Season's Greetings

As 2021 draws to a close, we want to take the opportunity to express our appreciation to all our partners for their ongoing support and commitment over the last 12 months.

The past year has brought challenges that we’d hoped would stay in 2020. Together we’ve overcome them and remained resilient. Many businesses have adopted challenges as opportunities, our communities pulled together when most needed and, our Growth Hub teams and partners continue to deliver unrelenting support to help businesses to come together, stabilise, recover and grow.

Projects invested in through the Local Growth Fund and Getting Building Fund continue to succeed. Not only creating new facilities, employment and learning opportunities but have overcome the trials faced. For example, just 14 months after the funding announcement, the Bedford College Group’s Connolly Centre for Modern Construction officially opened its doors to students, becoming one of the first GBF projects to open in England.

And, we recognise the amazing work of local VCSE organisations and business volunteers supporting skills development in the area. This innovative community continue to come together, bringing ideas to deliver maximum impact for local people.

We thank our teams and network of many different groups who, throughout remain dedicated, creative and optimistic.

Here’s to another fantastic year of partnership and the opportunities that 2022 is sure to bring. Once again, thank you for your continued support; what a year it’s been!

Hilary Chipping, SEMLEP Chief Executive

If you’d like to look back at the past 10 years of SEMLEP, you can watch Hilary Chipping’s presentation on our YouTube channel: A Decade of Change event recording.