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Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Business Gateway E-Bulletin

In this Issue :  

Local News, Information, Events & Training:

- Free Business Accounting Seminar for Small Businesses
- Hebridean Energy Future Conference
- Get your business on-line for free
- Health & Safety Support for Small Businesses
- Climate Change Guide for Scottish Business
- London 2012 Olympic Committee Visit – Business Breakfast
- Outer Hebrides Business Directory – Contact Details
 

Local News, Information, Events & Training

Free Seminar - Making Small Business Accounting Easy
Would you like to be able to focus on running your business without worrying about all the paperwork?  Or would you like to be able to check your financial position at any time?  If yes, then this seminar is for you.
Designed specifically for small businesses and sole traders, Live Hebrides & Business Gateway bring you an informative seminar exploring online accounting software.  Covering topics such as invoice creation, paying bills and tracking expenses this event will look at some of the software currently available on the market and will offer plenty of opportunity to ask questions and if required you will be able to make a one to one follow up appointment with a trained adviser.

Monday 28th June  10:30am to 2:30pm, County Hotel      Stornoway
Wednesday 30th June  11am to 3pm, Dark Island Hotel  Benbecula

 


Hebridean Energy Future Conference
You are invited to the Hebridean Energy Future Conference, Stornoway, Tuesday 29th June and Wednesday 30th June.

Lews Castle College, UHI & Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are partners in a European funded project SUSPLAN investigating how renewable energy sources (RES) can best be integrated into European energy networks over the period 2030-50.  The project is considering eight regional case studies selected to represent particular characteristics of European energy regions. 

The project team has used the Outer Hebrides as a representative island energy network.  The study has considered the energy provision for the region in the period 2030-2050 under several future energy scenarios.  To disseminate the preliminary findings from the study, the project team is organising a two day conference to debate the potential benefits to the region provided by the renewable energy development. 

The conference, entitled Hebridean Energy Future and organised in conjunction with the North of Scotland Industries Group, will in held in An Lanntair, Stornoway on Tuesday 29th June and Wednesday 30th June.  While the conference is an open meeting the number of attendees is limited by the constraints of the venue.  Interested parties are requested to register their interest at www.nsig.co.uk/Events/Hebridean-Energy-Future.aspx or to contact the administration team at NSIG (contact angela.wilson@nsig.co.uk). 

 

Get British Business Online
41 million people in the UK are now on-line however only 30% of UK businesses have a website.  An initiative has now been launched by the Government supported by Google, B.T & Paypal which encourages businesses to improve their profitability by getting on-line for free.  At www.gbbo.co.uk you can create a simple website to promote your company and once created your site can be updated from any computer.

 

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for Business in Scotland
As Scotland's climate changes, businesses in Scotland will face challenges & opportunities. Many businesses have already been impacted by weather that is indicative of predicted climate change effects including flooding. Businesses in Scotland must be prepared to deal with an increased number and range of such events as well as general trends towards warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers.
Launched by Ian Marchant, (Convenor of the Scottish 2020 Climate Group, chair of the Climate Change Business Delivery Group and Chief Executive of Scottish & Southern Energy) the guidance aims to assist businesses in preparing for both the impacts and opportunities that climate change may present. It gives an overview of what risk and opportunities climate change may pose for Scottish businesses; explains how to build the adaptive capacity to deal with these and provides a signpost to the various tools and resources that are available.


London 2012 Olympics Committee – Business Breakfast
On Tuesday 25th May Business Gateway & Highlands & Islands Enterprise hosted a Business Breakfast event to mark the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games’ visit to the islands.  Lord Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG & the Committee’s Scottish ambassador Sir Craig Reedie were present along with officials from LOCOG, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.  Over twenty local businesses attended the breakfast event in An Lanntair where they heard direct from Lord Coe about the supply chain and legacy potential of both the Olympic Games in London, 2012 & the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014.  There was a delicious breakfast buffet of local produce and the guests were presented with a selection of local produce including silver jewellery, tweed, salmon & black pudding kindly provided by local businesses.

