Topicuk barnsley jan2016

ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2016

BARNSLEY & DISTRICT FREE BUSINESS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

LOCAL HERO

FROM PATIENT TO EMPLOYEE

TEENAGERS BUSINESS GOES BARMY MANUFACTURERS TACKLE SKILL SHORTAGE LEGALMATTERS | WINING&DINING | FASHIONUPDATE |THEARTS

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NewsUpdate

SUMMARY & CONTENTS A focal point for more than 80 years Do you have any interesting stories to share with us about Barnsley?

We would be interested in sharing them with our readers, so please do get in touch by emailing editor@topicuk.co.uk

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FIRM EXPANDS after big contract win

SKETCH BOOK manufacturer writes cheque for charity

BARNSLEY COLLEGE Launches Talent United

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LOCAL HERO From patient to employee

TEENAGERS BUSINESS has gone barmy

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The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

4 4Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles,

EDITORS NOTES

WELCOME Welcome to the second issue of TopicUK Barnsley. We hope you enjoyed the first issue launched in November.

As the magazine belongs to the businesses of Barnsley we want your contributions. We have a number of regular contributors already covering, legal matters, the arts, information technology, food and we’d like to welcome fashion blogger and writer Katie Portman who will be covering everything lifestyle and fashion. Check out her article on page 22.

We are looking for businesses to regularly contribute in other areas: health; motoring; recruitment, commercial property; finance; music and education. All you have to do is submit a regular general article on a particular subject that would be of interest to readers and supply your company logo and an image of yourself - great FREE PR! Of course, to produce a magazine of this quality costs money so we have a range of affordable promotional packages to suit all pockets. Should you wish to become one of our partners, you will receive space every edition in the magazine, as much space on our website as you wish (currently enjoying up to 18,000 regular visitors) and offers and discounts with local businesses. To take advantage of this at very low starting costs, give us a call. New partners joining this issue will have rates held long term and as our sister publication in Wakefield has proved, early partners have benefitted enormously.

TopicUK is free to pick up from a number of outlets across the town. If you would like to stock copies, please let us know and we will arrange to add you to our distribution list.

In our last issue Barnsley Civic ran a competition to win tickets to their production Boom Boom Christmas Cabaret. The lucky winner was Lesley Fox from Barnsley who enjoyed the production with her family. This issue, readers have the chance to win a 2 night stay in a North Wales Echo Hotel.

We hope you enjoy this issue and please do get in touch if you would like to contribute and gain valuable publicity for your business.

Gill Laidler

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TopicUK EDITOR GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

THE ARTS HELEN BALL, BARNSLEY CIVIC

FASHION KATIE PORTMAN

LEGAL MATTERS RALEYS SOLICITORS

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW ANTHONY HEGNEY, ASPARAGUS GREEN

With thanks to contributors: Derek Carpenter and Mark Flynn

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Tel: 07711 539047 - editor@topicuk.co.uk - www.topicuk.co.uk - Ghost Publishing Ltd - Suite 6 Unity Works Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine, submit an article or press release please contact Gill Laidler on: 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk Published by Ghost Publishing Limited. Law pages are written by Raleys Solicitors and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

NewsUpdate

Clayton Penistone Group expands after big contract win Claytons directors Lee Gennard, Chris Bramall and Daniel Waddington.

A Barnsley-based engineering company is launching the biggest recruitment drive in its 120 year history after winning a major utility contract.

Clayton Penistone Group specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and management of bespoke mechanical and electrical systems, mainly used in water treatment.

The company aims to increase its workforce by a fifth and appoint ten new jobs within the next 12 months.

This follows its successful gain of a five year framework contract with Yorkshire Water, which it secured in collaboration with five other UK companies. The deal represents the biggest contract Claytons has ever signed, and is potentially worth £5 million a year to the company.

It is accompanied by several other fiveyear asset management contracts with Anglian Water and United Utilities, plus other power and utility providers and

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estate owners such as NHS Trusts.

Established in 1895 and currently employing 38 people, Clayton’s current expansion is the culmination of a business growth strategy which has seen it double turnover in the last ten years. Its growth is being supported

by Enterprising Barnsley, the business support and development arm of Barnsley Council.

Managing director Chris Bramall said: “We took a conscious decision to increase capacity and invest in growth just over five years ago. We knew we had the capability – the skills, the people and the land available here in Barnsley – and decided the time was right to push on and develop the potential of the business.”

Clayton invested more than £500,000 in eco-friendly new premises at its existing Halifax Road site in Penistone which

tripled floor-space and workshop capacity in 2009. This meant that its engineers could meet clients’ new demands to deliver a higher level of off-site service – in other words develop systems which can be ‘plugged’ in on site as quickly as possible.

The firm also underwent major development of its management systems and lean manufacturing processes, again in response to changing industry demands; plus, pursued and gained the highest level of industry accreditation.

Chris said: “We have developed our professional capabilities in all areas so that we are now in a much stronger position to bid for work higher up the supply chain in the water and utilities sector. We are taking on more responsibility and working much more

directly with either the client or the primary contractor.

“Enterprising Barnsley has given us a great deal of on-going expert support to achieve this change of culture at Clayton and we really value their input. Our aim now is to double turnover again in the next five years.”

Ice bucket challenge couple recognised with national honour

Claytons, as part of the Cema Clayton Consortium, and in collaboration with three other UK companies, secured the Yorkshire Water MEICA (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, controls and automation) contract, in September.

This five-year framework deal could mean millions of pounds worth of work for all the companies involved across the UK, including work to bring 720 sewage pumping stations up to standard.

Claytons has already started advertising to fill its first clutch of new posts in engineering and administration.

Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager Steve Hawkins said: “Claytons has a long and proud history as an engineering company and employer in the Barnsley borough and it is fantastic to see them responding so positively to the changing demands of their market, gaining new work and creating jobs.”

Through Enterprising Barnsley the company has gained business support to improve efficiency, effectiveness and integrated management systems; and gain ISO 9001 and 14001 plus meet new requirements under BS 18001/ ISO45001 occupational health and safety management and ISO/ IEC 27001 information security management legislation.

Enterprising Barnsley offers a wide range of business support to small and medium-sized businesses with growth potential.

A couple who raised more than £4m for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) by bringing the Ice Bucket Challenge social media craze to the UK have been recognised with a national honour.

Paula and Robert Maguire have been selected to receive a British Citizen Award (BCA) for their services to volunteering and charitable giving.

Now entering their second year, the British Citizen Awards in partnership with InMoment, were launched in January 2015 to recognise exceptional individuals who work tirelessly and selflessly to make a positive impact on society. BCAs are awarded twice annually, and recognise ‘everyday’ people whose achievements may otherwise be overlooked.

Paula and her husband, Robert, brought the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ to the UK, when they set up the craze’s official justgiving page and text donation number.

The craze was started in America to raise money for the US motor neurone disease charity, ALS Association. Midwife Paula was one of the first people in the country to pour an ice-cold bucket of water over

her head to raise money for the UK charity, which she has supported since 2009, when her uncle, Stuart Hughes, died from the disease.

The aim was to raise £500 for the charity – but the video of the challenge quickly went viral, with thousands of people, including celebrities, taking part across the country.

All BCA recipients have positively impacted society by undertaking various activities in support of a number of causes.

Each will receive a Medal of Honour, inscribed with the words ‘For the Good of the Country’. Medallists are also invited to use the initials BCA after their name.

Speaking about the nomination, Robert said: “I knew that our daughter had nominated us but we did not tell my wife, so it was a complete shock to her when she found out we would be receiving an award.

“We do a lot of fundraising, and although we don’t seek recognition at all, it is nice to be recognised and it’s a lovely gesture that our daughter has taken the time to nominate us, it’s a nice feeling. As a family we are very much looking forward to attending the awards ceremony next month.”

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NewsUpdate

Image:Simon Kirk

Yorkshire Manufacturers Back UTC to Tackle Skills Shortage

Jane Robinson, director and co-founder of Cutting Technologies,

Mark Kennedy, principal of UTC Leeds

As a new school prepares for a special launch event, Yorkshire’s leading manufacturers are rallying together to call on young people to consider careers in manufacturing and engineering in order to safeguard the future of the sector in the region.

The call comes from a range of influential employers across the Leeds City Region, including Unilever, Siemens, Agfa Graphics, 600 UK, Airedale Springs and Cutting Technologies, which are all supporting a new kind of school for 14 to 18 year olds.

UTC Leeds takes pupils from across the Leeds City Region and opens in September.

The school was officially launched at a special event on January 12 at Leeds Civic Hall. Companies, local parents and children were encouraged to attend to see what the world of manufacturing and engineering is really like and how the school can help young people develop careers in those sectors.

In light of the recently published, Annual Manufacturing Report 2016 revealing that 84% of manufacturers

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believe not enough is being done to make manufacturing an attractive career choice, Jane Robinson, director and co-founder of Cutting Technologies, believes the launch event was the perfect way to showcase the sector: “A lot of local manufacturers and engineers have found it hard to hire people with the correct skills and talents in recent years, and many young people don’t seem to be considering careers in STEM anymore.

“We need our young people to seriously consider working towards careers in our industry to ensure its success in the years to come. As a woman working in manufacturing, I’m particularly pleased to support UTC Leeds’ aim to have girls making up at least 30% of its intake.

The event gave us a great chance

to promote the variety in the sector, dispel common myths and explain the fantastic opportunities for both girls and boys in our industries.”

Mark Kennedy, principal of UTC Leeds added: “The Annual Manufacturing Report 2016 questioned the ‘preparedness’ of school leavers with 77% of respondents claiming 17-18 year olds were ‘poorly’ or ‘very poorly’ prepared for work.

“This school offers a gateway to fulfilling and lucrative careers in manufacturing and engineering.

We’re working alongside Yorkshire’s biggest businesses to ensure our curriculum fits the needs of advanced manufacturers and that our students will be ready for both the world of work and further study when they leave.”

Applications for UTC Leeds are now open and a few places remain.

Students from the Leeds City Region interested in careers in manufacturing and engineering are urged to visit www.utcleeds. com and download the prospectus online.

Accountant expands in Barnsley

BarnsleyWeddingAwards

Local singers win the Wedding Industry Awards The 2016 Wedding Industry Awards that recognise and reward excellence in the wedding industry were hosted on the 10 November at Middleton Lodge, a boutique hotel in North Yorkshire.

Brett and Andrew who run a Barnsley based entertainment company were nominated as Wedding Industry finalists in the North East category of ‘Wedding Musical act of the year’ and were delighted to be announced winners.

Members of the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, Brett and Andrew were thrilled to be selected as winners of their category and proudly received their award on stage in the presence of the finest wedding suppliers in the North East.

The award winning wedding entertainment Brett and Andrew provide includes, Wedding ceremony live acoustic music, subtle background music during the drinks reception and

party music to get everybody on the dance floor. The wedding season of 2015 has been a fantastic year for Brett and Andrew who have been providing wedding entertainment throughout Yorkshire for over 100 wedding couples, all clients have provided fantastic feedback to secure Brett and Andrew as the winning entertainment providers.

Next stop will be the Café Paris in London for the National finals in January 2016.

Brett and Andrew run a Barnsley Based business 24 Live, providing wedding and corporate entertainment, they also own and run a local recording studio in addition to providing creative workshops, music and media in local Barnsley primary schools.

After nearly ten years providing tax and accountancy services to the small business community in Huddersfield, local businessman, Nick Brook has expanded his accountancy practice, TaxAssist Accountants, with the opening of a new office in the Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC) on Innovation Way. Nick Brook set up TaxAssist Accountants in Huddersfield in 2006 and is continuing to grow his client list which now sees him and his team of five looking after more than 400 small businesses, ranging from plumbers and builders to vehicle mechanics, engineering companies, retailers and many more in the local area.

