Business Connexions

Official Magazine for Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce | Issue 5 | March 2019

Inside

• Spotlight on Clapham Junction

Exciting times ahead as businesses back new organisation. Page 16

• Profile

Hodders Law working closely with the business community.

Page 21

• Health and Wellbeing

Top Tips for switching off after work.

Page 27

• 5 Minutes with....

Sarah Banham, Director of Communities & Sustainability at Battersea Power Station. Page 34

HAROLD DAVIES

Blessed career for philanthropy entertainer

Page 8

BREAD CENTRALE Your peaceful neighbourhood brasserie with riverside views Open all day

Tel : 0207 978 5055 Plantation Wharf Battersea SW11 3TN www.breadcentrale.co.uk

Welcome and Contents

Welcome to the latest Edition of the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce Magazine

WELCOME to Business ConneXions, a quarterly magazine focused on promoting some of the best our business community has to offer. This edition centres on Clapham Junction, Battersea and we are very pleased to feature Hodders Law, who have been great supporters of the Chamber and the local community over the years.

As this edition of Business ConneXions goes to press, we are finalising our new chamber website and membership support process which will have unique lead generation system for our members and a greater focus on Community. Please bear with us as we change over to the new system. Should any gremlins

Inside :

creep in, we will do our very best to correct them and support you.

Bad debt and late payments, especially in today’s climate, are causing serious problems for small businesses, many of whom do not have the resource to seek recompense through the legal system. In our drive to provide support and stability to local businesses, we are delighted to announce a partnership with Direct Route, Account Assyst who are offering chamber members a free B2B Debt recovery and credit management solution. If your business wants to save thousands in potentially lost revenue and legal charges, now is a good time to join your Chamber and access this unique offer.

I hope you will enjoy this edition of Business ConneXions and thank you to all those who have given some very positive feedback.

If you’re business is not already a member, why not join your chamber and help us to create a better business environment.

If you are a member, thank you for your support and belief in what we strive to achieve and please tell more businesses about us.

We are so much stronger when we work together, and we achieve so much more when we help each other.

Steve Pinto CEO

News Economy Finance

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

Editor John Dean e: deangriss@btinternet.com

Advertising and Features Karen Hall e: karen@benhampublishing.com t: 0151 236 4141 Tony Sheldon e: Tony@benhampublishing.com

News

23

Skills

15

8

Big Interview

10-11 12

News Legal

Spotlight on Clapham Junction

13

25

27 31

32

33

33

34

Our Patron Members

News

16

Cybercrime Top Tips

The Person Behind the Business

Chamber Events

Starting Up

New Members

5 Minutes with ....

Publisher Benham Publishing Limited, Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ t: 0151 236 4141 e: admin@benhampublishing.com w: www.benhampublishing.com

Published March 2019 © Benham Publishing

March 2019 4-5 6 7

Enquiries Studio F8 (Le Bureau) Battersea Studios 80 Silverthorne Road London SW8 3HE t: 020 3633 6575 e: enquiries@wandsworthchamber.org w: www.wandsworthchamber.org

29

Health & Wellbeing

Studio Mark Etherington e: studio@benhampublishing.com Media No.1674

Disclaimer

Business Connexions is mailed without charge to all Chamber members and distributed to businesses in the Borough.

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce.

Views expressed in publication are not necessarily those of Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2019.

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.

Business Connexions | 3

News

Iconic landmark powers up Battersea Power Station Development Company has announced that, almost 40 years after it was taken out of service in 1983, the Station will once again be a source of energy supply for Londoners.

Famous Putney landmark lit up thanks to developers’ levy

One of the borough’s most important historical landmarks which some say was the cradle of English Parliamentary democracy – has been given new prominence thanks to a council funded heritage project.

St Mary’s Church in Putney High Street is now bathed in light during the hours of darkness after low energy ecofriendly LED floodlights were installed to illuminate its famous bell tower and west chapel which dates back to the 16th Century.

The new lighting means the bell tower’s famous clock can now be seen at day and night.

Funding for the scheme came via a levy taken by the town hall from property developers in the area to fund infrastructure projects that benefit the local community. It is part of a wider package of measures worth around £640,000 that is being drawn up to improve the high street.

Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “This simple scheme means that this famous old church is an even more prominent and striking landmark in Putney and helps ensure this historic building gets the attention it deserves.

It is a great addition to the night time landscape.

“This is just one of the projects in the pipeline to make the high street more attractive, by improving traffic flows, making it safer and raising air quality standards.”

There has been a church at this location since medieval times with records of it dating back to at least the 13th century and it has always been the parish church for Putney.

The parts of the medieval church which survive today are the tower, some of the nave arcading (mid-15th century) and the Bishop West Chapel, built in the early 16th century. There has been a clock in the tower since the 17th century, although the present clock is a 20th century addition.

In 1647, as the English civil war was raging St Mary’s was the forum for the first debates about the nature of democracy in England. It was the first known discussion of democracy in Europe since the ancient Greeks.

Members of Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army, waiting near London to maintain pressure on Parliament, sat in St Mary’s discussing the nature of the society that they wanted to see emerge from the civil war and formulated the first known account of a doctrine of male suffrage in Britain.

4 | Business Connexions

The news follows the creation of a new Energy Centre, which is set to become one of the largest of its kind ever to be created in the UK. Situated ten metres below ground and directly in front of the iconic Power Station building, the main Energy Centre will supply heating, cooling and electricity to the 42-acre regeneration site, with the potential to supply energy to residents and businesses across the wider Nine Elms regeneration area.

The structural build is now complete and has been handed over to Vital Energi which is now fitting it out according to its own design, ahead of completion in 2020.

Creating this vast underground space adjacent to the River Thames and in front of the Grade II* listed building was no easy feat.

It involved excavating more than 150,000 cubic metres of earth (equivalent of 60 Olympic swimming pools), which was taken away using river barges, thus minimising disruption to the local community by removing the need for 3,500 heavy lorry journeys.

About 16,000 cubic metres of concrete was poured,

4,200 tonnes of steel structure installed and 13,000 cubic metres of blockwork laid in what was undoubtedly a major construction and engineering challenge.

The energy centre will be split over two levels, totalling 73,000 sq ft, and when fully built, the current design allows for three combined heat and power gas fired (CHP) engines (two 2MWe and one 3.3MWe), three 10MWth gas fired boilers, seven 60m³ thermal stores and six 4MWe chillers.

The CHP engines produce electricity via the combustion of gas which in turn generates heat as a by-product. This heat will be harnessed and transferred into useable energy for hot water. Similarly, the chillers use electricity to drive a compressor in a refrigerant cycle which transfers cool energy to a water circuit to produce chilled water.

Overall, CHP engines are 40-45 per cent more efficient than conventional power generation. Carbon emissions will also be reduced by 5,000 tonnes per year when compared with using conventional forms of energy, the equivalent of taking 1,000 cars off the road.

Furthermore, with energy supplied centrally from this

Energy Centre, apartments and commercial units across the redevelopment will be safer and more environmentallyfriendly, as they will not require their own boilers.

Placing this new Energy Centre underground not only provides natural sound proofing to neutralise the sound of the engines, but also maximises the site area by situating it beneath a new six-acre park on the riverside, with vapour plume being expelled through the newly rebuilt north-east chimney.

Gary Edwards, Head of Technical Services at Battersea Power Station Development Company, said: “This energy centre will be a hugely important part of the new neighbourhood town centre at Battersea Power Station, supplying energy not only to its own community but potentially to other local residents nearby.

“This district heating concept is becoming more popular given all the benefits it provides from reducing carbon dioxide emissions to increasing the security of an energy supply.

“Furthermore, while Battersea Power Station will be many things when it opens – homes, shops, restaurants, offices that create a remarkable place to live, work and play – this Energy Centre also provides an important link to this fantastic building’s past, as a local source of power in the nation’s capital once again.”

Rob Callaghan, Regional Director for London and the South at Vital Energi, said: “We are pleased to be working on such an iconic development like Battersea Power Station and look forward to continuing our work on one of the UK’s largest energy centres.”

ULEZ is coming on 8 April 2019

To help improve air quality in London, an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be in place in central London from 8 April 2019.

Most vehicles including cars and vans will need to meet new, tighter exhaust emission standards (ULEZ standards) or pay a daily charge to travel within the area of the ULEZ. The ULEZ replaces the T-Charge.

While New Covent Garden Market is currently outside the ULEZ boundary, you may travel through the ULEZ going to and from the market.

Does your vehicle comply?

Any vehicle that meets the ULEZ standard will be able to travel in the zone without paying the ULEZ charge.

You can check if your vehicle complies by googling ULEZ vehicle checker.

This website could also help you plan when you're considering buying a new vehicle: locity.org.uk

Getting the best out of Jo in Us Today News

NETWORKING Wandsworth Chamber gives members lots of opportunities.

met, so it is unwise to try – what you should aim for is to build rapport with the people around. Then they will be more likely to want to work with you.

Bring Other Businesses

Most business people recognise the way that networking events help them raise their profile with local enterprises, find new suppliers and clients, as well as learn ways to improve their business through better marketing or website design.

Here are some tips to ensure you will make a good impression:

Be Prepared

Bring plenty of business cards. Have your “postcard pitch” ready – that is a few short sentences explaining what your business is about – and what benefits it will bring to someone’s company.

Research attendees beforehand if you can, so you will have an idea of who would be good to approach.

If you have leaflets or samples, these can be useful, depending on the venue. Many networking events have short pitch sessions, and you need to rehearse a couple of times unless you are an experienced public speaker.

Listen

A pitfall of some networkers is they talk all the time, and do not listen to what others are saying. Listening is a good skill to practice and you will learn useful things.

If you want to say something, acknowledge the speaker’s key point.

Don’t Try To Hard Sell

Networking is about trust.

You are not likely to make a sale to someone you just

Steve Pinto, CEO Wandsworth Chamber, advises. “I always say to our members, treat it as corporate hospitality. Bring some of your businesses to an event, because you are showing them opportunities and they will be grateful to you for helping them.”

If you can help some of your clients find extra work, they will usually reciprocate.

Follow Up

There’s no point in spending time at an event then putting all the business-cards in a drawer and letting them gather dust. Following up with a polite email, or better still a link of use to the person is a good way of moving forward.

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce runs numerous networking events, from the ever-popular Business Breakfasts, to Metro Mondays in Clapham, through a variety of other local business networks in places like Putney and Earlsfield. Announcements are in the weekly email and posted on the website.

Julian Jackson is Wandsworth Chamber’s blogger:

https://julianj.journoportfolio.com

Businessman urges support for initiative

“I would advise any business to take the time and join in on a Sunday evening. I found many other contacts, just from that process and tuning in on Mondays for Theo to put up his choices.”

SBS also stages events, with one held recently at the ICC in Birmingham, which Chris attended.

He said: “As it was my first attendance, I was able to get my official certificate and have a photograph with Theo, for its presentation.

As the business hub of Wandsworth, your Chamber is influential in helping to create the right business environment for local companies to flourish.

Through membership you have the ability to use our "business voice", the opportunity to meet key stakeholders, network and do business with many other local businesses that you won't find anywhere else.

So, do it now, online, and start enjoying the many benefits on offer.

www.wandsworthchamber.org For more information or to discuss how we can help you, please contact us at:

Wandsworth company owner Chris Straker has urged fellow business-people to support the Small Business Sunday initiative run by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis.

Each week, Theo picks six winners taken from those who tweet @theopaphitis between 5 & 7:30pm on Sundays. The businessman retweets them on a Monday at 8pm.

Chris, who runs Straker Cleaning and ECO Carpet & Rug Care, said: “As you can imagine, with almost half a million followers, your Twitter feed lights up and goes mad. You instantly gain followers but, more importantly, contacts in all fields and areas.

Whether you are part of a large organisation or work from an office at home, there are many good reasons for joining The Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce.

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

020 363 36575

“I will definitely be going to future ones as the networking was excellent and the guests gave some very informative history and advice.”

The SBS website, at https://theopaphitissbs.com/ also has a login, so that businesses can receive marketing advice and put their details up for all other members.

enquiries@wandsworthchamber.org

Business Connexions | 5

Economy

Big squeeze on firms from recruitment, prices and cash flow

The latest British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey found that the UK economy ended 2018 stuck in ‘a weak holding pattern’, with stagnating levels of growth and business confidence as a result of heightened Brexit uncertainty and other economic pressures.

The results of the survey of 6,000 firms – employing more than one million people across the UK – underlined the impact that the current levels of uncertainty are having on a stalling economy as growth in domestic sales and orders reduced, recruitment difficulties stand near record highs and price pressures persist.

In the services sector, a key driver of UK economic growth, the percentage of firms reporting an increase in domestic sales and orders weakened to their lowest level in two years. Domestic activity among UK manufacturers also moderated in the quarter.

6 | Business Connexions

The findings highlight the extent to which labour shortages have risen in the UK as four-fifths (81%) of manufacturers that tried to recruit report difficulties in finding the right staff – the joint highest level since the survey began in 1989.

In the services sector, the level (70%) hovers close to the record high recorded in the previous quarter (72%).

The survey results indicate an increase in price pressures facing firms. The percentage of manufacturers expecting to raise prices is at its highest in a year and is almost three times higher than its pre-EU referendum average.

Cashflow continues to be a concern for both sectors, with the balance of firms reporting improved cash flow remaining weak.

The organisation says that avoiding a chaotic Brexit would bolster business confidence and investment and give businesses some much-need clarity on trading conditions in the near-term.

Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our latest survey suggests that UK economic conditions were worryingly subdued in the final quarter of 2018, with a number of key indicators continuing to weaken under the weight of persistent Brexit uncertainty and rising cost pressures.

“Domestic activity in the dominant services sector weakened for the second successive quarter, with consumer-facing firms particularly downbeat amid subdued household spending levels and tightening cashflow.

The manufacturing sector had an underwhelming three months, with significant cost pressures and moderating global demand weighing on activity in the sector.

“The marked increase in cost pressures for businesses in the quarter suggests that inflation will be higher over the near term, with the continued weakness in

sterling maintaining the upward trend on the cost of imported raw materials. However, with our results also showing that price pressures from wage settlements remain relatively muted, there continues to be sufficient scope to keep interest rates on hold in 2019, particularly given the significant economic and political turbulence.”

Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The UK economy is in stasis. While it’s not contracting, it’s not growing robustly either. Throughout much of 2018, UK businesses were subjected to a barrage of political noise and drama, so it’s no surprise to see firms report muted domestic demand and investment. In this new year, the Government must demonstrate that it is ready to act to turbocharge business confidence.

“With little clarity on the trading conditions they’ll face, companies are understandably holding back on spending and making big decisions about their futures. The Government’s absolute priority now must be to provide clarity on conditions in the near term and avoid a messy and disorderly Brexit. Business communities won’t forgive politicians who allow this to happen, by default or otherwise.”

“Domestic activity in the dominant services sector weakened for the second successive quarter, with consumer-facing firms particularly downbeat amid subdued household spending levels and tightening cashflow.”

Late payments ‘causing significant problems for small businesses’

New statistics taken from Xero’s UK small business subscriber base shows that the average British small business is owed £24,841 in late payments on any given day.

Based on data taken from two million invoices, this equates to 11 months’ average staff wage, 37 months of average mortgage payments or nine family holidays, says the company.

It says that the small business economy could be forced to deal with an average deficit of £141bn as a result of the debt. Anonymised, aggregated data generated by thousands of UK businesses using Xero’s accounting software revealed that 78 per cent of small businesses are owed money at any one time outside of agreed payment terms.

The data showed that in August the average 30-day invoice was paid after 39.67 days, almost 10 days after payment is due.

Furthermore, when reviewing overdue 30-day invoice payments the average late invoice was found to be paid 64 days after issue, more than double the payment term.

The industry with the highest percentage of invoices paid late was found to be Transport, Postal and Warehousing, with 68 per cent of invoices overdue over the last year, followed by Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services (62 per cent) and Manufacturing (60 per cent).

The top ten small business sectors on Xero owed the most from late payments on average: 1. Wholesale trade (£42,989) 2. Administration and support (£40,662) 3. Transport, postal and warehouse (£31,555) 4. Public administration and safety (£31,541) 5. Electricity, gas, water and waste services (£31,309) 6. Financial and insurance services (£29,732) 7. Manufacturing (£29,123) 8. Information, media and telecoms (£28,682) 9. Construction (£25,880) 10. Professional, scientific and technical services (£23,554) Edward Berks, EMEA Director, Platform Business at Xero, said: “ At a time when the world needs small business to succeed, it’s estimated that 50,000 businesses in the UK fail each year because of cash flow issues.

“Our data shows the impact that this level of debt can have on small companies. Predicting working capital requirements still remains a challenge for small businesses and

accessing finance remains expensive and time consuming.

“It’s increasingly critical that the Government and industry takes the right steps to ensure that small businesses get paid faster.

New measures to crack down on big business culprits and smarter technology to automate payments will all help to alleviate the pressure on small business cash flow.”

The data was revealed as the Government announced new measures to arm small businesses against unfair contracts that stop them raising money from unpaid invoices.

Economist Vicky Pryce, who has worked with Xero on the report, said: “In the current climate of increased uncertainty, tighter margins and a shaking out of supply chains, late payments just add to the costs of small firms, particularly now as interest rates are on an upward trend. And needing to borrow more, in an unplanned way, does little for a firm's credit rating, making life more difficult in the future.

“Late payments tend to shift the balance in favour of larger firms either because they are the ones who benefit from paying late or can better withstand the working

Finance

capital pressures if they themselves are having to cope with late payment of invoices by others.

“And yet it is the millions of small firms that provide around half of the employment in the UK and much of the economy's productivity and growth depends on them functioning in a healthy finance environment."

Three tips to improve cash flow and protect businesses from late payment debt: 1. Be selective about who you work with and credit check prospective clients. A bad credit history could indicate issues with late payments in the future 2. Implement interest charges on late payers to encourage prompt payment 3. Set automated responses: Many accounting software solutions are now capable of issuing automated reminder letters when payments become overdue. Automating the process of sending a reminder email reduced the amount of time you have to spend waiting and chasing for payment.

Business Connexions | 7

Big Interview

8 | Business Connexions

Entertainer whose philanthropy says thank you for a blessed career

Big Interview

Following a successful career in the world of entertainment, Harold Davies is a man with a strong belief in philanthropy and who is determined to give something back to society.

That determination is the driving force behind new Chamber Patron member Globexpert Fundraising, the business of which is he CEO and whose team is dedicated to making charity fundraising events go as well as possible.

The organisation’s fundraising consultants help charities with everything from event hosting, auctioneering, consultation, providing staff , prize draws, marketing and promotions, all of it underpinned by the need to tell the human stories behind good causes.

For Harold, his current career is in stark contrast to his previous life as a celebrity in Italy.

He came to fundraising in 2004, having spent more than two decades as a highly successful Italian TV presenter and entertainer.

It was a desire to repay the blessings that had been heaped upon him by life that brought him back to the UK.

He said: “That sense of being able to give something back was behind my decision to return to England and become involved in charity fundraising.

“I take a philanthropic approach to what I do as a way of saying thank you for the career that I had in Italy.”

And what a career it was.

Having graduated from Oxford University, Harold left for Italy, where he was to spend two decades in media and broadcast; his first television job was beginning and ending a show hosted by Italian comedian and actor Pippo Franco by telling a joke on Television’s most notable Saturday night live comedy show.

What followed was a 20-year tour through Italy’s national television stations and some of their most important network programming, as well as a hectic schedule of public appearances ranging from holding down a position as presenter of a prime-time radio show broadcast on Italian radio from California, to acting in mainstream Italian cinema alongside veteran actor Carlo Verdone. He also made regular appearances on TV shows including Buona Domenica, the Italian version of Wheel of Fortune, The Price Is Right and Striscia la notizia (a tongue-incheek news show broadly similar to Have I Got News for You), as well as presenting his own talk show VIP Mania.

In 1991, Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, asked Harold to be his personal crowd warmer and motivator, each time he had to give a speech. Before long, his performances had become an integral part of Berlusconi’s public appearances.

Harold also recorded albums and film scores, has provided voice services for innumerable commercials on radio in several languages, including Italian, French, German and English, and has twice been the official Presenter of the Miss Italia beauty pageant competitions.

Today, though, he focuses on supporting charities and he and his team are experts in helping to raise money.

Harold said: “I see my current work as a way of giving something back. I was very blessed during my career and I wanted to repay some of that.

“I do draw on my previous career when it comes to helping

organisations to raise money.

I am familiar with presenting and being on stages or podiums, which is second nature comes in useful when I am running a charity auction, for example.

“Our role is not to organise the whole event but supplement what is already being done and, for me, the key is being able to tell the human story.

“For instance, you may have someone who says that they want to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Nurses because their mother died from cancer and the nurses helped her in the final days,

“By telling that story, you connect with people. They may say ‘that was my experience, too,’ or, even if they are healthy and have had no experience of cancer, they may say ‘that could have been me or my mother’. Telling the human story is everything, it is at the heart of what we do.

“You could argue that there is so much charity fundraising going on that the sector has become saturated but if you can reach people with human stories they will donate money.

“Becoming a Patron of the Chamber of Commerce is an extension of what we do. It is about reaching out to people in any way you can.

“You never know who is hurting or who is behind that closed hidden door and the more ways in which we can reach out to people the better.

Being part of the Chamber allows us to do just that.”

As part of his philanthropic approach to life, Harold is also an active member of the Rotary Club as well as giving motivational speeches and acting as a mentor and life coach.

And he does not regret giving up his old celebrity lifestyle.

Harold said: “I do return to Italy on occasion, having been invited to take part in television or radio shows, but I do not really miss the life.

“When you get to the top of the tree, which I had done in Italy, you have no privacy. You cannot walk into a supermarket without people checking what you are putting in your basket and cars turn in the road when people recognise you.

“You end up only mixing with people who are in the same position as yourself, which can be very isolating.

“When I came back to England, it took me a year and a half to chill out and I like the fact that I have my privacy back. I can go into the supermarket and nobody cares what I buy or who I am!”

“I see my current work as a way of giving something back. I was very blessed during my career and I wanted to repay some of that.”

