Closeup wakefield april15

ISSUE 1 APRIL 2015

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MID YORKSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH TOPICUK

FOR BUSINESS

The Big Interview MEETS KATRINA CLIFFE FROM KC COMMUNICATIONS

New Chamber President announced MEET STAFFLEX MD BRIAN STAHELIN

Wakefield business conference JUNE DATE ANNOUNCED

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WELCOME It gives me great pleasure to welcome readers to our new-look Close Up for Business magazine, produced in association with TopicUK. Close Up for Business will now be produced bi-monthly and includes contributions from a wide range of business experts; ensuring members are kept up to date with all the latest news.

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his spring edition comes at an exciting time for the Chamber, as we have recently relocated our head office to the John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield. This is an ideal and well-known location for us to serve our members in Kirklees, and for us to base MY Export Hub, the international trade arm of the Chamber which serves the wider region.

MY Export Hub continues to expand its range of export compliance and certification services to an everincreasing number of exporters, who are successfully selling their goods and services into a greater number of emerging overseas markets. We hope to provide an even more convenient and efficient service to our members as a result of these premises changes.

Everyone at the Chamber continues to work hard to enhance our range of service provision, in order to ensure that we are always in prime position to assist

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our member companies to take advantage of new opportunities, which are presenting themselves as the UK economy continues to gather momentum.

Following the Budget announcement devolving further powers and funding to the North, we will work closely with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to support the needs of businesses across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Close Up. The Chamber team look forward to serving you to the very best of our ability, working tirelessly to connect, support and represent your interests throughout the region.

Martin Hathaway Chief Executive

Wakefield Edition April 2015 3

CONTACTS Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Stadium Way, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 6PG 

ce for Wakefield New Commerce House, 168 Westgate Wakefield WF2 9SR



SUMMARY CONTENTS &

ce for Calderdale Suite 8, Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre Halifax HX1 5ER

Chief Executive Martin Hathaway Membership & Events Manager Tracy Smith Marketing Manager Rebecca Walker Ghost Publishing Limited

07 09 34 WAKEFIELD BUSINESS CONFERENCE Date Announced

CITY LANDMARK The Orangery under threat

DELIVERING PROMISES

WDH celebrates 10 years

Suite 8 Unity Works Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP Tel: 07711 539047 editor@topicuk.co.uk www.topicuk.co.uk Advertising Sales Gill Laidler - 07711 539047 Printed by AB Print Group Search for Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce



II IV IX

POLICY

Chamber lobbying works for business

BUSINESS OF THE MONTH 3 award winning businesses

MY EXPORT HUB Helping business to export

 Danny Gartside 07834 705736 www.dannygartside.com Thank you to all those who have contributed to this issue of Close Up for Business. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the view of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. ort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in the magazine, neither the 4 4Chamber nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies it contains

EDITORS NOTES

W

elcome to a very special edition as we celebrate our second Birthday in Wakefield and launch this brand new issue in Kirklees and Calderdale.

And it doesn’t stop there, we now incorporate Close Up for Business, the official magazine for the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. Whichever issue you are reading, we hope you enjoy!

To celebrate we held an event at the John Smith’s Stadium for all the businesses who have supported us so far and who we have helped to promote as well as welcoming all our new advertisers and supporters from Kirklees and Calderdale, we are looking forward to helping support and promote your businesses.

We have had an extremely busy couple of months, attending the Wakefield Theatre Gala Dinner at Unity Works which was a fantastic success and once again had the chance to meet Chancellor George Osborne for a third time to support Wakefield businesses in their plans for a Northern Powerhouse.

We are delighted to have been asked by the Chamber of Commerce to be a partner on the Wakefield Business Conference on June 24, which will be held at Unity Works in the middle of Wakefield Business Week and as TopicUK and Close Up will be handed to all delegates at the conference, this is a perfect opportunity for you to promote your business in the next issue. Please do get in touch if you want to be featured.

Finally, we want to make TopicUK more accessible to all businesses across the districts, so we have now taken up residence in Unity Works and our door is always open if you want to pop in and join us for a coffee.

If you have any news that you want to share with the business community across Wakefield, Kirklees or Calderdale, do let us know, plus take advantage of affordable advertising rates.

As its popularity grows, don’t forget, if you can’t get hold of a physical copy of the magazine, you can visit the TopicUK website www.topicuk.co.uk and view our digital version as well as catching up with all the current news.

TopicUK EDITOR

GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES/CHARITY SAMGRUNDY, KIDS.ORG

THE ARTS

MURRAY EDWARDS, THEATRE ROYAL

FASHION

EMMA LELLIOTT, TRINITY WALK

LEGAL MATTERS RAMSDENS

BEAUTY & WELLBEING CHILL BEAUTY SALON

HEALTH

HELEN LAIRD, PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW KEVIN TRICKETT, WAKEFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY

RECRUITMENT

ANDY TURNER, FIRST CHOICE RECRUITMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA

SINEAD SOPALA, RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

BANKING

JONATHAN ROSTRON, SANTANDER

IT

PAUL HEIGHAM, BELLINGHAM IT

EDUCATION

DARRYL WIDEMAN SILCOATES SCHOOL

MOTORING

JOE WILSON, AUDI WAKEFIELD

Follow the editor @topic_uk If you would like to stock copies, call us on 07711 539047 or email the address below. Alternatively, to ensure you receive a regular copy, you can subscribe and receive your own copy direct by post for just £20 per annum. To subscribe email your details to editor@topicuk.co.uk

Tel: 07711 539047 - editor@topicuk.co.uk - www.topicuk.co.uk - Ghost Publishing Ltd - Suite 8 Unity Works Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP

Wakefield Edition April 2015 5

•• News

Round up

LIBRARY IS NO LONGER A CLOSED BOOK The historical architecture o f Wa k e f i e l d ’s D r u r y L a n e Library and the social history of the area have formed the inspiration behind a series of limited edition engraved decorative wall pieces, created by nationally acclaimed artist and designer, Daniel Heath.

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aniel specialises in wallpapers and interior furnishings with recent bespoke commissions for clients including high-end shoe designer Rupert Sanderson, Panasonic Europe and The Design Museum in London. He even counts Fashion Designer, Stella McCartney as a fan of his work.

Daniel was been commissioned by The Art House to create the series of limited edition works. The finished pieces are being sold to raise valuable funds to support the final stages of the Old Library’s transformation, which is being lovingly restored and adapted to accommodate 34 fully accessible artists’ studios and public spaces.

Crafted by Daniel in a studio within Wakefield’s Art House building, the decorative wall hangings were made using The Art House’s state of the art Laser Cutter and Print Studio using reclaimed wood from the original library shelving. Three designs have been developed with just 45 pieces created in total, reflecting the finite quantity of the salvaged material.

Heidi Waddington, Marketing and Communications Manager at The Art House comments: “We were really excited to welcome Daniel to The Art House and to see him create the finished decorative pieces. Drury Lane Library inspired generations of readers so it was fitting that the art we create to support its transformation was inspired by the building too. Daniel’s work is beautiful and so are the finished pieces.”

Daniel comments: “I really enjoyed combining screen printing and 6

laser cutting together for a salvaged outcome – the opportunity to work on something that is an amalgamation of three of my favourite processes was a real treat. It’s been lovely to be able to use a material that people who used the Library will recognise. Although the design references the building, the salvaged material form the old library bookshelves with which I worked, was actually part of the building for many years – I like that narrative cycle.”

The engraved decorative wall pieces can be purchased singularly or as a modular piece. All proceeds from the sale of the works will go to support the final phase of the Old Library project.

“Daniel’s work is beautiful and so are the finished pieces.”

Heidi Waddington Marketing Manager the Art House

T h e M i d Yo r k s h i r e C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e h a s announced the date for this year ’s MY Conference Wa k e f i e l d .

Due to its previous success, this will be Wakefield’s fourth Conference and will take place on Wednesday 24 June at the newly refurbished Unity Works in the heart of Wakefield city centre.

The Conference will take place during Wakefield Business Week that runs between 22 and 27 June, organised by Wakefield First.

Confirmed Conference partners to date include TopicUK, Unity Works, Wakefield First and Brand Yorkshire and with over 60% of the stands already sold, it promises to be a fantastic event not to be missed.

Ghost Communications win Coca Cola Contract

If you would like to be a part of driving business in Wakefield, host a seminar presenting your business

to a variety of local professionals or become a partner of the event, email myconferences@mycci.co.uk For updates follow @MYBizConfs on Twitter or for more information call Event Manager Tracy Smith on 01924 311607 or Marketing Manager Rebecca Walker on 01484 483660.

MY Conferences is part of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Hosting and supporting a range of business events across the region.

The Chamber has ambitious plans to take the conferences to the next level with greater connections and a wider reach that will ensure more exhibitors, delegates, partners and fresh speakers.

The result of this will see more growth into the local economy.

TopicUK’s sister company, Ghost Communications are delighted to have won a contract to produce Coca Cola Enterprises staff magazine.

Coca Cola opened its doors in Wakefield in 1989 and employs 420 staff at its site on the Wakefield 41 Business Park. They have six sites in total across the UK from Scotland to South London, with the Wakefield site being the largest soft drinks plant in Europe and the third largest in the world, producing 40% of all production in the UK. Ghost Communications, a graphic design, marketing and PR agency opened in 2009 and work for a number of companies across the district including The Ridings Shopping Centre; Richard Kendall Estate Agents; Barringtons Legal; Spawforth Architects; Associated Waste Management and Active Solutions Recruitment.

“We are delighted to be working with Coca Cola Enterprises said partner Gill Laidler and hope to produce their first issue in June.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 7

•• News

Round up

MINISTER MEETS LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS

WAKEFIELD BUSINESS MEETS JAZZ Wakefield Jazz invites you to a unique networking event - business meets great music on Friday 8 May at 7pm, with music from 8.30pm.

Representatives from local businesses, small and large, met with Senior BusinessMinister Matthew HancockMP at a breakfast meeting to discuss a wide range of economic issues.

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he meeting, hosted by document management specialists Arena Group at their office in Robin Hood, was organised by Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Andrea Jenkyns and MOBA- Morley and Outwood Business Association.

Mr Hancock, who is Minister of State at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Minister of State for Energy, first addressed the meeting, talking about how well Yorkshire’s economy is doing. He then took questions from attendees on topics ranging from support for small business to local government procurement. Businesses that attended include; Associated Waste Management, Spawforths, Natwest, Emphasis Creative Agency and the CBI-Confederation of British Industry.

Matthew Hancock said “I came here today to listen to local businesses, and find out what more we can do in government to

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help them start up and grow. It is great to see how well things are going locally.

Unemployment is down by half and last year more jobs were created in Yorkshire than in the whole of France. This is down to the hard work of businesses like the ones I met. There is more to do and we need advocates like the fantastic Andrea Jenkyns in Parliament as a strong local voice for Morley and Outwood.”

Andrea Jenkyns added “We need to create a lasting legacy of employment and growth in our area, and that can’t happen without backing local employers. Growing firms like Arena Group, who take on new employees and apprentices are the force behind Britain’s economic recovery.”

Pictured are Matthew Hancock, Andrea Jenkyns, with Adrian Fitzpatrick from the Arean Group and Robert McClements from the LEP. For further details contact; Andrea on 07846 320330

The UK’s most popular jazz singerpianist, Liane Carroll will perform with a band of hand-picked young musicians including BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, Alexander Bone and Rory Ingham from Wakefield.

Food, wine, beer and a reserved seat near the stage are all included in a special one-off price of just £15.00.

Wakefield Jazz is a hidden gem and supported by top jazz artists internationally. Since Jamie Cullum hit fame, he has performed a secret gig because he loves playing in Wakefield.

Guy Barker MBE performed The Magic Flute with American actor Michael Brandon. Claire Martin, Radio 3, is a regular and international artists include both Ronny Scotts and Wakefield Jazz on their tour schedules.

The event takes place at The Conference Suite, Wakefield (College Grove) Sports and Jazz Club, Eastmoor Road, Wakefield.

There is plenty of free parking spaces at the Sports Club.

For tickets, email wakefieldjazz@gmail.com

ORANGERY’S FUTURE IN DOUBT This does not affect arts charity Beam who run The Orangery and whose current lease runs to Spring 2016.

As well as being the base for the popular Wakefield Lit Fest, The Orangery has been the site of major artworks by Richard Woods and other international and local artists, and for a regular programme of music, visual arts, performance, heritage, and family friendly events. The site is owned by Wakefield Council.

The future of the Orangery in Wakefield is in doubt following an announcement

by Beam that it will stop programming or booking events at the venue from Easter.

The Grade II* listed site, located next to Westgate Station, has operated for many years as an arts, education, business and social venue. The closure means that the building will not host regular events although existing bookings will be honoured.

Robert Powell, Director of Beam, said: “The Orangery is a very special Wakefield place we all love. But for an arts charity it’s expensive to keep open on a regular basis. So with great reluctance we’ve decided to close it as a venue. Hopefully this is temporary, but Beam just can’t carry the running and management costs on its own.

“Beam’s work as a creative company carries on. In fact, we’ve just been

offered nearly £90,000 in grants from the Arts Council for an exciting new programme called ‘Arts in Place’ and to take Wakefield Lit Fest to other parts of the District over the next two years. We’ll stay based at The Orangery this year and continue our creative work locally and nationally, including the next Lit Fest.

“Thousands of people have enjoyed The Orangery. It’s a unique part of the city’s creative life and it’s a shame to see it closed as a cultural venue given the city’s growing reputation as a centre for the arts. “ The Council have always been very supportive. We’re talking to them about future plans for the building and we are hopeful that a long-term solution can be found. In the meantime we’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has ideas about how The Orangery might be kept open.”

BUSINESSES TURN OUT TO HEAR JUSTIN URQUHART STEWART Justin Urquhart Stewart, co-founder and head of corporate development at Seven Investment Management (7im) v i s i t e d Wa k e f i e l d l a s t w e e k t o s h a r e his thoughts on the North South divide with a packed audience at fdsHouse.

Justin’s talk, entitled; “And there is another country” (these are words from a poem by Cecil Spring Rice better known to many as “I Vow to thee my country) focused on that “other country”– London and the South East.

Speaking to an engaged audience of Wakefield business owners and professionals Justin spoke about his experiences and knowledge of how business is done differently in the City and his views on how Yorkshire can bridge the gap.

CEO of hosting company fds Director Services Limited Jo Haigh said “We were delighted to host Justin at our event and are proud to be able to bring such a well-known and respected business commentator to the region; it is great for Wakefield and the surrounding counties”.One of the most recognisable and trusted market commentators

on television, radio, and in the press Justin has a keen interest in developing the investment market to break down as many of the traditional barriers as possible for both private investors and smaller companies.

“It’s fascinating to see the dynamism of the businesses thinking, not just about themselves, but the broader economic environment and what they can do to make things change – power to the North!” – Justin Urquhart Stewart.

Attendee and local business owner Anne Lockwood of First Choice Recruitment who said “The North South divide discussion bared great emphasis on the Northern Powerhouse. Justin’s excellent ‘ramblings’ really struck home about the Economy. But what about the North – we are good but with some radical thinking, regional investment in property development, infrastructure and education we could be great…which can only be good news for Wakefield.”

Wakefield Edition April 2015 9

•• News

Round up

WAKEFIELD LEASING COMPANY ENJOYS SUCCESSFUL YEAR A specialist short term vehicle leasing company based in wakefield has announced a 23 percent growth in new leasing contracts in the last financial year, following a consistent growth rate of 20 percent year on year for the last three years.

Cars on Demand – based at Trinity Business Park - has secured in excess of 1,200 new short term lease arrangements in the past twelve months, as well as increasing the number of cars in its rolling fleet by 16 percent to over 600 at its peak leasing period in 2014.

The company, which last year turned over £2.9million, offers short term vehicle leasing solutions to individuals and businesses that require access to a vehicle or a fleet of cars, without the costs associated with purchase and maintenance. Unlike the typical leasing industry average of 36 months, Cars on Demand’s shortest available lease period is just 28 days. The business operates a fleet of over 600 vehicles ranging from small city cars

through to performance coupé’s, and plans to introduce and additional 160 vehicles to the fleet in 2015 – with the aim to increase turnover by 25 percent.

BARCLAYS WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Cars on Demand was established in Wakefield in 2003 by owner and managing director Paul Brown, and over the last twelve years has seen the introduction of five franchised branches across the UK and Ireland, in addition to a second, owned, premises in the South West of England.

Mr Brown said: “The increase in our number of new contracts over the past year clearly demonstrates that there is a real need from both individuals and businesses for more temporary leasing solutions that don’t tie them into long term, and sometimes unsuitable, contracts. He continued: “We work with many small to medium sized businesses both in Wakefield and across the UK that appreciate our commitment to finding them the most suitable flexible leasing contract for their needs at that particular time; be it a business or personal lease.”

The company is also home to Supercars on Demand, a super car rental hub that offers short term supercar daily hire.

Partner and department head at Chadwick Lawrence, Asma Iqbal, was shortlisted in the Medium Business category at the ‘Celebrating Yorkshire Women in Business Awards' held on 5 March at Bowcliffe Hall, Wetherby.

The awards recognise women from all sectors who have made an outstanding contribution to business in the Yorkshire region and award exceptional achievements they have made to business.

Asma joined Chadwick Lawrence as a Partner in 2008 and main areas of practice include advising business, Directors and Insolvency Practitioners in Corporate pre-insolvency and insolvency situations. Areas of expertise include the corporate restructuring of companies with a view to rescuing the business where commercially viable. Asma also advises individuals and insolvency practitioners in personal insolvency matters and acts for foreign creditors in recovering substantial sums due from debtors based in the United Kingdom.

Asma commented “I am delighted to have been shortlisted for the award. The awards themselves are a fantastic initiative to not only recognise and represent women in business, but to celebrate the achievements of individuals and the significant developments in equality and diversity by the businesses in which these women represent.”

“I want to pass on my congratulations to all the winners, and even though I was not successful on this occasion, the calibre of nominees is a testament to the quality of talent in Yorkshire.”

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•• The

Arts

CULTURAL MANIFESTO Murray Edwards - Executive Director

IT IS ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT POLITICIANS COME UP WITH IN THE RUN UP TO A GENERAL ELECTION. WITH THIS YEAR’S EVENT LIKELY TO BE SUCH A CLOSELY RUN CONTEST, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS JUST KEEP ON COMING.

As I write these notes the Chancellor has just presented his last budget before the election, not really a budget at all with only a few weeks to go, but rather a political statement intended to secure as many votes as possible in May. The Yorkshire Post this week published its Manifesto for Yorkshire and I thought I’d look at some of the key cultural elements which could make such a difference to the people, communities and businesses that make up one of the largest counties in England.

The amazing Tour de France : Grand Depart last year showed the world what Yorkshire’s really like and how proud its citizens are of the county and its extraordinary assets. Whilst the physical assets are remarkable – and much lauded across the globe – it’s really the people that make it the place it is. Culturally the home of two of the greatest sculptors that ever lived – Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore – and two of the three most performed playwrights in the world today – John

Godber and Alan Ayckbourn (the other is Shakespeare) – makes this county quite remarkable, not to speak of the performing arts companies (such as Opera North, Northern Ballet, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sheffield Theatres and Northern Broadsides) and museums & galleries (Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Henry Moore Institute, National Mining Museum etc.)

The region welcomes millions of visitors every year, yet the huge disparity of funding for the arts between London and Yorkshire must be addressed. As I’ve mentioned before, this disparity is clearly seen when Arts Council’s England’s spending is broken down showing around £41 per head in London as compared with £13 in Yorkshire. Whilst it is acknowledged that there is a greater density of arts organisations based in the capital, this disparity must be properly recognised and efforts made to re-adjust spending.

When it was suggested in 2013 that either the National Railway Museum in York or the National Media Museum

Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield WF1 2TE - www.theatreroyalwakefie 12

in Bradford might have to close because of funding cuts, there was horror in Yorkshire, but hardly a murmur anywhere else, clearly reflecting the highly London-centric view of culture in the UK. It is essential that work currently only seen in London be shared with the remainder of the country and ways must be found of ensuring that this happens.

We are fortunate in having a number of national companies here in the region, but based in the metropolitan centres as they are, these on their own won’t encourage the local and community interest upon which audience development is based and which feed the bigger regional players. In my opinion audiences for the arts are based upon stimulation at an early age, and a continuing exposure to a wide range of work within easy reach that is affordable and accessible.

Failure to recognise this will simply provide grist to the mill for those who already criticise the arts for being a middle class activity and irrelevant for the vast majority.

Yorkshire has a great opportunity – to make a major commitment to ensuring that the arts are accessible to all.

This will capitalise even further on the remarkable creative resource that lies within our boundaries and perhaps we can emulate the effect of the Grand Depart which was experienced by 25% of the population of Yorkshire last year.

In 2017, we are inviting the UK to take a fresh look at Hull. A successful staging of City of Culture will go a long way to attracting wider interest and investment in Hull and the surrounding area. Added to that is the news that Leeds City Council is planning to submit a bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2023 with the extraordinary benefits that will accrue to the city region and the wider community in Yorkshire and the North East.

A vision for Yorkshire must be to build on the excellent work being done by Gary Verity and Welcome to Yorkshire which has already galvanised people, communities and businesses into playing their part.

Everyone involved in our strategic leadership has their part to play and that includes our national politicians.

eld.co.uk tel: 01924 211311 - mail@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk Wakefield Edition April 2015 13

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•• Legal

Matters

GRANDPARENTS SEEK COURT ORDER TO SEE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN T H E N AT I O N A L FA M I LY M E D I AT I O N C E N T R E H AV E R E V E A L E D T H AT 2 , 5 1 7 C O U R T A P P L I C AT I O N S W E R E M A D E I N 2 0 1 4 B Y G R A N D PA R E N T S FO R C H I L D A R R A N G E M E N T O R D E R S O R CO N TACT O R D E R S ( E N A B L I N G A C H I L D TO S P E N D T I M E W I T H A N AM E D P E R S O N ) . . .

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his averages at seven Grandparents per day seeking a court order to see their grandchildren. Jane Robey, CEO of national family mediation, said: “the fact is that grandparents have no automatic right to be part of their grandchild’s life.

A divorce or separation can shatter grandparents’ lives as much as the couple involved, because it can mean contact with the grandchildren they love is suddenly blocked.

It is important to recognise that proceedings concerning children and parents do not solely impact those persons involved, rather, many other relatives can be negatively impacted. Clearly, the figure of 2517 court applications last year represents a large number of Grandparents who feel like they have no other option but to go to court. Significantly, this figure highlights the number of children involved that are losing out on their relationship with their grandparents, who often play pivotal roles in a child’s life.

Many grandparents may, understandably, be put off by the prospect of court proceedings however many other options are available. Mediation is fast becoming an extremely useful source of avoiding full-blown court proceedings.

What is mediation?

Mediation is a process that aims to help

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Each issue Ramsdens Solicitors will share with TopicUK readers information to keep us all within the law.

If you have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject email editor@ topicuk.co.uk and we'll get Ramsdens to answer it for you.

parties resolve family disputes. A qualified family mediator has discussions with both parties and then tries to come to a fair and reasonable agreement. In this case, mediators will work towards finding solutions to enable contact to be facilitated between yourself and your grandchild/ ren. If an agreement is reached between the parties a Memorandum of Understanding will be completed by the Mediator. Each party will receive a copy of this Memorandum for future reference.

If after exploring the options it is deemed by yourselves and your lawyer that litigation is necessary Ramsdens can provide you with the support, expertise and assistance that you need at each stage of the proceedings.

For further information contact Helen Thewlis, Head of Family at Ramsdens on 08000 147720, email family@ramsdens. co.uk or text LAW to 67777 to arrange a free thirty minute consultation.

The hazards of not making a Will Spouses, and partners in civil partnerships, are treated the same for the purposes of Wills. The terms ‘married’ and ‘spouse’ have been used here for convenience.

The law in England & Wales is different from that in Scotland and Northern Ireland but, for our purposes, we deal here with the law in England & Wales only.

If you don’t make a Will, the law dictates who gets your ‘estate’ (everything you leave behind when you die), and in what shares. This means you may find the law and your wishes are different. For example, there may be a problem if you or your spouse has children from previous marriages.

If you have a partner but you are not married, your partner will receive nothing under the intestacy rules, no matter how long you have been together. This applies even if you share a home (although your partner may have property rights under other laws, and may be able to claim ‘reasonable financial provision’ against your estate as a dependent in certain circumstances - but this can be expensive and upsetting).

Conversely, the intestacy rules may benefit people you would not choose to inherit. Finally, friends, or charities you support, don’t automatically benefit under the rules. The way to be absolutely sure your wishes are carried out is to make a Will.

Another consideration is that when you die, someone must be legally responsible for ensuring your estate is properly administered. This can be a major undertaking: apart from your funeral, your property has to be identified and valued; everyone from banks to insurance companies to the DVLA notified; property, belongings and money collected in; taxes, debts and liabilities calculated and paid; property sold or transferred to beneficiaries and estate accounts drawn up.

It can take six months or more to sort out a simple estate, and a year or much longer if the estate is more complex.

If you don’t make a Will, the law sets out the order of people, starting with your closest relative, who can apply to the court to administer your estate. This may include relatives you would not choose to administer your estate, or who are not up to the job. But if you make a Will you can decide who will administer your estate by appointing them as your ‘executors’.

You can ensure you choose people you trust absolutely, and who are competent and willing to take the job on.

If your estate may be large enough to incur inheritance tax (IHT) when you die you, may be able to reduce that liability by making a Will, leaving more for your beneficiaries. The IHT thresholds are currently £325,000 per person.

If you have young children, it can be tax-efficient to set up a trust for them until they reach 18 or older. This can be done in your Will: • Your executors can act as the trustees.

• You can make extra provision for the children • (although if you don’t, they may be able to claim ‘reasonable provision’ from your estate).

• You can specify that they won’t benefit until they are, say, 25.

You can, if you wish, appoint a guardian with legal responsibility for looking after them generally. This is particularly important if you have a disabled child.

A Will can make succession much simpler if you own or partly own a business. Tax reliefs on the disposal of your business when you die may be available if you plan properly in your Will.

If you own property in another country you will often need a foreign Will covering what happens to it when you die, taking into account foreign succession laws and death taxes. You should also make a Will in the UK, which dovetails with the foreign Will.

If you or your partner lives abroad, you will almost inevitably need to make a Will which takes into account the laws of the relevant country.

And don’t forget that if you have made a Will, a subsequent marriage or civil partnership automatically revoked your Will – unless it is made in contemplation of the marriage or civil partnership.

We are happy to see clients at a location that is most suitable for them. We are also part of the Law Society’s Will and Inheritance Quality Scheme, another mark of our expertise in this area #WIQS and our Private Client team are recommended in the Legal 500 2014/15.

If you already have an existing will, we offer a “will checking service” review my will to go through your will with you and ensure that it still meets with your needs. A will is a document that should be constantly monitored and updated as situations and relations change, which inevitably in life they do!

For more information contact Jodie Gajic on 01484 821 500, text LAW to 67777 or email Jodie.gajic@ramsdens.co.uk.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 17

•• Local

Heroes

IAN JOHNSON Ian talks to us about overseeing production at one of the largest soft drinks plants in the world

O

ne of six plants in the UK, Coca Cola Enterprises in Wakefield is the largest soft drinks plant in Europe and the third largest in the world, producing 107m cases of drinks each year, 40% of all production in the UK. We caught up with Director of supply chain operations Ian Johnson to find out more about them.

Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) opened in Wakefield in 1989 in a purpose built facility, on a greenfield site. Ian joined the business the same year as a technician, working in various roles until he settled in his current position.

Many of our readers will know that the site on the 41 Business Park was chosen for its location with excellent transport links but there was another reason at that time - skill. “During the 1980s many mines closed in Yorkshire, as well as steel plants, leaving many skilled people out of work,” Ian explained, “CCE saw the opportunity to recruit these individuals, giving us an extremely talented workforce, many of whom are still with us today.”

Ian’s days are always busy. He is almost always on site by 6am, checking on the previous 24 hours production before undertaking day to day administration, answering emails and generally catching up with his team as well as chairing the daily dashboard meeting, that Ian calls ‘the health check’ “There are always lots of meetings to attend, both on site and at other sites around the UK,” Ian told us, “there’s never a quiet moment!”

More than £100m has been spent expanding the site over the last six years, a new warehouse alone cost £30m and a large PET line £13m.

There are three can lines producing 2000 cans per minute, that equates to 100 cans per second and with seven production lines, CCE produce 30,000 pallets from their new fully automated warehouse, that has a capacity to produce up to 45,000. Some days at its peak, 300 vehicles per day can leave the site and the business is currently

18

investigating new flexible packaging technology.

“We employ 420 staff employed, which can increase for the seasons with temporary agency staff being brought in for the Summer and Christmas periods. “We try and recruit local people where possible,” Ian continued, “and we are currently recruiting for shop floor operators, technicians as well as various management roles.”

CCE also have close links with Wakefield College and take two young apprentices each year and currently employ 13 adult apprentices through the college who had no opportunities when they were younger.

“We are very keen on people development and were delighted when we were given the Wakefield College Employer of the Year award. “We are keen to support both local businesses and charities, with staff always willing to support and get involved with fundraising.”

So with such a large facility to oversee and lots of travelling to other sites, how does Ian spend his downtime?

