connected magazine issue 97

INSPIRING SUCCESS

ISSUE 97

The official magazine for Chamber members

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL IN MANUFACTURING Smart Manufacturing Alliance - a new dedicated sector network for the region

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

Y T I L I C A F R U O LET Y

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this issue

7

11

21

CONTENTS

19

25

28

4

Editors comment

5

Chief Executive’s comment

18-19

Smart Manufacturing Alliance

6

Connect

20-21

Charity news

7

Huntingdonshire Business Fair

22

Green column

8

Protect

23

New Members

9

Transform

24-30

Member news

Global news

31

Growth Works

12

Annual Global Conference

32

Training

13

Inform

33

Cambridgeshire County Day

10-11

14-15 16

Ask the Expert

17

34-35

Mental Health column

Chamber Events

Marketing Insight connected 3

welcome from the

EDITOR

Welcome ....

Welcome to the May issue of connected.

ISSUE 97 INSPIRING SUCCESS

for The official magazine

Chamber members

L IN MANUFACTURING UNLOCKING POTENTIA ce - a new dedicated Allian Smart Manufacturing region sector network for the

PLUS. . . ALL THE LATEST

ER NETWORK

NEWS FROM THE CHAMB

Chief Executive Vic Annells Editor Sadie Parr Published and Printed by

Huntingdonshire Business Fair took place last month and we were delighted to have a full house of exhibitors and a stream of visitors throughout the day. You can read more about this event on page 7.

Our guest article this month introduces Smart Manufacturing Alliance; the new dedicated sector network for the region. They have been established as a joint venture between the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and Opportunity Peterborough.

If you would like to advertise in connected, please send me an email or give me a call on 01223 237414.

You can also read news from across the Chamber Network on page 24-30. To have your news published in connected please send it through to me along with a photo.

SADIE PARR s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Advertising in connected is key to ensuring we can continue to produce this publication.

www.xlpress.co.uk Design Helen Dwyer Advertising Sadie Parr s.parr@cambscci.co.uk Membership Team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Chamber contact details Clifford House, 2 Station Yard, Oakington, Cambridge, CB24 3AH Tel 01223 237414 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk Visit www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber 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.

4 connected

• D IA RY DAT E S • JUNE 2022

7

7

7

Customs Procedures and Documentation course

Bitesize Workshop: Export Marketing

Drinks Reception at Burghley House

14

Informal Networking Peterborough

16

HR Coffee Club, Huntingdon

15

17

21

21

Understanding Commodity Codes course

Incoterms 2020 course

27

28

Informal Networking Ely

Safari Networking Breakfast, Stamford

Informal Networking Cambridge

Bitesize Workshop: Documentation

30

Annual Global Conference, London

8

Informal Networking Huntingdon

17

Construction Breakfast, Huntingdon

23

Cambridgeshire County Day

comment from the

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Chief Executive’s comments This month I’m delighted to welcome Jack to the team at the Chamber. Jack Wilson has joined us as Membership Executive and many of you will be meeting him soon if you haven’t already as he’ll be out and about looking after our members, bringing new companies into the Chamber Network and joining in at our Chamber events.

I was recently fortunate enough to be invited to visit the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Peterborough, where I met with Neil Williams, Peterborough and Stamford Committee member and Public Relations Manager at Amazon, as well as Gareth Davies, Site Lead for the Peterborough Fulfilment Centre for a tour of their operations.

The Peterborough fulfilment centre is 500,000 square feet in size, the equivalent of around seven football pitches and is equipped with fascinating logistics solutions. There will be opportunity later in the year for members to visit for a tour as Neil has kindly offered to host a Chambers event at the centre.

I was pleased to be a panel judge for the 2022 awards, and it was my pleasure to present the award for the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce sponsored Medium Business of the Year to Cardinalis Concrete.

Cardinalis Concrete is an expert supplier of volumetric concrete as well as other aggregates and services of ground work, muck away and grab. They operate across Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Peterborough, Wisbech, Saffron Walden, Stansted and Huntingdon.

I’d like to take the opportunity once again here to congratulate all of the award winners and nominees, including: - Harry Specters for the Diversity and Inclusion Award - Conscious Communications for the BioMed Realty Award for Social Entrepreneurship - Arecor Therapeutics for the HCR Hewitsons Award for Innovation in Business, and to Sarah Howell of Arecor Therapeutics who was named BusinessLive’s Business Person of the Year 2022 - Elite Swimming Academy for the Small Business of the Year Award - Cardinalis Concrete for the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Award for Medium Business of the Year, and for the AstraZeneca Award for Business of the Year - Stainless Metalcraft for the Barclays Award for Large Business of the Year.

Vic Annells Chief Executive

In April, Cambridgeshire Chambers hosted the long-anticipated return of the Huntingdonshire Business Fair. A huge thanks to everyone who participated on the day and don’t forget to turn to page 7 to read up on the event.

Lastly, the Chambers were proud to sponsor this year’s CambridgeshireLive Business Awards which celebrate business excellence in the region. The winners were announced at King’s College in Cambridge where the evening was hosted by Will Greenwood MBE who delighted guests of the awards ceremony with tales from the rugby pitch. connected 5

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

CONNECT

BUILD YOUR CONNECTIONS

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.

• Opportunity to attend over 150 events a year – turn to page 33-35 to see what events are coming up in June

Global Member of

• Join our social media groups – connect and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram • Links with national companies – we provide business services at exclusive rates to Chamber members • Enhance your credibility - display our ‘member of’ logo on your website and business stationery.

Email h.pawley@cambscci.co.uk to receive a copy • Make business connections – attend our events and join our local Chamber or Sector group committees to build new connections.

Member of

Exclusive services for Chamber members Chamber membership provides you with links to national companies providing services at exclusive rates for members.

One of these is Chamber Roadside Assistance.

Whether you have a small or large fleet of cars or a single commercial vehicle we can help you to keep your company on the move with Chamber Roadside Assistance. In partnership with the AA, we’ll ensure you keep motoring at an exclusive competitive price; Chamber members can receive up to 67 per cent discount on the cost of business breakdown cover.

BUSINESS BREAKDOWN COVER FROM THE AA Running a company with vehicles at its heart means that staying still isn’t an option. The AA’s business breakdown cover will make sure your drivers get back on the road quickly – and with minimum disruption – if the worst happens. All you need to do is choose the right level of cover for you.

WHICH VEHICLES CAN BE COVERED? Whether you just have a single vehicle or run a whole fleet, the AA can cover your cars, vans, trucks and more – as long as they’re 3.5 tonnes or under. If you’re not sure if your vehicle would be eligible, you can call the AA on 0800 55 11 88 to check.

WHAT DOES COVER INCLUDE? You can choose from the following options for your company’s vehicles: 6 connected

Roadside (compulsory) Repair or recovery to the AA’s choice of appropriate local repairer.

Home Start (compulsory) For breakdowns at or within ¼ mile of your home address.

National Recovery Transportation of vehicle, driver and up to 7 passengers to a UK mainland address if prompt local repair not possible.

Relay Plus Extended Relay service to include one of three alternative arrangements for driver and passengers: car hire, accommodation or public transport services.

Accident Management Takes the hassle out of arranging repair, recovery and insurance claims after an accident or vandalism.

European Breakdown and recovery options for drivers in Europe (subject to territorial limits) Visit the partner offers page on our website for more details on Chamber Roadside Assistance and the other services you can access at exclusive rates as a Chamber member. www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/ member-benefits/partner-offers/

Huntingdonshire

Sponsored by

Fantastic Turnout for Huntingdonshire Business Fair The much-anticipated Huntingdonshire Business Fair took place on 27 April at Burgess Hall in St Ives. The Chamber team were delighted to welcome a fantastic turnout of visitors and exhibitors all eager to show us that business in Huntingdonshire is alive and kicking.

Businesses came together to reconnect, meet new contacts and spark up conversations for boosting business in Huntingdonshire.

A steady stream of visitors came throughout the morning and early afternoon, with many taking advantage of our free programme of helpful business advice seminars and speed networking. The room was buzzing with a great atmosphere, games and competitions - a fantastic comeback for the annual event.

Thank you to all of you who took part and came along to show your support. A huge thank you to West Suffolk College for sponsoring the event and to The First Mailing Company for their fantastic efforts and support in publicising the event and to Rob Morris for taking photos on the day.

A special thanks also to Stuart Searle, Chair of the Huntingdonshire Chamber and owner of The First Mailing Company, for making the opening speech on the day and supporting the Chamber team throughout.

We’re looking forward to planning for Huntingdonshire Business Fair 2023!

connected 7

how to

PROTECT

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

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

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS INCLUDED IN CHAMBER FOUR SERVICES? As a Chamber member you have unlimited access to four services – HR, Legal, Health & Safety and Tax. This includes: 5 Advice Lines – HR, legal, health & safety, tax and VAT 3 Document Libraries – HR, Legal, Health & Safety that contains almost 800 templated documents £1,000,000 Legal Expenses Insurance – includes employment cover and Tax Enquiry cover.

Visit https://chambercambs.questcover.com/login or call the helpline on 01455 852037.

If you don’t know your log-in details to access this service, please give the team a call on 01223 237414.

This month we focus on Chamber Tax Do you know the answers to all these topical questions?

investigation. As a Chamber member you have unlimited access to tax specialists who can help.

Facing a complex issue, or a situation affected by changes in legislation can be stressful and doing the wrong thing can be very expensive. When you need to act you need to ensure you get it right first time.

Are you trading with the EU? Are you confused by changes to VAT and duty?

Chamber members can speak to a VAT specialist to clarify matters.

The good news is that members need not worry. If you have any questions about any of these topics you can call the Chamber Tax Service – unlimited access is included in your membership fee.

EU TRADING

TAX RETURNS

HMRC

Are you having problems completing your tax returns?

Are you confused by changes to rates of taxation?

As a Chamber member you have unlimited access to tax specialists who can help explain it all.

Are HMRC wanting to investigate your tax affairs?

It could be furlough payments, COVID loans, PAYE matters or an

Any questions, any doubts… call the Chamber Tax advice line on 01455 852037.

For full details of what is included in Chamber Four Services, and to view the Four Services Handbook, please visit our website at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/member-benefits/protect/ or give the membership team a call on 01223 237414.

8 connected

the power to

TRANSFORM

The Power to Change 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.

• Join the conversation – be part of one of our local Sector committees and share your knowledge and expertise across the Chamber Network • Raise local issues – be part of one of our local Chamber committees

• Contribute to national debates – we share all surveys that are undertaken by the British Chambers of Commerce to help get a better picture of business requirements across the country • Complete economic surveys – these take place quarterly and results are used nationally and reported via our website and connected magazine • Influence Government – you can help us to shape government by giving us your opinions through surveys and requests for case studies.

Export Growth now stagnant for one year as British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) sounds warning on trade

The data showed that manufacturers were more likely to report increased export sales than either business to business service firms (such as lawyers or accountants) or business to consumer service firms (like online clothing stores).

In past 3 months Exporting exports sales manufacturers have...

Exporting B2B Services

Exporting B2C Services

Increased

32%

26%

26%

Remained constant

42%

56%

42%

Decreased

26%

17%

32%

Conversely, B2B service exporters were more likely than either manufacturers or B2C service exporters to expect profitability to increase in the coming year.

Over the next 12 months, do you believe your profitability will...

Exporting manufacturers

Exporting B2B Services

Exporting B2C Services

Increase

44%

55%

45%

Remain constant

29%

29%

30%

Decrease

27%

16%

24%

trade losses from the pandemic already effectively recovered.

“UK exporters are facing the headwinds of higher red tape costs from trading with the EU, raised raw material pressures, and ongoing issues in global shipping markets. If we are to realise the aspirations of the UK Government’s Export Strategy then 2022 has to be the year where these structural factors holding back our exporters are addressed.

“Sustained export growth should be powering our economic recovery from the pandemic. Chambers and their members are already working hard to increase exports but need more substantive measures from Government now.”

Photo by Ryan Kwok on Unsplash

A survey of over 2,700 UK exporters has revealed that export sales growth has been effectively stagnant for the past year. The BCC’s quarterly Trade Confidence Outlook showed the proportion of exporters reporting increased overseas sales to be unchanged from Q4 at 29 per cent, while those reporting a decrease rose one point to 25 per cent.

Responding to the findings, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, William Bain said: “This data confirms our concerns – that for the last year there was a broadly flat picture for UK exports. This is in contrast with the performance of our near neighbours, with Germany’s exports both within and outside the Single Market steaming ahead by double digit margins and with 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.

UK Certificates of Origin being rejected We have been made aware that recently a number of UK Certificates of Origins have been rejected by customs authorities as they have been unable to verify the UK Certificate of Origin on the ICC Certification of Origin verification website.

Certificates of Origin prepared on one of our online platforms are automatically uploaded and can be verified on the website. Manual documents cannot be uploaded to the site.

So far the countries for which this is a particular problem are Russia and Azerbaijan but we expect more countries to use this site going forward.

Given the increasing use of the ICC Certificate of Origin verification website by customs authorities we encourage anyone that still raises manual applications to move across to the online platforms.

If you have any queries, please call 01223 237414 and speak with someone in the International Trade team.

How can localisation benefit your business?

Top Tips from Iwona Lebiedowicz, founder of PAB Languages Centre If you do business internationally, or would like to break into new markets, having a multilingual website is essential.

56 per cent of consumers said the ability to get information in their native language is even more important than price!

But it’s not just about translating your content and product descriptions, localisation goes much, much further, and ensures the investment you’ve made in your website gives you the growth you want.

LOCALISED CONTENT BRINGS MORE EXPOSURE Professional localisation of your website, advertising campaign, or sales content will make entering a new market easier.

A multilingual website will improve your business’s SEO performance in other languages and countries and increase rankings on Google search and any search platforms that are popular in your target market.

CLIENT-FOCUSED CONTENT IMPACTS PURCHASING BEHAVIOURS Localised content on your website shows your commitment to your new customers, giving them the reassurance, they can trust you, your products, and services. In today’s competitive market where customer service and credibility both count 10 connected

almost as much as price, getting the customer experience right at the outset is essential.

UNDERSTANDING LOCAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT IMPROVES REVENUE Localisation helps avoid any confusion caused by unfamiliar cultural norms and cultural references such as foreign units of measure. Making your product or service more accessible to local consumers will always result in sales growth.

GETTING IT WRONG COSTS MORE! In China, there is a list of keywords that’ll result in an immediate government ban for your content. In Thailand, an autotranslated post from their public broadcasting service offended so badly that Facebook demanded an official apology.

And whilst these are fairly extreme examples, we all know someone who has been offended by something online. Without really understanding the culture of your target audience, the risk of offence inevitably increases.

At PAB Languages, our team of native-speaking experts come from all over the world and understand all the elements and cultural references you’ll need to take account of when speaking to your audiences. Our creative linguists will use the right words, the right style and tone to ensure you are communicating effectively with your international audience.

Get in touch today on 07799 772 360 to discuss your project.

extend your

GLOBAL REACH

Karoline Wlodarczyk at Le Mark invited to be an Export Champion Karoline Wlodarczyk has been invited by the Department for International Trade (DIT) to become an “Export Champion in 2022/23” showing her hard work, commitment and knowledge is valued not only by Le Mark but also by the Department for International Trade.

• Raise awareness of DIT services via their own communications networks and events they participate in • Act as a sounding board for what exporters want – for DIT ministers and policy teams

What is an Export Champion?

Typically, Export Champions: • Are engaging and proactive business leaders of exporting SMEs • Are willing to provide support and encourage others to grow through exports • Are open to sharing their experience and expertise • Have an interesting export story to tell.

Export Champions volunteer their time to: • Provide peer-to-peer support – are exporting role models and provide tips to other businesses • Inspire others to export by talking about their own experience and sharing their export journey

Sourcing products from Alibaba Alibaba has become the leading platform for global wholesale trade and one of the largest ecommerce companies in the world. Alibaba.com has 150+ million registered members, 26 million active buyers and more than 150,000 sellers.

The badges on an Alibaba seller’s profile show the steps they’ve taken to prove they’re a trusted partner. You can also speak directly to sellers on Alibaba to customise your order, negotiate prices or learn more about their business.

For further reassurance you can use Trade Assurance, a free transactional protection service, to secure your purchases made via the alibaba.com payment portal. If either product quality or ship date varies from what you and the supplier agreed to in the Trade Assurance online order, Alibaba will offer you assistance in reaching a satisfactory outcome, including getting your money back.

You should get samples to review and verify consistency and quality. Some suppliers can charge full retail prices for them while others may sell samples at a reduced rate or even for free if they believe you are a serious buyer.

For more information please contact regional.sales@worldfirst.com

Change of tone for The Bank of England In the last edition of connected, we covered how events beyond our shores often impacts how Sterling performs against other major currencies. Since that article was penned (28 February), the Russian invasion and war with Ukraine further highlighted how Sterling is tugged one way or another by external events and market sentiment.

The Bank of England (BofE) raised interest rates in March to 0.75 per cent, its third rise in four months. However, the tone of their forward guidance shifted leaning towards a wait and see approach, dampening sentiment for further intervention.

Somewhat ignoring the real economy, the narrow investor consensus expected the BofE to act on inflation forecasts and incrementally raise interest rates to two per cent by the end of 2022.

In March, Sterling hit year to date highs and lows (1.2190 / 1.1747) versus the Euro. The highs came before the interest rates rise, the lows soon after the market digested the tone change by the MPC. Rising domestic energy costs will be significant, taking cash out of consumers and businesses alike, reducing demand, a key reason why the BofE would raise interest rates. The BofE expects inflation to hit eight per cent in the short term and higher later this year. Some forecasters are predicting inflation to top 10 per cent.

April 2022

April 2021

April 2020

April 2019

GBP v Eur

1.1982

1.1629

1.1377

1.1637

GBP v US$

1.2946

1.3839

1.2405

1.3031

*month average source Netdania.com 24 hours news and social media has conditioned a short term view and an instinct to look for the next thing of influence. With a short-term lens often hard to shake off, businesses can benefit from looking at historical exchange rates to put into perspective the current levels. The noise of today, ‘sterling plunges, ‘the pound is surging’ are tabloidesque headlines, expert guidance can help to filter the noise and help tune into only what’s important for your business.

For more information on reducing the cost of foreign exchange for your business visit www.ascendant.world/uk or contact karen.benson@ascendant.world Ramnath Ramhit is the UK Managing Director at Ascendant. Formerly of Thomas Cook, Travelex & HSBC, Ram has been supporting businesses put perspective to and navigate foreign exchange and payments for over 25 years. connected 11

Thursday 30 June, QEII Centre, London The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) flagship Global Annual Conference is one of the main events in the business calendar, with the 2022 Conference taking place on Thursday 30 June at the QEII Centre, London.

After a turbulent few years, the BCC Global Annual Conference will be an opportunity for business leaders from the UK and around the world to come together and look to a more sustainable and responsible future.

Through thought-provoking discussions, talks and peer-to-peer sessions, delegates will be able to explore and debate how we can individually and collectively rise to the challenges ahead, with a particular focus on People, Planet and Progress.

The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer will be speaking at the BCC Global Annual Conference 2022, along with a host of other exciting speakers.

Away from the sessions there also will be networking time for delegates to greet existing contacts and meet new ones; and BCC will also be showcasing their dynamic network of Chambers and strategic partners.

To book your tickets please visit www.britishchambers.org.uk/events/annual-conference or speak to Karen Cash in the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce International Trade Team on 01223 237414.

learn and

INFORM

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR NEWS Steps to Take in Challenging a Pay Less Notice A Pay Less Notice gives the paying party the legal right to pay less than/withhold all or part of an already notified sum, altering the payment due to the payee near to the end of the payment cycle.

The Pay Less Notice must specify the ‘notified sum’ for payment, and the basis on which the sum has been calculated, even if that is zero or negative. To challenge a Pay Less Notice: STEP 1 – Check the Pay Less Notice is Valid Providing that you have made a valid payment application, and the contract requires/allows you to make such an application, if the paying party have failed to serve the initial ‘Payment Notice’ within five days of the contract Payment Due Date, the payment application automatically becomes a Default Payment Notice and the notified sum due, but subject to the issue of a Pay Less Notice.

If a Pay Less Notice has not been validly served, the Notice is of no effect.

