C&W In Business September 2021 by Benham Publishing Limited

Issue 85 September- October 2021 This edition is delivered in partnership with

Pete Maguire

Wright Hassall Striking the right balance Page 20

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Foreword

Contents

September - October 2021 Dear Chamber of Commerce Member, For the Coventry and Warwickshire economy and businesses, 2021 has, so far, been a mixed picture. Business leaders are reporting stronger confidence and, in some instances, stronger order and sales books. However, for hospitality, tourism and leisure the conditions are still challenging with footfall returning fairly cautiously to our city and towns. In other sectors, such as manufacturing, raw material prices, overheads and the continued bureaucracy of trading with Europe continues to impact on supply chains.

by Louise Bennett OBE DL Chief Executive Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

Inflation is rising and so, as we look forward, we could see an increase in interest rates alongside the Government seeking to make changes to fiscal policies with potential rises in taxation. In this area, Coventry City of Culture 2021 has undoubtedly made an impact on the local economy, footfall and, indeed, the general ‘feel good’ factor of the sub-region with some well-attended events, not least the return of the Godiva Festival and the very popular Assembly Festival Garden in the city centre. The 2021 team have done an amazing job in the most difficult circumstances to create a programme with such widespread appeal and it has been great to see so many people enjoying the events on offer. As autumn and winter now looms, and with children back at school, there continues to be a feeling of fragility around Covid-19 and the impact that this, and a potential flu pandemic, may have on the economy, staffing and visitor numbers. The positive is that Coventry and Warwickshire – a mini-England – is resilient and robust and continues to attract investment in the city and, indeed, some of our towns such as Nuneaton and Leamington Spa.

City of Culture 2021

As we progress towards 2022, Coventry and Warwickshire Partners will be seeking to build on the City of Culture ‘window of opportunity’ by being part of Commonwealth 2022 and, indeed, looking to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. In my role of High Sheriff of the County of the West Midlands, I have been pleased to be able to progress my themes of showcasing “unsung leaders” and “opportunities for young people” and have been out and about meeting some amazing people and organisations, including The Positive Youth Foundation, Fridays and The Coventry Food Bank.

News 6-7 Sustainable Business Series

News

The event will be a hybrid of a live and virtual audience hosted from the IXL Events Centre on the site of the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam.

Smart Energy

Kind regards, Louise, Mrs L Bennett-Bayliss OBE, DL Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce

10-11

Business Engage Profiles 12-13 Chamber Training

As ever it should be a great event and I do hope you join us – either in the room or virtually!

News

15 -19

Profile

20-21

Economy

22-23

News 25-28

Around the Region

31-35

Supporting Businesses in North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedfordshire 36-37 Education & Training

40-42

President & People

44-45

New Members

Members Offers

Earlsdon Park 53-55 Butts Road Coventry CV1 3BH www.bandhattonbutton.com info@bandhattonbutton.com 024 7663 2121

putting imagination to work www.cw-chamber.co.uk

21in21 9

Finally, we were very pleased to recently announce the first details for our Annual Business & Economic Conference on Friday, November 12 and that our keynote speaker will be Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE, who won rowing gold medals at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.

The conference, sponsored by Prime Accountants Group, will be based on the theme of ‘Against All Odds’ and will hear from a range of businesspeople and key decision-makers looking at some of the inspirational stories of the past 18 months and looking ahead to brighter economic times.

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Focus on Coventry 2021 The official publication of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce ••••

CONTACTS At the Chamber News desk Members are encouraged to send any news about their firm - new orders, staff, new products, expansions or relocations - for publication in C&W in business. Whilst every effort will be made to publish submitted articles, we cannot guarantee inclusion. Send them to: news@cw-chamber.co.uk Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, Tyler Campbell from Fridays Coventry CIC, Ezekiel King CIC and Tina Costello, Chief Executive of Heart of England Community Foundation.

Chamber House Innovation Village

Supporting the creativity

Cheetah Road Coventry CV1 2TL T: 024 76 654321 F: 024 76 450242

At the publishers Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ T: 0151 236 4141 Advertising Contact Karen Hall karen@benhampublishing.com T: 07801 788880 Production Manager Mark Etherington Accounts Director Joanne Casey Media Number 1807 © Benham Publishing 2021 C&W in Business is produced on behalf of Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce by Benham Publishing Limited and is distributed to members free of charge. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in C&W in Business, neither Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies it contains. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Chamber.

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of underfunded aspects of the arts and culture sector Eight organisations have been awarded grant funding by Coventry City of Culture Trust and the Heart of England Community Foundation to support Black artists and projects for early years children. £40,000 will be invested in Coventry based Black artists and a further £29,000 in projects that support early years children to unleash their creativity during Coventry’s year as City of Culture after a competitive process. A total of eight grants were made available across two funds to support the creation of new creative projects which will take place before the end of May 2022. A dedicated Coventry City of Culture Trust producer will work alongside the grantees to support the projects. Through the Black Artists Fund, Steppers UK, Fridays Coventry, Maokwo (granted by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation through Heart of England Community Foundation) Ezequiel King will receive up to £10,000 each. This investment reinforces the City of Culture Trust’s commitment to the More Than A Moment pledge – the West Midlands arts sector’s promise to take radical, bold and immediate

action to dismantle the systems that have kept Black artists and creatives from achieving their potential in the arts and cultural industries. The Under-Fives Project Grants will support four new projects, including the creation of a specialised ‘sonic’ playground at The Tin Music and Arts and a programme of arts and craft sessions delivered by the Coventry Muslim Resource Centre. Flatpack Projects will also receive a grant to create sensorial experiences for children with special educational needs and complex disabilities, while the Wriggle Dance Centre will develop an interactive cinema experience for early years audiences. Tina Costello, Chief Executive of Heart of England Community Foundation, said: “These grants represent another great move by the City of Culture Trust. Our relationship has seen so many organisations and individuals prosper. Both the Black Artist Fund and the Under-Fives

Grants will provide vital funding to several fabulous projects.” Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “We are delighted to announce the recipients of these new grants, which each bring something unique and crucial to supporting the creativity of underfunded aspects of the arts and culture sector. “We were overwhelmed by the number of fantastic artists and organisations that applied and are thrilled that these eight projects will get the funding and professional support they need to succeed. “We are extremely grateful for all who applied and are encourage to keep an eye out for further grant opportunities with the Heart of England Community Foundation as we enter the next phase of Coventry’s UK City of Culture celebrations.”

“We are delighted to announce the recipients of these new grants, which each bring something unique and crucial to supporting the creativity of underfunded aspects of the arts and culture sector." www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Focus on Coventry 2021

Showcasing the best of the city A Coventry College student is looking forward to helping to showcase the best of the city in its year in the national spotlight.

Conor said: “Being involved is a huge honour for me because I’m able to help out with something that is massive for Coventry.

Conor Sturmey, who has lived in Coventry all his life, has been selected as a City Host Team Leader to support a range of UK City of Culture events.

“I’m really proud to be able to represent that in my role as a City Host and now as a Team Leader.

The 20-year-old, who is studying film, TV and radio production at the city’s leading FE college, is looking forward to championing the best of his home city. City Hosts are volunteers who are helping to welcome visitors as part of the UK City of Culture, supporting various events such as Coventry Pride, Sports Fest and the Godiva Festival coming up next month. Thousands of volunteers have been recruited as part of the programme, and Conor joined through Coventry College, which is a partner of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021.

“As a City Host it is about showing the best that Coventry has to offer, and the fact that I am from here adds so much. “I know a lot about Coventry and I can help guide others to where they need to go, and overall make their experience here an absolutely awesome one.” Conor, who is also a student ambassador and a radio presenter on community station Hillz FM, volunteered for the project after hearing about it through a Coventry College training programme. He has already supported events as a City Host, and now having

completed further training he will start as a Team Leader. He added: “I am looking forward to developing my leadership skills and leading a team. “I have had a few shifts as a City Host already and it is so much fun, I absolutely love it.” Gemma Knott, vice principal for business growth, engagement and partnerships at Coventry College, said: “Coventry College is proud to be a partner of the UK City of Culture and supporting the city in this special year. “We are delighted that Conor has been chosen for this role as a City Host Team Leader, and we know he will do a fantastic job.” Emma Taylor-Smith, Volunteer Co-ordinator for the City Host programme, said: “Since becoming a City Host, we have received a lot of positive feedback about Conor,

in particular his willingness to help everyone and his ability to make everyone smile. “Conor has an amazing attitude and embraces his role on every shift he does. “We are really proud of the Host that Conor has become and are looking forward to having him volunteer on many more events with us, representing our city and the City Host Programme.”

Businesses are already seeing a much-needed boost from 'City of Culture effect' She said: “The opening of Coventry 2021 was moved back to May due to the Covid-19 crisis and, even then, the year had to begin under restrictions. “It has been incredible to see the way the team has pulled together such amazing events – both online and with limited capacity - and now, with restrictions lifting, there is a buzz in the city and region and people are getting out to a whole range of events.

Business leaders in Coventry say the City of Culture effect is already bringing a much-needed boost to the region on the back of the Covid-19 crisis. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said Coventry 2021 – which began in May and will run through to May 2022 – was not only increasing footfall in the city, it is helping to put the city on the map. www.cw-chamber.co.uk

“I recently had the pleasure of visiting hospitality businesses in the city and walking through areas such as the Precinct, Broadgate and Hertford Street. To see the public realm transformation and the inward investment being made is testament to both the work of our City Council and the City of Culture Trust. “The Assembly Festival Garden has been extremely busy and the feedback I’ve seen is that it is really helping to boost footfall in the city centre, which is having a positive knock-on effect for businesses. “There has been so much to see and do already and we are just a quarter of the way into the year, with so much more to come. It has been great to also see events heading out in to Warwickshire,

such as The Bullzini High Wire which took place recently at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park. “And it has been great to see this reflected in the way the city and the region is being portrayed in the global, national and regional media, bringing much-needed and richly deserved spotlight to Coventry and the surrounding area. “There is no denying that the past 18 months has been extremely difficult for businesses and individuals but we are so lucky to have City of Culture as a window of opportunity as we have come out of restrictions. We are definitely seeing a much-needed boost to the local economy. “Despite an incredibly challenging start, my congratulations go to David Burbidge, Martin Sutherland, Chenine Bhathena and every member of the team at the Trust for what has been an incredible start to our year. “My advice to everyone is to find out what’s going on in the city and get out there and make the most of it because this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Coventry, its businesses and its people.” For more information about what’s on, head to www.coventry2021.co.uk

News

Hospitality company to bring major heritage attraction to life The team behind Coombe Abbey Hotel is set to manage St Mary’s Guildhall when it opens later this year after £5.6 million of investment and redevelopment.

Midlands business owners can’t survive another lockdown Business owners in the Midlands have claimed they have little to no funds to see them through another lockdown, a study has found. The survey of 200 business owners in the region, commissioned by Prime Accountants Group, found that almost 70 per cent of businesses did not have the means to survive a rainy day, with close to a third not even knowing how much money is currently in their business account. It also emerged that almost 90 per cent of business owners across the Midlands don’t even have a contingency plan in place if a key person in the business was to pass away or leave suddenly. Unsurprisingly, of those surveyed, almost 50 per cent claimed their business significantly suffered with the onset of the pandemic. Kevin Johns, managing director of Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, said: “COVID-19 and various lockdowns over the past 18 months have led to a sharp rise in unemployment and business failure, which is not surprising. “However, the results of the survey show that most businesses seem to be living in the present and not planning effectively for a brighter future. “While I do understand it is important to endure these uncertain times as best as possible, businesses will significantly benefit if they take the time to plan and implement financial strategies that can impact and improve their future. “Cashflow management is so important, now more than ever before. Cashflow is essential and while it is fantastic to have a budget at the start of the year, it needs to be used wisely and reviewed regularly to ensure that concerns are addressed and you are making all the right moves to secure higher profits.” For more information visit www.primeaccountants.co.uk

Coombe Abbey Park will be appointed to operate St. Mary’s Guildhall and will draw on the expertise and resources of No Ordinary Hospitality Management to deliver an exciting heritage programme and visitor experience, and develop the marketing to attract more visitors. The company has been formed after transforming Coombe Abbey’s commercial operations, which include new and refurbished food outlets and a highly successful Go Ape tree-top adventure. St Mary’s Guildhall sits next to Coventry’s Cathedral and dates back to 1352. The redevelopment programme is underway with the aim of ensuring that the Guildhall takes its place in the city’s visitor offer for residents and tourists, and grows its reputation and customer base. Richard Harrison, managing director of No Ordinary Hospitality Management and Coombe Abbey Park, said: “St Mary’s Guildhall is a truly iconic building of national importance within the city centre and we believe it has massive potential for a wide range of events. “We clearly have experience in dealing successfully with historic buildings and allowing them to deliver cutting-edge events while maintaining their unique character.

From the left, Richard Harrison, Cllr David Welsh and Ron Terry

“Now we will be working hard to support Coombe Abbey Park to ensure we make the most of the wonderful space and increase its profile within the city, the region and across the country.” No Ordinary Hospitality Management will operate through Coombe Abbey Park for the contract, which will also establish the Guildhall as a venue for weddings, events and conferences.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council and member of the shareholders panel for Coombe Abbey Park, said: “This is an important milestone because it means we can start gearing up for opening during our year of UK City of Culture.” For more details visit www.stmarysguildhall.co.uk and https://noordinaryhospitality.com/

“We clearly have experience in dealing successfully with historic buildings and allowing them to deliver cutting-edge events while maintaining their unique character."

Service investment delivers excellent client experience Employment and safety specialist AHR Consultants has further demonstrated its commitment to client care by investing in the development of its service. The Rugby-based consultancy firm, which supported over 300 employers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has built on last year’s recruitment surge by enhancing its approach to client care. While overall client satisfaction levels were at 96% during 2020 (based on a client satisfaction survey), the firm’s management team has led a strategic review into client feedback during this summer, looking to provide an improved experience across its HR, employment law and safety divisions.

As a result, AHR Consultants has invested in a cloud-based suite of internal systems which facilitate shorter lead times at all levels of the organisation. This means even faster responses to incoming enquiries, reductions in overall case resolution time and more control over the experience for clients. The newly introduced systems are a welcome addition to the existing client care programme at AHR Consultants, which already sees its advisors following up matters with client care calls, alongside an online client portal which is regularly updated with actionable toolkits and documents. The firm also delivers a collection of free webinars throughout the calendar year, while adopting a multi-channel

approach to its consultancy operation with online training sessions and 24/7 business support. Simon Howes, managing director at AHR Consultants, said: “We have introduced new internal systems to allow us to work closer to our clients, continue understanding their strategic aims and ultimately

allow them to gain maximum use of our service. “Prioritising client needs has been a core value of AHR Consultants since its inception in 2007. It’s great to see our commitment to this value continue to grow alongside the business.” For more information visit www.ahrconsultants.co.uk

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

News

130 new jobs on offer as firm clinches new Warwick office deal An engineering group is creating more than 100 jobs after completing the purchase of new offices in Warwick through commercial property experts Bromwich Hardy. Global engineering, design and recruitment firm Contechs says it has vacancies for up to 130 designers to work from its new offices at Grand Union House on Budbrooke Road. The £1.5 million sale of the two-storey building, land, and plant and machinery was concluded by Bromwich Hardy partner David Penn – and marks the latest in a string of high-profile successes for the award-winning Coventry-based firm. Contechs, which is headquartered in Warwick and has offices in Basildon, Germany, the USA and India, says the new offices will house designers working on all aspects of electric vehicles and

allow it to expand its manufacturing base at its existing Warwick site. Managing director Peter Jarvis said: “The new site is alongside a canal, light and airy and will be perfect as a base for our specialist design consultancy business. The move will also allow us to devote more space to manufacturing at the existing site just up the road. “We work on all aspects of design for electric vehicles including bodies, chassis, battery trays, interiors and trim

The offices at Budbrooke Road

and are expecting to generate up to 130 new jobs through this expansion. “Everything connected with the sale went as smoothly as possible and we had no issues at all. That is the highest compliment you can pay.”

“The new site is alongside a canal, light and airy and will be perfect as a base for our specialist design consultancy business. The move will also allow us to devote more space to manufacturing at the existing site just up the road."

David Penn, who acted for the vendors, said: “We are delighted to have concluded this sale to Contechs, which is one of the region’s most successful companies. “The demand for high-quality, modern office space which is conveniently located remains healthy in spite of the pandemic and its impact on working practices. We expect this to continue for some time yet. “This is a prestigious office building in an excellent area which has attracted an equally prestigious purchaser.”

Midland Heart maintains industry-leading rating Pictured: Glenn Harris, Chief Executive, Midland Heart

Housing association Midland Heart has maintained its industry-leading governance and financial viability ratings. Following an in-depth assessment by the regulator for social housing in April, the 34,000-home association has maintained its G1/V1 rating. A score of G1/V1 indicates the highest of four possible grades for both governance and financial viability. Midland Heart, which is one of the region’s largest providers of affordable homes, took early steps

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

during the pandemic to make sure it could continue to deliver services to customers in a COVID-secure way, ensuring improvements to customers’ homes weren’t postponed and that staff didn’t face the uncertainty and disruption of furlough. John Edwards, chair at Midland Heart, said: “I’m very proud that we’ve maintained both our top rating governance and financial viability as we

continue our work to deliver first-class landlord services to our customers and build as many affordable homes as we can across the region. This rating is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of our colleagues.” Glenn Harris, chief executive at Midland Heart, added: “Last year, despite the operational challenges provided by the coronavirus pandemic, we maintained over £100 million

investment to improve the comfort and safety of our customers’ homes, including installing over 1,100 new bathrooms and kitchens and building new affordable homes.” Midland Heart has also built 350 high-quality, affordable homes in 2020/21 and agreed a new plan to deliver 4,000 new affordable homes across the region by 2025.

"I’m very proud that we’ve maintained both our top rating governance and financial viability as we continue our work to deliver first-class landlord services to our customers and build as many affordable homes as we can across the region. This rating is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of our colleagues.”

Sustainable Business Series

Chamber launches Sustainable Business Series ahead of COP26 The Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign aims to share best practice, guidance and knowledge to improve business know-how and progression to net zero. This will contain member and stakeholder knowledge, best practice and guidance. The Series will begin in September and cover four key topics businesses should

consider when adapting to the net zero transition: Energy, Transport, Circular Economy (Waste & Resources) and Sustainable Business Management. Join to be part of the business community making progress towards net zero and capitalise on the business and economic benefits the transition will bring, whilst protecting future generations.

For more information, head to https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/about-us/policy-campaigns/sustainable-business/

Launch Event & Sustainable Business Summit

Workshops

Launch Event: What does Net Zero mean for SME's?

06th October, 10am – 11.30am

30th September 2021, 10am – 11.30am

Progressing to a Net Zero Business through Energy

Book here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/what-does-net-zero-mean-for-smes/

Book Here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/progressing-to-a-net-zero-businessthrough-energy/

Sustainable Business Summit

Progressing to a Net Zero Business through the Circular Economy

3rd November 2021, 9am – 12.00pm

14th October, 10am – 11.30am

Book Here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/the-sustainable-business-summit/

Book Here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/progressing-to-a-net-zero-businessthrough-the-circular-economy/

Progressing to a Net Zero Business through Transport 20th October, 10am – 11.30am Book Here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/progressing-to-a-net-zero-businessthrough-transport/

Progressing to a Net Zero Business through Sustainable Business Management 27th October, 10am – 11.30am Book Here: https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events/progressing-to-a-net-zero-businessthrough-sustainable-business-management/

Net zero challenges and opportunities at heart of Chamber campaign

A Chamber campaign aiming to help businesses overcome challenges and grasp opportunities associated with net zero carbon emissions requirements is being backed by four major corporations. Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, will be holding its inaugural Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign from 30 September. The campaign will focus on four topics relating to the net zero transition, including energy, transport, circular economy and sustainable business management. It culminates with a Sustainable Business Summit, taking

place on 3 November, focusing on how firms can be more sustainable and resilient.

recognised by The Guardian when they awarded us the title ‘University of the year 2020’.

In April, the government legislated that CO2 emissions must fall by 78 per cent by 2035, based on 1990 levels (a reduction of approximately 60 per cent from today’s levels), to accelerate progress to the 2050 net zero target.

“Further to this, we actively support businesses to become more sustainable through several initiatives, including our Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute, Low Carbon SMEs program, and ASTUTE (Aston Institute of Urban Technology and the Environment).”