“We have a wide canal boat moored on the Leeds / Liverpool canal where I spend many of my weekends with my wife of 34 years. We enjoy lots of family time on the boat, often joined by our two children and our 5 grandchildren, which can be quite hectic to say the least,” Ian laughed.

Ian is also interested in photography and displays some of his impressive work on his office wall as well as his other passion, woodwork, again many examples of which are dotted around his office. “Both these hobbies help me to relax and offers a welcome escape to my workshop at the bottom of the garden!”

Finally, we asked Ian what improvements could be made to make Wakefield a better place to live and work. “It has to be transport links. Despite CCE sitting besides two major motorways, traffic is always congested. It can take me more than two hours to drive home to Thackley in the evening rush hour, longer than it takes me to reach meetings in London via the East Coast Mainline.”

Wakefield Edition April 2015 19

OAKWELL FESTIVAL GETTING ‘THE FEELING’ FOR A BIGGER EVENT Comments from a recent Customer Survey...

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rom an idea while sat in a local pub to one of the biggest one day music festivals the Kirklees area has hosted, Oakwell Music Festival will again see 20+ bands play across 3 stages on Sunday, July 12. Situated in the leafy grounds of Oakwell Hall in Birstall, Oakwell Festival was attended by around 3000 people in 2014 and aims to attract an even bigger audience this year. Organised by a team of dedicated local volunteers the event is to be headlined by chart toppers The Feeling and will feature bands such as 90’s indie hit makers Dodgy, R&B girl band Stooshe and popular local artists Hope & Social, Rupert Stroud, The Hijacked and many many more.

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The not for profit making event will help local community groups in the area and is also being used to promote local talent on the music scene. Festival organiser, Paul Fisher says “The development and planning of Oakwell Festival had initially taken over 2 years and we’ve only got to this stage with the help of such a dedicated team and a fantastic crowd. “The festival was put together to bring great music to an area lacking in opportunities or overshadowed by it’s big brother cities and now we’ve made our mark we intend to make it bigger and better every year”.

Festival organisers are looking for companies to get involved to help fund the festival and have many sponsorship opportunities available. “We are working with a number of local companies already, including Robert Watts Estate Agents, Kirklees College and Trinity Walk in Wakefield but with local and national promotion in place it’s an ideal platform to promote. With profits going back into the community what better way to profile your business and give back to the local area” says Paul.Tickets for the festival are £25 for adult and £10 for children 11-16 with under 10’s going free. Tickets are on sale and can be ordered on the website, www.oakwellfestival.co.uk or bought at Dewsbury and Cleckheaton Town Halls or Oakwell Hall visitor centre.

If you would like to discuss sponsorship opportunities or want more information contact the festival team via email at festival@oakwellfestival.co.uk or phone 07766254850.

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www.copiserv.co.uk

Follow us on: @copiserv_co www.facebook.com/copiserv

Wakefield Edition April 2015 21

•• Banking

& Economy

KNOWLEDGE + INNOVATION = SUCCESS Santander is working with the Huddersfield 3m Business Innovation Centre to h e l p a m b i t i o u s Yo r k s h i r e b u s i n e s s e s a c c e s s t h e l a t e s t t e c h n o l o g y a n d k n o w l e d g e .

S

o why does innovation matter, how does it make you money and what do you need to do to get a piece of the action?

Why innovate In most industries the internet has closed the knowledge gap that consumers faced when deciding on what to buy, who from and how much for – typically with next day delivery!

So if you try to offer the same product as your competitors then sooner or later you’ll be out priced, out delivered or obsolete – you need a differentiator to ensure your business stays ahead of the market. Better still a “sustainable competitive advantage” that gives your business an on-going edge that isn’t easily imitated or competed with.

Innovation is the way to get there.

Innovation doesn’t just mean “inventing from scratch” – whilst the purest form of innovation, that “Eureka!” moment is pretty elusive and it’s typically a lot harder for a company to come up with a totally new concept that will revolutionise a market place.

More likely is the use of innovation to improve a current product, service or process. For example “innovation” as a process of development applied to a product can produce one that’s faster, lighter, stronger, ahead of current market specification or maybe just right “on trend” in terms of design.

Innovation applied to business processes can develop more energy efficient and accurate processes, which in turn waste less material, 22

run faster and drive costs benefits – and when a company achieves these cost benefits they can either pass them on to the consumer as a lower sales price as a competitive strategy to drive volume sales, or maintain price and pocket the difference!

it – so if an employee saves costs or increases revenue, let them have some of it – a true win-win financially whilst also empowering the team to make positive changes around the business.

Tax effective

If you want to take innovation to the next level or you just can’t crack a particular challenge, the Huddersfield 3M Business Innovation Centre is a purpose built specialist environment creating a business facing centre for collaboration and research. The laboratories and workshops house a range of specialist equipment and resources for use in short to medium term collaborative and applied research and development projects involving researchers and wider support from Huddersfield University.

If you have a business innovation challenge then Santander and the 3M BIC would like to hear from you and help you move forwards.

Not only could you end up with a better product or process, produced more efficiently it can also be super tax effective - the government encourages innovation through Research and Development (R&D) tax credits. From April 1st 2015 the rate of relief for the SME scheme will rise from 225% to 230% - this means that for every £100 spent on qualifying costs your company could have the income on which Corporation Tax is paid reduced by an additional £130 on top of the £100 spent – i.e. spend £100 and get £230 of tax benefit! One to run through with the accountant – you’d be surprised what will qualify and you may already be able to make a retrospective claim.

Internal inspiration So how can your business innovate successfully? Innovation can come from sources both within the business and also from external help. A proactive employee suggestions process can often be a source of great quick wins spotted by your own team – and innovation can be just that - it doesn’t have to be a sea change and a lot can be achieved through making multiple incremental improvements. Particularly if there is an incentive scheme built around

External expertise

Santander innovates too In 2011 Santander launched Breakthrough, a range of innovative support designed to help ambitious businesses grow and prosper, as part of this Santander will part fund undergraduate or graduates from Huddersfield University to work on 3 month internships with local businesses.

If you run an ambitious business and think we could help your business innovate and grow then please feel free to get in touch, I’d like to hear from you jonathan.rostron@santander.co.uk

Every eight minutes we help a business take on the world

Whether building your local network or a global presence, we could help your business achieve its next breakthrough.

To find out more visit santandercb.co.uk or contact Jonathan Rostron 07850 640 600 jonathan.rostron@santander.co.uk

Source: Internal data 2014.

Santander Corporate & Commercial is a brand name of Santander UK plc, Abbey National Treasury Services plc (which also uses the brand name Santander Global Banking and Markets) and Santander Asset Finance plc, all (with the exception of Santander Asset Finance plc) authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Our Financial Services Register numbers are 106054 and 146003 respectively. Credit cards are provided by Santander UK plc. In Jersey, Santander UK plc is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission to carry on deposit-taking business under the Banking Business (Jersey) Law 1991. Registered office: 2 Triton Square, Regent’s Place, London NW1 3AN. Company numbers: 2294747, 2338548 and 1533123 respectively. Registered in England. Santander and the flame logo are registered trademarks. Santander UK plc is a participant in the Jersey Bank Depositors Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for eligible deposits of up to £50,000. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Full details of the Scheme and banking groups covered are available on the States of Jersey website (www.gov.je/dcs) or on request.

CCBB 0580 NOV 14 HT

Wakefield Edition April 2015 23

•• Information

Technology

THREE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN IT STRATEGY A superior strategy coupled with solid execution often makes the difference between winners and losers.

If you have already taken the time to map out a business plan and strategy for your business, then it’s just a matter of taking the process further to implement your plans.

Developing an IT strategy demonstrates certain leadership qualities such as being proactive instead of reactive and having a clear vision of your goals and objectives. The benefits of an IT strategy are best seen in how well it aligns to business objectives and how significantly it contributes to these objectives.

Here are three benefits that can be realized from an effective IT strategy. COST REDUCTION Small companies struggling with limited budgets can explore options for implementing their IT initiatives at reduced costs.

Among these options are IT outsourcing and cloud computing. Some options could end up as self-funding when savings in power, cooling, management and space are taken into account.

Aside from cost savings, allowing a third-party to manage your IT needs in a utility model can reveal other benefits such as allowing you to focus on your core competencies. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Today’s technology opens up many opportunities to increase customer satisfaction. Some sample projects are those that streamline business processes, improve efficiency and thereby shorten the order cycle. Other projects are those that are enabled by current technology such as making mobile payments. REVENUE GENERATION While you may recognize some of the initiatives that you could undertake, you may lack the knowledge in your organization to appropriately plan and implement major projects. A good IT outsourcing company could fill in the gap. Your IT strategy lets you plan your initiatives to obtain optimal business outcomes rather letting circumstance dictate your future. It is a first step in moving from a reactive to proactive mindset and showcasing IT as a strategic asset for your business.

Paul Heigham of Bellingham IT 24

THE BUSINESS PLAN

If you are looking for advice on Accountancy and Taxation matters...

Fact or Fiction?

In today’s market place, unless you are incredibly cash rich, any new business idea cannot be developed without investment capital and this will only be raised with an outstanding business plan.

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However, in the opinion of accountant Chris Dix and in the opinion of many others, most business plans concentrate on the wrong areas. Accountants tend to concentrate on profit and cash flow forecasts and whilst these are important, in the eyes of most potential investors they are the least believable part of the document.

A good business plan will provide detailed CV’s of the management team, a carefully researched strategy to develop a strong market share but above all a detailed understanding of the target market.

Inheritance Tax Planning, Business planning, Mergers or Acquisitions.

Contact Chris Dix or Carolyn Harman for your free initial consultation

Chris was recently presented with an excellent business plan prepared by a Chartered Physiotherapist. "He had spent some two years researching a specific area of his chosen skill sector and from this he has a clearly identified market and a clear strategy to expand," said Chris. "So much so, he has a number of private individuals knocking on his door to invest in his business."

The success of his plan has been his ability to understand the target market.

Chris Dix Accountants

Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors Unit 3 Silkwood Court Wakefield WF5 9TP Telephone: 01924 263766

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Offices also in Leeds at:

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Wakefield Edition April 2015 25

Body Shop Trinity Walk offer treat to a special lady Pamela Thornes, fundraising manager at the Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust has recently gone through a difficult period in her life, so Body Shop Trinity Walk and TopicUK got together to give Pamela a very special treat.

Pamela was invited to Body Shop by manager Lee, a trained make-up artist to have a complete makeover.

After the makeover in March, Pamela told us: “What a lovely morning I had at the Trinity Walk Body shop with Lee as my makeup artist.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, the whole team were wonderful, kind and caring and made me feel at ease.

Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity – I enjoyed every minute.”

I think you will agree with us that Pamela looks amazing.

Now its your turn. Would you like to win a goodie bag courtesy of Body Shop Trinity Walk? All you have to do is answer the following question: TopicUK has just launched a second issue, what areas will it cover?

Send your answer, together with your name, address and contact phone number to editor@ topicuk.co.uk. The winner will be the first entry drawn after the closing date of May 22nd.

GLENDINNING WEALTH WEALTH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

A wealth of expertise on your doorstep We provide an experienced wealth management service and offer specialist advice in a wide range of areas including: • Investment planning • Retirement planning • Inheritance Tax planning For further details contact Glendinning Wealth on:

Tel: 01924 666263 Email: gareth.glendinning@sjpp.co.uk Website: www.glendinningwealth.co.uk

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- M AT C H D AY -

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THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS BOTH OF WHICH ARE GREAT WAYS TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS. Match Sponsorship£1,750+VAT - Ball Sponsorship£650+VAT Both options include: Hospitality Logo printed on the front page of the match day programmes Anouncements throughout the day Our match Sponsors also have the opportunity to distribute products and information around the stadium on the day.

CONFERENCE AND EVENTS Wakefield Trinity Wildcats have a range of facilities to cater for any business event.

We can offer ten seater corporate boxes to larger rooms that can accommodate up to 150 guests. With free on site parking and in house catering facilities serving both 3 course meals or hot & cold buffets, the club have the flexibility to fit your requirements.

New 2015 shirts and season tickets are available to order online now. For details visit: www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk

SPAWFORTHS ARE ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS!

Spawforths are celebrating the opening of a new £5.5m link road in Pontefract which formed part of the wider masterplan they prepared on behalf of Harworth Estates for the former Prince o f Wa l e s Co l l i e r y s i t e .

The Spawforths team worked closely with the client, Local Authority and community to develop a common vision, masterplan and design code for this highly sustainable site that lies on the edge of the historic market town, adjacent to junction 32 of the M62.

The 1.5km Northern Link Road – from Park Road to Monkhill – is part of a wider scheme to open up the former Prince of Wales Colliery site which includes a mixed use development of 900 new houses, employment and high profile leisure uses with enhanced pedestrian links to the town centre and surrounding districts.

The scheme creates more than 1,000 new jobs.

Work on the road – which was funded by a £4.1m grant from the Department for Transport and £1.48m from Wakefield Council was started last June and opened on the 2nd March.

Adrian Spawforth, Managing Director at Spawforths, said “The road will play an important role in helping to reduce town centre traffic, improving pedestrian and cycle facilities, as well as reducing air pollution from traffic.”

This site is a key delivery project as identified in Yorkshire Forward’s Urban Renaissance 5 Towns Masterplan, and Spawforths are working with the Local Authority to ensure that the final proposals build on the work that has already been undertaken

ALL CHANGE AT HORBURY CIVIC SOCIETY Since 1968, Horbury Civic Society, a registered charity, has been part of a proud nationwide movement of local people helping to shape the villages, towns and cities where they live and work.

In recent years, however, the Society has struggled to attract new members and it looked as if the Society might have to close. However, an offer from the Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies (YHACS), the umbrella group for over 40 societies in the region, might yet see the Society saved.

Members of the YHACS committee have taken responsibility for running the Society. The new chair of the Society is Kevin Trickett, who as chair of YHACS and president of neighbouring Wakefield Civic Society for many years, is well versed in civic society matters.

Kevin said: “Horbury Civic Society and its committee members have done sterling work to enhance the town over many years but we now need to see some new faces stepping up to take the Society forward into the future. We are therefore appealing to local people who care about Horbury to join us.”

YHACS is inviting people who would like to help reenergise the Society to make contact either by emailing info@yhacs.org.uk or via Twitter @HorburyCivicS. 28

Spawforths Architects Established Wakefield 1988 Specialists in the Design of Residential, Commercial and Primary Care Buildings

Call Adrian Spawforth RIBA MRTPI or Dawn Jenkins RIBA

01924 873873

www.spawforths.co.uk

The Community Foundation For Wakefield District •

Our goal is to create a healthier and happier Wakefield district where hardship and inequality are things of the past.

•

We want local grass-roots projects to flourish.

•

We connect those who care passionately about the district and its people. We form partnerships between community groups that are making a difference and the people who wish to invest in a better future for our district.