STEP 2 – Negotiate the Pay Less Notice If you disagree with the Pay Less Notice, raise your objections, and seek to negotiate why they are wrong or a different payment.

STEP 3 – Formally Challenge the Pay Less Notice If the payer will not stand down and the dispute escalates, the Pay Less Notice, if validly served, will need to be challenged formally through adjudication.

For further information visit www.arbicon.co.uk

IT, SECURITY & DIGITAL SECTOR NEWS How to Spot a Phishing Email Pronounced ‘fishing’, a phishing email is a type of social engineering attack where cyber criminals will trick victims into handing over sensitive information or installing malware. Here’s some tips in how to spot them.

1 Most companies will have their own email domain, except possibly for one-man bands. Hackers will often use a public email domain like ‘@gmail.com’.

2 Hackers will often impersonate well-known companies.

For example, they could add an extra ‘L’ to impersonate eBay such as ‘@elbay.com’.

3 Be careful as phishing emails can appear as if it’s originated from a contact of yours. The name will appear correct, but you’ll notice the email is something random such as ‘officemail4756@mail.ru’.

4 Sometimes the hacker’s native language is not English and therefore the email may contain poor spelling and/or poor grammar.

5 Don’t forget that the purpose of a phishing email is to trick victims into handing over sensitive information or installing malware through a link or an attachment. Therefore, be weary of links and attachments that appear suspicious.

6 If you have some form of spam filtering, then a notification banner is usually present at the top. This informs you the email is from ‘outside your organisation’ or ‘you don’t often get an email from …’ Always pay attention to these notifications and proceed with caution if you feel the email looks suspicious.

Let’s take a quick look at cyber security leadership…

How much value do you place on three hours of your time as a business or organisational leader?

Maybe you thought along the lines of “that’s nearly half a day, I can get lots done in that time”, or “three hours, three meetings, three things dealt with”.

Now ponder this, you’ve just been told that your business has been hit by a ransomware attack and the team are looking to you for quick decision making on your response. Critical systems are at risk and sensitive customer data is under threat, this could really damage your business.

Would investing three hours of your time in building your cyber security knowledge be worthwhile if it helped mitigate some of these risks?

Achieving 100 per cent security from cyber-attacks targeting your business is impossible, so being trained in cyber and information security may seem like a luxury. However, this training, as opposed to that you would give the IT team or frontline staff, provides the information you need to be able to reduce risk.

Effectively managing the process of developing a cyber security strategy enables leaders to embed security principles and ensure that threats are responded to appropriately. A further benefit here is that a knowledgeable leadership function can also enable the business to recover quickly and identify learnings which will further strengthen your security position.

If you’re keen to mix with and learn from other leaders across a range of industries our cyber security training for business owners and leaders runs for three hours and could be instrumental in protecting your business. www.cyberscale.co.uk connected 13

ask the

EXPERT

Protecting your business from cyber threats ensure that the different attack methods are secured against as best as possible. As there are multiple ways in to an organisation it’s important to have a constant eye on possible vulnerabilities as attackers are always looking for new attack routes. This holds true for businesses of all sizes, you aren’t safe just because you’re small or only use a limited number of systems or devices.

With that in mind, let’s look at managing that risk. How can organisations put measures in place to protect themselves?

First to mind is frameworks. They offer a well thought out, tried and tested way of doing things and hold real value. However two things are really important – firstly picking a framework that is appropriate for your organisation, and secondly using frameworks as a tool towards your end goal of being more secure and resilient, not as an end goal in themselves.

Cyber-crime presents risks for all organisations and businesses, it can be difficult to know what the main risks are and the steps you can start to take to protect data and systems. Darren Chapman, Director & Principal Consultant at CyberScale shares his thoughts with us.

So, Darren, what do you think overall is the greatest threat businesses are facing right now?

For most businesses, it’s probably Ransomware. How these attacks come about is important however, as the same vulnerabilities which allow Ransomware attacks to happen can also enable many other types of attacks. Whether the attack happens via a phishing, or is a direct attack with systems being infiltrated you need to

14 connected

Comparing for example Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001, they hold different value based on the types of customers you’re trying to secure as some will require suppliers to hold them. Add to this the different value they hold from a security perspective, for newer organisations Cyber Essentials would be valuable in getting the foundations right, for more mature businesses ISO 27001 might better enable you to build your maturity. Remember this though, what you get out of a framework or certification is directly related to what you put in to it, focusing on what it will do for your business and not treating it as a tick box exercise. Now that might not sound ever so exciting, but often cyber security isn’t about fancy technology, it’s about people and process too.

Given that you said people are an important part of a business becoming more secure, what can leaders do to ensure they get this part right?

Business leaders are faced with the ever present threats cybercrime pose to their operations, which comes with a great level of responsibility to protect the organisation and its customers. For us it’s all about awareness and training. Whether that’s within the leadership team or the wider staff team, it’s important to assess the level of knowledge and understanding at all levels regarding cyber and information security, and then build a training program that enables your people to be an additional line of defence, on an ongoing basis.

What else do you think businesses need to focus on as they look at their cyber security position?

Cyber security doesn’t stop at the edges of your own organisation. All organisations sit within a supply chain that encompasses a myriad of service and systems providers that enable them to operate as they do. The proliferation of third party services that enable businesses to deliver their core services but require various integrations and sharing of data put all businesses in a position of increased risk. Anything that isn’t within your direct control should be considered as a third party risk. Cyber Security risks in the Supply Chain are not to be ignored, they are a very real and present threat to the stability of your operations.

CyberScale is a cyber and information security consultancy working with clients of all sizes across multiple industries and sectors. Have a look at what we do at www.cyberscale.co.uk or get in touch at info@cyberscale.co.uk.

ask the

EXPERT

Personal branding – what is it and why is it so important?

There’s lots of chatter, particularly online, about ‘personal branding’ and how it can impact your business, generate leads and help to scale up sales. Media Matters’ head of social media Alix Horspool explains just what personal branding is and why it is so important.

What is personal branding and why is it so important?

A personal brand is something I believe everyone has, whether they’re actively building on it or not. It’s your reputation in your industry, in your role and in your work-life – and often sometimes life outside of work.

Your objectives for working on your personal brand may differ from someone else’s, but ultimately the goal is to ensure that you are perceived as an expert in your field and to expand and build trust in your network.

The idea is that this will have a positive impact on your career and your business.

Where do I start when it comes to building my personal brand?

It can be daunting, but I recommend starting small, within your current role and business if possible.

Working on your personal brand when others are doing the same alongside you is much easier than going it alone.

Think about refining your profile so that it reflects your goals and begin by sharing third party articles. Comment on them, add in your thoughts and join in conversations relevant to you where you can contribute or learn from.

When creating your own content, the best tip I can offer you is to ask yourself: “What (industry relevant) subject could I talk to someone non-stop about?” This is a starting point, then break that subject into segments and build your content on it. This could be audio, video or written. With so many opportunities, why not get creative?

What should I NOT do when creating a personal brand?

Two things - arrogance and lack of credibility.

It is one thing to be knowledgeable, but another entirely if it comes across as arrogance.

Most industries are fast paced, moving with new technology advancements and businesses popping up left, right and centre. Because of this, you cannot possibly know everything there is to know about a subject. Even scientists must change what they’ve known as fact for years due to new discoveries. Be humble, open to learning, criticism, and new ways of thinking.

Maintaining credibility when building a personal brand is vital. For this reason, don’t lie about your expertise or steal content from other industry experts.

Remain honest and upfront with your audience - credibility takes a long time to build but seconds to destroy.

How can digital reputation help me scale up my business?

Businesses are people too. It’s really that simple!

If you position yourself as an expert in your field, grow your network and develop a positive reputation and credibility, people will want to work with you.

In fact, I would go as far to say that personal branding should be at the top of any business development agenda. If you’ve already built trust before someone has engaged in your services, you are halfway there!

Who can see and engage with my personal brand and profile?

Depending on the platform you use, your audience will technically be limited to your connections and followers, filtered by your privacy settings.

But remember that once something is on the Internet, it is there forever. Just because you are posting something within that circle doesn’t mean that’s where it will stay.

Which three experts in your industry do you think have a great personal brand?

There are so many – but Greg Gifford, Chi Thukral and Rob Mayhew.

the future of voice search. He’s got a fantastic reputation in the industry as an SEO expert, but the best part is that his personality shines through online.

Highly recommend his Local Search Tuesday videos and if you ever have the opportunity to watch one of his presentations in person, do it!

Chi Thukral is the Marketing Manager at Xox Trucks in California. I started following Chi on Twitter in 2019. Since then I’ve seen her personal brand develop into one that is relatable, knowledgeable and highly entertaining. She even now sells her own ‘merchCHIndise’ with her quotes on it which I think is the epitome of a great personal brand! She is so much more than the words I can fit in here – do go follow her @ChiThukral and see for yourself!

Rob Mayhew is Head of Influence at FleishmanHillard UK and a stand-up comedian. Rob has recently taken the marketing industry by storm on LinkedIn and TikTok. Who doesn’t go a day without watching one of his highly relatable and hilarious videos about the highs and lows of working in agency? He is someone who’s personal brand has become well established over the past 18 months and is a great example of how important it is to find your niche and make your content entertaining and relatable.

Greg Gifford is the VP of Search at SearchLab in Texas. I first came across him at BrightonSEO and was immediately sold by the way he presented his subject, connected 15

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SARAH WEST

Getting the best from your SEO WRITE UNIQUE AND RELEVANT TITLE TAGS

Perhaps the clearest indication of a page’s subject and relevance is its page title or title tag. The title tag is the name which appears in the browser tab and is the first section that people see when Google displays your website in search results.

It’s vitally important that the title tags you write are unique, specific to the page, accurately describe the content and contain the keywords you wish to target.

STRUCTURE YOUR WEBSITE WELL

More than just a relevant website, Google is also looking for a wellstructured one.

Search engines need to be able to navigate and explore every element of your website. Things which can hinder this include broken hyperlinks, inaccessible content (where pages require a log-in), missing image tags and duplicated title tags.

MAKE IT SPEEDY

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is ever evolving, thanks to the constant development of search engine algorithms.

With so many changes, it can be difficult to determine which techniques to use and which ones you can safely discount. But don’t worry, there are certain fundamental principles that remain unchanged.

Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing, shares some advice on the how to get the best from your Search Engine Optimisation.

START WITH THE BASICS

Page speed is a critical factor in SEO. The average time a user will wait for a web page to load is just two seconds!

Google will also down rank websites which are too slow to download.

So even if your website “has all the right stuff”, you’ll be lower down the search rankings.

To combat this, get rid of non-essential elements that are slowing down your site like deactivated plugins, large images, excess animation or inline CSS (styling code).

SECURE YOUR WEBSITE

SEO is all about maximising your website’s chance of appearing on page one for some – or all – of the terms typed into search engines by your target customers.

A website security certificate is essentially a digital stamp of approval from an industry-trusted third party. It asserts your business’s identity and establishes a secure, encrypted connection to your website.

SEO is split into on-page and off-page factors.

These include relevance (the content of the text and images), the structure of the site (how search engine friendly it is) and speed and security.

Having a secure website gives your users confidence that they have been connected securely to the official server for the website they are visiting. It also ensures no one can intercept data that has been sent to and from the website.

Off-page factors are those which can be affected outside your website.

In a nutshell, this is how well respected your website is by others as a quality source of information.

The primary off-page factor for SEO is authority. Authority is how well respected your website is as a source of quality information.

On-page factors are those which can be affected within your website itself.

ON-PAGE FACTORS

The primary on-page SEO factor you need to focus on is relevance.

Relevance is how well a website’s content answers someone’s search, especially your specific landing pages.

KEYWORD RICH CONTENT

The way to make your website relevant is by using keywords.

You need to carefully structure the written content of your website to include your target keywords and phrases - what you think your intended audience will be searching for.

Realistically, your website could only top Google for certain search items, so you’ll need to decide which keywords are most relevant to your business.

An important tip is not to artificially stuff your content with too many keywords or search terms. Google is wise to this! Your website needs to be unique, authentic and lack repetition – or Google could actually down rank your website.

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OFF-PAGE FACTORS

To rise up the search engine ranks, you need to have other respected websites linking to yours as a source of information. Gaining the respect of others online is largely about impressing your peers, being part of online communities and featuring on popular websites. PR or content marketing is key.

FIND THE BALANCE

Getting the best out of your SEO is a fine balance between on-page and off-page factors and these tips are by no means exhaustive.

There are many other factors which improve your website’s relevance including improving bounce rates, accurate image tags and the age of your domain.

It also takes time and there are no quick fixes. But, by implementing these tried and tested tips, you’ll start to see the results you’re hoping for.

More help can be found at www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk

The Mental Health and Workplace Culture Mental Health has never before been the subject of mass public interest as it is now. It isn’t that Mental Health is a new thing, it is because up until now it has been under the radar of public understanding in the everyday context.

Covid 19 has shed a light on how important our mental health is and that in the workplace, our conversations need to span further than stress and occupational health as a solution.

In 2017, the government commissioned Lord Stephen and Paul Farmer (CEO of Mind) to independently review the part that employers can play in better supporting individuals with mental health conditions in the workplace.

The Thriving at Work Review sets out a framework of actions called the Core Standards that the reviewers recommend employers of all sizes can and should put in place.

• Produce, implement, and communicate a mental health at work plan that promotes good mental health of all employees and outlines the support available for those who may need it • Develop mental health awareness among employees by making information, tools and support accessible • Encourage open conversations about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling, during the recruitment process and at regular intervals throughout employment, offer appropriate workplace adjustments to employees who require them • Provide employees with good working conditions and ensure they have a healthy work life balance and opportunities for development • Promote effective people management to ensure all employees have a regular conversation about their health and wellbeing with their line manager, supervisor or organisational leader and train and support line managers and supervisors in effective management practices • Routinely monitor employee mental health and wellbeing by understanding available data, talking to employees, and understanding risk factors.

These standards have been designed to help employers improve the mental health of the entire workforce and enable individuals living with mental health conditions to thrive.

We know that mental health difficulties in the workplace are causing serious issues in terms of productivity, time lost and the impact on the lives of those who contribute to the economy can be catastrophic if they do not feel supported.

It is time that workplaces take notice of the need to engage with staff on a fundamental human level

and allow policies and procedures to support those interactions, not drive them.

The HSE’s (Health and Safety Executive) management standards approach to tackling work related stress establishes a framework to help tackle workplace related stress and as a result reduce the incidence and negative impact of mental ill health.

Mental Health First Aiders are also recommended within the workplace and can take their place in helping to respond to situations where somebody may be in crisis and need an intervention as well as helping to lead the provision in the organisation as long as they are given the space and opportunity to do so. (It is imperative that any person who takes part in the implementation of a new initiative around this subject in interviewed and vetted for suitability, this makes sure that the individuals are safeguarded against adverse outcomes by way of unprocessed trauma) Lastly, it is important that any mental health provision in the business is recognised and receives buy in from board level executives. It must be led from the top in order to create a culture of change that delivers impact.

Danielle Bridge, CEO, ABC Life Support CIC

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chamber

GUEST ARTICLE

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL IN MANUFACTURING It’s a critical time for manufacturing – rapid developments in technology are unlocking new performance ceilings, but labour supply and workforce skillsets remain a challenge for many businesses.

The last six months have brought more volatility issues with energy prices soaring, uncertainty over energy supply and the integrity of international supply chains, on top of facing increasingly sophisticated global competition.

Thankfully, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough manufacturers are facing down these challenges with the support of the Smart Manufacturing Alliance, a new dedicated sector network for the region.

Manufacturing is the backbone of the region’s economy; it accounts for 13 per cent of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s economic output and provides employment for around 40,000 people, or nine per cent of the area’s workforce – making it one of the biggest employers.

On top of that, it’s a rich mix of specialisms with over 3,000 manufacturers spanning engine makers, pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing, robotics specialists, high18 connected

tech precision engineering, sports cars, composites, polymers, and 3D printing; there’s even a world-class inkjet cluster around Cambridge.

Consultation with businesses and assessments of the local economy over the last five years have identified that a formal sector network would significantly improve performance and help more manufacturers compete at a global level.

Similar sector networks like NAAME in Suffolk and Norfolk, the Engineering & Manufacturing Network in the North East, the Oxford Innovation Network, and SWMAS in the South West, have all significantly improved the performance of regional manufacturing clusters, developing specialisations and boosting sub-sector growth. There is plenty of cause for excitement across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.

The Smart Manufacturing Alliance has been established as a joint venture between the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and economic development company, Opportunity Peterborough.

Guiding the team’s work is a steering

group of local industry leaders, who can ensure the most pressing challenges are being tackled for the sector as a whole and members.

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND

“We’re here for every manufacturer in the region.” explains Bob Hart, the Programme Director.

“Big or small, local or international operations, high-tech or manual; our job is to support every single manufacturer to become more profitable and competitive.

“A large focus is digitisation, but it’s also about helping manufacturers ensure the fundamentals of their business are running effectively too – is their senior team all pulling in the same direction? Are there hidden performance gaps holding back their growth? Can we optimise investments in skills and lifelong learning for the workforce across the whole sector?”

BACK TO BASICS

Investments into new technologies are helping manufacturers become ever more competitive, but how can these investments pay off if the business isn’t

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GUEST ARTICLE

running effectively at its core? The last two years have put even more pressure on these financial decisions, and the Smart Manufacturing Alliance is keen to get back to basics with business owners.

“A new tool we’ve launched gives our members a deep dive into their current performance with our diagnostics and assessment toolkit – or DNA for short” says Bob. “We’re uncovering hidden performance gaps, siloed working, and helping senior teams understand where they need to focus to drive their business forward.

“Once we know what needs addressing, we’re working with our members to achieve their long-term goals in areas like sustainability, productivity, innovation or commercialisation. We can bring the experts to them so they can concentrate on running the business.

“That can mean anything from connecting them with research and development programmes, finding relevant grant funds, developing relationships with new collaborators to bringing in specialists for ground-breaking innovation projects or developing relationships with training providers to develop in-house skillsets.

“We’re here to support each business individually, whether they want to grow faster, develop their expertise, or explore new commercial opportunities. We’re connecting them with the relevant experts across our network like the Institute for Manufacturing and TWI, and like-minded manufacturers in complementary fields to foster more collaboration, and so we can help bring more new ideas to life across the region.”

BARGAINING POWER

One of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is now energy provision and cost. Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UK energy prices had hit record levels due to a raft of factors including post-COVID recovery and unfortunate weather conditions.

The war in Ukraine and the potential for disruptions to important Russian energy supplies has added huge premiums to the markets until March 2023.

Markets have reached these levels without any disruption to supply but if we were to

see physical disruption, either from Russia or through sanctions, the markets would undoubtedly see a further extreme reaction.

To help its members, the Smart Manufacturing Alliance has set up an energy collective with Inspired Energy.

By pooling members’ energy needs, the alliance is unlocking lower wholesale prices for members. The group has avoided a ‘onesize-fits-all’ approach too by using a flexible portfolio strategy. This gives members freedom to choose the deal that suits their risk appetite and energy consumption forecast, and allows them greater flexibility for bargaining based on their forecasts for peak usage.

Data Management Initiative to streamline workflows in 3D imaging, enhance data integrity and encourage cross-team collaborations.

The programme provides 12 hours of external consultancy funded by the Government to SME manufacturers.

Participants get a full assessment of their performance gaps, how Industry 4.0 technologies could address these, and which technologies they should prioritise on their digital journey. There is also the opportunity to apply for grant funding towards purchasing new equipment.

Industry 4.0 has been a prominent subject for several years and with so much on offer, the Smart Manufacturing Alliance is help SME manufacturers face easier decisionmaking when it comes to investments.

Teams also receive bespoke action plans to address longer-term considerations like skills development and sustainable business practice. Participants can also leverage access to industry bodies, universities, research institutions, and specialist support providers through the Smart Manufacturing Alliance.

ACMI 4.0, a £1.2 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme, has already helped Cambridge Precision in St Neots take on a cobot to meet significantly higher parts production for a new project through 24/7 production. Huxley Bertram in Cambridge will also be adopting a Product

To find out more about the Smart Manufacturing Alliance visit: www.sma-uk.co.uk

EMBRACING INDUSTRY 4.0

This programme is being delivered by economic development company, Opportunity Peterborough, in partnership with the Smart Manufacturing Alliance.

