Business Direction 63

Business Direction

THE UK IN A CHANGING WORLD Issue 63 September/October 2021

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FIRSTWORD

CRUCIAL PERIOD IN BUSINESS RECOVERY EFFORT

ction Business Dire

The last few months have seen the majority of coronavirus restrictions lifted and businesses have been given the opportunity to regain lost profits and confidence as they look to contribute towards the economic recovery of the UK.

THE UK IN A RLD CHANGING WO

Issue 63 tober 2021 September/Oc

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.

Please send all submissions to businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk

EDITOR

Rahim Bas 01905 673 639 businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk

EDITORIAL & SUBSCRIPTIONS

businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk 01905 673 639 www.hwchamber.co.uk/business-direction

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

Distinctive Publishing, 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle, NE1 6UF www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

ADVERTISING

Angie Smith Business Development Manager, Distinctive Group 0191 5805472 angie.smith@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

FEATURE EDITORS

Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

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.

September and October will be a crucial period for businesses. As government support begins to wind down, business confidence will be tested as the stabilisers will be taken off with support such as the Job Retention Scheme and various loan schemes beginning to close.

This financial support has been vital for keeping businesses afloat, so with the closure of the furlough scheme and loan repayments becoming due, this will be the biggest test of business confidence and will demonstrate the true impact the past 18 months has had on firms.

Government will need to ensure that they monitor businesses progress through this period and intervene if necessary. The need for communication between local Chambers and regional and national government will be paramount. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey is now open for data collection and we are looking for businesses to help shape future government policy and highlight the challenges businesses continue to face while they reopen and trade following the easing of restrictions over the past few months.

For those who take part in the survey, not only will you receive a free copy of the final report once data collection has finished, but by taking part your business will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win 2 tickets for a Morgan Motor Company Factory Tour.

The report, when released, will provide an insightful snapshot into the progress of local businesses as the economy begins to bounce back, by completing the survey you and your business will be making a difference to future business support. To take part in this quarter’s survey and get your business concerns heard visit www. surveymonkey.com/r/CWXLYDB. At the time of writing, the Chamber are currently preparing for the return of the Chamber Business Awards, the first in-person awards ceremony in 2 years. The next edition of Business Direction will feature a spotlight on the awards winners, but for now I would just like to say how amazing it is to see the hard work and dedication businesses have shown over the past year. Entries exceeded previous levels and interest in tickets to the awards has been extremely high, with the event selling out months in advance showing how ready businesses are to celebrate success and recognise the hard work and determination of the past year.

First Word

3

Chamber News

4

Presidents Column

5

Business News

6

Policy News 11 Business News

14

Business News

16

Skills

18

Worcestershire Works Well

19

Chamber Training

26-27

Business News 28-29 Big Interview

30-31

Feature

32-33

Events

36

Two Counties

37

Business News

38

Movers and Shakers

42

New Members 43 International Trade Member Benefits

44-45 46

People to do Business With 47 Business News

50-51

Charity News 53 Last Word

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The Chambers return to in-person events continues - as well as the Chamber Business Awards, we are also looking forward to welcoming businesses back to Malvern Three Counties Showground for the Chamber Business Expo on Thursday 7 October. After limited network-building opportunities over the past 18 months, this is the perfect opportunity for businesses to spotlight their brand, create new business contacts, network with business professionals and generate sales leads. There are still a limited number of stands available so if you would like to spotlight your business book your stand now at hwchamber.co.uk/events/business-expo.

This edition of Business Direction will put a focus on the UK and how changes due to EU Exit as well as the pandemic have impacted those businesses who trade internationally. There is also a focus on the success stories of businesses expanding and growing abroad, the Queen’s Award Spotlight feature will include interviews with OLPRO and Payara Services Ltd who were both awarded with a Queen’s Award for International Trade, demonstrating the way forward for local companies with global ambitions. As ever this edition is packed full of success stories and examples of fantastic local businesses.

Best Wishes Sharon

30-31

32-33

Our Patrons are:

September/October 2021

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBERNEWS

CHAMBER NAMED AMONGST 41 ORGANISATIONS TO ACHIEVE EMPLOYER RECOGNITION SCHEME SILVER AWARD The Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) award recognises companies for their support to the Armed Forces community, including Reservists, veterans, spouses, Cadet Forces, adult volunteers and cadets. Silver award holders must demonstrate a number of positive measures and policies in their organisations, which actively support members of the Armed Forces community.

Dawn Hardman, Director of HR at the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted that our organisation has been successful in its application and has now been announced as achieving the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award. This award is a great achievement for us and is important as part of our HR strategy as we now have policies in place to ensure that ex-members of the armed forces who are employed by us are treated fairly and their contribution is recognised.”

The ERS was launched to recognise and reward employers who support Defence and inspire others to do the same. To find out more about the ERS visit here: www.wmrfca.org/ employers/employer-recognitionscheme.

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MAKEOVER FOR WORCESTER STREETS AS CHAMBER ELEPHANT AMONG 66 STUNNING SCULPTURES July saw the beginning of St Richard’s Wild in Art trail, Worcester’s Big Parade, which sees a perfectly sculptured parade, of elephants, both big and small, situated through the streets and open spaces bringing together the community until Sunday 5 September.

After this, there will be the chance to say a final ‘goodbye’ at a Farewell Event, before each elephant is auctioned to raise funds for St Richard’s Hospice.

Each sculpture is sponsored by a business or individual and designed by an artist of their choosing. Among the sponsors is the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, who have sponsored “Leave the Herd Behind” located in Broad Street outside of Crowngate Shopping Centre.

The beautifully designed elephant is based on the landscape along the River Severn and some of the wildlife that live there and encourages us to step away from the busier parts of the city to get closer to nature and looking out for the local wildlife that adorns the city’s waterways.

Sharon Smith, Chief Executive of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the project and thank St Richard’s for bringing the community together and bringing life and energy to the streets of Worcester. Seeing all of the sculptures occupy the city streets and the buzz that they have brought to the local community bringing everyone together is fantastic.

HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS RECOVERING? CHAMBER ECONOMIC SURVEY LOOKING FOR YOUR BUSINESS CONCERNS The data collected from the Quarterly Economic Survey helps to shape government policy and highlight some of the challenges businesses continue to face while they reopen and trade following the re-opening of the economy in the past few months. The subsequent report will be used by HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Office for Budgetary Responsibility to influence policy making.

The report will provide a snapshot of how well businesses are regaining confidence and the levels of profit they have managed to recuperate over the past 3 months.

For those who take part in the survey, not only will you get access to the report when data collection has finished but by taking part your business will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win 2 tickets for a Morgan Motor Company Factory Tour.

The Chamber wants to know how the last three months has impacted your investment plans, sales, orders, and recruitment over the last quarter. To take part in this quarter’s survey visit here www.surveymonkey.com/r/CWXLYDB.

Following the easing of restrictions, UK firms are starting to recover from the economic shock from Covid-19 with improved sales within key industries such as Manufacturing and Services sector leading the economic recovery.

September/October 2021

PRESIDENTSCOLUMN

SUPPORTING BUSINESSES IN AN EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT If just over 5 years ago I had told you that by Autumn 2021 the UK would have left the European Union and be recovering from the grips of a global pandemic, you would have no doubt looked at me rather quizzically.

The referendum result in June 2016 sent economic and political shock waves throughout the UK, Europe and the wider world…and so began 5 years of party-political preening and jockeying for position, whilst individuals and businesses tried to comprehend what it actually meant in practice. That Covid-19 reared its devastating head in the 12 months leading up to the day that the reality of Brexit really hit, only added to the once in a generation economic fallout.

Navigating the new relationship between the UK and the EU remains one of the biggest challenges for businesses. Even those who had the foresight – or perhaps more pertinently, the time and resource available – to plan effectively for Brexit have been caught cold by some of the developments of the last 12 months.

With this in mind, the way in which the national and, in particular, local business community has come together takes on extra significance. The Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of this – whether it be the British Chambers of Commerce lobbying government around Brexit policy and Covid-19 support, or the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber delivering this support “on the ground” and being a voice for local businesses on the national stage.

The H&W Chamber has always played an important role in the delivery of Department of International Trade service to local businesses who export or are looking to access the international market. In addition to this, the dedicated

EU-Exit hub has a broad spectrum of content that is hugely beneficial to those businesses struggling with the impact of Brexit. This includes a variety of training courses delivered by Strong & Herd LLP as well as information concerning key areas of consideration, such as taxation & insurance, workforce planning, regulatory compliance and many more. The impact of Brexit continues to be felt by many organisations and if yours is one of them, I would highly recommend contacting the Chamber for more information or taking a look at the hub online: www.hwchamber. co.uk/eu-exit-hub.

Covid-19 presented an altogether different challenge to business…and one that happened so rapidly it was virtually impossible to plan how to deal with it.

Once again, the impact is very real and once again, The Chamber has used its position and network to quickly respond to the crisis. Thousands of conversations took place with the membership to understand how the restrictions were impacting businesses, both individually

Covid-19 presented an altogether different challenge to business…and one that happened so rapidly it was virtually impossible to plan how to deal with it.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

and collectively. Webinars regarding key Covid issues were set up, giving people a chance to share experiences and best practice, whilst a new Coronavirus Support Hub was established to allow members to access and understand the myriad of information and support available.

I am often asked “what exactly is it that the Chamber does?”…and when I talk through all the various services, training and support it provides, people are taken aback. I wanted to use this edition’s article to highlight the real value of some of the initiatives that the Chamber has delivered on in recent times. The topic of this BD edition is “The UK in a Changing World”… but what is clear is that some things never change. This includes the importance of accessing support and information in a timely manner and working effectively as a community to overcome even the biggest of obstacles. It is in this context that the Chamber of Commerce can be – and, indeed, has been – a vital body.

Now, going back to my opening statement…there is a chance, of course, that you would have nodded sagely if I had suggested the Brexit result and global pandemic. If this is the case, then I suggest you go grab yourself a lottery ticket and prepare for a comfortable retirement!

The rest of us will continue as best we can to support each other as a cohesive business network whilst we navigate the ever-changing world that the UK has come to be in.

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BUSINESSNEWS

PUT YOUR BUSINESS AHEAD OF COMPETITION WITH EU GRANT FUNDING One of the most common questions that is asked by businesses is "can UK companies still apply for EU grant funding now we're no longer part of the EU?" In short, the answer is yes and Catax are here to help you do just that. One of the most exciting grant calls available to your business right now is Horizon Europe - the EU's flagship funding programme and the largest of its kind in the world!

Launched with a budget of ¤95.5bn from 2021-2027, Horizon Europe is aimed at ambitious research and innovation projects in the following areas:

Sonia Ali, Litigation and Employment Solicitor

FOOD, BIOECONOMY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

QUALIFIED SUCCESS FOR SME SOLICITOR

Reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, ensuring food and nutrition security for all planetary boundaries and more.

SME Solicitors in Sansome Walk,

Building a competitive, digital, low-carbon and circular industry, ensuring a sustainable supply chain of raw materials, developing advanced materials and providing the basis for advances and innovation. This includes (but is not limited to) climate science and solutions, energy supply in communities and cities.

Worcester has announced the qualification of Sonia Ali as a Solicitor within its Litigation and Employment department.

Sonia, who resides in Worcester, has worked at SME Solicitors since 2019,

DIGITAL, INDUSTRY & SPACE

and in early August successfully

HEALTH

completed her training contract.

Improving and protecting health and well-being by generating new knowledge,

SME Partner Guy Salter who heads up

innovative solutions and integrating where relevant gender perspective to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure disease.

CIVIL SECURITY FOR SOCIETY Responding to the challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters.

The team at Catax can reduce the amount of time you have to spend searching and writing an application, as they manage the whole process for you, from finding the right grant to writing and submitting the application.

Further information on the grants and funding available to your business can be obtained by emailing enquiries@catax.com.

the firm’s Litigation and Employment department, comments: “I am delighted that Sonia has qualified as a solicitor and will be joining this department. Over her three years to date working as part of our firm, Sonia has proved a great asset to the department and fits in perfectly with the SME philosophy of providing personal and pro-active legal services to our clients.”

Sonia comments: “I am delighted to be qualifiying and that the partners have asked me to stay with SME. I am very excited about my future here, working with Guy and my other colleagues as part of our flourishing litigation and employment team.” www.smesolicitors.co.uk

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CHECK CONTRACTS ON HYBRID AND HOME WORKING BEFORE OFFICE RETURN In light of the government’s decision to end the requirement to work from home, employers have been urged to check their contracts of employment before calling on staff to stop working remotely.

Employment lawyer Sally Morris from mfg Solicitors said firms may encounter issues if they do not offer some form of hybrid working after workers became used to it during the past 18 months.

It is vital employers check their legal position so that businesses across the two counties can consider what works best for themselves and their employees.

Readers can contact Sally Morris at mfg Solicitors through sally.morris@ mfgsolicitors.com

Sally says that while workers did not have an automatic right to work from home, turning down a request for flexible working, including hybrid or homeworking could result in a claim for indirect discrimination, with protected characteristics of sex, age and disability being common grounds for a complaint.

September/October 2021

For you and your business FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN SERVICE – AN ALTERNATIVE TO COURT As anyone who has ever been involved in court proceedings will tell you, court claims are expensive, risky and can take a long time to resolve. Sometimes Court can be the only answer where a dispute cannot be resolved by agreement but there are alternatives.

Where a claimant wants to complain about the activities of a financial business in the UK, one alternative is the Financial Ombudsman Service or ‘FOS’. Thursfields has significant experience and expertise helping eligible clients to navigate the process involved.

WHO CAN USE THE FOS?

(i) Consumers (individuals who were not acting in the course of their trade, business or profession in relation to the issues they want to complain about).

(ii) ‘Micro-enterprises’ - businesses with less than 10 employees and turnovers of £2million or less.

(iii) Charities/Trusts worth less than £1million

Notably, the FOS itself says that 99% of small businesses are eligible to use its service.

WHO PAYS? The FOS does not charge complainants a fee for using the service. Financial businesses may however have to pay a fee, even if the complaint is dismissed.

WHAT CAN THE FOS DO? If a complaint is upheld, the FOS aims to tell the financial business to put their customer in the position they would have been in if they had been treated fairly or if a mistake had not happened.

That can involve telling the business to pay the customer compensation, interest and their reasonable legal costs.

Importantly, there is a limit on the compensation which the FOS can award; currently £160,000 for mistakes or unfair treatment which happened on or before 1 April 2019 and £350,000 for those occurring after that date.

Awards can be made enforceable by making a short application to the Court.

WHAT TIME LIMITS ARE INVOLVED? The FOS cannot consider any complaint unless this is first made to the financial business and they have either responded or had 8 weeks to do so.

If the business fails to respond or their response is unsatisfactory, a complaint must be brought to the FOS within 6 months. Additionally, complaints generally cannot be made more than: 6 years after the event complained about or, if the complaint is brought after that period: 3 years after the complainant first found out they had a complaint

WHAT AT THE ADVANTAGES OF USING THE FOS? These include Speed – generally, FOS complaints are dealt with quicker than court claims

Costs – costs are usually significantly lower. If you lose, you will not be required to pay any costs incurred by the financial business.

