CloseUP for Business Wakefield Edition

I SSUE 6 FEBRUARY 2016

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MID YORKSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - WAKEFIELD & DISTRICT EDITION

IN ASSOCIATION WITH TOPICUK

FOR BUSINESS

The Big Interview

Mike Benson

Wakefield Business week

Save the date Tackling

skills shortage

for all your legal needs call your local solicitors Ramsdens ZLWK RĴFHV DFURVV :HVW Yorkshire we’re never too far away

#knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens

01924 669510 www.ramsdens.co.uk

WELCOME

”

”

Welcome to the February edition of Close Up for Business, from all here at the Chamber and our associates on the magazine, TopicUK.

W

e are busy at the Chamber finalising details for our forthcoming MY Conference Kirklees which takes place on Wednesday 16th March at The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield. The event is being supported by our confirmed partners and sponsors: Brand Yorkshire, Topic UK, The John Smith’s Stadium and Kirklees CORE. With over 45 exhibitors, 9 speakers, a state of the district panel and unlimited networking opportunities, it’s going to be a day not to be missed. We are all looking forward to meeting members and the wider business community at the event.

We are also pleased to announce, following the success of last year’s event, Wakefield Business Week will once again take place from 13th to 17th June, with International Trade as the principal theme. There will be a variety of events taking place throughout Wakefield and the five towns throughout the week. The Chamber’s MY Conference Wakefield providing a highlight and focal point on 15th June and the event will include a special-version of our popular Wakefield Business Forum with a panel of top-flight decision-makers engaging with businesses on International Trade issues.

In organising and promoting these Conferences, Business Weeks and Forums the Chamber sits at the heart of local

business communities, and these events are very important to businesses throughout our Chamber region. They create tremendous opportunities for businesses to meet new customers and suppliers through the invaluable networking opportunities which arise. Hundreds of like-mind business people are able to engage with one another and do business together.

All of this is good news for businesses throughout the Mid Yorkshire region and the wider city Region. As ever, we always seek to position your Chamber as the first port of call to all businesses wishing to take-up new opportunities as they arise within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City region.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Close Up, and you may be assured that all of us in the Chamber team will be doing our utmost to serve our members to the highest levels of satisfaction. It is our privilege to connect, support and represent your very best interests throughout Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield and the wider city region.

Martin Hathaway Chief Executive

SUMMARY

& CONTENTS

Rachel Dickie

06 12 16 TOPICUK LAUNCHES In Soho

Search for Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

memorandum of understanding

1

The creative economy

LOCAL HEROES

Teacher with entrepreneurial spirit

I V XV

CHAMBER SIGNS

 COVER - Mike Benson -

ART UPDATE

CREATIVE ANALYSIS turns business cards into sales

IMAGES: Simon Dewhurst Photography LTD

THE BIG INTERVIEW Mike Benson NCM

sights on Leeds this summer and talks are underway for York and Scarborough.

We are looking for an experienced salesperson to join our team, so if you have experience in advertising sales and are looking for a new challenge, do get in touch.

We are in talks with a number of potential new partners and are delighted to welcome onboard so far Orchard FM who are based in Huddersfield and Euro-Pro Europe Ltd, based in Wakefield. If you are interested in becoming a TopicUK partner and receiving all the benefits of promotion that go with this, do get in touch.

Editors Notes What an exciting time we have had since the start of 2016. First came the appointment of Sir Rodney Walker as our Chairman, as he made a financial investment into your magazine to aid growth and future development for all businesses.

Second came the signing of our first licensee as Stefanie and Carl Hopkins took over the running of our Kirklees/Calderdale edition.

As they are based within the community, they will use their extensive contacts to develop the magazine, growing distribution across the district.

As this edition rolls of the press, we will be in London launching our second licence, this time in Soho. We’d like to welcome onboard Onyx PR who will be looking after and developing this vibrant village in the heart of London. Our launch takes place at The Union Club on Greek Street and has attracted a huge amount of interest.

And it doesn’t stop there, we are about to sign a third licensee for our Barnsley edition with immediate effect.

All this, means that time will become available to us to develop new areas. We have set our

We are looking forward to MYConference Kirklees next month. As partners of the event, we will be exhibiting on the day. Pop along and say hello and pick up the latest Kirklees/ Calderdale edition. If you haven’t met them already, this will give you the opportunity to meet Stefanie and Carl.

TopicUK EDITOR GILL LAIDLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

THE ARTS MURRAY EDWARDS, THEATRE ROYAL

FASHION KATIE PORTMAN

LEGAL MATTERS RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

BEAUTY & WELLBEING SOPHIE MEI LAN

HEALTH DR ANDREW FURBER

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW KEVIN TRICKETT, WAKEFIELD To further strengthen our community links, CIVIC SOCIETY our Wakefield and Kirklees/Calderdale RECRUITMENT editions have partnered with The Forget ANDY TURNER, Me Not Childrens Hospice in Huddersfield to FIRST CHOICE RECRUITMENT help promote them during 2016 and TopicUK SOCIAL MEDIA Barnsley has partnered Weston Park Cancer Trust to assist with their fundraising and SINEAD SOPALA, RAMSDENS SOLICITORS awareness campaign in South Yorkshire.

BANKING We are also part of the committee to launch JONATHAN ROSTRON, SANTANDER Huddersfield Annual Charity Christmas IT Luncheon 2016 (HACCL)which will take place PAUL HEIGHAM, BELLINGHAM IT at The Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield in EDUCATION December. We hope to mirror the success of WACCL, the Wakefield event that raised DARRYL WIDEMAN SILCOATES SCHOOL £28,000 for charity at their 2015 December lunch. All proceeds will go to The Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice. We expect tickets to sell fast, so please let us know if you would like to reserve a place.

We would like to thank all our partners, contributors and advertisers once again, without you, TopicUK would not be the success that it is, enabling us to continue to support our business communities.

Gill Laidler

Tel: 07711 07711 539047 539047 -- editor@topicuk.co.uk editor@topicuk.co.uk -- www.topicuk.co.uk www.topicuk.co.uk -- Ghost Ghost Publishing Publishing Ltd Ltd -- Suite Suite 6 6 Unity Unity Works Works Westgate Westgate Wakefi Wakefield eld WF1 WF1 1EP 1EP Tel: 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 W a k eis fnot i eresponsible l d E d i for t i any o nadvice F e given. b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 5

by Ghost Publishing Limited. Law pages are written by Ramsdens Solicitors and TopicUK

NewsUpdate

TopicUK edition four launches in Soho As we went to press, a fourth edition of TopicUK was getting ready to launch, this time in Soho This will take place at The Union Club on Greek Street in the heart of Soho on Thursday 25 February.

“We’ve never really chosen areas in which to launch, they have chosen us and Soho was no exception,” said TopicUK group editor Gill Laidler. “We have predominently stayed within Yorkshire but when we were approached to launch in London, it seemed like an opportunity too good to miss!

“We have received a lot of interest for the edition and have two or three journalists coming along from the national press, which is quite unusual!”

As the number of editions grows, for the time being we are now setting our sights back in Yorkshire with Leeds being the next stop! “We have wanted to launch in Leeds for some time, and now the time seems right,” continued Gill. “We hope to follow this with editions in both York and Scarborough later in the year or spring of 2017.”

Soho won’t be the only edition though in the south, as further editions are planned for Kings Cross and Shoreditch!

“As the number of editions increases, it is important that they are run by local businesses to maintain the community feel. TopicUK Kirklees/Calderdale is now run under licence by a company in Brighouse and Soho operates the same way. As we go to press, a licence is also imminent for our Barnsley edition. If anyone is interested in setting up and running an edition in another area, please let us know and we can work with you to make sure it happens.”

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Wakefield Business Week

SAVE THE DATE June will see the return of Wakefield Business week, taking place Monday 13th June to Friday 17th June with events held across Wakefield and Five Towns.

Building year-on-year, MY Conference Wakefield, taking place on Wednesday 15th June at Unity Works, has become a focal point of the week and this year it promises to be bigger and better!

With almost 1000 people participating last year with excellent feedback received, this year promises to be a week not to be missed! There will be lots of opportunity to get involved from sponsorship, hosting an event or attending as a delegate.

This years theme is International Trade, showcasing Wakefield and District on a global stage and supporting our businesses to trade all over the world, generating good growth for our economy.

To get involved, call Daneile Moore on 01924 306320 or email daneilemoore@ wakefield.gov.uk To showcase your business at MY Conference Wakefield, contact Rachel Dickie on 01924 311605 or email rachel. dickie@mycci.ci.uk. Alternatively, you can register your free delegate place now by visiting www.myci.co.uk/my-conferencewakefield.

Record year for Wakefield shopping centre Trinity Walk has had a record year after a wave of new lettings, campaigns and events.

The shopping centre smashed its highest footfall record in 2015 after seeing 11.22million shopping visits throughout last year, up 4% on 2014 – bucking regional and national trends.

The centre, which opened in 2011, also recorded its busiest ever week after welcoming around 289,000 shoppers in December during a seven day period.

It was the best performing in the UK in December within managing agents Savills’ portfolio of shopping centres too.

Cormac Hamilton, centre manager, said: “The centre is now at its highest occupancy in its history with an even more diverse and dynamic mix of retailers on offer for shoppers, which has been a key draw. People are still discovering the centre and most new shoppers say they would return, which gives us scope to grow even further in our fifth year.

We’re delighted with how well 2015 has gone, but won’t rest on our laurels as we aim to maintain and build on this great platform.”

Trinity Walk is now more fully let than ever since it opened and welcomed big name signings like PANDORA, The Works and PureGym late in 2015.

PANDORA franchisee, Paul Rice, MD at High Rice, added: “The launch of our store at Trinity Walk has been extremely successful. December saw us welcome a high amount of customers through the door and the feedback we received has

been hugely positive. We’re very much looking forward to a great year in 2016.”

In addition to retail lettings, Regus added to its portfolio with its first office opening in Wakefield at the centre, making it their 20th centre in West Yorkshire.

Located in Wakefield city centre, Trinity Walk now employs up to 1,500 people at peak times, providing a vital source of employment for the local economy.

Mr Hamilton added: “We’ve worked hard as a team in 2015 – the management, retailers and owners – to offer the people of Wakefield and Yorkshire something unique, accessible and affordable. It’s now about raising the bar even higher and playing our role in the heart of the city to help it grow.”

Trinity Walk is set to celebrate its fifth birthday throughout 2016 with some exciting plans in the pipeline.

For more information, please visit www. trinitywalk.com.

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NewsUpdate

Celebrating anniversary with a creative rebrand

New beginnings and exciting developments for the staff at fds fds Director Services Limited based in Wakefield, is delighted to announce the internal promotion of Sarah Chadwick to Corporate Finance Executive, after just 18 months with the company.

Sarah joined the business as Course Co-ordinator in 2014, with a degree in Events Management, and quickly established herself as a talented and valuable member of the fds family.

Since joining fds Sarah has become increasingly involved in the corporate finance side of the business and has displayed a real talent in this area.

Above(LtoR): Katy Lyons & Sarah Chadwick 8

Over the past few months, her skill and confidence has grown substantially and as a result, Sarah has been promoted Corporate Finance Executive.

Sarah will now take on the responsibility of assisting with several of our ongoing projects on a day to day basis and her considerable client management skills are sure to be a huge asset to the business. fds is also pleased to announce the appointment of Katy Lyons as our new Course Coordinator.

Katy, who is a graduate with a degree in History and Roman Civilisation, is vastly experienced in client management and customer service and will be sure to take excellent care of our training and director development clients.

These two appointments further establish fds as a keen employer of young graduates, who continue to bring new life and expertise to a business that celebrated its 25 anniversary last year.

Energy Services, one of the nation’s leading business energy consultants, are celebrating 20 years in the industry with a complete company rebrand, unveiling a new brand identity to help mark their anniversary with a fresh, up-to-date look.

Demonstrating their commitment to the industry for both current and potential clients, the new creative, which includes a new website, is designed to communicate their message as one of the key drivers in the energy trade.

The rebrand reveals the company’s new colour scheme of green tones, better reflecting the brands core message as one of the most prominent energy consultants in the UK. The firm has been working across a wide range of industries since 1996, using its expertise to negotiate over 2 terawatts worth of gas and electricity each year to save businesses over many millions year-on-year.

Based in Wakefield, Energy Services have built up a strong, dedicated team

Double Century for The Hub

Record numbers for first friday Wakefield Bondholders first Friday has reached new heights, attracting record numbers at its first event for 2016.

85 delegates attended the capacity filled venue in February, reinforcing first Friday’s position as Wakefield’s premier networking event.

The Energy Services team celebrate with a 20th Anniversary Cake benefit from this updated online portal.

of Account Managers across the UK, offering advice across four key areas within the energy sector; Procurement, Analysis, Intelligence and Management, they have an unrivalled degree of industry experience spanning to 350 years.

“As the rebrand and website helps build our social media presence, we look forward to engaging directly with clients new and existing alike.”

Robert Jabczynski, Managing Director of Energy services said, “Company investment in our new identity across the whole business has refreshed the Energy Services brand, and we’re sure that both existing and prospective clients will notice our new look and feel. Our new website design is easier to navigate, and with improvements made to our unique industry insight section, our clients will

Being informative, user-friendly and more importantly, efficient, the new webpage offers a range of updated features. From a refreshed blog to a regular news sections, Energy Services will bring the latest industry news to their clients, along with beneficiary advice from their expert team, both field and office based. To view the new website, please visit www.energyservices.co.uk

Hosted by the Wakefield First Bondholders Scheme, first Friday is an opportunity to share information and tackle economic challenges at a local level. Taking place at a different venue each month, it is used as a vehicle to promote and support growth within the district, features an economic insight whilst also facilitating networking between like-minded business people. first Friday takes place on the first Friday of every month 9:00am to 11:00am.

Tickets cost just £10. To find out more about up and coming venues and topics email Kelly Smith KeSmith@wakefield. gov.uk.

Over 500 Wakefield SMEs have now committed to taking on an apprentice through Wakefield Apprenticeship Hub. This commitment represents the massive success of the current scheme which continues to work with local employers to boost the aspirations of young people in the district.

A total of 350 apprentices have been placed through the Hub since 2013.

Wakefield is one of the most successful hubs in the country and was highlighted as an example of best practice by the Cabinet Office in their recent review of the Leeds City Region apprenticeship programme.

The Apprenticeship Hub works in partnership with the rest of Economic Growth service in Wakefield Council, providing comprehensive support for

skills, funding, business advice, events and recruitment.

Speaking about the comprehensive service provided by the Apprenticeship Hub and wider Economic Growth Service, Peter Reed-Forrester of CommunityUK said: “The Council’s Economic Growth team have been excellent in providing CommunityUK.net with all of the support and advice needed since we relocated to the Wakefield area from Havant.

Their ongoing support has been essential in ensuring that we have access to all of the resources that are available to us under the LEP including information about local grants and the skills service. They Wa ke f i e l d

have been incredibly helpful in sourcing suitable apprenticeship candidates and in reviewing training providers from the local area.

Wakefield Council team, who have been on-hand throughout the entire recruitment process and who’ve provided us with all of the information necessary to make the right decision for our business, we were able to find a superb apprentice and we are looking forward to working with the team to find even more candidates from the Wakefield area during 2016”.

To find out more about Apprenticeships and what they can offer your business visit the website on www.apprenticeships.gov.uk E d i t i o n

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NewsUpdate

Future of eye health with new scanner refer to a specialist if need be”.

“It has the added benefit that patients with perfectly healthy eyes can have a health check during their annual eye test and get the peace of mind they deserve,” he added.

The new equipment will supplement the already high standard of patient care the professionally qualified team deliver to make it one of the most up to date in the region.

EYE health and patient care are in focus for an award winning Wakefield opticians after it invested in new cutting edge technology as part of a refurbishment.

Valli Opticians in Outwood has installed a Rodenstock 3D visual dispensing unit and has plans for a 3D Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) scanner as part of its commitment to customer eye health care.

left to right: Lisa Mosley, optometrist, Adelle Mitchell and practice manager, Robin Bennett.

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The equipment will enable the team, lead by practice manager, Robin Bennett and supported by optometrist, Adelle Mitchell to extend the range of patient services and care they already offer.

“The Rodenstock Impressionist unit features a 3D camera for accurate determination of the patient’s eye and facial parameters. It means we can measure perfectly things like pupil separation, bow angle and vertex distance so their prescription lenses fit perfectly within their choice of frames so they get the optimum vision from their spectacles,” said Moin Valli, MD. “The OCT scanner will allow our professional and qualified optical team to detect signs of disease earlier. For example, age related macular degeneration can creep up on patients unknown because it is pain free; yet it can cause blindness.

If we can pick it up during a routine appointment in the early stages then we can advise on lifestyle choices to prevent it developing or

Only last month two members of the team; optometrist, Adelle Mitchell and Lisa Mosley were winners at the company’s annual award ceremony being recognised for customer service and high professional standards.

“The team at Valli Opticians are determined to care for the eye health of our patients as well as prescribe corrective vision glasses,” said Mr Bennett. “The new equipment is just part of a series of initiatives planned by Valli Group, one of the UK’s largest independent groups.

“We already offer community based patient care but Optometrist, Adelle Mitchell, will extend our home visits for elderly and housebound patients. At the same time we are working with local schools to talk to pupils and teachers about conditions that can have a negative impact on pupil success such as visual stress syndrome (VSS) a condition that causes reading difficulties and is often seen in dyslexia that can be managed with tinted and corrective prescription lenses”.

Ramsdens Private Client team has promoted two of its members.

Free WiFi deal for Wakefield tenants WDH has partnered with CommunityUK. net to introduce a free WiFi Broadband Network across the Wakefield district.

WDH aims to help all of its 60,000 tenants to get online by 2020 and is now working with CommunityUK.net - one of the UK’s leading providers of WiFi internet and digital inclusion solutions – to introduce a wireless internet service which will reach all of WDH’s 31,000 homes.

