B4 Buckinghamshire Issue 6

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE EDITION

B4

Magazine

ISSUE 6 AUTUMN 2013

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The Fish Partnership Looking to the future with the appointment of two new partner designates

Tom Ingram The recently-crowned Ginetta GT Supercup Champion talks about his plans for the British Touring Car Championship

B P Collins LLP Local solicitors help events crewing company build international infrastructure

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Join the B4 Community

See page 42 for more details

So What is B4?

B4 is the fastest growing business to business network, providing over 600 businesses in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire with four great platforms to promote and connect their businesses. It's a business network with a difference where we facilitate face to face contact with other Members at B4 events held in iconic locations.

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4 Effective Platforms to Help You Connect 1

B4 Magazine - Packed with great features, news and promotional articles mailed free to 3,000 business decision makers (separate circulation of 3,000 in each county)

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B4 Website - Upload press releases direct to the site and promote forthcoming events and seminars. All B4 articles printed are uploaded to the business directory on the site.

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B4 Events - Meet other B4 members at high quality B4 events in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire...Why not even bring a guest?

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B4 Social - Promote your business to other B4 members via our social media platforms, a great way to get your message across.

Why Become a Member?

Memberships are specific to one area, not all, and gives your business a listing in the back of your chosen area B4 Magazine. A listing on the business directory of the relevant B4 website but access to all B4 events in all areas (restrictions may apply due to capacity limitations and we do have some Platinum Ambassador only events).

Members can also promote their status on company e-mails and websites with our new B4 Member icons

Why Not Upgrade to Ambassador?

Becoming an Ambassador gets a face to represent your business in the B4 community. Your chosen Ambassador will feature alongside your listing in the magazine directory, on your on line business directory listing and also in the Ambassadors’ section on the B4 website. Being an Ambassador gives you something in common to approach other B4 Ambassadors throughout the network. All Ambassadors will also receive a new B4 Ambassadors Card.

The rate to become an Ambassador is £250+VAT per annum (additional Ambassadors charged £99+VAT).

Become a B4 Member in less than 24 hours Here's what we need to get you started: 1. Your Logo - high quality is a must and in one of the following formats: jpeg, eps, pdf, ai 2. Between 50 and 300 words about your business - See the website for some great examples 3. Basic contact details - Basic contact details e.g. Address, telephone number, email address Our system will automatically generate a user name and password (which you can change) and you are ready to put up your first Press Release. But Don't Worry! There's a helpful online guide to assist you and we're always at the end of the phone.

Join B4 for just £250+VAT per annum B4 Membership is now one rate for all companies. The annual charge gives your business a listing in four quarterly editions of B4, presence in the B4 online directory with the ability to upload unlimited press releases and event details and access to all B4 Member events for all of your employees. We have at least four events in each area and you and your colleagues are welcome to all of them – there are no additional charges to attend events.

What about Editorial in the Magazine?

Looks complicated? Well it's not! We can set you up to have your picture taken at our associate's studio. We can get one of our freelance PR or Editor to interview you. You have Full Editorial Control so, nothing's printed without your agreement. Editorial pages start at £695+VAT and we can do almost all of it for you! Just ask!

Get Connected to our Growing Community Now:

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events

‘Enjoy a festive lunch with jazz, great food and excellent company’

B4 XMAS LUNCH MODERN ART OXFORD Monday 16th December 2013 12.00pm - 4.30pm 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1BP, United Kingdom.

Dress code: Smart business casual Any enquiries should be directed to Tina Rosser 01865 742211 or events@b4-business.com

REGISTRATION

ABOUT OUR HOSTS We are delighted to announce the B4 Xmas Lunch will be held at Modern Art Oxford.

Founded in 1965, Modern Art Oxford is a visual art gallery devoted to presenting exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. The gallery has a national and international reputation for the quality of its exhibitions and accompanying community and education programme. Funded primarily by Arts Council England, all of the exhibitions and many of the events, activities and workshops are free for visitors.

Housed in the old City Brewery, Modern Art Oxford comprises of six architecturally striking exhibition spaces that range from intimate to spacious, all of which are available to hire. With capacities from 40 to 250, Modern Art Oxford can cater for seminars to formal dinners, wedding receptions to product launches and gigs.

Come and enjoy a festive lunch, good company, jazz and wine in this fantastic venue with members and their guests from the B4 network. www.modernartoxford.org.uk www.oxfordfinedining.co.uk

Please register for the event here: https://www.regonline.com/ B4XmasEventMAO

To find out more about B4 please visit WWW.B4-BUSINESS.COM t: 01865 742211 e: events@b4-business.com a: The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford, OX3 0BT

www.b4-business.com Contacts If you want to contact B4 Magazine Telephone: 01494 373183 info@b4-business.com Publisher B4 Magazine is published by Designs On Ltd, The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford, OX3 0BT Chairman Colin Rosser colin@designs-on.co.uk Editor Richard Rosser editorial@b4-business.com Art Editor Keith Simpson artwork@b4-business.com Assistant Art Editor Rob Scotcher rob@b4-business.com Assistant Editor Lorna Dodson assistanteditor@b4-business.com B4 Events Tina Rosser events@b4-business.com Proofreader Sue Rosser Social Media Manager Daria Montella Editorial contributors Andrew Pearson Ceri-Jane Hackling Kelly Lea Phil Strachan Russell Atkins Sharon Pugh B4 Photography Rob Scotcher

welcome to B4 The whole point of B4 is to provide businesses with platforms to promote themselves, be this in print, on line or face to face at our networking events such as the recent event at The MacDonald Compleat Angler where over 100 B4 Buckinghamshire and Bucks Business First members enjoyed a wonderful evening (thanks to Lynne Cairns for co-ordinating and Gaius Wyncoll for hosting this event).

But last night as I responded to some e-mails, the following popped in to my in box with the subject line ‘B4 causes a sale’/ ‘Hi Richard, Just a quick note to say that I’m going to tick-off an item from my ‘bucket list’ tomorrow. A BMW M5 has long been my ‘dream car’ and I’m off to collect it from BMW North Oxford tomorrow afternoon.

‘They’re not my local dealer and I had never been there, or even thought of it, until I saw your feature in B4. Part of what I train businesses is that people buy from people that they trust and like. A feature like the one you ran really lets a reader like me get a look inside the business and find out they’re nice, decent people. If I hadn’t read the article I just wouldn’t have got in contact, visited, or bought from them.’ So thanks to Rob Pickering of Action Coach and good news for BMW North Oxford Garage – it just goes to show how B4 can work, not only within areas but across boundaries too.

Inside

34. The Mystery of Westcott Revealed Written by Kelly Lea

Issue 6 of B4 Buckinghamshire sees features from The Fish Partnership who have been fantastic supporters of B4 Magazine. Fish have appointed two new ‘partner-designates’ and you can read all about them in our lead article.

We also feature Tom Ingram, the recently-crowned Ginetta GT Supercup Champion and a young man determined to succeed in an ultra competitive sport. We go backstage with solicitors, BP Collins, to find out how they helped an international events crewing company expand and diversify. There’s useful HR advice from Crispin Rhodes about dealing with ‘leave’ in the lead up to Christmas and Andrew Pearson of Coaching Business talks about the importance of Non Executive Directors.

22. On the fast track with Tom Ingram Written by Russell Atkins

The scene of our first 2014 B4 Buckinghamshire event, Hartwell House Hotel, shows why this fabulous venue offers the perfect setting for all and Buckinghamshire Business First reflect Buckinghamshire’s position as the ‘Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain’.

Subscriptions For free Subscription, please contact: Telephone: 01494 373183 info@b4-business.com

Each business with a Buckinghamshire postcode is entitled to one free copy per issue.

For additional copies and for businesses outside of Buckinghamshire, there is an annual subscription charge of £25.

© Designs-on Ltd and B4 Magazine.

Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the content of this publication is accurate and correct in every way, the publishers cannot be held responsible or liable for any inaccuracies or errors within the publication. Information reproduced from this publication is permitted with the express permission of the publisher and the advertiser, where relevant. All information is correct at time of going to press.

B4 Magazine is printed by

There are exciting times at Aylesbury College as it welcomes its new Principal, Karen Mitchell and the mystery of Westcott is revealed as we find out what takes place beyond the closely guarded perimeter fence at Westcott Venture Park.

And for some Christmas magic, experience a themed red or black party night at The Compleat Angler Hotel.

Enjoy B4

37. HR Advice That Works For Your Business Written by Sharon Pugh

Richard Rosser Editor

About

B4

Magazine

B4 Magazine was established to provide Oxfordshire businesses with a clear voice to raise their profile and to help businesses connect. With B4 Berkshire and now B4 Buckinghamshire, we hope to achive greater success now that the model has been established and refined. Direct mailed to three thousand business decision makers in Buckinghamshire every quarter, and with a further four and a half thousand copies circulated to key outlets, featured businesses and made available at B4 events, we hope to make our mark in Buckinghamshire businesses. See more at www.b4-business.com.

B4 is funded by paid for display advertising and editorial, although some editorial is granted without charge at the discretion of the Editor. Please call us to find out how you can get involved.

WHY NOT FOLLOW B4 MAGAZINE AT @B4Bucks

47. What Does a Non-Executive Director Actually Do? Written by Andrew Pearson

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SPOTLIGHT 22 Tom Ingram: B4 meets the recentlycrowned Ginetta GT Supercup Champion 38 Backstage Support: How lawyers at B P Collins helped an international events crewing company expand and diversify 51 B4 YOU: A selection of some of the finest establishments in the B4 region

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16 Looking to the Future: Fish Partnership appoints two new “partnerdesignates�

MARKETING

57 Branding & Identity: Phil Strachan of Strangebrew talks to B4 about the importance of managing perceptions

37 ADVICE

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10 B4 Events Diary 11 B4 News 15 Bucks New University News

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37 HR Advice from Crispin Rhodes: With Christmas approaching, what do you need to know about leave?

45 Mercury Communication & Strategy: Helping people to win more work by writing and speaking with impact 47 Non-Executive Directors: Andrew Pearson explains the benefits of NEDs 48 Marketingco's Business Insights: Inspired by B4's 428mi Cycle Challenge

www.b4-business.com

B4 contents 29

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29 The Buckinghamshire Business Awards: Reflecting Buckinghamshire’s position as the ‘Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain’

25 A busy office doesn't have to be a messy one: Gavin Masson of Busy Offices talks to B4 about all things cleaning

BBF

SERVICES

63 European Funding: BBF secures funds from ERDF to benefit small and medium sized businesses in Buckinghamshire

21 R&R

21 Christmas Spirit at Macdonald Compleat Angler Hotel: Experience some Christmas magic at a themed red or black party night 32 Tranquility: Whether for work or for play, Hartwell House Hotel offers the perfect setting for all 34 The Mystery of Westcott Revealed: B4 Magazine is taken on an insider’s guide of what takes place beyond the closely guarded perimeter fence 41 Free round of golf at Magnolia Park: Experience playing at one of the country’s most challenging and picturesque golf courses

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EDUCATION 26 Building the Workforce of the Future: Exciting times for Aylesbury College as it welcomes its new Principal, Karen Mitchell

60 WIDER B4

60 How smart is your home?: Endless possibilities with Bang & Olufsen's new Smart Home installations

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CONTACTS www.b4-business.com

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B U C K I N G H AM S H I R E

B E R K S H I R E

B4 Platinum Members We would like to thank our B4 Platinum Ambassadors for supporting B4 Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. To find out more about joining them and over six hundred B4 Member companies, please call us on 01494 373183.

OX F ORD S HI R E

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D E S I G N P R I N T P U B L I C A T I O N S

Residential Letting · Property Management

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P R I N T

meet oxfordshire

With annual memberships just £250+VAT*, entitling you to a business directory listing and unlimited press release, event, job vacancy and offer uploads, it’s no wonder our membership is increasing daily.

Members are also invited to events in all B4 areas, up to 12 per annum. Call us now on 01494 373183 to book your membership or e-mail sales@b4-business.com for more details.

The B4 Website – the most efficient way to network your business from your PC! *Quoted rate is per company entitling all employees to attend B4 events. The Ambassador scheme is separate and subject to a different charge of £250+VAT for the first Ambassador and £99+VAT for subsequent Ambassadors. Call us for more information or visit the B4 website at www.b4-business.com and click on B4 Membership.

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B4 diary In Association with Buckinghamshire Business First

Event Organiser

Venues

Date

Time

Event Details

Modern Art Oxford

16th Dec

12.00pm

B4's fourth annual Xmas Lunch will provide you with an opportunity to relax, unwind and enjoy some great jazz and excellent food before the festive break. Ticket holders only.

Hawkwell House

21st Nov

6.00pm

B4 Members & Guests’ Networking Events

Aylesbury College

28th Nov

6.00pm

B4 Members & Guests’ Networking Events

North Oxford Garage

27th Nov

6.30pm

Join us at North Oxford Garage to see the new BMW i3

5.00pm

Our university open days are open to everyone and are a real opportunity to sample the Bucks experience. You will have the opportunity to talk to our staff and students, find out more about our courses and to look around our facilities on our High Wycombe campus. For full details, visit bucks.ac.uk/opendaysprospectus.

6.00pm

Following on from the very successful Breakfast Meeting – How to Sell Yourself without Selling, Dexter & Alex Moscow are conducting a follow up Masterclass on how to generate new business from your live presentations. £25.00 IoD members & £30.00 non-members and includes supper.

Visit www.bbf.uk.com for more information.

4.30pm

The Buckinghamshire Business Awards 2014 are now open for entries. If you want to increase your chances and ensure that your entry is submitted correctly and complements your organisation, come along and gain some ‘tips and tricks’ and even some 'do’s and don’ts'. Visit www.bbf.uk.com for more information.

OXFORDSHIRE

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Bucks New University, High Wycombe Campus

Crowne Plaza Marlow

Stoke Park

20th Nov 19th Feb

27th Nov

3rd Dec

B4 Members can feature their events on this page, subject to availability – please get in touch for your complimentary listing.

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www.b4-business.com

B4 news Exploiting the Upturn Many indicators suggest the business mood is slowly becoming more optimistic. Some companies are preparing themselves to exploit any fresh opportunities as they arise. But to do so to best effect such companies need to start from a healthy platform.

While most companies have a good idea of where they stand, close proximity can create blind spots, which can best be spotted by a third party, that expert best friend. An external business health

check is usually a valuable precursor to any active planning by identifying gaps that might need closing or processes improving.

Support, probably on an interim basis, might also be needed with developing appropriate plans, improving effectiveness, identifying growth opportunities and implementation issues, areas in which SRC has particular expertise. If you would like to discuss how any of these issues might affect your company then please contact Jonathan Lane

– Director, SRC on 07503 jonathan@splash-rc.co.uk

891331

or

New Wins for Lime Blue Solutions Lime Blue are delighted to have been awarded two great new event management contracts, taking place over the next couple months.

The first event is a themed Christmas party for 300 people for a local technology company, followed by an Oxfordshire based Pharmaceutical Company’s Sales Conference for 100 people which is being held in a beautiful European destination in January.

We have also started working with a number of new clients across various industry sectors for venue finding, including IT, Housing, Pharmaceutical and Travel. This, together with our loyal repeat business clients, is ensuring Lime Blue grows from strength to strength as we enter our 10th year of business.

Nicola Miller – Managing Director www.limebluesolutions.com

Seymour Taylor named Best Medium Firm of Accountants Seymour Taylor have been named number one medium firm of accountants.

Over 250 firms nationwide participated in this year’s AccountingWEB Practice Excellence Programme, making it the most comprehensive client satisfaction study carried out within the accountancy profession.

It was recognised that whilst the directors’ ambition is growth, the importance of providing an excellent client service is the core of everything they do.

The awards acknowledge the top performers within Britain’s accountancy profession, with judges paying close attention to details such as firm and client successes, client care, growth and profitability.

Simon Turner, Managing Director of Seymour Taylor, said: “We are thrilled to have won this award.

This success is testament to the continued hard work and dedication that everyone at Seymour Taylor provides.”

We are incredibly grateful to our clients for their input and to all those who voted for us.