In response to growing demand from existing small businesses and new businesses starting up in the area, Nick decided the time was right to expand with a second office opening in Barnsley.

“With the business going from successto-success in Huddersfield and a growing small business culture in and around Barnsley, it seemed like the perfect time to lookout for a new conveniently placed office in the town and the BBIC seemed to be the ideal location.” said Nick. “Demand for our services continues to grow and the new second office gives us the opportunity to grow with it. This new office opening has also given us the opportunity to expand our team and the services we are able to offer.

We plan to recruit further staff later this year.”

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NewsUpdate

Sketchbook manufacturer writes cheque for charity A Barnsley sketchbook manufacturer has donated more than £6,000 to charity as its sales grow.

Pink Pig, which moved to Dodworth Business Park earlier this year, gives a percentage of its turnover to a chosen charity each year. Previously Pink Pig gave to the RNLI, now the chosen charity is the MS Society.

The company, which supplies a range of sketchbooks to 1,700 secondary schools and colleges across the UK, is planning to expand in to the primary school sector next year. It also sells through art shops and direct to artists across the UK and overseas via its own website and e-commerce channels such as Amazon, and is given support by Enterprising Barnsley, the business support arm of Barnsley Council.

Rachel Hardwick, business development director at Pink Pig, said they had chosen the MS Society because a member of staff had been diagnosed with the disease. Susan Crowther was working as the workshop manager when she was diagnosed. She has now returned to work part-time as HR manager.

Rachel, who also has a friend and family member with MS, said: “Every year we give a percentage of our sales to a different charity and the nice thing is that as the sales go up we can give more.”

Turnover, which is currently £1.4 million has grown year-on-year since the

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company was established 23 years ago.

The relocation to the 15,000 square foot workshop in Dodworth gave the company, which has 23 staff, twice as much room as it had at its previous premises at Emley, near Huddersfield.

“We need the extra space, because we produce 700,000 sketchbooks a year, but we are looking to increase that in to the millions,” said Rachel.

“If we can crack the primary school market and increase exports, sales will be up again and we’ll be able to give even more to charity next year.”

Pink Pig was helped by Enterprising Barnsley with its relocation and has also been given advice on strategic planning and financial forecasting.

Enterprising Barnsley business development manager Steve Hawkins

said: “It’s great to see a successful business move in to the borough and continue to grow. And it’s also a nice touch that their success can be a good news story for a charity too.”

Media marketing company moves to Barnsley A cross-media marketing company in Barnsley has invested over half a million pounds in bespoke new premises and equipment – and launched a strategy for growth in 2016.

Rethink CMYK Ltd has moved into 10,000 square foot premises at Shortwood Business Park, near Hoyland in Barnsley, which is part of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.

The company has invested £510,000 in fitting-out its new workspace, including a purpose built, climate-controlled press room that houses cutting edge digital print and production equipment.

Established in April this year, the new enterprise is led by husband and wife team Joel and Amanda Dickinson, who each have more than 30 years’ experience in the media marketing industry behind them.

Their move six weeks ago has been supported by Enterprising Barnsley, the business development arm of Barnsley Council.

Joel said: “We are delighted to be up and running at our new base. We’ve brought our experienced workforce of 14 with us, plus a whole load of passion and ambition.

Our aim is now to expand the business and create seven new jobs in 2016.”

Rethink has already begun a recruitment drive to fill new posts in marketing,

software development and accountancy.

The next step in its business development is a further investment of £110,000 in additional software technology to create an integrated cross-media marketing platform for the delivery of complex marketing campaigns across printed and digital media.

Rethink specialises in data capture, digital marketing, creative design and variable digital printing. It designs and delivers focused and integrated marketing campaigns which may incorporate instore loyalty and promotions schemes, SMS messaging, mobile customer apps, e-mail marketing, personalised website content and variable digital printing.

Joel said: “The cross-media marketing

industry has transformed in recent years with huge advances in digital technology and a far greater understanding of how this can be best used with a mind to rewarding the consumer. We feel this is an excellent time to invest in our new business and puts us in a strong position to increase trade by up to 30 per cent over the next 12 months.”

Rethink’s expansion has been backed by grant funding from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (The LEP), secured with the help of Enterprising Barnsley, which is also helping with the company’s recruitment drive.

Joel said: “The support we’ve had to relocate and expand here in Barnsley has been fantastic."

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NewsUpdate

Why Yorkshire is top for manufacturing

By Simon Gibson Managing Director of Associated Utility Supplies (AUS)

Is British manufacturing in decline? India and China may dominate the market for cheap high-volume imports, but in my experience, customers are looking for two things: good quality and consistent quality, and that’s where British manufacturing is hard to beat.

Manufacturing in Yorkshire is known for its quality and diversity – from food production to specialist equipment for industrial applications. At AUS we service four key sectors – Electrical Supply Industries, rail, arboriculture and telecoms – both supplying and manufacturing equipment.

Keeping the lights on and the trains running Is price important to customers? Well,

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yes, but there are other factors to consider that make sourcing from a Yorkshire manufacturer beneficial.

For example, when dealing with the Electrical Supply Industries, high-quality manufactured products are essential for the stability of the electrical distribution network. With the rail industry, reliability and safety are all-important. In short, by supplying high-quality, reliable products, made here in Yorkshire, we help keep the lights on and the trains running.

Why manufacture?

A few years ago we started manufacturing certain products at our Clayton West site close to junction 39 of the M1. There were three reasons behind this decision: first, for quality control, second, so that we weren’t at the mercy of suppliers increasing their prices, and third to avoid being let down on lead times.

One thing that differentiates many British-made products from cheap imports is the quality control systems.

Having committed to becoming an

ISO9001, ISO14001 and EN1090-1 accredited company, we have to ensure the relevant quality control checks are in place, from sourcing raw materials through the manufacturing process to final inspection.

Another key point of difference is the skill and industry experience of staff.

This allows customers to benefit from problem-solving solutions, such as bespoke equipment that does the job quicker, better or safer. But it’s not all about manufacturing bits of metal – we also design items that will improve working conditions, such as wet-weather clothing.

A further benefit of sourcing from a British manufacturer is that customers will not be left hanging after the sale.

Simon Gibson

old-fashioned apprenticeship scheme myself, I have always championed this route into industry, especially as there’s a massive skill shortage at present. We have an ongoing commitment to taking on apprentices at AUS – and long may this continue.

After care is a priority and we offer ongoing inspection services for all safety critical equipment from Lifting equipment through to working at heights equipment, along with training for products that require it.

So what’s on the horizon for Yorkshire manufacturing? Early planning work has already started on HS2 and government proposals announced last November include a high-speed rail link from Birmingham through Yorkshire to the north east, with stations at Sheffield Meadowhall and Leeds. Because of our long-standing expertise in rail, we expect to be supplying steelwork once construction gets under way.

On a personal note, I hope to see more apprenticeships. As a product of a good Barnsley Edition January2016

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NewsUpdate

IT company gets Cannon Hall Farm online A Barnsley IT company has helped a busy farmyard visitor attraction get high speed WiFi through a specialist rooftop installation.

Praxsoft, who are based at the Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), has installed a device on top of its own offices at BBIC that beams a ‘line of sight’ radio transmission across to Cannon Hall Farm five miles away.

From there, an identical transmitter device on the roof of the farm receives the signal and provides the farm and its surroundings with high-speed WiFi. The installation means Cannon Hall Farm, which had generally poor reception and internet coverage, now has a high speed internet connection available for free for all its visitors.

Families can now access the internet much easier, keep in touch and post images of their day-out on social media networks and so on. And the farm is even looking to use the stronger connection to live stream the birth of lambs and piglets on their website in future. project between us, Cannon Hall Farm and BBIC who allowed us to put the transmitter on the roof of the office complex. We couldn’t have done it without everyone involved.”

Praxsoft, which set-up in 1996, currently employs eight staff. It specialises in both remote and on-site IT support, as well as the creation of bespoke software packages.

Managing director of Praxsoft, Andy Chesterton, said: “When we first came up with the idea we didn’t think it would be possible.

Robert Nicholson, owner of Cannon Hall Farm, said: “The issue with our internet connectivity has long been a problem and has always been something that we’ve looked to rectify.

The company, which has worked with Cannon Hall Farm for many years, has also been given marketing support by BBIC. Praxsoft has seen year on year growth with turnover set to be up by 10 to 15 per cent this year.

“The logistics of getting a line of sight connection from BBIC at Wilthorpe in Barnsley to Cannon Hall Farm in Cawthorne seemed impossible. Both dishes have to be pointed directly at each other, and there’s a matter of millimetres in it.

“It’s been very much a three way

“Thanks to the help from Praxsoft and BBIC, we can now supply a high speed internet connection for our thousands of families who visit us all year round.

“We know they appreciate this service and we’ve seen marked increase in traffic on both our Facebook and Twitter accounts since the installation.”

Praxsoft and Cannon Hall Farm have been supported to deliver this initiative

by BBIC through the Enterprising Barnsley programme, which is funded

by Barnsley Council.

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Kevin Steel, Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager at BBIC, said: “It’s great to see a specialist Barnsley IT business and a popular Barnsley visitor attraction working together to create an ingenious way to get thousands of visitors online.”

Former electrical engineer makes clean sweep of his career Matthew Rippon had a flash of inspiration while on his daily commute to Sheffield – he would leave his job and take a new broom to his career for 2016.

So he left his electrical engineering job of 15 years just before Christmas and set up as a chimney sweep, with help of the business support programme SmartStart. And already the work is coming in.

Matthew, who runs his business called Clear Sweep from his home at Oxspring, near Penistone, said: “I was leaving home at 6 in the morning and getting home at 6 at night. I have a young family and I thought ‘this is crazy. I hardly see my children and I won’t get this time again.’

“So I took the plunge and said goodbye to the salary and company car and decided I would be my own boss.”

The idea of becoming a chimney sweep had been smouldering in Matthew’s mind for some months before he finally made the decision.

“We have an open fire in our cottage and I used to watch the chimney sweep

and think I could probably do that,” said Matthew.

After training with the Institute of Chimney Sweeps in Kent, Matthew invested in 20 specialist brushes, three bespoke rods and an industrial vacuum cleaner. He then turned to SmartStart, which is provided by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), working in partnership with Barnsley Council, for business support.

“Their support has been fantastic,” said Matthew. “I might have a trade, but I am not so confident when it comes to bookkeeping, websites and marketing. hat’s where their help has come in.”

BBIC business development manager Sarah Valentine-Bull said: “Matthew is just the type of would-be entrepreneur we are looking for; someone who wants to be their own boss and whose business may well expand in the future to create more jobs.”

During the summer months when the demand for chimney sweeps is lower Matthew plans to offer landscape gardening.

“I’ve always been a keen gardener and so that seems an obvious extra to offer.

And I have already got enquiries. So it really is a case of a clean sweep for the new year,” said Matthew.

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NewsUpdate

Barnsley College launches Talent United Barnsley College has launched Talent United, a new employer engagement initiative, to businesses across Yorkshire. Talent United will bridge the gap between education and employment and will provide employers with the opportunity to shape a generation of work ready young people.

Barnsley College currently works with over 2000 employers and Talent United will further enhance these relationships through collaborative partnerships. Employers are invited to share their experience, expertise and knowledge with the college’s young people and have a positive influence on the workforce of tomorrow Through consultation, employers acknowledged that whilst qualifications are important, work readiness and employability skills are of equal importance. Why join Talent United?

