TopicUK Wakefield Jan2017 by Yorkshire BusinessWoman & TopicUK

ISSUE 24 JANUARY 2017

Wakeﬁeld & District free business community magazine

WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK

ADEEM YOUNIS

Wakefield’s best kept secret

THE BID Fall in love with Wakefield

IT SUPPORT that takes the Biscuit

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WakeﬁeldUpdate p06 - Preparing for growth p10 - New homes mean less fuel p17 - Hairdresser of the year

p27 - A real future for Wakeﬁeld communities p30 - Data protection are you compliant? p44 - The aging workplace p64 - Don't give Trump a chance

Preparing for growth

Meet the multi award winning entrepreneur

IT support that takes the biscuit

Fall in love with Wakefield again

Full of eastern promise

Contents & Comments

Cover: Meet the award winning Adeem Younis entrepreneur Details of this month‘s TopicUK, your Local Business Community Magazine

For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk

For Advertising Sales

Tel: 07711 539047

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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TopicUK

Editor’s Notes

by Gill Laidler

EDITOR

GILL LAIDLER

elcome to the ﬁrst edition of 2017. I hope everyone enjoyed a well deserved break and ready to face 2017 with renewed enthusiasm.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL

LOCAL HEROES EDITOR

THE ARTS We ended 2016 with new launches, a new magazine in Leeds, TopicTV and TopicTapas, we have even more plans for 2017 with further magazines planned. We have attended lots of events over the last month and want to offer our congratulations firstly to the WACCL committee on yet another brilliant charity lunch, with £28k raised for local charity. Over in Huddersfield, TopicUK was approached last year to help stage a sister event KACCL. The inaugural event was held mid December and a fantastic £18k was raised for The Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice, again massive congratulations to the organising committee. Each year, TopicUK selects a charity support for each of our editions. Last year we helped The Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice and Western Park Hospital in Sheffield. This year, we have selected Penny Appeal in Wakefield, Super Siblings in Kirklees/ Calderdale, Leeds Community Foundation in Leeds and as we went to press, we are still looking to select a charity for South Yorkshire. We would like to offer our thanks to Stefanie Hopkins and her team at Faith PR who have been looking after and editing our Kirklees / Calderdale edition for the past 12 months. Due to their heavy workload, they no longer have the time to commit to TopicUK, so the edition is coming back inhouse.

Our TopicTapas networking event was launched in November and we were delighted to welcome so many guests. Seventy two businesses joined us on a cold wet afternoon at the National Coal Mining Museum for England. The second Tapas event takes place in January and is on track to be supported as much as the ﬁrst. The added bonus for attendees is that those who attend all six events planned over the year, will be able to apply for the proﬁts for their own business. Networking with cash back, what could be better?

MURRAY EDWARDS ARTS & BUSINESS CONSULANT, KATIE TOWN THEATRE ROYAL

LEGAL MATTERS RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

BEAUTY & WELLBEING SOPHIE MEI LAN

HEALTH DR ANDREW FURBER

FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW KEVIN TRICKETT, WAKEFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY

RECRUITMENT ANDY TURNER, FIRST CHOICE RECRUITMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA SINEAD SOPALA, RAMSDENS SOLICITORS

We have a couple of new features for you this edition. Sam Harvey from One World Travel in Wakeﬁeld has agreed to write a regular travel feature for us, so if you’re planning your summer holiday or an important business trip, this is one to watch.

BUSINESS GARY KING, TENDO LTD

IT PAUL HEIGHAM, BELLINGHAM IT

EDUCATION DARRYL WIDEMAN SILCOATES SCHOOL

FASHION Once again we have been joined by Kiran Akram a second year A-level student from Outwood Grange Academy. Kiran has been working with us one day a week on TopicTomorrow and is quickly making herself a valuable member of the TopicUK team. As we went to press, we have been oﬀered the opportunity to work with more young people, journalist students from Huddersﬁeld University, so we hope that 2017 will see this section grow into a stand alone magazine for young people. If you would like to be involved, do let us know.

FARAH YAKINE

BANKING BARCLAYS BANK

For Advertising Sales

Tel: 07711 539047 The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staﬀ cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Suite 6, Unity Works, Westgate, Wakeﬁeld WF1 1EP. Law pages are written by Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Preparing for growth Digital marketing agency The Bigger Boat has moved into vibrant new offices in Mirfield, to make way for continued expansion in 2017.

hat started out seven years ago as a three-man ‘crew’ is now a nine-strong team with its eye on turnover of £0.5m. The growing business has therefore relocated to a 2,000sqft space in a converted water mill at Wheatley Park, to pave the way for its next phase of development. It is hoped that this creative new ‘home’ – complete with a replica boat’s hull as the boardroom wall – will act as an inspiring new environment for the dynamic organisation to work. Commenting on the move, creative director Doug Main said: “We care a lot about our surroundings, so purposefully looked for something a bit different. You don’t have to be involved in the routine ‘rat race’ to do cutting edge stuff. We’ve got big plans for the future, with aims to ultimately become a £1m turnover business in the next five years. “This picturesque location, with significant room to grow, will help us be just that.”

Already the move seems to be paying off. With more than 60 clients in its customer base including Visit Calderdale, Celloglas, Deuren and Direct 2 Mum, The Bigger Boat has just secured its first ‘household name’, Little Tikes. This US-owned toy brand – most famous for the red and yellow Cozy Coupe originally created in the 70’s – has tasked the team with handling creative and website development throughout the UK. Within weeks of the Mirfield move, a new designer and account manager were also on board, and there are plans to continue the recruitment drive in the next 12 months. Digital director Lee Boothroyd continued: “We’re renowned for being a results-driven digital marketing agency, and we’ve now got firm sights set on our own targets too. By offering something different for employees – as well as clients – we’re also better equipped to grow even with the industry’s current talent shortage.”

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Ossett start-up launches training academy Lee is a top 100 financial planner Glennan Wealth Management are pleased to announce that they have been named in the New Model Adviser Top 100 Financial Planning Firms in the UK list for 2016 by Citywire. Citywire is a totally independent organisation that produces news, opinion and advice for the fund management industry. The annual Top 100 list, produced by their site ‘New Model Adviser’, recognises the best in financial planning, wealth management and investment advice. The team have grown their funds under advice from £16m in 2014 to almost £40m this year, as well as growing total profits from £28,000 to £250,000 over the same period. The company is also one of the few practices in the UK to be recognised as both a Chartered Financial Planning Firm by the CII and an Accredited Financial Planning Firm by the CISI. Lee’s commitment to his clients and to offering the best possible service, has been the driving force behind their growth and he looks forward to continuing to develop the company over the next year.

Delivering workplace training, event medical cover & ambulance services nationwide, Heart Medical has shown increasing high growth potential after a positive initial start to their first year in business with plans to launch their new training centre in January 2017. After facing redundancies in December 2015, Managing Director Paul Caffrey and business partner Natasha Stobbart have set up Heart Medical. Utilising their past experience in previous roles, they saw the potential to deliver three key areas of service to the health sector; Ambulance Services, First Aid Training and Event Medical Cover. Establishing themselves in January 2016 after seeking advice from Wakefield Council’s business support team the business has grown and the team has managed to secure work, which has seen the Heart Team cover events such as the Yorkshire Festival, Silverstone Race Circuit, Racecourses, Food & Drink Festivals and also providing ambulance to the public and private sectors seeing the team travelling as far as Brussels to repatriate a patient back to Yorkshire.

Now the focus is on launching its training academy for workplaces, private clients and Military personnel who are on re-settlement. Paul Caffrey, Managing Director commented; “we are really happy with the rate that the business is growing. We have plans to hire more staff and apprentices throughout 2017 and this training centre should help give us the potential to do so. “The Training centre is a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to expand our services and hopefully create more jobs for people in the Wakefield area and ultimately enabling students to be fully trained, capable and confident to work be a workplace First Aider or to pursue a career in Pre-Hospital Care.’’ This year has certainly kept Heart Medical busy with them gaining funding from the Business Enterprise Fund, becoming an accredited training provider with Qualsafe to deliver up to a level 5 Diploma in prehospital emergency care and with a client list growing, this business is showing a healthy start to 2017.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

MartinWalsh Architectural celebrates 40 years of excellence Martin Walsh Architectural, a Dewsbury based business that originally started out in a back bedroom, is celebrating four decades of growth. Originally launched in 1976 the family-run business, which spans two generations, and has been involved in over 6000 projects, has developed into one of the region’s leading architectural ﬁrms, with an impressive portfolio of work. Martin Walsh, Managing Director, commented: “When I started the business it was a one-man operation in my spare

made signiﬁcant investment in the technology and training over the last two years in order to maximise the potential.

bedroom. Now, 40 years later, we have 12 team members who are delivering great results within residential, commercial, industrial, leisure and education sectors.

“Adopting BIM provides our business with numerous benefits as it enables a more efficient production of information and a significantly enhanced collaboration with clients on their project.

“We’ve experienced growth despite the challenges that our industry has faced and have maintained our team during the recession, which is without doubt based on our strong reputation and commitment to quality. In recent years we have continued to quietly, yet conﬁdently grow our business, extending our footprint into the north of England and also into diverse sectors.”

Martin continues: “We are giving our clients the ability to interact with their buildings through high quality visualisations and interactive walkthroughs and this allows them to make more informed choices about their projects.

Recognising the changes in the industry and the development of advanced technologies, the ﬁrm have committed to implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) processes and standards within the practice and have

“To accommodate our team we’ve recently extended our oﬃces by a third and are about to embark on an external façade overhaul to include new oﬃce entrance and signage to bring the look and feel in line with our new brand.”

Award Success for Holroyd Miller Holroyd Miller have won the most popular awards scheme in residential property, The Negotiator Awards, with a Silver Award for Website of the Year. Hosted by the stand up comedian Ed Byrne, hundreds of property professionals took their seats in the hope of walking away with an award to recognise the good work they do.

In what must have been a hard cetegory to judge, Holroyd Miller were yet again shining stars in this extremely competitive event. They were commended for consulting with their customers to develop a customer focused website that provides easy access to information making the process of buying and selling a house simpler and easier. Simon Miller, partner says: “With more entrants than

ever, we are extremely proud and happy to be recognised with this award. We invested heavily in our digital communication this year. The site reflects our devotion to Wakefield and best practice in customer service and high street estate agency. “We wanted our website to not only promote everything that is good about Wakefield, but promote everything that is good about meeting

customer expectations, namely providing and demonstrating our professionalism, expertise, and knowledge.” Voted Silver winner 2016 for Best Website, North East Estate Agency Silver winner 2015, and Estate Agent of the year 2013 the Holroyd Miller team is one of the most skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated integrated property specialists in the Wakeﬁeld area.

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Viamaster shows their support for Yorkshire Air Ambulance One of the UK’s leading logistics providers has launched a fundraising drive to support the lifesaving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

industry, Viamaster recognises the vital service YAA provides, saving lives across Yorkshire.” Based at a state-of-the-art distribution, warehousing and training facility in Castleford, Viamaster has been in business for more than 40 years. You can support the Viamaster fund raising drive by texting YAAV50 £3 to 70070 to make a £3 donation to the rapid response emergency service.

The rapid response emergency services iconic yellow helicopter will feature on the sides of the latest edition to Viamaster’s urban vehicle ﬂeet. The branding – which includes an appeal to make a £3 text donation to the YAA – was unveiled at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell Air Support Unit near Wakeﬁeld.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5million people across the four million acres of Britain’s largest county and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day and is currently replacing its two, ageing aircraft with brand new, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters. Kerry Garner, YAA Regional Fundraising Manager, said: “We have been planning this campaign for some time now and it is amazing to ﬁnally see the ﬁnished design on the sides of the Viamaster vehicle.

The new SDC Trailer will become a distinctive sight on Yorkshire’s roads as it makes daily deliveries in cities and towns throughout the region. Andrew Warrington, Chairman of Viamaster, said: “We hope a lot of people will see the message and show their support for their local air ambulance service. We will also be taking the trailer to events throughout the year to help raise awareness and funds for the charity.

“We knew it would look good, but until we saw it, we didn’t realise just how much impact the advertising was going to have! We cannot thank Viamaster enough for this opportunity and are very much looking forward to continuing to work with the team. We’re sure that our supporters will not miss the vehicle on the roads across Yorkshire!”

“We are a family business and wanted to show our support for the amazing work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. It is a service that anyone at any time could need and, as part of the transport

Pictured: (L to R) Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedic Pete Rhodes, Doctor Rob Anderson and paramedic Kit von Mickwitz by the YAA branded Viamaster vehicle.

International relations Wakefield Council took part in an innovative programme in December, aimed at increasing networking and collaboration opportunities for Wakefield businesses, boosting exports and protecting and growing jobs. The INTERREG Compete In programme, which took place at Unity Works, aims to build new relations and exchanges among key business development and support organisations from countries across the world. These included: lead partner on the programme the Municipality of Reggio Emilia-Italy, with other partners, IVACE Valencia Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Institute - Spain, Upper Silesian Agency for Entrepreneurship and Development - Poland, Wielkopolska Region with the seat of the Marshall Office of the Wielkopolska Region in Poznan Poland, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council - United Kingdom, Municipality of Gvle - Sweden, ERVET Economic Development Agency of Emilia Romagna Region Italy, TopicUK was also delighted to be there, along with other local businesses Our Agency and Carmel Harrison Public Relations. The programme will build on Wakefield’s international relations and alliances by strengthening and improving regional policies on internationalisation of global territories. It will use a new approach to support small to medium sized enterprise and the regional engagement in international markets. It will engage with local stakeholder groups, with the longterm aim of developing new markets and increasing export activity through development of best practices guidelines.

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WakefieldUpdate bills are expected to be around £440 lower in a modern one-bedroom ground floor flat, compared to its Victorian equivalent. And for a new build fourbedroom detached house, bills are estimated at £1,050 - saving £1,400 compared to those of a 19th century house. Ross Clarkson, sales director of Bellway Yorkshire, said: “We’ve always believed that our new build homes would provide significant savings on fuel bills, but have never been in a position to make this claim. The NHBC has therefore done us and other homebuilders a favour by demonstrating without any doubt that a new home will save you money on fuel bills.” Those quizzed by the NHBC also said they were drawn to the idea of buying a ‘blank-canvas’ ready to be personalised, rather than a home full of nasty surprises from previous owners’ DIY. They also commented positively on contemporary, flexible layouts and modern facilities of new homes, such as new kitchens, bathrooms and appliances, all of which are covered by manufacturers’ warranties. The report went on to outline the safety advantages of new homes, which were raised by some respondents. These include mains-powered smoke alarms, which come as standard on all Bellway homes, and the benefits of safety glazing, safer stairs and various other additional security features.

