Inspire November 2018

INSPIRE.29 The business magazine of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce November - December 2018

Advances being made in the campaign for improved diversity in the workplace - page 4

n Inspirational Leader Cllr Mark Mills-Bishop Different thinking ‘key to economic development strategy’ - p 9

n Focus on Watford An ever-popular destination - p 10

n Last Word Tom Pellereau on Reinventing beauty accessories - p 50

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Contents

Welcome

Is business contributing to the skills shortage?

Welcome to the latest edition of Inspire, which has a strong focus on work under way to help businesses of all sizes to find the talented people that they need to help them grow.

The skills shortage debate is all around us but, in this edition of the magazine, we ask a question with a potentially uncomfortable answer – what if the talent is already there but is being deterred by barriers thrown up by business itself?

That is the question we examine in our special feature on diversity on page 4. It says that, not only do businesses face legislation which prevents them from discriminating against workers on the basis of race, gender, age, health, background or sexual orientation, but that they should also be more proactive and open up more opportunities.

There is a danger that society, and business, places people in silos, focusing on one aspect of their character rather than looking at the rounded person, which can mean that employers deliberately, or inadvertently, block the route into jobs for talented people.

Challenging such a philosophy is crucial as businesses wrestle with the UK’s skills shortage and, as our piece explains, one of the sectors at the forefront of the transformation towards a world of fairer opportunity is the digital and technology sector.

More than £1 million has been made available by the UK Government to help businesses boost the diversity of people

working in the industry and we applaud the initiative.

Talking about overlooking talent, a new report has revealed the barriers that Service personnel face in becoming self-employed after they leave the Armed Forces, the contents of which we examine on page 48.

The report, which calls for broader support from the MOD to help Service personnel transitioning out of the Forces and into self-employment, is based on research which shows that, although self-employment is highly desirable among veterans, there are too many barriers in their way.

That simply does not make sense because Armed Force personnel have an enviable range of skills that are invaluable for business, everything from technical ability to the capacity to run a team.

To this end this chamber of commerce signed the armed forces corporate covenant and are involved with the East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.

Another important source of talent, of course, is our young people and our Patron Focus on page 19 looks at the work being carried out

by Middlesex University to prepare its students for the world of employment.

In the article, David Williams, the Director of Global Corporate Engagement, and his colleague

Andy Bossom, Senior Corporate Executive, say that one of the big challenges is predicting what skills will be required in the future as technology changes the workplace.

However, they also say that a key part of the University’s role is staying loyal to basic principles, namely teaching students the practicalities of being an employee, things that will never change.

All these initiatives are vital because, with Brexit nearly upon us, and the concerns that raises about access to workers from the EU, it has never been more important that we remove the barriers that deter talent.

It is also important to specifically add that it also vital under whatever Brexit brings that language skills are significantly developed and enhanced. Language skills enable people to understand better the culture of a particular country in which you want to have trading relationship.

As Chairman I have to mention that our Chief Executive has left the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and that we will be looking to recruit a new Chief Executive shortly.

By Neville Reyner CBE DL Hon DLitt Chairman, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Hon. Past President of the BCC

Diversity in the workplace 4-5 Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 7 Inspirational Leaders 8-9 Focus on Watford 10-17 Patron Focus 18-19 Economy 20 Herts Global 22-23 Past Events 24-25 Chamber Events 26-29 Tourism 30-31 New Members 33 Membership Benefits 34 Building Connections 35 Health & Wellbeing 36-39 Members News 40-42 Finance for Business 45 Hospitality 47 Skills & Development 48-49 Last Word 50 •••• Editorial and General Enquiries Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce MacLaurin Building, 4 Bishops Square, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9NE Tel: 01707 502180 Email: enquiries@hertschamber.com Web: www.hertschamber.com Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published November 2018 © Benham Publishing and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1615 •••• Disclaimer Inspire is published for Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

All correspondence should be addressed to Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

Views expressed in Inspire are not necessarily those of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. ©2018 Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

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Diversity in the workplace

Advances being made in the campaign for improved diversity in the workplace One of the biggest challenges facing business is the need to increase their diversity, something which is both a legal demand and a moral imperative.

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Not only do businesses of all sizes face a raft of legislation which prevents them from discriminating against workers on the basis of race, gender, age, health, background or sexual orientation but they are also being encouraged to open up more opportunities.

The approach is seeing more companies and organisations adopting a more understanding approach to their employees.

Such a philosophy is crucial as companies wrestle with the UK’s skills shortage yet may, either deliberately or inadvertently, be erecting barriers that prevent them taking on people with so much to offer.

One of the sectors at the forefront of the transformation towards a world of fairer opportunity is the digital and technology sector and now more than £1 million has been made available by the UK Government to help businesses boost the diversity of people working in the industry.

The Digital Skills Innovation Fund recently opened for bids from Local Enterprise Partnerships and Combined Authorities for initiatives which help women, disabled people, people from minority backgrounds or those living in lower socio-economic areas to succeed in digital roles such as data analysts, programmers, cyber security specialists, software developers and marketeers.

Research has revealed that 17 per cent of women make up the tech workforce and are under-represented in the uptake of digital qualifications.

Unemployed adults are five per cent more likely to lack the basic digital skills than the national average.

A new £400,000 Digital Inclusion Fund has also been launched to help older and disabled people acquire digital skills. Projects are expected to include the teaching of basic skills such as booking GP appointments online, using apps to communicate with friends and family, and making the most of search engines.

Minister for Digital Margot James said: “It is crucial that everyone is able to take advantage of digital technology, whether it is to learn how to use the internet or develop the skills to work in a tech role.

“If we want to maintain our position as a world-leading digital economy, we need to work with industry, local

authorities and the voluntary sector to develop solutions so no-one is left behind.”

Local Enterprise Partnership Network chair, and Digital Skills Partnership board member, Christine Gaskell, said: “As the rate of technological change and innovation continues, ‘tech’ is becoming increasingly integrated within every sector and industry. We share the aspiration to ensure that more people have the skills and creativity that will enable them to contribute to, and benefit from, new economic opportunities and deliver more inclusive growth.

“Any initiative with the aim to make more people tech savvy and to bring more women and young people into the sector to create new start-ups and unearth the next digital superstars has to be welcomed.”

Backing also came from John Fisher, Chief Executive of Citizens Online, who said: “We know it’s becoming increasingly important that everybody in our society has the skills and confidence to be online yet disabled people are four times more likely to lack essential digital skills than the general population and 28 per cent of those over 60 are offline.”

The fund is just one of any initiatives involving the public and private sectors.

As reported in the last edition of Inspire, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Esther McVey recently announced increased funding for businesses that provide extra employment support for disabled people.

When the Work Choice employment programme ends in March 2019, ongoing support will be offered to individuals working in ‘supported businesses’ through new elements of the Government’s Access to Work scheme.

For two years from April 2019, supported businesses will receive increased funding of £5,000 a year from Access to Work for each individual in a Work Choice Protected Place.

The increased payment will not only be available for existing employees but also for businesses to employ more disabled people, enabling a total of more than 2,000 disabled people across England, Scotland and Wales to access support.

Diversity in the workplace Terminology is so important when thinking about diversity and gender in the workplace.

“Whilst both equal pay and the gender gap deal with the difference (disparity) in pay women receive in the workplace, they are two different issues: Equal pay, means that men and women in the same employment performing equal work must receive equal pay, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.

Partnership shines a light on gender gap The UK government has also recently announced that it is partnering with Bloomberg L.P to improve reporting on gender equality in the workplace, through an index which shows the progress that companies are making.

Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt said: “Some of our biggest UK companies like Barclays, BT, Deloitte and Sky have already taken action, showing that gender equality is not just a moral imperative, it is good business. Every human endeavour depends upon inclusion so that we can all thrive in the workplace, no matter who we are.”

Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Michael R. Bloomberg, hopes the example being set by big companies will have a knock-on effect.

He said: “This index highlights companies that are leading the way in addressing gender disparities and what steps they are taking to do that - which can set an example for others.”

The Bloomberg GenderEquality Index (GEI) has provided investors with data on a range of social factors related to gender equality in the workplace since 2016 and the 2018 version includes 104 companies headquartered in 24 countries.

Companies that have demonstrated their commitment to disclosure through appearances on the index include Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Ford Motor Company, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mastercard, Pearson and Unilever.

Beginning in 2019, the GEI survey will incorporate more data from the UK Government on the pay gap between men and women.

David Solomon, President and COO of Goldman Sachs, said: “A diverse workforce across all dimensions is essential to our ability to best serve our clients. We are committed to increasing the representation of women at every level of the firm and are pleased to support the UK Government and Bloomberg’s joint mission to encourage greater transparency around gender equality in the workplace, and to help us measure our progress.”

In praise of the family-friendly workplace There is also a growing awareness of the need to be encourage diversity by being more accommodating towards employees’ home circumstances, including family concerns.

Life-balance charity Working Families recently acknowledged the advances being made by naming its top UK employers for familyfriendly workplaces.

The top ten is: • American Express • Barclays Bank • Crown Prosecution Service • Deloitte • Independent Living Fund Scotland • Intellectual Property Office • Lloyds Banking Group • Pinsent Masons • Royal Bank of Scotland • Southdown Housing Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive of Working Families, hopes that their success will inspire others. She said: “For these best practice employers, their flexible and familyfriendly working policies supporting mothers, fathers and carers are well developed, and flexible working is becoming embedded.

“But, as our research shows, flexible working on its own is not enough to deliver work life balance for parents.

What’s key to unlocking parents’ potential is a familyfriendly workplace culture.

The winners know this – and are striving to ensure their underlying workplace culture supports the flexible and family-friendly policies they have in place.”

The Gender pay gap, Is a measure of the difference between men’s and women’s average earnings across an organisation or the labour market. It is expressed as a percentage of men’s earnings.

In the Britain, there is an overall gender pay gap of 8.6%.

Similarly with Diversity in the workplace.

Diversity in the boardroom or within teams is not simply a game of numbers or ratios, but rather a way of making boards (teams) function more effectively.

Studies have shown that diversity adds value to an organisation. A Forbes report entitled Global Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering Innovation Through a Diverse Workforce identified diversity and inclusion as key drivers of internal innovation and business growth – something no company can hope to succeed without. Thinking of candidates in the context of “board team” needs is essential, so selecting the “most” qualified person may not be a straightforward decision.

The one certainty is that all organisations must now take the time to rethink their approach and their responses in these important areas.”

David Williams Director for Corporate Engagement Middlesex University.

••• “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is a Strategic priority for VolkerWessels UK and indeed for the construction industry as a whole. This is not only about tackling the skills gap, as we believe that diverse teams bring together different opinions and perspectives that deliver better solutions for our clients, our employees and our organisation.

We are running an Equality, diversity and Inclusion (EDI) awareness programme throughout 2019 and seeking to attract an ever more diverse team. Recognising that this is an industry wide challenge we have also been helping shape future initiatives across the construction, rail and infrastructure industries, by attending industry workshops, supplier diversity forums, and working alongside WISE, and Inclusive Employers.”

Hollie M Woodard MCMI MInstLM Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion VolkerWessels UK

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Inspirational Leaders

Taking a stand for personal service Being an inspirational leader can sometimes mean talking and thinking differently from other people in your industry and being prepared to take on challenges despite difficult odds.

That certainly applies to the approach taken

by Peter Smits, the managing director of family-run Ashbourne Insurance, which is based in Hoddesdon.

“We are not about growing as big as the large companies.

What we want is to be a one-stop shop for all the insurance needs of our local community, residents and businesses.

Despite the industry-wide pressures to sell insurance as cheaply as possible, he argues that there is still a place for independent companies that focus on personal service, even if it could cost a little more.

“We do get people coming to us looking for the lowest price but, once they find out how we operate, they think differently.

Peter grew up understanding the challenges of running a business because his father ran a horticultural nursery and Peter and his three brothers often helped him out.

Peter said: “We grew up understanding what it was like to be on call and I suppose there may have been a possibility that I went into the business but my father made it clear that I was not cut out for manual labour! Also, I think my mother wanted me to go on into further education.

“I didn’t do that. Instead, I went to London – like any young person I was attracted by the bright lights and the big city – and for ten years I worked in the travel industry.

“I went all over the world but eventually I fell out of love with travel. Big companies were getting bigger and smaller companies were disappearing and it was becoming more difficult to express

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yourself. It occurred to me that even if you win the rat race, you are still a rat!

He took that individualistic philosophy with him when his father-in-law invited him to join the family business Ashbourne Insurance in 1997.

Peter, who became managing director in 2008, said: “The challenge for us as a family-run business is how do we compete with the industry’s move towards cheaper and cheaper insurance?

“The industry has not done itself any favours moving that way but I argue that there is still a place for personal service. It is not just about pile them high and sell them cheap.

“Insurance can be like selling baked beans. You walk down the supermarket aisle and have the option to buy a well-known brand or a cheaper budget variety.

We would argue that it is not just about price.

“I am not saying that you should go out and pay three times the cost but there is a place for insurance that comes with a more personal service.

“We are not just selling insurance, we are also educating people.

Many a client will make contact because they simply don’t understand or trust a cheap on-line solution, our job is to provide a competitive alternative with sound advice. It can be hard work but hard work never killed anyone.”

The result is that, with more than 35 years’ experience in providing

insurance to local residents and the business community, Ashbourne Insurance has become a successful Independent Insurance Broker with a policy to suit any requirement, ranging from business cover to car, home or travel insurance.

What’s more, it does not operate a call centre, instead relying on a more personal touch.

Peter said: “When you get in touch with us, you will talk to someone who can deal with your individual needs. We also have a shop in Hoddesdon and welcome customers to come visit and discuss needs face-to-face.”

In a ‘pile them high, sell them cheap’ world it’s a refreshing attitude.

Inspirational Leader

Different thinking ‘key to economic development strategy’ Few organisations have undergone such dramatic change in recent years as councils but out of testing times have emerged new ways of thinking.

That is certainly the case with Broxbourne Borough Council, whose leader says that it has played a key role in creating the conditions that have allowed economic growth over the past five years.

Cllr Mark Mills-Bishop, who became Conservative Leader of the council in 2014, said that the authority has supported local businesses while also undergoing internal change to ensure that it can cope with the demands of austerity.

He said: “If you go back to 2014, it was clear that we needed a step change as a council. We needed to be financially sustainable, we needed to innovate and we needed to encourage economic development, which is a major priority for us.

“We have achieved that and five years later we can say that we are financially self-sufficient, one of just two councils that have been able to say that.

“We are doing things differently as a council and we have played a leading role in supporting the local economy.”

In recognition we have achieved a number of national awards including the iese Gold award this

year for Reinventing Local Services, the LGO Entrepreneurial Council of the Year 2017 and in 2016 the Government Enterprising award winner.

The vehicle for the economic development programme has been Ambition Broxbourne, the council’s growth initiative which has seen it working in collaboration with various partners, including business.

The Ambition Broxbourne vision is that by 2030 the Borough of Broxbourne will have a thriving, vibrant and prosperous economy that is underpinned by innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Cllr Mills-Bishop said: “We lead Ambition Broxbourne but we cannot do it on our own, which is why we have worked closely with organisations including Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, with whom we have worked very closely for the past five years.

“The aim is to make Broxbourne a place where people enjoy living and working and that it is somewhere where people want to visit as well.

“We regard the corridor in which we sit as very important. We are between London and Cambridge and we work closely with organisations in those areas to take advantage of the opportunities.”

Key to the approach is Broxbourne Council’s Economic Development Team, which is working to ensure that the borough is a place where businesses can thrive and grow, including providing and signposting training and skills initiatives.

Working with the public, the private and the voluntary sector, the team supports local business to develop growth programmes and projects, fostering the right conditions for businesses to flourish.

Cllr Mills-Bishop said: “Going forward, it is important that we keep our finances stable and

that we continue to innovate, trying different things out in the way we work.

“For instance, we are looking at ways to develop the way we work digitally, which will help us work with residents and businesses. It is important that we seek their opinions.

“I always say that what we are doing is evolution not revolution.

I use the Hoover analogy. If you think back forty years and the Hoover you owned, you do not want to still have it forty years later. You cannot afford to stand still. You want the latest model and it is the same with councils.”

For information on Ambition Broxbourne, please visit https://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/ business/ambition-broxbourne

“We lead Ambition Broxbourne but we cannot do it on our own, which is why we have worked closely with organisations including Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, with whom we have worked very closely for the past five years. The aim is to make Broxbourne a place where people enjoy living and working and that it is somewhere where people want to visit as well.”

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Focus on Watford

“Perhaps the most visible of Watford’s ambitious projects is the town centre works, which will make it cleaner, more attractive and easier to get around for pedestrians and cyclists. The High Street improvements include overhauling the pavements, upgrading bus shelters, waste bins and relocating taxi bays, resulting in an improved town centre experience for businesses, residents and visitors.”

Watford – perfectly placed An ever-popular destination, Watford - at just eight miles squared - is a town which punches above its weight.

There are plenty of things to do, whether it’s keeping the children entertained, playing at our beautiful golf courses or enjoying brilliant shopping, making it an excellent place to live, work and visit.

With excellent road and rail transport links, Watford is less than 20 minutes away from central London, less than 70 minutes away from Birmingham and within 60 minutes of six international airports.

From a thriving town centre ranked in the top 20 for its shopping, nightclubs and restaurants to a Premiership football team, theatres, awardwinning parks – including Cassiobury, one the nation’s top 10 parks – there is something for everyone in this Herts-cum-London town.

The district is full of innovation, creativity and community work, and businesses looking to relocate will find a wide range of premises to suit all types of commerce and industry. These include refurbished buildings with small suites, prestigious flagship buildings, industrial units and small workshops.

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The town’s growing business community ranges from established titans like Ralph Lauren, Wenzel’s and JD Wetherspoon to the small and innovative.

TJX Europe, the owner of fashion and home brands T.K. Maxx and Homesense, has been in Watford for 20 years and is currently in the process of building its European headquarters opposite Watford Junction station.

The landmark ultra-modern development will boast three buildings of seven, 10 and 12 storeys, creating a campus for 3,000 employees.

Investing for the future Over the next 10 to 15 years, more than £1.5bn worth of investment will be leveraged by the council as part of an ambitious plan, which will create thousands of new homes and jobs.

Spearheaded by Elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor, this will be coupled with significantly improved services, transport infrastructure and leisure facilities, including projects such as the nearly complete intu extension, the High Street transformation and other major regeneration programmes.

One of these programmes focuses on Watford Business Park, a 26.3 hectare site to the southwest of Watford town centre, which is currently home to more than 100 businesses employing around 1,200 people.

Working with local partners, Watford Borough Council is delivering a strategic masterplan for the business park, supported by £1.5m from Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Indeed, this autumn is a landmark moment for the town. The £180m intu extension and renovated High Street are soon set to be completed and will help firmly mark Watford as one of the UK’s top 20 shopping and leisure destinations, ranking alongside the likes of Edinburgh and Bristol.

On top of this, four new light industrial units have already been completed and were released to the market in the summer.

The arrival of a nine-screen IMAX and Hollywood Bowl as part of the redevelopment has created a big buzz. In addition to these great leisure facilities, the new 86,000 square foot Debenhams superstore opened in September and Watford will now see a whole series of phased openings of sought after shops, restaurants and bars, including Jack Wills, Superdry, YO! Sushi, TGI Fridays, The Florist, Las Iguanas and many more.

Perhaps the most visible of Watford’s ambitious projects is the town centre works, which will make it cleaner, more attractive and easier to get around for pedestrians and cyclists.

The High Street improvements include overhauling the pavements, upgrading bus shelters, waste bins and relocating taxi bays, resulting in an improved town centre experience for businesses, residents and visitors.

The next two decades will be pivotal in shaping Watford as a town for the future. By providing the strategic lead for Watford’s sustainable economic growth, the council is ensuring the borough remains a highly attractive destination for residents and business alike, with the ongoing redevelopment programme set to secure economic prosperity for many years to come.

Initial work has identified potential for phased redevelopment of the site over a 15-year period, with the potential to provide more employment capacity and create an additional 1,300 jobs.

Focus on Watford

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce also commends the developments around the BRE Innovation Park where innovators/ entrepreneurs can enter an incubator unit to develops their idea's/products to the next stage in evolution. On another issue Richard Harrington MP Under Secretary of State for Industry & Energy is meeting with the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce on a weekly basis discussing business issues and concerns running up to Brexit.

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Focus on Watford BID

WATFORD BID It’s certainly an exciting time to live, work and do business in Watford.

The town is changing and the level of investment being made in Watford's town centre and infrastructure is unprecedented.

An important part of that investment is being made via the businesses in the town centre through Watford BID (Business Improvement District).

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Watford BID is a business led not for profit company voted for by the businesses and supported by the public sector. Watford BID represents 452 businesses and organisations in Watford town centre and is one of over 300 BIDs across the UK. The BID was established and began trading on 3 April 2016 following a successful ballot of the town’s businesses in October 2015. It will run for five years until 31 March 2021 and will generate close to £3 million of additional investment in the town centre.

What is a BID? A BID is a business led initiative supported by government legislation which gives local businesses the power to raise and spend funds locally with the aim of improving their own business environment. It is an investment scheme where local businesses agree how their money should be invested to benefit themselves, their employees, customers, clients and their town.

The money is raised via a levy which businesses in the BID area pay.

This money is then reinvested back into the town on projects which have been identified as being important to the town. The BID does not replace local authority and police services, but provide additional, supplementary resources and activities.

Watford BID Currently in its third year of trading, Watford BID delivers against a business plan. An employed team is responsible for the delivery of the business plan and day to day management of the company. The team report to a Board of Directors – which is made up of business representatives from across the town.

Some of our projects include: • Business Improvement & Support Grant In 2018, a small grant scheme was launched designed to help businesses develop and improve their business and the quality of customers experience. The maximum grant available is £2000.

• High Street Improvements Watford BID brought together Watford Borough Council, Herts County Council, intu, Laing O’Rouke, Arriva, Murrill Construction, to facilitate a new High Street design which would link the new intu Watford development to the town centre.

• Watford Business Against Crime Watford BID took over the Watford Business Against Crime (WBAC) scheme in April 2017, after it previously sat under the Watford & West Herts Chamber of Commerce.

It is an information sharing scheme which aims to reduce retail crime and anti-social behaviour throughout Watford town centre.

• Service Excellence Awards The Watford BID Service Excellence Awards celebrate the organisations in Watford town centre that provide excellent service to their customers and clients. From the independents and multinationals the Watford BID Service Excellence awards honour the excellent work businesses and their staff do.

• Watford in Bloom Each summer Watford BID arrange and maintain eye catching floral displays, adding colour and vibrancy to Watford town centre. The displays include cubes, three-tiered planters, baskets, pole baskets on lampposts and we also provide businesses with hanging baskets.

• Purple Flag The BID attends Pubwatch meetings and supports the work of the night time economy in retaining the town’s Purple Flag award.

• Watford For You The BID manages the Watford For You brand and its website and social media platforms aimed at reaching consumers.

The site provides information to visitors, residents and workers in Watford.

• Winter in Watford To celebrate the winter festivities, Watford BID co-ordinate the Winter in Watford campaign which brings together Watford Palace Theatre, Watford Colosseum, intu Watford and Watford Borough Council’s activities into a single marketing campaign.

The BID also organises the town centre’s Christmas lights.

• Watford Food & Drink Week An annual celebration of culinary offerings available in the town centre. The BID encourages local restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, pubs, bars, clubs and retailers to take part and create unique offers and activities over the week.

• Watford Weekender We bring local businesses together to collectively promote Watford town centre as a great destination for shopping, dining out, leisure and business. BID businesses are encouraged to run special offers, discounts and events.

• Employee App The Watford BID app is an exclusive rewards app for Watford town centre employees. The app features unique offers from local businesses for BID business employees.

For more information and to view the Watford BID business plan please visit: watfordbid.co.uk

Marking

40 years of excellence Four decades ago, a small family business founded by Gerry Olohan laid the pioneering groundwork for the establishment of HTC Health.

We spoke to Gerry Olohan to look back on how it all began, and what the future holds for HTC Health forty years on.

HTC began selling AV products to the trade and commercial users from premises in Wembley and quickly grew to become one of the leading distributors in the UK. “We were truly a family business, with eleven members of the family involved in the company’s operations.”

Building on the success of that division, in 2005 Gerry decided to diversify the company's ventures after he had recognised an undeveloped opportunity in the UK bulk health supplement market.

From the start, he had a clear vision of what he wanted: a company with a skilled team that could consistently deliver high quality health supplements at a competitive price a resolution that still stands today.

Backed by a strong work ethic and keen sense of integrity, supplying quality in demand supplements became a cornerstone of the family business.

Over the past few years, HTC Health, now based in Watford, has grown to become one of the UK’s leading importers of bulk health supplements with an established network of suppliers and a wide range of products, including vitamins and supplements, sports nutrition, empty capsules and raw materials.

“Today, our customers include large retailers, distributors, small independent businesses, practitioners and web shops.”

What are the biggest changes in your sector in the decades since you were formed?

“One of the main changes we’ve noticed within the supplement industry is the vegan movement.

“We’re finding more and more people opting for meat-free lifestyles due to growing

awareness of the environment, health and compassion for animals.

“As a result, we’ve launched many new vegan and vegetarian products, including a line of vegan soft shells, vegan empty capsules that are certified for pharmaceutical use as well as a range of sports nutrition powders that are certified vegan

by Vegetarian Society.

“One of the other big changes we’ve experienced are customers looking beyond the traditional tablet format and moving towards gummies as they are a fun and tasty approach to vitamin and mineral consumption.

“Surprisingly, baby boomers are driving this growth as they statistically consume more tablets or pills than younger generations.

“So, we have recently launched a whole nutritional gummy range to target different health concerns, including a general Multivitamin, with a sugar-free alternative a vailable, Calcium and Vitamin D3 gummies for healthy bones and an Omega 3 gummy to support brain and heart health”.

Celebrating a sense of achievement “There has been a surge in supplement use in recent years, with nearly one third of people living in the UK now taking some form of vitamin, mineral or dietary supplement, according to UK’s Food Standards Agency.

As a result, many new products have been brought to the market, which has resulted in stronger regulations for health products along with recessions and globalisation of our competitors.

This has probably been one of the biggest changes and challenges we have faced, but to be successful and remain competitive in this industry we’ve continued to expand our product range with new ingredients and innovative vitamin formats.”

What achievements have given you most pride?

“Our company has a deep sense of history, with many business achievements, for example winning the first Government tender for In-Cell televisions in 1998, and subsequently also being awarded a Scottish Prison Service contract.

HTC introduced branded electronic products to Tesco 20 years ago.

“Since we diversified to health products 13 years ago, achievements have been signing exclusivity contract with one of the largest manufacturers of soft gels in the world, to act as their UK exclusive distributor.

“HTC were responsible for launching Seven Seas nutritional gummies in 2009, having our own products listed in Boots, Holland & Barrett, and soon to be in Superdrug.

“Awards won include Best UK Health Food Supplement Wholesaler and in 2017 we were awarded Health Supplements Wholesaler of the Year by the AI Business Excellence Awards.

We were also awarded Holland and Barrett’s Supplier Award in 2015.”

What does the future hold for the company?

“The health supplement market is constantly developing, and it’s being changed by consumers rather than the other way round.

“With each generation of family members bringing new ideas to the table, we will continue to reinvent ourselves - keeping our core values but adapting our products and services to what the market demands.

“Our company has always been professionally managed and we are upscaling our teams as we push forward with our expansion plans.

“At the beginning of the year, we appointed Peter Groves as our new Managing Director. He is the first non-family member to take on this role, which has come after a huge period of diversification beyond bulk health supplements and into new markets such as pet nutrition and the consumer sports nutrition market.

“Having a strong strategic plan in place is key to our continued growth.

In the year ahead, we will continue to invest and innovate in all areas of our business, harnessing the best of available technologies to make our business as efficient as possible, so that we continue to stay at the forefront of the health industry.“

“Awards won include Best UK Health Food Supplement Wholesaler and in 2017 we were awarded Health Supplements Wholesaler of the Year by the AI Business Excellence Awards.”

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Patron Focus

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Patron Focus

Oliver Pinson-Roxburgh Managing director of Bulletproof

Why even the smallest business should take digital security seriously In this digital age, one of the biggest threats to businesses comes from the risk of a cyber attack.

The consequences of an attack can be devastating for a company, which is why the Chamber and our patron Bulletproof, a cybersecurity specialist, have been working hard to help businesses of all sizes protect themselves.

Formed three years ago and now employing more than forty people, Stevenage-based Bulletproof has been running cyber training sessions in conjunction with the Chamber.

The aim of these sessions is to help businesses adopt the everyday practices needed to minimise the risk of attack.

They do this by showing some of the techniques used by real world hackers, and providing practical advice on how to stop them.

By educating companies about the likes of ransomware, for example, Bulletproof say they are able to help implement simple and affordable processes and procedures to improve security across the board.

The cost of cyber crime to UK businesses exceeded £1 billion last year, but Bulletproof Managing Director Oli PinsonRoxburgh believes that too many companies are still not taking the danger seriously.

He said: “Our message is that companies of all sizes need to get the basics right when it comes to digital security.

“As part of our work, we test systems and we have come up with some damning results, even with large companies that have invested heavily in security.

“We’ve tested companies who handle large amounts of data and have managed to gain access, after which we’ve been able to explain how we went about it and advise how to prevent others from doing the same.

“The problem when it comes to smaller companies, however, is they think that introducing new technology or management processes to support their security will be too expensive, especially as many don’t feel they have the relevant expertise to maintain

them anyway. As a result, they end up spending their money on other things, which may work to their detriment if they are breached later on.

“That’s why we set out to provide services at a price that they can afford. Also, we tell them that they don’t necessarily need to have specialist knowledge to make themselves secure.

“A lot of digital protection is just common sense and the training sessions we run in conjunction with the Chamber are aimed at pointing out the simple things that they can do.

“For instance, businesses need to make sure that they protect passwords and monitor their files.

If they carry out monitoring, they can often see when someone who is unauthorised has gained access to a system and then do something about it. If they’re looking in the right places, they can actually see when a cyberattack is about to happen.”

Bulletproof, which was one of the headline sponsors of the Chamber’s flagship Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 2018, also helps companies comply with the new GDPR legislation.

Carrying large fines for failure to comply, GDPR demands that businesses manage any data relating to EU citizens within the requirements of European law and their policies.

This was seen as an administrative headache by a number of businesses and, despite being fully enforceable, many are still struggling to become compliant.

On this issue, Oli said: “A lot of people were getting panicked about GDPR but we say to businesses that if they have already got their security right then, barring a few bureaucratic changes, they will essentially already be compliant.”

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Patron Focus

Predicting the future to narrow the skills gap There has been a lot of talk recently about the need to narrow the skills gap but how do you achieve that if you are not sure exactly what skills will be required in five years’ time?

That is a conundrum that has been exercising the minds of David Williams, the Director of Global Corporate Engagement at Chamber of Commerce Patron Middlesex University, and his colleague Andy Bossom, Senior Corporate Executive.

They say that one of the big considerations for the University is the need to provide not just the knowledge that students need in today’s workplace but also predicting what skills will be required by companies in the future.

David said: “We are working hard to make students workready, to equip them with the softer skills they will need in the workplace, the things they will need to be a good employee.

“We take the view that our work is not just about teaching the subject itself but teaching our students about things like networking, how to develop their social skills and how to solve problems.

“I think the approach may come easier to us than it does to some of the Russell Group universities because of our past life as a Polytechnic.

Although we switched from being a Polytechnic in 1992, a vocational approach to education is something that we have always retained.

It is in our DNA.

“One of our challenges is looking to the future. Artificial Intelligence and digital technology are changing the workplace so rapidly that it is difficult to say exactly what skills our students will need in five years.”

The answer, according to David and Andy, is staying loyal to basic principles that they believe will not change.

Andy said: “Take Computer Sciences, as an example. You can spend three years teaching the subject to students but in that time much about the technology will change.

“However, what will not have changed is the skills they will need, like how to solve problems and how to work as part of a team.

“For us, it is about creating a mindset that they will always be able to use, whatever changes technology brings about.”

David believes that the increasing UK-wide focus on the skills gap is starting to show results by producing more young people who are work-ready.

He said: “I do think that we are narrowing the skills gap, although it is still very pronounced in some sectors.

“However, I believe that there is more that still needs to be done.

Take the Apprenticeship Levy as an example. The fundamentals of the programme are good but there are still constraints on companies seeking to access the pot of funding which exists and we need to refine the system.”

Given the University’s expertise in skills development, the decision to become a Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Patron was a logical one and there are benefits to the link-up for both the Hendonbased University and the Chamber and its members.

In addition to preparing thousands of students for the world of work, the University works with a range of companies, including Chamber members, to help develop the skills of their staff.

Companies benefiting from the University’s work-based learning approach have included Worldpay UK and Royal Mail and recent events included one staged specifically to support companies operating in the construction sector.

Andy said: “Although we are called Middlesex University, our base in Hendon is only ten minutes from Hertfordshire and by being a Patron we can widen awareness of what we can offer to businesses in the area.

“We can help companies as they come to terms with the concerns that are being voiced about skills shortages.

“By becoming a Patron, we can give the Chamber and its members access to our expertise in further developing the knowledge of their staff.”

Businesses wishing to work with the University can find out more at Middlesex University – Corporate Engagement Team Tel: 0208 411 5050 Email: corporate@mdx.ac.uk Website: www.mdx.ac.uk/business

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Economy

Will Scrapping Migrant Cap be Enough to reduce Post-Brexit Skill Shortages?

The government's advisor on immigration policy, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), has published its highly anticipated report on how the UK's immigration system might be adjusted to counteract the effects of Brexit.

The report comes at a time when businesses are expressing strong concerns about postBrexit shortages. A study by the Open University found that 61% of employers have been experiencing skills shortages since 2017, with 48% of senior business leaders expecting Brexit to have a detrimental effect on talent pools.

What are the MAC's Recommendations?

Most of the MAC's recommendations centre around making it easier for employers to sponsor skilled workers using the Tier 2 immigration categories, including: • The government should review how the current sponsor licensing system works for small and medium-sized businesses and evaluate the impact of migration policies,.

• Immigration routes for lower-skilled workers should not take the form of "sector-based" schemes, with the potential exception of a Seasonal Agricultural Workers scheme.

• If a 'backstop' is considered necessary to fill low-skilled roles after Brexit, the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) should be extended and migrants in that category should be able to switch to Tier 2 status.

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In order to make up any shortfall of medium to high-skilled workers, the MAC recommends the following amendments to Tier 2 (used for sponsoring skilled workers): • Abolish the existing cap of 20,700 new migrants per year.

• Reduce the minimum skill level from the current requirement of Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 (graduate level roles) to level 3 (roughly equivalent to A Levels).

• Maintain existing salary thresholds and review the Immigration Skills Charge.

This means that while many more jobs would be eligible for Tier 2 sponsorship, the £30,000 minimum salary that would apply to most roles and the £1,000 per year Skills Charge would price many employers out of Tier 2 sponsorship.

• Abolish the requirement for sponsors to demonstrate that no resident workers are available or suitable for the role in question (known as the "Resident Labour Market Test") or extend the criteria for exemption.

Will the Government Follow the MAC's Recommendations?

Leaks from the Cabinet suggest that the MAC's recommendations will be adopted in full. However, further leaks suggest that they are also considering sector-based immigration schemes to ensure the shortages in particular sectors are minimised,. The government's official position is expected before the end of 2018, with the publication of its White Paper on post-Brexit immigration.

The focus of the MAC's report on relaxing the rules surrounding Tier 2 sponsorship is positive news for employers. However, the government will need to ensure it has sufficient capacity to deal with the inevitable increase in applications that will result from such changes.

For further information on immigration issues affecting you, please contact Tom Brett Young, at award-winning law firm VWV, at tbrettyoung@vwv.co.uk or on 0121 227 3759.

Remembering the ‘Person’ behind Personal Data

data protection. Whilst we are unlikely to change our employment choices on the same basis, what an opportunity for HR departments to show employees personal data is valued, collected in a measured way, only as needed, and that security is a priority.

Amazon’s infamous wristband trackers for warehouse operatives came under heavy fire for the way they trace operatives’ movements at work.

Designed as a ‘labour saving measure’ the flipside is the rather darker ‘big brother’ way of knowing a great deal more about their staff.