By joining this new initiative you can: • Help shape the curriculum and share the skills and knowledge needed in your industry

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• •

• • • • •

•

Showcase your business to some of the region’s most promising young talents Join a network of like-minded employers, committed to raising aspirations and promoting opportunities in Barnsley and across the region Enlist the support of teams of young people to drive innovation in your business Identify the best candidates for your business, ahead of the competition Provide valuable work experience opportunities for young people Inspire the employees of the future Businesses wishing to get involved with Talent United can have as much or as little involvement as they like.

Ways of working with the initiative can include: Taking on a work placement student

•

•

•

Having an apprentice work within your company as part of your workforce Working with young people to educate them about what employers are looking for; this may be through interview coaching, giving career talks, mentoring Setting young people a real-life business challenge

Christopher Webb, Chief Executive and Principal of Barnsley College, said: “Talent United aims to make a difference and create opportunities which will influence the workforce of tomorrow. We would like businesses to become involved and share expertise and knowledge with our students.”

Talent United is a very flexible initiative. People wishing to offer support can give as much or as little time as they can spare. Even if a business can only dedicate half a day per year, this input can still benefit a young person, as well as the business.

The initiative will give businesses recognition for their input in helping to shape the employees of the future.

The college will provide an array of incentives to those who support Talent United, such as discounts on training and services, increased promotion, PR and advertising opportunities and business support. It will also arrange exclusive networking opportunities so getting involved is a real two-way relationship.

Skills shortage remains top of the agenda for business owners Are you planning to grow your business and hire staff this year?

Across many industry sectors, recruitment is not as straightforward as it sounds.

BY NATALIE SYKES, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS Finding skilled employees is the top barrier to growth for Britain’s start-ups, according to the first ever survey of the Institute of Directors’ IoD 99 network a group of more than 650 entrepreneurs under the age of 35.

I was concerned to discover that 42% of the entrepreneurs surveyed admitted they have trouble hiring people with the right skills, whether from the UK or overseas.

I’m passionate about bringing forward the next generation of young people with the right skills for our economy.

Teaching children digital skills at school is an example of the long-term solution but, in the shorter term, we need to address the skills shortage by promoting and investing in apprenticeships.

Not enough companies are hiring apprentices or setting up apprenticeship schemes despite the clear benefits of having young, enthusiastic talent that you can mould and develop for your business.

As deputy chairman of the Ambassador Apprenticeship Network (AAN) for Yorkshire and Humberside, I support education providers, business organisations and employers to raise awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships and nurturing young talent.

The IoD has also extended its student membership scheme to include anyone working towards a Higher Apprenticeship - a pilot scheme in Yorkshire. Student membership benefits include business mentoring, networking and internships.

Apprenticeships need not be costly.

Grants are available to help companies to kick-start a scheme.

Based on the talented young people and apprenticeship case studies that I have already seen in action, I firmly believe that Yorkshire businesses are leading the rest of the UK. By working together to promote such schemes and inspire more young people we can meet the skills shortage head on.

Talent United was launched to Patrons and members of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce on Friday 18 September, existing employers on Tuesday 10 November and members of the Federation of Small Businesses on Tuesday 17 November. All three launches were well attended with a number of attendees signing up to the initiative on the day.

To find out more about Talent United or to join the initiative contact Barnsley College.

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Feature

60 SECONDS WITH... is a short interview with a local business person who tell us a little about themselves and their job. If you would like to participate and promote your business, drop us a line at editor@topicuk.co.uk. In this issue we feature Robert Watson, Managing Director, Gibson Booth

miniature schnauzer called Sooty! Other than that, I still play football for Royston Cross over 35’s and I’ve done a triathlon and a few half marathons, all in the name of charity

If you won the lottery, how would you spend it?

Firstly, I’d look after my family and my friends and make sure that they were financially sound. I’d love to travel more, but with a family and a demanding job, opportunities don’t come around that often. And as much as I love my job, I would work less, I mean, who wouldn’t?

What is your most valued possession?

I value my health more than anything, and I try to keep a fit and active lifestyle through playing football and my occasional marathons.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Barnsley?

What was your first job?

I got my first job when I was still at college, working at the Co-op Pioneer on the Town end roundabout (now replaced by Lidl). I did everything from pushing trolleys, working on the checkout, stacking the shelves, you name it. I still have flashbacks of my green dungarees and ‘here to help’ badge. But, everyone has to start somewhere and it was great for building up my communication skills.

What do you enjoy about your job?

The thing I enjoy the most is the amount of different people that I get to meet. Whether that’s staff, clients or contacts, I’ve developed numerous valued friendships in my time at Gibson Booth. I also get great joy out of helping clients and giving a valued and respected service and training my staff and developing their talent.

How do you spend your time off ?

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I love spending time with my family, I have two young daughters and we love going out on walks with our

I’m a sucker for Italian food and have been since I was a young lad, so I’d have to go for Puccini’s on Dodworth Road.

Which famous person, past or present, would you like to take out to lunch?

Sir Alex Ferguson. He created such a winning mentality in football, over a long period of time. His method, techniques and insight would be fascinating. I admire his achievements and would love to talk them out with him.

What improvements would you like to see in Barnsley?

I’d love to see more entrepreneurial spirit around the borough, as I love meeting new clients who have just set up a business. They show real determination and ambition and that is something that I admire a lot.

I’d like to see us looking after the people within the borough, and try and provide a good environment, particular a better town centre environment for families.

I believe the new developments in the pipeline for Barnsley will help massively with this.

Advertorial

New Year, New Skills for over 2,000 employees The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has committed over £1 Million to local businesses, enabling over 300 employers to invest in training and upskilling more than 2,000 staff.

Companies in Barnsley and throughout the Leeds City Region that have a budget to put towards training could be eligible for grant funding of between £500 and £50,000 to train their staff through the £13.9 million skills service.

One business taking advantage of the skills service is Pontefract-based firm Advanced Diesel Engineering.

Advanced Diesel Engineering have manufactured and supplied diesel generators, acoustic enclosures, fuel tanks and switchgear containers for over 20 years. Due to a rapid expansion within the organisation it became apparent that in order to make the most efficient use of the new company structure they needed to invest in upskilling their workforce. They secured a grant from the LEP skills service to train four of their staff in MPI ASNT Level 2 and ASME 6G Pipe Welding.

Kevin Bell, General Manager of Advanced Diesel Engineering explains: “We were keen for members of the team to undertake courses in order to retain existing customers and secure new business. Through the LEP skills service we were able to train four of our staff in MPI and welding at a reduced rate, effectively doubling our training budget.

“Having more highly qualified staff will

result in us being able to take on more work, as well as increasing customer responsiveness, speeding up the manufacturing process and ultimately increasing turnover and profit.

potential, and through the Skills Service employers have the chance to do just this by accessing the training, funding and expertise they need to develop their businesses.”

“The skills service really is an excellent opportunity for employers to make the most of their training budget and invest in staff. Our skills advisor supported us through process, taking care of the application and working with us to pull together a complete training plan for our team. I would definitely encourage other Barnsley businesses to contact the LEP to see how they can benefit”

The LEP skills service suppors businesses to identify their training needs, and access advice, support and funding to upskill their workforces based on business growth objectives.

Dan Conboy, Director of Wakefield based digital agency Statement and Employer Representative on the LEP board said: “As an employer representative on the LEP Board, I would strongly urge employers throughout Barnsley and the Leeds City Region to take advantage of this great opportunity to access support and training. Businesses are growing both in terms of staff numbers and diversifying services and in order to succeed it’s important that workforces have the opportunity to develop the right skills.

The aim of the funding is to put money in the hands of small and medium sized businesses in the region’s key sectors, enabling them to source the skills solutions they require to develop and grow.

Do you want to find out more about how the LEP skills service could help your business?

Find out more and apply for funding by visiting: www.the-lep.com/ skillsservice or contact one of our experienced skills advisors: skills@the-lep.com or 0113 386 1910.

“I am dedicated to supporting growth focussed organisations to unlock their Barnsley Edition January2016

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LegalMatters

Conveyancing with Raleys Solicitors

Buying and selling...

Each issue Raleys Solicitors share with our 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

Sarah Weatherall, head of conveyancing at Raleys Solicitors, talks about buying and selling a house They say buying and selling a house is one of the most stressful things you can do in your life; alongside divorce or losing your job. It will probably be the biggest investment you ever make; so you need to get it right.

The legal work, known as conveyancing, can be a complicated process, and one best left to the professionals who have the experience you need to navigate this process.

At Raleys, for example, we have helped literally thousands of people move home since the company was set up more than 130 years ago.

Sarah Weatherall of Raleys

And if, for whatever reason, the sale doesn’t go through, we don’t charge.

We have a ‘no completion, no fee’ guarantee for peace of mind. But that is rare! We work to make sure all goes according to plan.

With renting more expensive than buying in many parts of the country.

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Now is a good time to buy.

A recent survey by Zoopla showed that it might be cheaper to rent than buy in the south east, but in the north it is normally cheaper to buy.

Sheffield and Rotherham come in the top ten places in the country where buying is cheaper than renting. In both places you actually pay about six per cent less in a mortgage than on rent. So it makes sense to start thinking about getting a place of your own.

Also with Government initiatives now introduced such as the Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee and Equity Loan schemes, it is now easier than ever for first time buyers to take their first step onto the property ladder.

We’re here to help when you decide to take that first step. And for those of you moving to your second, third, fourth or tenth home, we’re here too.

A mark of excellence Raleys has once again secured membership to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme - the mark of excellence for the home buying process. This is the second year in a row that we have achieved CQS accreditation.

What is Conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the transfer of the legal title of property from one person to another. There are two major landmarks in conveyancing: exchange of contract and completion.

At the centre of conveyancing is the contract. Your solicitor will write to the seller’s solicitor and request a copy of the draft contract. They will check over the contract and any supporting documents before discussing with you and then raising enquiries with the seller’s solicitor if necessary.

legally binding. Exchange of contracts will take place when your solicitor has received and approved the mortgage offer and searches, received satisfactory replies to all of their legal enquiries and you have signed the paperwork and transferred deposit funds.

Under English Law, either seller or buyer can withdraw from the purchase prior to exchange of contracts, however after this has taken place they are unable to do this without suffering financial loss.

Your solicitor will also carry out searches on your behalf, these include a local authority search, which looks at planning issues affecting the property, such as nearby road schemes and proposals; mining searches to see if the property is affected by any mining rights and claims, and water authority searches to look at water supply and drainage of the property.

Completion is when the purchase monies are transferred and you get the keys. The completion date will have been agreed when contracts were exchanged and can be anything from two weeks from the date of exchange right up until the day after exchange!

If you need a mortgage your solicitor will receive a copy of the mortgage offer and go through the conditions. All money relating to the sale is handled by the solicitor.

Exchange is where the contract becomes

Even once the sale is complete and you have the keys there are still some loose ends to tie up. Your solicitor will pay the Stamp Duty on your behalf. (Stamp Duty has to be paid on any property worth more than £125,000). They will also register your ownership at the Land Registry and send the Title Deeds to the mortgage lender.

They underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to continue to hold CQS status, which marks the firm out as continuing to meet high standards in the residential conveyancing process.

Law Society President Andrew Caplen said that the CQS accreditation is the hallmark of high standards and establishes a level of credibility for regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers.

He said: “CQS is the quality mark of the home-buying sector and enables consumers to identify practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing service. With so many different conveyancing service providers out there CQS helps homebuyers and sellers seek out those that can provide a safe and efficient level of service.”

The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status.

It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.

Barnsley Edition January2016

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FashionUpdate NewsUpdate

Katie Portman is a freelance journalist and an award winning lifestyle and fashion blogger at Pouting in Heels www.poutinginheels.com who will be writing a regular feature for TopicUK. You can follow Katie on our website www.topicuk. co.uk or on Twitter @KateLPortman

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As we go into the New Year, this is the perfect time to make some changes in your life, from everything from your eating habits to your wardrobe.