Scope – the FOS isn’t bound by legal rules in the same way that the Court is and it can consider a number of factors which the Court cannot consider. This approach can help the FOS achieve a fairer result.

Informality – the FOS process is less formal and it is normally unnecessary to be cross examined about the complaint.

Privacy – the FOS annoymises the decisions it publishes so that the parties involved cannot be identified.

If you are interested in making a complaint to the FOS about a financial service which you have received in the UK, please get in touch with Simon Hocking via 0345 20 73 72 8 or email shocking@thursfields.co.uk

Tel: 0345 20 73 72 8 | info@thursfields.co.uk | www.thursfields.co.uk S O L I H U L L | B I R M I N G H A M | WO RC E S T ER | K I D D ER M I N S T ER | H A L E S OW EN Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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TECHADVICE

5 signs that you should consider changing your IT provider Running a business is difficult; keeping customers happy, managing stock and turning a profit. So the last thing you need is IT systems or support that can’t keep up.

Many organisations are exploring managed services as a way to manage their IT and technology, because it allows them to concentrate on running their business, whilst someone else ensures everthing run smoothly and securely.

So, what is a Managed Service Provider and how do you know if you need an upgrade from traditional IT Support?

If you recognise any of the following issues, it’s probably time you considered how managed services could improve your business.

1. Not this again!

Let’s face it, IT issues crop up from time to time, but not to worry, your IT provider has this all-in hand, so it won’t disrupt your business. No? If your business is suffering recurrent IT issues which are taking time to fix, alarm bells should be ringing, loudly. A good Managed Service Provider will have all the latest tools and technologies to sort things out before the turn nasty. They will not only be able to detect and solve problems, normally before you’ve noticed, but they will also prevent them from happening again.

2. Your call is important to us...

So, whether its user error, a glitch in the system or a cyber security threat, if something goes wrong, you want the problem addressed quickly. If your IT provider’s response-time is more IT sloth than IT ninja, the downtime is wasting your time and money.

Once you have logged an IT support request a qualified Managed Service Provider will respond to you quickly, providing clear timelines of when you can expect a resolution to your problem.

3. Working 9 to 5 Although you don’t work around clock, your network definitely does, and so does your Managed Service Provider. A reliable IT provider will have a solid monitoring solution in place, able to cope with any unwelcome surprises that may pop up at any time of the day or night, probably before you’ve even noticed anything is wrong. If you can’t be sure that this is the level of service you have in place, you should be looking for a new managed service provider..

4. Dude where’s my data Data is the lifeblood of any business.

Think about how long your business could afford to be without your key systems and data, a week, a day, an hour? Data backup is a good start, but what if the systems that you need them to work on are also down. Where is your data kept and if it’s in the cloud, do you know whose and where it is stored? A good Managed Service Provider will find out how long you can be without your critical systems

and data, and then create a disaster recovery plan to make sure they can be restored and working before it gets critical. They can also provide their own data centres so you can be sure where your data is. If you’re settling for less than this level of service, you need to ask yourself whether you are properly protected.

5. More than switch it off and on again Good news your business is growing, thanks to the hard work of you and your team. Great news for you—but not so good for your IT provider if they are no longer able to keep up. The bigger you get the more complex your IT needs become as well as your reliance on technology to work first time, every time.

A professional Managed Service Provider will be able to provide you with the IT support you need as well as the guidance to make sure your IT is working as hard as you are.

If you’re worried that your business is not getting good value for money or that your current IT provider can’t cope, speak to EBC Group about our Managed Services on hello@ebcgroup.co.uk or 0121 368 0154 or visit www.ebcgroup.co.uk.

Gain the simplicity of one Managed Service Provider for all your technology 08

IT Services | Cloud | Security | Telephony | Print & Data

0121 3680187 www.ebcgroup.co.uk

September/October 2021

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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THE ROLE OF HEREFORDSHIRE’S ARMED FORCES COVENANT PARTNERSHIP The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. Locally in Herefordshire the principles of the Covenant are overseen by Herefordshire’s Armed Forces Covenant Partnership, a cross-sector network facilitated by Herefordshire Council who were one of the early local authorities to pledge and sign their support to the Covenant in 2012.

The partnership works collaboratively to address local issues facing the Armed Forces community and raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant to wider stakeholders such as healthcare providers, local communities and employers.

Herefordshire has a long-standing and proud association with the Armed Forces; its serving population, Reservists, Cadet Forces and large veteran community. It is estimated that around 25% of the county’s population has a serving, former-serving or family link to the Armed Forces.

Due to the unique circumstances of military life and the personal sacrifices that are made whilst serving, it can sometimes be challenging accessing local services or settling into civilian life. So Herefordshire’s Armed Forces Covenant Partnership collaborates with key sectors to influence changes in policy and delivery, and to remove any disadvantage accessing public services such as health, mental health, housing, schools, education and training.

The Herefordshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership is considered to be one of the most proactive partnerships in the West Midlands. It works to a clear action plan to address known local needs and has strong and active relationships with NHS providers, statutory services, the military charities, town councils, training providers and the business community.

Promotion and communication of the Armed Forces Covenant is also a key remit of the partnership through awareness raising opportunities and engaging with the business community. Businesses can take a major role in supporting the Armed Forces community by recognising the value of employing veterans, spouses, Reservists and Cadet Force Adult

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Volunteers. In Herefordshire there are over 80 organisations that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and pledged to be forces-friendly employers. Many of them go above and beyond and will offer bespoke employment opportunities, events, training and work experience.

Others support local projects offering their time, expertise and sponsorship.

They all play a big part in Herefordshire’s recognition of the Armed Forces community. We touch base with all our business covenant signatories once a year at our annual review event where we update them on the previous 12 months, and showcase some of the outstanding examples of commitment from our employers.

Signing the Armed Forces Covenant is a quick and easy process and can be pledged by a sole trader or a large national employer. No matter the size, organisations are making a public pledge to be forces-friendly. There are some real benefits too - access to events, training, networking, use of free employment portals to support recruitment to the workforce and attracting candidates with highly transferable military skills.

Employers are supported by the regional West Midlands Employer Engagement Team based at West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association.

once confirmed the Silver and Gold Awards are then awarded annually. In Herefordshire we are proud to have a mighty medal haul of 52 Bronze, 19 Silver and 6 Gold award winners.

Herefordshire Council were awarded Gold in 2020 in recognition of their forces-friendly recruitment policy and actively employing Reservists, veterans and military spouses. They also advocate and encourage other organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant as part of their procurement process as well implementing the principles of the Covenant into their services.

To find out more about the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and signing the Armed Forces Covenant visit https://www.wmrfca.org/employers For more information on Herefordshire Armed Forces Covenant and to sign-up to our monthly newsletter please visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/armedforces Or follow us on social media: Facebook @AFCHerefordshire Twitter @AFCHfdshire Instagram Armed Forces Covenant Hereford

For those organisations who go the extra mile, organisations can apply to the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme. The national scheme was set up to reward those companies who are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising their level of support with a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. The three award levels each have their own criteria, which must be met and

September/October 2021

POLICYNEWS

EU TRADE CHALLENGES REMAIN FOR UK FIRMS Since the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) was agreed on 1 January 2021, firms are still facing many challenges relating to the TCA deal.

The main challenges have been the need for custom declarations, rules of origin requirements and VAT issues when importing and exporting goods to the European Union (EU).

The most recently released Quarterly Economic Report included a special focus on International Trade. According to the report, 83% of firms have found it more difficult to export to the EU since January. Firms who continue to export to the EU have seen lead times increase from 2-3 weeks to 8-10 weeks, particularly around challenges aligned to increase in paperwork which often means goods are held at ports without the right paperwork, which leads to delays in supply chains as well as customers receiving their goods.

The Chamber continues to work with Members and government to understand these challenges and use their partnership with the Department for International Trade to help support Members who are struggling with paperwork relating to imports and exports.

The report has shown that most local businesses have experienced difficulties trading with the EU since 1 January 2021, whether both importing and exporting. The difficulties have been similar across all business sizes with retailers and manufacturers experiencing more difficulties than most. It’s hard to say whether these difficulties are being

caused by short term disruption or whether they’re persistent problems due to the nature of the EU-UK TCA. Covid-19 has complicated the picture, making it difficult to separate the effects of travel restrictions and a global downturn from the effects of the new trade relationship with the EU. Since the TCA was agreed, the Department for International Trade have gone on to agree a number of trade agreements with countries beyond the EU, including Japan, Norway, Iceland and Australia, with further negotiations starting with the view of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

No doubt, the free trade agreements will help position the UK as a global trading hub with multinational firms looking

The Chamber continues to work with Members and government to understand these challenges and use their partnership with the Department for International Trade to help support Members who are struggling with paperwork relating to imports and exports.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

to invest in UK infrastructure, skills, innovation and technology. Data from the Office for National Statistics in April showed that monthly goods imports from non-EU countries surpassed those from the EU and were the highest since records began in January 1997. For example, professional services companies (87%) are most likely to increase trade levels with the rest of the world.

The overseas market has seen an increase in sales from the previous quarter. 37% of businesses experienced an increase in Q2 2021 compared to 17% in Q1 2021. The 20% improvement in sales in the overseas market is due to a range of factors such as countries now exiting national lockdowns, which has seen a boost globally. Orders within the overseas market have more than doubled from 15% (Q1 2021) to 38% (Q2 2021). UK businesses have seen a sharp growth in orders from businesses from outside the European Bloc which has seen the UK economy grow significantly over recent times.

The Chamber will continually engage with Members to understand challenges associated with the TCA deal and regularly participate in roundtables with MP’s and British Chamber of Commerce to highlight the challenges Members face such as increased lead times, additional paperwork and rules of origin requirements.

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BUSINESSSUPPORT

Is Introducing Change A Change Too Far For Your Business?

We help you to make change happen without interrupting business performance. We can manage the whole process or coach and support you along the way.

Whatever Your Change Adapting to new regulations?

Changing a process?

Adapting a workflow?

Re-imagining your business?

The Right Support Helps

Please tell us your challenge.

And we’ll share ideas on how we might help make the change with you.

Creating the plan for change Team communication Coaching and 1-2-1s Implementation

pragmatick.co.uk 01432 233 930 | nigel.higgs@pragmatick.co.uk

A PODCAST OF POSSIBILITIES A new podcast for 2021, Mind Your Business Podcast, has been created by Alan Clark (leadership and business coach and owner of Exponential Coaching Ltd) and Matt Williams (CEO and owner of accountancy business Cypher) designed to help leaders and entrepreneurs create optimal outcomes for themselves and their business.

Alan and Matt met through Sterling Networks and share a passion for business and leadership growth.

Alan said “The longer I am running my own business and helping others lead their business, the clearer I am on the huge positive impact mind-set, ownership and clarity have on critical matters like business growth and team development.

We decided that we would like to create a podcast that is a blend of human and business development, and is genuinely useful! “

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Mind Your Business Podcast is a weekly podcast, around 30 minutes long and has now 30 episodes available to stream and nearly 2000 downloads so far.

Matt said ‘We wanted to discuss what was classically called the hard skills and soft skills within leadership and business development. We know we have added yet more information to a world full of information, that’s why we are so passionate that our listeners do create useful and useable insights that they can actually use ‘ This blend of hard skills and soft skills has definitely been evident so far within the first 30 episodes. A diverse range of episodes includes “The Psychology of Pricing “, “Learn, unlearn, relearn “, “Cash flow Masterclass “, “Crave Clarity not Certainty “and “Apathy” Alan continues “We have had lots of positive feedback from people since we started our podcast, and it’s been great to add value for leaders and entrepreneurs who are out there creating and building businesses right now, we want to help as many people as possible! ‘.

All episodes of Mind Your Business Podcast can be found for on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Feedback definitely welcome! The episodes can also be reached using this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1527806 Alan Clark can be contacted at alan@exponentialcoaching.co.uk.

Matt Williams can be contacted at matt@cypherhq.co.uk.

September/October 2021

BUSINESSSUPPORT

DIGITAL SKILLS PART-TIME COURSES LAUNCHED AT MALVERN HILLS SCIENCE PARK A college group has launched a series of new courses at Malvern Hills Science Park to help adults develop vital digital skills.

WCG will start delivering the new part-time adult courses from its Malvern Hills Centre for Digital & Cyber Technology, which is at the business centre on Geraldine Road, from September.

The courses aim to support adults looking to gain digital and cyber skills required by employers in this growing local, regional and national sector.

The provision has been designed to meet the needs of local employers in the area and will be run in association with the Cisco Networking Academy.

Courses include: Introduction to Cyber Security, BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Computer Systems and Networks and PCAP: Programming Essentials in Python Data Sheet.

Steve Ellis, Head of Department for Digital & Cyber Technologies at WCG, said: “The

part-time courses being delivered from our centre at the Malvern Hills Science Park will cover key skills in the digital and cyber sector.

Angela Joyce, CEO of WCG, added: “We’re pleased to be delivering this new provision in Malvern to support adults to develop key skills in digital and cyber.

“The new courses have been designed to meet skill needs locally, regionally and nationally, and will prepare students in a sector which is constantly developing and growing.

“The adult-part time courses being held at the science park have been identified as being able to support the development of priority skills to support Malvern businesses.”

“Malvern Hills Science Park is the perfect location to hold these courses as many of the businesses on the park specialise in the subject areas we will be focusing on.

To find out more about the courses available at Malvern Hills Centre for Digital & Cyber Technology, and other WCG colleges, visit: wcg.ac.uk/adultlearning

Suppliers Training in many subjects such as...

Air Cargo Security Training (known Consignor and Regulated Agent) Dangerous Goods by road - Sea - Air and Lithium Batteries Mental Health in the Workplace First Aid - Manual Handling - Fire Safety ...and much more

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

RACING SEASON PICKS UP PACE FOR STUDENTS AS NEW MORGAN CARS REVEALED Engineering students from the University of Wolverhampton have put the finishing touches to two new Morgan racing cars – with the vehicles exclusively revealed at an event at Donington Park recently.

Managing Director Phil Wild

DUOMO UK AND LOCAL AND GLOBAL PURSUIT OF RETURNING TO NORMALITY Things have changed for us all recently and getting back to seeing our families and being able to do the things we love to do safely is a goal we hope to achieve.

One way in which this is being accomplished is using CO2 monitors that display and record the amount of carbon dioxide in air. Sensors that detect virus particles do not exist, so a good indicator of safety is levels of CO2 in air.

Duomo UK has recently been instrumental in providing monitors for some of the most prestigious music events, sports stadia, government building and many schools, offices, kitchens, and laboratories globally.

With scalable solutions that allow custom dashboards, complete turn key networked solutions and outputs there are few applications that these monitors cannot interface with.

