VOX Magazine - issue 3

VOX

YOUR QUARTERLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE CONNECTING CHESTER & WREXHAM

Monthly Advisory Board

VOX

YOUR QUARTERLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE CONNECTING CHESTER & WREXHAM

Welcome to VOX, your voice to target the business community across Chester and Wrexham. Whether you are based in Chester or Wrexham, or are keen to reach the businesses that are, our magazine has been specifically designed to reach the people that matter.

Meet the team:

Clara lives in Chester and runs a successful marketing company, Zebra Marketing and Communications (www.zebra-comms.co.uk), that has been operating locally, nationally and internationally for over 11 years. Clara specialises in strategic marketing, copywriting, media relations and services relating to events, exhibitions and conferences.

01978 437070 | 07702 736763 clara@ezpublishing.co.uk

Recycle

Vicky lives just outside Wrexham and owns and produces EssentialsMAG (www.essentialsmag.co.uk) – a local monthly community magazine which is hand-delivered through 14,000 letterboxes in and around Wrexham. She is also a successful graphic designer and artist and has been working in the creative industries since 1992 and established her first business in 2003.

01978 855459 | 07740 945795 vicky@ezpublishing.co.uk

Full details are on page 12.

Cover illustration: Chester Racecourse by artist Emma Gore @emmagoredesigns

Clara Hughes Editorial Director

Vicky Heathfield Creative Director & Advertising

Welcome

Welcome to our latest issue of VOX

As we hit issue three, I hope you will agree we are starting to get into our stride. It is a real honour to get out and about meeting and interviewing so many different people for VOX. Everyone has a different story to tell, but what comes over most clearly is the passion and commitment each person has for the business they are running, or for the community that they are part of and representing.

So, what is VOX? – a quick reminder VOX is the Latin word for ‘voice’, and this is what we want to provide for local businesses around Chester and Wrexham – a voice and a platform to showcase your work, share your successes and offer help and advice to one other.

What’s in store?

With the May Bank Holidays and the Queen’s Jubilee behind us, we really are in the throes of the Summer now. This issue we were lucky enough to meet the team behind Chester Visual Arts and hear about some of their plans for a new exhibition in Chester later this year – and the opportunities that this can provide to local businesses too. We also met with the new Chief Operating Officer for the Crusaders, which until recently had their home in Wrexham – and their heart is still very much there. We also had the privilege to interview Louise Stewart, the new Chief Executive at Chester Racecourse, and talk team development and podcasts with the founder of STAR Development. Elsewhere in the magazine you’ll find plenty of business and charity news, as well as a round-up from our launch event in March, news about our forthcoming networking evening and articles from landscape design, to marketing, coaching, leadership and much more.

Help us raise your voice

Once again, we would like to thank our advertisers and contributors, who have helped us create our third issue. And huge appreciation goes out to our resident artist Emma Gore, who has developed another stunning piece of original cover artwork.

Don’t forget, we want to make VOX the voice for local businesses – a platform where we can share your stories and experiences of the region, celebrate your successes and be proud to be part of a community uniting two important economic hubs. To make this happen, we would love to hear your views and find out what you would be interested in reading about.

We hope you enjoy reading our latest issue of VOX!

Clara and Vicky

Croeso

Croeso i'n rhifyn diweddaraf o VOX Wrth i ni gyrraedd rhifyn tri, gobeithio y byddwch yn cytuno ein bod yn dechrau dod iddi. Mae'n anrhydedd gwirioneddol i fynd allan i gyfarfod a chyfweld cymaint o wahanol bobl ar gyfer VOX. Mae gan bawb stori wahanol i'w hadrodd, ond yr hyn sy'n dod drosodd yn fwyaf amlwg yw'r angerdd a'r ymrwymiad sydd gan bob person dros y busnes y maent yn ei redeg, neu dros y gymuned y maent yn rhan ohoni ac yn ei chynrychioli.

Felly, beth yw VOX? – nodyn cyflym i’ch atgoffa VOX yw'r gair Lladin am 'lais', a dyma beth rydyn ni am ei ddarparu ar gyfer busnesau lleol o amgylch Caer a Wrecsam - llais a llwyfan i arddangos eich gwaith, rhannu eich llwyddiannau a chynnig help a chyngor i'n gilydd.

Beth sydd ar y gweill?

Gyda Gwyliau Banc mis Mai a Jiwbilî'r Frenhines y tu ôl i ni, rydyn ni wir yng nghanol yr Haf nawr. Y rhifyn hwn roeddem yn ddigon ffodus i gwrdd â'r tîm y tu ôl i Chester Visual Arts a chlywed am rai o'u cynlluniau ar gyfer arddangosfa newydd yng Nghaer yn ddiweddarach eleni - a'r cyfleoedd y gall hyn eu cynnig i fusnesau lleol hefyd. Cawsom gyfarfod hefyd

â Phrif Swyddog Gweithredu newydd y Crusaders, a oedd â'u cartref yn Wrecsam tan yn ddiweddar - ac mae eu calon yno o hyd. Cawsom hefyd y fraint o gyfweld â Louise Stewart, Prif Weithredwr newydd Cae Ras Caer a thrafod datblygu tîm a phodlediadau gyda sylfaenydd STAR Development. Mewn mannau eraill yn y cylchgrawn fe welwch ddigonedd o newyddion busnes ac elusennol, yn ogystal â chrynodeb o'n digwyddiad lansio ym mis Mawrth, newyddion am ein noson rwydweithio sydd ar y gweill ac erthyglau am amryw o bynciau, o ddylunio tirwedd, i farchnata, hyfforddi, arweinyddiaeth a llawer mwy.

Helpwch ni i godi eich llais

Unwaith eto, hoffem ddiolch i'n hysbysebwyr a'n cyfranwyr, sydd wedi ein helpu i greu ein trydydd rhifyn. Hoffwn hefyd estyn ein gwerthfawrogiad enfawr i'n hartist preswyl Emma Gore, sydd wedi datblygu darn trawiadol arall o waith celf clawr gwreiddiol.

Cofiwch, rydyn ni am wneud VOX yn llais i fusnesau lleol – llwyfan lle gallwn rannu eich straeon a'ch profiadau o'r rhanbarth, dathlu eich llwyddiannau a bod yn falch o fod yn rhan o gymuned sy'n uno dau hwb economaidd pwysig. Er mwyn i hyn ddigwydd, byddem wrth ein bodd yn clywed eich barn a chael gwybod beth fyddai gennych ddiddordeb mewn darllen amdano.

Gobeithio y byddwch chi’n mwynhau darllen ein rhifyn diweddaraf o VOX!

Clara and Vicky

Two students score success with dream Wrexham AFC signings

Two students who netted professional contracts with their dream football club have thanked college lecturers for supporting their long-term goals. Dan Jones and Tom Jenkins, who are in the final year of a Level 3 Sports Coaching and Development course at Coleg Cambria Yale, have signed for Wrexham AFC.

Both Tom and Dan are now contracted until the end of the 2022/23 season and hope to play a part in the side’s continued success. Tom, 18, from Bromborough, is an attacking midfielder and current Youth Team captain, who has been with the club for more than a decade. Dan, 18, a tenacious striker, is an avid supporter of his hometown club.

Dan said: “I’ve been a fan all my life and my family are as well, so it’s a dream come true. We would both like to thank the college for its support, the course has been really enjoyable and it’s great to have achieved this qualification for the future. Our aim now is to keep working hard and have an impact, as the team continues its push for promotion – it’s a fantastic time to have signed.”

Food for thought

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a dramatic rise in the number of new food businesses. As a result the Food Standards Agency has launched a campaign reminding food businesses that they have a legal obligation to register with their local authority 28 days before opening, with it being an offence not to do so.

Businesses that have not registered must do as soon as possible. Businesses must also register with the local authority, if they are taking over an existing food business. Further information on registering as a food business can be found here food.gov.uk/register-a-food-business

Landmark Welsh recycling rule makes manufacturers responsible for waste

Wales – ranked third in the world for domestic recycling – has joined forces with other UK nations to introduce new ‘polluter pays’ rules to make businesses which place packaged goods onto the market pay for their waste to be recycled.

But Wales, alongside Scotland, is going one step further by committing to ensuring companies responsible for the most commonly-littered items that scourge streets, communities and the countryside, cover the clean-up costs. Under the new rules, a standard recycling logo will be required on all packaging to help consumers know what they can put in their recycling bins.

Brand owners, importers, distributers and online marketplaces will be charged according to the amount and type of packaging they place on the market. Industry will be penalised if its’ packaging is harder to reuse or recycle, or if it fails to hit recycling targets. The fees they pay will be used to fund improved kerbside collections of packaging waste from households.

Payments to local authorities for the handling of packaging waste will begin in 2024 and further information can be found at https://gov.wales/landmarkrule-makes-manufacturersresponsible-waste-createdtheir-products

Chester hosts prestigious international conference

Chester-based law firm Aaron & Partners hosted delegates from all over the world in its home city last month (May 2022), as the IAG Global Assembly took place for the first time since the pandemic.

The conference was the first inperson meeting for the global group since the pandemic, with delegates and their guests coming from countries including Sweden, Germany, Australia, USA, Singapore and many others. IAG Global is an association of independent professional service firms from across the globe, and its assemblies are designed to help members work more closely together, build relationships and share ideas.

The four-day event included an evening at Chester Cathedral featuring entertainment from the Welsh National Opera, a dining experience by Italian restaurant Bollicini, a trip to Chester Zoo, a gala dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel, with entertainment from The Hammond School of Performing Arts, an afternoon at Cheshire Polo, and a visit to Liverpool.

Yes you can! Innovative Welsh service receives funding boost

A vital wellbeing and employment support service, which has helped almost 900 people across North Wales since 2019, has received a funding boost to continue operating for another 12 months. iCAN Work, led by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, is the only service of its kind in Wales and will now be able to provide specialist employment support for people with mental health needs across the six counties in North Wales until 31 March 2023.

In the counties of Wrexham, Flintshire and Gwynedd the programme is managed by Adferiad Recovery, formerly CAIS, which responds to the needs of people facing a range of co-occurring health conditions and complex social circumstances –people who are seldom seen and seldom heard.

Available to anyone aged 16 and over, iCAN Work is based on the principles of the globally-used Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment programme, which is integrated within community mental health teams, to help people find and retain employment.

It is the first time that this approach, funded by Welsh Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has been adopted on a large scale in Wales. More than 200 people having been supported into work since the pilot scheme launched across North Wales in June 2019.

Christine Swain, iCAN Work team lead at RCS, said: “The work we find people is tailored to the individual, because if it was simply about finding ‘any job’ then there is more chance of them leaving that role. It is important that the workplace is supportive of their needs and the individual steps away from the programme, when they feel it is the right time for them to do so.

“It is not just about the period from registering a person into the programme to finding them employment, but also the continued support once they have a job, in terms of sorting out housing, childcare and transport issues, as they all play a part in assisting individuals who reach out for our help.”

For more information on RCS and the iCAN Work service, visit https://rcs-wales.co.uk/en/supporting-you-into-work/i-can-work/ and for more information on Adferiad, visit https://www.adferiad.org.uk

Bereavement at work

ACAS has released new advice, which can be found via the link below, to help employers handle staff bereavement at work and understand an employee's legal right to time off: acas.org.uk/timeoff-for-bereavement

Free course available from Tourism For All

Tourism For All is offering a new, free, short course, which shows how the initial steps to improving accessibility can be easier than you think. Whether you want to grow your business, or just maintain it at its current level, you should think about the welcome and service you can provide to customers with access needs.

For further information and to register for the course please visit https://site.tourismforall.org.uk/staff-training/free-courses

Welsh mental health programme extended by three years

In February 2022, Lynne Neagle, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Vaughan Gething, Minister for Economy, confirmed additional funding totalling £1.4m is being made available to extend the ‘Time to Change Wales’ programme until 2025.

Time to Change Wales’ central aim is to challenge and change negative attitudes and behaviours towards mental ill-health. The programme concentrates on four key areas: partnerships; employers and the workplace; health and social care; and social marketing. The campaign is delivered by a partnership of two leading Welsh charities, Mind Cymru and Adferiad Recovery.

The new phase of work will have particular focus on working with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and employers in areas of poverty and deprivation. In previous years the programme has focused on increasing engagement with men through the Talking Is A Lifeline campaign and increasing the number of Welsh speakers involved.

One key part of Time to Change Wales is working with employers to create more open cultures around discussing mental health at work and provide employers with practical resources, including an Employer Toolkit and training.

For more information, visit timetochangewales.org.uk/en

The journey to net zero for SMEs

The Carbon Trust has produced a guide, which provides small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a pathway to net zero. It introduces the simple options available to SMEs when beginning their Net Zero journey and highlights the challenges in the long-term.

As a brief overview, the introductory guide includes information on:

• What does Net Zero mean?

• What is a carbon footprint?

• What are the drivers to achieving Net Zero?

• Carbon reduction opportunities for SMEs

• Offsetting and greenhouse gas removal

• Future considerations for SMEs

• Communicating commitments.

For more information, visit www.carbontrust.com/resources/the-journey -to-net-zero-for-smes

Sew far, sew good – Textiles 2030

Textiles 2030 is the trailblazing initiative for fashion and textiles companies in the UK. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is working with major clothing, home textiles, sportswear and work wear retailers, alongside the UK reuse and recycling sector, to transform the entire supply chain of textiles.

Businesses are being invited to join Textiles 2030 to be at the forefront of building back greener, influencing policy, increasing customer loyalty and satisfying their investors.