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chambers

CHARITY OF THE YEAR

Supporting children and families at Maggie’s in Cambridge If you or a close family member has been diagnosed with cancer, you may be worried about what to tell the children. It can be difficult to think about what words to use and how to best support them.

You will know your child best, and aiming the conversation at their age range, and level of understanding, can be helpful.

Children soon pick up on changes within the family, but if they feel included in what is happening, they are likely to cope better.

At Maggie’s Cambridge we offer the opportunity for adults to be supported with strategies in talking to children of all ages. We offer a range of resources that can help you to feel more confident when starting discussions around cancer and its treatment. We also run

children’s support groups so they can meet other children in similar situations whilst, through creativity, explore any concerns or worries.

For older children and teenagers there is the opportunity for them to have one to one support on an individual basis both with our art therapist or with our counsellors.

We also offer sessions with a cancer support specialist where members of your family can come to the centre together to talk through any concerns.

All of these opportunities are available virtually or face to face.

For further information, please call us on 01223 249 220 or email us at cambridge@maggies.org

We’re walking to celebrate Guy’s life and to raise money to support people with cancer EMMA’S STORY:

Emma and Guy’s wedding day was the happiest day of her life, but in 2017, when they were both in their thirties, Guy was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. Emma was a full-time teacher and looking after Guy and their daughters all at once, she felt like she was suffering in silence.

Emma and Guy has been hopeful, but after his major surgery it became clear that Guy wasn’t going to get better.

When Emma plucked up the courage to get in touch with Maggie’s, the team helped her feel less alone, better informed, and more able to cope.

After Guy died, Maggie’s was there to help Emma to deal with her grief, giving her the emotional strength to help her daughters in their grief too.

Join Emma and her family and register for Together We Walk to make sure everyone with cancer gets the support they need.

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chamber supports

CHARITY

Retail managers get together to celebrate a year of record-breaking success Retail managers from across the region gathered to celebrate a record-breaking 12 months for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).

The event was held at Culford School, near Bury St Edmunds, and attended by staff from Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions and relies heavily on profits generated from its 44 shops. It also has a fast-growing ecommerce operation.

Retail income for the last financial year was just over £6.5 million, with like-for-like sales up 17.4 per cent compared to the prepandemic year of 2019/20.

Among those to speak during the team-building day was EACH Chief Executive Phil Gormley.

EACH relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income and this year alone, in terms of shop income, needs to raise £6.5 million.

Ian added: “We also want to say thanks to all the donors who continue to support us with their amazing donations of clothes and hard goods. They really are making the difference to the lives of children and families.

“We’re hitting great numbers to start the year but now the celebrations are over and we step into the new financial year, so it’s a case of here we go again. We’re excited by the challenge ahead.”

EACH Director of Retail Ian Nicolson said: “We came together to celebrate and say thank you for the incredible hard work and dedication of our shop staff.

“The team have dealt with such adversity in a year of constant change and we recognised their amazing efforts by handing out awards, including eBay, Amazon and Gift Aid Shop of the Year. We also wanted to recognise and celebrate those who have done amazing work in their community and supporting their volunteer teams.

“It was a great day and lovely for managers to meet up with colleagues and counterparts from different shops and counties.”

Switch onto energy savings Limited funding still available for eligible businesses towards energy saving projects*. Find out more: www.pect.org.uk/projects/ene

The ENE project is funded by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding * Eligibility criteria apply. Minimum project value £5,000.

chamber

GREEN COLUMN

Cutting costs and environmental impact through travel planning Business related travel and transport is an area of activity which is coming under increasing scrutiny for most organisations. Costs are rising following recent fuel price rises and transport also represents a significant proportion of most organisations’ carbon footprints.

Latest government statistics show that transport makes up over a quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, over 90 per cent of which was generated by road transport and 61 per cent of that relates to emissions from cars and taxis.

Transport also causes water, sound and air pollution, particularly in built up and congested areas. It is therefore one of the key targets of the government carbon reduction strategy – with its headline policy being the banning of new diesel and petrol fuelled cars in the UK from 2030.

Photo by Jordan Brierley on Unsplash

By adopting a travel plan, or at least making some policy decisions about the use of transport and travel, a business is taking significant steps towards managing this area of environmental impact.

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A travel plan or policy will encourage the uptake of sustainable modes of transport and reduce the use of fossilfuelled vehicles. It can also deliver a range of social, environmental, economic and health benefits and adoption by all staff is encouraged, though in relation to staff commuting, adoption cannot be enforced.

A travel plan and associated action plan should aim to measure, monitor and manage the use of: • Business related travel, including the use of sustainable transport, fleet (unless a separate Fleet Management Policy has been drawn up) and grey fleet (employees own cars used for business purpose) • Commuter travel – to and from work.

It can also extend to encouraging stakeholders to consider how they travel to an organisation’s premises and the selection of delivery contractors and monitoring the mileage they undertake on a business’s behalf.

National green business accreditation programme, Investors in the Environment, supports businesses to improve their sustainability performance by following a structured programme to introduce environmental management into their working practices. Knowledgeable advisors support member organisations from all sectors and of all sizes to achieve this, and transport and travel are key areas of focus. iiE members are encouraged to start by measuring business travel and to gradually extend the range of impacts being monitored.

They will then take actions to reduce these impacts as data capture systems and company policy evolves, resulting in the development of a travel plan.

A travel plan is not a static document; it requires stakeholder consultation and regular review as business and staff needs change. Once established, however,

it can be a tool which brings about significant progress within the culture of a company. From the provision of electric pool vehicles to implementation of the bike to work scheme, from financially incentivising lift sharing to prioritising train not plane use, there are many ways in which a business can put policy into action – once the framework is there, the world of greener transport is your oyster!

CASE STUDY: Investors in the Environment member Budget Paper Supplies (BPS) Ltd creates paper-based products for the educational art sector. Their small business (21 FTE) is located in a rural Peterborough village which is only served by an irregular bus service. In 2021, in accordance with the aims of their company travel plan created as part of their iiE accreditation, the company introduced the Cycle to Work scheme - an employee benefit programme that enable employees to hire cycles for active travel and/ or cyclist’s safety equipment from the employer, or from a third party, in return for a deduction from their earnings known as salary sacrifice. One employee immediately signed up as he had been relying on a family member to drive him to and from work. BPS also made an allowance for occasional flexible working hours so the employee could take the bus into work on the days when cycling was not practical. Not only is the employee now able to enjoy a greater feeling of independence, he is much fitter, has more money in his pocket and approximately 50 fewer car miles are driven every week.

This article was completed on 21/03/2022 by Camilla Sherwin, Sustainability Consultant on the Investors in the Environment programme. To find out more about the programme, visit www.iie. uk.com or email info@iie.uk.com

Would you like to become a Chamber member?

Get in touch today to find out the many benefits.

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

• NEW MEMBERS • Accounting and Beyond

IKO plc

Shine Coaching

ACR Cleaning Ltd

Jensen Security & Fire Systems Ltd

SPT Labtech Ltd

BestLet Anglia Ltd

KISS Communications Ltd

Tanso Ltd

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Region of Learning

Leeding Projects Ltd

Constant Finance

Lumin Wealth Ltd

The Haycock Manor Hotel The William Scott Abbott Trust

Fenland District Council

Peterborough Environment City Trust

Vavoom Collective Ltd

GH Display

Raymal

Warren Access Huntingdon Ltd

Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer UK Ltd

Runway Training

Yellow Door Ltd

“Turning great people into great leaders.” l Have you recently promoted or appointed a manager? l Is your organisation going through change or growth and your management and leadership teams need to be aligned? l Your people are your most important asset and you want to give them the support they need.

Help is at hand. Shine Coaching helps organisations by equipping managers to lead effectively and achieve more than they thought possible.

To find out more about how coaching and mentoring can benefit your organisation, please do get in touch. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-woods-coach/ jo@shinewellness.co.uk www.shinewellness.co.uk

Here at Subcon5 Ltd, we work with manufacturing SMEs across the UK, by integrating value in to each unique manufacturing process.

With over 30 years of experience, SubCon5 Ltd could provide your business with a fresh, impartial approach; reviewing all the areas of the business that you are comfortable with. We then provide a detail summary of our findings, followed by support in developing strategic, cost-effective solutions, to help deliver maximum results.

07866 911093, Subcon5ltd@gmail.com www.subcon5ltd.com

Taylor Rose MW is a top 60 law firm with over 30 offices nationwide. We build trusted relationships with people and organisations to successfully overcome challenges in life. Our heritage spans over 100 years, but we defy tradition. With a unique management structure, we operate dynamically, constantly looking for smart ways to succeed. From the everyday, to the most complex issue, we’ll provide you with clear advice whilst delivering our vision of Smart Modern Law. www.taylor-rose.co.uk

Gainmore Solutions Ltd Business Improvement Consultancy Proven to 10X Sales Revenue

GainMore Solutions are a business improvement consultancy helping SMEs to increase their sales, improve their profits and give business owners time and money back. We do this through proven commercial and marketing programmes designed to get more customers, optimise pricing and implement the best operational processes. One client has recently seen their revenue increase from £85k to £1.3m thanks to our support. www.gainmoresolutions.com

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

Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237424 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

20 Years in Cyber Security IT Governance is celebrating 20 years in business; 20 years in which organisations’ approaches to cyber security have continually evolved – and with ever-evolving risks lurking in cyberspace, it is imperative for businesses and individuals to be vigilant and aware of the threats.

In the early 2000s, Alan Calder, founder of IT Governance, and Steve Watkins, former director, were the first in the UK to successfully implement an information security management system compliant with BS 7799 – now ISO 27001 – which has helped many organisations build their cyber security.

As the world has evolved into the digital era, data has become a treasure trove for cyber criminals. Even obscure information has a distinct value, which criminals can steal, damage or misuse.

While innovations such as the Cloud provide enormous value, they can also expose organisations to significant risk. The switch to hybrid working during the pandemic has exposed these increased risks, providing numerous opportunities for criminals and other malicious actors.

Another primary challenge for the future of cyber security is the workforce shortage and ensuring staff have the appropriate skills and knowledge.

