Southwark Business Today September 23

Mortgages with you in mind

Ready

works for you.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

handelsbanken.co.uk/londonbridge

Our lending facilities are only available to persons aged 18 or over and are subject to status. Written quotations and Terms and Conditions are available on request.

The Southwark Chamber of Commerce magazine for all businesses in Southwark.

Dear Members

The Southwark Chamber of Commerce held its Annual General Meeting on the 12th of July 2023 confirming elections to its committee. During the meeting, we also reviewed the Chamber’s 2022 annual accounts for adoption by the Committee and our Articles of Association, which we will put forward to all members of the Chamber later this year before submission to Companies House.

I am also pleased to have been re-elected during the meeting as Chair of the Chamber of Commerce, and to have Teekall Mair Macfarlane and Roger Lynch join me as elected Vice Chairs.

Together we are working to reestablish the Southwark Chamber of Commerce as a business membership organization that is genuinely representative of the diversity of businesses across the borough, and to develop membership offers that support their growth and success.

With that in mind, we hope you will join us for our monthly networking events ‘Links & Drinks,’ running on the first Thursday of every month and where you will be able to connect with other local businesses. Our inaugural ‘Links & Drinks’ will be held on 7th of September 2023 from 5pm – 11pm at Skylight Peckham.

In addition to our in-person networking events, we will be holding online ‘Lunchtime Talks’ on the last Friday of every month, which will provide key business insights including updates from Southwark Council and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Committee and I are extremely excited about the coming months as we continue to develop and deliver the Chamber’s refresh, including its offer to our members. We hope to see you at one of our events soon where you can find out more about the Southwark Chamber of Commerce and how you can get involved.

Best wishes to you all.

Enjoy the

Shade Abdul

BA(Hons) DipArch(UCL) RIBA FRSA Chair Southwark Chamber of Commerce Limited Director, Deft.Space

Karen

Tel:

Email:

Studio David Wright

Email: dave@benhampublishing.com

Media No.1972

Changes to the flexible working policy What is it and what will it mean?

In a post covid-lockdown world, flexible working has become standard practice for most employees. In fact, research has shown that today more than half (51%) of employees say that they have flexible working arrangements in their current role (CIPD Report: an update on flexible working and hybrid working practices)

Many studies have shown that managers have a more positive view on flexible working than might have been seen pre-pandemic, with most studies cited improved productivity and motivation as some of the key benefits of adopting this flexible approach.

On 20 July 2023, the Employment Relations (Flexible working) bill received Royal Assent from the House of Lords and is expected to come in to effect in 2024/25. The new bill will implement a collection of changes to the current legislation on flexible working under Employment Rights Act 1996. Whilst statutory flexible working is a broad term in this context, it encompasses working hours, patterns, compressed hours and or adjusting start and finishing times to name a few.

As well as bringing benefits to workers, research shows that companies that embrace flexible working can attract more talent, improve staff motivation, and reduce staff turnover. Much of it is due to employees having a greater say over “when, where and how they work.”

What are the changes?

Eligibility conditions

Perhaps the most drastic change to the flexible working policy is that it will now be extended to all workers as of day one of their employment. This is far removed from the current need to have been continuously employed for no less than 26 weeks at the date that the request was made.

Making the flexible working request

There is currently great emphasis on the employee explaining the effect that they believe

the arrangement might have on the business, and how, in their opinion such an effect could be dealt with. This burden has now been taken off the employee and will no longer be a requirement when submitting requests. We expect that this will still be needed but may require a more collaborative approach between employers and employees when agreeing these arrangements.

Timescale

At present, employees are to be informed in writing of the decision on their request within three months (or longer if agreed with the employee). Under the new legislation, employers will have two months to respond to the employee.

Refusal or withdrawal of the request

Under the current law, employers are permitted to refuse the request without having consulted the employee. Following the changes, Consultation will need to take place between the employee and the employer to discuss the requests before a formal decision is reached which does align with current good practice.

It is clear by the changes that are being implemented that employees will be given more control over their working week. However, this change is envisaged to positively affect employers too. Business and Trade Minister

Kevin Hollinrake stated that “it makes good business sense too, helping firms attract more talent, increase retention and improve workforce diversity.” It is clear that a happierworkforce will result in better quality input from employees, therefore promoting a more balanced business environment for all.

Whilst we are yet to see the new rules implemented, it is envisaged that the pros will indeed outweigh the cons of this new way of working and will formalise practices that many employers are already allowing and seeing.

If you are unsure how to make a request for flexible working or how to deal with receipt of such a request, do not hesitate to contact our expert team on 020 7940 3907 or emp@anthonygold.co.uk who will gladly assist you further.

Resources

• www.gov.uk/government/news/millionsto-benefit-from-new-flexible-workingmeasures

• startups.co.uk/people/management/ flexible-working-bill/

• www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/flexibleworking/applying-for-flexible-working/

• https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/ reports/flexible-hybrid-working-practices/

“Research shows that companies that embrace flexible working can attract more talent, improve staff motivation, and reduce staff turnover.”

Image by Pexels

Nicole Subrovska Paralegal

Anthony Gold Solicitors

Six

projects awarded a share of more than £135,000 to support local high streets

The council’s Thriving High Streets Fund supports projects to keep our high streets thriving, with grants from £1,000 to £25,000 for businesses and voluntary sector groups. The money is awarded to projects that met two of four criteria; offered support during the Cost of Living Crisis, helped make Southwark greener, created healthy and safe high streets and/ or complemented the council’s Southwark Stands Together priorities.

The six successful projects for the 2023 funding are:

The Alexander Rose project

Funding Rose vouchers for families on low incomes to spend on healthy food in participating local shops and markets

Big Local Works

Creating two community ‘anchor’ stalls at The Blue market

Making Connections

An arts event series in Peckham’s Old Waiting Room

Peckham Palms

A programme of public wellbeing, music and food events to promote the Black and female owned businesses at Peckham Palms

Tree Shepherd

Events to support small Black and womenowned businesses in Canada Water

Urban Elephant

A cross cultural festival of contemporary street culture in and around Walworth Road, Elephant Park, Sayer Street and Castle Square

Exciting events, business support and healthy food vouchers are among the successful proposals that have been awarded a share of Southwark Council’s High Street Funding this summer.

Cllr Martin Seaton, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills & Business, said: “Our high streets have faced a barrage of challenges over the last few years. Brexit, the cost of living crisis, and the impact of COVID-19 have all had an effect on our town centres and high streets one way or another.

“To help support our local businesses, Southwark Council made the protection and development of high streets a priority. We want to help businesses adapt to the challenges of the day and continue to grow and thrive in the future.”

John Whelan Artistic Director - Urban Elephant Festival, said: “We are really excited to have been funded by the Thriving High Streets Fund for this year’s exciting Urban Elephant Festival 15 to 17 Sep. This will see our high streets in the Elephant and Castle animated with music, dance and performance in this free community arts festival.

“Our project is all about revitalising the streets of the Elephant and Castle and wider Walworth and help put the area on the map as a destination to live, work and enjoy. The Elephant used to be called the Piccadilly of the South and our aim with this funding is to enable it to become this again in the future.”

Paul Smyth, Director of Peckham Palms, said: “The Thriving High Streets Fund is a fantastic opportunity for Peckham Palms to promote the brilliant businesses based here and to connect with other organisations on Rye Lane to promote this unique area - one of London’s greatest high streets. Our project will highlight Peckham’s world class reputation as a destination for Black hair stylists and highlight the growing number of West African food businesses and wellbeing businesses in the area.

“By bringing together music, food and hair styling we the fund will help to introduce more people to Peckham and showcase the important work we are doing to promote Black owned businesses at Peckham Palms.”

Jonathan Pauling, Chief Executive of the Alexander Rose Charity said: “At Alexandra Rose

Charity we give families weekly Rose Vouchers to help them afford fresh fruit and veg, so they can provide their children with a healthy diet. A key element of our project is supporting the local, healthy food economy, so we are delighted that a recent independent economic impact assessment of the project in Southwark showed that for every £1 Rose Voucher, £3.11 of value was created for the local economy. “We want to make sure that markets and market traders can continue to support Southwark residents to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate fruit & veg in their local community. This fund will go a long way to helping us deliver on this mission.”

Sandra Ferguson, CEO of Tree Shepherd, said: This award will have a significant impact on our ability to continue to support local entrepreneurs, driving traffic to Canada Water and building on the partnership with British Land to deliver Thrive – the affordable workspace designed to support the establishment of local, independent businesses.” Luds van den Belt, Manager of Big Local Works, said: “We are very excited to have received the positive news about the Thriving High Street fund. This will allow us to invest in the local economy and provide the Blue Market with two regular and guaranteed market stalls selling key local products and services that this community market needs. The additional stalls at the Blue will bring in, support, and encourage, variety and diversity of offering; as well as create local employment, increased footfall, associated events, and awareness of the Blue and the local high street.

It’s a fantastic and exciting opportunity to grow the market and high street offering and provide a much-needed boost to the local area!”

“We want to help businesses adapt to the challenges of the day and continue to grow and thrive in the future.”

Southwark’s parks retain Green Flag Award status

Southwark Council has successfully retained all 30 Green Flag Awards for its outstanding parks and open spaces. This prestigious status stands as a testament to the relentless efforts made by volunteers, community groups, park staff and contractors, Idverde, in maintaining well-managed and welcoming open spaces for park-goers.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Southwark has the third highest number of flags of all of the 2,208 councils that took part across England and the second most in London.

Councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Leisure, and Parks, said: “We are delighted to have retained all 30 Green Flag Awards for our parks and open spaces. Voted best Parks in London in 2022-23, our amazing parks enable active recreation, promote community action and provide solace for people of all ages and backgrounds and we have worked hard to maintain this. They are also key in supporting biodiversity and our climate emergency agenda.

“Given the high level of demand placed on our parks from both prolonged periods of hot weather and lack of access to private or

Peckham Library reopens after £1.5 million revamp

Peckham Library has reopened following a £1.5 million refurbishment to upgrade the building’s facilities and improve its energy efficiency.

shared gardens, retaining 30 Green Flags is a remarkable achievement.

“I also wish to offer my congratulations to all the Southwark organisations who have been awarded Community Awards this year.

“Our achievements across our 30 Green Flag parks and the success of other Green Flag sites would not have been possible without the hard work of our community of volunteers.

“I also wish to offer sincere thanks on behalf of all our residents to all our park staff and our contractors Idverde, who care for the green spaces that everyone can enjoy.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd MBE said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in achieving a Green Flag Award”.

A number of local organisations also received Green Flag Awards this year including: Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Better Bankside, Burgess Park Food Project, Surrey Docks Farm, Tate Modern + Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Conservation Volunteers at Dulwich Upper Wood, Conservation Volunteers at Lavender Pond and Walworth Garden.

The programme of works included green upgrades to retrofit the building with lowcarbon, energy-efficient technologies including heat pumps. These improvements will help to save energy costs for Southwark Council whilst also reducing carbon emissions to help towards the council’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The latest Climate Emergency report, published in July, showed emissions from buildings accounted for 77 per cent of Southwark’s total emissions, and new carbon-saving technologies at Peckham will help tackle these emissions. The upgrade includes the following improvements: a new low-carbon heating, cooling, and ventilation system; new LED lighting; upgrading of security and access control systems; refurbishment of all toilets, kitchens, staffroom, and security office; roof and window repairs; and new flooring.

Councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Leisure and Parks, said: “We are very proud of our libraries in Southwark. Peckham is one of our biggest and busiest libraries and a critical element of the public realm and square. It not only offers traditional library services, but provides enriching events for children and adults, free Wi-Fi and rooms for hire. It lends itself into the life and times of Peckham.

“We are also aware that we need to address our buildings’ impact on the environment, and as a council, we have been working hard to set an example and reduce our emissions – including in our library buildings.”

Over the next few years, Southwark Council has a work programme for retrofit upgrades across offices, libraries, leisure centres and youth centres.

“Voted best Parks in London in 2022-23, our amazing parks enable active recreation, promote community action and provide solace for people of all ages and backgrounds and we have worked hard to maintain this. They are also key in supporting biodiversity and our climate emergency agenda.”

Councillor Catherine Rose

Meet the people making Canada Water work for them

As we step into autumn, we take a look at some of the opportunities the Canada Water development is providing in the world of work. Here we focus on how the Canada Water Connect service is helping to plug local people of all ages into the fast-evolving local economy, and the new life sciences hub that is bringing cutting-edge business innovation to the area.

Navardo and Angela hit the ground running at Paper Yard

Canada Water Connect (CWC) is a partnership between British Land, the developer building London’s first new town centre in 50 years, and ELBA, a charity with 30 years’ experience in enabling businesses to support their community. CWC is a free service connecting local people to the new opportunities being created by the development.

These include:

• New jobs and apprenticeships

• New learning and skill development opportunities

• Support for local entrepreneurs and businesses to grow

• New community initiatives

The team are committed to helping local people find meaningful sustained employment as part of the development. To date, more than 90 people from the local area have found long-term work on the development, including 36 apprentices.

CWC’s Employment and Skills Manager, Ian Walker, was recently part of an insight session with contractor Wates where 15 students and aspiring professionals immersed themselves in the lively atmosphere of a construction site on Plot A1.

British Land have recently hired some new local talent in Navardo and Angela, who will be working in the recently completed Paper Yard located off Quebec Way. Paper Yard is the first step of British Land’s ambitious plans to create a life sciences and innovation hub at Canada Water and address London’s shortage of facilities for the sector. It offers over 30,000 sq ft of lab space for start-ups and flourishing local companies.

Navardo is Paper Yard’s property manager, overseeing the facilities and ensuring occupants have everything they need. Angela works alongside him as the front-of-house lead and is the first port of call for any visitors.

Navardo’s family have been residents in the area for nearly 20 years and he himself has lived here for the past eight years. He brings over a decade’s experience in facilities management to Paper Yard and is excited about what’s happening in the area. He says: “Having a career in Canada Water was a no-brainer – I get the chance to work locally whilst being part of this once-in-a-lifetime regeneration project.”

CWC has also been working with Southwark Construction Skills Centre (SCSC) to invite its course candidates into British Land’s Dock Offices and give them an insight into the development through models and VR systems. The Dock Offices have also served as a venue where CWC helps Construction Youth Trust, a charity whose aim is to support young people to overcome barriers and discover a career in the construction and built environment sector, run mock interviews.

To find out more, list opportunities you are offering locally, view the many employment and training openings currently available, or register for updates, visit www.canadawater.co.uk/ connect or email connect@canadawater.co.uk

Angela has lived in Bermondsey her entire life and sees it as an inclusive and diverse place to live, work and explore. She started volunteering at Southwark Works during the pandemic, and was later offered as role as their Construction Apprenticeship and Training Advisor, which is how she discovered the Canada Water development. She later was offered a role as their Construction Apprenticeship and Training Advisor, which is how she discovered British Land. Angela says she was amazed by the work that British Land are doing “to empower Southwark residents into jobs and training, as well as bringing much-needed development to an area that’s often been overlooked, while still retaining the heritage of the area”.

Ian shows the students the view from Plot A1

Canada Water’s newest recruits Navardo and Angela

The Handelsbanken difference

A unique approach to banking

After a decade of serving customers from branches in South East London, Mark Lilliott, branch manager at local relationship bank Handelsbanken in London Bridge and Blackheath, explains what customers value most about their highly personalised approach.

Tell us a little about your business

We’re a relationship-led bank built on sustainable values and rooted in the local community. We offer personal and corporate banking with a truly bespoke service.

So, how does Handelsbanken differ from the traditional UK high street banks?

Unlike high street banks, we have a decentralised model, which means our customers benefit from swift, clear decisions, made in the branch by people they know. Each customer has a direct line to their own account manager, who knows the local market and invests time to understand their aspirations, to reach truly bespoke solutions. Our customers trust us because we focus on building long-term relationships, and because we’re free from sales targets or short-term bonuses, they know we’re always working in their best interests.

What is your company’s ethos and philosophy?

Our focus is on long-term relationships. We believe we can help our customers achieve their goals, by really knowing them as individuals. Our cultural handbook is clear “our advice must always be what is best for the customer, not what is most profitable for the

Bank at the time”; we back that up by being free of sales targets and short-term bonuses, so customers know we work in their interests.

What sets you apart from others in your sector?

We’re a bank with a unique decentralised model, where our colleagues are empowered

“Each customer has a direct line to their own account manager, who knows the local market and invests time to understand their aspirations, to reach truly bespoke solutions.”

to make decisions, meaning our customers benefit from swift and bespoke service decision making. Our customers have a direct line to their account manager, who knows the local market and invests time to understand their aspirations.

What can customers expect from Handelsbanken

For our personal customers we offer a bespoke service with a private banking experience. Each customer has their own private banking manager who gets to know them, to support their needs today and anticipate their requirements going forward. That could be everyday banking through to financial planning for their family’s future.

If customers bring their businesses to us, they’ll benefit from a dedicated corporate banking manager who is backed by an expert team, who will really get under the skin of their business. Each and every customer can be sure of the best service which is driven by a focus on building long-term relationships, not by short term bonuses or targets.

Tell us a bit about the London Bridge & Blackheath Branch

Currently two separate branches, London Bridge and Blackheath will be joining forces soon, working as one team to enhance our offering across South East London. Since opening our doors here in 2013 we’ve gone from strength to strength.

We’re a team of 11 experienced bankers covering the London Boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Greenwich and Lewisham, offering personal and corporate banking along with a wealth management service, so no matter what stage in life our customers are at, we

can help and it’s all done here in the branch. With a focus on customer service rather than expensive marketing campaigns, our customers come to us through word of mouth and personal recommendation, which we’re proud to say is down to the quality of service our branch colleagues deliver each and every day.

How is the bank evolving to secure a successful future?

With an approach like ours we can stay adaptable and agile, changing as our customers’ needs do. We recognise that customers want more choice when it comes to how and when they bank with us, so we’re enhancing our digital offering, to complement our face-toface service.

Working towards a more sustainable future has always been a priority for us and we’ve recently committed to reaching net zero by 2040. We’ll continue to run our business in a more sustainable way and deliver positive environmental and social outcomes, through sustainable finance products and responsible investment options.

What part does sustainability play at Handelsbanken?

Working towards a more sustainable future has always been a priority for us and we’ve recently committed to reaching net zero by 2040, that’s a decade sooner than is planned for the UK as a whole. We continue to run our business in a sustainable way, aiming to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes, through sustainable finance products and responsible investment options. The relationships we have with our customers means we can guide them on their sustainability journey too, as we all face up to the challeng-

es and opportunities that the climate crisis brings. We can help customers by supporting them as they find solutions to running their businesses in a more sustainable way, whether that’s funding solar panels or making the move to electric vehicles.

As a local bank how important is community to you?

Being part of the community is a key part of what Handelsbanken is about. It not only benefits our customers, but also means we can really make a difference in the area. Our local knowledge can help customers when they want to buy or sell property or businesses who can benefit from the networks we’re part of. With a focus on building a more sustainable future in all that we do, we’re keen to give something back, for example we have supported Macmillan Cancer Support through hosting a coffee morning with our customers and local professionals.

What are your ambitions for the branch?

Put simply, to be the best bank in the area. Customer satisfaction drives everything we do and we’ll continue to invest in our people and our branch so that we can help individuals and businesses realise their ambitions.

What achievement as a firm are you most proud of?

Definitely our reputation for customer satisfaction. In 2022 we were rated top for customer satisfaction for the fourteenth year running, in an independent survey of British banks’ personal and business customers. (EPSI Rating Group, epsi-rating.com). This recognition shows we’re doing the right thing by our customers.

“Working towards a more sustainable future has always been a priority for us and we’ve recently committed to reaching net zero by 2040. We’ll continue to run our business in a more sustainable way and deliver positive environmental and social outcomes, through sustainable finance products and responsible investment options.”

Battling Back

Southwark Chamber of Commerce’s Vice Chair Roderick Lynch talks to Sarah Dale about his drive to make the Chamber more diverse, his campaign for race equality and his new business venture following lengthy battles both with cancer and in the courts.

A passionate advocate for race equality, a political campaigner, a successful entrepreneur, a former athlete, and a father, it is fair to say that Roderick has crammed a lot into his life and his highlight reel would make fascinating viewing.

To hear the news that his cancer had returned in 2020 – three years after his initial diagnosis and following a horrific car crash – and with a court case still hanging over his head, Roderick was at his lowest.

“I didn’t think I would see the day my son got married and I would have a grandchild,” said Roderick.

“But I won the court case, I saw my son get married and any day now I will have a granddaughter.

“I’m now in my fifth year since I was told I was a goner..”

Now in remission but suffering with the aftermath of gruelling cancer treatment, Roderick is determined to launch his new business venture, National Interim Bed Service, as well as devote a lot of his time and efforts to representing the diverse culture of London boroughs in his new role with Southwark Chamber of Commerce.

As Vice Chair, he works closely with Chair Shade Abdul, and both are keen to ensure the Chamber is fully representative of the large African Caribbean community in the London borough.

“My role is to help the Chamber be a conduit for the local business community to access advice and guidance,” said Roderick, who is planning workshops and mentoring for members. He joined the Chamber in 2010 until 2015 and rejoined in 2021, becoming Vice Chair this year.

“I want to give back to the community through the Chamber.

“The Chamber was not truly representative of the borough and the people it served. African Caribbean communities are the make-up of the London borough but they weren’t represented in the Chamber. I have West Indian heritage; my parents were from St Lucia. Now with Shade and myself, we hope to be the voice of the community.”

His experiences as a longstanding awardwinning political campaigner – he was founding Chair of the Liberal Democrat Campaign for Race Equality – Roderick is keen to promote race equality across society. He has won a host of awards both for business and his campaigning, including the Harriet Smith Award for Distinguished Service in 2019.

Roderick ran a highly successful and awardwinning business, Ruskin Private Hire from 1998 which then traded as Ruskin Private Hire Limited from 2002 to 2014. The company employed more than 800 people and had 500 vehicles on its books. He also founded training provider, Robust Training, in 2007.

Inspired by his own experiences struggling to walk and suffering with kidney issues so severe he couldn’t lift his son at the time, before his symptoms were diagnosed as diabetes, he realised that there are a lot of people suffering with non-permanent disabilities, as well as those living with lifelong disabilities.

He developed specialist vehicles to transport disabled people around London and worked with the teams behind London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to take disabled fans and competitors to the events.

Unfortunately, the multi-million-pound business went into administration. On Valentine’s Day 2014, he was asked for £1.2m by a UK Bank which had financed the company during its struggles over the previous year, and a dispute ensued between the business owner and the bank over a personal guarantee signature. The court case is now settled.

Now determined to put the difficult years behind him, he is keen to officially launch his new business, National Interim Bed Service,

a dedicated care stopgap service to help solve the NHS’s costly bed-blocking issue.

He had the idea several years ago and has been tirelessly and quietly working on developing the idea into a business behind the scenes. The business model is having a bank of thousands of houses across the UK with spare rooms to take in people who are well enough to leave hospital but don’t have any family or friends able to take care of them during their recovery which could be up to three to six months.

Using specially adapted vehicles, the patients can be transported to a registered home, where all householders will have been vetted with DBS checks. A CCTV camera in the patient’s room reassures all involved that they are safe and well-cared for. ‘Lodge hosts’ would be paid £800£1,000 a week funded by the NHS and local authorities – in comparison, Roderick states that it costs the NHS approximately £3,000 a week for each blocked bed.

The business has a database of 3,000 people who have worked in the care industry ready to look after patients. Hosts receive first aid training of a Level 2/3 care assistant standard and will not be required to administer medication.

“I believe this is a game-changer,” he said.

“I’m in talks with various NHS Trusts. Over the next two to three years, we can have up to 12,000 beds. We did a sampling in 2015 but when I became ill in 2017, we paused it, and had to pause it again in 2020 when I became ill with cancer again after the trauma of a serious car accident and I was told I had 12-15 months to live.”

