adminMore than £500,000 has been awarded to companies in the green sector in Coventry and Warwickshire as part of the Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme. A total of 64 jobs have been created and 10 jobs safeguarded by the scheme which was established throughout the West Midlands with a grant of £7.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund.
The initiative has awarded grants to businesses that specialise in renewable energy, low carbon, building technologies, manufacturing, transport or logistics. In Coventry and Warwickshire, a total of £522,850 has been allocated to help SMEs expand or diversify into green business initiatives.
Richard Seager, Business Development Manager at WMG, University of Warwick, who is part of the Green Bridge Investment Board that decides which projects to fund, said there had been five rounds of funding for businesses to submit their applications for funding. “Renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures is a growth area in business and the Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme has been a worthwhile scheme,” he said. “It is great that SMEs throughout Coventry and Warwickshire have benefited from the programme to help them develop.
“The grants have been used in the purchase of capital equipment, for business owners to move into new premises or expand their current base, work on new ideas, expand into new markets or provide courses to improve the skills of their staff.
“The Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme has the sole aim of helping environmentally-minded companies to expand or to give a helping hand to businesses that would like to diversify into this sector.
“Round seven of funding opens on Friday, March 14 when, again, grants of up to £1 million are available so this really can make a significant difference to SMEs and their growth plans.
“In round five of the funding, the most amount of money so far was awarded to Coventry and Warwickshire businesses of £160,000.
“With round six having closed and the next phase due to re-open, I would urge companies within this sector to apply because, as has already been proved, businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire are being successful with their applications for grant funding.”
The Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme is run by Birmingham City Council alongside LEPs in Coventry and Warwickshire, Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Black Country, Staffordshire and Stoke, The Marches and Worcestershire as well as the Birmingham Chamber Group and the region’s universities.
