Diamond Edition 5 - November & December 2020

Edition 5 Nov & Dec 2020

The magazine for Gatwick Diamond Business members

Manufacturing Special Feature Extech Cloud Helps Law Firms Delivering a Green Recovery An Update from Gatwick Airport Data and the Social Dilemma for Business

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Jeff’s Message Just as we were putting this edition of Diamond to bed, we heard that a new national lockdown was on the cards.

We all appreciate that there are no easy decisions when it comes to balancing the need to reduce the ‘R’ number with the impact on the economy.

So, let’s hope the additional restrictions get us through to more lasting progress and less reliance on stop/start measures that make it impossible for businesses to plan.

Among all the new measures announced, the effective ban on international travel almost went unnoticed.

But in our area in particular it is a further huge blow. Hopefully the Government will take this ‘breathing space’ to develop a strategy for supporting our aviation sector, including an effective ‘test and release’ regime (see the Gatwick airport up-date at pages 32/33).

This is perhaps the most important single measure that would help Gatwick, and the industry it supports, to move towards recovery.

Meanwhile, in this edition of Diamond members demonstrate how businesses are adapting to challenges and developing new business models. At first this was about getting through what was seen as a few difficult months. Now it is much more about gearing-up for the longer-term – amidst all the undoubted hardship, we are seeing an acceleration of positive change.

There are several examples of businesses adapting and innovating in our special feature on manufacturing: Pentagon Plastics shifting production to help meet the demand for medical products; Commtel responding to the speed of technology change by moving into new markets; and PVL and Heyland & Whittle adapting to meet new and unforeseen market opportunities.

The examples continue with Elekta’s world-leading innovation to spread the availability of the very best diagnosis

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and treatment for cancer. The good news from Roband is that they have seen an increase in demand for their electronic products and have invested in equipment and people to meet it.

Finally, Time24 describe how they are going through a digital transformation process to adapt to the changing world around them.

We need in these difficult times to continue to recognise excellence and success. So, we are really looking forward to the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards event on 3 December. That we are doing so is thanks to the innovation of our delivery partners and the patient commitment of our sponsors, finalists and other supporters. Our thanks to all of you for ensuring that we can deliver a great evening.

A little further ahead, we are also looking forward to our Re-Energise Conference in the New Year – I suspect we will need it more than ever!

My thanks as usual to Creative Pod for the design of Diamond and to all of you who have continued to contribute inspiring stories despite all the pressures.

Jeff Alexander, Chief Executive of Gatwick Diamond Business

Diamond Magazine

Re-Energise Conference

gdb Re-Energise 2021 SAVE THE DATE!

Thursday 21st January 2021 Come and join fellow business owners, directors & managers for this prestigious gdb Re-Energise Conference and a morning filled with infectious motivation.

Be captivated by the inspiration and insight of our outstanding speakers.

Take away the positive & powerful messages from the event, to inspire you, your team and your business.

Sponsored by:

More information will be available soon at: www.gatwickdiamondbusiness.com/gdbreenergiseconference #BuildingBusinessConnections

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Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 3rd December 2020

New Date Announced!

We are delighted to announce that the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards ceremony will be held on the 3rd of December.

Hosted on a specialised Digital Events Platform, Gyles Brandreth - writer, broadcaster, and entertainer - will host the ceremony against a sophisticated roaring 20s backdrop.

All who join us on the night will be able to enjoy the entertainment and interact with colleagues, sponsors, finalists, and other guests.

All this is of course only possible with the continuing and patient support of all our sponsors including our headline sponsors – Extech Cloud, Gatwick Airport Ltd, NatWest and the Thakeham Group. Our special thanks also go to our category sponsors/judges, delivery partners, and all the finalists – the wait is nearly over!

www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com Follow @gdbizawards 4

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Headline Sponsors

Your Host Gyles Brandreth

Awards Categories & Sponsors

Business of the Year (Over 1m Turnover) - NatWest Business of the Year (Under 1m Turnover) - SHW Business Person of the Year - Richard Place Dobson New Business of the Year - University of Sussex Business School International Business of the Year - Gatwick Diamond Initiative The Award for Brighter Thinking - Menzies The Award for Developing People - Crawley College The Award for Innovation & Technology - University of Sussex Employer of the Year - Search Green Business of the Year - Britaniacrest Recycling Ltd Apprentice of the Year - Reigate & Banstead Borough Council The Award for the Place to Meet - Prowse Manufacturing Business of the Year - Kreston Reeves Professional Services of the Year - Crawley Borough Council The Award for Community Investment - Gatwick Airport Limited Growth Business of the the Year - Red River The Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Gatwick Diamond - Southern & Gatwick Express Railways

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www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com @gdbizawards

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3 steps to take NOW before BT Closes the UK Voice Network BT Openreach has announced their intention to retire the UK’s traditional voice network, with telephone lines not being sold after September 2023 and the telephone network being completely switched off by December 2025?

This means that ALL traditional services such as ISDN and analogue lines will no longer work which will affect traditional PBX telephone systems, home, lift and alarm lines, broadband and monitoring services. These will need to be replaced by new internet or mobile-based systems and services, of which many are already available.

Although there is NO NEED TO PANIC right now, it is important to start planning your ‘switchover’ NOW to avoid the inevitable last-minute rush, this is where RGC can help.

Follow 3 steps to avoid being cut-off 1. Check to see if your current telephone system is compatible with SIP. If it isn’t then you may just require a system upgrade rather than a completely new system. Alternatively, cloud or hosted based telephone systems can be a very economical upgrade, with many benefits.

2. Familiarize yourself with the internet-based solutions available for your

current line service. I.e. VoIP/SIP/cloud solutions, Single order or fiber broadband, mobile sims etc. and consider the benefits these can bring to your business now.

3. Seek help from a supplier who specializes in IP technology and wants to understand your business as well as your systems and services as they will be able to provide you with an accurate and honest assessment of your requirements and provide you with the best solution to meet your current and future needs.

If you would like more information or if you would like to book a FREE system review, please contact Joe at RGC. email enquiries@rgcltd.co.uk or telephone 03300022222.

Shifting Sands: Recruiting through a pandemic Stuart Furneaux, Senior Divisional Manager at Search Consultancy highlights the impact of the pandemic on recruitment. after interviews and move quickly when making an offer.

There is a great deal of trepidation in the job market, and candidates are thinking twice about making a move. It’s important to reassure them on their job security and the financial stability of your business should they join you.

Stuart Furneaux The shift to an employer-led market With more active job-seekers in the market, in some sectors, employers are in-undated with applications. However, the influx of great candidates into the market doesn’t come without its challenges. Managing the increased volumes of applications is tough but necessary to protect your employer brand. If you are looking to recruit, be considerate. Keep in touch with every applicant, provide feedback

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Remote working With more roles becoming remote, employers can look beyond commutable distances to fill them where a physical presence is no longer required, attracting candidates from a wider talent pool.

Whilst we have adapted to managing teams remotely, what does the future hold for their on-going development? I predict this will be the next challenge.

Technology Recruitment has traditionally thrived on face-to-face meetings. However there has been a radical change with the emergence of video interviewing and conferencing

technologies. Whilst Search had already started to use these pre-lockdown, they have since become critical to our business.

Video interview technology is not only speeding up recruitment processes but improving them. They have become more agile, content rich and convenient for everyone.

Artificial Intelligence is helping us manage the increased application rates for high volume recruitment campaigns via a bot. Completing the initial prescreen interview, it is enabling us to touch every candidate.

How can we help?

These are just some of the many ways recruitment has been impacted by covid-19. Should you wish to understand more about the local job market in your sector or how to tackle a recruitment project, don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’d love to help. Contact me on 07920278183 or stuart.furneaux@search.co.uk

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The Creative Group Welcomes Another New Team Member, this time to its Sponsorship brokerage ECHO The Creative Group welcomes another new team member to its ever-growing marketing agency, however, this time they welcome Peter Courtney-Fitch as a Partnership Manager into the ECHO team. ECHO is the sponsorship brokerage arm of The Creative Group and is a global specialist in corporate sponsorships, brand activation and sports partnerships.

Peter has a long history working in this field and originally started out by working in a media and PR agency, with senior writers in the black music press.

His published work there led him to earn a place on a Postgraduate Diploma in Periodical Journalism at Westminster University. He then later moved into PR, marketing and latterly business development, which is where his passion for sport and partnerships landed him a position within ECHO. Peter said: “Having recently joined ECHO as a Partnership Manager is an exciting opportunity that I am grateful to

have received. As this part of the Creative Pod Group is sport orientated, which I am keen on, notable as a former World Champion in Tae Kwon-Do, means that I get to merge my passions of sport and business - which is great!”.

It’s been an exciting year for The Creative Group as they’ve not only expanded their team but also taken on new clients. As Peter already settles into his new role, Creative Pod, the marketing and design agency, is already on the lookout for another Marketing Executive to join the existing team. This year has been incredibly tough for many companies and people personally, but CEO, Matt Turner acknowledges that: “We want to continue to strive as much as we can this year, and as we are in a position to take on new clients, we also want to give people the opportunity to join our environment, to not only support the current team but to help keep the marketing industry alive during this difficult period”.

The Creative Group have expanded their team and taken on new clients

Peter Courtney-Fitch www.weareecho.co.uk www.thecreative.group

Therapeutic Horse Riding

Back in the spring, the team at Chailey Heritage Foundation were gearing up to host a gdb networking event on site, but as the country went into lockdown, that all changed. Whilst we remain closed for visitors, we hope this article will give you an insight to one of the services we run for

children with disabilities who attend our special school: therapeutic horse riding.

Most of the children at Chailey Heritage School are unable to stand or walk independently and rely on using wheelchairs. Taking part in riding sessions means that the children have the opportunity to get out of their wheelchairs and have a completely new and exciting experience. Not only does riding build core strength, head control, upper limb control and hand dexterity, it also builds communication skills as the children learn that certain words and movements will prompt the horse to react in a certain way.

One of the children who takes part is seven-year-old Elliot, who has has hypotonia, global development delay and epilepsy. He can’t walk or hold his

head without support and has poor eyesight, allowing him to see only a short distance in front of him. Yet when Elliot is helped onto the horse, the first thing he does is lean forward to touch the horse’s fur. As Elliot’s Dad says, “The smile on Elliot’s face melts us every time we see it. Riding has opened up possibilities we never imagined.”

Therapeutic horse riding, like many opportunities at Chailey Heritage, is entirely funded through voluntary donations. Would you or your company like to show your support? Don your favourite knitted hat and take part in Woolly Hat Wednesday on 9th December and donate £2 Find out more at www.chf.org.uk/WHW

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The Life & Soul of Love Water How a gdb member is battling through Covid-19 With around 1500 business and home customers, Love Water has seen how Coronavirus has impacted their customer base. From the March lockdown it wasn’t long before commercial customers were calling and emailing to put a stop on deliveries, and then over the next few months communication regarding downsizing, moving to the home office, and sadly letting us know that the businesses had gone bust.

What should have been a brilliant 2020 for Love Water was quickly turning into a year of how many less customers we would have once the world got through this period.

At the beginning of March, we furloughed the majority of our 19 employees retaining a small distribution team to deliver to our commercial accounts

that remained open.

It was at this time that though the “dark” summer skies we discovered an area of our business that was about to truly change.

Our home customers started taking extra mineral water as the families were largely confided to staying indoors, and we started getting more and more enquiries regarding our unique MINI Home dispenser from the public wanting quality hydration at home.

So, we started getting on the marketing offensive and raised our Google adwords budget, revamped our website to put more emphasis on our home supply.

We also decided to change our pricing and contract policy to allow short term arrangements and a package that included the MINI dispenser loaned free of charge.

The results were very encouraging and as we moved from lockdown many of our commercial customers returned to the office albeit in a smaller capacity, and our “large water usage” construction clients are now back to business.

However, it is the Home market that we see as the greatest opportunity for Love Water’s future.

We are now nearly back to full strength and looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Ask Love Water about our Home MINI Simplicity Package – www.lovewater. com 0345 5200 820.

Celebrating 40 years in business PRG Marketing Communications, Eastbourne’s longest standing full-service marketing agency, is celebrating 40 years in business. Although it is not the celebratory year the company envisaged, business remains strong; here MD Simon Groves recounts some of the company’s biggest achievements in the last 40 years.

I am proud of so many things that PRG has accomplished. A few highlights that stand out include delivering a big client acquisition campaign across the UK, France, Germany and Poland for Johnson Controls last year. We have worked with various parts of the company for almost 30 years, but this is by far the biggest campaign to date that involved several of our partner agencies in Europe. We created a website, promotional videos and video direct mailers in 4 languages, backed up with PR and a strong LinkedIn campaign.

We’ve worked with the Let’s Do Busi-

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ness Group for many years, but a highlight was when we jointly promoted and ran the Let’s Do Business Exhibitions at the Amex Stadium in 2018 and 2019. This became a real PRG team effort and to be involved in putting on a large event like this, at such a high-profile venue, was really exciting.

PRG is proud to be an Eastbourne business, so it gave us great pleasure to create and run a marketing campaign to promote our town in 2006. The Eastbourne Change Your View campaign gained national exposure and challenged the stereotype that Eastbourne is full of blue-rinse pensioners. In my opinion, nothing has ever quite been as successful in subsequent years.

We are very passionate about our town and I am heavily involved in the Eastbourne Business Improvement District (BID), as well as being a Parent Governor at Pashley Down Infant School.

Most of the PRG team live in the town, so we love seeing our work on show – from the theatre promotional artwork to the branding of Cavendish School.

For expert marketing advice, email Simon at simon@prgltd.co.uk or call the team on 01323 411044.

Diamond Magazine

Martin Searle Solicitors Employment and Community Care Law teams listed as a “Leading Firm” in 2021 Legal 500 rankings

Martin Searle Solicitors are delighted to announce that their Employment Law and Community Care Law teams have been listed as a “Leading Firm” in the Legal 500 rankings for 2021.

The Employment Law team have been listed for the eighth year running, and are described as combining “expert knowledge with a pragmatic approach”. The Legal 500 notes their record of representing both employees and employers in age, race, disability and sex discrimination claims. Particular mention goes to Fiona Martin, Director and Head of Employment Law, for “sharing her knowledge and experience with the local HR community” and rising star Laura Donnelly, Associate Solicitor, is described as “exceptional”. Noting their “strong sense of

moral responsibility”, the Legal 500 also highlight their work on pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination and for providing “advice that genuinely helps the local business community”.

The Community Care law team are once again recognised for their expertise on handling health and social care disputes. They are described as an “impressive claimant-focused practice” with a “unique level of knowledge and technical ability in this area of law”. Cate Searle, Director and Head of Community Care Law, is described as “dogged and thorough to get justice for her clients and “a really great person to work with”. Rising star Paula Jones, Associate Solicitor, is “the key name for mental capacity law matters” and Rachel Burley-Stower,

Consultant Solicitor is described as “an expert in double recovery mandates”.

The Legal 500 notes their “incredible depth of knowledge of all aspects of Community Care Law”.

Martin Searle Solicitors staff are also credited with “showing a great deal of sympathy and care”, and going “above and beyond, providing a great service”.

Fiona Martin said “It is fantastic to see our hard work acknowledged in the Legal 500 rankings. This is the community law firm that Cate and I set out to create when we founded our firm back in 2004.

We are proud that our vision and ethics are being reflected back to us by the Legal 500 and in our client testimonials.”

and the effects of Covid-19 and how to approach a neighbour if you have an issue.

Meanwhile, one of WSMS’s main funders, the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner’s Office, also issued a press release talking about the escalation in Police referrals to community mediators. WSMS is part of a Sussex Mediation Alliance which also includes Brighton & Hove Independent Mediation Service, Hastings & Rother Mediation Service and Mediation+. This press release highlighted that in lockdown months the Alliance had seen a 196% increase in referral numbers compared to the same time last year - supporting 285 people during that time. This prompted

interest from the Daily Telegraph as they hadn’t been aware of Police services using mediation providers in such a way.

This huge increase in workload continues. WSMS has had to recruit more volunteer mediators. 11 new recruits are engaging in the charity’s first virtual training course, using the video conferencing channel – Zoom.

