Business News

SN FINANCIAL SERVICES WIN NATIONAL AWARD

SN Financial Services are proud to announce their success in winning a national award at the Intelliflo Connected conference in May. This prestigious prize from Intelliflo, a leading CRM provider in the financial sector, recognised SN Financial as the “Super User” for uptake of the customer “Personal Finance Portal”. Intelliflo recognised the company for its adoption of the technology which allows customers to access their finance portfolio dynamically whilst maintaining security and data protection. SN Financial Services fought off strong competition from several contenders to pick up the award presented by Gabby Logan at the Park Plaza in London. Director, Samantha Neale said, “We are delighted to win this award and provide such an important part of our service to customers through the secure portal. We pride ourselves on providing a personal service, complemented by technology that really sets us apart from our competitors giving our clients a facility that suits their fast paced, online lives”.

BECKER CASE UNDERLINES SERIOUSNESS OF INSOLVENCY LAWS

Samuel Pedley

As reported widely across the media, German tennis star Boris Becker has recently been found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act and sentenced to prison for just over two years. Aside from his global stardom, his case demonstrates how seriously the UK Insolvency Service takes its responsibilities around bankruptcy and the penalties it is prepared to impose against individuals who avoid declaring the true position around their assets. There are a series of powers available to the court in these cases and they include community, supervision, rehabilitation, disqualification and conditional orders. In Becker’s case, however, the court went significantly further and found that his ‘dishonesty and lack of humility’ played a considerable part in his sentencing. Overall, the case highlights to those who are made bankrupt that they should be honest and take professional advice as early as possible. For more information, readers can email Sam Pedley at mfg Solicitors through, samuel.pedley@ mfgsolicitors.com.

A BEACON OF INNOVATION AND ENTERPRISE WHERE CREATIVITY MEETS TECHNOLOGY

The 700 SqM Digital Culture Hub (DCH) is part of the successful bid by Rural Media to the Government’s Stronger Towns Fund and is the digital skills component of the Hereford Stronger Towns Skills Foundry initiative. The Skills Foundry is a partnership between NMITE, Rural Media, Hereford College of Arts, Growing Local CIC, and South Side. The DCH will be based in the centre of Hereford and contribute to “levelling-up” Herefordshire by creating an ecosystem of digital creativity and innovation for Herefordshire. Studio-based and remote incubator/accelerator programmes will enable young creative talent to establish new cultural enterprises in Herefordshire and strengthen the talent supply chain. The Digital Culture Hub has been designed around 5 skills and cultural development areas. Multi-level digital creative skills training, cultural & creative business development, broadcast, film, TV, audio, and interactive facilities. Additionally, mobile screen and exhibition units will help promote cultural, educational, and business opportunities and activities, and a public digital gallery will facilitate an immersive, and moving image exhibition functionality. The Digital Culture Hub will capitalise on: The growth of creative industry and micro-businesses Benefit public, private and VCSE sectors and the county’s zero-carbon targets Combat rural isolation and challenges stemming from an older age demographic Address the critical issue of ex-migration of young people from Herefordshire and attract talent seeking to establish tech businesses in the area Draw upon HCA and RM’s expertise in inclusion, diversity and social mobility Support and facilitate digital activity of the Museum, Library and Archive services Raise residents’ sense of pride in their city and county through public exhibition of cutting-edge digital cultural content Attract start-ups from further afield to re-locate to Herefordshire and encourage fringe enterprises and collaborative projects Nic Millington, Founder and CEO at Rural Media said, “The Digital Culture Hub will make a change in Herefordshire and the rural West Midlands by investing diverse individuals and communities with digital communication skills and the means to share their stories, build new enterprises, and put the county on the national and international map.”