The Great British Sewing Bee

The Great British Sewing Bee is in full swing this summer, and I hope you’re enjoying the shows! This season, there’s a joyful shift towards celebrating West African fashion and embracing the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

As the fashion industry faces increasing pressure to minimise waste, we’re becoming more aware of our individual impact and the power we have to make a change. We’re making conscious choices, actively supporting stores that prioritise the environment. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the impending doom, we’re hitting the brakes and discovering the joy of creating a wardrobe filled with easily replicable styles that generate zero waste and pollution. Traditional West African fashion offers us an inspiring blueprint, reminding us of the possibilities.

One delightful way to embrace sustainability and infuse our creations with authenticity is through the use of natural dyes. These dyes, derived from plants, minerals, and even insects, provide a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to their synthetic counterparts. Indigo, turmeric, beetroot, and madder root are just a few sources that gift us with a vibrant range of colours, impossible to replicate with synthetics. The dyeing process using these natural dyes prioritises environmental sustainability, requiring less water and producing minimal chemical waste.

Indigo, with its deep and rich blue colour, has been cherished for centuries. Derived from the leaves of the Indigofera plant, which grows in various regions across the world, it holds a special place in textile dyeing traditions of cultures like India, Japan, and West Africa. Its unique properties and vibrant hues have made it a beloved choice for creating denim and other fabrics that carry a touch of history and beauty. Lovely!

Embracing natural dyes not only supports a healthier planet but also celebrates the captivating beauty and diversity found in nature’s own colour palette. By integrating these sustainable practices and drawing inspiration from West African fashion, we’re weaving together a wardrobe that not only reflects our personal style but also aligns with our commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. So, let’s grab our needles, thread, and enthusiasm, embrace the three R’s, and stitch our way towards a more sustainable, stylish, and brighter future!

Happy Sewing!

Abi x https://www.facebook.com/AbisSewingDen/

The Corporation Tax ‘Main’ rate increased from 1 April 2023 from 19% to 25% and for the first time in a decade a ‘Small Companies Rate’ was re-introduced to run alongside the ‘Main’ rate and was set at 19%. Companies have of course been used to paying 19% as the ‘Main’ rate since 1 April 2017. The Corporation Tax rate had fallen steadily since it reached its highest ever rate of 52% in the early 1970s but the recent introduction of two rates of corporation tax and the increase from the current 19% to 25% marks the first increase in the tax in nearly 50 years. Following the increase, the UK will still have the lowest Corporation Tax rate in the G7 but this will mean increased Corporation Tax costs of up to 39.4% which will be unwelcome to many businesses who are still recovering from the pandemic. The government had initially planned to introduce further cuts to the Corporation Tax rate but instead took the decision to increase the rate as one of the measures to recoup the costs of increased government spending during the pandemic. The government hopes to raise £18 billion a year as a result of the increase. While the increase to the main rate of Corporation Tax to 25% is grabbing the headlines, the small companies rate means that the Corporation Tax rate will remain the same for smaller companies with profits of less than the lower limit of £50,000. The government estimates that 1.4 million businesses will be unaffected by the increase. However, the last time there was a small profits rate, companies with profits of less than up to £300,000 rather than £50,000 were eligible, so this Corporation Tax increase will affect a much larger proportion of companies than in the past.

Companies with profits over the upper limit of £250,000 will be taxed at 25% on all profits, not just those over £250,000; and companies will pay a marginal rate of tax of 26.5% on their profits if they fall between £50,000 to £250,000. This marginal rate of 26.5% will hit a lot of companies and yet this rate has hardly made the headlines.

Company owners might consider incorporating a second (or more) companies to share profits between them in a bid to keep them below £50,000, but it is important to note that the lower and upper limits which determine the rate of Corporation Tax are reduced where there are other associated companies. Associated companies are companies under the control of one another or under the control of the same person or persons. So, if Mr X owns two companies, these will be associated with each other, and the lower limit (and the £50,000 to £250,000 band) will be halved meaning the small profits rate will no longer apply if the companies have profits over £25,000.

The increase in the Corporation Tax rates, together with the increased dividend tax rate means that the tax effectiveness of operating a business through a company is certainly reduced though there are still many other advantages in having a limited company.

As always, you should speak with your accountant in order to better understand how the new rates of corporation tax impact your company and your circumstances.

Peter Bevan Bevan & Co, Chartered Accountants peter@bevan.co.uk

Useful Contacts

Cheshire East Council

Tel: 0300 123 5500 www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

Cheshire East Council, Westfield, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, CW11 1HZ

Cheshire Police

For non-emergency calls please 101 or 0845 4580000 (only call 999 in emergencies)

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s Stepping Hill Tel 0161 483 1010 www.stockport.nhs.uk

Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Hazel Grove, Stockport SK2 7JE.

Wilmslow Town Council 01625 402907 townclerk@wilmslow-tc.org.uk

Community Groups

Rotary Club of Wilmslow Dean 01625 535580 or 530535 www.wilmslowdeanrotary.org.uk

Wilmslow Royal British Legion Club

01625 523715

Email: info@wilmslowlegionclub.co.uk

The Green Room Theatre Wilmslow

Ticket-Line 01625 540993 email: mail@greenroomwilmslow.org.uk https://greenroomwilmslow.org.uk

Independent Community Website www.wilmslow.co.uk www.wilmslow.org.uk www.whatsin-wilmslow.co.uk

Local MP

Esther McVey MP (Conservative)

01625 529922 officeofesthermcveyMP@parliament.uk

Local Councillors

Alderley Edge

Craig Browne (Ind. Group)

01625 865627 craig.browne@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Wilmslow Dean Row

Lata Anderson (Ind. Group)

07359 413301

Lata.Anderson@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Wilmslow East

David Jefferay (Ind. Group)

07729 707215 david.jefferay@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Wilmslow Lacey Green

Chris Hilliard (Green. Ind)

Chris.Hilliard@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Wilmslow West and Chorley

Mark Goldsmith (Ind. Group)

07711 230223 mark.goldsmith@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Michael Gorman (Ind. Group)

Michael.Gorman@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Around Wilmslow

Wilmslow Library

South Drive, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 1NW

Tel: 01625 374060 email: wilmslow.library@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Opening Hours: Monday – 9am - 7pm, Tuesday –9am - 5pm, Wednesday - 9am - 1pm, Thursday

– 9am - 7pm, Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday – 9am1pm. Sunday closed

Wilmslow Post Office

Tesco, Green Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1LD

T: 01625 524036

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 8am – 8pm

Wilmslow Health Centre

Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5HX

T: 01625 548 555

Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday

8am – 6pm, Tuesday 8am – 8pm, Friday 7.30am – 6.30pm, Saturday 8.45am – Noon (pre booked appointments only on Saturday)

Wilmslow Dental Practice

26 Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5HZ

T: 01625 441763

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm (closed for lunch 1-2pm)

Closed Saturday & Sunday

Citizens Advice

Admin phone number is 01625 432847