connected issue 85

INSPIRING SUCCESS

ISSUE 85

The official magazine for Chamber members

BE MINDFUL

How the mental wellbeing of your staff can affect your business and what you can do to help those who need it

PLUS. . . ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE CHAMBER NETWORK

this issue

9

6

15

18

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CONTENTS

Chief Executive’s highlights

43 24-25

Chamber office opening

6-7

Connect

27

Fenland area news

8-9

Transform

29

Huntingdonshire area news

10-11

Export

12-13

Inform

14

Protect

15

Ask the Expert

34-35

16-17

New members

39

Signpost 2 Grow

18-19

Charity news

41

Marketing Insight

43

Out & About

21 22-23

Ely & East Cambs area news Cambridge & South Cambs area news

30-31 33

45-47

Peterborough area news Stamford area news Catherine Jones Jewellery Ltd

Events

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welcome from the

EDITOR

Welcome....

ISSUE 85 INSPIRING SUCCESS

Chamber members The official magazine for

BE MINDFUL

We were delighted to hold an event last month at our new office in Oakington to showcase our new facilities. Please turn to the centre pages to find out more.

Chamber Awards 2020 open for entry on Thursday 19 March. Turn to page 6 to find out this year’s categories and a web link to enter.

Are you attending Huntingdonshire Business Fair on Wednesday 29 April? Our event pages provide more information or you can visit the dedicated website at www.huntsbizfair.co.uk

your g of your staff can affect need it How the mental wellbein can do to help those who business and what you

SADIE PARR

connected Editor

R NETWORK NEWS FROM THE CHAMBE PLUS. . . ALL THE LATEST

Chief Executive John Bridge OBE DL Editor Sadie Parr Published by

Print xlpress

• DIARY DATES •

Design Jill Rowbotham Advertising Caroline Baker caroline.baker@trinitymirror.com Membership team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Ashleigh Jackson 01223 209812 Cambridge Clifford House, 2 Station Yard, Oakington, Cambridge, CB24 3AH Tel 01223 237414 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

APRIL 2020

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce @CambsChamber

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.

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Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

2

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Oakington

3

Digital Strategy Seminar, Peterborough

6

Informal Networking Evening, St Ives

15 16 22 28 29

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

Visit cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber

1

MAY 2020

Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

4

Informal Networking Evening, St Neots

Informal Networking Evening, Chatteris

6

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Oakington

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Ely

6

Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

Huntingdonshire Business Fair

7

Safari Networking Breakfast, Cambridge

11 19 20 20 21 Informal Networking Evening, Ely

Meet the Neighbours, Wyboston

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Huntingdon

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

22 26 27

Safari Networking Breakfast, Peterborough

Export Club, Oakington

Informal Networking Evening, Wisbech

Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

view from the

BRIDGE

I was delighted to meet with Patrick Campbell from the Bank of England at a recent event when I discussed with him the provision of timely articles for “connected” one of which is included this month giving the latest forecast from the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

As Deputy Agent for the Bank of England, Patrick is an important link for the Chamber in ensuring our thoughts are fed back to the MPC offering them a flavour of what is happening in the real world.

Great as always to meet with Phil Elmer, Chairman of cba group, and Vice-Chair of our Construction Sector.

Phil has provided invaluable expertise regarding our office move providing a schedule of condition for our new office in Oakington as well as having previously provided schedule of conditions for the existing offices to enable us to effectively manage our exit.

We thank him for his expertise in ensuring the change of offices has gone so smoothly. Please see the centre page spread for a recap of our official office opening event. cba group provides you with an independent cost effective ‘One Stop Shop’ for construction, property and asbestos services.

It was a pleasure to meet with Andrew Hodgson, Planning Director at Pegasus Group, when they sponsored our recent Peterborough Construction Network held at Peterborough United. Andrew updated us on the important timely development of the University of Peterborough and their role in helping the build to stay on track and open its doors to the first 2,000 students in 2022.

We thank Martin Rayner, Chair of the Construction Sector and Director of MER Construction Services Ltd, and the sector committee for their support in ensuring these successful events are a regular feature in the Chamber calendar.

Pegasus Group is a leading national development consultancy specialising in planning, design, environment, economics and heritage.

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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 Awards organisations of all sizes and sectors compete for these highly-prized titles and the national recognition they bring.

Our 2020 Chamber Business Award categories

The Chamber Business Awards is the UK’s most prestigious business award programme, recognising and rewarding excellence in British business. Each year

• • • • • • • • •

Small Business of the Year Export Business of the Year Best Use of Technology Employer of the Year Workplace Wellbeing Award Customer Commitment Award High Growth Business of the Year Family Business of the Year E-Commerce Business of the Year

Entries open 19 March 2020. Visit www. britishchambers.org.uk/events/chamberawards

MEMBER OFFERS Do you have a special offer that is open to members of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce?

Visit www.smartworkingrevolution.com Offer expires: 01/08/2020

Log-in to the Chamber website to add your offer, including an expiry date, and we’ll share across the network.

First Aid Training

Here is a selection of the offers you can take advantage of…

10% off all Newmarket Racecourse restaurant bookings for Chamber of Commerce members this spring We would love to welcome you to Newmarket racecourse this spring season. We are offering 10 per cent off to all Chamber members who book into our Champions gallery restaurant – this will come off any package chosen.

All Chamber members will be entitled to 10 per cent discount on First Aid training courses booked. Offer includes ‘closed’ group sessions and individuals booked onto ‘open’ scheduled courses – dates of upcoming courses can be viewed on our website.

For more information please email jaymarie.dixon@thejockeyclub.co.uk and quote CHAMBERDISCOUNT. Offer expires: 30/05/2020

Just quote ‘Cambs Chamber Member’ at point of booking. www.norvictraining.co.uk Offer expires: 31/12/2020

Smart Working Audit

For the full list of member offers visit www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/ member-offers

Would you like to find out how you can attract more talent in these difficult labour market conditions?

Maybe you are losing good people and want to work out how to retain their experience?

Book a One Day Smart Working Review for your business at half our normal price. £499 gets you a one day review by our Expert Practitioner and a Next Steps Report.

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network and

CONNECT

THE POWER OF NETWORKING Networking is key to individual and company development. Businesses network to develop relationships with people and companies they may do business with now, and in the future.

These connections help to establish rapport and trust among the business community. The Chamber provides many opportunities for members to widen their network of business contacts through building opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network.

I believe The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce offer excellent value for money.

In these challenging times, it is my belief that we all need to do ‘our bit’ to support other local businesses. Being a member of the Chamber allows me to do just that and also gives me many other benefits. The main benefit for me is the varied networking events which they hold throughout the year at a variety of locations. I know networking is not at the top of everyone’s to-do list as it is time consuming, can be awkward in certain situations and quite draining. However, networking really works. With your work calendar already over-crowded with work appointments and family commitments the last thing you really want to do is make small talk with strangers. Networking is about building and nurturing a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with the very people you meet.

The valuable business connections I have made over the years are too numerous to count, but many such connections have now become firm friends over the years. In my experience,

investing my time in networking has without a shadow of doubt increased the brand and name awareness of Hockeys Estate Agents and has certainly resulted in more referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations. We all know, that even in this digital age

– People buy People - and that cannot be achieved by sitting behind a desk all day being a keyboard warrior firing off hundreds of emails.

Gavin D Human Associate Partner, Hockeys

Promote your membership with the Chamber by displaying our ‘member of’ logo on your website and business stationery. 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.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE SEES INCREASE IN NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OVER LAST YEAR Latest statistics show that Cambridgeshire saw an increase in the number of businesses over the last 12 months, despite a background of political

and economic uncertainty.

The total number of registered companies in the county grew to 50,160 up from 48,390 at the end of 2018 - which equates to 3.7 per cent growth.

However, there was a very slight fall in the number of new company formations during 2019, when 6,779 new companies were registered, compared to 6,786 during 2018, representing a decrease of 0.1 per cent.

The statistics come from the Inform Direct Review of Company Formations using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.

Peterborough formed the most new businesses (1,987), followed

CAMBRIDGESHIRE DISTRICTS

NEW COMPANY FORMATIONS IN 2019

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES END 2019

Peterborough South Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire Cambridge Fenland East Cambridgeshire

1987 1397 1250 1056 634 437

10706 11831 10086 8945 3937 4292

by South Cambridgeshire (1,397) and Huntingdonshire (1,250).

John Korchak, Director of Operations at Inform Direct, said: “With the last 12 months presenting a very challenging environment for businesses – in terms of political and economic uncertainty – it is not surprising that some counties, including Cambridgeshire have experienced a slight fall in the number of new businesses being established compared to 2018.

“However, this picture is not replicated throughout the UK. Some counties have seen a record year for new company formations and the UK as a whole has experienced an all-time high of nearly 700,000 new businesses being established over the year.”

Alongside this record number of formations – 690,763 compared to 669,855 in 2018 – the overall number of UK companies also continued to grow, with a new high of 4,471,008, a 3.8 per cent increase on the total of 4,308,022 at the end of 2018.

To see a more detailed picture of company formations in Cambridgeshire – including a full local breakdown, visit: https://www.informdirect.co.uk/companyformations-2019/cambridgeshire/ To see the report in full visit: https://www.informdirect.co.uk/companyformations-2019/

SUPPORTING OUR ENGINEERS OF THE FUTURE Why is supporting the Primary Engineer Programme so important to Webtec?

Martin Cuthbert, Webtec’s Managing Director, explained: “Quite simply because it helps us to engage with the engineers of the future.”

With the decline in the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) subjects this is a great opportunity to work with teachers and pupils to give them a new perspective on careers in engineering and highlighting just how important engineering is to the world in which we all live.

Following last year’s success, Webtec is once again proud to support the Primary Engineer Programme 2019/20 and is looking forward to working with secondary schools taking part in ‘The Secondary Engineer® Fluid Power 8 connected

Challenge’.

Last year, over 780 pupils from 14 schools in the Cambridge and East Anglia area took part in the Primary Engineer programme giving pupils and teachers the opportunity to work with engineers both in the classroom, out in industry and to compete against like-minded teams from other schools.

As a further testament to the importance of this programme, Webtec will donate all profits made from its recently launched book ‘An Introduction to Practical Hydraulic System Maintenance’, to the Primary Engineer Programmes® to support STEM opportunities.

Primary Engineer is a not for profit organisation founded in 2005.

It is directly responsible for annually

engaging over 60,000 children, 3,800 teachers and 900 engineers with its range of programmes enabling a ‘STEM by stealth’ approach to education.

the power to

TRANSFORM

Bank of England sees encouraging signs for the UK economy

by Patrick Campbell, Deputy Agent, Bank of England The latest forecast from the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) shows UK economic growth picking up steadily over the next few years, after a sluggish 2019.

This chimes with the early signs of a rise in business confidence we’ve seen in surveys and in the conversations I and my fellow agents have had with contacts at businesses in Cambridgeshire and across the UK in recent weeks Our contacts report they are more likely to make positive decisions on investment, now that their Brexit-related uncertainty has fallen.

The MPC expects that uncertainty to fall further, as more detail on the UK’s future trading relationships comes out.

And with UK unemployment at its lowest level in over 40 years, households are generally confident about their own finances and the wider economy.

Helped by some easing of trade tensions, world growth is also forecast to strengthen.

As the UK economy recovers, inflation

ONS labour market data

BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru commented on the ONS labour market figures for February 2020: “The jobs market remains remarkably robust, with employment levels rising despite the UK economy stalling at the end of last year.

“However, the strong headline figures mask underlying problems. Lingering economic uncertainty can mean companies hire staff to fill orders rather than investing for the long-term, weakening productivity.

is forecast to rise to the MPC’s two per cent target by the end of next year.

In light of these encouraging developments, a majority of the MPC decided it was appropriate to keep Bank Rate at 0.75 per cent.

But the MPC noted a number of risks around its forecasts.

The world economy is not guaranteed to strengthen: a renewal of trade tensions, or the emergence of other threats, such as that posed by the new coronavirus strain, could cause growth to weaken.

In the UK, too, the forecast economic pickup is not a sure thing.

If it takes a long time for more detail about the UK’s future trading relationships to come out, Brexit-related uncertainty could increase again.

In the near term, the MPC may need to loosen monetary policy if the UK economy does not pick up as expected or if inflation does not rise.

Looking further ahead, if the economy

does recover as the MPC expects, some modest tightening of policy may be needed to keep inflation from rising above target.

No matter what happens, the MPC - chaired from March by incoming Governor Andrew Bailey - will continue to set policy to keep inflation stable and support jobs and growth for the good of all the people of the UK.

NEW UK IMMIGRATION SYSTEM

“Slowing wage growth is a concern as it could trigger a broader slowdown in household spending, a major driver of UK economic growth. A weak economy, low productivity and high employment costs are limiting increases in pay settlements.

“The forthcoming Budget must take steps to close the skills gap, with more funding for vocational and technical education and improved flexibility for the Apprenticeship Levy to better meet business needs.”

BCC Director General Adam Marshall commented on the government’s policy proposals for a points-based immigration system: “The speed and scale of these changes will require significant adjustment by businesses.

“Companies are already investing heavily in homegrown talent across the UK, but critical labour shortages mean firms will still need access to overseas workers at all skill levels.

“The new points system must be able to respond

quickly to changing market needs, and the application process must be radically simplified.” 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.

International Trade Events and Training INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES High quality, accredited training for your team 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 for build up a toolkit of reference information.

Processing Tuesday 28 April

Rules of Origin: Preference and Nonpreference Tuesday 19 May Cost per course: £300.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £450.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

All course will be held at our Chamber Customs Declarations focusing on offices in Oakington.

Import Compliance and Savings Register online at www.

Tuesday 24 March cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/ Customs Special Procedures: focusing training or contact Rose Griffiths on 01223 209817. on Inward Processing and Outward

GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR TRAINING HMRC have extended the deadline for customs training funding until 31 January 2021.

Make sure you are prepared and get grant funding to cover your training costs whilst it is still available. The funding will give you up to 100% of the cost of training for your employees, up to a limit of £2,250 per trainee.

Apply at www.customsintermediarygrant.co.uk

Chamber launch Global Awards 2020 OPEN FOR ENTRY MONDAY 23 MARCH! A series of awards will recognise Chamber members that have achieved success in overseas markets.

The four Global Awards will be presented to members at a Global Leaders Lunch taking place at Downing College, Cambridge in July.

The four categories are: • Award for International Service Provider • Award for Achievement in New Markets • Award for Overall Growth in Exports • New Exporter of the Year The awards are open to Chamber members only and are free to enter until Friday 24 April.

Application forms and award criteria is available on the Chamber website.

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Go

EXPORT

Perhaps Greta Thunberg will increase worldwide employment?

We were contacted just after Christmas by a USA based client that had a team in Singapore covering several countriesnotably China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam. The client was interested in having an employee in China, another in Vietnam.

While I was getting data from the client – number of employees, job title, salary, length of contract and so on, I asked her was it for business reasons – e.g. increased demand, the need to develop markets, etc. The answer was “yes I suppose so, but…”

It turns out that the most immediate driver for the expansion of staffing was ‘Flight shame’ (Flygskam in Swedish).

Apparently, the staff in Singapore regularly fly to China, Vietnam, Philippines and the company is embarrassed about the number of flights, the effects on global warming, and critical staff and client comments. So, their logic was that if they had employees in these countries the flights would decrease.

We were delighted of course because Compandben provides Employer of Record solutions - where we or our local partners employ staff on behalf of clients - in 120 countries. It means clients can have staff without having to set up a branch or subsidiary or another legal entity in the country concerned. So good news for us as well as the planet.

Speaking more generally the increased pressure on companies to source local staff, to reduce air travel, and to reduce product air miles, should increase demand for medium level employees and perhaps decrease the number of ‘high flying’ staff.

John Tinsley Director, Compandben Companies Cambridge UK and Geneva Switzerland

Trade negotiations must unlock potential of struggling exporters Exporters continued to tread water through the final quarter of 2019 according to the largest independent survey of UK firms, released by British Chambers of Commerce and DHL Express.

The survey of more than 3,300 exporters revealed that manufacturing export orders weakened for a second consecutive quarter. Indicators for service sector exporters also decreased in the quarter and remain at historically low levels.

The report comes as the UK begins negotiating a new trading relationship with the EU and third countries, with cabinet ministers making it clear trade friction will be ‘inevitable’ last week.

Business is calling on the government to create the conditions firms need to boost growth both here at home and in global markets as part of a new, independent trade policy.

The balance of manufacturing exporters reporting an increase in export orders fell for the second consecutive quarter to - 2. Those reporting increased domestic orders rose slightly to -1 from -4 in Q3 but still significantly lower than Q1 2019 when the

figure stood at +16. Domestic and export sales in the sector improved slightly in the quarter to +3 and +5 respectively but remain low since a sharp fall in Q3 2019.

The balance of exporting manufacturers reporting improved cashflow, a key indicator of business performance, improved to +2 from a low of –9 in Q3, but remains historically weak. A year ago, in Q4 2018, the figure stood at +9.

Trade documents issued by Chambers of Commerce across the UK for goods shipments outside the EU increased by 0.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of the year, 0.2 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2018.

BCC Director General Adam Marshall said: “With the right conditions in place, UK exporters could provide a shot in the arm for the economy over the coming years.

“Yet the evidence suggests that exporters are still suffering from the impacts of both Brexit uncertainty and weaker global trade. Our key indicators for export orders and sales, both in manufacturing and services, declined sharply over the course of 2019, and remain significantly lower than the previous year.

“We may have greater political certainty at Westminster, but this must now translate into clarity on the future trading relationship with the EU and other partners around the world.

“Getting a strong trade deal with the EU, backing our exporters, and taking action to cut the high cost of doing business here in the UK must all be at the top of the agenda over the coming months.”

New digital tool for exporters of goods from the UK The Department for International Trade has launched ‘Check How to Export Goods’, a new digital tool to help UK businesses trade with over 160 markets around the world.

The free tool will help you easily find and understand what is needed to export goods internationally.

It provides product-specific and country-specific information on tariffs, regulations, the UK border and other topics all in one place. It will be updated regularly to reflect any changes to trading arrangements.

Find out more at www.gov.uk/checkduties-customs-exporting 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.

FRESH THINKING ON ANNUAL REPORTS It’s not just stock-listed companies that are obliged to produce annual reports. Many organisations produce them, whether mandatorily or voluntarily, and they can provide a wealth of valuable insights and information, as Jonathan Steffen explains.

What could be duller than an annual report? The name itself it enough to send anyone to sleep. Page upon page of self-congratulatory statements, ream upon ream of unintelligible figures, footnotes so small as to be illegible…

And yet.

If you have shares in a company, then its annual report is likely to be of interest to you. Is your money being well used? Ditto if you are considering buying shares. Does this look to be a good investment?

Or what if you are an employee? Don’t you want to know about the company you work for, how it articulates its purpose and values, how it describes its strategy, how it accounts for both its successes and its failures?

And if you were a potential employee, wouldn’t it also be wise to study any prospective employer’s annual report before that all-important job interview?

But let’s not stop there. Competitor? Annual report. Business partner? Annual report. Dissenter, protester, activist? Definitely annual report.

Historian? Well, of course, all those annual reports that someone has had the good sense to archive.

They are the history of the company on a page.

So maybe not such dull reading, after all! And well worth investing in – whether you are telling the story of a company from the inside or trying to find out more about it from the outside.

Questions about your annual report? Email js@ jonathansteffenlimited. com

Why choose Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) over Court Proceedings?

Advice from Arbicon, Chartered Quantity Surveyors and Construction Claims Consultants For years the misconception of resolving a dispute is the need to go to court! In fact, a commercial contract dispute can be resolved with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which is ‘anything but go to court’ and offers many advantages.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) typically includes: • Adjudication • Mediation • Arbitration • Expert Determination/ Expert Witness.

When used appropriately, ADR can: SAVE TIME – Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is generally a lot quicker than court proceedings, with the adjudication process for example generally taking 28 days from the referral to the adjudicator to the final decision, compared to court proceedings which can be lengthy, with cases often taking months or even years to conclude.

SAVE MONEY – The cost of ADR is significantly less than court proceedings, court battles are exceedingly expensive and if the dispute is complex using court proceedings can cause serious financial loss. With ADR you do not require a solicitor or barrister, so

this cost is eliminated immediately.

By using an ADR specialist, such as Arbicon, you ensure time is well spent, with expertise from Chartered Quantity Surveyors with site experience and a high level of understanding the nature of construction law and disputes.

With court proceedings, only a fraction of costs are often recoverable and the spectre of this possibility before you go to court should be fully appreciated.

The unrecoverable court costs (sometimes 75%) might easily outstrip your claim very quickly and spiral out of control.

REDUCE STRESS – by not having to attend court, and the time and cost associated with it, the level of stress involved is significantly reduced.

KEEP DISPUTES CONFIDENTIAL – disputes are kept private between only the parties involved, unlike court, where the proceedings can become public.

PRESERVE RELATIONSHIPS – often ADR can help to resolve a dispute so that the parties can move on, and often complete the project disputed against, as opposed to court proceedings, where parties are forced to win or lose.

