company partnerships

GRANTS of up to £50,000 are available from the DTI's Partnership Fund, set up to help businesses and organisations to develop partnerships at work to promote best practice.

Fund organisers are particularly keen to see applications for projects designed to develop partnerships in small and medium sized enterprises, or tackle employment issues in the workplace, especially bullying, skills and work/life balance.

Applications will be dealt with on a competitive basis and the closing date is May 25.

Two Warrington companies are among winners to date. Branlow Ltd, an SME employing 28, is aiming to formalise ad hoc methods of achieving teamwork. The company is currently working on developing a world class project with Business Link, Warrington and sees the Partnership at work project as the basis for the company's ongoing development.

Vertex Data Science, part of Warrington based United Utilities, has developed a partnership agreement with Unison to deal with future changes.

Information is available on the fund helpline 020 7215 6252.