•

We do this through:-

-

Raising money from the Wakefield district (local philanthropy).

-

Distributing money to Voluntary and Community Groups based in the Wakefield district (through grants programmes)

If you want to help make a difference locally, please contact us on: T: 01924 239 181 E: swalsh@communityfoundationwakefield.co.uk

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Wakefield Edition April 2015 29

for all your legal needs call your local solicitors Ramsdens with 10 offices across West Yorkshire we’re never too far away

#knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens

01924 669510 www.ramsdens.co.uk 30

Close UP

CHAMBER News

£17.5 million skills service for local businesses

W

e are delighted to announce that we are part of a consortium to deliver The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) skills service, along with Calderdale College in partnership with Leeds City College and West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

The LEP has scooped devolved funding through the Government’s Employer Ownership Pilot to create a £17.5 million skills service for local businesses: The LEP skills service has been launched to provide skills support for small and medium sized businesses.

The service helps businesses to identify their skills needs based on their business growth objectives and then find the right training solution.

The training provision is employer led, enabling businesses to design their own solutions and plug gaps in the market. Small and medium sized businesses based in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield that have a budget to put towards training could also be eligible for funding between £500 and £50,000.

To find out more, or to see if you’re eligible for support and funding visit:

www.the-lep.com/skillsservice

The skills service is delivered by a consortium on behalf of the LEP and has been partly supported by HM Government with Employer Ownership funding.

We have moved to the John Smith’s Stadium I Close Up for Business

Two new appointments strengthen the Chamber We are pleased to announce the appointments of Joanne Smith and David White to the team.

Joanne joins us as an administrator, supporting the wider Chamber team and David White as the Skills Engagement Manager for the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) skills service.

Joanne and David will

On Monday 23rd March our head office in Huddersfield moved from Lockwood Park to the John Smith’s Stadium.

Staff including MY Export Hub, the international trade arm of the Chamber, are now located at the stadium.

Commenting on the move, Martin Hathaway Chief Executive said: “The move to The John Smith’s Stadium is a really positive step for us. Our new office is well located within the Mid Yorkshire region and has access to fantastic onsite facilities.”

be primarily based at our Wakefield office.

Martin Hathaway Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to welcome Joanne and David to the team.

"They both bring extensive experience and skills that will help us continue to improve our service to our members.”

We will continue to have an office within the Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre in Halifax and MY Export Hub will run a flexible appointment service in Wakefield.

Our Huddersfield office contact details are: Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG. Tel: 01484 483660.

Policy

Chamber lobbying works for business Regular readers of this column will know, that our Chamber works very hard to influence government policies towards promoting a business-friendly environment, which will encourage entrepreneurism, investment, and create economic growth.

Get your hats on

If businesses are provided with such a framework in which to operate, then Governments (of all persuasions) are likely to maximise the chances of achieving sustainable job-creation, a growing economy and national prosperity.

Did you know that brain tumours kill more UK children than any other childhood cancer?

Successes Every year the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) consults with accredited Chambers such as ourselves and agrees and finalises lobbying positions on many issues.

This seeks to influence decision-makers upon the implementation of new policies, or the modification of existing ones, to benefit trade and industry. It is therefore pleasing to record several of our lobbying successes which featured in the recent Budget. A number of issues, on which we have strongly campaigned, have been addressed.

Abolition We are pleased to see that there is, at last, to be a full review and overhaul of Business Rates. This tax has become progressively less pertinent to small businesses, and to the British high street, as internet commerce continues to revolutionise consumer habits.

We also welcomed the abolition of National Insurance contributions for businesses employing under 21’s, and for businesses employing under 25 year old apprentices –unfortunately, the latter has been deferred until 2016 when it ought to have been introduced immediately. It was also good to note the Chancellors announcement of a new Voucher System to help fund apprenticeship training - and it is hoped that this will promote even greater success for this essential training. We continue to lobby for additional help for exporters and

II Close Up for Business

the Budget’s additional funding for UKTI to promote business in China is welcomed but we would have preferred to see extra provision for promoting exports to the many other emerging markets, in addition to China.

Essential The Chancellor also announced a renewed commitment to the roll-out of high-speed Broadband, this is absolutely essential to all businesses seeking to compete on equal terms with international competitors in global markets.

Prosperity Another notable development for businesses in our region was the announcement of a new devolution deal and funding, for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This will provide additional powers over Transport, Business Support and Skills - and whilst more could be done this is an encouraging start to a developing process which over the long-term is likely to bring additional prosperity to our region.

The variety of other measures which have been announced, including support for small companies, research grants, support to the oil and gas sector, and to energyintensive industries, are all going to help promote business confidence – which is key to business investment, and which will create new jobs and sustained economic growth.

Steven Leigh Head of Policy and Representation Call: 07809 658 533 Email: steven.leigh@mycci.co.uk

New member Levi’s Star Children’s Brain Tumour Charity is committed to supporting children with brain tumours and their families across Yorkshire.

The charity needs to raise vital funds to continue the services they provide and need your help.

Vicky Ringer from Levi’s Star explains: “We are looking for local businesses to support our cause by donating, or fundraising for us.

Could we be your charity of the year? Could you organise a fundraiser? Or organise a ‘Wear a Hat for Brain Tumour Day;' Pay £1 and wear a hat for the day. Any support is greatly appreciated and helping raise much needed awareness.”

Please contact Vicky at levisstar@btinternet.com or call 07971932610 for further information about Levi’s Star Children’s Brain Tumour Charity.

Member News

Production company make documentary on big band of the noughties New member Stada Media, a video production company based in Wakefield, are partnering with the band Embrace to make the documentary ‘Embrace: One Big Secret’.

The documentary will follow the band as they make new music and organise the biggest secret festival in the world!

Embrace were responsible for one of the fastest selling debut albums by a British band - The Good Will Out. The documentary which will be filmed in and around Yorkshire, as well as in America, will delve deep into the lives of the band members, both personal and professional.

Director Danny Lacey says of the project: “This is such an exciting project for me and my company. I’m spending twelve months with the band

and have been given unlimited behind the scenes access.

"It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the group and this documentary will be a real insight to the inner workings of a band.”

The festival itself remains a complete mystery to the people who have bought tickets until 2 days before the event, when the date and location is revealed.

The documentary should be completed in early 2016; Embrace fans can look out for it on a limited cinema run, and it will also be entered into film festivals around the globe.

Close Up for Business III

BUSINESS Business OF THE of the MONTH month

Firm which lights the way for businesses wins award Lighting and electrical retailer J. G. Harrison & Sons was awarded the Business of the Month Award for December.

The Business of the Month Award is open to firms in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. Each month a new winner is chosen and all 12 then go through to the annual Business of the Year award.

The ceremony will be held in July, where an overall winner will be named.

For your chance to win the Business of the Month award visit www. businessofthemonth.co.uk or contact Ian Greenwood at Eaton Smith on 01484 821 389

Pictured from L-R: Steven Pollitt, Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; Chris Brown, Brantwood Financial Planning; Kate Booth, Eaton Smith Solicitors; Chris Harrison, J. G. Harrison & Sons Ltd; Amanda Speight, J. G. Harrison & Sons Ltd and Nick Brook, Tax Assist Accountants

J. G. Harrison & Sons, founded in 1951 by George Harrison from his Huddersfield home, is a local family run business and UK supplier of lighting and electrical goods that employs 45 people from across its Dewsbury, Halifax, Bradford and Rochdale stores.

John Harrison took over the business in the 1960s and remains Managing Director, now semi-retired, with son and Sales Director Chris Harrison taking a more proactive day to day role in the management of the business.

IV Close Up for Business

The firm continues to serve the retail market, but puts its continued success down to the growth in its commercial offering.

Chris Harrison, commented: “We’re overjoyed to win the award. We have been so busy running the business for more than 60 years that we have never entered anything like this before. The recognition is great and we’d like to thank our hard working team for finding innovative ways to continue such success.”

BUSINESS Business OF THE of the MONTH month

Recruitment agency were first choice for judges First Choice Recruitment was founded in 1993

by Anne Lockwood and Andy Turner who, having worked together at an international recruitment firm, wanted to set up their own firm in their home town.

With premises also in Leeds and Halifax, First Choice Recruitment provides temporary and permanent positions in a variety of sectors from warehousing and manufacturing to customer service and the public sector.

The judging panel were impressed with the 19% increase in turnover during this current financial year through developing new markets, particularly in the engineering and hospitality industries. The panel were also impressed with their contribution to the region and local community with their support to a number of local charities and fundraising activities. Managing Partner Andy Turner

Pictured left to right: Jayne Pearson, Kirklees Council; David Busfield, HSBC; Steven Pollitt, Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; Mike Webb, Eaton Smith; Anne Lockwood, First Choice; Andy Turner, First Choice and Sue Morris, First Choice

commented: “We’re very proud to receive this business award as recognition of the collective team’s hard work over the last 22 years, but especially in recent months.

We’ve started the year on a real high,

TI Installations scoops award

Ti Installations Ltd, a Huddersfield-based team who specialise in the installation of security and audio visual systems, has been awarded the Business of the Month prize for February.

we’ve won several new contracts, gained lots of new clients and fully expect 2015 to be one of our greatest so far – winning this award is the ‘cherry on the cake’ and I’d like to thank everyone involved with such a prestigious accolade.”

Established in January 2014 the business is the brainchild of two electrical engineers, Kris Johnson and Mark Copley, who identified a gap in the market where one trusted multi-disciplined contractor could fulfil a client’s security, electrical and audio requirements, saving them the risk and problems sourcing from different suppliers.

With clients all across Yorkshire and beyond, the judging panel were impressed that in just over 12 months the business has grown to become a reputable business in a very crowded marketplace.

Growing organically with plans to take on extra staff this year and being ahead of their projected financial targets hopefully the future looks promising for this good local business.

Commenting on the award win, Ti’s joint MD Kris Johnson said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the quality of services we provide and the integrity of the business model we set out to achieve. Client satisfaction is our number one priority, but the endorsement of this award is a real pat on the back for the whole team.”

Pictured L to R: Karen Borowski, Revell Ward; John Moore, Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; Alison Palmer, Eaton Smith; Kris Johnson, Ti Installations, Mark Copley; Ti Installations

Fellow MD Mark Copley adds: “There is no disputing we have had a phenomenal year and having already grown our team sooner than anticipated, we are now looking for more qualified electricians to join us. We are very excited indeed, about what the future holds.”

Close Up for Business V

Events

WHAT? Enjoy a light breakfast and an opportunity to make some valuable new contacts. Delegates get the chance to introduce their business in a short elevator pitch and follow-up new business leads.

It’s a great way to make new contacts in a friendly, but focused way. You are also welcome to bring your company literature and banner stands.

WHEN?

MORE

First Thursday of the month 09:30–11:00

It’s FREE for members and just £10.00 for non-members.

WHERE? We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region: Thursday 7 th May at T h e Jo h n S m i t h ’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG

Thursday 4th June, The Shay Stadium, Shaw Hill, Halifax, HX1 2YS

INFO:

Book your place online at www.mycci.co.uk/events or contact tracy.smith@mycci.co.uk Tel: 01924 311607.

Follow @MidYorksChamber and #ConnectionsCount on Twitter

WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

A very informal networking opportunity, come along and make new contacts in a relaxed setting and enjoy a drink on us!

Second Friday of the month 12:30-13:30

No need to book, just turn up!

Run in partnership with Barclays, CIM, Copiserv, First Choice, Ramsdens Solicitors LLP, Statement and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

WHERE? The Hop, Bank Street, Wakefield, WF1 1EH

INFO:

Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkWakey on Twitter.

WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

A fantastic opportunity to network in an informal environment, making some great new contacts for your business.

Third Wednesday of the month 09:00–11:00

No need to book, just turn up!

Run in partnership with CIM, Ramsdens Solicitors LLP, Better Telecoms and The Media Centre.

The Media Centre, Northumberland Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RL.

WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

Monthly lunchtime business networking meeting: have a chat, mingle and make some new contacts. Run in partnership with Barclays, CIM and Ramsdens Solicitors LLP.

Last Friday of the Month from 12:30–13:30

It’s completely free to attend, just turn up and the first drink is on us.

VI Close Up for Business

WHERE?

WHERE? Maggie’s, 24 Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1LW

INFO:

Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkHud on Twitter.

INFO:

Follow@LastFridayClub on Twitter

Events

Local Business Forums WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

Enjoy a light breakfast and have the opportunity to have your say about pressing business topics which are facing the local business community.

Bi-monthly from 08:00 – 10:00

It’s FREE for members and just £10.00 for non-members. Places are limited, book your place online at

Speakers for this meeting will include a senior member of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Policy team, as well as a representative from the local Council.

WHERE? We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region, next meeting held: Wednesday 20th May at The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG

INFO:

www.mycci.co.uk/events or contact steven.leigh@mycci.co.uk Tel: 07809 658533

MY Conference Wakefield 2015 WHAT?

WHEN?

This will be the fourth time the annual conference is held; celebrating and connecting businesses in Wakefield.

Wednesday 24th June 2015, 08:45 – 15:30

MY Conference Wakefield will be held at newly refurbished Unity Works, at the heart of Wakefield City Centre, with a great range of exhibitors and speakers.

Unity Works, Westgate, Wakefield, WF1 1EP

This year’s conference partners include; Wakefield First, Unity Works, Topic UK and Brand Yorkshire.

See our website for more information and follow @MYBizConfs on Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest news, speakers and exhibitors. Book your place on any of our events at:

The conference will be hosted during Wakefield Business Week which will take place 22nd June until the 27th June, organised by Wakefield First.

Courses in exporting The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has ten nationally accredited core courses in exporting and international trade.

Together the courses create an export curriculum, providing invaluable basic exporting skills for small and large companies alike.

By completing six courses, candidates achieve a nationally recognised foundation award in exporting. The courses are suitable for both experienced and inexperienced exporters.

Individual full day courses cost £175 (+VAT) for members and £200 (+VAT) for nonmembers and individual half day courses cost £100 (+ VAT) for members and £125 (+ VAT) for non–members.

Or book six courses (half and full day courses) for £850 (+VAT) for members and £1000 (+VAT) for non-members to complete the foundation award in exporting. All of the above courses will take place at The John Smith's Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG

WHERE?

MORE

INFO:

www.mycci.co.uk/events or speak to the Membership and Events team on 01924 311607 / info@mycci.co.uk

THE NEXT SEVEN COURSES ARE AS FOLLOWS: INCOTERMS Wednesday 6th May 09:30 - 12:30 METHODS OF PAYMENT Wednesday 6th May 13:30 – 16:30 PREFERENTIAL TRADE AGREEMENTS & RULES OF ORIGIN Wednesday 13th May 09:30 – 12:30 AGENTS AND DISTRIBUTORS Wednesday 13th May 09:30 – 12:30 DOCUMENTARY LETTERS OF CREDIT Wednesday 27th May 09:30 – 16:30 UNDERSTANDING IMPORT PROCESSES Wednesday 10th June 09:30 – 12:30 IMPORT PROCEDURES Tuesday 23rd June 09:30 – 16:30 For more information and to book visit www.myexporthub.co.uk/events

Close Up for Business VII

Patrons Update



“TWEET TWEET” Do your employees Tweet? Either on behalf of the business, or on their own account? It is likely that some of them do. In which case, it is worth covering this (and other social media sites) in your IT policy.

