The Victoria in Newton got involved with the Helping Hands project HAS there ever been a year like this for business? The monumental challenges of the pandemic – from the various lockdowns, restrictions and social distancing to the furloughing of staff and the need to apply for emergency grants – have left many bosses and their staff with their heads spinning. It has been an ever-changing landscape and businesses have had to react and adapt fast to new ways of working. Many have also been reliant on that government funding for their very survival. At the start of this month, more than £29m in government grants had been paid out to more than 3,000 businesses via St Helens Borough Council.