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Around the Region
We can help you find a brighter future. Burgis & Bullock Chartered Accountants Businesses need stability to plan for rising costs Sound advice in an uncertain world
When there is uncertainty you need someone you can trust – whatever the challenge – as multi-award winning Accountants you’ll be in safe hands with us. Burgis & Bullock are Chartered Accountants who offer more than basic accounting services. If you’d like to deal with a local firm who are not simply interested in your history, but are more focused on your future –your business growth, your ambitions, planning your retirement and making sure your assets are adequately protected, you Certainty is the one quality that businesses prize above all, and it is without doubt need to talk to us. With over 125 years of helping Warwickshire businesses, our team of specialists are something that has been lacking in Government policy committed to your success and as members in recent months. of TAG Alliances, one of the top three service
Businesses in Coventry and associations in the world, we have access to Warwickshire have been standing on shifting sands of late and even international support when you need it most. for professionals like us at Burgis & Bullock it has been incredibly So for help on securing your financial difficult to plan ahead. future, tax planning, raising finance, cloud
In terms of the changing picture, accounting or simply keeping on the right it is reminiscent of the height of lockdown when the goalposts moved sideofHMRevenueandCustoms,talktous. for businesses on a weekly basis. While some of the measures announced by Kwasi Kwarteng in September were certainly going to benefit businesses, I don’t think you can really argue with the reversal of any of the measures, given the market pressures they brought. Growth in the economy is driven by investment from businesses and the increased costs of borrowing would have had an impact on business investments, from large corporates down to SMEs. Something had to be done, and while many of the moves could be viewed as positive, they were done too quickly and shocked the markets. The last thing businesses in this country needed was market volatility. Businesses like certainty and if they know the circumstances facing them, they will work out a way to continue doing business in those circumstances. We have to now hope that Jeremy Hunt keeps on this course and allows managers and owners to plan for what is to come. The scrapping of the promise to cut income tax to 19p by 2024 is quite a big change. It is also significant, and perhaps unfair, that the proposed 1.25 per cent dividend taxation rate cut for basic rate and higher rate tax payers has been scrapped.
by Sean Farnell, Client Services Partner
Not cutting the dividend tax rate but still cutting National Insurance by 1.25 per cent is a difficult one to comprehend.
IR35 reforms have returned in the latest U-turn and means that businesses will remain responsible for determining the employment status of freelance workers - a big hit for self-employed people who saw their tax bills rise with bigger costs from direct employment for businesses.
Corporation tax is now set to rise to 25 per cent again, another of the
U-turns, and this will have a negative impact on businesses.
We’re still in a period of total uncertainty and we can only hope that ❛❛Growth in the economy is driven
corporates down to SMEs. ❜❜
the Government can foster at least a few months of stability to give businesses a chance to plan and forecast for the future.
At Burgis & Bullock we continue to be on hand to offer client support and guidance on business planning through these uncertain times. There are still funding opportunities out there for businesses looking to invest and even in this current climate people are willing to lend to good businesses.
We are working with clients to set their plans for the next 12, 24 and 36 months, and will continue to provide support to navigate the difficult economic landscape.
Contact us today or visit our website for more information. Tel: 0345 177 5500 www.burgisbullock.com
Offices in Leamington Spa, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Nuneaton, London and Rugby.
Re-imagined corporate spaces and meeting rooms are now available for hire at the newly renovated St Mary’s Guildhall
St Mary’s Guildhall new corporate venue hire options have created spectacular spaces within Coventry city centre that suit all kinds of events. From meetings and conferences to receptions and banquets, invite your guests to leave their mark in the history books alongside the Kings and Queens who have enjoyed St Mary’s Guildhall over the last 700 years.
