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The Social Economy Club is an open, informal meetup for locals, socially trading organisations, creatives and curious minds who want to engage with and grow the social economy.

Gatherings take place four times a year in each borough across the Liverpool City Region.

Each meeting may include talks, workshops and refreshments.

Supported by Kindred LCR, The Big Onion, Merseyside Expanding Horizons and Safe Regeneration

The next meeting will take place on Friday 19th June from 12pm at The Big Onion Hub in Southport. More info and book your place here

InvestSefton’s next Economic Forum will be held on Wednesday 24th June at Formby Hall. Come along to hear topical presentations including an economic update from the Bank of England and a talk from local screenwriter & novelist Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

Visit our events page for more information and to book your place

The MusicFutures Music Innovation Fund is for registered SMEs or CICs proposing breakthrough innovation in the music sector across the Liverpool City Region.

Who is the fund for?

Registered SMEs or CICs that are proposing a music innovation with a clear route to real-world use, commercialisation, and sector impact. Projects must be fully defined and ready to start at application stage.

Funding available:

• Up to £20,000 funding
• Additional tailored support, to accelerate R&D, prototype development, testing, and deployment of innovative solutions.

⏰ Deadline: 19th June 26
👉 Learn More:  https://musicfutures.co.uk/opportunities/music-innovation-fund/

Come along to this free 2 hour workshop which will inspire businesses to take their guest experience to the next level, delivered by Andrew Kemsley from 10 Hospitality. Andrew is a hospitality coach, trainer and facilitator with more than 20 years’ experience. These workshops were previously held in January & April this year in Southport, they were so well received that we are running them again, this time at Formby Hall.

There is a choice of 2 sessions:

Monday 8^th June, 6:00–8:00pm (evening session)

Tuesday 9^th June, 10:00am–12:00pm (morning session)

Book your place here or contact investsefton@sefton.gov.uk/0151 934 3452

A community organisation which founded a coffee shop in Southport to provide training employment opportunities for people who may be struggling with confidence, mental health or neurodiversity has won the Sefton Business In The Community Of The Year Award sponsored by In Demand Radio. 

Maz Langshaw and her team from My Mind Matters CIC, who run The Old Bakehouse coffee shop on the corner of Zetland Street and Manchester Road in Southport, won their accolade at the 2026 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards at The Grand in Southport. 

They were presented with their trophy by Mayor of Sefton Cllr June Burns, on a glittering night which honoured local heroes from across the borough across 13 categories. 

Maz Langshaw, founder of My Mind Matters CIC, said: 

“Most organisations only take on volunteers who already have confidence, experience, or stability. We do the opposite.

“The Old Bakehouse coffee shop opens doors to people who are rebuilding confidence, navigating mental health or neurodiversity, need structure, purpose, or a gentle re‑entry into community life.
“We provide the opportunity our volunteers have never been given a chance elsewhere.

Full story https://standupforsouthport.com/my-mind-matters-cic-wins-sefton-business-of-the-year-title-with-coffee-shop-a-hub-for-training-and-support/

Gather LCR are opening the next round of fully-funded support for digital, creative and tech businesses across the Liverpool City Region, with three ways to get involved depending on where you’re at:

OptimiseAI 🤖
For businesses ready to move beyond AI hype and start applying it to real operational challenges, from workflow automation to smarter decision-making and scalable growth.

One-to-One Advice 💬
Need focused support on a specific challenge? Get matched with an experienced growth consultant for tailored, practical guidance across three dedicated sessions.

Beyond 🚀
When you have a clear focus, an aligned team and the right support, you’re unstoppable. Beyond delivers you the bespoke support you need to achieve this and maximise your growth potential.

What you can expect:
◌ Practical support through expert advisors
◌ Focus on your real business challenges
◌ Outcomes that you can actually implement
◌ The ability to unlock sustainable business growth

Visit www.gatherlcr.com for more details

Baltic Ventures have opened their latest Accelerator Programme for digital and tech start ups across the Liverpool City Region:

• Accelerator 2026 is a 3-month in-person programme open to digital tech startups
• Up to 12 companies will be supported with an initial £25,000 investment.
• Applications close on 29 May 2026.

Find out more or apply for this programme here

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is gathering insights from across England, to build a clearer picture of how small businesses access and experience business support. Input from small businesses is crucial as the findings enable the FSB to provide informed recommendations on what business support should look like in the future.

The survey can be found here

On the 11th & 12th May we are running some free, expert led social media workshops for businesses. The workshops are designed to strengthen your digital presence and will be led by Lizzie Barnett from Studio Nine.

The workshops will cover:
– How to stand out online
– Which platform is best for your business
– What & when to post
– How to link posts to upcoming large scale events in Sefton
– Practical tips for beginners to more experienced user

The workshop will be held at Formby Hall and there is a choice of 2 dates and times:

Monday 11th May 6pm- 8pm OR Tuesday 12th May 10am- 12pm

Visit our event page to book your place. Alternatively you can email investsefton@sefton.gov.uk or call 0151 934 3452.

Music Futures have launched a few of opportunities.

PPL Momentum Accelerator is a targeted scheme to support the development of outstanding artists and bands who are writing their own music, https://musicfutures.co.uk/opportunities/prs-foundation-ppl-momentum-accelerator-liverpool/

The Future Fan Experiences R&D Challenge for up to £25K https://musicfutures.co.uk/opportunities/future-live-fan-experiences-call/

Our IP Clinic – for free legal & IP advice to regional music businesses- https://musicfutures.co.uk/ip-clinic/

MusicFutures also have a few other funding opportunities opening up in the next few weeks (innovation funding for SMEs and Freelancers). Join the mailing list to be the first to hear https://musicfutures.co.uk/contact/

On Wednesday 29^th April we hold our first Financial and Professional Business Networking Group meeting of 2026 at Southport & Birkdale Sports Club.

Our networking group for the sector has been running for over 10 years, meeting twice a year across the Borough to bring businesses together.

As well as networking, we will have presentations from:

• Paul Benson, North West Cyber Resilience Centre – how businesses can prevent cyber-attacks and building resilience
• Nigel Wilcock, Mickledore – economic development in the Liverpool City Region

The event runs from 8.15am to 10am with breakfast included, followed with an opportunity for networking. It will take place at Southport & Birkdale Sports Club, Trafalgar Road, Birkdale PR8 2HF.

To secure your free place please book online or call the team on 0151 934 3452.