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🚗 Growth Hub Roadshow: Ripon
After the success of last year’s roadshows, the Growth Hub is hitting the road again, traveling the region to bring the best of local business support to a town near you.
Partnering with NatWest Accelerator, and joined by Business Support Advisors from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, the Growth Hub Roadshow is set to showcase what business support really looks like.
Venue: Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Rd, Ripon HG4 1UG
This roadshow focuses on Start-up Support, featuring NatWest Accelerator delivering guidance on Financial Foundations alongside a dedicated Pitch Club session.
Whether you’re a new business, an established organisation, or simply interested in local enterprise, everyone is welcome to attend, connect and learn more about available business support.
The Ripon panel will feature:
Michaela Young, Senior Business Advisor for Skipton and Ripon. Michaela supports business growth through tailored one-to-one support. Her place-based approach reflects the different challenges and opportunities faced by businesses across the constituency. Find out more: Business news in Skipton and Ripon | North Yorkshire Council
Along with:
- Pippa Rymill, NatWest Accelerator Manager
- Mike Pennington, Growth Hub Made Smarter Specialist
- Emma Rollason-Taylor, Growth Hub Digital Specialist
- Jack Colding, Growth Hub Sustainability Specialist
- Faye Greer-Pickup, Growth Hub Pre-start Specialist
- Karen Booth, Growth Hub Start Up & Female Enterprise Specialist
- Nick White, Growth Hub Agricultural Specialist
✅ Each event will:
- Focus on a business-relevant theme.
- Showcase business support in action, with a live Q&A.
- Feature a hands-on activity to get you thinking.
- Provide opportunities to meet the team, partners and service providers.
- Give you the chance to enjoy a free lunch and meet like-minded people.
🔥 Hotseat Challenge
Amy Hunter of MAKE & Me will be sitting in the hotseat, sharing the challenges she’s facing, while offering a behind-the-scenes look at how our team collaborates to remove the barriers holding growing businesses back.
⭐ Amy Hunter, MAKE & Me
Amy is the founder of MAKE & Me, a handcrafted jewellery brand celebrating individuality and quality. MAKE & Me supplies 38 wholesale stockists with unique, hypoallergenic designs made from surgical-quality steel, while remaining committed to affordable fashion and zero-waste values. Having grown the business through bootstrapping alone, Amy is now focused on scaling sustainably and exploring new opportunities for growth.
💸 Business Financial Foundations
An interactive session covering all types of business funding, from grants and crowdfunding to debt and equity, explaining their benefits and risks so you can confidently choose the right option for your growth.
💡Pitch Club
Sharpen your business pitch with practical guidance, feedback, and practice to boost confidence and speak with impact. A fast‑paced and practical session that helps you sharpen how you present your business. Whether you are preparing your first pitch or improving one you already use, Pitch Club gives you the space to build confidence, refine your delivery, and speak with impact to customers, funders, and key stakeholders.
📝 Agenda for the day
- 09:30 – Arrival & refreshments
- 10:00 – Welcome
- 10:15 – Hotseat challenge
- 11:00 – Q&A
- 11:30 – Networking & lunch
- 12:30 – Introductions & key speaker
- 12:45 – Financial Foundations
- 13:45 – Comfort break & refreshments
- 14:00 – Pitch Club
- 15:30 – Event closes
📸 Photography & Videography Notice
Photos and videos may be taken during this event and used for promotional purposes.
This support is available to businesses within York and North Yorkshire, if your business is based outside our region, visit Business.gov.uk and search your postcode to find your local alternative.