In the coming weeks WDH and CommunityUK.net will begin its launch of a technical trial of a small area of its network, which will begin with WDH offices and premises but will then be extended to WDH tenants.

If successful, the service will be rolled out to all WDH properties throughout the Wakefield district.

Kevin Dodd, Chief Executive of WDH, said: “Internet access is critical to people’s quality of life. It’s estimated that households can save around £560 a year by shopping and paying bills online, but it is also extremely important because of the

opportunities it offers to search for jobs and training, and avoid social exclusion.

“This project will not only benefit our tenants hugely but could also help to significantly reduce our running costs as a business.”

Peter Reed-Forrester, Managing Director of CommunityUK.net, said: “At CUK we have always striven to build a service that will ensure people from all walks of life have the opportunity and support needed to become digitally included and take full advantage of all that the new digital world has to offer, free from all financial and technical barriers.

Natalie Lang has been promoted to Associate and Rachael Sykes has been promoted to Partner, recognising and rewarding their commitment to their clients and the firm.

Natalie qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and Rachael Sykes joined Ramsdens in 2004. Rachael added: “We’re proud to be part of the firm’s highly regarded private client practice that is continually growing.”

Paul Joyce, managing partner said: “At Ramsdens, we pride ourselves in recognising talent and Natalie and Rachael should be very proud of their promotions.”

The latest round of promotions takes the number of partners to 25 and associates to 15, and is a reflection of Ramsdens’ policy of promoting internal talent.

“As such, we are proud to be working with WDH on such an innovative and prestigious project, which will have a positive and long lasting impact upon the people of Wakefield and their futures. We are incredibly excited to be a part of the initiative that will turn Wakefield into one of the UK’s leading and exemplar digital communities.”

More details on the location of the proposed technical trial will be announced soon.

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11

TheArts

TheCrea£ive Economy

By Murray Edwards

Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield WF1 2TE www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk Tel: 01924 211311 mail@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk 12

Creativity is a hot topic. It is a subject that’s exciting politicians,academics and wise men and women the world over and it is rapidly being recognised that creativity will be central to our future prosperity...

This has been born out (if that were needed) by a set of new figures published at the end of February by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

These reveal that the UK’s Creative Industries are now worth a record £84.1 billion per year to the UK economy.

British films, music, video games, crafts and publishing are taking a lead role in driving the UK’s economic recovery, according to the latest Government statistics. The figures show the sector growing at almost twice the rate of the wider UK economy - generating £9.6million per hour - and this success is set to last, with a strong line-up of British talent and creativity in 2016 promising yet another blockbuster year ahead.

The music, performing and visual arts sector contributed £5.4 billion to the UK economy in 2014 (6.5%), according to these figures. This sector is one of nine that makes up the creative industries which, overall, grew by 8.9% in 2014 – almost double that of the economy more broadly, which grew by 4.6%.

The Creative Economy overall was worth £133.3bn in 2014, accounting for 8.4% of the UK economy.

Sponsored by

Culture minister Ed Vaizey described the creative industries as “one of the UK’s greatest success stories, with British musicians, artists, fashion brands and films immediately recognisable in nations across the globe. Growing at almost twice the rate of the wider economy, our Creative Industries are well and truly thriving and we are determined to ensure its continued growth and success.”

Advocacy body the Creative Industries Federation said it welcomed the figures, adding that they prove that the creative industries are stronger than they have ever been. CIF chief executive John Kampfner said: “These are impressive

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figures and we congratulate our members and the wider sector. This success has been built not only on their talent, but on a mix of public and private investment, from arts council grants to tax credits. This shows that support and investment for the creative industries is repaid many times over.”

“However, there are still areas where the government needs to act to secure continued growth, not least by providing a proper creative education to ensure the workforce of the future,” he added.

The figures include employment findings on both the creative industries and the creative economy – which includes people working in creative jobs but outside the creative industries. The report found that there were 2.6 million jobs in the creative economy in 2013, making up one in 12 UK jobs.

Hasan Bakhshi, director of creative economy at charity Nesta, said: “The DCMS estimates confirm that jobs in the creative economy are growing more rapidly than other jobs and Nesta’s research has shown that they have the added attraction of being more resistant to future automation. We argue that the UK economy should create one million new creative jobs by 2030.”

A fascinating book by the BBC’s Arts Editor, Will Gompertz was published in the autumn of last year. In it he engenders the reader to “think like and artist - and lead a more creative and productive life”. He ends the with a final thought: “If all schools could be art schools, maybe all offices should be artists’ studios. If fostering creativity is a genuine goal for business, then the work environment should feel more collaborative and less hierarchical”.

“A creative economy needs independently minded individuals with the freedom and capacity to think imaginatively” – and so say all of us!!

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LegalMatters Each issue Ramsdens, Yorkshire’s Legal People share with TopicUK & Close UP readers information to keep us all within the law. If you have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject, email editor@topicuk.co.uk and we’ll get Ramsdens to answer it for you!

Using the internet at work It’s all in the balance The employer had accessed the employee’s messaging account in the belief that it contained clientrelated communications only.

The Court noted particularly that the employer did not monitor any other data and documents stored on the employee’s computer.

Can an employer monitor employees’ use of the internet during working hours? The European Court of Human Rights has recently considered this issue and the answer is a qualified yes.

In a case concerning a Romanian national the ECHR has said that there was no violation of an employee’s right under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for private and family life, the home and correspondence) where an employee was dismissed for using the internet for personal purposes during working hours.

The employee had set up a 14

Yahoo Messenger account at his employer’s request for responding to enquiries made by customers but records showed that he had also used the account for personal purposes.

The employer had a policy prohibiting such use.

The Court said that it had to examine whether there was a fair balance between the employee’s respect for his private life and his correspondence and his employer’s interests.

In the Court’s view, it was not unreasonable for the employer to seek to verify that employees were completing their professional tasks during working hours, even in circumstances where the personal use did not cause any actual damage to the employer.

Given that employers are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees, many are concerned at employees possibly using their work computers for personal purposes. Further many hours can be lost by employees messaging family and friends and even running their own businesses during work time.

Hilary Garnett, Partner at Ramsdens comments: “Employers should not view the ECHR’s ruling as giving them free rein to monitor their employees. As the Court said – it’s all in the balance. Employers should therefore still address the purpose and extent of any monitoring that may be required in order to protect their business interests, introduce a clear policy and then take steps to monitor compliance.

With a clear policy in place both employee and employer should be aware of their rights and responsibilities and costly disputes can be avoided.”

Domestic Abuse Law Update: Controlling and Coercive Behaviour At the end of December 2015, Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 came into force, this introduced the new criminal offence of “Controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship”.

This offence has been introduced in order to strengthen the powers of the police and Courts in tackling domestic abuse and dealing with those cases when an individual is trapped in a controlling and abusive relationship, but may not have been physically assaulted. This offence can result in a conviction of up to five years imprisonment.

What is controlling or coercive behaviour?

The Government definition of Controlling behaviour is: “a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.”

of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim”

For example: • • • • • • •

Name calling Mind games Threats to hurt, even kill Destruction of property (criminal damage) Physical assault Rape Forcing the victim to take part in rules/activities which humiliate, degrade or dehumanise the victim.

For example:

Controlling/coercive behaviours do not only occur at the family home. The victim may be monitored by phone or via social media from a distance by the perpetrator.

For example, receiving countless phone calls, threats over the phone/via social media.

• •

What does the offence involve?

Financial Control Control of social networking mobile phones • Preventing contact with family and friends • Preventing the victim from work • Monitoring time • Controlling everyday activities - where they can go, what they can wear Coercive behaviour is defined as: “a continuing act or pattern of acts

To be Guilty of an offence under this Section it must be proven that the perpetrator of the offence: repeatedly or continuously engages in behaviour towards another person that is controlling or coercive; and the perpetrator and the other person are personally connected; and the behaviour has a serious effect on that other person, and the Defendant knows or ought to know that the behaviour will have a Wa ke f i e l d

serious effect on that other person.

How are people “personally connected”?

People are personally connected if: They are in an intimate relationship; They live together and are either Members of the same family or have previously been in an intimate relationship.

Who does the offence not apply to?

• The offence does not apply when the behaviour in question is perpetrated against a child under 16 by someone aged 16 or over who has responsibility for that child. This is because other parts of the criminal law already cover this offence.

Is there a defence?

The only available defence is if the person believes that this was “reasonable in all the circumstances.”

At Ramsdens, we welcome this new law.

It is important to recognise that domestic abuse takes varying forms and anything that seeks to bring perpetrators of such abuse to justice is welcomed.

Remember - You are not alone.

• In an emergency - always dial 999 and contact the police for assistance.

• Support is available to you through agencies such as the National Domestic Violence Helpline- 0808 2000 247 open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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LocalHeroes Adrian Brooks Managing Director LS Live

The teacher who showed entrepreneurial spirit Born in New Mills, in the High Peak in Derbyshire, Adrian Brooks originally trained as a teacher in Manchester, but never quite made it into the classroom.

His entrepreneurial character dictated that he set up his own business in 1979 in the Dark Arches in Leeds, manufacturing aluminium scaffold towers. In the spring of 1981, a conversation led to LiteStructures AstraLite, the world’s first-ever lightweight aluminum trussing system - a high performance, modular concept that gained rapid acceptance and today remains in worldwide daily use.

Adrian recalls the events of that conversation: “I was approached by one of our customers, Mike Roberts from Opera North and asked to provide a triangular truss which could sit on and span between two of our lightening aluminium

scaffold towers. The truss itself was a new concept, we had used steel and aluminium ladders and beams in the construction industry and Telestage had made a few early aluminium trusses for use in entertainment, but the whole idea was very much in its infancy.”

Opera North was about to tour around schools with a modern production called ‘The Peace’ . “I asked Mike what he wanted to do with the towers and he explained that he didn’t want wings as I had suggested, as all the kids would be sat around the performance space, in a semi-in-the-round arrangement.

“I suggested he didn’t really want towers at all, which frustrated him a little, as he didn’t think that I’d understood that he wouldn’t be able to fly the beam - or truss as it soon became known - in all the different school halls, as very few, if any, would have any provision for flying anything at all. However, I did understand and explained that I might be able to create an aluminium triangular truss and a corner component which allowed the truss to turn through 90 degrees and stand on itself.”

Adrian Brooks 16

When the job was complete, Mike was delighted and suggested that Adrian took it to the ABTT Show in Camden

LS-Live-main-event-studio later that year. “He suggested I took the tower too, just to hedge my bets!”

The show brought considerable interest and a number of enquiries, the most significant being from Optikinetics, who were planning a roadshow with Mode Electronics and asked if LiteStructures could provide the same arrangement but on four legs to form a rectangular rig.

“They loved this four legged structure and offered to become a distributor and the rest they say, is history,” added Adrian.

So what’s next for this ever growing business ?

Production Park is the culmination of Adrian’s long term vision for a central hub for the live events industry and has seen the development of a further two academy sized rehearsal studio’s, workshops, project and design offices and migration spaces for other events businesses.

Music fan Adrian was recently featured on Desert Island Discs and asked not only about his music choices but his one luxury item he would take and his favourite book.

Since then, Adrian has been behind a stream of innovations that have helped shape the entertainment industry. These concepts have placed the business at the centre of the concert and touring marketplace, meaning Adrian was able to recognise the need for a rehearsal facility specifically designed for arena tours.

In 2005, Adrian went on to build the LSLive Studio, Europe’s first purpose built arena rehearsal facility. This facility,

based in South Elmsall, has played host to a number of famous names including Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Kylie Minogue and Leona Lewis.

“It’s not a simple task picking your ten favourite pieces of music, I chose mine, not because they are all great pieces of work, but because they mean something more to me than just music; they evoke memories or encapsulate ideas and thoughts. A couple of common threads hang around them all, cars are important and so is humour, some of my choices include both. Strong family values mean a lot as does friendship.”

Adrians music choices are broad to say the least from Iggy Pop and the Beatles to James and Florence and the Machine.

This led onto Adrian developing the world’s first live events industry training and university centre in 2009. Backstage Academy saw its first intake of students in 2011 and today, more than 300 students attend the academy based at Unity Works, with numbers growing every year.

Adrian’s choice of book is Animal Farm by George Orwell, published in 1945. “It’s incredible to think that he has such clarity of thought at that time,” he added. As for a luxury item, although he is yet to own one, it would be an iPad. “I think it must be fantastic for all those photos and books!”

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17

DiningOut

In some secluded rendezvous; it was Cocktails for 2 at Create Café!

(Actually, there were 48 of us)

By Kevin Trickett, President of The Wakefield Civic Centre Follow him on twitter @ MrTrickett

If, ladies and gentlemen, you turn to your bookshelves and take down for a moment your copy of The Savoy Cocktail Book, you will be reminded (for I’m sure you already knew) that the term ‘cocktail’ has a somewhat cloudy and disputed etymology. It does seem likely, however, that the word has been in use for over two hundred years, which shows, if nothing else, the enduring popularity of the ‘mixed drink’.

There has been a definite resurgence of interest in cocktails in recent years, as I can testify! Regular readers of my articles will already be aware that I’m not entirely unfamiliar with the contents of a cocktail glass, so it was with a quickening pulse that I headed for Create Café recently to participate in a special event organised for members of Wakefield Civic Society’s Dining Club.

Foreground: Shaun creating cocktails for the The Dining Club 18

I’ve written in these pages before about the Society’s Dining Club, so I’ll keep the next bit short: the club was set up in 2010 and meets on the first Thursday evening of each month to sample the different eateries

in and around Wakefield. At the end of each meal, members score their overall experience of the evening based on quality of the food and service, the value for money and the ambience, comfort and atmosphere of the establishment. At the end of the year, the Society awards its Restaurant of the Year Award to the place that was scored most highly by the members.

In November 2015, the Dining Club paid its first visit to Create Café, located on the lower ground floor of Wakefield One, the new civic building behind County Hall. By all accounts (sadly I missed it), they had a great time and there was something of a clamour from members to go back. Manager Shaun Mounsey proposed a rather special event for us – a Cocktail Master Class followed by a threecourse meal, and all for just £25 per person. Needless to say, demand was high (we even had a few new members join the Dining Club!) and 48 people found themselves seated expectantly waiting for Shaun to dispense wisdom and cocktails in equal measure.

The event, which was exclusive for the Society’s Dining Club and guests as Create Café is not usually open on an evening, began at 6.30 pm and hush descended as Shaun began to explain the mysteries of the Citrus Squash, a vodkabased cocktail which made use of lime and lemon juice with a soda top. Shaun mixed a large glassful, poured over lots of ice (the trick, if serving your cocktail on the rocks, is to keep the drink chilled – use too little ice and it melts, diluting the drink). He gave that one to Dining Club organiser and Society treasurer Jean Broadbent to taste. Meanwhile, Shaun’s staff appeared with trays of quarter measure cocktails made to the same recipe for audience members to sample.

For his second cocktail, Shaun conjured up a Raspberrytini, a gin-based mix of raspberry purée, Chambord, lemon and sugar syrup. Again, the drink Shaun made was passed to a member of the audience (in this case, Angie de Courcy Bower, to mark a birthday) while everyone else was given a further quarter measure to taste.

The third cocktail, an Apple Core, was another vodka-based drink with, yes, apple purée, lemon, passion syrup and a lemonade top. The full measure was handed to a member of the audience (Kath Stringer, whose birthday was imminent, I think - by this time, I’d stopped paying complete attention!) while the rest of us tried our third quarter measure.

The final cocktail rustled up by our mixologist, was a rum-based Bajan Mojito.

In addition to the rum, this contained, although not necessarily in this order, passion syrup, passion purée and lime juice, with a lemonade top. While audience members contented themselves with their fourth quarter measure sampler, Shaun handed me the Bajan Mojito he had made (fair’s fair: I also have birthdays and this research is thirsty work) and we adjourned to the dining tables set up for the meal. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the room took on an even more convivial glow…..

Now, to serve 48 people reasonably quickly, some preparation had been required.

Dining Club members had been asked

to pre-order their food from a special set menu with a limited number of options.

To start, there was a choice of tomato and herb soup, served with fresh bread, or chicken and thyme terrine with pea and mint dressing and pea shoots. Main courses were herb-crusted pork loin with fondant potato and red wine jus, or beef shin rilette with fondant potato and red wine jus, or a parsnip risotto with parsnip crisp and Italian hard cheese. For dessert, there was either caramelized lemon tart with lemon mascarpone and lemon crisp or a sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce.

The food had been cooking while we were learning about the cocktails, so everything was ready and it was just a matter of identifying who had ordered which choices. Drinks orders were taken (the capacity of some remains undiminished although drinks taken with the meal were not included in the headline price and were charged separately) and the food was served: quality and quantity were just right.

All in all, everyone had a really enjoyable evening and I’ve no doubt there’ll be a return visit at some point. As I explained, this was a special event laid on for the Society’s Dining Club but Shaun would be happy to discuss evening opening for groups, so do get in touch. The Café occupies a large Wa ke f i e l d

area and can accommodate bigger groups than ours if required.

Of course, you don’t have to be part of an organised group to enjoy the food available at Create Café. Why not pop along during the day and sample anything from a coffee and a bun through to a cooked meal?

It’s a busy, vibrant place and great for networking. Being based in the council’s building and not far from Westgate Station, there are people popping in and out all the time and you never know whom you might bump into! You might even see me with a coach party just setting off to explore Wakefield on one of my guided walks!

Call in any day of the week and there will be a warm welcome from Shaun and his front of house team, Jon and Jake, as well as from head chef James and Tim, the regular back of house team.

The café is open from 8:15am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and from 10:00am on Saturdays.

