unLTD. Connecting business across Sheffield City Region #29

AUGUST 2020 | ISSUE 29 | FREE | UNLTDBUSINESS.COM

The Milestone Group founders Matt Bigland and Nina PatelBigland on re-opening Cutlery Works after lockdown – and how Make Yourself at Home fits their ethos of treating customers as ‘guests in our home!’

ACT NOW! THE SOURCE BACKS GOVERNMENT CALL

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ME: IF YOU ASK

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MARKETING IN THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ ● BUSINESS RECOVERY GROUP UPDATE ● IN THEunLTDBUSINESS.COM COMMUNITY

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Make Yourself at Home has been set up to support our local businesses and communities as life gradually moves forward, whilst remembering the safety and comfort of home.

This is a special issue of unLTD, the Make Yourself at Home takeover!

Conceived and planned with the input of the team at Marketing Sheffield, we have reached out across the city to hear the voices of those whose businesses have been tested, challenged and sometimes even completely closed following the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The aim of the Make Yourself at Home campaign is to share a message of unity through our businesses, one that can be adopted by all of us. One that will show our customers, clients, guests and visitors that we stand together to welcome them back.

Helping them feel safe, comfortable and as at home with us as they are behind their own front doors.

Please join us in using the Make Yourself at Home message within your business. Download the free toolkit which includes badges and images that can be used on your website and social media. The Make Yourself at Home message belongs to Sheffield and it’s available for you to make your own.

We really hope you enjoy this issue. It’s time for some good news, and we are thrilled to be able to share lots of it with you in this issue!

Get started at: welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome @VisitSheffield

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CONTENTS

INSIDE...

6-9: News Office moves, post-lockdown auction boom, applications open for Barnsley College Higher Education courses, and new strategic partnership to support post COVID-19 recovery.

13: The Diary Our editor says government needs to send a more positive message to help people return to work.

22-29: If You Ask Me Businesses’ message of resilience and confidence to their teams and visitors on re-opening.

31: Product Guide Steel City MD James Biggin with his ‘Back to Work’ Products of the Month branded with your logo.

32 COVER STORY: THE MILESTONE GROUP

32-39: Cover Story The Milestone Group on how Make Yourself at Home fits their ethos of treating customers as ‘guests in our home!’

46-47: Skills Focus The Source Academy backs Government call on apprentices plus news round-up.

56-59: Focus on: Marketing With Make Yourself at Home’s toolkit, we look at how marketing is helping businesses communicate.

42 ENTERTAINMENT 51

IN THE COMMUNITY

EVERYTHING ELSE: 73 SCRSKILLSBANK 4

74 AFTERHOURS

10: Appointments 15: Financial Health 17: Leaders Forum 18: Entrepreneur Support 21: Business Recovery 55: Business Post Lockdown 63: Finance 65: Launchpad

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CONTENTS

SPREADING THE WELCOME BACK WORD! COUNCILLOR MAZHER IQBAL

Welcome to the August edition of unLTD. You’ll notice a few changes this month as the Make Yourself at Home campaign takes over the magazine to showcase some of the different things Sheffield businesses are doing to make their customers and staff feel at home during COVID-19.

The impact of the pandemic is reaching across every aspect of our economy and society. We know that some businesses are really struggling while others have effectively pivoted to survive and even thrive – just take a look at our cover stars The Milestone Group who have used the ‘downtime’ to get a major app for Sheffield up and running. The Make Yourself at Home campaign also ties in perfectly with their ethos of treating their customers as ‘guests in our home!’

But we also know the deep-rooted inequalities that existed in our city before COVID are going to get worse. With all the uncertainty and hardship, it’s important to give businesses in the city a collective voice to help promote and support each other, which can, in turn, create wider awareness of who they are, and why what they are doing is important to our residents and communities.

The council has been working with the Sheffield Business Response Group, a private, public and third sector partnership established to oversee our economic recovery efforts and you can find an update on the Group on page 21. Marketing Sheffield has spearheaded work to ensure a consumer confidence campaign so Sheffield feels as relevant as possible for as many businesses as possible. We are taking over unLTD to bring Make Yourself at Home to life and to hopefully enable you to use it.

We are clearly still in the midst of the pandemic. We’ve therefore been working really hard with public health colleagues to make sure keeping people safe underpins our campaign and that people know it’s okay to go at their own pace, based on their own circumstances. Sheffield has always been a place that makes people feel at home and that has never been more important.

Whilst we at the council will be using and talking about it, Make Yourself at Home is an initiative that can be owned, developed and progressed by you. There are inspiring examples within these pages of organisations who have begun to do just that – just look at our If You Ask Me feature on returning to work and re-opening businesses, the Focus On marketing during the crisis and also In the Community showcasing our charitable and third sector organisations.

As you read on, hopefully it will become clear that this is something that can benefit your business as well as your city. I encourage you to see how Make Yourself at Home can help your business or organisation and I hope you enjoy this special edition of unLTD. Cllr Mazher Iqbal Cabinet Member for Business and Investment, Sheffield City Council

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@UNLTDBUSINESS UNLTD BUSINESS UNLTDBUSINESS EDITORIAL Richard Fidler richard@unltdbusiness.com Jill Theobald editorial@unltdbusiness.com General hello@unltdbusiness.com 0114 252 7781 ADVERTISING Phil Turner phil@unltdbusiness.com 07979 498034 General advertising@unltdbusiness.com FINANCE Michael Johnson accounts@exposedmagazine.co.uk DESIGN Simon Waller and Simon Garlick CONTRIBUTORS Pat Abel Doug Banks Marc Barker James Biggin Kim d’Arcy Jo Davison Eloise Feilden Joe Food Mazher Iqbal Alexis Krachai

Jade March Anna McGuire Mark Mobbs Sasha Mossman Bronte Saulle Raj Shah Ian Snow Helen Williams Ash Young

unLTD is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd Unit 1B Rialto, 2 Kelham Island Square, Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD and HRM | PR & Creative Unit 1A Speedwell Works, Sidney Street, Sheffield S1 4RG The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media Ltd and HRM 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 HRM cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific listings.

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AGENDA NEWS

Strengthened partnership to support skills post-COVID Sheffield Hallam University and The Sheffield College have announced a new partnership which will support the post COVID-19 recovery.

The two institutions have committed to working even more closely to provide a joined-up approach to skills development offer for students and employers.

The announcement comes as the government continues to focus the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the Chancellor sets out a £2bn ‘kickstart’ package to prevent a youth unemployment crisis.

The strategic partnership will focus on access to further and higher education for all – creating more opportunities for young people and adult learners who want to build new skills.

Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Chris Husbands, said: “It will create more and better opportunities for our young people and for adult learners looking to build new skills, as we support the region’s recovery from the impact of COVID-19."

Chief Executive and Principal of The Sheffield College, Angela Foulkes, said: "We will do everything we can to support the city as part of a skills-led recovery, ensuring that students access education and training opportunities.”

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HENRY BOOT ‘LOOKING LONG TERM’ AFTER SHOWING INITIAL COVID-19 RECOVERY SIGNS Henry Boot PLC, one of the UK’s leading land, property management and construction companies, is focused on a ‘sustainable, long-term future’ after showing promising early signs of a post COVID-19 recovery.

CEO, Tim Roberts, outlined that the firm’s focus will be on long-term, sustainable markets such as residential, industrial and logistics, and urban development – sectors which Tim says ‘play to longterm trends’.

Tim, appointed CEO in January, was speaking at the firm’s 100th AGM – the first to have ever been held via video link – where he said the firm continues to maintain ‘a strong balance sheet’.

All the company’s sites and plant centres have reopened, with strict safety measures in place, following the easing of lockdown restrictions and the company is now achieving 85% of its planned activity.

Strategic land owned by Henry Boot stands at 15,000 acres, with the company committed to a gross

HENRY BOOT CEO, TIM ROBERTS

development value (GDV) of £315m in developments which are pre-sold, pre-let or under offer.

Tim said: “Without a doubt, our focus recently has been dealing with the COVID-19 disruption and my thanks go out to the Henry Boot team for all their hard work during these unusual times, as well as

the board for its support.

“Our business is focused on long-term, sustainable markets. Those are residential, industrial and logistics, and urban development – markets which play to long-term trends. We are determined to continue to generate good returns in these markets for our customers.”

Materials discovery set to be transformed by new cutting-edge research centre A new research centre which will transform how we discover new materials for industry and train materials scientists has reached a key milestone in its construction at the University of Sheffield.

The Royce Discovery Centre – part of the Henry Royce Institute – will focus on earlystage, fundamental research

into the discovery of new materials and processing.

Due for completion in 2021, the centre will feature specialist laboratories and workshops, and will house the latest technologies in 3D additive manufacturing, digital manufacturing and nanocharacterisation.

Despite the current circumstances, construction

has been completed on the Harry Brearley Building on Portobello Street near the University of Sheffield.

The facility will benefit from the very latest in world class equipment provided by the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials and will work alongside the Royce Translational Centre, and the UoS Faculty of Engineering.

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AGENDA Doncaster Business Survey supports local charity Firms who completed Doncaster Chamber’s Business Insight survey on current issues that impact on the local economy also helped raise funds for Adwick Park Community and Sports.

MARK JENKINSON HAVE SEEN A POST-LOCKDOWN BOOM WHICH HAS SEEN SALES TOP £3.5M

Post-lockdown auction boom in Sheffield A post-lockdown boom saw a Sheffield auction attract more than £3m in sales as demand outstripped supply.

For the third time in a row all 24 lots were sold at the July online auction held by auctioneers Mark Jenkinson and Son. Sales topped £3.5m including an Upperthorpe house sold for £279,000 – more than £100,000 above the guide price.

Adrian Little, Head of the Auction Department at Mark Jenkinson and Son, said: “The last few weeks have been exceptionally busy and clearly we are in a ‘post-lockdown’ boom as demand outstrips supply.

“Today’s sale provided firm evidence that the ‘auction option’ should be seen very much as a first option rather than a last resort when selling

houses needing varying degrees of modernisation.”

Also at the auction, five terraced homes in School Road, Wales sold for nearly £300,000.

The top seller was £757,000 for an industrial ground rent offered on behalf of Hull City Council, achieving nearly double the guide price of £400,000.

The next auction is on Tuesday, September 1.

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Extreme litter picking in the Peak District Litter hotspots in some of the Peak District’s most challenging terrain are being targeted in a new initiative by national park rangers.

Art installation to complete New Era Square A selection of striking panda sculptures are to be installed within the £66m modern Asia-inspired district New Era in Sheffield.

Twinkl SEO Team wins global award Twinkl's Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) team was named as the Global Digital In-House Team of the Year at the 2020 Global Digital Excellence Awards.

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COVID community funding hits £750,000 Milestone Community groups in South Yorkshire have received over £750,000 in funding support from local charity, South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).

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AGENDA Office move for Albion after move into new markets Following a recent acquisition, Albion Detection Systems are moving to a new and larger property to accommodate their growing business.

Having diversified into new market sectors, Albion Detection Systems now offer lighting, electrical and data services, as well as e-commerce solutions for equipment to enhance customer experiences for the hard of hearing, alongside their existing business in fire protection, security and assisted living.

The move into new markets will see the Albion team shortly moving into Globe Works in Kelham Island.

Albion Director Mark Slatter said: “It’s been an intensive 12 months for us and moving home to Kelham Island is going to be exciting.

We have grown the business during the pandemic and expanding into new areas allows us to futureproof the company to keep us in a good position for whatever the rest of 2020 throws at us!”

Albion have also recently been offering social distancing refurbishment services to help venues, workspaces and hospitality businesses prepare for the return of their staff and customers. These complement the speech transfer solutions already supplied by Albion, ensuring that the response to the pandemic does not discriminate against the hearing impaired.

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SHEFFIELD COUNCIL SEEKING QUALITY NEW OCCUPIERS FOR ‘CULTURAL HEART’ OF CITY CENTRE SCHEME Sheffield City Council and its Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry, are inviting interest from potential occupiers for an array of dynamic culture spaces across its Block H site in Heart of the City II. Located on the city centre site between Wellington Street, Carver Street and Cambridge Street, Block H is viewed as the ‘cultural heart’ of the masterplan. A planning application was submitted last month.

The leasing team are currently looking for tenant

offers on key elements of the site – including Cambridge Street Collective (CSC) and Bethel Chapel, as well as welcoming early expressions of interest on the planned refurbishment of Leah’s Yard.

Proposals for CSC include a 20,000 sq. ft industrialstyle space, which would be perfectly suited to a food hall or similar sociable, communal offer.

Interlinking with CSC is Bethel Chapel, which is being reimagined as a 15,000 sq. ft live entertainment venue.

Further North on Cambridge

Street, interest is being sought for 11,000 sq. ft of space inside the Grade II* Listed Leah’s Yard – which houses a collection of former industrial workshops.

Andrew Davison, Project Director of Queensberry, said: “The plans for Block H epitomise our ambition to create places with character and personality that will bring something entirely unique to Sheffield city centre.”

Construction across the site is anticipated to get underway later this year, with completion of all the elements expected in 2022.

100 years of golf at Tinsley Park Golf Course Tinsley Park Golf Course has just celebrated its 100th birthday.

Tinsley Park Golf Course – which is managed by Sheffield City Trust – opened the first nine holes of the course on 17th July 1920, with an additional nine holes being added later.

The opening ceremony included an exhibition match between George Duncan (Open Champion), James Braid, J H Taylor and Abe Mitchell, was attended by council officials including; Sir William Clegg, Alderman Cattell; Mr T W Quine and Captain Fred Banning.

Almost 1,000 spectators witnessed the day’s play.

Andrew Snelling, Sheffield City Trust Chief Executive, said: “On days like this, it’s a real pleasure to look back on the history of the facilities that we manage and see the positive impact that they’ve had on

communities across Sheffield.”

The course is operating in a COVID-19 safe manner.

As a result of the outbreak, the Trust has made some changes to ensure the safety of members, players and colleagues and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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AGENDA

RJS Business Support celebrates record-breaking month

RHIAN SCOTT

Sheffield-based consultancy RJS Business Support have celebrated a record-breaking month after offering their HR services to businesses free of charge during the pandemic.

When the crisis hit, RJS Business Support’s Rhian Scott quickly realised there were many businesses – particularly SMEs – who would need HR Support during the crisis, despite never having required it before.

Despite then having only been in business for seven months, HR Consultant Rhian reached out to support them free of charge Rhian found the workload quickly increased with both new and existing clients, leading to a record-breaking June.

Rhian said: “Businesses started looking at how they run their companies and what changes they can make to improve this, so I’m supporting them with how they can vary people's contracts in a way that benefits both them and the employee.

“Much of the business has retained as clients want to know they have support as and when they need it but without the cost and commitment of doing it internally.”

As lockdown eases, Rhian has found the focus has shifted to businesses looking into how to bring people back safely and flexibly where needed and updating procedures and policies to meet the ‘new normal.’

SOCIAL DISTANCING T-SHIRTS CREATED

BY GRIPPLE RAISE £1,800 FOR THE NHS Gripple t-shirts, printed with four funny messages which put a Gripple ‘twist’ on traditional Yorkshire expressions have raised £1,818 for local NHS hospitals.

More than 260 have been sold – with ‘Oi! Tha’s close enough’ attracting the most interest – including one order of more than £1,000 from another employee-owned company in Manchester. All the profits from the sales are to go to the NHS. The t-shirts were initially designed to drive home the social distancing message to staff. The response to the t-shirts on the Gripple social media channels led to making them available to buy online in aid of the NHS. Staff at Gripple’s five sites in the city, and one in Rotherham, were given the t-shirts free of charge. They were well received, bringing broad smiles to many faces!

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Development takes off near South Yorkshire airport Yorkshire developer Marshall CDP has launched Kestrel Court, a new speculative industrial scheme close to Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport, marketed by the Sheffield office of Knight Frank.

Wholesaler hits £100m turnover Pricecheck, an international wholesaler and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, has achieved its ambitious target of £100m turnover by 2020.

Healthcare firm donates to cancer charity Employees at Sheffieldbased health care company B. Braun UK Group have been praised for their contributions to cancer charity, Maggie’s, which is offering support to people with cancer during the current COVID-19 crisis.

National recognition for Doncaster lawyer

GRIPPLE'S SOCIAL DISTANCING T-SHIRT

Sheffield’s manufacturer of the iconic world-beating wire joiner created the designs

in-house and the t-shirts were supplied and printed by a local company – Eldon Screen Print.

Doncaster-based property expert Cassandra Zanelli, a partner at PM Legal Services, will provide the legal update at the Association of Residential Managing Agents Annual Conference (September 8-11), which will be delivered remotely for the first time in its 25-year history.

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AGENDA APPOINTMENTS Communications agency makes new appointment

OLIVIA BROADHEAD AND ASAD MEHMOOD OF HENTONS

HENTONS EXPANDS DIGITAL TEAM Accountancy and advisory firm Hentons has boosted its Sheffield and digital team with the appointment of Olivia Broadhead as a senior digital accountant.

In addition, Asad Mehmood moves internally into a new role within the Digital Accounts team as software projects manager.

Olivia’s new role will see her support contractors, small and micro-businesses and SMEs

with their accounts, payroll and tax requirements, working within the expanding digital team that helps clients access cloud-based services like Xero and FreeAgent.

Hentons is also investing in its digital capabilities to develop new insight tools and bespoke reports that help clients operate more effectively.

Olivia said: "I'm excited to join a rapidly growing firm

Ex-council chief joins National Lottery

SHEFFIELD OLYMPIC LEGACY PARK APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR

City Council John Mothersole has taken up a leading role with The National Lottery Community Fund.

He has taken the reins of the Fund’s England Committee, advising how National Lottery funding is used to support communities in England to thrive.

The newly appointed Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund’s England Committee, said: “I am delighted and honoured. The National Lottery Community Fund is such a force for good in this country, so the opportunity to work with the team shaping its future impact, as well as helping to oversee its current work, was irresistible.”

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The chief executive of Darnall Well Being has been appointed to the Board of Directors at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.

Lucy Melleney will help capture a local community perspective, working with the Board to deliver one of its key Olympic legacy objectives – to provide local people with significant improvements in health, wellbeing, education, skills, training, and job opportunities and to contribute to the economic regeneration of the local area.

She said: “Enabling people to focus on what matters to them and encouraging opportunities in education and specialised training, will assist the economic improvements that are much needed, and which can in turn

with clients that range from the music industry to the manufacturing sector."

Head of digital Tim BaumDixon said: "Both Olivia and Asad bring a wealth of experience in the sector and a passion for the role of technology in enabling businesses to operate more profitably. Both are a great addition to the team as we continue to expand nationwide."

LUCY MELLENEY

impact positively on the health and wellbeing of the local community.”

Sandi Carman, assistant chief executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As a founding Member of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals is delighted to welcome Lucy to the Board as a community director.”

Sheffield-based national communications agency Counter Context has further strengthened its team with the appointment of Molly Wright.

Molly joins the growing agency as an account manager and will support public and private sector clients in the property, transport and regeneration sectors.

Molly has worked for several agencies in both London and Yorkshire during the past five years since graduating from the University of Leeds.

MOLLY WRIGHT

MD Alexis Krachai said: “Molly has excellent experience delivering specialist communications projects.

“Counter Context is expanding its consultation, engagement and communications services to offer an end to end solution for clients. As we grow, it’s imperative we attract the best talent.”

The agency is also supporting several local authorities working on key regeneration projects and transport-related schemes from Clean Air Zones to proposals for walking, cycling and public transport improvements.

Counter Context now has a team of 25.

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AGENDA SPONSORED BY

TRAVELSOUTHYORKSHIRE.COM/BUSINESS

NEW STARTER TO SPEARHEAD PRODUCT LAUNCH AT IPM Hayley Beard has joined Sheffield-based IPM Group to spearhead the launch of Naturama green cleaning products.

IPM Group is the only company in the UK to be awarded full selling rights of Naturama, a hospital grade cleaning product made entirely from natural plant extracts and minerals. The environmentally friendly product kills at least 99.99 per cent of all known bacteria and viruses, but does not contain toxic or corrosive ingredients, and is free from bleach and alcohol.

IPM Group MD Rick Bailey said: “Hayley is very passionate about delivering a world class customer service and has over 18 years’ experience working across all sectors.

Cloud solutions consultant joins CT Ryan Dutton has joining the growing CT Cloud Team as cloud solutions consultant.

Ryan will be working to provide the bespoke back-up solutions CT customers need to protect their data.

IAN SNOW, MD OF CT

Ian Snow, MD at CT said: “Ryan is a much needed addition and it is great to welcome him on board!”

CT’s mission is to provide the best managed services and data security solutions to mid-market organisations.

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SIMON WINFIELD

Manufacturing expert joins NLT board

HAYLEY BEARD

“During the interview process she demonstrated her capabilities of launching new products and working on multiple size projects, which meant she was a great fit for

our existing customer base.

“What attracted Hayley to this opportunity was the fact that Naturama is not tested on animals, is vegan and halal friendly and has 0% alcohol.”

TICKETS FOR GOOD EXPANDS WITH LAUNCH OF NHS PROJECT Tickets for Good (TFG) has expanded its team to support a campaign to provide 30,000 free event tickets to NHS staff and frontline social care workers.

Adam Rogula joins the TFG team as executive assistant to the CEO Steve Rimmer, and a project manager.

“I’m very excited to join a company that allows me to help others through my work. I believe in working on projects that have a positive social impact,” said Adam.

“Trying to improve the mental health of society is now more important than ever. I’m lucky to apply my education and experience to a cause I believe in.”

Founder and CEO Steve Rimmer said: “As we are growing rapidly, it is imperative for us to recruit the best people.

ADAM ROGULA

Adam’s experience in project management, marketing and fundraising and his background in economics make him a great fit for the role.”

Simon Winfield, group managing director of Chesterfield-based Phoenix Group, has joined NLT Training Service’s Board of Directors, bringing more than 20 years’ experience in the manufacturing sector to the board.

Simon joins the eightstrong board and will play an active role in advising on and shaping strategy for the future development of NLT and its charitable activities. Phoenix Group, a manufacturer of high-quality industrial sealing products, has recently acquired NLT’s headquarters, Devonshire House in order to expand its operations.

NLT will continue to be based out of Devonshire House. It will look to expand its range of training provision, with support from Phoenix Group, and using its own expert engineers to deliver high quality joint integrity training.

Simon said: “NLT is a fantastic organisation that I really believe in and the people are great too.

Training is essential to the world of manufacturing and engineering. It has always been something I’m passionate about, so the connection and collaboration with NLT makes complete sense.”

“Amidst COVID-19, it has never been more important to shop local – contributing to the country’s economy.

We’re now looking to expand the manufacturing side of the business as we believe there will be a real surge in UK manufacturing after this terrible pandemic.”

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Competitive advantage can be yours, if you look in the right direction.

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AGENDA

THE DIARY

BY RICHARD FIDLER

Our editor says government needs to be more positive about people returning to the office

RE-EVALUATE AND REASSURE Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic I have tried to use this column to reflect some of the personal challenges faced by businesses.

Of course, this can only from the perspective of the business that I am involved with – namely a PR and creative agency, which also publishes unLTD magazine. It’s difficult to put myself in the shoes of a manufacturing firm’s operations director or the owner of a restaurant.

What strikes me, though, is that wherever you look there are businesses who are absolutely smashing it and those who are almost on their knees. There doesn’t seem to be anyone just bumbling along.

Maybe they are. And it may be that there is a silent majority of firms who are quite happily plodding along with no real difference to their bottom line and no change in circumstances for their staff or customers.

I’d love to know if there are people like that out there as this situation has surely caused everyone to re-evaluate what they do and how they do it, whether that’s business, government, education or even the relationship you have with your family!

Whichever way your fortunes are taking you I think it’s fair to say that people are a little bored of the pandemic now. I’ll caveat that by saying ‘from a business perspective’ because clearly it has taken a very real human toll.

August is the month when the guidance for whether to work from home or not has changed.

Previously the onus was on what the government advised but now business owners are being encouraged to make the decisions about when to bring staff back into the workplace.

Or at the very least begin consultations with staff.

This directive is primarily aimed at the office environment as there are umpteen sectors that have never stopped working from their main location – a bus driver or machine operative can’t carry out their job from the dining room table, for example.

It’s a very fine balance for bosses to strike as each individual person’s circumstances are different.

Being seen to favour one employee over another is a dangerous tactic at the best of times never mind when decisions which may affect someone’s health are made.

What is needed is more guidance (and reassurance) from the government for businesses so they can welcome their staff back in a manner that uses common sense as well as practical measures.

Social distancing, frequent hand-washing/sanitising and being considerate of

other people’s space are now becoming second nature to the vast majority of us.

Our employees are our greatest assets and good businesses will bend over backwards to ensure their needs are met.

However, there also needs to be realism that the world keeps turning, and, as rates of infection continue to be at a very low level compared to previous months, people need to be able to get on with their lives.

We need to learn to live with COVID-19 and we’ll only start doing that properly when a more positive message is being given by government that takes away some of the fears people have of returning to the workplace.

Read our If You Ask Me feature on businesses returning with resilience and reassurance from page 22.

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

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The most important step in achieving your big goals is identifying everything that’s standing in your way.

Most people don’t seek out obstacles and it can be tough to get past them and daunting sometimes to even think about them.

For many people, though, obstacles are actually a necessity. When I’m working with clients they usually come up whenever we set big goals and are creating a big vision for the future. The key is not to avoid them, but to use them as an official and integral part of the solution.

What kinds of stories would we have to tell about our lives and careers if we didn’t have obstacles to overcome and experiences to transform?

Like any good business, we have superb systems and processes to help our clients.

We use a thinking tool that allows our clients to transform obstacles and opposition into a strategic plan for reaching their goals. The thinking process behind it looks like this: Step 1: Create a vision: Every important action always starts with a vision of somewhere you want to be in the future.

Dream it, craft it, and write it down.

Step 2: Identify the obstacles: Allow yourself to think negatively and pinpoint all the opposition. Highlight everything that lies in between you and achieving your vision.

Step 3: Find transformative solutions: Face those obstacles one at a time and head-on to find creative solutions and

strategies to overcome them.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Others might be able to see a solution you can’t.

Step 4: Take action. Now, you’re fully prepared to move forward, get the resources you need to take the next step, and start making progress toward your goals.

After you’ve completed the process, you’ll start all over again. This is a constant activity you can do throughout your life to continually grow.

Having a big vision is the key to your personal and business success—but you can’t neglect the obstacles.

Your vision will help you shed light on them, letting you see what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

A lot of people have trouble dealing with their obstacles.

A good planner can prevent

you from thinking of them as general opposition and help break the obstacles down into specific components.

If all of our goals were easy and totally straightforward to achieve, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to grow and improve.

Working with a high quality financial planner who understands that obstacles shouldn’t be avoided, and that they’re there to help us get better and to raise our levels of capability and confidence, could be the key to you achieving your biggest goals and wildest dreams!

Raj Shah is founder of Blue Wealth capital and has been shortlisted for Financial Planner of the Year and Investment Adviser of the Year. www.bluewealthcapital.com

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LEADERS FORUM

ADVICE. TRUST. PERSPECTIVE. unLTD and Bell & Buxton Solicitors have started a new forum for the region’s business leaders A business portal like unLTD provides an opportunity to keep abreast of news and a good feel for the mood of the Sheffield City Region.

Over the last couple of years, through writing our own original content, collating press releases and stories of appointments from companies across the SCR, hosting networking events and speaking to the contributors to this magazine, unLTD has been granted the opportunity to gain an insight into business leadership.

And more specifically how leaders feel about their own organisations, the challenges they face themselves and, perhaps most importantly, what keeps them excited to be leading a business in this part of the world.

Luckily (and perhaps a little bit uniquely for a media outlet) we have established a level of trust that has allowed us to dig a little bit deeper into the personalities that exist behind the business face of

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

the region. Likewise, the team at Bell & Buxton Solicitors also offer a level of support to their own clients that moves beyond a simple transactional relationship, but one that creates confidence and genuine care when it comes to addressing their business challenges.

Wanting to offer something fresh back to the community we both work with, Bell & Buxton recently hosted the first unLTD Leaders Forum, an idea conceived to share experiences across different sectors.

Last month we hopped on a video call (naturally) to have an honest catch up with some of them.

The last few months have thrown up challenges never before faced and we wanted to offer the opportunity to hear which experiences were shared throughout the organisations represented, which aspects of returning to business as usual that were proving particularly

troublesome to navigate and how far away the much-touted ‘new normal’ was feeling for our attendees.

Nathan Angus, managing director of Wildfire, the Experience Agency said: "I think there’s definitely a feeling of community and that we are in it together. Much more we’re in it together than the previous recession. It was great to hear other business leaders perspectives from different sectors."

Melinda Schofield, station director at Hallam FM agreed: "It was great to be on a call with a group of people who were comfortable to talk about things 'not being perfect'.

There is much to learn from one another and working together to help Sheffield come back better than ever is a joint purpose."

Covering topics such as remote working and cyber risk, the tough decisions associated with furloughed employees and helping them back into the workplace, Bell

& Buxton themselves were on hand to offer a legal eye to the perspectives offered.

Alex Ross, Managing Partner at Bell & Buxton said: "It is great for business leaders from across the region to have the opportunity to get together and share challenges and issues.

“This has been a stressful time for business owners with revenue streams thwarted, productivity reduced and well-being of staff threatened.

“Our aim was to provide a safe, trusted forum for these owners to see how others are approaching the situation and to hopefully support and learn from each other. That is at the heart of what we do here at Bell & Buxton Solicitors and it was great to be able to facilitate this to a wider audience."

If you would like to join us on a future Leaders Forum, please get in touch with dan@unltdbusiness.com

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BUSINESS RECOVERY

‘STRONGER THAN BEFORE’ - PARTNERSHIP HELPS TO RE-BUILD CITY ECONOMY When is the pandemic over and when does the recovery begin? That is the question at the heart of the work being coordinated by the Sheffield COVID-19 Business Response Group (BRG). BRG co-chair Alexis Krachai gives unLTD an update The Sheffield COVID-19 Business Response Group (BRG) was initially set up by the City Council, Sheffield Chamber, Sheffield Property Association, Sheffield Business Together, Company of Cutlers and the regional Institute of Directors. Since then the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and Unight, who represent the city’s bars and venues, have rolled up their sleeves. Shadow groups have also been set up so that more businesses can actively shape the development of the economic recovery plan that Sheffield needs to have.

Although we are slowly unlocking, many businesses are still reeling from the impacts of the shutdown that began at the end of March.

For many, the idea of recovery still seems fanciful. Businesses need financial help and they need it now.

The COVID -19 Business Response Group was convened at the start of lockdown to ensure there is clear communication and coordination between

the Council and business community in Sheffield as the city responds to the pandemic.

The group has: • Overseen the launch of the Sheffield Coronavirus Business Grants. The latest round of funding was designed following feedback from business groups so more businesses could apply for grants between £1000 and £10,000, depending on the size of the business.

• Helped shape and support the £1.7bn The Sheffield City Region (SCR) Renewal Action Plan. The Plan has been developed by Mayor Dan Jarvis and the Local Enterprise Partnership to provide support for more than 55,000 training and job opportunities, 25,000 businesses and to create 3,000 apprenticeships.

There is also a real focus on revitalising our city and town centres.

• Identified six priority areas to help Sheffield’s economy come back stronger than before.

These priorities are:

1. Stimulating demand in the local economy, particularly by promoting local shops and businesses.

2. Opening our city and district centres safely and securely to make people feel at home.

3. Helping to stimulate the conditions to encourage more start-ups in the city.

Entrepreneurs can be the heroes of the recovery.

4. Invest more in skills training to help communities get back to work.

5. Stimulating investment in culture to help rebuild confidence and visitor numbers.

6. Rebooting the way the Council works with businesses on a longerterm growth strategy for Sheffield.

Some good work has been done but more is still needed.

It is going to be challenging and turbulent for some time.

Whatever comes next it is clear that the pandemic will impact on our city in many ways for many years. It is also clear that we need to work closely together to support businesses and rebuild an economy that is stronger than before.

That will not be easy.

The BRG is showing that a new partnership between the Council and businesses is being forged in the midst of a real crisis. That partnership will be vital in the years ahead.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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IF YOU ASK ME

G N I N E P O E R

WITH RESILIENCE

AND REASSURANCE Many workplaces, venues and businesses have already re-opened and more are planning to do so as restrictions continue to ease from August 1.

The Make Yourself at Home campaign is all about helping staff, visitors and customers to feel as confident as possible about returning.

Along with updates on new measures, policies and safety strategies, unLTD’s Jill Theobald and Eloise Feilden found out what businesses’ message of resilience and confidence is to their teams and visitors to ensure everyone feels reassured and ‘at home’

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@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

IF YOU ASK ME NICK SIMMONITE, THE FROG AND PARROT MANAGER AND UNIGHT CHAIRMAN With many hospitality businesses re-opening in July, the Unight team – a Sheffieldbased night-time community group – is looking ahead to restarting the nightlife economy.

Unight started over a decade ago now, and is a collection of all the major operators in the city centre that are open in the evening, including Corporation, Tank, and Leadmill. But, as a not-for-profit organisation, Unight represents the whole night-time community and not just the economy. We work closely with Best Bar None and Sheffield Licence Watch as well as South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield City Council.

We’re all committed to making sure we present an absolutely cracking offer to our guests.

The current crisis and lockdown has affected Unight’s practices in helping the community, but the group has been a great sounding board for individual operators to come together and help each other through this. A need for security was one of the first issues to come up as lockdown began, which has since been provided by Unight’s membership base.

To supplement police patrols, we’ve been keeping a watchful eye on a number of

premises, a public initiative that gave some assurance our businesses were safe. We are also gifted to have John Gaunt Solicitors, the premier licencing specialists in the country, providing guidance to us since our inception. They’ve had a lead on government guidance and helped us pick through the very wordy government documents. As operators on the floor, we can interpret that more easily to take the steps that need to be taken across the bartending community.

Government guidelines for businesses getting ready to reopen include a necessary increase in sanitisation and at the Frog and Parrot, we have retained good practice in this area due to previous

We’ve got an opportunity now to encourage people who are staying in the UK to feel at home in Sheffield city centre.

campaigns surrounding freshers’ flu and the winter vomiting bug. We’re going to be doing more of that now, and putting reassuring messages out to our customers that we’ve got it covered. With the increase in sanitisation, however, comes a rise in additional costs to businesses and operators as a result of the need for more staff members.

Establishments may be forced to up staff levels to keep up with the need for extra cleanliness, and additionally to provide table service as a means of reducing infection rates.

There are positives, though, as we move into the summer months. The night-time scene in Sheffield has historically been a little bit dark during the summer – Tramlines was created to fill the void of no students and people on holiday. We’ve got an opportunity now to encourage people who are staying in the UK to feel at home in Sheffield city centre. The city has always been warm and welcoming, and certainly the biggest village in the world, and I hope we can make people comfortable coming back into town. Some of our customer base are only just getting used to taking steps outside as lockdown measures ease, and we hope that they’ll take those steps into our homes in the city centre and be reassured we’ve got it covered.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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IF YOU ASK ME SHAUN SAGAR DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, EQUSAFE Coming out of lockdown can be a tricky proposition for most companies. But directors and owners must be aware they owe a duty of care to their staff and members of the public. Not only should your policies be designed to be effective, your PPE should be, too.

We set up Equsafe in response to the alarming amount of substandard or even fake items that were being sold, sometimes at extortionate prices. Many ads or suppliers will claim an item is ‘CE certified’ or ‘Government Standard‘ without specifying having the certification they rely on or state that the products are WHO standard but the technical specification isn’t up to that required standard.

When we investigated some companies’ certification, the Certification Body wasn’t properly authorised. Further, the certification that other companies offered was granted to another company and they had ‘borrowed’ the certificate!

While we cannot go to the nth degree, we try to ensure that the goods we provide have been checked to a reasonable level to protect you.

Our mission is to provide high quality, fit for purpose and traceable PPE at the right price – products that mean you can sleep well knowing you have done all you can.

The hand sanitiser we sell is a minimum of 75 per cent alcohol, or non-alcohol equivalent. The face masks we supply are Type II R, which are the highest quality single use face masks available.

You should not skimp on the quality of the PPE and hand sanitiser you provide.

Remember if you have an outbreak of Coronavirus at your business the cost can be substantial. These costs can take many form, for example, business continuity (your business could be shut down for some time), reputational damage (if you haven’t got this right what else are you not doing?), client confidence (if you’re shut down could they go elsewhere?), and employee confidence (you obviously don't care about your staff!).

Further, there could be substantial legal costs in Employee Liability, Public Liability if it's proved you were responsible for someone dying or being ill like a relative or friend of a worker, as well as fines and costs relating to Health and Safety at work investigations or prosecutions.

This is important – get the right kit for the job, just ‘any old one’ will not do.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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IF YOU ASK ME HAYLEY KOSEOGLU, BUSINESS CONSULTANT, CRYSTAL CLEAN SERVICE LTD A vast majority of our cleaners have continued to work throughout the pandemic.

We have continued to provide them with all the necessary PPE to ensure they are protected as much as possible.

We have increased our outreach to cleaners to encourage them to talk to us or our support staff about any concerns they may have during these challenging times.

That support will continue to be offered and will become a permanent part of our employee support programme as we increase our focus on mental health and wellbeing for all our employees.

In respect of clients and visitors returning to their offices, we have always operated under a strict colour coding and safety policy while cleaning and this will continue. At the beginning of the pandemic, we increased our cleaning frequency for the touch points and common areas within every client site and this will continue. We have offered support, advice and guidance to all of our clients around how to keep their workplace hygienic.

We fully understand that there are concerns over returning to workplaces and this is to be expected. A return to work is essential for the life of our economy and it is important that this is done in

26

the right way and that people are confident that they are not at unnecessary risk. We will continue to support our clients with their cleaning and hygiene needs and make any adjustments necessary to keep them clean, safe and confident in their return to work.

We have made adjustments to some client cleaning schedules and timings to accommodate the physical distancing rules set by the government. We have continued to increase awareness of good hand hygiene and have provided some clients with guides on

We have offered support, advice and guidance to all of our clients around how to keep their workplace hygienic.

the extra things to consider when it comes to keeping workplaces clean and safe.

COVID-19 continues to be a challenge that no-one expected or was prepared for.

Its impact will continue to affect us all in some way for an extended period of time. It is important that businesses and individuals adapt to the changes and focus on moving forward with a positive attitude and, for some, with a new found level of resilience.

Through support, advice and guidance, confidence will come in time, as things find a ‘new normal’.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

IF YOU ASK ME CLAIRE READING, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, EAST YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES As restrictions are lifting, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to encourage customer confidence. We’re all acutely aware there is still a significant risk, so business owners are doing everything they can to keep customers safe and it’s more important than ever to reassure them that every step has been taken to put all the right precautions in place.

Sharing the safety measures in place is the reassurance customers are looking for.

Where people are aware of the new processes, like social distancing, hand sanitiser or any necessary PPE, confidence is higher and telling people about the risk assessment you have carried out to be COVID-19 secure, is reassuring that you’re following all the guidance.

Some of our members have put posters in windows and printed COVID-19 secure certificates to show that they’re complying with government guidance and updating cleaning procedures to manage any risk of transmission.

Clear communication through social media channels, websites or

in windows of premises also helps set the scene and encourage customer confidence. It’s been important for many of our members to make sure that new opening hours, to allow for bubbles or cleaning practices, are well communicated to customers – updating Facebook and putting up signs letting people know when they’re open so people can plan their trips accordingly. Adapting the tone, the method and the frequency of communication has been an important consideration for many of our small business owners.

Many have adapted and implemented new services or ways of working, such as selling online or offering deliveries or collections. Being flexible is something that small business owners have in abundance and customers appreciate this.

Now that summer is here and customers are more likely to venture out into our towns and cities, adhering to the ever-changing guidelines is paramount for everyone’s safety. Staff and customers relying on business owners is a heavy burden, but one that is being taken very seriously.

As the local authorities carry out checks that the guidance is being adhered to and following up on any concerns from the public – communicating and sharing what measures are in place is the key to customer confidence.

For more advice and

guidance about how you can keep your business compliant during coronavirus, visit the FSB Legal Hub, where you can

download a risk assessment template and access the latest health and safety information.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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IF YOU ASK ME GARY HARGRAVES, CEO SPORT:80 Our COVID story has probably been a little different to others. We haven’t used the furlough scheme, we haven’t delayed any tax payments, we made the decision to work remotely early on, we have continued to pick up new business – and we’ve had two new starters. There’s no doubt the pandemic has forced a strange few months on us, but in many ways, we have continued as usual (as possible!).

I think our culture has been a big part of this. We are problem-solvers and we are used to challenges being thrown our way. On top of this, over the past few years, I’ve seen our team successfully manage relationships with a growing US client base from our office in Kelham Island.

This is why I was quietly confident we could navigate this tricky period when we

closed the office four months ago.

It has been great to see the positivity from everyone in the face of this challenge. However as time went by, I became aware of how important it would be to get honest assessment of life in lockdown from the team. This thought was triggered when I noticed a tendency for people to work longer hours than usual – maybe it was the monotony of lockdown or living and working in the same space. We actively discouraged this and countered it by introducing ‘Sport:80 Days’ – an extra day of holiday each month to enjoy a long weekend.

Following that decision, we asked everyone to anonymously respond to a questionnaire about working during lockdown.

The responses have been invaluable in planning for a variety of changes to the office environment and the way we work. One of the most conclusive things from the questionnaire was a suggestion to blend office and home working. The more I think about it, it’s clear that this is going to become part of the ‘new normal’, particularly for businesses that have proven it works over the past few months.

We have now reopened Sport:80 HQ and a third

of the team have returned to the new office etiquette.

This includes new cleaning routines, keeping doors open where possible, paper towels instead of hand towels and plenty of hand sanitiser amongst other precautions.

Those that continue to work from home know they have the freedom to head back to the office when it’s best for them. I’m very conscious about how important it is that we don’t lose the closeness of our team to this pandemic. That’s why there’s an open invite to work from the office, even if it’s one or two days a week.

There are also opportunities to get together for lunch or to have a beer or two at the end of the week (social distanced of course!).

I think we are going to continue to learn a lot through this pandemic, and from other businesses as well. It’s vital we continue to evolve and create a progressive working environment.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

29

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Five reasons for signing the Armed Forces Covenant • To show support for Britain’s Armed Forces.

• To display the Armed Forces Covenant logo on your marketing material.

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It takes just five minutes to sign up at www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-covenant-pledge For more information, contact the Employer Engagement Team at the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Yorkshire and The Humber at yh-eeao@rfca.mod.uk

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Steel City’s MD James Biggin on his go-to product of the month.

JAMES’S PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: ‘BACK TO WORK’ GIFTS With the summer holidays underway and schools planning to welcome back children in September, you may be starting to plan for your return to the workplace, too. What better way to make your team feel excited and happy to be back in the workplace than ‘Back to Work’ gifts branded with your logo? Whether your team are in the office, working from home or even furloughed, branded gifts are a great way to show your appreciation.

For August, my product of the month is a brand-new Steel City offering – The Merchbox. Developed as a result of current working conditions, these boxes allow more versatility than anything else on the market. From standard feature boxes to create your own, you will be spoilt for choice with hundreds of items to choose from. Packed in a customised eco box, the contents are branded, packed and can be sent to one address in bulk or individual address – perfect for the back to workplace transition.

Antibacterial Wiro-Smart pen pouch pad Hygiene and a COVID-safe environment is an important priority when it comes to making staff feel at ease on their return. At Steel City we can supply a wide range of branded gifts with an antibacterial finish. The antibacterial Wiro-Smart pen pouch pad with Senator Antibac superhit pen offers quality and a large branding area – ideal for the office.

Branded facemasks With all workplaces still required to maintain social distancing and face coverings now mandatory in all shops and supermarkets, a branded option will not only help to keep your team safe but also act as a brand billboard to others. These reusable and washable twolayered face coverings are made in Sheffield and can be printed on both sides with a bespoke design.

Personalised drinkware Even though we can’t welcome our staff back with a big hug, the next best thing is a chat over a cuppa! By personalising your staffs’ drinkware with individual names, you are not only helping to combat the spread of germs but also showing you have put thought into making them feel special – we have plenty of options, styles and price points to choose from!

STEEL CITY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PROMOTIONAL GIFT DISTRIBUTORS IN THE UK AND WE ARE STILL GOING STRONG TODAY! WWW.STEEL-CITY.CO.UK • TWITTER: @STEELCITYM • FACEBOOK: @STEELCITYMARKETING • INSTAGRAM: STEELCITYTHEDON

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

31

COVER STORY

‘APPY 32

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

COVER STORY

TO BE BACK! In early March Jill Theobald visited The Milestone Group founders Matt Bigland and Nina Patel-Bigland at a bustling Cutlery Works for our planned unLTD cover story to talk about their business back story and plans for future growth.

Then COVID-19 struck, temporarily closing the hospitality sector across the country, including all the Milestone sites.

Now, with lockdown easing, we can finally revisit the story after Jill grabbed another chat with Matt at Cutlery Works which has received ‘amazing’ feedback after re-opening with safety, cleaning and social distancing systems in place.

Read on for an update on how Matt and Nina used the lockdown ‘downtime’ to get a major app up and running – and why the Make Yourself at Home campaign ties in perfectly with their ethos of treating customers as ‘guests in our home!’

“It’s about building up confidence in businesses, confidence in the area and creating that ripple effect.”

That’s a direct quote from Matt Bigland, founder of The Milestone Group from my first interview with him and partner and wife Nina Patel-Bigland back in early March this year.

Pre-COVID, we were sat chatting in Cutlery Works – the largest food hall in the north, and home to 14 unique, independent vendors all showcasing some of the finest in world and cultural cuisine. The pair had recently added a co-working space and were embracing tech

with an app for ordering (and loyalty cashback for Milestone venues) that turned over £1m in just over a year.

Matt was talking about building confidence in the area through the incubation space he and Nina rent to those vendors and how some had already flown the coop.

But his ‘confidence building’ and ‘ripple effect’ quote fits in perfectly four months on, too, in their delayed cover story which we can now run. Indeed, now more than ever, as the city returns to the ‘new normal’ with the venue re-opening and The Milestone Group a major player in the Make Yourself

at Home campaign which is all about giving confidence to residents and businesses a toolkit they can use to communicate to customers.

Or, in Matt and Nina’s case, ‘guests’.

“Make Yourself at Home is a perfect fit for us,” Matt tells me. “We actually train our team that people are not customers, they are guests in our home! So the synergy was there from the start.

“We need to build confidence – people need to know that they are supporting local businesses. There are amazing operators here and they are doing everything they

can to mitigate any risks to their guests, staff and their team so we all need to get off Amazon and get back into Sheffield!

“The best thing people can do is get out and visit businesses and spend their money locally, that’s where jobs are coming from and will be retained. We cannot risk our local economy tanking – but with people taking their own precautions and Sheffield businesses, too, the city will flourish.

“From pandemics will be born new ideas and businesses are now thinking ‘actually I can pivot my restaurant to be a deli too and sell local produce from local businesses’.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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COVER STORY "Make Yourself at Home is bringing everyone together to support each other – literally, Sheffield is our HOME. “It is the independent businesses that make Sheffield wonderful, diverse and different. People are loyal to them and now’s the time to visit – we love our city and we need to show it more than ever.”

It’s not surprising to hear such fighting or perhaps empowering (more of that later) talk from Matt – during our first chat I found out all about how enterprising and dedicated he and Nina were after they founded The Milestone in 2007 – less than a week before the Sheffield floods.

“Kelham Island was hit hard but because we had our ethos of everything made daily like our fresh bread that ensured we had flour on site. We turned flour into

sandbags, and it set like concrete and stopped the flooding for us! But the rest of the area was badly hit and so everyone assumed it was under water and no-one visited.”

Necessity was the mother of invention for Matt and Nina, however.

“We got reopened in seven days, purely as a necessity because we had no cashflow.

We started cookery classes at the weekends because we had chefs on salary, but the local area was quiet and that led to The Milestone Cookery School.”

Bringing us up to date in July 2020, it was a similar spirit when Matt and Nina reopened Cutlery Works, INC and Craft and Dough in Kelham Island (The Milestone and Craft and Dough Campo

It is the independent businesses that make Sheffield wonderful, diverse and different. People are loyal to them and now’s the time to visit – we love our city and we need to show it more than ever.

Lane being too small to reopen at time of writing) when the hospitality sector started up in England on July 4 as lockdown eases.

Despite describing it as ‘like opening three new businesses in one day!’, Matt and Nina did it and Cutlery Works is currently open Thursday to Sunday, with walk-ins welcome but bookings preferred to control numbers. Strict cleaning and safety policies have been implemented including social distancing, one-way system, table separators, and table and app ordering. Tables and chairs are cleaned between seatings and the whole venue is deep-cleaned and disinfected once a week to hospital grade standards.

“Cutlery Works was the first choice because we had 10 independent businesses wanting to re-open but also it’s big, it’s airy with a double vaulted high roof in sections, and it feels safe so we cracked on!

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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COVER STORY "We got our heads down, deep cleaned, created our own systems! Then ramping up the energy for the team, getting them back to work, shaking off the furlough fatigue – they’re back in the swing of things and they love it, it’s what they enjoy doing.

“Everyone comes to reception, radios through to a manager who comes to greet them wearing a mask and explains the rules. Some of the managers were then running up and down the stairs seating people and did 15 miles that first Saturday, which was a bit of a shock to the fitness levels!”

But while the energised team are back, Matt is very honest about the darker days of the first few weeks of the pandemic.

“On the Tuesday, Boris said do not go to bars and restaurants but he didn’t say we had to close. That was a night of thinking ‘oh shit’.

Wednesday sales plummeted 70-80 per cent across the sites and on Thursday morning we met staff at 8am and said we can’t open – it’s not viable, sales are dropping and it’s the safety of you, our team, and our guests coming in.

We made the hard decision to close and secured sites, boarding them up and moving stock to secure warehouses, preparing for the worst.

“Cutlery Works was a hard one as we had 10 independent businesses in there but we met with them and explained what we’d told staff and they were completely on board and understood it was a hard decision but the right decision.

“The Friday night Boris started talking about furlough

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which we’d never heard of.

We asked staff to give us until Monday morning and we spoke to our HR advisors who explained everything to us so we were able to put quite a lot of people on furlough, including people who had left for other jobs, too.

“Before any grants had been announced we thought we were going to lose everything we’d built up as a business over the last 12 years. We couldn’t see any support at that point and without trade coming in couldn’t service our debts. That was a lot of stress until things became a bit clearer and we tried CIBIL loans but that took three weeks and it didn’t look likely with hospitality sector.

“We applied for the Bounceback loan but the bank needed a lot of data updating so that became a bit of a nightmare. But because we have good relationships with all of our suppliers, we paid what we could and explained we’d pay the remaining as soon as we could access support. By keeping dialogue open with partners in the supply chain I think it has actually built a stronger relationship and more trust – we did what we’d said we would do, that’s helped cement that and we’ve placed new orders on re-opening.

“The first two weeks, not helped by the mainstream media scaremongering, were spent wondering if it’s all over, where’s this all going to go and drinking a lot more wine than usual! But by digesting it all and coming to terms with situation we decided to pivot.

“We had this app in development iBe, and

what we’ve found with our own app is when people use it they spend more per head especially with table service.

You can see all the nice images which help visualize what you’re going to get, there’s no confusion about having to go stand at a till or worrying about how to pronounce a Japanese dish. We knew the loyalty element of the app worked because we’d done £1million in the first year and had given back £100,000 in cashbacks to be used within our sites.

“For iBe we decided to build in a newsfeed because Sheffield has so many festivals, events and cultural organizations which you might only find out about if you’re on social networks or in a bar or café and you pick up a copy of unLTD or Exposed! So it was essential to collate all these stories in the feed.

“The biggest bugbear we had was commission.

During the pandemic everyone pivoted straight to

delivery, but we didn’t because Uber Eats, Deliveroo etc take 30-35 per cent commission. If someone ordered two pizzas costing £20 we’d automatically lose £6 of that + VAT on top. It didn’t make sense for us to fire up the sites for deliveries that may not come – and then lose 30 per cent, too.

“So, we decided to add delivery into the mix of the app too but do it commission free. We did a deal with a national player delivery partner who had recently expanded into Sheffield which means we’re going to pass on that wholesale cost of delivery to a restaurant with a £2 iBe fee, the rest to the consumer.

We could save a typical takeaway restaurant doing say 100 orders a week £35,000 a year in delivery fees – that

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

COVER STORY made us think we can change the game here.

“We can give power back to hospitality as it’s opening back up. Rather than being penalized for going digital and doing deliveries, it could actually empower them. They would then be part of the iBe network and the loyalty again plays back in to keep the local cycle going, and they can use the news feeds so it becomes more like a social tool.

“We’re planning to use it for retail too – retail needs to be doing more deliveries to compete but the costs are astronomical so by partnering with us they can use the same at home delivery tech that the high profile national supermarket chains have.

“Amazon is making trillions from this model – let’s enable

local independents to have the same bite they do.

“Similarly if you go down the voucher route with Groupon, Wowcher etc they take their commission and only pay on redemption so we’re going to do the same on the app with vouchers for each of the vendors, commission free. They control the offers, they control the margins – it’s giving power back.

“It’s due in the Apple App Store on August 6 and we want to take it national – iBe is the only app in the UK that is commission free. The guys we’ve partnered with work with Just Eat in other cities so once it’s established we want to go to Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, London.”

But back to the bricks and mortar venues.

We can give power back to hospitality as it’s opening back up.

Rather than being penalized for going digital and doing deliveries, it could actually empower them.

“We’re building numbers slowly and steadily after reopening and building trust with it. People might have FOGO (fear of going out) and we understand – the media has hyped it up that everyone in a bar is out there getting drunk but that street in Soho on opening weekend was just that – one street, from the people we spoke to. Everywhere else was controlled and people were really well-behaved.

“We have to battle that perception because the good operators are doing it well and they know this is for the long term – for guests who trust you, there will be that longevity, they will visit and entertain themselves in your venues.

“The reviews and feedback we’ve had are amazing, our guests like the safety policy and structure in place. This is here to stay so it’s about how we and others reevaluate a business model so we all stay viable but still offer great variety and experiences.

“We’re planning to open Monday-Wednesday for the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out campaign from August – 50 per cent off during these times is a great way to stimulate things. There’s been some negativity about it but it’s going to get people out and spending with businesses so they can then see it is wellmanaged, there are systems in place, there’s still a good atmosphere.

“It’s all about getting people out of the house – the FOGO needs to be challenged so people can make themselves back at home in Sheffield!”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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unLTDBUSINESS.COM

COVER STORY

FOOD HALLS – A BITE-SIZE VIEW Matt and Nina share their views on why they knew food halls were the model for them – pre and post COVID-19: “Before Peddler we’d become interested in street food and looked at possible warehouses but held back at the time,” said Matt. “But then we spotted the next evolution of street food, after seeing vendors lugging around equipment, was for them to get their own bricks and mortar.”

“But,” added Nina, “we knew from experience that business rates alone mean

that wouldn’t always be feasible. People don’t want to sign up for a 10-or 15-year lease with markets changing all the time, either.

“We’d seen food halls on holiday in Asia and liked that experience of multigenerational dining. Families all discussing their daily woes or successes and eating together as a group, not sat with a tray in front of the TV!” Said Matt: “Having a toddler ourselves we knew that was precious time people needed to make available, so we started shopping around again. Tim Bottrill of colloco found two to show me.

Cutlery Works was the second and a 15,000 sq ft shell of a

building needing electrics and everything – but when we came here and saw the sun streaming in the large windows, it was like New York loft apartments … in Neepsend!

“We knew this is it! And if we don’t go for it, we’d regret it as someone else will.”

Said Nina: “We self-funded and did it ourselves again. It was make or break again but we pulled it off. We saw it in 2017, got in June 2018 and opened four months later.”

“We’re also getting older,” laughs Matt. “We don’t have the energy that we used to have to drive those ideas! But this next generation does so we wanted to make it as easy

as possible for vendors to join us. We have skin in the game with them, we drive footfall and market it – they just have to join on a short-term lease and smash out amazing food.

“We’ve just gone to legals on a food hall in Liverpool – this was going on during lockdown, we were thinking can we sign a contract for a hospitality business in a pandemic?! But we realised food halls will survive – they are big, open plan and you can get start-ups and incubator businesses in there.

“So while we’re contracting in some areas, it makes sense to grow in others like this and, like we often do, we decided ‘okay, let’s do it!’”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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ADVERTORIAL

HELPING SMES BREAK RECORD SALES MONTHS – DURING LOCKDOWN! Jon Asquith, MD of ActionCOACH Sheffield, has been working with UK SMEs for more than 15 years. Here he shares with unLTD how his local focus and pro bono stance has been a ‘revelation’ since lockdown, helping dozens of companies with free strategy sessions I’m a local lad, born in Rotherham but have ended up traveling the UK supporting SMEs in their growth and development and after working with more than 1000 companies in the last 15 years, I made the decision to support my local community in 2019.

The vision is to help and empower 100,000 people in the next ten years and help transform the Sheffield economy. This pro bono stance has been a revelation since lockdown first started, as I’ve been able to help dozens of companies with free strategy sessions, along with a free monthly call with guest speakers talking about anything from sales to mental wellbeing.

I also launched ‘Sheffield Steel, The Lockdown Interviews’ with business owners from the region to discover how people have been adapting and changing how they do business in these

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unprecedented times. The idea was to share some insight, fun and much needed good news. It all felt a bit doom and gloom and from working with owners of companies in the region and seeing what they had been doing, I thought we needed to share a positive message. We’ve built up more than 20,000 people watching the YouTube series. The feedback from companies across the Sheffield City Region has been fantastic and it’s so rewarding to know I have done a little to help.

Gerry Arcari. founder and MD of Vivid Creative: “Jon has been our rock during lockdown helping us stay calm and focussed on strategies to succeed. The results speak for themselves – we have had an incredibly strong trading quarter – in excess of the previous quarter before lockdown! We are now focused on growth across all service areas and are actively looking to recruit new staff.

Jon is now pivotal to our growth.

He’s incredibly talented and gets the best out of you and your teams, he’s a ‘must have’ additional to any SME business looking for growth.”

Karl Austin, director of KDA Web Services: “Deciding to work with Jon wasn’t an easy decision for our collective ego, but it has been a revelation. We’ve got more done on our business in the last three months than we had in the last three years.”

Wez Little, operations director of ControlPoint: “Jon has become an integral part of our business, providing unrivalled insight from his vast business experience, and from within the group of small business clients Jon has built up. If I had to sum up Jon in a sentence – he is ‘Insight Man’, your SME business superhero.”

ActionCOACH Sheffield is all about helping you achieve the business you want, that third eye to offer perspective, confidence, skill, and

knowledge on how to get your business really working.

Has your business taken a dip due to lockdown? Are you on the up and want to keep on climbing? Have you perhaps lost your way a little and need some direction and guidance?

If you answered YES to any of the above, get in touch for a complimentary business strategy session to help you re-focus, give you impetus and improve your business.

Tel: 0114 358 2788 Email: jonasquith@ actioncoach.co.uk sheffield.actioncoach.co.uk YouTube: youtube.com/ c/jonasquith

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

ADVERTORIAL

OPEN FOR BUSINESS? Four months on since the UK went into lockdown as a result of COVID-19, Kiley Tan, founder of Mosaic International, says now is the time for businesses to start putting plans for domestic and international trading opportunities back into action Throughout lockdown, businesses have had to be patient and endure a lot of hardship, with reduced trading opportunities on both a domestic and international level affecting many bottom lines.

However, this unexpected downtime has given business leaders more time to plan for the future – but is now the time to start putting those plans into action? We certainly think so.

The appetite to do business is strong Businesses want to do business. The governmentbacked support that has been put in place has been done so to help businesses survive the interim period of the pandemic, but the only people that can help these businesses kick on now are their leaders.

The positive thing about this, certainly from our experience on a local level within the Sheffield City Region, is businesses are resilient. There is opportunity for smaller, more agile businesses to think strategically and seek to expand their market share, or to test things that they have never done before.

Ignore the headlines Headlines around the world all read doom and gloom, but if you take a closer look there is opportunity for those willing to take a risk.

The difference between businesses that succeed during difficult times and those that do not is the fact that those who succeed took hold of the opportunity and responded – perhaps in ways they had never previously thought possible.

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

No Brexit extension Yes, Brexit is still happening, and no, there won’t be any further extension to the transition period. Rather than just sweep it under the carpet, this is going to have a big effect on supply chains and businesses need to be ready from January 2021 to ensure there are no further impacts to their ability to trade.

Exports are still important to UK businesses, and supply chain imports can provide a lifeline for squeezed profit margins. If you rely on imports as part of your supply chain, the key message here is to spread your risk.

As we could see further lockdowns on local levels should there be further outbreaks of COVID-19, this could cause temporary problems with supply chains.

Looking into alternative markets is essential for any business in this situation, and there is a whole world to choose from.

Embracing an interconnected world and creating open markets for trade are crucial for supporting growth and creating new business opportunities.

We’re open for business, and ready to help our clients identify new opportunities to make sure they are, too.

If you would like to start a conversation, call 07885 784783 or drop us a line on kiley.tan@ mosaicint.co.uk – you never know where it may lead.

Let’s look at Southeast Asia The Southeast Asia region is our area of expertise at Mosaic International, and we are long term advocates of building trade links between here and the UK. Nothing has changed in terms of our outlook to the region and we still believe these emerging markets are prime for further business development opportunities with UK businesses.

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ENTERTAINMENT

LET US ENTERTAIN ) !

N I A G YOU (A Lockdown has had an impact across every business sector – not least the live music, performance and cinema. Joe Food and Eloise Feilden caught up with a number of Sheffield venues and figureheads to find out how they are planning to navigate the ‘new normal’ when it comes to the entertainment industry ‘Making itself At Home’ again

Aaand … action!

With the Make Yourself at Home campaign all about being cheerleaders for the city re-opening and building confidence, it seems fitting to open a feature about the entertainment industry and nighttime economy with the much-loved Showroom Cinema announcing plans to re-open in September.

Ian Wild, CEO, Showroom Workstation, explained: “Closing our doors has been a tough time and something we

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never thought we would have to face. We are now looking forwards and have marked Friday 18 September as the date we aim to reopen.

“This date will allow us enough time to properly plan our reopening, welcome back staff and train them on new operating procedures. There are lots of new exciting films scheduled to be released around this time, too, that we can’t wait to share.

“We are currently working on detailed risk assessments

for the cinema and bar, which will help us to work out our opening hours and the number of films we can show. Over the summer, we will be making the necessary changes to our building which will allow us to operate as safely as possible, following Government guidance.

Making sure our staff, audience, and customers feel safe, relaxed, and enjoy their experience is our utmost priority.

“Of course, like all well-

made plans, this date may change. Two months is quite a long time away, and there are still a lot of uncertainties on how the country will look by then, and what position Sheffield and South Yorkshire will be in. We are also eagerly awaiting news from the Government on how we can apply to its £1.57 billion culture grant. We do know that without additional money and support, the Showroom will not be able to continue as we would want.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

THE SHOWROOM

“To do everything we need to reopen will be expensive and we can’t thank our incredible audience enough for continuing to purchase memberships, buy gift vouchers and donate money, all of which have helped us to start moving forward. There is still a long way to go, but to sit at the heart of Sheffield’s community and culture has and always will be our goal, and we can’t wait to return.”

Elsewhere in Sheffield, the City Grab app has been helping ensure the city’s local independents have been able to deliver to people’s homes and businesses throughout the pandemic.

Bringing together an exclusive selection of independent eateries and takeaways, the aim throughout lockdown has been to provide a fairer service and keep money firmly within the local economy.

City have 2,000 drivers on the road, completing 150,000 journeys every week, allowing them to deliver further and faster than their competitors.

Going hand-in-hand with the

local focus, City Grab charges fairer commission rates to businesses using the app – 50 per cent less compared to typical discounts offered by global food delivery giants – plus the taxi driver receives all the delivery fare, too.

City Grab is all about supporting local businesses, keeping the city’s economy strong, and providing fresh choice from Sheffield food vendors and restaurants.

At time of writing, live music is still out of the spotlight, however, and Nick Simmonite, manager at The Frog and Parrot and chairman for Unight, a Sheffield-based night-time community group, does feel concerned about the scene, which has remained a vital part of the city’s identity for years.

“I get the science behind it: if people have to raise their voice or get closer to each other that increases the risk of transmission, so let’s remove that as a possibility. It’s disappointing, and has and will continue to have a real effect on musicians and artists

nationwide. Sheffield has a good clutch of those in the industry – not just bands but lighting technicians, sound engineers and promoters as well.

“There’s a good number of people in this city that make a living from the live scene, and that is going to have to be absent for now. All we can say of this moment is best not screw it up, best keep safe, and let’s make sure that we push through this next few months and make sure our teams and guests are well looked after, so we can look forward to the live scene coming back.”

Sam Feeley, promoter at The Leadmill, agrees.

“I think I could sum it up as challenging. Obviously there are the fears and uncertainty about the future, which I think most people are feeling, but the thing for us has been trying to challenge ourselves creatively to still provide entertainment for people and try to keep some cash flowing in the business to ensure our future. It’s a hugely difficult

and confusing time for the live events industry.

“We’ve explored a few different methods, but with the social distancing rules in place our capacity would be reduced to around 48, which isn’t really viable. The other issue is whether the public would be willing to buy tickets to an event in an enclosed space at the minute. Part of the enjoyment of gigs is getting involved, throwing yourself about and really getting into the music, which just isn’t something that can be achieved with social distancing.”

Fortunately, there are ways to help support The Leadmill until they can welcome bands and gig-goers back.

“We’ve been really fortunate so far to receive so many kind donations and while we understand this is a tricky time for everyone, we are certainly still welcoming those donations via our crowdfunder and our website.

We also have plenty of merch available on there too, including the last few bits of original dancefloor!”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

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Building IT skills within your business with 3 minute video-based training for your entire team.

Find out more at ct.co.uk/services/ct-knowledge 44

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

ADVERTORIAL

GET THE

KNOWLEDGE Ian Snow, MD of CT, looks at why businesses should look to build IT Skills within their business and launches a brand new service – CT Knowledge Here at CT, we are continually striving to push the limits in how technology can improve our own and our customers’ existing operations. They want a partnership that not only understands pain points but can provide solutions that really do make a difference to the business.

We know that methodologies that facilitate off-site learning have become crucial in the recent pandemic to keep functioning and training employees. Businesses are continuing to see value in education while many of their teams are working remotely.

We also know that training your team on basic IT skills, utilising your tech platforms most effectively and understanding simple security measures is crucial in growing and protecting your business, saving your team time and, importantly, developing their IT knowledge base. Our aim is simple – to help ensure

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your business is more secure, efficient and productive.

With this in mind, CT has been working hard to offer all its customers a brand new service – a new learning platform called CT Knowledge which can be used to help build IT skills throughout your entire team.

Through what is coined ‘precision learning’, there are more than 100 three-minute engaging training sessions which aim to help your team learn new skills and how to make the most of your important business platforms including 0365, Sharepoint, Windows 10 and Excel.

There are also important videos covering cyber security and mental health in the workplace. Some training sessions are even just 60 seconds long! Through our CT Knowledge portal, users can click, swipe and tap content on their computer, laptop, tablet or phone, making it easier than ever to access important IT

training courses quickly and easily.

So, for example, if you wanted to learn how to schedule a meeting in Teams, organise your inbox in Office 365, upload and share files with your colleagues in SharePoint or manage large amounts of data in Microsoft Excel, you can learn quickly in just three minutes without the need to ask a colleague, your in-house IT Manager or calling your service desk!

CT Knowledge launched in July and is now being used by many of our customers.

Here is a summary of the key benefits of our new service.

Scalability – As best practices evolve and internal processes expand, content can be removed, updated and restructured to fit any company need.

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Three Minute Videos – All of the videos you will find are three minutes or under, giving you precise and bite-sized information as you need it.

Online Video Tutorials – More than 100 three-minute video tutorials focused on building and strengthening IT knowledge within your business.

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If you would like to find out more, or have a demo of CT Knowledge, please get in touch with one of our account managers today on 01246 266 130.

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SKILLS

SKILLS FOCUS

SPONSORED

BY THE SOURCE SKILLS ACADEMY

The Source Skills Academy in Sheffield is passionate about bringing out the best in people. It has been helping businesses to increase the talents of their teams since 2003 and is proud to sponsor Skills Focus, a monthly spotlight on training and apprenticeship news and funding to help you develop your staff.

MAKE FIRST AID PRIORITY AS WORKERS COME BACK, URGES THE SOURCE Ensuring staff returning to work are protected from the risks posed by COVID-19 is top of every employer’s list.

But in addition to providing the right PPE and hygiene procedures, businesses are urged not to overlook their First Aid provision.

Having trained First Aiders in the workforce is now more important than ever, urges The Source Skills Academy.

“You have a legal duty to administer First Aid if someone is injured or becomes ill on your premises,” says a Source spokesperson.

“The virus puts greater responsibility onto your First Aiders’ shoulders. They not only need fully up-to-date skills, they need to know how to spot signs of COVID-19, what to do and how to protect themselves and others.”

Lockdown saw the suspension of all UK First Aid training, which by its nature has to be hands-on.

This meant qualified First Aiders were unable to get

ONE OF THE SOCIALLY DISTANCED FIRST AID COURSES RUN BY THE SOURCE

mandatory annual refresher training and new delegates were on hold.

But the Health and Safety Executive extended the re-qualification training period and The Source has now taken the lead in First Aid training, devising a raft of safety precautions to enable classroom courses to resume, and adding vital new aspects.

Tracy Moor, of Sheffield charity Support Dogs,

Mondalez International employees Mick O’Michael Waterhouse and John Cutler, plus Nick Allen and Patrick Gill from Beatson Clark, were among the first eight-delegate classes being tutored in a sanitised conference room normally seating 120.

Each learner is given a temperature and wellness check, PPE and has individual use of equipment such as resuscitation dummies. Track

and trace systems are also in place.

Tutor Paula Barlow said: “We have also introduced an online theory section so learners now only need to be with us for half a day of practical training.

