Local business people are pledging to make Gloucestershire great!

GFirst LEP is working with local business people to raise awareness of what a great place Gloucestershire is to do business.

By encouraging business people to volunteer their time to local activities and projects, businesses can have a stronger presence, whilst gaining recognition amongst the local business community.

Working together, businesses and their Local Enterprise Partnership can grow the local economy. Throughout 2016 Gloucestershire businesses can play their part and help to promote Gloucestershire as a strong and successful county, by pledging their time to local activities. These pledges will be included in the ‘1000 business stories for Gloucestershire’ that will be used to promote the county far and wide, through local press and social media.

What has been pledged?

Business Mentors in Schools
There have been a great number of business people who have pledged their time over the first few months of 2016, on a range of exciting projects. Luan Wise, Chair of Chartered Institute of Marketing Gloucestershire, has pledged to speak to students at local schools to inspire them into a career in marketing.

Luan said: “Hearing career stories is a really valuable way to instil a work ethic and passion to succeed in young people. It makes everything real. Personally, I love hearing all the questions, and being able to reflect on my own career path.”

Networking Events

In November the first series of GFirst LEP Networking events were held across each district of the county, with local businesses volunteering their venues as hosts for the business events. Moog Controls, Tewkesbury, SPP Pumps, Forest of Dean and the Wilson, Cheltenham, were some of the businesses that pledged their time by giving their venue and support to GFirst LEP, bringing together the business community to create strong local business links.

Careers and Apprenticeships
In March the 2016 Gloucestershire Skillsfest event was held at the University of Gloucestershire Oxstalls Campus, where a number of local business people gave an hour of their time to discuss different career and apprenticeship options with individuals and students that attended. This pledge will help towards the government’s goal of committing to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020, as well as towards the Gloucestershire Media ‘Apprentice 1000’ campaign locally.

Other ways to get involved

As well as volunteering time to the above, other pledges have included:

-          Being part of a GFirst LEP Business Group

-          Taking on an apprentice

-          Volunteering an hour to inspire attendees at local events, including the 2016 Gloucestershire Skillsfest

-          Hosting a GFirst LEP networking event

How you can pledge your time?

Could you or your business:

• volunteer as a business mentor in schools
• offer work experience to an individual
• support GFirst LEP projects
• take part in our surveys (and promote them to your business contacts)
• host an event
• provide a case study
• encourage a business to set up or relocate in Gloucestershire
• take on an apprentice

The list goes on and on! We are also open to suggestions; if there is something you are doing to benefit the economy of Gloucestershire that doesn’t feature in the list above, please send us the details through our website.

Pledge now!

We are ready to receive your pledges today, just visit our website and we will add your pledge to the 1000 business stories for 2016. Keep an eye on our hashtag #1000GLStories on Twitter, to get pledge inspiration from local business people and to share your story with Gloucestershire and beyond!

If you have any questions regarding your pledge, just contact us on ambassador@gfirstlep.com.  Play your part and help promote Gloucestershire as a great place to do business - Make your pledge today.