Alison Laws joins York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub to provide business support in Craven

A new source of free business support is available in Craven. Alison Laws has recently joined the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub as a Business Relationship Manager.

Co-funded by North Yorkshire Council and York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, Alison is working with small to medium businesses from any sector across the Craven district.

Alison said: “Every business is unique and it’s my role to find out what their challenges and opportunities are and to help them reach their goals. I meet businesses and signpost them to the best public and private sector resources in the area. This might include sources of funding, networking opportunities or resources available through the Growth Hub, but it’s always tailored to meet the needs of the individual business.”

Alison brings more than 30 years’ business experience to the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, having worked in senior positions for a number of high street names before running her own business consultancy firm.

Alison added: “Craven has a real wealth of businesses, particularly micro, rural-based operations.  I’m already meeting with many of them, either face-to-face or virtually, and I’m looking forward to working with plenty more in the future.”

North Yorkshire Council has welcomed the additional support for businesses in the area.

Councillor Simon Myers, Lead Member for Enterprising Craven, said:  “Having the ability to give tailored one to one support according to an individual business situation, circumstance, and needs is key to help with the growth of our business economy in Craven.”

The council also appointed Stefan Sykes, Rural Business Development Manager, as a further boost for the Craven business community.

Craven businesses can link in with Alison by contacting the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub on 0800 246 5045 or by emailing support@businessinspiredgrowth.com.

Further information about the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub is available at www.ynygrowthhub.com.

5.65 million still to file as the Self Assessment deadline looms

Customers can start their tax return, save it and re-visit it as many times as they need to before they submit it. And, once they’ve sent it, the bill doesn’t have to be paid straight away, but does need to be paid before the 31 January deadline. The easiest way to pay is through the HMRC app. Customers can also set up notifications in the app to ensure they know when payments are due so they don’t miss a deadline.

Step into Meta for Business: Webinar Series

Unlock the power of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram with three action packed workshops. Come to all three to find out where to start and how to boost your organic, paid and sales growth on these enormous platforms, or pick and choose topics to suit your business. We’ve gathered a team of highly experienced and qualified Meta experts to help you get the most out of using Meta for your Business.

Set Up for Success with Google Business Tools: Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

This series will explore the free tools available from Google to help small businesses increase their online presence. Plus, you’ll learn how to leverage Google’s paid advertising platform for scalable growth without feeling like you are just wasting money. Participants will leave feeling confident to start using Google Tools to Improve their visibility, generate leads and make more sales online.

Tourism Business Booster: Create your winning Marketing Plan for 2026

Free one-day training for Tourism businesses across York & North Yorkshire - with sessions across Skipton, Scarborough, Northallerton, York and Harrogate. It’s a tough market and costs are rising all the time for hospitality and tourism businesses. This means that you need to increase revenue, and smarter marketing is one definite way forward.