The Chamber Surrey, May 2016

theChamber Voice&VisionofSurreyBusiness|May - June 2016 www.surrey-chambers.co.uk | ÂŁ3.95 (where sold)

EU Referendum - Your Views Page 26 24 Hours with... pg 20

Sector Focus - Venue Finder pg 29

Nick Wyschna Guildford Fringe

When being hospitable pays off

Big Interview with Venner Shipley pg 22

Technology Showcase pg 40

The importance of protecting scientific ideas

Latest technology news

Contents

theChamber

11

16

22

47

Voice & Vision of Surrey Business www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

May - June 2016

Welcome to theChamber from our Chief Executive Louise Punter Softening economic growth a cause for concern Businesses in Surrey have recently contributed to the British Chambers quarterly economic survey, which is showing nationally a picture of softening economic growth, with potential risks arising both here at home and overseas. This trend isn't dramatic, nor indicative of an impending recession - but certainly something that should trigger warnings around Whitehall and Westminster. The thing is, in the febrile climate around the EU referendum, those warnings can seem faint when compared to the fanfare around the start of the main campaign itself, following last week's designation of the official Remain and Leave campaigns. But all the noise doesn't make our warning any less important.

Recent experience, particularly with the steel industry, airport expansion, and so much more, suggests that much more remains to be done.

One of our many priorities over the coming weeks will be to get this message across, so that our politicians hear, as one best-selling author has put it, the signal -- rather than just the noise like a social issue but it is a key business issue raised by several of our members.

Businesses recently gave the Green Light to exploring whether a Business Improvement District (BID) is right for Epsom. Surrey Chambers hosted a visioning event at Epsom Playhouse to consider what a BID might do for Epsom if one were created.

There are already BIDs in Camberley and Guildford, which enable the local businesses to decide where to spend extra income ring-fenced through Business Rates. The delegates from 40 businesses across Epsom were very keen to progress the investigation.

I had a fantastic time when I attended the Surrey Advertiser’s Toast of Surrey Awards last week and had the

privilege to be presenting the International Trade award which was won by Vocality but closely contested by the other three brilliant Surrey Chambers members: Conjoint Export Services, Perfect Pitch and Global Travel Management. Global Travel Management however were also nominated and won the award for companies with a turnover over £5 million. A huge congratulations to our members Julianne Ponan from Creative Nature and Source Supplies who both won awards too.

It was so great to see so many familiar faces win some amazing awards. I have been bowled over by the fantastic work local companies are doing overseas and hope it will encourage other businesses to “go global”. We are now looking for Chamber Business Awards 2016 entries. This programme is one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business award programmes with organisations of all sizes and from all sectors from right across the UK competing for the coveted titles and the national recognition they bring.

I would like to secure some wins for Surrey so encourage submissions from all businesses.

4 5 7 8 9 11 12 13 15-16 18 19 20 22 25

Introduction Members News Members News Financial Law Members News Members News Members New Ask the HR Expert Health and Wellbeing Members News Investment News 24 Hours with...

Big Interview International Trade

Editorial and General Enquiries Surrey Chambers of Commerce Unit 14a, Monument Way East, Woking, Surrey GU21 5LY Tel: 01483 735540 Fax: 01483 756754 Email: info@surrey-chambers.co.uk

26 29

Cover Feature Sector Focus Venue Finder 36 Venue Finder Industry Comment 38 Design/Leisure 39 Economy/Development 40 Technology Showcase 43 Ask the Expert 44 Member News 45 Business News 46-47 Chamber Events 49 New Members 50 Chamber Chat

Production Manager Mark Etherington Email: mark@benhampublishing.com

Media No.

Chief Executive: Louise Punter Finance: Caroline Cherryman

1489

Editor

Disclaimer

Aisha Bennett Tel: 01483 735545 Email: Aisha.Bennett@surrey-chambers.co.uk

The Chamber is published for the Surrey Chambers of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members in the county. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Surrey Chambers.

Views expressed in The Chamber are not necessarily those of Surrey Chambers of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2016.

Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com

_________________________________________________

Advertising and Features

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

Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com

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

Published May 2016 © Benham Publishing

theChamber 3

Introduction

A word from our President Welcome from Frankie Tierney Business owners have key role to play in referendum The upcoming referendum and the debate widely referred to as “Brexit” has officially started the formal campaign stage.

You would be forgiven for not realising that it only officially started recently as it has been the subject of much debate for and against for some time now.