How do you successfully manage workplace stress?

UK employer’s carry the cost burden of £42 billion per year due to mental health issues. Vikki of Skylark shares her final top tip for discovering how to successfully manage workplace stress.

TOP TIP 7: BALANCE HIGH CHALLENGE AND HIGH SUPPORT Does your organisation have a highly challenging 12 connected

environment? Or do you pride yourself on how supportive your culture is? If either of these apply to your team or business you could be negatively impacting your financial bottom line.

Such environments may seem exciting and inspiring or understanding and safe. But without the right balance, the inevitable result is inconsistent achievement and random development. For some individuals such environments can lead to mental health issues.

Instead, through our leadership techniques we can create sustainable high performance, eradicate preventable mental health issues and get a return on investment

of more than eight times!

How? By embracing a central mindset of ‘high challenge, high support’, where the challenge and support are in equal measures (not either/or, but both/ and), you can reduce sickness absence, improve commitment, achieve consistent development and high performance of the business and all the people within it.

What are you waiting for?

Take your first step today to uncover how you can tweak your leadership style to drive performance: contact Vikki@skylark.life and quote CAMBSCHAMBER to gain free access to an online questionnaire and 121 debrief with Vikki, The StressLess Coach.

learn and

INFORM

THREE WAYS TO CREATE MORE TRUSTED CONTENT IN 2020 Rarely has the topic of trust been more in the spotlight, and not only because of our currently febrile political arena. CPL director Sophie Hewitt-Jones offers three tips on how to take your content from trite to trusted.

One definition of ‘content’ I like is: “The stories you tell that help build relationships.” The stronger those relationships, the more people are likely to trust you – and to buy from you, recommend you, and work with and for you.

So, what can you do to make sure the content you’re putting out is trusted by those with whom you want to connect?

BE CONSISTENT Keep your messages simple and aligned with your values – and then reiterate them little and often.

Have a tone of voice and a visual identity that you stick with, and make it easy for

everyone to apply these to the content they’re creating.

Everyone who comes into contact with your content should receive the same core messages so that you convey confidence.

BE OPEN AND HONEST If something has gone wrong, consider how you can confront it, and explain what you’re doing so you can rebuild trust.

If you are honest when things go bad, your audiences will be reassured that you are likely to be trustworthy in the good times, too.

BE EXPERT Use experts inside and outside your organisation to tell your stories – in case studies, blogs, interviews or testimonials, for example.

Roundtable discussions, featuring external and internal specialists, can be a powerful way of creating content, and of positioning your brand as respected and

knowledgeable in your sector.

Also, encourage your employees to share their experiences and they may prove to be some of your strongest advocates.

The ability to build lasting, valuable relationships with your customers, partners and employees is a vital characteristic of a resilient and trusted business. Successful brands will be those that maximise the power of their content to nurture these relationships.

What’s Mindshare when it’s at home?

By Blue Donkey Intelligent Telemarketing phew… finally the close… if you’re not even going to get a sale at the end of it all. Some might say this is a waste of time. The truth is, most marketers aren’t just concerned with generating tangible, measurable results, whether they’re sales leads, meetings or sales transactions.

In fact, telemarketing and marketing generally is more often about having a series of interactions that are enough to challenge the way buyers think. The premise being that if you do this often enough, and well enough, eventually sales or market share, will follow.

SELLING AND SALES Telemarketing is used to find the right These days the task of selling is key decision makers and communicate rarely about just winning orders. As compelling messages. Most telemarketing more markets become saturated, the companies would say they stand or fall differentiating factor between one on their ability to achieve this task well. product and its competitors becomes But does this always mean a sales lead is harder to define. Everything starts to look generated? You might think so. However, broadly the same. When this happens, the answer is almost certainly no. people and their collective personalities WHY BOTHER! and attitudes become the main factor making a company stand out from the What’s the point of going through the crowd. In the same way that we all agony of finding decision maker names, remember great service, those calls that dialling numerous attempts to catch stick out in our mind because someone them, mustering the pluck to get your message out, asking open questions, and was charismatic, knowledgeable,

demonstrated understanding of our business, will be the ones we remember.

And that’s what we call mindshare! It’s not just about being ‘nice’ it’s about truly connecting with people, and building an army of supporters as we go through our day.

IT’S ALL IN THE MIND When mindshare works, it means that clients, customers, or prospects connect with your business and its values. Yes, it’s likely to create market share at some point, but on its own, it’s not a tangible sale. So where market share is measurable as the amount of revenue you generate, mindshare is about how well your brand resonates with people which is much harder to define. Good marketers consider mindshare to be as important as market share. Quite simply because the leads we generate this month might be a measure of market share, but the value we deliver in six months depends on how we influence people today. When organisations are only concerned with winning sales, the culture within the business will be flawed, definitely not for organisations with an eye on long-term sustainability. connected 13

how to

PROTECT

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

Employers’ obligations to coronavirus?

Advice from Quest, provider of Chamber Four Services The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 30 January 2020 declared that the coronavirus was a global public health emergency and in response to WHO declaration, the UK Chief Medical Officer have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate.

On 28 January the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel to the Hubei Province. Public Health England advised that if anyone has returned from Wuhan they should stay indoors, avoid contact with other people as you would with other flu viruses and call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the city.

What should UK employers do where an employee may be suspected of having the virus?

EMPLOYEE SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF THE CORONAVIRUS The symptoms associated with the virus include, amongst other things, fever, cough, and trouble breathing. Where employees attending work display any symptoms a welfare meeting should be arranged immediately with the employee to discuss matters. At the meeting, the employer should not provide medical opinions about the effects and spread of the coronavirus but make the employee

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aware of the sickness absence and health and safety policies with an outcome that the employee needs to go home and contact their GP. Any colleagues who have been in contact with the individual should be made aware of contacting their GP if displaying the symptoms.

Employees should not feel that they will be penalised for failing to come to work, thus the employer should make the employee aware of not returning to work until the symptoms have fully cleared and they feel well enough to return.

Employees should be advised to follow the advice from the relevant public health body about how to obtain an initial assessment of their symptoms and further medical help.

RETURN TO WORK AFTER ABSENCE Following sickness absence, where the employee feels able to return to work but the employer has doubts if the employee has fully recovered, then a welfare meeting should be arranged before the employee returns to work. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss fitness to return; if there are concerns the employer should seek the employees consent in a prescribed form to contact his/her GP to confirm fitness to return back to work. This process should already be in

the sickness absence policy.

In a situation where the GP does not certify the employee as unfit for work or the employee has not been able to arrange an appointment with the GP following the seven days self-certification for sickness absence under statutory sick pay provision and the employee is insisting upon returning back to work, there may be grounds for briefly suspending the employee on health and safety grounds following a risk assessment. This suspension would be on full pay until independent medical clarity is obtained.

Alternatively the employer may allow the employee to work from home.

The coronavirus situation changes from day to day and employers should remain vigilant about keeping up to date with the most recent updates from UK Government bodies. However, should this article raise any issues for you or your organisation, please call 0333 240 7208 and speak to a Quest adviser.

ask the

Engage with Academia to boost your business Ben Hooson from Anglia Ruskin University explains about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

WHAT ARE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIPS (KTPS)?

KTPs are a UK-wide programme that have helped businesses innovate and grow for over 40 years. They provide a three-way partnership between business, UK University, and a graduate (known as a KTP Associate). Effectively, knowledge is developed and transferred into your business creating the capabilities you need to further develop your products or services.

HOW WILL A KTP BENEFIT MY BUSINESS? It provides access to a highly qualified graduate, supported by a Team of senior academics, who together with you move your business forward resulting in improved productivity and performance.

Projects have enhanced strategic planning and operational efficiency, assisted with development and design of new products, implemented new systems or technology and ultimately increased competitive advantage and profitability.

Graduates include Electronics Engineers, Supply Chain Processors, Healthcare Data Scientists, Mechatronics Engineers, Behavioural Scientists, and Software and Web Developers.

Based on Innovate UK figures, business see on average a £600k p.a. increase in pre-tax profit for the three years

EXPERT

following the project. Written agreements are drawn up to ensure you own the intellectual property of the project.

HOW LONG DOES A KTP LAST AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Projects can last between 12 and 36 months. Typically SMEs contribute approximately £30,000 p.a. or 33 per cent of overall project costs. This is comparable to employing a well-qualified graduate but also includes accessing the University’s exceptional resources, expert academic knowledge to support the Associate and project and de- risking the development of an innovation project through shared government co-funding.

WHO EMPLOYS THE GRADUATE? We employ the graduate but they will work to company hours and holidays with all administration relating to the graduate’s employment being the responsibility of Anglia Ruskin University.

WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS CAN TAKE PART? Typical partner organisations include stable businesses with a strong financial track record who have been trading for at least three years and employ 10 or more people.

Learn more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships: www.aru.ac.uk/businessemployers/knowledge-exchange

RECRUITMENT BEST PRACTICE

Finding the right talent for your business can be a bit of a minefield.

With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, companies need to sell themselves as much as the candidates. So what does it take to recruit the right staff?

Deborah Moulson, founder of CareerJuice Recruitment, talks to us about recruitment best practice.

ADVERTISING The most important first step in any recruitment campaign is making sure that your job advertisement is legally compliant. That means making sure that the job title is fitting for the role advertised. It should include ‘duties and responsibilities’ and a list of ‘skills and competencies’ (two very different things). It is also worth noting that advertisements specifying a salary are up to 75 per cent more likely to get a positive response.

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW STAGE Once you have made a shortlist of candidates, give them a few days to prepare. Make sure that you explain the interview process to them, such as if they will be expected to take any tests, and let them know how long the process is likely to take. It is also important to ask if they have any special requirements; all candidates should be treated equally, when competing for a role.

THE INTERVIEW Interviews can be pretty nervewracking, so try and put your candidates at ease – offer them a drink and start with some low-key questions about them. Don’t be afraid to deviate from your prepared questions; each candidate is different so build new questions from their answers to get a better feel for them as a candidate. Also, invite the candidate to ask questions of their own. It will help you understand a little more about why they want to be there.

DECISION MAKING Make sure you complete all the necessary background checks. This may include checking out their social media to make sure they will represent your business professionally. Moreover, a common frustration for many candidates is to be left hanging. If a candidate is a not good fit, make that call out of courtesy and give them a brief reason why.

If you need any help or support when recruiting for a new role, you can contact Deborah at deborah@ careerjuice.co.uk.