“Teaching on infections has been updated to address Coronavirus risks.”

Book courses at https:// thesourceacademy.co.uk/ online-training-0

HELPING YOU TO FORGE A BETTER FUTURE The Source has relaunched its website at www. thesourceacademy.co.uk to ensure companies and jobseekers can forge ahead in the difficult climate caused by the pandemic lockdown.

A dedicated Employer

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Area features easy-to-access information for companies planning a Covid-secure return to work and needing to hire new people, or upscale their workforce.

Find out about The Source’s COVID-19 online courses,

which are fully-funded for SMEs in the Sheffield City Region, and how to find the right apprentice. All available funding and grants are detailed.

A Learner Area has been created to help people looking

for a new job after being made redundant during the crisis, education-leavers wanting to jumpstart their career and also the long-term unemployed, who need to build confidence and skills before getting into work.

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

SKILLS

AWARD-NOMINATED APPRENTICE KRISTINA KOLAR IS MAKING HER MARK AT MURRAY STEEL, SHEFFIELD

ACT NOW ON APPRENTICES: SOURCE BACKS GOV CALL The Source is already helping local SMEs take on young people after Chancellor Rishi Sunak gave apprenticeships a huge boost in his July Mini Budget.

To give school and collegeleavers career opportunities after being hit hard by the Coronavirus crisis, Sunak announced the Government would give companies extra cash handouts to help them take on apprentices.

The initiative gives firms £2,000 for creating new apprenticeship roles for the under 24s.

Companies are also being paid a £1,500 bonus to take on older workers.

For non Levy-paying SMEs, the cash is in addition to existing grants of £1,000 when taking on a 16-18 year old and free apprenticeship training.

Companies can also apply for the new funding for staff or apprentices set on within the last six months.

“The Chancellor said he refused to allow the Corona Class of 2020 to become a lost generation of workers and we welcome his actions,” said Dale Robinson, The Source’s Director of Business Development.

“There are very real fears young people's earnings could be permanently scarred because of lockdown. Experts are forecasting unemployment doubling for under-25s to just over one million by the end of 2020.

“The Government’s additional cash support for apprenticeships gives businesses confidence to create jobs.”

As a trusted local training

organisation, The Source has given hundreds of people careers via apprenticeships and its teams are now matching summer candidates with employers and preparing to provide their tailored, onthe-job training.

Dale added; “Apprentices become highly-productive members of the team and setting them on now means they can play a crucial role in rebuilding workforces, taking on junior tasks which frees up experienced staff as you work through the crisis.

Apprenticeships are open to people of all ages and can give new careers to workers made redundant in the pandemic.

For information, call The Source on 0114 2635717 or email apprenticeships@ thesourceacademy.co.uk

BUSINESS TRAINING AT THE SOURCE IS NOW ONLINE...

The Source has re-opened its building on Meadowhall Way. Tutors are delivering workbased training in a setting fully compliant with all HSE guidance on COVID-19 and social distancing measures. Unfortunately, in line with Government restrictions, its conferencing facilities currently remain closed. For future enquiries contact roombookings@thesourceacademy.co.uk

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COURSES NOW RUNNING AT THE SOURCE, WITH FULL COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE, INCLUDE: FIRST AID Three-day First Aid at Work course – for new and re-qualifying First Aiders. Dates: Aug 4-6 and Sept 1-3. £230. Two-day requalification courses – Aug and Sept (£120).

HEALTH AND SAFETY IOSH Managing Safely – Four-day course for managers in any sector.

Dates: Aug 20-21, 27-28; Sept 22-23, 29-30. £500.

NEBOSH General Certificate – 12-day course providing nationally recognised certification.

Dates: weekly from Sept 7 to Nov 23 (test Dec 2).£1,100 Level 1 Health and Safety in the Construction Industry – One day course taught at The Source, via remote delivery or online. Date: Aug 24. £120. Exam £70.

INFECTION CONTROL Prevention and Control of Infection – Two-day course taught at The Source, remotely or online. Dates: Sept 4&11, Oct 9&16. £150 (full funding for many SMEs).

Contact training@ thesourceacademy.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

FLEXIBLEWORKING,

FLEXIBLE TRAVEL Commuter life is set to look very different with the rise of employers implementing flexible working. Anna McGuire caught up with Travel South Yorkshire’s marketing manager Richard Pilgrim to find out all about the Active and Sustainable Travel team’s plans for the future of commuting and their guide for employers 48

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ADVERTORIAL

In March life as we knew it changed and while many employers across a number of key sectors continued to operate throughout the pandemic, for many their ‘world of work’ changed almost overnight without any warning. The daily commute came to an abrupt end and the kitchen, bedroom and lounge became the new place of work.

The past four months has challenged many of the previous norms around work with businesses and their employees now questioning what they think of as their workplace.

With no notice, employers and their staff had to quickly adapt to their new surroundings. The day-to-day interactions went from physical to virtual and a quick catch up over a coffee in the office turned into a meeting over the laptop.

This change brought a real shift in attitude towards flexible working with many embracing this flexibility whilst also rediscovering some of that previously lost commuter time.

After all, across our region, we were typically spending up to 50 minutes per day commuting to and from work – an amount that has been steadily increasing year-on-year.

Many businesses have embraced working from home and intend to continue a flexible working policy in the future. An increasing number of companies are revisiting ways they can improve their working arrangements, policies

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and procedures to offer their staff a more balanced working life. Businesses are also investing their time in getting the workplace COVID-safe as they prepare for the return of staff members over the coming weeks and months.

For many, a return to work will bring challenges – a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The needs and concerns of staff will be wellcatered for on-site, but there will inevitably be anxiety for some around the return to the daily commute, even if it is on a less regular basis.

As lockdown restrictions continue to ease, we have the perfect opportunity to rethink how we choose to travel and to make our trips more ‘active’ ones. There is a growing appetite to change the way we travel, reduce time spent commuting and to get more active, whether that is on foot, by bike or by incorporating public transport into these journeys, for example, through Park and Ride.

The new normal that we are now moving into is a great opportunity for employers to shape the debate, help their employees incorporate more of these active trips into their daily routines, and support a more active and healthier workforce.

As we look towards the future, Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team are here to help. The team have developed a ‘guide for employers’ to help get the

The new normal that we are now moving into is a great opportunity for employers to shape the debate, help their employees incorporate more of these active trips into their daily routines

conversation going between employers and their employees about the importance of travel choice. As we look to build back better, it’s important that we are able to think through our options so that employers and employees can openly talk about commuter travel.

We want to be on-hand to support where we can and though things may not change

for many in the workplace, many employees’ perspectives of commuter travel may be different in comparison to six months ago. Key topics that may arise could include: • Can we avoid travel at peak times?

• Do we need to travel right now?

• Could the journey be made on foot or by bike instead?

After all, 40% of all urban journeys are under two miles.

The new guide created by Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team provides hints and tips for people on how to get to and from work safely. The team can help everyone make better travel choices by improving the way businesses and their employees get around by: • Undertaking staff travel surveys • Hosting 1-2-1 or group travel surgeries • Providing information to enable a more active commute such as on foot or by bike.

To get your hands on a copy of the guide or to find out how Travel South Yorkshire’s Active and Sustainable Travel team can help your workplace and offer practical support, please contact sustainabletravel@sypte. co.uk or alternatively, visit travelsouthyorkshire.com/ workplace.

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L I M I T E D

The evolution of change Future Life Wealth Management offers a bespoke financial planning service to Generators of Wealth, including business owners, executives and professionals and also to Receivers of Wealth, such as inheritors, divorcees, widows and retirees.

You may be at the beginning of your financial journey and need to establish your future life financial plan, or be heading towards your golden years and wishing to consider tax efficient ways in which your estate can be distributed.

Future Life Wealth Management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate taxation & trust advice. We are entered on the FCA Register No 509960 at http://www.fca.org.uk/register.

Tel: 01246 435 996 | Fax: 01246 435 629 Email: info@wealthmanagement.uk.com www.wealthmanagement.uk.com Future House, 54 Ravenshorn Way, Renishaw, Sheffield, S21 3WY

IN THE COMMUNITY PHOTO: DOUG BANKS

IN THE COMMUNITY Make Yourself at Home is not all about the big high-profile businesses and corporates often associated with driving the local and national economy. The campaign is very much keen to showcase and support the city’s charitable, community and third sector, too.

Here Jill Theobald takes a closer look at the work of the community sector to find out what these vital organisations have been up to during COVID – and their part in the re-opening of the city post-lockdown

LENDING SUPPORT – AND LEARNING LOTS – AT CATHEDRAL ARCHER PROJECT Help Us Help is a Sheffield campaign aimed at encouraging and showing members of the public how to get involved helping people who beg and sleep rough in Sheffield.

Run by local charities, the city council, a residents’ group and other services, the campaign promotes services including access to accommodation, healthcare and day-to-day support.

Phil Isaac is a security guard, formerly head doorman at TANK. Having recently worked at the Nightingale hospitals and at Heathrow protecting vital PPE stock, his next assignment was in Sheffield,

supporting the Cathedral Archer Project with ensuring social distancing among clients accessing their service during the pandemic.

He said: “I’m a South London boy born and bred, and have been working in security for 30 years now, all over the country but settled up north with my family for the past six years.

Recently I’ve been thinking about what to do next, maybe step away from security, and this experience has given me lots to think about. The people I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard.”

At present the Archer Project is supplying 200 meals a day plus lunches and breakfasts to homeless and vulnerable people in the city, and the team is working on how to open their premises for breakfasts whilst adhering to government guidelines, rather than passing food through their gates.

PHIL ISAAC HAS WORKED WITH THE CATHEDRAL ARCHER PROJECT TO ENSURE CLIENTS MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES

Phil actively engages the clients in conversation, listens to their stories and has learned a lot.

“I’ve got huge empathy with them. Some of their stories are heartbreaking. Their families

may be in another country, they may have lost everything.

Working at the Project in the way I am, it’s helping in a small way. I’m enjoying it and it’s making me think this could be my new direction.”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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IN THE COMMUNITY MUMS IN NEED STRENGTHENS TEAM AND SUPPORT DURING COVID Laura Riley, founder and CEO of Mums In Need, said: “The work of Mums In Need has increased during the pandemic, given the rising incidence of domestic abuse. We have needed to be creative, moving to work virtually in order to continue to support our Mums in Need (Mins) at a time when they are experiencing increased levels of isolation and stress.

“We have also taken the opportunity to develop the organisation. We have recruited two new trustees and strengthened

RSPCA HELPS ANIMALS FEEL AT HOME DURING COVID RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre operations director Diana Radford said: “As a charity responsible for raising all of its own running costs we feel a real affinity for the support of the business community.

“During the pandemic, nearly all our dogs and cats have been looked after in the homes of people either working from home or furloughed – and unLTD’s own

PACES’ VIRTUAL EVENT SHARES VISION David Hall, corporate partnerships manager, said: “In July Paces hosted

our team of media and marketing volunteers. We have also worked to secure COVID-19 related funding, and have been grateful for financial awards from the National Lottery (Awards for All), South Yorkshire Community Foundation, the Talbot Trust, South Yorkshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Sheffield Town Trust, Greggs Foundation, AF Blakemore, Gripple Charities, and the Company Of Cutlers.

“With the funds awarded, we have been able to appoint a new part-time caseworker. This has enabled us to extend the work with Mins. It has also freed up

some of my time as CEO to attend networking events to raise more awareness about our support for Mums who have escaped abusive relationships, and – with one of our volunteers – to make presentations about our

Dan Laver and Phil Turner both fostered dogs from us!

“As the lockdown eases many of our furry friends have not made their way back to the centre and have been adopted by the same people. The sad fact is the spaces these lucky animals leave will be filled up again and again particularly by those that are unwanted, neglected and have been subject to cruelty and we expect demand to go up.

“The business community, particularly SMEs, have rallied in support, and it's a two-way street – we work with our business supporters closely so that we both reap the rewards.

“It could be a team event to raise employee morale and encourage teamwork, or fundraising to become a corporate hero by making a regular donation and in turn, the business getting meaningful exposure.

“We offer cat and dog cuddling but there is so much more to do at a branch including charity shops, admin, grounds maintenance, events and cleaning, which all contributes to the animals in our care.”

their very own virtual event to share with people the vision for their new home.

With attendees including Lord-lieutenant Mr Andrew Coombe, Dame Julie Kenny

and businesses such as Nike and Converse, it's clear to see the support for the incredible work Paces carry out is on the rise.

“Supporting children and adults with neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, MS, stroke, Parkinson's and brain injury, Paces help their children and adults learn life-changing skills such as walking, eating, talking, standing and so much more all in an environment they can have fun and feel like they belong.

MUMS IN NEED FOUNDER, LAURA RILEY

work to, for example, a local Women’s Institute group and a Women Entrepreneurs group.

“Our team has pulled together during this time and I am so proud of each and every one of them.”

“Paces' current home is in a state of disrepair and in March we launched a capital appeal to raise £3.5 million to build a state of the art, brand new home by the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) on the Waverley Estate.

“The new home will become a centre of excellence right here in South Yorkshire and will allow Paces to support three times as many children and adults living with neurological conditions.”

RSPCA PHOTO: DOUG BANKS

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@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

IN THE COMMUNITY SCCCC CONTINUES VITAL WORK DURING PANDEMIC

OVER 400 LETTERS AND CARDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS PART OF SCCCC'S PENPAL SCHEME

Ericka Hill, fundraising, communications and marketing officer, said: “Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care (SCCCC) – one of the city’s leading older persons’ charities – continued its vital work during the pandemic.

“For the Hospital to Home team, it has been business as usual – collecting older people from hospital upon discharge, taking them home,

and ensuring they’re integrated back into their routines.

“Where the charity has had to adapt its services is within its flagship Good Neighbour Scheme, which is a lifeline for many lonely older people.

Friendly visiting was forced to be put on hold, but SCCCC adjusted by implementing a telephone service so its service users still had volunteer support.

“The charity also launched a Penpal scheme, which has been enormously successful.

The charity so far has received

more than 400 letters, from as far afield as Worcester and Wiltshire, Bristol and Oldham, and even Milwaukee in America.

“The letters and ‘thinking of you’ cards have brightened up the day of many older people who have felt alone during lockdown. The scheme has been so successful, that SCCCC hope to carry on the scheme for years to come.

“We are proud to be a Sheffield charity making a difference to the lives of our older communities.”

FORGING AHEAD AT SHEFFOOD

weekly e-bulletin, sent to more than 150 food sector connections, to share useful ShefFood communications resources and news to lead Stella Bolam said: support our local food sector.

“ShefFood is our city’s “We’re forging new sustainable food partnership, relationships, thanks to the local member of the group Zoom meets organised Sustainable Food Places

by Voluntary Action Sheffield (Food Cities) national food and Together Sheffield, partnership programme. which connect numerous Our founding partners are food organisations, enabling Regather, Heeley City Farm, them to share mutual Food Works, The University challenges and solutions to of Sheffield and Sheffield ease emergency food access.

Hallam.

“On behalf of the city, “We exist as a partnership ShefFood is also applying to help facilitate, develop, for a Bronze Award from and campaign for the Sustainable Food Places. This environmental, societal, involves gathering examples of health and economic benefits the many brilliant joined-up, of a more resilient and approaches to positive change sustainable food system across in our local food system. the Sheffield City Region.

“We’d really appreciate “During COVID-19 input from the sector for lockdown, we launched a the city’s award application,

TICKETS FOR GOOD BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS

STEVE RIMMER, CEO AND FOUNDER OF TICKETS FOR GOOD

Founder and CEO Steve Rimmer said: "At Tickets for Good and The Ticket Bank, we know that attending arts events is beneficial to mental health and emotional wellbeing. That’s why we give away free event tickets to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to attend, or who have other barriers which make getting out and about difficult.

“For the past few years we’ve

so if you’d like to share details about your work or project, get in touch at info@ sheffood.org.uk.

“We’re right behind the Make Yourself At Home

been working with charities to get free tickets to their beneficiaries, more recently via our spare ticket online marketplace www.theticketbank.org/.

“COVID-19 has created barriers for everyone but these are compounded for people who already face disadvantage and social exclusion. The new challenges it presents, mixed with self-isolation, trauma, and a persistent threat to our physical health, really shows us just how vital it is to feel part of a community.

message because we believe it’s vital to showcase our independent hospitality sector, as well as our traders and growers to help sustain our local food system.”

“Although we have seen all our live events cancelled during lockdown, we haven’t let this stop us trying to break down these barriers.

We’ve created a digital event platform to ensure that we can still provide access to events for our ticket recipients, to try and keep them busy and well during this difficult time.

“We’ve also been working on a project to give our NHS and social care staff access to free tickets to say thank you for all their hard work and sacrifice during this period.”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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BUSINESS POST LOCKDOWN

TROUBLESHOOTING

BY PAT ABEL, CORPORATE FINANCE PARTNER AT HART SHAW

Pat says with more businesses re-opening, owners must plan and protect our firms

PLAN AND PROTECT IN THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ It certainly is good to see that

by July 25, the majority of the local economy’s businesses will be allowed to open their doors again, with gyms and leisure facilities joining bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues.

I know from my own family’s experience – my three daughters are looking forward to opening their business, Utopia Martial Arts & Fitness, after four long months. They have managed to keep in contact with their customers via Zoom and, indeed, have found new audiences as far away as the USA, enabling them to teach weapons classes to fellow martial artists, so lockdown has not been all bad!

