The Caithness Business Fund is pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous contribution of £100,000 from Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL), it will be running a series of application rounds designed to support local businesses in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This support will be provided in the form of grants ranging from £500 up to a maximum of £5,000, and will be made available initially to eligible businesses in Caithness and North Sutherland which require assistance towards costs incurred in reopening business premises as a result of COVID-19. The first funding round is open now and will close on Friday 12 June.
The application process has been designed to be simple and flexible to ensure that money can be distributed to businesses as quickly as possible. The Fund also remains open for applications via the usual process, and any businesses interested in accessing either funding stream are encouraged to make an initial expression of interest to the Fund on enquiries@caithnessbusinessfund.co.uk.
Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, which manages the Fund, said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on businesses in Caithness, and while the support from both UK and Scottish Governments has been welcome, it is clear that many businesses are now facing additional challenges as lockdown restrictions ease and we move towards the reset and recovery of our economy.
“We know that the local business community is keen to reopen as soon as possible, but only in a way which is compatible with ensuring the safety of their workforce and their customers. Many businesses are facing significant costs as they look to adapt their premises to meet public health and social distancing requirements.
“This generous support from Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd will enable the Fund to quickly support these businesses as they look to rebuild and recover in the coming months.”
Mark Rouse, Managing Director of DSRL, said:
“We were in a unique position to help essential businesses during the lockdown because we maintained a state of operational readiness that could be deployed to support of the community.
“As we move into phase 1, and our own focus moves onto how we can safely restart the work of decommissioning the site, we wanted to continue being able to help other businesses as they come out of hibernation.
“A resilient local economy is really important to us – both today, because it helps us retain and recruit the specialist skills and services we need, and in the future, because we want the site to leave behind a legacy of social and economic wellbeing when the decommissioning is complete.”
As well as the additional funding available, Caithness Chamber of Commerce is also opening up its DSRL funded business support programme to any business in Caithness which needs advice and guidance as lockdown measures ease, and businesses are invited to contact the Chamber on info@caithnesschamber.com to find out more about the support on offer.
Responding to the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak MPs’ announcement today (29th of May) detailing changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“Businesses are mindful that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has cost billions and the pot of money to support employers and the economy is not unlimited. This has been a lifeline for the majority of Scottish businesses preventing a mass tsunami of people losing their jobs.
“The big challenge for Scottish businesses is that the UK government’s new tapered approach to the furlough scheme is not aligned with the Scottish Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. This misalignment will affect crucial areas of the economy such as tourism which are forced to close for longer.
“Before tapering hits, we need to ensure all sectors of our economy are able to generate trade so they are able to pay employees. Currently there is still a lack of clarity for businesses in Scotland over when they can re-open. We urge the chancellor to adopt measures to ensure that businesses facing ruin as the furlough scheme tapers aren’t forced to fall at the last hurdle.’’
It’s been another strange month, not just for us but for all our members and businesses nationwide. We continue to do our very best for our members as things progress in these unprecedented times and are thrilled to welcome two new members to our member group this month.
Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau offers free impartial and confidential advice to citizens of Caithness, North Sutherland and West to Tongue and District. They deliver support and guidance on a range of topics, giving people the information they need to deal with any situation and improve their lives.
Safety Zone operate throughout mainland Scotland, and in particular, the Highlands & Islands, offering a diverse range of health & safety training and consulting. To help businesses return to work safely when the time comes, Safety Zone are offering free safety advice. Contact them to discuss today.
Our Chief Executive, Trudy Morris announced a 3-month Extension of Chamber Membership and offered a payment deferral option to any new members who join before the end of June. Learn more about this offer here.
To learn about how Chamber membership could benefit your business, see the Membership benefits page or get in touch with Fiona Levack, Business Development Manager to arrange an informal chat. The Chamber offers advice and support to businesses of all sizes, at all stages and in all sectors and we would be thrilled to hear from you.
In addition to chamber membership, many of our funded projects offer support and guidance to businesses in a range of ways. See the list of options, here.
Did you know that we offer a membership referral scheme? If you refer a business who joins the chamber, you could benefit from £50 off your next renewal. Read more here.
Responding to the First Minster’s announcement at the Scottish Government daily briefing today that from this Friday (29th of May) Scotland will be easing some lockdown measures and moving to Phase 1 of the Scottish Government’s route map for moving out of lockdown, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“Entering phase one of the easing of restrictions will be welcome for many but the clock for businesses is ticking. The need for firmer timelines is an increasingly urgent matter for companies across all sectors who still face significant risk if they are not able to open urgently. Preparing for a safe return to the workplace is the utmost priority for businesses and should be too for government.”
Responding to new manufacturing & retail sector guidance shared today by Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“We have been calling for detailed guidance from the Scottish Government on safety measures to enable businesses to begin to plan and prepare. It is welcome to see these issued for our manufacturing and retailing businesses. Operating safely and safeguarding the health of our employees, customers and supply chains is in the best interests of all of us.
“We will now look at this detail to understand what businesses in these sectors need to do practically in order to begin to prepare for re-opening. We will be working with the Scottish Government and companies across Scotland to adapt, adopt and implement these guidelines. It would now be helpful to see timelines so that businesses and our employees have a common goal in sight.
