Category: Advice and support

Glass artist offers ‘completely unique and innovative’ service thanks to Growth Fund grant

Published 19 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Funding and grants

From stained glass restoration to replicating family portraits on glass, Jim Cockerill of HALTglass already offered something special from his studio in Sutton Green. Now, after receiving a grant from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund for new equipment, he’s able to provide unique services unavailable elsewhere in the UK.

HALTglass specialises in creating high-resolution images on glass using traditional stained glass materials, combined with modern techniques such as silk screen printing and sandblasting.

The grant has enabled Jim to purchase two key pieces of equipment: a much larger kiln and a sandblaster.
“The kiln means I can take on architectural-scale projects for clients, while the sandblaster opens up a whole new market in technique and image preparation,” Jim said.

“The exciting thing about this sandblaster is I can offer processing that isn’t available anywhere else in the UK, so it’s very specialist. I’m working within a niche that will definitely expand my business.”
HALTglass serves a diverse client base, from architects and artists looking to realise their work in glass, as well as restoration specialists and stained glass studios.

Future possibilities for HALTglass, thanks to the grant funding

“I work with artists, designers, photographers and architects,” Jim said. “This will allow me to facilitate much larger commissions, much more ambitious commissions, as well as offer them services in glass decoration that are completely unique and quite innovative.

“I’m currently developing a screenprintable sandblast resist. A product and service which is completely new to the market and offering my clients new possibilities in glass.”

Jim noted he wouldn’t have been able to purchase the equipment without the Council’s support. He reports that the grant has made his business more sustainable and enabled growth that ‘could never have happened without this funding’.

“I’ll soon be opening up my facilities in the form of experience days to cater for a broader market and allow anyone who has a passion for the arts to try this new technique.”

More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch via our Contact us form.

Halt glass - Jim screenprints onto glass in his Surrey workshop

Surrey Venture Studio underway turning innovative ideas into businesses

Published 12 February 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation

Surrey Venture Studio is underway turning innovative ideas into businesses. The scheme is funded by Surrey’s Economic Growth Fund giving innovators and entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their bright ideas to a Dragon’s Den style panel to win a £25,000 cash boost.

Surrey Venture Studio has been developed by the county’s three universities – Royal Holloway University of London, University for the Creative Arts and University of Surrey – to boost innovation, launch successful businesses and create jobs.

Funded by Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund, it brings together entrepreneurs, academics and students for intensive two-day workshops before they present their ideas to an expert panel.

Successful participants secure places on a six-month accelerator programme with the possibility of receiving up to £25,000 in catalyst grant funding to launch their businesses.

The first event was held this month at the University of Surrey’s Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford. 13 budding entrepreneurs worked through their ideas in specialist sessions.

Further fully-booked workshops are scheduled this month. They’ll take place at Royal Holloway University of London, University for Creative Arts’ Epsom campus, and Surrey County Council’s headquarters in Reigate.

It is one of dozens of innovative projects funded by the council’s Economic Growth Fund. This has seen millions of pounds of government and private funding invested to drive growth, create jobs, improve infrastructure, increase productivity and upskill Surrey’s workforce.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “In less than a year, the Economic Growth Fund has seen millions of pounds of funding invested in creating jobs and boosting growth across Surrey.

“Surrey Venture Studio is just one of dozens of projects which secured funding from the competitive process – and I’m looking forward to seeing some of these bright ideas develop and grow into fully-formed businesses in the months and years to come.”

How does Surrey Venture Studio work?

Surrey Venture Studio is designed to support those with ideas, prototypes or early-stage research that haven’t yet reached their full revenue-generating potential.

The programme provides expert mentoring and structured support to help innovators determine whether turning their idea into a business is the right path forward.

Successful accelerator participants will commit approximately two days per month over the six-month programme. They’ll also receive ongoing mentorship and support as they develop their business propositions.

Chris Pett, Digital Innovation Sector Lead at SETsquared, who led the first sessions, says: “The idea is that we’re building people up to the point where they feel more confident and capable to get out of the building and discover potential market opportunities based on the spark of an idea they’re thinking about right now.

“For a lot of them, this could result in a major change in their career from academic research into becoming an entrepreneur and potentially building a business.”

Speaking at the first workshop, Caroline Fleming, Director of the Surrey Innovation District at the University of Surrey, said: “We are delighted to launch this Surrey Venture Studio programme. We’ve got a brilliant collection of really bright minds – students, entrepreneurs and academics from the University of Surrey and the wider community – and we’ve been giving them some tips on how to think about what they need to do to develop their business.

“They’ve been really engaged, coming up with some fantastic questions and feedback. Hopefully they get really good value out of our workshop.”

A second round of applications is expected to open in spring 2026.

For further information visit the Surrey Ventures Studio page on the Business Surrey website.

You can also follow the project at the Surrey Venture Studio LinkedIn page.

A group of people - some sitting and some standing - pose for a picture in front of promotional banners for Surrey Venture Studios and Business Surrey.

High Street Support and Innovation programme launches for Surrey businesses

Published 11 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news

The High Street Support and Innovation Programme will support hundreds of small and medium businesses in Surrey’s town and villages. Find out how you can get involved with this fully-funded scheme, which is running this spring.

The Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme is a county‑wide initiative funded by our Economic Growth Fund to support independent businesses across the whole of Surrey.

It covers all corners of Surrey with dedicated sessions in 22 locations across all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey. And it offers free, practical and locally tailored support across Surrey high streets.

It’s been developed with representatives from district and borough councils plus Business Improvement Districts representatives.

We’ve commissioned Smarter Society and The Retail Group to deliver the programme in spring 2026.

It will include:

  • In-person business engagement
  • Free practical workshops
  • Business toolkits and resources
  • Tailored support

Register for the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation via the Smarter Society form (external).

Who can take part in the High Street Growth and Innovation programme?

The programme is open to any business on a Surrey high street. This includes:

  • Independent retail and service‑based businesses
  • Start‑ups and early‑stage ventures
  • Pop‑ups and market traders
  • Charities, CICs, mutuals and cooperatives

Register for the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation via the Smarter Society form (external).

What does the High Street Growth and Innovation programme offer?

  • In-person business engagement
    • The Smarter Society outreach team is currently visiting high streets across Surrey meeting business owners face‑to‑face.
    • Scroll down to see the full list of engagement sessions
  • Free practical workshops
    • Join practical, high‑impact workshops delivered locally in each district. Designed specifically for independent retailers and service‑based businesses
    • Scroll down to see the full schedule of workshops
  • Business toolkits and resources
    • Participants gain access to a suite of practical High Street Business Toolkits including
      • Downloadable guides
      • Templates and checklists
      • Short explainer videos
    • Downloadable resources will be available online soon via our Resources page.
  • Tailored support
    • We know not all businesses can attend in person, so the programme is designed to offer multiple ways to engage with the content, including:
      • In‑person workshops at convenient, local venues
      • Live virtual attendance via broadcast
      • On‑demand recordings available to watch at any time
      • Ongoing access to resources through the Business Surrey website
      • 1‑to‑1 support, where appropriate, for businesses needing tailored guidance

Engagement sessions

The High Street Support and Innovation programme will see teams from Smarter Society visit high streets across Surrey.

They will meet business owners face‑to‑face to share information about the free business support on offer. They will also register businesses for upcoming workshops, gather valuable local insights and answer any questions.

The dates are:

  • Redhill – 10 February
  • Oxted – 16 February
  • Reigate – 17 February
  • Walton – 17 February
  • Esher – 18 February
  • Guildford – 19 February
  • Leatherhead – 23 February
  • Dorking – 24 February
  • Caterham – 2 March
  • Guildford – 4 March
  • Camberley – 4 March
  • Chertsey – 5 March
  • Egham – 17 March
  • Ashford – 18 March
  • Farnham – 19 March
  • Woking – 24 March
  • Epsom – 25 March
  • Godalming – 26 March
  • Staines – 3 April

Workshop Schedule

Four workshops will be held in all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey. These sessions will help local business owners to:

  • Attract more customers and boost footfall
  • Improve in‑store and online visibility
  • Increase customer spend

Workshops are delivered by experienced specialists from The Retail Group and sessions are held in accessible high street locations across Surrey.

The cover a range of themes held over morning and afternoon sessions, as follows:

  • Attracting more customers and encouraging them to spend more (workshop 1 and 4)
  • Making better use of promotions and social media to drive sales and planning for growth (workshop 2 and 3)

Tandridge

  • Oxted – 24 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Caterham – 9 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Reigate & Banstead

  • Redhill – 18 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Reigate – 25 February (Workshops 3 & 4)

Guildford

  • Guildford (Session 1) – 26 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Guildford (Session 2) – 4 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Elmbridge

  • Esher – 3 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Walton – 10 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Mole Valley

  • Leatherhead – 4 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Dorking – 11 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Runnymede

  • Chertsey – 12 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Egham – 19 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Surrey Heath

  • Camberley (Session 1) – 17 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Camberley (Session 2) – 24 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Spelthorne

  • Staines – 18 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Ashford – 25 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Waverley

  • Farnham – 26 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Godalming – 2 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Woking

  • Woking (Session 1) – 31 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Woking (Session 2) – 7 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Epsom & Ewell

  • Epsom (Session 1) – 1 April (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Epsom (Session 2) – 8 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Support for High Street businesses

We are a Surrey County Council service offering expert advice to help Surrey businesses thrive.

Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your business to grow and succeed.

Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.

And make sure you always hear about upcoming events by registering for our regular e-newsletter.

Active Travel Grant for employers – help your staff travel to work in a more sustainable and healthy way

Published 10 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Funding and grants

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to help your staff travel to work more sustainably and healthily, and in turn help boost productivity. Applications close on 5th April.

Many people live close enough to walk or cycle to work, but without the right encouragement and support, they find it hard. Something as simple as improved lighting, or an internal comms focus on walking, cycling and public transport can make a big difference.

Supporting staff to travel to work by walking, cycling or using public transport more helps employees be more active. This in turn helps improve mental health, relieves stress, and boosts productivity. Additionally, the cost to businesses of road congestion in Surrey has been estimated at £550m per year – so doing what we can to reduce road congestion will bring benefits to us all.

As well as funding, support is available in the form of a helpful resource toolkit: Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit. Download it today to get started on your journey.

Get inspired

According to the Sustrans Walking And Cycling Index, 50% of adults want to walk and cycle more, compared to just 15% of us who say we want to drive more frequently. Employers can help their staff travel better, feel better, and work better by applying for an Active Travel Grant from Active Surrey, and by following the practical steps in Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit.

Surrey businesses are using their grant for improved lighting, electric pool bikes and charging points, lockers, active travel events, cycling accessories, and bike shelters and servicing sessions.

What are the benefits?

Commuting through active modes improves the physical and mental health of employees and can also enhance job performance. And healthier employees take fewer sick days, boosting productivity. It is estimated that poor mental health costs employers an estimated £45 billion each year.

Improving staff travel options can help widen your recruiting pool

Commuting makes up roughly 10–20% of an employer’s Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Encouraging sustainable travel can help support employers reach their corporate goals and ambitions.
Implementing an employer travel plan signals a strong commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility, enhancing the organisation’s reputation and appealing to environmentally conscious customers and employees.

Encouraging active commuting like walking or cycling, and use of public transport, can help alleviate car park capacity issues. 10 to 20 bicycles can typically be stored in the space required for one vehicle.

Healthier and happier employees: the UK Chief Medical Officer recommends adults should aim to be physically active every day. Walking or cycling to work or use of public transport can help employees reach this goal and improve their physical and mental health.

Reducing the need for car parking allows space to be reallocated to other uses, for example more attractive public realm or space for further development.

Travel plans can help to improve access to the workplace for all, especially for people with mobility issues, as a result of reduced traffic.

Wider community benefits: implementing a travel plan can have wider community benefits such as reduced local traffic congestion and improved air quality.

What can you do next?

Apply for an Active Travel Grant today, and download the Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit. Got any questions? Contact Active Surrey on active.surrey@surreycc.gov.uk.

Need further support and advice? Get in touch with our team of experts via the Business Support Form.

Lesh: maternity brand borne out of sleepless nights looks ahead to a bright future

Published 4 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Surrey Success Stories

Kat Fellows launched Lesh, a leak-proof nursing bra brand, from her Epsom home in August 2024. Now, with match funding from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund, she’s scaling the business and plans to hire local mothers as her team grows.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kat worked as a director in beauty marketing. “I got pregnant during Covid, not knowing what to expect when I returned to work,” she said. “As time went on, it became clear this corporate life wouldn’t mesh with being a mother.”

She decided to start a business solving a problem she’d experienced firsthand as a breastfeeding mother.

