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# Businesses in Lichfield and Burntwood urged to apply for scheme offering free HR support
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/businesses-in-lichfield-and-burntwood-urged-to-apply-for-scheme-offering-free-hr-support/
- Published: 2024-01-26T08:02:00.000Z
- Updated: 2024-01-25T11:19:41.000Z
- Description: Businesses are being urged to apply for free places on a scheme offering HR support.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Business, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 18:58, News

Businesses are being urged to apply for free places on a scheme offering HR support.

Local companies that have been trading for less than five years can access the help from Staffordshire County Council’s Get Started and Grow Scheme. 

As part of the initiative, entrepreneurs can consult with human resources industry expert, Sandra Berns – the managing director and founder of Centric HR. 

She said:

> “Most small and medium enterprises think that HR is just around hiring and firing.   
>  
> “We can help small businesses with how to hire the right people, but it’s just as much around making sure that every business is legally contracting with their current workforce in the right way and creating a really productive workplace culture.   
>  
> “I would advise businesses to go and get some support from Staffordshire County Council under their Get Started and Grow scheme because it’s absolutely fabulous.”   
>  
> Sandra Berns

Partially funded by the UK government through the Shared Prosperity Fund Get Started and Grow offers businesses fully-funded support via local specialists for things such as HR, accountancy, branding and web design.

Cllr Philip White, deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council and cabinet member for economy and skills, said:

> “With the county council’s Get Started and Grow scheme, businesses will not get an ‘off-the-shelf’ product. They will receive tailored support from local professionals with years of industry experience under their belts.   
>  
> “We have helped over 200 Staffordshire businesses grow with this initiative so far and we are determined to continue supporting entrepreneurialism across the county.   
>  
> “If you’re a business owner who wants to expand their knowledge and skillset in a particular area, you have just a few weeks to apply for this year’s remaining funds.”   
>  
> Cllr Philip White, Staffordshire County Council

Businesses have until 16th February to submit an [application](https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Business/Staffordshire-means-Business/Fully-funded-support-to-start-up-and-grow-your-business.aspx?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk).