Business Direction 41

Business Direction

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE PAGE 36 Issue 41 January/February 2018

Quality Counts For those times when quality really matters.

An award winning team of Chartered Accountants, Business & Tax Advisors.

01905 794 504

Kingswood Road Droitwich, WR9 0QH

www.ballardsca.com info@ballardsca.com January/February 2018

FIRSTWORD

WELCOME 2018: JANUARY – FEBRUARY

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Business Dire

Firstly, I’d like to wish a very Happy New Year to all of our Members! I hope that you had a fantastic Christmas, and enjoyed the well deserved break. I hope that you have now returned to work feeling recharged, reinvigorated and ready to take on new challenges.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Issue 41 ary 2018 January/Febru

PAGE 34

The image shown on the front cover was kindly sent to us by Photographer Christopher Draper as part of the Tourism Photo Competition 2017. If you would like to contact Chris, please do so at c.draper7@hotmail.co.uk

BUSINESS DIRECTION Business Direction, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s full colour bi-monthly publication. Designed and produced by business people for business people. Distributed to 4,000 businesses.

EDITOR Lucy Allen 01905 673 639 lucya@hwchamber.co.uk

EDITORIAL & SUBSCRIPTIONS businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk 01905 673 639 www.hwchamber.co.uk/busines-direction

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 887 3810 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

ADVERTISING Distinctive Publishing Tel: 0845 884 2333 helen.flintoff@distinctivegroup.co.uk

FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the publisher accepts no responsibility for omissions or errors within this publication.

Editorial submissions are included at the discretion of the editor. The opinions expressed in articles and letters within this publication are not necessarily those of the Chamber. All offers, promotions and competitions appearing in Business Direction are the sole responsibility of the advertiser/ promoting party and Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce does not accept any responsibility for any representations made within them.

2017 brought about changes for Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, our Members and the local business community across the two counties. Last year, the world of politics was shaken by another General Election, and following the announcement of the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 22 November, it will be interesting to see how the changes to tax, transport and, of course, continuing Brexit negotiations will impact firms in the counties.

After being selected as runner-up in the World Chambers Competition for the health and wellbeing scheme Worcestershire Works Well, the partnership recently celebrated the 100th business to sign up to the globally recognised programme. In further good news, the Chamber is proud to have sponsored some fantastic events last year, like the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards, held by the Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), and the Sports Awards 2017, held by the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Chamber was delighted to join Members in celebrating their achievements, recognising the hard-work of businesses in spite of the politically and economically turbulent year.

We have now started promoting the Chamber Business Awards 2018. I am excited to announce that we have two brand new awards for this year; Best Use of Social Media and Micro Business of the Year. Please keep an eye out over the next several weeks for stories from previous finalists and winners, including GTAccess, Make More Noise and Thursfields, who will highlight the benefits from being finalists, and winners, and how the awards can help your business. I’d like to wish good luck to all the businesses that will be entering when applications go live on Friday 5 January!

In this issue of Business Direction, we explore the Future of Business, with a spotlight on how apprenticeships could help bridge the gap in the UK skills shortage, the inspiration behind innovative business ideas and what it means for small businesses when they receive recognition in regional awards. The Big Interview is with The Smart Actuator, with interesting cover features from Petvictus, The Development Manager (TDM), SimpliWiFi and Julu.

First Word

3

Chamber News

4

Business News

5 -6

Policy

7

Business News

8

Skills

14

Business News

18

Awards

24-25

Chamber Training

26-27

Chamber Events

30-32

Big Interview

32-33

Cover Feature

34-35

International Trade

42-43

Visit Worcestershire

44

Visit Herefordshire

45

Worcestershire Business Central 46

5 under 35

49

Members Services

50

New Members

54-56

Business News

56

Charity News

58

Business News

59

Movers and Shakers Last Word

60-61 62

32

Finally, I hope that everyone has a successful and prosperous 2018!

Best regards, Sharon sharons@hwchamber.co.uk

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Our Patrons are:

January/February 2018

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBERNEWS

HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE SPORTS AWARDS 2017 The “Young Volunteer of the Year” award celebrates those who are under 18, and dedicate their free time to benefit individuals or groups who participate in sports and/or physical activity. The “Young Volunteer of the Year” will be a positive role model for other young people, and are committed to their own development.

The Chamber was delighted to sponsor the “Young Volunteer of the Year” award at this year’s Sports Partnership Herefordshire & Worcestershire Sports Awards 2017.

The awards aim to reward and recognise people from across the two counties that take part, work, coach and volunteer in sport and physical activity. The awards are aimed at local people, clubs and organisations to be recognised for their hard-work, commitment and passion for

sport at both amateur and professional levels.

The Chamber would like to congratulate all the finalists, but notably Jacob Ottley, Redditch Cricket Club, for winning “Young Volunteer of the Year”!

SUCCESS AT WORCESTERSHIRE APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS

100TH BUSINESS FOR WORCESTERSHIRE WORKS WELL After gaining global recognition at the World Chamber Awards earlier this year, Worcestershire Works Well was proud to celebrate with its bi-annual event, on Wednesday 22 November 2017 held at Deer Park Hall.

The health and wellbeing accreditation scheme was delighted to congratulate all the newly accredited businesses, who received their certificates at the exclusive event. Worcester, Bosch, Ice Blue Marketing and Design, Sutcliffe & Co, Wyre Forest Leisure Centre and Citizen Communications Media all achieved Level 1; whilst Malvern Instruments went on to achieve Level 2.

The event was a fantastic way for Worcestershire Works Well to celebrate the 100th business to sign up to the scheme, earlier in November.

Worcestershire Works Well would like to personally thank Deer Park Hall, who pledged to plant a tree for every delegate at the bi-annual event, as well as Go Wellbeing who provided on-site massages to every delegate. www.worcestershireworkswell.co.uk

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The Chamber was proud to sponsor the “Small Apprenticeship Employer of the Year” award at the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards in November last year, with Members Green Lighting Ltd being selected as the winner, and Bradley Haynes Law as a runner-up.

The awards took place on Thursday 16 November, organised by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire County Council. The lavish awards ceremony was held at the Tree Tops Pavilion, West Midland Safari Park, and was a fantastic evening to celebrate Worcestershire’s best apprentices, employers, training providers and schools.

The Chamber would like to congratulate all those who made the shortlisting for the 2017 awards, sending its best wishes to the winners of all categories. The top two awards were presented to CP Foods UK for “Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year”, sponsored by Chamber Member Yamazaki Mazak (UK) Ltd, and Ben Hyde from Sanctuary Group who won “Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year”, sponsored by Chamber Patron Worcester, Bosch Group. www.worcsapprentices.org.uk

BUSINESSES TACKLE CYBER CONCERNS Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s Be Cyber Smart Conference took place on Tuesday 21 November, held at QinetiQ in Malvern.

The conference was sponsored by leading firms in the two counties, including; Chamber Patrons EBC Group and mfg Solicitors, and Members QinetiQ, ISO Quality Services Ltd, Sutcliffe & Co, iTech IT, borwell Ltd and West Mercia Police.

Over 100 businesses were invited to attend the brand new event in order to gain practical support on security and proactive defence. Guests had the fantastic opportunity to hear from six experts in the industry. During the day there was an open Q&A session, where guests had the chance to ask questions about important cyber issues. The session followed on from feedback we received in recent customer satisfaction surveys, where Members said they would like to learn more about how to be cyber secure, the steps that should be taken and, of course, the potential consequences of GDPR.

January/February 2018

BUSINESSNEWS

RURAL MEDIA HEADS TO CHINA Hereford-based film, digital arts and media charity, Rural Media, travelled to East China, visiting Ningbo and Shanghai to explore potential business opportunities and co-productions.

Rich Matthews, Development Manager, attended the 2nd Annual Ningbo International Microfilm Festival, giving a presentation on UK short filmmaking, and presenting an award at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony, shown live to 10 million people in the region.

Rich Matthews said: “China is ahead of the game with Microfilm, which specifically recognises the potential of short online films as the future of Smartphone entertainment. With Rural Media’s interest in talent development and commitment

to short form film, with the Random Acts programme, and partnering on the Hereford College of Art’s BA in Short Form Filmmaking, the trip was an invaluable experience that has already yielded some great opportunities for our regional networks.” www.ruralmedia.co.uk

MAGIC TRACTOR CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY IN WORCESTER The Magic Tractor has celebrated one year in its Worcester office with a new client on board.

John Dillon, MD at GJS Dillon, and Ania Naughton, Head Farmer at The Magic Tractor

The Design and Marketing Creatives have acquired a new account with Worcestershire-based commercial property consultants, GJS Dillon, looking at creating a clear message for the brand.

Ania Naughton, Head Farmer at The Magic Tractor, said: “We’re delighted to be working with GJS Dillon. We always enjoy working with businesses that are receptive to new ideas, that way we’ll push each other forward. Their team has shown a real enthusiasm for this project and we want to create something that everyone can take pride in.”

“It’s great to secure new clients in

Worcestershire and feel a part of the business community. We are passionate about design and the vital role it plays in growing a business.”

The Magic Tractor moved to its new home in Worcester last year, after seven years operation in Warwick. www.themagictractor.co.uk

BRADLEY HAYNES LAW CONTINUES TO GROW Bradley Haynes Law recently opened an office in Bromsgrove, as part of its strategic vision to provide legal services to the local market at a price that offers value for money.

Worcester law firm, Bradley Haynes Law, has continued its growth with the appointment of Julian Wintle as Director and Head of Litigation, and four new paralegals. The firm now employs a total of 22 staff.

Andrew Bradley, Managing Director at Bradley Haynes Law, said: “This is an exciting time in the firm’s development.

We are an ambitious firm and with our recent appointments and the opening of the Bromsgrove office, we will continue to deliver a high quality service to our ever increasing client base”.

Stuart Rank, Director of Golf

HEREFORDSHIRE GOLF CLUB BOUNCES BACK The outlook is much brighter for the County Golf Club of Herefordshire, as memberships are back on the rise.

Last year the Golf Club welcome 60 new golfers, with many more in the pipe line. The Club has seen lots of change since the appointment of Stuart Rank in November 2016. The historic James Braid golf course has much to offer with unrivalled views of the Shropshire Hills and the Black Mountains, as well as a clubhouse that can offer a restaurant and bar with seating up to 160, with free parking.

Stuart said: “Improving the experience for everyone that walks through the door has been a major influence on increasing participation and return visits. Since launching new membership categories, we have seen much more interest. My next challenge is to engage with the local business community and offer attractive packages for corporate membership.” www.herefordshiregolfclub.co.uk

www.bradleyhaynessolicitors.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

CB, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS RECOGNISED AS TOP UK FIRM CB, Chartered Accountants has been selected as one of the UK’s leading accountancy firms by Handpicked Accountants.

David Tattersall, Head of Client Relations at Handpicked Accountants, commented: “CB, Chartered Accountants have great pedigree and a very positive local and regional reputation. They are a credit to their profession and a worthy selection on Handpicked Accountants which recognises the leading accountancy practices across the UK.” John Painter, Managing Partner of CB, Chartered Accountants, said: “According to ACCA statistics published in 2015, there are approximately 320,000 accountants in the UK so we are delighted to have been identified as one of this select group of

around 1,000 accountants nationwide.

EBC GROUP - TECH PREDICTIONS 2018

“In addition to great client care, we also aim to provide innovative solutions to our clients’ needs such as offering fixed-fee accountancy packages. We offer a range of fixed fee services suitable for every budget and every type of business from sole trader to larger Limited companies and Partnerships.”

2017 was an interesting year for technology, seeing the rise of cybersecurity, VR, AI and IOT. But what does 2018 have in store? Here are EBC Group’s top tech predictions:

www.cbcharteredaccountants.com

THE VOICE MOVEMENT

MALVERN PANALYTICAL TAPS INTO BIG DATA TO DRIVE INDUSTRY CHANGE product development.

David Higgs, Head of Marketing – Systems and Process, at Malvern Panalytical, said: “Malvern Panalytical has a history of combining innovative technologies with intelligent, intuitive software, which we continuously review and improve in response to customer feedback and evolving requirements.”

2018 is set to be another exciting year for Malvern Panalytical, as the impact of big data and predictive analytics continues to revolutionize workflows across multiple industries.

New advances will allow scientists and engineers to get more from their analysis, and to use their data more wisely to solve problems, remove process bottlenecks, and accelerate

“The potential of predictive analytics to capture, store and analyze data in order to deliver actionable intelligence is both a challenge and an opportunity which is being researched in a number of industry sectors. Despite the variability in use environment, there is one common vision: sharing more data in the future will create better efficiencies worldwide.” www.malvern.com

2018 will continue to see the rise of voice communications, with Gartner predicting it will take over typing as the main input method by 2022.

ALL THINGS SECURITY Experts warn that businesses must be ready to integrate cyber security into every aspect of their operations to keep up with the rapid development of cyber attacks.

MACHINE LEARNING While full AI may still be some years away, the capability to utilise advancements in both specialised AI and machine learning is something that is going to be far more widely available, especially through cloud services.

CLOUD AS DEFAULT Cloud based management is set to soar thanks to its ongoing availability, scalable storage and security, and will become a standard component for SME’s. www.ebcgroup.co.uk/tech-predictions2018

MODUS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH SOCIAL SENSE MEDIA Modus is delighted to announce its partnership with Social Sense Media, a bespoke social media agency.

Social Sense Media was designed to support small and medium sized businesses get the maximum benefit from the opportunities offered by social media. Run

by Kate Cox and Karen Slade, who together have more than 40 years marketing experience, Social Sense Media covers a breadth of businesses from large global brands to entrepreneurial start-ups.

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Guy Marson, Modus’ Founder and Creative Director, said: “I’m delighted to announce this partnership with Social Sense Media.

Social media is becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes, to utilise as an effective way to talk to existing clients and find new business.

At Modus we pride ourselves on always providing the best available service, to this end we are delighted to be working with Kate and Karen.”

Guy Marson, Modus, with Kate Cox, Social Sense Media

www.facebook.com/TheModusAgency/

January/February 2018

POLICYNEWS

FIRMS CELEBRATE BUILDING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES IN WORCESTERSHIRE Over 120 firms across Worcestershire attended the celebration of the first anniversary of the Building Better Opportunities programme, on the morning of Friday 10 November at Sixways Stadium hosted by Fusion and Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Vestia Community Trust led the work to establish Fusion, who are helping local people to move into employment, improving their lives and securing the future prosperity of Worcestershire through the Building Better Opportunities project which is funded by the National Lottery, through the Big Lottery Fund, and the European Social Fund.

Supported by the Chamber, Fusion have invested in local projects tackling the root causes of poverty, promoting social inclusion and driving local jobs and growth. As well as helping those needing extra support into work, including people with disabilities, long-term unemployed, adults with learning disabilities, ex-offenders and young people with no work experience.

One year on since the programme started, businesses and key partners came

Local businesses are invited to attend the prestigious launch of the Chamber Manifesto 2018 at Worcester Bosch on Friday 26 January 2018, 8.00–9.30am.

together to celebrate the successes so far, including supporting 100 people back into work. Guests got to hear from a fantastic line up of speakers which included the Big Lottery Fund, the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the Chamber and inspirational local firms who have benefited from the programme.

For more information on the programme please contact one of the Building Better Opportunities team on fusion@vestia.org.uk or visit the website www.fusionworcs.co.uk.

NORTH HEREFORDSHIRE FIRMS TALK "SKILLS SQUEEZES" AT CHAMBER ROUNDTABLE WITH LOCAL MP out for up to three months and some remaining unfilled. The university was seen as a great solution, not only in up-skilling young people but also in helping to develop Hereford City Centre; however it was recognised that it is not a silver bullet.

10 Chamber Members from North Herefordshire gathered on Friday 3 November at Westons Cider to discuss the skills shortage with Bill Wiggin MP. Businesses of all sizes and sectors from across the constituency were present, as well as the principal of Herefordshire & Ludlow College, and a representative from the NMiTE University. Firms discussed their most immediate labour market concerns, made even more prevalent for a constituency that has under 500 unemployed people and a wider issue with retaining young people in the area.

Every Business Leader around the table expressed difficulty in hiring staff at all skilled levels, with some having vacancies

CHAMBER MANIFESTO LAUNCH 2018

While blame tends to be pushed onto the education system for not turning out young people with the right skills or work ethic, firms and education providers expressed concern about significant cuts to funding to the further education sector.

In addition to hearing more about the key aims of the manifesto, we will be joined by General Director of the British Chambers of Commerce, Dr Adam Marshall, to celebrate the achievements from 2017 and to address the challenges ahead. Guests will also enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast and fantastic networking opportunities.

The Chamber Manifesto outlines the main policy objectives and campaigns we will be carrying out on behalf of businesses in the two counties. It has been put together through consultation with the local business community and the Quarterly Economic Survey.

As the voice of business, the Chamber will lobby and work to influence government on the key priorities highlighted in the manifesto, in order to make the UK and the two counties an even better place to do business.

This is set to be an extremely popular event which last year saw over 100 guests, we encourage delegates to book on early to avoid disappointment. Contact Policy Manager, Sophia Haywood on sophiah@hwchamber.co.uk to secure your FREE place.

Education for 16–18 year olds, the prime age for up-skilling and preparing young people for the world of work or higher education, achieves 50% less funding than university, and 25% less funding than schools. This is a sector that must be financially supported more in order to develop a seriously needed, skilled workforce for the future. For more information or to register your interest for future Chamber roundtables, please contact our Policy Manager, Sophia Haywood, on sophiah@hwchamber.co.uk.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

NEW STUDIO FOR BIG HELPING Worcester-based design agency Big Helping opened its brand new studio doors in Marmion House, celebrating the occasion with after-work drinks, eats and incredible magic from Christian Fletcher.

Big Helping was delighted to welcome current clients, friends and importantly some new faces into the studio to get a taste of what they are all about.

By taking a larger office space in Marmion House, and moving its design studio further up the High Street towards the new Cathedral Square, Big Helping is ready to grow with new clients and more fantastic employees. Tim Worsley, Creative Director, said: “We have created a contemporary

design space, embracing plenty of natural light, precisely furnished to look good but also function as a busy design studio. It was important to create a cool place to work for our team.”

Georgina Worsley, Managing Director, commented: “Thank you to all for coming and a big thank you to Christian – you truly are magic! www.bighelping.com

FUTURE OF INNOVATION CHANGING EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY

PROTECTIONISM – HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BUSINESS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT Following the recently published report from Chamber Patron Gowling WLG, businesses in Herefordshire and Worcestershire can now see how much risk or opportunity they face from protectionism - the practice of shielding a country’s domestic industries from foreign competition through taxing imports.

The Gowling WLG report on protectionism and its threats draws insight from research from 500 of the UK’s top Senior Executives and General Counsel.

Andrew Manning Cox, Partner at Gowling WLG, said: “As our report shows, businesses in the region with international relationships need to be alive to the increasingly protectionist business environment. They should take legal advice to see if they are exposed to risks or open to potential opportunities which it presents.”

