Focus Environmental Consultants was founded in 2010.  Their core area of expertise is in the production of specialist ecological and arboricultural reports and advice to support planning applications. They have a diverse project portfolio, ranging from major infrastructure contracts to smaller projects for private individuals across England and Wales.

The challenge

As the business grew, Focus Environmental Consultants identified several areas where external support could accelerate progress:

• need for developing new bat survey equipment for long-term deployment
• expanding our in-house night-vision aid capabilities to increase our bat and bird survey capacity
• upskilling staff on a range of technical subjects
• enhancing employee wellbeing to foster a resilient workplace culture

The support received

Recognising the value of tailored, expert guidance, Focus Environmental Consultants approached Worcestershire Growth Hub for support. Through the Hub’s extensive knowledge and local connections, the business successfully accessed a range of grant schemes that have strengthened both its technical capability and its people.

As part of Focus Environmental Consultants’ commitment to staff development, employees used their annual 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to access funded training through the Skills Boost programme. This included River Condition Assessment training, obtaining the necessary qualification to enable the team to carry out detailed watercourse assessments to meet Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements. Other courses included specialist training on protected species such as bats, hazel dormice and great crested newts and a range of botanical identification courses.

Further support came via the Malvern Hills District Council Rural Grant Fund, which enabled Focus Environmental Consultants to expand its night-vision aid service offering primarily for bat and bird surveys. Investment in infrared camera technology has also reduced the number of surveyors required on site, improving efficiency while maintaining high survey standards.

Innovation Worcestershire funding allowed specialist bat ecologists from the company to collaborate with a skilled software engineer to develop a cutting-edge automated thermal camera monitoring system designed specifically for real-time tracking and long-term recording of nocturnal wildlife, particularly bat movements. The camera, designed to be tree or tri-pod mounted to record bats emerging from a roost site, is now being field tested and aims to support safe, continuous, long-term monitoring of bat populations and activity.

Beyond technical growth, Focus Environmental Consultants has also prioritised staff wellbeing by signing up to the Work Well Live Better programme. The company has been awarded Loyalty Membership of the scheme by embedding a stronger focus on employee health. Monthly wellbeing sessions have been introduced on topics such as Stress Management, Building Resilience, Time Management, Dealing with Negativity and Setting Boundaries, to support and engage their team.

Fern Fellowes-Day, Founder and Director at Focus Environmental Consultants said:

“Working with the Growth Hub has been a real turning point for us. They took the time to understand our business and pointed us towards funding and support we didn’t even know existed. It’s been like having a knowledgeable partner by our side their help has made a genuine difference to how we grow and move forward.”

Focus Environmental Consultants’ journey demonstrates how Worcestershire Growth Hub acts as a catalyst for growth. By connecting businesses with funding, training, and wellbeing initiatives, the Hub empowers organisations to innovate, strengthen their teams, and build resilience for the future.