unLTD. Connecting business across Sheffield City Region #14

JUNE 2019 | ISSUE 14 | FREE | WWW.UNLTDBUSINESS.COM

SOUP–ER

WOMAN Sheffield Soup’s Pennie Raven tells us why she ditched the boardroom to boss it as a community champion

EXCLUSIVE

S ’ D I G A M D I MFINAAL INGTERVIEW AS LORD MAYOR TUNING IN WITH THE TRAMLINESC0-FOUNDERS

: N O S FOCU EI LD’S

SHEFOFRTING SP CESS SUC

EVENTS CALENDAR ● LIVE MUSIC VENUES ● WEEKEND GOLFING ● SCR SKILLS BANK unLTDBUSINESS.COM

FOR EATING DRINKING MEETING EVENTS INOX is a flexible event space located on the fifth floor of the University of Sheffield Students’ Union Building.

We offer all day dining, venue hire and a place for meetings and social working, with a newly designed lounge which opened this summer. Book a table today or drop in and see for yourself. unLTDBUSINESS.COM

INOX, LEVEL 5, STUDENTS’ UNION BUILDING, DURHAM ROAD, SHEFFIELD, S10 2TG unLTDBUSINESS.COM

W W W . I N O X D INE . CO. UK

CONTENTS

30 COVERSTORY:PENNIERAVEN

38 FOCUSON:SHEFFIELD’SSPORTINGSUCCESS

74 AFTERHOURS:GIGGIN’ITUP 4

57 FEATURE:MAGIDMAGID unLTDBUSINESS.COM

CONTENTS

ALSO INSIDE...

6: News Award wins, higher-education progression, new faces and new spaces.

16: If You Ask Me...

Tramlines co-founders talk about the economic impact of the festival.

24: Calendar We highlight some of the great events in June, including cover star Pennie’s Sheffield Soup.

51, 69 & 73: Your Pitch We meet Ben Atha from The Developer Academy, Paul Stinson from Hovaloft and Jack Parkin from Chatagram.

53: Sheffield City Region Get withdrawing – the SCR Skills Bank is open for business.

47, 65 & 71: Five minutes with...

We have a chat with Caroline Freeman from The Small Business Nanny, Carol-Anne Ward from Urban Mermaid and Chris Hill from Element Society.

78: Weekend Escapes Get into full swing with a golfing trip to Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort.

82: Number Crunch We take a trip to Chesterfield in our latest round-up of facts and stats.

EVERYTHING ELSE...

15: The Diary 21: In a nutshell 23: Evolving technology 49: Charities

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UNLTD’S JILL THEOBALD WITH PENNIE RAVEN

UNLTD BUSINESS UNLTDBUSINESS

UNLTD SUMMER LOVIN’ Can we really be almost halfway through the year?

Summer is very much upon us and people’s minds will begin to look forward to their holidays.

But here at unLTD we remain totally focused on providing the best business news, features and comment in the Sheffield City Region – although we will have a holiday at some point!

Last month we waved goodbye to charismatic Lord Mayor of Sheffield Magid Magid whose term of office has come to an end. Jill Theobald grabbed a few minutes with Magid just before he handed back his chains of office.

Jill also sat down with our cover star this month Pennie Raven who is the kind of inspirational figure who will make you believe you can reinvent your career.

Pennie has made the journey from dot.com entrepreneur to helping start up firms and community projects pitch for funding through her Sheffield Soup social crowdfunding platform.

The summer in Sheffield also means Tramlines.

We have asked three of the remarkably successful festival’s co-founders what impact it is had on the city and how it has raised Sheffield’s profile across the country.

If you can’t get enough of music, we are also profiling the best music venues in the city in our After Hours section.

At a slightly more sedate pace Weekend Escapes takes the short drive to Lincolnshire to explore the Forest Pines Golf Resort.

Speaking of sport – and we realise we’re a little bit late to this particular party – congratulations to Sheffield United who will be taking their place at the top table of English football next season with their promotion to the Premier League.

It means that our Focus On feature this month looks at Sheffield sporting success. The Blades may be leading the way but much more is going on around the city, too.

There is also the usual introductions to businesses across the city region through the Five Minutes With… and Your Pitch features, our events calendar so you don’t miss a thing and a number crunch of what’s going on in Chesterfield.

EDITORIAL Richard Fidler richard@unltdbusiness.com Jill Theobald editorial@unltdbusiness.com General editorial@unltdbusiness.com 0114 252 7760 ADVERTISING Phil Turner phil@unltdbusiness.com 07979 498034 Alexandra Scrivener alexandra@unltdbusiness.com 07944 325 861 Nick Hallam nick@unltdbusiness.com 07843 483 536 General advertising@unltdbusiness.com FINANCE Sarah Koriba and Faye Bailey accounts@exposedmagazine.co.uk DESIGN Simon Waller and Simon Garlick CONTRIBUTORS Dean Atkins Marc Barker Nathan Broom Isobel Buffin

Mike Durham Joe Food Gabby Willis Ash Young

unLTD is published monthly by Blind Mice Media LTD Unit 1B Rialto, 2 Kelham Island Square, Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD and HR Media LTD Unit 1a Speedwell Works, Sidney Street, Sheffield S1 4RG The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media LTD and HR Media LTD and while every effort is made to ensure information throughout unLTD is correct, changes prior to distribution may take place which can affect the accuracy of copy, therefore Blind Mice Media LTD and HR Media LTD cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific listings.

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AGENDA NEWS

CHEERS! TRUE NORTH ACQUIRES LEEDS GIN Sheffield-based hospitality company True North Brew Co has acquired Leeds Gin, calling the decision a ‘nobrainer’.

Leeds Gin, founded by Sara Birkinshaw, is made in Stourton and sold across Yorkshire in bars and restaurants. The range consists of Leeds Gin Original, Minerva’s Garden, White Rose and the new Limited-Edition Palma Violet. It is distilled with traditional botanicals such as juniper berries, coriander seeds, cassia bark, orange peel and Yorkshire foraged Rhubarb.

Following Sheffield Dry Gin’s success, True North Brew Co will bring the Leeds Gin brand a new look and develop the recipe, updating the core range and releasing new limited-edition flavours.

Made with an unusual

selection of fennel, cardamom and gentian root that lend the gin its dry, herbaceous character. The recipe is known for its inclusion of local producers, Sheffield Honey and Henderson’s Relish, furthering its complexity.

MD of True North Brew Co, Kane Yeardley, said “Ever since we got into the gin game, the two concepts we’ve always stuck by are quality and creativity. We want to develop exciting, new spirits that don’t compromise on flavour, that’s why we distil using traditional techniques and the best local ingredients that we can find.

“For me, it was a no-brainer to acquire Leeds Gin. It has a really great following in Leeds and there is so much opportunity to bring the expertise of our distillers to the brand, taking it to the next level.”

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Hamilton Plant Hire was established in

1890

Sheffield Hallam has launched a campaign to highlight how the work of the University is having a positive impact on the region’s economy.

Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Chris Husbands, said: “One of the major challenges for us all is to find ways to close the gaps between innovation and implementation, between academia and industry.

“We are at the forefront of addressing these challenges.

Our work includes technology transformations in some critically important parts of the economy. We work with companies, from small to large, to collaboratively develop new processes, products and innovations.”

Sheffield Hallam University undertake over

National plant hire firm upgrades fleet with GPS technology Leading national plant hire company Hamilton Plant Hire has announced the introduction of GPS technology in several of its machines, as well as the acquisition of new equipment in response to increased customer demand.

Expanding a 300-strong portfolio and complementing an extensive Hitachi fleet, new additions include two 21-tonne Kobelco excavators, and four 8-tonne Hitachi excavators.

Several machines have also been upgraded with the latest GPS technology, installed by industry leader Leica.

Improving accuracy on site, the GPS boasts improved

Campaign highlights how SHU is driving future economies

sensor technology, enabling faster digging without loss of precision; increasing productivity and cost efficiency.

Tom Hamilton, managing director of Hamilton Plant Hire, said: “As a business we are very passionate about embracing any advancements within the industry that will serve to drive efficiencies and save costs for our customers.”

Established in 1890, Hamilton Plant Hire is a family-run business which runs an extensive fleet of modern plant equipment for hire – either on a self-drive basis, or with experienced and qualified operators.

25,000 placements with employers every year

During the week, a panel discussion will focus on the creation of a Global Innovation Corridor to act as a magnet for people, industry and innovators.

Sheffield Hallam graduates benefit from a focus on work based learning – they undertake over 25,000 placements with employers every year.

The University is also one of the UK’s leading providers of degree apprenticeships.

Research tackles global challenges including technological and digital advancements, energy, climate change and the future of work – ensuring future economies can grow and prosper.

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AGENDA

WAKE SMITH BAG NEW LEASE FOR TOTE MANUFACTURER Sheffield tote bag producer Bag It Don’t Bin It is expanding its independent business for the third time in 18 months with help from Wake Smith Solicitors.

The company has taken a five year lease on new 8,000 sq ft premises just up from their current base on in Neepsend.

Managing director Daya Singh said: “We are always looking at ways to grow and to keep things local.

“We started looking for a new site due to the increasing demands of our business, plus, with the on-set of Brexit looming, we decided to increase our stock holding to ensure we didn’t get caught out with any potential delays at sea or airports. Hence, more storage space was needed.

“There could also be potential jobs in the pipeline.”

BAG IT, DON’T BIN IT’S DAYA SINGH AND WAKE SMITH’S LAURA SANDERSON AT THE NEW PREMISES

Plastic bags take

1,000 YEARS to break down – cotton tote bags are a sustainable alternative.

‘Rotherham lad’ and TV star to take to stage for awards Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards is set to welcome star of stage and screen Dean Andrews to oversee proceedings at the tenth ceremony, which will return later this year.

Best known for playing DS Ray Carling in the hit TV shows Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, Dean has recently joined the cast of hit soap Emmerdale.

One of the most prestigious business awards to take place in South Yorkshire, the awards celebrate achievements,

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milestones and the success of businesses and individuals within the region. The awards will return to Magna, on Friday, 18th October, with more than 500 guests expected.

Dean Andrews, said: “Being a very proud Yorkshireman and more so a Rotherham lad, I’m extremely pleased to have been asked to host this year’s Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards.”

Award entries will open on Monday June 3 and a full list of shortlisted companies will be announced nearer the time.

Solicitors Wake Smith advised on the lease for the new premises for Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI).

Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI) was founded in 2007 and produces off the shelf and custom-made reusable branded cotton canvas tote bags.

Yorkshire Windows goes greener with recycling initiative South Yorkshire home improvements company Yorkshire Windows is demonstrating its commitment to a sustainable future.

Of the 420 million tons of materials used in construction each year about 120 million ends up as waste that goes to landfill.

Ian Chester, the managing director of Rotherham-based Yorkshire Windows, thinks his industry is one where recycling should come as standard.

Ian has joined forces with a major Yorkshire recycling company to ensure Yorkshire Windows leads the way in providing energy efficient products and new uses for old windows and doors.

More than

30%

of total UK landfill waste comes from the construction industry

“Within the fenestration industry there are seven million window frames that are replaced each year and 80 per cent of these are uPVC window frames,” he said.

“This is a material that is perceived as non-recyclable and the vast majority of window frames are discarded once removed and find their way to landfill, contributing to the overall amount of waste produced by the construction sector.”

The plastic used in uPVC windows gets stronger for the first four to five times it is recycled and that strength gives an opportunity for it to be used in the manufacture of other PVC-U products.

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AGENDA HOT BHP won two awards at the prestigious Yorkshire Accountancy Awards, after Yorkshire and North Derbyshire’s leading accountancy firm was recognised as both MidTier Firm of the Year and Best Employer of the Year.

SevenHills Fabrication has expanded production by investing £60,000 in a stateof-the-art electric machine to broaden its offer and complement its established design, consultancy and fabrication services.

Award-winning law firm Keebles has been named as one of the most active legal advisers in Yorkshire’s deal-making market during the first quarter of 2019.

Keebles, which has offices in Sheffield, Doncaster and Leeds, was named the second most active dealmaker in Yorkshire and the Humber in the latest M&A Review.

Car giant Ford has chosen Sheffield Forgemasters’ mighty arc furnace as a centrepiece location for its latest Ford commercial vehicles advert.

COOL Britain’s ‘jobs boom’ is set to continue in the next quarter – but this confidence won’t translate into significant salary increases for staff except new starters and those with key skills, according to new research

by The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

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THERAPIST AND SALON OWNER, LOUISA ASHFORTH

SALON BOSS’S CELEBRITY-BACKED BEAUTY RANGE TAKING ON BIG BRANDS A Rotherham therapist and salon owner has taken on big brands and launched her own paraben free, vegan, fair-trade skincare brand.

Louisa Ashforth’s LA Skincare range is a multi-tasking skin toolkit beloved by many famous UK names including actresses Angela Griffin and Stephanie Davis of TV’s Hollyoaks.

Made in the UK, the range contains six products, which have sold in their thousands throughout the UK and Europe.

Louisa owns the formulas for each product, which cost from £20 to £45, and they are produced by an award-winning Kent-based pharmaceutical

company specialising in natural products.

She discovered her favourite high-end skincare brands contained parabens – widely used preservatives in cosmetic products which penetrate skin and can remain within tissue.

“I decided to make safer, affordable products which could multi-task,” said Louisa, 38, owner of LA Hair and Beauty Salon on Worksop Road, Aston.

Louisa researched ingredients herself and found an award-winning Kent-based pharmaceutical company specialising in natural products to create her range.

LA Skincare’s Super Six

products are paraben-free, vegan, Fair Trade and are not tested on animals. Active ingredients – including potent beta and alpha hydroxy acids, vitamin E oil and aloe vera – are widely recognised throughout the beauty industry for efficacy and safeness.

“The products focus on exfoliation and stimulating skin renewal. They combat dryness, oiliness, sensitivity, break-outs, acne, stressed skin, sun and environmental damage. You just adapt the way you use each product. It’s skincare commonsense,” claimed the beauty entrepreneur who set up in business aged 22.

Chief executive praises team after strong sales at Sheffield’s B. Braun Sheffield-based B. Braun Medical Ltd is reporting record sales and healthy profits.

In the company’s last financial year (January 2018 -December 2018) B. Braun’s UK Group sales grew to £194 million.

Employees at the leading healthcare company, which has its HQ at Thorncliffe Park in Chapeltown, also grew.

Chairman and group chief executive at B. Braun, Hans Hux, said: “We’re very proud of our work over the past 12 months.

B. Braun has more than

1,400 employees

“We continue to invest in our staff and have also created new employment nationally.

We wouldn’t be where we are today without our strong, hard-working team.

“2019 has already got off to a great start. We’ll soon be unveiling our newly expanded, state-of-theart Compounding Aseptic Production Service (CAPS) unit in Sheffield, too.”

Part of a global group, B. Braun UK leads in key market areas including computer navigated orthopaedic surgery, needle safety technology, and surgical instrumentation.

The company supports both the private and public sectors, working with the NHS to improve patient outcomes and become more efficient.

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AGENDA

‘Exciting digital and tech hub’ Kollider opens

BENCHMARK FOUNDER LOUISA HARRISON-WALKER

EMPLOYERS TOLD ‘PAY IT FORWARD’ TO INSPIRE NEXT GENERATION A recruitment boss is urging businesses to inspire the next generation of employees by ‘paying it forward’ with work placements.

Benchmark founder Louisa Harrison-Walker joined the board of Higher Education Progression Partnership (Hepp) after becoming guest speaker at the Higher Education Progression Partnership South Yorkshire Plus (HeppSY+) Annual Conference last summer, providing delegates with an employer perspective.

HeppSY+ is a joint partnership between Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and The University of Sheffield and works with schools and colleges across the Sheffield City Region to raise aspirations, provide information about higher level skills and higher education and support progression into areas like apprenticeships.

Carol Castle, SHU Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions, said: “Louisa makes

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a significant contribution to the HEPP Board. She is uniquely placed to understand the strategic challenges for our region and to represent employers more broadly to ensure HEPP is a rich partnership, able to maximise employer contributions to supporting development of higher-level skills.”

Said Louisa: “Operating a recruitment business puts me in the privileged position of having the ears of many employers and insights into how education and commerce can work more closely. From the skills research we undertook with Sheffield City Region, we know there is a discrepancy in employers looking to employ people with one to two years’ experience when, in reality, people leaving education will not have this luxury.

“I’ve worked in Sheffield for nearly 20 years and I know from the network of contacts I’ve built up the skills employers tell me are missing in school-leavers

and that’s often soft skills like innovation and creativity – areas that aren’t taught. Benchmark can then act as a gateway and feed that back to those in higher education so they can better reflect those areas in their course content.”

Added Louisa: “It’s good for social mobility if we can inform and advise young students about the opportunities available to them and increase the number progressing into higher education and apprenticeships, then, as a result, better skilled, better paid jobs.

“But I also want to encourage employers to consider ‘paying it forward’ by providing students work placements or project work. By offering hands-on experience, they will not only be inspiring the next generation but pipelining the people of our future workforce.”

Businesses wanting to get involved should visit the Sheffield Skills Improvement Forum LinkedIn page.

Kollider and Barclays have officially launched their new digital and tech incubator in Sheffield.

Kollider Incubator powered by Barclays Eagle Lab is a space designed for businesses and ambitious entrepreneurs to scale quickly.

The opening of the new Eagle Lab in Sheffield’s Castle House follows the creation in 2018 of a new business unit at Barclays called Barclays UK (BUK) Ventures. BUK Ventures has an independent mandate to deliver new customer experiences at pace and scale.

Sheffield is the

22ND

EAGLE LAB launched by Barclays

Neil Bradburne, Barclays business banking area manager, said: “The incubator gives Yorkshire’s entrepreneurs a great opportunity to access support and guidance in order to scale their business, and we are equipped to help them grow and compete on a world stage.”

Over the last three years, Kollider Projects has been working on a strategic plan that aims to deliver on social and economic regeneration.

Castle House is an iconic 1960s listed building, and its recent restoration has rejuvenated an area of the city which was in demise.

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AGENDA

THE MONTGOMERY BECOMES A CHILDREN’S UNIVERSITY LEARNING DESTINATION Sheffield city centre theatre and arts space The Montgomery has joined national Charity Children’s University to become a Learning Destination, providing extra educational facilities for Sheffield Children.

Children’s University is a national charity that works in partnership with schools to develop a love of learning in children by encouraging and celebrating participation in extra-curricular activities in and outside of school.

The Montgomery marketing and programming manager Rachel Jack said: “A lot of the work we do at The Montgomery is already based around children and families so becoming part of the Children’s University network seemed like a totally natural progression.”

Learning Destinations are places which provide CU

learning activities, and which are publicly accessible – places like wildlife centres, zoos, historical interest sites, theatres and libraries.

Rachel added: “Already we have so many activities for children from theatre schools and clubs to storytelling,

workshops and professional theatre shows.

“But Children’s University also aims to reach out to children and families in areas of low engagement. The activities we offer at The Montgomery are very much about families having shared experiences.”

Landscape Architecture Professors Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough of the University of Sheffield have been appointed planting designers for Melbourne’s new arts precinct project.

They will create cutting-edge, minimal water-use plantings in 18,000 square metres of renewed public space, in partnership with international design practice HASSELL and New York-based design firm SO-IL.

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‘Vibrant’ Chesterfield retailers on awards shortlist Thirty retailers have been shortlisted for the 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Organised by Destination Chesterfield, the awards will see shops, stores, barbers, clinics, market stalls and events battling it out to claim at least one of 15 titles.

In a record year for nominations, Geeks Headquarters Ltd, Specsavers and Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield – hope to defend their 2018 titles.

This year also sees the introduction of a new category – Best Town Centre Event, sponsored by Spire Radio – which is designed to recognise the contribution events make to both increased footfall and the vibrancy of Chesterfield.

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businesses have been shortlisted for the first time

The awards shortlist follows a lengthy nomination and judging process. All the shortlisted businesses will also battle it out for the coveted overall title of Retailer of the Year 2019, sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire).

The winners of the awards will be announced at a blacktie awards ceremony held at Casa Hotel on Wednesday June 19.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “We were blown away by the amount of nominations in the awards this year. It promises to be an exciting evening at Casa Hotel next month.”

Award categories include various business and retailer of the year categories, excellence in customer service, and best new store 2018/19.

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AGENDA Work on £5.8m Grey To Green Phase 2 begins

THE FRENCHGATE TEAM WITH THEIR PURPLE APPLE AWARD

FANTASTIC FRENCHGATE WINS NATIONAL AWARD Frenchgate Shopping Centre has been recognised for the Rich Seam exhibition by the Revo Purple Apple Marketing Awards and collected a coveted Purple Apple Award at a ceremony in London.

The popular Rich Seam exhibition, which saw Frenchgate working with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and Doncaster College to successfully raise awareness of the crowd funding appeal to build a statue dedicated to mining within the borough, received the accolade in the

cause related marketing category.

The exhibition ran from July to August 2018 and featured work from international artist and sculptor Laurence Edwards, housed in a vacant retail unit.

The exhibition included

18 BRONZE PORTRAITS

The Revo Purple Apple Marketing Awards are the only awards which recognise effective shopping and town centre marketing within the UK retail property sector. They also reflect how marketers must constantly adjust to changing times, from ensuring their budget goes further and works harder, driving retailer sales and harnessing new initiatives.

Karen Staniforth, assistant general manager at Frenchgate, said: “We are over the moon to have been recognised for the great work we have been doing at Frenchgate.”

Growth Hub celebrates successful third year The Growth Hub offers impartial business support for all businesses across the Sheffield City Region (SCR) and is now celebrating its third birthday.

The team of advisors, dedicated Business Growth Specialists and experienced partners provides bespoke advice on issues such as skills, leadership, innovation, investment and exporting.

Over the past year they have delivered over 80 skills workshops.

The Growth Hub is designed to enable businesses across the Sheffield City Region to get the support they need to thrive.

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The growth hub has supported approximately

6,800 businesses across the region in the past three years

This year, to help businesses prepare for the UK’s exit from the European Union, they launched their Brexit Planning Tool. The tool enables business owners to carry out a self-assessment which helps them understand the potential ongoing impacts for their organisation.

The Hub also launched their new look Skills Bank, that puts employers from across the region in charge of their own skills and training – read more in our feature on page 53.

Delivered by Calderdale College, the skills bank is a business led programme developed by the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Hotels, businesses and residents in Sheffield’s historic Castlegate will soon enjoy a drastic transformation as Phase 2 of the acclaimed ‘Grey To Green’ scheme gets under way.

This will see Castlegate linked to the under-used Victoria Quays area and transform the almost redundant former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art. It will also improve the approach to the Castle House Kollider/ Kommune on Snig Hill.

£2.8M of the funding will come from Sheffield City Region Local Growth Funding

Contractor North Midland Construction begins work this week after £5.8m funding was confirmed from the European Regional Development Fund.

Redundant carriageways from Park Square to Blonk Street will be reclaimed to provide quality areas for pedestrians and two-way cycle facilities with a new 20mph speed limit in place.

Castlegate itself will be closed to vehicles and Blonk Street will become two-way with a 24-hour bus gate in the direction of The Wicker.

Fifty-seven new trees will be planted as part of the scheme.

The project will encourage new economic activity into the area, promote walking and cycling, speed up bus journeys and improve resilience to climate change flooding.

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AGENDA NEW FACES SHU VC joins Universities UK Board Sheffield Hallam University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Chris Husbands has been elected to sit on the board of Universities UK.

Promotion at procurement firm

Growth ‘Joi’ for sector specialists Sheffield-based Joi Polloi is growing at pace following a move to focus exclusively on delivering digital services to the television, media and cultural industries.

The BAFTA-winning agency, which cites the BBC, Channel 4, Studio Lambert and the National History Museum as clients, has welcomed 10 members to its

team over the past 12 months.

Six of the recruits have stepped into newly created roles, supporting the company’s successful evolution into a sector specific agency.

This growth coincides with Joi Polloi’s recent expansion into Leeds, where it has secured a satellite office within the landmark Platform building.

Nigel Brewster appointed LEP Vice-Chair for second term

JEN JOINS THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CHARITY

Nigel Brewster, of the Brewster Partners Recruitment Group, has been appointed vice-chair of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for a second term.

In his role, Nigel will be working closely with James Muir, who took up the role of LEP Chair earlier this year.

LEP Board members shape the economic strategy for the Sheffield City Region and ensure that the organisation maintains its focus on growing the economy.

Nigel said: “I’m proud to be able to represent private sector businesses during this period of economic growth and opportunity.”

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Jen Everill has joined The Children’s Hospital Charity as the new corporate partnerships officer.

She leaves a previous role in the banking sector after being inspired by the charity’s work supporting Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Jen will be meeting people, exploring businesses and forming partnerships across the region to help build a new Emergency Department, on-site Helipad and Cancer Ward. Get in touch today at jen@tchc.org. uk to see how you could change lives for generations to come.

Creative director Nick Crossland said: “We have invested in talent to make our creative and operational systems even more robust, efficient and delivered to the highest technical standards.

“We are excited to continue building the team and to embark on some very big projects in 2019.”

Leading procurement agency Regency Purchasing Group has promoted Sheffield-based Martin Renwick to the senior position of regional account manager for the North.

New recruit for HR Media

PR, digital and creative agency HR Media has appointed Sasha Mossman as account executive.

Alex Suit-ed to new Chair role

Alex Swallow, Founder of Young Charity Trustees and co-founder of Social Good Sheffield, has been appointed Chair of the charity The Suit Works.

Simeon on site at DBCP

Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP) has appointed Simeon Cornes to the role of building control team leader for the company’s Derby office.

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AGENDA NEW SPACES

Industrial gem to ‘sublime office of the future’ Vivid Creative are celebrating their 20th year in business by restoring one of Sheffield’s hidden industrial gems to create a sublime office for the future.

Built circa 1849, Wharncliffe Works was originally built for Steel and Garland, manufacturers of stoves and fire grates. Subsequently owned by George Barnsley and Sons, it became a steel tool workshop for leather work and shoemaking.

Awarded a Grade II listing in 1988, Vivid has restored Wharncliffe Works back to its former glory, creating a stunning workspace in the heart of Sheffield’s creative community.

Once part of Sheffield’s industrial revolution, Kelham Island is now thriving as a vibrant and creative hub for independent businesses and

VIVID CREATIVE’S NEW OFFICE SPACE IN THE GRADE II LISTED WHARNCLIFFE WORKS

Vivid’s move follows award wins for the team.

Vivid MD Gerry Arcari said: “With 20 years’ experience and literally hundreds of success

stories on the way, Vivid are one of the most effective branding and digital agencies in the UK. “Having been shortlisted as finalists in four RAR+ award

categories (brand strategy, B2B marketing, design and packaging design), we were ecstatic to win the overall award for Brand Strategy (UK <40 staff).”

New HQ ‘icing on the cake’ for Hydra Creative It’s a time of progression for full-service digital agency Hydra Creative as the firm celebrates its 10th year of business, and having grown to a team of 17 experts.

The national award-winning business has officially moved into new Sheffield offices and is now based on Chesterfield Road in Woodseats, on the same site as Bramdale Fireplaces.

The agency had been at the previous Nether Edge base for five years, and due to expansion, needed a larger space to accommodate an increasing workload and growing team.

The new premises, previously a petrol station, printers, and a granite worktop showroom, have a host of features spread across two floors, including an AstroTurf meeting room, a games room for downtime, and soundproof booths where staff members can completely focus without distractions.

Client services director, Gemma Daniels, said: “It has

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THE HYDRA CREATIVE TEAM AT THEIR NEW OFFICES ON CHESTERFIELD ROAD

been a whirlwind 12 months.

“We have had our most successful year, both for client

wins and growth, and moving into newly renovated premises is the icing on the cake. We are

now looking forward to seeing what the next 12 months will bring!”

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AGENDA

Start your business journey with us Free space & support for tech-based pre-starts & start-ups

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AGENDA

THE DIARY

BY RICHARD FIDLER

Our editor talks inspirational leaders and engaging speakers

Food for thought

EXPERT CHRIS SETS THE PACE FOR REGION I’d like to think that the magazine we publish every month is very good and people enjoy reading the articles which have been laid out in an engaging way by our design team.

Our writers work hard to ensure all the information in unLTD is accurate and up to date as well being an easy read.

What we do isn’t rocket science, but I think we do it well and there is a fair amount of expertise that each and every member of our team lends to the production of unLTD. However, I still feel a pang or envy when I meet certain people who are clearly high achievers in their chosen profession.

Recently I attended the Mayoral Transport Conference at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium which was hosted by Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis. The great and the good from the public and private sectors were there but by far and away the most impressive person was cycling legend Chris Boardman.

Interviewed on stage

by Professor Steve Haake, former Olympic gold medalist Boardman, who is now Cycling and Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester, spoke effortlessly about his plans over the Pennines to make moving around for work or pleasure far easier.

Alongside him was Dame Sarah Storey, herself a

decorated Paralympian who is Boardman’s opposite number for the Sheffield City Region.

Dame Sarah and Boardman look to have a good relationship and hopefully the best practice that Boardman is putting in place in Greater Manchester will find its way here.

She is supremely competitive and it will be interesting as the months progress to see not only how quickly Dame Sarah and the SCR catch up with Boardman and co but who comes out on top in the cycling race between Dame Sarah and Dan Jarvis versus Boardman and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham!

I wouldn’t bet against our team.

Got views of your own? Let me know: richard@unltdbusiness.com LinkedIn: Richard Fidler

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Speaking of experts we were lucky to have restaurateur Matt Bigland and organiser of Sheffield Food Festival Bob Worm as speakers at the latest unLTD social event.

I’ve long been an admirer of Matt since the Milestone opened the best part of 20 years ago and he has gone on to have great success with Cutlery Works amongst other things.

Both he and Bob were engaging talkers and gave a packed house at the Virgin Money Lounge in Sheffield a glimpse behind the scenes of their success.

Matt is clearly a businessman who has moved with the times with his development of Cutlery Works, but he still believes the independent restaurants where he made his name can remain successful.

There was a question from the room about whether he’d turn his hand to opening a much-needed hotel in the Kelham Island area. While he didn’t totally rule out the possibility, he’s definitely the kind of character who could make a success of it if the right property became available.

Gather round And finally to round off the expert themed column, look out for our July issue which will feature our first round table event.

Focusing on the energy market we pulled together a great line-up to discuss, amongst other things, how businesses are leading the way to become more sustainable.

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AGENDA

IF YOU ASK ME...

S E N I L M A TR Sheffieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest ever party is back next month when Tramlines returns to Hillsborough Park from July 19-21. Billed as the best-value, three-day festival in the country, we caught up with three of its co-founders to talk about its economic impact and profile-raising effect

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AGENDA When we came up with the idea ten years ago, we never intended Tramlines to be this big but it quickly spiraled into something else.

I was running The Bowery (RIP!) and Threads club night and co-founder Dave Healey was at the Harley and we just wanted to run a small live venue-based festival – something like Camden Crawl or Dot to Dot Festival, with four or five bands on.

I wanted Sheffield to have its own festival because music is our city’s biggest cultural export. I looked around at places like Manchester and thought why haven’t we got one? In terms of talent and artists Sheffield really should.

Initially it was an idea to give the bars a shot in the arm in the summer to get them through until the students came back. But the people we were talking to were getting really excited about it.

To build its profile I forced my friends to get involved!

So Pete McKee creating the first poster, as well as Jon McClure (Reverend and the

Makers), Matt Helders from Arctic Monkeys and Toddla T to help curate the festival.

Matt was back off tour and we met with the Council who were wanting to do a similar thing, planning a festival with a music element to it and the council gave us the green light which was brilliant and we have to thank Richard Eyre (Head of City Centre Management, CCTV, Markets and Events) in particular for that. He really has Sheffield’s interests at heart and was paramount in pushing for Tramlines. Considering he was being pitched to by two 25-year-old morons that was quite a brave thing to do!

Another person on the core team Timm Cleasby. I knew him from being the Monkeys’ tour manager and knew he’d be the perfect person to manage it. But again, going to him as a 25-year-old and asking him … he agreed! And I’m so thankful as he has been a real driving force combined with Sarah Nulty who was instrumental in the launch.

Making Sarah festival director in 2013 was massive – being

able to say to her, this is your job, you don’t have to work in a bar and try and do Tramlines on the side. Last year’s festival was obviously a very emotional one but a celebration as much as anything else, too. (Sarah sadly passed away aged 36 after a short illness last year).

At the end of the very first festival I sat down and just burst into tears – possibly through exhaustion! – but also through pride and love for Sheffield and how passionately people had taken ownership of Tramlines.

Of course, there are downsides to that ownership, too, because people have strong views on any new directions or developments and that can be tough. It was amazing that it was free to begin with but for the first seven years we didn’t make a penny, and there’s only so long you can expect 30 people to work for free – and artists to play for free. The music industry had changed a lot in that time, with record sales dropping and live music becoming more important – it’s bands’ bread and butter.

The reality of that is we have to charge.

Devonshire Green had a capacity of 7,000. This year we’re looking at 35,000. When the main stage moved to Hillsborough that was the first time we could really look at it as a business and say this makes sense. Until then it had been held together by will power and people working for free, now it is sustainable.

I think Tramlines’ impact has been really positive.

People visit the city from across the UK to attend, bars get to September and say ‘yes, I can pay my VAT bill!’ and there are bars that are open now because of Tramlines.

It’s become something that people are proud of and, while it has grown, I think compared to other festivals across the country, we still offer excellent value for money plus we still have that fringe element which spreads it out from just the city centre. Because of all the events happening it’s almost like a music version of Edinburgh festival. It’s an absolute beast!

JAMES O’HARA, CO-FOUNDER TRAMLINES, OWNER OF AMBULO, PUBLIC, PICTURE HOUSE SOCIAL AND GREAT GATSBY

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AGENDA Having been one of the founders of the Tramlines Festival it fills me with pride to see how it’s developed.

Back in 2009 the original model was for the council to run an outdoor music festival in the city centre to promote our unique, home-grown music scene and at the same time the guys from what was to become Tramlines were planning an indoor music festival.

So it made perfect sense to bring them together and that’s what happened. We (the council) did what we are good at (the boring but 100 per cent essential safety and infrastructure) and the Tramlines team did what they’re good at (the cool and exciting curation). It was the perfect mix.

I always remember the first planning meeting, which I chaired, where we all sat around a conference table doing introductions. Slowly we went round the Police, Council Team and so on, until we came to a young guy who looked up and stated “I’m Matt Helders and I’m an Arctic Monkey” – the look on people’s faces was priceless!

At the time we put a lot of financial and ‘in kind’ support in but the plan was always to remove the reliance on the public sector to fund it and that’s exactly what happened over the following years.

The financial impact of the festival has been huge. Many businesses openly state that Tramlines keeps them going until the return of the students in September. The hotels are full and the whole city comes alive to every imaginable genre of music. It has also renewed confidence in the

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RICHARD EYRE, HEAD OF CITY CENTRE MANAGEMENT, CCTV, MARKETS AND EVENTS FOR SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL

music scene across the city with a significant growth in live music and venues.

Now with the main festival making Hillsborough Park its home it goes from strength to strength, attracting musical giants to perform here and

visitors from out of the city, as well as our loyal locals.

We’re still involved in making Tramlines a safe and enjoyable event and, of course, alongside it in the city centre we also run thefringe@ tramlines, which we deliver

with the help of the Tramlines Team. Tramlines and The Fringe is an excellent example of a partnership between the public and private sector in action and I’m excited to see where we’ll be in another few years’ time.

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AGENDA In 2009 I was tour manager for Arctic Monkeys when (drummer) Matt Helders mentioned he was getting involved in a festival and wanted it to be delivered to a certain standard and ensure that the plans were solid.

He asked me if I’d go along to a few meetings and in the first year I helped make sure everything was in place and did some stage management and it escalated from there.

There’s been a lot of developments over the last ten years, not least growing from Devonshire Green to Devonshire Green and the Peace Gardens, to Barkers Pool.

Then lots more venues got involved and we just outgrew the city centre because we were trying to shoehorn a festival into a space that was too small.

There were concerns from the council and the police too, about the amount of people coming into the city centre and some years I felt we were pushing the limit in terms of people queuing to get in as well.

From that point I started looking at other green open spaces – I feel like I surveyed every bit of grass in Sheffield!

– to see where else could accommodate us, from Ponderosa to Norfolk Park to Hillsborough Park.

It became quite apparent quite quickly that there were only a small number of sites for anything bigger than what we had, especially as Norfolk Park didn’t have enough exit points.

Ponderosa felt workable as we could keep that connection with the city centre, but it just didn’t feel enough like a festival. So for the tenth birthday last year we decided to invest in moving to a bigger

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TIMM CLEASBY, OPERATIONS BOSS OF TRAMLINES

site at Hillsborough Park which had a lot of things going for it – it was a great green flat space with other areas for substantial stages, had that inclusive sense of a festival and was walkable.

The council agreed Hillsborough was a good site capacity-wise, too, and we looked at it and said: ‘This will work.’

Certainly, in the early years getting footfall into city centre bars during the summer while

the students were away was a big economic driver and over the years a lot of those bars tell us Tramlines is the best weekend of the year for them. That still translates now, maybe not as much with the main stage being at Hillsborough, but there are still plenty of fringe events in the centre which we work with the council on.

Tramlines has certainly had its impact economically and raising the profile of Sheffield

over the years. In terms of national press coverage, we regularly get featured in the Guardian’s and national magazines’ pick of festivals.

Artists and agents can look at festivals cautiously, but they are looking at Tramlines as a good solid foundation – it’s got its place, it’s got its audience, it's got longevity.

It’s changed the view of the Sheffield music scene and our cultural offering. It has raised the bar for the city.

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AGENDA

IN A NUTSHELL

BY JILL THEOBALD

Jill takes to the stage to sing the economic praises of the Tramlines festival

A GIG ECONOMY

IN A GOOD WAY From small acorns grow mighty oaks, so the saying goes.

Talking to James O’Hara about co-founding Tramlines, though, you could apparently paraphrase that as ‘from the minds of two 25-year-old morons an absolute beast was born!’

Of course, James was being tongue in cheek and self (and mate!)-effacing when describing himself and Arctic Monkeys’ drummer Matt Helders in this way when recollecting their pitch to Sheffield City Council for a music festival for the city.

Because it’s clear from my chats with all our If You Ask Me contributors that Tramlines has been something all the cofounders have been passionate about from the start, and continue to be today.

And the event has only been able to grow into that beast – or the music equivalent of Edinburgh festival, as James also puts it – because of that passion, not to mention will

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power, good will, dedication, and a lot of hard work.

I remember the very first Tramlines very well with Reverend and the Makers headlining, but also seeing lesser known bands in bars around the city entre like the Forum, Frog and Parrot, and The Washington. Since then I have attended several festivals to dance and sing along like a loon to a whole host of artists from Sister Sledge and All Saints to The Libertines and Dizzee Rascal, as well as enjoyed trips to the Folk Forrest at Endcliffe Park.

(I have missed a few festivals over the years due to a mate’s wedding and also when I – whisper it – cheat on Sheffield and go to Splendour, the one-day festival in Nottingham).

But equally I’ve also joined friends who’ve travelled from across the country to attend, including people who moved away from Sheffield years ago but return to the city for Tramlines every July.

This is an important point because the original economic driver, as all our contributors acknowledge, was getting city centre bars and leisure venues through the summer months after the mass exodus homewards by university students.

But it was also to raise the profile of the city’s music scene, after James looked at festivals in other major cities and thought ‘why haven’t we got one?’

It’s been a smash hit on both levels.

As Richard Eyre from the council says: “The financial impact of the festival has been huge. Many businesses openly state that Tramlines keeps them going until the return of the students in September.

The hotels are full and the whole city comes alive to every imaginable genre of music.

“It has also renewed confidence in the music scene across the city with a significant growth in live music and venues.”

While I admit to being one of those grumbling early on about ticket prices being introduced and then going up every year, I also felt artists should not be expected to play for free either. So the reality is indeed that the team have to charge, as James says – and as he and Timm Cleasby affirm, the Tramlines business model is now a sustainable one, too, with Timm highlighting the ‘good solid foundation’ of the festival attracting the interest of agents and artists from all over the country and the world.

So, the festival that was set up to get city centre bars through the summer has achieved so much more.

There are bars that are open now because of Tramlines – and in that sense, Timm’s ending line seems the perfect way for me to end, too, because the festival has indeed, economically and in terms of profile-raising, ‘raised the bar’.

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Award-Winning Digital Marketing, Web Development & Digital Design Contact Our Team For Help Growing Your Business Online www. evoluted.net

info@evoluted.net

0114 272 9753

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AGENDA

EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY

BY ASH YOUNG

Our digital expert Ash Young shares his top 5 tips for paid Facebook marketing

5 PAID FACEBOOK MARKETING TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Paid social media advertising provides plenty of benefits, such as lead generation, brand awareness and promoting to a wider audience – all without that huge bill.

Facebook, in particular, is a fantastic platform for small businesses with minimal budgets – but how do you get the most from your efforts?

Install the Tracking Pixel The pixel is a code placed on your website which is vital for measuring success.

It’s surprising how many advertisers don’t have this set up!

The pixel not only tracks conversions, but is also necessary for ad optimisation, creating targeted audiences and remarketing.

It’s best to install this before you start – that way

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you’ll already have data that Facebook can utilise from the off.

Test, test and test again The beauty of Facebook advertising is the ability to rigorously A/B test. Find out what works best and roll this out to improve future campaigns.

Here are just a few elements to test: • Content • Message • Call to action • Image • Time of day • Placement • Device Utilise Retargeting Often a potential buyer comes to your site, clicks around and moves on. So, how do you entice them back? The simple

answer is Facebook retargeting ads.

You can also reach an audience that may not have even visited your site before, but they have shown interest in your industry.

When sharing curated content such as third party news, you can add a pixel to the short link. Now you can retarget anyone who clicks on this content with relevant ads.

Customer service 82% of consumers will use Facebook to communicate with a brand’s customer service team. Providing top notch customer service – and doing so in the customer’s preferred channel– will set you apart from your competitors.

Facebook displays your response time, so fast replies build trust and indicate to customers that you’ll be

around to help, should there be an issue.

Custom audiences Building a custom audience is a more accurate way to select your target consumers than randomly selecting interests and demographics.

Rather than making (educated) guesses, Facebook can build audiences based on a number of behaviours such as newsletter subscribers or friends of people who like and engage with your page.

Build your own or give Facebook the power to find similar people to your existing customer list.

We can set up pixels and run Facebook campaigns for you – for more information, get in touch with the Evoluted team.

Ash Young, Evoluted www.evoluted.net

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AGENDA CALENDAR

EDITORP’SICK EVENT

2ND JUNE CASUALS SHEFFIELD FUNDRAISER

Venue: Yellow Arch Studio, 30-36 Burton Road, Kelham Island, Sheffield S3 8BX Time: 1pm Cost: £3 About: Casuals Sheffield are a charity aimed at creating a safe environment for men aged 18 – 25 to talk about mental health and any other current issues. They are hosting their first fundraiser for the whole family to enjoy where there will be live music, crafts and food.

Contact: 0771 042 5721

5TH BUSINESS NETWORKING

WITH BECKY STEVENSON

Venue: The Burton Street Foundation, 57 Burton Street, Sheffield S6 2HH Time: 9.30am-11.30am Cost: £7.40 About: Becky Stevenson will host this informal networking event in a bid to connect as many local business owners as possible. Refreshments will be served in a relaxed atmosphere.

Contact: bit.ly/2HHHc4u

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11TH MARKETING SHOWCASE EVENT

Venue: Magna, Sheffield Road, Rotherham S60 1DX Time: 10am-2pm Cost: Free About: An opportunity for business owners and marketers to meet experts and suppliers of cuttingedge marketing solutions, by attending educational keynote seminars and an informative exhibition of marketing tools.

Contact: bit.ly/2JMlAXe

12TH TIME IS MONEY: PRODUCTIVITY

& TIME MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

Venue: The Burton Street Foundation, 57 Burton Street, Sheffield S6 2HH Time: 9am-12pm About: Do you need to get more organised? Do you need to prioritise that never-ending to-do list but don’t know where to start? In this positive and proactive workshop, you will be surrounded by supportive people who feel the same.

Contact: bit.ly/30zd1VM

12TH ROTHERHAM NETWORKING GROUP

Venue: Voluntary Action Rotherham, Coke Hill, Rotherham S60 2HX Time: 10:30am-12:30pm Cost: Free About: This monthly networking conference is all about keeping it casual. It’s just helpful conversations, genuine connections, and lasting business relationships – all without any of the awkward silences.

Contact: 0114 201 8888 or via membership@scci.org.uk

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AGENDA

4TH WILMOTT DIXON DONCASTER

PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION LUNCH

Venue: Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Branton, Doncaster DN4 6TB Time:12pm-2:30pm Cost: £45-£75 About: Attendees are invited to enjoy networking drinks and two-course lunch followed by speeches and a Q&A with Scott Cardwell – Assistant Director for Development, Doncaster MBC and Gareth Finch – Planning Director, Investment Property and Airports, Peel Group. After the event closes guests may explore the Yorkshire Wildlife Park until it closes at 6pm Contact: julie@themetclub.co.uk

12TH INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONFERENCE

Venue: GLIDE House, Terry Street, 300 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AG Time: 8:30am-12:30pm Cost: Free to attend, £100 + VAT to exhibit About: This half-day conference will offer guidance and expertise while highlighting the services and support available to businesses in the region looking for their next step in growing an international business.

Contact: 0114 201 8888 or via membership@scci.org.uk

13TH SHEFFIELD SOUP 17 Venue: Crucible Theatre, 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 1DA Time: 7pm-10pm Cost: Minimum donation £5 which goes into the pot for the winning pitch About: Live Crowdfunding event where four people pitch four ideas, you get soup and bread from Food Works Sheffield, vote, and the winner takes home 100 per cent of the door money to fund their project.

Contact: sheffieldsoup.com

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13TH Y30 SUMMER DINNER

Venue: The Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa, Skipton BD23 6AJ Time: 7pm start Cost: Rates start at £120 for single occupancy and £140 for double occupancy bed and breakfast. Higher room categories also available at discounted rates.

About: Join Welcome To Yorkshire at their Large Hotel of the Year for their Y30 members’ club summer dinner, where you will enjoy a menu celebrating the best of Yorkshire, including a tipple from local wine suppliers.

Contact: rfyfe@yorkshire.com

14TH LATE LATE BREAKFAST Venue: Tapton Lodge, Shore Lane, Sheffield S10 3BU Time: 9am Cost: £26 About: This month’s Late Late Breakfast special guest is Dr Willard Wigan, an internationally renowned artist famous for his microscopic art.

Contact: helen.sweet@ theresultshub.co.uk

14TH SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS

16TH FATHER’S DAY RACE MEETING

16TH SIMPLY BUSINESS:

18TH CHANGE YOUR WORK LIFE!

Venue: Albion Street, Savile Street, Sheffield S4 7UD Time: 9.30am Cost: £250 + VAT for members, £300 + VAT for non-members About: This workshop is full of tips and examples of how to increase engagement on social media. You will examine simple methods to increase the effectiveness of your content and explore the benefits of paid for services that are available.

Contact: 0114 201 8888 or e.training@scci.org.uk

Venue: Owlerton Greyhound Stadium, Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2DE Time: From 11am Cost: Dads can enjoy a day at the races with a special Father’s Day lunch at Sheffield’s Owlerton Greyhound Stadium. £22 for a 3-course meal in the Panorama Restaurant. Other packages available from £7 pp.

About: A day of greyhound racing ideal for the whole family Contact: bit.ly/2WOYfIh

NETWORKING EVENT

WORK LIFE DISCOVERY COACHING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN

Venue: JG Graves Woodland Discovery Centre, Ecclesall Woods, Abbey Lane, Sheffield S7 2QZ Time: 8am-9:30am Cost: Free for Sheffield Chamber members About: Purely focused on networking and establishing new business contacts, this event will feature a brief update on upcoming events and services available to you as a member.

More info: bit.ly/2YvLcMc

Venue: Business & IP Centre Sheffield, Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 1XZ Time: 10am-1.30pm Cost: Free About: A full interactive 3-hour workshop which will help realise your potential and make the necessary changes you need to improve your work life balance.

Contact: call Emma from Women to Work on 0788 164 5738

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AGENDA PHOTO: HELENA DOLBY

6TH-11TH SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST

Venue: Citywide Time: All day Cost: Festival passes range from £150-£370.80 + VAT. Doc/Lover wristbands range from £59.50-£60 + VAT. Individual event ticket prices start at £7.50, with some free events too.

About: Sheffield’s successful documentary festival has ran for over 25 years and this year returns with the theme “ways of seeing”. Visitors can expect events across five areas – film, alternate realities, talks, marketplace, and social.

As always, this is not to be missed!

More info: sheffdocfest.com

18TH VIRGIN MONEY SHEFFIELD LOUNGE: MEET THE EXPERTS – THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS

Venue: Virgin Money Lounge, 66 Fargate, Sheffield S1 2HE Time: 3pm-5pm Cost: Free About: A guest panel will tell you about their own businesses as well as their ‘Future of business’ topic. This event will help create a strong professional network for likeminded business professionals.

Contact: bit.ly/2VXXu3n

19TH SHEFFIELD MANAGEMENT LECTURE SERIES

Venue: Stoddart Building, Room 7140, Sheffield Hallam University, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 1WB Time: 5pm-7pm Cost: Free

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About: Dame Stella Manzie DBE, offers her ideas on highperforming organisations in the public and private sector and where it can all go wrong.

Contact: bit.ly/2J2svLI

19TH LET’S DO BIZZ Venue: BizSpace, Bow Bridge Close, Rotherham S60 1BY Time: 8:30am-10:30am Cost: Free, book your place via the link below About: Around 30 local businesses will be at second networking event of the year at BizSpace Rotherham (in partnership with Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce). Sarah Stanley, Coach & Connector, will also be sharing a coaching tool to help create more balance and success in our lives.

Contact: bit.ly/2vuP6IP

20TH ROYAL ASCOT AT

OWLERTON STADIUM

Venue: Owlerton Greyhound Stadium, Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2DE Time: from 10am Cost: £25 per person breakfast and a 3-course lunch About: Enjoy a morning of greyhound racing followed by an afternoon of horse racing shown on TV screens live from Ascot.

Contact: bit.ly/2YwPlPX

25TH BE MORE SOCIAL –

SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP Venue: Sheffield Mercure Parkway Hotel, Britannia Way, Catcliffe, Sheffield S60 5BD Time: 9am-12:30pm Cost: Free About: The workshop will give you the knowledge and

confidence to promote yourself, and use your new found skills to increase your presence online.

Contact: jacqueline. richardson@fsb.org.uk

27TH ENTREPRENEURS BUSINESS CLUB SHEFFIELD NETWORKING

Venue: Angel & Harlequin Bistro, 26 College Road, Sheffield S21 3YB Time: 9:30am-11:30am Cost: £10 – includes refreshments and sandwich About: This monthly meeting offers a unique format attracts senior decisionmakers and management, making it effective for meeting new contacts and establishing a support network.

Contact: info@entrepreneurs businessclub.co.uk

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AGENDA

18TH CORPORATE RACE NIGHT

Venue: Owlerton Greyhound Stadium, Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2DE Time: 6pm-10pm Cost: Chamber members: £13 + VAT. Non-members: £25 + VAT. About: Tickets to this VIP social networking event includes access to the corporate hospitality box with private balcony overlooking the track, hot and cold buffet, a racecard, waiter service and personal bookmaker.

Contact: www.owlertonstadium.co.uk/special-events

27TH SPEED NETWORKING BARNSLEY

Venue: Tankersley Manor Hotel, Barnsley S75 3DQ Time: 12 noon-3pm Cost: Members £17.95 + VAT / non-members £22.95 + VAT About: You will have the opportunity to introduce yourself to every other guest.

You will be able to explain how you can help your potential

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customer and to explain what makes you “stand out from the crowd”.

Contact: bit.ly/2Q8un72

27TH “ALL THINGS CHINA” FORUM BY CUBI

Venue: China UK Business Incubator Ltd, Office 1, New Era Square, Sheffield S2 4BF Time: 6pm-8pm

Cost:Free About: China UK Business Incubator’s first China Forum is here! The not-for-profit organisation’s event will include information from stakeholders on what they are putting into the local community, and tips on doing business with China successfully. A Q&A panel will follow.

Contact: bit.ly/2LQbbN0

29TH HIGHER EDUCATION OPEN DAY

Venue: Church Street campus, Barnsley College, Barnsley S70 2AN Time: 10am-2pm Cost: Free About: An Open Day where people can find out more about the Higher Education courses offered at Barnsley College.

Contact: bit.ly/2wcQKPo

27

AGENDA

Switching IT Service Provider?

Here at CT we believe that switching IT service provider should be smooth, hassle-free and seamless.

Speak to an Account Manager today.

01246 266 130 26

info@ct.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

SEAMLESS SWITCHING OF YOUR IT PROVIDER Ian Snow, managing director of CT, shares a few thoughts on ensuring that your IT switch over is smooth Changing your IT provider can seem like a daunting prospect for any business.

When a contract comes up for review many decisionmakers may feel pressured to stick with the status quo for the sake of perceived hassle and stability. But decision makers need to ask, ‘Is your Managed Services Provider (MSP) working for the benefit of your business and in tandem with your long-term business strategy?’ ‘Is your IT performing to the maximum benefit of the business?’

The truth, for many, will be that whilst their IT is adequate for their needs, it does not take into account their business plan, and furthermore, is not future-proofed to accommodate growth in 2019 and beyond.

Here’s a few thoughts on ensuring that the switch is smooth, hassle-free and seamless.

• Review what is working and what is not working – having an open and thorough IAN SNOW, MD OF CENTRAL TECHNOLOGY discussion with your potential new IT provider could save management time further down the line. software. Carefully consider • Get everyone involved. The what is underperforming IT experience of each and and where improvement is every member of staff is needed. important. Collect feedback • Think short-term, mediumfrom across your business term and long-term on to shape revised support your IT strategy. Don’t take requirements. shortcuts if it is going to • Be open to new possibilities. cost you or have a negative Technology never sits still impact further down the and there may be more line. Your IT department is efficient ways of working one of the last places you that you hadn’t even want to skimp. thought about!

• Appreciate the importance • Review hardware as well as of IT for your business and

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ensure that employees understand this. Your entire business infrastructure relies on having effective and reliable IT services.

• We understand the importance of minimising disruption and our support model begins with a powerful on-boarding project. We will get into the detail of your IT systems and identify where they do and where they don’t meet standards. We will discover

how they work (and do not work) for your business and then plan out your roadmap for the future.

More than just an IT provider, we pride ourselves on partnering with our clients, getting to know your business and then devising solutions that perfectly match your needs.

For an informal chat over a coffee about switching to CT please give our team a call on 01246 266 130.

29

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

A R O F IN

PENNIE...

From dot.com boom and designer threads to social entrepreneur and Sheffield Soup – Jill Theobald meets Pennie Raven to find out why she ditched the boardroom to boss it as a community champion When I first met Pennie Raven circa 2006, it was to interview her and a host of other business leaders in the city who had joined the board of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce’s Inspiring Women.

Back then Pennie was driving a Merc, dressed in designer gear, and running her own HR consultancy, and change management multibusiness enterprise.

Fast forward a decade-plus and I am meeting to profile her once again – but as a woman

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who has become inspirational in the city for very different reasons.

In 2019 she has switched the labels and brands for her apron to front Sheffield Soup, with business partner Jonny Douglas, where local people’s projects from across the city pitch to the sociable crowdfunding platform.

It’s like she’s a different woman. And, in many ways, she is.

“When I was in that world, I played a role. I even had a name

for her – Felicity! I wore Vivienne Westwood, did the shoulder pads thing, had an expensive watch, piled my hair on top of my head and, am embarrassed to admit it, I wore fake glasses – I need real ones, these days!

“But I did all that because I was very conscious of being a woman in a very male environment. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t acted like that, but I felt at the time I needed to.”

Basildon-born Pennie grew up in a working-class family in Essex and worked down south

including in Milton Keynes before moving to Sheffield, like many people I speak to, for love. She set up home with her then-partner, and held various high-level roles at firms including QJump and Bright Finance, before founding Direct Human Resources Ltd. Class as well as gender played a part in the ‘part’ of Felicity, too.

“I’d sit in these meetings with all these big CEOs, thinking ‘try not to say anything ridiculous, council estate bird!’”

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COVER STORY But as an entrepreneur and self-made woman, she could clearly more than hold her own.

“I always knew from an early age that I was going to go out and do stuff,” she says.

And so she did. During the dot.com boom in the early noughties she worked as organisational development director for the world’s first supply chain portal which saw her going into and restructuring businesses and helping organisations that needed help growing, thanks to her change management and HR skills.

She joined the Leadership Team at Bright Finance in Sheffield and helped transform the business from start-up with circa 50 staff, to a 500-employee business ‘fit enough to do business with big business while maintaining its entrepreneurial DNA’.

In 2005 she founded Direct Human Resources, going on to work with a portfolio of prestigious high-profile clients.

“When I first conceived

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the business idea, great HR, organisational development, training and recruitment was the privilege of corporate blue chips and multinationals. There wasn’t an affordable quality solution to make this elite service accessible to start-ups and SMEs – so I created one.”

At its peak, the team was 15-strong, with £2.5 million secured contracts, and Pennie was driving around in her longed-for Mercedes.

“In the 90s I loved that car advert with the Joni Mitchell Mercedes Benz song! My first company car was a silver convertible and then finally I got my black Mercedes Benz SLK. I called her Betty and I loved that car. I used to sing ‘oh Lord, thank you for my Mercedes Benz!’”

However, 80 per cent of her business income and 90 per cent of contracts derived from high-profile clients in the subprime finance sector. While preparing for a £7.5 million investment, the financial

There wasn’t an affordable quality solution to make this elite service accessible to start-ups and SMEs – so I created one

markets crashed, wiping out the subprime market in the following weeks.

After an intense period of downsizing and refocusing, Pennie’s turnaround efforts were halted as the recession started to grip and she faced the reality of voluntary liquidation.

“It was like going from hero to zero overnight,” she says.

“That industry just did not exist anymore.

“I looked at my life and realised I had a very nice convertible car and Vivienne Westwood boots and that was how I referred to them.

Not my favourite red boots but my Vivienne Westwood boots. I had to have the fancy watch and the big brands, and I started to hate it.

“I had stuff that was worth a lot of money but shared that with my other half and when we broke up a lot of our shared friends, who I had met and made after moving to Sheffield to be with him, went with him.

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

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While I was working out what to do next, I decided to choose 50 people who needed my change management experience and I would coach them

“I ended up having a breakdown and struggled for about a year, I had lost everything.

“I was going through all of this but still had to drive around in Betty, too, because the car was leased, and it would have cost a small fortune. I couldn’t give it back until I went bankrupt.

“It was then I had an epiphany – it’s all a lot of bollocks! Everything I cherished at the time, the brands and the cars, unless you’re a multi-

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millionaire it’s all leased and on loan and on credit cards.

“I’m not judging anyone who does want to wear an expensive watch – I’ve still got mine, I just don’t feel comfortable wearing it, and my friends joke I can still spot a fancy watch quicker than I spot the Prosecco when I walk into a bar!”

And the problem with aspirational purchases?

“These were things I looked up to, things I wanted as a kid to get out from a poor background. But when you

get ‘there’, you don’t know it because, while you were trying to get there, they’ve moved the goalposts.”

To plan ahead, Pennie decided to look back – to a time when she was helping businesses deal with change management and effectively turn the focus on herself.

“Take a look at what you HAVE got – whether that’s friends or all the personal connections built up over the years.”

Pennie went on to meet

another friend, personal connection and future business partner Jonny Douglas at The BiG Challenge enterprise competition.

“While I was working out what to do next, I decided to choose 50 people who needed my change management experience and I would coach them. Then 50 didn’t seem enough so I came up with my Future 500 plan. Jonny needed help with his design business so that’s how we ended up working together.

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“We shared a lot of values and aims in terms of working out what it is that truly matters to you – a lot of our challenges, hopes and fears were similar, there was a lot of crossover.

“We both believed in the model of spending 20 per cent of your time doing good and 80 per cent building on your network, organisation, finances to create something bigger – the trouble is balancing that as the 20 per cent is so fulfilling!”

The pair set up social enterprise Avenues to Zero and are the driving force behind Sheffield Soup, where attendees pay a small entry fee for a bowl of soup and to hear local people pitch ideas to help the community. They then vote for their winner, and at the debut event it was Real Junk Food project – now known as Food Works Sheffield – who took the title and entry fee winnings to invest in the business. Today Food Works Sheffield are the ones serving up the soup at the event which has now found a new, larger home at the Crucible.

“Food Works and Sheffield Soup will always be each other’s firsts!” says Pennie, who finds it difficult to narrow down her stand-out projects from over the years. “Can’t you just mention them all please?!” she says.

(We have previously featured a few, to be fair – check out edition 13 for our interviews with Dopamine Disco and Grow UK.) What she perhaps loves most about Sheffield Soup is its inclusivity.

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“It’s for Sheffield people, by Sheffield people. There’s no Dragons’ Den style questioning and no criteria – judges just have to ask: ‘Is this is a good project for Sheffield?’” says Pennie. “We have about 2,000 residents registered to vote to help us pull together the shortlist for the four people to pitch on the night.

“We have one shortlist judge who is house-bound, and she loves knowing that her voice is heard and included.”

The Soup network has already outgrown Sheffield – Huddersfield Soup are into their third year and Pennie and Jonny are rolling it out to Rotherham soon.

What with their Pecha Kucha nights (‘It’s a business social that’s more like a night out’) and campaigning work, it looks like the non-Dragon duo are set to be busy for a while yet.

Plus Pennie also has her hands full with the HR Guardian Angels business she set up in 2011 and works as a consultant a day or two a week sharing those HR, recruitment and organisational development solutions to ‘pay the bills and keep a modest roof over my head’.

“I used to be reasonably attractive in all my nice clobber and guys would try chatting me up,” she says. “Now when I walk into a room I’m there to help and people are genuinely pleased to see me.

“I know which I prefer.”

Me too – an Inspirational Woman indeed. Farewell Felicity!

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SHEFFIELD’S SPORTING SUCCESS

Sheffield’s status as the City of Sport has taken a further leap forward following Sheffield United’s promotion to the Premier League.

We decided to take a look at the city’s other sporting superstars Sheffield has a golden chance to build on its City of Sport reputation following the promotion of Sheffield United to the Premier League.

Synonymous with sport, the city has, for decades sought to use sport as one of the springboards for a new future.

It has seen iconic sporting figures emerging at world level – Olympic superstar Jess Ennis-Hill, Ryder Cup golfer Matt Fitzpatrick, England cricket captain Joe Root and Premier League and England footballer Kyle Walker.

Sheffield’s sport and leisure facilities are the envy of many.

From the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park in Attercliffe to the Ponds Forge swimming and diving facilities; from the Graves Centre at Norton to Hillsborough Leisure Centre – all are playing a part in delivering

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sport at grassroot and elite level but also vital health and wellbeing services impacting positively on thousands in the community.

However, it is the rise of the Blades, when next season they will be playing Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and others, that could make the biggest difference of all within the city and on a national and international stage.

The club has joined the elite competition in English football that has grown dramatically, becoming one of the world’s top brands, bringing direct financial and economic benefits of over £7.6 billion to the country’s GDP, exports of over £1.1 billion and watched in 188 countries in 643 million homes and a TV audience of over 4.7 billion viewers.

Former Sports Minister and

Sheffield MP Richard Caborn said: “The global reach of the Premier League, according to the British Council, not only brings hard economic and financial benefits but brings ‘soft power’ which is incredibly important to selling a city far and wide.

“Sheffield United’s promotion has provided a great opportunity to the city to market itself on worldwide basis.”

Richard’s comments are compelling.

Just look at the impact the Premier League has on the North West through the football clubs in Manchester and Liverpool: ∙∙ 1.2% of the economy of the North West contributing £2bn ∙∙ 1.8% in Greater Manchester contributing £1.8 bn.

And there are further

benefits. According to marketing experts the Premier League creates a positive image of a place where people want to live, study, visit and invest – the so-called soft power.

Richard added: “The city, along with the Sheffield City Region, needs to urgently bring together like-mind leaders, influencers and institutions who want to use this unique window now opening up to reach the world.

“We need to have a dialogue with our friends in the North West who have years of experience and, who I know, would share this experience with us.

“Let’s learn from the best, saving time and not reinvent the wheel. It’s now up to the city to take-up the challenge and deliver the opportunities,” said Richard.

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Sheffield United’s elevation to the Premier League is the latest chapter in the story of the city’ s recent sporting success.

But, in many respects, it is the Blades’ achievement that will create the most impact.

United are moving into a sporting business arena which, day by day, week by week, is growing at a remarkable rate.

The players become household names through the broadcast, print and online media coverage of the Premier League.

A window to a whole new world is about to be opened.

Sheffield United Chief Executive Stephen Bettis recognises the power and impact of the club’s arrival in the top echelon of the game.

“Promotion will provide a massive boost to the club and to the city,” said Stephen. “ The playing side, through performances on the pitch and the links to the potential transfer targets because of the opportunities to sign players the Premier League brings, will

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SHEFFIELD UNITED CHIEF EXECUTIVE STEPHEN BETTIS AND BLADES PLAYERS CELEBRATE PROMOTION (ABOVE)

inevitably make the headlines and create the talking points.

“But we recognise that it is much more than that - there are significant off-the-field opportunities for the club and the city as well, which we are keen to embrace.

Stephen added: “ The nature and quality of some of the opposition clubs means that we are planning for our home games to sell-out most weeks. We recognise that we will be bringing, as.a result, international supporters to the city.

“In some respects we will be bringing football tourists

into the city and our Bramall Stadium when they are wanting to watch the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City.”

The commercial reality of life in the Premier League is not lost on Stephen.

“Yes, we are entering into a whole new sporting world but we should remember we are bringing something to the party. The Blades and Sheffield are creating fresh and dynamic content for the Premier League because of our footballing history. Just like with the World Snooker Championships and the Crucible, we can prove to be

extremely attractive to overseas countries who broadcast the Premier League. “ It is recognised that Premier League supporters as group spend more money on their passion for the game.

Away matches can become a weekend visiting a city or a region and therefore the supply chain around the football industry - taxis, hotels, restaurants, hotels and attractions - all receive a positive impact.” “ People and organisations want to be associated with Premier League clubs. We have already witnessed Interest from potential commercial partners grow significantly. Because of the international nature of the Premier League product, they come with sponsorship budgets that are beyond anything.we have seen before.

“We will not overlook our partners and friends who have been on the journey with us, but as a club and a city we need to grab this opportunity with both hands and move forward.”

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CREATING A SPORTING LEGACY Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is a London 2012 Olympic legacy project for sport, health and wellbeing, research and learning.

The Lower Don Valley area was ripe for regeneration following the closure of Don Valley Stadium in September 2013 and provided the opportunity for Richard Caborn, who was Sports Minister at the time of the Olympic bid in 2005, to deliver tangible legacy from the 2012 Olympics.

A Sheffield City Region wide initiative, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park brings together the public, private and education sectors to put physical activity and prevention at the heart of the NHS. The Park offers a combination of world-class sports facilities, education, new skills, research and innovation, environmental improvements and opportunities for the local community.

Already delivering impressive results, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park includes UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, recently rated ‘Good’ by

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ARTIST IMPRESSION OF THE ADVANCED WELLBEING RESEARCH CENTRE (AWRC)

Ofsted, Oasis Academy Don Valley, a 3G pitch home to Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield United Women Football Club, the English Institute of Sport Sheffield (EISS) and iceSheffield.

Currently in construction, the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) is set to become the most advanced research centre in the world for developing innovations that will improve population health and physical activity levels, and the site’s park environment boasts

cycle paths and Outdoor City run routes.

As the cost of healthcare continues to increase, more and more attention is rightly being placed on preventative interventions and Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park has become recognised around the world for transforming health and wellbeing through physical activity.

Earlier this year the Park was visited by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, and in June the site is set to welcome Tim Hollingsworth who took over as Chief Executive of Sport England in November 2018.

The Park has been recognised by a string of international visits too, including delegates representing Kawasaki City, the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the China Institute of Sport Science, and the Vereniging Sport en Gemeenten – all keen to learn from Sheffield’s health and wellbeing initiative, and find out how they can replicate the project in their own cities.

His Excellency, Mr Koji Tsuruoka, Japanese Ambassador to the UK, also visited Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park as part of a two-day fact-finding experience ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The year ahead looks set to bring further exciting developments for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. Driving economic and social renaissance in the area, offering improved education, job opportunities, sport and exercise amenities in an urban environment, allowing the local community to use and benefit from the world class facilities, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is truly one of the city region’s sporting success stories to be proud of.

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MIGRATIONMATTERS 14 - 22 JUNE 2019 FESTIVAL SHEFFIELD

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Nadjet Ben Maghnia • Bedford Creative Arts • Babelikon • Mafwa Theatre • Assist Virtual Migrants • Tales Of Whatever • Basil Griffith Library • Dignity & Hearth Dr Lukasz Sculz • Prickly Pear • DJ Disorientalist • University Of Sheffield • Side By Side Maya Productions • One Sheffield Many Cultures • Women Asylum Seekers Together Otis Mensah • The Calabash • Comma Press • Open Kitchen Social Club • Site Gallery One World Choir • Reel Femme • SCAN • Conversation Club • Dead Earnest Theatre Body Control • Club Rush • GRL • Annie Anthony Mays • Karmand Tahsin • Farhan Mordi

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iceSHEFFIELD: CITY’S COOLEST VENUE IS A TALENT FACTORY Located just outside Sheffield city centre, in one of the traditional industrial heartlands of the steel city, is a street sandwiched by sporting success.

On one side of Coleridge Road in Attercliffe is the English Institute of Sport Sheffield – which has helped produce sporting superstars such as Dame Jessica EnnisHill and Anthony Joshua, among others.

And on the other, you find iceSheffield – often overlooked by its younger, larger sister venue but no less important for the city on the national, European and worldwide sporting stage.

Built in May 2003 and managed by SIV, iceSheffield and its development schemes have helped produce some of the city’s finest athletes over the past 16 years – from Olivia Smart, a graduate

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of the venue’s Learn to Skate programme and now representing Spain on an international level, to Wincobank-born PJ Hallam, who came through the ranks to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships in Japan this year.

PJ’s journey in particular epitomises iceSheffield’s success. He’s been a part of the venue’s set-up from the very

beginning, and earlier this year completed his journey from up-and-coming local lad to world-class athlete.

In 2018, Rotherham’s Liam Kirk (ice hockey) became the first player born and trained in the UK to be drafted into the NHL – another remarkable achievement and an accolade for his home venue.

Due to the incredible success of its athletes and

the quality of coaching and facilities on offer, iceSheffield’s development programmes are booming. More than 1,100 youngsters are currently on the venue’s books – an everincreasing figure.

In addition, highlighting the importance of this success is the recent renewal of a major sponsorship deal with leading ice hockey brand BAUER Hockey – part of which will include sponsorship of iceSheffield’s Learn to Play Hockey programme which has seen such success.

The partnership was renewed for five more years earlier in 2019 – a move which further highlights the importance of sporting heritage and profile to a successful regional economy, with worldwide brands and businesses continuing to value our city’s sporting prowess.

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GETTING SHEFFIELD ‘MOVING MORE’ Along with countless sportspeople and teams performing at the top of their respective games, Sheffield is also at the top of its game in promoting physical activity and encouraging the local population to move more.

Move More Month, which is currently in its fourth outing, is an Olympic Legacy project being overseen by the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NSCEM) – a collaboration between universities, healthcare trusts, local authorities and private and voluntary sector organisations.

The initiative is aiming to make Sheffield the UK’s most active city – and given Move More’s success to date, that target appears more than achievable.

In 2018, Move More Month engaged a record number of

businesses – more than 600 teams from 140 firms signed up to take part. To date, it has seen individuals across Sheffield collectively record tens of millions of active minutes during the month itself.

Move More is Sheffield’s physical activity strategy and sets out a whole systems plan to make it easier for everyone living in Sheffield to be physically active as part of everyday life.

While Move More Month itself may only last a few weeks of every year, its objective is ongoing – inviting the whole city to engage with physical activity in a variety of fun-filled and social ways.

