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Annual Business Networking Event

Leighton-Linslade Annual Business Networking Event takes place in Spring, usually during the month of April. It is a great way to introduce your business into the vast local business network, share business knowledge or seek out advice. Many local businesses find likeminded entrepreneurs and end up working collaboratively with them. Find out more by visiting the Business Networking Event page.

Local Business Funding Opportunity

Funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund will see local business partners deliver specialist advice and guidance on:

  • Business Innovation: Businesses will receive innovation and technological support to improve productivity and help in adopting new or improved products or services.
  • Entrepreneurship & Start Up: To support those in the process of starting up, and for start-up businesses including social enterprises. Delivery will help you to be business ready and understand what you need to know about self-employment.
  • Business Scale-up: Supporting established businesses with growth potential through the development of business growth plans and the adoption of new or improved products or services.
  • Export support: Export-readiness support for local businesses looking to engage in new markets.

The programme includes Export Grants to support businesses to grow their overseas trading and develop their export strategy.

  • Business Decarbonisation: To provide advice, guidance, mentoring and training, which will result in new or improved de-carbonisation and/or net zero plans.

To learn more about these projects, you can find out more information about each of them by accessing our Be Central website and this directs you to each of the partner website landing pages.

Follow us on:

Business & Investment Team Linkedin – Be Central Bedfordshire – Economic Growth Partnership

Business & Investment Team Twitter – @BeCentralBeds

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Leighton-Linslade Directory

The Directory is about getting businesses visible where prospective customers can easily find them – a one stop shop of products and services in our locality.  Small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) working from home or based in small workshops and offices in a 6mile radius of the Market Cross can promote themselves free of charge on the directory.  The website address is www.leightonlinsladedirectory.co.uk

To add a business to the directory you simply click add listing on the site and follow the process.  There is a contact form on there if you have any problems.

The Directory has its own logo so if you are a business that signs up to the Directory, please use the logo on your communications so that the public get used to seeing it and make the link to the Directory – help spread the word.  The logo is free to use and can be downloaded here:

The website is supported by: Untitled Design (4)

Business Networking Groups

Business networking is the process of establishing and maintaining professional relationships with people who share similar interests, goals or industries.

There are many benefits to networking; Increasing your business connections, expanding your network of resources, opportunities and insights; Inspiration for new ideas and innovative solutions by exchanging insights and best practices with others;  Peer group to offer advice and guidance; Improving your visibility; Opportunity to showcase your business and expertise; Opportunities for collaboration, partnership, employment or investment by exposing you to potential leads, referrals and contacts.

Business networking can be a powerful tool to help you achieve your professional goals and grow your business, as well as building meaningful connections and being part of a helpful, supportive, trustworthy and collaborative network.

Leighton-Linslade has a fantastic networking of business groups, as seen below:

Information provided about local business networks below is accurate at the time of publication. The Council does not accept any liability for error or omission for information provided.  In listing the networks, the Town Council does not necessarily endorse any particular one. If the circumstances of the networks change or your network is not listed, please  contact us on: info@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk or call 01525 631920, thank you.

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The Bee’s Knees Business Club – The Bee’s Knees Business Club is a not-for-profit organisation supporting women in business based in the Leighton Buzzard area as valuable contributors to the local economy.

They support all types of women led businesses based in the Leighton Buzzard area including product based, service based, those with premises and those based from home.

hello@thebeeskneescic.co.uk
https://www.thebeeskneescic.co.uk/


LBBC – Leighton Buzzard Business Club – a group of local business people, Leighton Buzzard’s “friendliest business networking group”. They meet every Wednesday at 7am at The Dukes in Heath & Reach, with the aim of generating new business. Guests are always welcome to attend. Visitors are more than welcome to come along & see how the club runs, either as a one-off way to introduce themselves to other local businesses, or to see if they would like to join the club full time. Visitors pay for breakfast (£12, for a full cooked breakfast), and there are no area business clashes – See the list of current LBBC members


 

Bob Club

Business over Breakfast Clubs (BoB Clubs) brings local business together to share connections, provide support and pass quality referrals. We meet every 2nd Tuesday at 07:00- 09:00 at the Heath Inn in Heath and Reach. This meeting is structured yet relaxed and informal, it’s all about getting to know you and learn more about what you do. Networking at Bob Clubs is all about the people and building strong connection building on trust.

Our Members welcome Visitors to see what a BoB Clubs networking meeting looks like, either as a one-off visit and or with a vision of becoming a member,  either way, to help reach a wider network of like-minded people. Want to find out more about BoB Clubs? Visitors pay £18 for the meeting, and this includes a cooked breakfast and lots of new connections.

Come along and try our lively group and learn more about how networking with BoB Clubs can help your business.

See our current list of members and book your visit to your BoB Club Leighton Buzzard, click here. Contact / enquire here and either Tina Duggan or Sian Smith will reach out. Web; https://www.bobclubs.com/club/Leighton-Buzzard FB; https://www.facebook.com/bobclubsbucks/


Buzzard Networking  – is for businesses of all shapes, sizes and flavours. The group is professional and business-like with an informal, ‘easy-goingness’. They meet at 7.30am – 9.00am, on the third Friday of every month, at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, Plantation Road, Leighton Buzzard LU7 3JF.  The cost of the meeting is £10.50 for a cooked breakfast and tea and coffee. ​They would prefer that you’re based in Leighton Buzzard or surrounding areas. For more information: Email: info@buzzardnetworking.co.uk  website: www.buzzardnetworking.co.uk


Athenalogo Strapline RgbThe Athena Network Woburn – Are you looking to network online with fascinating, like-minded women who share a passion for growing their business? Then come along and prepare to be inspired! We are a group of business women from the local and surrounding areas who are serious about creating new relationships with others and supporting each other in the development of our businesses. Be a part of our community for: Inspiration – encouraging women in business to support each other for greater success, Skills – regular training to help develop our members and their businesses, Opportunities – to make strategic alliances. Contact: Kate Cherry, Email: kate.cherry@theathenanetwork.com, Tel: 07909 675333, Website: www.theathenanetwork.com/woburn


Collaborate Mk LogoCollaborate MK in Partnership with Leighton Buzzard Businesses

For small, medium or large business in Leighton Buzzard and surrounding areas who want to raise their profile within the local business community.

“In partnership…” events are fully sponsored by locally based Collaborate MK Members with an aim to keep the format fresh, conversational, and very driven towards the locality

Networking events are free of charge to book for first time attendees.

https://www.collaboratemk.co.uk/

Useful Business links

Many entrepreneurs started their business on a market. Markets are a low cost start up option. For more information visit the LBMarket page

Wenta all start ups and pre-start ups are signposted to Wenta.

The National Apprenticeship Service website is the best place to look for further information relating to apprenticeships.

FSB – Federation of Small Businesses When your business needs expert support one membership covers all this..
Legal and Tax protection Insurance, Legal Documents, Legal Information Online, Legal Services, Legal and Tax Advice Line, Health and Safety Information, Commercial Insurance Helpline, FSB Care with access to more Members Benefits.  0808 20 20 888