Enhance Social Enterprise Network: SOMERSET BULLETIN

Somerset bulletin APRIL 2020 FREE WEBINAR - HOW TO SURVIVE COVID-19 COVID-19 JOIN US ONLINE WITH NEAL HOWARD CONSULTANTS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS AND MAKE USE OF GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO KEEP YOUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE GOING

WEDNESDAY 8TH APRIL 2020 l 10 10AM AM Business advisers and consultants specialising in social enterprise and community asset projects Neal Trup, director of Neal Howard will be leading the webinar - his organisation advises voluntary and community organisations on strategic and sustainability issues, business planning, social enterprise, community assets, governance, training and turnaround.

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E nh a n ce Social Enterprise Network

Devon & SO ME R S E T The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 - 2020

www.enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk

LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS SOMERSET Following on from last week’s Enhance Devon & Somerset network newsletter ‘The Social’, packed with important COVID-19 news, we thought we would just drop you a quick bulletin with the latest Somerset based news. We hope you find it useful!

If you missed last weeks Network newsletter you can read it here:

Click here for Issue 2 If you would like to feature in our next bulletin please let us know!

Send your logo, images and text to: EnhanceSEN@somersetrcc.org.uk Cosmic have launched a remote working advice line to help businesses introduce effective remote and home working.

Helpline: 0330 088 4421 and is open from 9am-5pm.

They have also created a Remote Working Advice line toolkit: https://cosmic.org.uk/blog/free-emergencyhelpline-launches-support-businesses-affectedcoronavirus

E nh a n ce Social Enterprise Network

Devon & SOME R S E T The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 - 2020

www.enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk

BITE SIZE NEWS AND INFO TIPS FOR MANAGING MONEY www.techradar.com/uk/news/5-tipsfor-smes-managing-money-in-a-crisis IN A CRISIS CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION GRANTS OF UP TO

£10,000

This Fund is to help smaller charitable organisations in the UK affected by the impact of Covid-19. Grants of up to £10,000 are available.

Funding for core costs, staffing, volunteer costs, supplies and equipment, communications, etc.

Open to registered charities(with income below £1 million), Community Interest Companies, Unregistered entities and other types of social enterprises.

TO HELP DURING THE COVID -19 www.cafonline.org/charities/grantmaking/ caf-coronavirus-emergency-fund CRISIS ART COUNCIL GRANTS FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid-19/ financial-support-artists-creativepractitioners-and-freelancers

CAN THE CLOUD EVER BE SECURE? SECURE? WITH TECHIETECHIEBREKKIE BRISTOL

FREE Webinar April 15, 2020 8:15 AM to 9:15 AM www.meetup.com/Techie-Brekkie/ events/268800490/

CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION FOR www.socialenterprise.org.uk/ coronavirus-information/ SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

E nh a n ce Social Enterprise Network

Devon & SO ME R S E T The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 - 2020

www.enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk

SOMERSET DISTRICT COUNCILS GRANTS AND INFORMATION HELP FOR BUSINESS “We have been working hard to ensure our local businesses get the help they need during the coronavirus crisis by responding as quickly as we can to the measures announced by the Government. https://www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/ We have applied the 100% Extended Retail Rates Discount, for 2020/21 and have amended approximately 1,200 rate accounts this week for the businesses concerned; awarding over £24m in discount so far. This means that these eligible businesses will have no rates to pay during 2020/21 in respect of the premises concerned. If these businesses were due to have rates payments collected by direct debit from April these will not now be taken.

We have uploaded lists of the properties that have been awarded the 100% discount to the Council tax and business rates advice tab of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice and Information page of our website. We will issue notices to the affected businesses in due course for their records. Advice will also be available in the same place about what to do if you think your business should be entitled to the discount but it has not been given one.

We have also made arrangements to make the £10,000 and £25,000 Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund payments. Before we can make payments, the Government needs us to ask the businesses concerned for some basic information which should be readily to hand. We have created a simple online form to capture this information which should take just a couple of minutes to complete. We aim for this to be available during the early part of next week (the week beginning Monday 30th March). Again, it will be available from the Council tax and business rates advice tab on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice and Information page of our website. Eligibility advice is also available in the same place.

Our aim is to get payments into the bank accounts of the eligible businesses within 7 working days of us receiving the required information within the online form.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice and Information page of our website also contains the latest links to wider advice, support and guidance for businesses.”

E nh a n ce Social Enterprise Network

Devon & SOME R S E T The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 - 2020

www.enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/your-council/ coronavirus-advice-for-businesses-employers-andemployees/ COVID-19 Business Grants Application Form https://tinyurl.com/vjxgbvz

https://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/8774/COVID-19Information-and-Guidance-for-Mendip-businesses-andemployers

SPOTLIGHT ON SOMERSET SOCIAL ENTERPRISES SOMERSET FILM AT THE ENGINE ROOMS Watch an award winning film - a really inspiring example of Somerset Film’s work with a local charity choir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A54xxtJgxOg They’ve also just released this for the same charity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMU_EfG9rs0 https://www.somersetfilm.com/ SOMERSET DAY 365 It’s important now more than ever for businesses, large and small, to keep their ‘lights’ on as we navigate this maze of uncertainty. Many brands are turning to social media, and even diversifying with new offerings to ensure that they remain relevant during the Coronavirus outbreak and at the forefront of consumer minds when ‘normality’ resumes.

Your Somerset business matters. That’s why this April we’re inviting you to take part in our #MySomersetBiz social media challenge – a fun, light-hearted and easy to engage with hashtag challenge.

All you have to do is share the image opposite on your Instagram page from 1st April & follow the prompts using the hashtag: ‘#MySomersetBiz’, each day throughout next month. https://www.instagram.com/somersetday365/

E nh a n ce Social Enterprise Network

Devon & SO ME R S E T The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 - 2020

www.enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk

SURVEY FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES Social Enterprise UK are gathering detailed evidence for the DCMS Committee which wants to know how social enterprises are getting to grips with existing measures and to see if they need to put pressure on government to do more (which they should!).

They have also opened up a new front in efforts to lobby HM Treasury to get special liquidity funds for social enterprises, and again proving how we are using existing measures are vital.

It only takes a couple of minutes to fill in the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/P587Q89 “Thank you all again for your patience and forbearance during this difficult time.”

Andrew O’Brien - Director of External Affairs Social Enterprise UK The Fire Station, 139 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2HZ T: 0203 589 4948

KEEP TALKING It’s important that we are all connected and talking to each other sharing ideas and offering support. JOIN the network and we can add you to the Facebook Forum where you can talk to others, inspire others and be inspired yourself.

To join you can email your local team below or click on this link: https://enhancesocialenterprise.org.uk/join-the-enhance-network/

CONTACT US Smart Communities Ltd (part of CCS) EnhanceSEN@somersetrcc.org.uk www.ccslovesomerset.org.uk Members will be part of the wider Enhance Devon & Somerset network and will be able to access support and programmes within their own local network as well as those taking place in Devon.