Support for community projects, small businesses and charities in rural Wiltshire
Are you working on a project or venture that is making Wiltshire an even better place?
From dance workshops to play projects, community pubs to farmers markets and everything in between – if you’re working on a small business/charity or community group in rural Wiltshire – this programme is here to help you make a significant impact within your community.
Whether you’ve got an idea for a new initiative and need support to get started, or you’re already established and need help to evolve and grow, our dedicated and fully-funded support delivered by expert trainers will put you on the path to success.
This programme is funded by Wiltshire Council and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is being delivered by the University of Bath, The Future Smiths, and TechSPARK.
Local Ventures. Community Connections. Lasting Impact.
Find out more about our support sessions
All sessions are designed to add value and deliver a hands-on approach for passionate non-profits, social enterprises and small business change-makers across Wiltshire.
As a rural community, we understand that travelling can be an issue, so we deliver our workshops online as often as possible.
Discover all sessions
There are currently no upcoming sessions. To be the first to know about any of our support sessions, view the link below:
Toolbox Series
Take your lunch break to the next level with our new Lunchtime Toolbox Series - a practical, no-pressure way to learn valuable skills in just 60–90 minutes.
Discover all sessions
There are currently no upcoming sessions. To be the first to know about any of our Toolbox sessions, view the link below:
Meet the Mentors
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Aimeé actively supports the growth of start-ups within the South West, providing design, oversight and delivery of regional funding and business support programmes. Aimeé has led high-impact initiatives, including >£4m of programmes, such as Scale-up 4 Growth Gloucestershire, the WoE Digital Innovation Fund and START.
Recognised in the top 100 innovators in the South West, winner of the 2023 Business Mentor/Advisor award, and a qualified leadership coach, Aimeé has worked with more than 130 founders as they build their businesses.
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Paula is a wordsmith, and an active member of the Wiltshire business community, hosting her own network in Chippenham and being a key member of many more.
She was a member of the Wiltshire Growth Hub team, hosting their webinar series and supporting our business community.
She loves making connections, helping people with their business challenges and being a part of their journey.
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Charly Patrick is Chief Operations Officer at techSPARK, our not for profit regional tech community.
She previously delivered the highly regarded NatWest Accelerator Programme.
She's worked with and for start-ups through her career and likes to get into the details, working out the finances and interrogating the business plan.
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Lucy has been supporting people on their founder journeys for the last twelve years, initially in Sussex before moving back to the West Country.
She delivered the Wiltshire based Innovation for Growth fund for the University of the West of England, as well as heading up techSPARK Swindon & Wiltshire, and being a part of the innovation support team at the University of Bath.
Her focus is around customers, sales, and the why of every idea - to make sure we create ventures with impact.
Eligibility
The support programme is aimed at not-for-profit social enterprises, charities, small rural businesses, or individuals passionate about community impact in rural Wiltshire. It cannot support ventures from the following areas: Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes, Warminster, Melksham, Marlborough, Calne, Corsham, Westbury, Royal Wootton Bassett, Bradford on Avon, Amesbury, Tidworth and Malmesbury.
Do get in touch if you are in one of those areas, there are other support options available.