Organisations must be prepared. This means not only establishing technical controls to protect data, but training staff to appreciate and recognise the threats, and building capabilities to identify, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents.

It’s safe to say, looking 20 years ahead – or even 20 days – a single layer of defence will never be adequate, and cursory training will only lead to failures.

Stuart Gibbons OBE appointed patron of the Young Technicians Academy Young Technicians Academy are delighted and proud to announce Stuart Gibbons OBE as patron of the Academy, alongside actors Hayley Burroughs and Annabelle Davis as performing arts patrons.

The announcement comes as the Academy celebrates six months since opening its first building in Yaxley, near Peterborough. The Academy offers training to young people in performing and production arts, including sound, lighting, stage and event management, and media production.

Stuart Gibbons OBE is the joint Managing Director of Le Mark Group,

an international supplier in the arts and entertainment industry. On his appointment as patron, Mr Gibbons said: “The Young Technicians Academy is a unique and much needed facility, training the next generation of events and entertainment personnel. I am honoured to be appointed as patron happy to lend my support to their endeavors.”

The announcement of Patrons coincides with the launch of its BTEC programme.

The first cohort will start in September 2022 and students will be able to choose between performing arts and production arts. These post 16 qualifications are

unique to the area, giving learners a wider option for their studies and helping to plug skills gap created in the industry as a result of the pandemic.

Webtec Recognises Young Female Engineers of the Future Due to the high standard of applicants, Webtec is proud this year to sponsor two Arkwright Engineering Scholarships and has awarded Roy Cuthbert Scholarships to Emily Williams and Rona French.

supporters since 1991 and the Roy Cuthbert Scholarship, which is part of the scheme, was named after Webtec’s founder, a passionate engineer and entrepreneur who passed away in 2013.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, part of the educational charity ‘The Smallpeice Trust’ is a national scheme. Now in its 30th year, it aims to widen access and provide young people from all backgrounds the chance to experience the exciting world of engineering. Webtec has been proud

This scholarship scheme acts as a beacon to the most talented STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) students in the UK schools and helps to ensure that high-potential young people stay engaged in the engineering careers pipeline, in the critical 16 to 18 age range.

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“Recognising talent in students and rewarding hardwork and commitment is important and we are delighted to have the opportunity to award two scholarships to young female students who well deserve this accolade. Webtec is passionate to support and encourage young talent into engineering and the Arkwright Scholarship offers a great opportunity to help students achieve their full potential” commented Martin Cuthbert, Webtec’s Managing Director.

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MEMBER NEWS

MAJOR PRODUCTION MILESTONE FOR DOMINO PRINTING A global leader in the development and manufacturing of coding, marking, and printing technologies is celebrating another major milestone at its Bar Hill headquarters.

Domino Printing has just manufactured its 40,000th Ax-Series continuous ink jet (CIJ) printer on the production line at its Cambridge manufacturing site.

First launched in 2016, the printer is now being used all over the world. Its design means that the printer is suitable for the most demanding industrial coding environments, with customer applications in industries as diverse as food production, pharmaceutical packaging, and electronics component manufacturing.

Belinda Pryor, Manufacturing Manager, said: “Six years on, our Ax-Series continues to set the benchmark for CIJ coding in the industry. The 40,000th printer to be produced here marks another significant milestone for Cambridge and our business globally.”

Domino employs over 2,900 people worldwide and sells to more than 120 countries through a global network of 25 subsidiary offices and more than 200 distributors. Domino’s manufacturing facilities are located in China, Germany, India, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and the USA.

It is the proud recipient of six Queen’s Awards in several categories, including innovation. Domino has also been recognised with many industry awards, including the ‘Supply Chain Excellence’ and ‘People and Skills’ accolades at The Manufacturer MX Awards.

The company’s continued growth is underpinned by an unrivalled commitment to product development.

Domino became an autonomous division within Brother Industries Ltd on 11 June 2015.

Police led video initiative set to Inform and Protect With an estimated 65,000 attempts every day to hack SMEs in the UK, cyber security has never been more critical yet 43 per cent of all businesses do not have a cyber security plan.

Phishing, ransomware, malware, and identity theft are just a few tactics criminals use to target small to medium businesses with the average cost of a cyber attack coming in at £8460. The reality is many businesses are not financially prepared to recover from an attack and many lose customers after a data breach.

The Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre is a Police led, not for profit organisation that was set up to improve cyber resilience in the East of England. Working with local Universities, utilising students, and trusted partners, they provide affordable testing and training services with the opportunity to procure private sector cyber services where necessary.

Membership is free but the organisation faces a huge issue, nobody thinks it will happen to them and if they are concerned.

‘Whose responsibility is it?’ Lack of understanding and general apathy on the subject is playing into the hands of the criminals and incidents are increasing exponentially.

Faced with these challenges the ECRC set out to create a series of educational videos to get their message across and are now asking as many organisations as possible to spread this important message https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1Q9O7QES7Yk

Beacon donate wildflower seeds for the second year running Beacon Wealth Group, have donated the wildflower seeds for the pictorial meadow at Riverside Park, St Neots, for the second year running.

The area covering approximately 540m2 was planted last year and was well received in the community. Beacon received many messages from people to say how much the meadow, along

with the bench that the company also donated, means to them.

With the community always at the heart of the family run business, it was an easy decision to make the donation once again for 2022.

Beacon launched their “Greener Us” campaign this year and Managing Director, Tony Larkins, commented:

“The meadow and the bench seemed to brighten the communities’ spirits last year, which was the exact intention of the project and with our Greener Us campaign, it was a natural fit to offer the donation again for this year. We hope that the community continue to enjoy this beautiful place of reflection for another year.” connected 25

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Wyboston Lakes Resort promotes Simon McMahon

Wyboston Lakes Resort has promoted Simon McMahon to the position of Director of Operations. He will oversee all the assets at the 400-bedroom Resort, including the recently refurbished Waterfront Hotel, Y

Spa, 18-hole golf course and 60,000 sq ft of serviced offices.

This is in addition to the Resort’s two residential business venues –The Woodlands Event Centre and The Willows Training Centre – that he has managed for many years. He will now manage a team of more than 250 people, which is anticipated to top 300 again in the coming months given the strong year ahead.

Steve Jones, Managing Director of Wyboston Lakes Resort, said: “Simon has truly earned his promotion to this position.

It is a role we have reintroduced to enable us to continue growing exponentially in the coming years given all we have planned both on site at our Resort and across the UK

supporting other meetings and serviced office-led businesses. It is testimony to his talent, hard work and outstanding contribution to the business, particularly during a crucial and challenging time for the MICE industry, that he has earned this promotion and I am so pleased at all he has achieved for himself.”

McMahon added: “I have been fortunate enough to work for Wyboston Lakes for almost 10 years in several different roles and I am extremely proud to take on this new role. The opportunity to work across all our venues and bring the operations teams together as we move into a promising new era for the business is very exciting and I can’t wait to get started.”

East Anglian rail stations are quietly nurturing the green shoots of an eco-revolution East Anglia’s fragile wildlife populations are finding sanctuary at railway stations - thanks to the efforts of volunteers who have transformed land the equivalent of 34 tennis courts into ecofriendly gardens.

Greater Anglia’s team of station adopters – who help to look after their rail stations for the benefit of their communities – increased the total area of station garden across the network by seven per cent last year and devoted much of it to creating wildlife friendly areas. It brings the total amount of railway land converted into garden to over 6,800 square metres.

In total, there are now 61 rail station gardens on Greater Anglia’s network. Each garden provides a vital additional habitat for local wildlife as well as making the stations more attractive and welcoming, contributing to human wellbeing too. In addition, the volunteers almost doubled the number of flower planters on platforms at stations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire to 817, up from 454 in 2020. They have also so far installed 63 insect houses and 66 bird boxes.

In an effort to save water and help station adopters care for their gardens, Greater Anglia and the region’s Community Rail Partnerships have also helped to install 45 water butts across the network.

“Many of these gardens have been designed to be wildlife friendly, enhancing biodiversity and providing food, shelter and breeding places for many different types of wildlife. Some of them are becoming really magical places as a result, helping to support rare types of wildlife and benefiting their communities by helping to improve the local environment and existing more harmoniously with their rural surroundings.

Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, Alan Neville, said: “Thanks to the care and attention of our team of station adopters, we have thousands upon thousands of plants thriving at our rail stations which helps not only to make them more welcoming, but are benefiting the environment too.

“This is all helping the railway in East Anglia to lead the green recovery from the pandemic by being a much greener way to travel - and our new fleet of trains will contribute even more thanks to their more environmentally friendly features which reduce CO2 and particulate emissions in the region further still and offer a convenient, comfortable alternative to the car.”

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chamber

MEMBER NEWS

MP, Daniel Zeichner shares expertise with CRC students seeking to extract the professional knowledge and expertise that Daniel has accumulated as a long-standing member of parliament representing a large constituency. In particular, the group were looking to gain an understanding of how to articulate the view of others and the traits of good leadership.

Deputy Principal, Michelle Dowse said: “We are very proud of our strong student voice at CRC and of our proactive Students’ Union who work with college management to bring about change and to undertake excellent work in our community. Our Students’ Union, Student Leaders and Student Ambassadors represent a large and diverse student community. We were delighted that Daniel visited the college to share his experience of and provide our students with tools to represent the views of their peers with confidence.”

Daniel opened the meeting with an insight into his own journey to community representation and the diverse role he fulfils as a member of parliament, from making global changes to sorting out issues for individual constituents.

On Friday 22 April, Students’ Union president Nathan Smith welcomed MP, Daniel Zeichner to Cambridge Regional College for a meeting with student representatives.

With the ever-changing landscape in colleges and the need to represent a diverse community, the student representatives were

Highlighting that there is often a bigger picture to each situation, Daniel explained that seeing things from all angles gives a greater insight into how best to represent people to achieve positive outcomes.

Daniel Zeicher, MP, said: “I praise you all on your skills and confidence. You have an exciting journey ahead, and I hope to see some of you in Parliament one day.”

John Bridge OBE DL recognised with lifetime achievement award Representatives from across the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire PR, Media and Communication industries joined together for an annual celebration.

The annual event took place inside Peterborough United FC’s Weston Homes Stadium. It celebrates those working in PR, digital media, marketing and journalism across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

During the event, hosted by Peterboroughbased PR and Communications consultancy Athene Communications, John Bridge OBE DL was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award for his contributions to local businesses, charities and growth opportunities to the region.