The charity is also seeking to recruit further trustees to service on the Management Committee to help steer the charity through some difficult times and under the guidance of a new Chairperson.

www.ms-solicitors.co.uk

In the News gdb charity member, West Sussex Mediation Service (WSMS’s) have been in the news recently, following media interest in the reported increase in neighbour disputes following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

First off came a call from the Guardian newspaper to the charity’s Service Co-ordinator, Nick Handley. This led to him being quoted in a subsequently published article on the subject, which also included other mediation services from around the UK. This sparked interest from Radio 4 who briefly interviewed Nick on the lunchtime ‘You and Yours’ consumer affairs programme, on 8th October, which was celebrating its 50th birthday that week.

Nick was asked about noisy neighbours

www.wsms.org.uk

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YOU’RE IN SAFE HANDS ... Space, Safety, Service.

After months working apart, many organisations are recognising that projects require face-to-face collaboration to succeed. Organising a meeting can seem daunting. We’ve been welcoming clients back to our Horsham location since September. If you are thinking of planning a meeting then read our checklist on what to expect before you meet and when you are together again with colleagues.

Before you come to Roffey Park Institute in Horsham Does the Rule of Six apply to my meeting?

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Education and training venues, such as Roffey Park, are still exempt from the Rule of Six, and can continue to operate as long as they have a Covid-secure plan in place and risk assessments have been carried out.

Can I come for a “show round” at the venue?

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Like many venues we have a virtual tour on our website along with a Covid-19 protocol brochure.

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Roffey Park is also able to arrange to take you on a “live virtual” show round with a member of our staff.

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We can organise an in-person show round for you – these are subject to availability as we can only offer this when our zonal “bubbles” are vacant, keeping attendees Covid safe.

SPACE

Technology to enhance your meetings.

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Enhanced onsite technology enables you to “dial in” other remote team members enabling a hybrid meeting, with a small team meeting face to face, using our telepresence robots and super speed Wi-Fi in order to collaborate and hold richer conversations.

Do I need to do anything before I arrive at Roffey Park?

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Everyone is sent a link to a pre-visit registration form to complete before arrival. This is a health questionnaire to check for any symptoms and is the government required track and trace system, all details from which are destroyed after 28 days.

SAFETY

What can I expect when I arrive at Roffey Park?

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Meetings are held in a zonal “bubble”. Each has its own meeting, breakout and dining areas.

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Each zone has a single host who is the point of contact throughout a visit - minimising contact with others.

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Everyone will have a temperature check on arrival.

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A one-way system is in operation throughout the building.

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Masks are required in communal areas. Our staff wear masks and maintain regular personal handwashing and sanitisation procedures. There are hand sanitiser stations throughout the building.

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Within the meeting zones, the meeting rooms and catering spaces are set with the appropriate spacing between tables/chairs to meet social distancing requirements.

SERVICE

Many of our clients have enjoyed interacting again in teams commenting “we all felt very safe being at Roffey Park. The zonal pods worked really well” and “thank you for your meticulous detail in keeping our team Covid safe”.

If you have any questions about how to organise a meeting during Covid then please contact our team who would be happy to help with any concerns. Check our website www.roffeyparkvenue.com for more information.

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01293 854042

enquiries@roffeypark.ac.uk

Diamond Magazine

Most employees would agree, payroll is an unavoidable burden, but it doesn’t have to be your burden No organisation can function without payroll. However, this is frequently a complex process and one that can be even more difficult to deal with if you have a range of employees who are on different contracts. It’s an unavoidable function but doesn’t necessarily have to feel like a burden, especially if the basic mechanics of payroll are taken out of your hands.

Payroll partner solution benefits • Simplicity – clear savings, control over budget and contingent workers pay rates.

• An individually tailored solution – bespoke solution that can be adjusted

to fit with the needs of the business as and when they change.

• An innovative approach – streamlined digital delivery of services makes life easier for everyone these days. This is a payroll option that optimises the potential technology has to be experience changing, including using intelligent dashboards and extensive workforce planning.

• Tried and tested – breadth of experience when it comes to dealing with contingent workers. Compliance and risk management, for example, have been factored in throughout.

• High quality delivery – in line with

standards throughout every area of business, payroll contract solutions are delivered so as to ensure a firstclass contingent worker experience.

While payroll is a task that any business must conquer it’s not one that needs to be a burden when you have the right support in place. www.voltinternational.com

AI Gender & Diversity Technology created by Gatwick based data company mnAI Despite the focus on female entrepreneurship over the last two years, the process of Gender identification within the UK company ecosystem has been frustratingly manual and time consuming.

With 7.5bn data points covering over 7m UK companies, mnAI has developed machine learning algorithms that track the Gender diversity of every UK company by director, officer, and shareholder in real-time.

• Created by award-winning technology provider mnAI to identify, support and promote female leadership and entrepreneurship.

• Cutting edge technology instantly analyses the Gender profile of every UK company by director, officer and shareholder in real-time.

• Covering 30m+ individuals and 7m+ UK companies. mnAI’s cutting edge technology provides uniquely accessible insight and analysis across industries, sectors and geographies; from the analysis of entire investment or customer portfolios to national and local government initiatives.

For mnAI, CEO, John Cushing: “The development of these algorithms is an

important initiative to support the female business community.

From top level industry insight through to regional and local trends, we wanted to visualise Gender analysis of all UK companies in a way that is clear and instantly accessible to everyone.

Our technology provides a game changing solution to the previously manual methods used in collating this data.”

For mnAI, Head of Data Science, Chris Knoblauch: “There are a number of components that make this an incredibly

challenging task. From the volume of changes that we see on a daily basis within the UK company ecosystem through to the complexity around the way data is reported, pulling this all together and creating a visual representation, a living network, of gender of all 7m+ UK companies has been a huge achievement and I hope that it provides immediate support and benefit to everyone.” www.mnai.tech

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Featured Article

Delivering a green recovery The UK government has made £350 million available to UK industry to drive a green recovery. This investment will help fund the decarbonisation of industry and create jobs within the green energy sector.

There is an ambitious target in place for the UK is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and therefore businesses will need to work hard to meet this target. This article will look at some of the options available to businesses who want to be part of the green revolution.

Purchase 100% renewable energy – but watch out for greenwashing There are plenty of options for 100% renewable energy. However, when you buy renewable energy as a business, what you believe you are buying is energy generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind generation, but this is not always the case.

When renewable energy is generated, each MWh generated produces 1 Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificate. These REGO certificates can then be sold on.

Ofgem administers the REGO certificates scheme on behalf of the Government. Ofgem requires suppliers who offer green tariffs to explain to their customers clearly and transparently how they are sourcing their renewable energy, but this information often hides behind glossy marketing materials and promises of saving the planet.

Some suppliers sell 100% renewable energy by way of purchasing REGO certificates from genuine renewable generators.

But the energy they purchase is power from gas fired generation and other sources that are not renewable. They then ‘greenwash’ this energy by purchasing enough REGO certificates to cover themselves and market the tariff as 100% renewable.

A REGO certificate is priced between 15p to 50p per MWh

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so this is therefore a lucrative way to sell ‘renewable’ energy without the investment in green energy infrastructure.

A Which? investigation undertaken in June 2019, investigated 355 renewable energy tariffs and found twenty suppliers that were using this technique of purchasing REGO certificates without contracts to purchase any renewable energy at all.

Carbon Offsetting Carbon offsetting is the process of calculating the total carbon emissions (CO2) and offsetting them.

The idea is to fund solutions to climate change by paying a contribution for these emissions.

Carbon offsetting can be a good way to make your brown energy from coal, oil and fossil fuels green by spending money investing in projects such as tree planting and investment in renewable projects. There are so many options available and we recommend due diligence is carried out before going ahead. We can offer advice, guidance and support so that the projects you invest in align with your business’ green agenda.

Electric vehicles As a business you can introduce electric vehicles to your fleet or go fully electric. You might also consider providing charging points for your employees to offer them the opportunity to charge their cars at work.

The benefits of switching are numerous, especially if regular travel into London is required as there will be a significant cost saving on the ULEZ (ultra-low emission zone) charge which is currently £12.50 per day.

Featured Article

If you are a business taking the lead to reduce your impact on the planet, you can take steps to rebalance your emissions from energy contracts using carbon offsetting

The benefits of being greener • If you reduce energy usage, you’ll also save money • Customers and clients care about the impact of the products and services they use so highlighting your green credentials will place you ahead of the competition • Employees and potential employees can engage positively and spread the word • There will be increased opportunity to win tenders and there will be supply chain benefits when working with larger businesses • The feel-good factor of knowing your business has a sustainable future and is doing its bit for the environment • You can now specifically invest in ethical businesses, and more and more of the younger generation are picking ethical pensions • As climate change is pushed higher up the agenda, all businesses will need to be aware that not making changes could have a negative impact on sales and profit

Would you like help to get started?

We’ve been in the energy business since 1981 and have an experienced and dedicated team of energy experts on hand to offer up solutions to any energy related requirement your business might have. We can help you with: • Conducting an energy audit • Climate Change Agreements • Metering and energy usage reporting • Installation of onsite generation such as solar panels • 100% renewable energy • Carbon offsetting • Energy procurement • Legislation and compliance • Forensic cost recovery • Invoice resolution Visit www.cec.uk.com or email info@cec.uk.com

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Bascule develops online disability awareness training for remote staff Bascule Disability Training has launched a new form of training, bringing its disability awareness programmes into the virtual classroom.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the social enterprise has been unable to support the organisations and businesses it usually works with due to social distancing restrictions. However, Bascule Disability Training has now developed new training modules to show businesses the benefits of becoming more inclusive, through new online interactive group sessions.

The training will cover the business and social cases for cultural change around disability, communication, current legislation, appropriate language and etiquette, inclusive workplace environments and much more.

The workshops have been designed to inform people of the business benefits of making their organisations inclusive,

they will be live, interactive and will take place in an open and safe online environment. They have also been updated to consider the impact of the pandemic on employees.

Chris Jay, the Managing Director of Bascule is a recognised and prominent voice on the topic of disability awareness and will lead the training. Born with cerebral palsy, Chris has been a wheelchair user for over 20 years.

Chris said, “There are 26 million people in the UK with disabilities and longterm health conditions therefore, during this pandemic, businesses must develop a stronger understanding of the individual needs of their staff. As well as help businesses make reasonable adjustments, this training also demonstrates

Chris Jay how inclusivity brings many business benefits, such as increasing your target market, developing communication, improving staff attraction and retention, and generating positive publicity.”

If you would like to book a place on the next course, go to www.bascule.com and click- Online Training.

Businesses given more time to apply for Government Funding Schemes

Mr Kanani

We have seen a 5-fold increase in loans provided to local companies

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Following the recent Government announcement Let’s Do Business Finance, the only locally accredited delivery partner of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, have confirmed they are continuing to deliver loans of up to £150k to support businesses affected by the pandemic.

During these ongoing uncertain times, we have seen a 5-fold increase in loans provided to local companies affected by COVID-19. As part of our commitment to support business growth and boost job opportunities, we have been helping businesses to return to work and plan for the future.

The government-backed scheme includes 12 months interest-free, no setup or early repayment fees and expert financial advisors to guide you through the application process to ensure you get the right funding for your needs.

One of the many customers to benefit from the scheme is Mr Kanani, owner of a picturesque seaside hotel, The Comfort

Inn. He said, “The support I received was invaluable. Lock down brought us a great deal of uncertainty, so accessing funding through this scheme was the lifeline we needed. I’m hugely grateful for the support of Lisa and the team as we move ahead with expansion plans.”

Sean Dennis, Managing Director of Let’s Do Business Finance, said: “We have been lobbying hard to help secure this extension as it is clear businesses continue to need support not just to survive but to look forward with confidence.”

“This has been a hugely successful and attractive scheme that enables businesses to access the funds they need whilst helping them manage their cash flow at a time when this is tight for so many.”

Applications must be submitted by 30 November 2020, so businesses are urged to apply quickly to avoid missing out: https://letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk

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Kangaroos Charity Golf Day Goes with a Swing Amidst the global pandemic, charities up and down the country have had to cancel events which they rely upon to raise much-needed funds, and this has become a serious issue for small organisations like Kangaroos, a charity that supports young people with learning disabilities in Mid Sussex.

But, against all odds, Kangaroos managed to go ahead with one of their main fundraising events of the year their annual golf day. Albeit, a scaled down version of the usual fundraiser, the golf day provided a ray of sunshine to participants as they enjoyed a round of golf and helped to raise money for a worthwhile cause.

The event, held at Mid Sussex Golf Club in Ditchling, raised a fantastic £4,000 for the charity, with 16 teams participating.

Given recent developments on restric-

tions regarding Covid-19, it was touch and go whether the event was going to go ahead.

Thanks to the determination and safety planning by Kangaroos’ superb Fundraising Coordinator, Samantha Norgate, it did! She also organised an online raffle to replace the auction that usually takes place after the golf during normal times.

The Putt Pirates (Mark Kirkdale, Gary Arnold, Stuart Noakes and Paul Everett)

were the day’s winners with 95 points on back 6. The winning team will be awarded a special trophy cup in memory of a young Kangaroos member, Ella Thatcher, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago.

Sponsorship of the charity’s events plays an important role in fundraising and Barratt Homes generously supported the Golf Day as headline sponsor.

Other valued supporters also sponsoring the event included RTFJ, Mortgage Heroes, and BDN Building.

If you’d like to get involved and support a local charity helping young people with learning disabilities in Mid Sussex, please contact Samantha Norgate, sam@kangaroos.org.uk

Getting to know Sarah Ticho, Founder, Hatsumi The BRITE Innovation programme provides ambitious SMEs with specialist research and development expertise as well as the support and facilities to make the business growth journey a reality.

We meet BRITE programme participant Sarah Ticho, Founder of Hatsumi, a research and design studio exploring the intersection of arts, health and immersive technology.

How did Hatsumi start?

Initially intended to be my PhD, I started the company in 2018. The inspiration came from my own experience of navigating the health system. I became fascinated with combining participatory art with immersive technologies to help patients better articulate and understand their own experience. By adapting an existing arts and health research method; body mapping, into a virtual reality experience we are extending its capabilities. Its aims are to improve patient-doctor communication; develop new approaches to research on

sensory experience and develop new ways to engage the public in conversation around invisible experiences like pain and mental health.

What do you hope to achieve on the BRITE programme?

Access to cross-industry support that is vital to the success of Hatsumi through connections to the creative, business and academic community. I am looking forward to diving into creating new business models for distributing creative immersive technologies into healthcare, and further examining both the scientific and strategic design behind the company. I also hope to expand my creative skillset through collaborating with other makers and intend to make plenty of use of their virtual reality and maker spaces to test out new ideas.

What’s been your biggest lesson of 2020?

When the usual rules no longer apply, people are more open to supporting unconventional ideas. Investment into

Sarah Ticho mental health tech was already on the rise, but this year people are more willing to listen than ever. Those who have thrived in 2020 seem to be small agile companies that were able to shift their focus to developing impactful tech-based products over client-facing work. Take advantage of the various grants available and prioritise you and your community’s mental and physical health.

To register your interest to be a business on the BRITE programme visit www.briteinnovation.co.uk

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Don’t manage your bird problems on a wing and a prayer Pest birds can be cause havoc and if left to nest and breed are a serious health hazard.

Pigeon guano carries all sorts of diseases including E.coli, Salmonella, Psittacosis and Ornithosis and nesting material can harbour mites and fleas.

Natural pest control using predator birds is becoming increasingly popular at both industrial and residential sites.

A survey by a professional specialist should take place to identify the species of bird, the problems they are causing and recommend the best methods to deal with them. Here are some of the other methods: Netting: All types of buildings can be proofed from private homes to industrial premises. It is vital that netting is properly and professionally maintained as part of a pest-prevention contract.

Bird Free Gel: This innovative product reflects ultraviolet light. It appears to birds as flames and keeps pest birds off structures without harming them.

Bird Spikes: Stainless-steel wire anti perch spikes should be used and fixed to an ultra-violet treated base. Problem areas include, window ledges, fire escapes, waste pipes, gutters, roof ridges, chimney stacks and pots.

Post and Wire Systems: This system is mainly used on ornate buildings where it is less obtrusive. It causes no harm to

birds and has even been suggested for use on some sites by the RSPB. Bioacoustics: A system of speakers, set up to play at random the natural species distress calls, creates an environment appearing ‘hostile’ to the birds.

Cleankill Pest Control has been providing award-winning pest control services to Brighton, Bristol, Bucking-

hamshire, London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, and other parts of country since 1995.

It is the only pest control company in England to hold the Investors’ in People Gold accreditation.

E-mail info@cleankill.co.uk for a free pest control survey or cost comparison. www.cleankill.co.uk

Elekta UK Facilities Team Snowdon Climb for St Catherine’s Hospice!

The Elekta and CBRE UK Crawley Facilities Team successfully climbed Snowdon on Saturday 5 September in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice.

The Picture shown is at the Summit and taken in freezing and windy conditions. Taking the ‘Pyg Track’ they achieved the task in just under 6 Hours – a brilliant achievement by everyone.

The team reached its fundraising target of £3,560 (the height in feet of Snowdon) and a cheque was presented

by Tim Rose (Elekta Global Facilities Di-

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rector) who made the climb to Suzanne Davis at St Catherine’s on 5 October.

Elekta were also able to donate 2,000 surgical masks – much needed by the St Catherine’s team.

Since the cheque presentation CBRE have made an additional £500 company donation taking the amount raised by the team to over £4,000 – a fantastic achievement! www.elekta.com www.stch.org.uk

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Featured Article

Data and the Social Dilemma for Business The Social Dilemma, a recent Netflix documentary, asserts that the business model of many Big Tech companies is ethically problematic and unsound. This issue is increasingly a concern for both consumers and traditional consumer businesses.

In summary, the Social Dilemma suggests that: • The Big Tech business model (social media, search engines, websites, mobile apps, messaging services and electronic games) can be illustrated in the comment “if you are not being sold a product, you are the product”. These platforms collect data on individual users, and use proprietary algorithms to analyse this data and determine adverts and content best suited to each user. Using this information and real time bidding (in the time it takes to load a webpage), platforms sell this ad-space to advertising agencies or direct to businesses.

• Platforms use psychological methods to encourage individual engagement with the platform. A classic example being the refresh function which automatically delivers new content. This can lead to psychological addiction and there is growing concern about big tech’s use of such methods, particularly where children are concerned.

• Adtech algorithms also suggest new content in which users might be interested and stop the display of content in which

a user is not interested. This means that users may never see a counterpoint and, in the case of certain interests, are drip fed content which is increasingly extreme. In some cases, this has led to the radicalisation of users and the polarisation of communities, which unintended effect has been exploited by malign third parties.

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Does the UK data protection regime offer sufficient protection to consumers?

The UK’s Data Protection Authority, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), published a report in June 2019 setting out various concerns with adtech’s lack of compliance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The GDPR requires organisations to provide clear and comprehensive privacy information, including how data is processed and who the data is shared with. The PECR requires organisations to provide clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of any cookie or other similar technology that stores information. However, the ICO noted that insufficient privacy policies are being used within the adtech industry.

The ICO’s other key concern was about the way the adtech industry collects data. The GDPR requires that personal data is collected lawfully and fairly, in a transparent manner. There are various lawful bases for processing data, the most flexible of which is the “legitimate interests” basis. The ICO alleges, however, that real-time bidding cannot meet the legitimate interest lawful basis requirement and the only lawful basis for this type of processing of personal data is user consent. The PECR also requires organisations to obtain prior consent to the use of cookies and unsolicited direct marketing messages at the initial point of processing.

It is clear that further guidance or regulations are required to ensure the adtech industry is aware of and complies with the relevant data protection obligations. However and despite these serious concerns, as a result of Covid-19, the ICO’s investigations into the adtech industry and real-time bidding have been put on hold. Further, within government there is likely to be little appetite for new regulation in the face of the ongoing crisis.

Featured Article

On a positive note, progress is being made to protect children online

On a positive note, progress is being made to protect children online. The ICO recently implemented its Age Appropriate Design Code, which applies to businesses providing online services and products which are “likely to be accessed� by children in the UK. The code sets standards that businesses must meet

by September 2021, with a focus on providing default settings which minimise the amount of data being collected and used.

The impact on business In the face of increasing consumer concerns about the Big Tech and the lack of regulatory enforcement, consumer businesses (especially those who subcontract their website, e-commerce or advertising operations) may be looking at how they can use adtech without comprising their values and having their online practices questioned by customers. This may mean obtaining some control or clarity about how collected customer data is used.

In this respect, hope is in the new Platform to Business Regulations 2020 (the P2B Regulations). The P2B Regulations came into force in July and govern contracts between any platform and any business, by which the platform provides a service which facilitates the sale of goods/services to con-

sumers. The P2B Regulations cover many points, but for these purposes they provide that platforms must include in their business T&Cs a description of the access which the business has to personal and/or non-personal data collected through the services provided by the platform.

This gives businesses a right to understand how personal and non-personal data collected in association with their and other products/services is used. While they do not give businesses a right to better terms regarding this data (than they can negotiate, which will come down to bargaining power), this is a good start.

What is also helpful is that, for the purpose of enforcement, the P2B Regulations give businesses the right to make collective complaints and bring group claims through trade associations. This remains untested but it will be interesting to watch this space.

In conclusion, the use of consumer data remains an area of commerce, law and ethics which should remain under constant review.

Written by Rob Coleridge & Sabrina Goran, Irwin Mitchell LLP www.irwinmitchell.com

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Our place in the South East of England business community

At the University of Sussex Business School, we believe there are four pillars which are fundamental to providing the leadership needed to manage in today’s disrupted business environment. These four pillars are the foundation of the Sussex MBA: accredited by the AMBA, a trademark of excellence held by only the top 5% of business schools worldwide.

Digital work – Developing an understanding of digital work is crucial to operate efficiently in the current shift

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to digital technologies and virtual work environments.

Innovation – Learn how to shift rapidly and develop new strategies to adapt to current disrupted environments.

Resilience – Both the individual level wellbeing of team members, and also the sustainability of business models.

Policy – The ability to lobby and influence policy makers, at local, regional and national levels.

Businesses in the South East have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and we want to play a supporting role for our local community by bringing new skills and ideas to businesses.

The Sussex MBA Partnership Scheme Whether you are a local business, a business group or an entrepreneur, we offer you the opportunity to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with the Business School.

The scheme will support your talent development programme and be a major component of your current and future leaders’ training. You receive substantial savings on MBA fees and the chance to tailor the course around the challenges and needs of your business.

We encourage you to join the MBA advisory board, helping us to shape business education to support the challenges you face. And the Business School will benefit from having alumni in senior management positions with local employers to continually influence business education.

To discuss how your organisation could benefit from collaboration with the Business School contact the External Engagement Manager: Marcus.Atkinson@ sussex.ac.uk. For more about the MBA visit www.sussexmba.com

Diamond Magazine

Going zero-carbon doesn’t cost the earth!

In an effort to go zero-carbon by 2025, Storm12 have taken their second step in cutting emissions from their business.

Storm12 had already switched their electricity supplier to 100% renewable last year, preventing the same amount of carbon as 1.7 flights to New York from entering the atmosphere.

Managing Director, Matt Saunders: “We must prioritise climate change. As a business, there are steps we can take to minimise our impact on the environment while meeting our own objectives.

We have also been inspired by some of our key clients in their bold steps forward in their environmental policies.”

So from early October, the new company car is 100% electric. “The initial

cost was more expensive but the running costs are incredibly low in comparison and the tax implications are also favourable”, says Stefan Buss, Head of Client Services. He adds: “Although for obvious reasons we are not travelling to many meetings at the moment, we are looking ahead at the future of our business travel.”

There were only 165,000 100% electric cars on the road in the UK at the end of September, compared to over 38 Million other car types, so Storm12 seems to be ahead of the curve on this one. Why not join in?

The next big step is changing The Old Surgery’s heating system to renewable.

Watch this space. www.storm12.co.uk

Safety first Ardingly showground welcomes organisers and visitors

Okay, yes it’s tough. All companies are concerned about the surge in Covid infections and what that means for business. But it doesn’t mean that outdoor events, such as shows, exhibitions, fairs, can’t go ahead following the very latest guidance.

Proving the point is the South of England Event Centre, still emphatically open and welcoming events to its Ardingly showground as diverse as a fireworks championship, dog shows, equine competitions, and even a drivein Christmas panto.

“I think we’ve proved that by working hard with promoters, taking all steps, we’re able to help stage events safely,” says Konge Hussein, Event Centre Manager. “Visitors recognise that and turn up in number for popular events, such

as Antiques Fairs and October’s Paws in the Park show.”

“We’ve even had church services taking place in one of our car parks,” adds Business Development Manager Mandy Austen, “and the car boot sales are as popular as ever.”

It’s easy to see the attraction of the 150-acre site. There is a lot of space and a location close to Brighton, Gatwick, M23 and M25 motorways - set in the glorious Sussex countryside.

Best known perhaps for the South of England Agricultural Society’s summer show, the site boasts a grid of access roads, a central show ring, great for concerts. First-rate caterers are on hand, and plenty of car parking. Added to that, there’s extensive covered exhibition space – even a building large enough to

accommodate regular drive-in movies.

But perhaps a key attraction, for hirers, traders and visitors, is the care the Event Centre team takes to make sure shows go off safely and successfully.

“These are difficult times,” says Mandy, “but people still want to get out and about. We’ve seen that by attendance at recent events, including our own Autumn Fair. I’d welcome companies to contact us to discuss how we can help them maintain exhibition and event activity.”

Exhibitors and companies interested in learning more about what the South of England Event Centre can offer should contact either Konge Hussein or Mandy Austen on01444 892048, or email eventcentre@seas.org.uk

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Making websites accessible and open for business

Accessibility is about creating a great user experience for all your customers, including those with disabilities (around 20% of the UK population).

From September 2020, all UK public sector websites and mobile applications must conform with WCAG 2.1 Level AA – the standard set by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international community led by web inventor Tim

Berners-Lee. In America, all commercial and public entities need to comply to WCAG 2.0 level AA as a base standard – this also applies to sites selling to US customers.

For private sector websites in the UK, whilst it is not yet a legal requirement, we believe that making your website accessible sends out a strong message that you are open to business and responsive to the needs of all your customers.

So, what can you do today if your website is not compliant?

Don’t panic. Make a plan to improve your conformance and harness an ‘accessibility’ mindset for everything you do and document it. We suggest adding an accessibility statement on your website so you can publish the steps you have taken or are going to take.

If you are just about to undertake a project to build a new website, then working with an agency that places accessibility high on the agenda and has the necessary knowledge and expertise will mean the additional technical modifications are considered and implemented during the build. This should not adversely impact the build cost, but there is more to test.

At Scaramanga we build in Craft CMS which is very strong on accessibility – interestingly W3C has just selected Craft as the CMS they will be using for their new website!

If you would like some information on making your existing or planned website more accessible, please get in touch on 020 3371 3295.

Good mental health at work is everyone’s concern With everything that’s happened this year, and the many changes that have had to be made in ways in which people work, it’s not surprising that there’s been an increased focus on people’s mental health. 2020 has taken its toll like no other.

With one in four workers suffering from poor mental health even before the pandemic, at an estimated cost to the UK economy of more than £70 billion (Department of Health, 2014), it’s inescapable that everyone’s mental wellbeing has risen to the top of the workplace agenda.

Having more people working either at home or in significantly changed workplace environments means that employers are being urged to adopt a “wellbeing strategy”, and proactively to communicate with employees the best ways of maintaining good mental health.

A good place to start is the New Economic Foundation’s Five Ways to Wellbeing. These are: 1. Connect (with other people – family, friends, colleagues, neighbours…)

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2. Be active (walk, run, dance or take other exercise once every day) 3. Take notice (be aware of what’s around you, the normal and the new) 4. Keep learning (try something new, develop new skills or rediscover old ones) 5. Give (do something nice for someone else) As employers we can all encourage our people to do these things. In addition, we can create the circumstances in which some of these things happen: Ensure peer-to-peer meetings in informal or semi-formal settings. Follow through

on learning and development plans.

Apply corporate social responsibility or support charities.

The Growth Company’s “Leading Well” programme helps companies to support their employees’ mental health. We offer training and advice, including the Mental Health First Aid qualification accredited

by MHFA England, from Crawley-based offices and online. Visit leading-well. uk or call 0161-327-4200 or email info@ leading-well.uk

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Richard Place Dobson supporting Air Ambulance Richard Place Dobson (RPD), Crawley based Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, introduced Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance (KSS) as their charity partner over the financial year of 2020/2021. All of their fundraising activity over the year will support this service.

To get the ball rolling in these difficult times, Matthew Tyson, Managing Director at RPD, took part in a personal challenge and competed in Hever Castle’s Olympic Triathlon and raised over £3,000. On September 27th Matthew had to swim 800m,

cycle 40k and run 10k and he managed to complete the whole thing non-stop in 3 hours, 4 minutes and 32 seconds.

Matthew said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you for all the support and donations, it was an exciting event to be a part of and I’m pleased we raised an incredible amount for the Air Ambulance”.

Throughout the financial year, the whole team at RPD host a range of team activities to raise money. As you can imagine, this year has been a little challenging due to the current circumstances, with each team member currently working from home. However, RPD is excited to announce they are joining the virtual challenge to run/walk from Lands End to John O’Groats, a distance of 874 miles!

RPD is aiming to complete the challenge in the twelve weeks leading up to Christmas. Each team member can choose to walk or run, and all they need to take part is the ability to track themselves and keep motivated!

If you would like to support RPD and their adventure by donating to the Air Ambulance, you can visit their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/rpd-kentsurreysussex-airambulance and keep track of their progress across their social channels, which you can find on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. http://www.placedobson.co.uk/ https://www.aakss.org.uk/

Make forecasting your friend The importance of cashflow forecasting can never be over-estimated, but it’s absolutely essential during uncertain times, when trading conditions are ‘challenging’ at best. Keeping your fingers on the numbers will give you more confidence and peace of mind.

Successful business owners are always looking ahead of what they’re currently doing. That’s because it’s the only way to make the best-informed decisions.

Whatever the business you run or the sector you operate within, our advice is that you need to always be looking at least 3 months ahead. And never has it been so important, as we face an uncertain economic future.

But good forecasting is an equal mix of science and art… Why’s that? Because no-one knows what the short-term future holds, so having fixed plans and budgets produced and in place for the next 12 months isn’t always practical – or, in some instances, sensible – for many business owners.

Instead, we recommend you get some peace of mind by scenario planning.

Explore different probabilities and scenarios and then make your decisions accordingly. You’ll sleep better at night once you’ve looked at the right num-

bers and have a better idea of the best possible plan of action. This can seem a daunting task but don’t forget we’re always here to help.

To get your finger on that pulse and start forecasting short-term probabilities (and

impacts) today download our simple 13-week cash flow forecast template. https://bit.ly/3d9oulG Call us on 01252 820002 or email us at hello@yourrighthand.co.uk www.yourrighthand.co.uk

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Other office locations: London | Manchester | Southend-on-Sea | Worthing

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Finding Social Media Inspiration Planning is key for social media; A simple editorial calendar is vital to plan out posts. Get all the main company events into the social media calendar, such as conferences, product launches, exhibitions and awards. Be aware of relevant seasonal events. A florist will want to prepare for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day but won’t find Halloween as interesting as a costume hire shop.

Instantly, you will have a series of events mapped out across the year, that you can shout about on social media.

Preparation means that rather than one or two rushed posts on the day itself, you could have a whole range of posts over a period of time.

Don’t forget your customers. Social media should be a conversation, not a broadcast. Your customers have plen-

ty to say, so you can tap into this in a few different ways. Set up your brand or product names as a Google Alert, so you get regular updates on new search appearances. Create a saved search on Twitter, so you can see what people are saying in real-time. Mentions, retweets, comments, shares will tell you what your customers think about your efforts. Always be responsive, positive and polite and remember you are representing your company. Bigger companies can invest in social media listening tools to mechanise this process.

Finally, interact with partners or suppliers, who can be a fantastic source of content. Nike has far cooler imagery, sports stars, music and videos than any shoe shop can make. Supplier brands will be happy to share photos, videos

and product details with you. Follow them, so you can re-share appropriate posts from their accounts. Mentioning partner businesses positively is also a fantastic way to get extra reach, as they will often re-share your post, giving you access to their (often) bigger audience.

