Local Growth Hub News

Liverpool City Region manufacturing boost as Made Smarter programme achieves government backing to continue
A pilot which has helped hundreds of Liverpool City Region manufacturers access technology and digital tools to boost productivity, growth and create jobs, is to continue as part of a £8M government rollout.

The successful initiative becomes part of the government’s Made Smarter Adoption programme, which now expands into the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the West Midlands regions.

It means hundreds of more manufacturers in the Liverpool City Region will be able to learn how digital transformation can help them recover, grow, and create resilience.

Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards crowns its 2020 champions
The winners of the 2020 Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards have been revealed in a unique online ceremony to celebrate the outstanding contributions to the industry in what has been a challenging year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hosted by Coronation Street and Emmerdale actress, Huyton-born Eithne Browne, the ceremony was broadcast live into over 300 homes where the finalists were standing by waiting for the winners to be announced.

The People’s Choice award which saw 2,300 of votes cast from across the Liverpool City Region, was awarded to The Atkinson Sefton while the Lifetime Achievement award, recognising an individual’s lifelong creative contribution to the Liverpool City Region, was bestowed on photographer, independent filmmaker and visual artist Sandi Hughes.

Liverpool City Council’s planning committee approve Everton’s stadium move
Everton FC’s plans for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and a community-led legacy project at Goodison Park have been unanimously approved.
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Doing good is good for business
Join the FSB’s Merseyside and Cheshire Area, Jenny Herrera from the Good Business Charter, and Garth Dallas from the Good Business Festival for a practical support event on why ethical business is good business.
Find out more here.

The Road to Resilience
The Road to Resilience – an e-guide produced by Growth Platform in partnership with BDO – is for business leaders who want to know how they can build business resilience in a time of unprecedented change.
Find out more here

Concessionary Merseytravel Pass Holders free travel to early morning vaccine appointments
Merseytravel concessionary pass holders who have vaccinations scheduled before 9.30am will be able to use the bus or train to get to their appointments, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced.
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Introduction to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
25 Feb 2021 11.00am-12.00pm
Online
Register here

Consumer Confidence & Perceptions around the Impact of COVID-19

North West Research & Strategy are bringing you regular updates on the key points coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download the report here

Business Resilience Programme
Providing SME leaders with the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day and rethink their approach to challenges so they can turn them into opportunities.

Find out more here

Prime Minister sets out roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions
PM Boris Johnson has announced the government’s roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions in England.

The roadmap, which has now been published on gov.uk, outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before proceeding to the next step, the Government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous steps.

Find out more here

National Workplace Testing Programme
The National Workplace Testing programme will identify more positive cases of COVID-19 and ensure those infected, isolate, protecting those who cannot work from home and our vital services. This programme is crucial given that around 1 in 3 people have coronavirus without displaying any symptoms and will enable more people who have the virus to be identified sooner and break the chains of transmission.

The programme is aimed at those without symptoms and who cannot work from home during lockdown. Companies in England with over 50 employees, can register on gov.uk to order coronavirus tests for their workforces.

Organisations with less than 50 staff, sole traders, the self-employed, or members of the public, should visit their local authority’s website for further information about their testing services.

Merseytravel and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have launched Rethink Travel asking everyone to rethink how they travel, considering if your journey is necessary and, if so, when and by what means you travel.

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