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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.
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New PM Must Give Business ‘Breathing Space’
Responding to Andy Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister in Downing Street, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The British Chambers of Commerce would like to congratulate Andy Burnham on being appointed Prime Minister....
Latest Article
New PM Must Give Business ‘Breathing Space’
Responding to Andy Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister in Downing Street, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The British Chambers of Commerce would like to congratulate Andy Burnham on being appointed Prime Minister....
Member News
Hillscourt Hotel Celebrates Continued Commitment to Sustainability
Hillscourt Hotel and Conference Centre is proud to announce a range of sustainability initiatives that reinforce its commitment to responsible hospitality and environmental best practice. As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impact, Hillscourt has...
Hillscourt Hotel & Conference Centre Achieves Gold Neuroinclusive Venue Accreditation
Hillscourt Hotel & Conference Centre is proud to announce that it has achieved Gold Accreditation as a Neuroinclusive Venue through Welcome Brain, recognising its commitment to creating accessible, welcoming and inclusive experiences for all guests and delegates....
Patron & Strategic News
Could you be a Children’s or Young Adult’s Author? Writer’s Day Invites New Writers in Worcester
Could your idea become the next Charlie and Lola, The Hunger Games, or Where the Wild Things Are? Aspiring writers, experienced authors, and anyone curious about writing for younger audiences are invited to Writer’s Day 2026 at The Hive in Worcester, where this year’s...
Ormerod Rutter Chartered Accountants Opens New Audit Centre
Leading Worcestershire accountants, Ormerod Rutter, has opened its third premises in Droitwich, Layton House. The new facility serves as a dedicated centre for audit excellence, housing the firm’s rapidly growing audit team. The expansion reflects significant...
Chamber News
COP28: An Overview
COP 28 refers to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023. UN Climate Change conferences (or COPs) take place every year, and are the world’s only multilateral...
Chair’s Report
I have just read a piece of research by Potter Spaces and Savills, highlighted by Sam Merrett – Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Executive – that I feel very nicely sums up the lack of smaller to medium size industrial spaces...
Our Latest Member
Introducing ‘Where Next’ to Chamber Membership!
Established in 1984, Where Next is a local charity offering day services to young people and adults with learning disabilities enabling them to fulfil their potential. This includes offering real life work placements through our community based social enterprises...
Introducing ‘Where Next’ to Chamber Membership!
Established in 1984, Where Next is a local charity offering day services to young people and adults with learning disabilities enabling them to fulfil their potential. This includes offering real life work placements through our community based social enterprises...
Policy News
Unfilled Jobs Still Holding Back Economy
Reacting to the latest ONS Labour Market data issued today, BCC Head of People Policy, Jane Gratton, said: “Skills shortages and unfilled job vacancies are the stark reality for many businesses across all sectors and regions. “We still have more than a million job...
Weak GDP highlights continued fragility of UK economy
Reacting to the latest ONS GDP figures, David Bharier, Head of Research at the BCC, said: “The first estimate of GDP for Q1 2023 of 0.1% growth indicates the UK is avoiding a recession and shows the resilience of businesses who are having to weather serious headwinds....
Skills News
Pershore land-based service engineering apprentices hit perfect pass rate
Land-based service engineering apprentices at Pershore College have achieved a 100 per cent pass rate on their end point assessments (EPAs) for the first ever time. Pershore College, which is part of WCG, is the only provider of the apprenticeship standard in...
New government Kickstart scheme creates over 19,000 work placements
The Treasury has announced that the government’s jobs scheme for young people has helped to create more than 19,000 work placements across the UK so far. The Kickstart Scheme was first announced in July in order to tackle the rising unemployment due to the coronavirus...
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...
More Clouds Gathering Over Business Confidence
Confidence among firms has continued to weaken, with tax remaining the biggest concern, according to the UK’s largest business sentiment survey. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey also found more businesses now expect to raise prices in...
BCC News
More Clouds Gathering Over Business Confidence
Confidence among firms has continued to weaken, with tax remaining the biggest concern, according to the UK’s largest business sentiment survey. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey also found more businesses now expect to raise prices in...
Worcestershire News
How You Can Help Acorns Be Stronger Together for Local Children and Families this Christmas
Do something amazing this Christmas and help Acorns Children’s Hospice be there for local families who need it most this holiday season. There are lots of ways you can help the charity be stronger together for families caring for children with life limiting and life...
Christmas Sing Out for Malvern & Worcester Food Banks
On Thursday 23rd November, 180 pupils from Primary Schools around Worcestershire gathered at Malvern St James Girls’ School for the “Big Sing”, a celebration of children’s voices. Each child taking part in the Big Sing was encouraged to bring one or more items to...
Herefordshire News
Family Favourite Lakefest back at Eastnor Castle this August
With only a few months to go until the event, festival-goers are urged to purchase their tickets while they are still available. The popular local festival is taking place on 10th– 13th August and is set to be an amazing weekend. Set in the sublimely picturesque...
Hereford event will take the mystery out of innovation
Businesses from across the Marches are being invited to a free event which will take some of the mystery out of innovation. The Marches Growth Hub and Innovate UK have teamed up to stage the workshop in Hereford next month to give businesses an expert insight into how...
All Latest News
Wickens Showcases Engineering Expertise with New Video Highlighting Storage Solutions in Action
Wickens Engineering has launched a new video offering a behind-the-scenes look at its specialist storage solutions, giving customers and industry professionals a clear view of the quality, scale and precision that underpin its work. The video, now available on the...
Books Come to Life in New University Lecture Series Talk
What makes books more than words on a page? And why does the physical, tactile experience of printing still matter in a digital world? In the latest talk in the Engine Room Lecture Series from the University of Worcester, researcher and artist-printer Dr Angie Butler...
Immersive 1940s events return to the Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is inviting visitors to relive the spirit of wartime Britain as its much-loved Step Back to the 1940s weekends return this summer, taking place across two consecutive weekends on 27–28 June and 4–5 July. Promising an immersive journey into...
“I had no idea what the result was going to be” – Dandelion Video Production’s Adam Hanslow-Smith takes a DISC assessment live on his own podcast
Most personality tests get dismissed as online quizzes with vague results. But when Adam Hanslow-Smith, founder of Dandelion Video Production, sat down with DISC Practitioner Dawn Hardman for the latest episode of the What Do You Do? podcast, he didn’t just...
Midlands businesses urged to step up for young people facing homelessness with St Basils Hike for Homeless 2026
Businesses across the Midlands are being urged to swap boardrooms for walking boots this summer as St Basils launches Hike for Homeless 2026, a powerful team challenge with real impact for young people facing homelessness. Taking place on Saturday 20 June 2026 at...
Research Project to Support People Living with Dementia and Hearing Loss
A new research project is launching to tackle a long-overlooked challenge in social care: how to better support people living with both dementia and hearing loss through improved use of hearing aid technologies, staff training, and noise-aware environments. The Turn...
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