With hindsight, Roderick is relieved that the business didn’t launch back then.

“Then Covid came and if we had been live with the business during Covid, I hate to think how things would have turned out,” he said.

Every host and patient would be Covid tested before they live together and rooms are deepcleaned and provided with a specialist hospital bed.

With his first grandchild on the way, a new business venture to run and a political campaign for race equality to lead, he sees his role with the Chamber as his way to give back to the local business community, to share the lessons he has learned, to mentor and continue his quest, as an “ally to the vulnerable” and “campaigner for race equality”, for a rich, diverse society reflected in every arena.

When Roderick Lynch was told he had less than 15 months to live, all his plans were put on hold. In the middle of financially draining and extremely stressful court case (he lost £1m), he was diagnosed with colon and prostate cancer.

“I didn’t think I would see the day my son got married and I would have a grandchild,”

“But the court case has ended, I saw my son get married and any day now I will have a granddaughter.”

Business & community working together

With its long history and local mythologies, some real others exaggerated, the revitalisation of the Blue Bermondsey has been a long time coming.

Following the completion of the Made in Bermondsey regeneration project in 2022, led by Blue Bermondsey BID and focused on improvements to the market place, the wider area is seeing significant investment.

International developer Greystar is progressing with construction works on the former Peek Freans Biscuit Factory site which will see 1,500 new homes for rent, a new school and a range of flexible community and employment spaces. With its strong local community, the area is blessed with many organisations and individuals who do so much good to make it a better place for all to live, work and do business.

Return of Bermondsey Carnival

The Bermondsey Carnival is a free treasured local event held annually in in the gloriously green and pleasant setting of Southwark Park with a history that can be traced back over 100 years.

Due to the Covid pandemic and subsequent budgetary constraints it has struggled to survive after only being staged once in the past three years.

Looking towards the longer-term future of the event Southwark Council granted the management to Blue Bermondsey BID and on 6th August the ‘Carnival’ was back. The event featured a diverse range of family activities, community groups and stakeholders, alongside food and drink stalls plus a full programme of live performances on the Carnival music stage,

headlined by 2tone legend, Neville Staple from the Specials, supported by local bands and performers.

Behind the scenes, it was all made possible due to the tremendous collective efforts of truly passionate collaboration of local stakeholders, and sponsorship from Southwark Council, Assembled Rally, Rotherhithe Consolidated Charities, British Land Canada Water, Greystar Real Estate Partners, Art-Invest Real Estate. Bermondsey Carnival 2023 has shown how local business and community working in partnership in new ways enables hurdles to be overcome and how community led events play an important role in bringing people together for a shared memorable experience.

The event featured a diverse range of family activities, community groups and stakeholders

Appleby Blue – A New Almshouse for Bermondsey

Almshouse seems a very antiquated word in today’s modern world and may conjure up connotations of a medical institution or something similar, but nothing could be further from the truth.

In reality it is an specialised accommodation provided by a charity. Located just a minute’s stroll from the Blue Market and High St, Appleby Blue was conceived, and developed by United St Saviour’s Charity and is the first Almshouse to be built in Southwark for many decades.

It is an impressive, modern 21st century adaptation that reimagines the Almshouse concept for contemporary urban living for the over 65’s who want to lead an active independent life within a flourishing and caring community.

By marrying heritage with modernity every element of Appleby Blue has been carefully

thought-out and specifically designed for older people to provide genuinely attractive low cost sheltered housing in 57 purpose-built, spacious apartments, surrounded by beautiful courtyard gardens, alongside a multitude of shared community spaces and resources throughout. Connecting residents to life around them and

fostering interaction and sociability among the wider community is central to the ethos of Appleby Blue and in tandem with residents and United St Saviour’s trusted community partners, Appleby Blue offers a diverse intergenerational community program encompassing a wide range of activities from digital skills sessions and dance and exercise classes to integrated cookery sessions in the vibrant community kitchen that sits at its core.

Specialist staff are always on-site to assist residents to live independently, participate in activities and nurture wellbeing, ensuring it is a place that demonstrates and facilitates the vast and positive contributions that older people can bring to the communities where they live.

Appleby Blue truly harmonises tradition with progress to transform how society considers and builds a sustainable, forward-looking living environment for our older people in the future.

Neville Staple from the Specials headlines

The Carnival Music Stage

DON’T DELAY, BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY TODAY

CELEBRATE THIS CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR AT...

A COLOURFUL CELEBRATION OF MARDI GRAS, LIMBO, CALYPSO, FLAMBOYANT COSTUMES, EXOTIC FOOD AND CRAZY COCKTAILS.

C hristmas is just around the corner!

With the festive season quickly sneaking up on us, Smart Christmas Parties are gearing up for another lively run of spectacular exclusive and shared parties. Smart holds the keys to nine of London’s most popular Christmas party venues.

Director of Ticketed Sales, Alex Ryan, reveals all about the benefits of celebrating at a shared Christmas party, and how they bring their extraordinary ideas to life.

Tell us a little bit about how you got into the Christmas party business…

“Our CEO boasts nearly 35 years of experience in the Christmas party industry. Fuelled by his passion for catering and events, he founded the idea of providing everything for the perfect Christmas party under one roof, leading to the birth of ‘The Christmas Company’ in 1991. From then, his idea continued to flourish, resulting in the emergence of Smart Christmas Parties in 2001. The company vision has withstood the test of time, and his enthusiasm for Christmas burns as brightly today as it did back then!”

Why do you offer shared parties? What are the benefits to shared?

“We believe that shared Christmas parties are a fantastic way to get your employees into the festive spirit! Particularly for small businesses dealing with tight budgets, it can be difficult to host something incredible for a small group. With shared parties, you can experience the essence of a bigger event and enjoy the perks of fine dining and high-quality entertainment, without blowing the budget. They are also a great opportunity to connect and network with other, like-minded companies, and create useful connections that you can bring back to the workplace.”

Your parties always have a theme, how do you decide on these?

“It’s very much a joint effort between both the ticketed and venue sales team, our CEO, and the marketing team. Using previous client feedback, emerging trends, and our own wacky ideas, we come up with a selection of potential contenders and present them to our CEO who ultimately has the final say on the matter!”

Carnivale sounds incredible! How long does it take to install?

“The process of installing the venue theming surprisingly only takes three days, but the groundwork for developing the ideas begins as early as the Christmas before! The initial phases involve developing the branding, and building mood boards, before heading to our external set designers and production companies who help bring our ideas to fruition. Our event management arm of the business, Smart Live, then coordinates all the entertainment aspects of the night, whilst our in-house caterers Moving Venue carefully curate a three-course menu to compliment the chosen theme. It really is a team effort!”

You mentioned Electric Xmas, what was the initial thinking behind it?

“The initial concept came from our vision to create something different from many of the Christmas parties in today’s market. We wanted to lean away from the traditional Christmas parties that we have offered in the past and provide a fresh and captivating way for people to celebrate the holiday season. We also wanted to create a more inclusive experience that everyone can enjoy. This is where the idea of Electric Xmas came from, and we hope to create a visually stunning and immersive experience that goes beyond your conventional party.”

They both sound like so much fun! Can anyone attend?

“Yes, it’s not just companies, we offer tables from 8 guests upwards for Carnivale and Electric Xmas, so if you have a group of friends willing to get together then of course! We also run a shared Carnivale NYE party with no minimum numbers, so if you’re in need of some plans, look no further.”

And lastly, how do you guys celebrate your Christmas party?

“It must be pretty epic… One thing Smart knows how to do is party! As the Christmas season is our busiest, we wait until after the New Year to let our hair down, and to do so, we host the ultimate Christmas party for all those in the hospitality industry! At Smart, we only put on Christmas parties that we would want to attend ourselves, and that’s why we have hosted Hospitality Rocks at our venue Evolution London for the last 7 years. It truly is the most spectacular night of our calendar, and with this year’s party also being Carnivale-themed, I have a feeling this is going to be the best one yet!”

Prices start at £100 per person.

Fancy an epic party? Get in touch via our website smartchristmasparties. co.uk or call 020 7836 1033 to speak to a member of our experienced Christmas party team!