New homes mean less fuel Families living in new homes slash fuel bills by half, says the Yorkshire division of national homebuilder, Bellway.

new report from the NHBC Foundation shows that a new home built to the latest building regulations can cost half as much to heat as a Victorian house of the same size. The advantages of new homes are based on a survey of 2,000 people who had recently moved into a new home and were asked what they considered the

advantages to be. Many pointed to the energy efficiency benefits, including the better standards of insulation, enhanced draughtproofing and improved ‘airtightness’ that all help to lower household annual energy bills. The report went on to show that energy

The advantages of new homes also are seen to extend beyond the front door, with many of the new homeowners surveyed saying that moving to a new development of like-minded people was also an attraction, especially as it provided the opportunity to make new friends and neighbours in a new community. The full report can be downloaded at www.nhbcfoundation.org

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Fall in love with Wakefield again David Owens, the chair of the Wakefield BID steering group, said if they did, they could unlock massive potential that could propel the city into the superleague as a commercial, retail, entertainment and tourist destination. David, who runs Wakefield Beer Exchange, said that the BID was a real chance for central businesses to take the leading role in decision making in important areas such as marketing and city centre investment. “We have a chance to do some very radical things and make people see Wakefield differently but we have to work collaboratively if we are going to succeed,” he said ahead of the official launch of the BID Proposal. “Every business in the BID area shares common aims. We all want to boost marketing to attract more visitors, create a welcoming environment to encourage people to stay in Wakefield longer, make it easy for them to sample

a variety of its business offer, tackle the anti-social behavior that stops people from visiting the city centre and to speak up about our ideas for improvements with a single voice.” “Every eligible business with a vote needs to understand the bigger picture that the BID is aiming for. We’re all in this city centre to build business and we need to appreciate how attracting new visitors to any business sector will have a positive knock-on effect and we will all feel the benefit of the ripple. “We are slowly tempting people to stay in the city after work, enticing new visitors to Wakefield from outside. There is a very positive outlook and the BID could help us achieve more”. “The BID can help Wakefield become known as an attractive city centre that has a great shopping experience and

a quality driven evening and night economy. Central businesses will be more successful and the city will become more appealing as a residential location and place of employment, improving footfall and recruitment base.” “We want to make people invest in their careers in Wakefield because they have a reason to. If we can create the right environment then our professional services, retail, evening economy and all other sectors will benefit on many different levels.” Having started plenty of new hospitality ventures around the world, Dave is only too aware of the value of marketing the BID’s message and transparency. “Like every other independent business person in Wakefield City Centre, I have to make Wakefield Beer Exchange work, but within that I am passionate about Wakefield and what the BID can bring. To give it the best chance of success our steering group will be at as many events between now and the end of February as possible so that people can ask any questions they have.”

Prestigious award for Wakefield firm Wakeﬁeld business support company fds Director Services Limited, has won the Acquisition International 2016 M&A Awards - Most Innovative UK Deal Negotiator 2016 and The AI One to Watch in Corporate Finance.

deals taking longer and access to funding becoming increasingly diﬃcult, so to be recognised as the most innovative deal negotiator is a testament to how we have adapted and are continuing to achieve the best possible deals for our clients”.

The prestigious M&A Awards celebrate the outstanding eﬀorts and amazing achievements of all those involved in identifying, coordinating and completing the important deals which have the potential to change the fate of businesses, industries and even entire countries.

Acquisition International prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.

Poonam Kaur, Managing Director said “We are immensely proud to have won this award. Our industry has been challenging since the ﬁnancial crash with

Jo Haigh, CEO said “We really are one to watch in corporate ﬁnance over the next few years. Our deals have been

more complex than ever before, but what we have learnt in that time is that we know how to support businesses and business owners through their increasing challenges, not just the sale of their business. To this end, and with the addition of some key team members not least our new commercial director Gillian Van Laarhoven, we are moving into the business advisory and support space and can’t wait to share our innovativeness, knowledge and expertise for businesses at any stage of their journey.”

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

New signings for Wakefield Agency A Wakefield Public Relations agency has signed a glut of new businesses, all ambitious to grow beyond their traditional territories and utilise strategy and consultancy. Carmel Harrison PR, based in Unity Works, will be managing PR and communications strategy for contract manufacturers, Grotech Production Ltd, Bellingham IT, Workplace Pensions Direct, of Leeds and Wakeﬁeld BID. The new clients are all in the B2B sector that the agency understands so well.

New addition to Ramsdens Family team Ramsdens are delighted to announce the appointment Katarzyna Zatorski to their family team. Katarzyna, based at the Dewsbury oﬃce, will work to strengthen the existing family law team by continuing to build on its strong reputation across West Yorkshire. Katarzyna, who is a Polish national and speaks the language ﬂuently, specialises in family matters involving domestic violence and helps clients obtain the protection they need on an emergency basis and also deals with divorce matters and matters involving children, including

disputes that arise between parties in relation to contact or residence.

“Communications is a key part of any business and the B2B sector appreciates this better than most. Often, below the radar, their aim is to connect with decision makers in their target sectors through structured communications,” said Carmel. “They all appreciate there is more to sustainable communications than a press release, but value the importance of consistent proﬁle across a range of media in an ever changing fast moving landscape. “While appearing very diﬀerent all share common features not least of which is their desire to grow their businesses in existing and new markets.”

procedure involving so many sensitive family issues to the clients in their native language.”

Helen Thewlis, Partner and Head of Family said: “We are delighted that Katarzyna has joined our Family team and we very much look forward to working with her to continue to provide an excellent service for our clients and to the wider Polish community.” Katarzyna added: “I am absolutely thrilled to work at such respectable and award-winning law ﬁrm. I look forward to working in the family department with so many amazing and experienced people. “As a Polish solicitor I hope to provide assistance to the Polish community across all of our oﬃces. I appreciate that for many Polish clients dealing with family or marriage breakdown in an unfamiliar legal system can be very daunting and stressful. I believe that it is very important to be able to explain the complicated

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Ramsdens Solicitors joins pioneering Legal Panel for P2P business lending

est Yorkshire legal firm Ramsdens Solicitors LLP have announced their appointment to a new national Legal Panel launched earlier this year this year by Folk2Folk, a leading Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lender to local businesses. Panel law firms such as Ramsdens Solicitors will carry out the important legal work necessary to complete loans for local business owners that take a loan from Folk2Folk. With a depth of local knowledge, Ramsdens will play a key part in the loan process in helping to validate the properties to secure against the loans. By being part of the Folk2Folk Legal Panel, firms such as Ramsdens will develop new income streams through the legal fees associated with the loans. By doing so, they play a pivotal role in supporting their local business community. By building a Legal Panel, Folk2Folk is creating a network of local law firms across the country to enable solicitors to introduce their clients to alternative forms of funding that suit their individual requirements. As an alternative finance provider, Folk2Folk is not a bank but a peer-to-peer lending service specialising in local secured lending for businesses. Folk2Folk enables local business to achieve their business goals and grow by matching local and rural businesses looking for finance with local investors looking for a

great return. Investment returns on oﬀer range from 5.5% to 6.5% based on the LTV of the property which acts as a security against the loan and other criteria. By introducing more than £120 million of lending to local businesses across the South West, Folk2Folk has helped match funds from local communities to businesses to enable them to grow, prosper and thrive. Paul Joyce, Managing Partner commented: “We are delighted to be working with Folk2Folk

as their innovative approach to lending is refreshing and adds a modern twist to rural lending.”

In the picture L-R : Laura Smith (Partner, Ramsden Solicitors LLP), Jane Dumeresque, Folk2Folk CEO, Amanda French said: “Ramsdens Solicitors is one (Legal Panel of the leading law ﬁrms in West Relationship Yorkshire with a strong heritage Manager, Folk2Folk) in the local area and we are and Beth Hilton delighted to welcome them to our (Solicitor, Ramsdens Legal Panel. Ramsdens Solicitors Solicitors LLP). have deep ties to the local community, which combined with their ability to provide an exceptional service means they are a perfect ﬁt for the Legal Panel.”

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Wakefield’s professionals back the BID Wakefield’s legal eagles and number crunchers have backed the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) as an opportunity to attract and retain new talent into the city. One of the leading lawyers in the city said attracting skilled people to Wakefield would create a ripple effect that every business sector would benefit from. Tim Welton, a partner with Williams & Co. has offices in Wakefield city centre and Cleckheaton. He said that BID’s four key plan to promote, improve and create a safer business environment that welcomes everyone would attract young professionals at the start of their careers and persuade them to stay and make their lives and homes in the city. “Wakefield BID will have a positive effect on every business. Young professionals from every discipline are attracted to a business environment which offers career development and has a thriving and diverse evening economy. “There is no end of the career opportunities for young professionals in

the city. All disciplines including legal operate in the commercial, corporate, public and private sector who are attracted by the depth of skills and the fact that we don’t have the high operational costs of London. “Wakefield has a diverse cultural offer with galleries, music and theatre all playing their part. Added to that Wakefield’s bars and restaurants offer a wide and diverse range of food and drink that makes it an attractive evening economy. “By making Wakefield city centre welcoming and attractive and easily accessible there is a greater incentive for young professionals to stay and make careers with the commercial benefits for every business that brings to the whole city,” he added. David Owens chair of Wakefield BID

welcomed the backing of the city’s professional sector. “Supporting the BID demonstrates how the professional sector lead by Wakefield Law Society appreciates the ripple effect of investment in marketing the city. By creating an environment and presenting it beyond Wakefield that is welcoming, accessible, safe and diverse, they understand how it attracts talented professionals to make long term careers and benefits all businesses.”

TopicUK receives a warm welcome in Leeds TopicUK has extended its growing family, with the launch of a new edition covering Leeds and district, bringing the total number of TopicUK’s across Yorkshire and London to ﬁve. More than 60 businesses joined TopicUK at The Tetley on Hunslet Road on 17 November, where guests were greeted with welcome drinks and canapes and enjoyed entertainment by the fabulous Brand New Vinyls and magic man Matt. “We were delighted so many people were able to join us,” said TopicUK group editor and joint founder Gill Laidler. “It was a really cold night with heavy rain, but still

many businesses came along to support us, confirming that the Leeds edition will be just as successful as all our other editions.” TopicUK launched almost four years ago in Wakefield, quickly joined by Kirklees/ Calderdale, South Yorkshire, Soho and now Leeds. Further editions are planned for Scarborough and the East Coast and Newcastle. “We would like to thank our first partners in Leeds, whose support made this new edition possible and we are looking forward to helping promote businesses across the region,” concluded Gill.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate such as swine meat, its by-products and alcohol. Their presence is a major concern to British Muslim consumers. It is not always safe to assume that a prepacked food or drink is free from alcohol. Many products can contain alcohol through natural fermentation of the product and some products will use alcohol as a carrier for permitted additives.

Is what you’re eating really Halal? The Halal meat market is constantly growing with more than £2 billion being spent on Halal meat annually in the UK, but can consumers be sure that what they are eating is really Halal?

West Yorkshire Analytical Services is able to oﬀer Halal testing using state of the art equipment and inhouse expert advice. Our respect for religious requirements is paramount throughout our service. If you have any speciﬁc questions about Halal testing, please email us on analyst@wyjs.org.uk or telephone the Laboratory Manager Martin Bowden (0113 393 9712) or Public Analyst Duncan Campbell (0113 393 9710).

With the growth in the Halal meat market also comes the increasing demand for Halal certiﬁcations. The driving force behind this is not clear. However recent news stories on food adulteration are likely to be a contributing factor.

Here’s how you can write a better script for your 2017

Routine sampling carried out by West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service has shown that a signiﬁcant number of samples sold contain meat species other than those declared. The mislabelling of products has serious implications from a safety and ethical perspective. Consumers need to be able to trust their suppliers that what they are selling is what it is claimed to be.

The script for your year ahead is already part-written. Yet is it the script you want? Is it the script that delivers the results you seek?

To certify that a product can be classed as Halal, it must be free from non-permitted ingredients

Luckily, you can do something to change your destiny, to create the outcomes you desire. If you want to change things however, ﬁrst you need to identify the script you are currently running. To change your behaviour or the expected outcomes you need to change your underlying script. I teach about ‘story-listening’ in

my Brand Story classes where I share that there are five Prime Plots - and by knowing them you can listen and identify the Plot at work in ay message or communication. The most commonly-used Prime Plot script often used by default is the ‘Ragsto-riches’ script. Think of the story of ‘Cinderella’: a fairy godmother with her magic wand comes to the rescue. Now that’s a fairy story. Yet most businesses use this Prime Plot - check out your last ad or sales letter. You are either are waiting for a 3rd party with their equivalent of a magic wand to transform your situation or believe they have a magic wand to transform the prospects of others. You don’t have to search far to find examples of the ‘Rags-toRiches’ plot being used. Think the BREXIT or Trump election victories: the side that won offered a ‘Rags-to-Riches’ Prime Plot. The problem with the ‘Rags-to-Riches’ storyline is that life is complex. Although there might be situations, what I call a Zone 1 situation, which is not complex, has a neat beginning/middle/end and is solvable, life however, is getting more complex. The prospects of a 3rd party to solve your magic wand is getting less likely, believable or trusted. What if your fairy godmother fails to turn up? What if your magic wand ain’t so potent after all? Yes, in your year ahead the next 12 months are already partially scripted. And you’re probably using a ‘Rags-to-Riches’ fairy story, albeit unconsciously. Next time you hear a message, or even listening to your own thoughts, is there a ‘Rags-to-Riches’ Prime Plot being used? If you want to change the outcome you need to change your plot. Hope you enter 2017 with a powerful, magnificent and supportive script! It’s not a case of good luck, but good storytelling!

