24 March 2020
A £100,000 fund has been launched to help firms across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire continue to access vital business support services in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Membership Relief Fund has been created by Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce and its sister Chamber in Northamptonshire to enable Chamber members to get a rebate on their Chamber membership fees.
Milton Keynes Chamber chief executive Paul Griffiths said: “These are extremely challenging times for all our businesses and we need to work together to get through the challenge.
Paul Griffiths
“We understand cash flow issues may become a challenge for businesses until restrictions relating to Coronavirus (Covid-19) are lifted and markets recover. We anticipate that, as a result, many businesses would be unwillingly forced to leave Chamber membership, which would separate them from the very mechanisms designed to support them at times like this.
“Local businesses need, more than ever, the reliable, trusted support of a well-connected and influential business group like the Chamber. We have reserves so it’s only right in this time of need that we use them to our members’ best advantage.
“Every day we’re getting tremendous feedback about the value of our support in terms of general advice and the work of our staff who are constantly reaching out to businesses to identify what they need. We consider it of paramount importance that we remain in close contact and feed any specific challenges to Government letting them know where help is needed.”
The fund will be allocated as a rebate on a company’s Chamber membership fees for a specific period of time for a sum up to 100% with members being able to apply for a 50% or 100% rebate on their membership subscriptions for the next three months.
The process to apply for the rebate is simple; members just need to tell the Chamber what the impact of Covid-19 has been on their business and confirm whether they are applying for 50% or 100% fee relief. If the application is successful their membership account will be credited with the appropriate sum followed by refunds or suspended payments, as appropriate for the next three months. To apply for the Membership Relief Fund click here
Information on business measures relating to Covid-19 and general support available is being constantly updated on the British Chambers of Commerce Coronavirus Hub which is available here
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