A company that helped put the spark into the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies is one of four firms in Wiltshire to receive a grant from the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Employees from Power Logistic Services from Draycot Cerne, near Chippenham, were part of Danny Boyle’s backroom team for his spectacular opening ceremony.

Now the company which supplies temporary power and electrical services to the event and entertainment industry has been given a grant of £50,000 to buy more generators and employ extra staff to grow the business.

Managing director Mike Whitehouse said: “The grant is brilliant news for us. It was made possible by us being members of the Wessex Chamber of Commerce and we are very grateful

“We have a lot of very exciting projects on the go. We have just got back from the Cheltenham Festival and will be off to Aintree for the Grand National.  We are also involved in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in the summer.

“To be part of the Olympics in our home country was incredible. We had to sign a confidentiality agreement and even after the event could not say anything for nine months.”

Other companies to receive a Gateway for Growth grant were Procol Ltd, from Melksham which received £50,000 towards renovating a former church in the town into a serviced office centre.

The Country Candle Company in Nursteed Road, Devizes, which makes and distributes candles and home fragrance products, received £17,000 to spend on new technology and to develop an international sales plan. A grant of £12,000 went to 1st Choice Stairlifts of Calne for a new computer system.

Grant panel member and SWLEP Board member, James Phipps, said: “We are delighted by the number of responses from local businesses and the quality of applications has been incredibly high. We were particularly impressed with the applications and proposals put forward by the successful businesses because of their commitment to innovation, accessing new markets, creating new jobs and increasing turnover.”

Small and medium sized businesses can still apply. Grants from £5k to £50k are available for businesses with at least ten employees and turnover of at least £500k.
More details at www.wiltshirebusinesshub.co.uk

A story in yesterday’s Swindon Advertiser and online stated that the LEP had refused to name two of the firms to receive grants. However the names had been supplied before we went to press. We apologise for any embarrassment and distress this caused.