“The second my son latched on, it was amazing – I had this incredible experience,” Kat said. “I loved breastfeeding, but the only thing I didn’t love was that I leaked constantly.”

She cycled through countless disposable and reusable breast pads, and said: “They would move around, and I’d still wake up soaked, lying in a puddle of milk. Sleep is sacred when you have young children. Plus, the disposable ones are so wasteful.”

When she searched for alternatives, nothing met her needs. “Most products had clearly not been live-tested on a mum with oversupply like myself,” she said. I thought, “If no one is doing it the right way, I’m going to do it.”

Live-testing early Lesh prototypes

Kat spent a year and a half developing and testing prototypes during her second breastfeeding journey. “I never had to buy a disposable pad,” she said. “It took that long until I had something I was comfortable launching.”

Since launching in August 2024, Lesh has gained momentum, and the Economic Growth Fund will help propel it further.

“This grant will allow me to drive brand awareness and grow the business to a place where I can pitch for additional funding to become an internationally recognised brand in the maternity space,” Kat said.

Looking ahead, Kat envisions building a team of local mothers. “The first hire I needed was for social media – I’ve been using an agency, but I’d like that work to go to a local mum. I want to employ mothers who need that extra income. Eventually, I want to convert the garage into an office and warehouse, with local mums supporting customer service, order fulfilment, packaging, and returns.”

Evidently, big plans lie ahead for this innovative Surrey business.

More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch via our Contact us form.

Emilia Hunt: high street dream becomes reality thanks to Growth Fund

Published 30 January 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Opening a shop was a long-held dream of maker and designer Emilia Hunt, and thanks to help from the Economic Growth Fund, that dream is now a reality.

She opened her self-titled shop on 17 Bell Street, Reigate, in September, selling handmade and bespoke items at accessible price points. As well as her own products, which include homewares, gifts and stationery, she also sells carefully selected items from other makers.

“I know hundreds of makers,” Emilia said. “And I’ve got all the good ones in my shop.”

British made products are the focus of the shop, with three quarters of the products made in the South East.

“Everything in the shop is UK made. I am a real stickler for making sure everything is actually made in the UK. Everything in the shop I have chosen.”

Emilia started her business 10 years ago after taking medical retirement due to cystic fibrosis, and since then has been building a homewares brand which is now stocked in places like Squires Garden Centres.

The High Street dream

It was when she had a small space above an antiques shop that Emilia realised a high-street stop could work.

“You couldn’t see my stuff from the front window,” she said. “Every single person came up and said I didn’t know you were here. But it was so well received. I was talking to my mum and said this could work, people really like it. It needs to be somewhere where people can see it.”

She then found out a shop vacancy was coming up on Reigate high street and made an enquiry with the owners.

“I found out it was very expensive,” said Emilia. “There were two offers higher than mine, but I shared with them my vision and they accepted mine. They’ve given me a chance.”

How the funding has helped

She said she couldn’t have done it without the Economic Growth Fund, which has gone towards helping the shop launch, as well as admin costs and things like a music license to play music on the premises.

On her vision for the shop, Emilia said: “I want it to have a welcoming feel and be accessible for people. I wanted things to be £3.50 and £10, I want people to know handmade doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. It can be done, it doesn’t cost the earth.

“I want to have conversations. I always try to be available for people to ask questions. Obviously, it’s about quality products, but if you make the customer experience the best it can be, that customer is going to remember that and talk about that when they get home, I want people to have the best experience.”

On her advice for budding start ups or established business owners who want to take a leap, Emilia said: “Anyone can do what they really want to do; do some drawing, make something, have a bit more faith in yourself, apply for the funding, see what you can get going. If you have got an idea, just believe in yourself.”

More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April 2025 with the aim to support ideas that will accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.

Approximately £2 million was distributed when the first round of grants was announced in September 2025.

With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally in 2025 now stands at more than £3 million.

The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and the regional Surrey economy.

To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.

Source in Surrey to forge closer connections to boost county economy

Published 29 January 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Events and awards, Innovation

Source in Surrey is an innovative initiative to help Surrey businesses benefit more from spending in the region’s £50 billion economy. It’s been developed by Surrey Chambers of Commerce after it secured a grant from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund.

The six-figure initiative is designed to strengthen the regional economy by connecting small and medium-sized businesses with larger organisations for major contract opportunities.