Business Connexions | 9

Hundreds of local shops, cafés and other small High Street businesses are invited to apply for a third off their business rates Business News

The council is currently sending out more than 1600 ‘pink envelopes’ urging the borough’s local retailers to apply a share of a new government funding pot to help boost local high streets.

All businesses have to do is fill in a simple online and they could save hundreds of pounds a year.

The temporary scheme provides a discount to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000. Those eligible will receive a discount of one third of their business rate bill for each of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years.

Businesses rates are set by national government, not by

local councils. The council’s business spokesman Rory O’Broin said: “Look out for your pink letter and make sure you apply for this discount.

We are keen that as many shops as possible apply because small independent stores are the key to attracting shoppers to our high streets.”

Businesses that could qualify for the scheme include shops, restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs and bars, post offices, charity shops, hairdressers

and beauty salons, dry cleaners, other high street stores, food outlets and services.

Pink envelopes are being delivered over the next week or so. If you don’t receive one but think your business might be eligible, or if you wish to apply straight away, please visit the council’s website.

www.wandsworth.gov.uk/ businessrates

Steve Pinto and Cllr Rory O’Broin

Northc te road Festival

SW11

sponsorship, branding & marketing opportunities Northcote Road Community Festival is an established community street festival held in Battersea’s famous shopping street. Attendees are a mix of ages and cultures but 80% of the audience are families with children from the local and surrounding areas.

Sunday 14th July 2019 12pm - 6pm

If you are interested in learning more about the event, the opportunity and benefits it can bring to your company, then please visit our website www.northcoteroad.london 10 | Business Connexions

Mayor announces scrappage scheme for most polluting vans

The Mayor of London has announced a £23 million scrappage scheme to help London’s small businesses prepare for the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

The Chamber has been driving their electric car for 4 years and is a great advocate for Cleaner Air.

The scheme will initially help London’s micro-businesses – defined as those with fewer than ten employees – to switch to the cleanest vehicles, including electric.

It is planned to be in place ahead of the introduction of London’s new central London ULEZ, which from 8 April will bring in charges for vehicles which do not meet stricter emission standards that apply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Diesel vans which do not meet the latest Euro 6 standard will have to pay £12.50 a day to drive in central London.

Under the City Hall scheme, funding would be available to scrap vans that do not comply with the new ULEZ standards, but which are driven into the ULEZ zone regularly, helping

thousands of micro-business owners update their vehicles.

Sadiq Khan said: “Air pollution is a national health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leading to thousands of premature deaths. To truly get a grip on our lethal air we need to take bold action to rid our city of the most polluting vehicles.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “Some small businesses that cannot afford to switch their vans to cleaner Euro 6s have been taking the hit from higher road use charges and simply passing on the extra costs to their customers.

“This scrappage scheme gives them a route to cleaner vehicles, an escape from air quality charges, the chance

to stay competitive in their trades and businesses, reduce customer costs and above all the means to cut streetlevel pollution.”

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Vans criss-cross the capital making journeys that are crucial for London’s economy.

Helping smaller businesses, with limited cash flow, trade up to newer cleaner vehicles faster than they could do otherwise makes sense.”

Vegan food sales on the up A survey of more than 2,000 people has found that 57% of those surveyed in London are eating more vegetarian and vegan food since the start of the year.

The results were very balanced across both female and male participants of the survey, with slightly more women (58% vs 56%) saying they were they are eating more vegetarian food in January.

But there was a much bigger distinction in responses by age, with 64% of those aged under 35 stating this as their aim for January.

The survey was conducted

by Pure, London’s leading food-to-go brand, which has seen sales of vegetarian and vegan food explode this year.

Co-founder of Pure, Edward Bentley, said: “Sales of our most popular vegetarian and vegan soups, pastas and Hot Boxes grew by more than 30% in January.

It is incredible to see so many people embracing a plant-based lifestyle.”

News

Funding boost means more electric vehicle chargers in lampposts

Wandsworth’s goal of becoming the best place in London to own an electric vehicle (EV) has been boosted by an agreement to provide up to another 250 charging sockets in lamposts across the borough.

This latest investment of £400,000 is helping the council to meet its target of delivering up to 900 on-street charging points in total. Nowhere else in London is delivering EV infrastructure on such a scale.

Wandsworth has already announced plans to spend £3m to encourage people to switch to this more environmentally-friendly form of motoring.

Sockets have already been installed in the first wave of lamposts where residents have requested them.

The investment of £400,000, funded mainly via the Government’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme (GULCS), will pay for up to 250 additional ones.

On top of this the council is to install about 400 charging plugs in every suitable lamp post inside two pilot zones in parts of Putney and Battersea immediately adjacent to the proposed extension of the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). The results from these trial schemes could see lamppost charging extended to other residential areas.

This means that approximately 650 lamposts in Wandsworth will be having sockets fitted to them.

Another EV charging company Source London is providing a further 100 charging points at various locations across the borough, adding to the 100 already installed across Wandsworth.

The number of electric vehicles bought by people living in the borough has grown from 127 at the end of 2015 to around 600 today – with numbers rising by about ten per cent every three months.

Matthew Paterson became the first resident in Wandsworth to have lampost sockets in his street switched on.

The computer software developer from Mandrake Road in Tooting uses a plugin-hybrid to make short journeys powered solely by an electric motor.

He said having lampost sockets in his street was “a game changer”.

Transport and environment spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said: “It’s becoming ever clearer by the day that the future of motoring is electric. Here in Wandsworth we are determined to be well ahead of the game. By creating such an extensive network of charging points our goal is to remove one of the biggest hurdles facing people when they begin to think about the feasibility of changing from petrol and diesel to electric.”

Business Connexions | 11

Legal

WHERE START-UPS

fall down

by Guy Wilmot

I have been helping new businesses and startups for years. While every business is different, similar legal issues tend to arise repeatedly.

Rushed company set-up

Founders of new businesses are often keen to seize the moment of maximum motivation and get going immediately. Their first step is often to set up a company using a formation agent or directly through Companies House. However the company set-up, particularly the allocation of shares, should not be rushed.

We quite often see a business issuing shares to lots of people up front then struggling to recover those shares when people drop out of the project.

We also see the opposite; people involved in a project are offered shares but by the time those shares are finally issued the company has some value so tax issues arise.

Best practice is to start with a simple company (e.g. one director, one shareholder) and put in place a shareholders agreement or other written arrangements as soon as possible.

Complying with employment law

New businesses tend not to engage employees early in their lifespan. While the UK is relatively light-touch in terms of employment rules, there are a number of things you need to be aware of if hiring employees: minimum wage laws; statutory benefits; rules around payroll and pensions; and the requirement to issue a contract.

Accountants can be helpful in putting in place staff payroll and pension arrangement.

Data protection and data security

The GDPR came into force last year. While it changed little of the underlying law, it has hugely increased awareness of privacy and data security issues.

At a minimum virtually all new businesses will need a privacy

12 | Business Connexions

notice or privacy policy (to tell users and customers how they deal with data), and an internal data protection and data security policy. You may also need data processing terms if you are processing data on behalf of third parties, especially in B2B.

Terms of use and contracts

If you are an app or website you will need some terms of use.

Typically these will deal with liability, payment, intellectual property etc. If you are providing services or goods you will need standard terms of business.

If you are dealing with consumers your terms must be written in simple language and be compliant with consumer law rules which ban unfair terms and give consumers certain rights.

You often hear that “people don’t read the terms and conditions.”

That may be true, but only until something goes wrong. If a problem arises, the terms will be scrutinised carefully.

Contractors and interns

Be careful with categories of staff who are involved with the business but who are not traditional employees.

If contractors are subject to too much control they may become employees with associated rights. Any intellectual property developed by contractors will belong to them unless they have a written agreement saying otherwise.

Unpaid internships are illegal unless offered as part of an official university programme or involving only work shadowing.

If an intern is performing useful work they will need to be paid the minimum wage and they are probably an employee.

Intellectual property

A new business should think about what it needs to protect in terms of intellectual property.

IP should be divided into specific

categories of recognised rights: copyright protecting graphical designs, text and copy, software code, and the look and feel of a website or app; patents protecting unique inventions; trademarks which protect names, logos and other badges of origin; and design rights.

Much of what you regard as IP may not be protectable. Many things which startups want to protect - concepts, ideas, knowhow - are not really IP are only protectable using the law of confidentiality.

Confidentiality and NDAs

Information which is genuinely confidential is protected by the law of confidentiality even without a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

For information to be confidential it has to be definable information, of limited availability (not in the public domain) and subject to an obligation of confidentiality.

The purpose of an NDA is to ensure that the information is defined and the obligation of confidentiality is clearly set out.

NDAs are difficult to enforce because it can be difficult to prove breach. An NDA cannot make confidential information which is not confidential.

Use NDAs to protect your information, but use them with care.

Business partners and co-founders

Disputes between business partners or co-founders are the most painful and difficult issues we commonly see with early stage businesses.

Often a dispute arises because shares have been split between partners without clear agreement as to expectations around time commitment, strategy etc.

Sometimes shares are issued to one partner too early and without an agreement in place to govern what happens if that partner leaves the project.

Or there may be a personality clash, a perception that someone is not ‘pulling their weight’ or a strategy disagreement.

Once a dispute arises it is often the case that a partner wants out but is reluctant to give up their equity at a realistic price because there is still substantial “hope value” even if the current cash value of their shares is very limited. A falling out is always difficult to manage but a good shareholders agreement will usually have terms which allow the dispute to be managed.

russell-cooke.co.uk +44 (0)20 8789 9111 guy.wilmot@russell-cooke.co.uk

‘GOODBYE EUROPE’

In the days that the UK leaves the EU, 1000 Londoners invites the people of London to join ‘Goodbye Europe’ - a unique film screening created specifically for this historic moment in the capital.

‘Goodbye Europe’ is an anthology of new short films about the London lives of people from each of the 28 nations in the EU. It will show parts of the city that you may never have seen - profiling the rich and poor, the young and old, the integrated and the outsiders, from the West End all the way to the ends of the Tube lines. This will be a documentary experience like no other - a journey through the lives of European London, shot in the final months of the UK’s time in the EU. Included in these 28 microdocumentaries are the stories of: • A German man and woman who came to the UK on the Kindertransport in the • World War II era and met and married in later life.

•

A Czech man who by chance discovered he was fluent in Russian at the age of 12.

• A Dutch stay-at-home Dad who offered his spare room to a Syrian refugee.

‘Goodbye Europe’ will take you inside a cage fight, an evangelical church and a rehearsal room at the Royal Ballet. They will show you the perspectives of a Bulgarian abseiler, a Swedish economist, a Spanish Big Issue vendor, a Finnish hairdresser and many more.

The films will be edited along footage from the 50s to today, curated by the archivists from London’s Screen Archives.

Following each screening, we offer a panel discussion with filmmakers and contributors.

WHY ENTREPRENEURS

‘Goodbye Europe’ is the 15th and most ambitious 1000 Londoners Movie Night to date. 1000 Londoners was launched in 2014 to tell the epic social story of our city today through 1000 documentary portraits of Londoners. 1000 Londoners is a Chocolate Films project produced by the proudly independent video production company and social enterprise Chocolate Films.