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North Western Hairdresser of the Year Hairdressers Journal International hosted its British Hairdressing Awards recently, with 1,700 of the country’s finest hairstylists gathering at London’s glamorous Grosvenor House Hotel, for the industry event of the year.

ow in their fourth decade, the awards, which are sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, celebrate the very best in British hairdressing talent – an industry which contributes £7bn to the national economy and one which employs more than 300,000 people. With nine regional and six specialist categories - as well as the ultimate award, British Hairdresser of the Year - the awards have launched the careers of a host of household names; from John Frieda, Nicky Clarke and Charles Worthington to Anthony Mascolo, Lisa Shepherd and Beverley C, as well as TV favourites Jamie Stevens and Andrew Barton. This year’s ceremony was hosted by David Walliams, alongside Hairdressers Journal International’s executive director, Jayne Lewis-Orr. Amongst the trophies handed out by the duo on the night was North Western Hairdresser of the Year, which was scooped by Marcello Moccia of Room 97 Creative Hairdressing, Wakefield. Marcello said: “The British Hairdressing Awards just keeps getting better and better thanks to Hairdressers Journal and Schwarzkopf Professional. I can’t believe I’ve won this year, it feels incredible! It’s been a while since I’ve held one of these awards and it’s as exciting and humbling as the first time.” A regional win at the awards can well and truly put a hairstylist on the map, securing their place as an authority, not just a creative visionary but as a tastemaker, an influential employer and a destination business which brings clients through the door. Says Jayne: “This award cements Marcello as the North Western region’s leading hair

talent, but a win doesn’t just mean you’re the very best in the area; it also marks you out as one of the greatest stylists in the country. This win positions you as an authority and puts Wakeﬁeld on the map too.”

Pictured : Award winner Marcello Moccia of Room 97 Creative Hairdressing,

“Being right at the heart and soul of British Hairdressing is our privilege and pride. The British Hairdressing Awards means so much to our industry and winning one of these prestigious awards is the realisation of creativity, hard work and dedication. For that, we at Schwarzkopf Professional congratulate them on their success,” Schwarzkopf Professional’s General Manager Stuart Hamid concluded.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Charity fights to tackle extremism Penny Appeal was launched in 2009 and now works in over 30 crisis-hit countries worldwide.

As a humanitarian charity, Penny Appeal work to alleviate poverty by offering water solutions, supporting orphan and elderly care, restoring sight to those with avoidable blindness, providing food, delivering emergency aid, and opening schools and orphanages. Penny Appeal’s way of doing charity is simple, and has a massive impact. We make charitable giving affordable and rewardable, so your small change can make a big difference.

nternational humanitarian charity, Penny Appeal travelled across the length and breadth of the UK to host screenings of Tug of War, an independent drama exploring the cultural inﬂuences of radicalisation. The main part of the tour made its way to London in November, continuing on to Birmingham, then Manchester, concluding in Bradford. This hard-hitting drama, independently produced by Canadian based Saﬁnah Media, follows the journey of two disillusioned young Muslims who are becoming increasingly frustrated by the mistreatment of Muslims in Western society, perceiving radicalisation as a viable way out. Just out of prison, Khalil (played by Boonaa Mohammed) is

determined to make a new start, but finds himself rejected by his family, friends and community. In desperation he turns to Anas (played by Mohammed Zeyara), an angry young man determined to hit back at the system. The film has been awarded a 12A certificate. The film was followed by a question and answer session and presentations by Boonaa Mohammed and Shaykh Navaid Aziz, to discuss the film, the topics it raises and the wider issue of radicalisation in the Islamic community. Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal said: “Radicalisation is terrifying. As a charity, we want to do as much as possible to raise awareness of the issue, so we can prevent young people from being

influenced by pressure relating to criminal activity of any sort. By screening the film, we hope to open conversation on the matter and educate children of the perils. “We are holding a number of local showings for Universities, prisons and community groups. If you’re interested in arranging a screening in your community, get in touch at events@pennyappeal. org.” All proceeds from the events, supported by the Muslim Council of Britain and Faith Forums of London, will go to help orphans and vulnerable children, to rescue them from the streets and give them the chance for a better life. To find out more, buy tickets, or donate, visit www.pennyappeal. org or by calling 03000 11 11 11.

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Back the BID! Through pride, passion and partnership, Wakeﬁeld Business Improvement District will give business the voice to re-discover its sense of identity, as a bright busy and thriving city centre and perceived as a positive and ambitious place to be, by day and night

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Meet the multi-award-winning match-making entrepreneur and philanthropist

ADEEM YOUNIS Wakefield’s best kept secret:

Working long hours at a pizza shop in Wakefield to fund his college studies, may not have felt like the recipe to success, but there was no stopping Adeem Younis when it came to raising revenue for his many business ideas. Gill Laidler Editor TopicUK Working long hours at a pizza shop in Wakefield to fund his college studies, may not have felt like the recipe to success, but there was no stopping Adeem Younis when it came to raising revenue for his many business ventures. This hard work came to fruition when the Wakefieldborn entrepreneur founded what is now one of the UK’s largest muslim brands, SingleMuslim.com. Adeem 36 and a father-of-four, launched his first business, GoWebPrint, whilst studying graphic design at Wakefield College. He told us: “My first office was above a pizza shop on Westgate, where I helped out at the weekends to pay the rent. I used garden furniture as I couldn’t afford a proper desk or office chairs, as well as an ancient computer but did enjoy easy access to lots of free pizza,” he laughed. However, it was his friends at college that inspired this successful business. “The idea of a Muslim match-making agency came about because my friends, whilst coming from good families, found

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it difficult to meet suitable marriage partners. However, it was his friends at college that inspired this successful business. “The idea of a Muslim match-making agency came about because my friends, whilst coming from good families, found it difficult to meet suitable marriage partners. “That got me thinking that I could use my IT and marketing skills, and find a solution to this problem.” So Adeem set about creating an online matrimonial service, for fellow Muslims wanting to meet potential partners in a ‘respectable and safe environment.’ Fast forward to today and the site now boasts over two million users worldwide and has led to over 50,000 marriages and despite his huge success, Adeem has stayed loyal to his home city of Wakefield, relocating to offices on Wood Street. Adeem said: “It has taken the support of a good team and hard work. Keeping our heads down to keep it cutting edge and of course profitable. The website’s success has gone beyond what I could ever have imagined.” Continued Over

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FACT FILE: What he drives: Audi Q7 Favourite holiday destination: Abu Dhabi Favourite food : Fish & chips Favourite Restaurant: Cona Restaurant Favourite gadget: iPhone Did you know: Adeem is a double Guinness World Record holder.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate The trail-blazer also set up a restaurant during his career, which received huge media interest when Adeem created The Chocolate Curry. “The restaurant proved very successful, but I quickly

lot of my family live, as there is so much poverty in the country.” It was whilst on a trip to Pakistan, Adeem’s life changed when he sponsored a school teacher in a rural village, who

and even a football pitch, is providing poverty relief across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, by building 8,000 wells, delivering 30,000 orphan sponsorships, providing emergency food and medical aid, providing 2,000 elderly care sponsorships and distributing over 10,000,000 meals. Since its launch, Penny Appeal has transformed the lives and empowered communities, helping to break the poverty cycle and help build brighter futures. “Everyone can help,” Adeem added, “by just donating a few pennies each day, we can take that small change and make a big difference!” Adeem, who has won several regional awards including, an Association of College Gold Award on behalf of Wakefield college, went on to study graphic design at the University of Leeds, now has proper desks and chairs, state of the art computer equipment and employs a couple of hundred members of staff worldwide.

realised it wasn’t for me, so I sold it after a couple of years,” he added. This wasn’t the only media interest Adeem has received for his businesses, he has appeared on BBC1, local and national radio stations, Reuters, The Washington Post, ABC News as well as Channel 4. “I’ve enjoyed my journey so far and I’m very grateful for how fortunate I’ve been, but there are many more plans to put into practice, what I have done so far is just the start, as there is so much poverty and less opportunity” Attending Outwood Grange School, Adeem, had a modest up-bringing in Eastmoor. At a young age he made up his mind that he wanted to make something of himself and due to his hard work and good business practices, he has achieved this. “My life would’ve been very diﬀerent if I had been born in Pakistan where a

was working for very little money at all.

“When I returned from my trip, I collected my car from Manchester Airport, and drove to the petrol station to ﬁll up for the journey home, a cost of around £90. Normally I wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but with the trip to Pakistan fresh in my mind, I calculated that the £90 I had just put into my car, would pay the teachers wages for three months.” This sparked a fresh idea and another new venture for Adeem. In 2009 Penny Appeal was born, a charity which initially was set up to help eradicate poverty in rural Pakistan. Today this £20m charity based on Cross Street and Balne Lane, where the recently purchased the former Bezier Print Works, will be refurbished, creating oﬃces, a community cafe

He said: “I still run GoWebPrint and although we’ve moved oﬃces we’re only up the road from the same pizza shop where everything began all those years ago.” Adeem has a determined and optimistic outlook on business regardless of the current state of the economy. He said: “We’ve been hearing of a downturn since 2007, and all we see on the news is doom and gloom. But our businesses are going from strength to strength, and we’ve just enjoyed the best year in our history. “The forecast for next year is even better, so I really don’t believe that the economic downturn has to mean a reduction in anyone’s chances of success, everyone can achieve success with imagination and hard work.” To ﬁnd out more about Adeem and his businesses, visit: pennyappeal.org or singlemuslim.com.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Growing family audiences into the next generation of theatre goers A business looking for good growth is looking for opportunities to widen its customer base and increase repeat custom. Our Theatre is no different. There’s always a drive to generate more audiences and return visits to ensure we sell all available tickets. By Katie TOWN Executive Director, Theatre Royal Wakefield

At Theatre Royal Wakeﬁeld we are particularly interested in expanding our young audiences, which is important for the immediate success of the Theatre. It can also be seen as a long term audience development initiative. Arts Council England research shows that adults are up to 93% more likely to attend arts events if they had been taken to arts events at least once a year when growing up. So it stands to reason that if more young people regularly attend, more people will continue on attending into adulthood, ensuring theatres will be full in the future. Experiencing theatre ignites a passion for the performing arts, but early introduction to the arts also has an impact because it breeds familiarity and conﬁdence with the experience of theatre-going, with all its conventions and rituals. At this time, creativity, the arts and cultural experiences are being squeezed

out of schools. With schools facing challenging budgets and pressure from government to focus on ‘STEM’ subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths – cultural experiences and opportunities are being reduced, which makes families experiencing the arts together all the more important. During the pantomime season we welcome nearly 30,000 people to our Theatre, with Wakeﬁeld’s panto being an important part of the festive season for many families. But we know that a relatively large proportion of our panto audience don’t visit the theatre again during the year. We want to give them the best possible reasons to come back and, for those who don’t currently attend, a reason to come into the theatre for the ﬁrst time. Those who work in theatre have a conviction about how life enhancing it can be to watch and take part in the performing arts and we want to share this as widely as possible, breaking down barriers to attending performances. Our best way to ensure we welcome

more families and young audiences is to programme excellent and relevant productions and our Theatre’s programme during 2017 will see an expansion of the amount of family friendly programming. Throughout the year there will be more opportunities for families to see top quality productions in their local theatrefrom celebrating Chinese New Year in February with an extravaganza suitable for families and audiences of all ages, through to King Arthur for those aged 7+ in the October half-term. We’ll also bring some excellent stage adaptations of children’s books, both timeless classics such as The Jungle Book and The Railway Children, and modern tales such as We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Scarecrow’s Wedding. And then of course, we hope audiences will return for this year’s pantomime, Aladdin. With accessible prices, scheduling at weekends and half-terms to ﬁt into busy family life and excellent productions, there are going to be plenty of reasons for families to visit Theatre Royal Wakeﬁeld. We’re sure that we’ll be attracting more families into our Theatre in the next year. The big question is whether this succeeds in converting a new generation of theatre goers, and for that answer, we’ll just have to wait and see.

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WakeďŹ eldUpdate

Champagne Reception Gala Dinner Variety Performance After show party

Singer

Lizzie Jones

2017 Gala Dinner &Variety Performance Thursday 2nd March 2017 To book your place at Wakefieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier social event: email jon.ingham@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk 26

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A real future for Wakefield communities

In the last issue of TopicUK, I outlined our Vision for the Future, and the ways in which we will focus our work over the months ahead. By Murray Edwards Arts and Business Consultant Following the Wakefield networking lunch at the end of September we held a second one in Pontefract at the beginning of October. Whilst it followed much of the same format, we were able to bring new speakers to address the delegates and what they had to say was a revelation to us all. Since the Foundation was formed in 2007, we have distributed £1.4 million to over 1,000 local organisations and community groups. These groups are almost entirely run by volunteers who do remarkable work in supporting and developing those they work with and are the unsung heroes to whom countless people have cause to be truly grateful. Their dedication, commit-ment and remarkable abilities infuse our society and make an enormous contribution to the health and wellbeing of those who live in the district. It is our job to support them as one of the district’s principal Community Champions. As we mentioned before, we are focusing on three main strands for 2016/17: Wakefield Community Stage : target £50k – providing young people with the best per-formance opportunities at Theatre Royal Wakefield’s new Centre for Creativity. Sports Fund : target £50k – supporting and creating new local sports groups to bring our Olympic legacy to Wakefield and create new opportunities for participation across the district with the support of the Yorkshire Sports Foundation. Winter Fuel Payment : target £20k – creating a fund that can make emergency payments to citizens who find themselves unable to heat their homes, with the support of Wakefield Council, Wakefield District Housing and a number of other organisations with the same agenda.

In addition, we shall shortly be inviting applications for three other funding programmes: Comic Relief So far, we have distributed £19,631 to 7 organisations in the district during the last 12 months, and we shall shortly be advertising the final round with a sum of up to £19k for distribution by March 2017. Full details will be available shortly on the Foundation’s website (details at the end of this article). Youth Social Action Following a successful trial in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in 2015, the first round of this new fund is going nationwide following a formal launch at the beginning of December. Funded by the National Lottery and the Office for Civil Society (OCS), the programme aims to increase participation in youth social action by 50% by 2020. This is to increase volunteering, fundraising and campaigning amongst people aged between 10 and 20, and up to 25 for young people with a disability. £2 million is being made available nationally and £40k has been allocated for Wakefield District. A key element will be the ability for us to match fund this initial sum (i.e. raise a further £40k locally) which will then release a second tranche of £40k for 2017/18. Applications will be invited shortly (watch the website for details) with allocations to be made by 1 March 2017. An Anonymous Trust In September, a number of Foundations (mainly in the north) were contacted by solicitors acting on behalf of an anonymous trust. The Trust wished to fund projects working with older people to reduce isolation and increase involvement in the community and had identified a number of Foundations in what they saw as key areas of need. Following detailed discussions, we

have now received conﬁrmation of funding and are currently working up the detail of a suitable programme to address these needs. As soon as this is complete (around January/February we estimate) then the new programme will be promoted and applications sought. The Wakeﬁeld Foundation Working for You! It should be clear from the above that there are a range of opportunities now available to support organisations and community groups across the district. We are working hard to maximise the resources available to support and develop activities across the district, but we need your support! How you can help There are a variety of ways in which you can help: •

•

• •

Become an Associate – there are various categories for individuals, businesses, voluntary organisations and public sector bodies – by participating you can play an active part in enhancing the life of the district Help us build our proﬁle – by promoting the Foundation through your own individual networks and encouraging engagement with us Make a donation – either on a one-oﬀ basis, or perhaps regularly each month Invite us to attend a networking meeting – anywhere in the district, which will give us the opportunity to meet and engage with increasing numbers of people.