L to R - Rachel Pugh, Steve Milne, Simon Turner and Elvan Clarke

www.stca.co.uk

Non Bank Funding Increasing With bank lending still slow & often coming with onerous Personal Guarantee conditions, Avocet has been focusing on the ‘off piste’ market with respectable customer facing independent funders. Recent applications include: • Invoice Discounting: drawdowns for Corporate Events, Greetings Cards, Lighting Products (MBO), Precision Engineer (MBO) & Recruitment businesses.

www.b4-business.com

• Re-Leasing: 12 year old laser cutting equipment generated 55k for an MBO. • Bridging Loans With NO Personal Guarantee: this new product with interest from 10% pa for loans of 25k-250k, has already been used for an MBO & a non accrued tax bill.

Roger Bibby www.avocet-investments.com

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A charity with a heart Founded a year after the RAF, the RAF Benevolent Fund has an extensive history of supporting serving personnel; past and present, and their families. It provides a welfare safety net for any member of the RAF family which today numbers over 2 million people, in their time of need.

Last year it spent almost £22 million helping over 68,000 members of that family through support such as childcare, relationship difficulties, injury, disability and bereavement. After SAC Mike Goody lost his leg in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Fund refitted his house, provided him with a grant for an automatic car and is supporting him as he retrains to become a paramedic.

There are lots of ways your business could support the RAF Benevolent Fund from employee fundraising to sponsorship and events.

For more information, please contact B4 Ambassador, Paul Hewson on 07590 418771 or paul.hewson@rafbf.org.uk

Adhere Training Club Launches its First Franchise Adhere Training Club, based in High Wycombe, sees its first Training Club franchise launch in October this year in Guildford, Surrey. The Training Club model is only two years old but has already seen a huge amount of growth in that period with training venues in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, London and now Surrey.

Founder of Adhere Training Club, Lisa Butler, puts the success of Training Club down to the innovative way in which the training workshops have been packaged as part of a membership based offer.

Members pay a fixed monthly fee, from as little as £10 per person, and they then have unlimited access to all 26 workshop topics, as often and as much as they like.

Adhere Training Club focuses on three core benefits to all of their training workshops, Increase Sales, Reduce Costs and Save Time. To find out more about Adhere Training Club visit www.adheretraining.co.uk

Business Doctors CSI have spent the past few years developing new technologies, investigating and exploring the export market. Bringing all of these ideas together was a huge challenge, which is why they have worked with Business Doctors to develop the CSI Business Strategy for Growth.

Business Doctors continue to engage with CSI Equipment Ltd (CSI) a Buckinghamshire based designer and supplier of footwear database and identification systems (IFIIS) - improving criminal detection rates.

Having developed a Strategic Plan, CSI are now implementing a number of the actions in a structured manner, which allows for improved effectiveness and efficiencies in the business processes –i.e. streamlined manufacturing processes, e-procurement resources for on line

engagement, new product development and packaging solutions.

‘As a small business busy with day to day operations, the assistance of Business Doctors has been invaluable. They have helped us to concentrate on the major issues we need to apply to achieve our declared aims.’ Grahame Sandling MD CSI. www.businessdoctors.co.uk/thames-valley www.csiequipment.com

Postgraduate and Professional Open Evening at Bucks New University Bucks New University’s Postgraduate and Professional Open Evenings offer a great opportunity to find out about their diverse range of career-focused postgraduate and professional courses.

The next Open Evening is on Wednesday 6 November, from 5-7pm at the University’s High Wycombe Campus.

University staff will be available during the evening to discuss the courses and answer any queries you

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may have. You can also see the facilities and discover what Bucks New University can offer you.

To ensure you get the best experience, it is advisable to book in advance by visiting bucks.ac.uk/openevenings or calling 0800 0565 660.

For more details about the open evening or the University’s programmes, visit bucks.ac.uk/postgraduate.

www.b4-business.com

B4 news Cerub PR is delighted to launch its new website Following its tenth anniversary, Cerub PR is delighted to launch its new website at www.cerubpr.co.uk.

regularly updating the blog with advice and tips to help visitors better understand how we work and how to maximise their own PR opportunities.

With a new design and clear messaging, the site is intended to reflect Cerub’s no-nonsense and straightforward approach to PR.

‘PR is an essential part of business success, but too many companies believe that they won’t be of interest to the press. It’s our job to work with our clients and to identify the newsworthy stories which will be of interest to the media. By demystifying the process, we can demonstrate how ambitious companies can use PR to achieve their goals.’

Managing Director, Ceri-Jane Hackling, comments: ‘Having reached our milestone tenth birthday, it was a good time to relaunch the site. The site has been designed to be easy to navigate and to keep visitors up to date with Cerub PR. We will be

www.cerubpr.co.uk

Bucks accountants help school rugby team scrum down High Wycombe-based chartered accountants The Fish Partnership have helped a school rugby team kick off the season in style thanks to a sponsorship deal.

The firm are sponsoring the kit of the Royal Grammar School’s (RGS) 1st XV Rugby Team, which is one of the best school rugby teams in the country.

Chris Nisbet, partner designate at The Fish Partnership, said: “We are delighted to be able to sponsor the kit of RGS’s 1st XV Rugby Team. We

hope that with our support RGS will go on to have a successful year on the pitch.”

Simon Copeland, Director of Rugby at RGS, said: “We are always looking to develop wider links within the community, and the generosity of The Fish Partnership not only helps us with our rugby programme, but in wider curriculum areas across the school such as Young Enterprise and Economics.” www.fishpartnership.co.uk

L to R: Amanda Morris and Chris Nisbet from The Fish Partnership, Simon Copeland, RGS director of rugby and Ross Neal, 1st XV captain

Jennifer Shaw joins intouchcrm intouchcrm, an award-winning online sales and marketing system are delighted to announce that Jennifer Shaw has joined as a new Customer Service Executive.

Jennifer has been brought in from Bentley Motors where she was a key part of their customer service department as well as being involved in training.

Matthew Ruddle, Customer Service Director at intouchcrm said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Jennifer to the team, especially during the exciting times ahead for us after our recent

announcement of investment. Her previous experience will help to make our processes more structured and she will be helping to ensure we build new and interesting resources that can help our customers.” Jennifer said: “I am so happy to be part of the intouchcrm team. It’s such a friendly company and we offer a brilliant service for our customers and partners. I love the vision and ethos of the company and I look forward to helping intouch customers grow in the future.” www.intouchcrm.co.uk

Join The B4 Ambassadors Club Our fantastic new B4 Ambassadors Card is attracting some great offers as you can see on page 82.

Ambassador for just £250+VAT per annum (once you have one Ambassador, your colleagues can get hold of a card for just £99+VAT).

If you’re a member and want to upgrade to Ambassador, why not do so today and start to benefit from these great deals. We have new offers coming on stream weekly and you can be a B4

Contact B4 today on 01865 742211 to find out more about being an Ambassador.

www.b4-business.com

www.b4-business.com

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news People engagement expert inspires the audience at Bucks

Wayne Clarke with Ian Plover, Faculty Director - Design, Media & Management; and Professor Ruth Farwell, Vice Chancellor.

Wayne Clarke, founding partner of the Global Growth Institute and former managing partner of the Best Companies Partnership, recently gave a free public lecture at Buckinghamshire New University in High Wycombe.

Wayne was impressed with the quality of questions and the wide range of people attending, and said afterwards: “I enjoyed the evening and the opportunity to share my thoughts and findings with an engaged and enthusiastic audience.

The hour-long lecture was entitled: ‘Winning companies - what the best organisations do to get high performance and keep it!’, and considered the work that high performing organisations have done to maintain high levels of employee engagement.

“The audience comprised a wide range of people, from small business owners to corporate figures, and they provided some thought-provoking and probing questions afterwards.

Wayne discussed the practical steps some of the best organisations have taken to create a culture that delivers for its people and its customers, from looking at the key factors that drive engagement, to leadership and management.

“I have developed a good relationship with Bucks New University and always enjoy visiting. It is progressive and forward-thinking and matches up to the types of engaged businesses I look to champion.”

Speaking about the content of his lecture, he added: “We've learnt so much about what makes great organisations so great. We've learnt that the way companies are led and managed has a direct and measurable impact on their levels of attrition, service delivery and profitable growth and I enjoyed the opportunity to share what these great leaders and managers actually 'do'.”

Wayne Clarke, founding partner of the Global Growth Institute

www.b4-business.com

Wayne has an interesting and varied background, having advised leaders and CEOs from over 350 private, public and third sector organisations in more than 25 countries. His approach is focused on helping organisations to win by improving the experience of the workplace for the benefit of its employees, customers, owners, and the communities within which it operates.

Before his work with the Global Growth Institute, Wayne led the Best Companies Partnership LLP, the advisory arm of the company behind the Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Companies To Work For’ lists. Over 2.5 million employees were surveyed from over 4,000 organisations in 25 countries, which provided compelling data for organisations and governments about the links between organisational performance and economic prosperity.

Previously Wayne had spent ten years managing complex change programmes for three global professional service firms, beginning his career with Deloitte. He went on to help BDO, the world’s fifth largest accounting network, to improve its people engagement through a combination of deep leadership and management engagement. In the UK, BDO moved from 91 to 19 in the Sunday Times lists and sustained its organic growth at over 20% for three years becoming the fifth largest accounting network.

Wayne’s lecture was the latest in the series of free public lectures held at Bucks New University discussing issues affecting the community locally and nationally. Previous speakers have included Richard Bennett, Assistant Chief Constable, Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships, Thames Valley Police; Dr Christopher Brown CBE, Director of the Ashmolean Museum; and Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. bucks.ac.uk

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FISH PARTNERSHIP LOOKING TO THE FUTURE With the accountancy profession ever changing, the Fish Partnership is always looking to the future. Most recently this involved the appointment of two new “partner-designates” in audit senior Chris Nisbet and tax manager Denise Eyles.

Existing partner Paul Laird explains: “During the challenging economic times we have seen a significant increase in the number of entrepreneurs starting businesses. Our focus as a firm has always been in assisting small to medium-sized, local businesses achieve their objectives. We believe that the experience and skills that Denise and Chris possess mean that they are ideally positioned to form strong relationships with this new generation of business owners.”

For Chris and Denise the route to becoming partner-designates has followed different paths.

Denise from High Wycombe first joined Fish in 2002 as the fourth member of the tax department having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and subsequently specialising in tax. Since she began working with Fish, she has risen progressively through the organisation, becoming a tax manager in 2004.

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She started with a caseload of 200 clients which grew to 500 by 2012 as the tax department quickly increased as a result of the great service it offered.

understanding our clients and their businesses at the outset we can provide the right advice at the right time as the businesses develop.”

An area of particular interest which has developed is in the farming sector.

Chris, 28, on the other hand, only joined the firm seven years ago and has enjoyed a fast-track rise to become a partner-designate.

“I enjoy my work, work hard, am always up for a challenge and like to contribute ideas and was surprised and extremely pleased to now be in this position,” said Denise.

“I have found that the combination of my accountancy, tax training and experience has enabled me to deal with a wide range of different types of work.

“Getting to know the diverse range of people with their various businesses and objectives is one of the best parts of my role. As the economy is looking brighter, more individuals are taking the step to start up a business or are looking to develop an existing business. By investing time

Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2010, Chris has in his own words “really surprised himself in how quickly he has gone from a student studying for his exams to now becoming a key part of the firm’s senior management team.”

In fact he used to jokingly apply to become a partner every year at the firm’s annual Christmas party.

“When I first joined I was entirely focused on getting qualified and proving I could do the job,” he said.

“However, in my first few years I used to make annual joke ‘applications’ for partnership at the

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B4 LEAD

“At Fish, one has the ability to learn and work in a wide range of fields. You’re allowed to take responsibility, express ideas, and are provided with excellent training

”

Denise Eyles - Tax Manager - Fish Partnership

office Christmas party. This would be done after the meal in front of the entire team, and each year the partners would find a new way of shooting me down (e.g. lack of common sense).

“When the senior partner first raised the possibility of the partner designate role he began the conversation with ‘you’ve often expressed an interest in becoming a partner here one day’ to which I looked blankly at him and thought ‘have I?’ Turns out he was referring to these attempts at comedy!”

For Chris becoming a partner-designate brings with it its own challenges which he is relishing with interest.

“I qualified in 2010, so the progression to partner designate has been incredibly quick for me.

Although exciting, this brings with it a number of challenges and some additional responsibilities,” he said.

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“I think the most exciting aspect of my new role will be developing relationships with the current generation of business managers and owners.

There are fantastic opportunities to work with clients over the long-term, providing advice and guidance through every stage of their business lifecycle. As a firm we pride ourselves on being a source of support to our clients whenever they need assistance.”

“We all feel a sense of pride in being part of the firm and although we all work hard we have a friendly supportive atmosphere in the office and the partners are flexible about taking time to meet family commitments.

For both Chris and Denise working at the Fish Partnership is a positive experience.

Chris said: “When I first worked with Fish Partnership, a summer internship in 2005, I was welcomed into the team and treated as if I was a new member of staff and not just some kid who was playing at being an accountant. I enjoyed my time with the firm and was delighted to be offered a job at the end of it.

“Employee input is encouraged by the partners.

Managers are encouraged to take client responsibility but the partners – or other managers – are always willing to help out if necessary.

“At Fish, one has the ability to learn and work in a wide range of fields. You’re allowed to take responsibility, express ideas, and are provided with excellent training.

“There is a real feeling of team spirit. There is a high level of interaction with colleagues - combining our skills to provide a complete service for clients.”

“I think that the culture of a firm is one of the most important things about choosing to work somewhere.

In Fish I found a firm that matched by core personal values of honesty, openness and integrity and so I didn’t consider working anywhere else.

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B4 LEAD

“Our team is made up of highly professional individuals that are extremely talented in their respective job roles” Chris Nisbet - Audit Senior - Fish Partnership

“When I was a junior, there was a really good group of trainees that all worked and socialised together and there was a fantastic atmosphere is the office – it was a professional, hard working environment but as the same time, a fun place to work. That atmosphere continues, although as I’ve progressed I have had to detach myself from the socialising a little bit more. But because the firm has such a good level of staff retention, the people that I socialised with when I was a trainee are now the people I am working with closely to help develop the business further, and the relationships we established early on help make it easier to work together in doing this.

“Our team is made up of highly professional individuals that are extremely talented in their respective job roles. This means that although we have a friendly and enjoyable working environment, we are very serious about what we do and very committed to providing the best quality service we can.

“It’s really important to me to feel that the services we offer can make a genuine difference to our clients. That is why as a firm we are not clockwatchers; we don’t bill for every minute of time we spend talking to the client. We want to be accessible and allow our clients to feel like they can contact us if they have a query without the fear of being hit with a bill for that service.”

And while the life of an accountant might seem boring to those on the outside of the profession, Chris and Denise both enjoy the challenges it brings. www.b4-business.com

“The diversity of what an average day brings makes the job enjoyable,” said Chris.

“My multi-faceted job role means that I can be working on a really interesting audit client in the morning, attending a networking event over lunch time and be working on some internal strategies in the afternoon. Despite the difficulties of ensuring that every aspect gets the necessary time and attention it’s this variety that makes the job so exciting.

“My favourite part of the job is the client/people contact. As accountants, we’re naturally interested in other people’s businesses, so talking through a set of accounts with the client can bring them to life. In order to be able to fully understand a set of accounts you have to get to know the people and the stories behind them, and this can only be done through communication and relationships.”

Denise added: “I enjoy the client contact and the puzzle solving aspect of tax in that the client will present a situation or proposed idea and it is extremely satisfying to apply tax knowledge, the client’s current and future wishes, my experience of HM Revenue’s stance and other similar situations encountered to provide a solution that will fit the client in all respects as far as possible.”

Chris and Denise understand the importance of their new role, ensuring that the practice continues to provide the very best service to its clients while meeting the testing economic environment.

“The main challenge for us is to continue to make sure our service is as good as it can be,” said Chris.

“It’s a very competitive market out there and clients have a choice about who they entrust as their accountant. We must continually prove that we are the right choice and the only way we can do that is to focus on our core objective of providing an outstanding client service.”

Denise added: “I think all businesses are having to be extremely competitive in the market today by reducing their prices and thus profit margins and this therefore means that individuals are always appreciative of any ideas that will reduce their tax liability.

“We therefore have to continue to provide clients with an excellent service and we hope to always exceed client expectations.

“For instance as cashflows for businesses become tighter we can help them to manage and monitor their cashflows effectively. We like to be able to provide broad, practical business advice as well as assist with pure accounting and tax issues.

