Business Matters June 20 West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce by Benham Publishing Limited

BusinessMatters The business magazine of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce Summer 2020

The Big Interview JOHN PATTINSON Managing Director of Aircovers Ltd

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WELCOME

Business Matters

Welcome to the Summer edition of our Business Matters magazine. Looking back only three months since our previous Business Matters magazine, I don’t think any of us could have predicted the impact that Covid-19 would have on our daily lives and the devastation it would cause to so many families or businesses. There is no doubt that this is a very challenging time for us all, but when we recover and return to a “new normal” there will be a huge shift in how many businesses operate and communicate with one another. I have been amazed by how adaptive many members have been; by moving entire workforces to remote working, by creating new and innovative ideas and services, by embracing a new way of communication. The Chamber itself has had to quickly adapt to be able to continue to support you, our members, in any way possible through this difficult time.

DEBBIE BRYCE

Chief Executive Officer, West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

This ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of our business community gives me confidence that we will pull through this together. I have been humbled to see many Chamber members answer the call to help the fight against Covid-19, be this by providing PPE equipment or services to the NHS, or supporting their local communities.

Throughout this edition of Business Matters you will find a host of these positive stories as we recognise and thank those that have gone above and beyond for others. During the last few months, many businesses have had the time to review their processes and plan for the future. I would like to advise businesses to include post Brexit transition period planning as part of these practices. As things stand, the transition period comes to an end on 31st December 2020 and could bring huge changes to your organisation. The Chamber, in partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Council, is continuing to support businesses with their post transition preparation and you can register your interest in receiving support by visiting the following link: https://bit.ly/2Z3MNMD. The Chamber’s sense of community has really shone through during this crisis and I want to reiterate that we are here to support you and your business in any way possible. You can get in touch with us by using the contact details on our website (www.wcnwchamber.org.uk). Stay safe and remember, together we are well connected and together we will get through this.

PLEASE NOTE: Some articles in this edition were written before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Article content therefore reflects this time lapse. Contact Matthew Hodgson Churchill House, Queen’s Park Campus, Queen’s Park Road, Chester CH4 7AD t: 01244 669988 e: info@wcnwchamber.org.uk w: www.wcnwchamber.org.uk Publisher Benham Publishing Limited Suite 5 & 6, Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ t: 0151 236 4141 f: 0151 236 0440 e: admin@benhampublishing.com w: www.benhampublishing.com Published June 2020 © Benham Publishing Media no. 1748 Advertising and Features Karen Hall t: 0151 236 4141 e: karen@benhampublishing.com Design Peter Wilkinson t: 0151 236 4141 e: peter@benhampublishing.com

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MEMBERS PROVIDING FOR THE NHS

PERSON BEHIND THE BUSINESS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE Are you ready for 1st January 2021?

Richard Knew, Managing Director of Knew Productions

WHAT I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT... The Joshua Tree

26-27

John Pattinson, Managing Director of Aircovers Ltd

Ready for lift-off after lockdown?

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Disclaimer Business Matters is mailed without charge to all Chamber members

TOP TIPS

and distributed to businesses in the region. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in publication are not necessarily those of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2020. 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.

@ChamberWCNW West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce /wcnwchamber WCNWChamber

CHAMBER NEWS

Chamber Keeps Calm and Carries On Since the outbreak of Coronavirus in the UK, the Chamber has been focusing its efforts on making sure our members and the local business community have access to the support and advice they need.

its popular Round the Table networking events to Round the Screen. We have had some amazing feedback from attendees of these meetings and we will continue to run them, every Wednesday, whilst social distancing measures are in place.

To do this, the Chamber has created a dedicated area on its website which has been updated with links to the latest support available from UK and Welsh Government. Businesses can also find links to FAQs, information about donating PPE equipment to the NHS and guidance regarding phishing and scams.

Members have also taken part in a Quiz hosted by Gareth Boyd of Tours Around Chester, who was due to speak at our postponed lunch event in May. Gareth tested the knowledge of guests on everything Chester with Joanne Walton of Cheshire West Voluntary Action crowned the winner!

Alongside the Coronavirus support page, the Chamber has been running a series of Round the Screen Networking events. Making connections with local businesses and forming long lasting relationships is a key component of Chamber membership for many members. The Chamber understood this and quickly adapted

Our Maximising Your Membership events have also moved online for the time being with members able to gain information about how to make the most out of their Chamber membership. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month and you can book on via our website (www. wcnwchamber.org.uk/events). Firms within their first two years of business have continued to receive support from the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Start-Up Club, which is held in partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Council. The meetings have taken place virtually with members and non-members continuing to receive support and advice. The Chamber also continues to promote member special offers, news and events on our website and newsletters. So be sure to take up this opportunity to get your message out to fellow members and the wider business community. If your business or organisation has any questions regarding any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us using the details on our website (www.wcnwchamber.org.uk) or email info@wcnwchamber.org.uk.

A thank you to the NHS, Carers and all Key Workers It goes without saying that the work being carried out by those in the NHS across the UK has been nothing short of incredible. Carers have been impeccable in the service that they provide to some of the most vulnerable in society. There are also so many key workers that have kept the country moving over the past few months, from delivery drivers, to waste collectors and those in supermarkets. Your dedication and commitment is something we can all admire and is something you have our upmost gratitude for.

CHAMBER NEWS

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce launches new Chamber Finance Finder platform, transforming Members’ access to business finance An exciting new business funding matching tool looking to revolutionise access to finance for businesses in the region has been launched with the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. The new Chamber Finance Finder will allow member businesses fast and simple access to all funding options across loans, equity and grants – simplifying, speeding up and streamlining the application process for them.

accessing the loans needed, it is essential that organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce addresses the challenges in the process. This new tool, powered by one of UK’s most admired fintechs, Swoop Funding, matches businesses with funding from over 1,000 providers. Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, commented “Business communities are facing unprecedented challenges, and access to finance remains a pressing

issue for so many firms. The Chamber Finance Finder will help companies the length and breadth of the UK find finance options that will help them restart, rebuild and renew their operations. We’re delighted to support the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce in launching this initiative.” You can find out more information about Chamber Finance Finder on the Chamber’s website (www.wcnwchamber.org.uk) or email info@wcnwchamber.org.uk.

Businesses are struggling to access the finance they need, so the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is utilising financial technology to provide access to both government and nongovernment funding options via a new partnership with Swoop Funding, supported by the British Chambers of Commerce. In addition to access to funding tailored for their specific business needs, members will also enjoy other exclusive benefits such as a dedicated Chamber Finance Finder hotline providing guidance to businesses’ funding queries, plus a free financial health check, as well as finance alerts and updates. Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at the Chamber, commented: “With cash flow a key concern for many businesses in West Cheshire & North Wales, it’s essential firms can access the support they need. By ensuring all firms have fast and simple access to finance we can safeguard the businesses that have built our community. We’re delighted to be offering the Chamber Finance Finder to make this happen”. With the latest figures from Swoop showing fewer than 50% of businesses are

DRB GROUP more COVID secure ready to re-open by providing solutions for the rail industry to help keep Britain working and to help ensure people going back to work are kept safe.

DRB GROUP GET BUSINESSES BACK UP AND RUNNING AFTER COVID-19 DRB Group, a Manufacturing and Engineering Company in the North West are one of the rare businesses who have continued to work through COVID-19 to help keep the UK running. Early on in the crisis they announced they would remain committed to providing critical support to businesses throughout the pandemic at the same time as maintaining the safety of their workforce. They have been working with businesses across the UK including the NHS to provide essential support and solutions. They cut all call out fees for any business facing an emergency breakdown or critical repair to help reduce cost for customers during a time when we all needed a bit of help.

HEALTHCARE

Throughout the pandemic, DRB have provided engineering solutions for their local NHS Trust which has kept operating theatres running. They also carried out multiple repairs for a local healthcare company which was completed ahead of schedule and saved the company over ÂŁ150K in loss of production costs.

FOOD

The DRB team provide solutions and repairs to multiple industries, daily. Some of their core markets are the food and cereal industries. They design and build rolls that cut the cereal to become the food that is in your bowl every morning. However, during COVID-19 they had to send DRB engineers to a Food company in South Wales to help with critical repairs and reduced their potential downtime from 4 days to 1 day. They kept a team of Engineers who had been isolated available to be deployed to

Over the coming weeks and months as the UK returns to some form of normality, queueing will become an even bigger necessity to prevent over crowding inside buildings. The team designed a new approach to queueing by inventing a perspex solution to reduce the amount of space needed for people to line up but keeping safety levels high. Bespoke safety screens for queues

businesses to make sure customers could receive the on-hand support needed.

PHARMACEUTICAL

As well as providing day to day support to the Pharmaceutical industry the team replaced a safety critical part during the peak of the crisis, which saved a major Pharmaceutical company many hours of downtime which could have proved costly and impacted supply during the pandemic.

RAIL

The team have been responsible for making safety critical parts for the rail industry facing breakdown challenges, critical repairs and the need for crisis management which is something the team are used to on a day to day basis. The skills and expertise of the team during the pandemic has helped many UK businesses to continue to keep productivity high whilst maintaining the safety of their workforce.

TOILET ROLLS

Due to the high demand for toilets rolls across the UK with scenes of panic buying, one of the key suppliers of toilet rolls saw a huge increase in demand. The engineering team at DRB kept them going, working overnight onsite and across weekends to keep production levels high and prevent any breakdowns. DRB are now getting a multitude of luxury automobile manufacturing sites back on their feet as well as other businesses preparing to get back to normality in the coming weeks and months. A priority for the team now is to help businesses become

TRAVEL AND FRONT-LINE PROTECTION

The team used their engineering expertise and innovation to design and build new bespoke safety screens for front line teams getting back to work. They applied the same science to creating safety separation screens to be used on trains for people that need to use public transport for essential work. The screens are designed to provide a barrier between commuters but using clear plastic to avoid people feeling isolated and alone. These stories show how adapting to the current climate by reducing current SLAs, the ability to be agile, fast action and the expertise of DRBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineers have helped several businesses continue to provide food, healthcare products and pharmaceutical supplies to the UK. Health and Safety (RAM) will be a bigger issue for most businesses post_COVID-19, DRB are experts in this field and can help provide a detailed consultation and solutions. DRB will continue to adhere to Government guideline and will continue to ensure the health and safety of their employees remains a top priority alongside providing critical solutions for their customers by getting the UK back up and running as quickly as possible.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Business Brexit Readiness Support Is your business ready for the end of the Brexit Transition Period on 31st December 2020?

Meetings can be held virtually or via the phone. For more information and to book a one-to-one session, please email export@wcnwchamber.org.uk.

The West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce have partnered with Cheshire West and Chester Council to bring support to businesses ahead of the end of the Brexit Transition Period on 31st December 2020.

As part of the support available from the Chamber and Council, the Chamber recently hosted a webinar which delved deeper into the areas organisations should be reviewing ahead of 1st January 2021.

A host of support is available to businesses, based in England and Wales, and firms are advised to consider how the end of the Brexit transition period may impact their organisation.

Hosted by Hayley Gray, Export Documentation Manager at the Chamber, the event saw expert speakers talk through specific topics that could bring changes to firms, as well as opportunities going forward.

One-to-one sessions are available with international trade experts, where bespoke action plans can be created and insights into sector specific implications are given. These sessions will allow firms to: n Undertake a business review and checklist. n Create an individualised action plan with key suggestions on how your business can prepare for Brexit. n Receive associated advice and signposting to further support.

Webinar held to support businesses

Becky Stark, Director at Stark Export Focus, took attendees through an overview of the current situation and an update since our previous events held in October. Becky then focused on practical steps businesses can take to prepare, including; changes in customs procedures, considerations for service companies and the effect on business structure. Horváth Zoltán, Diplomat for Economics, Trade and Investment Promotion at Consulate General of Hungary in Manchester, then gave an insight into the Hungarian market and the business

opportunities available there. Zoltán then explained that Hungary was looking to build close ties with the UK and emphasised the desire to work closely with businesses in the West Cheshire & North Wales region. Justine Watkinson, Head of Employment Law and Group Engagement Director at Hillyer McKeown, then focused on the new immigration system that will be effective as of 1st January 2021. Justine talked guests through the new points-based system and the new requirements for hiring employees from overseas. “The importance of being ready for 1st January 2021 cannot be understated. Changes are coming and businesses need to make sure that they are ready from day one” said Hayley Gray. “The speakers gave an excellent insight into areas that firms should review and opportunities available going forward, I can’t thank them enough!” The Chamber of Commerce and Cheshire West & Chester Council will be holding further events throughout the year in order to further support organisations. Keep an eye on our website (www.wcnwchamber.org.uk) for more information or email export@wcnwchamber.org.uk to be added to our mailing list.

STRATEGIC MEMBERS NEWS

Planning has never been so important Robert Ellis here, Director of Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers. The past few months have been a very worrying time for businesses, the team here at Ellis & Co have been working hard to ensure we help, support and guide our clients through these times of uncertainty. Almost all of our team have been working remotely, from home, since March 18, although our office is still open to allow clients to drop off documents. We know we are very fortunate that we have been able to adapt and continue the business by working from home, and I am happy to say, that we are still providing the same high level of service that our clients expect from us. Our IT support team have been great in ensuring that we can all work from home, although the server does play up from time to time.

In these uncertain times we have never been so connected to our clients, with telephone calls and Zoom meetings now replacing face to face meetings.

It won’t be easy, but preparation is the key. We are currently offering all members of the Chamber a free 30-minute consultation with one of our team, please contact the office if you would like to book a spot on 01244 343504. Remember, we are all in this together.

Our website is being updated daily with articles including Coronavirus information on the Job Retention Scheme, as well as grants and loans available to businesses at this time. Some of the team, myself included, have also recorded short videos talking about the different support available from the government. In the 31 years of Ellis & Co, I have never seen such an enormous impact on businesses and the UK economy, although with patience and planning I am confident we will all come out the other side. Planning and forecasting are now more important than ever, I have been busy planning to ensure Ellis & Co stays on the right path over the months ahead.

Chester business supports local companies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic Businesses across the UK (and worldwide) are now into another month of restrictions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Government carefully transitions us back to normality, the reality is that this will take a long while to be achieved. In late March, businesses very quickly had to adapt to an entirely new way of working, with many companies opting to work in a remote environment, whilst others sadly were unable to continue operating entirely for the foreseeable future. At the outset of the pandemic, the team at Chester based company Zodeq quickly put their business continuity plan in action, meaning that it has been very much business as usual in the months that have followed. This quick adaption has put

Zodeq in the ideal position to continue supporting businesses across the region, particularly those with cash flow difficulties as a result of restrictions. Whilst the Government put financial support in place for certain businesses, a number of companies have been refused a Bounce Back Loan or Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan by their banks, and have subsequently sought to find an alternative finance scheme to maintain their cash flow. Having approached Zodeq, many companies have been able to implement a relevant finance package, such as invoice finance or asset-based lending, to ensure that they can continue operating. In addition to this, the pandemic has interestingly resulted in a number of new business ventures (with many more expected to be established over the coming months). To ensure these ventures get off to the best possible start, financial and back office support has been provided by Zodeq. This in turn allows these fledgling business owners to focus on their core responsibilities without the added cash flow or administration worries. n Paul Cooney, Managing Director of Zodeq Ltd

Speaking of supporting new and established clients, MD at Zodeq, Paul Cooney has said: “This is something entirely unprecedented, and it will hit businesses for months, if not years to come. Our main goals are to ensure that businesses are given the right tools and support during the pandemic to continue as normally as they possibly can and it has been an honour to be a part of a business’ ability to survive these turbulent times.”

