connected issue 77

INSPIRING BUSINESS SUCCESS

ISSUE 77

The official magazine for Chamber members

LAGOM

How the Swedish concept of ‘not too little, not too much, just right’ can encourage a brighter, happier and more effective workforce PLUS. . . all the news from the Chamber Network Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

e

HEWITSONS YOU Whether you are an individual, a business, or an organisation such as a charity, our approach to understanding the issues you face ensures we deliver the specialist legal guidance to get you where you want to be. You and Hewitsons: it’s a partnership that works.

Cambridge London Milton Keynes Northampton

hewitsons.com

Absolute Client Focus

this issue

6

CONTENTS

12

17

21

18 5

Chief Executive’s highlights

22 22-23

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber news

24-25

Out & About

6-7

Connections

8-9

Influence

27

Fenland Chamber news

Global Reach

29

Huntingdonshire Chamber news

10-11 12-13 15 16-17 18-19

Knowledge Ask the Expert

33

New members

34-35

20

Charity

21

Protection

22-23

30-31

Ely Chamber news

Peterborough Chamber news Stamford Chamber news made agency

39

Signpost 2 Grow

41

Marketing Insight

43

Dementia Awareness

44-47

Events

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

connected 3

welcome from the

EDITOR

Welcome....

Welcome to issue 77 of connected!

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

Chief Executive John Bridge OBE DL Editor Sadie Parr

Dementia Action Week takes place 20-26 May, to reflect this we have included some information from Cambridgeshire County Council on how you can become a dementia friendly organisation.

Please turn to page 43 to find out more.

Our new Charity of the Year is East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. You can find out more about the important work that they do on our charity pages, plus read about our cheque presentation to our 2018/19 charity, Romsey Mill.

Sadie Parr Editor, connected s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

If you would like to promote your companies good news, please email your article and highresolution photo directly to me. We ask that articles are 100-150 words maximum.

Published by

Print xlpress Design Jill Rowbotham Advertising Caroline Baker caroline.baker@trinitymirror.com Membership team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Paul Gibbons 07759 934111 Cambridge Enterprise House, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR. Tel 01223 237414 Peterborough 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT. Tel 01733 370809 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk Visit cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

Views expressed in connected are not necessarily these of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The editor reserves the right to make amendments without notification.

4 connected

21

MAY 2019 JUNE 2019

22

Storm in a Teacup, Ely

3

Informal Networking Evening, Huntingdon

19

5

Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

19

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Peterborough

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

21

24

Business Open Day, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, March

Informal Networking Evening, March

23

Safari Networking Breakfast, Cambridge

10

Informal Networking Evening, Ely

20

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Cambridge

26

Global Business Network Seminar, Cambridge

14

Global Leaders Lunch and Awards, Cambridge

20 Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

28

Comedy Night and Black Tie Dinner, Peterborough

view from the

BRIDGE

I caught up with Joe Quinn, Events Manager at Archant, at the launch of the Hunts Post Business Awards that took place ahead of our Huntingdonshire Business Fair last month. These awards recognise and celebrate the best in business and we have many excellent companies performing well in our area.

I am head judge for the Hunts Post Business Awards but the Chamber also supports Archant with their awards in Ely and Fenland.

At the launch event I was able to talk about the real benefits of entering business awards and the exposure you can achieve for your organisation.

Do think seriously about entering the awards, with the deadline for the Hunts Post Business Awards submissions being Monday 2 September. More information can be found at www. huntsbusinessawards.co.uk

I have had the pleasure of working with Lynn Morgan for nine years during her time as Chief Executive at Arthur Rank Hospice, and was delighted to have the opportunity to congratulate her on the significant achievements during that time at a recent event to mark her retirement.

We look forward to continuing our support of the Hospice and working alongside the newly appointed Chief Executive, Sharon Allen OBE. Arthur Rank Hospice support people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting illness and those who need end-of-life care.

They care for more than 3,600 patients each year at their Hospice in Cambridge, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech and in patients’ own homes via their community team.

Having positive relationships with key media organisations is really important for businesses of all sizes. The Chamber has strong links with Radio Cambridgeshire and often comment on key issues of the day on their various programmes.

It was really good to be asked to be “The Big Interview” with Chris Mann recently on his ‘Mann in the Morning’ programme to discuss my personal and business perspectives and achievements. It also gave me the opportunity to catch up with Jeremy Sallis from “Lunchtime Live” during my visit, who I have also known for many years.

John Bridge OBE DL Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

connected 5

We provide Chamber members with many opportunities to widen their network of business contacts – building connections, creating opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network.

CHAMBER PRESENT CONSIDERATE CONTRACTOR SCHEME AWARD The Considerate Contractor Scheme Awards are presented annually to firms that have made significant efforts to minimise noise and disruption on building projects in the city, with due consideration for neighbours and members’ of the public in keeping sites safe, clean and accountable.

The Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Award for contractors undertaking small to medium sized projects was presented by Martin Rayner, Chair of the Construction Sector, to Joe Goldie representing Cocksedge Building Contractors.

Cocksedge entered a number of projects into the scheme and

at Montreal Road, undertook a redevelopment on a very restricted site where 17 flats and four houses were constructed.

A Certificate of Excellence in this category was awarded to Millcam Construction for their efforts in complying with the scheme at a number of projects in the city including at the Henry Martyn Hall, Market Street.

Millcam were also involved in the construction of the Rising Path at the University Botanical Gardens.

The judging panel were Councillors Martin Smart and Kevin Blencowe, Steve Bowen a former director of

the Federation of Master Builders and Martin Rayner, representing the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

150+ celebrate International Women’s Day 2019 One hundred and 50 business men, women and young people from our 6th form schools and colleges, attended the Chamber’s annual International Women’s Day event at Peterborough Cathedral on 8 March.

An inspirational setting for an inspirational morning, delegates heard from guest speakers Christine Tacon CBE the Groceries Code

6 connected

Adjudicator, Linda Fogarty Smith, from Talkspace and Canon Sarah Brown from the Cathedral. Key messages about having self-confidence in what you do, and supporting others in your organisation to speak up and contribute, ensuring companies are making the most of our diverse workforce.

Individuals were challenged to think about setting goals for the rest of 2019, and what barriers might stand in their way.

The young people were representing New College Stamford, Peterborough Regional College, Stamford Endowed School, The Kings School, University Centre Peterborough and Greater Peterborough University Technical College. They benefitted immensely from engaging with so many local businesses as well as being inspired by our speakers. Their places were kindly sponsored by Talkspace, Savills and MDS. The event’s main sponsor was Hunt and Coombs and was led by the Chambers Business Women’s’ Committee, whose aim is to support the development of women in the business community. If you would like more information on future events, or how to join the group, contact Helen Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator, h.bosett@ cambscci.co.uk

widen your

MEMBER BENEFIT As a Chamber member you have access to many exclusive and discounted offers from national partners and local Chamber members, helping to drive your business costs down.

One of these is employee health cover from Westfield Health.

Health Cash Plan is exclusively available to Chamber members of all sizes and starts from just £5.57 per employee, per month. It allows staff to claim money back, up to set limits, for things like sight tests and glasses, dental bills, therapy treatments and consultations. The plan also provides access to health and wellbeing services including: • DoctorLine™ service, providing policyholders with confidential telephone access to a practising UK GP, 24 hours a day – every day, from anywhere in the world, with optional webcam consultations • Best Doctors® - expert second medic al opinion service • Scanning Service - MRI, CT and PET scans • 24 hour Advice and Information Line and up to six face to face counselling sessions (including Cognitive

Behavioural Therapy – CBT) Find out more at www.westfieldhealth. com/chamber or contact Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk.

CONNECTIONS

“I have recently joined the healthcare plan through my membership with the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. I am amazed just how easy it is to access the many healthcare benefits and services available in the plan.

“I was due to get my eyes tested, so just booked an appointment with my optician, had my eyes tested, picked my glasses and paid the bill. I then claimed on line with my receipt - my claim was processed in two working days and the money then paid back in my account... it couldn’t have been easier.

“With so many other benefits to use, I will be able to get money back on benefits such as visits to the dentist, physiotherapy, consultancy and much more. I can even access MRI, CT and PET scans, and speak to a GP on the telephone if I need to with the 24 hour DoctorLineTM service.... I should have joined the healthcare plan sooner.

“I have been a member of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce since 2012 and having attended a member benefits session in Fenland a few weeks ago, have only just learnt that there are so many benefits and services available to me through my membership, including the healthcare plan. I highly recommend membership.”

Richard Jones, The Fenland Roaster

MEMBER 2 MEMBER OFFER FREE Business Open Day on Friday 21 June You are invited to the Cambridge County Polo Club free Business Open Day event for 2019 with Polo tournaments starting from 1.00pm.

Come along, network and promote your business at a prestigious polo tournament.

SPECIAL OFFER for 2019 - we are offering free stand space to all those who would like to exhibit on the day. We will provide a 3m x 3m space per company for your gazebo and promotional branding. Space provided on a first come first served basis. If you are interested in attending or exhibiting please get in touch – email jon@cambridgecountypoloclub. co.uk or telephone 07973 205543.

This event is supported by Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. connected 7

As a Chamber member you have the power to influence key decision makers and play a leading role in tackling the issues that are preventing your business from reaching its potential, while an experienced team of lobbyists represents your interests in Whitehall.

SHAPE THE AGENDA FOR PETERBOROUGH Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is one of six local Chambers established to engage with or play a part in what is happening at a local level, engage with members locally or be the voice for business with issues or concerns.

With this in mind the Peterborough Chamber committee would like to hear from Peterborough members to help shape their focus for the next 12 months. This is simply by asking yourself the following: What are the challenges facing you this year?

How can the Peterborough Chamber help or support your business?

Please send your responses to chair. peterborough@cambscci.co.uk

The Peterborough Chamber is chaired

by David Wait, Centre Manager of Serpentine Green, and joined by other committee members including Eddie Smy of Cross Keys Homes, Tom Hennessey of Opportunity Peterborough, Mike Holland of Olsen Metrix Marketing, Rob Facer of Barnack UK, Peter Appleton of Vivacity, Neil Williams from Amazon, Karen Beckwith from Peterborough Regional College, Katie McAllister at University Centre Peterborough, and Pav Patel from CircleFire. They will be in touch by email or phone over the coming weeks too to gain feedback.

If you would like to play a more active part and join the committee we’d love to

hear from you too. Please get in touch by emailing chair.peterborough@cambscci. co.uk and we’ll invite you to a future meeting initially before you commit.

Peterborough has its say on its digital future as CityFibre’s Gigabit vision takes shape Peterborough’s civic and business communities came together to explore how improved digital connectivity is already transforming everyday life for people in the city.

CityFibre is investing more than £30m to deliver a city-wide full fibre network in partnership with Vodafone. The city’s digital transformation will see almost every home and business benefit from full fibre internet connectivity with gigabit speeds. The project is due to complete build in 2020 and is well underway.

Construction work started last July and the first residential customers connected earlier in January this year.

As Peterborough is one of the first cities in the UK to benefit from next-generation full fibre connectivity, stakeholders came together to discover more about the

8 connected

project – and give their input on how Peterborough can maximise this investment, now and in the future.

More than 60 people – including council officers, elected members, business leaders, figures from the education and property sectors along with members of economic and community groups – attended CityFibre’s stakeholder event last week.

At the stakeholder event at the Ferry Meadows restaurant, CityFibre updated guests on the progress being made and detailed the benefits full fibre will deliver to Peterborough – from increased business innovation and productivity to improved smart tech at home. Guests also had the chance to take part in an interactive Internet of Things display which demonstrated an ongoing project alongside Peterborough City Council.

