Wandsworth Business Support Network (WBSN)

Are you looking to grow your business or start a new business?
The following organisations provide a wide range of advice and support to established and new businesses.  If you are planning to start a new business or looking to take your existing business to the next level one or more of the following organisations can provide professional advice and support.  These organisations are all members of Wandsworth Business Support Network (WBSN).  The schedule below contains a synopsis of the service offered by each organisation and if a service seems appropriate to your needs please click on the hyperlink to the organisation's website for more information and contact details.

Beneath the WBSN member organisations there is an alphabetical list of other useful business support organisations including national organisations and government departments.  There is a hyperlink to each website.

Broadoak Training Centre (St Francis Xavier College).
ICT training for business and individuals – Microsoft IT Academy offering certified professional technical training. Information, Advice & Guidance service, Small conference / meeting facilities available. Convenient location close to all public transport links. Exciting range of evening classes including languages, wine appreciation and fitness.

Business Link London
Telephone enquiry service and comprehensive website providing free impartial, expert advice & information.  500+ Business Fact Sheets, Business News + monthly newsletter service.  Information on Seminars, Workshops & Networking Events.  Comprehensive grant search. Over 40 on-line tools, Start Quest, a six week on-line business planning course, a free business review service (available face to face or on-line), plus searchable directories of support.

Fredericks Foundation: Enterprising Minds
Provide micro-funding and a range of business support solutions for people with mental health issues, who have chosen self-employment as a way of making a living.

GLE oneLondon Business Advice Service
Business Planning Services, Mentoring / Funding. Training & Development Programmes. The Start Up Fund. Growth Fund. Business Angels Network.

Learning Skills Council London Central
Further Education, Work-based Training, Workforce Development. Adult and Community Training. Information, advice & guidance. Education Business Links.

Leonard Cheshire Disability
Leonard Cheshire Disability is one of the UK's largest charities, with the aim of changing attitudes to disability and serving disabled people.  Ready to Start is an initiative aimed at encouraging and providing support for disabled people to start their own business.

London Innovation Centre
Provides high quality managed workspace and specialist business support services for high growth potential businesses in south London. New and existing business can take advantage of the business support services whether or not they are based at the centre.

Prevista
Provides accessible and effective support, training and quality advice to small and medium sized businesses across London. Specialist advice for new, start up and established businesses, staff and management development, structured business advice and support (such as business plan development, finance and money, marketing, accessing finance, staff training and human resources).

Roehampton University
Tailor made solutions including : - (Consultancy. Research & Development) Courses and Training. Professional Development. Student Recruitment & Placements. Conference Facilities and other Business Services.

Skills Training UK Ltd
Provides a "Routes to Employment" advisory service in conjunction with Job Centre Plus.

South Thames College
The college has a dedicated professional training division delivering quality work related training programmes to businesses at competitive rates. Our experienced team works closely with local businesses to help guide you through the maze of government initiatives and funding available to help you upgrade the skills of your staff. Services include advice and bespoke training, training needs analysis, individualised qualification frameworks and on-premise training. Call 020 8918 7272 to speak to one of our Account Managers.

The Advice Business
Do you want your business to grow? We are a team who are not consultants but who have been there for ourselves. The team have helped nearly 300 business owners in Wandsworth to achieve their dreams and goals. You can have an experienced team working with you, giving practical advice and shortcuts to achieve your ambitions, hopes and dreams.

TNG Business Support
Assisting unemployed become self-employed. Working with Job centre Plus, Work Based Learning for Adults. New Deal for the Self Employed. General Business advice and counselling.

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce
Advice. Networking. Membership Services. Specialist Workshops. Information. Business Directory.

Wandsworth Council, Adult & Community Learning
Wide range of education and training opportunities for adults. Family learning.

Wandsworth Council, Economic Development Office
Advice / Networking, Town Centre Information Scheme. Partnerships. Vacant Premises Information. Training and Development.

Wandsworth Youth Enterprise Centre
Support for young people aged 16-30 to start and develop a business. Free introductory workshops. Free One to One business counselling. Accredited training such as short courses and workshops. Low cost Business Start-Up Units.

Westminster Kingsway College
Offers a wide range of high quality bespoke training programmes to businesses across London. Identify training needs. Skills to maintain the competitive edge.