St Mary’s Guildhall located in Coventry’s historic Cathedral Quarter within Coventry City Centre, is one of the finest Guildhalls in the country and a rare survivor of the English Civil War and the Blitz. With its rich history of partying, power and propaganda, the Guildhall has acted as the centre of power in England during the War of the Roses and even housed the crown jewels. It is also home to the famous Coventry tapestry which still hangs in its original spot after 500 years. The majestic medieval great hall can cater for 70 to 150 guests and if you are looking for a smaller meeting room with all the latest technology, the newly refurbished Tanners and Fullers suites which cater for up to 14 guests with stunning views over Coventry Cathedral Ruins, won’t disappoint. Also available for hire is the Drapers room, where it is believed Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner, and the newly unveiled Medieval kitchen now on view of the first time in 100 years. Private dining is also available in our atmospheric Tales of Tea located in the Undercroft which is the oldest part of the Guildhall.
Find out more at www.stmarysguildhall.co.uk
First Project Maintenance is flying high!
First Project Maintenance (FPM), a building maintenance and refurbishment contractor based in Coventry, is continually looking for ways to use the latest technology to improve how the business operates. The company’s latest investment is a drone, to assist with building surveys as well as capturing videos of completed projects to enhance the material for their project portfolios.
To ensure that the drone is operated safely and in accordance with the latest regulations, the company followed the Civil Aviation Authority guidelines which requires the owner of a drone being used commercially, to apply for an Operators ID and any individual who will be flying the drone to complete a training course to obtain a Flyer ID certificate.
Robert Villette, Managing Director of FPM explains: “Health and safety within construction is paramount and our number one priority, whether this is us working on site or operating a drone. Members of the FPM team successfully completed the online accreditation for their Flyer ID certificates.”
Robert continues; “Getting the team trained means that any one of us can safely operate the equipment. The drone will make the initial surveying of bigger sites much easier, helping us to scope and price projects more efficiently and competitively. And in terms of showcasing our work, the images the drone can capture from up high are so much more effective than those we take with a camera.”
Members of the FPM team (from the left) Jacky Cook, George Dunkley, Robert Villette and Jane Polter
Midlands M&A advisers one of region’s ‘most active’
Shakespeare Martineau’s corporate team has been named as one of the most active legal advisers in the Midlands mergers and acquisitions (M&A) sector during the first half of 2022.
Experian Market IQ’s latest M&A Review placed Shakespeare Martineau as the seventh most active legal adviser by volume after the team completed 13 deals in the first six months of the year.
The corporate team has advised on a wide-range of international and domestic M&A and private equity transactions – ranging in size from seed investments in start-up businesses to multi-million-pound acquisitions across a variety of sectors.
Michael Stace, corporate partner at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “Notwithstanding the current macroeconomic climate and the many challenges facing businesses at the moment, we are still seeing a very healthy level of transactional activity, particularly in the sustainable energy, healthcare and technology sectors.
Shakespeare Martineau has six office hubs in the Midlands, including Birmingham, Solihull, Stratford-uponAvon, Nottingham, Leicester and Lincoln.
Coventry Cathedral is absolutely thrilled to share the news that we are one of the 97 attractions across the country to have been awarded a VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Accolade, designed to celebrate excellence within the visitor attraction sector and showcase those businesses in the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme that go the extra mile to provide a high-quality day out.
Our award is in the Welcome category and is a reflection of our on-going commitment to provide a warm and genuine world-class welcome to every single person who visits.
We are so proud of everyone whose hard work made this possible – it was a real team effort.
You can read more about the awards at- https://www.visitbritain.org/ visitengland-attraction-accoladewinners-announced
R&D grants and tax relief - making business growth a reality
Business growth plays a vital role in strengthening the economy and creating jobs. Often this kind of growth goes hand in hand with innovation.
However, innovation nearly always requires upfront investment, yet what many companies don’t realise is that there is financial assistance available to help fund it.
This takes the form of Research & Development (R&D) tax relief and grants, and these can help unlock a project and make business growth a reality.
Tax relief is available to any company investing time and money in new products or processes that meet HMRC’s definition of R&D.
Firms can claim for either a reduction in their company’s corporation tax bill or a cash lump sum.
Businesses in the West Midlands have received grant awards totalling nearly £1.5bn over the past five years.