Mr Laws was employed by Game Retail Ltd as a risk and loss prevention investigator. He had a personal Twitter account, which he used to follow some of his stores and he allowed the stores to follow him back.

Although his Twitter account did not specifically associate him with Game Retail, a link could easily be made. Mr Laws was dismissed as a result of offensive and abusive tweets that he posted about the towns that his stores were in.

He claimed that his dismissal was unfair. The Employment Tribunal (EAT) held that it was unfair and that Game Retail’s response had been unreasonable. However, the

Employment Appeal Tribunal held that due to the public nature of Twitter, the risk to reputational damage and the potential for the tweets to cause offence, then the dismissal could potentially be fair. The matter has gone back to a new Employment Tribunal to be reconsidered in light of the EAT’s views on Twitter.

This highlights the importance of setting out clear policy guidelines about what online behaviour will not be tolerated by an employer.

If you would like to discuss, then please give me a call on 01484 821309 or at katebooth@eatonsmith.co.uk

WORLD CLASS CATERING PARTNERS The John Smith’s Stadium is much more than just a sports Stadium. It is also a major regional conference and events centre, playing host to hundreds of events every year, ranging from Black Tie dinners to boxing fight nights!

Recent progress in this part of our business has been driven by our world class catering partners, Sodexo Prestige, who have recently celebrated their one year anniversary with us.

With over 40 years experience providing catering services for a wide portfolio of sports stadia, including Headingley, Everton and Ascot, Sodexo have greatly improved the quality and consistency of our service, making us a competitor for any venue in West Yorkshire.

Sodexo have also used their local recruitment initiatives and training programmes to get many young students out of unemployment, with a vast majority of our catering staff being recruited from Kirklees College and The University of Huddersfield.

Being a community Stadium is about working with all parts of the community and we look forward to meeting the conference and event needs of local business and community groups for many years to come.

Gareth Davies, Managing Director Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd 01484 484100 Gareth.davies@ksdl.org.uk www.johnsmithsstadium.com

VIII Close Up for Business

My Export Hub

WILDCATS IN GREAT POSITION The season is now well underway at Belle Vue for the 2015 First Utility Super League.

The Club is in a great position on terms of commercial partnerships, with new sponsors on board and our hospitality selling out for our first three home games. Wakefield has also now joined in the fifth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup. Our Community Trust has been busy working with local schools in the Wakefield district, offering free coaching sessions to children in years 2 and 3, including girls secondary school groups. Working with the local community and giving something back, is at the forefront of what we are trying to achieve as a Club.

We are now in the process of planning our annual Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Golf Day. If you, or any of your clients, are keen golfers please do get in touch for further details.

Verity Thomas Commercial Manager Verity.Thomas@wakefieldwildcats.co.uk 01924 211611 www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk

WE’RE ON HAND TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS EXPORT MY Export Hub is the international trade arm of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, providing a range of services to help your business export.

From expert advice and documentation services to training and events, we are here to help Yorkshire businesses wishing to globalise their operations and capitalise on international opportunities.

We know getting the paperwork correct is vital; ultimately you will not be able to export without it and could prove costly both in time and money. We provide the most competitively priced documentation service in the North and offer a 50% discount for Chamber members.

even leaving the office!

Our expert staff are accredited to stamp European Certificates of Origin, Arab - British Certificates, ATRs, EUR1s, and a range of other commercial documents, with extensive experience dealing with international trade documentation and customs regulations. What our customers say: “We have been dealing with MY Export Hub for a couple of years now and we find the team very friendly, efficient and helpful.

They always put themselves out to help with any situation that may arise on a day to day basis.”

Susan Griffiths, D.G. Freight Ltd

We run a free of charge, flexible appointment service which ensures that you are never waiting unnecessarily, and a prompt and efficient counter service at no extra cost.

“I am pleased to say that we have found the document service provided by MY Export Hub to be excellent, efficient and prompt.

In addition, the assistance given in completing and checking documents has been first class.”

Jackie Richardson, Export Manager at Killgerm

We also accept documentation by post or online, using the e-z Cert World system, allowing you to submit your documents without

Contact MY Export Hub team on 01484 438660 to make an appointment or to discuss your documentation needs.

Close Up for Business IX

New

Members

Levi’s Angels

Blomley International

Halifax First Aid

Environmental Consultants

Training & Development

Complete Home & Garden Services

I am me

Lucy Brill

Clothing & Footwear

Research & Consultancy

Crafted by Candlelight

Integra Advisors LLP

Crafts

Accountants/Accountancy Services

Macadamia Supplementary School Ltd

Environment & Associates

Painters Decorators & Handyman

Distinct Disposables Limited

Limited

Bereavement Support Centre Charities & Benevolent Organisations www.levisangels.co.uk

Educational Institutions

Jay Jones Mark’s Garden Services

Cleaning & hygiene services/equipment

Marketing Services

Landscape/Gardening

Fibre Architects

JSW Insurance

Matti’s Spices

Architects/Architectural Services

Insurance

Foods

GP Strategies

Levi’s Star

Natwest Huddersfield

www.distinctdisposables.co.uk

www.fibrearchitects.co.uk

Educational Institutions/Services www.gpstrategies.com

X Close Up for Business

www.jswinsurance.co.uk

Children’s Brain Tumour Charity Charities & Benevolent Organisations

Banking

www.natwest.com

New

Members

Nectar Textiles

Stada Media Limited

Textiles

Audio Visual Services www.stadamedia.co.uk

Park House Healthcare Ltd

Ted Peacock Associates

Manufacturing - General

IT Software/Hardware

www.parkhouse-hc.com

Woo B Woo Arts & Crafts

www.woobwoo.com

Woodhead Investments Ltd

Property - Management

www.woodheadinvestments.co.uk

Rehash Panache

Towndoor Limited

Yorkshire Payments

Design & print

Property - Management

Financial Services

River Digital

Trinity Mirror Huddersfield

Yorkshire Telecoms Ltd

Printing Equipment

Media

Telecommunications

www.rehashpanache.com

www.riverdigital.co.uk

www.towndoor.co.uk

www.examiner.co.uk

Russell King Consulting

Vanilaz

Business Consultants

Arts & Crafts

www.yorkshirepayments.com

www.yorkshiretelecom.co.uk

If you would like to join these companies in becoming part of the Mid Yorkshire business community please contact our Membership and Events Manager

Tracy Smith on Slaiyburn Jargon Free Benefits

Wax and Wicks

www.jargonfreebenefits.com

www.waxandwicks.co.uk

Business Support Services

Retails Traders, Supplies & Services

01924 311 607

tracy.smith@mycci.co.uk to find out more.

Close Up for Business XI

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP GIVES YOU ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE BUSINESS DISCOUNTS, OFFERS AND FREE PUBLICITY!

MemberOffers What?

A heavily discounted service offered exclusively by members for members. Benefit from free publicity as a host, or gain huge savings by utilising on our Member Offer of the Month benefits.

Why?

We understand that members have a business to run, through hosting a Member Offer of the Month, you can save time on marketing and benefit from free publicity. By using members offers, save money on valuable services for your business.

How?

To discuss how your company could take advantage of the Member Offer of the Month and other publicity opportunities:

Contact Rebecca on - 01484 483 678

Current Member Offer of the Month 50% off room hire and a free serving of tea and coffee for meetings and conferences with over 20 attendants at The John Smith’s Stadium, running throughout April 2015.

Log into the MY Chamber area of the website for details on how to redeem the offer.

LOOK OUT FOR UPCOMING OFFERS FROM: • Glendinning Wealth • J & G Harrison & Sons Ltd

Chamber Connect Card ENJOY EXCLUSIVE LONG TERM BUSINESS DISCOUNTS! What?

Access a range of long term discounted offers, negotiated for your business as part of your membership package. You can also participate by offering your own discounted products and services to fellow members.

Why?

Your Connect Card is a value added service that could represent significant savings for your business. By participating as an offer provider you can gain increased brand exposure and create new business opportunities.

How?

Offers are available across a range of categories including Business Travel, IT, Business Services, Cars and Motoring and Lifestyle.

XII Close Up for Business

Bradley Environmental Consultants Chamber members can benefit from an exclusive 10% discount on all Asbestos, Health & Safety, Environmental and Training services.

Copiserv First three months printer rental FREE, 26ppm Black and White, and Colour Desktop Printer/ Copier/Scanner £13.00 per month. 26ppm Black and White, and Colour Desktop Printer/Copier/ Scanner/Fax £15.00 per month.

J.G. Harrison & Sons Did you know a saving of up to 90% can be achieved by applying the latest lighting technology? J. G. Harrison & Sons are offering all Chamber members a free site and home visit service

Panda IT Solutions 15% discount on all IT services; ad hoc or full annual support contracts, web design, off site back ups, web hosting and more. This includes a free, no obligation consultation.

Brand Yorkshire Free cost saving audit on all gas, electric, telecoms and insurance costs.

Reach Higher HR Members have access to HR Enhance™ cloud based employee management system at a discounted rate with a two week free trial from just £9 per month (based on company size).

Business Doctors Are you a successful business owner? Striving to achieve growth? Frustrated by slow progress and poor staff performance?

Members can receive a free business health check worth up to £1000.

Log into the MY Chamber section of www. mycci.co.uk to view and redeem all Connect Card offers.

Independent Education for Boys & Girls

Silcoates School An all-round education with an academic edge

Fantastic new location at Silcoates for Pre-School from September 2015.

Registering now!

Silcoates School, Wrenthorpe, Wakefield, WF2 0PD 01924 291614 | enquiries@silcoates.org.uk www.silcoates.org.uk | Charity No. 1158796 Wakefield Edition April 2015 43

•• Education

GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY D a r r y l Wi d e m a n i s t h e Hea d m a s t e r o f S i l c o a t e s S c h o o l i n Wr e n t h o r p e , Wa k e f i e l d , a c o - e d u c a t i o n a l i n d e p e n d e n t d ay s c h o o l f o r 6 70 p u p i l s a g e d from 3 to 18 years.

D

arryl was born in Wimbledon nearly 50 years ago, which explains his dedication to AFC Wimbledon and his claim that watching the Crazy Gang beat the Culture Club at Wembley in the 1988 FA Cup Final was one of the best days of his life!

He grew up in Surrey and was a pupil at Caterham School, an independent school linked to Silcoates through its association with the United Reformed Church. From there Darryl went to Oxford to read Ancient and Modern History, before following the hordes at the height of Mrs Thatcher’s boom years to the City of London in 1987 for a very short career in accountancy.

Realising it wasn’t for him, he left to take up a teaching

44

post at a prep school in Kent and then went back to university at Exeter to qualify as a secondary school teacher of history. Jobs followed at Millfield in Somerset, Fettes in Edinburgh and Ratcliffe in Leicestershire, before he was appointed to the headship of Silcoates in 2008. He is married to Fiona, who teaches at Silcoates, and has a daughter called Isabel, who is thirteen and a pupil at the school, so school life is a real family affair.

Darryl will be contributing regular articles to TopicUK, focussing not surprisingly on education, because he fully appreciates that nobody is really going to be interested in hearing about his football team!

It has been an interesting challenge running an independent day school in Wakefield in the last few years, because I took over the headship at Silcoates in September 2008, just at the time Robert Peston was a nightly harbinger of economic doom on our television screens.

The received wisdom in educational circles is that fee paying schools are ‘last in, last out’ of recession, and this has certainly been my experience in the last seven years. Parents who had already made the commitment to pay fees did everything they could to keep their children in school, not least because the youngsters were happy, settled and thriving here. However, it became increasingly difficult to persuade the parents of potential new pupils that the time was right to start parting with significant sums of money because they lacked confidence in their ability to pay over the longer term.

The traditional ways that many families paid the fees were through dad’s bonus from work, mum’s income (often from a public sector job), granny’s interest on her savings and the equity generated by a house rising in value. After 2007, these sources began to dry up, leaving fee payers to fund the cost out of taxed income, which was often a step too far.

Those from ‘Planet London’ may not have been affected for long, but it was certainly ‘grim up north’ for a while!

The good news is that there are definitely signs of recent improvement. The parents I know who are lawyers tell me more deals are being done; the house builders and associated contractors say they are as busy as they’ve ever been; and the commuters report that the southbound train is getting crowded again, particularly Those from ‘Planet London’ in first class, which is may not have been affected always a positive sign.

for long, but it was certainly ‘grim up north’ for a while!

Last week, a family who had been forced to take their child out of school a few years ago said that their business had picked up to the point where it was now affordable again, and another family who had been putting off taking the plunge into the private sector said they now felt confident enough to do it. We have also had a strong round of recruitment for September; so maybe, just maybe, I can confirm from a ‘last out’ perspective that those much talked about ‘green shoots of recovery’ may well be here in West Yorkshire this Spring.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 45

•• Cover

Feature

10 YEARS OF DELIVERING PROMISES, IMPROVING LIVES I N A N I N T E RV I EW W I T H W D H ' S C H I E F EX ECUT I V E , K EV I N D O D D, W E TA K E A FA S C I N AT I N G LO O K AT T H E J O U R N E Y T H E B U S I N E S S H A S TA K E N S I N C E I T S FO R M AT I O N I N 2 0 0 5 , TA K I N G C O N T R O L O F WA K E F I E L D C O U N C I L ' S 3 1 ,0 0 0 PROPERTIES FOLLOWING AN OVERWHELMING VOTE OF SUPPORT FROM TENANTS.

For more information, visit www.wdh.co.uk/vision

46

WDH is celebrating its tenth anniversary by reflecting on the housing association’s many achievements and by encouraging past, present and future partners to join them in creating confident communities and a better life for local people.

By building on solid foundations, WDH has grown from its position as one of the country’s largest social landlords to its place as one of Europe’s best businesses, as recognised by the prestigious European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Awards.

Along the way WDH has earned a clutch of major regional, national and international awards. These include three stars from the Audit Commission in 2007, and named UK Landlord of the Year 2013. WDH also earned the EFQM’s prize for customer service in 2013 – making WDH a role model for businesses across Europe.

There is plenty of reason to celebrate, but Kevin and his business are just as keen to press ahead with their ambitions to 2020. ⊲

RISING TO THE CHALLENGES

“People say you have to change with the times, but that only leaves you a step behind the rest,” said Kevin. “At WDH we are ahead of the curve, adapting our business to meet the challenges of the future. It’s helped us thrive in such a challenging environment, and at the same time it’s opened our eyes to a wealth of opportunities.”