Join us for ‘Goodbye Europe’ at the National Portrait Gallery Friday Lates 15 March 2019 6pm, the Museum of London Brexit Talks 18 March 6.30pm, Ritzy Cinema 27 March 8.30pm, Curzon Soho 28 March 6.30pm and Hackney Picturehouse 29 March 7pm. www.1000londoners.com

need their own dating space

Everyone loves success. But just look at the stats on how many successful people have unsatisfactory relationships.

Maybe it’s the type A meeting the type B and hoping to gel?

Or the type B hitching their wagon to a shooting star and discovering that the ride’s too fast? Let’s look at the types.

You know the entrepreneurial type. Full of get-go, caffeine, can do attitude, and actually wants to solve problems, and most likely broke. When they make it, they really make it but a lot of the time, whether the win is big or small, they can end up feeling misunderstood by their partners if they are in a relationship.

You also know the super employee. They are driven, and drive everyone insane with their German efficiency, Japanese work ethic and British humour: they turn up early, finish late, are passionate and make things happen. Guess what, they have few people to share their success with who ‘get it’.

We can’t forget the business owner. These are the people who make the world go

round. We love them, mainly because they enable our Netflix, overpriced gym, yoga and mocha addiction. But, just like entrepreneurs and super employees, they are often lonely.

You might fall into one of these groups (let’s call them jointly the kick-ass group).

You no doubt know someone who does. How does this relate to dating? Well, they find it hard to connect with a majority of people!

You see, most people work 9-5, do their job well (or well enough not to get fired) and, work is work. Now, as these people make up a majority of the population, there is inherently some conflict when they meet up with someone from the kick-ass group.

This isn’t meant to sound in any way, shape or form elitist, exclusive or self-aggrandising, but fundamental mindsets at play are different. Of course, there are people in the other half who

‘get you’, ‘get it’ and are happy for you and are maybe close to doing something slightly out of the box themselves, but, it’s not a huge number. So, date after date you run into the same issue, occasionally finding a gem, but it’s so much more work than you expect.

We created the www.thesingleboss.co.uk to deal with this issue by bringing together singles from this kick-ass group. A lot of these people don’t meet as often as you may think and when they do it’s strictly business.

We decided to take the relaxed, comfortable and fun approach for single, passionate, energetic, high achievers. It’s a more fundamental approach to meeting and clicking with people of the same mindset.

The Single Boss events run on the last Thursday of the month (excluding December). 25% discount available on ticket price to those using checkout code WANDSWORTH

News

Consult, consult, consult again

Every small business owner wants to know what they have to do to get the best out of their employees (and numerous studies show that money is only half the story).

HR gurus preach sweeping mantras of employee well-being - a vast, nebulous area that covers health, learning and development, motivational tools and benefits left, right and centre. All valid up to a point - and often rather expensive - but most small business owners don’t know where to start and in the worst cases have to get over their own ad hoc and rather scary personnel management techniques.

The first thing to do is to consult your employees. Then keep consulting them. Consultation is the express highway to performance. It is the single most important thing that you can do to get your employees to perform better - it costs nothing except for some time and consistency.

Consult often, consult well and you are most of the way there.

Caveat: be honest with yourself. You simply may not be the right person to do the consultation process yourself and you might need independent help.

(But if, for whatever reason, you feel that you cannot do it - this is also an issue that needs resolving).

Devise a simple checklist to give the consultations a structure and keep the answers in a manageable format.

Consult all your managers and employees on how to optimize each of the three key areas of motivation, competence and management effectiveness.

Analyse the results and compare them to the actual state of things. You will find that your employees are giving you free, invaluable advice. Discard the impractical and focus on the priorities. Look at how you can change things, given the resources available to you. You will also be amazed at how much performance improves just by the very fact of consulting in a meaningful and regular fashion.

Consult, consult, consult!

By Robert Scrafton, LSC London Ltd. Business Connexions | 13

02 030 957 382

About Battersea Spanish People study, learn, practice, and attend events with Battersea Spanish because they want to immerse themselves in this vibrant and colourful language and culture. People come to us full of desires to vacation somewhere warm and sunny, engage with friends and loved ones, seek out adventure, shake their hips, or simply enjoy life through food, music, dance and gathering.

Battersea Spanish helps members fulfil those goals. Our courses and events connect people, creating a bi-lingual community that deepens members’ roots to Spain and Latin America.

What do we offer?

Battersea Spanish offers a wide range of courses in Spanish Language, Flamenco and Latin Dance, Cooking, Creative Writing, Zumba and more for groups and individuals of ALL ages, as well as cultural and social events that are designed to bring together learners, native speakers and anyone who has a passion for all things Spanish and Latin America.

With over a hundred 5-star reviews from our community of nearly 10,000 Londoners – our method and service has led to us winning the LUKAS award for Best Language School in the UK as well as numerous accolades from the Wandsworth Small Business Awards.

hola@batterseaspanish.com

5 year growth rate of 30% and diversification of revenue streams

FY 2015

FY 2018

Spanish Groups Spanish 1:1 Kids Events Dance Other

Seeking partners and new premises

We are now operating at 97% capacity, with an annual turnover of £400k and looking to expand into new premises. We are conducting a property search in the areas surrounding the new Nine Elms development area as well as areas within a 15 minute walk from Clapham Junction. The desired property would give us at least 2500 SQFT of space with Sui Generis or D1/D2 use allowing for classroom space, event space, and a small cafe bar by the end of 2019.

In our next big step we are looking for partners and or investors in property, food & beverage, or leisure to support with capital, space and expertise to help us continue growing!

Growth and Diversification of the Business Over the last 5 years, Battersea Spanish has averaged an annualized growth rate of over 30%, from 80 Spanish students to over 300 active learners in total per term. Moreover, we have diversified course offerings to include various forms of dance, arts, and options for all ages.

If you or someone you know are interested to know more, please contact growth@batterseaspanish.com

¡Gracias!

Sara y Ben Battersea Spanish Lorem ipsum

www.batterseaspanish.com

Former workers take stroll down memory lane

The new exhibition charting the history of Battersea Power Station was opened by some of the people who worked in the iconic building more than fifty years ago when it provided a fifth of London’s electricity.

The exhibition allows visitors to get up close to a carefully curated selection of historical items from within the Power Station and listen to stories detailing the evolution of the Grade II* listed building.

Through a variety of interactive tools, guests will be able to gain a deeper understanding of both how the Power Station functioned as well as what the future holds for the building and surrounding area.

The launch of the new space also marks the start of a new initiative

by Battersea Power Station (BPS) to track down stories, memories and experiences from those men and women who originally worked in the building.

Former Power Station workers celebrated the opening of the Heritage and Learning Hub at Circus West Village, the first phase of the regeneration of Battersea Power Station.

It is hoped that the process will lift the lid on what life was like for those working there when the building provided power to some of the city’s most notable addresses, including Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.

The exhibition contains an historic architectural model from the 1930s alongside a model showing the future of the project. Items from within the art-deco designed Directors’ entrance are on display as well as a mock-up of the iconic Control Room A’s elaborate dials.

Historic images of the building, donated by BPS alumni, explain how the Power Station worked as it generated power from 1935-1983 and time-lapse films show the rate of transformation in the area. Brian Davison, who started work at the Power Station more than 70-years ago, said: “I worked there when I was 16-years-old, working with steam and learnt all about thermal

GraftinGardeners Ltd

dynamics. It is great that the team at BPS is keeping the history alive recording the heritage of the building and the stories of the people who worked here is so important. It is amazing that this place is being brought back to life after being empty for so long – I just wish I could still work there!”

Honor Fishburn, Director of Placemaking at Battersea Power Station Development Company, said: “We were delighted to have so many alumni here to help us open this new exhibition and hope that many more will come forward to share their stories and mementos, helping us to unveil the history behind this fascinating building.“ To submit your stories or to detail what mementos you have, please email alumni@bpsdc.co.uk.

Visit batterseapowerstation.co.uk and follow @BatterseaPwrStn to keep up to date with all the latest information.

Celebrates their 10th Anniversary Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce members GraftinGardeners are celebrating 10 years of business this January as they strive to be the most competitive and recognised tree company in London.

They are a family run tree surgery business that specializes in all aspects of arboriculture, cultivation and tree management.

The tree company was first established in 2009 but have a vast amount of knowledge and a great deal of experience working with trees, shrubs and vines.

They also manage the grounds maintenance for a number of highend estates in London.Graftin have a friendly team of professional arborist’s and are highly recommended for their high standard of work.

You will find the company provides 100% satisfaction to both residential and commercial customers. All their tree surgeons are well trained and fully equipped to handle any size job. The company is London based, so naturally most of the clients they work with come from London.

However, they still deal with customers in a number of surrey areas just outside of London and will accommodate going further for emergency tree work.

SwopItUp is a concept that gives secondary school students the chance to update their wardrobe for free in a really contemporary and aspirational way.

The programme informs and demonstrates how the choices we make impact the environment, and it gives students a way in which they can personally take practical action on climate change.

SwopItUp is run by students for students - from planning each step of the Swop; delivering whole school assemblies; promoting the event throughout the school; setting up the event; running the SwopItUp on the day; to post event activities. Not only that, but to grow the programme nationally, the Burntwood students plan to inspire students at other schools to run their own SwopItUp, and create a ‘domino’ effect.

As the pilot school, the founding team at Burntwood have been involved in creating an amazing sense of brand and fabulous buzz for the concept. It goes without saying that the school’s leadership team and key teaching staff wholeheartedly support SwopItUp. In doing so they’re able to offer a free programme to their students which helps extend the pupils knowledge, understanding and skills across a range of activities including geography, business, textiles, computing, photography and media.

If every secondary school in the UK ran just 1 SwopItUp a term, based on the results of the very first SwopItUp, there is the potential to save over over half a million pieces of clothing from landfill every year!

If you are interested in running SwopItUp at your school, get in touch!

SwopItUp is a concept devised by the 15 year old Zaqiya Cajee, and delivered by CircuClarity, a new Wandsworth business focused on the Circular Economy.

Drop us a line to find out more about how you can introduce or improve your Sustainable/Circular practices in your school, business or working environment. gayle@circuclarity.com 0203 740 5062

SwopItUp

The first SwopItUp ran in February at Burntwood School, Wandsworth, and was a great success. The start of many more in Wandsworth and beyond!

News

Here’s a question that most businesses don’t have an answer to Are your employees performing at the highest level?

Chances are that your business has certain inefficiencies that are just taken for granted. How many sick days are taken? How productive are staff when they are in work, if they are stressed is their mind on work? Is staff retention lower than it should be?

It appears that being overwhelmed, ill or cruising social media whilst at work is the ‘price’ both the individual and business pay for working together.

What if you could curate a culture that produced a different outcome? A culture that built trust and a deep bond between your business and its staff?

A culture that puts the wellbeing of its staff at the centre and rides a wave of positivity, productivity and loyalty as a result?

That’s what we do at Awake By Design, help people live healthier more successful lives. This is good for a business because a happier more productive team affects the bottom line.

Happier customers, more sales, less absenteeism, presentism and staff retention.

How do we do it?

First we have a system of building healthy habits for an individual that is tried, tested and results driven. It’s backed by the most up to date thinking in nutrition and wellness and is delivered both online and in person. Designed for the real lives of busy professionals.

We also realise that money stress can be just as bad for workplace productivity as back pain.

However, setting your financial objectives and understanding what is required is easily achievable and once the framework is in place, life becomes a little less stressful.