As UK trade in Europe accounted for 45% of exports and 50% of imports of goods and services in 2014 it is entirely understandable that free trade with other EU member states is high on the list of concerns

by SME’s as well as the larger multinationals.

When I look at the multitude of opinions, some expert and some definitely not so expert, expressed in newspapers, social media, television and radio, it is apparent that the issues fall into two distinct areas.

Firstly the impact on business, trade and ultimately the economy and secondly the issues relating to sovereignty, protecting our borders and the creation of a “European State”.

What is best for the first may not be best for the second, which creates something of a dichotomy in the decision making process. The risk of course is that people decide the whole thing is too complicated to vote on at all. It is not businesses that will be voting in June, but people. It is therefore imperative that business owners and the decision makers in the SME’s (which form by far the most numerous of the business entities in the UK) engage in the referendum, make their decision, what ever that may be and make that vote count.

“It is not businesses that will be voting in June, but people.

It is therefore imperative that business owners and the decision makers in the SME’s engage in the referendum ...”

4 theChamber

Are you aware of the new far-reaching EU Data Protection changes that will affect your business? by Sarah Orchard, CIM The new General Data Protection Regulation, which is expected to be formally adopted this year and come into force in 2018, will have far-reaching impact on the way data protection is regulated in the UK. It will apply directly in the UK without the need for further implementing legislation and will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) – and along with it, the relatively “light touch” regime that UK businesses have been used to.

As a UK business owner you need to be aware of these changes and how it affects in particular, your collection and use of personal data whether for marketing activities or otherwise.

Some key changes to note are:

1. Broader Applicability: The Regulation applies to data controllers and data processors established in the EU and also to those outside of the EU, where the processing relates to the offering of services or goods to EU data subjects or the monitoring of their behaviour within the EU. The territorial scope of the Regulation and its direct application to data processors marks a broadening of the current position and will impact on many industries, including those companies that provide cloud computing services.

2. Greater Accountability: The blanket obligation to notify with the ICO is abolished in favour of more proactive data protection procedures and mechanisms, with more requirements for businesses.

As part of a drive for greater accountability, public bodies and businesses processing sensitive data on a large scale or engaged in systematic monitoring on a large scale will need to appoint data protection officers.

3. New Obligations for Processors: The Regulation introduces heightened obligations, restrictions and accountability for data processors. Like data controllers, they will be directly accountable for failures and liable to fines and compensation claims from data subjects.

4. Enhanced Rights for Data Subjects.

The Regulation includes additional rights, including a new “right to be forgotten” - which is broader than the existing right to apply to have outdated search engine results removed and would entitle data subjects in certain circumstances to require data controllers to erase their personal data. Data subjects can claim compensation for damage resulting from infringements of the Regulation.

5. Greater Penalties: The maximum fine for breaches of the Regulation is EUR 20 million or 4% of annual worldwide turnover in the previous year (whichever is higher), representing a significant increase on the current maximum of £500,000 under the DPA.

*** FREE LEGAL MARKETING SEMINAR *** The CIM Surrey branch will be joining leading legal firm Stevens & Bolton LLP and Head of Data Protection, Beverley Flynn - together with the data protection and privacy team, for a more detailed update on the new General Data Protection Regulation and its implications for UK business owners on 29th June at 6.30pm.

It will provide a plain English and practical guide to the Regulation and what you need to be aware of especially in relation to your marketing activity.

Book your free place at www.cim.co.uk/events/

Members News

Guildford’s Fringe Theatre Company Charity receives first Workplace is going from strength to strength In 2012, Guildford Fringe Theatre Company paid actors, stage crew and directors by way of a profit share system, like many other fringe theatres around the UK. However in the past four years every Guildford Fringe production has made a profit.

There is a demand for professional and high quality fringe theatre in Guildford and as a company, we now have the ability to pay our production teams and actors a set wage.

Managing Director of Guildford Fringe, Nick Wyschna, commented, “I am thrilled to announce that Guildford Fringe is now at a place where we can pay all actors working with us, minimum wage rates of pay, or more!” He continues, “The Guildford Fringe uses

small, quirky venues. Although this does commonly present limitations on our seating capacity and what we can therefore pay our actors, the company is growing and as profits build, the salaries we offer will increase accordingly.”

Moving forward, all casting calls for the Fringe will be advertised as paid contracts.

We will be providing jobs to people in the theatre industry new graduates, as well as more experienced actors and actresses who are between mainstream West End and UK tour contracts.

Guildford Fringe had been involved in discussions with

the actors union Equity, but has now decided to issue their own paid contracts with actors.

