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Our charity has developed in exactly the way that was planned despite the ever-changing operational circumstances of Covid-19 .
We have seen positive progress through our four key strategic partnership projects : The Compassionate Community Hub ; our new Debt Advice Club ; our enhanced DWP Partnerships ; and our new partnership around a Bath Spa University Law Clinic .
A year that started on such a positive note , with a Royal Visit from HRH Princess Anne , has ended in another lockdown and remote working for us as an organisation .
It has indeed been a rollercoaster and we have had to adapt accordingly as a charity . Earlier this year we completed a full cloud migration using Microsoft Office 365 , allowing us all to work together remotely and stay in touch via Teams . We have also adapted the way we use our office in Edgar Buildings , allowing us to provide a limited , Covid-secure face-to-face offer here for those most in need or unable to access our services online .
We have had to consider all options and apply for extra support , such as the Government ’ s BEIS and Kickstart funding
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as well as the Money and Pensions Advice funding announced earlier this year .
We have instigated a new “ triage ” call system to handle more enquiries remotely and our website has been updated and continues to do well .
We have been able to upskill volunteers with the increased Training Supervisor resource and we are also part of the national Citizens Advice volunteer recruitment drive , helping us to prepare for the anticipated tsunami of extra enquiries over the coming months .
Our three-year strategic business plan has been updated to reflect the operational challenges of Covid and it has also been aligned with our original ‘ six pillar strategy ’ which guides us in our aim to deliver a sustainable , growing and successful Citizens Advice B & NES .
Turning to our Business Development and Fundraising delivery , the excellent continuing support from St Johns Foundation allowed this work to flourish under Doug Eason ’ s stewardship ; our Trusts and Foundations work has been most successful .
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We are hoping that regular donations will increase with our full 80,000 leaflet mail out across B & NES and we have also applied for extra Help to Claim DWP monies alongside numerous other grants and funding .
This year has shown that we need to work together more than ever now to succeed . I must pay huge thanks and gratitude to our brilliant staff team , our amazing volunteers , our trustees and our strategic partners B & NES Council , VirginCare and B & NES 3SG . Thank you all !
Lastly , I want to add a personal thanks to Anita , Sian and the incredible Business Exchange team – we really could not do it without you . Thank you so much for all your help and support to this region and its community in a truly different year !
Keep safe and well - and here ’ s to a happy and healthy 2021 to us all !
For more info : www . citizensadvicebanes . org . uk
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les . redwood @ cab-banes . org |
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Every business will have their own story of the impact of Coronavirus and we ’ ve heard some heart-breaking ones during the course of the past year as people who have committed their life , energy and passion towards the business they loved faced the most dreadful of choices and scenarios and even wondered whether they would actually survive to tell the tale .
It has felt both an honour and a privilege at the FSB to be able to help some of these businesses where we could . Yes , significant amount of people were left out of the various support packages - something which we have been ( and still are ) lobbying about - but it was enormously impressive to see how our councils and banks locally used their skill and shrinking resources to speedily get grants and loans out to many in a way we ’ ve never previously seen in this country .
It would be very easy now to look ahead
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and just be filled with gloom as we consider the businesses we ’ ve lost , the jobs which have disappeared and the huge uncertainty around both our personal , business and national finances . But , for all those that are really worried about whether we can ever return , I can sum up a simple reason to believe in one word – August .
As Covid numbers started to fall and the Government introduced its excellent ( and totally unexpected ) ‘ Eat Out To Help Out ’ scheme things genuinely ( for one fleeting month at least ) looked brighter again . Our shops were busy , restaurants and pubs and bars were doing fantastic trade and there was even a tentative ( although still very small ) rebirth for our especially beleaguered hospitality / tourism venues . Optimism and confidence really rose and although it was to come down quite quickly in September and October I hope that we can all remember August because that
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showed no matter how bad things get there is still a chance of recovery .
My hope for 2021 , therefore , is that some of that confidence we saw in August is returned and we have a solid revival . We know , sadly , it will be too late for some businesses but in every recession many new great businesses are formed and older ones come back looking better equipped for the future so I really , truly hope that is what we see in the coming year .
Can I just wish everyone in the area a fantastic Christmas and a happy New Year and I ’ m sure I won ’ t be alone in making sure I stay up till midnight on 31st December – not to welcome 2021 but just to make sure 2020 has genuinely left us ....
If you want to know more about the FSB please visit www . fsb . org . uk or ( for Bath ), contact sam . holliday @ fsb . org . uk or ( for Somerset ) ruth . lambert @ fsb . org . uk
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@ FSBGlosandWoe |
12 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2020 |