The business community in the Sheffield City Region and beyond will now be working under very different operating conditions. Ensuring they comply with Government COVID-19 guidelines, firms will need to restrict staff and customer numbers in their premises to maintain social distancing, increase cleaning protocols, have constantly

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updated risk assessments, and use appropriate PPE. Now we are in the post lockdown phase, it is important everyone helps each other, and we become more patient as we all find our feet in the ‘new normal’. As we move from Zoom and Teams to more faceto-face meetings, hopefully this will help local hospitality businesses get much needed revenue into our city and town centres and get them buzzing again, plus give retailers a much-needed boost.

While we might have to wear face masks, let’s be positive and see that as an opportunity to get out there once again, as safely as we can so that businesses can recover and we can all move forward – a strong message from the Make Yourself At Home campaign.

It is very important all business owners now look to the future and take steps to protect their businesses and as many employees as possible.

Planning is key, so while government interventions are still available, make sure you have reviewed staffing levels and run budgets with ‘what if’

scenarios – look at various sales levels and how they impact on your profitability and cashflow.

If you look to be carrying too many staff, consider entering consultation for redundancies whilst you still have access to the furlough scheme, rather than waiting until the scheme ends and then having to find the sums to make redundancies. Look at taking on either a Bounce Back Loan or Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan to give you some additional headroom – they can be repaid with no penalty if not required and are interest free in the first year. Below £250k there are no personal guarantees and you can have multiple £250k loans from different funders without giving guarantees, so worth shopping around. The loan schemes are scheduled to finish in September so don’t delay.

Having been involved in corporate finance for over 25 years, the one thing that is certain is forecasts are rarely right, therefore make sure you have contingencies in place to cover: lower sales levels than

anticipated; higher costs; or higher sales and therefore greater working capital levels.

The old phrase “cash is king” has never been truer. Lots of businesses run out of cash despite being profitable, so the more scenarios you run the better prepared you will be.

You can always return cash that isn’t needed but if you run out, it can be very costly indeed and quite often results in business failure.

If you own a business and are daunted at the prospects of post lockdown / furlough, please don’t go straight to winding up your business. There are alternatives that may save your employees and also potentially release some cash for you.

We are seeing a lot of these situations at present and I’m delighted to say we have helped to save several companies already and protected jobs.

I hope you have a great summer and hopefully enjoy more prosperous times ahead.

Patrick Abel Corporate Finance Partner Hart Shaw LLP patrick.abel@hartshaw.co.uk

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FOCUS ON

FOCUS ON

MARKETING In our April edition, MD of Future Life Wealth Management Jillian Thomas warned against cutting marketing spend during COVID-19, saying: “Companies must be high profile and visible during this difficult time – the message has to be ‘Sheffield City Region is open for business’.

With Make Yourself at Home promoting Sheffield, as well as giving businesses a toolkit to communicate to their customers, Jill Theobald takes a look at the ways marketing is continuing to help – and the firms leading the way ‘We're reyt proud of where we come from!’

What better way to kick off a feature on marketing and encouraging businesses to make their staff and customers feel at home in Sheffield than with that opener from Rich Davies of Affinity IT Services Ltd. The account manager explains: “As a Sheffield born and bred business, we're delighted to be backing Make Yourself at Home.

“Affinity have had their roots firmly planted in Sheffield since 2006 and some staff even longer – they even read ‘Sheffield’ like a stick of rock if you cut them in half!

“However, we find ourselves in difficult times and we feel we should all stand together as a city and support other people and businesses. We’ve found marketing incredibly powerful during these times and we’ve kept the message going out that we are here to

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RICH DAVIES

help and deliver what we like to call ‘edutainment’.

“We’ve continued our PCs for Charity scheme where any Sheffield City Region registered charity can apply for two used PCs from us.

“As everyone overnight had to work from home this opened up the use of video calling and we ran free webinars and training sessions to offer the skills to continue to meet online. All the training sessions are on our YouTube channel, as well as useful hints, tips and tricks.

ROB COLE

“Marketing has never been more important to keep people educated and informed during these uncertain times.”

Rob Cole, CEO of Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens, agrees: “Make Yourself at Home is a great campaign to showcase our fantastic city. It has been a useful resource for Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens, to highlight our contribution to the Sheffield community as we build back better and greener in response to COVID. “Sheffield is a unique city and one of the friendliest

places a person could live.

Our community is warm and welcoming, and this is reflected in the huge numbers of residents who were originally from elsewhere, but now make Sheffield their home.

“Make Yourself at Home embodies the Sheffield spirit in a clean, crisp and easy to understand way. The campaign is highly relevant, as we are working to recover from the impacts of COVID – it helps businesses tell their customers that they care, they’ll look after them and make sure they feel safe, just like they would in their own home. It shows that we are a local business that customers can support, and that, in turn, the business supports the community.

“It’s a really strong marketing campaign that supports our community and I encourage other businesses to use this free resource – let’s own it and make it stick!”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

FOCUS ON ALLIE DRANSFIELD, HEAD OF CLIENT MANAGEMENT, HRM PR & CREATIVE

way of working. From daily team Zoom calls, virtual client meetings, creating COVID-19 PR strategies, constant social media creation, identifying Having worked in the PR sector media opportunities, to for the last 15 years I have pitching and securing new seen my fair share of crises. business our workload over Whether they be client specific the last few months has or an event on a national scale showcased the important role I have guided clients through that PR and marketing plays many things – but something I during a crisis. hadn’t come across until March Our client teams have this year was delivering PR worked tirelessly to support during a pandemic. and advise throughout, we They certainly don’t teach have been sounding boards to you any strategy skills for that our clients as well as leading on any crisis management the way in all aspects of courses I have been on – communications. although I am sure that We have created and will change now – and yet implemented PR and creative in moments of crisis as PR strategies on an individual professionals we are often the client by client basis. There first people our clients come to isn’t a one size fits comms for advice and guidance. plan which can be applied, Indeed, HRM is a PR therefore we have and creative agency which worked with prides itself on providing our clients strategic communications and to reputation management.

On that fateful Monday in March when Boris Johnson announced that everyone who could work from home should do, off we all went, laptops and chargers in hand and a sense of anticipation at what was to come. Who knew that countless Zoom calls later, I think I lost count at around 200, we would still be working from home in the summer.

Our fantastic team may have been working from home, but boy have we worked hard and adapted to a new

Our fantastic team may have been working from home, but boy have we worked hard and adapted to a new way of working.

protect, strengthen and grow their brands throughout this period to maintain the desire for their customers to want to visit/buy/work with them in the future.

Our clients have adapted their offering and in turn so have we. We have adapted our service levels to match their needs and allowed them to maintain a visible presence in their marketplace and the media.

PR never stops and we certainly haven’t! The advice and guidance we have given our clients over the last weeks and months has ensured they have been able to communicate with their audience who have had the time to fully listen to their messages.

Engaging with your target audience in a way which connects and resonates with them is always essential, but even more so in these most extreme of circumstances, and this continues as move out of lockdown.

During these most extraordinary of times we have managed to secure a number of new clients, all of whom have recognised just how important PR & marketing is right now – which is testament to the work our talented team have been doing.

We may not have been designated as key workers, but the work we have done has undoubtedly ensured future success for our clients and I am very proud of that and our team.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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FOCUS ON DOUG BANKS, FOUNDER, DOUG BANKS PHOTOGRAPHY Businesses are fire-fighting the daily operational challenges – this would be the case in normal times.

But even more so at the moment, as businesses start to reopen and welcome customers back, and attempt to bounce back.

I’m Doug, a business branding photographer based in Sheffield.

I’ve been helping businesses throughout lockdown, and now as they start to get back up and running again to somewhere close to normal, too.

Communication of all forms with customers and clients is hugely valuable at the moment – especially visual communication.

People can then quickly understand what your latest offerings are, along with any

new changes.

People want to know that the new environment looks enjoyable and safe.

In addition to this, many businesses have used lockdown to work ON their businesses rather than IN, and this may have included work on branding, and how that brand is visually communicated.

Having a set of 100+ high quality professional images ready to go for social media purposes, website use, and PR and print is an invaluable resource for any business owner.

Being able to tell the story of your business, the processes, and how you make your clients and customers feel is key.

Images can have a very real impact on the positioning, sustainability and growth of a business.

Don’t neglect such an important part of marketing and communication.

MELINDA SCHOFIELD, STATION DIRECTOR, HALLAM FM Whether you are listening to the radio while working from home or finding you have more time to tune in more, radio has been a loyal and trusted medium during lockdown.

People’s desire to access radio content – for weather, news, music, travel, presenters or as their companion – has kept our diverse audiences connected, informed, engaged, and entertained.

Commercial radio listeners are tuning in more than before lockdown – an increase of 38 per cent – but not only are more people listening, they are listening for longer, too.

As we look at the bounce back and beyond, there are

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different attitudes to spending driven by perceived risk and available funds, with shops reopening their doors, car dealerships back in business and some limited leisure activities available.

Radio has a key role to play in purchase decisions, particularly among the newly working from home who have an even greater opportunity to be impacted.

The basic principles still apply – companies have

products and services they need to market and there is still consumer demand. What has changed is how the two meet, and this is where Hallam FM works for South Yorkshire businesses.

Hallam FM is celebrating its 45th year and is not only a heritage brand but the Number One Commercial Radio Station for South Yorkshire. The station is multiplatform – on air, on ground, online and an ability to create video, making Hallam FM a total media solution.

We have successfully continued to be the voice, digital vehicle and outlet of many organisations, giving guidance, support and advice to business during this time to ensure they have the tools ready to bounce back and beyond.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

FOCUS ON ASH YOUNG, MD EVOLUTED We’ve all been forced to live, work and think entirely differently over the past few months – all businesses have suffered in different ways. We’ve been fortunate, as we don’t specialise in one industry. While a few clients had no choice but to pause marketing, those in a more positive position have thrived and taken the opportunity to spend this unprecedented time getting ahead of competitors.

Digital marketing is more important than ever A silver lining in this crazy period, is businesses have realised just how important digital marketing is.

If paid advertising is forced to stop, it pays to have invested in SEO, ensuring high organic search rankings and most importantly, FREE traffic to your website.

Marketing in a post-COVID world As an agency, we need to be understanding and aware of our clients’ positions.

The same goes for talking to your customers – being human and empathetic in marketing, rather than a hard sell will go a long way. While there will still be a place for physical stores, the pandemic has highlighted the benefits of digital-first marketing strategy.

I’d recommend considering the following in a post-COVID world: • Assess all your communication - what’s getting a positive response?

What was valuable during the pandemic and is it still valuable now?

• How can you improve user experience? Be trustworthy and make it as easy as possible to shop with you.

• Customers want to know what you stand for, are you sustainable? We’ll see great value from a commitment to the environment – perhaps even more so than before the pandemic.

• Do you have a strong online presence and a digital-first strategy?

Keeping the community spirit alive At Evoluted, we run a bimonthly event, SheffieldDM – bringing together digital marketers across Yorkshire for a series of expert talks. Moving to virtual conferences helped to keep a sense of community spirit during a very tough time, providing an opportunity to share knowledge and ask advice from experts. Not only that, but we’ve been able to

expand our speaker roster to include the best from around the country.

SheffieldDM is free to everyone. Our next one is the biggest ever – a whole day event with 15 experts talking about everything SEO, paid media, content and PR, and personal branding. Register for your ticket and join us on August 6. If you missed our first virtual conference back in May, you can still catch up and view the recording at: www.sheffielddm.co.uk/ blog/202005-meetup-9.php Pulling together and going the extra mile I saw the past few months as a really important time for businesses to pull together and get through this – going the extra mile for all of our clients. Personally, and as an agency, we also took to social media to offer free no obligation marketing advice and support, or even just a chat. That offer still stands, so feel free to get in touch at ash@evoluted.email.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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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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ADVERTORIAL

BARNSLEY COLLEGE PRESENTS ITS POPULAR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT PROJECT:

TALENT UNITED Despite the global pandemic, Barnsley College’s employer engagement initiative, Talent United, has been busier than ever. Here we find out more about how the popular initiative is helping its ‘star’ students become work ready Created in 2015, Talent United aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by providing Barnsley College students with employer-led opportunities.

This is achieved by creating partnerships with businesses and individuals who may be able to provide presentations and workshops, work placements or workplace tours. In return, partners enjoy exclusive benefits and discounts, including events and networking sessions, free and discounted training courses and promotional opportunities.

The College’s team has been in regular contact with its local business partners, gathering them together for its first ever online speed networking session and recruiting new employers into the community.

Sarah Sonne, community development and volunteer coordinator from The Refugee Council, said: “For our Barnsley Refugee Advice Project, we decided to become a Talent United partner as we were involved with delivering awareness-raising workshops to students and staff at Barnsley College.

“Being a partner has enabled us to offer opportunities to our client groups – for example, a visit for our women’s group to host a craft stall at the Christmas My Markets event organised by the College’s Enterprise team. In addition,

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the networking events with other Talent United partners have been a great way to mix with other charities, businesses and organisations.”

Angela Proud, of local business Proud Bookkeeping, added: “I became a partner of Talent United last year. I initially signed up for just the networking events, but I soon recognised that we could get much more involved and give something back by offering a work placement. So, in October, I took on Owen, a 17-year-old student at the College, and I gave him the opportunity to learn about my business and industry, and gain some valuable, practical experience.

Owen has been an absolute star, picking things up quickly and having a positive impact on my workload. He’s even come away with Quickbooks Certification – something that wasn’t initially planned but that he can use in his career going forward.”

Samantha Gill, of Samantha Gill Nails, told us: “The main reason I joined Talent United is to help students become work-ready. The beauty industry can be a daunting place to be thrown straight into after leaving College and substantially differs from the comfort of your learning environment. I want to offer support to students to help them feel more confident when going into the industry, whether that is by offering work placements, e-support or doing talks in their class. It’s something I feel very passionate about and I want to instil some of that passion to the students and show them what they can achieve.”

Local Florist, Carole Wickham of Wickham and Taylor, explained: “Throughout December I undertook quite a

few wreath making workshops with students from all areas and learning abilities. The best week I had was with the students from the Learning for Living and Work department – I got so much out of it and I hope they did, too. I love being part of the Talent United family and I hope to continue to work closely with them in the future.”

Jess Widdowson, Enterprise Team Leader at Barnsley College, said: “It’s a real pleasure overseeing the Talent United programme – it’s completely free to become a partner and there are no expectations. Partners can contribute as much or as little as they like.”

To find out more about Talent United or to become a partner, email talentunited@barnsley.ac.uk.

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Independent, impartial and honest As a small local business, we’re able to provide you with a level of service that other firms simply can’t. We take the time to get to know you and your business on a one-to-one basis with no obligation and no up-front fees, so you can make the best decision at your own pace.

Short Term Bridging Loans | Property Development Loans | Unsecured Business Loans Professional Practice Loans | Commercial Mortgages | Asset Leasing Contracts New Business Startup Support

For more details contact Jamie Baggaley for a free quote or to arrange a one-to-one meeting

Arrange a free no-obligation consultation today Call us on 07399 660 002 or 01709 805624 jamie.baggaley@jjcommercialfinance.co.uk

jjcommercialfinance.co.uk

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

FINANCE

INVOICE

FINANCE: E LOWDOWN TH

Jamie Baggaley, director at J&J Commercial Finance, talks unLTD through invoice finance and the different products available

Invoice finance is a way for a business to borrow money against its outstanding invoices.

When you issue an invoice, you may have to wait anything up to 120 days (depending on your terms) until your client pays. Invoice financing enables you to get access to those funds within days so you no longer have to wait until your client pays you.

What are the different invoice finance products?

There are broadly three different types of invoice finance available to businesses: Invoice Discounting – This is probably the most straightforward type of invoice financing. The business is still hands-on with

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its invoices and will run its own credit control.

Invoice Factoring – With this product the lender is more closely involved in the transaction. The lender will generally handle the collection of invoices from your clients and act as your credit controller. They will then collect the debt and make the remaining funds available to the business.

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Selective/Spot Invoice financing – This product enables you to select the invoices that you want financing rather than the ones above that look at all of your invoices.

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What are the advantages?

With the advances in technology and the rise in

cloud-based accountancy software, this is dramatically increasing the speed at which businesses can access their funds. Depending on the lender, this could be anything up to 48 hours of invoices being issued (if not quicker), so its number one advantage is that it speeds up access to funds so you’re not having to wait until the end of your terms of business to receive the funds.

Invoice finance can be used for start-up businesses, so if you only have a relatively short trading history you may be able to start to receive an advance on your invoices. The lender will generally look for a history on how you have been collecting invoices and want to see a few examples of invoices raised, terms being issued and the collection of those invoices.

Bad Debt Protection So, what happens if your invoices can not be collected or the businesses within your supply chain cease trading? This is where Bad Debt Protection can come in. This is a type of insurance that will cover you should businesses within your supply chain cease trading, often if they enter liquidation or if your debtors’ default on the invoice. The insurance will provide cover against the outstanding invoices so that your business still receives some of the invoice due.

Find out more about invoice financing or bad debt protection and how it can support your business. Contact Jamie Baggaley on 01709 805 624 or Jamie.Baggaley@ JJCommercialFinance.co.uk

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Albion can help support the reopening of your venue, office or workplace The customisable mobile social distancing screen provides flexibility and adaptation where others don’t. The high end fully welded powder coated frame can be adjusted to fit screen sizes of 1520mm x 1050mm.

Provided with your company logo it will ensure the mobile screen can be used again and again during and post pandemic for brand exposure.

“At the Castle Inn Bradway we needed a prompt, efficient and tailor-made service providing protective screening for our busy gastro pub. Albion Detection Systems delivered, providing an excellent product which will keep our customers and staff safe, both for current collections and deliveries and for when we open our pub doors again. The screens ensure social distancing measures are met and their specification means that they can be used once these are no longer enforced, so saving plastic waste. Highly recommended.”