The diverse range which sees advanced monitors with features such as app connectivity, Bluetooth, wireless, traffic light display along with temperature and relative humidity and particulate monitoring has set it apart and secured them as a major player for worldwide indoor air quality devices. www.duomo.co.uk

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The Morgan Motor Company, the University of Wolverhampton’s School of Engineering and the University’s racing team (UWR) have continued their long-standing technical partnership with the creation of a motorsport-focused variant of the Morgan Plus Four. The University of Wolverhampton recently signed a new five-year partnership agreement with the Morgan Motor Company, bringing with it a racing programme set to further improve the student experience.

The two cars, which have been designed to compete in a host of club-level sprint and endurance championships, such as the Morgan Challenge, will race in the remainder of the 2021 season and beyond.

Having completed the racing modifications to both cars, the UWR team will provide trackside and workshop engineering support to the cars and drivers, honing students vital skills and preparing them for a career in motorsport or automotive engineering.

The partnership collaboration provides practical experience of working with a car manufacturer, educational programmes, research and development, as well as

providing trackside experience for the students by preparing, maintaining and developing competitive race cars.

Steve Morris, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Motor Company, said: “The programme brings tangible benefit in terms of ongoing product development, and we are delighted to continue our partnership with the University of Wolverhampton to inspire the next generation of automotive talent.”

Professor David Proverbs, the Dean of Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University, said: “The partnership between the University of Wolverhampton’s racing team and the Morgan Motor Company provides an incredible opportunity for our students to work with such an iconic car manufacturer.” www.wlv.ac.uk www.morgan-motor.com

STUDENTS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH WORCESTER BUSINESSES Worcester Timber products are supporting local sixth formers in designing and building an outdoor breakout space as part of a student project.

The Hartlebury -based business came to the help of the students who put a call out for local businesses to assist them in this educational and practical project.

different strands of our community here in Worcestershire, and it is always inspirational to see students being driven and demonstrating planning and creative skills that will stand them in great stead in the workplace.” www.worcestertimberproducts.co.uk

Worcester Timber Products team of craftsmen took their plans away and have built and created furniture from timber from the students designs, as well as an arch, planters and other landscaping products which are being installed at Tudor Grange.

Leon Hopkins, Managing Director of Worcester Timber Products adds: “It was a no brainer for us to get involved with this student project. We are committed to integrating with

Students & Staff from Tudor Grange along with Worcester Timber Products

September/October 2021

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BUSINESSNEWS

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH ON YOUR PLATE RUNNING A BUSINESS? A SMART METER COULD HELP Energy is a key expense for small catering businesses which makes it a crucial area for these businesses to save money and take control of their finances. Smart meters could give businesses additional visibility over energy use and costs to make it easier to identify where changes and savings can be made.

In addition, sustainability is a key focus for many businesses across Great Britain – the smart meter rollout is predicted to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 34.4m tonnes – so by getting smart meters installed in your business you’re helping achieve this, making your business that bit more sustainable.

Running an independent coffee shop, bar or restaurant is a round-the-clock job and supplying your energy readings is often not a top priority. Smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier, saving you time to focus on other jobs.

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure minimal interruption to your business and your clients.

To find out more please scan the QR code here:

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT DOING NOW AS A PROPERTY LANDLORD Adam Jones, GJS Dillon’s Director for Property Asset Management sets out his 10 point plan for property owners now that the economy has re-opened:

Business rates – Are you currently paying business rates on empty properties? Have you investigated options to minimise your liabilities?

Insurance – Have there been any tenancy changes? It’s vital this information is kept accurate as it could invalidate your insurance.

Utilities – Whether the property is currently empty or let then it is really important to keep a close eye on utility costs which might have a real effect on your margin.

Inspections – Have you recently carried out an inspection of the property? Have any new problems developed that need to be looked at by professionals or contractors?

Contractors – The consistent message coming back from contractors is “we are really busy and we can’t get enough labour or materials”. So, you will need to plan ahead plus expect higher costs!

Health and Safety – Now is a good time to ensure that all the mandatory health and safety checks (such as electrical and gas testing, asbestos, lifting equipment, fire equipment etc) are up to date.

Covenant strength – There has never been a more important time to monitor the financial strength of your tenants.

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Lease expiries or rent reviews – This is a detailed area and one that can have significant ramifications to both landlord and tenant.

Schedule of Conditions / Dilapidations – We recommend that a Schedule of Condition is carried out prior to a new tenancy and that professional advice is sought with regards to dilapidations when a tenant moves out.

Future purchases – We’ve seen an active commercial property market in Worcestershire with both office and industrial sectors performing better than one might expect considering recent events. So we recommend you make the most of this opportunity. www.gjsdillon.co.uk

September/October 2021

CHAMBERNEWS

HEATING YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES, OFFICES, WAREHOUSE, HOME AND FUTURE HOMES WITHOUT USING GAS OR OIL As well as removing the need for radiators UFH works at a lower flow temperature.

This is a more cost-effective way to heat your property. Each room has its own individual thermostats that are internet and application based, again keeping running costs to a minimum.

Eco-Wright Energy are a small family-run company based in Bewdley that specialise in Heat Pumps, MVHR and Underfloor Heating.

WHO CAN WE HELP?

HEAT PUMPS We have over ten years’ experience in the design, supply and installation of renewable heating systems that can reduce your heating bills and your carbon footprint, no matter how large the building or what it is used for. Ground and air source heat pumps can provide hot water and space heating for the entire property without the use of a gas or oil boiler, and removing the need to run an immersion heater.

A system can be retrofitted in to a property, or designed and installed for a new build from the ground up. Each system is bespoke, working closely with the client and considering the age, size, build type and use of the property. For every 1KW of electricity a heat pump can produce up to 4KW of heat whereas a

Property owners and landlords Builders conventional boiler will only produce 1KW of heat to that same 1 KW of electricity.

MVHR Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems (MVHR) recycle warm air around the property or building and again reduce your heating bills and carbon footprint.

Stale, warm air is moved from bathrooms, kitchens and wet rooms then fresh, clean air is added and it is circulated to cooler areas of the building or home.

Architects Construction companies Self builders Developers Merchants looking for advice regarding sizing products for projects For more information on all our services and products visit www.ecowrightenergy. co.uk or find us on social media.

UNDERFLOOR HEATING Underfloor heating can be installed into new builds, renovations and extensions.

SUPPORTING BUSINESSES IN WORCESTERSHIRE WITH THEIR LOW CARBON INNOVATION Worcestershire County Council’s Low Carbon Opportunities Programme (LOCOP) supports small and medium sized businesses in Worcestershire and Shropshire who are looking to develop, implement and commercialise low carbon innovative products, processes and services.

LOCOP offers a free bespoke 12 hour package of support (subject to eligibility), delivered by Shrewsbury Business Consulting Ltd who bring a wealth of commercial experience in the low carbon, renewable energy and the power engineering sectors.

The Programme has a successful track record and has already supported 41 businesses and paid out grants totalling approximately £410,000.

Farm Green Energy Ltd are receiving funding and support through LOCOP to develop, build and trial a Biomethane dispenser to utilise local anaerobic waste and use it to replace the need for diesel by local transport companies and farmers.

This will give these companies financial savings on fuel cost and drastically lower CO2 emissions.

IPR Protection Accreditations Prototyping and demonstrations Marketing There is also FREE support and funding available for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Marco Bille, Director, commented “The whole process from grant application through to approval was seamless and professionally dealt with by the teams at Worcestershire County Council and Shrewsbury Business Consulting. We have received great support by Ewan from SBC, assisting us in planning all aspects of the business model; SWOT analysis through to budgeting and cash flow forecasting.

The team at WCC were extremely helpful in the grant process and I look forward to working closely with them to develop this great innovation. We are hoping to trial our first biomethane fuelled tractor by the end of the year.”

The Low Carbon Opportunities Programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund For more information: Email: sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk Visit: www.business-central.co.uk/ locopinnovation/ Call: 01905 677888

LOCOP also offers funding opportunities up to £30,000 for: Equipment and Materials Demonstrations and testing Research and assessment

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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SKILLS

Concept design for the new Skylon Campus

£7 MILLION FUND LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT MORE FLEXIBLE APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES

NMITE WELCOMES ITS FIRST SKYLON CAMPUS VISITORS

Sectors including the creative, agriculture and construction industries can now bid for a share of a £7 million fund to support the creation of new flexible apprenticeships.

Monday August 2 2021 proved to be a big day in the chronicle of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) with its second campus – Skylon hosting its very first open house event and private sod-turning ceremony.

NMITE and build partner Speller Metcalf welcomed local businesses and partners onsite (hosted at the Shell Store, Rotherwas) to experience first-hand the campus plans and educational aspirations for NMITE’s second campus.

Notable speakers included Professor Robert Hairstans (CATT Director) and Professor Beverley Gibbs (Chief Academic Officer) who compellingly evidenced student-centric learning, industry partnerships and tackling real world challenges as the keystones qualifying NMITE in educating the next generation of work-ready engineers.

In her ceremonial address Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, commented: “The creation of our second campus and the soon to be home of our Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) and Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) starts here, today. This project has been a long time in the making, but this moment signifies breaking ground and project commencement, and is a momentous occasion for all of the NMITE family.”

NMITE will welcome their first cohort of Integrated Engineering Undergraduate Master’s Degree students (aptly named as Pioneers) to their city centre Blackfriars Campus on Monday 6 September 2021.

Skylon, NMITE’s second campus will house the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) and the Centre for Automated Manufacturing (CAM) and is anticipated to open its doors to NMITE students, September 2022. www.nmite.ac.uk

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The fund will establish a small number of agencies that will set up new flexi-job apprenticeships so an apprentice can work across a range of projects and with different employers to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be occupationally competent. The first apprenticeships organised through these agencies are expected to start in early 2022.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Gillian Keegan, said: “We want to build an apprenticeship system that enables everyone to get the experience and knowledge they require to get the job they want, while ensuring employers have a diverse talent pipeline to meet their skills needs. Our flexi-job apprenticeships will unleash exciting new opportunities in sectors such as the creative industries and construction where employment is increasingly flexible and project-based, while also helping larger organisations to grow starts in their supply chains, levelling up chances for people to build the life they want.”

More information can be found here www.gov.uk/guidance/flexi-jobapprenticeship-offer.

Dr Anjana Patel, Pershore College with fellow speakers from the festival

OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRI-TECH OUTLINED IN COLLEGE’S FIRST PUBLIC EVENT SINCE 2020 A range of opportunities in agri-tech were firmly set out when Pershore College opened its doors for the first time in 15 months to members of the region’s farming and horticultural community.

The varied programme of industry speakers made the case for businesses and investors to get involved in this fast-growing sector in the first event of a new two-part festival.

Organised by the GrowAgri Worcestershire project, a Festival of Horticultural Technology aims to highlight the importance of advances in the digital and mechanical spheres that can achieve better and more sustainable food production systems. Topics included green energy solutions, carbon off-setting, financial incentives and the need for advances in agri-tech to drive the region’s business growth.

Event organiser, Dr Anjana Patel, Agri-Tech Research Assistant at Pershore College, said: “It was great to have the opportunity to catch up with our GrowAgri community again and meet new business owners in a face-to-face setting. The evening provided a fantastic introduction into the different types of agricultural technologies that will help to improve food security, reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and improve efficiency.”

The second part of a Festival of Horticultural Technology takes place on Thursday 30 September, 9.30am – 4pm and will feature a line-up of industry speakers plus a range of companies will be showcasing the latest in hydroponic technologies.

For more information about the Festival of Horticultural Technology go to www.wcg.ac.uk/horticultural-festival or to get involved email growagri@wcg.ac.uk. www.wcg.ac.uk

September/October 2021

WORCESTERSHIRE WORKS WELL

TIME TO CHANGE ....

IT’S TIME TO TALK AND ENGAGE AGAIN The Time to Change Worcestershire team is part of a national network of community volunteers that look to address the stigma and discrimination around poor mental health by engaging with the community they live in and sharing their stories and experiences. The Worcester Time to Change Champions group is very active and has around 15 members that have attended many local events such as the Malvern Spring Fair, Pershore Plum Festival, and Malvern Pride, creating opportunities for people to do something creative and share experiences of mental wellbeing and associated local support services.

not visit the team at the next event at Worcestershire Pride on September 18.

The Time to Change Worcestershire Champions are always happy to gain new members, but anyone can apply for the £500 grant to run their own events to help address the stigma around mental health. If you would like more information about becoming a champion, to find out how you can get involved as an employer or how to apply for a grant, visit the website: www.comfirst.org.uk/ worcestershire_time_to_change1 or email: timetochangeworcestershire@comfirst. org.uk.

During the Pandemic however, the opportunity to engage face to face was restricted and so the team ventured online and held a number of successful online events.

PUBLIC HEALTH LAUNCH NEW ADULT OBESITY CAMPAIGN Public Health England has launched the latest Better Health campaign, to encourage adults across the nation to lose any excess weight, eat more healthily and get active this summer.

Over the next few weeks and months, the Champions are looking forward to attending local events again and chatting face to face with the community. Why

DEMENTIA CENTRES OPEN IN WORCESTER AND MALVERN Age UK Worcester & Malvern Hills have set up 5 new Dementia Meeting Centres to support people living with dementia, their families and carers. The team are also seeking volunteers who would like to help out.

for dementia. There is no need for a confirmed diagnosis though, everyone is welcome. The meeting centres work best when a family member or a carer comes along, although, you can choose not to stay if you prefer.

Social contact is so important to all of our lives, but a dementia diagnosis can often be a tremendously isolating experience. At Age UK Worcester & Malvern Hills, they understand the importance of companionship and maintaining links with the outside world, which is why (in partnership with other local organisations) they are opening 4 Dementia Meeting Centres.

More information can be found here www.ageuk.org.uk/worcester-malvernhills/our-services/dementia-meetingcentres.

Dementia Meeting Centres are a great low-cost community-based way of supporting people living with dementia, their families & carers. They provide a place where people are supported to understand and adapt to living with dementia. Each centre is led by trained and experienced staff and volunteers, in an ideal environment.

They welcome anyone who has a suspected or confirmed diagnosis

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

The new campaign offers free evidence-based support and guidance to those working towards a healthier weight. There are a variety of NHS endorsed apps which will help people to introduce changes that will help them eat better and get active this summer, including the newly updated NHS Weight Loss Plan app.

New research, published by Public Health England, suggests that those who used and followed the NHS Weight Loss Plan app over 12 weeks, reported a loss on average of almost a stone (5.8kg). The move follows a nationwide survey of over 5,000 adults has revealed that over 4 in 10 (41%) adults in England say they have put on weight since the first lockdown in March 2020. A high proportion (89%) of adults who said they gained weight since March 2020 said it was important for them to introduce new healthy habits this summer, with nearly half (49%) saying they would like to have a healthier diet. Half of adults (53%) feel optimistic about making the changes they desire, and a majority (57%) would welcome more advice on eating more healthily, ideas for doing so on a budget, and ideas for exercise routines.

More information is available, search ‘Better Health’ or visit nhs.uk/BetterHealth for free tools and support to start leading a healthier lifestyle today.

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FOCUSONMARKETING

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September/October 2021

FOCUSONMARKETING

RECYCLING COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW GLASS RECYCLING PROJECT which is where the Small Equipment Grant comes in – helping us to purchase the mill and turning the scheme into reality.”