“Further, the Test and Trace system will be a major contributor to Scotland being able to open for business.’’
Responding to new transport guidance shared today by Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson MSP & the publication of the Scottish Government’s Transport Transition Plan, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“When and how we return to the workplace is a pressing priority for businesses, employees and customers. Today’s guidance is a helpful starting point on the role public transport will play and the modifications we can expect.
“Changes to capacity, ticketing and timetabling across transport options will mean employers will have to adapt to the guidance and remain flexible as we manage a phased return to the workplace.
“Given the constraints that will exist in the public transport system, local authorities should actively review local policies such as minimising car parking fees to help reduce the costs for employers and our employees.
“Business will proactively work with transport operators to ensure safety of our employees and customers as we re-design the transportation of our people, customers and goods.”
Louise Sinclair of Sinclair Bay Subsea on the importance of resources such as the Chamber-led Developing the Young Workforce North Highland initiative. Louise is also Vice-Chair of Caithness Chamber.
When I was first approached about this column in February, COVID-19 was already headline news and the UK was preparing for the onset. However, little did I think that when it would be time to put pen to paper that we would be in week eight of restrictions and that we would be in such unprecedented times with so many personal and business challenges.
My company, Sinclair Bay Subsea, supplies specialised engineers to oil and gas clients and I routinely have a few plans ready at any time given the dynamic nature of the industry. These last few weeks, I have been working on plans R, S and T some days! Late-March and early-April passed in a flash of repatriating workers from far flung places such as Singapore, Ghana and Mexico and trying to get fresh workers out to Azerbaijan and Angola.
Training has been sadly neglected in the oil and gas industry since the last downturn of 2014-17 due to economic uncertainty. As we moved into April, Brent crude had dropped from $61 per barrel in January to approximately $20. Oil price is cyclical in nature and it will rebound in time, unfortunately not to the heady (and unsustainable) heights of $108 per barrel in 2013. Training will therefore not be back on the agenda any time soon. With many engineers deciding to retire or diversify into steadier careers, each downturn presents a reduction in the available labour pool with no new talent coming through.
Similar issues are encountered by businesses across all sectors and will be even more prominent in the aftermath of COVID-19. When budgets are tight, training and mentoring, which require a substantial time commitment, prove prohibitive for many businesses.
Training is key to ensuring business continuity and economic growth, and there are resources available to help local employers, such as the Chamber-led Developing the Young Workforce North Highland (DYWNH) initiative. Offering an industry-led conduit between employers and young people, DYWNH can help employers develop and fill skills gaps locally.
Due to COVID-19, S4 to S6 SQA exams have been cancelled and training opportunities will be limited whilst businesses re-group. DYWNH is reacting to this and is currently drawing up plans for a revised focus on employability for the cohort of learners immediately affected.
DYWNH covers areas including employability skills, work experience and apprenticeships, utilising a wide range of employers. Over the last few years, I have been asked to help out at various events organised by DYWNH team, all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. As a judge at the Junior Dragon’s Den event, the enthusiasm, imagination and creativity of the P6/P7 children never ceases to amaze me.
Although time will be at a premium going forward, I will be continuing my efforts with DYWNH as I firmly believe that the work that the team does complements the children’s formal education, providing crucial industry interaction. I find it a very welcome change of focus from my day job.
Caithness has an excellent track record of training and apprenticeships, across many different employers, and it would be great to see this commitment continue through these difficult times. As we start to look towards the recovery of the local economy, the Caithness Business Fund (administered by the Chamber) has funding available to assist with training costs for employers meeting the fund criteria.
As a business community, I am certain that we will pull together to counter the challenges which 2020 has brought, with the Chamber no doubt in a pivotal role.
Responding to the publication of the Scottish Government’s roadmap for Scotland through and out of the Covid-19 crisis, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“This route map on the staged exit of lockdown is a welcome and helpful start. Businesses have been clear they need practical guidance on when they can return to the workplace and what measures they need to put in place to ensure the safety of their staff and customers.
“Many employers have already implemented preventative measures to protect our employees and our customers and we ask that the publication of detailed sectoral guidelines are accelerated to support businesses to prepare. Whilst today’s route map helps us to understand the sequencing of relaxing the lockdown, the absence of a more detailed time plan for each phase still means that businesses, employees and consumers cannot make plans with complete certainty.
“Focus until now has correctly been on protecting lives but we need to start balancing this with safeguarding jobs and the economy. This can be achieved with business and Government working together and we are pleased to see the Scottish Government emphasising a partnership approach in today’s document. This recognises it is our joint responsibilities to take the necessary steps to keep the virus under control while re-starting our economy together.
“The Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network, will work proactively with the Scottish Government to help deliver ways of working that will ensure the health of people in Scotland is maintained and our economy is protected.”
You can download the road map here.
Welcoming the Scottish Government’s announcement that it is adding an additional £40 million into the Business Support Fund to support key sectors, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“Businesses in Scotland have been severely impacted by the lockdown, particularly in rural areas with the risk of a real collapse in businesses and jobs which hold together the fabric of so many communities. It is welcome that the Scottish Government has responded to these urgent pleas. It is this sort of flexibility that will ensure as many jobs are saved as is possible.’’