C&W in Business November - December 2014

Optimistic times but still work to do

How fantastic to see hundreds of local Business Leaders and representatives of our Partner Organisations attend our annual Economic Conference on Friday 17th October 2014 A Conference which was made possible through the huge support of our sponsors, notably the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Yorkshire Bank, Turkish Airlines, Deeley Group, Advent Communications and the Belgrade Theatre

We have had great feedback, which is tremendous because I think it is so important that we add value to people's time when they attend events such as these The networking was great and the speakers really gave us a good insight into the prospects of our local, national and global economy Jonathan Browning, Chairman of our Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), spoke of the work of the CWLEP levering in tens of millions of pounds worth of investment into our area Investment we can see with infrastructure developments in our City and on the many highways around our sub region Nick Parsons, Yorkshire Bank, gave a great insight into opportunities, such as export to areas like Indonesia, but also some of the challenges on the horizon such as a dip in economic performance in the eurozone largely due to the, very difficult and sad, tensions across the world

Adam Dent, our Conference Facilitator, asked delegates "who was already exporting?" I have to say, I was disappointed in the response Still today, there are far too few companies exploring export opportunities and I would urge you all to do so by contacting the Chamber's Head of International Trade on mickp@cw chamber co uk or 02476 654321

Conference ended with an inspiring life story by John Timpson CBE, a gentleman that is clearly both determined, inspiring and insightful in business as well as in his commitment to charitable work and the love, of his family, for fostering children

Thank you to all delegates for coming along to Conference, just one event in a large programme of activity and b2b networks for Members

After Conference, your Chamber of Commerce held its Annual General Meeting where new Board Members were appointed to an already existing strong and dynamic Board, details of which are in this edition of CW in Business As importantly, our President, Peter Burns MBE, began his second year in a two year term of office and I know, in his second year, Peter is keen that the Chamber focuses more of its attention on how we, in business, can support our local young people, particularly those local young people in need of a job

If your business thinks it can offer a local, young person an opportunity in life, why not contact Coventry Warwickshire (Chamber) Training who can work with you on introducing the right skills into your business through the apprenticeship programme Contact Sally Lucas on lucas s@cwtcov co uk or 024 76231122

I did state, quite boldly, at Conference, this year, that I think all local businesses should opt in to their Chamber of Commerce and, one of the best reasons for doing this, is that evidence suggests that businesses that sign up to a local professional and accredited body such as the Chamber of Commerce is a business which is more likely to thrive and grow Also, by signing up to your Chamber of Commerce, you become part of a much larger and stronger voice of business A voice of business which is critical as we approach the next general election and a voice of business that we take so seriously that Coventry Warwickshire Chamber has placed a resource into the British Chambers of Commerce (into London) in order to ensure that we are influencing policy on issues that matter most to business So, get in touch on 02476 654321 or by contacting Ange Lennox on angel@cw chamber co uk Remember, your Chamber as a not for profit organisation (Company Ltd By Guarantee) is here purely to serve the best interests of its Membership and, indeed, the wider business community So, get in touch

It’s all about potential, business people are told

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce held its 13th annual economic conference at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry and more than 300 business people, politicians and local schools and colleges heard from a range of speakers

Selim Ozturk, of sponsor Turkish Airlines, outlined his company ’ s involvement in the region before Nick Parsons, of Yorkshire Bank, gave an economic outlook for the region, the UK and the globe

John Timpson, of national high street chain Timpson, gave an entertaining overview of his outlook on business and his role in the company

Catherine Mallyon, of the RSC; Paul Swinney, of Centre for Cities; and Ian Harrabin, of CDP, took part in a panel debate around the future of city and town centres, while Robert Gerrard, of Safetyflex, and Cameron Tonkin, of Rhead Group, highlighted how their firms are working on the world stage

But it was Coventry and Warwickshire LEP chair Jonathan Browning and Chamber president Peter Burns who delivered the verdict that the future for the region was extremely positive but needed the right choices to be made today to foster economic growth across the city and the county

Browning said: “I am convinced that Coventry and Warwickshire is a great place to do business We have some great assets but we are not yet making the most of them

The LEP, with our partners, are moving forward to develop strong, differentiated plans for the area and at the same time we are taking immediate, practical actions to support local businesses to drive growth and create jobs

I recognise and celebrate the many success stories we have locally but we cannot be complacent about the need to collectively perform to an even higher level I know that, with the right co operation, determination and vision, we really can create something very special here in Coventry and Warwickshire

Pictured(leftto right): RobGerrard, Ian Harrabin, NickParsons, Adam Dent, John Timpson, Louise Bennett, Peter Burns, Cameron Tonkin

ChamberpresidentPeter Burns

Coventry and Warwickshire’s potential is outweighing its current performance, a major conference has heard.

Burns, who closed the conference, said the potential was there for the city and the county to prosper

He said: I say potentially because in business, as in life generally, nothing can be taken for granted It is only through the hard work, the innovation and the dedication of businesses like all of those present today that this region can be a success and fulfil its potential

“We do have so much going for us here but we are in a global race for investment and jobs and it is only through making sure we are the best possible place we can be to live, work and play that we will attract the best companies and people

“To get where we want to be, we need to ensure that there is space for existing companies to grow and for firms new to the region to move into We need to build more homes too and enhance our leisure

offer so that those people who work here, spend their hard earned pound here

“That will help to create the jobs for our young people across the city and the county which is fundamental for our future

It will mean some brave and bold decisions but if we truly want to prosper in Coventry and Warwickshire then it s vital that we make the right choices today for the good of the future of this wonderful region

A shining example of a reliable company.

LEPchair Jonathan Browning

Catherine Mallyon RSC

Selim OzturkTurkishAirlines

Louise BennettOBEChiefExecutive Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber ofCommerce

Company sees the benefits in Chamber membership

Matt Baxter and Jon Harrison were working successfully as freelance web and graphic designers However, after meeting via a family member they realised that they shared the same business ideas, passion for design and similar creative style

In June 2012 they registered CV5 Creative Limited through which they offer their complementary creative and digital services to local businesses

Matt and Jon swiftly realised that by combining their skills they were offering a complete solution so decided to enter the market with larger companies They approached the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber to understand what they needed to do in order to progress and succeed

After valuable time spent with various advisers they decided to join the Chamber, enabling them to attend a variety of networking events and to access continued support and advice During events they meet potential clients and expand their business network

The businessmen say: We wish to be more involved with the Chamber, to attend Master Classes, various events and join the Chamber inter trading “ However, at the moment we are still catching up with the leads from the September Expo We find the

Expo a perfect opportunity to gain new contacts and create business awareness ”

Together, they gained valuable leads during the Expo and already managed to convert some into clients

CV5 Creative has been growing steadily and recently introduced new services including social media management and copywriting to its clients

Its key expertise still lies in delivering solutions based on clients’ needs and the businessmen say: "We may only be a small company but this is reflected not only in our pricing but also the ability to completely dedicate our time to a client and work directly together cutting the middle man "

With an ambition to grow the business and a view to taking on an apprentice, CV5 Creative continues to be a valuable member of the Chamber and a vital part of the membership network

“We wish to be more involved with the Chamber, to attend Master Classes, various events and join the Chamber inter-trading ”

Coombe Abbey Hotel gets set for feast of festive fun

Coombe Abbey Hotel has unveiled its menu of Christmas events. The popular Brinklowbased hotel has unwrapped its box of festive offerings to reveal a bumper schedule of events including a new partnership with Free Radio’s Breakfast host JD

He will host the new party nights in the Marquee, with an evening of fun, entertainment and music taking place on selected party nights over the festive season

Coombe Abbey Hotel s regular Medieval Banquets and Murder Mystery Nights will also take on a Christmas theme, with the doors of the Abbeygate Baronial Hall thrown open for a Medieval Christmas feast

The Murder Mystery night will be themed around the Clapperton Solicitors Christmas Party, with invited guests tasked with solving the murder of the law firm’s CEO

The brochure also includes information on festive afternoon teas that offer an assortment of sandwiches, teas, scones festive cakes and mince pies Diners will also be entertained by traditional carols on selected days in November and December Each child who attends will receive a free Christmas gift

June Picken, Sales Director at Coombe Abbey Hotel, said: “We are really excited to launch our new Christmas brochure, containing our full schedule of events and celebrations for the festive season

“We are delighted to be partnering with JD from Free Radio and we expect his party nights to be one of the highlights of our Christmas schedule

“It’s a real mix of new events alongside festive themed versions of our traditional favourites and we look forward to a magical festive season at Coombe Abbey Hotel this year ”

Coombe Abbey Hotel’s traditional Christmas lunches, family Sunday lunches and private festive lunches are all available again this year, with the private lunches including a visit from Father Christmas to the hotel

For those still in the party spirit beyond Christmas, a New Year’s Eve Black Tie Ball in the marquee and a New Year’s Eve Medieval Banquet in the Abbeygate Baronial Hall, will take place as part of the New Year celebrations at the hotel

Wasps move to Ricoh Arena

Rugby union club Wasps have announced the acquisition of a 50% interest in the Ricoh Arena with immediate effect.

Wasps become the joint owners of one of Europe’s largest multi purpose venues, having acquired a 50% interest in Arena Coventry Limited from Coventry City Council

The Aviva Premiership Rugby Club will play their much anticipated first game at the Ricoh against London Irish on Sunday 21st December in what promises to be an exciting day for sports fans in the region but will continue to play home games at Adams Park in High Wycombe until then

Nick Eastwood, Wasps Chief Executive Officer, said: “This announcement is a watershed moment in the history of Wasps and the professional game

It will help us realise our ambition to re establish ourselves as one of the best teams in Europe and will guarantee the long term success of the club

“We fully appreciate this move will unsettle many of our supporters and I would like to stress that this decision has not been taken lightly The reality of our situation is clear less than two years ago Wasps was just hours away from going out of business It is only thanks to our current owner Derek Richardson stepping in that we are here today ”

He added: “There has been much speculation in media outlets and social media recently about how this move will affect the future of Coventry City Football Club and Coventry RFC so I would like to address this and set the record straight

“We are delighted to see Coventry City Football Club back at the Ricoh Arena and this is where we want them to remain We understand there may be concern from Sky Blues fans about our arrival and what this might mean for their Club

“We are keen to make this work for everyone We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Sky Blues

“We are very keen to build a close relationship with Coventry Rugby Club and are exploring running community and player development programmes together

“This is not a choice between Coventry RFC and Wasps it’s about collaboration to make sure both clubs thrive and help each other, building attendances for each club and giving supporters even more rugby to enjoy

Cllr Ann Lucas, Leader of Coventry City Council said: “This is the most important decision this council has ever taken about

the future of one of its best community assets and we would not have taken it unless we were confident it was the right thing to do “Wasps have some really exciting plans for community and grassroots development that will bring massive benefits to Coventry youngsters

Jacky Isaac, Arena Coventry Limited Interim Chief Executive Officer, said: We re delighted with the news that the Ricoh Arena is now home to Aviva Premiership team Wasps The welcome return of CCFC and the imminent arrival of Wasps mean the Ricoh Arena has truly realised its potential as home for top flight sport ”

Premiership Rugby Chief Executive Mark McCafferty said: We have no doubt this was a very difficult decision to make, for all those involved, but we know the club has considered all options and concluded that it is the best route to secure Wasps long term future ”

To coincide with the announcement Wasps revealed two new long term commercial partnerships with Land Rover and EMC Land Rover becomes the Club s main official sponsor in a new multi year partnership Land Rover is recognised for its support of rugby at all levels of the game

The Coventry based automotive manufacturer will feature on the front of Wasps home and away shirts as well as receiving commercial rights including extensive branding in the Arena, hospitality and player appearances

Phil Popham, Group Marketing Director at Jaguar Land Rover, said: The announcement is not only an important addition to Land Rover’s growing rugby sponsorship portfolio but it s a significant increase in our investment within the Coventry area

Cloud computing company EMC return as a Wasps partner having previously sponsored the club between 2009 and 2012 EMC will feature on Wasps home and away kits and enjoy numerous commercial rights

James Petter, Senior Vice President and MD UK & Ireland at EMC, said: This is clearly an exciting time for Wasps and EMC is privileged to be part of it

Wasps entertain Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership on 4th January 2015 and Leinster Rugby in the European Rugby Champions Cup the following weekend For ticket information please visit www wasps co uk

Manufacturers urged to seek help

Chamber chief executive Louise Bennett has urged advanced manufacturers in the region to make the most of a new service to help them grow on the back of national figures that say output is slowing down.

According to the latest figures, manufacturing output was flat across the country in the three months to August although it had risen by 3 3 per cent on the same time a year ago

Louise said that advanced manufacturing and engineering companies across the region could benefit from support through the new Growth Hub, which was unveiled earlier this year

The Chamber is one of several partners at the hub which helps to direct companies to the support they need rather than having to wade through the myriad of organisations and grants on offer

Louise said: It shows that, on a national level, there is still much more to be done to rebalance the economy towards manufacturing Progress has been made but it s clear that more needs to be done to get

our manufacturers growing and exporting more

Here in Coventry and Warwickshire, the new Growth Hub which formed the region’s City Deal bid to government is already up and running and is supporting companies across our patch

The thinking behind the hub was to provide a clearing house’ for our advanced manufacturers and engineers to help them grow If they want to access grant support, trade overseas, expand into new premises and find graduates among many other things, they can speak to the Growth Hub and they will navigate them through the many different options out there

The Chamber has, from the outset, been a supporter and advocate for the hub and it is already supporting a range of companies and individuals across the region to grow this sector in our region

“Whatever the barriers they are finding to growth, there is support available and it s vital they make the most of it

IntestacyWho Will Inherit Your Estate?

Where the deceased has not made a valid will their estate will be distributed in accordance with the intestacy rules. These rules have changed from 1 October 2014

If the deceased is not survived by children their entire estate will now go to the surviving spouse Under the old rules the first £450,000 and half of the excess would go to the spouse with the remainder going to the parents or siblings

If the deceased is survived by children the first £250,000 and half of the excess will go to the surviving spouse with the remainder going to the children Under the old rules the excess share received by the surviving spouse was a life interest, such that the capital would revert to the children on the second death

The death of a loved one is an incredibly traumatic time without the added uncertainty resulting from intestacy

Where the deceased has children from a previous marriage the presence of a valid will can help prevent a complicated and possibly acrimonious estate administration, especially if intestacy would result in the sale of the home occupied by the surviving spouse

These changes will help the surviving spouse; however they are no substitute for a properly drafted will

Individuals wishing to discuss inheritance tax and the administration of their estate should contact Paul Spencer or David Thomas on 02476 257481 or ps@sgduk com/dt@sgduk com For more information please visit our website www sgduk com

PaulSpencer

Expo a major success

A business event in Warwickshire attracted more than 450 firms from across the region and was described as a phenomenal success

Companies from across Coventry and Warwickshire either exhibited at or visited the Chamber of Commerce s Business & Trade Expo held at Stoneleigh Park with several companies already booking to exhibit at the next expo in March

The expo was preceded by an international trade breakfast giving companies tips on exporting through a mix of networking and case study presentations Several workshops and seminars were also held throughout the day

Peter Burns, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce president, said: “It was wonderful to see the room so full of companies keen to do business with fellow local firms

“It’s the first time we ’ ve held two expos in the same calendar year and thank goodness we did because the thirst for companies to get together and network in this way is clearly there

It was a phenomenal success ” Karen Shuter, director at Exact Logistics, added: This was the best Expo so far with great visitors We have already booked a stand for the next Expo!

Companies wanting to exhibit at the next Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Business & Trade Expo can benefit from an early bird discount if they book before 20 November by emailing events@cw chamber co uk

Peter Burns (front, centre)withdelegates andexhibitors atthe Chamber Expo

Staffatthe Chamber highlightedtheir services to visitors

Delegatesgotroundmore than 100exhibition stands

ExactLogistics offeredvisitors the chance toputtfor Expoglory

Networking event well attended

Let your accountant do your tax return!

Business was king at a networking event at Kenilworth Castle.

The event was hosted by Kenilworth Chamber of Trade for the new Connections group a collaboration between the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Chambers of Trade in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth More than 50 business people attended the event and heard from Seanná Holland, Vice Chair of the Kenilworth Chamber of Trade, and Kenilworth mayor John Cooke Karen Heap, of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: It was another great chance to bring businesses together in wonderful surroundings to network and find out what’s happening across the area ”

Event will celebrate tourist sector

Coventry and Warwickshire’s rising popularity as a tourist destination will be celebrated at a new awards event

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Quidem, the owners of Touch FM, Rugby FM and Oak FM, to deliver the Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism Awards, with the first ceremony taking place at the Ricoh Arena in 2015

The full list of categories are yet to be confirmed but are expected to include ‘best visitor attraction’, best hotel’ and best bar/restaurant among others

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said recent figures on the region’s pull as a tourism destination meant it was the perfect time to launch the awards

She said: “We are delighted to be working with Touch FM and its sister stations They deliver several awards evenings around the region and they have proved to be extremely popular and successful “We have been discussing the possibility of a ceremony to honour our wonderful tourism industry, which was highlighted by recent statistics from Visit England that

said visits to places such as Coventry and Stratford are on the rise

This event will be designed to capture all of the elements that make Coventry and Warwickshire such a great place to visit from attractions to individuals

Steve Orchard, CEO of Quidem the company behind Touch FM, said: “Shining a big spotlight on the region’s achievers is something we love to do and we ve enjoyed great acclaim for our successful awards series

The local area is packed full of marvellous visitor attractions and world class tourism assets and we are going to celebrate them in style Along with our partners at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce we ’ re ready to blow this region’s trumpet!

Councillor Kevin Maton, Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Employment, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our great city and county will celebrate its tourism and leisure industry in this way

The tourism and hospitality sector supports the employment of thousands of people in Coventry and Warwickshire and has the potential to provide hundreds more jobs in the future

This is a great place to visit and we should be very proud to shout about the people, organisations and businesses that it such a special place for residents and visitors Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council leader, said: Our arts, culture, heritage and leisure destinations create a vibrant tourism economy that is the envy of many More than 23 5 million day and night trips are taken in Coventry and Warwickshire annually and we should celebrate the popularity of our region ”

Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The CWLEP is committed to supporting industries which boost the local economy and the world class cultural activities that we have in Coventry and Warwickshire is a major factor in attracting visitors to our area

These awards are a great opportunity to showcase the diverse and exciting leisure related facilities that we have in Coventry and Warwickshire as well as build on the success of the sector in attracting visitors from across the globe ”

Further details on the Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism Awards will be announced shortly.

5 good reasons why...

Doing your own tax return can be a time consuming exercise Tax is complicated and people worry about their tax affairs Over the last few years, chartered accountants have noticed that there are now more tax enquiries being carried out by HM Revenue and Customs than ever before.

The private client team at your accountancy firm will prepare everything you need and will submit your tax return for you They will make any necessary claims and elections to ensure that you pay the correct amount of tax Accuracy is vital! They will then advise you of your tax liability and when it has to be paid However, crucially, an accountant will also ask about your taxable income for the following tax year so that they can review whether there is any scope to reduce your payments on accounts due on 31 January and 31 July If this can be achieved this will mean a cashflow advantage to you Whilst doing your tax return, your accountant will also consider whether there are any tax planning opportunities:

• Are you taking remuneration out of your business in a tax efficient manner?

• Can ownership of assets between spouses be changed to produce a better outcome?

• Are there any inheritance tax planning opportunities?

In summary, here are the 5 reasons why an accountant should do your personal tax return:

1 Their team of talented professionals provide you with a personalised service

2 They will take away the hassle and provide you with comfort and reassurance

3 Together you can explore all possible strategies to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax at the right times

4 They will review any opportunities to reduce your payments on accounts to provide you with cashflow benefits

5 Finally, your accountant can explore tax planning strategies or opportunities that may be appropriate to you Often this professional advice more than pays for itself in saved tax!

If you would like to discuss Dafferns private client tax services please contact Brian King on 024 7622 1046 or e mail brian king@dafferns com

Brian King Tax Partner atDafferns LLP

Pictured(leftto right): Anita Dalton (treasurer KCT), SeannáHolland(vice chair ofKCT), Kenilworthmayor John Cooke, Tony Dalton (exhibition officer KCT), Karen Heap (CWChamber ofCommerce), Sue Powell(Membership secretary KCT)

Carol's Story - leadership and management success

CWT strive to meet the demands of the modern business world

CWT Chamber Training have released a range of new short and one day business to business seminars and short courses designing learning around the latest market intelligence and industry trends that meets our customer's needs, and the demands of the modern business world. The move follows a number of market intelligence exercises carried out to ensure that the training solutions offered match the current needs of the business world

CWT recently conducted a management survey to discover the most important training areas for business leaders across Coventry and Warwickshire The survey revealed a number of management skill sets where 100% of respondents reported that development is essential, including; financial management, marketing and promotion, communication and performance management

Based on the findings from this valuable market research, CWT has released the following new short and one day business to business seminars and short courses:

• Account Management

• Award in Education & Training (City & Guilds)

• Branding for Business

• Building the Team

• Complaint Handling

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• Negotiation and Persuasion Skills

• Problem Solving Skills

• Project Management

• Setting Goals & Targets

• Training & Coaching the Team

• Understanding Budgets

These opportunities for skill development sit alongside and compliment a variety of existing courses and qualifications ranging from one day seminars through to higher level qualifications such as the HNC or Foundation Degree

CWT is committed to responding to the changing needs of industry It is equally important to choose the right pathway for you and your business If you are unsure we can provide the guidance you need to find success

The NEW CWT Chamber Training Course Directory for 2015 is now available to order online at www.cwtcov.co.uk/news/NEW Courses for 2015 Alternatively you can call 024 7623 1122 or email events@cwtcov.co.uk to request your free copy

Counselling Coordinator Carol Benson has achieved a Leadership and Management Foundation Degree with flying colours alongside her highly demanding career at Valley House Counselling Service (VHCS).

Success and progression as an individual often goes hand in hand with the success

of their business This is definitely the case as both the VHCS organisation and Carol’s own career continue to make great strides forward, demonstrating continued success After developing relevant, practical skills for the real world and studying topics such as managing finance, people and change, critical thinking and problem solving, Carol reflects on the business benefits of completing the course

The Foundation Degree assessed work could be related directly to my normal day to day job, which made the assignments more interesting, meaningful and easier to achieve This benefitted my organisation and service delivery as the academic work I was learning from, and completing, was applied directly to the workplace

Carol started her journey with the ILM 5 Diploma, the perfect introduction to the Foundation Degree in Leadership and Management

“Having successfully completed the ILM 5 Diploma I saw the Foundation Degree in Leadership and Management as a natural progression route What also appealed to me was that all the hard work invested in the ILM Diploma allowed module exemptions which alleviated the amount of work I had to complete for the Degree

course This also reduced the overall costs involved making it a much more cost effective option ”

"On reflection I am pleased to have completed ILM 5 Diploma first before embarking on the Foundation Degree in Leadership and Management

As I was learning I was also becoming a much more rounded manager and progressed in areas of my own personal development some of which included formal writing approaches and the development of both service delivery and staff involved

My skill set and knowledge base in management and leadership has been expanded and swiftly put into action

Having the same main tutor (Don Doman) for both courses was also useful as he was able to highlight areas for further development which ensured the learning did not become repetitive”

For a conversation with one of our experienced leadership and management trainers to find out more information about higher education please contact the Business Development Team on 024 7623 1122 or email events@cwtcov co uk today

Trinity Accountants share top apprenticeship tips

Samantha Kemp, partner at Trinity Accountants in Westwood Heath, Coventry, offered her valuable insights at the Accounts Induction to new apprentices regarding her career path, progression and success.

CWT Chamber Training have recruited record numbers of Accountancy Apprentices this year throughout Coventry and Warwickshire, ready to embark upon their careers in Accounting

CWT provides a fantastic opportunity for budding accountants, offering a high quality learning experience for Apprentices, while simultaneously delivering an enriched programme with real business benefits for learners and employers alike

One of the ways in which CWT achieve this is to offer guest speaker sessions by successful local employers who are experts in their field to inspire and motivate the young apprentices

As an apprenticeship employer and ex apprentice herself, Samantha knows the importance in supporting young learners throughout their qualifications, enabling them to gain skills in the classroom that they can embed into the workplace Samantha is currently mentoring 6 accounting apprentices, varying from levels 2 4 through the AAT Certificate and Diploma, in order for them to become qualified accounting technicians

Feedback from the apprentices at induction highlighted what a highly valuable session Samantha delivered They couldn’t praise her highly enough By the end of her talk, all apprentices were keen to get started with their qualifications and begin their own career journey

CWT Chamber Training continues to recruit accountancy apprentices throughout the year, regularly interviewing quality candidates that may be ideal for your business.

For more information, please call 024 7623 1122

Company secures £5.8 million contract

Management short termism stockpiling tomorrow ’s problems

Research indicates that there is a clear correlation between employee engagement and high organisational productivity and performance across all sectors of the UK economy. However only one third of UK workers are engaged with their organisation, in fact the UK was ranked last for engagement levels in a survey of six of the world’s largest economies (Kenexa 2012). To clarify, the word “engagement” in this context refers to an employee’s willingness to exert “discretionary effort”

Research just released by the Chartered Management Institute s (CMI) and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Management discovered that managers and leaders are lacking the soft skills to handle intricate management situations and sensitive staff conversations The consensus of his research and employee survey organisations such as Kenexa, Aon Hewitt and Towers Watson leaves little doubt that employee engagement impacts positively on moral, absenteeism, stress, innovation, retention, motivation, involvement and advocacy

The CMI s report cites short term gain, hierarchies and training famine as some of the reasons why businesses are sowing the seeds of disaster by failing to plan for the future The report claims that short termism is simply stockpiling tomorrow s problems Old fashioned pyramid structures inhibit ideas from all areas of the business and there is a reluctance to invest in management training which leads to reducing skills and a negative impact on employee engagement

Percentage

Ultimately the research forewarns that a lack of leadership skills will hold back growth, this argument is very compelling based on all the evidence The CMI Commission believes we are faced with a ticking time bomb of myopic management with widespread under investment in the next generation of leaders

It would seem that business leaders are just ‘Talking the Talk’, agreeing that a happy workforce is more productive but it seems few are treating it as an integral part of improving the way they do business The recent recession is possible reason why leadership skills have been overlooked over recent years, the perception that Bigger issues must be attended to first

So what can managers and leaders do to improve their employee engagement and ultimately their bottom line? They can:

1 Adopt a flatter management structure as this give far more employee engagement

A

Deeley Construction has won the tender to transform Pershore College, part of the Warwickshire College Group, to include a new 18,500 sq ft glass complex which will house a new science and technology centre, a collections house, teaching rooms and project spaces and extensive research and development facilities

The development was given the green light earlier this year and Deeley Construction will start work in October Work is expected to take just under a year to complete Martin Gallagher, managing director of Deeley Construction, said it was a major contract to win He said: We were thrilled to be awarded the contract for Pershore College following the tender process

“Although the development itself is outside of the Warwickshire area, it is part of Warwickshire College and we are delighted that they have opted for Deeley Construction as a local contractor on the project

“It s a very exciting project from a technical point of view too so it was one we are very much looking forward to getting underway

“The rest of the college will remain open while we undertake the work but we are experienced in working on projects where we work quickly and effectively but with minimal disruption

The new development will ensure Pershore College remains at the forefront of the horticulture industry and allow it to develop a centre of excellence in food production

It will allow students to learn using leading edge facilities, in collaboration with employers and partners, using the latest technology

The Skills Funding Agency has helped to fund the project

Tamsin Jones, Principal at Pershore College, said: “We’re delighted to have appointed Deeley Construction to construct our stunning new building, and look forward to welcoming them on site at Pershore

“Our students and staff are really excited about the new facilities which will ensure we remain at the forefront of the horticulture industry in the UK

2 Invest in leadership and management development to:

• Empower leadership so they are able to deliver a strategic narration that all staff can understand

• Provide focus and clarity for employees

3 Be consistent with company ’ s core values that are displayed on the office/factory walls ( Do as I say Not do as I do can speedily destroy staff engagement)

4 Ensure employees have a voice, at all levels and across all departments

5 Introduce surveys with key performance indicators for visibility of the happiness and engagement measures

6 Provide leadership skills for managers and leaders to empower them to use their insight and intuition in exercising their discretion on people matters

As business strategy adapts to the new growing economy it can either skill up or carry on regardless However research suggests that those who fail to cultivate an employment engagement culture are likely to be the losers along with the company ’ s bottom line

Written by Neil Liddell of Sandler Training Providers of Management and Sales training.

T: 0845 0573563 M: 07547 227442 E: nliddell@sandler com

W: www central sandler com

of employees who do not trust their managers

Proportion of employers who think a lack of leadership and management skills are holding back growth

Proportion of employers who provide management training

Coventry construction company has reaped a £5 8million design and build contract to create a horticulture development on behalf of a Midlands College

An artist’s impression ofthe new £5 8million Pershore College building

“The new development will ensure Pershore College remains at the forefront of the horticulture industry and allow it to develop a centre of excellence in food production.”

Businesses receive support to open up international markets

Companies from Coventry and Warwickshire from construction to clothing manufacturers are taking their goods and services to more and more overseas markets, with the support of the Chamber.

The chamber held an international trade breakfast to highlight the successes of three local companies on the global stage and to encourage more firms to export

The Government wants to double overseas sales by 2020 in order to reach the £1trillion in export sales milestone

John Nollett, the head of the Chamber’s international trade forum, said that Coventry and Warwickshire through the work of the UKTI team based at the Chamber s International Trade Hub was punching above its weight when it comes to exports

But, he said, there are still a world of opportunities for companies from the area to take advantage of

John said: “In UKTI, we have a presence around the world and through the work of the team based at the Chamber, companies from Coventry and Warwickshire have access to that

“And Coventry and Warwickshire is performing extremely well when it comes to exporting because we have the right people in place to help us to do that

“It’s vital that firms realise the benefits of exporting and that they make the most of this fantastic service that is available to them

Ruth Waugh, the international business development director for Rugby based Twintec Flooring, said support from the Chamber’s UKTI team meant it was now trading in 22 countries from Thailand to Saudi Arabia

The company, which lays ‘jointless’ concrete floors for new buildings, employs 350 staff and turns over £220million

Ruth said: Over the years, we have tapped into the support from UKTI and it has helped us to grow our business overseas We saw the construction industry was taking a wobble a few years ago in this country and we knew we had to look abroad to grow

The way we operate differs from country to country In some, we take all of our staff and plant over and then bring it all back again once the job is complete In others, like South Africa, we ’ ve opened a branch “UKTI s support has been tailored to each country too In some, we ’ ve taken an OMIS report which gives you a list of all the key contacts in your trade to help you carry out research

“In other markets, they have helped us to carry out our own market research and we ’ ve also had support in the market through the local UKTI teams who have linked us through to the British Chambers of Commerce

“It s been a great help just to be able to filter everything through Brian Mountford, our adviser, so he can give his view on what we are doing I’d urge businesses to make full use of the service it s certainly brought us great benefits ”

Imran Hassan, co founder of Rugby based children’s clothing brand Lilly & Sid which only launched in 2009, said the return on investment for the service was phenomenal

He said: “I really just want to show other businesses that if someone like me can export, then anyone can!

“The support is there When we commissioned our first OMIS report, my first instinct was that this was a lot of money for a small business to be spending

“Within three months of that report we were in every Harvey Nicholls store in South Korea so the return was huge We had a similar report into Hong Kong and, again, we are in the Harvey Nicholls there too

Like every business person, I am reticent to spend any money but the return on investment is phenomenal Not only that but having someone there to mentor you through and bounce ideas off really helps

“Of course the product is everything and we are certainly helped by the fact that there is a real interest in British brands overseas we maybe underestimate that as a country

And we ’ ve recently internationalised’ our website We commissioned an Export Communication Review from UKTI to guide our approach and, within a month of going live, we’d generated £20,000 worth of sales in Germany ”

Ciaran Convey, chief executive of Warwick company Areal a supplier of construction equipment, is proving to be a hit in Latin America

He said: Personal contact is vital when trading overseas It’s important to go out to the market and meet your clients face to face as there has to be an equality of trust so you can nip any issues in the bud

“We ve travelled to countries with UKTI and used their local expertise in places like Mexico, Chile, Panama and Ecuador It makes a real difference ”

Pictured(leftto right): Imran Hassan, Ciaran Convey, John Nollett, Parminder Hayer, RuthShaw andBrian Mountford

“We commissioned an Export Communication Review from UKTI to guide our approach and, within a month of going live, we’d generated £20,000 worth of sales in Germany.”

The MINT economies

Export opportunities in the next high growth markets

19th November 2014

Do you want to know more about tomorrow’s big growth markets? Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey offer a breadth of opportunity for businesses small and large... so come along to this free event being organised by UK Trade and Investment

Over the past decade we have heard about the BRIC nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China and their position as the top four growing economies in the world Jim O Neill, the economist behind the term BRICs, is now championing the

MINTs (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) as the second generation of emerging market ‘ pacesetters The MINT countries have a few key themes in common: young populations, useful geographic placement, and (Turkey excepted) they are commodity producers

These characteristics echo those that made their BRIC predecessors so successful and for this reason it is important that British businesses are quick off the mark, to ensure that they are strategically positioned to get an equal share of the market opportunities

The event will incorporating seminars, networking opportunities, one to one meetings and a mini exhibition You will also meet with UK Trade & Investment market experts that can help to guide you on your export journey and companies just like yours who have succeeded in these emerging markets

For further information or to register contact Patrick McCarron T: 0121 607 1751 E: p mccarron@uktiwm co uk or visit www mintpowerhouses eventbrite co uk

Supported Market visit to India

Experience India first hand with expert advice and assistance from UKTI and the Chambers of Commerce for Coventry & Warwickshire and Birmingham & Solihull

At times viewed as a complex and challenging market, India is not one to be ignored by UK companies looking to expand or seek international business

The second fastest growing economy after China, India has significant prospects for UK companies

Business opportunities are no longer concentrated in the traditional economic heartlands of Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, they have now expanded to the emerging cities of Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Pune and Jaipur to name but a few The visit coincides with the highly successful international automotive tradeshow ACMA Automechanika

The visit programme is totally flexible and can include this show or delegates may wish to follow their own agenda

Visit highlights:

• expert advice from UKTI staff based in India

• tailored introductions to key contacts within your sector

• financial support towards the visit (where eligible)

• excellent networking opportunities with the support of the British High Commission and local SMEs

• advice from an International Trade Adviser pre and post visit

• experienced in market visit manager for the entire programme

Closing date for applications: 14 November 2014

Asia Pacific Life Science Clinics 2014

Find out how your business could sell in dynamic, high growth markets, in a region which is rapidly increasing its presence in the global marketplace

Join UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) for an export clinic designed to connect companies in the life science sectors: biotechnology, healthcare, medical devices and support industry / technology, with international business opportunities.

Meet 12 commercial officers from Asia Pacific British embassies and life science specialists, in a unique opportunity that offers attendees up to 6 individual meetings

The clinic will put you face to face with international trade advisers, country experts, multipliers and intermediaries from across the West Midlands With a wealth of experience helping UK exporters to build contacts, carry out market research and meet key decision makers overseas, our advisers are wellplaced to offer tailored guidance

Suitable for both SMEs just starting out on their export journey, and experienced exporters looking for new markets for their product or service, the clinic is an effective platform for export success

Gauge the market for your business, explore opportunities for expansion and discuss next steps Please note that 1 2 1 s will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so please register as soon as possible to secure your place

Trade specialists from the following markets will be present:

“

The second fastest growing economy after China, India has significant prospects for UK companies. ”

“ Meet with UK Trade & Investment market experts that can help to guide you on your export journey and companies just like yours who have succeeded in these emerging markets.”

Women-led businesses encouraged to embrace international trade

Women led businesses in the West Midlands are being encouraged by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to come along to an event to find out more about opportunities to export.

Women are still greatly under represented in the top roles in UK business According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) small business survey 2012, just 18% of businesses are women led, around 860,000 SMEs If women led businesses grew and exported at the same rate as the average for all small businesses employers, Britain could have up to 10,000 more exporters This represents a massive untapped resource

The sectors attracting the biggest increases in women led businesses are transport, retail and distribution While these areas are important to the West Midlands, it is manufacturing which is driving the regional economy forward So what is stopping women starting their own businesses?

Research done by the Federation of Small Businesses show that more female entrepreneurship could be encouraged by promoting alternative sources of financing, more mentoring, facilitated networking and promoting female business role models

That’s why UKTI in association with RBS is hosting its third, highly successful, women led business exporting event on Thursday, 13 November ‘Expand your horizons’ is being held from 3pm 7 30pm, including refreshments and networking opportunities, at Austin Court, Birmingham, B1 2NP

To find out if UKTI can help your business expand overseas call: 44(0) 345 2220159

Follow UKTI West Midlands on Twitter @wm ukti

Fast track to export success

The ExploreExport roadshow will be at the ICC, Birmingham on Wednesday, 12 November The event offers local firms pre bookable, one to one meetings with up to four of their chosen market specialists

Set to be the biggest of its kind in the country, the West Midlands ExploreExport event also offers firms a range of other opportunities, including:

• UKTI adviser hub: drop in clinic where firms can speak to local UKTI advisers

Other events during Export Week include: a mid sized business event; a women led business event; a start up event for young entrepreneurs; and an event focusing on the opportunities presented by the next powerhouses of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey (MINT) All the events during Export Week are free, except the ExploreExport event which costs £50 plus VAT

Firms across the West Midlands are being urged to get on the fast track to success by joining UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) as it brings the world to the region for its sixth Export Week (10 14 November)

Organised by UKTI in conjunction with partners and business organisations, Export Week aims to encourage companies to take up the export challenge and highlight the wealth of support and knowledge available to help them grow

Previous Export Weeks have seen more than 17,000 companies across the UK attend events UKTI s flagship ExploreExport roadshow will be touring the country bringing a total of 130 UKTI Commercial Officers and British Chamber of Commerce representatives from 80 countries to share their expertise with local firms

• Exhibition zone: visitors will be able to engage with up to 40 organisations who will be on hand to offer advice and support on a range of subjects including: access to finance; law and regulation; Intellectual Property; logistics; overcoming language and cultural differences; translation services; international marketing; and generating leads overseas

• Market lounge: opportunity for networking and informal talks with experts from some of the region s biggest export markets

• Seminars: a programme of short seminars tackling the most common barriers to exporting, and offering solutions

Export Week (10-14 November) will feature a range of events across the region, including:

• Taking on Brazil – Business Workshop

Monday, 10 November

Birmingham Science Park, Faraday Wharf, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4BB Time: 08:30 16:00

• Overseas Business Opportunities Workshop

Monday, 10 November

Birmingham Science Park, Faraday Wharf, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4BB Time: 09:00 16:00

• Metnet (Marches Environmental Technologies Network) Conference 2014

Tuesday, 11 November

Ludlow Racecourse, nr Bromfield SY8 2BT Time: 09 30 15 30pm

NB only environmental companies or businesses looking to diversify into these areas based in the Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire areas can attend

• Web Optimisation & Social Media Marketing Workshop

Tuesday, 11 November

De Vere Colmore Gate, 2 6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Time: 09:00 16:00

• Emerging Europe

Paul Noon, UKTI West Midlands Regional Director said: “Export Week is an ideal opportunity for firms from across the region to find out more about international trade and the range of support that’s available to help them achieve their exporting ambitions

“Evidence shows that exporters do better with UKTI’s help So far this year, nearly £174 million worth of business wins have been recorded by West Midlands firms assisted by UKTI If you feel your company could benefit from growth whether you re new to exporting, or want to build on existing exports come along to one of the events and speak to us We can help you find the right market and prevent costly mistakes, we can put you in touch with contacts in your chosen market, as well as provide a whole range of other services that will boost your chances of success ”

Partners supporting Export Week include UK Export Finance, ACCA, RBS, Birmingham City University, Staffordshire Council and the European Enterprise Network

Tuesday, 11 November

Coventry (location tbc) Time: 08:30 11:00 (followed by networking)

• Explore Export

Wednesday, 12 November

The ICC, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EA Time: 08:30 16:00

• Women led business: Expand your horizons

Thursday, 13 November

IET Birmingham: Austin Court, 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2NP Time: 15:00 19:30

• Start-up global, Thinktank

Friday, 14 November

Millennium Point, Curzon St, Birmingham, B4 7XG Time: 09:30 15:30

• Staffordshire Export Support

Friday, 14 November

Drayton Manor Hotel, Drayton Manor Theme Park, Drayton Manor Drive, Tamworth B78 3TW

• MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey): The next powerhouses

Wednesday, 19 November

The Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Foleshill, Coventry CV6 6GE Time: 09:30 14:30

“

Evidence shows that exporters do better with UKTI’s help. So far this year, nearly £174 million worth of business wins have been recorded by West Midlands firms assisted by UKTI.”

Thousands of reasons to celebrate

The foundation, one of 48 across the UK, receives money from a variety of organisations, including many local businesses who want their donations to remain local and make a difference to communities where they are based

And in the past 12 months the foundation awarded £519,353 through 160 grants and started working across a wider geographical area

The figures were revealed at Foundation Live, which showcased some of the groups which were funded ranging from Theatre Absolute, Positive Youth Foundation, Solihull Action for Advocacy and Unlock the Music

Tina Costello, director of the Heart of England Community Foundation, said the organisation continued to prosper while others were struggling

balls to local solicitors running the London Marathon or undertaking the gruelling Wolf Run money has been raised in so many ways

“In the last year we secured the £2million European Social Fund Programme and are now successfully delivering Community Grants across the West Midlands, working with sister foundations in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire

We are well on the way to meeting our target for our Endowment Fund and we now have more than £4million generating money which we can distribute Foundation Live gives those who help us in our fundraising see first hand where the money is going and just how much it means to the groups which receive it

Why move to Microsoft Office 365

The Heart of England Community Foundation, which gives grants to support community projects across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull, has carried out its first full impact study which has revealed its grants helped 83,692 people last year

There are 48 community foundations across the UK, a small number of community foundations have sadly closed their doors and others have merged with neighbouring foundations to aid their sustainability,” she told the 100 guests

“But I have to say that we have had a very good year We are now, in many ways, the charity of choice for local businesses, from golf days, urban crazy golf nights, charity

The event was held the UK headquarters of Peugeot, which gives the foundation office accommodation

Paul Belfield, chair of the trustees, said: “The staff at the Foundation work tirelessly to ensure that every fund raising avenue is used, and that money goes to really worthwhile causes and truly benefits their local communities

Chamber helps company make the move

“Realistically, it would probably have taken us another year to have re located so we are extremely fortunate to have met the criteria to receive the assistance and funding

Compressortech has made a £1 2 million move to the Budbrooke Industrial Estate in Budbrooke Road after receiving £148,000 from the government’s Growing Places scheme which was approved by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP)

The company, established 32 years ago, moved from its 7,500 sq ft premises in Bordesley Green to a new 11,500 sq ft unit which includes a workshop, research and design studio, warehouse, training centre and sales office

Fourteen new jobs for a sales manager, production and purchasing manager, assemblers, research and design experts and warehouse staff have also been created by the Growing Places funding

The firm has also received support and guidance from Helena Bassett and the experienced team at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

Jim McClean, managing director of Compressortech, said the business has grown from four employees to 18 members of staff because of the government grant

He said: “We wanted to find suitable premises which were of the right size, had a great location and had plenty of parking which Budbrooke Industrial Estate has provided

“All our suppliers and customers have found the move beneficial because logistics are key The new facility will allow us to meet customers demands and requirements and invite additional customers to work with us long term

“When we moved to Warwick, we contacted the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to find out the kind of support available for SMEs

We would have struggled to fund the cost of the whole move without the Growing Places funding and although we would have done it, it would not have been as swift without the support we received

“Being able to draw up a business plan with the Chamber’s help has meant we are now much more organised as a business and the business has moved forward

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, CWLEP board director and leader of Warwickshire County Council, said re manufacturing automotive air conditioning compressors highlighted Compressortech s green credentials

She said: It is more environmentally friendly and cost effective for Compressortech to produce the equivalent of new air conditioning compressors in appearance, quality and finish for its customers and the finished products are very impressive

Growing Places was set up to provide grants to companies such as Compressortech to grow the economy and boost jobs which they have certainly achieved by more than quadrupling their workforce

Angela Tellyn, partnership manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said support from the Chamber and the CWLEP has helped the company move to Warwickshire

She added: Our team of business advisors are here to provide expert advice and information to companies however large or small and that support includes help with grant applications which is exactly what we did with Jim and his team at Compressortech

“Applying for grants can be daunting if you have never done it before but organisations such as the Chamber and the CWLEP can provide assistance when stepping into unknown territory ”

A new unsecured business loan for the construction industry

The ‘Unsecured Tradesman Loan’ has been launched by CWRT in response to the recent KPMG report on the difficulty that the construction industry faces in raising finance from their bank.

Funded by the government and the European Regional Development Fund, the ‘Unsecured Tradesman Loan’ offers local businesses:

• loans from £10,000 to £15,000

• loans which can be used for most purposes including working capital, purchase of equipment, recruitment of staff, specialised training courses

• loan terms of one to three years

• no administration fees

• no early termination fees

• fixed interest rates of between 11 5% to 16 5% (reflecting level of risk)

• a rebate equivalent to a 1% reduction in the interest rate if payments are made on time

Mike Musson, Chief Executive of CWRT, said: “CWRT is always striving to see how it can support Coventry & Warwickshire businesses Too many local businesses are compelled to use their credit cards or other high cost forms of finance Unlike most high street banks our lending is not credit scored by a computer but is based upon a viable business plan, cash flow projections and personal contact Our application process is simple and straightforward

Because the amount of loan funding available is limited and has to be used up by December 2014, loans will be offered on a first come, first served basis For more information, call CWRT’s team on 02476 551 777 or email us at enquiries@cwrt.uk.com

Zenzero are helping Warwickshire businesses move their IT systems to the cloud The process is made easier by Microsoft s Office 365 platform which brings together various productivity tools, from e mail to Web Apps to communications services Office 365 makes it easy and cost effective to move into the cloud without giving up the familiar feel of Office applications

There are many technical benefits customers enjoy from moving to an enterprise cloud platform such as improved Security, Reliability, Compliance and Compatibility However putting the technical benefits to one side, some of the biggest reasons why customers like Office 365, and are moving more data to the cloud is to gain a business advantage with lower costs and improved user productivity

Lower Costs: Knowing what your IT costs are, and being able to accurately budget is really important for any business In a dynamic growing business you need to know how costs will change as you grow Paying for services on a per user per month basis allows you to scale up and down IT services when needed, without worrying if further investment in infrastructure is needed You pay only for the services that you use

Productivity: Having your IT systems available on any device in any location allows users to work from wherever and whenever they need to (provided they have a connection to the internet) ensuring that your team can meet the needs of today’s ever more demanding customers If a PC fails, if your staff get stuck at home because of bad weather or you need to work from a customer’s office, they can still connect to their data just as if you were sat at their desk

Contact Zenzero for more information on moving to the cloud visit; www zenzero co uk/office365

The largest charitable grant making organisation in Coventry and Warwickshire had more than 83,000 reasons to celebrate a record year

Zenzero Solutions are a Microsoft Gold partner, based on the Warwick Technology Park

PaulBelfield(Handelsbanken), Tina Costello (HeartofEnglandCF), Steve Fahey (PRManager atPeugeotCitroen)

The only UK company to re manufacture air conditioning compressors for the automotive industry has moved to larger premises in Warwick and taken on extra staff after receiving support from a national funding initiative

Brethertons’ Partner announced as one of top five non-lawyers in the country

Brethertons has announced that the practice’s HR Partner, Deborah Atkins, has been judged as one of the top non lawyers leading a UK law firm at the prestigious Modern Law Awards.

Deborah joined Brethertons in 2006 and was appointed as a Partner in 2011 one of the first HR professionals in the UK to take on this level of responsibility in a legal practice During this time, Brethertons employee headcount has increased from 125 to 268 She sits on the Management Team, the firm s core decision making body For a non lawyer in a law firm, this achievement certainly exemplifies her talent A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Deborah also leads the local Coventry & Warwickshire CIPD Group

Deborah is instrumental in maintaining Brethertons Investor in People Gold Status, which directly supports the firm’s five year vision and commitment to learning and career development of our people

The awards ceremony, held on 15 October 2014 at the Park Lane Hilton in London, was judged by a panel of high profile figures from a broad cross section of industries who were looking for evidence of entrepreneurship, market development, business management and best practice in the modern legal services arena Deborah made the shortlist of five, out of the 67 non lawyers in the country

Michael Dibben, Partner and previous CEO at Brethertons, said: Skilled and knowledgeable in her field, Deborah has a high attention to detail and is an excellent ambassador for Brethertons brand She s visionary and not afraid to look boldly into the future of our business Alongside her progressive, career driven approach, Deborah is also nurturing and approachable and we ’ re delighted she has been recognised in this way ”

Firm named in prestigious list

The leading legal survey has recommended Band Hatton Button as the leading and most diverse firm in Coventry

Band Hatton Button, on Warwick Road, has retained its position as one of the most reliable firms in the West Midlands after it was listed in eight categories in The Legal 500 a definitive guide to the capabilities of law firms across the UK

The company, which employs more than 70 staff, featured in more categories than any other firm in the city, underlining its reputation for delivering excellent standards of service

In this year ’ s listings, the company was recognised for its work in commercial property, corporate commercial, commercial litigation, charities, personal tax, trusts and probate, education, debt recovery and family

Band Hatton Button’s work in commercial litigation was also singled out for praise having recently won a Court of Appeal restrictive covenant case involving multiple defendants Litigation partner Jonathan Wilby was also recommended Band Hatton Button was the highest ranked family firm in Coventry and is also the only firm in the city to feature in the commercial property, corporate commercial, charities and education sections

Mark Moseley, managing director at Band Hatton Button, said he was delighted that this year ’ s Legal 500 survey had once again yielded extremely positive results for the firm

We have once again retained our position as one of the most reliable and diverse firms in the region which is a fantastic achievement for us, ” he said

“It is the second year that we have been recognised in a record of eight categories which only helps to highlight the broad spectrum of expertise we are able to offer our clients

The Legal 500 lists the top law firms in the UK and to have gained this level of industry recognition is credit to the hard work and dedication of the whole team

We have a proud reputation for building a strong personal relationship between solicitor and client and are committed to delivering excellent standards of service in everything we do

“The latest rankings recognise what we set out to achieve as a firm and act as a great springboard for the company to further develop its services in the future ”

Brethertons scoops Outstanding Client Service Award

Brethertons’ Client Services team is celebrating once again after scooping the ‘Outstanding Client Service Award’ sponsored by Law League at this year’s prestigious 360 Legal Group Awards

It is the eighth year that 360 Legal Group, which helps law firms across the UK manage and market their practices more successfully as businesses, has held the awards to find and recognise practices of all sizes for their achievements across the previous 12 months

Brethertons was acknowledged for fully embracing the SRA Code of Conduct and placing client care at the forefront of its operations with an emphasis on treating clients fairly and providing them with the best possible information at all times

Alison McCormack, Partner and Head of Client Services at Brethertons accepted the award at the glittering gala dinner, which took place at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire

She said: We are delighted our journey to become an outstanding customer centric legal services provider is being recognised and endorsed in this way

We are extremely proud that we offer the highest possible standard of care in the most efficient way to our clients

and adding commercial value to

The firm was also commended for engaging with its clients in a manner which seeks to build long lasting relationships with

Help to Buy Scheme: Some important points to consider

First time buyers are now being offered assistance getting onto the property ladder. The government is offering first time buyers an additional loan to help them bridge the gap between the levels of mortgages they are offered and the sale price of a property Peter Iwaniszewski, the Managing Director at Coventry based Embrace Property, has sourced more than 100 properties for himself and other investors since 2008

He has stated that the scheme will mean a first time buyer now only needs a deposit

of 5%, as seen on the government website The government will then offer a loan of up to 20% of the property s value This however could also affect the interest rate that is offered, which is why the scheme should not be taken without careful consideration

Whilst people are keen to get onto the housing ladder Peter believes it is important that the level of commitment they sign up to is realistic The excitement of owning your own home (which is affordable at these historically low interest rates) can be very appealing However, first

time buyers should also question whether the property is affordable if banks increased their rates by 1% or 2%? And would a drop in income seriously jeopardize the property purchase? This is when sound financial advice is important, and we would recommend speaking to a qualified financial advisor about this

Currently, the Bank of England voted in their Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to continue to keep their rates on hold at a low 0 5% Although, during the bank s MPC it is now predicted that opinions are now

This award serves as proof of how far we have come in achieving this and how we mean to go on in the future ”

moving closer towards raising interest rates Therefore it is important to think about your personal situation moving

There are things that first time buyers can do to help if needed They could take in a lodger to rent a room if they want, as you are allowed a £4,250 rent a room allowance on top of your personal allowance, before paying any tax This could be one option, but then buyers would have to understand they would not be living in their house alone which is obviously not for everybody

forward

“It is the second year that we have been recognised in a record of eight categories which only helps to highlight the broad spectrum of expertise we are able to offer our clients. ”

“We are delighted our journey to become an outstanding customercentric legal services provider is being recognised and endorsed in this way.”

them

their businesses

Awards Hat-Trick for Finance Firm

Leading Midlands accountants and business advisers, Burgis & Bullock, are celebrating triple award success for their tax and corporate finance teams

The firm was recently voted “West Midlands Corporate Finance Team of the Year” at the Acquisition International Finance Awards 2014

Now, the firm’s role advising the shareholders of Nuneaton based Ingleby Care Limited on the sale to Voyage Care Limited has been singled out with the deal

being a finalist for the prestigious SME Deal of the Year” at the Midlands Dealmaker Awards

Not to be outdone, the firm’s tax team secured the accolade of “Midlands Corporate Tax Firm of the Year at the 2014 International Tax Awards earlier this year

Wende Hubbard, managing partner, said: “These awards are nominated and voted by other accountants, corporate financiers, lawyers, bankers and venture capitalists

Recession end reinforces need to stay on top of capital pressures

As the UK moves out of recession, growing businesses are being reminded to keep on top of cash flow and their working capital requirements in order to capitalise on opportunities

That s the message from Midlands based finance experts Cranfield at a time when the UK has finally surpassed its pre 2008 financial crisis with GDP levels reaching £383 billion, according to a recent report from the Office for National Statistics

As growing businesses move out of the recession and fill their order books, they need to ensure that they have the resources in place to cope with growth and don’t end up overtrading

The answer, according to the Cranfield Group, is to have efficient management information systems, maintain an up to date cash flow forecast and agree payment terms with customers in advance of

contracts commencing Those growing firms that still find themselves running out of working capital are also being urged to seek alternative sources of finance before it s too late

Alan Jones, Director of Cranfield Business Finance, part of the Cranfield Group, explained: “It is not uncommon for businesses to grow more quickly than they can manage following a recession When the required resources for growth are not in place, businesses often find that working capital reduces and it s not uncommon for companies in this situation to dip into their VAT and PAYE payments in order to bridge the gap in funds

“It s also important for any rapidly growing business to review its existing credit control procedures and ensure that they have a sufficient cash flow facilities in place to support a period of growth

So it is great to have the hard work and success of our specialist teams recognised by fellow professionals, both locally and nationally ”

Burgis & Bullock has locations across Warwickshire and Leicestershire and an office in London The firm is a member of the TAG Alliances, one of the top three independent professional services alliances in the world with 15,000 finance and legal experts in more than 90 countries

RBS partners with Taulia to offer dynamic discounting

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has partnered with Taulia to be one of the first banks to offer its corporate clients dynamic discounting with e invoicing

Buyers will be able to offer early payments to their suppliers, who would have invoiced them electronically, in exchange for a discount the rate of which is calculated dynamically

The earlier the payment to the supplier the greater the discount will be to the buyer By taking paper out of the process through e invoicing, this speeds up the transaction time, facilitating early payment and creating cost efficiencies for both the buyer and supplier

Dynamic discounting with e invoicing therefore aims to improve the working capital needs of the supplier while also helping the buyer make better use of their cash

Jon Keating, Taulia s European managing director, said: This new partnership builds on our recent financial announcement for the second quarter of this year which highlighted more than 350% growth in comparison to the same quarter in 2013, and clearly demonstrates the strength of our offering and its value to the UK and wider EMEA market ”

Inheritance tax matters

not quite the ‘voluntary’ tax it was once considered

Currently Inheritance Tax is charged at 40% and becomes payable, if on death, the taxable value of an estate is above the current £325,000 threshold (frozen until the tax year 2017 18 )

A person s estate is be made up of assets including property, possessions, money, investments and sometimes life insurance policies if not written in an appropriate trust

There are a number of reliefs and exemptions available, some of which are listed below:

• If you leave assets to a spouse or registered civil partner

• Gifts made to qualifying Charities

• The person the estate belongs to survives seven years after making a gift to someone

• Up to £3,000 can be given away each year either as a single gift or multiple gifts by utilizing the annual exemption

• Gifts out of surplus income can be immediately exempt

• Gifts up to £250 to multiple individuals known as the small gift exemption

• Gifts to someone getting married or registering a civil partnership

• If the deceased owned a business, woodland, or national heritage property

It is therefore essential that careful planning is put in place to protect a person s wealth from a potential Inheritance Tax liability

Effective estate planning is about getting the right balance between maintaining access to your money when you need it and saving tax This is because, in general, the more tax efficient a solution is, the less access you have to your assets Safeguarding your own financial future is very important, and giving too much away could put this at risk

Prime Wealth Planning have a number of strategies which seek to mitigate some or all of the IHT liability, for more information or to request a meeting to discuss your circumstances please contact Glen Callow on 024 7651 8552

Prime Wealth Planning Limited is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Registered Office:

5 Argosy Court, Scimitar Way, Whitley Business Park, Coventry, CV3GA

Registered in England and Wales No 08003140

A list of Directors is available at the Registered Office

Inheritance tax planning and tax planning generally is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future

“As growing businesses move out of the recession and fill their order books, they need to ensure that they have the resources in place to cope with growth and don’t end up overtrading.”

“It is great to have the hard work and success of our specialist teams recognised by fellow professionals, both locally and nationally.”

Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have helped set out a new manifesto for growth ahead of the General Election in 2015

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has been working with colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) to set out business priorities to ensure that the improvement in the economy continues

The Chamber has set out seven key business priorities which it feels can help deliver a range of aspirations for the country, which will bring additional economic benefits to the region

Those aspirations include having the lowest rate of youth unemployment in Europe by 2020 and fastest GDP growth rate in the G7 over the lifetime of the next Parliament

Angela Tellyn, partnership manager at the Chamber who leads the organisation’s policy work, said: There is no doubt that the economy is improving and that companies across Coventry and Warwickshire are, in the main, much more buoyant than they have been at any other time over the past six or seven years

Businesses offer advice

A small group of business people from across Coventry and Warwickshire have given the Bank of England their view on the current economic climate.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce invites a handful of companies to meet Graeme Chaplin, the regional representative of the Bank, every six months in order to help gauge the economic fortunes in the area

Angela Tellyn, partnership manager of the Chamber, said: The panel offers businesses an opportunity to give an honest assessment of theway they see the current climate and how that may shift in the next six to 12months

It’s good for theBank ofEngland to hear from companies acrossCoventry and Warwickshire as well as other regions across the country in order to get a balanced view of the way the economy is performing and what factors may affect that

There is no doubt the economy is much better placed than it was 18 months to two years ago but this certainly not the time for complacency ”

But the message from the Chamber here in Coventry and Warwickshire and at national level is that there is absolutely no room for complacency That is why we have worked with the BCC to put together this manifesto for all of the political parties ahead of next year ’ s election

We didn t want to leave it until any closer to the election because we want politicians to see the views of businesses and very much take them on board when setting out their own manifestos

Preparing young people for work and investing in skills, as well as supporting

those currently in work through a new childcare contribution scheme

Growing exports to help reach £1trillion of sales by 2020 is also a key priority including a new fast track passport issue scheme for exporters to help businesses respond to opportunities quickly

Improvements to infrastructure are already taking place across Coventry and Warwickshire but the Chamber wants a further commitment from parties to ensure that Britain’s infrastructure as a whole reaches world class standards

‘Growth a key issue for election’ Jobless total drops

A further fall in unemployment across Coventry and Warwickshire has been welcomed by the Chamber

In Coventry, the figure dropped from 6,263 down to 5,953 and in Warwickshire unemployment fell from 4,469 to 4,135

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Another drop in the unemployment figure across the city and county is very welcome news

In our most recent quarterly economic survey, companies across the region presented a very positive outlook including taking on new staff and that is bearing out in the unemployment figures

The view of most commentators is that unemployment never actually rose as high as many forecast at the height of recession

and, equally, very few predicted this rate of fall into the recovery

We cannot, however, become complacent When you hear all of the political parties speak ahead of the next General Election, it is clear that further public sector cuts are going to be made “Therefore, it s vital that every effort is made to set the right conditions for businesses to be able to grow and take on new staff as well as training and upskilling the current workforce

That means rebalancing the economy

Cutting business costs including freezing business rates until 2017 is also in the Chamber s manifesto along with a commitment to review the whole business rates system ready for implementation by 2022

Supporting long term business investment as well as delivering a new settlement for UK in Europe are also high on the agenda

At a more regional level, the manifesto calls for businesses to be placed at the heart of local growth including a business ratepayers’ vote on local economic strategy, including a vote on proposed changes to business taxation

Angela said: This is a very fulsome manifesto and we are very pleased with the input we have had, which has been directed by our regular conversations with companies across the city and the county

Businesses don t expect Government to deliver growth but we expect it to put in place the right conditions to help foster growth and we believe that the proposals set out in the manifesto will help the ruling party or parties to achieve that in the next Parliament ”

must continue and remain a long term plan We need more exporters and we must continue to get the message out there regarding the support available to businesses who want to sell their goods and services overseas

The Chamber is here to help businesses of all sizes and sectors to reach their potential It’s important to recognise that growing the economy and creating new jobs is never a job that is complete It’s crucial that every effort is made to support job creation in everything from our smallest businesses to the largest ”

Confidence on the up

Business confidence is soaring in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The Chamber has just completed its latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for the third quarter of 2014 and the results show clear confidence among manufacturers and service sector companies

Of the firms surveyed, 83 per cent of service based businesses said they expected turnover to rise over the next 12 months while 94 per cent of manufacturers believe turnover will increase in the next year

When it comes to profitability, 76 per cent of both service sector companies and manufacturers are anticipating an increase

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: These are very positive figures from businesses ”

When it comes to employment, 44 per cent of manufacturers said they were expecting to grow their workforce over the next three months while 38 per cent of service providers want to take on new staff Manufacturers’ exporting prospects remain stronger than those in the service

sector with 57 per cent of manufacturers saying advanced overseas orders are up while only 15 per cent of the service industry could say the same

Louise added: “Exporting is absolutely key to future growth and our international trade hub at the Chamber is helping firms across Coventry and Warwickshire find new overseas market on a daily basis whether it s through export documentation or market visits

“This applies to service sector and manufacturing firms and we are keen to work with more and more companies to get them trading overseas

“There is no doubt that the economy is improving and that companies across Coventry and Warwickshire are, in the main, much more buoyant than they have been at any other time over the past six or seven years.

“The Chamber is here to help businesses of all sizes and sectors to reach their potential.”

Commercial property firm scoops the honours

It is the fourth time in the five year history of the award that ehB has won the individual competition in Warwickshire, and the firm has also won the agency award a record four times Mr Hain said: We have remained very busy over the last five years despite the economic situation, mainly because we handle all kinds of property large and small, coupled with great client

Optimism on back of show

Property and investment are tight knit industries and the evidence is that the success we have achieved in recent years both economically and in terms of attracting new investment has spread throughout those two sectors

care and service ”“We have successfully handled sales and lettings for all sorts of commercial property, from the single office and corner shop to large office blocks and extensive warehouses, he said “South Warwickshire s commercial property market is strong at the moment, as can be seen by the speed with which units are being snapped up For example, the firm is currently selling St George s Business Park on behalf of Kigass Ltd Pension Fund in Warwick Construction started recently, with 11 units up for sale and six are already reserved, ranging in size from 1,750 sq ft to 7,500 sq ft These are ideal for companies involved in design, manufacturing, engineering or warehousing “We have also been heavily involved on the £2 5 million Trident Park, the latest development on Tachbrook Park, where all 14 units are under offer with completion due imminently, less than a year after construction began, he said The latter development comprises light industrial and warehousing units built by Leamington firm AC Lloyd

Unique way to mark 50th anniversary

A Coventry based property and risk management company is celebrating 50 years in business by supporting a Paralympic cyclist on his journey to the Paralympic Games in Rio

The Wigley Group, which is based at Middlemarch Business Park in Coventry, is supporting Jaco van Gass an injured ex serviceman who is a member of the GB Paralympic development cycling team

Recent figures released by UK Trade and Investment revealed that Coventry and Warwickshire was the most successful area outside London in attracting inward investment

The city and county exhibited more opportunities at a major new property and investment show in London and experienced a really encouraging level of interest in the area

MIPIM UK was the first domestic version of the world s foremost commercial property show which is held in France every spring, and Coventry and Warwickshire were among the regions pushing for business

Les Ratcliffe, chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board which helps promote the area, said its reputation for recent success had clearly been broadcast “Not only was the footfall very strong and varied at the show, but there is no question that our positive reputation now goes before us, he said

People are aware that we have a very good offer and that we are achieving very tangible results That is down to the work of the CWLEP and the local authorities the private and public sectors working together in presenting a positive and coherent message that this is a place where you can do business

“A string of high level announcements, the success of several of our key companies and the accolades recently won by our two universities add up to a very clear picture of an area with massive potential

Cities minister Greg Clark visited the stand to see the Coventry and Warwickshire offer just weeks after signing off a Government Growth Deal which could lead to around £100 million of investment

Coventry Councillor Kevin Maton, cabinet member for Business, Enterprise and Employment and a LEP board member, said: At the show we were able to highlight the dynamism and drive of Coventry and Warwickshire and the level of investment

“The combination of our location, environment and skilled workforce is a powerful hook for companies wishing to relocate or expand within the UK, or for those looking to move here from abroad

“I was impressed by the level of interest in our area and there is no doubt in my mind that Coventry and Warwickshire needs to strongly represented at events like this so we stand the best chance of securing future new investment right here

John Harmon, of Warwickshire County Council, said: While attracting good numbers is important, it is the quality which really counts and we were just struck by the wide variety of enquiries we had

Former care home goes on the market

uses, a residential property, hotel or guesthouse

The 150 year old property has, for the past half a century, been used as a residential care home for up to 18 people who find it difficult to live independently There are currently no residents, which has paved the way for the current owners to sell

It will be interesting to see the offers that come forward to decide what the future holds for this historic property ”

The main hall includes more than 12,000 sq ft of space with a basement; ground floor lounge, bar area, recreation room, dining room, kitchen and store; with 12 bedrooms, toilets, bathroom and two committee rooms

As part of the sponsorship, the firm will purchase a new bicycle for the athlete in the hope that it will help him to secure a spot in the GB Paralympic cycling team and compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Jaco Van Gass, who left the army after suffering severe injuries whilst serving in Afghanistan, now trains as part of the Paralympic development programme which aims to produce the next generation of Paralympic champions

The 27 year old has also completed a number of gruelling expeditions including becoming the first South African to climb Mt Manaslu the eighth tallest mountain in the Himalayas

As a brand ambassador for Essex based painting and decorating company The Roseville Group, Van Gass also receives regular funding and equipment to assist with his development and training

Jaco said: “I have always enjoyed cycling I first got into the sport as a youngster after sustaining a knee injury during a rugby match It was during rehab for the injury that I found cycling and fell in love with it

“Throughout my time in the army I totally forgot about the sport and it wasn’t until I started taking part in expeditions and trying to keep fit that I started cycling again

“I was inspired by the London 2012 games and tried out at the ‘Road to Rio’ Paralympic testing days which is when I was selected for the cycling development programme

We were one of the first teams to take part in the programme where we have been able to further develop our bike handling skills and take part in competitions in preparation for the games

Rob Wigley, managing director at the Wigley Group, added: “We first made contact with Jaco through the Afghan Trust which is our sponsored charity

A striking Georgian style property that was previously used as a care home in a village between Coventry and Rugby has been put on the market for a price in the region of £1 75million

The Hall, Priory Hill, in Wolston, is being sold along with its 8 52 acres of grounds through commercial property specialists Shortland Penn + Moore and could, with permission, be converted into, among other

A successful buyer would purchase the freehold with vacant possession

James Compton, of Shortland Penn + Moore, said: Opportunities like this are very rare

“This is a striking property and, with the vast, mature grounds, it presents a range of different propositions from a private dwelling to a hotel or conferences centre, maybe even a spa retreat although any change of use would require permission

There was also a large extension built in the late 1960s which provides an additional large theatre hall/conference room, bar area, kitchen with dry stores and additional WCs, with a separate access to the main building

There are also three bungalows, a lodge, stable block and other out buildings

For more information on The Hall, contact James Compton at Shortland Penn + Moore on 024 7717 0037 or email JamesCompton@spmcommercial.com

“He gave an enlightening speech during our annual golf day about the experiences and challenges he has faced throughout his journey and we wanted to help him score a place on the GB Paralympic cycling team

“It is really important that we inspire and invest in the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic stars and as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations we wanted to offer our support ”

Leamington commercial property consultants ehB Commercial have triumphed again in a national awards competition run by leading trade journal Estates Gazette, with director Simon Hain named as Warwickshire’s ‘Deal Maker of the Year’ and the firm judged runner up as the county’s ‘Most Active Agent of the Year’

ehBdirectors NickEvans (left)andSimon Hain

Leading business and property figures from Coventry and Warwickshire believe the area could continue its run of impressive results in attracting inward investment

already taking place Many other leading development areas of the UK were represented and it was important that we were flying the flag for our region

CllrKevinMaton PaulaDeas(CWLEP) MarcusJones MP, John Edwards(Jaguar LandRover), Les Ratcliffe (Coventry and Warwickshire Place Board), George Gillespie (MIRA)

The Generation Game

By Adam Dent

It is a natural instinct for the head of any second-generation business to wonder what their predecessors would have made of their progress. For Robert Wigley, that feeling is all the stronger as the company founded by his father celebrates its 50th anniversary.

But Robert is sure that his old man John would have been more than satisfied with the way things are shaping up

And The Wigley Group has been in more shapes than most, as it has evolved from its beginnings as an agricultural plant hire company to its present incarnation developing, owning, insuring and managing commercial property It owns several industrial estates mostly in Coventry and is currently creating a new trade park alongside the A444 in the north of the city It recently bought the

Aston Expressway Business Park in Birmingham, and has carved a niche by offering a wide range of property services

Robert is typical of many an offspring of the self employed, in that he learned the business from a very young age Younger than most

We had a farm in Barby and that's where I was born I was literally born in the business! My father had equipment which he began to hire out and from that grew a full plant hire business, he explains

Working Day

“It is safe to say that I do not have a typical day”, says Robert.

I am currently living in Leamington but have just bought a house out near Southam so will be moving there fairly soon

“I get into the office around 9am, depending on what the day promises James handles the day to day operations but I look at how our projects evolve and review our property holdings I will go out to see properties either ours or ones we might be interested in

Just as my start time might vary, it is the same at the other end of the day

The Wigley Group are big supporters of the Afghan Trust charity and regularly hold fundraising events, including a star studded annual golf day

“It is something we have become increasingly involved with I was taken to Headley Court and saw first hand the work that goes on there, and feel that we have a duty to help where we can

“Over a number of years he expanded into large plant, and started to undertake civil engineering jobs It was the days when the road network was expanding and he worked on large stretches of the M6 and other major road contracts around the wider Midlands

“I remember standing there with my grandfather checking in the lorries full of earth when they were building roads around Daventry

Wigley senior was not a man to sit still and he guided the company through many

incarnations before it moved into property

Entrepreneur was his middle name, explains Rob He was always looking for an angle, looking for the next opportunity and never resting He had the nerve to give it a go and to see it through, he had the courage of his conviction

"The opportunities were there in those days Today everything is regulated and tied down and maybe the entrepreneurial opportunities are not quite as obvious as they were in those days

“We are in a very good position and certainly are more structured than we have ever been. I think my dad would have loved to have seen what has happened. He would have seen the need to develop the structure and he certainly would have appreciated how we have embraced technology in the way we have”

"From plant hire, he moved into fabricating We made the tracks and the buckets for JCB and for Caterpillar in the old farm shed and that went on until the early 1970s, when he built a new factory in Barby as a fully fledged fabrication unit “From there he progressed into the manufacturing of prison and security fencing and the logical move was then into erecting it as well

He got himself on to the Home Office tendering list, one of only three firms to manage that For about a decade from the mid 70s to 80s that was the biggest part of the business but slowly the margins were squeezed and as things got tighter that's when really he started to look at property It was a move which was to steer the company down its current path The first foray was the purchase of Edgwick Park from Alfred Herbert, the world famous engineering company

At that stage Rob was working for a building firm and was a labourer on the small business units they created The nearby Godiva Trading Estate followed, created from a 500,000 sq ft building of Herbert s, and after winning planning consent, was sold on and later developed into the Gallagher Retail Park

Those successes prompted Wigley into buying many of the assets it still owns Relton Mews in Foleshill, Sandy Lane and Henley Road

Rob had joined the company and moved through its ranks, taking on more responsibility when his father moved from the area

"My dad spent most of his last years in Spain I used to speak to him a couple of days a week Terry Grant was then the managing director who had worked for us since the mid 60s but he died in 2005 and I was left at the helm at that stage

My dad was always actively involved and when I first took over he was the man I bounced my ideas off I think in business, certainly when you are first running a company, it is good to have someone to turn things by and I was lucky that my dad was that man He knew the business, I looked up to him and he had very good judgment he always seemed to give the right answer

"I used to speak to him a couple of times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes, often a social chat as much as anything, but on the

day he died we had a conversation for about 90 minutes and we went through almost every aspect of our business

"The conversation finished because he saw a gap on the first tee and wanted to nip out and play and he died from a heart attack walking off the course "

But if a cruel turn of fate left Rob as the sole driver of the business, a kinder twist was just around the corner

Gordon Davies had worked with dad since their teens and had been at his side all the way through He was ill and knew sadly had not got long left

“He mentioned that his son James was looking to change job he was working in farming at the time so he came on board and spent the last couple of months of his dad's life working here and learning about all the estates

I had known him from growing up and seen him during the school holidays but not really more than that But he stayed with us and things have worked out so well

James now handles the daily running of the firm and drove the restructuring of the group a few years ago, forming Wigley Commercial Services Ltd which delivers commercial property, commercial insurance and financial service products to give the group a full and complementary offer

It is strange how it has worked out My dad had Gordon at his side for all those years They were born a few months apart and died a few months apart, but now James and I work very closely together carrying the company forward "

It is still working close to its property origins, developing Vantage Park adjacent to the A444 Work on the four units has started and two have been let to national names, the adjacent Signal Box pub has been developed by Greene King and is trading well

Plans are in the final stages to market the Top Shop, another former Herbert s property behind the site, which Wigley developed for the Post Office as its north Coventry hub a few years ago As that was developed, Wigley also sold a plot on the corner of Foleshill Road to Lidl

And to cap the 50th anniversary, Wigley Group moved to a new headquarters at the Cobalt Centre on the Middlemarch Business Park

We are in a very good position and certainly are more structured than we have ever been I think my dad would have loved to have seen what has happened He would have seen the need to develop the structure and he certainly would have appreciated how we have embraced technology in the way we have

“We have kept moving forward, I think he would have approved and he would be very pleased to see James helping to carry on what he created working with Gordon

He was a good yardstick and I still find myself sub consciously asking what he would do in certain situations, so that fact that he would be happy with the way things are progressing does matter "

Biography:

Robert Wigley

Date of birth: 28/10/60

Place of Birth: Rugby Education: Princethorpe College

Married: Divorced

Children: Katie (21) Jonathan (20)

Hobbies: I am a Manchester United season ticket holder and play snooker I also follow darts

I became friendly years ago with Steve Beaton and have watched him for years I was the best man at his wedding

Favourite book: I am a big reader of autobiographies and biographies so, for obvious reasons, I would choose Sir Alex Ferguson

Film: Any James Bond film featuring Roger Moore

Car: Mercedes CLS

Gadget: I would say iPad but it is now an essential

“My dad was always actively involved and when I first took over he was the man I bounced my ideas off. I think in business, certainly when you are first running a company, it is good to have someone to turn things by and I was lucky that my dad was that man. He knew the business, I looked up to him and he had very good judgment - he always seemed to give the right answer.”

How do we make sure young people are ready for work?

Business, education and civic leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have made a move to help solve one of the biggest issues facing industry and society.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is bringing together companies, councillors, schools and colleges, in a bid to help make sure young people are given the right tools at an early

age to help become the region s next generation of workforce Chamber president Peter Burns staged an event at Chamber House with Marcus Mason, of the British Chambers of Commerce, Coventry City Councillor David Kershaw, Cabinet Member (Education) and Derek Kozel, of Young Chamber, along with teachers and business leaders from the area

Mason presented new findings from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) that confirmed anecdotal local evidence as well as highlighting where businesses were willing to support schools and education in helping get youngsters more work ready He said that 76 per cent of companies blamed a lack of work experience for young people not being prepared for work

and that the majority of firms across the country felt that school leavers aren’t ready for work

But there is a thirst among companies to offer work experience with 62 per cent of companies who offer it saying they did so out of commitment to the local area and 60 per cent saying it would help prepare the future workforce

As part of its manifesto ahead of the next general election, the BCC has called for secondary schools to be assessed on employment outcomes, for all schools to have a business governor and to guarantee universal ‘experience of work’ in all schools

Peter Burns, the president of the Chamber, said: “We were delighted to welcome a diverse range of professionals from industry and education

Skills, education and ensuring young people are work ready are issues that have been talked about for many years but what I sensed from around the table was that there is no more time to lose me must act now

Marcus Mason gave us an excellent starting point for the debate and we had excellent initial contributions from David Kershaw, Derek Kozel and our chief executive, Louise Bennett, before we opened up the discussion

“We had contributions from more than 20 key figures and there is a real feeling that we all want to work together to solve this issue in Coventry and Warwickshire Some matters will be for central government but there are certainly issues that we can all help to rectify locally for the good of education, business and, most importantly, our young people

PaulCarvell, Doug Squires, Louise Bennett, Peter Burns, Marcus Mason, AmrikBhabra

The room in action

Marcus Mason (BCC):

“Part of the reason I was brought into the BCC was to develop the agenda around young people

“The most import thing for companies in terms of whether someone will be a good employee is previous work experience That s what the vast majority of firms tell us

“And, when it comes to young people, the main reason they feel they might not be prepared for work is lack of work experience So both parties feel that young people don t come out of the education ystem with adequate work experience

Councillor David Kershaw:

“People very often talk about NEETs those who are not in education, employment or training and the way for us to address that going forward is to ensure that 95 per cent of our young people leave school at 16,17 or 18 with grade C or above in GCSE English and Maths

With good teaching and good leadership, I believe we can achieve that We also need to work in partnership and it’s important that we link the Chamber and the rest of the business community with the education system

Louise Bennett (Chamber):

“We work with a lot of schools We have many secondary schools as members of the Chamber and they become members because they come for help That can be with getting business people on their board or for help with organising work experience

“So we are out there providing support for schools and they see great value in engaging with us

The jewel in our crown is CWT and not enough people know that they are the largest deliverer of apprenticeships in this locality that brings massive connectivity between young people, employers and ucation

Also, this Chamber has been involved with a transnational project called Youth Enterprise and Unemployment It s seen seven countries come together to look at the challenges of youth unemployment and the voices of young people are the same across Europe They tell us careers advice is awful and that they need more work experience

Derek Kozel (Young Chamber):

We are not a work placement scheme We are an organisation that gets to the hearts and minds of young people to make them more enterprising “We want our young people to come out of education with qualifications but also an understanding of what the world of work is all about It is business led and we have had engagement with a range of employers and great success across the whole of the UK

Iain Jamie (Staeger Clear Packaging):

“There is a problem with some young people around attitude and aspiration I’m also a governor at Whitley Academy and we have a problem on the other side of getting good work experience for our youngsters

Larry Coltman (Hill Hofstetter):

“I think it has to be made easier for businesses to er work experience If there needs to be a risk assessment, let’s do it once, not every time we are taking someone on work experience If education is facing cutbacks, how on earth is there the resource to send someone from a school to spend an hour with my manager whenever we have a young person on work experience?”

Baillie (Finham Park Academy):

I completely agree but that is what the legislation dictates

Paul Carvell (Stewart Fletcher Barrett):

“One bad experience with a work placement or young person can really put off a company I’ve got clients that are growing but, unfortunately, they are reticent to take on young trainees It s important for them to start re engaging ”

Lorna Fellowes (Triton Showers):

“One of our oblems when we try to engage young people is that we find that when they come to an interview, they are totally unaware of what is expected in the workplace They don’t know how to do a CV or how to act in an interview and even when you see a glimmer of hope, you can’t afford to take the chance So it s vital we make our young people aware of what is expected of them I ve offered our services to schools to explain what I, as an employer expect, but it has never been taken up

Peter Deeley (Deeley Group):

“We ve taken on young people on sites and I d have no hesitation doing it again whether they had the right CVs or not, I wouldn’t know but they had the right attitude and were good workers There has to be more effort in getting big employers to take on young people ”

Tracey Barker (Blue Arrow): “Sometimes work experience is too short and I actually think it’s better for young people to go to a company one day a week for a sustained period of time, rather than just for one week and hen it’s finished That’s been our experience ”

Sarah Bell (TNT):

As businesses, we don’t always understand our own employees and the stories they have to tell and the backgrounds they are from So there is a lot to be said in finding out more and then putting those types of role models in front of students

Lisa Rowles (Mira):

“The vast majority of internships or placement students we ’ ve had have been absolutely fantastic There have been one or two who simply didn t know the basics of what was expected from an employer so we actually put together a package of employability skills that our team can take out with them when they go to our education partners We actually realised that we pitched it too high at first and that we had to go back to basics

Tony Mitchell (Cranfield):

I think it s clear from listening round the table that there are issues we see CVs that are not set out right and that have spelling mistakes but it’s also clear from round the table that there are lots of opportunities out there for young people but it appears that they are not making the most of them If they are not, why not?”

In terms of work experience, there has been some mention around the bureaucracy and I wonder if there is a way that once a business has been checked and cleared to offer work experience that they are then able to do so for a few years without further checks

“I think it would be good to have forum where, more often, businesses and head teachers can come together to continue the engagement because it is clear that any support and help business can give to young people, whether it’s through work experience or going into schools, it will be to the benefit of the next generation of workforce and the businesses themselves ”

Mark

Marcus Mason (BCC), In summing up, I think it’s clear that businesses in this area are either engaging with schools and young people or are ready to do so There may be a piece of work in helping business people to get on school boards and letting them know the right questions to ask when they are there

Shortlisting continues company ’s success

Leading security bollard manufacturer Safetyflex Barriers has been shortlisted in the finals of a prestigious national award

The firm, based in Coventry on Boston Road, has been announced as a finalist at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, which take place at Old Billingsgate in London on Wednesday, November 19

Safetyflex Barriers managing director Rob Gerrard is in the running for Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and if successful at the final hurdle will follow in the footsteps of 2013 winner Julie Deane, of The Cambridge Satchel Company

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards have become the recognised standard of excellence among entrepreneurs Since their launch in 2013, the awards have marked a new era for entrepreneurship in the UK and this year s event is set to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution and inspiration provided by entrepreneurial businesses

Rob has led Safetyflex Barriers to invent anti terrorist security barriers, bollards and crash fences, which use innovative spring technology and stop vehicle borne terrorist and criminal attacks against any key asset

The product is a world first which is patented, designed and manufactured in the UK and can be seen protecting key infrastructure from potential attacks such as vehicles carrying improvised explosive devices

Marcus Gerrard, director at Safetyflex Barriers, said: Rob has been the driving force behind the innovative spring steel technology used in our security barriers, bollards and crash fences which are protecting key infrastructure across the world, from financial districts and stadia, to data centres and tourist attractions

The bollards are also a good solution for the commercial and retail sectors and are being used as anti ram protection for shopping store front windows and doors and protecting cash machines

“We’re delighted Rob’s achievements, and the success of Safetyflex Barriers, has been recognised by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards judges

“We’ve enjoyed fantastic growth over the last two years and we re really looking forward to taking our place at the awards final on November 19 ”

The latest awards success follows Safetyflex Barriers winning the Innovation Award at the National Business Awards in November 2013

Simon Burton, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, added: The entries we have received for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards can only be described as awe inspiring

“The quality has been outstanding The judges have had the extremely difficult task of whittling the great and good of the entrepreneurial community down to the very best and we are delighted by the companies that have made the shortlist

The awards ceremony itself in November will be a night to remember, with VIPs from the worlds of business and entrepreneurship gathering to celebrate entrepreneurial spirit in the UK

Busy times for the Revolving Stage Company

theatre productions, product launches and concerts Events have included: September 2014

London Fashion Week and The Revolving Stage Company installed two 12m diameters revolving stages and four 4m diameter revolving stages into The Ambika P3 Gallery in London for fashion designer Anya Hindmarch s Spring/Summer 2015 collection The revolving stages were used to rotate an audience of 300 to various viewpoints for the fashion walkthrough June 2014

The company specialises in revolving stages in sizes from 300mm in diameter to 20m in diameter, offered for sale and rental worldwide

When deadlines are tight and the show must go on, The Revolving Stage Company’s product range is recognised as a flexible and reliable solution

Even the largest stage can fit through a single doorway The speed of assembly also

means they can hire and install revolving stages for one night events

The company manufactures all revolving stage kit and equipment at its workshop in Coventry The Revolving Stage Company is the exclusive and sole stockist of Revdeck Staging

These modular aluminium stage decks are stocked in various shapes and sizes, and are available for dry hire or can be delivered and installed for any event

The company ’ s revolving stages have been used in some of the most eye catching

The revolving Stage Company installed an 11m diameter revolving stage including software, at Regent s Park Open Air Theatre for the production of “Hobson’s Choice” May 2015

The Arctic Monkeys perform two outdoor concerts at London’s Finsbury Park The Revolving Stage Company installed a 17m diameter revolving stage which was used for a dramatic opening

The band appeared from the back of the stage to a stunning lighting and smoke effect as the revolving stage rotated the band and set through 180 degrees

Archers look forward to competitions

Demand has been high from archers wanting to take part in three competitions at the Ricoh Arena in December

Olympic archers Naomi Folkard, Larry Godfrey and Amy Oliver will be competing as Archery GB stages the Junior National Indoor Championships, Back 2 Back and National Indoor Championships in the Jaguar Hall on Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7

The 2014 Junior National Indoor Championships will be held as part of the Combined Indoor event while the Back2 Back competition is already full

Over 1,000 archers in total are expected to be involved in the three contests from 9 30am on both days as Archery GB returns to the Ricoh Arena for the third successive year

George Harding (Men’s Senior Recurve Champion), Jeanetta Braun (Women’s Senior Recurve Champion), James Mason (Men’s Senior Compound Champion) and Andrea Gales (Women’s Senior Compound Champion) will be returning to defend their titles

Spectators can attend for free as competitors travel from all corners of the UK to the Ricoh Arena

Tim Pratt, Chairman of National Tournaments for Archery GB, said the standard of competition was expected to be high once again

“This is a fantastic opportunity to see Great Britain’s top archers in action in the Midlands as well as up and coming youngsters entering the sport,” he said “This has been another year when we have competed in competitions across the world and returned with medals

Places have filled up quickly because the Ricoh Arena is a popular venue with the archers and it has all the amenities we need “Sessions in the indoor championships have been alternated this year That means the first session will be women s recurve and men ' s compound, followed by women ' s compound and men ' s recurve

“Archery is a sport which really captured the public’s attention during London 2012 and we are always looking to encourage more people of all ages to become involved ”

Chris Owen, senior events manager at the Ricoh Arena, said he was looking forward to

welcoming archers, officials and spectators to the venue

Demand for places in Archery GB’s competitions continues to grow each year which underlines their popularity as well as the Ricoh Arena as a host venue, ” he said

“It is an exciting sport to watch and it is great to watch the champions being crowned in the award ceremonies

The Jaguar Hall is an ideal space to host top indoor sporting occasions and we are continuing to receive regular enquiries from national governing sporting organisations ”

Coventry company fights Bird Flu in Asia

Bird Flu is now endemic throughout most Asian countries, threatening both human health and valuable local poultry raising industries

Preventing the spread of Bird Flu is a major priority at highest levels of governments throughout the region

Local company Coventry Chemicals Ltd is at the forefront of the fight against the spread of this disease by training technicians and officials and supplying its super powerful disinfectant Omnicide Omnicide is used to disinfect food factories, farms and transport vehicles to kill the H7N5 and H5N1 avian influenza viruses before they cause new disease outbreaks

Coventry Chemicals Ltd , better known locally for manufacturing household and industrial cleaning products, is a world leader when it comes to Biosecurity in veterinary situations and food production

Its expertise and products lead the market in China, Thailand, Vietnam and India, whilst

sales are growing fast in Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines

Following recent cooperation with Taiwan’s National Chung Hsing University where Omnicide was vigorously tested against the Bird Flu virus, several Asian government departments are stockpiling Omnicide to combat Bird Flu outbreaks

Coventry Chemicals’ latest breakthrough has been in Indonesia The company recently hosted a seminar on Biosecurity at the British Embassy in Jakarta for Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture veterinary and regulatory managers and the heads of Indonesia s largest poultry producing companies

Organisation of the seminar was greatly assisted by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) personnel at the Embassy by utilising UKTI s Overseas Market Information Service (OMIS) to target and invite the relevant decision makers

Tony Meakin, Coventry Chemicals Export Business Manager, described how cleansing and disinfection regimes using powerful biocides would offer the greatest levels of protection from Bird Flu and other poultry diseases, and showed how it was used in other countries British products and British expertise are being backed by the British Government to gain valuable export s for the UK economy Brian Mountford, (UKTI)

International Trade Advisor based at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce International Trade Team said “this is a great example of how UKTI can get companies in front of the key decision makers and buyers in overseas markets Our teams overseas are well placed and ready to help UK companies enter overseas markets with the best and most up to date research and information available”

For more information on the OMIS and other UKTI Export services contact Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce on 02476654283.

NaomiFolkardfrom Leamington who willbe competing in an archery competition atthe RicohArena

Coventry business The Revolving Stage Company has been involved in some major events over recent months

Testing service on offer free of charge to SMEs

“Each test to determine whether a door is rain proof or cladding is insulated properly can take up to at least one week to complete but it is important for SMEs to fully test their products following their design stage to make sure every element does its job properly and performs to its best before going into mass production

This gives companies the chance to rectify any problem that may arise during the tests to make sure the product does exactly what it says it will do Having this kind of data can help companies become more competitive and sustain their growth by producing better products

Lord Mayor visits Coventry University

The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Hazel Noonan, accompanied by her Consort, her Son Christopher Noonan, visited the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, at Coventry University.

The purpose of the visit was to attend one of the two Guide Dog Awareness days being held in the Faculty building

The Lord Mayor was introduced to Faculty Dean, Michael Fitzpatrick, Operations Director, Elizabeth Smith, Sustainability Director, Elise Smithson and Liz Gilbert, Community Funraising Co Ordinator for Guide Dogs, but perhaps the most important of all, the dogs themselves, ranging from puppies to adult dogs

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands’ construction industry are being urged to take advantage of a free service to test their products in extreme temperatures

Sustainable Building Futures (SBF), which is based at the high tech Engineering and Computing Building at Coventry University, has been set up to help businesses to grow and is the home of the only environmental test chamber in the region

The 2 1 metre high compartment performs like an oven to reach sizzling temperatures of 100 degrees as well as acting like a freezer to go as low as minus 20 degrees

There is also the opportunity to test products which are designed to keep out rain and to reduce the possibility of condensation by replicating heavy rain fall inside the chamber

But time is running out for construction SMEs to road test their products such as

external doors and windows and external cladding ahead of going into mass production

Funding for the SBF project runs out in June 2015 which means construction companies wanting to put their businesses in the driving seat as the housing sector continues to show signs of recovery in tandem with the UK coming out of recession, need to act quickly

Dr Vinh Doan, Environmental Technologies Business Manager at SBF, works with each client to replicate the environmental and climate conditions needed to put their products through their paces

She said: The chamber is a great piece of equipment and has two rooms, one to represent outdoor conditions and the other to replicate indoor conditions

“It has adjustable water spray nozzles to allow water to flow from different directions and to imitate different intensity of rain as well as lights to simulate ultraviolet

Judges to fly in for show

The British Alpaca Futurity 2015 has lined up top international judges Peter Kennedy from Australia and America’s Wade Gease to attend its prestigious show at the Ricoh Arena

More than 350 alpacas are expected to take part in the halter classes from 8am on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 and there will also be an international fleece show

The two day show from the British Alpaca Futurity will also include an innovative textile event called the Plush Show which will feature over 70 stands and workshops run by the UK s brightest young designers and makers which will be hosted by designer Belinda Harris Reid and theatre director Rachel Vowles This will showcase all sorts of natural fibres from wool and mohair to silk and vegetable fibres

Designers, makers, hand dyers, people working in the world of fibre, textile artists and companies selling exquisite hand made objects and designs will be exhibiting at the show which aims to promote the British making and designing industry There will be a series of workshops where innovative makers will teach visitors how to knit, crochet and embellish Knitters are invited to take part in the Sit n Knit a Bit campaign running up to the show by making something using special scarlet Plush needles and crochet hooks to raise money for Target Ovarian Cancer

These are on sale on the Plush website and buyers are asked to get knitting and post pictures of themselves on social media linked to the Plush website

Chas Brooke, of The British Alpaca Futurity, said: The show is hosted by a group of British breeders, Classical MileEnd Alpacas, The Alpaca Stud, Bozedown Alpacas, Houghton Hall Alpacas and EP Cambridge UK, to showcase British alpaca breeding to the rest of the world

“It is a great opportunity for alpaca breeders to network with other breeders from Europe, the USA, Australia and, of course, the UK

We are looking forward to holding the show at the Ricoh Arena and we are delighted Peter Kennedy and Wade Gease are able to join us to judge the best of British breeding with halter classes as well as the fleece show which will be open to all European breeders

Chris Owen, senior events manager at the Ricoh Arena, said the Jaguar Exhibition Hall was a perfect location to host the exciting show while the Legends Lounge will be the location for an awards presentation and dinner

He said: The British Alpaca Futurity champions the best of British alpaca breeding while the Plush Show will promote the best of the British making and design industry

The two elements fit neatly together and this will be the first time we have had alpacas at the Ricoh Arena

“The environmental test chamber can be used by any SME in the West Midlands who are involved in the construction industry because it is free to use and the three other chambers in the UK are in Teddington, Watford and Glasgow where companies have to pay to use them which costs thousands of pounds

We are able to offer this service for free to businesses because we are fully funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Coventry University

The SBF project also has other equipment which can provide valuable information or research data for SMEs in the West Midlands to use again for free A range of portable testing equipment can be taken to sites for monitoring a building’s thermal performance, which can be valuable to home or commercial builders such as a portable weather station and indoor air quality monitoring

For further information about the Sustainable Building Futures project and how it can help SMEs in the West Midlands, contact sbf@coventry.ac.uk, telephone 024 7765 8800 or visit www coventry ac uk/sbf

Also present were volunteers and staff from the Coventry Volunteer Group and the Leamington Training Centre, and supporting them were student volunteers from the University Ambassador Group, who acted as sighted guides to the visitors who took part in the blindfold activities

The Lord Mayor and her Consort enthusiastically took part in all of the practical tasks, including selecting food, identifying coins and sorting socks while wearing a blindfold, and they also walked through the Guide Dogs sensory tunnel, and even more challenging, completed a blindfold walk through an obstacle course with Guide Dog Trainer, Mark Richards and his dog Upton, demonstrating the ability of the dog, and the trust of the owner

The purpose of the event was to raise the awareness of the staff and students to the difficulties and dangers blind and partially sighted people face on a day to day basis, not just in Coventry, but in the whole of the UK, and to showcase the services and help provided by Guide Dogs, as well as launching the Faculty's involvement with Guide Dogs as a research facility for their degree students, and their fundraising campaign to sponsor a Guide Dog puppy as part of the Godiva Puppy Appeal

The Godiva Puppy Appeal was launched in February this year, with the aim of raising funds to sponsor as many puppies as possible, that will be puppy walked in the area, and potentially be paired with new and current Guide Dog partners, in Coventry Guide Dogs are totally funded by voluntary contributions, and receive no funding from Government or The National Lottery

If you would like to find out about the Godiva Puppy Appeal, or would like to help fundraise, please email contact@coventryguidedogs co uk

Breeders from across the UK are expected to come along to take part and this once again underlines the versatility of the Ricoh Arena

Sponsorship opportunities, application forms for trade stands and booking forms for nominated males are available from www p lush co uk and www.britishalpacafuturity.com

Alpacas who can be seen atThe BritishAlpaca Futurity 2015atthe RicohArena

Inside the environmentaltestchamber atCoventry University’s Engineering andComputing Building

Dream comes true for engineer

A former mechanic is living his dream of a career in engineering a decade after leaving school without the qualifications he needed to follow the traditional university route into the industry.

Paul Price, aged 27, from Rugby, Warwickshire, has been taken on in the design team of world class engineering company Penso after completing a foundation year in engineering at Coventry University College (CUC)

Paul, who left school at the age of 16, is now studying part time for a degree in combined engineering at CUC whilst employed at the Coventry based company, which works with some of the world s most prestigious vehicle brands

He said: Within two years of enrolling at CUC, I am effectively working as a graduate design engineer with an internationally renowned company and studying for a degree It s hard to believe how far I have come in such a short space of time

“After leaving school, I trained to be a mechanic and worked my way up to workshop manager but felt I had reached a ceiling and wanted more of a career than a job I thought about engineering but didn’t have the qualifications for a degree course and needed to do a foundation year first

“With my full time job as a mechanic, I couldn t study during working hours but CUC enabled me to fit my studies around my work and home life which made it manageable They also gave me the confidence and belief that I could do it

Towards the end of his foundation year, Paul speculatively handed in his CV to Penso and was offered an administrative role which gave him an insight into the industry Upon gaining his qualification, he was moved over to the design team

He said: I’m really enjoying it and my ambition is to become a senior designer with the company and to take my studies to a master’s degree so that I can achieve my full potential CUC, a subsidiary of Coventry University, was opened as a new concept in higher education in September 2012 by providing innovative ways for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn

John Dishman, director and CEO at CUC, said: “Paul is a fantastic result of what we set out to achieve with CUC to give people an alternative, flexible and affordable route to higher education that fits around their lifestyle and needs

“Having completed his foundation year, Paul has been able to progress onto his chosen degree with us and taken his first step on the career ladder with a world class engineering company here in Coventry ” Penso employs around 190 staff at its headquarters in Woodhams Road and earlier this year announced plans to almost double its workforce to build on its rapid expansion and cement its position as a leading development engineering company across Europe

Paul Higginson, chief engineer of design at Penso, said: “Paul has been a breath of fresh air within the design team at Penso His initial work experience as a mechanic, complemented by his foundation certificate has empowered him to change his career “Engineering resource demand is currently at a premium and Paul has enabled us to identify a pool of untapped potential engineers who can follow his roadmap to success ’’

Development plan is backed

The area’s leading business membership organisation has backed the draft development plan designed to support the city’s growth over the next 20 years

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has outlined it support in a letter to Coventry City Council Leader Ann Lucas but also raised a range of key issues it would like incorporating in the plan when it is adopted

The move from the Chamber follows a presentation to members made up of business people and property professionals by Martin Yardley, the council s Executive Director of Place

A draft of the plan, which is designed to help achieve sustainable growth through to 2031, will be published in July 2015, before being examined publically in December 2015 ahead of adoption in May 2016

Peter Burns, president of the Chamber, said three scenarios to meet the targets were presented to members, but one which limits growth within the city’s own boundary to the most sustainable and appropriate options, thereby meaning some “exporting” of homes outside the current city limits, was most well received

“We are pleased to now see a realistic and credible housing target of 36,220 new homes needed for the city We welcome and support the City Council’s honesty about the scale of new housing challenges and opportunities this level of urban growth will bring

“But we would want to reinforce our on going support to help the City Council plan for the city we all want Coventry to be

“The Chamber of Commerce are committed to Prosperity through Growth”, which we believe aligns very positively with the Council s aspirations to Deliver Sustainable Growth”

“We recognise the importance of a real and credible housing growth figure for the next 20 years to meet the needs of the city’s

own growing population, to diversify the city s presently inadequate housing offer, and to enable Coventry to play its full role in the sub region

“We recognise that this Draft is primarily focussed upon the important issue of the city’s own housing needs

To ensure Coventry can play its key role in the sub region its urban footprint needs to grow, with development planned both within the city and on a cross boundary basis

Issues highlighted by the Chamber included the increasing shortage of high quality employment land, the practicality of building 16,500 new homes on existing brownfield sites and fully recognising the value and opportunities of growth

Burns added: We have some major schemes such as Friargate in the offing, but increasingly there is a shortage of quality employment land The secretary of state will shortly rule on the Gateway application and we need him to make the right decision for the future growth of our area

The Chamber’s response calls on the council to ensure that development is “coherent and integrated to ensure growth is sustainable and urges it not to “dodge the important decisions the City needs to make about its strategic infrastructure”

Sandra Garlick, chair of the Chamber s Coventry Branch, added: “The council has clearly grasped the important issues such as a fresh and sensible look at greenbelt development and the need for aspirational housing recognising the need for the city of Coventry to grow and thereby allow it achieve its potential

But we would emphasise that the plan is about more than homes it is also jobs, employment land and infrastructure It is vital they are all developed in a strategic and coherent way

“We welcome the chance to give our input to the plan to ensure that the city can build on its recent successes to deliver long term prosperity ”

Company presses ahead with expansion plans

One of the UK’s top plating and metal finishing companies is expecting to double its turnover and its staff after receiving a government grant to help with expansion plans

Foleshill Plating Company Ltd was set up in 1978 by Mohan Singh and Sohan Aojula to focus on chrome, nickel and decorative plating but has diversified into e coating for the automotive industry

The company in Bayton Road, Exhall, Coventry, is now extending its factory to create an e coat plant line after receiving a grant for nearly £270,000 from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) which is supported by the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF)

The new 16,560 sq ft plant, which is due to open in February 2015, will mean Foleshill Plating Company’s premises will be extended to 36,000 sq ft

Chris Waterhouse, technical director at Foleshill Plating Company, said the production area was being built with help from the RGF to unlock opportunities to bid for new contracts

Our turnover is currently £2 million a year and we are expecting it to double after this investment once the plant is fully operational since we have already secured a five year contract with Brose worth ¤7 million,” he said

We currently have 40 members of staff and we will be taking on up to 50 more people in maintenance, logistics, manual labour and supervisors as well as increasing our shifts from two to three

“Traditionally, we have been a plating company but we have branched out into the automotive industry to paint body parts

“We paint body panels for Aston Martin and Bentley, seats for Jaguar Land Rover, the yellow front grills for cabs produced by JCB and bulkheads for Renault Vans

“We were approaching capacity and couldn t bid for larger contracts because we would have been letting customers down and without the funding we wouldn’t have been in a position to invest in the extension as quickly as we have been able to

We will be installing a new e coat paint line which involves cleaning the metal, painting, baking it and storing the products for our customers in the plant construction has already started on the site which was previously derelict land

“We will have some of the most high tech equipment in the UK and it means we have won a larger contract with Brose

“This is the first time we have applied for funding towards a major contract and the whole process has been easy and smooth ”

Cllr Kevin Maton, Coventry City Council Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Employment and CWLEP board member, said the RGF grants were designed to create economic growth and jobs

He said: Foleshill Plating Company is a cracking business and it is a great example of a company benefiting from Coventry and Warwickshire’s status within the global automotive industry

“It was really interesting to be taken on a tour of the factory and to see all the plant and machinery and skilled workers in action

To be on course to double its turnover and its staff is testament to the standard of the work Foleshill Plating Company produces for its clients and they will now be in a position to tender for larger contracts in the future thanks to the RGF ”

Back, from the left, FoleshillPlatings Kuldip Aojula andChris Waterhouse with RobBent(Coventry City Council)andCllr Kevin Maton and, front, from the left, Gurpal ThadwalandMohan Singh

Pictured(leftto right): Angela Tellyn (Chamber) Sandra Garlick(Chamber) Martin Yardley (Coventry City Council), Peter Burns (Chamber)

School work pays off for Mick

Supporters Consultative Group, Sky Blues Trust and the Former Players Association to help community engagement

The money it generates will be ring fenced for Steven Pressley and Neil MacFarlane to draft in new players (aged between 17 and 20) into the development squad

Mick, 31, said as a lifelong fan he was thrilled to be the first Active Ambassador

He said: I ve been a supporter since the age of four when my great granddad, granddad and dad took me to my first game I am sure it was against Everton

“I ve now got three children of my own and they are starting to go to games too so the club is important to me and my family

He added: It’s nice to be in this position Of course, I want to let companies in this region know what we do and raise the profile of NSL, which is named after my three children Noah, Scarlett and Lilly “A lot of our clients are national so if this helps bring us attention in the region, then that would be great

But the main motivation is helping the club We all want the best team possible and I am really excited by what the club are trying to do through the academy, development squad and first team ”

A Coventry man, who put his ‘life and soul’ into a school project about the Sky Blues when he was a teenager, has become the first local business person to sign up to an initiative to help improve the club’s playing squad

Mick Parsons, who runs NSL Automotive components a city based remanufacturer of steering products and brake calipers for the automotive trade, is the first Active Ambassador for Coventry City

The new initiative devised by chief executive Steve Waggott will work alongside Sky Blues in the Community, the

Continual investment makes the earth move for O’Brien Contractors

Leading midlands based civil engineering contractor, O’Brien, has invested a further £360,000 in its machinery, taking delivery of two Volvo A25G articulated haulers

The acquisition takes O Brien s investment in state of the art software, equipment and machinery, during the last 5 years, to an enviable £2 5m, allowing it to expand services, improve efficiency and reduce costs for its clients

The overall venture is part of an ongoing diversification strategy which is transforming the business and seen the contractor win countless awards in recognition of its innovation, including ‘Tomorrow s Company by Construction News and ‘Contractor of the Year up to £300 million by Building Magazine

Director, Michael O’Brien said This outlay comes at an exciting time for O Brien Contractors, as we secure a number of high profile projects, including Marks and Spencer’s in Longbridge and New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton

To maintain this success, we are committed to offering our clients the most efficient and cost effective service available at all times We believe to achieve this we must continue to invest in our people, software and machinery, a strategy that has paid dividends in recent times ”

The new haulers will go straight into action at O’Brien’s latest contract win with Morgan Sindall, enabling and groundworks for a new Marks and Spencer s development in Longbridge, Birmingham

Founded in 1958, O Brien Contractors Limited is a leading contractor based in Leamington Spa It has delivered projects for such customers as Nestlé UK, Jaguar Land Rover, Hanson, The National Trust and Aston University Its expertise encompasses design and build, civil engineering, sports pitch construction, earthworks, laser levelling and plant hire

I think my favourite era was when we had players like Dublin, Huckerby, McAllister, Chippo and Hadji In fact, I even did a school project about the club when I was 13 because we had to look at our hobbies and interests and Coventry City meant everything to me

“I put my heart and soul into the project and one of the teachers organised for me to go down to the training ground to meet Gordon Strachan and the players it was the day Darren Huckerby signed so it was really exciting ”

He only launched NSL in August 2013 but already the firm has trebled turnover and is growing at a pace

It means he is now in a position to raise the profile of the company but also to help fund the next generation of Coventry City stars

Steve Waggott said: We are delighted to have Mick and NSL Automotive Components on board This initiative is devised to drive income that can be ring fenced for Steven Pressley and Neil MacFarlane and, also, to help enhance our work in the community

Mick’s a lifelong supporter and, at 31, is developing a great new business We look forward to seeing a lot more of him in the weeks, months and years to come ”

Active Ambassadors will also receive two seats in the Directors’ Box, pre match meals in the Board Room, post match hospitality in the Board Room, an annual dinner with CCFC Board and First Team Management, a VIP car park space and listing in the matchday programme

Anyone interested in becoming an Active Ambassador should contact Steve Waggott at steve.waggott@ccfc.co.uk or call 024 7621 7671

Incubator opens for business

A new incubator facility for start up gaming companies and micro enterprises has been opened in Leamington to encourage further inward investment.

The new centre is called 26 HT and is situated in Hamilton Terrace It has been transformed from a disused property into a four storey digital gaming hub after receiving funding from Warwick District Council and a £108,000 grant from the government’s Growing Places initiative following a successful bid from Warwick District Council and the Economic Growth Team at Warwickshire County Council

Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), was given a tour of the premises by Gayle Spencer, business enterprise manager at Warwick District Council, along with the Council’s leader Cllr Andrew Mobbs and portfolio holder for economic development Cllr John Hammon

The property, which officially opens on Monday (October 20), includes seven flexible offices and two meeting rooms for companies to test their games during the development stage

Jonathan said Leamington, Warwick and Southam already has excellent links with the games industry and the opening of 26 HT provided further infrastructure for start ups and micro enterprises to flourish

This is an exciting development and highlights the area ’ s growing reputation for hi tech businesses because of the talented people who work in the industry that are based here, he said

“The space needs to be flexible to allow businesses to grow which has been

achieved throughout the building and we hope this will become a hive of activity among start ups

Many founders of start ups started off at larger design studios and are in a position where they need the right infrastructure, support and advice which will also bring in inward investment which is among the key aims of the CWLEP

The digital cluster is growing organically in the sub region and we want to continue moving the sector forward because of the economic impact it can have in the future

Strategically, this is a really good fit because ‘Silicon Spa is the third largest games cluster in the UK after London and Dundee

“The opening of 26 HT after receiving significant funding from Growing Places ensures we continue to provide attractive studios for start ups and micro enterprises to set up and encourage further inward investment ”

Local business lends a paw to Dogs for the Disabled

A Warwickshire business has contributed to raising up to £30,000 for an assistance dog charity after designing and contributing to a national fundraising event.

Creative mailing specialist Jigsaw CCS conceptualised, designed and delivered a number of ‘bone appetite breakfast kits for this year s Big Dogs Breakfast, to help raise money for Dogs for the Disabled

The fundraising event, which offers a twist on traditional coffee mornings, saw a number of breakfast ‘gatherings being held throughout September to help Dogs for the Disabled create more life changing partnerships Event hosts registered to receive a unique Big Dogs Breakfast kit, which contained event invites, paper cups, napkins, bunting, posters and balloons, with all proceeds going to the charity

As well as holding their very own Big Dogs Breakfast in Leamington, which raised over £700 for the charity, Jigsaw CCS was also influential in making the entire project happen in the first place The company worked very closely with Dogs for the Disabled and charity sponsor James Wellbeloved to design and hand prepare one thousand Breakfast kits that were sent out to fundraisers in advance of their events This is the second time that the company has been chosen to create the Big Dogs Breakfast kits, however Jigsaw CCS have provided ongoing support to the campaign as it has grown over recent years

Jigsaw CCS Operations Director, Lorna Harling, explained: We work with a number of charities but our creative relationship with Dogs for the Disabled has really stood the test of time Charities often have reduced expenditure, yet quality in the end products cannot be compromised The Big Dogs Breakfast is a fantastic fundraising initiative that is becoming more popular every year and it proves that direct mail doesn’t always have to be just about promotion, but can used in more creative situations too Dogs for the Disabled works to provide increased independence to people facing increased challenges through the support of a dog The charity trains assistance dogs for children and adults with a range of conditions including physical disabilities, autism and most recently dementia

The money raised through Big Dogs Breakfast events will help Dogs for the Disabled train more dogs and transform the lives of people facing huge challenges everyday

From the left WarwickDistrictCouncils Gayle Spencer, Cllr Andrew Mobbs andCllr John Hammon withJonathan Browning (CWLEP)

Steve Waggott, MickParsons &Steven Pressley

Uni-safe represents the region at national award

Chamber of Commerce, and installs, tests and maintains permanent access systems such as safe wires, safety eyebolts and gantries, as well as carrying out periodic inspections of high level equipment to ensure security and compliance with health and safety legislation

Goodbody founded the company in 2011, along with fellow director Wayne Sweatman, having carried out similar work for 15 years, and it has doubled in size each year since

The company aims to continue its rapid expansion with the help of the Chamber, while Goodbody will attend the national awards event at the Tower of London on Thursday, November 27

And the firm has every chance of coming away with the prize too, as the company has already claimed a host of honours this year, including the SME and Business Start Up Award at the Coventry Telegraph Awards, the International CSR Excellence and Green Apple Awards, from The Green Organisation, and the Team of the Year Award at the Pride of Hinckley and Nuneaton Awards

worked together for 15 years doing what we are doing now, but for other companies

In 2011 we decided to use our experience and contacts to set up our own company and it has gone from strength to strength, with business doubling year on year

“We have gone from looking after 20 stations to more than 200, all over the country

We now have 10 staff, from three in our first year, and are currently expanding at our base with a new office block

I spoke to the president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce after being presented with the award and we are really looking forward to working with them, in terms of developing the business further ”

Peter Burns, the president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to see Uni Safe represent the region at the national awards

A Warwickshire company, which specialises in permanent access maintenance, appears on a secure path to continued growth after its latest award win.

Tim Goodbody, director of Atherstone based Uni Safe Access, has been named

West Midlands regional Entrepreneur of the Year at the British Chambers Awards, booking his place on the shortlist for the national award in November

The company qualified for the award as a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire

Growth Deal signing

A Growth Deal which could be worth more than £100 million to the local economy has officially been signed between the government and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP)

Minister for Universities, Science and Cities Greg Clark agreed the substantial investment which has confirmed £18 2 million of funding for 2015/16 and has made an initial commitment of £55 9 million for 2016 onwards

The Growth Deal will also mean an additional £32 9 million of investment from local partners and £0 4 million from the private sector which altogether creates a total investment package of £107 5 million for Coventry and Warwickshire

Greg Clark, who officially signed the Growth Deal at Shire Hall in Warwick, said: “The £75 million Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Deal builds on the area s strengths as one of Britain s key centres of modern industry

“The regeneration of Coventry station is long overdue, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing the work at Ansty Park to help innovative start ups make the most of their ideas

The Manufacturing Technology Centre has begun to show what is possible, and the “Grow On Space for small advanced engineering companies is an exciting next step

Jonathan Browning, chairman of the CWLEP, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Minister to our region once again to formally sign our Growth Deal which will have a major impact on job

creation and economic activity in Coventry and Warwickshire in the foreseeable future

“With the backing of all our partners, the Growth Deal will support economic growth across Coventry and Warwickshire

This will have a sizeable and swift impact on a number of area wide initiatives which will help the LEP in driving forward our local economy

The Growth Deal includes improving passenger numbers and increasing train services in the North South Rail and Coventry Station scheme, providing offices for new Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Grow On” Space for small and medium enterprises at Ansty and launching skills and start up initiatives in Coventry, Stratford and Leamington

He added: “The LEP is entirely focused on helping our businesses reach their potential as well as attracting inward investment from firms and organisations not currently represented here We have to help create the right conditions to make both of those things happen

“The measures in the Growth Deal will be felt right across Coventry and Warwickshire and there is no doubt the Growth Deal signals the start of another important step in providing the right conditions to help the area prosper economically ”

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council and CWLEP board director, said: “The growth deal is a major investment in the economic growth of the Coventry and Warwickshire sub region

I was thrilled to receive this award and I am looking forward to the event in London, we are glad to be a part of it,” said Goodbody, from Kilsby in Rugby

We have won a couple already this year “Wayne and I are 50/50 partners and

He said: “Tim and Wayne are a fine example of entrepreneurial spirit having identified their unique position in a market and moving to turn that into a successful business

It is great to see them building on such growth, and providing new employment opportunities with it

We wish them all the best at the national awards ceremony ”

“It is a chance to do something that will make a real difference to the economic future of the area and really create opportunities for economic prosperity for our residents, now and in the future

“Warwickshire County Council will work very closely with our partners in the LEP to deliver the Growth Deal so that the companies in the area, from multi national to local small and medium enterprises, can benefit from the huge opportunity that the deal presents us

Cllr Ann Lucas, leader of Coventry City Council, said: This is yet another sign that Coventry and Warwickshire is on the up and is looking ahead to a bright and prosperous future

“The new Growth Deal will help the many firms who already enjoy the benefits of being in the heart of the country to grow and expand and will encourage new investment, with more companies looking

to relocate to the city and the county

It is further proof that Coventry and Warwickshire is the place to be for companies looking to benefit from our wonderful location, excellent transport links and a highly skilled workforce

LordHeseltineaspeakerattheeventwithGregClark, CllrIzziSeccombeandJonathanBrowning

Greg Clark(left)andJonathan Browning

Tim Goodbody (left)withPeter Burns

Call for extra seasonal cheer to boost employee spirit this Christmas

Small businesses across the Midlands are being urged to boost employee morale this Christmas by rewarding them with a ground breaking perk.

Paybooster UK, an employee benefit provider based in Stratford upon Avon, has teamed up with the UK s number one corporate reward scheme to make it available to SMEs for the first time

For the cost of one pound per week, membership of the innovative scheme which already has two million members across the UK can give staff access to hundreds of sizeable discounts on their daily spend with big name supermarkets, high street retailers, and in travel, leisure, motoring and utilities

With the season of good will around the corner, it’s an affordable solution that shows your employees just how much they are appreciated” says Paybooster UK founder Bryan Lymer “It is the Christmas thank you that works all year round, without significantly affecting salary costs ”

In the current economic climate, many businesses have not been in a position to

award pay rises of any significance In real terms, income has fallen over the last few years, which means that the average family is now ten to fifteen per cent worse off than they were at the beginning of 2008

Now thanks to Paybooster UK, for the fraction of the cost of an annual pay rise, SMEs can put real savings into the pocket of their workforce; with the equivalent of up to £2000 per annum of savings on everything from everyday groceries to holidays abroad

In addition to saving members hundreds of pounds a year on day to day living costs, the scheme has the additional benefit of providing members with professional work life balance support through access to professional counsellors, legal and financial helplines, and health advice

To prompt a little seasonal cheer amongst the region s bosses, it is also good to know that membership costs can be offset by savings a company can make with optional HMRC approved salary sacrifice modules

Be the Best Boss!

Boost your employees pay with an extra £2,000 a year in their pocket... for just £52 per year per employee.

Save your employees £hundreds a year on their everyday living costs at their favourite retailers and give them access to professional work life balance support

All designed to assist their financial and emotional well being, and help make their lives easier and happier

Ideal for improving morale, engagement and business performance without it costing a fortune

Share the love this Christmas and show your employees just how much you care!

“With the season of good will around the corner, it’s an affordable solution that shows your employees just how much they are appreciated ”

Paybooster UK The management team from Paybooster UK, from left to right, client manager, Louise Fox, founder Bryan Lymer anddigitalmarketing &techsupport, RaniUsher

Entrepreneurs in finals for national award

Being a parent whilst juggling a business is a hard task, and nobody knows this better than Kerry Field. Kerry, a mother of two from Southam Warwickshire, founded and runs now one but two companies!

The Warwickshire Outsourcing Centre Ltd launched in 2007 to enable Kerry to stay at home with her young family Offering secretarial support and audio transcription to busy business owners and aiding Virtual Assistants with an income stream the company has continued to grow and took an apprentice in April this year

Kerry’s second company The Great British Business Centre Ltd came from networking with others, realising that all business owners need support in some form or another large or small and time is precious Kerry s vision is to create a platform where British Businesses can access tools to learn, network and expand all under one roof

With around 3000 entries the nominations have been short listed and is now a Finalist!

The Mumpreneur Awards 2014 in association with Amazon are the UK’s first national business awards dedicated solely to parents in business

Now in its sixth year, the awards have been a platform for many mumpreneurs to enhance their business, and continue to grow even through this uncertain economic climate

As well as being nominated in the Pillar category, Kerry is also in with a chance of winning The Inspirational Business Award, which will be awarded to the parent who proves to be an inspiration to all Mums and Dads in business

When asked how Kerry felt she said “I am overwhelmed at the nomination and kind words of those around me, I am so pleased that others find what I do of value and I am extremely excited at this opportunity they have given me ”

The finals take place on 8thNovember at The Heart of England Conference Centre in Warwickshire

Timetable changes under discussion

Business leaders in South Warwickshire have met Chiltern Railways to discuss proposed timetable changes between Stratford and London Marylebone.

The South Warwickshire branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce wrote to the railway operator to invite it to attend its latest meeting after concerns were raised about the possible changes

Tom Painter, Business Development Manager for Chiltern Railways, met the branch committee and explained the reasons behind the new proposed timetable

He said that while the number of direct trains between Stratford and London were being reduced, the company had still been able to offer an enhanced service, with shorter journey times and additional journey opportunities

Tom said: I am grateful to the Chamber for the invitation and the opportunity to explain the proposals We are still in the consultation stage so it was great to be able to meet with representatives from business in the area

“Chiltern Railways is making investment to improve its service, including a new Oxford Parkway station We receive no Government subsidy, so everything we do has to be focussed on delivering value and the best possible experience for passengers

The changes in Stratford are, on the whole, beneficial to passengers both on weekdays and weekends

The number of direct journeys to London are being reduced, but by connecting a frequent shuttle service between Stratford and Leamington Spa into fast trains to and from London, journey times can be reduced in most cases

“Evidence from interchange stations like Bicester and Slough shows that once passengers get used to making a change they are quite happy to do so especially when journey times are being reduced ”

Larry Coltman, the chair of the South Warwickshire branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Firstly, we thank Tom for taking the time to come to meet the committee and explain the reasons for the proposed changes

“Broadly, the committee were satisfied with the reasons for the possible changes and that, actually, it shouldn’t have a bearing on visitors to the town or, indeed, on those travelling to London to do business

“As a tourism destination, we need the best possible transport links to Stratford and there is no doubt that rail connections from London are a crucial part of that

“But we understand that Chiltern Railways has to deliver the best possible services within an overall budget We felt, from the explanation Tom gave to highlight the reasons behind the proposed changes, that they had considered all the options and this was a satisfactory solution

“The Mumpreneur Awards 2014 in association with Amazon are the UK’s first national business awards dedicated solely to parents in business.”

“Chiltern Railways is making investment to improve its service, including a new Oxford Parkway station. We receive no Government subsidy, so everything we do has to be focussed on delivering value and the best possible experience for passengers.”

Anya Court Officially Opened by John Craven

providing vital destination points for residents living with a form of dementia Guests enjoyed a buffet lunch in the dementia community s Melody Dining Room’ a beautifully furnished space which is open plan to allow residents to mingle between lounge and dining room settings There are also open kitchenette areas to encourage residents to help with the preparation of meals Guest of honour John praised the home’s dementia community for its “thoughtful and purposeful design

Despite some adverse weather, guests were eager to venture outside to sample Anya Court s landscaped garden which includes a Gardening Club, complete with greenhouse, and a modern water feature as its centerpiece

Rugby Borough Council Platinum Sponsors for MTC Italian Job project

Anya Court, a highly anticipated new care home in Rugby, was officially opened by journalist and television presenter John Craven who described the home as “the shining star for all other care homes”.

John, best known for presenting John Craven's Newsround and Countryfile, cut the ribbon in front of 200 guests and gave his backing to the newest care home in the Hallmark Care Homes family Following a champagne reception in Anya Court s ‘Juke Box Café , a vibrant music inspired social space, guests were given tours of the innovative new home

The home, which will provide residential, nursing and dementia care, has been the talk of the town thanks to its impressive architecture and offering of innovative facilities such the luxury cinema and relaxing therapy room Other areas such as the colourful ‘Corner Shop’ and the various ‘Residents Laundry rooms are designed to encourage active and independent living Anya Court s specialist dementia community features its own Tea for Two Café’ with a traditional kitchen area and a large terrace overlooking the gardens There is also a hair salon, laundry room and ‘Emporium’ shop; all of which

The grand opening followed a successful Community Open Weekend attended by lots of local people eager to get a first look at our much talked about new home Anya Court is already playing its part in the community; running Dementia Friends sessions for local people and taking part in (and winning!) this year s ‘Rugby in Bloom gardening competition

Speaking at the launch, Anya Court s General Manager Steve Neal said: “We have a building we can be proud of and a fantastic team in place We are very much looking forward to welcoming our first residents to their new home and delivering the highest standard of relationship centred care ”

Rugby MP Opens unique new Training and Recruitment Centre

Unique production of Pinter classic

Student Janeks Babidorics took to the stage with professional actor Chris Cusick in a production of Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter at Rugby College. The production was staged by the college’s unique pro educational theatre company Spitfire Theatre where every cast is made up of 50% students and 50% professional actors

David Bird, the Artistic Director of Spitfire Theatre Company, said: “Rehearsing in the evenings, the company has a dual purpose to give students the opportunity to hone their existing skills in readiness for their next steps into the industry, and to give actors and technical personnel who are unable, or unwilling, to forego their day jobs an opportunity to continue to develop their skills and work in performing arts, without the financial constraints of the industry

The rehearsal process is one of both rigorous performance preparation and on the job training which benefits both our students and the professional actors we think we ’ re the only company of this kind in the country to do this, to bridge the gap between the training and the professional worlds

Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter is a humorous and provocative story of two hitmen as they wait in a basement for their next assignment

A growing recruitment and training firm has unveiled its new offices and training centre in Rugby which has delivered 15 new jobs and opportunities for people to boost their employment prospects.

eResponse Recruitment has officially opened a branch in the town at the IO Centre in Valley Drive a 6,000 square foot facility which also houses the firm’s new Forklift Truck Training School

The launch of the new training hub, which was opened by Rugby MP Mark Pawsey, represents a £60,000 investment from eResponse and promises to help hundreds of local jobseekers each year to gain the skills they need

The training school, which includes high tech lecture rooms and a dedicated recruitment team, offers a variety of nationally recognised forklift truck qualifications and can train over 200 people per month It will also offer other training courses to temporary workers including manual handling, health and safety and first aid

Nicky Grogan, regional manager for eResponse in Warwickshire, said: “It’s hugely exciting to have opened the new training school and recruitment centre here in Rugby

With an established branch already in Coventry we know the local jobs market well and through the new training school we can offer all the tools people need if they are interested in a career as a forklift truck operator or upskilling for other related roles

“The jobs market across Warwickshire is on the up and that means businesses need people quickly and with the right skills The warehousing and logistics sectors are just two which are thriving and that means there is a big call for fully trained and qualified people That s what the new training school is here to deliver and why we ’ ve made a significant five figure investment

“We’ll be training people, helping them to forge new careers and playing a part in finding them jobs with local employers It s great to be offering all that under one roof here in Rugby

“Being able to bring 15 of our own new jobs to the town is just the icing on the cake and we look forward to expanding further over the next 12 months ”

Mark Pawsey added: “I was delighted to open eResponse s new training and recruitment centre here in Rugby which will be a great asset to our town

Thanks to the Government’s long term economic plan, employment is up across the country and this new centre will enable local people to gain the skills they need to succeed in Rugby’s vibrant, and growing, workplace

The opening in Rugby is eResponse Recruitment s fifth office in the Midlands with other branches in Coventry, Redditch, Worcester and Kidderminster

The firm was established by brothers Paul and Joe Alekna in 2003 and has gone on to employ over 80 people Last year it was placed at number 65 in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100

A group of young engineers have renovated three classic MINIs and participated in the 25th anniversary of The Italian Job rally The project team based at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Ansty secured funding from the local authority that provided Platinum Level sponsorship.

The initiate, which has been developed over the last year, came to its final stage when the cars left from Rugby before being put to the test in a journey to Turin The moment marked months of preparation which has challenged the project management skills and technical abilities of the apprentices

The MTC was established in 2010 with the objective of bridging the gap between academia and industry The senior management team and project sponsors hope to inspire a new generation of engineers

Cllr Michael Stokes, Leader of Rugby Borough Council said this is a fantastic opportunity for the young engineers and it s great to see their hard work come to fruition The Council has a proven track record with developing young people s careers through its own apprenticeship programme and it s good to be working in partnership with the MTC

The MINIs were photographed on display at the William Webb Ellis statue in Rugby and have been branded with birthplace of the game logos The World Cup comes to England next year and the town will be the focus of international attention

For more information contact Michael Beirne Economic Investment Officer at Rugby Borough Council on 01788 533734 or email Michael beirne@rugby gov uk

Simply the best

Morrison Insurance Solutions have been judged the best in the business at this year’s UK Broker’s Awards. They have been awarded the prestigious Chartered Broker of the Year 2014 title, beating tough competition for the title from brokers from all across the UK

We are obviously delighted that our commitment to delivering first class service, advice and support to our customers has been acknowledged by our peers and is now independently judged as being the best in the country, said Ian Millard, Managing Director of Morrison Insurance Solutions

Gaining Chartered insurance broker status is an exclusive and valuable merit in its own right and demonstrates a commitment to delivering the highest professional level of knowledge, advice and ethical practice

In 2007 they became one of the first Chartered Brokers in the UK when originally awarded the Chartered Insurance Broker designation by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)

Our Chartered status tells customers that they can expect the highest quality of service, said Mr Millard

“However, the Chartered Broker of the Year 2014 title demonstrates how seriously we take our commitment to the technical and professional development of our staff and the value we place on working in an ethical manner, always placing our client’s interest first ”

The award was won on the back of some key metrics that demonstrated to judges how Morrison Insurance Solutions has managed to maintain the highest level of professional standards in a difficult economic environment

• Key client retention 96 per cent

• Extremely high staff retention 93 per cent

• Staff numbers increased more than threefold since 2004

• 100 per cent client facing staff are CII members

Judges were also impressed with the way the organisation ensures its published Core Values are integrated into the fabric of the company ’ s working practices and form the foundation for the continued success of the business and its employees

Morrison Insurance Solutions were also shortlisted for two other awards in this year s UK Brokers Awards: Claims Service of The Year and Schemes Broker of the Year

This run of success came on top of being named Commercial Property Broker of the Year at the Commercial Insurance Awards earlier this year

Warnings follow email threat

Business bosses are being urged to brief staff on the safe use of email after a high profile threat flew in from Eastern Europe

The ‘Peter Pan virus, a phishing email that aims to download malicious software onto individual computers or a network of PCs, was sent to hundreds of thousands of email users claiming to be confirmation that they had purchased tickets for Peter Pan at the Bournemouth Pavilion

But once users clicked on the PDF attachment, their system was immediately under attack

Steve Marks, of Warwickshire based ACUTEC, said although no local cases had yet been reported to him, it underlined the importance of email vigilance

He said: The Peter Pan virus caught the imagination of the national media more because of the name and the type of email than the actual threat

“But it does underline the need for individuals and businesses to be more vigilant on email I would go as far as to say that is worth company managers constantly reiterating to staff the importance of only clicking on links or attachments in emails when they are confident they are safe

The criminals prey on the idea that their email will not seem out of the ordinary to the user To 99 99 per cent of the people receiving the ‘Peter Pan email, they will know they haven’t booked tickets to the show and, therefore, will smell a rat

But if you have booked tickets and notification comes through then you wouldn t think twice about clicking through It seems perfectly natural

Our advice to our clients is to make sure staff are aware and up to date on these threats and to be vigilant Would staff really expect to get any such notifications through on their work email anyway?

“If there is any doubt in their mind, they should speak to their provider and they can quickly verify the email ”

Steve said that companies should also protect themselves at the perimeter

He said: It s vital that businesses have

adequate levels of protection from threats from firewalls to anti virus software On top of that, should the worst happen, they should also have up to date back up which can help to get them back online as quickly as possible

Even with the very highest levels of security, a degree of awareness from staff about potential threats is still necessary because if they avoid opening attachments and links that could pose a threat, it can help to prevent such attacks ”

College director shares stage with Lord Young

Marla Nelson, Director of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Warwickshire College, represented the further education sector on a panel discussion on social entrepreneurship at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

Marla shared the stage with Lord Young and the new Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson MP Also on the panel was Anisa Haghdadi Bem, Founder & CEO of Beatfreeks, who has been a social entrepreneur since the age of 15 and is passionate about engaging and empowering youth through arts, skills training, leadership and enterprise

The panel discussed social entrepreneurship apprenticeships at the fringe event which was organised by social entrepreneur network UnLtd in association with the Social Economy Alliance

The event was aimed at promoting social entrepreneurship as a career option and as a potential route out of unemployment, and

Marla, who is Director of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at the college, was able to explore the challenges and opportunities for this approach from the further education perspective

Marla said: As a college committed to entrepreneurship and social enterprise, we welcome UnLtd s plans for a social entrepreneurship apprenticeship as a career option for young people We are passionate about equipping young people with the confidence, skills and attributes needed to either start their own businesses or social enterprises, or to be outstanding employees of the future ”

Research from RBS Enterprise Tracker shows that young people are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship, with one in four of those young people with an aspiration to start up a business determined to create a social enterprise Research shows that a structured experience of social entrepreneurship engages young people on their own terms and helps them bridge this ambition gap

students get more than a qualification, as students are supported to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, gaining enterprising and innovative skills and behaviours which will help them to become successful in an ever competitive world

Warwickshire

Steve Marks ofACUTEC

College

Marla Nelson

is sponsored by HB&O This issue we feature cybercrime

Tackling the threat from cyber criminals

Cybercrime is estimated to have cost the UK economy £27 billion in 2013 alone with businesses in all sectors vulnerable to attack. However, all is not lost There are things that businesses can do and in this special report we make some suggestions

How hackers target businesses

By Rowland Johnson, CEO of Nettitude

Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and use a number of methods to gain access to and steal sensitive data

Some of these methods are very technical and involve highly advanced computer coding skills; however, others involve more simple confidence tricks

One such method is ‘ spear phishing Phishing involves the widespread and random distribution of emails that are designed to trick those who receive them into handing over sensitive information

Spear phishing entails sending spoof emails that look like they have come from a particular, trusted person Hackers often scour social networking sites to conduct research into the names and job titles of people at companies that they wish to target, and then send emails pretending to be from one member of staff to another, attaching infected computer files that will give the hackers access to the victim company ’ s computer network

These can be quite easy to spot and ignore if you know how, but they can also be very convincing indeed

Businesses need to have various security measures and training in place to protect themselves from this method of attack

To provide an example from a real life spear phishing test, an email with a link to a spoof site was sent out to see if those who received it would hand over their usernames and passwords Statistics from that test are as follows:

• The company involved has about 6,000 employees

• 14 senior employees of the company were sent the test phishing email

• Eight of the people who received the phishing email clicked the link

• Two of the people who clicked the link went on to enter their username and passwords on the spoof website

This might sound like a low success rate, but if this was a genuine attack rather than a test, as spear phishing is so targeted, the senior members of staff who were affected would be of a very high value to a hacker and are likely to have access to sensitive information on the company network

Put simply, a hacker only needs to exploit one person to successfully breach a whole organisation

Contact details:

E: solutions@nettitude co uk

T: 0845 52 00 085

What Chamber members need to know about Government support

The Cyber Essentials Scheme was launched by the UK Government in June 2014 to make the UK a safer place to conduct business online

Coventry based firm Metanoia Business Services has been collaborating with CESG, the Information Security arm of GCHQ, to promote the Government “Cyber Essentials scheme to businesses in The Midlands

The Cyber Essentials scheme reflects the ISO 27000 series of global standards and identifies the basic technical security controls that an organisation needs to have in place to minimise cybercrime It addresses your connection to the Internet via PCs, tablets and smartphones Metanoia has been working with the Government to make it easier for SMEs to understand the scheme

There are five simple steps to put the right security controls in place for your business These are Secure Configuration, Firewalls and Internet, Access Control, Patch Management and Malware Protection Metanoia’s advice is that cyber criminals are no longer just targeting big businesses Organisations that are not able to protect themselves and their clients will face serious consequences in the future

Implementing basic protection now will save heartache in the future and further information on the scheme is available at http://goo gl/aFyhj5

Cyber security is all about awareness

By Patrick Bedwell, a VP at AlienVault

When it comes to data breaches, larger companies may be publicly scrutinised but every breach comes with an aftermath that even smaller businesses are left to deal with SMEs that utilise personal data are accountable to the same devastating fines that larger businesses face after a breach

Even so, data security’ mostly remains an afterthought for many SMEs It s often the case of being aware that breaches occur but being lulled into thinking “that won t happen to me When it comes down to it, data loss is a consequence of lack of knowledge Visibility into what systems are on their network is a challenge many SMEs face, including what data they are storing on those systems, and what vulnerabilities exist on those systems for hackers to exploit

Too often we hear of data being exfiltrated from an organisation

because of one or more of the following reasons:

• The system from which the data was stolen was unknown to the IT team

• The IT team had no idea as to what data was stored on the system

• There were unknown and unpatched vulnerabilities on the compromised systems that were unknown to the IT team

Awareness for an SME is the first step to protecting data, and fortunately there are simplified solutions designed for smaller IT teams that can provide integrated asset discovery, asset inventory (including types of files stored on the systems) and vulnerability assessment

Once armed with this type of knowledge, SMEs can take steps to reduce their risk and improve their security practices

“There are five simple steps to put the right security controls in place”

Why we’re better connected

team members to interact while minimising time away from the office and cutting down on travel costs but inadequate connectivity means there can be difficulties using the technology

Good connectivity is also important because Internet traffic has increased dramatically

Business people and their customers routinely use web browsers and web based communication, which creates considerable traffic and emails with large presentations and files can clog connections unless companies have established networks that can use them efficiently and quickly

Storage is also becoming crucial as companies increasingly move away from paper data to information that is held online

speeds At 1,000 Megabits per second the network is 100 times faster than the UK average and on a par with the world’s fastest cities such as Hong Kong and Stockholm

Ultra fast connectivity enables companies to embrace the new generation of cloud services and online tools that provide the functionality, flexibility and affordability they need to grow

Businesses can access a range of affordable gigabit speed services through CityFibre s six internet service providers over the Coventry CORE network

CityFibre is visiting business and industrial parks in the city to gauge interest in the network and has seen more than 300 registrations of interest via its www coventrycore com website

Connectivity is the key word for many businesses today because communications must be rapid and efficient in a world that seems to be moving ever quicker

Businesses need access to continuous high speed data in order to keep up with their competitors and maximise their own efficiency and analysts estimate that the need will only increase in the years to come

One reason is that employees use a variety of devices in their offices to access files, view emails and to utilise applications like YouTube Slow connectivity has proved not only to reduce employee efficiency by almost a third but also increaser frustrations ,

In addition, faltering connectivity means that there are problems using programmes

that incorporate multimedia, including those with video and/or audio Presentation software is increasingly incorporating sophisticated graphics and multimedia but poor connectivity can hamper their use

Also, although most businesses have created networks for their company s devices, analysts say that there is a clear need for wider networks that connect buildings and campuses within a city or region

Analysts say that it makes little sense to have instant access to information within a building but to ignore the potential for sharing that is offered by good connectivity High speed data connections allow organisations to share information in real time, regardless of their location

Also, there has been a big growth in video conferencing Virtual meetings allow more

There are a number of initiatives in the Coventry and Warwickshire area to help businesses meet the challenges

CityFibre, the company bringing the fastest internet connectivity to Coventry, is speeding ahead with its plans to gig up the city

The Federation of Small Business recently found that just 12 per cent of the UK’s small businesses have a fibre broadband connection and one per cent (around 45,000 businesses) still use dial up This is despite 94 per cent of small businesses viewing a reliable internet connection as critical to their on going success

Businesses connecting to the new Coventry CORE network will have access to next generation internet capable of gigabit

Andy Starnes, City Development Manager at Coventry CORE, said he was pleased with the progress the company was making and urged firms to take up the offer of government grants to cover the cost of a new connection

He said: “The Coventry CORE will give businesses access to gigabit speed connectivity

The Government are providing financial support of up to £3,000, until March 2015, to help businesses struggling to grow and compete in an increasingly digital economy All our service providers can help you access this funding

“We’re hugely supportive of the government’s connection voucher scheme and urge businesses not to miss out on this opportunity to upgrade their connectivity ”

...and lead the way in revolutionising business in our city

Talk to HBT about upgrading to an ultra-fast internet connection – now available over the Coventry CORE. Your business may even be eligible for a grant of up to £3000 to cover the installation costs. Talk to us today!

“New kids on the block…”

The idea behind launching our bespoke signalling apprenticeship scheme is aimed at finding new blood for the industry, to inspire the next generation and to tackle a lack of expertise At present, there is a shortfall of highly trained signalling personnel across the industry and we want to be at the vanguard of change for that scenario

“Our company is continually striving to drive up standards across the business and the industry as a whole We have a fantastic environment in which to train young people who are taking their first steps into the industry and are really looking forward to working with our new apprentices and watch them develop, laying the foundation for their IRSE professional qualifications

Stratford upon

business is laying the foundations of not just its own future but the signalling engineering industry as a whole As the UK s rail industry continues on its journey through the most radical changes in decades; its future workforce is being put on the tracks to success

Celebrating ten years in the rail industry in 2014 Chase Meadow Signalling has plans for continued growth and expansion providing a single point of delivery for turnkey solutions for the GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) stages It will to do this by expanding its project and technical management, offering test and commissioning and wider implementation and trouble shooting services to add to the existing design portfolio The company achieved full test and commissioning and CBD accreditation in July 2014 via the Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme

State of the art signalling solutions are vital to the longevity of rail infrastructure projects Chase Meadow are building a team to address that need with flexible, multi skilled and tactical team of signalling engineers ready to respond to the challenges and changes identified as key to the development and growth of a robust rail infrastructure in the UK

Flagship offices

Prospero Barn, Stratford upon Avon, is Chase Meadow Signalling s new headquarters, creating a strong ground base for the company s future growth and development The offices have a modern, open plan, functional layout that enables all GRIP functions across the business to co operate and work closely in a collaborative team

The semi rural setting, just off the main arterial A46 continues to provide the company and its clients with quick access to all transport links and a great place to work Prospero Barn presented a great opportunity to secure unique, office space with a real look and feel of a Victorian engine shed

Craig Purcell, CEO

Signalling, said: This is an extremely exciting time for everyone involved with Chase Meadow Signalling It is the start of a new chapter in the company ’ s history and one I m sure will be hugely successful

The new building allows the company to provide high quality training facilities to address the shortfall in specialist signalling engineers and we are delighted that we will be at the forefront of that movement through our trailblazer” apprenticeship scheme, as well as supporting staff with continued professional development ”

Real time engineering projects will form part of the Company s Trailblazer Apprentice Scheme; and under the guidance of Paul Green the apprentices will have the opportunity to follow the end to end GRIP process as part of their five year programme Warwickshire College will provide the academic arrangements through BTech and Higher National qualifications

Chase Meadow apprentices will be mentored through the programme by Paul Green, a Signalling Engineer with tremendous industry experience, who has specialised in the Training, Development and Certification of Signal Works Testing Personnel

The launch of the apprenticeship programme is Chase Meadow s attempt to buck the industry trend and train the signalling engineers of the future Network Rail recently identified a lack of specialist resources across the rail signalling industry as a significant challenge for the future

The company is responding to this challenge by forging the programme under the national apprenticeship framework, to safeguard its own future and make a contribution to the Network Rail objectives as well as bringing “ new blood” and a secure future for the industry

In July, Chase Meadow recruited 12 apprentices between 17 and 26 who had a desire to follow an engineering career in a vocational setting with a practical approach, rather than the established university academic programme Many of them have declined university opportunities to take up this unique opportunity

We will offer our staff and clients a designated engineering project centre and our new facilities will give apprentices and experienced staff the opportunity to improve their skill set in practical settings Particularly as we build a strategic partnership with industry training specialist TQ Catalys This really epitomises what Chase Meadow Signalling is all about constantly striving to improve the services we offer in order to service the needs of the rail sector in the UK

As well as providing a perfect platform to train and get hands on experience of the rail signalling industry, the company will provide additional support costs for the apprentices who will stay in accommodation close to the firm’s headquarters

The strength in depth of Chase Meadow expertise that includes legacy technical solutions as well as mechanical and geographical interlocking sets will be combined with exposure to the latest state of the art, high speed track technology ensuring that traditional skills are learned alongside the latest that the rail sector can offer

Since starting out in 2004, flexible response and the ability to step in and resolve technical challenges have been the company ’ s major strengths As it adapts and develops its strategy and resources for the future, it is important to maintain that flexibility by forging partnerships with aligned industry experts Chase Meadow s diary for 2014 demonstrates the dynamic growth of the company and also its strategy to be a one stop supplier for existing and new clients

In June, Craig completed a partnering arrangement with C Spencer Ltd The partnership will link Spencer’s expertise on major civil engineering contracts and rail infrastructure with the Stratford upon Avon company s multi disciplinary skills

Craig Purcell said: We are extremely lucky to have secured Paul’s mentorship, experience and leadership for this new programme

Craig said: “We want all of our apprentices to feel at home at Chase Meadow and to be an integral part of our team It is therefore essential they buy into the ethos of the business and the people orientated culture we have developed

Old hands

Chase Meadow is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Dickinson as its Head of test and commissioning, a great win for the company; Chris is a Major Works Tester, well known in the industry He joins from Atkins where he recently commissioned the re signalling of the Redditch Branch Enhancement Scheme Chris is also very committed to the apprentice programme and wants to provide opportunities for them to work in the test and commissioning setting

His background and project portfolio fits well with Chase Meadow’s outlook His vision to build and develop a strong, reliable testing division combined with Chase Meadow s desire for dynamic training is sure to guarantee future success Testers who are interested in talking to Chris about his new team are encouraged to contact him directly

at Chase Meadow

Chase Meadow Signalling celebrating 10 years of success - a new

headquarters and investment in an apprenticeship scheme developing the next generation of railway signalling engineers!

The

Avon

HMRC - Accelerated Payment Notice

If

Did you know?

The Finance Act 2014 allows HMRC to issue notices to pay disputed tax prior to determination of the debt This occurs when a company or individual has an open inquiry in relation to tax arrangements that are either disclosed or deemed to be unreasonable

Notices to pay can be issued where existing tax arrangement disputes are under review as well as disputes arising post July 2014 following the Finance Bill receiving Royal Assent

you owe money

Whilst the business may be sound, the cash flow implications of receiving a notice may not be

bearable

BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency have been providing sound business advice for many years from our six offices throughout the Midlands and further afield Whilst your accountant is likely to be your first port of call due to their fuller knowledge of your existing tax arrangements, we can work together to ascertain the options available and release cash by way of refinancing, restructure and/or reorganisation

We pride ourselves in providing an independent review of the options available to businesses and individuals

• How will this affect my cash flow? • Do I have the means to pay?

•

•

Possible implications…

Warwick Auctions future plans

Warwick Auctions of Coventry is a firmly established auction house For over sixty years we have provided a comprehensive auctioneering and valuation service to both professional and private clients.

Lee Bailey, Managing Director, believes that Warwick Auctions is building on a number of recent developments, including the installation of a new website Moreover, the company has broadened its catchment area, gaining business in Solihull, Knowle, and South Birmingham Many local estate agents and solicitor firms have sought the services of Warwick Auctions

Dealing primarily with probate valuations and executor s instructions, we offer an extensive service, from single items to house

clearances Recently, we have placed more emphasis on the Antique and Collector's auction sales, using thesaleroom com for our bi monthly online antique sales

Results have been encouraging; we regularly see 200 users register to bid online, from the UK and abroad Our client base is expanding, to the great benefit of our vendors

The New Year holds great potential for Warwick Auctions, with the Global Auction Platform promising to further develop the global accessibility of our antique and collector's sales

In 2013, Warwick Auctions recruited NAVA student member Miss Chloe Wood as an auctioneer and trainee valuer, whose

knowledge gives the company a platform to expand with an emphasis on the ever increasing collector s market This is an exciting time for Warwick Auctions; we look forward to providing excellent service to our clients on a larger scale

Telephone number: 02476223377 Email: info@warwickauctions co uk Website: www warwickauction co uk Facebook Page: www facebook com/WarwickAuctionsCoventry 3 Queen Victoria Road, Coventry West Midlands, CV1 3JS

LeeBailey(ManagingDirector)andChloeWood (Auctioneer) in the saleroom with painting by C S Lidderdale, featured in their Antique and Collectors sale on 10thDecember 2014

WarwickAuctions ofCoventry Saleroom

Funding approved for new engineering building at Warwick Trident College

workforce development plans and growth targets and supports other regional economic impact measures, including increased numbers of apprenticeships, progression into employment for school leavers and the retention of a highly skilled workforce within the region

The key to success of this project will be creating a professional, industry oriented learning environment, which attracts employers as long term partners, supports innovation in curriculum design and delivery and creates a high quality centre of excellence for AME training Our students will clearly benefit from access to the latest resources needed to develop their skills, which are restricted currently due to capacity issues

Warwickshire College Group has secured £1.3m* from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to support a new building for engineering students at Warwick Trident College

This additional funding means that the college group can start building in December with a completion date of August 2015

The new 6,000m² three storey building will comprise specialist engineering workshops, 12 teaching labs, 3 computer labs and 3 specialist engineering

technology labs that will be tailored to the high quality courses demanded by our customers

Warwick Trident College currently provides Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) training for Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Thwaites, Babcock and Telent plus other SMEs All are experiencing growth with projected requirement for training an additional 150 Apprentices plus upskilling workforce requirements for 2014/15 with further growth projected in future years

Warwick Trident College is at capacity and requires additional space to provide training The aim of this project is to create the capacity to meet demand for an additional 285 Advanced and 253 Higher Apprenticeships in the Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical/Electronic, Automotive and Product Creation sectors

Peter Husband, Group Vice Principal for Curriculum and Innovation (Skills) said: This is great news for Warwick Trident College The new building will make a sustainable contribution to employers’

The project will connect students much more directly with employment, by building on our existing high quality employer relationships, including our large employer contacts and over 40 current SMEs in engineering related sectors The target is to increase this number to over 65 SME employers, increasing the direct input and influence from employers on all courses, in addition to enhancing high quality work experience options as part of the study programme for our full time students ”

Warwick Trident College offers a range of engineering and motor vehicle courses, including apprenticeships, full time courses and foundation degrees

For more information call 0300 456 0049 or go to www warwickshire ac uk

From SKA to Hurrah; a celebration of 25 Years in Business

A dedication to customer service meant that many of the guests weren t just customers; long standing friendships have been borne from the perseverance of customer care and quality delivery

Also in attendance was Councillor Hazel Noonan, the Lord Mayor of Coventry, known as a keen supporter of local business

Pete and Martin s story goes back to well beyond the quarter century celebration, actually forming their relationship as part of the early 2 Tone music movement, another success story from the City of Coventry, although as no doubt Pete would agree, it seems that network cabling has been the more successful part of their careers

setting up Active Communications in 1989

Twenty five years in business is a testament in its own right, but seeing through at least two major recessions in that time gives further evidence of the quality of service and product that they deliver

With many businesses now having to compete virtually but with real world reviews, competition is tougher than ever, something that hasn t escaped Pete or Martin

Four years ago, Pete Jacobs from Active Communications, Coventry, was quoted as saying ‘I’m looking forward to our next milestone of twenty five years, then I can say did we really achieve all that?’

would seem to be a resounding yes!

In today s language, they would be classed as Entrepreneurs’; seeing an opportunity to take control of their own destiny and with a loan from their parents, they started a video film hire business Business was good, but their entrepreneurial spirit meant that they looked toward the future; what opportunities were there for expansion?

A chance meeting would see both Pete and Martin training to install commercial telephone systems; this in turn led them to

Keeping up with technology is a key part to their business success; as technology changes, so do the requirements and options of their customers Active Communications now offer a bespoke installation service for network cabling infrastructure, telecommunications, Mobotix high resolution IP CCTV cameras and door access control systems

They readily admit that they wouldn’t have got this far without their loyal customer support and commitment from their suppliers, allied to their equally committed and highly trained staff; they have a well deserved reputation that is the envy of their peers

In the words of the Lord Mayor, let s hope that Active Communications keep ‘active for many years to come

Pete Jacobs and Martin Gardner have now hit that next milestone of twenty five years in business Judging by the turnout at their celebratory event in August at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, the answer

SKAcelebrate 25years in business

Events

10th November

Masterclass Debt Avoidance and Credit Decisions

9.30am 12.30pm

Chamber House, Innovation Village, Cheetah Road, Coventry, CV1 2TL

Members only Free of charge

Learn ways to avoid bad debts and credit decisions in the rush to increase turnover?

Topics will include: Credit Vetting, Chase bad debts, Procedures, Court Action, Enforcing judgements

11th November

Emerging Europe seminar

08:30am 2.00pm

The Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry, CV6 6GE

Free of charge

Find out more about business opportunities in rapidly growing European markets through a practical and interactive seminar Receive an economic update; hear top tips from a freight specialist and an update on the latest EU legislation

Export week runs from the 10th of November 14th November to find out more and book your place visit www exportweek ukti gov uk/full/index cfm ?fuseaction=search result

12th November

ExploreExport

8:30am 4:00pm

The ICC Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EA £50 + VAT

This unique event allows both experienced exporters and those new to exporting, theopportunity to develop a tailored programme of one to one meetings and learning workshops that ensures you can focus on what is most important and relevant for your business

13th November

Manufacturing event

4 00pm 6 00pm

MGTS Midland Group Training Services , Gulson Road, Coventry, Coventry, CV1 2JG

Free of charge

We are hosting a Manufacturing Networking event at MGTS Coventry MGTS are a well established engineering apprenticeship provider who are providing the market place with a new generation of engineers with the potential to solve practical problems and push the boundaries of technology

This will be the perfect opportunity to network with people in the manufacturing industry and create business contacts with like minded people There will also be a tour of MGTS

18th November

Free Auto Enrolment Workshop

12.00pm 1.30pm

Belgrade Theatre Belgrade Square, Coventry, CV1 1GS

Free of charge

As an employer it is vital that you understand the impact Auto Enrolment will be on your business In association with the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, we would like to invite you to attend a free one hour workshop which will give you the opportunity to address your concerns, answer your questions and offer you the support and guidance you need in preparing for Auto Enrolment

The Workshop will be followed by a buffet lunch and networking

19th November

MINT: The Next Powerhouse

9 00am 2 30pm

Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry CV6 6GE

Free of charge

Opportunities, one to one meetings and a mini exhibition to maximise the potential value to your business You will also meet with UK Trade & Investment market experts that can help to guide you on your export journey and companies just like yours who have succeeded in these emerging markets

21st

November Chamber Networking

8.00am 10.00am

Ramada Hotel and Suites Coventry, The Butts, Earlsdon, Coventry, CV1 366

Free of charge

Get the chance to promote your company and make new business contacts at this informal networking event

This event is the perfect opportunity for you to make new business relationships and grow your customer portfolio

28th November

Christmas Lunch and Networking

11:30 am 14:30pm

Twycross Zoo

Member £15 + VAT

Non member £20 +VAT

Join us for a Christmas lunch, stand up comedy and networking afternoon in the run up to the festive season in the surroundings of the Twycross Zoo

This event will be filled with laughter, good food and opportunities to expand your business network

Warwick House, 10 Warwick Road, Southam Warwickshire CV47 0HN Free of

Join us at the stunning Warwick House for breakfast and networking Chamber

Networking is the perfect opportunity to make new business contacts Get the opportunity to raise your company profile and promote your company to local businesses This event will provide excellent networking opportunities and is a great way to develop new business relationships

More information & Booking: Call 024 7665 4321

events@cw chamber co uk www cw chamber co uk

Join the Chamber at one of the events and receive 10% off your annual membership fee

Find out more information or to book a place please see the events pages at www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events or contact events@cw chamber.co.uk

Remember to book onto member only events you will

Having had about four weeks over the summer with not too much going on I started September with an invite to The Lord Mayor of Coventry’s Civic Dinner to welcome the Shanghai Cleaver Football Club, China, as part of their 10 day tour to the UK This was a very good evening with plenty of opportunity to network.

On the 11th of September I attended the Warwickshire Means Business event at Shire Hall Warwick where the guests for the evening were The Rt Hon Lord Heseltine, The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP Minister for Universities, Science and Cities and Jonathan Browning Chairman of The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership We were given an insight into what has been happening in our region by both Jonathan Browning and Councillor Izzi Seccombe Leader of Warwickshire County Council as well as speeches from both Lord Heseltine and Greg Clark, after which there was the Signing of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Deal

On Friday 12th September I attended another Business is Good for Women lunches hosted by Coombe Abbey The guest speaker was Anthea McIntyre MEP and many thanks must go to Anthea and her team for stepping in at the last minute replacing Nicola Morgan Secretary of State for Education We do have a new date for Nicola Morgan in January 2015 Anthea gave us a very interesting insight into her background in business and how she became a politician

On the 19th September I hosted a Presidents lunch at the Chamber the theme of which was Business Engagement in Education, with the guest speaker being Councillor David Kershaw

CBE cabinet member for Education Coventry City Council, we also heard from Marcus Mason of The British Chambers of Commerce on the National Landscape on schools and business, Louise Bennett our CEO on the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber s role on business engagement in education and Derek Kozel about Young Chamber

There was a great turnout of business leaders from small to large employers covering a wide range of businesses from manufacturing, construction to the professional services as well as representatives from two of our local secondary academies Everyone contributed to the discussion as to how business and schools could work better and Councillor Kershaw asked if the chamber could facilitate some of those present to join a working group with head teachers that he was looking to set up

The 26th September I attended and opened the chamber’s second Trade Expo event of the year at Stoneleigh Park, which started with an international trade breakfast followed by networking between those companies present some 125, each with their own stands enabling them to demonstrate what their business was about In addition seminars were run throughout the day Having spoken too many of the business present they all said what a great event it was and how useful it was to have so many business present

On the evening of the 26th September Pauline and I attended the NSPCC Ball at the Ricoh Arena

On the 8th of October I attended the Presidents Assembly at the Hilton London Euston this is a gathering of all chamber presidents from across the UK where we had presentations from various speakers

from BCC, ICM Research and from one of the chambers However the best and most interesting part of the day was when we meet up with Chamber representatives from some 20 + countries from around the world Some of the countries present were Colombia, Singapore, Poland, Morocco, Nigeria, Turkey, China, United Arab Emerits etc The British Chambers of Commerce Accredited Network is the leading private sector provider of export support in the UK The BCC and the Accredited Chambers in the UK are working in partnership with UK Trade and Investment to create an international business network, providing practical support for UK exporters Launched in late 2012 by the Prime Minister, the Overseas Business Networks initiative aims to transform the support available for British SME’s seeking to do business in high growth, hard to access markets across the world It is a crucial part of the drive to double the UK’s annual exports to £1 trillion and to increase the number of UK exporters by 100,000 by 2020 Round the table were Abderrahmane Ifsasse, British Chamber of Commerce Morocco, Marcus Mason ,BCC, Steve Robinson, Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, Alec Carstairs, Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Christopher Gaunt British Chamber of Commerce Turkey, Brigitte Holtschneider, British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, Oliver Strommer, British Chamber of Commerce Hungary, Peter Burns Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Thursday evening 9th October I attended the Heart of England Community Foundation Annual Review where we got

New challenge for Craig

Craig Humphrey will have overall responsibility for the leadership, management and financial sustainability, which is funded by the Regional Growth Fund, of the Clearing House which was launched as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership s City Deal bid to government

He became leader of Rugby Borough Council in 2002 but his new role means he has now stepped down along with his position as councillor for the Bilton ward

Craig said: “I have been a businessman for over 20 years and I know the importance of innovation and creativity which the Clearing House is designed to foster particularly among the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector

This is an exciting time in Coventry and Warwickshire as we build on our reputation for encouraging diversity and highly skilled jobs in various fields

We want to make it as easy as possible for businesses to access the right kind of services to encourage growth, create jobs and boost the local economy and the Clearing House has all the elements it needs to make this a reality

Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, welcomed Craig s appointment

He said: This is a key role and we are delighted Craig will be leading the team of account managers and specialists at the Clearing House who are already assisting businesses across the area

to see how the donations had been spent, and I have to say the organisations helped were all very worthwhile, we were given presentations from some of the recipients and again I have to say that I found them to be quite moving and I can only applaud the work that is being done by Heart of England

Friday 17th October was the Chamber s Annual Economic & Business Conference at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry with a great line up of speakers with two of the most memorable being Nick Parsons from the Yorkshire Bank who gave us a very interesting and entertaining presentation about the UK and World Economy The second was our Keynote speaker John Timpson, CBE of Timpson s who gave us again another very interesting address about how he runs his family business using an upside down management style,

Empowering his managers to run the business with a great amount of freedom I won t say any more about his presentation other than to say it was truly inspirational and if you have not heard him speak then you must

Finally as I start my second year as your President I would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year

The Clearing House is designed to give a helping hand to ambitious companies who want to expand and would benefit from the wide range of specialist advice and practical support that we can provide

“There is no doubt Coventry and Warwickshire has a blossoming reputation in advanced manufacturing and engineering but that doesn t rule out businesses in other sectors from receiving support and Craig will be leading the way in ensuring businesses in the area have the right conditions to prosper ”

Coventry and Warwickshire Clearing House has confirmed that following an extensive search and selection process it has appointed the former leader of Rugby Borough Council as its first managing director

“I have close links with the area s business community and I am looking forward to developing the work of the Clearing House which provides a single point of contact to give businesses all the support they need to grow

Peter Burns MBE

Craig Humphreys

“We want to make it as easy as possible for businesses to access the right kind of services to encourage growth, create jobs and boost the local economy and the Clearing House has all the elements it needs to make this a reality.”

A busy time that provides an insight into business life

Key appointments made

The Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub has made a key appointment in its drive to help business.

CW Growth Hub formed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a one stop shop for support and advice for businesses and has appointed Chris Wightman as its independent planning advisor

Wightman’s new role will see him providing planning advice to expanding companies and working with the local planning authorities and government agencies This integrates with all other free business advisory services provided at the Growth Hub

The role was created after feedback from firms in the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) sector indicated that their inability to navigate speedily and successfully through the planning process was a significant barrier to growth

Wightman, who comes from Barwell, near Hinckley, joins the Growth Hub team after 12 years working in Australia

I am really excited to return for this role, which I believe will play a tangible part in helping to realise the growth potential for Coventry and Warwickshire,” he said

I worked in the private sector in the UK and then in the public sector in Australia so have experienced both worlds

Having just arrived back in the area I come at this with a very fresh perspective which I think will be a very positive thing

My aim is to help companies find their way through the system as speedily as possible so they can concentrate on doing what they do best, and have the ability to realise their potential

I will also work with authorities on strategic planning policy and help ensure that the voice of business and their needs are well represented

The 41 year old trained at Newcastle University and worked for Jones Lang LaSalle in London before moving to Australia

Managing Director of the CW Growth Hub, Craig Humphrey, said: “The LEP has already done some very good work such

as the successful completion of the Planning Protocol for all local planning authorities in Coventry and Warwickshire and we will continue to work together to deliver a fast track planning service for the AME sector

Chris brings a wealth of planning experience from the public and private sector and will work with the CW Growth Hub team to ensure high quality planning outcomes in the required time frames ”

Radio group Quidem host

David Nuttall visit

The Industry and Parliament Trust is a charitable organisation which creates opportunities for Members of Parliament to learn more about how businesses work. The Trust organises placements for parliamentarians in companies operating in sectors relevant to the Member's particular interests

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce was approached by the IPT to suggest a broadcasting organisation that might host David Nuttall MP and radio group Quidem did the honours Mr Nuttall visited Touch FM in Honiley and spent time with the sales team, the journalists and in the studio with the breakfast show

David was very keen to understand Quidem's growth strategy and how commercial radio competed for revenue against other forms of media

Quidem CEO Steve Orchard commented radio people love showing off It was a pleasure to host David Nuttall and to play our part in supporting the IPT a valuable organisation which helps Westminster understand grass roots business

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(Leftto right): Anna Rose (chair ofthe LEPPlanning Group), Chris Wightman (CWGrowthHub), Craig Humphrey (CWGrowthHub)

DavidNuttallmeets

Ollie Gallant&Simon Alexander, BreakfastShow Hosts on 102TouchFM&The New 96 2TouchFM

Welcome to new members

A Bit ‘o Lemon Cake

35 Silken Court, Nuneaton. CV11 5NW 07974 041934 abitolemoncakecompany@gmail.com

Askews Legal LLP’s

5 The Quadrant,Coventry. CV1 2EL 02476 231000 sandra@askewslegal.co.uk

CHI Technology Ltd

Unit 10, Shottery Brook Office Park, Timothys Bridge Road, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON. CV37 9NR 07836 251569 saul.warren-howles@chitec.co.uk www.chitechnology.co.uk

Crazy Kiln Mobile

3 Wood Street, Leamington Spa. CV32 4HQ 07747 024368 info@crazykiln.co.uk www.crazykiln.co.uk

CW Business Management

236 Ashby Road, Hinckley. LE10 1SW 07502 433055 chris@cwbusinessmgt.uk www.cwbusinessmgt.uk

Detank UK Global House

Hazel Tree Barns, Kings Hill Lane, Stoneleigh. CV3 6PS 08456 444 993 charnjit@detankuk.com www.detank.com

E A Supplies

Ltd

The Stables at Bourton Bourtan Hall, RUGBY. CV23 9SD 07985 423217 www.ea-toolregrinds.co.uk

Energy Survey Services Ltd

Chapel House, Chapel Street, Nuneaton. CV11 5QH 02476 374684 www.energysurveyservices.co.uk

E-Warehousing Ltd

Common Lane Industrial Estate, Kenilworth. CV8 2EL 01926 859121 paul.seward@e-warehousing.co.uk

Geneo

No 7 Parade, Leamington Spa. CV32 4DG timking@geneo.co.uk www.geneo.co.uk

General Fitness Ltd

149 Radford Road, Coventry. CV6 3BT 07916 832531 andrewferrington@gmail.com

Heritage & Culture

Warwickshire St. Johns House Museum, Warwick. CV34 4NF 01926 736420 bronwenwilliams@warwickshire.gov.uk www.heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk

JBMPS Ltd

Highway House, Asfare Business Park, Hinckley Road, Wolvey. LE10 3HQ 01455 221700 lynnmalin@jbmpsltd.co.uk www.jbmpsltd.co.uk

Kestrel Honda

104 - 108 Holbrook Lane, Holbrooks , Coventry. CV6 4BH kay.dewey@kestrelhonda.co.uk www.kestrelhonda.co.uk

learndirect Limited

Dearing House, Young Street, Sheffield. S1 4UP 0800 101 901 jayne.ducker@learndirect.com www.learndirect.com

Love Coventry Hope Centre

Vauxhall Street, Coventry. CV1 5LF 07766 555 556 bill@lovecoventry.com www.lovecoventry.com

Machine Tool Spares

Blackhorse Road, Exhall, Coventry. CV7 9FW 02476363549 david.taylor@mtspares.co.uk www.middaero.co.uk

Marian Dwyer

31 Earl Rivers Avenue, Heathcote. CV34 6EN marian@mariandwyer.com

Oak Tree Garages Ltd

Oak Tree Road, A46 Eastern Bypass, Binley, COVENTRY. CV3 2RR 02476 456789 dclarke@oaktreegarages.co.uk www.oaktreegarages.co.uk

Ohms Electrical Services Ltd Retreat Farm, Newnham Henley-In-Arden. B95 6DU 01789 488482 richardpholmes@mac.com www.ohmselectrical.com

Overbite

The Technocentre, Puma Way, Coventry. CV1 2TT 0121 288 0117 hello@overbite.co.uk www.overbite.co.uk

Park Sheet Metal Co Ltd

4 Bayton Road, Bayton Road Industrial Estate, Exhall, COVENTRY. CV7 9DJ 02476 361606 neil.ankcorn@parksheetmetal.co.uk www.parksheetmetal.co.uk

Paye Matters Ltd 24 Abbotsbury Way, Nuneaton. CV11 4GB mineshtrivedi@payematters.com www.payematters.com

Pera Training Ltd

Pera Business Park, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray. LE13 0PB 01664 501 386

natasha.haggart@peratraining.com www.peratraining.com

Perfecting Workplace

English 31 Dunley Road, Stourport On Severn, Worcester. DY13 0AY 01299 829676 melodie@perfectingworkplaceenglish.co.uk www.perfectingworkplaceenglish.co.uk

Photocopier Consumables Ltd

Crondal Road, Bayton Road Industrial Estate, Exhall, Coventry. CV7 9NH davehiggott@yahoo.com

Pink Connect

Connect House, Mill Street, Shipston on Stour. CV36 4AN 08454 509 393 thomas.delves@pinkconnect.com

Power Fin Technologies Ltd

Unit 4 Swan Park, Kettlebrook Road, Tamworth. B77 1AG 01675 466 060 dpierce@powerfin.co.uk www.powerfin.co.uk/products

The National Motorcycle Museum Services Ltd

86 Henwood Lane, Catherine de Barnes, Solihull, Birmingham. B91 2TH rachel.northam1@gmail.com www.nationalmotercyclemuseum.co.uk

The Really Good Event Company

D7 Swan House, The Park, Bosworth Hall Estate Market, Bosworth. CV13 0LJ 0777 900 4055 lise@reallygoodevents.com

The Sycamore Tree Christian Bookshop

2 Chapel Street, NUNEATON. CV11 5QH

TQ Training

Wroxton Business Centre Wigston Road, Braunston, Daventry. NN11 7JG 01788892050 mike.motley@tqtraining.co.uk www.tqtraining.co.uk

UK Madetrading Ltd

58 Queens Road,NUNEATON. CV11 5JZ 024076 353688 ian.papworth@yahoo.co.uk

UVS Sign & Design Ltd

Unit 17 Alliance Close, Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate, Nuneaton. CV11 6SD 02476 350664

SewerMaintenanceServices Ltd

52 Taylor Avenue, Lillington, Leamington Spa. CV32 7SB 01926 734051 paddy@sewerms.co.uk www.sewermaintenanceservices.co.uk

Studio William Welch Ltd

Goose Hill, Charingworth, CHIPPING CAMPDEN. GL55 6NU juliana.lamb@studiowilliam.com www.studiowilliam.com

Sykes Timber Carlyon Road, ATHERSTONE. CV9 1JD wood@sykestimber.co.uk www.sykestimber.co.uk

TCB Training Services

9A Manor Farm, Moor Lane, Lincoln. LN5 9DX 01522 788 153 brian@firstaidtraining.co.uk

The Glebe Hotel Church Street, Barford, WARWICK. CV35 8BS 01926 624218 gm@glebehotel.co.uk

sales@uvs-signs.co.uk www.uvs-signs.co.uk

Warwick Events Ltd

13 John Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon. CV37 6UB 07711389490 emma@warwickevents.co.uk www.warwickevents.co.uk

Whole in One Golf Limited

Unit 21 Holly Park Mills, Woodhall Road, Leeds. LS28 5QS 01132 040 430 craig@w1ggroup.com www.w1ggroup.com

Workplace Fire & Safetey Training

4 Jersey Close, Coventry. CV3 1PP 0800 689 4999 enquiries@wfst.co.uk www.wfst.co.uk

Workplace Pensions Online Ltd 54 Breeden Drive, Curdworth. B76 9HJ 01675 475256 info@andrewhopeinvestment.co.uk www.andrewhopeinvestment.co.uk

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