Professor Robert Copeland is Director of the NCSEM, and was one of Move More Sheffield’s founders back in 2014. He said: “We’re really excited for Move More 2019, which is set to be the city’s biggest and best yet.

“Move More is a city-wide initiative – anybody and everybody is invited to join in.

It’s all about making physical activity easy, fun, and social, with the aim of transforming Sheffield into the UK’s most active city.

“People can move more in a huge variety of ways, with so many physical activity challenges and initiatives to get involved in this June. Activities will be going on in social

housing, care homes, schools, workplaces and in public spaces all across the city, everyone is invited to join in the fun.”

As well as key part of the initiative is the Move More Workplace Challenge, which quite literally provides a bit of healthy competition for businesses and employees across Sheffield.

The challenge can be entered by first of all visiting the Move More website – www.movemoresheffield. com – and registering online.

Physical activity is then recorded and logged using the ‘Move More Sheffield’ app, which is downloadable to any smartphone.

With this in mind, Move More organisers have this year set a target of 10 million active minutes for the city to achieve – an ambitious yet achievable objective for the Outdoor City.

PHOTO: CLAIRE COLLINSON PHOTOGRAPHY

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FIVE MINUTES WITH...

THE SMALL BUSINESS NANNY After successfully setting up a marketing department at Warner Bros Cinemas and later turning around a failing building company, Caroline Freeman now looks after small businesses with great ideas at her troubleshooting and mini-management consultancy My favourite thing about running my business is...

Every day is different with a diverse range of innovative and traditional industries in the region and challenges for me to sort out!

The three words that best describe my business are...

Unique (there is only one me), hands-on and caring.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because...

There are incubators everywhere; you no longer have to sit alone in your spare bedroom. Kollider has just opened in Sheffield, and there are the Barnsley BIC and Digital Media Centre in Barnsley to name but a few providing affordable places to work, collaborate, use a meeting room if you need one and network.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because...

There are numerous ways to finance growth in the region, as well as endless opportunities to network and find a mentor. Everyone should have a mentor regardless of seniority.

The best advice I ever got was...

To go and run the Marketing Department at Warner Bros Cinemas age 22 when there wasn’t one! I could have said ‘no’ but I knew it was the biggest opportunity that had come my way so far, so I took on the challenge, learnt on the job, listened to everyone I could, and within 18 months I was running an internal advertising agency buying all the media direct, publishing magazines, as

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CAROLINE FREEMAN, THE SMALL BUSINESS NANNY

well as organising endless film premieres and cinema opening campaigns, including Meadowhall. Most people don’t realise it was originally opened 25 years ago as a Warner Bros Cinema by Catherine ZetaJones and Bugs Bunny!

The worst advice I ever got was...

Believing someone who told me they knew what they were doing, when my gut feeling was telling me otherwise, and proved to be right – emotional intelligence is very powerful.

The organisations that have supported me and my business include...

Barclays – I’m thrilled they are partnering with Kollider, and the Chambers of Commerce are always there.

The main challenges facing my industry/sector are...

Getting business to acknowledge they need my help before it is too late. Too many businesses fail because the person in charge neglects something they’re either not good at or don’t like doing.

In 5 years’ time I expect my business to...

Have helped hundreds of other businesses survive and thrive and reduce rates of failure. Size and sector are irrelevant as the basic business principles are the same. Look after your cash-flow daily, don’t reinvent the wheel, listen to others, continue to ask questions, communicate, and don’t think everyone has to be good at everything, and finally “Don’t wait for the storm to pass… learn to dance in the rain”.

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CHARITIES Our round-up of some of the great work charities are doing in the city business region – and the companies that are doing their bit to support them

COLLEGE ON TRACK TO RAISE £1,000 FOR CANCER CHARITY An event organised by Barnsley College saw 500 pupils from primary schools take to the racetrack to raise more than £1,000 for Race for Life, Cancer Research UK. The event took place at Dorothy Hyman Stadium in Cudworth where students and staff from Barnsley College were joined by pupils from Kexborough Primary School, Meadstead Primary Academy, St. Helen’s Primary Academy, Laithes Primary School, Churchfield Primary School

and Birkwood Primary School.

Amy Daniels, hair and beauty course leader at Barnsley College and Race for Life runner, said: “A huge thank you to the whole team who organised this event and well done everyone who worked so hard to make it a success.”

Amanda Sowerby, Barnsley College sports maker and event organiser, added: “The fact the money we raised will go to helping Cancer Research UK fight cancer makes everyone feel proud.”

Sheffield Sea Cadets tackling youth crime Sheffield Sea Cadets have released a five-year plan to tackle rising youth-crime in the city and need the help of local businesses to get it off the ground.

Following high rates of antisocial behaviour and violent crime in the city, Sea Cadets plan to invest in their

service users and volunteers, promoting values of respect, loyalty, self-discipline, commitment, honesty and integrity.

Marc Wildes, chair of the Sheffield Sea Cadet board, said: “We want to see the young people of Sheffield develop into valued and active

members of society, and all businesses in Sheffield need to work together to make this happen. We will support and train young people, giving them life changing opportunities, life-skills and mentorship, at a new centre of excellence.”

Businesses can get involved by donating building supplies

and craftsmen, providing financial backing to sponsor a room, or providing financial support towards the running costs of the.

This news also comes as the Royal Navy announces the naming of one of their new multi-million pound warships ‘HMS Sheffield’.

‘EXCITING’ EVENT TO LAUNCH YOUNG MALES’ MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY

DANTON LAROMANI OF CASUALS SHEFFIELD WITH FORMER LORD MAYOR MAGID MAGID

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Casuals Sheffield, a charity aimed at creating a safe environment for men aged 1825 to talk about mental health and other issues they may be facing, is hosting its first fundraiser event.

The charity, which is supported by former Lord Mayor Cllr Magid Magid, aims to break the stigma around male masculinity in Sheffield and to tackle issues that have previously been perceived as difficult to talk about.

Founder Danton Laromani said: “Growing up on my own journey, I was always nervous about bringing this idea to the table, but with an amazing team behind me and an exciting event around the corner, it is all becoming a reality.”

Tickets to the event – at Yellow Arch Studios on June 2 at 1pm – are £3 each. The launch event will host live bands, delicious food, and crafts and fun for the whole family to enjoy.

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FOCUS ON

No Internet? No business.

We’ve all heard about ‘the cloud’ and with 42% of UK businesses adopting some form of cloud services in 2018 there’s a bigger demand for high speed internet than ever before.

So why are so many UK businesses settling for unreliable Internet connections that don’t meet their needs?

• Avoiding the hassle of changing providers • Difficulty choosing between the competition • Unaware of alternative technology • Procrastination in the hope the connection improves Exa Networks are here to end the days of under-performing Internet with DarkLight - our ultrafast, future-proof connectivity that’s bespoke to your business.

If you’re ready to power the digital future of your business,

Let’s talk

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YOUR PITCH Ben Atha shares how The Developer Academy is keeping coding talent in the city and tackling the skills gap with flexible software and web training

THE DEVELOPER ACADEMY Tell us about yourself – sell yourself!

We teach people how to code using an online system, which means you can learn where you want, when you want, with evening and weekend instructor-led group sessions, where you ask questions, get guidance under learning and tailored support. We also provide projects to cement your knowledge and build a portfolio that you can show to potential employers.

This means that you can train around your current job and commitments, with the expert support you need while allowing you to move as fast as suit your circumstances. We only teach the coding skills that local tech employers tell us they want to help you launch a successful new career.

There are no educational entrance requirements, and you can complete a programme in as little as four months. Membership fees are very affordable – much lower than boot camps and lower than some online courses plus you pay monthly and can stop and restart your membership.

What gave you the idea for your business?

There’s a widening skills gap in Sheffield and nationwide, and most of the talent coming out of universities goes to larger cities, so I decided to find a way of retraining people who already live and work in Sheffield around their jobs for wanting tech. The current choices are online courses which have very high drop-out rates or a full-time boot-camp which means quitting your job and costs £6,000. That’s why I came up with this programme, which is much more affordable and

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BEN ATHA, FOUNDER OF THE DEVELOPER ACADEMY

offers you the flexibility to train around your current job.

Who are your customers and how are you targeting them?

We target people who either unhappy in their current job, want to move departments, or know that coding skills are not only in-demand now, but also will be in-demand in the future. We also work with employers to up-skill their existing workforce, which ranges from marketing departments who want to better analyse data, to

project managers who want to communicate better with their dev teams and improve efficiencies. We are targeting them via social media and PR.

We teach people how to code using an online system, which means you can learn where you want, when you want

How can people get in touch with you?

Email benatha@ thedeveloperacademy.com Phone: 0774 806 3791 www.thedeveloperacademy.com Twitter: @TheDevAcademy Facebook: @thedeveloperacademy Instagram: @thedeveloperacademy

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SHEFFIELD CITY REGION

– G IN W A R D H T I W T E G

SCR SKILLS BANK IS OPEN! A new Skills Bank that puts employers from across Sheffield City Region in charge of their own training has been launched – Jill Theobald finds out more

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SHEFFIELD CITY REGION

SKILLS BANK PROVIDES EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE SHEFFIELD CITY REGION WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY BESPOKE TRAINING

Employers – how do the following phrases sound to you? ‘Cutting through red tape.’ ‘A new culture of flexible funding.’ ‘Bespoke, tailor made training.’ Appealing?

Well, a new look Skills Bank that puts employers from across the Sheffield City Region (SCR) in charge of their own skills and training by delivering all the above has been launched.

Skills Bank is a business-led programme – an innovative locally-designed solution which shows the benefits of devolving

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resources to local areas.

Developed by the LEP, using devolved government funding, it matches private sector investment with public funding to help businesses invest in their workforce and improve productivity.

It’s part of a wide-ranging business support offer available through the Sheffield City Region’s Growth Hub with funding available to businesses that make a strong case for how the investment will deliver growth.

The service aims to cut through red tape by ushering in a new culture of flexible publicsector funding which works with businesses to deliver bespoke, tailor made training packages for local employers so that they can create something that works for them.

As a region with some fantastic businesses and world class training facilities, including the Further Education Colleges, the National College for High Speed Rail and the University of Sheffield AMRC

Training Centre. Skills Bank is another important part of Sheffield City Region’s work to build a skills system that delivers for businesses, communities and the economy.

Training is key to ensuring businesses are equipped for the future. In this region, the proportion of higher skilled, better paid jobs is lower than in areas of higher productivity and this is something that needs addressing.

As a result, future business investment will

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SHEFFIELD CITY REGION

be made in locations where the relevant skill sets are available to enable a skills and employability strategy that links education to business needs. In the meantime, there is a need to support existing workforces to upskill and retrain to cover the current shortages.

Ensuring funding is available to businesses that make a strong case for how the investment will deliver growth will contribute to the LEP’s aim to boost productivity and

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

improve the local economy.

Businesses often say that publicly funded training for businesses can be hard to access and that the system is complicated. Skills Bank and the Growth Hub advisors can help businesses cut through this.

This is good for the region, good for the profitability of businesses and helps grow the skills of our workforce. So long as a business can show that it helps boost productivity and grow local economy it

Skills Bank is a business-led programme; an innovative locallydesigned solution

should be a straightforward transaction. It’s win-win.

The Growth Hub Gateway Advisors will speak to businesses and ensure they can access the right specialist whether that’s Access to Finance, Skills, Growth or an external partner service or other organisation.

Want to find out more? Visit www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/ services/skills/ and follow @SCRGrowthHub or search for Sheffield City Region Growth Hub on LinkedIn for updates.

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unLTDBUSINESS.COM

FEATURE

) G N I H C U O R C (

DOWN TO BUSINESS Green Party Cllr and newly elected MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber Magid Magid passed on the Lord Mayor chains of office in May. Jill Theobald grabbed a few minutes of his time just hours before the handover to talk Sheffield City Region businessâ&#x20AC;Ś and nabbed his last ever interview as Lord Mayor!

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FEATURE

“I wasn’t interested in waiting for people to come to me…

I just really wanted to get out there.”

It’s probably safe to say Magid Magid achieved his aim as Lord Mayor.

He must, easily, be the most interviewed and photographed Lord Mayor in Sheffield history.

Indeed, he’s lost count of how many interviews he’s done. Meanwhile it had got to the point where I felt like I was the only person in Sheffield not to have had a selfie with him, so it was quite fitting and pleasing – professionally AND personally! – for unLTD to be able to nab his last official interview (although unlikely his last selfie).

It was an interesting approach, I noted, that early on in his role he asked for businesses, schools, charities and community groups who wanted him to visit to tweet him – and he would pop out that very day to as many as possible.

Traditionally the Lord Mayor would tend to visit a company to present awards or to mark a milestone – it singled them out as being successful and special. But then his time as Lord Mayor has been anything but traditional so it made sense to see him open up the Lord Mayor’s office to the people by taking the man himself to the streets with his whistle-stop tour of the city.

“I wasn’t interested in waiting for people to come to me,” he says. “I wanted to use my initiative and get myself out there. I especially wanted to meet businesses who might not have had a visit from the Mayor or Lord Mayor before.

“I just really wanted to get out there and the easiest way to do that was to share that on social media and then go and visit people in person. Then it was about how many people

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we could fit in on one visit, more than anything!

“I was particularly impressed by creative agencies like Jaywing. The warmth and the enthusiasm of the people who clearly enjoyed working there – plus their offices are really cool!

“I also visited more traditional businesses, too, like Ernest Wright (a scissorsmaking company established in Sheffield in 1902) and on a tour of their workshop it was fascinating to see all the history and knowledge which is still being used to handmake products today.”

During his time as Lord Mayor, which business sectors across the Sheffield City Region impressed him?

I wanted to use my initiative and get myself out there.

I especially wanted to meet businesses who might not have had a visit from the Mayor or Lord Mayor before

“Sheffield is leading the way in the creative and digital industries, in areas like coding and game design.

That means we can attract inward investment and have venues like the National Video Game Museum, but it is also encouraging people to come to Sheffield, to study and work in those sectors.

“And we’re also continuing to lead in manufacturing with major developments like the AMRC (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre) – which is technically Rotherham! – so it is great to see the Sheffield City Region attracting inward investment in the manufacturing industry and working with companies around the globe.

“And because of the University of Sheffield, the AMRC Training Centre is able to offer a really impressive range of apprenticeships, too, looking ahead to the next generation of engineers.”

And what about weaknesses, which industries does he think are particularly challenging?

“Retail is where the city needs to improve. I am not a big retail kind of guy, but I do understand what it brings to the city. Meadowhall really affected the city centre – I’d prefer to make Meadowhall more of a leisure place and bring more retail outlets back into the town. If we did have a big highprofile name like say Harvey Nichols come to the city centre that would help our offering.

