Building Resilient Businesses

About the project…

Ponthafren Association, Waste Not and Robert Owen Community Banking are proud to be a member of the Building Resilient Businesses project, led by Open Newtown. This Welsh Government funded project is part of a wider partnership which brings together like minded organisations working in Newtown and its surrounding areas, engaging communities and businesses in sustainably managing their natural resources alongside piloting new models for health, wellbeing, and resilience.

The Building Resilient Businesses project aims to build additional resilience amongst businesses operating in Newtown, by advising on employee wellbeing and supporting businesses to manage their resources efficiently.

There is evidence to suggest that businesses of all sizes would benefit from directing resources and attention into issues such as low morale and poor mental health amongst staff, mismanagement of resources such as energy, water, and waste, as well as long supply chains and lack of credit from mainstream suppliers.

A small improvement in some if not all these areas could mean the difference between staying afloat or closing.

Ponthafren, Waste Not, and Robert Owen Community Banking Fund (ROCBF) are coming together to support Newtown’s 750 businesses, by offering business support services, to address these issues and offer solutions.

Ponthafren Association will be providing mental health and wellbeing support packages to businesses based on their need and circumstances. If successful, this support service will continue beyond the 2-year funding period.

Waste Not will provide environmental efficiency support, tailor made to individual businesses in Newtown in addition to their public work on reuse and repair.

With the support from Waste Not, Robert Owen Community Banking Fund will talk to and advise local businesses on circular economy, with the intention of offering financial support throughout the lifetime of the project. These businesses, we hope, will all take some steps toward more localised trading, helping keep wealth in the Newtown economy on the back of improved environmental performance.