Your contribution will make a huge difference to those most in need – help us to make Wakefield a more inclusive society. You can find further information on all aspects of our work at www.wakefieldcf. org.uk

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Entrepreneurs are evolving with technology By Natalie Sykes, Regional Director, Institute of Directors

Technology is evolving at pace and the way we work is changing. Barely a day passes without Facebook, Uber or Apple appearing in the news headlines. For this reason, I was pleased to hear the Chancellor set aside £1bn of investment for digital infrastructure inNovember's Autumn Statement. Yorkshire stands at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), where the boundaries of physical and digital are blurring as we integrate methods of production with technology to enhance productivity.

This can be seen in the growth of the region’s ﬁntech sector and the collaborative strides being made in healthcare innovation. It is encouraging to see the Chancellor supporting businesses to keep the UK at the forefront of the digital revolution. Today’s young entrepreneurs and startup businesses work smart. They use technology to move quickly and secure business opportunities. They demand ﬂexibility in their working lives. This is the new enterprise culture. The IoD has been supporting professional leaders since 1903 but we recognise that our members are changing.

That’s why we introduced a student membership scheme alongside our 99 Club for young entrepreneurs, which costs just £99 for a wide ranging package of business support, learning and networking. If you know anyone under the age of 40 who is thinking of making the brave move into business or has been in business for up to ﬁve years, membership of our 99 Club is perfect. We are also poised to roll out IoD Advance across the north of England. This will be the biggest shake-up to our membership oﬀer in more than 40 years. Watch this space!

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YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

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Information Technology

Data Collection are you compliant? By Paul Heigham Director of Bellingham IT

BUSINESS has always had to prove that they operate robust data collection, storage and protection policies, but from 25th May 2018 things are going to become even more strict. Here our resident IT expert, Paul Heigham, of Bellingham IT outlines what the new regulations mean and how you can ensure that your business is compliant with the new regulation. THE first thing to say about the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is that well run ethical businesses need not worry about their use of data and information. The two main aims of the new GDPR which becomes effective in 18 months’ time are to give ordinary people control over the data that companies hold about them and will ensure that they process it fairly and lawfully. The second, is force business to implement the necessary security strategies to protect the data that they hold. Effectively it gives business businesses sses an opportunity opp portunity to clean up thee existing data they the ey hold and make sure they th hey have a very strong stron ong data protection and d retention on forward. policy cyy in place p ac goingg forw plac forwa ward. It is all strengthening unifying aboutt streng abou gtthenin ning ing and un unif nifying ways in nifyi personal collected, which h person nal n al data is collected ed, stored and d protected. d. However, Ho How if this ap aappears ppear too oo o simple or not no relevant elevant levant tto you or your business, bearing in mind ness, it is worth w h bearin that failure lure ure to comply l could ld result in a very heavy fine of 4% of total of global turnover, to a maximum limit of 20M euros, can you or your business afford this level of fine?

What does it mean to me and my business? First of all, let us define personal data. This means: “any information relating to an individual, whether it relates to his or her private, professional or public life. It can be anything from a name, a photo, an email address, bank details, posts on social networking websites, medical information, or a computer’s IP address.” Secondly every business must ask anyone from whom it collects their personal information if they can use it and what they intend to use it for. Have you paid attention to the tick boxes at the bottom of the terms & conditions? Thirdly it must be very simple for an individual to withdraw their consent for a business to use their data even if it means keeping them up to date about beneficial offers or information about your service. You must also be able to prove to regulators that you have written consent to use personal data that you have collected. If for any reason you deal with data of a child under 13 then you MUST ensure that their legal guardian has given written authority that you can store and keep that information. This is particularly important for sports and education organisations such as sports clubs or schools.

and dispute pute their the heir data being sold or given giv to third parties arties ar arti rtt based d on algori algor algorithms such how h ass h ho ow sociall media may ac o acc access their information irr infor r rmation and possibly use us it to advertise services ertise your y ser rvices to them. rv To safegua safeguard are afegua uard ua a individuals, viduals, iduals, there ar harsh deterrents errents including er err luding heavy hea fines. However, er, r, wee understand u un that most businesses sses conduct condu conduc du their data collection duct colle lec ection and storage businessgee in an a ethical thical th ical cal and b bu us nessesslike way. But iif a data breach d does occur it must be reported t d within ith 72 hours of discovery. As such, companies must appoint a data protection officer (DPO) who should have technical and legal skills, but most of all a good understanding on the new framework. There are several accreditations that your business can work towards to provide the regulators with the confidence that you have done everything in your powers to prevent a data breach. These include: • Cyber Essentials • ISO 27001 certification Bellingham IT works with specialist suppliers that can give your business the advice and guidance it needs to ensure you are compliant, and support if you need to update any existing processes. This could save your business from unnecessary fines.

For an informal chat call us today on 01924 253205 or email: paul@bellinghamit.co.uk

Once you have the personal details you must store it securely so that it cannot be accessed by unauthorised users. This does not just include security software but processes and procedures in place to help staﬀ members recognise and deal with potential threats. It also means that people can question

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

IT support that ‘takes the Biscuit’ TopicUK caught up with our latest partner Biscuit, a new forward-thinking Wakefield IT company, who provide a complete IT service and flexible office IT solutions for businesses and organisations throughout the UK.

high end telecommunication systems to business. They have always provided IT support where needed, so launching Biscuit was a natural next step!

This research showed that there are IT companies and telecommunication companies, but very few who can provide a full service.

“When YTL install telephone systems for a new client, we work closely with their IT support team, so everything links seemlessly,” explained Managing Director Phill Burke. “If the team is on-site this is relatively easy, but where a remote IT company is used, it can create diﬃculties with communication, passwords etc. We have, on occasions, been booked and the client’s IT company has not shown up, so we have done all the work ourselves at no extra cost. By creating Biscuit, this solves that problem and gives us the opportunity of oﬀering our client a complete package.

YTL launched in 1996 and provides

“This means a one-stop-shop for clients:

his new business was set up following extensive market research by sister organisation Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited (YTL).

Dan Bell was unavailable for the TopicUK photoshoot as he was celebrating the birth of his new baby daughter, born 18 December. Congratulations Dan from the TopicTeam! they have only one company to deal with, so all their communication and IT systems are under one roof.” The level of support Biscuit can provide is completely up to the client. Some of the companies they work with prefer to partly manage their IT systems in house where resources and expertise allow for this; others prefer Biscuit to ‘do everything’ - making IT one less thing for companies to manage so that their team can instead focus on business growth and development. Biscuit will also work with clients to determine the most efficient approach for their team to support yours. It may be beneficial for Biscuit to work directly with your team on your premises, for them to provide remote IT support or for them to vary their approach, depending on the task in hand. You may find that you only need support in a handful of these areas, or you may be looking for an IT partner to provide a fully managed IT service. Whatever your company’s needs, the services offered are flexible and the level of support they provide is completely up to you

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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So what services can you expect from Biscuit? 24/7 monitoring and management of your IT systems. Remote technical assistance. Proactive maintenance of IT hardware and equipment Network monitoring and management Network Security – antivirus, ﬁrewall deployment and maintenance.

“When it comes to security, it’s more common than you might imagine for organisations to lack a true understanding of the wide range of data they hold on file,” added Dan Bell, “and more importantly, of the potential repercussions should they fail to properly protect this data. At Biscuit, we can offer consultancy and support services around strategic planning and best practice for your peace of mind.” Who has access to the data you hold on file

Email. Microsoft application support Client/Server. General IT management of users. Hardware setup. Server Installation Virtualisation. Virtual IT Management. Technical project management. Training – for IT technicians/ managers or oﬃce staﬀ. So what should you be aware of?

How the data was created How it is secured How long information will be kept on ﬁle How data is disposed of when it is no longer required. Increasing use of multi-channel technology means that your company’s data may now be accessible across a range of devices from desktop computers and laptops to tablets and mobile phones, not all of which will be accessed

on site, as many employees now work from home or have access to their emails, work-related programmes and apps on the go. Biscuit’s IT data security services will help your team to gain a full understanding of the data stored by your company, any potential risks to your data’s security and how to mitigate against potential security breaches. As with all of their services, their approach is bespoke and will be tailored according to the specific needs of your business. To find out more about Biscuit and the services they offer, check out the website www.biscuit.uk.com. That just left TopicUK asking one question, where does the name Biscuit come from? There were two reasons for the name I am informed: Biscu-IT (very clever) and of course, everyone likes a Biscuit, don’t they?

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WakeďŹ eldUpdate

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Barclays Banking Advice for Business

It’s all in the plan according to Keith Waddington, Barclays Business Manager survival, enabled by sustainable proﬁts. The critical success of a new venture emerges from the ability to respond to the continuous changes of the market and economy, and anticipating the eﬀects of the social environment.

or anyone considering starting a new venture – either as a means of expanding their existing business, or as a way of establishing a new business – eﬀective planning, particularly ﬁnancial planning, is crucial to long term success. The prime objective of a business is

A Business Plan will help you collate and clarify your business ideas, plan for the future of your business, and will help to show whether your idea is realistic and workable. A good small business plan deﬁnes exactly what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it. Demonstrate as much knowledge about who will be buying from you. Your Business Plan will play a key role in attracting funding to get your business started, so you should make sure you have one prepared before applying for lending.

should act as a blueprint for a business. If properly constructed, the plan will establish business objectives, and through regular reviews, allows you to assess the current state of the business and provide an early warning of potential problems. Whilst preparing a business plan may seem a daunting task, small business owners should remember that outside help is available from banks, accountants and local business support organisations. Business and marketing plans are documents that should continuously evolve, reﬂecting both the long and short-term goals of the business. Banks are there to provide guidance and ideas on what type of ﬁnance might best suit a business’ future plans. Barclays is committed to supporting new and aspiring businesses in the UK, especially those with real potential to grow through responsible lending.

Business planning is not just about preparing for growth and expansion or making a case to borrow money - it is an essential management tool and

Sainsbury's perfect for sharing Each edition, Sainsbury's Trinity Walk generously donate two bottles of wine and accompanying snacks, from their Taste The Difference range, for TopicUK to choose a local business to review. This edition, as we recieved the products to review during Christmas week, Group Editor, Gill Laidler decided to create a little party and took them along to a Beam board meeting for the Trustees to sample. After scrambling around to ﬁnd a corkscrew (most bottles have a screw The Government and ACE have acknowledged the imbalance, but argue that it is because the major national institutions are based

cap these days), ﬁrst to be opened was the Barrihuelo Rĳoa Crianza from Spain. The spicy bramble wine with notes of ripe black fruits and a savoury ﬁnish was divine, Rioja can be heavy but not this one and everyone agreed at just £6 a bottle it was a sure winner. For the white drinkers there was Orvieto

TopicUK proud to be working with...

points out that had Londoners won a comparably disproportionate number of Lottery prizes compared to people in the rest of England, equivalent to

Classico, soft and fruity with tangy gooseberry and lemon zest and passion fruit. This is a perfect accompanyment to shellfish, not that our party minded, stating it was perfectly acceptable to drink alone. A bargain at £5 a bottle. Accompanying the wine was Cheddar and Black Pepper Bites at £1.50 for 125g, judging by the empty packet these were very well received, but be warned, the pepper does give off quite a bite! The Parmesan and Garlic Twists were full of flavour and didn’t skimp on the garlic. These were quickly gone with many commenting they would purchase for a snack instead of crisps for a change at just £1.50 for 125g.

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RestaurantReview

Eastern promise Street Food offers diners a blend of Iranian and Turkish delights! By Kevin TRICKETT President of Wakefield Civic Society

ver the last few years, there’s a part of Wakefield that has become a sort of ‘restaurant central’ for the city centre. Walk down Northgate from Rishworth Street towards the Bull Ring, turn right and right again and walk up Wood Street. Then turn right down Cross Street and re-enter Northgate. You’ll have walked around a third of a mile. But count the restaurants as you go – how many do you think you’ll see? 5? 6? 7? Believe it or not, you’ll actually find over a dozen restaurants in this relatively small area, and that’s not counting the cafés, the takeaways and the pubs that serve food. In the last edition of TopicUK, I wrote about one of Wakefield’s newest restaurants, the New York Italian Kitchen on the corner of Cross Street and Northgate. Having ‘filed my copy’ I went off on holiday. When I came back, well, knock me down with a feather, but I quickly spotted that yet another new restaurant had opened its doors – this time one called Street Food which is also to be found in Northgate in a converted retail unit next door to what was, until recently, Wakefield’s main post office. Not surprisingly, given my task here is to review the city’s restaurants, I toddled along to make an appointment to view and proprietor Paul Wiper and I fixed up a date for me to dine at the restaurant. With notebook and camera in hand, I turned up at the agreed hour to set about sampling the fare. As I said, this is a former retail unit – formerly part of a carpet shop. Well, the carpets have gone and Paul has given the

@MrTrickett

shop a complete makeover to achieve a stripped back, almost industrial look. The kitchen area is front of house and an integral part of the restaurant area, so you can see what’s cooking and how it is being cooked. Large plate glass windows all round add light and give diners uninterrupted views of what’s happening in the streets outside. At night time, the restaurant sheds a warm glow onto the pavement enticing you to enter. If you do, you’ll not be disappointed! The food is a mix of Mediterranean and eastern dishes with a tilt towards Iranian and Turkish flavours. You’ll find charcoal grilled kebabs, lamb chops and halloumi along with stuffed vine leaves, roasted aubergine and hummus. Greek salads and Turkish breads also appear on the menu. Talking to owner Paul, I learned that he had long held an aspiration to run his own restaurant but wanted one that would serve his favourite foods, something he has certainly achieved here. The restaurant is also a complete change from his usual day job selling power and construction tools. On the night we visited, my partner and I were greeted by lead waiter Sedat and fellow waiter Tyler. A number of tables were already occupied and people were clearly enjoying their meals; word obviously travels fast on this street. Menus were offered and we made our choices. Vegetarians are well catered for in the selection of starters but mains are mainly meat or fish based. However, let Sedat know if you want a vegetarian main course and he will offer you a mezze platter made up of a number vegetarian treats. We opted for two starters each and dessert (a home-made

and traditional Turkish baklava, made by Sedat himself) and were well satisfied. There is also a selfservice salad bar. Street Food is described on its Facebook page as a “bright and contemporary restaurant serving eastern cuisine” offering a “relaxed and friendly atmosphere with fresh kebabs and cocktails. What more can you ask for?” Well, I can confirm that this description rings very true: the food we ate was well presented and beautifully cooked; the service was relaxed, informal

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and unhurried. What more could you ask for indeed! One thing I’ve not mentioned yet is the prices. Street Food has to be offering some of the best value dishes in Wakefield at the moment. Starters cost from £2.50 and go all the way up to £4.50 while main courses range from £7.80 for charcoal grilled chicken breast pieces served with Turkish bread and salad, up to £9.80 for charcoal grilled lamb served with chips and salad. Desserts are just £2.70 for the baklava or, for the same price, there’s a traditional Iranian sponge flavoured with rose water and

cardamom. Or if you want to splash out, there’s a chocolate fudge cake with fresh cream for only £3.50. This extraordinary value for money also extends to the drinks and beverages – a post meal coﬀee comes in at £1.95 and a bottle of house wine can be had for a very reasonable £11.50. Street Food is open seven days a week from 11.30 am until 10 pm Mondays to Saturdays and from 12 noon until 9 pm on Sundays. It’s early days yet for this restaurant but

I noticed that it’s already receiving good on-line reviews from customers. With this sort of value and quality, I have no doubt that Paul and his team of 8 staﬀ will continue to win support from the public. So there it is, and if you didn’t know already, the word on the street right now just has to be Street Food!

