The Lamwyk Journal Summer 2024 edition

LAMWYK JOURNAL

TAKINGTHE LABYRINTH OUTOF PROPERTY FINANCING

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE THREAT WE NEED WEALTHIER WOMEN THINK BEFORE YOU LINK THE POWER OF BREAKFAST

Seeking to achieve “reach and range” in all that we do so that our community can be empowered and enthused.

TAKING

BUSINESS SUCCESS STARTS WITH CURIOSITY

LETTER FROM OUR EDITOR

It gives me immense pleasure to edit this Summer edition of our Lamwyk Journal. This would not have been possible without the support of our brilliant Lamwyk team. Take advantage of the improving weather and enjoy the Journal’s snapshots of some fascinating topics while relaxing in the shade.

Lamwyk began as a series of illuminating roundtable think-tank sessions convening leaders in business, scientific and civic spaces. Our members enjoyed intriguing discussions where these experts offered solutions to some of the most daunting challenges facing us all The reinvigorated Lamwyk Journal continues in that vein

This Summer edition has an extra special new look to give you our best reading experience yet It is packed with insights on everything from filling property finance gaps to fighting antimicrobial resistance and avoiding fake and duplicitous profiles on LinkedIn We also explore the crisis facing local bus services, a new era of flexible batteries and much, much more. Hopefully everyone reading can find some positivity and inspiration in our articles. Despite challenging times across much of society, there are copious reasons for optimism.

Thank you all so much for your continuing support and we wish you a wonderful Summer.

TomO’Brien

EDITOR

Despite challenging times across much of society, there are copious reasons for optimism.

TAKING THE LABYRINTH OUT OF PROPERTY FINANCING

Delays. Everybody hates them. Yet so often, property developers face delays, bureaucracy and poor service when they urgently need sensible short-term funding to build wonderful homes

Worse still, so-called ‘lenders’ often confront developers with frankly outrageous interest rates. Those with the vision to build outstanding properties deserve bespoke support in getting their projects over the line. Sadly though, lenders providing this support are often as scarce as hen’s teeth

Working with Single Family Offices (SFOs) is a great way for

developers to get rid of this bureaucratic labyrinth and get on with housebuilding SFOs represent some of the world’s wealthiest families When you borrow from them you’re borrowing their money and nobody else’s This makes such a difference

as you don’t have to wait for multiple different funding providers to liaise and each individually approve your application Many of the families who establish SFOs are entrepreneurial themselves, meaning that they take account of your ambition and vision when

making lending decisions. As a result, they are far less risk averse than traditional banks

Traditional banks have a tendency to avoid risk as they are lending other people’s money (OPM) and face constant

pressure from their own shareholders to deliver profits and dividends. While banks regularly provide developers with affordable long-term finance in the form of mortgages, they often simply don’t have the capacity to offer more flexible and riskier funding options This leaves developers with delays, paperwork and, critically, funding gaps which are immensely difficult to fill SFOs can offer mezzanine finance (loans which can be converted into equity); bridging loans (shortterm loans to fill funding gaps) and auction finance (for buying dilapidated properties for redevelopment). This allows developers to secure the properties they need without crashing into chronic delays or horrendous costs

However, it can be so easy to panic and choose the first bridging finance provider who pops up in your online search. Instead of finding lenders, these searches will often give you a list of brokers interested in connecting you with the funding provider who will give them the biggest fee.

It’s then very likely that you’ll miss out on the best deal for you. Instead, look to work with introducers who can present your proposals to a panel of SFOs. Then you can find not just the right loan, but also the right partnership for your project. Brokers often have pre-agreed deals with specific lenders and will therefore connect you with those lenders regardless of whether such a connection would represent the best deal for you. Introducers don’t have those ties and can therefore really focus on what you need before submitting your proposal to multiple lenders.

Funding gaps require a collaborative effort to fill. Don’t just settle for quick cash at extortionate rates. Look for connections to lenders who understand your vision and are willing to think outside the box to get your project off the ground

Don’t just settle for quick cash at extortionate rates. Look for connections to lenders who understand your vision

Bacteria are developing their resistance to antimicrobials far more quickly than the pharmaceutical industry can bring effective replacement.

WHYISANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCESUCHATHREAT TOPUBLICHEALTH?

Antimicrobial medicines (antimicrobials) play a fundamental role in modern healthcare. You may have taken them as antibiotics, antiparasitics, antifungals or antivirals When you take antimicrobials, they destroy disease-causing bacteria but also destroy some healthy cells in your body too Normally this is not an issue at all as the damage to healthy cells is minimal However, when antimicrobials are overused or misused by people sharing them or taking the wrong dosages, harmful bacteria spread both within their bodies and also spread to anyone who catches their bugs Worse still, these bacteria eventually find ways to evade the antimicrobials used to fight them, creating ‘superbugs’ which no longer respond to those medicines This failure to respond is antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

While AMR is a natural process occurring over time, it is exacerbated by human behaviour and is currently developing at a worrying pace. Bacteria are developing their resistance to antimicrobials far more quickly than the pharmaceutical industry can bring effective replacement or alternative treatments to market. If AMR were to reach dangerous levels, medical staff would no longer be able to carry out operations such as joint replacements safely. Antimicrobials are essential for reducing infection risk in these and many other standard medical procedures.

Worse an era where simple infections can cause life-threatening diseases could emerge in some parts of the world within the next decade

We can all play a part in fighting AMR Before considering taking antibiotics or any other antimicrobials ensure that you:

· Consult a doctor as soon as you feel unwell - delaying treatment gives harmful bacteria more time to spread;

· Only take dosages that your doctor prescribes;

· Follow your doctor’s advice if they suggest you don’t need these medicines;

· Never share them with friends and family;

· Don’t leave them in the drawer in case you or a family member might need them in future;

· Don’t take antimicrobials prescribed for someone else. You’re trying to fight your illness not theirs;

Reduce your meat consumption - Current demand for cooked meat and poultry is leading to predictions of a 67% rise in antimicrobial usage around the world from 2010-2030 by leading researchers

Dangerous levels of AMR are not inevitable if we all work together to use precious medicines much more responsibly Let’s look after each other

Flexible batteries allow us all to measure our health like never before. These innovative batteries are robust, lightweight and can bend into different shapes. They’re essential for powering not just smartwatches but clothes too E-textiles such as socks that measure blood sugar and jackets containing internal heating systems are all realistic prospects thanks to this new form of battery The World Economic Forum estimates the global market for flexible batteries will have grown by over 22% by 2027, reaching almost $400 billion.

There’s also the prospect of smartphones and smartwatches with batteries on the outside. This provides space for sensors and other innovative technologies to be placed into what was formerly the battery compartment. Clinicians could receive more precise patient data, more quickly than ever before As a result, they could spot discrepancies indicating major health conditions earlier and provide patients with both longer and more liveable lives

BENDING THE POSSIBLE IN HEALTH MANAGEMENT

The World Economic Forum estimates the global market for flexible batteries will have grown by over 22% by 2027, reaching almost $400 billion.

Despite these positives, these innovations carry a major risk: eroding privacy. Technology designed to improve individuals’ control over their own health should never infringe their liberty. Any situation in which governments could force restrictions on people based on the data provided by wearable technology and e-textiles would be completely unacceptable Moreover, there is a serious risk that compromising health data could be hacked or leaked causing significant personal distress to the individual concerned There is also a risk that the vulnerability of increasingly detailed cloud-based health data may provide foreign governments with more information about a nation’s health than any state would want to disclose.

Flexible batteries have the potential to permanently change our world for the better. However, it is crucial that the technology they power respects individuals’ rights to both data privacy and agency over their own health.

OUR WORLD NEEDS WEALTHIER WOMEN

UN Research published on International Women’s Day 2024 shows the true scale of economic inequality that women around the world face on a daily basis 10% of all women live in extreme poverty, meaning they earn less than $2.15 (USD) per day at 2017 purchasing power parity. Climate change only worsens this huge injustice. Women working in farms damaged by climate change must often work harder and even take their daughters out of formal education in order to produce food from the land

Worse still, only 15% of women around the world are landholders Being a landholder would entitle them to make managerial decisions on the land they farm Landholding must not be confused with land ownership. The global percentage of female landowners is even smaller. To make matters worse, certain governments often deny women who do own land formal legal paperwork confirming their ownership rights As a result, the world loses huge economic potential Rules in certain countries which deny women even the right to leave home without a man’s permission leave some women even worse off: stuck in perpetual poverty and unable to flee.

Imagine how much the world would benefit if these women were able to demonstrate their talents in any professional settings they chose The UN calculates that closing gender employment gaps could boost GDP per capita by 20% in every region of the world. Instead, only 61 per cent of women form part of the global labour force at prime working age (25-54). In stark contrast, 90% of men in the same age bracket have jobs Global growth that excludes almost half of the world’s population can hardly be called growth at all

Prioritising equality of access to education, health and pay could lift millions of women out of poverty This is not a nice-to-have global ambition It is absolutely essential for humanity’s successful navigation of a new and daunting range of meteorological and technological challenges. Women have made some of the greatest contributions in the history of science so far. These have included inventing X-Rays and revolutionising our understanding of Space So much more remains for humanity to discover Let’s give women around the world the resources they need to innovate and drive our societies forwards.

Tragically, instead of following their dreams, 614 million women and girls live in conflict zones and face the terrifying prospect of death every day. Opportunities to flee this horrendous violence remain scarce and perilous.

It is vitally important that countries around the world work together at multilateral level to help women live in safety, escape poverty and improve their children’s life chances too.

Global growth that excludes almost half of the world’s population can hardly be called growth at all.

BUSINESS SUCCESS STARTS WITH CURIOSITY

Curiosity is any successful entrepreneur’s secret weapon if deployed effectively. Entrepreneurs are inherently grumpy. They are lovely people but spend much of their lives frustrated by things that are slow, inefficient and ineffective. Their frustration then becomes an obsession to fix life’s inconveniences with lasting innovations. Alexander Graham Bell was frustrated by a world in which people struggled to communicate, so he invented the telephone. Thomas Edison was tired of working and reading in poor lighting, so he invented the lightbulb.

All innovations start with curiosity Here’s how to leverage curiosity to grow your business

LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS WHERE OTHERS SEE PROBLEMS

Once anything goes wrong in life, the next question should always be ‘well how can we fix it?’ While others spend hours complaining (often on social media), entrepreneurs look for solutions that will ease problems On finding them, entrepreneurs will then either offer constructive feedback or just go ahead and create a solution themselves. Not every fix has the potential to become a viable business. If you look for enough solutions though, you’ll find one you can sell.

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LEARN TO LOVE OPINIONS YOU DISAGREE WITH

It can be so easy for us all to live inside our own bespoke echo chambers. From TV to social media, books and newspapers, we can spend a whole lifetime avoiding opinions contrary to our own. As a result, many of us see the world exclusively from our own perspective When you step out of your bubble, you learn to question yourself This allows you to hone your own thinking and test any business ideas you have to ensure that they cut the mustard before you spend any of your money bringing them to fruition

BROADEN YOUR SKILLS 4

Have you ever wondered what makes accountants tick, or why lawyers find their work so fascinating? There will be times where every business needs expert support, whether that comes in-house, externally or through a mix of both. However, all entrepreneurs can help themselves hugely by learning new skills If you can do a bit of everything, then you can put your business on a solid footing before the time comes to call in the experts This also makes it less likely that you’ll have to pay those experts to do lots of basic work which you could have done yourself

Many people love to talk…about themselves. This creates one-way conversations that are about as interesting as watching paint dry for your counterparties. It’s only when you stop talking that you can learn new things. From there you can build responses to difficulties that your friends are facing. Those responses might just lead you to an awesome new business idea

Great questions spur great businesses The more you ask and explore, the more your curiosity will develop into new business

GROW YOUR PROFESSIONAL NETWORK 5

Curious entrepreneurs attend a wider variety of networking events than many others. That will help you to build great relationships with people in completely different sectors, cities and even countries than you. You can then discover a more varied range of commercial opportunities, all while adding immense value to your existing professional network. Very often, building relationships with people who others can’t meet is integral to finding answers to business challenges that others can’t solve Growth follows naturally from there

Great questions spur great businesses The more you ask and explore, the more your curiosity will develop into new business.

