Lets Talk Business November 2022

business let’s

IDENTITY

for West London Chambers of Commerce

THE BIG INTERVIEW SHANKAR DEVARASHETTY takes the bold step and sets up his own business in Chiswick

INSIDE: SPOTLIGHT FOCUS - Feltham an aspirational destination with opportunity and growth • INTERNATIONAL TRADE - Hounslow marks 40th twin-town anniversary with Issy-les-Moulineaux • HEALTH & WELLBEING - Supporting those with mental health conditions back into the workplace

West London Chambers of Commerce

Welcome to

Welcome to our year end edition and our brand launch of West London Chambers of Commerce.

We owe our thanks to Simon Inc for our new brand and logo, bringing the three boroughs together, to create a Chamber to champion local business in West London and give our companies access to the world.

In this edition, we feature help and advice for SMEs on social media, accountancy, education, retail and a case study on one of Feltham’s best companies. Plus, we highlight our activities during

Enquiries

West London Chambers of Commerce

Spring Grove House, West Thames College, London Road, Isleworth TW7

Tel: 07879 813817

Email: sallysmith@hounslowchamber.org.uk Web: www.westlondonchambers.org.uk

latest edition

International Trade Week with events on Morocco, Libya, Oman, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, we also reflect on our recent visit to our twin town suburb of Paris Issy Les Moulineaux.

Finally, we congratulate all the companies that took part in our Business Awards 2022, our biggest event of the year.

Alan Rides MIEx (Grad) CEO

Publisher

Benham Publishing Limited

Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ

Tel: 0151 236 4141

Web: www.benhampublishing.com

Media No. 1924 Published November 2022

Editor

David Burrows

Email: david@benhampublishing.com

Tel: 0151 236 4141

Contributing editor David Burrows

Features

Karen Hall

Tel: 0151 236 4141

Email:karen@benhampublishing.com

Karen Hall

Tel: 07801 788880

Email: karen@benhampublishing.com

Production Mark Etherington

Tel: 0151 236 4141

Email: mark@benhampublishing.com

Chambers of Commerce

New brand identity for West London Chambers

Hounslow Chamber of Commerce came into being through uniting Feltham, Hounslow and Chiswick Chambers whilst also working on joint events with Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham Chambers.

London Chamber has now asked that they also offer this fully joined-up Chamber service to Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham - which they are proud to do under the banner of a dynamic new organisation, now known as West London Chambers of Commerce.

It is a rebranding for the modern age, creating a powerful body that aims to both help existing businesses expand and find new opportunities that will allow them to generate employment and prosperity, and encourage new start-ups by giving them the support and resources they need to meet the challenges created by an ever-evolving, highly competitive marketplace.

To guarantee continued success in the future, it is vital that cities ‘think smart’ - on everything from ecology to technology. Uniting the three boroughs means they can do exactly that - and afford all the businesses within their borders the space they need to grow and thrive, with the wider community benefitting from not just an increase in employment, but also from property development and the myriad other opportunities expansion generates on and around our high streets

When Hounslow Chamber of Commerce invited Simon Inc Ltd to pitch for the job of designing a new brand identity for West London Chambers, we saw it as a tremendous creative opportunity, but one which brought with it several fundamental challenges.

How could we represent Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham without losing our Hounslow roots? How can we leverage the international and historical reputation of the Chambers of Commerce and at the same time present a new, energetic, forward-thinking brand? How can we appeal to a new generation of entrepreneurs and “smart” businesses

without alienating our existing and established membership base? How can we reflect the wealth of experience that Hounslow Chamber brings in terms of international trade and expertise, and at the same time reassure West London businesses that the Chamber is here for them, to represent local issues and concerns.

We started the branding process by working with the Chambers’ leadership team to really consolidate the strategic positioning of the new organisation: what are the core attributes of the brand, the benefits that it brings to its’ members, what is the personality and character that we want to convey. How should West London Chambers of Commerce sound when they talk about themselves.

Once we had established a robust positioning platform for the new organisation, we were able to start working on the visual identity, ensuring that it supports that position throughout its’ evolution.

We focused on creating a bold, dynamic logomark, developed as a visual representation of the convergence of the three boroughs, Hounslow, Ealing,

and Hammersmith & Fulham. Three bars merge and intersect to create a star shaped mark, and at its’ heart, a triangle forming a Westward-pointing arrowhead.

The logotype is Cairo. It is contemporary and highly legible, with a professional, almost technical precision, but it still remains friendly and approachable. It features variable weights and supports a range of languages and scripts including Arabic, Farsi and Urdu.

We retained continuity with the Hounslow Chamber of Commerce branding through a predominantly blue colour palette, supported by a limited range of dark neutrals and brighter highlight colours.

The Westward-pointing arrowhead is highlighted in vibrant red and orange, and there is a secondary arrowhead created by a darker shade of blue; an upward-pointing arrow, representing the dynamism, progress, growth, and energy of businesses in West London.

In the modern business environment, brand identities must be flexible and adaptable to be usable across the

wide range of platforms and channels, within the offline world and in the digital space.

So, we designed a range of lockups for the logotype and logomark, with options for use against white or dark backgrounds, and a graphic language that can evolve and reconfigure as we start to use the new branding.

We created a design guidelines document to outline the key brand assets that make up the visual identity and graphic language, and the basic principles for using them in a consistent and effective way.

It is an exciting time for West London Chambers of Commerce, and it is exciting for us to play a part in it. We have created a contemporary brand identity which is anchored in the core values of being Local & Global, Inclusive, Collaborative, Connected, Expert & Trusted, and which is reflective of the brand personality traits of being Progressive, Dynamic, Approachable, Empowering and Diplomatic.

I am looking forward to seeing how this visual identity takes its’ place in the world, how it is received and how it develops over time and with use.

In the modern business environment, brand identities must be flexible and adaptable to be usable across the wide range of platforms and channels, within the offline world and in the digital space.

Community Fibre’s £6 million broadband investment ensures

Hounslow’s communities are connected

Hounslow Council signed a nonexclusive wayleave agreement with Community Fibre in March 2021. The agreement with Community Fibre meant that the broadband provider were able to install fast internet connections in more than 14,200 properties and community spaces, as well as enabling Hounslow businesses access to speeds up to 10Gbps. The work will continue in the Hounslow West area - delivering a further 3,400 properties by the end of 2022. The offer will be widely promoted including through Community Solutions, the Council’s overarching approach to early help and prevention, and the Hounslow Connect Digital Platform.

Community Fibre is also currently the only broadband provider which doesn’t ask customers to provide proof of eligibility from those wanting to access a social tariff. Its Essential 10 Mbps package is available to anyone who needs support staying connected online during the cost of living crisis.

The partnership with Community Fibre was reached to vastly improve connectivity rates in the borough and tackle digital exclusion. Since works began last year, full fibre connections have increased from 13.6 per cent to 37.2 per cent. In the Feltham and Heston parliamentary constituency this rise has been even more dramatic with connections increasing from 8.5 per cent to 44.5 per cent in just one year.

Last week, the Council’s Cabinet approved the progress and updates to the Council’s Digital Strategy. Since being first approved in March 2020, the strategy has achieved a range of successes including:

• Empowering libraries to become digital data hubs

• Delivering over 1300 recycled laptops and desktops to people in need

• Providing skills workshops and improving online access to Council services.

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, said: “Digital inclusivity is the main aim of the Council’s Digital approach, ensuring communities are connected and inclusive with no one being left behind. During the pandemic, we identified the

problems affecting our residents and have implemented real changes to residents’ lives, ensuring they are connected through fast broadband services and have the skills necessary to succeed in the digital age, which has become more important than ever.

“Tackling digital exclusion is one of the many ways we are reducing inequality in the borough. We’ve made huge uplifts to the areas that needed it the most in areas such as Feltham and Heston.

“Digital Inclusion has three key elements, skills, access, and affordability, whether that means us stepping in to provide the equipment and infrastructure to get people connected or working with our community and voluntary sector partners to deliver training and support including through our Community Solutions approach, we are committed to improving our residents’ quality of life.”

Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre, added: “At Community Fibre, we believe that everyone should have access to the best internet to ensure growth and greater opportunities for all. We are pleased to be working with Hounslow Council to bring London’s fastest internet to its residents at the best prices, as we continue to accelerate our full fibre rollout to facilitate better internet for everyone supported by our Community Investments and Digital Ambassadors programme.”

Hounslow Council’s partnership with Community Fibre yields successful results with over 14,200 properties and community spaces benefitting from faster fibre broadband connections as a result of Community Fibre’s £6 million investment.

Our contemporary West London hotel lies less than 8 miles east of Heathrow Airport, and the centre of London is easily accessible by rail (Brentford Station) or by tube (South Ealing Station).

Visit our Gourmet Bar & Restaurant which offers traditional and modern dining throughout the day. Our 4-star Hotel boast 202 modern bedrooms, seven fully-equipped meeting rooms catering for up to

60 guests, an indoor heated pool, a saunarium and fitness centre, plus complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.

Family-Friendly Novotel London Brentford is just a short drive from the beauty of Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, the historic avenues of Richmond and the roar of Twickenham Stadium. Home of Brentford FC is Brentford Community Stadium, a 15 minute walk from the hotel.

Socialetcetera - helping get the message across

Most people’s experience centred around Friendsreunited and getting in touch with a few old school friends.

Fast forward to 2022, and billionaire businessman Elon Musk has just paid a colossal $44bn for Twitter.

Undoubtedly companies whether big or small now appreciate the significance of social media. The potential to engage with people is huge but how do you ensure the messaging is not only effective but targeted?

Gillian Stafford is a marketing expert, and her company Socialetcetera specialises in advising companies on how to get results from their social media marketing.

Socialetcetera was set up in 2018 part time and then Gillian went solo in 2019 after 20+ years working in marketing for blue chip companies including Shell and Caterpillar.

Why the decision to set up on her own? “With primary age twins, I wanted more flexibility and to have a better work/life balance,” Gillian explains.

It sounds like a big jump from working for the likes of Shell to then find yourself helping SMEs with their marketing?

“It was a big jump, but it was something I always wanted to do. I felt I could use my extensive

corporate background to help SMEs with even more than social media.”

Gillian explains that some companies immediately get the importance of a structured and planned marketing strategy that wholly incorporates social media. But there are others who tend to push it to one side or use it ineffectively.

“A common misconception is that social media is just about posting every now and again. It’s just like in person networking where you have to show up regularly and consistently to see results,” Gillian insists. “Often companies post news about their business and forget what the target audience might be specifically interested in.”

Adding real value

So how does Socialetcetera provide value to clients? “We start with an audit to establish a baseline and then work closely with the client to develop a strategic social media and marketing strategy that helps them reach their target audiences. Once we start to implement, we measure progress carefully so we can amend, as appropriate.”

Initially most client business came from SMEs within the fashion, health and wellbeing sectors.

As the business has grown and evolved, larger companies (not surprisingly given Gillian’s career background in the heavy industries) have joined the client list.

She likes the mix and variety of clients and the service she provides is tailored to suit the size of the company she is working with.

For a large business this could mean an intensive workshop bringing various departments together - marketing teams, senior stakeholders, sales and logisticsfollowed by ongoing support.

For a smaller business with a more restricted budget the focus could be far more practical and straight forward, for instance‘how to do an Instagram reel’ or ’what is a hashtag?’ or ‘how to get results from Linkedin’. It may be ‘how to create a social media strategy or content plan.’

Chamber connection

Gillian’s involvement with the Hounslow Chamber is relatively recent and her experiences so far have been extremely positive.

“My first contact with the Chamber was around the time of lockdown. I was really impressed with how proactive the Chamber was in helping SMEs – for instance on how to access grants.

“After lockdown I attended a number of Chamber sessions, and I was invited onto the Board of Directors. So far I have been involved with the rebrand of Hounslow Chamber to West London Chambers and my next role is to help the Chambers as it expands into Ealing”.

The idea behind the rebrand is to further drive business growth and collaboration across the Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow Boroughs.

“It is a hugely positive move and something I am proud to have been part of,” Gillian says.

A common misconception is that social media is just about posting every now and again. It’s just like in person networking where you have to show up regularly and consistently to see results. Often companies post news about their business and forget what the target audience might be specifically interested in.

Go back 20 years and the importance or impact of social media was barely recognised.

Gillian Stafford

THOUSANDS OF JOBS AVAILABLE ACROSS HEATHROW AIRPORT APPLY NOW AND START YOUR JOURNEY TO A GREAT CAREER

Thousands of local people have the chance to grow their careers at Heathrow Airport, as a major recruitment drive takes off as we head into the winter. Vacancies are available across the vast network of companies that operate at the UK’s hub airport.

From the service and hospitality teams who make every journey memorable, to aviation and logistics roles vital to keeping the airport moving, there are opportunities for anyone looking to play their part as we welcome millions of passengers back to the UK’s busiest airport.

The Heathrow Employment & Skills Academy is the gateway to over 100 airport-based employers, known collectively as Team Heathrow. The Heathrow Academy is currently advertising vacancies in sectors such as retail, hospitality, security, travel services and ground handling at the airport.

When it comes to careers, the opportunities are endless at Heathrow. We offer roles from apprenticeships and entry-level through to specialist and leadership positions, across a wide variety of areas – such as customer service, driving and construction. Hundreds of vacancies are already advertised on the Heathrow Academy website. These include Heathrow Security Officers – one of the most important passenger-facing roles at the airport, where our team balances keeping people safe with providing excellent customer service.

Your exciting airport career is just around the corner. There are thousands of opportunities for you to start your career at Heathrow. Find them at www.heathrowacademy.co.uk .

No shortage of trade issues in Rishi’s in tray

There is probably never an easy time to become Prime Minister. But for Rishi Sunak it is fair to say that with soaring inflation, a weak currency, a cost-ofliving crisis and a potential trade war with the EU in the offing, this is a particularly challenging period to take the reins.

The prospect of a fully-fledged trade dispute between the UK and the EU is growing in likelihood. The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill has completed its Commons stages and has been introduced into the House of Lords.

Should the Bill become law, it would provide UK Ministers with the legal powers domestically to over-write the NI Protocol and introduce check free, friction free movements of goods East-West and West-East across the Irish Sea for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Though the implementation of the new law is still many months away - the EU may respond aggressively with further actions. This may include tariffs on selected UK exports to the EU while attempts to resolve the matter are undertaken by the dispute resolution machinery in the Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Co-operation Agreement.

The British Chamber of Commerce is prioritising a negotiated solution but is advising potentially affected companies to take advice now to mitigate their exposure to new costs on exporting goods to the EU should matters worsen.

It is still unclear how much willingness for compromise there is on the UK side (under the new PM) and from the EU. There is a danger that things could escalate, and that the EU might harden its line further but the noises coming from Ireland right now suggest constructive dialogue might begin soon.

Following Liz Truss’s leadership win, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney struck a more hopeful note.

He told Irish broadcaster RTE recently: “I have to say I have some cautious optimism that we will see in a few weeks’ time the opening of an honest effort to try to settle some of these issues that have been outstanding for far too long”. So far there has been no specific comment on how Prime Minister Sunak, may

or may not progress things further. To further complicate matters, disagreements over the protocol have stopped the Northern Ireland Assembly functioning and mean new elections may have to be held. Watch this space.

India and Canada

Also, near the top of the in tray for the new Prime Minister, is an intensive series of non-EU trade negotiations.

Rishi Sunak has told the Indian Prime Minister Modi he hopes to make “good progress” on finalising a new trade deal, after the Government missed a cut-off point for striking an agreement set by Boris Johnson.

Negotiations with Canada for a bespoke trade agreement are expected to conclude by the end of the year to tie-in with UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Negotiations with the Gulf Co-operation Council, Mexico and Israel will continue but may not conclude until into 2023.

Prime Minister Sunak will also be expected to deliver a key export strategy which provides a pathway to stronger export-led growth.

The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in last autumn’s Budget export growth between 8-9% this year. Trade data from the first half of this year puts UK export performance short of that growth trajectory.

The BCC is putting plans to the Department for International Trade (DIT) to remedy that and boost export volumes.

Recruitment and training

Filling vacancies remain a major concern for UK businesses – whether their focus is on domestic or export trade.

The number of job vacancies in the economy remains around the highest on record and competition for skills and labour continues to drive up wage costs.

The Sunak government is being urged to act quickly.

As BCC Head of People Policy, Jane Gratton, warns: “Skills and labour

shortages have reached crisis points for many firms. The impact is being felt on their ability to meet customer demand and forcing some to turn away new business, because they simply do not have the human resource. This is restricting growth and business confidence. It is a serious and urgent problem”.

Gratton is calling for an immediate review and reform of the Shortage Occupations List (SOL) to include more jobs at all skill levels. This will give firms breathing space to train and upskill their workforce.

“We also need to encourage economically inactive people back into the UK labour market through access to publicly funded rapid retraining opportunities”.

She adds: “Businesses must be part of the solution too by creating the right workplace conditions, for example by providing flexible working practises, training opportunities and a focus on workplace healthcare and support.