The Power and Potential AI

Internationally bestselling business author Bernard Marr talks

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around since the mid-20th century, but its evolution has accelerated tremendously in the past few decades.

The initial stages were characterised by a lack of progress due to limited computer processing capabilities and data. However, with the advent of increased computational power, advancements in machine learning, and the availability of vast amounts of data, AI has evolved significantly.

Today, we are in the era of AI that is capable of deep learning. This means that AI can learn and improve from experience, solving complex problems without being explicitly programmed to do so. It’s the technology behind self-driving cars, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, recommendation systems, and many other advancements that were just science fiction a few decades ago.

Futurist Bernard Marr, an internationally best-selling business author, is a CEO and strategic advisor to some of the world’s biggest organisations including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Toyota, and the United Nations. A prolific writer, he has penned 22 best-selling books, writes a regular column for Forbes and is a frequent contributor to the World Economic Forum.

“AI’s power and potential are immense,” said Bernard, who lives in Milton Keynes with his wife and three children.

“From automating mundane tasks and providing real-time analytics to creating complex algorithms that can outperform humans in specific tasks, AI has already shown us a glimpse of its potential.”

AI can learn from data, identify patterns, and make predictions, all at a scale and speed that is beyond

human capability. This makes it a powerful tool for addressing a wide array of challenges across various industries, including healthcare, finance, education, and transportation, to name a few. In medical healthcare, AI has the potential to drastically improve diagnostics, patient care, and research. AI algorithms can analyse medical images, genomics data, or electronic health records to detect diseases such as cancer at an early stage, often with greater accuracy than human physicians. They can also predict disease progression or recommend personalised treatment plans based on a patient’s unique profile.

Moreover, AI can automate administrative tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to spend more time on patient care. In research, AI can sift through vast amounts of biomedical literature to identify potential new drug candidates or predict their possible side effects.

“For business leaders, it’s crucial to understand that digital transformation isn’t just about implementing new technologies; it’s about fundamentally changing how your organisation operates,” said Bernard.

“You need to create a culture that embraces change and fosters innovation.

“First, develop a clear vision and strategy for your digital transformation. Identify the business areas where emerging technologies like AI could have the greatest impact. This could be improving customer service with chatbots, enhancing decision-making with data analytics, or automating routine tasks.

“Second, invest in skills. Your workforce needs to be able to leverage these technologies effectively. This might involve hiring new talent, reskilling existing employees, or partnering with external organisations.

to Sarah Dale about the future of AI, the positives and the pitfalls, and how businesses should prepare for the future of technology.

“For business leaders, it’s crucial to understand that digital transformation isn’t just about implementing new technologies; it’s about fundamentally changing how your organisation operates,”

“Lastly, prioritise data management. The value of AI and other emerging technologies lies in their ability to extract insights from data. Ensure you have robust data governance, privacy, and security measures in place.”

AI does pose a risk to jobs, particularly those involving routine or repetitive tasks, however, it can also create new jobs. In fact, many of the jobs that exist now didn’t a few decades ago.

AI is expected to create new roles related to developing, managing and maintaining AI systems. However, this transition requires proactive measures, including reskilling and upskilling of the workforce, to ensure people can take advantage of these new opportunities.

Like any technology, AI can pose dangers if not properly managed and regulated. Some potential dangers highlighted by Bernard include:

Privacy and security: AI systems can process vast amounts of data, which can be a risk if these systems are not properly secured. They can be used for malicious purposes, such as surveillance, data theft, or cyberattacks.

Bias: If AI is trained on biased data, it will produce biased results, leading to unfair outcomes. This is especially concerning in areas like hiring, lending, or law enforcement, where bias can have serious real-world consequences.

Ethics and accountability: As AI systems become more autonomous, it can be difficult to determine accountability. For example, if a self-driving car is involved in an accident, who is to blame? The manufacturer, the owner, or the AI itself?

Socio-economic impact: AI might increase inequality if the benefits are not widely distributed.

Bernard’s latest book, Future Skills: The 20 Skills and Competencies Everyone Needs to Succeed in a Digital World, outlines the essential skills needed for success in an increasingly digital world.

“As the technology landscape evolves, most of the future workforce will be doing jobs that don’t yet exist,” he said. “Even our current jobs are not immune to change; they will evolve, some will become obsolete, and many new ones will emerge.”

With this in mind, his book aims to prepare everyone - not just those in the workforce today, but those who will join in the future - for this rapid evolution. He explores the need for skills beyond just the current job market, including

the jobs that may exist in the future as we delegate more tasks to machines. Interestingly, these future skills lean more towards softer skills, the areas where machines are currently unable to match human capabilities.

“The aim of the book is not only to inform but also to encourage individuals to cultivate these skills, in order to succeed in the digital era,” he added.

“It emphasises the importance of continual learning, adaptability, and a keen awareness of technology, while also underlining the importance of emotional intelligence, ethical awareness, and personal wellbeing.

In essence, it provides a comprehensive guide to thriving in a future that, while uncertain, holds many exciting opportunities for those prepared to navigate it.”

Bernard predicts that AI will become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, in ways we can and cannot currently imagine.

“We will likely see more applications in areas like personalised education, preventive healthcare, and sustainable energy management,” he said.

“AI will become more explainable and transparent, addressing current concerns about ‘black box’ decision-making. We’ll also see the rise of ‘edge AI’, where AI processing happens on local devices, reducing data privacy concerns and improving efficiency.

“In terms of regulation, I expect to see more comprehensive frameworks emerge to address ethical, privacy, and security issues.

“However, the future of AI depends on our actions today. By investing in research, promoting ethical use, and ensuring equitable access, we can harness the potential of AI while mitigating its risks.”

Image by Shutterstock

“As the technology landscape evolves, most of the future workforce will be doing jobs that don’t yet exist,” he said. “Even our current jobs are not immune to change; they will evolve, some will become obsolete, and many new ones will emerge”

The Curling Club returns to London this October

The Curling Club makes its glistening return to London and will bring festivities to The Southbank Centre from 13th October – February 2024

Boasting the most dashing après-ski nostalgia, the glistening pistes of the Alps will now lie upon London’s River Thames at The Southbank Centre an ideal location for the party season.

Based on the Winter Olympic sport of Curling, The Curling Club’s ambassador and four time Olympic champion Eve Muirhead OBE, will also be returning. Having captained Team GB to gold glory in February last year, now guests can emulate this by gliding stones down a fit-forpurpose sheet, providing an authentic experience without the need for ice, or specialist footwear.

A headline feature enticing people to this year’s legendary The Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival, The Curling Club will allow strollers beneath the twinkling lights alongside the River Thames to stop and embrace competitive socialising in its most magical form.

Contributing to this wonderland spectacular will be live entertainment, music, alpine inspired street food and cocktails galore to ensure seasonal cheer inside and outside the venue. There will be a total of five curling sheets, allowing couples and groups of up to ten per sheet to enjoy this quintessential game. You and your guests are invited to attend every day from 11am to 11pm.

Eve Muirhead OBE commented on the return of the Curling Club, “The Curling Club is the perfect opportunity to experience the intense and suspenseful sport that is curling. Combining the recent & continued success of Team GB’s curling achievements and the popularity of last year’s spectaculars, it’s a hugely exciting way to celebrate the festive season - and I am so proud to be part of it again. I can’t wait meet everyone at both of these fantastic venues.”

Tickets are on sale now with a range of price packages to suit all booking types. Visit: www.thecurlingclub.com. The Curling Club is open to corporate bookings as well as the general public.

Located in the heart of The Southbank this immersive, alpine-themed, curling-infused pop-up is the perfect way to party this winter and we want you to be a part of it.

Casual Curling combines a short, fast form of curling with winter cocktails and festive music. The Curling Club is the perfect way to entertain friends, colleagues and loved ones this winter whilst experiencing the apres-ski vibes in an all-inclusive, competitive, social environment. call

“The Curling Club is the perfect opportunity to experience the intense and suspenseful sport that is curling.”

Southwark East Music Fest celebrating Asian cultural heritage

A festival celebrating the rich and vibrant cultural heritage of East and Southeast Asia will be held at Canada Water Library and Theatre.