So if you’ve felt more frump than fabulous this year, then fret not! Here are five simple things you can do to help you look and feel your very best this coming year.

Get Ruthless We’ve all got those pesky items in our wardrobes that we never wear, usually from years gone by or stuff we bought on a quick whim.

But these garments are taking up precious room in your wardrobe and clouding your judgement, so it’s time to ditch them.

Grab some black bags, be ruthless and remove anything that you no longer love, no longer fits or doesn’t make you feel incredible. Life is far too short to wear clothes that make you feel less than your absolute best.

(If in doubt about an item, try it on and observe your posture and facial expressions. When we wear something we love, we tend to stand prouder and generally smile!)

Be Honest What are the parts of your body that you love the most?

We’ve all got areas of our bodies that we don’t particularly like (and that’s OK), but the key is to not worry about those (or think anyone else notices them) and concentrate on the areas that you are happy with. Otherwise known as your best bits.

So if you’ve got incredible legs, wear short skirts or skinny jeans to show them off. If you’ve got shapely breasts, wear tops and dresses that flatter your shape. Dress for you and own your shape.

Play Around If you can’t remember the last time you tried on something different or had a new haircut, it’s time to start experimenting.

up a bit and try something new. Fashion is supposed to be fun! So experiment, play around and dare to try things you would never have thought of in a million years. Your findings may just surprise you.

Seek Inspiration If you’ve lost your way with style or your wardrobe no longer suits your life, then there’s only one thing for it it’s time to look around for inspiration. Read some style books, go on Pinterest, visit some fashion blogs and rip out anything you come across in a magazine that takes your fancy or ‘speaks to you’. Finding new ideas is the first step in helping you to discover a new, more stylish, you.

Ask For Help We all struggle with our style from time to time. So if you really are at crisis point and have no idea how to move forward, then call in an expert. There are some brilliant fashion stylists out there, who can come to your home and give you advice and guidance, as well as tips. Or alternatively if it’s something in particular you need, like a new work wardrobe, make sure you take advantage of the great personal shoppers that all major department stores now offer.

And finally, don’t forget to reach out to your closest friends and ask for their opinion. Or better still, make an occasion of it and invite them to your wardrobe revamp party and ask them to help you go through your racks, with some fizz in hand.

What could be more fabulous than that?!

It’s very easy to get stuck in a style rut, especially when life is busy, which is why it’s always good to shake things Barnsley Edition January2016

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TheArts

Is 2016 the year to try something new?

BY HELEN BALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE BARNSLEY CIVIC THEATRE

The end of the calendar year and the lead up to Christmas is always a very busy time for all...

Often we are juggling attendance at events, family gatherings, Christmas shopping and much more on top of our already busy schedules.

The arts is usually at the heart of festive celebrations and it is fantastic that many long standing traditions such as the school nativity play, the annual Christmas Carol concert and the pantomime continue to thrive and capture the imagination of people of all ages and backgrounds.

In the theatre industry Christmas is an extremely busy time, with many theatres securing much needed revenue from their annual pantomime or Christmas production to enable them to keep going the rest of the year. In Barnsley we are spoilt for choice every year with fantastic pantomime’s, Christmas productions and musical concerts happening all over the borough for people to enjoy.

As we emerge after all of this busy activity, thoughts for the forthcoming year arise and there is

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both an opportunity to reflect on the year past and to set our goals and aspirations for the year ahead.

During 2015 many arts organisations regionally and nationally battled through a difficult twelve months having lost much needed funding to support their activities in the range of government cuts that have bitten the public sector.

The whole arts sector had to rethink its resilience strategies.

It lobbied for a better balance of investment over the whole country rather than concentrated investment in London and the South. It also continued to fight in local areas to retain its voice and its ability to make an essential and important contribution to economic and social development of communities.

Despite this challenging funding landscape amazing things happened. A brilliant example of this is the recent success of Barnsley Youth Choir when they

attended the World Choir Games in Magdeburg in July of this year.

Competing on an international stage for only the second time, they achieved not only first place in two musical genre categories but also went on to win the ‘Grand Prix of Nations’. The Grand Prix categories are reserved for only the best choirs in the world and Barnsley’s Youth Choir proved in that instant they should be counted amongst the world’s leading choirs.

Their achievements are inspirational - placing Barnsley on an international footing - and would simply not have been possible without the community getting behind them and believing in them; supporting them to raise the funds they needed to make their journey possible. Many arts organisations and venues in Barnsley do not receive any regular grant funding at all. The grants they do receive are often small and need to stretch a long way to cover the costs

of very valuable projects. Some rely solely on participant’s donations and community support to survive often meaning that not everything they want to do it possible.

Support and engagement from the local community is vital for the arts. Not just because of funding but because the arts are meant to be enjoyed, participated in and experienced. They are not meant to be just the choice of the privileged few nor are they meant to be something that

only happens once a year at Christmas.

If you have struggled to make a new year’s resolution this year or have simply decided that you are going to find a new hobby - why not pay a visit to your local art gallery? Go along to a local choir rehearsal or art class? Or maybe even treat yourself with your Christmas money to a ticket to a show.

You won’t be disappointed, you will be appreciated and you might even find a new passion you never knew you had!

Barnsley Edition January2016

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Wining & Dining us to our table, asking if we would like any drinks, both myself and Mark, my dining companion, opted for a pint of beer as it was a grill serving mainly steak and meat, so we both thought it was fitting to wash it down with beer.

Our table was just to the side of the open plan kitchen, where you can hear the hustle and bustle of the chefs working away, I think it is always reassuring when you can see the chefs working in the kitchen.

On presentation of the menu, I found it difficult to choose as there was so many dishes. As I had eaten so much over Christmas, it was important I took my time and chose carefully.

A MEAT EATERS DELIGHT

I visited The Grille on a Monday night inbetween the Christmas and New Year festivities, traditionally not a great time for the restaurant trade, as everyone has eaten too much food over the holiday and are getting ready for the festivities of New Year’s Eve.

Unique in the location of Barnsley town centre, The Grille offers the ultimate steak experience.em on

However, there was another 8 tables booked in the restaurant apart from ours, which accommodated about 28 dinners, quite impressive for the time of year. The restaurant is nicely decorated, modern with wood fittings to the walls and well-lit with simple stylish furniture and a splash of red adding warmth. Music plays in the background but is unimposing.

We were greeted our waitress who showed

01226 287488

BY ANTHONY HEGNEY ASPARAGUS GREEN CATERING

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For my starter, I choose the Piri Piri Chicken wings from a selection of 14 dishes all well priced, starting from £2.95 for the garlic bread to £6.50 for the grilled Tiger Prawns. When it arrived, it came with 4 well sized chicken wings with salad garnish and a pot of sour cream on the side.

The wings were meaty, moist in texture and flavoursome, although my palate could have done with them a bit more spicy, although they were probably just right for most diners.

My dining companion Mark had the grilled tiger prawns with sweet chilli sauce. This came with enough prawns to warrant the £6.50 price tag and the prawns were

the fact that we had a choice from 7 desserts and my all time favourite was there: Crème Brulee. Once I see this on a menu, I don’t need to look any further that does it for me.

cooked well. Sadly the chilli sauce was missing and in my opinion, as with my Chicken wings, could have had more of a bite or maybe drizzled with more sauce when they leave the kitchen. I think a nice garlic butter would be perfect to enhance the dish! The dish was garnished with mixed leaf salad and a slice of lemon.

For main course I opted for the Full rack of baby back ribs. This took some choosing as I very nearly decided on the steak, but as Mark chose that, I thought I would go for a different choice. When they arrived the plate was full and the ribs well glazed with the sauce. The dish was accompanied with a single corn on the cob, a ramekin of Coleslaw and one of BBQ sauce as well as a small salad garnish and a bowl of chips.

The ribs themselves were full of meat and very succulent.

On hindsight I should have ordered the half back rather than the full as they satisfied my appetite quickly. The corn needed some butter on the side, but nevertheless, I managed to clear my plate.

Mark had the 10oz Sirloin steak, cooked medium rare, which was done perfectly.

Although the steak was juicy and tender, Mark felt there were things missing...

For the £15.95 price tag, we felt the accompaniments to the dish would benefit from a little refinement. The chips could be a little more fluffy on the inside and I would have liked to have seen an extra onion ring on the plate (it only came with 2).

The seasonal vegetables were nicely cooked, but Mark was surprised to see a sprout with a steak when it was advertised as seasonal vegetables! I would have suggested instead of putting sautéed mushrooms with the vegetables, to grill a flat mushroom and place on the plate

as garnish. The steak came with three sauces, a Diane, Peppercorn and Gravy.

All tasty but portions were large. All in all though, Mark did enjoy his main meal.

Through the whole meal there were 2 staff members in the restaurant that were very attentive and accommodated all of our needs, while making sure that other dinners were also well looked after.

Main courses are priced from £10.95 upwards to £24.95 for a tenderloin steak so there is something priced for everyone’s pocket.

While we were enjoying our starters, being as nosy as we are, we couldn’t help notice one of the other tables ordered 2 of the 20oz Chateaubriand, this certainly got our attention with the brandy warming in the glass ready to be poured over it before being lit for the theatre at the table, then carved, I think its well worth a visit again one evening, just to give this a try, also well priced at £46.95 for 2 people.

Its was time for the final course of our meal the dessert. If I’m honest, I didn’t have much room left as I had already filled up on starter and main course, however I needed to do the restaurant justice for the review and go for all 3 courses.

So the waiter brought the menu to the table and our choices didn’t take too long this time, maybe that was down to

It came just as it should do in a small dish cold inside and warm and crunchy with that burnt sugar taste on top, just the right size for me perfectly sweet to end the meal off. Mark had the Tiramisu (his favourite dessert of all time). He felt that, although not a bad Tiramisu, the wedge that came out was a little on the deep side and could have done with being almost half as big.

The dessert garnish could do with a bit of attention as the raspberry rum and squirt cream garnish on the side could do with a little more detail.

Coffee was offered however we really didn’t have the room for this.

Overall a good location for the restaurant in the high street plenty of parking around the area with some small car parks nearby. The restaurant is open 7 days a week from noon until 10pm so great for that business meeting with great access from the M1 links.

Grille Steakhouse The Sunday lunch menu is £9.50 for 2 courses or £11.50 for 3 courses.

The Grille is also available for private parties and it’s the perfect venue for weddings.

Bookings essential. Visit the website or call and mention that you read this article in Topic UK when making the booking. www.grillesteakhouse.co.uk 01226 294333 66 - 68 Market Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 1SN Barnsley Edition January2016

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Food&Beverages

A menu idea to spice up your dinner party

Never sure what to cook when having friends over for dinner? How about getting them involved in helping you create an authentic menu?

We love having friends over for dinner, and I love an excuse to get creative with the menu. However, I always feel that everyone has more fun if they have some sort of input. So, I came up with an idea to do exactly that!

By Chris Hale, MD of Acclimatise Me altitude training company, dad-of-two and keen cook @AllHaleChris acclimatiseme.com

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I simply ask each guest to choose a cuisine and core ingredient for each course, so if there are 6 people eating, there will be 6 cuisines and core ingredients for each course (it is fine if they are repeated in any way). I then draw at random a cuisine and core ingredient for each course, giving me the foundation for a menu on which I can get creative.

We even did it for an alternative Christmas dinner this year.

After the draw, this is what I ended up with:

• • •

Starter - British, mushrooms; Main - British, Lobster; Dessert - Italian, Chocolate.

A potentially very exciting menu, all there was a chance of Palestinian shell fish for starter, which would have tested my menu creation skills.