“We know that we have to work hard to retain our existing clients as all practices are actively advertising. We also work extremely hard to promote our services to ensure that we keep attracting new clients.” www.fishpartnership.co.uk

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B4 R&R

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AT MACDONALD COMPLEAT ANGLER HOTEL RED OR BLACK PARTY NIGHTS Come and experience some Christmas magic at a themed red or black party night in the stylish Macdonald Compleat Angler overlooking the river Thames at Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The four AA red star hotel will be hosting fun festive join-a-party evenings from Thursday 5th until Saturday 21st December.

Make up a group, large or small, dress in your best to walk the red carpet on arrival and enjoy a welcome red or black cocktail to put you in the Christmas spirit before sitting down to a sumptuous three-course meal. Later let the croupier guide you to success on the roulette wheel to win some great prizes in the fun casino; then join everyone on the dance floor until after midnight as the hotel’s resident Dj plays some great music.

Compleat Angler party nights will be held in the elegant Regency Suite for groups of up to 120 people. The fun starts at 7pm with drinks before the set dinner created by the hotel’s new AA two rosette Head Chef Sanobia ‘Snowy’ Cutino. The menu begins with oak smoked John Ross Jr salmon ballotine followed by traditional roast British turkey and all the trimmings for mains and a dark chocolate and orange opera with coffee and petits fours to finish; a vegetarian option is also available.

Prices are from just £39 per person including the entertainment.

The Regency Suite can also be booked exclusively for private parties with special festive packages including table novelties, disco and room hire.

Alternative themes and additional evening www.b4-business.com

entertainment can be arranged offering a great chance to personalise your party.

Christmas party planners can also take advantage of Macdonald Compleat Angler’s early bird offer; parties booked before 1st November will receive 10% off pre-ordered wine. And everyone joining a Christmas party at the hotel can stay overnight at a special rate from £120 B&B per room per night.

Guess the murderer!

To set the mood for the party season, Macdonald Compleat Angler is staging a Murder Mystery Evening on Friday, 29th November. Experience the excitement of becoming a detective, enjoy fine festive cuisine and the spine-tingling anticipating of knowing dreadful events are about to unfold.

Dinner only is £55 per person or complete the evening with an overnight stay from £130pp B&B based on two sharing. The festive Murder Mystery Evening should be booked direct with the Killing Game on 0845 1667510.

Festive Lunches and Dinners throughout December Between Monday 2nd and Monday 23rd December, the hotel’s AA two rosette Bowaters restaurant will be serving a seasonal lunch and

dinner menu with two courses from £20 per person and three from £25 (excluding Sunday lunch and jazz evenings on 6th, 13th, 20th and 30th December).

With views over the Thames, Bowaters restaurant is named after the owners of the hotel for almost fifty years, Sir Ian and Lady Bowater, the riverside restaurant offers outstanding modern British food matched by a fine cellar. Lunches are relaxed and informal, while in the evening Bowaters is the perfect place for magical festive dining by candlelight with its stunning views across the river to Marlow Bridge and the floodlit parish church.

Dating back to the 17th century, Macdonald Compleat Angler takes its name from Isaak Walton’s world-famous book on angling. It’s now a peaceful haven perfectly placed for fishing, golfing, boutique shopping and exploring royal history in nearby Windsor and Henley. Most of the 64 rooms have river views and some are in sight and sound of cascading water over Marlow Weir.

For more details and to make a festive booking call 0844 879 9128 or visit www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk/CompleatAngler

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B4 SPOTLIGHT

TOM INGRAM

ON THE FAST TRACK AND READY TO SHIFT UP A GEAR IN 2014 The recently-crowned Ginetta GT Supercup Champion met with B4’s Richard Rosser and talked about his plans to move up to the intensely competitive British Touring Car Championship next season.

Tom Ingram is certainly a young man in a major hurry, having won three national championships over the past four years. But he wants more.

Much more.

If he manages to pull it off – and history shows that he invariably does – Tom will be lining up on the starting grid for the opening round of the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Brands Hatch on March 30, in the full glare of live ITV4 television cameras, a viewing audience of a staggering 20 million and up to 40,000 trackside spectators. He is more than ready for the challenge.

Let’s rewind for a moment. Born in High Wycombe on 20 August, 1993, Tom grew up watching his father Bruce race go-karts – Pro-Kart Heavy, or ‘The Fat Boys’, as he jokes they used to be dubbed – and would sit in the kart whenever it was in the garage and pretend to be racing.

He did not have to pretend for long. At five, he drove a kart himself for the first time; three years later, he entered his first race and finished third, taking home the best novice accolade for good measure. He quips that he was ‘annoyed not to get two trophies, both for finishing on the podium and as top rookie’ – but then, Tom’s fire of ambition has always burned bright.

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Appointed a British Racing Drivers’ Club ‘Rising Star’ In 2005, he graduated to the Mini Max class – and was straightaway the fastest driver on the circuit.

The following season, competing as a privateer with his small, family-run outfit, a supremely consistent performance up against a whole host of rivals with infinitely greater budgets and major team support secured Tom the coveted BRDC Stars of Tomorrow British Championship crown. Who did he emulate in that achievement? Lewis Hamilton, that’s who.

In 2009, he made the move up into cars in the BTCC-supporting Ginetta Junior Championship – and his impact was immediate, ascending the rostrum in only his second meeting and claiming a double pole position in his fourth, before a lack of funding curtailed his campaign.

He was back the next year, however, and courtesy of five victories and eight further podium finishes, he successfully clinched the champion’s laurels. His reward was a test outing in a BTCC Vauxhall Vectra with Pirtek Racing. Needless to say, he impressed them as well, with team principal Mike Jordan remarking that Tom ‘really grabbed the opportunity and did an outstanding job’. Shortly after, he was appointed a ‘Rising Star’ by the prestigious British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC).

Another step-up beckoned for 2011, into the G50 Cup class of the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup. He dominated that, too, winning an astonishing 40 per cent of the races he started and taking the fight to the more powerful Ginetta G55 brigade along the way. Come season’s end, he was inducted into the MSA Academy, run by Britain’s motorsport governing body.

In 2012, Tom was in a G55 himself and made full use of it, earning one of just two places in the elite new ‘KX Akademy’ driver support programme and tussling for the title until a nasty start-line crash at Knockhill in Scotland – caused by driveshaft failure on the grid – dashed his hopes of collecting a hattrick of car racing crowns in as many years.

‘A talent that’s more than worth keeping an eye on’ Undeterred, he returned in 2013 to finish the job off, triumphing on 11 occasions and tallying an unprecedented 22 consecutive podium finishes to seal the deal four races from the end of the season – bringing him firmly onto the radar of the leading BTCC teams. Former BTCC Champion Tim Harvey lauded the 20-year-old’s accomplishment as ‘exceptional’ and three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx described him as ‘a talent that’s more than worth keeping an eye on’.

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WHAT THE

EXPE RTS SAY...

Jason Plato, Two-Time British Touring Car Champion and KX Akademy Mentor “Tom is clearly a very gifted young racing driver who appears to have a bright future within the sport. He is a very hard-working, intelligent and pleasant lad who listens and takes everything in, and his level of success speaks for itself.”

“We worked so hard for it because we wanted it so badly,” Tom confessed. “It really was the realisation of a dream. We’ve never been in the fortunate situation of being able to rely upon family money, and I can’t thank my sponsors – especially SKYCIG, KX and Hansford Sensors – enough, because without their unstinting support, we simply wouldn’t have been out there racing. I only hope what we have achieved goes some way towards repaying the faith they have shown in me.”

Having not been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and having had to scrimp-and-save every single step along the way, those sponsors have played a pivotal role in this young driver’s success, and they clearly see the benefits of an association with one of the country’s most promising motorsport talents – one who, despite his tender years, palpably appreciates the importance of always maintaining a thoroughly professional approach.

Never shy of hard work, Tom has fought and fought and fought and never given up, even when the odds have seemed to be almost inconceivably stacked against him – even when his family almost lost their house to keep his dream alive. From the age of just 16,

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he boldly stood up and gave talks at business networking events in an effort to garner local support – and two of his current sponsors are the direct result of that precocious initiative.

‘We just need to take that one final step’ “For me,” he confesses, “it’s never been about F1. I know that’s the pinnacle for many drivers, but looking at things realistically, unless you have significant backing behind you, you’re not going to make it. Touring cars, on the other hand, are still very high-profile but also extremely enjoyable and you can really forge a professional career there – which has always been my goal. I’m unbelievably excited about what the future may hold for myself and my sponsors because we’re so close now. We just need to take that one final step.”

His sheer grit and unswerving drive and determination are unparalleled in the paddock – and this will doubtless serve Tom and his sponsors well as he strives to raise the substantially higher budget level required in order to make the BTCC grade and line up on the grid in 2014.

If you are interested in getting in contact with Tom, he can be reached at: tom@tom-ingram.com

Jamie Nicholson, Marketing Co-ordinator, SKYCIG (UK) “Sponsorship in motorsport is evolving all the time, and Tom’s creative intelligence and contribution to our 2013 programme has been very welcome. His management team also plays a key role, matching his success on the track with professionalism and personal touch in equal measure. A delight to be associated with!”

Chris Hansford, Managing Director, Hansford Sensors “Tom is an extremely focussed and ambitious young man who has achieved a great deal of success over the past few years and will go far in his chosen career. Our relationship with Tom has given us far more media exposure than we would otherwise have had and has provided us with additional business contacts, which has obviously been highly beneficial. Through his pleasant and mature manner, Tom has proven to be an excellent ambassador for our company.”

Steve Rider, BAFTA-Winning Television Sports Presenter and Broadcaster “Tom is a very confident performer in front of the cameras. He understands exactly what is required when it comes to striking the right balance between verbalising the support of his sponsors and telling the story of the race. In terms of his communication skills, he is of the same mould as Jason Plato – and you really can’t speak much more highly than that.”

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An inspired choice of venue The Oakley Court Hotel has vast experience of hosting major conferences in stunning surroundings making it an inspired choice of venue. Hold your conference at Oakley Court and you’ll impress, captivate and inspire your delegates.

We guarantee the very best in service standards offering conference suites and executive boardrooms within a prestigious location. Our unique rooms range from original rooms in the Mansion House which are over 150 years old with high ceilings and original features, to a purpose built function room called The Boathouse on the banks of the River Thames.

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A HOTEL WITH CHARACTER The Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor Road, Water Oakley, Windsor, SL4 5UR Tel: 01753 609988 www.theoakleycourthotel.co.uk

B4 SERVICES

BUSY OFFICES

Gavin Masson owner and Managing Director of Busy Offices, a brand of the Busy Homes cleaning company talks to B4 about all things cleaning.

Following the loss of his job 10 years ago, Gavin went out and bought a vacuum and some cleaning materials and literally started cleaning homes for a living. ‘I didn’t want to be a Consultant or to have to chase a sale every week, I wanted a business that would provide a repeat income stream with opportunities for growth – more and more people are pressed for time and are outsourcing their home cleaning services, so here we are,’ says Gavin.

He quickly found that many clients expressed their frustration at the poor service they received from their cleaning companies and were impressed with the refreshing approach taken by Busy Homes, and Gavin spotted an opportunity to provide a good quality cleaning service backed up by excellent customer service.

With his 15 year business background in customer service gained with some blue chip companies like American Express and Coopers and Lybrand Gavin was able to develop the Busy Homes brand which now has over 350 customers served by a dedicated team of 25 daily cleaning operatives and two Supervisors.

‘By providing consistently high levels of quality cleaning backed up by great customer service we www.b4-business.com

have built a loyal customer base who give us repeat business every week. We clean over 50 homes and businesses every day which makes us the largest dedicated home cleaning operation in the South Bucks area.’

“By providing

consistently high levels of quality cleaning backed up by great customer service we have built a loyal customer base who give us repeat business every week

”

This year Busy Homes were recognised in the Bucks Ambassadors Awards scheme, Customer Service category, coming second place to John Lewis.

‘This was a fantastic achievement and a reward for all the hard work done by our staff every day,’ says Gavin.

On the back of this Home cleaning business Busy Ironing was created and this business has grown to such an extent that Gavin is now looking to relocate the business to cope with the growth!

Throughout this period the teams have cleaned offices mainly in the evenings and early mornings and this has worked really well for staff who wanted extra work. Now a dedicated Busy Offices brand has been created to target this market and the aim is to deliver the same high quality service in this sector.

As an incentive to switch your office cleaning to Busy Offices Gavin is offering a Free initial Deep clean and Free initial two weeks cleaning - and if you’re a Bucks 4 C member like Gavin he will also allocate 5% of the annual contract value to the Bucks 4C organisation, helping to support our local community.

So why not try the ‘Busy’ brand experience yourself and meet the team who aim to deliver the highest quality service in their chosen market. www.busyoffices.net www.busyhomes.net

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B4 EDUCATION

AYLESBURY COLLEGE

BUILDING THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE Exciting times lie ahead for Aylesbury College as we strive to become an ‘Outstanding’ College, Karen Mitchell takes over the helm as Principal and a new senior team is in place. Aylesbury Enterprise (AE), our business division, continues to grow as new courses and programmes come on line to meet our local employer needs. Apprenticeships also remain a key focus and recently the College engaged with its 100th employer claiming the government grant (£1,500), for employing an apprentice. This grant is still available for employers. Traineeships have just been launched for employers, and we believe passionately that these courses will meet employer needs as well as those of our young people.

Employers set the agenda Schemes led by employers are becoming ever more important in our aim to prepare the next generation of young people for employment.

Aylesbury College has been running apprenticeships for almost 30 years and is now embracing the Government’s recently launched ‘Traineeships’ programme.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: "We are introducing Traineeships to give young people what they need to be able to get a job and hold down a job, to get on the first rung of the employment ladder and help them to drive the country's economy.

"More than 150 businesses have so far come forward to provide their skill and expertise in helping to design training. I hope to see more companies of all sizes signing up to help nurture the talent of this country's young people."

Traineeships will combine essential work skills training for young people aged 16 to 23 with a high quality work placement to prepare them for an Apprenticeship or other job. They will have essential work preparation training including Maths and English (for those who don’t already have GCSE A*-C equivalent), alongside high quality work experience from six weeks up to a maximum of six months. The work preparation element will ensure the individual has the skills and confidence needed, with the work experience giving meaningful insight into the world of work.

Tim Keighley, Executive Director of Engagement & Business Development at Aylesbury College comments: “Recent research by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)

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and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) confirms that less than a quarter of businesses in the past few years have recruited young people directly from education, as they lack key attributes for the workplace. As an education provider we will continue to ensure our students have the skills they need to become part of a talented workforce by supporting Traineeships alongside our successful Apprenticeship scheme’.

74% of employers cite experience as a critical or significant factor when recruiting, but only 38% of young people feel ready for the workplace. The need to prepare young people for work becomes very clear.

The National Apprenticeship Service is now urging more employers in the region to come on board. Karen Woodward, Director at the National Apprenticeship Service, says: “Through offering traineeships, businesses can help prepare the next generation of employees. It is one of the ways that employers can ensure a pipeline of talented young people with the personal and practical skills required in the labour market. Developed with the needs of business in mind, Traineeships will help employers address skills deficits and provide a clear and high quality route for young people looking to take their next step towards their future careers.”

100th employer offering Apprenticeship is signed up Aylesbury College has signed an agreement with Impact Sign Solutions Ltd, based in the Rabans Lane Industrial Area, who has become the College’s 100th employer to gain the Apprenticeship Grant from the Government

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“Apprenticeships seem to be one of the rare ‘win-win’ situations in the current business climate.”

Andy Borrow, Managing Director, from Impact Sign Solutions

following the employment of an apprentice. The company is advertising the opportunity for a Digital Marketing Apprentice through the Government’s National Apprentice website.

Andy Borrow, Managing Director, from Impact Sign Solutions said: “Apprenticeships seem to be one of the rare ‘win-win’ situations in the current business climate. The apprentice gets paid to learn with a real job at the end of it, the employer gets a resource and a fresh outlook that they may not have otherwise been able to afford. The better the relationship between the apprentice and employer, the better the prospects for them both.”

L to R: Andy Borrow, Managing Director, Impact Sign Solutions and Dave Satchell, Work Base Learning Manager for Aylesbury College.

The Apprenticeship scheme at Aylesbury College allows students the opportunity to gain a qualification whilst in full time employment. They attend college for one day a week to undertake study for their Technical Certificate and for the rest of the week work and train with their employer.