Jack Baker, Castle Inn, Bradway

Fire Protection | Security Systems | Emergency Lighting | Assisted Living

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For further details, contact Mark on 0114 236 9640 or visit www.albion-detection.co.uk

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

LAUNCHPAD

AMAZELAB

Leonie Briggs tells unLTD how support from Launchpad helped her create and set up Amazelab, an ‘inspiring, creative take on STEAM subjects’

Tell us about your company?

We are Amazelab, a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths) company with the aim of providing engaging opportunities to people via workshops, video link, activity packs, factsheets, and guidance open to all from educational settings to nonschool groups and everyone in between. Our aim is to deliver an inspiring, creative take on STEAM subjects, their relevance to everyday life and deliver this in a fun but thought-provoking manner.

When did you first decide to start up on your own and what inspired you?

Providing STEAM-based support to a wider network is an idea that has been bubbling for a while but COVID-19 provided a catalyst to take the plunge and create Amazelab. Watching businesses thrive under the ever-changing circumstances and adapting and innovating inspired us to take the first steps. After providing activities and ‘experiment at home’ videos, and receiving excellent feedback it became apparent there was an audience for our content.

How has the pandemic affected your decision to start a business?

As a science teacher and STEAM ambassador, I was looking for ways to engage young people at home during lockdown. I didn’t want children to miss out on practical science even though

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Tim Peake, Rosalind Franklin or David Attenborough will be but it’s exciting to think of the discoveries that will be made in the future, both in our region and beyond. To be able to play a small part in this journey is extremely exciting and fulfilling.

LEONIE BRIGGS OF AMAZELAB

many were not physically in school. Using web-based platforms and social media to deliver content opened up many opportunities to reach a wider audience and enabled us to be much more accessible.

Working from home with my husband (who is a graphic designer), we realised we were able to create a much higher quality of resource, leading to the establishment of Amazelab.

How has Launchpad helped you?

Amazelab was in contact with Launchpad at the ideas stage of the business. Advisor Ben Hawley has provided a friendly face, information, advice

and contacts. Ben was able to provide answers to all our questions plus book us onto workshops covering all aspects of new business including planning, marketing, banking, tax and book-keeping.

What are your hopes and aims for the business?

To inspire people to discover, interact, enjoy and take STEAM subjects further with the aim of them taking on STEAM based careers and developing a life-long love of these subjects.

With a skills shortage in these subject areas, now is the time to engage young people to fulfil these roles to benefit everyone in the future. We do not know yet who the next

Launchpad business startup advisor Ben Hawley said: I think what Leonie is doing is amazing! She has been able to take her passion and do something really good with it through lockdown.

Now the opportunity to turn that into a livelihood for her has presented itself and she’s grabbing it with both hands. This business has so much scope and potential, not just in terms of business model, but the people it can reach and help. I’m very excited about working with Leonie on it.

Starting and growing a business is not easy and that’s why the Launchpad programme was created. Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and our partners means there is no cost to the entrepreneur, so we can get straight to work on turning those dreams into reality.

Stop dreaming and do it.

Contact us for information now on 03330 00 00 39 or email growthhub@ sheffieldcityregion.org.uk.

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Over 450 Delegates

Marketing Strategies

Job Retention Scheme

Local Strategic Partnerships

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Mental Health Awareness

Returning to Work Safely

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

ADVERTORIAL

DUTY OF CARE WHEN BUYING COMMERCIAL INSURANCE Mark Barlow, MD of Sheffield-based IFM Insurance Brokers, warns that the growing trend for small businesses buying their insurance online could risk organisations operating without appropriate cover or being underinsured As we come out of lockdown, many small businesses will be closely looking at their cost base to see if savings can be made during these uncertain economic times. Insurance could be an easy and obvious target to save money. It is the ultimate distress purchase.

Indeed many small businesses are already buying their insurance online as direct players increasingly promote their different products with multi million pound marketing and advertising campaigns. On the face of it this seems to make sense to business owners. It’s easy, no hassle and more often than not it’s cheap.

Worryingly though, this growing trend of firms buying their insurance online is contributing to many operating without appropriate cover and higher levels underinsurance in the SME market. This could mean that a business finds itself exposed if its insurance policy fails to respond at the point of making a claim. Sadly there are many firms in Sheffield, which could be operating without the proper insurance cover they need.

An example of this could be when an insurer repudiates a major claim on the basis of an unfulfilled warranty. In this scenario a small business may need to contend with months of uncertainty in negotiating with the insurer. This could drift into years if it results in litigation. Many businesses just won’t have the resources to survive such an extended period of loss of income, clients and reputation. What’s more many small businesses will need an insurance payout paid swiftly

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to stay afloat following a major incident such as a fire, flood or other unexpected disaster.

Unfortunately many small businesses only turn their attention to insurance at time of renewal or when filing a claim.

Against this backdrop the lure of buying online is becoming more inviting. Those businesses opting to purchase insurance online are in danger of not understanding exactly what it is they are buying and what is at stake for their business. With this non-advised purchase comes a greater chance that your business could become underinsured.

The role of an insurance broker is to give small business owners a greater insight and understanding into what the crucial areas of cover are and what sums insured will be correct for their business. What’s more the broker’s job is to ensure that insurance cover does deliver and that an insurance policy will perform exactly as expected in the event of a claim. For example it is important that commercial property owners insure their buildings for the full re-building cost throughout the lifetime of their insurance policy. A professional broker will therefore advise that a rebuild valuation should be carried out periodically to avoid being underinsured.

This problem is highlighted by research by the Building Cost Information Service, part of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which shows that 80% of commercial properties in England and Wales are underinsured.

No professional insurance broker wants a situation where a client has a

The future of any business rests on arranging the best insurance cover and not a bundle of clauses that effectively prevent policyholders from making a claim.

genuine claim that is not covered by their existing policy. So they have a duty to remind business owners of the consequences of underinsurance and more importantly how they can take the right actions in a cost effective and efficient manner.

A broker knows what is at stake. The future of any business rests on arranging the best insurance cover and not a bundle of clauses that effectively prevent policyholders from making a claim.

IFM Insurance Brokers www.ifminsurance.co.uk 0114 268 4606

MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARK BARLOW

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KICKSTART YOUR BUSINESS Take on an apprentice and boost your business with an incentive of up to ÂŁ3,000 At RNN Training we work in partnership with Rotherham College, North Notts College, Dearne Valley College and University Centre Rotherham to deliver over 50 apprenticeship standards in: Business Services Childcare and Education Construction Engineering

Hair and Beauty Health and Social Care Hospitality Motor Vehicle

Find out how apprenticeships could help your business: www.rnntraining.co.uk 01709 513147 enquiries@rnntraining.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

BUSINESS NEED A LITTLE KICKSTART?

TAKE ON AN APPRENTICE RNN Training works with hundreds of employers across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire. James Godsell, director of employer partnerships at RNN Group, asks if an apprentice could help boost your business Let’s make no bones about it – the last few months have been hard for business.

There was a shift in people’s behaviour and measures introduced that were unprecedented. The economy seemed to enter freefall, businesses were forced, or felt compelled, to shut up shop and uncertainty hit new heights.

Fortunately, in the last few weeks we’ve seen the Government relax guidelines, and businesses and industries begin to reopen, while other industries have received long awaited guidance on when they can restart operations.

Recently Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced details of a plan to ‘kickstart’ the economy, which we were delighted to see put apprenticeships at the very forefront of rebuilding the economy.

As an employer you may be reading this with tough decisions to make.

Apprenticeships might just be part of the solution.

At RNN Training we work with hundreds of employers across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire who see real value from apprenticeships – we see the difference apprenticeships make to business every day.

Our employer partners work with us for a lot of reasons: Ready-made Talent Pool As part of the RNN Group, we work in partnership with Rotherham College, North

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Notts College, Dearne Valley College and University Centre Rotherham, which means we have access to a pool of enthusiastic and talented students with qualifications, and vocational knowledge, at a range of levels from Level 2 (GCSE) to Level 4 (first year of university). This knowledge spans a range of industries including business, construction, engineering, hairdressing and beauty therapy, health and social care, hospitality and motor vehicle.

Set-up for Success Mentoring Scheme We don’t believe in placing an apprentice and leaving you both to continue alone.

We want to ensure that as a business you are able to get the most benefit from your apprentice, and that your apprentice receives the support they need to succeed.

We offer mentor training that sets out expectations, and provides the skills an experienced member of your team will need to successfully manage and mentor your apprentice.

Levy to fund their apprenticeships, but if you’re not a levy paying business we can help you unlock up to 95 per cent of funding for your apprentices training. We can help get you set-up on the Digital Apprenticeship Service to secure your funding.

recruiting, training and retaining a talented workforce.

If you’d like more information about how apprenticeships could work in your business contact us at enquiries@ rnntraining.co.uk or call 01709 513147.

Government Incentives The ‘big news’ of the Chancellor’s announcement.

If you take on an apprentice you can receive an incentive of between £1,500-£3,000 per apprentice.

The value of the incentive is based on the age of the apprentice with the following breakdown: • £3,000 – Apprentice aged 16 – 18 • £2,000 – Apprentice aged 19 – 24 • £1,500 – Apprentice aged 25 or over With more than 90 per cent of apprentices continuing in employment, or further study, at the end of their apprenticeship, apprenticeships are ideal for

Support Accessing Apprenticeship Funding Every year we place hundreds of apprentices. We work with more than 700 employers from sole traders to national organisations. We help these businesses unlock apprenticeship funding.

The biggest businesses utilise the Apprenticeship

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ADVERTORIAL

GLU RECRUIT LAUNCHES NEW GRADUATE RECRUITMENT DIVISION

Glu Recruit, the South Yorkshire based recruitment agency, has set out its latest plans for growth by introducing a new graduate recruitment division. unLTD found out more Developed during the lockdown period by MD Rob Shaw, Glu Recruit has announced a new graduate recruitment division which is now being introduced to businesses around the Sheffield City Region.

Headed up by a new member of staff, Charlie Hedges, Glu is aiming to help bridge the gap between employers and graduates by providing advice and support to local businesses on how they can help graduates into employment and the benefits of having graduate talent within their organisation.

MD Rob Shaw said: “The lockdown period gave us a chance to reflect on our longterm objectives for Glu. We’re always looking for ways we can diversify our service offering and setting up a graduate desk was the next logical area for us to develop.

“We have two strong universities in Sheffield, along with other education establishments across the region also offering degrees, which means there are many graduate candidates on the market looking for work. It’s one of our key aims to help these candidates find work, but we also want to engage with them prior to finishing their courses to make sure they are as prepared for employment as possible.

This is where Charlie comes in, who we are delighted to welcome to the Glu family!”

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CHARLIE HEDGES, GLU RECRUIT’S NEW GRADUATE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT

Charlie Hedges, Glu’s new graduate recruitment consultant, adds: “I’m delighted to be joining such a proactive recruitment agency in Glu Recruit. Having worked on a graduate desk in previous employment, the opportunity to develop this for Glu is something I am really looking forward to, as it will allow me to rekindle my relationships with the local universities’ employment teams, as well as working alongside some of the fantastic businesses we have across the region.

“There are lots of sectors that offer graduate recruitment schemes as a way to develop their own talent. Regardless of whether they are a smaller start-up business or a larger,

more established organisation, recruiting a graduate can allow businesses to mould their graduate employees to meet the long-term objectives of their business. Our role is to work alongside employers to help them find the best fit for their organisation, adding long-term value to the candidate and the business.

“We find that graduates have a very specific skill set that can complement what businesses are looking for, with many holding relevant qualifications within their chosen field. As well as having a fresh outlook and ambition to succeed with their chosen career path, there’s no better time to recruit a graduate.

“From a business perspective, it also gives employers a chance to train and develop their staff from the beginning, as well as offering increased value for money when it comes to recruitment budgets.”

Rob Shaw concludes: “Our new graduate recruitment desk will allow us to develop even more opportunities as we continue in our quest to become one of the leading recruitments agencies in the region. It complements our existing permanent, temporary and contract recruitment solutions, and will benefit our existing clients, as well as making us a more attractive proposition to other businesses needing to recruit.

“With the government’s new ‘Kickstart scheme’, which provides financial support to businesses who provide opportunities for 16-24 year olds, this is a great opportunity for businesses to explore the opportunity of recruiting a graduate with less of a financial risk.”

If you are a local business considering recruiting graduate talent as part of your long-term plans, contact the graduate team at Glu Recruit on 0114 321 1873 or hello@ glurecruit.co.uk.

www.glurecruit.co.uk

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

YOUR PITCH

LJC RISK MANAGEMENT Dan Wellington, founder of LJC Risk Management, shares how the Sheffield Consultancy can help businesses to successfully manage their sustainability risks and opportunities – and ‘Build Better Back’ post COVID-19 in the ‘new normal’ Tell us about your business – sell yourselves!

LJC Risk Management are a Sheffield consultancy company specialising in helping business to successfully manage their sustainability risks and opportunities. We have decades of experience in helping small, medium and larger companies to develop their management systems and strategies to maximise the benefits and minimise bureaucracy.

Company founder Dan Wellington has worked in health, safety and sustainability in the Sheffield City Region for over 20 years.

During that time Dan was part of the South Yorkshire Green Business Club run by the Chamber of Commerce and was the National Climate and Environmental Lead for Make UK (formerly EEF).

Sustainability and Health and Safety issues affect all business sectors and require expertise to manage properly. They are also areas of rapid change in drivers

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and legislation. COVID-19 this year or last summer’s UK pledge to hit net zero carbon by 2050 are both good illustrations of how the landscape can swiftly change and businesses need to be both agile and flexible to adapt to change swiftly but also need longer term strategies in place to develop the way they work to meet legislative and stakeholder pressures.

We have the experience to help businesses understand the drivers and to help them with strategy and have recently been accepted as BSI associate consultants for health and safety , environmental and sustainability standards (ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and BS 6001).

As well as consultancy, we can also help to design and deliver bespoke and accredited training for our clients, ensuring essential competence amongst our clients’ workforce so we can leave the day-to-day management to those who know the business best.

Who are your customers and how are you targeting them?

In short – just about anyone!

All businesses need to have a health and safety policy, and if you have five or more employees this needs to be documented. LJC can help document systems simply and effectively and can develop them to an internationally recognised standard such as ISO 45001.

Build Back Better is a recently developed slogan to encourage businesses to not go back to normal post lockdown but instead utilise new initiatives such as remote working and virtual meetings – bouncing back with a view to minimising impact on the environment and carbon footprint (and bills). We can help develop a sustainability strategy that enhances corporate image, makes business more sustainable and saves money.

Non SMEs will probably be required to develop and report publicly on a carbon footprint as part of the new Streamlined Energy and

Carbon Reporting (SECR).

Energy and Carbon is an area where our expertise can be very helpful to keep you on the right side of the law but also save you money, especially with the changes coming up to the electricity network systems and charging.

We aim to be able to help anyone with sustainability or health and safety issues, either through in-house consultancy or our network of trusted associates.

How can people get in touch with you?

We are available via our website www.ljcriskmanagement.co.uk – this provides a range of information on our services and regular updates to keep businesses aware of the latest and upcoming legislative changes.

All email enquiries should be directed to information@ ljcriskmanagement.co.uk.

We also know sometimes it is just easier to do things in person and are always happy to visit to talk about your risks, challenges and goals.

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ADVERTORIAL

WIN

Remote working has become commonplace for many of us over the past few months – but it hasn’t been without its issues. unLTD spoke to Peter Kelly from Callwise about their fantastic competition to give away four months of their unique Voice over IP (VoIP) system to 10 lucky winners.

“During these unusual times, one of the most common issues we’ve picked up on from businesses adjusting to life in lockdown was that their work phones were unable to come into lockdown with them, as they were fixed to the office location.

“This meant that team

FOUR MONTHS OF VOIP WITH CALLWISE!

members couldn’t pick up the phone to customers from their usual desk phone or log in to their regular 0114 numbers – which can impact business massively.

“During this period, we’ve constantly helped businesses struggling to adjust to this new way of life – giving them the ability to work remotely with ease.

“We’ve launched this competition to raise awareness of how Voice over IP (VoIP) can benefit businesses working remotely. Moving over to a VoIP product, such as ours at Callwise, opens up plenty of opportunities for businesses trying to navigate the ‘new norm’ of working from home.

“For businesses, using VoIP means quicker reaction times if you do have to move your staff around or change office – such as in the current lockdown scenario. It ultimately allows your team to take their work phone numbers home with them to maintain all-important interaction with their contacts.

“VoIP comes in the form of an app – either on your mobile or as a desktop phone – which turns both needing someone in the office to answer inbound phone calls and maintaining a consistent work phone number into non-issues.

“Since lockdown began,

we’ve also integrated Microsoft Teams into the phone system – allowing for companies to use it freely as a means of communication.

“We always want to look after our customers at Callwise, so we offer our product contract-free so as to give everyone a chance to try VoIP without feeling tied down for a longer length of time. We also don’t use tiered pricing, as this allows all of our customers to access each and every feature for one set price.

“What’s most important to us is that we’re a Sheffield company and we’re producing our own software – it’s a bespoke, homegrown system and ideal for local businesses!”

How to enter: For your chance to win, email hello@callwise.com with your name, the name of your company and ‘unLTD’ in the subject line and you’ll be entered into the draw. 10 winners will be picked at random. Terms and conditions apply. Good luck!

Deadline for entries is Monday 31st August 2020, at 12 noon. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be selected at random from all entries - UK entrants only. In the event of any dispute regarding the rules, conduct, results and all other matters relating to the competition, the decision of the judge(s) shall be final and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into.

Give us a call: 0330 122 8415 Or email us: hello@callwise.com

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unLTDBUSINESS.COM

SCR SKILLS BANK

SKILLS BANK BOOSTS BUSINESS

DURING LOCKDOWN Sheffield City Region Skills Bank recognises the challenges businesses are facing as a result of COVID-19 and has launched new strands of the programme to help.