At Awake By Design we integrate financial wellness into our system, because we leave no stone unturned.

Real lives are complex but a Wellness policy need not be.

What would could do with a system that transforms the wellness of an individual and of your business?

Get in touch.

Paul Bassett info@weareawake.co.uk www.weareawake.co.uk Business Connexions | 15

Spotlight on Clapham Junction

16 | Business Connexions

Spotlight on Clapham Junction

Exciting times ahead for Clapham Junction as businesses back new organisation Clapham Junction is about to see some big changes after business people gave their support to a new organisation which promises to transform one of London’s most iconic areas.

A recently-held vote among local businesses saw them support the creation of Junction Ahead – Battersea’s Business Improvement District, which will begin work in April on behalf of the local business community in the Clapham Junction area.

Investment of Junction Ahead’s funds, totalling £1.8 million, will be overseen by a board featuring local business people and used for physical improvements and events plus the development of a distinct identity for the area with the aim of attracting more visitors and boosting the economy.

The organisation has plenty to build on; Clapham Junction lies at the heart of Battersea and its town centre features a busy shopping

area and a bustling nightlife, plus a wide range of popular events, notable architecture and awardwinning entertainment, all located in the streets around the busy railway station.

The area has a strong history; the parish grew from several distinct areas, the original village around Battersea Square, the crossroads that would become known as Clapham Junction, the upmarket area between Clapham and Wandsworth Commons and the industrial district of Nine Elms.

With the opening of Clapham Junction Station in 1863, the focus of Battersea changed from the riverside to St. John’s Hill and St. John’s Road, which became the main shopping centre. At the main centre was the department Business Connexions | 17

Spotlight on Clapham Junction

store Arding and Hobbs, while the cheaper products were available from the street market in Northcote Road.

Lavender Hill became the location of the public buildings, such as the Town Hall, police station and magistrates court and the post office. A number of theatres and cinemas provided entertainment and the urban sprawl was relieved by the open spaces of Clapham and Wandsworth Commons; the major attraction near the river was Battersea Park.

Visitors to the area can find out more about its history by following London’s famous blue plaques, which celebrate the area’s famous residents of the past, including author

G A Henty, who died in 1902, and poet Edward Thomas, who died at The Battle of Arras in 1917, and five walking trails have been developed.

While respecting the past, Junction Ahead’s main focus will be to play a major part in shaping the area’s future and the business-led organisation will deliver its investment of more than £1.8m in the town centre over the next five years.

The vote means that business people supported a 1.5% levy on their business rates, which will raise about £370,000 per year.

More than 100 local businesses were consulted ahead of the vote.

Their responses have shaped Junction Ahead’s priorities and the three priority themes that businesses said they would like to see addressed, and which have now been enshrined in the plan, are: • Events and festivals – the BID will work with traders and community groups to bring an exciting annual programme of events to attract more visitors.

• Safe and welcoming – Addressing crime and antisocial behaviour will be a key priority for the BID, and the new organisation will work with the police and local authority to tackle this.

• Marketing and promotion – the BID will develop a distinct brand and identity for Clapham Junction and will promote what the area has to offer by developing a joined-up marketing strategy and other digital platforms to boost the profile of the town and its businesses.

Junction Ahead welcomes local businesses to be involved with the delivery of its aims. You can get in touch if you run a business locally by emailing info@clapham-junction.com to arrange to speak with somebody from the team.

For more details including the five-year business plan, visit www.clapham-junction.com

18 | Business Connexions

Spotlight on Clapham Junction

“Visitors to the area can find out more about its history by following London’s famous blue plaques, which celebrate the area’s famous residents of the past, including author G A Henty, who died in 1902, and poet Edward Thomas, who died at The Battle of Arras in 1917, and five walking trails have been developed.”

“Junction Ahead’s main focus will be to play a major part in shaping the area’s future and the business-led organisation will deliver its investment of more than £1.8m in the town centre over the next five years.”

What is a BID?

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) bring benefits to local businesses that go beyond the services already provided by the local council.

BIDs are a business-owned, led and funded initiative set up through a democratic ballot of eligible businesses.

If the outcome of the ballot is a majority ‘yes’ vote, this leads to the formation of a new body that represents the local business base.

The BID is funded by a levy that is payable by all businesses within the proposed BID area with a minimum rateable value of £17,000 or more.

Five benefits of a BID

• A fully-resourced five-year programme to enhance the town’s competitive position, delivering initiatives that businesses want to run see happen, over and above existing services.

• Contribution from all parts of the town’s business community, with national chains and eligible independent business contributing equitably, according to their scale.

• Opportunities to save real money on business costs through a shared purchasing scheme.

• A strong platform to advocate for the town and its businesses and potentially attract external funding.

• A strong and open governance model that gives businesses the opportunity to contribute to and engage with the BID. Business Connexions | 19

a p l e h s s e n si u b r ? u k r o o y w n o t Ca ion t i s n a r t r i e th n i t n e d u t s

If every Wandsworth business were able to help just one student in a Wan dsworth school or co llege it would really make a difference to prep ar e young people to kick start their careers.

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce joined forces with South Thames College and the Wandsworth Ambitions Careers Initiative to set a challenge for Wandsworth businesses to ‘Take One’ young person.

Our Take One campaign asks business to do their bit to help young people understand the changing, and challenging, work environment. You could do this by providing a visit to

your work place, deliver a talk to students about your business and the skills of your employees, or provide a work experience opportunity.

Getting to know some of the young talent in Wandsworth schools and colleges could also help you fill a job vacancy when it arises. Training provided through apprenticeships will support business and young people in that transition to work.

you can get For more information about how nie involved contact Natha l business@stcg.ac.uk Telephone: 020 8918 7272 Email:

The business specialists

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20 | Business Connexions

Providing the highest standard of service

Profile

Hodders Law are a firm of solicitors providing legal advice to SME’s and individuals.

Karen Rieveley

The firm began in 1872 when our original founder, Thomas Harley Jones, began practicing as a solicitor in Finsbury Circus n London. By 1901 The firm of Harley, Rayner Hodders was created following the joining of Harley Rayner Hodder to the

Property Services

Thejaka Pindiya

firm and in 1933, RM Hodders was operating out of 3 offices in Finsbury Circus, Harrow and Harlesden.

Our move to South of the River took place in 2003 with the merger of Regan and Co in Battersea. Hodders Law Limited

Residential

Whether you are a first time buyer, or familiar with the process of buying and selling, our team appreciates it is always a difficult and stressful time moving home.

At Hodders Law we only ever offer fixed price competitive fees with no hidden extras.

We promise to communicate with you at all times, so you are completely informed.

You can call or email at any time and we will keep you up-to-date.

We offer all forms of residential property providing a comprehensive service to buying and selling conducted by a specialist conveyancing team to suit your needs We are approved panel Solicitors for a large number of Housing Associations Our range of services includes: • A team that specialises in all forms of low cost, affordable home ownership schemes.

• Sales and Purchases of both freehold and leasehold properties • Re-mortgages • New build sales and purchases • Shared ownership transactions • Buy-to-let and right-to-buy transactions • Transfers of Equity

Commercial Property

If you are involved in a purchase, sale or lease of a commercial property either as an owner, occupier, investor or developer our experts understand this will be your largest investment as part of your business.

Working with your Estate Agent and Local Authority we can manage any size project giving you a single key contact within the team to ensure a regular flow of updates, advice and information during the transaction.

Included in our services are: • Commercial conveyancing • Leasehold extensions • Leasehold enfranchisement • Commercial leases in the retail, industrial and office sectors • Drafting and negotiating • Collateral warranties and other similar security documents • Parent company guarantees

Landlord and Tenant

Breakdown in relations between Landlord and Tenants can often lead to a laborious litigation processes that can be ongoing for months.

Although not often considered, both Landlord and Tenant’s alike have rights.

Sherine Silva

was formed in 2011 by the Directors Karen Rieveley, James Tompkins and Sherine Silva. The three were joined

by Thejaka Pinidiya in 2006, following our move into Brixton.

Today Hodders Law Limited is a full-service firm of solicitors

James Tompkins

operating out of 6 locations in the London Area (Covent Garden, Harlesden, Harrow, Battersea, Brixton and Wembley) Our ethos is to provide a range of services that Businesses or individuals would need.

However, if legal proceedures and agreements are not adhered to in the first instance, this can affect how quickly disputes and problems can be resolved.

Our advice covers: • Possession proceedings including forfeiture and mortgage re-possession.

• Breaches of tenancy agreement including nuisance • Disrepair and dilapidations • Service charge problems • All aspects of property litigation

As part of the Family Support Services we can assist you with the following: • Divorce • Custody • Finance • Residence • Contact • Adoption • Injunctions • Immigration • Dispute Resolution • Powers of Attorney

We understand that your family is precious to you and you need to ensure they are looked after during the good times and the bad. We have an expert team who will be happy to assist.

Are you setting up a new business?

Or already have one? We understand the time, effort and stress that you invest to keep your business on track.

Whether you have a small business or large company you will need a Commercial Solicitor that you can trust and can advise on the legal aspects of everyday business matters.

We have a team experienced in providing a broad range of transactional and advisory services to institutions, entrepreneurs as well as public and private companies.

As part of our business affairs we offer numerous services including: • Commercial • Business Start up • Commercial conveyancing • Dispute Resolution • Litigation • Partnership agreements • Franchise agreements • Data protection • Shareholder agreements • Sponsorship agreements • Sports Contracts • Terms of Business • Taxation Hodders has always worked closely in the local areas such as with the Wandsworth Chamber of commerce, the Park Royal Partnership and the West London Business group.

With a Trustpilot rating of 8.9 out of 10, the team at Hodders always endeavour to provide the highest standard of service to all our clients.

Personal Matters

Retirement Planning Services

Planning at the right time can make sure that you and your family are covered without having to lose your assets or sell your family home or have strangers manage your affairs As part of your Retirement Plan, we offer the following services: • Wills • Probate • Inheritance Tax Planning • Lasting Powers of Attorney • Financial and Property • Health and Welfare • Setting up and administering trusts • Planning for Long Term care

Family Support Services

In matters of family breakdown it is a stressful time for all involved and we often find individuals struggling to come to terms with what is happening to them. We strongly recommend you seek early legal advice from one of our experts to safeguard your position.

Hodders is highly regarded for its extensive experience in Family Law relating to children.

We believe it is essential to offer a service that is both professional and proactive, but also sensitive and sympathetic.

Our team includes Solicitors with over 15 years of experience in this field who are members of the Law Society’s Children’s Panel and access to specialist Barristers who are able to join our team.

Business Affairs

Find out today how we can help you: 0808 168 8677 enquiries@hodders.co.uk

www.hodders.co.uk

Business Connexions | 21

Workforce Training

South Thames Colleges Group Business Centre

South Thames Colleges Group Business Centre works with local employers to support them with training and development needs.

Our Business Centre is your one-stop shop for:

Apprenticeships • We’ll identify how and where an apprentice can benefit your business.

• We’ll help you recruit the right candidate.

• We’ll assist you to access appropriate funding and grants.

Workforce skills We can help you identify skills gaps, recommend training and professional development for your staff, and help access funding where appropriate.

