West Midlands companies looking to gain finance for growth will receive a helping hand next week at a special event in Staffordshire.

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP has joined forced with its counterpart in Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and the Black Country Re-investment Society (BCRS) to host an interactive seminar on July 26 aimed at unlocking much needed cash for local businesses.

More than 20 specialists will be on hand at Number 1, Staffordshire Place, Staffordshire County Council’s main office buildings, to provide advice and guidance on accessing public sector funding opportunities, preparing your business for finance and being imaginative when considering your options.

Representatives from commercial banks, small business loan funds, angel investors and specialist support bodies, Business Enterprise Support (BES) will all be exhibiting. There will also be opportunities for you to join in taster workshops that look at:-

• How to maximise your cash flow
• How to develop your business plan
• Learn how to export successfully
• Market your business in the modern world

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP Chairman Maitland Hyslop said: “Some of the organisations at our event provide financial services and can explain the right way to apply for loans; others will provide expert advice. I hope as many businesses as possible come along to the event – it could really make a difference to securing their futures.”

BCRS Chief Executive Paul Kalinauckas is pleased with the success of the previous events and hopes the same for Staffordshire: “Access to finance events are much needed and BCRS are really proud to be the main catalyst in getting them organised. At each event to date we have been told by visitors how much they have benefited from coming along and how pleased they are to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel for small businesses”.

Paul Heaven, Board Member at Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) said; “We want to give local companies the opportunity to meet a number of finance experts under one roof, so they can understand exactly what options are available to them.

“Businesses can find out more about invoice discounting, private equity and how they may benefit from the different streams of funding available.”

He continued: “It’s also designed to give firms an insight into what is expected of them from funders and this will include specialist help with planning, financial projections and presenting the right ‘business’ case.

“We are really pleased to be extending our positive working relationship with BCRS and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP and hope this event will be the first of many that help meet our objective of giving companies access to finance to create wealth and jobs.”

The event, which is a drop in event being held from 5pm until 8pm will take place on Thursday July 26 at Number 1, Staffordshire Place, Stafford. Attendance is free and to book your place, people should contact 0845 313 8410 or email events@bcrs.org.uk

For further information visit http://www.stokestaffslep.org.uk/news/access-to-finance-event-26th-july/ or http://www.bcrs.org.uk/news.html