Like it or loathe it, GDPR has forced organisations to up their game in terms of personal data control, processing, security and transparency. More of us are taking control of our personal data – thinking twice before we click ‘agree’ to privacy terms and actually looking at how our data will be used if we sign up to this or that app. As individuals we are in the driving seat.

As employees we are not.

HR departments are missing a trick in really understanding that transparent and considered use of workforce personal data is also key to good employee relations, besides pay and conditions. That means not collecting it by covert means or using it for unspecified purposes.

A recent study by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) concluded that almost 90% of consumers would switch their customer loyalty to companies who prioritised personal

Apple CEO, Tim Cook has praised the GDPR, urging similarly stringent data privacy enforcement for the US. He refers to the ‘misuse of deeply personal data’, adding that we shouldn’t ‘sugar-coat the consequences’ of this ‘surveillance’.

Coming from a tech giant, this is a significant statement of understanding that data privacy isn’t just about the IT systems you use and is more about the people behind the data.

Big brand names continue to make headlines with examples of personal data breaches: BA, Heathrow Airport, Facebook (again), Tesco Bank, and West Ham FC. For supermarket Morrisons, this has been particularly bad news, as they lost a High Court

appeal over being held vicariously liable for a former employee’s misuse of staff data. The ruled stated that Morrisons, as controllers of the personal data, had a duty of care to ensure this could not happen.

Under the GDPR companies are required to take all technical and organisational measures to abide by the law, and this extends to their employees. Organisations should therefore ensure they have clear policies and codes of conduct, as well as effective data protection awareness training for anyone within their workforce with access to personal data on the company’s behalf.

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Herts Global

Post Brexit mission to promote UK trade and prosperity 2018 is trundling on and Brexit is about as clear as a bowlful of mushy peas with the main hurdle still being the Irish border, which has 300 crossing points used by 30,000 people every day.

Diageo plc, the makers of Guinness and other beverages has brewing operations on both sides and crosses the border about 18,000 times a year.

Customs and security checks and its delays would be likely to hurt the economy on both sides of the border and a possible threat to the region’s peace process which has been in existence for nearly two decades, the French farmers have also raised objections to an open border and the possibility of cheaper non-EU imports that could infiltrate the EU bloc via the UK. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as part of Theresa May’s government is adamant that Northern Ireland will leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of Britain, and should not subject to any new checks on goods coming into NI from elsewhere in the United Kingdom, part of the proposed backstop agreement would be to have Customs checks made at

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the Irish Sea ports to ensure that EU tariffs have been paid and/or Regulatory to make sure goods meet EU safety and quality standards. The DUP have said this will not happen.

At this point in time it is impossible to gauge where the compromises can be made or if they can, but in other areas The Department of International Trade has been very proactive and making inroads over with the appointment of nine Trade Commissioners throughout the globe that cover Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East, China, Latin America, South Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North America, and last but not least

Europe being headed up with Andrew Mitchell whom I had the pleasure to meet briefly and listen too at the British Chamber of Commerce Trade Summit this October. He has held positions in the Foreign Commonwealth Office and more recently UK Ambassador to Sweden and is well placed to liaise with HM Ambassadors and High Commissioners with a post-Brexit mission to promote UK trade and prosperity, if anything he has the most challenging role of all of the Trade Commissioners with our soon to be former EU partners, on reflection the Trade Commissioner covering The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia could

“At this point in time it is impossible to gauge where the compromises can be made or if they can, but in other areas The Department of International Trade has been very proactive and making inroads over with the appointment of nine Trade Commissioners throughout the globe.”

be in pole position, but if anybody can do it I’m sure he can with his years of experience in diplomacy and has a positive view that the UK and EU both need each other and trade will continue.

People often ask our export team what the future holds with Brexit and all we do is to point them at our crystal ball that lives on our window ledge.

Herts Global

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce shortlisted for Excellence in International Trade Services at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Business Awards The Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce has been recognised for Excellence in International Trade, becoming finalists at the 2019 Chamber Business Awards.

With a combined 60+ years’ experience, the export team has been supporting Hertfordshire’s businesses fulfil their overseas ventures.

Whether a business is planning to export for the first time, or is expanding on existing export activity or has Brexit concerns, the dedicated export team can offer practical advice and assistance, documentation services, international marketing and business information to help make sure that businesses are fully prepared for overseas trading.

an amazing job at helping Hertfordshire’s businesses with all their export needs and concerns. With the addition to the export team, we are now more than ever best positioned to assist Hertfordshire’s businesses. We are greatly pleased to be a finalist in the BCC national awards (BCC represents some 75,000 businesses, several million employees through 53 accredited chambers of Commerce)”

Herts Chamber recently bolstered the export team, welcoming John Woodruffe, International Trade Advisor.

Bringing a wealth of experience, including 32 years at the Foreign Office and DIT, this addition enables the Chamber to deal with more export enquiries and provide consistent expert advice.

Frances Harris, Export Manager at Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce added “We are delighted to be shortlisted as finalists for this award. It is especially pleasing to be recognised for all the hard work and commitment our export team puts in to make sure Hertfordshire’s businesses are in a prime position for export activity”

Neville Reyner, CBE DL Hon.Dlitt, Chairman, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce said “During a time of uncertainty, it is vital that businesses ensure they are ready for anything Brexit throws at them. The export team has done

The winners of the Excellence in International Trade award will be announced at The 2019 British Chambers of Commerce Business Awards Gala Dinner taking place on Thursday 29 November.

“We are delighted to be shortlisted as finalists for this award. It is especially pleasing to be recognised for all the hard work and commitment our export team puts in to make sure Hertfordshire’s businesses are in a prime position for export activity”

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Past Events The BIG Charity Sports Day The Herts Chamber team raised a massive £630 for Herts Inclusive Theatre and Watford Community Trust, taking part in a series of sports day events including the ‘egg and spoon race’ (The team smashed it).

The team looks forward to next year with the target or raising even more funds and claiming first prize!

September Chamber Lunch We welcomed BT at our September Chamber Lunch, where Stacey King, BT Regional Director London and South East and Javid Bhatti, BT Local Business Managing Director spoke about the latest developments within BT that affect SME’s as well as updates on the Broadband Delivery UK contract. We were especially pleased to present BT with their members certificate.

Improve Your Business Performance and the Impact of Making Tax Digital With the implementation and changes encompassing Making Tax Digital, this event helped delegates prepare for the changes and how they would be effected.

In addition, Certax helped provide tips on how to improve financial performance.

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Past Events

Maximising your Professional Impact At this breakfast seminar Ian Golding, Director, Glow Training, helped attendees to harness the ‘secret’ theatre skills actors use to have charisma and presence on stage.

Ian helped delegates to apply this to real life situations and unlock their ‘glow’.

October Chamber Lunch with Bim Afolami MP Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, delivered an address on what necessary political changes are, both at local and national levels, to improve the situation for businesses in Hertfordshire.

October Members Masterclass: Websites that Generate Business Chamber Patrons and award winning business growth agency, Focus7 International, delivered this masterclass helping our delegates to get the most out of their website, discussing layout, traffic, customer journeys and much more. Our last masterclass of 2018 will be held on 20 November.

Please see Upcoming events for details.

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ChamberEvents

Forthcoming Business Events November Chamber Lunch with Address by Scott Crudgington, Chief Executive, Stevenage Borough Council Date: 15/11/18 Time: 12:00 – 14:00 Venue: The Cromwell Hotel Stevenage Price: Members £30.00 Non-members £39.00

As a CIPFA qualified accountant Scott Crudgington joined Stevenage Borough Council in 2001, becoming the Chief Finance Officer in 2005, and being appointed as Chief Executive in 2015.

We are delighted to welcome our guest speaker for this event, Scott Crudgington, Chief Executive, Stevenage Borough Council, who will provide an update on the Stevenage town centre regeneration project, plus details of other local initiatives.

Scott recently co-led the successful government bid for Hertfordshire on the One Public Estate programme which aims to integrate public services that will improve the customer offer and release efficiencies.

November Members Masterclass: Social Selling – Creating opportunity online Date: Time: Venue: Price:

20/11/18 10:00 – 13:00 Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Hatfield Members £10.00 Non-members £120.00

This Marketing Masterclass, provided by our Patrons, Focus7 International, helps you to quickly and easily understand how LinkedIn can work for your business and help your sales utilising this social media tool.

The Masterclass will include the following information: • Introduction to Social Selling with LinkedIn • LinkedIn marketing basics • Understanding your target audience and connecting with the people that matter • LinkedIn Groups and how to use them effectively • How to be a thought-leader • Using LinkedIn pulse for brand awareness and lead generation • How to use LinkedIn paid advertising to maximize lead generation • Reporting best practice

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All Price quotes include VAT at 20% unless otherwise stated

ChamberEvents

Herts Chamber AGM 2018 Date:

04/12/18

Time:

11:30 – 12:00

Venue: Luton Hoo Hotel, Luton Price:

Free, Members Only

Please note this is a member only event and do book your place if you wish to attend. The AGM is followed by the Chamber Christmas Lunch which is also a bookable event and open to members and non-members alike.

At this lunch we will have an update on the UK economy, drawing on the most recent Bank of England Inflation Report, covering the Bank’s assessment for growth and Inflation and the latest company feedback on the impact of Brexit, provided by our guest speaker Phil Eckersley, Agent, Agency for the South East & East Anglia, Bank of England.

In 1994 Phil joined the Bank of England's agency network, between 1994 and 2002 acting as Deputy

Date: Time: Venue: Price:

04/12/18 12:00 – 14:00 Luton Hoo Hotel, Luton Members £35.00 Non-member £45.00

Join us for our Christmas Chamber Lunch at Luton Hoo Hotel. This promises to be a truly festive occasion providing guests with excellent networking opportunities and a wonderful lunch at one of the finest hotels in the area.

Agent in the South East & East Anglia moving on in 2002 to become Agent for Northern Ireland; then in October 2008 he was appointed to be the Agent in the South East & East Anglia.

For more information on any event: 01707 502180, bookings@hertschamber.com or www.hertschamber.com INSPIRE All Price quotes include VAT at 20% unless otherwise stated

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ChamberEvents

Forthcoming Business Events December PA Club: Upskilling and Developing your Career Date: 13/12/18 Time: 12:00 – 14:00 Venue: Tewin Bury Farm Hotel, Tewin, Nr. Welwyn Price: Free for members £10.00 non-members

The Hertfordshire PA Club is designed to be a fun, interactive, social business benefit specifically for all PAs and EAs, to help you become more efficient and proficient in your roles and to make your life easier!

At our December event we will be joined by Charlotte Jackson from Tate Apprenticeships, who will present the opportunities available through an array of training and development courses for PAs and EAs. These include Business Admin Level 3,

Project Management Level 4 and Management Level 3 and 5, offering upskilling to office professionals to help develop their careers. Many of the training and development programmes can be funded through the apprenticeship levy, so at no additional costs whilst adding exceptional value.

January Chamber Lunch Date: Time: Venue: Price:

17/01/19 12:00 – 14:00 Marriott Hanbury Manor Hotel & Country Club, Ware Members £30.00 Non-members £39.00

We are delighted to announce that David Williams, Leader, Hertfordshire County Council, is our guest speaker at this, the first Chamber Lunch for 2019. David will deliver an address on a range of topical subjects affecting growth and the economy within the County.

David Williams is the Conservative Leader of Hertfordshire County Council. He was first elected to the County Council in 2013 as the member for Harpenden North East and has previously served as the

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All Price quotes include VAT at 20% unless otherwise stated

Cabinet Member for Resources, Property and the Economy and the Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Education and Skills.

David sits on the board of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and is a deputy chair of the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium – championing the UK’s Innovation Corridor. He is the County Councils Network’s spokesman for Health and Adult Care and is a member of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board.

ChamberEvents

Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 2019 Launch Date: Time: Venue: Price:

24/01/19 18:30 – 20:30 Porsche Centre Hatfield Free for both members and non-members

Always a popular event, we hope you can join us on 24 January for the launch of our Inspiring Herts Awards 2019 and enjoy some

excellent networking with other Hertfordshire businesses and organisations.

Now in their eighth year, these Awards promise to be bigger than ever and we are delighted to be holding our 2019 launch event at Porsche Centre Hatfield.

Please come along to the launch, meet the category sponsors, past winners and finalists, and find out

more about these prestigious Awards, which are designed to showcase and celebrate best practice across Hertfordshire businesses.

