Borough Business

Getting Down to Business

Make the most of your Chessington Business Expo experience …. network with attendees, meet our exhibitors and enjoy a great programme of business seminars and speed ne tworking.

Welcome to New Members 6

Patron News 8-10

Ask the Expert 13

Richard Burge LCCI 14-15

Chessington Business Expo 16-17

Skills 21

Kingston Borough Business Awards 2023 22 News 23

Health and Wellbeing 30-33

Starting up 34

Editorial and General Enquiries

Guildhall, High Street

Kingston upon Thames. KT1 1EU. 020 8541 4441

Email: office@kingstonchamber.co.uk

Web: www.kingstonchamber.co.uk

Chief Executive: Forbes Low

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Published Autumn 22 © Benham Publishing and Kingston Chamber of Commerce

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Disclaimer

Borough Business is published for Kingston Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members. All correspondence should be addressed to Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Borough Business are not necessarily those of Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2022. Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

WELCOME TO BOROUGH BUSINESS

The Kingston Chamber of Commerce magazine for all Businesses in Kingston

September saw the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty’s long reign was marked by her strong sense of duty and her immense determination to dedicate her life to her throne and to her people.

Having a daughter in Dublin, I saw the great historical significance as the Queen became the first British monarch to make an official visit to the Irish Republic. In a speech, which she began in Irish, she called for forbearance and conciliation and referred to “things we wish had been done differently or not at all”, a message we can all value.

The absence during the summer of any political decision making regarding energy costs and the looming cost of living, has put a strain on the business sector. Businesses have shown considerable resilience if they know what to aim at but with no clarity, no proper planning can be taken. Sentiment and confidence are vital to business growth and security. When these are disregarded or ignored, we see there is a price to pay.

As Mark Carney, the former Bank of England Governor said in 2008, “Trust arrives on foot but leaves in a Ferrari .”

The Chamber has not been standing still. On October 10th saw the official

launch of the new Kingston Borough Business Awards 2023 at DoubleTree Hilton. We were delighted with the response last year to these new truly local awards. We are pleased that Kingston University are the headline sponsors again, with Kingston Council and College as our gold sponsors. Their support, with many category sponsors returning, show great faith in what our Kingston business community provides. We encourage businesses to enter: the process is straightforward and free to submit.

October 26th is Chessington Business Expo and we have a full day on offer. We have business seminars to help your finances, how to problem solve, resilience and how to utilise LinkedIn and Instagram, all for business growth. We have the popular speed networking, a new Green Zone which will provide sustainable advice, and our fantastic, expert exhibitors. Free to attend so sign up today. It will be a special day to network, learn and enjoy.

As a result of feedback from the New Malden Business Forum, Kingston Council, in partnership with the Chamber, will be delivering an online business directory for New Malden. This is important to know who is local and we hope that, with a strong social

media campaign leading to Christmas, this directory will have true benefits.

If you want business growth and need a helping hand, Booster+ could be the programme for you. See page 17 for more details. This is for borough businesses who have been operating for 1.5-2 years. Working with your peers in a mentoring programme, with experts in their field, I have great faith in this programme, and the cost is refunded upon completion of the programme.

It has been busy but we have even introduced Netwalking! Maybe not the most original title but it does what the name says. A good bit of fresh air and chat so what is not to like.

In this difficult period, I must thank all our members, partners and friends again for your determination, spirit and drive. It gives me encouragement that by collaborating and supporting each other, Kingston is stronger together.

Forbes Low CEO

Kingston Chamber of Commerce forbes@kingstonchamber.co.uk

Christmas Lights Switch On

The Christmas festivities begin on Monday 21st November as we switch on our festive lights, and are serenaded with carols by the Choir of HM Chapel Royal.

Christmas Day Lunch Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year… make the big day extra special with a fabulous Christmas Lunch, including Champagne to start and Port to finish.

Christmas Parties

Our December Party Menu is perfect for family get-togethers or office parties (up to 70 guests) and you can also join our spectacular open parties on the 7th, 14th or 21st December.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

A refined yet relaxed boutique

Wave off 2022 and welcome 2023 at our fantastic New Year’s Eve celebration with a five-course meal, live music and dancing until the wee small hours.

Porter the Sorter

Ask our resident HR expert, Sandra Porter of The HR Dept for advice on your workplace worries.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

I think we have all realised now that remote working in many industries and sectors is here to stay. As companies and employees alike seek to find an appropriate balance of home and office working there are many challenges to ensure that the solution supports business productivity, employee engagement and individual wellbeing. Here are our suggestions for optimising the remote workplace:

Top 3 Tips

1) Trust - A lack of trust that team members will work productively when out of view is probably the biggest hindrance to the acceptance of remote working. This is difficult to change as may have been developed through previous bad experiences. Focus on setting outcomes not on presenteeism. Have a way for team members to update on their progress regularly so that you receive the reassurance you need that progress is being made.

2) Support – We may have previously relied on being able to spot where team members may need help. Where people are working remotely the provision of support may partly depend on their confidence to ask for help. It may help to ask ‘What three things can I do to help you be effective today?’, create a space (anonymous if needed) where team members can ask questions freely and recognise where this adds value to the business.

3) Collaboration – To enable teams to be able to collaborate and problem solve while working remotely requires the adoption of suitable technology. There is an abundance of tools on the market to support task prioritisation, progress projects, problem solve and whiteboard problems. Consider what your team needs, if they now lack an office and flipchart (remember those?!), and implement tools that support the behaviours that you need.

Remember the following:

As an employer you are still liable for team members’ health and safety, even if you are no longer paying the rent. You will need to undertake a risk assessment of their workplace to ensure that they are not putting themselves at risk and can work productively.

You will need to update your policies to reflect the changes in your workplace. Consider how the change affects allowable expenses, the use and protection of company property, management of confidential information, and work life balance.

The HR Dept are an outsourced HR services provider supporting local SMEs with their people issues and strategy. For advice on remote working, or for a free HR audit please call 0345 208 1290

Always seek employment law advice regarding management of your people issues to ensure that you and your business are well protected from potential litigation risks.

An autumn full of events

The Chamber has been busy at work preparing an autumn full of events and of course the long awaited Chessington Expo! We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Expo on the 26th of October hosted by Chessington School.

The end of the summer has been marked by the sad news of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II passing and our nation entered the Autumn with the mourning period.

We are curious to see the leadership of King Charles III and hope he will continue his support for business and the environment.