Street Food, Unit 2, Trend House, Northgate, Wakeﬁeld Facebook: streetfoodwakeﬁeld Tel: 01924 370642

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LegalMatters

Possible council tax reductions for people living with Dementia There are potentially hundreds of thousands of people currently living with conditions such as dementia that are unaware they may be entitled to receive discounted council tax rates.

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

0800 988 3650 www.ramsdens.co.uk text LAW to 67777

riteria has been set out to establish whether a person is eligible to receive a discount on their council tax payments or even be excluded altogether. The criteria is as follows: • a person who has a severe mental impairment which appears to be permanent and can be certified by a medical practitioner • a person who is entitled to certain disability benefits which include attendance allowance and disability living allowance Whilst the term ‘severe mental impairment’ is somewhat clinical and not how we would choose to describe our loved ones, dementia could possibly satisfy these conditions. If an adult living with dementia lives on their own or with other adults who are also living with dementia, then the property could be exempt from council tax. If two adults live in the same property but only one satisfies the mental impairment rule, then the adult who does not have the condition may be classed as living alone and receive a 25% ‘single person discount’ on their council tax. There is also a possibility that you could

reclaim council tax that you have already paid. Such a claim can be made at any time so long as you can satisfy the criteria for the period being claimed. Veronica Mullins, Partner in Ramsdens Private Client team said: “As major charities including the Alzheimer’s Society, Parkinson’s UK and the Stroke Association have all warned, there is, unfortunately, a huge lack of awareness about possible council tax reductions and who is eligible to claim them. Whilst the criteria is strict, if you or your loved ones are living with dementia it is certainly worth contacting your local council to find out more.” With so many people expected to develop dementia, it is better to start thinking about putting your affairs in order sooner rather than later and protecting the ones you love. At Ramsdens we have an expert Private Client team who can help you with your Lasting Powers of Attorney. To speak to us about putting your affairs in order, call our Private Client team on 0800 988 3650, email willsandprobate@ramsdens.co.uk or text LAW to 67777 to book a free information session at any of our offices across West Yorkshire.

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The bank of mum & dad keep your contribution safe As house prices rise, being able to afford getting a foot on the property ladder becomes increasingly difficult, especially for first time buyers. In need of supplementary funds to put towards a deposit, many have sought the help of friends or relatives; most notably, the infamous Bank of Mum & Dad.

If you have already put forward funds to help out your child and their partner with a home deposit or are considering doing so, it is important that your interest is protected with a declaration of trust. Why protect a contribution? In case anything goes wrong. For example: Your child and their partner wish to

Parents helping their children cover the cost of a home is not rare. If this is the case, they will usually wish to hold a beneﬁcial interest in the property. Should their child’s relationship break down and the home need to be sold, a beneﬁcial interest will mean their contribution is protected.

buy

a property for £260,000

You

contribute £40,000 as a deposit

They

separate 2 years later

Without any kind of declaration, you and your child do not have an automatic right to your money. Usually, the proceeds of the

property sale are split equally between the couple. In order to stop your contribution being lost, a declaration of trust ensures it is safeguarded, and in the event of relationship breakdown, you will get your money back. What will a declaration of trust ensure? In regards to the sale proceeds of a home: Mortgage fully redeemed Child

and their partner receiving their

respective You

contributions

receive your £40,000

If your child and partner are married and subsequently divorce, the outcome may vary. Following a split, it will initially be left to the divorce courts to decide how any sale proceeds are divided. However, this does not dilute the importance of a declaration of trust. Rather, it would provide a signiﬁcant advantage and could form the basis of a strong argument in your favour thus increasing the likelihood of your contribution being eing refunded.

Post Brexit General Data Protection Regulations is your Business compliant? The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are set to come into force in the UK on 25 May 2018, before the UK will have been able to leave the EU. It is therefore important for UK businesses to understand what GDPR is and how they will need to prepare for and start to comply with GDPR notwithstanding Brexit – particularly as new research shows many businesses seriously mishandle customer data and consequently are at a high risk of failing to comply with these new regulations.

2) Security breaches 3) Consent 4) Data Protection Oﬃcer Who does it apply to? The Regulations are intended to apply to any and all data held in respect of EU citizens. If you are a UK business that processes or stores EU citizen data then these regulations will apply to you. What do you need to do to be compliant? With only two years to implement any procedures, forward planning is key! Issues within your business to consider are:

Some of the key changes include: Review your privacy policies – are

1) Enhanced data subjects’ rights

TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 39

they clear and easily accessible?

Prepare for data security

breaches do you have policies es in place that enable you to react eact promptly to any breaches within ithin speciﬁed timeframes? What are the consequencess for non-compliance? Penalties for breach include ﬁnes of up to 4% of annual global obal turnover. For more information contactt Richard Dean in Ramsdens Corporate team on 01484 519519 or email richard.dean@ @ ramsdens.co.uk. You can also o follow Ramsdens Corporate team eam on Twitter @RamsdensCorp to keep up to date with all thingss #corporate.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

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 40

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Will 2017 be your year? Did you manage to switch off from work and spend quality time with friends and family over the Christmas and New Year break? Is 2017 finally going to be your year to deliver?

There is a simple solution. January is a great month for starting to deliver the strategic plan you have in place. It’s also a perfect opportunity for catching up with clients to review and plan for the year ahead. Having a dynamic growth strategy that makes you accountable and delivers your purpose is the key to getting started. More than 75% of SME business don’t have documented strategy, meaning they risk not achieving their desired results, or worse.

By Gary King Managing Director of Tendo

If you didn’t get adequate time off or returned tired and stressed, ask yourself the following: • Are you clear how you performed and what you need to achieve each month in 2017? • Do you have a clear strategy that will finally deliver the business that you desire? • Do you have the right team around you to grow? • Will you finally access the financial rewards and the lifestyle that you crave?

January is a great time to take stock, to reﬂect on your previous year’s results and then to look forward at what you wish to achieve and do diﬀerently.

If you don’t have positive answers to these questions, the chances are you are not going to achieve your desired results and worse still, are at risk of future business failure if you cannot signiﬁcantly reduce stress and improve your ﬁnancial position.

To quickly diagnose the important issues in your business and see instantly where to focus ﬁrst, take Tendo’s ﬁve-minute business success test here http:// businessgrowthindicator.com/

For anyone who knows the TopicTeam, you will know that we work long hours with little time for leisure, so imagine my delight when the lovely ladies at Tu Es Belle, the new spa salon at St Pierre Hotel, oﬀered me a free pampering session as part of their launch week. Tu Es Belle is independently owned and is open daily to both hotel guests and non-guests. I arrived for my treatments on a busy Saturday morning, parking easily on-site. When I entered the hotel reception, my therapist was waiting for me. She led me to their reception area, formerly a hotel conference room, where I completed the forms with personal details and general health questions. I was then invited into the room next door and left alone to settle myself onto the comforable bed ready for my massage.

With around 600,000 new businesses started last year in the UK and statistics still showing that half of these will be dead in the water by 2021, having a strategy in place and hitting the ground running is imperative.

Enjoy some pampering because ‘Tu Es Belle’ Now a back and shoulder massage is pure luxury for me as I carry lots of stress in my shoulders and I must admit, my treatment didn’t disappoint. Using just the right amount of ﬁrm pressure, it wasn’t long before I felt totally relaxed, to the point of drifting oﬀ to sleep! The treatment lasted about an hour. It was then time for the second part of the treatment, a facial using luxury products from Temple Spa. This consisted of a deep cleanse, followed by lots of moisturising with careful attention paid to the eye area. Quite often when I have had treatments such as these, the therapist has chatted away, not on this occasion, I was allowed to drift with my own thoughts, listening to soothing background music. Facial

done, then to my surprise came the Indian Head Massage. I wasn’t expecting that, but it is one of my favourite things. For anyone who has not enjoyed one of these, it is a must! Total relaxation, I for one could be asleep in minutes and for anyone with a headache, it will disappear almost instantly. Treatments ﬁnished, the therapist left the room, leaving me to spend as much time as I wanted to relax before getting dressed. I can highly recommend the salon for a little bit of ‘me time’. There are lots of treatments to choose from, not just for ladies but for men too. So why not start the new year oﬀ with a little luxury and try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

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CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS

If you are looking for advice on Accountancy and Taxation matters... OR HAVE THE NEED FOR SPECIALIST SERVICES SUCH AS

• • •

Inheritance Tax Planning, Business planning, Mergers or Acquisitions.

Contact Chris Dix or Carolyn Harman for your free initial consultation

CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS

Unit 4 Silkwood Court Wakefield WF5 9TP Telephone: 01924 263766

TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 42

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Seven Good Reasons to Promote Your Brand at Leeds Bradford® Airport

Record of 3.5 million passengers in 2016 New airlines and destinations for 2017, expected to be our best year ever LBA’s business & leisure passengers wealthiest outside London 36 digital screens throughout the terminal Highest proportion of ABC1 passengers of any UK airport outside London LBA serves two of the UK’s fastest growing cities, Leeds and Bradford Multiple platforms available to suit every budget

Call us now on 0113 391 3293 Email us on advertising@lba.co.uk TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 43

22/12/16 03:45

WakeﬁeldUpdate

The Ageing Workplace Retiring from work constitutes a major life transition that most people experience at some point in the course of their life, posing significant challenges to health and well-being. By Dr Andrew FURBER Wakefield Public Health Dept There are more over 50s working in the UK than ever before, over 1.2 million people are working beyond the age of 65. By 2050, eight in ten people living in the developed world will be over 60. With a rising state pension age and life expectancy increasing, working for longer will become increasingly common. This has implications for how individuals balance their working patterns and highlights the importance for employers in creating agefriendly workplaces. You may find that stereotypes exist in the workplace around older employees, including beliefs that older people are less motivated, harder to train, more resistant and less adaptable to change. The fact is most older workers in jobs today are as productive as younger workers and take less sick leave. But for some, the onset of health problems or caring responsibilities can lead to them struggling to remain in employment. The older generation can share practical experience and expertise and the younger generation can impart skills training and new work methods. The generations should be encouraged to develop shared values to reduce tensions. Leaving aside those individuals who elect to leave employment as soon as they can afford to retire, key factors driving people to leave employment before the statutory retirement age are unsurprisingly health issues, the impact of caring responsibilities on the ability to work, levels of job satisfaction and redundancy. Poor health is a main cause of early retirement, but people also leave their job due to a lack of flexibility, choice of hours and work dissatisfaction. Creating age friendly workplaces Profile your workforce by age. Using an understanding of the age demographics across your organisation

to inform effective workforce planning, making sure that age diversity is promoted and understood is key. Data should include information such as: • age • retirement intentions • training participation • performance evaluation • use of workplace flexibility such as part-time work. You can then set targets against this information. Measures could include delaying early retirement schemes as a tool of workforce management, introducing pro-age policies, encouraging more flexible work and managing health issues. Depending on the nature of work, job performance may improve, remain constant or decline with age, but in most cases training, changes and adaptation within the work environment can improve safety and performance and offset effects of physical and mental changes related to ageing. However, not everyone who wants to work is able to. Approximately 1 million people have been made ‘involuntarily workless’ through a combination of redundancy, ill health or early retirement. Organise workplace health promotion activities. Such activities should be seen as part of a long-term strategy for retention and reducing turnover, in addition to the immediate benefits in terms of employee engagement, creativity, innovation and productivity. See www.wakefield.gov.uk/workplacehealth for further information. • Ensuring monitoring is in place • Being aware of and dispelling stereotypes. Managing retirement and departure to optimal effect for the organisation and the individual • Addressing the mental and physical health implications of an ageing workforce • Developing human resource

systems that are appropriate for an age-diverse workforce Retaining staff of retirement age Trying to avoid employees leaving work just because they reach retirement age can reduce the effects associated with hiring, training and so on, and by retaining the knowledge and skills that can be passed on before retirement takes place. There are a number of factors that affect older workers attitude to work and such factors include: Stress: organisations that focus on reducing the workplace stress of older workers and increasing their job satisfaction are more likely to attract older workers to bridge employment rather than lose them to retirement. Independence and control: giving older workers more freedom and more control over their jobs and how they perform them has a positive effect on performance and increases the age at which performance declines. Access to flexible work arrangements: flexibility in terms of working hours, teleworking etc, can keep older workers engaged in the workforce for longer. Flexible working has some great benefits for employees and their employers. It can lead to improved productivity, higher staff retention, increased skill-sharing and better customer relations. Transition into retirement: Retiring from work is a major transition which can bring significant challenges to health and wellbeing. Some people experience no change in health, and others experience improved health due to there being a range of factors that determine whether people adjust well or poorly to this transition in life. Evidence suggests that social engagement (or the lack of social isolation) and physical activity is a key aspect of continued good health. There are a variety of ways in which people can keep active and interact with others after retirement. Local community centres may also offer a range of social activities that retired employees can take part in when retired. The Age UK website has a good source of information on wellbeing and financial matters or pop into one of the shops for advice http://www.ageuk.org.uk/ information-and-advice.