Plan, interact and analyse for social media success. www.bluebelldigital.co.uk

Flexible Working is here to stay – make it work for your business!

The global COVID-19 crisis has transformed the face of work for millions.

With many businesses now taking on a more blended approach to remote and office-based work, ‘flexible working’ is well and truly here to stay. The enforced need to adapt has fundamentally changed the way companies are run and has shown that many jobs can and are being done remotely, part time or with compressed hours.

At Flexibility Matters we have been actively championing this necessary business change for the past 6 years and are uniquely positioned to resource for this new ‘normal’. Matching businesses with results-oriented professionals that need a flexible approach to their work hours, has meant that we know the key requirements for successful partnerships.

During the lockdown period we launched a service specifically designed to help businesses maintain projects whilst teams were scattered or unable to work. Experts in their fields, such as Marketing, HR and Finance,

Flexibility Matters Consultants worked on an agreed day rate and on continual rolling contracts. Being able to adopt an agile mindset about how, where and when work happens has never been so important as now, but what else is needed to make this new flexible ‘normal’ work?

Here are our top three must-haves: • Trust vs control. Leadership must inspire trust by focusing on outputs (results) rather than hours worked and be clear on what the measures are.

• Clear deliverables. Have flexible working team charters, agreed by the teams themselves, based on what they need to deliver.

• Flex enabling tech. Optimise the use and training of Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Zoom, Open Chat etc, giving all the confidence to choose how best to achieve results.

Emma Cleary, Flexibility Matters. Contact me on 0781 0541 599 / Email: emma@ flexmatters.co.uk.

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Insolvency reforms ‘ready to go’, says former R3 president and head of restructuring at accountants Kreston Reeves A suite of insolvency reforms is ‘ready to go’ on to the statute books, says Andrew Tate, former president of R3, the restructuring trade body, and head of restructuring at accountants and business advisers Kreston Reeves.

The proposals were first proposed and consulted on in 2016 when Andrew Tate was President of R3 and mothballed following the Brexit referendum decision.

The proposals could offer struggling businesses a breathing space, forcing suppliers to continue to supply goods, and relax the wrongful trading rules.

Andrew Tate said: “The first, and most important, measure is breathing space for companies. This ‘moratorium’ would provide a period of time for companies to reorganise themselves and implement a rescue plan without court action being taken by creditors.

Crucially this measure will also prevent action being taken by the banks against customers.

“Forcing suppliers to continue to supply already applies to utility and IT companies to avoid companies and individuals being held to ransom. This measure could be extended to other

suppliers who are deemed essential to the rescue of a business. Those suppliers would not be able to rely on clauses in their contracts, called ipso facto clauses, which allow them to end contracts of supply because of insolvency.”

A relaxation of the wrongful trading rules has already been mentioned by the Government on 28 March and would, says Andrew Tate, be a welcome addition to help business leaders “hold their nerve”.

“The UK has wrongful trading rules which essentially make directors potentially personally liable if the company trades on past the point where

liquidation is inevitable,” explains Andrew. “The liability is the increase in debt incurred beyond that point. In truth, it is a very difficult action for a liquidator to bring but the question does worry directors of companies, particularly bigger businesses where the numbers are large.”

Andrew concludes: “We are expecting changes to the insolvency regime and would urge the Government to look to the proposals made back in 2016. They could easily and quickly be added to the statute books.” www.krestonreeves.com

Business owners are facing a different world – how can we navigate?

The coronavirus crisis has led us all to reassess our business and personal lives, in fact, for many the past few months have been about survival. As restrictions lift, there are signs that businesses are ready to get moving. “Businesses are stabilising, and there’s now a sentiment of optimism,” says Martin Brown, CEO of business adviser, Elephant’s Child.

At Matthew Wykes Financial Services we used lockdown to look at our own future as a business. We’ve quadrupled the team, allowing us to focus even more on our clients and get to grips with new technology, including crash courses in

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video conferencing!

‘Businesses should think like startups’, Brown says. More agile than their established counterparts, SME’s can benefit from flexibility and a structure that allows for problem-solving and rapid changes to ways of working.

If owners have yet to pivot their business in response to the crisis, now might be the time to rethink existing strategy and try new ideas. Is there a niche market that has been overlooked? Are there ways to build your brand without significant expense?

Owners can learn from times of

change: what works, what doesn’t, and what can be applied across the business. Matthew is currently supporting his business clients’ planning these exact changes and working with them on their future plans, to ensure they hit the exit values required, in future.

Leaders of SMEs will be critical in helping the economy – and planet – return to health. Now is the time to plan and commit with velocity, to thrive moving forward. www.matthewwykes.co.uk

Featured Article

International Trade: The Way Forward Today we live in a fast paced and ever evolving world. Recent history only goes to highlight that the future remains uncertain.

At the end of this year we will leave the European Union and, of course, we hope and believe that our politicians will secure a good and comprehensive deal with the European Union prior to the end of the transition period.

Although even if you believe that our politicians are going to come back from Europe with an optimal deal, forward looking companies and leaders are looking beyond Europe for new markets.

For small medium enterprises that are growing and looking to expand the question arises of where to start. Building these capabilities remains a challenge for any board and the stresses and strains of running a successful business are often all consuming. In most cases international expansion is put off until tomorrow, and an opportunistic attitude which addresses short-term tactical business opportunities is adopted as opposed to a long-term strategic development.

This has been made harder by the pandemic. It will be a brave visionary who stands in front of his board today and says that he wants to augment or further develop an international overseas strategy. Although, in our opinion, fortune will favour the brave and those that do not move will stagnate into obsolescence.

These dynamic executives who are looking for long term benefit to their companies, however, are putting this vision front and centre.

Strong executives that have the mandate from their shareholders are looking at ways to continue moving their businesses into the global arena and beyond Europe. They of course appreciate that the support of shareholders is essential as any strategic development evolves over a number of years; it is not a process from which you can expect to see results on a quarter by quarter basis.

Oliver Broster The benefits of the European Union have been enormous and continue to be so and may well continue well into the future; the downside has been that the ability to trade internationally, identify market opportunities and dynamically adapt is not always as well developed within the SME sector as it could be.

Today everyone is obsessed with developing a cookie cutter approach to business that is scalable. Unfortunately, International business is rarely homogenous, and it is continually evolving and morphing in unpredicted ways. To thrive in this environment companies have to have a flexible and evolved culture with business managers who are empowered and trusted to make bid decisions. Not all companies or managers are built to thrive in this environment.

Of course, it is not always that hard to adapt and evolve, and there are a plethora of talented smart people in the market place. The difficulty is in developing a strategy that belongs to the board and is in the interest of the global strategy of company.

Success is dependent on senior management having a clear vision for the future. It is not rocket science and everything is achievable; however the mistakes are expensive and the easily daunted will fall along the way.

We continue to work with our clients to overcome these difficulties by helping them identify the markets that are most appropriate and how to develop a strategy to enter those markets with a specific focus on the Far East and ASEAN. It is an exciting time to be involved in International trade and the future is bright despite all the current head winds.

Oliver Broster, Senior Partner at Gilbro Group LLP www.gilbrogroup.co.uk

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Deliveroo riders receive NSPCC training to spot signs of child abuse This year Deliveroo and NSPCC created a new partnership to help children who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, which has been especially important during the pandemic as children may be more out of sight than usual.

The idea of a partnership was developed when, earlier this year, a Deliveroo rider contacted the NSPCC after becoming worried for a child’s welfare.

As a result, action was taken to ensure the child’s safety. Deliveroo riders, with their role delivering to homes, are wellplaced to spot any emerging safeguarding concerns.

The partnership has provided Deliveroo riders with free training – ‘It’s Your Call’ – delivered by the NSPCC to help them recognise children at risk of abuse and neglect, with 6,000 riders having now signed up. It has raised awareness of the NSPCC Helpline, with Deliveroo riders promoting the Helpline number on their delivery bags, so that any adult concerned about a child can call to speak to a trained professional. Deliveroo have also delivered

hundreds of free meals to NSPCC Helpline frontline workers to say thank you for their hard work to keep children safe during COVID-19.

During this pandemic, people who work within their community can play an important role in helping keep children safe and spotting possible signs of child abuse, neglect and domestic violence. The NSPCC Helpline is always available for advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or via help@nspcc.

com, and has made their safeguarding awareness course, ‘It’s Your Call’, free in response to the pandemic.

If you would like further information about arranging ‘It’s Your Call’ training for your employees, as well as associated publicity in local press about how your company is supporting safeguarding within your community, please contact southeast@nspcc.org.uk and we will be very happy to help.

How can we support the next generation?

The Social Mobility Commission’s recent report reveals that the apprenticeship system has the potential to improve the UK’s social mobility - but only if it provides better support and access to young talent from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Creative Process is passionate about building a more diverse workforce of future leaders and we work hard to ensure that every individual going through a Creative Process Apprenticeship has access to an equal level of opportunity. We believe that more diverse workforces create better business and better communities.

Together with employers across Sussex we are raising the digital skills bar, helping to enhance careers and build a

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more robust economy. We believe that in partnership with employers our area can become a world-class, creative, digital and tech economy that works for everyone, and that everyone can have the digital skills they need to reach their full potential in society.

True diversity can only flourish if the playing field is levelled, and that means taking time to nurture and support applicants and employees before and during employment.

A skills led, inclusive approach Our approach is based on three core elements: 1. Enabling everyone to increase their digital literacy to make the most of the digital world.

2. Offering the essential digital skills that employers demand and supporting people to professionally develop and up-skill throughout their working lives.

3. Stronger collaboration between public, private and community sectors to address our digital skills gap and to do so in a coordinated way, so that key stakeholders are working to shared objectives.

To find out more about our Digital Apprenticeship or Digital Accelerator programmes get in touch: Philip Perryman: philip@creativeprocessdigital.com www.creativeprocessdigital.com 01273 232273

Diamond Magazine

Changing the London skyline Preview Visual Communications Group delivers a 14 floor high logo to brand the DAMAC Tower!

Preview were a pleasure to deal with from design to delivery

New client, Multiplex (a global construction company who built the luxury DAMAC Tower for DAMAC properties) approached us with an unusual request – to apply temporary signage that would brand their new tower, covering 14 floors of the building – from the inside.

The DAMAC Tower in Vauxhall is a new development which provides 360 residential units. The North Tower, which consists of 50-storey, features interiors

by Versace Home.

They were looking to brand the new building to introduce the DAMAC brand to the city.

After a careful site survey, Preview’s design team designed, and sister company PVL produced the branding to cover an area 33 metres high and almost 5 metres wide with each letter taking up to 12 window panels.

Taking specific window measurements and working in reverse (as the letters were applied to the inside of each window) we first applied one letter “D” covering 3 floors to ensure the client

was happy with the impact during day and night. After signoff, we applied the rest of the lettering to windows spanning 14 floors. Our production team cut and packed each letter to ensure that the onsite fitting team could easily locate all required parts on this massive scale project.

The result is a really effective and eye catching, large format sign that can be seen from a huge distance away, with or without backlighting.

Mr Miller, Quantity surveyor in charge of the project at Multiplex said: “Preview were a pleasure to deal with from design to delivery. The team is highly experienced and technical issues were resolved effectively to achieve the desired result for a challenging large scale sign to promote a prominent Central London high rise development. The installation went very smoothly and the signage was delivered on time and with a great finish.” https://www.pvluk.com/

Microsoft looking to leave Zoom in the dust with amazing new features The pandemic has been a transformative time for business. Without access to tools like Microsoft Teams, almost all businesses would have ground to a halt – or at the very least struggled to operate still.

Microsoft Teams isn’t the only one competing for the space. Zoom has also seen a huge increase in users.

Do you use Microsoft Teams or Zoom, or both?

As Microsoft and Zoom race one another to provide the best service, it’s either offer new and better features, or get left behind in the dirt.

Over the last month, Microsoft

Teams have added new and improved features to their application, stating they are working so businesses and schools “have a high-performance experience that scales across their devices and levels of internet connectivity”.

The new features include improvements in performance when using Teams, such as - working offline, launch time, battery life, and more.

Many features are also set to beat Zoom in their competitive rivalry: breakout rooms, iPhone and Android access, seeing more people in a call, and more.

Ingenio Technologies have written a blog which includes all about the amazing new features Microsoft Teams has introduced. You can check it out here - http://bit.ly/MicrosoftTeamsFeatures hello@ingeniotech.co.uk https://www.ingeniotech.co.uk/

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PDT Solicitors is ranked a Leading Firm by The Legal 500 2021 in 8 practice areas Banking & Finance, Commercial Property, Corporate & Commercial, Debt Recovery, Insolvency & Corporate Recovery, Commercial Litigation, Public Sector and Asset Based Lending.

In addition to being successfully ranked for most of PDT’s core service areas, Noel Ruddy, Head of Corporate is also singled out by The Legal 500 as a leading individual in both his corporate and commercial and asset based lending practice areas due to his quality work and expertise within the corporate transactional and banking and finance sectors. Other Lawyers recognised by The Legal 500 as recommended lawyers include James Clewlow, Dawn Shadwell, William Angas, Rebecca Glazebrook, Jane Bowden, Andrew Hoad, Ian Lindley, Craig Burton, Gail Morris, Holly Goacher, Justin McConville, Laura

Sutton, Gina Hope and Ruth Clinton.

Managing Partner, James Clewlow commented “I’m really pleased with our success in gaining the recognition of the quality legal work which we do and which we have been doing for many years. The fact that this recognition is across so many sectors and in respect of so many of our lawyers is further reflection of our position as a leading law firm, and of the positive and inclusive culture which we are creating within the firm.”

The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. Now in its 34th year, is widely acknowledged as

Watching out for your Wellbeing demographics. Taking care of each other and being aware of signs of mental ill health is such an important consideration for us all.

On the back of this we contributed to an article to support mental health in the workplace that was published

by FM Financial Management. Here’s a short snippet: Worried about a colleague’s mental health and wellbeing?

By Jessica Hubbard Ase Greenarce & Jenni Cole Covid-19 presents unprecedented situations for organisations and some have really stepped up to provide emotional support for their employees.

We were lucky enough to present a series of workshops on ‘Watching out for your Wellbeing’ to participants in the UK, USA, Thailand and the Far East.

It was fascinating to see the resonance of stories, concerns and underlying stress from such diverse cultures and

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While governments around the world work to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, health professionals are warning of a simmering mental health crisis.

The pandemic has induced deep seated fear and anxiety, which for many has been exacerbated by the loneliness and isolation of lockdowns. For people with existing mental health challenges, such as depression, today’s climate of anxiety and uncertainty can be cruel and unforgiving.

“Co-workers are in a position to notice telling changes in behaviour and hab-

the world’s largest legal referral guide.

These rankings reflect PDT Solicitors’ strong commercial approach and its ability to deal with complex transactions, consistently attracting high quality, high value work. https://www.pdt.co.uk/

Co-workers are in a position to notice telling changes in behaviour its that can be symptoms of distress or mental health challenges, such as nervous twitches, an unkempt appearance or frequently missed deadlines when someone is normally reliable.” “Anxiety increases through the perceived lack of knowledge, the more information people have, the more resilient they can be in the face of stress and uncertainty.”

“Communicate consistently and listen carefully. Within the isolation of virtual working and reduced social interactions many people hide their vulnerabilities behind professional personas.”

“In this environment, human connection is deeply needed – so it is important to offer your colleague opportunities for connection by reaching out regularly and listening attentively,” explained Åse Greenacre, co-founder of MRT Consultants. https://mrtconsultants.co.uk/

Diamond Magazine

If You Want to Find Profit Growth, Look in the Bin Profit, Lean practices and waste Lean practices or Just In Time (JIT), as it was widely known, has long been used in manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and profit. Lean manufacturing was pioneered by Toyota in the 1950’s and was adopted by companies worldwide during the 1970’s and 80’s.

There are a number of dimensions to Lean. Waste in the workplace is one dimension that is easy to identify and deal with but also the one that yields the fastest results.

Waste reduction is one of the core principles of lean The overarching principal of lean is to reduce waste and ensure that everything that goes on in an organisation is adding value. Waste in business comes in many forms.

• Defective work (doing things twice or more!)