STRATEGIC MEMBERS NEWS

Umbrella Marketing Team to the rescue! When reading a Facebook post from a member of staff at the Chester Ambulance Station regarding their brokendown washing machine, Strategic Partners Umbrella Marketing Team couldn’t ignore their plea. “We had been looking at ways we could give back to our local community during this pandemic and came across the urgent appeal from Rebecca Clark”. The ambulance station’s washing machine had broken down and they urgently needed their washing machine so they could wash their uniform. Claire Davies, Director of Umbrella Marketing Team, said: “Two members of the Umbrella Marketing Team both have partners who work at the Countess of Chester and this couldn’t have been more

fitting. The general public relies heavily on the services of the ambulance service and the wider NHS so it’s fantastic that we were able to help them in return”. Umbrella Marketing Team was quick to respond with a reassuring message back to the ambulance station stating that a new one was on its way and ordered it immediately from AO.com. Not only that, but when Umbrella Marketing Team explained who it was for, AO said it would be on their first available delivery slot which was the very next morning. “It is challenging times for so many NHS workers so our good deed for the day will help in a small way to keep the service running and if they can get their other machine fixed there is the capacity for more loads!”

n Chester Ambulance Station with their brand-new washing machine

What lockdown means for your online marketing (an analysis of March to May 2020) I will do something a little different in this article and give an analytical review of how lockdown has affected our customers’ Search Engine rankings. First of all, this is just a snapshot of the research we have carried out across 30 of our customers, as well as numerous benchmarked sites across the internet. We will be publishing our full report early next month on our website. This example is a customer in the hospitality industry which is amongst the hardest hit by the lockdown.

up the rankings and close the ‘gap’ by around 50%. 3. Growth Period Google released another core update in early May focusing on authority, trust and expertise. The businesses that had continued to market and add value content during the lockdown were positively impacted by this update and have shown growth that exceeds the original base line in traffic and placement.

Although conversions still remain affected, many smaller businesses are now outranking their larger competitors and, as we enter the consideration stage at the end of lockdown, these businesses stay in pole position, in order to be found by their customers online. I hope that this has been useful to you, if you would like more information please contact the team at Tree Frog Digital and we would be happy to help. www.treefrogdigital.co.uk

1. Disruptive phase As with most things during the lockdown, there was a huge amount of disruption, with us seeing a large drop in traffic and conversion and some disruption in Google position. Interestingly the disruption in position was not just due to lack of demand but due to many larger & micro businesses reducing their SEO activity, 2. Recovery period This meant that the businesses who have continued to engage in search engine marketing and SEO suddenly have far less competition, allowing them to quickly rise

MEMBERS NEWS

Less Common Metals Ltd has welcomed their first apprentice to the team.

What would you say to someone who was thinking of completing an apprenticeship in engineering?

Sam Lee, 19, is a student at North West Training Council in Sandhills, Liverpool. Sam is on a 4-year apprenticeship scheme finishing in September 2022.

How is LCM helping with your knowledge and skills?

What made you want to do an apprenticeship? I personally think it’s the best way to learn new skills and develop current skills further. The apprenticeship route has been something my family has stuck to for years, so I wanted to keep the family tradition. I’ve been brought up working around motorbikes and doing general maintenance around the house, so for me it was a no brainer to get started in the engineering industry. The main reason I joined LCM was to learn about the niche rare earth industry as it’s something I didn’t know about until I read the job vacancy, and I was interested straight away. What do you find most challenging in your role? All the different types of machinery and how they work. I’ll be on one job and then

another machine may need my assistance and I must stop what I’m doing and change my mindset to deal with the problem. I am taking on different jobs everyday which is expanding my knowledge across various machinery. As an apprentice, just coming out of college and straight into the real world, it takes time to learn everything on the shop floor. The team are extremely helpful though so I can learn from them.

Being surrounded by a great bunch of people who are kind and helpful, which makes it a brilliant environment to work in. I also enjoy being hands on and fixing machinery, whether it’s just changing the oil or physically changing a part, once its fixed I get a sense of accomplishment. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? I would have finished my apprenticeship and I hope to be in a full-time engineering role at LCM. I really enjoy working with the team and I am very happy with the progress I’m making, and all the new skills I’ve developed.

creating a global network and body of work by 1,500 authors and 2,000 reviewers.

The Journal of Public Affairs (JPA,) published by Wileys, has grown to become one of the top 20 journals in the world covering public policy management and, in the process,

Since starting at LCM, I can’t believe how much I’ve advanced with my skills. I’m currently working with Duncan Owen, Engineering Co-ordinator, who has taught so much in a small space of time. I’m grateful to have someone like him alongside me who pushes me but is there when I need help and I have learnt so much from him.

What do you enjoy the most?

Journal marks two decades as a leading light in understanding public policy communication and management.

The founders of what is now an internationally-regarded journal are celebrating its 20th birthday this year, having featured numerous topical articles including some forthcoming material on the pandemic.

Go for it. I personally think it’s the best way to develop your skills or even learn a new trade because engineering is a role where you’re very involved in what you’re doing. As there are several forms of engineering, not every day is the same.

Jointly-edited since its infancy by Professor Danny Moss of Chester Business School and Professor Phil Harris of the University’s Business Research Institute, its status has grown steadily since it was founded at the request of UK, European Union and United States public affairs businesses and universities, who saw the market for publication covering the, then, emerging public affairs management and lobbying industries. Since the first issue in 2001, ‘JPA’ has become an important platform for scholars and practitioners to share their thoughts, research and critical observations on a broad range of themes that have continued to evolve, ranging from Government relations and lobbying to issue management, community relations, corporate and social responsibility, health communications and policy and political strategy and marketing.

n Sam Lee is on a 4-year apprenticeship scheme at Less Common Metals Ltd

The Journal has reflected, in its pages, some of the most profound changes and trends that had permeated societies around the world over the past 20 years, including the growth of activism and political interest groups concerned with political freedoms, human rights and environmental issues. It has reflected society and is currently reviewing a number of articles on health and governmental communication relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Phil and co-editor Danny are now planning a milestone issue containing papers by some of the leading contributors of the last 20 years, as well as some speciallycommissioned, commemorative papers to be published throughout the year. “Among the most high-profile issues attracting widespread political and regulatory attention now is the growing concern about the security of personal data, particularly in relation to powerful social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These are issues that have already begun to attract the attention of public affairs scholars and are likely to continue to exercise our attention,” said Phil.

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NELSON MYATT

From Dream to Reality. Behind the Scenes of Award Winning Solicitors. Nelson Myatt Solicitors LLP was the next chapter in the lives of the business partners Andrew Nelson and Claire Myatt. Andrew and Claire met in Bangor University in 2004 when they started the law degree, both as mature students with a lifetime of experience between them. Andrew had served in the army from school and then went on to be a mountain guide. He decided that his body would not allow him to carry on doing what he loved forever and decided to retrain to be a lawyer. Claire had been a civil servant for 19 years, working to fit around bringing up her 3 daughters, and they then got to an age where they were not quite so dependent. She started university when she was 40 - it is never too late! Both Andrew and Claire left Bangor University with a 2:1 hons degree and then went to Manchester Metropolitan University where they studied the BVC and were called to the Bar in 2008. Both of them went on to qualify as solicitors and Andrew was admitted on the Roll of Solicitors in 2009 and Claire in 2010. The dream of running their own practice had been with them since early university days and it became a reality on 6th April 2014 when Nelson Myatt Solicitors LLP started trading. Both Claire and Andrew were determined that they would have a different approach to dealing with clients than the more traditional law firms. There are no secretaries employed at the firm and clients speak to their solicitor/fee earner

directly when they call. There is a relaxed approach in dealing with clients, with meetings either within clients own homes or at the firms offices, primarily ensuring that clients are fully supported during the time that they most need it. Most people contact a solicitor at a time of need and therefore it is very important to the firm that support is offered and maintained. For every client there is a free half an hour initial consultation, where advice is given and clients can go away and act on that advice themselves or they can instruct the firm. Either way, the firm provides the best support and guidance that it can. This whole experience for clients has ensured that clients return time after time to the firm and not only that, they recommend the firm to their friends also. The testimonials on the firms website sum up the experience clients receive. The firm has grown to a team of 7 and 2 offices, which totally surpasses both of the partners expectations. Initially they had envisaged that the firm would be the just the two of them.

lockdown there has been a real surge in requests for Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Family Law advice. Many a Will has been signed in the firms car park adhering to Social Distancing Guidelines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all in a days work. The firm has remained open behind closed doors and has continued to be there to help and support clients. If you would like to talk to any of the team at Nelson Myatt then please do not hesitate to contact them directly on 01492 588200. There is always a free telephone consultation and a friendly voice waiting for you. As an additional gesture of goodwill there will be a 10% discount applied to any Chamber Member when using the firms services.

In 2018 the firm won the prestigious Conwy Business Awards Small Business of the Year and were finalists in the Daily Post Business Awards. Both were amazing accolades to the partners and the team at Nelson Myatt and their hard work and determination in making the firm a success. The firm is what is classed as a general high street practice specialising in all areas of law apart from crime. During the Covid 19

FREE INITIAL APPOINTMENT available on request.

NelsonMyatt Solicitors LLP

Conwy Business Centre, Llandudno Junction LL31 9XX

Appointments also available at our Rhos on Sea office: Hadden Court, Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos on Sea LL28 4NH

Tel: 01492 588200 | info@nelsonmyatt.com | www.nelsonmyatt.com 12

MEMBERS NEWS

Chester accountant reaches £34m R&D Tax Relief milestone A leading accountancy group is encouraging businesses to pursue Research & Development (R&D) during the COVID-19 outbreak, as it celebrates securing £34m in R&D Tax Relief claims for its clients. Champion Accountants – which has practices in Chester, Manchester, Preston and Blackpool – says the Government’s R&D Tax Relief scheme is still hugely underutilised, but successful claims continue to be paid amidst the Coronavirus outbreak. As such, it says, businesses who think they might be eligible should capitalise on the opportunity. Launched in 2000, the R&D Tax Relief scheme supports SMEs working on innovative projects, by allowing them to save up to £43.70 for every £100 spent on qualifying activities. With an average claim size in cash terms of £46,000 and a 100 per cent success rate in its claims, Champion Accountants’ R&D tax specialists have campaigned to raise awareness of the tax break, encouraging eligible businesses across all sectors to progress applications.

Locked down but not knocked down If you have experienced a PuzzleDuck Digital Treasure Hunt, you will know that you must race around a city with your team, looking for hidden locations and solving fiendish clues. These are not the types of activities that sit well with the current social restrictions placed upon us. Therefore, when Mal Blackburne, Director of PuzzleDuck watched the government briefing on 23rd March which outlined the social distancing measures, he knew that his business offer would not be viable for the foreseeable future. “Initially, I struggled to take in what they were telling us”, said Mal. “As it all began to sink in, I waited for the inevitable emails and phone calls to come. Hunts were cancelled and polite apologies were given. Many sleepless nights followed as the realisation of the potential impact upon the business hit home.

In the last 12 months, it has supported businesses in engineering, digital, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, food & drink and utilities, to achieve cash refunds or Corporation Tax reductions from HMRC, which have been used to help companies innovate further or achieve their growth ambitions. According to Champion Accountants, many businesses perform activities which would certify for the relief on a daily basis, without knowing it. Businesses in any sector which are developing new or improving existing products, software, systems and processes are eligible, and the relief can also be claimed on unsuccessful projects too. Claims can be made against staff costs, costs for materials, consumables such as utilities and software licenses, and sub-contractor costs. David Herd, senior tax advisory consultant at Champion Accountants, said: “We’ve been leading the charge to raise awareness of the Government’s R&D Tax Relief scheme and the results show; helping our clients claim £10.1m in R&D Tax Relief in the past 12 PuzzleDuck hunts are all about connecting people in a fun and engaging way – they cannot be done without being outside and in close proximity to others. Mal realised that PuzzleDuck quickly needed a version 2.0 – the question was “What did it look like?” “Ironically, the answer lay in questions!” smiled Mal. “PuzzleDuck’s side hustle was corporate and charity quiz nights. We would provide players with a tablet which they would use to answer the questions. The software would allocate points, give bonuses to those teams answering quickest and keep track of positions on a real-time scoreboard. Clients would often ask us to include questions specifically about their business and these could sometimes end up being even funnier than the posers we had written!” “I did a couple of test quizzes with friends and family which seemed to go very well. People enjoyed them, competitive spirit was permanently on display and feedback suggested the quiz was a great way of ‘escaping’ for a couple of hours.” After getting such a positive response to his proof of concept, Mal started to design a package for the business community. “Online quizzing fitted perfectly into the PuzzleDuck ethos of being connected and together. I could see the potential for

months alone and we’re pleased to see so many recipients benefit from their claims. “This tax relief is still being paid out by Government even against the COVID-19 backdrop, and cash refunds at this time can prove lucrative for businesses who face other financial challenges. “Companies tend to be surprised when we talk them through the scope of eligibility for R&D Tax Relief, with many completely unaware that they could’ve been inputting claims for years. Our team of tax specialists are highly experienced in this area, so I would encourage any business who might have questions about making claims to get in touch for a chat, because you could see your business grow exponentially as a result.”

n David Herd, Senior Tax Advisory Consultant at Champion Accountants

businesses to use these events to help keep staff in touch with each other in a relaxed and entertaining environment. Owning a business means never standing still and whilst this change was not something I’d planned; it is vital that you can pivot if you need to and create new offers for clients.” So PuzzleDuck Online was launched mid-April and in order to get the word out there about how fantastic their virtual quizzes are, Mal decided to offer one to chamber members for free. “I’ve met some wonderful people since joining the chamber and the spirit of humour and connectedness is evident in every networking event I go to. So, it seemed only right to give members a chance to come together online, have a laugh, maybe learn something new and most importantly have the quiz winners bragging rights at the next in-person chamber event! We are all struggling right now so if PuzzleDuck can bring a bit of trivia cheer to people then why not!”

CHAMBER MEMBERS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY

GRATITUDE AND KINDNESS - Dawn Belmar, Apollo Care A lot has happened over the last few months – indeed it feels as though the whole world is topsy turvy! Coronavirus has taken over our everyday lives and caused our government to put in place restrictions on our daily life. However, we want to focus on gratitude and the love and support we have been receiving. It’s been so very humbling to receive a national round of applause along with our NHS counterparts and other essential keyworkers. The country is respecting the work we do, which is what we want for the profession. While many of you will have more free time on your hands to redecorate or do the garden, our Apollo staff have been busier than ever looking after our clients, making sure they feel safe and secure, helping them get set up with video calls to their family and keeping their spirits lifted. Very often we are their sole human contact, so we become like family. We have been inundated with lots of stories of well-wishers. It is the first time we have seen social care workers get the recognition they deserve from the government, the media and the general public. Today may be a challenging era for care workers, but we have been doing this all along – putting care at the centre of everything we do. I wanted to take a few moments picking out some of the positive stories that have been keeping us going. Our Apollo Care teams make us extremely proud every single day, working closely and pulling together when we need to. We are like a family too.

One of the team bought a new bike just so he could reach people more easily and could keep everyone safer by not using public transport. Another of his team members bought some nuts to feed the squirrels on behalf of a client who usually likes to do this but cannot go out. This level of care is important to families. Suzanne from South Wirral has been receiving kind words from family members who are upset they cannot be with their loved ones but recognise their family members are in good hands. We become replacement family members. This is not solely a job to us – this is how we live and work.