Rebecca Stephens, CityFibre’s City Manager for Peterborough, said: “2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for Peterborough’s digital transformation. As construction is now well underway, the very first homes were able to access full fibre services earlier this year, and as build progresses, even more customers will have

access to this gold standard infrastructure.

“It was a pleasure to bring together some key stakeholders from the community and discuss how full fibre will help propel Peterborough’s digital future. There has been huge interest from local residents and businesses and it’s great to see such enthusiasm for the project.

“The long term benefits of improved connectivity are massive and the people we speak to cannot wait to connect. In the short term, we are doing everything we can to ensure communities are kept updated with our plans and we look forward to working closely with local communities and the city as a whole as the build progresses.”

Tom Hennessy, Chief Executive of Opportunity Peterborough, added: “The roll-out of full fibre broadband to all of Peterborough by CityFibre and Vodafone is an essential part of the competitive advantages the city can offer businesses and residents. In an increasingly digital world, gigabit speed internet connectivity is imperative if we want do business quickly, efficiently and productively, and for us to remain competitive in international markets.

“Opportunity Peterborough also welcomes CityFibre’s involvement in smart city projects with our Future Peterborough team, and many other partners, around the Internet of Things, ensuring the city gets maximum value from combining gigabit connectivity, technology and data.”

the power to

INFLUENCE

BUSINESS HITS THE BRAKES The British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey found that key indicators of UK economic health weakened considerably in the first quarter of 2019.

Against a backdrop of a slowing global economy, escalating Brexit uncertainty, and rises in business costs as the UK enters a new tax year, the latest results from the survey of over 7,000 businesses – employing around one million people – reflect a deterioration in many gauges of the UK’s economic strength.

In the services sector, the percentage balance of firms reporting an increase in export sales stood at zero, its weakest level since 2009, and the orders balance turned negative (more firms reporting that orders have decreased than those reporting an increase) for the first time in eight years. The balance of firms reporting improved domestic sales and orders also weakened significantly in the quarter.

Among manufacturers, the percentage of firms reporting an increase in domestic and export sales and orders dropped back to their 2016 levels.

The balance of firms reporting improved cashflow – a key indicator of business health – and which has been declining over recent years, has now gone into negative territory for the first time since 2012.

The lack of clarity over the UK’s future relationship with the EU is continuing to weigh on investment intentions in both the manufacturing and services sectors. The balance of firms who looked to invest in either plant and machinery or training dropped in both sectors to their lowest level in eight years. Business confidence in profitability and turnover also deteriorated sharply in the quarter.

The leading business group has been calling for an end to the relentless uncertainty, which as the latest results from the long-standing business survey highlight, has damaged the confidence and investment plans of business communities. Westminster must ensure that a messy and disorderly exit is avoided and provide firms with certainty on future conditions to prevent further declines. To kick-start strong growth in the economy, government must return its attention and energy to removing barriers to growth in the domestic environment.

Ill-timed increases in business costs – including compliance with Making Tax Digital, higher business rates for some firms, increased employer pension contribution requirements, and more – are also raising costs pressures for companies across the UK at a time when government should be looking to reduce rather than increase burdens.

Reacting to the Q1 results, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our findings should serve as a clear warning that the ongoing impasse at Westminster is contributing to a sharp slowdown in the real economy across the UK. Business is hitting the brakes – hard.

“These are some of the weakest figures we’ve seen in nearly a decade, and that’s no coincidence. The prospect of a messy and disorderly exit from the EU is weighing heavily on the UK economy, and must still be avoided.

“At the same time that firms are having to enact costly contingency plans, the cost of doing business here in the UK continues to rise.

“For too long Brexit tunnel-vision has distracted government from fixing the fundamentals to support growth here in the UK. We need to see an increased focus on creating the conditions for business success here at home – including concerted efforts to plug growing labour shortages, delivering an immigration policy that works for business and speeding up physical and digital infrastructure projects.”

CASH FLOW In Q1 2019, the percentage balance of firms reporting improved cash flow fell into negative territory for both sectors. This means that more firms reported worsening cash flow over an improvement.

In both the manufacturing and services sectors, the balance stood at -1%. This is the lowest since 2012.

The above chart shows the geographical breakdown of the balance of firms reporting improved cash flow.

connected 9

We’re your gateway to international trade, providing a unique combination of expert knowledge, essential documentation and the business connections needed to capitalise on new market opportunities overseas and succeed in a global marketplace.

Export Documentation updates Following a recent training session the following areas have been highlighted for attention when processing Export Documentation:

ACCREDITED TRAINING IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE The Chamber runs a rolling programme of training courses that culminate in the nationally-recognised Foundation Award in International Trade.

The courses provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities and you will receive detailed notes to take away to build up a toolkit of reference information.

Export Procedures and Documentation Tuesday 23 July, 9.15am-5.00pm This one-day course provides an indepth exploration into the procedures and documentation you will need to be aware of if your business is to make a success of exporting.

Incoterms and Export Licence Controls Tuesday 10 September, 9.15am5.00pm This is your opportunity to understand fully the comprehensive aspects of International Commercial Terms ‘Incoterms’.

Finance Options: Focusing on Letters of Credit Tuesday 1 October, 9.15am-5.00pm Getting paid is a vital part of the sales transaction, join us to explore the options and reduce the costs involved in receiving payment.

Import: Customs Compliance and Savings Tuesday 29 October, 9.15am5.00pm Understand the rules and intricacies of goods crossing borders. We’ll look at when import duties and taxes are

10 connected

applicable and ways to reduce, or event abolish, the charges.

Customs Special Procedures: Focusing on IP and OP Tuesday 19 November, 9.15am5.00pm Learn how to complete the application forms for customs special procedures, including the CCG1 Customs Comprehensive Guarantee Form and questionnaire, as well as calculating your potential debt guarantee amounts.

Rules of Origin: Preference and Non-preference Tuesday 10 December. 9.15am5.00pm Let us explain the complex subject of origin, which is essential to understand, as the country in which a product is made can affect the import duty that is applicable. We will examine the non-preferential rules for determining the country of origin of goods, in accordance with the provisions of primary rules and residual rules.

Cost per course: £300.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £450.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

Venue: Cambridgeshire FA or Holiday Inn Cambridge, Bridge Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9PH Full course outlines, and venues, can be found at www. cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk To book, please call Rose Griffiths on 01223 209817 or email r.griffiths@ cambscci.co.uk

• Transport Information: the only acceptable details in the transport box on any documentation are AIR, ROAD, SEA, RAIL • If a Certificate of Origin shows a UK address ‘on behalf of FOREIGN ADDRESS’ then the commercial invoice must show UK exporter address and name as well • `We certify that these goods are of pure UK origin` - unless you or your customer can categorically state that 100 per cent of the product is UK origin then this should not be declared. If you state this then we would expect to be able to see evidence that this is so • `As per attached` - this is not permitted at all on documentation, even manual applications. If you are providing a separate document showing a list of suppliers/ manufacturers for the shipment because you cannot fit all information on the rear of the Certificate of Origin then you should state `As per list provided` • If the description of the goods on the Certificate of Origin does not exactly match the description shown on the invoice then `As per invoice number……..dated…….` should be stated in box 6 • For any UK country applying for a Certificate of Origin `On behalf of a non-UK company` there is now a requirement for a Letter of Authority to be provided by the non-UK entity.

A template of this document can be obtained from the Chamber and will be required on an annual basis.

For clarification on any of these points, or to obtain a copy of the Letter of Authority, please contact the International Trade team on 01223 237414.

extend your

GLOBAL REACH

MHA MacIntyre Hudson adopts Baker Tilly International brand identity to reflect global capabilities

MHA MacIntyre Hudson is adopting the brand identity and ethos of Baker Tilly International, the top-10 global accountancy network with 126 members firms. The new brand look and feel will also be used by all members of the UK MHA network.

The brand alignment emphasises MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s ability to service clients conducting business overseas, and closer collaboration with the global network will support growth at a firm and network level. MHA MacIntyre Hudson has been the UK member of Baker Tilly International since 2014.

The brand refresh includes the use of the Baker Tilly International ethos ‘Now, for tomorrow’, encapsulating a commitment to make a difference to the futures of clients, employees,

communities and the accountancy profession by staying adaptable and ensuring it maintains, protects and builds on its collaborative approach and great relationships.

Membership of Baker Tilly’s International global network brings international expertise and support for MHA MacIntyre Hudson clients with overseas operations, or who are looking to expand into new territories or relocate. Over the last financial year the MHA network has reported a six per cent increase in turnover and a rise in its international client

base across all industry sectors.

Rakesh Shaunak, Group Chairman of MHA, said: “The new Baker Tilly International philosophy of ‘Now, for tomorrow’ embodies our commitment to deliver the very best service possible for our clients, wherever they do business.

Disruption is impacting every business sector and through close collaboration with our global partners we can shape a successful tomorrow for clients.

“Amid the current Brexit uncertainties, international expertise is invaluable.

Our work with clients across industry sectors highlights an optimism and appetite to grow internationally. We are in a strong position to support clients in achieving their plans.

“Closer national and international alignment will play an essential role in the next phase of our strategy for growth, creating further opportunities for our clients and team to prosper.”

Sarah Dodds, Head of Agriculture, commented: “The re-brand of MHA MacIntyre Hudson and our enhanced alignment and commitment to the Baker Tilly International Membership is an exciting development. Combine this with the strength of our relationships with the MHA network, it enables us to provide clients with exceptional levels of insights, advice and contacts in respect of overseas operations and expansion opportunities, which is as exciting for us and it is for them!”

connected 11

Chamber membership provides access to key information, expert advice and legal protection, enabling you to stay informed, legally compliant and free to focus on what you do best – building your business.

Leaders on the Warpath for Talent Statistics show that there are more jobs than candidates and the way of reaching out to potential employees has changed dramatically over recent years.

Businesses need to think differently about recruitment and once you have the ideal people how to maintain and keep them motivated.

Starting with a taster session in July we’ll encourage you to think about your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and why someone should work for you.

This will follow with a series of workshops in the autumn which will be designed to help you understand what is happening in the market place, the changing ways of

recruiting and maintaining them.

We’ll also look at the HR process as well as the changing behaviours.

The sessions will be interactive and engaging and give you tools and techniques to take away and implement in your own workplace.

The workshops are suited to all business sectors in the SME arena and aimed at business owners, managers, decision makers, leaders and anyone responsible for people in the workplace.

If you would like to receive the event details as they are confirmed please get in touch with Helen Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator, h.bosett@ cambscci.co.uk

Can psychometric tools be useful in guiding career discussions?

What does Lorraine Kelly’s court triumph over Peter Lawrence, Managing Director of Human Capital Department Ltd. comments: “Human Capital Department are accredited to use management diagnostics and psychometric assessments from a number of different centres. We are seeing a strong uptake from both individuals interested in selfdevelopment, and organisations that are looking to assess high potential employees and existing managers.

“We are working closely with an Equity Investment House and have developed a process to assess management capability within target clients – which we call ‘Human Capital Due Diligence’ TM. This starts with use of a Management Diagnostic or Psychometric Assessment which gives a strong indication of individual’s behavioural preferences and how they score against management competencies. We then conduct a behavioural event interview [based on methodology developed at Harvard Business School] and also using a Development Centre to assess the team dynamic and gauging overall strengths and readiness for change.

“This provides a snap shot of strengths and development areas and provides a framework for career discussions.”

12 connected

HMRC mean for Cambridgeshire businesses?

