The Leicester Business Festival is an annual fortnight of business events, held right across Leicester and Leicestershire in the Autumn.

Events are free and anyone can attend. They vary in type, structure and size, across digital and in-person platforms, and from workshops and seminars to product demonstrations, showroom tours and round table debates, to name but a few!

Welland Park Academy in Market Harborough are looking for volunteers to help with Year 11 Mock Interviews on 16th and/or 23rd November. This is a crucial activity for students which will give them experience reflective of a real-life job or college interview.

There will be a morning (8.30am-12.30pm) and an afternoon session (1pm-3.30pm) on both dates so you can either do one of the sessions or the full day/s. The interview panel will consist of two interviewers so you will be matched with another volunteer, or if you know someone else who wants to be involved then you can be a pair. 

Get involved and support the next generation to gain the valuable skills they need!

Email business@harborough.gov.uk for more information and to express your interest. Please do this by Friday 5 November 2021.

• Painting or cleaning up of frontage, first and second floors of premises where they are used for commercial activities
• New or refurbished windows and doors 
• Installation or restoration of shop awnings
• New advertising signage including hanging signs 
• Training to help to dress windows seasonally

• Gain a competitive advantage: Supply chain leaders, investors, shareholders, consumers and employees are increasingly looking to business to adopt ambitious climate-related targets, with some supply chain leaders now formalising climate action in their procurement policies.

• Manage Business Risk: Left unchecked, climate change represents material risk to business cash flow and economic growth, by increasing operating costs, limiting resource availability, causing shifts in demand, disrupting supply chains and forcing business closures.

• Improve Efficiency and Reduce Costs: Businesses that look to use and manage resources more efficiently can tangibly reduce their operating costs and increase profitability, while improving business preparedness.

• Enhance Access to Capital and Affordable Insurance: Investors and insurers are increasingly linking business exposure from natural disasters with climate change. Take steps to keep your insurance fees affordable and secure your loan, grant and investment worthiness.

• Grow Your Business and Your Brand: Being part of the SME Climate Hub network offers far reaching collaborative and commercial opportunities to grow your business and be a leading brand, as market trends shift to a low-carbon economy.

1. 1 in 3 people don't experience any coronavirus symptoms, so it is important that we all test regularly for the virus. It is recommended that you test twice a week and record results with the NHS. If you or your staff test positive, the individual should self-isolate. This helps stop the virus from spreading. Remember, even if you're vaccinated, there's still a chance you can pass Covid-19 on so we should all keep testing regularly.

2. Encourage your staff to continue walking or cycling to work, despite leaving the warmer weather behind us. Sustrans have some great tips about winter cycling on their website. If staff car share or use public transport, they can take precautions outlined in this government guidance.

3. Although wearing a face covering is no longer mandatory, it is recommended by government that face coverings continue to be worn in crowded indoor spaces. This will help protect vulnerable people. 

4. Regularly wiping down surfaces can help to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Particular attention should be paid to areas that are touched often, such as tables, doors and serving areas. During seasonal occasions you may be decorating your premises, and it is important that they are not missed in the cleaning process.

5. Staff should be encouraged to regularly wash their hands with soap and water and if possible, you can help ease the spread by continuing to offer hand sanitiser to customers.

• Hair and Beauty Business
• Community Award
• Food and Drink Business
• Start Up Business
• Small Business
• Green Award
• Service Industry Business
• Health and Wellbeing Business
• Business of the Year
• Retailer of the Year