“We have committed to achieving net zero emissions across our entire operations by 2030, and we believe this campaign will help other local businesses reach net zero at a time when they need to make increasingly tough decisions as they tackle financial performance alongside sustainability and net zero targets.”

Aston University, Morgan Sindall, Arup and University of Birmingham have backed the campaign as sponsors.

Richard Kirkham, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure’s operations director for the A45 Sprint project, said: “Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and the A45 Sprint team are thrilled to sponsor the Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero. We look forward to helping businesses across the region decarbonise by sharing best practice, guidance and knowledge.”

Mark Smith, executive director of Business Engagement and Regional Projects at Aston, commented: “We’re delighted to sponsor the Sustainable Business Series. We’re proud of our green ethos and are home to one of the greenest and most sustainable campuses in the country, an attribute

Gurmit Kler, director of Business Engagement at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our strong commitment at University of Birmingham to help businesses go greener with the tools, knowledge and resources they need to fulfil their sustainability potential is at the heart of our sponsorship of this new sustainable business initiative from the Chamber.

Helen Davis, director at Arup, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our work, and we believe sustainable business models can help all organisations produce tangible economic, environmental, and social benefits, and ultimately build long-term success.

“The campaign is incredibly timely for both planet and university as we embark on an ambitious goal to reach net zero carbon by 2035. We want to ensure every business can access support on their journey towards sustainability.”

Additionally, in anticipation of the UN Climate Change conference (COP26) taking place in November, climate action and associated policies are likely to increase to meet the challenge of the climate crisis.

To find out more, visit https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/about-us/policy-campaigns/sustainable-business/ www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

21in21

Mentoring scheme brings business benefits A Coventry and Warwickshire-based businesswoman has embraced a mentoring scheme that enables women in business to share in the wisdom of their more experienced peers.

of Commerce’s 21in21 programme, and her personal mentor, former senior local government advisor Val Birchall, for helping her to tackle them. The initiative, which sees ambitious businesswomen paired with successful business leaders as part of a year-long programme of mentoring and support, is sponsored by the West Midlands Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (WM RFCA) and builds on the Chamber’s successful Women in Business network. Sheridan said: “With all the uncertainty of the last 18 months it has been really important knowing that the right support is out there. “At the same time, there has been added pressure in providing steady leadership during the pandemic, and Val has provided an amazing sounding board to work through a lot of these issues. “It can be lonely in leadership positions and there is a stigma with voicing this, but Val has been encouraging and provided sound advice for rising to those challenges while highlighting the importance of taking a moment to stop and reflect and reach out if necessary.

Sheridan Sulskis moved to the UK from South Africa on her own at the age of 18 and started her first job as a waitress. Sixteen years later, she is now the Executive Director at the not-for-profit, FCA Sheridan Sulskis regulated, Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT). In the last 12 months, she and her team at CWRT have provided over £7.7m of finance to local businesses which has helped to safeguard 962 jobs and aided in the creation of over 338 local jobs during the pandemic. But self-made success can bring its own unique challenges, and Sheridan has praised the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber

“You don’t have to face the journey alone and there are special people out there that are selflessly dedicating their time and energy to support others – to which I give the greatest thanks to Val and also the Chamber for organising this programme.” Sheridan was paired with her mentor, Val, in March, and the pair have been engaging in frequent online sessions ever since. Val, who is originally from Manchester but has been working in the Midlands for the last 25 years, oversaw numerous projects advising small businesses in her most recent role within senior management at Coventry City Council.

Val Birchall

As a mentor, she has been able to combine her personal management experiences with practical expertise in leading teams of people and managing complicated budgets and workloads to support Sheridan.

Val said: “Taking up a role as a mentor has been genuinely enjoyable, and all that is helped by, as a mentee, having a clear vision about what it is you want to achieve, but also taking moments to reflect and take advice. “It can be quite isolating at times when you are rising through the ranks in business, and I think the knowledge that you are not alone in those challenges and there is always a sounding board to raise your concerns to is incredibly valuable, and that’s what has made my time with Sheridan so rewarding.” Keely Hancox, Operations Manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The success of Val and Sheridan’s pairing is not down to us but to the importance that they both place in their relationship as part of the 21in21 programme. “We have provided the framework and their desire to work together has provided a fruitful partnership, which is fantastic to see, and a real testament to what we are trying to achieve as part of the Chamber’s Women in Business Network.” For more information on our 21in21 Programme, head to www.cw-chamber.co.uk/membership/21in21/

The Army Cadet Force – a pathway to success Often we hear the opinion that today’s young people lack community engagement and have a tendency to sit in front of a screen, instead of being active outdoors. The Commandant of Warwickshire and West Midlands (South Sector) Army Cadet Force (ACF), Colonel Emerson Holder TD VR, explains why their cadets are quite the opposite.

and a place where young people take ownership of their behaviour, education and life choices. “The findings of the recent Northampton Report by Professor Simon Denny and his team found that participation in the cadet forces has significant positive impacts on young people in school and employability.

“My experience as a volunteer with the cadets is that our young people aged 12-18 years old are positive, passionate about our environment and make strong contributions to their communities.

“Young people join us looking for challenges and adventure. They leave with increased confidence, qualifications and aspirations to succeed. We have former cadets who are now paramedics, business leaders and Army Officers.

“The ACF is a hotbed for teamwork, gaining formal qualifications, leadership development

“Cadets come from all walks of life, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We are a

Meet our

diverse and inclusive organisation and our young people learn to respect other peoples’ values and celebrate those things that unite us. “If you are looking for willing academic, industry, or business ready young people, and adults, then look no further than applicants with an ACF background - you will be delighted if you are lucky enough to secure one of them for your organisation!” The ACF is a Ministry of Defence sponsored uniformed youth organisation. It is supported by the Army Cadet Force Association and our regional Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations. Learn more about the ACF and how West Midland RFCA supports the next generation of young people here: https://www.wmrfca.org/cadets/

We will be featuring our Mentors in each edition...

21in21 Mentors

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Fleur Sexton DL CEO and Co-Founder, PET-Xi Training

Karen Shuter Joint Managing Director, Exact Logistics

Tina Costello Chief Executive, Heart of England Community Foundation

News

Butterflies set to light up skyline in memory of loved ones

Shakespeare Martineau increases rankings in prestigious law guide National law firm Shakespeare Martineau has increased its rankings in the 2021 edition of the Chambers High Net Worth Guide, a guide to the leading lawyers and law firms for private wealth law. Consolidating its top tier rankings in Leicester and its strong showing in the Birmingham and surrounds category, the team ranked in Nottingham and surrounds for the first time. Commentators highlighted Shakespeare Martineau as “diligent, commercially aware and very keen to meet the aims of clients…keen to innovate”. There was also individual recognition for several of the firm’s partners and lawyers including Suzanne Leggott, Mark Dunkley (ranked band 1), Lesley Davies, Anne Tromans, Virginia Harvey and Verity Kirby. Partners Andrew Wilkinson, also ranked in band 1 and who leads the private wealth disputes team, and Debra Burton were also recognised and commended for their highly specialised work. Suzanne Leggott, head of the private client team at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “This is great news for the teams across our offices, recognising the commitment of our lawyers to their clients and the level and quality of the advice and support we give. Our new Nottingham ranking consolidates our status as one the leading law firms for private wealth work across the Midlands and beyond.”

This October, The Myton Hospices will be celebrating the lives of lost loved ones in a unique and wonderful way. The Butterfly Effect will take flight at Coventry Broadgate and Warwick Market Square, with an incredible light installation featuring more than 1,000 individual photographs coming together as one Myton Butterfly. The images will be projected onto a focal building in each location and will form a butterfly mosaic before dispersing into lots of smaller butterflies taking flight. This striking sequence will be repeated throughout the evening for six consecutive nights; three in each location. You can make a donation to submit a photograph to be part of this beautiful light projection in memory of your loved ones. If you donate £30 or more, you will also receive a locally crafted, metal hanging Myton butterfly as a lasting keepsake. Each photograph will form part of the spectacular light installation and everyone is welcome to visit at Coventry Broadgate from October 14-16 and Warwick Market Square from October 17-19 between 6pm and 9pm. There will be musical

entertainment each evening and the opportunity to talk to members of the Myton team. Charlotte Ingram, director of income generation and supporter development for The Myton Hospices, said: “After what has been an incredibly difficult time for so many, we want to come together and celebrate the lives of our loved ones in the most special

way, whilst ensuring that we can continue our vital work, now and in the future. “We passionately believe that everyone matters for every single moment of their life and, by supporting each other, we can create something amazing. This belief is at the heart of everything we do.” Find out more and submit your photos at www.mytonhospice.org/butterfly

Artists use safety barriers to display their work

Rob Gerrard, director at Safetyflex Barriers, with Polly Merredew at Coventry Market

Public art can come in all forms, shapes and sizes — and for two Coventry artists it has led them into the unlikely world of safety and security. Abstract artists Polly Merredew, aged 39, and Emily Hett, 26, have used the anti-terrorist barriers outside Coventry Market and The Wave, the city’s new

indoor waterpark, as canvasses for their latest work. The surface-mounted crash blocks are designed and manufactured by family-run Safetyflex Barriers, a premier manufacturer of anti-terrorism bollards, barriers and crash-rated street furniture which is also based in Coventry. Polly and Emily were commissioned by Coventry City Council as part of a citywide project to look at innovative ways of showcasing the work of local artists in public places during and beyond its year as UK City of Culture. It is the art school graduates’ first foray into public art. Polly said: “This is completely unusual and off the scale for me as I’ve only ever produced my work on a more conventional canvas, so to be doing a 3D public art project has been a steep learning curve,

but really exciting at the same time.” Emily added: “This is like nothing I’ve done before and to find out that the security barriers were made in Coventry too makes it extra special.” Rob Gerrard, director of Safetyflex Barriers, said: “Our growing range of patented crash-rated products to stop vehicle attacks are innovative in the way they are designed, how they perform, and how we can transform them into attractive street furniture, so it’s interesting to see that they have evolved further to now become blank canvasses for the work of local artists. “Polly and Emily have done a great job in bringing them to life in a way that we’d never really considered before.”

Outsourcing talent sticks for Glued Agency Leamington Spa-based design agency, Glued, is sticking to its guns when it comes to outsourcing new talent to support its growth. Glued partners David Wilson and Rob Harrison work with organisations of all sizes and were looking to expand their branding business when COVID hit. The partners on boarded four new team members via outsourcing rather than recruiting employees. Rob explained: “Outsourcing talent is the future of our business. Since COVID, there’s been a real challenge to recruit and we rose to it by outsourcing our team. In some ways, the pandemic has made it easier to engage virtually over Zoom and Skype, and we relished the opportunity to move forward using the virtual World.”

The outsourced team of four are social media expert, Cathy Wassell; Ruby Edwards, public relations specialist; virtual assistant, Sue Sanders; and Phil Ingle, financial trainer. Together, the additional talent will allow Glued to grow its services in line with demand. David added: “Before this photo was taken, Rob and I had only met two of our four new team members in person. Outsourcing (and virtual outsourcing at that) has worked for Glued and we wonder if it might work for other businesses too.” Glued has seen sales almost double since the pandemic hit and looks forward to a less sticky recruitment challenge with the outsourcing of talent.

The Glued team has expanded its service offerings and team using outsourced talent to support the growth of the business. L-R (standing) Phil Ingle, Rob Harrison, Sue Sanders (seated) David Wilson, Cathy Wassell and Ruby Edwards

Stuck with a boring brand and need some design and marketing support? Glued can help. Visit www.gluedlimited.co.uk

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EMKA gives back around the world EMKA’s awareness of its social responsibility is demonstrated by its attention to issues such as a clean water supply project in West Africa and the support of women and children in sport. The company’s involvement at this level enables it to give something back to the wider community on the world and local stages. EMKA sponsors top athletes and access to clean water by promoting social projects worldwide with local partners.

EMKA sponsors Düsseldorf‘s YOU Foundation in its digital donation concept, referred to as the SmartAid app. Thanks to blockchain technology, donors can track the path of their money themselves – all the way to the intended recipient. The project’s agenda includes the construction of wells to provide clean water in West Africa. The YOU Foundation is an initiative of UNESCO Special Ambassador Dr. h.c. Ute-Henriette Ohoven which is committed to the education of children in need worldwide. It follows UNESCO’s values and mission and its Education Agenda 2030, which includes ensuring water supplies. In West Africa, the foundation is building urgently needed wells to supply the population with clean water.

Local groups of experts and community members analyse the best locations for modern wells, which are then constructed to ensure easy access. Continuous monitoring of the installations and the water quality then ensures that the local people can receive sufficient drinking water. Together with the software company Datarella, the YOU Foundation has developed a digital emergency aid app for social project projects – sponsored by the EMKA Group. For many years, Goražde in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been an important EMKA production site where again EMKA is involved with supporting children in the community through sport. EMKA Bosnia primarily produces moulds as well as injection-moulded parts for the automotive and electrical industries.

Microlise to list on the London Stock Exchange Microlise, a provider of transport management software to fleet operators, has listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange as Microlise Group plc. The group raised £61.2 million from investors through the issue of shares at a placing price of 135 pence per share, meaning Microlise has been valued at £156.5 million. The decision to list on AIM will support Microlise's next stage of development, including broadening the group's product offering and growing the business around the world. Established in 1982, Microlise is an award-winning business with around 350 employees based at the group's headquarters in Nottingham, as part of a total staff of 500 globally. Microlise operates predominantly in the UK and has offices in France, India, and Australia.

Microlise's transport management software helps fleet operators improve efficiency, safety and reduce emissions. These improvements are delivered through reduced fuel use, reduced mileage travelled, improved driver performance, fewer accidents, elimination of paperwork and delivery of an enhanced customer experience. The listing will help Microlise realise the significant revenue potential within its existing customer base and up-sell and cross-sell its products. The group is looking to penetrate new geographies and market segments, including the market for smaller fleet sizes and different vehicle types, such as light commercial vehicles. Furthermore, the listing provides the opportunity to accelerate the group's growth strategy through targeted M&A. Nadeem Raza, CEO of Microlise, said: “With an established track record of

growth, proven management, and a market-leading position in providing technology solutions to fleet operators, Microlise is well set to capitalise on what we believe to be a major growth opportunity. Our customers are under pressure to meet increased environmental regulations and want more integration across supply chains. In addition, the challenges of the pandemic and Brexit have raised even greater awareness of the need to optimise the movement of goods efficiently and sustainably.”

Gallagher moves into new European headquarters

Manufacturer in security technology, Gallagher, has officially moved into its new European headquarters in Warwick. The completion of the new headquarters signifies Gallagher’s increasing customer base across Europe, and the company’s continued growth in the northern hemisphere. Richard Huison, regional general manager for UK and Europe at Gallagher, said: “We’re so excited to officially be in our new building, and we can’t wait to welcome

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our partners and customers. We’ve grown at an impressive rate in recent years and fast outgrew our current premises. Our new building enables us to be better positioned from an operational perspective and provide a superior customer experience.” Gallagher now operates offices and warehouses in ten countries across the globe, with more than 1,300 employees based throughout the world. Mark Junge, global general manager for security at the company, said an important part of Gallagher’s strategic growth includes scaling its global distribution network and in-market presence. He said: “It was necessary to increase our office, conference, and warehouse facilities so that our team can continue to grow, and our customers can see, first-hand, how Gallagher protects what matters most. This new building provides even greater scope to showcase our world-class technology,

host events, and support our Channel, consultant, and customer network across the UK and Europe. “With discussions well underway with several UK government agencies, and some significant recent successes with high security customers in the UK, this new facility provides the ideal base to support our continued investment in the development of solutions that support the UK and Europe.” The 1,500 square meter (16,145sq ft) headquarters allows Gallagher to host prospective clients, hold large events, and better support Channel partners and joint customers with meeting, conference, and training facilities. The headquarters also includes a 670 square meter (7,211sq ft) warehouse, to streamline UK and Europe operations, and deliver greater efficiency to support a heightened demand for Gallagher’s solutions, with land available for future expansions.

Sponsored Column

Travel firm gets ready for Christmas market A Henley-based travel company is ramping up preparations for Stratford’s Victorian Christmas market as part of its recovery from the effects of the pandemic. Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel is working with Stratford District Council, Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council and Warwickshire County Council to provide its Park & Ride service for the Christmas market this year, after the 2020 event was cancelled due to government restrictions. The family-owned company, which has been operating since 1909, runs bus services across Warwickshire and within Stratford District, and also operates coach hire services, as well as holidays and day trips. It has already restored many of its services

in the area and to various holiday destinations in the UK and is now looking forward to helping the council run a smooth park-and-ride service from Bishopton to the Christmas market. John Johnson, commercial director of Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel, said: “It’s fair to say the pandemic was an incredibly difficult time for our business as it was for the whole of our industry. “Many of our services such as holidays and day trips had to be completely cancelled, and our bus services were significantly reduced. “While our drivers operated essential bus services for those that needed it, it still wasn’t easy as some of them were quite worried about the risk of transmission.

From left: John Johnson, Cllr Matt Jennings, Johnson Coaches driver Tracey Inglis, Cllr Kevin Taylor, and Cllr Izzi Seccombe

“That said, we implemented comprehensive hygiene policies including regular deep cleans of our vehicles, PPE for all drivers, and social distancing onboard all our services. “We also made sure to stay in touch with many of our

regular passengers – some of them are elderly and on their own and didn’t have people to turn to during the hardest parts of the pandemic. Our motto is ‘Travel with Johnsons, Travel with Friends’ – so we made a real effort to keep in touch with our customers.”

A challenging last 15 months!

ERIC mascots holding a thank you to Pure Washrooms

Vickie Pugh, sales director at Pure Washrooms, a washroom service provider for facilities across the West Midlands, reflects on the pandemic and why Pure chose to look outside of the business to make a difference, selecting three charities to support this year.

She said: “Like most business owners we had to act fast to adapt to meet the changing needs of our clients throughout the pandemic – all the while making sure we kept our colleagues safe. We are immensely proud of how our team pulled together.

are more than just a grassroots football club and even before the pandemic were making a big difference to the local community. More recently they have put welfare calls in place to check in on vulnerable fans and operated a food and toy bank to help those who need it most.”

“However, it is the not-for-profit organisations we felt for, some of whom we have as clients. Through no fault of their own they have been unable to carry out their planned fundraising activities and no one could have forecasted that, putting even their most essential initiatives at risk.

Pure Washrooms has also supported, CRASAC, a Rape Crisis Centre based in Coventry, which provides specialist helpline services, counselling, and advocacy support to all those who have been affected by rape or sexual violence.

“We made the decision to do what we could to help local causes and over the past 15 months have supported three such organisations, two of whom are clients. Firstly, Solihull Moors FC, who

Pure Washrooms final donation was made to the charity ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity whose vision is “for all children and young people to live a healthy and happy life regardless of any bladder or bowel issue they may face”.

West Midlands hire bikes: made by Pashley Pashley is very proud to be producing the bikes for the new West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme. The scheme is a success story for regional manufacturing, with almost all parts being made in the West Midlands. The bikes are manufactured in Stratford-upon-Avon by Pashley, while the on-street docks (designed by Pashley) are being made by Universal Fabrications in Nuneaton. The locking system is produced by Coventry-based RDM Group and PHA Europe in West Bromwich, and the plastic mouldings for the bikes and docks are made in Telford by LVS. The pedal cycles have three gears to allow for the varying terrain and

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are fitted with laser safety lights that project an image five meters in front of the bike. The bike features a ‘one handed’ seat clamp so the height of the saddle can be adjusted easily to fit the rider. The bikes will allow more people the chance to explore the region – including Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell Solihull, Wolverhampton and Walsall – and will support transport demands during large scale events such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Pashley’s award-winning design of the city hire bike offers improved handling, safety and comfort whilst ensuring that maintenance and operating costs

are kept to a minimum. Innovative anti-vandalism design features also significantly increase its life in active service. This British-designed and manufactured bicycle is now seen on the streets of London, Edinburgh and the West Midlands.

New season get your team organised! By Graham Freakes Holidays are over as is furlough – and so it's back to work! But who's come back wanting a different role? And who's not reappeared at all? We're all aware that there are skill shortages and sure that some of you will be facing a new reality, but it's a golden opportunity to rethink you're starting line up in the same way football managers have to do to optimize your use of skills. There are many direct comparisons between business organisation and a sports team – you need the right number of people doing the specific task in the right place on the pitch. This is the ideal time to redraw your team plan – or organogram – look at the gaps, and at the players who are playing in more than one position on the pitch and wondering why? 'If you want a job done give it to a busy man' was the adage. Organisations need to be flexible but it's very easy to let job descriptions smear over time without correcting the errors, and for individuals to pick up extra work on a temporary basis that then becomes the norm. The result is capable people shouldering more responsibility and work without recognition or reward, leading to resentment and inefficiency. Time for a team talk – essential communication between manager and team before going out on the pitch. Understand your team members strengths and weaknesses, review your team line up, playing to their strengths and eliminating the weaknesses. Advertise for the missing players and rewrite any job descriptions of players out of position, correcting pay anomalies at the same time. Bring your team together to discuss the new line up and then eliminate some of the waste that has found its way into your processes. 'Value stream mapping' is another tool from the LEAN toolbox which examines every step of each of your processes and asks the question – Why are we doing this? - at each stage. I've delivered this simple but effective process to a wide variety of businesses. It's simple, hands-on, no-nonsense business process reengineering to reduce waste. Call 07774 200321 or email graham.freakes@handgtechnology.co.uk

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From IT to Tai Chi and beyond

Have a conversation to keep top talent Vacancies are up and candidate numbers are down. That’s the message arising from several recent surveys. Job security has been important during the pandemic; we’ve had other things on our minds. But we could now see a pent-up demand for change. Employees have had time to evaluate their lives and some are maybe coming to the conclusion that they could do better job-wise. At the same time there’s an increase in opportunities for jobseekers. Attracting good candidates is already a problem in certain sectors. It’s key then that you try to do what you can to keep hold of the good employees you have. Here’s a conversation you can have today which will cost you nothing but could have a real impact. Choose one of your best employees; someone you would really hate to lose. Invite them to a meeting with you. At the meeting do three things: • Thank them for a contribution they’ve made. Make it specific, relating to something they have done recently. Explain how it has made a difference and ensure they know that you appreciate it. • Ask how are they? They’ll probably say “fine” or “OK”. But ask, really, how are they? We’ve all been through a lot. What is going well for them? What concerns do they have? How is their life outside of work? Don’t try to solve everything. Giving time and space and really listening is more important. • Ask what you can do that would help? Encourage them to be honest and open in their response. The whole meeting could take fewer than 30 minutes but may well make a real difference to the engagement, motivation and retention of your best employees. And how much would that be worth to you? Would this make a difference in your organisation? For more information, visit www.sanderssolutions.co.uk

Member Blog by Julia Mitchell Twenty years ago I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis and told that my spine was fusing and that I should consider changing my career as my work involved being sedentary for long periods. I was a high flyer in the IT industry and absolutely loved my job but I chose health over wealth. I went to night school, retrained and in September 2004 I set up my floral wedding and events business. I have continued to adapt and diversify ever since, more so than ever during this last year. Following more health problems in 2018, I had another unexpected career change and retrained as a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor. Like many businesses, when the first COVID-19 lockdown came in 2020, my income as a Tai Chi instructor disappeared overnight. After a few

weeks of grappling with technology and purchasing new equipment, I took my Tai Chi sessions online. It’s been such a success that my Thursday evening session is going to continue online. A way to relax, de-stress and recharge as we approach the weekend. I knew that I couldn’t just teach online Tai Chi sessions; I needed more interaction and income. So last August I went off to Wales and completed my training with British Nordic walking. If you’ve never heard of Nordic walking, think cross-trainer at the gym but in the fresh air! Of course, these sessions also had to stop with the second lockdown but it’s fantastic to be out and about now enjoying the amazing Warwickshire countryside. To provide a truly holistic approach, I completed my health & wellbeing coaching qualifications with the Centre for Coaching in London.

My aim is to inspire everyone to take really small steps to better health everyday: mind, movement and motivation. For more information visit www.yourhealthysteps.co.uk

Let's get ready to trademark!

Trademark disputes and registrations have forced intellectual property into the limelight recently. If you have created a work there are a variety of options available to protect your creative effort and to ensure you reap the benefits of your labour.

Trademarks protect brands and logos, whereas copyright protects artistic or literary creations and designs protect the shape or configuration of a product. Trademarks in particular are indicators of origin and can include anything from words, sounds, logos, colours or a combination of them all. As long as your mark is not offensive, misleading, commonplace or nondistinctive, it can be registered. For decades now, there has been a misconception regarding trademarks. The common belief is that trademarks can only be used by brands, but this is now not the case. Celebrities have begun registering trademarks that have to do with their personalities and their stardom.

Reality TV stars like the Kardashian family have amassed a staggering 716 trademark applications to their name; including “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, “Kimoji”, “Yeezy” and “Kylie Cosmetics”. They have even registered their children’s names. It is not just reality TV stars who have jumped on the trademarking bandwagon: In 2011, Charlie Sheen moved to trademark a portfolio of 22 of his catchphrases, but actually only succeeded with “Winning!”. Moreover, he registered his name, signature and undeniable gravelly voice. Bizarrely, Taylor Swift has even managed to trademark and protect her cats’ names… For more information visit https://pure-ideas.co.uk/

Investment in Coventry & Warwickshire points to strong post-pandemic recovery Nearly 2,000 new jobs have been created in Coventry and Warwickshire thanks to investment from foreign companies in the last year, newly published data has revealed. Data from the Department of International Trade (DIT) shows that 1,909 new jobs have been created and 42 jobs safeguarded, with 45 successful foreign direct investments in the area, and a further five shared across other regions. This 10% jump in projects compares well against overall UK figures, which declined by 12% over the same period. Local key sectors were strongly represented, with eight projects from software/games development and 11 from automotive and advanced engineering. This year investors have included Hello Fresh (a new e-commerce fulfilment

centre in Nuneaton), Lotus Engineering (expanded their local presence with a new base at Wellesbourne Innovation Campus), BSA/Classic Legends (established a design and development centre in Coventry), and games developer Electric Square (set up a studio in Leamington Spa). The Coventry and Warwickshire area has seen 17,985 jobs created from 302 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects over the last seven years. Sarah Windrum, chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “Given the difficulties and uncertainty presented by the pandemic, it’s extremely positive that Coventry and Warwickshire has continued to perform strongly and attract major international investment.”

Cllr Kam Kaur, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for Economy and Place, said: “There has been a concerted effort from all parties to make sure that we maximise our potential and to ensure that we are selling the undoubted attributes of the area.” Cllr Jim O’Boyle, portfolio holder jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council and CWLEP board director, said: “We continue to be a very attractive proposition for inward investors because of our location, skilled workforce and other attributes including our two leading universities.”

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Chamber backs International Children’s Games as firms meet

Louise Bennett, Martin Reeves, Rowena Cole, John Timms

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce used its first faceto-face event in close on a year to throw its support behind a major sporting event coming to the region in 2022. The Chamber held its first ‘in person’ event since October 2020 at the Telegraph Hotel in

Coventry, bringing together business people and civic leaders. After a brief opportunity for networking, guests at the event were given an insight into the International Children’s Games, which is returning to Coventry from August 11 to August 16 in 2022. It was previously staged

in the city in 2005. The event heard from Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Chamber and high sheriff of the West Midlands; Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council; John Timms, of the International Children’s Games; and Tom Baynton-Williams, who is leading the sponsorship effort for the Games, which will see more than 1,500 young athletes from 30 countries competing in the city. The games are approved by the International Olympic Committee and offer 12 to 15-year-olds the chance to compete in athletics, 3-on-3 basketball, climbing, football, swimming, table tennis and tennis. The Games Village will be at the University of Warwick, with sporting action taking place at

Coventry University, The Alan Higgs Centre, the University of Warwick and Broadgate in the city centre. Businesses were urged to get behind the event either through sponsorship, support-in-kind or spreading the word about the games and encouraging staff to be volunteers. Rowena Cole, a Coventry athlete, said: “Competing in the International Children’s Games was huge for me and gave me experiences I couldn’t have dreamed of. “If, as businesses, you support the games coming to Coventry, you are not just investing in an event, you are investing in life-changing experiences for Coventry kids.” For more information go to www.coventryicg2022.org

Free support to help overseas trade

Businesses in Coventry are being offered free, one-to-one support with an export expert to help them overcome some of the challenges to overseas trade. The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Department of International Trade are offering companies the support on the back of the UK’s exit from the EU. This is being funded

by Coventry City Council through the Additional Restrictions Grant support package for businesses. Beverley Price, who has more than 25 years’ experience in international freight forwarding and customs, will be helping businesses with any trade issues they might be experiencing anywhere in the world. Businesses can either meet one-to-one in person, online or chat over the phone and can benefit from up to six hours of free help, to be taken over a period of time whenever it suits. Beverley said: “The exit from the EU has forced many more businesses to understand much more about export procedures, documentation and customs. “This is my area of expertise and I am delighted to be able to share that knowledge with businesses across Coventry to help them export all over the world.

“Those businesses that were trading with the EU prior to Brexit could do so very easily but there are now a number of procedures to follow. Firms that have traded around the world will know some of these already. “The support on offer can cover a range of topics to meet each business’s needs and is designed to help get more companies across Coventry exporting with the full knowledge of what is involved.” Topics include customs procedures in import and export to and from the EU, customs procedures towards the rest of the world, customs procedures necessary for exhibitions and temporary import/export and certificates of origin, EUR1 and preferential statements. More information is available by emailing beverleyp@cw-chamber.co.uk

Seek help as the economy emerges from crisis Businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire have been urged to take advice as soon as possible to make sure they are on a sound legal and financial footing as COVID-19 support starts to be phased out. Coronavirus restrictions were lifted on July 19 but that also saw the beginning of the end for many of the support packages and legal changes designed to help companies survive. The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce teamed up with regional law firm, Wright Hassall, to share insights with businesses, directors and business owners on looking forward and planning for the future. Caroline Benfield, Wright Hassall’s insolvency and restructuring team partner, and consultant Elizabeth Taylor, spoke to around 30 companies on the Chamber Live online event, hosted by the Chamber.

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Caroline said: “The evidence tells us that corporate and personal insolvencies are down over the past year. “However, that is due to the fact that there has been so much support available to businesses and measures in place to prevent creditors from pursuing claims. “As that support is withdrawn, all the signs point towards a very tough road ahead and just as in ordinary times, business owners and directors must do all they can to ensure the ongoing success of their business and ensure it is trading solvently.” Firms were urged to consider a range of factors as they look ahead, including entering into conversations between landlords and tenants about any rent arrears and restructuring loans that may have been taken out during the crisis – including government-back CBILs and Bounce Back Loans.

Chris Nagle, events & marketing manager at the Chamber, said: “We are very grateful to Caroline and Elizabeth for delivering such an insightful presentation. There has been lots of support available to businesses during the pandemic to help them survive and it’s important that they are now able to stabilise and grow in the future.”

Olympian is keynote speaker One of Team GB’s greatest ever Olympians will be the keynote speaker at a major event for businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire later this year. Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE, who won rowing gold medals at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, will be speaking at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Business & Economic Conference on Friday, November 12. The event will be a hybrid of a live and virtual audience hosted from the IXL Events Centre on the site of the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam. The conference, sponsored by Prime Accountants Group, will be based on the theme of ‘Against All Odds’ and will hear from a range of businesspeople and key decisionmakers looking at some of the inspirational stories of the past 18 months and looking ahead to brighter economic times. Pinsent will look back on a career that saw him pick-up two Olympic gold medals in the rowing coxless pairs with Sir Steve Redgrave in 1992 and 1996 and then a further two goals as a part of the coxless fours team in 2000 and 2004. Away from the focus of the Olympics, he was just as successful – claiming 14 titles out of a possible 15 in the rowing at the Henley Regatta from 1990 onwards. Pinsent was knighted in 2005 and has gone on to enjoy a successful career in the media as well as being the author of the best-selling book A Lifetime in a Race. Louise Bennett, the chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our keynote speaker for the Annual Conference is Sir Matthew Pinsent. “It has been such an incredible year for sport already and who better to inspire our audience than one of the greatest ever Olympians this country has ever produced. “Our conference is going to have a theme of Against All Odds and we want to use this year’s event to show the world that Coventry and Warwickshire businesses are well and truly back. We’ve battled against 18 months of restrictions and have had to adapt to changes, sometimes on a daily basis. “So, we are putting together a line-up that will inspire and inform our audience ready to meet the challenges of the next 12 months head on.” The Chamber’s Business Influence and Business Engage Members will be invited to be part of the live audience at the event, which will start at 8.30am and finish at 1pm, with live streaming available to all other businesses. Louise added: “We were determined to get back out there and produce a live event for this year’s Conference but understand that not everyone is ready, yet, to be part of a packed business audience. So, producing a hybrid event made the most sense and we are looking forward to seeing everyone either face-to-face or remotely on November 12.” For more information go to https://www. cw-chamber.co.uk/events/annual-businesseconomic-conference-2021/

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A taste of Hollywood comes to Warwickshire A Warwickshire company is planning to launch its own immersive experiences after supplying international entertainment giants for more than 15 years.

Hollywood Gaming is working with a team of scriptwriters to help create the narratives for the new experiences, which Malcolm forecasts will cost around £30 per person to play.

Meriden-based Hollywood Gaming has become a market leader in providing effects using its hardware and software solutions, working with the likes of Hasbro, Paramount Pictures, Sony and EA on games distributed by Sega Amusements to arcades and family entertainment centres around the world.

The experiences currently being mapped out are a safari, alien invasion and dinosaur world. Each would use the same physical props but, by tailoring the virtual reality (VR) and other 4D elements such as smells, motion and wind, every experience would be different despite taking place in the same place.

The business is led by directors Malcolm Barnes and Mark Evans and employs a handful of people who help make experiences come to life. Now, after being supported by the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Ready programme, the company is developing a new area of the business, Immersive Hollywood, where it will open venues of its own and provide unique multi-sensory visitor experiences.

Pictured (left to right): Mark Evans (director of Hollywood Gaming), Gaynor Matthews (Business Ready), Malcolm Barnes (director of Hollywood Gaming)

Malcolm said: “We believe that our experience and skills in this area give us a great platform to create our own venues and our own experiences.

"After being supported by the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Ready programme, the company is developing a new area of the business, Immersive Hollywood, where it will open venues of its own and provide unique multi-sensory visitor experiences."

“The plan would be to make them interchangeable – so you could have a horror game running for one group of visitors and then change that to be something children-friendly using the same props but with a different narrative and different reality experiences. “As well as extended reality, our games will be brought to life with props and tap into other senses such as touch and smell, which is what helps to set them apart from ordinary virtual reality experiences.”

Coventry charities to host event to prevent homelessness “The event challenges people to sleep out for a night and help raise money so that more young people don’t have to experience the plight of sleeping rough for real.

that this event will show that there are many people who care, and that by coming together to raise vital funds we can support even more young people to build a better life.”

David Wootten, fundraising and donations coordinator at YMCA Heart of England, added: “All of the money raised by this unique event will go towards supporting young vulnerable people in Coventry who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Caron Williams, CEO of Coventry Cyrenians said: “Anyone is welcome to attend, and we are urging individuals, groups of friends or companies to sign up to take part.

“Research conducted by YMCA found that just one in four young people who are homeless (26%) believe that the public care about youth homelessness. We hope People across Coventry & Warwickshire are being invited to sleep out for a night in the ruins of Coventry cathedral to highlight the problem of homelessness and raise funds for the charities tackling it in and around Coventry.   Homelessness charities Basils, YMCA Heart of England and Cyrenians have come together as part of the City of Culture ‘HOME’ festival to host the Coventry sleepout. The event will

take place on Saturday October 9 going into the Sunday morning of October 10,  which is world homeless day.  Steve Rainbow, St Basils events manager, said: “St Basils, YMCA Heart of England and Cyrenians are working tirelessly in Coventry to prevent homelessness and support people who are experiencing hardship. To help us to do even more, we are holding a fundraising sleep-out event in the ruins of old Coventry Cathedral.

“Lots of businesses are getting involved and we’d urge as many as possible to come on board and support your local homelessness charities to help prevent youth homelessness in Coventry.”

“All of the money raised by this unique event will go towards supporting young vulnerable people in Coventry who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness." Anyone wishing to take part in the City of Culture ‘HOME’ festival sleepout can find out more here: https://coventry2021.theticketfactory.com/tickets/events/coventry-sleepout. www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

News

Bromwich Hardy named in national elite Award-winning Coventry commercial property specialist

Tom Bromwich and Richard Hardy

Bromwich Hardy and its founding partners have been named in a new list showcasing the country’s leading experts. Tom Bromwich and Richard Hardy feature in the list of the top 32 commercial property experts across the country compiled by the national Business Leader magazine. The magazine says those highlighted are at the top of the UK rankings and have been selected by its readers and subscribers for their impact on the industry.

The magazine says: “Bromwich Hardy comprises of a dynamic and professional team of property consultants based in the West Midlands. “The multi-disciplinary firm has more than 200 years’ experience in commercial property and its extensive portfolio of skills and experience has helped build a successful company. “Led by founding partners Hardy and Bromwich, they offer a full, bespoke service to developers, landlords and tenants looking to buy, sell or rent commercial property in the Midlands and beyond.” Tom said the company was delighted with the recognition – which underlined its growing status on the national stage.

He said: “This recognition is a tribute to the entire team of partners and staff we have built up here and the way they have worked through the pandemic to ensure we have continued to enjoy success. “We are now engaged in deals right across the country, frequently outperform the big national agencies, and have demonstrated that detailed knowledge of the sector and a focus on commercial values remains crucial to our clients. “We will all enjoy this recognition whilst continuing to work towards further success for ourselves and our clients throughout the rest of the year and beyond.” For more information visit www.bromwichhardy.com

“We are now engaged in deals right across the country, frequently outperform the big national agencies, and have demonstrated that detailed knowledge of the sector and a focus on commercial values remains crucial to our clients."

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www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Profile: Pete Maguire This year the firm is celebrating 175 years, and rewarding 175 acts of kindness by local people, as well as a host of other community-focused activities. That balance, however, is far more than merely charitable, and one major strand is an added focus on the SME market, and Pete is spearheading that campaign. His career has seen him working on both sides of the legal fence – for law firms but also in-house. After eschewing the family tradition to enter the teaching profession, he trained and then worked for what is now Squire Patton Boggs. During that time, he undertook a secondment with Bass, not only giving him a deeper insight into the commercial world – but also making him universally popular at his rugby club! (Putting a rugby-playing lawyer into a brewery – what could go wrong!?). More importantly, it was also where he met his wife. “I also did a great deal of property legal work for the Compass Group,” said Pete, “and they then offered me a chance to join them. I thought it would be good experience to work on the client-side and that I would do a couple of years – and ended up staying for 12. “As well as property work, I graduated to other things including commercial support for various aspects of the company and it really did give me an added commercial perspective. “The big difference is that lawyers can work with a silo mentality and don’t see where disciplines cross, whereas if you work in industry you have a bird’s eye view and have a different perspective.

Striking

the right balance Pete Maguire may well be a lawyer – but it is easy to see why he is helping launch his company’s push to help SMEs across the region. Pete, who is about to celebrate his 10th anniversary at Wright Hassall, had not got long to chat about the company’s augmented service to manager-owned firms in Coventry and Warwickshire. At the time of writing, he had just overcome Covid (despite being double-jabbed), and was also battling a very tight deadline for a pitch – things all-too-familiar to those who are at the helm of the enterprises which are the life-blood of the UK economy.

The wondrously named Wright Hassall has had to strike a balance. It is a law firm which operates with some of the biggest names in UK business, but is also very firmly rooted in its local area. It appears to be a path it has steered impeccably well. While it might be well equipped to handle major international corporate deals, it is also the firm which helps raise thousands of pounds a year for local causes through the Wright Hassall Regency Run and its support of Myton Hospice, which saw staff behind the counters of hospice shops boosting trade through friendly – but intense – competition.