One of these challenges is welfare reform. Changes to Housing Benefit such as the controversial ‘Bedroom Tax’ have changed how landlords like WDH support their tenants, and challenged their businesses to protect their income and develop new revenue streams.

Employees celebrating 10 years of WDH

“Welfare reform has been the biggest threat to our tenants’ quality of life, and the biggest threat to our business model, that we have faced so far, and yet we’ve come through stronger.

of 15,000 across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

“We’ve come a long way in 10 years and in some ways it’s difficult to recognise us from when we formed on 21 March 2005. We’ve moved on from being a social landlord – we deliver significant social impacts, and our activities both in and outside the Wakefield district have the sole aim of increasing our social dividend and maximising our social rate of investment for our core business, which is the 31,000 properties and its tenants in Wakefield.

“The reason we have been able to develop and prosper is because we have never lost sight of our main priority: providing a better quality of life for local people.”

SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

⊲

In the last 10 years WDH has invested more than £700 million improving its existing housing portfolio, built nearly 800 new properties, created 300 jobs and helped 1,000 more people find work, and this year the number of apprentices hired will reach 107.Kevin said: “Facts and stats like this show just how much of an impact our work is having on local people and the district as a whole. I am extremely proud of our achievements, and although we will enjoy reflecting on these it is very much the time to press ahead with our ambitions.”

A major example of this is WDH’s stakeholder event at the aptly-titled Unity Works. Representatives from around 80 local businesses, stakeholders and other partners discussed ways in which they can work together to improve the overall prospects of the Wakefield district and local people.

“We have set ourselves challenging goals which we can’t achieve on our own. We’re already working with many of our partners towards these, and we are persuading many more partners to join us and join in.”

For more information, visit www.wdh.co.uk

“As a landlord, we have learnt much more about our tenants and the support they need to manage such major changes, and we are championing closer work with our partners to make sure people get the assistance they need.”

A COMMERCIAL DRIVE WITH TENANTS AT HEART ⊲

“As a business, we are looking at ways to diversify our income and generate efficiencies. Our Northern Shared Services group is delivering repairs to 12,000 properties belonging to other landlords across northern England, alongside our same day repairs service for our tenants.

We’ve come a long way in 10 years. We’ve also embarked on a commercial drive supporting our Care Link telecare products, aiming to expand our current customer base

Kevin Dodd outlines WDH’s ambitions at their stakeholder event last year.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 47

•• Charity

Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk holds Fairtrade themed day Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk is supporting Fairtrade, holding a Fairtrade themed day. The retailer is the world’s biggest retailer of Fairtrade products and to celebrate, colleagues at the Trinity Walk store held a Fairtrade day in February.

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight took place between 23rd February and 8th March and Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk took their support to the next step!

Colleagues held activities throughout the day to encourage more people in Wakefield to support Fairtrade and the difference they can make to communities in the developing world.

The day’s activities included Colleagues paying a visit to St Austin’s Catholic Primary School, to teach the kids some Fairtrade facts and sample Fairtrade

products. Pupils at the School also took part in a Fairtrade debate, run by colleagues from the Trinity Walk store.

and sold in-store include plain cotton t-shirts, roses and even Taste the Difference Belgian Easter eggs.

The day helped raise awareness of the wide range of Fairtrade products which the store sell. Along with selling 100% Fairtrade bananas and other popular products including Tea, Sugar and Chocolate, other lesser-known items which are 100% certified Fairtrade

Sainsbury’s Trinity walk Store Manager Sean Higgins said: said: “We’re proud to be the biggest retailer of Fairtrade products. We hope that through our Fairtrade Day people found out a bit more about some of their favourite Fairtrade products.”

Active Kids is back at Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk Active Kids is back at Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk and Wakefield Wildcats Chairman Michael Carter and player Lopini Paea kick started this years launch. Customers can collect vouchers in store up to 5th May to help registered schools, groups and clubs across Wakefield receive active and cooking equipment.

Active Kids is designed to inspire and enable children to take more exercise and to eat healthily. Launched in 2005, the voucher collection scheme is open to all nursery, primary and secondary schools, as well as Scouts, Girl Guide groups and sports clubs in the UK. Celebrating its 10th birthday, the scheme is supported by double Paralympic gold medal-winner Ellie Simmonds, world record breaking sprinter Jonnie Peacock and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.

New cooking equipment has been added to the collection of items available to collect in 2015, and the popular Cooking and Nutrition Toolkits, endorsed by the British Nutrition Foundation, and recipe cards will keep children excited about cooking.

Active Kids Ambassador, Ellie Simmonds, said: “I’ve been a The Government and ACE have acknowledged the imbalance, but argue that it is because the major national institutions are based

Sainsbury’s Active Kids ambassador for five years now and seen the amazing things the scheme has achieved. I’m looking forward to inspiring even more children this year to live their lives to the full. “It’s important that sport and activity is part of a wider healthy lifestyle, and the new emphasis on cooking and nutrition will help bring this to life in the classroom.”

Sean Higgins Store Manager, said: “The Active Kids scheme is a brilliant way for our colleagues to get involved with schools, groups and clubs in our local area. We love visiting local organisations and seeing the benefits the equipment and experiences have brought to the children.”

There are now over 90 organisations registered to the scheme in Wakefield, including St Austin’s catholic Primary School thanks to Sainsbury’s customers. Since 2005, the scheme has donated £649,042 to organisations in Wakefield alone. For T&Cs and to sign up to the scheme, organisations can visit sainsburys.co.uk/ActiveKids.

This year, organisations who order online will receive an extra 50 Active Kids vouchers.

TopicUK proud to be working with...

or who can afford it. The report also points out that had Londoners won a comparably disproportionate number of Lottery prizes compared to people in the rest of England, equivalent to

Delivering promises and improving lives for ten years...

We have invested

£718 million

Our Community Employment Advisors have helped

refurbishing more than

3,400 people search for employment and training since

28,000 homes

2010, with over a 1,000 of these finding a job.

to the ‘Wakefield Standard’.

1,500

of the district’s young people develop their We have helped skills and confidence through our Community Leadership Programme and our Schools Enterprise Challenge.

We have carried out nearly 1 million

repairs in the last 10 years, completing as many of these as possible on the same day they are reported.

More than

Our repairs and maintenance work now spans an additional 12,000 properties across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

have been helped to tackle lifestyle issues thanks to our Health Inequality Caseworker service.

2,000 people

We have installed almost

5,000 metres of solar panels on our properties to help tenants reduce their bills and avoid fuel poverty.

Our

91 homes at Park Dale, Castleford,

are the UK’s largest zero - carbon development.

Every day at WDH...

333 repairs are completed

www.wdh.co.uk

We receive

1,050 calls in our contact centre, OneCALL

Our

programme has already

helped 520 tenants become more financially independent and stay out of debt.

We are committed to the ‘Wakefield Pound’, with nearly 70% of our annual spending invested in the local economy.

100 apprentices have been given employment.

6,500 people

We have helped learn basic Internet skills so they can save money, avoid social exclusion and enjoy a better quality of life.

Improve 6 9 properties

properties We install

are let

Build or aquire

7 property 1 property adaptations

www.twitter.com/wdhupdate

www.facebook.com/wdhupdate

We help

1 person back into work

Find us under Wakefield and District Housing

Wakefield Edition April 2015 49

•• Dining

Out

A big welcome (Witamy!) from Duchniak’s Restaurant W RITTEN BY KEV IN TRI CKETT Fo llow h im o n t w i t t e r @ M r Tr i c ke t t

H av e y o u d i s c o v e r e d Wa k e f i e l d ’s o n l y P o l i s h restaurant?

Duchniaks Proprietor Aneta

One of the joys of writing this column is that I get to eat some delicious foods, skilfully prepared and served up by some very talented and enthusiastic people. I also get to sample foods from around the world without having to carry my passport. Yes, I’ve said it before: you really can have the world on a plate here in Wakefield with Italian, Greek, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Kashmiri, French, Japanese and, yes, traditional British foods all readily available.

One of the more recent additions to this multinational offering is Duchniak’s Coffee Shop and Restaurant, bringing a taste of genuine Polish cuisine to our increasingly cosmopolitan city.

Situated a little out of the way at the bottom end of Lower Kirkgate, and not far from Kirkgate Station, the restaurant opened just over a year ago: a cosy café by day and an intimate restaurant in the evening.

Whether you just want a cup of coffee with a slice of cake, perhaps to break

your walk between the Hepworth gallery and the city centre, or to make a meal of it and go for the full restaurant experience, proprietor Aneta Duchniak and her team will be delighted to serve you. That team consists of ‘three Polish ladies’ who do the cooking and Julija, from Lithuania, who does the ‘front of house’ with Aneta.

Aneta has previous experience of the restaurant trade – she worked at Sloanes in Wakefield and the King’s Croft Hotel in Pontefract, but this is the first time she has set up on her own.

She told me that we have her brother Adrian to thank for the restaurant being here – he had spotted that there was no Polish restaurant in the area, although there is a resident Polish community.

However, although Polish families are supporting the restaurant, most of the customers are British people looking to try Polish food or re-live memories of visits to Poland. Some of the customers have travelled from well outside Wakefield – from Leeds, Bradford and

York, for example, as they had heard about the restaurant and wanted to give it a try. It’s certainly scoring well on-line – look at the customer reviews on TripAdvisor and you’ll see people really do love Duchniak’s. We have a lot to thank Adrian for, it seems!

At first glance, the restaurant might look small but with a number of booths that seat four people, standard tables and even a small yard outside round the back, it is deceptively accommodating and, on an evening with the lights lit, it’s a beacon of calm away from the rush and roar of the Kirkgate traffic.

Having eaten there a couple of times now, I can see why people are so positive about the restaurant. The food is freshly prepared to order from a fairly simple menu (printed in English but with Polish translations!), supplemented by a daily specials board; and it’s incredibly good value with starters priced at £3.50 or £3.95 and mains from under £6 up to £11.95.

I spotted some foods on the menu that caused me to raise a quizzical eyebrow – could dumplings (Pierogi) really be Polish? Well, yes they could: the word might look familiar, but these were dumplings served Polish style – semi-circular parcels stuffed with potato and cottage cheese, or cabbage and mushrooms or meat. Or how about pancakes (Nalesniki), filled

50



and egg served with bread, and beetroot soup served with meat ravioli. Between us, our main courses were peppers stuffed with rice and cheese (for me), chicken fillet coated with breadcrumbs, and the pancakes mentioned above – all served with a selection of salads (including grated carrots, cabbage and sauerkraut, all simple but light and very more-ish - I couldn’t resist the carrots which had been sprinkled with apple and lemon juice to give them a lovely sweetness which served to enhance the savoury flavours of the main dishes).

Puddings – well, somebody has to - were Raffaelo Cake for me – a light sponge with cream and almonds; apple crumble with ice cream; and apple pancakes. All accompanied by coffee, they were the perfect end to the meal – except they turned out not to be the end. Aneta presented us each with a shot of fruitflavoured vodka as a brace against the chill night air. Na Zdrowie! (As they say in Poland – or Cheers! if you prefer).

with mushrooms and cheese and served with a garlic sauce (very much enjoyed by one of my party)? As Aneta pointed out, Polish cuisine has absorbed influences from many of the neighbouring countries so it has an international feel all of its own.

One thing I particularly liked was that there was a generous selection of vegetarian dishes (always a point winner in my book), as well as salmon, chicken and pork options. There’s also a crispy beef meatloaf with lemon and mustard sauce available. For my starter, I opted for breaded Camembert served with a sweet blackcurrant sauce and a salad garnish. One of my favourite dishes, it proved a good choice and did not disappoint.

My companions opted for mushrooms stuffed with mince (or onions) with cheese on top.

Soups are also available – fresh velvet tomato served with pasta, sour rye with white sausage

Yes, what I haven’t mentioned so far is that Duchniak’s is fully licensed and serves a selection of Polish beers (by the bottle), Italian wines and Polish vodkas, both clear and flavoured varieties. Of course, there is a range of non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Opening Times Sunday to Wednesday 11 am to 8 pm (last orders)

Thursday to Saturday 11 am to 9 pm (last orders) Unit 1, 212-214 Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 1UF Telephone: 01924 372489

Now, as I mentioned, the restaurant is at the bottom end of Lower Kirkgate, so it’s a short walk from the city centre itself. However, it’s well worth the effort.

If you do travel there by car, there is a pay and display car park nearby but there’s plenty of on-street parking available to the rear and side of the restaurant which is free after 6 pm.

I asked what Aneta liked about Wakefield.

She told me she loved the fact that the city was not too big and that it was easy to walk around. She likes the Cathedral area but she’s also very fond of Pugneys and, as well as walking around the lake, she’s also been known to take a kayak out onto the water. But she also likes the people – she says that Wakefield people are so very friendly (and I wouldn’t disagree!).

Perhaps it’s time that the people of Wakefield took Aneta and her staff to heart – do go and discover this lovely little restaurant for yourself.

Kevin and his companions dined as guests of Duchniak’s Coffee Shop and Restaurant Wakefield Edition April 2015 51

•• Council

News

MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FOOD HYGIENE RATING

Most of us enjoy eating out or getting a takeaway every now and then, but how many of us really think about the hygiene standards of our favourite restaurant or takeaway?

Many also don’t fully grasp the implications of the potential damage that social media (Facebook, Twitter, Trip advisor etc) can have on their business, especially if customers start spreading the news that they have low ratings!

How to improve: To improve a rating you need to make sure that you are doing all you can under three headings; hygiene, structure and management.

F

ood Standards Agency (FSA) research shows that customers are now looking out for the distinctive green and black stickers.

If businesses are not displaying their ratings, then people can draw their own conclusions and assume that hygiene standards are not good!

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by Environmental Health Officers.

They check how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the structure of the buildings and how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe. Businesses are rated on a scale ranging from 0 which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ to a top rating of 5 which is ‘very good’.

The ratings are made public via http://ratings.food.gov.uk which can also be downloaded as a free mobile app, and give customers an insight into what goes on behind closed doors helping them make an informed decision about where to eat or buy food from.

Businesses that are rated 4 or 5 on the scheme say that displaying their

52

rating has had a positive impact on their business. They are reporting greater customer confidence, better reputations and most importantly, more customers. Businesses can download free web banners and logos to promote their rating from http:// www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/ caterers/hygieneratings/toolkit#toc-3 The Environmental Health team at Wakefield Council are here to help businesses. We provide free advice visits to new food businesses, to help them get it right from the outset, as well as offering training in food hygiene online and in the classroom.

Here are some of the most common findings from businesses; •

Companys don’t realise the importance of documented systems - Failure to have a documented food system on site at the time of the inspection could mean a drop to a worst case scenario rating of 1.

•

There are a surprising number of food business owners who don’t realise that their rating can be looked up on the internet.