It kicks off next month, with the first of 10 roadshow events taking place in Woking on February 11.

The programme will also include sales masterclasses. Plus there’s the creation of an AI-powered platform, streamlining connections between buyers and suppliers.

Source in Surrey and the Economic Growth Fund

Source in Surrey is one of several projects funded via the council’s Economic Growth Fund. This pools public and private funds, including government Shared Prosperity Funding, into a single pot.

Since launching in April, more than £3 million has been invested via the council in local businesses and organisations to support business growth, innovation and employment opportunities.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “Source in Surrey will tackle a real challenge – helping our smaller businesses access the kind of major contracts that can transform their growth trajectory.

“By connecting SMEs with larger organisations and equipping them with the skills to compete, we’re not just creating jobs and boosting our economy, we’re building a more resilient and collaborative business community across the county.

“We’re pleased to have been able to support the initiative via the Economic Growth Fund and I look forward to seeing our people, places and businesses benefit from closer connections in the future.”

About Source in Surrey

Source in Surrey will look to bridge the gap by focusing on four key areas:

  • enhancing selling capabilities
  • improving procurement access
  • building customer databases
  • forging closer connections, starting with a county-wide roadshow programme.

Each roadshow session includes a keynote session from a business leader. Attendees will also be introduced to the AI platform for businesses to find and procure suitable contracts.

The roadshows, which are free to attend, take place at:

  • Dukes Court, Woking (February 11)
  • Tandridge Golf Course, Oxted (February 24)
  • Hartsfield Manor, Betchworth (February 26)
  • Login Lounge, Camberly (March 3)
  • The Thames Club, Staines (March 11)
  • Farnham Maltings (March 17)
  • Reigate Manor, Reigate (March 24)
  • Guildford Pavilion (April 14)
  • Epsom Racecourse (April 23)
  • Brooklands Museum (April 28)

The initiative also includes expert-led sales training courses delivered by Anita Saini of HX Solutions. These start on 10 February at Login Lounge, Camberley, and 10 March at Dukes Court, Woking.

These practical courses aim to equip smaller businesses with the confidence and skills to compete for and win significant contracts.

Louise Punter of Surrey Chambers said: “The Surrey economy is large but much of the spend of the larger organisations is made outside of Surrey. So we want to encourage larger businesses and organisations to ‘buy local’ and make it easier for smaller businesses to win contracts.

“By bringing these different parts of the business eco-system together we will also facilitate other ways of supporting the smaller businesses through training opportunities and economies of scale.”

Businesses can find out more on the events page of the Surrey Chambers website . Or email the team at sourceinsurrey@surrey-chambers.co.uk.

Need additional help and support? Get in touch with our team of experts via the Business Surrey business support form.

Three people stand smiling in front of promotional banners for Source in Surrey and Business Surrey

Employment Rights Act: what does it mean for your Surrey business?

Published 20 January 2026

Advice and support, Skills and workforce, Thought leadership

The Employment Rights Act received royal assent in December 2025. It is the biggest change to employment law in a generation. But what does it mean for Surrey businesses? Our blog looks at some of the impacts.

The Employment Rights Act is designed to modernise the labour market, bringing it into the 21st century. Ministers say it strengthens worker protections and increases employer obligations.

The employment law changes included in the Act will take place over a period of 2 years. Most changes will happen in 2026 and 2027.

New rights include day one paternity leave and statutory sick pay. Plus there are protections for pregnant workers, an end to exploitative zero hours contracts and a new right to bereavement leave. 

Ministers claim stronger employment rights are good for the economy, pointing to academic research which shows the happier and healthier workers are, the more productive they are – and the longer they stay in their jobs. This contributes to economic growth.  

But there will be a cost – with Government’s own analysis saying there will be a direct annual cost to business of around £1 billion per year.