Join us for what promises to be an exciting and informative evening.

Please note, places are limited to two per organisation.

For more information on any event: 01707 502180, bookings@hertschamber.com or www.hertschamber.com INSPIRE All Price quotes include VAT at 20% unless otherwise stated

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Tourism

County Show experience With an average historical attendance of 30,000 visitors, 73% coming from ABC1 postcodes, the Hertfordshire County Show, on the 25th and 26th May 2019, offers a unique opportunity to both local and national businesses for networking and brand awareness.

The Show has been running for 134 years and is the biggest two day, annual event in the county, making it a key date in the calendar to not only support a long standing local event, but to take advantage of its credibility and become a part of its future.

There are many opportunities available to become involved with the Show, including sponsorship packages and advertising space.

Or if you’re looking to interact 1-1 with your customers, there are

over 450 trade pitches tailored to attract the audience you’re looking for, including premium Main Drive, Made in Hertfordshire and The Village Green.

Each year the Show is covered with live radio broadcasts and with social media to over 10,000 followers, creating opportunities for your business to be advertised further than just the Showground.

A record breaking 15,000 tickets were sold in advance for 2018, generating pre-show chances to engage with the public ahead of the event, including ticket sponsorship and newsletter advertising.

Starting with a link and logo on the Show website, which had 47,000 engagements in May 2018 alone, and building up to include big screen adverts, banners in the Jubilee and Countryside Arenas, or PA announcements across the

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weekend, bespoke sponsorship packages can be made to suit new start up’s as well as big brands, helping your business to target new audiences and build relationships with our visitors.

Not only can we offer a variety of advertising spaces, but you and members of your team can fully immerse in the County Show

experience, enjoying full access to the Members Marquee and Lawn, with front row seats to the Shows headline attractions.

If you’re interested in getting involved with the 2019 Show, please contact office@hertsshow.com, call 01582 792626 or visit www.hertsshow.com

Tourism

Reforming the event industry Ian Conder, founder and CEO of Votel Venues has taken over two decades worth of experience in the meetings, training, events and hospitality sector and utilised it to reform the event planning industry by establishing a unique and diverse company that combines and values building relationships and technology integration.

His experience in board level roles from hotel acquisition to group sales and consultancy, means that he approaches the events world with added understanding from a hoteliers point of view, setting Votel Venues apart from other business that rely solely on algorithms, venue directories and cold sales driven agents. Votel Venues equally only employs people of the same work background and ethos to ensure the company’s mission is consistent.

Within just 5 months of launching, Votel Venues has grown significantly with numerous successful connections made between local and national businesses through their venue

finding and event planning expertise. They have already even reached international status, booking events across Canada to the Middle East.

While their focus remains in sourcing the best venues at the best rates for their clients, the level of service continues beyond the venue search and booking process. The V-Team - as they are quickly becoming known as, pride themselves on taking their clients through the entire 360 degrees event cycle. They will even hand out badges on the day, document, advertise the live event and follow up after the event to make sure their expectations were met if not exceeded.

They help small and large businesses alike to coordinate any event, be it a meeting, training session, conference or even a Christmas party. By marrying them with venues that are anything from the most suitable, beautiful, inspiring or motivating depending on the bookers needs; they are securing more than just space, they are celebrating undiscovered properties across cities and countryside alike, they are helping to inspire companies to work together as well as within their own teams. Votel Venues is in fact building a community that resonates their own work ethos by encouraging their connections to help others succeed.

To find out more about how this free service could help your business, please contact the Votel Venues team on 02034 785 277 or email enquiries@votelvenues.com Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @VotelVenues to stay updated with our latest views on venues and events.

Do you need to book a new venue in Hertfordshire?

Make sure you follow us on Twitter: @HertsCVenues Other conference venues in Hertfordshire interested in the Hertfordshire Chamber Venues website please contact Nick Fox at nickfox@hertschamber.com or visit the website

www.hertschambervenues.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/HertsChamberVenues INSPIRE

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An Interview with Francis McPeake Director and founder of

CIPS (Chameleon Integrated Project Services) Ltd based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

CIPS is a Development, Project and Cost Consultancy firm with projects ranging in value from simple £250,000 refurbishment projects to £15million plus mixed used schemes.

How long have you been at CIPS and what did you do before?

Francis: In its current incarnation, CIPS has been established for 3 years and prior to that I ran a similar but larger business in Central London that I had been involved with for over 30 years.

Interesting name – Chameleon Integrated Project Services- how did you come up with that?

Francis: Chameleon Media Concepts Ltd (a small start-up business to assist my son through his A’ Levels without him realizing that he was getting some ‘clandestine tutoring’!) morphed into Chameleon Integrated Project Services – I always had it in my mind that what CMCL might have started out as, would not be where it would finish up! Plus, I like the idea of being chameleon-like and how we can adapt to our clients’ changing requirements and needs without being too rigid in our approach and the services we can offer.

You were MD of a much larger firm prior to setting up CIPS, how does your working day differ now?

Do you feel more involved in the projects that you run?

Francis: Well, for a start, I now have to make my own coffee and my days are much longer than they ever were!

But on a serious note, the biggest difference is the ability to be more selective about the clients with whom we now work and the projects we now take on. There was always a certain pressure to take all work on offer simply to feed a hungry expensive London based business. I am definitely more hands-on with the projects than I could ever have been working in a larger organisation and enjoying my work all the more so.

And if you weren’t doing this, what area do you think you would work in? Was this your childhood dream?!

Francis: A childhood dream absolutely not! I’ve always fancied the idea of being a fishing ghillie on some remote Scottish or Irish estate, wearing tweeds and carrying a hip-flask full of some exquisite Scottish or Irish malt.

Maybe it is not too late!

Q. Why Hitchin? Was it a town you knew before you chose it?

Francis: I didn’t know Hitchin particularly well but, having discovered it, Hitchin has everything that a business like ours needs to operate and to cover a wide geographical area. Hitchin just has a good feel and life about it.

Q. What is the most challenging part of your job?

Francis: Finding the means to allow everyone involved with a project to consistently perform of their best when everyone has different demands, challenges and emotions on any given day that might otherwise distract or divert them from the task in hand.

Q. What qualities (good and bad) do you think you have that makes you successful in your chosen career? Is this what you look for when recruiting?

Francis: Good Qualities: The ability to see the lighter side of situations that sometimes cause others to stall and to be able to find a way forward; however tricky the situation might appear.

Bad: ‘Apparently’ a Yorkshire candour despite having lived down south for the best part of 40 years interspaced with a healthy mixture of irreverent humour normally directed at my own expense.

In looking to recruit, I am always interested in the person and their potential; their ability to be able to laugh at themselves. Selective humour, is a vital tool in the performance of our role - much more effective than the rather blunt tool of benign coercion.

Q. What are your plans going forward for CIPS? Francis: To grow the business organically, where possible, over the next 12 years, but not to rule out the possibility of acquisition or merger with the right people if the opportunities come along. That and to consolidate the good name and reputation CIPS is establishing.

Outside of the office, how do you spend your time?

Francis: As I’ve got older, I’ve realised how important (and harder) it is to stay fit and healthy to be able to put in the hours at work. I’ve always loved bikes and about 3 years ago, I joined up with

a group of friends to go on regular cycle rides, initially on mountain bikes but we have since graduated to road cycling. This has been a major focus in life outside work, both socially and for fitness and we have started travelling the world, trying out known cycle routes and creating our own!

Q. We see on your website that you entered a corporate team into a cycling event last year, London Dulux Revolution.

Was it a success? Do you think you will do it again?

Francis: I had been part of a team entered into the London Dulux Revolution the previous year and it seemed like it was the right time to take the plunge and enter a CIPS team into the event. It is a 2-day endurance event in May cycling 185 miles around London with a night camping in Windsor. This year the weather made it quite a challenge but even so, our team rallied, and all declared that they would love to do it again! It was such a success that this year we are planning to enter a larger team and be a co-sponsor of the event.

Look out for CIPS at one of the Pit Stops and the Base Camp!

Q. Tell us more about the Photography Challenge that you are running?

Francis: We were looking for a way to integrate our love for cycling and Charity and decided that we would produce branded cycling jerseys and challenge our friends and colleagues to wear the jerseys when out cycling

in the UK and around the world.

All they have to do is take a photo, send us some information about the ride and the chosen winners are featured on our website and we donate to our chosen charities – Aspire, Action Medical Research and The Disabilities Trust. It’s been fun receiving the entries and we hope it will continue.

Q. Tell me something that would surprise others about you?

Francis: I was politely turned down by the Samaritans when I applied to be a Counsellor as they thought my skills -set lay in more in running their business side of things rather than being a calming influence on others!

Q. And finally, what is your guilty pleasure? Now be honest!

Francis: Watching Strictly Come Dancing and feeling able to commentate on the performance of others with absolutely no dancing ability and no experience! Posture darling, posture, don’t drop those hands!

Contact Details: enquiries@cips-ltd.co.uk

www.cips-ltd.co.uk 01462 429754

New Members

Welcome to new members 001 Limited

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Pharmaceutical Wholesale & Distribution jiten.raval@firstlinepharma.co.uk https://firstlinepharma.co.uk/ 01442 240431 54 Long ChauldonHemel Hempstead HP1 2HX

Absolute Skincare Retail Spa Sales Twitter: AMRA_Skincare sue@amraskincare.com www.amraskincare.com/ 01438 941133 24a Wedgwood Gate Wedgwood Way

Adesso Communications Limited Communications - Mobile, fixed, Broadband, UC Twitter: adessocomms angelo@adessocomms.co.uk www.adessocomms.co.uk 01992 660184 20 Thompsons Close Goffs Oak Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN7 5RF

Age UK Hertfordshire Charity - Leading provider of support for older people in Herts Twitter: AgeUKHerts info@ageukherts.org.uk www.ageuk.org.uk/hertfordshire 01707 323272 1 Silver Court Watchmead AL7 1LT

Amazon UK Services Ltd Delivering a retail and allied logistic service Twitter: AmazonUK bgreenho@amazon.co.uk www.aboutamazon.co.uk 07469 379727 Boundary Way HP2 7LF

AvenTOM Reinventing Beauty Accessories Twitter: inventor_tom teamtom@aventom.com www.stylTom.com 0203 225 5559 Unit 22 Boxted Farm Berkhamsted Road HP1 2SG

Davis & Company LLP Accountants davis@davis-co.co.uk www.davisllp.co.uk 01582 761121 Ellerd House Amenbury Lane Town AL5 2EJ

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Myers Clark Chartered Accountants Accountancy and Finance Twitter: MyersClark1 megan.brownsell@myersclark.co.uk www.myersclark.co.uk 01923 224411 Egale 180 St Albans Road Watford WD17 1DL

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Surface Medic St Albans Cosmetic repairs of hard surfaces Twitter: SurfaceMedic rcawte@surfacemedic.co.uk www.surfacemedic.co.uk 07973 197738 226 Baldwins Lane Croxley Green Rickmansworth WD3 3LQ

The Allendale Group Ltd Suppliers of electronic and engineering tools and equipment Twitter: AllendaleGroup jo@allendale-group.co.uk www.allendale-group.co.uk 01992 450 780 Pindar Road EN11 0BZ

The Lightbulb Tree HR Consultancy focusing on cultural change in flexible work Twitter: Lightbulb_Tree liese@thelightbulbtree.com www.lightbulbtree.com 01442 874532 271 High Street Berkhamsted HP4 1AA

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Chamber Benefit

Strengthened Hertfordshire Growth Hub to become ‘go-to place’ for expert business advice Hertfordshire Growth Hub is to become the ‘go-to’ place for business support advice in the county following the awarding of a contract to a consortium of public and private partners.

Following an open and transparent procurement process, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has awarded the two year contract to a consortium led by business support services provider Exemplas together with the University of Hertfordshire and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, strengthening its offer to local businesses.

The consortium will also be supported by Better Business for All (BBfA), a local authority led initiative aimed at providing improved regulatory support to the county’s SME community.

Hertfordshire Growth Hub is the county’s free and impartial business support service funded by the LEP and Government. Since its launch in 2014, it has provided expert advice to over 1,700 local SMEs to help accelerate their growth.

This contract will enable the Growth Hub to extend its reach by co-ordinating business support

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providers so that SMEs can be connected to targeted support.

Creating the right environment for business to thrive is a cornerstone of the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan and a key driver to reverse Hertfordshire’s recent slide in productivity.

providing expert business advice to a significant number of small businesses.

“This multi-agency approach will further strength our offer to businesses and drive up productivity which, in turn, will have a major impact on the local and wider economy. Stimulating enterprise and innovation is at the heart of the Government’s Industrial Strategy and providing access to impartial, expert business advice locally is a key component of this.”

Growth Hubs play a vital part in the Government’s ambitions to make Britain the best place to start and grow a business.

In its Industrial Strategy White Paper, the Government said it would provide continued funding to Growth Hubs to further support high potential businesses to scale up by bringing private and public sector partners together.

David Moule, CEO, Exemplas said: “We are delighted to be working with Hertfordshire LEP and our consortium partners to ensure Hertfordshire Growth Hub becomes the go-to place for business advice.

This contract renews that commitment. We are ambitious for the future and believe that our combined capabilities and digital proposition will become an exemplar model for other Growth Hubs.”

Hertfordshire LEP Deputy Chair Adrian Hawkins said: “We are delighted to have awarded the contract to a consortium who ably demonstrated their capabilities during an open and competitive process. The Growth Hub has already proven its worth by

Julie Newlan, Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and International Development, University of Hertfordshire, said: “The University of Hertfordshire is committed to giving local businesses the best advice and support to be entrepreneurial and we

are therefore delighted to be working with our consortium partners to deliver the Hertfordshire Growth Hub. The Growth Hub has already had a big impact and we look forward to working with Exemplas, supporting the continued development of businesses across Hertfordshire and beyond.”

Neville Reyner, CBE, DL, Chair, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We believe this contract aligns very well with the Chamber’s strategy to support the needs and growth of businesses and organisations in Hertfordshire.”

Since its launch in 2014, the Growth Hub has achieved a combined customer satisfaction rating of 97%.

Building Connections

The power of collaboration proves its worth We’re prominent members of the local business community and have been a member of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce since 2008.

It was actually at a Chamber breakfast meeting in January 2009 that we really launched the business and announced to the Hertfordshire Business community that we loved film, knew the power of video and could help create powerful video content for Chamber members.

Founded in 2003, Pearldrop Ltd is a leading boutique full-service creative video agency. We’re involved with every aspect of the creative and technical process of filmmaking: developing concepts; scriptwriting; location and talent sourcing; filming and lighting; editing and creation of graphics. Our content is used across our customers’ marketing campaigns, websites, television channels, conferences, awards ceremonies, formal dinners and training packages.

Our customers include large multinational blue-chip corporates and leading brands as well as SMEs. Our customers can be found throughout the UK, Europe and the Americas.

We’re extremely proud of the diverse nature and wide range of markets in which we operate. It helps to keep our work fresh and interesting - you can find us anywhere from a science lab, university, building site or farm to a world-leading zoo. We’ve even filmed on the sands of Mars (but ask us for more details about this one…).

Before that breakfast meeting in 2009, we didn’t really know that networking existed. We just thought business… happened. But we had a great epiphany over the sausages and eggs that morning: we realised that in order to start making deals, first you have to start making connections.

“Our relationship with the Chamber has grown over the years and we were delighted to become patrons in 2012.

We continue to attend networking events whenever possible and we always come away from these events with an increased energy for our business, having met some interesting people and having learnt something.”

Our relationship with the Chamber has grown over the years and we were delighted to become patrons in 2012.

We continue to attend networking events whenever possible and we always come away from these events with an increased energy for our business, having met some interesting people and having learnt something. Crucially, we’ve made friendships with many different business people, and it’s from these friendships that the deals have eventually come.

Pearldrop has been involved with the Inspiring Herts Awards since they began in 2013, producing video content that promotes the event and plays on the night, as well as creating a highlights video serving as a memory of the evening. This year we were there as photographers capturing the essence of the night and some fabulous winner moments.

In April this year Kingston Smith LLP, an accounting firm with offices in St Albans, were looking for a photographer to capture and document their summer party. They contacted Alison, Events Manager at the Chamber, to ask for a recommendation and Alison told them about us and the work we’d done for them. We received an email from Kingston Smith with details of their summer party which was to be held in July in the newly opened and renovated St Albans Museum and Gallery (the most perfect setting for a summer party for your staff and clients).

Pearldrop was delighted to be selected as the photographer and worked on a brief together with the Kingston Smith LLP to ensure we captured the moments they wanted and in the style that suited them. We then snapped away at their event on the 12th July, and back in the office the following day we edited and prepared the images and sent them over to Kingston Smith LLP. For SMEs who might struggle to run an in-house sales team, the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is an invaluable resource. They’re out there making connections constantly, and they’re always on your side. The key is to keep nurturing relationships, both with the Chamber team and the wider business community. And then you’ll find that the deals will come organically.

We look forward to sharing a breakfastbased epiphany with you soon!

Denise Austin and Simon Mercer co-own Pearldrop

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Take control of your health.

Book to see a specialist today.

Spire Healthcare puts you in control of your health. That’s why, at Spire Harpenden Hospital, you can get treatment when you need it. See the specialist consultant of your choice for almost any medical condition, in as little as 24 hours.

Book now to see a specialist Search ‘Spire Harpenden’ Call 01582 953 865

A full list of medical specialities seen at our hospitals is given on our website. The timings given above are indicative, and may vary dependent on consultant and type of diagnostic test required.

Interest free finance 0% representative APR available

Health & Wellbeing

Take the plunge – could hydrotherapy work for you?

Water, good for keeping you hydrated, brushing your teeth and having a shower – have you thought about how it may be good for rehabilitation?

Although many of us are unfamiliar with the healing effects, hydrotherapy is an innovative rehabilitation service and a great way of improving an individual’s mental and physical well-being.

So, what’s the difference between physiotherapy on land and in water? Hydrotherapy uses the principles of water to provide buoyancy and assistance, or resistance, in order to strengthen muscles. The support and warmth of the water often gives a feeling of security, which enables the individual to achieve more than is normally possible on dry land often in the early stages of rehabilitation. The properties of the pool such as temperature

and hydrostatic pressure also promote an increase in circulation and flexibility of the tissues.

Hydrotherapy has multiple benefits, from treating major physical illness and injuries to improving general health and well-being. A hydro pool can be invaluable in assisting the recovery of surgery and/or injuries but additionally in helping muscular conditions such as arthritis, fatigue, back pain and much more. As well as an array of physical benefits, hydrotherapy can also have a positive impact on a person’s psychological well-being. Sessions are proven to promote relaxation, reduce blood pressure and increase the production of endorphins,

a neurochemical stress fighter.

This can do wonders when you’re getting frustrated or worried about ongoing discomfort, as endorphins help to relieve both stress and anxiety.

The majority of exercises carried out during hydrotherapy are done while standing, sitting or holding on to the bar which runs around the pool. You don’t have to be able to swim and a physiotherapist is always present. The pool temperature is heated just below body temperature, between 34 and 35 degrees, which should allow you to feel comfortable in the water.

Most treatment sessions last for about half an hour, but it will depend on your individual needs.

Here at Spire Harpenden Hospital we offer personal physiotherapist-led hydrotherapy sessions as well as ‘self-help’ appointments for patients who have either recently completed a course of hydrotherapy or are currently attending a course of treatment in the pool and wish to continue on a more independent basis.

For further information and to find out how hydrotherapy can benefit you, please contact our Physiotherapy Department on 01582 714 447.

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Health & Wellbeing

With an Everyone Active corporate membership, we can help you make the most of your time with us, thanks to our team of personal trainers that are available to hire at Everyone Active gyms across Hertfordshire.

By encouraging your employees who hold a corporate membership with Everyone Active to book sessions with our Personal Trainers, you’re helping them to live healthier lifestyles that will lead to a happier, more productive workforce.

Personal Trainers with Everyone Active As with any gym membership, making the most of your time there is vitally important to ensuring you achieve all those targets you set yourself; whether that’s to lose weight, improve your health, build muscle, or train for a specific event.

This is largely because, if they are booked in with a Personal Trainer, they are much more likely to attend the session in the first place and secondly, with a Personal Trainer they’re much more likely to reach their goals. As a result, a workforce that spends more time being active will be healthier both mentally and physically, but also significantly happier as they are more likely to have reached, or be close to reaching their fitness goals.

Many of our centres also include access to the ‘Know Your Numbers’

initiative where your employees can learn more about themselves and their overall health, including their BMI (Body Mass Index) and blood pressure.

This initiative allows our members – including corporate members – to understand their bodies and what they can do to improve their health, among which is attending gym sessions with personal trainers.

But how do Personal Trainers help employees reach their targets?

Well, for starters, they’re ideal for helping gym goers get started. They can help anyone improve, whether they are experienced gymgoers, or complete novices and they can develop a personalised programme that’s right for the individual and what their targets may be, regardless of whether that’s to lose weight, get toned, improve flexibility or build muscle.

In this vein, using a Personal Trainer is also great for if you are struggling to get results, even with a regular gym routine, people can sometimes struggle to get the results they’d otherwise expect and engaging a

Personal Trainer is a great way to get yourself back on track. Furthermore, many people lose motivation to continue their exercise regime because they’re sick and tired of the same old work outs day after day, week after week. A Personal Trainer can help reinvigorate your regime by introducing you to new ways of exercising, reintroducing the fun and excitement to your work outs and subsequently revolutionising your motivation.

An excellent alternative to a Personal Trainer is Small Group Training, which is very similar, but you share the sessions with a small group of people that share similar goals to you.

This is a great way to stay motivated, meet new people and spread the cost of Personal Training a little.

For all these reasons – and more – encouraging your employees to use the money they’re saving on their corporate membership to engage a Personal Trainer, will help you end up with a fitter, healthier, happier and more productive work force.

GP Appointments 7 days a week £59

Why wait to see a health expert?

• Consultants

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• Dental

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Our Hertfordshire private medical Clinic 5 minutes from Junction 8 of M1

We are open 7 days a week

10 minutes from Junction 21 of M25 Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7YU

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DO YOU KNOW YOUR NUMBERS? Would you like us to visit your office?

We measure your weight, body fat percentage, muscle mass, water mass and BMI to estimate an overall health age for you.

We also arrange a fitness professional to advise on how to achieve your personal fitness goals and stay as healthy and active as possible.

Visit www.everyoneactive.com/ corporatemembership to book your free health assessment or find out more information. everyoneactive.com

everyoneactive

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Members News

From Amazon Hemel Hempstead to Amazon Seattle Amazon invited employees at our fulfilment centres across the UK to tell us what they like best about working at Amazon and why it is the right place for them.

More than 800 employees from across the UK and dozens from each site took part. One person from each fulfilment centre will visit Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle this October as part of the ‘I Found the Right Place’ programme.

Francis, 57, was the lucky Hemel Hempstead employee chosen for the trip. Fulfilment centre Associate Francis, who has worked at Amazon for almost three years, wrote: “Amazon is a place where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of physical appearance or nationality. Here you are welcomed and you can develop and achieve a lot. There are opportunities for you to get skills and to improve both your work and home life. If you want to progress, they will help you do it.”

During the five-day trip to Seattle, Francis and Amazon colleagues from sites across the UK will be shown around the city and enjoy a trip up the Space Needle.

They will also go on a tour of the Amazon campus and the robotics fulfilment centre in Kent, Washington, where they will meet Amazon’s Chief Scientist.

Francis said: “Amazon is the right place for me. The benefit scheme is superb, tailored to suit each individual and flexi-time allows me to attend personal issues when I need to. Unlike other companies, here general managers are out on the fulfillment centre floors, interacting with workers, solving problems and helping out where needed.”

David Tindal, Site Leader at Amazon’s Hemel Hempstead fulfilment centre said: “We take pride in providing a positive workplace and a great environment and I am delighted that Francis will be jetting off to Seattle for the trip of a lifetime.”

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Ashbourne WIN ‘Best Customer Service Award’ & Will Compete at Wembley for the 2018 National Trophy Broxbourne based Ashbourne Insurance was announced as the 2018 ‘Best Customer Service’ company of the year at the prestigious SME Herts Business Awards on July 26th, 2018.

The independent insurance firm was also announced as a finalist to represent the county at the National SME Business Awards 2018 to be held at Wembley Stadium on Friday December 7th. The familyrun business is no stranger to winning at Wembley having won a National Family Business Award there in 2017.

Photo caption: Left to right: Awards Compere with Ashbourne team members: Elaine Scott, Emma Sibthorpe, Leone Kelly, Finance Director, Sarah Smits and Elaine Diviney of Events & PR. Ashbourne was selected as the winner at the SME Herts Business Awards with the most public votes

competing against seven other worthy Herts county based businesses including: Affinity Gymnastics Ltd, Fluid Studios Ltd, Helpland Limited, New Noise Audi, Oils by Jo, Paws for Thought Groomers and Retreat, and The Skin to Love Clinic.

Emma Sibthorpe, Senior Sales Advisor commented, “Our team are very proud to have won numerous business awards over the past five years but it is truly the greatest honour to win a Best Customer Service award as the accolade comes from our local community and customers directly. We would like to thank all of our customers who value the personal and professional advisory service that we offer consistently every day of the week. Thank you very much to the organisers of the SME Herts Business Awards!”

On the same evening Managing Director of Ashbourne Insurance, Peter Smits was delighted to present the SME Herts 2018

Business Award for ‘Service Excellence’ 2018 to Aubrey Park Hotel.

Photo caption: Peter Smits (Far Right) MD Ashbourne Insurance alongside the winning team from Aubrey Park Hotel Award-winning, second generation family run Ashbourne Insurance has been offering a wide range of business and personal insurance for over 37 years with a claims advisory service. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

For more information visit www.ashbourneinsurance.co.uk Follow on twitter @AshInsServices

Is your business ready for Brexit?

Rina Sond, Partner at Longmores Solicitors, speaks about Brexit at the British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) annual forum.

The British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) held their annual forum in Leeds on 18th October 2018. BAMA is a trade association which represents the UK aerosol industry with their headquarters in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

As part of a packed two-day agenda, Rina shared the latest advice from a legal perspective about Brexit and what it means for British businesses. Rina’s talk covered the risks and action points for businesses to consider regarding cross-border trade,

employment and immigration, intellectual property rights, data protection, tax, corporate structures and EU funding.

Rina said: “I felt very privileged to speak to over 100 people at the BAMA Forum in Leeds.

I spoke about Brexit from a legal perspective and the main issues that are likely to affect businesses in any sector, arising from a hard or no-deal Brexit.

I also provided some practical tips on the steps that businesses can be taking at this stage in order to prepare for Brexit.”

Apprentice 2011 Winner based in Hertfordshire AvenTOM is a company owned 50:50 by Inventor Tom Pellereau and Billionaire Lord Alan Sugar with a focus on Reinventing beauty accessories.

Based in Boxsted Farm, Hemel Hempstead the office is made up of a small team of 12.

Tom Pellereau is best known for winning The BBC Apprentice in 2011 and becoming Lord Alan Sugar’s first business partner from the show. From a young age Tom wanted to be an inventor; he has always been fascinated by how things work, taking them apart and rebuilding them. Tom loves solving problems and has a desire to fix the small frustrations in life with his innovative thinking and

simple approach to design.

The inaugural AvenTOM product was the uniquely curved Stylfile, available across the globe over 2 million Stylfiles were sold.

Toms latest invention is the StylPro, which cleans and dries makeup brushes in seconds.

Tom’s interest in makeup brushes and their cleanliness was first sparked by a makeup artist who asked Tom to create something that makes it fast and easy to clean makeup brushes. After carrying out several focus groups

Tom realised that whilst cleaning makeup brushes was a problem, the biggest issue was drying them. Tom therefore made it his mission to develop the fastest and most efficient makeup brush cleaner and dryer and so the StylPro was created.

Loved by Beauty professionals and makeup enthusiasts, the innovative StylPro device is game changer and has sold over 50,000 units since coming to market.

Chamber member appointed as IoD Regional Chair It has been announced by the Institute of Directors (IoD) that Richard McBarnet, MD of Hemel Hempstead-based Lumina Technologies, has been appointed IoD Regional Chair for Hertfordshire.

Richard hopes that this new appointment will enable him to promote good governance at Board-level, as well as driving the pillars of the IoD – Better Directors, Better Economy, Better Business and Better Services.

He already fulfils the role of Cyber Security Ambassador for IoD Hertfordshire in order to encourage IT best practice, and aims to use his new position to further help the county’s business

leaders. Richard said: “I have the passion, energy, morals and business understanding to drive the Hertfordshire IoD branch forward and to help transform it into a shining beacon of best practice which, along with all of the East of England region will make us all proud to be part of the ‘Enterprising East’.”

He initially joined the IoD to help strengthen his understanding of good

governance practices and meet other directors with similar values and passions.

Richard said: “I meet young, enthusiastic, passionate entrepreneurs who have done amazing things. My ongoing involvement with the IoD continues to inspire me, and I cherish the sense of having a meaningful voice that the IoD gives me.”

Tate recognised as an Investor in People Tate, a leading office recruitment specialist, has been awarded platinum accreditation against the Investors in People Standard, demonstrating their commitment to high performance through good people management.

Investors in People is the international standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results.

Underpinning the Standard is the Investors in People framework, reflecting the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry. Investors in People enables organisations to benchmark against the best in the business on an international scale.

Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate Tate, Investors in People accreditation is the sign

of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to success. Tate should be extremely proud of their achievement.”

David Clubb, Managing Director of Tate, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded Investors in People platinum accreditation in recognition of our continuous pursuit to improve staff engagement, wellbeing and career development.

“In addition, our strategy to drive new initiatives like Tate Apprenticeships and Tate Digital, alongside streamlining our processes and technology, demonstrates that we truly

aspire to our vision to be the best everywhere all the time.”

Ginny Tate, founder of Tate, added: “From the very beginning, the ethos of Tate was to truly invest in our people. Receiving this accreditation shows just how much Tate lives and breathes its values. From the first day until today, the honesty, hard work and respect that the Tate family embodies resonates throughout the business.”

Tate is an award-winning recruitment consultancy, providing high-calibre candidates for office support and specialist roles on a temporary and permanent basis.

Hertfordshire 2018 State of the Economy Fielder Centre, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield Avenue, Hatfield AL10 9TP 30th November 2018 9.30am-1.30pm Join us as we: Set out the economic evidence. We have harnessed the expertise of research institutions, independent economic analysts and other key stakeholders to develop a detailed understanding of the local economy which draws out our relative strengths and weaknesses, with an emphasis on increasing productivity.

Plan for the future. Drawing on detailed economic forecasting trends for both Hertfordshire and the wider economy, we will set out a series of different ‘realities’ for what the future might hold. This scenario planning will help inform future long-term collaborative strategic policy.

Focus on what next. Building on the opportunities identified in our Strategic Economic Plan, we will map out where Hertfordshire can potentially make the most significant contribution to the UK economy linked to the Industrial Strategy’s Five Foundations of Productivity.

Invite you to get involved. To enable us to develop a long-term shared vision for the future, we need to understand more fully the current and future needs of businesses. This event marks the start of a widespread consultation period up to March 2019 and the launch of a comprehensive business survey. Throughout the process we will be engaging with local and national government, not-for-profit and other public sector groups, key sector industries, our SME base, research institutions and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce members.

Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships The Government’s Industrial Strategy White Paper also sets out clearly defined priorities for how areas will maximise their contribution to UK productivity, co-ordinate economic policy at a local level and foster greater collaboration.

Our approach co-designed with Government will set out a strategic course underpinned by a series of actions to take it forward from 2020 onwards.

Register now: State of the Economy 2018 For more information: Call: 01707 358662 Email: info@hertfordshirelep.co.uk Twitter: @HertsLEP #HertsEconomy

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Members News Conference centre opens in the heart of Stevenage business district

Accolade for MCP Property Services at 2018 Chamber Business Awards MCP Property Services Ltd., based in Hertford, which delivers professional repairs and maintenance services to the Social Housing Sector, has been crowned one of the winners in the Eastern Region heats of the Chamber Business Awards 2018.

Redemption House Conference Centre, providing meeting and training space for up to 400 delegates, has opened in Gunnels Wood Park, just off Gunnels Wood Road in Stevenage’s main industrial area.

Located just minutes from hundreds of Stevenage businesses and close to the town’s excellent transport links, Redemption House Conference Centre (RHCC) hosts three large conference rooms, all fully equipped and air-conditioned.

The flexible and versatile spaces offer the ideal environment for staff training and seminars, product launches and trade exhibitions, lectures, meetings and conferences.

The spaces are each 150sqm and can be combined to provide a larger area. When combined, they can comfortably accommodate up to 450 people in a theatre-style layout and, when used individually, they provide self-contained space for a range of layouts including classroom and board rooms for small or large groups.

All the rooms are on the ground floor, fully accessible, and equipped with interactive screens and Wi-Fi. RHCC conference manager Mr Daniel Adeniji said, “These are spacious, modern facilities that can be used for lots of different business meetings and events. Our room sizes and services are unique in this part of the town, and will suit the needs of many local SMEs and Charities.

At the moment, we’re one of Gunnels Wood’s best kept secrets but we want to encourage more local businesses and organisations to come and see what we’ve got to offer.”

RHCC offers competitive rates and special offers. View the rooms and find full details at www.redemptionhouse.co.uk For more enquiries contact: 07817503529, 02071711046 Email info@RedemptionHouse.co.uk

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(L-R) Mary Sykes, Herts Chamber of Commerce presenting Matt Clarke, MD, MCP Property Services with their award

Now in their 15th year, the awards are a highlight of the business calendar, recognising the key role that local businesses play in driving the UK economy.

The Customer Commitment Award winner, MCP Property Services will now go forward to represent the East of England in the national finals, which take place in London in November.

Francis Martin, President of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said: “The Chamber Business Awards are the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate our business communities’ achievements, to take stock of the great performances of UK businesses over the past year, and to encourage and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.”

MCP Property Services is a privatelyowned family business that has been

delivering professional repair and maintenance services to the Social Housing Sector for 40 years. With more than 110 employees, MCP completes in excess of 72,000 orders every year.

MCP works with Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Registered Landlords across the South East, providing reliable, high quality service and value.

Their Engineers and Operatives are often the face of the housing provider when visiting residents at their homes and are uniquely placed to listen to their concerns and improve their quality of life.

The 2018 Chamber Business Awards culminate in a Gala Dinner on Thursday 29th November at Tobacco Dock in London.

Local to National…and back again In days of old we always purchased our goods and services from the people in our local village or town.

With the conception of the internet, consumers were able to broaden their purchasing scope with more choice and competitive prices.

Recently there has been a big push on “buying local” and the voice and data industry is no different.

Support UK was founded by Martin Green in 2005 with the aim of developing the most successful communication infrastructure and managing video, voice, data and application services. Martin has a 20 year telecoms career under his belt and has enjoyed working for manufacturers and resellers in the UK and Globally.

The team at Support UK have a wealth of communications experience within the voice and data market, specialising in unified communications, contact centres, mobility solutions and cloud based services. We understand that communications can be incredibly confusing, so we see our customers through every step of the process design, implementation, installation, training and maintaining.

Not every product will suit every organisation, so it is imperative to audit current systems and design a solution to meet the customer’s needs.

We strengthen our relationship with our customers by providing maintenance service levels and response time to meet their business needs.

We have customers throughout the UK but are also very keen to establish more relationships with local customers.

Get in touch with us today if you’re looking to boost your productivity, service and customer engagement capabilities. enquiries@support-uk.co.uk or 0345 241 1521.

High praise for strengthening our communities One of only six companies recognised at the Queen's Awards for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity.

It was a proud moment in Willmott Dixon’s 166-year history as the Queen’s representative for Hertfordshire visited our head office to bestow a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Promoting Opportunity.

Willmott Dixon joined a select group of companies who have been honoured twice by the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, the UK’s highest business accolade.

The first in 2014 was for the company's stand-out performance in sustainable development. Now HM The Queen through this award has recognised our work leaving a legacy

and improving society’s wellbeing.

Only six companies won the Promoting Opportunity accolade this year, reflecting the tremendous effort of our people to improve communities way beyond what is expected.

Willmott Dixon invests over £2 million a year in communities, with four out of five people volunteering to take part in an activity that brings genuine benefits to people, from improving local facilities to equipping people with skills that improves their job prospects.