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Meaningful collaborations to drive innovation, and support changes in business, continue to play an increasingly important role. Some predictions for the future of business include things like: n Start ups and corporates will be working side-by-side in the same office by 2025, supplemented by a rise in partnerships with co-working spaces n The future of corporate and start up innovation will see a short term boom in “tech tourism”, but structured programmes will emerge as the long term winner n Start ups and corporate collaborations will evolve from an optional extra to a business critical investment in the next five years The impact within the local environment will see the launch of Worcestershire’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, scheduled for the middle of next year – with focus on attracting and supporting new emerging and disruptive technology entrepreneurs. To register your interest in this new facility, please contact enquiries@wlep.co.uk.

20TH ANNIVERSARY FOR BESPOKE FURNITURE COMPANY Witley Jones Furniture recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in business. The family run company based in Stourport, founded in 1997 by Chris and Jane Jones, manufacture bespoke furniture for independent schools.

Chris said: “I am delighted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Witley Jones.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of Jane, the family, Simon and our team. We continually strive to produce the highest quality furniture for our clients, building strong long-term relationships with all of our clients because without them we wouldn’t be here today.”

Gowling WLG’s new report found the UK is the world’s 8th biggest victim of protectionist trading, with 81% of businesses anticipating further negative trading measures in the future.

Matt Jones, son of Chris and Jane, said: “I am immensely proud of my parents for their hard-work and dedication over the past 20 years, starting Witley Jones Furniture from an office in the dining room and turning it into to the multi-million-pound business we have today, and I very much look forwards to building on their legacy over the next 20 years and beyond.”

www.gowlingwlg.com/protectionism

www.witleyjones.com

www.wlep.co.uk

January/February 2018

Negotiating a commercial rent review:

What do you need to know?

A tenant may have signed on the dotted line to let a property, but landlords will still need to periodically examine the rental agreement from time to time.

Commercial property specialist Rhiannon Radcliffe explains the importance of a rent review and the pitfalls landlords should avoid.

When it comes to property, nothing is ever certain.

Markets can fluctuate, prices can rise and fall, and inflation can mean that what may have been a good deal for landlord and tenant when their agreement was put in place, simply isn’t any more.

That is precisely where a rent review comes in – a vital process which ensures matters are dealt with fairly and properly for both a landlord and a tenant.

There are different forms of rent review and each can help to determine the amount of rent to be paid. Some might be linked to inflation, while other reviews may see a fixed percentage increase, or decrease, which is connected to the turnover of the tenant’s business.

Each option will have its own pros and cons and whichever works best will always be determined by timely and professional advice.

Timing is particularly important for landlords and tenants alike as it is critical that both parties are aware whether there are strict deadlines for carrying out the rent review process.

While time limits may be included in the original agreement to provide certainty, once they are passed, it does not necessarily mean that a landlord has lost their right to review the rent. For a tenant this can come as an unwelcome surprise when they are faced with a demand for backdated increased rent many months, or even years, after the original review date.

Understanding the process itself is also critical. For example, if there is a requirement to serve a counter notice within a set time period.

Failing to do so can constitute unintentional agreement to the change in rent.

By ensuring that both parties understand the process, and in particular whether time is of the essence, can ensure that unwanted costs and delays can be avoided.

A rent review should not be a stressful process but it is a real eye-opener to see so many landlords and tenants across the region failing to understand the effect of poorly drafted rent review provisions and taking opportunities to maximise

Rhiannon Radcliffe Assistant Solicitor

their respective positions at the heads of terms stage. Starting the process early, with plenty of time and notice, will save everyone money and hassle.

For further advice on rent reviews, readers and members of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce can contact Rhiannon through rhiannon.radcliffe@mfgsolicitors.com or telephone 01562 821181.

Negotiating a commercial rent review:

What do you need to know?

Speak to Rhiannon Radcliffe

Contact

Rhiannon Radcliffe

on 01562

821181 or by email: rhiannon.radcliffe@mfgsolicitors.com

Tel: 0845 55 55 321

www.mfgsolicitors.com

@mfgsolicitors

FOCUSONRECRUITMENT

WARRIORS CREATING INSPIRING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY Many of us in business engage and support local causes, to help raise awareness and generate much needed funds for charities and local groups to continue their good work.

I’d like to highlight and encourage you to get involved with the great work going on at an exceptional and award winning foundation, The Warriors Community Foundation where I’ve been a trustee for number of years. This Foundation sits at the heart of Worcester Warriors and is one of the most important aspects of their work.

The Foundation was set up seven years ago and exists to help build a legacy for sport, education, health and social cohesion across our community. It is deemed as one of the best sporting foundations, making a real impact on the lives of people in our community.

Worcester Warriors is an inclusive rugby club and specialises in creating adapted games for people with mental health 010

issues, physical disabilities and people who have become isolated within their community. Through their #LeadtheWay Camapign they have created an environment at the club and on matchdays that caters for people who find loud and busy places difficult to access.

The Foundation has seven specialist members of staff who have expertise in working with people from all sectors of society such as: • Young people disengaged from mainstream education or those who have suffered trauma and have learning issues • People who have disabilities such as Dementia, visual impairment, Diabetes, Anxiety disorders and those who are isolated and lonely

week adding value to the curriculum. The Foundation teaching staff deliver literacy and numeracy programmes as well as cultural and sports education alongside sport.

The Warriors Community Foundation really is at the centre of the Club and I know how hard they all work to make a real difference to each individual they work with through their many initiatives.

To find out more about the work of the Foundation, I urge you to visit the website: www.warriors.co.uk/community/communityfoundation/ or give Carol Hart a call on 01905 459324, carol.hart@warriors.co.uk Carol is Head of the Foundation.

Louise Hewett www.hewett-recruitment.co.uk

• Outreach programmes for women and girls who find accessing sport difficult • Women Only Programmes The Foundation also has an extensive education programme, working in schools across the County every day of every

January/February 2018

FOCUSONDIGITAL Sponsored by Minster

FOCUSONBUSINESS

The Real Costs of Telephony The Real Costs of Telephony To Your Business To Your Business

It's surprising to know that the average business in the West Midlands, just like yours, spends an average of over £900 on calls through standard telephony per year. However, those that have switched to a VoIP service only spend an average of £280 on calls per year!

On a whole, the average SME business in the West Midlands spends 2 days and 2 hours on the phone per month. This makes it crucial that businesses have a phone system that they can rely on but also won't break the bank.

VoIP is becoming an increasingly popular choice amongst businesses to cut costs both locally and internationally. When you can save almost 30% of your annual costs, why wouldn't you switch to VoIP? Minster understand that price isn't the only benefit of switching to a phone service that runs over the internet;VoIP is also a remarkable mobile solution which gives your business the flexibility that it needs. Forward thinking companies understand the importance of staff morale so with a downloadable smartphone app your employees will have the opportunity to work remotely.

Not only will this promote productivity but it will also save other costs such as mobile phones bills.

Our partner 3CX provides VoIP telephony software which can be used on desktop, standard PBX phones and also on mobile devices – you may have seen this featured in the last edition of the Business Direction Magazine.

If you're a business that works 9-5, Monday to Friday, time is critical to get everything done within your working week so you won't want to lose time setting up and introducing a brand new phone system. The beauty of 3CX VoIP telephony, as opposed to standard phone lines, is that it can be set up very easily and quickly without need for separate phone wiring. It can be easily installed and managed with a webbased configuration interface which also includes automatic updates at standard, should you choose it to.

3CX allows you to cut out normal phone lines that use a telecommunications provider such as BT and instead uses just one internet line (with a backup line, just in case!)

We've asked Alex, Minster's very own apprentice-turned-engineer to give a breakdown of how VoIP telephony works and how it can save you so much money.

If you're looking to upgrade your telephony, give Minster a call on 01562 68211 or email sales@minstermicro.co.uk.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

The Techy Bit

“By now you’re probably wondering how the 3CX phone system works.Well, the 3CX phone system is used the same as any other phone system for the end user, however technically, it's entirely different.

The 3CX IT infrastructure uses a dedicated server for the 3CX system also known as a PBX (Private Branch Exchange).This is where the phone system is managed and configured.The 3CX system can be installed on a normal windows PC which can act as the PBX server minimising the cost of the infrastructure required.

3CX also requires you to have a VoIP provider, which will act as your phone line.

3CX works with VoIP (Voice over internet protocol) meaning any calls your users make won't be going over your normal phone line but will be going through the internet, in the same way that a Skype or FaceTime call works- just without the video.

This is why calls using 3CX is cheaper than your normal phone calls.”

Alex started off as an Apprentice with Minster and is now our Telephony Expert over two years on.

Alex,Telephony Expert & Support

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When you’re thinking of selling your business, we’re your local business broker with a large national presence

Working hard for Worcestershire Harris Lamb is a progressive national Commercial Property Consultancy focused on delivering realistic, effective and commercial solutions to clients across the property spectrum.

With a diverse range of clients across the whole of the UK, the 75-strong team provides a comprehensive range of services including property management, planning, Rating, lease advisory, recoveries and LPA receivership, corporate support, development, investment and building consultancy. Harris Lamb’s Commercial Agency team has won the prestigious EGi Most Active Agent of the Year award for the region for eight consecutive years and overseen a number of high profile commercial deals within the Worcestershire region and the Midlands.

During the course of 2017, the business has enjoyed significant success throughout Worcestershire, having secured planning permission to build Fortis Living’s new HQ in the city centre and being responsible for marketing the region’s Worcester Six business park at Junction six of the M5. The business has overseen the first letting at the site, a 15-year lease on a 140,000 sq ft unit to healthcare manufacturer Kimal PLC.

www.harrislamb.com

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Selling your business is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. So it’s vital to plan your exit as soon as you can and, when the time comes to sell, you need to employ the help of experienced business brokers.

Business Partnership has a national network of over 20 regional offices, with your local Regional Partner providing a personal, bespoke service, working with you and your advisors to ensure your business valuation is realistic and achievable.

Not only that, we will handle all aspects of your sale, from valuation through marketing to sale completion, dealing with all enquiries and attending key meetings, as appropriate.

Business Partnership is a well-respected and long-established business transfer agency and is a member of The Hereford & Worcester Chamber of Commerce.

For a no obligation, confidential meeting, please call John Hatt on 01684 591 372, 07768 255 797 or email hatt@business-partnership.com

We value your business For more information visit our website: www.business-partnership.com

January/February 2018

BUSINESSSUPPORT

Move your business to Basepoint and start your year with a bang!

We have some great offers on Workspaces, Meeting Rooms and Virtual Offices that will have you celebrating!

FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE FROM AS LITTLE AS ONE MONTHS NOTICE

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MEETING ROOMS FROM JUST £15* PER HOUR Refreshments and catering available

FROM AS LITTLE AS £45* PER MONTH

Basepoint Business Centres provide a wide range of high quality serviced and managed offices and workshops.. And if you don’t need dedicated office space, we can also provide virtual offices with a range of facilities and access to serviced meeting rooms as and when you need them. Along with our many other additional benefits, our flexible managed offices can save you time and money when compared to more conventional leased space.

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Find Out More

TO BOOK A MEETING ROOM CALL

0208 068 9158

Find out more and contact your nearest Centre today Bromsgrove

Evesham

Tewkesbury

01527 834600

01386 764700

01684 854444

basepoint.co.uk

*prices shown ex-VAT. VAT is applicable at 20%

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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SKILLS

PLACE PARTNERSHIP HOLDS FIRST CONFERENCE FOR SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES Award winning Worcester-based Place Partnership held its first conference for representatives from schools around the region.

Andrew Pollard, Managing Director, said: “We are committed to delivering innovative services and solutions and I am delighted to be able to support the region’s schools. We already have some excellent relationships with the many fantastic schools and I look forward to developing more of these relationships and seeing real benefits for our local communities.”

Place Partnership, which was named “Property Newcomer of the Year” at the prestigious national Property Awards 2017, is the first multi-agency joint property vehicle of its kind in the UK and provides a range of support

to schools across Worcestershire and beyond.

Rachel Gent, who oversees Business Development for the Education area of the business, said: “It was great to see so many representatives attending our conference. We hope they took what they needed from the morning to help deliver the best practice in schools.” www.placepartnership.co.uk

NEW LEVEL OF EDUCATION PLANS REVEALED The Department for Education (DfE) has announced plans to develop a new level of education for those aged 16-18.

These are known as “T Levels”, and will focus on providing good practical work skills combined with academic study equivalents to A Levels.

The intention is that at the end of the 2 year course, students will be in a position to take up employment, or further study in their chosen field at Higher Apprenticeship, or Degree level.

The T-Levels will cover a wide range of industries and skills. The design of these courses has just commenced, and the DfE has made an online consultation forum to get feedback

from industries, which will remain open until Thursday 8 February 2018. If you would like to view the consultation, the link is www.consult.education.gov.uk/ technical-education/implementation-oft-level-programmes.

If you would like further information, please contact peter.loomes@sandettie. co.uk.

CP FOODS NAMED APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR CP Foods (UK) Ltd was delighted to be awarded “Apprenticeship Employer of the Year” at the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards, organised

by Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

CP Foods is committed to providing excellence in its apprenticeship delivery, deciding to invest in apprenticeships not only to assist with succession planning, but also because CP Foods is truly passionate about supporting the younger generation. The success of the approach is clearly apparent, as all individuals have progressed into permanent job roles within the business. CP Foods now volunteers as an Enterprise Adviser to support local schools, and is involved in the IGD’s Feeding Britain’s Future Schools Programme, taking the opportunity to influence young people at a critical decision-making time in their lives.

“We are extremely proud of everyone involved in our apprenticeship programmes, and the work we are doing with IGD. We will always strive to provide opportunities for apprentices to grow within the business, recognising that they are the future.” www.cpfoods.co.uk

SALARY & SKILL SURVEY: RESULTS The results from the Chamber’s first ever Salary & Skills Survey 2017, in association with Hewett Recruitment, are now available.

As the voice of business in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, the Chamber wanted to analyse issues within the local labour market and provide our Members with insight into the local employment landscape.

The results feature breakdowns of a variety of sectors, job roles and employee benefits to make the benchmarking report as relevant as possible to all businesses and sectors across the two counties. The Chamber would like to thank Hewett Recruitment, who partnered with the Chamber on the survey. The support they provided on this report is inherent to its success. To find out more information, please visit the Chamber's website at www.hwchamber.co.uk

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January/February 2018

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

FUNDING TOWARDS ENERGY SAVING MEASURES FOR WORCESTERSHIRE BUSINESSES Severn Wye Energy Agency is delighted to announce that funding is now available to assist 200 businesses in Worcestershire to install energy efficiency measures. The Worcestershire Target 2020 programme allows for up to 5 days of free energy advice for any eligible small and medium sized businesses, as well as grants worth between £500 and £5,000 towards the cost of energy saving measures.

Rewarding Innovation & Development R&D Tax Relief can generate lucrative tax savings but is often misunderstood and therefore 90% of eligible companies have not made a claim.

The funding has been supplied by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership from the European Regional Development Fund.

Two Worcestershire-based companies that are currently benefitting from the Target 2020 programme are Pershore-based Beer Bods and Able Production Ltd of Redditch. Beer Bods – who operate a bespoke weekly beer subscription service – were in the process of converting some of their storage space to offices and found that the current electric heating system was insufficient to requirements. Following a Target 2020 survey, Severn Wye have suggested installing an air source heat pump and de-stratification fans for heating during the winter as well as an innovative ambient ‘free cooling’ system for the summer. Once these measures have been installed Beer Bods can expect energy savings of over £400 a year and have also had an energy saving grant of over £1,000 through Target 2020 to help pay for the works.

Innovative new technologies such as the heating ‘tadpole’ (pictured) have also helped companies like Able Production Ltd – a metal pressing, machining and assembly company in Redditch – save 20% on their heating bills. The ‘tadpole’ de-aerator works by creating a vortex within the heating system which removes any air or dissolved oxygen from the pipework, radiators and boilers, limiting the risk of corrosion. In addition to the savings they’ll experience from the de-aerator, the £1,000 grant from Target 2020 will also go towards installing a new compressor for the metal forming machinery used on site, saving an additional £600 a year.

Find out if your business is eligible: Call – 01452 835060

Email – alexp@severnwye.org.uk

Process

IMPROVEMENT?

Product

IMPROVEMENT?

Service

IMPROVEMENT?

Activity in these areas can qualify for R&D Tax Relief.

Don’t be one of the 90% missing out call us to discuss your potential claim without obligation.

We offer a success based fee. If your claim is unsuccessful then you pay nothing….but that has never happened to us.

Hereford 01432 273 189 Worcester 01905 612 347

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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C O N S U LTA N T S

First-class construction consultancy and support www.dsbcc.com

• Retail • Healthcare

• Education • Commercial

DSB offer a comprehensive portfolio of services, all designed to assist in reducing risk, maximising value and safeguarding client investment.

As a company, we have been retained by many of our key clients to provide services as diverse as: • Cost Management • Employer’s Agent • Project Management • Value Engineering • Principal Advisor / Project Monitoring • Contract Dispute Resolution

• Leisure • Industrial DSB’s business philosophy is paramount to what we stand for; we provide clients with real services that are applicable to their particular needs and requirements.

“Delivering a big-firm professional service with a small-firm personal approach.”

Our reputation in the marketplace is founded on delivery.

We will neither restrict ourselves to the normal confines of standard quantity surveying, nor impose a service that may be inappropriate on a client whose needs and requirements could be more efficiently and effectively met by better means.

County House | St Mary’s Street | Worcester | WR1 1HB | Tel: 01905 723233 Ipalo House | 32-34 Great Peter Street | London | SW1P 2DB | Tel: 020 7222 3344

THURSFIELDS

A SUCCESSFUL 2017 Halesowen, Sedgley, Stourport-on-Severn, Solihull and Birmingham.

A quartet of awards, expansion into new offices and record-breaking recommendations in the Legal 500 marked a successful 2017 for Thursfields Solicitors. Managing Director Nick O’Hara reports on a busy 12 months.

As Thursfields Solicitors gets busy for another year of expansion, I wanted to highlight some of our successes from 2017.

Many involved awards for the talented people we have working for us in our eight offices across Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

People like Aimee Williams, who scooped ‘Office Manager of the Year’ at Worcestershire Law Society’s Legal Awards in April.

Aimee clinched the trophy in the Best Support Staff category, and the judges said it all when they commended her “hard work, attention to detail and tenacity”.

Another top award was won by Lauren Hartigan-Pritchard, one of our Senior Associates, named ‘Best Young Solicitor’ in the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards in May for her hard graft and driven attitude.

Then in June, Thursfields lifted the ‘Excellence

The 2017 edition of the Legal 500 – the ‘industry bible’ – also marked our soaring progress with a record 27 lawyer recommendations, up from seven in 2016.

Nick O’Hara Managing Director Thursfields Solicitors.

in Professional Services’ trophy at the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, reflecting the entire team’s strong reputation as one of the best legal firms across the Midlands.

We received our fourth award at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards in November, when we won the High Growth Business of the Year trophy.

This reflected how we are not only one of the region’s longest established and reputable law firms, but that we are also constantly expanding.

Thursfields’ turnover has grown by 20 per cent in each of the last four financial years, and we now have more than 140 staff working in eight offices in Worcester, Kidderminster,

The guide highlighted several Thursfields’ staff as the region’s leading “next generation lawyers” and praised us for our “fantastic reputation for delivering commercial, honest, technical and relevant advice”.

The Legal 500 success was an outstanding result and reflected our growing presence in the Midlands as an expanding law practice with a commitment to providing clients with expert legal advice in our key sectors.

An example of our expansion came when we almost doubled the size of our Solihull office in the middle of 2017, moving into a 3,000 sq ft space at The Courtyard on the Warwick Road that makes us the “go to” local firm in Solihull and north Warwickshire.

We have truly become the first choice for thousands of clients to provide a full range of legal services for businesses and the private individual, including property, family, employment and commercial law as well as probate and litigation.

We now look forward to providing quality services to more individuals and businesses in 2018.

For all your legal requirements contact your award winning, local team Residential Property Wills & Estates Family Law Employment Law Dispute Resolution Care Services

Personal Injury Claims Commercial Property Corporate & Commercial Insolvency & Debt Recovery Agriculture Charity

Worcester 01905 730450 | Kidderminster 01562 820575 | Stourport 01299 827517 | Halesowen | Sedgley | Solihull | Birmingham

TFS3881_Business Direction Magazine_AD_AW.indd 1 Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Integrity & Expertise

www.thursfields.co.uk

30/11/2017 13:52

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BUSINESSNEWS

STERLING SILVER SEASON FOR NORTH HEREFORDSHIRE PARKS It’s been an incredible year for “Discover Parks”, with the weak pound certainly proving to be a shot in the arm for the holiday park home industry. This has resulted in record numbers of Britons holidaying in Herefordshire throughout 2017.

Managing Director, Glenn Jones, said: “The season started early for us at Pearl Lake in Shobdon, Arrow Bank at Eardisland and Rockbridge just over the border in Presteigne.

We were inundated with prospective buyers at our Easter Showcase Weekends back in March and it simply hasn’t stopped.”

According to the Office for National Statistics August 2017, “Staycationing” continues to increase in popularity, as opposed to holidaying abroad which has decreased by nearly four percent.

Great news too on the employment front in the two counties, “Discover Parks” has upped its workforce by ten percent in order to keep up with demand! www.discoverparks.co.uk Ella Kindred, daughter of Paralympian Sascha Kindred, at Shobdon Food Festival where Discover Parks exhibited this year

DOUBLE AWARD WIN FOR THE DM LAB

EMPLOYMENT EXPERT SOUNDS MATERNITY WARNING A Worcestershire employment lawyer is encouraging women to stand up for their rights at work when returning from maternity leave.

Kate Jones, from mfg Solicitors, recently returned from a second period of maternity leave, and said that mums must make sure their employers are doing all they can to make their return to work as seamless as possible.

Research by the government and the Equality and Human Rights Commission found 77% of new and expectant mothers had a least one potentially discriminatory or negative experience at work.

Half of mothers reported a negative impact on their careers, such as being treated with less respect or being given duties at a lower level to their job. Around a fifth experienced harassment or negative comments about pregnancy or flexible working, with 10% saying their employer discouraged them from going to antenatal appointments.

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The DM Lab had an incredibly successful 2017. Since starting in 2010, The DM Lab has grown steadily and worked hard.

This effort has been rewarded as it recently won “Growing Business of the Year” at the Herefordshire Business Awards, competing against other Chamber Members Julu Ltd and Solar Panel Cleaning Company. The DM Lab then went on to win “Entrepreneur/ Business of the Year” at the Sunshine Pride Awards, where it was-up against Merry-Go-Round Nursery and A Rule of Tum for the award.

The DM Lab is proud and humbled at the recognition of the work and it’s looking to make 2018 even better.

Please have a read of its “Year in Review” over on www.thedmlab.com/ blog. The DM Lab accomplished so much last year, met some great people and businesses alike. It is excited and motivated to build on these successes and achievements this year! www.thedmlab.com

WARRIORS LAUNCH TACKLING DEMENTIA SPORTS CAFÉ This season, Warriors have launched a Tackling Dementia Sports Café, aimed at people affected by dementia and their loved ones.

The Sports Café provides people with the opportunity to get together, share experiences and engage in a relaxed sporting activity before unwinding in a safe and friendly environment. The Sports Café takes place at Sixways every Wednesday from 11.00am-12.00pm.

Simon Northcott, Warriors Disability Lead, said: “In our second session, we were joined by Alan and Trudy, who were both Season Ticket holders prior to Alan’s diagnosis.

“They both said they were very keen to come and watch a match in our Safe Place, which has been accessible on match days this season. We have put a big focus on our dementia work this season and we are pleased our Sports Café and Safe Place have proved so popular.”

For advice and support on maternity rights, readers can contact Kate through kate.jones@mfgsolicitors.com

To find out more about this service or to become a volunteer, please contact Simon Northcott by emailing simon.northcott@ warriors.co.uk or calling 07809 676008.

www.mfgsolicitors.com

www.warriors.co.uk

January/February 2018

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

PRINCIPIA ‘We are involved in people trafficking, modern-day slavery and child exploitation.’ Far from the truth, but it usually grabs attention at Chamber of Commerce networking breakfasts where attendees are allowed just a one-minute slot to showcase their company.

Chamber can support a small company prepared to go the extra mile,’ said former Chamber CEO, Mike Ashton.

Kathy Leather (Copper Beech House) with BASF intern, Edyta Piorek

Principia School of Language is in fact dedicated to providing students, apprentices and graduates from Germany with excellent opportunities to develop their language, professional and social skills in unpaid but EU-funded work experience. Founded in 1979 by Peter Corbishley, the Pershore-based company has been operating exclusively in the Worcester area for 26 years and enjoys strong links with colleges all over Germany.

Since 2014 no fewer than 200 local companies, schools, charity organisations and social institutions have offered placements to Principia, including G-Tech, Southco, M&S, Atkins Global, ISO Quality Service, HoW College, Malvern Instruments, Lowes Solicitors, Resource Group, The Hive, St. Richard’s Hospice shops, University of Worcester and Webbs of Wychbold.

Funding for most of the students is secured by the participating colleges through the EU-financed Erasmus Plus Program. Brexit has, of course, produced uncertainty but word on the ground is that, as the funding authorities already include non-EU countries such as Turkey and Norway, it’s highly likely young people from EU countries will continue to take up placements in the UK. Providing good work placements for German students and apprentices is only part of what Principia does. It is responsible for accommodating the students with some of the 60-plus host families on its books, organising and accompanying visits to Birmingham, Bristol and London most Saturdays, providing social evenings at the Cardinal’s Hat, visiting students regularly on-site and liaising all the time with the German organisers.

Forming close links with the Chamber was crucial to Principia’s development. From 2010-13 a venture involving Principia, the Chamber and the University of Mainz provided unpaid 10-week internships for 60 German graduates, working for companies such as ITV Central, Modus, Concern Universal, Hallmark Hulme, Froude Hofmann, Nelson Thornes (Cheltenham), Worcester Cathedral and Nexus Creative.

The Chamber also played a key role in organising 4-day programmes for two groups of 20 lecturers from FE colleges in Lower Saxony in 2013 and 2015. These visits led directly to contracts with 10 colleges, including ones in Göttingen, Lüneburg and Bremen.

‘Working with Principia is a perfect example of how a

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Returning to Chamber networking events, one recent success story has its roots in the Pershore College breakfast in May. Peter spoke to Kathy Leather, well known to many in the county as the former Commercial Director at Worcester Warriors. Kathy and her partner, Steve Lloyd, had purchased Copper Beech House, a B&B in Great Malvern, and had spent a great deal of time and money refurbishing the rooms.

Result? A huge backlog of administration and a need to develop social media profiles.

Solution? Principia provided them with two excellent business administration apprentices in July and September from the world-famous German company, BASF. According to Kathy, ‘Both were a joy to work with and both had a massive impact on our business, producing spreadsheets, creating graphs showing projected cash-flow, profit and loss and refurbishment costs.’

With Peter set to retire in July the company will be on the market in the New Year. ‘Working for so many years with young people, local companies large and small, schools and nurseries and, of course, the Chamber has been a privilege and we hope very much the company will thrive and expand in the coming years in the right hands.’

CELEBRATING 26 YEARS IN WORCESTER

Work Placements Required

CELEBRATING 26 YEARS IN WORCESTER Principia has been offering language courses, study visits and work in Worcester since In 2018 weplacements require work placements for 1991.

In 2017 we require host families for periods of 1-8 weeks periods of 1-8 weeks for German students and for 30 courses from February to November, including: Principia has been offering including: language courses, study apprentices, visits and work placements Worcester March 25th -inApril 14thsince 1991.

In 2017 we requireFebruary host families periods of 1-8 weeks 6th for - 23rd from Celle (Germany) forIT 30apprentices courses from February to November, including:

Retail trainees from Bremen

May 25th 1st - May 21st March - April 14th Students from Winsen (Germany) IT apprentices from May 7th - Celle 18th (Germany) June 24th July 13th Industrial from21st BASF May 1stclerks - May Students from Kleve (Germany) Students from Winsen (Germany) June 25th-- July July 15th 29th June 24th - July July11th 13th Business admin students from Kleve Pupils aged 12-18 from Spain Students from Kleve (Germany) For (inc. payment, other dates) please contact us on: Fordetails more details (inc. other dates) please contact us on: July 15th - July 29th Pupils aged 12-18 from Spain

info@principia.eu.com

For details (inc. payment, other dates) please contact us on:

Tel: 01386 556434 info@principia.eu.com

Tel: 01386 556434

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ADVERTORIALFEATURE

OPERATIONAL SPECIALIST APPOINTED PARTNER AT BALLARD DALE SYREE WATSON Chartered Accountants Ballard Dale Syree Watson have continued to develop with the appointment of James Maynell as Partner. Joining from the London office of global firm, Ernst & Young, Mr Maynell will head up the practice’s Management Consultancy & Transaction Advisory department.

The department will offer a compliment of services ranging from traditional corporate finance and due diligence to improving the performance of businesses, be it improving the top line or developing the way the cost base is managed. At the other end of the business life cycle, there is the preparation for sale, exit readiness and assisting with the sales process.

“I gain particular satisfaction from partnering with clients over the long term.”

Mr Maynell explained. “Working with clients to acquire a business, implementing operational systems and processes that

make a material difference to profitability, and then supporting the eventual sale and exiting from the business. That said, we are just as happy to offer a single element of this service to clients such as operational improvement or supporting the sales process.”

Ultimately, all businesses can benefit from these services and clients can range from somebody looking to improve the performance of their small business to a large corporate that may be looking to sell to a private equity house. Chartered Accountant and Oxford University graduate, Mr Maynell has experience working with a range of buy side clients and thus, is able to advise on the different sorts of KPI’s to put into place in order to appeal to different buyers such as investment houses or a competitor in the marketplace.

He continued “I am delighted to be joining Ballard Dale Syree Watson and formalising our approach to management consultancy.

The firm has a culture of delivering a high level of quality and expertise and I look forward to being part of this”

NEW YEAR – INSPIRING START CORPORATE EVENTS AT EASTNOR

After the Winter’s break, are you looking to energise your team for new challenges ahead? From meetings and team building to off-road driving, we tailor our corporate days to meet your exact requirements. Following a meeting in our well-equipped facilities, an off-road drive in the latest Land Rover models and a mix of mind puzzles and physical challenges will ensure that everyone leaves at the end of the day energised, motivated and ready for the next challenge.

To find out more, call Shona Mcgoogan on 01531 638760 or email smcgooga@partner.jaguarlandrover.com. QUOTE: BD18.

Land Rover Experience Eastnor. The Bothy, Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1RL. www.eastnor.landroverexperience.co.uk

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January/February 2018

Gaudet Luce Golf Club

Award Winning Gaudet Luce has fast become one of the leading courses for corporate days in the area, with reviews on Golfshake placing us asthe top rated course in Worcestershire. Set in 120 acres of beautifulWorcestershire countryside on the outskirts of Droitwich Spa, we’re just a short drive from junction 5 or 6 of the M5 making it easily accessible.

THE BENEFITS OF HOSTING A GOLF DAY Networking – Hosting a golf day gives you the opportunity to invite potential new clients and spend an extended period of time with them in an informal environment.

Advocates - There are very few environments where you can invite prospective clients to mix with existing clients and your employees in a natural and relaxing way. Organising the day gives the opportunity for current customers to spend the day with prospective ones, allowing them to act advocates for your business.

Standing Out – A well run golf day will reflect well on your business and how it runs. The day allows you to distinguish yourself from your competition, even if they also run a golf day.

Work with an experienced club to ensure your clients go away having had a great day, no matter how well they have played.

Recognition – An invitation to your company golf day is a great way to thank existing clients for their business and loyalty over the year. On the flip side the invitation will also help to promote loyalty in the future as clients understand that you appreciate their business.

Gaudet Luce is renowned for delivering corporate golf days which are bespoke to each company; our team will work with you to ensure that your day is well organised and runs smoothly - whether you’re looking to impress, network or team build.

WHY HOLD YOUR NEXT CORPORATE GOLF DAY AT GAUDET LUCE

•

Rated the #1 Golf Course in Worcestershire on Golfshake (at time of print)

• Great value packages tailored to your own business needs • Course that offers a great test for all abilities • Great transport links and on-site parking, making it easy for anyone travelling further afield • Support from booking through to your day, be filled with confidence that our expert team will take care of your day • A wide variety of meal choices freshly prepared and a chance to relax after your round in the bar and restaurant area “A huge thank you to you all for making our annual customer event a great success once again. Well we really did have all the elements thrown at us, which only added to the fun! A great day was had by all, and we have received many emails of thanks and compliments about your facilities, course, banners and delicious food, of which we really appreciate all your efforts. Thank you again; it is always a pleasure to spend the day with you guys” - Kate, Corporate Day Feedback.

Contact us to request our 2018 brochure or to secure your dates on 01905 796375 or golfdays@gaudet-luce.co.uk Gaudet Luce Golf Club, Middle Lane, Hadzor, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 7JR

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

DEDICATION TO QUALITY HELPS PROPERTY MAINTENANCE COMPANY EXPAND When something needs doing to improve your home or deal with an emergency, you need to know that there is a reliable company on hand and ready to help.

That is why 1st Call 24/7 Ltd has become such a success story, having grown over the past thirteen years into a business that employs nine people and is busier than ever helping owners to deal with the many and varied scenarios that come with owning a property.

Established in 2005, the Worcester-based company is the complete home improvement and property maintenance business and serves a growing number of customers in Worcestershire and the surrounding counties, delivering a reliable and quality service.

The business was formed by Managing Director Simon Borthwick, who started out his working life as an engineer before branching out into areas associated with property maintenance.

Today, the company that he founded specialises in many areas of property maintenance, including installing, maintaining heating systems, maintaining and repairing boilers and running a round-the-clock emergency response service for property owners.

The company also runs a showroom that sells bathrooms, showers and wet rooms, which once purchased can be installed by its highly trained team.

Ensuring that its team can respond to any scenario are heating engineers, a

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plasterer, a carpenter and a decorator as well as a plumber, which means that the company can take on just about every job associated with home maintenance and repair at short notice.

1st Call 24/7 Ltd’s reputation for providing a quality and reliable service means that the business works with big name companies including Bosch, and is used by a number of estate agents who act as letting agents for rented properties as well as being retained by holiday home owners who have properties in the Cotswolds.

Through it all, the company’s dedication to customer service and delivering the highest standards of work has seen it grow into a team of highly skilled installers and engineers that can undertake any home improvement or maintenance project.

Simon said: “We are very busy at the moment and the business is expanding on the back of our ability to carry out a wide range of work.

“From repairing and replacing boilers to installing bathrooms and wet rooms, our team can carry out any work that is required by a property owner.

“I think one of the reasons that we are so busy is that many people are deciding not to move house because they cannot afford a new home.

“Having decided to stay where they are, they deciding to invest in improving what they already have, perhaps by installing a new bathroom or wet room.

“Emergencies can crop up at any time when you own a property and our team comes with a wide range of skills so that we can respond quickly.”

Quality is at the heart of all that the company does and its teams adhere to the highest standards in safety and customer service on every project they undertake.

For example, its gas, oil and electrical work is carried out by a fully qualified and registered engineer and they are recognised as a Trusted Trader by Which? the UK’s leading independent consumer rights organisation.

In addition, the company offers n Clear and transparent charging n Free no-obligation estimates n 12-month warranty on all works Simon predicts that 2018 will be another busy year. He said: “The New Year is always a busy time for us because once Christmas is finished and the sales are on, a lot of people decide it is a good time to invest in improvements to their home.

“We think that 2018 will see us remain busy and we have exciting plans to expand the business to offer an even better service.”

You can find out more about how the company can help you at http:// www.1stcall24-7.co.uk/

“Another reason for our success is the fact that we can respond to emergencies on a 24/7 basis.

January/February 2018

LEGALMATTERS

BUSY YEAR AT LANYON BOWDLER business relationships for the supply of products and services worldwide which will lead to dramatic growth in turnover and reputation for those businesses.

“Software licensing, and its associated support services, is one of the specialist areas we have seen a growth in demand for, but we are also seeing an increase in international supply and distribution agreements indicating that Herefordshire businesses have a lot to offer and are continuing to expand and create jobs.”

Solicitor Ed Burrell, of the corporate and commercial team, said a recent software licensing case involved creating an agreement which helped a client secure its future with a national customer.

A Herefordshire law firm is reporting a busy year in its corporate department as it works with a growing number of businesses across the county.

lingering uncertainty around Brexit.

Specialists at Lanyon Bowdler say the increase in clients is reflective of the positive mood amongst many Herefordshire businesses - despite the

“It’s a good indication that the local economy is doing well,” she said. “We are working with an increasing number of businesses who are entering into key

Gráinne Walters, head of the corporate and commercial team, said the firm has seen an increase in commercial contracts work with companies in Herefordshire and across the Marches during 2017.

He said: “Software licensing is a specialist legal area which we have particular expertise in, so we are very happy to work with companies in this field, helping them secure critical commercial agreements to enable their businesses to grow.”

Lanyon Bowdler has offices in Hereford and Bromyard. For more information visit www.lblaw.co.uk or call 0800 652 3371.

Transparently priced, practical advice and support delivered by legal specialists in Herefordshire Our specialist corporate, commercial property, dispute resolution and employment lawyers provide support to help you grow and protect your business, giving you a solid foundation to build upon

Incorporating Beaumonts Solicitors

01432 378379 www.lblaw.co.uk Supporting People, Businesses & Communities

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Beaumont House, Offa Street, Hereford HR1 2LH 44 High Street, Bromyard HR7 4AE Offices also in Shrewsbury | Ludlow | Oswestry | Telford

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AWARDS

COULD YOU BE THE NEXT CHAMBER BUSINESS AWARD WINNER? Last year we saw over 100 firms enter the Chamber Business Awards for 2017. The awards aim to highlight the very best of business across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and beyond - recognising businesses of all shapes, sectors and sizes.

Ahead of the 2018 awards, the Chamber is delighted to reveal two NEW categories for businesses to enter: Best Use of Social Media and Micro Business of the Year.

This brings the total number of categories to 14, setting-up this year’s Chamber Business Awards to be the biggest ones yet!

As well as being treated to a glamorous black tie awards ceremony, if your business is shortlisted, the awards are a fantastic opportunity to shout about your success.

Business Direction spoke to some of last year’s winners and finalists to find out how the awards have changed their business.

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Winning the “Excellence in Innovation” Award was a highlight of the year for us; it gave real recognition to our employees for all the hard work they had shown in bringing GTA Secure to the market. We would encourage companies of all sizes and industries to enter these awards. If you have something you’re passionate about, something you believe has made a real impact in the market then share that experience by entering and like us you might be surprised and win!

GTAccess, winner of Excellence in Innovation for 2017

January/February 2018

AWARDS

The awards night is a very glamorous affair with a black tie dress code. On the evening, SimpliWiFi had a table full of staff, friends and clients that it looks after, all waiting to hear the results of the evening. We were incredibly grateful to win both of the categories we entered, going up and accepting an award is a great feeling of achievement, but to then be called up a second time was a little overwhelming, especially when you have an arena full of people cheering you.

Ozan and the rest of SimpliWifi would highly recommend to businesses to enter the awards if you have the chance, the publicity from the event alone is definitely worth the effort. Good luck to all those applying for the awards this year!

SimpliWiFi, winner of Best Use of Technology and Most Promising New Business for 2017

We applied to the Chamber Business Awards 2017 as we had achieved significant growth with Make More Noise in a very short time frame, and we felt we may have had a shot at winning. The application process is straightforward and easy – the interview element of it is particularly beneficial as it provides the opportunity to discuss your application in more detail, beyond the word count restriction. Many potential clients were impressed with the fact we had been shortlisted, particularly as Make More Noise was a very young business at the time. Being a finalist also comes hand in hand with many great PR opportunities. Our advice for businesses thinking of applying is - go for it! Even if you don’t win, being a finalist in the Chamber Business Awards is an honour in itself.

Make More Noise, finalist for Most Promising New Business 2017

We are proud of our team, of over 150 people, working in Ledbury to have been recognised as Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce's Exporter of the Year. This also extends to our colleagues as far afield as Australia, Chile, China and South Africa. It takes dedication and expertise to manage this fascinatingly diverse and quite complex export business in a fast moving and fresh industry, much affected by climate change.

Chairman, Angus Davison, Haygrove Ltd winner of Exporter of the Year

THE 12 CATEGORIES AVAILABLE FROM LAST YEAR INCLUDE: Business of the Year Best Use of Technology Excellence in Customer Service Education & Business Partnership Employer of the Year Exporter of the Year High Growth Business of the Year Excellence in Innovation Manufacturer of the Year Most Promising New Business Excellence in Professional Services Small Business of the Year

AND NEW FOR 2018: Best Use of Social Media Micro Business of the Year

The entries for the Chamber Business Awards 2018 will open on Friday 5 January. To find out more information, email “Sign Me Up” to awards@hwchamber.co.uk to receive award updates.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBERTRAINING

www.hwchamber.co.uk/training Lauren Salisbury, Training Co-ordinator, with Adrian Barradell, MD of Clarify Copywriting

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We start 2018 by reflecting on the past year of training. 2017 saw us run over 110 public training courses and just over 50 bespoke days at various companies within the two counties and beyond. Serving over 1000 buffets, 3000 cups of tea and coffee (and the occasional hot choc!) and printing over 12,000 pages of handouts, our 1200 delegates have left our training courses with new found skills and expertise.

As well as delivering training from our Worcester office, 2017 was also the year that we started to roll out our courses in Herefordshire, from our new office at the Business Solutions Centre. With the first two courses already proving a great success, we have two more running before the financial year end, with plenty more to come in 2018 and beyond...Watch this space! We are always keen to hear your ideas as to how we can grow our training in Hereford further any course suggestions are always welcome.

The future of business is extremely important to all of us, and our staff are the key part in our business success. Chamber Business Training offers a wide range of courses, whether you need to solve an immediate skills gap or a long-term training provider to deliver a series of training solutions.

Our Developing People training has been our most popular course series in 2017, with 13 courses on offer; this highly practical and interactive course series offers delegates the opportunity to enhance their skills in a variety of business areas. We have also ran just fewer than 20 bespoke in-house training days covering our Developing People courses, some of these being a mix of more than one course.

All of our attendees leave with the ability, confidence and motivation to be more productive within the work environment.

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Courses within the Developing People series include; Assertiveness and Confidence at Work, An Introduction to Project Management, Managing People in the Team, Mentoring in the Workplace and many more!

2017 has also been a year for many new training courses, with the return of our Mentoring in the Workplace and the launch of our Excel Master Class proving a great success, we also went on to introduce our Introduction to Leading Change workshop and a half-day Essential Professional Proofreading course.

Our Essential Professional Proofreading course is a new half-day training session aimed to help anyone who writes professionally, especially those with marketing responsibilities, to uplift their skills when it comes to creating and publishing promotional materials.

The course will cover proofreading for letters, e-mails, newsletters, e-shots, presentations and all on-line content.

Adrian Barradell, Managing Director, at Clarify Copywriting explains: “This workshop will show you how to easily and quickly proofread all your documents to a high standard. Come along and join us for a morning and you’ll learn a number of effective techniques and also have the opportunity to proofread some of your

own drafted or existing copy.”

Lauren Salisbury, Training Co-ordinator at Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce said: “Clarify Copywriting already delivers our very popular Writing Effective Marketing Copy training and we are very pleased to add this new opportunity to our programme.”

For more information or to book onto any of our courses, please email training@hwchamber.co.uk

As well as delivering training from our Worcester office, 2017 was also the year that we started to roll out our courses in Herefordshire, from our new office at the Business Solutions Centre.

January/February 2018

CHAMBERBUSINESSTRAINING

TRAINING CALENDAR JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018 JANUARY - FEBRUARY COURSES

JANUARY - FEBRUARY COURSES

JANUARY - FEBRUARY COURSES

Advanced Microsoft Excel

Incoterms (2010)

Intermediate Microsoft Excel

Thursday 11 January - 9.30am-4.00pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Thursday 15 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £250+VAT Members, £275+VAT Non-members

Friday 23 February - 9.30am-4.00pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

The Role of the Team Leader

Google Analytics

Advanced Export Documentation & Procedures

Thursday 11 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Tuesday 20 February - 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Monday 26 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £250+VAT Members, £275+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Project Management

Fire Marshal

IOSH Working Safely

Tuesday 16 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Tuesday 20 February - 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Tuesday 27 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Professional Telephone Techniques

Successful Telesales Techniques

Presentation Skills

Wednesday 17 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Wednesday 21 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Wednesday 28 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Effective Time Management

Wednesday 24 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members Email Marketing

Thursday 25 January - 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members Excel Master Class

Thursday 25 January - 9.30am-4.00pm £200+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members Basics Import Documentation & Procedures

Monday 29 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £250+VAT Members, £275+VAT Non-members Managing People in the Team

Wednesday 7 February - 9.30am-4.00pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members Creating a Customer Care Culture

Tuesday 13 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members Introduction to Leading Change

Wednesday 14 February - 9.30am-1.30pm FREE Members, £100+VAT Non-members

KEY: Chamber Business Training Courses Import and Export Training Courses

For more information and bookings contact us on 01905 673 611, training@hwchamber.co.uk. www.hwchamber.co.uk/training Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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ADVERTORIALFEATURE

SECURITY OF TENURE: IMPLICATIONS FOR LANDLORDS AND BUSINESS TENANTS HOW DOES SECURITY OF TENURE AFFECT FORFEITURE AND BREAK RIGHTS?

Caroline Johnson has recently joined the commercial property department in the Pershore office of Thomson & Bancks. She has over 10 years’ experience in commercial property matters with a particular specialism in landlord and tenant work. Here she explains what “security of tenure” is and what it means to landlords and business tenants.

Forfeiture and breaks can still be exercised when tenants have security of tenure.

However, the Landlord must be able to rely on one of the 1 of 7 statutory grounds to end the lease as well as serving a break notice.

CAN SECURITY OF TENURE BE EXCLUDED? Yes, the parties can agree to exclude security of tenure. The relevant procedure is governed by the Act. It involves the landlord serving a prescribed notice on the tenant and the tenant signing a prescribed declaration confirming he understands the nature and effect of contracting out of the Act and agrees to excluding security of tenure. This must take place before the parties enter into the lease for it to take legal affect.

WHAT IS SECURITY OF TENURE? A tenant who occupies property for the purposes of their business will usually have the benefit of security of tenure under the provisions of Part 2 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (“the Act”).

This means that that their lease will not actually end on the expiry of the term of years granted by the landlord (called the contractual termination date). Instead the lease will continue to apply and govern the tenant’s occupation after the contractual termination date until it is brought to an end by one of the methods set out in the Act. The Act enables the Landlord to bring the lease to an end on giving no less than 6 months’ notice to the tenant (called a section 25 notice), if he can rely on 1 of the 7 statutory grounds. These consist of fault based grounds such as the tenant being in substantial breach of the lease and non-fault grounds such as the landlord wanting to occupy the property or to redevelop it. If the landlord is relying on a non-fault ground he will also be obliged to pay compensation to the tenant when the lease ends.

The Tenant can also bring the lease to an end by simply vacating before the end of the contractual term. Alternatively if the tenant has stayed in occupation after the contractual termination date, the tenant must then give the landlord 3 months’ notice (called a section 27 notice) to bring the lease to an end.

The Act also enables either party to initiate a lease renewal procedure on no less than 6 months’ notice. The procedure brings the current lease to an end and finishes with the grant of a renewal lease. The parties can negotiate the terms of the renewal

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CONCLUSION lease, but in the absence of agreement, either party can apply to the court to decide. In broad terms the court will follow the terms of the existing lease and impose a market rent.

WHAT DOES SECURITY OF TENURE MEAN FOR BUSINESS TENANTS? Prior to the Act Landlords were aware of their tenants’ established goodwill at their let premises and the costs of relocating.

They therefore had a better bargaining position to require higher rents or stringent obligations in renewal leases. The Act was designed to prevent this and place business tenants in a more favourable position at the expiry of their contractual terms. Until the lease is brought to an end by one of the methods set out in the Act, tenants can stay in occupation after the contractual termination date on the same terms or are entitled to a renewal lease on broadly similar terms to the existing lease.

WHAT DOES SECURITY OF TENURE MEAN FOR LANDLORDS? A landlord with a secure tenant is limited to relying on 1 of 7 statutory grounds to bring about the tenant’s removal from the property at the end of the contractual term. His ability to negotiate a renewal lease on more favourable terms is limited as a court would generally impose similar ones to those in the current lease.

Security of tenure is a powerful right for business tenants. Landlords wanting to maintain control and flexibility as to what they want to do with their commercial properties are best advised to exclude it from their leases. On the other hand, business tenants are best advised not to exclude it! Both are strong points to consider when entering into a lease of commercial property and agreement between the parties may well depend on their relative bargaining positions.

A tenant who occupies property for the purposes of their business will usually have the benefit of security of tenure under the provisions of Part 2 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (“the Act”). This means that that their lease will not actually end on the expiry of the term of years granted by the landlord (called the contractual termination date).

January/February 2018

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

Tewkesbury

Cheltenham

Pershore

01684 299633 01242 235250 01386 562000 Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBEREVENTS

www.hwchamber.co.uk/events

CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO, SPONSORED

BY HEWETT RECRUITMENT

ENTRIES ARE OPEN FOR THE CHAMBER BUSINESS AWARDS 2018 Entries for the annual Chamber Business Awards 2018 open on Friday 5 January 2018. The black tie ceremony, with over 600 attendees, will take place on Thursday 7 June at the Worcester Arena. It is free to enter for Members and Non-Members, and the opportunities that come alongside entering an award are invaluable, including; a great boost to staff morale, a powerful tool to raise your profile and a way for you to stand out against your competitors. n Best use of Technology, sponsored by TechTeam

n Small Business of the Year, sponsored

by Orchard Valley Foods

n Employer of the Year, sponsored by University of Worcester

n The Professional Services Award, sponsored by Worcestershire City Council

n Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by Handelsbanken n Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by Malvern Hills Science Park n Exporter of the Year, sponsored by Malvern Instruments n High Growth Business of the Year, sponsored by Hewett Recruitment n Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by QinetiQ n Most Promising New Business, sponsored by mfg Solicitors LLP

Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce will be returning to the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, on Thursday 8 March for the spring Business Expo. This is your chance to meet new suppliers, generate sales and increase awareness of your products and services to over 800 attendees on the day.

This Expo will include FREE tea and coffee, kindly donated by Water Cooler World, in the popular Networking Zone which is located in the centre of the Main Exhibition Hall. This Zone provides Exhibitors and Visitors with a place to get together and do further business.

Back by popular demand, the Food and Drink Producers Zone, sponsored by mfg Solicitors, will be a main feature on the day.

Local Food and Drink companies will showcase their products, and provide free samples throughout the day for everyone to enjoy.

n NEW – Micro Business of the Year, sponsored by Air Products PLC n NEW – Best Use of Social Media Award, sponsored by Worcestershire Business Central All winners will be automatically entered into the Business of the Year Award, sponsored

by Sanlam. This outstanding award will crown the winner of winners for 2018.

Entries close at 4.00pm on Friday 23 March 2018.

To download an application form, please visit www.hwchamber.co.uk, all entries must be submitted to awards@hwchamber.co.uk

Exhibition stand bookings start from £299.00+VAT. For all information about the Expo, including booking forms, please visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/events/ business-expo, or contact the Events Team on 01905 673624.

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January/February 2018

CHAMBEREVENTS

NETWORKING CALENDAR JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018

FEBRUARY 2018

Hereford Networking Breakfast Wednesday 17 January - 7.30-9.30am Burghill Valley Golf Club, Tillington Road, Burghill, Hereford HR4 7RW £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Malvern Networking Breakfast Tuesday 6 February - 7.30-9.30am The Abbey, Abbey Rd, Great Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3ET £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Worcester Wine and Cheese Evening Thursday 18 January - 5.30-7.00pm Bottles Wine Bar, 22-24 New Street, Worcester WR1 2DP £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Redditch Golf Networking Breakfast Tuesday 23 January - 7.30-9.30am Abbey Hotel Golf Club and Spa Resort, Hither Green Lane, Dagnell End Road, Redditch B98 9BE £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Hereford HR Forum in association with Hewett Recruitment Wednesday 24 January - 9.30-11.30am Hereford Business Solutions Centre - Building B, Units 1-4, Skylon Court, Rotherwas, Hereford, HR2 6JS FREE event for Chamber Members and clients of Hewett Recruitment

Worcester Networking Breakfast Thursday 6 February - 7.30-9.30am Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester WR2 4QQ £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Manufacturing Forum Friday 9 February - 8.00–10.30am, followed by optional tour Mettis Aerospace Group, Windsor Road, Redditch. B97 6EF FREE for Members – Manufacturers only Ledbury Networking Lunch Monday 12 February - 12.30 - 2.30pm TBC £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Droitwich Wellbeing Networking Breakfast Thursday 15 February - 7.30-9.30am St Andrews Town Hotel,St Andrew’s Drive, Droitwich Spa, Droitwich, Worcestershire WR9 8AL £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Worcester Women’s Business Forum in association with borwell Ltd Thursday 25 January - 9.30am -12.00pm Eckington Manor, Hammock Road, Eckington, Worcestershire, WR10 3BJ £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-member

Meet the Neighbours Event Wednesday 21 February - 10.00-11.30am Hereford Business Solutions Centre, Skylon Court, Coldnose Road, Rotherwas, Hereford, HR2 6JS. FREE to members and non-members

Malvern Curry Club in association with Sharpmonkeys Tuesday 30 January - 6.00-8.00pm Anupam, 85 Church Street, Great Malvern WR14 2AE £20.00+VAT Members and Non-members

Maximise Your Membership Event Friday 23 February - 8.30 - 11.00am Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester WR2 4QQ FREE to Chamber Members

Sustainability Forum in association with the Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP) Wednesday 31 January - 8.00-11.00am Arctic Circle, Coldnose Court, Coldnose Road, Hereford HR2 6JL FREE to Members and Non-members

Hereford Women’s Business Forum in association with Thorne Widgery Accountancy Tuesday 27 February - 9.30 - 11.30am Thorne Widgery, 2 Wyevale Business Park, Kings Acre, Hereford HR4 7BS £10.00+VAT Members and £20.00+VAT Non-members

A Taste of Italy with LDC Kichens and Benedictos Thursday 1 February - 5.30-7.30pm LDC Kitchens, 63 St John’s, Worcester WR2 5AG £10.00+VAT Members and £20.00+VAT Non-members Bromsgrove Networking Lunch sponsored by Aston Business School Friday 2 February - 12.30-2.30pm Grafton Manor, Grafton Lane, Bromsgrove B61 7HA £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Redditch HR Forum in association with Hewett Recruitment Tuesday 28 February - 9.30-11.30am Abbey Hotel Golf Club and Spa Resort, Hither Green Lane, Dagnell End Road, Redditch B98 9BE FREE event for Chamber Members and clients of Hewett Recruitment

To book your place on any of these events visit www. hwchamber.co.uk/events, email events@hwchamber.co.uk or phone 01905 673 600.

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BIGINTERVIEW

COMPANY WHERE INNOVATION IS A WAY OF LIFE Innovation is a much-used word in the world of business and not always correctly so, but one Worcestershire business is taking it to a whole new level.

Indeed, its mission statement says it wants to ‘save the world through innovation’ – and the Smart Actuator Company has got the awards to prove its commitment to the idea.

Like all brilliant breakthroughs, the concept that led to the creation of the business was simple but the way the family-run Malvern business has turned a bright idea into commercial reality is truly inspiring.

The roots of the idea came from the family’s well-established computer business which found itself working in factories that had ageing equipment that struggled to connect to more modern technologies, something which will be increasingly important as the Internet of Things develops in factories.

“We have developed the idea to include a range of products based on the idea and are constantly seeking new applications and new markets.

Tonya said: “To win the family business awards was very pleasing because family values are very much at the heart of everything we do and we are proud to be flying the flag for family businesses all over the UK and Ireland.

One of the problems was the actuators, devices that switch valves on and off and are based on a technology that has changed little in the past 150 years, initially operated manually then electrically.

“We knew it would be difficult to introduce the product into a market place where the technology has not really changed much since the Victorian factories and we have found it easier to introduce the product into emerging economies abroad.

“We were also delighted to win the Queen’s Award because wherever you go in the world it is recognised as a mark of excellence and something that is highly valued. It is an award that has to be hard-earned.”

James O’Donnell, the Managing Director of the computer company, set out to design and manufacture a new style of actuator that would solve the problem using computer technology and SmartAct Electric Actuators was born.

“We are selling to countries where they are building many more new factories and we have found that because the technologies are not as well established, they are more prepared to take on new ways of working.”

However, success has not gone to their head and it has certainly not in any way dampened the enthusiasm to come up with new ideas.

The company, which was formed in 2011, now employs 22 people with clients across the world.

Marketing and Sales Director Tonya O’Donnell, who is James’ sister, said: “It was a real lightbulb moment for James.

Actuators had not really changed much for 150 years but what James and our team came up with is disruptive technology, a way of doing things differently.

“We are committed to innovation, something we can achieve because small companies like ours are lighter on their feet than larger companies and can develop products rapidly.

“Innovation is at the heart of what we do

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and for us it was not enough to have come up with one new product.

The success of the The SmartAct electric valve actuator has been officially recognised with a host of awards in the past twelve months, including the Midlands Family Business of 2017 followed by the RBC National Family Business of the Year.

Smart Act was also Highly Commended in the High Growth Business of the year Award Category at the Chamber of Commerce Awards and was a winner of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise – one of the highest accolades for business achievement. The Queen’s Award for Innovation in Enterprise was in acknowledgement of the development of the company’s technical advances and its growth in the past few years.