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Enjoy fine dining at home A star of BBC’s MasterChef has been popping up fine dining restaurants across the country. Each issue, Wakefield entrepreneur and chef, Chris Hale will be sharing his secrets with TopicUK readers on how you can create chef-style food creations in your own home. The first of his delicious recipes is: Warming Japanese Noodle Broth Mushroom Dashi “I love venturing into large Chinese supermarkets, such a vast array of incredible ingredients I have never set eyes on before. These little trips inspired my weekly pop up café at Union Street, Sheffield as I bring a different part of Asia to Sheffield every Monday lunch time. “Here is a recipe which proved to be very popular in my first week, when I focussed on Japanese cuisine. It is easy to make, incredibly healthy and

absolutely delicious. I hope you enjoy, please tweet me any pictures when you have made it to @popupnorthfood. Ingredients (serves 4): Shiitake mushroom dashi 40g of dried shiitake mushrooms, (about 14 mushrooms) 1l water kombu, 1 postcard-sized piece Mirin 80ml Soy sauce 80ml Noodles 500g udon noodles 1x pak choi ﬁnely sliced Assortment of mushrooms (I love enoki & shiitake) 100g beansprouts Method: 1. In a bowl, immerse the dried mushrooms in 1L hot water (enough to

cover all the mushrooms – this will form your stock) to rehydrate for 40mins. 2. Boil the udon noodles until cooked and drain. 3. Put the noodles into the bowl you’re serving in (I use Kilner jars as they look great). Put the chopped pak choi, beansprouts and mushrooms on top. 4. Pour the mushrooms and water they have been sat in into a large pan with the kombu, mirin and soy sauce and boil until it has reduced by a third. 5. Sieve the liquid with a ﬁne sieve (there is quite often grit on the dried mushrooms). 6. Pour the hot broth on top of the noodles and leave for 2 minutes to warm everything through.

For more info on Chris and his food ventures, go to facebook.com/ popupnorth

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WakeďŹ eldUpdate

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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22/12/16 03:45

FirstStepsDayNursery Building a Foundation for the Future

YHC

Caduceus House : Upper Warrengate, Wakefield Tel: 01924 298290 Email: 1ststeps@wdhcs.com or louise@wdhcs.com

Wakefield & District Health & Community Support Ltd. A Company Limited by Guarantee No. 489136 Registered Charity No. 226121

TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 47

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SUBLIME Antigua and Barbuda by Zeina Hechme, Zeina M. Hechme is a freelance writer and translator, and a Senior Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Antigua and Barbuda. She holds a First Class Honours Bachelors in Creative Writing from the University of Leeds, a Masters in Latin American Area Studies from the University of London, and a post-

TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 48

graduate degree in Diplomacy from the Rio Branco Institute of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Zeina has lived in different countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Lebanon, the U.S., the U.K. and Brazil. Her interests include literature, spirituality, and piano.

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Imagine a tropical idyll of ivory shores, aquamarine waters and slow, radiant afternoons – it would probably look a lot like the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. I place my novel face down on my beach chair at Ffryes Beach, on the Southwestern coast of Antigua, and soak in the scenery: Children squeal and splash about in postcard-perfect waters; The craggy silhouette of Montserrat, the volcanic island, looms on a watery horizon. A pelican plunge-dives for lunch near a catamaran anchored half a mile oﬀshore. Two hours later, I’m sitting at ‘Dennis Cocktail Bar and Restaurant,’ the beach bar at the end of Ffryes, enjoying the inrushing trade winds, and a nearpsychedelic sunset. The hilltop beach bar is a great spot for a West Indian traditional dish, and an icy cocktail. If you’re up for a local beer, ask for a Wadadli - the name given to the island by the seafaring Arawaks, long before Christopher Columbus renamed it “Santa Maria de la Antigua,” after a statue in a Seville Cathedral. From the wooden veranda at Dennis,’ one can drink in views of placid, cerulean waters. You can also see a ruined stone sugar mill in the distance, which serves as a reminder of the days when sugar cane production and slavery dominated Antigua. Antigua’s sunbaked countryside is littered with 17th century bladeless sugar mills - most of them overgrown with vegetation. Apparently, there are around 110 of them on the island, including Betty’s Hope, a restored mill with a visitor’s center. While Antigua is larger and more developed of the two islands, with around 90,000 inhabitants, an atmosphere of serenity prevails. Known for its crowdfree beaches, the stunning clarity of its seas, and a vibrant restaurant scene, Antigua is the quintessential tropical getaway. The island’s tranquil lifestyle has

bewitched the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Giorgio Armani, and Eric Clapton, who all own vacation homes here. Antigua’s little sister Barbuda offers travellers an even greater dose of island escapism, and is the best place to unplug in the Caribbean. With a population of around 1600 inhabitants, as well as laws preventing foreign ownership of land, the sleepy island of Barbuda has remained completely unspoilt. Barbuda boasts a strong tradition of fishing, and is ringed with miles of empty, immaculate beaches for travellers to sink their toes into, some of which are even carpeted with pink sand. While Barbuda may not offer the relatively wide array of facilities and comforts as her more outgoing sibling Antigua (with the exception of two good hotels), the island has an authentic, ‘uncommercial’ feel that is something special. Treasure Island: What to do in Antigua and Barbuda Whether you’re a history buff or just a plain, old rum lover, be sure to visit Nelson’s Dockyard National Park in English Harbour. The brick and coral stone Dockyard was once a strategic British naval base, and was named after the Hero of Trafalgar, Admiral Horatio Nelson, who lived in the Dockyard from 1784 to 1787. Today, Nelson’s Dockyard is the world’s only Georgian-era shipyard, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Dockyard is also the Caribbean’s major yachting hub, and a vibrant gathering spot for Sailing Week, Antigua’s world-famous, rum-fuelled regatta. Other sights in English Harbour include the restored military look out, Shirley Heights, where visitors can party hard to the sounds of steel pan and soca over spectacular views, and Clarence House, which was built for the Duke of Clarence, the future King William IV, as a birthday gift.

A wonderful place for lunch and a stay-over in Antigua is Harmony Hall Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, which includes a renovated sugar mill, and an art gallery. After a sumptuous Italian lunch, walk down the dock, and take a dinghy-ride over to the nearby, uninhabited Green Island, where kite surfing abounds, and Hawksbill Sea Turtles can sometimes be spotted lazing on the surface of the sea. Eat local and healthy: While Antigua is known as a relatively dry island, head to Fig Tree Drive, and find yourself suddenly amid rainforest. Stop at the fruit stall at the end of Fig Tree Drive for some Antiguan Black Pineapple, mangoes and starfruit. In addition, whether you’re vegetarian, or simply in need of a rum punch detox, try One Stone Ital Shak, at their branch in St. John’s or in English Harbour. Meals are cooked in traditional clay pots, and are based upon the Rastafarian belief that food should increase one’s ‘Livity,’ or life energy. Take a plane, ferry or catamaran over to Barbuda to see the Magnificent Frigate Birds – rare, black-plumed seabirds found in the Caribbean and in the Galapagos. Barbuda has one of the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuaries in the world, with around 5000 birds. Even if you aren’t an avid bird-watcher, you’ll enjoy the boat trip through the shimmering waters and mangroves of Codrington Lagoon, as well as the sights and sounds of the dramatic birds. Investment Opportunities in Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua and Barbuda is one of the newer countries to offer a formal, structured Citizenship-by-Investment Program (CIP). The program is an appealing option for investors looking for a second citizenship. Approved CIP applicants can invest in desirable properties on the island, or contribute to the island’s National Development Fund (NDF).

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£10k for residents to improve health and wellbeing Faceless Arts, a leading Creative Community Engagement organisation based in Wakefield, has been awarded £10,000 from Awards for All to help residents at Frickley Mews, an extra care facility in South Emsall, develop an internal and external sense of community. Faceless Arts has been working for 20 years nationally and internationally creating exceptional art experiences which invigorate, inspire and enthuse people to develop proud communities everywhere. Faceless Arts will work with the residents and staﬀ at Frickley Mews to create art workshops that will uplift people by inspiring them to access their artistic abilities to celebrate who they are and expand their horizons. Frickley Mews has been sensitively designed to allow people over the age of 50, who have an assessed need for care and support including those living with dementia, to remain independent in their own home for as long as possible. Faceless Arts is delivering an art project for residents and members of staﬀ involving the local community, working towards a group artwork or installation or exhibition of work, and an art/craft fair event day in the café or grounds. The project will begin with Silk and Wire Sculpture Workshops which will help tackle isolation of people within the home and create common ground for residents to come together, share experiences and improve

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communication. The artworks also have physical benefits for the residents with improved dexterity. The wire sculptures use a process that has been developed by Faceless Arts over a number of years, where the brightly coloured figurative sculptures made out of highly polished aluminium wire are easily manipulated by participants of all abilities, including those with arthritis, producing beautiful art works, which the participants feel very proud of. Building on the experiences of the first workshops Faceless Arts will then consult with residents

and staﬀ to talk about future activities and events involving residents and local community. As part of the sessions, Faceless Arts will encourage reminiscence (which is great for memory loss related conditions), using historical imagery from the area to promote conversation and create images in the silk painting sessions.

community into the development in multi-generational projects.

In the second phase, Faceless Arts will work to bring the local

The project ﬁnale will be a celebration in the form of the Frickley Fair at Frickley Mews – An art & craft fair in the café with food, music, resident suggested activities and ideas sourced from the local community.

Established in 1990, Faceless Arts is a Wakefield based professional arts organisation, working at the leading edge of creative community engagement often with communities less well served. They create exceptional arts experiences which invigorate and enthuse people to develop conﬁdent and proud communities everywhere. Frickley Mews is a new housing development of self-contained two-bedroom apartments available to rent in South Emsall. The development

has been built by Chevin Housing Association, part of the Together Housing Group, in partnership with Wakeﬁeld Council and will include 44 family homes and 67 extra care apartments. This project has been made possible thanks to funding from Awards for All which is part of the Big Lottery Fund.

Residents will have the opportunity to work one day a week with local groups such as school children, parent and toddler groups, older people’s coﬀee mornings, friends and family or University of the Third Age.

Bev Adams from Faceless Arts said: “It’s such a pleasure to be part of such a landmark project. Frickley Mews is a forwardthinking home and a great resource for the local community. We strongly believe that art can be the conduit to build these relationships and we know from past projects that there will be positive beneﬁts for the residents and the wider Frickley Community.”

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RecruitmentUpdate

New Year, New Career? By Andy TURNER Managing Director First Choice Recruitment This is exactly the headline most recruiters would scribble down at this time of the year and while it is true, the start of a new year is always a time when we plan our new lives by vowing to ‘get fit, move house or get that job’, it would be remiss of me not to glance back at 2016 and the effect this has had (so far) on our industry. I was told that if you’d put £5 at a certain time on Leicester City winning the Premier League, the UK to vote for Brexit and for Donald Trump to be the US President , that fiver would be worth approximately £12.5m, but how has it effected the local economy and indeed, the recruitment industry specifically? Apologies to all the Foxes out there (Leicester City fans) but Brexit and potentially the new President does have more impact locally, but the question is – by how much? Donald Trump is being sworn in this

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month as the 45th President of the United States and did say during his campaign “We have a great economic plan.” “We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world.” This is easier said than done, but what impact will a ‘different looking’ USA have on us? Will it actually be different ? Will new (better or worse) trade deals effect some of our local companies and their plans? Many of our local companies do deal directly or indirectly with the US and are certainly ‘watching this space’ but it’s probably too early to comment. In Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees 59% of us voted to Brexit compared to the overall 51.9% in the UK overall, but how has this affected local companies? We woke up on Friday 24th June to potentially a new world – or was it? At First Choice Recruitment we are lucky enough to deal across a multitude of industries and companies many of whom work very closely with our European

neighbours, some rely on imports and others export and with Sterling suffering initially, rallying and suffering again this is bound to make a difference, good and bad, to their balance sheet/order books. The initial shock caused a short term lack of confidence in some quarters, Manufacturing for instance - one of our manufacturing clients immediately putting their recruitment programme on hold. This was eventually re-instated albeit at a slower pace and with less recruits. Other clients in the same sector put some of their permanent bookings on hold whilst a few ‘transferred’ these roles to temporary positions. Gradually, however, even with Manufacturing clients who trade directly with Europe it’s been ‘business as usual’ , we woke up ‘that’ Thursday morning and in reality nothing changed in our world. I believe we will look back at 2016 as being a momentous year but how long will it take to affect our own worlds? So how does 2017 look for you – do you want to get fit, move house or get that new job? Make this year your year…

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MAGAZINE FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, APPRENTICES AND STUDENTS

tomorrow Sponsored by

4 What Was Wrong With A? Darryl Wideman

57 The Green Paper and Ackworth School Anton MAREE

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60 Connecting learners New and exciting skills for the classroom

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Topic Tomorrow

WakeﬁeldUpdate

What Was Wrong With A? I ended my last article with a promise to explain further about the current mess that has been created with our national examination system. You may recall that I suggested a relatively bright student could achieve the following GCSE grades next summer: B, 7, *, 6, ^, A, 8, 9, C. Darryl WIDEMAN Headmaster of Silcoates School

This possibility arises because at least two systems will operate in parallel. New-style GCSE exams have been introduced, starting with English and Maths next summer and then being rolled out to other subjects in 2018 and 2019. You may recall my analogy of the country choosing to change from driving on the left to driving on the right, with lorries making the switch in the ﬁrst year and cars the next!

Einstein deﬁned madness as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a diﬀerent outcome...

These new exams will be graded from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest and 1 the lowest. For those of us of a certain age who remember CSE exams, this will be particularly confusing because the order was the opposite back then, with 1 being the highest grade. Where is the logic behind this new system? It really is hard to see, to be honest. At its root is an attempt to move away from the A*-G grades, which pretty much everyone understands, and to create something new that will allow Ofqual, the government organisation that regulates qualifications and exams, to ensure that so called grade inflation is reduced. Grade inflation is where the pass rates and top grades go up each year, because it’s politically desirable for standards to be seen to be rising. The trouble with this, of course, is that they cannot rise for ever without creating the farce of everyone passing every exam with top grades.