A Herefordshire company is using pedal power to launch a new glass recycling scheme for the city – with help from a grants programme supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.

Programme manager Caroline Cattle said Pedicargo’s environmental credentials and vision for growth made it a perfect candidate for the grant.

Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available under the programme, which is open to small and medium-sized companies across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Hereford Pedicargo will use its fleet of specially-designed bikes to collect glass from businesses across the city before turning it into sand to use in sandbags to help prevent flooding.

The company – which already runs a successful trade waste recycling service which collects thousands of tons a year – has now been awarded just over £8,000 from the Small Equipment Grant scheme to help buy a hammer mill to grind the glass down to sand.

The grant scheme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and Marches Growth Hub, is part of a £3million funding

The grant is available as a contribution of up to 50 per cent and primarily covers B2B companies. package which also includes the Marches Building Investment Grant.

More details of the scheme are available through the Marches Growth Hub.

Will Vaughan, from Pedicargo, said the grant would help it develop a new sustainable, hyperlocal glass recycling service – which would be carbon positive because it used cargo push bikes to collect the waste.

The Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire can be contacted at business@herefordshire.gov.uk

“We needed an 11kw hammer mill at our depot to process the glass into sand,

Herefordshire Council is the accountable body for the scheme. Full details are available from the programme team on seg@herefordshire.gov.uk or by calling 01432 261511.

ERDF LOGO A5 DOUBLE SIDED LEAFLET Front page high level information Marches Small Equipment Grant (SEG) Capital grants up to a maximum of £10,000 are available for SMEs to purchase new equipment that will create new jobs, boost productivity or develop new products and services pictures Find out more at

DO YOU NEED MORE BUILDIN SPACE?

(https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200139/community/393/community_funding_advice_and_ business_grants/14 - REDUCE LINK SIZE PLEASE Email: seg@herefordshire.gov.uk Call: 01432 261511 Bottom of Logos: LEP/ HC/ Teford and WC/ Shropshire C/ Midlands Engine Back page of Leaflet: Eligible Applicants: ✔ Businesses must be located in the Herefordshire, Shropshire or Telford and Wrekin area. ✔Employ fewer than 250 employees ✔Have a turnover of less than the equivalent of £50m euros p.a. or balance sheet less than £43m euros ✔Trade mainly on a business to business basis (B2B) SEG PAGEpublished ADVERT HFD3648.indd 1 & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Business Direction

by Herefordshire ✔HALF Will create new employment opportunities ✔ Will create a new product or service to be provided to other businesses

WILL YOU BE CREATING NEW JOBS? To find out more or to discuss 06/08/2020 14:30 021

FOCUSONMARKETING

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS AGAINST CYBER-ATTACKS? It’s a question Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ free Cyber Conference, which runs 21-23 September 2021, aims to answer.

Cyber-attacks are a very real threat for businesses today.

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The most recent research from Ipsos MORI found that four in ten UK businesses reported cyber security breaches or attacks in 2020.1 One in five of those reported losing money, data or other assets. One in three reported negative impacts including having to implement new post-breach measures, seeing staff time diverted or

suffering wider business disruption.2 But how can you protect your business against the threat of a cyber-attack, especially in a post-pandemic world where remote and hybrid working patterns are more likely?

It’s the subject of Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ biggest ever virtual event, The Cyber Conference. The fully funded conference

September/October 2021

FOCUSONMARKETING runs 21-23 September and it brings together experts and business leaders from across the country alongside risk advisory and technology lawyers from Harrison Clark Rickerbys (HCR).

There are over 40 speakers and 25 sessions across the three days and you can attend as many as you like. Here’s a taste of what to expect.

DAY ONE: BUSINESS CONTINUITY The first day of the conference looks closely at how to ensure business continuity in the face of cyber threats.

There will be sessions on insider threats and commercial espionage with experts from HCR and global firm, FTI Consulting as well as AI for cybersecurity innovation with Cardiff University’s Prof. Pete Burnap.

There will be practical advice on getting your contracts and policies right and cryptoassets and their taxation in the UK. You can learn what you need to know about cyber insurance with experts from HCR, CFC, Canopius, Axis and Lime Street Brokers.

DAY TWO: START-UP TO SCALE UP Day two of the conference is for start-up and growing businesses. Highlights include the growth story of Awen Collective. There will be sessions on how to spot an insider threat in your growing business with Susanna Berry of Blacksmiths Group and digital asset recovery strategies with Hon J Brazier of CiRO™ Global Risks.

There’s a session with speakers from HMT LLP and Horizon considering one of the perennial questions for growth tech business – is it better to sell out, partner up, or carry on? You’ll also be able to see just how easy it is to hack into a system with a live demonstration from ethical hacker Mike G.

DAY THREE: FUTURE GAZING – STAYING IN CONTROL

The final day of the conference looks to the future. Sessions include a look at the National Digital Exploitation Centre and cyber education with Holly-Marie Lidbury of the University of South Wales.

Elsewhere there will be discussions on cyber governance for directors, policing cyber, cyber in major infrastructure and the

Whether your interests are personal or business-related, the Cyber Conference will help you to minimise the risk of cyber threats.

It promises to be an invaluable event.

Kristine Scott

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

risks and opportunities of personal digital assets. You can also hear how to fight back with Jerry Bessette, formerly of the FBI.

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Running parallel to the conference sessions there will be a technology showcase that will help you get to grips with what your business needs to know about emerging cyber tech. Plus there will be networking opportunities with open drop-in sessions at the end of day one and day two as well as an in-person drinks and networking session to celebrate the end of the conference on day three.

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS FOR THE FUTURE The Cyber Conference promises to be a fascinating, frightening and ultimately valuable event that will give you a solid understanding of how to manage the risks that may threaten you and your business.

To see the full schedule and book your free place, visit www.hcrlaw.com/event/thecyber-conference/

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CHAMBERNEWS

Introducing

The new name and brand for The Community Housing Group, Wyre Forest's largest Register Provider of Social Housing "It's a subtle change of name but reflects our new Corporate Plan which puts housing and our customers at the core of everything we do. We're consolidating our subsidiary companies and brands, Oakleaf Commercial Services, Vestia Community Trust and Care & Support24 under one name and building strong teams who will help us to deliver it."

Matt Cooney, Chief Executive

www.communityhousing.co.uk - 0300 003 5454 - information@communityhousing.co.uk

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September/October 2021

CHAMBERNEWS

MAINTAINING YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WITH EXCELLENT PHOTOCOPIER SUPPORT Clarity Solutions supply multifunctional printers from manufacturers like Sharp, Sindoh and Olivetti. Clearly, these products are not unique to us.

What sets us apart is the quality of the service we offer.

Most of our stock is imported and we have worked hard recently to strengthen the relationships with our suppliers, enabling us to ringfence machines and secure stocks of consumables, so we can maintain that quality service despite the challenges of Covid, Brexit and ships stuck in the Suez Canal!!

Our photocopier service contracts operate on a cost per copy model, based on monthly meter readings, and include: All toners and consumables Remote toner monitoring so replacements arrive before you need them

All service and maintenance including parts Remote or on-site engineer assistance If possible, we solve issues quickly on the phone or by accessing your network remotely (with digital permission). If it needs an engineer visit, we carry comprehensive parts stocks on our vans, fixing over 95% of issues on the same day Managed by our Service Director Mark Berryman, our engineers are the friendly face of our business and the conversations they have with customers often uncover additional opportunities to support them, such as: Improving efficiency by training staff on advanced machine features Offering information on new products that may be better suited to your needs Advising on hybrid working solutions, from home office desktop printers to interactive collaboration screens which we also supply

No time for marketing?

Even if you’re a limited company and want to take up the current tax incentives for the outright purchase of new equipment you can still benefit from our ongoing service contract, they’re not just for lease customers.

To discuss your business’s multifunctional printer provision and maintenance give us a call on 01905 721400 or email sales@claritysolutions.co.uk. www.claritysolutions.co.uk

We Are Marketing do.

You work hard, so we work hard to be the best support. Whether developing marketing plans, finding creative ways to engage your customers or just being your ‘virtual’ marketing team, we pride ourselves on our flexibility, agility and the ability to scale for any requirements.

Whatever size of business, you still need a marketing plan that delivers to your business goals.

Chat to us to see how we can help you make your marketing happen.

“

I attended a one to one session ran by Heather. Her marketing knowledge was presented so well. The level of detail was really inciteful and gave me the tools I needed to help me in my role.

Sometimes the concept of marketing can seem overwhelming but she helped to break it down and define a clear process. Thank you.

Right Hand Woman, The Workplace

”

“

A forensic approach to identifying the right problem to solve and uncovering the right insights to delivery, tremendous value, always on time and on budget.

”

Head of User Experience, Cambridge University Press

For an informal chat about how we could help, contact Heather 07976 266 101 heather@wearemarketing.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBERTRAINING

BUSINESS AS USUAL…OR IS IT? Five years after the momentous decision to leave the EU, what has changed in the UK labour market and where are we heading?

With the government’s road map in stage 4 and restrictions lifted as of 19 July 2021, just what has changed in respect to the UK’s Jobs market.

What has been noticeable is the effect on businesses here because of some workers returning to their home countries, mainly in Eastern Europe, as a consequence of Brexit and Coronavirus. Immigration to the UK has of course changed significantly; EU citizens no longer have preferential treatment and instead, the government has opted for a points-based system. The hardest hit sectors have been hospitality, agriculture, travel, and logistics; there are huge shortages of workers in hotels, bars, restaurants, farms, as well as lorry drivers and airport workers. This problem has been exacerbated by covid.

With the end of the furlough scheme and all businesses allowed to re-open (some for the first time), the pandemic has

noticeably affected the UK’s job market.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between January and March when most of the restrictions were still in place, the unemployment rate was 4.8%, that’s nearly 1% higher than pre-pandemic i.e. about one in 20 people who wanted a job couldn’t find one.

Between March and May 2021 unemployment fell slightly, according to official figures, and the job market is now showing further signs of recovery. There was a decrease in unemployment in young people aged 16 years and over - no doubt the introduction of the Kickstart Scheme helped boost those figures. Businesses seem to be expanding again. However, the pandemic has brought disruption to parts of the UK labour market and certain sectors like the hospitality industry have been hit hard. Employees fear job security, and some have left the industry to seek a more sustainable future in other sectors.

This has left a shortage of labour in the sector with employers struggling to rehire workers they previously let go. A shortage of workers means that skills gaps need to be filled. Therefore, upskilling and retraining has become somewhat of a priority for companies. It is reported that

by 2024 there will be a shortfall in highly skilled workers. The UK’s increasingly ageing population also means there will be an increased demand for training and development in other sectors such as the care industry.

The Chamber are here to help and support all businesses across the two counties and beyond. During the pandemic the Business Training Department introduced virtual training, offering companies the opportunity to continue to support their workforce, even if they were on furlough.

This enabled them to train and develop their teams, wherever their employees were based.

The Chamber are delighted to confirm that they are now offering Members a hybrid solution to their training needs, with virtual training here to stay. Alongside this, they are also thrilled to confirm a return to in-person training at the Worcester office from August/September 2021.

New members are entitled to two free places on the Digital Marketing & PR Course and a generous 50% discount off their first full day’s training. Please contact the training department for further details on these exciting offers by emailing training@hwchamber.co.uk.

All courses can be found here: www.hwchamber.co.uk/online-training-courses.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Email training@hwchamber.co.uk with your course suggestions.

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September/October 2021

CHAMBERTRAINING SEPTEMBER COURSE DATES Managing People in the Team Thursday 2 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Digital Marketing & PR Tuesday 7 September - 9.00pm-12.30pm Free Members £110+VAT Non-members HR for the Non-HR Manager Wednesday 8 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members Assertiveness and Confidence at Work Wednesday 8 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members Mental Health First Aid Champion Wednesday 8 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £200+VAT Members £250+VAT Non-members

Employment Law Update Wednesday 15 September - 10.00am-3.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Search Engine Optimisation Thursday 23 September - 9.00am-12.30pm £90+VAT Members £110+VAT Non-members

LGBTQA+ Diversity Training Thursday 30 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Mentoring in the Workplace Thursday 30 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

OCTOBER COURSE DATES

IOSH Working Safely Wednesday 20 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Intermediate Excel Thursday 14 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Creating a Customer Care Culture Thursday 21 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Effective Time Management Tuesday 26 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Quality Manager Training Wednesday 27 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £236+VAT Members £295+VAT Non-members

Google Ads - Part 1 Thursday 9 September - 9.00am-12.30pm £60+VAT Members £85+VAT Non-members

Managing Performance in the Team Thursday 4 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

How to Generate New Leads Virtually Thursday 28 October - 10.00am-12.00pm £60+VAT Members £85+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Excel Thursday 9 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Digital Marketing & PR Tuesday 5 October - 9.00am-11.00am FREE Members £110+VAT Non-members

Intermediate Excel Thursday 28 October - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Google Ads - Part 1 Tuesday 14 September - 9.00am-12.30pm £60+VAT Members £85+VAT Non-members Introduction to Excel Tuesday 14 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members Introduction to Project Management Wednesday 15 September - 9.00am-4.00pm £160+VAT Members £200+VAT Non-members

Whilst we are continuously expanding our online offering, please let us know if there are any training courses you would like the Chamber to deliver in the future. All up to date courses can be found on our website: www.hwchamber.co.uk/events-and-training-calendar.

We are looking forward to welcoming delegates back to the Chamber office for future courses.

For more information on any of our training courses, please see our website or email our training department on training@hwchamber.co.uk.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

UPDATE ON LABOUR MARKET FROM LEADING WORCESTER RECRUITMENT AGENCY Many will have seen the recent newspaper headlines regarding the shortage of labour in the UK with pubs and restaurants forced to close their doors as they don’t have the staff. This challenge is not unique to the hospitality sector IT, Engineering, professional services right through to blue collar roles within manufacturing and production are all suffering from the same issue. After many months of an artificially suppressed economy, demand vastly outweighs supply.

For sectors that have often relied on migrant labour, such as care, agriculture, manufacturing and hospitality, there is unfortunately no quick fix. Earlier this year the government announced an expansion of its Seasonal Workers Pilot

has been made more acute by the huge surge in demand for talent as we emerge from the pandemic. It is here that in the face of this adversity that an opportunity may lie for some businesses. Many of Hewett Recruitment’s clients are looking at Apprenticeships and the recruitment of graduates to solve not just their immediate recruitment needs, but also to tackle the succession planning challenges of the future.

to 30,000 in an attempt to support the horticultural sector, but given the annual demand is estimated at 70-80,000 this will still not be enough.

In other sectors, such as IT and Engineering, the existing skills shortage

When it comes to recruiting at the moment, the key is to not just dust off the old job spec of what you think you might need…but look at your whole business and see where the skills gaps really are and how you can fill these gaps in a different way. www.hewett-recruitment.co.uk

ON YOUR MARKS, SET, GO – DRPG APPOINTED OFFICIAL PROVIDER FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES DRPG, a global creative communications group based in the West Midlands, has been appointed as the Official Promotional Event Services Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

DRPG has been appointed to support on promotional events in the run up to the Games. The company has already worked together with Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee on the design and launch of the mascot, Perry and on a sports festival to celebrate one year to go until the Games begin.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports across 14 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. It is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.

