More than 15,600 people have turned to the Marches Growth Hub to help start, or grow, their business since it launched one year ago.

Business Minister and Local Growth Champion for the Marches, Jesse Norman MP sent a message to the Hub to mark their first anniversary. He said: “There are now one million more small businesses in the UK than in 2010, creating jobs and driving local economies and communities.

“Growth Hubs play an important role in combining national and local support, encouraging entrepreneurial spirit across the country. I congratulate The Marches Growth Hub on its first anniversary, helping over 15,000 ambitious people start up and grow their own businesses.”

Developed by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, the hub is a single point of access to business support information and advice in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. The service’s business friendly website at www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk and telephone helpline was launched in October 2015, with Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire opening at Skylon Park in November 2015.

Paul Hinkins, Chairman of the Marches Growth Hub, said the website had received nearly 20,000 visits since it launched and more than 3,600 businesses had attended 194 Marches Growth Hub events.

“When we launched the Marches Growth Hub, our aim was to simplify the way businesses could access the information they needed to help start and grow their enterprises.

“We have been delighted with the way the business community has engaged with the Marches Growth Hub services. To mark the first anniversary, the hub website has unveiled a new look – making it even easier for visitors to search more than 120 different business support products and services on offer, including finance and funding programmes offering grants of between £10,000 to £200,000.