They are supported in the workplace by a college Training Assessor who undertakes regular review meetings with the employer and the student to ensure progress towards completion of the NVQ section of the framework and also assess evidence relating to the NVQ. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP said recently: “Apprenticeships are at the heart of our drive for a stronger economy, equipping people of all ages with the skills employers need to prosper and compete, often in a global market. They give hard-working young people the chance to aim high for their dream job.”

Other employers working with Aylesbury College include; Gatsby & Miller, Urban Media, El Harvey & Sons, Dinton Pre-School & Princes Risborough Golf Club. www.aylesbury.ac.uk

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B4 BBF

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS RECOGNISING THE BRIGHTEST BUSINESSES IN BUCKS! Bucks leading business awards are back bigger and better than ever and with a new name. Formerly the Bucks Ambassadors’ Enterprise Awards, the awards have been rebranded The Buckinghamshire Business Awards to reflect Buckinghamshire’s position as the ‘Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain’.

Launched in 2006 to recognise and celebrate Bucks’ brightest businesses, the awards have become a highlight of the business calendar.

Previous winners include Procure Health and Orchard Farm.

Businesses interested in supporting the awards and encouraging enterprises in the county can take advantage of the sponsorship opportunities available. Sponsors in 2013 benefited from media coverage worth over £100,000.

There are various opportunities to get involved in the awards, either as an entrant or as a sponsor.

Winners and shortlisted companies can benefit from increased awareness through the extensive PR campaign and can take the opportunity to promote their success in their own marketing materials.

The awards are open for entry from October 2013 and businesses across Buckinghamshire are eligible to enter. The awards will launch at a drinks reception at the Compleat Angler on 24 October 2013. www.bbf.uk.com.

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The 11 categories are: • Apprentice Employer • Business Leader • Company of the Year • Enterprising Charity • Excellence in Customer Service • Exporter • Green Business • Innovative Business • Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality • Rural Business • Small Business

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B4 NEWS

B4 EVENTS Photography: Richard Shymansky (The Forbury Hotel) and Daria Montella for B4 (Compleat Angler)

PHOTO DIARY B4 Ambassadors, Members and their guests recently enjoyed two events at The Forbury in Reading and The Compleat Angler in Marlow.

Our event at the fabulous Forbury Hotel saw members and guests from across the B4 network enjoy wonderful wine and canapés provided by our hosts. If this is a venue you are unfamiliar with, make sure you take a look at our review on the B4 Berkshire website. The great news is that if you’re a B4 Ambassador, you can take advantage of an incredible discount through the Ambassadors Card scheme – see website for more details.

The Compleat Angler played host to our latest B4 Buckinghamshire event. We weren’t expecting such a beautiful evening, which was perfect on the banks of the River Thames. This event was attended by over 100 guests and co-hosted by Bucks Business First who launched the 2014 BBF Business Awards.

Why don’t you make sure you book yourself in for the remaining B4 events of 2013 and the fantastic events we’ve got lined up for 2014 which include: Hartwell House Hotel and Spa, The Old Bodleian Library, Heythrop, The Said Business School, The Berystede in Ascot, Newbury Racecourse and more.

Call B4 on 01865 742211 to find out more about joining B4 and getting access to all of these events and more in 2014 or visit www.b4-business.com

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HARTWELL HOUSE

Just over an hour from London, Hartwell House, part of the National Trust, is one of England’s most spectacular Stately Homes and the ideal destination for all manner of business & leisure activities. 2013 is the year the UK assumed the one-year Presidency of the G7, an informal forum of countries representing around half of global economic output. As part of the Presidency, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Governor of the Bank of England co-chaired a meeting at Hartwell House with G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on Friday 10 May and Saturday 11 May. Accommodation Hartwell House is no stranger to people of influence: its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King of France, who lived here with his court for five years. Built from the early 17th century, this Grade I listed building in Buckinghamshire today has 52 bedrooms, all individually furnished with fine pictures and antiques. There are 32 rooms, including four poster bedrooms, in the main house, 16 suites and bedrooms in the Hartwell Court and a further 4 bedrooms in the Old Rectory. The house has both Jacobean and Georgian features with outstanding decorative plaster-work and panelling in all four of the drawing rooms.

The Grounds The 90 acres of gardens and parkland are equally inspiring, laid out, at the start of the 18th century, in the formal style, with allées and garden buildings: temples, columns, an obelisk, garden statuary, and canals. They were later naturalised in the style of Capability Brown.

Dining Dining at Hartwell House is a true Best of British experience which is why the restaurant has won several awards. Using locally sourced and home grown

32

food the restaurant has established Aylesbury Duck as a must try dish at selected times of the year. Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner are all offered here and several menus have been created. Of particular note is the Chefs seasonal 3 course set lunch or dinner menu available Monday to Friday for only £24.95 per person, perfect to treat friends or for small business lunches or dinners. There are also two private dining rooms able to

“The house has both Jacobean and Georgian features with outstanding decorative plaster-work and panelling

”

accommodate groups from 8 to 36 guests. Both of these rooms, the Octagon and Doric dining rooms are extremely popular during the festive season for companies wishing to organise a Christmas lunch or dinner, and coupled with special seasonal choice lunch and dinner menus extremely good value for money at £34.00 or £44.00 per person respectively.

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B4 R&R

“Whether you’re putting the mind to work or simply allowing mind and body to relax, Hartwell House & Spa offers the perfect setting for all

”

Meetings and Events Meeting rooms are situated in the Hartwell Court some 100 yards from the main house, and include the James Gibbs and James Wyatt rooms for larger meetings and dining, with the Eric Throssell boardroom and Henry Keene room situated on the first floor for smaller meetings. In addition the Old Rectory at Hartwell, situated in two acres of private grounds adjacent to the hotel is ideal for a small gathering. With gated access, four bedrooms all en suite, one of which is a four poster suite, dining room, drawing room and boardroom for up to 10 guests, plus an outdoor swimming pool it is perfect to use as a get away and more intimate events.

Rates Hartwell House offers extremely competitive delegate rates whether based on 24 hour stays or for day delegates which are regularly updated on the website, and for those companies local to

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Hartwell you can take advantage of the Corporate Rate of £95 + VAT per night (excluding Saturday) inclusive of cooked breakfast, free wifi and use of the Hartwell Spa. The Spa Guests can recharge by enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the Spa which offers an indoor pool lined with mosaic tiles, a steam room, sauna and a whirlpool bath. An extensive selection of spa treatments is offered using Aromatherapy Associates as the main brand, including a wide variety of body massages, facials, detoxifying treatments, bronzing treatments. A fully equipped gymnasium is also available.

Nearby Hartwell House, an abundance of historic sights await including Waddesdon Manor, Blenheim Palace and Stowe Landscape Gardens. For fans of shopping, Europe’s leading luxury designer outlet

destination, Bicester Village, is located close by.

Everything about Hartwell House creates an ambiance of greatness; from arrival – leading up to the house to the experience within the house; bedrooms, great hall, restaurant and spa. Whether you’re putting the mind to work or simply allowing mind and body to relax, Hartwell House & Spa offers the perfect setting for all.

To make an enquiry or for further information on Meetings, Dining or Special Events at Hartwell House please call 01296 746501 or email conf@hartwell-house.com www.hartwell-house.com Hartwell House, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR, Tel: +44 (1296) 747444.

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B4 R&R

THE MYSTERY OF

WESTCOTT REVEALED Once a WWII airfield used to train crews that went on to fly the iconic Lancaster Bomber, Westcott Venture Park continues to provide a sense of mystery. B4 Magazine spoke to the park’s project manager, Nigel MacKenzie, for an insider’s guide of what takes place beyond the closely guarded perimeter fence, writes Kelly Lea.

When approaching the park, visitors are initially faced with a very large rocket displayed at the entrance, illustrating what has become a reoccurring theme throughout Westcott’s history.

With some assistance from a Cosworth Formula One engine, Falcon Project’s hybrid rocket, the largest designed in Europe, will propel the car to its top speed with Wing Commander Andy Green at the helm.

Shortly after welcoming nearly 53,000 liberated POWs who were flown into Westcott and Oakley in 1945, the RAF moved-out and the base became a secret Government Research Establishment, involved in the research and development of rocket propulsion.

“We are very proud

This high-tech research and development business continues at Westcott to this day in the fields of satellite and defence propulsion systems.

Rocket development, manufacture and testing plays a major role for a number of Westcott’s tenants including 29 year old Daniel Jubb head of The Falcon Project a sponsor for BLOODHOUND, which aims to set a new land speed record of 1,000mph in a car powered by a jet engine and rocket.

of Westcott’s history which is still shaping the park today

”

Nigel MacKenzie - Project Manager, Westcott Venture Park

“We are very proud of Westcott’s history which is still shaping the park today,’ comments Nigel MacKenzie. “It is home to rocket scientists at the cutting edge of this technology which has experienced a resurgence in recent years due in part to Government involvement but also people’s fascination with space “ With over 30 year’s of commercial property industry

34

experience, Nigel became project manager of Westcott just one year ago and is responsible for developing the park’s next chapter.

“The initial challenge in my role at Westcott was to fully understand how the park and businesses on the park operate,” explains Nigel. “This is a lively tight-knit community and our aim is to actively create opportunities for business generation and growth so tenants can achieve a higher level of success.”

Home to 71 businesses and employing over 400 people on site, Westcott is thriving. In the last 18 months the owners Rockspring have invested over £ 6 million in infrastructure including a new estate road and gatehouse complex New occupiers moving in include Bucks Recycling, Shanks and FedEx who recognised the benefits of the secure and strategic location.

Importantly, Rockspring’s investment has openedup a large amount of land for further development, with outline planning permission granted for three separate areas on the park spread across 35 acres.

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“There is fantastic potential for businesses already on the park and those who are keen to move to the park,” comments Nigel. “We are in discussions with many new companies wishing to work here and look forward to welcoming a host of new faces soon. However, we do recognise that our existing tenants are our greatest assets and finest ambassadors. We are actively engaging with the companies on the park who are looking to expand to plan for their future development.”

There’s a clean, green and sunny outlook for Westcott, which in 2011 became one of the first business parks in Britain to start generating a big share of its own renewable energy.

A new solar park has been created, achieving significant energy and carbon savings since installing 6,102 solar panels over an area of ten acres. To date, 2.8million kWh has been produced in 25 months, the majority of which has benefitted tenants on the park.

“Solar power has proved to be a highly effective alternative energy source for Westcott and we’re

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committed to building on the success achieved so far,” comments Nigel. “Our focus on renewable energy and efficiency is visibly attracting new

“Solar power has

proved to be a highly effective alternative energy source for Westcott and we’re committed to building on the success achieved so far

”

Nigel MacKenzie - Project Manager, Westcott Venture Park

tenants to the park like Shanks and Bucks Recycling, with many commenting on the park’s progressive approach to sustainability as a key

reason for locating their businesses within its grounds.”

Importantly, there was welcome comment when planning permission was granted for the scheme by the County Council’s archaeology arm. It said that the scheme was not likely to ‘materially cause harm’ to the historical asset (the surviving 1942 runway, where WWII bomber crews trained), and that it was a ‘very effective use of these heritage assets’. The new solar park was in keeping with the ‘innovative technology history of Westcott.’

So what’s next for Westcott Venture Park? B4 Magazine will be covering a host of exciting stories in the next few months from record-breaking rockets through to stylish garden retreats. This should read: Watch this space as a thriving business community develops.

If you are interested in further information about Westcott Venture Park, visit: www.westcottventurepark.com

35

Going the extra mile

We don’t just want your event to be a success – we want the planning and hosting of it to be as easy, stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

We have a superb in-house team of event managers, chefs, technical and hospitality staff who all work endlessly to ensure the smooth running of our events.

For more information on our current day delegate offers visit www.cheltenham.co.uk Call 01242 539 538 or email cheltenhamevents@thejockeyclub.co.uk for our latest brochure.

• Over 10,000 free parking spaces • Capacity for 2 – 2,250 people • Full on site technical, AV and Marketing support available • Experienced and dedicated event management service • Bespoke catering options • Superb views of Cotswold Hills • Close to major road and rail links

@CheltRaceEvents

• Free Wi-Fi in key rooms

B4 ADVICE

HR ADVICE THAT WORKS FOR YOUR BUSINESS In over 16 years no client that has followed Crispin Rhodes’ advice has ever been successfully taken to an employment tribunal or fallen foul of any HR related minefield

With Christmas around the corner – a time when many businesses employ temporary staff and when employees are prone to calling in sick - many employers wonder about what rights their employees have and where the law sits on managing them.

permitted to carry the leave forward into the next holiday year.

Let’s take a look at two of the most common questions the festive season brings –

And it’s worth noting, it makes no difference whether the illness occurred before the scheduled holiday was due to commence or occurred during the holiday period. The period of postponed holiday given must be the same as the period of annual leave lost due to sickness.

Q: Can my employee accrue their holiday when they’ve been absent on sick leave?

Q: With Christmas coming up, what employment rights to our temps have?

A: We often find that many of the business owners we work with don’t know that employees on longterm sick leave continue to accrue holiday pay just

A: There are many misconceptions concerning temps, however the bottom line is that all employees have the same rights. And this applies

when employing temporary staff, and do remember to take references – even if they’re only filling a temporary role you don’t want to be left exposed.

Many of the businesses we meet worry about being taken to an employment tribunal but expect the cost of professional HR support to be expensive. This often leads to business owners feeling under pressure to know everything about employment legislation themselves – and that’s where mistakes happen, even with the best of intentions.

The aim of Crispin Rhodes is to keep things simple.

Most of our clients use us as a bolt-on member of

“Most of our clients use us as a bolt-on member of their own team, calling us into the business for specific issues and emailing/calling us for day-to-day advice Sharon Pugh - Crispin Rhodes

as if they were working in the business. And what’s more, they’re entitled to carry over any holiday they don’t take due to their illness.

One of the important recent cases where this was put before a tribunal was a case known as NHS Leeds v Larner (2012). In it the Court of Appeal held that a worker was entitled to carry forward untaken paid annual leave even though they may be absent on long-term sick leave; that there was no legal requirement for her to have submitted a request to take the holiday; and where sickness prevented the worker from taking their holiday in the year in which it was due, they would be

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”

to full-time, part-time, permanent or temporary workers.

As a quick summary, each worker must 1) receive a written statement of their main terms of conditions, including pay, hours, etc if they are to be employed for longer than a month, and 2) will be eligible for holiday in the same way that fulltime/permanent staff are. Treating them differently to your full-time employees could very quickly land you in hot water!

And don’t forget - a fixed term contract containing both a start and an end date can be beneficial

their own team, calling us into the business for specific issues and emailing/calling us for day-today advice. And the great thing is, there are no surprise fees – our bolt-on service is included in an inexpensive monthly retainer.

So if you have an HR question or want guidance on your HR related issues, give us a call for a friendly chat and a free audit of your HR policies and procedures. You can reach Sharon Pugh directly on 07713 642702 or 0118 9414941 – or visit www.crispinrhodes.co.uk for more information about the help we can provide.

37

“partnering with a strong corporate and commercial

practice can help management and owners minimise the disruption of change, protect business legacy and maximise shareholder value

”

B ACKSTAGE SUPPORT: BPC

OLLINS HELPS EVENTS CREWING COMPANY BUILD INTERNATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

In the summer edition of B4 Magazine, corporate partner Simon Deans explained the B P Collins approach to corporate relationships. In this edition, we hear first-hand how lawyers at B P Collins have helped international events crewing company, Gallowglass, expand and diversify.

The importance of trusted legal advice to support sustainable business expansion cannot be underestimated.

And, as private organisations grow, diversify and develop international operations, the need for independent advice to help secure and enhance the value of a business is a critical to long-term growth.

Evidence shows that, in a fast-evolving business environment, partnering with a strong corporate and commercial practice can help management and owners minimise the disruption of change, protect business legacy and maximise shareholder value. This has certainly proved to be the case throughout the ten-year partnership between events crewing company Gallowglass Ltd and the full-service legal firm, B P Collins LLP. The company Gallowglass is the largest events crewing company in the UK and Europe, providing complete crewing

38

support service for corporate events, exhibitions, festivals and official ceremonies. Established in 1996 with a client-base of just five companies, Gallowglass now boasts more than 2000 customers, including high profile brands such as the BBC, ITV and the London 2012 Olympics.

