Local business support in response to Coronavirus

Local businesses have been providing a wide range of support and services across the borough in response to the Coronavirus. Equally hard hit by the pandemic, a range of financial support was announced by the Government over the last two weeks.

There are nearly 6,000 local businesses eligible for a Business Rate support grant with payments expected to start on Wednesday 1 April. In order to make payments quickly and avoid delays of posting cheques the Council is appealing to businesses to provide their bank details this can be done securely using an online form: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/covid19grants 

The data capture site was published on Friday and has been a great success so far with 500 businesses logging in to update their bank details. The more businesses that do this the quicker the much needed financial support can be provided.

Councillor Carol Gahan, Cabinet Member for Legal and Finance, said: “There has been tremendous support from our businesses across the borough and a big thank you to everyone who has been able to help.

“Many businesses of course have had to be closed temporarily and a wide range of support has been announced. I’d like to encourage local businesses to visit our support page and complete the secure form so that the Business Rate support grant can be paid as quickly as possible from 1 April. This can be done securely using an online form.”

CH1 ChesterBID has produced a web page for businesses to share ways they can continue to offer support throughout this public health emergency, this ranges from delivery services, gift vouchers, online sales or take away food and drink: https://experiencechester.co.uk/chestertogether/.

The Cheshire Community Foundation has launched a Cheshire & Warrington COVID-19 Response Fund to support charities facing increased demand. The Fund will support charitable projects providing activities that help vulnerable people self-isolating, provide funding to coordinate community response and support volunteers, and increase capacity for organisations providing emergency support, such as foodbanks or benefits advice. http://cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/community-foundation-launches-cheshire-and-warrington-covid-19-response-fund/

The John Lewis Parternership: has launched a £1million Community Support Fund to be distributed by local Waitrose branches. Help could include setting up additional local delivery services to support the self-isolating, the vulnerable, the elderly and those looking after them; delivering boxes of staples to local care homes and community groups, and donating products to create care packages for customers to share with vulnerable neighbours.

In response to the pandemic the Steve Morgan Foundation has introduced an emergency fund to support charities and not for profit companies in Merseyside, North Wales and Cheshire west of the M6. The fund, of up to £1 million a week for an initial 12 weeks, will be open to charities and not for profit organisations across the region to help with the costs of additional emergency services to support people affected by the virus; it will also help charities experiencing a loss of fundraising revenue to stay in business. https://stevemorganfoundation.org.uk/

Local businesses are also being asked to contact the Government during the Coronavirus pandemic if they can offer support for:

• medical testing equipment
• medical equipment design
• protective equipment for healthcare workers, such as masks, gowns and sanitiser
• hotel rooms
• transport and logistics, for moving goods or people
• manufacturing equipment
• warehouse or office space, for medical use or storage
• expertise or support on IT, manufacturing, construction, project management, procurement, engineering or communications
• social care or childcare

There is an online form: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-from-business