The top three issues officers find are a lack of documented food safety systems (or one which isn’t used by staff), a lack of food hygiene training and a lack of hand wash basins.

•

The Safer Food Better Business Pack is a ready made documented system which can be downloaded for free from http://www.food. gov.uk/business-industry/ caterers/sfbb. The pack includes a daily diary, it’s important to note if anything goes wrong and then what you did about it.

•

Make sure that any staff are trained to level 2 in food hygiene or supervised. You can use the SFBB pack to induct staff into how things are done in your food business.

Make sure cleaning regimes are robust. Using disposable cloths is much better than washing them.

Businesses can apply for a re-rating if they think they’ve improved. Just send us an email food@wakefield.gov.uk or letter listing what has changed under the three categories of hygiene, structure and confidence in management. Find out more about the rating, how to appeal and what the public can see on our website http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/ business/food/hygiene-rating-scheme

Find out more at www.trinitywalk.com

Wakefield Edition April 2015 53

•• Motoring

Chancellor Announces Plans To Invest In

"BRILLIANT AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY"

A4 Avant

Joe Wilson - Audi wakefield A R E C E N T S U B J E C T T H AT H A S B E E N O F I N T E R E S T T O A N U M B E R OF US, IS THE 2015 BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE CHANCELLOR , GEORGE OSBORNE. Some of the key points we can all take away from the 2015 Budget announcement are -longevity and sustainability which are key factors when considering a Low Emission vehicle purchase. In my opinion the Budget cou l d have co n t a i ne d mo re incentives/initiatives for motorists/ car buyers to help promote an even larger uptake of environmentally friendly vehicles.

Having said that, the Chancellor did announce plans to invest £100 million to help, in his words, “the brilliant automotive industry” stay ahead in relation to driverless technology and to assist in the development of the systems required to implement and adopt the technology.

A positive move was also the fact the Government are developing new measures for the new g e ne r a t i o n o f l ow

54

emission vehicles by increasing company car tax more slowly than previously planned. Company car tax rates for traditionally fuelled vehicles will increase by 3%.

Motorists and vehicle fleet owners will be pleased to see that there has been a continuation in the freezing of fuel duty. Fuel costs continue to be one of the largest overheads for individual motorists, businesses and public sector bodies.

Finally, the commitment to businesses was apparent during the Budget announcement and a number of businesses will be pleased to see Corporation Tax being cut to 20% from April 2015. This means Corporation Tax will be at its lowest since 2010.

All in all, for the majority of motorists, fleet managers and business owners, the hot topic when considering vehicle purchases is cost of ownership. We have no real control when it comes around to the Budget. My recommendation when considering a new car would be to clearly access your needs and requirements, do your research, look at the Whole Life Costs when narrowing down your shortlist and make a decision based on what’s right for you or your business.

For more information please contact Joe Wilson at Wakefield Audi on 01924 241 400

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for mo re inf o rmat i on c ontact Cat o r Holly o n 0 1 9 2 4 8 3 1114 or email hel lo @unity wo rks.co.u k

p rovi de a p os t-work dri nks and eati ng venu e for the c i ty c entre. From fl avou red nu ts to c l as s i c bag el s, pas tri es at breakfas t and dai ly hot l u nc h s p ec i al s s u c h as M orroc an tag i ne or beef s tew and du mp l i ng s, the menu wi l l have s om ethi ng for p eop l e wanti ng a l i g ht s nac k or a first drink m ore hearty m eal . our

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Photo John Jowett

Photo : John Jowett

9.00 11.00

am pm MONDAY to SATURDAY

The Cafe + Bar will seat around 40 people and feature a men u typical of Unity Works, being solidly Yorkshire and featuring as much locally-sourced produce as possib le.

Sharing platters, Yorksh ire tapas and local real ales will be the order of the day along with take-out food at lunchtime as well as staying open until 11pm Monday to Saturday to

h e bar staf

ft

Wakefield Edition April 2015 55

•• Recruitment

POSSIBLY THE BEST INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD? Andy Turner - First Choice recruitment

"I’m really proud to be a Recruiter, I’m really proud to do what I do, so much so – I thought it was about time I put the record straight….the recruitment industry is simply a great business to be in."

Even my ‘Best Man’ at our wedding, a friend who’s known me for 40+ years - calls me a ‘white slave trader’ but in reality how far can he be from the truth?

Last reporting year (2013/2014) the recruitment industry was worth £28.7 billion in the UK, showing a growth of 8.2%. £28.7 billion….that’s bigger than the fashion industry, bigger than the toy industry and even the plastics industry… we’re massive…. and projections are for the industry to carry on growing to about £40bn by the end of 2017.

So what does that really mean?

Not only do we help change people’s lives for the better by getting them their ‘dream job’, but we give thousands and thousands of people, of all ages, opportunities to work for companies they very often couldn’t get themselves.

Last year our industry helped over 634,000 people find a permanent job and on any given day there are 1.15m people working on either a temporary or contract assignment in the UK. I am delighted to say that in the 22+ years First Choice Recruitment has been operating from our Wakefield city centre office, we have given opportunities to over 50,000 local people, many of whom who have grasped these opportunities with both hands and have embarked on a new •• Commercial

career and have had great promotion opportunities.

Yet hardly a week goes by without some ‘expert’ trumpeting the death of agency recruitment, or a technology start-up predicting the ‘disruption’ of our industry and how recruiters are an endangered species, or how LinkedIn is the new recruitment ‘agency’.

Really? Who exactly and when exactly? Didn’t LinkedIn promise that a decade ago? We are still here and as you can see - growing.

In fact, despite what you read, our and therefore your prospects have never been better! We must always reinvent and evolve, for sure, but where we are going, if we get it right, is a far richer, more intellectually stimulating future than anything we have seen before?

In fact, despite what you read, the recruitment industry is on a roll and if the CBI predictions come to fruition that 37% of the UK workforce will be looking to move jobs during 2015, then you might need our services. We take all the headache out of the recruitment process and as talked about in my previous article small businesses can spend up to 20 days and £7600 a year on recruiting ….so why do it yourself, let us help you. As one of our clients recently said, we don’t do our own management accounts; we let a professional accountant do it, we don’t do our own legal stuff; we let a professional Solicitor do it and therefore as a small business with no HR department, we use a professional recruitment agency for all our recruitment needs – it makes financial sense.

To be clear:- I believe the recruitment industry is on the cusp of a new golden era The opportunity for companies to grow and make profits has never been better. The opportunity for individual recruiters to make money and forge fulfilling careers is back on the table big style.

What does my ‘best man’ know anyway – he’s never been out of the classroom? Will you join our industry, possibly the best industry in the world?

Property Jonathan Kidd, Partner at

WHAT TO DO WITH UPPER FLOORS Holroyd Miller M.R.I.C.S. I was speaking with a property owner recently and like many, he was considering his options for the upper floors of his City Centre retail units. Many owners and tenants find this space of little commercial benefit and costly to maintain and even when it can be occupied as offices, without ancillary ground floor space or lift access, occupiers are looking elsewhere, particularly when out of town space comes often with inclusive car parking and city centre parking is relatively expensive. The result of these and a number of other factors have led to much of this space standing empty.

So what is the answer?

The government seems to be of the view that residential conversion is the way to go and changes in planning legislation in 2012 mean that you can now convert upper floors above 56

certain retail units into a maximum of 2 flats without the need for planning consent, however, notwithstanding these changes, and in certain areas, the offer of some financial assistance, the conversion rate is still low.

The issue, I suspect, is two-fold, firstly, conversion costs are high when considered against the resultant value of the completed flat and secondly residential property management is more hands on and tenancies short term. But attitudes are beginning to change as owners begin to see long term vacant commercial space as a liability as opposed to an asset the advantages of conversion are starting to outweigh the risks, and, when coupled with a national shortage of affordable housing, be prepared to see more and more of such conversions and hopefully an increase in City Centre residents and more importantly shoppers.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 57

Wakefield’s economy is fast growing GEORGE OSBORNE HAS SAID THE BRITISH ECONOMY HAS “TURNED A CORNER”...

NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT

The Chamber a r e d e l i g h t e d to announce the appointment of Brian Stahelin as their new President, succeeding St e v e n P o l l i t t w h o s t a n d s down after 12 months in the p o s t .

Brian was officially appointed in April after serving as Vice President since 2013.

Brian is Managing Director of Huddersfield-based Stafflex and has almost 40 years’ experience in the recruitment profession. In addition to being a Trustee of Kirklees Active Leisure, he is also Chair of Governors at King James’s School, Almondbury.

Commenting on his appointment as President, Brian Stahelin said: “I am delighted to be appointed President of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber. I look forward to helping the team drive the organisation forward, and to continuing the campaign to encourage enterprise and business growth within the region.

Outgoing President, Steven Pollitt added: “During my tenure as President of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber I have seen it thrive and grow. I now hand over to Brian, whose vast business experience will stand him in good stead to carry out the post and ensure the continued success of the Chamber.”

46 58

George Osborne has said the British economy has “turned a corner” with the latest financial growth figures a vindication of the Government’s long-term strategy and a recent article in the Wakefield Express (14 March) states that a report has shown that Wakefield’s economy is the fastest growing in the region.

Rising property prices and a retail splurge as well as booming car sales have also contributed to the feel-good factor, with surging manufacturing figures also helping fuel the improved mood.

TopicUK caught up with one company who moved to Wakefield just one year ago as they had noticed what a great city it is to do business in. “We are struck by just how helpful, supportive and friendly the business community is,” said Development Director Rachel Rowling of Yorkshire Telecommunications, an independent provider of quality telecommunications systems throughout the UK, first established in Yorkshire in the late 1980s. “Since moving to the city, our business has flourished and it seems that others are doing too. We have been commissioned by a number of local businesses to install or upgrade their telecommunication systems, a sure sign that local business is in recovery.”

When law firm Chadwick Lawrence made the decision to centralise their switchboard across their six offices, they turned to YTL. Neil Wilson told us: “we wanted to enhance the service we provide to our customers to ensure the best possible customer experience. The project needed investment and our decision to invest is indicative of the confidence we have in the local business community, not only from a perspective of a positive outlook generally, but also in using the services of local providers such as YTL.” Another local business to sign a contract with the communications firm is

First Choice Recruitment. “The service we received has been extremely informative and flexible, providing solutions to issues we didn’t even know we had,” explained Managing Director Andy Turner. “The net result is a far better package at value for money prices.

This approach has been replicated with nearly all our suppliers, many of whom we now supply recruitment services to also this helps keep the money local. The whole district seems to be ‘buzzing’ and there is a real ‘feel good’ factor, our order books have never been fuller in 22 years.”

Kelly Smith from Juice Personnel mirrors Andy’s view: “It’s a great situation when a customer becomes your supplier and vice versa, especially when both are local, long standing and growing businesses in the area.”

Chief Executive of third sector organisation WDHCS Richard Buttery added: “Over the past 12 months, I feel more people with whom I have connections are showing added confidence and optimism. From a stance of ‘we’ll wait and see’ to ‘now is the time for taking opportunities’. The charity provides grants to organisations and individuals with health and wellbeing outcomes and through its First Steps Day Nursery, provides day care to children aged 0-5 years. “We have made steps to increase the capacity of our nursery and YTL helped us by being able to provide a more fit for purpose and comprehensive telephone system.” Nursery Deputy Manager Danielle Kerrigan added: “We chose to use YTL as they are a local business and were delighted with their prompt and professional service.” Do you have a Wakefield success story to share with us? Has your business expanded in the last 12 months, have your clients become suppliers or vice versa? If so, we want to hear from you.

Drop us a line at editor@topicuk.co.uk

YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

YTL

EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL BUSINESS

SYSTEMS

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INTERNET

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t: 0844 847 0080 e: info@ytl.uk.com 11 Appleton Court, Calder Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 7AR

Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited

Wakefield Edition April 2015 59

The Chamber big interview

YOUNG AGENCY

PROVIDES COST EFFECTIVE MARKETING SOLUTIONS

We caught up with new Chamber member, KC Communications from Huddersfield, who in just a few short months has increased their client base, moved offices and employed a young apprentice.

Director Katrina Cliffe tells us how she has achieved so much in a relatively short space of time.

Katrina left school at 15 to undertake an apprenticeship in business administration. Upon graduating, she worked for a number of organisations, gaining experience in a number of different sectors before carving out a career in marketing. “During this time, I studied with the Open University and the Chartered Institude of Marketing and gained a CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications,” Katrina told us. “I am also studying for a CAM Diploma in Digital Marketing with a focus on metrics and analysis, although my final assignment has been put on hold whilst I build my business.”

Helping As a result of taking an apprenticeship, Katrina was able to purchase her first house at just 18 that she now rents out.

Personal tragedy followed when she lost her first child 20 weeks into her pregnancy in 2004. Thankfully her second child, daughter Stevie now aged 9, arrived safely, albeit seven weeks early, followed by another daughter, Jaime, aged three. This experience now fuels a passion for supporting pregnancy and prematurity charities such as Tommy’s and Bliss. Katrina is helping to raise £10k in memory of her son for Tommy’s by 2016, with the total at £7k right now, so she is thinking of what her next big challenge could be!

Employing “I have put a lot of hard work and determination in over the years and I am passionate about supporting future generations. Employing an apprentice in my own business was a key strategic decision having been there myself and I hope to continue that moving forward. The plan is to grow the team over the next couple of years to enable us to service more businesses in the Yorkshire area and beyond, plus provide 60

Katrina and her apprentice at work in their new office in Lindley

our existing clients with value added services,” she continued. “We are at a good stage now. We have recently moved into our own office space in my home village of Lindley, a bustling centre of business, which gives us room for growth and have recently won a number of contracts and have further contracts in the pipeline."

Challenges We asked Katrina what the best part of her job and the reply was easy - variety!

“No two days are the same. We work with clients across education, accountancy, video production, architecture and many other sectors,” she explained, “which means we face many different challenges, but I wouldn’t change a thing! This was the main reason for starting my own business, because after more than five years working in one sector, I craved variety. We are also lucky to work with the clients we have as they are all a pleasure to do business with and we are made to feel part of their team.”

Katrina does admit to disliking one

part of her job though - admin! “I am looking forward to the day when I can hand the business to someone else!”

So what does she do to relax? “That is a rarity for me, but when I get the chance, its about spending time with my daughters and husband. I also enjoy the gym, working out with weights, there is something meditative about the repetitive nature of them.”

In conclusion, we asked Katrina what was the best piece of advice she had been given and how would she like people to think of her and her company. “We would like for our clients to continue to feel like they are our only clients. We often receive feedback stating as such. We would like people to think of us as friendly, approachable and passionate about what we do. The best advice I received was to do what feels right, you can read all the books and take all the advice in the world, but ultimately if you feel you have got what it takes to make a success of something - just do it!"