Targets of the initiative include to:

• Cut carbon by over 50% to align with a 1.5°C global target

• Cut water use by 30%

• Create and deliver a circular textiles roadmap for the UK

For further information please visit https://wrap.org.uk/takingaction/textiles/initiatives/textiles -2030

New UK legislation tackles fuel consumption and emissions

In good news for any business that requires a haulier, HGV operators can now use aerodynamic features and longer cabs, to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Thanks to new government regulations that came into effect in February 2022, more environmentally-friendly heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are now allowed on Britain’s roads. The new rules allow haulage companies to choose vehicles with elongated cabs and aerodynamic features fitted on the back, which help reduce fuel consumption and consequently lessen emissions.

Aerodynamic rear devices are flaps that are fitted on the back of trailers, to reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic drag without using up load space. They were previously not permitted for use on Great Britain’s roads under regulations that have been in place since 1986. This follows separate legislation last year to allow greener, longer goods vehicles to be rolled out as the government responded to its trial and consultation on longer semitrailers reducing mileage, congestion and carbon emissions.

Extension to plug-in van and truck grants

The Government has announced a two-year extension to the plugin van and truck grant scheme. Since 1 April 2022, the threshold to claim the small truck grant of up to £16,000 has increased from 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes. Grants worth £5,000 are available for vans up to 4.25 tonnes.

Refill – Get involved to help tackle single-use plastic pollution

The Refill initiative looks to substantially increase the availability of high-quality drinking water and help stop plastic pollution with the Refill app. Being listed on the Refill app connects you to thousands of app users in Wales looking for free water refills, which could increase footfall for your business, and show your customers you are taking action against plastic pollution.

Participating businesses simply sign up to the app for free and put a sticker in their window, alerting passers-by that they’re welcome to come in and get a refill. For further information and to sign up as a Refill Station on the Refill app, visit refill.org.uk/refill-wales

Police CyberAlarm: a free cyber tool for businesses

Police CyberAlarm is a free tool which looks to help organisations monitor and report malicious activity they may face from the Internet. Acting as a ‘CCTV camera’ that monitors the traffic seen by a member’s connection to the internet, Police CyberAlarm will detect and provide regular reports of suspected malicious activity, enabling organisations to minimise their vulnerabilities. The data collected by the system does not contain any content of the traffic.

The system is designed to protect personal data, trade secrets and intellectual property. Members of Police CyberAlarm will become part of the wider UK cyber defence network, sharing collected data with police for analysis at local, regional and national levels to identify trends, react to emerging threats and identify, pursue and prosecute cyber criminals. Vulnerability scanning can be added and used to scan an organisation’s website and external IP addresses, providing regular reports of all known vulnerabilities. For further information and to register, visit https://cyberalarm.police.uk/

Managing and supporting UK employees with long-term health conditions

Over 15 million people live with a long-term health condition in the UK and in 2019/20, there were an estimated 32.5 million working days lost due to work-related ill health. Having supportive management practices in place gives employees the best chance of staying in work and fulfilling their potential.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has published a new guide, which introduces long-term health conditions and sets out the reasons why organisations need to take action. While there are many different long-term health conditions, the principles-based guidelines provided offer organisations a starting point to provide effective support for any condition.

A copy of the managing and supporting employees with longterm health conditions guide can be downloaded at cipd.co.uk/Images/managinglong-term%20health-conditionshr-guide_tcm18-105213.pdf

Become a VOX distributor

Would you like to earn some extra money? Do you need to do some exercise? Then join our team of distributors now.

All applicants must be 18+ and own/have access to a car.

Quad Recruitment ‘QUAD’-ruples in 2021

A leading Nationwide Pharmacy Recruitment Agency based on the Chester Business Park went through an astronomical ‘bounce back’ post Covid 19 –it enjoyed 400% growth through the last 12 months and has predicted a matching increase for 2022.

Quad Recruitment works within the pharmaceutical industry, placing Pharmacy professionals across the UK and the US. In 2021 alone, Quad Recruitment won business with several of the UK’s leading Pharmacy brands, giving them the opportunity to work hand-in-hand to source the very best Pharmacy talent for their ‘hard to fill’ vacancies.

James Roberts, Quad Recruitment managing director, explained: “Recruitment saw some of its most challenging times throughout the pandemic and forced us to change a huge part of how we do business. But as a pharmacy recruitment agency, the demand was high and we very much capitalised on this.

“We've enhanced our business development skills, learnt our worth and never fail to produce honest results. Values have always been at the forefront of every decision made, with integrity being one of the most important.”

Band aid – helping musicians to record and release their work

A programme provided by Help Musicians UK offers funding and support to professional UK musicians of all genres and disciplines aged 18 or over. It focusses on independent music creators who are controlling one or more aspects of their career (e.g. self-managing, selfreleasing, self-producing).

Applicants can be a solo artist, composer, group member, songwriter, producer or a multidisciplinary artist.

Successful applicants will receive:

• £3,000 in financial support towards creative output

• One-to-one business advice sessions tailored to your needs and delivered via experienced music industry professionals, as coordinated by ThinkMusic

• One-to-one health consultation with British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) professionals.

For further information and how to submit an application, visit helpmusicians.org.uk/creative-programme/current-opportunities/recordingand-releasing-music

Local accountants Haines Watts continues to grow

Local accountancy firm, Haines Watts based in Chester, continues its growth, with the promotion of two of its key managers to Associate Directors and the recruitment of three new team members. Matt Davenport and Steve McKee have both been promoted to become Associate Directors of the firm. Matt joined the firm three years ago as Tax Manager and has since developed that role through his work helping SME businesses with corporate tax advice and support. Steve joined six years ago and has been advising Haines Watts clients on their audit, accounts and financial management.

Director of Haines Watts in Chester, Steve Greensill, said, “Both these promotions are well deserved. Steve and Matt have made exceptional contributions to the ongoing growth and quality of our business. They both play an instrumental role in meeting the ever-changing needs of our clients and their business challenges.”

To cope with the growth of the company’s client base, Martyn Raistrick joins the firm as Senior Accountant, Liz Griffiths joins as Accounts Senior and Liam Wilson has joined as Portfolio Manager. Martyn, Liz and Liam bring a wide range of experience to the team. Liam also has specialist expertise in acting for franchisors and franchisees in industries including homecare, delivery services, cleaning, and children’s activities. The promotions and new appointments not only provide great career opportunities for those involved, but gives other members of the Haines Watts Chester team the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge, and build their career in the business.

Hundreds attend Aaron & Partners’ Employment Law Roadshow in Chester

More than 100 people descended on the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa for Legal 500-ranked law firm Aaron & Partners’ first inperson roadshow since before the pandemic, with around 125 more tuning in to watch online.

Directors, managers and HR leaders gathered for the hotly-anticipated event to receive expert advice on topics including diversity and inclusion, immigration and mandatory vaccination. Held in partnership with Gap Personnel, it featured discussion and key legal insights into current and pressing topics.

Speaking after the event, Helen Watson, Head of Employment at Aaron & Partners, said: “It was amazing to see some familiar faces, but also so many new faces at the roadshow, which is one of the biggest events in our calendar. To get 250 people attending in person and online is fantastic. It’s so important that CEOs, HR leaders and senior leadership teams are up-to-date on the ever-changing sphere of employment legislation, and our roadshow is one of the most informative and comprehensive ways of getting right up to speed.”

Be the best

Be the Business UK offers mentoring and online support to help SME business leaders improve the performance of their businesses. If you are an SME with at least one employee based anywhere in the UK, you can engage a free business mentor, to act as a sounding board and support you with challenges and opportunities. Also available is free online support, which will offer inspiration from similar businesses, plus information, advice and tools. The mentoring support is available over 12 weeks or 12 months, and further information can be found at bethebusiness.com

LEFT TO RIGHT: Martyn Raistrick, Elizabeth Griffiths, Steve Greensill, Liam Wilson, Matt Davenport

New product recalls and alerts site launched

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has recently unveiled a new product safety alert, reports and recalls site to help the British public, businesses and consumer groups to:

• Identify unsafe products.

• Search for previously recalled or reported products

• Filter pages by product category, risk level, measure type, date and type of alert

• Subscribe to instant, daily, or weekly updates

For further information and to access the site visit:

gov.uk/government/news/newproduct-recalls-and-alerts-site

Village news

The first 12 months of a multi-million-pound Wrexham ‘Commercial Village’ has been deemed an overwhelming success. The iâl brand at Coleg Cambria Yale successfully launched last Spring, blending retail and hospitality with education, creating new jobs, providing vital work experience for learners and supporting the local economy.

Based at the college’s £21m Hafod building, Director of Commercial Operations Maria Stevens is thrilled with how the beauty and hair salon, restaurant and training academy, coffee bar and florist performed in the last year, despite the pandemic. “The response has been amazing, when you consider the challenges we’ve faced, particularly in recruitment.”

“Feedback for all our services has been positive and we are organising more and more activities – such as the popular Christmas Markets – to generate footfall and give students a flavour of real-time, real-life events. We have also taken on skilled industry professionals, to ensure learners are ready for the world of work and support the significant increase in recruitment demand in the industry, which is already being reflected in rising demand and visitor numbers.”

Students, staff and the public have access to these services and sectors, which complement existing provision and support the town at a challenging time for high streets across the country. Visit cambria.ac.uk for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

North Wales IT business becomes entirely employee-owned

North Wales-based IT support services specialist, Pro-Networks, has announced its transformation into an entirely employee-owned business, following the retirement of founder and managing director, Paul Crudge. From March 2022, Pro-Networks became an Employee-Owned Trust (EOT) business. Each member of the company’s 35-strong workforce, who has worked there for at least 12 months, is now a beneficiary of the EOT, which will hold shares on their behalf as long as they remain an employee of the company. Many of the employees are long-serving members of the team.

please email: clara@ezpublishing.co.uk

An established and successful business for over 20 years, with 350 customers worldwide, Pro-Networks has joined a host of other companies across the UK, which have adopted this ownership model since it was first introduced by the Government in 2014. Renowned EOTs include John Lewis Partnership, Richer Sounds and Aardman Animations.

Skills Factory – developing skills for Industry 4.0

The Skills Factory is a new collaborative project in North Wales between Coleg Cambria, Bangor University and The Open University. Aimed at providing learners with the opportunity to achieve valuable technical skills and knowledge, it will help to fill a skills gap in industry at a range of different levels. Learners in the Skills Factory are preparing for the future of Smart Factories. For information on the fully-funded part-time courses, visit: cambria.ac.uk/courses/results/?search=skills+factory

100 days The first

The racing season started in earnest at Chester Racecourse last month, with Chester’s famous three-day May Festival kicking off on Wednesday 4 May 2022. This racing spectacular has for a long time heralded the start of the racing season at the UK’s – and arguably the world’s – oldest racecourse. Working hard at her first Chester race meeting was the new CEO of Chester Race Company Ltd, Louise Stewart, who joined the company at the start of March 2022.

With LOUISE STEWART, Chester Race Company

AS THE GLAMOUR AND EXCITEMENT of the May festivities fade into the distance for another year, we were fortunate enough to be able to talk to Louise and hear her thoughts on her inaugural Chester race meet, towards the end of her first 100 days in her new role.

The interview

With over 140 staff throughout the year, which increases to over 1,400 on race days, Chester Race Company is one of the city’s premier businesses. Louise joins the race company from a very different type of visitor attraction, having been the CEO of Alexandra Palace in London for the last six-and -a-half years. Alexandra Park and Palace dates back to 1873 and is a charitable trust. It is a seven-and-a-half-acre heritage building, set in 196 acres of parkland.

As Louise explains: “I have been interested and involved in tourism from the start. I did a Tourism Management degree at the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham and have been involved with leisure and entertainment businesses throughout my career.

“I have a love of the outdoors and spent time as a mountain and tour guide in the UK and overseas, before working in a number of tourism, cultural and regeneration roles – from local authority and regional development,

through to five years as Deputy CEO of Visit England – before taking on the role at Alexandra Palace.

“I relish working with teams during their formative period, helping to identify opportunities and shaping the strategy. At Alexandra Palace I led the strategic work, from the vision and branding to improving our engagement with the community– changing the way the business operated. I was also

responsible for overseeing a £30 million investment to restore derelict areas of the building, while being respectful of its heritage. It was a fascinating project producing some unique and special places for people to enjoy.

“I’m very excited to have joined the team at Chester. I am supported by an experienced board and have been warmly welcomed by the city.

“the sound of the hooves on the track and the roar of the crowd was intense”

“I have also found the racing fraternity to be incredibly welcoming too. I’m currently at the point where I can still ask the ‘stupid questions’, as I work towards becoming an integral part of the Chester Races family.

“Even though we only have 15 days of racing each year, it is still a ‘365 days a year’ operation. It was a difficult decision to leave Alexandra Palace, but when Chester Race Company approached me, the opportunity and the timing seemed right. I thrive on new challenges and when you are leading a team at a historic venue like Alexandra Palace, you know that the work you do is only one chapter in a long book.”

Engaging with the local business community

“I believe that we are the custodians of the beautiful space that we manage at the racecourse. I am very aware that the public effectively give us a ‘licence to operate’, we have a social responsibility to them, the business community and the racing community too. We have an innate duty of care to the racehorses that visit our course. However, the site is much more than just ‘race days’ and we host numerous events throughout the year. The site has so much potential, and we are actively exploring how else we can use the space inventively going forward. I want to explore how we can contribute to the cultural needs of the city and how we can truly make an impact.