As for our Christmas dinner, it looked like this: Starter – Mushroom soup, with buckwheat bread and sage butter, served to look like tea and biscuits.

Main – Pan fried lobster with champagne soufflé with asparagus.

Dessert – strawberry panna cotta with strawberry reduction, chocolate soil and honeycomb covered by a white chocolate dome.

This menu went down a treat.

Everyone felt part of the process and was eager to see what was made.

It makes it more interesting for me as the chef too as I am constantly challenged and I really enjoy the creative process.

Why not try this different format yourself. We would be interested in featuring anyone who takes up this unique way of cooking in our next issue.

Trampolining Craze Sweeping South Yorkshire Young people in Barnsley have got a spring in their step thanks to a new trampolining club in the borough.

Bounce Activ Trampolining Club was set up in the summer in at Netherwood ALC in Wombwell.

The weekly club is run by social enterprise Team Activ, in partnership with South Yorkshire Sport. Team Activ works with every secondary school and more than half of all primary schools in the borough, and is rapidly expanding into the rest of Yorkshire and beyond.

The focus of Team Activ’s work is to engage with schools and families to provide increased opportunities for children and young people to be more physically active.

Bounce Activ is one of many Team Activ initiatives which aims to positively impact the lives of children in the region.

“Trampolining takes 80% of the pressure from weight-bearing joints, so is an excellent form of exercise for longterm health,” says Team Activ founder Darren Padgett. “It’s an excellent sport that often isn’t incorporated into children’s PE curriculum. The club is going from strength to strength, and we plan to offer many more clubs like this in the future.”

Pressing issues face businesses A business support seminar was held at the Holiday Inn in Barnsley on Tuesday 24 November to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing businesses.

The free seminar was organised by Gibson Booth in collaboration with Avensure, and covered topics such as pensions, tax and employment law.

All of Team Activ’s staff are trained sports coaches who are committed to providing safe, fun environments where children can develop their skills in sport, increase their confidence and create new friendships.

The trampolining club is held on Wednesday nights, from 7-8pm for 5-11 year olds, and 8-9pm for 11-25 year olds.

The classes are held at Netherwood ALC in Wombwell, and cost £3 per session.

For more information, please call 01226 720 200 or email clare@teamactiv.co.uk.

Tim Shone of Auckland Opticians and Darren Goodall of IFP

Barnsley Edition January2016

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NewsUpdate

Accountants make first two appointments of 2016 Accountants Gibson Booth Limited have appointed two new members of staff.

Daniel Wilson, aged 19, has joined as an accounts assistant and Keeley Stanley, aged 24, has joined as a tax assistant.

Daniel, who is AAT qualified, has joined from an accountancy practice in Swinton, South Yorkshire, with responsibilities that include preparing accounts and tax computations.

Keeley, who studied economics at the University of Liverpool, is tasked with preparing and submitting tax returns.

Managing director of Gibson Booth Robert Watson said: It’s great to have two new members of staff joining our team. 2015 was a great year for us, and 2016 is already looking bright.

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“Both Daniel and Keeley have already shown initiative in their respective jobs and they’re both going to make fantastic additions to our team.”

Gibson Booth, which has its offices on Victoria Road in Barnsley town centre, has 30 staff, in the region of 1,000 clients and a turnover which has been growing year on year.

The company offers corporate tax planning, accounts, audit, personal tax planning; together with specialisms including VAT, payroll, capital taxes, research and development tax planning, employee incentivisation, corporate finance and wealth management.

Laser Engraved Pi in the Sky South Yorkshire laser expert, now has its work up in space thanks to British ESA Astronaut Tim Peake’s latest mission.

Plumbing Work Placements Required Barnsley College is looking for local plumbing businesses who are willing to offer a two week work experience to their enthusiastic students.

The college currently has a number of students working towards a Plumbing Diploma who are looking for the opportunity to gain work experience to support their learning.

A work placement gives students the chance to gain hands-on experience within a work environment whilst enhancing their knowledge of the industry and preparing them for future employment.

The Principia Mission sees Tim and his crewmates work on unique experiments that can’t be completed on Earth, with the overall aim of improving the understanding of the fundamentals of science and to demonstrate new applications for science and technology.

Cutting Technologies was instructed by Raspberry Pi to laser engrave the fine details on two augmented Raspberry Pi computers known as Astro Pi. Whilst on board the International Space Station, Tim will use the two computers to run experiments using the board’s sensors.

School children across the UK were asked to create and code

computer science experiments for Tim as part of a competition.

Seven winners ranging from primary to A-level were selected and their ideas will be brought to life by Tim. Jane Robinson, director and cofounder of Cutting Technologies said: “This was a brilliant project to be able to put our name to and we’re excited to watch how Tim’s mission progresses.

Work placement students can bring new ideas to a business and provides employers with a low risk, cost effective opportunity to enhance their existing workforce for a period of time.

If you can offer a work placement within your business or require further information contact Barnsley College by calling +44 (0)1226 216 166 or emailing employer@barnsley.ac.uk.

“The overall competition connected STEM and schools brilliantly and we’re really proud to have played our part.”

For more information about the Astro Pi mission please visit: https://astro-pi.org/ Barnsley Edition January2016

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InformationTechnology

Tips for migrating emails onto a cloud server It is becoming much more common for businesses to host all their company e-mails on a cloud platform rather than on their premise’s servers.

But there is a lot to consider if you are thinking of taking this option and migrating your employees’ vital communication accounts up to this level.

Chris Wright and Steve Harper of IT Desk UK IT Desk (UK) has been established for over 8 years and provides pro-active IT support and management to businesses throughout Yorkshire and beyond. Their approach is simple, to be your IT department and to run in parallel with your business objectives and goals whilst proving cost effective solutions.

They are not the cheapest IT support provider, but they firmly believe they are by far the best value by their unique approach to IT support.

14 Doncaster Rd, Goldthorpe, Rotherham S63 9HH Tel: 01709 470073

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Many businesses have been using e-mail via cloud services for years and the technology has become much more sophisticated.

However, getting your entire company’s emails onto a cloud server is no easy task.

It does have a whole host of benefits though.

More and more staff members are looking to access their emails through multiple devices such as their phones, not just their computer at their desk. And email on a cloud-based server is certainly the way forward to deliver this flexibility.

Here are some pitfalls you need to avoid when making the move.

Firstly you need to plan thoroughly, and make sure you liaise with an IT expert who knows the ins and outs. Set scheduled deadlines as to when you want the change to happen, and plan everything that needs to happen beforehand.

Any change to a key piece of infrastructure, such as your email system should be thought through meticulously. Every user

in the business who will be affected should be told what is happening and when it is happening.

Make sure that the data migration is done in the least convoluted way possible. Try and anticipate issues such as network bandwidth requirements, as nothing puts a business at a standstill like cutting your one main source of communication for a long period of time.

You’ll also need to think about applications that tap into your current e-mail system, and whether these will work when changed over.

For example, don’t have a list of important calendar dates on an external app, only for it to be wiped when you make the transition.

Finally, in business, security should always be top priority.

Make sure that the cloud server, and the tool you will be using to migrate, is both safe and secure.

IT Desk, offer this as a service and have migrated many large mailboxes for customers in the past.

Local business ensures no one spends Christmas alone On Christmas Eve, Barnsley based HoRde Consultancy Limited played host to 49 Guests who would normally have spent Christmas alone at home.

Sarah and Lucinda from Mecca Bingo.

Kate & Nick from Horde

With the support of local business and Helen Berriman at Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield, HoRde were able to provide a three course Christmas Lunch and an afternoon of Bingo, courtesy of Sarah Lambert & Lucinda Akers of Mecca Bingo Wakefield, to people who don’t have family living locally, from the across the district of Wakefield from Castleford to Horbury.

“We were delighted that we were able to make sure that those who would normally be alone at Christmas, had some company and we encouraged guests to build new friendships and share Christmas together,” explained HoRde Managing Partner Nick Thorpe.

“We already have reports of guests who have arranged to meet up again and there is even hint of romance!”

A comment from one guest: “Just to say a ‘big thank you’ to the team at HoRde for providing a fantastic get together for lonely people at Christmas. it was a brilliant idea and your kindness made so many people enjoy Christmas again! Everyone was laughing by the end of the afternoon and saying how wonderful it had been and enjoyed making new friends in similar circumstances to their own…”

HoRde would like to thank the sponsors: C&D Cleaning Group, Audi Wakefield, Mecca Bingo Wakefield, Guy Salmon Wakefield and Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield.

“We also want to thank our supporters Topic UK, Ghost Communications, Wakefield Hospice, Age UK, Royal British Legion, Silver Line, Wakefield Express and Nuffield Health Wakefield,” concluded Nick.

Barnsley Edition January2016

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Health&Wellbeing

My top 5 ways to get YOU healthy this year Our over-ambitious New Year Resolutions maybe a distant memory but that’s not to say we should stop goal-setting and neglect our health. Here’s 5 simple ways to get yourself healthier:

By Sophie Mei Lan, blogger, film-maker, dancer and mum-of-two @MamaMeiBlog mamamei.co.uk

1) Address one bad habit at a time: Whether it’s cutting down on a mid-morning sweet treat or getting to bed early enough to get a good night’s sleep.

A great place to start is by cutting one bad habit at a time. A friend gave me this golden advice, as I am an ‘all or nothing’ person. So I would try to stop all my bad habits at the same time and go cold turkey, but then I’d hit a stumbling block and all my hard work would go to waste. Now I try to correct or address a bad habit once or twice a month so it is sustainable.

2) Kick the caffeine: It pains me to say this as my love of coffee began when I lived in Italy and I would easily knock back six espressos a day.

Not only did this interfere with my sleep but it would send me jittery and anxious.

So if you’re a caffeine fiend like me, it might be worth kicking a few cups of tea or coffee a day (and energy drinks definitely need kicking).

Instead opt for fruit teas. You can even make your own fruit

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Health&Wellbeing

tea by boiling any fruit off-cuts and then sieving it into a cup.

3) Get Sugar smart: Maybe you’re braver than me and can completely cut out sugar, but I can’t.

I like the odd treat (and some) but what I don’t like is eating what I think to be healthy and then discovering it has lots of added sugar.

The government’s healthy living scheme Change 4 Life has created a new Sugar Smart app that allows you to scan items to check how much sugar is in them. Also if you go to the Change 4 Life website there’s tons of other ‘smart swaps’ you can make.

4) Drink more water and get some shut eye: Rather than just taking away things from your life, there are certain things you should add, namely, sleep and water.

Getting to bed earlier or at least on time so you can start fresh the next day is crucial to your work and business. Also try to be flexible with your diary so If you’re working late you can have a bit of a lie in.

Plus, the more hydrated you are, the better your skin and body will be.

We love squash in our house so we’ve started to swap squash for water with lemon and lime added.

5) Positive affirmations: Being healthy isn’t just about the body, but the mind too. Reflect each day on positives from that day, and start each morning writing down three positives about yourself. It’s important we stay positive and remind ourselves of our strengths.

Next issue, I’ll be looking at ways you can “move more” in your busy life. Anyone can do simple things to improve their fitness and we’ll be guided along the way by some fabulous personal trainers.

PR firm appoints new junior account executive Luke Marino has joined South Yorkshire media training and PR consultancy Capital B Media as a junior account executive.

Luke, aged 20, was appointed after successfully passing his National Council for the Training of Journalists qualification through the News Associates Journalism School, in Manchester.

Barnsley-based Capital B Media’s clients are in the public, private and third sector. They include the Care Quality Commission, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire fire services; South Yorkshire and Derbyshire police; Magna Science Adventure Centre; Enterprising Barnsley and Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK. Capital B Media has already taken on one new client in 2016, and its turnover is on track to be up by 30 per cent this financial year.

