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.
A Five-Star Christmas Experience at the Severn Valley Railway!
Step aboard a magical steam train from Kidderminster Station and journey into a world of festive wonder! Brand new for 2025, join Santa and friends for “The Great Christmas Train Rescue”, a heart-warming theatrical adventure brought to life at Arley Station....
Latest Article
A Five-Star Christmas Experience at the Severn Valley Railway!
Step aboard a magical steam train from Kidderminster Station and journey into a world of festive wonder! Brand new for 2025, join Santa and friends for “The Great Christmas Train Rescue”, a heart-warming theatrical adventure brought to life at Arley Station....
Member News
AI EXPERT LAUNCHES TO HELP UK SMEs INTEGRATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT THE RISK
AI Expert has launched in Worcestershire to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt artificial intelligence (AI) without wasting money on unproven technology. Created in response to growing demand from SMEs seeking clarity on how to integrate AI into...
Student Helps Deliver Lecturer’s Baby During Hospital Placement
A routine hospital placement turned into a once-in-a-lifetime moment for a University of Worcester student, who helped deliver her lecturer’s baby. 3rd-year Paramedic Sciences student Elise Faragher was on placement on the Maternity Ward at Worcestershire Royal...
Patron & Strategic News
Surf Tech IT Welcomes Ben Jordan as Level 2 Helpdesk Engineer
Surf Tech IT is delighted to welcome Ben Jordan to the team as a Level 2 Helpdesk Engineer. Ben first joined the business through an ICT Level 3 Apprenticeship, delivered by fellow Chamber members The Development Manager Ltd (TDM). Now 19, Ben has successfully...
Leading property consultancy welcomes high-profile industry figure to leadership team
A leading property consultancy has welcomed a high-profile industry figure to its leadership team. Fisher German has announced that Eleanor Deeley, Joint Managing Director of Deeley Group, has joined its leadership team as a non-executive director. It comes as the...
Chamber News
Improve your Staff Recruitment and Retention with the Salary & Benefits 2024/25 Survey, in Partnership with Hewett Recruitment
Businesses are currently operating in an incredibly tight labour market and are doing their best to survive amongst the cost of doing business crisis due to spiralling energy costs. The competitive labour market is impacting businesses ability to invest and grow. The...
Services and Digital Trade ‘Key To Boosting Exports’
The British Chambers of Commerce has endorsed the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) focus on services and digital trade as key priorities. The BCC was part of a record-size UK delegation to the WTO Public Forum in Geneva, last week. It met with the UK Ambassador to the...
Our Latest Member
Hands On At Work are back!
We have just rejoined the Chamber. Initially, we joined in 2010 as a new business needing support and advice. 14 years later we have grown from 2 people to a team of 200+ therapists delivering workplace massage and wellbeing services across the UK. The Chamber gave us...
Hands On At Work are back!
We have just rejoined the Chamber. Initially, we joined in 2010 as a new business needing support and advice. 14 years later we have grown from 2 people to a team of 200+ therapists delivering workplace massage and wellbeing services across the UK. The Chamber gave us...
Policy News
Labour Pressures Continue for Businesses
Reacting to the latest labour market data, published by the ONS this morning, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “The labour market remains a significant challenge for employers who are struggling with skills...
Surgical Red-Tape Cuts Can Boost Business
Responding to the Prime Minister’s speech on regulation and civil service reform, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses want regulation which supports rather than hampers them – and we’re encouraged by the Prime...
Skills News
Local Apprenticeship Training provider Herefordshire & Worcestershire Group Training Association secure European Social Fund monies for a ‘Skills for Worcestershire’ Project.
HWGTA are committed to delivering the best outcomes possible for young people in Worcestershire and recently secured funding from the European Social Fund (partnered with Worcestershire County Council) which will help to support over 300 young people aged 15-24 into...
Funded Training to Help Local Hospitality Businesses Grow
Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) supports small and medium businesses in Worcestershire to upskill their employees with training courses and qualifications to help their business grow and boost the local economy. We can work with you to develop a bespoke...