The business has subsequently diversified into a Group of companies, with the introduction of organisations providing adjacent services such as health and safety consultancy, environmental/event sustainability and training & development. In the process it has expanded its international presence beyond the UK, with operations in Barcelona, Nice, Paris and Monaco, and offices in Qatar due to open later this year. The rapid rise of Gallowglass as an internationally-renowned brand has been underpinned by independent advice, support and legal expertise from B P Collins LLP. Gallowglass first began working with B P Collins LLP in 2003 and has maintained a valuable relationship

with the firm ever since. “B P Collins LLP has been fundamental to our growth and has been a trusted advisor throughout all our key developments in the past decade,” says Nick Grecian, Managing Director at Gallowglass. “Our initial engagement with them was to sort out the contractual shareholdings of the company and establish a legal platform and structure for the future growth of the business.

Their expertise in corporate law at this stage was hugely beneficial, and they guided us enormously in terms of business valuation, contracts and negotiation. And we’ve relied on their guidance ever since.”

B P Collins LLP has subsequently continued to play an important role in evaluating commercial contracts with Gallowglass’ clients. It has also provided property law services to support Gallowglass through a major office move and to handle leasing arrangements to increase the capacity of its premises during London 2012.

“Whenever we have any major developments

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B4 SPOTLIGHT

within the business, B P Collins LLP is one of our first ports of call,” says Nick.

“They are able to offer pragmatic and honest advice to help us ensure we are doing the right thing and are legally protected by binding contracts. We really value their opinions from a commercial perspective.”

B P Collins LLP has been instrumental in the diversification and international expansion of Gallowglass Ltd – supporting the company through a major restructuring exercise when it opted to split the crewing and consultancy arms of the business into two distinct groups. “B P Collins LLP also helped us set up our health and safety consultancy, which included the acquisition of another business. They created an LLP with the existing principle consultant and helped us to incorporate the new company within the group. Subsequently they have provided similar support in helping us establish our sustainability and training businesses,” says Nick.

Gallowglass’ international expansion – a crucial part of the company’s growth strategy – has also dictated the need for robust legal support. “Since we now dominate the domestic market, we realise that future growth is likely to come from overseas markets – so expansion into Europe and beyond has been a key priority for us. We have recently opened in Monaco and Paris and are shortly due to launch in Dubai. We are also looking at opportunities in Rio and Australia,” says Nick. “But all of these countries present different challenges.

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B P Collins helps us to assess the options and advises on how we might handle things – not simply in terms of the company set-up, but also around how we operate on the ground. Do we need partners? How do we find them? What are the best contractual arrangements to protect our interests? These are key questions – and B P Collins LLP gives us a really good steer on how we should respond.”

Gallowglass cites the trusted relationship it has built with B P Collins LLP as one of the main reasons why the partnership has been so durable. “We have an open and transparent relationship; they know everything about us,” says Nick.” Relationships are incredibly important to us as a business – and transparency and disclosure is critical to that. To make sure we get the best advice, we need to be able to share everything that’s going on in the business with them – and you can only do that if you’ve got total trust in the relationship.

We not only trust B P Collins LLP, but we see tremendous value in the relationship we have with them. And to have maintained that relationship for ten years is a testament to the work they have done with us. They’ve been fundamental to our growth.”

To contact Simon Deans, or a member of the corporate legal team at B P Collins LLP, please call us on: 01753 279075 or email commercial@bpcollins.co.uk

39

HAPPY TO BE DIFFERENT

Creative Artwork - from concept to print High quality litho and digital printing Digital Publishing to Apps

t: 01264 359359 www.advent-colour.co.uk

B4 R&R

“Thank you for everything

you did to help us have such a great wedding day! We really could not fault anything, the venue looked terrific, the staff were very helpful and the food was excellent. Thank you again for such a brilliant job!

”

Mrs Grimshaw, August 2013

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH A FREE ROUND OF GOLF AT MAGNOLIA PARK! Experience playing at Magnolia Park Golf & Country Club - one of the country’s most challenging and picturesque golf courses – completely FREE! Our Course With our sweeping championship 18-hole course of around 7,000 yards set in over 200 acres of rolling Buckinghamshire countryside, Magnolia Park is known to many as the closest a parkland course can be to a Links, due to its beautiful water features and sometimes windy conditions. This year Magnolia Park was proud to host the Jamega Pro Golf Tour & Pro Am and it was so successful that we are hosting it again in August 2014!

Our Facilities Magnolia Park Golf Club is the only UK golf club with the amazing 3D Motion Golf swing analysis system, and is also home to the exclusive Cleveland Srixon Club & Ball Fitting Centre. We have an extensive list of facilities available to members and visitors including: • 18 hole championship course • 9 hole academy course • Stunning venue for parties & weddings • Meeting and conferencing facilities • Fully licenced bar & restaurant • Indoor teaching & custom fitting studio • Exclusive 3D Motion Golf system • Cleveland/Srixon Centre of Excellence for professional club and ball fitting • PGA Professional • Pro Shop stocked with top brands • Fully equipped Gym, changing rooms, steam room & sauna • Satellite TV showing all the best sport • Stocked fishing lakes www.b4-business.com

Our Clubhouse Our aim is to ensure your visit with us will be one to remember. When the time comes to relax, our friendly staff will provide the best of service in comfortable surroundings. Our licenced bar & terrace overlooks the golf course and offers a great menu in relaxed and informal surroundings Memberships Our Membership packages include single, joint, family, intermediate, junior and lifetime and are available at fantastic rates. Magnolia Park is a thriving, proactive club with a busy competition calendar and a lively, social clubhouse. Check our website for full details of membership packages and the latest Membership offer for 2014!

The Perfect Venue for your Christmas or New Year Party!

Magnolia Park is a stunning venue for your Christmas or New Years Eve Party so why not call us now to book your party night now! Our function suite is a beautifully appointed with great views across the surrounding countryside, plenty of natural daylight and a lovely terrace area. It seats up to 120 guests for a sit down meal and can accommodate up to 250 guests for a buffet menu.

We’re also a fully licensed Civil Ceremony Venue with 2 rooms licensed for civil ceremonies, accommodating up to 130 guests for your ceremony.

Magnolia Park offers you great value for money and our experienced Events Team have years of experience in event management ensuring you receive a warm, friendly and professional level of service.

REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE ROUND OF GOLF! As a B4 reader, we'd like to offer you a FREE round of golf at Magnolia Park! Challenge yourself on our 18-hole Championship course and experience the fantastic facilities and benefits our Members & Visitors enjoy!

Simply go to www.magnoliapark.co.uk/b4 and register your details using the code MAGB4 and you'll receive your FREE GOLF VOUCHER by email!

Contact Us Feel free to contact us for anything you need to know about Magnolia Park or to book tee times, book a party or even to book your wedding!

Tel: +44 (0)1844 239700.

Email: info@magnoliapark.co.uk Web: www.magnoliapark.co.uk.

Magnolia Park Golf & Country Club, Arncott Road, Boarstall,Buckinghamshire,HP18 9XX.

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The Ambassadors Club BECOME AN AMBASSADOR AND BENEFIT FROM AMAZING DISCOUNTS AND GREAT DEALS FROM OTHER B4 MEMBERS MARKETINGCO

STUPPLES CHANDLER GARVEY

Free

10% Discount

Business development mentoring session

On all agency and professional fees Stupples Chandler Garvey is a prominent firm of Regional Commercial Property Consultants with offices in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Amersham and Slough.

We help small business owners to achieve the clarity, focus and structure they need to attract customers and grow their business.

C: Michael Garvey | E: mg@stuppleschandlergarvey.com | T: 01494 460 250 | W: www.stuppleschandlergarvey.com

C: Jackie Jarvis | E: Jackie@marketingco.co.uk | T: 01491 833222 | W: www.a1limited.co.uk

BEAR AND RAGGED STAFF

SPICE LOUNGE

10% Off

15% Off

On your food bill

On your food bill The Bear is now in a position to offer a full suite of services to the discerning traveler whether on business or just looking for a home away from home for a few days.

At the Spice Lounge the emphasis is on organic and creative dishes.

Ethnic recipes are used to provide a diverse, unusual menu, while focusing on healthy eating.

C: Mark Greenwood | E: enquiries@bearandraggedstaff.com | T: 01865 862 329 | W: www.bearandraggedstaff.com

E: info@spiceloungeoxford.co.uk | T: 01865 510 071 | W: www.spiceloungeoxford.co.uk

BROWNS

STUDIO 8

10% Off

Complimentary House Wine

On standard prices

With Lunch & Dinner Monday - Friday Enjoy the sophisticated sound of great live piano-playing at Browns Oxford – the perfect accompaniment for drinks and dinner.

Studio8 Provide professional photography and video services within Oxford and the UK. We are proud to be B4’s preferred photographers.

Subjects can include: People, Products, Interior, Location and more.

C: Simon Stonehouse | T: 01865 511 995 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk/locations/oxford/

C: Clark Wiseman | E: info@studio-8.co.uk | T: 01865 842525 | W: www.studio-8.co.uk

|

A1 PLUMBING & HEATING

20% Off

Gas Boiler Servicing and Repairs

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LADY MARGARET HALL

10% Off

Any accommodation & Meeting Bookings

At A1 Plumbing & Heating we offer a complete service with competitive rates for all your plumbing and heating requirements on any scale, large or small.

Lady Margaret Hall is an academic community, utterly committed to research and scholarship and to effective, highly personalised teaching and learning for students from all backgrounds.

C: Justin Sinclair | E: hello@a1ltd.co.uk | T: 01865 327732 | W: www.a1limited.co.uk

C: Bill Kemp | E: lodge@lmh.ox.ac.uk | T: 01865 611079 | W: www.lmh.ox.ac.uk

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The Ambassadors Card This is a new benefit for B4 Ambassadors. Receive your personalised card in the post which will entitle you to benefit from amazing discounts and great deals from other B4 Members. Why not make us an offer? In addition to benefiting from other member offers, why not include your offer in the scheme?

Promote a benefit to over 150 B4 Ambassadors and, depending on the nature of the offer, this can be extended (at your request) to all employees in the Ambassador’s company if you would like to reach a wider audience.

OXFORD EVENT HIRE

10% Off

Equipment Hire

MONKEY ISLAND HOTEL

£30 Day Rate

Delegate day rate reduced from £50

Oxford Event Hire was established in 1990 with a clear vision to provide premium quality products and unbeatable service for both private and corporate clients in the events industry.

A centuries-old retreat hidden in the River Thames, Monkey Island Hotel offers the perfect setting for everything from weddings to weekend getaways to an evening of fine dining.

C: Kieran Lynch | E: info@oxfordeventhire.co.uk | T: 01865 760158 | W: www.oxfordeventhire.co.uk

E: info@monkeyisland.co.uk W: http://monkeyisland.co.uk

L’ORTOLAN

THE FORBURY

Free

Lunch for two

|

T:

01628

623400

|

25% Off

Your food bill

Free lunch for 2 when booking private dining for at least 8 people.

Housed in a former vicarage on a leafy lane in Shinfield, L’Ortolan offers an exceptional dining experience. Terms & Conditions apply.

It makes every moment of your stay a special memory. It’s in the smile that greets you and in the warmth and friendliness you’ll feel while you are here.

C: Sally Albin | E: sally@lortolan.com | T: 0118 988 9107 | W: www.lortolan.com

C: Peter Farquhar | E: reception@theforburyhotel.co.uk | T: 01189 527770 | W: www.theforburyhotel.co.uk

HEYTHROP PARK RESORT

DARBYS

Round discounts

£20 pp Mon to Fri - £25 pp Sat & Sun

From £180

Will and free annual review

Heythrop Park Resort has undergone refurbishment of the Health Club & Spa, the 18 hole golf course to championship standards and opening a second hotel, a new 197 bedroom four star Crowne Plaza..

Via the BLUE® helpline, your legal team will give you up to a total of 20 minutes FREE time on a particular enquiry. In our experience this is long enough to deal with most enquiries that crop up.

C: Tracy Stanton | E: info@heythroppark.co.uk | T: 01608 673333 | W: www.heythropparkresort.co.uk

C: Simon McCrum | E: info@darbys.co.uk | T: 01865 811256 | W: www.darbys.co.uk

THE OXFORD WINE COMPANY

10% Off

At our 4 retail outlets Voted Best Independent Wine Retailer and Wholesaler in the UK 2011 by Harpers Wine & Spirit Magazine. Named Regional Wine Merchant of the Year 2007/2010 by the prestigious International Wine Challenge judges.

C: Theo Sloot | E: theo@oxfordwine.co.uk | T: 01865 301144 | W: www.oxfordwine.co.uk

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43

sfforming orm We’re trraansf direct mail into business growth.

Delivering D ellive i ering i g Real Real B Business usines i ss Results Results lt Call David Amor on 01494 539300 or visit www.firstmove.co.uk

B4 ADVICE

MERCURY

COMMUNICATION & STRATEGY TRAINING IN PRESENTING AND WRITING WITH IMPACT, STRATEGY PLANNING CONSULTANCY AND PERSONAL PERFORMANCE COACHING

Do your presentations and written bid submissions make an impact? Do your staff know how to put across the skills of your teams and the benefits of your services in the most impactful way? Are you winning as much work as you want to? Are you beating your business and personal challenges?

We help people to win more work by writing and speaking with impact. Excellent written and spoken communication skills will ensure your key messages are delivered in the most effective way, such that your audiences make the decisions you desire. We prepare written bid submissions, prequalification documents and also spoken

The business was formed to help people who recognise ways in which their private and business goals can be met more effectively through improved communication. This support is aligned with our experience of business strategy development because communication and strategy are very much interlinked. A great strategy cannot be successful if it is not communicated effectively to the people in the business whose expertise, motivation and passion will be needed to make the success a reality.

Training for Presenting with Impact “It was a big success. There was concentrated silence while you were talking and the room was alive at the break time, which is always a good sign - the buzz was definitely a positive sign. It was also interesting to note who asked the questions: some of them came from some of the shyer members of the group. I'd certainly be up for having you back.” Dr Deborah Ancell - Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, University of Westminster

Our work adds value to projects and to tenders, presentations, technical documents and strategy plans. You will receive a personal service, tailored

Effective Coaching “As a Coach, Holger is very approachable and nonjudgemental, establishing excellent rapport. He is

goals and gaining support from colleagues, business partners and clients is crucially “Achieving influenced by the effectiveness of communication at all levels ”

presentations for our clients. Our presentation training enables people to put powerful techniques into practice and very quickly transform their public speaking skills.

We also help businesses to develop effective strategies for business development and to design appropriate plans for implementing the strategy.

Achieving goals and gaining support from colleagues, business partners and clients is crucially influenced by the effectiveness of communication at all levels.

People are key to the success of any business and the ability of individuals to overcome challenges is pivotal to realising full business potential overall.

We coach individuals and teams for maximum performance by helping them to achieve their goals. Our coaching enables people to achieve previously insurmountable challenges by breaking them down into specific goals and achieving all of the goals successfully.

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to your particular needs and objectives. Any training that you purchase will be clear, meaningful, relevant and applicable to your needs.

The competitive landscape creates the need for compelling arguments that enable clients to make easy purchasing decisions. This means the strengths of your business and your unique competences must be promoted in the most effective ways to suit particular audiences. Your prospective clients are targeted by many hopeful bidders for every opportunity and your submission must be the best and stand out the most.

To discuss your specific requirements and identify whether we can support your winning goals, contact us on 01494 722378 or holger.garden@mercury-cs.co.uk. You will receive straightforward and honest feedback on how best to achieve your aspirations. You can find more detail about us at www.mercury-cs.co.uk.

always positive and encouraging to work with, good at asking well-crafted questions that build on strengths and clarify next steps, and makes daunting things feel much more achievable.

Working with Holger has been enormously helpful and enjoyable.” Marina Abel Smith - Learning, Leadership and Development Trainer Sharing Knowledge and Motivation “Mercury Communication & Strategy helped me to think through the approach I should take to developing a proposal for a project to research the key success criteria for the engagement of multiple teams in child welfare provision. Multi-agency platforms present particular challenges, not least the sharing of knowledge and motivation of disparate teams to co-ordinate efforts. Mercury's experience in writing funding proposals and research strategies, and their understanding of knowledge sharing and motivation, were invaluable.” Valerie Penn - Head of Governance, NHS

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Oxfordshire is guaranteed to get everyone thinking Meet Oxfordshire is the first point of contact for anyone considering the county for a meeting, conference or event. Our services include free venue finding and accommodation bookings.

www.meetoxfordshire.com contact us now call 01865 252799 Follow us on Twitter @meetoxfordshire

B4 ADVICE

WHAT DOES A

NON-EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR ACTUALLY DO?