If you feel you have got what it takes to make a success of something just do it

Wakefield Edition April 2015 61

Wining & Dining

VANILLA CREME BRULEE

WITH YORKSHIRE RHUBARB AND BLOOD ORANGE WELCOME TO OUR FOURTH WINING AND DINING F E AT U R E , W H E R E T O P I C U K H AV E T E A M E D U P W I T H T H E I R I S R ESTAU R A N T A N D SA I N S BU RYS T R I N I T Y WA L K TO B R I N G YO U A R EC I P E A N D W I N E R E V I E W.

TopicUK is delighted to present a fourth recipe for readers to follow, supplied

by Liam Duffy, chef at The Iris Restaurant.

This time, we turn to desserts and the popular Wakefield seasonal vegetable, Rhubarb.

Liam has created a beautiful Vanilla Creme Brulee with Yorkshire Rhubarb and blood orange, it looks simple but can be a little tricky he tells us if you don’t get it quite right!

As usual, we have asked a member of our business community to make the dish and report back telling us what they thought.

Sainsburys Trinity Walk have

once again donated the wine Sainsbury's Winemakers Selection Grenache Rose from California and a Muscat de St Jean Minervois dessert wine from France.

As we have a French dessert and French dessert wine we have asked TopicUK British designer Rob Blackwell based in France to make the dish and tell us how he got on in our next issue.

For those of you who would like to have a go at making it for yourself, we have listed all you will need to know.

If you would like to take part in our wining and dining feature, drop us a line at editor@topicuk. co.uk or ring Gill on 07711 539047.

What you will need...

Rhubarb mix

• 10 pieces of rhubarb (Yorkshire of course) • 300ml grenadine syrup • Juice and zest of half a lemon Peel the rhubarb using a paring knife and roughly chop up. Add to a pan with the grenadine and zest and juice of the lemon. Slowly cook on a low heat putting a lid on the pan will help it gently steam. As it cooks there will be a lot of moisture come out of the rhubarb but keep cooking until the mix is thick like a puree. Cool the mix then split it between the 4 bowls

Brulee

• 500ml cream • 100g egg yolks • 100g sugar • 1 vanilla pod Split the vanilla pod and place in a pan with the cream, bring to the boil and turn off the hea and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together and pour the cream over the mix. Whisk thoroughly and then sieve the mixture into a jug. Skim off any bubbles that have formed onto of the mix. Gently pour over the back of a spoon into the bowl so you don’t disturb the rhubarb and the brulee mix sits perfectly on top.

Bake in the oven at 120oC in a Bain Marie for 30 minutes or until set. The mix will still have a slight wobble. Leave them to cool to room temperature before chilling so they don’t form cracks.

To serve

• Sugar • Blood oranges • Whipped cream Glaze the brulees with a blowtorch (please see a cheeky little trick below if you don’t have one) add the blood orange segments and a spoon of whipped cream and enjoy !

Trick for glazing the brulee • • •

100g sugar Hot pan Non stick paper

In a medium to hot pan slowly add the sugar bit by bit until golden, pour the caramel onto a piece of non stick parchment. Cool and them place between a kitchen towel and bash with a rolling pin until powder like. Sprinkle on the brulees and place under a hot grill to glaze *Prices correct at the time of going to press. Adults over 18 years should drink responsibly 62

Yorkshire Telecom take on the Iris Challenge Rachel Rowling - YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS

"

WHEN I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM TOPICUK, ASKING ME IF I LIKED FINE FO O D A N D G O O D W I N E , I K N E W I T WAS M O R E T H A N J U S T A C A S UA L E N Q U I R Y. I IMAGINED IT WOULD BE AN INVITE TO SOMETHING BUSINESS WISE, WITH THE PROMISE OF A GLASS OF SOMETHING S PA R K L I N G A N D A F EW ‘ N I C E B I TS O N S T I C K S ’ T O E AT. . .

"

I did NOT imagine being challenged to recreate one of Iris’ main course recipes! The word ‘challenge’ was never used but being of a ‘death before dishonour’ disposition, I knew it had ‘challenge’ slapped all over it.

I knew instantly this would be the type of meal, that I’d have to serve six instead of two and that no way would my girls eat venison. Not a problem though because I knew I could easily substitute duck breast.

I found all the ingredients, easily in Sainsburys but I did order the meat from a local butcher – I was prepared and ready to get stuck in.

Strangely enough, for a drinker who can only be described as a ‘lightweight’, I decided the starting point had to be uncorking the two ever so gorgeous looking bottles of red, provided by Sainburys. This caused Phill to leave his ironing and rush in to ‘help’.

We tasted the St Emillion first and it was out of this world, divine!

It took huge control to stop ourselves aborting the ‘challenge’ at that point, retiring to the lounge, to spend the afternoon watching old films; but we cracked on, in the kitchen, and tasted the second bottle. It was so dry it made me wince, Phill on the other hand, did a proper job of tasting, but said the winner was the St Emillion.

I began with the jus because I thought the two most unforgiving elements of the meal would always be the Jus and the venison and the parts my diners would scrutinize the most.

The next step was to bake ALL the potatoes, prior to mashing whilst I set about making the onion puree. I like onions, in fact I’d say I really like onions but faced with having to peel

and slice the ‘international onion mountain’, my feelings began to change. I was absolutely convinced the quantities were wrong and that such an amount would most definitely ruin everything; but I stuck with it and decided that if anything had to be modified or adapted, I’d do it at the end.

The onions slowly turned brown as they caramelised in the butter and reassuringly reduced enough for me to add ALL the cream.

The onions smelt gorgeous and once I’d pureed them, I tasted them! Liam Duffy – you are a genius! This was one of the most delicious things imaginable to my mind and I almost decided not to add it to the potatoes but keep it as a separate accompaniment!

The combination of kale, bacon and chestnuts is always a winner in our home and the only thing to consider is, not over blanching the kale.

Now it was time to give my undivided attention to the venison and the duck. I have to admit, I was feeling the pressure again because all of us like our meat cooked ‘just so’, and to the right shade of pink AND I had to photograph my master piece – now that doesn’t happen every day, does it?

One hot, smoking pan and two gorgeous duck breasts, placed skin-side down, does result in your entire kitchen being splattered with fat. However, working on the basis of ‘those who cook, don’t clean up after’ and that rather nice St Emillion, I wasn’t in the least bit bothered.

Duck done and finishing in the oven meant it was time for the venison. I’ve cooked venison before and I know how easy it is to over cook – the difference really is a matter of a minute or two, so to say I was ‘on it’, was an under statement!

The meat was resting as instructed and the plating up, presentation and photography were the last steps before tucking in.

The family assumed their duties of carrying everything to the dining room when Lois said “Mum, where’s yours?”

“Over there, next to the camera,” I replied, like you do!

We are a family who like good food. Whether it’s simple or complex isn’t important, but it has to look good, taste good and do you good or I can’t think of a reason why you’d bother eating it.

It was verdict time and take it as a given that we loved it all, so I had to push to get more detail.

Phill and Lauren said it was close, but the potato with onion puree and the kale with chestnuts and bacon, just had the edge.

Lois loved the Jus and the potatoes and Scott loved everything, but if he had to pick the hero of the meal, he said it was the venison. Me? The potatoes with the onion puree were to die for…

The moral of the story: The Editor of TopicUK never asks casual questions and Liam Duffy is a man you can trust.

Wakefield Edition April 2015 63

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THE RIDINGS

f ra t

arket

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Sunday 3rd May 10.30am – 4.30pm Upper Mall

To book a stall please email

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demonstrate a positive growth in revenue over the past four years, and a significant performance in comparison with their peers.

The goal of the report is to shine a light on the UK’s most vibrant companies and to continue to highlight the importance of fast growing SMEs to the future of the UK economy. The report has recently received support from the Government and major political parties including the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP; Secretary of State Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Chucka Umunna have all contributed forewords to the report, along with contributions from the UK’s major business associations.

Wakefield firm one of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’

Wakefield based company Peter Duffy Limited is delighted to announce that it has been included in the London Stock Exchange’s 2015 report, 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

The 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report showcases the UK’s most inspiring, dynamic and fast growing small to medium-sized companies and looks at the sectors and trends that will shape the future of the UK economy.

To be selected as part of the acclaimed list, companies have to

“Recognition for our excellent performance is very good news, particularly at a national level. Our employees should be proud of their contribution to our success and being part of an inspiring company, one of the top 1000 in Britain, it’s very special” said Peter Duffy, Managing Director of Peter Duffy Limited.

“We would like to thank the London Stock Exchange for their support and I am sure that this recognition will inspire us to continue our success in the future and continue to be one of the region’s main employers.”

For more information on the London Stock Exchange’ 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain, please visit their website at www.1000companies.com.

Peter Duffy Limited is a civil engineering, construction, utilities and plant-hire company located in Wakefield, providing services to clients across the UK. For more information on Peter Duffy Limited a visit www.peterduffyltd.com .

Wakefield Edition April 2015 65

•• Health

+ What is Tinnitus? The word ‘Tinnitus’ comes from the Latin word for ‘ringing’ and is the perception of sound in the absence of any external sound.

TINNITUS DOES IT AFFECT YOU?

HELEN LAIRD

This noise may be heard in one ear, in both ears or be difficult to describe its exact location. The noise may vary in pitch and there is often more than one sound.

An estimated 10% of adults in the UK have mild tinnitus. That’s six million people. Around 1% of adults (about 600,000 people) in the UK have tinnitus that affects their quality of life and can cause depression, anxiety, stress and sleep deprivation. Most people will experience it temporarily, perhaps after being to a concert, but when it persists it can have a profound effect on peoples lives.

Other noises may include musical tinnitus, which is often associated with older people, sounds may vary but often it is familiar tunes from their youth such as hymns and carols.

Pulsatile tinnitus is another type of condition whereby a person hears a rhythmical noise that usually has the same rate as the heart.

The exact causes of tinnitus is not known, we know that it is not a disease or an illness. It may be initiated by hearing loss, excessive noise or inner ear damage and even stress. It is common in all age groups and not just the elderly.

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& CAROL MARR - WAKEFIELD PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT

What can you do? Although there presently is no cure, tinnitus can often be managed by treating the underlying cause or by altering reactions to it. Try not to worry, make an appointment with your GP and discuss your concerns, you may be referred to a specialist who will rule out any medical factors. If you then get referred to an audiologist they will be able to give you more specialist advice.

Using a hearing aid, losing your hearing is a gradual process and the brain tries to compensate for the loss so a hearing aid can help hear things you wouldn’t normally.

Things that can help

Addressing sleep problems, this may be when you notice it the most. Using calming sounds and relaxation techniques can help.

•

Talking to someone – the BTA will be able to recommend support groups in your area, they also have a helpline which provides support and advice for people with tinnitus.

•

Exercise and activity can help take your mind off the tinnitus, try aiming for 30 minutes a day.

•

Diet – if you think that particular foods are making it worse then try and eliminate it for a couple of weeks, caffeine has been proven to have NO effect on tinnitus.

Relaxation, it is normal to feel anxious and upset and this may make you notice the tinnitus more, try finding techniques that work for you. If you enjoy reading you may need to have some background music on.

Using sound such as radio, music or natural sounds can help especially in quiet places when the tinnitus may sound louder.

Keep doing the things you enjoy, if you start living differently it will become more of a problem.

The information given in this article is not medical advice, if you have any concerns you should discuss the matter with your GP or other medical professional who is treating you. http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/ Free Helpline number: 0800 018 0527 http://www.actiononhearingloss. org.uk/ 0808 808 0123 http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/ Tinnitus/Pages/Causes.aspx

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PEOPLE IN THE WAKEFIELD DISTRICT

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SPRING IS ALL ABOUT BEAUTIFUL SKIN AT T H I S T I M E O F Y E A R W H E N S P R I N G CLOTHES BEGIN TO APPEAR IN THE S H O P S A N D W E STA RT TO T H I N K A B O U T B O O K I N G O U R H O L I DAYS, I T ’S T I M E TO P R E PA R E O U R S K I N TO B E E X P OS E D !

Hair removal is one of the issues we need to focus on. Here are a few tips for doing this at home: Shaving is one the quickest and easiest ways to remove hair yourself. It is important to remember a few simple steps to ensure that nicks and cuts are prevented and that the area is kept hydrated.  Remove dry skin by exfoliating with a body scrub. This will provide a fresh surface for shaving. Wet the skin and hair for about 2-4 minutes before, but no longer as the follicles will swell.

is best used on sensitive areas such as bikini, underarm or lip. If you are worried about pain, painkillers can be taken an hour before to make the experience more comfortable.

It is good to exfoliate 24 hours prior to your waxing, but do not apply moisturiser to your skin on the day of waxing.

Afterwards, avoid hot baths or heavy exercise for 24hrs to reduce irritation .After a couple of days, exfoliate daily to prevent in growing hairs. If in growing hairs appear, gently exfoliate the area.

Threading is an ancient hair removal technique where antibacterial cotton is used in a special method to remove facial hair and shape eyebrows.

A threading specialist twists the cotton and rolls this over the skin, to gently lift the entire hair from the follicle.

Over time, frequent threading can cause the hair follicle to become damaged, and stop the hair from growing.

It is really important to use a threading specialist who has years of experience as inexperience can cause damage to the skin or the hairs will be broken meaning the hairs will grow back very quickly. Chill Beauty have a threading specialist with over 10 years experience who visits the salon every Wednesday to offer threading on all areas of the face.

A shaving cream or gel will help the razor glide over the skin and help you keep a track of where you have shaved. Prevent irritation by shaving in the direction of the hair growth. For underarms, you will need to shave in every direction as underarm hair grows in different directions After shaving, moisturise. This will help soothe the skin and leave it feeling lovely and soft. Hair removal cream dissolves hair at the root so it can be longer lasting than shaving and it’s less painful than waxing. Before using this method, it’s a good idea to test a patch of skin, and wait a few hours to check there is no reaction. Shower first, it will soften hair making it easier to remove. Always follow the timings on the pack carefully to prevent irritation or burns. Ensure you spread the cream on smoothly and evenly to prevent uneven results. Moisturise skin afterwards, to help soothe your skin.

If you have time, waxing in a salon is the best approach, as this method keeps you hair free for up to a couple of weeks!

A trained therapist with ensure that hair is removed from the root rather than breaking, which will ensure that the waxing lasts and frequent waxing can reduce hair growth permanently.

Most salons will use two kinds of wax – a warm wax, which is removed with a strip and hot wax which is a pliable wax that does not adhere to the skin only hairs. The hot wax

-20% treatment for new clients tel: 01924 873000 (terms and conditions apply on treatments over £15, excludes Saturdays).

Chill Beauty, The Old Co-op Building Cooperative Street Lofthouse Wakefield WF3 3NQ www.chillbeauty.co.uk

Wakefield Edition April Edition 2015 April 20155769 Wakefield

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02/04/2015 12:35