“We are already working with Chester BID to look at initiatives that will help the wider Chester community and the business community, in particular during the race days. We have invested in additional stewarding and litter pickers and of course we are encouraging our customers to behave responsibly too. I want to ensure a good-quality customer experience, as we navigate the complexities post-Covid.

“I’m looking forward to a deeper involvement with Chester BID and other organisations, like Marketing Cheshire, to work together for our mutual benefit, while minimising any negative impact the race days might have on the city. There are some exciting big businesses and visitor

attractions in Chester, including Chester Zoo and Storyhouse, so we represent an important destination on the national and international stage.”

Bringing the community with you With an already impressive career CV, we asked Louise about her biggest achievement to date. Louise had little hesitation in explaining that it was how she and her team at Alexandra Palace had navigated their way through Covid. She explained the enormity of the challenge she faced there and how the lessons learnt during that period will always stay with her:

“One example in particular stands out for me. Alexandra Palace provides a

large public space, which people flocked to in their droves during Covid. But as we had to close our doors and send all our team home, for theirs and the public’s safety, there was no one available and no income to ensure that the public space was kept clean, safe and tidy. I expected to be inundated with criticism and complaints, but what actually happened was that the local community responded to look after ‘their’ Park and cleared the grounds.

“It wasn’t organised by us, but such was the inherent community support that we had worked so hard on in the years leading up to Covid, the local residents truly stepped up in a crisis – people really can surprise you.”

“I am very aware that the public effectively give us a ‘licence to operate’, we have a social responsibility to them, the business community and the racing community too”

Under starters orders

When asked about her experience of her very first Chester Race day, Louise said: “I loved it! It was fascinating to watch the team at work. There is a brilliance in what they do, which really comes to life when the races are on.

“We have a multi-skilled team Chester –at Bangor on Dee and Musselburgh too, although the racing experience at each course is very different. It was important to me that I was as visible as possible throughout the meet, so the team could start to get to know me, and I them. My leadership style has been shaped by my experiences and I have always enjoyed a collaborative approach with my team.

“However, the undoubted highlight for me was getting trackside to watch a couple of the races and soak in the atmosphere. The beautiful movement of the horses, the sound of the hooves on the track and the roar of the crowd was intense.”

About Chester Racecourse

Established in 1539, Chester is the oldest racecourse still in operation in the world. Often referred to as the ‘Ascot of the North’, horse welfare at Chester is paramount.

The racecourse has consistently been awarded the Gold Standard Award by the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) – since the award’s inception in 2008 – and was awarded the prestigious title of Large Racecourse of the Year, when the award was launched in 2015, and again in 2018 and 2019.

“I want to explore how we can contribute to the cultural needs of the city and how we can truly make an impact”

Launch The

After months of hard work creating the first two issues of VOX, we were delighted to have the opportunity to raise a glass and mark our achievement at our launch event in March.

WE WERE JOINED BY NEARLY 200 PEOPLE FROM THE LOCAL BUSINESS community (and some friends and family too) at Wrexham Racecourse, the home of Wrexham AFC.

For many people, it was the first large event they had attended since March 2020, and it was great to feel the energy and goodwill in the room, and hear the conversation and laughter taking place.

The event was supported by some of our lovely advertisers, including Wrexham Chauffeurs and the HR Dept, and some excellent raffle prizes were kindly donated by advertisers and other local businesses. The raffle raised almost £200, which was donated to Nightingale House, as requested by Wrexham AFC. Thank you to Maggie and Kathryn Austen for their support on the night too!

A big thanks to everyone who has become part of VOX’s journey so far…

With thanks to:

• Hadlow Edwards

• Home of Offices

• HR Department

• Nevaeh Beauty and Holistic Therapy

• North Wales Crusaders

Tilston Training

Time for Marketing

Vicky Heathfield (Artistig)

Wildflour@NHF

Wrexham AFC

Wrexham Chauffeurs

Xplore! Science

Zebra Marketing & Communications

Our story so far…

EZ Publishing was set up in February 2020, just weeks before the UK went into lockdown. VOX was originally scheduled to launch in Spring 2020, but in light of the pandemic it was decided to delay the first issue. Finally, in September 2021, as a degree of normalcy was starting to return, we felt the time was right and work began on issue one, which we published in December 2021. VOX is a celebration of local business, and we are excited to see where the forthcoming issues will take us.

Coming up… VOX networking, 23 June 2022

Following on from the success of our launch event, we are planning on starting a quarterly networking event to coincide with the launch of each issue. Our first networking event takes place on Thursday 23 June, between 5-7pm at The Golden Lion, Rossett

If you would like to book your ticket, please visit: ezpublishing.co.uk/events

“For many people, it was the first large event they had attended since March 2020, and it was great to feel the energy in the room”

Starring Roles

Stuart Waddington founded STAR Development Consultancy in 2018 – having spent 12 years’ service in the military – before he refocused the business in 2019 towards Coaching. The company was still in its’ formative stages when the country went into lockdown, and it was during the early months of restrictions that Stuart decided to launch his #Leadership – What’s on your mind? podcasts. The podcast has proved popular, and Stuart has since gone on to host a weekly interview with business leaders from all walks of life.

Stuart explains: “The launch of the podcasts happened almost by accident. During the pandemic I still wanted to demonstrate what STAR Development could achieve – and to provide my audience with some interesting, insightful and inspirational content, at a time when they needed it most. The podcasts were something I could introduce remotely. They were also a way to enable me to demonstrate my knowledge and authority.

“We have covered all sorts of topics since the podcasts started and we are averaging 200-300 audiences for each podcast. However, the podcast with David Wilcock (episode 16) achieved over 1000 views. Interestingly, his topic discussed when commitment to succeed is actually a problem. Another particularly interesting one was episode 89, where Paul Bogey described his journey from heroin addict to hero.”

A rising star

Post-lockdown, STAR Development has established itself as a leading senior leadership coaching and team development company.

The company is focussed on working with leaders in business, and also in running teambuilding events with real purpose behind them.

Stuart explains: “We are looking to help businesses accelerate growth, by creating world-class leaders. It is not enough just to bring people together and run a fun activity with them. There needs to be a strategic purpose behind the activity too. If you can identify that from the start, then you can measure the success of the event.

“It’s all about co-creation. We can’t tell our customers what to do, so it is imperative that we build the right relationship with them, so that they know us, like us and trust us. If that psychological contract is in place, participants feel that they can open up and be honest about how they feel.”

Partnering with Carden Park

Earlier this year, STAR Development announced a new partnership with Carden Park hotel. The business now has its base at the luxury hotel in Cheshire. Stuart says: “The opportunity to base ourselves at such as prestigious location was too good to pass up. We have entered into a partnership with Carden Park that works well for both businesses and is hugely beneficial to our clients.

“I realised quite quickly that there were three distinct audiences that we wanted to work with. Aspiring leaders, to help them become great future leaders; established leaders to enhance their capability, ability and output; and senior leadership teams, to challenge

them to reassess and re-evaluate their company’s strategy and direction. The hotel offers the right environment to work with these types of people.

“In addition, Carden Park provides all sorts of teambuilding activities onsite, and we offer the added value of being able to facilitate the sessions, bringing our expertise to the fore. I have developed a strong core team of associates and I pull in whoever is best suited to the business we are working with.”

Building for the future

People need to understand the return their investment provides for them. With this in mind, STAR Development is working with an IT company to develop the right technology to be able to accurately measure the engagement. The company is also planning on introducing ‘Think Weeks’ later this year, based at the hotel. Aimed at busy business leaders, the week provides the time and space for them to think and develop strategies. The week will also include guest speakers, opportunity for coaching sessions, time to work and time to take advantage of the golfing and spa facilities at the luxury hotel.

Looking further ahead in 2023, the company is planning to introduce a whole other level of extreme personal development at the company’s site in Sweden, where the plan is to run survival training personal development.

Coaching insight

We asked Stuart to share a coaching insight with us and he explained that the 4Ls were paramount to becoming a strong leader.

Look

Take a good look at what’s in front of you. How things work now –what’s good and what needs improvement?

Listen

Listen to your team. How do they interact, what language do they use – with each other and with your customers?

Learn

Commit to lifelong learning and personal development

Lead

Procrastination is the greatest enemy of leadership. It’s important that you are action-based.

“It’s all about co-creation. We can’t tell our customers what to do, so it is imperative that we build the right relationship with them, so that they know us, like us and trust us”

Stuart Waddington Leadership and high performance coach stardevelopmentuk.com

The

importance of team

It is widely recognised throughout business that having an effective team will make a huge difference to a company’s performance. Some teams work well together from the off. However, it’s not uncommon for teams to need some attention to help them work together in a cohesive way.

STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT HAVE been identified – forming, storming, norming and performing – and whatever stage your team has arrived at, some level of team development is recommended, even if everything appears to be going well.

Forming

The ‘forming’ stage of team development happens when a team has to first work together. At this stage the relationships aren’t in place, and neither are the goals or expectations. A team would benefit from developing these goals together, as this will help them get to know each other and understand what they are trying to achieve.

Storming

As a team starts to work together, it is likely that it will go through the ‘storming’ stage. During this stage, different personalities will come to the fore and there is likely to be conflict over how to address the challenges the team faces. Ensuring that good communication is in place is vital during this stage.

Norming

Once a team reaches the ‘norming’ stage, they are more invested in the team and working together to reach the goal. Team development at this stage needs to focus on training needs and continued working together.

Performing

Even at the performing stage, when a team is working well together, it is important to recognise what they have achieved, but still continually challenge them to grow and develop further.

Whatever stage a team has reached, team development is important for all businesses and all levels throughout the business. There are many businesses out there that can provide advice, support and training to enable team development, and some of these can be quite unusual. From physical teambuilding activity, through to mental challenges, board games, cookery and wine tasting.

Teambuilding and training can be murder

Best known for ‘killing people with comedy’, Sudden Death Murder Mystery, a dinner theatre company specialising in murder nights for hotels and restaurants, has taken on a new twist. The company is now focusing on training through entertainment, for the corporate and educational market.

Renamed ‘enter-train-ment’, the training offers businesses and individuals many benefits. Participants won’t necessarily be aware of the business benefits of taking part, but the events are great for building confidence and encouraging leadership qualities to emerge.

The outcomes of the training are agreed in advance and are generally focused on leadership, cooperation, communication and performance management.

Pete Turner Sudden Death Murder Mystery 07798 550 729

suddendeaththeatre.co.uk

“Once a team reaches the ‘norming’ stage, they are more invested in the team and working together”

A conversation with Cynthia & Ian Short

of Chester Visual Arts

With a love of – and background in – supporting the arts, Cynthia and Ian Short moved to Chester in 2000. Despite their falling in love with the city, they identified a need for a broader range of high-quality visual arts in Chester itself. With this in mind, in 2010 the couple decided they should work towards establishing a visual arts centre in the city.

NOW BASED IN RIVERSIDE INNOVATION CENTRE, they set up Chester Visual Arts (CVA) in 2017 and over the next few years, Cynthia and Ian spent time building relationships with key stakeholders in Chester, including Chester Cathedral, the University of Chester and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The art of the matter

In 2018, Chester Visual Arts was awarded charitable status. As a charity, it aims to make its work a permanent part of Chester and to enhance the city and the region as a better place to live, work and visit.

Its’ ultimate aim is to secure a permanent home within the city, as a creative visual arts centre and public art gallery of international standing.

Ian explains: “We have been very lucky to have been met with enthusiasm for our vision. We have developed a strong, influential board for the charity and we are thrilled that Dr Cathy Putz, who formerly ran the Victoria and Albert Museum’s pioneering national and international exhibition touring programme, agreed to join last year too. To have someone with such superb credentials on our board is a real achievement for us.

“We have worked with Cathy for a number of years and through her, we have already been able to bring some internationally-renowned touring exhibitions to Chester.”

Since joining the board, Dr Cathy Putz has become involved with curating the organisation’s annual Lecture Series, this year entitled ‘Radical Times, Radical Change!’, which ran from 31 March to 12 May 2022.

Radical Times, Radical Change

This year’s theme was the response by the cultural sector to a world turned upside down and covered four key topic areas: V&A costume exhibitions and the changing role of costume design; the impact of the pandemic on contemporary photographic practice; inclusion and programming contemporary responses to historic collections; and the impact of the pandemic on curation at the National Gallery.

Ian explains: “Dr Cathy Putz hosted the talks and held informative Q&A sessions with each guest speaker. The guest speakers are all experts and specialists in their fields, and have worked in world renowned museums including The Victoria & Albert Museum, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.”

Cynthia added: “Our first Lecture Series has been a huge success and it’s been a privilege to work with our guest speakers and to have the opportunity to learn more from them.

“At Chester Visual Arts, we continue to break boundaries and highlight the importance of art and culture’s vital role in helping Chester’s recovery – not just for the tourism sector and visitor footfall, but for individuals too, including residents and organisations.”

Previous exhibitions

The Lecture Series was the first postpandemic event. However, prior to March 2020, CVA had organised and hosted a number of high-profile exhibitions.

Pop Art in Print

28 July – 22 October 2017

Vibrant, sexy, cool, and very much of the moment, Pop Art emerged in the USA and the UK in the early 1960s.

Inspired by movies, pop music, TV, advertising, magazines and comics, postcards and packaging. The Victoria & Albert Museum’s ‘Pop Art in Print’ exhibition brought together, for the first time, an international collection of Pop graphics featuring artists Andy Warhol, Patrick Caulfield, Richard Hamilton, Allen Jones, Roy Lichtenstein and Ed Ruscha.