As you might expect, I am convinced of the benefits of having a Non-Executive Director, even for very small companies.

Nevertheless, when people ask what a NED does, the answer is that much of the time, seemingly very little! That is a glib answer, but the issue is that NEDs come into their own particularly in times of major change or business challenge.

Incidental cases of near horrors save by a NED that I have either noticed or actually been engaged in, have included: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

resolving amicably a major fall-out between shareholding directors; mentoring new directors; offering courage and support to continue to trade through difficult times; persuading busy directors to attend properly to cash-flow management; facilitating a second-generation family management buy-out; persuading the founding owner and MD to let go a little, become Chairman, recruit a professional Managing Director and enjoy himself more; supporting a request for a business-expansion from reluctant stakeholders; helping a family resolve internal share-ownership debates and succession plans; proposing equitable means for dealing with a very large and very unhappy major customer; advising on how to recruit and retain the most appropriate staff; adjudicating highly sensitive reward schemes for board members; using the NED’s own network of contacts to find new business, new suppliers, even new recruits; establishing clear goals and objectives for a business and its owners, to ensure direction, define ‘success’ and measure progress.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A NED? The relationship between a NED and the rest of the Board and shareholders should be very high on both mutual trust and respect, and some ‘individual chemistry’ is vital, so real inter-personal skills and emotional maturity are critical.

The NED requires the facility to disagree and challenge others productively and constructively when relevant, and skills to influence and inspire without either being ‘everybody’s friend’ or having to win every argument. This in turn demands a rather rare commodity: modesty. Quiet, under-stated self confidence is good, but self-centred ‘ego-maniacs’ should be avoided!

What else is there? Well an NED is someone who can demonstrate sound business experience, preferably in both depth and breadth. At the very least, you need someone who really understands how business and companies work and is financially-literate. In my view, it is not essential that a NED already knows your business sector but NEDs do need to be able and willing to grow their understanding.

“Quiet, under-stated self confidence is good, but self-centred ‘ego-maniacs’ should be avoided! ” Andrew Pearson - Coaching Business

WHAT PARTICULAR SKILLS SHOULD A NED HAVE? In each and every case above, the objectivity and impartiality of a Non-Exec Director is critical to reaching a successful conclusion. Intelligent questioning and listening, gentle if probing challenge, relevant counter-proposals and broad facilitation and coaching skills are usually very effective!

In bigger organisations especially, a key role for a NED is corporate compliance, and of course Non-Executive Directors have just the same fiduciary duties as any other Director. So they are legally obliged to know what is going on, to ensure good practice with accurate reporting and budgeting systems, legal compliance with company and employment law for example, and so forth.

This is true for smaller companies too. But in addition, a good Non-Executive Director can offer much more by way of additional hands-on experience, practical business judgment and other professional skills that may be in short supply. So a NED must be prepared to commit to the business www.b4-business.com

And lastly, you need someone who can be highly analytical and visionary, able to communicate clearly and concisely, who is also open to feedback from Board colleagues.

Why not give Andrew a call on 01280 844966 or email him on andrew@coaching-business.co.uk to find out more about the value of an Non Executive Director for your organisation.

Andrew Pearson is a practiced CEO and MD who is active in providing support, as a non executive director and management coach to directors, managers and business owners of start-up and established companies to £20m. He also has a skill base founded on corporate governance, business strategy, marketing and operations. www.coaching-business.co.uk 47

BUSINESS INSIGHTS INSPIRED

BY THE B4 428 MILE CYCLE CHALLENGE

Whist I was peddling hard and really feeling the BIG challenge I was up against I thought about how this could be a great metaphor for life in business and could offer some inspiration. I wanted to share my thoughts as they came to me during the ride. Article by Jackie Jarvis.

Vision without execution is hallucination I first thought of doing this bike challenge when I heard about it after I had just completed a Vietnam to Cambodia cycle challenge for the British Heart Foundation. The vision of cycling 428 miles at that point felt like a hallucination, something I talked about doing but wasn’t really going to do.

focus on what you have to do right now to move it forward and keep taking those small steps until you reach your destination.

The execution of it was to come …

Gears make the ride easier If you change down in to an easier gear before you hit a big hill you need to climb, you can keep the cadence and can conserve your energy.

Small steps cover a BIG distance It can be over whelming when confronted with a very big seemingly impossible goal or task. 428 miles all in one go seemed massive and very daunting. However breaking it down into the daily mileage targets, and just focusing on what needed to be done each day, made it seem possible.

Some of the daily distances were also long and challenging so breaking them down into three or four 30 mile sections with the reward of a break made it even easier to focus on achieving. Just thinking about what you had to focus on bit by bit makes achieving any BIG goal easier.

So this was what I did day by day …

Photography: Zoe Kemp

A Big hill climb is a lot of little peddles A huge steep hill looming in front of you with the prospect of at least 16 of the same to climb is enough to make you feel tired just thinking about it, let alone actually doing it.

16 hills and 10 hours later the hotel I saw at the end of a very hard day was definitely not a hallucination.

When I stupidly missed my gear changes I found myself trying to climb a hill in a gear that was much too high to turn my peddles and that mistake cost me a lot of lost valuable energy. I learnt the hard way.

How often, I wonder, in business do we stay in the wrong gear to complete a task and end up working much harder than we have to.

It’s only 52 miles to go During this tough challenge I noticed how much impact words had on levels of motivation and hope..

We can take words for granted and not pay attention to what we say to ourselves and to others.

On this ride the words we used and heard made a huge impact on our ability to dig deep to make our vision reality.

It is just the same when you deal with a business challenge words have power.

Pain is just weakness leaving your body I was in a lot of pain on this cycle ride and different parts of my body hurt at different times. I went through lower back ache, neck ache, hip ache and the obvious pain in the bum that you get from sitting on it for a very long time!

Pain in business could be seen in the same way. It lets you know that there is weakness and you need to do something to enable it to leave your business.

A great thought.

The strange thing was that for all the pain I suffered before and during the trip when I reached the final destination it all disappeared as if it had never been there at all.

Words like it’s only 30 miles to the next stop or just we are over half way now always gave a little lift, where as ‘If you don’t hurry up were are never going to make it back to the hotel by night fall’ was not as motivating.

Hill climbs are made a lot easier by weaving your wheel back and forth, just looking a few metres in front of you, or zig zagging slowly from side to side.

When you are faced with a big business challenge which seems like a very steep hill to climb, just

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B4 ADVICE So the pain was just weakness leaving my body and it left me feeling better than I had in a long time.

Challenge yourself more and you will reach for more When I was thinking of doing this cycle challenge I didn’t quite realise how hard the reality of doing it would be. Having done it and reflecting back on what I achieved I realised that I was actually capable of more than I thought I was.

Pushing yourself and expanding your comfort zone can be a good thing. Once you have stretched your own personal boundaries they will never go back to how they were before.

It is easier together During the trip I saw some great examples of true team work and there was nothing better than what happens when you face some harsh head wind and the team pulls together to deal with it.

Drafting is a cycle term for cycling very close behind another cyclist and getting the benefit of them pulling you with the energy of their draft and their protection from the headwind. We all took it in turns to bear the brunt of the head winds and to enjoy the pull of the draft.

help was literally a hand placed against my back up a hard hill or along a road when I needed to catch up with the group to save time. It was a light touch that at certain points really added some energy and speed to my weaker peddling.

So in business there may be times when you are offered a guiding hand and even if you could make it on your own, your journey can be made easier, quicker and possibly better for your team.

Ask for what you need and it will come I am a believer in the power of universal energy and did ask for help when I felt like I was running low. I am convinced that I felt the power of the wind behind me and the trees literally dragging me along at certain points. It was a good feeling and one I will remember.

ABOUT JACKIE Jackie is an experienced business mentor, sales expert & provider of the grant funded Growth Accelerator coaching & training ‘If you are an ambitious business owner and want to get your sales, marketing and your team working well for you, I would be happy to be your guiding hand. Let’s have an exploratory conversation over coffee’ If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to make a donation to Jackie’s charity Macmillan cancer support please visit her Just giving page: www.justgiving.com/ JackieJarvis-B4BikeRide

So ask for what you really want in your business and put it out there. You just may get it. I definitely did get the help I needed for which I am truly grateful

e: Jackie@marketingco.co.uk t: 01491 833222 / 07801 293022. w: www.marketingco.co.uk

On the road to success there are few that make it the last mile The last bit of any big challenge can sometimes be the hardest but if you are prepared to push through you will be one of the few that make it to the other side. We did. Our hallucination had become reality and it was time to celebrate the achievement.

Contributed by Jackie Jarvis author of ’85 Inspiring ways to market your small business’.

You can order a signed copy of Jackie’s book by email. £12.99 plus postage all proceeds go to Macmillan Cancer Support

Drafting could be a great business team practice with stronger players letting others use their draft to ensure that all make it A guiding hand from an expert can add turbo power There were times when one or other of our two cycle guides on the trip offered me a hand. The

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49

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B4 YOU A selection of some of the finest establishments in the B4 region

MACDONALD COMPLEAT ANGLER

L’ORTOLAN

HEYTHROP PARK

RESORTS

RESORTS

HOTELS

HEYTHROP PARK

HARTWELL HOUSE

EYNSHAM HALL

Heythrop Park Resort is a unique venue set in 440 acres of stunning Oxfordshire Countryside.

Dating back to 1710 this quintessential English country estate seamlessly combines elegance with style and boasts two individual hotels: the elegant DeVere Venues Heythrop Park Hotel and the stylish Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Resort also offers a championship 18 hole standard golf course, health club & spa together with state of the art conference facilities.

Hartwell House is one of the Stately Homes of England, just one hour from central London and Heathrow and Luton Airports, and two miles west of Aylesbury.

Its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King of France, who lived there with is Court for five years. Situated in 90 acres of landscaped parkland in the Vale of Aylesbury, Hartwell House provides a country house setting, adding lustre to every social occasion.

Lloyds Bank Commercial a big Banking provides financial support the and to manufacturers located across Berkshire.

Given their importance, we are actively encouraging manufacturers in Berkshire to take advantage of the reduced borrowing costs, particularly through the £80 billion Government.

Given their importance, we are actively encouraging. A bit more copy to fill it out just a little more.

A: Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5UF T: 01608 673 333 W: www.heythroppark.co.uk

A: Oxford Rd, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR T: 01296 747 444 W: www.hartwell-house.com

A: Eynsham Hall Hotel, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6PN T: 01993 885 200 W: www.eynshamhall.com

HOTELS

HOTELS

HOTELS

HAWKWELL HOUSE

MACDONALD RANDOLPH HOTEL

THE FEATHERS

Hawkwell House Hotel Oxford has high quality accommodation, conference facilities and makes a great wedding venue. Hawkwell House hotel is close enough to Oxford for you to dream of the Spires, and just far enough off to ensure your reverie isn't interrupted by the revelry of the students. The main hotel has now has 62 bedrooms including two luxury suites.

Our Macdonald Randolph Hotel is the leading 5-star hotel in Oxford and part of The Macdonald Hotels' Signature Collection. We offer luxurious accommodation, award-winning food and a sensuous spa haven in the heart of this world-famous university city. Located in Oxford's city centre, our hotel is a landmark building with elegance and charm aplenty.

There are just 16 bedrooms and five suites at The Feathers. They come in all shapes and sizes – the very antithesis of corporate uniformity. Return to your own personal favourite, or enjoy a pleasant surprise each time you visit. Since our refurbishment in 2010, we’ve added in some boutique twists, with lush fabrics, funky lighting, free-standing stone basins and the guiltiest pleasure of all, a decanter full of jelly beans.

A: Church Way, Oxford, OX4 4DZ T: 01865 749 988 W: www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk

A: Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2LN T: 01865 256 400 W: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

A: Market Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1SX T: 01993 812 291 W: www.feathers.co.uk

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B4 YOU HOTELS

HOTELS

HOTELS

THE FORBURY

THE OAKLEY COURT HOTEL

THE OLD BANK

We stay with you…This promise drives everything we do. It makes every moment of your stay a special memory. It’s in the smile that greets you and in the warmth and friendliness you’ll feel while you are here. In every corner and at every moment, you’ll notice an attention to detail that shows our passion and belief. It’s the very essence of the Forbury, like spending time with an amazing family.

The Oakley Court is one of the finest and most renowned country house hotels in England, situated in picturesque Windsor and within easy reach of London, Heathrow airport and the M4. The hotel is a peaceful setting with attractive rooms decorated in a traditional country house style. For pure indulgence and the ultimate luxurious stay in Windsor, choose one of our junior suites with unrivalled views over the river.

The Old Bank hotel has 42 luxury bedrooms.

The proportions of the Georgian property have been retained leading to rooms feeling large and airy. Many of the rooms have unrivalled views of famous Oxford landmarks. The bedrooms with marble bathrooms are all adorned with the owners private art collection. All of the rooms are fully air conditioned and have complimentary wireless internet access, water and home-made biscuits.

A: 26 The Forbury, Reading, West Berkshire, RG1 3EJ T: 0118 952 7770 W: www.theforburyhotel.co.uk

A: Windsor Rd Water Oakley, Windsor, SL4 5UR T: 01753 609 988 W: www.theoakleycourthotel.co.uk

A: 92 - 94 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BJ T: 01865 799 599 W: www.oldbank-hotel.co.uk

HOTELS

HOTELS

GETTING AWAY

MACDONALD COMPLEAT ANGLER

THE VINEYARD

LOWER MILL ESTATE

Stylish, luxurious and romantic - the awardwinning Macdonald Compleat Angler Hotel is part of The Macdonald Hotels' Signature Collection and offers you the perfect accommodation for a magical stay by the riverside. Quietly situated on the banks of the River Thames and within easy reach of Heathrow airport, our hotel in Marlow is the ideal spot for taking to the water - we even have our own private launches and boats for hire.

We want you to enjoy our food and wine so much we added a 5-star hotel and Spa. Then we filled it with everything you'd expect for a comfortable night, and some things you might not. Like one of the finest private art collections this side of Hearst Castle. Only a short drive away from Highclere Castle, The Vineyard provides the perfect hotel destination for Downton Abbey fans and the historically curious alike. There's a lot to be said for California dreaming.

The Lower Mills Cotswold Estate is just over 550 acres of unspoiled countryside based in the beautiful village of Somerford Keyne just outside Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Our luxurious holiday homes estate is based around eight lakes and two rivers (Netherwood Lake, Somerford Lake Reserves, Neigh Bridge Lake, Cotswold Water Park) surrounded by acres of untouched woodland full of wildlife waiting for you and your family to explore.

A: Marlow Bridge, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1RG T: 0844 879 9128 W: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

A: Stockcross, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8JU T: 01635 897 513 W: www.the-vineyard.co.uk

A: Lower Mill Lane, Somerford Keynes, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BG T: 01285 869 489 W: www.lowermillestate.com

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RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

BROWNS OXFORD

BROWNS READING

GEE’S

Browns in Oxford was our second restaurant to open and is quite a landmark in the city. The building was a Morris garage for many years until we converted it into an English brasserie.

Even though we’re in the city centre, the view from our windows is pure England. We’re just across the road from St Giles Church and a beautiful terrace of 18th century houses. We offer delicious food, a unique atmosphere and a great choice of wines, beers and cocktails.

Reading is one of the UK’s top ten retail destinations. Browns is within easy reach of the Oracle, one of the main shopping centres with over 80 high street names that span from high fashion to spectacular gifts. Steeped in history, Reading also has a 1,400 year heritage, a medieval monastery and 850 listed buildings.

Come and soak up the atmosphere at Browns where you can relax and enjoy one of our classic dishes and a legendary Browns cocktail.

Food is best described as Mediterranean with some dishes designed for sharing, & dishes available in two sizes to suit different appetites & times of day. Food reflects the continued interest in the source of ingredients, seasonality & the variety & richness of our Oxfordshire produce.

Simply prepared & expertly cooked in our kitchen incorporating a wood fire oven & charcoal grill.

A: 5-11 Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6HA T: 01865 511 995 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk

A: The Oracle Centre, Reading, RG1 2AG T: 0118 950 3137 W: www.browns-restaurants.co.uk

A: 61 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 6PE T: 01865 553 540 W: www.gees-restaurant.co.uk

RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

L’ORTOLAN

LE MANOIR

QUOD

Reading's only Michelin starred restaurant, with modern French cuisine by Executive Chef Alan Murchison. L’Ortolan offers an exceptional dining experience - perfect for social and business occasions. We are delighted to be amongst the winners of 4 AA Rosettes at the 2013 AA Hospitality Awards. Receiving a fourth rosette puts L’Ortolan among the top restaurants in the UK, where the cooking demands national recognition.

