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BUSINESS DIRECTION ONLINE
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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Powerhouse employee wins national farming award
A Harper Adams University graduate working for family-owned, Ledbury-based business, Galebreaker, has been named Farm Adviser of the Year at the 2026 British Farming Awards. Chloe Rodriguez, an animal welfare specialist at the livestock housing and ventilation...
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Powerhouse employee wins national farming award
A Harper Adams University graduate working for family-owned, Ledbury-based business, Galebreaker, has been named Farm Adviser of the Year at the 2026 British Farming Awards. Chloe Rodriguez, an animal welfare specialist at the livestock housing and ventilation...
Member News
Ghost Trains sell out and Christmas is steaming ahead at the SVR!
Following the complete sell-out of its Ghost and Scream Trains, the Severn Valley Railway is urging families to book early for its hugely popular Christmas experiences, with tickets already selling fast. The SVR has proved it knows how to put on an unforgettable...
Author to Launch Eagerly Awaited Thriller at The Hive
The second novel in a Worcester-set crime thriller trilogy will be launched at a free author talk at The Hive in December. Girl Gone Bad is the latest novel from former BBC radio presenter and novelist Tony Fisher, following his successful debut book, Good Gone Bad....
Patron & Strategic News
SUTCLIFFE & CO EXPANDS TEAM WITH FOUR NEW APPOINTMENTS
Worcester-based insurance broker Sutcliffe & Co has welcomed four new team members as part of the company’s continued growth and expansion programme. Joining the team are Kamil Ambroziak, Lucas Martin and Chris Parker as Client Advisors, alongside Dan...
Praise for University’s Leadership on Environment Following Award Shortlisting
The University of Worcester has received a chorus of praise for its work to encourage nature on its campuses after being shortlisted for a prestigious national award. The Mayor of Worcester was among those to highlight the University’s achievements on the environment,...
Chamber News
Welcome New Members | March 2026
A warm welcome to our newest members who joined us throughout March: Mobile Care & Domestic Services Ltd — Provides in-home care and domestic support services to help individuals maintain independence and wellbeing in their own homes. Marlow’s Cleaning...
Introducing Our International Trade “Set Menu” Training Offer
Businesses looking to strengthen their international trade knowledge can now benefit from a newly launched, flexible training offer designed to meet a wide range of learning needs. The International Trade Set Menu Training Offer introduces an innovative approach to...
Our Latest Member
Welcome New Members | January
A warm welcome to our newest members who joined us throughout January: Hereford Voice — local news and community interest site covering events and stories in Herefordshire. Pure Staff — recruitment and staffing agency specialising in placing temporary and permanent...
Welcome New Members | January
A warm welcome to our newest members who joined us throughout January: Hereford Voice — local news and community interest site covering events and stories in Herefordshire. Pure Staff — recruitment and staffing agency specialising in placing temporary and permanent...
Policy News
Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) Q1 2026 Report Released
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the release of the Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) Report for Q1 2026, supported by Worcestershire County Council. The QES is the UK’s largest independent business survey and provides a key...
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,...
Skills News
The Development Manager’s Short, Targeted Skills Development for your Employees and New Recruits.
The Development Manager’s short, targeted skills development for your employees and new recruits. Revolutionising workforce development to meet the demands of the digital age. Do your team need more training in Excel? Could they be more marketing savvy? Are...
Coacto Team Members Excel with Salesforce Certifications
We are thrilled to announce that two of our talented team members at Coacto, Jessica Hargreaves and Laura Hardwick, have recently achieved significant milestones in their professional development by earning Salesforce certifications. Jessica Hargreaves has...
Charity News
£5 million campaign launched to transform children’s hospice care across the West Midlands
A £5 million fundraising appeal has been launched to transform children’s hospice care across the West Midlands as demand reaches record levels. The ambitious campaign from Acorns Children’s Hospice aims to help more families access expert care when and where they...
OWB Creative donates craft boxes to charity to support childhood cancer families
Generous marketing specialists OWB Creative have donated colourful craft boxes to a charity supporting families impacted by childhood cancer. The team at OWB Creative, part of Chamber Member DRPG Group, decorated and filled four large boxes with crafting gifts and...
BCC Economic Forecast: Weak Business Investment Hits Growth Outlook
The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Economic Forecast suggests the outlook for the UK will remain uncertain. While the economy was more resilient in Q2 than expected, higher energy and business costs are likely to keep growth weak this year and next. The key...
BCC News
BCC Economic Forecast: Weak Business Investment Hits Growth Outlook
The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Economic Forecast suggests the outlook for the UK will remain uncertain. While the economy was more resilient in Q2 than expected, higher energy and business costs are likely to keep growth weak this year and next. The key...
Worcestershire News
Rip-roaring fun as the Severn Valley Railway steps back to the 1940s
The Severn Valley Railway is recreating the spirit of the British Home Front across two weekends in June, for its ever-popular Step Back to the 1940s events. On 7/8 June and 14/15 June, the heritage line is hosting a festival of forties-themed fun, with music,...
Roster grows for SVR’s Spring Diesel Festival
A matching pair of guests are to join the line-up at the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Diesel Festival. Colas have agreed to send two of their Class 56s to appear at the four-day event between 15 and 18 May. They join the already-confirmed visitor list, which...
Herefordshire News
Turning Risks into Opportunities: How Insurance Can Support Business Growth in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Running a business in Herefordshire and Worcestershire presents fantastic opportunities, but it also involves risks. Whether you’re a manufacturer in Malvern, a farm shop owner in Herefordshire, or a tech start-up in Worcester… growth often means taking on...
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...
All Latest News
Colleague Plays 221 Games in Epic 50-Hour Pool Marathon
A University of Worcester colleague has played 221 games of pool across more than 50 consecutive hours, as he raised hundreds of pounds for students facing financial hardship. Ian Alley, Student Welfare Officer, started his pool-a-thon challenge at 10am on Thursday...
Oxford Innovation Advice and Lifted Ventures partner to deliver Female Founders Workshop at Business Funding Summit 2026
Oxford Innovation Advice has partnered with Lifted Ventures, the UK investment connector for regional female founders, to deliver an exclusive Female Founders Workshop as part of Business Funding Summit 2026. The workshop takes place on Wednesday 18 November, 2pm–5pm,...
Founders to make their pitch at Sixways as Worcestershire set to host its first Business Funding Summit
Worcestershire entrepreneurs are being encouraged to swap the boardroom for the rugby stadium next month, as they pitch their business ventures to a room full of investors, funders and business support specialists. The county’s first ever Business Funding Summit,...
Visit Herefordshire Secures Five More Years After Businesses Vote Yes
Businesses across Herefordshire have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a further five-year term for Visit Herefordshire, securing continued investment, destination marketing and support for the county’s visitor economy through to 2032. Visit Herefordshire has secured...
Joanna Hilditch honoured with Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture Award
From turning down a Dragons’ Den investment for her drinks business, writing the lyrics and performing a song with PJ Powers celebrating the legacy of the land, to launching e-bike and wine touring, Jo continues to embrace diversification and challenge the idea of...
FOUR BALLARDS TEAMS, ONE BEACON, AND MORE THAN £4,400 RAISED FOR DEMENTIA UK
Around 40 Worcestershire based Ballards colleagues have put their fitness, teamwork and determination to the test in a 25–30km charity challenge, raising more than £4,400 for Dementia UK in one big push. The “Ballards Big Challenge: Race to the Beacon” saw four teams...
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