Talking about business and environment, the Chamber has

been busy working with the council on the Green Business Community to promote a sustainable future and help the green economy in regeneration. Many of you will know that I am very passionate about the environment and sustainable business practices. I am a strong believer that businesses should be run in harmony with the environment and not only with profit in mind. With the climate change crisis very visible in our everyday life, we are out of time to keep putting our heads in the sand. Let’s collaborate and help each other with being more sustainable and strive for carbon neutrality.

Register your interest: https://iqi.click/green

Join the conversation: https://iqi.click/ kingstoncommunity

Events planned for this autumn: Don’t forget to join us as an exhibitor or an attendee at the Chessington Business Expo for seminars and the Green Zone!

Come along to our networking breakfasts or the all new NetWalking, looking to improve your wellbeing, as well as have a new way to connect with fellow business owners, and you can bring your 4 legged best friend to make friends of their own!

Katerina Damcova Chamber President

The Royal Borough of

Chamber of Commerce

Peter didnt realise that sharing skills and knowledge at Chamber events wouldn’t include his DIY skills

“ We have been able to see first hand h ow th e Kings ton Ch amber of Commerce h elps businesses to network, g row a nd th rive. Es pecially d uring th e lockdown wh en the y s howed resilience a nd innova tion connecting e verybody online.

They really s tepped up, lea d th e community a nd showed s trength d uring s uch d ifficult times for businesses wh ich ultima tely ga ve p eople h ope.

There is a q uote th at s ays “If op portunity doesn’t knock, build th e d oor.”

I b elieve th is represents wh at th e Ch amber d oes in our community.”

John Zapata Restrepo

Managing Director & Co-Founder, Avatar Cleaning Services Ltd

Welcome to

Welcoming, professional and supportive environment

Regular networking events and business webinars

Wholesale is

Trade

dedicated to bringing our

the lowest possible prices.

annual membership

New creative venue for Kingston Riverside

Riverside Walk is excited about a new creative venue set to open its doors in 2023 on Kingston riverside next to the Kingston Bridge. The new space is sited underneath John Lewis in an area currently known as The Undercroft. With funding from the Mayor of London and the support of Kingston Council local charity Creative Youth has begun work to clear and fit out the space.

Stamp Duty threshold

The Chancellor’s mini budget and announcement regarding Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)

Pearson Hards report how this affects the housing market.

The housing market, including estate agents and conveyancers have long been wondering how long the recent housing bubble could last. In 2020 when the Chancellor at the time, Rishi Sunak, announced a stamp duty holiday for all properties up to £500,000, this was enough to sure up the market during the difficulties encountered by the Coronavirus pandemic. It allowed the level of transactions taking place during the latter part of 2020 to the middle of 2021 to far exceed expectations. Since the summer of 2021, professionals involved in property have been wondering how long it could last. So the question is, will the recent announcement by the new Chancellor help the market sufficiently to continue the upward trend?

The increase on the Stamp Duty threshold from £125,000 to £250,000 which was announced on 23

September was intended to support the housing market which is facing difficulties with interest rates on the increase and the cost of living crisis fuelled by energy increases. So far the markets have not reacted positively to Kwasi Kwarteng’s radical budget. Indeed they have spiralled even further after he announced a few days after the budget that he intended to make further tax cuts in future, with no cost saving measures to counter balance his spending. It remains to be seen what the effect of the housing market will be.

Hatice Mustafa, Partner and head of Residential conveyancing says “We have been anticipating a possible downturn in the market would happen in the coming months. It will remain to be seen whether this offsets that, or just pushes prices higher.” In the past when the stamp duty threshold has increased, this has often led to house prices increasing. With mortgage deals being pulled by banks and lenders, people may be unable to afford the increased borrowing that will be needed to buy a property. One thing is for sure, the housing market does not react positively to uncertainty and that is what is currently happening.

For more information, contact: hmustafa@pearsonhards.co.uk

Holland Hahn & Wills at Denbies Vineyard

It will be offer flexibility of use to encompass performances in as wide variety of art forms as possible as well as space for workshops, rehearsals, presentations and work. The space will be managed by Creative Youth but open to others to use and explore. A close partnership with both Kingston University and Kingston College will enable young creatives to find a space for their ideas. It will also be available to local businesses and communities.

The area also houses the footing from the original Kingston Bridge, for over 500 years the only crossing of the Thames between London Bridge and Staines. This new venue will help to regenerate an area of Kingston’s riverside and bring the liveliness of the area of restaurants through to the other side of the tunnel underpass.

HH&W were delighted to welcome clients to an event at Denbies Vineyard at the end of September. A tradition interrupted by Covid, it was fabulous to welcome over 75 clients to join us for a train tour of the vineyard and some wine tasting, followed by a delicious lunch. We always enjoy the opportunity to thank our clients for their loyalty, and relish the chance to catch up in an informal environment. Many of our clients have made friends at these events, so are thrilled to see friendly faces year on year!

Kingston Charitable Foundation

Kingston Charitable Foundation are delighted to announce the appointment of a new Patron, Chris Hirsch. Chris has been a wonderful supporter of Kingston Charitable Foundation, since even before the launch in January 2021, helping in practical ways and indeed always there with wise words and suggestions. Chris was born in Surbiton, has lived in North Kingston for the last 30 years and knows so much of the history of our community.

He brings with him invaluable skills and knowledge from his career in Chartered Financial Planning and Wealth Management, but it is also his warmth, and love of community that makes him the perfect new appointment as Patron. Chris said: ‘I am honoured to become a Patron of this wonderful charity, which concentrates on the beating heart of Kingston – its people’. Another exciting role to keep Chris out of mischief!

State of the art learning resources

We were delighted to open the doors of the remodelled entrance to the Kingston Hall Centre to our 2022/23 cohort of students at the start of the academic year. The space has already added a new vibe to the College with students enjoying the light spacious areas of the atrium. The Learning Centre is buzzing with students utilising the state of the art learning resources. Having the employability hub and student support centre at the forefront of the building ensures that our students have key information and services to hand.

We are looking forward to inviting our business community through our doors to upcoming events shortly.

Rangling throught the Tough Mudder for Charity

IQ in IT had an incredible time battling the mud at the Tough Mudder, raising money for the Kingston hospital charity.

We had been given the opportunity to fundraise money for the Kingston Hospital Charity to help raise funds for the Paediatric department at Kingston Hospital. They were in desperate need of some digital play equipment. Distractions such as music, games, and TV have been medically proven to effectively reduce pain and anxiety in children during clinical procedures. Distraction therapy also helps minimise the feeling of seperation when a child must stay overnight. Technology is

amazing in helping people’s minds and body and we wanted to help vunerable children gain access to life-changing technology.