Lorraine Kelly won a high-profile court case against HMRC establishing she was not employed by ITV. A £1.2 million tax bill was at the heart of the case, which is no longer payable after the judge’s ruling. Cambridgeshire businesses will be exposed to IR35 tax legislation in April 2020, which scrutinises the designated self-employed status of contractors.

In March 2019, a tax tribunal judge ruled that Lorraine Kelly was not an ITV employee. The case had been brought

by HMRC. They are pursuing individuals who work through personal services companies, rather than as employees, more aggressively. The ruling meant that Lorraine Kelly was not liable for a £1.2 million tax bill as claimed by HMRC. In April 2020, HMRC’s IR35 rules will be extended from the public sector to the private sector.

Sue Isaacson from The HR Dept Cambridgeshire & North Herts explains what IR35 is and how it will affect local businesses: “IR35 clamps down on the practice of incorrectly labelling someone as a consultant instead of an employee or worker (the technical name is ‘disguised employee’). This removes the requirement for income tax and national insurance contributions to be paid.

“HMRC assess the contract and the day-to-day working arrangements to decide whether a person should be deemed as employed.”

The Lorraine Kelly ruling will be seen to undermine HMRC’s application of their own IR35 rules and HMRC may appeal it.

Conversely it will be a fillip to contractors and the businesses they work for, who will see that, if they are acting properly, they can defend themselves against HMRC. Sue Isaacson shares some practical advice to local businesses needing to prepare for IR35: “It’s important to start planning now. In the expanded IR35 regulation, responsibility for the proper designation shifts from the contractor to you, the hiring company. This means you could be liable for penalties for noncompliance. So review your relationships with consultants and contractors to ensure they are accurately categorised.

“Discuss it with them too, so that they’re aware of any issues. If a contractor status cannot be justified, you’ll need to change the relationship to an employer/employee one. And if it is justifiable, make sure this is borne out in the contract and working practices.”

grow your

KNOWLEDGE

Industry placements for Intermediaries

government’s reform of technical education and aim to boost productivity by giving young people the skills that businesses need.

Each industry placement lasts at least 45 days and offers structured and practical experience directly related to the student’s course. They can be planned as single or multiple blocks, day release or a combination depending on what works best for you, the provider and the student.

We heard that DfE ran an extensive pilot in 2016/17 with more than 1,500 placements and that the employers who took part noticed real benefits with the On 15 March, we were delighted to longer placements. These included having welcome Bev Moxon from the National extra resources for day-to-day projects; Apprenticeship Service (NAS) to our Construction Network to talk about T level giving staff the chance to upskill through managing and mentoring students; industry placements. bringing in imaginative and new ideas; Some of us had heard about T levels the reward of supporting a young person; but it was useful to find out more about creating a more diverse workforce and this important development from the providing a cost-effective recruitment Department for Education (DfE) and to hear pipeline for entry-level jobs. Industry why employers are crucial to the delivery placements were also an ideal way to spot of T levels. young people for apprenticeships.

Industry placements will be a core Although T Levels have yet to launch, part of T Levels, new courses starting Bev explained that employers of all sizes in September 2020, which will follow and sectors are being asked to start GCSEs and will be equivalent to three A offering T Level-style industry placements levels. T Levels will combine classroom now. If you decide to offer placements, theory, practical learning and a substantial NAS will put you in touch with a local industry placement to ensure that students learning provider running relevant courses. have real experience of the workplace.

They have been given funding to set up industry placements locally and will be The two-year qualifications have been developed in collaboration with employers there to support you every step of the way.

Acting now will give you time to consider and businesses so that the content meets how you will benefit from the placement the needs of industry and prepares students for work, a higher apprenticeship supported by a local training provider.

Getting involved will help NAS ensure or higher level study. They are part of the

there are enough industry placements when T Levels launch in Cambridgeshire next year.

The first T Levels will start in September 2020 in selected areas with more courses being offered in the years that follow.

In time, there will be T Levels in subjects ranging from Accountancy through to Science.

One of the key questions asked was what makes an industry placement different to an apprenticeship. While apprenticeships are typically 80 per cent on-the-job and 20 per cent in the classroom, T Levels have the opposite balance. About 80 per cent of a T Level will be spent in a classroom with the remaining 20 per cent on industry placement and will suit those wanting to build up their knowledge and skills before applying them in work.

Another key question is whether employers need to pay a student while on placement. There is no legal requirement or expectation that students will be paid since industry placements are part of a course. However, DfE recognises that unpaid placements may discourage some employers, so it is left up to individual employers to decide.

Clearly, we are going to hear lots more about industry placements over the coming months and years and we will do our best to keep you up to date with all developments. In the meantime, if you would like to find out more about industry placements, please contact NAS on 08000 150600 or email tlevel. placement@education.gov.uk

THE WHY OF GOOD STRATEGY With many of our Cambridge-based colleagues’ backgrounds in journalism and PR, we are well-versed in asking who, what, when and where.

Often, however, the most important question when it comes to effective, measurable content marketing, is “Why?” Occasionally, there may be confusion between having a ‘strategy’ and having a ‘plan’.

A plan says, “publish four print magazines a year, redesign the website, write four news pieces a week, and support them with social media posts”.

A strategy, on the other hand, asks “Why?” and “How will this all help?”

Our creative teams love designing new websites, engaging video,

social campaigns, print and digital magazines, but without a solid strategy that time, effort, and (your) money, may be wasted.

If you don’t ask “Why?” your marketing communications – and your agency’s creative endeavours – are more likely to remain a cost centre rather than a revenue driver.

Furthermore, it will be harder for your communications to be the bridge between your business and the audience you want to reach.

At CPL, we think a lot about strategy.

Whether we’re redesigning and producing a Cambridge-based wildlife organisation’s magazine, or launching a digital advertising campaign for a local council, we always ask “Why?” first.

If you think an effective content

strategy could help your business, get in touch.

Martin Bewick, content strategist at CPL www.cpl.co.uk connected 13

grow your

KNOWLEDGE

Are you having a laugh?

Advice from Blue Donkey

Like any human interaction, telemarketing should engage, enrich and be interesting for both parties. Drawing a potential customer into an intelligent twoway interaction takes a bit of nifty open question technique, coupled with the emotional intelligence to read between the lines of what your respondent is saying and using this to decide where your discussion should go next. Is there room for humour? Unfortunately we think not. As the psychologist Freud suggests, people often use humour to deflect and endure difficult situations. So while it’s perhaps understandable that humour may help us deal with the awkward feelings that telemarketing can bring, we have some advice about why you should leave your jokes at the water-cooler.

Humour is highly subjective If you can’t see the response or read the body language of the person you’re communicating with, using humour in an attempt to warm up your dialogue

is a potentially risky strategy, as the things that make us laugh are subjective.

Most people use humour with friends or colleagues they know well because they have a shared interest or insight that makes them laugh. Using humour with a stranger is therefore likely to flop, especially given that the telephone compromises communication by reducing the five human senses to just two.

Getting people in the right mood Colleagues who find themselves constantly injecting humour into their conversations can be (let’s face it) a little irritating, especially if you’re in the middle of a busy working day and dealing with issues that are not funny or trivial.

Laughter might be good for the soul but like that nice glass of wine, there’s a time and a place. Cold calling is probably not the time to practice your best puns, and whilst it’s polite to share a little laugh with someone who said something funny to us, we wouldn’t respond in kind.

Keeping it professional

We are all the face of our business, so we have a responsibility to reflect the specialness of our brands in the way we conduct ourselves. Few B2B brands would benefit from the funny-man persona. In fact, the most successful business brands present themselves as polished, professional and sharp.

So if funny is not one of your brand’s differentiating factors, keep your dialogue professional – after all, we will never fail to win the hearts and minds of customers by not being funny enough.

We’re Auto Enrolment ready.

Are you?  Auto Enrolment reporting as standard  Enhanced services for all main pension suppliers  Complete solution enabling full AE compliance Hassle free payroll and HR data management pscpayroll.com GET IN TOUCH 01223 506366

ask the

Employing 16 year olds

With the summer holidays not too far away, and many GCSE students soon to finish their exams – what is the law surrounding the employment of 16 years olds in my business short-term? Karen Dykes, Recruitment Partner at Anne Corder Recruitment, explains.

I am anticipating an increased level of interest from students and schoolleavers looking for a summer holiday position with my company/sending in their CV. What are the first things I need to think about?

Work experience is hugely valuable to those at the very start of their career, support and guidance received can certainly shape a young person’s attitude to work. Companies can also benefit from renewed enthusiasm and ideas that they can bring to a business.

The first thing to think about is whether you are able to support a student by offering them a great work experience.

This includes induction and training, these all take time and resource so be clear that this isn’t necessarily a quick fix or extra pair of hands to cover a busy period or staff holiday. Do you have someone within your organisation who can act as a mentor / point of contact? What tasks will be suitable and add value to your organisation? What duration of placement and working hours will benefit your business? Do you have a suitable work space and equipment available? This should give you some clarity as to whether you are able to offer a placement.

I am already considering employing a 16-year-old school leaver (not an apprentice) for a short time over the summer, are there any special rules/ considerations about employing someone so young?

When employing young workers, organisations should implement best practice for a variety of reasons. Young workers may be in scope for some additional or different rights to protect them at work. This includes the hours that they work, rest breaks that they take and minimum pay rates that may be applicable. ACAS is a reliable source of up-to-date information so be sure to check the latest regulations ahead of your young worker joining you.

Discuss the information with them and

EXPERT

document it in a formal contract whilst being sure to diary milestone birthdays when applicable regulations are likely to change.

What are the main employment law points about having 16 year-olds in the workplace, and what are is the situation regarding legal working hours?

Young workers may be at greater risk of being involved in accidents as they may not be as aware of potential hazards that relate to your industry or workplace as they are new to the workforce. You can minimise risk by completing a thorough induction and training plan. On your young workers first day a tour of the workplace is a great icebreaker to calm first day nerves and can be used as a ‘walk and talk’ opportunity to highlight particular safety concerns.

How do I protect personal data relating to my company, my current staff and my clients when employing a 16 year old?

Your contract with the young worker should detail protection of data General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) - that came into force in 2018.

Your company handbook and company policies are a great point of reference and should form part of the induction process. Your policies should detail boundaries around the use of mobile phones and social media, sickness reporting procedures etc.

PROBATE AND ESTATE PLANNING

Barry Jefferd, Partner at George Hay Chartered Accountants and Director of GH Probate, helps us make sense of some of the more perplexing aspects of Probate and emphasises the importance of Estate and Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning.

What is Probate and is it always required?

Probate is the legal process whereby an executor or an administrator is authorised to administer the estate of somebody who has died. Where certain conditions apply, probate may not be

required, but seek professional advice if you are unsure.

What if there is no Will?

If there is no Will, the deceased has died ‘intestate’. In the absence of named executors, a beneficiary can apply to administer the estate instead.

However, the estate and assets must be distributed in line with the rules of intestacy.

How is Probate obtained?

You can apply for a Grant of Probate once the deceased’s estate has been valued and any necessary IHT payments have been made. The process typically involves several preliminary steps; many assume it is simple but, unless dealing with the most straight-forward estate it can become lengthy and complex.

What is happening to Probate fees?

Currently, a ‘flat-rate’ fee is charged for a Probate application. The Ministry of Justice has proposed changes that will see the largest estates pay up to £6,000.

Expected to come in on 1 April, Brexit pressures saw the increases delayed. At

time of writing, the changes are unlikely to be enforced until late April and there may even be further delays.

Why is Estate and IHT planning important?