• Overproduction (making an extra- just in case)

• Waiting (to find that document- “it’s here somewhere”) • Under used or unused employee talent (we all know someone in this category) • Transportation (commuting, moving things or people from one place to another) • Inventory (slow moving or just in case stock) How do we reduce waste?

There are many, well documented ways to tackle workplace waste, 5S is a great example, but a few simple process changes can make the world of difference and release profits into your business. The key elements to managing workplace waste are: 1. Make waste visible (label it, quarantine it, Identify it) 2. Be conscious of waste across your organisation (talk about it) 3. Be Accountable (Put people in charge of it) 4. Measure it (and publicise it)

5. Eliminate / Reduce waste using SMART waste objectives and celebrate waste wins.

A waste free working environment is a highly productive environment. Whilst waste elimination does not complete the lean journey, but it is a key foundation on which to build a lean organisation. www.mmtsolution.com

LoveLocalJobs.com expands its service to offer specialist recruitment solutions!

To celebrate our 10-year anniversary in style, we are incredibly excited to launch LoveLocalJobs.com Recruitment Solutions. LoveLocalJobs.com Recruitment Solutions is our new specialist search division, providing proactive recruitment solutions to a variety of leading employers across the region.

This year has been a huge challenge for all of us, but it seems several industries such as accountancy, specialist finance and human resources have remained notably busy throughout. Having spoken with our clients through this period it is clear that whilst recruitment activity will be less for the foreseeable future, the need to recruit the absolute best talent in these areas is critical.

To lead this exciting venture, we are doubly excited to introduce Georgina Hayes who joins the team to head up our Accountancy, Finance and Human Resource

Georgina has over fifteen years’ experience and has worked within the Sussex area for over a decade. For the last ten years she has specialised in the accountancy and finance sector working with both SME’s and blue-chip organisations.

“I am thrilled to join the LoveLocalJobs.com team, our reputation within the region is unrivalled and our list of long-standing clients is incredible. Sussex is a hub of excellence for the professional services and HR markets and our proven partnership approach will ensure our clients are now able to recruit the very best talent locally and nationally.” practice. Georgina and the team will work in partnership with the region’s best employers to strengthen recruitment pipelines, support recruitment strategy and source the very best talent in the market.

For more information on how we can help or to get in touch please contact us on info@lovelocaljobs.com or call 01273 651100.

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Featured Article

An Update from Gatwick Airport As COVID-19 continues to have devastating consequences for the aviation sector and all associated partners and stakeholders, Gatwick Airport is working hard to plan and take action to support business recovery, and that of the whole Gatwick Diamond region.

Following 2019, the airport’s busiest ever year which saw 46.6 million passengers travel through Gatwick’s terminals, and which also saw Gatwick serve more destinations than any other UK airport, it’s fair to say 2020 has been and will continue to be the starkest of contrasts.

Since March, passenger numbers have dropped by around 80%, while the airport is currently serving around 100 destinations, as opposed to the heights of 2019, where flights were heading to around 240 different airports, from Cork to Kuwait.

This unprecedented decline of passengers has sadly resulted in approximately 1,400 staff leaving Gatwick, through a combination of the company’s voluntary severance programme

and compulsory redundancies, as well as an organisational restructure. While a devastating time for all concerned, the restructure aims to safeguard jobs and the airport for the future, by better aligning the business to passenger and air traffic forecasts, whilst allowing it to remain agile should

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demand recover faster than expected. It also means Gatwick will continue supporting significantly more jobs than it needs to operate at current levels.

Beyond the restructure, the airport is taking further steps to support business recovery and restore consumer confidence. In September, Gatwick became the first airport in the UK to treat its security trays with enough UV light energy to guarantee a 99.9% microbe disinfection rate – protecting passengers and staff and reducing the spread of coronaviruses, including COVID-19, and other infections on this high-touch surface area.

Meanwhile, the airport also recently announced that next year, it will be introducing a charge for vehicles using the forecourt to drop off passengers directly outside its terminals.

This is something most UK airports have been doing for many years, and the revenue raised will help Gatwick continue its recovery from the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

But more support is still required, not just for Gatwick Airport, but for the aviation industry as a whole, and the billions of pounds it contributes to the national economy

Featured Article

on an annual basis.

After lobbying, along with other UK airports and airlines, for an aviation industry-specific extension to the Government’s Job Retention Scheme, which ended in October, Gatwick welcomed news of a new Job Support Scheme, due to start on 1 November.

In October, the Government also announced it would be establishing a Global Travel Task Force for the implementation of a test and release scheme which will allow a reduced period of quarantine for international travellers.

This is certainly a positive first step which could safely open up a range of travel routes and limit the requirement for some passengers to spend so long in quarantine. Having said that, it is important that the cost of a test is easily affordable for passengers, easily accessible and is implemented quickly if it is to be effective in helping to ease current travel restrictions and help restore confidence.

It is equally important that the Task Force considers steps to support the recovery of international travel more broadly, including non-testing interventions.

Gatwick, along with airports across Europe, is currently lobbying for a single pre-airport, pre-departure testing regime, based on existing risk criteria, which would replace the current uncertainty of quarantine and patchwork of approaches which currently exists on testing across Europe. This would safely open up most of the UK’s travel routes as well as helping to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and help to preserve thousands of aviation jobs.

With Christmas fast approaching, Gatwick is continuing to push for the Task Force to ensure an approved testing system for travellers is in place in time for people to enjoy much-needed visits to friends and family, after an incredibly challenging year for everyone.

It is anticipated that it will take at least four years for passenger volumes to return to pre-COVID levels, but Gatwick is continuing to work hard to develop innovative solutions to continue to restore passenger confidence and support jobs both within the airport itself and throughout the region. www.gatwickairport.com

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What to do with the ‘Inner Critic’

Joe Cheal Internal dialogue serves a purpose (e.g. planning and learning), however, not all internal dialogue is positive and constructive. It appears that thoughts run the same neural pathways as spoken language. When we experience destructive language (spoken, thought, heard or read), the same pathways are

strengthened in the brain. If the messages are significant enough to set off the ‘alarm system’ (i.e. the amygdala), then ‘negative’ thought turns into emotion and physiology. When destructive messages keep running the same patterns in the brain, our body reacts chemically (e.g. adrenaline) and mechanically (e.g. tensing muscles).

We might call this negative internal dialogue the Inner Critic… the part that gives us a hard time. Some people are very mean to themselves in their own minds. So, what can we do about it...

• If you had someone standing by your side, saying destructive, unpleasant things, what would you say to them?

You might tell them go away or thank them for their input… and then tell them to go away!

• When you notice the ‘inner critic’, say inside your mind: “Stop it!” I find this

phrase seems to work best when using an assertive but gentle internal command tone. Using an irritated tone seems to exacerbate it. However, you will find what works for you!

• Notice how the inner critic is talking… the tonality. What would happen if it was saying the same words, but in a Mickey Mouse or Scooby Doo voice?

Would it still have the same impact?

Change the tonality so the impact of the words disappears.

• Imagine you have a remote control for the inner critic… turn down the volume so you cannot hear it anymore!

• Ask the inner critic what practical message or feedback it is trying to give you… for example, is it encouraging you to prepare? http://imaginariumdev.com/

Office Profile collaborates with Red River Software In these ever-changing times, we have all had to adapt the way we work. Although working from home will now have a place in most people’s work-life pattern, it is not the right space for every type of task. The way we think about the function of a workplace has changed as Covid-19 has accelerated pre-existing trends within the workplace design industry with a focus on collaboration, teamwork and supporting the company culture and brand. Both before and during Covid-19, Office Profile have worked extensively with lots of companies through the workplace consultancy process and we have assessed how to design workspaces in a way that meets these core priorities.

These same questions were at the forefront of Red River Software’s consideration when designing their new workspace in Horsham. The fast expanding software development company moved premises and we designed a new look-and-feel for the space for

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its 30+ employees. Our design incorporates a modern, creative industrial feel to reflect an innovative growing company and facilitates collaboration and teamwork.

Office Profile are very pleased to have worked collaboratively with Red River Software to create an office that adds value to their business culture and strat-

egy whilst reflecting their modern working environment and the changes that Covid-19 has made to the workplace.

For more information on our workspace design and fit-out services, please contact Claire Wingate on 07506 798443 or 020 8770 7077 and email sales@officeprofile.co.uk

Diamond Magazine

Train Hard, Win Easy Susie Wilson, Head of HR at Redhill based insurance brokerage, The Plan Group shares how a fixed focus on training has had several significant benefits across the company, including industry recognition.

Last year we were very pleased to be shortlisted in the Best Training category at the UK Broker Awards. Although we were disappointed on the day not to win, we picked ourselves up off the canvas and set about coming back stronger. When we wrote our entry for 2020 it was clear that in the last 12-24 months, we had taken our training programmes and development strategy to the next level. The various development pathways we’d put in place were really bearing fruit, including:

• An Insurance Foundation Scheme where school leavers receive a 12-month introduction to all areas of the company with a view to employment in a department best suited to their skills whilst studying for the Cert CII FIT qualification.

• Our Future Leaders foundation has seen several employees advancing into management positions.

• Commercial Gateway courses have enabled team members to progress into arranging more complex policy types by improving their technical knowledge.

We’ve found that by investing in their development we have earned greater loyalty and trust, leading to a valuable

decrease in staff turnover. Runner up spot in a recent ‘Best Insurance Employer’ survey was a massive endorsement of our efforts. It showed that a relatively small family firm can compete against huge companies with much deeper staff welfare budgets. We have also seen an increase in our customer feedback, with ratings going from Gold to Platinum - so it looks like everyone is happy!

I know we’re genuine when we say that we want to help our younger team members establish careers. And we’ve attempted to create a perfect environment for individuals who wish to thrive in the insurance sector. So when we sat down to watch the awards ceremony this year (unfortunately remotely due to Covid), we were hopeful that we would win but with that familiar feeling of nervousness at the back of our minds.

We were ecstatic when we were announced as ‘Best Training Company’ in the 2020 UK Broker Awards. It’s great recognition for the training team’s hard work and a thank you to all of our employees who have put their efforts into their own career development over the last few years. https://www.planinsurance.co.uk/

gdb Member helps mobilise business teams to work from home Now in their third year and growing, MPS Business Supplies has had an interesting year getting to grips with the new demands COVID-19 has put on their business and those of their clients’. Mike Short, Owner and Managing Director, has learnt the growing need for us all to ‘adapt to the new ways of working’. Recently helping a number of companies to mobilise their teams and adapt their connectivity and phone systems as well as furniture to work from home, he has been sharing his advice for a healthy and productive home working environment.

Mike highlights the importance of mental and physical health when setting up your new working environment. A prac-

tical workstation in a separate room (if possible) and near natural light is best.

A supportive chair or even stand up desk is vital for anyone spending long hours on the computer. Regular breaks, healthy snacks and a good routine are also important. Keeping in touch with your colleagues and regular communication with your team are a must to ensure you continue to feel united as a business.

With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, Mike and his team go above and beyond to provide the widest range of business supplies and services to companies of all sizes in the UK. If you’re looking for a company that can provide all of your business supplies and services

as a complete single source solution, please contact Mike and his team to find out how they can help you.

Call: 0208 187 7875, email: customerservice@mpsbusiness.co.uk. More info: www.mpsbusiness.co.uk

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WFH…WT* - By the Formation Group Boris has confused many with a “let’s get back to work” and with a few weeks “oh no, home again…”. Will we see a sea-change like the demise of clerical jobs in the 80s?

Clearly for firms reducing the demand for expensive office space is highly attractive, the downside of not working in teams, the serendipity of developing a company culture and identity is harder to quantify and its impact on the bottom line.

Ultimately it is efficiency that will drive decision making on our workplaces; how cheaply and well we can do things. How work changes permanently, I am not sure. That said, I am a complete convert to Teams, It doesn’t quite replace a faceto-face meeting over a cup of coffee but it is the next best thing. It only really

falls down when you have more than 3 or 4 on a call but I love it. I think a lot of people have suffered from working or being at home for long periods. Often getting to a workplace is a sanctuary for many. More mundane but as important is that Covid has shown up the have and have nots in terms of technology, broadband connection and access to IT. If you are pixelated on a Teams, it’s not great. Although some people say that I look better pixelated.

Lastly, one thing that has become obvious to me is that people are more disciplined since lockdown, meetings (Teams) always start on time, people are prepared.

They rarely over-run. I think this has been a huge productivity gain and one that I am

convinced will remain when we return to our workplace. I think the quality of our output is better and we respect our time with colleagues, customers and partners.

It’s a good thing about covid and a clear gain and there aren’t many of those.

As an office refurbishment company, we can help you plan your workspace and take on any repairs or alterations required to make your space pleasant and safe. Get in touch on 01444 443556.

Making 2021 your best year yet!

Usually, I start coaching reviews with my clients from mid-November supporting them to identify goals, targets and objectives for the new year and helping them reflect on lessons learnt in the current year. This approach includes time reviewing the last 12 months extracting the highs, lows and learnings from the year and using these to inform and guide strategies created for the year ahead.

Through 2020, so much learning and creative action has taken place for us all and now is the time to capture your achievements and adaptations before creating your 2021 strategy. Changes that would ordinarily have taken weeks or months to scope, plot and debate have been instigated in days and using

creativity and flexibility has been key to keeping things going in spite of what the external environment has thrown our way. We need to make sure that we recognise and reward our achievements and acknowledge the new capabilities we have demonstrated in these challenging few months, identifying those changes made that we want to preserve and maintain when things get back to a more predictable status quo.

So before you plough into goal setting for 2021, ask yourself: • What did I accomplish this year?

• What were my top five magic moments of 2020? What do the things I’ve highlighted here tell me I need to preserve or replicate next year?

• What were my biggest disappointments?

• What did I learn?

Once you have these answers in mind, then consider how can you let your answers inform what you want most for 2021?

If I can help you create a plan to ensure that 2021 is your best year yet, please do not hesitate to contact me for a free, no obligation discussion about this planning and coaching approach.

Sarah Cooper, Director, Coach and Facilitator www.developmentgarden.co.uk Tel: 07736 414097

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How to get the most from business networking Networking is about building worthwhile relationships with likeminded businesspeople in order to potentially introduce them to your clients or contacts. Networking is first and foremost about helping other people.

As the Author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Before you invest in joining a business networking organisation or go to your next networking event keep in mind these 4 things:

1. Remember the purpose of networking. The purpose is to build relationships, it’s certainly not a get rich quick scheme. It’s what you can do for other people not what can you sell to them.

2. Give it time. Just because you have paid your money and joined a networking group, don’t expect business straight away. It takes time to build the type of trust that is needed before people are comfortable to recommend you.

3. You have to be in it to win it! If you want to get the most out of networking, you need to be in attendance. You need to show up consistently.

4. Follow up. There is no point in networking if you are just going to collect a load of business contact details but do nothing with them. Make sure that you follow up! Preferably within a few days either with an email or better still a telephone call.

I hope this article helps you to get the most from any business networking that you invest in. If you require any help with business networking or any other business challenge, please feel free to call me on 07961910694 or send an email to gary@garymorgan.co

Time To Shred Down For Winter

With businesses downsizing and streamlining their day to day operations, there has been an increased demand for offsite archive document storage, and there has been an enhanced need for more document shredding to create space within offices.

At S4B we offer a collection service across the South East for all types of business and individuals at home

requiring file storage or document shredding. From one bag of personal shredding to pallet loads, we can store, shred and recycle redundant files safely and securely.

In such testing times don’t fall foul of just ‘binning’ your files, these could end up in unscrupulous hands who might use that data to undertake criminal activity. Don’t forget you have a responsi-

bility under GDPR to prevent data leak, of not just your own personal data, but importantly of other individuals and organisational data that you may hold within your business.

To find out more about our document archiving and shredding services call the S4B team on 01342 360880 or visit www.s4b-group.co.uk

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Featured Article

South East Home Builder Targets to be Top 10 Housebuilder by 2030 South East based homebuilder Thakeham Group has confirmed its plans for growth: sharing ambition to be a Top 10 housebuilder and create up to 1,000 new jobs in just 10 years.

Steve Cresswell

Robert Boughton

West Sussex-based Thakeham Group committed to delivering a zero-carbon based approach to sustainable, infrastructure-led communities, leading on biodiversity and the environment. The plan - called ‘Thakeham30’ - includes specific targets for growth and represents a joint commitment to inspire staff, contractors, partners and homeowners.