Our team spent weeks training for the event and it paid off. On the 25th of Septmber, from start to finish, they were challanged with obstacles such as the ‘Block Ness Monster’, ‘Kiss of Mud’, and ‘Funky Monkey’. From falling into mud, and more mud, the end results were tiredness but fufillment in taking part in a challenging yet fun event for a good cause. We managed to get lots of videos and pictures of us in action as well so make sure to look out for them on our social media!

By the time of the event, we had managed to raise 57% of our goal. Since then, we have managed to raise it to 67%! It’s not too late to donate, we still have the donation page up at our Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/ team/runasadmin.

Find out more about IQ in IT https://IQinIT.uk/ Email us: Team@IQinIT.uk

Kingston University tops UK table for graduate start-ups

Kingston University has received further national recognition for its enterprise expertise after being ranked top for graduate start-ups out of all UK higher education institutions.

The latest Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey, which gathers data on UK universities’ engagement in the economy and knowledge exchange, found Kingston supported 298 graduate start-ups in 2020-21, placing it top ahead of the Royal College of Art.

Kingston University is consistently ranked as having one of the highest number of graduate

start-ups in the UK. Its Head of Enterprise Education, Dr Martha Mador, said the University’s enterprise activities encouraged students’ creativity and to apply their specialist knowledge real-world problems. This was key for equipping students with core skills in problem solving, critical thinking and communication, which are the most highly valued by employers as set out in the University’s Future Skills report,released this summer.

“From Kingston University’s Future Skills research, which surveyed 2,000 business leaders and 1,000 students, it’s clear employers want graduates who can come up with creative solutions to problems,” Dr Mador said. “That’s what entrepreneurs do –they identify something that’s not quite right, then come up with a solution. The two things together make the opportunity, and help drive business innovation.”

Kingston University is well known for supporting students to develop business ideas, with initiatives such as the HackCentre, through which they create solutions to real-world problems, and the Bright Ideas competition, where students’ product concepts are pitched to industry leaders.

Find out more about Kingston University’s Future Skills campaign at kingston.ac.uk/futureskills

Wolters Kluwer holds its inaugural culture festival

Earlier this month, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK held its inaugural culture festival for employees. The event, which took place in its Kingston offices, was also available to those colleagues who were unable to join in-person.

Building on the historic success of our wellbeing days, we convened a day where our people could take a moment’s pause to benefit from inspiring speakers, wellbeing advice and delicious, healthy food and drink.

The day began with an emotionally charged discussion with Michael Maisey. Michael is an ex-armed robber who turned his life around to become an author and founder of The CIP (Change is Possible) Project. This project is a peer-led community support group which helps people with mental health, addiction, PTSD and childhood trauma. His thought-provoking story left our colleagues moved and inspired.

We also explored the importance of mind over matter with our own colleague and record-

breaking walker, Richard McChesney, heard fundraising updates and research insights from Cancer Research UK (CRUK), as well as muchneeded tips for a blissful night’s sleep from Rachel Williams.

We were privileged to be joined by fellow Patron member of the Kingston Chamber, Katie Lovatt, Head of Marketing & Operations at Holland Hahn & Wills. Katie helped our people to think about the many questions which exist around personal finance, as well as some best practice tips around personal financial management.

We concluded the day with a panel discussion featuring a number of our own colleagues and focused on the importance of being your authentic self.

As if we needed more, there were Peloton bike challenges, massages to soothe, a delicious graze table and mocktails for all.

Neil Parsons, UK Managing Director, remarked, “Culture is probably the most important thing for me as MD of the business. We want to attract great talent. We want to treat one another with respect and I’m proud to be involved in days like today. We’ll definitely do this again!”

Coronavirus

receiving

TOP

investor

You may or may not know that the Oxford English Dictionary defines furlough as “to give somebody permission to leave their duties for a period of time”.

giving away more of

intend, or giving away

share in your company

In the press, we have seen increasing mention of ‘furlough fraud.’ It has recently been estimated that the UK Government is likely to write off £4.3 billion pounds in furlough fraud.

too low

If an investor wants to invest £500k at a post-money valuation of £1m, the company will end up being worth £1m and the investor will hold 50%.

Undiluted and diluted share capital

the furlough scheme to help retain their employees during the pandemic may receive queries from HMRC. These could even be in cases where only legitimate furlough claims had been made.

Undiluted share capital refers to the total issued share capital of a company.

Help – I’ve had a query from HMRC

What is furlough fraud?

Examples of furlough fraud could include:

Sally Johnston, senior associate at RussellCooke, guides you through how investors evaluate your business’s value and the terms they use, essential knowledge for every start-up.

This includes all the shares which have been issued in a company, and which appear in the register of members and on Companies House.

Below are some practical tips to help you respond to any queries received.

Tip 1: Do not panic!

Pre- and post- money valuations

• Furloughed staff being asked to continue to work;

• Claiming furlough pay for staff who did not qualify for the scheme;

In seed fundraising, investors will give a company cash in exchange for shares.

Understand that HMRC may be following up leads or simply asking questions to ensure that all claims made were done so properly.

If the investment is based on a ‘pre-money’ valuation of the company, this means the value placed on the company is worked out before the company receives investment.

• Claiming furlough pay for ‘made up’ staff;

• Over-claiming furlough pay;

• Not passing the full amount of furlough pay to the furloughed employees;

A ‘post-money’ valuation refers to the value of the company after the proposed investment. This means that a pre-money valuation of a company at £1m is the same as a post-money valuation of a company at £1.5m if the planned investment is £500k.

• Deliberately providing false information to receive furlough pay from HMRC.

If an investor wants to invest £500k at apremoney valuation of £1m, the company will end up being worth £1.5m and the investor will hold 33.3%.

While it is understood that only a very small minority intended to defraud HMRC, it is known that HMRC have started ramping up their investigations and actively following up on tip-offs received. Many business owners in the UK who had accessed

Tip 2: Do not bury your head in the sand.

While it is easy to get distracted in keeping the business running, it is important to understand that this is not going to go away. If you cannot find time yourself to engage with HMRC, then make sure you instruct an adviser who can do so on your behalf.

It is often too easy to say that we ‘will deal with this later’ and soon enough a month or more has gone by. It is always better to be proactive and start engaging with HMRC as soon as possible. This will not only

show your intention of being cooperative, but will also help address any issues, without the need for escalation.

Tip 3: Make sure you review your records and keep copies.

Diluted share capital also includes various ‘rights’ to shares, which may not have actually been issued yet, such as options, warrants and convertible loans. This shows the percentage interest in a company someone might have if all the rights to shares materialised and resulted in newly issued shares in the company.