Estate and IHT planning is key to protecting your wealth and passing it on in a tax-efficient manner. Planning ahead can ensure you do not end up paying more tax than is necessary.

How can an accountant help?

Probate is a natural extension of our traditional expertise, having been handling tax and financial affairs for many years. Our comprehensive, noncontentious, probate service is designed to simplify the process and make a challenging time easier.

GH Probate is the trading style of GH Probate Limited. Registered in England and Wales number 9630102. Registered Office: St George’s House, George Street, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 3GH. Authorised to carry out the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate in England and Wales by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

connected 15

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

Would you like to become a Chamber member?

Get in touch today to find out the many benefits.

Tel: 01223 237414 Email: enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

NEW MEMBERS this month BRAMPTON PARK GOLF CLUB

JUMPSTART

CAMBRIDGE MERIDIAN GOLF CLUB

PB SOLUTIONS

@MERIDIANGC PIONEER FOODS UK LTD CAMBRIDGE OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS LTD (COEL)

QVS

@COELFITOUT

@QVSELECTRICAL

CBS GROUP

RA COWEN & PARTNERS LTD @COWENSGROUPUK

CHATSCAPE MARKETER RAYSAF GLOBAL LTD COACH YOU @JILLCOACHYOU

RCD DIGITAL MARKETING

EBASE TECHNOLOGY

SKYLARK

Cambridge Meridian Golf Club Cambridge Meridian is proud to become a Chamber Member in the year it announces major investment. Following refurbishments of the facilities, they are looking forward to welcoming visitors all year round.

They recently announced development plans for a proposed 5 Star Hotel & Spa. Exciting news for our membership, the local area and businesses. www.cmgc.co.uk

@VIKKI_SKYLARK ECONENERGY EUROPE LTD @ROBINPURSER1

SPHERE RISK HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT LTD

GMB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STAMFORD COMPANIES HALES GROUP @HALESCARE

THE GEORGE HOTEL

HR DEPT

THE SWEET POTATO CONSULTANCY

@HRDEPTCBNH TRAINING AND CONSULTING FOR IMET

BUSINESS

@IMET_UK TUTOR DOCTOR MILDENHALL INFINITI GRAPHICS LLP

@TUTORDOCTOR

@INFINITIGRAPHICS VINYL NIGHTCLUB INTERNATIONAL AUDIO GROUP

@VINYL_CAMBRIDGE

JELF

WORKFIT UK LTD

@JELF_UK

@WORKFITUK

16 connected

MEMBER OFFER Cambridge Meridian extends an invitation to any golfers within the Chamber to register for a complimentary round of golf.

Please email s.morley@cmgc.co.uk for details.

news from

RCD Digital Marketing RCD Digital Marketing is a boutique marketing agency offering SMEs in Cambridge help with their online marketing. With 10 years’ experience it’s a one-stop place for all digital aspects including SEO, PPC, web design, social media and email marketing, all with the aim of getting tangible results. www.rcddigitalmarketing.co.uk

NEW MEMBERS

CHATSCAPE MARKETER Chatscape Marketer seeks to improve small businesses’ online results by exploring beyond digital advertisements. Their modular and layered service encompasses consultation, analysis, training, and traditional PR services. Schedule your first chat about navigating the digital marketing landscape for the cost of a cup of tea.

Email chatscapemarketer@gmail.com.

Videoworkx Videoworkx is a small Oxfordshire-based international video production company that has been operating since 2004. It specialises in broadcast quality videography, advanced editing techniques and drone services.

Typical video types include promotional video, event video, testimonial video, property tours, Health & Safety video and aerial footage.

HR Dept

www.videoworkx.co.uk

Do you always know how to deal with an employment or HR issue?

If you need help with recruitment, contracts or have a people problem, HR Dept take the hassle out of HR and give you back the time to focus on running your business. They have been providing local businesses with practical and affordable advice for over 14 years. www.hrdept.co.uk

connected 17

Over £3,000 raised at Afternoon Tea by 121 supporters of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is thanking guests who attended their Sparking Afternoon Tea in March. Over £3,000 (still counting!) was raised for the Charity; each year the Hospice provides essential care and support to 3,600 patients living with a life-limiting illness and their families, free of charge.

The Sparkling Afternoon Tea has long been a favourite of supporters who enjoy a spot of indulgence and luxury.

The 2019 event has already set a new record for the Charity, as places to the March date sold out in less than four weeks! Due to demand and its obvious popularity, Arthur Rank Hospice will be hosting a second Sparking Afternoon Tea on Friday 7 June. Bookings can be made online now at www.arhc.org.uk/ afternoon-tea-party.asp Senior Events and Marketing Office, Tasha Hills, explains how important the event has become to the Hospice,

which needs to secure £8.25 million this year: “Since Afternoon Tea started in 2010, it has raised over £25,000 for the Hospice. This would not have been possible without our wonderful guests, who not only booked their places, but also generously bought raffle tickets and made bids in the silent auction, to help boost the total raised.

“We had a lovely afternoon and were delighted to welcome some familiar faces and some new. One family we hadn’t met before had experienced the Hospice’s support for their relative last year and were delighted to

Drive Your Business Forward

Hosted by Barons Cambridge BMW, supporters of our Charity of the Year Romsey Mill, our Cambridge Informal Networking evening in March allowed us to showcase some of the work by Romsey Mill. Over 40 delegates attended who were able to enjoy complimentary refreshments, have a tour of the showroom, take part in a prize draw and sign up to take a test drive.

Sadie Parr, Communications Coordinator at the Chamber, commented: 18 connected

“We have supported Romsey Mill for the last 12 months and helped them to raise awareness of the work they do through coverage in our connected magazine.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Neil and the team at Romsey Mill over the last year, and we were delighted to hold this event and take the opportunity to present a cheque to them.”

Romsey Mill is a Christian charity creating opportunities with young people, children and families in Cambridgeshire.

be able to ‘give something back’. Huge thanks to all of our guests, who helped make it such a memorable and enjoyable afternoon.”

COURSE HAVOC Kidney Research UK (based in Peterborough) is inviting local businesses to take part in some friendly competition at Course Havoc, a brand new 5K obstacle course in Peterborough.

Expect to be weaving round sumo wrestlers, dodging water guns and sliding through endless mud and soap.

It’s a fun challenge for a great cause – especially if you think that every metre you manage to stagger represents one of the 5,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list. So sign up, take part, and let’s see who we can crown as the ‘Best of Peterborough’.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.kidneyresearchuk.org/getinvolved/events/course-havoc or call 0300 303 1100.

chamber supports

CHARITY

EACH’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY EACH are thrilled to have the support of the Chamber in our 30th year. Since 1989 we have been caring for lifethreatened children and young people across East Anglia, as well as supporting their families. This involves specialist nursing and end of life care, but also wellbeing activities, helping families to make the most of their precious time together.

1989: The Milton hospice was opened on 1 August 1989 by Diana, Princess of Wales. At the time, Milton was one of only four children’s hospices in the world. Today, there are over 50 across the UK. 1998: Quidenham Children’s Hospice merged with Milton to form East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Quidenham had been opened in September 1991.

1999: EACH Ipswich was launched as a pilot project, in a small property in Walker Close.

2006: The Closer to Home model of care was introduced.

Multi-disciplinary teams worked across the three hospices, so that all families could access excellent care in both the hospices and in family homes.

2010: On 16 March 2010, we launched a £3 million capital appeal to build the Treehouse in Ipswich - our first purpose-built children’s hospice. In this year EACH also received the support of The True Colours Trust to develop their Symptom Management Nursing Team. This service is so successful that it is now used as a model of support throughout the UK. 2012: EACH announced HRH The Duchess of Cambridge as Royal Patron. The Duchess officially opened the Treehouse hospice, delivering her first public speech.

2014: We launched our £10 million appeal to replace the Quidenham hospice with the nook, a purpose-built hospice in the heart of Norfolk. There were also major additions to Milton hospice in this year, including a dedicated room for prayer and reflection, a teenager’s room, and extensions to the Hydrotherapy pool.

2019: This year, we look forward to opening the nook, and providing better support to life-threatened children and their families throughout Norfolk and North Suffolk.

THE FUTURE: Over the years EACH has achieved so much, but there is still so much more to be done. Estimates suggest that there are approximately 2,000 life-threatened children and young people in East Anglia right now. By 2025, we expect that number to reach 6,000. In order to meet the everincreasing demand, EACH needs continued support to keep growing.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: In our 30th year, there are so many things that you can do to help us continue delivering care to life-threatened children and young people.

• £30 accumulator challenge: From an initial £30, how much can you raise in 30 days?

• Donate 30 items to one of our 37 retail shops across East Anglia • Choose us as your Charity of the Year and aim to raise £300, £3,000 or even £30,000!

• Ask people to sponsor you to run, swim, walk or cycle 30 miles (or kilometres!)

• Hold a special 30th Anniversary event – a quiz, bake sale, dress-down day or anything else that takes your fancy!

To find out more about EACH and how you can support us, please get in touch with Lottie Driver – Corporate Fundraiser using: Tel: 01223 800765 • email: cambs@each.org.uk • www.each.org.uk • Twitter: EACH_hospices • Facebook: EACHhospices Registered Charity Number: 1069284 connected 19

enhance your

PROTECTION

To access these services please visit the protection page on the Chamber website or call our membership team on 01223 237414.

HELPING TO PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS As a Chamber member you have access to four key services as part of your Chamber membership, provided by Quest – ChamberHR, ChamberLegal, ChamberH&S, ChamberTax. This month Quest provide advice on payslip changes.

ChamberHR

ChamberLegal

From 6 April 2019, new legislation under the Employment Rights Act 1996 will impact employers on how they provide payslips to their workforce.

Under the new changes, employers are required to provide itemised payslips to workers under their payroll and not just employees. There are some limited exclusions from the right to receive a payslip such as members of armed forces or merchant seamen and women.

TIMEKEEPING

Employers are required to include the total numbers of hours worked where pay varies according to the hours worked. For example, workers who are paid by the hour, day rate workers, overtime paid at additional rates and zero hours workers. If an employee is contracted to 30 hours per week and they work an additional five hours, you

20 connected 14

ChamberHS

ChamberTax

would only be required to show the five hours on the payslip since the 30 hours pay would not vary. However, the total hours or a breakdown of hours may be shown if helpful to do so. The payslip must also show which pay period this refers to.

Alternatively, such vases may amount to pay varying due to a departure from the normal working and pay arrangement caused by unpaid leave or statutory sick pay. For example, a salaried employee receives pay in equal monthly instalments and decided to take five days unpaid leave and the employer deducts these days from the employee’s salary. There is no requirement for the employer to show the hours on the payslip since the pay does not vary depending on the hours worked but the pay has varied, due to a departure from normal working and

pay arrangements.

PAYSLIP INFORMATION

What else must your payslips show?

1. The gross amount of wages or salary to be paid 2. The net amount of wages or salary to be paid 3. The amounts of any variable deductions 4. The amounts of any fixed deductions 5. A breakdown of how the wages will be paid if more than one payment method is used (eg. cash and cheque).

Have you checked whether your payslips reflect the new changes? If a worker thinks they have not received a payslip or lacks the information required, they are entitled to bring a claim before the Employment Tribunal and if the tribunal agree, they will be required to make a declaration to this effect. The tribunal may order repayment of un-notified deductions made in the 13 weeks preceding the presentation of the claim, even where the employer was otherwise entitled to make the deductions. This is separate from a claim where a worker has not been paid properly, for an unlawful deduction of wages.