We can design Government funded pre-employment courses to help you fill vacancies and support your recruitment.

Bespoke and Commercial Training

Contact our Business Centre Team today

• We can help your business with

020 8918 7272 business@stcg.ac.uk

• We can design programmes specifically for you.

thebusinesscentre.london

all its staffing needs.

Skills

Want to increase your income and earning potential?

Over the past 5 years, government have been driving Apprenticeships and promoting how they are good for business, many businesses ask “how do I go about getting an Apprentice and is my business in the right place to take on a new person?”

Also, over the last 5 years employers have been working with colleges to engage and train those who have found themselves unemployed and we are now

seeing unemployment rates at their lowest for over 8 years.

Up until now we have been looking at how we can bring individuals back into the workplace, but

“what about our existing employees? How do we support them? Increase their productivity and earning potential?”.

In the Mayor’s Skills Strategy for Londoners he clearly identified the need to upskill the existing workforce.

South Thames College has looked at how it can continue to support its employers and local communities. The college has set up “South Thames College Retraining Hub”, a bespoke offer for employers and individuals, who wish to up-skill, retrain, increase their earning potential.

The college has developed a range of courses and programmes which can be delivered via classroom (days, evenings and weekends), distance or blended learning, online learning or via workbooks.

Jamie Stevenson, Director of Business Partnerships said “we recognise, that if we are going to support individuals and businesses, we need to make sure we have a flexible offer that can meet the needs of their business demands”.

The college currently has over 20 programmes available which are free and fully certificated at level 2, which can start anytime throughout the year.

Further details please visit https://www.south-thames.ac.uk/ distance-learning-courses

The skills and training landscape can often be confusing and difficult for employers to navigate.

South Thames College has a dedicate employer partnership team, who are here to support employers and individuals with all their training, apprenticeship and employee needs.

The team will visit the business, understand the nature of the business and make recommendations on training and skills needs. If you wish to make an appointment with a Business Partnership Manager, please call 0208 918 7272.

Employers also need to consider new talent and the next generation. South Thames College are looking for employers who are willing to offer 45 days work experience. This can be in a variety of models 1 to 2 days a week, block release, alternative weeks. This is a great opportunity for employers to engage with the college and young people to really experience the world of work.

If this is something you are interested in, for further details go to the following link; https://www.south-thames.ac.uk/ employers/6190-work-experience

If you’re unsure where to start with training, skills, recruitment, Apprenticeships, or you can’t find the programme/course you require, please get in touch with South Thames College, we are here to support you; http://thebusinesscentre.london/

Business Connexions | 23

Riverside Nursery Battersea Reach is a beautifully designed Montessori nursery with large and well equipped indoor and outdoor space and boasts a truly exceptional play garden providing a stimulating and exciting environment for the children in our care.

Parking is a delight for parents with an underground car park enabling easy free drop off and collection.

020 7078 4098

24 | Business Connexions

“My husband and I opened our first nursery over twenty years ago, because we were parents who wanted the very best learning environment for our children.. Riverside is a nursery where we would be proud to send our own children and we are sure that you will be proud to send yours.�

Sandra Taylor, Riverside Nursery Founder

office@riverside-nursery.co.uk www.riverside-nursery.co.uk

Cyber Crime

Fighting back against the cyber criminals The digital world is opening up remarkable opportunities for small businesses but with great opportunity comes great risk.

One of the companies helping London businesses to tackle the growing threat of cyber crime, and helping SMBs with IT Security, is Putney-based totality services.

Founded in 2008, the company provides London’s small and medium businesses with an award-winning IT service, ranging from purchasing and installing hardware to Mac and Windows support, cloud solutions, security and data backup.

Using high quality systems and security practices that blue-chip companies take for granted, the business has grown to have more than eighty clients,

1,500-plus supported users and 17 London-based staff members. This year it has been named as Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award winners, based on client reviews.

Cyber security has become a major priority for company co-founders Luis Navarro and Pedro Martins.

Luis said: “Providing security for our clients is so important for us now, particularly given the way that cyber criminals operate has been changing to target smaller businesses.

“It used to be that the criminals targeted the big corporations and not SMBs. They thought

that it was worth hacking into big companies with deep pockets, but now their thinking has changed.

“Today, most hackers believe that it makes more sense to target a far larger number of smaller businesses where there’s less staff awareness of potential threats, paired with the lack of security solutions.

“So, SMBs really do need to take this threat seriously, but we still hear some of them saying that they’re too small to be targeted.

“As a result of GDPR we saw an increase in the number of businesses rolling out IT security to safeguard their data. This is important from a compliance point of view, but more importantly it created huge awareness in the SMB community on how some common platforms are still vulnerable without the correct setup and add-on solutions in place.”

Pedro said: “The problem for any company whose data is breached is that by then it is too late. They should have adopted and deployed adequate security systems and processes in advance of the incident, but by the time it has happened they

will have incurred costs and seen their reputation tarnished.

“The good news is that most common types of cybercrime can be prevented by investing in robust IT security solutions.

It’s critical that all businesses do so, regardless of size.

“We can ensure our clients are protected from an IT perspective, through the deployment of security solutions, but companies also need to learn and embrace the value of IT security beforehand. We help clients with education as well as the solution deployment.”

The team at totality services publish an annual cyber security guide for their clients, which draws on the wealth of experience built up by Luis and Pedro.

They started their careers working for enterprise businesses before founding totality services.

They still maintain ties with some of the UK’s best known brands, so they’re able to apply their blue-chip business knowledge and experience in a wide variety of IT specialisms, including security, to SMBs.

“Today, most hackers believe that it makes more sense to target a far larger number of smaller businesses where there’s less staff awareness of potential threats, paired with the lack of security solutions.”

Business Connexions | 25

COULD YOU

FOSTER A TEENAGER? Be there for a child in Wandsworth... ...and we’ll be there for you

Come to one of three events taking place on the dates below (10am - 12noon or 2pm - 4pm or 6pm - 8pm) Thursday 21 March 2019 Thursday 18 April 2019 Thursday 16 May 2019

Call us now on (020) 8871 6666 Read about our foster carers’ experiences at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/carer_experiences

To find out more: wandsworth.gov.uk/fostering carerrecruitment@wandsworth.gov.uk wandsworthfostering

Designed and produced by Wandsworth Design & Print. wdp@wandsworth.gov.uk AD.1226 BusCon (3.19) Photos: istock, digitalvision, netnatives

19 TOP TIPS for switching off after work

The perceived need to work long hours, the expectation to log back in to manage emails in the evening, the reality of being part of a geographically dispersed team working in different time zones, the sheer speed at which many of us work, or the amount of caffeine consumed during the day all mean that we often find our brains whirring late into the night.

Many of us like the flexibility of remote working, meaning we can work at home or catch up with a backlog after official hours.

However clients often say that work is always in the back of their minds, they find it hard to switch off and relax, or that they wake in the early hours and can’t get back to sleep.

According to a CIPD survey1 37% of us say that having remote access to work means we can’t switch off in personal time.

If any of this sounds like you at times, experiment with some of these tips all of which have been tried and found to be effective by one or more of my clients.

1. Cut the caffeine, especially after midday A Danish coffee-addict found it very difficult to relax in the evening.

I challenged him to cut his caffeine intake.

He thought it would be impossible but he was so impressed by the result that he cut his consumption even further and banned it completely after lunch. Both his ability to relax in the evening and the quality of his sleep improved.

2. Build in realistic leaving time A consultant radiologist couldn’t understand why she was always so rushed to catch her train, and often missed it. When we micro-analysed her leaving process she realised that although she had 5.45pm in her mind as the time she had to leave her office, in fact this was also the time she stopped working. When she then did all the things that she had to do so that she could actually walked out of her office (re-file confidential notes, speak to her PA, close her computer down, pack her bag, find her coat, go to the loo) it all took 15 minutes.

In reality her leaving time was nearer 6.00pm and that’s why she missed her train. She now has an alarm on her computer to remind her to stop working at 5.30pm so that she can leave at 5.45pm and be on time for her train.

3. Review your achievements at the end of the day Sometimes our days at work are so reactive that our priorities get knocked off course. When that happens write down all the things you have done and allow yourself a sense of achievement.

Feeling irritated at what we haven’t done, rather than being pleased with what we have done, makes it more difficult for us to disconnect and the ‘unfinished business’ plays on our minds.

4. Prepare for the next day Before you finish work spend a few minutes sorting through your thoughts f or the following day; tick stuff off your to do list and re-prioritise tasks for the next day.

Doing this helps to mentally draw a line under your work and leave it behind you.

5. Be honest with yourself (1) An FD used to dutifully carry home a heavy briefcase bulging with papers, and leave it in the hall where he could see it every time he walked from one room to another during the evening. Then he picked it up and took it back to work every day, untouched. He spent every evening resenting the sight of it, feeling guilty that he didn’t open it and then feeling stupid when he took it back to work again the next morning unopened.

Be honest with yourself; how much are you really going to do?

6. Create a ‘pull factor’.

Line up something to do after work that’s more interesting than staying at in the office. The truth is that when there is something compelling to leave work for at a certain time, we manage to do so. If the nursery is closing and you’re the parent on pick-up that day, there is no option. Make sure that your life outside work is more attractive than your life in work.

7. Stop off at a yoga or gym session on your way home.

A senior academic administrator swapped her lunchtime gym session for a class after work and on her way home. She found that expending physical energy at the end of the day made it easier for her to switch off afterwards.

8. Switch to cycling or running to work, or walk part way Physical exercise is a great way of calming the mind (and all these ways of commuting make it more difficult to take a laptop or heavy files home).

9. Use the transition time to do something you’ve always wanted to have a go at (and which is nothing to do with work) If you have a commute by train or car use the time to consciously transition between work and home; listen to a different form of music, learn a language, meditate (though not if you're driving), catch up on podcasts, get better at Sudoku.

10. Have a shower and change your clothes when you get home Keep different outfits for work and home.

Wash away the working day, feel fresher and signal to yourself and others that you’re out of ‘work mode’ by taking a shower and changing from work clothes to home clothes.

11. Have a place for your work things that are out of sight The FD with the bulging briefcase decided not to kid himself any longer than he would do some work at home. He reasoned that he did enough when he was there without doing even more when he wasn’t. What a relief! He also found a place to leave his case so that it wasn’t in the middle of his personal space all evening, reminding him about work.

12. Be mindful about where you work if you work at home If you choose to work at home, be ruthless about delineating your work space from the rest of your home. Don’t let books and papers leak out and invade your space or that of your family. Especially keep it out of your bedroom and make sure you clear up or screen off the area once you’ve finished.

13. Limit the amount of work talk you do at home A client in the FMCG sector realised that he and his partner talked about the details of each other’s work for hours, often to the exclusion of anything else. This made it impossible to have any ‘down time’ away from concerns and irritations. While it’s often useful to get an alternative perspective to a sticky work situation, we all spend enough time at work during the day without talking about it endlessly all evening as well. They decided to set themselves a time limit each evening in which to debrief each other about the important stuff, and then ruthlessly moved on to other topics afterwards. This client discovered that rehashing the minutiae of office politics didn’t ‘get it all out of his system’ as he thought, but actually made it more difficult rather than less difficult for him to switch off from it.

