Business Direction Online
Latest News
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.
Going the extra mile as law firm backs marathon runner’s charity effort
Worcestershire law firm mfg Solicitors has backed a local businesswoman by donating a four-figure sum to support her recent London Marathon effort. Through its mfg Charitable Foundation, the law firm has donated £1,000 to the Make a Wish Foundation via Sarah Cutler, a...
Latest Article
Going the extra mile as law firm backs marathon runner’s charity effort
Worcestershire law firm mfg Solicitors has backed a local businesswoman by donating a four-figure sum to support her recent London Marathon effort. Through its mfg Charitable Foundation, the law firm has donated £1,000 to the Make a Wish Foundation via Sarah Cutler, a...
Member News
When access isn’t access: what digital adoption misses in practice
Digital adoption is high on the agenda for many organisations, with Government supported programmes such as Made Smarter and Innovate UK supporting businesses to invest in new technology and systems. But adoption is only the first step. Currie.Foligno Consulting’s...
Record promotions support continued growth at HCR Law’s Hereford office
HCR Law’s Hereford office celebrated a record six promotions in April 2026, supporting continued growth and reflecting the firm’s ongoing commitment to developing local talent. The promotions form part of HCR Law’s biggest promotion round to date, with more than 100...
Patron & Strategic News
Worcester Students Win National Award for Video Game Built in Just 32 Hours
Students from the University of Worcester have won a national award for a video game they designed from scratch in a race against the clock. The third year Game Art students were taking part in the Ukie Student Game Jam, going head-to-head with teams from universities...
May 2026 Cohort: TDM Unveils AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 Apprenticeship for Local Employers
Time to turn your AI ambitions into action. As artificial intelligence and automation rapidly reshape the way organisations operate, many local businesses are asking the same question: Where do we start? Or if they have started – How can we scale this? The...
Chamber News
New Skills Boost Funding Offers Up to £6,000 for Chamber Training
Businesses across Herefordshire and Worcestershire can now access up to £6,000 in grant funding to support staff training, thanks to the return of the Skills Boost 2025–26 programme. Delivered in partnership with Worcestershire Growth Hub, the initiative aims to help...
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Release the Quarterly Economic Survey Report for Q2 2025
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce has released the Quarterly Economic Survey Report for Q2 2025, supported by Worcestershire County Council. The Quarterly Economic Survey is a comprehensive analysis of economic data collected from a diverse range...
Our Latest Member
New podcast launches for International Women’s Day ‘Females in their Field’
Women living, working and running businesses in rural areas now have a podcast and support activities focusing on their wellbeing needs and the unique challenges and solutions found when delivering a rural enterprise. Jennifer Barnes and Carrie Orgee have been running...
New podcast launches for International Women’s Day ‘Females in their Field’
Women living, working and running businesses in rural areas now have a podcast and support activities focusing on their wellbeing needs and the unique challenges and solutions found when delivering a rural enterprise. Jennifer Barnes and Carrie Orgee have been running...
Policy News
Office Return Varies Across Sectors
41% of businesses have required staff to spend more time working on site over the past year One in ten (9%) relevant firms say employees have quit because of the requirement to return to onsite working Nearly half of surveyed businesses (48%) expect all working days...
SME Exporters Hit By New US Customs Charges
Responding to President Trump’s decision to charge import duties for low value goods entering the US, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, said: “This development has been coming for several months but is still a major blow to UK exporters to the US. Smaller firms...
Skills News
National Apprenticeships Week 2023 – Skills for Life
The theme for #NAW2023 is “Skills for Life” encouraging employers and learners to reflect on how apprenticeships can drive development in careers, future-ready skills and the talented workforce needed across the UK. Whilst this is a laudable focus for this year’s...
Use Skills Bootcamps to Retain and Reskill your Workforce
Local training provider The Development Manager (TDM), has a pool of talented individuals looking for employers to interview them and help them to start a Tech & Digital role in the region as an apprentice. These work-ready individuals are currently completing...
Charity News
Parents encouraged to spot signs and symptoms of childhood cancer to help early detection
A childhood cancer charity is encouraging parents to become more aware of the early signs and symptoms of cancer among children, after research showed low levels of recognition. With only three out of 10 parents feeling able to spot the signs and symptoms of childhood...
