Fishersgate Residents Association will receive £10,000 towards improving green space, through the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

The supermarket teamed up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help initiative, in aid of environmental projects. Successful nominations were put to public vote at local Tesco stores to determine the amount of funding they will receive.

The project to improve outdoor green areas in Fishersgate came second and will now benefit from the grant, which has been raised from the 5p bag levy.

Cllr David Simmons, Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing at Adur District Council, commented:

"This is welcomed news, and reflects the enormous amount of work that local residents have been putting in to improve their local area. While Adur District Council have been supporting local organisations through the 'Action Eastbrook Partnership' for some time, the community members involved are to be congratulated on their success. This adds to their other successes which include raising funds for the recreation ground through the 'Friends of Fishersgate Rec.' and the Fishersgate Voice Newspaper.  Well done Fishersgate!"

Voting ran in store from 27 February until 6 March – with customers choosing which group they’d like to get the top award using a token given to them at the check-out in store.

Caroline Silke, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success. We have been overwhelmed by the response of our customers and the feedback has been brilliant. We can’t wait to see the money being put to use bringing these projects to life.”

Groundwork’s national chief executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “We have been delighted to have been involved in the Bags of Help project. It has been wonderful to follow the projects through the application process to the final announcement.

“This initiative is really putting something back into the local environment, transforming green spaces and helping the community at a grass-roots level.”

Sussex Learning Solutions

SPRING WORKSHOPS and QUALIFICATIONS 2016

Getting Started with Excel
19th April, 3rd May 10.00—13.00 £45 pp

Getting More from Excel
10th May, 24th May 10.00—13.00 £45 pp

Exceptional Excel
7th June 10.00—13.00 £45 pp

Preparing to use Power Point
26th April 10.00—13.00 £45 pp

Effective File Management (PC)
26th April 10.00—13.00 £45 pp

Food Safety

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For more information, and to book online visit our website www.sussexlearningsolutions.org.uk

To speak to us call 01903 204931 or email admin@sussexlearningsolutions.org.uk

For companies interested in running any of these courses either on your own premises, or using our onsite training room, please contact
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Sphere Business Centre Officially Opened

The new Sphere Business Centre was officially opened on Friday 11th March by local MP Tim Loughton. Billed as ‘Worthing’s most flexible business space’ the Centre offers a variety of serviced space options for smaller local companies alongside business development.

The Centre is also the new home to Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce who has been instrumental in developing the offer for local companies. It was funded by a grant from Worthing and Adur Borough Council and is based within the Broadwater Campus of Northbrook College who has also fully supported the Sphere.

“Small businesses looking to take those first steps into growth face many challenges,” says Chamber Chief Exec, Tina Tilley. “Going into your first office can be prohibitively expensive and dealing with all the factors of renting commercial property can be daunting. The Sphere has been set up to offer local companies a secure first step into growth and increased success. We’ve had so much interest already, there was obviously a gap to be filled.”

The Sphere offers a variety of fully serviced office space including hot desking, part-time open plan desks and small private offices. The office space has been designed and fitted out by local award winning firms, Mocha Furniture, Warnes Projects and Subway.

Prices start from just £12 a day and include all rates and rent, Wi-Fi, cleaning and tea and coffee.

“I know it sounds strange but the minute companies take an office with us, we will be planning for when they leave,” says Tina. “The whole ethos of the Sphere is to help all those who join us become too big to stay. We will help them with targeted planning and business advice and look forward to seeing great success come from the Sphere over the next few years.

Councillor Daniel Humphreys, Leader of Worthing Borough Council, attended the official opening.  He said:

“Worthing Borough Council’s decision to invest £70,000 of section 106 money in this superb new facility has been well rewarded.  The town has lacked top grade space for start-ups and small businesses - and I’m certain that the Sphere will fill this niche perfectly.

“The town’s economy is growing, and the SME sector is a key part of its increasing prosperity.  Through working in partnership with Northbrook College and the Chamber of Commerce, I’m delighted that we’ve been able to help provide a supportive platform for innovative, high-potential, businesses to take the next steps on their growth plans.”

