Thurrock Business

13/06/2026

Start Your Own Business - Free 1-Day workshop

Join Nwes at this FREE workshop and learn all you need to know to start your own successful small business:

📅 Wednesday 1 July 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 The Old Courthouse, Grays
💥 FREE to attend

Spaces are limited. Click the link below to book your place.

Learn all you need to know to start your own successful small business with this comprehensive one -day start-up workshop

12/06/2026

Do you have a new business idea and want to test trade at either Grays or South Ockendon markets?

We can offer 2 free trading days and 3 months half price pitch rental to new local start-up businesses that have not previously traded at a market. A market operator – who also trades - will take you through the process and requirements. Please note that while they will do their best to accommodate requests they will look to ensure existing, regular traders are not adversely impacted.

Grays operates on a Friday and Saturday, while South Ockendon trades on Tuesday and Saturday.

You could also benefit from start-up support delivered by expert advisors as part of the NWES Backing Thurrock Business programme.

Contact us at [email protected] to register your interest.

11/06/2026

We are here to help you keep up to date on business news in Thurrock through our monthly newsletter Business Buzz!

Business Buzz advertises events, networking opportunities, grant funding opportunities, free one-to-one advice sessions and more every month.
To sign up, simply enter your email address via the link below and select 'Business Buzz' or all council updates.

https://tinyurl.com/BusinessBuzzNewsletter

10/06/2026

Are you ready? Tables filling up quickly for our Thurrock Job fair on the 1st July; if you would like to join us as an employer at this event (free table) please email [email protected]
Watch this space for more information!!

10/06/2026

🌟 Have your say on local Community Micro‑Enterprises! 🌟

Thurrock and Essex Councils are working together to support Community Micro‑enterprises (CMEs). Micro-enterprises are very small, local businesses, typically with eight or less staff, that provide highly personalised care and support. They offer a wide range of services such as personal care, cleaning, activities, trade services, therapies and wellbeing support.

Both Councils want to make sure that the people who use these services have plenty of flexible, community‑based options to choose from. They're asking CME users, Direct Payment recipients, family carers, micro‑enterprise owners and social care professionals to share their views. Your feedback will help shape how new CMEs are welcomed and supported across Essex.

Please take a few minutes to complete their online survey. You don’t need any prior knowledge of micro‑enterprises to take part, they want to hear from as many different perspectives as possible.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TzK0qFwVFUKg8X7YzJqZL_2tqr9j9elJslb8AOq9D-BUM1Y2R1VLQUdXM0ZLQzMwVURUUDAxREtMTC4u

09/06/2026

⏰LIMITED FUNDING REMAINING⏰

We are subsidising memberships to the Federation of Small Businesses - FSB, using part of our UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. Please email their membership advisor, Nadine, on [email protected], to find out more and register your interest.

The substantial reduction in FSB membership fees means that eligible Thurrock businesses can get a two year membership fee at the following cost:
👉 One person businesses - £50, normally £390
👉 Business with 1-4 employees - £75, normally £690
👉 Business with 5-10 employees - £100, normally £690
👉 Businesses with 11-50 employees - £150, normally between £690 and £1,090

Benefits of an FSB membership include:
👉 The FSB Legal Hub, (an online library of 1,400 legal documents and templates)
👉 FSB Legal Protection, (24/7 helpline and up to 100k legal protection per case)
👉 A debt recovery service
👉 Free business banking
👉 A funding platform
👉 Payroll/pensions services
👉 Unlimited telephone counselling
👉 Discounted health cash plans
👉...and much more!

FSB members are also able to access a variety of networking, online support events and business guides.

08/06/2026

Join Nwes and Federation of Small Businesses - FSB for an exciting small business networking event!

This is the perfect opportunity to connect, chat, and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals from across Thurrock.

📅 Wednesday 10 June
🕙 12pm to 1:30pm
📍 The Old Courthouse, Grays
💥 Completely FREE to attend!

Join us for an exciting small business networking event designed to connect local businesses in Thurrock!

07/06/2026

Business owners, directors and senior leaders in Thurrock are invited to join an AI Adoption Programme fully funded by Thames Freeport.

It is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses use AI to address real business challenges and improve efficiency. No technical or AI background is required. The courses will run over four weeks and include an in-person workshop, flexible online learning and weekly support to help participants apply AI in ways that are relevant to their business. The Thurrock workshop will take place at The Beehive Resource Centre, West St, Grays RM17 6XP from 15:00 to 19:00 on 29 June.

To register use this link or to find out more email [email protected].

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=7UV_lX-EwEO-VVnW2X-YxzreyWRvve9GsUXzeP0-wolUQzIxMVFON0tINlFDWFc3RzFONUJZSEFBWC4u&route=shorturl

05/06/2026

Advertising your job vacancies couldn't be easier! Simply upload the advert to Adzuna using the link below. If the job has an Essex postcode it will automatically be uploaded to the Essex Opportunities website within 48 hours.

https://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/post-an-ad

Business that host vacancies on their own website can save time by linking them directly to Adzuna by submitting a request to their support team: click here and select ‘would like to add my job feed to Adzuna’ and Adzuna will set up a connection.

https://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/contact-us.html

You can also join the Thurrock Opportunities Facebook group and share vacancies directly to over 11,300 members.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thurrockopportunities