14. Limit your antisocial emailing time In January 2017 a new French law established workers’ ‘right to disconnect’.2 The law requires companies with more than 50 employees to establish hours when staff should not send or answer emails. The goals of the law include preventing burnout by protecting private time. If you think you have to write emails outside the agreed time, at least don’t pass on the stress of receiving them to others.

People say they find it stressful to open their emails and find messages that have been sent to them late at night or before 7.00am. If you have to write them, save them in your drafts file and send them at a more acceptable time of day.

15. Be honest with yourself (2) If you enjoy working in the evening or you absolutely have to work on something urgent, be very clear about what your contract is with yourself. A young and very ambitious client in financial services routinely worked 3-5 hours after putting her child to bed every night. She loved her work and received masses of praise for her amazing capacity and productivity.

However her relationships with her family and friends were deteriorating. She reallocated her evenings so that one was

Top Tips

earmarked for spending time with her partner, one for meeting up with friends, one for going to the gym and one for reading or watching TV. This left three weekday evenings. She bargained with herself that she would only work a maximum of two hours on two of the evenings if she could always have one night when she could work as late as she wanted – often until the early hours.

Several months later she was still keeping to this timetable; she felt her life was in better balance. She liked the freedom she had given herself to log back in on three evenings and to work as late as she wanted one night a week.

16. Turn screens off at least an hour before bedtime It’s been shown that the bright light from screens disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, inhibits melatonin production and delays REM sleep. People who read a screen before bed stayed more alert afterwards, found it harder to get to sleep and felt drowsier in the morning even though they slept for the same amount of time.3 Those who read a print book felt drowsier, fell asleep more easily afterwards and awoke feeling more refreshed.

17. Keep some post-it notes by your bed If you do wake in the night with something on your mind or a solution to a problem, jotting itdown can be an effective way of both capturing your insight for the morning and letting it go so that it doesn't nag away and stop you getting back to sleep.

18. Train your mind to relax Learn a technique specifically aimed at calming your mind and stopping your thoughts fromracing. Meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, breathing exercises and visualizationtechniques are all ways of harnessing our ‘monkey mind’ which likes to be kept busy and leaparound. No longer for cranks, these powerful tools are being use by the NHS to help people manage chronic pain. Look on line for plenty of resources, local groups, qualified practitioners and audio training. www.mbsr.co.uk is a good place to start.

19. Get perspective The Michelin stared chef, Angela Hartnett, was asked on Desert Island Discs how she copes with the pressure.4 She said, refreshingly, that she never loses sight of the fact that her job is basically about ‘a plate of carrots’. Very few of us do lifesaving work. What's the equivalent of your plate of carrots?

5 REASONS WHY you should be working out on your Lunch Break

The benefits of exercise are endless, but how will working out during your lunch break really affect you?

1. Boosted Productivity!

Exercise releases endorphins the ‘feel good’ hormones. With more oxygen flowing around the body, you’ll have more energy and will feel alert. Post-workout high’s will have you flying through your afternoon meetings.

2. Save money!

Completing a workout instead of heading to a cafe, you will not only be saving yourself the empty calories but your hard earned cash! You’ll also be tempted to prepare your lunch at home in advance, as a result, be consuming added nutritional value which is far better for your overall health.

3. Reduced risk of illness!

Sitting for prolonged periods of time has been linked to an increased risk of premature death, from cardiovascular disease to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer. What better reason to get away from your desk! A quick highintensity interval training (HIIT) session or a gentle jog is enough to drastically lower the risk of fatal diseases. Did you know, you’ll also be fighting colds. Moderate exercise improves your overall fitness, which in turn boosts your immune system - the body’s defence against infections.

1 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Employee Outlook Survey May 2017 2 www.theguardian.com/money/2016/dec/31/french-workers-win-legal-right-to-avoid-checking-work-email-out-ofhours 3 PNAS 2015 January, 112 (4) 1232-1237. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1418490112 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09lxn6w

4. Reduces stress Exercise has been proven to reduce stress, so taking a break in the middle of the day to work up a sweat is the perfect way to deal with looming deadlines. Whilst we are physically active, our brains produce serotonin, a chemical which is a mood stabiliser, this then helps to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.

5. Create more free time By exercising during your lunch hour, this will mean you do not have to wake up early to squeeze in a morning session before work, you’ll also avoid heading to the gym after work. By scheduling your workouts during your break means that they are more likely to happen. You’ll then see the benefits of exercising a lot quicker as you are less likely to find excuses!

Article supply by The Trainers for further information visit www.the-trainers.co.uk

Business Connexions | 27

of work experience in Wandsworth

School students and employers from around the borough have been marking 25 years of successful work experience placements in Wandsworth – which has seen around 25,000 young people getting their first taste of the world of work.

BEST (Business and Education Succeeding Together) is the council’s education and business partnership and works with about 700 employers to give Wandsworth’s young people access to around a thousand

work experience placements a year. The awards celebrate the most motivated students and committed employers.

This year’s event was hosted

by Ernest Bevin College and was attended by students from

Ernest Bevin College, Graveney Academy, Burntwood Academy, Chestnut Grove Academy, and Nightingale Community Academy.

A large number of employers who have provided work experience were also at the ceremony.

The Randall Close Day Centre and Hotel Rafayel in Battersea received a special award for their commitment to work experience and the hospitality project Pan Out. Presentations focused on how much the world of work has changed since 1992 and how to prepare for the skills young people will need in the future.

Contact the BEST team:

This included students who talked about their work experience at the Polka Theatre, the local NHS, Waitrose, Digilab Tooting and accountancy firm The Tax Guys.

Local employer Joe Macari who offered placements at his performance car businesses, said: “When we get a youngster in with enthusiasm and they go forward, it’s a wonderful thing.”

BEST is always keen to hear from local employers interested in offering work experience placements to young people.

For more information visit the Wandsworth Lifelong Learning website.

Betty Osifeso Tel: 020 8871 8630 Email: bosifeso@wandsworth.gov.uk Tina Dennis

Tel: 020 8871 8633 Email: tdennis@wandsworth.gov.uk

Worth enquiring.

As Ashle Ashl Ash Ashley R Re Red Redm Redma Redman - 07966 0 07 079 0796 2 21 218 2185 21859 218591 email: apps@wandsworth.gov.uk www.wandsworthlifelonglearning.org.uk

Apprenticeships at all levels in:

Management, Business Admin, Customer Service, Child Care, Support Teaching & Learning.

Funded short courses in:

Team Leading, Customer Service,, Conflllict Management Ma Man Mana Manag Manage Managem Manageme Managemen M Employm U Un Und Unde Under Unders Underst Understa Understan Understand Understandi Understandin E Em Emp Empl Emplo Employ Employme Employmen Employment Understanding Employment, Enterpris B a Enterprise an E En Ent Ente Enterpri Bu Bus Busi Busin Busine Busines Enterp Enterpr Enter and Business F Fi Fin Fina Finan Financ Financi Financia Manage M Ma Man Mana Manag Managem Manageme Managemen Financial Management So Soc S Soci Media - The Socia M Me Med Medi T Ba Th B Basi Bas Social Basic Basics For the full range of courses contact us for further op ons

Worth its weight.

28 | Business Connexions

Empower your Employees

Health and Wellbeing

CAN MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING really increase productivity?

Why invest in training when belts are usually tightened during recessions and periods of uncertainty?

Research from Deloitte has indicated a 9:1 return on investment on mental health training, but is that realistic?

We take a look at the Deloitte report on mental health and employers to determine the impact training can make.

The Effect of Poor Mental Health on our Workforce

Our mental health can be affected by many factors from both personal and work situations.

Common characteristics include poor concentration, low mood, not sleeping and irritability.

The result could be missing deadlines, poor quality work and deteriorating relationships with colleagues and customers.

This can eventually lead to absenteeism, presenteeism, sickness leave, disciplinary procedures and even the loss of staff and valuable experience, alongside the need to recruit and retrain. All of this comes at great expense to employers.

The Cost to Employers

The costs are staggering: Sickness Absence. Absence due to mental health in 2016 was 11.5% of the total days lost and this figure is rising (in 2009 it was 9.1%) Presenteeism. Showing up at work when ill, results in a significant loss of productivity and potentially makes the illness worse. This is estimated at an average cost of £851 per year for every single member of staff, again this is a figure that is rising year on year 1.

Staff Turnover. The increased turnover of staff due to mental health issues creates additional employer costs estimated at £7.9bn per year in the UK.

How can Training Reduce the Impact and Increase Productivity?

Deloitte consider there to be key intervention points at which support can be provided. The later and less comprehensive the intervention, the lower the return on investment.

1. Early, Comprehensive, Proactive Intervention Imagine a new employee, Judith, starting work. To ensure the best possible chance of good mental health for Judith and all her colleagues requires an early, comprehensive policy of intervention.

A company with a ‘Wellbeing and Mental Health at Work’ policy in place demonstrates from the outset the company’s supportive attitude towards good mental health that can include: • Encouraging regular awareness-raising events • Supporting employees to talk about emotional challenges they are facing • Providing wellbeing workshops for staff • Events throughout the year to keep wellbeing on the agenda • Supportive managers who are well trained in dealing with mental health issues.

Being able to do this and do it well, will help the whole company to keep in better health and will play a significant role in preventing staff from reaching the points at which

they cannot cope and need to take time off or turn up and be less productive. Prevention really is better than cure.

It is this kind of proactive intervention that can lead to a 9:1 ROI. 2. Reactive, Minimal Intervention This can include management training to understand responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments, etc.

Now imagine that your company didn’t have an early, comprehensive approach. Judith, has been with you some time now and has a first episode of long term stress.

She either continue coming in with declining productivity or will be considering going on sick leave.

Chart

She approaches her manager, who is supportive, and discusses what reasonable adjustments they can make to support her. Although this may help Judith, it would clearly have been far more beneficial to have identified this issue long before it got to this stage and there may have already be presenteeism issues.

And of course, the ability to intervene here is also utterly dependent on Judith feeling comfortable to raise sensitive issues with her manager.

What Training Helps the Most?

As with all training, it is not the quantity, but the quality and impact of training that is key. Much of the mental health training available is awareness training, which although essential to improving understanding is simply not sufficient to have a real impact. To do this, the training must: • Change the company atmosphere to that of a supportive one • Improve opportunity for staff to increase their wellbeing, eg workshops and events • Improve confidence and ability of managers to effectively support their team The impact can be measured through the medium-to-long term effect on sickness and staff’s assessment of their wellbeing and level of support. With this sort of training it is possible to see ROIs of 9:1.

This shows the impact of the quantity and quality of mental health training on the ability of employees to thrive and be their most productive:

By Peter Rolfe & Jeremy Coutinho Directors at Elephant in the Room Training www.eitr.solutions

1 Monitor Deloitte. Mental health and employers: The case for investment, 2017 https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-uk-mental-health-employers-monitor-deloitte-oct-2017.pdf 2 ONS, Labour Force Survey, 2016 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/february2016

Business Connexions | 29

www.lsclondon.co 30 | Business Connexions

The Person behind the business

Why getting the basics right is crucial to business success

When you are starting out in business and are fired up by your big idea, it can be easy to overlook the everyday things that a business needs to do in order to build solid foundations and comply with regulations.

