At January’s Business Breakfast on Jan 27th we welcomed the New Year with an online Business Breakfast.
Thanks to everyone who attended and for sharing your aspirations for 2022.
A few highlights from introductions:
Jo Sergeant – The Save the Giant Goram Group would welcome any support that can be offered – The Giant Goram is the last pub standing in Lawrence Weston, out of five. It is currently closed and under threat of demolition by developers, who are appealing against Bristol City Council’s refusal of their application – https://www.facebook.com/SavetheGG
Paul Tallents – Day Group – looking forward to strengthening local community links
Steve Chittock – Oxford Instruments – looking forward to being able to occupy their new building at Western Approach
Peter Tyzack – Pilning & Severn Beach PC welcomes businesses to get involved in their centenary celebrations
Welcome to Devon Cavanagh from UK Carbody Limited. Moved into the area in early December 2021
John Hunter – Tercon – planning to move plant from red diesel to HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil)
Rev. Andy Murray looking forward to Space4Makers community workshop enabling more people to move into apprenticeships.
Carol Durrant and Richard Guyatt looking forward to seeing progress with Portishead Line and stations stopping at Portway Park & Ride Station
Work experience for Oasis Academy Brightstowe’s Yr 10 students
I’m sure we all share April Booker’s aspiration to continue reducing the number of NEETS (Not in Employment, Education and Training). 1-2% is a great achievement.
If you are able to support a student in work experience for the week from Monday July 11th to Friday July 14th please email April (april.booker@oasisbrightstowe.org) to let her know:
- What the business is
- What sort of work experience it could/would be
- Your email address
- Whether it could result in a work placement offer
April will then get back to you.
Apprenticeships for Oasis Academy Brightstowe Yr 11 students
April would also be keen to hear from any business with an interest in taking on a school leaver as an apprentice. Support can be provided in setting up the apprenticeship.
Travel to Work Survey (TTWS) 2022
We outlined the importance of local businesses signing up to participate in the annual Travel To Work Survey (TTWS). This survey provides insight to the local authorities and others as to the ease and satisfaction of colleagues getting to and from work; and where investments should/could be made.
It is essential that the SevernNet Transport Charter for Portbury Avonmouth Severnside is supported by feedback from the area’s workforce.
You can pre-register here between now and February 4th: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NX7GGMQ
The survey will run during the week of the 7th to 13th March 2022. By signing up now you will receive a bespoke report with your survey results (for businesses with 30+ responses), giving you a better insight into how your staff travel. There is also the opportunity to ask your staff up to 4 additional questions.
Hinkley Connection Project
Thanks to Gillian Burnell and Aden Precious from National Grid for explaining the Hinkley Connection Project and the impact this will have on the area over the next months.
You can find out more in the presentation which will be circulated shortly.
This is a vital infrastructure improvement to provide capacity in the national grid for when Hinkley Point C comes on line and to un-constrain renewable energy generation in the SW Peninsula.
SevernNet Transport Charter – next steps will follow over the coming weeks. In the meantime we welcome endorsement of the charter and any feedback. You can find it here: https://severnnet.org/our-work/transport/.
Problems with Roadworks – we encourage you to get in touch with us if there are problematic roadworks, unexpected heavy congestion etc. We need your eyes and ears to let us know as we’re not always in the area. We’d like to thank Leighton Smart for alerting us to the roadworks which popped up on 17th December causing considerable delays and not finally resolved until yesterday.
Mobility Hubs focus groups being set up to discuss viability for Portway Park & Ride and Ridingleaze in Lawrence Weston.
If you have an interest in the above and prepared to participate in a focus group on Wednesday 9 February between 10:00 – 10:45 please contact Jodi Savickas (jodi.savickas@atkinsglobal.com) at Atkins stating any personal or professional perspective (e.g. business, community group, resident) that you will bring to the focus group, by Wednesday 2nd February.
Clean Air Zone coming soon to Bristol. Information around the introduction of the CAZ is ramping up and its implementation is being supported by a range of grants to impacted citizens and businesses. A Business Briefing session will be held on Tuesday 8th Feb at 10:30 (via Zoom) for an hour, hosted by Business West and you’re invited to participate. Register here.
Big Issue e-Bikes soon to be available in the area. We want this to be a success. If you’d like to participate in a pilot linking Avonmouth Station and your business via e-bike please let us know.
SevernNet will be working in partnership with YTKO to promote an SME support programme also available to micro businesses. We’ll discuss in more detail in February. In the meantime if this is of interest please let us know.
Free bike repair vouchers for residents in Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston with low incomes. Please get in touch with Sam Marsh if interested (sam@severnnet.org).
SevernNet recruiting Directors
If you have a couple of hours each month you could squeeze in to help us run SevernNet and support the area please let us know. If you’d like to discuss give us a shout and we can meet for a coffee!
Next Business Breakfast
Feb. 17th 2022 at Avonmouth Community Centre from 07:30-09:00. You can book here: https://severnnet-business-breakfast-feb22.eventbrite.com
The event will include a tour of the renovated Centre and, we hope, some background to the building.
We’ll also be launching our business support scheme partnership with YTKO.