OPS-BOX was born in March 2020 - just as most businesses were closing doors or moving operations online at the start of the pandemic.

Directors and co-founders Hayley Parker and Richard Neale shifted their focus to helping businesses tackle the road ahead and navigate the myriad of government funding and support available.

As OPS-BOX celebrates its first birthday, the pandemic is at the forefront of our minds - albeit with a vaccine and some hope for the road ahead.

It has been quite a year for OPS-BOX.

Established as a fixture in the Gloucestershire business community, the team has been working with clients across a variety of sizes and sectors, helping them to develop realistic and actionable plans for growth and, more importantly, to operationalise and finance them.

It has been a year of ups and downs - mostly ups - but starting a business is never easy and 2020 was as hard as it gets.

It has taken hard work and commitment - often with just video conferencing to communicate with each other as children, dogs and spouses joined in the fun.

But OPS-BOX has gone from strength to strength, continuing to build on its work and support for businesses across the county.

Mrs Parker said: "We are delighted to celebrate our first birthday - and what a year it has been.

"No one will forget 2020 in a hurry and for us it has been the year we launched OPS-BOX.

"Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported us along the way - and to our clients, partners and team, I couldn't have done it without you."

With a founding principle to support a charity close to its heart, to celebrate its first birthday OPS-BOX has launched its official charity partnership with SarcoidosisUK.

Plans include a Big Birthday Giveaway with a percentage of commissions and profits donated to the charity each day of the anniversary week (March 8-13).

"Sarcoidosis is a charity that means a lot to me personally as a condition my mum suffered with for many years," said Mrs Parker.

"It is a rare condition that has no cure and mimics other diseases like cancer and stroke.

"It is little known and understood so every penny we raise through OPS-BOX will help support the charity to raise awareness and fund research into a cure. Very simply, my why - is mum."

OPS-BOX was founded on the belief smaller businesses deserve a similar level of business support to larger corporate enterprises.

They are the businesses of the present and the future and most do not have a board of directors or other advisors to call on.

The company founders' raison d'etre is to use our extensive experience to bring enterprise-level help, advice and support to the SME world.

Here's to year two of OPS-BOX - and beyond.

If you would benefit from working with a business partner, get in touch to find out how OPS-BOX could support your business.

For more information, call 07759 407064 or 07432 557966, or email enquiries@ops-boxgroup.com.