Guildford Fringe Theatre Company produces many shows and events throughout the year in and around Guildford town centre.

Most notable is their annual Fringe Festival that runs throughout July. With over 7,000 audience members attending the 2015 Festival, this year is set to be even bigger and more successful.

For more information on our forthcoming productions and events visit: www.GuildfordFringe.com

TWM Solicitors advises Easy Convey Ltd on its acquisition

by OneMove Technologies Inc. TWM Solicitors have recently acted for the shareholders of Easy Convey Ltd with regards to the sale of 51 per cent of the issued share capital to OneMove Technologies Inc. Easy Convey Ltd, which was founded in 2000, has established itself as an electronic conveyancing specialist providing a comprehensive case management solution for conveyancers in England and Wales. During 2015, their software was used to transact property value totalling £25.9 billion and generates over £55.3 million a year in fee income. Easy Convey Ltd is headquartered in Godalming, Surrey.

TWM worked on behalf of the shareholders with regards to

drafting and negotiating Heads of Terms, the Sales and Purchase Agreement and assisted with other transaction related documents. The TWM team was led by Jamie Berry (Partner and Head of Business Law) and assisted

by Peter Stevens and Sarah Marchant.

Managing Director of Easy Convey Ltd, Dominic Cullis, said in relation to TWM’s services: “Brilliant and I couldn’t have asked for more from Jamie. Jamie got involved right from the start and achieved the best outcome for us. Personally for me as a co-director, and for the future of Easy Convey, it was Jamie’s skills. He’s very easy to deal with, knowledgeable and astute.

Whilst TWM are a regional UK

law firm, Jamie has the right expertise to act on behalf of our business in relation to a deal involving an international investor with global law firm representation.

“Thank you again to you and your excellent team to bring this deal to a very positive close. Your expertise ensured our deal was right for us and we made it over the finishing post.”

OneMove Technologies Inc. is Canada’s leading provider of a web-based conveyancing software solution, econveyance. OneMove Technologies Inc, including its subsidiaries, employs over 150 people across Canada.

For more information visit www.twmsolicitors.com

Wellbeing Charter award

Voluntary Action South West Surrey has received recognition for their work to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff through a new award.

Voluntary Action South West Surrey has received recognition for their work to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff through a new award.

The Workplace Wellbeing Charter award is the first to be made by the Council led Guildford Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Charter is a national standard that promotes health and wellbeing at work. It helps organisations to benchmark their approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace, and to develop an action plan.

Councillor Iseult Roche, Lead Councillor for Community Health and Sport presented the award to Carol Dunnett of Voluntary Action South West Surrey at a recent Guildford Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.

Cllr Roche said: “The Charter is an important aspect of public health as it promotes wellbeing of staff, helps to reduce sickness absence and benefits both employees and the organisation.

We are pleased to present our first award to Voluntary Action South West Surrey and look forward to working with organisations across the borough to help them achieve the same award.”

Carol said: “We are delighted to receive this award and be the first in Guildford to achieve it. We believe the scheme presents an excellent opportunity for organisations of all sizes to be recognised for the good work they do to promote the health and wellbeing of staff. I hope many other organisations benefit from the Charter in the future.”

Health and wellbeing at work is one of the priorities of the Guildford Health and Wellbeing Board. The Board consists of members from Guildford Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Surrey Heath CCG and the voluntary sector.

theChamber 5

Members News

Whether we’re in or out - why we need to celebrate European wine As wine drinkers we are very lucky indeed to live in the UK, to our mind nowhere else offers the diversity of choice on the shelves than the UK market.

In wine terms we are the ‘window shop of the world’ we have a vast choice here of wines to choose from all corners of the world, even a short hop over the channel into France and we will see wine shops dominated by French wines and this goes for most wine producing countries in Europe, they are dominated by their own wines as well as their closest neighbours.

What is so great about the winegrowing regions of Europe is that they offer us so much diversity, even within their own countries, France lays claim to perhaps the greatest of sparkling wines from the northern region of Champagne to some of the

darkest and densest reds from the southern regions of the Rhone and Languedoc.

Here at Cellar Magneval we believe very much in wines showing the uniqueness and qualities of the areas in which they are produced and hence why we carefully select an ever evolving range of wines that represent the best from their regions, whether it be for a private function or a bigger ticketed tasting, last month we took a journey down the Loire Valley and next month we will be sticking with France and going to Burgundy, sadly we can only really explore 6 wines in detail (each served with a delectable canapé and cheeses) but we focus on what makes that region

so special at the same time as showcasing some of its very best wines.