It can be difficult sourcing the best grant funding streams and applying, but experts such as Catax can help you navigate this minefield.
Safer environment for local community
A long-established Leamington property company which has transformed Sydenham over the last 60 years has continued its links by upgrading two play areas.
AC Lloyd, whose headquarters are at Tachbrook Park, built its first home in Sydenham in 1964 and since then has masterminded the residential and industrial development in the area which has involved creating over 2,000 homes, 50 acres of commercial buildings, transport infrastructure, schools, a nature reserve and a community centre.
When Cllr Will Roberts, who represents the Willes Ward for Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council, got in touch with AC Lloyd Homes to ask them to fund muchneeded improvements to play areas at Calder Walk and Fallow Hill, the business was only too happy to help.
AC Lloyd has spent £22,000 adding fencing at both play areas along with installing a seesaw at Calder Walk and a bench at Fallow Hill.
Cllr Roberts said the improvements were fantastic and had been wellreceived by local families.
He said: “I am extremely grateful to AC Lloyd for providing the District Council with additional financial support to make these upgrades to both of these popular local parks in South Leamington."
Alistair Clark, managing director of AC Lloyd Homes, said families living nearby and pupils of Sydenham Primary School had a much safer environment to play in.
He said: “We are proud to be associated with the Sydenham area which has such a significant part in AC Lloyd’s history.”
From the left, Alistair Clark (AC Lloyd, Cllr Will Roberts (Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council), Steve Piper (AC Lloyd) and Simon Richardson (Warwick District Council)
Hotel thrives despite tough economic times
The team behind one of Coventry’s four-star city centre hotels believes the results of five years’ work is helping the city thrive despite tough economic times.
The Telegraph Hotel, which opened 18 months ago, has scored several major successes since the end of Coventry’s reign as UK City of Culture and the returnto-work post Covid.
The hotel, which was created in the former offices of the Coventry Telegraph building and is a celebration of its mid-Century design, was the result of a £21 million investment, and has won national recognition and a string of positive reviews.
In the last three months, it has had an occupancy rate of around 90 per cent – way above industry norms – and has nearly sold out its Christmas Party Night Events in its Editors Suite.
More than 52 per cent of room bookings are for stays within a three-day time period, while 17 per cent of bookings are made on the day of stay – indicating a high volume of corporate trade.
Amy Windsor, General Manager of the hotel, believes that, coupled with major events in the city and work to boost visitor numbers are paying off.
“We are extremely busy on a variety of fronts and certainly our room bookings are very healthy. The booking pattern indicates a high-level of businesses stays and that is underpinned by increased leisure trade which has come off the back of UK City of Culture and other events.
“For example, once Harry Styles was announced at the CBS Arena, we sold out every room – and that was before the concert tickets even went on sale.
“Our six Christmas nights have almost sold out well in advance – with several reaching capacity even before our season’s brochure had been printed!
“We established a very high profile before and after opening and we have had fantastic support from the local market, so the fact we are also performing well with visitors from further away from Coventry bodes very well not only for us but also the for the city as a whole.
“It also reflects a great deal of hard work which has gone into boosting visitor numbers. There has been massive investment in the city in terms of infrastructure and the built environment since landing UK City of Culture, while organisations such as Destination Coventry and Shakespeare’s England are working hard to attract business and tourism.
EV charging points installed at Dollman Farm
Eighteen brand-new EV charging points are now live at Houlton’s local centre, Dollman Farm.
Installed by leading EV specialist Rolec, the suite of new EV charging points is part of Houlton Master Developer Urban&Civic’s ongoing commitment to sustainable placemaking.
Dollman Farm Centre, situated in the heart of Rugby’s growing neighbourhood, is already the longstanding home of The Tuning Fork and community space, The Barn.
The Co-Op and The Old Station Nursery, both of which have recently celebrated their 12-month anniversaries on site, will soon be joined by collaborative co-working space The Exchange, due to open in October.
A busy hive of community life at Houlton, Dollman Farm has been designed to bring together amenities for residents in one central space, and this latest addition, further bolsters that existing offering.
