West Suffolk Council have partnered with MENTA to deliver free start up business support within the district.
The project received £195,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
MENTA offer business support and training across Suffolk and Norfolk, their help has assisted over 50,000 entrepreneurs develop successful businesses across the region.
The West Suffolk start-up business support programme provides comprehensive support to anyone who is either thinking about starting, is in the process of starting, or has recently started a business.
The programme will include a series of workshops and 1 to 1 support on a range of topics, including business planning, marketing, book-keeping, sustainability, sales and much more. MENTA can also provide guidance on financing an individual’s new venture and developing their skills and confidence to help their business to flourish.
The programme is open to anyone based in West Suffolk, who is thinking of starting a business or has started a business within the last 12 months. Bookings are now open, and the programme is due to run until the 31 March 2025.
If you would like to enrol onto the free programme, or require further details, please contact bookings@menta.org.uk
Cllr Susan Glossop, Cabinet Member for Growth, West Suffolk Council said:
“Working with MENTA to deliver this project will ensure that aspiring entrepreneurs in West Suffolk have access to the support they need to establish thriving businesses. This project aligns with our priority to support and invest in local businesses to encourage growth in the economy for the benefit of all our residents.”
MENTA CEO, Alex Till said: “We are delighted to be working with West Suffolk Council to deliver this exciting programme of support. We recognise that small and micro-business are the lifeblood of the West Suffolk economy and require nurturing and support to survive and be successful. Starting a business or going self-employed is a big step and access to high quality non-biased advice and guidance is vital to help individuals & businesses ‘start well’.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus