£5.7 million fund launches for innovative Cumbria businesses
Firms across Cumbria are set to benefit from a £5.7 million research and development support package.
Lancaster University and the University of Cumbria are launching the second phase of the Cumbria Innovations Platform, which will deliver technical and management expertise to the county’s SMEs, helping to commercialise new products and services.
The first phase, part-funded by the European Regional Development Agency, ran between 2017 and 2020 and helped almost 140 Cumbria enterprises.
It generated 63 collaborative research projects, and saw companies develop 41 new products.
It was also selected and showcased as an exemplar project by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Figures have revealed that the economy shrank 1.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 and 8.7 since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the economy showed signs of recovery in March with a 2.1 per cent rise from retail spending as high streets began to reopen. Rishi Sunak has said the climb is a promising sign of things to come. Jo Lappin, chief executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership said: “The March GDP figures for the UK are clearly good news and a sign the national economy is recovering as it is able to open up. “However, there is still a long way to go before we recover to pre-Covid levels with March GDP still 6 per cent down on February 2020 before the pandemic.
A TRAINING firm is expanding its services after joining a partnership of colleges and other coaching companies in Cumbria. PHX Training, which has centres in Carlisle, Workington, Barrow and others in Lancashire, has joined the Edge, an initiative led by Carlisle College, as a delivery partner. Established in 2013, it supports businesses through the European Social Fund. The firm will deliver the Skills Support for the Workforce contract, commissioned by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, to help employees gain new skills and qualifications. It will also support individuals through funding by the Adult Education Budget. Briony Fawcett, managing director at PHX Training, said: “Helping people to gain new skills and improve their prospects is what we do best, and so we are thrilled to have become a part of the Edge partnership to join forces, share expertise and be able to reach even more people and businesses across Cumbria.
Training firm joins Cumbria education partnership
Briony Fawcett
A Cumbrian training specialist will provide support to even more workforces across the county as it joins an education partnership.
PHX Training, which has six centres across the North West, has joined the Edge, led by Carlisle College.
Set up in 2013, the Edge is a partnership of colleges and training providers working together to support businesses in Cumbria through a European Social Fund (ESF) contract, to provide funded training to address skills gaps and facilitate economic growth.
PHX will deliver the Skills Support for the Workforce contract in the region, alongside other partners and with Carlisle College, the accountable body, to help employees gain new skills and qualifications.