Our colour reflection

1 February – 1 March 2018

Visitors to Chester Cathedral had a unique opportunity to see Liz West’s beautiful ‘Our Colour Reflection’ installed in the Chapter House. Liz West’s work is powerful and immersive, experimenting with the relationship between light and colour, heightening sensory awareness in the viewer and provoking a deep emotional response.

Working across a variety of mediums, West aims to provoke a heightened sensory awareness in the viewer through her works.

“The connection between the business community and the arts is very powerful and when the two areas align, the benefit to both communities has the potential to be phenomenal”

Woman’s Hour Craft Prize

30 November 2018 – 16 March 2019

Chester Visual Arts was proud to present the Woman’s Hour Craft Prize at The Old Library in Chester. Showcasing the most innovative and exciting craft practice in the UK today, the V&A exhibition marked the 70th anniversary of BBC Woman’s Hour. The exhibition tour was organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Woman’s Hour Craft Prize was in association with BBC Radio 4 and the Crafts Council.

Chance and Control: Art in the age of computers

7 June – 8 September 2019

With the support of primary exhibition funder, The Tyrer Charitable Trust, the exhibition featured key artworks from the pioneers of digital art over the last 50 years. Since the 1960s, artists and programmers have used computers to create prints, drawings, paintings, photographs and digital artworks. Chance and Control drew on the V&A’s rich international collection of computer-generated art and includes work by pioneering digital artists such as Frieder Nake and Georg Nees – who produced some of the earliest computer art – through to the younger generation of artists practicing today.

Coming up…

Plans are currently underway for a new immersive exhibition in Chester in summer 2022. Cynthia added: “

We are very excited about our plans for an immersive exhibition later this year. We are finalising the details and the venues, and are looking forward to announcing the event very soon. As for so many people working in the Arts, the pandemic has been hard, but we think this exhibition will put Chester firmly in the running as a leading visual arts city.”

Art and business – the future

The connection between the business community and the arts is very powerful and when the two areas align, the benefit to both communities has the potential to be phenomenal. Ian and Cynthia have seen these benefits from both sides and are committed to bring their vision to fruition in Chester.

Chester Visual Arts receives over £30,000 from the Cultural Recovery Fund CVA is delighted and extremely grateful to receive £31,700 from the final round of the Culture Recovery Fund. Hundreds of cultural organisations have received a share of the final £35 million emergency support package from the Culture Recovery Fund, to help overcome the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since August 2020, the Culture Recovery Fund has distributed £1.57 billion to around 5,000 organisations and sites across the country, giving a lifeline to theatres, museums, independent cinemas and many more cherished organisations around the country.

Ian said: “The last two years have been challenging for CVA and the cultural sector. I would like to thank Arts Council England and DCMS for providing us with this vital support in helping us towards reopening and returning to activities in Chester, which kicked off with our ‘Radical Times, Radical Change!’ lecture series. This support has illustrated that we are the recognised visual arts organisation in the Cheshire West and Chester region and is greatly appreciated, as we work towards delivering our ambition of establishing a visual arts centre in the city.”

DATE: Thursday 23 June 2022

TIME: 17:00 - 19:00

LOCATION: The Golden Lion, Rossett

PRICE: £15 (includes refreshments)

Ian and Cynthia Short Chester Visual Arts chestervisualarts.org.uk

experience Drawing on creating a successful Business and Arts partnership

The Business community has long been recognised as an important funding avenue for people within the Arts community. In the same breath, companies are increasingly recognising the positive impact that partnerships with the creative industries – from music, dance, drama, creative writing, painting, sculpture, photography and film – can have on their business success and positioning in the marketplace.

HOWEVER, THE BENEFIT TO BUSINESS can often seem intangible – so how can ‘Business and Arts’ partnerships provide quantifiable and measurable benefits?

For a partnership to be successful, it is important that both sides benefit. To be able to clearly demonstrate this, the outcome of the partnership needs to be identified at the start.

Potential business benefits

• Increased exposure and prestige for a company in terms of its products, services and social responsibility

• Improved attraction and retention of talented employees

• Additional employee benefits through the educational or entertainment value of the arts

• Giving employees something ‘creative’ to work on, such as providing business expertise to the arts organisation

• Becoming an important part of an area’s economic development efforts.

Potential benefits of the art community

While often the driver behind the partnership for the art community is the funding, there are other benefits to developing a partnership with a business.

• Assistance in marketing, organisational and financial management

• Increased audience reach and potentially more participants in any programmes provided

• Opportunity to develop ways of transferring creativity from the arts to business

• Becoming an important part of an area’s economic development efforts.

Picture this Successful Business and Arts partnerships can help beyond the individuals involved in the partnership. They can also help the local economy and develop the local communities.

However, each side of the partnership needs to agree on a common set of benefits and then work through the challenge of assigning a value to them.

If an Arts organisation can put a financial value on the things they do and provide, it will become much easier to forge Business partnerships.

“For a partnership to be successful, it is important that both sides benefit”

Growing concerns

You could be forgiven for thinking that garden design for the creation of green spaces would, by its very nature, have environmental concerns at heart. However, like all industries, horticulture is currently being examined for its sometimesdamaging impact on ecosystems and its contribution to the climate change crisis.

AS A LANDSCAPE DESIGN BUSINESS,

The Cheshire Garden has placed sustainability at the heart of its ethos. In practice, this means carefully considering how the execution of our designs will minimise environmental impacts, in terms of the use of resources and provenance of plants and materials. It’s also about using our designs to maximise environmental benefits, such as supporting wildlife and mitigating the effects of climate change.

As a starting point for any project, we take time to understand both the requirements of the client and to

By JANE BINGHAM

evaluate the key characteristics of the site. This includes identifying any features and plants that a client wishes to retain, as well as any materials that might be reused or repurposed within the design.

In principle, seeking to incorporate existing elements and build on them to enhance the space – rather than starting from scratch with entirely new plants and materials – is an effective way to minimise any environmental impact. Happily, this has other advantages. Reuse of materials may help to provide continuity within the setting, while retaining thriving plants

can make a new planting scheme appear more mature.

Understanding provenance

For those elements that are to be brought into the site, we seek to ensure that their provenance is both ethical and sustainable. This may mean looking to reclamation yards for hardlandscaping materials, or using locallysourced stone and certified sustainable wood. By using local nurseries to source plants, we not only support UK business, but can also reduce biosecurity risks, such as importing damaging pests and plant diseases.

“Reuse of materials may help to provide continuity within the setting, while retaining thriving plants can make a new planting scheme appear more mature”

Choosing suppliers which also have sustainable growing practices, such as minimising the use of peat and pesticides, is another consideration.

In the spotlight

The use of resources, like energy and water supplies, is another key element. Suitable lighting can really enhance a garden space, but this should be energy efficient. Heating, whether for a greenhouse or patio, can be a major cost in terms of energy consumption and so the extent to which these are necessary or desirable should be evaluated. Mains water usage may be minimised – both by incorporating systems for capturing rainwater and ensuring that those plants included have lower watering requirements for establishment and maintenance.

Starting with smaller plants which will develop over time is more sustainable than using more mature plants. These may provide an immediate impact, but many that are at an earlier point in their growth can adapt more easily to the local conditions.

Sustainable design

When it comes to the design itself, there are a host of features which can be incorporated to enhance the sustainability of a garden. We aim to include a wide diversity of plants which not only delivers a high level of interest throughout the year, but serves to create a range of habitats and food sources for wildlife too. Consideration is also given to which plants are appropriate for the local conditions, to ensure that they can thrive. These can even be harnessed to create features like dry gardens, or rain gardens which allow plants adapted to specific environments to shine. For clients who are particularly keen to attract wildlife to their garden, features such as a pond or wildflower area might be added.

01244 457301 / 07999 500021

As a business striving to operate on a sustainable basis, The Cheshire Garden aims to work with contractors and suppliers which are similarly committed to minimising their environmental impact. Through membership of the Society of Garden Designers Council, we are currently involved in developing new guidance for the sector on sustainable practice.

Gaining a greater understanding of the issues involved allows us to work with clients to raise their awareness. We believe that good garden design can deliver as much for wildlife and the wider environment as it does for the wellbeing of our clients.

Jane Bingham Lead Designer The Cheshire

Garden thecheshiregarden.co.uk 07534 414909

Reading matters

Despite the availability of Kindles, iPhones, magazines and other reading material available on holiday, there’s nothing quite like relaxing in the sun with a good paperback. Some people prefer to use their downtime to take a break from work and escape into fiction, while other use the time to catch up on latest thinking on business matters. Whether you prefer murder mysteries, business guides, selfimprovement or biographies, there’s so many great writers out there creating some fantastic reads. Here’s our pick of inspiring, interesting, educational and fun reads for the summer holidays.

MENTAL FITNESS: 15 RULES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY AND MIND

by Ant Middleton (HarperCollins)

Middleton is an adventurer, public speaker and television presenter, best known as the frontman for Channel 4’s hit show, SAS: Who Dares Wins. His latest book takes the motivational read to the next level, to explain the principles behind maintaining a healthy mind and body. The mind and body are often talked about as separate entities, but it’s only when they work in harmony with one another that one can truly push oneself to the highest heights.

In his new book, Ant Middleton lays out and explains the principles that he lives by to best keep his mindset and body as strong as they can possibly be. Middleton’s other books include First Man In and The Fear Bubble

GOOD VIBES, GOOD LIFE

by Vex King (Hay House UK)

Vex King is a social media influencer, writer, mind coach and lifestyle entrepreneur. Overcoming adversity in his own life, Vex founded the Good Vibes Only #GVO movement to help others use the power of positivity to transform themselves and their lives into something greater.

His 2018 book Good Vibes, Good Life defines how readers can practise selfcare, to overcome toxic energy and prioritise their wellbeing, cultivate positive lifestyle habits (including mindfulness and meditation), manifest goals using tried-and-tested techniques, and overcome fear. An inspirational read in every sense.

BEHIND THE SEAMS: MY LIFE IN CREATIVITY, FRIENDSHIP AND ADVENTURE

by Esme Young (Blink Publishing)

This biographical adventure tells the story of Esme Young, the fashion designer and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee. Her career spans a lifetime of creativity, from working on films, pop videos to adverts and catwalks. In London, living in a squat with other young creatives, Esme studied at Central Saint Martins, launched a clothing line called Swanky Modes, watched Notting Hill Carnival with David Bowie, and altering a dress for Cher.

The 1990s saw a career move into costumes for films, designing outfits for Trainspotting, Bridget Jones’s Diary and The Beach, before moving onto her role in the much-loved TV series TGBSB.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO

by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Simon & Schuster)

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique’s husband has just left her and she plans to use the assignment to jumpstart her career. This riveting tale of Hollywood’s golden age – it’s loosely inspired by the life of Elizabeth Taylor – is set be adapted in the near future by Netflix too.

THE MAID

by Nita Prose (HarperCollins)

‘I am your maid. I know about your secrets. Your dirty laundry. But what do you know about me?’ is the tagline of this bestselling debut novel from longtime book editor Nita Prose. Molly Gray is a hotel maid who with her obsessive love of cleaning throws herself with gusto into her job. She thrives in her work, until she discovers infamous and wealthy Charles Black lying dead in the bed of his hotel room – and ends up as the chief suspect, in this intriguing and well-received murder mystery with a twist.

INVENTION: A LIFE

by James Dyson (Simon & Schuster)

James Dyson has become a byword for high-performing products, technology, design and invention. Now Dyson, the inventor and entrepreneur who made it all happen, tells his remarkable and inspirational story. Over a four-year period, Dyson made 5,127 prototypes of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner that would transform the way houses are cleaned around the world. Whether you’re someone who has an idea for a better product, an aspiring entrepreneur, whether you appreciate great design or a page-turning read, this book offers you inspiration, hope and much more.

Advertise your business in the next issue of VOX

We offer value for money advertising opportunities, and we are keen for you to see a return on your investment. We will work with you to identify the best package to meet your needs. As well as advertising, we offer sponsorship, competition and leaflet opportunities too.

Seventh Heaven

Great news for Wrexham, as it has been awarded city status – making it the seventh city in Wales.

AS PART OF THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM Jubilee celebrations, the honour has been bestowed on eight different locations, including the capital of the Falkland Islands. 38 places across the UK and British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies made applications – and Wrexham is one of eight towns that has won the royal honour this year.

Wrexham has tried four times to become a city, but until now has been unsuccessful. Having demonstrated the strong cultural and historical heritage of the area, Wrexham hopes that being a city will boost communities and encourage growth and investment.

After weeks of deliberation, the winners of the ‘Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition’ were announced on 20 May 2022.

In addition to Wrexham, the other new cities are Milton Keynes, Colchester and Doncaster in England, Bangor in Northern Ireland, Dunfermline in Scotland, Douglas on the Isle of Man and Port Stanley in the Falklands,

the latter on the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War. As a result of the win, Wales now has seven cities – some big, some small – as Wrexham joins Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Newport, St Davids and St Asaph.

Wrexham’s bid package was a strong one. The town and its vicinity have a host of popular attractions, including the UNESCO Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal World Heritage Site, the Racecourse Football Stadium, Erddig Stately Home and Gardens, and the Tŷ Pawb creative arts and market hub.

It’s jump to city status will further enhance the area and ensure that the city further attracts attention on the world stage. City status should make sure businesses take notice of the opportunities in the area, for expansion, investment and custom.

It will open up a host of cultural opportunities too. Winning is a superb achievement and a testament to the hard work put in by campaigners, to make the bid reach fruition.