If you are still unsure on the new changes and how this affects your organisation, please contact the Quest employment advice line for further guidance.

news from

ELY CHAMBER

XPERT RESOURCING LAUNCH NEW BRANDING AND WEBSITE Ely based independent recruitment specialists, Xpert Resourcing, has announced the launch of its new branding and mobile-responsive website to further enhance its service to employers and jobseekers alike.

Established in 2017, Xpert Resourcing is led by experienced recruiters Emma Smith and Paul Smith, each having worked for 18 years in corporate and agency recruitment.

The team works with a wide range of businesses in the local area across the accountancy and finance, sales and marketing, office support and HR, IT and digital, scientific and industrial sectors.

The new Xpert Resourcing website

and branding has been designed by Infiniti Graphics in Ely and has been developed with user experience in mind. Visitors can stay informed with the latest job vacancies, recruitment news and company announcements and jobseekers can register online at no cost to discuss employment opportunities directly with their recruiter.

Emma Smith, Director at Xpert Resourcing, said: “We pride ourselves on providing a thorough and consultative service to clients and the fresh new branding and website reflects the personal approach that we take to recruitment. In just under two years, Xpert Resourcing has gathered huge momentum, our new branding is strong and the website looks fantastic.

We look forward to extending our reach and expertise to jobseekers and employers across the region.”

Visit the new website at www.xpertresourcing.co.uk

PRINCIPAL OF KING’S ELY APPOINTED DEPUTY LIEUTENANT OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Intrepid King’s Ely students achieve Gold DofE Award status Four King’s Ely Sixth Form students are celebrating completing their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award.

Aeyesha Cundy, Lucy Darby, John-Paul Gilbey and Samuel Wege each undertook an extensive 12-month programme of volunteering, physical and skill activities, and completed a four-day expedition in the Brecon Beacons in South Wales in order to achieve their Gold DofE Award status.

All four students completed their Bronze and Silver DofE Awards before taking on their Gold. They received their badges during a special school assembly just before the end of the Lent term, and will be attending Buckingham Palace for another presentation later in the year.

The DofE Award was created in 1956 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to help develop young people’s work ethic and life skills. King’s Ely offers students the chance to undertake their DofE Award at all three levels, and all of the school’s clubs are run in line with national schemes, giving pupils a strong position to go forward for their National Governing Bodies (NGB) Leadership Awards.

Sue Freestone, Principal and Chief Executive of King’s Ely, has been appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.

Sue, who has been in post at King’s Ely since September 2004, is one of six new Deputy Lieutenants selected by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence OBE QPM DL. Deputy Lieutenants assist with any duties as may be required and tend to be people who either have served their local community, or have a history of public service in other fields. Their over-arching responsibility is to promote their county, including at local ceremonies and official events.

Mrs Spence said: “Sue’s considerable skills and experience will be extremely useful in supporting me in the execution of my duties.”

Speaking about her appointment, Sue said: “I feel very honoured to have been appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire.

I am passionate about my adopted county and this appointment provides a route through which I can continue to contribute to the community and get to grips with the joys and complexities of the county.”

connected 21

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING ARRIVES AT BOURN GOLF CLUB Set in the rolling countryside, Bourn Golf Club with its championship 18-hole course now has something new to offer businesses across the county. With views over the golf course, ample parking and delicious food, teams can battle it out on our assault course, fight for the lowest score on the pitch and putt course, test their aim with archery or refine their survival techniques with bushcraft skills.

If relaxing in the pool, sauna or steam room is needed to soothe the aching muscles that can also be arranged as part of a bespoke package for your company’s requirements. If you need a meeting room or conference facilities we can offer this too alongside a tasty menu to suit your budget - from breakfasts, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and barbecues.

Daniel Barker, General Manager at Bourn Golf & Leisure Club, says: “Employee wellbeing is key to the success of a business, we offer corporate memberships and team building packages to help ensure teams work well together and are fit and healthy.”

Cambridge North station recorded almost half a million passenger journeys last year Passenger numbers at Cambridge North continued to grow last year, with almost half a million passenger journeys in 2018, figures show.

Train operator Greater Anglia says that passenger numbers have continued to grow above expectations since the station opened in May 2017, demonstrating its importance as a vital point of access to the business park, which was previously only accessed by road.

It is anticipated that the station will

encourage new businesses to the area in the future as well as aid the expansion of Science Park and St John’s Innovation Centre.

Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, Jamie Burles, said: “We’re delighted that Cambridge North is proving popular beyond our initial expectations and that it is benefitting residents and local businesses alike, opening up new journey opportunities in the north east of Cambridge.”

CRC recognises leading apprentices and employers Cambridge Regional College (CRC) hosted its annual Apprenticeship Awards recently to celebrate the best apprentice employers and apprentices in the region.

The glittering Awards evening took place at the College’s Park Restaurant where guests enjoyed a three-course dinner prepared by catering and hospitality students whilst the awards were unveiled.

The best apprentice and best employer across different sectors were recognised and the evening’s culmination saw the awarding of the Overall Apprentice and Employer of the Year. Jemima Clayton, aged 20, an engineering apprentice, was announced as Cambridge Regional College’s Overall Apprentice of the Year 2019. Red House Day Nursery from Burwell was named Overall Apprentice Employer of the Year 2019.

Jemima is currently undertaking an Engineering Technician apprenticeship with her employer and leading medical device manufacturer, Bespak Europe.

She received her award from Mark

Robertson, CRC Principal and Chief Executive, who said: “This year’s winner is an excellent role model for women in engineering as well as an exceptional ambassador for apprenticeships. Jemima has already been acting as a STEM Ambassador for her employer and we were delighted to welcome her in to college recently to inspire prospective learners at our Apprenticeship Fair. She’s shown a real ‘can do’ attitude and personal drive to succeed which has seen exemplary results in both her studies and in her work for her employer, making her an incredible addition to the Bespak team.”

21ST CENTURY SKILLS FOR 21ST CENTURY NEEDS

Form the Future CIC are working with global thought leaders in education in a two-year programme funded by Erasmus+ to understand how best to prepare young people for the needs of the future.

The programme kicked off with a five-day conference that brought together over 50 education professionals and teachers from across the UK with their peers from Norway, Denmark and Romania. This unique event was organised by Form the Future and aimed to raise awareness of the importance of 21st Century skills and guidance on how to integrate these skills into teaching and curriculum on an international scale.

22 connected

Working collaboratively will enable the programme participants to pool expertise, data and resources, and to establish best practice based on real learnings. The conference provided extensive learning opportunities for the delegates across seminars, workshops and networking sessions.

Michaela Eschbach, Co-founder and Director at Form the Future, said: “This programme fits perfectly with Form the Future’s mission to bring schools and businesses together to help students develop the necessary skills and experience needed to prepare them for their futures. We

are excited to be playing a critical role in facilitating knowledge sharing across nations.”

news from

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER

CAMBRIDGE SCORES TOP MARKS WITH INTERNATIONAL EVENT ORGANISERS A party of international event organisers – from the US, Canada and Russia – were bowled over by the inspirational venues in Cambridge and the region which they were shown during a recent three-day visit.

Meet Cambridge made a successful bid to host the delegation and organised a packed itinerary to showcase a selection of venues and experiences for their conferences and meetings ahead of VisitBritain’s prestigious international MICE exhibition MeetGB at the De Vere Beaumont Estate in Windsor.

The group enjoyed a stay at Newnham College, dined at Jesus College and Trinity Hall and had a

private tour of the Pepys Library at Magdalene College.

They also visited other central Cambridge venues: The Møller Centre, The Cambridge Union Society, Gonville & Caius College and Doubletree Hilton Cambridge City Centre, as well as out of town facilities: Newmarket Racecourse, The National Stud and Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

Punting with Scudamores and a Guided Walking Tour of Cambridge organised

by Visit Cambridge & Beyond added to the ‘Cambridge Experience’.

Judith Sloane, Deputy Manager of Meet Cambridge, said: “It was a privilege to showcase our venues to the international planners who were really enthusiastic about what they saw. We are hugely grateful to all our venues and the organisations which provided tours, hospitality and experiences for the group.”

The week concluded with the team from Meet Cambridge attending the MeetGB exhibition in Windsor where they met MICE buyers from North America and Europe, looking for new venues in which to hold their events.

Law firm appoints Scrutton Bland new litigation solicitor announces new Partner

Miller Sands has strengthened its senior legal team with the appointment of solicitor Virginia Lloyd, who specialises in litigation.

As Miller Sands’ senior litigation solicitor, Virginia will offer services in property and contract disputes, debt and insolvency cases, and planning, from the initial stages of dispute resolution to proceedings in the High Court or County court.

Virginia said: “I am delighted to have joined the team at Miller Sands offering an additional set of legal services to complement their existing capabilities.

As an independent firm Miller Sands has the benefit of attracting an interesting variety of cases and the ability to build close relationships with clients.”

Scrutton Bland LLP has strengthened their Audit team with the appointment of Paul Goddard as Risk and Assurance Partner.

Paul has been with Scrutton Bland since 2001 and has a large portfolio of Internal Audit contracts across the region and beyond. He specialises in providing targeted assurance advice to clients of all sizes, enabling them to embed risk management and develop robust governance frameworks to deliver their objectives efficiently, effectively and economically. As part of the team delivering services to the Education Sector, Paul has an expertise in Internal Audit services for this sector.

Paul said: “It is great to be joining the partner team. The risk, control and assurance service we provide is a vital part of the package Scrutton Bland offers to clients and forms the bedrock of robust business operations. A particular focus at the moment is around education institutions who are seeing changes to their business revenue models, and this is an area in which I have particular experience.”

Murray Edwards College celebrates 20 years of successful conferences and events Murray Edwards College, founded over 60 years ago to provide education for outstanding women, is marking 20 successful years of running ‘New Hall Events’, its commercial arm operated as a limited company.

Over the period, hundreds of events have been hosted at the venue, ranging from residential conferences, Summer schools, one-day meetings and dinners.

Chris Pope, General Manager of Conferences, Catering and Residences, said: “Our 20-year milestone is an important occasion and a good moment to reflect on how our offering has evolved over the years. By listening to feedback from our customers we have been able to adapt our product to meet new requirements.”

TRINITY HALL REVEALS REFURBISHMENT Trinity Hall is delighted to reveal the newly refurbished Leslie Stephen Room, a beautiful historic room which is among the college’s most popular spaces for meetings and special events.

The room is named after Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), alumni of Trinity Hall and leading essayist in literary criticism.

The sensitive refurbishment has included adding new oak flooring and discreet acoustic ceiling panels, refreshing soft furnishings and adding attractive new furniture. The effect has been to lighten and lift this prime events space, utilising the room’s abundance of natural light and its first floor setting overlooking the college’s impressive Front Court.

The Leslie Stephen Room now offers an even more flexible space for meetings, conferences and dinners – a perfect space for events. connected 23

Send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch! Email images direct to s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

BEACON WEALTH GROUP SUPPORT RED NOSE DAY Beacon Wealth Group took part in Red Nose Day across their four offices in St Neots, St Ives, Kimbolton and Sawtry, by dressing down and having a bake sale and raised over £200.00.

STUDENTS DONATE EASTER EGGS TO LOCAL FOODBANK King’s Ely students helped to put a smile on the face of local people in need by donating Easter eggs to their local Foodbank.

#HBF2019 The Chamber held the Huntingdonshire Business Fair at Burgess Hall in St Ives on Wednesday 3 April and were delighted with the feedback from the day.

