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June 2013
My first job AN accountancy firm in Guildford has been recognised with an award for its pensions service for the second year running. Baker Tilly, based in Cross Lanes, was voted Pensions Accountant of the Year at the annual Pension and Investment Provider Awards (PIPA), last month. In addition to clinching the PIPA accolade for the second consecutive year at the London ceremony, it means another triumph in just a few years for Baker Tilly, after a previous win in 2009. The PIPA awards, which are now in their 14th year, recognise excellent service delivery by providers of products and services to UK occupational pension schemes. Karen Tasker, head of defined contribution for the firm’s pensions group, said: “Picking up the award for the second year running is a great credit to the whole Baker Tilly pensions team.” Surrey Chambers of Commerce is again taking on a summer health challenge, in partnership with local company Activity4Charity. This year the Chamber will be raising money for its member charities. The team has been set the challenge to complete 10,000 steps per day for six weeks, which is the equivalent of seven marathons. If you would like to support the team, feel free to make a donation by visiting www.justgiving.com/teams/surreychambers. To see how the team progresses or to offer some much-needed encouragement, follow @SurreyChambers on twitter. A GUILDFORD accountancy company has praised business in the South East after the region placed well in a UK-wide league table. London and the South East are ‘leading the UK technology revolution’, according to a recently published league table of Britain’s top 100 fastest-growing hi-tech companies. Chris Cairns, partner at Alliotts accountants, in High Street, said: “It is fantastic news that 70% of the companies on the tech league table are based in London and the South East.” A WATER company covering Surrey has added a new face to its board of directors. South East Water confirmed David Hinton as asset director after he worked his way up from being a laboratory analyst. Mr Hinton has more than 17 years of experience with the firm and his new role will see him responsible for South East Water’s infrastructure, water quality and resources, environmental issues and economic regulation. Husband and father-of-two, David said: “I am looking forward to heading up such a vital area of our business at an interesting time for the water industry.” Paul Butler, managing director, added: “I am delighted David is joining the board. His loyalty to the company and commitment to its successes have proved invaluable to us over the years.”
Editorial Director Marnie Wilson Group Deputy Editor Mark Miseldine Business Reporter Pete Bryant Commercial Manager Amanda Ducas Regional Sales Manager Sarah Firth
Alvin Hargreaves is the venue director of G Live in Guildford What was your first job? As a young boy, having watched my older sister begin working in our local theatre, it wasn’t long before I was selling ice creams and operating the follow-spot for concerts and the Christmas panto season. This casual work from the age of 14 sparked my interest in the theatre world and, some years later, led to my first full-time proper ‘techie’ job working in lighting, sound, film projection and stage management. How did you get from there to where you are today? I was always lucky in the timing of opportunities to develop my career and I jumped on any chance to take more responsibility. Front of house, marketing and duty management opportunities presented themselves and
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What does the future hold? G Live is becoming established in the live entertainment industry and we’ve assembled a talented and committed team. The next phase is to further unlock the venue’s significant potential as a regional centre for the finest music and entertainment. I have made the county my home now and I’m looking forward to taking my son, Wills, to his first shows. There are some perks to the job.
Alvin Hargreaves sees potential at G Live.
Prince’s Trust helps young glassblower put her dream into shape By Jennifer Morris
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I quickly gained a more rounded experience of the business. From St Albans to De Montfort Hall in Leicester in 1994 was a big move to a larger venue, which after a two-year post-grad day-release management degree course at the local university led to a promotion as operations manager. Being prepared to move always opens more opportunities as I found when I left land-locked Leicestershire for Plymouth in 2002. This was my first senior management post for a large arena, conference and leisure centre, where I programmed acts like Coldplay, Oasis, Green Day and the Manics. Some nine years later I headed inland, to Guildford, for a unique opportunity to mobilise one of the only new venues opening in the UK in current times.
jennifer.morris@trinitymirror.com A GLASSBLOWER has launched her own fledgling business after winning a place on the Prince’s Trust’s enterprise programme for young people. Elizabeth Welch, 26, from Milford, applied for the programme in 2011 after selling her first products at an event called Art in Action, where she made £1,000 – a much higher amount than the other traders. Having skills in glass-making, Miss Welch had always toyed with the idea of starting her own business but did not know where to begin. Now her work is being sold in the Wey Gallery in Godalming, and she is compiling a portfolio in preparation of approaching more galleries. After leaving school Miss Welch completed a foundation art course at Wimbledon College and went on to study ceramics and glass at Buckinghamshire New University. She said: “I had been working part-time jobs since leaving university and when my hours were cut at the pub I was working at, I knew it was time to start.” The trust’s scheme is for people aged 18 to 30 who are unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours per week. Participants must have a business idea and mentors help
them decide whether self-employment is right for them. A four-day induction course precedes the process. Miss Welch, who also studies at Rodborough Technology College in Milford and then Godalming College, said: “I was mentored for a year by a wonderful lady and when she decided I was ready I prepared for launch group.” This is a Dragon’s Den-type scenario where participants in the programme present their business plan to a panel, and ideas on how they would like to be supported by them. The panel then allocates a loan, with very low interest rates, and Miss Welch was offered the maximum amount available, which she received at the end of March. She currently stores her pieces of work at her Milford home and a studio she rents in Devon because rates are lower. She added: “It has been fantastic, especially in such a tough financial market. “I am working hard on my portfolio and my product ranges and I am still working part-time to pay the bills. I would love to eventually open my own shop with a studio attached.” To find out more about Miss Welch’s glasswork, visit her website at www.elizabethwelchglass. co.uk or email elizabeth@elizabethwelchglass.co.uk.
Glassblower Elizabeth Welch with a piece of glasswork ready to go into the annealing kiln.