growth

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) has been leading the county’s business and economic response to the pandemic through its role as Chair of the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group (BERRG) of the Local Resilience Forum.

This has enabled it to develop a really good understanding of the issues that Cumbrian businesses are facing across a wide range of sectors and geographies. Importantly, it has escalated these issues to Government to help inform and shape policy and investments in a way that really supports the needs of business.

This understanding is directly informing CLEP’s business advice service, which brings together support from CLEP and its national and local partners. This is funded directly by Government and as such is free at the point of access to businesses, irrespective of business size, sector or maturity.

Through CLEP, businesses can benefit from free expert advice, mentoring, masterclasses and events, as well as a range of dedicated support programmes. Its advisers will work directly with businesses to create tailored solutions to unlock the potential of their company. CLEP’s advisers make it their job to understand the needs of business and help them to get exactly what they need to support their growth.

My Kind of Clean Ltd., who employ 36 staff and are looking to expand their franchise network, joined the Peer Networks programme and have since benefitted from receiving more intensive support from the LEP.

Emma-lea Dalton, Director of the company, said:

“I met some really lovely people who I still keep in touch with today, many of which have become great business connections. I found the group really supportive, it was a great place to share ideas, issues faced and come up with possible solutions, plus network with like-minded entrepreneurs.”

She added: “I have since kept in touch with Cumbria LEP and we are reviewing my future ideas and are currently getting a plan in place to help my businesses grow. I would recommend the support networks and Cumbria LEP to all entrepreneurs and business owners, the services they provide are invaluable."

Pam Brown, Client Experience Director at Rachael Bell Wealth Management, said:

“We approached Cumbria LEP, through Lynsey Parke (Business Growth Manager at Cumbria LEP), to enquire about grant funding for a specific project. The knowledge and guidance we received was superb and the whole process was simple and quick. It is sometimes difficult to know where to go for advice and help, and we would recommend Lynsey and the Cumbria LEP as a first port of call. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on.”

CLEP Chief Executive Jo Lappin MBE said:

“I am delighted that CLEP is continuing to provide new products and services to our businesses across Cumbria to help them to overcome existing business challenges, develop new opportunities and grow to reach their full potential. Our experienced and expert business advisers are ready and available to offer bespoke advice to all of our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

“SMEs are critical to Cumbria’s economy and our support offer is here to help all of our businesses to move forward from the pandemic. Support is available to SMEs in every sector at every stage in their growth journey, from early stage start-ups through to fast growing businesses that are looking at seriously scaling-up their activity. Whatever the need, we will look to provide the right tailored advice, right here in Cumbria.

“We aim to make sure that every business gets the right advice at the right time for their business. Our offer is part of government’s national network of support to businesses, which means we can make sure that businesses can access the best support, events, programmes and expert advice from a wide range of organisations.”