Southwark East Music Fest: Celebrating Asian Heritage through Traditional Music is the third annual celebration of the newly formed UK East Asian and Southeast Asian Heritage Month and will be held on 21st September from 7pm to 9pm.

Nestled in the heart of Southwark, a borough renowned for its rich cultural diversity and home to one of the largest East Asian communities in London, this event is a “joyous ode to the heritage and traditions of these dynamic communities”, say the festival organisers.

The extraordinary lineup of musicians hail from China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Tibet, Thailand, and Mongolia.

Tickets for the festival held at the library and theatre on Surrey Quays Road (SE16 7AR) are £10.

For tickets, visit www.theatrepeckham. co.uk/show/southwark-east-music-festcelebrating-asian-heritage-throughtraditional-music

Mr Hammond and the Poetic Apprentice

It is the Summer of 1814 in Georgian England. Thomas Hammond, an apothecary surgeon, has two apprentices. His son Edward is energetic, clever, and reckless, and orphan John Keats is moody and passionate, cares deeply about his patients, but has his head in books and poetry.

Thomas is devoted to his patients, and conscientiously prepares his apprentices to become apothecaries, or possibly surgeons. But he is torn between promoting his own son to have the grand career as a surgeon he never had, and his growing conviction that Edward is sloppy and callous, and Keats is the better doctor.

For those living in Southwark, this book is a must. The author takes us into sites we can visit ourselves, the grandeur and squalor of Guys Hospital, and the fascinating theatrical Old Operating Theatre. “Patients wandered

seemingly aimlessly along the cloisters at the edge: some heavily bandaged, women carrying tiny babies, amputees dipping and swinging on crutches.”

The power struggle between the two boys is keenly observed, as is the conflict between Hammond and his wife Susannah over which boy to favour. We see too the emotional turmoil Hammond suffers, as a doctor in an era where he could often do little to save his patients. There is tension throughout the book, as we wonder what guilty professional secret Hammond is suppressing. And the scene where it is revealed does not disappoint.

The characters are vivid and jump off the page, but the author’s real genius lies in her depiction of medical life. As a hospital doctor and GP herself, she brings an exceptional understanding of the emotions of both patients and doctors in these scenes. She explains

A novel by Mellany Ambrose

that Hammond must teach John “to bleed with leeches and lancets, to pull teeth, set limbs, assist childbirth and diagnose fevers.” And we as readers are taken through this fascinating training. We see John and Edward setting limbs, carrying out amputations, mixing pills, dispensing medicines, and all this in the homes, carriages, woodlands, and furniture of Georgian England. The period detail is superb.

Many scenes bring us to tears as we see patients live and survive, while others who would have survived in our time, perish.

This novel is haunting and beautifully written, a tender tribute, as Mellany writes in her dedication, “to the hardworking GPs in the NHS, the Thomas Hammonds of today.” It is a remarkable record of medical life in Georgian England.

Available as paperback or eBook. Published by Matador and available through the Troubador bookshop, or to order from most bookshops in store or online, or from Amazon.

“a joyous ode to the heritage and traditions of these dynamic communities”

External partnerships equipping students for the world of work

Utilising our central location to develop student skill and support the local business community.

London South Bank University (LSBU) Business School students don’t just study business through books, students learn about business through real interaction with local businesses to develop their skills and behaviours as well as their knowledge.

Students work with real life industry projects in the classroom and through extra-curricular activities, including the Business Solutions Centre, a student led consultancy that works with start-ups and SMEs across five boroughs in South London. Among their many clients, students work with Wayfinder, the GLA pathway programme for local business support. The Centre has worked with 47 local businesses during the last academic year, and has been part of the university offer in local government initiatives to increase efficiency in local supply chains. Satisfaction levels are at an incredible 100% and students who work in the centre are snapped up after they graduate!

Our central location places our students at the heart of the business community and through

developed partnerships, our students have exposure to thought leaders in each of the divisions in the Business School. Students study marketing, economics, accounting and finance and business management and each will have direct access to industry professionals in their sector, with students working on Live Business Accounting, Business Improvement Districts, Digital Business Leaders and Investment Analysis projects.

External partnerships are at the core of our vision to equip students for the world of work and support them into graduate careers. A significant part of their education includes undertaking placement programmes, where they take an extra year of study to work on placement programmes. Students have worked in a range of organisations, including L’Oreal, Amazon, PriceWaterhouse Coopers and the NHS as well as local businesses. Students return very well equipped for future employment and are often employed by their placement provider after finishing their degree.

If you would like to get involved in university life and developing local students into local, work ready talent, please contact Lyn Hamblin at hamblinl@lsbu.ac.uk to arrange a time to discuss your business and how students can help, either through a live brief, a placement, an internship, the Business Solutions Centre or a graduate role –whichever is most appropriate to your organisation. Staff will be happy to provide quick and easy access to the right student talent.

“Our central location places our students at the heart of the business community and through developed partnerships, our students have exposure to thought leaders in each of the divisions in the Business School.”

Remembering when... All roads led to ‘The High Street’

Ken Hayes

Life Member

Stagecoach travel began in the early 17th Century and was slow and uncomfortable at first but improved as more comfortable coaches were made and more routes were introduced.

The coaches were drawn by teams of four horses, and they would stop at various stages along the routes, for fresh teams of horses, food, and lodgings for the passengers.

Coaching Inns such as: The Kings Head Inn, the White, Hart Inn the George Inn, the Tabard Inn, the Queens Head Inn, the three Tuns Inn, the St. Christopher’s Inn, the Spur Inn, the Nags Head Inn, the Axe and Bottle Inn, the Mermaid Inn, and the Blue Maid Inn were all established along these routes on both sides of Borough High Street.

The advent of the Railway Companies in the 1800s cut travel time so that journeys that previous took days could now be completed in one day. This put majority of the Coaching Inns out of business. Some continued as Inns, and some converted to storage units for other businesses.

The George Inn, which is owned by the National Trust, is the only one remaining.

Borough High Street was the Terminus for travellers to and from London to the South and Southwest of England.

“The coaches were drawn by teams of four horses, and they would stop at various stages along the routes, for fresh teams of horses, food, and lodgings for the passengers.“

Left: The Kings Head Inn in 1873

Bottom left: The George Inn in 1889.

Bottom right: The George as it is today.

Images: Wikicommons

CHRISTMAS PARTIES AT THE KIA OVAL

Christmas party packages available from £84 per person (includes VAT)

Visit our website to find out more Events.kiaoval.com or Call 0207 820 5670

ICE PACKAGE

The Kia Oval’s first themed event space

From £118 per person (includes VAT)

•Welcome Festive Cocktail

•DJ & Dance Floor

•4-hour Drinks Package

•Christmas Themed Buffet

•Desserts Table

•Exclusive Room Hire

Dining upgrade available

Specialists in employee share schemes and reward management

David Craddock has been advising on employee share schemes and employee share trust arrangements for over 35 years. He advises on every aspect of the implementation process, working personally with the client at each stage, and offering solutions and expertise in all the technical questions that require clarification during the consultation.

If you are interested in speaking with David with a view to engaging his expert services for a NO OBLIGATION FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION in Employee Share Schemes, Share Valuations or for the delivery of seminars or courses, then please contact:

T: 01782 519925 • M: 07831 572615

E-mail: D.Craddock@dcconsultancyservices.com Visit: www.davidcraddock.com

David Craddock is one of those rare people who has not only a first class grasp of legal and technical issues but also the ability to explain and advise on them in a practical way.

Voice from Westminster

Neil Coyle MP

Working together for a better Southwark

It’s been a tough year for businesses in Southwark. After 13 years of the Tories, unemployment is rising and the UK still has a lower employment rate than before the pandemic, performing worst in the G7.

Not only that, but the legacy left over by the Tories’ disastrous mini-budget last autumn, as well as Brexit, continue to damage the UK sadly.