By 2030 Thakeham Group expects to be a Top 100 employer in the UK and employ over 1,000 staff. In addition, they will deliver 3,200 homes annually with a Net Promoter score of over 60. Accelerated sustainability targets will see them realise Zero Carbon in their new homes, sites, and offices by 2025.

Thakeham Group CEO Rob Boughton explained: “In these uncertain times, the Government has challenged UK homebuilders to deliver building projects and new communities that will power the country out of recession. This is a challenge that Thakeham is proud to accept.

“We recently enjoyed a valuable exercise; consulting all stakeholders about our intentions for the future. The aim was to distil the unique difference that has made us one of the UK’s fastest-growing home builders into one simple mission.

“The ‘Thakeham30’ mission is our proud pledge to deliver on key metrics throughout the business. It’s not just about growth. It’s about everything we stand for and how we create sustainable value in the communities we serve. “‘Thakeham30’ will become a simple source of accountability and inspiration for our employees, partners and contractors. It also helps our partners to understand the exciting

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Our targets are now public and a matter of record. We all know what we have to achieve and precisely what our partners and homeowners expect of us.

Thakeham Group shared vision at a glance with complete transparency and clarity.”

Thakeham’s shared vision is to become a Top 10 sustainable carbon neutral infrastructure-led placemaker. The business will draw on its five core values: community; environment; partnership; quality and people. These values run through all Thakeham’s key activities including strategic land promoter; partnership and homes builder.

Earlier this year, Thakeham was listed in the ‘Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For’ and recognised for its work with youngsters and veterans. The company was one of only two Sussex companies and the only UK property developer to make the list.

Last year, Thakeham was listed in the ‘The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100. This prestigious league table ranks Britain’s 100 fastest-growing companies over the last three years.

Rob Boughton adds: “Our targets are now public and a matter of record. We all know what we have to achieve and precisely what our partners and homeowners expect of us.

“We believe our shared vision to become a Top 10 sustainable infrastructure-led placemaker will inspire a unique blend of customer satisfaction, social responsibility, sustainability and growth.”

More information about the Thakeham Group’s growth mission is available by visiting www.thakeham.com/thakeham30

Diamond Magazine

R&D tax relief and Covid-19 R&D tax reliefs are part of the government’s strategy to incentivise innovative companies, however many are still missing out on the generous reliefs available.

For companies making R&D claims, the cash flow benefits will be vital but those who have taken advantage of the government’s coronavirus support measures need to be aware of the impact on R&D claims.

The coronavirus business interruption loan scheme, the coronavirus large business interruption loan scheme, and bounce back loans

These schemes have been an invaluable source of income, however HMRC have confirmed the above schemes are notified state aid. A company cannot claim under the SME R&D scheme for a project if they have received another notified state aid. If a company receives one of the above and uses this to fund an R&D project, they will be unable to make a claim for the same expendituwre under the SME R&D scheme. Although potentially still able to claim under the (RDEC) scheme for expenditure, this reduces the R&D tax credit by as much as 23%.

The coronavirus job retention scheme CJRS helps with retaining staff and ultimately staying in business, with the government meeting payroll costs.

Whilst on furlough staff will have been

unable to carry out R&D so companies must factor this into future cash flow forecasts as R&D claims will be lower.

Furthermore, companies should consider the R&D tax reliefs as part of the cost vs benefit assessment when considering redundancies.

Deferred tax payments The government have confirmed that where tax has been deferred as part of the support measures, R&D repayments won’t be offset against these deferred liabilities. Importantly, this only applies in specific cases, not Time to Pay arrangements.

For anymore advice, please contact Anthony Lalsing on 01372 226327 or at alalsing@menzies.co.uk.

Gatwick Station Upgrade Work has continued apace at Gatwick Airport station over the summer and the project team have completed critical works to enable them to start building the new station concourse above platforms 5, 6 and 7 as a brand new entrance into the airport.

The upgrade is due to complete in 2023 and it will deliver a station that befits Gatwick’s status as a gateway to the UK. Commuters, leisure travellers and air passengers will see their journeys transformed, as they benefit from improved accessibility and more space than ever before in a modern, expanded station.

The project team and engineers tackled strong winds to on 26 and 27 September to install a new, heavy-duty crane at the compact work site behind platform 7 at Gatwick Airport station.

The installation of the tower crane is an important success for the project team, as it will enable the main construction of the new station concourse above platforms 5, 6 and 7, much of which will effectively take place in the air.

One of the unique challenges of the Gatwick Airport station upgrade is that the station is ‘sandwiched’ within the airport and intersected by airport buildings. As well as taking place in a live rail environment, the construction activities must also keep below the invisible Obstacle Limitation Surfaces above the Airport Campus.

You can watch a short time lapse film of the tower crane being built. https://vimeo.com/user29096206/review/463344159/d4457a555d For more information on the Gatwick Airport station upgrade, watch this https:// www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/sussex/upgrading-thebrighton-main-line/gatwick-airport-station-upgrade/ Or get in touch with the project’s Communications manager, Veronika.Karailieva@networkrail.co.uk

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gdb Members & Others Raise Vital Funds For The Homeless At Gatwick Footgolf Crawley Open House welcomed 18 teams from local companies and organisations at their 4th annual fundraising Footgolf tournament in early September.

The gdb membership was well represented with teams from PVL, Sutton Winson, Richard Place Dobson, Grant Thornton, Metro Bank and Crawley Town FC supporting the event, and great raffle prizes supplied by many others including Hartsfield Manor, Bridgeham Clinic & Crystal Palace FC. A great evening was had by all and nearly £2,000 raised for the work of Crawley Open

House amongst the homeless and vulnerable locally. Thanks so much to Gatwick Footgolf for their generosity, everybody who supported the event and congratulations to Taylor Wimpey who walked off with the winner’s trophy this year.

For a conversation around how you and your Company could help the homeless of the gdb area contact Ian Wilkins, Crawley Open House on 07973 367356 or at ian.wilkins@crawleyopenhouse.co.uk www.crawleyopenhouse.co.uk

The Holiday Inn London Gatwick Worth presents: Live From Your Bedroom!

Since the 23rd October, the Holiday Inn Gatwick Worth has hosted an exciting calendar of live music events – Live From Your Bedroom! Bands and acts performed on stage in our enclosed courtyard and watched from the comfort of your hotel bedroom windows, as if you are in your own private box - meaning that they are completely socially distanced! Our bedrooms “with a View” includes 2 tickets to the show and an overnight stay for 2 people with breakfast and overnight car parking. There will be 2x 45 minute performances on stage, with music also playing throughout the interval so guests can continue the party!

We are fully aware of how the coronavirus pandemic has devastated the entertainment and hospitality industries – our hotel unfortunately had to close from March until the beginning of August – and months later times are still difficult and uncertain for many.

During our lengthy time off our Hotel Director Chris Schoeman came up with the unique idea of Live From Your Bedroom to help both our own business and a number of other local businesses! We have been big supporters of the #WeMakeEvents and #LetTheMusicPlay campaigns, and felt inspired by these to do whatever we can to help with keeping our hotel busy and to provide enter-

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tainment. We have also been working with a local video production company, and fellow gdb member, Igloo Media to capture our live music events as a promotional video, as we felt it was important to help support as many local businesses as we could.

As our first 6 events were such a success, we made the decision to carry on hosting Live From Your Bedroom up until the end of the year – including Christmas party nights and New Year’s Eve

celebration for local businesses, family and friends! Don’t let Christmas parties be cancelled, instead come along to our events and celebrate the end of the year with your nearest and dearest, in a fun but safe way!

Visit our website to book: LiveFromYourBedroom.co.uk If you have any questions, call the Events team on 01293 884806 ext 2006

Diamond Magazine

Denbies Wine Estate and the Vineyard Hotel

As we slowly navigate the ‘new normal’, it has been an absolute joy to see visitors returning to the Denbies estate to enjoy the 265 acres of vineyard with 7 miles of public footpath winding through the estate. The glorious weather, tours, tasting and al fresco dining have provided the perfect day out in a safe environment. Denbies 17 bedroom Vineyard Hotel, offers peace and tranquillity in the heart of the vineyard has also been popular for those wanting to explore the beauty of the surrounding

Surrey Hills. All of Denbies activities and facilities are now fully available and socially distanced in keeping with government guidelines.

Looking ahead to the winter months and in particular Christmas 2020. It’s still Christmas just a bit different! Denbies is one of the most unique venues in Surrey to celebrate. We have opened our beautiful Conservatory Restaurant for those Christmas diners wishing to dine under the stars or in The Gallery Restaurant.

After a testing time we have something

to suit everyone’s requirements to create an enjoyable night out. For families we are pleased to announce that The Santa Express train is back, and our Afternoon Tea Hamper with Santa will guarantee to entertain all.

For full details on Denbies festive celebrations, email christmas@denbiesvineyard.co.uk For additional information on Denbies Wine Estate and the Vineyard Hotel visit www.denbies.co.uk

Deadline for Edition 6 January / February 2021 of Diamond is 6th December 2020

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Chichester College Group signs up to deliver Kickstart scheme The Chichester College Group (CCG) is supporting local employers to create job placements for young people in Sussex.

The college group is working with the Sussex Chamber of Commerce to act as a gateway organisation to help local employers access the £2billion Kickstart Scheme – a new Government initiative for 16 to 24 year olds, who are currently claiming Universal Credit and are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

The scheme will subsidise a six month work placement with employers, and the Government will fund 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week for each ‘Kickstart’ job for this period.

Large organisations, who are able to support 30 or more job placements, are able to apply directly through the Government’s website.

However, there are lots of smaller employers in Sussex who will also be able to participate – without applying for 30 plus placements.

Instead, you can apply through CCG, who will act as your Kickstart representative.

Julie Kapsalis, Managing Director of CCG, said: “This is a really important initiative that will not only help industries rebuild during this time of economic uncertainty, but will also help young people into employment.

“The college group is proud to be involved and to be working with the Sussex Chamber of Commerce to use our combined expertise to ensure that our local businesses can benefit from this scheme.

“Not every company can take on tens of placements, but by working together with other companies through CCG, individual companies will be supported and able to hire the right number of placements for their business.

“During the six month placement, young people will be able to gain valuable work experience which will help them progress into full-time employment, an apprenticeship or even higher education.”

CCG are proud to have the support

from the following organisations: Gatwick Diamond Business, Manor Royal BID, Chichester Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Haywards Heath Business Association.

The scheme will run until December 2021. You can find out more at chigroup. ac.uk/kickstart or email kickstart@ccgtraining.ac.uk

B&J Construction Business Sale Bill and John had run B&J construction very successfully for over 25 years turning over £3M+ per year. They were in their early sixties and one had a recent illness that had highlighted the fact it was time to sell. They engaged a local broker and paid a £10K up front but saw only two buyers in an entire year with no offers.

Through a networking group, they were referred to the Transworld London SW office in Weybridge. We were happy to take the listing and per our normal policy, there were no upfront fees to pay. Within two months we had introduced them to 6 buyers and had 3

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offers to choose from so a very different result! We achieved this primarily through using our networks (we have relationships with 1000s of buyers) but we also decided to use some national advertising to expand the search.

They decided to go with one particular buyer and we set up the Data Rooms for due diligence and assisted the buyer with their funding exercise. Unfortunately, after two months it is was clear that they were not going to be able to raise the funding.

This was not a problem as we always have plan B and Plan C at the ready so within two weeks we were back into

due diligence with another buyer with an even better commercial offer. This time round, we got through the process in three months and Bill and John sold their business and were almost on their way to their appointment with the golf course. I say almost as they are still going to work in the business four days a week for six months for a transaction and then as consultants part time on an add needed basis for a year of two after that which suits them perfectly. https://www.tworldba.co.uk/locations/ London-South-West/

Diamond Magazine

Doing business with Europe after Brexit If you thought leaving the EU would release you from its strict data protection laws – the EU GDPR - you’re very much mistaken. The UK’s data protection law (which is based on the EU GDPR) is, and will remain for the foreseeable future, just as strict at the EU GDPR. However, from 1 January 2021 whether or not your business will remain subject to the EU GDPR as well will depend on whether you process personal data of individuals based in the EEA, or if you have an office, branch or subsidiary in the EEA. You’re a UK business only and have no contacts/customers in the EEA: You don’t

need to do much more to prepare for compliance with the UK GDPR (provided of course you’re already compliant). The EU GDPR will not apply to you.

You’re a UK business only but you receive personal data from contacts in the EEA: You’ll need to take extra steps to ensure that you can continue to receive and process that personal data at the end of the transition period. You’ll be subject to the UK GDPR, and quite possibly the EU GDPR. You’re a UK business with an office, branch or other established presence in the EEA, or if you have customers in the EEA: You’ll need to comply with both the

UK and EU GDPR. You may also need to designate a representative in the EEA. The extra steps you’ll need to take will depend on your processing activities – and can’t be crammed into the gdb word limit! However, one step that all three scenarios have in common is that internal and external privacy documentation will need to be updated (e.g., privacy notices, data processing agreements, DPIAs and standard contracts).

aware of protecting our mental health whilst working from home. Positively managing your mental health and well-being is key to maintaining normality. With the tightening of restrictions continuing for the foreseeable future and a move from office life to working from home, many of us will be facing a struggle to maintain a good life work balance.

The fact is working from home may have a detrimental effect on us, which means we have to be able to positively

manage our health and well-being in what is becoming the ‘new norm’.

Here are some things to put into action: • Set up a supportive working environment • Set practical and more importantly achievable boundaries • Be proactive around your health and well being • Ensure you are connected with your colleagues • Keep a check and monitor your physical, as well as your mental health • Recognise any signals that you need support and don’t be afraid to reach out • Develop a support plan, in advance, for times when you may feel low More than ever before our work life balance is important. Be realistic in what you want to achieve. We don’t know what the future holds, so don’t waste energy worrying about elements which are beyond your control.

If you need help getting your business ready, please contact lisa@ljdlaw.co.uk for a no-obligation chat!

Still working from home?

Work, rest and play…… all under one roof? That’s the reality for most of us who are adapting to working from home. The boundaries between work and home are becoming a blur. Around 5% of the UK workforce, worked from home prior to COVID19. A YouGov report shows this figure jumped to 52%, almost overnight. Many of us are wrestling with tech, virtual, communication and self-discipline issues, a totally new out of office experience!

As lockdown continues, we must be

Top Tip Give yourself a break and focus on what you can control within your environment.

Lynda Mary How Trust – Health Screening for Life www.maryhowtrust.org

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Featured Article

How Extech Cloud helps create a modern workplace for law firms

Extech Cloud started working with Hunters Law LLP - a multidisciplinary law firm with practice areas for property, business, charity, family, and private clients at the start of 2020 to assist with a new strategic IT direction.

The company needed to upgrade its infrastructure and its servers, which were more than five years old. The firm’s Citrix virtualisation software license fee renewal was also approaching which was a main driver for change.

Previously told by their IT company and software owners that it wasn’t possible to put their old apps on the cloud, Hunters Law was being pushed in to a “hybrid environment” where they were to be locked-in to a Data Centre. Although the company didn’t want to be tied down to one supplier, they thought they had no way out.

“We embarked on a complete review of our IT infrastructure with the focus on a modern workplace where our staff could work from anywhere. We chose Extech Cloud as they were able to demonstrate they could pull all of our technologies together properly to make us more efficient, while saving us significant capital expenditure and licensing costs,” says Arif Kamal, Chief Finance & Operations Officer, Hunters Law LLP. Hunters Law wanted an IT system and infrastructure that worked exactly how they wanted it to. With lots of applications, their whole system was increasingly slow, and they didn’t want to spend significant money on upgrades and licences for marginal improvements. Many of their PCs and

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Andrew Hookway

laptops were also on Windows 7 which reached the end of its life in early 2020.

Extech Cloud began by auditing the whole IT infrastructure and assets, set an IT strategy and started modernising everything, including more than 100 user PCs and laptops. It deployed Windows Autopilot, making it easy for everyone to receive their new machines and get working straight away.