24 connected

it’s happening

OUT & ABOUT

Outstanding Apprentices Recognised The annual College of West Anglia (CWA) Apprenticeship Awards 2019 took place in March at Knights Hill Hotel. The awards ceremony coincided with National Apprenticeship Week 2019, a nationwide annual celebration of apprenticeships will bring the whole apprenticeship community together to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.

Professor Lord Robert Winston hosts annual King’s Ely Osmond Lecture King’s Ely was delighted to welcome British professor and television presenter, Professor Lord Robert Winston, into school to talk to excited students and staff. Lord Winston hosted the school’s Osmond Lecture, an annual event established and endowed by the Old Eleans’ Club to commemorate the career of Leonard Osmond, who was a Science teacher at King’s Ely from 1930 to 1972.

COLLEGE OF WEST ANGLIA RATED ‘GOOD’ BY OFSTED Archbishop of Canterbury is ‘absolutely elated’ with his visit to the Diocese of Peterborough The Most Revd Justin Welby was in the Diocese in April, meeting people and visiting church projects throughout Peterborough. His visit took in a walkabout and a chat with shoppers at Queensgate Shopping Centre, as well as a trip to Garden House – a day centre for rough sleepers within the Cathedral grounds – and The Chapel Gym, based at Corby Epiphany Church, which aims to help local people physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The Archbishop took part in some boxing there and really got into the swing of things!

The College of West Anglia (CWA) has received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted, the government’s inspection body for schools and colleges. The college’s Cambridge campus, which is located in Milton, offers land-based programmes, such as agriculture, animal management and equine courses.

connected 25

Relationship developers With you every step of the way to deliver your people strategy.

news from

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

FENLAND CHAMBER

Local garage helping to train the mechanics of tomorrow

MER Construction Services Ltd complete project After four and a half years’ hard work, acting on behalf of our client, we are pleased to see that residents are moving into and enjoying the community feel of the Goldsmith Street Project, currently the largest wholly social rent Passivhaus scheme in the UK. Goldsmith Street has been highlighted as among the 10 best examples of architecture taking shape in the world this year. The £17m scheme of 105 homes - a mix of 45 one-bedroom flats, 40 twobedroom houses, three two-bedroom flats and five four-bedroom flats - was picked out by The Times newspaper.

The homes, owned and managed by Norwich City Council, will be rented out to people with a housing need. They are being built by RG Carter and designed by architects Mikhail Riches.

Whizzy Wheels has been working in partnership with the College of West Anglia (CWA) to help train the future generation of highly-skilled mechanics in the area.

The garage, based in Leverington, was opened by Doug McClure in 1996 and is now run by him and his sons, Matthew, James and Jack. The garage deals with motor vehicle repairs, servicing, as well as being a MOT centre.

Doug has been taking on CWA students for the last three years and has nine students on work experience this

academic year alone.

Doug said: “I began taking on students because I remembered what it was like to move from school into the working world. Young people need practical skills and experience to help them cope with the transition from college to working life and I hope I am able to help them to achieve this and give them skills that they can use in the future.”

The students complete a minimum of 30 hours work at the garage as part of their work experience, which will go towards their qualification. They assist with everything, from services to repairs and MOTs. Work Placement and Careers Co-ordinator, Guy Bridge, said: “Doug has been absolutely fantastic is accommodating our students. Sometimes it’s hard work to get employers to see what Doug sees which is a mutually-beneficial relationship apprentices and employers have. We can’t thank him enough for the support.”

Jake qualifies for Four Nations Championship Final College of West Anglia (CWA) computing student, Jake Mattless, scored 100 per cent in his Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) qualification to secure a place in MOS Four Nations Championship Final 2019.

While undertaking his level two qualification, he completed the additional industry-recognised MOS qualification, which ensures learners are proficient in all aspects of the Microsoft Office Suite, including Powerpoint, Word, Excel, Outlook and Access.

Jake completed the qualification in around six weeks and scored 100 per cent in all of his exams, which secured his place at the upcoming finals.

Jake will be one of only 27 students from around the United Kingdom who

will attend the championship finals on Friday 14 June 2019 at The British Library. Jake will compete against eight other students in the Microsoft Word category of the competition.

Students will be asked to complete an exam under test conditions, as well as undertaking project-work in the afternoon. Winners from the finals will go forward to compete in the World Championships in New York.

Computing lecturer, Shaun Strachen, said: “Jake has just passed the expert level of the qualification with a test result of 921/1000. Jake is an absolutely fantastic student who always excels in everything he does, and we couldn’t be prouder of everything he has achieved. We are excited to see what the future will hold for him.”

connected 27

news from

HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER

WASTE MANAGEMENT BUSINESS SUPPORTS LOCAL EVENTS The sheer volume and diverse range of applications submitted to local business Mick George Ltd in the first round of 2019 for their sponsorship assistance, indicates that our county is in for an exciting spring and summer, with a whole host of entertainment planned.

Throughout Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire

regions, Mick George Ltd has vowed to support seven local events with complimentary Waste Management services, or material supply to a value that surpasses £2,500.

The contribution will aid both the running and clear-up process of each initiative, to ensure pleasant conditions are maintained in the aftermath of each occurrence.

Stuart Costello, Marketing Director of Mick George Ltd, commented: “These annual events, upgrades and maintenance works are extremely important to each of the respective local communities. The efforts that go in to organising each of them should not be overlooked, which is why we’re always keen to show our support wherever feasible.”

Roythornes celebrates success in Alconbury Local business professionals gathered in March to celebrate Roythornes Solicitors' new Alconbury office and the acquisition of Warrens Boyes & Archer, a long-standing Huntingdon legal practice.

Located at The Incubator on the Enterprise Campus of the brand new Alconbury Weald development, the event saw more than 80 influential guests - from across various sectors including property, agriculture and professional services - come together for an evening of networking, canapes and drinks.

Roythornes Solicitors is a top 200 national law firm with offices in Alconbury, Nottingham, and Peterborough with its head office in Spalding. It is recognised for its expertise in property, agriculture, food and energy.

Vember Mortlock, Managing Director at Roythornes, said: “It was great to see so many clients and familiar faces as well as some new ones including many of those who have moved across from Warrens Boyes & Archer.

“The Enterprise Campus is a fantastic place to have our office – not only is it a growing community with strong transport links but we’re being joined by other major organisations from the local area including Cambridge County Council and GCGP LEP so we’re in good company.

“We’re looking forward to growing our client base in the local area and developing our team. The Alconbury office is a real focus for us in terms of development and recruitment, and we’re looking forward to an exciting

future in the region.”

Greg Archer, former lead partner of Warrens Boyes & Archer, added: “The Cambridge effect is rippling out across the county and the new office is perfectly located to make the most of this, especially with north and south

access to the A1 and other good transport links.

“Roythornes is a fantastic law firm with a great ethos and client-focused approach so I’m confident as I head into retirement that my clients are in good hands.”

connected 29

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page?

Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Kamarin Computers raise over £3,000 for charity in 48-hours IT company, Kamarin Computers raised over £3,000 for Sands UK and Women V Cancer through a 48-hour charity Gameathon which initially aimed to raise only £500.

Members of the company gave up their own time - and beds - to ensure the nonstop gaming over two days, for their first major fundraising event of the year. The Gameathon brought their entire company together as the work that the charities do has impacted many people at Kamarin Computers.

Under their fundraising strategy, each Director is required to organise an event during the year and Operations Director,

Tony Pearson, was responsible for the first one.

Tony said: “A lot of our staff are already avid gamers, so I thought a fundraiser all about gaming would be a great way to get everyone involved. Our people are also really passionate about these charities, so asking them to donate their own time to fundraise was not an issue, everyone wanted to be involved in some way.”

Kamarin Computers felt confident that they were on track to meet their donations target before the gaming commenced.

However, once they began live-streaming the fundraiser via their Facebook page, they noticed the interaction intensified.

City recruiter attains international accreditation Anne Corder Recruitment is celebrating passing its Anne Corder acclaimed annual audit for the 24th year running.

The recruitment agency has passed its quality review, with the inspector praising the team of experienced recruitment professionals and their ‘outstanding’ management methods.

Recognised as the only international indicator of quality, the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) 9001:2015 accreditation demonstrates ACR’s commitment to running an efficient and cost effective business.

The final report made special mention of the company’s dedication to its ‘transparent processes’ ‘fully engaged senior management team’ ‘high customer satisfaction’ and the offices’ relaxed atmosphere to help candidates ‘calm any nerves’.

Anne Corder said: “ISO accreditation shows our commitment to always meeting the very highest business standards. The positive impact this approach has upon candidates and clients is clear in our exceptional satisfaction ratings.”

With a host of gaming well underway, the donations began to rise and within the first half of the Gameathon, Kamarin had already tripled their target.

MARATHON WALK RAISES £5,000 FOR CHARITY

Hegarty Solicitors are proud to have raised £5,000 for For Rutland, their charity of the year. The firm raised money through charity events at their offices in Peterborough, Stamford and Oakham throughout the year, as well as a mammoth sponsored walk in which over 25 partners and staff embarked on a 34 mile marathon walk from Peterborough to Oakham via Stamford in June 2018.

The walk started at the Hegarty Solicitors office in Peterborough and made their way to the Stamford office, covering 17 miles. Walkers then continued a further 17 miles to the finish line at the office in Oakham. The walk was eight miles longer than a marathon and took over 12 hours to complete!

Kally Singh, Partner, and Catherine Fitches, Case Handler at Hegarty Solicitors who both took part in the walk proudly, presented a cheque to Trish Ruddle, Caroline Hammond and Elizabeth Mills, all representatives of the fundraising committee for For Rutland.

HUGHES TRADE HELP CATHEDRAL SET UP FOR WINTER NIGHT SHELTER The generosity of the Hughes Trade Peterborough branch has made a real difference to volunteers at the Cathedral who are preparing to host the Light Project Peterborough Winter Night Shelter.

This is the first year that the Cathedral has hosted the night shelter and, when planning how to feed 12 guests and volunteers for seven nights with a hot evening meal and a cooked breakfast, it quickly became clear that a new freezer 30 connected

would be essential.

Upon hearing this, the staff of the Peterborough branch at Hughes Trade offered to lend the charity event a suitable freezer for a month and deliver it on site.

Rob Goldsmith, Team Leader of the store, said: “As a company, Hughes are very much part of the local community, so it is great to be able to help a local project which benefits our community directly.”

news from

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER

Construction company in Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list Lindum Group has been named among The Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For, for the 15th year in a row.

It follows a survey of employees, which measured factors such as personal growth, wellbeing, leadership and team spirit.

During an award ceremony at Battersea Evolution in London, it was revealed Lindum had been placed 31st in this year’s Top 100 list.

Lindum Director Freddie Chambers said the company firmly believes that its strength lies in its people.

“Our primary business is construction but we know that we can only deliver

a good service to our customers if our workforce is on board and want to go the extra mile.

“We say ‘the difference is our people’ and, as the majority of our employees are shareholders, we hope they really do feel invested in the success of our work.

“The wellbeing of our employees underpins our business, and as an employer, it is our duty to make work productive and

New appointments at Roythornes Experienced commercial litigation lawyer, Desley Sherwin, has joined law firm Roythornes Solicitors.

Desley has made the move from Chattertons Solicitors in Lincolnshire which sees her return to the firm where she completed her training more than 25 years ago.

Dividing her time between the Roythornes head office in Spalding and the firm’s Alconbury office, associate solicitor Desley will become part of the commercial litigation and employment law team.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, it’s a chance to be part of one of the 1,000 most influential companies in the UK and a top 200 law firm which has a fantastic reputation in the region as well as nationally.