I want to see the UK thrive and to see proper investment in Southwark, including the Bakerloo line extension. I’m keen to see Southwark thrive with good employment opportunities for all. I’m working with the local Chambers of Commerce who need your involvement and help to ensure the organisation is best placed to provide peer support, information, and opportunities. Please email me to get more involved ahead of the Chambers’ parliamentary tour and meeting. Over this summer parliamentary break, I’ve been busy planning the next stages of my attempt to better protect British businesses and consumers by amending Government legislation. The Digital Markets, Competitions and Consumers Bill is a step forward in establishing standards for online business and sales, but many organisations want to see it better reflect the risks online sales pose to UK companies and customers alike.

Most people believe that what they buy online meets the same standards as if bought on the high street. This is far from true unfortunately.

Consumer

organisations like Which? and Electrical

Safety First want products that don’t meet UK safety standards to be removed from online sale. This would help British customers stay safe when shopping online, but also help British businesses who do meet standards from being undermined by cheap, rogue imports that put people at risk.

I’ve tabled amendments to the Digital Markets Bill to introduce a ‘takedown power’ to swiftly remove dangerous and counterfeit goods from online marketplaces like Amazon. When the European Union introduced similar legislation, Amazon were supportive, but it is UK Ministers dragging their feet and harming British businesses and families with delays. The ‘take back control’ mantra of the Brexit backing Government looks like hyperbole now EU consumers and businesses are afforded better protection than UK consumers!

Allowing the continued sale of counterfeit goods is putting UK jobs, investment, and manufacturing at risk. Sadly however, it feels like many Tory Ministers have given up governing, with lots announcing their resignation or retirement plans ahead of the General Election. Labour came close to winning the former Tory Prime Minister’s Uxbridge seat in the July byelection, but this is no excuse for Ministers to switch off and ignore threats to UK consumers and businesses.

My amendment would help address concerns immediately and allow dangerous, dodgy goods to be swiftly removed from online sale. It could help prevent accidents and deaths.

When Parliament returns, I hope my amendment is adopted by the Government – just as they have on four other Bills previously. I don’t mind Ministers pinching good ideas! It would help consumers and businesses here in Southwark and across the whole country.

“Allowing the continued sale of counterfeit goods is putting UK jobs, investment, and manufacturing at risk.

Sadly however, it feels like many Tory Ministers have given up governing, with lots announcing their resignation or retirement plans ahead of the General Election.”

London stands tall as a global city making positive change across the world

James Watkins, Head of Policy and Public Impact at London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, talks to Sarah Dale about new initiatives adopted by the LCCI to benefit London and its business community and their work to forge stronger international links.

We were talking to small business owners when the news of another missile attack came through. We went for a walk in a park in Kyiv and there was another air raid warning, but there was nowhere for us to go so we kept walking. A woman was singing Hallelujah and a ballet dancer was dancing and they just carried on. Normally, there would be applause, but everyone just stood together and took a moment.”

The LCCI and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce are working together to hold regular webinars for Ukrainian businesses in addition to face-toface meetings in Krakow, Poland and Dubai. The Chambers formed strong links through working together during Eurovision, which was held in Liverpool in May.

Another way the LCCI is hoping to support the Ukrainian business community is by working with London Fashion Week in February to showcase Ukrainian fashion designers. Further afield, 12 London-based businesses went with Marta Kozlowska, Head of International at the LCCI, to Bangalore in India for a Start-Up Festival.

James Watkins has recently returned from a “moving and emotional” business trip to Ukraine to build on the work LCCI Chief Executive Richard Burge and his team started in January.

“What struck me most was how determined the people are, their resilience and their positivity,” said James, Head of Policy and Public Impact at LCCI.

Igor Bartkiv, Ukraine Project Officer at LCCI, accompanied James on the trip, which included visits to Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv.

“Our trip was to build on the incredible visit by Richard in January,” said James, who has been inspired to learn Ukrainian to further assist his work with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce.

“We achieved a number of successes. We signed an agreement which will bring the UK and the UAE together to support Ukraine; we are working with the Ukrainian Government and SMEs in Ukraine on how to engage with the UK market; we have agreed to develop an online platform to bring Ukrainian and British businesses together; and we are working with another Ukrainian Government department to work on identifying Joint Venture projects.

“It was a very practical visit, but it was very emotional too to be honest. The resilience of the people is remarkable. I have never been to a country at war before, so I knew I had to be mentally prepared before I went. In Lviv, there was an air raid warning because a Russian missile struck nearby.

This global approach to working with businesses has led the LCCI to offer an international membership.

“London is a global city and it is about recognising our responsibility as such,” he said. In London, the economic landscape is “looking good”, says James.

“We can fall into the trap of talking down London, but fundamentally, London contributes over 20% towards UK GDP and it’s still the base for Fintech, the pharmaceutical industry, some American films are filmed in Soho, most of the gaming is designed here. London is still driving the economy forward, thanks to the entrepreneurialism of our business community doing an incredible job. Our members are optimistic and so am I.”

“We were talking to small business owners when the news of another missile attack came through. We went for a walk in a park in Kyiv and there was another air raid warning, but there was nowhere for us to go so we kept walking. A woman was singing Hallelujah and a ballet dancer was dancing and they just carried on. Normally, there would be applause, but everyone just stood together and took a moment.”

From left to right - Olena Shyrokova, President of the UAE - Ukrainian Business Council, Igor Bartkiv, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ukraine Project Manager, James Watkins, Head of Policy and Public Impact at London Chamber of Commerce and Industry listening to Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President of the Ukrainian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The LCCI has recently become an officially accredited Living Wage employer.

“We felt that, as a team, to be successful we have to be ethical and have to do the right thing and lead from the front,” said James.

“We are really proud to be a Living Wage employer and we believe passionately that it is the decent thing to do and that it is good for the economy too.”

As well as supporting its members, one of the key roles of the LCCI is to lobby the Government on issues that are pertinent to the business community such as the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), cuts to arts funding and Government support for SMEs.

“The LCCI has always accepted the evidence the Mayor of London has provided regarding the effects of poor air quality and the tragic case of Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah who lived near the South Circular Road and died as a consequence of poor air quality, and we believe it is right to take action,” he said.

“It should not be seen as an extra tax during the cost-of-living-crisis. At the same time, we needed to look at the practicalities of the scheme.”

Mayor Sadiq Khan’s announcement to widen access to financial help to every Londoner with a non-compliant vehicle from 21st August and extending the “grace period” of the scheme so business owners can comply has been hailed a success.

“We lobbied for the vehicle scrappage scheme to be available to small businesses and that now covers three vehicles per firm,” he added.

“We were also pushing for a grace period because the Chinese Government has put a

delay on the release of rare earths which are used in micro chips used in the production of electrical vehicles. One of the other suppliers of rare earths is Russia which has been hit by sanctions. Now as long as you can show proof that you have bought it, you will be given a grace period.”

They are also lobbying against the “stringent cuts” to Arts Council funding.

“The arts in London provide £46 billion of revenue in the UK which is quite staggering,” he said.

“Just before Christmas, the Arts Council announced the stringent cuts. This was very harmful. London is the gateway for tourists across the UK. To cut the arts in London is levelling down the whole country. We have written to the Arts Minister and the Arts Council to urge them to reverse the cuts and, at the very least, to stop any further cuts.”

Another issue the LCCI is keen to tackle is the safety of female Chamber members who have expressed rising concerns following the highprofile criminal cases against some Metropolitan Police officers. They are working with both the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police to ensure misogyny and racism have no place in any community.

“We are in a dialogue with the police and recently set up a business crime group looking at the safety of women, cyber and IT crime, retail crime and financial fraud,” he said.

“We will be working with the police and local authorities to ensure the safety of all our boroughs. I do genuinely think we are moving forwards to generate positive change.”

“Just before Christmas, the Arts Council announced the stringent cuts. This was very harmful. London is the gateway for tourists across the UK. To cut the arts in London is levelling down the whole country. We have written to the Arts Minister and the Arts Council to urge them to reverse the cuts and, at the very least, to stop any further cuts.”

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Green spaces

boost mental health and wellbeing

It can be easy to forget the importance of taking a break when you are busy at work. Perhaps you eat a sandwich at your desk or grab something on the way to a meeting? Perhaps you are good at carving out that ‘do not disturb’ time to enjoy a lunch break but you’re squirrelled away in a canteen or quiet room indoors?

