Local businesses can find out more about the support and services available from the Councils at two special events taking place as part of the first ever East Suffolk Business Festival.

On Tuesday 30 October and Tuesday 6 November, Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils are hosting two ‘Council Showcase’ days, designed to highlight the wide range of services the Councils offer to businesses.

The events, taking place as part of the East Suffolk Business Festival, will provide local businesses with the opportunity to meet representatives from various teams within the Councils including Food Safety, Procurement, Coastal Partnership East, Greenprint Forum, Economic Development and Regeneration.

The Councils’ partner organisations Suffolk Coastal Norse, Waveney Norse and Sentinel Leisure Trust will also be present, as well as representatives from the New Anglia Growth Hub, Community Action Suffolk and the University of Suffolk.

In a joint statement, Cllr Geoff Holdcroft, Suffolk Coastal’s cabinet member for Economic Development and Cllr Michael Ladd, Waveney’s cabinet member for Economic Development and Tourism said: “These events will give the local business community an insight into the help and support which our various teams can provide. This ranges from food safety training and regulations, managing contracts for suppliers and services, business resilience, environmental issues and more and we look forward to seeing these events well attended.”

The Business Festival, organised by the Councils, features a packed 10 day programme of business support and training events and aims to raise the profile of the East Suffolk business community. The events will provide opportunities for businesses to connect with each other, grow their business and create new employment for the local area.

The Council Showcase events take place at:

- Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft on Tuesday 30 October

- East Suffolk House, Melton on Tuesday 6 November

 Both events run from 9am until 3pm and there is no need to book. 

However a number of short bookable seminars will take place on both days, including:

• 9-9.30am and 12-12.30pm: Food Safety seminar covering food safety training
• 10-10.30am and 1-1.30pm: Community Action Suffolk workshop on business planning
• 11-11.30am and 2-2.30pm: Procurement session on how to improve tender submissions 

Special discounts will be offered to those attending the Food Safety training seminar with a ‘buy one get one free’ offer on a one day food safety course. Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Norse will be present to discuss facilities management services, contract cleaning, grounds maintenance, tree management services, car park management, catering, security and more. Delegates will be offered a 5% discount on all Norse services (except trade waste) plus a further 5% if they take three or more services on a contract basis.

On 30 October, Sentinel Leisure Trust will be offering health and wellbeing advice and mini metabolic tests, as well as a special membership rate.

For details of the full Business Festival programme and to book your place for any of the other events, please visit www.eastsuffolkbusinessfestival.org.