If you would like to register your details on the web portal dedicated to the London Olympic Games 2012 supply chain please go to:

www.competefor.com/business/login.jsp

A similar portal is also operational for the supply chain to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014:

www.glasgow2014.com/businessportal or call 0845 272 2014

 

Outer Hebrides Business Directory – Contact Details
The Outer Hebrides Business Directory is an online resource which lists business based or operating in the islands.  Funded by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the website offers free listings to local businesses of all sizes and activities. 

Business Gateway use the listings on the OHBD to contact local businesses and organisations to inform them of events and opportunities which they may find of benefit – if your contact details are incorrect or if you would prefer we contacted you directly with updates or information please get in touch with us and let us know which email address / telephone number we should be using.

Go to www.businesshebrides.co.uk and you can search by name or business activity – a quick and efficient way of helping customers access your business, if you would like to register or update your details on the Business Directory please contact us on: 

01851 707307    businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk

Other Updates & Useful Links

SHELL LiveWIRE
If you are aged between 16 & 30 and you already run or would like to run your own business its worth taking a look at www.shell-livewire.org for a range of interesting tools to help assist you towards success.  The site is targeted to young people in business across the UK and includes a discussion forum, social networking, access to webcasts and a business library amongst other items.  If you are aged 18 to 30 and would like assistance with a business idea or developing your current business please remember The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust are also here to help with advice and financial support –

Who are we and what do we do?

Business Gateway provides expertise in every aspect of business start-up and growth ranging from, but not limited to:

Business Planning

Recruitment

Exporting

Marketing

Health & Safety

Online Trading

Sourcing Premises

Finding Funding


Our Location:

Stornoway:
Business Gateway
Development Department
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
James Square
9 James Street
Isle of Lewis
HS1 2QN
Tel: +44 (0)1851 707307


Uist:
Business Gateway
Development Department
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Taigh Cheann a'Locha
Lionacleit
Isle of Benbecula
HS7 5PJ
Tel: +44 (0)1870 604917

Email:  businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk


Office hours

9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

General Links

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - Business Gateway website
For loan and business advice and information.
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/eds/business.

Business Gateway
Well worth a visit for a range of information, advice and ideas on starting and running a business.
www.bgateway.com

The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust
Offers start-up and development funding and advice to young people aged between 18 and 30 with a business idea.
www.psybt.org.uk/Regions/WesternIsles

Outer Hebrides Business Directory
The most complete local online listing of businesses and organisations in the Outer Hebrides.
Please contact us if you would like to have your business listed – it FREE!
www.businesshebrides.co.uk

Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Economic Development Agency operating across the region with local offices in Stornoway and Benbecula.  A wide range of useful information and links for growing businesses and community organizations.
www.hie.co.uk

Live Hebrides
Offer local businesses and organisations a wide range of knowledge and expertise about the latest IT solutions available to them and the benefits of broadband.
www.livehebrides.com

Outer Hebrides Chamber of Commerce
For information relating to issues facing island businesses, networking and related opportunities.
www.hebrideschamber.com

The Business IT Guide
Operated by e-skills UK and assisted by Highlands & Islands Enterprise offering useful hints and tips on IT solutions for small businesses as they have found that small businesses in the UK are losing millions of pounds from lost revenue due to not being adequately IT literate.  Please visit them at:
 www.scotland.businessitguide.com

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - 'Socio Economic Update’
Regularly published, contains useful information on the local economy
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/factfile

Creative Industries focus on the arts, crafts film, and television, publishing, and new media sectors if you are operational in this sector the following links are worth a look:

Aim-Hi
An online forum for the Creative Industries sector - please feel free to register your interest and visit the site at http://s4.invisionfree.com/aimhi/.
www.aim-hi.org

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - The Creative Industries
Publishes a periodic newsletter on the website. 
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/eds/creativeindustries

Business Gateway

 

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Page Last Modified : 18/01/2012 16:21:03