Dale Parmenter, CEO of DRPG said: “As an organisation with a heritage in Hartlebury, we are proud to be part of the West Midlands, but our global presence means the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic fit with our ethos;

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both a celebration of our diverse, local community and the bringing together of people and countries from all over the world.

“Through our own sustainability goals and values, as well as our sustainable event planning promise and CSR Charter review, we wholeheartedly support the missions of Birmingham 2022, including their pledge to deliver carbon-neutral Games.”

Matt Eagles, Head of Communications at Birmingham 2022, said: “It is great to have DRPG on board as our Official Promotional Event Services Provider. They are well known for their impressive, highly creative events that not only wow people, but create a lasting impact. www.drpgroup.com

September/October 2021

BUSINESSNEWS

OGL COMPUTER’S PROFIT4 CHOSEN TO DRIVE EXPANSION Kidderminster-based OGL Computer have helped a business achieve record sales figures thanks to Profit4, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution

GOVERNMENT BACKS EVENT INDUSTRY WITH INSURANCE SUPPORT The government has announced a long-awaited partnership with the insurance industry to support the events sector which has been so badly hit by the pandemic.

When it encountered the limitations of its legacy IT and accountancy software in managing its wholesale operations, OGL Computer was appointed as IT software partner following a rigorous search for a future-proof, full-scalable, flexible ERP system allowing automation, with low start-up and running costs The ERP system affords businesses the necessary tool to increase visibility, gain control and drive the business to the next level. Profit4 has seen TBS Oxford transform its daily operations, achieving unprecedented time and cost savings, during its busiest periods.

when it turned over 20% against its target. Once the system is deployed to its full potential, order processing times will be further reduced.

Gary Reynolds, Software Director at OGL Computer, said: “Companies of all sizes that are struggling with limited systems and manual processes can benefit from the right ERP system. Companies we work with find that the subscription model means the ongoing costs are small and the software pays for itself because of the hidden costs of inefficiency that it removes.” www.ogl.co.uk

With Profit4 in place, the business was able to achieve its peak period to date,

The government has agreed to act as reinsurer, or financial backer, to enable insurance companies to once again provide cancellation cover for events that are at risk of disruption due to Covid-19. Without this support many events would face huge financial risk. The details of the scheme are still being finalised but it will run from September 2021 until September 2022.

Duncan Sutcliffe, MD of Sutcliffe & Co Insurance Brokers, who insure events across the UK and internationally, commented: “This is fantastic news for the events industry who have had a tough time over the last 18 months. Being able to purchase cancellation cover for Coronavirus will be a real lifeline and we have had excited clients contacting us as soon as the news was announced. The finer details of what the insurance covers are yet to be revealed but this is really encouraging.”

The events industry employs over 700,000 people and is worth more than £70 billion annually. The £750 million pledged by The Treasury is estimated to create a 900% return in economic activity across the sector including live music, festivals, sporting events, conferences and exhibitions and the vast array of trades that support them. www.sutcliffeinsurance.co.uk

ULTRASONIC INNOVATION TO END WATER DAMAGE WOES With water damage proving to be one of the most frequently reported insurance claims, REHAU has unveiled a pioneering smart water control system using the latest in ultrasound technology – RE.GUARD. Most drip-based leaks usually going unnoticed and burst pipes lead to severe damage, so REHAU’s RE.GUARD smart control water system assesses flow rates in real-time via integrated software.

It is installed after the water meter to measure overall consumption and detect leaks by shutting off the supply, mitigating damage.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, said: “Not only is water damage an expensive problem to face, it can also result in mould formation, harming building and occupant health. With smart technology now embedded into daily life, we knew a better solution to this issue existed.

“It really is an exciting new gadget which we believe can help installers and contractors win the faith of their customers by providing a cost-effective safety net.” www.rehau.uk/re.guard

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BIG INTERVIEW

PRESCIENT PLANNING FUELS RAPID GROWTH OF OUTDOOR SPECIALIST The icing on the cake for camping equipment specialist OLPRO, which is currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of its founding, is the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in international trade. that recognises a remarkable success story.

BY HELEN COMPSON After delivering a 60% year-on-year growth in 2020 driven by the Covid-induced swing towards staycations, Outdoor Leisure Products’ sales figures are up another 20% again this summer.

With exports accounting for around 8% of turnover, its level of international trade has doubled in the past 12 to 18 months and now a new team of staff has been appointed specifically to look after it.

Founder Daniel Walton said: “Camping in western Europe is a massive pastime and we have always made sure we were thinking about product that would sell there as well.

“But the OLPRO website operates in 25 countries around the world at the moment and we are focused on growing that.”

As with every other exporter, Brexit took its toll on OLPRO, at least initially.

However, the company is now strategically well-placed to mop up sales where competitors are faltering in the face of the new world order. The OLPRO team has been working assiduously through the varied and changing demands of export bureaucracy this past year, to the point they have managed to iron out most of the wrinkles.

Daniel said: “Brexit is a nightmare and I wish it had never happened. For us, it stopped our chain of supplies to quite a few countries to begin with.

“We have been working our way through what are sometimes quite difficult processes though until we’ve managed to get exporting again to all the countries we were selling in previously.

“A lot of our competitors probably won’t do that, so maybe it has put us in quite a good competitive position.”

OLPRO 2020 was the handle given to its three-year development plan designed to expand both the company on the ground and its market share. Come the pandemic and the rollercoaster that 2020 turned out to be, Daniel had good reason to be thankful for the solid measures he’d put in place.

Owning our own brand and having a unique supplier has been key to our success.

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The appointment of a Marketing Manager, the expansion of the sales force and the improvement of the company’s online customer service platform suddenly all came into their own as Covid appeared to kill camping.

Although sales “dropped off a cliff” in those first few weeks, the team realised that a legion of would-be customers was actually still there - online and browsing.

Marketing material was reshaped to highlight the joys of taking indoor living outdoors and, for kids big and little, camping out in the garden.

A grateful customer base, desperate to get out of the four walls, sharp responded.

“There hasn’t been anything we’ve been able to keep in stock,” said Daniel.

“We’ve sold tents and windbreaks in the thousands. People have been prepared to pre-order and wait two months for delivery of windbreaks, rather than just buy what’s been available elsewhere. It’s been insane!”

September/October 2021

BIG INTERVIEW

Daniel has long since felt camper vans would be the biggest development in camping this generation and expanded his line of stock accordingly. That has paid dividends too. “We are now the UK’s leading brand of camper van awnings,” he said.

There’s no doubt about it, he says, the recent trade barriers and the well-publicised shortage of shipping containers/tardiness of shipping lanes generally has made restocking harder this year. However, OLPRO has benefitted hugely from being a directly-owned brand.

Having grown from just two employees (including Daniel) a decade ago, he now has 21 staff. By 2025 – the end of his current five-year business plan – he aims to have a 35-strong team.

He is always watching and anticipating analysing trends and looking to the future.

But if there is one thing 2020 has taught him, despite the bonanza OLPRO enjoyed, that is no entrepreneur can afford to be blasé.

“We don’t own the factory that produces our products in the Far East,” he said, “but we license it, so we have a deal with them.

We are the one company who they supply with whatever is needed.

“I am very aware that we are currently reaping the benefits of people being unable to go abroad,” he said. “Come next year, when they can go back to Spain and Greece again, will these times have built a fresh appreciation and love of camping here in our own countryside?

“Some of our competitors have struggled because they are selling several brands and suppliers are choosing who they supply first.

“And will we have done enough to retain customer loyalty and to encourage them to keep going away for a week’s camping in the UK each year?”

“Owning our own brand and having a unique supplier has been key to our success.”

Daniel and his team are working hard to make sure, hand on heart, they can answer yes to at least the latter.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

OLPRO’s comprehensive customer service platform and the related chat facility, introduced in 2019, is capable of answering enquiries out of hours as well as during the working day. It helps customers choose the right kit to begin with.

Now, in response to the sheer volume of orders being submitted every day of the week, OLPRO has staff working at the weekends too, from home, answering customer enquiries with a swiftness that pretty much always clinches a sale.

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COVER FEATURE

GLOBAL AMBITIONS DRIVE ‘REMOTE FIRST’ SOFTWARE COMPANY From day one, Payara Services Ltd has been driven by a global vision. It has customers all over the world and its 35 members of staff are scattered across the Americas, Asia, Europe … and Malvern.

BY HELEN COMPSON In April, during Payara’s fifth year in business, this open source software company was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in international trade after increasing its annual revenue by 107% during the previous three years and more than doubling its level of export sales.

The trajectory is in keeping with the targets set by founder Steve Millidge.

Payara Services grew out of the successful C2B2 IT consultancy he had established a decade previously, but if anything, C2B2 made him realise he wanted to do things differently.

“In the end, I had 14 or 15 staff turning over £1.5m a year,” he said, “but consultancy companies are quite tough to run. They

are difficult to scale, because you have to have good consultants and you have to find them a steady stream of work, while starting from zero each year.

“So we decided Payara would be a very different beast. We decided it would be immediately global and immediately sell to the world and, with that, hire staff around the world. It would be ‘remote first’ rather than operate directly out of the office in Malvern.”

That offered two huge benefits, he said.

One was the global sales potential and the other, the unbridled access to talent. The end result - thanks to an incredibly diverse staffing profile - is that Payara reflects a multitude of cultures, has native speakers of a plethora of languages and has the ability to cover just about every time zone on the planet.

Steve, who hails from Whitley Bay on the North-East coast, gained a degree in physics from the University of Nottingham and then, after graduation, kept heading south.

His first job was with the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, a Ministry of Defence scientific research unit in Malvern, researching semi-conductors and imaging. He later moved over to its software engineering centre, having spent an increasing amount of time on the computer-driven side of things.

In the mid-1990s, he left the Civil Service to join the commercial IT software company that ultimately shaped his world-view. “I was a consultant and went all over the globe, trouble-shooting IT problems,” he said.

“I worked with Oracle (Cloud Infrastructure Platform) for quite a few years and so I’ve worked in most cities in Europe, for a week at a time, and travelled widely across the US.” Come 2002 and what Steve describes as the ‘post-Millennium hangover’, he was made redundant during the recession that spread through the IT industry. He launched C2B2 in response.

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Fast forward to 2016 and the founding of Payara Services, Steve refocused on GlassFish, an open source software (so called because it is available and can be redistributed free of charge as long as the original coding is retained within the programme). It was an Oracle product and Steve knew it well.

“Glassfish is a really small type of fish people put in their tropical fish tanks; one of our employees discovered a fish called payara, which is a big beast of a fish found in the Amazon,” he laughed. “We liked that!”

Under the terms of an open source licence, software developers can design their own version of the programme, so when commercial support for GlassFish ended in 2014, Payara Server was created as a drop-in replacement.

While the Payara Community Edition can be downloaded by anyone, anywhere in the world, free of charge, the Enterprise Edition is designed for mission critical production environments, provides additional features and capabilities, and comes complete with a support package paid for by subscription.

September/October 2021

COVER FEATURE

Steve said: “It seems paradoxical to give a product away for free, but the Community Edition gives us zero-cost distribution and the means of driving up the use of the software, which is key.

“The next phase is to help those users recognize the benefits of running the stable, secure, and fully supported edition of the software - Payara Enterprise. The fact they can be anywhere in the world gives us great growth potential.”

The software itself is used to build internet-enabled applications and the turning point is when it becomes the

backbone of a mission-critical system.

Rakuten Card used it to build a credit card portal for its customers, for example, and BMW migrated from GlassFish to Payara Server because of the compatibility and support it offered for its existing Jakarta EE (Java EE) applications.

Once the software is integral to a service or production line, users want that comprehensive support the Payara Enterprise package offers.

Today, Payara Services Ltd turns over £2m a year, but Steve regards his company as being at the ‘intermediate’ stage. “We have

It seems paradoxical to give a product away for free, but the Community Edition gives us zero-cost distribution and the means of driving up the use of the software, which is key.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

proven people want to use the software, so the next few years will be spent scaling up the organisation,” he said.

“We are currently self-funded, with no outside venture or capital finance, basically because we grew out of the consultancy and that supported us for the first few years.

“One of the key elements that binds our global team together is our set of seven key core values, in particular Passion and Openness: passion in what we do, and a very open culture, with closeness as a team. We work together as a very well-oiled machine, and we wouldn’t have this business without our amazing people.

“The challenge now is to grow by around 30 to 35% a year. When we get to 50 members of staff, we’ll probably start looking at outside finance.

“The plan is to expand our global software company and offer organisations around the world access to secure, stable, and supported environments to run their mission critical applications in production.”

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BUSINESSNEWS

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September/October 2021

BUSINESSNEWS

GROWAGRI Supporting development in horticulture and agriculture

FESTIVAL OF HORTICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY › Thursday 30 September 9.30am – 4pm Pershore College

PROFESSIONAL COACH DEVELOPMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS 3D Leadership offer high quality Coach Training, Qualification and Supervision.

This year we are offering the ILM Level 5 Coach training along with accredited Certificate & Diploma programmes. These qualifications are suitable for both independent practitioners as well as organisational coaches and managers.

The training consists of 7 dates over seven months and take place regularly throughout the year. Certificate and Diploma programmes are £1,750 and £1,950 + vat respectively, which includes all training, assessment and certification.

Alongside Management and Executive Coaching the 3D Partners, Tony and Toni, regularly supervise, research and publish in the coaching field. If you would like to discuss in-person you can contact them at info@3DLeadership.co.uk or 01684 575852

A brand new event that explores the benefits of agri-tech and explains why it is important that Worcestershire businesses get on board this exciting sector! Your chance to join Professor Roy Kennedy, Dr Anjana Patel and the GrowAgri team from the Agri-Tech Research Centre at Pershore College.

Enjoy our programme of expert-led talks that showcase the cutting-edge technologies currently being developed to revolutionise the way we grow our food. Hear from a range of individuals and academics who will explain how your business can benefit from these innovations.

Understand the economic potential of the agri-tech market, discuss the impact of Brexit on the horticulture industry, and learn how R&D tax credits can save you money. Network with like-minded individuals and find out about the latest research in agritechnology being undertaken at Pershore College’s Agri-Tech Research Centre.

For more information or to book your place go to wcg.ac.uk/horticultural-festival or call 0330 135 7229

You can also download the brochure at 3DLeadership.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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EVENTS

CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO SPONSORED BY HEWETT RECRUITMENT

The popular Chamber Business Expo returns in its physical format on 7 October 2021 at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

Our businesses and our lives may have changed during the pandemic, but with any challenge comes opportunities, fresh ideas, and welcomed change.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire businesses are adaptable, resilient and above all, innovative. We can’t wait to see what you and your fellow businesses have created through this period and will be by your side to celebrate this success with you in 2021 at the Chamber Business Expo!