The event saw other winners including Peterborough Telegraph, Peterborough United FC, Peterborough Unlimited, Peterborough Positive, Nene Park Trust, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council in

categories ranging from Rising Star to Communications Team of the Year.

Rachel Wild, Managing Director at Athene Communications, commented: “We think it’s important to reflect on what has been achieved by those working hard often behind the scenes to promote the city and region and the various great projects going on in and around it. I would like to extend my congratulations to all those nominated and to all of the winners.

“There has been some brilliant communications work carried out, especially during Covid times, so we really wanted to highlight the contributions that have been made to our city throughout this difficult period. Thank you to everyone who was in attendance, it was a wonderful evening and it was great to be able to hold it in person – we look forward to celebrating more positive work like this in the future.”

Mr Bridge was Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

for 17 years and recently retired from this position. During his time in office, Mr Bridge played a major role in driving the region’s economic success, engaging with local businesses by expanding global trade opportunities to ensure that businesses always have the support, services and connections to thrive.

In particular, Mr Bridge’s defining legacy can be seen as the £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14 dual carriageway, which John campaigned tirelessly for. connected 27

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

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Events are back: Meet Cambridge sees huge increase in enquiry levels The official conference and events bureau for Cambridge and the surrounding area is reporting soaring levels of enquiries from organisations keen to book meetings and dinners as inperson gatherings.

Meet Cambridge, founded and funded by the Cambridge Colleges, has revealed that since the beginning of 2022, the team has helped 438 different organisations with 741 venue searches worth approximately £5.3 million.

These enquiries involved 38,559 day delegates, 40,919 diners and 5,319 residential guests.

Other positive signs have been event organisers conducting site visits ahead of booking conferences, including the first for an international association since the pandemic. This involved a client in Switzerland who had been unable to visit until now because of travel restrictions.

The Meet Cambridge team was also recently selected to take part in Meet GB Virtual, a showcase organised by VisitBritain, during which event organisers from around the world were keen to resume in-person events.

Judith Sloane, Head of Meet Cambridge, said: “Our enquiry levels have soared in the last couple of months with a clear message that people want to meet up – and soon!

“Lead-times are short – one to three months – and with dining events the most popular there’s definitely an appetite to get together. February saw a 56 per cent increase in enquiries compared to the same month in 2019 and 2020.

“Three of the international association conferences that we have been working on over several years and which should have taken place over the pandemic are now happening this year. These are: the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in August; the International Symposium on Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy in August; and the Symposium of the Section of Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) in September.

“There are also other encouraging signs that we can look forward to welcoming more delegates to Cambridge soon. One of our ambassadors for The International Association of Music Libraries event planned for 2023 is now putting the finishing touches to the programme, with strong support from her association members for a face-to-face meeting.”

Experienced decontamination duo taking Guardtech’s clean team to new heights

The Guardtech Group are delighted to welcome experienced cleanroom decontamination specialists Sarah Mayes and Lee Burton to the company.

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The duo boast more than 30 years of combined cleanroom cleaning experience between them and their wide-ranging skillset strengthens the Decontamination Team services that Guardtech’s growing business already offers.

offer comprehensive multi-stage cleaning as and when required.

Clients can choose between standard periodical decontamination packages (quarterly, monthly, weekly or daily) or opt for a more bespoke cleaning programme to suit their business’ needs.

“We’re actively seeking new clients and would urge any businesses with cleanrooms to get in touch – as our services could be just what you need to ensure your facility performs at its optimum level.”

From builders’ cleans and pre-validation cleans to biocidal and sporicidal cleans, the Decontamination Team work to GMP standards, conduct cleanliness verification tests (with full reporting), are certified to work from height and

“We’re really happy to be part of the Guardtech family,” said Ms Mayes. “Lee and I have been working together for a long time now and we’re excited about the next chapter in our journey together.

Mr Burton added: “We’ve developed a strong bond over many years of working together and we’re certain that our unique experience will complement the great work that Guardtech already do.”

chamber

MEMBER NEWS

King’s Ely and Fairstead House schools become “one family” on their shared commitment to the excellent education and family ethos for which Fairstead House and King’s Ely are renowned.

to partner with another successful local pre-preparatory and preparatory school.

Discussions first started in April 2021.

This exciting decision will see Fairstead House – a leading independent nursery, pre-preparatory and preparatory school for children aged 0-11 based in Newmarket – join forces with King’s Ely – a thriving independent all-through school for children aged 2-18 based in Ely.

With considerable changes in the independent education sector, where rising costs and regulatory demands have forced many smaller independent schools across the land to close or endure forced takeovers, the Governors at Fairstead House are looking forward to both the security and opportunities that the merger and a stronger overall entity will create.

This strategic move formalises a longstanding relationship between both schools and builds

The process towards merger was initiated

by King’s Ely as part of its strategic plan

Under the agreement, while both schools will come under the oversight of a single Governing Body, which will include two Governors from Fairstead House, each will retain its identity, name, uniform, badge and day-to-day autonomy. Fairstead House’s Acting Head, Michael Radford, will have a position on the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at King’s Ely and vice versa for the Principal of King’s Ely, John Attwater.

The Governing Bodies of King’s Ely in Cambridgeshire and Fairstead House in Suffolk have announced a strategic partnership between the two schools by merger of their respective charities.

Prominent Peterborough Solicitor retires after 45-year career areas including criminal defence and prosecutions, residential and commercial property transactions and most recently employment law.

Tim Thompson, Senior Partner at Hegarty Solicitors, located in Peterborough, Stamford and Oakham, is set to retire this month after a legal career spanning 45 years.

Well-known and respected amongst the Peterborough business community, assisting HR teams and employers navigate the complex world of employment law, Tim is known for his helpful, friendly and proactive approach. Throughout his career Tim has been a regular speaker at employment law seminars, offering advice to HR professionals throughout the local area. Tim has also assisted many employees during his career, providing help and advice for problems at work and receives outstanding reviews on Trustpilot.

Tim joined the firm in 1977 and became a partner in 1979. In his time at the firm he has dealt with a range of legal

Tim commented: “I have enjoyed seeing the firm expand over the years, from a small office in Peterborough with a

handful of staff, to now operating from branches across the region with offices in Peterborough, Stamford and Oakham.

“We have a dynamic team who are committed to delivering exceptional service to clients, and with the development of new talent across the business, I am confident the firm will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Martin Bloom, who succeeds Tim as Senior Partner, commented: “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Tim for more than 40 years, and on behalf of all at Hegarty Solicitors would like to wish Tim an enjoyable and happy retirement.

“Although Tim will be missed by clients and colleagues alike, the Hegarty Solicitors Employment Law team will continue to provide an outstanding service to clients.”

Citrox Biosciences is the world’s leading plant-based cleaning and hygiene manufacturer at Interclean Amsterdam 2022 Citrox Biosciences is protecting the health of humans, animals, and plants in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way by offering proven effective organic and non-toxic anti-pathogenic solutions. The Citrox® is a 100% natural anti-microbial agent made from a blend of bioflavonoids and organic acids. It has been independently proven to be effective against bacteria, viruses, yeast, moulds and fungi.

Citrox Biosciences will be presenting Citrox Protect line of plantbased products at one of the largest professional cleaning and hygiene industry platforms Interclean Amsterdam 2022.

The regular use of Citrox® is also safer and kinder to the environment. The company is working hard to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency, seeking to provide a truly Green Technology with a wide range of applications, including hand care, hard surface and textile sealants, surface cleaning/ disinfection and misting. connected 29

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The Cambridge AGM raises £1.1k for Cambridge Women’s Aid The Cambridge Building Society donated £1,100 to Cambridge Women’s Aid (CWA) at its Annual General Meeting on Monday 25 April.

The money was raised from donations the Society made for each vote it received from its customers’ feedback on its resolutions – 30p for online and 25p postal votes.

This year’s AGM – its 172nd - was held at the Society’s newly refurbished Cambridge city centre Head Office in Newmarket Road, and virtually for those unable to attend in person. Nearly 4,000 votes were cast by members and all resolutions were passed.

The Cambridge’s CEO, Peter Burrows, said: “This donation kicks off our support for Women’s Aid, which our staff voted unanimously to have as our charity of the year.

“Last year our people donated more than 1,000 hours for a variety of charities, and they are already looking at ways to spend their charity day to raise money for CWA this year, which we will fund match.”

CWA is part of the national Women’s Aid network that offers advice and support to women and children experiencing domestic abuse, as well as raising awareness of abuse issues among professions working with survivors and those seeking refuge and support.

life, increasing her resources, resilience and capacity to rebuild an independent life for herself and her children, free from fear.

Angie Stewart, CEO at Cambridge Women’s Aid, received the cheque from The Cambridge’s Chairman, John Spence, and CEO, Peter Burrows. She said: “We’re delighted to receive this donation, which helps go the extra mile for a woman at a vulnerable moment in her

“Attending the Cambridge’s AGM also gave us an interesting insight into the business and the kind of support it offers our local community through savings and mortgages, but also as an employer and charity supporter.”

What’s your next power move?

Limited funding still available for eligible businesses towards renewable energy projects*.

Find out more and apply: www.pect.org.uk/projects/ene

The ENE project is funded by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding * Eligibility criteria apply. Minimum project value £5,000.

GROWTH WORKS SUPPORTS BUSINESS INNOVATION AND LIFE-CHANGING GROWTH IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE Funding and strategic business support has been helping Cambridgeshire businesses to bring game-changing technology to market.

One of these success stories is with Cambridgeshire-based British Sign Language (BSL) company, Clarion UK, who has seen tremendous growth in the past year. As the largest BSL agency in the UK, they are pioneering technology to allow every deaf and hard-of-hearing person to receive the support they need, no matter where they are.

Having to pivot 50 per cent of their in-person interpretation services to online, the pandemic spurred on a change and opened up new opportunities for innovation. “We came through covid with a lot of energy… and our response time has never been better”, says Sally, Clarion’s Chief Executive. Now, Clarion can provide more digital services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people than ever before.

The challenge: Overcoming technical, intellectual property, and legal challenges Clarion is looking to launch brand-new technology in 2022 that will allow even more people to access sign-language services.