Roythornes has also appointed food and drink expert Hannah Leese in order to grow the firm’s litigation team and support its long-term strategy for growth. Hannah joins the legal practice’s Nottingham office as an Desley Sherwin associate and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. Her background is in food litigation with a niche understanding of the meat industry – a highly regulated sector.

enjoyable.”

The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For list is compiled based on research from the largest survey of its kind.

RAWLINSONS REBRAND AS BALDWINS

The name change brings with it the ever-expanding service offering from Baldwins – giving clients access to expertise such as corporate finance, banking and finance, insolvency and forensic accounting.

Baldwins, a CogitalGroup company, is one of the UK’s leading business services groups and has over 80 offices across the UK. Currently CogitalGroup employs 6,000 people operating from 177 offices in seven countries, generating a revenue of in excess £450 million.

Ken Craig, Partner at Baldwins in

Peterborough, said: “Becoming part of Baldwins has enabled us to offer a wider range of niche services to our clients, to help businesses guard against any threats while identifying opportunities for growth.

“Developing a comprehensive service while retaining a personal touch couldn’t have come at a better time with the unpredictable trading environment we are in, which is heightened by Brexit and changes brought about by Making Tax Digital.

“Since joining the group last year Rawlinsons’ level of service has not changed, and our commitment to the Cambridgeshire business community remains the same.”

David Baldwin, Board Director at Baldwins Group, commented: “Rawlinsons have built up a loyal client base throughout Cambridgeshire over the years, and through our nationwide specialist services, we can identify opportunities to help the office and their clients to grow further.”

Safe Local Trades member comes to the rescue of rogue trader victim Not all super heroes where capes – as long-standing Safe Local Trades member Clayton Fisher proved when he came to the rescue of a victim of rogue traders.

Safe Local Trades has been championing consumers for over a decade, and one of its target areas is raising awareness of rogue traders and cowboy builders – highlighting its commitment through a recent partnership with The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Against Scams Partnership (CAPASP).

Safe Local Trades only promotes tried and tested trades through its website, and thankfully the quick thinking of a lady from Stamford resulted in her hanging on to the £800 being quoted by doorstep scammers

who carried out work at her property recently.

She contacted Clayton after remembering seeing a Safe Local Trades advert in a local magazine.

Once he saw the work and knew they were coming back, STL member Clayton Fisher of Install Fascias and Cladding advised her to contact the police, and took photos of the work whilst the rogue traders were off site.

Bravely, the lady then walked to her local police station to report this; officers from Lincolnshire Police arranged to come to her property at the designated time when they were due back to collect their money waiting at her property to arrest the rogue

traders. Clayton then arranged to reinstall the guttering the following week.

Eileen Le Voi, Director of Safe Local Trades, said: “Members like Clayton are the very essence of Safe Local Trades.

Thank goodness for this lady that she was able to make contact with him and follow his advice of contacting the police, which she bravely did and more importantly, kept hold of her cash.” connected 31

news from

STAMFORD CHAMBER

College awarded slice of £40million to launch Maths Centre of Excellence New College Stamford is proud to be named a Maths Centre of Excellence after receiving funding to develop new methods of teaching and enhance maths teaching. This will be an invaluable asset to students looking to improve their skills and secure valuable qualifications.

The College is one of 21 further education institutions in the country to have been rewarded after submitting an impressive bid that demonstrated the College’s long-standing reputation for excellent English and maths achievement and performance. It has consistently provided an opportunity for students at all levels to succeed and progress in maths, from those with no GCSEs to those who

need to increase their grades.

The centres are designed to develop, deliver and share best practice through maths networks, and to test and share new ways to teach students who are re-sitting their maths. Each of the colleges will share £40 million over the next five years to help them in providing this new and innovative way of learning.

Paula David, Director of Curriculum at New College Stamford, said: “The CoE in Maths will give students the motivation and opportunity to learn with methods that suit their preferences and build on their existing skills. This will be through personalised learning programmes, supported by high quality teaching

and learning and integrating online learning assessment and feedback, combined with rigorous tracking and monitoring.

“Staff will be supported throughout the process to be up-skilled in developments in maths mastery and will use technology to support teaching and learning.

“We’re proud to be paving the way for an innovative maths programme to support and empower students to achieve their maths qualifications.”

The model will benefit over 800 students and the college aims to collaborate with other colleges to improve achievement and attainment in maths.

Cambridge Life Sciences and Tech Companies must remain compliant to sustain industry growth, says Insurance Broker The UK’s Life Sciences sector is booming. As the government continues to plough more money into healthcare and technology by securing two sector deals to invest in the industry in just two years, recent stats show that vacancies for clinical professionals have risen by 37 per cent in the past 12 months.

Locally, Cambridge Innovation Capital, supported by the University of Cambridge, has raised a further £150 million to fund 25 life science and technology companies across the region. This is the largest amount of private funding by any tech company in the UK, further boosting

Cambridge as the fastest growing city in the UK. But with this huge growth comes an increased need for support for research businesses to protect their development at every stage. From intellectual property to clinical trials, the life science industry poses many unique challenges. The key for the growth of the sector is having the correct protection in place for each of these distinctive risks, to enable secure development of some of the world’s leading technological, biological and pharmaceutical advancements.

Robin Chubb, Account Executive at Cowens Insurance Brokers in Stamford, discusses the importance of water-tight insurance for life science businesses and how bespoke packages can help the huge growth in this sector in Cambridge and surrounding areas.

He comments: “Cambridge and Peterborough are a hot bed for some of the most advanced research and development companies in the UK – with knowledge and talent from some of the world’s leading experts coming from Cambridge University. These companies are booming, but to keep up with the influx of professionals and huge business growth, they must remain compliant and protect every step of their operations.

“As well as clinical expertise, businesses must have awareness and

understanding of the risks their work pose and for this, a broker is essential to create a bespoke package. When dealing with extremely sensitive and confidential data and material, insurance is one of the fundamental aspects of a secure and stable business within this industry.

“Specialist life sciences cover can include unique occurrences including computer breakdown and loss of data, legal expenses, clinical trials, medical liability, controlled environments and employee fidelity. This type of cover also must be provided in conjunction with standard business insurance to cover usual activity, such as material damage, business interruption and goods in transit.

“Many regional brokers may not have access to distinctive cover, but at Cowens we have close ties with many of the specialist insurers in the market, meaning we can provide life sciences companies with the unique policies they require.

Having a flexible and agile team also means constant support and personal consultations, meaning businesses don’t have to deal with call centres if they have an issue.

“Involving an insurance broker also means that businesses are much more likely to understand and comply with the terms of their policies, which has a huge impact on how successful they will be in the event of a claim.”

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch.

Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk connected 33

Emily West

A

T a recent wellbeing event that the Chamber held in partnership with Arthur Rank on investing in employee wellbeing Emily West, from design and marketing agency made, talked about how the Swedish ethos of ‘Lagom’ will transform your working environment, team wellbeing and worklife balance and why a six hour working day is ‘just right’.

We invited Emily to explain more…

We live in an age where work emails are there in your pocket, walking down the beach with you and your family on a Sunday. ‘Work’ is accessible all day, every day and despite our phones having an ‘off’ button, we just don’t seem to use it. It encroaches upon our personal time.

It’s a 24/7 restless and impatient world;

34 connected

LAGOM: The art of having more time one that expects a reply within the hour, no matter the hour. The phrase ‘never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life’ has never been so significant.

We, at made, decided to do things differently; we decided to question the norm of the ‘9-5’ regime and we set about cutting out all the waste within our business...

The more we set about researching wellbeing and productivity, the more we realised that others were making it far too complicated; ‘unlimited holiday’ and ‘flexible hours’ are being used today to give employees a sense of choice and freedom, but step back and you realise that by not setting a blanket expectation, these are simply adding the weight of responsibility and stress that comes from having to make serious operational decisions for yourself and from blurring

the line between work and home something freelancers struggle with daily.

As for pool tables and in-house bars, they simply encourage people to stay at work longer, not working!

This is where ‘Lagom’ comes in; it’s a Swedish word meaning ‘just the right amount’ - not too much, not too little. It comes from the phrase ‘lagom är bäst’ meaning ‘the right amount is best’. But it

report from

is more than a word; it is a behaviour, a mind set, an operational framework. It’s a contemporary idea that we think UK businesses could prosper from embracing.

What I love about this very Scandinavian concept is that it’s not about making big changes, but rather making improvements to the small things which make a big difference. In a business environment it means working out what the ‘right amount’ of everything is - working hours, communications, marketing spend, meetings, holiday, staff numbers etc.

We first reviewed how long we wasted a day chatting, checking social media, being distracted by others, arranging meetings, feeling tired, and so on, and it was an incredible amount of time. We realised that most people only accomplish around six hours of actual ‘work’ in the usual eight hour day - so why were we conforming to the 9-5?

Now, don’t get me wrong, we had to do more than just let everyone leave at 4.00pm! We had to implement a strict working structure, including 1.5 hours of pure focus time (which we’ve coined ‘red time’) in the morning and 1.5 hours in the afternoon. In this time, we all switch our emails off, we don’t hold meetings or speak to each other; we get on with a predetermined solo task. This quiet environment ensures our team are as productive and efficient as possible in short, effective bursts. At the end of each red time, we have ‘fika’ - what the

Swedish call a ‘coffee break with friends’ - to stretch and give our eyes, brains and bodies a break.

We all enjoy an hour lunch at midday, no excuses, so we have time to refresh our thoughts, take a break from our screens, meet friends, go shopping, relax and talk with one another if we so choose. It’s amazing how much deeper our communication and relationships have become since cutting out the usual daytime ‘chit-chat’.

‘Amber time’ is the other one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.

This is the time to arrange meetings and work collaboratively whilst still respecting each other’s focus (headphones on is a dead giveaway that someone’s on a roll).

We call this framework ‘rigid flexibility’ because it is organised structure that allows us to be productive enough to leave work an hour earlier than most of the UK. With more direct focus, tasks

EMILY WEST

are being completed in less time thanks to no distractions from our phones or our colleagues, and to a better standard.

We break at the right times meaning no one is working on an empty stomach or dehydrated. Our eyes are given enough of a rest from our screens and we are encouraged to get up and move. We also know how our days are structured meaning our minds are subconsciously less cluttered; there is less temptation to stray from the tasks ahead and waste time given we know we will be able to relax in fika time, lunch time or after work.

It’s not just our work hours that have become more Lagom; the office is looking and feeling fresher and more sustainable, our new branding and logo embodies a simple, effective and clean design, our service is effortless and our processes are smooth. Thanks to the concept of ‘Lagom’, made has a brighter, happier, more effective team with far less waste and a heightened sense of value. We believe the key to well-being is not about designing ways to have fun at work, but to find sustainable ways to be outside of work; we recognise that having a private life is important and openly encourage it in return for just six hours of productivity.

After all, we all want to ‘make a life’ so that we can enjoy ‘making a living’.

www.madeagency.co.uk

We all want to ‘make a life’ so that we can enjoy ‘making a living’. connected 35

The

Cambridge accountancy firm.

If we were to tell you that PEM’s services combine tradition with innovation, solid accountancy knowledge with personality and reliability with energy, you might think that it doesn’t add up.

But it does. Beautifully.

connect with

SIGNPOST 2 GROW

Top Tips for Networking Networking, the blind date of the business world, arguably one of the most important but daunting ways to make those all-important business connections. There are so many things to consider when attending a networking event; what questions to ask, what questions am I going to be asked, what is the line between introducing your business and the conversation becoming too much of a sales pitch.

While all these factors are important ones to consider. The key is to relax, no one knows your business better than you do therefore no one knows how to talk about it better.