With over 120+ exhibitors from a variety of business sectors, a dedicated Networking Zone and free seminars with informative speakers, don’t miss your chance to raise your profile with others in the two counties business community. This is the go-to event for anyone starting or growing a business as well as for business professionals looking to improve skills and develop key relationships through networking.

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THE NETWORKING ZONE Sponsored by Worcestershire Growth Hub

NETWORKING BREAKFAST 8.00-9.30AM Sponsored by GJS Dillon Ltd

This Zone provides exhibitors and visitors with a place to take a seat, catch up with old and new contacts and do business throughout the day. Free tea and coffee, provided by Water Cooler World, will be in the Networking Zone throughout the day.

FOOD AND DRINK PRODUCERS ZONE Sponsored by mfg Solicitors

Back once again by popular demand, the Food and Drink Producers Zone will be a main feature of the event. Local food and drink companies will be showcasing their products and providing free samples throughout the day for everyone to taste and enjoy. There will also be the opportunity to buy goods to enjoy at home.

Over 200 business professionals attend the Networking Breakfast to begin a busy day of networking before the Expo officially opens. We are delighted to welcome keynote speaker, Mike Schooling, Chief Technical Officer at Indra Renewable Technologies. The talk will focus on sustainability and the green agenda, with an overview of Indra, alongside sharing how to overcome generic challenges, when to use energy, where to make investments and what contributes to net zero.

In addition to this, we will hear from Ben Mannion, Chamber President and Director at Hewett Recruitment, overall event sponsor and Sharon Smith, CEO of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Exhibition stands start from £239.00+VAT, and more information on visiting can be found at www.hwchamber.co.uk/events/ business-expo

September/October 2021

TWOCOUNTIES

NEW TALK COMMUNITY HUB LAUNCHES IN ROSS-ON-WYE Ross-on-Wye Community Garden is celebrating this month, after launching its new Talk Community Hub.

HEREFORDSHIRE LAUNCHES TV AD CAMPAIGN INVITING VISITORS TO ‘FEEL A WORLD AWAY’ Herefordshire has launched its first ever TV ad as part of a continued marketing drive to raise the county’s profile for staycations, attracting more day and stay visitors to enjoy this tourist destination bordering Wales and hugged by the Malverns and the Brecon Beacons.

The ad invites visitors to ‘Feel a World Away’ and enlists the talents of popular folk band, The Kilpecks, who have composed the ad’s melodic soundtrack. It showcases relaxing times enjoyed amidst the county’s verdant landscapes and winding rivers as well as amazing local produce.

The ad is part of the Covid tourism recovery marketing campaign funded by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) which was launched last autumn.

It will be rolled out on digital platforms immediately, supported by organic and paid for social media and has been aired on ITV Weekend from 9.30am on 24 July.

The hub is the latest in a growing network of Talk Community Hubs across the county, where residents can access free information on a wide range of issues, from how to stay healthy to looking after a loved one, along with signposting to services, groups, events and activities in Herefordshire.

The volunteer-run hub on Old Gloucester Road is open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 10.30am and 12.00pm and everyone is welcome to attend. To find out more, visit www.talkcommunitydirectory.org/rosshubs.

Located in the centre of Ross-on-Wye, the beautiful community garden provides a safe and tranquil space for people to relax and take some timeout from the busy hubbub of daily life.

NEXT STEP FOR BROMSGROVE’S NEWEST WALKING AND CYCLING BRIDGE A brand-new footbridge has now had its bridge beams installed, as part of the ongoing A38 Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP).

The beams will join up the segregated cycle and footway between Charford Road and Harvington Road in Bromsgrove.

use footway network on both sides.

It is expected that the bridge will be open for public use in the Autumn.

For more information about the A38 BREP scheme visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/A38BREP

The footbridge, once complete, will allow for better access by walking and cycling as part of a range of improvements along the whole A38 corridor.

The bridge beams were lifted into place over two nights, on the 22 and 23 July.

Further works will be needed before the bridge becomes operational including the connection to the existing shared

WORCESTERSHIRE LEP LAUNCHES NEW LOCAL SKILLS REPORT TO HELP CREATE THE COUNTY’S FUTURE WORKFORCE

Jo Hilditch, Chair of the Covid Tourism Recovery Steering Group appointed to manage Herefordshire’s tourism campaign, said: “We wanted to work with Herefordshire finest to create an ad which gives us a strong identity as a destination and is also memorable.

Our catchy soundtrack from The Kilpecks is a central part of this and we hope everyone will soon be humming away to what we hope will become an anthem for Herefordshire holidays and increased freedom transporting people to our green and delicious land.”

The Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has launched its new Local Skills Report to outline the aims for skills development in the county.

To view the ad visit www.youtube. com/watch?v=W4OhqUxjRLM

Worcestershire has numerous schemes available which are designed to help employers to upskill, recruit and develop

The new Local Skills Report will be embedded in the Worcestershire LEP’s people strategy and will contribute to the economic recovery post-COVID and the continued sustainable growth of the Worcestershire economy.

their workforce for the future. Employers can access these programmes by contacting the Worcestershire Careers Hub team using the details at the end of this article.

To access and view the new Local Skills Report, follow the link here www.wlep. co.uk/worcestershire-local-skills-report.

As well as highlighting the challenges facing our skills projects, the Local Skills Report also features a Skills Action Plan which covers 5 priorities which the Worcestershire LEP will work with partners to ensure are met.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

DEMAND FOR STAFF MORALE BOOSTING GIFT BOXES SURGE Worcestershire-based Smile Box has created a solution for improving staff wellbeing by bringing together a bespoke collection of self-care products and mental health resources in a gift box that employers can give to their staff.

The aim is to increase staff morale, productivity and to decrease sickness levels and stress as employers recognise the benefits of taking good care of their staff.

Donna Fisher, Founder of Smile Box, reports there has been a surge in demand for her boxes following May’s Mental Health Awareness Week, with business owners wanting to help improve staff wellbeing. This follows reports that last year 15.9 million days were lost to sickness absence in the UK due to stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.

Donna said: “It has been a dream come true to launch Smile Box this year and see the positive impact it’s having on people and I hope we can help many businesses in the local area to deliver some happiness to their teams!” www.smile-box.co.uk

SUBSIDY CONTROL SYSTEM TO SUPPORT UK BUSINESSES Founder of Smile Box, Donna Fisher

The UK government recently announced a new subsidy control system that will provide financial aid to UK businesses following Brexit.

Under the EU’s State aid regime, the vast majority of “aid” granted did not need notification. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the Commission was quick to issue up to date State aid guidelines, ensuring certainty for businesses operating in unprecedented circumstances.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS: VITAL FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES Long gone are the days where workplace wellbeing centred around the notion that shutting the office half an hour early on a Friday amounted to showing flexibility and care towards staff.

Now, the standards employers are held to when it comes to their knowledge and actions surrounding the health of their team are much higher – and the pandemic has heightened this progress, with 92% of companies increasing their emphasis on mental health as a result.

Which is why skills such as Mental Health First Aid training are in such high demand – and the experts at Paycare Wellbeing are busier than ever.

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For HR teams who are conscious of this increasing need for wellbeing-savvy workforces, the addition of a Mental Health First Aid course on a CV makes applicants stand out from those who have similar levels of work experience.

Whether it’s undertaking training and appointing Champions who take ownership of their colleagues’ wellbeing needs, offering remote or hybrid working as standard, or initiating a ban on ‘out of hours’ emails and communication about work matters, there are countless ways to invest in people’s health and wellbeing.

And with so many companies doing exactly that, the time to act is now.

Gowling WLG found that notification was only necessary in relation to subsidies granted in problematic or novel areas. The subsequent decision in such cases gave legal certainty and clarity to the recipients and was not regarded as ‘red tape’.

The government needs to take great care in the replacement to the EU regime – the key priority for businesses will be legal certainty.

This new regime will potentially open the door to a level of litigation that we did not see in the EU regime. This may create a more uncertain environment for business looking for State support to address market failure before they risk their own capital, particularly with respect to new green technologies.

Whether the UK’s new subsidy control regime will provide the necessary assurance to UK businesses remains to be seen. www.gowlingwlg.com

www.paycare.org/workplace-wellbeing

September/October 2021

cleftbridge

limited

Masters of coating applications Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Herefordshire & Worcestershire

specialist paint finishing and powder coating

01531.633771

Healthcare Industrial Military Automotive Agricultural Shopfitting Interior design Commercial Residential And more……..

www.cleftbridge.co.uk

· · · · · · · · · ·

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BUSINESSNEWS ADRIENNE POTTER

HYPNOCOACH Solution Focused Hypnotherapy & Life Coaching

Wellness & Lifestyle I believe that a healthier life contributes to a life of reduced stress and fear, leading to a more harmonious society.

I help overwhelmed professionals move from hopelessness to hopeful and from cranky to calm. I do this by using powerful HypnoCoaching techniques that enable you to identify destructive behavioural triggers, replace them with personalised alternatives and bring you back into a place of clarity, confidence and control, leaving you feeling empowered, energised and ready to embrace every day life.

How to work with me Book A Free Discovery call on 07486 531874 90 minute deep dive consultation Create a plan of action

www.yourHypnoCoach.online

Are you rethinking your office needs?

Struggling to work from home?

At Kingsway House we can help!

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We are a friendly business centre in the middle of Worcester offering a great place to work if you need to focus on your business. Great coffee & Wi-Fi included!

EVENT SPACE

Book a free tour today

01905-619877 Email : info@kingsway-house.co.uk Web : www.kingsway-house.co.uk

40 Foregate Street, Worcester WR1 1EE 150m from Foregate Street train station

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September/October 2021

Active-Sit-Stand Ltd A supplier of true ergonomic seating and office products.

All designed with the health and welfare of the user in mind.

20 plus years as a H&S professional with a passion for ergonomics and the welfare of people.

Active-Sit-Stand has devoted itself to revolutionising standing and sitting at the workplace.

“According to WHO (World Health Organisation), physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality” More movement simply means better health, more motivation and higher productivity.

From choosing the right mouse to designing the ideal Office Environment Active-sit-Stand can provide the products and the knowhow.

Try before you buy. A free trial of all active furniture. All designed to put a smile on your face and to keep you healthy.

Full Consultancy Services: including DSE Assessment (a legal requirement even if your staff or working from Home), Office planning, Risk Assessment and H&S advice.

Be Active! Be Healthy!

Contact details: Mark williams - Tel: 01684574836 | Mob: 07770 879396 E: mark@active-sit-stand.co.uk | W: www.active-sit-stand.co.uk reallygooddigital_ad22.pdf 1 01/07/2021 10:39:27 PM

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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MOVERSANDSHAKERS HAZELTON MOUNTFORD ADD TO THEIR QUOTA AT HQ Caera Spratley has joined the expanding insurance experts as an Account Handler after gaining 3 years experience as a Claims Handler, in a previous role.

NEW DIRECTOR OF WILLS AND ESTATES AT THURSFIELDS A top lawyer with expertise in tax and trust planning has been recruited by Thursfields Solicitors to help establish an estate planning practice in the firm’s Birmingham office.

Terry Cooper has been appointed as a director of Wills & Estates at the leading Midlands law firm with a focus on entrepreneurs and business owners, wealthy families and individuals who need wills or tax advice.

Ian Bond, Head of Wills & Estates at Thursfields, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome someone with the in-depth skills and longstanding experience of Terry on to our team. His expertise in estate planning is widely respected in the legal sector and he will further strengthen Thursfields services in this field. www.thursfields.co.uk

look after our clients and Caera and Mike will play a valuable part in the business.” www.hazeltonmountford.co.uk

Caera was welcomed to the team recently, along with Mike Douglas who joined Hazelton Mountford in their offices in Evesham, to support the growth of the business.

Jake Mountford, Director, says: “We welcome Caera and Mike to our expanding team. Hazelton Mountford are a people-centred business and our team members are our most important asset.

Our core values determine how our people

Caera Spratley, Account Handler at Hazelton Mountford

DISTINGUISHED MEDICAL EDUCATOR APPOINTED AS FOUNDING DEAN OF THREE COUNTIES MEDICAL SCHOOL Distinguished medical educator, Professor Sandra Nicholson, has been appointed as the Founding Dean of the Three Counties Medical School at the University of Worcester. She will also serve as the University’s Professor of Medical Education.

The University is currently in the process of gaining accreditation for a new medical school. If successful, the first medical students might begin their courses in September 2022. www.worcester.ac.uk

University of Worcester Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor David Green CBE DL, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Professor Nicholson as the Founding Dean of the Three Counties Medical School at the University of Worcester. She is a most distinguished medical educator and will bring great expertise and energy to this vital endeavour.”

NEW SENIOR PARTNER FOR HARRISON CLARK RICKERBYS

Greg Guilford, CEO of HR Solutions and Helen Astill MD at Cherrington HR

HR FIRM EXPANDS WITH ACQUISITION HR Solutions, which provides outsourced HR services to small to medium-sized enterprises across the UK, is expanding its reach across the Midlands with the acquisition of Cherington HR, a human resources consultancy in Worcester.

Greg Guilford, CEO of HR Solutions, said: “I am really excited about the addition of Cherington HR as Helen Astill is an exceptional HR professional and we are keen to have her as part of our growing team. They operate in a similar manner to HR Solutions, putting their clients at the heart of all they do.” www.hrsolutions-uk.com

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After 32 years with the firm, Senior Partner Richard Knight has passed the baton to Dawn Oliver, who has been with the firm for 24 years.

Of his start with Rickerbys (which merged with Harrison Clark in 2013), Corporate Lawyer Richard, said: “I only went for an interview because my dad knew a partner at Rickerbys who was looking for someone to join their fledgling corporate department – the rest is history! The trajectory and speed of travel since we put the two firms together simply takes my breath away.

am honoured to take on the role of senior partner for the newly merged firm and I’m looking forward to meeting all our staff, both old and new, around our offices. As a firm, we have a strong culture of both tradition and innovation and as Senior Partner I will be ensuring that continues.” www.hcrlaw.com

“I am looking forward to being able to continue to work with some who have been clients for over quarter of a century, but to see our grandchildren and play a little bit of sport now and then!”

Dawn, the firm’s first female Senior Partner, and a private client expert, says: “I

Dawn Oliver, New Senior Partner and Richard Knight

September/October 2021

NEWMEMBERSPROFILE

LIVE & VIRTUAL EVENT MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS – EVENT WORKS EUROPE LTD Event Works Europe provide support for events both large and small, and can offer either a complete event management package, or assistance with just specific features of your event. And should you wish to outsource any aspect of your marketing requirements for your events, they also have the expert resource to deliver this too.

PROVIDING CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WITH SUPPORT – ROOTS PSYCHOLOGY GROUP Emotional distress is an inevitable part of life that we all experience in different ways. Roots Psychology Group aim to help children, young people and their families strengthen their roots to feel safe, grounded and supported so that they may grow wings to fly with confidence, strength and resilience.

They are a highly trained team of Clinical Psychologists specialising in mental health training and the assessment and therapeutic treatment of children and young people presenting with emotional and mental health difficulties.