Dining at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is an experience that will stay with you forever.

Described as “a twist of imaginative genius”, Raymond Blanc’s dishes utilise the freshest, best quality ingredients. The two-acre kitchen garden produces 90 types of vegetable and 70 varieties of herb. Le Manoir’s wine cellar is home to around 1,000 different wines from around the world.

Around 60% are of French provenance.

Quod is a vibrant bustling space that is the meeting place for locals for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and supper as well as drinks. Various specials, many sourced from our own Rofford farm, adorn the blackboards. Diners can enjoy live jazz every Sunday. Quod restaurant offers the rare luxury of a restaurant with free parking in the middle of the city. There is a spectacular heated terrace where diners can enjoy a morning coffee, the superb value 2 course lunch or a cocktail.

A: Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9BY T: 01189 888 500 W: www.lortolan.com

A: Church Road, Great Milton, OX44 7PD T: 01844 278 881 W: www.manoir.com

A: 92 - 94 High Street Oxford, OX1 4BJ T: 01865 202 505 W: www.quod.co.uk

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B4 YOU RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

THE OLD PARSONAGE

THE RED LION

THE TROUT

Reopening in March 2014, our restaurant & bar will serve breakfast, elevenses, a great value set lunch, afternoon tea & an all day a la carte menu. The new interior will retain its intimate clubby, bohemian atmosphere with new furniture & an enhanced collection of eclectic oil portraits from the Bloomsbury period. We will continue to serve simple yet innovative, predominately classic British cooking, influenced by the seasons & abundant native produce.

Tucked behind George Street, in between Oxfords main theatres, The Oxford Play House and The New Theatre, The Red Lion Oxford holds the biggest and most beautiful beer garden in the City. Inside you will find cosy corners to escape the hustle of bustle of the shops and tourist attractions. Chef's freshly prepared menus and our carefully selected wines, ales and beers are served all day every day.

Nestled on the banks of the River Thames and steeped in history this 17th century pub is a unique setting to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our traditional pub building has been stylishly refurbished to make it the perfect place to find a cosy corner and take time out whilst enjoying some of our Chefs' seasonal dishes and our great selection of wines, ales and lagers.

A: 1 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN T: 01865 310 210 W: www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk

A: 14 Gloucester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BN T: 01865 726 255 W: www.redlionoxford.co.uk

A: Godstow Road, Wolvercote, Oxford, OX2 8PN T: 01865 510 930 W: www.thetroutoxford.co.uk

GOLF CLUBS

GOLF CLUBS

GOLF CLUBS

FRILFORD

HENNERTON

MAGNOLIA

Frilford Heath is located to the South of Oxford on 500 acres of glorious undulating Heathland and is one of the best venues in the south of England. Rarely can a club offer three championship golf courses that allow the opportunity to revel in their classical or modern challenge! The original Red Course was laid out in 1908 by five times Open champion JH Taylor measured 721 yards less than today’s 6915 on its par 72.

You will find a friendly and warm welcome at Hennerton. There is a good balance of monthly club competitions and social golf as well as plenty of time when the course is free for those who just want to play. Hennerton Golf Club was opened by Bernard Gallacher in 1992, when it was a 9-hole course. He was delighted with the beauty of the countryside and the advantages made of the natural variation of the hills and the valley in the design of the course.

Welcome to Magnolia Park, a Golf and Country Club that offers you the opportunity of playing what we believe is one of the country’s most challenging and picturesque golf courses. A sweeping championship 18 hole course of around 7,000 yards, constructed to the very highest specifications, our course is suitable for every golfer whether you are a beginner or professional.

A: Oxford Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX13 5NW T: 01865 390 864 W: www.frilfordheath.co.uk

A: Crazies Hill Road, Wargrave, Berkshire, RG10 8LT T: 0118 940 1000 W: www.hennertongolfclub.co.uk

A: Arncott Road, Boarstall, Buckinghamshire, HP18 9XX T: 01844 239 700 W: www.magnoliapark.co.uk

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B4 MARKETING

BRANDING & IDENTITY THE ESSENTIAL ART OF MANAGING PERCEPTIONS

It’s a very simple fact. People and Businesses judge you, your Business, and your Brand by how they see you. For them, it really is a matter of seeing is believing. They believe what they see and that is why perceptions count. In this context, perception is, or at least quickly becomes, reality.

Phil Strachan of Business and Brand Alchemists, Strangebrew, talks to Richard Rosser about the importance of Managing Perceptions and why he sees this as being what good Branding, Identity and Design is all about.

For me, creating, building and establishing a successful Brand and Business Identity really is all about the art of managing perceptions in order to ensure that how you and your business are seen is exactly how you wish to be seen and how you need to be seen in order to succeed. Your Business and Brand Identity are absolutely vital elements, the cornerstone of your chosen positioning and the communication of your proposition, in order to differentiate with clarity what you have to offer from the offerings of your perceived competitors. They are quite simply vital ingredients in creating the essential and all important element of individuality that will enable your Business, Brand and offering to stand out from the crowd.

As such, your Identity needs to be distinctive, relevant, memorable and true to yourself but it also needs to be desirable because your Brand and Business need to connect, communicate and engage effectively with your identified target market(s). Ideally, your Brand and Identity will also be compelling, helping you to stand out head and shoulders above the crowd for all the right reasons and to be chosen ahead of your competition. To achieve this, you need to be thinking Brand – not bland.

An outside-in process that begins from the inside-out Fundamental to the achievement of this, is a very good understanding in the first place of exactly what you need and want to be seen to stand for, what your values are and what your vision and mission are – ie what will ultimately define you. This is why creating, building and establishing a successful Brand or Business is about very much more than quickly grabbing a name, getting a quick logo done and getting a website up and running as soon as possible – and yet how often do we see exactly that? Creating, building and developing a successful Brand and Business Identity should be a considered strategic matter that should be afforded the required levels of input of time and effort and your Brand and Identity should be crafted carefully to cut through the clutter with immediate clarity. My fellow countryman, Robert Burns, most aptly commented on the importance of seeing yourself and your Business from the outside-in when he penned the following lines in his poem ‘To a Louse’: “O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us!

It wad frae monie a blunder free us, An' foolish notion.”

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Clearly, for existing Businesses and Brands, you first of all have to have a clear understanding of current perceptions in order to identify the job needing to be done, the journey to be undertaken and the degree of perception shift needing to be achieved. This is important, because all too often there is a very serious disconnect between how Business Owners and Managers see their own Businesses or Brand and how that Business or Brand is in fact perceived by those on the outside. It is amazing how a fresh perspective from someone more distant from a Business or Brand can shed light on such perception gaps and identify what needs to be addressed ie which perceptions need to be managed.

Distilling the essence – and then freeing the spirit.

When working with my Clients, I place great importance on drilling right in to what they and their Business are really all about, what it is that makes them different and can provide the essential bedrock for building meaningful and sustainable competitive advantage. My approach is, in Strangebrew terms, to distil the essence of a Business or Brand and then free the spirit that lies within.

One vital factor in this is to determine the personality and character of the Brand or Business to be projected because this has such a key role to play in the differentiation and appeal of a Business or Brand. If you stop to think about it, a Business or Brand without a personality or character is a Business or Brand without soul. So, some good old fashioned soul-searching can go a long way in determining the Branding and Identity of a business and how it should connect, communicate and engage with its target audience. Your Identity really must encapsulate the personality and character you wish to project.

Importantly though, Managing Perceptions should not be seen as a one-off matter that can be done and can then be forgotten. Rather, it is a constant and constantly evolving process that must be done with a high degree of consistency over time and at each and every touchpoint - both internally within a Business and externally with the outside world – because Businesses and Brands are living things.

If you would like to know more about how Managing Perceptions could benefit your Business or Brand, call Phil Strachan of Strangebrew on 07770 753 975 and find out about how to access London quality Branding, Identity and Graphic Design – at Glasgow prices! www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk

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WHO’S WHO 2014 K E Y

B U S I N E S S

C O N T A C T S

B4 WHO’S WHO 2014 The 2nd B4 Who's Who will be published in early 2014 and mailed to all B4 Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire members and Ambassadors (currently in excess of 1,000 individuals). This high quality publication is designed to provide those wishing to raise or maintain their profile in the Thames Valley with a high quality publication which will remain on the desks of key decision makers.

WHO’S WHO 2014 K E Y

To see an example of the guide please see: http://issuu.com/b4-business/docs/oxfordshire_who_s_who_2012

B U S I N E S S

C O N T A C T S

EXPOSURE FOR WHO’S WHO The publication is being compiled now for launch early in 2014 and will be viewable on www.b4-business.com as an e-Magazine as it grows. Thereafter, we will be adding pages as new businesses book, providing those who book sooner rather than later with maximum exposure in the lead up to the print date. The electronic version of the publication will remain on line for 12 months until is it re-printed in 2015.

In addition, we will be promoting the publication through:

Cover LEGAL | ADVICE

HENMANS FREETH LLP ANDREW CROCOMBE ABOUT ME Andrew is an experienced commercial litigator and mediator and is partner and head of Henmans Freeth’s commercial disputes team. He qualified in 1996 and joined the firm in 2005 after heading up the commercial disputes team at a South Coast firm. He is recognised as a leader in commercial dispute resolution in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners legal directories.

• Weekly B4 e-Newsletters • Banners on www.b4-business.com • Social media - Predominantly Twitter • Copies circulated at B4 Events

Andrew acts for PLCs and large regional organisations, specialising in helping companies, directors, shareholders and partners resolve their disputes. As an experienced and active mediator for Oxford Mediation, Andrew places particular emphasis on the use of mediation to resolve disputes at an early stage.

Andrew is a keen sailor and in November 2013 wil be sailing between Cape Town and Western Austrlia as part of the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race..

He also enjoys playing tennis, football and skiing.

ABOUT THE COMPANY On 1 Februry 2013, Henmans LLP rebranded as Henmans Freeth LLP following the fim’s merger with national law firm, Freeth Cartwright LLP.

DISTRIBUTION 2,000 copies of the publication will be printed. In the region of 1,000 copies will be mailed to B4 Ambassadors and representatives of members (the members being the company). Copies will also be made available at B4 events and seminars.

The commercial disputes team specialises in a wide range of commercial disputes including breach of contract, director/partnership/shareholder, product liability, intellectual property, IT / TMT and cross border disputes. The team is part of the dispute resolution department which is one of the largest in the South East outside London, and is ranked by legal directories as one of the top litigation teams in the Thames Valley for this work.

The firm offers expertise in specialist legal areas and strives to understand its clients’ needs thoroughly to deliver the finest service. Henmans’ lawyers are committed to providing value-added services, strong, common sense solutions and practical advice with the expertise of London law firms at regional rates.

CONTACTS C Andrew Crocombe, Partner - andrew.crocombe@henmansfreeth.co.uk A 5000 Oxford Business Park South, Oxford, OX4 2BH T +44 (0)1865 781 059 W www.henmansfreeth.co.uk @HenmansFreeth /andrewcrocombe

RATES

OXFORDSHIRE WHO’S WHO 2014 | 1

Rates per page

EDUCATION | SCHOOLS

First page Discounted Rate £

Additional page Rate £

Ambassador

200

150

Member

250

175

Non-Member

275

200

TUDOR HALL WENDY GRIFFITHS ABOUT ME I was born in a small village in South Wales and attended a grammar school in Carmarthen. I studied Zoology at Aberystwyth University and then went onto a PGCE. At school I loved Biology and it was an obvious choice for university, but my real buzz comes from working with young people. I have a determination to see the pupils in a diverse range of environments: from the laboratory to Dartmoor. I love to see them challenged and then succeed.

I have always taught in single sex girls’ schools and spent most of my career in Surrey. I started in a small boarding school, Wispers School, then moved to Tormead School and did everything from Residential Housemistress to Head of Sixth Form and Senior Mistress. I then became director of studies at St Catherine's, Bramley followed by Headmistress at Tudor from 2004.

ABOUT THE COMPANY Tudor Hall School is unique in so many ways. It is a small, vibrant, full boarding and day school which definitely ‘punches above its weight’. The academic results are excellent, produced by young women who have been selected for places at the school not just on their academic ability but also their personal strengths.

The girls are not of one type and this creates a community where everybody recognises its members as individuals and celebrates this. Staff work with pupils to ensure that each one is encouraged and supported to do her best. The girls are ambitious and determined to make the most of the many opportunities in school and beyond.

DIMENSIONS & SPECS

CONTACTS

Finished Size: Colour: Materials: Finishing:

210 x 210mm 4 colour process + machine sealed throughout Cover 300gsm silk, text 170gsm silk Outer cover Soft Touch lamination + spot uv varnished (10% coverage), fold, stitch & trim

C A T W

Wendy Griffiths, Headmistress - admissions@tudorhallschool.com Wykham Park, Banbury, Oxon OX16 9UR +44 (0)1295 756 276 www.tudorhallschool.com @twittername /linkedinname /facebookname

1 | OXFORDSHIRE WHO’S WHO 2014

Lead Pages

T O B O O K O R F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , C A L L B 4 O N 0 1 8 6 5 7 4 2 2 1 1 T O D AY

B O O K T O D AY 01865 742211 FUND-RAISING ORGANISATIONS | BUSINESS SERVICES

ESTATSE AGENTS | PROPERTY & BUILDING

MARIANNE JULEBIN Major Gifts Manager ANDREW STYLES Gift Processing Assistant PENNY HAMBRIDGE Children's Development Officer ANDREW HOUSE Deputy Director JANET SPRAKE Fundraising Manager CYNTHIA CHARLETT Gift Processing Manager GRAHAM BROGDEN Deputy Director SARAH VACCARI Communications Manager

SCOTT HARKNESS Partner, Head of Commercial Division Scott specialises in providing advice on agency and development matters to a wide variety of clients from private individuals and trusts through to property funds, institutions, companies and statutory authorities.

E marianne.julebin@ouh.nhs.uk T +44 (0)1865 231 523 E andrew.styles@ouh.nhs.uk

T +44 (0)1865 743 265

E penny.hambridge@ouh.nhs.uk T +44 (0)1865 743 445 E andrew.house@ouh.nhs.uk

T +44 (0)1865 743 427

E janet.sprake@ouh.nhs.uk

T +44 (0)1865 743 443

E cynthia.charlett@ouh.nhs.uk

T +44 (0)1865 743 444

E graham.brogden@ouh.nhs.uk T +44 (0)1865 743 442 E sarah.vaccari@ouh.nhs.uk

T +44 (0)1865 743 428

Left to right:

Scott advises both owners and occupiers across the property sectors including office, industrial, retail and educational.

Scott is governor of one school within the county.

E scott.harkness@carterjonas.co.uk T +44 (0)1865 404 453

JON SILVERSIDES Partner, Commercial Jon advises on all forms of commercial property, acting for a wide range of landlords, occupiers, investors and developers.

In particular Jon specialises in commercial agency, consultancy and investment work. He has been involved in commercial property since 1991, primarily in Oxfordshire and the South East.

E jon.silversides@carterjonas.co.uk T +44 (0)1865 404 458

JAMES BAINBRIDGE Partner, Head of Planning & Development Division James advises clients on proposed development projects throughout the south of England. He has over 20 years’ experience in residential and mixed-use development acting for private, corporate, institutional, charity and public sector clients. This includes site identification, project management of planning and development strategies, valuation and viability appraisals, marketing and sale of development opportunities.

James has specific expertise in options, promotion agreements, joint ventures and landowner agreements. He has been involved in sites ranging from new settlements to city centre regeneration and smaller provincial and rural schemes, and also provides expert witness and independent expert valuation services for dispute resolution.

E james.bainbridge@carterjonas.co.uk T +44 (0)1865 404 437

OXFORDSHIRE WHO’S WHO 2014 | 1

OXFORDSHIRE WHO’S WHO 2014 | 1

Team Pages

IMPORTANT: Team pages can only be booked if a lead page has been booked. Team pages cannot be booked in isolation.

LEAD PAGE REQUIREMENTS

TEAM PAGE: THREE EMPLOYEE’S

1. LOGO Supplied as a High Resolution jpeg or eps. All logo’s will be inserted in mono and not full colour across the publication, as shown on examples.