It is a bamboozling subject learning about wine, but the

great thing is that due to the diversity of different wine growing regions and upcoming areas, it is a highly enjoyable and never ending journey!

For more information visit www.cellarmagneval.com/ripley

theChamber 7

Financial Law

Private Limited Company Share Incentive Schemes A share option in this context is the right to buy a specified number of shares at an agreed fixed price in the company at some point in the future.

3. Not have gross assets exceeding £30million.

4. Have less than 250 full time employees (or part time equivalent).

5. Undertake a qualifying trade, i.e. a trade undertaken on a commercial basis with a view to making profits, not consisting of excluded activities.

6. Have a permanent UK establishment.

This is generally used by private companies as an incentive as the price paid by the employees is not subject to income tax or national insurance contributions.

Below is an outline of the more popular tax-advantaged schemes currently in use.

Enterprise Management Incentive Schemes Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) Schemes offer favourable tax treatment for both the employee and the company, as the tax liability only arises on the sale of the shares by the employee. These are therefore the most popular schemes.

They also provide flexibility as to the terms of the option, often being performance based.

Qualifying Companies In order to grant valid EMI options a company must satisfy certain conditions including: 1. Independence i.e. they cannot be a 51% subsidiary of another company or controlled by another company.

2. Only have qualifying subsidiaries i.e. the company must own at least 51% of the shares in its subsidiaries and the subsidiaries cannot be controlled by any other person.

8 theChamber

Qualifying Employees The employee receiving the benefit of the EMI option must be a qualifying employee.

To qualify an employee must: 1. Be a genuine employee of the company (or of a qualifying subsidiary) granting the option.

2. Meet the statutory working time requirements i.e. employees: a. Who spend at least 25 hour per week working for the company; b. Whose employment with the company makes up at least 75% of the employee's working time; or c. Who has no other employment or selfemployment, no matter how little time they are required to spend working for the company.

3. Not have a material interest in the company (or its subsidiaries) granting the option, on his own or together with his associates. This arises where the employee

and/or the associate holds beneficial ownership or control of more than 30% of the shares or entitlement to 30% or more of the assets.

The Option The option must comply with various requirements to qualify as an EMI option and must: 1. be granted to either recruit or retain an employee.

2. be granted over qualifying shares.

3. comply with the limits on options (currently £250,000).

4. be recorded in a written option agreement between the company and the employee, setting out certain specified information.

5. be exercisable within ten years of the date on which it is granted.

6. not be exercisable more than one year after the date of death of the employee.

7. be non-transferable.

8. be notified to HMRC within 92 days of grant.

Company share option plans Under a Company Share Option Plan (CSOP) scheme an employer can grant shares to its employees and, if the statutory conditions are met, any gain on the exercise of options will be free from income tax and National Insurance contributions.

Options can be granted over shares with a total market value of up to £30,000, with the exercise price fixed on the grant of the option. The employee as

For additional information please contact: Jo Noddings, Corporate & Commercial Department email: Jo.noddings@herrington-carmichael.com 0118 977 4045

the option holder cannot exercise the option until after the expiry of a pre-determined period (a minimum of three years). At this point the option can be exercised and the shares purchased.

Save as you earn or sharesave option schemes A Save As You Earn or Sharesave option scheme (SAYE) is a share option scheme with two elements, a savings arrangement and a share option.

The grant of the option is conditional on the employee entering into an HMRC-certified savings arrangement. This requires the employee to save between £5 and £500 per month for three or five years, by deduction from pay. At the end of the savings period, the accumulated savings can either be withdrawn by the employee, or used to exercise the option.

How can we help?

Irrespective of which share incentive scheme a company chooses to implement and operate, it is important that bespoke advice is always taken.

The suitability of each scheme for a company can be discussed, as well as the requirements for implementation.

You can also ensure that you get detailed analysis regarding any change in requirements, including tax changes.

The Herrington Carmichael Corporate team can work with you to decide whether a share incentive scheme is right for your company and what scheme may be appropriate.

Members News

World’s largest public art event comes to Surrey CowParade, the world’s largest public art event comes to Surrey this summer and will see lots of brightly decorated fibreglass cows placed in popular landmarks across the county.

The festival, now in its fourth year, is looking bigger and better than ever before with new venues, new acts and new events to brighten up the arts diary in Guildford.