The official presentation event saw the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire hand a scroll to Rick Willmott from

HM The Queen that was also signed

by Prime Minister Theresa May congratulating the company in reaching this high standard.

Conferencing in the business heart of Hertfordshire Redemption House Conference Centre

the ideal venue for your meetings, events and conferences • • • •

Spaces and set-ups for any size event – from 4 to 400 people Flexible, modern facilities fully equipped and with Wi-Fi throughout Accessible and comfortable, with natural light and air-conditioning Close to the A1M and main line rail stations

Find out what Redemption House Conference Centre has to offer at: Online www.redemptionhouse.co.uk Email: info@redemptionhouse.co.uk Tel: 07817503529 02081711046

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Funding available for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Finance

Companies are being urged to take advantage of funding that helps them to improve their competitiveness and productivity by going into partnership with academics and researchers.

Innovate UK says that its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme helps businesses develop new products and services by linking them with a university, college or a research and technology organisation based in the UK. Under the terms of a KTP, the business will act as the employer of a graduate, known as an Associate, who will work for the company for the duration of the project.

Projects can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on what the project is and the needs of the business.

A KTP is part-funded by a grant, although participating businesses will need to contribute to the salary of the Associate who works within the business, plus the cost of a supervisor who will oversee the scheme.

The amount they will need to contribute depends on the scale and length of the project.

It will also depend on the size of the company.

Typically, small and

medium-sized enterprises contribute about £35,000 per year, about one-third of the project costs, and large businesses contribute about £55,000 per year, or half of the project costs.

Academic partners who take part in a KTP produce, on average, more than three new research projects and two research papers for each programme.

KTP is one of the UK’s largest graduate recruitment programmes and provides more than 300 job opportunities each year.

In addition to helping companies to develop ideas, it also supports career development and often leads to a permanent job.

There are two main routes to applying for a KTP as a business. If you are interested in taking part in a KTP but don’t already have a university partner, you should contact your local KT (Knowledge Transfer) Adviser. They will check the feasibility of your idea and tell you if it is suitable then find the right academic or researcher to work on your project

If you already have a partnership with an academic or research organisation or know who you would like to work with on a KTP, you should go via that organisation’s KTP office.

Applications are assessed by an independent panel and applicants will normally be notified of the outcome within 12 weeks of application. If your partnership is successful, you will be notified by your KT Adviser in the first instance. You will then receive a formal grant offer letter.

Once accepted, this marks the point at which you can begin to recruit an Associate. Recruitment should be undertaken jointly by the academic organisation and business partner. The Associate’s contract of employment will be with the academic organisation.

You can find out more, including useful contact details, at https://www.gov.uk/ guidance/knowledgetransfer-partnerships-whatthey-are-and-how-to-apply.

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Business events generate annual spend of more than £2.5 billion

Hospitality

The UK is acknowledged to be world-class when it comes to running business events ranging from conferences to hospitality.

Now, new research has revealed the economic benefits that such events generate.

Event marketing platform Evvnt commissioned an independent, nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 UK adults to reveal how often people go to business-related events each year and how much they spend.

Researchers found that events are attended by 67 million people each year and that attendees typically spend an average of £57 to cover the tickets, travel and spending costs – equating to £2.5 billion annually.

Evvnt’s independent research revealed that theatre, opera and comedy shows are the nation’s favourite type of event, with two thirds (64%) of UK adults buying tickets for such an occasion at least once a year.

By contrast, 70% of the public – including 44% of millennials – said they never buy tickets to go to a nightclub, making it the least well-attended event.

Live music also proved a well-liked outing for the UK – three fifths (59%) of the country go to one or more gigs a year, |while 19% go to five or more.

Similarly, music, food and drink festivals were very popular, with more over half (56%) of respondents saying they will attend one or more festivals each year.

But when it came to loyalty, no type of event could compete with sporting fixtures. Fifty per cent of the UK public will go to at least one sporting fixture per year, but a quarter (25%) of the population go to five or more sports matches every 12 months.

With an estimated 1.3 billion business events held each year, Evvnt asked respondents what factors influence whether they will attend an event. The survey found: • 60% of respondents say it comes down to the price of a ticket • 56% of respondents will buy tickets for an event based on how easy it is for them to get to and from the venue • 33% will typically go to events if their friends already have tickets for it • 13% of UK adults want to learn something from an event • The same number (13%) will decide to attend an event based on the food that is available, while 9% said they usually only buy tickets for events if they know that alcohol will be available o Those figures rise to 19% and 14% respectively among 18-34 year olds Richard Green, CEO and founder of Evvnt, said: “The UK’s events industry is a massive contributor to the economy and this particularly true when we consider the number of people attending conferences, networking events, workshops and seminars.

“While there is evidently a strong appetite for business events, there is also significant competition.

“Creating a buzz on social media, delivering unique experiences and nailing the online marketing activity are all integral ways of getting people to buy tickets for events and come back again but the basics of location and price clearly still remain vital factors for luring in potential attendees.”

“The UK’s events industry is a massive contributor to the economy and this particularly true when we consider the number of people attending conferences, networking events, workshops and seminars.”

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Report shows that more needs to be done to help veterans set up in business

Skills & Development

A new report has revealed the barriers that ex-Service personnel face in becoming selfemployed after leaving the Armed Forces.

The report, Self-employment and the Armed Forces Community, calls for broader support from the MOD to help Service personnel transitioning out of the Forces and into self-employment.

The research was conducted by the Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick, supported by defence technology company QinetiQ and X-Forces Enterprise, which supports entrepreneurship in the military community. It was funded by the Forces in Mind Trust.

The findings show that selfemployment is highly desirable among veterans, with being their own boss showing up as the most attractive aspect.

The survey of veterans, targeted towards those who had already moved into self-employment or had considered it upon leaving, and those currently transitioning into civilian life, found that 43% said they had planned to become self-employed on leaving the Forces, compared to 55% who said they’d seek full-time employment.

However, the research also highlights a number of barriers the ex-Service community face in becoming successfully selfemployed, including:

• A lack of understanding of commercial environments and skills like marketing and communications • Lack of finance, with many experiencing difficulties in getting loans and having to use their own savings • Difficulty translating the skills they learned in the Forces into a commercial environment • Difficulty adapting to a civilian environment, where there was considered to be less teamwork and an overarching focus on money • Reality falling short of expectations, with some finding it much harder than expected.

The report calls on the MOD to invest more resources into supporting members of the Armed Forces in transitioning successfully into the civilian labour market, and particularly into being self-employed.

This includes the suggestion of a ‘skills for life’ package for all veterans which gives support on how to pay bills, buy a house, manage finances and tax, as well as training in soft skills, people skills and commercial skills. It also calls for wider use of mentors, the wider promotion of Enhanced Learning

Army veteran Leona BarrJones co-founder of Hertfordshire Chamber Patrons Focus7 International Ltd is a huge supporter of veterans, reservist and spouses employment and self-employment, she said "Self-employment is a good option for

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Credits to ensure veterans are aware of their entitlements; and longer-term support including access to top-up training up to 24 months after leaving.

Professor Clare Lyonette, from the Institute of Employment Research at the University of Warwick, said: “Military service develops unique skills and competencies which can underpin a successful transition into self-employment. However, our research participants reported a range of challenges which they encountered while trying to translate their skills into a civilian context.

“The barriers and challenges reported to us highlight the need for a targeted, needs-based approach to support in transition not all veterans will require the same levels of help. We hope that the practical recommendations we outline will make a real difference to all members of the Armed Forces Community, including military partners and reservists, as well as veterans.”

Ren Kapur, MBE, CEO and Founder of X-Forces Enterprise, said: “We’ve seen the incredible impact that self-employment can have on veterans and are proud of the work we’ve been carrying out for five years to empower ex-service men and women to reach their full potential. This research shows that challenges remain, but we were incredibly encouraged to see how many of the recommendations made are already being taken forward by organisations like ours.”

service leavers as the skills gained during Armed Forces service can be easily transferable to running your own business. Veterans and Reservists are widely known to have an outstanding work ethic, dedication to excellence and a strong desire to succeed in difficult circumstances. Experience in problem solving, thinking outside

Air Vice-Marshal Ray Lock CBE, Chief Executive, Forces in Mind Trust, said: “What is clear from this report is the need for broader support, advice and practical training for Service personnel before they leave the Armed Forces, and for sometime afterwards, if they are to successfully transition into the civilian labour market, and particularly into self-employment.

Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “FSB welcomes the report. It shows that selfemployment can be a viable and rewarding career path for Armed Forces service leavers, as well a sensible choice for the partners and spouses of serving personnel.

But it also shows that more support is needed from Government and charities to help more of the armed forces community to start-up and succeed in self-employment.

“This research finds that access to finance is a major barrier to successful self-employment for the Armed Forces community and I have been asking Government for some time to make access to finance easier for all selfemployed people. This report shows that this would be particularly pertinent for service-leavers.”

FSB recently appointed Ren Kapur MBE as a volunteer Armed Forces Champion for small businesses to help support more people from the Armed Forces community in self-employment.

of the box, delivering to deadlines and meeting expectations add to the mix."

Leona is the Chair of the MoD's Hertfordshire Employment Engagement Group and has recently been made Institute of Directors (IoD) Ambassador for Diversity and Inclusion and the Armed Forces in the East of England.

A community of learning Bringing new businesses together supports success Thirty business start-ups have benefited from the backing of the University of Hertfordshire’s Business Incubator since its launch in December 2017.

Offering everything from flexible workspaces to learning resources, this vibrant, growing community also enables diverse businesses to support one another.

Success stories include over 30 businesses to date, including Hello Flexibles an innovative supplier of plastic for fresh produce; GLOW, a personal impact training specialist; and Blackfish, a swimwear company.

Every good business starts with a great idea but it takes much more to grow and succeed, says Gaurav Singh of the Business Incubator.

“Access to the University’s academic experts and professional staff brings real benefits to member businesses at a critical point in their development,” he observes.

“But peer-to-peer learning and support is also making a huge difference. New businesses need ongoing inspiration and collaboration.

When small business share the problems they face, they can tackle them much more effectively.”

Lisa Montague, Founder of Blackfish Swimwear agrees: “It’s having access to all those brains with the knowledge and experience to look at your problem.

It just cuts through it really quickly, challenging your preconceptions of how you approach things.”

Gaurav is keen to see the Business Incubator community continue to grow, so that the benefits of collaboration and cross fertilisation increase.

Membership is open to start-ups and small businesses who have started trading within the past 12 months and who would benefit from the University’s academic, learning and professional resources, as well as access to flexible workspace and meeting rooms.

Contact: be@herts.ac.uk 01707 286406

Last Word

A million little challenges Tom Pellereau CEO/Inventor AvenTOM Ltd, of Hemel Hempstead Q Who do you work for?

Q How has it helped your

I work for AvenTOM, which is owned 50:50 by myself and Lord Alan Sugar, a connection that came about after I won the BBC’s Apprentice show, which Lord Sugar hosts, and gained £250,000 investment from him.

business network?

Some of our staff have already attended events and found them very useful. We love working with local companies and are always on the look-out for suppliers with expertise in product and packaging design, photography, videos, product testing and other areas.

Q What do you do?

Since I won The Apprentice, myself and Lord Sugar have focused on reinventing beauty accessories. Our brands include the Stylfile range of nail care products and StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner.

Q Why did you join the Chamber?

We are starting to do a lot of exporting now and we were keen to take advantage of the Chamber’s expertise in the field.

Q What you do get from it?

We have received help in areas including export documentation, finance and training.

Patrons

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Q What advice would you give someone starting out?

Apply to the BBC to go on The Apprentice! Everyone I know who has gone on it has had their life changed for the better.

Q What do you think is the biggest challenge affecting running and growing a business?

It’s really a case of a million little challenges that you have to deal with every day, for me, the key things are making sure that you are spending your money wisely – it’s MUCH easier to spend money than make it - and that you are building a good team around you.

Q What support do you want from government?

There would be huge benefit if local government strengthens the links between local education and local SMEs. I am much more likely to take on someone who lives 20 minutes away from our offices than someone who has been studying at university in somewhere like Newcastle, and companies

like ours need better links with schools and colleges in our area so that we can find and help develop local talent.

Q How confident are you your organisation/business will grow in 2019?

I am pretty confident that we will grow in the next twelve months, although its very dependent on how are our new StylPro Christmas Gift set sells.

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