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Major green investment coming to Sleaford Moor Enterprise Park

Clean-tech company Clean Planet Energy has chosen Sleaford Moor Enterprise Park as the location for its second-only ecoPlant in the UK.

Pending planning approval, the proposed facility would bring 50–70 new green jobs to the area, support around 100 jobs during construction and process up to 25,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic annually, supplied from waste processing companies by contract.

Sleaford Moor Enterprise Park was selected by Clean Planet Energy for reasons including the site’s access to industrial infrastructure and its aim to lead on local sustainability and economic growth goals, in line with the Council’s priorities.

North Kesteven District Council will continue working closely with the company to support the next stages of development.

See the full story for more.

Heckington Fen Solar Park Supplier Day

Heckington Fen Solar Park are hosting an event to connect with and engage the local supply chain, as they look to collaborate with a range of suppliers.

Do you fall into any of the categories below?

  • Local accommodation provider
  • Plant hire
  • Groundworks
  • Caterers, offsite and onsite
  • Fencers
  • Concrete and aggregate
  • Landscaping
  • Security
  • Construction Labour
  • LV electrical works

If so, go along on Thursday 17 July from 12.30pm to 6.30pm at Swineshead Village Hall. If you’re unable to attend but still interested in collaborating, you can email the team at [email protected] and register your interest.

Find out more about the project.

New suite of five grants now available

The Council has launched a new suite of grants designed to support sustainable business growth, wellbeing, and flourishing communities:

  • Business Energy and Resources Grant
  • Small Business Grant
  • Flourishing Communities Grant
  • Sleaford Shopfront Grant
  • Events Grant

Visit our webpage here to find out more about each grant and how to apply: https://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/your-community/grants-communities-businesses

Championing Apprentices across Greater Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and the Lincolnshire Public Service Compact are working in partnership to host the Greater Lincolnshire Apprenticeship Champion Awards 2025.

There are four categories for entry and each award winner must demonstrate commitment, excellence in skills development and a clear drive to support both professional and personal success and growth. The categories are as follows:

The deadline for completed application forms is Monday 9 June.

See more information and apply for an award.

Applications for the SmallBiz100 are open!

In the run up to this year’s Small Business Saturday on 6th December, Small Business Saturday will again proudly showcase and promote 100 brilliant, diverse and adaptable small businesses from across the UK daily through the SmallBiz100 campaign.

Share the story behind your business, what makes it special and any future plans. Applying to the SmallBiz100 is free and provides excellent support, networking and promotional opportunities. Applications close on 30 June.

Apply here.

Starting in Business programme

New dates have been announced for Business Lincolnshire’s Starting in Business programme, a series of support to guide you through the nuts and bolts of starting and running a successful business.

The two-day workshops will be delivered online between 9.30am and 3.30pm each day. Upcoming dates include: April 24 and 25, April 28 and 29, May 12 and 13, and May 21 and 22. There will also be sessions taking place in June and July.

Express your interest at https://www.businesslincolnshire.com/register/

Find upcoming events at https://www.businesslincolnshire.com/events/

North Kesteven District Council supports HSE campaign to highlight the risk of asbestos to those working in trades

Builders, carpenters, electricians, joiners, plasterers, plumbers, and roofers, are just some of the trades being urged to take the risks of asbestos seriously. That’s the message from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The workplace regulator has launched  a new campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with the dangerous substance.

The campaign, called Asbestos and You, will target all tradespeople with a focus on younger workers in trades who have recently joined the industry. HSE wants to reach construction workers who started their careers after the use of asbestos was banned by 1999.

The regulator is concerned the length of time it takes for symptoms to develop after asbestos exposure could lead to a perception among today’s younger workers that it is something that only impacts older people who were working before the ban. Five thousand people a year still die from asbestos related illnesses and asbestos can still be found in buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000.

Asbestos containing materials were used extensively in the construction and maintenance of buildings in Great Britain from the 1950s until they were banned. That means construction workers of all ages could still be exposed to asbestos fibres today. If asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural thickening. Construction tradespeople of any age are at significant risk if they disturb materials containing asbestos during repairs and refurbishment.

More information about the HSE campaign can be found at: Asbestos & You – Work Right to keep Britain safe

How secure is your business?

The Cyber Resilience Centre for the East Midlands has free resources available to support small businesses to understand cyber security and cyber crime.

The free tools include:

  • A Small Business Guide – practical steps to improve your cyber security
  • A free cyber action plan – personalised to each business, listing ways you can protect against a cyber attack
  • Signposting to free staff training, suitable for small to medium sized enterprises and takes less than 30 minutes to complete
  • Free information packs and a 60-second quiz to assess how secure your business really is

In addition to the free tools above, there’s lots of other support available too, including paid for training and support packages.

Visit their website for more information.

New EV support announced

The Government has announced a £120 million funding package to support zero emission vehicle adoption, which extends the plug-in van grant for another year.

Businesses and van drivers can receive up to £5,000 towards electric and zero-emission vans. Additional grants are also available for taxis, motorcycles and there will be an increase in grants for wheelchair-accessible vehicles from £35,000 to £50,000.

Find out more.

What are your plans for Discover Lincolnshire Weekend?

Taking place on March 22 and 23, Discover Lincolnshire Weekend aims to shine a light on everything our county has to offer. It’s open to all attractions and businesses to get involved.

Businesses and attractions are invited to get involved and are encouraged to offer an incentive to visitors, such as a special offer or exclusive discount.

By participating in the campaign with an offer or discount, businesses can benefit from increased footfall, online presence, social media activity and possibly media coverage.

Submit your offer here.