“I have found that at times lawyers don’t always advise in the most commercial way and that is because they have never sat on the other side of the fence. “I had very first-hand experience of that. Some of the leases I had drafted for Compass were still in place when I joined the company, and I could see that my advice was around legal protection, whereas the client needs someone in their shoes looking at their issues from a commercial perspective. “You have to give a view as well as options. It is always the client’s decision, but they need all the options to inform that process. “That is something Wright Hassall acted on quite a few years ago, and why, partially, we have been so successful with commercial enterprises of all shapes, sizes and sectors, and it was one of the reasons I was drawn to them when I left Compass. “Our team has a really good commercial view that is a real advantage to our clients. It’s what we call the Wright Hassall Way – we’re proactive problem-solvers, we join up the dots on relationships, we don’t sit on the fence and we put ourselves in the client’s shoes.” Pete became a partner in 2014 and equity partner two years ago. www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Profile: Pete Maguire He said: “A lot of the work my team does is manufacturing-based in a variety of sectors – particularly manufacturing, automotive and aerospace – and a big focus has always been tech and IT, and we work for some very well-known global organisations in outsourcing. “Increasingly we have also worked in logistics. There is massive pressure in that sector through lack of space and lack of drivers but, as with all areas of industry, we have worked with both endcustomer and supplier and that does give us and our clients a real advantage. “The wonderful thing about this area is the variety but also the level of world-beating expertise that lies in SMEs, many of whom are vital in supporting major players. “For example, if you look at aerospace – not a sector necessarily associated with Coventry and Warwickshire – there are a plethora of up to £20 million turnover companies supporting some of the big international corporates such as Meggitt and Rolls-Royce with cutting-edge R&D and production work. “The sector might not grab the headlines because they are not major employers in terms of staff numbers but they play a hugely important part in their sector. “And if the region is going to continue to thrive, then those companies need all the support they

can get and we are very well placed to be a major part of that support network. SMEs don’t typically have an in-house legal function, so, with our expertise, we can add a great deal across all disciplines. “We are also very much plugged in with the support network and work really close with the Chamber, Growth Hub and Made in the Midlands and that brings added value. “We are really fortunate that this area has a very sophisticated support network, which is far more integrated than is often the case in other regions and we believe we are a part of that and therefore want SMEs to take advantage of it. “As well as offering support, Wright Hassall’s place in that eco-system allows us to point companies to where they can access what they need.” That will be supported by a dedicated SME area on the company’s website which will contain case studies, and a plethora of other resources covering a myriad of topics pertinent to SMEs. That will also be augmented by a series of events covering relevant topics. Pete adds: “I think the timing for this is perfect. There is no question that we have endured some very testing times in the last two years, and helping SMEs emerge from that period in as strong a position as possible is key to our future success.”

“We are really fortunate that this area has a very sophisticated support network, which is far more integrated than is often the case in other regions and we believe we are a part of that and therefore want SMEs to take advantage of it."

About Pete Maguire: Working day “I don’t think anyone has a typical day now, after what we have all been through, but I tend to get into work between 8.00am and 8.30am. “I will sort through any management emails, and then concentrate on matters in hand through to the end of the day which might be between 6pm and 7pm, but it doesn’t often work out like that. “I head the commercial team now, which is five people. They vary in terms of experience but we have a really strong line-up of brilliant people who think outside the box. I am very lucky to have such a great group of people.”

Born:

Southport, Merseyside.

Live:

Hampton in Arden, just outside Solihull.

Married:

Celebrated 20 years of marriage to Sharron just last week - unfortunately from opposite ends of the kitchen and wearing masks as I was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid.

Children:

Ben who is 18 and about to head off to Uni in October.

Hobbies:

Sport - born and bred on Merseyside so an avid Liverpool FC fan. I went to one of the few rugby playing schools in the city so that is my other sporting passion - I carried on playing after Uni and played to county level, then coached junior rugby for over 10 years I enjoy getting to Wasps when I can. Walking. Skiing. Trying to get/keep fit in general.

Away from work “I used to coach kids’ rugby at Old Silihillians for 10 years or so, after hanging up my boots. “I do a lot of walking and regularly slaughter myself on the rowing machine. I am rowing 175 km for our 175 celebrations and am about a third of the way through it. It’s a long way!!”

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Favourite Book: The Lord of the Rings. Favourite Film: The Godfather (Parts 1 and 2 - not 3…!) Last Holiday:

Bude in Cornwall.

Gadget:

A toss-up between a) iPhone b) Concept2 rowing machine and c) the bottle opener I got from a Christmas cracker over 20 years ago which is still on my key ring!

21 21

Economy

Unemployment falls but recruitment struggles continue

Firms are finding their feet again

The Chamber has welcomed a fall in unemployment but say firms are struggling to recruit to help them recover from the coronavirus crisis. Unemployment fell to 4.7 per cent in the month to June while there were 953,000 job vacancies nationally in the three months to July. Tom Mongan, president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the figures reflect what the Chamber is hearing from firms locally. He said: “Of course, falling unemployment is very welcome news and the labour market is performing better than many thought it might when we were at the height of the crisis.

Steve Harcourt with Louise Bennett

“However, when I go out and talk to businesses in the region, I am hearing time and again that they are struggling to recruit. Without the right level of staff, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to start growing again and that will stunt wider economic growth. “It’s vitally important, therefore, that the government sets out a plan for tackling this issue so we can make sure we have the right skills for the roles that the economy is demanding. “That plan should include a mix of training opportunities for people to forge new careers and greater flexibility when it comes to immigration so that businesses can bring in the people with the skills they need to help them grow.” British Chambers of Commerce head of economics, Suren Thiru, said: “The latest figures confirm that the UK jobs market is recovering

Coventry and Warwickshire businesses are finding their feet amongst COVID-19 and postBrexit restrictions, while the manufacturing industry has turned its fortunes around, according to a new survey. The vaccine rollout and relaxation of restrictions has ensured that optimism amongst Coventry and Warwickshire businesses has continued to grow, marking twelve months of increased positivity, with the manufacturing sector enjoying a substantial increase in confidence. The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) conducted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce suggests that COVID-19 vaccination uptake has increased consumer confidence and encouraged people to go out and spend on social activities and indoor hospitality after months of pent-up demand. The survey, which is delivered in partnership with Prime Accountants Group, is analysed by the Economy & Skills Group at Warwickshire County Council. Its analysis uses a similar score to the national Markits Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), where 50 is the

balance and anything above means the majority feel positive and anything below means the reverse. The Q2 2021 report indicates a sustained increase in confidence for four consecutive surveys since Q2 2020, when business confidence plummeted in response to the first national lockdown. Confidence in the region’s manufacturing sector was reported as being above the national average PMI at 65.4, marking a 10.5-point increase on the previous quarter as firms made the most of reduced restrictions and increased employment, as well as newfound clarity over post-Brexit trade. Employment in the manufacturing sector contributed to this trend, enjoying a transition from slightly negative to mostly positive as its score rose from 43.4 in Q1 to 68.6 in Q2 2021. The survey cited the revival of the labour market and the loosening of restrictions as reasons for this uptick. Sean Rose, policy officer of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is extremely promising to see an increase in business confidence not just in the services sector and the high street, but in the manufacturing industry too.”

strongly as the boost to demand from the easing of restrictions helped drive higher payroll employment in July. “Record vacancies confirm ongoing recruitment difficulties. Although the changes to self-isolation rules will help, with many firms facing a more deep-rooted squeeze on labour supply from the impact of COVID and Brexit, staff shortages may persistently weigh on economic activity.”

"The Q2 2021 report indicates a sustained increase in confidence for four consecutive surveys since Q2 2020, when business confidence plummeted in response to the first national lockdown."

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Economy

Economic breakfast leaves plenty to digest Business confidence continues to build but concerns remain about a number of ‘headwinds’ in the post-Brexit and postpandemic economic recovery. That was the view from a virtual breakfast meeting hosted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to discuss the findings of its latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES). The survey for the second quarter of the year shows clear evidence of a recovery, with overall confidence up to pre-pandemic levels and unemployment nowhere near the double-digit percentage that was predicted last year. But concerns were expressed about shortages in the supply of goods and raw materials such as timber and steel, and the knock-on effect on prices and productivity, the phasing out of furlough, and the combined impact on the staggered return of VAT to 20 per cent by next April and the repayment of deferred VAT.

There was also a discussion around potential cashflow pinch points ahead with COVID-19 cases rising again, and whether improved cashflow reported in the QES was due to the increased profitability of businesses or whether it was being skewed by the various government financial support packages and measures that have been made available. Fears over rising inflation were also raised and how that might affect the longer-term economic landscape. Steve Harcourt of Prime Accountants, which sponsors

the QES, said businesses needed to remain agile so they could adapt to any change in conditions. He said: “Confidence is good but what we have got to see is that turning into profits and growing businesses. Real issues remain with supply and pricing, and that’s been put into context by one business that I’ve been speaking to which began trading solely online during the pandemic. While they’ve had a great year selling online, because of the delays with stock they think there’s about £300,000 of sales that they can’t deliver at the moment because stock isn’t in the country.”

"The survey for the second quarter of the year shows clear evidence of a recovery, with overall confidence up to pre-pandemic levels and unemployment nowhere near the double-digit percentage that was predicted last year."

Games technology can be good for health and the economy Adapting games technology for social good and positive health could be a strong future economic strand for Coventry and Warwickshire, according to a leading industry figure. Sarah Windrum, who is chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, told a group of business leaders that collaborations between local tech businesses and our NHS Trusts, such as UHCW’s new Innovation Hub, will not only be key areas of innovation but could help drive a post-pandemic economic recovery in the region. Windrum, who is CEO of IT business Emerald Group in Leamington Spa, was speaking at

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s latest #PolicyHour event. She said: “It’s been really difficult over the last 18 months, particularly for events, festivals and City of Culture, but I’ve seen a lot of innovation. “Health is one area. We are working very closely with UHCW and their new Innovation Hub engaging in new digital partnerships. We have a huge wealth of tech expertise in games technology locally; how do we apply that to finding new solutions such as helping people to manage their own health and wellbeing?” She highlighted one project involving a games development

company in Leamington Spa looking at the “gamification of mental health” and creating a virtual “self-care management space”. She said: “People still look at games as not being good for us. How do we change that narrative? Games and games technology can be good for our self-care - and that’s a real area for growth. “Games studios have the opportunity to develop their own IP with skills traditionally used in mobile games development for entertainment now being turned to social good. “It’s also exciting to see our advances in electrification and the proposed Gigafactory.”

Tom Mongan, president of the Chamber

Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire say firms in the region are being held back from reaching their full potential after it was revealed that economic growth slowed The economy grew just 0.1 per cent in July according to the latest GDP figures and the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce believe it is down to a range of factors. Tom Mongan, president of the Chamber, said: “The economy bounced back significantly when restrictions first started to be eased and that growth slowed in July leaving us still some way short of pre-pandemic levels. “There are a number of factors holding businesses back and it is vitally important that these are addressed in order for us to get growing significantly again. “They include issues in the supply chain which are preventing much-needed goods circulating around the economy. There are also difficulties in recruitment, which means businesses might be ready to grow but don’t have the people to support it. “Of course, there are many out there who are still very cautious due to Covid-19 and it may take time for them to have their confidence restored. “It’s important, therefore, that those supply chain issues start to be fixed and that we find a way to get the extra 250,000 people who are unemployed since the start of the pandemic into those roles that our businesses desperately need to fill.”

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Coventry & Warwickshire in business

News

A Coventry weighing company is tipping the balance in its favour for further success after a grant helped with its growth plans service and calibration engineer, and a business and sales administration assistant. “This is the start of a new chapter for Coventry Scale Company, and with the added support from the Growth Hub, we’ve been able to create a working environment that provides a strong foundation for our team and business to grow and develop over the coming years.”

From the left, Cllr Jim O’Boyle (Coventry City Council), Tom Marren (Coventry Scale Company), Kierandeep Bal (Coventry City Council) and Gary Thyeson (CWLEP Growth Hub)

Coventry Scale Company, which has been based in the city since 1975, provides industrial and commercial weighing equipment for a wide range of sectors including automotive, logistics, pharmaceutical and food production, for customers across the Midlands and the UK, as well as in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and East Africa. The team moved from a 2,400 sq ft premises on Barker Butts Lane in Coundon to a purpose-built 4,300 sq ft unit in Spitfire Close, Coventry Business Park, earlier this year. The new premises has a larger workshop and warehouse, additional office space, plus a product demonstration and training room. The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub put the company’s directors, Tom Marren and Neil Keegan, in touch with Coventry City Council and they successfully received a grant of £11,700 from the Investment Fund. This is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business

Support Programme which is funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The grant has been used to help towards the funding of new office furniture, workshop equipment, plus IT and security systems. Tom Marren, Managing Director at Coventry Scale Company, said receiving the grant was a welcome addition to the company’s investment in the move. He commented: “Back in 2015 we changed our business model to focus on industrial weighing which has resulted in year-on-year growth for our company and the need to move to a more fit for purpose business unit. We’ve invested heavily in our move to larger premises, so the funding support from the Growth Hub and Coventry City Council was very much appreciated and helped bolster the amount of capital we’ve been able to spend on new equipment. “The move has also given us the space to grow our team, and we’ve recently recruited an additional

Gary Thyeson, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said Coventry Scale Company’s success was emphasised by the fact it has nearly doubled the size of its workspace following its move. He said: “Tom, Neil, and the rest of the team are innovators in their field, and their expertise is testament to their use of the latest technology as well as their drive to export their goods all over the world. “Just like the Growth Hub, they provide a tailored and personalised service, and we are here to help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors with their growth to boost the economy here in Coventry and Warwickshire.” Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that the grant support made a positive difference and helped Coventry Scale Company to create two new jobs. That’s exactly what the investment fund is for – to support local businesses to ensure they can grow and to create and protect jobs for local people. “Like many small businesses in the city, Coventry Scale Company is driving new innovation in its field. I wish them every success for the future.”

Unitemps achieves quality management certification We are proud to announce that we have been certified against ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems for our recruitment services. The internationally recognised standard demonstrates we meet the needs of our customers through an effective quality management system. Unitemps certification was obtained through extensive external audits performed by BSI, the business improvement and standards company. The certification aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of a company’s system, including processes for continual review and improvement. Carla Whyte, global head of key client engagement at BSI, said: “Huge congratulations to the team at Unitemps for this achievement. Attaining certification to ISO 9001 will provide confidence to Unitemps’ customers and stakeholders that it is carrying out best practice in quality management, and is focused on continually improving its products and services.”

Studio space for automotive firms and engineers

Our decision to work towards the ISO 9001:2015 certification demonstrates our ongoing commitment to continually improving our recruitment services, delivering quality outcomes for our clients, candidates and employees, as well as the high standard of service we currently provide.

Drake Howard Property has been given a unique commission by Envisage Group to market studio and office space to automotive and other engineering sectors. Envisage has a global reputation for engineering expertise, craftsmanship and quality of service in low-volume automotive manufacturing. The company has created a centre of digital design excellence at Progress Close, Coventry, with unrivalled facilities for engineering special projects.

Emma Durrant, operations and compliance manager at Unitemps, said: “As one of the most rigorous and wellregarded standards in the world, achieving certification against ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems is a testament to Unitemps’ dedication to the quality standards of the service we provide to our customers. This not only adds to our company goals but offers further assurance to our customers of the excellent and efficient service we deliver with every placement.”

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Aimed primarily at the automotive industry, the space is adaptable for the aerospace, robotics, pharmaceutical, machine tool and other transport and engineering sectors. The Design Centre provides stateof-the-art studios and ancillary office suites for product development, concept and prototype design, manufacture and restoration projects. Five studios are available within a highly secure environment. Three feature coordinate-measuring

machine (CMM) plates and arms with integral office areas. CMM plates facilitate precision inspection, calibration, measurement and marking out, with modern scanning technology to create threedimensional digital modelling. Occupation is proposed by licence for periods of between three and 24 months for flexibility with contractled projects. Monthly rents include for parking, business rates, heating/ cooling, utilities, and services such as security and building management.

For more information visit www.unitemps.com

News

Council launches property & development group Warwickshire County Council has launched Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) to deliver new homes and commercial, mixed-use and renewable energy opportunities across the county. WPDG will play an important role in shaping Warwickshire as a place to invest, live and thrive following the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the council’s Warwickshire Recovery Plan. It will help the county’s economic recovery, creating jobs and shaping the county as an attractive and desirable place to live and do business. It will also provide a financial return for the council that will enable it to support its priorities through re-investment. The council has named the first non-executive chair of WPDG and announced details of the organisation’s first board members. Ian Cox, who has more than 40 years’ experience in the housing and property sector, has joined WPDG as non-executive chair. He brings a wealth of skills and knowledge to the position and is an experienced property developer senior executive who has operated at managing and group director level for 19 years. Dena Burgher, who has more than 30 years’ experience in FTSE 250 construction companies and public sector organisations, and Mark Hallett, a highly experienced property and regeneration professional with over 30 years’ involvement in the sector, have been appointed as WPDG’s first non-executive directors. In addition, chartered surveyor Steve Smith has been named as Warwickshire County Council nonexecutive director at WPDG. Monica Fogarty, chief executive of Warwickshire County Council, said: “I look forward to working with Ian and the board to ensure that WPDG makes a positive impact for Warwickshire residents and businesses.” WPDG is part of a broader £300m package of investment alongside the Warwickshire Recovery and Investment Fund (WRIF), which Warwickshire County Council has launched to revitalise the local economy. WPDG will speed up existing regeneration opportunities and identify new regeneration opportunities for county-owned property and land, with the aim of building more affordable and market-priced homes and commercial buildings for new business.

Cash boost to improve college learning provision Classrooms and workshops at a Midlands college group will be transformed to deliver new technical qualifications after receiving £1.2 million of government funding. WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group) has been granted the funding from the £50 million T Level Capital Fund. T Levels are new national qualifications that form part of the government’s flagship reforms to technical education in England. The courses combine classroom theory and practical learning with industry placements of at least nine weeks to give students real experience of the workplace.

WCG is among the first college groups to introduce the technical qualifications, with its digital support services T Level being delivered from September 2021. The college group will be delivering T Levels in engineering, health & science and construction from September 2022. The government funding will see existing buildings, workshops and classroom space refurbished at WCG’s Rugby College, Pershore College and Royal Leamington Spa College sites for its engineering, health & science and construction T Levels delivery. This is in addition to funding already received to

support the delivery of the digital support services T Level at Royal Leamington Spa College. Rugby College will see a large open space on the second floor transformed into a specialist engineering teaching space, with engineering facilities to be installed for those studying the engineering T Level. Pershore College will convert a large open space into a series of classrooms and laboratories to assist the delivery of the health & science T Level. This will include the addition of hospital beds and other equipment to provide students with the best learning environment.

Royal Leamington Spa College’s former ceramics building will undergo a major refurbishment with new workshops and classrooms for its construction T Level, with additions including a construction material testing laboratory. Peter Husband, chief operating officer and group principal of WCG, said: “This successful bid for capital funds to support our T Level provision in 2022 and beyond will ensure we provide a suitable and modern environment in which learning can take place.” For more information visit www.wcg.ac.uk/tlevels

How has COVID-19 affected the need for commercial space?

During the pandemic, people have discovered that they can be more productive at home and enjoy the freedom of a more relaxed schedule. Very few openly mourn their morning commute so COVID-19 has accelerated the trend for home-working. However, there are limitations to this where many businesses still depend on face-to-face interaction. Businesses are in the midst of considering whether to keep their commercial spaces at pre-pandemic levels or face the

following question: do we need to downsize our commercial space and if so, how? There are a few options available if you want to downsize your space and we will consider each of the following: Exercise any break rights – if your lease contains an option to break your lease then you need to ensure that you follow all requirements contained in the lease to be able to validly exercise your break option. The most important points to note (which apply to most leases) are: (a) Check whether any type of consideration is payable to the Landlord upon exercising the break right. (b) Serving the break notice must be in accordance with the notice period contained in your lease – usually this is six months before the break date.

(c) If you are in rent arrears, you will most likely be required to pay the outstanding amount before the break notice can be effective. Sell your lease – if your lease contains provisions allowing you to either assign or sublet, it could be worth trying to find a new tenant to take over your lease. Speak to your landlord – many tenants are currently dealing with this issue of downsizing and you may find that your landlord would be open to either surrendering your lease, agreeing to downsize your space or simply negotiating a break right into your lease for later in the time. At Askews Legal LLP, we have a dedicated team of specialists in the commercial property department to deal with commercial property issues.

Business Partnership Warwickshire celebrates 20th anniversary Warwickshire business owners, Tim & Nikki Bayley, are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their business broker company, Business Partnership.

Two decades after launching their business in Nuneaton, Tim and his wife, Nikki, still feel the same sense of achievement being able to help clients achieve their goals 20 years on from when they took on the business. Whilst COVID has had many effects on businesses and the UK economy over the last 18 months, Business Partnership has continued to achieve growth and seen an increase in demand from buyers in the e-commerce and manufacturing sectors.