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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

• THIS MONTH’S NEW MEMBERS • Ark Trading & Engineering Ltd

CThings Ltd @cThingsTech

Blue Smile @BlueSmileCam

Emerald Frog Marketing @Emeraldfrogmkt

Cambridge Bluesquare Ltd @richardewyatt

Graham Handley Architects Ltd @GHArchitects_UK

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust @CPFT_NHS

Greensleeves Care @GreensleevesHT

Cambridgeshire Consultancy in Counselling @CCC_Counselling

Hornett Audio Visual Ltd Pace Investments (London) Ltd

Cambridgeshire Peterborough Combined Authority Growth Hub

Peterborough Reads – National Literacy Trust @Literacy_Trust

Citibase Cambridge @Citibaseltd

Scape Procure Ltd @Scape_Group

Clean Slate Clear Thinking Consultancy

CITIBASE CAMBRIDGE Citibase provides flexible, affordable workspace for cost-conscious SME’s, entrepreneurs and start-up companies in Cambridge and across the UK. Offering an extensive range of business support and administrative services including: meeting rooms, virtual offices, personalised call answering and 24-hour access, Citibase takes care of everything allowing customers the freedom to build and run a successful business.

Based in Castle Park, Citibase Cambridge is now home to over 41 local businesses. www.citibase.co.uk

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Stamford Town Council @stamfordtc

news from

ROTARY CLUB OF CAMBRIDGE

NEW MEMBERS

Institute of Export The Institute of Export & International Trade’s mission is to enhance the export performance of the United Kingdom by setting and maintaining professional standards in international trade management and export practice. This is principally achieved by the provision of education, training and practical business support services. www.export.org.uk

“My friends ask me about rolling up one trouser leg,” a Cambridge Rotarian mentioned recently; but we’ve never seen either of his legs – Rotary is not Masonry, it’s a club where friends meet and eat together and think up all sorts of ways to raise money for good causes.

The Rotary Club of Cambridge is preparing for a super-charged effort in this respect as they approach their centenary. As well as helping local charities they also respond to international disasters and Rotary International projects such as the eradication of polio. www.cambridgerotary.org.uk

CHAMBER PRIORITIES

As a Chamber, we focus on six key aspects that drive our activities and interactions:

TRANSFORM We demonstrate our strength as the voice for business and use our collective power to influence policy and drive economic confidence across the business community.

We listen, understand and act on our members’ needs and priorities.

CONNECT We are committed to providing significant opportunities for companies and individuals to develop relationships, connect and build their network of contacts.

CONNECT

TRANSFORM PROTECT We provide access to key information, expert advice and legal protection to keep members legally protected and compliant.

PROMOTE

ME

M B E RS

PROTECT INFORM We proactively implement and deliver quality programmes and services to facilitate growth, provide access to information and enhance knowledge.

INFORM

PROMOTE We provide considerable and varied opportunities to promote your business in order to achieve enhanced business outcomes.

EXPORT Working with our members and partner organisations, EXPORT we provide expert knowledge, essential documentation and relevant services to enable our members to succeed in the global marketplace.

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SUCCESS FOR CHARITY EXHIBITION Cambridge artists have helped Rowan, the Chesterton-based charity that supports adults with learning disabilities, raise over £6000 – with potentially more to come!

The ‘Celebrate Your World’ exhibition, held at Chesterton Community College in February, proved a major success with 172 works of art up for sale.

Des Trollip, Operations Manager at Rowan, said: ‘We have been overwhelmed by the support we received from the artistic community for this. Raising such an amount for all we do at Rowan is such an achievement. We would like to thank our main event sponsor Cheffins.

As well as Cambridge Smile Studio, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Byard Art and Anthony’s, all who supported our student artists involvement by sponsoring canvases.

Funds came from two sources – artists getting involved by paying £10 for a blank canvas, then completed artwork sold for £45 each, whether the work was completed by a professional or an amateur artist. Alongside this Rowan’s artwork was also on sale in a pop-up shop as well as a silent auction with local professional artist’s work up for bidding!

CHAMBER CHARITY OF THE YEAR It has been a pleasure Anna’s Hope to work For children and young people with brain tumours alongside East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices during their time as Charity of the Year. Please read opposite how you can continue to support them during 2020 and beyond.

On 1 April we welcome Anna's Hope as our new Charity of the Year. Anna’s Hope is the leading children's brain tumour charity in the East of England, committed to giving hope to children and young people diagnosed with a brain tumour. We look forward to sharing more about their work in the next issue of connected.

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If you missed the exhibition do not worry as the canvases remaining are now available on Rowan’s website with their online exhibition which will be running through until March.

“Our 2021 exhibition is already in the pipeline,” says Marketing Manager Hetti Wood “and we will be sitting down with our wonderful fundraising committee soon to get the details together. A huge thank you to everyone involved from our student artists, volunteers, the artists who were involved, as well as the public who visited our exhibition. We are already looking forward to the next one!”

Where’s Wally? Fun Run DATE: Sunday 3 May 2020 TIME: 9.30am registration, 10.30am race start VENUE: Nene Park, Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, PE2 5UU LENGTH: 5k or 10k REGISTER: literacytrust.org.uk/events/ whereswallypeterborough/ For the first time ever the National Literacy Trust is bringing its beloved Where’s Wally? fun run to Peterborough.

At the moment, less than half of

disadvantaged children in Peterborough finish primary school with the reading skills expected for their age. All proceeds from the event will support teachers, parents and community volunteers as they help local children develop a lifelong love of reading.

Participants can take part in a 5k or 10k race as they don the iconic red and white Wally stripes and jog, run or walk around the beautiful Nene Park.

Enter your business as a team! The team with the most members will win 250 new books for a local school of their choice.

chamber supports

CHARITY

EACH Day Counts East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) delivers care 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year to life-threatened children, young people and their families – inside our three hospices, in hospitals and in family homes. On any given day, we are helping families across the region with specialist nursing support, end-of-life care, and wellbeing activities like hydrotherapy, art and music therapy, counselling, and specialist play.

The care we provide is absolutely vital, but we actually only receive around 16 per cent of our funding from statutory sources. We need to raise £5,600 to fund one day of care across Cambridgeshire and West Essex, and £16,800 to deliver care across our entire East Anglian region.

Without generous donations from the local community, we simply wouldn’t be able to provide this care and support for children and young people with such complex healthcare needs. You and your company can make a huge difference to local families by joining our EACH Day Counts scheme, and raising funds for a day of care and support at EACH. You can choose any day of the year to pay for – perhaps a birthday, anniversary or a special date in your company’s calendar. You can give your support through a single donation or by raising the funds over a period of time. One year, two years, whatever works for you! Your local fundraising team will offer support, encouragement and resources to help you reach your target.

All our supporters are important to us, but to say a special thank you for paying for a day, we will arrange for you to visit your local hospice to see for yourselves the difference you have made to children, young people and their families. We’ll also present you

with a special commemorative award, feature you on the home page of our website, promote your support through our social media channels, and help to organise press around your amazing gift.

CAN YOU HELP EACH IN THIS WAY? If you can, you’ll be in excellent company! On Friday 5 July 2019, Taylor Wimpey paid for a day of care and support from EACH across the region, having raised a fantastic £20,952 the previous year.

The housebuilder in East Anglia had smashed their target of £16,800 by organising cake sales, dress-down days and their annual golf day at Stoke-by-Nayland. The company also sponsored our fantastic Colour Dash.

EACH Trustee and bereaved father of Stanley, Brad McLean, presented a special award to Taylor Wimpey, saying: “EACH needs a huge amount

of voluntary donations to keep doing what it does. I have first-hand experience of how important the service is, so I can assure that the ongoing support of companies like this couldn’t be more appreciated.

Taylor Wimpey’s actually raised almost £50,000 for EACH since 2015 and I really hope it’ll continue this brilliant level of support long into the future.”

Hayden Dolby, Taylor Wimpey East Anglia Managing Director, said: “EACH is such a special charity and very close to our hearts at Taylor Wimpey. It provides a lifeline to children, parents and carers at an unimaginably difficult time. Our work across East Anglia brings us into contact with many families who may one day benefit from the care and compassion shown by the charity’s staff and volunteers. It’s great to know our donation is helping the charity continue its fantastic care and support of families across East Anglia.”

If you would like more information, please get in touch with Lottie to have a chat about how you might be able to make this challenge your own.

Lottie Driver – Corporate Fundraiser Tel: 01223 800765 • email: cambs@each.org.uk www.each.org.uk • Twitter: EACH_hospices • Facebook: EACHhospices Registered Charity Number: 1069284.

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ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD The Rotary Club of Cambridge sponsors young people (age 18-26) to take part in a RYLA course.

RYLA is a Rotary program to encourage the development of young people as future community and business leaders. The courses are a week long and take place at Grafham Water Centre, near Huntingdon, in early September. Participants take part in a residential programme that includes team exercises, physical activities, personal presentations and discussion. The aim is to create a testing, but supportive,

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environment where they challenged both physically and mentally, encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and learn more about themselves and their potential.

By combining the finest of outdoor development activities with current best practice in leadership training, the course helps candidates to: • Work effectively in a team, even when tired and stressed • Discover the benefits of delegation • Recognise and utilise skills in others • Work to tight deadlines

•

Understand the challenges of leadership • Learn from their own mistake.

Some comments from recent attendees: “Life changing,” “Challenging and exciting,” “Absolutely unforgettable,” “Understand myself more and my impact on others,” “Made life-long friends,” “Great fun,” “A fantastic experience.”

Find out more about the RYLA experience at www.ryla.co.uk. This year’s course is from Saturday 29 August until Saturday 5 September 2020.

news from

ELY AREA NEWS

New home for avocet staffing limited Local Staffing of their Soham,

recruitment agency Avocet Limited celebrated the opening new office in the High Street, by inviting local businesses to

attend their launch on Friday 7 February.

There was a large number of local business people that attended the event and showed their support to Denis and

his team. Also in attendance were Sarah and Mark Fairhurst as Avocet Staffing have proudly chosen the Liam Fairhurst Foundation as their chosen Charity for 2020.

It was also the perfect opportunity for the newest members of Avocet Staffing, Ginny Spinks and Jo Bodoin, to introduce themselves in a formal and friendly environment.

Denis Green commented: “Since starting out in last April we have been so proud to serve the local community and look forward to the new opportunities that having our own permanent base will bring. What started out as an idea 10 months ago is now very real and we are determined to continue with the hard work and keep providing opportunities for local people to find employment.”

KING’S ELY STUDENTS ON TOP FORM AT MICROSOFT’S DIGIGIRLZ EVENT King’s Ely pupils were in their element at Microsoft Research Cambridge’s fun-filled DigiGirlz event – and came back to school with an award!