 Useful Business Support Links. 

3DChange
3D Change provide information and assistance on compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

ACAS
Aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations.  They provide up-to-date information, independent advice, high quality training and work with employers and employees to solve problems and improve performance.

Apronet
Is a virtual meeting point where people meet and exchange ideas and projects with other people and provides European and International business contacts, with the ultimate aim to provide worldwide business contacts.

Better Payments Practice Group
A cooperative forum of representatives of the business community and Government that seeks to help improve the payment culture amongst organisations trading in the UK. 

Bized
A Business related online service. The site offers support for economics, business, accounting, leisure and recreation and travel and tourism.

Business Premises. (Advice)
The Communities and Local Government website publishes a free booklet entitled "Thinking of taking on business premises".  The document is comprehensive but straightforward and should be helpful for anyone planning a new business or hoping to move to new premises. It also contains contact details for a number of professional bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Law Society.

Business Rates 
Information on business rates, or to contact the council's business rates section.

Capital Enterprise (CE) 
A not-for-profit membership organisation which exists to help businesses start-up and grow through its membership of enterprise support organisations (enterprise agencies) across London.

CE run member services and oversee pan-London enterprise support programmes to clients through their members. It also act as a voice for their members with major London stakeholder & funding bodies in the enterprise support sector, such as the LDA, Learning & Skills Council and Business Link.

Central London Partnership (CLP)
A partnership that has been established to provide a vehicle to consider and promote the needs of central London, as well as devise solutions to make it a better place in which to live, work, invest and visit. 

Chartered Management Institute
The Chartered Management Institute is the only chartered professional body that is dedicated to management and leadership.  They are committed to raising the performance of business by championing management.  They do this through supporting and advising individuals and organisations, or through engaging policy makers and key influencers in government and the management profession.

Clearly Business
Developing and providing software, information, best practice guides, news, and services designed to ensure the growth, efficiency and success of UK small businesses.

Communities and Local Government
This government department has responsibility for a range of issues including Planning, Building Regulations and Regeneration.  In particular this department publishes a free advice booklet entitled "Thinking of taking on a business premises", see link above under Business Premises (Advice).

CompeteFor
This is a groundbreaking tool, specifically designed to give businesses access to supply chain opportunities generated by the London 2012 Games.  Both the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) have chosen CompeteFor for the publication of all Games-related contracts.  This means that potentially tens of thousands of contracts will be available via this single, easy-to-use portal.

Confederation of British Industry
Works actively on a wide range of areas that have huge importance for the business community.

Confidential Business Support  (26 Kb)
Is provided by way of the "Moving on in Business" project.  A team of advisors is available to support you to set up and grow your new business on a more formal basis by providing advice on forward planning, marketing and record keeping as well as issues such as VAT, Income Tax and National Insurance – and it all costs you nothing! 
There is also access to a loan fund if your bank has felt unable to financially support the growth of your business.

Corporate London
Information for anyone connected with business in London. 
 
Cross River Partnership 
Cross River Partnership's creative regeneration solutions, creates physical and social links between the two sides of the river in central London, breaking down barriers and creating conditions for economic growth.
 
Customs & Excise  
Helps your business deal with VAT, Customs, Excise and all other related matters 
  
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Working with businesses, employees and consumers. 

Euro Information Centres
Invaluable business opportunity source to help you develop your business in Europe, including details of all governemnt contract tenders available to bid for, over min. size.

Government Office for London  
This website provides a wide range of industry related information which is appropriate to local and nationally based businesses.
 
Inland Revenue 
Things you need to think about when you're running a business, especially the main tax and National Insurance issues.

Insurance4business
Provides information for companies wishing to learn more about business insurance and the different types of cover available.  The site is simple to use and contains links to professional organisations that can help small businesses obtain advice about the cover they need.

Kingston University Services for Business
Kingston University provide a wide range of services for business.  Visit their website to take advantage of their expertise and facilities in areas including Enterprise Exchange; Economic Research and Intelligence; Recruitment Services and Short Courses.