During his 40 week course at News Associates Luke developed his writing

skills, mastered 100wpm shorthand and also provided weekly news, features and exclusive stories to the online news and sports website, Mancunian Matters.

Luke said: “The time I’ve spent studying and gaining experience feels to have finally paid off. It feels great to be joining such a fun and growing company and I’m now looking forward to learning new things and applying my skills in a working in environment.”

Luke’s appointment brings the Capital B Media team of staff and associates up to ten.

Director, Kate Betts, said: “It’s brilliant having Luke on board. He’s experienced several work placements in print, online and broadcast media and I’m confident he can bring some of the knowledge and skills he has learned to the team.”

Barnsley Edition January2016

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Health&Wellbeing

2016 is the time to get fit Our health is important, so each issue, health and fitness expert Victoria Hudson will be telling us how we can get out from behind our desks and get fit.

January is the ultimate ‘Monday’ of the year.

The month people ‘start over’ the month they finally decide to kick the habit, get fit and lose weight. You name it people start it in January 82% of Brits will start a health kick this year with 23% quitting by February and a further 20% quitting before December.

Victoria Hudson Health, Fitness and Nutrition Coach victoria@theladylifts.co.uk Tel: 07747806790

When we think about exercising we are guilty of just focusing on the physical side creating a more attractive physique, lowering blood pressure and a healthier heart. What we forget is the countless benefits exercise has not just physically but in health and well being. Exercise has a huge impact on the way we think and the way we feel.

Incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine and you can expect to have increased concentration, sharper memory, faster learning and lower stress!

A study By Leeds Metropolitan University revealed that on days employees used the gym or chose to exercise there experience at work changed. Productivity increased, better time management and interaction with work colleagues went smoother!

After eight years of coaching, I understand the importance of exercise and building it into a daily routine. The main barrier I come across with my clients is ‘no time’ or limited time and the belief that unless your visiting the gym for an hour and leaving covered in sweat, slightly shaky and desperate for some food - then there is no point in exercising.

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This couldn’t be further from the truth. No matter how much time you have little or small anything you do will certainly benefit.

We see changes within our body within seconds when exercising. Increased heart rate, blood rushing to the muscles, we start burning calories for fuel, and we feel an immediate mood boost!

Working a 9-5 job in an office with no windows under artificial lighting can play havoc with your mind, the brain needs sunlight but not just for the benefits of vitamin C - sunlight deprivation has been linked to seasonal defective disorder (SAD) a form of depression. More common in the winter months and those who work long hours in office buildings.

How can we solve this in our busy lives?

Taking a break during the day, even if its just 10 minutes to take a stroll around your building.

Scheduling ‘time out’ in your day turn the phone off slip your work shoes off pop your trainers on and take a stroll around a local park. Most people would give me the barrier here that they don’t have time to take a break. But my argument for it is this: Getting up from your desk, taking a 15 minute walk around outside could actually increase your productivity for the rest of the day and actually mean you get more done, have better concentration and still finish on time.

Use tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner to research the traffic each keyword could drive to your site.

4. Research your competitors. Have a look at five of your competitors’ websites.

What type of content do they have?

Do they use video? Do they blog frequently? Where do they rank for your keywords? This information will let you see what you have to do to compete.

5. Optimise page titles and descriptions.

Seven Steps To Better SEO Creative Director Craig Burgess of Barnsley-based Genius Division designs and builds websites and apps for SMEs. Here he suggests seven steps to improving your SEO. 1. Make sure your website is mobile compatible.

When ranking websites, Google has started to take into account whether your website works well on mobile devices such as phones and tablets.

If your website doesn’t, now is a crucial time to look at this through responsive web design.

2. Install analytics on your website.

If you don’t track it you can’t measure it. Google Analytics lets you see how much traffic you’re getting on your website and what content is popular.

It gives you an insight into what users are doing on your site and a better idea of what content to focus on.

3. Compile a list of keywords you’d like to rank for.

Put together a list of keywords you think your website should rank for.

Page titles give Google a good indication of what each page of your website is about. Make sure each page’s title is unique and contains the keyword you want that page to rank for. Write clear meta descriptions to tempt people searching the web.

Make sure the keyword being targeted is covered within the page’s content.

6. Compose a content strategy.

A content strategy is key to successful SEO. Plan your content. Consider blogging three or four times a month and adding video content via YouTube. Remember to stay human: your users don’t want to read content on a website that is obviously targeted towards search engines.

7. Widen your online reach.

Identify other websites, such as your customers’, that could perhaps provide a link back to your website.

Guest blogging is a good chance to build online relationships, but shouldn’t be used solely as a link building exercise as this can be frowned upon.

Make sure you optimise your social media profile by claiming your Google+ business listing; Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and other social profiles. This will add legitimacy to your business’ online presence and ensure your brand is represented consistently.

Google doesn’t yet take social media into consideration when ranking sites, but it may do in future.

Flood Defence Receives Route To Lasting Solution East Yorkshire based C R Reynolds awards Route One Highways with a specialist contract as part of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council’s commitment to investing in environment improvement.

The construction, plant hire and development company turned to Route One to provide expert waterproofing services to the quirky named Pissy Beds Drain Culvert on Hatfield Road in Doncaster.

The culvert is a large-scale drain and tunnel able to carry large volumes of water under the road to prevent flooding of the surrounding land and forms part of the Council’s food risk management strategy.

Using the latest waterproofing technology from Stirling Lloyd, Route One minimised disruption with a rapid cure solution that provides high levels of resistance against UV, ageing and weathering.

Darryl Taylor, Commercial Manager at Route One Highways says: “We are happy to bring our expertise to flood defense in the region and worked quickly to provide a lasting solution. I’m pleased to say our level of workmanship and delivery was Five star and we now hope this is the first of many similar from C R Reynolds.”

Route One Highways is a privately held company based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire and provides quality structures and highway maintenance services across the UK. Barnsley Edition January2016

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Education

Points of View You get what you pay for in life We hear regular cries of anguish from politicians about how they can’t understand why independent schools are so successful and about the need to harness the magic ingredients of independence and distribute them throughout the education sector.

The latest misguided obsession is partnerships, with the false assumption that all independent schools are rich while all state schools are poor, and the redistribution of wealth is the way to solve the problem – some irony here, surely, given government policies elsewhere! The relative wealth of the

In this edition, the Headmaster of Silcoates School, Darryl Wideman, argues that private education is undoubtedly worth paying for, while an Upper Sixth Form student at the school, Rory Ellis, argues that student loans for university tuition are nothing to fear.

sectors may have some relevance in the South East, but it’s nonsense in West Yorkshire.

I recently explained to a prospective parent why I think independent schools are so successful.

Undoubtedly, money is a factor, but not in the way the Government sees it. There are many reasons to send your child to the local state school, not least that your taxes have already paid for it. However, in essence, your child attends because the law says they have to. Your relationship with the school is one of obligation on both sides, driven by

bureaucracy and an obsession with the measurable but miserable core that makes up too many children’s education.

When you go to an independent school, you are not a statistic: you are a customer, which immediately gives you a set of rights unobtainable from the state. If you are not happy with the product then it is a free market and you can go elsewhere. Heads of independent schools know this, which is why they will bend over backwards to make sure you are happy and your child is successful.

I have no political ambitions at all,

Independent Education for Boys & Girls Aged 3-18

Silcoates School An all-round education with an academic edge

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

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but if I were to be asked for just one policy suggestion for education then I would recommend making everyone pay for it. This doesn’t have to be a lot of money, but it has to be something substantial enough to force all parents to invest in their children’s futures, because if you are paying for education then your relationship with a school changes.

If you believe some of the usual nonsense touted in areas of the national press, the days of private education are numbered.

Independent school is becoming the preserve of the mega-rich and soon the only people who will be able to afford the fees will be Gulf oil sheiks and Russian oligarchs. More nonsense!

The cost of a private education, certainly in the North of England, actually represents very good value for money at the moment, given the high quality of the product for which you will pay. With careful budgeting, advanced planning to take advantage of low interest rates, and a resolution of purpose, the enormous benefits of a private education are in many ways more affordable than ever before.

My granny was a woman of great wisdom, with an opinion on most things, but her advice that sticks most in my memory is when she told me always to buy the most expensive shoes I could afford, because once your feet are damaged they never recover properly. I cannot think of a better metaphor for private education. A more modern one might be that if you want a Ferrari then of course it’s going to cost you more than a Daihatsu, but you get what you pay for in life and you can’t afford to play Russian

roulette with your children’s futures. If you are asking yourselves whether you can afford to pay for a private education for your children, perhaps you should be asking if you can afford not to.

get the same value for money from my university experience as I’ve got from my school and that the same levels of accountability apply during the next stage of my education.

An Offer You Can’t Refuse

As a final thought for those who are lucky enough to have the money to fund university education in advance, if you deposit the equivalent value of a student loan in a fixed rate bond, you will gain more money in annual interest rates in the three or four years of study than you would lose in the loan’s interest.

This calculation convinces me to invest wisely any funds that might be available, particularly in case of emergency, and to play the system by taking a low interest, long-term loan to see me through my university career.

In an ideal world, no one would have to pay for university. But the situation is not going to change any time soon, so the focus of my attention at the moment is how best I should fund the annual tuition fees of up to £9,000.

Despite assumptions that students educated in private schools are not attracted by university loans, usually because people think their families are wealthy enough to pay everything up front, a large majority of my contemporaries at Silcoates have never questioned the idea of applying for a loan. While I can sympathise with those who don’t want to use borrowed money, thereby perhaps casting off the uncomfortable idea of repayments with interest, the prospect is not one that deters me.

The interest rate is only 0.9% for those who earn less than £21,000 after graduation, which is hardly the end of the world. It only rises to 3.9% on incomes over £41,000, so it seems hard to imagine this being an intolerable burden, not least given the extended period of time over which the money has to be repaid.

If they had called it the ‘Graduate Tax’ scheme, which is in effect what it is, I think it would have made it much easier for people to accept, thereby avoiding the anxiety, and indeed anger, that tuition fees have caused. I just hope that I

...her advice that sticks most in my memory is when she told me always to buy the most expensive shoes I could afford, because once your feet are damaged they never recover Barnsley Edition January2016

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LocalHeroes

From Patient to Patron to Employee In 2007, following a diagnosis of testicular cancer, dad of three from Barnsley, Darren Hayes was referred to for specialist cancer care, which included a course of chemotherapy. Little did he know it would change his life professionally and well as physically...

The Patient “I found a lump but waited three weeks before I had it checked out, because like any bloke, I just ignored it thinking it was nothing. Then the doctor told me what it was and this was the start of my journey.”

Darren told TopicUK. It was a whirlwind couple of weeks for Darren. He underwent surgery a week later. Then following a two to three week recovery process, he underwent a series of other tests, including a CT scan to see if any of the cancer had spread. It had, there were traces in his stomach but he underwent chemotherapy to clear that.

It was a very testing time, the most difficult period of Darren’s life, but the treatment he received from Weston Park Hospital had made him want to help them by raising awareness and funds for Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity.

“When I was told by my doctor to go to Weston Park Hospital, that’s when it hit me, because that is as serious as it can get. People believe it won’t happen to them but take me for example, I played cricket, I didn’t smoke and if someone had said in advance that I would have

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cancer I would have laughed at them. It proves it can happen to anyone.”

The Patron “The treatment that I received was second to none and I couldn’t thank the hospital staff enough, so I decided to take every opportunity I could to raise as much money as possible for such a worthy cause that helps to keep families, like mine, together for longer.”