Twelve girls in Year 8 at King’s Ely Junior attended the action-packed event with Daniel Everest, Head of Computing and Digital Innovation at King’s Ely Junior.

Microsoft’s DigiGirlz programmes are organised across the globe to provide school-age girls with opportunities to learn about careers in technology, connect with Microsoft employees and participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops.

One of the highlights of the event in Cambridge saw students working in small teams to produce a concept that could help with environmental issues – a challenge which saw one of King’s Ely Junior’s teams winning the CEO Award for Best Idea.

Mr Everest said: “The DigiGirlz event was hosted by Nicola Meek, an education specialist at Microsoft, who is passionate about promoting the computer industry to girls. Pupils enjoyed a presentation by Nicola and Cindy Rose, the CEO of Microsoft UK, and even got to ask Cindy several questions about her job.

“The main part of the day saw the girls being split into three groups to produce a concept to help with environmental issues.

The girls then programmed a Micro:bit to replicate parts of their concept. After lunch, they pitched their concepts to Nicola and

Cindy, and several other executives from Microsoft. Each group had one minute to pitch their concepts and they were then asked questions and given feedback. This really was a unique opportunity for the girls.

“All three of King’s Ely’s groups produced well-thought, thorough and confident presentations, and the group made up of Harriet, Harriet, Elly and Ciara won the CEO Award for Best Idea! Their concept involved using fridge/cupboard cameras and artificial intelligence to cut down on food waste. This is the second year running that King’s Ely

has won an award at DigiGirlz Cambridge.”

Pupils were also able to hear from a panel of six Microsoft employees who discussed their jobs and the various career paths available into the industry, such as apprenticeships, internships and graduate programmes. These roles included everything from support engineers to marketing managers. It was at this point that the girls released coding was only a small element of the industry and that there are so many creative and interesting jobs linked to the tech.

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ROBOTICS AND AI EXPERTS CONVENE FOR FLAGSHIP CONFERENCE A leading international conference in the field of robotics and AI has chosen Cambridge to host its 2020 event.

Helped by Meet Cambridge, Human Robot Interaction 2020 (HRI2020) is bringing approximately 650 delegates from across the world to the city from 2326 March.

The three-day event will be held at several venues: Fitzwilliam College, The Guildhall and The Corn Exchange, together with several Colleges jointly hosting the official conference dinner.

Professor Tony Belpaeme, Professor of Robotics at both Ghent University, Belgium and the University of Plymouth, UK and General Chair of the organising committee, said that Cambridge won at the bid stage because of the city’s outstanding global brand and setting for key moments in science, its excellent transport links and the strong appeal to international delegates.

Judith Sloane, Deputy Manager at Meet Cambridge, commented: “We were first approached by Professor Belpaeme in 2017 with a request for venue-finding help and assistance with material for the bid process. Three site visits for members of the organising committee were arranged and, once the venues were selected,

we helped to coordinate contracts and supplied local information on transport, attractions and relevant networks.

“We also identified and secured the services of a professional conference organiser, Rose Padmore from Opening Doors & Venues, who is handling all the logistics for the event.

“This is a perfect example of how, as the official venue-finding service, Meet Cambridge was able to draw on its well-established network to provide the organisers with all the information they needed to win the bid and bring the event to Cambridge, which not only delivers economic benefits for the city but huge opportunities for new collaborations, new talent and knowledge exchange. We look forward to welcoming delegates to Cambridge this spring.”

Murray Edwards College strengthens events team Freya Vaughan has been appointed Events Manager, responsible for leading a specialist team to deliver a wide range of conferences, meetings, weddings and dinners.

The role includes providing a high quality and efficient events service for all College customers including students, Fellows, staff and external clients, from the initial enquiry through to delivery on the day.

Freya is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has more than 10 years’ experience of running events, both in her previous roles of Marketing & Events Officer at Murray Edwards and before that, Marketing & Conference Administrator at Clare College.

She says: “I am delighted to be leading such a dedicated team, all of whom have the skills and experience required to deliver high quality events and a first-class experience for 22 connected

customers.

This is a great opportunity for me to consolidate the events offering here, to ensure that we continue to gain the trust of our ‘customers’ so they feel confident that every last detail is taken care of.”

Chris Pope, General Manager of Conferences, Catering and Residences, added: “This is an excellent appointment and I look forward to seeing Freya grow our events business, together with her team. She takes on the role at an important time in our events business; we completed 20 years of delivering professional events last year and are now taking that success to the next stage.”

Domino Printing’s new dedicated service helps customers meet environmental and quality objectives

Domino Printing Sciences has made a significant investment at its Bar Hill headquarters – in both state-of-the-art testing facilities and a specialist team – so that it can advise customers wishing to review the recyclability of their packaging and ensure codes remain of the highest quality.

Susan Palmer, Head of Global Pre-Sales at Domino, said: “Product packaging requirements are constantly evolving and any change in packaging materials can have a significant impact on the reliability, durability and legibility of codes. Our team of technical specialists work closely with customers and the Ink Development team to find the best solutions.

“In recent years, we have noticed a significant increase in the number of recyclable cardboard samples that have been requested. In response to this, the Ink Development team has developed a mineral oil-free ink, specifically for these kinds of substrates. The recyclability factor has an impact on the types of inks we use and the advice that we give our customers.”

The new initiative is part of the company’s continued commitment to best-in-class customer service, providing quality assurance in coding and marking solutions.

Once a sample is received, a member of the pre-sales team will discuss potential solutions with the customer, considering factors such as speed, material type and customer-specific factory conditions, before being passed to the relevant lab for rigorous testing to ensure a clean, crisp code.

news from

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS AREA

Cofinitive rockets to second position in TR Global Events prestigious ‘Image Makers’ rankings is flying high The straight-talking Up three places from last year, the with the launch entrepreneur set the significant rise means our multi-awardwinning PR and communications consultancy excellent Cambridge of a Global is now the fastest riser in the rankings for the China Centre on its way to pretty much second year running. cofinitive was placed Destination instant success in a fifth in 2019, up from eighth position in business community 2018.

Management previously overly Last year was a phenomenal year for Company suspicious about cofinitive - which included the launch of our engaging with China. highly successful #21ToWatch campaign and awards and saw us scoop Gold at the prestigious CIPR Pride Awards for our work on behalf of client, SmithsonHill.

The inaugural #21toWatch Awards (initially called #Oneto Watch) in March 2019 followed an intensive year-long integrated campaign highlighting the lesser-known but outstanding talent within our region’s booming Science and Tech industries.

And the success of the campaign further cemented cofinitive founder, Faye Holland’s position as a key influencer within the Cambridge eco-system.

Reporting cofinitive’s meteoric rise in the paper, Business Weekly noted: “cofinitive rockets up our rankings to second place with founder Faye Holland having proved herself as an innovative thinker who is not afraid to tell clients what they should be doing and where they have gone wrong in the past.

She has been proved right to date and the doubters wrong.”

Speaking about cofinitive’s new ranking, Faye said: “We are beyond proud to feature in Business Weekly’s highly influential Image Makers list, never mind discover we’ve moved up three places to second position! It was definitely a Champagne moment – somewhat difficult during dry-January, and I was quite literally lost for words which is very unusual!

“But seriously, this is an enormous achievement which is down to the dedication, hard graft and sheer brilliance of the entire cofinitive team! I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Tony Quested and Business Weekly for recognising the consistent results we achieve and the huge impact we are making.”

CHARTERED FINANCIAL PLANNER STATUS FOR LOCAL WEALTH MANAGERS Tees Financial Ltd, the independent financial advice and wealth management arm of major regional firm Tees, has further reinforced its excellent credentials and expertise in its field by being awarded Corporate Chartered Financial Planner status by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

The team recently received confirmation of the award and joined less than 1,000 firms across the UK that meet the strict criteria required to earn this prestigious status.

The CII is the professional body for personal finance and is dedicated to building public trust in the insurance and financial planning profession. Using a firm with Corporate Chartered Financial Planner status gives clients the reassurance they

need that they are dealing with a company that works to the highest professional standards and adheres to a strict ethical code of conduct.

CII members must also demonstrate a broader commitment to professional values, including putting clients’ interests first, investing in ongoing employee development and supporting wider initiatives that benefit society as well as the growth of the profession.

James Appleby is the Managing Director of Tees Financial Ltd and has worked in the financial services industry for over 32 years. He said: “We are delighted to have received Corporate Chartered Financial Planner status, which is a reflection of our technical expertise in our field, our commitment to investing in our people, and our strong focus on client care.

“We take pride in the high quality of advice we provide and value the trust our clients place in us to handle their finances on their behalf. Our Corporate Chartered status will reinforce this trust, and provide new and prospective clients with the reassurance they need that we will always act in their best interests.”

Following on from the success which TR Global Events has experienced Managing Director, Tony Murdock, announced that he is launching a sister company TR Destination Management.

After identifying that there was a need for a DMC in Cambridgeshire, Tony has decided to launch TR Destination Management which will not only cover the East of England but the rest of the UK, Ireland and the world. TR Destination Management will promote and manage inbound business travel to the region effortlessly, with its aim to provide a first-class service for business, incentive visitors and groups all over the world.

With extensive experience the team at TR-DMC are able to help you arrange seminars, conferences, product launches, groups for any budget, any size, delegate accommodation, delegate registration, city tours, excursions, attractions and team building activities.

TR Destination Management turn your plans and ideas into reality with a customized itinerary… building experiences.

Tony Murdock said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of our sister Company, TR Destination Management.

This will complement TR Global Events and offer clients a complete package, enabling us to look after all international MICE, Group and incentive travel requirements. Again, we are delighted to be partnering with Hotelres on this new addition to our group. TR Destination Management can look after every element of a business trip from transport and logistics to activities and excursions, tailor-made itineraries to suit every delegation. We aim to promote business tourism in the eastern region, selling what we have to offer on a global stage whilst also catering for any size of group with any budget, anywhere in the world.”

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Julie Spence OBE QPM, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire officially opens Chamber office Over 50 guest, made up of staff, Chamber members and the Chamber Board, came together for the official opening of the new Chamber office in Oakington last month.

This was an important occasion for the Chamber as we took the opportunity to showcase our new facilities as we develop for the future. It has taken over four years to find suitable premises with the full support of the board to make it happen.

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John Bridge OBE DL, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, welcomed everyone to the event and explained how we should all believe in ourselves and the impossible will become possible. His story relates to Tinkerbell, the mythical fairy who believed and made it possible, and Tim Schmidt, founder of the Eden Project.

Brian Jones, Chair of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, introduced our

honoured guest Mrs Julie Spence OBE QPM, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.