Our office administrator Lisa has been making sure franchise support staff can work from home easily and effectively, so they can stay at home to protect the vulnerable. Meanwhile, our frontline teams have been going above and beyond to support their clients. West Wirral has been sending out letters to their clients from their local community as part of their pen pal scheme (for clients who don’t use technology), while South Wirral have been enlisting the help of local school children to make beautiful cards for those in isolation. Our new team in Chester are busying themselves running errands, doing shopping and collecting and delivering letters. Tracy, from our new Southport branch, has been volunteering with our Wirral branches while she waits to get up and running. Peter, from South Liverpool, has nothing but good words to say about his team who are going the extra mile every day by dropping in on clients to check they are okay, even in their free time. We’ve received kindness in abundance from people around us. Retail staff donated sweets to our teams, while others have kindly stopped us on the street to tell us what an amazing job we are doing. Several local schools and independent people have made Perspex full face protective masks for our workers, to keep our staff safe and our clients. Perhaps an unexpected benefit of being recognised in our work is the fact that young people are seeing what we do as a worthwhile vocation, as important as nurses and other health workers. This point has been beautifully illustrated to us by a little girl called Lottie, who wrote a poem dedicated to Apollo Care, as she thinks we do an amazing job! Each day, we receive new stories about the love and support from the public. This keeps us going and these acts of kindness and lovely words mean so much to us - so thank you!

CHAMBER MEMBERS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY

Flintshire photographer captures life in lockdown A Flintshire photographer has captured life in lockdown for neighbours in a close-knit cul-de-sac. Melissa Cross, owner of photography business Ginger Pixie Photography, has been photographing her neighbours going about their daily routine to create a snapshot of life during quarantine. Melissa lives with her daughter Emily, aged 14, in Warren Crescent, Buckley, which has always had a strong sense of community. She said: “We are not your average community; everyone knows everyone here and we always look out for one another. “We have a unique spirit of togetherness, which sees us come together throughout the years for street parties, summer barbeques and Christmas celebrations. “It’s a real old-fashioned sense of community, the kind that you just don’t see any more in today’s busy society, so when the lockdown restrictions were put in place, I knew that we’d help each other through it and I wanted to capture that positive spirit on camera.”

From lorry drivers to NHS workers, there’s a real mix of people and personalities living on Warren Crescent, which is made up of around 20 houses. Melissa, aged 44, has been photographing her neighbours outside or in their gardens to show how they have been remaining positive during the lockdown, all while adhering to the social distancing regulations. Some have been flexing their green-fingers in the garden, while others have been completing DIY projects in the home or focusing on their fitness regime. Melissa says she has found the project extremely cathartic after being unable to continue with her normal work routine. She launched her own photography business five years ago, specialising in PR and corporate photography. After growing her business and seeing it go from strength to strength, she was devastated to see her work grind to a halt when the lockdown was put in place. She said: “After falling into something of a black hole during the first week of the Coronavirus lockdown, I needed

inspiration to bring some positivity back into my life, to keep my mind focused and happy. “My head was in a bad place when self-isolation began; the challenge and sadness of losing clients and the uncertainty of when work would return led to obvious stress over my financial future. “I needed to do something to put a smile back on my face and help me through these dark times – and for me I find that in photography. “The whole experience has been so uplifting – we were close neighbours anyway, but it’s definitely brought us even closer together.” To view the full collection of work, go to https:// gingerpixie.co.uk/ www-gingerpixie-co-uklockdown/

n Melissa Cross, Owner of Ginger Pixie Photography

Sharing Skills to Benefit the Community

with their audience to continue delivering the amazing support they offer.

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) is continuing to match members with businesses through its SkillShare project during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

“We’re more than happy to donate our time to charities for them to get the best results from marketing and communications.

SkillShare helps business people who want to do something good in their community, matching them with local charities and community groups their skills could make a real difference to. West Cheshire Foodbank provides a valuable service for vulnerable people all year round, making sure those who may be struggling have access to food. The service is proving particularly important in the response to COVID-19 as more people find themselves in unusual circumstances. Graphic design agency Neave Creative is supporting West Cheshire Foodbank, helping it reach out to a greater audience and highlight the help available to people across the borough.

Andrew Herbert, Trustee of West Cheshire Foodbank, said: “Foodbanks are under great pressure in the crisis and, as demand is growing, we need to reinvent most aspects of our organisation. “Getting the right message across to the community has become a top priority. “We urgently needed fresh communications produced to a professional standard and, through CWVA’s SkillShare project, Phil from Neave Creative stepped forward to help.

“As a small business, we’ve always been keen to give back where we can and it’s great that we offer a service that’s needed.

“West Cheshire Foodbank required some design work and we were more than happy to turn the project around in 48 hours so it can inform its followers of the great things it is doing for those in need.”

“His staff have turned our homespun graphics into professional products in a few days. “This gift of skill and time will help keep people made vulnerable by this crisis safe.” Phil Neave, Director of Neave Creative, added: “Every project we work on is focused on offering the client the ability to stand out from the crowd and effectively engage with their audience. “Charities, more than ever, need to constantly and consistently communicate

n Through CWVA’s SkillShare project, Neave Creative has helped West Cheshire Foodbank take its communication and marketing to the next level

PATRON NEWS

Residents appreciative of calls and food parcels During the Covid-19 pandemic, Sanctuary Housing has been taking extra steps to ensure our residents are safe and well. With access to homes understandably limited at this time, Keeping in Touch (KIT) calls have become paramount. Sanctuary residents across Cheshire West who are aged over 70 have been receiving calls from our Housing and Neighbourhood teams, and this number is increasing all the time. In England and Scotland, Sanctuary staff have made around 11,000 KIT calls and the service has now been rolled out to support other vulnerable groups. The calls allow staff to check on a person’s wellbeing as well as being a friendly voice to talk to.

Feedback has been extremely positive from residents who have greatly appreciated the calls. Another service that has also proved a success during lockdown is Sanctuary’s Emergency Food Parcel deliveries, which have been benefiting any Sanctuary resident living in the Cheshire West area who find themselves in a difficult situation due to shielding, self-isolating or change in employment status. Parcels are delivered to homes by local housing officers, usually within 24 hours of a referral being made. One Sanctuary employee who has been involved in arranging food parcel deliveries said: “Residents are extremely grateful and in general do not expect us, as their landlord, to offer such services. The parcels make a big difference to them.”

Supporting victims

of domestic abuse Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a well-documented rise in the number of domestic abuse cases. With government guidelines meaning that people are spending much more time isolated at home, victims can find themselves trapped with their abuser.

a day, seven days a week, on 0800 131 3348 (landline) or 0300 123 3511 (mobile). The freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is also available 24-hours a day – 0808 2000 247.

Where victims would usually be able to reach out to family or friends for help, those opportunities have become limited. There are many ways Sanctuary can help someone who is suffering as the result of domestic abuse. As part of the Keep in Touch (KIT) calls, our staff are looking for signs that someone may need help their tone of voice may be different or they sound anxious, lack confidence or be trying to end the call in a hurry. In these cases, the caller will work to help the person safely remove themselves from the home if needed or advise them to contact the police. Sanctuary residents should not be afraid to our Customer Service Centre, which is open 24 hours

n Food parcels are being delivered to residence by Sanctuary Housing

n Sanctuary Housing are helping residents with wellbeing calls

Helping services to continue their work Sanctuary Housing is providing funding to a number of Cheshire West organisations making a difference to residents at this time. Fallen Angels dance group, Live Laugh Lache and Pennysmart offer vital services and have all changed the way they are delivering these during the coronavirus outbreak. Fallen Angels, which works with people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction through dance workshops, is now reaching out via phone to help support them and stay in touch. Live Laugh Lache, a community group which helps run social supermarket Lache Larder, is assisting with delivering food to those selfisolating, as well as providing residents with bags of food in exchange for a small donation. Pennysmart, which offers money advice and help with debt, is supporting residents via phone and email as it experiences an increased volume of enquiries. Ria Burns, Sanctuary’s Neighbourhood Partnerships Manager, said: “We have been so impressed at how quickly these local services have adjusted to continue supporting the local community. “Residents have greater needs currently and our thanks go out to everyone helping in this process.”

PATRON NEWS

Cheshire College

Continues As we lead into the end of another academic year, everyone at Cheshire College – South & West is taking a moment to reflect and look back on some of the outstanding achievements from learners. Part of the College’s commitment is to ensure that when learners leave and progress into employment or University, that they do so, not only with excellent qualifications, but also with skills that will help them to succeed in their chosen careers and throughout their life. This year learners have shown impressive ambition, determination and enthusiasm, which has helped them reach their goals. Some of the College’s most notable achievements include: n Two A Level learners, from the College’s Crewe Campus, Matilda Miller and Wiktor Mazurenko, submitted essays in OxNet’s annual Easter Essay Competition. Their essays were of such a high standard that they were selected to be published on the OxNet website. n The College has an enviable reputation for its A Level provision and, this year, we are delighted that five of our A Level learners have been offered unconditional places to study at Oxbridge Universities, starting September 2020. The learners took part in a series of challenging selection processes which resulted in them gaining places on a wide range of competitive subjects including Mathematics, Economics and Medicine.

To find out more about studying at the College, visit www.ccsw.ac.uk 17

PATRON NEWS The team at Elite has given Business Matters readers some helpful pointers on how to implement effective remote working securely:Key enablers for secure remote working There are several points to consider when implementing remote working that will ensure that your team has access to all they need, whilst also keeping your vital data and documents secure. Having the right equipment

Work is what you do, not where you go It’s Business as Usual for companies using Elite Group’s Remote Working Solutions Elite Group’s technology HQ at Wrexham is supporting businesses throughout the UK during this period of national emergency where reliance on Technology, Communications and Secure Remote Working solutions is greater than ever.

there is no doubt that the working world will be completely transformed and many believe that things will never go back to how they were, especially with all the wellpublicised environmental, productivity and well-being benefits of remote working.

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on businesses across the world. The UK Government originally estimated that up to a fifth of workers may have been unable to go into work at the height of the outbreak and experts now believe the number of people working remotely is considerably higher.

Having realised the advantages of enabling people to work from home or indeed from any location whilst still running businesses successfully, it is highly likely that business owners will never go back to the constraints and costs of the more traditional, solely officebased ways of working.

With millions of people looking for alternative ways of working, it has become imperative for businesses to implement new ways of operating. Those firms with flexible working policies and effective business continuity plans are likely to be the ones who will survive the storm, as they will have the tools necessary to continue working productively and securely during this unprecedented period. The team at Elite Group is taking the regional lead in maintaining business continuity and support for its customers during the Coronavirus pandemic. The IT and unified communications firm is also offering advice to any organisation requiring help to overcome the challenges of continuing to run businesses, look after staff and maintain employment numbers. Remote working solutions have become the lifeblood for successful businesses as they are the single most important enabler for companies of any size and in any sector to continue operating successfully in these challenging times. Even post-Coronavirus, with the remote working genie well and truly out of the bottle,

Matt Kingsley-Williams, Director of IT Operations, is helping lead Elite’s business-critical remote working programme. He said: “As a Technology company, we are ideally placed to help other businesses remain productive and secure under any given challenge. “With the health and safety of our employees and customers being our top priority, we enacted our remote working policy within 24 hours of the Government’s Coronavirus announcement on Monday 16th March, which stated those who could work from home should do so. By Friday of the same week, 95% of our 250-strong team were working from home productively, then 100% by the following Monday. “In testament to the success of our remote working transition and the resilience and can-do attitude of our talented team, during that week we had some of the best customer service ratings we have ever received. “Our mantra is work is what you do, not where you go! We are committed to helping businesses stay secure and maintain their productivity levels during this challenging period.”

Make sure that your workers have the right equipment to work from home. Whether this is supplying team members with their own computers, or the right software to install on their own home computers, you should assess each team member’s requirements and provide the correct equipment. Ensuring employees have access to key documents and data Cloud software such as Microsoft 365 is ideal for all businesses (not just those working remotely), as it offers a simple, flexible and scalable solution to access a whole host of programmes from email to document sharing, classic Microsoft products to analytics data. It is widely regarded as being unrivalled in its capabilities. Communicating with your team Software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and WhatsApp are ideal for enabling ‘chats’ so that remote workers can freely communicate. These applications will also allow you to embrace new ways of ‘meeting’ with colleagues with video chat, conference calls and video meetings. Everyone is kept abreast of business objectives and colleagues can also chat informally, maintaining team morale thus helping peoples’ emotional well-being as well as keeping projects on schedule. Security Security is a huge concern for business owners that want to allow staff to work from home but do not want to compromise their core business by leaving it vulnerable to cyber threats. Cloud software is consistently updated to prevent cyber-attacks, therefore we recommend keeping all software up to date, protected with effective anti-virus and accessed via strong passwords that are regularly changed. There are many other ways that Elite Group can help your business to implement flexible, secure remote working quickly and efficiently. To get started, call the team on 0333 234 3448 or email itsales@elitegroup.com

PATRON NEWS

Cheshire West and Chester Council has reaffirmed its commitment to Chester Northgate n Cafes, bars and restaurants n Co-working space n Multi-storey car park n A new public square. Despite the current challenges, agreement has been reached which will allow the project to progress, whilst managing risks and following government guidance on social distancing and construction site working. Work on the main construction phase is expected to start shortly, including the building of a new city centre drainage tunnel. The scheme is currently expected to open in early 2022, subject to any potential delays as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Cheshire West and Chester Council has reaffirmed its commitment to Chester Northgate as a critical part of economic recovery following the COVID pandemic. As we enter a challenging time with big implications for the city and the borough, investment will be critical in sustaining the economy and creating the conditions for long-term prosperity. Councillors agreed to proceed with the project, which will now begin later this month. Working with contractor Vinci Construction, the first phase the £70m development will become a catalyst for future economic and tourism growth in the borough. Part of Chester’s One City Plan, Chester Northgate is a new cultural and leisure destination at the heart of the city, which includes: n A new market and food hall n A six screen Picturehouse cinema

Cllr Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Growth, said: “Northgate is not just a city centre construction project. It includes major civil engineering works that are vital for the future of Chester - particularly unlocking the potential for new city centre housing, which in turn will support our high street businesses. “Many of the sub-contractors were intentionally sourced from the local area to support our local economy, so now more than ever this Council needs to play its part in protecting jobs and supporting businesses in our region. “It is understandable that people will have differing opinions on the continuation of this project in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and I want to offer assurances that these views have been carefully considered. However, Chester’s Northgate development is about building on the investment in Storyhouse to create a new community space in our city, which will be ready for

a day when this current crisis is over and it becomes a major catalyst for the social, cultural and economic recovery of the city and our wider borough.” The Chester Northgate scheme is overseen by a Joint Member Working Group established on a cross-party basis. After reviewing the impact of the economic situation on the scheme’s finances, the Council’s Cabinet agreed to give the green light to the construction phase. This follows endorsement by Councillors in November 2019. The Council’s Chief Executive was able to confirm their continued support, under urgency procedures set out in the Council’s constitution and following consultations with the Leaders of the two main party groups. Cllr Stuart Parker, Conservative group committee member of the Northgate Members Working Group, said: “The Chester Northgate project has cross-party support and I am pleased to see all steps possible being taken to ensure work can continue towards achieving our shared objectives for the regeneration of Chester city centre.” Garry Bowker, Regional Director for the Northwest of VINCI Construction UK Limited, said: “We share the council’s bold ambitions for the Northgate development; we are working tirelessly with our staff, contractors and suppliers to do all we can to keep the project on track and keep everyone safe throughout these challenging times.” As part of the decision taken, the Council will set up a City and Town Centre Member Working Group, to coordinate the approach to all town centre regeneration plans, including the financial aspects. A financial resilience plan for Chester Northgate will also be developed, to ensure the scheme’s financial commitments and targets can be met. Chair of the Chester Growth Partnership, Peter Carstensen, said: “Chester Northgate is a key element of the One City Plan for the city and we fully support the Council’s efforts to deliver vital investment that will benefit Chester and the wider region.” More information on the development can be found at www.chesternorthgate.com.