Darren set about organising his first fundraising event in June 2008, at the Holiday Inn in Barnsley. “We had over 300 people attend the event and I was lucky to receive some tremendous support from family and friends, which resulted in raising over £11,000 on the night alone”.

Darren who was working as Marketing Manager for Barnsley Football club at the time of his diagnosis, teamed up with the charity to launch Extra Time, an initiative in which sporting clubs in the region supported and promoted awareness of male cancers. “Because I was working in football prior to my treatment, I used a lot of my sporting contacts to help with

On yer bike! Darren encourages his children to get in the saddle the appeal and the impact was great for the charity.” This campaign and the introduction of two other Patrons to the Charity (Darren Gough and Dennis Priestley) led to Darren being offered a patronage with the charity.

“When I was asked to become a patron that was something that I was emensley proud of. I had put a lot of effort into working closely with the charity in the first year of my diagnosis and this was a great way to receive recognition for this and also something that I knew I could build on.”

Darren and fellow patron Jessica Ennis at Barnsley District Hospital under the care of Weston Park Hospital clinicians.

Full time employment: Now, almost 9 years on and fighting fit, Darren is working full time for the organisation as a Business Development Manager, helping to raise the profile of the charity as well as encourage others to support the vital work of Weston Park Hospital.

One of the major aims for Darren at this point was to raise awareness of Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity in Barnsley.

“Everyone thinks it will never happen to them, but one in three of us will face it at some point during our lives. It is therefore important that there are charities like Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity who provide vital funds for innovative research, treatment and care.”

“People think Weston Park is a Sheffield hospital but it is not. Cancer patients from across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire can receive treatment there. There are only a handful of dedicated cancer hospitals in the country and we are extremely lucky to have one on our doorstep.”

This year Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity needs to raise £2 million to continue funding pioneering research and helping to improve the treatments and care for people living with cancer.

Each year around 1,000 people from Barnsley are referred to Weston Park Hospital for specialist cancer treatment, and in total the hospital cares for nearly 9,000 people from the Barnsley area annually. This includes the provision of Day Case chemotherapy treatment to more than 1,100 patients

In his role as Business Development Manager, Darren is keen to engage with companies looking to fulfil their CSR responsibilities and engage in fundraising activities in support of the regions dedicated cancer hospital.

To find out more about how your workplace can support the cancer charity contact Darren on Darren.hayes@sth.nhs.uk Barnsley Edition January2016 41

TopicUKCompetition

Going Green in the splendour of the Welsh mountains

by Paul Brown - (@pbsportswriter)

Now it’s your chance to visit this fabulous hotel. TopicUK have teamed up with the hotel to offer a two night stay for 2 people.

All you have to do is send us your name and contact details before February 10th and the first to be ‘pulled out of the hat’ after that date will win.

You can email your details to editor@topicuk.co.uk or post to: TopicUK, Suite 6 Unity Works, Westgate, Wakefield WF1 1EP. Good luck! y-Coed, with Go Below, who also give you the chance to try out all 130m of the longest undergound zip line in the world.

Or you can take a trip to the nearby Llechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog where even children as young as three can go trampolining underground.

The big attraction for us though was the local castles. Our two children love pretending to be knights and hearing scary stories about times of yore.

So they were in their element here learning about the Princes of Gwynedd, whose bloodthirsty history spans 900 years and left its mark on the modern landscape.

Run by the lovely John and Ceilia, it’s one of the most picturesque places you will ever visit, and completely carbon neutral.

Nestled right in Snowdonia National Park near a reservoir, it is just 200m from the local steam railway, and has views that are hard to beat – with all mod cons thrown in.

There are ensuite bedrooms, a nice cosy dining room with a log fire and even a sauna.

But John and Ceilia also bake their own bread and keep ducks, who will provide the eggs for your scrumptious Full English.

Our two kids (three and five) loved getting up in the morning to feed the ducks with the beautiful countryside all around them, and then chomping their way through a hearty breakfast.

Built in 1883 for the local slate mine

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manager, the house now runs on solar power with a biomass boiler fed by wood pellets. It even has two electric charging points for cars. And as a gateway to Mount Snowdon and all the wonders of this part of the world, it’s hard to beat.

If you’re into rambling, John is a qualified guide and can show you around, and he can even take you out on the water because he’s also a qualified canoe and kayak instructor. He used to teach autistic and disabled children too, so you won’t find a more patient host.

But it’s not just ramblers and climbers who come here. City-dwellers visit to get away from it all, twitchers come to spot local Ospreys and Red Kite, and thrill-seekers come for the adventure.

North Wales is becoming one of the UK’s biggest hotpots for Adventure Holidays because of the amount of disused slate mines in the area.

Visitors can go Extreme Caving at Conwy Falls, near the beautiful village of Betws-

If castles are your thing too, you’ll love this part of Wales, which is why the Government have pumped £112,000 into their Princes of Gwynedd scheme through Cadw, their historic environment service.

Criccieth Castle is probably the most spectacular, sitting high on a headland above Tremadog Bay, which also boasts a lovely beach. But even more impressive is Conwy Castle. Built for Edward I in the 13th century and beautifully preserved as a World Heritage Site, it’s well worth a visit. The romantic, windswept ruins of Dolwyddelan Castle are also great for capturing the imagination, and the views of the surrounding countryside are magical.

But wherever you go you can be sure of a warm welcome back at Bryn Elltyd, and you won’t have to worry about your carbon footprint.

Why fly to the Alps when you can go mountain climbing in your own back garden?

Philmore & Co Business Rescue, Recovery & Insolvency Yorksh hire’s Business Resccue & Recove ery Exp perts •

At Philmore & Co Ltd, as Insolvency Practitioners, we have over 40 years combined experience in assisting businesses and individuals in times of financial difficulty, providing our specialist recovery and insolvency expertise.

•

Based in Huddersfield, the Practice offers informal and confidential advice, giving practical solutions to all types of businesses, including limited liability companies, partnerships and sole traders, as well as their creditors and other stakeholders in times of financial uncertaincy.

For an initiial free consultation, please contact Paul Ph hilmore or Diane Kinde er.

Unit 8D, Barnsley Business & Innovation Centre, Innovation Way, Wilthorpe, Barnsley S75 1JL. Tel: +44 (0)1226249590 Email: enquiries@philmoreandco.com www.philmoreandco.com

Rescuing business is rewarding The life in business recovery and insolvency is never dull and often rewarding, as businesses are rescued and put back on their feet again.

There are many tools available for that purpose from formal procedures such as Administration and Voluntary Arrangements which enable businesses and individuals to move on.

But did you know that Insolvency Practitioners are the only people licensed to wind up solvent companies?

Solvent liquidations (also known as Members Voluntary Liquidations) are a tax efficient way of closing a company and enabling its owners to extract value at a much lower capital gains tax rate of typically only 10%. This is possible through claiming Entrepreneur Relief.

Another great advantage is that HM Revenue & Customs will approve the formal wind up which gives comfort to the owners of the business that all its tax affairs have been properly formalised, and usually all at a fixed price as well.

Paul Philm more Manag ging Director Philmore & co

Barnsley Edition January2016

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Feature

A focal point for more than 80 years small number of council departments are based in the building with most of the offices distributed around the town centre.

A familiar everyday sight for local people is the beautiful Town Hall building which is the seat of local government in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley.

The foundation stone was laid over 80 years ago on 21 April 1932 and was opened

by His Royal Highness Edward, Prince of Wales on 14 December 1933.

The cost of construction and of furnishing this new seat of local government was £188,037 12/10d. However, George Orwell in his famous book The Road to Wigan Pier, was highly critical of this expenditure and claimed that the council should have spent the money on improving the housing and living conditions of the local miners.[1] “Orwell

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spent a number of days in the town living at 4 Agnes Road with of the working class miners and his family, while researching for the book.

The building bears more than a passing resemblance to the Parliament Buildings of Northern Ireland, Stormont, and like Stormont, its façade is sculpted in Portland stone.

In front of the Town Hall, the soldier of the war memorial looks down Regent Street, the financial heart of Barnsley.

Since the abolition of the County Council, only a

In 2006 the Council built new offices on Westgate to the West of the Town Hall to accommodate some 700 staff.

So imposing is the building, it can be seen from the M1 motorway, to the west of the town.

In June 2013, part of the Town Hall became Experience Barnsley, a museum dedicated to the history of the town and its people. The museums collection is built up from objects and stories donated or loaned by local residents.

Exhibits include area social history, archaeology and Roman history, coal mining and other industries, and the history of the town hall and local civic government.

The archives document the history of the borough from the 12th to 21st centuries.

Today, the Town Hall is popular for wedding ceremonies with beautiful interior rooms and impressive gardens with sculptures and water features, the perfect backdrop for those keepsake wedding photos.

Do you have any interesting stories to share with us about the Town Hall? We would be interested in sharing your memories of this beautiful building with our readers, so please do get in touch by emailing editor@topicuk. co.uk

Barnsley retailer sees turnover double in 12 months A Barnsley retailer with a UK-wide customer base has doubled its turnover in the last year, and plans to expand further in 2016.

Direct2Mum which specialises in products for expectant mums, babies and toddlers has seen turnover rise from £3m to £6m in the last 12 months and has plans to open three new stores in the future with turnover expected to rise to £10m next year.

The company originally started as an online shop in 2010 operating out of 13,000 sq ft premises at Dodworth Business Park. It opened its first walk-in store in 100,000 sq ft new premises nearby in May 2014.

Direct2Mum’s developments and expansion are being backed by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), through Enterprising Barnsley, the business development arm of Barnsley Council.

Managing director Alex Leslie said: “This is an exciting time for us as a company as we’ve seen exponential growth this year, but we’re always looking at how we can grow and expand

further. “It’s great to see that our turnover has doubled, and we’re really keen to see the business grow further and become a household name.

“We pride ourselves on being there for parents from day one and we understand what we need to do to help parents make the right decisions for their child, and choose the right products for them.”

Around 60 per cent of Direct2Mum sales are still online with products being sent all over the UK and its Barnsley store is now attracting a growing number of customers from as far afield as London and Hull.

Direct2Mum stocks over 8,000 different items, ranging from prams, car seats, baby bags, feeding equipment and bath products. It employs 53 staff, including those who are specially trained to offer expert advice to parents, as well as being able to set up any equipment bought in store, such as installing a car seat.

Alex says they have plans to open more

stores across the UK in the future, with London, Manchester and Birmingham currently being looked at.

BBIC has supported Direct2Mum with business development, advertising and marketing. Alex said: “The ideas that we get from BBIC are fresh and in keeping with the company.”

“They’re always there for us when we’ve got a new idea, and they have all the contacts we need to put us in touch with the right people.”

Kevin Steel, Enterprising Barnsley’s business development manager at BBIC, said: “It comes as no surpise that Alex is seeing the business grow and shine, and it’s great that they are doing that right here in Barnsley.

“Barnsley, right beside the M1, is a great location to site a store with regional and national reach and Direct2Mum are a great example of how to do business well in the borough. They have a wealth of knowledge in their sector and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow and expand.”

Barnsley Edition January2016

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NewsUpdate

Teenagers business has gone Barmy!

Barnsley teenager Eve Lodge is being tipped as ‘One To Watch’ by business analysts in 2016. Entrepreneur Eve began her bunting business, Barmy, when she was just 14 and a student at Horizon Community College.

Now 17, the young Worsbrough woman sells her bespoke bunting products all over the world, as well as in her home county of Yorkshire. It has also been used regularly on the set of Coronation Street!

And accolades have come thick and fast too.

Eve has been nominated in the ‘One To Watch’ and ‘Outstanding Entrepreneur’ categories of the 2016 Northern Power Women awards, which celebrate and showcases role models who take positive steps towards transforming business culture in the north of England, and to benefit the talent of the future.