Mrs Spence commented that it was good to be here to mark the next stage of the Chambers history and wished us well in our new accommodation before officially unveiling a plaque to commemorate the day – her first official plaque unveiling!

The new office in Oakington has allowed the Chamber to expand and house all staff together rather than in two locations whilst

opening of the

NEW CHAMBER OFFICE

QUEEN’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE

providing useful meeting room space with ample parking. The new building is environmentally sustainable and well served by public transport, adjacent to the Guided Busway and the Oakington stop.

During her speech Mrs Spence took the opportunity to highlight her role as Queen’s representative for the county and encouraged those in attendance to consider entering the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of: • Innovation • International trade • Sustainable development • Promoting opportunity through social mobility.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR COMPANY WINS? If you win you’ll be: • Invited to a Royal reception • Presented with the award at your company by one of The Queen’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant • Able to fly The Queen’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials • Given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy.

The awards are valid for five years and winners have reported benefiting from worldwide recognition, increased commercial value, greater press coverage and a boost to staff morale.

Find out more, visit www.gov.uk/ queens-awards-for-enterprise Photos provided by Cambridge News connected 25

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.

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Absolute Client Focus

news from

FENLAND AREA

Optimise Tax Efficiency before the 2019/20 Year End With the tax year-end drawing closer, accountants at Mapus-Smith & Lemmon recommend now is the time to plan financial strategies for optimum tax efficiencies.

Helen Peak, chartered certified accountant at the Wisbech office, says: “Across the board, both on a business and personal level, we are encouraging tax payers to make financial planning a New Year priority for the 2019/20 year end on 5 April 2020 and beyond. We can devise strategies for minimising tax liabilities, increasing business profitability and maximising personal wealth.”

The firm’s checklist includes making the most of personal tax allowances, enhancing capital allowances, holding on to more profit, planning ahead for retirement, utilising ISA allowances and minimising inheritance tax.

In the current tax year, each individual is entitled to a personal allowance of £12,500 tax-free income. Within a family, it might be appropriate to make the most of this by transferring income to a spouse, partner or child as a gift. Also worthy of consideration are the Marriage Allowance, pension scheme contributions and Gift Aid donations.

For business owners, the Annual Investment Allowance has increased from £200,000 to £1 million for plant and machinery expenditure (except cars) incurred from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020 and there is the Enhanced

Capital Allowance for energy-saving equipment and low carbon emission cars as well as Writing Down Allowances and the Structures and Building Allowance.

Beyond managing corporation tax to best advantage, it is beneficial to look at ways of holding on to more business profit whether it be through dividends or taking a salary; pension contributions, incorporation of a partner, personal tax allowances and personal income from property rental used for business purposes.

For tax-efficient savings there is now a range of ISAs including the Lifetime Isa, Help to Buy Isa and Junior Isa and then there are benefits of putting savings into pension schemes. Each saving option has its own characteristics.

Finally, inheritance tax (IHT) receipts have reached a record high and for those whose estates will exceed the existing nil-rate band, forward planning can help to minimise the impact of IHT. For help regarding these complexities and any other accounting queries, please contact Helen Peak on 01945 427050.

CONGRATULATIONS TO KIEREN CROSS ON 20 YEARS AT FRASER DAWBARNS Kieren started at Frasers in 2000 as an assistant to Patrick Land who, at the time, was the firm’s senior partner.

Two years in to his time at Frasers, Kieren was given the opportunity by the firm to train as a legal executive, specialising in Wills and Probate work.

Kieren took a break from his studies for a couple of years after completing his ILEx qualification before deciding to train as a solicitor. He qualified in May 2013 and was made a partner very shortly afterwards.

While at Frasers, Kieren worked in both the residential conveyancing and private client departments but after the merger with Dawbarns Pearson, the larger firm gave Kieren the opportunity to specialise in Private Client work, where the closer relationships formed with the clients is a natural fit for his personality. He has also been actively involved in the firm’s agriculture department.

Kieren says: “I am very grateful to Fraser Dawbarns for giving me the opportunity to develop a career in the

legal sector. It seems like a long time ago I came to Frasers as an assistant and at the time I didn’t imagine that my future would be in law, let alone that I would have become a partner. Fraser Dawbarns is a fantastic place to work and I have met and worked with some truly inspiring people over the last 20 years.”

Managing Partner Melinda is delighted to congratulate Kieren for 20 years at Fraser Dawbarns: “Congratulations to Kieren on achieving this milestone. Over the last 20 years, both Fraser Dawbarns and the legal profession as a whole have undergone major changes. As well as being at the forefront of the firm’s major recent expansions, Kieren creates a friendly working environment and he is very popular with both clients and our colleagues. Kieren also has a keen interest in how law firms need to change into the 21st century as technology develops. Most of all, Kieren shares the firm’s goal of keeping a great client experience at the heart of everything we do.”

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news from

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

HUNTINGDONSHIRE AREA NEWS

LIFT-OFF IN ST. IVES The sustainability of St Ives Free Church as a financially viable amenity has been given a major boost following a significant refurbishment to the existing lift facility. Alterations are expected to ease accessibility issues for a further 20 years, as well as securing eleven parttime jobs and volunteer roles.

The current lift was installed during modifications to the Church building in the 1980’s aimed at increasing public use and is a critical feature when you consider that almost half of the activities hosted at the venue are completed on the first-floor, by more than 30 separate community groups.

British Consulate General hosts dinner in Düsseldorf to welcome Webtec Europe and other British companies During a special dinner hosted by the British Consulate General, Mr Rafe Courage, in Düsseldorf, Martin Cuthbert, Webtec’s Managing Director met with Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, Minister of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitization and Energy in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and other new British business peers who have also opened companies in NRW, Germany.

Webtec recently celebrated the opening of its new European sales office in Leverkusen to better support customers across Europe and is delighted with the positive response and support that it has received from both customers and trade departments.

Minister Andreas Pinkwart is pictured on the far left of the photo with the other guests of the evening.

The funds secured from local business The Mick George Group have been utilised to replace the main lift control, wiring, leaking shaft valves, pipework and hydraulic power unit.

Slly Runham, Elder and Trustee of St Ives Free Church, commented: “The upgrades make the Church a vital and vibrant town centre facility, both accessible and welcoming to all, not just the able bodied. Groups using the building include the elderly, disabled and parents with newborns that require pushchair access. All of which will certainly benefit from the changes. We’re very grateful to the Mick George Group for their contribution.”

WEBTEC PROUD TO SUPPORT NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG ENGINEERS WITH NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD This year’s recipient of the Roy Cuthbert Scholarship is Ethan Green. This award was named after Webtec’s founder, a passionate engineer and entrepreneur who passed away in 2013 and is part of the wider UK Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Scheme. Webtec is proud to be a supporter of this prestigious national programme which has been providing scholarships to students since 1991.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarships act as a beacon to the most talented STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) students in the UK schools and help to ensure that high-potential young people stay engaged in the engineering careers pipeline, in the critical 16 to 18 age range.

Scholars are selected for their potential as future engineering leaders by assessing their academic, practical and leadership skills in engineering disciplines. These are gauged through a selection process comprising of an assessed application form including a teacher’s reference; a two-hour, problem-solving aptitude exam; and a university-based interview.

The Scholarships support students through their sixth form studies and encourage them into top universities or higher apprenticeships while offering access to a range of enrichment experiences such as

industry conferences, Connect Days, mentoring, residential courses and university VIP days.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship awards are supported by more than 122 different sponsoring organisations including commercial and industrial companies, Universities, Government and trade organisations. The successful scholars receive their awards at the annual ceremony which takes place at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, London.

Webtec recognises the importance of encouraging young talent in engineering and in addition to the Arkwright Scholarships the company also actively supports other programmes including the Secondary Engineer® Fluid Power Challenge and the Engineering Education Scheme (EES).

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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

Arbicon ADR Ltd appoints Senior Consultant Joining the Arbicon team as Senior Consultant, Louise Knaggs is a professional Quantity Surveyor with over 20 years of experience.

An expert in providing financial, procurement, contractual and legal services for all aspects of construction works, Louise has developed strong expertise in managing contractual issues, dispute resolution and representing a wide range of clients for projects ranging from £5k

to £100m.

Having had some experience of producing claim documentation whilst working with two main contractors, and successfully representing many subcontractors with payment disputes, Louise has joined Arbicon to expand her knowledge further and focus her talents on construction disputes, dealing with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which is what Arbicon specialises in.

LEGAL REFERRAL NETWORK GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH Back in 2016, Buckles Solicitors launched BUCKLESconnect, a referral network providing specialist advice to other law firms and their clients. Working with a base of 30 members, the firm hoped that the fledgling network would double in size by the end of that year.

Tiny acorns, giant oaks, as the saying goes.

Fast forward almost four years and BUCKLESconnect has grown more than tenfold, assisting more than 340 members on French, Spanish and Italian law, planning and construction, and contentious probate matters. In that time, the network has generated more than £1.5million in cumulative fees.

Duncan Jackson, who helped established the network and has since

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become Chief Executive of Buckles, explained: “From the outset, we focused on the need to move away from solutions which suit us best as lawyers and towards solutions which are best for the client. This meant broadening our horizons to work with accountants, IFAs and other lawyers. We wanted to build relationships rather than purely focus on transactions.”

Duncan and the BUCKLESconnect team have remained true to this approach and the network prides itself on a collaborative ethos and sharing best practice. Innovation to develop bespoke provision and involve other legal services that Buckles can offer has followed. As a result, the network now includes property litigation, family law and mediation

where appropriate.

Another characteristic of BUCKLESconnect that sets it apart from other referral networks is the emphasis on responding to need where it arises, as opposed to focusing on a specific geographical area. Consequently, its reach stretches beyond local boundaries, with clients located as far afield as Scotland and Cornwall, and it draws on wider global contacts as required.

Duncan said: “It’s a question of capacity and providing a comprehensive service to clients. We continue to find that smaller firms provide the bulk of Connect referrals. A client may approach them with a private client issue, which they deal with, but who then also requires niche assistance with part of their estate in Spain, for example. That’s where we come in.”

The flexibility and responsiveness of BUCKLESconnect are key drivers in its success to date, as its primary purpose is to ensure benefit to the member firms and their clients.

Networking and social events organised for members allow them to build working relationships with each other, as well as with Buckles and the BUCKLESconnect team. In this way, BUCKLESconnect acts as a conduit between members. Informal feedback indicates that members highly value this approach.

Duncan added: “We’re pleased with how the network has evolved and encouraged by the results it has delivered, not only for Buckles but also the members it serves. We hope that the next four years will continue to be as productive.”

news from

DSM Group now powered by 100% renewable energy DSM Group take energy usage very seriously – recognising the need to take drastic steps in the IT sector we have been working hard to reduce our carbon footprint significantly during the last few years.