In this second of a series of blogs for unLTD, we find out how Skills Bank helped open up ‘whole new markets’ for Silkstone Environmental Surveying services company Silkstone Environmental has praised Sheffield City Region’s Skills Bank programme after securing vital training for staff during lockdown.

When the pandemic took hold of the nation, the company’s survey department essentially closed overnight.

Silkstone Environmental took action to look for new opportunities and to find new ways of securing business.

They did this by securing a land surveyor qualification for their Surveyor, Ben. This allowed them to bid for new work thanks to the new skills and qualification they had

unLTDBUSINESS.COM

BEN CONNELLY AND JILL BARRETT OF SILKSTONE ENVIRONMENTAL

achieved. They had expanded their portfolio to offer a land surveying service.

Jill Barrett, Director, says: “Before I searched for support, Skills Bank wasn’t something I knew anything about. However, after putting in a request to find out more, I spoke to one of the skills advisors, Amanda Ryalls, who explained to me how Skills Bank could help us, and the history the programme has of supporting businesses.

“Amanda assessed the skills needs of the business and worked closely with me to identify what support was available and how Skills Bank could provide a viable solution.

“Amanda helped out with our application to ensure it was as good as it could be before we submitted. We were really impressed by how straightforward and quick the process was. From our application to confirmation we’d been successful was less than two weeks, which, during the current climate, gave us some added peace of mind.

“Ben will come out of this with a level 3 diploma in Engineering Surveying which means we can bid for larger projects where several Surveyors can work together.

Up to now, when tendering for some projects we’ve had to outsource aspects away from our business, or indeed have been unable to tender due to being unable to hit the deadline. Ben gaining this formal qualification will open

us up new potential clients and whole new markets and expand what we can offer to existing customers.”

Ben added: “This training will provide me with updated knowledge of ever-changing survey methods. The qualification I’ll gain will provide greater confidence in my knowledge and understanding of the ways of working to get the best results for the client. It will also give me the opportunity to work towards becoming a registered chartered surveyor in the future, which obviously will improve my experience and my CV.” Skills Bank provides employers across the Sheffield City Region access to highquality training and funding to enable them to develop their business.

Skills Bank has launched two new strands to its programme to help businesses affected by the Coronavirus.

The new strands include a suite of online training programmes developed for businesses who need support during the crisis and a rapid response offer for businesses helping with the government’s Coronavirus strategy, such as producing protective personal equipment (PPE) or sanitisers.

Expert skills advisors help businesses to submit their applications and advise what other business support is available.

To make an enquiry visit https://skillsbankscr.co.uk

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AFTER HOURS

RE-OPENING

HOURS The impact of the pandemic has rocked the Sheffield community and as we emerge from lockdown, there has never been a better time to make the most of our homegrown businesses. Thanks to the Make Yourself at Home initiative, local businesses have an opportunity to begin to move forward safely as we gradually edge towards a return to normal life. unLTD’s Dan Laver and Sasha Mossman spoke to a few local businesses to find out what steps they would be taking to bounce back from the effects of lockdown

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@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

AFTER HOURS

Atkinsons Website: www. atkinsonsofsheffield.co.uk Address: 78-82 The Moor, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 3LT David Cartwright, store manager, said: “As an independent family store, we truly care about our customers and colleagues, so we knew that temporarily closing the store was the best thing to do to keep everyone safe. We also knew it would be hugely important to stay in touch with customers and colleagues, and we did that with a weekly newsletter/ update from Nicholas Atkinson (MD and fourth generation of our family store).

“Being independent and individual means that we have a personality, and we think that really showed in the communications Nicholas created during lockdown.

Nothing was contrived, Nicholas and we as a store, had a genuine interest in staying in touch with everyone – so whether it was news about Nicholas’s daughters home hen party or latest updates from the garden, it all went down really well with our loyal customer base – to us it’s a personality and personability that you

just do not find elsewhere.

Atkinsons loves Sheffield, Sheffield loves Atkinsons, there’s the synergy.

“Even during lockdown, we saw some of the ‘Blitz spirit’ again that took us through the difficult war years. We had many customers calling and emailing us to ask to pay their balance on accounts, even though we’d frozen payments and interest, as we wanted to do our bit to help people through the period.

“As we came out of lockdown the support we received via phone, email, social media and the website, has been overwhelming. So many good wishes and people stating that we were going to be their first stop on re-opening. We wanted to reward them for that support, and we’ve done that by making reductions across our departments. Importantly, as well, we have put in place all the measures to make for a safe and pleasurable shopping experience. If people haven’t visited yet, they’ll be surprised by how much of the ‘Atkinsons Experience’ we’ve been able to maintain whilst keeping social distancing in place for everyone’s safety.

That includes the opening of the car park, Caffe Massarella, and first floor facilities, for the

It’s certainly a time to be shopping independent and shopping local, and we’ve been really pleased by the support we’ve received...

convenience and enjoyment of our customers.

“In terms of the big sellers, we’ve seen lots of people buying for home – guess those few month’s indoors have made everyone long for something fresh and new – whether that’s bedding and linens, garden furniture, new appliances or furniture and beds. Now that we’re starting to see relaxation for the hospitality industry, sales on fashions, footwear and fragrances are also starting to increase – it’s always a lovely feeling to go out in something new. Aside from this we’ve seen plenty of gifts and cards purchased too, people wanting to say ‘thank you’ to those helping them through this time – or maybe a belated present for someone who had a lockdown birthday.

“We’re so glad to be back, and our 75,000 sq ft store over two floors on The Moor is packed full of bargains for the people of Sheffield, and beyond, to grab. It’s certainly a time to be shopping independent and shopping local, and we’ve been really pleased by the support we’ve received. We’d like to say again a big thank you to all our supporters and to our colleagues for all their hard work during this time.”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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AFTER HOURS

FOOD FUSION

Food Fusion Address: 26 Trippet Lane, Sheffield, S1 4EL Social media @foodfusion2015 @foodfusionnutrition (Instagram/ Facebook/ Twitter) Dan Stevens, director, said: “Our meal prep service was popular before lockdown, but being able to have nutritious, fresh, low calorie meals has definitely taken the headache out of eating healthily for our new customers. We offer nationwide delivery too, so we have been reaching people right across the country.

“We haven’t been neglecting Sheffield though, and since re-opening our new store on Trippet Lane, we’ve refurbished to make it easier for our customers to grab and go, adding more fridges so our customers can self-serve.

We’ve been really proud to keep serving our customers, especially key workers.

“During lockdown, a lot of us have taken the chance to

TWINKL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER DAVID ANGRAVE

think about a healthy lifestyle and there’s no shortcut, unfortunately. However, by making small changes you can start to make lasting changes.

It’s been great to be able to help so many new people, and to help them take the strain out of the first step!

“Our team are all passionate about food, nutrition and building a healthy community.

Aside from preparing hundreds of meals each week for our loyal customers, they are regularly coming up with new combinations to keep our menu fresh and doing all of the work behind the scenes.

“As the saying goes, not all superheroes wear capes!”

Twinkl Educational Publishing Address: Wards Exchange, 197 Ecclesall Rd, Sheffield S11 8HW Website: www.twinkl.com David Angrave, chief operating officer, said: “Twinkl has been fortunate to be able to deliver the same

service to our members throughout the pandemic.

Recognising that our online resources could help teachers, parents and carers, we made the decision to make all our resources free to anyone in the world for a number of months.

We have been able to achieve all of this working from home.

“From Monday August 10, we will be reopening the doors to our Sheffield offices, where with extensive hygiene and distancing measures in place, we will enable team members who want to return to the office to do so safely using a phased model. However, we are also continuing to embrace home working and flexibility for the team, because whether we are in the office, at home in Sheffield, or working in South Korea, we are all Team Twinkl.

Our message to Sheffield is that with great challenges come great opportunities for innovation. That adaptability and a focus on doing the right thing for team members,

customers and the community, are fundamental for survival and ultimately success. We have an incredible team, phenomenal customers, and are lucky to call Sheffield home, and are really excited for the future. “ Blend Kitchen Address: Blend Kitchen, Wards Exchange, 197 Ecclesall Rd, Sheffield S11 8HW Website: www. blendcookeatshare.com Justin Rowntree, Blend Kitchen project manager, said: “We are in a wonderfully unique position as – with the support of Twinkl – we are building a purpose-built restaurant that will be open and ‘COVID-ready’ this autumn.

“Right now, we are working with two amazing local design agencies to create a beautiful, non-clinical and natural interior design and layout that will keep staff and customers safe, with integral social distancing

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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AFTER HOURS

ROOTS & BLOOM DIRECTOR GINA O’CONNOR

measures that can be reduced as the threat decreases. There will also be thoughtful and fun signage and messaging, so that everyone knows how to use the space safely and comfortably.

“Ahead of the opening, we’ve been gaining the support of some incredible people, including our new Patron, Sheffield music legend Richard Hawley, leading Sheffield restaurateurs Richard Smith (Thyme Cafe, Graze Inn, etc) and David Moore (founder of 1 Michelin Star Pied à Terre) who is a new ‘Blend Ambassador’.

“We still have £150,000 to raise and are seeking opportunities to speak to potential corporate sponsors and we also launched a Crowdfunder page, which went live in July - www.crowdfunder. co.uk/blend-kitchen-sheffield Roots & Bloom Website: www.rootsandbloom. co.uk Gina O’Connor, director, said: “Our first flowers bloomed at the beginning of lockdown but

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PJ TASTE

despite the pandemic we’ve been incredibly busy and can’t grow enough flowers to keep up with demand!

“We’ve been delivering bouquets, along with peoples messages of love and hope to their loved ones when they couldn’t be together in person – it’s a privilege to help people stay connected and to deliver some smiles during this tough time. Now restrictions are easing, we’re looking to expand beyond our small growing space and are looking for businesses that would like to stock our flowers so we can bring some happiness to even more people’s lives!

“We’re in the process of moving to a bigger plot in a local park where we plan to run our flower farming sessions for people under 65 who have dementia. Social isolation is a real risk after someone is diagnosed so it’s our goal to provide a space where people can make new friends and carry on contributing to their community.

“We’ll invite people to come

to these weekly sessions to help us grow, harvest and arrange the flowers and by doing so, aim to improve people’s mental and physical wellbeing through the joys of working with nature.”

RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre Address: 2 Stadium Way, Sheffield S9 3HN Website: www.rspcasheffield. org Dianna Radford, operations director, said: “We are currently undertaking a phased reopening of our charity shops across Sheffield and Animal Centre. We have opened our shops and are trialling new hours and days in Broomhill, Woodseats, Chapeltown and on eBay. “We plan to get to some level of normality, which enables our key income streams to grow and, in-turn, supports the vital animal welfare work we do as a self-funding charity. We will be conducting a significant push to increase foster caring of

vulnerable animals in people’s homes across Sheffield, and to grow an army of volunteers to help our operations back on our feet.

“We believe Sheffield has been at its best when it’s been faced with the adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, local SMEs have been coming forward to support us.

This has included Goodman Sparks who have supplied us with free washing and drying.

Skip companies including Bradwell’s, KCM Skip Hire and Mr Rubble when we were victims of fly-tipping. Dalton Roofing have also helped us with a leaking roof.

“We might be significantly poorer financially, but we are richer for how people have pulled together in Sheffield, particularly the business community. However, we still have a long way to go and we need help.”

PJ Taste Address: 54 Staniforth Road, Sheffield, S9 3HB Website: www.pjtaste.co.uk

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

AFTER HOURS

Peter Moulam, director, said: “With our event business disappearing overnight, we have worked through the lockdown with a very different approach. We’ve been back to our roots by serving individual customers and households in Sheffield, rather than businesses and larger events like weddings.

This included direct deliveries of Afternoon Teas and Dine at Home meals, along with a full service with City grab of deli treats/groceries/local beers and spirits on your doorstep within the hour! This is now also available as a click and collect option.

“Our online gifts, handmade chocolates and local hampers have also given us a UK-wide reach for people wanting to treat a loved one.

“It’s been challenging but rewarding to innovate, keep cooking and develop new recipes. In addition to this we have been able to maintain a core team in work.

“We have prepared –

We might be significantly poorer financially, but we are richer for how people have pulled together in Sheffield, particularly the business community.

through training of our whole team – to be safe and ready when the event and wedding market is ready to emerge again, but as a business we feel stronger and more committed to our core values of creative, local catering than ever.”

Wosskow Brown Solicitors Address: The John Banner Centre, 620 Attercliffe Road, Sheffield, S9 3QS Website: www. wosskowbrown.co.uk Ian Brown, managing partner, said: “In late June, we worked hard to ensure that our offices in Attercliffe, Hillsborough and Barnsley could reopen for clients to pop in. The reception areas at each of these offices are key to allowing clients to communicate with us and we realise that not everyone wants to video call. For some people, face-to-face is the only way to do business.

“While many things have changed over the last few months, we’re happy that

we have returned a level of normality.

“We have taken our time to ensure we put the right protections in place for our staff and our clients. It is our belief that expectations will be changed for the long term.

“We have elected to install permanent screens on all our reception areas. We think the result looks great, keeps everyone safe and doesn’t get in the way of a conversation.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming our clients back, but if anyone has reservations about popping in, we’re still more than happy to chat on the phone or even link up on a video call. Some things have to change though, and we’re also really sorry that we can’t make you a cuppa while you are here!”

Age UK Sheffield Address: Age UK Sheffield, First Floor, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, 197 Eyre Street, Sheffield, S1 3FG. Website: www.ageuk.org.uk/ sheffield

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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AFTER HOURS

AGE UK’S COACH HOUSE

SHEFFIELD OLYMPIC LEGACY PARK

Age UK Sheffield CEO Steve Chu said: “We are absolutely thrilled that our Coach House project has been given the green light to go ahead! This means Hillsborough Park will have a new community café and activity centre for older people thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund who have announced their support for our exciting project.

“The National Lottery Heritage Fund have awarded £581,500 to restore the derelict Grade II Listed Old Coach House building, next to Hillsborough Library. The nearby Potting Shed will be renovated as a creative Makers’ Shed, whilst Age UK Sheffield will also manage community facilities at the park’s Bowling Pavilion.

“I am so grateful to The

National Lottery Heritage Fund and everyone who buys Lottery tickets. This project could not have developed without National Lottery funding.

“We are going to create a beautiful new café and develop an exciting range of activities which will be targeted at older people, accessible to people with long-term health conditions such as dementia, and available to the entire community.

“The project will revitalise Hillsborough Park, and enhance other improvements planned

by Sheffield City Council, which include a new wheels park and exciting developments for the playground.

“We are hoping to begin construction work in the autumn, with the aim of

opening the café during summer 2021.”

Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park Address: Legacy Park Ltd, The Old Library, 10 Leeds Road, Sheffield, S9 3TY Website: www. sheffieldolympiclegacypark. co.uk David Hobson, project director, said: “At Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park we’ve been focusing on the positives of recent months, such as people finding a new and improved work/life balance and realising the importance of good physical and mental health and the significant link between the two.

“Part of our vision is to create an environment of high quality

sport and physical activity venues, facilities and events, and to provide green open spaces for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to enjoy whilst improving their health and wellbeing.

“Recently, we’ve seen run groups returning, cricket matches taking place, families walking and cycling around the park, and people enjoying views from the hills and the peace and quiet of the canal moorings.

“We expect visitor numbers to increase over the summer, as Sheffield has found a new love of all the wonderful parks throughout The Outdoor City, and again in September, when hundreds of staff and students return to Oasis Academy Don Valley and UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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AFTER HOURS

3MILES

“We know things will be different as we move forward but a lot has been learnt in lockdown and we want to take this as an opportunity to make the future better for the benefit of everyone.”

The Rutland Hotel Address: 452 Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2PY Website: www.therutlandhotelsheffield.com Jon Steers, operations manager said: “We’re excited to be able to ask our clients to ‘Make Yourself at Home’ once again after being closed for three months. Of course, the safety of our team, clients and community is always at the heart of everything we do here at The Rutland and we have been working hard to ensure we welcome everyone back safely through a series of measures, including increased cleaning regimes, placing hand sanitiser stations throughout the hotel and implementing social distancing measures, to name but a few, leaving our guests to enjoy their stay with us, worry

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free, safe in the knowledge that we are committed to our cleanliness and our standards will be even higher than before.

We have some fantastic rates throughout July and August for all the ‘Staycationers’ wanting to come and explore our fantastic city and surrounding area! We are amazingly well situated to explore both the city and beyond, with the Peaks, Ladybower and Chatsworth all on our doorstep.

“There is no denying how tough these last few months have been on everyone, but we know that Sheffield is made of strong stuff and we will get through these times.

“We look forward to welcoming you back!”

3Miles Address: 289 Main Road, Sheffield, S9 4QD Website: www.3miles.co.uk Fran Ruiz Partida, co-founder and CMO, said: “During the lockdown period, we were working from home – but in July we were welcoming the team to the new office, and where able to recruit more incredible and talented people to take on the services we provide while following the social distancing guidelines.

“The new office will allow us to receive visitors and clients to study the best way to help them grow their businesses online. We have successfully helped local independent retailers grow their businesses during lockdown by bringing them online and allowing them to offer efficient delivery service.

This was the result of the brilliant social media content creation and branding to amplify their message and reach more people.

“During lockdown, we have had the opportunity to grow our network and partnerships tremendously and this is something we are planning to do more of. Our team is now ready and equipped to help more independent businesses with the online marketing solutions that we have been doing for our partners on the 3Miles marketplace.

“We are now at a stage where we are ready to raise investment to help us scale 3Miles and implement our plan to be in five cities across the north by the end of 2021.”

@visitSheffield | @marketingSheffield | welcometosheffield.co.uk/makeyourselfathome

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