Business Support Organisations
Oxford Business Mentors
Oxford Business Mentors offers free mentoring for business owners by business owners. This service is delivered using a team of trained and experienced mentors who all run successful businesses themselves. Sessions can be delivered at our own centres or at company premises. Mentors can assist with a whole range of topics from drawing up of business plans to expanding an already successful company.
Oxford Business Mentors: 01865 893305
Oxfordshire Business Enterprises (OBE)
Oxfordshire Business Enterprises provides a high quality free counselling service to anyone thinking about starting up their own business. OBE will continue to provide ongoing mentoring and a comprehensive range of business services throughout the first two to three years of business development.
OBE: 01295 227082
Fredericks Oxfordshire
Fredericks Oxfordshire is a local loan fund for viable businesses that have been turned down by a bank or a mainstream lender. The business can be at any stage - money to start-up; capital to expand the business; or funds to bridge a gap. Business support is an integral part of the loan package - a loan from Fredericks comes with business mentoring for the duration of the loan.
Fredericks Oxfordshire: 01865 893383
UK Trade and Investment (UK T&I)
Uk Trade and Investment offer new, novice and experienced exporters tailored, impartial and expert advice on winning business overseas. They combine the skills of 38 private sector, International Trade Advisers with the national resources of the Department of Trade & Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Moreover, their global network of local experts, based at British Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions, ensure you can tap into an unrivalled depth of business knowledge and expertise.
UK T&I: 08457 354555
Manufacturing Advisory Service
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) helps businesses involved in manufacturing become more efficient and profitable. MAS advisors are all extremely experienced in both hands on shop floor working and management. They will help you streamline processes, reduce waste, become more energy efficient and generally improve your business.
The average improvements in companies following MAS support is recorded as:
- Productivity Improvement 25%
- Scrap / Defect Reduction 26%
- Improved Space Utilization 33%
- On Time Delivery Improvement 26%
- Increased Stock Turnover 33%
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness 45%
MAS: 0845 6092121
Business Coaching For Growth
Business Coaching For Growth (BCFG) develops a bespoke program of services to help each client business achieve their growth potential.
Typically, these bespoke services comprise:
- Tailored assistance from one or more coaching experts in different business development fields
- Access to financial coaching including introductions to funding sources
- Innovate or fail - covering product development, intellectual property, sales and marketing
Whether through one-to-one sessions, tailored solutions or small master classes (or a combination of all three), Business Coaching for Growth will help to drive business forward to meet growth potential.
BCFG: 08444 632995
Business Link
Business Link is government's online resource for businesses. It contains essential information, support and services for you and your business - whether you work for a large organisation or are on your way to starting up. Business Link is the first place to go to find guidance on regulations and to access government services. It also has a number of useful online tools, calculators, and best practice case studies; and provides access to funding options, as well as wider support.
Business Link: www.businesslink.gov.uk
Princes Trust
The UK's largest youth charity. Through a variety of programmes it helps 14-30 years olds build confidence, gain skills and get into work and start their own business . The core programme is:
Business Start-up: low interest loans, grants, mentors and other support for 18-30 year olds who want to start a business.
Personnel Development through a unique training programme called Volunteers. Unemployed and employed alike work as a team on community projects and other challenges, helping them develop skills, build confidence, get job opportunities and have fun.
Clubs for underachieving students The network of xl clubs give young people the confidence and motivation to continue in education.
Group Awards of money grants for groups of 14-25 year olds with ideas for projects to help their communities.
Princes Trust: 01372 844101
Co-operative Futures
Co-operative Futures provides free business advice and support service to groups of people wanting to set up a co-operative or other form of social enterprise. It covers the whole of Oxfordshire and its advisors will travel out to see people. It is one of the leading policy promoters in the field of social enterprise. It is involved in national networks and is able to use its experience of working with social enterprises and co-operatives on the ground to influence the policies and strategies that are developed. It also believes that this is a two way process and that the policies highlight the strengths of the sector and accurately reflect its needs.
Co-operative Futures: 0845 4562 506
Ethnic Minority Business Service
The Ethnic Minority Business Service's (EMBS) key aims are:
- To help members of ethnic minority communities to start new businesses in potentially viable market areas with the assistance of existing services.
- To encourage and promote the expansion of existing ethnic businesses through the provision of specialist advice and assistance from existing services.
- To provide skills training to improve access to the labour market specifically in Business Start-Up Skills, Information Technology, Sewing, Basic Literacy, Numeracy and Communication Skills.
EMBS provides:
- Free advice and training to pre-start and established businesses.
- Free vocational training in Information Technology, Basic Skills and Sewing.
Ethnic Minority Business Service: 01865 794431
