Tendring’s celebration of local business is off to a flying start, with entrepreneurs, community leaders and council representatives gathering at Clacton Town Hall to kick off Business Fortnight.

From Monday 22 September to Thursday 2 October, venues across the district will host a series of inspiring sessions as part of Tendring4Growth, Tendring District Council’s (TDC) flagship initiative for economic development.

The opening session on Monday, Working with Tendring District Council, gave attendees practical insights into becoming council-approved suppliers and accessing contract opportunities, with presentations from TDC Chief Executive Ian Davidson, TDC’s Corporate Governance, Performance and Procurement Manager and Essex Procurement Partnership.

The programme continues this week with The AI Effect: Creativity, Culture and Tourism Reimagined at the Columbine Centre in Walton on Tuesday 23 September at 6pm; Writing Successful Bids and Grant Applications at Weeley Village Hall on Wednesday 24 September at 10am; and the return of the popular Tendring Jobs and Skills Fair at the Princes Theatre in Clacton on Thursday 25 September from 10.30am.

Next week, the spotlight turns to new and young entrepreneurs, with events designed to inspire and support the next generation of business leaders.

On Tuesday afternoon, Supporting Start-ups in Tendring will take place at East Coast 5 in Walton, featuring local business owners sharing their journeys and advice. That evening, From Idea to Impact: Supporting Young Businesspeople will be held at McGrigor Hall in Frinton, offering expert guidance and networking for young entrepreneurs.

On Wednesday evening, Building Tomorrow’s Town Centres will be hosted at Air Rescue UK in Harwich, inviting bold ideas for revitalising high streets and creating inclusive communities. The fortnight concludes on Thursday with the Tendring4Growth Business Awards, celebrating the district’s most outstanding businesses.

Councillor Ivan Henderson, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism at Tendring District Council, said: “It’s been fantastic to see Business Fortnight get underway with such energy and enthusiasm.

“The opening event showed just how much appetite there is among local businesses to engage, grow and collaborate.

“Next week’s sessions are all about nurturing new ideas and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs — and I’d encourage anyone with a business dream to come along and get involved.”

All events are free to attend. To book your place, go to www.tendring4growth.com.

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