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Business Direction Online is updated daily, bringing you news from across Herefordshire & Worcestershire. Explore our Members exciting and important updates and keep up to date with any Chamber news.
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Top 100 recognition for Apprenticeship programme
Bishop Fleming has ranked 11th in the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025, its highest-ever position for its highly impressive apprenticeship programme. It is ahead of national professional services firms, including KPMG, EY, BDO, Mazars, and Azets. The...
Latest Article
Top 100 recognition for Apprenticeship programme
Bishop Fleming has ranked 11th in the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025, its highest-ever position for its highly impressive apprenticeship programme. It is ahead of national professional services firms, including KPMG, EY, BDO, Mazars, and Azets. The...
Member News
Severn Valley Railway secures ‘Flying Scotsman’ for an extra day
Tickets for the Severn Valley Railway’s three days of ‘Flying Scotsman’ services sold out within three minutes, but now the heritage line has managed to secure the iconic locomotive for an additional day on Monday 28 July. SVR managing director, Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster...
Wyre Forest law firm raises four-figure sum for local charity Mentor Link
A kind-hearted Wyre Forest law firm has donated almost £4,000 to local children’s charity Mentor Link. Partners and staff at Kidderminster law firm, mfg Solicitors, held a variety of fundraising events throughout the past year for the Stourport-on-Severn charity which...
Patron & Strategic News
Landlords Warned to Guard Against Protected Lease Tenants
A leading commercial property lawyer is warning landlords about the hurdles they face when taking back possession from a tenant with a protected lease – and urged them to seek legal advice to avoid falling foul of the law. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 was...
Physician Associate Course Approved at the University of Worcester
The training of Physician Associates at the University of Worcester has received formal approval from the General Medical Council. The University has been running a Physician Associate MSc since 2016, providing high-quality education and training for future healthcare...
Chamber News
COP28: An Overview
COP 28 refers to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023. UN Climate Change conferences (or COPs) take place every year, and are the world’s only multilateral...
Chair’s Report
I have just read a piece of research by Potter Spaces and Savills, highlighted by Sam Merrett – Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Executive – that I feel very nicely sums up the lack of smaller to medium size industrial spaces...
Our Latest Member
The Chamber Welcomes Worcester City Women FC (WCWFC)
Worcester City Women FC (WCWFC), established in 2021, is a determined participant in a movement sweeping the nation and, quite frankly, the globe: women’s football. Since England’s Euro Success in 2022, the Women’s Super League (tier 1) has seen an...
The Chamber Welcomes Worcester City Women FC (WCWFC)
Worcester City Women FC (WCWFC), established in 2021, is a determined participant in a movement sweeping the nation and, quite frankly, the globe: women’s football. Since England’s Euro Success in 2022, the Women’s Super League (tier 1) has seen an...
Policy News
Secretary of State for the Environment Visits Herefordshire
Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey visited Herefordshire today to meet with the farming community, representatives of the Herefordshire Council, Natural England, Environment Agency, the Welsh Government,...
Inflation eases further but food prices remain high
Inflation fell below double digits for the first time since August this morning (24/05), according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Inflation was 8.7% in April, down from 10.1% the previous month. However, despite the improvement, the figure is above the...
Skills News
Sixth Form success in ‘Science at Heart’ School Competition
A team of five Year 13 pupils from Malvern St James Girls’ School (MSJ) scooped joint third place in the Science at Heart competition. The competition, hosted by The British Heart Foundation’s Centre of Research Excellence at Imperial College London, required...
Pershore College trainer assessor gains engineering professional status
A Pershore College trainer assessor has been awarded a major engineering professional status and is now set to pass on his expertise to college students. Andy Tabberer-Catt has been recognised by the Engineering Council and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers....
Charity News
Mike Keel to retire as St Michael’s Hospice Chief Executive
The Chief Executive of St Michael’s Hospice has announced his retirement after eight years at the helm. Mike Keel will leave his role at the Bartestree-based Hospice at the end of this month. During his tenure, Mr Keel has overseen the charity’s extended reach to the...
‘A Leap of Faith’ Charity Skydive for The Courtyard
Four supporters of The Courtyard are taking their own leap of faith for Leap Year by jumping 15,000ft in a tandem skydive in May to raise funds for Herefordshire’s much loved community arts charity, celebrating its 25th anniversary year. Chief Executive Ian Archer,...
UK Tariff Pause Will Help Business and Consumers
Responding to the news that the UK Global Tariff is being paused on dozens of products, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Tariffs are an additional cost burden that often have to be absorbed by firms or picked up by...
BCC News
UK Tariff Pause Will Help Business and Consumers
Responding to the news that the UK Global Tariff is being paused on dozens of products, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Tariffs are an additional cost burden that often have to be absorbed by firms or picked up by...
Worcestershire News
Spring Diesel Festival is a ‘smash hit’ with more than 5,000 Visitors at the Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is celebrating the success of its most recent rail enthusiast event, as it looks back on the four days of its Spring Diesel Festival. With visitor numbers significantly exceeding expectations, and a stunning line-up of diesel traction, the...
Musical Message at the Heart of Mural Created by University Students for the Worcester Community.
Students have created a 55-metre-long mural on a busy Worcester thoroughfare, completely transforming what was a graffiti scrawled wall in the city. The team spent days bringing the mural to life on the walkway between Hardwicke Close and Hylton Road next to the...
Herefordshire News
It’s a hattrick for Thorne Widgery CEO at top accounting awards
For the third year running, our CEO has made the shortlist for the Accounting Excellence Awards. Regarded as the most important awards ceremony in the profession’s calendar, these prestigious national accolades recognise the best firms and accounting leaders. Daniel...
Clinical Recruitment Open Day: Discover the Path to a Rewarding and Meaningful Career in Healthcare
Are you a compassionate and dedicated clinician in pursuit of a career that truly impacts lives? Look no further, as an exciting opportunity awaits you at the Clinical Recruitment Open Day hosted by St Michael’s Hospice. Event Details: Date: Friday, 1st September...
All Latest News
US Trade Deal Provides Welcome Relief
Reacting to news of a trade deal in principle with the US, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “This deal will be met with a huge sigh of relief by many British businesses. “The reduction in the 25% tariffs on most of our automotive exports and the...
Severn Valley Railway launches short film to celebrate its 60th anniversary
The Severn Valley Railway has released a short promotional film, celebrating its 60th anniversary and marking its involvement with the Railway 200 celebrations that are also taking place in 2025-26. The film features a range of volunteers from across the railway,...
Rate Cut Provides Shock Absorber for Business
Responding to the Bank of England’s decision to cut interest rates to 4.25%, David Bharier, Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Today’s interest rate cut to 4.25% will help absorb some of the shocks that businesses are facing on...
University Staff Walk a Symbolic Mile on VE Day
Colleagues at the University of Worcester, an institution founded to ‘win the peace through education’, walked a mile together to commemorate VE Day. The University Mile is a popular circular walking route for staff and students around the University’s St John’s...
Landlords Warned to Guard Against Protected Lease Tenants
A leading commercial property lawyer is warning landlords about the hurdles they face when taking back possession from a tenant with a protected lease – and urged them to seek legal advice to avoid falling foul of the law. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 was...
Severn Valley Railway makes steady progress towards landslip repairs
Although a firm start date for repairs to the landslip at the Severn Valley Railway’s Mor Brook bridge remains unknown, huge progress has been made in recent weeks. The railway has also shared details of how the work will be undertaken. Last week [1 May], the SVR...
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