Tonya said: “We will keep on innovating.

My father uses an example when addressing groups. He asks ‘who has a Nokia or a Motorola mobile phone?’ and hardly any hands go up.

“He does the same thing with a Blackberry and maybe a few hands go up. Then he asks who has a Samsung and lots of hands go up.

“And yet just a few years ago the situation would have been very different. No one could see that such a thing would happen to the likes of Nokia.

“You have to keep innovating and we will never stop. We will continue solving problems and coming up with new products.”

January/February 2018

BIGINTERVIEW

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

033

COVERFEATURE

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Every company, whatever their size or sector, looks to the future. But what does the future look like for them? Business Direction asked four local business people.

IDENTIFYING A NICHE PAYS OFF FOR EVENTS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY One way of securing success is identifying a niche area in which to work. That is how Herefordshire-based SimpliWiFi has found its success.

Founded in late 2015, SimpliWiFi is a technology company providing IT solutions to the events and hospitality industry, ranging from payment systems, digital signage and telephony to CCTV at everything from agricultural shows to music festivals.

START-UP BUSINESS LOOKS TO AN EXCITING FUTURE Thriving in a competitive market place can be a big challenge, especially for a start-up business, but it is one that Ross-on-Wye company Julu Ltd has met in style.

Now, Julu Ltd is looking to the future with plans to expand both its production and introduce new products.

Julu was registered in 2010 by farmers’ daughters and school friends Julia Adams and Lucie Savidge to develop Lucie’s idea for a clothes airer mounted on the wall.

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Julu was recently shortlisted in the national Daily Express Best Eco Solution award, coming second, and also elected as one of the hundred businesses promoted through the national Small Business Saturday initiative held in early December.

Julia said: “It is a very competitive market with some big companies involved. Go on to Amazon and look for our type of product and you will find thirty pages.

Directors Julia and Lucie spent the first four years in research and development and sourcing reliable manufacturers for the laundry ladder before launching the business in 2014.

“My advice to anyone starting out in business with a good idea is to do the groundwork. We spent our early years sorting things like IP and trademarking and getting the product right before we launched.

Lucie, whose role is distribution of the products and managing the website and social media, works from her home near Ross on Wye. Julia manages the accounts and sales and direction of the business and works from her home near Malvern.

“We are growing because we work hard on our reputation. Our customers know we will deliver a quality product on time and when we go to trade shows they very often speak up to recommend the product.

Since 2014, the business has gone from strength to strength, with the airer popular both as a practical item and something stylish to complement interior design.

“The business is growing now and we are increasing production and looking at introducing a new range of accessories to go with the airer.”

The company attended 40 events in 2016 and by the end of 2017 will have attended almost 100 events nationwide in a twelve month period with 160 already booked for 2018 and bookings being taken as far ahead as 2020.

The company, which was founded by Managing Director Ozan Pakyuz, grew out of his software business.

He said: “We kept being approached by organisations wanting us to support events and the more research we did the more it became clear that although there were plenty of event companies there were not many doing what we do.

“I think the key to our success has been identifying a niche then ensuring that we can deliver the service. All our work is word of mouth and we are now at the stage where people ask when we are available not what we can do.”

The company has received plenty of recognition for its work, winning the 2017 Chamber awards for Best Use of Technology and Most Promising New Business as well as the Best Use of Technology 2017 award at the Herefordshire Business Awards. It has also been shortlisted for the 2018 Best Festival Technology Provider at the Festival Industry Awards taking place in the New Year.

Ozan said: “We are looking forward to a busy 2018 and are already looking to take on new staff to help us grow.”

January/February 2018

COVERFEATURE

WILL YOUR NEW PRODUCT FLOAT, SINK OR SWIM? As with any new product there is no guarantee that it will be successful. What makes inventors invest time and risk money in their ideas for unguaranteed potential future gains? For Peter, the answer lies on the bank of the river: He said: “When kayaking in the summer I’ll often go wild swimming. I’m told that wild swimming is a little risky. Misjudge the conditions and you could be in trouble.

The same is true when launching a new product.

Peter Hill, from Redditch, has invented a pedal-operated bowl called Pedaldish, which cats can open themselves to access fresh food, which is particularly useful for owners who are out of the house for long periods during the day.

“Many people tell me they have an idea for an invention. They’re happy just talking about their idea. They’re content to dip their toes in the water; the thought of having to devote time to drawing up plans, writing patent applications or spending money to develop prototypes leaves them with cold feet.

Now, the founder of the company Petvictus is about to go into mass production with the product, which is due to be launched in Spring with advance orders already received from a major pet products retail chain.

“A few people I meet with great product ideas maybe wade out into the shallows.

This is where I was for a few years playing around with designs, product names and logos, spending some disposable income, but making sure I

didn’t go in too deep.

“The mark of a true inventor/entrepreneur is they go that one step further. They’re willing to take a deep breath and make that final painful leap into the cold water committed financially and fully dedicated to sink or swim on the strength of their idea and skills to market it, driven by a passion for creating something new and a conviction their product can help people.

“But, the wise swimmer and prudent inventor asks one sober question before taking the plunge: what’s the risk? The swimmer must ask if they are stronger than the water. The inventor must ask if their product will sell. The best question an inventor should always consider is this: ‘Will my invention be better and cheaper than the products which already exist?’

“But at the end of the day, when I’m asked why do I take the risk of wild swimming, why do I risk investing time and money developing new products, my answer has to be: because that’s what I truly enjoy doing in my life.”

APPRENTICESHIPS ‘NOT JUST FOR THE YOUNG’ That is the message from Joe Allsopp, Head of Sales and Marketing for Worcester-based The Development Manager (TDM) Ltd, which provides and trains apprentices for companies in the IT and technology sector.

One of the changes shaping the future of business is the revival of apprenticeships, not just for young people but also for older workers seeking to develop their skills.

see an apprenticeship as a way of starting their careers but we have also older people who want to upgrade their skills and gain the qualifications they need for their jobs.

One of the major catalysts for the growth in popularity of apprenticeships is the recent introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, which has seen larger business having to help fund the programme.

“It is really important that employers understand the role that apprenticeships can play in advancing careers. We have seen a number of young people who secured jobs through an apprenticeship and several years later now hold senior positions.

Joe said: “We are seeing growing interest in apprenticeships, including from a number of companies who are paying the levy so are looking more closely at the idea to see how it can benefit them.

“We are planning to see a growth of 250 per cent in apprentice numbers over the next 18 months, which is a way of keeping talent in Worcestershire rather than seeing people leave the area in search of jobs.”

“One of our big messages is that apprenticeships need not just be for young people. Yes, we have teenagers and people in their early twenties who

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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FUTUREOFBUSINESS

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January/February 2018

SJL Insurance Services launches Lloyd’s broker offering to Herefordshire & Worcestershire From Local Start up...

Starting in Worcester in 2001, SJL Insurance Services has enjoyed phenomenal growth every single year. Simon Lancaster started the business with nothing but an ambitious dream, enthusiasm and a blank sheet of paper in his spare bedroom. Focusing on property and business insurance, SJL trade through a network of broker partners as well as direct with the public and businesses.

This past year has seen record growth for the company, with an impressive increase of over 45%, exceeding expected targets. To make sure that all of their customers receive the best support, the business has taken on additional staff, swelling the ranks to over 50 in total – coupled with adding their own new products and expanding their distribution channels across the UK and abroad, SJL have managed to grow in size whilst still keeping an eye on the small details.

...to Lloyds Broker...

The next step for SJL was to achieve a much sought after Lloyds Broker accreditation, helping drive this rapid growth in the UK and worldwide.

To top this off, a new London markets division has opened, allowing them to provide more knowledge, more support and better products to its users. Commenting on these announcements, owner Simon Lancaster said: “We have made huge strides forward over the last 16 years, but these are undoubtedly the most exciting and significant so far.

Having been working on it for well over a year we are delighted to have accomplished becoming a Lloyds broker. It provides us with unique and exclusive status along with direct access to the essential London market.

We intend to utilise this to help kick on and achieve our further lofty ambitions. To accommodate this we have recently taken the keys on our new City of London office, which is located in London’s financial district.

Whilst Worcester will remain our HQ and house all back office functions, we felt that it was important to have this presence in the heart of the world’s leading insurance and financial marketplace”.

...What it means for local Business...

All across Herefordshire and Worcestershire there are a huge range of business types, from tech start-ups and leisure providers to established manufacturing giants. As a Lloyds broker, SJL has direct access to a wide and varied range of underwriters and expertise. Regardless of the size or the complexity of the risk, SJL are well placed to provide a solution.

Providing protection for its customers is at the heart of SJL’s core values with insurance being provided to companies, locally, nationally and abroad.

With increased trading volumes and the rise of ‘the internet of things’, companies can be left exposed to new risks they previously didn’t have to consider, and a keen eye and expert knowledge will be needed to spot them.

SJL Insurance offer free consultancy and encourage all businesses, local or otherwise, to take advantage of this. To talk to SJL about this amazing opportunity and accessing the London market, please call 01905 27775 or email info@sjlins.co.uk

FUTUREOFBUSINESS Redwood Search are an independent organisation, who prides themselves on finding the right employees for small to medium sized businesses. We have the ability to tailor make our service to each individual clients requirements.

We work for a very broad range of industry sectors and understand that every company has different needs.

Redwood Search provides a range of customised recruitment solutions both locally and nationally with a personal touch.

Rather than a traditional one size fits all approach, our business ethos is to listen, understand and design services to individual clients needs. This includes learning the brand and the culture to maintain an effective business partnership. We believe it’s our friendly and professional service, along with our success rate in placing the right people, which keeps candidates and clients coming back to us time and time again - Recruitment as it should be!

Start hiring with us.

Arlene Gray

Michelle McGovern

Emma Foulds

Abi Cooper

Jenna Lamb

Edward Jukes

01905 27747 jobs@redwoodsearch.co.uk

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www.redwoodsearch.co.uk

Recruitment as it should be!

January/February 2018

FUTUREOFBUSINESS

HELPING BUSINESS COPE IN A CRISIS When business is progressing smoothly, it can be easy to put the thought of something going wrong to the back of your mind.

But what do you do if the wheels come off? Can you cope with disaster? Do you and your staff know what to do in a crisis?

Increasing numbers of businesses are answering ‘yes’ after their teams took part in crisis management sessions run by CleeCo. CleeCo, the marketing, strategy and training specialists based in Worcester, runs training sessions which enact the pressures and demands of something going wrong, from experiencing a cyber attack to gas explosions.

Sarah Clee, one of the founders of the company, who has 25 years of experience working in industry, said: “Our crisis management training creates a safe space for companies to ensure that they are

prepared and their reputation is sustained or enhanced when crisis strikes.

would react in a crisis and how to bridge the gaps we find in the process.”

“Do they have the right emergency procedures, do staff know what to do in a crisis, does the business know how to deal with the media and other stakeholders during an incident?

CleeCo does not just offer crisis management training and its team have designed and managed everything from staff conferences for up to 2,000 people to intimate and intense workshops for senior team members.

“What we do is work through the worst case scenario that could effect our clients, then we test the company’s responses by building the pressure in real-time as if it were really happening.

“Nothing we do is off-the-shelf. Every workshop we run is tailor-made to suit the client’s needs and they emerge at the end with a much better idea of how they

The business has also staged glitzy awards evenings, PR events with royal visitors and exhibitions that linger long in the memory.

You can find out more at www.cleeco.co.uk

Working in partnership

Supported by

We support the growth of Worcestershire based SMEs Loans from £10,000 to £50,000 Want to find out more?

0345 313 8410 | www.bcrs.org.uk | enquiries@bcrs.org.uk With other business loan funds available, BCRS Business Loans are also committed to supporting businesses in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire with loans ranging from £10,000 to £150,000.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

No early repayment fees Relationship-based approach to lending Most market sectors supported We believe in business For us, no viable business should go unsupported.

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SHAPE YOUR TALENT Up to 100% funding for degree apprenticeships Aston University’s degree apprenticeships will help you to:

Futureproof your business

Retain your high-performers

Attract fresh new talent

Foster new skills and innovation

Improve your business productivity

Discover how your business can benefit from degree apprenticeships: www.aston.ac.uk/apprenticeships 040

January/February 2018

FUTUREOFBUSINESS

DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING FOR SMES SMEs could get up to 100 per cent government funding for staff to undertake degree apprenticeships, and Aston University is offering free workshops to tell them everything they need to know.

A study by the Federation for Small Business showed that a lack of financial incentive is putting off businesses from employing an apprentice. Yet recent funding reforms have given SMEs more incentives to get involved than ever before.

That’s why Aston, the UK’s most experienced degree apprenticeship provider, wants to show small firms how to navigate the complex processes required for securing funds, and explain how they can accelerate productivity and growth at a fraction of the usual cost.

Aston’s degree apprenticeships give businesses the opportunity to upskill employees with a formal qualification and

practical learning that is relevant to their sector and organisation. Designed to fill skills gaps in business and industry, degree apprentices can either be existing staff in the organisation or new talent that will bring fresh ideas to the business.

The costs of training are supported by the government, covering 90 per cent of the course fees. Plus there’s no NI to pay if the apprentice is under 25. Employers with fewer than 50 employees could get up to 100 per cent funding if the apprentice is under 19 or if they are 19 to 24 and have previously been in care

or have a local authority Education and Health Care Plan. Additional incentive payments of £1,000 are also available for employers who take on apprentices that meet either of these criteria.

Aston University’s workshops will show SMEs how degree apprenticeships can make a difference to the business and how funding can be obtained from the government to support apprenticeship training.

Register your interest via the website: www.aston.ac.uk/SMEapprenticeships

Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Registration number 498255 Russell & Co Solicitors is a trading name of Russell Malvern Limited, Company No.06722941, registered in England

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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INTERNATIONALTRADE

NEW DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Mark Armitage as the new Director of International Trade.

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE: AN ACCESSIBLE AND BUOYANT EXPORT MARKET FOR UK BUSINESSES? Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and transition of command economies of the countries of the former Eastern Bloc to market economies commercial opportunities across the region have been and continue to be plentiful. Sadly, UK Plc export performance across the region has been poor despite high growth potential across multiple industry sectors.

Western Europe and BRIC in terms of GDP growth but it does represent a near-shore exciting growth market with less commercial, political and economic risk than other high-growth emerging markets.

The CEE region:

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) comprises 17 former socialist countries extending East from the border of Germany and Austria and finishing at the borders of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova and south from the Baltic Sea to the border with Greece – 11 of these countries have acceded to the Single European Market.

n Has a projected GDP growth rate of greater than 3%, 2 times the rate expected for the Eurozone.

During the first decade of the new century, CEE has been one of the global growth regions. From 2000-2009, the combined overall (GDP) growth rate of CEE was higher than the combined overall growth rates of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). Western Europe was at a third of the level of the growth rate of both (Source: IMF) and despite the economic crisis in 2009-2010, CEE (at 3.0%) was still at 80% of BRIC growth rate.

CEE will not regain its status as a global growth engine and now sits between

n Is uniquely positioned to access approx.

110 million consumers with n increasing purchasing power

n Has low barriers to trade - most countries are part of the Single European Market The whole CEE is very accessible from the UK; Prague, for example, is just 2.0 -2.5 hours flight time, with low associated travel (and time) costs. And, although not as great as they once were, good commercial opportunities exist across multiple industry sectors including: Food and Drink, Consumer Products, Automotive, Engineering, Education, ICT, Health and Defence and Security.

Mark joined the Chamber in September after a successful 27-year international career which includes a 10-year period at De La Rue Plc, during which time he worked in over 65 countries and ended as Regional Managing Director for Africa, Middle East and South Asia. He then set-up and ran his own international management consultancy practice, International Strategy Solutions Limited, for 15 years.

Mark said of his appointment: “I am delighted to join the Chamber as the new Director of International Trade.

I am very much looking forward to working with firms across the two counties especially at such a challenging time for the UK and international business communities.”

Mark has been working closely with Business Direction to transform the International Trade pages. For more information, please contact Mark on Mark.Armitage@mobile.trade.gov.uk

For those businesses who have not yet considered the CEE region as an accessible potential export market it certainly warrants closer investigation.

To find out more about exporting, and to access support to help you sell abroad, visit www.great.gov.uk. To contact the local International Trade team for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, call 01905 673 600. Alternatively, drop in to the Hereford Business Solutions Centre between 10.00am-2.00pm every Wednesday to talk to an Advisor – contact alison.avery@mobile.trade. gov.uk.

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January/February 2018

INTERNATIONALTRADE

TAIWANESE EMBASSY VISIT WORCESTERSHIRE

REASONS TO REVIEW INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES

Last November, Ambassador Lin and a party from the Taiwanese Embassy visited Worcestershire to look for opportunities of building a relationship. Worcestershire came out in force and provided a tour of some of its major companies, including: Yamazaki Mazak, Morgan Cars and Worcester Bosch.

If your company is an importer or exporter, you will require a clear understanding of the regulations that govern international trade in your sector. Failing to comply with these international trade regulations, even accidentally, can lead to serious consequences for your business e.g. fines, HMRC audits, seizures, inspections, investigations, brand and reputational damage.

The party also visited the university to find out more about the new and developing diversity programme.

Vice Chancellor, David Green, spoke about the major input that the University of Worcester has into disabled sport. The final part of the visit included a tour of the Guildhall hosted by the Mayor, and the Cathedral, hosted by the Dean. Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Mark Armitage, H&W Chamber of Commerce, gave the visitors an overview on the current activity within the county and also many of the opportunities.

Reasons for implementing or reviewing your International Trade Compliance procedures can include:

Mike Ashton, Inward Investment Ambassador for Worcestershire LEP, commented: “The Taiwanese Embassy left Worcestershire with a very good opinion of how we all support the many developments. Key to the visits was the strengths of the response from the senior players who once again have shown Worcestershire in a excellent light”.

1. Planning how your company can meet HMRC and other government agency international trade obligations: n As a result of constant regulatory changes in economic, industrial and operating international trade conditions and requirements ongoing International Trade Compliance reviews are recommended. It is vital that a company has a full, up to date awareness of these requirements and an ongoing compliance culture that has appropriate procedures and processes in place to ensure that it is HMRC compliant.

2. A reduction in risk of a company’s risk of international trade penalties: n Customs fines can be very expensive e.g. use of an incorrect tariff code (product identification for customs) can lead to a large fine.

3. Reviewing and/or implementing International Trade Compliance procedures will help your company save money and enhance your company’s brand and reputation: n An increase in the effectiveness and efficiency of a company’s import/export processes will help to avoid customs audits, penalties and border delays and by delivering products without any delays your company’s reputation for good customer service will lead to an enhanced business brand.

As such, and ideally, it should be a goal of every import and export business to ensure all their personnel know or are familiar with international trade compliance rules and regulations, how to work with them and how to manage them.

BOOST YOUR SKILLS! Don’t miss the opportunity to access vital exporting information at our upcoming Masterclasses:

CHINA EXPORT CLINIC Tuesday 30 January Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham

SELLING ONLINE CONFERENCE Thursday 1 February Ricoh Arena, Coventry To view the full calendar and to book your free place for one of these events, visit www.bit.ly/2fLceIA

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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VISITWORCESTERSHIRE

www.visitworcestershire.org

CONFERENCES WITH A VIEW AT MOUNT PLEASANT HOTEL The Mount Pleasant is a family-run hotel nestled in the heart of Great Malvern, on the doorstep of the Worcestershire Way to the Malvern Hills.