Prior to becoming regional partners with Business Partnership, Tim and Nikki had lived all over the world. Tim left Loughborough University in 1983 with a degree in mechanical engineering and joined British Coal as an underground shift charge engineer. With an eye for the figures, Tim moved over to the regional headquarters and held various project management roles on an exciting major project to develop one of the largest new deep coal mines in Europe, which he saw through to the planning application phase. Tim left to pursue more senior project management opportunities

around the world, reporting at board level to large corporations in countries including West Africa, Canada, China, India and Ghana. By 1997, the couple had their son Josh and decided it was time to move back to the UK. Tim set up his own engineering consultancy in Warwickshire, offering project services to the water and sewerage treatment industry. It was while operating this business that Tim and Nikki took over Business Partnership Birmingham. Nikkis said: “We saw the advert for Business Partnership and because of my sales background

and Tim’s project management background, we thought it would be the perfect fit for us. We are able to run the business around our lifestyle, which allows us to work from home, as well as take work away with us if we’re travelling.”

For further information visit www.business-partnership.com/birmingham-north-central-warwickshire-tim-bayley/

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Coventry & Warwickshire in business

News

Entrepreneurial haulage operator drives efficiency with TruTac

Bentons Haulage, experts in UK general haulage, has significantly improved fleet efficiency and compliance across all areas of its operation by using multiple TruTac software products. Family-run since the 1920s and based near Coleshill, Birmingham, Bentons has used TruTac’s compliance products for

more than ten years but only recently added TruFleet maintenance software to manage workshop and vehicle inspection procedures. Director Shane Benton said: “The impact was instant. It was like the missing piece of the puzzle. We reduced vehicle downtime and workshop maintenance administration by more than 30%, which is driving performance improvements throughout the entire operation.” Since taking over the reins from his father and uncle with his cousin Ross Benton, Shane is trailblazing a highly respected career and says TruTac is one to watch in the industry. Shane’s keen interest in technology and utilising ‘big data’ from integrated systems is delivering on his goals of working smarter and constantly driving growth. The investments in technology coupled with an abundance of entrepreneurial

spirit and sheer determination have seen Bentons Haulage land multiple large contracts and diversify into new areas at a time when other firms have struggled. Shane added: “There was a time when we kept a folder in the garage for every vehicle and all information, from maintenance intervals to defect reports, which would be handwritten on various forms. Now, using TruFleet, it’s all done using EPMI electronic documents which means we can quickly enter all information relating to each vehicle and driver without shuffling through reams of paperwork. “My team, my workshop and even my main dealer can quickly access the on-screen calendar events and vehicle history to see maintenance records, safety inspections, LOLER checks, defect reporting, MOTs, rectifications and audit checks – all at the click of a button, in real time and captured in easy-to-view digital format.”

Shakespeare Distillery toasts double award success Shakespeare Distillery is celebrating after scooping two recent awards in a challenging year which has seen the business go from strength to strength. The independent artisan spirit producer has been awarded the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2021 and claimed a silver medal in the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021 for its Jester White Rum, which was the joint highest placed Britishmade unaged white rum. The rum was awarded a high-scoring 90 points out of a possible 100 and the judges described the drink as “highly drinkable and packed full of tropical fruit flavours”.

Shakespeare Distillery launched its Jester White Rum in April followed closely by its Jester Spiced Rum in June. The distillery is proud to be one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK to create rum in its entirety onsite. Each year, Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel website, pulls together reviews and ratings that travellers share from across the globe and uses that information to spotlight the best. Traveller’s Choice recognises businesses that earn consistently great user reviews and winners are ranked among the top 10% of businesses on Tripadvisor. As challenging as the past year has been,

Shakespeare Distillery stood out by continuously delighting travellers; 96% of visitors rated their experience as ‘excellent’. The experiences at the multiaward-winning visitor centre are now running at normal capacity and these include distillery tours, gin schools, cocktail masterclasses and River Avon gin cruises.

Peter Monks, director at Shakespeare Distillery, said: “Our growing team are absolutely delighted to have won these two awards and have something to celebrate. We are immensely proud of the positive feedback that we’ve received and would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to leave a review on Tripadvisor.”

For more information visit http://www.shakespearedistillery.com/

Face their fears and fly

Monica Brown, Warwick Based communications coach and media engagement trainer used her combined expertise as a Broadcaster, Journalist, Speaker, Teaching Fellow, Advocate and Corporate Trainer to support Steven Sainsbury, Technical Director of Haynes Solutions. Steven confessed, “I didn’t know what to expect initially but after each day I felt so much better generally, even inspired about

doing the final presentation. Given this was my biggest fear and has been since I was very young. it’s a big transformation to be at the point where I’m not trying to run away.” Monica said “Businesses need to identify the individuals who will be the spokespersons to explain a new service, introduce a new product or process or respond to a problem. These individuals should be trained to respond to questions from journalists, appear on live or recorded television or present explainer videos on the company’s website. Sometimes business leaders themselves hesitate to speak at conferences or industry events because of deep fears of speaking in public. They should anticipate their Communications and Media Engagement needs and make sure they invest in training to prepare team members to tell public stories which win results.” One 2019 pilot study associated the fear of public speaking with decreased career and

professional opportunities. This is evident in many individuals who are otherwise skilled and competent professionals. The ability to present and explain a new process, service or product is essential to business success. However, many professionals working in Digital Finance, the Health, Education, Marketing, and other sectors, confess to a quiet terror which paralyzes their potential to be the voice and face of their organisation. Monica Brown is keen to work with these professionals from the inside; confronting those long held fears and negative self-talk to crafting and delivering business stories which win results. Monica delivers face to face/online Master classes so her clients can ‘face their fears and fly’. Monica also designs and delivers face to face or online Master classes for business leaders who must condense their business story into a two-minute interview on Sky news or local radio!

For more information visit https://monicabrown.co.uk/ to book a free Zoom call without obligation. Special 10% discount for Chamber of Commerce Members. www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Glide Group appoints new CFO Glide Group, a market leader in ultra-fast broadband connectivity and deployment of fibre infrastructure, has announced the appointment of Chris Bates as chief financial officer (CFO).

Chris Bates joins Glide having previously worked in private equityowned businesses covering technology, engineering, contracting, construction and service sectors. With more than 35 years of experience in finance, Bates has spent the last decade within CFO roles for organisations such as VPS Holdings, Survitec Group, Hydro International and Supplier Assessment Services. This latest appointment marks the continued strengthening of Glide’s senior management team. Earlier this year, the group added two other members to its leadership team: chief technology officer, Sean Lowry and chief operating officer, Phil Duggan. These announcements were soon followed by Glide’s acquisition of fibre network builder, Concept Solutions People (CSP). Now, continuing the organisation’s 2021 momentum, Chris Bates will be responsible for managing Glide’s financial portfolio and future planning as it continues to grow. He said: “It has been a very exciting and fast-paced year for Glide as it further strengthens its services and adapts to the increased demand for ultra-fast connectivity, which has developed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m looking forward to seeing Glide continue to evolve and mature during this period of growth, creating an infrastructure-based business that delivers excellent networks.” Tim Pilcher, CEO of Glide Group, added: “Chris’ experience speaks for itself and we are really pleased to be able to welcome him into the organisation. It has been a pivotal year for Glide and following a strong first half to 2021, we are keen to continue with the same upward trajectory. Chris will play a significant role in helping us navigate the future and ensure that we can proceed with development at an exciting time in the coming months.”

News

Midlands firm announces new hires amid rapid growth A Midlands accountancy firm has recruited six new members of staff and promoted three key seniors across various divisions following a period of “phenomenal” growth.

“While we have recruited a small number of new staff members over the past year, we are pleased to have welcomed six new members in the last two months alone.

The new team members at Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, will play a key role in supporting the company’s rapidly expanding client portfolio.

“They have all settled into our team well and we are delighted to have them join the Prime family.

Kelly Henderson, Luke Hall, Haleemah Razaq, John Carter, Adiba Rauf and Shehla Parveen join Prime from a range of financial backgrounds and bring with them an impressive array of expertise to drive the business forward.

Left to right - Kieran Allen, John Carter, Joe Laird, Tom Branson and Luke Hall

Reflecting on the new appointments, Kevin Johns, managing director at Prime said: “We constantly aim to strengthen and expand our team. We’re delighted to make this a priority once again following a challenging year where we paused our usual recruitment to prioritise the safety of our current team.

“We are excited for the months ahead and hope to continue our growth and welcome more new faces to the team.” In addition to the new hires, the business has made three senior promotions. Kieran Allen and Joe Laird, who joined Prime as trainees in 2015 and 2017 respectively, have been appointed as audit and accounts manager and audit and accounts senior. Tom Branson, who joined the business in 2017, has also been promoted to an accounts manager. For more information, visit www.primeaccountants.co.uk

Shortage of easy access properties is stumping home-hunters Loveitts properties provide much sought-after easy access and spacious living. After witnessing a drop in single level easy access properties available within Coventry and Warwickshire, Loveitts Estate Agents has warned that the lack of homes suitable for older people is fuelling the current housing crisis. Usually associated with conventional reports of avid home-hunters being priced out of jumping onto the property ladder due to the cost of buying rising faster than the average wage, the housing crisis has now taken a new turn. The lack of appropriate housing available to the elderly or those with disabilities has sparked what Loveitts said was a “hidden” crisis – but a crisis that’s very much being felt across the entire country, with Coventry and Warwickshire no exception.

With many inner-city properties untenable for elderly or disabled people, matters have only been worsened by housing policy which focuses prominently on helping first-time buyers. Last year, NHBC registered a total of 123,151 new homes in 2020, compared to 160,319 in 2019 and of these, just 1,942 were bungalows. This means that those living with disabilities and the older population are left struggling to find suitable accommodation due to the lack of appropriate homes available. According to analysis conducted by the Habinteg Housing Association, more than two thirds of all homes set to be built in England over the next ten years will not be accessible for the elderly or those living with disabilities. Sally Smith, director of Loveitts, said: “The lack of availability of easily accessible homes is not only hugely

problematic for the country but for the city of Coventry as well. Cities and large towns are proving a turn-off for older home-movers, including those who have lived in Coventry their whole lives.”

Accountancy firm seals multiple deals

Simon Chapman, Burgis & Bullock

A regional accountancy firm has helped to seal deals worth more than £70 million for its clients over the last year. Burgis & Bullock’s corporate finance team has completed 12 deals in the last 12 months – one of the most active years in the firm’s history. The deals have been completed across key sectors including healthcare, IT, manufacturing and engineering. Its largest deal saw the sale of Plastic Bottle Supplies following its growth from one machine to a major business in the sector over the course of 20 years. The substantial sale saw the business sold to IPL Plastics, a manufacturer of packaging for a wide range of industries globally including food, consumer

products, logistics, agricultural, and automotive. Burgis & Bullock also supported the shareholders of Microtrading, a Midlandsmanaged service provider focused in the SME sector, in its sale to Nottingham based Air IT. The deal came as demand for IT support services for remote working grew rapidly during lockdown and marked the first acquisition for Air IT since it received backing from buy and build private equity investor August Equity. Burgis & Bullock completed several healthcare transactions during the last 12 months, including the sale of domiciliary care business The Care Bureau to Vida Care. The firm helped to identify Vida

Care as the right partner for sale and completed the deal. Simon Chapman, partner at Burgis & Bullock, said: “We’ve seen a lot of activity particularly in the IT, healthcare and manufacturing sectors – which in the case of IT and healthcare can be put down to a boost to these sectors during the pandemic. “Corporate acquirers and private investors are on the look-out for good quality assets and are particularly keen on companies that have thrived over the last 18 months and shown good adaptability despite the difficult circumstances. “We are still seeing a strong pipeline of deals coming through and are set for another busy 12 months ahead.”

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Smart Energy GB

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH ON YOUR PLATE RUNNING A BUSINESS? A smart meter could help Running your very own restaurant, coffee shop or bar might be a dream, but you are up against huge competition, and it can be tough out there.

Energy is a key expense for small catering businesses

For survival and success, you may want to consider the

In addition, sustainability is a key focus for many businesses

following:

across Great Britain – the smart meter rollout is predicted

• Find your niche: small independents can compete

to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 34.4m tonnes –

which makes it a crucial area for these businesses to save money and take control of their finances. Smart meters could give businesses additional visibility over energy use and costs to make it easier to identify where changes and savings can be made.

with the big chains – but you need to find your USP.

so by getting smart meters installed in your business

How are you different?

you’re helping achieve this, making your business that bit

• Location is key: aim for areas of high footfall with few competing businesses nearby

• Build the right team: you need to find great staff who

more sustainable.

Your smart meter works as hard as you do

can deliver outstanding customer service – you can’t do

Running an independent coffee shop, bar or restaurant is a

it on your own

round-the-clock job and supplying your energy readings is

• Pick your suppliers carefully: your customers

often not a top priority. Smart meters send your gas and

will only turn into regulars if you’re offering quality

electricity readings directly to your energy supplier, saving

food and drink

you time to focus on other jobs.

• And finally, don’t forget your bottom line:

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and

you also need keep an eye on regular outgoings such

installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure

as your energy bills

minimal interruption to your business and your clients.

To find out more please speak to your Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. You can also contact your energy supplier or broker today and see if you are eligible. www.cw-chamber.co.uk www.cw-chamber.co.uk

DRAKE HOWARD PROPERTY

Drake Howard Property is approaching its eight birthday and set for major expansion with new Clients added to its portfolio Marketing successes are driving growth in addition to a steady upward trend in property management, Landlord & Tenant, and development instructions.

Lockdowns and returning to working in an office environment have not dampened the rate of evolution. Proving for this business, frequently cited press concerns over the strength of the property market, and demand for office space, has been unfounded. The commercial property agency is now looking to take on new surveying and support staff to sling shot recent activity to a new level of market influence.

Motor Trade Disposal

Coventry Mazda – London Road. A car showroom site at 540/542 London Road and new home to Green 4 Motor Company Ltd., for its Coventry Mazda & Suzuki dealerships. Drake Howard Property handled the exit of former leaseholder Listers Honda, acquisition of an adjoining car compound and development of land formerly occupied by two cottages, on behalf of a long-standing property management client. The letting to the new occupier has increased income from the site from £115,000 per annum to £162,500 per annum for a capital input of less than £300,000.

Office Lettings

Oak House. Acquisition of a 10,000 sq. ft. office building for Coventry City Council and letting 7,150 sq. ft. suite to Bellway Homes at a headline rent of £107,000 per annum after a programme of division and refurbishments works. Brandon Court. Buy in of lease on 12,000 sq. ft. office building from occupier Yazaki Europe Limited for a reverse premium equivalent to 2.75 years rent, business rates, dilapidation, and division costs, on behalf of management client. Securing offers to lease subdivided suites of 8,000 and 4,000 sq. ft. within 2 months and project managing conversion works.

Industrial/Warehouse Disposals

Rowley Drive. Marketing and letting of a 14,175 car repair workshops building to Karl Vella Group Limited on a 15 years lease at a headline rent of £77,500 per annum, following project management of a refurbishment and improvement scheme. Increasing income by nearly £10,000. Heathcote, Warwick. Marketing and sale of an industrial unit totalling 19,670 sq. ft. by way of break up into 3 units to a gross disposal price of over £1.5 m. Sibree Road, Coventry. Workshop and warehouse building extending to a footprint of 43,000 sq. ft. on a site of 2 acres. Price £2.4 m. ‘Under Offer’ at the time of going to press. Progress Way, Binley. A unique digital design centre with 5 special project engineering studios of c 3,500 sq. ft. and separate office suites. Aimed primarily at the automotive industry the space is adaptable to aerospace, robotics, pharmaceutical, machine tool and other transport and engineering sectors. 3 of the studios feature CMM plates for precision inspection, calibration, measurement and marking out, with modern scanning technology to create three-dimensional digital modelling. Available on short term licences at all-inclusive rents.

New Management Instructions

Oak House, Coventry. Management of multi-let office building on behalf of Coventry City Council. 52/60 Warwick Street, Leamington Spa. Management of 2 town centre retail units let to Dodo Pizza and Esquires Coffee, with student letting development on upper floors. 13/17 Kenilworth Street, Leamington Spa. Management of town centre retail unit let to Veitas Artis Bathrooms with student letting development on upper floors 1160 Elliott Court, Coventry. Management of office building 2,900 sq. ft. on Coventry Business Park, let by floors

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Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - North Warks - South Warks - Rugby

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

West Orchards appoints Piece of Cake Marketing Coventry-based marketing agency, Piece of Cake Marketing, has been appointed by West Orchards shopping centre.

As part of this we will look to showcase our existing and new retail and food outlets to the people of Coventry.”

Based in the heart of Coventry, West Orchards will be working with Piece of Cake as the company looks to expand its retail and food destination offering.

Piece of Cake Marketing said: “We are over the moon to be working with West Orchards. There is going to be so much exciting news to share over the next six months as the centre expands its offering. We are really looking forward to developing our relationship with the team at West Orchards.”

Piece of Cake Marketing is the agency of choice for West Orchards. It has been appointed to handle all aspects of the shopping centre’s marketing as it looks to announce new concepts and tenants to the centre, as well as supporting the growth of existing retailers and food outlets. Senior asset manager at the shopping centre, Andy Talbot, said: “We are extremely excited to be working with Piece of Cake Marketing as we work through our exciting growth plans. Piece of Cake Marketing will be leading on all of our marketing activities centred around the growth of our shopping destination.

With some exciting plans in the pipeline, it’s going to be a busy time for this shopping centre. With the help of Piece of Cake Marketing, the centre will be working hard to attract new visitors from both in and out of Coventry to this fabulous food and retail destination. For more information visit https://pieceofcakemarketing.co.uk and https://www.westorchards.co.uk

Coventry City Council secures occupier for investment asset In August last year Coventry City Council acquired Oak House on Binley Office Park for refurbishment and investment purposes. Some nine months on, following extensive strip-out and upgrade of the accommodation, Bellway Homes has been secured for 7,000 sq. ft. of this prestigious office building. Oak House had been marketed for some time by the previous owners for a new tenant, without success. This gave rise to the opportunity of the city council purchasing the long-leasehold interest at the right price, to merge with the existing freehold ownership. Recognising the potential, Drake Howard Property introduced the office building and entered acquisition negotiations.

Following acquisition, the 9,200 sq. ft. building was placed on the market in January this year, for occupation as a whole or by way of floor plates. Limited strip-out work was undertaken by the new owner, preferring to offer a ‘wish list’ of upgrades to the market, within the scope of capital input envisaged on purchase of the investment. The marketing strategy produced the desired result with Bellway Homes quickly confirming an interest in half of the ground floor and the whole of the first floor. Detailed negotiation was needed to bottom out the extent of strip of internal divisions and landlord category A fit-out works, to go into an agreement to lease. This was together with plans and a specification for tenant fit-out works, to be included in a Licence for Alterations.

The new five-year term lease will be completed shortly and is drawn on tenant full repair covenant and cost liabilities, including service charge for maintenance of the structure, shared service media and external parking and landscaped areas. Drake Howard Property has moved to market the remaining ground floor self-contained office suite, measuring 2,200 sq. ft. with exceptional 12 parking spaces, on similar lease and rental terms.

Plasterer calls for apprenticeship support

Stuart Roberts, right, with Curtis Taylor, who took part in a Coventry College traineeship

A Coventry plasterer has called for more support to help small business owners take on apprentices. Stuart Roberts, of SD Roberts Plastering, says some small businesses are being put off employing trainees due to insurance costs and having to cover wages. Mr Roberts recently took on a trainee as part of a Coventry College traineeship, which is fully funded by the government.

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But he said that if more traineeships such as this were on offer, more young people and traders would be able to benefit. Curtis Taylor, 17, completed an eightweek Coventry College plastering traineeship with Stuart at SD Roberts Plastering last month. Following a successful traineeship, Curtis will start a two-year apprenticeship from September with the company. Curtis, from Coventry, said: “I decided to do a traineeship in plastering to see what it was like, and where it might take me. “I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, so I thought I would try this to see how it went. “I’ve really enjoyed working with Stuart on a lot of different jobs and I’m so pleased that I will be able to continue now as an apprentice.”

Stuart said the traineeship has helped the business on a range of plastering and renovation jobs. He said: “We were looking for an extra pair of hands to help us out as we have been very busy. Curtis took to it like a duck to water and he has been a great help. “The traineeship has provided a good insight into the plastering trade, and Curtis will now be trained in all aspects of plastering to become a fully qualified plasterer.” Stuart said he would encourage other small business owners to take part in similar schemes. “The traineeship provides an opportunity to see if the job will be a good fit and it covers the cost of the wages during the scheme,” he added.