Contact Create Café: Address: Burton Street, Wakefield, WF1 2EB. (Enter either from Burton Street or Cliff Lane entrances to Wakefield One) Email: shaun@createcafewakefield.co.uk Web: www.createcafewakefield.co.uk Twitter: @create_cafe Phone: 01924 332330 E d i t i o n

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BookReview

Well Read

Well Read will be a regular feature in your magazine, so if you have any books you are thinking of reading, but want to know more about them first, do let us know and we’ll ask Waterstones to review them for you.

TopicUK has teamed up with Waterstones Wakefield to bring you two book reviews this issue, a fiction and a non-fiction.

I was intrigued by this book from reading the blurb and I was not disappointed for a moment. Although comparisons to the novels Girl On a Train and Gone Girl will be inevitable from the switching narratives and dark plot, Disclaimer is far more complex for such easy comparisons.

FICTION

Disclaimer Renee Knight - paperback

£7.99

Catherine has no memory of how the book arrived. What starts out as an interesting bedtime read soon becomes chilling, disturbing nightmare.

Because this book is about a memory, an incident that Catherine has kept secret for years, a secret so painful and raw it could rip apart her entire life in one fell swoop.

As Catherine struggles to decipher any clue to the identity of the author she is unaware that the author is watching and waiting for the final pages to become real.

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Whereas those books are excellent fast-paced thrillers Disclaimer works at a more leisurely pace bringing shades of greyness to the moral dilemmas of the book and reaching an almost philosophical musing on right or wrong, vengeance or forgiveness, redemption or damnation.

NON-FICTION

Lean In Sheryl Sandberg – paperback

£8.99

It’s the wonderful layers to the characters and their personal reactions to this secret that make this book so interesting and perfect for re-reading as you can see more depth with each reading. I raced through this book eager to discover the final truth and I was not disappointed.

Lean In is an absorbing memoir from the Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg charting her rise through the business world whilst at the same time providing an interesting argument against inequality against women in the workplace.

A wonderful read that I would highly recommend if you love both thrillers and family centred modern dramas. As this is Renee Knight’s début novel I for one am thoroughly excited to see what Knight will write next and expect she will be a name to watch this year.

Sandberg provides anecdotes combined with research in the area of sexuality equality to provide a compelling read advocating change in business to ensure men and women are valued equally and that parenthood does not provide a barrier against success.

Advocating that women Lean

in to their careers pushing themselves forward so they can commit to gaining and celebrating their success without feeling guilty.

Sandberg’s views are wellresearched and I enjoyed reading about her career and history in business, where she has reached undisputed success.

Filled with life-lessons and advice this book works on many levels. Firstly it is a fascinating memoir of a remarkable women that charting her rise to success and hard work ethic making it a highly engaging and motivating read. Secondly it is filled with so much business acumen that would be appealing to anyone wanting to progress in their chosen career be it staring a business or excelling within a company.

Lastly it is a rigorously researched and carefully thought out advocate for championing women’s success in the workplace and engaging women to Lean In and seek opportunities, to manage their careers, destinies and aspirations. It’s these different layers to Lean In that make it such an inspirational read and a book that I’m sure once on your bookshelf you will reach for time and time again.

A terrific business book that I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in business to use as a regular reference guide and support when you need motivation and guidance.

Feature Wortley Hall - A grand ex-stately home set in 26 acres of greenery. An absolute gem of a place located on the outskirts of Sheffield near Barnsley.

Nostell Priory - This National Trust property is an ideal back drop for the big day. With acres of parkland as well as it’s own church.

Last minute bride: choosing a venue

By Sophie Mei Lan, blogger, film-maker, dancer and mum-of-two@MamaMeiBlog mamamei.co.uk Planning a wedding takes months if not years but as I’m a journalist, who lives to deadlines, I’ve left most the planning to the last minute (4 months to be exact).

Fortunately, our region is bustling with wedding businesses.

From hire cars to sweet bars, from dress and suit boutiques to the best bouquets.

There is something for all tastes. This issue I’m putting wedding venues in the spotlight.

I wanted somewhere big and blinging for my super large family from all over the world. Whereas my partner Chris wanted a quiet do, somewhere abroad. So he’s having his stag do in Las Vegas and I’m having the wedding I want in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Most people have visited some of the fantastic work on display at YSP. But it’s also a great setting for a wedding. Recently, the venue was featured on BBC Three’s Don’t Tell the Bride for a Snow White themed wedding outside. It made the woodland area made for a perfect wedding setting.

Unity Works - In the heart of Wakefield city centre is the revamped live music and events co-operative. It’s a real hidden gem with a major hall for large events and a minor hall for the more intimate event.

Whirlow Hall, Sheffield - As you head to the peaks from Sheffield, this gorgeous compact venue is surrounded by a beautiful garden perfect for drink receptions.

Waterton Park Hotel - This is tucked away and surrounded by greenery and a lovely lake. The hotel is split in to two and I was really drawn to the older part of the hotel. It’s perfect for golf-lovers too.

YHA Hartington Hall, Derbyshire - Set in idyllic surroundings this 4 star youth hostel, a 17th century house, is great for groups on a budget without compromising on quality. It’s also located close to Chatsworth House and Alton Towers theme park.

It’s always worth taking a look around a wide range of venues to see what feels right for you. It’s also worth asking about wedding packages and seeing what’s allowed.

And as we have a large family and group of friends, we felt Unity Works was perfect for our big day. We loved the fact that it’s a co-operative and it’s roots are firmly placed in the music, dance and creative industries. It is also rigged up with an awesome stage and two large bars - perfect for entertaining and lots of performers! Plus the venue has been accommodating to our unique touches so we loved the fact we can use a range of specialists to create our own perfect day such as caterers, musicians and vendors.

We’ll be kicking off proceedings with a fabulous traditional ceremony at Wakefield Cathedral followed by a procession down to Unity for our Wedding Breakfast and evening do carnival style! It’s definitely worth taking a look inside the venue on Westgate.

Our compromise.

We were impressed by a number of local venues: Wa ke f i e l d

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21

Recruitment

How do Successful Leaders/Companies Recruit?

Written By Andy Turner First Choice Recruitment @AndyPTurner5 @FirstChoice_UK

At some point in our jobseeking lives, we’ve all been interviewed by a company that felt more like a prison than an exciting, flexible, creative, ever-evolving workplace.

The signs start early in the hiring process: a dry, lifeless job advert or stale employer branding that doesn’t feel inspiring. A mountain of paperwork, including reams of rules and regulations for submitting a CV. A HR office filled with identicallydressed clones who are clearly reading from a script. I can remember walking out of a few interviews earlier in my career and saying to myself, “There’s no way I’m working in that boring place. Or much better – I’ve enjoyed being part of a world class organisation recruiting top talent – where every day of interviewing seems to feel like a rush of adrenaline. In truth, I’ve been on all sides of this equation in my own career.

The simple fact is that recruiting is often a company’s first impression, and a reflection of its culture and workforce brand personality. It’s a spectacular and too underexploited opportunity to seduce and excite talent. Top talent doesn’t want to work in Dullsville. They want to work in a company that understands, challenges, excites, surprises and delights them. They want to work hard, play hard, and feel appreciated. Recruiting should be where the courtship starts.

Your company doesn’t have to wait to start to attract “the right fit” and talent skill set you need to soar. Here are Five Steps you can take to turn your Talent Management Strategy into a Powerhouse 22

Branding and Marketing Culture.

Take A Workplace Culture Inventory Take a good hard look at your current HR and Recruiting Practices. Put yourself in the shoes of a talented person who has never heard of your company. How are you trying to reach that person? Are you using filtering tools to target the right kind of talent you need? How big a part does social media play? How is the language in your employer branding and follow-up information? Boring branding can be a real turn-off (as can self-consciously hip content that seems shallow). How are your initial and followup contacts conducted? Deconstruct the whole recruiting process from initial posting to final hire. Where along the way do you need to change to catch the eye and imagination of the talent you need? Solicit feedback from recent hires and even those who decided to take

another career opportunity – yes even at a competitor.

Make the necessary leadership changes.

Your weaknesses should be pretty obvious when your inventory is finished.

The question becomes: do we start again or are enough parts working that we can make selective changes? Whatever you decide, consider hiring outside talent to help you develop a holistic, integrated recruiting process. Of every choice, ask the following two questions: is this going to help us attract talent? Is it a true reflection of our company? Because the last thing you want is to present your company in a misleading way. Remember: HR and recruitment is a major branding opportunity. The goal is to lodge yourself in people’s minds as a great place to work, even if with talent that isn’t looking to switch jobs at the moment.

Engage Your Marketing Talent HR and recruiting don’t exist in a vacuum.

They may be the initial contact with talent, but the more input that other departments have, the stronger and more integrated the process will become. This is especially true, of course, for the departments and functions that will be directly impacted by the applicant. Solicit input on specific job postings from people in the department where the job is. Ask top talent from across the organisation for suggestions on making your marketing pitch intriguing and enticing. The more buy-in you have throughout the entire organisation – including marketing, the more likely you are to hire just the right talent.

Use Social Media The HR gods were smiling when social media was invented. It has evolved into a dream tool for finding and communicating with brand advocates and influencers. Are you exploiting it to the max? Are you using the whole range of social media to establish a presence and dialogue that goes way beyond a specific job opening? Social media is nothing less an historic breakthrough in branding and talent engagement. Again, hire outside help if you have to, a specialist in social media who can help you target your resources and efforts for maximum return. Get input from social-media-savvy employees from across the organisation and beyond. Use video if possible and make your online interface and career application process user-friendly.

Keep It Real As I touched on above, your HR and recruiting process must be honest — a genuine reflection of your company’s leadership and workplace culture. If you misrepresent your brand, you’ll attract the wrong kind of talent, and when someone is hired they’ll feel misled. Whether your company is a ‘touch crazy’, slightly playful, or downright dour, you want to attract talent that feels comfortable in your culture.

HR and Recruiting are an untapped gold mine for too many organisations. Work hard to make them a reflection of your mission and methods, appealing and user-friendly, and able to identify and exploit social media to reach and communicate with the right talent. This is an exciting exercise in leadership excellence.

“I had been checking out my reflection in the shop window when a voice shouted ‘Hey You!’ I tried to play it cool, but the window kept showing me all these fun pictures – it was hard not to smile. Then all these people seemed to appear from nowhere, singing and clutching a huge bunch of flowers. I was amazed and really excited when they explained what it was all about.”

Wakefield man gets something to smile about MATT Raey got more than he bargained for when he looked in a shop window while walking through Leeds city centre.

The 21 year old fashion retailer was about to have his life turned upside down in the best way possible.

On his way to work at a then small retail store in the city centre, he walked into an interactive campaign as part of National Smile Month and the Wakefield man won free teeth straightening and whitening courtesy of Invisalign Technology and Dewsbury Road Orthodontist, Dr Catherine McCanny, who guided him through the pain free process.

For the retail manager it couldn’t have come at a better time because he was so embarrassed about his protruding teeth.

Matt’s transformation started when he walked through the Thornton’s Arcade in Leeds, where Invisalign had a pop up shop, filming passers by as they looked into a talking mirror. As Matthew smiled at his own reflection the mirror started talking to him.

Wa ke f i e l d

“I was so pleased, I had actually been looking into treatment myself. I didn’t like the look of traditional braces, but I really hated my smile, it made me feel so self-conscious, I never showed my teeth in photographs. People used to comment that I never smiled.

“Before Invisalign I honestly think I was a lot less confident than I am now. A few months into my treatment, I decided that I would apply for a promotion with a bigger company. My confidence had grown, and I’m sure a large part of that was because of how I felt about myself and my changing my smile. I’m so pleased I did go for the interview, I have now moved upwards with my career, I’m a deputy manager of a large retail shop managing 45 members of staff!”

And it wasn’t the only life change that hit Matt when he smiled in the window!

“People seem to comment about how lovely my teeth are all the time now, and not just my mum! I’ve just started dating someone, and how ‘lovely’ my teeth are, was one of the first things she ever said she noticed about me! “ Matt was treated by Dr Catherine McCanny at St Michaels Orthodontics in Wakefield: “I am so pleased that Invisalign has made such an improvement to Matt’s smile. He has been incredibly dedicated throughout the course of his treatment, and ensured that he wore his aligners as often as directed. Matt has shared with me that Invisalign has really improved his self confidence in dealing with the general public.”

Pictured: Matt Reay after his treatment with Invisalign.

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NewsUpdate

Manufactured Yorkshire merges old with new for 2016 line up MANUFACTURED Yorkshire has looked to the region’s industrial heritage for its 2016 line up that will see more exhibitors and delegates to a new bigger venue.

Alongside the traditional heavy industrial engineering manufacturing associated with Yorkshire, Food Production, a key employer in the area will feature prominently and new for 2016 will be Textiles; a sector re-emerging as a major contributor to the region’s economy.

Demand from ambitious businesses in the region prompted organizer, Chrissie Gale of Mooncas, to relocate to a larger site at Elland Road, Leeds and expand the sector base while extending the ‘Meet the Buyer’ slots following their success last year.

Former Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise, Sir Vince Cable, is the headline speaker looking to the future of manufacturing, while other headline speakers include Sarah Hodgetts, Deputy Director of BIS, Tim Dewey of Timothy Taylor & Co. Alongside the main speakers at the oneday event in the Centenary Pavilion at Elland Road on Wednesday, May 11, there will be sector specific seminars tackling unique issues but open to all delegates to promote the sharing of best practice.

“Yorkshire enjoys an international reputation for innovating and producing high quality textiles sought the world over,” explained Chrissie. “When we were planning Manufactured Yorkshire 2016 it was a natural choice merging seamlessly with industry and Food Production.

“It was also attractive to sponsors such as the Leeds City Region LEP and 24

Image: Chrissie Gale professional advisors who focus on business as well as our keynote speakers who are not necessarily sector specific.

“Ambitious manufacturers know that one way of growing their business resiliently is by listening to how others have faced challenges and identifying the common threads they can translate into their own business to resolve their own challenges,” she explained.

“Sir Vince Cable was a natural choice to launch the event; in Government he always fought for manufacturers and respects the work that manufacturers do to contribute to national growth. Alongside Sir Vince will be speakers who are actively involved in steering large and not so large organisations to growth on often difficult trajectories. Dan Cluderay of Approved Foods will join a seminar focused on the supply chain while ITogether will focus on

cyber security,” she explained.

Sir Vince Cable himself is looking forward to attending the event. He said: “Manufacturing is crucial to strengthening Britain’s trading position, improving productivity and boosting innovation.

After a long period of neglect, the Industrial Strategy of the Coalition Government reasserted manufacturing industry’s priority. That must not be lost. The North of England in particular depends on it.”

Already many of the exhibitor slots are filled and the popular seminars where delegates share best practise are being confirmed by major industry figures.

For more information about Manufactured Yorkshire or any of its speakers, please go to http://manufacturedyorkshire.com/

Yorkshire’s legal people start 2016 with expansion Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors have expanded their reach by opening a new office in Horbury, further cementing their position as a major player within the region.

By opening the Horbury office, Chadwick Lawrence has also welcomed Julia Wilding to the team, a local and well respected Private Client Lawyer. Julia, a Solicitor and Notary Public with a first class reputation in the Wakefield district, has worked in the area for the last 15 years.

Chadwick Lawrence continues to support the Wakefield community by offering a full range of legal services to both businesses and private individuals. Their contribution to the Wakefield community does not stop at the services they provide either: Senior Partner Paul Campbell is the

Chair of Governors of Wakefield College and Partner Asma Iqbal is a Director of Wakefield Bondholders.

The firm also sponsors and supports Wakefield Wildcats, Wakefield Theatre, and Wakefield Hospice, believing it is incredibly important to give back to the community.

Paul Campbell, Senior Partner, says “We are really proud to extend our coverage in

Wakefield by opening the Horbury office and adding to our significant specialist legal portfolio by engaging the services of Julia Wilding.”

Managing Partner Neil Wilson said “We are very pleased with the network of offices we have in the Yorkshire region, but a particular stronghold of ours is Wakefield.

We are proud to remain locally owned by people who service the business and legal community in Wakefield.”

Glass and Mirror Technology launch new showroom Local glass and mirror manufacturers, Glass and Mirror Technology, have recently opened a brand new showroom at their premises in Wakefield.

The company, which specialises in a growing range of interior design solutions including magic mirrors and coloured splashbacks, will be showcasing their complete range of products as well as providing expert advice to both the trade and domestic markets.

DOMESTIC

COMMERCIAL

Painted Glass, Glass Partitions, Balustrades, Doors, Mirrors/Tints, Shelves, Fire Glass Glass & Mirror Technology, GMT House, 76 Leeds Road, Newton Bar : 01924 380038 | F: 01924 332882 | E: sales@glassandmirrortechnology.co.uk | W: www.gmtltd

The facility will also feature the works of other local companies with a cabinet maker, upholsterer and interior designer already confirmed as presenting their choice of work. A second area within the headquarters will also be available for networking and local business events as GMT look to create a hub for local tradesmen in the Wakefield area.

Managing Director Duncan Garritt said: “This is an exciting time for GMT and, by having an area where local businesses can showcase their work and sit down and discuss opportunities, we hope this facility can benefit everyone.”

If you would like to see the showroom or discuss any opportunities, there is no need to make an appointment. Visit them at 76 Leeds Rd, Newton Bar, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 2QF. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am – 4.30pm.

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HotelReview

The perfect place for business or pleasure Hotel review is a new feature in TopicUK. Each month we will ask a member of the business community to visit a hotel and let us know what they think of service, cleanliness, food and value for money.

In this, our first review, we asked Wakefield accountant Chris Dix and his wife Alison to visit the Village Hotel, South Leeds. Here’s what they said: “My wife Alison and I visited the Village Hotel adjacent to the M62 at Tingley on the evening of 29 January 2016. Prior to visiting we had checked the hotel website to review the information provided and look at the facilities that were being offered.

“Our initial observation was that the hotel is clearly signposted from the M62. The car park was very busy for 6.15pm on a Friday evening but was partly due to the number of people who were already using the gym and spa facilities as well as a private party that was taking place later that night.

“On arrival at reception, we were greeted by two reception staff who, on giving our names, proceeded to treat us as though we were two extremely important individuals.

We later watched how other guests were greeted and the same attention to detail appeared to be given to all guests on arrival.

“We were given details of our room which was located on the third floor. The third floor rooms are the rooms categorised Upper Deck double. These rooms are an upgraded room from the standard at a charge of £15 per room per night. The

upgrade includes free unlimited access to the health club including pool and steam room, full sky TV package, including sky movies and the use of a state of the art Bose speaker dock for your iPod. The latter being of no use to those of us who do not have an iPod! The rest of the upgrade is good value for the business visitor on a short stay.

The rooms are very spacious in a modern style décor (as we expected for a hotel of this age) with King sized beds, ample wardrobe space and spacious en suite bathroom with bath and shower. There was also an iron and ironing board in the wardrobe, not always found in hotels today.

“We ventured into the Public House Bar for a drink and relax before dinner. The bar was very busy with quite a lot of people eating whilst others were drinking and watching sport on big screen TV’s that are situated around the room. We took our drinks and sat in an alcove off reception (with a few other guests) and

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Alison chose Minute Steak (described as a full faced rump) served with fries whilst I chose sirloin with jacket potato. We added to that a side portion of chilli mushrooms.

The food, cooked to our choice, was again well presented and very enjoyable.

“The restaurant was quite busy and whilst the majority of diners were clearly staying in the hotel there were a couple of tables occupied by non-residents. We were in no way rushed were shown a lot of attention and nothing was too much trouble.

After finishing the bottle of rose that came recommended by the restaurant supervisor (a good choice) we adjourned to our room for a good night’s sleep in a very comfortable bed.

observed the comings and goings of a very busy hotel. Whilst this is seen as a quite sitting area, this would be our only criticism of the hotel in that the area is very cold (temperature) and we would not have liked to have sat there too long.

Yes, the automatic doors from the outside are constantly opening which does not help.

We finished our drinks (£11 for one beer and one glass of Rose wine) and went to dinner in the Verve Grill restaurant.

“The hotel web site describes this as a “stylish restaurant without pretence.

Fabulous food and service to match

serving an enticing range of dishes and an unrivalled selection of stunning steaks”. We would say that the description matched reality.

“We found the restaurant staff to be very friendly and helpful, offering advice with regard to dishes on the menu. After a quite lengthy deliberation, Alison chose a Fritto Misto to start, a combination of calamari, lightly battered prawns and sweet peppers. I chose chicken lollipops which came with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. We both enjoyed the starters both of which were very tasty.

“For main course we both chose steaks, Wa ke f i e l d

“Buffet style breakfast is served in the Verve Grill restaurant which in day light took on a completely different appearance.

We were shown to our table, offered tea or coffee which was brought to us and proceeded to help ourselves to a very well stocked hot and cold buffet breakfast.

The staff in the restaurant were busy restocking the buffet and clearing tables to keep the restaurant tidy. One minor criticism is that it is just assumed that you know it is a self-service buffet. Guests around us asked if that was the case, they had not been told and neither were we.

“We would certainly recommend the hotel to anyone visiting the area either for a short break to familiarise themselves with the joys of Yorkshire or on a business visit.

The hotel is close enough to Wakefield for any of us to recommend to customers and suppliers alike if they are visiting our merry city for business.

Chris Dix, CW Dix Limited Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors E d i t i o n

Fe b r u a r y

2 0 1 6

27

InformationTechnology

Why avoiding a data disaster is more important than ever Paul Heigham, Director of Bellingham IT, explores why having a comprehensive data recovery plan in place makes shrewd business sense.

It’s been said before and we’ll say it again, data is a business’s salvation.

Whether you’re an SME starting out or a well-established corporation, without precious company data, your business could be plunged into despondency, battling for recovery.

security measures to protect personal data”, safeguarding your business by adopting a ‘belt and braces’ approach by using cloud-based technology and a disaster-proof backup plan will ensure you remain compliant to current Data Protection Act regulations.

The stats speak for themselves. More than 80 percent of companies that fall victim to a major data disaster incident are hit so hard that they never manage to recover.

So what are the various IT strategies for avoiding a data disaster?

With such alarming figures in mind, it stands to reason why it is within every company’s interest to put a solid business continuity plan in place, before a data disaster rears its murky head.

EU Data Protection Act The prolific growth in the amount and complexity of the data held within businesses, coupled with tight regulations issued by the EU’s Data Protection Act, such as stipulating that ‘sensitive data’, information about employees cannot be transferred to nations that are not within the EU, means in order to remain compliant, businesses need to conduct a more proactive approach to data storage strategies.

With the current Data Protection Act requiring businesses to take “appropriate 28

Cloud technology Having important data stored in cloud technology means that even if computers break down, hard disks fail, or vital data is destroyed in a fire, businesses are still able to access data from cloud-based solutions.

Such technology also solves the quandary of organisations having data stored on various devices, as devices can be synchronised automatically so that the data can be accessed from numerous sources – essential if one device is to fail.

File sharing Cloud technology enables irreplaceable files to be shared almost instantly and effortlessly, meaning if a disaster was to strike, vital files could still be shared in little more than a few simple clicks.

Virtual desktop and Hosted Servers Savvy organisations are also turning to virtual desktop and hosted server infrastructures, whereby desktop applications are executed on server in the data centre, which rely on remote display protocols for a more localised feel and look. Security is heightened, as sensitive data remains secure in the data centre and therefore protected against theft and other security issues that may arise.

The responsibility of data backup is also passed on to the service provider.

Despite the obvious benefits of protecting invaluable data, many organisations seem unwilling to adopt the modern approaches and are consequently exposing themselves to a potentially unrecoverable disaster.

Act now, don’t let your business fail for reasons that could have been prevented.

For further information on any of the points in this article, please contact Bellingham IT for impartial and nonobligatory advice. Also if you have a positive story about how your business has escaped the jaws of data oblivion then please get in touch.

Email paul@bellinghamit.co.uk or telephone 01924 253 205.

Wa ke f i e l d

E d i t i o n

Fe b r u a r y

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29

CHAMBER

Close Up

News Chamber signs Memorandum of Understanding with Wakefield Council together in the future for the benefit of the district.

The Council and Mid Yorkshire Chamber will develop a shared support offer for local businesses and coordinate business groups within the district.

The Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wakefield Council. The partnership aims to work more closely to provide economic and business growth opportunities for the Wakefield district.

The signing of the MoU marks the start of a special relationship between the two organisations and will highlight important areas where the Council and the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce can work more closely

Cllr Peter Box CBE, Leader of Wakefield Council, said: “The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks the start of a promising partnership between the Council and Mid Yorkshire Chamber which promises great things for Wakefield. It outlines our joint ambition to work in collaboration and partnership to continue to boost economic and business growth in our district.”

David Horsman, Chairman of Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be entering into this agreement with Wakefield Council and further developing our relationship. We know that Wakefield Council is always keen to hear the views of local businesses

to inform its policy, to provide the right economic landscape across the district for business to thrive and prosper, and we are looking forward to working in partnership to support this.”

The Memorandum of Understanding marks a commitment by both organisations to work together to build on partnership opportunities and areas of collaboration with the aim of drawing on the Mid Yorkshire Chamber’s expertise to assist in business support and development.

The partnership initially aims to share resources to deliver Wakefield’s annual business week in June, which offers a programme of events for businesses in the district, and for Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to assist in the administration and contribute towards the Wakefield Business Group, which reports into the Wakefield Enterprise Partnership.

SAVE THE DATE - Wakefield Business Week & MY Conference Wakefield This year sees the return of Wakefield Business Week taking place from Monday 13th June to Friday 17th June with events being held across Wakefield and the five towns.

Building year-on-year, MY Conference Wakefield, taking place on Wednesday 15th June at Unity Works, has become a focal point of the week and 2016’s event promises to be a fantastic day.

With almost a 1000 people participating last year, and excellent feedback received, this year promises to be a week not to be missed!

With many opportunities to get involved from sponsorship, hosting an

event or attending as a delegate.

The theme for this year is International Trade – Showcasing Wakefield District on a global stage & supporting our businesses to trade all over the world.

To get involved in Wakefield Business Week speak with Daneile Moore on 01924 306320 or email daneilemoore@ wakefield.gov.uk.

To showcase your business at MY Conference Wakefield contact Rachel Dickie on 01924 311605 or email Rachel.dickie@mycci.co.uk or register your free delegate place now at www.mycci.co.uk/myconferencewakefield

Close Up for Business I

Policy

Nagging doubts affect Business Confidence at the start of 2016 For those readers who follow and participate in our own Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) it will come as no surprise that January brought with it only cautious optimism for the business outlook in the year ahead. Our Survey for the final Quarter of 2015, whilst slightly encouraging in some areas of economic activity, reported a general lack of optimism and enthusiasm about the prospects for the early part of 2016.

Underlying this general lassitude were a number of doubts and concerns about global events which are out of our local control, and even beyond the UK’s sphere of influence. Since Business Confidence is a fundamental requirement for sustainable economic growth, these doubts and concerns continue to have serious impacts upon our ability to generate the necessary optimism to invest in our businesses, to grow, and to create wealth.

Indeed, Chancellor Osborne recently set the scene for the months ahead with cautionary warnings about worldwide events which may further slow the disappointing rate of economic growth which was achieved in 2015. He warned about the effects of economic downturns in emerging markets, particularly China, which had stifled worldwide demand throughout the year and caused turmoil in commodity markets - including in Britain, where our steel industry has experienced huge difficulties over the last six months. Furthermore, concerns about the continued freefall in the price of oil proved well-founded – especially now that the lifting of economic sanctions on Iran have added to overproduction in an already diminishing market, and when set against declining worldwide demand this is a situation which is unlikely to stabilise in the short-term. In addition, and more recently, the Chinese Stock Market fell sharply reflecting their diminishing rate of economic growth which in turn II

affected Stock Markets around the world which have readjusted down to much lower levels than at the start of the year.

Further doubts and concerns in the UK about the timing of the EU Referendum and its possible outcomes have added to the uncertainty. All of these factors confirm the sentiments which were expressed in our end-of-year QES Survey, which unfortunately reported that indicators of Business Confidence continue to hover only at the generally lower levels which were last reported around five years ago.

Considering that only at the end of November the Chancellor delivered a largely upbeat Comprehensive Spending Review, this more pessimistic view about economic prospects has now made it especially difficult for businesses to prioritise strategic plans and investment decisions. The present downturn in global activity also means that Exports are more difficult to achieve. At the heart of the Government’s Growth Strategy is an ambition to rebalance the UK economy towards exports as an essential buildingblock to reduce Balance of Trade deficits and Government borrowing.

But the fact is that the UK’s trade deficit continues to widen. Bearing all of this in mind, it is now absolutely essential that as a nation we fix the fundamentals which affect export growth. These include ensuring the provision of greater access to affordable finance for companies with ambitions

to enter new overseas markets, and a significant increase in funding to assist manufacturing industries and exporters to achieve greater success around the world. This could include tax-breaks and incentives to further streamline manufacturing processes and the provision of additional incentives to our exporting companies.

There is a lot which still needs to be done to create a business-friendly environment which will encourage businesses to invest, expand and create employment. In conjunction with the other 51 Chambers of Commerce which are fully-accredited members of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), our Chamber is here to provide a vital local voice of business which throughout the country aggregates into a tremendously influential and co-ordinated Business Lobby Group. All our members, and the wider business community in the Leeds City Region (LCR) and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) may be assured that we stand alongside every business in sharing common objectives to encourage entrepreneurism, reward success, create wealth, and promote sustainable economic growth not only in our region, but for the whole of the UK.

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

Member News

Wakefield Hospice Sporting Dinner Wakefield Hospice are holding their annual Sporting Dinner on Tuesday 15th March 2016 from 7.00pm at Cedar Court Hotel in Wakefield.

The Speakers will be Rugby legends Brian Moore and Zinzan Brooke supported by comedian Josh Daniels and MC Malcolm Lord.

Brian Moore is one of the world’s most capped hookers with 64 England caps and five Test appearances for the British Lions. He is now a regular commentator on television and radio and writes articles for newspapers and magazines.

Zinzan Brooke is considered as one of the best number eights to have ever played for the All Blacks. He played 58 tests for New Zealand Rugby Union and 42 non-international matches for the All Blacks. Zinzan moved to England to play for Harlequins and subsequently went on to coach the team.

Specialist joins West Yorkshire Legal Practice Chamber member and law firm Wilkinson Woodward has announced the appointment of commercial and property specialist Hardev Kaur.

Hardev brings with her ten years’ experience in property law including the sale and purchase of freehold premises, granting of new leases and the assignment of existing leases. Her appointment forms part of Wilkinson Woodward’s continuing plans to expand in Calderdale and Kirklees.

After obtaining a law degree in Leeds, Hardev went on to complete her legal studies at the College of Law in York before

Tickets are £50.00 each and the dress code is Lounge Suits.

For more information please contact Helen Knowles, Director of Fundraising, on 01924 213900 or helen.knowles@wakefieldhospice. co.uk

qualifying as a solicitor in 2006.

Hardev, who previously worked in Leeds, said, “I am delighted to be joining Wilkinson Woodward – a long established and trusted name in legal services in the area.

I am looking forward to working with businesses in Calderdale, Kirklees and further afield.”

Managing Director Maureen Cawthorn extended a warm welcome to Hardev commenting, “Wilkinson Woodward continues to attract legal professionals of the highest calibre and Hardev’s appointment will further strengthen our growing commercial team in Halifax and Huddersfield.”

Close Up for Business III

Member News

20 years of fighting cancer in young people Huddersfield-based charity member, The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust will this year be commemorating its 20th anniversary and celebrating the achievements of the charity.

Communications consultancy appointed to support major sporting event

The charity which was established to continue Huddersfield teenager Laura Crane’s fight against cancer was registered in 1996 by Laura’s mum Jacquie and family member’s just months after Laura died. The charity became the first in UK to focus on cancer research affecting 13-24 year olds. The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust has funded support projects for teenage cancer patients to improve quality of life whilst receiving treatment and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

With just three members of staff that have collectively been with the charity for 37 years including Laura’s childhood friend; they have highlighted the need for improvements of facilities for teenage cancer patients over the last twenty years.

The charity is releasing its emotive 20th anniversary film, ‘A Letter to Laura’ which features Huddersfield teenage cancer survivor Sarah Dransfield and will be hosting a number of local events.

Brighouse-based Chamber member, Waverley Consultancy, has been appointed to support the first Netball Manchester Live between Manchester Thunder and Yorkshire Jets at Manchester Arena in April.

The game, which is aiming to break the record for the highest attended domestic netball match ever held in the UK, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The record is currently held by Netball London Live which attracted 6,033 people last March.

Waverley Consultancy, has worked with the organisers to create the branding for the event, including the logo, promotional materials and adverts.

These are now on show across Manchester City Centre promoting the event and encouraging people to buy tickets.

The work has been led by Stephen Naylor, the firm’s Director, who said it was an exciting opportunity to be part of the major sporting event: “Waverley is delighted to be working with the organisers of Netball Manchester Live

IV

to support their promotion of the event with branding materials ranging from online imagery to 12-metre-wide adverts in Manchester City Centre.”

“It promises to be one of the most exciting sporting events in the North of England this year – a Roses battle between the North West and Yorkshire and between the North and South for the highest attended domestic netball match ever.”

Waverley Consultancy already works to support both Manchester Thunder and Yorkshire Jets with their marketing and communications activity.

Debbie Hallas, Franchise Director of Manchester Thunder and lead organiser for Netball Manchester Live, said: “With Waverley already a key partner to us at Manchester Thunder, we had no doubts about appointing Stephen and his team to support Netball Manchester Live.

They have had a key role in developing the brand and we look forward to working with them to promote the event across Manchester, the North West and Yorkshire in the next few months.”

Member News

Tee off and raise money for local charities New Chamber member FishforGolf are calling for golfers and businesses to take to the fairways and get involved in their unique event ‘FishForGolf Charity Golf Week’, which will raise much needed funds for three local charities; The Overgate Hospice, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and The Huddersfield Town Foundation.

The event which takes place on Sunday 10th April to Friday 15th April, will be hosted at Halifax Bradley Hall Golf Club. A number of prizes are on offer for Winning team, Longest Drive, and Nearest Pin, as well as a raffle and auction.

Andrew Fisher, Managing Director of FishForGolf said: “This is going to be a fantastic week and we would urge as many golfers and businesses to get involved, whether that’s playing or donating prizes, so we can raise as much money as possible to support our charities”.

To find out more or register visit www. fishforgolfcharityday.co.uk or contact Andrew on 07967 052 153.

Creative Analysis turn business cards into sales Huddersfield-based member, Creative Analysis Ltd have been appointed by PiP to Grow Strong to implement a customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Natasha McCreesh from PiP to Grow Strong, ran her business from a Filofax. She confessed that she didn’t follow up with people she had met with. Watching her future clients drain away which left her feeling frustrated.

Natasha decided she wanted to get her business in order, so she could expand and reach more people. She contacted Creative Analysis to discuss strategies that would enable her to do that.

Paula Atherill, Managing Director at Creative Analysis said: “Upon exploring PiP To Grow Strong in detail, I advised Natasha to implement a CRM system into

her business. I have seen firsthand the impact CRM’s have on businesses – especially for sole traders and micro businesses. I knew it would make a dramatic difference to her follow up process and would enable her to keep in touch with her clients and leads more effectively.

Natasha now has a CRM system that is working specifically for her and her business, saving her time and energy. Natasha said: “I now have a strategy for following up with people and I have seen an increase in clients as a direct result. I have everything in place to expand my business further.”

Chamber members

CONTACT US WITH YOUR BUSINESS NEWS! marketing@mycci.co.uk

Close Up for Business V

Member News

Huddersfield architects create stunning residential development in Yorkshire Huddersfield-based member company, Fibre Architects are close to completing their latest project in North Yorkshire.

The residential development, consisting of 10 new-build houses in Brotherton, is due to be completed this spring.

All the houses within the development were sold prior to completion, indicating the success of the design of both the site layout and the house types. The houses have been traditionally built and detailed with vernacular materials that possess excellent thermal qualities that are a requirement of current building regulations, which in turn reduce energy bills.

Fibre Architects were appointed by up and coming Leeds based Paragon Build and Design. Following the success of this project, Paragon have now instructed Fibre Architects to design another project.

Martin Booker, Managing Director at Fibre Architects said: “This development owes its success to a developer with great vision, a hard-working building contractor with an eye for detail and of course an excellent design team! The end result is a one that we can all be proud of.”

Synergos Appoints Marketing Manager Growing Lepton-based consultancy business Synergos Consultancy Ltd are delighted to announce the appointment of a Marketing Manager.

Caroline Courtney has joined the Process Management firm to manage their social media and marketing strategy. Caroline, who has an honours degree in Marketing, has previously held successful roles at The Huddersfield Daily Examiner as Sales Promotions Manager and CragRats Ltd as PR and Hospitality Marketing Manager.

Having enjoyed a career break when her two children were born, Caroline brings years of marketing knowledge and enthusiasm to Synergos in order to build awareness of the services that the company provides.

Caroline said: “I am delighted to be working with Jenny Kilburn at Synergos Consultancy. The business is only a few years old

VI

and already has made great strides in building up a fantastic client base. My aim is to build on this further by promoting the services that the company offers to a wider audience, both locally and beyond”.

Synergos Consultancy Ltd is a process management company who help businesses to become ISO and AEO certified. Synergos can also provide support to businesses who are looking to gain CHAS, Safe Contractor and Construction Line accreditation. In particular, the company specialises in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and more recently ISO 27001.

Jenny Kilburn, founder of Synergos Consultancy Ltd added: “Caroline has only been with us a short time and has already made a positive impact on the business.

Bringing her unique combination of knowledge and skills we feel that this will be a very successful year for Synergos and we are delighted to have her on board”.

Patrons Update

Business of the Month Awards:

Put your business in the spotlight

Eaton Smith, in association with the Chamber and UKTI Yorkshire, run the Business of the Month Awards. The awards were established in 1995 and aim to recognise the ambition, entrepreneurship and commitment to the local community of businesses in our region. Over the last 21 years the awards have been won by a diverse range of businesses from start-ups to well-established companies, from cleaning companies to web designers to recruitment companies.

It doesn’t matter how large or small your business or workforce, all applications are treated equally. Entering the awards is a great way to gain exposure for your business within the region and endorse your brand to your existing clients as well as opening doors to

potential clients. All monthly winners are featured in Close Up and the local press and are automatically entered into our Business of the Year Awards. These are held every July, when the preceding twelve monthly winners and members of the business community attend the annual breakfast awards ceremony.

The awards cover a wide geographical area, so if you are proud of what your business has achieved and it is based in Kirklees, Calderdale or Wakefield, why not give it a try? You can read about the last two month’s winners in this edition. You can download an application form at www.businessofthemonth.co.uk or email eleanorcummings@eatonsmith.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter @BizoftheMonth

Hospitality 2016 fixtures Hospitality is still available for a number of our 2016 fixtures. Whether you choose to entertain key business clients or treat yourself and family members, it is a great way to soak up the atmosphere and relax in a comfortable environment.

Our 1873 Suite is situated on the second floor of the hospitality block and with a view overlooking the pitch, our restaurant is the perfect way to enjoy good food, good company and rub

shoulders with a first team player or two.

Alternatively, our executive boxes allow yourself and guests to enjoy the build up to the game in a private environment.

Guests can enjoy a drink before making their way out onto a private section of the balcony.

To find out more about our packages and to check availability, please contact us on 01924 211 611 (option 2) or email verity.thomas@wakefieldwildcats.co.uk.

Fine dining experience at The John Smith’s Stadium Whilst your typical client meeting or team update might involve a more traditional set-up, some situations call for the upmarket dining experience one usually finds at a Michelinstarred restaurant.

Here at The John Smith’s Stadium we have just officially launched our fantastic fine dining experience set in our highly prestigious Collinge Suite. In the suite, diners are surrounded by over 100 years of sporting memorabilia from both Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Giants, offering guests a more unique and engaging experience, whilst also providing an up-scale and more intimate setting. To make the day even more special diners will be able to add on extras such as a Stadium tour, introductions from the Chef and use of the Suites audio visual facilities.

Overseeing the dining we have our fantastic award winning Head Chef, Colin Oakley, who along with the rest of the catering team works very closely with our guests to help them design their perfect event, offering all guests the choice of either a bespoke menu designed to taste or a choice from our existing a la carte menu.

We have recently worked with local videographers Howarth Miller on creating a promotional video for the experience.

This can be found on our website (www. johnsmithsstadium.com) along with further details on all packages available. Subsequently you can contact our conference and events team on 01484 484 100 or email johnsmiths.prestige.uk@sodexo.com.

Close Up for Business VII

The Big Interview

From steelworker to museum director The National Coal Mining Museum for England appoints Mike Benson as new Director Mike Benson has joined National Coal Mining Museum for England after four years as Director at the Anglo-Saxon museum Bede’s World.

A former Teeside steelworker of 28 years, Mike became involved with heritage whilst completing his Open University degree. “I was going home from work after a night shift when I heard an advert for careers on the radio,” Mike told us. “I dropped into the job centre where I was steered towards an Open University degree. I decided to study history and began visiting museums, the rest as they say is history!”

Mike began his heritage career as a volunteer guide at The Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, where he went on to set up Iron Awe, a group dedicated to educating and inspiring the community about their local history.

Iron Awe gained award winning status and Mike was subsequently appointed as the Director of Ryedale Folk Museum, where he stayed for seven years and won a distinguished Clore Fellowship. In 2011, Mike went on to take the helm at Bede’s World and worked hard to instil his passion for heritage into the South Tyneside Museum before being offered the position at the National Coal Mining Museum for England.

Mike added: “I’m really looking forward to working alongside everyone at the NCMME and the communities we are here to serve. It is both an incredible honour to be a director in such a special place and incredibly humbling. We will very much be looking to build upon the successes of the Museum as we continue to inspire folk from far and VIII

wide with our heritage, a heritage that transformed the world with values and ways that are as relevant today as ever.”

Chairman of the Museum David Hinchcliffe commented: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Mike to the Museum this year. His wealth of experience and passion for heritage is truly motivating and I am looking forward to working with Mike to ensure that the Museum continues to inspire and delight visitors for many years to come.”

Mike lives with his partner Kathy and he has three children and two grandchildren.

He has numerous hobbies and interests and apart from spending time with his family, he likes nothing more than watching Middlesborough FC as a season ticket holder. An avid scooter fan Mike has riden his Vespa scooter to numerous destinations including as far away as Morocco.

“I am delighted to be working at NCMME and I am looking forward to working alongside the business community,” Mike concluded.

The Museum is free admission although some individual events may incur a charge.

There is free car and coach parking and it’s open from 10am to 5.00pm daily, except for 24-26 December and 1 January. There is an indoor play area for children under five and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Disabled facilities include level parking, ramp and disabled toilets with underground tours also available with prior arrangement.

For more information, call the Museum on 01924 848806 or email info@ncm.org.uk or visit the website at www.ncm.org.uk.

The Big Interview

Close Up for Business IX

Events

WHAT? Enjoy a light breakfast and an opportunity to make some valuable new contacts. Delegates get the chance to introduce their business in a short elevator pitch and then follow-up new business leads. It’s a great way to make new contacts in a friendly, but focused way. You are also welcome to bring your company literature and banner stands.

WHEN?

MORE

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

It’s FREE for members and just £20.00 plus VAT for non-members.

WHERE?

Book your place online at www.mycci.co.uk/events Tel: 01924 311605 Follow @ MidYorksChamber and th Thursday 7 April #ConnectionsCount on The National Coal Mining Museum, Twitter Caphouse Colliery, New Rd, Overton, WF4 4RH

We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region:

Thursday 3rd March The Imperial Crown Hotel, 42-46 Horton St, Halifax HX1 1QE

WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

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

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

No need to book, just turn up!

WHERE?

Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkWakey on Twitter.

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

The Hop, Bank Street, Wakefield, WF1 1EH

INFO:

WHAT?

WHEN?

MORE

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

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

No need to book, just turn up!

WHERE?

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

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

WHAT? Monthly lunchtime business networking meeting: have a chat, mingle and make some new contacts.

Run in partnership with Barclays, CIM and Ramsdens Solicitors LLP.

X

INFO:

WHEN? Last Friday of the Month 12:30–13:30 WHERE? Harrison Social, 11 Harrison Rd, Halifax, HX1 2AF

INFO:

Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkHud on Twitter.

MORE

INFO:

No need to book, just turn up and the first drink is on us.

Follow@LastFridayClub on Twitter

Events EVENTS

Local Business Forums WHAT? Enjoy a light breakfast and the opportunity to have your say about pressing business topics which are facing the local business community.

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

MY Conference Kirklees 2016 WHAT? This will be the fourth time the conference is held; celebrating and connecting businesses in Kirklees.

MY Conference Kirklees will be held at The John Smith’s Stadium and promises to be a date for businesses not to be missed.

WHEN? Monthly 08:00 – 10:00 WHERE? We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region, next meeting held: Friday 26th February 08:00-10:00am The Imperial Crown Hotel, 42-46 Horton St, Halifax HX1 1QE

MORE

INFO:

It’s FREE for members and just £20.00 plus VAT for non-members. Places are limited, book your place online at www.mycci.co.uk/events or contact steven.leigh@mycci.co.uk Tel: 07809 658533

WHEN? Wednesday 16th March 2016, 08:45 - 16:00 WHERE? The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG MORE INFO: See our website for more information and follow @MYBizConfs on Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest news, speakers and exhibitors.

Book your place on any of our events at www.mycci.co.uk/events or speak to the Membership and Events team on 01924 311605/ info@mycci.co.uk

Business Growth Courses in exporting The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) in Calderdale has ten nationally accredited core courses in exporting and international trade.Together Events the courses create an export curriculum,

The Next Courses Are As Follows:

INCOTERMS Wednesday 9th March 9.30-12.30 METHODS OF PAYMENT providing invaluable basic exporting skills for Wednesday 9th March 13:30-16:30 small and large companies alike. IMPORT PROCEDURES Tuesday 12th April 9:30-16:30 By completing six courses, candidates CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND In partnership with Leeds City Region achieve a nationally recognised foundation DOCUMENTATION Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and award in exporting. The courses are suitable Wednesday 27th April 9:30-16:30 Calderdale Council, we are running a series of FREE events across Calderdale for both experienced and inexperienced exporters.

For more information and to book, visit in 2016 to help promote business www.myexporthub.co.uk/events growth within the region.

Individual full day courses cost £175 (+VAT) For upcoming dates, please visit for members and £200 (+VAT) for nonmycci.co.uk/events. members and individual half day courses cost £100 (+VAT) for members and £125 (+VAT) for non-members. Or book six courses (half and full courses) for £850 (+VAT) for members and £1000 (+VAT) for non-members to complete the foundation award in exporting. All of the above courses will take place at The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG.

Close Up for Business XI

Business of the

Month

Business of the month winners

The Business of the Month Award is open to firms in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.

Each month a new winner is chosen and all 12 then go through to the annual Business of the Year award.

For your chance to win the Business of the Month award visit www. businessofthemonth. co.uk or contact Eleanor Cummings at Eaton Smith on 01484 821430

Pictured left to right: Steven Leigh, MYCCI; Michelle Hodgson, Key Words Copy, Andrew Sugden, Eaton Smith, Andrew Robinson, Jordan Lewis and Michael Gladstone - Mr Flyer

Mr Flyer - November Mr Flyer was set up in January 2011 by Andrew Robinson at the age of 24. With nothing more than his entrepreneurial spirit and self-motivation, Andrew set up his marketing business in a friend’s small back room with just £50 startup cost for some business cards and a cheap website.

Four years later Mr Flyer now employs over 30 members of staff who all share his passion for providing a reliable, expert distribution service.

The company provides door to door distribution services

throughout the entire West Yorkshire area along with parts of North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Deborah Melluish, Partner at Eaton Smith commented: “The judging panel was impressed

by Mr Flyer’s commitment towards the creation of employment opportunities and job security as well as their emphasis on quality of service and sustained growth.

They also stood out for their ambition, wdrive and plans for expansion.” Andrew Robinson is keen to give something

back to the community and has taken on new staff, in particular local people who were unemployed and living on benefits. Thanks to growing success, the company is aggressively focusing on recruitment with plans to double the staff levels over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the award, Andrew said; “It is a real honour to be recognised for this award.

Mr Flyer has come a long way over the last few years and we have ambitious plans for the future to continue our success.”

B usiness of the month award

PUT YOUR BUSINESS IN THE SPOTLIGHT www.businessofthemonth.co.uk or email eleanorcummings@eatonsmith.co.uk.

XII

Business of the

Month

ABS UK Ltd - December ABS UK Ltd, established in 1989 in Brighouse, specialises in document production and print and document management, supporting a network of thousands of modern print/scan/copy devices to schools, businesses, charities and churches in Calderdale, Kirklees and across the north of England.

The Eaton Smith Business of the Month judging panel was impressed with the growth and employment figures of the company, as well as its emphasis on corporate social responsibility.

ABS set up the ABS charitable foundation in 2013 to support charities all over the world to help improve the lives of those less fortunate. To date the company

has donated more than £18k to a Sri Lankan children’s home which has helped the home build a new infirmary and install solar panels.

ABS also regularly fundraises for local charities and at Christmas 2014 supported Bradford Nightstop, a charity which provides a warm safe place to stay for young homeless people of the Bradford district, with a night on the streets, raising £2,000.

In 2014, ABS launched a Colleague Care Incentive, an annual employee recognition scheme to support staff in achieving their goals.

Chris Taylor, Partner at Eaton Smith and Business of the Month judge commented: “ABS

UK Ltd have a clear focus and commitment to growing their business while also investing in the local community, both in terms of employment and charitable giving.”

Brett Abson, sales director at ABS UK Ltd said: “We are delighted to be awarded business of the month and to gain recognition for our charity work overseas and here in the local community.

“Continued growth is the cornerstone of our business over the next five years and we are keen to support local businesses and favour partnerships with local firms. We also strive to support our employees to help achieve their potential, with the aim of being known as a great company to work for in the local area.”

Pictured from L-R: Peter Sargent, BHP Clough Corporate Solutions, Lucy Hodgson, Eastwood & Partners, Annie Bradley, UKTI Yorkshire, Steven Leigh, MYCCI, Chris Taylor, Eaton Smith, Brett Abson, David Lees, Chris Marshall, ABS UK Ltd

Close Up for Business XIII

New Members

Ahead Partnership www.aheadpartnership.org.uk Social enterprise

FishForGolf

DX Products Ltd (UM Products) www.bathmatedirect.com

Huddersfield Community Trust

Elysium Marketing Solutions Ltd www.elysiumscreens.co.uk Marketing Services

Independent Training Services

www.fishforgolf.co.uk Events & hospitality

www.thezonehct.com Registered Charity

Insight Architects Ltd

JLT Specialty Ltd

Massage Clinic

www.jltspeciality.com Professional Services

www.massageclinic.co.uk Health and Wellbeing

National Physical Laboratory

Polytecnica Limited

R M Water Services Ltd

www.npl.co.uk Science and Technology

www.polytecnica.co.uk Packaging (Design)

www.rmwaterservices.co.uk Water Consultancy Services

Targetfollow Estates Limited

Theatre Royal Wakefield

www.targetfollow.com Estate Management

www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk Theatre

www.insightarchitects.design Architects

Waxman International Ltd www.waxmanfibres.co.uk Textiles (Upholstery)

XIV

If you would like to join these companies in becoming part of the Mid Yorkshire business community, please contact our Membership team on 01924 311605 or email info@mycci.co.uk to find out more.

www.ind-training.co.uk Education and Training

TransGlobal Freight Management Ltd www.tgfml.com Freight Forwarder

New Members

Pepamint off to Flying Start in 2016

Digital Marketing Agency, Pepamint have set their sights high in 2016 following a record breaking month in January for new business acquisitions.

Pepamint are looking forward to the coming year following their surge of success. The Huddersfield- based member, which works with SME’s throughout Yorkshire, North West and beyond, reported “record breaking” client wins during January 2016.

The past month has also seen the firm expand its team, with the recruitment of Digital Marketing Apprentice, Lewis Turner.

Lewis comes from a background in IT and Graphic Design, and plans to implement his skills into Pepamint clients’ work. He shares the same passion for the business as the rest of the team as they look forward to extending the team’s skill-set.

Pepamint will continue to actively seek new recruits to join the company later in the year in line with their 2016 business plan and projected sales growth.

Nicola Mellor, Managing Director of Pepamint, commented: “I’m absolutely delighted at the success of new client wins in January which exceeded our projections.

We are excited to be working with a variety of businesses in the Yorkshire area and hope that this growth continues for the remainder of the year.”

Local business receives ISO27001 accreditation New Chamber member, Printforms Ltd, a design, print and fulfilment company, based in Wakefield, are proud to announce that they have successfully achieved their ISO27001 certification.

Printforms have been providing print and print-related services to clients throughout the UK and overseas for over 20 years and are committed to providing their clients with the best possible service.

Printforms decided to begin working towards their ISO27001 in 2015 to complement their fast-growing fulfilment and document printing services.

Shaun Stanley, Managing Director of Printforms said: “This accreditation and what it represents is extremely important to Printforms and highlights our continued commitment to information security.