The Hotel recently underwent a fantastic refurbishment of the property, which now boasts 17 rooms alongside its restaurant and bar areas, and three vibrant function suites that overlook the Malvern Priory, with stunning views of the Vale of Evesham and towards the Cotswolds.

The Morgan Lounge (25sq metres), the Dame Laura Knight Suite (100sq meters) and the Drawing Room (25sq meters), are all available for hire to meet your business needs, allowing you to utilise them for boardroom meetings, staff team building days, business parties and many

more. Mount Pleasant Hotel is delighted to announce the launch of its “Breakfast Conferences” that can be held in any of the three rooms Monday-Friday, priced at £10 per person including a full English breakfast, tea or coffee and orange juice.

For more information, please contact reception@mountpleasanthotel.co.uk www.mountpleasanthotel.co.uk

HARTLEBURY CASTLE OPENS AS MAJOR VISITOR ATTRACTION GLOUCESTER WARWICKSHIRE STEAM RAILWAY COMES TO BROADWAY After much anticipation, the long awaited Broadway Station reopens on Thursday 30 March, 58 years after it closed.

Following incredible amounts of fund raising, restoration and hard work, you can once again travel by train through the glorious Cotswolds behind one of our fleet of iconic heritage steam or diesel engines or railcars. Enjoy the 29 mile round trip over the famous 15 arch Stanway viaduct, through the 693 Greet tunnel to Cheltenham Racecourse. Stop off at Toddington for our museums and at Winchcombe where our Discovery Coach, Model Railway and Coffee Pot 1950’s themed café await you.

Home to the Bishops of Worcester for over 1000 years, Hartlebury Castle opens as a major visitor attraction in April this year, showcasing its unique history.

Already home to Worcestershire County Museum, from April the whole site will be open, offering visitors the chance to discover the lives of its residents through exciting and interactive galleries, tour the grand State Rooms and for the first time enjoy a walk around the grounds and gardens, before relaxing in the Castle’s new café.

In the Worcestershire County Museum galleries, visitors can explore the County’s fascinating history through fabulous museum collections including; an outstanding collection of Gypsy wagons, the costume collection, Victorian School Room and the popular toy gallery. www.hartleburycastle.com

THE RING: ART ON THE WATERWAYS: FEBRUARY – SEPTEMBER Major new arts project, The Ring, brings a series of imaginative and unexpected artworks to the waterways of Worcestershire in 2018.

Five artists have been commissioned by the Canal & River Trust Project to produce works inspired by the Mid-Worcestershire Ring, a 21-mile circle of natural and historic waterways, flowing through the urban and rural landscapes of Worcester and Droitwich Spa. There will be lots to do for visitors at pop-up art events including an unusual artwork that gradually “appears” at Diglis Island; poetry and photography; a project inspired by Droitwich Spa’s history of salt production; a bandstand like nothing you’ve seen before; spectacularly inventive street art; special performances; live events and activities.

This year-long project will gain interest from the regional and national media, a range of sponsorship packages are available. Please contact Manda Graham, Project Director, if you are interested in further information on theringworcs@gmail.com. www.theringart.org.uk

www.gwsr.com

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January/February 2018

VISITHEREFORDSHIRE

www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

NEW VISIT HEREFORDSHIRE GUIDE POPPIES: WEEPING WINDOW COMING TO HEREFORD CATHEDRAL Hereford Cathedral will be one of the final locations to see Poppies: Weeping Window in 2018. Following on from the success of the installation at the Tower of London in 2014, the poppies have travelled to many locations across the UK to mark the centenary of the outbreak of war.

Created by Artist Paul Cummins and Designer Tom Piper, thousands of handmade ceramic poppies will cascade out of Hereford Cathedral for visitors to see. Hereford Cathedral will also be unveiling a plaque honouring

FREE CYCLE PARKING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN HEREFORDSHIRE Secure, visible cycling parking is a great way to deter bicycle thieves and encourage more cycling.

Through their Take a Stand scheme, Life Cycle UK is offering a range of businesses, voluntary sector groups and community groups free cycle parking stands, and they’re even offering free installation in Herefordshire. Life Cycle UK works with Local Authorities to provide access to free high-quality cycle stands, particularly targeting small organisations who otherwise can’t afford cycle parking and offer two types of stand: “bolt down” or “sink in”.

To find out if you’re eligible visit www.lifecycleuk.org.uk/ free-cycle-parking

solider Allan Leonard Lewis, the only Herefordshire-born recipient of the Victoria Cross.

On display from Wednesday 14 March – Sunday 29 April, visitors will be able to see this commemoration to WWI for free, while a series of special events will be hosted at the Cathedral and other venues as part of the Herefordshire Homefront campaign. For more information, please visit www.1418now.org.uk/commissions/ poppies-weeping-window-herefordcathedral.

HEREFORD CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP – POST 2021 BID Despite not being shortlisted to become City of Culture 2021, that hasn’t stopped the Hereford Cultural Partnership from continuing to form a plan for enhancing the cultural strategy of the city, and county.

Cultural Strategy Consultation meetings continue to be held across the county, to give more people the opportunity to find out about the important next phase. The open meetings discuss the cultural strategy report, ‘Looking to Herefordshire’s Creative and Cultural Future’ as they move into an important engagement and consultation phase.

New for 2018, Visit Herefordshire is combining its Stay and Explore guides into one visitor guide. Stay, Explore, Experience Herefordshire offers potential visitors a taste of what Herefordshire has to offer in terms of attractions, places to stay and events and festivals.

Combining the guide allows visitors to have all the information they need in one handy A5 guide to inspire them before they visit, and to use during their stay.

Working with partner Glide Media, the guide will be distributed in various locations across the country including Tourist Information Centres, supermarkets, and venues and attractions to name a few.

Visitors to Herefordshire will see a number of Glide Media leaflet stands branded with the Herefordshire logo.

Liz Pullin, Visit Herefordshire, said: “The new guide is a fresh and up-to-date look for Visit Herefordshire, building on the success of previous guides, and creating something to help people navigate between the wonderful attractions around the county, as well as places to stay, dine and be entertained.”

The vision of the strategy is that: Herefordshire by 2028 will be a culturally vibrant, prosperous and sought after county in which to live, work and to visit. Hallmarks of the County will be its glorious landscape, its heritage and history, its diverse cultural offer and its youthful ambition.

To keep up to date, and to find out how to get involved visit www.herefordcityofculture.org to sign up to their newsletter.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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WORCESTERSHIREBUSINESSCENTRAL

www.business-central.co.uk

WORCESTERSHIRE COMPANY’S WORLDWIDE GROWTH Local business, Fancy Dress Worldwide, continues to grow with the recent acquisition of a 14,000 square foot unit in the centre of Worcester and support from Worcestershire Business Central.

The Worcester-based online company was founded by Dom Portman in March 2016.

After a few years operating a student and fancy dress brand called Fancy Fresher, Dom Portman decided to take the company global.

The business now trades with around 230,000 customers in more than 55 countries, and has recently moved into new premises in the centre of Worcester.

The company places a significant amount in employing talented individuals and is continually looking for innovative ways to better serve their customers.

Business Growth Hub Manager at Worcestershire Business Central, Kevin Aisbitt, first met with the business in June this year to discuss the barriers they faced when trying to grow the business. After the meeting, Kevin referred the business to the relevant government supported programmes that could help the business grow.

Following Worcestershire Business Central support, Fancy Dress Worldwide has received a Worcester City Council Growth Grant worth £3,000 to support with warehouse racking, and have received support from Worcestershire Apprenticeships, now employing six apprentices. The value of apprenticeship support has proven beneficial for the business with the recent promotions of two apprentices.

One apprentice has been promoted to Marketing Manager, and another has begun developing custom application software for the Fancy Dress Worldwide website.

Dom Portman, Managing Director of Fancy Dress Worldwide, commented: “It has been extremely useful to have the support of the local Growth Hub to help the business grow. We’ve grown into many European marketplaces in a short 12 month period, so Kevin suggested a meeting with the Department of International Trade. The expertise provided by their team has been very helpful, particularly in implementing the correct VAT procedures for each country. It is wonderful to have this type of business support within the County.”

Dom Portman, MD of Fancy Dress Worldwide, speaking at WBC conference

Kevin Aisbitt, Growth Hub Manager at Worcestershire Business Central, said: “It is good news for the local economy to see a fledgling company grow at such great lengths. We will continue to support Fancy Dress Worldwide’s growth in any way we can; and we look forward to continuing to support other Worcestershire businesses achieve significant growth.”

To find out how Worcestershire Business Central can help support your business to grow, contact 01905 677888 or email info@business-central.co.uk.

FIRST WORCESTERSHIRE BUSINESS CENTRAL CONFERENCE SUCCESS The first Worcestershire Business Central Conference brought together businesses of all sizes and sectors at the Chateau Impney in Droitwich, to address the key issues that businesses in the area have raised as barriers to growth.

The event, hosted by ITV’s Sameena Ali-Khan, welcomed 300 businesses through its doors to listen to four key speakers talk about their experience in starting and growing a business, and how the support of the local Growth Hub has enabled them to thrive in Worcestershire.

The four key speakers featured were as follows: n Dom Portman – Managing Director, Fancy Dress Worldwide

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County Council, District councils, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, and many more, were also in attendance to discuss the business support available in Worcestershire. Professional services from the Advised in Worcestershire directory were situated in the foyer to offer their experience and knowledge. n Emma Heathcote-James, Director, Little Soap Company n Nicola Whiting – Chief Operating Officer, Titania Group n Tony O’Donnell – Chairman, The Smart Actuator Company n Grant Peggie, Director, British Business Bank Local partners from Worcestershire

Kevin Aisbitt, Growth Hub manager at Worcestershire Business Central, said: “We would like to thank all who attended and made our first conference a great occasion. The businesses, our speakers and partners, all contributed to making the day a success – whilst further highlighting that Worcestershire is a great place for businesses to do business.”

January/February 2018

Worcestershire Business Central Worcestershire Business Central, part of the government-supported Growth Hub network, brings all aspects of business support into one place

With access to a helpline, website, business events calendar, and one-to-one sector focused support and guidance, we can offer free support at any stage of your business journey

Starting

Growing

Contact our team today on 01905 677888 or email info@business-central.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Running

Funding

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ADVERTORIALFEATURE The Hive, Europe’s first joint university and public library

STRONG ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW Worcestershire is open for business

W

orcestershire is proud of its strong economy which is currently the fastest growing in terms of productivity.

The county also has the best progression in higher level workforce skills of all Local Enterprise Partnership areas nationally.

Record investment into its roads and infrastructure is acting as a catalyst for strengthening further the economic foundations of the county.

Worcestershire County Council recently secured its biggest single transport investment for decades - £54.5million – to complete the final phase of work on a key route through the county, the Southern Link Road, which carries over 30,000 vehicles each day. Once the project is fully completed, it will improve the link between the West of Worcester and the M5, making journeys quicker and more reliable.

Councillor Ken Pollock, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure, said: “Worcestershire has one of the fastest growing local economies in the country and being open for business is one of the council’s top priorities.”

Meanwhile, Worcestershire’s digital infrastructure is also being transformed with Superfast Broadbandreaching 93% of residents and business and residential take up of faster broadband now at 46%.

The County Council is supporting the work of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)with mobile phone providers to enhance coverage and speed of data transfer, and planning to build one of the UK’s first 5G test beds in partnership with the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre.

partners to develop and deliver comprehensive business support programmes for businesses, which provide assistance from concept through to start-up, and onto growth and expansion.

The programmes will support over 2,000 businesses and create more than 1,000 local jobs. So far, 54 companies have already been helped to introduce new products or processes into their businesses through the Proof of Concept Fund.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit: www.investinworcestershire.com Email: enquiries@investinworcestershire.com Call: 01905 676658

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January/February 2018

5UNDER35

5 UNDER 35 TO WATCH IN BUSINESS THIS YEAR In November last year, Business Direction asked Members from across the two counties to nominate the rising star in their firm. We received some fantastic nominations, and shortlisting was an incredibly hard task. However, we are happy to reveal our 5 under 35 to watch in business for 2018...

MATTHEW BISHOP,

BRANDON BURROWS,

SIANI DRIVER,

JACK SIU,

JAMES HOWARD,

AGE 20,

AGE 20,

AGE 35,

AGE 30,

AGE 31,

TECHNICAL APPRENTICE AT MULLER ENGLAND LIMITED

ACCOUNTS APPRENTICE AT GTACCESS

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA ADMINISTRATOR AT OLPRO

OVERSEAS PROCUREMENT AND COMPLIANCE MANAGER AT GREEN LIGHTING LTD

SENIOR MANAGER AT HAINES WATTS (WORCESTER)

“Matthew came to work for us in July 2012 as part of a work experience placement. We liked Matthew from day one, and in the summer of 2013 we approached him to see if he would come to work for us as a Technical Apprentice.

Matt has continued to flourish at Muller England, achieving fantastic results in his NVQ2 Engineering Course, his BTEC Level 3 Diploma, and now his HNC Mechanical Engineering Course at Herefordshire and Ludlow College. It is hoped that Matt will go on to assume the role as Technical Manager when our current Manager retires.”

“Brandon’s school life was filled with success, passing his GCSE’s with flying colours. His academic career was in full swing when he accepted a six-month placement at IMI Truflo Marine in Aston, Birmingham as an Accounts Trainee.

After a very enjoyable six months at IMI, Brandon looked to GTAccess for his next opportunity, joining the company as a Business Administration Apprentice in 2015.

After completing his one-year apprenticeship he realised that his heart and his future actually lay in accounting.

GTAccess looked to create a space for him within their small accounts team. This space enabled Brandon to start another apprenticeship, this time as an Accounting Technician. Brandon’s aspiration is to become a fully qualified Accountant by the time he’s 22, which he is fully on course to achieve.”

“Siani thinks outside of the box, bringing on-board Brand Representatives to get great lifestyle shots, allowing people to take over our Instagram page to showcase our products, and has completely changed our social media presentation to give our customers a strong mix of information, lifestyle and sales orientated posts.

Siani has taken on more of the overall Marketing role, ensuring that we sponsored the popular Worcester Music Week.

Additionally, we are looking forward to seeing our products appear in a new film based at Glastonbury!

Siani has gone above and beyond what’s needed to push the brand further everyday.”

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

“Originally from Hong Kong, Jack studied Accountancy at Newcastle University before joining the Green Lighting team in 2011. Jack’s ability to speak Cantonese and Mandarin, fluently, ensures that he works cohesively with our Hong Kong office to ensure quality and innovative technology are at the forefront of our business.

A self-motivator with a dedicated work ethic, Jack maintains the high standard of compliance requirements demanded by our customers. Jack is at the forefront of the company’s future development, and is seen by our manufacturers in China as our man in the Far East.”

“Haines Watts has a Leadership Development Programme, and every year only 15 Managers and Directors from across the UK are nominated by their Managing Partners to take part in the programme – our very own James Howard was nominated and offered a place!

The course is a two year programme designed to give people the skills necessary in order to become leaders in their own offices. As part of the process, James had to present to the national Haines Watts board and we are so proud that he was judged to have been one of the best that they have ever seen!”

049

MEMBERSSERVICES

NEW CHAMBER SERVICES Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that from Thursday 2 November 2017, the Chamber has adopted the new British Chambers of Commerce national scheme, which will provide Members with access to a wider range of services and will allow them to derive even more value from their Chamber membership.

The Chamber is pleased to confirm that the new and improved services will continue to be provided by our current Chamber HR partners at Qdos, ensuring a disruption-free transition to the new services.

Members will now have access to four key areas: n Chamber HR: Advice line, website and legal expenses cover for employment disputes n Chamber Legal: Advice line, website and legal expenses insurance for data protection, property disputes and more n Chamber Health & Safety: Advice line,

website and legal expenses insurance cover to defend HSE prosecutions n Chamber Tax: Advice lines for taxation and VAT plus legal expenses insurance cover to defend HMRC investigations These services are all underpinned by Chamber Legal Expenses Insurance, which provides cover across 11 different sections up to £100,000 per claim and £1,000,000 in the annual aggregate. To access the services, you can phone the advice line on 01455 852037 or visit www.hwchamber. co.uk.

Steve Charles, Head of Business Partnerships at Qdos, said: “We were delighted to be selected by the BCC to be the national partner for the UK network.

We know these services can really help members and with the expanded range of services we are now able to provide we can say with confidence that we have a service for ALL members”

said: “The Chamber is thrilled to be able to offer this expanded and integrated service which we believe will genuinely protect our members and give them peace of mind in these challenging times.”

The Chamber is thrilled to be able to offer this expanded and integrated service which we believe will genuinely protect our members and give them peace of mind in these challenging times.

Sharon Smith, CEO of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce,

CASE STUDY Dani James, Business Development Manager at Thursfields, said: “Thursfields was delighted to win the Excellence in Professional Services Award at this year’s Chamber of Commerce Awards.

We have received great exposure from this accolade and it has enabled us to establish further relationships with other attendees and award winners within the Chamber.

We have offices in Worcester, Kidderminster and Stourport, within Worcestershire, and further offices across the West Midlands.

We pride ourselves on being a local,

approachable firm with the resources and expertise to provide a full range of legal services to you and your business.

We also exhibit at the Chamber Business Expo and have found this a

great way to meet other businesses and find out what a variety of resources Herefordshire & Worcestershire has to offer.”

DOWNLOAD THE CHAMBER APP Last year, the Chamber was delighted to launch the HW Chamber of Commerce app available for Android and iOS users. The app is the perfect way to stay well connected with updates on training courses, Chamber events and accessing your exclusive Member’s Directory whilst on the go.

Business Direction is excited to reveal that from January, it will be sending reminders of upcoming magazine deadlines, themes and opportunities for Members to get involved with. Make sure you download the app from iTunes and Android, or contact your Account Manager for more information.

050

January/February 2018

WARWICKSHIRECOLLEGE

PERSHORE COLLEGE WORKS WITH NATIONAL TRUST ON APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME Five budding gardeners are this month starting two year horticultural apprenticeships with the National Trust, as the conservation charity opens new pathways into careers in horticulture.

The apprenticeships, part of the Government Trailblazers scheme, are the first of their kind to be offered by the charity as it raises awareness of the range of career opportunities available in horticulture against the backdrop of a damaging skills shortage in the sector. As well as on the job training, the apprentices will take part in 10 week-long training

courses at Pershore College, part of WCG, during their two year placement.

Pershore College is a national centre for horticulture situated on a 60-hectare site near Evesham, Pershore College offers the very best in land-based learning.

WCG work with employers from a range of sectors to develop training solutions that work for the needs of the organisation.

Part of WCG, both Pershore College and Evesham College have specialist facilities designed to provide trained employees for the region, filling skills gaps in industry.

competitiveness and ensure a committed and competent workforce to meet future challenges.

WCG handle all administration and training arrangements, as well as mentoring each apprentice so employers get the best results for their business and apprentices receive the best start to their career.

If you are interested in employing apprentices, contact WCG: employers@ wcg.ac.uk or 0300 456 0046 Visit wcg.ac.uk/employers for more information.