This will allow you to refresh your memory and more importantly have all your documents ready to disclose to HMRC if needed.

If an investor wants to buy a 10% share in a company on an undiluted basis, and the company has an option pool of 25%, the postinvestment cap table might look like this:

Tip 4: Be transparent.

In the event you realise that a mistake has been made, or any overpayments have occurred, make sure you promptly inform HMRC.

Tip 5: Keep records for a minimum of six years.

Even if you were successful in addressing any queries and the matter was subsequently resolved, do keep your records for a minimum of six years to assist you with any potential future queries.

We can help

It goes without saying that if any actions are being taken against you by HMRC, please seek independent legal advice urgently. Contact our senior associate Sheetul Sowdagar in our professional regulation team, for help.

What type of finance options are best for smaller businesses?

During uncertain economic times, I’m often asked by smaller businesses how they can tackle the ‘financial barrier’. By this I mean customers paying late, banks increasing their lending criteria; making it unattractive to invest in your business or simply impossible to borrow.

This can have huge impact on any business and the wider economy with thousands of small businesses failing to increase productivity and investment in the local and wider economy.

There are however some solutions to help break down this barrier. The main ones being Invoice

finance and Asset finance. This brief article will discuss the pros and cons of both.

Invoice finance simply ‘funds the gap’ between sales and receipt of payment. This can be seen as a flexible and structured method of funding cashflow. More importantly funds can be made available within 48hrs.

There are different areas of invoice finance, such as factoring. This is where the lender takes control of a business’s sales ledger and therefore controls the management and collection of any payments. This can be seen as an advantage leaving particularly smaller companies to focus on their core business activities. However,

factoring is not confidential, your clients will be aware your business is using a factoring company to manage your receipts. This is also one of the more expensive options.

Another option available is that of discounting, where the business remains in control of its ledgers and chases payments. This option is confidential to its clients but is usually suitable for larger companies.

Spot factoring is arguably more flexible, short-term option. This is where a company sells an individual or a series of invoices at a discount to a lender.

Overall invoice factoring is a flexible way of raising working capital, it allows to free up staff to work on other areas of the business instead of chasing payments. Collections will be quicker and available funds will grow with the debtor book to help fund expansion.

Asset finance is another huge range of products that offer depth and flexibility for any business. Particularly if a business is seeking to obtain equipment. Options include Hire purchase, Finance leases, Operating leases, Capital Release. The beauty of these products overall is that due to the lower payments, you improve your overall cashflow, there are also considerable tax advantages; corporation tax can be offset against your payments, VAT can also be reclaimed (HP) as with any lease you are protected against obsolesce and depreciation, payments are fixed and not affected by interest rates.

Unlike overdraft facilities for example, asset finance agreements cannot be withdrawn, but they can be repaid early. In addition, there is a much higher acceptance and turnround rate; usually a decision is made within 48hrs as finance is secured against the asset.

Overall Asset Finance tends to be a far more flexible option than a business loan.

any businesses wish to discuss these finance solutions

others, please feel welcome to

Tough times but London has resilience to shine

“Lifting the cap on bonuses means a few hundred getting a lot of money in their pocket –this is not going to the thousands of businesses that keep London alive”.

“Is there a talent drain in the City? There is a small number moving to Europe but there is no great outflow to, say, New York. Banks are not complaining about problems with recruitment.”

companies are feeling the impact of no longer being part of the EU trading bloc.

“The level of documentation involved and costs, means a lot of UK businesses are not trading with Europe anymore. Trading terms need to ease with Europe. At the moment it is easier to trade with Canada!”

A lot has happened since Richard Burge’s last article for Borough Business.

Not only have we seen a change of monarch for the first time in 70 years but also a change of PM at Number 10.

Does Richard, CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, think the Carolean Age (if that is what it is to be called), will begin with a period of major change and is there cause for much optimism?

Given that the cabinet has not changed radically in its make-up, he doesn’t see any great shift in emphasis though he is concerned by the lack of clarity so far.

“It is hard to see what direction Prime Minister Liz Truss’ administration is going to take given there have been so many proposed policy reversals already. The old saying that ‘business hates uncertainty’ is true and that is what we have right now.”

Like many who watched the Conservative Party leadership campaign, Richard is sceptical as to how many of the populist ‘commitments’ are actually (or ever were) deliverable. He also thinks some measures just send out the wrong message at the wrong time – particularly the cap on bank bonuses.

Richard stresses that the real problem in terms of finding talent is being faced by SMEs across many sectors, who cannot find people sufficiently well trained or who have seen skilled staff return to their European homeland with little appetite to return to a country they now feel is unwelcoming.

Tax cuts and inflation

Prime Minister Truss made it clear early on in her leadership bid that tax cuts were on the agenda. Richard agrees that it is the wrong time to be increasing taxes and that they shouldn’t initially have been increased in the aftermath of the pandemic.

His concern with taxes is that they are too often used in a non-strategic way. “If you use taxes tactically, rising or lowering between budgets in response to popular demand, this creates more business uncertainty.”

As for inflation, Richard believes the world is so volatile it is difficult to say whether (and when) the rate will go down.

“The businesses that will feel the most pressure is those with less access to cash or borrowing. SMEs don’t have much ballast in anything – be that people or asset value”

He adds: “In time of high inflation, businesses with low-skill, low wage employees will struggle. They will have to increase wages”.

It is certainly an argument for UK businesses focussed on exports that the weak pound is a helpful tailwind right now. Richard takes this on board but stresses that the price of trading in goods and services is really accelerating and

So, what needs to happen? “Both sides (UK and EU) are fighting an argument that has already moved on. Rather than trying to prove Brexit has worked/not worked, they should be asking ‘what is the trading relationship we want in the future?”

As far as Richard is concerned, there has to be an acceptance that EU trade is handled as a collective and build on that.

He explains that the EU is a hugely important trading partner for the UK and unlike China, is an amenable trading bloc. Nor does Richard think mega trade partnerships elsewhere can swiftly dispatch the EU to periphery status.

“The US has never really been a ‘free-trading nation. The easiest place in the world to do business is with the EU.”

London spirit

The UK’s standing in the world may have been damaged by tussles with the EU and even threats to rip up signed agreements, but Richard is confident London businesses are well equipped to succeed regardless.

London has a lot of resilience. It is such a diverse place, with wealth coming from a vast number of sources not just the City. For instances, life sciences, creatives and education. Not only is London home to several top 20 universities globally but Middlesex is now one of the largest vocational focussed universities in the world.