As well as energy saving measures to our buildings, we are constantly innovating – our Data Centre expansion for Q2 2020 for example, will be entirely water and air cooled.

We approached Bulb as the leading supplier of renewable energy in the UK currently and are pleased to partner with them to supply our Peterborough based Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity facility.

PETERBOROUGH AREA

THE TIME IS NOW FOR PETERBOROUGH Ambitious plans have been unveiled to redesign our city centre to get Peterborough ready for its next stage of growth, including a new university and redevelopment of North Westgate and the city’s Station Quarter.

The City Centre Development Framework will provide our city with the retail, leisure and culture and connectivity that it needs for the next 50 years by attracting inward investment.

These are the sites being prioritised:

For more details, visit https://www. peterborough.gov.uk/council/planningand-development/regeneration/citycentre-development-framework A bid is in progress to be submitted to the government’s Towns Fund, for up to £25m to transform Peterborough into an even better place to live, work and visit for years to come and to support our ambitious plans. We welcome ideas from anyone. mytown.communities.gov.uk

TAX PARTNER APPOINTMENT FOR STREETS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Streets Chartered Accountants are pleased to announce that Jennie Brown, a well-respected and inspiring tax professional, has joined the firm as a Tax Partner.

Jennie joins Streets with over 15 years’ experience gained from working in large practice and regional firms. Jennie is a Chartered Tax Adviser who has a wealth of experience guiding individuals and business owners through the maze of tax legislation, ensuring they have a clear plan in place to reach their goals and effectively manage their tax affairs along the way.

Paul Tutin, Streets’ Chairman and Managing Partner, said: “We are delighted that Jennie has joined us as a Partner. Her appointment is an important part of the development of our firm’s tax expertise and resource.”

With a specialism for advising on the tax implications relating to IR35 and workforce assessment, her appointment is especially

well timed with the introduction of changes to off payroll working from 6 April. She will be a great asset when it comes to advising clients, especially contractors working through a personal service company, recruitment agencies, as well as large and medium sized business clients on the impact of the changes.

Jennie said: “Becoming a partner with Streets is a real milestone for me personally and professionally and I am hugely excited about the opportunity that lies ahead. Tax is a key area of growth within our profession, many areas will continue to be automated and of course efficiencies can and should always be explored. However, when dealing with the complexities of the tax legislation, face to face meetings and the importance of strong client relationships will not disappear. This hands-on approach with clients is something I relish and I look forward to being able to contribute towards the firm’s future plans and successes.” connected 31

news from

STAMFORD AREA

LOCAL LAWYERS BOOSTS BUCKLES SOLICITORS’ GROWING STAMFORD TEAM Buckles Solicitors has not had to look far to find the latest recruit to its Stamford team. A resident of the town since 2016, senior solicitor Andrea Harrod is relishing her new role.

Andrea said: “Buckles has a fresh approach which mirrors my own. Advice is tailored to each situation and delivered to an excellent standard by our friendly and helpful team. There’s a genuine focus on finding solutions that best meet the needs of each client.”

The firm is set to celebrate its 20th year in Stamford in 2021, becoming an established presence in the town and forging close links with local schools and organisations. As well as providing legal services across the region, the Stamford

team actively supports several local charity events and fundraising campaigns.

Andrea joins a growing private client department at Buckles. She provides specialist advice on drafting tax efficient and flexible Wills, multi-generational Inheritance Tax planning, Declarations of Trust, Lasting Powers of Attorney, the administration of estates and general tax planning. Andrea is also a Dementia Friend.

She added: “It’s very satisfying to be able to serve the community in which I live.

I love the area and I’m getting married at Normanton Church near Rutland Water in September. When I’m not working, I really enjoy visiting Samford Arts Centre, of which I’m a member, and taking long walks around the Burghley estate.”

STUDENTS SUPPORT SUE RYDER HOSPICE CHARITY EVENT THAT RAISES £35K! In February, the Greetham Valley Golf Course held the Ice Ball charity event raising money for Sue Ryder Hospice.

The event raised an incredible amount of £35k and was organised by Stamford Ladies Fundraising Group with support from New College Stamford

students.

Fashion students spent weeks preparing and producing spectacular pieces to decorate the event. They created everything from snowflakes, table decorations, acrylic pieces, flower arrangements and more!

Duncan & Toplis named Large Accountancy Practice of the Year The Top 30 UK accountancy practice was honoured for its excellent customer service at a national accountancy awards ceremony.

Duncan & Toplis, which is also recognised as one of the UK’s top 30 accountancy practices, won the Large Practice of the Year Award at a black tie ceremony in Birmingham in February.

The awards are hosted by cloud accounting software group, IRIS Accountancy Solutions, to celebrate excellence in the accountancy, HR, payroll and education sectors. The awards recognise

leading individuals, managers, businesses and organisations who deliver outstanding service and results for their customers.

Duncan & Toplis was recognised for its commitment to supporting businesses and individuals across a range of sectors. In the past year, the practice has also expanded its client base and has restructured the business to a service led model. This enables the business to deliver an even higher and more personalised level of client service and make the most of its resources and expertise.

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

Mental Health

– taking care of your staff and your business

M

ENTAL health is a hot topic right now.

Everyone’s talking about it. It’s pervasive in the population and in the workplace where it costs businesses vast sums.

In their recent report, “Mental Health and Employers | The case for investment”, Deloitte estimate that poor mental health costs UK employers between £33bn and £42bn every year. Three quarters of that cost is borne by the private sector.

(Source: Elizabeth Hampson, Director Monitor, Deloitte) How often do you hear your staff say, “I’m so stressed!”? You might occasionally think it yourself.

It’s estimated that one in six people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem. In the past year, 74 per cent of people felt so stressed that they were overwhelmed and unable to cope. (Source: Mental Health Foundation mentalhealth.org.uk) So, when it comes to hiring, would you

34 connected

consider employing an ex-serviceman?

Try this scenario: Tommy Atkins was a squaddie. The

lifeblood of the British Army. He went to war - the Gulf, Iraq - and became a hero. Things he saw! IED explosions and shattering gunfire. He lost brothers in arms. Tommy came home with invisible injuries. You can’t see PTSD – post-

traumatic stress disorder.

If you say, “I’m really stressed, today” Tommy didn’t say that. He freaked out in IKEA. Based on the statistics, if you have a staff of 12, it’s more than likely that two of them will have mental health problems.

With a staff of 100, probably 16 of them will suffer from them.

In spite of his service and his skills, Tommy couldn’t get a job so he didn’t show up in the statistics.

Let me tell you about why I care about this so much.

My father and his brother were doctors in WW2. They saw indescribable horrors on the battlefields. While many did not come home to celebrate the victory, others returned with visible and invisible injuries. They included my father and my uncle who both had PTSD. They suffered in silence and their families suffered the consequences. In those days, PTSD didn’t have a label.

I would be pretty confident that

report from

CATHERINE JONES OF CAMBRIDGE

PANEL DISCUSSION AND ‘SHELL SHOCK’ PLAY TO MARK THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF VE DAY This year we mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day. On Thursday 7 May 2020, the eve of the anniversary, to connect the military and general workforce, Catherine Jones of Cambridge hosts a panel discussion chaired by: • SIMON JACK - BBC Business Editor • ELIZABETH HAMPSON - author of the Deloitte’s report • WARRANT OFFICER GLENN HAUGHTON OBE - Armed Forces

Mental Health & Well-Being Champion MoD • STEVE ELSOM - recent Regional Director Lloyds Bank for SMEs The discussion will be followed by “Shell Shock”, a play that tells Tommy’s tale, performed by Tim Marriott – star of “Allo Allo” and other hit TV comedies. Tim adapted it from “The Diary of Tommy Atkins” written

by Gulf war veteran Neil Blower who suffered from PTSD. Writing it was part of his therapy recommended by the military charity, Combat Stress.

6.30pm, Thursday 7 May 2020 - Great Saint Mary’s Church, Cambridge Tickets from: www.cambidgelive.org.uk/ tickets/shellshock or www.cambridgelive. org.uk then search Shell Shock.

Simon Jack

members of the Chamber have or had family who remained silent about their wartime service. Maybe you couldn’t understand why Dad, Uncle Frank or Grandfather Bill went off the rails, had a horrible temper or took to drink from time to time. Otherwise perfectly functional lives can be permanently blighted by repetitive intrusive thoughts and flashbacks.

After the war, my father Dr Philip Jones and my uncle Dr Michael Jones both became brilliant GPs. Their patients admired their professionalism, humanity and kindness. My father is still warmly remembered with huge affection in the village pub, 45 years after he retired, by people he brought into the world, treated after hours or visited at home over a weekend. They call my lookalike son

“Jonesy” in his honour.

That’s why, at Catherine Jones of Cambridge, the Cambridge Family Jeweller, our chosen charity is The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent charity that supports the needs of serving soldiers and veterans who put themselves in harm’s way for us.

It’s my way to honour my father, my uncle and all who serve.

Once soldiers finish their military service, they need jobs in Civvy Street. But would you hire Tommy? Some businesses won’t. Yet, PTSD in military personnel is around six per cent compared to 16 per cent of mental illness amongst the employed with an estimated five per cent of men and 10 per cent of women across the population having PTSD. Source: Mental health statistics for England House of Commons briefing paper (Number

6988 of 23 January 2020) Source: https://www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/ uploads/PTSD.pdf Thanks to the courageous honesty of Prince William and Prince Harry, mental health is being talked about openly and by everyone, for the first time. The taboo is over. No-one is exempt and no-one is alone.

My business and I are proud to contribute to this movement. We’ve found small ways to make differences to PTSD sufferers’ lives. We hope that we can inspire you to do so, too.

They suffered in silence and their families suffered the consequences. In those days, PTSD didn’t have a label. connected 35

connect with

SIGNPOST 2 GROW

How marketing insights can/will help your business Whether you’re a B2C or B2B business, your ultimate goal is of course to gain new customers. But without knowing how your customers behave and think or who they are, how are you supposed to gain new ones?

Thanks to the recent explosion in data intelligence marketing intelligence is now more focused, granular and therefore valuable, then ever before.

In turn, this allows businesses to stay relevant, authentic and engaging while helping to improve companies’ fundamental understanding of customer needs, attitudes and habits.

Depending on what industry you are in, insights can be used to fulfil many different businesses aims and objectives. Whether the aim is to target new consumers based on characteristics matches to existing customers or to make more informed decisions across all marketing channels like email, social media and their main websites.

With this knowledge further techniques and platforms can be used in order to better your company brand and your marketing messages. One platform that can be used is Marketing Automation.

