Coronavirus update: the latest news from East Midlands businesses
The region’s largest business support organisation has launched a new online campaign to help businesses stay positive, support each other and share their good news during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
East Midlands Chamber hopes its new East Midlands Coming Together Hub will promote positivity and community spirit across the region during a difficult time for many businesses.
It aims to showcase the work that Chamber members are undertaking to support their fellow businesses, local communities and the health service, highlight some of the funding and support options available, and promote the key projects that local firms can get involved in.
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “We live in unprecedented times, with businesses and their employees having to deal with circumstances that are challenging and uncertain.
“However, despite this, there’s a lot of incredible work going on across the East Midlands as businesses work to support each other, their employees and the communities in which they operate, and this is what we aim to highlight.
“Our new ‘East Midlands Coming Together Hub’ is designed to showcase some of the ways that local businesses are adapting in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, helping their fellow businesses and utilising digital technology and flexible working practices to not only stay open, but to improve their processes, become more efficient and prepare themselves for when the current situation comes to an end.
“As always, businesses across the East Midlands are showing great resilience and innovation in the face of adversity as they continue to adapt to the realities of this new way of working and this is what we want to celebrate.”
Caterer Wilson Vale is shining a light for the NHS by turning the LED lights in the atrium at the company’s corporate headquarters in Ashby-de-la-Zouch to blue to honour the NHS.
Andrew Wilson, co-founder of Wilson Vale said: “We are shining blue to support our wonderful NHS.”
Some 80% of the company’s catering operations are now temporarily closed in line with Government guidelines and the vast majority of its staff are covered by the furlough scheme.
However, Wilson Vale is still operating twenty of its contracts to keep sectors going and key workers’ children fed.
Recognising that it might be difficult for parents/guardians to get to the shops, Wilson Vale is providing take-home food hampers with everyday essentials and fresh meats at some of the contracts to make life a little easier for key workers.
The company is also compiling recipes to share with parents and children to make at home.
