Inspire Business Magazine September 2015 by Benham Publishing Limited

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INSPIRE.11

The business magazine of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce September 2015

Inspiring Herts Awards 2015 Overall Business of the Year Winner - Tusker CEO David Hosking shares his success in the Big Interview - page 12 n What's new with the Chamber? - page 6 n Spotlight on Hatfield Business Park - page 18 n Save the date for exciting events - page 36

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Welcome

Contents Up Front BCC Conference Economic Review Big Interview Patron Focus Spotlight on... Young Chamber Legal Member News Chamber Services New Members Chamber Events Work Place 24 Hours UH Courses Member News Last Word Patrons

4-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-16 18-21 24-25 26-27 28-29-31 32-33 34-35 36-39 42-44 45 47 49 50 50

•••• Editorial and General Enquiries Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce MacLaurin Building, 4 Bishops Square, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9NE Tel: 01707 398400 Fax: 01707 398430 Email: enquiries@hertschamber.com Web: www.hertschamber.com Chief Executive: Yolanda Rugg Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published Sept 2015 © 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: studio@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1435 •••• 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. © 2015. 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.

From the Chief Executive Like many businesses, the Chamber recognises the need to offer a more cutting edge service to improve our relevance and to help members reach new markets, locally and globally, increase productivity, raise their profile and improve procurement savings, whilst providing an influential 'go to' organisation to bring about change. By better understanding your objectives and challenges we can, in turn, connect you with other member organisations to best practice, share, collaborate and partner on funded programmes or forge new local suppliers or help customers to grow. With that in mind, we are launching three new initiatives this Autumn, an Ambassador scheme for professional service organisations, a global membership package to offer a more dynamic support to members to export to new markets and a Platinum partnership package in conjunction with the Manufacturing Co operative at Cranfield. This new Platinum partner package aims to find solutions in a dynamic way to the everyday needs of industry. The partnership will enable the Chamber to better understand immediate challenges facing our manufacturing and engineering companies and, where we can, signpost to suppliers, R&D support, innovation, and bid writers. For more details please see pages 6 and 7 or call Amy Rich on 01707398424.

This edition also highlights the diverse range of monthly engagement events that we have run recently, including hosting in June the Shadow Chancellor visit for the employability debate in Stevenage. July saw our 50-strong Business Leaders dinner debate hosted at Hatfield House with our Honorary President Lord Salisbury. August launched the first of several national debates within the BCC chamber network on whether Britain should be in Europe. We thank all our members for investing time and supporting our important discussions which better allow the Chamber to elevate the voice of our Hertfordshire business community to local and National Government.

October events Please do come along and hear from expert speakers on how to embrace multichannel technology at our customer experience conference, 9th October at Hatfield; and I hope many of you will support and host tables at our Chairmans dinner 1st October with guest speaker Angus Thirwell from Hotel Chocolat, at Sopwell House.

Best wishes Yolanda

I was delighted to support the decision to permit Aubrey Park Hotel’s planning application for a new, much needed conference facility, which had been rejected by local planning. I was very encouraged by the unanimous decision to support the Chamber’s argument for approval from the councillors, at a planning referral meeting but had huge empathy for time and money this long drawn out process had on the hotel, staff, owners and customers. I will, therefore, be submitting comments and case studies to the Government’s current consultation on planning reform - comments and case studies welcome.

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UpFront

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Dinner Debate Do we have the critical ingredients to attract and retain Herts businesses? And support their growth here in Hertfordshire?

On 9 July Hertfordshire Business Leaders and local MP’s gathered in the delightful surroundings of the Stable Yard and Riding School at Hatfield House. The Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s Honorary President, Lord Salisbury 7th Marquess of Salisbury hosted the debate which focused on 3 questions; • Infrastructure to support growth? Is it time to end our ‘make do and mend ‘approach to infrastructure, transport, energy and digital hampering business growth and jobs? • Access to relevant technical and employability skills? How do Hertfordshire based businesses address barriers to growth by growing productivity and global competitiveness through a sustained skilled workforce?

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• Europe in or out? While Eurozone growth prospects have improved recently, the weakness of the euro against the pound has made it harder for UK businesses to compete and Greece’s on-going problems could exacerbate this. Neville Reyner CBE,DL Chairman of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce chaired the debate in accordance with Chatham House Rules which attracted discussion among businesses from automotive, technology, engineering, manufacturing, tourism, construction, healthcare, education and retail sectors. Herts Chamber Patrons – Affinity Water, NIS, PwC, University of Hertfordshire, Ashbourne Insurance and Guinea Fowl Creative were joined by Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP, Charles Walker MP, Cllr Tim Hutchings,

Leader of Broxbourne Borough Council Cllr Mark Mills-Bishop and businesses and organisations including Kier Construction, Mirage Health Group Limited, Gascoyne Cecil Estates, Handelsbanken, Ocado Limited, Johnson Matthey Plc, Mitsubishi Electric Europe BV, The John Warner School, Premier EDA Solutions Limited, Bouygues, Aubrey Park Hotel, Hertfordshire County Council and Selex ES.

To register your interest in sponsoring or attending future Business Leader’s dinners, please contact laurashoobridge@hertschamber.com 01707398403.

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UpFront

Shadow Chancellor visits Stevenage to listen to local business voices Shadow Chancellor Chris Leslie MP visited Hertfordshire as part of Labour’s Listening To Business programme to hear the views of the business community following the general election.

The breakfast roundtable, hosted in partnership with Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, took the Shadow Chancellor to the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst where he discussed skills and employment issues with local businesses including Agility Health Tech Limited, Ashbourne Insurance, Ashfield Personnel, Bouygues, Forum Conference Centre, Guinea Fowl Creative, Media Five Limited, Mitsubishi Electric, Pearldrop Video Production, PwC and Wagstaffs. This was followed with visits to GSK and Airbus.

Chris Leslie said: “At a time when the Office for National Statistics has warned that the share of high-skilled jobs in our economy is falling, contributing to weak productivity growth, the Government needs to be making the right choices, supporting greater business investment, innovation as well as providing the highly skilled workers our businesses need to grow. “The Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst Centre is an excellent example of where public funds can bring businesses together, attract corporate investment and support highly skilled jobs in the Hertfordshire economy.

“Labour has always been on the side of business, but the disappointing election result rightly forces us to rethink how we build stronger relationships with the business community. We must do more to convince business that we want Government to work in partnership with them and support enterprise - and I am determined Labour rises to this challenge straight away.” Yolanda Rugg, CEO, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce said: “In Hertfordshire we have an abundance of highly skilled jobs, but the challenge our

businesses face is finding people with the right skills particularly with expertise in STEM subjects. Key industries such as engineering, construction, advanced manufacturing and life sciences are facing significant barriers to growth and so are looking to our European partners to expand. I welcomed the visit by the Shadow Chancellor and the change in approach by the Labour Party, meeting our local businesses and understanding our challenges which I hope will support our local economy to grow.”

Chamber Networking Breakfast Debate on the EU Referendum On 12 August local businesses gathered at Marriott Hanbury Manor Hotel & Country Club to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a part of Europe and would Britain be better off staying or going it

alone. Dr Adam Marshall, Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs, British Chambers of Commerce led the debate and all participated in a lively mock vote.

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UpFront

What’s new with the Chamber? “Like many other businesses today, the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce recognises the need to continually renew our offering and improve the relevance of our services in how they meet the needs of our members in raising profile, reducing costs, adding value and supporting local and global trade.” Yolanda Rugg CEO Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

New Global Membership Package An exciting package of cost-saving benefits and services for companies involved in international trade.

Key benefits include: • Online access to an Export Guide • 10 free rejections per year - a saving of up to £50.00 (plus VAT) • Additional discounts on export documentation processed in person and online • Additional discounts on our international trade training courses • Opportunities to ‘Ask the Chamber’ and seek advice and expert opinion from our experienced International Trade team

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• Subscription to our informative Global e-newsletter

• Eligibility to enter the Chamber Global Award

• Access to our exclusive LinkedIn networking group for Global Members, providing an opportunity to post queries, contribute to discussions and share new business opportunities

• Priority booking for International Seminars

• Invitation to attend the Global Leaders Lunch at a discounted rate

• Save money on International payments with Chamber Foreign Exchange provided by exchange experts Moneycorp

• Opportunity to display our ‘global member of’ logo on your website and business stationery

• Half price shipping across the world with our partners DHL - see website for terms and conditions

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UpFront

Platinum Partner Scheme To connect business leaders, raise profile, source local suppliers, help bid write, access EU funding to support R&D and innovation. The offer is exclusively capped at 60 members and there is also a cap on 3 businesses per sector. Each Platinum Partner becomes a spokesperson for their sector and this offers a higher profile role within the chamber for comment to help shape government policy. Key benefits include: • Invitation to attend 3 Business Leaders Dinners. • Networking opportunities on International Trade events, Made in Herts and HR forums. Opportunities to host local events • 2 places a month at one of our events (Attendance to other events will be at the Members rate) • 2 articles in our Inspire magazine, (2,500 hard copies, 11,000 online visits per edition) • Platinum Pin Badges for all employees networking at events to give recognition to member of Platinum status • Platinum Partnership certificate and PR opportunity • Free logo presence on website via our Platinum partnership Website Page with direct link from home page

• Annual Platinum Partnership networking event. Great opportunity to meet other members of the Platinum Partnership • Herts Chamber Annual membership subscriptions with benefits for all employees • Using our knowledge of your business to proactively search for business opportunities, saving you time and money

• Referrals for OEM and tier player suppliers • Group procurement opportunitieson energy, fuel, HR, and other services • Preferential training and professional development rates with local business schools at UH and Cranfield • Signposting to bid writers, and sourcing funded R&D, innovation, and growth investment opportunities

Ambassador Scheme For Hertfordshire professional services in the sectors of banks, insurance, accounts and legal services. Key benefits include: • Bi-monthly communication • Monthly event update • Free vouchers for guests to standard Chamber networking events • Sponsorship opportunities at preferential rates

• Senior person to speak at an event and comment on new legislation and policy • Invite to regular business leaders lunches. • Very easy to make key business contacts in the community

For more information on any of the above please contact Business Development Officer amyrich@hertshamber.com 01707398400 INSPIRE

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Events

TRADE THE WORLD ACCESSING HIGH GROWTH MARKETS

British Chambers of Commerce International Trade Conference 2015 3 November 2015 Grand Connaught Rooms London

Discover new markets with the British Chambers of Commerce Global Business Network 8

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Events

High growth international markets offer British businesses the opportunity to trade on the world stage, and November’s BCC International Trade Conference 2015 is your chance to explore and grow your exporting potential. As a UK business, the event will offer you direct access to opportunities in high growth markets and the chance to meet the right contacts to carry out your exporting strategy.

Why you should attend: • Hear from top-flight keynote speakers including business and political leaders - plus British brands with an international presence • Meet the British Chambers of Commerce Global Business Network face-to-face for export support and guidance from in-market experts • Tap into the thought leadership that shapes British business success in the UK and internationally • Network with hundreds of UK and global business contacts

Ticket prices: Chamber Member: £75 Chamber Members 5+ Group: £55 (per person) Early Bird Delegate: £95 Standard Delegate: £155

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EconomicReview

Monthly Economic Review September 2015 (Based on August 2015 data releases)

Monthly headlines: • UK economic growth in Q2 unrevised, as the trade deficit narrows and investment rises.  UK unemployment rises again, but earnings continue to outstrip inflation.  US growth is revised up sharply, but China weighing heavily on the global outlook.

UK GDP growth in Q2 unrevised at 0.7%...

...and while the UK jobs market weakens...

The second official estimate for Q2 2015 growth in UK GDP was unrevised at 0.7%, compared to the 0.4% rise recorded in Q1. In annual terms, the UK economy grew by 2.6% in Q2, unrevised from the previous estimate. UK economic output is now over 5% above its Q1 2008 pre-recession peak. However, GDP per head, a key indicator of living standards, remains just below its prerecession peak, despite rising by 0.5% in Q2 2015 (see Chart 1).

In the three months to July 2015, UK unemployment rose by 25,000 compared with the previous three months. The number of people in employment fell by 63,000 over the same period. There were 735,000 job vacancies in the three months to July 2015, the second highest number since records began in 2001 (see Chart 3).

Overall, the latest GDP figures mirror our view that the UK economy is expanding at a solid rate.

...with growth better balanced in the quarter... The UK's trade deficit narrowed from £13.4 billion in Q1 2015 to £9.1 billion in Q2 2015, the lowest deficit since Q2 2013 (see Chart 2). This was driven by a 3.9% rise in exports in Q2, almost seven times the 0.6% increase in imports over the same period. As a consequence, trade boosted GDP by one percentage point in Q2, its biggest contribution since Q4 2011 and is in marked contrast to the previous quarter when net trade was a drag on growth. Business investment rose by 2.9% compared with the Q1 2015, the biggest rise since Q2 2014.

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This mirrors the Q2 2015 Quarter Economic Survey where recruitment difficulties in the manufacturing sector reached a record high. However, despite this, the UK’s labour market remains a source of strength for the UK economy.

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EconomicReview ...but cutting the deficit remains a challenge.

...strong real wage growth... CPI inflation rose from 0.0% in June to 0.1% in July. A smaller fall in clothing prices on the month, compared with a year ago, was the main contributor to the slight rise in inflation. However, despite this increase, the UK remains in a period of very low inflation, and with annual earnings growth, excluding bonuses, rising by 2.8% in the three months to June 2015, real earnings continue to rise at a solid pace (see Chart 4). With two-thirds of UK GDP driven by consumer spending, the rise in real earnings and therefore consumer's spending power will continue to support growth.

Public sector net borrowing, excluding public sector banks, recorded a surplus of £1.3 billion in July 2015, the first July surplus since 2012 (see Chart 6). July tends to be a strong month for the public finances, due to the timing of corporation tax and self-assessment payments. The improvement in July 2015 was largely due to higher tax receipts, which was 4.5% higher than last year's figure. Despite the progress in reducing the UK’s fiscal deficit we have seen in recent months, public sector net debt, at 80.8% of GDP in July 2015, remains more than double pre-crisis levels.

...and US growth is revised up sharply... The second estimate of US GDP revealed that the US economy grew at an annualised rate of 3.7% in Q2 2015 (see Chart 8), up from the first estimate of 2.3%, and more than six times the growth of 0.6% recorded in Q1. The upgrade partly reflected a 3.2% rise in business investment in Q2, up from an earlier estimate of a 0.6% decline. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US GDP, was upwardly revised to 3.1%, from the previous estimate of 2.9%. A strong jobs market and weak inflation, is helping to support consumer spending in the US.

While the Eurozone continues to grow...

...will help to support UK growth in Q3... Retail sales rose by 0.1% in July. The biggest growth in sales were in electrical goods and furniture, both of which were up almost 20% on the month and suggests that the greater spending power enjoyed by consumers in recent months (see Chart 4) is encouraging shoppers to purchase big ticket items. In annual terms, retail sales increased by 4.2%, the 28th consecutive month of growth (see Chart 5). Average store prices fell by 3.0% in July 2015 compared with July 2014. Overall, the latest retail sales figures indicate that the pace of growth in the UK is likely to remain strong in Q3.

The Eurozone economy grew by 0.3% in Q2 2015. Although this was down slightly from the growth of 0.4% in the previous quarter, it was still stronger than the average growth of 0.2% per quarter in 2014 (see Chart 7). In annual terms, the Eurozone economy grew by 1.2% in Q2. Germany's economy, the biggest in the Eurozone, grew by 0.4% in Q1 2015, up from 0.3% growth in Q1. Economic growth in Greece picked up sharply, rising by 0.8% in Q2, after recording zero growth in the previous quarter. In contrast, France's economy did not grow at all in Q2, compared to the growth of 0.7% recorded in Q1.

…China remains a major concern. Despite cutting interest rates and devaluing their currency to make their exports more competitive, concerns over the outlook for the Chinese economy persist with stock prices falling by 16% over the past month. China’s standing as the world's secondbiggest economy (see Table 1) and accounting for around a quarter global GDP growth means that uncertainty over its outlook is starting to weigh on the global economy. Global stock prices dropped over the past month with UK stock prices declining by 10%, amid fears over a prolonged slowdown in China.

Bottom line: Last month’s data releases confirm that the UK economy continues to perform well. However, global uncertainties, intensified by the current state of play in China, reinforces the case for keeping UK interest rates at their current level until well into next year. For more information please contact: Suren Thiru, UK Economic Advisor. Email: s.thiru@britishchambers.org.uk. Tel: 020 7654 5801

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BigInterview

A glittering year for fleet Hertfordshire company Tusker is a business on the up and one that has a growing reputation for excellence. But don’t just take their word for it because judges in a number of prestigious competitions have readily agreed that it is effectively combining rapid growth with excellent customer service. Watford-based Tusker manages fleets of cars for organisations large and small, and for employees, and has been pioneering an easier and more cost-effective way to run a car, something that has been consistently recognised this year. Tusker won the Best Car Scheme UK against stiff competition from some of its largest and most wellestablished competitors in the UK at the Business Excellence Awards, supported by Acquisition International.

David Hosking CEO Tusker

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In addition, the company triumphed at the prestigious Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards, taking away the award of the night, Overall Business of the Year. Not satisfied with one, they also secured the award for Innovation through Technology. The coveted title Overall Business of the Year was awarded to Tusker in recognition of a record year of growth which has been the result of a long term strategic focus on always putting customers at the heart of the business. The growth was strengthened when the company announced a new major shareholder, private equity group ECI Partners, one of the UK’s most successful private equity groups.

Every business nominated for an award is subject to a lengthy and indepth assessment process, designed to separate the truly remarkable from their peers. Voting is by a worldwide network of Acquisition International partners and industry experts.

To accommodate the growth, the company has heavily re-invested into new technologies to increase staff efficiencies and customer connectivity, which has supported a substantial increase in sales, job creation and efficiencies.

Tusker was judged on customer satisfaction, corporate culture, CSR, governance, leadership, sustainability and vision.

This was recognised at the Hertfordshire awards and David said “We are delighted to have won the award we were shortlisted for and to have gone on and achieved the award of the night, Overall Business of the Year.

David Hosking, Tusker CEO, said: “It is always satisfying to have hard work and achievement recognised by industry but this Award is particularly special because the process includes analysis by experts from all industry sectors around the globe.”

“It is a true testament to the efforts of the whole team and also to our customers who spoke so highly of us to the judges. Tusker plays

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BigInterview

management company an important role within the local business community so it’s important to us to be able to join in and contribute to the success of the whole region.” The Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards are organised by The Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the expertise, achievements and outstanding contribution that businesses and individuals achieve. Adding to this year’s honours, the company also won the Innovation in Customer Service Award in the annual Fleet World Honours. The Award was given for Tusker’s four-tier customer service solution, which provides specialist employees to handle each specific stage of the company’s award-winning Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme.

The Fleet World Honours judges found that the innovation has ensured that Tusker has continued to deliver excellent customer service, even through a period of rapid growth over the past twelve months. Tusker acted early to develop new teams, in anticipation of the period of high sales. The company split the former Customer Services team into four separate entities, each responsible for a different stage of the life of a Tusker driver. The four new teams handle 8,000 customer service enquiries every month, yet the new structure has delivered an impressive 97% customer satisfaction in a recent survey. David said: “We are very proud of our customer service levels and we make it our priority to ensure that we employ and train

new members of the team ahead of any growth in the business in order to maintain the extremely high standards that we set ourselves. “By splitting the workload of our established customer service team, we enable each department to specialise in their own area and offer a more bespoke service to their section of the driver population. “We are delighted that our efforts have been recognised above our competitors with this Fleet World Honour for Innovation in Customer Service. In 2012, David was selected as a finalist in the competition to find the Entrepreneur of the Year for London and the South, organised by top accountancy firm, Ernst & Young, just missing out on the prize.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards seek to encourage, reward and recognise great talent amongst business leaders throughout the UK. David said: “I was absolutely delighted to have been selected as a finalist for this prestigious award which rewards entrepreneurialism in business. "At Tusker, we pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial thinking and spirit, and our ability to think out of the box. “We believe the spirit of entrepreneurialism that exists throughout the business helps us to develop the very best products and solutions to meet the exact needs of our customers, rather than providing them with formulaic, off the shelf solutions.”

“The coveted title Overall Business of the Year was awarded to Tusker in recognition of a record year of growth which has been the result of a long term strategic focus on always putting customers at the heart of the business.”

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PatronFocus

ServerChoice IT performance, power, security, efficiency A Herts Chamber patron, ServerChoice is one of three companies established by Mark Boost, an entrepreneur with an instinct for business, an appetite for technology and a vision to capitalise on both.

There is a classic simplicity in his organic expansion - website design to domain and web hosting, to high-end cloud platforms, colocation and connectivity. The first of the companies to be established was LCN.com, acronym of LowCostNames, doing what it says: providing web domain names at low cost.

LCN From low-cost domain names to efficient web hosting On leaving school, Mark began designing websites - just seven years after the World Wide Web was created and four after it was launched as a free commodity for the world to use. He set up LCN in 1998. “It doesn’t seem that long ago, but at the time, not many companies had websites,” he said. LCN.com naturally expanded to website hosting. It had become a British success story in an industry largely dominated by US providers. LCN has 200,000 web host accounts; its growth built on exceptionally high standards of customer service and word-of-mouth recommendation.

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ServerChoice Enterprise-class colocation and cloud The second company, ServerChoice, was set up in 2006 and is the next logical step: highly resilient, ultrasecure hosting for companies that outgrew LCN’s services. ServerChoice expanded quickly, and having built two of its own data centres, is one of the country’s first providers of highsecurity cloud services.

World-class data centres Along with its cloud platforms, ServerChoice also has in its portfolio colocation, IT security, disaster recovery and connectivity. This is only made possible by their two world-class data centres in Hertfordshire. Unlike other hosting providers, these data centres were built by ServerChoice for ServerChoice; meaning they’re optimised for performance, power, security and efficiency.

Colocation Colocation is for companies that want external data centres to accommodate their own IT equipment rather than having their own expensive and less secure computer room on their business premises. By using ServerChoice’s colocation service, the customer

gets increased levels of power, cooling and security more cheaply than if they had hosted inhouse. ServerChoice’s colocation is a tightly controlled environment in terms of temperature, humidity, power and especially on-site security.

Who uses a colocation service? • e-commerce sites where online transactions means that security is critical • telecommunication providers that need reliable and secure high-level interconnectivity • large companies dependent on 24x7x365 uptime • SMEs needing a safer environment than they are able to provide on their own premises

What are the advantages? • reduced operating costs - the expenses associated with self-hosting (set up, environment, specialist staff, security, maintenance, etc) are very costly for businesses • budgetary control –

colocation is a fixed-price budgetary expense • disaster recovery – round-theclock engineers can quickly isolate problems and restore systems

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PatronFocus

“Cloud hosting gives companies a lot of flexibility in how they manage their data and overall performance. It gives them room to grow their IT functionality very easily and affordably. It’s so easy now for us to scale-up services as and when a customer requires.”

• IT security – safeguards from threats: fire, floods, theft and hacking

Common examples of cloud hosting

Cloud - around for years, but buzzing now

You can pick up your work desktop from anywhere with an internet or 3G/4G connection: home, office, on the train, with all the support and security a company needs. Staff can work efficiently miles away from the office, even when their work PC is switched off. Important emails are no longer missed.

Cloud computing evolved from the huge mainframes of the 1950s, where the hardware and software systems were parcelled up for multiple users through individual terminals using dedicated telephone lines. The modern cloud concept remains the same, but the mainframe has been replaced by a high-powered virtualised infrastructure, the phone line is replaced by the internet, and the terminals replaced by any device you can think of. Nowadays, cloud technology can be used on smart phones and tablets as well laptops and desktops. The technology is light years ahead. Mark explains “Whereas with colocation you still own and manage your IT equipment, albeit in our data centres, with cloud we take care of everything for you. “We create the service, be it email, web, or more, on our own IT equipment and deliver it to you via the internet,” he says.

Hosted Desktop

Web Hosting Your website is available 24x7x365 - powered, maintained and backed up.

Vehicle tracker data This uses 3G and 4G technology - an example of use is automated goods delivery text messages via GPS or fleet travel monitoring. “Cloud hosting gives companies a lot of flexibility in how they manage their data and overall performance. It gives them room to grow their IT functionality very easily and affordably. It’s so easy now for us to scale-up services as and when a customer requires,” says Mark. Amazon, Google and Microsoft use public clouds, open to anyone with a credit card. ServerChoice, however, takes a more secure approach. With their cloud platforms

engineered for security, reliability and performance, ServerChoice assesses each customer before giving them access. Because of this, its service provision has the propensity for greater security and reliability, but also crucially, remains very cost-effective.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) This is a good platform for SMEs up to large enterprises: a cost-saving shared environment that provides high security, reliability and performance. It’s a virtualised infrastructure that keeps all customers’ data completely separate and secure.

Private Cloud For multi-national corporations and enterprises that need the highest level of service, a full private cloud deployment is the best option. The infrastructure, owned and managed by ServerChoice, is for one customer’s exclusive use. This gives them unparalleled levels of security, reliability and performance.

Hybrid Cloud As the name suggests, this is a blend of private and VPC deployments. It combines the power of a private cloud with the cost-effectiveness of the VPC model.

What makes ServerChoice different? It is the combination of high levels of service, security and expertise delivered with very competitive pricing.

Flexible service ServerChoice built its reputation on customer service. Management doesn’t believe in call centres or awkward phone menus, and offers instead the friendly, human touch. Flexibility is at the centre of their service philosophy - tailoring the service to suit exactly the customer’s needs. This applies to both before and after the contract is signed. Experienced technical support staff is available 24x7x365.

Expertise Best explained as IT knowledge, application and exploration, ServerChoice staff expertise is the momentum of a perpetual push towards new frontiers to help clients. Data storage, an enterprise’s most valuable commodity, is the fastestchanging technology at the moment, Mark says. For example, traditional hard drives with spinning components are being swiftly replaced by solid state drives (SSDs); access to data is faster and more reliable as SSDs don’t have any spinning parts.

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PatronFocus

SSDs are now increasingly common in data centres, but Mark says one of the key technologies to watch next is Micro SD (Secure Digital) technology - similar to that used in camera or mobile phone memory cards. These offer tremendous data density and are beginning to be integrated in mass-scale commercial data storage.

Security Mark says “We have a securityfirst culture that runs through the core everything we do. For example, every change we make here is first evaluated for risk.” Every staff member is encouraged to consider the risk of everything they undertake, and ServerChoice provides regular staff training, security awareness sessions and constant updates in the ever-changing world of cybercrime. Security policies include: • CRB-checked staff – reassuring for clients’ industry sensitive data • controlled access • 24x7x365 building security • stringently maintained policies – password and screen lock-out

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• monitoring of all systems 24x7x365 by inhouse engineers • regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests • ethical hacking company contract to try break ServerChoice security • constant physical and virtual security checking ServerChoice has ISO 27001 certification and PCI DSS v3.1 compliance - the latter entailing a rigorous 15-day onsite annual audit. ServerChoice is one of the few companies in the UK that has this certification, meaning that it is authorised to securely process and store vast quantities of personal data, such as credit card information. Every aspect of operation is tested: resilience to live threats, segregation of data, firewall testing and software safety there are about 360 security points that are independently tested. Mark says “This assures customers that ServerChoice represents the pinnacle of secure hosting.”

Pricing ServerChoice’s pricing structures are transparent, quoted by unit cost and type, and very reasonable. Being cost-effective is crucial to survival in today’s market, and their price competitiveness is based on its menus of options which can be adapted to suit exactly each client’s situation. “Our experts will go the extra mile to fully understand a customer’s business requirements and provide a quote that offers the best service for the minimum price. This is one of our USPs and sets us apart from other hosting companies who only issue cookie-cutter solutions,” says Mark.

Ai Networks Ai Networks - high-end connectivity for businesses of all sizes The third company in this technology group was established in 2013 to remedy big business’s largescale demand for high-end internet and other connectivity. It resides beside existing national companies in supplying

ultra-fast internet to business and government. Ai specialises in substituting traditional ADSL connectivity with better-performing fibrebased leased lines, with bandwidth typically at 10, 100 or 1,000 Mbps. What makes Ai Networks competitive against companies such as BT and VirginMedia is the same ideal that works for LCN and ServerChoice - Mark Boost’s passion for cost-effective service backed by top-end customer support.

LCN, ServerChoice, Ai Networks Mark Boost’s enterprise is based on staff expertise, customer service, and an everhungry eye on what’s new in technology that can be applied for business benefit. Mark says “As people get more comfortable with cloud computing, or the concept of it in the way things are done, a lot more new technologies will emerge that will make running businesses cheaper and easier.”

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SpotlightOn

Hatfield Business Park goes Few business parks can point to such a proud history as the one in Hatfield, standing as it does on the former site of the renowned Hatfield Aerodrome.

“Today, the park is also one of the UK's most successful regeneration projects and the largest mixed use park of its type. Set within a carefully landscaped environment, it is home to 3.5 million sq ft of business space, creating 13,000 jobs.”

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The unique site has previously been the home of Havilland, Hawker Siddley and British Aerospace. Aviation played a key role in the park’s early developments, and the companies were responsible for many industry breakthroughs. More than 75 years since its establishment as the heart of commerce and industry in

Hatfield, the park remains home to an impressive array of businesses. To understand its link with innovation, you need to know a little of its history, which began in the 1920s when Sir Geoffrey de Havilland moved his aviation company from Edgware to Hatfield Aerodrome. Early planes that were developed

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SpotlightOn

from strength to strength on the site include the Albatross Airliner, which was based on a ply and balsa wood construction, which was followed by the Mosquito Bomber at the outbreak of World War Two. After the war, de Havilland resumed development of more advanced planes and engines, such as jet propelled craft (including the Comet – the world’s first Jet Airliner). Following the Comet was the Trident, which was developed at the site, as well as early versions of the Airbus A300. At its pinnacle, the Aerodrome employed more than 10,000 people but BAE’s decision to close the site in 1993 resulted in the loss of 8,000 jobs. Global integrated property group, Goodman, has since transformed the site into a leading business park. Planning permission for the site's development was granted in December 2000. Today, the park is also one of the UK's most successful regeneration projects and the largest mixed use park of its type. Set within a carefully landscaped environment, it is home to 3.5 million sq ft of business space, creating 13,000 jobs. Elsewhere on the park there are over 2,000 homes, 18 retail units, Europe's largest Health and Racquets club, a police station and a university campus.

James Raven, Development Director at Goodman, said: “Hatfield Business Park is one of Goodman’s most successful developments to date. “Over the past 15 years, the masterplan we put in place with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has seen the creation of a sustainable community generating thousands of jobs for the region. It was devastating to see the loss of so many jobs following the closure of the aerodrome. “The employment facilities we’ve developed house a very diverse range of businesses, ensuring that this won’t happen again and confirming its position as a premier choice for businesses in the region.” The park plays a key role in attracting investment to Hertfordshire. According to a recent report from the Government’s UK Trade and Industry (UKTI) department, foreign business investment in Hertfordshire is booming. The report reveals that overseas businesses invested in 25 projects across the county in the year ending in March 2015 - the most for five years. Over the past three years, Hertfordshire has benefitted from 62 foreign investment projects with 42 per cent in the A1(M) Growth Area, which includes Welwyn Hatfield, home to Hatfield Business Park.

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SpotlightOn

The opening of Eisai’s new £8 million packaging centre at Hatfield Business Park in December is one of the region’s key foreign business investments. The centre expanded the Japanese pharmaceutical company’s HQ on the park and increased the workforce by 10%.

“Over the past three years, Hertfordshire has benefitted from 62 foreign investment projects with 42 per cent in the A1(M) Growth Area, which includes Welwyn Hatfield, home to Hatfield Business Park.”

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Colin Haigh, Head of Planning at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, said: “The former Hatfield Aerodrome was identified in the 1990s as one of six key employment sites in Hertfordshire with the potential to play a major long term role in the county’s economy. The redevelopment of the main site started in 2001, with the aim of creating jobs, increasing prosperity, making the most

of the presence of the University of Hertfordshire, and creating a sustainable well-designed business environment. “The council has recently published a draft Economic Development Strategy for consultation with businesses in the borough. This aims to build on what the council, and our partners, are already doing to make Welwyn Hatfield an attractive place to do business – and Hatfield Business Park is a key part of this. “The transport links to London and the north, proximity to major international airports and excellent facilities give it significant strategic importance in attracting more investment into Welwyn Hatfield.”

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SpotlightOn

Business park is on the right road for success One of the many companies that call Hatfield Business Park home is Porsche.

Safety first for university Hatfield appeals to business park resident University of Hertfordshire for many reasons, not least because it was recently named in the list of top 20 safest towns for students in the UK. The ranking, compiled from official police data, is based on how exposed a student will be to crime in 64 of England and Wales’ student towns and cities. Hatfield was rated at 18th making it safer than the neighbouring cities of Cambridge, Luton and London. The research was carried out by StuRents.com - a student accommodation search portal.

Mike Murphy, its Centre Principal, said : “Porsche Centre Hatfield is proud to be located within the Business Park and has been operating as an Approved Porsche Centre for more than 30 years, providing the highest levels of service to customers throughout Hertfordshire and North London. “The vastly experienced team at the Centre is dedicated to making the purchase and ownership of a Porsche as exciting and fulfilling an experience as you would expect it to be.

The exquisitely presented showroom and state-of-the-art Aftersales Service facility allow customers to explore the whole Porsche range and discover more about these great cars. “The Centre was recently awarded ‘Porsche Classic Partner’ status, one of only three Centres nationwide to receive such an honour and entitle the Centre to offer an officially recognised specialist service for older Porsche models. “The benefits of being a Porsche Classic Partner include access to an incredible 52,000 different

parts covering a multitude of classic models. The Classic status is evident as soon as you enter the Centre with a prominent display area for classic Porsche cars and merchandise while Service customers have a dedicated point of contact from the After Sales team. “More than 70% of all Porsche cars ever made are still on the road, and Porsche Centre Hatfield will enable more owners of Classic Porsche cars to maintain and restore their Porsche for many years to come.“

Geraldine Ward, Deputy Dean of Students at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “This isn’t the first time Hatfield's safety been recognised and we welcome this reiteration. We want our students to have the best possible time with us and we take their welfare very seriously. “The University is proud of the highly productive partnership we have with the Hertfordshire Constabulary and the Welwyn Hatfield Community Safety Partnership and the University policing team. We do all of this to ensure our community is safe and welcoming for everyone.”

Have your say on economic development in Welwyn Hatfield The borough’s draft Economic Development Strategy, explaining Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s commitment to helping the local economy thrive, launched for consultation on August 20. It brings together everything the council, and its partners, are already doing to support businesses, as well as the economic strengths of Welwyn Hatfield. The document sets out a list of priorities and actions to help the borough’s economy excel. This includes providing one single point of contact within the council for business queries, establishing a business forum, and creating an online resource to help cut-through the myriad

of information available to support businesses. The draft strategy has been shaped around feedback from local businesses and retailers, gathered at a recent event and via an online survey. It follows the publication of the council’s 2015-18 business plan, which includes a new priority to help build a strong local economy. Councillor Bernard Sarson, Executive Member for Business

and Partnerships, said: “Building on our economic strengths is a new corporate focus for the council and this strategy is the first step in realising that ambition. “We have listened to what businesses felt we could improve and shaped this strategy around them. The council wants to work with partners to do more to help local businesses make the most of opportunities, so they can expand and create jobs.

“It is vital we hear what everyone thinks and, crucially, if the business community feels this strategy addresses the issues they’ve highlighted. I encourage everyone to get in touch and send us their comments.” To view the draft strategy, please visit www.welhat.gov.uk/economicdev. The deadline to respond is 5pm on Friday, 2 October. The final strategy is expected to be published in November.

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i3Q was established in 2000 to provide IT consultancy and support services to organisations in London and the home counties. Since this time we have benefited from strong growth and now offer services throughout the United Kingdom. Our IT Support services include: Technical Support Services, Business Telephony, Software Development, Network & Data Cabling, Backup & Disaster Recovery, Paxton Security Door Installations and much more. Please visit our website for more details.

www.i3q.com

01438 518700

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info@i3q.com

i3Q_Systems_Ltd

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YoungChamber

What is Young Chamber? Young Chamber is a new member offer for schools and colleges from the Accredited Chambers of Commerce in the UK. Its purpose is to help bridge the gap between businesses and the education sector.

Young Chamber provides a range of different ways in which Chambers of Commerce can help schools and colleges tap into the knowledge, skills and experience that local businesses can provide students for them to succeed in the world of work. As part of the Herts Young Chamber membership, schools and colleges will benefit from:

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• Careers networking events • Strategic links with local businesses • Employability support • Talks from local employers • Access to a pool of potential business governors • Work inspiration experiences – including visits to workplaces and site tours • Support in organising enterprise activities

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YoungChamber

How does it help schools and colleges? By signing up to our Young Chamber membership schools and colleges will be able to take advantage of the many connections that we have in the local business community.

different careers they could have, as well as the routes that they can take to get there. They will also learn what skills - both technical and soft - that they need to pursue a successful career once they leave education.

Students will gain insight into the world of work, and get the chance to learn about the

Best of all, Young Chamber helps schools and colleges meet Ofsted (or relevant school

inspectorate) requirements around provision of careers advice, preparation of pupils for employment, and engagement with employers. Currently there are 11 schools who have signed up to our Young Chamber Membership offer, they are the following: Onslow St Audrey's School, St Albans Girls School, The John

Warner School, The Priory School, Goffs School, Knights Templar School, Kings Langley, Nobel School, Herts and Essex, Sir John Lawes School and Hailey Hall School. To find out more please contact Sulina Odwong at sulinaodwong@hertschamber.com or phone 01707 398413.

The Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce are to hold a Your Future Careers Fair. This event is for young people aged 14-24 to inspire, enthuse and motivate them to think about prospective careers, the employment options available to them and to make the most of their remaining time in education. The Your Future Careers Fairs is a government funded national project to deliver 250 events through Chambers of Commerce, attracting over 70,000 young people across England. Dates and venues will be confirmed in due course, but will include;

• Information to raise awareness of Apprenticeships • Attendance by local businesses who will provide information on careers in their companies

• ‘Have a Go’ activities provided by a variety of organisations in different industries to give the young people a taster of what is involved in the work place

• Employed young people with real life experiences of what to expect in employment and what career progression options are available

• ‘Get Involved Workshops’ giving students employer perceptions of a good employee, what they look for in CV’s and more.

• Colleges and universities helping students understand their next step options in education • FREE Goodie Bags to all young people who attend If you would like to take a stand, sponsor, support or receive further details please call Sulina Odwong on 01707398413 or email yourfuture@hertschamber.com

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Legal

What you need to know: Consumer Rights Act 2015 Summary • In force from 1st October 2015. • Consumers’ rights will increase. • It covers contracts between businesses and consumers: standard terms or individually negotiated. • It brings together current rights and duties but there are important changes to unfair terms and the remedies consumers will be entitled to. • There are three main categories governing what the consumer rights and remedies are, depending on whether there is a supply of goods, services or digital content.

1. Consumer sales contracts for Goods

2. Consumer sales contracts for Services

Consumer Rights:

• Goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, match a description and, if applicable, correspond to a sample provided.

• Services should be provided with reasonable care and skill, the price should be reasonable and services should be undertaken within a reasonable time. What is “reasonable” will depend on the Services.

• A business cannot exclude these terms, or restrict its liability for breach of them. Remedies for breach: • The consumer has a short term right to reject the goods (30 days after delivery or installation). This right can be extended depending on whether the supplier has to replace or repair the defective goods. • If goods are non-conforming, the consumer may have the right to request repair or replacement, which must be done within a reasonable time. If this is not complied with, or, is not available the consumer has a right to a price reduction or can exercise their final right to reject the goods.

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• A business cannot exclude these terms, or restrict its liability for breach of them. Remedies for breach: • If services have been performed without skill and care, the consumer has the right for repeat performance. If this is not done in a reasonable time or is not possible, then the consumer has a right to a price reduction. • For services which are not provided within a reasonable time, the consumer can exercise their right for a price reduction.

3. Consumer sales contracts for Digital Content

• A business cannot exclude these terms, or restrict its liability for breach of them.

Consumer Rights:

• A business is not deemed to be supplying digital content merely because it provides services by which digital content reached the consumer, e.g. Internet Service Providers or mobile telephone suppliers.

• Digital context means data that is produced and supplied in digital form. This could be supplied with a physical product (either free or paid for) e.g. music, films or games, or in a nontangible form, e.g. music downloaded to a computer or apps onto a mobile phone. • Same rights as physical goods above, but instead of “sample”, “trial version” is used in relation to digital content.

Remedies for breach: • No right to reject digital content: the consumer may require repair or replacement. If this is unavailable or not provided within a reasonable time, the consumer can exercise their right to a price reduction or a refund.

“Goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, match a description and, if applicable, correspond to a sample provided.”

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Legal

“Digital context means data that is produced and supplied in digital form. This could be supplied with a physical product (either free or paid for) e.g. music, films or games, or in a non-tangible form, e.g. music downloaded to a computer or apps onto a mobile phone.”

4. Unfair Terms • A term or notice is unfair if it, contrary to the requirement of good faith, causes a significant imbalance between the parties to parties to the contract, to the detriment of the consumer. • The terms should be in plain, easy to understand language and clear. • The Act sets out a list of contract terms that will be considered unfair and a list which may be potentially unfair. Businesses should note: • If a term is unfair, it does not bind the consumer. • Greater powers have been given to regulators (e.g. Trading Standards Institute) to take action against businesses using unfair terms.

5. Enforcement powers and extension of civil penalties • There has been a consolidation of enforcement powers, which were spread across more than 60 pieces of legislation, including clarification of existing powers of TSI to enter premises, inspect, investigate and begin proceedings outside their own local authority area.

“There has been a consolidation of enforcement powers, which were spread across more than 60 pieces of legislation, including clarification of existing powers of TSI to enter premises, inspect, investigate and begin proceedings outside their own local authority area.”

• Greater powers to take action over non-compliance.

6. Competition Law • Private actions on competition law can be brought before the Competition Appeals Tribunal. • The limitation period has been extended to 6 years. • The Competition Appeals Tribunal will now have power to grant injunctions against on-going infringement of completion law.

Questions? For further information please contact: Sarah Liddiard Solicitor Commercial Department 01582 514303 sarah.liddiard@machins.co.uk

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MembersNews

Hertford careers fair adds up for Simon Balle School Hertford’s largest accountancy firm, Wilkins Kennedy, is pleased to have taken part in a successful afternoon at the recent careers’ fair held at Simon Balle School in Hertford.

Hillier Hopkins hands over £16,170 Accountancy firm Hillier Hopkins LLP handed over a cheque for £16,170 as part of fundraising activities in support of designated charity Watford Workshop.

On Wednesday 15th July the school held an event for all Year 10 and 12 students now starting to think about their first step on the career ladder. The event showcased a number of local employers, from an array of trades and professions, who were able to talk to the students in depth about possible career paths. Many students highlighted business and accountancy as a field of particular interest and the staff at Wilkins Kennedy Hertford were pleased to discuss all aspects of the job, including the services offered to clients and the different entry routes into the profession. On the day there was a steady stream of interested young people who spoke to the WK team, which included Nick Woolfe, one of the practice’s Directors, Deborah Williams and Amanda Fletcher, senior members of the audit and tax teams respectively. Mandy Wilson, Partner at Wilkins Kennedy Hertford said: “We greatly value our relationship with Simon Balle School and were delighted when we were asked to attend the fair. Our staff were overwhelmed by the amount of interest our stand received. We hope that the students found the afternoon enjoyable and insightful and that the fair has sown the seeds to nurturing some future accounting talent”.

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Grant Franklin, Managing Principal of Hillier Hopkins, handing over a cheque for £16,170 to the Watford Workshop team

The amount was raised at the St George’s Day Luncheon in April at the Hilton Watford Hotel and attended by more than 200 members of the firm, their clients and guests. The charity luncheon featured high-profile entertainment with comedian Mike Farrell and guest speaker Roger Dakin, former England Hockey goalkeeper. However, the star of the event was disabled worker Megan whose account of her devastating accident at the age of seven and her determination to succeed resulted in a standing ovation. Megan’s work experience and training have increased

her self-confidence so that not only could she stand up and speak to 200 business leaders but she also finished four weeks of work experience at a recruitment agency in Harrow and was offered a job one day a week. Gordon Sellers, Chairman of Watford Workshop, said “This amazing donation will enable Watford Workshop to provide in-work training with supervision, learning new skills which will enable the disabled people supported by the Workshop to improve their confidence and help them progress into independent living. “It will assist them with job search and help with

different work experiences. It will give them the abilities to undertake everyday activities such as shopping, food preparation, understanding written words and writing simple lists, thereby making them less dependent on carers and support.” Grant Franklin, Managing Principal of Hillier Hopkins, said “We are delighted to be able to help this great local charity continue its work which makes such a positive difference to disabled people’s lives. This wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible generosity of the clients and friends of Hillier Hopkins”.

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MembersNews

Trust Seeks Support in Award Bid Hertfordshire Chamber member Road Victims Trust is a local charity which provides free emotional and practical support to those affected by road death across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire and is hoping to scoop a coveted award.

The Road Victims Trust has entered the JustGiving Charity of the Year Awards and is hoping to amass as many votes as possible to be crowned JustGiving Charity of the Year. Each year there are more than 80 deaths on the roads across the three counties, which leads to over 250 people receiving support from the Trust. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Trust, during which time it has supported thousands of people whose lives have been devastated by a road death. It marked the occasion on 6 June with

a 20 mile walk supported by many police officers and staff. Chief Executive Mark Turner, a former Police Chief Superintendent, said: “All road deaths are violent and sudden with so many people’s lives changed in an instant. We are proud to be able to offer our unique services to people across the three counties, as this support is quite simply not available anywhere else.” Anyone who wants to vote for the charity should visit: http://just.ly/charity-award

“Each year there are more than 80 deaths on the roads across the three counties, which leads to over 250 people receiving support from the Trust.‘’

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Grants available for rural based businesses Small businesses, farmers, foresters and community groups across the rural areas of East Herts and North Herts, as well as Uttlesford and Epping Forest, will be able to access a £1.8m pot secured by East Herts Council through Defra and the EU from September 2015. The Eastern Plateau Rural Development for England (RDPE) fund will be managed and administered by East Herts Council in partnership with the Local Action Group (LAG) - a locally led group of rural-sector representatives. Businesses that benefitted from a similar fund in 2008-13 included:

G R O W I N G

• a popular 90-seat café at Pearce’s farm shop, near Buntingford • Threshing Barn Holiday Cottage at Jepps Farm, Hertford • Gibbs Sandtech, Braughing – eco-friendly sanding heads for the wood industry • Birchanger Wood, near Bishop’s Stortford – building and fencing for tool storage and tractor, trailer and tools. You can read more at www.eastherts.gov.uk/rdpe The new funding is focused towards capital projects that show business growth and job creation. It will assist projects covering farm productivity and diversification, rural tourism, provision of rural services, culture and heritage, forest productivity and business growth.

To find out more information call 01992 531618 and ask for Kari Hall or email kari.hall@eastherts.gov.uk Businesses in the rural areas in the west of Hertfordshire, including some areas of Dacorum, Three Rivers and North Herts can contact the Chilterns Local Action Group by emailing mike.furness@ngagesolutions.co.uk

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development Europe investing in rural areas

T H E

R U R A L

E C O N O M Y

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MembersNews

New Chief Executive for Peace Hospice Care Peace Hospice Care welcomes its new Chief Executive, Declan Carroll, who joined the organisation at the end of June 2015. With the 25th anniversary year coming up in 2016 and the launch of the Hospice’s new strategy, timing couldn’t be more perfect for Declan to join the charity. With extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, Declan has led the delivery of housing, community support and social care services over the last 20 years. Peace Hospice Care Chairman, David Ellis said ‘Declan’s business background and past senior leadership experience is a huge asset and his appointment will be of significant benefit to our patients, their families, our donors and the community we serve’. Declan sees his role as ensuring that the charity is able to respond to the needs of our community for many years to come: ‘Since my arrival I’ve become increasingly aware of just how important this charity is to people and my task is to make sure that the Hospice is able to continue providing services that meet the needs of the community over the next 25 years

and to ensure that the funds are firmly in place to deliver them’. Peace Hospice Care provides specialist support for people with life limiting illnesses through a 12 bed Inpatient Unit, Hospice at Home, supportive services like bereavement support and day services at its Starlight Centre. The charity depends on local support and business to raise £4.2 million of charitable income annually to run and develop its services. Businesses can get

involved in everything from volunteering to taking part in events like our Christmas Party or ‘Push it for the Peace’, our annual, muddy obstacle run taking place this year on the 3rd October. We are also excited that new CEO Declan will be able to attend our most prestigious fundraising event of the year, our House of Lords Dinner on the 1st October where he will be joined by our Royal Patron, Princess Michael of Kent, Lord Fellowes of West

Stafford, author and creator of Downton Abbey, and his wife Lady Fellowes. This annual event brings together some of the largest companies based in and around Watford and the Hospice’s loyal supporters. To find out about this, or any of our events, or to discuss how your company might support the charity please contact Vicky on 01923 330348 or email vluk@peacehospicecare.org.uk

Olympic Champion visits Grace Foods UK Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Jamaican Olympic and World 100m champion, took time out from the world athletics stage to visit Welwyn Garden City based Grace Foods UK. Shelly-Ann’s visit to the UK’s largest supplier of Caribbean food and drink marked the start of the official countdown to Caribbean Food Week (August 24 - 31), the UK’s biggest celebration of Caribbean cuisine, organised by Grace Foods. In addition to meeting dozens of Grace Foods employees, and signing autographs, Shelly-Ann met children from three local primary schools who quizzed her on everything from her favourite food, what it takes to be an Olympic champion, how often she trains and who is her favourite super hero?! Shelly-Ann said: “It was great to meet the children and to share with them what it takes if you want to be the best in your field, in

whatever you choose to do, and how important it is to have selfbelief.” Shelly-Ann is an ambassador for Grace Foods and during her visit sampled a selection of authentic Jamaican recipes that Grace Foods will promote during Caribbean Food Week. Grace Foods UK Head of Marketing Nyree Chambers said: “Shelly-Ann was an inspiration to everyone who met her. She was really interested in Caribbean Food Week and was delighted to hear that Grace Foods’ products are now widely available in the UK, enabling millions of people to enjoy the true taste of the Caribbean.” www.gracefoodsukgroup.com

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ChamberServices

Moneycorp Chamber Member Benefit Currency expert, moneycorp, offers an insight into the fast moving world of foreign exchange. It seems like an eternity since discussion of the Euro did not revolve around Greece but that is almost the case as we draw into August. The "almost" is because Greece has indeed featured in the news and does warrant mention. However, that news is, by and large, positive. Although the good people of Greece might not relish the austerity that will be heaped upon them as a condition of a fresh bailout, investors are relieved that they can - at least for a while - think about something else. Investors have been impressed by the determination with which the Greek prime minister has marshaled his troops to push through parliament reforms that are deeply unpalatable to many in his own party. Mr. Tsipras still has many hurdles to clear before the bailout money starts to flow again and there will probably be another general election before the end of the year. Nevertheless, because things are moving in the right direction for now, investors are inclined to take a more benevolent view of the euro. It was the top-performing major currency during the week commencing July 20, unhampered by any significant economic statistics. The euro added three quarters of a US cent and strengthened by two cents against sterling. Its future

performance will depend on Greece maintaining its refreshingly low profile in the weeks and months to come. Not much help was to be had from the euro zone economic statistics. Investors had to make what they could of such minutiae as Euro land construction output, and the official EC measure of consumer confidence. So no inspiration was to be found among the data: it was the more benign or at least less malign - attitude of investors that took the euro higher. They were upset, though, by the UK retail sales figures for June, which unexpectedly showed sales falling on the month. The news undid all of the good work done by the MPC minutes, and then some. The longer Greece stays out of the headlines, the betterdisposed investors are likely to be towards the euro. Although there are many hurdles yet to be cleared by Mr Tsipras and his reluctant grand coalition before the bailout cash starts to flow, investors will be overeager to fret about tomorrow's problems today. The single European currency was not the leader over the last 24 hours though it did well during the London session on July 27. All three of the IFO measures of German business confidence surprised investors by coming in ahead of forecast

and better than the previous month. However, while the figures were positive for the euro, it had already strengthened by a cent in the hour prior to their publication. A suspicious person might wonder if the IFO data had somehow been leaked, especially as the euro's upward move peaked immediately the official announcement was made. Even so, the euro managed to take a net half-cent off sterling and it added three quarters of a US cent. For a change, the Swiss franc was the laggard, losing half a cent to the pound.

If you need to make an international payment, get in touch with the exchange experts, Moneycorp. Please email enquiries to chamberfx@moneycorp.com or call +44 (0) 207 823 7400. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s completely free to open an account and there is no obligation to trade. If you would like to understand how you can access preferred rates at moneycorp via your Herts Chamber membership, please contact francesharris@hertschamber.com or on 01707398409.

For further information you can get our free daily and weekly market updates by email, just subscribe at: www.moneycorp.com/uk/media-centre/market-updates 32

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ChamberServices

Investing in Brazil to meet business goals With a GDP per head greater than both India and China, Brazil is one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

According to UKTI, 400 of the world’s 500 largest companies operate in Brazil, making it a top destination for business expansion. BGB Weston, a UK regulated fund management office with headquarters in London, invests in housing developments in Brazil. Flavio Favero from BGB Weston shares his experiences of operating in the country “We began investing in Brazil in 2011, following the strengthened social housing programme set out by the Brazilian government.

We now have a strong portfolio of investment projects, focusing on the construction of social housing. The majority of our projects are situated in north east Brazil, but as the economy keeps growing, so have the opportunities elsewhere in the country. Recent improvements in infrastructure are making Brazil an attractive destination for overseas investors, not to mention the new airport hub in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte region.

One of the major considerations when working internationally is assembling a team with the right experience, and choosing business partners that understand the market you are operating in. Using an international payment specialist has been an invaluable part of our operation in Brazil. It is important for us to make swift transfers and gain expert support at all times. Moneycorp has been able to provide this every step of the way.”

“Recent improvements in infrastructure are making Brazil an attractive destination for overseas investors, not to mention the new airport hub in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte region.‘’

Chamber signs new partnership with travel specialist Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce has signed a new partnership with sustainable travel specialist, Go Travel Solutions to provide sustainable travel choices for Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce member businesses based in Stevenage. The new partnership will enable Stevenagebased Chamber members to receive the first year free membership of Smartgo Stevenage. This will provide access to a wide range of discounts and offers from local and national travel providers including 10 per cent off rail season tickets, 15 per cent off a range of car hire options and discounts on cycling. For more details on the partnership or to sign up, visit www.smartgo.co.uk/stevenage. Yolanda Rugg, Chief Executive of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to support this fantastic initiative which stemmed from the local business forum that the Chamber ran several years ago. This is a great opportunity for businesses to help employees to commute safely, efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint, whilst also addressing parking challenges, a significant issue affecting growing organisations and a key issue faced by our members.” The Smartgo Stevenage travel network is co-ordinated by Go Travel Solutions and is focused on transforming business travel and commuting by delivering financial, health and environmental benefits for employees and businesses. Robin Pointon, Managing Director of Go Travel Solutions, added: “Employees are under increasing pressure to make their modes of commuting and business travel more cost-effective, healthier and more sustainable. Employers, such as the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce member businesses, can take advantage of these offers to access cheaper, easier and greener travel options for their staff. What’s more, this partnership could save Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce members up to £475 through offering 1st year free membership of Smartgo Stevenage.” Go Travel Solutions is a specialist sustainable transport consultancy serving businesses, public bodies and transport operators. See us online at www.go-travelsolutions.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoTravSolutions or connect to us on LinkedIn. For press enquiries, please contact: Simon Gribbon M: 07584 088353 E: pr@go-travel-solutions.com

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NewMembers

Welcome to new members Robert Mills Photography

Himsworth Legal Limited

Snokart

Commercial, Events and Portrait Photography and Google Trusted Photographer 3 Old Cross Hertford Hertfordshire SG14 1HX 01992 662799 www.robertmillsphotography.co.uk

Niche legal consultancy specialising in reputation and privacy protection Fountain Court 2 Victoria Square Victoria Street St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3TF 01727 800237 www.himsworthlegal.com

Snow sport and action sport luggage brand 01442 877298 www.snokart.com

Santander Relationship and Local Business Managers, opening of accounts for sole traders and LTD companies 3 Fawkon Walk Hoddesdon Hertfordshire EN11 8TS 07525824024 www.santander.co.uk/business

SEC Group Specialising in office fit out and refurbishment services and warehouse storage solutions Unit 11, The iO Centre Whittle Way Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 2BD 01438 731 990 www.sec-online.co.uk

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DDC Foods Ltd Wholesale and distributors of snacks and soft drinks Unit 32c Bourne End Industrial Estate Bourne End HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Hertfordshire HP1 2RN 01442 871071 www.ddcfoods.co.uk

Best Digital Ltd Printing and display 6 Little Mundells Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL7 1EW 01707 355700 www.bestdigital.org.uk

Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP Provider of assurance, tax and advisory services to clients across all industry sectors 10 Bricket Road St Albans Hertfordshire Al1 3YX 01727 892 353 www.pwc.com/uk

Altro Group Plc Sir John Lawes School State Secondary School Manland Way HARPENDEN Hertfordshire AL5 4QP 01582 760043 www.sjl.herts.sch.uk

Manufacturer and Sale of Safety Flooring, Hygienic Walls and Car Care Products Works Road Letchworth Hertfordshire SG6 1NW 01462 480480 www.altro.com

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NewMembers

Lee Valley Leisure Trust Limited Charitable organisation delivering community focused programmes Myddelton House Bulls Close Enfield Middlesex EN2 9HG 01992 709932 www.visitleevalley.org.uk

Kings Langley School Secondary School Love Lane Kings Langley Hertfordshire WD4 9HN 01923 264504 www.kingslangley.herts.sch.uk

De Vere Venues Ponsbourne Park Hotel venue set in 200 acres of countryside with 50 bedrooms a nd 15 meeting rooms Newgate Street Village Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 8QT 01707 876191 www.deverevenues.co.uk/en/venues/ ponsbourne-park

Lussmanns Fish and Grill Restaurant Restaurant Waxhouse Gate St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 4EW 07583 420402 www.lussmanns.com

Lussmanns Fish and Grill Restaurant

Miller Management Consultants

Restaurant 42 Fore Street Hertford Hertfordshire SG14 1BY 01992 505329 www.lussmanns.com

2 South End,

Business Management Consultant Bassingbourne ROYSTON SG8 5NG 01763 246045 www.millermanagementconsultants.com

Lussmanns Fish and Grill Restaurant Restaurant 20a Leyton Road Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2HU 01582 96539 www.lussmanns.com

CCOMM IT Solutions Professional IT Services that just works Media House 2 Sandridge Park St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 6PH 01727 758044 www.ccommit.co.uk

Churchill Retirement Living Retirement House builder Churchill House Alban Park Hatfield Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL4 0LA 079206 54139 www.churchillretirement.co.uk

Mind in Mid Herts We aim to reduce the number of people suffering from mental health issues 11 Hatfield Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3RR 01727 865070 www.mindinmidherts.org.uk

Kate Bellingham Ltd Championing Girls and Opportunities in Engineering, TV and Radio Presenter 077180 47085 www.katebellingham.com

Nexcape Pharmaceuticals Ltd Redefining value discovery in

Energy My Way Hertfordshire Renewable Energy Heating 10 Dahlia Close Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN7 6NW 01707 872017 www.energymyway.co.uk/region/ hertfordshire

Pharmaceuticals 15 Martinfield Business Centre Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL7 1HG 078975 23650 www.nexcapepharma.com

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ChamberEvents

Chamber Networking Breakfast with Ambition Broxbourne Date: 24 September Time: 07.30 - 9.30 Venue: Rye House Kart Raceway, Rye House, Rye Way, Hoddesdon, Herts EN11 0EH Cost: £15.00 members £18.00 non-members This event will take us to the Rye House Kart Raceway in Hoddeson for some fantastic networking in this unique setting. If you have never visited before, this is the perfect opportunity to come along and see what this versatile venue has to offer.

Following the networking, delegates will have the option to stay on to test their driving skills and take part in the Chamber Grand Prix - racing on the very track that Lewis Hamilton launched his career from.

West Herts Breakfast Briefing Managing People: The Generation Game Date: 30 September Time: 7.30 - 9.30 Venue: Mercure London Watford, A41 Watford Bypass, Watford, WD25 8JH Cost: £20.40 members £24.00 non-members We are approaching a time when your business will have to manage the needs and behaviours of four different generations all at once. And make no mistake, each generation behaves very differently. This insightful session, led by Russell Beck, Impellam's Head of Consulting, uses the latest research to help you understand:

• What defines each generation • The political, social and technological factors behind their contrasting behaviours • Their strengths and weaknesses • Potential areas of conflict • How you can successfully manage a generationally diverse workforce

Customer Experience Breakfast Are you easy to do business with? Date: 9 October Time: 08.00 - 11.00 Venue: Fielder Conference Centre, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield Avenue, Hatfield, AL10 9TP Cost: £25.00 members £30.00 non-members Come along and hear from local experts in the field of Customer Experience at this networking seminar and enjoy a morning of key note speakers and networking. Whilst the economy continues the struggle to get out of the recession, the customer has

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become far more powerful and demanding, requiring businesses to become more agile in order to respond speedily to the evolving needs of today’s discerning customers. Many leading organisations have become customer centric and taken a board level priority

to optimise the intangible benefits from improved customer, employee and stakeholder experiences, to heighten their business performance. Come and hear from customer service managers how they drive customer advocacy,

engage their employees, and how they respond to advances in the consumers’ use of technology. This event welcomes businesses of all sizes interested in learning from experts in the field of Customer Service Management.

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ChamberEvents

Women in Leadership Aftternoon Tea Date:

16 October

Time:

13,00 - 14.30

Venue: Pendley Manor Hotel, Tring Cost:

£20.40 members £25.00 non-members

On Friday 16th October we continue with our initiative to provide an inspiring platform for Hertfordshire businesswomen to network with their peers, develop leadership skills and provide mentoring, support and inspiration to the next generation of women business leaders. Our guest speaker will be Dr Claire Thompson, Agility Health Tech Claire has more than 15 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry spanning the large multi-nationals GlaxoSmithKline and

Pfizer, virtual and Contract Research Organisations.

is on conveying a message in an impactful manner to the target audience.