As this issue of VOX went to print, we were still waiting on the imminent announcement of City of Culture 2025. Ian Bancroft, Chief Executive at Wrexham Council commented: "Wrecsam 2025 is all about enabling people to achieve their dreams. A cultural programme of this significance raises aspiration, confidence and skills. Everyone in Wrexham is a part of our bid and we genuinely believe in Wrexham that ‘we rise together’."

“City status should make sure businesses take notice of the opportunities in the area, for expansion, investment and custom”

Llongyfarchiadau Wrecsam!

metaverse Welcome to the

We have probably all heard of the Metaverse by now – indeed, some of us will be using it already. But what is it and where did the term come from?

BACK IN 1992, SNOW CRASH, A SCIENCE-FICTION BOOK by Neal Stephenson, introduced the ‘metaverse’ to its readers. The premise was a development of the internet to a computer-generated 3D environment, in which avatars were used to browse this new, virtual world.

By JULIE GREGORY

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the metaverse is ‘a virtualreality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users’.

In other words, it tries to free the boundaries placed on us by geography

and reality, and opens out the world, so we can interact more easily with others, wherever we may be located in real life. It’s an amalgamation of the real and digital world, as the metaverse encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), real-time 3D and interactive video.

Present in a virtual location

By using devices such as AR/VR headsets, our smartphones and computers, we can all take our first steps into the metaverse for social networking, shopping, working, online gaming and for live entertainment. In the metaverse, we are made to feel we are actually present in a virtual location – and others are there with us. Of course, online gamers are already very used to this concept.

Following the global pandemic, which brought online meeting rooms to the fore – such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom – the demand for a virtual reality and an increased disengagement from real life is seeing a marked urgency for the metaverse to be developed further. But so far dependence on VR devices and related technology has delayed its progress.

Creating new worlds

In the marketing world, we have to move with the times and keep up with new developments. We cannot ignore such a giant technological leap as the metaverse and all it could become. Indeed, any marketer should be thinking about how they can add their brand to the virtual world – or, in particular, how developers can perhaps create their own, new metaverse ‘world’.

Billed as ‘the next big thing’, whilst there is huge potential for the metaverse to take off, will it do so? This remains to be seen and there are many who advise caution. With privacy and safety concerns, not to mention the addictive aspect of such developments, the world seems to readily gravitate towards new strides in technology and worry about the consequences later.

If it does take off, how far will it go?

The parent organisation of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp (amongst others) recently renamed itself Meta. In 2021, 97.5% of its total revenue was achieved through advertisements on its platforms to marketers. Its name change was a clear message that the company intended to ‘reflect its focus on building the metaverse’.

We have seen firsthand the foresight shown by some of the moneymaking internet giants and platforms, which embraced concepts that may initially have seemed to be pie in the sky.

But this time, there could be a wider picture, as it seems that the metaverse is the preamble to a world without smartphones, that is, a single network open to all and a further development of the current internet – completely inline with Neal Stephenson’s concept for Snow Crash.

As marketers, we need to encompass all the opportunities available to us within the metaverse. For example, billboard advertising could be seen within the metaverse as well as in real life. One company, Bidstack.com, incorporates virtual billboards and online advertising within video game technology. So, gaming developers can create moneymaking advertising opportunities and yet the gamer will not be distracted from play.

Ultimately, although there is a long way to go, these developments are happening around us and, love them or hate them, we continue to watch with interest as our digital world moves forward.

Julie Gregory Time For Marketing timeformarketing.org 07474 333004

“Love them or hate them, we continue to watch with interest as our digital world moves forward”

Apprentice wins High Sheriff’s award

Apprenticeships are increasingly being recognised as a viable option for people choosing their career path and their importance is being widely acknowledged. Consequently, ‘Apprentice of the Year’ is now one of 10 award categories in the annual The High Sheriff’s Award for Enterprise.

‘APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2021/22’ has been awarded to Shaw Austin’s apprentice, Aiden Melbourne. The awards, which are in their 15th year, are designed to recognise outstanding achievements by enterprise in Cheshire, Halton and Warrington.

Run in partnership with the University of Chester, the award winners were announced at a presentation ceremony hosted at Chester Business School on the evening of 7 April 2022. The guest speaker on the night was Dr Gyles Brandreth who, while famous for his writing and broadcasting, is also Chancellor of the University of Chester.

Michael Robinson, a client portfolio manager at Shaw Austin, nominated

Aiden for the award based on his outstanding commitment and development to date. He said: “The support he gives to clients and other team members is of the highest standard. It was a joy to be with Aiden when the award was announced.”

News of Aiden’s shortlisting for the awards came during National Apprenticeship Week 2022, which was fitting timing for this exciting announcement.

Aiden commented at the time: “I am really excited to be put forward for this award. It means a lot that my employer and colleagues can see I am working hard and doing really well in work.”

Shaw Austin is a leading firm of Chartered Accountants based in Chester, supporting clients throughout the North West of England and Wales. The company actively encourages the training of apprentices coming directly from school, right up to their completion of higher-level studies, including the ACCA qualification. It is proud of its training scheme that has started many new accounting apprentices off on their careers. Its’ apprentices normally train towards their AAT accounting qualification. This gives them a solid, rounded, experience within the profession to support the company’s diverse clients. It’s gratifying that the company’s diligent work in this area has been acknowledged at such a prestigious event.

Shaw Austin apprentice, Aiden Melbourne (third from the left) receiving his award from the High Sheriff

“It means a lot that my employer and colleagues can see I am working hard and doing really well in work”

Delivering the goods

Considering a change in career? With so much focus on the logistics sector and improvements in pay and working conditions being implemented, now could be a good time to consider a career with the fifth largest employer in the UK

By STEVE TILSTON

COMPANIES ARE CONTINUOUSLY searching for new and trained HGV drivers. It means a well-trained and licensed driver can have plenty of opportunities. Most other career paths come with uncertainty and instability, but the ever-growing demand of the logistic industry can assure you job security. There are many logistics companies across the area who are looking to recruit, so you won’t even have to change your location for the job.

A global shortfall in drivers

It has been widely reported that the UK, along with most other countries, have a massive HGV driver shortage. The Road Haulage Association has reported a shortage of some 100,000 HGV drivers, though recent estimates place this figure closer to 70,000. The two factors usually cited as the root causes of the HGV driver shortage are Brexit and Covid-19. However, the reality is likely to be more complicated.

It has been reported that around 70,000 HGV drivers have left their roles since the pandemic began. 12,500 of these drivers were EU nationals. This indicates a shortage resulting from the effects of a pandemic, lockdown and Brexit. However, the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK has been chronic, existing long before Covid-19 and Brexit. Even prior to 2020, there was a shortage of 60,000 HGV drivers.

What has been looked at to address the shortage?

The government introduced visas for HGV drivers of fuel and food goods, in order to provide a short-term solution. But these visas were only available to 5,000 individuals. The government also changed driving licence laws and altered the format of the HGV driving test, to free up more driving test slots for vocational DVSA driving examiners to conduct more HGV tests.

Improved wages: in order to meet the increased demand for drivers, haulage companies contracting or employing HGV drivers have been increasing wages. There has also been talk of improving work patterns and shifts, to provide a better work-life balance, and provide better facilities too. Many in the industry have already increased wages (some reportedly by 40%).

Better working hours: many drivers have called for businesses to provide more favourable terms for shift patterns, working hours and breaks to facilitate a better work-life balance and working conditions. It is reported that where businesses fail to do this, the government may amend the Working Time Directive and Tachograph Hours rules, to give drivers longer or more frequent breaks, and limit daily driving hours, which are logged. Other proposed long-term solutions include wider investments into roadside facilities, improved parking (including overnight parking), and better service stations and ‘truck stops’ with additional facilities.

Reduced cost of training: a further solution has been to subsidise the cost of training. Currently, training to become an HGV driver can be

expensive, which can deter interested individuals. The government introduced a scheme in England offering 5,000 places on training courses, new ‘skills boot camps’, with similar Welsh government funding on offer too.

This is a big help in the short-term and would be great if government continuously helped to fund training – but we feel in the long-term the best way to reduce the overall cost of training to the individual is to improve driver training standards.

Choosing the right training provider is a very important factor, if you wish to consider becoming an HGV driver. It was reported that the national pass rate for HGV was only 55%, which is way too low in our opinion. Here at Tilston Training we always strive to aim for pass rates above 80% and feel that this is the best way to bring overall training costs down to the individual, by avoiding additional training fees, retest costs and loss of time from work in the process.

Why choose Tilston Training Ltd to set you on the road to becoming an HGV driver?

Tilston Training is a family-run driver training provider established back in 2003 and run by Steve and Samantha Tilston. Steve and Samantha started off as driving instructors, teaching standard

car learner drivers, but soon moved onto teaching in the larger vehicles –we now teach everything up to LGV/HGV and PSV. We both still obtain their Driving and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) ADI badges and are therefore standards checked and graded by the DVSA Grade ‘A’.

Tilston Training Ltd has its own DVSA approved customer test centre (the only one in Wrexham), which means the DVSA driving examiner is based at their facility on certain days of the week, and all tests start from the centre, so the candidate is tested in very familiar surroundings.

One of the other ways the DVSA have tried to increase the amount of HGV driving tests they can conduct is to pass on the off-road manoeuvres –such as reversing etc – to the training bodies to carry out. These now take place prior to the DVSA examiner taking the candidate out on the road for the driving part of the test. As we have our own DVSA-approved customer test centre here, we are able to conduct these off-road manoeuvres with our own instructors. This takes a lot of the stress away, as you are being tested on the familiar reversing area where you have practiced, and this ultimately reduces the stress during the final part of the driving test.

Female HGV drivers make up only between 1% and 3% of all HGV drivers in the UK. Transport firms are offering thousands of pounds in incentives to sign-on much-needed lorry drivers. However, one possible solution to the logistic industry's driver shortage could be to encourage more women into the sector.

It’s taken a crisis in the UK’s supply chain to highlight one of the biggest gender imbalances in our society. The haulage industry estimates there is a shortfall of up to 100,000 HGV drivers, yet only between 1% and 3% of truckers are female.

Part of the solution to the lack of female recruits is to showcase role models to women and girls, who may not have considered this job as an option for them. Some companies are currently planning to send female HGV drivers into schools, aiming to highlight this as a possible career path.

Various groups have formed too, such as ‘Mother Truckers’ and ‘Queens of the Road’, and it is vital these dedicated professionals raise their profiles.

Tilston Training Ltd is one of the very few training providers in the country which has female HGV trainers. So, if there are any women who fancy trying this career path, but would prefer to be shown the ropes by another female, then why not come forward and speak to Samantha Tilston.

Steve Tilston Tilston Training Limited tilstontraining.co.uk 07900 217 712

“It has been reported that around 70,000 HGV drivers have left their roles since the pandemic began”

Showcasing sustainability

Green Expo 2022 is a new three-day event being held on the banks of the River Dee at Castle Drive on 16-18 June 2022. Members of the public, businesspeople, inward investors and anyone interested in climate change are invited to attend. The event is the first of its kind and is important to North West England and North Wales, as the regions’ develop plans for a carbon neutral future. Local, national and international organisations will show how they are achieving their plans as they move towards net zero

PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR GREEN EXPO

Jane Harrad-Roberts said, “Community interest company Cheshire Heritage and Sustainability Enterprises (or CHASE for short) is the organisation behind the expo and we have been working together for over 12 months now on Green Expo 2022. Chester has a long history of renewable energy, and it is only natural that we should demonstrate why Chester and Cheshire can become the green heart of England. We are hoping that Green Expo will become an annual event when organisations, communities and individuals can return, and show us how they’ve made a difference on climate change.”

Green Expo comprises four elements:

• A three-day exposition along the river

• A one-day business conference

• A Youth Conference on the Friday

• An awards dinner on the Wednesday evening.

Showcasing sustainability

The three-day exposition organised by Eco Communities will be an opportunity for local businesses and charities to showcase their sustainability plans, products and services on the banks of the River Dee. The general public are invited to attend the exposition free, to learn about technologies and career opportunities.

Panel discussions and presentations

The Green Expo Business Conference, held at the Riverside Innovation Centre on the Thursday 16 June, will see nationally-known speakers tackle topics on each of the UK’s Climate Response strands – Power, Buildings (& Homes), Industry, Transport, Natural Resources (& Farming), Adaptation & Resilience. Presentations will be a mix of TED-style inspirational sessions, interspersed with panel discussions led by experts. Delegates will be able to take back examples of best practice and solutions, to help them in their organisations.

According to the Green Skills Taskforce 2021 report, over 60,500 new jobs will be created in the North West by 2050 to help the UK achieve net zero and according to Net Zero North West this will sustain up to 650,000 jobs, the largest number of all the UK regions. An afternoon session at the conference will focus on the skills gap and how organisations have overcome this.

Working together

Sponsors for all four events are still joining to support Green Expo 2022, but already include major sponsors Peel NRE, Encirc, Tatton Group, with Grosvenor Estates and the University of Chester. Other sponsors like SP Energy, EA Technology, Deepbridge Capital and NatWest Group, are involved with specific events and the Green Expo Awards on the Wednesday evening. Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East Councils, together with Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and Chester BID have provided 'Green Shoot' funding.

The future

The University of Chester is leading the Youth Conference on Friday 17 June, for school and college students from years 9 and above from across the region to attend.

Professor Eunice Simmons, ViceChancellor, University of Chester said;

“We are excited to be involved in Green Expo, connecting the city’s history with the region’s urgent transition to a low-carbon future. The University is committed to equipping its students to be confident and active citizens for a sustainable future.