The full transition to the cloud was staged in tandem with their Citrix virtualisation software. At first, some of their older applications were not fully integrated into the cloud, but were accessed as before. Now, Hunters Law takes full advantage of the benefits offered by Microsoft 365 and Azure, with the very latest security and exceptional performance levels. Four pieces of legacy software now run on the cloud thanks to Extech Cloud’s pioneering implementation of Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD).

“Extech Cloud has the experience to put almost any application or software into a cloud environment,” says Richard Phillips, CTO, Extech Cloud. “In 2020, we are pioneering the use of WVD and work with Microsoft as part of their own development programme. This is cutting-edge digital transformation meaning there are now no compelling reasons why companies need to have on-premise servers. Even workloads

Featured Article

Extech Cloud has the experience to put almost any application or software into a cloud environment

traditionally not suitable for cloud like CAD and video editing are possible in WVD.” For Hunters Law, practice and case management system Tikit Partner 4 Windows (Tikit P4W), CCH Central, CCH Trust Accounts and BigHand are now published as apps, as opposed to full remote desktop sessions.

Now, when using the old software, each user experiences faster speeds. Previously it took about 40 seconds to open the CCH software in the office for example, and now they load in less than 5 seconds from staff members’ home. Application updates also don’t need to be conducted on every single workstation and staff have access to systems even in a web browser and tablet.

“It has been a complex project, firstly in modernising our workplace technology, coordinating and managing a number of application vendors in order to migrate and update all of these systems and then re-engineering them to work out of Microsoft’s Private cloud services,” says Arif Kamal.

In March 2020, it was crucial that the team at Hunters Law had the ability to leverage cloud services to maintain dayto-day business operations while working remotely and to maintain regular contact with clients. All members of the team

are now operating productively, from anywhere.

“It is important to also bear in mind the considerable challenges of performing such a transition during lockdown where all interaction between vendors, team members and staff has been remote and visits to site have not been possible,” says Arif Kamal.

“We are indeed most fortunate that the roll out of workplace devices was completed in March just prior to lockdown otherwise the impact on our ability to work and on the firm would have been very significant,” he continues.

Today, Extech Cloud also provides service desk support and operational management of the cloud infrastructure, 100+ users and endpoints, along with advice and guidance on emerging products, features and security compliance and procedure information. Hunters Law only pay for the IT services they actually need on a month by month basis.

If you need one-off IT support to get your team working from home (#WFH) more effectively, or to take your whole business operation into the Cloud, Extech Cloud can help. For more information, call a friendly member of the Extech Cloud team on +44 (0) 1444 443200 or email info@extech.co.uk.

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A record number of new trainees join MHA Carpenter Box MHA Carpenter Box has taken on a record number of trainees at its Worthing and Gatwick offices over the last twelve months, opening up career opportunities for local school and college leavers, and university graduates, despite the challenges presented by coronavirus.

The 13 recruits have joined the firm’s highly-rated in-house training programme and will be guided by a team of qualified and experienced accountants, business advisers and auditors, many of whom also started out as trainees with the practice.

Alan Edwards, MHA Carpenter Box Managing Partner, welcomed the new arrivals, commenting: “These are challenging times for everyone but particularly young people, so I am delighted we can go further this year in offering more traineeships for local school and college leavers and university graduates.

“Some of our current partners started out as trainees with the firm, so I am looking forward to seeing the new intake thrive as they launch their professional careers.”

Joining the Business Services team in Worthing will be Chloe Dacombe, Noor Ali, Thomas Redpath, Oakley Evans, Jack Hallums, Dean Backstrom and George Renshaw-Fox. The Audit team in Worthing welcomes Sharna Challenger and

Jamie Corps, while Abi Blade and Imogen Peters join the Tax Services team.

At the Gatwick office, Ben Summers has joined the Business Services team while Harry Smith has been welcomed into the Audit team.

Eight are studying for the ACCA qualification, three for the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ACA) qualification, one for the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT) qualification and one to become a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA).

All will benefit from the firm’s national association MHA Training Academy, which was launched in 2019 and a study programme rated ‘platinum’ by the As-

sociation of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) – the highest ranking.

As part of the Training Academy, 65 trainees including eight from MHA Carpenter Box, took part in a virtual national business induction day in September, establishing the foundations for their career development; part two of the training will, hopefully, be face to face in the new year.

The training covers a variety of topics including, ingredients of good service, professional risk, how trainees can help manage risk in their firms and an overview of professional qualifications. www.carpenterbox.com

East Surrey College Takes the Lead on Virtual Job Fairs After educational establishments closed earlier this year, East Surrey College (ESC) in Redhill was determined to continue providing high-quality teaching and career-focused learning. This year, ESC made use of its strong employer links by hosting its annual Job Fair online. They were the first College in the Gatwick Diamond region to launch a Virtual Careers Fair following closures, and went on to host two successful Open Events online too.

The Virtual Job Fair took place on Microsoft Teams, with talks from companies including Surrey Police, Tandridge District Council, Fennies and Include.org.

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Representatives shared their career journeys, training and work opportunities at their company and hosted an online Q&A. ESC’s Virtual Job Fair continued in October with a focus on Construction and Engineering as companies including ISG, Pathway CTM and DPR Motorsport took to the screen. Contributing employers commented, “it was great to interact with students and show what we have on offer” and that it was a “very enjoyable experience and well organised event, even with the limitations of Covid.”

In June and October, prospective students and their parents and guardians were all able to explore the College from

home with ESC’s new Virtual Open Events.

As well as live and pre-recorded talks, attendees could also explore a range of 360° video tours and speak directly with staff, by booking 1:1 video chats. These 1:1s allowed prospective students to receive in-depth support with their decisions and career aspirations.

East Surrey College’s Business Development Team are on hand to support businesses by advising on routes such as Apprenticeships, Part-time qualifications and Higher Education courses.

They can be contacted at employerservices@esc.ac.uk or on 01737 788316.

Diamond Magazine

Manufacturing Special Feature Pentagon, moving forward for UK Manufacture

What a journey the UK has been on since the start of the year! As we find ourselves now on the edge of Autumn here at Pentagon, we are in the fortunate position of continuing to see strength and growth within our industry sector.

From the start of the COVID pandemic manufacturing has been essential in the continued support and protection of the UK. Particularly for us the demand for medical production increased to a huge and unimaginable 500% at its peak. This increase at a time where our staffing levels altered day by day due to various implications of COVID. Never have we seen such a business challenge, however through strong leadership and a dedicated, flexible and outstanding team we managed to rise to the challenge and support our customers throughout.

Here we are in October 2020, a year

that many of us now cannot wait to see the back of! For us however we are in a very fortunate and strong position within the UK plastic injection moulding and toolmaking sector. New projects have continued to come in throughout the downturn of the UK economy and we are confident that the coming months and years will continue to deliver steady growth for the business. Although some of the industry sectors that we serve, such as aviation are still severely affected, we are confident that in time their situations too will improve. A return in demand of their production will inevitably come and we will be here to support them.

In light of the many supply issues that we faced early on in the pandemic, we anticipate that we will be able to offer much needed local employment opportunities to ensure we can continue

to deliver at this level in the future. We fully expect an increased demand for a strong UK supply chain and we will be ready to play our part.

Supporting our valuable team throughout this turbulent time has seen the business take note and rise up to the importance of supporting both mental and physical health within the workplace.

A topic which is still widely unsupported within our male dominant industry.

This year has seen unimaginable challenge but it has also highlighted the importance of the UK Manufacturing industry which in time will ultimately lead to a rise in reshoring, career opportunities and economic growth as we all look to future proof both our country and our livelihoods. www.pentagonplastics.co.uk

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Manufacturing Special Feature The first telephone-based intercom in the UK! Here at Commtel Ltd, we started designing our Telguard products in 1985, after our CEO Alan Smith had an enquiry for twoway communications and remote control for a set of gates. It needed an intercom system to serve the 72 town houses on the private road. A traditional hardwired solution was too expensive, and we then started development on our very first telephone-based intercom solution.

In 1989, our prototype received BABT approval, and was sold across the country to sites such as National Trust properties, Stately Homes, multi-occupant housing estates and Government locations. The first solid state product, our Senior, was produced in 1992 and for some years it was the only product of

its kind available in the UK. It was joined around 1994 by the Junior model and then the Bespoke range a few years later.

Our products have evolved from analogue only, to GSM and more recently, 4G LTE. LTE – Long-term evolution, ensures the optimum serviceable life across the mobile platforms. Our in-house R&D team are an integral part of our culture, constantly refining and improving both products and services to provide our customers with the best solutions.

Over the years, we have partnered with some other companies to manufacture solutions, tailored to specific projects.

These include GSM technology inside car park barriers, prison cell intercoms and affray alarms to name a few.

Now more than ever the technology sector is evolving at a rapid pace, and if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we’re highly adaptable to moving into adjacent markets. As the world is waking up to the ‘internet of things’ we’re hoping to reach out to a more national, as well as a global market and to continue looking ahead, being innovative with market leading products and services.

Working together for a better future for us all and in support of quality growth for UK ltd. www.commtel.tech

PVL – building for the future PVL are probably best known in the Gatwick Diamond for being the most orangey manufacturer in the region!

We are also known for manufacturing high visibility brand and safety markings for vehicle fleets across the UK and beyond, into Europe and the Middle East.

Last year saw PVL, and the whole Preview Visual Communications Group, grow to 50 staff and we had our best trading year, continuing our year on year growth.

They say that fortune favours the brave, and in the last 9 months we have invested more in the business than at any period before; our team has adapted, and we have absolutely seen the benefit of the time and effort previously invested in our core company values – we’ve pressure tested them and emerged stronger, more efficient and more determined to continue our growth.

With a new, second factory facility we opened in December, additional equip-

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ment and starting to build our own training facility, we’ve doubled our capacity and used that to produce PPE visors for the NHS (15000 in our first week doing so) and diversify into social distancing signage.

After furloughing some staff so we could make adjustments for space and safety considerations due to Covid-19, we are now back up to our full team and growing again. A couple of fantastic project examples completed recently are the impressive 14-storey (33 metre) high DAMAC London tower branding, and the successful roll out of the first of the new St John Ambulance fleet that we worked on from initial concept. Just two of our many very happy clients.

If you are looking for branding or signage on anything, anywhere, and want to get noticed, we’d love to work with you. #TeamPVL www.pvluk.com

Diamond Magazine

Manufacturing Special Feature Christmas is looking healthy at Heyland & Whittle

Business has been full on at local family run, soap producers Heyland & Whittle. As one of the biggest manufacturers of handmade cold-processed soap, their production line has been working hard over recent months to help keep us all safe. “The Victorians recognised the value of soap way back when they advocated ‘Soap and water and common sense are the best disinfectants.’ It is still the same today as scientists tell us that nothing beats soap in destroying the Coronavirus.

Soap dissolves the weak fatty bilayer

around the virus, inactivating it. Regular washing with soap will help protect you and yours. It is an absolute must.

Don’t be a dope, use soap! is our motto”, explains Ursula Heyland.

The thirteen glorious Heyland & Whittle fragrances turn a very necessary chore into an enjoyable ritual. These oil-based soaps are handmade with only the very best natural ingredients including essential oils, herbs, spices and pure colourants like Madder Root and Turmeric. Most are vegan, all are paraben and sulphate free and not tested on animals. And they are good for the planet too as the soaps can be ordered in pound-saving bricks to slice, as well as individual bars boxed or unboxed, saving waste and packaging.

With an eye on the future, Paddy and Ursula Heyland are about to launch their

eco collection of hand poured candles and reed diffusers in recycled glass vessels, and all beautifully eco-packaged in recycled card. Also new are Palm Oil free soaps.

The Heyland & Whittle Christmas outlet shop is now open, full of fragrant gift ideas at great prices for men and women – body washes and lotions, bathroom accessories, fragranced soy candles, room diffusers and the best stocking filler- soap!

A warm, friendly, safe welcome awaits shoppers at The Heyland & Whittle Christmas Shop at 1 Crompton Way, Manor Royal, Crawley RH10 9QR. Easy parking too – open Mondays to Fridays 10 am to 5pm.

Tel: 01293 525825 www.heylandandwhittle.co.uk

Elekta scores again for cancer patients worldwide September 15 was yet another big day for us here at Elekta. We scored again on behalf of individuals with cancer worldwide with the introduction of our newest linear accelerator, a system designed specifically to address the global cancer burden.

Making this system available in these times has never been more important, as cancer cases could rise by 20 percent as a result of the Covid-19* pandemic.

That’s on top of the existing issue of access to radiotherapy globally; 95 percent of all radiation therapy equipment is available to just 20 percent of the planet’s population, and the global shortage of linacs is well over 10,000 units.

Our new linac – designed by a global team including employees right here in our Crawley facilities – was created to

provide the ideal balance of productivity, reliability, ease of use and precision.

Most importantly, the system is exceptionally versatile, enabling doctors to use a variety of advanced techniques to treat cancer in the breast, lung, prostate and other disease sites.

We believe the system will find a home in emerging markets, as well as already established ones that want to boost the numbers of patients they treat. As centres begin to acquire this new linac, we will come closer to realizing the company’s goal of providing access to radiotherapy for all cancer patients who need it.

For over six decades, Crawley has been fertile ground for Elekta to innovate the most advanced cancer management equipment and software. Our new radiotherapy system continues that tradition.

Dee Mathieson www.elekta.com *Estimating excess mortality in people with cancer and multimorbidity in the COVID-19 emergency. 10.13140/RG.2.2.34254.82242.

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Manufacturing Special Feature Roband Roband is an independent British company specialising in the design, development, manufacture, and support of electronic power supplies for the most challenging applications such as air, maritime, rough terrain land, and space. Founded in 1956, we are self-sufficient, carrying out all processes onsite in Charlwood, Surrey.

All operations are under the supervision of our AS9100 quality management system. It is our philosophy keep all processes in-house allowing us to simultaneously maintain quality and priority.

Roband remained fully open for business during the unprecedented times in 2020, and that remains our

aim no matter what the future holds.

The safety of our staff, customers and suppliers continues to be of paramount importance and we follow the latest government advice. During this period demand has increased as a result we have had to recruit more personnel in addition to investing in capital equipment to keep pace.

Our all-embracing facilities include an electronic assembly shop, transformer department and machine shop including a newly acquired 5 axis milling machine. All testing, including climatic burn-in is undertaken onsite.

Roband’s long-term growth strategy has continued in a steady structured manner.

We are looking forward positively.

If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact us by email: postmaster@roband.co.uk, or by phone: 01293 843000.

Digital Transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Industry has gone through three Technological Revolutions. Steam power was the transformative force of the 19th Century. Next was electricity with the assembly line and the birth of mass production. The third was the shift in the 1970s to large scale computerisation.

We now enter Industry 4.0 in which computers and automation come together in a new way. In manufacturing robotics are being connected remotely to computer systems with machine learning algorithms that can learn and control the robotics with very little input

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from human beings.

In new ‘Smart Factories’ cyber physical systems monitor the physical processes of the factory communicating and cooperating both with each other and with humans. In real time via the Web (internet of things) embedded sensors are in charge of collecting data from physical assets.

Time 24 is an Electronic Contract Manufacturer employing over 200 staff at sites in Burgess Hill and the Czech Republic.

Over the past 25 years we have provided the wiring and electronics on over 30,000 rail carriages, 500 Aircraft Simulators, and 1000 Radiotherapy Machines.

Our assemblies are also used on Military Aircraft, Oil and Gas Platforms and Nuclear Power Plants. We are in the thick of our own digital transformation process recognising that if we do not adapt to the changing world around us, we will

not survive and thrive.

Manufacturing is not about huge plants and long assembly lines anymore. Gone are the days of paper drawings and 2D schematics. Processes are now all digitised. Designs are completed in 3D CAD files with components possibly 3D printed. Digital twins exist to mirror the objects they are building At Time24 we have developed our own software which tells us where virtually every second on the shop floor is spent.

It feeds us back efficiency data on all issues affecting our manufacturing. We have not got a paperless office, but it is not far away!