With an exciting, future-forward idea for BSL inclusivity, Clarion has ambitious plans.

“We have just done a business plan and we are looking at almost doubling our growth by 2026. That’s quite a game-changer in terms of traditional business growth. But in the beginning, we had three blockers: the first one was who owned the IP (to their new product), the second was getting some tech skills into the project, and the third one was funding.”

However, Clarion’s main focus was finding the right technology, as “tech IP is probably one of the most challenging topics you can pick in business, so just having people who know what they are doing has been brilliant” whilst navigating complex legal issues that they had no experience in, says Sally.

With great ideas and a well-established company already behind her, Sally needed momentum and specialist advice to prove their new idea was viable for the AI technology they’re planning to bring to the market.

The solution: Strategic business growth support to introduce new life-changing technology Knowing they needed business advice on their complex plan and financial support, last year, she was recommended to Growth Works.

When recalling her experience, she said Growth Works were “responsive, down to earth, honest, and quick in their approach”, “blowing the competition out of the water” when it came to looking for funding and business support.

The advice has helped with “external validation that what we were doing, we were on the right track. (Growth Works) have also been

very good at pointing out the priorities about the legal/IP issues. In setting up a new service, in terms of focusing my mind, my advisers through the programme have been great”.

The outcome: One step ahead of the competition with inclusivity and further team growth into 2022 Growth Works supplied critical funding that helped with research, technical products, and specifically helped with the law and intellectual property issues. Sally said, “funding has been rocket-fuel for the tank” and the support has helped them stay on track. This has allowed Clarion to be ahead of schedule with their prototype launch by two months.

Having expert advice about complex issues from Growth Works advisers has helped Clarion to reach their milestones. Sally said that due to the support and extra funding, “things keep falling into place and continue to do so”, overcoming barriers to take their new product into its next phase of development.

Clarion’s team has also grown by four full-time employees in 2021, with plans to keep hiring through their product launch in 2022.

Throughout a time of “50 per cent stress and 50 per cent excitement” for Sally and the future of Clarion, Growth Works has helped provide structure and essential advice for the business, allowing them to manage a large period of growth and change.

Sally is “really glad Growth Works exists as they’ve given concrete advice” alongside awarding them the revenue and capital grant funding. She would 100 per cent recommend other eligible companies who are looking to grow their business to get in touch with Growth Works.

Could your business benefit from expert support and funding to help you unlock further growth? Check your eligibility and tell us about your business to join our programme at https://www.growthworkscoaching.uk/get-started/ For more information, contact the team at enquiries@growthworks.uk connected 31

chamber

Our regular training courses provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities. Currently, all courses will take place online via Zoom.

TRAINING

CHAMBER TRAINING Course Dates

CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION 7 June, 6 October The course looks at the procedures required to deal with customs.

It is vitally important that importers and exporters understand the information required to be submitted, fines and inspections are things that no company wants to endure.

BITESIZE WORKSHOP: EXPORT MARKETING 7 June, 20 September Find out how to market your products and services overseas.

• Understanding how countries adopt different methods when marketing your products • Origin plays a key role when dealing with some countries • Check best trading countries - we will show you some useful tools to use • Importance of FTA when exporting.

UNDERSTANDING COMMODITY CODES 17 June, 27 September, 13 December By attending this course we will ensure you are aware of what a commodity code is and what it is used for, understand the process of how to classify goods, successfully classify a range of goods and understand the importance of getting your commodity codes correct.

INCOTERMS 2020 21 June, 18 October This seminar will explain Incoterms® and their importance in international trade contracts.

BITESIZE WORKSHOP: DOCUMENTATION 21 June, 18 October Having the following set up allows Export and/or Import departments to move goods without delays and extra costs.

• Processing and Documentation • Understanding Incoterms • Understanding Commodity codes • Correct Documentation and procedures.

UNDERSTANDING A CUSTOMS DECLARATION 5 July, 3 November This course will highlight what you need to know to complete customs declarations accurately for both the import and export of goods, including taking you through step-by-step guidance on completing the SAD C88 form.

BITESIZE WORKSHOP: LOGISTICS AND BROKERAGE 5 July, 3 November Gain a snapshot of what is involved with logistics and brokerage: • Engagement with Forwarders • Understanding Costs • Insurance • Documentation - having a good broker and the importance.

UNDERSTANDING RULES OF ORIGIN 14 July, 6 December This course will explain all aspects of the Rules of Origin and Trade Agreements and how to understand and comply with them to help companies be more competitive in export markets.

UNDERSTANDING LOGISTICS 19 July, 13 October Understand the process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination.

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IMPORT/ EXPORT DIAGNOSTICS WORKSHOP 11 August, 24 November This workshop shows companies how to look at their SOPS and compliance, going through key areas of procedures and compliance, preparing for trading internationally either by exporting or importing.

UNDERSTANDING EXPORTING 8 September This course covers all the basic key areas around exporting. It will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms.

BITESIZE WORKSHOP: EXPORT STRATEGY 8 September We will discuss the importance of Export Strategy, new or old.

Building new international markets is the first stage.

Export Strategy: • Market entry • Barriers to understand and overcome • Useful tools and website to help your journey • Assessing needs of customers and capabilities • Making a procedure plan.

UNDERSTANDING IMPORTING 20 September This course covers all the basic key areas around importing and will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms.

LETTERS OF CREDIT 15 November This workshop covers the five main types of payment for exports, from advance payment to open account, including Sight Documentary Collection, Term Documentary Collection and Documentary Letters of Credit. It includes the use of Bills of Exchange with and without documents.

INWARD AND OUTWARD PROCESSING 1 December The course will cover special procedures and the benefits of using IP and OP in your compliance.

Full course details are available on our website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/training TRAINING COURSES Our training courses run from 9.30am-1.00pm.

Cost per course: £250.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £330.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

BITESIZE WORKSHOPS Our Bitesize sessions run from training courses run from 3.00-4.00pm.

Cost per bitesize session: £50.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £75.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

To register please visit our website, email j.mansfield@cambscci.co.uk or telephone 01223 237414.

Celebrating our county and inspiring the next generation The Lieutenancy of Cambridgeshire, in partnership with key organisations across the county, has launched the first ever Cambridgeshire County Day, taking place on Thursday 23 June 2022 at the July Course, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire.

The Chamber are working with TR Global events to offer this opportunity to businesses in Cambridgeshire. If you are interested in taking a space please email countyday@tr-globalevents.com. We will contact you to discuss your space requirements and confirm your booking.

The Chamber has secured a large marquee and is inviting Cambridgeshire businesses to share this exhibition space and take the opportunity to showcase, reach, connect and network with new audiences. It is anticipated that over 6,000 people will attend on the day.

As well as the exhibition space showcasing companies across the county, the day will also involve networking, hospitality, demonstrations, performances, a Garden Party and racing on the July course.

Limited space available: 3mx3m space – from £1,500 (plus VAT) 2mx2m space – from £800 (plus VAT) 1mx1m space – from £400 (plus VAT)

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chamber

EVENTS

Chamber members can register for events via the Chamber website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk or please contact Zoe McCabe Brennan, Events Co-ordinator on 01223 237414 or email z.mccabebrennan@cambscci.co.uk

HR SECTOR EVENTS

Informal Networking Evenings Take this free opportunity to catch up with familiar acquaintances you haven’t seen in ages, mingle with new business contacts and share knowledge and skills with like-minded professionals Hunts FA, Huntingdon Wednesday 8 June, 5.00-6.30pm The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Wednesday 15 June, 5.00-6.30pm Natwest, Cambridge Thursday 16 June, 5.00-6.30pm Poets House, Ely Monday 27 June, 6.00-7.00pm Please note that our Ely Informal Networking Evening is now being held in partnership with the Ely Cathedral Business Group.

Chamber HR Coffee Club: Performance Management Tuesday 1 June, 9.00-11.00am Holiday Inn, Huntingdon Network informally with likeminded HR professionals, share ideas and have a chat over a coffee.

This month Nicola Cockerill, Employment Law Solicitor at Buckles Solicitors LLP and Chair of our HR & Recruitment Sector, and Lorraine Canham, HR Consultant at face2faceHR, will be speaking about performance management within your organisation.

Cost: Free to attend but we encourage you to register via the Chamber website. organised by the HR and Recruitment Sector.

Safari Networking Breakfast Tuesday 28 June, 7.45-10.00am TBC, Stamford Take the opportunity to meet new business connections through safari networking. This relaxed but structured format offers guests the chance to move around the room and form connections with new business contacts from a wide range of industry sectors.

Cost: £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £30.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

Construction Networking Breakfast Friday 17 June, 8.00-10.00am The Club, Urban & Civic Network with other construction and property-related companies at this specialist informal event.

Our guest speaker at this event is Rebecca Mann, Head of Construction and the Built Environment, from West Suffolk College.

Cost: £10.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £15.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

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Chamber members can register for events via the Chamber website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk or please contact Zoe McCabe Brennan, Events Co-ordinator on 01223 237414 or email z.mccabebrennan@cambscci.co.uk

chamber

EVENTS

The Chamber has secured a large marquee and is inviting Cambridgeshire businesses to share this exhibition space and take the opportunity to showcase, reach, connect and network with new audiences. It is anticipated that over 6,000 people will attend on the day.

Thursday 23 June July Course, Newmarket

Limited space available: 3mx3m space – from £1,500 (plus VAT) 2mx2m space – from £800 (plus VAT) 1mx1m space – from £400 (plus VAT) More details available on page 33 and on the Chamber website.

Drinks Reception at Burghley House Tuesday 7 June, 5.30-8.00pm Burghley House, Stamford, PE9 3JY Immerse yourself in a stately evening to remember at Burghley House.

Enjoy arrival drinks in the Old Kitchen followed by a private viewing of the state rooms. Networking will continue in The Orangery and Rose Garden with Prosecco and canapés.

This event is being held in conjunction with The One Group Peterborough and is limited to 60 places, available on a first come first served basis.

Cost: £49.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £59.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members

British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference 2022 Thursday 30 June QEII Centre, London After a turbulent few years, the BCC Global Annual Conference will be an opportunity for business leaders from the UK and around the world to come together and look to a more sustainable and responsible future.

Further details can be found on page 12..

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