The first attempt to offset this problem was the introduction of the A* grade in 1994. While it could, I suppose, be argued that this was not an unreasonable idea to try to differentiate between the good and the very good, it ended up creating an unecessary pressure on high achievers, for whom an A grade was suddenly no longer good enough, and it meant that all of us who have A grades in our exams taken before that date have had to spend the rest of our lives explaining our perceived underachievement. Still, it could be worse – and it will be. In a few years, people will be applying for jobs and listing their GCSE grades. Where someone can currently say, ‘I got three A*s, four As, two Bs and a C,’ which most people can understand, they will soon have to say, ‘I got two 9s, an 8, four 7s, two 6s and a 4.’ Pardon? Until the new system settles down, there will be a three-year interim period where the old grades are still be being used alongside the new, hence the computer password of an outcome that we started with. This all might somehow be justifiable if it would raise standards and deliver a more effective system of nationwide education that will help our country to compete in a fast changing world; but it won’t.

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All that will happen is that the new system will take five years to bed in, damaging the confidence of children, parents and staff while it does. Once people get used to it, grades will start to rise because we will come to understand the hoops we need to jump through to succeed. Then there will be a period of soul searching while we wonder how to fix the latest broken system, after which we’ll change it again and go back to letters instead of numbers – though maybe Z will be the top grade and A will be the lowest.

I’ve probably written this before, but it’s a real mantra of mine. Einstein deﬁned madness as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a diﬀerent outcome. Maybe the votes for change through Brexit and Trump suggest the people are not quite as mad as some commentators suggest; but, as you can see from what I’ve written here, the national public examination system is as bonkers as ever!

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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WakeﬁeldUpdate

The Not-So-Fantastic of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 1920s America! New York! Harlem! The Harlem Renaissance, wherein which, through art, literature and music, a new black cultural identity was formed… By Kiran AKRAM Second year A-Level student at Outwood Grange Academy ...not only did this sprout some of the most lively arts in recorded memory, but it also lead to the beginnings of acceptance and appreciation of the diﬀerences in race. A large unit of black people living together in what some might say could possibly resemble a community? Not according to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

around Huﬄepuﬀ Newt Scamander, care-taker of beasts magical and fully dedicated to the beasts living in his valise, which are endangered by humans. (Sound familiar?) With hardly any trouble in customs, Newt grabs his wand and hauls his valise into the streets of the Big Apple. Of course, havoc ensues. The valise is opened. Fantastic Beasts are lost. Mr Scamander is in trouble, and so is No Mag (Muggle) society. It’s a great story, and it was well-executed. It’s the casting I have a problem with.

It’s not only the politics behind supporting black actors, like Carmen Ejogo (who does an excellent job of playing Seraphina Piquery, President of the Magical Congress) who are no doubt suffering from the lack of black roles available. It’s the audience. The reason we tell and listen to stories are to teach and learn when you see something of yourself in a character. If we don’t give the children who will grow up on these five Fantastic Beasts films role models, who look like them and share their experiences, and instead give them the Eddie Redmaynes, the Katherine Watersons, the Dan Foglers and Fine Frenzys, we risk a continuation of the journey that starts from self-hate

If you are a living, breathing being, you have probably heard of the Harry Potter series. A small boy with a small existence in a small cupboard under the stairs of his Aunt’s small family discovers that he has power. Not only that, he is recognised by masses of people like him for his remarkableness. Once he finds people to stand by him and help him stand by himself, he starts to achieve things. Not small things like the ability to tie shoelaces (though that is a necessary and commendable skill) – but big things. Incredible things. It’s an uplifting story to most, and it definitely was to me. The message that someone like you is probably out there, and that that Someone Like You could make all the difference is pretty awe-inspiring. Especially to those who watch films or read books or appreciate any art form for the reason to know that they are not alone. This is why the Fantastic Beasts film was such a disappointment to me. It did have a message – and a good one at that, with a quiet comment on society in the background. The story centers

Not only was the starring cast whitewashed – almost the entire environment was. This includes New Yorkers walking around and minding their own business, completely oblivious to the disaster about to unfold around Newt Scamander. It creates the impression that black people were absent from that part of history. This is a dangerous lie.

and reaches acceptance far too late many non-white kids go through. I reject the idea that the race of the character would aﬀect the events of the story. However, if we accept this, it then stands to reason that if black characters are excluded from our stories, there are more stories

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to tell. Neglecting to tell those stories is like deeming the lessons they teach unimportant. “We no longer offer Physics courses, as we’ve decided that they are unessential.” Obviously, this excludes any students that want to become physicists, and it limits their career opportunities. 1920s New York is ripe with such possibility, which was hardly seized at all. Of course, there are good things to say about the movie. It’s amazing to see how far the special effects have progressed since the last Harry Potter film was released in 2011, and there were plenty of giggles for likeable characters, and they managed to make it feel new and familiar all at the same time by sprinkling parts of the stories we know and love in there, and the beasts. Oh, the beasts. Since watching the film, I have abandoned my endeavours in convincing my family that a cat is essential to happiness in favour of the Niffler (equal parts softness, mischief, cuteness and joy). But this hurts. More than because it doesn’t feel like the lesson I expected it to be. More than because there was only one significant (named) black character. Because I thought the Harry Potter series was extraordinary, only to find out that it was just like everything else in its erasure of black history.

The Green Paper and AckworthSchool You will be aware that there is a real fear that Britain is becoming an “us and them” society in which many people do not believe they have a fair chance of moving up the ladder.

Anton MAREE Headmaster

he Prime Minister, Theresa May, recently warned in her Green Paper on Education, that she wished to amend Charity Commission guidance for independent schools ‘…to enact a tougher test on the amount of public beneﬁt required to maintain charitable status’. The Prime Minister went as far as to tell small independent schools exactly what she expected from them, and I will share this with you.

Racism is evident in the ﬁlm in the existence of the Second Salem campaigners, who spread hate against the wizarding world and call for the removal of witches and wizards from No Mag society. Things like this teach people to hate magic. What if magic manifested in one of these haters? This attitude would be very damaging to them. These people are represented as inherently evil, but the irony in how the casting of the ﬁlm in itself advocates the same views is not seen as clearly as it should be.

Smaller independent schools would be asked to provide direct school-toschool support where appropriate. This could include supporting teaching in minority subjects such as further maths or classics, which state schools often struggle to make viable. It could include ensuring that members of our SMT become directors of multi-academy trusts; provide greater access to our facilities and provide sixth-form scholarships.

Sometimes, fantasy and reality become so intermingled that teachings from both become interchangeable. For once, I would like accurate representation of society in a ﬁlm. Isn’t it horrible that I consider this accuracy a fantasy?

Of course this is only a Green Paper and there is likely to be resistance to this in both Houses; however, Ackworth School has never waited to be directed. I want our school to be proactive. I know that schools can

make a powerful difference to social mobility. I am already a trustee of a local academy and I can see at first hand the confusion legislation has caused, as well as the advances it has allowed. I am also aware of the budgetary restraints and the rigours as well as advantages of Ofsted. Ackworth School is working closely with BECSLink, an organisation which aims to provide opportunities for our students as well as those who attend local primary and secondary schools. BECSlink are helping us to engage with our community and with national and international corporations. They have useful links and sufficient knowhow to help us make a difference. We need advice and help from our many parents who work in businesses in West Yorkshire or further afield who can help us to make a difference. Please let me know if you can help us.

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Five ways to find time for the gym as a young professional Making the transition from being a student, to a young professional struggling to get to the office for 9am can be difficult enough, without adding a trip to the gym after work into the mix.

e’ve all been there, but there is ways to motivate yourself to find that work/ gym balance. Look at it as ‘me time’ The less that a trip to the gym is viewed as being a chore, the easier it will be to fit into your routine. Take the time at the gym to clear your mind; forget about the day you’ve had and focus on your fitness goals, instead. Even if your day at work was not one you’re proud of, make yourself proud at the gym instead. Run further than you usually would on the treadmill, lift a heavier weight than you have before, or even try a new class you were afraid to. Unlike at work, at the gym you don’t have anyone to answer – make the most of it! Go before work. “Wake up earlier than I have to? Are you CRAZY?!”… yes, maybe, but getting in a gym session before work not only frees up your evening to chill on the

sofa or see friends, but it also gives you a sense of accomplishment and achievement before your working day has begun. Whilst your colleagues will have, most likely, dragged themselves out of bed straight into the office, you will have burned mega calories. Go, you! Early morning weekend trips. Yep, more of the ‘early mornings’ but bear with me. Hitting the gym at 8am on a Saturday or Sunday will free up your day so you don’t have the ‘ugh I still have to go to the gym’ feelings on your shoulders. Get it over and done with and plan a whole day of fun (or a pyjama day on the sofa) and still feel like you’ve achieved something towards your fitness goals. It also means your Saturday night takeaway can be slightly less guilty because, hey – you’ve already burned off some of the cals! Find a routine that works for you. Spending more than an hour in the gym 3 times a week can seem like its consuming a whole load of your time to some young professionals, and, equally, spending 40 minutes six times a week can seem like it’s consuming loads of time too. Work out what fits best into your schedule. If you work late three times a week,

heading to the gym even for 40 minutes can make you feel like you have no chill time so why not do longer sessions on other days and have those days as rest days? Use a class or workout you love as motivation. If you do the same workout day in day out, there’s a strong chance you’re going to start ﬁnding it dull and start making less time for the gym. Mix your workout up a bit every session, or ﬁnd an element you love and use that as your motivation. If Spin class is your thing, make time to go once a week, or if you just love leg day, do two leg sessions a week to keep your spirits high. Seeing the results of your workouts can also act as motivation – so keep taking plenty of progress pictures! Finding the balance between work, play and the gym can be tough, but we’ve got your back!

Livi Wilkes, 22 is a PR & Communications graduate and when she’s not blogging or freelancing, you’ll ﬁnd her in the gym!

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Connecting learners with the local heritage of WW1 Across Wakefield, children have been learning some new and exciting skills for the classroom, alongside developing their knowledge of local people, heroes and heritage.

Elsium Education have been working with 150 children from five schools across the Wakefield District on a project about the local history surrounding World War 1, which culminated in November with a festival showcase at Wakefield Cathedral. The children were tasked with researching stories of local heroes that fought in the trenches during World War 1, and to document their findings and new knowledge in a short film making the most of new learning technologies in the classroom. They worked in small groups of three to four children to create their own mini film production company, and each took on roles to make their own films. This included researchers, script writers, presenters, camera person, editors and of course, producers.

a year he spent on the front line trenches in France and Germany. The diary gives fascinating insights into life in the trenches which sparked the vivid imagination of the children, and was expertly presented by the staﬀ at the museum and library who supported the project. “I thought at the start that the soldiers had only been shot. There were actually lots of diseases, disgusting diseases, which killed soldiers, like trench-foot.” Pupil, Ackworth Mill Dam. The children used all their knowledge to create “Time Traveller News’ - a modern look back at the WW1, or documentary style videos, complete with recreations of trench life by exploring the use of green screens.

iPads were used throughout the project to help the children present their ideas as films, so that they could film and edit their findings, as well as explore the magic of green screen technology, that allowed the children to dress up and film themselves in context by changing the background behind them to something appropriate, such as images of the trenches or maps that they were explaining. Some iPads were even used as an autocue, developing the children’s literacy skills as they interpreted their research and scripted their films ready for the presenter to deliver.

Plenty of dressing up in period clothes was paramount, with children bringing in outﬁts and makeup, to aid their theatrical presentations. One key aspect of this project was teacher training. iPads are regularly purchased by schools, but often with little thought about the pedagogy and teaching styles and skills to make use of the devices to support learning. It is often thought that because teachers know how to use their phone, they can automatically use an iPad, whereas teaching with the iPad is a very diﬀerent use of the device.

A little known fact in the area is that Wakeﬁeld Museum and Library have a wealth of resources around World War 1 in the area, including a very special item. The museum is the home to a diary kept by an Agbrigg resident, George Kellett during

Teachers developed their knowledge of the creative powers of using the iPad, focusing on key apps to support the ﬁlm project to evidence learning and understanding, building in literacy and the learner voice, giving all the learners roles

in the production groups to allow them to support each other as individuals but work as group. Evidencing learning and assessment were also key aspects, answering the often quoted question of ‘if children create all this great work on the iPads, how do we assess it and support their learning as teachers?’ Impact on the school was just as important as the films that the children produced. The project ended with a big Oscars-style showcase hosted by Wakefield Cathedral, allowing the children to see highlights from the films produced by each school with awards being presented focusing on different areas of the project, judged independently by staff from Wakefield Museum and Library, as well as Wakefield Cathedral. The results were: Best Use of Technology: Ackworth Mill Dam School. Best Script: Ash Grove Junior and Infant School. Best Understanding of Heritage: St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School. Best Research: Castleford Academy. Elsium Education Learning Award: Pinders Primary School Best School Implementation: Ash Grove Junior and Infant School Best Overall Film: St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School

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Ackworth School HMC, Quaker, Co-educational Boarding & Day School for 2½ to 18 Years

Friday 20 January 2017, 4.00 - 7.00pm — Business and Education Fair Meet representatives from businesses and universities to ﬁnd the best route for your child, in association with BECSLink

2017 Waiting List Now Open Year 7 entrance tests on Saturday 14 January 2017 Register now for our September entry Means-tested Bursaries and Scholarships available Join us for our Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday 1 February 2017

A Foundation for Life Ackworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 7LT Tel: +44 (0)1977 611401

/AckworthSchool

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Email: admissions@ackworthschool.com

www.ackworthschool.com

@ackworth_school

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Advanced Skills & Innovation Centre – the new hub of high-level skills in the region

Opening 2017! The new Centre will transform high-level skills training in the District. Not only will it become the new hub of our University Centre at Wakeﬁeld College, bringing modern teaching and learning facilities for our students, it will also become a focal point in the District for innovation and entrepreneurship, allowing enterprising students and local start-up businesses to bring their business ideas to life.

businessschool at ZDNHíHOGcollege

Working in partnership with nationally recognised professional bodies, our Business School at Wakeﬁeld College will help train the business leaders of tomorrow. So whether you have a passion for accountancy, management, personnel, legal services, procurement, or leadership, our Business School could be your ticket to success.