We hope that by achieving and retaining the accreditation we can provide assurance to potential and existing clients that we have the ability and processes in place to protect their data and reputation at all times. Printforms will continue to review and enhance their ISO27001 compliance in order to retain the accreditation in future audits.”

Close Up for Business XV

Member Offers

MemberOffers

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

What?

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

Why?

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

How?

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

CONTACT REBECCA ON - 01484 483 678

Current Member Offer of the Month For details on our current Member Offer of the Month, please visit our website www.mycci.co.uk/get-connected/member-offers

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

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

Avanti Corporate Solutions

Why?

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

How?

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

View current local offers below:

HD Lettings One hour landlord consultation for only ÂŁ40.00 a 20% discount for Chamber members, ensuring you are up to speed on your requirements and doing everything correctly.

Purple Dog Training Purple Dog is offering Chamber members 20% off all their online training courses.

Wren Sterling

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

Through their associate, Countrywide Tax & Trust, Clive Barwell, a Registered Trust & Estate Practitioner, are offering a comprehensive willwriting service to fellow Chamber members at a discount of 20%.

Maze

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

Is offering a 20% discount to Chamber members on their consulting and training services.

Health

SMOKING stats make for grim reading

By Dr Andrew FURBER - WAKEFIELD PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT

The evidence is clear! Smoking is bad for us. It is bad for our health and bad for our bank balance. Stopping smoking can be difficult but it is worth the effort as it offers significant benefits to a persons health, wealth and wellbeing.

Smoking remains the biggest cause of premature death in England, accounting for over 80,000 deaths in the UK each year. The statistics make grim reading.

• One in two long-term smokers dying prematurely from a smoking related disease • The cost to the NHS of treating diseases linked to smoking is estimated to be around £2.7 billion a year • It is estimated smoking costs UK plc around £5 billion per year, mainly through lost productivity and sickness absence.

• Smokers under the age of 40 have a five times greater risk of a heart attack than non-smokers 10 years younger.

However it is not all doom and gloom…

Within 24 Hours of stopping smoking: Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body.

Lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.

48 Hours There is no nicotine left in the body. Ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.

72 Hours Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.

1 Year Risk of heart attack falls to about half of that of a smoker.

30

If some one has made the decision to quit smoking, employers can play an important part in helping by supporting staff in a number of ways.

How businesses can help employees in the workplace • Think about introducing a Workplace Wellbeing Policy which includes matters on smoking. It can be as simple or prescriptive as you like, putting a wellbeing policy in place shows employees that you are taking their health and wellbeing seriously.

• Where possible, and where there is sufficient demand, provide on-site stop smoking support.

• Allow staff to attend smoking cessation services during working hours without loss of pay.

• Encourage employers to provide advice, guidance and support to help employees who want to stop smoking.

• Use campaigns within the workplace to promote that you, as an employer, support staff giving up smoking.

Individuals and businesses can sign up and pledge to Breathe 2025. This campaign is about recognising that we create a legacy and that our actions do make a difference, for further information and to make your own pledge visit www.breathe2025.org.uk On the 9th March, the British Heart Foundation hold a Stop Smoking Day, have a look at the website for ideas https: //www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/ smoking For help within your business to stop smoking contact workplacehealth@wakefield.gov.uk

Associated Waste

Management YORKSHIRE’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT WASTE MANAGEMENT BUSINESS TRADE WASTE AND SKIP/RORO SERVICES ZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL DEDICATED ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Associated Waste Management Limited, St Bernard’s Mill, Gelderd Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS27 27 7NA Tel: 0845 4567128 Web: www.awm.uk.com Wa ke f i e l d

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Feature

Wakefield a regional centre for over five hundred years In the final part of his potted history looking at the growth of Wakefield, Kevin Trickett, President of Wakefield Civic Society, considers the city’s role as in regional government.

Kevin Trickett @MrTrickett As well as being an established centre for local administration and commerce, Wakefield has a long history as a centre for regional administration.

Indeed, Wakefield can claim to have played its part in regional government for over five hundred years.

In 1472, King Edward IV, England’s first Yorkist king, established the Council of the North to implement better government control and administration of the north of England and to bring about economic growth within the area. The Council of the North was firmly rooted in Yorkshire.

Originally based at Sheriff Hutton Castle and Sandal Castle (just over a mile from today’s city centre) and later at King’s Manor in York, it had jurisdiction over all six of the northern counties that existed in England at that time, viz. Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumberland, Westmorland, Durham and Northumberland. One of its principle functions was to restore law and order and impose the impartial justice of the crown in the northern regions. In fact, the Council’s main purpose over time was to evolve into being that of a recognised court, with social and local administration being left to the church, local councils, guilds and JPs. The Council was abolished in 1641 but Wakefield was to continue its involvement in regional matters.

As we saw in my last article, following the Viking invasion of the 9th Century, Yorkshire had been divided into three parts, or Ridings, for administrative 32

purposes. However, until the 1832 Reform Act, it was the County of Yorkshire that was represented in Parliament (by just two MPs). The 1832 Act divided the county into three parliamentary constituencies for the first time and these were based on the North, East and West Ridings with each of the three resulting constituencies being represented by two MPs from in the years between 1832 and 1865.

In 1865, the constituency of the West Riding was further divided into those of the Northern West Riding of Yorkshire and the Southern West Riding of Yorkshire, each with two MPs. Further changes introduced by the Local Government Act of 1888 established an administrative boundary centred on the West Riding and led to the creation of the West Riding County Council (WRCC) to administer it. The new County Council came into being in 1889.

To begin with, the WRCC met at the recently opened Wakefield Town Hall in Wood Street at the invitation of the then Wakefield Council, but it was not long before the WRCC started looking for accommodation of its own. The WRCC already owned Rishworth House, a Georgian house built in 1812 with a large garden, situated on the corner of Cliff Parade and Bond Street. Although there was a debate at the time that could have led to the new headquarters being sited in Leeds, it was decided to erect the new council building in Wakefield,

Image courtesy Wakefield Libraries

cementing Wakefield’s reputation as a regional centre for another hundred years.

Rishworth House was demolished and in its place rose the building that we now know as the County Hall. Built in the Renaissance style with Art Nouveau decorative treatments, construction of County Hall commenced in 1894 with the building officially opened in 1898. It was the first of Wakefield’s civic buildings to be wired for electricity. The building was extended between 1912 and 1915.

The WRCC continued in operation until

local government reorganisation saw county councils being abolished. It was replaced by the newly created West Yorkshire County Council in 1974 (with a different geographical area). When that organisation was itself swept away following yet more local government reorganisation in 1986, County Hall was put up for sale. It was subsequently acquired by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council in 1987. Wakefield Council now uses the council chamber in County Hall for meetings of the District Council, as it is a larger space than the former council chamber in

the Town Hall (the Kingswood Suite).

As the above potted history demonstrates, when it comes to regional government, nothing seems fixed for long. Politics, economics and population growth drive constant change. Although the West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, it seems as if we might be coming full circle in some respects. There is now a West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), established in April 2014, which brings together the councils of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Wa ke f i e l d

Leeds, Wakefield and York as well as the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to create a united force for economic growth. It is currently chaired by Councillor Peter Box CBE, leader of Wakefield Council.

And with the possibility of elected mayors for city regions also under discussion, it seems we may have not yet seen the end of the changes in our regional government. It would be nice to think that Wakefield will continue to play its part in whatever political and administrative structures emerge.

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#feelgoodshopping

Love shopping?

Then you’ll love us.

trinitywalk.com

Major high street stores and restaurants, cool independents, world famous brands, free WiFi, stunning architecture, wide malls and exciting events – that’s what makes Trinity Walk. That’s what makes Feel Good Shopping.

AROUND 60 STORES / 1000 PARKING SPACES / DESIGNER RETAILERS / GREAT RESTAURANTS

New store manager for Sainsburys Trinity Walk Dee O’Brien’s career in Logistics started in domestic removals, before moving on to the distribution of product through bulk tankers in both privately owned and blue chip companies within the retail and manufacturing sectors.

Since joining Sainsbury’s in 2000, Dee has established a career portfolio with notable achievements through managing change, enhancing productivity, forming mature relationships with trade unions and people development. She also became the recipient of the 2004 “Best Woman in Transport Award” for professional excellence.

During her first eleven years at Sainsbury’s, Dee developed her career within the transport sector from a starting role as a Regional Planner, and achieving a number of appointments which included Transport Manager, Regional Transport Manager and National Driver Optimisation Manager.

After determining her career goal and to broaden her experience within Logistics, Dee secured the role as the Warehouse Operations Manager at Haydock Depot.

This move across sectors really developed her all round knowledge for the business, the importance of colleague engagement and service excellence to Stores.

TopicUK asked Dee: What is important to you about working for Sainsbury’s and the role you do and also what’s next for you?

“Knowing I am supported, trusted and have flexi work arrangements available if required, so I can be the best I can be. This empowers me with my confidence when developing my team to consistently deliver great results and grow in house talent ensuring we can meet our 2020 people plan.

“Sainsbury’s have great training schemes and tools to support colleagues at all levels if you got the determination to progression.

This can be through “My Sainsbury’s Learning”, “You Can be Programs”, job

shadowing, mentors, job experts, HRM partners, external qualifications … the list is endless! I have made used of what was available and will continue to do so.

“Sainsbury’s are great at celebrating your / teams achievements and successes either through love points, a simple thank you or external awards. I am proud to share, that within last year’s “FTA everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards” I am one of three colleagues who have been nominated by the Logistics Leadership team to represent Sainsbury’s. The FTA everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards, is championed by many of the industry’s leading employers, seeks to reverse a preconceived notion; that many women see the sector as off-limits and as a course have little wish of entering it. The UK logistics sector is projected to grow by 95,000 between 2010 and 2020 and this demand will not be met without the talent that equality and diversification brings.

This achievement for me could not been done without the great support from my team and mentors.

“With Sainsbury’s commitment to encourage more leaders, I have recently been given two fantastic opportunities to be a part of two pioneering professional groups to inspire and develop talent for the future internally and externally. In one of the groups, I represent Sainsbury’s as a mentor on the Novus Logistics Degree based at Huddersfield University.

The other I play an active part in the development of a support network for Sainsbury’s, so we can encourage and inspire more females to be become leaders.

Both in many ways are rewarding and great for networking and giving others the confidence to progress.

Wa ke f i e l d

“To enhance further my business knowledge and walk in the shoes of our customers, I joined our Retail division through the “You can be a Store Manager” program on secondment and I am currently a Cluster Store Manager in Cheshire. This opportunity has allowed me to demonstrate how your skills can be transferable into a whole new environment / division and what Sainsbury’s has to offer regards career progression.

What was the hardest part of your development journey?

“One of the main challenges I have found earlier on into the journey, was to stop doubting my own ability / strengths and accept compliments as appreciations of your talent. Not allowing the continual childcare challenges to curb your options for progression. Where there is a will there is a way…!

“My partner’s willingness to share childcare / running the home, has made it possible for me to develop my career.

Learn to live with the fact you don’t do some things that so many people expect partners / parents /carers to do. By acknowledging this, we can make informed and practical decisions about how we want to use our time and skills.”

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NewsUpdate

Williams & Co opens in Wakefield Williams & Co solicitors are very pleased to announce that they have opened a Wakefield office.

The law firm has taken a serviced office in Langham House on Westgate for its first branch office.

Williams and Co is a long standing Cleckheaton based firm specialising in Commercial Property, Residential Conveyancing and Wills, Trusts and Probate. It has recently been purchased

by Robert Brackup, Jeremy Garside and Tim Welton who have added Commercial Litigation, Regulatory and Criminal Defence specialism to the firm.

Robert, Jeremy and Tim have a combined 75 years worth of experience in dealing in all 36

areas of Litigation, Regulatory and Criminal Defence work and have chosen Wakefield to open their first branch office as they see the city really gearing up to the challenges of an ever increasing level of competition.

“Wakefield has a close knit business community really enthused about the challenges and opportunities ahead,” Jeremy told us “Wakefield is the perfect place for a firm with our expertise and experience.

It is in a great geographical position and already has a fantastic network of business contacts and motivated individuals. We are looking forward to working in such a vibrant city at such an exciting time.”

CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS

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CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS

THE RIDINGS

R I A F T F A R C FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH 10.30am - 4.30pm UPPER MALL

Jonathan Kidd, Partner at Holroyd Miller M.R.I.C.S. sector to predict and while Wakefield centre is beginning to settle into its new pedestrian flows and associated shopping patterns it is difficult to anticipate what will become of secondary retail space, not just in Wakefield, but in similar sized centres up and down the country.

We continue to see increased take up of vacant office space and there is still plenty to go at which I suspect will keep prices keen.

P

As for Holroyd Miller I’m delighted to announce our further commitment to service the commercial property market of Wakefield by bringing Daniel Knowles to Wakefield to support the commercial team. Daniel has been with the firm for many years and became a Chartered Surveyor a couple of years ago and has moved across to Wakefield from our Dewsbury Office to support our ever growing commercial department. So Holroyd Miller at least are predicting growth in 2016!

A

N RK I G

AL

Y

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN 2016 Before writing this column I looked at the one I’d written this time last year and suspect I could have simply cut and pasted it across as the commercial property market remains in much the same shape as it was at the beginning of 2015.

Perhaps the more notable change is an increased take-up of development opportunities. While high street lenders are still not particularly keen on property development there is a little more appetite and this coupled with investors and developers looking for decent returns on capital have led to more speculative development in most sectors. Wakefield is seeing a notable rise in City Centre residential conversions looking to service the student market both now and going forward and there is speculative development in the industrial sector all across the region.

I suspect retail will be the most difficult

A L D

www.ridingscentre.com Wa ke f i e l d

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FashionUpdate

Add some

RAZZLE DAZZLE

to your wardrobe with a ‘statement’ necklace Katie Portman explains why every woman NEEDS (at least) one They project confidence

Oliver Bonas

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

These pieces of jewellery are not called statement necklaces for nothing. You’ve got to be pretty bold to wear a statement necklace, as they don’t ask for attention, they demand it.

If you’re having a ‘I’m feeling rubbish’ kind of day but yet need to face the world with your confident head on, this is the jewellery item you need.

They bring attention to your face Statement necklaces will attract people’s attention to your neck area and then to your beautiful face!

The perfect piece for when you want people to be looking at you and listening to what you have to say (like when you’re in that really important business meeting.)

They’re kid friendly (kinda) Are they toddler proof? Possibly not. But they sure tend to be harder to crack and break, than say a beloved, delicate gold chain.

Yes kids will be attracted to them, yes they’ll want to touch them and yes you might experience a few casualties, but at least you won’t lose your precious expensive pieces to determined little hands.

They’re a talking point We’ve all been there.

Those events and ‘dos’ where you find yourself stuck with a bunch of strangers and no one quite knows what to say.

Unless that is, you’re wearing a necklace that is a statement piece!

Wanna get the conversation flowing?

Then give people something to talk about with one of your favourite bold and beautiful necklaces.

They inject personality Beaded or bejewelled. Metallic or colourful. Pretty or edgy. There is a statement necklace for everyone.

All you need to do is find the ones that speak your style language.

They liven up an outfit A simple dress, a crisp white shirt, a plain ol’ T-shirt – all perfect backgrounds for the statement necklace to shine.

However they look equally as lovely when 38

paired with prints and patterns too.

They’re FABULOUS The statement necklace is an incredible fashion piece. It speaks so you don’t have to. It’s bold and dramatic. It makes ordinary clothes look something special and adds character. It makes you stand out, helping you to look and feel fantastic.

I ask you, really, what is not to love?

Marks And Spencer

Accessorize

Wa ke f i e l d

Lookagain

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NewsUpdate

Why Yorkshire is top for manufacturing

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

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.

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?

Keeping the lights on and the trains running

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.

Is price important to customers? Well, yes, but there are other factors to consider that make sourcing from a Yorkshire manufacturer beneficial.

One thing that differentiates many Britishmade products from cheap imports is the quality control systems. Having committed to becoming an ISO9001, ISO14001 and

40

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

Beautiful ladieswear for every occasion Based in what was the Old Post Office in the village of Almondbury, four showrooms are split over two floors offering a unique range of outfits for all occasions.

Whether it’s relaxed, smart-casual outfits or something for a special event, they have modern, elegant collections from International Designers.

Browse the extensive range with a freshly made coffee …or two. Staff are always on hand with the perfect recommendation backed by years of experience and are proud of the lasting relationships they have with clients.

They cater for a wide range of ages with selections to fit all tastes from the best labels

available, and are always on the lookout for new additions to their range to make sure they keep offering you something different and unusual.

So whether it’s an investment piece with timeless style to become a favourite for years to come, or a wardrobe refresh for the coming season, let the Old Post Office become your new inspiration.

from international designers

Sandwich, Marc Cain, Oui, Riani, Faber, Betty Barclay, Joseph Ribkoff and more.

81 Northgate, Almondbury, Huddersfield HD5 8RX 01484 427257 Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm

www.theoldpostofficealmondbury.co.uk Wa ke f i e l d

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Feature

Tea for two at

Bettys TopicUK group editor Gill Laidler and board director Claire Young were delighted to be invited by Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms in Harrogate to review their fantastic Lady Betty Afternoon Tea.

By TopicUK group editor Gill Laidler,

Bettys, a family business, was founded in Harrogate in 1919 by a young Swiss confectioner called Frederick Belmont.

Remaining in the hands of the family’s Yorkshire born third generation, Bettys six cafe tea rooms are known for their atmosphere, friendly service, charming interiors and of course, wonderful food.

“Claire and I visited Bettys on an unusually mild Sunday in January to sample Lady Betty Afternoon Tea, which is available by reservation only.

“Upon our arrival promptly at 1pm, we were amazed to see so many people enjoying the beautiful cakes and

speciality teas on offer in the cafe and adjacent shop, with quite a large queue outside, waiting patiently for a table.