THINK BEFORE YOU LINK

Sadly, some of the LinkedIn connection requests you might receive could be immensely harmful to you personally, your business and even UK National Security It’s vital that we all take appropriate precautions to protect both ourselves and our colleagues, friends, clients and partners from harm when growing our LinkedIn networks.

The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) has launched a Think Before You Link app to protect both “civil servants and professionals working in the private sector or academia with access to classified or commercially sensitive technology or research” while they are using LinkedIn. Even if you don’t work anywhere near these sectors, it is still hugely important for you to take precautions when accepting connection requests

People trying to connect with you on LinkedIn might be:

· Trying to send you phishing links to steal your personal or financial information;

· Looking to connect with you in order to send phishing links to your network;

· Hostile actors (individuals recruited by foreign governments to undermine UK interests through malign activities) or criminals trying to harvest information about you and your network;

· Criminals trying to blackmail you.

Always treat connection requests from people you don’t know personally with immense caution. Some unsolicited messages are great, such as people wanting to buy your

They’ll offer you an all expenses-paid speaking opportunity with a generous appearance fee They’ll explain how you were their first choice of speaker because of your impressive track-record and career achievements They might even propose an ongoing partnership These messages will make it seem as though a world of riches is just a tap away. All you need to do is press ‘accept’.

The reality of connecting with these profiles is highly dangerous and disturbing. Almost everyone’s LinkedIn profiles have their contact details on. Criminals and other hostile actors can use these details to find out all kinds of personal details about you. Then they can invite you to an ‘interview’ to discuss a proposed career opportunity and then try to use the information they’ve stolen to blackmail you Worse still, your personal safety might be at risk in such an encounter Even if you don’t end up meeting them in-person, the mere act of pressing ‘accept’ inadvertently gives crooks access to vast quantities of valuable data about your whole network

If you are ever invited to speak at any event through a LinkedIn message, research it fully before responding. Is it a prominent conference which regularly invites expert speakers? Is it a conference that you’ve previously attended or wanted to attend? Do you know anyone else who is going? Don’t respond to messages because you’re flattered or the money on offer sounds attractive. If you’re not 100% sure that the individual you are connecting with and the firm they represent are both genuine and credible, decline their connection request

We must all be more vigilant in protecting ourselves, our friends, our businesses and our wider economy on LinkedIn Everyone can download the Think Before You Link app regardless of where they work for detailed guidance on fake profile spotting and reporting

WHERE’S THE BUS?

16 million miles of bus routes across the UK disappeared between 2010 and 2023. Extensive research by the i newspaper shows that these cuts are widespread across the country. Council funded bus routes in Hull dropped by a shocking 99%, while communities across Portsmouth and Southampton saw these services reduced by 98% Services in Milton Keynes were also battered over the same period with 1.75 million miles of council funded bus routes becoming a mere 110,000.

Unfortunately, the private sector has not come to the rescue Bus miles in Blackburn operated privately have dropped by 53%, while Shropshire has seen its coverage slashed by 64%, leaving many rural communities isolated.

Transport for the North’s (TfN’s) 2024 Strategic Transport Plan notes that forced car ownership resulting from poor bus services can leave residents facing significant financial hardship “This includes debt, financial stress, and foregoing other necessary expenditure in order to fund car loan repayments, fuel costs, insurance and maintenance.”

Instead of enjoying seamless access to local services, people are left stressed, isolated and crushingly burdened by spiralling costs. This has real consequences for both employability and health outcomes Doctors appointments go missed if people cannot catch a bus which will get them to hospitals and surgeries on time The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has acknowledged that 50%

of rural populations live at least an hour away from a hospital - what happens if someone needs to visit A&E? Meanwhile, jobs remain out of reach for those who would require almost a threehour daily commute just to get to work

Meanwhile, hospitality venues miss out on trade from potential customers who either can’t guarantee going out for dinner and finding a bus to take them back home or just can’t afford to eat out. As the sector continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic, denying venues crucial footfall makes no sense at all Going for a night out in Dorset is hugely complicated by the fact that some bus services are unavailable evenings or weekends

Young people therefore risk being cut off from their peers simply because they live in a commercially inconvenient area for bus routes.

