Businesses in south Wales will be able to take advantage of a free seminar aimed at providing practical advice on how they can access finance to support their growth plans.
The British Chambers of Commerce has teamed up with the British Banking Association to deliver a series of Better Business Finance events, the next to be hosted by the South Wales Chamber of Commerce. The event, consisting of a programme of key note speeches and break-out sessions, will take place on 13 September at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cardiff.
Chaired by Graham Morgan, director of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce, the key note speaker will be Chris Nott, Head of Finance and Professional Services Panel at the Welsh Government. Representatives from the UK’s major banks, including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS and Santander, together with various other professional bodies, will be on hand to explain the support they can offer SMEs in Wales.
Break-out workshops will offer help and advice to businesses looking to raise finance and the value of a good relationship between businesses and the banking sector.
Graham Morgan, director at South Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: “Access to finance is a crucial issue for Wales’s small and medium-sized businesses, and it is important that they have a clear understanding of the support that is available to them.
“Businesses need to be able to invest and grow if we are to see a lasting private sector-led recovery, and the UK’s banking sector has an important role to play in this. It’s good to see that recent figures released showed that banks’ lending is in line with the current Project Merlin agreement, which is vital if we are to trade our way out of the recession.
“Furthermore, stronger bank-business relationships are essential to ensuring transparency between both parties, and boosting business growth and enterprise in the UK.”
Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers Association, said: “Better Business Finance is a major initiative designed to bring banks and business closer together. It is in everyone’s best interests to have a flourishing business sector.
“We are committed to ensuring that viable firms can access the finance they need to help their businesses grow and the tools they need so their enterprises can prosper. We are very lucky in having the support of the British Chambers of Commerce, who will be instrumental in reaching their members with the messages that the banks are open for business.”
Attendance at the Better Business Finance event is free, although it is necessary to pre-book a place. For more information, or to book on to the seminar, visit www.southwaleschamber.co.uk or call 01633 242827.