For more information visit www.coventrycollege.ac.uk/employers/traineeships/

Helen Peters, chief executive of Shakespeare’s England

£5m boost for tourism and hospitality firms

Nearly £5 million of grants have been awarded to tourism and hospitality businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire in the last nine months to help provide support from the ‘perfect storm’ affecting companies in the current economic climate. Tourism and hospitality is the focus of the latest Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub SmartRegion report, which gathers information from its business engagements as well as statistics and data from Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, the CWLEP and other organisations. Coventry and Warwickshire’s business support organisations have provided a wide range of financial support including almost £1.5 million from Warwickshire County Council’s Adapt and Diversify scheme. Almost £200,000 was allocated quickly to businesses in the visitor economy from the European Regional Development Fund Specialist Grants awarded through the CWLEP Growth Hub, with Coventry City Council acting as the accountable body. More than £3 million was lent to businesses in the sector by the Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust. The government has launched the Tourism Recovery Plan to encourage greener, innovative, and more resilient hospitality and tourism businesses with measures including reducing VAT, business rates relief, introducing a spending voucher scheme, and domestic tourism rail products to increase demand. Helen Peters, chief executive of Shakespeare’s England, the destination management organisation for South Warwickshire and the surrounding areas, said: “The hospitality industry was the first to be forced to close and has been the last to re-open. “International visitors had represented roughly 30% of our visitor base. We are unlikely to see many international visitors back until 2022, but VisitBritain anticipate it being 2024 before we realistically return to prepandemic levels. “Increases in domestic visits via ‘staycations’ and ‘daycations’ will help, but international visitors on average spend three times that of a domestic visitor, so the negative economic impact will still be significant.”

Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - North Warks - South Warks - Rugby

Canal & River Trust celebrates Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 Painting and decorating show returns to Coventry The National Painting and Decorating Show has been held at the Indoor Arena at the newly-named Coventry Building Society Arena since 2004 – and is set to return for its 17th show on November 23 and 24. The last time the show was held at the arena it attracted more than 3,500 industry visitors and over 100 exhibitors from across the globe.

Waterways and wellbeing charity, Canal & River Trust, is celebrating ‘Summer on Coventry Canal’, showcasing the city’s historic waterway spanning from the Canal Basin, along the 5 ½ mile stretch to Hawkesbury Junction, with a wide range of events and activities. Designed by the great canal engineer James Brindley in 1768, Coventry Canal basin once served as an important industrial hub for the North Warwickshire collieries. Goods were loaded and unloaded and then bound towards the Midlands via the Trent & Mersey Canal or to London via the Oxford Canal. After it fell into disrepair in the early part of the twentieth century, for 60 years groups such as the Coventry Canal Trust, British Waterways and the Canal & River Trust have worked hard to make this

He said: “It’s fantastic for us to be back at the Arena this year, after a year away which was out of our control. “This year will be slightly different, with the need to make alterations to the hall space to allow for social distancing – but we’re very excited about the future and being able to continue to grow our show here. “The painting and decorating industry has fared extremely well during the pandemic. With people spending more time at home, there has been a greater demand for tradespeople to support home improvements, which has led to the growing demand for decorating materials. “Contractors have been busy working at commercial and domestic premises, with the increase in business resulting in pressures to satisfy demand. Paul Michael, commercial director at Coventry Building Society Arena, added: “This is a great example of how we have been able to support the growth of a show over a number of years and how our latest developments will be able to facilitate further growth of that event.” To find out more about, visit www.paintshow.co.uk

Working with Coventry UK City of Culture, we are showcasing our canals through a wide range of community and artistic projects including theatrical wonders, magical stories, innovative creations, canal-side activities and heritage events. Activities include Small Bells Rings, which invites you to hop aboard the RV Furor Scribendi, a fully functioning narrowboat which is a floating library crammed full of short stories. Summer on Coventry Canal is part of the #GreenFutures programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with support from Garfield Weston Foundation and Severn Trent Community Fund. We believe that waterways have the power

to make a difference to people’s lives and that spending time by water can make us all healthier and happier. By bringing communities together to make a difference to the local waterway, we are creating places and spaces that can be used and enjoyed by everyone, every day. For more information visit www.canalrivertrust.org.yk

Coventry business trials post-COVID four-day week

It held a virtual event last year but returns to a physical show for 2021, with major international suppliers including Dulux and Crown set to be in attendance. Terry Dullaway, event organiser for the National Painting and Decorating Show, said he was delighted by the latest ongoing developments at Coventry Building Society Arena, and looks forward to continuing to grow his show at the venue.

stretch of history a vibrant and important leisure and environmental centre for Coventry.

eased in the UK, the company has begun to consider how best to return to “normal” – and what that might look like.

A West Midlands-based business is trialling the future of work across August and September to better understand what a post-COVID return to the office might look like. Image Plus, a design agency based in Coventry, has been working remotely for most of the last sixteen months – not unlike many other businesses around the world. As the pandemic restrictions have

Managing director Alan Hartin said: “We have been wondering how to best create a high-performing work culture which also offers a really good worklife balance. The pandemic forced new patterns of work on us, and part of moving forwards is learning from what we’ve done over the last year or so.” At Image Plus, that means trialling a four-day week between August 16 and September 24. If successful, the trial is the first step towards adopting a new company policy that promotes flexibility and productivity.

Four-day weeks are a hot topic of conversation in business circles. Between 2015 and 2019, Iceland conducted trials into the new pattern of working which was labelled “an overwhelming success” by the UK think-tank Autonomy. And a recent study by Platform London and the 4 Day Week Campaign found that a four-day week could slash the UK’s carbon footprint by 127 billion tonnes a year. Alan said: “The idea of a four-day week has been around for some time but there remains debate about how it can work best in practice. In Iceland, for example, many businesses actually trialled shorter working hours, not a four-day week. So, this trial is designed to see how the concept can work for us.”

Charity to unite local firms to help feed vulnerable children Coventry-based charity Feed The Hungry is launching ‘The BIG Food pack’ in collaboration with local businesses to mark World Food Day on Saturday October 16. By bringing together 32 teams from local businesses across the region, the international development charity aims to send a shipping container of 285,000 meals to impoverished and orphaned children in Zimbabwe. The BIG Food Pack event is being held over six days in October and will see businesses coming together in teams of ten people to take up the challenge of packing as much food as they can over a two-hour shift. They will also be encouraged to make a financial contribution to enable the container to reach Zimbabwe.

Gwyn Williams, director of Feed The Hungry, said: “Over the last year, we have seen people from across Coventry and Warwickshire step up and help those most in need locally. As a charity, we are acutely aware of the devastating impact COVID continues to have in communities across the world, and even as our own lockdown ends, we are excited to see the business community engage with Feed The Hungry’s mission to feed vulnerable children across the world.” Hunger and food insecurity have increased dramatically in Zimbabwe during COVID with 2.4 million people in urban area’s struggling to meet their basic food needs.

These needs continue to grow as Zimbabwe remains in a severe lockdown. It is estimated that 38,000 children are currently suffering from acute malnutrition and 4.1 milllion children are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance due to food insecurity and other health and safety concerns. Feed The Hungry partners with the Zimbabwean charity The Joseph Foundation to ensure that food is provided to the children most in need. Now, with the increased need and the disruption in provision caused by the pandemic, the need has never been greater. For more information visit www.fth.org.uk/big-food-pack

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Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - North Warks - South Warks - Rugby

New street art commissions for In Paint We Trust

Two new commissions have been revealed as part of Coventry City of Culture’s In Paint We Trust series. In Paint We Trust, led by Street Art Strategy with Coventry City of Culture Trust and Coventry BID, commissions street and multidisciplinary artists to create murals in unique spaces across the city. Inspired by local history and culture, these murals in everyday

spaces are designed to spark important conversation by reflecting on Coventry’s history and future. Internationally-acclaimed Manchester-based duo Nomad Clan have been commissioned to create Coventry & Warwickshire’s largest mural at New Union Street car park. Tasked with creating a tower of tales that represents the city’s past, present and future, Nomad Clan drew inspiration from Coventry’s watchmaking history. The stars and nebulae surrounding the clock face are a nod to Coventry’s first watch and clockmaker Samuel Watson, who created time pieces for Isaac Newton. The flames were added in reference to the current climate crisis, and the increasing time pressure to take action. The collective, Cbloxx and AYLO, create artwork in public spaces

that celebrates local history and comments on social and community issues. Using bold designs on large scales, their murals create impact as stand-out features against the local scenery. Their artwork has been featured in locations across the world, from Sweden to Flint Michigan and Mexico. Nomad Clan said: “Coventry’s role in helping to shape the world cannot be overlooked, its history is as unique as its vibrancy which serves as a mecca for a thriving multicultural society.” Adrian Woolford, assistant BID manager at Coventry BID, said: “The City of Culture Trust, In Paint We Trust project is the perfect fit for Coventry BID as it brightens up the walls of the city centre and creates galleries on the streets for all that are visiting.”

Garden village can support economic growth in South Warwickshire The building of a ‘garden village’ on the former site of Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon and the creation of a ‘super’ district council will help to drive significant economic growth in south Warwickshire. That was the message to a gathering organised by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce at the airfield to hear about the progress of both. Work is well underway on the first 400 homes with the first residents expected to move in later this year. A planning application has been submitted to Stratford-on-Avon District for a further 124 homes and plans are being worked on for a third phase of 500 homes. The site is one of 14 across the country that are being developed under ‘garden village’ principles,

which means they will be self-contained with all the facilities required by residents on site. Led by CALA Homes and supported and assisted by Jonathan Thompson who is the lead land agent for LMA, it will be developed over the next 20 years and will deliver 3,500 homes to help meet the expected demand for housing. There will also be a 15-acre business park that will provide jobs, and a local centre anchored by a food store with a range of shops and facilities such as a community hall, medical centre, and a primary and secondary school. The Chamber’s gathering also heard about a significant investment in the transport infrastructure in the wider area that would not otherwise be forthcoming without the airfield’s redevelopment.

Keely Hancox (left) with Laura Kelly

An independent jewellery retailer in Coventry has emerged from its COVID-19 chrysalis in style after taking advantage of a project to improve digital retail. Glitterbugs, which sells gifts, handbags and watches from its stall at Arena Shopping Park, has enjoyed returning to trading after a ten-month absence caused by the pandemic, and has heaped praised on a free digital

Drop in for start-up help Entrepreneurs in Coventry can put their ideas to a start-up expert at drop-in sessions at a co-working space in the region every Thursday. Individuals who are on the verge of establishing their own business or who have recently set up their own venture can call in to see Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce enterprise coach, Gavin Barnett, at the Wheelhouse workspace in Coventry between 10am and 4pm each Thursday. Gavin will be available to give initial advice on the business and can point individuals to a range of support on offer from the Chamber and other partners.

Jonathan Thompson, Doug Squires and Cllr Tony Jefferson

Jonathan Thompson, who set up his own land and development company in 2017 and represents the Hodges family who have owned the airfield for over 100 years, said: “LMA is a very good current example of how the development of a larger single site can stimulate significant levels of investment, which is what is happening as a result in south Warwickshire and the wider economy. This will benefit not only the local economy and local residents but also the wider region.”

Digital support is a jewel for Coventry business training scheme delivered by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, which operates the course on behalf of Coventry City Council, has been working with Stories Marketing to deliver the online sessions, which include two bespoke workshops and an online networking event for local businesses to share their concerns, questions and advice. One-to-one support has also been available to companies that participate in the programme. The family-run business contacted the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce for support after hearing about the scheme, which is funded by the council’s Additional Restrictions Grant support package for businesses. Coventry resident Laura Kelly, owner of Glitterbugs, said: “The scheme came at the perfect time for our business because we had endured a tough year because of the pandemic.

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

“As a business which relies heavily on footfall, we were forced to rethink our strategy when we were unable to do business in person. “With the help of the Chamber and the Stories Marketing team, we were able to boost our social media presence and open up a new avenue for sales and customer interaction. We now have a website in development that will allow us to reach even more customers. “The team we worked with was extremely professional and the support we have received has been invaluable to our business. Our Instagram and Facebook pages have grown in popularity since starting the course, and we are now more equipped to take orders, respond to queries and process payments via our online platforms.” For more information visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/ digital-retailer-workshops

It will also be an opportunity to look at the options available at the Wheelhouse – which is an affordable co-working space in Earl Street, Coventry – that are suitable for new businesses that need access to desk-space, WiFi and meeting rooms. Gavin said: “It’s great to finally be able to meet people face-to-face again. This is especially important to those individuals who are just starting out who want to meet and talk about their ideas. “I will be available between 10am and 4pm every Thursday at the Wheelhouse for an initial conversation and I can then advise on the support that’s right for each individual, depending on what stage they are at with their business. “It can be anything from setting up a business bank account through to marketing and social media and it’s important that people know the support is there for them. “As well as that, it’s a chance to see the space at the Wheelhouse for those individuals who want to get out of the house, into an office environment and network with like-minded people.” The start-up support is funded by Coventry City Council through the Additional Restrictions Grant for businesses. Details of the Wheelhouse are available at https://thewheelhouses.com/sharedoffice-space-coventry/ For more information email gavinb@cw-chamber.co.uk

Help on offer for those looking to start a business Individuals in Coventry who are dreaming of starting their own business are being offered free help to turn that dream into a reality. The COVID-19 crisis has seen more and more people considering self-employment – whether it’s turning a side-line into a fullyfledged business, or finally taking the plunge and establishing a completely new venture. Now individuals can speak to a business expert from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce as part of a new support package funded by Coventry City Council, through the Additional Restrictions Grant for businesses.

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Anyone with a business idea can apply for help, providing the business has not already been registered. Anyone considering starting a business venture in food and drink, hospitality, leisure & tourism, retail or something completely different, should connect with the Chamber immediately. The Chamber has appointed a new enterprise coach, Gavin Barnett, to run the programme and he will be holding a series of open clinics to assess individual needs. Gavin is available to offer impartial advice and assess business ideas at those online clinics, which run every Tuesday until the end of September, between 9.30am and 1pm.

Anyone interested should email Gavin at Gavinb@cw-chamber.co.uk, with an overview of their business and contact details and quote Coventry Start-Up Clinic. All sessions are delivered online and meeting links will be sent out after the initial phone call. Those who meet the criteria for the programme can then benefit from six hours of advice and support on everything from how to register the business through to sales and marketing. Gavin, who joined the Chamber after three years with the CWLEP Growth Hub, said: “This is a great programme for those individuals who have been thinking of

starting a business and have decided that now is the time that they want to do it.” For more information call 024 7665 4321 or email startyourbusiness@cw-chamber.co.uk

Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - North Warks - South Warks - Rugby

Ambitious apprentice in finals of prestigious awards scheme An Amazon apprentice studying at the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre has been shortlisted in the finals of the prestigious Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Apprentice Awards.

MP meets Chamber to discuss business challenges Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones has

welcomed exemptions that are being made to the COVID-19 self-isolation rules after accepting the track and trace ‘pingdemic’ has been creating real challenges for employers. The Conservative MP was speaking at the latest policy hour meeting organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce for its members in north Warwickshire. Mr Jones said the pandemic had changed with a significant number of people vaccinated, and the number of people being admitted to hospital and their length of stay being reduced. But he said that the success of the track and trace system was causing some employers difficulties and he welcomed the change to daily testing in August. He said: “I am well aware of some of the challenges with the system, which is interesting because some time ago people were complaining that it wasn’t successful, and now in many ways it’s almost too successful and clearly it’s causing a lot of employers a great deal of challenges. “To reflect that, there are a number of industries that are immediately going to move to a daily testing system. That’s important so we can ensure supply chains into supermarkets, for example, can work.” Also discussed at the meeting was Mr Jones’ support for a gigafactory at Coventry Airport, the possibility of a Minister for SMEs, and the effect of the pandemic on supply chains and the shortage of staff in some sectors. He was also told how small businesses were particularly fragile with the winding down of the COVID-19 support packages. There was an update on the Transforming Nuneaton scheme, which has so far secured more than £150 million of funding from the public and private sector.

Chamber welcomes new member New Chamber member Marco Italian Delicatessen of Stratford Upon Avon, offers a full catering service for both private and corporate events. With their extensive range of highquality produce, they can supply cold finger buffets daily to: Stratford Upon Avon, Leamington, Warwick and Wellesbourne area. They can also offer an onsite catering operation for up to 400 people. To discuss your catering requirements email tony@marcositaliandeli.co.uk or visit marcositaliandeli.co.uk

Lakan Brown, aged 33, was nominated for his exceptional progress, as well as his commitment to the future of the manufacturing sector as a mentor and ambassador for apprenticeships. Lakan, who was nominated in the transport and logistics category of this year’s awards, is in the second year of his four-year Mechatronics Apprenticeship at the MTC. He is one of a cohort of apprentices from global online retailing giant Amazon. The company uses the MTC to deliver training as part of its national apprenticeship programme. Lakan, from Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, started studying for his Amazon apprenticeship at MTC in September 2019. After nine years working in retail, he decided to pursue a career in engineering. He joined Amazon's fulfillment centre in Ridgmont, Milton

Keynes and after mentoring operations apprentices in his new role he realised that a mechatronics apprenticeship would give him the range of skills he needed to pursue his ideal career path. The nomination recognises his exceptional progress and commitment to his own personal and professional development. It also recognises the voluntary support he has given to his peers throughout the pandemic as a mentor and mental health first aider, and his involvement in a collaborative charity project to bring hands-on STEM activities to children at home. Lakan said: “Anyone can be an apprentice, regardless of background or experience or age. It's never too late to aim higher and fulfill your true potential.”

MTC apprentice Lakan Brown. (picture taken before COVID requirement for face masks)

David Hughes MBE, managing director of MTC Apprenticeships, said: “We're committed to making apprenticeship opportunities more accessible and inclusive, so we're delighted that one of our learners has been shortlisted as a finalist in the BAME Apprenticeship Awards for the second year running.”

“Anyone can be an apprentice, regardless of background or experience or age. It's never too late to aim higher and fulfill your true potential.”

For more information visit https://bameapprenticeshipawards.co.uk/shortlist2021/ and www.the-mtc.org

Accountant to run London Marathon for charity

Trevor Day (centre) and his client services team at Burgis & Bullock cheering him on.

A Warwickshire accountant will be counting the milestones when he takes on the London Marathon for the first-time and is hoping to raise thousands in aid of a children’s charity. Trevor Day, a partner at Burgis & Bullock, is challenging the iconic 26.2 mile run in October and is aiming to raise at least £2,500 in support of Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Last year he celebrated 35 years with Burgis & Bullock, which has offices in Leamington, Nuneaton, Rugby and Stratford-upon-Avon, and it is his first London Marathon. The Spa Striders running club member has been training for two years now after the race was cancelled due to the pandemic, but he is on track now for the Sunday, October 3 date.

He only started running in his early 50s and caught the bug after attending park runs with his wife, progressing to 10k events, and taking on his first half marathon in Kenilworth a year later. It will be Trevor’s second marathon, after completing the Reykjavik marathon five years ago. He said: “I’m aiming to complete the marathon in under five hours. Everyone at Burgis & Bullock have been very supportive and generous with their donations so far. “I’m hoping to fundraise as much as possible in support

of Starlight, which is a wonderful charity doing very important work with seriously ill children across the country and locally.” Sam Butler, head of public fundraising at Starlight, said: “We are so grateful for the support of all of our fundraisers. Many of them, like Trevor, decide to support Starlight by taking on the London Marathon. “The months of training and the challenge of fitting all those practice runs in to busy schedules does not go unnoticed by all of us.”

“I’m hoping to fundraise as much as possible in support of Starlight, which is a wonderful charity doing very important work with seriously ill children across the country and locally.”

To support Trevor in his fundraising attempt, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/trevor-day4

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Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - North Warks - South Warks - Rugby

Event management firm secures major contract win

Sam Wilson (left) and Simon Hough

A pioneering event management specialist will be heading for the woods next year after landing a major new traffic management contract. Stadium, which is based in Coventry and provides traffic management, security and event services, has been selected to work on Forest Live, a series of summer concerts organised by Forestry England. The company, which counts a string of top sports organisations among its

clients, will provide traffic management and car parking services at the gigs headlined by acts such as Madness, Rag'n'Bone Man, Keane and Jess Glynne, and staged in Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Cheshire throughout June 2022. Sam Wilson of Stadium said: “We provide traffic management services for clients across the country – mostly sporting. That includes concerts held at their venues but this is the first time we have bid for standalone music events so it is a great success. “The Forest Live events have been running since 2001. Next year they will attract in excess of 100,000 concert-goers across 16 nights and we have started planning our operations to ensure they have a great experience when travelling to and from the venue.

“Forestry England has attracted a great line up of acts and some of the events are already sold out, so we are expecting capacity crowds. “Numbers of vehicles at the venues range from between 1,500 to 4,000 per night depending on the venue so they are large events, and because of the nature and location of the venues there are significant levels of traffic. “Traffic and parking arrangements are so important to the success of an event and that is just what we specialise in.” Stadium was formed in 2009 and provides traffic management, event services and training, as well as rental of security barriers, the hiring of stewards and SIA security staff for events. The firm supports events ranging from Premier League football matches to the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games, sell-out concerts and high-profile conferences.

Fintech firm signs new lease to remain in Warwickshire A Leamington financial technology company has resisted the urge to move to London, signing a new long-term lease to keep its operations in Warwickshire. Wealth Wizards, which has spent the last six years operating out of its double property at Athena Court in Tachbrook Park, has signed a nine-year lease agreement with Warwickshirebased property development company AC Lloyd to remain at the site until 2030. The company uses artificial intelligence and machine learning guided by a team of financial experts to provide financial health checks and advice on how to maximise investments and performance. It has been based in Leamington since its inception in 2011. The decision to stay in south Warwickshire follows a refinancing of Wealth Wizards, with

the directors agreeing that Leamington is a prime location for financial services companies operating outside of London because of its easy transport links to the capital. Anthony Jones, chief financial officer at Wealth Wizards, also cited the Warwickshire and West Midlands workforce’s excellent software engineering skills as a key reason for renewing their lease. He said: “Leamington is an ideal location for businesses like ours given the skilled labour force based in the surrounding area and its links to major cities and markets such as London and Birmingham. “The site we have been based at for the last six years is absolutely perfect for our needs. The growing status of the region from a business perspective means we have a say about where

Mark Edwards (left) and Tony Hargreave (right) from AC Lloyd with Anthony Jones from Wealth Wizards

we are based, as moving to London is now being seen as a choice rather than a must.” Mark Edwards, managing director at AC Lloyd Commercial, said: “Wealth Wizards is part of an extremely popular site in Tachbrook Park and I have no doubt that seeing this place thrive has played a part in the company’s decision to renew.”

Outstanding fashion student scoops award

From left to right - Adele Christie, Edwin McConville, Hannah Smith and Shaun Pitt

A talented Leamington fashion design student has been presented with a prestigious bursary award to support her studies at a worldrenowned arts institution. Hannah Smith, from Lillington, has been recognised as the Most Outstanding Student for the Warwickshire College of Art, which is based at Royal Leamington Spa College.

Royal Leamington Spa College is part of college group WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group). The award is supported by The Arts Society Royal Leamington Spa and decided by tutors at the college who teach on the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. It brings with it a bursary award over three years, which will support Hannah during her studies at the prestigious Central Saint Martins art school in London, where she has been accepted to study womenswear. Hannah, 18, said: “I feel very grateful to have been selected for this award and very lucky that it has a bursary associated with it too. I really wasn’t expecting it! “My work this year has been inspired by my brother, who has a physical disability, and seeing how he navigates the world.

My fashion focuses on where disabled people fit in fashion, and there is certainly a lack of visibility for disabled people in the industry.” Shaun Pitt, chairman of The Arts Society Royal Leamington Spa, added: “People like Hannah are the future of fashion. The next Vivienne Westwood has got to come from somewhere, so why not Leamington?” Adele Christie, course leader, said: “ Hannah is a determined and conscientious student who has a mature ability to turn ordinary materials into exquisite pieces of work. She has been the real standout so we were delighted to choose her for this year’s award.” To find out more about art and design courses at Royal Leamington Spa College, visit www.wcg.ac.uk/study

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Cyber Essential certification success for fifth year running For the fifth year running, Leamington Spa-based branding Agency, Glued, has worked with the team at Risk Evolves to renew its Cyber Essentials certification. Cyber-attacks come in many shapes and sizes, but the vast majority are very basic in nature, carried out by relatively unskilled individuals. They’re the digital equivalent of a thief trying your front door to see if it’s unlocked. David Wilson, creative partner at Glued, said: “We want our clients to be confident that we’re taking practical steps to ensure all our work is secure. We think Cyber Essentials is a great way to ensure our data is protected. We’ve found the team at Risk Evolves makes the process easy and straightforward. I’d recommend this scheme to everyone.” As a business supporting organisations with brand development and brand reputation, Glued understands how important it is to protect clients’ data and the positive impact something like Cyber Essentials can have on customer confidence. David continued: “Our clients understand that we take security seriously and review our processes and systems regularly. Cyber Essentials is just one of the tools we use to do that.” According to Statista.com, only 9% of firms in the UK are aware of the Cyber Essentials scheme. If you’d like to know more, contact Risk Evolves or for general information about the scheme visit the Cyber Essentials website: https:// www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/ overview

Talented artists bring installations to Coventry Coventry BID and The Show Windows team have revealed that the latest artists bringing world-class art installations to the city are proud Coventrians. Gary Eite, Matt Chinn, Michala Gyetvai, Sadie Aspinall and Tammy Woodrow are showcasing their artworks within a window at Primark, as well as bringing the old Debenhams window in the city back to life. Celebrating the best of design, colour, optimism and harmony, The Show Windows programme – co-produced in partnership with Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry BID and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) – invites artists, architects, creatives, designers and makers to create portals to other places

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in shop and business windows throughout Coventry city centre. Matt Chinn, a visual artist and designer, has created an electric window installation called “Creative Spark”, which can be found within the window at Primark. At only 16 years of age, Sadie Aspinall is the youngest Spotlight artist who has created a beautiful painting called “Child in Thought”, which is situated within the old Debenhams window. Gary Eite has created three wood cut prints of fly overs and underpasses in Coventry, which also feature within the installation at the old Debenhams.

During lockdown, Michala Gyetvai, created 306 oil pastel drawings showcasing the changing landscape of her garden throughout the seasons and 40 of these beautiful pieces of art are now proudly on display within the old Debenhams window. The fifth and final artist is Tammy Woodrow, whose selection of sculptures from her ‘Kokon Series’ stand proudly in the old Debenhams window. Trish Willetts, Coventry BID director, said: “We are thrilled to welcome such an eclectic and talented array of artists as part of the Show Windows spotlight. It’s wonderful to see such amazing talent being nurtured at a local level.”

Photo Credit: Aaron Law

Supporting Business in North Warkwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedfordshire

Sam Neale with Helena Bassett

Truck Smart is expanding its services nationally to areas such as Heathrow and York, as well as broadening its offer in the Midlands. The firm, founded by managing director Sam Neale in 2010, was initially started as a car valeting service before progressing to cleaning trucks. Now, with the help of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, it has taken on two new staff and is creating another two jobs in the months ahead. The Chamber’s Accelerated Growth programme offers a range of support, including one-to-one coaching sessions and helped the company win a grant of up to £25,000 towards the purchase of new equipment. The project forms part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support

Programme which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The funding boost has contributed to the company’s purchase of three new vans which will hit the roads next week. Sam said the expansion has been made possible thanks to the help on offer from the Chamber programme, which included help and advice on website reviews, business planning and customer journeys. He said the Chamber also helped the company maximise its brand and how it looks online. “From being a small business mainly run by myself and a couple of other staff, we are now able to scale up, invest and create new jobs,” Sam said. “We’ve doubled in size in a year, which has been a big achievement given the uncertainty of the past 12 months.

A specialist truck washing firm based in Nuneaton is creating four new jobs as it expands its operations “I genuinely feel blessed and proud to be able to offer people jobs now and grow the business. “It’s really rewarding when you take on new staff and see your business grow.” Grant funding has allowed the firm to buy new vans and equipment to carry out new work and expand its fleet cleaning programme. The company now washes up to about 500 trucks per week, and as well as offering services to family-run transport firms, it has also taken on work with larger companies such as Tesco and international courier DHL. “The grant funding has allowed us to buy new vans and equipment, leading to us being able to create the jobs and the capacity which we needed,” Sam said. “For four or five years we ran at capacity, turning down work which we

could not do as we were not able to access the right support or the right funding.” Helena Bassett, business advisor at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are really pleased to have been able to support Sam and the team at Truck Smart. “The past 12 months have been a very difficult time for so many companies so to be able to help a local company grow, win new business and take on new staff is extremely positive. “We’d encourage other businesses to get in touch with the Chamber to find out how we can support them and help to grow the individual company and the regional economy.” Contact the Accelerated Growth team by email on ag@cw-chamber.co.uk

Coleshill cafe benefits from a serving of support A Coleshill couple have been serving up meals and treats to the local community over the past 18 months – after being served up support with their online presence. Tina and Dale Glastonbury run the Café on the Hill in the town after starting the business at the beginning of 2019. Just a year after launching, Covid hit and, for a fortnight and like many other businesses across the region, they went into a state of shock. But once they started to come to terms with the crisis, they started to look at opportunities to keep the café serving customers during lockdown and for any support available. They’d already built up an online following on social media and, through that, started delivering to customers in the town including everything from Sunday lunches through to afternoon teas for special occasions. Tina also found about digital support available and that was a key breakthrough in helping Café on the Hill reach more people. The workshops were delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Stories Marketing, on behalf of Warwickshire County Council through the Warwickshire Towns Network Programme. The workshops shared insights into how businesses can use social media and other digital tools to grow an online community. Tina said: “We’d just started to get the business where we wanted it to be after a year and then the pandemic hit. For a fortnight, we just didn’t know what we were going to do. We were in shock. “We both love Coleshill and it was our dream to open a business here and to move here. We had our first

date in the town 30 years ago – just over the road from the café – and then went on to get married. “So, we couldn’t stand by and let the business go under, we knew we had to try everything we could to survive and look for all the support we could get. “I attended three online group sessions with Stories Marketing to help improve my digital skills and then had a one-to-one session and it was really useful. “I started to understand a bit more of theory behind posting and using things like hashtags. I suddenly went from a couple of hundred views of a post to getting thousands. “We were very well known in the local community, but more and more people got to know about us and it definitely helped us survive the crisis.” Some of the innovations will continue, despite restrictions being lifted. The Café on the Hill delivered 40 Sunday lunches to customers on a recent weekend and has even ventured into event catering. Such is the success, they’ve taken on their first member of staff. Keely Hancox, from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Tina and Dale have so much personality and they’ve found a way to make that shine through online. “They’ve shown a real fighting spirit to come through the crisis by diversifying and that, coupled with Tina’s enhanced digital skills, has seen Café on the Hill become even more popular despite having to close their doors for so much of the past year and a half. “It’s great to see that those skills and those changes are not going to be cast aside now that restrictions are lifted. On the contrary, they are using everything they’ve learnt over the past 18 months to not only keep

going but to get the business growing again.” Warwickshire County Councillor Kam Kaur said: “The pandemic really made an instant difference to how businesses would have to operate and the County Council, along with our partners, offered an extensive range of support. What was key to our thinking was not only in solving the problem to help businesses stay operational but also to enable them to grow and develop beyond the immediate crisis, in the changing market place that the pandemic brought. “The Café on the Hill is an exemplar of this. We have supported them to broaden their skills base, reach new customers and engage with local residents. I am delighted to see how well they have adapted and grown. This is precisely the kind of outcome that we were looking for and long may their growth and success continue.”

More courses will start this September which are available to Retail, Hospitality and Tourism businesses. For more information, go to https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/digital-retailer-workshops/

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Supporting Business in North Warkwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedfordshire

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Warwickshire gamesmaster grows his business after receiving support An emergency services hero turned professional games master is capturing the imagination of players from Atherstone to Arkansas after adapting to the need for online meetups. While many children dream of growing up to fight fires and save lives, Into Adventure Ltd has been helping fans of one of the world’s biggest board games on both sides of the Atlantic fulfil fantasies of their own. Richard Mortimer, from Dordon in Warwickshire, has spent the last 20 years protecting communities across the West Midlands as a firefighter, but has been playing Dungeons and Dragons in his spare time since he was 16. Richard, now 46, has served as a Dungeon Master for the popular fantasy game across North Warwickshire for more than a decade after he originally founded Into Adventure Ltd to support his local library in the wake of funding issues by hosting D&D sessions. Like many businesses, Richard was forced to operate almost exclusively online throughout the last 18 months due to Covid-19 restrictions. The video conferencing software used by Richard in his online sessions, however, has allowed him to host games like never before by visually transforming himself and his guests into orcs, elves and other fantasy creatures, while taking advantage of digital marketing has enabled him to expand his customer base. He has since been able to access markets across Scotland and Ireland and, most recently, the United States after seeking advice from Warwickshire County Council’s start-up service which is delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. The programme for start-up businesses is part of the CW Business: Start, Grow and Scale project which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Warwickshire County Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council and the other District and Borough Councils. Richard said: “The pandemic highlighted the ways that not having an online presence can severely impact the potential of your business, and the support I received from the Chamber helped me to enhance my ability to connect with new customers in ways that would have never crossed my mind.

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

“The Chamber put me in touch with other business owners to exchange advice on how to be flexible and deal with the challenges of operating across different countries and states, and I have since enrolled onto their digital training programme with a view to boosting Into Adventure’s Online presence. “There is a huge demand for Dungeon Masters across the UK but also a very strong following in the local area, including three of my crew members at Tamworth Fire Station. “It would be great to hear from even more players across the UK who might have been unable to play with their friends over the last year or so. “Our games are always extremely fun and held to a very high standard, and the ability to appear as a range of characters adds a whole new dimension to the experience.” Hardeep Sandhu, Enterprise Manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce said: “The team at the Chamber can offer a range of support to start-up and early-stage businesses to help them not just survive but grow. “It’s been great to see that Richard has made the most of the support we offer and started to see the material results in the growth of his business.” The Chamber will be holding online clinics for individuals thinking about starting a new business and those candidates that have started a new business in the past 24 months. Hardeep added: “People need to be almost ready to start their businesses, as the start-up programme is geared up to supporting those that have a business idea, are clear about what they want to do and need guidance on how to start and what to do.” Anyone interested should email Rita at ritab@cw-chamber.co.uk, with an overview of their business and contact details and include in the subject, ‘North Warks Clinic Booking Request’. Clinic dates are September 7, 14 and 21 and take place between 9.30am and 2.30pm, all sessions are delivered online and meeting links will be sent out after the initial phone call. For more information visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support

“The pandemic highlighted the ways that not having an online presence can severely impact the potential of your business, and the support I received from the Chamber helped me to enhance my ability to connect with new customers in ways that would have never crossed my mind."

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……tttrrraaaiinninininingggfffooorrraaabbbrrrigiigghhhttteeerrrfffuuutttuuurrreee … …training for a brighter future

Aston Programme for

Small Business Growth A FREE OF CHARGE programme supporting business leaders to develop strategic leadership skills and gain the confidence to make informed decisions to become more productive and resilient. • Workshops taught by experts in SME leadership and management • One-to-one support to help you tackle your business challenges • Participants build a targeted action plan for their company with supprt from business experts • Networking with other early-stage business owners from the Midlands

Full eligibility criteria applies. Find out more: www.aston.ac.uk/astonprogramme

Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Education and Training

Houlton School receives top marks for prestigious development

Master Developer Urban&Civic hosted ministers for an educational visit and tour of the newly developed Houlton School ahead of its doors opening in September. Providing top educational facilities on the redeveloped historic Rubgy Radio Station site, Houlton School has been built and constructed in partnership between Urban&Civic and Transforming Lives Educational Trust (TLET).

Opening in September 2021, Houlton School will offer more than 1,000 muchneeded places for pupils throughout the Rugby area, offering additional high-quality schooling options to match those of the region’s grammar schools.

future of building communities, not just at Rugby but across the country. The ministerial visit was a great success and all were impressed with the continued progress we’ve made developing this historic site into a much-needed school.

Following the opening of Houlton’s first primary school in 2018, St Gabriel’s Academy, the £35million project has seen the former Grade II-listed Rugby Radio Station building transformed into a stateof-the-art educational facility for secondary aged pupils.

“Over 1,000 children are already being educated in schools on our sites, with a further 400 joining this September. This further cements our place in the community and the opportunities we are able to provide for those in and around the surrounding area.”

Innovatively funded through partnerships with Department for Education and Homes England, Urban&Civic provided the specialism to accelerate this muchneeded project, following the sustained demand it has seen for high-quality houses and schools across its wide range of developments across the country.

Coupled with the investment of the new link road, Houlton – a joint venture between master developers Urban&Civic and Aviva Investors – will provide 6,200 homes across its 1,200 acres. This will provide continued economic growth to Rugby with additional connectivity and transport links.

Richard Coppell of Urban&Civic, said: “Urban&Civic is paving the way for the

For more information visit www.houltonrugby.co.uk

The Aston Programme for Small Business Growth – Last Few Places Available for October Start Take control of your company’s future today with free support from Aston Business School’s industry-leading academics and experienced business mentors as part of the Aston Programme for Small Business Growth at Aston University. Past participants of the Aston Programme for Small Business Growth consistently increase business turnover, take on new employees and expand their companies into new exciting

markets – in some cases even during the pandemic! Receive online and face-toface workshops (depending on Coronavirus restrictions at the time of delivery), one-toone mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and support with producing your own action plan for business growth as part of the programme. Eligible businesses must have a minimum of 12 months’ trading experience,

be operational in Greater Birmingham and Solihull or Coventry and Warwickshire LEP areas, have one registered full-time employee (this can be yourself) and the ambition to fully commit to the programme schedule.

By joining the programme, you become part of the Aston Business School network and will benefit from a range of resources and valuable connections to help your business continue to reach new heights long after completing the programme.

Limited spaces available – apply online before 17th September: www.aston.ac.uk/astonprogramme Missed the deadline for Aston Programme for Small Business Growth? Find out about alternative support available from Aston Centre for Growth: www.aston.ac.uk/acg

University urges businesses to adopt immersive technologies The pandemic has presented businesses across all sectors with many challenges, but it has also provided opportunities, none more so than rethinking how to more effectively and safely engage with staff and customers.

Professor Jacqueline Cawston, co-director at Coventry University’s Centre for Postdigital Cultures, discusses how businesses can gain a competitive edge with the use of immersive technologies...

www.cw-chamber.co.uk

Restrictions that have placed limitations on in-person contact over the past 18 months have put into sharp focus the need to embrace immersive technologies that were once mainly seen as exclusive to the world of gaming. Immersive technologies, collectively referred to as ‘extended reality’ (XR), are designed to replace and/or expand the physical world in a 360 space that gives users the

ability to look in any direction. XR includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and 360-degree video. None of these are particularly new but their use is gaining more and more momentum in the mainstream and transforming the way we do things throughout society. While the use of new technologies has been accelerated by the pandemic, interest in the capability of immersive technologies and how they can transform the world of work has been growing over several years, with PwC predicting its potential to deliver a $1.5 trillion boost to the global economy by 2030.

Businesses and other organisations are gaining a substantial competitive advantage by adopting the technology. Benefits include improving performance and streamlining workflows, making workplaces safer, improving the effectiveness of training, and transforming marketing and communications. The creative industries have adopted these technologies, and while this has allowed museums and art galleries to continue to welcome visitors virtually during lockdown, many were already making use of XR to expand their audiences. Other sectors, including retail and engineering, have also embraced these technologies.

College opportunities for career changers in Nuneaton Adults who are considering a career change following the pandemic are being invited to consider a college course to help them gain the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in high-demand job roles. North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) is preparing for the start of the new academic year by launching its latest range of part-time courses based at its Nuneaton Campus and in local workplaces. Research indicates that three out of five adults are considering a career change after the COVID challenges they faced caused them to re-evaluate their lives. This may have been prompted by health concerns, the impact of lone-working, or the desire to relocate or move house to be closer to open spaces or family members. Others have re-evaluated their career prospects based on trends for future demand, with the logistics, digital and healthcare sectors reporting skills gaps and vacancies. From September 2021, students will be able to start training in a range of disciplines and put themselves in the best position to snap up job roles across several sectors including: • accounting • counselling • teaching and education • hairdressing and beauty therapy • electrical installations • welding • catering and hospitality. In addition, the college is providing access to essential general skills including maths and English, the building blocks for many subject-specific qualifications that enable students to progress to further and higher education. Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, principal and chief executive of NWSLC, said: “With the employment rate rising to 75 per cent and gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, the job market is beginning to look more buoyant. There are encouraging signs of economic recovery within the regional markets we support. Forecasts suggest that the UK economy will grow by more than eight per cent this year, before returning to pre-pandemic levels of around six per cent in 2022. “Colleges are leading the way to help reenergise the UK economy and it is our mission to introduce skilled and workready individuals to employers across the region.”