Green Expo is a unique opportunity for students and staff from a variety of disciplines, including Geography, Media and Journalism, and Tourism Management, to work together on the development of this event, to benefit both our community and visitors to the city.”

“Green Expo is about celebrating Cheshire West’s journey to becoming a world leader in low-carbon energy and technology. In the coming years it will bring thousands of new jobs and opportunities to our area, ”

Councillor Matt Bryan, cabinet member for climate emergency for Cheshire West and Chester Council added, “This is a fantastic initiative and will go a long way in highlighting the technologies we will need to be implementing, to reach our carbon neutrality target of 2030 for Cheshire West and Chester and 2045 for the Borough.”

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy & Regeneration at Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “Green Expo is about celebrating Cheshire West’s journey to becoming a world leader in low-carbon energy and technology. In the coming years it will bring thousands of new jobs and opportunities to our area, with Chester and Ellesmere Port at the centre of circular economy innovation and the epicentre of the green industrial revolution.”

University Students Go Green for June Riverside Event

Students from the University of Chester are bridging the connection between study and work, by supporting preparations for Green Expo 2022 in Chester. Six students from the university, four with the Work Based Learning scheme, are working on the new three-day event being held on the banks of the River Dee at Castle Drive on June 16-18.

Grace Pugh is a second-year Events Management student: “I hope to gain a whole new set of skills to take out into the world with me after university and I’m learning what it is like to plan and create an event from scratch.”

Sophie Davies is a second-year student studying Geography and Natural Hazard Management with a particular interest in sustainability: “My role as Hydrohub Technology Executive means I am gathering hands-on experience within this field and learning what needs to be accomplished to make the world a cleaner greener place. The Hydrohub aims to rejuvenate the disused hydro station and utilise the natural resources of the river to provide a source of renewable energy. The Hydrohub will also provide an educational facility, which will help bring awareness to more sustainable ways of living.”

More information on Green Expo is at greenexpo.uk

Anyone can register there, for more information on tickets, vouchers and sponsorship, and to receive more information on the event as it is released.

Joe Darlington is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and studying Politics: “I’m helping to organise and market the Business and Youth conferences on 16 and 17 June respectively. This is a new and exciting experience for me and it’s a great privilege to be promoting something as important as green energy and environmental protection, as well as promoting the region.”

Eadaoin McQuillan is studying Events and Marketing Management and is the Awards Events Executive for Green Expo 2022: “84% of Cheshire residents would like to learn more about climate change, net zero and how it applies locally. I am keen to play my part and bring in fresh ideas, so we raise people’s awareness and know more. The awards will help celebrate our successes too.”

Alex Bullock is a Masters’ student at Chester University studying Journalism: “I am enjoying working alongside a group of such talented people on the Green Expo 2022.”

Mick Roberts is assisting on visual media for Green Expo.

Jane Harrad-Roberts Marketing Projects jane@marketingprojects.co.uk

07785 395705

Project Director for Green Expo Jane Harrad-Roberts said, “I’m looking forward to working with everyone on creating a fantastic event for Chester and the North West. I know the potential students have and the skills they can bring to a project like this and I’m excited to invigorate more young minds to achieve the best outcome.”

“84% of Cheshire residents would like to learn more about climate change, net zero and how it applies locally”

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Tackling the challenge

North Wales Crusaders is a professional rugby league club based in North Wales, which for many years played its home games at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. Although its home base since 2021 is now the Eirias Stadium in Colwyn Bay, there remain strong connections to the area and the team is still avidly supported by the Wrexham community.

WITH ITS MOVE TO A NEW AREA, the club recognised it needed to appoint a new Chief Operating Officer, to develop the community and business engagement with the club. Gavin Belton-Rose is delighted to take on the position. From Wrexham himself, he is the Business Engagement Manager for Chester-based Umbrella Marketing Team.

Combining passions

Gavin explains: “I’ve been a huge fan of North Wales Crusaders ever since they moved to Wrexham from South Wales, so to have the opportunity to help the club grow in its next phase of development is phenomenal. Through my work at Umbrella, I spend a lot of time out in the business community meeting people, which provides me with the ideal platform to combine my passion for marketing with my passion for rugby – and the North Wales Crusaders in particular.

“The Crusaders team is still relatively unknown by business and communities near its new home, but we have plans underway to change this. We are keen to work with businesses and local community groups, to showcase what the club has to offer and also find out how we can work together for our mutual benefit. As well as competitive rugby, we also provide inclusive initiatives like Rugby coaching and we support projects around mental health and wellbeing. We are keen to promote the fitness benefits, by getting schools and other young people’s organisations involved, which we currently provide through the North Wales Crusaders Foundation”

Great teamwork

To demonstrate what the club has to offer, it is holding a business trade show in October this year in conjunction with Networx4Business and Hashtag Events, which will provide an opportunity for businesses to network, as well as encouraging potential sponsors to sign up. Wrexham Lager is the club’s main sponsor and other sponsors include Allington Hughes, Maelor Construction and Surf Snowdonia.

The club is now midway through the season, with the team playing in its new kit, with the names of its sponsors incorporated into the design.

For more information on the Crusaders, and the events and initiatives they are involved with, visit their social media channels at:

twitter.com/nwcrusaders and facebook.com/NorthWalesCrusaders

“To demonstrate what the club has to offer, it is holding a business trade show in October this year in conjunction with Networx 4 Business and Hashtag Events”

Venue finding - outdoor spaces

With the good weather comes a desire to be outside. While some meetings need to be held indoors, there are many occasions when the briefing can just as easily happen outside. We have identified a small selection of venues that have outdoor spaces that are just perfect for your more informal meetings.

1539 Restaurant & Bar is Chester Racecourse’s statement on-course eatery. It is named after the year racing first began in Chester. It offers the most unique backdrop in which to enjoy a drink and a delicious meal in comfortable surroundings, whilst taking in the breathtaking vista of the oldest racecourse in the UK. Possibly one of Chester’s best kept secrets is the rooftop terrace at 1539, which overlooks the racecourse – a cracking view even when it isn’t race day.

Golden Lion, Rossett thegoldenlionrossett.co.uk

The Golden Lion is situated in Rossett, midway between Chester and Wrexham. It’s a lovely country inn offering great food and drink. It also has a sunny garden and patio area, along with a large – now permanent – tepee with firepit. One of the handiest aspects of this venue is its accessibility for all. The Lion is very well served by the No1 bus, which provides a frequent timetable of buses on its route between Wrexham and Chester – making it an accessible meeting place, whether you have your own transport or not.

Shrub, Chester shrubchester.co.uk

Shrub is a plant-based eatery situated on the historic Tudor rows in Chester. It offers a wide selection of high-quality food and drink, and has a beautiful covered outdoor area situated on the rows themselves. As a plant-based establishment, the venue’s aim is to deliver quality food and drink in a modern setting, while not using any animal products. Everyone who works with Shrub is carbon neutral too. The business offsets its carbon, to ensure as many parts of Shrub are contributing to a positive future.

Pant yr Ochain, Wrexham brunningandprice.co.uk/pantyrochain

Part of the Brunning and Price pub group, the Pant yr Ochain, which is just outside Wrexham, is a stunning country pub inside and out. You will find the pub off a country lane, down a long sweeping drive with majestic trees, with the pub itself overlooking a small lake, surrounded by hills and hollows –and cows! There are plenty of picnic benches on the lawn and a terrace with parasols, to enjoy the beautiful views and gardens, perfect for that alfresco business catch-up. The office dog is also welcome here!

Do you have a venue you would like to see featured?

If you have used a hotel or other venue for a business meeting, conference, seminar, training or team building event and you think it should be featured in a future issue, please contact us with your suggestions.

1539, Chester restaurant1539.co.uk

The

Inside the pub, the eclectic mix of old and new bring together a comforting homely appeal that is matched by our adventurous menu. Our wine list boasts a generous selection of well known varieties with some little known treasures to tell your friends about.

FOOD SERVED DAILY: 12pm - 9pm Come

What’s on

A round-up of some of the business event happening in and around Chester and Wrexham from June to September 2022

THURSDAY 23 JUNE

17:00 – 19:00

TUESDAY 14 JUNE

17:00 – 18:45

360 Networking Atrium Suite, Redwither Tower, Wrexham Industrial Estate https://bit.ly/details-360networking

WEDNESDAY 15 JUNE

09:30 – 10:30

The Customs Compliance Jigsaw –do you have any missing pieces? Online wcnwchamber.org.uk

TUESDAY 21 JUNE

12:30 – 14:30

Networking Lunch and AGM Rossett Hall, Rossett wcnwchamber.org.uk

WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE

17:30 – 20:30

Six steps to a better business Chester Racecourse, Chester https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ 6-steps-to-a-better-businesstickets-332757254907

THURSDAY 23 JUNE

09:30 - 11:30

West Cheshire Women’s Network Freemasons Hall (Limited) Chester, Christleton wcnwchamber.org.uk

VOX Networking Golden Lion, Rossett ezpublishing.co.uk/events

MONDAY 27 JUNE

08:30 – 15:30

Growth Club –90 Day Planning Workshop Rowton Hall, Chester https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ growth-club-90-day-planningworkshop-tickets-205108002557

TUESDAY 28 JUNE Charity Golf Day for On Course Foundation Carden Park stardevelopmentuk.com

WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE

09:30 - 10:30

Trade Agreements –are they in your favour? Online wcnwchamber.org.uk

29 JUNE – 3 JULY

Dodson & Horell Bolesworth International Horse Show Bolesworth Castle bolesworth.com

SUNDAY 3 JULY

12:00 - 14:00

AVOW Community Knockout 2022 Plas Madoc fields, Wrexham https://avow.org/events/avowcommunity-knockout-event-2022/

WEDNESDAY 06 JULY

09:30 - 11:30

Round the Table Networking at Lion Salt Works Lion Salt Works, Northwich wcnwchamber.org.uk

TUESDAY 9 AUGUST

09:00 – 11:00

Networking at Cokebusters Ltd Cokebusters, Harwarden Airport wcnwchamber.org.uk

THURSDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

1800 - 2100

‘Drawing your Goal Closer’ Book Launch Evening! Xplore! Science Centre, Wrexham https://bit.ly/drawgoalcloser

THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER

08:30 – 10:30

Networking at Costco Costco, Chester wcnwchamber.org.uk

THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER

0930 - 1630

‘Breaking the Mould’ Leadership Immersion Day! Xplore! Science Centre, Wrexham https://bit.ly/breakingmouldsept

DATE TO BE CONFIRMED

If you have an event taking place between September and December 2022, please let us know, so we can include it in our next issue.

email: clara@ezpublishing.co.uk

WEDNESDAY 6 JULY

09:00 - 11:00

VAT Management in International Trade – reconciliation and returns Village Hotel, St David’s, Ewloe wcnwchamber.org.uk

Sarah Atherton MP will be hosting her next business networking event in August Moneypenny, Wrexham sarah.atherton.mp@parliament.uk

While every effort has been made to ensure all the details are correct at the time of going to print, it is advisable to check details with the venue concerned

Networking

There is a whole host of networking opportunities across Chester and Wrexham – from groups that you have to join and attend a structured weekly meeting, through to one-off events that you can ‘pay as you go’. Most membership groups offer you the chance to attend as a guest – often for the first one or two sessions – to allow you the time to work out if it is a group that suits you. If you are new to networking, try a few and see if you can find a group that works for you and your business. If you have an event you would like listed in a future issue, please get in touch.

Networx 4 Business

networx4business.co.uk

Networx offers membership networking with a membership cost of £600 for 12 months, per venue and includes breakfast. Sessions take place fortnightly at each venue. With just one business type per group, you will have the opportunity to talk about your business and what you are looking for.

If you are interested, the first visit is free and then you can visit a couple more times – paying just £10 to cover your breakfast – before you need to make a decision about joining.

Chester sessions

• MONDAY 9.00-11.00am

Bollicini, 2 Abbey Green, Rufus Court, Chester, CH1 2JH

• TUESDAY 6.00-8.00pm

Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa, 1 Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 6NN

• THURSDAY 9.00-11.00am

Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa, 1 Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 6NN

Wrexham sessions

• TUESDAY 9.00-11.00am

Wrexham Golf Club, Holt Road, Wrexham, LL13 9SB

• THURSDAYS 7.30-9.30am

The Beeches, Chester Road, Gresford, Wrexham, LL12 8PW

FSB fsb.org.uk

BNI

bninorthwales.co.uk bnicheshire.co.uk

BNI members are business professionals who help each other grow their businesses through their commitment to the principal core value, Givers Gain®. Membership in BNI offers access to business training, peer learning and opportunities to network and do business with hundreds of thousands of BNI members around the world. Membership fee is £615 plus £200 one-off joining fee.

North Wales chapters:

• Spectrum - WEDNESDAY 9.30am

The Mountain Park Hotel, Northop Road, Flint, CH6 5QG

• Rossett - WEDNESDAY 6.45am

Online only

• Flint - FRIDAY 6.45am

The Mountain Park Hotel, Northop Road, Flint, CH6 5QG

Chester chapters

• Grosvenor - TUESDAY, 6:45am

Mollington Banastre, 1 Parkgate Road, Mollington, Chester, CH16NG

• Roman - WEDNESDAY, 12:00pm

2nd Floor Leverhulme Stand, Chester Racecourse, Chester, CH1 2LY

• Chester - THURSDAY 6.45am

Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christleton, Chester, CH3 7PT

FSB membership means inclusive support, market-leading benefits and a voice heard in governments at all levels. If you are self-employed or own a small business, membership is built from the ground up, to help you achieve your ambitions. Together, we are stronger.