Situated within the car park outside The Co-Op, the newly installed charging points are just one of many new additions set to strengthen the local centre’s offering over the next six months.
Kyle Smith, Communities & Partnerships at Urban&Civic said: “We are delighted to unveil the new suite of Rolec charging points at Dollman Farm.
“It remains Urban&Civic’s ongoing commitment, alongside our partners both on and off-site to develop communities that will flourish and thrive for many years to come.
“We know Electric Vehicles and the provision to charge EVs is fundamentally important to power the transition towards a greener future, with legislation from Summer 2022 now in place stipulating that EV charging points must be installed at all new residential homes and buildings. “This latest addition to Dollman Farm affirms our long-term goal of creating a sustainable sense of place at Houlton and there’s still so much more to come.”
Houlton is now home to over eight hundred families living in the new community as well St Gabriel’s Primary School, Houlton Secondary School and thriving community hub home to The Tuning Fork, nursery and Co-op. A further 5000 homes are planned at Houlton over the next 10-15 years and homes are available through a range of housebuilders on site.
Social media, the school gate and new business!
New business is not the usual outcome of social media discussed at the school gate. But for Kajul, Glued’s engineering development client, that was the case.
A member of the team at Kajul shared a post promoting an article for Kajul posted by Glued on their web site. A fellow father at the team member’s school saw the post and expressed interest in Kajul’s investment in new technology - investment that allows for ‘portable reverse engineering’.
That school-gate chat led to a conversation with Karl Hamlin, Managing Director of Kajul, and as they say the rest is history. Kajul are now supplying a new customer with jigs and fixtures as a result of a school-gate conversation.
Truth be known though, that conversation would never have happened without the post on social media; the post on social media would never have happened without the article on Kajul’s investment being written and posted on the Kajul web site; and that article would never have been written had Karl Hamlin not commission Glued to prompt and regularly research and write content.
Karl Hamlin said “I was keen for our communications to have more substance, and Glued have certainly done that. Their research-designmarketing approach works a treat, and we are committed to continuing with that regular activity.”
Proof indeed that regular, relevant, and engaging content does lead to a return on investment.
Glued’s Consultancy Partner was keen to add “What we do is all to nothing if our clients are not actually doing something of substance. Kajul are a great example to other small businesses of how effort, ingenuity and positivity can garner success.”
More about the new portable measurement device, and other Kajul news, can be found at www.kajul.co.uk/news
The post that led to the school-gate conversation
Coombe Abbey Hotel geared up for busy Xmas season
As many companies missed out on Christmas parties last winter due to Covid-19, Coombe Abbey Hotel near Coventry has already received an influx of bookings for December.
Ron Terry, Group Operations Director for No Ordinary Hospitality Management which operates the historic four-star hotel, said: “Christmas has always been a special time of the year for us at Coombe Abbey and we are delighted this year to launch an even bigger programme of events for all types of festive parties and celebrations.
“These range from small intimate Christmas private dining in some of our most regal period rooms to raucous medieval feasts, a Festive Murder Mystery inspired by Die Hard and a grand-scale Gatsby Glamour Ball”.
One of the season’s biggest highlights is set to be a New Year’s Eve Ball to welcome in 2023 in the grand Marquee with Champagne and canapes on arrival, a set six-course dinner, casino table, live entertainment, disco, traditional Highland piper and a firework display at midnight.
A housebuilder has chosen newly converted offices in Leamington Spa to become its first permanent home in the West Midlands. William Davis Homes has moved into 11 Waterloo Place as the third tenant at the Grade II listed Regency building since opening this year.
The move is part of the Leicestershirebased firm’s plans to accelerate its growth in the West Midlands, which will see further expansion of its new regional team. The company is the second new tenant announced at 11 Waterloo Place in the space of a month following on from office supplier Apex Connected and joins law firm JG Poole & Co LLP.