Apprenticeships offer businesses a cost-effective route to harness fresh new talent. Apprentices can help organisations to increase productivity, improve

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

051

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

IS YOUR HEALTHCARE BUSINESS ‘READY FOR THE FUTURE’?

We know your business needs specialised legal knowledge. Our teams at Harrison Clark Rickerbys reflect business sectors and our health and social care team has considerable expertise in a busy and ever-changing sector. We are ideally placed to help owners, managers, sellers and buyers.

The corporate side of the team focus on the sector’s mid-market, typically working with clients on deals with a transaction value between £5m and £10m, and also offer advice on some of the key issues in the sector today.

They also bring together experts from other disciplines within Harrison Clark Rickerbys to ensure they deliver targeted advice for each client.

Last year, this expertise was recognised with a place in the final for a LaingBuisson award – the awards are known as ‘the healthcare Oscars’ because they recognise excellence and are independently judged.

Charlotte Thornton-Smith, partner and head of the health and social care team, said: “We were delighted to have reached the final – the team has focused on developing services and products to meet the sector’s needs and the shortlisting acknowledges both their expertise and their dedication.”

THINKING ABOUT ACQUIRING A HEALTHCARE BUSINESS? If you are looking to dip your toe into the market or grow your existing business, you want the process to run smoothly and to avoid any hidden liabilities. We can help you obtain as much information about the business as possible to ensure you can accurately assess the potential risk - often known as due diligence. We can also help you consider at an early stage any regulatory issues which may arise with the Care Quality Commission or local authorities, for example upon a change of ownership.

CONSIDERING SELLING UP? As a seller, getting your business in order and ready for sale will help you to achieve the best price possible; if you have key information and documents to hand in advance, the process will run more smoothly. It is often the less obvious issues which delay a transaction or even cause it to falter - many acquirers will walk away from a deal over the cost of putting issues right in a target business.

052

KEY ISSUES IN THE MONTHS AHEAD Over the last 12 months, one critical issue for care businesses is staff pay with headline grabbing Employment Tribunal cases and HMRC action specifically targeting the social care sector. Key considerations for providers are whether their flat rate sleep-in shift payments mean they will fall foul of recent legal developments involving what constitutes ‘working time’, at what rate work should be paid - National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (NMW/NLW) and how exactly holiday pay should be calculated.

Sleep in pay Recent case law developments and revisions to HMRC guidance have fundamentally altered the way in which providers should pay their staff for sleep in shifts, and turned established sector wide pay practices into costly areas of significant risk. It is essential for providers to consider whether they may be exposed to claims for unlawful deductions from wages and historic back pay claims, along with tax and NI liabilities, plus the potential for HMRC penalty sanctions.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOU? Buyers will look for price reductions if they have to put these issues right, or they may delay transactions to force a seller to deal

with back pay issues and/or consult with staff on new pay arrangements. Coupled with tight margins through reliance on public sector contracts, the prospect of acquiring a business with historic back pay liabilities is a concern to potential buyers.

Holiday pay Employment Tribunal decisions in recent years have gradually eroded the notion that holiday pay is limited to basic contractual rates of pay. Established case law now provides that holiday pay should take account of overtime and commission, which may mean many employers are exposed to claims for back pay of holiday.

What to do Buyers often require sellers to give indemnities for any loss relating to the period before a sale, accordingly, you need to take legal advice on your potential liabilities.

GDPR – THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO DATA PROTECTION FOR A GENERATION One of 2018’s looming changes is GDPR – the General Data Protection Regulation, which comes into force in May. GDPR is the new legal framework for data protection in the UK and across Europe – it will take over from the Data Protection

January/February 2018

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

Act on 25 May and all businesses that hold or process the personal data of EU individuals will need to comply with it.

This will include data on staff, suppliers and residents (and their family members where a power of attorney exists). For providers that hold data on children, more stringent rules apply.

implement the new regulations or are unable to respond to a ‘subject access request’ within the new timeframes.

Would you know what data you hold on individuals and how to access within 30 days if you received a subject access request?

The GDPR introduces new concepts and approaches for the protection of personal data – for example ‘consent’ must be given on an ‘opt-in’ basis and separate permissions are required for different activities.

Around a fifth of care-workers currently employed in the UK were born outside the UK. EU nationals will need to understand the impact of Brexit on their immigration status, and you need to protect the stability of your business.

Within the healthcare sector, all organisations process large amounts of sensitive data about an individual, their carer or family to enable the simplest activities to happen. These individuals may be vulnerable or may not be able to give consent on their own behalf, which complicates matters.

Individuals are becoming more aware of their rights and the fact that they are able to request their personal information held about them through a ‘subject access request’. This can increase the potential reputational risk to organisations if they do not correctly

BREXIT – WHAT WILL IT BRING?

Consider supporting and encouraging early applications for permanent residence for those who qualify as the Home Office queues are getting longer by the day. However, if employers are unable to stem the flow of EU migrants opting out of work in the UK, the only option is to find creative ways to attract and retain UK workers to the healthcare sector, for example by offering training, career progression, re-skilling existing staff. This will be challenging in a sector already struggling with funding cuts and tight margins.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

To get ready for 2018 and all the changes it will bring, do get in touch with Charlotte on 01905 744811 or email ctsmith@ hcrlaw.com

CASE STUDY: RESOLVING BACK PAY ISSUES PRE-SALE TO ACHIEVE BEST POSSIBLE SALE PRICE We recently acted for a residential care provider looking to sell. The business had considerable historic back pay liabilities, which made it less marketable. Before the due diligence process, in conjunction with their accountants, we assessed the liability of back pay and advised them on how to set up a compliant pay arrangement to reduce the risk of staff claims. The business could then be marketed at a fair price and in the best possible condition for sale, setting it apart from other potential acquisitions.

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NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH BEWDLEY

KEMPSEY

Sienna Glass Ltd

Bewdley High School & Sixth Form Centre

Davis Amplification

01905 592100

Glass Moulding www.siennaglass.com

Boutique Amplifier Construction & Design www.davisamaplification.com

REDDITCH

01299 403277 Secondary & Sixth Form School www.bewdley.worcs.sch.uk

BROMSGROVE

Wildlife K9

Audacious Creative Communications Ltd

01905 570674

Dog Walkers, Dog Boarding & Kennels www.worcesterdogs.co.uk

Web Design, Creation & Maintenance www.audaciouscreative.co.uk

KIDDERMINSTER

Midland Group Training Services

Millbrook Solutions

Claire Field Consultancy

024 7663 0333

07486 387917 ICT for School Pupil Purposes www.millbrooksolutions.co.uk

Stress Free Bookkeeping Ltd

01527 910207 Bookkeeping & Payroll www.stress-freebookkeeping.co.uk

01905 821551

01562 700447 Social Care www.clairefieldconsultancy.com

DAP Photography & Videography

07803 048540 Photography & Videography www.dapphotovid.com

CLOWS TOP

Greensafe IT Ltd

COBI Solutions Ltd

IT Services www.gsdisposals.com

01299 832405

01527 549803

Contractual Work & Business Support www.cobiglobal.co.uk

Tills Direct Ltd

DROITWICH

Sales of EPOS Hardware www.tills-direct.com

Emms Alterations

01905 778381 Sewing & Craft Retail Outlet www.emmshaberdashery.co.uk

Macneil’s Smokehouse Ltd

01299 488031 Wyre Solutions Limited

01562 750 769 Independent IFS Consultancy & Support www.wyresolutions.co.uk

Clarke Oil LTD

01527 850785 Distributor of Lubricants & Greases www.clarkeoil.co.uk

Education, Training, Development & Assessment - Engineering www.mgts.co.uk

Minuteman Press Redditch

01527 549946 Design & Digital Printing

The Old Rectory Hotel

01527 523000 Hotel, Conferencing & Weddings www.theoldrectory-hotel.co.uk

Pactivate Ltd

01527 313040 Packing Design & Custom Boxes www.pactivate.com

Petvictus Ltd

01527 534151 Creating, Designing & Distributing Pet Products www.petvictus.com

The Redditch Partitions & Storage Co Ltd

01527 517055

01299 253764

MALVERN

Producer of Smoked Products www.macneilssmokehouse.co.uk

Datawise Intelligence Ltd

Office Partitioning, Suspended Ceilings & Storage Equipment www.redditch-partitions.co.uk

07768 382334

Seada Technology Ltd

The Maltstone Pub & Kitchen

01299 851 600 Gastro Pub www.maltstone.com

Spa Domestic Services

07935 075433 Cleaning Company

Studio Fourteen Interiors Limited

Data Protection & Data for Sales & Marketing www.datawiseintelligence.com

Digital Signage www.seada.co.uk

01684 564448

Taylor Lighting Ltd

Accommodation - B&B & Self Catering www.thedellhouse.co.uk

Disabled Works Ltd Concessionary Cards www.disabledoneworks.co.uk

Interior Design, Fitout & Refurbishment www.studio-fourteen.co.uk

Fulgent Technologies Ltd

Capturvate Ltd

01386 834000 Computer Software & Systems www.fulgent.co.uk

07414 508033

OMBERSLEY

Videography, Photography & Aerial Imagery www.capturvate.co.uk

Ombersley Golf Club

Drnsashwindows

01905 620747

07861 501219 Restoration of Windows www.drnsashwindows.co.uk

Golf Club www.ombersleygolfclub.co.uk

PERSHORE

McCarthy Taylor Limited (Evesham)

01386 422611 Financial Services www.mccarthytaylor.co.uk

The Succession Planning Company Ltd

01386 871800 Strategic Leadership Advisory Service www.successionplanning.company

INKBERROW ACIS Energy Ltd

01386 791379 Solar Energy & Battery Storage Installation www.acisenergy.com

01527 584364

The Dell House

01905 799376

EVESHAM

054

01386 553457

ADP Giant Ltd (Andrew Davis Photography)

01386 554683 Commercial Photography www.andrewdavisphotography.co.uk

Propego

01386 426 581 Innovative, Hybrid Local Estate Agent www.propego.com

Richmond Villages Wood Norton

01386 897399 Retirement Living www.richmond-villages.com

01527 962 200 LED Lighting www.taylorlighting.co.uk

Ubi-Tech (3R) Ltd

01527 529750 Bespoke Training & Telecoms www.ubi-tech.co.uk

STOURBRIDGE The Mary Stevens Hospice

01384 377778 Charity www.marystevenshospice.co.uk

STOURPORT Beau Windows Ltd

07772 552089 Windows, Doors, Conservatories & Garage Conversions

Maple Aion Limited

01299 251155 Building Contractor www.mapleaion.co.uk

Boot Buddy Ltd

01299 822230 Manufacturing Car Boot Liners www.boot-buddy.com

January/February 2018

NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH WADBOROUGH

Worcester Tri Coach

Big Bash & Corporate Entertainment Ltd

Corporate, Personal & Group fitness Training www.worcestertricoach.co.uk

07943 804862

Waymarker Financial Associate Partner Practice of St James’ Place Wealth Management

07971 006123

8d-Closures Ltd

Financial Planner www.waymarker.co.uk

01905 676161

Westcom Business Communications Ltd

Design & Manufacturing of Automotive Closure Systems www.8d-closures.net

01432 274210

07455 052625

BROMYARD

KINGTON

Property Maintenance & Construction www.adamz.co

Myrtles Kitchen

07989 747720

Kens Tipper Hire Ltd

Archdales 73 Club Ltd

01905 841902 Provide Corporate & Event Entertainment www.bigbashandcorporate.co.uk

WORCESTER AdamZ Property Maintenance

01905 451410 Sports & Social Club

Bon Air MES Ltd

01905 726112 Air Conditioning, Commercial Heating, Plumbing & Electrical www.bon-air.co.uk

Chrysalis Business Support Ltd

Food Producer - Chutneys & Jams www.myrtleskitchen.co.uk

Really Good Marketing

01885 448105 Marketing & Creative www.reallygoodmarketing.co.uk

Sporting Saint Limited

01885 400343

Consultancy, Marketing & Strategy Development www.chrysalis-support.co.uk

Manufacture & Supplier of Gun Dog Training Equipment www.sportingsaint.co.uk

Croome Cuisine Ltd

HEREFORD

07818 424777

01905 350788 Cheese Makers & Chutneys www.croomecuisine.com

Ametros Group Ltd

Deco Painting & Decorating Ltd

GDPR Advisory Services www.ametrosgroup.com

07738 427555

03302 232 246

Telecommunications www.westcom.uk.com

01432 378000 Aggregate Supplies, Civils, Surfacing, Haulage, Transport & Volumix Concrete www.kthgroup.co.uk

LEDBURY Fech-it Ltd

01531 660213 Pet Product Business

LEOMINSTER Lakes Edge Limited

01568 760537 Self-Catering Holiday Cottages & Lodges www.lakesedge.co.uk

Marches Family Network

01568 614908 Services for Families of Children & Young People www.marchesfamilynetwork.co.uk

Professional Artisan Decorating Services http://bit.ly/2nXlD9n

Hereford Cider Museum Trust

Duet Events

Cider Museum & King Offa Distillery www.cidermuseum.co.uk

OUT OF AREA

Portable Luxury Venue Hire www.robbiesrocket.com

Herefordshire MIND

Circle2Success

Energy Connection Services

Mental Health Charity www.herefordshire-mind.org.uk

Business Community www.circle2success.co.uk

Utility Project Management & Delivery www.ecs.energy

The Links Partnership

Cleobury Academy Ltd

Equiwash Ltd

Management Consultancy www.tlpltd.com

Golf Club www.cleoburygolfclub.com

Equine & Canine www.equiwash.co.uk

Minerva

Gooch & Burley Surveyors

Fusion Networks

Handcrafted Kitchens & Interiors www.minervajoinery.co.uk

Surveyors www.goochandburley.co.uk

Telephone Systems, Telephone lines, Maintenance Service & Support www.fusion-networks.com

New Model in Technology and Engineering (NMiTE)

Flow Drive Energy Ltd

Grandad Fats Gluten Free

Higher Education www.nmite.org.uk

Fire Safety Products, Private Sector Defence & Renewable Energy www.flowdriveenergyltd.co.uk

Gluten Free Baker

RPA UK

Indelible IP Limited

KMS Payroll Services Ltd

0800 3688631

07850 573186

01905 676581

07810 403460

01299 667654

07831 196211 01905 830181 Payroll Services www.kmspayrollservices.co.uk

Pogofilms

07769 269214 Cinematic, Film & Media www.pogofilms.co.uk

Sapey Golf & Country Club

01886 853506 Golf Club, Footgolf Course & Event Venue www.sapeygolf.co.uk

Sinclair Day Accountancy Services

01905 828262 Accountancy Practice - Xero Experts www.sinclairday.co.uk

01432 354207

01432 271643

0845 8333981

01432 800 510

01432 371111

03300 536186

01299 271112

01531 822777

01562 741866

01600 860292

Radiological Safety Services (Protection & Advice) www.rpa.uk

Consultancy for Intellectual Property www.indelible.co.uk

The Site Doctor

Money Box Credit Union

01432 617006

01743 252325

Web Design & Development www.thesitedoctor.co.uk

Financial Co-operative www.moneyboxcu.org.uk

Sunshine FM Ltd

McCarthy Taylor Limited (Cheltenham)

01905 820659

01242 386650

Radio Station www.sunshineradio.co.uk

Financial Services www.mccarthytaylor.co.uk

Voodoochilli Design

PHE Polymer UK Ltd

01432 278766 Web Design Studio www.voodoochilli.com

01531 822107 Industrial Gaskets for Heating Liquids www.phegaskets.com

Principal Hygiene Systems Ltd

01902 404550 Washroom Services www.principalhygiene.com Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

055

NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH

COFACE Coface has been supporting the development of trade since 1946, and is now a worldwide leader in domestic and export credit insurance. Coface is rated AA- by Fitch and A2 by Moody’s.

Every day, the Group’s 4,300 employees located in 66 countries secure the sales made by the 50,000 client companies in over 200 countries. In close partnership, it works with them at every stage of their business life cycle, helping them to evaluate their risks and make the right decisions.

Coface in the UK & Ireland provides solutions to help businesses trade safely - domestically and globally. n Credit insurance to protect domestic and export trading n A unique offer for exporters

BUSINESSNEWS

FANTASTIC NEW OFFICES FOR PROFESSIONAL CALL MINDERS Worcester-based telephone answering service, Professional Call Minders, has now moved to brand-new spacious and open plan offices in Blackpole Trading Estate East. Following a re-brand and technology upgrades in the summer of 2017, the business is growing and there are plans to develop existing market sectors and expand into new service areas.

n Receivables management services to collect domestic and overseas debts

Sarah Preece, who founded the company in 2005, said: “The business has grown organically on the back of a fantastic team of people who are truly passionate and committed to delivering great customer service for our clients. With the right people anything is possible and now that we have the right premises, the future looks very exciting indeed.”

n Country and sector risk assessments

www.professionalcallminders.co.uk

n Worldwide business and credit information to help you make informed decisions n Political risk protection

Visit www.cofaceuk.com or contact your locally based regional manager – paul.rogers@coface.com

ELUMED Never has it been more recognised that employee health is key to business success. More importantly employer commitment to improving health contributes to improving the health of our counties and reducing the burden on the NHS. Most importantly lives are being saved.

EluMED is passionate about improving health through prevention and early detection so that people can live healthier and happier lives. Led by Ellie, an Open University Honours graduate and qualified nurse with 30+ year’s broad experience in hospitals and community, you are in safe hands when you book an EluMED consultation.

Ellie’s goal is to improve the health of the local counties and save unnecessary suffering. She believes we all have a duty of care.

As a fellow Chamber of Commerce member and listed on the WISH register Ellie invites you to confidently contact us to discuss a tailored package to suit your business. If all you have to do is ask why wouldn’t you? Together we can make a real difference. www.elumed.co.uk

NEW FILM SHOWCASES THE SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY AS A VENUE WITH A DIFFERENCE The Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust has released a promotional film for its Corporate Partnership Club, showcasing the Railway as a venue for corporate events and entertainment.

Produced by drp and shot along the beautiful Severn Valley line, the film shows a corporate day out and the fantastic benefits the Railway offers to partners, such as the opportunity to charter a train and the thrill of travelling on the footplate alongside the crew.

The SVR’s Corporate Partnership Club allows businesses of all sizes to enjoy substantial rewards and unique experiences, whilst reaching new audiences and enhancing their brand reputation as a supporter of one of the UK’s most highly regarded heritage railways.

Watch the film at www.svrtrust.org.uk. This is the second in a series of three films, produced by drp to highlight why the Railway needs to raise funds to safeguard its future.

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January/February 2018

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

NEED SOME EASY GDPR WINS? The preparation for GDPR is going to be time consuming and potentially costly for many businesses, but are there some easy wins for you and your company?

GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation, a collection of stringent new data protection laws that are going to fundamentally change the way companies do business.

Helping companies prepare their data and their data processing procedures is a big money maker at the minute as there are just so many things that businesses need to consider.

It’s a fact that all businesses are going to need to carry out an initial risk assessment, but for now I don’t want to suggest that preparing for GDPR is easy, but there are some simple things that you can do as a business to give you a few easy wins:

MERGING DUPLICATES One of the key parts of GDPR is making sure you are holding the correct data on a given person. If you have two or more instances relating to a single person there is a much higher chance that one or more of these will be out of date.

to categorise your data, saying whether someone is a customer or not for example, take the time to go through and make sure you are using the same wording for this information.