Join virtual events, including networking and business surgeries at: fsb.org.uk/event-calendar.html

West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce wcnwchamber.org.uk

West Cheshire and North Wales

Chamber of Commerce is the leading organisation representing the business community across the whole of West Cheshire and North Wales. As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, it’s objectives remain clear: to promote and encourage business for members and others regionally, nationally and internationally to improve commercial growth and prosperity.

Serving the business community in these diverse regions for over 100 years, the Chamber aims to support every type of business – from sole traders to large corporations. It tailors its' service to suit its' members, developing an enviable portfolio of member benefits, business advice, export knowledge, events and training opportunities to help make your business a success.

Institute of Directors (IOD) iod.com

The Institute of Directors was founded in 1903 and within three years was awarded a Royal Charter to support, represent and set standards for business leaders nationwide. It is the UK's largest membership organisation for business leaders, providing informative events, professional development courses for self-improvement, networking and expert advice. IOD is the only institute in the world to offer internationally recognised qualifications designed by directors for directors, specific to the core competencies required of directors and senior leaders.

360 Networking

Group

https://bit.ly/details-360-networking

360 Networking monthly meetings restart on 14 June 2022. The meetings are run by Wrexham County Borough Council’s Business and Investment team. All meetings, together with annual membership are now free of charge. Each meeting takes place within the Redwither Tower on Wrexham Industrial Estate from 5:00pm - 6:45pm.

Chester Business Club chesterbusinessclub.co.uk

One of the principal activities of Chester Business Club is the Speaker Dinner. The aim of these Black Tie events is to provide an impartial forum for leading commentators to speak on a topic of their own choosing as a positive contribution to increasing public awareness of the important issues of the day.

The Business Network Chester businessnetworkchester.co.uk

The Business Network Chester is a diverse membership group of around 100 companies sharing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help grow each other’s businesses. The ethos behind the group is "know, like, trust" – a belief in building long-lasting relationships with other senior decision makers. Meeting at lunchtimes, in prestigious venues around Chester, it provides a highly-structured event, which enables attendees to meet senior decision makers in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Attendees may also attend a free, highly educational seminar, which runs prior to the event.

Real5 Networking - Chester real5networking.com

Real5 Networking is a business venture focused on local business networking for mutual commercial gains. The idea is that all members agree to give a minimum 5% profit share back to the referee, so there is a real incentive to maximise the network.

VOX Networking ezpublishing.co.uk/events

VOX's inaugural networking event takes place on 23 June 2022 and subsequently will run on a quarterly basis, to coincide with each new issue of the magazine. The two-hour sessions provide the opportunity to meet and talk with other local business people, and each one will have a special guest speaker. Numbers are limited and tickets cost £15, including refreshments.

I had a professional contractor visit our home this morning to review some work to be done. He has a successful business and a great team, but like many business owners he finds himself working more than five days – does this describe you?

by JEFF WILLIAMS

BE HONEST NOW, WHAT ABOUT THAT bit of catch up you do in the evenings, on Saturday morning and even a ‘little’ bit on Sunday? Count up the hours you are actually working and divide them by how much you pay yourself – you may be surprised (or shocked) at your hourly rate! If you are struggling for time in your business and you get to the end of your business day/week thinking:

• I didn’t get that major project completed

• I never got around to making that phone call to that key client

• I couldn’t follow up on all the quotes I submitted to prospective customers

• I’ve had no time to call back and speak to my existing customers to generate more business

• I didn’t have time to plan

If you answered yes to any of these, you are probably not getting it right. You are actually slowing down the growth of your profitability.

Here’s a tip – as a business owner you should only be engaged in activities that make you profit. Take a look at your diary and identify anything you do on a regular basis that is not directly related to growing your profits and delegate it right now to someone else.

This will do two things for you:

1. Increase your hourly rate

2. Reduce your working hours

It’s vitally important that you are as ‘effective’ as possible with your time. After all, your time is actually your life –do you really want to spend it working? Some business owners may not know what to do with their time if they weren’t working – that’s not a great place to be, is it?

So, remember this: you only have two roles as a business owner:

1. Getting profitable customers AND

2. Keeping profitable customers

Spend your time doing ONLY these two things and your dreams for your future will come true.

Jeff Williams Business Coach 01244 515533

jeffwilliams@actioncoach.com

“Count up the hours you are actually working and divide them by how much you pay yourself – you may be surprised (or shocked) at your hourly rate!”

Tŷ Pawb makes museum prize shortlist

Wrexham’s multimedia multi-use community hub has been shortlisted for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022.

THE SHORTLIST ALSO INCLUDES FOUR further entries – The Story Museum in Oxford, the People’s History Museum Manchester, the Museum of Making in Derby and London’s Horniman Museum and Gardens.

Tŷ Pawb brings together arts and markets within the same footprint, by repurposing a pre-existing building and using it in imaginative and innovative ways. It celebrates the significance of both fields – the arts and markets –within Wrexham’s rich cultural heritage and identity. In addition to hosting an array of cultural exhibitions and events, the site is home to over 30 local independent businesses. The 2022 prize spotlights organisations whose

achievements demonstrate museums’ creativity and resilience, and particularly on those that are engaging with the next generation of audiences in innovative, resourceful ways.

Tŷ Pawb celebrates and represents the local region and Wales as a whole. Since it opened its doors in 2018, it has become a popular cultural asset, venue and attraction. The winning museum will be announced at a ceremony at The Design Museum in London on 14 July and will receive the prize fund of £100,000, while each nominee will receive a further £15,000.

#museumoftheyear

“Since it opened its doors in 2018, it has become a popular cultural asset, venue and attraction”

Now we are 4!

Milestone years

From reaching your first month in business, through to achieving a centenary and beyond, businesses should take the time to celebrate their success. Here are just a few of the local businesses celebrating milestone achievements this year. To them – and every other company celebrating a milestone birthday this year – congratulations and happy birthday!

It's been an exciting few years for the HR Dept since it launched in May 2018. The company has expanded into Wrexham and Chester, and also Mid-Wales. With its growth, the company has seen its business go from strength to strength.

To mark its’ fourth anniversary, the company celebrated with customers and partners with a Heritage Train Ride with Cambrian Heritage Railways, followed by food and drink at the newly restored Weston Wharf. hrdept.co.uk

Bodywork looking good for 20 years

Bodywork-Pilates Ltd, the areas only specialist Pilates studio, is celebrating 20 years in business. Despite numerous traumas, including a major fire and of course a pandemic, the company continues to educate its’ clients to greater strength, balance, flexibility and mobility, helping them manage pain, stress – and as its’ corporate clients will attest, help to reduce workplace absenteeism.

bodywork-pilates.co.uk

Knew Productions celebrates 25 years

Knew Productions, a national, awardwinning video production company located midway between Chester and Wrexham, is celebrating 25 years this year. The company provides a full service, with filming and editing, to create high-impact website videos and promotional films for businesses. It has been a busy year so far at Knew Productions, but plans are underway to mark its silver anniversary later this year.

knewproductions.co.uk

NWD Architects celebrate 45 years

The team of architects, architectural assistants and technologists at NWD Architects, an RIBA and ARB registered, as well as Passivhaus certified, architectural practice, based in Kelsall, is celebrating 45 years in June. nwdarchitects.co.uk

A leading accountancy firm in the North West is celebrating 110 years of business with a calendar of events to mark the milestone

Henry R Davis & Co Ltd, based in Queensferry, was formed by its namesake in 1912. It has traded through both World Wars and the Depression of the 1930s. Today the principles on which the business was founded remain at its core, offering a reliable and affordable accountancy service to small businesses, and supporting them to achieve greater profit and growth. The company has planned numerous events throughout the year, and the team will also be challenging themselves to 110 ‘random acts of awesomeness’ too. hrdand.co.uk

Helping customers find their dream wood flooring for 25 years

Family business, Living Floors is celebrating 25 years this year. With a generation of knowledge in wood flooring, the company aims to make the process of choosing, designing and installing your perfect wooden floor an exciting and rewarding experience. living-floors.co.uk

Breaking the ice

Love them or hate them, ice breakers play an important role in many team training and other work environments. We asked around and decided to share a selection of people’s favourite – or at least most effective – icebreakers.

1, 2, 3…

“In pairs, participants are asked to count to three, alternating between the pair on each number. After a few repeats, the two is replaced with a clap, then the one with an about turn, and finally the three with a jump. This simple icebreaker gets people talking, laughing and most importantly, moving.”

Stuart Waddington Director, STAR Development

What’s your favourite film?

“I am a bit of a serial ‘networker’. If I am asked to be the table host at an event, I will always ask the question ‘what’s your favourite film?’. I find people like this question, as it can take the pressure off by not just talking about business. It also gives a fun insight into the people you are sitting with.”

Vicky Heathfield Creative director, VOX

Two lies and a truth

“Each person shares two lies and a truth with the rest of the group, and then the group tries to guess or work out which ‘fact’ is indeed a fact. A fascinating insight into the people around the table, as often the truth really is stranger than fiction.”

Clara Hughes Editorial director, VOX

How's Business?

“This might sound quite simple, but it helps me understand what's really happening with local business owners. I am curious as to what they do and how they do it. Naturally, our favourite subject is ourselves or our business, so this gets people chatting easily. Of course, the usual response is 'fine', 'great' and 'busy'. So, I then dig a bit deeper by asking "What do you mean by fine, great, busy etc”. This leads to so many interesting conversations and usually to the business owner finding out something new about their business.”

Jeff Williams Director, Action Coach

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

“A simple but effective icebreaker, this is where participants are asked to say what animal they are and why. For some reason a swan gets picked a lot as it looks serene, but under the water the feet are paddling away like crazy!”

Maggie Austen Account Director, Zebra Marketing and Communications

What business question would you like answered? Email your ideas to: clara@ezpublishing.co.uk

“Naturally, our favourite subject is ourselves or our business, so this gets people chatting easily”

Charity round-up

Our charity pages are an opportunity to highlight the good work local charities are undertaking, promote fundraising success and future events.

Hospice of the Good Shepherd launches its Corporate Challenge

The £50 Corporate Challenge is a simple one! The Hospice of the Good Shepherd supplies participants with £50, and the participants are encouraged to use their business skills and expertise to grow that £50 into a fantastic donation for the hospice.

The last Corporate Challenge took place in 2019 and raised a staggering £21,958. The aim this year is to raise £30,000.

Could your team rise to the challenge?

The challenge officially started on 1 June, with a launch event on 7 June for all businesses taking part. But it’s not too late to take up the challenge. The £50 can be used in any way the participating teams want to – the fundraising really can take on any form. There will be a live leader board to track progress, and trophies for the winning companies. To find out more email alan.knell@hospicegs.com

Eat cake and help Hope House Children’s Hospice

Over 65 families are currently supported by Hope House Children’s Hospice within the Wrexham area –either through respite care, bereavement support or counselling. The charity needs to raise over £7.5 million every year to keep its hospices’ doors open in Morda and Conwy.

From 13-20 June the charity is encouraging people to join in the fun, when Eat Cake Week returns. Whether you host an office bake-off or organise a coffee morning with friends, the charity has all the props to help you turn it into a fabulous fundraiser.

Register for your FREE fundraising pack, take a handful of supporters, add a sprinkling of donations and you’ll have the perfect recipe. Hope House will then turn your delicious cakes into life-changing care for local children. hopehouse.org.uk/eatcake

Ukrainian refugees welcomed to Wrexham

A Ukrainian family will be rehomed with a kind-hearted Wrexham family, thanks to the generous support of Coleg Cambria Staff from the college’s Bersham Road site. Staff stepped in to help Sarah Stickles reconfigure her property to add an extra room, in preparation for the arrival of evacuees from the war-torn country.

The Stickles are waiting to be ‘matched’ with either one individual or a parent and child, having applied to the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme.

After sitting down with her husband and four children, Sarah – who works as a nurse at Nightingale House Hospice – appealed for help on social media for a builder to quote for the work needed. Among the first to respond was Amy Rowlands, a lecturer in Foundation Construction at Cambria, who committed to building the wall and supplying all materials for free.

She was joined on-site by colleagues Chad Davies and Mike Ward, and 21-year-old student Jacob Jones, who completed the project within a matter of hours and even helped with other tasks around the garden.

Pop in to the pop-up

TextBenevolent BTEC business students are using their commercial talents to raise money for a worthwhile cause. A seven-strong group from Coleg Cambria Yale opened a pop-up shop at the site’s Enterprise Hub in Wrexham, to sell items in-person and online for Nightingale House Hospice. They have already secured £440 for the charity, including proceeds from the sale of a signed Wrexham AFC shirt.

BTEC Business Lecturer Anne Williams-Redfern said: “This is part of their course, but also a chance for them to make a real difference by donating all the money raised to the hospice. They have worked so hard and been incredibly resourceful in gathering a wide variety of products to sell at the pop-up shop. They are operating as a team and also marketing the space and event, to create engagement and attract as many customers as they can in this two-day window.”

For more news and information from Nightingale House Hospice, visit nightingalehouse.co.uk

Heart Rock Live

National Autistic Society and Angels Against Cancer fundraisers took place at Heart Rock last month (May 2022). The organisation continues to provide free admission for NHS, ambulance, police, fire and prison service workers, to give them a break.

The organisation is in the process of relaunching Heart Rock with a new management team, and is working closely with the new owners of Eagles Meadow. The aim is to safeguard the future of M&S in Wrexham and regenerate the centre, with the assistance of the vibrant and dynamic musical organisation.