The historic building is owned by Midlands property investment company The Wigley Group, which has seen high levels of interest in the site since completing a major internal refurbishment to facilitate modern office space and state-of-the-art meeting rooms.
Its refurbishment has created nine modern office spaces, with meeting rooms and other facilities available on flexible terms to suit the tenant.
Jess Wood, Asset Manager at The Wigley Group, said: “When we acquired this building in 2021, we knew from our research that there was growing demand for flexible office space in a postpandemic world.
“Employers and employees are looking to more flexible spaces that can, among other things, reduce the need for commuting to large central offices.
Matt Colloby, who has been appointed as the company’s West Midlands Land Director and will lead the new team, said: “Waterloo Place is the perfect location for our new base in the West Midlands. We are looking forward to building upon our existing operations and further strengthening our relationships in the region.” 11 Waterloo Place is a six-storey building which forms part of an early 19th century terrace of former houses that are said to be named in honour of the Duke of Wellington who visited Leamington Spa in 1827, 12 years after his defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in the Battle of Waterloo.
Located in the town centre, it is a short walk away from the train station, offering direct links to London, Birmingham, Manchester and beyond, while it is also close to the motorway network.
For more information visit www.elevenwaterloo.com
The Wigley Group Asset Manager Jess Wood with William Davis West Midlands team (l-r) Matt Colloby, Andrew Morgan, and James Chatterton
TruTac urges operators to earn their stripes
TruTac, part of the Microlise Group, is highlighting the benefits of the DVSA’s Earned Recognition scheme to vehicle operators, following the success reported by many of its customers.
The scheme is open to both HGV and PSV operators and is designed to promote best practice for fleet operators, majoring on driver and vehicle safety.
Operators can benchmark themselves against the Earned Recognition scheme KPI’s – which are included free of charge within TruTac’s tachograph analysis and fleet management software – to compare themselves against in real time. The dashboards provide a great indicator against the scheme metrics to enable focused improvements prior to going through the application process.
Many fleets have begun using these KPIs as a benchmark for driving compliance improvements for drivers and vehicles, while others have applied them to operational objectives and key results leading to greater efficiencies for the business.
Those who go through the application process and are awarded Earned Recognition status are reaping other benefits including winning tenders where it’s a required standard or from reductions in vehicle downtime through better monitoring of their fleets. In certain cases, drivers have simply told their employers they are happy and proud to be working for an organisation that values high standards.
TruTac was the first systems provider with dual drivers and fleet systems accredited under Earned Recognition and their specific dashboards are designed to help operators achieve the status. As a DVSA-approved supplier, its systems such as TruControl – an all-in-one compliance module – and TruAnalysis PSV – tachograph analysis reporting specifically for passenger vehicle operators – and TruFleet, their fleet management software – among other products, are pre-configured to help users boost safety and compliance to the high standards required by the scheme.
Earned Recognition operators are also less likely to have their vehicles stopped at the roadside for inspections and the same applies to site visits from DVSA enforcement staff. They are recognised as DVSA-accredited operators on the Gov.uk website and can use the Earned Recognition logo as part of their publicity materials. Also, they have direct access to the DVSA’s dedicated Earned Recognition team.
“The Earned Recognition scheme presents an opportunity for operators to demonstrate they are at the forefront of driver and vehicle safety,” says Caroline Hicks, Head of Regulatory Services and Transformation at the DVSA.
“Operators benefit from access to DVSA’s Earned Recognition team who offer support and expert insight in identifying trends or potential issues on compliance and work with them to deliver solutions. Earned Recognition-approved systems also provide a comprehensive overview of an operation. This offers operators live and accessible data to enable them to streamline processes and maximise resource within the rules.
WM5G launches programme to help SMEs unlock the power of digital technologies and seek inspiration from health & care sector
Lesley Holt, director of Acceleration and Adoption at WM5G
West Midlands 5G (WM5G) has launched a free, two-day programme to help SME businesses in the Black Country and Coventry and Warwickshire regions discover the transformational benefits of digital technologies to drive efficiencies and growth.