DON’T FOCUS TOO MUCH ON BUSINESS It may sound silly, since the aim of networking events is to build connections that may lead to business opportunities, but don’t get too caught up on it. Let conversation flow naturally whether it’s about business or not. Get to know the person before you think of the potential opportunities that person can give.

SHARE YOUR PASSION As previously mentioned, no one knows your business better than you.

It’s your passion, you spend your working hours doing your best to make your business a success. Use this opportunity to win people over with the enthusiasm you have for your product or service. Enthusiasm

is contagious, and it will spur on others to share their passions as well. Then you have a memorable conversation and a basis for future opportunities.

DITCH THE PITCH Remember to keep your pitch light and informal – you’re not trying to sell anyone your product/service – you’re building relationships.

Keep the conversation just that… a conversation.

BE INTERESTED, NOT INTERESTING Even if you’re more of an introvert you can still be great at networking!

Statistically speaking most people love to talk about themselves and the things they’re passionate about, so why not let them do that.

If you are a naturally observant person, odds are you’re also a great listener and a critical part of networking is showing sincere interest in the other party. It will become much easier to talk about yourself when you’re more familiar with the person and what they do.

the better you’ll get at it. The same applies here, the more networking events you attend, the better you will get at handling them. You will eventually become more relaxed and comfortable within your environment leading to better conversations and better connections.

CONCLUSION Networking can be daunting but as long as you’re calm, wellprepared, and friendly there’s nothing to worry about. Remember, you never know who you’re going to meet and whether you will be connected to them for years to come so keep an open mind – opportunities present themselves in a number of different ways.

To find out more information about networking please visit www. signpost2grow.co.uk

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Like anything, the more you do it

connected 39

barr ellison solicitors

When you both have different views

Guiding you through divorce barrellison.co.uk/divorce | law@barrellison.co.uk

insight from

How to Make Your Website More Effective Most businesses regard their website as important for attracting customers.

Sarah West, from marketing agency and website builders Full Mix Marketing, shares her advice on improving your website’s effectiveness: Focus on Fundamentals As search engines are the gate keepers for so much online traffic, it’s wise to keep them satisfied.

Many techniques like keyword stuffing and links from listing websites are now ineffective. Instead, focus first on some important basics to improve your website’s search ranking.

A secure server (https) is critical to Google, as is a website which downloads quickly. Make sure images are smaller than 100KB and remove any superfluous plug-ins, functionality or code which may be slowing pages down.

Put Functionality First Consider websites you frequently use like your bank or favourite online retailer.

They will often be simple so it’s easy to find what you need. Whilst businesses are understandably concerned by how their website looks, functionality is more important.

Ensure visitors can quickly locate the information they need and are encouraged to buy your product, visit you or make contact. Users may only visit two-three pages and you typically have just 59 second or three clicks to impress.

Look Good for Everyone Since May 2015, more online searches have been made on smartphones and tablets than laptops and desktops.

Websites which target consumers

SARAH WEST

will almost certainly be viewed most on mobile devices. For those who sell to businesses, views on desktops may currently be higher but this will likely change.

It’s critical your company’s website works well on all devices otherwise half of all visitors could leave dissatisfied.

Stick to Your Objective To be effective, your website needs to provide the experience visitors anticipate and inspire them to act.

Ensure your website funnels visitors smoothly towards the outcome you desire. If you want them to make an online purchase, make it simple to choose the product they need and don’t complicate the process with too many options.

If you provide a service, your website is essentially an online brochure. Focus on benefits and demonstrate your strengths, but don’t bombard visitors with too much information. The aim is typically to encourage them to make contact, not make a final buying decision.

Helping you thrive in a changing world Accountancy, audit and tax advice. Bookkeeping, payroll and tax returns.

A complete solution for businesses and individuals.

T +44 (0)1733 379 300 E east.midlands@moorestephens.co.uk

www.moorestephens.co.uk/eastmidlands

PRECISE. PROVEN. PERFORMANCE.

Moore Stephens East Midlands is an independent member firm of Moore Stephens International Limited. Registered to carry on audit work and regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. DPS40252 April 2018

connected 41

DEMENTIA

AWARENESS

HOW TO BECOME A DEMENTIA FRIENDLY ORGANISATION To coincide with Dementia Action Week (20-26 May), Cambridgeshire County Council have provided some information on how to become a dementia friendly organisation.

Three ways your organisation can help people affected by dementia 1. Make your customer service more dementia-friendly 2. Improve the physical environment 3. Provide practical support and deal with difficult situations effectively.

1. MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MORE DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY Good customer service can be key to helping somebody to live well with dementia. Here are a few tips to help your organisation deliver a more dementia-friendly service.

Offering understanding and reassurance Someone with dementia may find it difficult to process information. They may feel disorientated and struggle to answer simple questions or take in what you are saying. In the later stages, they may be confused about what they are doing and make mistakes.

You can assist a person with dementia by: • Allowing the person to take their time • Understanding how they might be feeling • Being friendly and smiley • Considering their feelings and responding to the emotions they are expressing • Asking direct questions. For example, ‘Is there someone you would like me to call?’ rather than ‘What would you like me to do?’

Communicating clearly A person with dementia may not understand what you are doing or remember what you have said. Treat them respectfully by addressing them in conversation, as well as any partner or carer they may be with.

The guidance below is vital when communicating with someone who is experiencing difficulties associated with dementia.

Body language and physical contact • Make eye contact

• Make sure that your body language and facial expressions match what you are saying • Never stand too close or stand over someone to communicate • Do not cover your mouth. The person should be able to see your face clearly.

Talking • Speak clearly and calmly • Use short, simple sentences • Speak at a slightly slower pace • Avoid speaking sharply or raising your voice • Don’t talk about people with dementia as if they are not there or talk to them as you would to a young child.

Listening • Listen carefully to what the person is saying, and give them plenty of encouragement • If you haven’t understood fully, tell the person what you have understood and check with them to see if you are right • If possible, use visual clues – write your message down if the person is able to read and use objects or pictures to help the person understand.

For example, show the person photographs of meals they can choose from.

2. IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Places that are noisy, busy or that have sounds that might be distracting can make people with dementia uneasy. They may not recognise colours, faces or objects or have problems with spatial awareness.

• Objects that are shiny, patterned or reflective can cause people with dementia to mistake what they are seeing • Features such as lighting, mirrors, shadows, steps and patterned walls and floors might cause problems for some people with dementia • Be aware of environments that are noisy or dark, and if you can, provide a quiet place where it is easier to offer one-to-one assistance • What is obvious to you may not be so to them.

Whatever sector your organisation is in, you should be providing appropriate practical support for people affected by dementia. A small action may make a significant difference to someone and help them to continue living safely and comfortably in the community.

The following actions are just some of the steps you can take.

• If someone can’t remember how to do something, offer to show them how to do it. As much as possible, do the task with them and not for them.

Break down tasks into smaller tasks, supporting them along the way • Be patient, especially if you are asked to repeat yourself • If someone cannot remember significant information, for example their address or PIN, make sure you are aware of your organisation’s alternative procedures that will help them access the service or information they require (E.g. Being able to sign for purchases). If your organisation doesn’t have these processes in place perhaps you could suggest developing them (E.g. A ‘no hurry check-out’).

More information can be found at www. alzheimers.org.uk or please contact Fiona Davies, Head of Mental Health at Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council Shire Hall on 07720 531347.

3. PROVIDE PRACTICAL SUPPORT AND DEAL WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS EFFECTIVELY

connected 43

chamber

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS

EVENTS

inspiring business success

AMAZING BENEFITS OF INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENINGS

May 2019

22

Oliver Cromwell Hotel, March 5.00-7.00pm

June 2019

3

5

10

Huntingdonshire FA 5.00-7.00pm

The Crown Hotel, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm

Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm

19

20

24

Metro Bank, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

Doubletree Hilton, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

Oliver Cromwell Hotel, March 5.00-7.00pm

CHAMBER

MEMBERSHIP DATE Wednesday 19 June TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Peterborough Chamber, 6 The Forum, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT DATE Thursday 20 June TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Milton Hall, Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6WZ PRICE Free to attend, please register in advance CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Come and learn the real, tangible benefits of membership in terms of financial savings and increasing revenue and profitability.

Whether you’re looking to generate interest in your services and increase sales, develop your professional skillset, explore new opportunities to do business overseas, or take advantage of the cost-savings and protection available, our extensive membership package offers it all.

You will also discover our latest promotional opportunities and get connected with our benefit service providers. We will also explain how we can help you engage with others in the Chamber network and across the wider business community.

SAVE THE DATE Summer Networking & Afternoon Tea Thursday 4 July, 2.00-5.00pm Bourn Golf & Leisure Keep an eye on our website and social media for details as they are announced…

4

JULY 2.00-5.00pm

Chamber members can book events online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk connected 45

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

Your essential business calendar for the next months.

Shaun Grady, Vice President of Astra Zeneca

SAFARI NETWORKING BREAKFAST DATE Thursday 23 May TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, Cambridge, CB25 9AF PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Emily White on 01223 209803 or email e.white@cambscci.co.uk

Global Leaders Lunch and Awards 2019 DATE Friday 14 June TIME 12.00-3.00pm LOCATION Downing College, Regent St, Cambridge CB2 1DQ PRICE £35.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £50.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk We’re celebrating business success from the global arena as the winners of our Global Awards are announced.

After a two course dinner we’ll hear from our keynote speaker Shaun Grady, Vice President of AstraZeneca.

You do not need to be on the award shortlist to attend this event, it is open to anyone who is involved in international trade as it provides a good networking opportunity.

STORM IN A TEACUP DATE Tuesday 21 May TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Poets House, 40 St Mary’s St, Ely CB7 4EY PRICE £12.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £17.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Organised by the Business Women’s Sector.

A supportive network to bounce business ideas and glean feedback from a fresh audience outside of your own working environment.

46 connected

You’ll have two minutes at three different tables to make those initial introductions and explain what sets your business apart from its competitors, with additional networking over a full English breakfast for the tables you don’t meet the first time around.

After breakfast we hear from Sue Keogh, Director at Sookio, who will talk through the tools you can use to make your social media activity more effective. For many business owners it’s about saving time; for others it’s about finding out what’s working (and what isn’t!.) Sue will come armed with lots of tips and tricks that you can put into action.

chamber

EVENTS

COMEDY NIGHT AND BLACK TIE DINNER TICKETS ARE ALMOST SOLD OUT, SO HURRY TO SECURE YOURS! DATE Friday 28 June TIME 7.00pm until late LOCATION Holiday Inn West, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough PRICE £550.00 (plus VAT) per table of 10, £60.00 (plus VAT) per individual ticket CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk

Mike Spicer, Director of Research and Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce

GLOBAL BUSINESS NETWORK SEMINAR

If you are looking for an event with a difference to entertain clients, use as team building or as a reward for your staff we have just the event for you.

You’ll receive a welcome drink on arrival, indulge in a three course dinner with some complimentary wine plus entertainment from our guest comedian Ian Irving whose humour is as fresh, original, contemporary and amusing today as it was 30 years ago. Ian specialises as an after dinner comedian and has been a warm-up artist for leading acts including Jim Davidson, Lionel Richie and The Jersey Boys.

DATE Tuesday 25 June TIME 12.00-2.00pm LOCATION Cambridge PRICE £22.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £27.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Organised by the International Sector.

This event will include a lineup of informative speakers, including Mike Spicer from the British Chambers of Commerce and HMRC, as well as offering time to network and make new connections to assist you on your global journey.

connected 47