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LEISURE

Dinosaurs create a roaring trade

F YOUR SUMMER BREAK TOOK

Iyou near a replica dinosaur, there’s a good chance it came from Welsh fi rm Lifesize Models.

Th e fi rm, based in Cwm, has been going for more than 25 years, having started as a sideline to a family business run by David Powell. “We had a store selling all sorts of unusual stuff ,” recalls sales manager Lucy Powell, David’s daughter. “On a visit overseas, by chance we bumped into a Dutch chap producing fi breglass and resin products, and from that meeting we developed all sorts of products, from 1ft busts to 40ft dinosaurs.”

Th e business doesn’t just produce dinosaurs, but the popularity of the Jurassic Park fi lms in the 1990s meant these soon became best-sellers. “We have supplied dinosaurs to Dan-Yr-Ogof (the National Showcaves Centre for Wales), York Maze, Tim Burton, Glasgow Fort, Liverpool One and many other corporate clients and theme parks,” says Lucy.

“Dan-Yr-Ogof are our most prolifi c dinosaur clients. Th ey are our only client in the UK to have our 40ft brachiosaurs, mammoths, camarasaurus and several other life-size dinosaurs on display.”

In all, the fi rm sells more than 3,000 models, including wild and farmyard animals, Halloween fi gures and Christmas items. “We also sell to many private buyers who are looking for something special,” says Lucy. “Some regulars buy over several years – they may start with a cow then add other animals to create their own farm. Many buy for their gardens or patio areas.”

NETWORKING MEMBER NEWS

HEALTH

A bed for the night

Caboose & Co helped provide accommodation for NHS staff at Reading’s Royal Berkshire Hospital

ABOOSE & CO IS

Cused to providing luxury pop-up accommodation for outdoor events such as festivals and glamping, but when the Covid-19 pandemic hit it shifted its focus towards helping the NHS.

Th e business, which was set up by Tom Critchley in 2017 and converts shipping containers into luxury units, was on call to support Visions Group, which was tasked with creating a temporary village with 40 rooms for NHS staff at Reading’s Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Th e village was operational for 80 nights during the height of the pandemic, giving nurses and other NHS staff somewhere comfortable to stay if they weren’t local or couldn’t return home. “We were proud to play our part in these exceptional times and help provide a convenient, comfy place for staff to rest after a physically and emotionally demanding shift,” says Tom.

Th e company has previously providing accommodation for glampers, event crew and VIPs at the Moto GP and F1 British GP at Silverstone, the Cheltenham and Hay Festivals, the Big Feastival, and the Ryder Cup in Paris.

Since lockdown has eased, the focus has been on helping glamping sites extend their capacity to help meet demand for staycations, says Tom, but he’s hopeful the events sector will also return in future.

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CHARITY

Up for a swap

SB’S AREA LEAD FOR D2N2,

Fcovering businesses in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, has joined other local businesspeople to recreate the swap shop concept made famous by Noel Edmonds.

Rachel Hayward from bid-writing fi rm Ask the Chameleon teamed up with Dean Jackson, founder of sports apparel brand Huub, and Lee Marples, Director of think3, to create the Derby Swap Shop, after local charity CEO Tracy Harrison from Safe and Sound put out a request to swap services and expertise during the pandemic.

“We estimate we have saved £20,000 in the local economy with the swaps

HEALTH

Shield switch to help out NHS

When lockdown hit back in March, Llanellibased human science research consultancy K Sharp Ltd realised it was well placed to help meet the needs of frontline NHS staff .

The fi rm, which usually conducts research and manufactures equipment for the UK’s defence sector, responded to a call from a community group co-ordinated through Amman Valley Makerspace to help produce visors for NHS staff .

“We have been innovating with 3D printers for about 18 months as part of our normal business, so I moved all four of our printers out of the oų ce to the family living room and got busy printing the face shields as part of this community eff ort,” says Managing Director Barry Kirby.

The company manufactured around 14,000 visors over four months, which went to staff in hospitals, care homes and shops in the region. “It seemed the obvious thing that have been completed to date,” says Rachel. “Swaps range from SEO support to PR to Dutch language interpreting, and the off ers are just as varied.” Trades so far have been virtual, but Rachel doesn’t rule out physical swaps in the future.

Derby Swap Shop now has 150 members and plans to replicate the concept across the Midlands. “We are committed to promoting swap shops to other counties and fi nding local champions to be our ambassadors,” adds Rachel.

Swap Shop ran for 146 episodes between 1976 and 1982, and allowed children to meet up and trade toys and other items with each other.

Some of the recipients of the face shields

to do,” adds Mr Kirby. “It was also very close to home, as there were front-line workers everywhere doing their bit to keep the country moving through really dių cult times. It made sense for us to support them too.”

The fi rm’s own operations in the UK defence sector were largely unaff ected by the pandemic, he adds, but moving to remote working and virtual client meetings meant the company could operate more eų ciently. “It has actually meant we have had more work,” he says.

5 mins with...

Ken Punter

Tell us about your business

Oppidium is a strategic marketing consultancy working with universities, but the approach works for local authorities, charities – any organisation with complex communications needs.

How did it get started?

From my time working in senior marketing roles in higher education and the third sector – I identifi ed a need and gap for more strategic and joined-up planning.

How has it developed since then?

A good start working with clients on large research projects. It’s been satisfying to give clients the marketing tools for them to use. However, Covid-19 has put a few things ‘on hold’. I’ve used the time to develop a podcast service that will help clients to develop their communications even while people are working remotely.

What’s the best thing about working for yourself?

More effi cient use of time – considerably less bureaucracy and meetings!

What’s the worst?

Not having a peer group of colleagues to bounce ideas oŬ , although networking goes some way to replacing this.

What advice do you have for people keen to start a new business?

Plan long but keep the focus short. This means having clear long-term objectives but keeping a close eye on the specifi c tasks required to reach the end goal. This is the essence of the Objectives and Key Results approach. This is helpful even while thinking about starting a business.

How has FSB membership helped you?

Helped with getting the business banking with the Co-operative Bank organised.

Tell us something fun…

I host a community radio show in Northamptonshire for the Digital Northampton network. We run interesting interviews and features with people in the region who are involved with digital.