“I am optimistic about London – we will find ways of riding this storm; a storm that has been made worse by indecisive government,” he says.

Is there a talent drain in the City? There is a small number moving to Europe but there is no great outflow to, say, New York.

Banks are not complaining about problems with recruitment.

voice of Kingston’s business

Photo by Gordon Williams on Unsplash

Kingston Chamber of Commerce is delighted to launch our fifth Chessington Business Expo.

The theme of this Expo is Getting Back to Business. At the time of thinking this theme, there was a summer period of inertia when national decisions were not happening for businesses. Now, more so than before, businesses just want to focus on what they are good at and get some lost momentum back.

My special thanks go to Kingston Council for their support and backing for the business community as our Expo headline sponsors.

The Chamber are delighted to be back at Chessington School who have been a great partner for the event and continue to raise the educational bar in the community through the work of the headmaster, Ash Ali and the dedicated teaching staff.

We have a floor full of fantastic exhibitors who bring a breadth of talent and skills for visitors to engage with.

There is a diverse business programme that we hope people will find enjoyable, informative and provide benefits to how they work.

Headline Sponsors

We are delighted to welcome David Harkin (above), the CEO & Co-Founder, 8billionideas, as our guest speaker. David will discuss the Ripple Effect which explores how surprisingly small changes in mindset can make big things happen.

Liz Machtynger and Hilary Wason of Kingston University will lead on the seminar How to problem solve and find solutions. This will be about how think on our feet, assess problems and use knowledge to find solutions. An essential ability to any business!

Barclays Bank and SAIL Solutions will provide guidance on How to make your finances work for you. This is a partnership seminar whereby attendees can learn from an SME level how to make budgets work and also hear how to talk with banks abut loans and getting financial support.

Hosted by:

The Royal Borough of Kingston Chamber of Commerce

The Kingston Innovation Network will discuss How to build resilience and innovate to cope with the increased costs of doing business and our final seminar will be another collaborative presentation from Celia Rizothanasi (left), Queen Bee of LinkedIn & Chartered Marketer and Emma Peries (right), Digital Mother. They will show you how LinkedIn and Instagram can help you Reach more clients online in 2023.

The Expo will also provide a new GREEN ZONE. This will be an informal area to learn more about how you can start adopting more sustainable practices in your business or at home. We have advocates and practitioners in the sustainable field who will be at hand to chat with you about what you can do.

The GREEN ZONE will have Janine Martin of Sunray Recycle (winner of the Kingston Borough Business Award’s Sustainable Business Award), Simon Vine of United Business Group, Alex Hughes of Auxilium Business Consulting Ltd, IQ in IT and Paragon Green Cleaning.

Of course, we have the ever popular Speed Networking hosted by John Gower of Omni Local.

We hope you enjoy this very special day.

a Borough, we should be proud

business

come together

Booster+ Sign up today

THE NEW BUSINESS GROWTH PROGRAMME

IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH

LEARN FROM BUSINESS SPECIALISTS

KNO WLEDGE WITH

Kingston Chamber of Commerce, with the support of Kingston Council, will be delivering a Booster+ business programme.

This is for business owners / sole traders* who are committed to growing their business, supporting others and are based or primarily work within the borough of Kingston.

Creating the business future you want

Christmas at DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston

Join us for our ever-popular joiner party nights.

Only a stone’s throw away from the Riverside and the train station, makes us the perfect party spot!

Book and confirm your Christmas event before end of October to recieve a

10% DISCOUNT

Call the team on 0203 146 4142 for more details

Winter Wedding at DoubleTree by Hilton London Kingston upon Thames Book and save on any last-minute wedding for 2022 and early 2023

15% DISCOUNT

valid from 1st Nov – 31st March 2023 Call the team on 0203 146 4142 for more details

South Thames Colleges Group leads the way on Green Skills training

South Thames Colleges Group (STCG) has recently won £1.9 million of funding from the Department for Education to develop Green Skills training across South-West London. Working in partnership with Croydon College, Richmond-upon-Thames College, Orbital South Colleges Group and London Learning Consortium, the fund will enable the development of courses in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, Green Construction, Green Energy and Waste Management. This will include developing first-class training facilities and equipment to meet the needs of employers in our region as well as working with them to develop a portfolio of green skills courses.

There are currently very few green skills courses on offer and a lack of understanding about what green jobs are and what they entail. However, the UK government’s Net Zero Strategy anticipates that there will be 190,000 “green jobs” by the middle of the 2020s and up to 440,000 jobs in 2030. Green jobs will not be niche by 2030 and the anticipation is that sustainability and climate change will touch every career. It is therefore really important that colleges such as South Thames Colleges Grou p, ensure that our curriculum reflects this. The funding will provide the opportunity for people of all ages to train, retrain or upskill to then go into green careers.

The aim of the funding is to support local innovation and economic growth, and by working in partnership with the Further Education providers and employers across South-West London, to drive a co-ordinated approach across our region to meet local skills priorities. The fund will enable more sustainable provision across our region and support the adoption of new technologies and working practices.

Stella Raphael-Reeves, Vice Principal STCG commented, “The climate crisis is no longer a problem for the future, and we urgently need the

skills to tackle it. We realise the importance of the environment and sustainability in the modern world and introducing a number of green skills training courses will help to provide the right people with the right skills for the future of the economy.”

Courses that will be developed include:

• Eco Design

• Installation of Air Source and Ground Source Heat Pumps

• Retrofit

• Solar Thermal

• Installation of Photo Voltaic Panels

• Roofing Insulation/Installation

• New Build Regulations

• Waste Management

The funding complements the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) which aim to meet local skills needs and ensure that young people, and adults who may be looking to change job roles and/or sectors can be equipped and supported to continue their learning and

employment. Central to this is putting employers at the heart of post-16 skills. In order to develop relevant and innovative curriculum, it is vital that education providers work with local, regional and national employers to support skills needs and gaps and to work in partnership to deliver training and qualifications. For further information on the LSIPs go to https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/local-skills-improvement-plans

We are looking to develop Employer Advisory Boards which will be an opportunity for employers with an interest in green skills and sustainability across all sectors to tell us about the skills they need and where there are current and anticipated skills gaps. If you or your organisation is interested in getting involved in this exciting project please contact Kathryn Elliott, Head of Business Partnerships at Kathryn.elliott@stcg.ac.uk

KBBA celebrate the positive impact of local businesses across

Borough of Kingston.

matter your shape or size of business, there are categories to match you. We know there are impressive stories of resilience, heart and adaptation from the business community. It is easy to submit an entry so tell your story of how your work has made a difference.