Let’s Talk Business Support for Firms The Council’s business growth team is encouraging businesses to register for the Let’s Talk Business site www.letstalkbizcw.co.uk. Up to date information is being provided on what the Council is doing to support business at present and in the future as part of the recovery process.

n Up to date information on local and national business support schemes

n A range of advice from regulatory services on reopening of business is available.

n Access to advice and support for jobseekers through the Council’s Workzone

n Details of how the Council is approaching the regeneration of town centres across the Borough.

MEMBERS NEWS

Bank of England supporting the UK economy The Bank of England’s role is to maintain UK monetary and financial stability by keeping inflation sustainably low and ensuring that the financial system can serve the people of the UK in bad times as well as good.

How the economy recovers from that point will depend on how the pandemic develops and how governments, central banks, businesses, and households respond.

To achieve these aims through the Covid-19 crisis, we have put in place a package of measures to support jobs and growth, help the economy recover, and keep the financial system safe.

Because the MPC assume that households and businesses remain cautious about their spending, even after the social distancing measures are fully lifted, the economy does not get back to where it was until around the second half of 2021.

We have cut Bank Rate from 0.75% to 0.10%, so that businesses and households can borrow more cheaply.

That recovery is supported by measures taken by the Bank and the Government.

We have introduced a new bank funding scheme (the TFSME), giving banks incentives to pass the Bank Rate cut on to their customers and keep on lending to small- and medium-sized businesses.

In the MPC’s illustrative scenario, which is based on a number of crucial assumptions, economic activity picks up as social distancing measures are lifted gradually in the UK and the rest of the world through the Summer and Autumn.

And it is supported by the UK banking system, which is in a very strong position, unlike at the time of the global financial crisis.

We have also reduced the amount of their own financial resources, or capital, that banks need to hold when they make loans.

In the interim Financial Stability Report, which was published alongside the Monetary Policy Report, the Bank’s Financial Policy Committee gave the results of a stress test based on the MPC’s scenario.

And we are injecting £200 billion of new money into the economy via quantitative easing, or QE, which should help boost spending by households and investment by businesses.

The test showed that major UK banks and building societies have, as a result of the reforms brought in following the global financial crisis, plenty of capacity to absorb the losses it’s estimated they would make.

But despite the support provided by the Bank and the Government, the impact of Covid-19 is likely to be a reduction in jobs and growth in the UK.

It is important that banks use this strength to support the economy by expanding lending to businesses to avoid long-term economic damage. The TFSME and the Government’s loan-guarantee schemes will help them do so.

In the latest Monetary Policy Report, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) set out one plausible scenario to illustrate how the UK economy could evolve from here. It is likely that UK economic activity will fall dramatically in the current quarter of the year, and unemployment is likely to rise rapidly.

There are many possible scenarios for how the economy evolves. Depending on the development of the pandemic, the Government may lift

social-distancing measures more quickly or more slowly than the MPC’s scenario assumes. It may take longer than assumed for UK households’ and businesses’ caution to lessen. Distancing measures may be lifted at a different pace in the rest of the world, affecting the demand for UK businesses’ exports of goods and services. ‘Scarring effects’ from the pandemic may affect the capacity of the economy to recover lost ground. For example, some businesses may no longer be viable, if spending patterns change permanently as a result of the virus. We will continue to monitor the economic and financial situation closely. The intelligence I and my fellow Agents gather from businesses in Wales and across the UK will help the Bank to understand how the economy is evolving. Whatever happens, the Bank will take the actions necessary to support the recovery, ensure inflation returns to target, and maintain the stability of the financial system.

n Steve Hicks, Agent for Wales Bank of England Agency for Wales

MEMBERS NEWS

Ready, steady, glow - NMS Recruit shine a light on vascular dementia The team from NMS Recruit have been putting their best feet forward to shine a light on the heart-breaking disease of vascular dementia. Taking part in the Alzheimer’s Society’s sponsored Glow night walk through Liverpool’s docklands, which took place before the onset of the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK, they strode out to support the charity close to the hearts of recruitment consultant Lindsay Taylor and her family. Lindsay’s mother Margy was diagnosed with vascular dementia four years ago at the age of 55. Lindsay said: “Our family has received an amazing amount of help and support from the Alzheimer’s Society since my mum was first diagnosed with vascular dementia.

Cheshire West, North Wales and the Liverpool City Region get their first certified Emergenetics Associate. In March, Kate Halewood, Founder and Company Director of ROOTBALL Coaching and Consultancy, left the Møller Institute in Cambridge with another professional string to her bow. She proudly became the first certified Emergenetics Associate across Cheshire West, North Wales and Merseyside and is already working with business leaders to help them maximise the power of their people.

“There’s currently no cure but treatment can sometimes help slow it down by tackling the underlying cause. All we know is that it will get worse over time – and that’s why research is so important. “We are so grateful to everyone who joined us on the Glow walk and to those who have donated to the charity so the fight to drive out this terrible disease can continue.

Lisa Carew, Operations Director at NMS Recruit, added: “The Glow walk was a great event and a fantastic way for all the team to get together and support Lindsay and her family by raising this huge amount for a very worthy cause.

“This charity is very close to our hearts and every donation means so much to us all.” NMS Recruit, part of the Russell Taylor group of companies, was joined on the 4.5km Liverpool Glow walk by Jennifer Scott, the group’s HR, Quality and Facilities Manager, and they raised a total of £735. could identify with the results, I always thought I had characteristics from other categories too. Then I was introduced to Emergenetics and found out I was a Tri-modal Thinker. Suddenly, it all made sense and it changed my opinion about psychometric testing. Emergenetics considers and really does accommodate for the complexity of how our brains work” Emergenetics is three times unique. It is based on a foundation of psychology, socio-analytics, and brain science. A valid and reliable profiling tool, it is different to others because it splits out the thinking attributes from the behavioural attributes. Based on over 30 years of research, the model is also retested every two years to ensure it reflects global norms and it meets, and in some cases exceeds the standards of educational and psychological testing.

After over 20 years in leadership roles and having previously completed numerous psychometric tests, Kate felt that many of the existing psychometric tools on the market did not reflect the cognitive complexity of individual human brains.

Kate says “Like other similar tools, the Emergenetics model is easy to use and interpret. Yet behind the scenes there are hundreds of possible profile combinations, many more than in other psychometric models. This better represents the complexity of brain function in individuals across a population. What also makes it truly unique is the additional resources that come with the profile to help people embed Emergenetics into their organisational culture. And when that happens, we see great results”

She says “I often felt boxed in by other psychometric tests. Even though I

These resources include the Emergenetics signature Meeting of the Minds

n The NMS Recruit team taking part in the Glow walk Workshops designed to help business leaders and their employees improve communication, increase productivity and achieve greater collaboration in their teams. The interactive, high energy workshops can be delivered in face to face sessions or through e-course or virtual learning and are suitable for all levels of an organisation. Using Emergenetics creates a common language, one that accommodates cognitive diversity and embeds a values culture. Kate added “I’m am excited to share the brilliance of Emergenetics with more business leaders and their teams in the region and help them reveal individual and team thinking and behavioural preferences, to realise their full potential. It’s really is a huge privilege to be able to support people and organisations in this way.” n Kate Halewood, Founder and Company Director of ROOTBALL Coaching and Consultancy

MEMBERS PROVIDING FOR THE NHS

COLEG CAMBRIA is mass producing safety visors and face masks to help in the battle against Covid-19 The north east Wales institution is using 3D printers to manufacture vital PPE (personal protective equipment) for NHS staff and frontline workers facing up to the Coronavirus pandemic. Nick Tyson, Assistant Principal and Director of Technology, Engineering and Construction, and Engineering Technology instructor Len Robinson have been hard at work creating more than 50 visors a day at the college’s University Centre in Deeside. Using the equipment and materials they have at their disposal the pair hope to support the NHS with mass production of the visors over the coming weeks. “It’s quite a balancing act keeping all eight printers in operation at the same time, but between the two of us but we’re managing to do so successfully,” said Nick. “We can produce around 50 a day for the NHS if required, because this is vital equipment, they are desperate for.” He added: “In essence we have a bank of powerful 3D printers linked to software that is batch printing the safety visors out of various coloured polymers. “Our unique capability and investment in this technology has been the enabler for this project; it’s a ‘special’ print run and a great example of how the right investment in skills linked to the advanced manufacturing technology sector can support our fantastic doctors, nurses and staff at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.” Coleg Cambria is also using innovative laser cutting machinery to shape face masks for hospital staff. Large supplies of goggles, gloves, aprons and face masks from the college’s science departments have been given to the NHS and local healthcare facilities. And tables and chairs earmarked for exams have been donated to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at Broughton to ensure social distancing as Airbus steps up its ventilator

challenge and 150 people prepare to begin training and testing on-site. Chief Executive Yana Williams thanked staff for their contribution and ingenuity in going “over and above” to support essential workers and frontline staff in the region. “We are at the heart of the community so it’s important we do all we can to help those who need it most during this extraordinary and challenging period in our lives,” said Ms Williams. “I am overawed by the kindness, as always, of our amazing staff, but also their ability and inventiveness in finding ways to provide a solution to what is a national issue. “We will continue to do all we can to support and inspire those who need it most and hope all of our students and staff at home self-isolating remain safe and well. “Please keep an eye one our website and social media channels for the latest information – we hope to see you all soon.” Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for the latest from Coleg Cambria and how to apply online for courses and qualifications.

Howard Worth held a ‘Dress Up’ for work day to raise money for the wonderful work the NHS are doing Howard Worth held a ‘Dress Up’ for work day on Thursday 23rd April to raise money for the wonderful work the NHS are doing to help those suffering with the Coronavirus. With the staff now working from home in comfortable/casual clothes, one of the team thought it would be a great idea to hold a Dress Up Day where employees could wear office attire, fancy dress or formal wear! A Zoom call was held so everyone involved could see each other dressed to impress and have a quick catch up face to face! A Just Giving page has been set up for donations – please see the link below: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ hwdressupforworkday This wonderful idea was suggested by one of our employees, Sally Booth. “I thought if we can do something to keep up with our fundraising efforts, even when we are working from home, then we perhaps we could try a dress up day – instead of a dress down day, and what better charity to donate to!” HR Manager Sophie McCartney said commented “We are really proud of our staff for organising and getting involved with this charity activity. It has lifted the sprits of so many of us as well as helping our amazing NHS. We set our original target to raise £100 and have already doubled this – which is a brilliant achievement”. n Howard Worth dress up for the NHS!

MEMBERS PROVIDING FOR THE NHS

Chester Race Company to Offer Free Frozen Meals for Emergency Front-Line Workers From Wednesday 25 March, our Chef Brigade and kitchen facilities will be offering support to the frontline workers dealing directly with the COVID-19 crisis, by way of offering NHS workers and emergency services staff a free ready-cooked frozen meal. Available for collection from Chester Racecourse, on production of their NHS or emergency services ID, staff can collect a free freshly prepared frozen meal, ready to take home and pop in the oven or microwave. Staff will be directed to the collection point on arrival at the racecourse, where a variety of meals will be available in portions of 1,2 and 4. Workers can choose from a menu including Lasagne, Shepherd’s pie, Thai

University delivers first class results in production of face visors for frontline healthcare workers. Staff at the University’s Thornton Science Park have been involved in several projects to produce protective face shields for NHS and social care workers across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales. The Department of Art and Design, the Commercial Operations Directorate and the Faculty of Science and Engineering have brought together their 3D printers to the Design Suite at Thornton Science Park. The printers are now being run by a specialist team from the Faculty of Science and Engineering on rota to produce the much needed durable and reusable face visors for staff on the frontline. To date over 500 face visors have been produced and collected for the Countess of Chester Hospital, the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Aintree University Hospital. When collecting a batch of the face visors Karen Ward, Consultant Physiotherapist in the Ventilation Inpatient Centre at Aintree University Hospital said: “We are so grateful for the help - visors protect both

our patients and staff and are crucial to our care of those affected by COVID-19. From all of us, a big thank you to the team at the University of Chester.” The Faculty team have also been supporting a dedicated student from The Grange School in Northwich, whose parents are both front line NHS clinicians. After the cancellation of his GCSEs and seeing the desperate need for PPE, Ben Scawn was eager to use skills learnt during his GCSE 3D Design course to produce 3D printed head bands. Ben needed some support with the designs, and thankfully his Mother who works in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Countess of Chester, was able to put him touch with the team at the University after they had donated a supply of 3D printed visors to the hospital. Laboratory Manager for the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Dr James Nicholson and the Faculty team were able to share the headband design files with Ben and also supported his production by attaching the plastic fronts and elastic straps to Ben’s printed headbands. Ben’s visors have been donated to the Countess of Chester Hospital and also to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital where Ben’s Father works.

vegetable curry, fish pie and Mediterranean pesto chicken. The collection point will be open between the hours of 9am – 9pm. Chief Executive of Chester Race Company, Richard Thomas, said:“From Wednesday we will be offering NHS workers and emergency services staff a complimentary meal collection service from the racecourse. This is our opportunity to give something back to those on the front line doing a fantastic job to support individuals impacted by the developing COVID-19 crisis.” A Just Giving page has been set up to raise funds towards the ongoing production of meals. If you would like to donate to support this worthy cause, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/ChesterRacecourseSupports Chris Matheson, MP for Chester, said: “Once again this is Chester Racecourse at the heart of the city’s community. The races will be badly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, but that isn’t stopping the Race Company from getting stuck in to help and I am really grateful to them.”

great example of collaborative working and demonstrating our expertise to come together to solve a problem. It means so much to the team and the University as a whole to know that we are helping our frontline healthcare workers at this crucial time.” As well as working with the Faculty team, the technical team based in the University’s Energy Centre at Thornton Science Park is further aiding the face visor production using laser cutting technology. The team was approached by business woman Tracey Telford, whose business had been previously supported through the University’s I2C programme. Staff are helping Tracey’s efforts as part of the #Shields4Cheshire&Merseyside project to create the face visors using their specialist skills and equipment. They have also produced a specific assembly instruction video. So far they have made over 1,200 visors. n University of Chester has been 3D printing face masks for the NHS

Dr James Nicholson said: “It’s been great to support Ben and to see the results of his dedication and skills. The team in the Faculty of Science and Engineering along with colleagues in the Energy Centre at Thornton, have done a fantastic job. We couldn’t be more proud. It’s just yet another

3D Design Helping the NHS When we read the plea for help from a local hospital came through the West Cheshire College’s newsletter, we knew we just had to help. One of our local hospitals was looking for some surgical mask straps we knew we could come up with a solution. Our factory was already closed at this point, but having carried out some research, we knew that our 3D printer which we use for prototypes and internal manufacturing jigs would be the answer. Our solution didn’t require a full team, so we set about designing a template for the straps to be made using the printer.

that the Countess Chester Hospital and Chester & Wirral Partnership NHS Trust also needed some. Through contacts and word of mouth, we were soon producing the straps for other hospitals across the country all the way down to Bedfordshire.

We’ve now lost count of how many we’ve produced and sent out across the country, but we know that each one we produce, helps someone in the medical workplace complete their job.

The problem we now had was that we soon found that our 3D printer wasn’t printing fast enough for the demand, so we knew we need to change the design.

“We’d like to thank all the keyworkers, from NHS and care workers to the supermarket workers and mail delivery and drivers, and the many more that are helping the country through this difficult time.

After a few prototypes, we refined the design and set the printer to work. Our first batch of 120 straps went out to Leighton Hospital, who were extremely happy and grateful for them which we turned around in 24 hours.

So back to the drawing board for a second time, and with a few adjustments, we found another solution that worked. The feedback was that the new design was even better and performed the task of holding the mask straps just like before and we were able to produce more to reach demand.

We couldn’t have predicted what happened next. Not only did Leighton Hospital want more but we were also told

We can now print around 128 in 24 hours, meaning we can help more keyworkers with their face masks every day.

Helping just one person in a time like this is a brilliant thing to be able to do! It’s just amazing that we’ve been able to make NHS staff’s days a little easier with these small pieces of plastic. Here at Altimex, we are so proud that we have come together in a time of crisis to help our country where we can.” said Davinder Lotay, Managing Director Altimex.

MEMBERS NEWS

‘Gallery of Saints’ published by Chester Cathedral This week, Chester Cathedral releases a two-volume record of the stained-glass windows of its cloister. The cloister of Chester Cathedral was glazed in the 1920s at the suggestion of the Very Reverend Frank Bennett, Dean of Chester (1920-1937). There are 34 windows in the cloister with a total of 130 lights (a sub-division of a window). His son, who was later ordained, suggested the depiction of the Church’s Calendar. Each window has one or more memorial. Donors for the memorials generated the necessary funds. 147 local people (dedicatees) are remembered in this way and about a quarter are World War I memorials

A team of five led by The Reverend Canon Jane Brooke, Vice Dean, has photographed each light in great detail and a two-page commentary has been written describing the story of the saint or holy day, explaining the attributes found in the pictures and biographical details of the dedicatee. The book, in two volumes, is richly illustrated with photographs and may be seen online. Hard copies may be available later. This is the first time in 100 years that a record of these unique windows has been written. The Gallery of Saints can be downloaded from chestercathedral.com n The stained glass of St Werburgh

THE PERSON BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Richard Knew, Managing Director of Knew Productions An overview of yourself and your current role. I run Knew Productions. We’re a national award-winning video production company based at Rossett Business Village. We have been delivering a range of broadcast quality video content to companies and organisations for over twenty years. In fact, next year, fingers crossed, we’ll be celebrating 25 years in business! I started as a film maker and it evolved into a business. It’s a passion and an interest so I’m lucky still to do it. I used to be a lot more hands on technically and now I tend to oversee and manage the projects. There are four of us employed, plus a family of freelancers who have worked with us for years - camera operators, video editors and animators. I’m proud of the impactful work the ‘Knew Crew’ do out on location and in the edit suite. What do you enjoy most about your job? First and foremost, it has to be the ‘variety’ both within the creative production process itself - the planning, the filming and then the all-important editing. Also, it’s the variety of worlds we get plunged into - all the different trades, industries, sectors I get to be part of and learn about on each project. Video production is also very ‘sociable’ work, which I like - the camaraderie with the film crew. Also getting on with the clients, putting them at ease on the filming day and then hosting them at our studio. My favourite part of the process is showing our clients the first preview edit and seeing them pleased with the end result.

Was a role like this always what you aspired to? Yes! I’m very fortunate to be doing something I enjoy. I’ve come from a film and television making background and always wanted to carve out a career directing TV. But as I got older, I realised that corporate films and promotional videos for business would provide a more stable and consistent career for me. Tell us about your previous roles/business journey. I’ve always worked in Video and TV since leaving Film School in Plymouth in the early 1990’s. My journey began back in the mid 1970’s in my Grandfathers attic in Yorkshire. He and my Uncle had a home cinema with multiple projectors and automated curtains. When my family would visit, they would put on film shows for my brother and I. We’d watch a Tom and Jerry cartoon first then it would often be a classic western movie as the main feature - films like High Noon, Shane and The Magnificent Seven. It was these bespoke wide screen experiences at such a young age that got me hooked on films. After Art College in Wrexham, I then went to Plymouth College of Art and Design to study film and multimedia. It was at Plymouth where I stated to combine my love of indie rock music with film. I started making music videos for bands. For the next few years, I directed a number of broadcast pop videos and short films some won awards and were shown at film

festivals around the world. I also worked for the BBC and ITV as a freelance director. By the late 1990’s I had started Knew Productions and so began focussing my efforts back in this part of the world. Corporate video isn’t as glamorous as TV but it’s more reliable and I like being in more control. Tell us a bit about what you do outside of work to relax. I really enjoy running and have completed half marathons and the 3 Peaks in 24 hours challenge in the last few years. I enjoy following most team sports particularly cricket - I played club cricket for 15 years. We have had a black lab for the last four years, so dog walking is now a big part of family life. North Wales is a lovely part of the world to live where countryside, rivers, mountains and even the coast is not too far away! In an ideal world, what else would you like to be? This is not something I’ve thought about a lot, but if I was good enough a professional cricketer, work abroad in the travel sector perhaps or even a Cowboy - I love my old westerns! What advice would you give to anyone else in business? Enjoy it! But be careful not to get too busy, it’s easily done. In our world you can’t be busy or pressured and creative at the same time. Surround yourself with good people who you trust - you can’t do it without them!

Creating the patterns was like peeling an orange. It was difficult but we knew if we could leverage the challenge with the available technology, we could make great strides. Starting with £32,000, the hunt was on to find laser scanners and CNC cutting tables. I also had to learn to design in CAD because we could not afford a designer. We found our equipment in universities and at fire sale auctions, often travelling with only a few minutes notice with whatever cash we could scrape together to purchase some item or other. I bought a used CNC cutting table -one of the largest in the country - and had to disassemble and load it overnight into a 7-tonne wagon. I found out later the Receiver was arriving at 9am. My eight pages of notes allowed me to reconstruct the dozens of moving parts and process controls a month later when the dairy barn, whose floor I jack-hammered out and re-laid, was ready for entry. WCNW: Can you describe the early years?

WCNW: How would you describe your professional self? In a word? Peripatetic. My background is as a projects manager on engineering installations. I’ve also been a farmer of cattle and pigs, a salmon farmer (with my father in Wester Ross), a crofter, an engineer in West Africa, as a student I sold the first container-load of shell suits in the UK and I am a poor example of consistent career progression. However, I do provide some hope to parents when their son or daughter decides not to be a doctor or lawyer. WCNW: Where did the idea come from to start Air Covers and how did you finance the start-up? I started Air Covers with my wife Sasha in 2006. I had been working for Per

Lindstrand, the high-altitude balloonist and designer of specialised textile aerospace structures. My 12-month contract was to manage the design, build and installation of the inflatable central bus station roof at Heathrow but I had no plans for what to do next. Sasha’s father operated a successful flight training school and he asked if we could make a cover for a helicopter. He said he knew someone who had previously made covers for small private helicopters and, if they could be made better, might be popular. The request seemed simple, but we soon realised why nobody else had managed the task effectively. Every surface of the aircraft seemed to curve in two directions.

As anyone who has started a business knows, the first few years were hard. Trying to keep two months of payroll in the bank, funding growth through cash flow (both Sasha and I have an aversion to debt), driving 35,000 miles a year and -I can’t believe I used to do this- working through the night on one night a week with the reasoning that the competition would not. It was Tesco value beans and no holidays, very stressful and left me twice with migraines, lying on the floor vomiting in a darkened room. On both occasions the doctor feared it was meningitis. I contracted bronchitis because the dairy building had no insulation and I had simply boarded up the open windows. One of the best-received presents was a set of eight double glazed windows from my father-inlaw. In 2018 I had three heart operations. However, in 2019, 12 months after the last operation, I took up road cycling and rode in the Mt Ventoux Granfondo, a 100-mile cycle race to the top of Mt Ventoux in France. I always thought ‘P’ Company would be the toughest thing I ever did but Ventoux was indescribable. I am now hooked on cycling. Sasha says it’s the lycra. WCNW: What is the value proposition of Air Covers? Why do helicopters need covers? To be brief, everything on a helicopter is sacrificed for lift. If the paint can be applied thinner and materials can be made lighter, then so they will. Yet the consequences are an airframe and components that are highly susceptible to environmental damage -ice, sand, heat, salt, humidity and UV. At Air Covers, we have spent 15 years laser scanning every aircraft in the

THE BIG INTERVIEW Western fleet, testing technical textiles in UV and tensile strength chambers, field testing designs and 3D CAD modelling. We grew from Sasha sewing in our kitchen and me designing, to a small but very specialised company based in Wrexham, employing 12 machinists and designers. We have supplied protection for more than £11bn of assets. We support the UK defence helicopter fleet and those of 11 other nations, we supply several royal and presidential helicopter fleets, search and rescue, police, medical and private aircraft operators. We have also grown into specialised marine protection, supplying the Royal Marines and special forces operators at home and abroad with equipment uniquely suited to their requirements. Our value proposition is simple. Our engineered protection helps aircraft and marine engineers who want to reduce the burden of avoidable maintenance by preventing environmental damage and increasing asset availability. Ours is not an aesthetic ‘nice to have’ product. It is an essential tool for the engineer. WCNW: Describe your typical day My daily mission is trying to avoid firefighting. We all enjoy putting out business ‘fires’ and coming home at the end of the day thinking ‘I was so effective today’ but then it starts to seep in that in fact you were anything but effective in helping the business grow. I try not to burden myself with software, using the bare minimum to maintain a focused CRM database, calendar, accounts overview and the progress of our business growth plan. WCNW: Do you find the time to continue your professional learning? I was fortunate to be selected to join the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme in 2019. I recommend it to anyone running a fast-growing business and the network of contacts I made has been invaluable during the Covid hiatus. I also believe it important for the team. We make good use of the Bangor/Cardiff Universities 20Twenty programme and once a year an external facilitator comes in for two days to talk us through issues we all think are important.

years to build trust and a moment to lose it. My father, Mark, was one of the first to start salmon farming in the Scottish Highlands. He, and my mother Gillian, taught me to manage the fear of stepping into the unknown. Competing with the herd is harder than being the first to step through the gate. Finally, my father-inlaw, Mike Smith ex-Fleet Air Arm pilot and businessman. He never took more than a modest salary from a successful business, reasoning that its sale would be the dividend. In turn, I have tried to make sure everything we do is for the long term, backed by sound engineering knowledge and design; that we are not afraid to take risks but they are always managed; and finally Air Covers will never be a lifestyle, I clean the toilets just like everyone else.

WCNW: Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? You will have guessed that I love what I do. We design and make stuff that makes a difference. I could do this forever. However, like most of us I would like to write the one book we are all supposed to have in us, cycle the Marmotte in the Pyrenees, build a log cabin with logs that I have cleft, ride horses with Sasha through Nevada, watch my son start in the Golden Globe ocean sailing race and my daughter teach her first year of students. I also have a business idea that refuses to go away…

WCNW: What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business? 1. Leverage your business growth by making the very best use of your skills and personality. You will save money, give greater value and avoid many disappointments. 2. Mental toughness. This does not mean being dogmatic. Actively seek feedback from your team, suppliers and customers. Eliminate or mitigate the failings. Everyone makes mistakes, it’s only a failure if you make the same mistake twice. 3. Do your scenario planning early and often. Planning Air Covers in 2006 I knew we needed to be international to avoid national downturns; have a mix of HNW, corporate and public sector clients; be sufficiently niche to avoid massproduction competition from low wage economies. Exporting is exciting and a great source of long-term growth. If you have something to export, then consider this from the outset. 4. Have a plan, tell your people the plan, keep it simple and revisit it often

WCNW: Are you inspired by anyone in your family or the wider world? I am fortunate to have several inspirational forebears. My grandfather, Sir William Mather was an engineer and a farmer. He owned Mather & Platt in Manchester and I have always admired his philosophy of making to last. His pumps still power the fountains in Trafalgar Square. It takes

BCC

Coronavirus Support from British Chambers of Commerce Since the onset of the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK, the British Chambers of Commerce has been working tirelessly to ensure that businesses have access to the latest support information and guidance announced by the UK government.

FAQs on UK Government Support Measures

The Coronavirus hub was quickly established on the BCC’s website (www.britishchambers.org.uk) as a “onestop shop” to access this information. The hub consists of the following areas;

NHS guidance

Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker A series of surveys used to track the impact of Coronavirus on UK businesses (more information to the right). Official guidance from UK government Up to date guidance from UK government on multiple topics including; Working Safely, Testing, Trade information and phishing, scams and fraud. Support Available from UK government A comprehensive list of the support available to UK businesses including; Tax, Financial aid, Business Rates and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

A collection of frequently asked questions in relation to the support measures announced by UK government General FAQs A collection of general frequently asked questions that businesses are raising including; “Can I postpone an AGM?”, “My business can provide PPE – who do I contact?” and “How will value of the pound change as we ease out of lockdown?”.

Official advice and guidance from the NHS including information about social distancing and the new NHS Test and Trace service. Employer and employee support A collection of third-party resources to support businesses including; Business Planning, Insurance and Employee Wellbeing. Virtual events Members have access to a series of online events run by BCC to support businesses. Chamber events Chambers of Commerce from across the country have been supporting businesses with a host of online events.

n BCC Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker, Data collected 13-15 May 2020.

Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker To measure the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on UK businesses, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) launched the Coronavirus Business Impacts Tracker (CBIT). This is the UK’s largest independent business survey tracking economic conditions on a weekly basis. The tracker serves as a barometer of business’ response to the government’s measures and changes to business’ working practices over course of the UK lockdown and as restrictions are lifted. It also tracks how quickly new government interventions, introduced to deal with the real-world impact of this crisis, are getting to the businesses at the front line. Over an eight-week period, an average of 700 businesses completed the survey every week. The survey monitored important measures of business health, such as cash reserves, and how many firms were accessing government support, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Bounce Back loan.

Full details of the findings can be viewed on the BCC’s website www.britishchambers.org.uk.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Are you ready for 1st January 2021? Are you a customs agent? Or does your company use customs agents and intermediaries to help you trade with the EU? If so, you need to know how to meet customs requirements fast and efficiently after the UK leaves the EU. There will be new processes to follow and new forms to complete. Our training, available as e-learning, will highlight what you need to know to complete customs declarations accurately and efficiently. Learning Objectives To give attendees basic working knowledge of how to complete the information needed for simple import and export customs declarations entries. Key learning outcomes: n Introduction to trade n Import process

n n n n n n n n n n

Customs procedures codes Preferences Business responsibilities Valuation Export and import controls Customs simplified procedures Export process Commodity codes Reliefs Assessment

Additional Information Courses are available online and can be completed in your own time, you are not required to attend a live event. No formal exam will be taken but delegates will undertake simulations of simple customs declarations forms to ensure they can complete them correctly. For more information or to book your place, please email export@wcwnchamber.org.uk.

Chamber’s International Trade Department

Keep the Export Cogs Turning There is no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on businesses that trade internationally. With supply chains disrupted by lockdowns all over the world, the challenges firms have faced in keeping goods moving cannot be understated. Since the start of the lockdown in the UK, the Chamber’s International Trade Department has been working tirelessly to keep the cogs in the export world moving. Those involved in the movement of goods will know that certification forms a huge part of exporting goods and the Chamber had to ensure that its vital services carried on without disruption. Export Documentation Manager at the Chamber, Hayley Gray, explains; “Like a lot of businesses, we had to implement our contingency plan and adapt our services to meet the needs of our exporters in a very short space of time. Moving from our office in Chester to being fully operational and working

from home within a week, is something that I am very proud of and a huge thank you to the staff involved in making that happen.” The International Trade Team has continued to support firms in any way possible throughout this challenging period and is on hand if businesses have any questions about any changes in procedures. “We know this is a tough time for many of our exporters and if there is any way that the Chamber can help, we will endeavour to do so. We are keeping our customers up to date with any changes in the documentation services we offer but if anyone is concerned, we are always at the other end of the phone” said Hayley. The number of export documents that the Chamber certifies, which reflects the number of exports in the region, has seen a slight increase in recent weeks. Hayley continues, “The increase has come as we’ve seen several Arab

embassies re-open in the last couple of weeks, meaning that we can once again help firms with documents that require legalisation. We are glad that we are now able to provide this service which is vital for many businesses.” The Chamber has also been supporting businesses in their preparations for the end of the Brexit transition period. Through its partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Council, the Chamber has hosted a webinar exploring the areas which businesses should focus their preparations on. The Chamber is also offering one-to-one sessions to firms that are interested in receiving support and guidance at no cost. If you have any questions about trading internationally, or you’d like to book a one-toone Brexit readiness session, you can contact the team on export@wcnwchamber. org.uk. n Hayley Gray, Export Documentation Manager at the Chamber

WHAT I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT...

scary, lonely, difficult and overwhelming. Counselling can help explore feelings and express thoughts and emotions in a safe and confidential environment. A fully trained counsellor will offer support in addressing any issues which may be problematic and will work towards finding the solutions that are right for the family member.