ASIC Engineering Centre Students will beneﬁt from learning in our superb new engineering centre. The centre will provide opportunities to study higher-level courses developed with leading industry employers, including Coca-Cola Enterprises and BOSCH. This allows our students to learn the relevant skills and knowledge to progress into industry, and have a head start in their careers.

With the creative and digital industries identified as key growth areas locally, our creative and digital industry students will benefit from high quality facilities and collaboration with local businesses to nurture the talent of the future and help to fill the regional skills gap.

Nationally, the Creative & Digital industries contribute

of GDP and employ over

2 million people

‘We expect our future growth to come from increasing demand for and investment in areas including engineering, finance & business services, transport & logistics, and creative & digital’ Leeds City Region Skills Plan, 2013-2015

Supported by

This project has received investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Do Not ‘Give Trump a Chance’ I realize that Trump is the President-elect and that with such power as he is to have, he could make life very difficult – not only for Americans, but anyone affected by America’s influence. That is to say, almost the entire global community. By Kiran AKRAM Second year A-Level student at Outwood Grange Academy Since his shady victory in November, there has been a very defeatist attitude suggesting that we ‘give Trump a chance’ or ‘let Trump prove himself.’ Inﬂuential people such as Rob Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, singer Kelly Osbourne and even President Obama himself have urged us to do so. Don’t! I can’t imagine why we should. To make the transition easier? Because Trump might surprise us? To make ourselves feel better? Ah, yes. I’m sure I would feel much better when Trump blows up bigger than we could ever have expected if the transition to mayhem is just a little smoother. The mentality that ‘we have survived bad presidents before’ needs to be removed. And then destroyed. Suggesting so is not only incredibly vapid, but also ignorant

and ego-centric. Not everyone has survived the bad presidents of America. America, and therefore the presidents of America have caused many a death. Consider Andrew Jackson. Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which was responsible for the relocation of Native Americans so that the American settlers could take over bigger areas of land. On the forced relocation journey, Cherokees were moved West. Four thousand of them did not ‘survive’ this. Like Jackson, William Henry Harrison was a slave-owner. He lobbied for the legalisation of slavery in Indiana. It’s no secret that slavery removes all the rights of a person, but I feel that when we learn about slaves and slave culture, we think of it too much as an abstract idea rather than the mentally-damaging oppressive force that it was. Often, punishments for slaves included whippings, shackling, hangings, beatings, mutilations and, for women,

rape. (White women were not allowed to sleep with black men, so women were more at risk of this, because homosexuality was also strictly taboo.) Imagine how the endorsement of slavery by the reigning president would aﬀect slaveowners’ attitudes to slavery. The inﬂuence of a president is massive. How many slaves perished at the hands of pro-slavery presidents? Richard Milhous Nixon, blamed for the disaster at Watergate, could also be blamed for the duration of the Vietnam War, a war which killed so many people through such in-humane methods, that there is no certain death count. You can be sure it’s over a million, though. Nixon manipulated the war to gain the presidency, much like Trump utilised the fear living in any sane person’s subconscious. Each of these periods in American history have had serious repercussions in the modern day. By accepting Trump, we make his job easier. This is a man who believes his job entails forcing Mexican people (who he has degraded multiple times) to build a wall on the border, that doctors who facilitate abortions should be punished, that the Black Lives Matter Movement is “trouble” and that Syrian refugees are dangerous. Trump’s presidency puts so many at risk. This won’t stop at the end of Trump’s term. Not everyone will ‘survive’ this.

Pupils deliver hampers For the third year running pupils from Ackworth School have helped pack and distribute food hampers for the less privileged in the Wakefield and Pontefract area. Organised by the Rotary Club of Wakefield Chantry and the Community Action Project based in Wakefield, this year the ambitious target of 1,000 hampers has been reached and all the packing is complete. “It was more fun than we thought” commented Will, Josh, Thomas and Max from 3rd year. On the weeks up to Christmas the pupils were out delivering the parcels with the help of the School minibus and driver.

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WakeďŹ eldUpdate

:(/&20,1* 285

0(0%(5 JOIN BONDHOLDERS A N D B E PA RT OF A GROWING ENTERPRISE

The Wakefield First Bondholder Scheme has announced more than 30 new members in recent months and also celebrated its 100th member. A private sector initiative that aims to accelerate the growth of the Wakefield District by branding, marketing and promoting it nationally and internationally, now boasts representation and support from companies of all sizes and from a variety of sectors including manufacturing, professional services, creative and digital as well as cultural and leisure.

www.wakefieldbondholders.com

To find out more about Wakefield Bondholders, the work that they are doing or for details on how to become a member, contact Kelly Smith on: 01924 306901 or email: kesmith@wakefield.gov.uk

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Partying in York Youth Correspondent, Gillian Thorpe shares with TopicTomorrow readers, why York is a great place for a night out. Now that the holiday season is behind us, we tend to switch our focus from mince pies and prosecco to things like detox shakes and gym memberships. On the ﬂip side, you may be the type to skip that banana kale smoothie nonsense and keep that holiday spirit going into the New Year. If you are, here’s a list of the best bars to visit in York. Whether you’re a student looking for a break from your studies or just a change in scenery, York can be a fantastic and convenient place to relax. Best for cocktails Evil Eye Lounge, 42 Stonegate, YO1 8AS This self-proclaimed home of the bizarre, weird and wonderful won’t let you down. Fronted as an oﬀ license, this unassuming bar will surprise you. Boasting a serious cocktail menu (hello… Green Fairy), it attracts people from all walks of life. Word on the street is that Johnny Depp has been here! The bar is colorful and reminiscent of a Thai beach bar. This isn’t for anyone looking for a quiet night as tables can be sticky, music is loud, and it gets packed during the weekend. If alcoholic drinks aren’t your thing, you can still enjoy one of their many mocktails, smoothies or deliciously warm hot chocolates…Please try the Swamp Candy, an insane mix of hot chocolate, Minstrels, Malteasers, marshmallows and cream. Bottoms up! Prices-Average, but with any two £6.00 cocktails for £10.00 and any four £3.00 shots for £10.00, you can’t complain. Best for music and real ale The Hop, 11-12 Fossgate YO1 9TA Located on trendy Fossgate, The Hop is easily one of the most popular bars in York. Taking pride in their award-winning ale, their selection is constantly being updated, and seasonal guest ales can be found on rotation. All the ale comes from

the local Ossett Brewery, and if you are looking for something light and citrusy, try a pint of White Rat. Just imagine yourself sipping on your carefully chosen ale, snacking on freshly-baked pizza, listening to a live band. Perfect. Prices-Reasonable, it’s quality over quantity at The Hop, with fantastic pizzas and unreal ales. Traditional Pub The King’s Arms, Kings Staith, YO1 9SN You can’t travel to York without visiting one of York’s many historical pubs – especially the King’s Arms. As it’s a Sam Smith’s pub, you can get the local Taddy lager for under £2.50 a pint! Score! However, this world famous pub is known for something other than cheap beer. You will notice there are no permanent fixtures or fancy rugs on the stone floor. This is because it is located right on the Ouse River and floods nearly every year. It’s also affectionately known as “The Pub That Floods”. There are markers on the doorframe that note the height and date of each flood. Despite the old man atmosphere, the river views are perfect, and on a sunny day, you can grab a seat on the outdoor benches for a pint. We say bring on the sunshine. Prices: Brilliant, if you are on a budget, you can get some great poison for a small cost. Evening Drinks Pavement Vaults, 2 Piccadilly, YO1 9NU Newly opened in 2015, this trendy restaurant bar is perfect for drinks and nibbles before a night out. It’s located smack dab in the centre of York and serves up delicious drinks, beers and high quality BBQ food. Head down the spiral staircase to the basement where you and friends can squish in the comfy booths. You can snack on 12 hour smoked

ox cheek and Yorkshire blue risotto while sipping on some of the fine and decently priced wines. If you are into beer, there is a huge selection of microbrewery options, including Magic Rock Salty Kiss Gooseberry Gose or perhaps the Beaverton Smog Rocket Smoked Porter will tickle your fancy? Prices: Around £6.95 a cocktail, and pints range from £4.00 to £8.00, depends on your taste of beer and ale! A Unique Experience Lendel Cellars, 26 Lendal. York YO1 8AA Have you ever had a drink in a cellar before? No? Well now you can. Located under a wrought iron banner, down a set of brick stairs you will enter upon a historic pub, which used to be the actual cellars of the Lord Mayor! It’s set under vaulted brick ceilings and one could only imagine how wealthy you would have to be to own a cellar this big! This bar offers a decent range of ales, beers, and wines, and it will offer a unique experience to watch the match come Saturday. To add to the experience, there is word that a friar may even haunt this bar! Spooky. Prices: Cocktails are £6.99, and you and your buddies can split a pitcher for £12.99, or don’t split it, we don’t judge!

All in all, York is a beautiful place, with traditional architecture and some fantastic venues for food and drink. Even if you fancy a shopping trip, there are independent ‘hole-in-the-wall’ shops and of course your brands. Trains to York run frequently, with some running between 12am and 3am. Accommodation can be pricey when you’re a young person; remember to plan ahead, and if you do decide to stay, use hotel comparison sites to ﬁnd the best deals and try to book in advance. There’s nothing worse than being stuck and having to spend your entire loan on a taxi home. Even subscribe to student deals, and you might get a bargain!

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WakeﬁeldUpdate

Travel industry looks buoyant for 2017 Although it may sound like a cliché, it has been an eventful year for the travel industry. At the beginning of the year, the tourist industry of Egypt suffered significant setbacks due to the terrorist attacks. This meant that Egypt lost its status as a popular tourist destination. During the Summer we saw lowcostholidays go into liquidation leaving thousands of holidaymakers out of pocket. This was coupled with the uncertainty of the Brexit verdict in June. Fortunately, the summer Olympics in Brazil rekindled tourist interest in long haul travel. Here at One World Travel, we are celebrating our fourteenth year of our operation. The business has now grown to include three branches in Yorkshire. Since incorporation we have become an independent travel agency and tour operator with full ATOL and ABTA licences. In June, we were honoured to receive the accolade of “People’s Choice” as voted by the readers of the Wakefield Express. We are extremely grateful to receive this award and will continually strive to provide the local community with the highest quality products and customer service. Six months after the major decision, made by British voters, to leave the EU, we have not experienced any slowing down of business. Passenger numbers and holiday bookings have continued to grow despite a small blip in the foreign exchange market. However, even the foreign exchange bureau recovered quickly after this initial drop. We, here at One World Travel, are optimistic about our future business prospects, especially with the new connection and partnership we have

options with visa services and conference room arrangement. At the time of the writing of this article, I was in Shanghai - the ﬁnancial centre of the Far East and home to the largest ports in the region. This reminded me of the top prize of our New Year’s Charity Gala Dinner draw - two direct ﬂight tickets from Manchester Airport to Beĳing. This prize is sponsored by Hainan Airways.

with TopicUK. We believe that this alliance will open up new doors for the community in the Wakeﬁeld region in terms of business and bespoke luxury travel. We oﬀer tailor made business travel

Every year we host over ﬁve hundred guests at our New Year’s party in aid of Wakeﬁeld Hospice. This year it takes place at Kings Croft Hotel, Pontefract on 28 January. Samantha Harvey Managing Director One World Travel Group As a new partner of TopicUK, Samantha will be writing a regular travel column for all our readers.

January 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition

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Your blazer is your best friend One of the most common misconceptions daunting today’s employed society is about appropriate workwear. People usually tend to associate work attire exclusively to suites and ties. By Farah YAKINE Therefore, mainly because of this misapprehension, dressing up for the office has become a nightmare for the most of us. We all have different fashion styles, and not all of us are really keen on wearing ties and fully buttoned shirts. But here’s the twist: you don’t have to. Here, youth correspondent Farah Yakine, a fashion blogger shares some do’s and don’ts with TopicTomorrow readers. Dressing up for work: the second top four words that give you instant anxiety once spoken – the first four ones being evidently the oh-so-notorious: we need to talk. However, dressing up for work shouldn’t be such a stress trigger. I get it. Saying it is unpleasant is an understatement. The idea of a fully buttoned shirt is nerve-wrecking. A tie if you are a guy - no sexism intended – is even worse. Nevertheless, I will be sharing with you certain loopholes within the office attire system, and tricks for dressing up to work that don’t involve fully buttoned shirts or ties.

Loophole lesson number 1: Your blazer is your best friend A blazer is a great wardrobe tool for dressing up and down an outﬁt. No

shirt no problem! A simple blazer paired with a t-shirt will take your casual look to a more formal office appropriate one. I know what you might be thinking: a blazer with a t-shirt look sounds like an oxymoron; and is certainly a controversial idea. But it definitely is not. A t-shirt is admissible in a work environment, It’s just a matter of how to wear it. There are a few minor tricks to keep in mind: Slim fit: This is crucial for your t-shirt. I am not saying wear a skin tight t-shirt as tight as a diving suit, but do not wear anything too lose or baggy either. It is perfectly acceptable to merge the casual with the formal as long as you respect certain regulations. You do not want to end up looking like the Slim Shady or some rapper at the office. Neutral tones: always pick “office friendly” colors like black, gray, or navy blue. Keep it simple and neutral. Nothing too heavy on the eyes. This applies to both blazer and t-shirt. Do not make the colors clash, and opt for a subtle pairing to obtain a professional look.

No patterns: Never wear patterns or cluttered designs for both t-shirt and blazer. Anything other than a simple minimalistic t-shirt or blazer will take away any sense of formality in your attire. So here you have it, the great combination of a t-shirt and a blazer. Not such an oxymoron after all, is it? And aside from the great news that you don’t have to suffocate in a fully buttoned shirt or tie, this look is also time efficient. You don’t have to go home and change your outfit if you want to grab a casual drink or dinner after work. Work life and post work life now don’t have to be two separate entities. With a bit of compromise and subtle tricks, you can manage to merge both, and pull off an effortlessly chic look without betraying your sense of style. Farah Yaktine is a fashion blogger and until recently, personal journalist for the pop star Fleur East, a contestant from Factor. She is a graduate from the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion. She also holds a certificate in Fashion and Luxury Goods Management from the European School of Economics, Milan.

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Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Biscuit provides a complete IT service and flexible office IT solutions for businesses and organisations throughout the UK.

Our IT Solutions services support your team in thinking about the bigger picture when it comes to your IT systems.

TopicUK_Wakefield_jan17_68pp.indd 68

hello@biscuit.uk.com 01924 241281

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