It is no surprise that the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) is concerned that we will fail to achieve net zero by 2050 when so many young people are denied access to climate-friendly travel options.

Rural and urban communities deserve better. It is difficult to see how the UK can sustainably improve health and economic outcomes without improving bus services Otherwise communities across the country will be left asking: 'Where's Levelling-Up?'

CELEBRATING A CULTURAL GEM

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, tucked away on the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus, is absolutely wonderful. Here you can find some of Europe’s best painting, drawing and sculpture under one roof without having to queue for hours on end Impressionist enthusiasts can enjoy works by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Degas and Manet and move seamlessly to Gaugin and Van Gogh to explore how the movement evolved into the Post-Impressionist era. Fans of the Dutch Golden Age’s more traditional painting can enjoy works by Rembrandt, Rubens and Brueghel the Younger.

They will also appreciate the museum’s excellent work in highlighting the enormous contribution of

modern-day Belgium to those artists’ success.

There are wonderful Italian works by Canaletto and Botticelli in among The Barber’s collections too, as well as outstanding British painting from Gainsborough and Reynolds

Away from painting, The Barber also houses a fascinating collection of coins dating back to the early Roman Empire. This includes more than 1,000 coins from Roman Egypt. Hellenistic coins and Byzantine Seals only add to an extraordinary journey of discovery through the ancient history that shaped our modern currencies

Visitors will also find a fascinating collection of Hungarian and

Transylvanian coinage, including a silver 15 kreuzer coin minted shortly after Marie Theresa’s 18th Century accession to the throne as Habsburg Queen of Hungary.

The Barber’s sculpture collection goes far beyond Europe and includes celebrated pieces from China, Thailand and Iran

Wherever your artistic interests sit, you’re bound to find something you love in this serene space.

THE POWER OF BREAKFAST

One of the oldest adages in teaching is that ‘you can’t teach a hungry child’. Tragically, hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are coming to school every day with empty tummies. Magic Breakfast manages to provide 200,000 of them with healthy, nutritious breakfasts every morning before lessons begin They can’t help everyone though Sadly, many of the students they can’t reach are being asked to sit in classes and think about trigonometry when, in reality, they’re thinking about the bagels they missed out on this morning.

In an era where advanced learning in high technology subjects will be pivotal to young people’s career opportunities, we need to ensure that they’re able to focus throughout the day. That makes the provision of breakfast at school not just essential for so many students’ wellbeing, but also for the UK’s economic resilience and growth Breakfast clubs are great ways for young people to improve their social skills too Kids who might be feeling a bit low on confidence because they haven’t eaten for a while can let all that negativity go when they arrive

at breakfast clubs Suddenly, they can make lots of new friends while getting the nutrition and support they need to enjoy a productive day at school.

Breakfast clubs also provide an important opportunity for school staff and other trained professionals to ask children how they’re feeling It may be that these conversations highlight important issues which can be resolved quickly to improve young lives both at school and at home. It’s amazing what can be achieved over a hearty breakfast and a positive conversation.

By supporting organisations like Magic Breakfast, you can help a child to achieve things that they never thought were possible. You can help to transform shy, nervous children into confident young people who are ready to share their talents with the world Porridge does wonderful things and you can too

It’s amazing what can be achieved over a hearty breakfast and a positive conversation.

LAMWYK

The views expressed in this document are not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any investment or financial instrument. Information contained within this document has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable but have not been independently verified; no representation is made for accuracy or completeness, no reliance should be placed on it and no liability is accepted for any loss arising from reliance on it.

Readers are advised that Lamwyk & Co Ltd has accepted articles and advertisements for publication in good faith but should be advised that Lamwyk & Co Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for views expressed nor the advertisements published. Lamwyk & Co Ltd reserves the right to withdraw any article or any advertisement at any time The views expressed are not necessarily those of Lamwyk & Co Ltd

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