The idea is that each cow is ‘sponsored’ by a business, community group, school or charity and decorated by an artist. The cows, which can be

standing, sitting or grazing, will then be herded to the inaugural Surrey Hills Food, Drink and Music Festival at Coverwood Farm, Peaslake on September 3. Cows will be auctioned off for charity with ‘sponsors’ choosing a charity of their own to benefit from half of the auction proceeds, with the other half going to the Surrey Hills Trust Fund, established in partnership with the Community Foundation for Surrey to conserve and protect the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The fund supports local community projects that benefit the Surrey Hills landscape.

CowParade Leader Tim Metson comments; "Cow Parade provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the

Surrey Hills and in particular farming. My family have been farming since the 1950s, and have seen many changes.

High land and labour prices, together with the depression in agricultural incomes, create a massive pressure to give up farming or diversification which does not benefit the Surrey Hills. Cow Parade coming to the Surrey Hills allows us to shine a light on what an important role farmers play as custodians of the landscape”.

CowParade Surrey has already secured offers of support from key organisations including Vines Group BMW and MINI, Gatwick Airport, Denbies Wine Estate, University for the Creative Arts, The Friary Guildford, Waitrose, The Jockey Club and more.

Get involved by visiting www.cowparadesurreyhills.com or call 01483 661150.

Performances mark anniversary Throughout June and July Surrey’s award-winning Guildford Shakespeare Company will continue their 10th Anniversary celebrations with their Annual Open-Air Theatre Season.

Expect a rush of colour and frivolity as two of Shakespeare’s most-loved comedies explode into life at two of Guildford’s most enchanting locations.

First in the outdoor double-bill is the rollercoaster farce, The Comedy of Errors.

Shakespeare’s shortest play revolves around two sets of twins who arrive in the same town, on the same day, completely unaware of the other’s existence; and so begins a whirlwind of confusion as wives, debtors, friends and even the twins themselves are caught up in the mayhem.

Staged in the venue where GSC first started, the production will use Guildford Castle Grounds to take audiences from an austere gallows setting outside the

ancient Keep, through the gardens to the Victorian bandstand, re-imagined as the town market-place.

The professional company will then relocate to the next

venue, the University of Law on Portsmouth Road for the second play in the open-air double-bill: Much Ado About Nothing.

More information at www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk

Hayley Turner and Alex Greaves announced as Ambassadors The Investec Derby Festival has announced ex-leading jockeys Hayley Turner and Alex Greaves as Ambassadors for Ladies Day. Alex made history in 1997 when she rode Ya Malak to win the Nunthorpe Stakes at York to become the first female jockey to triumph in a British Group One. During the course of a remarkable career she racked up more than 300 winners.

Hayley Turner is widely considered to be the most successful British female jockey ever. She became the second woman to win a British Group One when she rode Dream Ahead to victory in the July Cup in 2011, and followed up this success to become the first woman to win two British Group Ones after winning on Margot Did in the Nunthorpe later that same year. In addition to these achievements she became the first woman to ride 100 winners in a season.

This year’s Investec Derby Festival takes place on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 June. Ladies Day, on Friday 3, will be a celebration of women from the world of sport.

Ladies Day tickets start from £23.00 and Derby Day tickets start from £35.00. For further information on the enclosures and to book tickets please visit www.epsomderby.co.uk or call Epsom Downs Racecourse on 0344 579 3004.

theChamber 9

Member News

New Transport Strategy to get things moving A strategy with a programme of schemes covering all modes of surface transport – cars, buses, trains, cycling and walking – has been unveiled in the borough of Guildford.

Councillor Matt Furniss, borough council Lead Councillor for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “For the first time, we have taken the lead in defining our own future in transport terms. We have drawn together the key strands from the forward plans and thinking of the transport providers and funders and the Council’s own transport evidence base.

“The result is this up-to-date and forward-looking strategy, which sets out a programme of schemes covering all modes of surface transport in the borough and beyond. The schemes will, in combination, tackle the historic infrastructure deficit and mitigate the principal transport impacts of future proposed planned growth in our borough.

“The strategy is consistent with the Council’s draft Local Plan. Our future transport system will be greener, safer and more reliable.”

Journeys on key parts of the road and rail networks at peak times of the day lead to congestion and overcrowding, delays and unreliability, which directly impacts people and businesses. The new strategy sets out a programme of improvements to address the historic issues and future infrastructure requirements.

Key elements include: • Transforming the A3 in Guildford and the A3/M25 Wisley interchange • Improved rail capacity with two new stations serving new and existing communities • Sustainable Movement Corridor and a comprehensive Guildford cycle network • Better bus services • Surface access to expanded airports

10 theChamber

A little help goes a long way: five things to outsource now For most of us starting a business is an exciting step towards greater self-determination and wealth creation.