Local boroughs get e-bike scheme rolling

The Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Sutton are partnering with e-bike industry leaders Human Forest. The result will be 120 electric bikes available for use on the boroughs’ streets.

Both Kingston and Sutton have made sure the bikes are accessible for everyone: each rider gets 10 minutes free hire each day and, unlike other similar schemes, there are no unlocking charges.

This means a resident could cycle from Kingston to Surbiton, or from Sutton station to Carshalton, totally free of charge as long as they leave the bike in the right place at the end of their ride.

After the 10 free minutes, cycling costs just 17p per minute and users can find, hire and return a

Barwell Business Park welcomes new occupier, bespoke Relm

Bespoke Relm is the latest company to join the Barwell Business community.

Aviva Investors extends a warm welcome to the furniture manufacturer who will occupy Unit F. Bespoke Relm is a brand-new company that will create kitchen units and wardrobes at Barwell. It is an offshoot of the highly successful, Wimbledon-based, Relm Interiors, which specialises in interior and exterior design and build services, including domestic kitchens, bathroom and bedroom renovations, large-scale office refurbishments, extensions and loft conversions, all the way through to one-off bespoke furnishings.

The company has outstanding reviews from clients.

“Genuinely exceptional quality of service and workmanship. Would highly recommend!” – Simon Padbury.

bike through the scheme’s easy to use app.

The e-bikes are a healthy, affordable alternative to the car, whether it’s for a trip to the shops or a meet-up with friends. The scheme is rolling out in both boroughs at the same time, meaning residents can pick up a bike in one borough and leave it in the other.

Full steam ahead for mega Cambridge Road regeneration

The first phase of plans to deliver over 2,000 new homes on Cambridge Road Estate in Kingston is set to begin October.

The regeneration will provide 2,170 new high-quality sustainable homes, including 941 affordable homes, of which 767 will be council-rented.

Also included in the plans, are a new community centre, green streets and outdoor spaces for the residents and local community to enjoy.

Local input required for winter treeplanting in Kingston

More than 500 new trees are set to be planted across Kingston this winter, and residents are being invited to share their thoughts on where they should go.

Kingston Council’s annual winter tree planting programme is part of its commitment to enhancing biodiversity and protecting the borough’s natural environment.

“Extremely professional, kept informed of progress, very tidy and most importantly quality of work was outstanding. Would highly recommend.” – Michael Kay

Initially two or three staff will work at Barwell with plans to hire more as the business gets off the ground.

Chief Executive Officer Rodi Mirza said the business park was the ideal location because “It’s not far from where we are now, and it’s clean and tidy.”

Ken Butcher, Asset Manager, Aviva Investors, said: “We are delighted to welcome Bespoke Relm to Barwell, a great quality brand with a highly skilled team. We believe it will be a fantastic asset to the business park and our diverse manufacturing base and we look forward to supporting its growth.”

• If your business is seeking new premises, Barwell has a selected number of units now available or coming to market soon, ranging in size from 1,250 sq. ft to 14, 136 sq. ft.

New customers can relocate to and grow within the park through the Aviva Investors’ ‘Trade-Up’ initiative. The initiative means if you outgrow your unit, you can choose to expand into larger premises even during your term of occupation (subject in each case to relevant qualifying criteria and agreed terms).

The council is working with development partner Countryside to deliver much-needed new homes with the ‘green’ credentials to match the borough’s ambitious programme for more accessible, affordable, and sustainable homes fit for the future.

Local people can choose up to three locations from the online list of plots, which include everything from grass verges to local parks.

The tree planting will take place from November through to March 2023.

New Malden Digital Business Directory

The New Malden Partnership

creating

new Business Digital Directory

non

Objectives of the Directory

There are three simple of objectives

KINGSTON GREEN BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Do you want to make your business more sustainable but not sure how to start?

this

the needs of the community

awareness

available on the high street.

what

Increasing economic investment in New Malden.

Building genuine connections, partnership and understanding between the New Malden businesses, the New Malden Partnership and other key stakeholders.

What better way to share and promote our vibrant business community than to feature your offerings – for free – in our online directory?

Do you want to connect and learn from, or support, other like minded organisations? Then we can help you.

The Kingston Green Business Community will be a free-to-join community of Kingston-based businesses of all sizes, sectors, from well-established to start ups. The main aim is quite simple; to share knowledge, skills and bring together people driven to make a stronger environmental impact.

GET INVOLVED TODAY

If you are interested and would like to be involved in the formation of the Kingston Green Business Community contact: business@kingston.gov.uk

more information and to sign up to be included in this new Directory, please

JOIN US FOR NETWALKING!

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HOW YOUR FAMILY AND ASSETS WILL BE PROTECTED ON YOUR DEATH? WHAT STEPS HAVE YOU TAKEN TO SECURE YOUR FAMILY WEALTH?

Have you written a Will?

It is never too soon to put in place measures to protect your loved ones. A Will is an essential document for everyone, especially those with a family and/or a home. Writing a Will ensures that your loved ones will benefit from your estate, you can appoint guardians for your minor children, trusts can be created to protect vulnerable bene ficiaries and ensure that those you trust most are given the rights to administer your estate in the way that you have chosen. We will also discuss with you any tax planning opportunities that may be available. Making a Will without professional help may cause disappointment and financial loss to your family if it transpires that the Will does not fully comply with the formal legal requirements. At Rose & Rose we can guide you

through the process and we offer an inclusive fixed fee with no hidden costs.

Have you prepared Lasting Powers of Attorney?

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) allow you to appoint trusted family or friends (or professionals), known as “your attorneys” to manage your affairs when you no longer have capacity to do so. Mental capacity is not something that only affects the elderly; our capacity can be impaired through injury, accident, stroke or other health conditions which are sadly ever so common. We should all have LPAs in place, not just those in their “Golden Years”.

There are two types of Lasting Powers of Attorney: one for Property & Finances and one for Health & Welfares. The Property & Finances LPA will allow your attorneys to manage all your financial affairs, such as access to bank accounts, pay bills, file tax returns and buy and sell property on your behalf.

Health and welfare LPAs authorise your attorneys to make decisions on your behalf concerning personal health care, social welfare and associated care. This can involve decisions about where you live, who you live with, day to day care including diet and dress and decisions relating to medical treatment.

Legally, there is no such thing as “next of kin”. So, in the event that you lose the ability

Currently Inheritance is payable at 40% above £325,000 (the tax exempt amount), this potentially increases to £1,000,000 tax exempt for married couples/civil partners with children.

