Business Action | February / March 2020

Devon and Plymouth Chamber
is hosting a free Access to
Finance Fair on Wednesday
25 March from 8am to 3pm at
Dartington Hall, Totnes.
Challenges of finance
Accessing finance is one of
the single largest issues facing
ambitious businesses and
social enterprises in the South
West. And ensuring your business
plans are ready to apply
for investment successfully is
often the biggest hurdle. The
world of finance is complicated
and often overwhelming.
Event aims
This event aims to unravel
some of the complex routes
to commercial investment
through a series of educational
and impartial seminars
throughout the day, as well as
information and advice from a
wide range of exhibitors from
across the finance and investment
sectors.
Event supporters
The Heart of the South West
Local Enterprise Partnership
(HotSW LEP), Devon
County Council, Plymouth
City Council and the Devon
and Plymouth Chamber of
Commerce recognise the
importance of accessing the
right financial support and
information and are all supporting
this fair.
New funding routes
Historical funding routes have
changed, with high street banks
operating under new lending
guidelines and new entrants
offering a range of viable
alternative options. However,
the market can still be very
confusing to businesses.
SUPPORT
Devon Chamber Access to Finance Fair
As the percentage of businesses
with appropriately
qualified finance directors is
small, it has been increasingly
difficult for smaller growing
businesses to identify appropriate
sources of financial
investment, with the financial
articulation of requirements
and projection of impact
falling largely upon third
parties, such as accountants.
Event sponsors
The event is sponsored by
Western Union and run
by Devon and Plymouth
Chamber of Commerce and
partners, who are providing a
platform for key professionals
from the finance, investment
and accountancy sectors to
educate and inform businesses
on how to source finance in
today’s economy.
Exhibitors
Exhibitors will include US
global financial and communications
company Western
Union, which will be hosting
a seminar; South West-based
commercial finance broker
Start Point Finance, which will
also be presenting; Barclays,
which provides a range of
banking and financial services
for businesses of all sizes;
SWIG Finance, which provides
viable SMEs and start-ups
with access to finance through
dedicated business loan funds
in the South West; and Balance
for Business, a Plymouthbased
commercial financial
broker which has sourced £200
million for clients in the past
five years.
■■Entry to this event is free.
Contact 01752 220471 or visit
devonchamber.co.uk/events
In response to feedback from
North Devon members, Devon
and Plymouth Chamber is
hosting a series of six special
skills and international trade
training courses in Barnstaple.
The courses will support
businesses trading internationally
or wanting to develop trade
internationally and, accredited
by the British Chambers of
Commerce (BCC), cover the
critical steps for any new or
existing international trade.
Courses and dates
The courses scheduled are:
➤➤Introduction to International
Trade – 13 February
➤➤Customs Procedures and
Export Documentation
– 12 March
➤➤Incoterms 2020 – 30 April
➤➤International Trade Payment
Processes – 21 May
➤➤Product Classification &
Rules of Origin – 25 June
➤➤Special Customs Procedures
& Customs Audit Preparations
–16 July
Each course passed will be
certificated and success in
obtaining six credits will lead
to a Foundation Award in
International Trade, certified
by BCC, which is equivalent to
an NVQ2 qualification.
Hobart Manufacturing
The export training sessions
are hosted by chamber member
Hobart Manufacturing in its
Barnstaple factory board room.
International Trade Matters
Training is provided by local
independent company International
Trade Matters.
Who are these courses for?
These courses will suit
anyone involved in importing
and exporting goods and
services, arming you and your
employees with the knowledge
to trade internationally.
The people who attend
courses include owner/proprietors
of small businesses who
manage their own import and
export services through to
employees working in import/
export departments in larger
organisations. Some will attend
all the courses, others just
attend those relevant to their
specific role.
Training your staff to deliver
your products or services right
first time, every time, will lower
your costs and improve the
experience you deliver to your
customers. Choosing an export
training provider such as
Devon and Plymouth Chamber
of Commerce and International
Trade Matters, who both
understand about making a
profit internationally, can really
help your company take off in
your export markets.
Full details of Devon
and Plymouth Chamber’s
international trade training
programme are available
at devonchamber.co.uk/
international-trade-trainingprogramme/
■■Details 01752 220471 or
devonchamber.co.uk
@businessactionm | February / March 2020 | business action 21