23 categories. 20 years. One incredible night on the 8^th October at the GlassBox Theatre, Gillingham.

Calling Hospitality and retail businesses across the district – entry is open now and free via a public vote. So, enter your business and spread the word.

Click here for full details and to enter

Overview of the Taste of Kent Awards

The Taste of Kent Awards celebrate the very best of Kent’s food and drink industry. Established in 2006 and organised by Produced in Kent – the county’s leading membership organisation for independent food and drink businesses – 2026 marks a landmark 20th year of recognising excellence across the sector. Open to all food and drink businesses based in Kent, the awards champion quality, innovation, and sustainability across the full spectrum of the industry – from growers, producers and manufacturers to retailers, wholesalers and hospitality venues. The awards now run biennially, making each edition a genuine milestone moment for Kent’s food and drink community.

The post Taste Of Kent Awards 2026 appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Workshop 1 – Financial Planning & Management with Terry Botfield

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your financial toolkit, this free session is packed with real-world advice tailored to the challenges small businesses face every day.

Smart strategies to help your business thrive.

Managing your money to support your business decisions.

Click here to book your place 

Workshop 2 – Essential UK-GDPR for All: What you need to know

What every business person and employee needs to know to keep data safe.

With plenty of real-life scenarios to help identify potential problems and how to keep compliant and avoid being fined.

Ideal as the recommended annual UK-GDPR refresher

Plenty of time for Q & A.

Click here to book your place

Workshops are in person at: Romney Marsh Business Hub, Meeting Room 15, Mountfield Road, New Romney TN28 8LH.

Admission by pre-booked ticket only and limited to 10 attendees to allow plenty of time for Q and A.

The post Free workshops in new romney appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Overview

Organisations are navigating a perfect storm: rising costs, hybrid working, AI disruption, shifting employee expectations, increasing need for neuro-inclusion adaptations and looming legal change with the Employment Rights Act. It’s no wonder many organisations are spending more time and money managing underperformance, absence and grievance activity, and less time building the kind of workplace that high performers want to join and stay in.

This webinar is for organisation leaders and those responsible for HR and people management who want a practical, joined-up approach, where recruitment, culture, wellbeing and benefits work together to reduce risk, improve retention and build a workplace that attracts and keeps the right people.

Click here for further details and to secure your place 

The post Recruit and Retain: Building a workforce and benefits plan that attracts and engages great talent appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Overview

Trying to keep up with social media but not really seeing results from it?

You’re not the only one.

If you’re running a business and feel like you should be posting more… but don’t really know what’s working (or why it’s not), this workshop is for you.

Kent & Medway Growth Hub are hosting a practical session on organic social media marketing, designed for busy SME owners who want to get better results without social media taking over their day.

Led by Thom Cakebread from Cakeshop Media (who works with businesses every day to turn content into real enquiries), you’ll learn:

-How to get your posts seen without paying for ads
-What actually makes people engage with your content
-What works across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn
-How to make social media feel simpler and more manageable
-How to build visibility that genuinely supports your business

No fluff. No theory overload.

Location: St Mary’s Church, Dover and online

Click here to book your place. 

The post Social Media that works – free workshop appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Overview 

Curious about AI but not sure how it fits in your business?

Join our AI for Business Growth workshop, a practical, straight-talking session for business owners who want to:

Understand where AI can genuinely add value
Explore a few real-world ways to work smarter and save time
Get clear, actionable ideas without the jargon
Gain confidence to make AI work for your business

The guest speaker, John Speed from Heliocentrix Limited, will share practical examples and guidance to help you think differently about how AI could support your day-to-day operations and future growth.

Town Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells
28^th April 10am-12pm

Whether you’re just starting with AI or want a fresh perspective, this session will help you move forward confidently and strategically.

Click here for further information and to book your place.

The post AI for Business Growth Free Workshop appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Planning for growth: Monday 23rd March 1-2pm 

Learn how to adapt, evolve, and grow sustainably in a fast-changing high street environment, before standing still leads to decline.

Practical. Relevant. Action-focused.
Perfect for high street businesses ready to thrive, not just survive.

Click here for further details and to secure your place

The post Adapt or face declining sales by planning for growth appeared first on Folkestone Works.

The post Help Shape the District’s future economic growth appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Overview

Ready to grow your personal brand and make a real impact online?

Join our Influencer Workshop, available online or in person in Ashford, Kent, and learn what it truly takes to become a successful content creator in today’s digital world.

Guest Speaker: Ciara Attwell – My Fussy Eater
Ciara has built a thriving Instagram and TikTok presence, inspiring parents with practical, delicious mealtime ideas, and she’s sharing exactly how she did it.

You’ll learn:
How to build and grow your audience
How to work with (not against) the algorithm
How to create content with purpose and impact

This hands-on session provided by Kent & Medway Growth Hub is perfect for aspiring influencers, business owners, and anyone looking to grow their online presence with confidence.

Online & In Person (Ashford, Kent)
25^th February
In person ticket https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1978404202226?aff=oddtdtcreator
Online ticket https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1978405665603?aff=oddtdtcreator

Location for attending in person:

Coachworks Ashford, Dover Place, Ashford TN23 1HU

The post How To Become an Influencer – Free Workshop appeared first on Folkestone Works.

Click here for further information which can be found on our Folkestone & Hythe District Council corporate website.

The post Business rates revaluation 2026 appeared first on Folkestone Works.

We still have some funding left to allocate from the central government funded Rural England Prosperity Fund. Businesses can have up to 75% of a project funded & organisations up to 90%, up to to maximum of £20,000. (£10,000 is the normal maximum, a higher sum may be considered is some circumstances).

To ensure we maximise the impact of our remaining budget, we are issuing a special call for “quick win” projects – initiatives that require minimal lead time and can be installed rapidly, yet deliver a significant boost to your operations.

Our mission is to back projects that deliver – whether this be capital upgrades for new income streams, equipment for diversification that will strengthen your future or improvements that surge footfall and make your business a destination. Whatever your vision for growth, we are here to provide the funding to make it happen!

We are looking for projects that can be delivered at pace and fully completed by the end of July 2026. This is a final call to grab this funding milestone – click here for the full guidelines to check if you meet the eligibility criteria and complete an expression of interest form. Once your EOI form has been received, we will check to see if you fully meet the criteria and if so we will invite a full application from you.

The post Free grant Funding available for Rural based businesses & organisations appeared first on Folkestone Works.