Business Direction Online

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Introducing Business Direction Online, your one stop shop for all local and industry news.

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.

If you’re a Chamber Member, you can submit your latest news stories free of charge and promote updates to local business professionals. Contact our Marketing team for more information.

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Member News

Mayor of Worcester Congratulates Winning Wolves Side

Mayor of Worcester Congratulates Winning Wolves Side

The Mayor of Worcester has congratulated the Worcester Wolves Basketball team, after being crowned National League One Pool A Champions. The squad, made up of University of Worcester students, paid a special visit to the Mayor’s Parlour at the Guildhall where Mayor of...

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Patron & Strategic News

Speak Volumes Festival to Return Bigger Than Ever

Speak Volumes Festival to Return Bigger Than Ever

The organisers of this year’s Speak Volumes Festival are putting the finishing touches on plans for the three-day event but say there’s still room for artists and performers to sign up and take part. Taking place from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 May, the festival, which...

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Chamber News

Welcome New Members | November

Welcome New Members | November

Warm welcome to our newest Members who joined throughout November  Lucy Labels – A sticker and labelling business offering custom labels. Barclays Greater Birmingham and The Three Counties Corporate – Barclays’ regional corporate banking services for businesses....

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Autumn Budget 2025: Chamber Response

Autumn Budget 2025: Chamber Response

Commenting on the Budget Statement, Robert Elliot, Director of Business Development & Policy, said: “For months we have been concerned that this Budget might repeat the chaos businesses faced in October 2024. While this statement is more stable, several measures...

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Our Latest Member
Meet OCM – Your local experts in sustainable IT asset management

Meet OCM – Your local experts in sustainable IT asset management

As a proud new member of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, OCM is excited to introduce their team to fellow businesses across the region. Based in Pershore, Jennine, Richard and co have been delivering secure, sustainable and reliable IT...

Policy News

Business Rates Anxiety Hits Record High

Business Rates Anxiety Hits Record High

A third of firms (34%) are worried about their business rates, the highest level since 2017. Concern is highest in the hospitality sector (49%), with manufacturing (44%) and logistics (43%) close behind. In 2024, 27% of firms said they had scaled back or...

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Few Signs For Optimism In Labour Market

Few Signs For Optimism In Labour Market

Reacting to the latest labour market data from the ONS published this morning, Patrick Milnes, Head of People and Work Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The latest data indicate businesses are still not feeling confident about taking on more staff or...

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Skills News

Charity News

Orchard Trust Offers New Supported Farm Placements

Orchard Trust Offers New Supported Farm Placements

Lydbrook, Gloucestershire – Orchard Trust is delighted to announce it has secured funding from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation to support the development of their new Supported Farm Placements Programme: specialised Animal Care and Gardening Placements based at...

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Recruitment Challenging As New Employment Law Lands

Recruitment Challenging As New Employment Law Lands

Nearly three quarters of firms (71%) say they experienced hiring difficulties in Q1 of 2026, according to the latest data from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).     The research, published as the first elements of the Employment Rights Act come into effect,...

BCC News

Recruitment Challenging As New Employment Law Lands

Nearly three quarters of firms (71%) say they experienced hiring difficulties in Q1 of 2026, according to the latest data from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).     The research, published as the first elements of the Employment Rights Act come into effect,...

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Worcestershire News

Valley Railway delivers ‘biggest diesel gala of the year’

Valley Railway delivers ‘biggest diesel gala of the year’

The Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Diesel Festival between 15 and 18 May welcomed more than 3,700 visitors and saw 20 locomotives in action, for what organisers believe was 2025’s largest diesel event on the preservation circuit. ‘What a fantastic show we put on!’...

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Severn Valley Railway helps local aid charity

Severn Valley Railway helps local aid charity

The Severn Valley Railway’s paint shop at Bridgnorth had an unusual visitor recently, in the form of a Mitsubishi 4×4 pickup. The SVR was assisting a local charity, Wyre Forest 2 Ukraine, with their efforts in sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The charity...

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Herefordshire News

Paul Harris Tackles 100km Sahara Trek for Hope For Tomorrow

Paul Harris Tackles 100km Sahara Trek for Hope For Tomorrow

Paul Harris, founder and principal consultant at Coacto, recently traded the comforts of the office for the scorching sands of the Sahara Desert. His mission? To trek 100 kilometers and raise vital funds for Hope For Tomorrow, a charity that brings mobile cancer care...

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All Latest News

How Roxel UK Supports Its Employees

How Roxel UK Supports Its Employees

Managing stress in the workplace is a complex challenge yet getting it right can deliver real benefits for both employees and the organisation. Effective stress management helps reduce sickness absence, lower staff turnover and recruitment costs, and minimise employee...

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Meet the PhD Students Transforming How We Understand Our World

Meet the PhD Students Transforming How We Understand Our World

Have you ever wondered what kind of world-shaping research is happening right now on your doorstep in Worcestershire? A free event at The Hive on Thursday 7 May, 18.30-20.00, will give the public a rare chance to hear directly from three University of Worcester PhD...

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