Charity News
KEMP Hospice Joins National Campaign to Change Perceptions of Hospice Care
Wyre Forest’s KEMP Hospice is proud to be one of over 140 hospices taking part in the “This is Hospice Care” campaign, a national initiative facilitated by Hospice UK. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the vital role hospices play in communities, and to shift...
Take on the Snowdon Sunrise Challenge and Support your Local Hospitals Charity!
Join us for an unforgettable adventure this summer! On Saturday, 28th June 2025, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity is hosting a Snowdon Sunrise Adventure—a magical moonlit hike to the summit of one of the UK’s tallest mountains. Imagine this: Reaching the peak of...
UK Government Strategic Defence Review 2025 Briefing by British Chambers of Commerce – June 2025
The Strategic Defence Review, chaired by former Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson of Port Ellen alongside General Sir Richard Barrons and Dr Fiona Hill, was launched by the Prime Minister in Glasgow on 2 June. It sets out 62 recommendations...
BCC News
UK Government Strategic Defence Review 2025 Briefing by British Chambers of Commerce – June 2025
The Strategic Defence Review, chaired by former Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson of Port Ellen alongside General Sir Richard Barrons and Dr Fiona Hill, was launched by the Prime Minister in Glasgow on 2 June. It sets out 62 recommendations...
Worcestershire News
Class 25 Set to Make Rare Appearance at the Autumn Diesel Bash
The Severn Valley Railway is pleased to announce that subject to availability, Class 25 no. D7628 will appear at its Autumn Diesel Bash taking place between 3 and 6 October. The locomotive is owned by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) and can usually be found...
Severn Valley Railway is Finalist in Three Categories for Visit Worcestershire Awards
Staff and volunteers at the Severn Valley Railway have a lot to smile about right now, as the leading heritage line has been selected as a finalist in three separate categories for the 2024/2025 Visit Worcestershire Awards. The railway is in the running to scoop the...
Herefordshire News
Richard Miller – “A Godsend to the people of Herefordshire”
One of the founding members of St Michael’s Hospice has been described as “a Godsend to the people of Herefordshire” following his death, aged 85. Dr Richard Miller saw his dream of bringing hospice care to Herefordshire realised in 1984 when St Michael’s in...
Hereford Production Company Rural Studios Awarded Funding as Part of BBC’s Small Indie Fund
Launched in 2020, the highly contested Small Indie Fund supports the growth of small independent production companies across the UK and will help Rural Studios to scale up its TV ambitions. Rural Studios currently has a returning show on BBC4, “The Read”, recently...
All Latest News
AGRI-TOURISM BOOM
Uncertainty and a creeping level of unease are everywhere in business at the moment. Rapidly changing world events, climate change and technology advances mean that creativity and agility are vital to survival for many businesses. Nowhere is this more true than in the...
Record-breaking number of finalists confirmed for Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards
A record 38 finalists have been announced for the 2025 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards. The finalists are from across 10 categories recognising apprentices, employers, training providers, mentors and schools, celebrating every aspect of the apprenticeship...
National Supported Lodgings Week: Could You Open Your Door to Change a Young Life?
This November (9th–16th) marks National Supported Lodgings Week, celebrating the incredible role ordinary people play in providing safe and supportive homes for young people who might otherwise face homelessness. Through St Basils Supported Lodgings scheme,...
Worcestershire’s Award-Winning Technology Programme Welcomes New Cohort of Innovators
Eight ambitious tech businesses from across the region have been selected to join Worcestershire’s award-winning business support programme, BetaDen Accelerate, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the county’s innovation landscape. Enabled by funding from...
NMITE Partners with Octopus Energy to Launch a New Bursary for Aspiring Women Engineers
The New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) today announces a new bursary, in partnership with Octopus Energy, to open pathways for aspiring women engineers. The Octopus Energy Bursary provides a total cash award of £5,000 to four women joining as a...
Assure Technical Reappointed as Professional Advisors for Worcestershire Growth Hub
Assure Technical has, once again, been selected to act as a Professional Business Advisor for the Worcestershire Growth Hub. In this capacity, they will provide fully funded one-to-one specialist support to assist SMEs from across the county, helping them adopt...
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