For more information contact:

Mags Bradley
Festival Coordinator / Adur Festival
e: mags@adurfestival.co.uk
www.adurfestival.co.uk
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Follow us on Twitter @AdurFestival

West Sussex superfast connection gap-funding opportunity extended

West Sussex business estates and clusters of business have until 17 April 2016

to apply for a grant to enable superfast broadband connection

Potential applicants are also invited to find out more about the Digital Connectivity Grant programme at a workshop to be held at the South Downs Centre in Midhurst in early March.

WHO CAN SUBMIT AN APPLICATION?

To be eligible for the grant, businesses must not have access to superfast broadband and are not included in any commercial or publicly-funded rollout.

The application can be made by a lead business representing a group of businesses in a common location, or by landowners, land agents, estate managers and facility managers, for example.

Eligible groups of business include business parks, trading or industrial estates, farm diversification schemes, clusters of businesses in a common location and single business locations with high economic impact. The programme is not open to residential applicants, but clusters of home-based businesses in a common location potentially could apply.

WHAT WILL THE GRANT COVER?

The maximum grant is 40% of the total project cost, with grant funding of between £10k and £25k. This can only be used for capital purchases. The applicant provides a minimum of 60% of the total cost, however this can include revenue costs. Full project costs must be incurred by 31 December 2016.

Generally the applicant will select the best technology for their location. Fibre, wireless and hybrid solutions will be considered, but it must provide certified speeds of a minimum 30Mbps.

WHAT NEXT

Business estates or clusters in West Sussex have until midnight on 17 April 2016 to apply to second round of the Digital Connectivity Grant Programme. 

To find out if your business is in an eligible location and to book a place at the Digital Connectivity Grant workshop, or if you have any questions, please email broadband@southdowns.gov.uk

Find out more at http://www.coast2capital.org.uk/helping-business-growth/grant-funding                                                                                                   

MORE About the grant

£225,000 is being made available as part of a pilot grant project to improve connectivity for groups of businesses in West Sussex. 

To be eligible, businesses must not have access to superfast broadband and are not included in the planned delivery of the publicly funded roll out by Better Connected, a partnership of West Sussex County Council, BT and BDUK (the government department responsible for broadband delivery).

The funding comes from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership Local Growth Deal under their ‘Growth is Digital’ project.

The programme has been developed by Rural West Sussex, Gatwick Diamond, Coastal West Sussex, West Sussex County Council and the South Downs National Park Authority.

Grant applications will be assessed by the programme panel, who will assess value-for-money, economic impact and deliverability. 

Giving at Xmas

A big thank you to all those Chamber members who have given so generously to our various charity appeals over the last year- here’s just some of the things you achieved -

£600 was raised at the Xmas do at the Ardington for the Safe in Sussex Crisis at Christmas appeal which helps them to offer a safe place for women and children fleeing domestic abuse this Christmas.

Your local Chamber supported Charity,The Worthing & Adur Fund, met recently and awarded a total of   £3838  to the following local groups -  

SUPERSTAR ARTS CIC   which offers social activities (days out and holidays) in a supported environment for people with learning disabilities.

Maybridge Keystone Club - a youth group who offer a safe and secure environment for young people, in Castle Ward, Worthing which has significant deprivation and a high number of single parent families. Funding is to help create an area where they can cultivate vegetables.

HEENE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION - For their project aimed at keeping young people safe from crime and anti-social behaviour by recruiting them in a series of workshops in dance, music, crime prevention and community safety.

The Friends of Oak Grove College (your local secondary and sixth form College for pupils with special educational needs) to support the signing choir( yes signing not singing!) with personalised t-shirts for choir members, transport costs to events and promotion of the service.

Cruse Bereavement Care – West Sussex (Worthing, Chichester & West Sussex )to promote the well being of bereaved people. Funding is to help with a range of core costs including staffing, rent, training and phones.

Electric Storm Youth - a youth work charity, needing basic camping equipment for young people to be able to join ESY-run camping trips and those as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, irrespective of income. Funding is for 8 2-person tents.

Circusseen which provides affordable circus skills training to Worthing. Funding is for venue hire and to purchase tents.

More on these projects in the New Year!

Thanks again to everyone who contributed and a special thanks to Peter Webb of ETI ltd who handed me a cheque for £2000 for the Worthing & Adur Fund on Monday! It will make a difference!

- Karen Simporis, Chairperson Worthing & Adur Fund