The Joshua Tree The Joshua Tree children’s cancer charity are incredibly passionate about supporting families affected by childhood cancers, during and beyond treatment. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it can be a frightening experience for the whole family which is why we understand the importance of supporting all family members, including siblings and grandparents, and close family friends. “Your child has cancer”. Four words a parent dreads to hear, we know. We also understand what it means when parents hear their child’s treatment has ended. They are the words that every parent has waited to hear since diagnosis. But for many, reaching the end of treatment can bring mixed emotions. “Afterwards you are like, literally thrown out of the door into the world and you’re supposed to go back to work and you know, you know, everything’s supposed to carry on, but it’s not, nothing is the same at all” parent quote. As the demand on the charity grows, so does the need to increase the Family Support provision. From 2017 to 2018, our family referrals increased by 70%. We expect this figure to continue increasing, particularly as there are more than 1600 new cases of childhood cancer diagnosed in the UK each year. The survival rate of childhood cancers in the UK is now 82% and, on the increase,

hence the demand on our services to support them into adulthood. We are passionate about offering bespoke support tailored to the family’s needs. The Family Support Team are dedicated to working closely with all beneficiaries recognising that every family’s cancer journey is unique. We tailor the services to suit specific needs, by means of emotional, academic and practical support, such as counselling, art and play therapy, health and wellbeing advice, support in and around the home and educational tutoring where required. We help bridge the gap that’s left when the safety net of treatment ends and help families navigate their way to establishing a ‘new normal’. We know that children undergoing treatment will regularly miss out on opportunities to attend school. This creates gaps in their education, but also opportunities to make and maintain friendships causing social isolation which can have an enormous impact on emotional well-being. Treatments can often cause ongoing side effects which can affect the child’s learning, such as high levels of fatigue, as well as the side effects of radiation or ‘Chemo Fog’ which effects concentration levels and memory. We are able to provide individualised tutoring to benefit children and teenagers and help teachers understand the impacts on the child and sibling during and beyond treatment. Siblings often feel scared, upset, angry, and left out during this time and these feelings can have a lasting effect, even long after treatment has ended. Adapting to your new ‘normal’ post-treatment can be

Personal fitness is a vital part of a child’s recovery when affected by cancer. Children struggle with a loss of appetite, fatigue and nausea during chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. This can have a long-term adverse effect on eating habits and nutrition after treatment has ended. Steroids are also a regular part of treatment which can increase a child’s appetite, create bloating and affect their behaviour (‘roid rage).

“We are passionate about supporting families affected by childhood cancer, and during such uncertain times more now than ever.” As a result of these side effects, children and young people often can be over- or underweight and continue with unhealthy eating habits at a time when nutrition is a key part of recovery and rebuilding strength. We offer programmes to recover fitness levels and provide nutritional advice. To help expand and enrich the delivery of this service we have completed the construction of a new purpose-built support centre, providing an appropriate and much-needed environment for families, accommodating children of all ages from toddlers through to teenagers. We are passionate about supporting families affected by childhood cancer, and during such uncertain times more now than ever. To support us please visit www.thejoshuatree.org.uk and get involved.

MEMBERS NEWS

North Wales Training Equipment Manufacturer wins a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Ruth Lee Ltd has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. Based in North Wales, Ruth Lee Ltd is one of 220 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Announced Tuesday 21 April, Ruth Lee Ltd has been recognised for its excellence in International Trade, specifically, for Outstanding Short-Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years. The business currently employs 30 people and was set up in the early 90s and has gone on to become a world leader in the design and manufacture of training manikins for industries such as the emergency services, armed forces, lifeguards, maritime and health and social care. Exports represent 70% of the total business and this is growing over-proportionately year-on-year. Ruth Lee Ltd currently sells to more than 50 countries, through a network of more than 40 distributors and has sent manikins to every continent on the planet!

We made the top Wales Tech 50 innovators!

Ruth Lee Ltd.’s Managing Director, Paul McDonnell said; “We are absolutely thrilled and proud to share this news during difficult times. Our export success is built upon strong foundations of quality and customer service – our international customers know and trust us to deliver the best possible products for rescue, safety and manual handling training. We work with a fantastic network of Distributors across the world to supply manikins to organisations dedicated to improving their safety and training standards. We must thank them for their continued dedication to training.

Now in its 54th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years. Ruth Lee Ltd has been invited to celebrate its award during a royal reception for Queen’s Awards winners in the summer. Applications for Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2021 open on the 1st May 2020. For more information, visit https://www.gov. uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise.

Most importantly, though, I must thank our outstanding team here in Corwen. I am proud of the hard-work and dedication shown by everyone – it is this which makes Ruth Lee Ltd the success it is today. We are over the moon to be awarded one of the highest business accolades in the country and will continue to work hard to prove that Wales is key player when it comes to international trade.”

Wrexham-based Cimteq has been recognised with a national innovation award run by tech publication BusinessCloud. The company made the magazine’s Wales Tech 50, a ranking of the country’s most innovative technology creators. A combination of reader votes and choices from an expert judging panel determined the final ranking. BusinessCloud editor Jonathan Symcox, who was among the judges, said: “Our inaugural Wales Tech 50 ranking highlights the wide variety of gamechanging technologies being developed in the country. “From plastic alternatives to HealthTech pioneers, FinTechs, companies specialising in robotics and many other areas, Wales is clearly a hotbed of innovation.” The judging panel included: n Gino Brancazio, entrepreneur engagement manager (Wales), Tech Nation

n The Ruth Lee team with one of their rescue training manikins

n Caroline Thompson, Head of Partnerships, The Alacrity Foundation n Tom Fox, tech growth lead, KPMG n Jonathan Symcox, editor, BusinessCloud Commented Mike Braddock, CEO at Cimteq: “Being acknowledged as a top 50 tech innovator is a positive sign that we are doing something right. We have always aimed to be at the leading edge of our sector, with our CableBuilder and CableMES software, specifically developed for the cable and wire industry. The fact our position reflects the votes we received, reaffirms that we are being recognised for what we are trying to achieve.” Wales Tech 50 is one of 11 regional tech innovation rankings from BusinessCloud which shines a light on the companies of all sizes who are doing amazing things with technology. For further information on Cimteq, contact Katy Harrison, Marketing Manager, katy.harrison@cimteq.com.

ACCESS2FUNDING

R&D Tax Relief Creates New Opportunities for R&R Engineering At a time when all you hear about is job losses and redundancy, we thought you should know how R&D has secured jobs and created a sustainable business.

Research & Development Tax Relief Myths Busted “It’s only for scientists in lab coats with test tubes!”

Wrong! R&D can be found in your day-to-day activity, not everything has to be ground-breaking. You could be eligible by simply adapting the way something is done “The process isn’t worth the reward”

Wrong! As our client Steve explains, the few hours of your time is well worth the ROI – on average up to £50,000 per claim year. Access2Funding have a dedicated team on-hand to support pulling together your claim and all the relevant paperwork.

Neil Platt, Access2Funding N.Wales, Chester & Chester West N.Platt@Access2Funding.co.uk

“I already have an Accountant in place”

No problem! We work alongside many of our clients Accountants, as specialists in this field, adding extra value to their services.

ACCESS2FUNDING “We have already invested the R&D tax relief into new machinery, and ultimately we will be able to employ 2 new team members to the business.”

Wrexham based R&R Engineering Ltd are specialists in designing, manufacturing and installing steelwork and bridges, providing a first-class engineering service to the industry. The family-grown business, originally founded by brothers Ray & Ron in 1987 is now operated by MD Steve Wingett. As a company rooted in a very traditional sector, they were naturally sceptical about their eligibility for Research and Development Tax Credits and initially put off submitting a claim, as many in their position do. Steve explains they didn’t have great knowledge on how R&D worked, and after being approached by another R&D firm, the general consensus was that it was going to be too time consuming for it to be worth their time and return. After being recommended to Access2Funding by a colleague, Steve agreed to meet with Business Development Executive Neil Platt and R&D Manager Rachel Hughes, who were able to clear up some of the unknowns and simplify the process for him. While the definition of R&D is a ‘scientific or technological advancement’, it isn’t all lab coats and science. Elements of

research and development can be found in most businesses. R&R Engineering have been pioneering the industry with their laser cutting facility, which has not only improved their productivity but made them stand out from their competitors.

“The information isn’t something that we haven’t already prepared, it’s just having that in the right place. I can’t stress enough to other businesses, it’s not as honorous as you might think. The benefit of those few hours was well worth the return.”

At the end of March 2020, along with other businesses across the globe, R&R Engineering were forced to close their doors and work from home due to the coronavirus outbreak. Seeing jobs halted, and with only one day left to make a claim for 2018, Steve decided it was now or never if he wanted to make the most of his potential R&D earnings:

R&D Tax Credits, in this time, can be a lifeline for many businesses and are still vastly underclaimed. Businesses can include costs associated with projects for up to two years previous, the projects do not need to have succeeded, and the company can still claim even if its loss making.

“It was only with being on lockdown and working from home, I thought, I can dedicate one day to try and get the information Access2Funding needs for the claim. I gave it a go, and it was fantastic, I was really impressed. It was so much less painful and time consuming that I had previously thought”.

If you are on the fence about whether your business qualifies, it is definitely worth seeking a second opinion from Access2Funding to see what we can do for you. Contact Neil Platt, Access2Funding North Wales, Chester & Cheshire West on 0333 990 0125 or email N.Platt@Access2Funding.co.uk www.Access2Funding.co.uk

Steve approached R&D Manager Rachel to ask if he was too late for Access2Funding to submit the claim on their behalf, with only 24 hours to go “Rachel assured me, ‘if you can put the effort in and work with us today Steve, we will get that claim in for you tomorrow.’ Just fantastic service”. Reflecting at the return on investment in pursuing an R&D claim, Steve tell us how R&R Engineering are investing their handsome sum and first year’s claim of £43,000: “We have already invested the R&D tax relief into new machinery, and ultimately we will be able to employ 2 new team members to the business.” The business is now prepared for their future claims and were surprised to find out that they had unknowingly already collected a lot of the required project information for their claim. As Steve explained:

COVID 19/FINANCE

Chester business supports local companies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic In late March, businesses very quickly had to adapt to an entirely new way of working, with many companies opting to work in a remote environment, whilst others sadly were unable to continue operating entirely for the foreseeable future.

Businesses across the UK (and worldwide) are now into their third month of restrictions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Government carefully transitions us back to normality, the reality is that this will take a long while to be achieved.

At the outset of the pandemic, the team at Chester based company Zodeq quickly put their business continuity plan in action, meaning that it has been very much business as usual in the months that have followed. This quick adaption has put Zodeq in the ideal position to continue supporting businesses across the region, particularly those with cash flow difficulties as a result of restrictions. Whilst the Government put financial support in place for certain businesses, a number of companies have been refused a Bounce Back Loan or Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan by their banks, and have subsequently sought to find an alternative finance scheme to maintain their cash flow. Having approached Zodeq, many companies have been able to implement a relevant finance package, such as invoice finance or asset-based lending, to ensure that they can continue operating.

In addition to this, the pandemic has interestingly resulted in a number of new business ventures (with many more expected to establish over the coming months). To ensure these ventures get off to the best possible start, financial and back office support has been provided by Zodeq. This in turn allows these fledgling business owners to focus on their core responsibilities without the added cash flow or administration worries. Speaking of supporting new and established clients, MD at Zodeq, Paul Cooney has said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is something entirely unprecedented, and it will hit businesses for months, if not years to come. Our main goal is to ensure that businesses are given the right tools and support during the pandemic to continue as normally as they possibly can and it has been an honour to be a part of a businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to survive these turbulent times.â&#x20AC;?

COVID 19/FINANCE

My furloughed staff won’t come back to work…. Here are a few pointers on the current standing to help you assess options available to you. In relation to health conditions, there have been further changes to classifications of vulnerability. Clinically extremely vulnerable Now only those classed as “clinically extremely vulnerable” are being advised to stay at home…. These include organ transplant recipients, people with certain cancers, those with severe respiratory conditions and women who are pregnant and have significant heart disease. These people should have received a letter from the NHS requiring them to remain at home and follow rigorous shielding measures. 1. Do not leave your house. 2. Do not attend any gatherings, including gatherings of friends and families in private spaces, for example, family homes, weddings and religious services. 3. Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). The Government is currently advising people to shield until 30 June 2020 and is regularly monitoring this position. Clinically vulnerable: • Individuals aged 70 and over (regardless of medical conditions). • Women who are pregnant. • Individuals aged under 70 with an underlying health condition (being any

adult instructed to get a flu jab each year on medical grounds). These include those with chronic mild to moderate respiratory diseases, chronic heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes and those with a weakened immune system. These people should work from home where possible and if not possible, may return to work if their workplace can follow guidance on social distancing. When these employees return to work, you will need to ensure the highest levels of vigilance regarding their safety in the workplace. What if an employee lives with someone who is at high risk? The government’s Shielding Guidance envisages social distancing within a home environment. Therefore, they may be requested to return to work. We advise sensitivity from employers and perhaps an offer of authorised unpaid leave should they not wish to return when work is available to them. If they have annual leave, they could also opt to apply for leave in the normal way for you to consider. Pregnant Employees In the case of pregnant employees with significant heart disease, where the nature of the employee’s role means that they cannot work from home and there is no suitable alternative work available that they could do from home, the employer should consider suspending the employee on full pay in accordance with the Maternity Health and Safety at Work Regulations. What can I do if an employee refuses to attend work because they are scared? If they can work from home, this may well resolve the issue. If not, you will need to consider: • public health advice, • the specific reason for the refusal,

• whether it would be discriminatory to refuse home working, take disciplinary action, or withhold pay in light of the employee’s refusal. Can we refuse to allow an employee to work from home if they will also be looking after children who have been sent home from school or nursery? In normal circumstances, it would not be appropriate for an employee to work from home while also providing childcare. However, we urge flexibility to be considered: • Working different hours. • Agreeing that the employee may not be able to work a full day or a full week. • Reducing work targets. • Being flexible about deadlines where possible. The same approach may be needed if an employee is caring for someone else, such as an older relative or someone who is ill. Can an employee be dismissed or disciplined if they refuse to work on health and safety grounds? It is possible that an employee’s refusal to attend work due to a belief that they will be at risk of contracting COVID-19 could be protected under section 100 of the Employment Rights Act (ERA) 1996. The ERA protects employees from dismissal on the grounds of absence from work if that absence was due to a reasonable belief that attending work would put them in serious and imminent danger (and they could not reasonably have been expected to avert that danger). The employee does not need to demonstrate that such a danger actually existed, simply that they believed this to be the case.

ELCONS can assist in making sure you are compliant with statutory requirements! If you are an employer and need specialist advice for all your HR issues, then talk to us. We have many years of experience in your sector. We are here 7 days a week, 24hrs a day, 365 days a year ensuring that we provide all our clients with up to date employment law advice when it’s needed.

Elcons employer helpline: 01422 822 842

URENCO

50th Anniversary and the global pandemic use of technology and expertise. As well as its enrichment and fuel cycle products, the company produces a variety of stable isotopes for medical, industry and research applications. In the UK, as part of a consortium partner led approach, Urenco established U-Battery to develop advanced/small modular reactors capable of providing low carbon, cost effective, locally embedded and reliable sources of power and heat for energy intensive industries and for remote locations.