Compared with the excitement of product development, functions like book-keeping, HR and credit control can seem to lack a certain lustre for the inspired entrepreneur.

However, therein can lie danger and the people that ignore the less ‘glamorous’ side to business management can end up in all sorts of trouble.

That is the stark message from Robert Scrafton, Director of LSC London, a company which has built its reputation on carrying out those necessary everyday tasks for companies.

LSC London started out supporting businesses working in the fashion industry and today much of its work is still to help retailers and wholesalers from countries such as Italy, China and Australia who operate in the UK. However, recent years have seen the business branch out into other sectors as well, offering services including bookkeeping and administration, operations control, HR, payroll, health and safety and workplace maintenance.

LSC London offers its services either as consultants providing support or advice or as an outsourced contractor acting as an in-house department and taking all the worry away from the business owner.

Robert believes that the work that LSC London carries out is vital and that smaller businesses can land themselves in a lot of trouble if they ignore the basics.

He said: “Over the years, we have found that start up businesses, in particular, can overlook the kind of things that we do.

“You may get someone who is focused on developing their idea and thinks that the likes of administration is something that is not as important as building up the product.

“They may see the kind of things that we do as something on which they simply cannot afford to spend their budget.

“That particularly happens where you get a business with no management structure and where the boss acts a bit like a dictator.

“However, the danger is that if they overlook the everyday things they can get in trouble.

If they fail to comply with laws and regulations, they can end up spending a lot of time and money on putting it right.

“We make sure that does not happen by carrying out the functions that every business needs to do.

“In addition to running payrolls, HR and carrying out administration, we put a lot of emphasis on workplace management, preventive maintenance and systems.

“That includes health and safety and the measures that create a pleasant and safe place in which people can work.

“If their workplace is nice, employees feel happier and motivated and that means that they are more productive.

“We also help companies with their employees’ performance.

We have a simple equation we give our clients: performance equals motivation plus competence plus management effectiveness.

“We offer a wide range of services and because we are not a specialist law firm or accountancy practice, it means that our prices are much more competitive.

However, if there is something particularly complicated we have a network of specialists we can call on.”

And as Robert says, a modest investment in the essential functions of running a business can save a lot of anguish, time and money further down the line.

info@lsclondon.co www@lsclondon.co

“We offer a wide range of services and because we are not a specialist law firm or accountancy practice, it means that our prices are much more competitive.”

Business Connexions | 31

Chamber

Events March

Wandsworth Enterprise Month 4th-29th March

For a full list of events check out www.wandsworthenterprisemonth.biz

Wandsworth Young Chamber

The Effective Entrepreneur Masterclass Wednesday 21st March 6-9PM Venue: University of Roehampton

April

Metro Mondays

Monday 1st April 2019 6-8.30PM Venue: Metro Bank Clapham Junction

NEW: Rosslyn Park RFC Business Club

in association with Wandsworth Chamber Wednesday 3rd April 6-8.30PM Venue: Rosslyn Park RFC

Earlsfield Business Network

Wednesday 10th April 6-9PM Venue: To Be Confirmed

Putney Business Hub Wednesday 17th April 6-9PM Venue: TBC

Fore Business Golf Invitation

Thursday 18th April 7AM - 1PM Venue: Silvermere Golf Club, Surrey

Spring Business Drinks Reception

With Parton Members Access Self Storage Thursday 25th April 6-9PM Venue: The Inflatable Pub @ Access Battersea 32 | Business Connexions

May

Rosslyn Park RFC Business Club

in association with Wandsworth Chamber Wednesday 1st May 6-8.30PM Venue: Rosslyn Park RFC

Earlsfield Business Network Wednesday 8th May 6-9PM Venue: TBC

Putney Business Hub Wednesday 15th May 6-9PM Venue: TBC

June

Metro Mondays

Monday 3rd June 6-8.30PM Venue: Metro Bank Clapham Junction

Rosslyn Park RFC Business Club

in association with Wandsworth Chamber

Wednesday 5th June 6-8.30PM Venue: Rosslyn Park RFC

Fore Business Golf Invitation

Thursday 16th May 7AM - 1PM Venue: Silvermere Golf Club, Surrey

Wandsworth Young Chamber

Social Media Masterclass Wednesday 23rd May 6-9PM Venue: University of Roehampton

Wandsworth Big Breakfast

with Bo Concept Wednesday 29th May 6-9PM Venue: Bo Concept Battersea

Earlsfield Business Network Wednesday 12th June 6-9PM Venue: TBC

Putney Business Hub Wednesday 19th June 6-9PM Venue: TBC

Fore Business Golf Invitation

Thursday 20th June 7AM - 1PM Venue: Silvermere Golf Club, Surrey

For further details go to

www.wandsworthchamber.org/events

WELCOME

Bespoke presentation training

AccountAssyst Direct Route

Word of Mouth Training

to new members 81 Palace Road London SW2 3LB David Barker 07766 545871 dbarker@directroute.co.uk www.directroute.co.uk Financial Services

Rosslyn Park Rugby Club

Business Divas

Priory Lane Upper Richmond Road Richmond SW15 5JH Patrick Rea 0208 8876 6044 patrick.rea@reamarketing.co.uk http://rosslynpark.co.uk/ Sports Clubs & Fitness Centres

Clancarty Coaching & Consulting Ltd

The Generator Business Centre 95 Miles Road London CR4 3FH Steve Bennett 0208 408 1560 info@safetydelivery.co.uk www.safetydelivery.co.uk Business Services

119 Dolphin House Wandsworth SW18 1DH Gill Dunsford 07775 683777 gill@impetuscom.co.uk www.impetuscom.co.uk Business Coaching and Support 54 Clancarty Road Fulham SW6 3AA Kielan Tayler 7796687029 kielan@clancarty.net www.connect2decide.com Business Coaching and Support

Killik & Co

125D Northcote Road London SW11 6PS George Rudland 203370676 george.rudland@killik.com https://www.killik.com/ Financial Services

LSC London Ltd

315 The Lightbulb 1 Filament Walk London SW11 6JA Robert Scrafton 020 3176 2060 robert@lsclondonltd.com www.lscworkforce.com Business Services

Office 365 Coaching

40 Bloomsbury way Lower ground floor London SW1Y 4TE Francois Souyri 2071237796 contact@365coach.co.uk https://365coach.co.uk Business Coaching and Support

Safety Delivery

St Francis Xavier College 10 Malwood Road Balham London SW12 8EN Ali Shah 020 8772 6000 s.ali@sfx.ac.uk www.sfx.ac.uk Schools and Education

The Single Boss

81 Burke Close East Sheen London SW15 5RS Jon Pellington 7853794133 jon@thesingleboss.co.uk www.thesingleboss.co.uk Leisure & Entertainment

Wandsworth Care Alliance Trident Business 89 Bickersteth Road London SW17 9SH Jason Edgington 2085167716 jason@wandcareall.org.uk http://www.wandcareall.org.uk/ Charities

Word of Mouth Training

85 Montholme Road London SW11 6HX Nathalie Webb 07787 188330 nathalie@wordofmouthtraining.co.uk www.wordofmouthtraining.co.uk Training and Personal Development

Starting Up

Nathalie Webb

www.wordofmouthtraining.co.uk

Q1 Tell us a bit about your business?

Word of Mouth Training provides bespoke presentation training. Rather than simply providing generic “one size fits all” courses, I create a package that meets my client’s needs.

I go to their place of work or where they will be presenting and discuss their content, help them understand their audience, clarity of message, how to work with slides, develop structure, delivery techniques and how to overcome nerves.

Q2 What gives your business 'the x-factor'?

My previous experience as a BBC TV news producer, which involved going to many press conferences, conducting interviews and selecting clips for broadcast gave me unique skills in assessing how and why people come across well and how to effectively convey a message.

Q3 What motivated you to set up in business?

I was approached by a marketing consultancy who thought that my experience as a former BBC News Producer and Video Journalist gave me the necessary skills and they were right!

That gave me the confidence to set up on my own.

Q4 What do you like most about working for start-up?

I choose when I work.

Q5 What has been your greatest business success to date?

Happy clients. I’m too much of an egalitarian to pick out any one in particular!.

Q6 What has been your lowest moment?

Sorting the admin and “back-office” duties aren’t my forte.

Q7 In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next year 5 years?

In a useful place. Purpose = value.

Q8 What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Believe in yourself and keep overheads low if possible.

Business Connexions | 33

5 Minutes with...

Q1 Who are you?

Sarah Banham, Director of Communities & Sustainability at Battersea Power Station.

Q2 What's your business all about?

At Battersea Power Station we are redeveloping the Grade II* listed building and creating a new cultural and retail destination for London, a sixth town centre for Wandsworth.

My team’s focus is the socio-economic and environmental impacts and opportunities that this development brings. One of the greatest opportunities, especially for the local community, is the volume and variety of jobs being created.

By the end of this project we will see 20,000 new jobs with around 3,000 in construction. To help with the huge demand this development will bring we have established our own Battersea Academy of Skills & Employment (BASE) to facilitate a range of preemployment and in-employment training courses to help people upskill into the jobs we’re creating.

We have also partnered with Wandsworth Council and our contractors to deliver onsite training for anyone interested in a career in the construction industry.

34 | Business Connexions

with... Sarah Banham

Environmentally we continue to challenge and work with our contractors to minimise the impact that the development process has on the local community especially with regard to air quality and noise.

We also need to protect our existing site ecology on a post-industrial brownfield site as well as enhancements that can be made in the over 18 acres of open space that will form part of the finished town centre.

Q3 Three words to describe yourself?

Energetic, positive, loud!

Q6 Biggest gripe?

Negativity

Q7 Your inspiration?

My family.

Q8 Philosophy in Business?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and trust your instinct.

Q9 Sporting hero?

Q4 Ideal Customer?

Anyone who runs – I can’t!

Work wise, ensuring that the redevelopment of the amazing Grade II* listed building really does tangibly benefit the local community.

Be positive and proud about what you do.

If you don’t feel confident think of an alternative way of doing things and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Bags of common sense and creativity.

Q5 Biggest achievement?

Q10 Biggest tip for success?

“By the end of this project we will see 20,000 new jobs with around 3,000 in construction.

To help with the huge demand this development will bring we have established our own Battersea Academy of Skills & Employment (BASE).”

Handelsbanken Clapham: local relationship banking for you and your business At Handelsbanken, relationship banking still lives up to its name. Our simple aim is to provide the best possible service. • Direct line access to your account manager • Key decisions are made locally by us at the Clapham branch • Our experienced managers work with you to develop solutions to fit your requirements We provide a wide range of banking services, from mortgages and current accounts to savings for personal customers, and business banking services including finance for specific funding requirements, asset and trade finance specialists and cash management solutions.

Founded in 1871, Handelsbanken has almost 800 branches in more than 20 countries. The Clapham branch is one of 52 branches in the South East.

To find out how you might benefit from a more personal banking relationship, please call us on 020 7498 5022 or email: clapham@handelsbanken.co.uk

Office 5,16 Porteus Place, Clapham, London, SW4 0AS handelsbanken.co.uk/clapham Handelsbanken is the trading name of Handelsbanken plc, which is incorporated in England and Wales with company number 11305395. Registered office: 3 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1WY, UK. Handelsbanken plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Financial Services Register number 806852. Handelsbanken plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ).