THE head of the CBI is the latest high-profile figure to lend his support to the Gazette-backed Local Business Accelerators campaign.
Announcing his backing, John Cridland, the director general, said: “The Local Business Accelerators campaign is an innovative scheme to help promote much needed growth in our local communities.
“Small and medium sized businesses across the country have the potential to grow and create many new jobs and, by joining forces in this way, local newspapers can help provide valuable practical support.”
The scheme, co-ordinated by the Newspaper Society, attracted 1,000 entries in the first week, with hundreds more being submitted each day to local newspapers by businesses across the UK.
Businesses to have applied already include companies in sectors such as catering, retail, technology, education, sports, creative industries and manufacturing. A teddy bear making company and a football school for youngsters are among the businesses to have applied.
Successful applicants will be rewarded with top professional advice from local business mentors plus a substantial allocation of free advertising space in their local publication.
They are also in with a chance of winning a year’s mentoring with Dragons’ Den judge Deborah Meaden - the campaign’s national ambassador.
Chris Petty, founder of Stockton-based Cornerstone Business Solutions, Dean of Teesside University Business School, Alastair Thomson, and Mike Matthews, the managing director of Stockton manufacturer Nifco UK will form the Gazette’s judging panel alongside Gazette Business Editor Mike Hughes.
They will award three local businesses with the prize of free advertising and business advice and will be looking out for that one overall star business to put forward to be in with a chance to gain Deborah Meaden as a mentor.
Mr Cridland joins high-profile figures including Prime Minister David Cameron, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Professor David Miles, of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, who have all voiced their support for the campaign.
Businesses can apply for a place on the scheme on the www.accelerateme.co.uk website until the November 14 deadline.