A FREE webinar is being held tomorrow to help fashion and textiles businesses learn more about making their workplaces covid-19 secure.
The webinar has been organised by the Business Gateway Growth Hub – an initiative of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership – in partnership with Leicester City Council.
More than 25 businesses have already signed up, but more are welcome to join the free event, which takes place from 10.30am-12pm on Tuesday 14 July.
The webinar is about managing COVID-19 related risks and implementing measures to remain compliant with legal requirements. Advice will be tailored specifically to the fashion and textiles industry, with a step-by-step guide outlined to make factories secure.
Expert advice will be available from Jason Arrowsmith, a former health and safety compliance manager with significant experience and knowledge of the textiles sector. Joining him on the panel will be Dwinder Virk from ACAS, to respond to questions on employment rights, and Altaf Ahmed from Leicester City Council, to provide advice on additional business support and access to grants. Shafique Hussein, director of local textiles business Elite Labels, will sharing his experiences and the measures he implemented when preparing for reopening, including steps taken to ensure the safety of both workforce and visitors.
The webinar for the textiles industry is part of an ongoing programme of support being offered to companies from a range of different sectors, ensuring that all businesses across the city can operate safely in response to coronavirus.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke said: “It’s vital that we address compliance across a whole range of issues in the textiles industry – including the new challenges posed by coronavirus that have put this sector in the spotlight in Leicester so recently.
“These issues are difficult to address because so many different bodies are responsible for enforcement – and the city council currently has no powers in this sector. This is why we’re lobbying Government to give us the powers to tackle this problem via a properly-funded, single local enforcement body.
“Enforcement action – as recently undertaken by our partners – is crucial, but so is education. Events like this one allow us to share best practice from the many compliant and exemplar businesses in the trade, as well as building strong, supportive relationships between businesses and partner agencies so that we can all tackle problems together and root out poor working conditions and treatment of staff.”
Neil McGhee, chair of the Business Gateway Growth Hub Board, said: “The Business Gateway Growth Hub is a free service available to all businesses across Leicester and Leicestershire that are seeking information, support and advice.
“Our events team has run webinars across several sectors to help businesses to understand the guidance and actions they need to take to operate safely during the lockdown period, and what they need to do to restart or reopen.
“To date the webinars have supported hundreds of businesses across the manufacturing, retail, sports, tourism and hospitality sectors to gain the knowledge they need to provide a safe working environment for both staff and customers.
“The textile industry in Leicester has long been a springboard for growth, we want to help these important local businesses emerge from our covid-19 lockdown on a strong, safe platform for the future.”
Delegates who attend the webinar will also be given a sample risk assessment for coronavirus protection measures, which they will be able to adapt to their own workplace.
The webinar is one of a series, with sessions already delivered for sectors including retail, tourism and hospitality, sports, hair and beauty and visitor attractions - all of which have proved popular with local businesses.
Businesses interested in signing up should visit https://bit.ly/TextilesEvent
The Business Gateway Growth Hub is also offering bespoke 1:1 advice for any businesses that wish to speak to a business advisor about their specific needs. Simply call 0116 366 8487 to speak to a member of the team.
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