However you start, the first steps are a combination of enthusiastic leaps and tentative pigeon steps – but are you wearing the right shoes?

A lot of your time and energy can be spent on setting up the company and getting the business ready to do what you really want to do. However, unless you have done it before (and even if you have done it before), you can get distracted with the many tasks that need doing.

In the early days most companies are tight for cash and, as a result, the owners will tend to do as much as they can themselves. This is a laudable philosophy and in some respects doing everything yourself, at least for a while, is a great way to learn. However, if your ambition is to grow the business this approach will be restrictive, both on the business and you personally.

If tasks can be better distributed among your existing team the solution may be right in front

of you. However, in most owner managed businesses there isn’t much spare capacity to simply offload tasks you shouldn’t be doing. The answer may well be outside.

An understandable reaction is ‘but that will cost money’ and it is true – especially if they are good, professional suppliers.

The point is that the time you save and dedicate to higher value work should pay for itself many times over.

So try it. Start with these five things: 1. Administration and secretarial tasks 2. Marketing campaigns 3. Website development and content updates 4. Social media posts 5. Event management Ian Parker Director, Henchards Frances Cassell Director, p.a.

Business owner Sara Tye on work life balance On 26 June, Sara Tye will compete in the IRONMAN Wimbleball 70.3.

The event will be the culmination of many months of training 14 hours a week at unsociable hours for the award-winning entrepreneur, top 500 international PR and business development expert.

Sara’s motivation for all this exertion is her quest for the much vaunted work-life balance, the journey and experience by extending each day with quality training.

Last summer, a survey found that a quarter of small business owners have fallen ill due to stress and overwork.

With this in mind, Sara, founder and managing director of redheadPR and CEO of Etape Suisse, urges her fellow business owners and employees to get active.

She said: “After working flat out for over 30 years, something had to change. I tried many things but exercise has really opened my mind. It’s reduced

my stress levels massively and added a new dynamic to my life; I have extended my day and it’s helped me on the next phase of growing my business.

“As well as being fitter than I’ve ever been before, I’m enjoying the benefits of a more sane work life balance. Exercise also focuses my mind on wider health issues and, as a result of this, I’m focused on my nutrition and am wheat free.”

Focus on Finance

HM The Queen and HRH The do’s and don’ts The Prince of Wales visit of good business planning Prince’s Trust Centre

Setting up successful business, PGH Pest Control & Prevention Ltd, “I’ve copied what I have learned on the Princes Trust Courses to set up this new, exciting and unique business.”

Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited The Prince’s Trust Centre in Kennington on the 8th of March to meet young people whose lives have been changed by the youth charity as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The Queen and The Prince heard from young people whose lives have been turned around through The Trust’s programmes, which are designed to equip young people with the skills, tools and confidence needed to move into work, education or training.

Founded by The Prince of Wales in 1976, The Prince’s Trust has supported 825,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to overcome their challenges and move into education or work.

One of those was Peter Higgs who showed Their Royal Highnesses a display case of honeycomb with thousands of bees, which he uses to demonstrate his honey bee rescue service, BeeGone.

“The Prince’s Trust has supported 825,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to overcome their challenges and move into education or work.”

We all claim to do it, but what does business planning best practice look like?

Don’t be fooled by the myth that only start-ups need a business plan. To get what you want from your business and to be able to drive your company and people towards that goal, a business plan is vital. We’re not talking about speciality plans designed for example, to secure funding, but rather a road map that exists to help you run your company.

So, what makes a good business plan? For a plan to be usable and useful, it should be succinct, focused and fit the business need. Here are some pointers that can help you get the most from your plan.

Don’t rely on intuition alone Business owners rely heavily on intuition. As a business matures decisions need to be based on more concrete objective information about customers, suppliers, competitors and talent.

Invest in gathering evidence and information on which you can base your plan.

Be realistic A business plan is not about identifying goals and rushing full steam ahead to achieve them.

It needs to be based on a solid foundation on which you can build over time. Break the plan into achievable milestones that give you time to put the right people, systems and processes in place.

Communicate the plan A plan that lives only in your computer or in a locked draw won’t deliver. Share the plan with the people who have to run it and deliver it. Engage your management team in the planning process and ensure that they take the plan to their teams to get them on board and committed.

Share responsibility A task or an action that doesn’t have an owner is unlikely to be implemented. Go through your plan and establish who will be responsible for each significant

task and function at every point.

You cannot take responsibility for delivering the entire plan on your own.