“We were shown to the elegant Imperial Room on the first floor, where after handing our coats to an impeccably dressed waitress, we were shown to our table. The decor of this light well proportioned room features an original stained glass window, detailed plaster panelling and coving and a magnificent parquet floor.

“Once seated our waitress Gemma introduced herself and began to talk Claire and I through the menu. I have to say, with both of us not able to eat shellfish, we declined the appetiser of a mini prawn cocktail, stating we didn’t mind waiting for the delights we knew were going to arrive. However, keen for us not to miss out, Gemma brought us a lovely carrot and corriander salad which was delicious. A most welcome glass of champagne was also served.

Then came the next course, mini pork pie with apple and smoked salmon, cream cheese and dill roulade. At this point we were asked which tea we would like. I opted for traditional Earl Grey with lemon whilst Claire substituted the tea and opted for hot chocolate with whipped cream.

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Then Gemma brought the main event. We were each served a three tier cake stand with a mixture of Yorkshire roast ham, Coronation Chicken and egg mayonnaise

And find that perfect corporate gift...

Over the years Bettys have helped a wide range of companies to provide the perfect gift for their clients and employees. They offer many ways for you to make your corporate gift unique and memorable, from royal-iced fruit cakes and chocolate plaques with customised inscriptions, to gift tags and personalised messages in your hamper. sandwiches. Again, substitutions were made to suit our tastes with no problems at all.

attentive staff and fantastic decor, a visit to Bettys really is an experience not to be missed.

The middle layer consisted of two delicious mini scones, one sultana the other Yorkshire lavender, both served with a generous portion of jam and thick clotted cream.

As well as afternoon teas, Bettys have their own cookery school running courses where you can share the secrets of everything from crafting the perfect loaf of bread to creating three course dinners.

Topping all this was a selection of miniature cakes, Chocolate and praline slice, fresh berry meringue and miniature battenburg.

A number of special events are held throughout the year, perfect ways to celebrate St Valentine’s day, Mother's Day and Father's Day. A full programme of events is available on request. The Imperial Room is available for private hire and suitable for breakfasts, luncheons and dinners for up to 80 guests and cocktail parties for up to 100.

So what is the cost of this indulgence?

Served without champagne £32.95 and with champagne £39.95 and I can honestly say that the whole experience is worth every penny.

From the exquisite food, polite and

Over the coming weeks, we will list a full itinerary of events for 2016 on our website.

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Their truly delicious hampers, gift boxes and cakes are full with seasonal treats to make your gift extra special. They offer corporate discount subject to your level of spend and you can also take advantage of our credit account facility. Bettys dedicated Corporate Team are ready to help with all your requirements and to ensure your peace of mind, offering a choice of delivery options including a tracked courier service.

Whether you’re looking for employee rewards, corporate gifts or sales incentives, Bettys can provide a solution to suit you.

To place an order, or make an enquiry, call the Corporate Team, on 0845 6001919, or if you prefer, simply send an email at corporate@bettys.co.uk Open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm (excluding Bank Holidays).

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NewsUpdate

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.

What’s happening in 2016

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.

Jonathan Kidd, Partner at Holroyd Miller M.R.I.C.S Before writing this column I looked at the one I’d written this time last year and suspect I could have simply cut and pasted it across as the commercial property market remains in much the same shape as it was at the beginning of 2015.

Perhaps the more notable change is an increased take-up of development opportunities. While high street lenders are still not particularly keen on property development there is a little more appetite and this coupled with investors and developers looking for decent returns on capital have led to more speculative development in most sectors. Wakefield is seeing a notable rise in City Centre residential conversions looking to service the student market both now and going forward and there is speculative development in the industrial sector all across the region.

I suspect retail will be the most difficult sector to predict and while Wakefield centre is beginning to settle into its new pedestrian flows and associated shopping patterns it is difficult to anticipate what will become of secondary retail space, not just in Wakefield, but in similar sized centres up and down the country. We continue to see increased take up of vacant office space and there is still plenty to go at which I suspect will keep prices keen.

As for Holroyd Miller I’m delighted to announce our further commitment to service the commercial property market of Wakefield by bringing Daniel Knowles to Wakefield to support the commercial team. Daniel has been with the firm for many years and became a Chartered Surveyor a couple of years ago and has moved across to Wakefield from our Dewsbury Office to support our ever growing commercial department. So Holroyd Miller at least are predicting growth in 2016!

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likely to enjoy a healthy balanced diet and be ‘better eaters’. The challenge will encourage children across the UK to broaden their diets by trying a wider variety of foods by going on a flavourinspired tasting adventure.

Using research to find out key food groups that children typically struggle with, Sainsbury’s has identified five gateway foods, using the five key taste areas, which will help parents introduce their children to these tricky food types. They found that over 50% of children are more likely to try new foods when they help cook it themselves. Helpful toolkits including exclusive recipes for each of the gateway foods for parents to cook and try at home with their kids, have been created and are available on the Active Kids website.

Photo Charlotte Mattinson. L - R Joshua Lindley, Daddy Cool, Dee O’Brien, Steve Scriven.

Active Kid launches supermarket campaign Joshua Lindley teamed up with Wakefield Wildcats mascot Daddy Cool, at Sainsbury’s Trinity walk, to kick off this year’s Active Kids campaign.

Joshua 10, from Wakefield, suffers with cerebral palsy, and can be seen on Sainsbury’s Active Kids advertising that is currently been displayed in it’s stores, up and down the country.

Joshua was invited to join in the Stores own launch, after his mother Joanne, who had earlier called in the store shopping, spotted a poster featuring her son at the stores entrance and enquired if it could be saved for him as a souvenir.

Customers can collect vouchers in store

from 27th January – 3rd May to help registered schools, groups and clubs across Wakefield get sports and cooking equipment and experiences.

The scheme is supported by double Paralympic gold medal-winner Ellie Simmonds, world record breaking sprinter Jonnie Peacock, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and England women’s football player, Lucy Bronze. The four ambassadors are committed to encouraging children to eat well, move well and live well.

Customers receive one voucher for every £10 they spend in supermarkets and one voucher for every £5 they spend in convenience stores. Over the years the scheme has grown and expanded to help inspire healthy eating for children and includes items of cooking equipment to get them involved. There is also a range of free Cooking and Nutrition Toolkits – endorsed by the British Nutrition Foundation they are available to teachers to help children learn about a balanced diet.

This year the scheme has a new strand to it, the Taste Buddies Challenge has been introduced to help parents try new foods with their children. Children who enjoy a wider variety of foods are more Wa ke f i e l d

Active Kids Ambassador, Ellie Simmonds, said: “I’ve been a Sainsbury’s Active Kids ambassador for six years and I’ve been able to see first-hand how the scheme has helped children all over the UK. Eating a balanced diet is just as important as exercising. I love experimenting with food and it’s great to see that Active Kids is encouraging this as part of the scheme.”

Dee O’Brien, Store Manager at the Trinity Walk store, added: “The Active Kids scheme is a brilliant way for our colleagues to support schools, groups and clubs in our local area. We love visiting local organisations and seeing the benefits the equipment and experiences have brought to the children. This year there’s a lot to be excited about and my colleagues are looking forward to supporting the scheme.”

The Paralympic Challenge, is a new initiative to get 2.5 million young people to learn more about Paralympic sports and try them out ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. By taking part, schools can receive free equipment, online resources and the opportunity to win money can’t buy prizes, including a trip to Rio. Schools can register at www.

ActiveKidsParalympicChallenge.co.uk For more information on the Active Kids scheme and this year’s Paralympic Challenge please visit https://activekids. sainsburys.co.uk/ E d i t i o n

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NewsUpdate

Could your business be affected by modern slavery?

By Allan Doherty

I spent over 30 years investigating serious crimes across West Yorkshire including murders, armed robberies and major drugs conspiracies.

After I left the police I worked closely with the families of murder victims to provide emotional and practical support. I also managed intelligence regarding crime risk on behalf of the Post Office UK before I eventually managed the operational activity of an organisation which investigated and rescued victims of modern day slavery.

During this time my team of experienced investigators rescued over 200 victims of modern slavery and trained over 5000 front line professionals such as the police and social services to spot the signs of human trafficking.

Allan Doherty is a retired Chief Superintendent and former Commander of the Airedale and North Bradford Division of West Yorkshire Police.

He is presently the senior Director at Modern Slavery Consultants Ltd and is the Conservative candidate for the election for the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire which is due to be held in May 2016.

Many people think that slavery is something that happens in foreign places and does not affect them.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In 2014 my teams began to rescue a number of men in West Yorkshire and it soon became clear that they had all been trafficked by the same gang. After many months of painstaking investigations we took our evidence to the police and a major investigation was launched. Over the next few months over 30 victims were identified and rescued by the police and us, many were working in a bed factory in Dewsbury. This factory supplied beds for Next and As we went to press John Lewis amongst others.

Mohammed rafiq was sentenced to 27 Two traffickers were eventually months. arrested, and later sent to prison 46

for their crimes. The misery inflicted upon their victims was amongst the worse I had ever seen throughout my career.

It was clear to us that the traffickers had not been acting alone and that the management at the factory must have had knowledge of their activities, cheap labour is cheap for a reason and turning a blind eye is not an option.

A second investigation was launched this time targeting the directors and management of the bed factory involved.

This investigation resulted in the arrest and conviction of the factory owner who is due to be sentenced at Leeds crown court on 12th February 2016. Sadly the factory also closed resulting in the loss of over 180 jobs to the local community.

So why should all this concern you? Well last summer the Government introduced the Modern Slavery Act and made it a legal obligation for certain businesses to be transparent regarding the steps taken to prevent modern slavery in its own organisation and its supply chains.

Such transparency is aimed at allowing the public, consumers, employees and investors to know what steps are being taken to tackle modern slavery. This will open up all such organisations to greater scrutiny from the media, pressure groups and potential business partners. Failure to comply may result in legal punishment and reputational damage which in turn may affect profit and the organisations survival in an increasingly ethical

trading environment.

In a market place where the public sector is a major consumer it is likely that failure to comply with this legislation may result in severe pressure not to engage with any organisation who is seen to not be taking this issue of modern slavery seriously and thus the risk of becoming an organisational pariah.

The legislation is not simply a one off tick box exercise. It is intended that organisations will build on what steps they are taking on a year on year basis, indeed the government seek to create a ‘race to the top’ between organisations, those who do not engage may find finishing at the bottom of the table an uncomfortable place to be with many difficult questions to answer.

Compliance with the legislation requires an organisation to produce and publish an annual statement. The guidance issued by the government suggests the statement may include information on the organisations structure, business and supply chains, its policies and due diligence processes in relation to slavery and human trafficking, an assessment of the risk of slavery and human trafficking taking place and of the effectiveness of the prevention measures employed, evaluated by appropriate performance indicators.

Finally, the training and capacity building measures that have been provided to ensure everyone in its organisation is alive to the risks and able to effectively identify and combat modern day slavery.

YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

YTL SYSTEMS

LINES & CALLS

INTERNET

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

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Lifestyle

My top 5 ways to get YOU healthy this year

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

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:

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).

Sophie Mei Lan

Instead opt for fruit teas. You can even make your own fruit 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 48

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.

WDH opens new construction training centre Last month we opened a 30,000 sq ft state-of-the-art construction training centre and trade store.

Based on the Trident Park industrial estate in Normanton the facility represents a ÂŁ1.5 million investment and will help us as we prepare to build 2,500 new homes over the coming years.

The centre includes a training suite to develop tradespeople of the future including apprentices. www.twitter.com/wdhupdate

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Advertorial

Stage is set for Yorkshire business following LEP training award Over 1,000 individuals have now been supported with training thanks to a grant from the LEP’s Skills Service, which supports businesses within Wakefield and across the Leeds City Region to grow through training their staff Among them are staff from Stage One Creative Services, which has been awarded £18,000 to invest in training for supervisory and management team staff.

Thanks to the LEP investment, Stage One Creative Services, which was established in 1996, is looking to further strengthen its position as the market leading supplier in creative staging specialising in the design, manufacture, and installation of sophisticated ‘flying’ systems, such as those that helped to kick off the magic at the London 2012 Olympics. Stage One also created the set for the 2014 Sports Personality of the Year awards, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony and the Tour de France Grand Depart team presentation amongst many other high profile events.

The training, which is being delivered by two separate providers for 25 members of staff, will enhance the skills and expertise of Stage One’s management teams, improving efficiency levels through better management practice.

The programme consists of a series of 10 comprehensive management training workshops and a programme of communication and presentation training for customer-facing staff. Additional training is being planned for next year.

Julie Scholefield, HR Manager at Stage One Creative Services, said: “We 50

approached the LEP for skills support in order to boost the skill sets of a wide range of employees at supervisor and middle management level. We were keen to commit to further training despite our recent growth and success and this has proved to be extremely positive and beneficial. The confidence levels of those who have already completed the training is already paying dividends throughout the business.

“The level of industry knowledge and expertise within the business is unrivalled but we need to build on this and ensure that this is communicated effectively and translates to our clients. We plan to extend the training and roll it out to other team members aiming to increase the confidence of customer-facing staff in their presentation abilities, improve internal communications and define a more customer-focussed, relationship based approach than we’ve ever had before.

“We are confident the training itself not only shows commitment to staff from the company but also motivates the team, increases teamwork, co-operation and communications throughout the business.

“The LEP Skills Service has played a significant role in keeping our business on track and making sure we are in a position to grow and evolve in the hugely dynamic creative industries sector in

which we operate.”

LEP Board member and skills service lead, Mark Ridgway, of Group Rhodes, said: “With grants of between £500 and £50,000 available to businesses with a budget to put towards training, have the opportunity to work with a team of expert skills advisors, discuss their long term growth plans and skills needs, and put together a robust training plan for their staff. We are delighted to have been able to assist Stage One Creative Services, a real innovator in its specialist field and we want to help them stay that way.

“Offering a comprehensive service to businesses, the LEP’s team of advisors support employers to tackle paperwork, source appropriate training provision and submit an application for funding.

The LEP is dedicated to ensuring local businesses primed for growth have the skills to succeed.”

Funding is available for a limited time,

therefore businesses in Calderdale and Kirklees are encouraged to find out if they are eligible and to apply. Call 0113 386 1910 or visit: www.the-lep.com/ skillsservice to find out more.

NewsUpdate

Schools App Challenge 2.0 local children win chance to design health apps of the future presentation, judge and Chief Executive of NHS Wakefield CCG Jo Webster said: “As the challenge of health gets greater, we are looking forward to taking some of the fresh, fun ideas shown, to help tackle some of our local health concerns. I was so impressed at how the teams have turned solid research into creative, fresh, engaging apps ideas designed to educate through fun.”

A new health app to promote good oral health and tackle obesity in children is being developed in Wakefield – designed entirely by primary school pupils.

Over 200 year six students from across six schools have been taking part in West Wakefield Health and Wellbeing’s Schools App Challenge since September 2015. The final six teams of students presented their ideas to a panel of ‘Dragon’s Den’ style judges at Unity Works.

The team from Horbury Bridge Academy were named overall winners, with their app ‘Healthy Island’; an interactive game aimed at 5-12 year olds with three ‘cities’ focused on healthy eating, exercise and good oral health and incorporating mini-games and quizzes.

HorburyBridgeW1 52

The winners will not only see their winning app developed and launched by West Wakefield Health & Wellbeing, but they will get to spend a behind-the-scenes exclusive day at Microsoft’s Rare Studios learning how the games of tomorrow are made.

Reflecting on what was a hugely

difficult judging process, Dr Chris Jones, Programme Director at West Wakefield, and one of the judges, said: “The standard of the entries this year was astounding. The teams have worked incredibly hard, not only making their apps fun and engaging but also on how they can deliver key messages around exercise, good oral hygiene and eating the right type of food. All of the teams have undoubtedly made their schools proud.”

Judge Ashley Moore, Account Manager for NHS England’s New Models of Care programme, also commented: “The innovations taking place in health and care in Wakefield really are at the vanguard across England of making services better for local people. The Schools App Challenge provides a unique platform to help children learn key education and health messages that they can then apply into everyday life and carry into adulthood, sharing with friends and family along the way. I am hugely excited about what we can transfer to the rest of the country from the work seen here in Wakefield today.”

Reflecting on the winning team’s

Speaking about the technical process that the winning team had undertaken, Microsoft’s Tech Evangelist Lee Stott commented: “It was great to see how the winning app design appealed to both parents and children and I’ve been lucky enough to watch the idea grow from its initial concept via the Skype mentor classroom sessions we’ve been doing.”

Nick Burton, judge and games designer from Microsoft’s Rare Studios, the gamers behind Xbox, commented: “In my seventeen years as a games developer, all six pitches we saw were better than some of the professional games demo pitches I’ve seen. We can’t wait to welcome the team from Horbury Bridge Academy, as well as the runners-up, Sandal Castle Primary, to the Rare Studios where they’ll get to meet our team and see first hand how games are developed.”

The first ever Schools App Challenge competition took place in early 2015 with Horbury Primary School taking the prize that time. ‘Dragon in the Attic’ was the winning app concept and is a mental health app centred on the anti-bullying ideas presented by the winning team.

The app has recently launched and is available to download for free on iOS, Android and Windows (coming soon) at http://dragonapp.me/.

BusinessExpert

Failing to plan is planning to fail!

Gary King, MD of Tendo, is a business growth and strategy expert for ambitious SME’s in Yorkshire. cautions that any old business plan just isn’t going to do that for you.

He says the strategy that’s going to deliver you the work-life balance and financial rewards you dreamed of when you set up your business must be: • Tied to your purpose for being in business, your vision and your values • Dynamic and agile, giving you the ability to respond quickly • Aligned across your business - sales, marketing, operations, finance and talent • Time bound to ensure you remain on track • Reviewed and adapted regularly so you and your team stay accountable

Thinking big Having spent more than 25 years in business, tackling just about every issue and challenge you are likely to encounter, Gary is perfectly placed to advise ambitious businesses with an appetite for growth.