They are also proficient in establishing or re-establishing a child or young person's roots, providing the tools to help them ground themselves, offering a secure environment in which to build their own unique personalities. ​ oots Psychology Group then help R them to reflect on their aims, desires and ambitions, bringing to life the possibility of achieving everything they wish to, with tools that enable them to explore their environment and the world around them, with confidence, safe boundaries, self-respect, and positive decision making. www.rootspsychologygroup.co.uk

Their friendly and professional team has a highly specialist skill set and unique approach; they immerse themselves in your business in order to understand the bigger picture, and to ensure their input and support enables you to achieve the aims and objectives of your event.

Their client base includes a significant number of long-standing customers that rely on Events Works Europe to supply solutions for their event requirements.

Via their extensive industry expertise, the event management specialists are always up-to-date with the latest developments and legislation, and can offer the best guidance and advice – whether this is about sustainability, virtual or hybrid events, or supporting clients with innovative ways to achieve stakeholder engagement. www.eventworkseurope.com

WORCESTER-BASED SIGN HERE Established in 2001, Sign Here provide their clients with the best promotional signage, design and production. With over 25 years experience in sign design and production, Sign Here manufacture signage and related products nationwide.

Using the latest technology they supply signage for all industries. From shop signs and window displays through to traffic, health and safety signs and also including the new dementia signage range.

As sign makers they design, manufacture and install all types of signage and their sign makers only use the highest quality material available regardless of the size of the project.

With the recent expansion of their new IT Department, Sign Here can now also offer stunning websites completely unique to the client.

Whether you are looking for sign makers, vehicle wraps or graphics, exhibition graphics or screen printers, contact Sign Here. www.signhereworcester.com

INTRODUCING WORCESTER TIMBER PRODUCTS Worcester Timber Products, based on Hartlebury Trading Estate, is a family owned and run timber business which manufactures and supplies fencing, sheds, decking and other garden and landscaping products. Worcester Timber Products employs 34 local Worcestershire people, and within that six local tradesman from Border Fencing in Tardebigge, Bromsgrove, which has closed after 30 years due to retirement.

Easigrass, Post Saver and European Decorative panels from KDM. A number of products are also manufactured in-house and bespoke timber products can be created too. www.worcestertimberproducts.co.uk

The company is an authorised installer of Jacksons Fencing, and elite stockists of the DuraPost range. Other key brands stocked by Worcester Timber Products include Osmo, SiteMate, Gatemate and Fencemate, as well as Readymade Gates,

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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INTERNATIONALTRADE

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS Critical factors effecting international trade between the UK and the EU and why in-depth analysis of them by firms should be used to support development of their international business strategy.

Since the UK left the Single Market on 1 January this year exporting (and importing) companies of all sizes and across multiple sectors of the UK economy have struggled with international trade processes to and from the EU. Some common, recurring issues and critical factors which have arisen as a result of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) signed with the EU on 24 December 2020 include: Rules of origin, product marking and product standards, customs regulations and VAT, tariffs, adherence to environmental and labour standards, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations, exposure to broader EU regulations that apply to third countries and finally tax and VAT rules.

A full list of TCA commitments and the effects they will have on exporters can be by scanning the QR code.

(Hanske, Mathei and Galiai, London School of Economics: July 2021)

THE IMPLICATIONS FOR UK COMPANIES UK companies that export (and import) are having to deal with not just one of the above effects but in some cases several of them simultaneously. To date, anecdotally, companies for the most part seem to be managing each of the problems serially on an ad hoc basis as and when they come across them as opposed to setting up longer-term, more robust processes to deal with all the issues as a whole.

As we can safely assume the above effects will be in play for some time to come knowing that adjustments to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (in negotiation with the EU) to improve trading conditions (from a UK perspective) will be slow, now may be the time for businesses to begin

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to put in place a more robust longer term international business strategy that includes longer-term processes and resolutions to the above issues and/or effects.

THE “NEW” CRITICAL PARTS OF AN INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FOR EU TRADE When selling (or importing to the EU), a firm’s international business strategy would normally be based for the most part on its target international markets; is the sector in the target country market rising or falling? What does competitor activity look like and does a PESTEL analysis provide any business environment opportunities or threats the company should be aware of. The process of actually getting goods from A to B and the company’s supply chain process for sales to or imports from the EU was traditionally straightforward and consistent in terms of cost and complexity implications.

In order to create a robust and competitive proposition in the long run, any international business strategy for EU trade will now need to incorporate more analysis and development around getting goods and services from A to B in a profitable and timely manner to mitigate against any added costs that could now include: Increased tariffs (import and export).

Tax and VAT. SPS and other certification required by the EU. Costs associated with new border regulations and becoming a Third Country.

Transport (Road, Rail, Air and Sea).

New operational structure (company set-up in the EU for example).

New Incoterms (and terms of trading).

Cost of professional advice and services – legal, accountancy, certification, quality etc.

the increased cost of export to create enough margin to ensure a reasonable profit on the transaction.

Cost of services sales – certification etc.

Over the period the UK has been a part of the Single European Market when the absence of change to any shipping process covering the nuts and bolts of getting goods and services from A to B, shipping and logistics departments of companies have been considered the “Cinderella” service within businesses.

This does not include other costs associated with any delay of products going to or arriving from the EU such as the intangible cost and damage to the brand in front of the dissatisfied customer and market. Reputational as well as client relationship damage can also be an issue if the seller’s prices are increased to cover

September/October 2021

INTERNATIONALTRADE

INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING SPOTLIGHT The selected training courses will support companies (importers and exporters) that have struggled with international trade processes to and from the EU and may be of interest to businesses who are experienced importers and exporters or those just beginning to expand internationally. All courses are £75+VAT for Members and £95+VAT for Non-members.

Basic Import Documentation – Monday 13 September 2.00-4.00pm An overview of the inter-connecting elements of importing goods into the UK. ATA Carnet Procedures – Friday 24 September 10.00am-12.00pm Covers the procedures for the temporary movement of goods, both out of the UK at export and into the UK at import under the ATA Carnet Scheme.

Quick Guide to Origin Rules – Tuesday 14 September 10.00am-12.00pm A guide on the procedures and processes needed to ensure you have correct evidence of origin.

Export Customs Declarations – Monday 27 September 10.00am-12.00pm Learn the key points of what export customs entries are, the key pieces of information needed and how customs export entries are made in the UK. Given the significant change to this status quo, a company’s European markets or suppliers from the EU now have to be protected to ensure their continued loyalty and commitment. To this end, the development of any international business strategy by firms, where trade to and from the EU is concerned and on the assumption that markets in the EU are worth the candle, must now include significant analysis of supply chain, logistics and shipping processes

for the longer run if they are to maintain market share, ensure supply chains remain effective and thereby maintain the competitive advantage needed to perform.

For further support and guidance on international trade please visit the EU Exit Support Hub here hwchamber.co.uk/ eu-exit-hub or get in touch with the International Trade Team at the Chamber by emailing: Internationaltrade@hwchamber.co.uk.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Import Customs Declarations – Wednesday 29 September 10.00am-12.00pm Understanding what import customs are and the key pieces of information needed by businesses for EU arrivals into the UK. To book your place please contact internationaltrade@hwchamber. co.uk.

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MEMBERBENEFITS

50% DISCOUNT FOR MEMBERS ON MOST EXPORT DOCUMENTS The world of export documentation can appear to be difficult and complicated to those who are new to international trade. Even the seasoned exporters can experience problems when completing the necessary paperwork for their shipments. The Chamber has many years of experience in assisting exporters and issuing them with a wide range of documents used in international business.

The Chamber can take the hassle out of your hands by providing export documentation and certification service to assist you when trading internationally. Members receive an exclusive 50% discount on most export documents.

The documentation certificates that can be provided to Members include; certificates of origin and authentication, Arab British certification and legislation, ATA Carnets service, UK EUR1 and letter of credit service.

For more information on Certificates of Origin, UK EUR1 and or any other export documents contact the International Trade team at the Chamber on 01905 673614 or email internationaltrade@hwchamber.co.uk.

MAKING EXPORTING AND IMPORTING EASIER FOR MEMBERS WITH CHAMBERCUSTOMS SERVICE ChamberCustoms delivers a customs declaration service for UK importers and exporters of all sizes and in every region of the United Kingdom.

It’s different from other brokerage services by harnessing the reach, expertise and knowledge of the Chamber network to offer an unbeatably fast, reliable and compliant service.

At the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the number of annual customs declarations was forecast to increase from 55 million to around 300 million, with businesses who import goods facing a lot more administration.

The Chamber launched ChamberCustoms to respond to this demand by offering a simple and reliable brokerage service which will help members and non-members alike.

With extensive knowledge, reputation and first-class service in facilitating international trade, the Chamber can take the hassle out of your hands when it comes to exporting and importing goods.

The service is offered direct to businesses and through UK freight forwarders, ensuring that customs clearance is accurate, timely and avoids additional costs through delays or errors.

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With direct links to the HMRC Customs handling system and all inventory linked ports, you can be ensured that your goods, no matter where they enter or leave the UK, will be cleared for onward transportation smoothly.

ChamberCustoms can help you keep your time sensitive supply chains moving efficiently and economically.

ChamberCustoms offers: A high level of compliance and assurance for customers Confidence on tariff and data entry to remove fiscal risk; backed by the technical expertise of the market leader in this sector A wealth of international trade experience and expertise from across the trusted Chamber of Commerce network Please detail any specific requirements you have by contacting the International Trade team at the Chamber by emailing internationaltrade@hwchamber.co.uk who will be in touch to advise how ChamberCustoms services can help you.

September/October 2021

NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH BEWDLEY

KINGTON

WORCESTER

Wildjac Limited

The Little Herb Garden Ltd

Able Commercial Kleaners Ltd

01299 407174

07960 660966

Distillery www.wildjac.co.uk

BREDON Solar Technology International Ltd

01684 774000 Renewable Energy Solutions www.solartechnology.co.uk

BROMSGROVE

Health & Beauty www.thelittleherbgarden.co.uk

LUDLOW The Green Woman Ltd

01584 817701 Healthcare Products www.thegreenwoman.co.uk

01905 420412 Commercial Cleaning www.ablekleaners.co.uk English Genius

07894 551820 Online Teaching www.englishgenius.net Hairy Robot

01905 570628

MALVERN

IT Solutions www.hairyrobot.co.uk

01527 304044

Aircraft Tractor Parts Ltd

Marmon Foodservice Technologies

Marketing Solutions www.ardenstudio.co.uk

07557 002159

Arden Studio

01905 783213

Manufacturing

Manufacturers www.marmonfoodservice.com

Inside Out Worcestershire Ltd

Pikolo

07810 433454

07784 839116

EVESHAM

Specialist Marquees www.insideout-worcestershire.co.uk

Clothing www.pikolo.co.uk

Parham Associates Ltd

JADOD IT Limited

Rock Chick

07904 594552 Handmade Gifts

01386 712308 Financial Advice www.parhamassociates.co.uk

01684 563715 IT Services www.jadodit.co.uk

Hairdressing & Beauty www.marykay.co.uk/vickibaker

HEREFORD International Special Training Facility Covert Operations Ltd

01981 240366 Training & Education www.istf-co.com Maria Wrathall Interiors

07411 015212

Child Psychology www.rootspsychologygroup.co.uk

Pearls Networking

01905 726191

07807 976004

Signmakers www.signhereworcester.com

Networking www.pearlsnetworking.com

REDDITCH Weightlifting House

Strickland Wealth Management

01885 488817 Financial Services www.stricklandwealthmanagement.co.uk

01527 390447

Trueline Expanded Products Ltd.

Fitness Equipment www.weightliftinghouse.com

01562 823267

STOURBRIDGE

Interior Design www.mariawrathallinteriors.co.uk

CS Bookkeeping Ltd

Safeguard Medical Technologies

Bookkeeping www.csbookkeepingcourses.co.uk

01568 613942

07736 032500

Sign Here Worcester

Your Love For Beauty & Skincare

01386 422161

Roots Psychology Group

01323 885205

Manufacturing www.truelineproducts.co.uk

OUT OF AREA Passion First Aid Ltd

07811 025169 Health & Safety Training www.passionfirstaid.co.uk

Emergency Medical Products www.safeguardmedical.com Weir Nursing Home Ltd

01981 590229 Residential Care www.weirnursinghome.co.uk

KIDDERMINSTER Cloud Top Technology Ltd

01299 887222 IT Support & Services www.cloudtoptechnology.co.uk Copper Beech Brewing Company Ltd

07581 331352 Brewery www.copperbeechbrewco.co.uk MVS Electrical Ltd

01384 387008 Electrical & Air Quality www.mvselectrics.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

047

CELEBRATING TWO YEARS OF SUPPORTING EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH tough time and we were thrilled to see so many people supporting the idea. Each time we see familiar faces who want to soak up even more knowledge from the research we collate and the guest speakers we invite along, as well as new faces who are particularly interested in the topic we have chosen for that month’s session.”

A mental health expert and Wellbeing Manager is reflecting on almost two years of supporting businesses and their employees with mental health and wellbeing.

The e-clinics are free to attend, and run for just one hour, but such is their popularity that Kerry and her team have gone on to provide further training for multiple attendees who have been impressed by the insight and expertise offered during the sessions.

Kerry Mitchell joined the newly-launched Paycare Wellbeing, sharing the city centre location with not-for-profit organisation Paycare – in October 2019 and has since trained hundreds of managers, teams and individuals.

Her initial range of Mental Health First Aid England accredited courses has been expanded to include virtual as well as face-to-face training, spurred on by the steep trend for working remotely in 2020. Almost a year ago the organisation witnessed more businesses than ever seeking support for mental health training.

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The team reacted with the development of free monthly e-clinics on topics such as stress, bereavement, workplace wellbeing and yoga.

Kerry said: “The e-clinics were a way of giving something back during a really

Kerry adds: “When I joined Paycare Wellbeing, mental health was already a topic that was being talked about by managers and team leaders – but little did we know what was around the corner, and as a result of the pandemic so many more organisations have realised why it’s so important for their teams to be physically and mentally healthy.

September/October 2021

BUSINESSNEWS

TIME TO TAKE STOCK AND STOCK TAKE The below graph shows the same 6-month data for a business including and excluding stock movement. As an illustration, you can see that you would have drawn very different conclusions from the performance of each month based on the margin with or without stock movement.

It always amazes me how many businesses out there still put little reliance on thinking about stock and work-in-progress.

There are lots of practical reasons why counting stock and valuing work-in-progress is an excellent idea; forward planning on stock requirements, monitoring cashflow requirements, improving physical controls around stock, and reducing the risk of stock going missing to name but a few.

However, as an accountant, I would say there is an absolute crucial reason for focusing on counting stock and valuing work-in-progress each month, and that is because without it, you have no idea how your business is really performing on a monthly or quarterly basis. Correctly accounting for stock removes the need for qualifications or explanations around performance. A pet hate of mine is seeing clients management accounts with profit margins jump all over the place from month-to-month, and then to have them explain to me that one month was particularly poor because that had a big purchase in it, and one month looked excellent because that was when all the invoicing was done. With this noise, it is

Ben Powell, Partner, Ballards LLP

impossible to really understand what a good month and bad month looks like.