“I’d also like to see more areas of the city centre become less car friendly. The video that was shared online recently of Division Street” – (a Cycle Sheffield campaigner created and tweeted the graphic which was widely liked and shared showing what the street could look like if it was pedestrianised) – “I loved that, it shows what we could be doing differently.

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

“It could follow on from Grey to Green initiatives like Love Square (the ‘urban pocket park’ at West Bar with wildflower meadows, lawns, and bird-friendly trees). That is a really lovely space.”

Magid says there were two areas he wanted to focus on when he became Lord Mayor – young people, and arts and culture.

“Our young people are more than enough, they can do so much more than we give them credit for,” he says. “But they just need that belief in themselves.

We need to be giving them those skills and teaching them they can go out and do and achieve whatever they want.

“That’s why I was really proud

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to appoint Sheffield’s first poet laureate Otis Mensah.”

The Sheffield-born hip hop artist, who has supported WuTang Clan and The Sugarhill Gang, was formally appointed to the two-year honorary role

by Magid during Off the Shelf literature festival last year.

“The appointment was in collaboration with the British Library, and Otis has joined me doing lots of other stuff too, going to different events and activities. He has literally been flying the flag for Sheffield.”

And the appointment sums up both his key areas, in fact – young people, and arts and culture.

“I want to see Sheffield City Region’s arts and culture

I want to see Sheffield City Region’s arts and culture become the heart and soul of Yorkshire and Humber

become the heart and soul of Yorkshire and Humber. I want to make a real statement about that because I think arts and culture is the creative dynamic of our region.

“We have the venues and the events, from independent festivals like Doc/Fest to historic music venues like the Leadmill and so much artistic talent – that can really attract people from all over the world.

“In the current climate we’re living in, regardless of what colour you are, what religion, what your politics are – arts and culture is a really great way of bringing people together. We need that arts and culture offering now more than ever.”

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DP Services Machine Removals Ltd began in 1983 with founder David Payling and ‘one little truck’. His son and company director Will Payling brings unLTD up to date on the latest developments

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ADVERTORIAL

DP SERVICES' BRAND NEW, STATE OF THE ART LORRY

How was your company formed?

MD David Payling started cleaning and painting machinery in 1983 for various machine tool dealers, and he then started hiring trucks to collect and deliver machines.

His first truck was an ex RAF Bedford TK 7.5 tonner with a 2-ton hand slew crane and traded as DC Services.

DC Services had continual growth and bought out Dennis Wright and Son Machinery Removals in 1991 where he acquired one the biggest big lorry mounted cranes in the country. Our name was changed to DP Services in 1994 and it’s gradually grown into what we’ve got today.

Tell us all about DP Services.

DP Services Machine Removals Ltd is a machinery removals company that over the years has grown into one of the most, tried, trusted and respected machinery removal companies in the area.

Our customer base ranges from large corporate companies, local and national machinery dealers, high-tech aerospace companies, large forging and steel producing companies right down to one-man band businesses operating from garden sheds!

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It’s mainly engineering firms and machine tool dealers – but basically anyone who’s moving something really!

What sets you apart from your competitors?

We try and treat all our customers whether Blue Chip or garage shed engineers with the same service/respect – at the end of the day, without satisfied customers we have no business.

The appearance of our fleet really sets us apart – image is very important. DP Services believe that first impressions are key, this is why we have one of the best maintained and most attractive fleets around.

Another strength is our diversity. We carry out a wide range of different jobs which require various trucks, trailers, forklifts and cranes in order to meet the requirements.

We’ve got one of the longest-reach cranes in the North, but we’re all about the range – we’ve also got smaller vehicles which not a lot of other companies have so we have something on offer for those large corporates, and the one-man bands, too!

We can cater for any customer – no job is too big or too small using our diverse

lorry-mounted cranes fleet.

We also have the FORS Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme accreditation to ensure we provide a service of the highest quality and demonstrate best practice in safety, efficiency and environmental protection.

All our operatives are ALLMI/ qualified Hiab operators, have either CSCS or CCNSG Passport to Safety accreditation, and approved slinging certs.

What are the latest developments at DP Services?

Our brand new lorry, a state of the art Volvo Tridem with a 48-tonne metre Crane which has a sliding curtain roof system.

It’s a new avenue for us to go down, plus it’s a vehicle/ body system that nobody around us locally has.

It’s also more Health and Safety conscious as well, with us not having to climb up and sheet things up. Health and Safety is very important to us – all our employees have a range of Health and Safety qualifications and certificates and all our vehicles come equipped with edge protection for operator safety.

What are your latest successes?

The arrival of Low Emission

Vehicles and also continuing turnover growth. We have just taken on 2 x new operatives taking our workforce to nine employees and we’ll be looking at taking on apprentices in the near future.

What are your goals for the future?

We would like to keep growing/expanding and attracting new business and increase brand recognition.

Monitor our employees’ working environment/ conditions and continually improve them whenever/ wherever possible.

Bring all our fleet up to the latest clean air Government requirements and become as environmentally friendly as a haulage company can be.

DP Services Machine Removals Ltd Birley Wood Farm, Sheffield S12 3BP Tel: 0114 239 2970 / 07836573939 Web: www.machinery-removals.com www.crane-assistedtransport.co.uk Email: mail@dpservices-ltd.com Facebook: DP Services Machinery Removals LTD LinkedIn: DP Services Machinery Removals LTD

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FIVE MINUTES WITH...

URBAN MERMAID Uninspired by unimaginative high street furniture, Carol-Anne Ward is now enjoying the ‘creative freedom’ of running Urban Mermaid and making statement pieces that are ‘unafraid to be bold’ I was inspired to start my business by…

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a strong desire to be the leader in my own life, to run my own time and to pursue the things that light me up. I love working with people, colour and spaces, so I decided to create furniture that is unafraid to be bold and brings more vibrancy to people's environments. Urban Mermaid is the perfect way to combine my three passions and to be uniquely creative with a brand.

My favourite thing about running my business is…

The creative freedom. Being able to make decisions based on what inspires you is a great feeling. Then seeing how those decisions are felt by my customers when they receive them. That’s always a great moment.

The three words that best describe my business are…

Unafraid, unconventional, fun.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because…

Sheffield has a great independent business scene and a strong Northern spirit, so there’s a lot of encouragement for doing something different and being creative. A place can have a lot of influence on a business and Sheffield has taught me to do what I love, and not to follow the crowd.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because…

People in business here are very supportive of each other and there is always help if you need

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CAROL-ANNE WARD OF URBAN MERMAID

it. Other small business owners know how hard it can be and want to be a part of a wider community that lift each other up and make Sheffield stand out. It’s a very encouraging community with such a rich mix of people, styles and ideas.

The best advice I ever got was…

In a field full of roses, be a wildflower.

The worst advice I ever got was…

Play it safe and give the people what they want – you’ll make more money that way.

The organisations that have supported me and my business include…

Oliver Brown Design (branding), Nigel Barker (photography), The Ministry of Upholstery (training and business development), Sam Lightfinch (copywriting), Toby Hyam (mentoring), Lorna Dockerill (copywriting, PR and peer mentoring), Business Sheffield (start up business events), Test Creative (peer mentoring), Design Futures Sheffield Hallam University (packaging design), Born + Raised (creative agency), Laura Lightfinch (social

media), Glyn Booth (finance) and Content OD (content agency).

The main challenges facing my industry/sector are…

The more corporate big boys in the industry such as John Lewis and IKEA. People think “Why are your products so much more than I can buy in X,Y,Z”. The answer is simple, but it’s hard to convince some people of value over price.

In 5 years’ time I expect my business to…

Be featured in Vogue.

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CHRISTMAS 2019 BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS - £39.00 PER PERSON Friday 6th & 13th December Saturday 7th & 14th December

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CHRISTMAS ALL-INCLUSIVE NIGHTS - £45.00 PER PERSON Saturday 30th November (£50.00 Per Person) Sunday 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd December

CHRISTMAS PARTY LUNCHES - £19.95 PER PERSON Friday 13th December - 12 noon until 4pm

CHRISTMAS CARVERY LUNCH WITH SANTA £19.95 PER ADULT & £9.95 PER CHILD UNDER 12 Under 3’s free of charge Sunday 1 , 8 & 15th December - 12:30pm onwards st

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CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH £69.00 PER ADULT & £32.00 PER CHILD UNDER 12 Under 3’s free of charge

NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA DINNER - £109.00 PER PERSON

Champagne and canape reception followed by seven course meal accompained by a selection of Wine. Over 18’s only Term & conditions apply | Please contact us for the full brochure.

Our Christmas Co-ordinator is here to help you with everything you need for a memorable event.

Book now by calling our dedicated Christmas team Tel: 0114 252 6522 | Email: christmas@cpsheffield.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

JEWEL IN THE CROWNE Christmas parties at the Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria are all about fun and festivities. Set in beautiful elegant surroundings the Royal Victoria is well-known for kick starting Christmas for many Sheffield businesses and we guarantee to have you and your team rocking around the Christmas tree.

The excitement begins late November when our programme of party nights starts the countdown to Christmas. With our years of experience and expertise, the Royal Victoria will deliver a fun-filled night to remember.

We offer various packages including party nights, floor filler nights, all-inclusive nights, and for those who prefer to start the festivities early, we offer Christmas Party Lunches which start from £19.95 per person, a big favourite for

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Sheffield City Council "Just wanted to drop you a quick line to say that everyone enjoyed the evening. No complaints with food, service or the entertainment.

"A good night was had by all and we would have no hesitation to book again.

Please when possible forward a brochure for this year’s party nights."

daytime office parties.

Come and join us throughout December for some great food, fine wine and festive fun, but don’t just take our word for it, here’s what some of our customers say: Sheffield Children’s Hospital "We were delighted with

the evening on Sunday. People cannot stop talking about it.... a fantastic night all together.

Everybody commented on the venue and how beautiful it was.

The pre-meal sing along and raffle was a lovely ice breaker and something previous venues didn’t do."

TAG Heuer "We couldn’t fault it ! From the game at the start getting us all in the mood to the food and the music at the end... it was a great night, I’m sure we’ll be back next year."

To find our more, or request a brochure call our Christmas team on 0114 252 6522 or email: christmas@ cpsheffield.co.uk

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FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES CALL PHIL ON 0114 275 7709

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YOUR PITCH

HOVALOFT

Paul Stinson, director of Hovaloft drone aerographics, shares his passion for taking to the skies to film locations ‘you just can’t get to with conventional cameras’ to produce 21st century video marketing Tell us about your business – sell yourself!

Hovaloft drone aerographics has two distinct business strands. We use drones alongside terrestrial cameras to make stunning 4k videos and photographs to help our clients showcase their business, and ultimately increase sales. We also complete land surveys using drones, collecting positional GPS data and height above sea level to perform accurate aerial surveying for planning and agriculture.

Our footage is all filmed in 4k, and we have skilled pilots who can fly both indoors and outside, effortlessly capturing stable cinematic footage. At Hovaloft we also have standard filming and photographic capability meaning we can augment the serene drone footage with close dramatic vignettes.

An example of drone and terrestrial footage can be seen in the promotional videos we filmed and edited for Hallam Football Club and Sandygate – the oldest football stadium in the world. The videos can be seen our client’s YouTube channel.

What gave you the idea for your business?

Before setting up Hovaloft, I’d been playing with drones for about two years and video editing for many more years before. I was a communications manager at GSK in Barnard Castle for over 15 years and I was a customer for film and media companies, so I know what a customer wants.

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For me, my passion is the ability to film from locations you just can’t get to with conventional cameras – I am still impressed every time I take a drone up and watch the relayed images on my display.

Who are your customers and how are you targeting them?

The construction industry is where most of our

customers come from, and drone technology is crucial in improving safety and reducing cost whether it’s inspection at height, surveying or a video of the final build.

As well as the construction industry, our customers are people that understand the need for video marketing in the 21st century and our

business mainly comes from referrals.

How can people get in touch with you?

Website: www.hovaloft.co.uk Email: paul@hovaloft.co.uk Tel: 0783 007 1112 Twitter: @Hovaloft LinkedIn: Hovaloft Ltd Instagram: @hovaloft YouTube: @Paul Stinson

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FIVE MINUTES WITH...

ELEMENT SOCIETY Chris Hill tells us how Sheffield’s diversity, inclusivity and supportive business community helped him set up the city’s fastest growing youth charity Element Society I was inspired to start my business by...

The perception young people don’t want to make a difference in the world, but they can and will do a lot more than people expect. They have a lot of empathy and want to make that difference. When I was young my dad was on minimum wage which meant I didn’t get a lot of the opportunities other people did, like school trips. Making youth programmes open to anyone has allowed me to see the impact those life chances can have.

this!’ You are halfway there then.

The worst advice I ever got was…

Don’t be a non-profit. Their reasoning was you can spend your profit on doing good, but as a non-profit, we spend all our money on being good.

Those contacts also believed people wouldn’t take you as seriously as a non-profit as opposed to a business, but we have disproved that becoming quite a big charity.

The organisations that have supported me and my business include…

Jill White, my business mentor.

Lord David Blunkett. Both universities, all the schools, and colleges. Other charities such as Chilypep and the NSPCC. Yorkshire Building Society Sheffield Businesses Together.

Westfield Health. John Lewis. Keep Your Fork PR and marketing.

My favourite thing about running my business is…

I never wake up and think ‘ugh, I can’t be bothered to go into work’. I’m always looking forward to it, especially our Dragons' Den panels, when young people come together and pitch ideas of how they can change Sheffield for the better.

That day is always a point where all the hard work, long days and nights are all worth it.

The three words that best describe my business are…

Youth-led, empowering, inclusive.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because…

It’s got a supportive business network and mentors willing to invest their time, knowledge and experience. It is really hard to get a start-up off the ground, so advice from mentors is so beneficial.

People in Sheffield are willing to come together to support social ideas and action.

Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because…

It’s the business community

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CHRIS HILL OF ELEMENT SOCIETY

which Element feeds into and it continues to support us as our needs change. The talent pool from the schools and colleges, as well as universities allow us to meet our staff needs as we grow. Sheffield is diverse in almost every way, which helps our goal of inclusivity as well.

The best advice I ever got was…

Get out there and try it because you can write a hundred page business plan without actually testing it and it can be completely worthless, or you can write one page where you test some assumptions, have a go and discover ‘people actually want

The main challenges facing my industry/sector are…

The demand to do ‘more for less’, it’s the buzzword of the day. Sheffield’s youth charities are not as well connected as they perhaps are in other cities, which is one of the reasons we are launching the social action studios in the city centre, a central place for youth charities to collaborate, save money and hopefully do ‘more for less’, without compromising quality of services.