He asks the difficult questions, the ones no one else dares to ask you – or the ones you don’t dare ask yourself.

He combines this with an uncompromising drive for accountability which has transformed over 100 high growth businesses across diverse sectors.

Gary will be a regular columnist for Topic UK and will offer solutions to your growth challenges.

Time management expert Tim Lakein is credited with saying “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” While the saying is well-known, the booming SME market place clearly isn’t taking heed as longevity is not something associated with start-ups. In Leeds, one of the fastest growth areas for SMEs, only 42% make it to the five year mark, almost 10% lower than the national average and over 75% don’t have a formal written plan at all.

Topic’s business strategy expert, Gary King of Tendo, says “There is one critical factor in whether a business succeeds or fails – a lack of strategic planning.”

Why plan?

Gary’s no nonsense approach often poses tough questions for SME business owners. The questions that need asking in order to find the answers needed to deliver results.

His approach is borne from a blend of experience, education and practice (he holds the IoD’s prestigious MA in Company Direction and regularly guest lectures on SME strategy).

Gary has grown Tendo, using his unique single page strategy model, increasing his client base, brand reach and profits significantly every year, all working only four days per week.

It makes sense that having a strategy allows you to take control of your business and make it work for you, not the other way around. Gary

Gary also points out that strategy is about achieving a major result. Many Business owners confuse strategy and tactics and don’t achieve the major results desired.

“You need to think big and have a strategy that can help you deliver results. You must know your destination, otherwise how will you know which direction to take when presented with options. It’s also critical you know the numbers that track business growth – it’s surprising how many entrepreneurs don’t have them or are baffled by them.

Too many rely on their accountant to translate key indicators and abdicate rather than delegate responsibility. Without the right level of knowledge you can’t successfully build a business that gives you the lifestyle you desire, the financial rewards or a successful exit.”

Gary concludes: “We’re in the most dynamic working environment for a generation, you can’t afford not to have a strategy which is adaptable and dynamic.

A great strategy will be simple and provide focus to allow the decisions you need to take.

Doing that will mean less stress for you, a better work-life balance and better financial rewards.”

It’s hard to argue with that - what’s stopping you?

Gary will answer your business questions each issue here in Topic. Send your questions to editor@topicuk.co.uk.

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Wining&Dining

Baked vanilla cheesecake with yorkshire rhubarb & blood orange Welcome to our regular wining and dining feature, where we have teamed up with the Iris Restaurant and Sainsburys Trinity Walk, to bring you a recipe and wine review.

What you will need...

This issue to celebrate Wakefield Rhubarb Festival we have a sumptuous rhubarb dessert, using locally grown rhubarb.

Each issue, we invite a member of the local business community to make the dish and report back.

They also get to sample two bottles of wine, carefully selected

by Sainsburys to accompany the dish.

Cheesecake base • 1/2 packet of digestive biscuits • 125g unsalted butter Using a blender blitz the biscuits until fine or place in a freezer bag and bash until fine! Melt the butter in a pan until it becomes a brown colour and smells slightly nutty, mix through the biscuits and arrange in your cheesecake mould using a small pallet knife, make sure you get right to the edges to plug up any gaps.

Cheesecake • 1kg soft cheese • 250g sugar • 3 tsp plain flour • Seeds of 1 vanilla piod • 3 eggs • 1 yolk • 300ml double cream Pre heats the oven to 120oc. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the biscuit base and bake for around 30 minutes or until set (the cheesecake will have a slight wobble still). Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge.

Jelly •

Juice of 4 blood oranges

The Government and ACE have acknowledged the imbalance, but argue that it is because the major national institutions are based

• 2 gelatine leafs Warm the juice in a sauce pan, when hot add the soaked gelatine leafs and stir until dissolved. Once cool pour over the chilled cheesecake base.

Rhubarb 500g forced yorkshire rhubarb 200g sugar • 200ml water • 100ml grenadine Peel the rhubarb and chop into chunks and place in a bowl, heat the sugar water and grenadine in a pan until boiling and pour over the rhubarb. Clingfilm the pan and leave to cool (this will cook the rhubarb through)

Blood orange 4 blood oranges Use a knife to peel and segment the blood orange.

To serve Take a slice of the cheesecake Arrange the rhubarb and blood orange Serve with vanilla ice cream or a nice orange sorbet.

TopicUK proud to be working with...

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

There is a first time for everything When Gill Laidler the editor asked me if I would cook the recipe for this issue of TopicUK I readily agreed. My thought process started with ‘how hard can it be’ and finished with ‘it must be easy’. I should have thought longer and harder and read the recipe before signing up.

When I eventually got round to reading the recipe I realised that it had 5 separate elements, all of which had to be made separately, two of which required blending.

I still did not realise just how much I had bitten off.

After I had been chased by Gill a least a couple of times, (I have had a lot on over the last few weeks), I decided I had to just bite the bullet and get on with it. A trip to Sainsburys followed and a small fortune spent on ingredients that before reading the recipe, I did not know existed, and secondly, was amazed that I could find in the supermarket. Ingredients purchased all I needed now was a bit of free time over the weekend to get in the kitchen and cook.

Once again I had underestimated the determination of my children to ensure that virtually every spare moment of my weekend was used productively, for them.

First piano lessons, then my wife and daughter went shopping leaving me with the boys and with a message, something to do with the rabbits being cleaned out.

Anyway, two Jurassic Park films later, toy dinosaurs are good to hide behind at the scary bits my eldest son discovered.

Then two rabbits cleaned out and sorted.

Finally now is the time I thought, not to be though, my wife and daughter arrived home and we all sat down to supper.

Sunday arrived, now I must have chance to get it cooked I thought, apparently not, My wife reminded me, for the first time I think, that I had to put some toys up in the loft.

Loft done. Now we all needed lunch so my daughter and I decided to make meatballs in an arriabiatta sauce, really! It was good as well and the first time we had made it.

Youngest son wanted to help as well but he was better at the eating than the cooking.

Sunday afternoon, no chance, swimming lessons for the eldest two and then bath night for all three. So finally at 7pm on Sunday evening I got into the kitchen and got the recipe out. I got all of the ingredients out of the fridge and assured my wife, who was in the process of taking the youngest up to bed, that it would not take longer than 15 minutes to cook. How wrong I was.

I started with the avocado and blended it with the other ingredients in the first element, I did not zest the lime though, I neither have a zester nor know what one is (my wife when reading through reminded me that we do in fact have a zester and called me a fool). Avocado done, 15 minutes in already.

Now the satay, everything seemed to be going well until it came to measuring out the fish sauce, I underestimated how quickly it would pour from the bottle so there was probably a bit more in than was required. At this point, 30 minutes in, and only 2 elements done I started to ponder whether I would get to watch Vera on TV,

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or whether I should watch it on catch up.

Pickled shallots done, despite forgetting where I had put the peppercorns and seeking to blame my wife for tidying up our pantry, I had left it in a mess to be fair. Then the cucumber diced and char grilled, well nearly. I had forgotten that we had run out of olive oil and I was fed up with washing up pans, so I just chucked the cucumber in a hot pan with a little vegetable oil. Job nearly done.

The Sea Bass was the easiest thing to cook, I already had a hot pan with some oil in, from the cucumber. I put the fish in and started to plate up the rest. No unsalted butter, salted did the job though. When I had finished I looked at my creation and was quietly satisfied. It actually looked quite good, well one of them did, the other got a bit broken.

I proudly carried two plates through and put them on the table for my wife and I. We both enjoyed it, it tasted really good, it was well worth the effort and 1 hour and 15 minutes of work.

When we had finished my wife asked where her flowers were for Valentines day, I said ‘flowers you must be joking, I have just cooked you a delicious dinner’.

My compliments to Liam at Iris, it really was good. If he gives up all of his recipes then I may not have to go and eat at Iris anymore, only joking. In a month of firsts for me then why not my first go at cooking Sea Bass, satay, pickled anything and char grilled cucumber. You never know I might just have another crack at it, it was excellent.

‘The wine was very kindly donated by Sainsbury’s from their taste the difference range was a brilliant accompaniment to the Sea Bass. It had hints of citrus combined with a fresh finish and was enjoyed by my wife and I as we ate.’

Tim Welton, Williams & Co, Wakefield office.

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Educate

ChooseYour Leader Carefully Darryl Wideman,Headmaster of Silcoates School, with Captain Scott to be the first to the South Pole in 1911, explorers of the so-called Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration continued to find ways to break new ground. One of them was Ernest Shackleton, who led the grandly-titled Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which set out in late 1914 to cross the South Pole from sea to sea, a journey of 1,800 miles in some of the toughest conditions on the planet.

Shackleton’s advertisement in the newspapers for men to join him didn’t say: ‘Men needed for expedition. Minimum five years’ experience. Must know how to hoist mainsail. Come and work for a fantastic captain.’ It said: ‘Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.

Honour and recognition in case of success.’

The media always enjoy anniversaries, though usually only those that end in a five or a zero; and if they end in a double zero, so much the better...

In 2015, there were plenty of opportunities to fill the airwaves with material – 800 years since Magna Carta, 600 since Agincourt, 200 since Waterloo and 100 since Gallipoli. Events elsewhere in the news in November understandably took precedence over another anniversary, but the end of last year marked the centenary of a piece of heroism and leadership that deserves far greater recognition than it usually receives.

After Amundsen had won the race

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The only people who applied for the job of joining Shackleton on his expedition were those who read the advert and thought it sounded great.They loved insurmountable odds. They were survivors. Shackleton only hired people who believed what he believed. Their ability to survive was guaranteed, which is one of the key reasons why no one died on the expedition when it all went wrong. His ship, Endurance, became trapped in the pack ice in 1915, forcing the men to abandon it. They camped for months on the frozen sea before crossing over 700 miles of stormy ocean to find help on South Georgia.

Most school children know about Captain Scott – well, they did in the old days when I was a lad! There was something compelling about his heroic failure, epitomised by the self-sacrifice of Captain Lawrence Oates with the words ‘I am just

ADVERTISEMENT going outside and may be some time’ as he walked to his certain death in a blizzard.

But it is Shackleton who should be celebrated and studied, not least for his style of leadership in times of crisis.

Shackleton combined meaningful challenge with a concern for his men, but for Scott the only goal that counted was finishing.

Shackleton saw that fulfilment required the combination of meaningful work with regard for others, while Scott was dogmatic and formal. For him the prize was everything and his military training probably dictated that some loss of life was inevitable. He was bullying and controlling; Shackleton was humorous

and egalitarian. Scott tried to orchestrate every movement of his men; Shackleton gave them responsibility and independence. Scott was secretive and untrusting; Shackleton talked openly and frankly about all aspects of the work. Scott put his team at risk to achieve his goals; Shackleton valued his men’s lives above all else. Scott and all his men died; Shackleton and all his men survived.

There are lessons to learn from both men, of course, as we help the pupils in our schools to develop the leadership skills they will surely need in the years ahead as they face the challenges of our ever-changing world.

The Community Foundation for Wakefield District is seeking

INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR Freelance, part-time (1 to 2 days per week) £ negotiable The Board of the Community Foundation is carrying out a review of its activities, and is seeking a person with particular skills to assist them in this process.

The role requires someone with significant business and administrative acumen who can quickly research and analyse key issues, then work with Board members to create a business strategy that will take the Foundation forward.

A background in the charity or not-for-profit sector is anticipated, as are excellent analytical and communication skills. The ideal person may already have been involved in a Community Foundation and/or have experience of working closely with voluntary Boards. A comprehensive information pack is available and can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website.

The closing date for receipt of completed expressions of interest is Wednesday 9 March and interviews will be held in Wakefield during w/c 14 March.

Community Foundation for Wakefield District, PO Box 695, Wakefield WF1 9NW Administration : (01924) 239 181 www.communityfoundationwakefield.co.uk

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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GolfDay Thursday 21 July 2016

Be part of this summer’s Wakefield Business Community golfing season by joining an event in aid of Theatre Royal Wakefield. Held in the splendid setting of Normanton Golf Club (Hatfeild) this is a great chance to support live Theatre within Wakefield while testing your golfing prowess against colleagues and friends.

The event starts at 12 noon with a hearty bacon sandwich and ends with a 2 course dinner held in the Hatfeild Suite followed by prize giving.

You are invited to enter as a team of 4 (£240) or individually (£60) in this 18-hole stableford event.

There will be opportunities to win some great prizes including: · Nearest the pin · Nearest the line · Team winners

Contact jon.ingham@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

MORE 5)"/ " ."5$) Whilst professional Rugby League has been played here at the Post Office Road since 1921 the Big Fella’s Stadium is home to more than Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club.

The facilities we have here mean that whether you are looking for a venue for business or pleasure we can offer a bespoke package to meet your needs at a price that we believe represents outstanding value for money.

We have various spaces that can cater for a business meeting for four to a wedding reception for 120 with the added bonus of your business helping our community Club progress as we tackle the challenge of the 2015 season.

We can offer

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For details of our prices and facilities please contact our Commercial Manager Paul Taylor on 07584 684 329 or via paul.taylor@featherstonerovers.net

TravelUpdate

Santiago de Compostela tipped to be a Spanish favourite by @pbsportswriter

THE band is playing but the five guys in it are jumping around like crazy with everyone else on a packed dancefloor.

There are trumpets, a saxophone and a large metal drum which one of them is holding over his head and banging with a stick.

All around them the locals are cutting some shapes, singing along in Spanish at the top of their voices in a sweaty, heaving mass, making the floor bounce under your feet.

It’s late at night and the bar we’re in is small, and tucked away down a side street in Santiago de Compostela – which is tipped to become the next big holiday destination in Spain.

Carried along by the mass, it’s easy to see why. After all, it’s only Thursday, so you can imagine what the weekend must be like, especially when one in three people are students.

The city, which is the capital of Galicia in northern Spain and a picturesque UNESCO world heritage site, is best known as the supposed resting place of St James the Apostle.

picturesque Cies islands nearby which holiday companies are just starting to catch on to as a potential paradise for tourists.

Located just over an hour’s drive away from Santiago is some truly amazing coastline – and if you take a boat out to the islands you are in for a treat.

They have restrictions on how many visitors are allowed out to the islands, and you have to have a permit to camp overnight.

But it’s not the just the Romanesque cathedral where his remains are said to be buried, the arcaded stone streets of the medieval old town, or the jumping nightlife that makes this place special.

But this means the hot, sandy beaches are never overcrowded – a rare luxury if you are looking for some genuine peace and quiet after a hard day’s night.

It’s the quiet, unspoilt beaches of the

The best way to get out to the islands

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is to head to Baiona, a quaint little port town full of quirky cafes and shops full of narrow streets and old stone buildings.

Baiona is famous because in April 1, 1493 it became the first place to learn about the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus when one of his ships anchored here on its way home.

But it also boasts a hotel which is one of the most spectacular places you will ever see. The 4* Parador Baiona, which looks out at the islands from the mainland, dominates the landscape.

Converted from a magnificent 16th century fortress which overlooks the town, it’s ramparts and battlements give stunning views out over the bay where boats wait to ferry tourists to the islands.

unpaid by the Archbishop.

It’s hard to believe when you’re up there teetering high above street level, but the bell ringer actually lived up there in one of the towers until 1962 – and kept chickens.

It’s all about seafood rather than poultry in Santiago of the world though, which is something to remember if you’re no fan of octopus in your tapas.

But you can buy all kinds of meat, fish and vegetables yourself from the busy local market and have it cooked for you right then and there if you can’t wait until dinner.

As well as the food in Santiago, wwhich is everywhere in the old town on market stalls, in open-air cafes and restaurants, the first thing you will notice is the music.

You cannot turn a corner in daylight without the sweet sound of a mandolin player, the strumming of a harpist or a sitar player, or even the wail of bagpipes greeting your ears. It’s magical.

If you want to, you can also follow some of the route of the Way of St James, which was considered just as important a pilgrimage as those to Jerusalem or Rome in medieval times.

As a piece of architecture, it’s even more impressive than the cathedral in Santiago, which has been attracting visitors from all over the world for hundreds of years.

The faithful believe that when St James was beheaded in Jerusalem, his remains were brought here by boat by two of his disciples and buried in Santiago.

Around 5,000 pilgrims a day were coming here in the Middle Ages to worship, and many still do. But you don’t have to be a believer to blown away by the place. You can even climb out on to the roof, which sports a carving of a naked bottom sticking up in the air where a gargoyle should be – a silent protest by a stonemason who had gone

Don’t worry though. Most tour companies won’t expect you to walk the whole 118km (though many people still do), and will instead take you on the last 5km through woods and farmland into the city.

It’s estimated that an average of 150,000 pilgrims come to Santiago every year.

But British tourists are now being given the chance to visit too, and from what I saw of the place it would make the ideal short break, with Easyjet running plenty of cheap flights from Gatwick.

If you make it, go for a stroll one night down one of the many little side streets in the old town and you might end up dancing around with the locals with a big grin on your face too.

Ramsdens expand into newly refurbished office space Ramsdens, is expanding into newly refurbished office space in Wakefield in order to accommodate its growing team of lawyers.

This move marks the culmination of a busy 12 months for Ramsdens with the firms recent merger with Baxter Caulfield and winning Law Firm of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards.

Ramsdens now has 11 offices across West Yorkshire with 25 partners and employs 250 people.

Ramsdens launched their Wakefield office in January 2013 and this move will see their office size more than double.

The office currently has three full-time partners in its 20-strong staff complement. The firm is looking to increase that with additional staff.

Visit www.ramsdens.co.uk to see their current vacancies in Wakefield.

Laura Smith, partner at Wakefield office commented: “There’s a real buzz about Wakefield at the moment and we are delighted to be able to expand our presence here and continue providing valuable legal advice for businesses and residents across Wakefield and the Five Towns.”

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The Wakefield First Bondholder Scheme, has announced more than 30 new members in recent months.

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