Employment Rights Act: key headlines

  1. Ending One‑Sided Flexibility
    • The Act tackles insecure work by introducing rights to guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts, and compensation for short‑notice cancellations. These protections also extend to agency workers, supported by new remedies via employment tribunals.
  2. Fire and Rehire Restrictions
    • The Act introduces tougher restrictions on “fire and rehire” practices. Dismissals for failing to agree to changes to certain core contractual terms will now be considered automatically unfair, except in cases of severe and genuine financial difficulty.
  3. Unfair Dismissal Changes
    • Reducing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims from two years to six months, and the cap on compensatory awards will be removed.
  4. Increased dismissal protection for industrial action
    • Dismissal for taking part in industrial action will become ‘automatically unfair’. This will remove the current 12-week limit for claiming unfair dismissal. This will change in February 2026.
  5. Strengthened Collective Redundancy Rules
    • The maximum ‘protective award’ for failure to consult in collective redundancy will double from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay. This will change in April 2026.
  6. Family‑Friendly and Sick Pay Reforms
    • Employees will gain day one rights to statutory sick pay, paternity leave, and unpaid parental leave.
    • New bereavement leave, including for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.
    • Removing lower earnings limit for sick pay. Currently, workers must earn a minimum amount to be eligible for statutory sick pay
  7. Establishment of the Fair Work Agency
    • From April 2026, a new Fair Work Agency will consolidate enforcement of minimum wage, agency rules, exploitation prevention, and holiday pay compliance.

What should employers do now?

Although many changes take effect throughout 2026 and 2027, employers should begin reviewing contracts, policies, shift‑allocation processes, and dismissal procedures now.

By taking early action, you can reduce compliance risks and improve workforce stability.

More details on the changes can be found in the government’s Employment Rights Act factsheet.

Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, also has a helpful online Employment Right Bill section on its website.

Need further support and advice? Get in touch with our team of experts via the Business Support Form.

Aerial shot of UK parliament buildings with the River Thames in London at the fore.

Woodlark Nurseries case study: greenhouse expansion sparks growth 

Published 9 December 2025

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Woodlark Nurseries is family-run nursery in Hersham. Thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund it is doubling its production area, increasing produce, improving efficiency and creating local jobs.

Woodlark Nurseries, run by Graeme Edwards and his father Colin, supplies national and local garden centres including Squires, Garsons Farm and Chessington.  

The five-figure investment via Surrey County Council’s Surrey Economic Growth Fund is allowing it to double the size of its production area, increasing output by an extra 270,000 pots per year. 

It means the team can produce more plants, allowing them to better serve their customers, support the community and create more local jobs. 

The investment has come at just at the right time for the nursery, allowing it to produce a plethora of poinsettia plants just in time for the festive season. 

Graeme Edwards, of Woodlark Nurseries, said: “We grow seasonal plants and bulbs, mainly bedding plants but also Poinsettia plants at Christmas, along with planted containers and hanging baskets. Mainly to local garden centres and also national garden centre groups as well as local landscapers and gardeners.  

“The funding will allow us to expand and upgrade one of our greenhouse facilities, so we can grow more and grow it better and earlier to match demand from our customers. And to make sure they can get more plants that are grown locally, meaning better quality plants for their customers. The funding will also pave the way for increased efficiencies in production in the future.” 

Woodlark Nurseries: supporting the community

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund was launched by the council earlier this year. It brings together a range of public and private funds, including government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, into a single pot. 

Woodlark Nurseries was one of the first to receive investment following a highly competitive process. It’s using the grant to expand its production area from 1400m2 to 2800m2. 

As well as boosting the business, it will allow the team at Woodlark to support the wider community too. 

Graeme said: “We are proud to sponsor both Hersham in Bloom and work closely with Weybridge in Bloom and Claygate Gardening Society which are all fantastic things run by great people, improving the community for everyone, so we’re looking forward to continuing that. If there’s any other local initiatives which are similar and we could work with, we would love to hear from them.  

“We also look to employ from the local community so this project will mean we’ll need to expand this.  

“And we deal with lots of local garden centres. So this project will hopefully enable us to help them even more by supplying them with locally grown plants, which have a lower carbon footprint and better quality than European imports. 

“We’re really looking forward to starting the project and improving our business as well as supporting the local businesses that we deal with even more.” 

Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Close to £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This is unlocking significant match funding and private investment.  

The successful bids are collectively estimated to grow Surrey’s economy by £9 million. They are also creating or safeguarding 300 jobs and bringing 1,350 residents into employment. 

Further applications were welcomed in the autumn. And an announcement of recipients from round two will be made in the new year. 

Any business looking for funding or support to grow can receive fully-funded support. Get in touch via our Business Support Form.

A man in an orange fleece and black hat pushes a trolley full of beautigul pot plants around a busy horticultural site.

