FREE Echo advert offer extended

CHARNWOOD Borough Council has extended its Charnwood inBusiness campaign to help local companies in Thurmaston, Birstall, Syston, Anstey and Wanlip.

The council has teamed up with the Loughborough and Shepshed Echo, Leicester Mercury, Leicestershire Live, and Fosse 107 to offer local companies in those areas the chance to take a free advert and let 10s of thousands of people know that they are very much open for business.

The campaign aims to help local companies connect with their customers as they battle back from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It has already helped around 150 local businesses but the council says it is extending it for businesses in Birstall, Thurmaston, Syston, Anstey and Wanlip as they were all either in the Leicester lockdown area or very close to it and were affected by it.

Coun Shona Rattray, lead member for business support at the council, said: “Many businesses in Birstall, Thurmaston and Wanlip were getting ready to reopen, or had already reopened, when the Leicester lockdown was announced at the end of June and they found themselves in lockdown unable to trade.

“Neighbouring areas such as Syston and Anstey were also affected as some of their customers lived in the lockdown zone and could not travel.

“Fortunately, the lockdown zone was amended on July 18 and Charnwood was no longer part of it.

“As a council we have been working hard to support local businesses in a number of ways, including rapidly distributing over £30 million in government grants

“The Charnwood inBusiness campaign has been another way to support businesses and I would encourage companies in those areas to take part.”

The Charnwood inBusiness offer of a free advert is only open to businesses based in Thurmaston, Birstall, Syston, Anstey and Wanlip in Charnwood.

Businesses can apply online before midnight on August 19. There is a limit to the number of businesses which can be supported.

• To apply and for the full terms and conditions, please visit www. charnwood.gov.uk/cib.

You can also keep up-to-date on the campaign by following the council’s social media channels on Twitter @CharnwoodBC and on Facebook (search@CharnwoodBC). On Twitter, follow the hashtag #CharnwoodinBiz