Having taken a range of therapeutic products through clinical Phases 1 to 3, she thrives on translating innovative technologies into healthcare products and shaping technical and organisational strategies. Exceptional communication is key in everything she does.

Claire holds a degree in Biochemistry from the University of St. Andrews and a PhD from the School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham. Claire also holds Honorary Senior Lecturer positions with University of Birmingham and University College London. She is Chief Scientist of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and plays a leading role in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s professional recognition programme.

Whether it is writing investor communications, technical and regulatory reports, Trade Press articles or talking at international conferences, Claire’s focus

Dates for your Diary • Chamber HR Forum 14 October 2015 • Women in Leadership - Afternoon Tea 16 October 2015 • North Herts Breakfast Briefing - 'Managing People: The Generation Game' 21 October 2015

• Networking Breakfast Crowdfunding: Alternative Finance for SME's 11 November 2015 • Chamber Networking Evening & Brewery Tour 19 November 2015 • Inspiring Hertfordshire 2016 Launch Evening 16 December 2015

If you would like to register for an event or would like further information or would like to book on to an event please contact Jodie Reid on 01707 398400 or email jodiereid@hertschamber.com Alternatively visit our website www.hertschamber.com INSPIRE

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ChamberEvents

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s

Annual Chairman’s Dinner

Thursday 1 October 7pm - 11:30pm Sopwell House, St Albans Sponsored by HSBC and Maserati

Neville Reyner CBE DL, Chairman of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, cordially invites you to attend this prestigious black tie event, held in the illustrious surroundings of Sopwell House in St Albans. This annual event, sponsored by HSBC Bank PLC and Maserati is attended by business people from across Hertfordshire. Companies take the opportunity to come together and invite clients and colleagues for an evening of fine food and entertainment. We are pleased to announce that our special guest and after dinner speaker this year is Angus Thirlwell, Co-Founder of Hotel Chocolat.Teens Unite are the nominated charity for the evening and a funds will be raised in the form of a fun casino. We hope very much that you will be able to join us at what will be a superb event.

Angus Thirlwell Co-Founder of Hotel Chocolat To say that Angus Thirlwell is passionate about chocolate would be an understatement because, as he willingly admits, it’s more of an obsession. Together with his business partner, Peter Harris, he founded Hotel Chocolat in 2004 with three guiding principles that remain central to the brand’s success today – authenticity, originality and ethics. Angus religiously eats chocolate every day, tastes and approves every single recipe, and is as much at home in the development kitchen as he is in the boardroom or amongst the cocoa trees.

This is an ideal opportunity to bring along clients and/ or colleagues for what will be a superb evening.

Tickets are on sale now at £625 + vat for a table of 10 or £65 + vat each. Please contact jodiereid@hertschamber.com to reserve your place. 38

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ChamberEvents

Ambition 2015 A sales and marketing event to drive your business to the next level! Thursday 19 November 9.30am - 4pm High Leigh Conference Centre, Lord Street, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire EN11 8SG

Some of the UK’s leading experts in Sales and Marketing are coming to Hoddesdon to share their best ideas with you. Hear from:

industry, under his leadership Brother have been named a Times Top 100 Place to Work as well as an Investors in People 'Gold' employer in 2015.

Lara Morgan - who built her business from scratch and sold her 99% stake for £20m. Voted in the UK’s 10 most powerful businesswomen. (MSN Lifestyle)

Geoff Ramm - A multiaward winning speaker who has challenged and inspired audiences across five continents. The ‘Billy Connolly’ of service and marketing.

Phil Jones - Managing Director of Brother UK. Named on the Power 100 for Insider North West Magazine, a Top 100 Thinker by Britain Means Business and a Top 100 figure in the Manufacturing

Andy Lopata - Global authority and author of three books on networking and referrals. The Financial Times called him ‘One of Europe’s leading business networking strategists’.

Zoe Jackson MBE Award winning entrepreneur Zoe Jackson MBE, set up the Living the Dream Performing Arts Company at the age of 16 in 2006 to inspire young people and to subsidise her own performing arts training and education. Zoe has been included in the “Top 100 Inspiring Women” in Elle magazine as part of their “This is what a feminist looks like” Christmas issue 2014.

£57 per ticket. All profits from the event go to Teens Unite & Isabel Hospice Book at www.ambition2015.biz

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Do you know? The University of Hertfordshire can provide access to a wide range of expertise that will enable your business to grow. By partnering with us, our Knowledge Transfer Team will work with you throughout an impactful project of your choice.

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Knowledge Transfer will:

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Find out how Knowledge Transfer could help your business

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go.herts.ac.uk/knowledgetransfer + 44 (0) 1707 286406 ktp@herts.ac.uk

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WELWYN GARDEN CITY â&#x20AC;˘ 01707 390018 WELWYN â&#x20AC;˘ 01438 714686 HERTFORD â&#x20AC;˘ 01992 582052 WARE â&#x20AC;˘ 01920 468551

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ASHBOURNE INSURANCE According to Money Saving Expert, the average annual premium for a 17-22 year-old driver is £1,242. After the recent Budget, in which it was announced that the Insurance Premium Tax later this year would rise to 9.5%, it’s estimated that the average cost for drivers under 25 will rise by around £50. The good news is that two new schemes have been developed to help reduce the cost of insurance for young drivers.

themselves on a monthly basis with a policy that provides cover which is entirely separate from the car owner’s. In effect, the learner driver can gain as many hours of driving practice as they need, safe in the knowledge that if they were to have an accident, the car owner’s usual policy would not be affected and their No Claims Bonus will remain intact.

For undergraduates aged 18-24, Unisure provides competitive rates without the need for telematics – a GPS device which gives your insurance company data about your driving. Unisure is available to students who have held a full licence for at least a year with no no-fault claims or convictions disclosed in the previous three years. It offers comprehensive and third party cover to full time students, though will accept part-time occupations. Marmalade New Driver is a telematics scheme for 1724 year olds. It enables them to build up a no claims bonus depending on how well they drive, and by using the technology to help them develop safer driving skills. Feedback is available online instantly after every journey through a web based portal which offers eLearning modules to help young drivers become even safer. In addition to these new policies is the Covered Learner Driver policy. This enables learner drivers to cover

7DON WR RQH RI $VKERXUQHâV IULHQGO\ DGYLVHUV WR ðQG RXW more about young driver insurance.

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WorkPlace

What can the millennial generation bring to the boardroom? According to statistics published last summer, the average company boss is 54 years old, male and privately educated.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In terms of how they do business, Generation Y tend to be entrepreneurial, innovative and more alive to the needs of the digital consumer fed by a social media world than older generations.â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

With the rise of the millennial generation otherwise known as Generation Y shaking up the business world, Leona Barr Jones Change Management expert and Managing Director of Barr Jones Associates believes that businesses need to embrace diversity in both age and gender in order to survive in the 21st Century. Here she looks at the important role that younger generations can play in today's business world.

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Future leaders are already shaping how we do business. Technology is a driver for Generation Y - their aspirations and the changes they envision for the future are key to understanding their potential. A whole generation of young entrepreneurs born in the 1980s to mid1990s and technology savvy had a quick rise up the pecking order, facilitated partly by the global recession. While some businesses sank without trace, many entrepreneurial young people set up

their own businesses, making the most of new technology and succeeded in making profitable businesses out of their digital creativity and knowledge. Phenomenally successful business people came through at this time including Mark Zuckerberg founder of Facebook. As the business and competitive landscape changes, companies are beginning to understand that they need to both bring in new talent and retain their top employees to remain relevant.

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WorkPlace

So what can Generation Y bring to the business world that those who are older, wiser and more experienced cannot?

understand the digital world and have a global outlook. Generation Y provides this.

In terms of how they do business, Generation Y tend to be entrepreneurial, innovative and more alive to the needs of the digital consumer fed by a social media world than older generations.

Using technology well can transform many businesses and open up new customer channels that may have been previously untapped. This is an area that Generation Y often excels in and they can bring fresh thinking and a new perspective to a business. A great example of this is Holly Tucker MBE, founder of Notonthehighstreet.com who used the growing power of web based shopping to build her successful business online.

Forward thinking businesses both large and small are increasingly understanding the importance of someone who is at home in this world and that the rise to the boardroom is not just about accumulating decades of experience in a particular sector but it is about translating digital knowledge into business strategy. Organisations are increasingly realising that they need board members that

Although the millennial generation can bring fresh thinking and tech savvy brains to a business, that is not necessarily the complete picture. There is very definitely

still a place for older, wiser and more experienced business entrepreneurs from the baby boom generation and Generation X. Nothing can outweigh the breadth and depth of experience doing time in middle management brings you. Experience helps a business through the hard times and can put the brakes on if the business is growing too fast. A good business board should allow space for the millennial generation and not allow themselves to become cut off from the real world. Let's makesure that boardrooms of the future are diverse and a true representation of their customers and the wider world.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although the millennial generation can bring fresh thinking and tech savvy brains to a business, that is not necessarily the complete picture. There is very definitely still a place for older, wiser and more experienced business entrepreneurs from the baby boom generation and Generation X.â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Leona Barr Jones Founder Barr Jones Associates

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WorkPlace

IN’n’OUT To affinity and beyond for IN’n’OUT Chamber member IN’n’OUT car servicing has announced the appointment of Rosie Clowsley as its New Business Development Manager, covering the Hertfordshire region. Rosie is now the first point of contact for members who currently take advantage of the ‘member to member’ deals available at the firm’s Stevenage Centre. Rosie says she is also keen to hear from any other members interested in offering an exclusive staff benefit for MOTs and services to their car owning employees. ‘I’m looking forward to introducing myself to the companies we already have affinity arrangements with, as well as meeting those who are yet to take advantage of the great savings we are able to offer. It will give me chance to explain the proposition in more detail and showcase the marketing materials we produce to assist their internal communication.’ IN’n’OUT affinity members not only save money, they also enjoy a refreshingly different and much more enjoyable experience to that offered by traditional garages.

Rosie Clowsley Business Development Manager

Rosie explains: ‘A visit to any IN’n’OUT centre is a world away from the old fashioned, scruffy back street MOT and service centres we all know, gone are the days of dirty plastic chairs and freezing cold reception areas. Being a working Mum of three Children I fell in love with the idea of visiting a friendly garage where I can take my Children

and have my car back within the hour. No more stress of arranging child care or losing the car for the day! ‘Our customers have use of a smart lounge with complimentary coffee and free wi-fi, so they can continue working or Facebooking while watching highly trained technicians carry out the necessary work through the viewing window. They will also find every member of staff friendly, helpful and with a promise never to baffle them with motoring jargon.’ She adds: ‘The business has been built on five key brand values which are clarity in pricing, convenience of while you wait time slots, customer service, a clean and comfortable environment and a commitment to achieve 100% customer satisfaction. This all adds up to car servicing the way it should be.’ What’s more, the staff benefit offer made by IN’n’OUT to Chamber members is also applicable to spouses, partners and children. If you are interested in taking advantage of this exclusive offer on car servicing and MOTs please contact Rosie at roseann.clowsley@in-n-out.co.uk

“A visit to any IN’n’OUT centre is a world away from the old fashioned, scruffy back street MOT and service centres we all know, gone are the days of dirty plastic chairs and freezing cold reception areas.‘’

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24Hours

24.Hours

Phil Mayo Managing Director Premier EDA Solutions

Phil Mayo’s working day as managing director of a growing business is one that finds him typically balancing the big strategic issues with the small day to day ones. The boss of Stanstead Abbotts-based Premier EDA Solutions founded his company in 1994 and today it is growing rapidly, employs 18 people and supplies electronic software to clients throughout the UK. That means that because his team is still relatively small, he can spend the day dealing with everything from major issues related to increasing business to maintenance matters at the offices. As a father, he is used to waking early but he does not get into the office until 8.45am, having had a short workout first. He said: “I like to wake up properly so do not rush into the office very early. My first job is to go through my emails and prioritise them to work out what needs to be actioned first. “I do not reply to those requiring actioning immediately because I do not believe in these shoot-from-the-hip emails that are sent without without being fully considered. I would rather take some time to think about them. “I have an excellent team but I do get dragged into a wide variety of tasks at all levels in the company. “That means that my day after dealing with the emails is varied. The business is in a transitional stage as it seeks to grow which means that I can find myself dealing with strategic

international issues one moment and sorting out the coffee machine which is not working the next. “Sometimes it is the small things that need to be dealt with urgently and the big strategic issues that must wait. “I like to spend some of my day meeting clients because I think that it is important that we retain face-to face contact with them. “It is also useful to hear what people are talking about because it is such a fast-moving business and some of the skills I learned as an electronics engineer at college are not relevant now so I need to make sure that I keep up to date with developments. “The electronics sector changes rapidly and we work hard to take advantage of that and exploit the varied opportunities that this creates. Business is doing very well at the moment and has shown year-on-year growth for the past decade. “My working day typically ends at 5.15. Gone are the days when I was still at work at nine because I recognise the need to maintain a healthy work-life balance. “Some years ago I realised that there is an infinite amount of work to do and there was a danger that I was on a treadmill of perpetual work. “I realised that even if I worked 24 hours a day there would still be an infinite amount of work to do tomorrow. So it’s about prioritising what needs to be done and working smart.”

A working day that is varied as they come INSPIRE

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Asset finance / Re-finance / Buisness Loans Factoring and Invoice Discounting To find out how we can help, contact us on: T 01992 440048 or 01992 441195 andrew.moore@jaydenfinance.co.uk www.jaydenfinance.co.uk

CONFERENCE FACILITIES A N D M E E T I N G RO O M S from ÂŁ35 per person Price includes:

Paradise Wildlife Park, White Stubbs Lane Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QA

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x x x x

Elegant surroundings Room hire All day catering Projector screen

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AV stationery Wi-Fi connectivity Free parking Water & cordials

Rickmansworrth, Hertfordshire WD3 1QN 01923 773146 enquiries@moorparkkgc.co.uk www.moorparkkgc.co.uk

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ProfessionalDevelopment

Professional Development skills - what do tomorrow's leaders need? Develop management capability for 25% less with the University of Hertfordshire

“Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce have negotiated a 25% reduction in the cost of any of the UH Courses on the following website for a limited period www.herts.ac.uk/courses”

Improve competitive advantage • Maintain an efficient delivery process and win new business

• Project Management

• Save time, cost and energy

• Supply Chain Management

• Identify and establish new markets • Keep your customers happy

• Strategic Business and Information Systems

• International Business

• Management

• Operations Management

• Marketing

• Project Management Practice (NCPM)

If you would like to book a place or require any further information please contact Laura Shoobridge laurashoobridge@hertschamber.com or phone 01707 398400 4 Bishops Square, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9NE Tel: 01707 398000 Fax: 01707 398430 www.hertschamber.com

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WorkPlace

Could we do more to prevent bullying in the work place? Whether or not 'bullying' has taken place in work arenas can be quite subjective. By Vince Tanner For some of us, the boss 'having a rant' is nothing to do with the individual personally and is part of the day to day pressure of modern working life. Another employee in the same situation may however feel quite differently about their boss’ behaviour. However, under the Equality Act 2010 both harassment and bullying are behaviours that are unlawful in the U.K. “A study in 2011, by public sector union Unison, reported that 6 out of 10 public sector workers in the UK had either been bullied themselves or had witnessed bullying in their workplace.” These findings suggest a strong link between the increased incidence of bullying in the workplace and the economic downturn, with one in four workers believing that staff cutbacks have been a direct cause of workplace bullying. “The majority of those polled in the Unison survey - 53% - said they would be too scared to raise concerns over bullying in the current climate” This was compared with just 25% two years before! However, if employees are not speaking out about bullying, it does not mean they are not suffering. There is a clear link between increased bullying and rates of workplace stress and sickness absence. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development reported that stress is now the major cause of longterm sickness absence for both manual and non-manual workers.

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How Bullying Works It was only when, halfway through my training as a counsellor, I became aware of how my own behaviour as a Managing Director affected my colleagues in the company. This coincided with when I was studying the theory of object relations, devised by Melanie Klein. Klein’s theory describes how we as adults relate to people through our previous experiences, particularly those who we associate

as authoritative figures. I realised that, as a boss, whatever I think of my people skills, colleagues will see me in a different way to how I perceive myself. If, for instance, a new employee has one or several negative experiences with a previous boss or manager, it is highly likely that this would impact their working relationship with their current boss. If we choose to become more aware of how we affect people around us, we can use this insight to effectively

create a positive working environment. Take this a step further and those who start to challenge these negative beliefs are likely to see an increase in productivity, less sick days and a happier workforce. It is important to remember that the purpose of bullying is often to hide inadequacy of the perpetrator. This article is intended to raise awareness of the issues that can occur in the workplace but does not

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Sigma and Windows 10 Sigma Office Ltd are ready to upgrade your computers to Windows 10. We are running it successfully in house through the preview period and now with the production version.

suggest that each workplace is the same. I hope it will make more people aware of themselves and their colleagues. We can all have 'off days' and sometimes it might be better to stay and work at home, for example. However due to external pressures, such as deadlines or other colleagues being off sick, we are expected to be there. Realising that the challenges of modern day work

environments can put undue stresses on managers is important, however unreasonable behaviour should not be tolerated and employees should be encouraged to be resilient enough to push back in these circumstances. Where bullying is experienced, it is important to be able to talk to someone about it - family, friends, colleagues or a counsellor so that you understand it is

unlikely to be 'your fault'. Challenging the situation with the right support will enable you to move forwards even if you decide not to approach the situation formally. At Hertford Counselling Service we believe that looking after your health is paramount and high levels of stress and anxiety that bullying can create can be very damaging.

“Where bullying is experienced, it is important to be able to talk to someone about it - family, friends, colleagues or a counsellor - so that you understand it is unlikely to be 'your fault'.‘’

There are clear guidelines regarding bullying and some useful links are included below: www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment www.bullyonline.org/index.htm www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/bullyingatwork.aspx www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3861

Windows 10 is a smooth operating system with the best bits of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 and if set up carefully is secure. The killer feature is probably Cortana, the voice activation that works on all the Windows devices with microphones and makes operating the computer enjoyable and efficient. The new browser Edge is fast and easy to use. The use of different devices to do the same work is easy and moving from one device to another is seamless. We are trained to set up the new operating system. Microsoft is not charging for the new software for most users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 for the first year to encourage quick upgrade adoption. We have expanded our capabilities increasing our staff and facilities so we are better able to support business IT with workstation and server maintenance. We now have a dedicated server team able to respond quickly to any urgent needs to keep business IT running successfully. www.sigma-office.net

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Welcome to Computacenter Name: Company: Job title:

Q What do you do? I am responsible for leading our service delivery team here at Computacenter in the UK. When we successfully win a new customer, it is my team that safely manage both the transition of services to Computacenter, and often, staff too. I then have a team of Service Directors across the UK who are responsible for the on-going delivery of services, whether that be SLA based services, or transformational programmes, into that customer. It is our job to ensure that the services we deliver not only meet, but exceed the customer expectation. Supporting our sales team through the delivery of excellent customer service is critical to us if we want to further grow our business. We do this by working closely with our customers to ensure we understand their changing business and IT. needs in this fast-paced digital world. In addition, retaining our customers for many years, by staying fully aligned with their strategy, is also paramount.

Patrons

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Julie O’Hara Computacenter UK Director Customer Services

Q Who do you work for ? I work for Computacenter – Europe’s preferred IT provider to enable users and their businesses. We are a UK based Company with offices across Europe and deliver services to our customers globally. We help our customers address IT complexity and change and exploit technology driven opportunities for the benefit of their users and business stakeholders. As an IT infrastructure provider, our portfolio of services and solutions covers what is widely known in the market as Edge IT and Core IT. When a customer works with Computacenter, whether it be for a consulting project, a managed service or a sourcing contract, we work with them in partnership to ensure we deliver the improvements and value they want for their business in the long term. Q Why did you join the chamber? Our UK Headquarters is in Hatfield, and I felt it was important to join. Q What do you get from it?It’s enabled me to connect with other businesses and understand the local economy and dynamics better. Q How has it helped your business network? As a result of joining the Chamber I’ve been able to nurture my local business contacts including the University, with whom we now meet with the under-graduates as part of our own Graduate Program.

Q What advice would you give someone starting out? Really listen and understand your customer needs! Q What are your biggest challenges in running and growing a business? In today’s digital era, businesses are struggling to keep up with the ever-evolving technology landscape. Emerging technologies, such as cloud, social and analytics offer great opportunities for those who can leverage these solutions effectively – but a lot of businesses are stuck in limbo when it comes to deploying. This is putting them behind the competition and unable to keep up with the demands of today’s tech-savvy customer. Q What support do you want from Government? My personal view is that we need to ensure that there is more funding made available for start-ups – and to encourage the entrepreneur – 30 years ago, we were a small organisation ourselves! Q How confident are you your business will grow in 2015? In the past quarter alone we have taken on several large clients, which continues to fuel our success and I remain very optimistic about the outlook for 2015 and 2016.

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