Knowledge Connect
Knowledge Connect offer up to £10,000 funding for small London companies who wish to work on a project which will benefit their business.  Companies will work with a specialist who has expertise in their sector and be offered business support throughout the project.  See website for details and to request an application form.  Funded by the London Development Agency.

Law Society 
Solicitor / Lawyer business advice.

London 2012
The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games offers a unique opportunity for businesses of all sizes to find new trading partners, enter new markets and compete for contracts.

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Created by businesses in London to help each other and to make London a place where business thrives.
 
London Development Agency (LDA) 
The LDA supports the capital's economic growth, both as a world business centre and as a balanced regional economy. This includes work to promote London as a prime business location for domestic and foreign investment, combined with a programme of strategic support for business and working with partners to develop ideas and innovation.

London Excellence
Primary source of information on the use of the EFQM Excellence Model in London.  The model provides a management framework that can guide your continuous improvement activities.

London First
Mobilises businesses and other organisations to commit to using their leadership, knowledge and networks of contacts to improve and promote the capital.

London Manufacturing Advisory Service. (LMAS)
offers advice and support to help manufacturers improve productivity and performance.

LondonMICE is an extensive online directory of venues & suppliers whose aim is to help promote and support the companies listed and to encourage greater co-operation between them.

London Net Directory
An online Internet directory for London. Categories include; Business in London, Community Organisations, Local Government.

Netregs 
Helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK to understand the complex environmental regulations that can affect them. The site provides guidance on how to comply with environmental law as well as advice on good environmental practice.

Shell STEP
Helps small and medium sized business to develop their potential by providing the high level skills and enthusiasm of the UK's brightest undergraduates.

Small Business Advice Service
Aims to provide a strong voice for small businesses at the heart of government, to improve the regulatory environment for small businesses, and to ensure that all small businesses have access to world class business support services. The site offers useful business information & advice.  

Social Enterprise Coalition
UKs national body for social enterprise. The voice for the sector, influencing national policy and promoting best practice.

Social Enterprise London
Promotes community, best practice, advocacy & development - working directly with individuals, organisations and regional government to help them realise their vision in the social enterprise sector

South London Business
Business-led public / private partnership that promotes the economic development of South London. Represents and promotes South London's business interests by lobbying central, regional and local government.

SLB has developed the Business Retention Interview Team (BRIT) to work with businesses to retain their presence, and retain jobs, in South London. The team is made up of staff from SLB and representatives from the local chambers of commerce and the Society of London Manufacturers. 

The BRIT is also undertaking specialist surveys in the manufacturing, construction and creative industries sectors within the local borough.

South London Partnership (SLP) 
Promotes the interests of South London. It has an ambitious vision, identifying broad areas for action, underpinned by investment in public transport and service, to create a vigorous and diverse economy in South London. Brings business, public sector, health, transport and education together. 

The SLP consists of the London Boroughs of Bromley, Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth; Kingston University; Business Link for London; London South Learning and Skills Council, South London Business and South London Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Starting a Business 
Information for people starting , buying , or expanding a business
 
Tenders Direct 
Providing information on government and utility company tenders to corporate clients in the UK and the rest of Europe. Wandsworth Council actively encourages businesses in the borough to tender for Council contracts.  
 
The Prince's Trust
Support for 18-30 year olds who are unemployed and of limited means to start business. Soft Loans / Grants / On-going business support.

Town Centre sites
Wandsworth Town centres have dedicated sites for local businesses and residents.

UK Trade & Investment
Government organisation that supports companies in the UK doing business internationally and overseas enterprises seeking to set up or expand in the UK.

Visit London
Information for business travellers, advice and resources for event planners.

WestFocus
WestFocus is the partnership between higher education, the local community and businesses in South and West London, and the Thames Valley. WestFocus can assist you to become more innovative, learn new skills or even start your own business. 

Workplace Health Connect
Workplace Health Connect is a free no obligation service set up in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive. It provides free, practical advice on workplace health and safety, working with both managers and staff  of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Their aim is to transfer knowledge and skills direct to companies, so they can tackle future issues themselves.
 
Young People in Business 
Shell LiveWIRE helps 16-30 year olds to start and develop their own business and hosts a national competition for new business startups.

Your London
Practical advice, support and services for London's business community. Browse public and private sector websites for information on conducting your business in London.