Megan Baker House (MBH) has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for 20 years and has provided unique help to those living with neurological disorders
Image features a visit by Ian Smith, High Sheriff of Worcestershire and Chairman of The Kildare Trust. MBH has a reputation for achieving remarkable outcomes, continuous innovation and the ability to offer immediate access for those in need. MBH is a leading provider...
BCC Economic Forecast: Global Turmoil to Hit Growth and Push Up Inflation
The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic forecast suggests slow growth in 2026, higher inflation due to the Middle East crisis, and rising unemployment as the labour market softens. The BCC forecast is the first economic assessment by a business...
BCC News
BCC Economic Forecast: Global Turmoil to Hit Growth and Push Up Inflation
The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic forecast suggests slow growth in 2026, higher inflation due to the Middle East crisis, and rising unemployment as the labour market softens. The BCC forecast is the first economic assessment by a business...
Worcestershire News
Worcester City Plan Consultation
Residents, local businesses and other stakeholders are being asked for their views on a new plan that sets out the City Council’s ambitions for Worcester over the next five years. The draft City Plan 2025-2030 envisions Worcester as an ambitious, vibrant and welcoming...
Severn Valley Railway Shortlisted for Four Heritage Railway Awards
The Severn Valley Railway has been shortlisted in four categories for the prestigious Heritage Railway Association awards for 2025, which recognise excellence and innovation across the heritage rail sector. SVR-based locomotive, Stanier Mogul No 13268 is in the...
Herefordshire News
Grant Gives Engineering Firm a Record-breaking Boost
A specialist engineering firm has enjoyed a record-breaking year after investing in new machinery, with the help of a grant from Herefordshire Council’s Business Enterprise Fund. KGD Enterprises, which is based at Rotherwas in Hereford, makes high-quality packaged...
David Tomkins, Data Analyst Level 4 Apprentice.
Promotion to an Apprenticeship! Recently TDM have promoted one of our existing members of staff onto a Data Analyst Level 4 Apprenticeship programme. David Tomkins, previously TDM’s Marketing Manager, moved into this role and has exceled beyond belief. TDM believe in...
All Latest News
Celebrating Our Rising Star: Laura Wins Prestigious Fundraising Award
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity is delighted to share that Laura, our Community and Events Fundraising Officer, has won the Chartered Institute of Fundraising West Midlands Rising Star Award. The award recognises fundraisers across the West Midlands who make an...
UK’S FIRST ON-SITE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TRAINING FACILITY OPENS AT NEW COLLEGE WORCESTER, BUILT THROUGH INDUSTRY COLLABOARTION TO SUPPORT THE VISION IMPAIRED
New College Worcester (NCW), a national residential school for blind and vision impaired young people, has installed a state-of-the-art pedestrian crossing on its campus, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK. The Noel Duffy Pedestrian Crossing provides a...
Smaller Exporters Struggling To Make Headway
The proportion of businesses reporting increased export orders sits at 25% in Q1 2026, compared with 31% in Q2 2018 There is a big split relating to the size of the business, with 23% of SMEs reporting increased orders, compared to 38% of larger firms....
“They’re great… but something’s not quite right” – managing early employee performance concerns
You’ll likely know that feeling when someone joins your team and they’re lovely, they’re trying, but something just isn’t quite clicking. A lot of small employers sit with that gut feeling for too long… not because they don’t want to deal with it but...
Worcester Athletes Complete Cutting-Edge Performance Testing Ahead of Huge Relay Attempt
Two brothers from Worcester have taken part in advanced physical testing at the University of Worcester, as they prepare for a two-man continuous relay run from John O’Groats to Land’s End in support of Help for Heroes. Alfie and Joe Pritchard will set off from the...
Rainbow Run Returns!
Rainbow Run – Where Fun Meets Colour! Get ready to run, walk, skip, or dance your way through a kaleidoscope of colour! Our Rainbow Run is a 5km celebration of joy, laughter, and community spirit. Along the route, you’ll be showered in vibrant bursts of coloured...
Want to submit a story?
If you would like to read our guide to submitting a story click here