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.
Empowering Local Employers with AI & Automation: Free Apprenticeship Insights Webinar Announced for 13th February
Local employers are invited to join a high‑value, free online event designed to help organisations understand and embrace the fast‑evolving world of artificial intelligence and automation. Coinciding with National Apprentiecship Week 2026, the AI & Automation...
Latest Article
Empowering Local Employers with AI & Automation: Free Apprenticeship Insights Webinar Announced for 13th February
Local employers are invited to join a high‑value, free online event designed to help organisations understand and embrace the fast‑evolving world of artificial intelligence and automation. Coinciding with National Apprentiecship Week 2026, the AI & Automation...
Member News
University Women’s Team Head Undefeated into the New Year
The University of Worcester’s Women’s Football Team are chasing promotion, as they enter the new year unbeaten after a record-breaking first half of the season. The side has won all eight of its league and cup fixtures so far, scoring 96 goals and conceding just once....
Budget consultation for businesses
Worcester City Council is the only organisation exclusively dedicated to serving Worcester’s 106,700 residents, but we face tough decisions as we consider how your money should be spent and what our priorities should be for the year ahead. Every year the Council is...
Patron & Strategic News
L. G. Harris & Co. Ltd. Recognised with Royal Warrant of Appointment
L. G. Harris & Co. Ltd. has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment by His Majesty King Charles III as Manufacturers of Paint Brushes and Painters’ Tools, continuing a proud association with the Royal Household that began in 1961 under Her Late Majesty Queen...
Worcester Law Graduate Becomes Partner Just Four Years After Graduation
After fulfilling her long-held dream of a career in law, a solicitor and University of Worcester graduate has been made partner at a law firm – just four years after graduating. Esme House reached this milestone with Worcestershire-based QualitySolicitors Parkinson...
Chamber News
PM’s Announcement Seen as Encouragement for our Defence Sector.
By the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Recently Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak announced a landmark increase in the UK’s defence budget whilst on a visit to Poland. This increase will be 2.5% of national income by 2030, allocating...
Chair’s Report April 2024
There’s lots happening at the Chamber as we move, hopefully, towards Spring and Summer. Numerous events for all levels of membership, dinners, networking events and the Awards Gala in June. There will also be news regarding a re-vamped and enlarged Expo for October....
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
Autumn Budget 2024 – Strategic Insights for Farmers Facing New Inheritance Tax Caps
The 2024 Autumn Budget raised employers’ national insurance, capital gains tax and stamp duty on second homes, but a key concern for farmers is the new cap on agricultural relief from inheritance tax (IHT). In what is a major blow for the farming community, Chancellor...
Autumn Budget 2024: Key Points
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered Labour’s first Budget since 2010, after the party’s return to power in July’s general election. Here are some key points to take away from the Autumn Budget. Personal Tax and benefits The Minimum wage for adults over 21 is set to...
Skills News
£7 million fund launched to support more flexible apprenticeship opportunities
Sectors including the creative, agriculture and construction industries can now bid for a share of a £7 million fund to support the creation of new flexible apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are at least 12 months long, so some sectors with flexible employment patterns...
Innovative students celebrated in county STEM Challenges programme
Worcestershire schools have been getting involved in STEM challenge workshops to help inspire their pupils. After being postponed in 2020, the Worcestershire Primary School STEM Challenge made a return in 2021 alongside the new Middle School STEM Challenge which was...
Charity News
Terminally Ill Residents In Remote Region Of Tanzania, East Africa Receiving Expert Care Thanks To The Herefordshire-based Charity Muheza Hospice Care
An ever-increasing number of people living with terminal illness in a remote area of east Africa are receiving expert care and support thanks to the generosity of a Herefordshire charity. Muheza Hospice Care was set-up more than two decades ago by Doctors Karilyn and...
Boxes of HOPE for Christmas
Boxes of Hope: Help Feed Zimbabwean Children This Christmas – https://fth.org.uk/boxes-of-hope/welcome.php As Zimbabwe grapples with a severe food crisis, exacerbated by extended droughts and soaring temperatures, the nation’s most vulnerable people are facing...
Business Still Sceptical On Employment Rights Bill
One third (33%) of businesses, in a BCC survey, think the current trade union proposals in the Employment Rights Bill would have a negative impact Only 2% of these firms think these proposals would be positive 79% of firms don’t feel the impact of new government...
BCC News
Business Still Sceptical On Employment Rights Bill
One third (33%) of businesses, in a BCC survey, think the current trade union proposals in the Employment Rights Bill would have a negative impact Only 2% of these firms think these proposals would be positive 79% of firms don’t feel the impact of new government...
Worcestershire News
Nigel Huddleston MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Visits Local Business Blue Print Direct Mail (BP)
On Friday 19th April Nigel visited BP to discuss the implications of changes proposed by Ofcom to the Universal Service Obligation (USO). BP reached out to Mr Huddleston to raise concerns regarding these proposals and the effect it would have on the business and BP’s...
Severn Valley Railway wins UK Transport Award
The Severn Valley Railway has won a UK Transport Award as the Best Regional Heritage Railway Attraction for 2024. The UK Transport Awards are run by SME News, a quarterly digital publication aimed at small to medium businesses. They are given to commend companies that...
Herefordshire News
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...
Wyevale Nurseries sponsored Tatton designs win Best Long Border, two Golds & three Silver Gilts
FIVE of the Wyevale Nurseries sponsored ‘Sensory Long Border’ designs featured at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Flower Show at Tatton Park this week have won top awards including Best Long Border (July 19-23, 2023). The designs were by final year University...
All Latest News
Small Firms Need More Help to Unlock Trade Opportunities
New data from the British Chambers of Commerce Insights Unit, published at the start of International Trade Week, shows a widening divide between the fortunes of different sized UK exporters. The Trade Confidence Outlook results underline the need for urgent...
Regional Employers Eager to Snap Up University Talent
Dozens of regional employers gathered at the University of Worcester’s Careers Fair to connect with students and scout future graduate talent. Held on campus by the University’s Business School, hundreds of students were able to meet representatives from companies...
West Midlands employers honoured with top Defence award for Armed Forces support
Nineteen organisations from across the West Midlands region have been recognised with the Ministry of Defence’s highest Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) honour – the Gold Award – for their outstanding commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community. The...
Custom GPTs: The Next Leap in Business Productivity
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic idea – it’s quietly transforming how we work. One of the most promising developments is the rise of custom GPTs: AI assistants that can be tailored to an organisation’s own data, language, and way of working....
Our New Website Has Officially Gone Live !!
After years of struggling to create a website that was as accessible as possible for our candidates, today we can officially announce our brand-new website has gone live!! We wanted to give a huge thank you to Chris and Neil from VOiD Applications for building the...
Paddling Beyond Limits: A Journey of Adventure and Healing in Mongolia
Rosemary Sales – Wye Knot Community This year I embarked on what would become the most extraordinary adventure of my life: leading the first British group to canoe the uncharted Delgermörön River in Mongolia. Over 300 kilometres of remote waterways, our team...
Want to submit a story?
If you would like to read our guide to submitting a story click here