In 5 years’ time I expect my business to…

Achieve sustainable growth allowing us to become a cornerstone for young people in Sheffield, listening to and meeting their needs while increasing opportunities for all.

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YOUR PITCH

CHATAGRAM Sheffield Hallam University student Jack Parkin founded Chatagram during his studies – he tells us about his vision for the new independent social messaging app which is all about the ‘visual’ Tell us about your business – sell yourself!

I’m a student at Sheffield Hallam University. During my studies, I was able to get Chatagram developed as an MVP (minimal viable product) which was achieved by working with developers at Intelivita.

Free to download on the App Store, Chatagram is a new independent social messaging app, featuring greater visuals to enable users to see more of their friend’s profile pictures and messages as you scroll up and down the screen. In addition, users of Chatagram are free to choose and customise the app’s background to their preference.

Intelivita and I communicate with each other and they provide maintenance and are able to apply new features at my request per cost.

What gave you the idea for your business?

Popular social messaging apps look identical to each other, except for the visuals on the screen which are small.

There’s no customisation as these apps don’t have the option to let users choose the background.

This gave me the idea to start a social messaging app that would have greater visuals to enable users to see more of their friends’ profile pictures and messages, while also enabling users to customise the app to their preference.

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JACK PARKIN, FOUNDER OF CHATAGRAM

Who are your customers and how are you targeting them?

Chatagram has been developed for the iOS platform which enables customers with an iPhone, iPad or an iPod touch to download and use the app for free.

I use social media platforms to reach out to people to showcase the app in use and what it can do. In addition, I also provide updates to let people know how

Chatagram is progressing, along with letting people know that a new update is in development.

Chatagram users are free to choose and customise the app’s background to their preference

How can people get in touch with you?

Email: parkinjack1001@gmail.com Website: www.chatagram.co.uk Twitter: Chatagram_UK Instagram: chatagram_official Pinterest: Chatagram

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AFTER HOURS

’ N I G G I GUP IT

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as ltivate talent such A place doesn’t cu ulp and The Human Arctic Monkeys, P strong live music scene.

League without a of South Yorkshire There is a wealth ard to bring the best in venues working h ide talent to the stage – local and nationw d and Gabby Willis’ pick and here’s Joe Foole litter of the considerab

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

AFTER HOURS

THE LEADMILL HAS HOSTED SOME OF THE BIGGEST LIVE ACTS IN THE WORLD

The Leadmill Address: 6 Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE Opening Times: Visit www.leadmill.co.uk for club night and event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @Leadmill Facebook: @TheLeadmill Snapchat: theleadmill Spotify: theleadmill About: The undisputed daddy of live music in the city and a venue which has served the creative community here since its opening in 1980. Over the years it has hosted the likes of Oasis, The Strokes and Kings of Leon as well as offering its stage to almost 40 years’ worth of local music.

Delicious Clam Address: 12 Exchange Street, Sheffield S2 4TS Opening Times: Visit www.facebook.com/ deliciousclamrecords for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @delicious_clam Facebook: @deliciousclamrecords Instagram: @deliciousclamstagram About: An independent record label and recording studio, this former wig shop functions as a venue for low-key gigs and club nights, usually run by the Clam themselves. Artists from far and wide come to the city to play gigs here, with a specific emphasis on promoting innovative DIY music.

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Picture House Social Address: 383 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield S7 1FS Opening Times: Mon-Thur: 4pm-12am Fri: 4pm-1am Sat: 12pm-1am Sun: 12pm-12am Visit www.picture-housesocial.com for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @PicHouseSocial Facebook: @PictureHouseSoc Instagram: @picture_house_social About: As its name suggests, Picture House Social is all about delving into Sheffield’s social scene. Former ballroom and billiard hall, it now serves to wine and dine the good folk of Sheffield, offering live music events, Italian-style street food, a games room and terrace, and plenty of tasty cocktails and craft beer. Their indoor social space is perfect for regular gigs, and is set to see some unmissable live performances when Tramlines rocks up this year.

Corporation Address: Milton Street, Sheffield S1 4JU Opening Times: Visit www.corporation.org.uk for event details.

Social Media: Facebook: @CorporationSheffield Instagram: @corpsheffield About: Corp showcases some of the finest rock acts from

SINCE OPENING IN 2005, PLUG HAS BEEN HUGELY POPULAR

South Yorkshire while also welcoming some of the biggest worldwide names in alternative music each month.

The Washington Address: The Washington, 79 Fitzwilliam Street, Sheffield S1 4JP Opening Times: Mon-Thurs: 6pm-2am Fri-Sat: 4pm-3am Visit www. washingtonsheffield.com for event details.

Social Media: Facebook: @washingtonsheffield Instagram: @washingtonsheff About: ‘The Washy’ is something of a legend around these parts. Often cited as the spiritual home of Sheffield’s music scene, the close quarters of this pub have seen many a local legend pass through, from the likes of Pulp to intimate gigs from Drenge and Wet Nuns.

Abbeydale Picture House Address: 387 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield S7 1FS Opening Times: Visit www. theabbeydalepicturehouse. com for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @Abbeydale_PH Instagram: @abbeydalepicturehouse About: The ballroom of the 1920s-built Abbeydale Picture House often showcases

independent bands and highly-rated alternative outfits, with guest DJ sessions taking place in its bar area.

Visit www. theabbeydalepicturehouse. com for event details.

O2 Academy Address: 37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PN Opening Times: Visit www.academymusicgroup. com/o2academysheffield for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @O2AcademySheff Facebook: @o2academysheffield Instagram: @o2academysheff About: Formerly the legendary Roxy nightclub, the unmissable O2 Academy in the city holds 2,350 punters and regularly hosts the biggest gigs of the month.

Plug Address: 14-16 Matilda Street, Sheffield S1 4QD Opening Times: Visit www.the-plug.com for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @plugsheffield Facebook: @plugsheffield Instagram: @plugsheffield About: Since opening in 2005, Plug has established itself as a hugely popular gig venue which offers both a strong platform for the local scene and some of very best touring acts.

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EAT . DRINK . DANCE CUBANATAPASBAR.CO.UK Call 01142 760475 76 Cubana_Logo_Advert_Exposed_ARTWORK.indd 1

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AFTER HOURS

YELLOW ARCH STUDIOS IN KELHAM ISLAND

Café Totem Address: 23 Furnival gate, Sheffield S1 4QR Opening Times: Mon-Thurs: 5pm-1am Fri: 5pm-2am (4am late entry) Sat: 12pm-2am (4am late entry) Sun: Special events only Visit www.cafetotem.com for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @CafeTotem Facebook: @cafetotem Instagram: @cafetotem Spotify: cafetotem About: A champion of the local scene, Café Totem hosts some of the best up-and-coming UK indie acts in its notoriously sweaty confines.

West Street Live Address: 128 West Street, Sheffield S1 4ES Opening Times: Sun-Thur: 7pm-4am Fri-Sat: 7pm-4am And visit www.weststreetlive .co.uk for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @WestStreetLive Facebook: @WestStreetLive Instagram: @weststreetlive About: Open seven days a week and offering live music every single night from 7pm-11pm, West Street Live is the perfect place to go for a night of fresh tunes, energetic atmosphere and a good priced drink or two.

Record Junkee Address: 7 Earl Street, Sheffield S1 3FP

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THE FLYDSA ARENA HAS A CAPACITY OF 13,600

Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm Sun: 11am-5pm Visit www.recordjunkee.co.uk for event details.

Social Media: Twitter: @RecordJunkee Facebook: @recordjunkee Instagram: @record_junkee About: Join the vinyl revolution and head on down to Record Junkee, which re-opened as a licenced 150 capacity venue and is more than just a record store.

Offering everything from signings to their 25,000 record collection, Record Junkee is well worth a visit or ten…

The Leopard Address: 2 West Street, Doncaster DN1 3AA Opening Times: Mon: 10am-11.30pm Tues-Wed: 10am-10pm Fri-Sat: 10am-11pm Sun: 12pm-9pm Visit www.leopard-doncaster .co.uk for event details.

Social Media: Facebook: @leoparddoncaster Instagram: @doncasterleopard About: One of Donny’s premier live music pubs, The Leopard is a much-loved traditional boozer-cum-gigging hotspot and a hugely important fixture on the local scene. Everything from the cream of the local crop, to travelling tribute bands, to stand-up comedians pass through the venue at weekends.

Old School House Address: Blackburn Lane, Barnsley S75 2BA Opening Times: Mon-Fri: 4pm-11pm Sat: 12pm-12am Sun:12pm-11pm For event details visit www. oldschoolhousebarnsley.co.uk Social Media: Facebook: @schoolhouse1877 Instagram: @oldschoolhousebarnsley About: Based in – you guessed it – an old school, this venue was formerly known as a Polish Club, but underwent refurbishment and returned as a fully-functioning live music and sports venue. The 200-capacity venue hall boasts a state-of-theart PA system and you can catch a variety of gigs pretty much every weekend.

Cutlers Arms Address: 29 Westgate, Rotherham S60 1BQ Opening Times: Mon-Tues: 12pm-10pm Wed-Thurs: 12pm-11pm Fri-Sat: 12pm-late Sun: 2pm-10pm Visit www.cutlersarms.co.uk for event details Social Media: Twitter: @CutlersArms Facebook: @ CutlersArmsRotherham About: An elegant Grade-II listed building, the origins of this venue go right back to the early 19th century. Situated just a stone’s throw from the city’s

railway station, the Cutlers plays host to a range of live nights from rock cover bands to lively ska nights.

FlyDSA Arena Address: Broughton Lane, Sheffield S9 2DF Opening Times: Visit www.flydsaarena.co.uk for event details Social Media: Twitter: @SheffieldArena Facebook: @SheffieldArena Instagram: @flydsaarena About: Not only home to the Steelers Ice Hockey Team, Sheffield’s Arena also plays host to the biggest names in music and comedy. It is the region’s biggest indoor arena, with audience capacity from 3,500 to 13,600.

Yellow Arch Studios Address: 30-36 Burton Road, Sheffield S3 8BX Opening Times: Mon-Fri: 10am-11pm Sat: 11am-6pm Sun: 11am-9pm Visit www.yellowarch.com for event details Social Media: Twitter: @YellowArch Facebook: @yellowarch Instagram: @yellowarchstudios About: Going strong since 1997, Yellow Arch is a beautiful and quirky venue in the trendy area of Kelham Island. It also operates as a recording studio and rehearsal venue.

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WEEKEND

ESCAPES

Golf fans – fancy a corporate day out or a weekend break with family and friends that’s not too far from home? unLTD’s Andy Waple took an hour’s drive from the city to play a few rounds at a resort break in the heart of Lincolnshire

FOREST PINES 78

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AFTER HOURS

Many members of Sheffield’s business community are known for their fondness to wind down with a short golfing break but often lack the time to travel far.

A solution lies just one hour’s drive from the city in the heart of Lincolnshire at the Forest Pines Spa and Golf Resort which offers

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a number of packages to suit most needs.

The resort has 27 holes of golf, a health centre, spa and a recently-refurbished hotel rebranded under the DoubleTree by Hilton banner, so you can simply play golf and get back home the same day, or combine a round or two

with a bit of pampering and an overnight stay.

In other words it’s a perfect place for a corporate day out or an indulgent weekend break with family and friends.

The resort is in easy reach of Sheffield, and it’s motorway or dual carriageway all the way from Park Square to the

hotel lobby, situated on the old Roman road Ermine Street, just outside the historic market town of Brigg.

Golfers who know Forest Pines vouch for the quality of the three sets of nine that weave, as the name suggests, though some majestic mature trees.

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AFTER HOURS

ON RD AL CE ER NG

ON

THE COURSE IS SURROUNDED BY 190 ACRES OF WOODLAND

Fairways are lined with some healthy specimens which have easily survived the constant battering from golf balls hit in the wrong direction.

It’s often described as “The Woburn of the North” which is stretching things a little, but it does have a maturity that belies its relative youth. Surrounded by 190 acres of woodland the course opened as recently as 1996.

Of the three loops of nine – Forest, Pines, and Beeches – the first two are better in my opinion. The Beeches is a strategic thinking golfer’s loop, which you really need to play more than once to get to know the required shot making. An example is the 2nd, a short par four with a dog-leg to the right.

From the tee it easy to pick the wrong line and what seems a perfect shot annoyingly ends up in the trees.

Forest and Pines are excellent, providing a level of quality and variety which will

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The resort has 27 holes of golf, a health centre, spa and a recentlyrefurbished hotel

make you want to come back to play them again. Relatively flat, they are easy to walk and the good draining soil ensures they are playable for most of the year.

The 3rd 4th and 5th holes on the Forest loop provide a good snap shot of the course as a whole.

Hole three is a nasty par 5 with a dogleg left tee shot. The water channel running along the left of the fairway cuts across in front of the green making a long second shot almost unthinkable.

The 4th, a very short par 4 need a very accurate tee shot to the right of the fairway or you will find yourself blocked by large trees.

The following hole, my favourite on the course, is a par 5 to a sunken green. A good drive will provide the opportunity to go for the green but what you cannot see is a heather clad bunker in front of a very narrow green, so go for broke here at your peril.

Forest Pines has been rated one of the leading UK winter courses

and has hosted numerous competitions including the R&A Boys Home Internationals, British Blind Open and the PGA four-ball Championships 2009-2013.

It was also the winner of the 2018 Today’s Golfer ‘best golf course in the east of England’ award.

The hotel has 188 bedrooms, a health club and spa, a conference and events centre and three restaurants. The refurbishment is of high quality and the bedrooms, as well as spacious, are well appointed with large comfy beds.

Restaurant quality, which can be average at best in some golf resorts, is also good with more than adequate evening meals and a very good full English or continental breakfast.

Forest Pines was one of five Q Hotels properties rebranded under the DoubleTree by Hilton name under a franchise agreement between the group’s owner, Aprirose and Hilton.

81

NUMBER CRUNCH

CHESTERFIELD Come on and check out Chesterfield.

This month in unLTD’s number crunch we’re putting the spotlight on Chesterfield.

This charismatic market town in Derbyshire shouldn’t be underestimated, what with the unmissable Crooked Spire and the the UK’s oldest civic theatre, so make sure you take a good look at all our facts and figures below:

Chesterfield has the

HIGHEST RETAIL occupancy outside London

48,000 The number of people Chesterfield provides jobs for

Every weekday around

20,000

people come into Chesterfield

The world-famous crooked Spire leans

At over

800

2.89M to the south-west

YEARS OLD

it has one of the largest outdoor markets in the UK

Chesterfield Waterside is a

£320M business and residential development

82

12 TOP5HOTEL

universities are just an hour’s drive away

The four-star 100-bed Casa Hotel is rated as one of the top five hotels in England

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