For more information visit www.nwslc.ac.uk

Education and Training

Kenilworth pub hires first apprentice through WCG A Kenilworth pub has hired its first apprentice as it looks to encourage more young people to pursue careers in hospitality following the pandemic. The Famous Virgins & Castle has signed up Phoebe Hitchins, aged 19 from Coventry, as the 16th century pub’s first apprentice. The pub, which is run by awardwinning hospitality group Caviar & Chips, has worked closely with the apprenticeships team at WCG to create the opportunity. Phoebe’s role is one of three apprenticeship positions at the pub that will be filled over the next couple of months, with roles also available front-of-house and in the kitchen.

She said: “I chose an apprenticeship because it gave me a great opportunity to develop and learn what it truly takes to manage a pub in the modern hospitality world.” Andy Lock, General Manager at The Famous Virgins & Castle, added: “We want to create great opportunities for people and reverse the reputation of hospitality work being long, unsociable hours. “Apprentices bring energy, enthusiasm and ideas, which is great for the business. Phoebe is already bringing new ideas to us and widening our outlook on how we should be doing certain things.

“We’ve had a great working relationship with WCG to reach this point, and we look forward to doing more apprenticeships with them in the future.” John Colclough, Business Development Manager at WCG, added: “Caviar & Chips has a refreshing approach to hospitality and that is reflected in its drive to recruit apprentices. “It’s vital that more young people are encouraged to join the hospitality profession to secure its future, and this has never been more the case than now in the wake of the pandemic which heavily impacted the sector.”

“Apprentices bring energy, enthusiasm and ideas, which is great for the business. Phoebe is already bringing new ideas to us and widening our outlook on how we should be doing certain things."

To find out more about WCG Apprenticeships, contact the WCG Business Development team: E: employerenquiries@wcg.ac.uk T: 0330 135 6940 W: wcg.ac.uk/employers

Visitors swarm to WCG’s show garden at The Game Fair The work of Midlands-based college students flourished at a national countryside festival as their natureinspired exhibit attracted a swarm of selfie-taking visitors. Green-fingered guests arrived in full force to enjoy this year’s The Game Fair at Ragley Hall, with thousands stopping by WCG’s show garden to take photos under its outstanding floral arch and get inspired by the natural world as the event returned following a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions. With over 2,000 plants on display, the show garden featured every type of garden setting from wildflower turf to vegetable patches, all designed and planted up by staff

and students at Pershore and Moreton Morrell Colleges. Support was provided by a range of sponsors and businesses including Tarmac, Talasey, Gardens of Reflection, Keder Greenhouses, Readyhedge, Cub Cadet, Solar Technology International, Electric Zoo and Vegepod. The garden was designed to educate visitors on four ‘smart’ themes in dedicated sections including the Climate Change Garden, which explored the effects of changing weather conditions; the Eco Garden, which looked at the importance of biodiversity; the Production Garden, which encouraged people to make the

most of small green spaces at home; and the Smart Garden, which explored the ways technology can be incorporated into a garden setting. The Smart Garden also featured a replica Porsche 356 complete with full electric engine conversion, which proved to be a huge draw to car and technology enthusiasts alike.

we have received has been absolutely superb. “We even had guests asking if the students could come and do some horticultural work or floristry displays for them, which is extremely promising for the future and indicates the high standards that they are reaching in their work.”

Mark Whittaker, of WCG, said: “The students put together a very unique and engaging range of attractions and the feedback www.cw-chamber.co.uk

President & People

Sarah celebrates 35 years’ service at Alsters Kelley

Well, here we are, already in September and dare I say it… that Christmas is just around the corner! Maybe it’s just me but we don’t seem to have had much of a summer weather wise! However, if like me you are a sports fan, well what a summer it has been, with the Euro’s, the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games all having taken place, albeit a year late! Even if you are not a sports fan it would be hard not to have been lifted by how well England did in the Euro’s and the performance of Team GB at the Olympics and Paralympics. Team GB did us proud in both Games, and some of the stories regarding training and how individuals had to prepare is truly inspirational, a huge well done and a hearty congratulations to all who took part, for following a dream and for fulfilling an ambition that more than likely would have started from an early age. Obviously, we can’t all be professional footballers or medal winning athletes, however that doesn’t stop us from dreaming, having ambition or wanting to achieve a certain goal or target. All that is important is what’s important to you and how you set about setting your target or achieving your goal and who or what inspires you. Personally, I was inspired last month by some incredible individuals I was fortunate enough to meet at an awards and presentation evening held at the Telegraph Hotel in Coventry. They really were in my opinion unsung heroes who go the extra mile for the benefit of others in their communities. Their work was recognised by our very own CEO and High Sheriff of the West Midlands, Louise Bennett OBE DL, where each individual received a certificate and medal for their unselfish work within the community. It was great to meet them and to hear their stories, again a huge thank you, congratulations and a hearty well done to each and every one of them. Sometimes isn’t it just nice to have your efforts and work recognised? Or even for someone to genuinely say thank you for the work you are doing! So, I will say thank you to one of my colleagues at the Chamber of Commerce, Sean Rose, our Policy Officer, who organises the Chamber of Commerce Policy Hour events. These are well worth joining up to get superb regional updates, watch out for the next one on the 23rd September featuring Dame Andrea Leadsom MP, the former Secretary of State for BEIS. Finally, as President of the Chamber and finishing as I started this month’s column, on a sports-based theme, I want to thank Rick and Sue Cressman for the invite to attend the British Par 3 Golf Championship held at Nailcote Hall Hotel & Country Club. It really is an outstanding event, covered by Sky Sports, and is a real jewel in the crown for Coventry & Warwickshire that often flies under the radar. The calibre of the golf pros and celebrities taking part is truly phenomenal and it was fascinating to hear and see how the nerves affect even the most seasoned professional! Best regards Tom Mongan

The champagne was cracked open at Alsters Kelley in Nuneaton recently, as Sarah Darby, wills & probate executive, celebrated 35 years’ service with the firm. As a thank you for her long service and to help start the celebrations, Sarah was presented with a bottle of bubbly and other gifts from the firm. Sarah said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my career with Alsters Kelley and I enjoy the variety of the work I deal with. Most importantly, I love the face-to-face contact with our clients and providing them with a very personal and high level of service. I also have many lovely friends across all five offices and it certainly doesn’t feel as if I have been here for 35 years!”

Sarah originally started her career at the firm of R S Bull in Nuneaton as the office junior, a role which she remembers with very fond memories. Following the merger of RS Bull with Alsters, Sarah moved to the Coventry office for a short period of time as a paralegal in the private client department. An opportunity soon arose for her to move back to Nuneaton, the town where Sarah was born and still currently lives. She has worked in the private client department for more than 30 years and has been a wills & probate executive for more than 15 years and remains working from the Nuneaton office. Neil Raiseborough, director & head of private client department, said: “Sarah is a real asset to Alsters Kelley, truly

appreciated and her knowledge and experience are invaluable. Working for one company for 35 years is a truly fantastic achievement – many congratulations!”

Kiley celebrates 30 years with accountancy firm

Director Sarah Van Ristell with Kiley Ball

A local firm of chartered accountants and tax advisers was celebrating recently, as it marked 30 years of loyal service from a member of staff. Kiley Ball joined Armstrongs Chartered Accountants when she left school in 1991 and has been with the firm ever since.

As a thank you for her long service, director Sarah Van Ristell presented Kiley, the firm’s practice manager, with a bottle of champagne, a bouquet of flowers and holiday gift vouchers. Kiley said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working at Armstrongs and can’t believe how quickly the years have passed by. “No two days are the same, which keeps the role interesting and varied. Over the years, I’ve built long-lasting relationships with our clients and I’ve worked with some fantastic people, which is why I continue to enjoy being a part of the Armstrongs team.” Sarah said: “Kiley is a real asset to Armstrongs. Her knowledge ensures

the smooth running of the practice and that client queries are dealt with in a professional timely manner. Working for one firm for 30 years is a real achievement. Well done!” When she’s not in the office, Kiley enjoys reading, socialising with friends and loves spending time walking her dog. Armstrongs Chartered Accountants provides a wide range of services including accounting, tax, corporate finance, wealth planning, audit and assurance, business support and business development. For more information visit www.armstrongs-accountancy.co.uk

Engineering recruiter celebrates ten-year partnership success A premier manufacturing and engineering recruitment consultancy is celebrating a ten-year association with one of the UK’s major manufacturing success stories. Stratford-upon-Avonbased Consilium Recruit was appointed by the Manufacturing Technology Centre in 2011. Since then, Consilium has partnered the MTC in its drive for growth, recruiting more than 700 highly-skilled and talented engineers and technicians for its world-class facility in Coventry plus satellite operations in Oxfordshire and Liverpool. Now Consilium is continuing its high-level recruitment campaign for the MTC, boasting a division dedicated to scouring the UK and overseas for the best talent including highly skilled engineers, managers and advanced manufacturing technicians.

Many of the company's efforts are focused on the most up-to-date engineering skills including robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, design for assembly and advanced manufacturing project management. Consilium director Adrian Elwell said: “The MTC has had a highly demanding growth schedule which has required us to fill some of the most challenging positions. We have recruited a wide spread of engineering talent with the advanced skillsets required for the engineering and manufacturing technologies of tomorrow. "We are also recruiting engineers for other manufacturing organisations in the UK to fill the jobs of the future. Many of these are associated with advanced technology, materials and engineering processes across a range of industry sectors including aerospace, automotive, marine,

MTC HR director Vicki Sanderson with Consilium director Adrian Elwell at the MTC

construction and low-carbon technology.” The MTC aims to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions. Founded by the University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and TWI, the MTC has more than 100 industrial members including

some of the UK’s major global manufacturers. The MTC's HR director, Vicki Sanderson, said: “At the MTC we pride ourselves on employing the very best international engineering and manufacturing talent to work on our many projects. Consilium has, over the last ten years, helped us in this endeavour.” Further information visit www.consiliumrecruit.com

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Coventry & Warwickshire in business

President & People

The FPM Group appoints new director of operations demands of its growing client base, and more recently an M and E division.

David Needham

The FPM Group, a multi-disciplinary organisation based in Coventry, has welcomed David Needham as director of operations for its facilities management (FM) and mechanical and electrical (M and E) divisions. The group was established initially as an FM company in 2008 but quickly expanded its services to include project fit-outs and refurbishments to meet the

The company has been built on an ethos of honesty, integrity and transparency. It works with clients across the UK from a variety of sectors including commercial, industrial and education. Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, the business has thrived and has further ambitions for long-term growth. Robert Villette, MD at the FPM Group, said: “David is an accomplished and very experienced senior manager with a background in FM and construction. He has a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of building strong customer relations; he will be an asset to our business.”

David Needham said: “I was looking for a role that fully utilised my experience and success in building strong trust-based relationships with clients as well as sourcing new opportunities to help drive business growth. “The FPM Group provides the perfect platform to put my core skills to good use. Robert and the team have a reputation for delivering projects to the highest standard. When they say ‘your building in our safe hands’, they mean it! I’m excited to be part of such a successful and dynamic company. I’m looking forward to helping the FPM Group further realise its vision for continued growth.”

Volumatic awarded silver Investors in People accreditation Following an in-depth and rigorous assessment, Volumatic has been awarded an Investors in People (IIP) silver accreditation. A valued standard for leading, supporting and developing workforces in the UK, a silver accreditation is a rare and impressive achievement for a company of Volumatic’s size – a team of just 40 – and is testament to its values and colleagues who are the backbone of the business. James Harris, managing director of Volumatic, said: “We put our people at the very heart of our corporate values. Global events over the last 12-18 months

have created some incredibly challenging trading conditions for our industry, yet Volumatic has just posted its best ever trading performance with a 23% growth on the previous year. We are well on track to continue that growth trajectory into the current financial year and beyond. “Our outstanding performance is without doubt a direct result of our people having a common purpose and working together to find a way to meet these challenges head on. I am very proud to be part of such a remarkable team and I look forward to us working together, building on our successes, and creating a bright future for Volumatic.”

The Volumatic values of innovation, customers and people play an important part in the day-to-day running of the business. As a result of these values, the IIP assessment found that Volumatic staff enjoy working for the company and believe that the culture is positive and constantly improving. Volumatic were cited by IIP as being “increasingly innovative in its ambitions and outward-looking as a business”. These attributes have seen the company develop new and existing global markets despite COVID and now, following a number of internal promotions, Volumatic is seeking to recruit new team members to build upon its success.

Law firm launches new Talent Bank Law firm Lodders has launched the latest campaign in its people-first strategy to support its plans to grow its workforce by 25 per cent – and continue to support the next generation of lawyers. The new ‘Talent Bank’ is part of Lodders’ ongoing objective to attract yet more senior and established talent to the firm, support its talent development and retention strategies, and provide the next generation of lawyers with opportunities and professional development support. Lodders has launched its biggest-ever recruitment drive to fill around forty new roles. The firm’s managing partner, Paul Mourton, said: “The Talent Bank is open to all – from senior lawyers and graduates to newly qualified legal practitioners. “It is another of our pioneering initiatives and will create a virtual network and

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resource which the firm will use to gather contacts, make connections, open discussions with people looking for opportunities and future roles, and give prospective new team members the chance to learn more about us. “As such, the Talent Bank delivers on two major objectives – it enables the firm to nurture and support ambitious talent and new entrants to the legal profession, and to attract the very best-inbreed legal talent to the firm. “In the wake of an incredible 12 months, the firm is in a really strong place. Adding more ambitious and talented people to our 160-strong team will sustain Lodders’ growth and expansion strategy. We already have many of the region’s top lawyers, and are known for our exceptional client service and legal advice.

Allan Owens

New quality manager has big ambitions for steering parts manufacturer Steering systems specialist Pailton Engineering has hired Allan Owens as its new quality manager. Allan is returning to the company for a second time, having previously occupied the position of senior customer quality engineer from 2014 to 2019. He comes to his new role with more than 25 years’ experience and is part of a culture shift around quality control. Pailton Engineering is modernising its approach to quality control. Whereas traditionally, quality control was predominantly about inspecting and discovering problems or faults after they occurred, Allan is a representative of a more forward-thinking philosophy. Under his watch, quality control will be built into processes from the outset, with the idea of eliminating errors from the process. In driving this culture change, Allan will be drawing on many years of experience as a quality engineer. He spent over nine years as quality engineer at Mayflower Vehicle Systems, then a further nine years as senior quality engineer at Covpress. His previous stint at Pailton Engineering will allow him to slot into his new role seamlessly. Allan is also schooled in Six Sigma process improvement methodologies and is a keen practitioner of Hoshin Kanri strategic planning. In addition to his experience and training, his enthusiasm for driving change will be a key asset.

“In the last 12 months, the firm has been awarded top rankings by both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide, and won multiple industry and professional awards. Now is the chance for ambitious people to be part of an exciting, thriving business that is one of the best and fastest-growing law firms in the region.” For more information visit www.lodders.co.uk

Allan has ambitious goals for Pailton Engineering. World-class parts suppliers would typically expect to produce fewer than 25 defects per million parts. Allan’s target is to get that figure down to zero. He said: “My previous role as senior customer quality engineer has given me useful experience. Improving things for the customer will be at the centre of my approach.” To find out more, visit pailton.com

New Members Business Engage Members AIM Internet

Strategic Digital Marketing Solutions 0870 062 8760 sarah@aiminternet.co.uk www.aiminternet.co.uk

Business Global Members Baro Vehicles Limited

Automotive Manufacturing 02036 955353 info@barovehicles.com www.barovehicles.com

Crestchic Ltd

Electriflame Limited

Electric Fire Manufacture 07971 897102 info@electriflame.com

KLP Bookkeeping Limited

Load Bank Manufacturing 01283 531645 service@crestchic.co.uk https://crestchicloadbanks.com

Bookkeeping 01789 450168 karen@klpbookkeeping.co.uk www.klpbookkeeping.co.uk

DCS Group (UK) Ltd

Pegasus Siting Limited

Wholesalers 01789 208046 wes@dcsgroup.com www.dcsgroup.com

PH Logistics UK Limited

International Freight Forwarders 01217 401274 mike@phlogistics.co.uk www.phlogistics.co.uk

Landscaping 03332 249583 info@pegasussiting.co.uk www.pegasussiting.co.uk

Business Connect Members AIMS Accountants for Business

Accountants 01926 564377 Pam.rehal@aims.co.uk www.aims.co.uk/accountants/pam-rehal/

Blucom

Telecommunications 02476 098700 neil@blucom.uk www.blucom.uk

British Regional Hampers

Food Products 01564 330614 kate@britishregionalhampers.co.uk https://britishregionalhampers.co.uk

Charlecote Pheasant Hotel

Hotels 01789 335960 reservationscp@charlecotepheasanthotel.co.uk http://charlecotepheasanthotel.co.uk

DELTA by Marriott

Hotels 01926 499555 kelsey.summerfield@countrywidehotels.co.uk www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bhxwd-m40j15-warwick-hotel

Global Search Marketing Ltd

Marketing Consultants 01215 142291 enquiries@globalsearchmarketing.co.uk www.globalsearchmarketing.co.uk

Healthy Steps by Julia Mitchell Business & Wellness Expertise 07548 251234 hello@yourhealthysteps.co.uk www.yourhealthysteps.co.uk

In4Trade Limited

Financial & Business Consultants 07860 813920 info@in4trade.com https://in4trade.com

Jamie Joe’s Magical Mystery Tours Corporate Entertainment/Hospitality 07812 352861 jamiejoemorgan@gmail.com www.linkedin.com/in/jamiejoemorgan/

K B Benfield Group Holdings Ltd Building Contractors 07772 238895 clive.benfield@benfieldgroup.co.uk https://benfieldgroup.co.uk

Natwest Bank PLC Banks & Financial Institutions 03457 114477 http://natwest.com/business

Piece of Cake Marketing Marketing Services 07799 626332 emma@pieceofcakemarketing.co.uk www.pieceofcakemarketing.co.uk

Solitaire Office Supplies Ltd Office Supplies 02476 325000 sue@solitaireoffice.net www.solitareoffice.net

Tec Transnational Ltd Training Services 07717 325955 nia.scrimshire@tectransnational.com https://tectransnational.com

METCloud

The Geek Guys

Technical Information Services 01212 270730 accounts@metcloud.com www.metcloud.com

Information Technology 02476 998229 neil@thegeekguys.co.uk www.thegeekguys.co.uk

My Extra Colleague

Valkyrie Solutions Ltd

Virtual Assistant 07814 237751 sarah@myextracolleague.co.uk www.myextracolleague.co.uk

Security Consultancy 02036 339398 enquiries@valkyriesolutions.co.uk www.valkyriesolutions.co.uk

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Coventry & Warwickshire in business

Members Offers

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MOTIVATE, INSPIRE, RETAIN

TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICESHIP INCENTIVE You only have until Thursday 30 September 2021 to take advantage of the increased Government incentive payment, available to all employers who hire a new apprentice. Age Of New Apprentice

Incentive Payment

16+

£3000

This payment will be in addition to the existing £1,000 incentive payment that the Government already provides for new apprentices aged between 16-18, and those aged under 25 with an Education Health Care Plan, where that applies. At WCG Apprenticeships, we offer the widest range of apprenticeship standards in the region, allowing us to meet the needs of almost all businesses. We are able to offer apprenticeships within the following sectors: • • • • • • •

Agriculture Animal Care Business & Professional Construction Engineering Equine & Farriery Hairdressing

• • • • • •

Health & Care Horticulture Inc. Golf Greenkeeping & Sports Turf Hospitality IT Motor Vehicle Veterinary Nursing

Contact our Business Development team who will be able to help you negotiate the incentive so that it can benefit you in the best way possible:

0330 135 6940 | employerenquiries@wcg.ac.uk Visit wcg.ac.uk/apprenticeships for more information. info@wcg.ac.uk

wcg.ac.uk/warkscovapprenticeships

CENTRE FOR DIGITAL & CYBER TECHNOLOGY

C&W In Business September 2021

Articles inside

Members Offers

President & People

Education & Training

Around the Region

Supporting Businesses in North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedfordshire

News

Chamber Training

Sustainable Business Series

Business Engage Profiles

Smart Energy

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Economy

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