The CPD-accredited ‘Coventry & Warwickshire Connected’ programme is designed to inspire and equip business owners, and those interested in accelerating tech in their business, with the skills and knowledge they need to apply a range of tech solutions.
Businesses will hear from speakers from the NHS, BT, Vodafone and more, focussing on digital transformation in health and care, and how these learnings can be applied to any sector.
Lesley Holt, director of Acceleration & Adoption at WM5G, said: “Connectivity and digital technology has the ability to revolutionise the way that healthcare businesses grow and adapt to ever-changing operational environments.
“By supporting the progression of their digital journey and taking inspiration from other sectors, businesses in all industries can future-proof themselves, and be matchready for their next growth phase.”
Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the programme is available to SMEs interested in embracing digitisation and improving operations through tech, digitisation and connectivity. With over 500 businesses already supported, WM5G’s programme is open to all types of qualifying small to medium sized enterprises in the Black Country and Coventry and Warwickshire areas.
The programme, consisting of six modules, will be held on 10 and 17 November, with each day of the programme covering a range of speakers, topics and content setting out why it’s important to stay ahead with all things digital and tech.
Some of the key themes covered as part of the programme are: • Discover how different digital connectivity technologies can help address your business challenges • Exploring use cases in health and care and how these learnings can be applied to any sector • Discover how you could pivot your business or create products for the Health and Care sector
• Understanding the NHS Strategy and the implications of the NHS ambitions for connectivity and broader digital developments • Hearing from industry heavy weights on how they have worked with health and care partners to deliver connectivity solutions
• Learning how you can work with Partners to accelerate growth
The programme is designed to support business owners and those interested in tech and innovation at all levels, and participants do not need to have a tech background to join the events.
Lesley continued: “The purpose of the programme is to drive adoption and advancement of tech and connectivity and our content is designed to facilitate this in an interactive and supportive environment.
“We are looking forward to meeting with the organisations at our events and supporting them on their journey to digitalisation.”
You can read more about the programme and sign up to attend at www.WM5G.org.uk
AIM Professional Services Ltd has a brand-new website!
After months of hard work, AIM Professional Services Ltd have just launched their brand-new website to exhibit their new products and services at www.aimproserv.co.uk.
The goal was to create a user-friendly resource that can be used across all platforms; the site now features updated information about AIM Professional Services and includes an ‘On-line’ learning platform, a Shop Page, and a Blog Page.
The ‘Shop Page’ offers the popular and informative ‘15-Minute Guide’ booklets written for businesses, and for those who don’t have the time to read more detailed texts. These short guides include useful practical examples for a range of business topics.
The shop also offers some novel accessories that give visual impact to key business topics like carbon reduction and productivity improvements. In addition, the ‘Blog Page’ has all the latest updates and thought pieces to prompt your interest.
“The launch of aimproserv.co.uk allows our audiences to get a better understanding of what we can offer their businesses,” said Glyn Jenks, Senior Partner and founder of AIM Professional Services Ltd. “The addition of the shop page is also allowing us to provide wider access to our 15-Minute Guides and relevant accessories.”
Customers can also access the online learning platform which offers Leadership and Management Development programmes designed specifically for Small to Medium Enterprise companies and have been accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. This online facility is supported by our partner company Wylde Connections.
“Our online learning is supported with webinars, workshops, and consultancy days where appropriate. The programmes incorporate leadership theory with insights into the leadership styles of some of the most successful and influential industry leaders,” noted Glyn. “An ILM certificate is awarded on successful completion of the course.”
For more information, please contact us at enquiries@aimproserv.co.uk
Colleges key role in boosting economic growth
North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) is joining colleges across the UK to showcase the impact that further education can bring to economic growth as part of the fifth annual Colleges Week.
NWSLC is highlighting the opportunities it offers to businesses to upskill and re-skill their workforce.
Marion Plant, Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC said, “Our college is an essential part of the employment and learning infrastructure and the culture of Warwickshire and Leicestershire where we have around 8,000 students enrolled in college programmes.