Working exclusively with Wrexham area businesses, Heart Rock puts on tributes from ABBA to ZZ Top, retro DJ sets, theme parties aimed at people 25 and over, and jam, open mic, acoustic and karaoke nights, to inspire the musicality of the younger generation. It is looking for volunteers and any donations of music, lighting and audio equipment is always welcome.

A quacking day out – the Duck Race returns to Chester

After a two-year break, the Chester Duck Race was back at the start of April 2022 and raised over £21,000 towards the Countess of Chester’s Blue Skies Balcony appeal. The event, which featured 77 ducks, from 72 companies, was the eighth Duck Race held on the River Dee.

Sponsored by Hickory’s, who have supported the event since 2013, the Duck Race was a huge success. The sun was shining, while all the decorated ducks were on display for the afternoon. There were some great entries this year including a number of Queen Elizabeth’s ahead of the Platinum Jubilee. The charity team ran fundraising stalls including name the duck, hook a duck and a colouring competition. A total of 25 fantastic volunteers helped on the day to raise an additional £1,000 for the Blue Skies Balcony appeal.

DJ Ian Gibbons and Dee 106.3 Radio Gavin Matthews compered the race which launched at 3pm. The ducks reached the finishing line thanks to the amazing work of Queens Park Boat Club, a group of Chester Paddle Boarders and ChesterBoat.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Martyn Delaney, attended the event to judge the winners of Best Dressed and Best Celebrity Lookalike. The winners in four separate categories were announced shortly after the race and were presented with their trophies on the Bandstand. Co-Op Great Sutton Madam Quackers won Fastest Duck in the race, Special Needs Care won Best Celebrity Lookalike, Best Dressed was awarded to the Peacock Garage and the Facebook Favourite vote went to Griffiths & Armour, who donated its duck to Meadow Community Primary School to decorate on its behalf.

Nicola Stubbs, Corporate and Events Fundraiser at Countess of Chester, said: “It was great to bring the Duck Race back to Chester and the sun was shining, as it always is on the day. This year we received a massive amount of support from numerous businesses around the North West and we are extremely grateful to each one, for helping us to raise over £21,000 for the Blue Skies Balcony appeal.”

If your business would like to support the Blue Skies Balcony appeal, contact Nicola on n.stubbs@nhs.net or call 01244 364341

Charity round-up

Digital access for all

Refugee Kindness-North Wales is pleased to announce it will be using free connectivity – via Vodafone’s charities connected initiative – to tackle digital exclusion. It has received 300 SIM cards for its current beneficiaries and for any Ukrainians who will be arriving in North Wales via their host/sponsor. If any hosts would like SIM cards for their guests please email info@refugeekindness.org

Dynamic show its support for the city of culture bid

Dynamic, based at Bradbury House, Salisbury Road, Wrexham, which provides a range of services for children and young people with disabilities and their families, is proud to be supporting Wrexham’s bid for City of Culture 2025.

Laura Williams, Charity Manager at Dynamic, said: “We are pleased to announce our support for Wrexham’s bid for City of Culture Status. Wrexham is the UK Capital of Play and here at Dynamic we provide opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to play, learn new skills, make friends and enjoy a wide range of activities. We also make regular use of the vast array of tourist attractions we have here, right on our own doorstep.

“More recently we have launched our very own signing choir, Signing Sensations, which is busy practising weekly and performing locally at various events and settings. We are proud to show our support and wish the bid team every success.”

Autism Aware Certification scheme

The Autism Aware Certification scheme is aimed at everyone who wishes to gain a greater awareness and understanding of autism. Small changes can make a huge difference. It can help to reduce the anxiety for individuals with autism and help them to have a positive experience, when visiting businesses and services. After completing the training, you will receive a personalised certificate to download.

Visit https://autismwales.org/en/education/autismaware-certification/ to access the free, online autism awareness training. The autism training, which has been developed by the Integrated Autism Service, supports the new Autism Code of Practice.

Vodafone’s charities.connected initiative is open to any registered charity that would benefit from free connectivity, to improve its digital capability, extend its services or help the individuals and families it supports get access online. Registered charities across North Wales can apply for the free connectivity, in the form of SIM cards with 20GB data a month, plus free calls and texts, for six months.

Emma Reynolds, Head of Communications, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Vodafone UK, said: “We are committed to tackling digital exclusion. We hope that by providing free connectivity to Refugee Kindness – North Wales and the other amazing charities across the UK, which have such an enormous impact on their local communities, we can help create a more inclusive digital society. We urge any organisation which thinks they can benefit to apply online and look forward to hearing how this connectivity has helped.”

Celebrating 25 years of Knew Productions

Award winning wood sculptures

inspired by nature

Wrexham-based artist Simon O’Rourke, who is well-known for his extraordinary wood sculptures, was recently honoured to have the opportunity to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. He has been commissioned to carve a new sculpture from the trunk of an old oak tree in Wellington Heath near Ledbury. The oak tree, which had sadly died, was originally planted to mark Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1897.

SIMON DESCRIBED THE COMMISSION

as a privilege: “It seemed a fitting tribute to our Queen to develop a sculpture from the tree that was originally planted to celebrate another great UK monarch. The sculpture designed for the Jubilee celebrations features local wildlife, including kites and other birds from the area.”

The sculpture was completed ahead of the Jubilee weekend and Simon also competed in the Chainsaw Carving event in Burghley, working with fellow carver Matt Crabb (at the time of printing, the results of this event are unknown!).

Ascension to the cup

Simon has been very busy recently, having just returned triumphant from a Living Heritage wood carving competition held on the Sandringham Estate as part of the Sandringham Food, Craft and Wood Festival, where he came home with the Sandringham Cup. Simon explains: “The chainsaw carving competition at Sandringham is one of the leading international competitive carving events held in the UK. It was also the first event I participated in, way back in 2004. So, to return to it this year – 18 years on and after a fouryear break from competitive events –and leave with first prize, felt very special to me.

“Competing against 15 other chainsaw carvers, I had three days to produce a carving from a design of my choosing. There was no theme to the carving. I was faced with a huge 9ft by 3ft log of Corsican Pine and the opportunity to carve whatever I wanted.

“Large-scale human form sculptures are one of my favourite things to carve. ‘Ascension’, my creation for the competition, was a 9ft tall, ethereal, veiled figure. Making wood look like flowing cloth is always a challenge –you have to really feel what the cloth would be doing when the force of a wind pushes it against a form. The other major challenge is creating the detail of the face, as if it’s behind a veil.”

Sardinian welcome

Not only has Simon been successful in competitions, but he also had an exciting commission in Sardinia earlier this year, where he sculpted a giant hand for the local community. He explains: “In 2011, I was commissioned to carve a giant hand to reside by Lake Vyrnwy. Over lockdown someone shared a photo of it on social media and it ended up going viral. This generated lots of enquiries and the image even went on to feature in a high-end Italian magazine. From the 15 or 20 enquiries I received, one actually resulted in a commission.

“I never dreamt that I could live the life I do through carving”

“The community raised the funds for the sculpture and came together to ensure that we not only had good food and accommodation, but Liz and I were welcomed into people’s homes. During our 10-day stay in Sardinia, we were immersed in village life and even ended up eating with the locals and attending a birthday party. The completed sculpture was so well received, the village is hoping to raise further funds for me to return and complete another piece.”

Crafting the future

Simon feels that he has been very fortunate in his career so far. In fact, he confesses that at the start of his career, “I never dreamt that I could live the life I do through carving.” He also has some exciting commissions coming up, including a project working on the Yew trees in Overton that are classed as one of the ‘Seven Wonders of Wales’. With one of the trees having suffered storm damage, he will be seeing what he can create with the remains.

He also has another forthcoming project that is still under an NDA, but which he is looking forward to announcing later in the summer. Simon enjoys the opportunity to inspire the next generation of carvers, and when asked what his advice to wouldbe sculptors would be, he says: “Always work from real life or a photo, don’t try and take your inspiration from something someone else has already created.”

For further information on Simon and his work, visit treecarving.co.uk 07886 881815

From sculpture to story

Liz and Simon O’Rourke have joined forces to bring Simon’s sculptures to life through storytelling to raise money for Alderhey Children’s Hospital. Initially approached by a friend to craft some sculptures around the orchard of a holiday cottage complex, the idea progressed to a sculpture trail, which then developed into an illustrated children’s story book to accompany the trail – written by Liz and illustrated by Simon – and featuring Fudge the Dachshund.

Aligning personal, organisational and customer needs

The goal of aligning personal, organisational and customer needs is to eliminate some challenges we collect – particularly during the early phase of company growth. With more tightly aligned needs, we can reduce friction and frustration throughout our businesses and improve customer relationships. But what are needs? Where do we start? And how far can we go?

By PHIL DRINKWATER

What are needs and why do we have them?

Needs keep us safe by installing boundaries around what’s essential to us. A great way of identifying a need is asking, ‘What would I not willingly live without?’

Human needs are there to keep us alive and fulfilled. A few human needs popular within the work environment are salary (obviously), connection, community, inclusion, support, security, integrity, harmony, challenge, contribution, discovery, participation, self-respect, stability, being heard, timeliness, creativity and freedom.

Organisational needs, similarly, aim to ensure the company continues to exist. A few examples are cost reduction, stability, certainty, business growth, increased productivity, increased flexibility, higher profit, more customers, innovation, HR approval, legal requirements and contented customers.

Throughout our lives, we discover strategies to ensure our needs are met. For example, food is a need, and two strategies for meeting this need are buying it from a shop or growing it. Here, shopping is a ‘strategy’, and the ‘need’ is food.

Not getting our personal or organisational needs met typically causes a display of anger, frustration, disappointment, or other uncomfortable emotions.

Identifying needs

To identify your customer needs, you might find it helpful to develop answers to this set of questions.

Imagine how customers might think (be careful not to add in your own bias), or interview and ask them:

1. What are the top five personal and organisational needs of each type of customer?

2 To maximise impact, which needs were included most regularly?

3. To maximise growth opportunities, which are the top five needs you’re not currently meeting?

You can do the same exercise within your own business, to consider its’ needs and also the needs’ of your employees.

Aligning needs

Sometimes business and personal needs just fit together easily, like a lock and key. Internal change to align these will be clear and smooth.

You should be clear on the needs you are aiming to address within the business and develop plans and timeframes to incorporate them.

However, some needs might require more thought and creativity. For example, some employees may need to leave work at 4pm for childcare, whereas others may need to leave at 6pm to miss the traffic, yet some customers might need delivery at 5.30pm. On certain days you might struggle to meet that need. You need to think about how to untangle this.

How firm is that need?

It’s almost certain that you will find some needs will not fit, no matter how much you try. If one person wants blue walls and another wants red, either they will both be unhappy, or one will be.

However, interviewing people can open opportunities for compromise. So, you could ask:

1. Out of ten, how much do you care about this need?

2. Which other needs might you consider an acceptable substitute?

These questions aim to create some shaded ‘grey areas’ between the ‘black and whites’ of a need, leaving you with some less-firm boundaries to mesh together.

What if it just doesn’t fit?

There’s a great saying that ‘not all business is good business’

At some point it’s worth looking at whether a small number of customers are requiring too many needs that your business or employees would prefer not to deliver. An honest conversation can ensue.

Similarly, some employees will have needs that don’t aligned well with the business and customers, and a healthy split may be more successful for everyone in the long run. At the very least, future staff interviews can place more of a focus on needs, in order to align more with your direction.

Accept this isn’t an overnight fix

When we’re looking at these kinds of improvements, it’s key to accept that it won’t happen immediately.

Depending on the size and complexity of your business, it could take many months to fully complete an alignment exercise. However, the end result can be a business which has significantly fewer challenges though, making it all worth the effort.

Business

phildrinkwater.coach

“Sometimes business and personal needs just fit together easily, like a lock and key. Internal change to align these will be clear and smooth”

Phil Drinkwater

Coach

0161 5412350

Take five

Grab a cuppa and clear your mind of work for a short while with our puzzles.

Across

1 Climber (11)

9 Plant spike (5)

10 ___ Barker: former tennis player (3)

11 Economise (5)

12 ___ Berry: actress (5)

13 Come before in time (8)

16 Aromatic plant used in cooking (8)

18 Prevent (5)

21 Small antelope (5)

22 Foot extremity (3)

23 Billie ___ : British actress (5)

24 Daring (11)

Down

2 Do away with a need (7)

3 Quibble (7)

4 Exist in great numbers (6)

5 Between eighth and tenth (5)

6 Frame for holding an artist's work (5)

7 Eating establishments (11)

8 Pleasure; gratification (11)

14 Holiday locations (7)

15 Smallest amount (7)

17 Young person (6)

19 Corpulent (5)

20 Repository (5)

If you would like to showcase your business by offering a competition prize for future issues, contact us to discuss options

vicky@ezpublishing.co.uk

Check your answers

Crossword Classic Sudoku

Coming up next issue...

Our next issue, which is due out in early September, covers the months of September, October and November and also marks the completion of our first four issues. Some of our forthcoming features include:

• Sustainability matters – we will take a look at some of the inspiration and information out there to enable you to better understand and improve your thinking around sustainability.

• On top of the world – we will be interviewing Liam Hanlon after the team’s successful summit of Everest to find out more about the challenge and the charities the team has raised money for, including the Countess of Chester Hospital.

• Back to school – as we head into Autumn, we explore some of the training and development opportunities out there, including short courses and academic qualifications available for people in business.

We will also be interviewing more local business leaders, and including articles on business news, charity updates and many other topics.

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