Surrey Venture Studio launches to turn bright ideas into businesses

Published 8 December 2025

Advice and support, Business news, Innovation

Surrey Venture Studio logo

Surrey Venture Studio is an exciting scheme to help Surrey innovators, academics, students and entrepreneurs ignite their ideas to build a business. So if you have an idea ripe for commercialisation and are ready to start your business journey, seize this exciting opportunity! 

Do you have a business idea you believe could be transformational and marketable, but you’re unsure how to take the first step or secure funding?

Perhaps you already have designs, prototypes or research that hasn’t yet reached its full revenue generating potential.

If so, then Surrey Venture Studio is here to help you bridge that gap and fulfil your ambitions.

Surrey Venture Studio – round one now closed  

Update: Round one applications are now closed, Round two is expected to open for applications in early Summer 2026. Watch this space for more information, or sign up for our newsletter to be kept informed.

What is Surrey Venture Studio?

This is an exciting new pre-accelerator programme to help innovators, academics and entrepreneurs across Surrey explore whether turning an idea into a business is the right path. 

This exciting programme includes: 

  • A two-day, in-person ideation workshop
  • Expert mentoring
  • Opportunity to progress to a six-month accelerator
  • Up to £25,000 catalyst grant funding, for successful six-month accelerator participant 

Spaces on the workshop are limited and will be offered to applicants whose ideas are at the right stage of development and show strong potential for innovation and commercialisation. 

At the end of the two-day workshop, participants will be invited to pitch their ideas ‘Dragon’s Den’-style. The successful applicants will secure a coveted place on the six-month accelerator programme and take a step closer to securing £25k in grant funding to launch their business!

  • Want to know more? An information webinar was held on January 8. The presentation can be found here and the Q&A summary is available here.

Key Dates

  • Round one applications open – December 8, 2025
  • Round one applications close – January 16, 2026
  • Ideation Workshops
    • University of Surrey Ideation Workshop – February 5 and 9, 2026
    • Royal Holloway, University of London Ideation Workshop – February 12 and 16, 2026
    • University for Creative Arts Ideation Workshop – February 19 and 23, 2026
    • Open Call Ideation Workshop at Surrey County Council – February 26 and March 2, 2026
  • Round two applications: expected to open later this year (2026)

FAQs

Got a question about Surrey Venture Studio? Find answers in our FAQs below.

Innovators, academics, students and entrepreneurs based in Surrey with ideas that have strong commercial potential. 

No. You can apply with an idea, prototype or early-stage research that could become a marketable product or service.

The workshops will be held at the campus of the host university and Surrey County Council’s HQ in Reigate. University for Creative Arts will host at their Epsom site. 

Participants will pitch their ideas to a panel. Successful applicants will join the six-month accelerator programme. 

No, there is not an option to attend online. If you have any accessibility issues that prevent you from attending in person, please contact the Surrey Venture Studio project team to ensure your needs are met. 

You must commit to the two-day workshop and, if successful, the full six-month accelerator programme at around 2 days per month. 

Spaces are limited and offered to those whose ideas show strong potential for innovation and commercialisation.  

No, you do not need one to apply. But you’ll be willing to open one before any grant funding can be paid. 

No, all applications received before the closing date will be judged equally.

The Fine Print

Surrey Venture Studio is funded by the UK Government and Surrey County Council via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. It is delivered in partnership with the University of Surrey, University for the Creative Arts and Royal Holloway, University of London. 

  • Eligibility: Applicants live, work or study in Surrey and be eligible to work in they UK. Applicants should also comply with UK Subsidy Control
  • Commitment: Applicants agree to attend the two-day workshop and, if successful, commit to the six-month accelerator at approximately two days per month
  • Selection: Participation in the workshop does not guarantee progression to the accelerator
  • Funding: Grant funding is subject to acceptance onto the 6-month accelerator and must be paid into a business bank account
  • Data Sharing: Applicant data may be shared with programme partners for delivery and monitoring purposes
  • Intellectual Property: IP remains with the applicant; Surrey Venture Studio does not claim ownership 
  • Withdrawal: Surrey Venture Studio reserves the right to withdraw or amend the programme at any time

Not all applicants or workshop participants will progress. But those applying will need to commit to the full six month accelerator. This is irrespective of whether they are successful.

Apply directly via the Surrey Venture Studio application form.

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