Time 24 are finalists in the 2020 Sussex SuperGrowth Awards and gdb Manufacturer of the Year Award. www.time24.com

Diamond Magazine

Manufacturing Contact Details Bio Productions sales@bio-productions.com 01444 244000 www.bio-productions.com Commtel Ltd ceo@commtel-uk.com 01306 710120 www.commtel-uk.com Elekta Crawley.Accounts@elekta.com 01293 654378 www.elekta.com Heyland & Whittle sales@heylandandwhittle.co.uk 01293 525825 www.heylandandwhittle.co.uk Pentagon Plastics Ltd sales@pentagonplasitcs.co.uk 01403 264397 www.pentagonplastics.co.uk PVL sales@pvluk.com 01444 258980 www.pvluk.com Roband Electronics PLC postmaster@roband.co.uk 01293 843000 www.roband.co.uk Time24 Ltd 01444 257655 www.time24.com Varian Medical Systems UK Ltd 01293 601200 www.varian.com/en-gb

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Are Town Centres the Workplaces of the Future?

Red River’s Simon Pringle looks at our Town Centres The disruption to business in 2020 is unprecedented and overwhelmingly destructive but seems to accelerate trends in working practices that would have taken a decade to happen. Remote & flexible working, automation, digital provision of services and agile thinking accelerated from a near standing start in March. The shock of lockdown gave businesses no option but to adopt new working practices. Businesses have survived and some have thrived, but will this trend endure in the long-term?

I hope so and from adversity, we could see a greater place for the towns in the Gatwick Diamond. Lockdown has shown us that we can survive without the commute to London. The trend of living and working locally has accelerated and could lead to the growth of our town centre economies.

Our towns need to be places of work again but to achieve this, we will need a spectrum of available commercial space suitable for co-workers, start-ups, scaleups and corporates. We need local authorities, landlords and investors to think flexibly, to help create and environment focussed on business and to halt the loss of commercial space to residential.

In March we realised that our planned office expansion and long lease commitments were incompatible with being agile in a massively turbulent economy.

We rapidly took stock, worked remotely and realised what a flexible future looked like for us. We cancelled plans and downsized whilst the business expanded and with the help of Office Profile, got up and running in our fantastic new office as lockdown eased.

I don’t believe the need for an office

environment will ever disappear but the use of the offices will change. Town centres give great opportunities for companies looking to set up networks of smaller regional offices with excellent facilities around, promoting a healthy work-life balance. https://river.red/

n!

Fu r ee nd ei R se ou H ee Tr t nu st Che Grab your antlers this December and hold your very own Reindeer Fun challenge for Chestnut Tree House! y

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For more information: 07795 353796 52 Diamond Magazine www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/reindeer-fun

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Plus free antlers and red noses for everyone taking part!

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WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE

Diamond Magazine

Our service can support your business and employees in the following ways: • One to one appointments via Microsoft Teams, on the phone and by email • Talks and presentations covering a wide range of health and wellbeing topics • Regular and continued support for staff members.

We can help you with: • • • • • • •

Nutrition Weight management Physical activity Sleep improvement Alcohol reduction Smoking cessation Emotional support.

wellbeing@crawley.gov.uk 01293 585317 crawley.westsussexwellbeing.org.uk CrawleyWB (Facebook and Twitter) Crawley Wellbeing is funded by West Sussex County Council Public Health and employed by Crawley Borough Council.

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#BuildingBusinessConnections

gdb welcomes new members Access2Funding

www.access2funding.co.uk

Access2Funding support SMEs to boost their cashflow through specialist tax relief. Experts in Research & Development Tax Credits, Access2Funding have a 100% success rate, helping businesses from a vast variety of industries to identify projects and activities that could uncover cash returns or tax sav-

ings. Businesses can also benefit from Access2Funding’s other services such as Embedded Capital Allowances for commercial property owners, or their national partnership network for other finance needs. Visit Access2Funding. co.uk to find out if you’re missing out on vital cashflow support.

Atom CTO

www.atomcto.com

Atom CTO is a group of C-Level Executives, Tech Founders and Technologists that have built and scaled businesses across the globe.

We strive to raise the standard of

strategic and operational advice given to startups and SMEs, helping them implement technology within their organization and drive the business forward.

Beaming

www.beaming.co.uk

Beaming provides rock solid, secure internet connectivity, telephony and IT support to businesses nationwide. As a trusted partner to companies ranging from solo entrepreneurs through to multisite businesses, we help our customers improve their flexibility and resilience to meet business goals. We can help with: • Reliable, superfast broadband and high speed fibre optic leased lines

• Flexible, cost-effective telephone services • Remote working networks that maintain consistency for staff, wherever they’re based • Friendly IT support and managed services Our plain-English speaking, expert technical team are here to help when you need it and will work hard to ensure a hassle-free switchover to our services.

Best Practice People

www.bestpracticepeople.co.uk

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Best Practice People are a fast-growing Private Training Provider based in Crawley with additional locations across the Gatwick Diamond, SELEP, EM3 and Pan-London. We specialise in the delivery of government funded training, with the single goal of improving an individual’s career paths. We work in Partnership with Colleges, Councils,

Large Training Providers and Jobcentre Plus. We also work with local employers and secure funding to develop their workforce. Additionally, we are also a Kickstart Intermediary and our CEO, Grant Basson, is an Enterprise Adviser, working with schools do develop effective careers advice for excluded pupils across Coast to Capital.

Diamond Magazine

Membership of gdb will help you raise your organisation’s profile within the Gatwick Diamond and build your business connections.

Contracts-Direct.com

www.contracts-direct.com

Drafting - our core service - contracts may be drawn up as 'neutral' pre-negotiation documents or drafted as ‘bespoke’ agreements meeting specific business needs and commercial objectives.

Reviewing contracts received from a counter-party to see where changes are needed.

Amending contracts for circulation

between businesses to assist with concluding commercial negotiations.

Our services are relevant for mature businesses, entrepreneurs, start-up as well as sole traders and SMEs. We cover most types of commercial contracts including agency and distribution, joint ventures and shareholders’ agreements, e-commerce and website terms.

Cow Corner Investments

www.cow-corner.com

A Sussex based investment business that partners with growing service or subscription tech service businesses that help SMEs with their back office

administration. Focus areas include accountancy, insurance, finance, HR, legal services, health and safety, payroll and digital education.

Gary Morgan Coaching

www.garymorgan.co

Sales and Leadership Coach & Keynote Speaker.

I specialise in providing highly effective Sales, Customer Service, Leadership and Telephone Skills Training & Coaching. I have helped many leaders to take their business from average to outstanding.

As an emotional intelligence practitioner, I help individuals to sell with integrity.

I am also an experienced keynote speaker. I use captivating storytelling and relatable, real-life examples. During my talks I take audiences on a transformative journey, inspiring action.

My carefully constructed speaking engagements have the power to provoke thought, positive emotions, and boost self-belief.

Gilbro Group LLP

www.gilbrogroup.co.uk

A Group of Consultants with, between them, a wide range of experience across many disciplines in many countries offer four arms of assistance for U.K. companies.

International Trading: We assist those companies looking to trade overseas, especially into Asia, and those looking to trade from Asia into the U.K. We will mentor and assist or do the job for you.

Training, Mentoring and Assistance: particularly for small companies looking to build and develop.

Executive Coaching: Upskilling and education. Accelerate your progress and that of your business to success.

Succession Planning: We help you avoid the negative effects of illness or worse on your company.

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#BuildingBusinessConnections

mnAI

www.mnai.tech

mnAI is an award-winning business intelligence and operations platform that provides insight, research, and due diligence on all unlisted companies in the UK to allow for unrivalled company information that has never been visualised before.

We hold 7.5bn+ data points on over 7m UK companies, applying a wide variety of machine learning algorithms

and filters which enable users to access targeted information far more rapidly than what is currently possible.

The platform also offers detailed information on millions of officers and shareholders which can then be sorted by gender, allowing for very precise targeting of industries, companies, directors, and shareholders.

MPS Business Supplies

www.mpsbusiness.co.uk

MPS Business Supplies are based on Manor Royal. We supply the widest range of business supplies and services, including office supplies, furniture, business equipment, telecoms & IT, bespoke printing, branded merchandise & more! We are a single source solution for SME busines through to larger blue-chip clients. We are al-

ways looking to grow our business, particularly so in the Gatwick Diamond region. We have special offers for all gdb Members so please contact us if you wish to review your spend in any of these areas or simply have an enquiry for a product or service we supply. customerservice@mpsbusiness.co.uk / 020 8187 7875

Plus X

www.plusx.space

We create inspiring work space that unlocks potential; driving business growth and innovation, community collaboration and positive social impact.

In partnership with specialist regeneration developer, U+I, we will launch

Plus X hubs across the UK. Our first innovation hub, Plus X Brighton is now open and we are evolving our existing site at the Central Research Laboratory, Hayes to launch Plus X Powerhouse in Autumn 2021.

Southern Cabins Ltd

www.southerncabins.co.uk

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Southern Cabins Ltd is your local specialist supplying an extensive range of bespoke new portable cabins and modular system buildings for many applications in industry, education and leisure. We are an approved supplier for the NHS and have installed accommodation for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd Goodwood, administration offices

for SGN Gas Networks Brighton and Reading and many other companies have benefited by contacting Southern Cabins Ltd. Cabins can be stacked and linked while modular systems can be up to four floors. Our service and attention to detail is first class.

Buildings are top quality providing sound economic solutions.

Diamond Magazine

Upcoming Events www.gatwickdiamondbusiness.com/events gdb Networking Tuesday 10th Nov: 10:30 - 11:30

Tuesday 24th Nov: 10:30 - 11:30

Friday 27th Nov: 11:30 - 12:45

gdb Virtual Elevenses & Networking

gdb Virtual Elevenses & Networking

• Stay connected with the gdb Team and your fellow Members • Free of Charge – gdb Members only

• Stay connected with the gdb Team and your fellow Members • Free of Charge – gdb Members only

gdb November 2020 Members Meeting with EMW Law LLP

Friday 20th Nov: 10:00 - 11:00

Thursday 26th Nov: 10:00 - 11:00

gdb CSR Seminar with Darren Harding, Richard Place Dobson

NatWest Breakfast Briefing

• Free of Charge – gdb Members only

• Stay connected with the gdb Team and your fellow Members • Free of Charge for gdb Members • Non-Member Fee Applies

• Hear from presenter Marcus Wright, Senior Economist at RBS • Free of Charge for Members and Non-Members

Gatwick Diamond Business Awards New Date Announced – Thursday 3rd December 2020 www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com

gdb Re-Energise Conference Save the date - Thursday 21st January 2021

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Diamond Listing Directory Welcome to your Diamond Listing Directory Accounting / Financial Services

Airport / Airline Services

BDO http://www.bdo.uk.com/ tania.fensom@bdo.co.uk 01293 591000

Gatwick Airport https://www.gatwickairport.com/ Paula.Aldridge@gatwickairport.com 0844 335 1802

Brewin Dolphin https://www.brewin.co.uk/ individuals/our-offices/gatwick paul.cannons@brewin.co.uk 01293 661323

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd https://www.virginatlantic.com/ 01293 747747

KPMG https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home.html Timothy.Rush@KPMG.co.uk 01293 652000 Kreston Reeves https://www.krestonreeves.com/ tracy.morrison@krestonreeves. com 01293 776152 MHA Carpenter Box https://www.carpenterbox.com/ info@carpenterbox.com 01293 227670 Servo Private Wealth https://www.servoprivatewealth.com/ info@servoprivatewealth.com 01444 715200 Your Right Hand https://yourrighthand.co.uk/ hello@yourrighthand.co.uk 01252 820002

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Architectural / Construction / Maintenance Vulcan Ellis https://www.vulcanellis.co.uk/ info@vulcanellis.co.uk 07903 911727 Banking HSBC https://www.hsbc.co.uk/ andrew.steer@hsbc.com 08455 854001 NatWest https://personal.natwest.com/ personal.html Paul.Mcconalogue@natwest.com 01293 643096 Business Consultants Hazel Gibson Learning & Development Consultant http://hazelgibson.co.uk/ hazelgibson199@btinternet.com 07753 520735

Diamond Magazine

Environmental Services

IT Services / IT Support

Cleankill Pest Control https://www.cleankill.co.uk/ enquiries@cleankill.co.uk 0208 668 5477

E-mpower IT https://e-mpower.it/ sales@empower.IT 01444 250404

Food & Drink

Extech Cloud https://extechcloud.com/ info@extech.co.uk 01444 443200

Love Water https://www.lovewater.com/ nick.swan@lovewater.com 0345 5200820 Nestle https://www.nestle.co.uk/en-gb 020 8686 3333

Hotels / Venues / Events

Freeman Clarke https://www.freemanclarke.co.uk/ contact@freemanclarke.co.uk 0203 020 1864 Red River http://www.river.red/ info@river.red 0844 8802357

Ashdown Park Hotel https://www.ashdownpark.com/ conference@ashdownpark.com 01342 824988

Vazon Technology http://www.vazontech.co.uk/ info@vazontech.co.uk 07880 728209

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc https://www.millenniumhotels.com/ torsten.puck@millenniumhotels.com 01342 348800

Legal Services

South Lodge Hotel http://www.exclusivehotels.co.uk/ enquiries@southlodgehotel.co.uk 01403 891711

Insurance / Risk Services / Compliance Services 1st Central https://www.1stcentralinsurance.com/ Jo.harrison@1stcentral.co.uk 0333 043 2066

DMH Stallard LLP https://www.dmhstallard.com/ enquiries@dmhstallard.com 01293 605000 Irwin Mitchell https://www.irwinmitchell.com/ Lee.Harding@irwinmitchell.com 01293 742700 Mayo Wynne Baxter https://www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk/ info@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk 01273 477071 Schlich http://www.schlich.co.uk/ sean.hughes@schlich.co.uk 01903 717001

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Leisure / Entertainment

Medical / Health / Wellbeing

K2 Crawley https://www.freedom-leisure.co.uk/ freedom-leisure-in-crawley/ laurenpullen@everyoneactive.com 01293 585300

Elekta https://www.elekta.com/ Crawley.Accounts@elekta.com 01293 654378

Local Government / Public Sector Crawley Borough Council https://crawley.gov.uk/ 01293 438000 Logistics / Travel Services DNA https://www.dna2b.com/ info@dna2b.com 0333 335 8585 Gatwick Express https://www.gatwickexpress.com/ Angie.Doll@gtrailway.com 0345 850 1530 ILG https://www.ilguk.com/ info@ilguk.com 0844 264 8000 Metrobus https://www.metrobus.co.uk/ kevin.carey@metrobus.co.uk 01293 449191

Varian https://www.varian.com/ steve.pullen@varian.com 01293 601200 Welland Medical https://wellandmedical.com/ SamJackson@WellandMedical.com 01293 615455

Office Services Omni3 https://omni3.co.uk/ hello@omni3.co.uk 0800 368 7799 Regency Grove Communications http://www.rgcltd.co.uk/ enquiries@rgcltd.co.uk 03300 022222

Property / Planning Services Thakeham Homes https://thakeham.com/ info@thakeham.com 01403 787300

Manufacturing / Engineering Commtel https://commtel-uk.com/ sales@telguard.co.uk 01306 710120 Marketing / Media / PR Huxley Digital https://huxleydigital.co.uk/ hello@huxleydigital.co.uk 01903 896624

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Recruitment / HR Volt https://www.volt.eu.com/ 01737 774100

Diamond Magazine

Training / Education Chichester College Group https://www.chichestercollegegroup. ac.uk/ info@chichester.ac.uk 01243 786321 East Surrey College https://www.esc.ac.uk/ employerservices@esc.ac.uk 01737 788316 Proactive by Design https://www.proactivebydesign.co.uk/ david.santineer@ntlworld.com 07597 820678

Follow @gdbmembership and keep touch with latest news from the gdb community

Rewards Training https://www.rewardstraining.co.uk/ enquiries@rewardstraining.co.uk 01293 562651 Roffey Park http://www.roffeypark.com/ enquiries@roffeypark.ac.uk 01293 854020 University of Brighton https://www.brighton.ac.uk/businessservices/index.aspx enterprise@brighton.ac.uk 01273 641039 University of Sussex https://www.sussex.ac.uk/ information@sussex.ac.uk 01273 606755

Utilities Control Energy Cost https://cec.uk.com/ sales@cec.uk.com 01737 556631

Join the gdb LinkedIn Group and keep in touch with the latest advice that could help you and your business

Southern Water https://www.southernwater.co.uk/ 01903 272776

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