Hold yourself to account As you develop your plan, ask yourself, how will we know if we followed the plan? How will we track results and compare them against the plan? Setting specific and measurable tasks, deadlines, budgets and building regular review sessions will help you evaluate progress.

Keep it alive!

No business plan is good if it’s static and inflexible. Planning isn’t about predicting the future once every few years. It’s about steering and managing a course against an ultimate destination. It requires regular review and occasionally correcting the path you’re on.

By investing time and thought in developing a formal business plan you will emerge with strategic priorities, an understanding of the resources you need to achieve these and a clear path for how you are going to make money.

Dan Morgan, Partner, Esher T: 020 8549 5137 E: dmorgan@hwca.com Surrey offices in Esher and Godalming www.hwca.com

theChamber 11

Members News

First Career Fair for school On Wednesday 19th October 2016, The Winston Churchill School will be holding its first Careers Fair.

The Careers Fair will be open to all students and will encourage them to assess their current strengths and consider the skills which are valued by employers.

Car Show raises funds for hospice care Farnham’s annual Classic Car Show saw its most successful year ever this year, welcoming record numbers of vehicle enthusiasts and raising a fantastic £1,537 for local Hospice Care charity Phyllis Tuckwell.

The show has been running for many years now and was held in its usual location of Farnham’s Central Car Park, on Sunday 10th April.

The recent rain held off and visitors to the show were able to enjoy a sunny but windy day browsing the unique collection of classic and vintage cars, motorcycles and ex-Army vehicles which were on display. An auto jumble was set up for anyone looking for a particular car part and Phyllis Tuckwell’s Fundraising team were also there, running tea and cake stalls to keep everyone well-fuelled.

Car Show organiser Hermon Frost has been a supporter of Phyllis Tuckwell for many years now and all donations received at the show each year are given directly to the charity, which provides compassionate end of life care for patients and families living with cancer, or another serious progressive illness, across West Surrey and North East Hampshire. The money raised will help to fund the medical and nursing care, therapies, counselling, social work and practical support which the charity offers its patients and their families.

“We are enormously grateful to Hermon for supporting Phyllis Tuckwell, year after year, at what has become a much-loved annual event,” said Leanne Tembo, Community Fundraiser at Phyllis Tuckwell. “As the NHS/Government only covers 20% of our costs, we need to raise over £20,000 a day to be able to offer all our services, free of charge, to our patients and their families, and the money raised at events such as this contributes greatly to that.”

If you would like to find out more about fundraising for Phyllis Tuckwell, please call 01252 729446, e: fundraising@pth.org.uk or visit www.pth.org.uk

12 theChamber

This new event will enable our students to interact with local employers, colleges and universities in order to gain valuable information and advice on the wide range of career paths, training and employment opportunities available.

It is anticipated that the prospect of meeting employers first-hand will inspire our students to think about their future possibilities, to aim high and motivate themselves in school.

This event is being planned as part of our ongoing careers programme for all our students and will support other activities provided by the school, such as work experience, enterprise days and employer engagement sessions. Work-related activities already include taking part in the McLaren Manufacturing Challenge and being successful participants in the BBC School Report.

If you or your company are interested in being an exhibitor at the Careers Fair or speaking to small groups of students about your profession, please contact me directly on j.sigrist@wcsc.org.uk.

Artists’ Village provides the ideal creative ambience With the opening of Watts Studios in January 2016, Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village has moved one step closer to complete restoration as one of the most important 19th century heritage sites in the south east.

Featuring stunning Victorian paintings and sculpture, unique historic architecture and inspiring spaces and grounds, the Artists’ Village provides the ideal creative ambience for meetings, conferences or receptions.

This summer, alongside our permanent collection, visitors can discover how the Victorians used photography as entertainment in the exhibition Close Up & Personal: Victorians & Their Photographs (14 June to 6 Nov).

This exhibition explores the ways early photography was enjoyed

by a society that quickly became obsessed with collecting celebrity images, experimenting with 3D stereoscopes and creating collages and personal photo albums.

New work by our artist in residence Andrew Kearney will be on display in Watts Contemporary Gallery from 14 June to 10 July. This exhibition uses recorded images and manipulated materials to reexamine the ways we view the landscape of the Artists’ Village.

Starting 15 July, Linocut Lives On - co-curated by designer

Cath Kidston -features original prints by some of the foremost British linocut artists of today.

All artwork in these exhibitions is for sale.