But get started on it now because it will take time, maybe start on a short list or the simplest type of consent you require.

Once you’ve sorted out the smaller tasks and made a start on the medium tasks, you can get into the bigger work you’re going to need to do to prepare for GDPR.

CHECKING FOR OUTDATED DATA

So using the example of a list of your customers, if you refer to them as “customers”, “customees” (because typos happen to everyone), “clients, “current customer”, and “current clients”, finding the information you need is quite a challenge.

Speaking of keeping data tidy and up-to-date, one of the other big ticket items in GDPR is not holding onto data you don’t need any more.

I always advise people to standardise their data, not just because of GDPR, but just because it makes your life easier in the end.

So do what you can to combine all these duplicates into a single record for that person. It will be easier to keep everything up to date and you’ll be able to fulfil you’re other GDPR obligations much more easily.

Go through your old spreadsheets and systems, look for data that you a) don’t need and b) aren’t even sure it is correct anymore (that’s a really big one). Provided you really really really REALLY don’t need this information for your financial and/or legal requirements, get rid of it.

Once GDPR comes into effect, you really don’t want to be holding onto old personal data.

STANDARDISING YOUR DATA This is a bit of an odd one, but is equally useful in reporting on the data you hold and making sure you are GDPR compliant.

If you use a particular field or column

GET CONSENT Here’s one that’s been making the news whenever people talk about the changes GDPR is going to be bringing in. Going forward, you must have explicit consent for data processing, including sending out any marketing emails or other communications.

This could take a while for a lot of businesses. So my advice: get started.

Now! Contact your customers and ask them if they would like to receive marketing emails.

Take notes and make a record of their agreement, disagreement, and the date.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

AND THEN THERE’S THE BIG STUFF…

You’ll be able to start documenting your data processes (if you haven’t already) and sort out your data retention tools. If you’re holding sensitive information you can get the access and protection of this data ironed out to meet your requirements.

There are a lot of moving parts, as they say, when it comes to GDPR compliance. But there are some smaller things you can do right now to get a jump start on the whole process, it’s certainly worth getting started.

To talk to a member of OpenCRM team about how CRM software can benefit your brand, just call 01748 473000 or visit the website: www.opencrm.co.uk Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

057

CHARITYNEWS

KEMP HOSPICE CELEBRATE SANTA FUN RUN RECORD KEMP Hospice is celebrating after a record breaking turn out for its annual Santa Fun Run, on Sunday 3 December 2017.

The charity hosted its 10th annual festive fun run at Brinton Park in Kidderminster.

A staggering 533 people registered to take part in the races, which comprised of a traditional 10k run, a family 5k and a children’s 1k Santa Dash.

Shelley Stanley, Challenge & Events Fundraiser for KEMP Hospice, said: “It was an incredible day with so many fantastic people coming together to help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of the KEMP Hospice Santa Fun Run. We had hoped that we would beat last year’s runner numbers but we were absolutely blown away by the number of people who signed

up, more than doubling last year’s! We can’t thank them enough.”

towards the work of KEMP Hospice in the Wyre Forest.

The money raised over the last decade has exceeded £160,000, with all money going

www.kemphospice.org.uk

MEGAN BAKER HOUSE HAD A BALL Megan Baker House held a fantastic Masquerade Ball on Thursday 28 September 2017 at Eastnor Castle. The Ball was in aid of Megan Baker House’s project “Chrysalis”, which is aiming to raise £35,000.

Under the guidance of MC Bob Marley, and Auctioneer Will Kerton from Knight Frank, Megan Baker House raised almost £17,000! The outstanding amount raised means that the charity is just short of its target for the project.

The 140 guests were treated to a sparkling reception, followed by a delicious three course dinner, an auction, raffle and then finally dancing the evening away. A thrilling fireworks display closed the evening, with the happy bunch of revellers leaving the magical surroundings of Eastnor Castle, in the knowledge that they had helped Megan Baker House towards its target.

The charity would like to thank everyone who came along, supported, sponsored or helped in many other ways. www.meganbakerhouse.org.uk

RAISE A CUP FOR SPECTRUM DAYS 2017 marked 20 years of business for Global Phones. To celebrate, the business gave back to the local community with its charity partnership.

Ray Worth, Chair of Sight Concern Malvern, Claire Squire, Balens Specialist Insurance, Lucy Allen, the Chamber and Jim McBride, Lesk Engineers

SIGHT CONCERN SHARED BY THE CHAMBER AND PATRONS Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Patron Lesk Engineers, Malvern Panalytical, and Balens Specialist Insurance Brokers, are proud to sponsor this year’s Blindfold Mile, organised by Sight Concern Worcestershire.

The event challenges people to walk in pairs with colleagues, family or friends – one blindfolded and the other sighted, along a designated route from Malvern Cube towards The Priory and Malvern Theatres, switching places throughout the mile. The Blindfold Mile aims to raise awareness of sight loss, and challenges people to experience some of the obstacles that blind and partially sighted people overcome each day.

Global Phones continue to raise funds for the amazing local charity, Spectrum Days. Spectrum Days is a small charity based in Droitwich that provides support for people with pro-found disabilities across the region.

Throughout 2017, Global Phones trekked through miles of mud, sprinted at sports days, rounded up a raffle and filled buckets. On Friday 17 November, Global Phones staff raised their cups in aid of Spectrum Days. The team held a coffee morning at their offices in Droitwich where local business people came to chat over cake and coffee.

The event was a great success, raising £215 for Spectrum Days.

Global Phones would like to thank everyone who has supported them in their fund-raising efforts and are looking forward to continuing their great new relationship with Spectrum Days. www.global-phones.co.uk/our-chairtypartnership

The event will take place on Saturday 21 April, from 10.00am-12.00pm, meeting in Malvern’s Town Centre. To find out more information, and to get involved, please visit www.sightconcern.co.uk/blindfoldmile.

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January/February 2018

BUSINESSNEWS

WORCESTER RATED TOP BRAND FOR BOILER COVER Worcester, Bosch Group, continues to lead the way in the heating industry with the latest Which? Boiler Servicing report unveiling Worcester as the highest scoring brand for boiler cover. The news comes shortly after Which? also named Worcester the country’s top gas boiler brand.

Worcester was scored against five key performance indicators. Of these, the brand received five-star ratings for customer service, repair response time and how likely customers are to renew their cover.

Every Worcester boiler comes with a guarantee of 5-7 years, depending on the model and any paired accessories.

Once the guarantee expires, Worcester’s

service plan is available for those who have not already taken out cover with their local engineer or Installation company, to provide added peace of mind.

Worcester’s servicing accolade follows its claiming of the top spot in the 2017 Which? gas boiler report for the eighth year running. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS STARTERS AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES and Wynne Jones (IP Attorneys), who strongly advocate the support for new and developing entrepreneurs on offer, whether it be through Bi-Monthly Entrepreneurship events (at the Riverside Campus), 1-2-1 Clinics with one of its Entrepreneurs in Residence, or Summer Boot Camp programme.

Worcester Business School (University of Worcester) is now supporting both Business Starters and established businesses who may be interested in discussing co-working space options in its Business Incubator at the City Campus.

The Business School, and university, are proud to enjoy the support of several sponsors, including Barclays, Nat West,

More information is available at www.worcesterenterprise.org, or for an informal chat about how your organisation, or one of your clients might be able to get involved, please contact Nick Bancroft (Enterprise Manager) on n.bancroft@worc.ac.uk or 01905 542817.

MP HARRIET BALDWIN OPENS NEW AACE OFFICE West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed another growing business to Malvern Hills Science Park signalling even more business confidence across the town.

Harriett was invited to formally open the new office of AACE which has taken space at the Science Park on Geraldine Road, alongside its offices in Bristol and Oxford The company, which authors technical publications as well as offering support for a range of aviation clients, has recruited staff who worked at Dytecna to operate out of the new Malvern office.

Harriett commented: “I was delighted to be asked to open AACE’s latest office and celebrate the company’s success.

“It is really heartening to see local people with great skills carrying on their valuable work in Malvern, following the closure of Dytecna.

AACE’s Gaynor Hussey added: “It was a great pleasure to host MP Harriett Baldwin at our office opening ceremony in the Malvern Hills Science Park.” www.aace.co.uk

FROM APPRENTICE TO MANAGING DIRECTOR Managing Director of Wyre Solutions, Paul Maybury, knows the importance of apprenticeships, from a young employee’s and business point of view. Paul started as an IT Apprentice with Rover in 1998, gaining his qualification whilst working with a new management system (IFS). It was this specialist IFS system that would be the forefront of his career and business.

In 2016, Wyre Solutions took on two apprentices, James Scott (pictured) and Ashley Angell to offer just that - vital hands on experience within all aspects of

IT & IFS, working alongside Wyre’s Senior Consultants. Paul said: “James and Ashley are thriving, the scheme is proving an amazing opportunity for young people in IT, plus the benefits for Wyre of having, young, passionate and dedicated members of the team is imperative to take our company forward”. www.wyresolutions.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

James Scott

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MOVERSANDSHAKERS

ARECA DESIGN APPOINTS THREE NEW MEMBERS Areca Design, based in Evesham, has appointed three new members of staff to help cope with the enormous interest in its services.

Shown left to right; is Charlie Sharp, who has joined as the creative agencies latest Web and App Design Apprentice; Deborah Rolls, with a career as a PA for several major organisations – is now Areca Design’s Project Manager, and Hamish Orr Ewing who uses his 3D modelling skills to help deliver the innovative mobile Augmented Reality Apps, which Areca Design are becoming renowned for.

BEACON ASSET FINANCE ANNOUNCE NEW RECRUIT Beacon Asset Finance is delighted to announce that Sarah Nelder has joined the team as the new Administrator, to boost the Client Services department.

With a background in property and finance, Sarah has worked in Herefordshire and surrounding areas her whole career, and will now be helping to build Beacon’s business networks throughout the midlands. www.beaconassetfinance.co.uk

www.arecadesign.co.uk

THE CHAMBER HIRES NEW BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT EXECUTIVE Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the appointment of Beth Collett as Business Engagement Executive. Beth will be operating in Herefordshire, and is looking forward to meeting businesses in the prosperous area.

Beth said: ““The Chamber is a fantastic organisation with a wide-range of dynamic Members. I am very much looking forward to developing business in the Herefordshire area, with the hope of allowing firms the opportunity to continue to grow and thrive with the Chamber’s support”.

DISCOVER PARKS WELCOME NEW TRIO Discover Parks is pleased to welcome three new members to its team. Sue Kay joined the workforce as the Managing Director’s PA, Liam Griffiths joins for a three year apprenticeship studying Business Administration and Management, and Alex Davidson has been appointed the new Parks Manager.

The trio come with a wealth of experience in different sectors.

Alex Davidson says: “I hope to utilise my management and team focus skills to help Discover Park’s further its already excellent reputation countrywide.” www.discoverparks.co.uk

www.hwchamber.co.uk

DRP HIRES SECOND EVENTS APPRENTICE drp has hired another Events Apprentice through the Event Management Apprenticeship programme. The events assistant apprenticeship role was fully approved by the government earlier this year and Sascha Lewis is the second to join drp as an apprentice event assistant.

Sascha commented: “The industry is so unpredictable and literally anything can happen, this makes the job interesting and exciting. I have been made to feel so welcome and I love being onsite, and having the opportunity to see how a large event all comes together.” www.drpgroup.com

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CHARTERED SURVEYOR RETIRES AFTER 50 YEARS One of the West Midlands’ most experienced Chartered Surveyors has retired after more than 50 years in commercial property.

Philip Jones retired from GJS Dillon in October 2017, a business he helped to create by merging his practice Guise Jones Sawyer with JP Dillon in 2012.

Although he is retiring from GJS Dillon, Mr Jones will not be idle. He has been appointed as a Non- Executive Director in Hemmingway Property Group, and has joined David Sartori in partnership in his garden design and landscaping company. www.gjsdillon.co.uk

BUSINESS WINS LEAD TO NEW FACES AT GOUGH BAILEY WRIGHT Gough Bailey Wright has appointed three new members to its West Midlands based office.

The public relations team has been strengthened with the appointments of Mira Cowap, Account Manager, and Mike Leonhardt, Account Executive, and Gemma Robinson has been appointed as a Junior Web Developer.

Callum Davies, Accounts Technician

NEW TEAM MEMBERS AT HAINES WATTS Haines Watts has recently welcomed two new recruits.

Jamie McLellan joins the R&D team as Tax Projects Manager, working with companies to identify qualifying expenditure for R&D tax relief and drafting claims submissions for HMRC.

The three new recruits join GBW following a number of new business wins across a variety of sectors including property, healthcare and leisure.

Hereford is now one of the leading offices for R&D tax claims in the Haines Watts group. Callum Davies is an Accounts Technician with particular experience in preparing accounts for farming and other partnerships. He joins the busy accounts team.

www.gough.co.uk

www.hwca.com

January/February 2018

MOVERSANDSHAKERS

NEW PARTNER HEADS UP CHELTENHAM COMMERCIAL TEAM Harrison Clark Rickerbys is expanding its commercial team with the addition of Partner and Team Head Stephen Thomas.

Stephen said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with the commercial team and developing their considerable strengths. The economy in Gloucestershire is thriving and we will be able to support that growth, giving companies the highest quality advice and expertise. Our objective is to help our clients put in place the highest quality contracts with their suppliers and customers.” www.hcrlaw.com

KAMAZOY STRENGTHENS TEAM AND ENJOYS CONTINUED GROWTH Kamazoy Virtual IT Department has promoted Barry Wilson to the post of Senior Engineer, signalling its enduring commitment to invest in its people and clients.

Barry commented: “I’m delighted to be promoted to Senior Engineer. The training at Kamazoy is excellent, and I learn new things each day, whether it’s a client’s particular infrastructure and software setup or a new technology to implement or encountering a particular issue that I have never come across before.” www.kamazoy.uk

NEW JOBS AS MINSTER MICRO EYES GROWTH Four new jobs have been created at expanding IT and business software provider, Minster Micro.

Emily Gaden has joined as the Finance and HR Assistant Manager, looking after the firm’s day-to-day finances and leading a variety of personnel-related projects.

Paul Taylor brings 16 years’ experience in ERP system sales to his role as new Business Sales Manager and is joined

by Account Manager Nathan Rowe. The final hire is Lynsey Tutin who joins as Minster’s Sales and Contract Support Administrator. www.minstermicro.co.uk

THURSFIELDS APPOINT NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Thursfields Solicitors has appointed Dani James as its Business Development Manager.

NEW HEAD OF SALES & MARKETING AT TDM IT Apprenticeship training provider, TDM, is delighted to announce that Joe Allsopp has joined the Senior Management team as Head of Sales & Marketing. Joe has a wealth of experience in the recruitment of IT professionals and has joined from another local training provider in a similar role. Joe has been instrumental in TDM’s recent relocation to central Worcester and will play a vital role in the company’s continued growth. www.tdm.co.uk

Dani joined Thursfields in April this year as Executive Assistant to Managing Director, Nick O’Hara, and was quickly promoted to her current role managing all marketing, building relations within the local community and aiding the growth of Thursfields’ client base across Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

TWO NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR WORCESTER WEB STUDIOS Worcester Web Studio is pleased to welcome two new members of staff to the team.

Fran Ellis joins the team as a Front-end Web Developer, and Alex Hopkin has been appointed as a Web and Graphic Designer.

Dani said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with a reputable, growing firm and look forward to meeting clients old and new to Thursfields.”

Ray Gillespie, Director of Worcester Web Studio, commented: “We’re really pleased to have two such talented graduates join the team. Tech businesses like ours thrive on bringing in new talent and new ideas, so it’s great having the University of Worcester on our doorstep as a recruitment resource.”

www.thursfields.co.uk

www.worcesterwebstudio.com

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS NEW OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oakland International has appointed Shaun Foley as the company’s new Operations Director.

Bringing with him 35 years of Industry experience covering retail, food and FMCG sectors, Shaun has operated at the highest levels and held several senior positions within large logistic companies.

Dean Attwell, Chief Executive and Co-Founder, said: “We are delighted to welcome someone of Shaun’s calibre and experience to the Oakland team.”

Shaun said: “I am very pleased to join a fantastic team of people with my focus firmly on customer excellence, our people and delivering sustainable profit.” www.oakland-international.com

BE A MOVER & SHAKER Movers & Shakers is the page for your business to share any news about new appointments, promotions, retirements or even apprentices. The perfect way to break the ice and get to know the who’s who in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, make sure to send 80 words with a high resolution image to businessdirection@ hwchamber.co.uk for the chance to be included.

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LASTWORD

LUCY ALLEN - WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN AN ARTICLE good news story. Here at the Chamber we love celebrating our Members’ successes, whether it’s for winning an award at local, regional or national level, moving to new premises, celebrating a business anniversary or launching a brand new service or product.

But business new stories aren’t the only option if you want to get involved; we have lots of pages to share articles relating to skills, charity, Members services and the who-is-who in your business. If you have attended one of our Maximise Your Membership events, you will know that Movers & Shakers is often a page we recommend.

“As Editor of Business Direction magazine, I often get asked “what makes a good article?”

Finding out who is new to business, or whether a connection of yours has received a promotion, is a fantastic way to break the ice and reconnect with business people in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The honest answer is vast and wide, but what we ultimately look for is a really

Now six-months into my role here at the Chamber, I have been trying to add my

flare to Business Direction. As well as the Big Interviews and Cover Features available for every issue, there are plenty of exclusive features to get involved in, such as our topical pages and most recently our “5 under 35” feature.

The Chamber supports businesses of all sizes and sectors, and we understand that in smaller businesses you often find one person is doing the job of five people.

However, this should not deter you from getting involved with the marketing services available to you for FREE as part of your membership. There are guidelines available online at www.hwchamber.co.uk/ business-direction that will provide plenty of information surrounding deadlines, themes and word counts.

If you would like to speak to the Marketing department at the Chamber to find out more, please contact 01905 673 600.

We look forward to hearing more about your successes in 2018.”

MARCH/APRIL FOCUS – WOMEN IN BUSINESS In light of the media focus on the gender pay gap in the United Kingdom, and continuous campaigning for equality in the workforce, the March/April edition of Business Direction magazine will celebrate the Women in Business in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Here at Business Direction magazine, we’d love to hear the latest news and achievements from your business. Please send your 150 word stories to businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk by Wednesday 24 January. For more information, please visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/business-direction

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January/February 2018

PEOPLE ARE

OUR PASSION W H AT’S YO U R S ?

Ou r Sec to rs Advanced Manufactu r i ng, Ag r icu ltu re and Ru ra l Af fa i r s, Cons t r ucti on and E ng i nee r i ng, D efence Secu r it y and the Fo rces, Ed ucati on, H ea lth and Socia l Ca re It’s not just a day job. Individually recognised as industry experts, we encourage all of our people to join a sector group if they have a specific interest or knowledge of the sector.

Nationally recognised, the strength of our sector teams is growing through the dedication and commitment of our people to stand in our clients’ shoes and deliver industry specific advice.

Charlotte Thornton-Smith, Head of Sectors, Harrison Clark Rickerbys Your Local Top 100 UK Law Firm

Talk to us: 0845 900 7830 Visit us online: www.hcrlaw.com

Join the discussion:

Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd is authorised and regulated by the SRA

@HCRlaw

BUSINESSNEWS

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January/February 2018