WHAT IS MARKETING AUTOMATION? Marketing Automation enables an organisation to use the customer and operational data it collects to design more effective campaigns and leadnurturing efforts. By using this tool organisations can create personalised messages that encourage better engagement as it helps build trust and loyalty between a brand and their customers consequently enriching the customer lifecycle.

This form of marketing allows an organisation to expand their marketing reach, acquiring new customers without having to increase the number of staff. Tasks such as campaign planning, creation and management, model-based marketing and campaign customisation are all automatically completed by the software giving the organisation the ability to reuse, modify and update campaign activities quickly and easily.

ROLE OF ANALYTICS Analytics play a huge part in both marketing automation and marketing insights in general. Having an in-depth knowledge of how you audience behaves and interacts with both your website and your organisation will help to make easier, faster and more targeted campaigns.

With marketing automation analytical value scores become your measuring stick and the need for gut-feel marketing goes away and in terms of

general insights, analytics helped to shed light on your audience therefore helping to steer the conversation towards their interests.

However, it can be easy to get lost in all of the statistics and terminology that is updated regularly; how do you filter out the noise to be able to find the information that is relevant to a particular campaign or aspect of an organisation?

The first thing to do to tackle analytics is to understand the jargon.

Each report supplied by Google Analytics corresponds with a different aspect of the customer experience on a website; audience, acquisition, behaviour and conversions depending on the organisation main focus depends on what reports should be analysed in more detail.

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insight from

Using marketing effectively for Manufacturing & Engineering Often relying on long-term relationships and reputations, more proactive marketing can be unfamiliar to manufacturers and engineers, despite its increasing importance.

Sarah West, of B2B experts Full Mix Marketing, looks at some effective tactics for the ever more competitive manufacturing and engineering sectors.

1. DEFINE YOUR CUSTOMERS For your marketing to reach the most profitable customers you need to have a clear idea of who they are. Many manufacturers and engineers have a diverse range of potential clients and each may value different qualities.

It’s important to identify an accurate customer profile, breaking down simple information like discipline and industry, but also psychological factors like attitudes, preferences and objectives. You can then use direct marketing including email, mail and social media to individually target them.

2. BECOME A THOUGHT LEADER To stand out, customers need to see that you offer innovation and trusted expertise.

To demonstrate thought leadership, you can write blogs or features on industry specific topics, publish white papers which showcase your knowledge and offer support when attending industry events or trade shows. A steady stream of content also ensures priority in search engine results and provides information to share.

3. ENGINEER SOCIAL MEDIA In an industry not known for flair, social media can give you something extra. Social media is about people, and decision-makers for B2B clients are just as likely to use it as consumers.

LinkedIn is a great place to start as it’s dedicated to professionals. It allows

SARAH WEST

you to connect with potential clients and demonstrate your industry insights and specialist knowledge.

Consider the tone and design of your posts and how they reflect your brand.

Because manufacturing and engineering are visual industries, videos and images work well and are more engaging than words alone.

4. INVEST IN PAY-PER-CLICK (PPC) Beyond referrals and existing reputations, search engines remain the next port of call for most businesses seeking manufacturing or engineering services. Paid search and digital advertising can quickly target them and drive them to your website.

A small budget can go a long way, particularly if you carefully target only the users, locations and keywords relevant to your specific products or solutions.

Remember, the effectiveness of PPC is only as good as the website you direct them to, so ensure it communicates the right information.

For more support visit www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk

payroll solutions for all your business needs

Tailored payroll outsourcing services 01223 506366

pscpayroll.com connected 41

it’s happening

OUT & ABOUT

Chamber celebrates Valentine’s Day Our Peterborough breakfast at Holiday Peterborough West celebrated Valentine’s Day by giving each delegate a chocolate heart. Helen Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator at the Chamber, is pictured with guest speaker Mark Broadhead, lead for Peterborough BID.

King’s Ely mathematicians victorious in national competition

BUSINESS WOMEN SHARE IDEAS In the relaxed, supportive and welcoming environment of Poets House in Ely, business women came together to discuss their ideas and gain valuable feedback.

King’s Ely students were on top form in the fiercelycontested Senior Maths Challenge, bringing home a haul of Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates.

Lock in at Natwest The Peterborough informal networking evening was hosted

by Natwest, Cathedral Square in February where business from across the city came together to build connections.

Highlighting the benefits The Chamber team recently exhibited at the Peterborough Biscuit to showcase the benefits and services you can access when you are part of the Chamber Network.

Send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch!

Email images direct to s.parr@cambscci.co.uk connected 43

A depraved stalker. An unsolved murder.

A cop who will stop at nothing. ««««« “A first-rate Scandi thriller” ««««« “Dark and gritty”

SAVE

£5

««««« “A compulsive page-turner” ««««« “Absolutely brilliant” REAL READER REVIEWS

Order Die For Me in hardback for only £13.99* (RRP £18.99).

Call 01256 302 699** or order online at mirrorbooks.co.uk Offer code RA9 * Plus P&P ** Lines open 8.30am-5.30pm, Monday-Friday

chamber

INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENINGS Widen your connections with business people across Cambridgeshire for free.

Our popular informal networking evenings continue to attract businesses of all sizes from a wide range of industry sectors and, most importantly, they’re free to attend.

March 2020

18

19 25

Metro Bank, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

Quy Mill Hotel, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

Coach House Hub, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

April 2020

1

6

Tobie Norris, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm

St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club 5.00-7.00pm

16 22

Hotel Du Vin, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

Coach House Hub, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

15

Peterborough United Football Club 5.00-7.00pm

No Ely informal due to Easter.

May 2020

4

XL Press, St Neots 5.00-7.00pm

6

The Crown Hotel, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm

EVENTS

AMAZING BENEFITS OF CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP DATE Wednesday 25 March TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Edmundson Electrical, Peterborough DATE Thursday 2 April TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Chamber office, Oakington DATE Tuesday 28 April TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Grovemere Property Ltd, Ely DATE Wednesday 6 May TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Chamber office, Cambridge DATE Wednesday 20 May TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Regus, Huntingdon PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Do you want to make financial savings?

Are you looking to increase revenue?

Do you want to improve profitability?

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.

This two-hour session is free to attend, and open members and non-members of the Chamber, but please book in advance as places are limited to ensure everyone gains maximum benefit from the session.

11

Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm

20 21 27

KingsGate Conference Centre, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

Barclays Bank, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

Mapus-Smith & Lemmon, Wisbech 5.00-7.00pm

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

SAFARI NETWORKING EVENTS

What is Safari Networking?

You’ll have two minutes at three different tables to make those initial introductions and explain what sets your business apart from its competitors. The relaxed but structured format offers guests the opportunity to

move around the room and form connections with new business contacts from a wide range of business sectors. There will also be additional opportunity for networking over breakfast and hear from a fantastic speaker.

Meet the Neighbours DATE Tuesday 19 May TIME 4.00-6.00pm LOCATION Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire PRICE £12.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £17.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01223 237414 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk We’ve joined up with Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce to provide a unique networking experience for like-minded businesses across two counties.

This snappy and dynamic event is aimed at giving you maximum impact with minimum time out of your business. An effective way of generating new business leads, raising your company profile and promoting your services or products.

SAFARI NETWORKING BREAKFASTS DATE Friday 27 March TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION The Bull Hotel, Peterborough PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £27.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members Helena Hansen-Fure, Peterborough City Council Project Manager, will make a presentation on The city Framework, the key regeneration sites, and the Towns Fund opportunity to BID for £25M of grant funding for Peterborough.

DATE Thursday 7 May TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, Cambridge PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members and Introduction to Chamber offer*, £40.00 (plus VAT) nonmembers DATE Friday 22 May TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members and Introduction to the Chamber offer*, £40.00 (plus VAT) nonChamber members

* From 1 April we are introducing a special offer to anyone who has not attended a Chamber event before to attend at the member price.

Any non-member that has attended an event previously is able to attend up to three events during the year at the non-member price, which includes the introductory offer.

CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01223 237414 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk 46 connected

WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW DATE Tuesday 17 March TIME 9.30am for a 10.00am start til 12.00pm LOCATION Regus, Huntingdon PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £30.00 (plus VAT) non-members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01223 237414 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Organised by the HR & Recruitment Sector We can’t predict the future, but we can plan for it. As organisations vie to be an employer of choice for the workforce of tomorrow, this taster session for our new 2020 series will help you take an innovative approach to your people strategy.

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EVENTS

Export Club DATE Tuesday 31 March and Tuesday 26 May TIME 4.00-6.00pm LOCATION Chamber office, Oakington, Cambridge PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Karen Cash on 01223 237414 or email k.cash@cambscci.co.uk An informal networking event for exporters, international service providers and those interested in accessing new markets overseas.

Whether you are already involved in international trade or considering expanding into new markets, Export Club offers a unique informal environment to share experience and expertise.

In March we welcome Iwona Lebiedowicz from PAB Languages. Iwona will explain our new partnership with Sema4 to offer an export support service including specialist market research, multilingual virtual secretary services, 121-clinics and trade mission assistance. PAB Languages also provide translation services in over 200 languages helping organisations to communicate their messages effectively at an international level.

Huntingdonshire DATE Wednesday 29 April TIME 10.00am-4.00pm LOCATION Burgess Hall, St Ives PRICE Free to attend as a visitor, Exhibition stands from £130.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01223 237414 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk This is Huntingdonshire’s biggest B2B event and brings businesses together from

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across the county for a day of networking and business promotion.

Comedy Night and FREE Digital Strategy Seminar Black Tie Dinner DATE Friday 3 April Organised by NetSupport in partnership DATE Friday 26 June TIME 7.00pm for 7.30pm til midnight LOCATION Holiday Inn Peterborough West Celebrate business success, use as team building, or entertain clients… join us for an evening of fun, entertainment, superb food, and great networking as we return to the Holiday Inn for our annual comedy night and black tie dinner!

Further details will be announced shortly, but for now save the date.

with the Chamber and Opportunity Peterborough With over 15 years’ experience, NetSupport has developed a comprehensive range of business Want to enhance your knowledge on topics surrounding IT Management and continuity services: from server hosting and support for workplace and disaster Security? recovery, to creating bespoke business Looking for hints and tips to make a continuity plans – for organisations of difference to your business?

Fancy meeting and networking with key all sizes. industry experts and decision makers from local companies?

This is the event for you!

This free half-day event will help you maximise the benefits from business IT Management and Security.

For more information and to register for your place visit http://bit.ly/NetSupportseminar TIME 8.45am-1.00pm LOCATION Deafblind UK Conference Centre, Peterborough

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