By way of marking its 50th Anniversary on 4 March 2020, the Capenhurst Urenco workforce chose to donate £10,000 to Claire House Hospice as part of a fund totalling €50,000 which the global company donated to a variety of local charities at each of its locations. Urenco is an international supplier of enrichment services and fuel cycle products for the nuclear industry. Its 50th anniversary marked the signing of the company’s founding treaty, the Treaty of Almelo. Signed by the UK, Dutch and German governments, the treaty laid the foundations for international cooperation and collaboration in atomic expertise for the development of centrifuge technology for peaceful purposes. Three Urenco businesses are based at Capenhurst in West Cheshire employing circa 800 people in the Urenco UK (UUK) enrichment facility and two companies dedicated to the responsible stewardship and management of nuclear materials, Urenco Nuclear Stewardship (UNS) and Urenco ChemPlants (UCP). The former is responsible for the management of nuclear materials including decommissioning and recycling and the latter manages the commissioning and operation of the Tails Management Facility (TMF) which provides for the deconversion of by products produced as a result of the enrichment process. Over the last fifty years, Urenco has grown from strength-to-strength and prides itself on its ability to adapt to change through its

The 50th Anniversary was celebrated at Capenhurst at a staff event on site attended by over 400 members of its workforce who were joined by representatives from the company’s global management team. What happened almost simultaneously with this event and similar celebratory events held at the company’s sites in USA, Holland and Germany and its head office in Stoke Poges just outside London, was a developing major global threat in the form of a deadly virus called Covid 19. This was the beginning of what was soon to become a global pandemic. With the safety and wellbeing of its people at the heart of its preparations for managing the challenges presented by the global pandemic, Urenco’s response was swift and effective with dedicated teams put in place to manage the risk. In the UK, as part of the supply chain for the energy industry, its work at Capenhurst was declared essential by the Government and increased hygiene measures and social distancing were put in place to allow a core team to continue to work on site. Those who could work remotely were asked to do so which helped to maximise opportunities to practice social distancing and help reduce the spread of the virus both on and off site. Now that the virus has passed its peak in the UK, and Government restrictions are being gradually lifted, the Capenhurst site will continue to review and monitor its working arrangements to mitigate any risks. Proactive preventative preparations are the focus of a ‘recovery’ programme where keeping everyone as safe as possible is its priority. At the height of lockdown, Urenco’s success as a global business meant that without reducing its workforce, it continued to operate its enrichment facilities and progress work on the commissioning of the TMF with a third of its workforce based on site and the other two thirds working remotely.

“One of the real enablers for us during this period is our information technology systems. Staff were quickly able to adapt to working remotely whilst our leadership approach was to embed contact with our employees via regular calls and catch-ups at all levels with both our on-site teams and remote workers. The feedback we have had from our teams has been tremendous on this front and we continue to closely monitor wellbeing in general,” said Lynton Simmonds, UUK Managing Director. “There is no doubt, however, that this situation has presented different challenges to different people. We have been fortunate that we have invested in the past in training a number colleagues to act as Mental Health First Aiders and through managing this incident we have also further developed our Employee Assistance Programme. It’s all about building workforce resilience. I am really proud of the way our staff have responded and stepped-up to the mark during this time.” The company has always had a strong commitment to supporting the communities where its workers live and work. As the pandemic took hold, it became clear that the local health and community services to Capenhurst needed additional support. Help has been provided in a number of different ways including supplying velcro and face masks and other PPE to local health and social care providers whilst charities providing help for the more vulnerable members of society have benefitted from both donations and practical support from members of the Capenhurst workforce. In Capenhurst village, the company continues to support its nearest neighbours with improvement projects including buying plants to brighten up the village green. “At this time, we are still in our 50th anniversary celebratory year. Although this has been overshadowed by the global pandemic, we have been able to clearly demonstrate our resilience as well as our sustainability as a business. By putting the necessary measures in place to combat the spread of the virus, we have continued to operate and provide services for our customers as well as support our local community. We continue to put the safety and the wellbeing of our people at the heart of everything we do and will only act with this at the forefront of our planning as the business moves forwards. This I believe puts Urenco in a strong position to meet any new challenges presented during the next 50 years.” Said Lynton Simmonds.

BATHGATE BUSINESS FINANCE

Independent CBILS Funding for Your Business Have you struggled to get funding to support your business through the COVID-19 crisis via traditional routes? Independent CBILS intermediaries, Bathgate Business Finance provide alternatives. Since the beginning of May, Bathgate Business Finance has written £2.4 million worth of deals on the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), many of those for businesses that could not secure finance through traditional means. On average, the process from application to receipt of funds is less than two weeks. If you think you will not be able to secure finance for your business, or that the funds will not arrive as urgently as you need them. Contact us today, we may be able to help. We are an approved intermediary for a number of independent CBILS funders and we are able to help eligible SMEs navigate the relevant loan application processes quickly and efficiently, and by completing the applications on your behalf, we are giving it the best possible opportunity to succeed. We are able to apply for CBILS loans from £50k to £5m and currently our acceptance and conversion rate for CBILS applications is 62 percent - 10 percent higher than the national average.

In the past four weeks we have secured funding for 25 businesses across the region, from a variety of sectors, these include:

can advise you on, including CBILSbacked Asset Finance and CBILS-backed Invoice Discounting.

Business

Amount Product

Turnaround

Status

Software Company

£199k

CBILS Loan

Two weeks

Fully paid

Accountant

£89k

CBILS Loan

One week

Fully paid

Manufacturer

£250k

CBILS Loan

Eight days

Fully paid

Two weeks

Signed

Construction Company £450k CBILS Loan & Asset Refinance Hospitality Company

£250k

CBILS Loan

One week

Fully paid

CAD Company

£250k

CBILS Loan

Five Days to approval

Pending payout

Am I eligible for support? To be eligible for the CBILS loan, your business must be UK-based with a turnover of less than £45 million, with more than 50 per cent of that coming from trading activity, rather than investments. As well as having been adversely affected by the coronavirus, the loan should primarily be taken for business purposes and activity in the UK. If you are not eligible for a CBILS loan, there are still other options that our team

CBILS Benefits n n n n n n n n

Image taken prior to COVID-19 outbreak

Borrow from £50k - £5m Loan period from 12 months - 5 years No repayments periods starting from 6 months to 12 months Low rates available No personal guarantee up to £250k No admin fee Most decisions within 24 hours Selective Invoice Discounting - no fees for the first 12 months

“Our acceptance and conversion rate for CBILS applications is 62 percent - 10 percent higher than the national average.”

Requirements n n n n

Last two years’ accounts Last six months’ bank statements Basic finance application form GDPR consent forms

Helping you find the right business finance, when you need it most. Contact:

Ian Adams ian@bathgatebf.co.uk or Tracey Hamilton tracey@bathgatebf.co.uk | 0151 625 7323 | Bathgatebf.co.uk 39

DIOLCH THANK YOU Sunny blue skies and new adventures will be here again soon. In the meantime, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to say a huge thank you to all the front line workers and everyone else who are working so hard to keep us safe and well. We are very proud of our community.

Stay safe, stay positive, and stay in touch. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see you again soon.

BUSINESS WALES What measures have you implemented to tackle the pandemic? Our main focus was to supply the local customers. We had orders from Residential care homes, where residents needed furniture for their outdoor space, because due to the lockdown they could no longer go out. We have strict social distancing rules. Payments are taken over the phone and when delivering, we do not come in direct contact with our customers. We have been overwhelmed by the support from local residents. We really appreciate it.

Based in Colwyn Bay, Mobek is a family-run business, which manufactures and supplies highquality garden furniture, including a range of products made of 100% recycled plastic. Owners Nadia and Ralph got in touch with the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service for help with their marketing and branding, and received relationship management support with a successful grant application and marketing, as well as business mentoring on sales, distribution and promotion. Introduction to business Run by Nadia Becker and husband Ralph, Mobek is a family-run business founded in 1994 and based in Colwyn Bay. The business specialises in the manufacture and supply of high-quality outdoor furniture including traditional wooden garden furniture, greenhouse staging and related products. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, Mobek have recently become the UK sole distributors of high-end Canadian garden furniture made of recycled plastic. Business journey At an exhibition 5 years ago, we came across a recycled

plastic Adirondack chair. We were instantly taken in by its quality and the sustainability aspect, so we decided to see if we could add this line to our existing products. As of late 2019, we have secured the exclusive rights to represent the CRP Brand (Canadian Recycled Plastic Outdoor Furniture) for the UK and Ireland. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to develop and expand our business and refocus our efforts and resources. We would like to transform our present business model from a ‘maker and retailer’ into a distributor of CRP outdoor furniture.

We had a container from Canada booked with more stock, which we had to postpone for a month as we didn’t know how the situation with the virus would affect the shipping industry. It arrived at the end of May.

What challenges did you face during the Coronavirus outbreak? We have been opened during the crisis, but on very limited basis. Our workshop did close for customers and we struggled with the supplies of our wood. Our usual source closed their doors for about 4 weeks due to lockdown, so we had to diversify the products we make. The only way to sell our products was to make use of our websites.

Business Wales, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, supports the sustainable growth of small and medium size enterprises across the country by offering access to information, guidance and business support. To find out how Business Wales can help start or develop your business, call 03000 6 03000, follow @_businesswales or @_busnescymru or visit www.businesswales.gov.wales/ or www.busnescymru.llyw.cymru/ for further information.

Providing State of the Art Software to help your true DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Looking to build new relationships with West Cheshire and North Wales businesses OUR CUSTOMERS • Aerospace & Defence • Medical Engineering • Electronic Engineering • Construction • Product Design • Manufacturing

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS

• We are established resellers of Computer Aided Design (CAD), Product Lifecycyle Management (PLM), Internet of Things (IoT) & Augmented Reality (AR) dedicated software. • Our products: (Creo, Windchill, ThingWorx, Vuforia, Arbortext, Mathcad and more) • Find out more about our customers’ success stories on our website

103-105 High Street, Watford, WD17 2DQ Tel 01923 586270 email: info@plmcentral.co.uk

www.plmcentral.co.uk

41 Untitled-1 1

29/05/2020 12:18

Scaffolding solutions with safety and service built in

Working with construction contractors, homeowners and landlords across Cheshire and the North West, we are a trusted partner for all aspects of scaffolding design and installation. Safety is always a high priority and we ensure that every project is designed for the specific location, installed to the highest standards of best practice and dismantled as soon as it is no longer required. Our commitment to customer service sets us apart. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a construction contractor with multiple sites or a homeowner with a one-off scaffolding requirement, we will always provide a fast and reliable response, a best-fit solution and clear, honest, competitive pricing.

Email: info@hdscaffoldingnw.co.uk Tel: 01606 782943

DEVELOPMENT BANK OF WALES

Safeguarding jobs, funding cashflow and feeding animals throughout North Wales. That’s why we have been doing all that we can to get money out quickly to businesses, helping to protect livelihoods and safeguard jobs. We’re even doing our bit to help take care of the animals at the Welsh Mountain Zoo! Many businesses have been faced with unprecedented difficult cashflow challenges as a result of Covid-19. Every day counts when you are desperate for working capital to keep a business afloat and protect jobs. I’m pleased to say that over 1000 businesses have been supported by the Development Bank of Wales so far and more than £75 million has been drawn since the Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme was launched on 30 March. Importantly, this funding has safeguarded over 12,000 jobs across Wales Rhodri Evans is a Deputy Fund Manager with the Development Bank of Wales. Born and bred in North Wales, Rhodri is helping local businesses to secure the funding they need to survive Covid-19. These are exceptionally difficult times for businesses of all sizes and sectors

The Hand at Llanarmon near Llangollen was one of the first businesses to secure funding. Owner Jonathan Greatorex applied within an hour of the First Minister’s announcement of the new fund. An offer of £100,000 from the Development Bank was received on 2 April and the funds were transferred on 4 April.

Ein busnes ni yw helpu ariannu’ch busnes chi. It’s our business to help finance yours.

Oneplanet Adventure Gogledd Cymru / North Wales

Coffee fanatics at Dwyfor Coffee also secured a loan of £100,000 for their wholesale business in Pwllheli. The funding helped to safeguard 10 jobs while a £250,000 loan for the Welsh Mountain Zoo will safeguard 140 different species of animals and jobs for 39 people as Covid-19 forces the continued closure of the popular tourist attraction. Having closed on 22 March, the Welsh Mountain Zoo normally welcomes over 160,000 visitors each year as one of the region’s most popular tourist attractions. The investment by the Development Bank will provide much needed cashflow to help keep the animals fed, watered and warm. These are just a few examples of the businesses that we’ve been helping during the pandemic. We’re doing all that we can to help safeguard jobs and fund much needed cashflow and working capital at this time. Please do contact us on 0800 587 4140 or email info@developmentbank.wales We’re here to help.

Ymgeisiwch nawr: bancdatblygu.cymru Apply now: developmentbank.wales

Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc (Development Bank of Wales Plc) yw cwmni daliannol Grŵp sy’n masnachu fel Banc Datblygu Cymru. Mae’r Grŵp yn cynnwys nifer o is-gwmnïau sydd wedi’u cofrestru gydag enwau gan gynnwys llythrennau cychwynnol yr enw BDC. Mae Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc yn gwmni cyllid datblygu sy’n eiddo yn gyfan gwbl i Weinidogion Cymru ac nid yw’n cael ei awdurdodi na’i reoleiddio gan yr Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Darbodus (ARhD) na’r Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol (AYA). Mae gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) dri is-gwmni sy’n cael eu hawdurdodi a’u rheoleiddio gan yr AYA. Sylwer nad yw Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc nac unrhyw un o’i is-gwmnïau yn sefydliadau bancio ac nid ydynt yn gweithredu fel y cyfryw. Mae hyn yn golygu na fydd unrhyw un o endidau’r grŵp yn gallu derbyn dyddodion gan y cyhoedd. Mae siart strwythur cyfreithiol cyflawn ar gyfer Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc ar gael yn y fan bancdatblygu.cymru Development Bank of Wales Plc (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) is the holding company of a Group that trades as Development Bank of Wales. The Group is made up of a number of subsidiaries which are registered with names including the initials DBW. Development Bank of Wales Plc is a development finance company wholly owned by the Welsh Ministers and it is neither authorised nor regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Development Bank of Wales (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) has three subsidiaries which are authorised and regulated by the FCA. Please note that neither the Development Bank of Wales Plc (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) nor any of its subsidiaries are banking institutions or operate as such. This means that none of the group entities are able to accept deposits from the public. A complete legal structure chart for Development Bank of Wales Plc can be found at developmentbank.wales

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Furloughed workers drinking more alcohol in lockdown

HEALTH & WELLBEING One in three (36%) furloughed workers are drinking more alcohol since lockdown began, new research has revealed. The study from independent alcohol education charity, Drinkaware, shows that a higher proportion of people on furlough are drinking more in lockdown than the UK average (24%). As the government’s furlough scheme extends to October and a number of people continue to work from home to avoid spreading the coronavirus, Drinkaware is warning that thousands of workers could emerge from lockdown with ingrained drinking habits. Of those working from home as a result of lockdown, one in four (26%) people said they were drinking more. The charity is urging employers to use the lockdown to support the health and wellbeing of staff. Drinkaware CEO, Elaine Hindal, said: “As lockdown continues, many are drinking more. Employers who have members of staff on furlough or who are working from home should take note of our research findings. “The welcome extension to the furlough scheme will be vital for organisations as we navigate the coronavirus pandemic and it is good to see employers also offering flexible working. But this new normal must not lead to an “out of sight, out of mind”

mentality, particularly when it comes to the health and wellbeing of the UK workforce. “Employers must use every opportunity to make sure their staff don’t become disconnected throughout the extended

“The welcome extension to the furlough scheme will be vital for organisations as we navigate the coronavirus pandemic and it is good to see employers also offering flexible working.“

Dr Jill Miller, senior policy advisor at the CIPD – the professional body for HR and people development – said: “It’s concerning that many seem to be drinking more as lockdown continues. People are experiencing significant changes to many aspects of their lives and many do not have their usual work routine. Employers should communicate with their employees about the health and wellbeing support available to them, not forgetting those currently on furlough.” The research, conducted by Opinium on behalf of Drinkaware, surveyed 2,001 UK adults. The study found, of those who are furloughed and drink, more than a quarter (28%) said they were drinking on days they wouldn’t usually since lockdown began. When applied to those who are working from home and drink, the proportion became slightly smaller (26%). This is compared with 22% of all UK drinkers. One in seven (15%) drinkers on furlough admitted to having their first drink earlier in the day since the start of lockdown, compared with a similar proportion of those who are working from home

furlough period and must plan for a return to work that prioritises employee health and wellbeing. The consequence of not doing this could result in thousands of people returning to work with ingrained drinking habits that could have an impact on their health – both physical and mental. Drinking patterns, once established, are far harder to break.”

(14%). Among UK drinkers, 12% had their first drink earlier in the day since lockdown began. One in ten (9%) furloughed drinkers said they had had a drink in secret or covered up the fact they were having a drink since lockdown began – almost double the UK average.

“People are experiencing significant changes to many aspects of their lives and many do not have their usual work routine. Employers should communicate with their employees about the health and wellbeing support available to them, not forgetting those currently on furlough” 45

Powering business in West Cheshire and North Wales

Liam O’Sullivan is SPM Director at SP Energy Networks. Our dedicated staff have been working tirelessly to carry out essential work throughout the COVID-19 crisis, helping support homes and business across West Cheshire and North Wales. Their efforts ensure the power continues to flow to help people and businesses stay connected with friends, family and customers, while providing reassurance that West Cheshire and North Wales continue to benefit from a reliable and resilient electricity network.

We have worked with other network operators, Government and the industry regulator Ofgem to adjust our operations so we continue to work safely and maintain network resilience throughout this crisis. This has included supporting new connections for hospitals – including the new Rainbow Hospital Bangor nursing homes, water treatment works and food supply chain businesses to support the containment of COVID-19. As we look towards the future, it’s vital that no community is left behind. As businesses across both regions begin to rebuild our economy, SP Energy Networks is ready to support future construction and regeneration and accelerate the move towards a green economy. We are committed to helping business connect and deliver a low carbon future. Now is the time to start planning for a future that is more sustainable, inclusive and environmentally-friendly; will act as a stimulus for economic growth across a variety of sectors, and help attract investment and jobs to West Cheshire and North Wales. Green energy must be front and centre of our economic recovery. The challenges we all face at the moment are an opportunity to make faster, more resilient progress on decarbonisation, which will benefit us all in the longer-term. And we’re well on our way with significant projects already taking place across the area. We’re helping Anglesey prepare for increased demands on the network from clean transport by identifying the optimum locations for

electrical vehicle (EV) charging points. We’ve assessed road and car park infrastructure to match it with our network assets to ensure there’s a resilient electricity supply for chargers when they’re installed. This allows us to identify where electric bus charging points could potentially be located as part of wider public transport plans for Wales.

These are challenging times for all of us, but the decisions we take now will help ensure a brighter, greener future Our Angle-DC project aims to use an existing circuit to establish a two-way voltage link between Anglesey and Wales. This plan is the first of its kind and will help bring Anglesey to the forefront of energy innovation. The new link will increase power transfer capacity between Anglesey and mainland Wales, helping ensure we can transfer more renewables out of Anglesey Island and provide improved supply reliability to the community. It also allows us greater power flow control at both ends of the circuit which will reduce operating losses in the wider electricity distribution network and provide savings for

www.spenergynetworks.co.uk

our customers. The project helps facilitate the increased uptake of low-carbon renewable energy which will contribute to the Welsh and UK government’s new zero carbon objectives. We’re also supporting the E-Port Smart Energy Master Plan, a ten-year investment plan for the industrial heartland around Ellesmere Port. It helps identify opportunities for private sector investment and will provide a model of delivery for low-cost, carbon energy than can be replicated across the country. The next phase of the project will see us deploy monitoring devices on our network, with the data gathered allowing us to design EV infrastructure including the required generation connections and the overall control system. These are challenging times for all of us, but the decisions we take now will help ensure a brighter, greener future. As a critical operational business, I’m so proud of the way we’ve been able to adapt to these incredibly challenging times. We know that now – more than ever – our staff, customers and suppliers are relying on us to keep them safe and warm by ensuring the power continues to flow. We are committed to doing that throughout this crisis and beyond so we can all enjoy a better future, quicker.

AN INSIGHT INTO

An insight into…North Wales Tourism Jim Jones has been the CEO at North Wales Tourism Ltd for four and a half years, where he is responsible for positioning North Wales as a leading destination of choice for visitors. north Wales Tourism is the biggest destination marketing organisation in Wales, and Jim manages an experienced team of 19 people. Here, Jim gives us an insight into the organisation... over recent years, forging close links with the Japanese tourism industry. Following the twinning, we hosted a return visit for the Himeji Mayor, Hideyasu Kiyomoto, who visited Conwy and Conwy Castle in November. He said, “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship and I am going to tell all of the citizens of Himeji what a beautiful place North Wales is. Many tourists from Japan will get to know that Wales is a such a nice and great country. I love it here.”

North Wales is known as the ‘Adventure Capital of Europe’, has a tourism economy worth £3.2billion per year, and provides 43,000 jobs. It was recognised in 2017 by Lonely Planet as the number 4 destination to visit in the world! I am privileged to be the Chairman of the North Wales & Mersey Dee Business Council, I am also a Director of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, which under the leadership of Phill Jones, Debbie Bryce and her team is a great opportunity to engage with businesses across the border of North Wales into West Cheshire and attend many of the fantastic networking events. A few of my highlights of 2019 My main highlight has to be receiving the Daily Post North Wales Business Person of the Year Award 2019. It came as a total shock as I was not expecting it, and I was extremely humbled and very honoured to receive it.

It’s taken a lot of hard work by many people in both destinations to get to this point, and I am optimistic the profile of the twinning will draw many Japanese visitors to Conwy, North Wales and Wales over the coming years. Coronavirus Following a very successful 2019 for me personally, and for tourism in North Wales, which was booming, optimism was very high. We were seeing record levels of private and public sector investment across the region, while the annual level of spending by tourists had risen to an all-time high of £3.241 billion and the number of visitors to North Wales had rocketed to 30 million a year. Who could have predicted how just a couple of months into 2020 our industry would be decimated.

The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed everything about our lives but the impact has been felt particularly keenly by our tourism industry across North Wales. What’s causing particular hardship, is that it’s come at the worst possible time. Many businesses haven’t generated any new cash flow since October and many had committed to general maintenance and improvements over the winter, using extended overdrafts and loans with the hope of a good Easter break to kick start them into the season. Traditionally, Easter marks the beginning of the main tourism season where operators start to reap the rewards of their winter investments. The Covid-19 crisis has hit at a time when the visitor economy hadn’t even restarted, so it has been extra painful for many. Before the crisis, the industry employed 42,000 people across North Wales – adding up to one in seven jobs in the region. But the sector has now ground to a complete halt, with attractions, accommodation providers and events all closed down indefinitely – with no certainty there will be any summer season at all this year. It’s estimated the amount of income that would have been generated over the long Easter weekend alone would have topped £100 million. We have a strong and resilient tourism community in North Wales and we know we will bounce back and lead the revival of our local tourism economy.

Twinning with Japan In October, seven delegates from the Conwy area travelled to Japan to witness the historic twinning of Conwy Castle with the ancient Himeji Castle in Japan, a castle which was featured in the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”. The twinning came about because of the work North Wales Tourism has done in Japan

NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to WCNW Chamber of Commerce

ALS World Movers Andrew McTaggart Canolfan Henblas 22-24 Stryd Fawr Bala Gwynedd LL23 7AE 02393 233808 alsworldmovers@yahoo.co.uk www.alsworldmovers.co.uk

Chris Green Coaching

Apollo Care Chester Joanne Longmoor Unit 13b The Courtyard Mollington Grange Parkgate Road Chester Cheshire CH16NP 07960 064702 chester@apollocare.co.uk www.apollocare.co.uk/apollo-carechester Barclays Bank Lee Moore Raymond Court Princes Drive Colwyn Bay Conwy County Borough LL29 8HT 03301 502919 lee.moore@barclays.com www.barclays.co.uk

www.chrisgreencoaching.com

Cadnant Planning Ltd Rhys Davies 20 Connaught House Riverside Business Park Benarth Road Conwy Conwy County Borough LL32 8UB 01492 581800 info@cadnantplanning.co.uk www.cadnantplanning.co.uk

LL17 0LP 01745 774955 cath@jvpgroup.co.uk

Excel TM Group Mike Dunn Pioneer HouseÂ Pioneer Business Park

www.jvpgroup.co.uk LMNts Marketing Laura Farkas Suite H1, Frodsham Business Centre

Ellesmere Port

Brdge Lane

CH65 1AD

Great Sutton

03335 773632

Frodsham

mike@exceltmgroup.com www.exceltmgroup.com

Cheshire WA6 7FZ 01928 733450 laura@marketingfunnel.website

Green CDL Ltd

www.marketingfunnel.website

Emma Green Cheshire 07977 165370 emma@greencdl.com www.greencdl.com

Mobexx Ltd Steve Smith Unit 21 Blakemere Centre Sandiway Cheshire CW8 2EB

HD Scaffolding North West

08455 441254

Harry Misangyi

info@mobexx.co.uk

Unit C5, Iddenshall Hall Farm

Clotton Biking Bookkeeper Alice Mason Tarporley Shropshire 01948 502007 whitchurch@bikingbookkeeper.co.uk www.bikingbookkeeper.co.uk

JVP Group

Chris Green Cath Harrison New Vision Business Park Cheshire Glascoed Road 07725 324232 St Asaph chris@chrisgreencoaching.com Denbighshire

Netfloor Systems Keith Littler Cheshire

Cheshire

01829 771000

CW6 0EG

keith@netfloor.co.uk

07568 192022

www.netfloor.co.uk

info@hdscaffoldingnw.co.uk www.hdscaffoldingnw.co.uk

Neuro Therapy Centre Katie Roebuck Units C1-C4 Brymau Estate One

Just Financial Group Ltd

River Lane

Lisa Spain Saltney Flintshire Flintshire 07923 116199 lisa@justfinancialgroup.co.uk www.justfinancialgroup.co.uk

CH4 8RG 01244 678619 reception@neurotherapycentre.org www.neurotherapycentre.org

Welcome to WCNW Chamber of Commerce

Nviron LTD Chris Gill Chester Road Preston Brook Runcorn Cheshire WA7 3FR 01928 809000 cgill@nviron.co.uk www.nviron.co.uk Sales Skills Accelerator Suzy Couper Cheshire 07701 329646 suzy@salesskillsaccelerator.co.uk www.salesskillsaccelerator.co.uk Security and Facilities Support Uk Ltd Terry Finlay Marbury Cottage Bentley Farm Lane Higher Whitley

Are you maximising your Chamber membership? Follow these simple steps to ensure that you are getting the most out of your Chamber membership 1. Update your business profile in our online directory Profiles that have logos, descriptions and website and social media links stand out from the crowd so be sure to add these to your directory profile.

NEW MEMBERS

businesses together! Our Round the Screen Networking events give members an opportunity to build new connections and promote their business. 4. Advertise your events/workshops/ webinars Got an event coming up that you want to promote to other Members? Be sure to add it to our website. Your event will then in our weekly events update which is sent to all Members for the four weeks leading up to your event. 5. Add and browse Member to Member offers Take advantage of special offers and discounts from fellow Members or create your own to build interest in your products and services. 6. Editorial opportunities Send any news that you might have; we will then post this on our website and share on our social media streams.

Warrington

2. Download your membership logo

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All news items are then considered to feature in our monthly newsletter and the magazine you are currently reading! This means that one news story has the potential to reach over 10,000 contacts!

3. Check out our series of Round the Screen Networking events

Need advice on how to take advantage of the above benefits?

WA4 4QW 01606 277383 tf@sfsukltdco.uk www.sfsukltd.co.uk Tempo Time Credits Brian Ratcliffe Unit 2 58-62 Cowbridge Road West Cardiff Cardiff CF5 5BS 02920 566132 alanbrenton@wearetempo.org www.wearetempo.org Utility Warehouse Mike Stevenson Cheshire 07939 102732 mike@qualitysavings.club www.qualitysavings.club

In normal circumstances, the Chamber holds regular networking events throughout the region which are a great way for you to make connections with likeminded business people. Following guidance from UK and Welsh government, our regular events have been postponed until further notice but this has not stopped us bringing

We host a monthly Maximising your Membership meeting where you will be talked through all of the above and be able to ask any questions about the benefits available to you. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month (currently held online) and you can book your place via our website (www.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events).

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TOP TIPS

Ready for lift-off after lockdown? The lockdown has given many businesses the opportunity to take stock of their operations, their services, and their communications. With a move to get us all back to work just around the corner, the question that businesses now need to address is just how much have the industries in which we operate changed, as well as the world around us?

How does this affect your business?

to date with industry trends, news and innovation.

Over the next few weeks, it is as important as ever to be prepared because if the predictions are right, as soon as the restrictions are lifted, businesses will be chomping at the bit to make as big an impact as possible to make up for any lost time.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn are all great social media platforms to generate new leads and followers to your business all of which you can tailor your message to meet a specific audience needs and interests.

So, is your business ready? Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the lift-off after lockdown!

TIP 1: Marketing Plan

Make sure you have a marketing plan ready. Ideally, one that covers you for the next six months. This is important to ensure your business objectives reach their full potential and to ensure that your communication to the market place is relevant and is targeting the right audience.

TIP 2: Digital Marketing

Identifying which digital channels your audience use is key to success. It may be one or it may be a mix, what is important though, is that you are consistent when it comes to posting content and identify when your audience is looking. Are they simply looking on social media, or are they watching videos on YouTube? They may only be using Google, or they may follow a specific influencer - wherever your audience is, you need to be.

TIP 3: Website

Ensure you are updating the content of your website, as this will help with your optimisation with the Google ranking (this is also known as Search Engine Optimisation) and also show that you are keeping up

TIP 4: Social Media

TIP 5: Email

If you have a database of existing clients/customers, why not send them an email with an offering or maybe just a newsletter letting them know your opening hours, services and /or products you may sell, and indeed to reach out and welcome them back after lockdown!

TIP 6: Printing

Brochures, leaflets and business cards are great to mail out and once social distancing restrictions have lifted, to hand out when you are attending a meeting or networking.

TIP 7: Networking

Research local networking groups, this can be a great source of generating new leads/enquires into your business. Many will still be operating digitally so there is still the opportunity to join online. Here at Umbrella Marketing Team, we commit to the to all of the above as often as we can, for our own business. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just support our clients with their marketing we offer advice to help them grow, we become an extension of their team and their business, adapting and evolving as we go. So, the big question is are you ready?

Can we help you get ready? Your business is important to us and the Umbrella Marketing Team is ready to help you grow and shout from the rooftops that not only are open for business, but you are ready to deliver.

We offer all businesses, of all sizes a free marketing consultation, and can help with your Marketing Planning. To speak to a member of our team call 01244 656505 or contact our Business Development Manager gavin@umbrellamt.com. 50