The question is: Are you getting outdoors enough?

Being outdoors in nature is proven to have a positive effect on mental health and wellbeing and, as we move into Autumn and the clocks go back and the dark nights draw in, it’s especially important to get out of the office and go for a walk. By building it into your daily routine, it will become a habit that you won’t forget.

Spending time in green spaces or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing, whether it’s growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals.

In fact, mental health charity Mind says that spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Research into ecotherapy – a type of formal treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature – has shown

it can help with mild to moderate depression with the combination of regular physical activity and social contact with being outside in nature.

Being outside in natural light can also be helpful if you experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons or times of year.

And, even in busy cities, there is green space all around. Southwark has recently retained all 30 Green Flag Awards for its outstanding parks and open spaces.

The benefits of spending

time outdoors include:

• Improves your mood.

• Reduces feelings of stress and anger.

• Helps you take time out and feel more relaxed.

• Improves your physical health.

• Improves your confidence and selfesteem.

• Helps you be more active.

• Helps you meet and get to know new people.

• Connects you to your local community.

• Reduces loneliness.

• Helps you feel more connected to nature.

• Provides peer support.

How to fit outdoors time into your busy day

• Eat your breakfast or enjoy your morning cuppa sitting in the garden.

• Take a walk in a green space, for example, a local park.

• Write in a journal outdoors.

• Eat meals outdoors. Take a break from the office with a colleague and spend your lunch break in a green space.

• Exercise outside. Go for a run or jog in your local park or join a local outdoors class such as yoga or a bootcamp. Search online for local outdoor classes.

• Join a local walking or rambling group.

• Follow a woodland trail.

• Take your litter picker and bag to a local park or green space. Volunteering your time to help the local community is another way to boost your mental wellbeing.

• Search ecotherapy programmes in your local area.

• Hill walking is a great way to keep up your fitness levels while enjoying the outdoors.

• Volunteer for a conservation project with The Wildlife Trusts, Groundwork or The Conservation Volunteers.

• Try upcycling and find a new purpose for your rubbish. The RSPB website has some suggestions on upcycling for nature.

• Watch out for wildlife on your walks in green spaces or take part in a nature survey to count birds, animals or insects, such as the Big Garden Birdwatch, Bumblebee Conservation Trust or Big Butterfly Count.

Whatever you do, get outside, take a deep breath and start to build a daily walk into your week.

www.mind.org.uk

are vital to

Being outside in nature is proven to have a positive effect on mental health and wellbeing so it’s time to step away from the desk and take a break.

“By building it into your daily routine, it will become a habit that you won’t forget.”

Image by Shutterstock

Grow your Business

Our broad range of members share advice, experience and peer support for business owners who want to take their business to the next level. Whether you are a sole trader, micro-business, a mid-sized firm or part of a global organisation, our members reflect the diverse business demographic of Southwark. We help our members build strong commercial connections within London. We support them in being part of the Capital’s community and economy. Membership is great for networking and building your business.

5 reasons to join us...

1 Networking events

• Develop new business relationships

• Find trusted suppliers and meet new customers

• Regular mailings on news & up-coming events in the Borough Social events

2 Advice and Support

• Seminars on new developments, local policy, and key business issues

• Access to peer-to-peer advice

• Engagement with Local councillors

3 Affiliate benefits from London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)

• Access to selected LCCI events as advertised by SCC

4 Southwark Business Today

• Free quarterly copy of Southwark Business Today

• Discounts for advertising in Southwark Business Today

• Members can submit articles about their business sector

5 Discounts & Promotions

• Discounts at local establishments

• Member to member discounts

Our Events

Designed to help your business flourish

Networking

We’ve designed our events to help you broaden your network, learn something new or get involved with key topical issues for businesses in Southwark. Our networking events are great for regular members to make and maintain useful contacts, and we always welcome first-timers.

Business Events

Our events cover a variety of topics, often hosted by key speakers. Examples include:

• Meet your councillors - Council initiatives for business

• Discussions on Business Rates

• Marketing and social media presentations

• Apprenticeship and meet the buyer sessions

Non Members are welcome to attend two FREE networking events before joining.

Social Events

Joining the Chamber is a great way of growing your network. Examples of some of our social events:

• The Annual River Cruise

• Lunch in the Houses of Parliament

• Southwark Business Excellence Awards

• Private tours of Southwark’s most iconic buildings

• Christmas drinks at Southwark Cathedral

For further details on forthcoming events

email: admin@southwarkcommerce.com

southwarkcommerce.com

The Last Word

Wayne Wright

Principal, London South Bank Technical College.

I am Principal of the newest technical college in the country based in Nine Elms. LSBTC is part of South Bank Colleges. Throughout my career, I have worked in organisations linked to the further education sector which include a government department, local authority, funding and development organisations and five colleges. I am a qualified teacher of politics, economics and business studies.

What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

Before becoming a teacher, I was employed as a civil servant in the Department for Trade and Industry. I had to prepare reports on the feasibility of new inventions, one of which was for packaging liquids which is still used today. For this, I was paid £5,000 a year with around half of this for rent.

If you were prime minister, what would be your first decision?

My first decision would be to hold another referendum on EU membership. I would, of course, have campaigned on this beforehand and if this did not match the will of the people, I would not be elected!

What is the biggest challenge in your business?

Our biggest challenge is to try and navigate the various funding streams for our students. The amount of funding that we receive depends on the age of student, their eligibility, and the types of courses they are on. This can present difficulties especially as the funding rules change often. If you could do another job what would it be?

I have been lucky in that I have always wanted to work in further education. I really enjoyed being a teacher, as the impact you can have on students can be life enhancing. Therefore, if I were not doing my current role, I would love to be back in the classroom.

What is your favourite London building?

We have recently opened our new campus at Nine Elms and our building as well as the equipment that students can use are cutting edge. It is a lovely place to study and to work and I love coming here.

Photo by Pexels

Successfully helping Southwark

Businesses for almost 100 Years

Our Committee

Chair

Shade Abdul BA(Hons)

DipArch(UCL) RIBA FRSA

Director, Deft.Space

President

Neil Coyle MP

(MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark)

Vice President

Lord Roy Kennedy

(House of Lords)

Vice President

Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP

(MP for Camberwell and Peckham)

Patron

The Worshipful Mayor of Southwark

Patron

Sir Simon Hughes

(Former MP)

Executive Members

Chair Shade Abdul

Vice Chair Roderick Lynch

Vice Chair Teekall Mair-Macfarlane

Executive Member 1

Hon Membership Secretary

Executive Member Jacy Stewart

Executive Member Cedric Whilby

Executive Member Lyn Hamblin

Executive Member Parminder Kanda

Executive Member Julie Leggatt

Executive Member Cait Wilkinson

Executive Member Ken Hayes

Executive Member

Executive Member

Executive Member

Hon Treasurer Agata Wiak

(soon to step down)

Council

Representative Cllr Martin Seaton

Administrator Sonia Sutton

Social Media

Assistant Maia Hazell

Bankers Handelsbanken

Join Us...

The Chamber is made up of active and successful business people from a wide range of sectors, who are based in Southwark, believe in Southwark and wish Southwark to prosper.

Making the most of your SCC membership

Once you’ve joined us you have access to the opportunities we provide to help support you and your business. Whether you simply want to attend our networking events, run a seminar or sponsor or run an event, we’d love you to get involved. We like our members to make the most of their membership and get as involved as much as they can.

Membership Application

• Sole trader £100 per annum

• Small/Medium sized companies 2 to 50 employees £150 per annum

• Large companies - 51 employees plus £300 per annum

• Corporate/PLCs by agreement.

• All new members pay a one off administration fee of £25 Company:

Address:

Post Code: Telephone: Email:

Number of Employees:

Full Name: Position:

Payment Details:

BANK DETAILS: Handelsbanken

SORT CODE: 40-51-62

ACCOUNT NO: 76489843

To join, please send your details to:

Southwark Chamber of Commerce

Email: admin@southwarkcommerce.com

www.SouthwarkCommerce.com

X: @southwarkcomm Facebook: southwarkcommerce

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/southwark-chamber-of-commerce/