Feeling the need to escape the home office and connect with others?

Starting in October, we’re excited to be hosting BGH Co-Working Connect, a monthly opportunity at various co-working sites across Greater Manchester.

This is your chance to work smarter in fantastic office spaces, whether you need a private spot to focus, or want to engage with other GM Business Growth Hub staff, fellow Co-Working Connectors or even clients who are also using the space. We want to encourage ‘water cooler moments’, to expand our community and enable collaborations that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

If you would like a look around the building, tours will be available. There may well be some extra curricular activity going on during the day too, to support you in connecting with others and expanding your network!

So join us and be part of the Co-Working Connect Crew

As this workshop is fully-funded, businesses are subject to funders' eligibility criteria. If your place is confirmed, you will receive an email from us with further details.

• Greater Manchester Clients Only
• Micro business, small and medium-sized enterprise, or large business.
• Social enterprises where these engage in economic activity.

For more information on how your data is stored please visit our privacy policy.

Register Here

GM Business Growth Hub is delighted to be hosting a ‘Workplace Safari’ at Thomas Kneale & Co in Ancoats.

Thomas Kneale is one of the UK’s largest B2B providers of bedroom and bathroom textiles, with a wide-ranging customer base including blue chip multi-national organisations, private businesses and a number of Government Departments. Witnessing the globalisation of the textile trade, a number of recessions and economic challenges, Thomas Kneale has remained steadfast, adapting and developing throughout.

Responding to the ever-changing business environment, the business kept on investing in different aspects of the company; reducing their carbon footprint and upskilling their workforce. In April 2023, Thomas Kneale became an inaugural recipient of the King’s Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category, awarded to just 15 businesses nationwide.

On the path of evolution, Thomas Kneale has been supported by GM Business Growth Hub. By offering their professional knowledge and business support service, The Hub helped Thomas Kneale overcome different development hurdles.

During this Workplace Safari, we will take a small group of guests to visit Thomas Kneale’s warehouse to learn about their excellent business practices (particularly around manufacturing, decarbonisation, Bee Net Zero, growth, innovation, workforce development, social impact, and health & wellbeing); have a tour of their workplace; and to network with like-minded professionals

Attendees will be expected to make their own way to and from the event and will meet at Arbry House, Unit 6 Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP at 5.15pm for a 5.30pm start. (There is plenty of free parking available)

Please note: This event is aimed at those who can affect change within their organisation. Attendance will initially be limited to one person per organisation due to the small group size.

Workplace Safaris

Workplace Safaris are a unique opportunity to hear how other organisations approach certain areas to achieve best practice, overcome challenges, and guarantee growth.

If your organisation is interested in hosting a Workplace Safari for the Hub, please contact deborah.sullivan@growthcp.uk for more information.

Data Privacy

By registering to attend you consent to your name, job title, organisation name, organisation details and your email address being shared with other attendees of this event. You may withdraw this consent at any time by emailing bghalumni@growthco.uk

During a Workplace Safari, photography and videography may be taken for use by the GM Business Growth Hub. In registering, you consent to the use of photography and videography that may include you. If you do not wish to consent to any photography or videography, you may withdraw this by emailing us at bghalumni@growthco.uk

As this workshop is fully-funded, businesses are subject to funders' eligibility criteria. If your place is confirmed, you will receive an email from us with further details.

• Greater Manchester Clients Only
• Micro business, small and medium-sized enterprise, or large business.
• Social enterprises where these engage in economic activity.

For more information on how your data is stored please visit our privacy policy.

Register Here

A chance to hear local entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders give a lightning talk about their experiences and to ask them any burning questions you may have. How they started up, the bumps in the road, how they handled the challenges, their successes and where they are heading in the future…

For this, our first Lightning Session, we welcome back Chadderton-born Ryan T Williams who was a huge hit at our BGH Alumni Summer Showcase in June. Ryan is recognised for co-founding some of the largest social media publishing brands in the UK, including the KOMI Group and It’s Gone Viral. In 2022, following a successful exit from the KOMI Group, he shifted his focus towards nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs through his mentorship and speaking engagements.

We’ll also be joined by Susanna Lawson, who founded, scaled and exited edtech business OneFile in October 2021, then went on to shape a new technology business, Circle of Trust, co-founded with Tracy Johnson. The first of its kind, Circle of Trust is a revolutionary digital word-of-mouth platform that instantly connects businesses with a vibrant community of users who are actively sharing and seeking trusted recommendations.

The line-up will be completed by our final leader, CEO of St Ann’s Hospice, Rachel McMillan. Rachel trained as a registered general nurse in the late 1980s in Manchester. For the last 20 years, she has experience in leading and managing numerous teams and organisations, developing a successful workforce, and striving to ensure goals and outcomes are met to a high standard.

Rachel is an experienced executive director and her special interests are leadership and innovation in healthcare, staff support and development, and enhancing and improving equity in healthcare, especially in the hospice sector.

As this workshop is fully-funded, businesses are subject to funders' eligibility criteria. If your place is confirmed, you will receive an email from us with further details.

• Greater Manchester Clients Only
• Micro business, small and medium-sized enterprise, or large business.
• Social enterprises where these engage in economic activity.

For more information on how your data is stored please visit our privacy policy.

Register Here