1. LOGO - see individual requirements.

2. INFO FOR “ABOUT ME” Name, Company and Title. Please also supply up to a max 130 words about you and your career. We will edit anything over this to maintain a consistent look.

3. INFO FOR “ABOUT YOUR COMPANY” Please supply up to a max 130 words about your company. We will edit anything over this to maintain a consistent look.

4. CONTACT DETAILS Please supply one for each of the following: key contact, email, establishment address, telephone number and website address.Please also advise if individual can be contacted via Linked In, Twitter or Facebook.

2. INFO’S FOR “ABOUT ME” - Please supply 120 words on each of three employees. Also supply each individual's title, e-mail and direct dial.

3. CONTACT DETAILS - see individual requirements.

4. IMAGES - see individual requirements.

TEAM PAGE: GROUP PHOTO 1. LOGO - see individual requirements.

2. CONTACT DETAILS - Names, direct dials and e-mails for up to 8 individuals.

3. IMAGES - see individual requirements.

5. IMAGES All images must be supplied in High Resolution. We cannot accept any images taken from websites. Images can be supplied as a jpeg or Tiff. Please do not supply images embedded in Word or pdf files.

T O B O O K O R F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , C A L L B 4 O N 0 1 8 6 5 7 4 2 2 1 1 T O D AY

SMART HOME INSTALLATIONS FROM

BANG & OLUFSEN Over the recent years a number of new technologies have evolved and the concept of Smart Homes have picked up momentum and are now becoming much more mainstream.

Although Bang & Olufsen have been integrating multi-room audio and video for well over 30 years, Smart Home is much more than just music in a few rooms.

So what is Smart Home?

Smart Home is a concept of integrating some or all of your homes infrastructure into a single control system so that everything including lighting, curtains, heating, CCTV, and a complete entertainment system can all be controlled by one remote control and interact with each other.

Imagine pressing DVD on your remote which starts everything: playing the film, closing the blinds and dimming the lights. Or being able to remotely turn on your heating from your smart phone when on your way home.

The possibilities are endless from whole house

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systems to single rooms, all controlled from your television’s remote.

Unlike all other televisions on the planet, the ability to control such systems is built into every Bang & Olufsen television making it the perfect way to start your Smart Home system.

Here at Bang & Olufsen of Oxford we now have a new installation team who specialise in Smart Home systems and can cater for any home, big or small.

Simply contact or visit our showroom to discuss the options further and see it all in action.

Bang & Olufsen of Oxford: South Parade, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JL Tel: 01865 511241.

Email: oxford@bang-olufsen.co.uk

www.b4-business.com

B4 WIDER

“Imagine pressing DVD on your remote which starts everything: playing the film, closing the blinds and dimming the lights�

www.b4-business.com

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B4 BBF

Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First

FUNDS FROM EUROPE BENEFIT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BUSINESSES Buckinghamshire Business First has secured substantial funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for projects which will significantly benefit small and medium sized businesses in Buckinghamshire. The funding, which totals over £3million, will be directed to local organisations to help drive economic growth.

One of the projects which will distribute grants to local businesses will be Sustainable Routes, which aims to identify ways in which companies can cut down their business travel and lower their costs through more efficient work and travel practices. Businesses with a plan to lower their business mileage costs can apply for a match funded grant from Sustainable Routes of up to £1,000 towards the cost of the items or services they feel will help the business incur fewer car or air miles.

Sustainable Routes has already delivered over 500 grants across the South East, 118 of these to businesses in Buckinghamshire. One of the companies benefiting from a grant has been Rectory Homes, a new build homes developer, which was awarded a grant of £1,000 towards their IT systems, including the purchase of an iPad. The Aylesbury based company deals with a diverse range of projects, including conversions and refurbishments, as well as new build homes and it strives to incorporate environmental initiatives into the business. Sustainable Routes has helped the company to fulfill its green philosophy and Corporate Social Responsibility as it has allowed it to operate in a more efficient and sustainable way.

Sarah Vickers, an interior designer for Rectory Homes, spent much of her working day travelling in order to view houses, including those of the company’s competitors. This required long car journeys which can now be avoided thanks to the iPad. The iPad has enabled Sarah to easily download all the information required for her to work flexibly and from anywhere in the UK. According to the company’s travel efficiency plan, this has resulted in total savings of 2,386kg of CO2.

Sarah comments: ‘The online application for the Sustainable Routes grant was

www.b4-business.com

a very easy and user friendly process. We had a response soon after we had submitted our application to let us know that we had been successful. It was great to get a personal call as it helps to build business rapport.’

Apart from cutting down on harmful fuel emissions, the use of an iPad has had a positive impact on reducing the volume of printing. Instead of having to print out images and relevant information, Sarah is able to quickly access all the information she needs every time she is visiting a house.

“Sustainable Routes has already

delivered over 500 grants across the South East, 118 of these to businesses in Buckinghamshire

”

Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First comments: ‘This funding will encourage businesses to implement ways of working which will increase profitability, help them save money and at the same time benefit the environment. We are delighted to have secured this funding, which will have a significant impact in helping local businesses and driving economic growth.’

To find out more about all the funding opportunities available, or for more information about Buckinghamshire Business First, contact Heather Dean on 01494 568 948 or visit www.bbf.uk.com.

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CONTACTS DIRECTORY Advice................................................................................................................................................64 Business Services...................................................................................................................64 Property & Building..............................................................................................................65 Conference, Events & Venues......................................................................................65 Education......................................................................................................................................65 Finance.............................................................................................................................................65 Health & Leisure......................................................................................................................65

ADVICE

A M B A S S A D O R

A

HR.........................................................................................................................................................65 IT & Telecommunications................................................................................................65 Manufacturing..........................................................................................................................65 Marketing & Design.............................................................................................................66 Transport........................................................................................................................................66 Retail..................................................................................................................................................66 The Wider B4..............................................................................................................................66

LEGAL

BUSINESS SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT

B P Collins A David Stanning Partner

Automatic Vending Association A Jonathan Hilder Chief Executive Officer

t: 01753 889995 w: www.bpcollins.co.uk

t: 01494 568 960 w: www.ava-vending.co.uk

Taylor Walton LLP P Ian Riches Marketing and Business Development t: 01582 731 161 w: www.taylorwalton.co.uk

Hunts Office Furniture and Interiors A Egon Hunt Sales Director t: 0845 4000 333 w: www.huntsoffice.co.uk

BUSINESS SERVICES

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING

BUSINESS ADVICE

BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS

Thirdwave A Tony Thomson Managing Director

Buckinghamshire Business First A Philippa Batting Managing Director

Partners With You Limited t: 01923 842435 w: www.partnerswithyou.co.uk

t: 01628 487 912 w: www.thirdwaveweb.co.uk

t: 01494 568941 w: www.bbf.uk.com

Adhere Training Club A Lisa Butler Training Manager

Federation of Small Businesses A Rodney Mallinson Chairman

t: 0844 846 3866 w: www.adheretraining.co.uk

t: 01628 602 983 w: www.fsb.org.uk

Business Doctors A Martin Vessey Managing Director

Institute of Directors t: 01494 718699 w: www.iod.com

ACCOUNTING Fish Partnership P Paul Laird Partner t: 01628 527956 w: www.fishpartnership.co.uk Seymour Taylor A Simon Turner Managing Director t: 01494 552 125 w: www.stca.co.uk

t: 01494 725454 w: www.businessdoctors.co.uk

ARCHIVING AND STORAGE

Splash Resolution Consulting A Jonathan Lane Director

StoreNGo A Minesh Patel Senior Executive

t: 07503 891331 w: www.splash-rc.co.uk

t: 07775 702082 w: www.storengo.co.uk

Baker Tilly t: 01628 478 100 w: www.bakertilly.co.uk

The Archive Centre A David Coulton Owner

Avocet Investments Ltd t: 01494 726173 w: www.avocet-investments.com

t: 01296 425744 w: www.thearchivecentre.com

The Compliance Bureau t: 07771 733 788 w: www.compliancebureau.co.uk

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CHARITIES Horizon Sports Club A Anita Templar Club Chairman t: 01844 345432 w: www.horizonsc.org.uk Buckinghamshire Community Foundation A Richard Dickson Director t: 01296 330134 w: www.thebucksfoundation.org.uk RAF Benevolent Fund A Paul Hewson Regional Director - London, Home Counties and South England t: 01296 656 586 w: www.rafbf.org.uk Sue Ryder t: 0800 917 8123 w: www.sueryder.org

SECURITY Risk Management A Security Services Peter Smith Managing Director t: 01494 441 805 w: www.riskmanagementsecurity.co.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

B4 contacts ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

CATERING SERVICES

Grundon t: 01491 839212 w: www.grundon.com

Global Infusion Group Anthony Laurenson Managing Director

DOMESTIC SERVICES

t: 01494 790 700 www.globalinfusiongroup.com

Busy Offices t: 01494 672 233 w: www.busyoffices.net

EDUCATION

A

Westcott Venture Park Nigel MacKenzie Project Manager

t: 01296 651 888 w: www.westcottventurepark.com The Jockey Club - South West Racecourses t: 01242 537 608 w: www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

COLLEGES

HEALTH & MEDICAL

Aylesbury College P Pauline Odulinski Principal and Chief Executive

DOCTORnow t: 01494 410888 w: www.doctornow.org

Stupples Chandler Garvey A Michael Garvey Managing Director

t: 01296 588588 w: www.aylesbury.ac.uk

PSYCHOLOGIST

t: 01494 460 250 w: www.stuppleschandlergarvey.com

Buckinghamshire P New University Phil Wood Head of Enterprise

Dr Lynda Shaw t: 07967 271274 w: www.drlyndashaw.com

t: 0800 0565 660 w: www.bucks.ac.uk

HR

PROPERTY & BUILDING PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS

CONFERENCE, EVENTS & VENUES CONFERENCES Kents Hill Park Training & Conference Centre t: 01908 358000 w: www.kentshillpark.com

VENUES

Thames Valley Training A & Development David Podger

P

RECRUITMENT Right Hand HR t: 0844 880 4582 w: www.rhhr.com

t: 01494 605035 w: www.thamesvalleytraining.com

HR CONSULTANT

Hartwell House A Jonathan Thompson Director & General Manager

FINANCE

t: 01296 747444 w: www.hartwell-house.com

Your Money Friends Ltd A Ted Yeates Managing Director

t: 07789 711997 w: www.hr2you.co.uk

t: 01235 838542 w: www.yourmoneyfriend.co.uk

IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Macdonald Compleat Angler A Melissa Moore Sales Manager

TAX PLANNING

DATABASE MANAGEMENT

t: 0844 879 9128 w: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

Wealth and Tax Management t: 01908 26 0418 w: www.wealthandtax.co.uk

West Wycombe Estate t: 01494 524411 w: www.west-wycombe-estate.co.uk

Flackwell Financial Services t: 01628 525450 w: www.flackwell.org

Chicheley Hall t: 0800 085 1660 w: www.chicheleyhall.co.uk

Harmonea t: 01844 274 808 w: www.harmonea.co.uk

The Tree Hotel t: 01494 881183 w: www.cadmore.treehotel.co.uk Latimer Place t: 01494 764422 w: www.deverevenues.co.uk/locations/latimer-place.html

EVENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY The Active Network t: 0207 313 5744 w: www.activenetwork.com

HR2You P Sarah Morris Owner

HEALTH & LEISURE LEISURE ACTIVITIES Magnolia Park Golf Club P Mark McGeehan Golf Pro t: 01844 239700 w: www.magnoliapark.co.uk

InTouch CRM P James White Managing Director t: 0845 310 9973 w: www.intouchcrm.co.uk

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES Coms A David Breith CEO t: 01494 561603 w: www.coms.com

MANUFACTURING ARLA Foods t: 0113 382 7000 w: www.arlafoods.co.uk

The Sculpture School t: 07810 480884 w: www.thesculptureschool.co.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

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MARKETING & DESIGN ADVERTISING B4 Magazine P Richard Rosser Managing Director

Solutions in Ink t: 020 7917 2964 w: www.solutionsinink.com

The Bird in Hand Country Inn t: 01628 826622 w: www.birdinhand.co.uk

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Rhodes House A Martin Gubb Director of Finance

t: 01865 742211 w: www.berkshire.b4-business.com

Esplin PR A Louise Esplin Freelance PR Consultant

DESIGN

t: 07775 678237 w: www.esplinpr.co.uk

Blink Design & Print P Keith Simpson Senior Designer t: 01865 742211 w: www.on-the-blink.com

MARKETING Strangebrew P Phil Strachan Proprietor t: 07770 753975 w: www.thinkbrandnotbland.co.uk First Move Direct Marketing A David Amor Managing Director t: 01494 539300 w: www.firstmove.co.uk Urban Media A Elton Boocock Founder t: 01494 538441 w: www.urbanmedia.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM PRODUCTION Andrew Gleed Photography A Andrew Gleed Owner t: 01494 718557 w: www.gleedphotography.co.uk Adby Creative t: 020 3239 1084 w: www.adbycreative.co.uk Piers Photography t: 07787 505786 w: www.piersphoto.com Take One Business Communications Ltd t: 01494 898919 w: www.takeonetv.com

PRINTING Advent Colour P Mike Ackerman Sales Director t: 01264 359359 w: www.advent-colour.co.uk

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Cirkle A Caroline Kinsey Chairman t: 07774 181610 w: www.cirkle.com Cerub PR A Ceri-Jane Hackling Managing Director t: 01494 461784 w: www.cerubpr.co.uk Noble Word t: 07500 531485

TRANSPORT TRAVEL Chiltern Railways A Rob Brighthouse Managing Director

t: 01865 270918 w: www.rhodeshouseoxford.com Lady Margaret Hall P Bill Kemp Head of Conference Services t: 01865 611079 w: www.lmh.ox.ac.uk Williams Conference Centre A Brendan Caffrey Conference Centre Manager t: 01235 777900 w: www.williamsf1conferences.com Nominet A Lesley Cowley OBE CEO t: 01865 332211 w: www.nominet.org.uk Bloxham School A Nick Irvine Marketing Director t: 01295 724332 w: www.bloxhamschool.com

t: 08456 005 165 w: www.chilternrailways.co.uk

Blenheim Palace P John Hoy Chief Executive

RETAIL

t: 01993 810501 w: www.blenheimpalace.com

Buildbase A David Grimsdale Divisional Director South East

Santander A Justin Hayward Business Development Director

t: 01438 364627 w: www.buildbase.co.uk

t: 07809 493563 w: www.santander.co.uk

Coffox Ltd t: 07736 950673 w: www.coffox.tel

Oxford Fine Dining Sue Randall Managing Director

THE WIDER B4

t: 01865 728240 w: www.oxfordfinedining.co.uk

Miele Company Ltd A t: 0845 365 6600 w: www.miele.co.uk

BDO LLP A Julian Frost Lead Partner

The Art Room t: 01865 779779 w: www.theartroom.org.uk

0118 925 4400 w: www.bdo.uk.com

Reading Football Club Limited P Sir John Madejski Chairman t: 0118 968 1100 w: www.readingfc.co.uk

P

Haslams Surveyors LLP P Conrad Hill Managing Partner t: 0118 921 1500 w: www.haslams.co.uk

Call us now on 01494 373 183 to join the growing B4 network.

B4 contacts Bearwood Lakes Golf Club A Martyn Norris Head of Marketing t: 0118 979 7900 w: www.bearwoodlakes.co.uk The Vineyard P Hayden Bowl General Manager t: 01635 528770 w: www.the-vineyard.co.uk

B4 Become a B4 Member?

CALL US NOW ON 01494 373183.

B4 is designed by Blink Design & Print e: studio@on-the-blink.com t: 01494 373183 w: www.on-the-blink.com

An £80 legal letter to recover the money I’m owed.

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It’s a formal demand letter from us. Often it’s just the push that makes a debtor pay up - and all we charge is £80+VAT*.

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www.geoffreyleaver.com quoting reference DR006. * Terms and conditions apply.

Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors, 251 Upper Third Street, Bouverie Square, Central Milton Keynes, Bucks MK9 1DR England Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors is the trading name of Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors LLP which is a limited liability partnership Registered in England & Wales under partnership no. OC329227. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The cost to call 0333 numbers is the same as your carrier would normally charge you for dialling a landline number. Please check with your network provider for call charges.

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