“It’s time for action and we’re offering the solution. It’s time for the Government to listen.”

The media is at its happiest when forecasting doom and gloom for our futures. Yes, our Prime Minister (or our latest one!) has got a full in tray of domestic troubles and issues, and just to complement this there is then a growing list of international worries. So doom and gloom, or actually a changing and developing economy?

Quite rightly the BCC is showing the creative and positive attitude vital to addressing many of these issues. Wailing, criticising and moaning will achieve nothing, whilst those of us in the business of being constructive and creative will see the opportunities that will be coming through.

We will need Government support and action, and the Chambers are ready to be supportive, but it is up to us all to show our strength of mind and business initiative.

Justin Urquhart Stewart British investment manager and business commentator

Image by luxstorm from Pixabay

HCUC Apprenticeships & Skills

West London’s Largest College Apprenticeship Provider

HCUC Apprenticeships & Skills is an industry leading training provider in west London brought to you by Harrow College and Uxbridge College (HCUC)

We offer an enhanced provision of high-quality apprenticeships in over 28 sectors and professional development courses with various flexible delivery modes, plus recruitment and training for employers.

Build your business with funding to recruit new apprentices

Hiring an apprentice doesn’t have to be costly. There are a range of funding options available and the amount businesses can benefit from will depend on whether they pay the apprenticeship levy or not.

Employers will receive a £1,000 incentive for taking on an apprentice who is aged 16 to 18 years old or under 25 if they have an education, health and care plan or have been in the care of their local authority. T & C apply.

Businesses can access grants to recruit and build a skilled and efficient workforce to boost productivity. We promote vacancies for free and our recruitment officers ensure they line up the best candidates to match job requirements. To recruit an apprentice, call 01895 853780

Blended learning apprenticeships & employability courses

Flexible Apprenticeships:

HCUC Apprenticeships & Skills has created a flexible blended learning platform to minimise disruption at your workplace. Industries include Accounting, Human Resources, Learning & Development, Mentoring, Team Leading and Operational Management

The blended study platform means apprentices do not have to attend college as frequently. This enables ambitious employees to upskill without any interruption on-site. If you are keen to train your existing staff, visit www.hcuc.ac.uk/employers for more information.

Employability Courses: We are also offering a blended learning option to help individuals increase their skills set, enabling them to make their next step in life. Find out more here: www.hcuc.ac.uk/jobseekers

Upskilling and reskilling opportunities

When key business decisions need to be made quickly, it’s important to have easy access to the skills your internal talent can bring to the table. When you invest in your existing staff to upskill or reskill them, they will deliver instant access to the skills you already have. So, when changes need to be made in your business, they can be made quickly and easily, in real-time. Chat to us on 01895 853780 to find

out how you can progress existing high performing employees through our bespoke specialist training to enhance efficiency.

Employer-led technical education

HCUC is committed to supporting local businesses to increase their levels of innovation and productivity by meeting and driving demand for technical skills. We offer specialist technical education provision through T Levels as well as Higher Apprenticeships and Higher Education at West London Institute of Technology. This helps learners to develop skills that employers need, leading to a rewarding future for businesses. The technical delivery teams support employers to understand how investment in skills, new technology and innovative practices helps them drive increased productivity; and nurture entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial talents.

Work with us - we are a trusted provider

With over 55 years of combined skills and experience we help companies as well as individuals build worthwhile futures. We are:

• A top college in London with consistent success rates

• A trusted expert in delivering specialist training. We are one of the first 12 institutions in the country to open an Institute of Technology, recently established by the government offering higher level technical qualifications

• One of the first FE colleges in London to deliver T Level qualifications

• A College group with strong industry links with over 1200 employers such as Brunel University London, London Borough of Ealing, Martin Baker Aircraft Limited and Skanska

We provide a dedicated Account Manager for your company to fill in their skill gaps for the present and the future. Our experienced recruitment team support employers to recruit locally and find the right talent - free of charge.

To find out more on how to get started, visit www.hcuc.ac.uk/employers, email employers@hcuc.ac.uk or call 01895 853780 today!

Disruption is the new norm. Or is it?

Throughout history, the world has experienced countless periods of chaos and calm. Some challenges have been short-lived, while others, from health crises to financial shocks, have left their mark in the history books.

One thing we do know is that uncertainty is a certainty. The question is, how do we deal with periods of uncertainty in business?

“For businesses to maintain continuity, they need to move beyond traditional BCP (Business Continuity Plans) thinking and focus on providing the right tools, technology and culture to enable workers to remain productive whatever the disruption.” Chris Smith, Head of Financial Services, Citrix UK

During these times, it’s essential to provide a working environment that’s productive, easily accessible, and equipped with the right tools to enable continuity.

The environment should enable the company to ride out any unexpected market changes or economic shocks.

That’s why flexible workspaces, such as those offered by UBC, typically attract so many businesses during turbulent times.

Flexible workspace is a cost-effective, short-term option that doesn’t tie up capital for years to come. That means less risk, and easier budgeting with all-inclusive monthly rates.

It enables business leaders to plan their monthly expenditure without compromising on the

quality of their workspace. The space itself is already fitted out, with ergonomic furniture and everything a business needs to plug in and get straight to work.

For employees, this provides a comfortable and connected space that’s free from external distractions. In short, it’s built for productivity.

“The future is unclear,” noted Lee Elliott, Global Head of Occupier Research at Knight Frank. “To ease that level of uncertainty, some will choose to start aligning their real estate strategies to ensure a sense of flexibility and freedom, which is exactly what flexible office space provides.”

Workspace is one of the biggest overheads of any business. Therefore having the flexibility to shrink or grow office space to accommodate changes in team structure, combined with the option for short-term, rolling contracts, offers valuable peace of mind.

Flexible space is a safe choice in a turbulent economy for all sorts of businesses, and an opportunity to weather the storm without a long-term commitment.

It’s also hybrid-friendly. For companies that shifted to remote or hybrid work during the

The next chapter in Cavalry Barracks’ rich story is about to begin

Inland Homes – bringing land to life

Inland Homes, working in close consultation with the London Borough of Hounslow and the local community, is delighted to announce it has received a resolution to grant planning permission for a mixed-use development at Cavalry Barracks.

The major redevelopment of the former Ministry of Defence site will unlock Hounslow West’s potential to build a vibrant community that includes 1,525 new homes, as well as commercial space and more than 10 acres of open space.

The new masterplan focuses on creating highquality homes in a sustainable environment that

celebrates the site’s history and supports the ongoing regeneration of the area. Alongside much-needed homes to suit a wide range of residents, the redevelopment will bring 2,700 square metres of commercial space for shops, cafes, workspace and community uses. Sports pitches, play areas and green open space will be created for the whole community benefit, including the revival of the old parade ground as a new public park twice the size of Trafalgar Square.

Inland Homes is proud to be playing a key role in unlocking the potential this unique site presents.

Find out more at cavalrybarracksconsultation.co.uk

pandemic, UBC adapted its workspace offering to enable office-sharing, and created even greater flexibility with coworking day passes and hourly access.

Of course, this level of flexibility appeals to businesses outside of economic turbulence too. Many of UBC’s clients have been based in flexible offices for several years.

UBC’s latest Customer Experience Survey (Spring 2022) found that 18% of respondents have rented flexible office space with UBC for between 1 and 3 years, while 43% have been with UBC for more than 3 years.

Disruption is the new norm. We all know that the future is unclear and peppered with challenges that will come and go. Flexible workspace has evolved over decades to offer a workready environment that’s designed to enable businesses to weather such uncertainties, and remain productive whatever comes our way.

Interested in a more flexible and productive way of working? Speak to the team at UBCUK.COM or pop in to the Mille on Great West Road for a tour. Come and see for yourself why our clients choose to stay with us for the long-term.

Made in London

By Mark Ormiston, Ormiston Wire Ltd

How Coworking Could Soften Hounslow’s Cost of Living Crisis

Hybrid and home-based work has become the norm for many workers. But as the energy crisis bites, workers are faced with a dilemma: is it actually cheaper to work in a company office this winter?

staff is the fact that training in manufacturing has gone overseas with companies who have abandoned ship. In Isleworth once upon a time a large local employer was Pears Soaps, who has long gone to India taking employment with it.

I am sure any manufacturing company reading this will agree that this sector has problems including finding qualified staff, suitable premises, material costs and more recently energy costs. If you make something which is energy intensive, made by skilled staff out of expensive materials you have problems.

I suspect that one of the problems of getting suitable

Although this information is depressing, there is hope. Made in London, from Workshops to Factories recently published by Merrell and written by Carmel King and Mark Brearley with text by Clare Dowdy showcases some of the vibrant, dynamic companies who are still making stuff in London.

Surprisingly Chamber member Ormiston Wire Ltd are mentioned in it, as a specialist wire manufacture founded in London in 1793.

I am the 6th generation running the business. Why not get yourself a copy and cheer yourself up and believe we can still make stuff in London! Available from Amazon.

Research by Uswitch estimates that people working full-time from home over the cooler months will increase their daily gas use by 75%. Working from home full-time also uses approximately 25% more electricity, as workers prepare meals and hot drinks, run computers, and charge mobile devices.

This comes as heating and electricity costs are surging during the energy crisis.

For those who don’t have an expensive commute, it may actually be cheaper to use a flexible coworking space this winter.

UBC, which operates a flexible office and coworking location in Brentford, offers coworking credits and anytime day passes starting from just £25 per day. This becomes much cheaper when buying credits in bulk, or choosing a monthly membership.

A monthly coworking membership at The Mille in Bretford costs £249 per month, the equivalent of approximately £12.45 per day (based on 20 working days per month).

This includes:

• Full-time access during business hours to a dedicated desk with lockable storage in a spacious office, shared with other professionals.

• A comfortable work environment with high-speed Internet connectivity, ergonomic furniture, kitchen facilities, and all utility costs included.

Contact Leon Swan Email: brentford@ubcuk.com Tel: 0800 169 9822 www.ubcuk.com/coworking

• Use of the building address with mail handling, and receptionist services including call answering.

• Access to meeting rooms at discounted rates.

• 12 months’ business growth support with free Membership to Enterprise Nation.

Aside from saving money on heating and energy costs, coworking enables workers and entrepreneurs to enjoy better work-life separation.

Working at home can be incredibly distracting, which damages productivity and even family relationships. On the flip side, it can be isolating for those who live and work alone.

Coworking provides a comfortable but professional environment, with networking opportunities along with onsite business and community events.

UBC’s Brentford coworking space is located at The Mille on Great West Road (A4) near the M4. It has easy access to public transport via Brentford and Boston Manor stations and a frequent bus service.

Why not take a closer look? Take a 3D video tour or pop in for a visit. We’ll happily give you a free coworking day pass to try it out for yourself!

In 1950 50% of employment in London was in manufacturing. Latest figures show approx. 2% are employed in making stuff. We seem to have lost our way a bit and the government appears oblivious to this fact.

10 years’ on, Chiswick accountants Oasis well-tuned

Having worked in the accountancy field for 10 years, in 2013 Shankar Devarashetty decided to take the bold step and set up his own business in Chiswick.

In 2013 Oasis Accountants was born and has not looked back since. Shankar (who is managing director) explains how the business has evolved over what is now the best part of a decade.

“The company started out in Chiswick as an accountancy firm in 2013 but by 2015 we were also offering financial planning and wealth management services. We have also opened two active offices in Bishopsgate and Wellingborough as well as a satellite office in Bromley.”

As Shankar stresses the goal from the start for Oasis was to be a one-stop shop taking clients from business start-up stage to retirement. And this is where Oasis Accountants is now - providing business accounting; individual accounting; wealth management and estate planning.

Across all its locations, the company (with 1,200 existing customers) employs around 50 staff with 15 dedicated account managers. Oasis has plans to expand further. “I would like us to be a top 50 firm in the next five years. This means we will look to acquire more practices and grow organically as well”.

From inception the company has invested heavily in technology ensuring the business runs as smoothly as possible. And Oasis has built a valued reputation serving clients across a number of sectors including hospitality, construction, software development and property.

Indeed, Shankar who is involved in property development himself, has a specialist knowledge in this area and is able to help developers with project development finance as well as tax advice.

Timely guidance during economic downturn

Given the economic and political turmoil the UK finds itself in right now, it has been a critical time in terms of clients needing advice.

“There are so many different ways we help clients, for instance how they can claim various allowances or utilise schemes out there for SMEs. A main focus is on helping clients to be cash-flow sound and always trying to make a company as tax efficient as possible – for instance buying electric cars through the business.”

For start-up enterprises Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes are hugely important and Oasis has a solid track record in helping firms raise this essential capital. As Shankar explains funding is one of the company’s key strengths.

He is also keen to point out that timely guidance to fix mortgages as fears of inflation first surfaced, has really helped to provide many of his clients with a greater feeling of security.

The Chamber connection

Shankar has been involved with Hounslow Chamber of Commerce for around 10 years now. He is a director of the Chamber and was part of its task force during the Covid pandemic.

He explains the support given by the task force during this time and the positivity that it brought. “We gave free presentations every week to all businesses across the borough. We were able to help these companies through a difficult time and it was also good for our profile. We have benefited from a lot of referrals via the Chamber.”

Shankar is proud of his ties with the Chamber. “I live in Hounslow and I wanted to make a difference so I joined as a board member”.

He does not regret his decision. “The Chamber provides a huge amount of support and networking opportunities. You get good insight from the different types of events – whether covering topics

like import/export trade or cyber security, the breadth of coverage is a real benefit to businesses across the borough.”

The road ahead

Over the coming years local business will need as much support as they can get. As Shankar stresses, the country is likely to be in recession for the next two years.

“Clients are worried – cash flow is very tight and the job market is very tight. In six-month’s time it could be worse, particularly in regard to cashflow”.

However, he does see some positives amongst the gloom: “With sterling down there could be opportunities in terms of foreign investment but for that to happen the UK government needs to provide some type of stability and there is no guarantee of that – yet.”

Government decisions (or indecision) over IR35 rules is something that has particularly frustrated Shankar.

Kwasi Kwarteng in his brief time as Chancellor planned to scrap IR35 rules, which affect selfemployed individuals operating through a company.

Scrapping IR35 would have seen self-employed workers providing their service through their own companies again and be responsible for paying the appropriate amount of tax and national insurance contributions.

But new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has reversed this plan so the rules will still apply.

“This one piece of legislation has resulted in many talented people leaving the country. IR35 has penalised many people who were doing an excellent job,” Shankar concludes.

I would like us to be a top 50 firm in the next five years. This means we will look to acquire more practices and grow organically as well.

Celebrate in style this Holiday season

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Private hires available with a minimum of 80 guests for our extravagant Waterfront 4 Suite, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Grand Union Canal. Smaller, more intimate spaces are also available upon request.

Heathrow - more than just a major local employer

When you are the largest single site employer in the UK there is a huge responsibility to engage and work with the local community –especially as many in the area either work directly or indirectly for you.

Becky Coffin’s role as Director of Sustainability and Communities at Heathrow Airport is as important as it is challenging.

She is leading the Heathrow 2.0 Sustainability strategy which covers a broad range of targets and initiatives including net zero aviation – essentially taking the carbon out of flying.

Heathrow 2.0 supports biodiversity, and ongoing efforts to improve noise reduction, waste management and air quality.

Working on this with teams across all functions within the business, progress is then reported to external stakeholders.

The strategy also wants to ensure Heathrow is a great place to live near, work in and travel through.

“Our relationship with the local community is very important to us, for instance listening to any concerns villages close to the airport have,” Becky explains.

“Our relationships with local authorities and Chambers of Commerce are also important –we can work together on issues that can have a positive impact.”

What does ‘positive impact’ look like?

Becky gives numerous examples. Firstly, Heathrow is committed to the Government-sponsored Airspace Modernisation programme.

This means ensuring the efficient and sustainable use of airspace and improving environmental performance by reducing emissions and noise impacts on local communities.

“With airspace changes we have consulted with the community about how the changes will take place”. Becky adds: “We have introduced incentive-based landing charges for aircraft that are cleaner and quieter. We strongly encourage the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and we want to get the percentage of SAF (biofuels) used much higher.”

Joined up thinking

Heathrow Airport has its own carbon, recycling and energy consumption targets but it also works with the multitude of companies – whether retailers or service providers – that also operate at its four terminals and on the site itself.

For instance, waste management/ recycling benefits from a joinedup approach – since packaging is disposed sometimes in the retail premises where they are purchased

but often in the communal airportowned areas.

Heathrow has also looked to set an example in terms of good employment practices. All those directly employed by Heathrow are paid the London Living Wage, as well as those working at the airport for its first tier suppliers. The airport is also encouraging other businesses operating at the site such as retailers to do the same.

Networking with existing and potential business suppliers is something that the Chamber of Commerce can play an active and productive role in.

Becky elaborates: “Our annual Heathrow Business Summit (every November), in partnership with local Chambers of Commerce and Business Groups, gives SMEs the opportunity to engage with larger suppliers at the airport. The summit is an effective way for local businesses to secure future work opportunities.”

On an entirely community focused level, the airport has also established partnerships with local schools and charities.

During Covid, Heathrow helped create home schooling activities that were available for free online – and also delivered study packs and laptops to school children when needed.

Heathrow has also looked to set an example in terms of good employment practices. All those directly employed by Heathrow are paid the London Living Wage, as well as those working at the airport for its first tier suppliers. The airport is also encouraging other businesses operating at the site such as retailers to do the same.

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Feltham an aspirational destination with opportunity and growth

Feltham was once home to a thriving aircraft industry and market gardens. Now the town centre includes shopping parades and a managed shopping centre (The Centre) which provides over 60 stores, 800 homes, a hotel, cafes, restaurants, banks, library, health hub, multistorey and surface car parks, and supermarkets. Within four minutes’ walk, the Leisure West complex provides a multiplex cinema (known for Bollywood movie premieres), tenpin bowling alley, bingo hall and restaurants. Leisure West is a key element of the night-time and leisure economy of west Hounslow and surrounding boroughs. Feltham Train Station provides excellent connections to Reading and central London. The town centre is just two and a half miles from Heathrow Airport.

Feltham has connections to some of the most incredible musicians and sportsmen of recent times - Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Jimmy Page and Mo Farah. Commemorative signs of these former residents are dotted around the town centre.

Feltham Vision is Council led and developed with businesses and residents. The vision for Feltham states, “Feltham will flourish from a functional and convenient town into a beautiful and more aspirational destination that celebrates its history. This green and accessible centre will be enhanced with more varied shops, community and leisure facilities. Drawing out the personality and identity of the town through its past famous residents, music culture, heritage assets such as Hanworth House and investing in its green assets will help create a town local resident can be proud of.”

St Catherine’s spire and Feltham War Memorial are two iconic local landmarks, while town centre green spaces, Feltham Green and Bridge House Pond provide valuable places to bring communities together. Substantial improvements have been drawn up for Feltham Green which is home for the Freddie Mercury Memorial. Circling the High Street are the Longford River, industrial estates, Hanworth Park House, extensive green space and the soon-to-be-disposed 14 hectares Feltham MOD site.

Feltham, the borough’s bustling westernmost town centre, is identified as a District Centre in the London Plan (2021), serving the largely suburban neighbourhoods of Feltham North, Feltham Village, East Bedfont and Hanworth.

Feltham will flourish from a functional and convenient town into a beautiful and more aspirational destination that celebrates its history.

Feltham Green is home for the Freddie Mercury Memorial. The tree behind the memorial was planted by Freddie Mercury’s mother. The street sign for Freddie Mercury Close was unveiled by Freddie’s sister, Kashmira Cooke in 2020.

The Council collaborated with The Centre landlord Aviva and SaveTheHighStreet.org to trial new approaches to tackling vacant units and unlocking quality meanwhile use by hosting a competition to allow Hounslow micro businesses to enter the high street for the first time. Aviva provided a rent and service charge free unit in the Centre for DanTheBikeMan, an affordable bike sales and repairs business to move into, while SaveTheHighStreet provided the wraparound support to help Dan mobilise his business to move into premises for the first time. The trial proved so successful that Dan was able to extend his initial lease by a further three months before seeking a new more suitable unit elsewhere in the borough.

The town centre h as been transformed with an extensive programme of improvement works. Footways have been repaved and widened, new street lighting installed, new pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes introduced, bus lanes have been lengthened, carriageways resurfaced and new street furniture put in place.

The designation of Feltham as a GLA Housing Zone will deliver over 3,000 new homes between 2016 and 2026. As such there are large developments underway or recently completed such as New Road Triangle opposite to Feltham Train Station - two residential blocks (11 and 14 storeys in height) to provide 176 residential units, of which 84 units will be social rent units. Permission was granted to EcoWorld London and Hounslow Council’s owned company Lampton360 on 7 January 2022.

Leisure West has been familiar with the mural dedicated to British Olympian Sir Mo Farah since 2017. Russell Finex, who are global manufacturers of industrial separation equipment, commissioned Richard Wilson to complete the mural on the wall of the Russell Finex factory next to Leisure West. The mural connects with the local community to inspire the next generation of sporting heroes. Mo Farah went to the school round the corner from Victoria Road and he trained at Feltham Arena.

Fern Grove – Network Housing are constructing more than 170 affordable units on Fern Grove.

New Road Triangle development

GLOBAL EXPORTERS based in Feltham since 1966

A discussion with local manufacturer Russell Finex, their continued success and Feltham

You’ve been in Feltham since England last won the football world cup in 1966. What brought Russell Finex to Feltham? And what do you do at the site?

Well, since 1934 we’ve been supplying high quality sieves and during the second world war worked exclusively with the Ministry of Supply to sieve the powder used to manufacture the tracer bullets required by the armed forces.

It was in the 1960s that the company reached a size where it needed to consolidate its manufacturing onto one site. A company director noticed the site, where we are currently based was for sale. Due to Feltham having good transport links, the company took up the lease on the site (subsequently purchasing it in 1993), and since taking it on, we’ve continued to invest in the site and the local community.

In the present day, we don’t just manufacture our products in Feltham, but we have the full range of in-house expertise to bring these products to market, continually developing our range and supplying the aftersales support our customers may need.

It sounds like you’ve got a lot going on at the Feltham site, what has made the Feltham site so important to you and why is it your international headquarters?

As you mentioned, its our international headquarters for a reason! We’ve grown to a +£40m company with over 200 staff at the Feltham site, with about 80% of our business now being for export globally.

Feltham is the perfect location for being such an international company. The proximity to Heathrow Airport is good for exporting our products and enables overseas customers to visit us easily. Additionally, the road and rail links are also reasonably good, with trains into central London in around 20 minutes and quick access to the M3 and M4.

The point from the 1960s about having everything under one roof still stands. Having such a large site in Feltham means we can ensure the quality throughout our products’ production process whilst maintaining good communication between all the different departments of the Company.

As a company you’ve not just invested in the business, but we’ve seen you actively engaging the local community through your Corporate Social Responsibility. Can you talk about why this is important to you and what you do locally?

We’ve been based in Feltham for 56 years out of the 88 years we’ve been in business, we know being in Feltham has been an important part of our success, and we see it as an important part in our continued success. As such, we want to do what we can to support Feltham’s success and would encourage other local businesses to also do so.

As a company, we’ve got a particular focus on young people and support a variety of local groups including St George’s Youth Club in Hanworth and local schools in the area such as the Reach Academy.

We do this because providing educational and employment opportunities to young people in the area helps further their careers and life opportunities and at the same time helps us in getting access to the great pool of local people we can employ to help keep the company on the path of continued success.

We’ve also focused on the environment and support local causes like Friends of Feltham Green and have made investment decisions to reduce our carbon emissions, such as installing solar panels and a wood-chip burner. These not only advance our efforts to minimize our emissions and improve our local environment, but it has also helped us with the soaring energy bills.

We sat down with Ray Singh, Managing Director of Russell Finex, who have been manufacturing their high-quality industrial sieves and filters in Feltham for the last 56 years, to get a sense of why they’ve based themselves in Feltham, their continued success and how Feltham plays its part in that.

You’ve also been heavily involved with Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, can you talk a little about your engagement with them and what value you see from that engagement?

We see Hounslow Chamber of Commerce as such an important local asset to businesses in the borough. They help provide us with guidance and assistance on issues we face as a business be that local planning applications, international shipping or applying for prestigious awards such as the Queen’s Award and much more. They are the “go to” place when we need any kind of business help or advice. Their assistance has helped us navigate challenges set out in front of us and help us course our path to continued success.

We’d encourage other local businesses to join the

chamber and truly engage in what it does to see maximum benefit, not just for themselves but the wider Hounslow community and local economy.

Finally, what does the future hold for Russell Finex and Feltham?

This past year we’ve made many decisions about continued investment in Feltham. From purchasing the adjacent building at the back of our site to getting planning permission for expanding our stores and building a new office building. We’ve also just started work on some additional on-site car and bicycle parking spaces to help cater for our staff.

From that, you’ll see we’re committed to our Feltham site and the local community too, and hope to continue being a major local business for many years to come.

We’re pleased to have Russell Finex as a key local business in Feltham, and we’re sure you, the reader, are too. If you’re interested in Russell Finex or working for them, you can find more information at their website: www.russellfinex.com/careers

West London Chambers and BID announcement

Fulham Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) is delighted to formalise a partnership with West London Chambers to increase the opportunity for businesses based within the BID area to meet and trade with like-minded businesses across the Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing boroughs.

Fulham Broadway BID and member companies to join West London Chambers

The BID has agreed to an initial one-year membership on behalf of the 340 businesses within the BID area which covers parts of Lillie Road, North End Road and Fulham Road where all businesses receive associate membership of the newly formed West London Chambers.

The BID and West London Chambers will be working together to host events and bring like-minded businesses together. They have also committed to develop

opportunities for businesses to trade more efficiently by providing expert guidance on various subjects such as apprenticeships, international trade and marketing.

Fulham Broadway BID Manager Andy Bell said, “Fulham Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) is delighted to become a member of West London Chambers. Not only does it benefit us as an organisation, but provides our levy payers with a fantastic

opportunity to access a range of benefits, resources, discounts and relationships that will enable them to grow and connect as a business owner and community member.

It is great to have a Chamber who are innovative in creating opportunities for businesses across borough boundaries. We look forward to working with West London Chambers and taking the benefits of the Chamber to our members to help them succeed in Fulham.”

We are really pleased to welcome Andy Bell of Fulham Broadway BID (Business Improvement District) and all the member companies of the BID to the membership of West London Chambers, which covers Hammersmith & Fulham, alongside Hounslow and Ealing boroughs.

This will really boost our presence in H&F and we are looking forward to rolling out more events across the borough. We held a most successful H&F Business Breakfast at Missionworks in Iffley Road on 11th November.

Our membership now runs at just over 700, which makes us the second largest Chamber of Commerce in London!

Not a bad achievement!

Cases of COVID-19 are still being reported in Hounslow.

And with winter on the way, it is anticipated that cases of flu are likely to increase in our borough.

People who have had their COVID and flu vaccinations have their immunity boosted, and means they have less chance of becoming seriously ill if they catch the viruses.

People who have been vaccinated are less likely to pass the illness on to others.

The borough’s business community is in a unique position to encourage uptake of vaccinations amongst their employees as part of your business continuity planning for this winter.

By encouraging your employees to have their boosters you are:

• Lowering the risk of your employees catching and spreading COVID-19 and flu, which reduces the impact on your workforce.

• Protecting your customers when using your services.

• Ensuring that your staff members can continue to operate in the workplace.

Hounslow’s Director of Public Health, Kelly O’Neill: “The borough’s business community showed incredible resilience during the pandemic. You play a vital role in encouraging staff embers to get

their vaccinations. We want this to continue into the winter so you can continue to operate effectively and to protect our community and local health services.

“There are simple steps you can take to encourage vaccination uptake in the workplace.

“Providing information about the vaccines to your staff is a great place to start.

“Being flexible with working hours to allow them to attend vaccination clinics during working hours would also really help.

“We would like to thank the borough’s business community for your ongoing support. By working together we can keep people safe.”

COVID-19 and flu boosters are readily available in Hounslow at venues such as your local GP practice or your pharmacist.

Hounslow Council has also introduced a series of roving vaccination clinics through its Health Outreach Team, which visit locations across the borough.

The boosters are free to many groups, including pregnant women, the over 50s and people with underlying health conditions.

International Trade round-up

Arab British Trade Conference

Visit to the Pakistan High Commission

We are proud to have delivered two events for Pakistan. The first was at the Pakistan High Commission where we were received cordially and introduced to Shafiq A Shahzad, High Commission for Pakistan, Rashid Iqbal Chief Executive, Pakistan Britain Business Council, Imran Khalil Naseer, Chairman the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry together with members of their delegation to the UK.

After introductions to the many assembled business representatives, we expressed our sorrow for the loss of life and terrible destruction wreaked upon Pakistan, due to the worst flooding in recent history.

Samia Chaudhary, who was the Mayor of Hounslow between 2018-19, outlined the position of the Council, we then discussed what the Chamber of Commerce can do to help promote bilateral trade. With Heathrow Airport being the single largest driver of business in our West London area, there is so much we can do in friendly collaboration.

A follow up meeting was then arranged for twenty- three delegates from Pakistan to meet a similar number from our Chamber to sign an MOU to promote trade and make presentations for products that can produce potable water from the atmosphere.

With events and trade discussions with Oman, Morocco, Libya, Bangladesh, India, Palestine and Pakistan we have been very busy promoting bilateral trade for West London.

Oman

We had meetings via University of West London with their Minister of Transport and Minister of Tourism attended by our members CBS and Kew Bridge travel, CLS and Somar Projects to talk about this frontier market opening up again. The UK is the number one foreign investor in the country on the back of extremely strong links.

Our Chamber was a main participant in this year’s conference where we visited our trading partner stands from Tripoli Chamber, Lebanon and Palestine to help introduce our members to new customers in these ROW markets.

India

As part our ongoing engagement with India, ahead of the much talked about Free Trade Agreement, we hosted a mini summit for an in-bound trade mission organised by Dr Renu Raj of Radanks. Speakers presented on India market entry, IP, Accounts and Mediation / Arbitration.

Following this success, we will be hosting a much larger trade summit soon.

Morocco

We were proud to be an integral part of an event to promote mainly Tourism to Southern Morocco with our members Kew Bridge Travel plus EWA Controls. This will be part of on-going bilateral trade development to help business grow in both markets including Tourism, Agriculture, Aviation and Green Energy.

International relations

West London Chambers of Commerce including Hounslow Chamber held a reception to welcome Tripoli Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture on 16th September at Spring Grove House.

This conference on trade with Libya was further to the MOU that had been signed last year via Zoom in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The 20 strong delegation from Tripoli was led by their GM Mr Mohamed Duzan and assisted by international relations manager Dr Tarek Elsmuai.

Receiving the visitors were 50 attendees with presentations from PM Trade Envoy Yvonne Fovargue MP, Alan Rides CEO West London Chambers, Peter Millett former British Ambassador to Libya, now head LCCB, Lydie Sheehan Country Director DIT British Embassy Libya, with exporter case study presentations from Simon Barrell of L3Harris, Paul Denny SKS Group, and from BACB bank Mike Galer and Hatem Lukhai.

After the formal presentations, 1-2-1 discussions were arranged to improve educational links with Brunel and UWL / WTC. Other sectors represented were oil & gas equipment, retail, tourism, banking and healthcare.

E&E Architects from Hounslow held interesting discussions regarding architecture and

construction to rebuild the country. Across all the sectors, the various contracts have a value of around £400m.

After the event Lydie Sheehan said it was the largest Libya event that she had presented to in her three year posting at the British Embassy Tripoli.

Following this major event, Tripoli Chamber’s new Chairman Mr Anwar Salem Abouseta led a follow up group who visited and re signed an MOU with our Chamber.

One of the major companies in the delegation was The Libyan Company for Public Private Partnerships who announced they have a budget of $66bn to rebuild Libya and are looking for UK companies to partner with.

Hounslow marks 40th twin-town anniversary with Issy-les-Moulineaux

At the end of September, the Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat and the Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Raghwinder Siddhu, along with members of Hounslow Chamber of Commerce and a small delegation of council officers were delighted to be invited to Issy-les-Moulineaux to mark our 40th town-twinning anniversary.

Hounslow has been twinned with Issy since 1982 - forty years of a valued friendship and partnership. Undoubtedly, a length of time to mark and reflect.

The twinning between the towns years ago started with a pupil exchange programme, which still sees young aspiring French and English speakers discover the history and culture of their twin-towns every year. Today our teams also work closely together with the Chamber of Commerce to explore and develop new economic and business opportunities through tourism, visitor economy and other shared sectors such as IT, Digital and Communications. Like Hounslow, Issy is determined to support innovation through smart city initiatives, the tech and media industry, and the green economy amongst others.

During the weekend, along with celebrating the historic 40-year partnership with Issy, the Council showcased Hounslow’s incredible visitor offer at an ‘English Village’

set in the Town Hall square which was attended by residents, visitors, and local businesses. An incredible opportunity for us to promote Hounslow on international soil as a place to visit and explore.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat said:

“We are very grateful for the invitation from the Mayor of Issy, Andre Santini and the warm welcome we received from their delegation. The official ceremony held at Issy’s Town Hall, with the signing of the ‘renewal of the twinning agreement’ was an important motion signifying the

commitment of both our councils to continue to preserve and develop our long-lasting partnership.

“To pay tribute to our late Queen, Elizabeth II, a minute of silence was also observed at the Town Hall ceremony. A poignant moment to pay respect to a monarch who leaves a tremendous legacy of bringing communities together during both the most difficult and joyful of times. In the light of what is going on elsewhere in our world, it is particularly important to further such friendships between nations and work together to face the challenges ahead”.

“I was lucky to have been a pupil in Hounslow who took part in the school exchange and visited Issy as part of the programme, so I’m really proud to have been able to mark 40 years of an active town-twinning relationship which has created these opportunities for young people as well as all the other joint projects which promote our town cities. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our counterparts in Issy”.

The Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Raghwinder Siddhu also said: “There is no doubt, Issy and Hounslow have many similarities, in geography, business, economy and so on. But we also share the passion and commitment to actively engage with each other and make sure our town-twinning plays a positive role for our residents. We value the longstanding relationship we hold with Issy and look forward to continuing this friendship for another 40 years and beyond”.

Alan Rides and Sally Smith led the Chamber’s group and commented, “We, as a Chamber, were delighted to be involved and took some businesses from the tourism, and sport supply chain sectors to help grow bilateral trade. The atmosphere at the English Village on the Saturday was really positive, with many residents from Issy and further field taking the time to engage with us. We were very proud to be able to promote the borough of Hounslow to our French neighbours, as a tourism destination. Over the stay, we visited a number of tourism sites, and businesses, learning more about Issy, Paris – a truly smart city! Through such visits, mutual business will grow. We very much look forward to re-welcoming a delegation from Issy les Moulineaux to Hounslow, hopefully in early 2023.”

The Council and Hounslow Chamber of Commerce celebrate 40th anniversary of town-twinning with Issy-les-Moulineaux in France.

Our Clients Are In Safe Hands

Chamber Patron Timeless IMS are Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus certified, which means we have attained the highest level of certification offered under the Cyber Essentials scheme.

The Cyber Essentials Certification is a government backed scheme that aids businesses in requiring the basic level of cyber security. It helps provide protection against the most common cyber threats and ensures every employee has awareness on how to recognise and respond to cyber-attacks.

Our business security was extensively tested under five different controls by the Cyber Essentials Team. These tests ensure that our business holds all the necessary precautions to help protect against and prevent cyber-attacks.

“Our clients are in safe hands”

The five controls included:

1) Firewalls

The Cyber Essentials Certification team tested our firewalls, ensuring every device that is connected to the internet had the protection of our firewall services. Firewalls are network security systems that monitor and control any incoming and outgoing network traffic based on a set of security rules, simply, establishing a barrier between your computer and anything untrusted, such as network traffic on the internet.

2) Secure configuration

The Cyber Essentials Certification team tested our systems to make sure that all our device configurations were implemented properly. Our configurations of all our application settings were tested and monitored, ensuring that any new software settings are updated and managed to prevent vulnerabilities.

3) User Access Control

User access controls were tested to make sure users only had access to what they were authorised to have. User access control refers to how employees’ access across the network is managed. Such as ensuring all users only have access to applications and software that is required for their roles. This helps to provide an extra layer of security and can help pinpoint the entry of a cyberattack if there happens to be one.

4) Patch Management

The Cyber Essentials team tested all our devices to ensure we have installed the most recent updates. Devices were tested to make sure that all the software on devices connected to the network are up to date. This again helps to prevent cyber-attacks and removes any chance of a threat originating from that software.

Software and applications often release updates or patches which need to be downloaded to help to fix any bugs or holes in their code that may cause vulnerabilities.

Windows 10, for example, often asks to update your computer and with just a click of a button, the process will start automatically.

5) Malware Protection

The Cyber Essentials team ensured that every Timeless device has sufficient protection against viruses and malware. Accidentally downloading malware is the main reason your computer or server can be compromised from cyber-attacks. Malware is recognised as any type of software that is designed to leak private information or cause major disruption. This can be as simple as clicking a link.

By gaining the Cyber Essentials Plus certification we have been through a comprehensive and

rigorous assessment of Timeless IMS’ cyber protection strategy.

Through these controls, Timeless IMS has been awarded the Cyber Essentials Certifications. It shows our clients that we are suitability placed to identify areas of weakness within our client’s cybersecurity and provide recommendations on the proactive measures we can provide to protect our clients’ businesses.

We have used the quote below on many an occasion.

“If you think you know-it-all about cybersecurity, this discipline was probably ill-explained to you.”

Stephane Nappo

To continue the conversation and find out how we can work with you to be as prepared as possible, with our Timeless IMS Security Total Passport Service. Contact us on sales@timelessims.co.uk

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“Change is the only constant and uncertainty is not far behind.”

Stop Smoking

If you smoke, then stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health. Visit the Stop Smoking page on our website to find your nearest stop smoking clinic where our friendly stop smoking specialist will support you on your journey to becoming smokefree!

Get Active

We have lot of ways for people of all ages to be more active, including lots of local opportunities on our Get Active page.

The Hounslow activities map shows opportunities to get active across the whole borough.

Free Community Health Walks

Our community health walks run at the same time and place every week and are available at different locations across Hounslow.

To find your nearest walk and sign up visit our Free Community Health Walks page.

Healthier Me Programme

Our Healthier Me programme has become very popular and is a 12-week adult weight management programme led by our registered nutritionists. Contact us to find out if you are eligible to join this programme – call us or register on the Healthier Me page on our website.

Supporting those with mental health conditions back into the workplace…

We’re in the middle of what’s been coined a “recruitment crisis” - yet whilst this gains momentum, leaving job vacancies crying out for applicants, an equally ambitious workforce of skilled, committed and motivated individuals wish for sustainable employment to re-connect with life and find a brighter, better future for themselves.

However, for those managing a mental health condition, the pathway to work may need more than the standard induction training, instead they need a bridge into the workplace. London based charity Twining Enterprise work with clients every day who have experienced a mental health condition but want to get back into the workplace, using evidence-based employment support models like Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to make the transition.

Chief Executive at Twining Enterprise, Oli Jacobs, explained, “Many of the clients who find their way to us come via our partnerships with the NHS, community-based social enterprises or by selfreferral, and have already spent time receiving mental health therapies, but may still require a different type of support to fully get their lives back on track.

This is where our Employment Specialists step in – to understand a client’s current employment situation, what their working aspirations might be, and what may be a realistic route to finding, securing and sustaining fulfilling work to support their healing and form part of a wider recovery journey.”

One of Twining Enterprise’s clients, Jacinda, found herself unemployed for almost one and a half years, creating a lack of confidence, low self-esteem and triggering severe stress from previous workplace bullying and a lack of parental support. Despite finding it hard to trust people, her Twining Enterprise Employment Specialist gradually gained her

confidence, sitting alongside her and sharing information about jobs, interviews and even workwear.

Jacinda explained, “We can be a victim of our own circumstances, or we can use the problems as a step to succeed. Because when we decide to get out of our fears, the universe conspires to help us and the right people appear to support our journey.”

Jacobs goes on to explain, “It’s stories like Jacinda’s that makes our work so rewarding! There is nothing more satisfying than working with people who maybe haven’t had happiness, job satisfaction or even a basic routine for many years, suddenly starting to blossom after finding work they love.”

Twining Enterprise also works with employers that share the same ethos of supporting often marginalised people back into the workplace and providing them with that magical second chance to find their rightful place in society.

Photo by Edmond Dantès www.pexels.com

Helen B.

‘I had been interested in Ozone therapy for quite some time.’ Dr Hala says, ‘After my eldest Son developed a back injury while weightlifting, he had several Ozone injections at the injury site.’ She recalls. ‘The results were amazing, in a matter of weeks he improved drastically and was able to walk without pain, and now he’s back to lifting weights.’

As an NHS consultant Dr Hala has always been passionate about medical treatment and saw big potential in Ozone therapy. ‘I explored IV Ozone therapy just as we were coming out of the lockdowns of the Covid pandemic.’ Dr Hala says. ‘You take samples of the patients’ blood, ozonate them, and return them to the body. The effects are incredible; improved oxygenation of the whole body, increased energy & focus, boosted immune system, and increased production of antioxidants.’

Since the pandemic Dr Hala has performed IV Ozone therapy on her clients, many of which seeking relief from the symptoms of long-covid. ‘The timing could not have been better for my clients and even my family, as the Covid pandemic hit close to home.’ Recalls Dr Hala. ‘My youngest son was hospitalised with Covid and pneumonia and even

after he was discharged, he felt very weak and short of breath. He had gone from competitive boxing to struggling to get up the stairs’ she adds. ‘I gave him weekly IV Ozone sessions and in just under 2 months he was ready to get back to boxing, though I did make him wait until he was fully recovered’ Dr Hala laughs.

Not just for health and wellbeing, Ozone therapy is a great addition to the world of aesthetics. As the effects are throughout the whole body, even your skin will reap the benefits of IV Ozone. ‘Your skin is an organ. Just like any other organ it functions better with more oxygen, so your skin will look better, and you’ll feel better.’ she explains. ‘That’s the beauty of Ozone therapy, you combine feeling better with looking better all in one treatment.’

“The pain in my diaphragm is gone, and I feel so energetic!”

Supporting menopausal workers is a win-win

confidence, poor memory, difficulty sleeping and fatigue. All these factors can negatively affect work performance. The menopause is not in itself classed as a disability and there are currently no direct menopause discrimination laws protecting workers in the UK.

Although it’s not directly a disability, the Employment Tribunal has acknowledged that symptoms of the menopause can amount to a disability, and a claim for discrimination may succeed on a case-by-case basis. The perceived lack of clarity here has inevitably come in for criticism.

The committee’s report was published at the end of July 2022 and the Government’s response is expected soon. This could potentially lead to changes to the Equality Act 2010. Even if there are no specific legislation changes related to menopause in the workplace, employers should make sure they have steps, procedures and support in place to help staff affected.

Supportive employers

Healthcare group, Bupa points out that 3.5 million of the UK’s female workforce are aged 50 or over. Menopausal women are also the fastest growing demographic in the workplace. If companies have for too long failed to listen or support these employees, they can no longer do so.

Common symptoms of the menopause include loss of

There have been calls from many quarters for clearer definition regarding menopause in the workplace and employers’ responsibilities. The Women and Equalities committee set up an inquiry into menopause in the workplace and the extent to which women with menopausal symptoms suffer discrimination at work.

Having regular conversations with staff and listening to their concerns might help resolve issues early on. This could mean an employee avoiding long, unwanted absences, not feeling isolated and encouraged by a support network in place. A proactive approach could also prevent any potential legal action, demonstrating that the employer has not been negligent in any way.

Rather than seeing support as an unwelcome obligation, employers are being encouraged to identify

the tangible benefits provided to both employer and employee. Notably, retaining high quality staff central to the success of the operation. A 2019 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that three in five menopausal womenusually aged between 45 and 55were negatively affected at work and that almost 900,000 women in the U.K. left their jobs over an undefined period of time because of menopausal symptoms.

The implication here is that women are leaving businesses at the peak of their experience which will inevitably impact productivity. Women in this age group are likely to be eligible for senior management roles, and so their exit can lessen diversity at executive levels. It can also contribute to the gender pay-gap and feed into a disparity in pensions. There is clearly good reason for companies to act positively.

The menopause has been the unspoken issue of many women lives for far too long. Menopause is a very personal journey that each woman has to go through. For some, it can pass by with little to no impact. However, for others it can have catastrophic implications physically, mentally, and emotionally. Raising awareness and educating businesses on how best to support is critical and all businesses should be reviewing and improving their policies and employee support in this area.

For some woman, just as they are reaching the peak of their career, they can wake up one morning and feel like their whole self has changed and they might not even understand why? I know this because it happened to me. Getting the right support, the right treatment, and the right advice as early as possible is critical and this is where employers can step in and help.

Sam Leigh | Managing Director of Lampton Community Services Coalo – Greenspace – Recycle

I am very lucky to be going through the menopause at a time when lots of woman are talking about it now. There are lots of newspaper articles, books, Podcasts and celebrities talking about menopause which enables us as women to understand it a little more and discuss it with our friends, family and employers. It has certainly allowed me to talk about my experiences, the brain fog, the tiredness, the hot flushes and seek help via the GP, that perhaps others didn’t have. It is part of the main stream conversation now and menopause is no longer a mystery or indeed a dirty word!

Janet Leatherland, Treaty Shopping Centre

I was incredibly lucky to go through the menopause, at the age of 46, without really realising it. But I do remember being hot a great deal of the time and having to open the fridge door to get cool, during one of the coldest winters! However, going through the menopause early can bring its own problems, namely osteoporosis, so please do get yourself checked out.

Sally Smith: West London Chambers of Commerce

The menopause affects all women at some point in their lives. According to NHS figures, women in the UK typically reach the menopause, at around 51 years of age. The severity of symptoms and the length of time they last can vary from person to person.

As an award-winning, family owned property developer with 40 years industry experience, you know a Bugler home is a high quality home.

We have developed a trusted relationship with the people of Hounslow, and our years of experience in the area mean that we know what works for the local community.

Our most recent Hounslow-based development on Bell Road will mark the start of a new chapter for many, when it completes in 2023.

Located in the heart of Hounslow, it is going to provide 127 new homes for the local community.

We build desirable homes that people are proud to live in and our reputation is built on the highest quality and attention to detail. If you would like to know more, get in touch with our team.

Bell Road, Hounslow

Rubbish Day…?

COO of

waste management in action. Recycle 360 bulk, process and ship over 22,000 tonnes of recycling a year collected from Hounslow residents - So much plastic! But all being sold into the recycling industry for good value, so please do keep doing your bit both at home and place of work.

commitment to the environment and social value.

I was among a number of guests, including some of our Councillors, to learn more about the organisation. We met at the Ashmead Road Depot in Feltham and were then driven to Bedfont Lakes where we met the Countryside and Park Ranger teams. The former gave us an interesting tour of the Education Centre, including the menagerie of mammals, birds and reptiles. Cllr Katherine Dunne and I especially enjoyed

meeting the large spider. The Park Rangers have just been introduced to the various parks across the borough and have been particularly busy this

summer, owing to the extreme heat, tackling grassfires.

We then moved onto Recycle 360 in Southall, where we saw the

I was immensely impressed with the large water pumping system, designed to respond to potential fires in the centre, through rapid deluge of up to 2.2Million litres of stored water, to extinguish any fire in minutes. With a serious fire in a waste centre somewhere in the UK every day, Hounslow’s is one of the most modern and best protected from the risk

I was also impressed to learn that the site is 99% run on renewables – the mobile plant used for materials handling is alternative fuel ‘HVO’ giving a 90% CO2 reduction on normal diesel, while electricity is a mix of site generated solar power and guaranteed renewable source from the grid.

On Thursday, 8 September I had a brilliant day, despite the heavy rain, as a guest of Lampton Community Services, learning all about their varied services, from park maintenance to waste collection to maintaining the councils’ 16,000 homes.

Sally Smith,

West London Chambers, was one of the guests at a recent visit to Lampton Leisure Services.

Kash Mueller

Trainer and Business Coach

What is your business all about?

Good communication skills are essential for success in all aspects of our lives, without effective skills to influence, persuade or sell, people can become stuck in their career paths or experience painful frustrations.

At English Academy we equip people with effective skills to make an impact in their area of work or personal lives. We offer a range of soft-skills training as well as certificate English language courses. We also offer business coaching for entrepreneurs or business professionals. For more information about our courses, please email us at info@kashmueller.com

Kash is a supportive Chamber member.

Three words to describe yourself?

pitfalls and empower our clients to express as well develop their professionalism in the English language.

Biggest achievement?

Living and working in Germany, mastering the German language and setting up a business there.

Biggest gripe?

Not sure… I don’t tend to look at the negative too much

Your inspiration?

My daughter.

Philosophy in Business?

Bringing out the best in people.

Sporting Hero?

Mohamed Ali I think, from a very young age I’ve always been fascinated by him and his “punches of wisdom”. A legend in every sense.

Who are you?

I am a Teacher, Trainer, and a business coach. Bringing out the best in people is my passion. I am very familiar with the challenges of living and working in a foreign country. My story starts in Uganda where I was born, both my parents are of Indian descent. We came to the UK as immigrants fleeing from Idi Amin, I was seven at the time. Although we were all educated in English it was very tough to become familiar with the cultural

and communications aspects of life in London. After my studies in BA Business Administration and MBA in Corporate Strategy,

I travelled through Europe and eventually settled down in Germany. It was here that

I started my business English Academy. I recognised that most people had a certain level of English but were struggling to express their professionalism in English, I could relate to this as I was experiencing the same thing in the German language.

Passionate about people.

Ideal Customer?

Our clients come from all different backgrounds and nationalities: students, entrepreneurs, managers, young professionals, business owners, schools, universities. Its more than just language training, there are many aspects involved for example selling skills, customer care, cultural differences and expectations, personal development etc. At English Academy we attempt to smooth potential

I was totally intrigued with his manner of talking, simplicity yet witty and impactful. As a kid I was extremely shy and lacked confidence, especially as we were immigrants into the country, having been exiled from Uganda.

I was totally captivated by Mohammed Ali’s powerful belief in himself. It led me to taking up kick-boxing as a sport.

Biggest tip for success?

Run your own race, at your pace, don’t look at others.

At English Academy we attempt to smooth potential pitfalls and empower our clients to express as well develop their professionalism in the English language.

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