Ms Plant added: “Colleges play a central role in local communities by delivering the skills that the labour market requires and enhancing life chances for thousands of students.
“We support employers across all sectors with the skills development and innovation they need to grow, improve opportunities and jobs, and increase productivity”.
NWSLC is seeing an increased demand for skilled individuals in the digital and IT, health and social care and entertainment sectors.
Last month, the college launched its latest campus in partnership with industry that is dedicated to skills for the logistics and supply chain sector.
The Centre for Logistics Education and Research (CLEAR) is based at the heart of skills demand at Magna Park in Lutterworth.
New director of people and culture for local college
North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) has appointed Colin Butler to its executive team.
Colin is the new Executive Director People and Culture, and his brief is to lead on workforce and organisational development.
Colin has a strong background in working within the further education sector, most recently for Loughborough College.
With a background in retail management and more than 12 years in the logistics sector, Colin led the HR division of DHL Aviation in the UK and Europe, gaining industry plaudits for his work to develop maths and English skills in the workplace.
In addition, Colin spent time teaching on a master’s level HR programme at De Montfort University in Leicester.
The Leadership Coaches have launched three new courses for individuals, leaders, and managers who are interested in taking their leadership and coaching skills to the next level.
Titled Developing a Coaching Style, Managing with a Coaching Style, and Leading with a Coaching Style, the coaches have ensured there is a course suitable for all levels.
Comprising five modules, four of which are two hours long and the final which is spread across half a day, these three new courses can be delivered virtually or face-to-face.
To support individuals in developing their practice, these courses are additionally interspersed with one-toone coaching supervision.
Speaking about the new courses, Director of Coaching Zoe Lewis said: “Increasingly we were being asked to develop and deliver programmes either to introduce coaching as a skill or to develop this skill for leaders and managers.
“With this in mind, we designed these three programmes so they can be deployed from peer-to-peer conversations to key challenges faced by managers in using coaching as a practical everyday management tool. They can also support leaders in looking through a strategic lens using a coaching mindset”.
Lodders Golf Day 2022 Winners (l to r): Lawrence Roberts (Christie Finance), Lee McBride (Lodders), Kevin Rendell, Oliver Thompson (Cameron Homes)
Edgbaston hosts firm’s annual golf event for first time
Law firm Lodders hosted its annual golf day at Edgbaston Golf Club for the first time ever.
Eleven teams of four players took to the Club’s fairways on 7 October 2022.
The four-ball led by Lodders Lee McBride, partner and head of the firm’s Environmental team, and Oliver Thompson (Cameron Homes), Kevin Rendell, and Lawrence Roberts (Christie Finance) recorded the best score to take the overall Golf Day winners title and a luxury hamper each.
Is it too late to cash in on Black Friday?
Black Friday has evolved into an international, multi-day online shopping festival that finishes on Cyber Monday. Amazon may be a favourite for many merchants – but it’s certainly not the only option for e-commerce sellers. Most western marketplaces offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions.
Customers start researching their Black Friday deals as early as October, so you need to get your brand out there and on their “wanted” lists as soon as possible.
There’s no need to despair if it’s a little too late to get on board with Black Friday 2022, many of the tactics and strategies that apply to Black Friday can be extended to your e-commerce on a whole, especially for major shopping events like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Decide well in advance what offers you’re going to make and ensure you have the necessary stock and manpower in place. Use sales figures and analytics from throughout the year to better hypothesise which of your products will sell best and focus your efforts on top sellers or products you want to showcase.
Learn more about how to cash in on Black Friday on the WorldFirst website.
Google’s Performance Max Tool: “The best Lead Generator that has ever existed.” Be one of the first to use it!
Google’s Performance Max Lead Generator is a game-changing digital tool that uses automation to help marketers drive more conversions. The result? A cutting-edge lead generation solution that can scale organically, helping any business to generate leads at a much faster rate than ever before.
It’s a new goal-based campaign that aims to increase online sales, generate more leads and drive more store visits to physical business locations.