It may seem simple to many, but there are still large amounts of businesses not putting the time and effort into accurate stock counts, and without them the numbers are largely meaningless. Please ensure stock and WIP valuations are not an afterthought in your business and make them a fundamental part of understanding the performance.

Find your digital voice!

Engaging your brand with audiences that matter.

www.be-everywhere.co.uk E: info@be-everywhere.co.uk T: 0191 580 5990

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

PROJECTS TACKLING UNEMPLOYMENT RECEIVE NEARLY £800,000 GRANT FUNDING Organisations spearheading projects to support unemployed people to build a brighter future have benefited from almost £800,000 of grant funding.

Denise Wilkinson, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs team

HCR HEWITSONS MERGER BUILDS ON SUCCESS OF AGRICULTURE TEAM Agricultural legal specialists on both sides of the firm’s recent merger are delighted that each other’s complementary strengths will result in wider, stronger, and deeper levels of legal expertise being available for their clients and the sector as a whole.

Denise Wilkinson, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Team, said: “Although we have more sector specialists post-merger, we share a common focus – providing tailored advice to each client, informed by a real understanding of their individual circumstances and the agricultural industry.

“I am delighted that, for former Hewitsons clients, the merger adds more depth and experience particularly in agricultural dispute resolution and advice on regulatory, health and safety and environmental matters.”

Gareth Williams, Head of Agricultural Property, said: “Our clients include everyone from farmers, landed estates and institutions, landed charities and those who own rural property for leisure or investment purposes. We can offer advice based on years of specialist knowledge both relating to both the law and the rural businesses environment. As well as wrestling with the post CAP agricultural policies, hot topics for our clients include carbon capture, biodiversity net gain and renewables for landowners.”

The growing team is spread across all 11 of the merged firm’s offices with centres of excellence in Cambridge, Cardiff, Hereford, Northampton and the Wye Valley.

The firm has a number of highly successful teams specialising in individual sectors, including health and social care, education, technology, agricultural and rural affairs, finance and financial services, defence, security and the forces, and construction. www.hcrlaw.com

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And with a further £700,000 still available, small and voluntary organisations across Herefordshire are being invited to claim a share of the funding.

The ESF Community Grants scheme has supported multiple projects across the county since applications opened in January 2020 and in turn this has helped hundreds of individuals gain access to jobs, training or education.

The grant is managed by Telford-based employment and education charity Landau in partnership with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and European Social Fund (ESF).

Sonia Roberts, CEO of Landau, said: “There are so many voluntary organisations across Shropshire delivering targeted and effective support to those who need it most and these grants are helping them to make a really positive impact in our communities.

“The programme is enabling those who have experienced barriers to employment or training to learn new skills, develop confidence and get back to work and we look forward to receiving the next round of applications over the coming months.”

Grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 are available through the scheme

Sonia Roberts, CEO of Landau

and applications are still open for organisations that offer activities that help improve confidence, promote personal development or facilitate social integration through sports, clubs and support groups.

Third sector and small organisations with a turnover of less than £8.5 million and fewer than 49 employees are eligible to apply for a grant through the programme, which forms part of a multi-million-pound series of measures overseen by the Marches LEP to transform lives across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Applications close in March 2022 and for information on eligibility and the full funding criteria visit www.landaugrants.co.uk or email landaugrants@landau.co.uk.

CENTENARY LOUNGE WINS 2021 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS’ CHOICE AWARD This achievement celebrates businesses that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to diners around the globe, having earned great traveler reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. As challenging as the past year was, Centenary Lounge stood out by continuously delighting customers.

Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor, said:

customers, this award speaks to the great service and experience Centenary Lounge provided guests with in the midst of a pandemic.”

The award puts Centenary Lounge in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide and provides breakfast, all-day dining, afternoon tea, cocktails and canapes and luxury hampers. www.centenarylounge.com

“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021 Travelers’ Choice Awards. I know the past year has been extremely challenging for tourism businesses. What has impressed me is how businesses adapted to these challenges, implementing new cleanliness measures, adding social distancing guidelines, and utilizing technology to prioritize guest safety.

Based on a full year of reviews from

September/October 2021

BUSINESSNEWS

NIFTY COMMUNICATIONS WALKS THE WALK WITH NEW LUXURY STREETWEAR BRAND Nifty Communications has taken significant steps into the fashion industry working alongside luxury streetwear brand, FORmE, right from concept through to launch.

EBC GROUP URGE BUSINESSES TO LOOK AT THEIR DISASTER RECOVERY In the wake of the pandemic and growing cyber security threats, EBC Group are urging businesses to look at their Backup and Disaster Recovery provision to ensure that they are protected in the event of a cyber security attack or other disaster. It’s important to evaluate how long your organisation could cope without access to its systems and data, hours, days, weeks?

Stu Burrows, Operations Manager at EBC Group, comments: “If your organisation can’t answer with confidence what it would do if all its systems stopped working, then you are leaving yourself extremely vulnerable. A disaster occurring to a business is considered ‘when and not if’, so being prepared is vital.

Fortunately, cloud-based Disaster Recovery has made it easier and more cost-effective than ever to be fully protected.”

EBC Group provide their clients with a tried and tested Disaster Recovery Solution (DRaaS). The cloud platform is based in their UK data centres, with the primary data centre situated within Telephone House, at Birmingham BT Tower, which is the 3rd largest communication hub in the UK. EBC Group’s partnership with BT ensures unrivalled connectivity, resilience, and latency.

To find out more about protecting your business speak to EBC Group on hello@ebcgroup.co.uk or 0121 3680187. www.ebcgroup.co.uk

The brand also has the Monsters range, a friendly little reminder to smile no matter what you’re going through, and to know that whenever you’re wearing FORmE you are never alone. Each monster represents a key component for living a positive life; self-confidence, gratitude and positive thinking. They remind people to be happy, confident and grateful for who they are.

Nifty also worked closely with FORmE to establish key concept ideas that have provided a launchpad for marketing campaigns, providing crucial traffic and engagement for the brand.

Christian Collison, Nifty Communications CEO, added: “It’s been great working with

FORmE, not only are the products high quality, the brand represents an important message which we just had to get behind.

We now hope for many more successes in the future.” www.niftycomms.com

COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR GROWING GREENER IN WORCESTERSHIRE & THE MARCHES Funding for energy efficiency and renewables

LOCOP has grants of up to £100,000 for Worcestershire.

Lowering energy bills can make a big difference to your bottom line and demonstrable action to reduce carbon emissions is becoming increasingly important to clients. The Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP) and Low Carbon Opportunities Programme (LOCOP) can help.

Businesses in Worcestershire can also tap into innovation grant funding and advice to develop and commercialise technologies and services which will achieve a greenhouse gas saving.

Businesses receive free and bespoke support, which can help consider markets, funding streams, scaling-up, IPR protection, technical collaborations and product testing. Grants of up to £30,000 are available.

Free advisory support on energy efficiency or renewable energy opportunities is on offer and BEEP has grants up to £20,000 in Worcestershire and The Marches and

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

www.hwchamber.co.uk/support/advice/beep

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To donate £5 text MissionPossible £5 to 70085.

Free outdoor photographic exhibition 17TH - 19TH SEPTEMBER CATHEDRAL SQUARE, WORCESTER 052

* texts cost your donation plus one standard rate message.

September/October 2021

CHARITYNEWS

£30,000 BAIL RAISED FOR MIDLANDS AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY AT JAIL EVENT TIME TO TEE OFF FOR HOSPICE CARE Golfers are being invited to join St Richard’s Hospice for a fundraising day on the fairway in Droitwich.

The annual autumn Golf Day, hosted by the Worcester hospice, will take place on Friday 8 October at Droitwich Golf Club.

Ria Simons, Fundraiser at St Richard’s, said: “We are really looking forward to a fun day of friendly competition on the fairway this October.

“This is always a great day out and we have been very well supported in the past, helping to raise a fantastic amount for our care.

“After missing the event last year due to the pandemic, we hope to see lots of teams out on the fairway this year, helping us raise the funds we need to continue our care to patients and their loved ones.”

Hallmark Hulme Solicitors, based in Worcester, is sponsoring the event.

Entry for a team of four costs £300 and includes a bacon roll and hot drinks on arrival. The competition takes place on the 18-hole course with tee off times from noon.

Then, in the evening, there will be an informal, two-course meal along with an awards presentation for the first three teams, nearest the pin, the longest drive and 2s competition.

There will also be a raffle and auction.

For further information or to register a team for the event visit www. strichards.org.uk/event/octobergolf-day-2021 or contact Fundraiser Ria Simons on: rsimons@strichards.org.uk.

Twenty-two ‘inmates’ were recently incarcerated for office-based crimes against their co-workers, all in the name of charity. The ‘Jail or Bail’ event raised more than £30,000 for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity during its 30-year anniversary celebration.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity collaborated with HM Prison Shrewsbury and invited employees of corporate supporters and Midlands businesses to sign up their CEOs and senior managers to a ‘Jail or Bail’ event.

Shrewsbury Prison, known as ‘The Dana’, is one of the spookiest former jails in the UK. The 22 inmates from 16 companies across Gloucestershire and the Midlands were subjected to a range of punishments varying from a dip in the baked beans pool, waxing treatments from local salon, The House of Beauty, and a spooky ghost tour.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is pleased to report that all inmates met their jail terms and were released the following day,

Shrewsbury Prison where ‘inmates’ were held

having raised in excess of £30,000 as a group.

Pam Hodgetts, Corporate Partnerships Manager for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “As a charity founded 30 years ago within the communities we serve, we always look to hold events and activities for our supporters to get involved with. Our Jail or Bail was a lot of fun and helped raised funds for our vitally important service.” www.midlandsairambulance.com

NEW AGE UK H&W VETERANS MEETING CENTRE OPENS IN HEREFORD Following the success of the pilot Hereford Veterans Dementia Wellbeing Group in 2020, Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire are pleased to say they have launched their new Hereford Veterans Meeting Centre based at Drybridge House in Hereford.

to enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of veterans and their carers in Herefordshire & Worcestershire. Their team are still here to help! www.ageuk.org.uk/ herefordshireandworcestershire

They will be offering veteran-specific specialist days working within a Maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy framework, which is proven to enhance wellbeing and maintain cognitive ability.

Members will be able to get involved with a variety of activities, including things like: gardening, chocolate making, discussions and much more. Members will also be able to enjoy a hot cooked meal together and form new friendships.

Age UK’s Veterans Service can provide a wide range of personalised support

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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LASTWORD

GROWING INTERNATIONALLY: AN EXPORT 101 Research shows that businesses that export are more profitable, grow more quickly, are more resilient and their people and intellectual property develop faster.

A successful export strategy contains many facets, this quick take article highlights the steps that need to be explored.

Chris Walklett, Tax Partner, has developed this Export 101 to help guide businesses through the process.

The Bishop Fleming team are on hand to support with each of the areas discussed.

1. BUSINESS PLAN REFLECTIONS Research shows that only a minority of businesses have a documented business plan that sets out their vision, objectives, strategy and behavioural values.

Interestingly, companies that export are more likely to have a business plan than those that do not.

Do you have a plan? If you do not and you are considering exporting then you are inviting a whole world of new challenges without a plan for managing them.

With a plan in place this can then form the basis for evolving an export plan.

2. CULTURE: AN EXPORT MINDSET Is the mindset right in your business? Is yours typically one that looks for excuses not to do something, or one that has a ‘can-do let’s give it a try’ mindset?

Exporting invites a whole world of opportunity to make mistakes and get things wrong. If your culture is not up to it then you are dead in the water. You will just generate a lot of excuses for ‘glass half-emptiers’ to retrench from global domination.

3. BITE-SIZED MARKET RESEARCH Early on you will need to do some research. The world is a big place.

Whilst you might want to deliver world domination (good – that is a growth mindset) you need to be realistic. Pick off the low hanging fruit.

4. REVISIT THE PLAN Your market research will hopefully have provided greater insight into the markets worth targeting, the logistics of doing so, the resource you will need (marketing, people, infrastructure, external support, finance etc) and what to go for first. With

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this new intelligence it is time to revisit the plan and adapt so where you go from here is informed by credible data, not conjecture.

5. FINANCE The working capital cycle needs funding – and the quicker the cycle (from curating goods and services through to getting paid for what you sell) the easier it is to sustainably fund what you need from existing resources and facilities.

The difference is that because you have got your business plan together and undertaken some research, you are in a better place to understand what you need and what the proposition is going to look like to the bank or any other backer.

6. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT – TAX AND LEGAL You are used to selling into the UK market, and the regulatory and tax consequences of doing so.

If you sell overseas, then your transactions are going to touch the tax and legal systems of other countries. No two countries are the same.

You will need to have your act together to ensure that inefficient processes and poorly selected partners do not drive costs (tax and other overheads) over and above your revenues.

7. LOGISTICS Assuming your website alone is not sufficient as a trading platform, you may need to identify a distributor or agent to help you sell into your chosen market.

8. SUPPORT NETWORK In addition to recruiting additional internal resource your business plan has identified that you will need, you will also have to consider external support.

In addition, having a business advisor in the country to which you are selling will be invaluable in helping you to stay compliant as well as helping you to identify useful business contacts in country.

Via their membership of Kreston, Bishop Fleming has offices in over 125 countries that are willing and able to assist you.

9. DO IT Nothing worth having ever comes easily.

There will be challenges. But plenty have gone before you and made a success of it. Follow the steps above, take the plunge and be prepared to learn.

Bishop Fleming have put together an International Advisory Knowledge Hub that offers business and personal international insights and expertise which provides all the important updates and guidance for you to keep up with. To view the Hub please visit here www.bishopfleming.co.uk/internationaladvisory-knowledge-hub.

September/October 2021

Find your digital voice!

Engaging your brand with audiences that matter.

www.be-everywhere.co.uk | E: info@be-everywhere.co.uk | T: 0191 580 5990

MOTIVATE, INSPIRE, RETAIN

TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE SHIP INCENTIVE You only have until Thursday 30 September 2021 to take advantage of the increased Government incentive payment, available to all employers who hire a new apprentice.

Age Of New Apprentice

Incentive Payment

16+

£3,000

This payment will be in addition to the existing £1,000 incentive payment that the Government already provides for new apprentices aged between 16-18, and those aged under 25 with an Education Health Care Plan, where that applies.

WCG Apprenticeships are the only training provider in Worcestershire to offer apprenticeships in the following areas:

• • • •

Agriculture Animal Care Arboriculture Horticulture Inc. Golf Greenkeeping & Sports Turf

• Land-based Engineering • Veterinary Nursing • Plus many more!

Contact our Business Development team who will be able to help you negotiate the incentive so that it can benefit you in the best way possible:

0330 135 6940 | employerenquiries@wcg.ac.uk CENTRE FOR DIGITAL & CYBER TECHNOLOGY

wcg.ac.uk/worcsapprenticeships