Training and Advice

We support our members in a number of ways including with business support and advice, training courses and subsidised and sometimes free local courses.

Training Courses

• There are several local Growth Hubs which offer a range of small business support, training, workshops, guidance and facilities:
  • The Gloucestershire Growth Hub offers a wide range of FREE workshops for local businesses covering everything from social media, video content strategy, podcasts and much more. Some are in person but most are on Zoom meaning they're even easier to join. These are brilliant free resources for Gloucestershire businesses.
  • There is also now a new Forest of Dean Growth Hub offering a range of business support and workshops, hot desk hire, offices and more.
  • The Marches Growth Hub, Herefordshire also offers business support, courses and free virtual one-to-one business support meetings.
• Forest of Dean District Council regularly provide free courses on a range of topics. You can find out what there is available here. Email covid.secure@publicagroup.uk using the code FODDC to enquire. Current courses include Health and Safety at Work, Food Hygiene Training.
• Visit Britain offers a huge range of business advive, workshops and presentations on matters affecting tourism businesses across the UK.
• See our Business Services in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley here, which includes marketing trainers, web designers, photographers, signage, leaflet distribution and other business help.
• Business Wales Support can be found here. Also see the Business Wales Events Finder here.
• See FoodSkills Cymru for workshops and masterclasses for food businesses in Wales.
• High Speed Training – we get a small commission if you make a booking via this link.
• Envesca – you will receive a 15% discount on list prices if you enter the code FODA15. This training is more expensive but it is CIEH certified which is the industry gold standard. This is what Environmental Health recommend, although they will accept “equivalent” qualifications.

We also email members and post in our members Facebook group with information on upcoming courses so do check our communications for up-to-date information.

FDWVT Training Courses

We offer a range of training opportunities which are very much based on subjects you have identified as being important to your businesses. These are often run during the winter months when our tourism business owners have more time to dedicate to them. We regularly organise training courses that we think will be of interest to members. Look out for details in our emails or in our Facebook group and on our webpage here. Do also tell us what training you think we should provide or what training you know of which you think our other members should be aware of.

All courses are £15 plus VAT for members and £30 plus VAT for non-members and need to be booked in advance. If there is insufficient interest, we will be unable to run the course.