Sarah Whitticase, Sales Director of AIM Internet said: “We are very excited. All businesses need leads, they are their lifeblood. All business owners, in terms of the 4P's of marketing, are naturals at Product, Price and Place (distribution). But where they tend to struggle is in Promotion”.
A typical ‘Promotion type’ scenario is a company's doors being battered by lots of companies promising "the marketing silver bullet", which more often than not fails, resulting in disillusion and the owner stating that it ‘didn’t work’.
In a lot of cases the reality is that the business owner gives the agency too much credit and the agency doesn’t work with the business owner closely enough.
Fortunately, all that’s about to be resolved.
With 46% of business owners responsible for new leads, it’s one of their biggest worries. This lead generation tool is transformative in that sense.
Marketers looking to expand their customer reach and place a greater emphasis on conversion won’t want to ignore all that these campaigns have to offer.
Performance Max campaigns will leverage automated bidding and targeting technology, data-driven attribution, and automatically tailored ads to help you find more customers wherever they are across Google Ads. Automation can help you invest your budget more effectively and dynamically allocate spend where the highest ROI opportunities are.
The Internet, the greatest marketing medium that has ever existed, is evolving yet again.
Quantum-based artificial intelligence is about to be unleashed on local businesses. Do you want to be part of one of the biggest game-changers in the history of the Internet and business?
AIM Internet can set it up for you, deliver creative messaging and identify the best conversion rate to deliver leads on a regular basis.
Workations: what you need to know
With major tour operator TUI offering ‘workation’ packages and some countries introducing remote working visas, combining business and leisure is becoming increasingly popular.
Neha Thethi, head of employment at law firm Lime Solicitors, explains that whether extended weekend breaks to temporarily relocating to another area, the growth of remote working has introduced many new freedoms for workers.
“Workations offer obvious benefits to employees as they do not have to use up their annual leave to visit friends and family who may live abroad or to see new parts of the world. The concept, however, is still relatively new, so persuading an employer of its feasibility could be challenging”.
For many organisations, their HR departments are already busy, and this additional administrative burden may not be welcome.
Neha says: “With this in mind, any employee looking to take advantage of this way of working would be well advised to do their research, gather the relevant information and make the process as smooth as possible when starting a dialogue with their employer”.
Considerations include choosing a work-friendly destination - a place’s time zone to ensure attendance at meetings is feasible and accommodation that has strong WiFi connectivity In some instances, you may be required to pay tax in both your home country and the one you are working from. Before you travel, ensure you are not going to fall into any double tax pitfalls.
Also ensure that any details around workation requests are captured in writing.
Rugby First has passed, with flying colours, a recent British Standard Audit (BS7958), that looked at its management and operation of the town centre’s Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV).
The one day-audit, involving the close scrutiny of the CCTV system, its operation, the Control Room and staff, was carried out by the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSIAB), a leading certification body for organisations providing security systems and monitoring services.
The British Standard gives recommendations for the operation and management of CCTV within a controlled environment, such as a control room. It applies where data that might be offered as evidence is received, stored, reviewed or analysed. It also applies to the monitoring of traffic regulations.
Luke Phillips, CCTV and Operations Manager for Rugby First, who operates and manage the towns CCTV system, said: “To be audited to British Standards is not a requirement by law, but we feel it is important as it shows local businesses, residents, and visitors that we are compliant with the GDPR Data Protection Act 2018, regulations & guidance set out by the Surveillance Camera Codes of Practice, and the Information Commissioner's Office – in short we are running a professional, safe & secure operation. It’s also worth noting that certification with the SSIAB is a mark of excellence, as they are a Security Industry Authority (SIA) approved certification body.”
Jo Kemp, Rugby First Operations Director, said: “I am so pleased for Luke and the CCTV team as they work extremely hard throughout the year - the control room operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year! The team are the ‘eyes of the town centre’, highly skilled and very motivated. Although rarely seen, as they watch the screens from behind closed doors, they work very closely with the Rangers, town centre businesses and the Police, to help keep the town centre safe for all.”