There are various ways to reduce the inheritance tax liability. We can advise you on the different exemptions that can be used to reduce any tax liability. We can assist you in structuring gifts in a tax efficient way so you can help your children who, with the current cost of living crisis, may be more in need of assistance now rather than on death. We can discuss the various ways that trusts can be used to receive assets which will not form part of your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

Our Estate Planning department are here to help you plan for the future. Our specialists can assist you in the preparation of your Will, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Estate Planning and Estate Administration.

Our team are always available, just give us a call or send us an email. We can be flexible and work around you. We can come out to see you or meet with you in the office or over a Zoom – whichever is easiest for you.

Rose & Rose

The Riverside Centre

High Street

Upon Thames

1HL

to manage your affairs, your closest family will not automatically become your “decision makers”. This could cause serious financial hardship as bank accounts will be frozen, and Social Services will have to take over control of your health and welfare decisions.

If you lose mental capacity without an LPA in place, your family will have to make an application to the Court of Protection to arrange for someone to be appointed as your Deputy in order to access your assets and to make appropriate provision for your care. This process is lengthy and expensive, and best avoided! Make sensible plans today and let us help you put them in place with our LPA service.

Have you considered what you can do now about mitigating your exposure to Inheritance tax (IHT) liability?

Life at West Hall can be at a gentle pace or a hive of activity

Set within acres of beautiful Surrey countryside, West Hall luxury care home is a lovely blend of our older listed Manor House, complimented by our modern state of the art lodges. We bene�t from a quiet location, idyllic surroundings and acres of exquisite private riverside gardens, for the enjoyment of our residents, their visitors and our colleagues alike.

Within West Hall, have a number of spacious rooms which comprise of a bedroom, living space and en suite facilities. We encourage our residents to bring their treasured possessions and personalise their living space as they wish. Our spacious rooms provide an opportunity to bene�t from 24-hour peace of mind, whilst o�ering style, comfort and independence.

Our team ensure the best quality care is delivered with compassion and kindness. We know it’s the small things that can make a big di�erence to the people in our care, like taking time to have a friendly chat or share a joke. As well as supporting new residents on their move into care, our team are here to assist their loved ones every step of the way. We’re happy to answer any questions regarding our residential care or care for people living with dementia.

We have the bene�t of private gardens, where our residents can enjoy a gentle walk or simply sit and relax whilst watching the world go by.

We are very proud that West Hall was rated as Outstanding in the areas of Caring, Responsive and Well-Led and overall in our most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in June 2019. The CQC inspector’s report praised how compassionate our care is, as they observed sta� hugging people automatically to give them reassurance and remarked that it was clear there was genuine friendships between our residents and colleagues. One of our resident’s relatives commented, “We just can’t speak highly enough of the care we are receiving.”

We have selected admissions o�ers for new residents.* More information is available on our website at www.WestHall.org.uk . You can arrange an in person or virtual show round, simply by contacting us on 01932 800 710 West Hall luxury care home is located O� Parvis Road, West By�eet, Surrey KT14 6EY.

*T&C’s apply. Please see website for details.

health and wellbeing

Supporting menopausal workers is a win-win

The menopause affects all women at some point in their lives. According to NHS figures, women in the UK typically reach the menopause, at around 51 years of age. The severity of symptoms and the length of time they last can vary from person to person.

Healthcare group, Bupa points out that 3.5 million of the UK’s female workforce are aged 50 or over.

Menopausal women are also the fastest growing demographic in the workplace. If companies have for too long failed to listen or support these employees, they can no longer do so.

Common symptoms of the menopause include loss of confidence, poor memory, difficulty sleeping and fatigue. All these factors can negatively affect work performance.

The menopause is not in itself classed as a disability and there are currently no direct menopause discrimination laws protecting workers in the UK.

Although it’s not directly a disability, the Employment Tribunal has acknowledged that symptoms of the menopause can amount to a disability, and a claim for discrimination may succeed on a case-bycase basis. The perceived lack of clarity here has inevitably come in for criticism.

There have been calls from many quarters for clearer definition regarding menopause in the workplace and employers’ responsibilities.

The Women and Equalities committee set up an inquiry into menopause in the workplace and the extent to which women with menopausal symptoms suffer discrimination at work.

The committee’s report was published at the end of July 2022 and the Government’s response is expected soon. This could potentially lead to changes to the Equality Act 2010.

Even if there are no specific legislation changes related to menopause in the workplace, employers should make sure they have steps, procedures and support in place to help staff affected.

Supportive employers

Having regular conversations with staff and listening to their concerns might help resolve issues early on. This could mean an employee avoiding long, unwanted absences, not feeling isolated and encouraged by a support network in place.

A proactive approach could also prevent any potential legal action, demonstrating that the employer has not been negligent in any way.

Rather than seeing support as an unwelcome obligation, employers are being encouraged to identify the tangible benefits provided to both employer and employee. Notably, retaining high quality staff central to the success of the operation.

A 2019 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that three in five menopausal women- usually aged between 45 and 55- were negatively affected at work and that almost 900,000 women in the U.K. left their jobs over an undefined period of time because of menopausal symptoms.

The implication here is that women are leaving businesses at the peak of their experience which will inevitably impact productivity.

Women in this age group are likely to be eligible for senior management roles, and so their exit can lessen diversity at executive levels. It can also contribute to the gender pay-gap and feed into a disparity in pensions. There is clearly good reason for companies to act positively.

care about choice

But at The White House Nursing Home in New Malden, these are just a few of the innovations that have been introduced by husband-and-wife team Rahim and Salima Nurmohamed.

care about interaction

Virtual reality headsets and robotic pets are not something you typically associate with a care home.

care about dignity

Pet friendly

Residents have in the past brought in with them gerbils, fish and budgies. Some do miss their cats and dogs and the home now has a remedy for this – robotic dogs and cats!

Co-directors Rahim and Salima realised the importance of investing in technology to ensure elderly residents not only got the best care but also the most enjoyment out of life during their final years.

We are passionate about care

The introduction into technology-based assistance started with a transition from paper care plans to digital care plans in 2018. This was a shift in culture and practice but one the owners thought would be beneficial and future proof. The investment was substantial, but this was the platform for the home to evolve into an award winning and outstanding care home.

At The White House Nursing Home in New Malden, we specialise in providing high quality nursing, palliative and specialist care to our residents.

And if you thought making a connection with a robot pet would be difficult, think again! “They have proved hugely successful. We know that because the residents give them names and if we suggest taking them away – the answer is an unequivocal ‘no!’ This has resulted in us having to buy more which we happily have done so.”