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The inaugural award ceremony takes place in Manchester on March 3. She has also been nominated for the 2016 Yorkshire Choice awards in the Young Achiever and Independent Business of the Year categories.

Eve runs her business whilst studying for her A levels at Shelley College near Huddersfield.

She was just 14 when she decided to enter Barnsley’s I Know I Can Challenge business competition. Says Eve: “My original

Barmy Bunting venture began after a conversation with my Auntie Helen which led to a presentation that I put forward to the ‘Dragons Den’ at Horizon College. I received £25 and began making Barmy Bunting! Through word of mouth, recommendations and my Facebook and Twitter pages, I managed to sell my bespoke pieces and make a bit of a profit(!) I then went on to win three awards at the 2013 Gala Night IKIC presentation: Best Use of Online Resources; Most Innovative Business; and Key Stage Four Best Business.

of Achievement awards and was a guest speaker at the 2015 Yorkshire Business Festival.

In February of this year Eve will get the opportunity to meet one of the UK’s most successful businessmen, Theo Paphitis.

After becoming a #SBS winner (a weekly Twitter business competition run by Mr Paphitis).

“A few months after my success in the Barnsley IKIC Challenge I was approached by Barnsley Council’s Enterprising Young People project (EYP), who wanted to help my business grow. I was successfully put forward for an EYP grant (of up to £2,000) and feature on their promotional video. I used the grant to get an e-commerce website (www.getbarmy.com) and buy a top-of-the-range sewing machine.

It’s just gone Barmy from there and I am now looking into the possibility of employing someone to help with the

workload, as well as taking Barmy into other areas.”

The Barnsley lass hopes that she can build on the successes of 2015, when she reached the final of The Pitch, which is recognised as the UK’s leading small business competition and was named the 2015 ‘Solopreneur’ at the Yorkshire BiY awards. Eve also reached the final of the 2015 national Making Business Happen Awards, being runner-up in the Aspiring Entrepreneur category. She was nominated in the Young Achiever category at the 2015 Yorkshire Women

“I’m only 17 and may have the exuberance of youth, but I believe passionately in my business – and the future of Barmy – and that passion and determination, together with a solid business plan, will hopefully take me where I want to go.”

Eve’s other social media awards include a #WOW accolade from Ann Summers CEO Jacqueline Gold.

“I have to juggle the business with my studies, but I’ve always taken pride in the fact I’m a bit of a never-say-die, grafter!

I’m in the last year of my A levels at Shelley College and running a business that’s getting bigger and better by the week, and I’m proud of that.”

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NewsUpdate

Did you know?

Monk Bretton Priory was founded in 1154 and is now owned by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council under English Heritage custody and promoted by the Diocese of Wakefield.

A little History Thanks to the Heritage Unlocked series of guidebooks

The substantial ruins of Monk Bretton Priory, near Barnsley, are now edged by housing estates and industrial developments. When the monastery was built, however, the site in the wooded valley of the River Dearne was peaceful and remote.

Founded in about 1154 by a local landowner, Adam Fitzswaine, it was a daughter house of the rich Cluniac priory at Pontefract. But within 50 years bitter quarrels – at times even involving gang warfare – had broken out between the two houses, as Pontefract sought to retain direct control of Monk Bretton. The dispute was only resolved in 1281, when Monk Bretton seceded from the Cluniac Order and became a Benedictine house.

The later history of Monk Bretton was, in comparison, uneventful. The priory owned properties across South Yorkshire, with rights over five parish churches, and worked coal and ironstone in the Barnsley area. In 1295 it housed 13 monks and a prior; there was exactly the same number at its closure in November 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

After 1538 the priory was swiftly plundered for usable building materials: the north aisle of the church, for example, was dismantled and reconstructed as the parish church of Wentworth (though this was itself demolished in the late 18th century). The bells and church plate were taken to London and melted down.

In 1589 the estate was bought by William Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and the west

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range of the cloister was converted into a country house for his son Henry. The priory site changed hands several times over later centuries, before being placed in state guardianship in 1932.

Little remains of the church, although there are several particularly fine examples of medieval grave slabs. Some of these still retain lead lettering set into the stone; others are decorated with beautifully incised crosses.

The cloister buildings are better preserved.

They include the high south wall of the monks’ refectory, with its two great windows; parts of the chapterhouse; and the west range which is almost complete.

This range shows extensive evidence of the conversion work undertaken in the 1580s.

It was used as a residence until the late 19th century, which is how it survived.

Located beyond the cloister at the southeast corner of the site are the well-preserved drains that flushed the latrine block with running water brought from the River Dearne.

North-east of the church a large building of the late 13th century stands alone. It retains its medieval double-ridged roof, and, inside, tall octagonal pillars support the upper storey. The building was probably the courthouse and administrative building for the management of the priory estates.

The imposing priory gatehouse, which was built in the early 15th century, is still almost intact, although roofless.

All images thanks to

Aerial Inspiration Seeing what other photographers won't, capturing what others can't.

Photographs and Filming using drone technologies capturing in 4K. Tel: 07707 638924 info@aerial-inspiration.com

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NewsUpdate

What’s On at Barnsley Civic Saturday 6 February, 7.30pm Life Stories A double bill of dark and mesmerising one-act operas by Tim Benjamin with words by Anton Chekhov and Anthony Peter.

Tickets: £12 / £10 conc

Tuesday 9 - Wednesday 10 February, 10am - 12pm & 1pm - 3pm Cool Cartoon Club Workshops Love drawing cartoons and creating new characters? Have you ever tried to write a funny story for those characters? Work with author and illustrator Liz Million and you will have great fun chuckling, drawing and learning about everything cartoony.

Recommended age 6+.

Tickets: £2.50 per child

Friday 12 February, 10-11am, 11.15am-12.15pm, 1-2pm, 2.153.15pm Giant Drawing Animation Workshop Join artist Ellie Meredith to create giant charcoal drawings and see your doodles to come life through animation. Wear old clothes. Recommended age 7+.

Tickets: £2 per child

Saturday 13 February, 8pm Breabach Voted ‘Best Live Act 2013’ & ’Best Folk Band 2012‘ at the Scots Trad Music Awards; Scottish five-piece Breabach deliver a thrilling and unique brand of contemporary folk music that has earned them international recognition on the world and roots music scene as one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting bands.

Tickets: £14 / £12 conc

Sunday 14 - Monday 15 February, 2.30pm (Sun) & 1.30pm (Mon) Horace and The Yeti Victorian adventurer Horace has made an unlikely friend in the legendary Yeti.

Together they head off on a journey through the valley of Shangri-La, where mythical beasts live hidden from humanity. But Horace has to make a

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choice: personal glory or saving the natural world? Recommended age 3+.

Tickets: £7 / £6 conc / £5 child

Friday 19 & Saturday 20 February, 7.30pm - COAL (Gary Clarke) Marking the 30th anniversary of the end of the 1984/5 British miners’ strike, award winning choreographer Gary Clarke proudly presents COAL, a riveting dance theatre show which takes an nostalgic look at the hard hitting realities of life at the coal face. Strong, powerful and emotive, COAL explores the darker underbelly of the mining industry unearthing the true nature and body wrecking demands of a working class industry now almost forgotten. COAL is an emotional, moving and ever-relevant exploration of community, solidarity and survival. Recommended age 12+.

Tickets: £12 / £10 conc

Lesley wins festive night out!

COMPETITION...COMPETITION...COMPETITION...COMPETI-

TION...

Thursday 25 February, 7.30pm Macbeth The multi-award winning creators of Unmythable and Norsesome take on their greatest challenge yet. All the drama, intrigue and madness of Macbeth in 80 high-octane minutes. Recommended age 12+.

Tickets: £12 / £10 conc

Friday 26 - Saturday 27 February, 7.30pm - Opus 7 (Circa Tscuica) A company of cracking musicians and daredevil acrobats, Circa Tsuica serve a cocktail of funky brass beats and wild physical feats. As the performers play a joyous blend of ripping rhythms they show off their outrageous circus skills without dropping a note - or each other!

Recommended age 5+.

Tickets: £12 / £10 conc 01226 327000 / enquiries@ barnsleycivic.co.uk / www. barnsleycivic.co.uk The Civic, Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ Facebook: TheCivicBarnsley Twitter: @BarnsleyCivic

In our last issue, we ran a competition for one lucky winner to receive four tickets to see the fabulous Caberet Boom Boom Christmas Special at The Civic Barnsley.

The lucky winner, drawn first from the hat with the correct answer of 1962 (the year the original Civic Hall became Barnsley Theatre) was Lesley Fox from Barnsley.

Lesley and her family enjoyed the event on 19 December.

Lottery boost for network inspired by mum’s tragedy A single mum from Rotherham is the inspiration behind a social enterprise to help other women build confidence and self-esteem, after enduring her own personal tragedy.

Julie Hampshire has established an organisation called Girlie Gatherings to help other women become more confident.

And she has just received £9,000 from the National Lottery to put on a ‘Great Girlie Gala’ in Rotherham in March to celebrate International Women’s Day. Julie, a life coach from Brampton Bierlow, said she was forced to ‘practice what she preached’ when the father of her son died suddenly four years ago.

At the time Julie was working full time and shared childcare responsibilities with David, the father of her then 10-year-old son. When he died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 59 Julie was not only left with a grieving child to support but also found herself in a position where she had no childcare and had to reconsider her work commitments.

Julie said: “I had already been delivering life coaching to adults but was particularly good at working with women and helping them to better balance the different areas of their lives. When Dave died I needed to create a business that would let me to be there for Jack, enable me to earn a living and also allow me to remain strong and focused on the positives myself.

“It’s been a real struggle and I worked to earn money while Jack was at school and eventually started putting on Girlie Gatherings in the evenings. I would take Jack along so we were still together – he’d

sit in the back with his earphones in!”

Julie believes the Girlie Gatherings concept is new and is about making life coaching accessible and affordable to all women – developing and broadening women emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually. Over the last four years she has met and teamed up with five other dynamic ladies who have become directors and partners of the business, which was registered as a social enterprise in June 2015.

Julie said: “Life coaching is about looking at you and your life, how to focus on the positives and make it even better. It is also about how you can handle the negative parts of your life and look forward to the future.

“We hold face-to-face meetings which include a life coaching session and a showcase from a visiting professional – so one session we might be covering nutrition or debt management and the next we might be having a go at belly dancing or burlesque dancing.”

The meetings currently take place at The Dearnesman in Wath-upon-Dearne and Wickersley Library, once a month at each venue. Information about these can be found at www.greatgirliegala.co.uk. They also have a ‘Cake ‘n’ Coach’ programme delivered in schools to groups of mums.

The plan is to extend the network so Girlie

Gatherings has licensees running events across the UK. There will also be an online community, known as ‘Your Confidence Coach Online’ where members can interact and take advantage of online resources such as training and life coaching videos.

The National Lottery funding is to put on the ‘Great Girlie Gala’ in Clifton Park on Saturday 12 March 2016. The public event will be free to attend and will take place 10am to 4pm, followed at 6pm by a sponsored firewalk.

Julie said: “Over the last four years Girlie Gatherings has come an extremely long way. From the early days of me piloting the idea it is now at the stage where I have a team of professional business women on the board of directors and we have a solid business plan that helped us secure the National Lottery funding.

“Looking ahead to five years’ time we aim to have 10,000 paid members on our online community, to have 100 licensees across the UK and to have turned the Great Girlie Gala into an annual event to celebrate International Women’s Day.” Girlie Gatherings are aimed at all women, regardless of age, marital status or employment. Julie said: “It doesn’t matter how professional you are, whether you are single or married and whether you have children or not; life coaching is a positive experience for every woman.”

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