Is it difficult to finance all these tech-led innovations?

Salima explains that being an independent home gives autonomy on where funds are spent and how.

The White House Nursing Home is rated as “Outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission and is also accredited with the GSF (Gold Standard Framework) with ‘platinum’ status for providing recognised standards of care for all residents right up to the end of their lives.

All our care is provided by qualified, experienced and devoted nurses and care assistants through tailored and person-centred care plans.

Digital care planning allows family to see what their loved one is doing ‘live’ through a relatives gateway and care plans can be reviewed online.

Activities can contribute to the integrity of an individuals health and wellbeing which is why social interaction and engagement is an integral part of life at TWHNH.

Please get in touch for further details.

“Family members can log in from work and see that Mum has had lunch followed by dessert and is enjoying some afternoon activities. The benefit of having this accessible portal was especially significant during the Covid-19 crisis when visiting was restricted” Rahim explains.

We Care For Your Loved Ones

“To be a successful nursing home, you must reach quality milestones and we are proud to say that we have done that. We are rated as ‘Outstanding’ by our regulators - the Care Quality Commission and are accredited with the GSF (Gold Standard Framework) for training at the ‘end of life’ stage.

The White House Nursing Home has also won several Kingston Business Excellence Awards and figured in the Top 20 Awards from Carehome.co.uk for both 2021 and 2022.”

Here at The White House Nursing Home in New Malden, Surrey, we specialise in providing quality nursing care for the elderly.

Our philosophy is to create a secure, happy and homely atmosphere for our valued residents and staff.

Our 30 bed nursing home comprises of individually and beautifully decorated rooms equipped with a range of facilities that include ceiling hoists, 24 hour call-bell systems, digital TV as well as wi-fi.

We are registered to care for a range of nursing needs and provide exceptional, personalised standards of care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

White House Nursing Home Ltd

Be who you’ve always been... a keen gardener

health and wellbeing

New Victoria Hospital launches educational Breast Health campaign

New Victoria Hospital, a small independent Hospital, has partnered with Breast Cancer Now to support the Wear It Pink initiative.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in the UK, accounting for 15% of all cancer diagnoses. To meet the increasing demand in Surrey, New Victoria Hospital has recently enhanced their One Stop Breast Clinics, offering additional daily appointments with Breast specialists and new diagnostic technology for patients.

Encouraging women to become breast health conscious has recently been challenging for many healthcare providers and charities.

Women’s Health has always been one of the leading services at New Victoria Hospital; raising awareness on breast cancer risk and supporting patients along their journey is at the centre of New Victoria Hospital’s campaign this October.

Meeting the needs of patients

Daily breast clinic appointments are available at New Victoria Hospital in support of the thousands of women who were left with delayed access to breast health services over the past

few years. Women now have rapid access to results and specialist care.

Consultant Breast Surgeon, Professor Zoe Winters, comments, “I am honoured to be part of New Victoria Hospital’s initiative. My passion is to deliver “state of the art knowledge” to my patients in a One-Stop rapid diagnosis breast clinic on all aspects of breast health and breast cancer symptoms that allows each individual to understand basic mechanisms that help to explain what we do and why.”

Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist, Angela Hawkins says “Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and fear of the unknown is frightening. My role is to offer support and guidance and to help patients navigate their treatment journey.”

Along with enhanced diagnostic technology, patients have further options available pertaining to Oncoplastic treatments.

Consultant Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Mr Paul Thiruchelvam highlights the crucial developments, explaining

“It is extremely important to make women aware of the whole range of breast conserving

treatment options available. Oncoplastic breast surgery has changed dramatically in the last few years, with the wider adoption of partial breast reconstruction using local chest wall perforator flaps. This extends breast conserving therapy to patients who would have otherwise only been offered a mastectomy. By adopting a personalised approach we are able to offer more cosmetically sensitive surgical options to patients with safe and effective outcomes.”

Reconstructive surgery can be performed at the same time as a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, and patients can achieve better outcomes in one operation as a day case most of the time.

“The advantages of being looked after by a multidisciplinary team of specialists at New Victoria Hospital add value to the care that patients receive. Surgery can have a devastating effect on the patient’s body image, but with the numerous reconstruction options now available, patients don’t have to experience the negative psychological sides of seeing breast deformities after surgery.” says Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Mr Theo Nanidis.

For more information on breast cancer services at New Victoria Hospital, you can visit www.newvictoria.co.uk or call 020 8949 9090.

starting up

Tell us a bit about your business

The Egg Education Ltd was established just two months ago with the aim to provide support for families, schools and children with all their needs relating to education.

The company is developing into an accessible knowledge hub, working with the council and other local organisations and social enterprises to bridge the gap between education, families and employment. We will provide a range of courses that benefit the local community, such as English as a Foreign Language courses for all ages, workshops, seminars and talks on topics such as Special Education Needs, alternative provision schools, parenting support groups and more practical educational support solutions such as after school clubs and targeted tuition, just to list a few.

What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

My absolute passion to get education right for ALL!

I put children and families first.

Inclusivity, accessibility and connectivity motivates everything that I do.

I want to inspire and guide the generation of the future to embrace a happy educational journey, knowing it will benefit them and their communities in establishing a successful and connected existence for themselves.

What motivated you to set up in business?

The urgency to reform education and bring it into the 21st century. Education must keep up with the demands of the fast-changing world around us.

What do you like most about working for a start-up?

I feel very lucky as I am extremely passionate about my goals, which means I am never tired or bored of what I do. The opportunity to let my creativity guide the journey that the company is embarking on is very exciting and I never wake up not wanting to “go” to work!

I also enjoy the flexibility of my working hours as this gives me the opportunity to spend a lot more time with my young daughter, which is just priceless!

What has been your greatest business success to date?

The Egg Ltd is very young but I am proud of the fact that the families that chose my services so far all appreciated and commented on my passion for getting education right for the individual and approaching the topic of education from a holistic point of view.

I am also proud of the connections that I already made within the local community in a short period of time and giving the company a strong and unique presence.

What has been your lowest moment?

I am yet to have one!

In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

I see The Egg Education Ltd as a wellrecognised and regarded social enterprise within the local community that both families and schools trust and turn to for reliable and accessible support.

What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Take the leap!

We invite you to take a magical walk through our Christmas Wonderland. Your journey will start with a short, animated film to get you into the Christmas spirit. From there you’ll start your adventure. Each room features a different theme to take you through a journey of magic and wonder.

From there you will then get your very own private visit with Father Christmas. You’ll visit him in his own cosy cabin where he will be checking the names twice on the list with the help of his very own elves.