With our unique programme of exhibitions, demonstrations, events and workshops, the Artists’ Village is the perfect location to escape with your team for a meeting, lunch or away day retreat. Set within the peaceful Surrey countryside and offering a variety of tours, talks and catering options, we have a range of spaces and packages to suit every need.

Members News

Let's talk growth Where can businesses find comprehensive information about local business support, events and news, and connect with expert advisers?

Check out the Enterprise M3 Growth Hub, an expert advice and resource network which helps businesses achieve results quickly through a personal, tailored service focused on growth.

Businesses can find: • a comprehensive database of key business services available locally and nationally internationally

• News and events • Business Advice and expert tips • A Helpline - telephone advice on any business opportunity or question facing a business.

• Web chat - interactive discussion with on-line advisers • A ‘My profile’ feature – allowing businesses to personalise interests and receive alerts tailored to their needs.

Check out the Growth Hub at www.enterprisem3growthhub.co.uk To keep up to date with the latest on local and national business support you can register on the portal and you can follow us on Twitter @EM3GrowthHub.

Training with a twist Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Apprenticeship of The Year Finalist in the 2016 Toast of Surrey Business Awards Supporting local theatre keeps the show on the road and nurtures the dramatists of tomorrow.

Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre Apprenticeship Scheme is a year-long role for a young person looking to pursue a career in the Theatre. Apprentices learn the ropes in lighting, sound, prop and costume making in eight productions per year, as well as working in marketing, funding and operations.

Uniquely, the Theatre focuses on each apprentice’s interests, helping to get them industry ready at the end of their placement.

Nick White, Head of Youth, Education and Community explains, “Our scheme not only opens a door to young people, but gives them the time to learn and make informed choices about their chosen career path.”

Former apprentice Laura Trundle, now Artistic Director of HookHitch Theatre Company, says “The Arnaud taught me how theatre as a whole works. It was a fantastic experience where I developed not only technical skills but also as a practitioner.”

Being nominated for Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year speaks to recent calls by Ofsted and the British Chambers of Commerce for high standard training offering employees the skills they need to succeed.

Previous apprentices now work in production, run their own theatre companies and in theatre design and education, for theatres throughout the UK. The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is seeking sponsors for the Youth Theatre. For details contact: Madeleine Coleman on mcoleman@yvonnearnaud.co.uk or 01483 535818.

Ask the HR Expert One of my employees is currently being investigated for a criminal offence.

If he’s convicted can I dismiss him?

NC, Reigate There are several elements to consider here.

A fair dismissal is likely to be obtained if there is a connection between the conviction and the nature of the employment; for example, if the crime makes it illegal for the employee to do that job (such as working with children) or if it makes the employee unsuitable for that particular job (such as a cashier committing theft).

Another reason could be that you have lost trust and confidence in your employee or that the events affect your business’s reputation too much.

If your employee is sentenced to a prison term, you could dismiss with notice, or frustrate the contract. Procedure would still be required to obtain a fair dismissal; the fact that the employee is in prison does not negate the need for procedure.

The length of the prison sentence would have a bearing on whether this would be a fair dismissal or not.

As always be sure to conduct an investigation and follow a fair procedure allowing the employee to respond to the allegations.

I have an employee with a medical condition; what is 'reasonable adjustment'?

JD, Farnham Not all medical conditions legally require reasonable adjustments – only if they amount to a disability. If the employee is disabled, then you have a statutory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that the employee is not substantially disadvantaged when doing their job. There is no exception for small employers and no requirement for the employee to suggest adjustments.

Extent of improvement after the adjustment, cost, practicality, size and type of business are some of the criteria to be considered when deciding if an adjustment is reasonable.

Reasonable adjustments may include: • Changing the way things are done – e.g. change of hours, ignoring periods of disability related absence for the purposes of the disciplinary procedure or redundancy selection criteria.

• Physical changes to the premises – such as disabled toilets, lifts.

• Providing aids to carry out the role – computer software, instructions in Braille.

Tel: 033 3305 7155 Dennis.Upfold@peninsula-uk.com www.peninsulagrouplimited.com

theChamber 13

Health & Wellbeing

More than just Indigestion Mr. Andrew Davies, Consultant surgeon at Spire Clare Park, discusses recent health campaigns aimed at indigestion sufferers, deciding which patients need investigation for these symptoms and the new endoscopy suite at Spire Clare Park. oesophagus, a condition in which chronic acid exposure leads to changes in the cells lining the oesophagus. This in turn can lead to oesophageal cancer, although the percentage of patients developing cancer remains very small. Although the outcomes from oesophageal cancer treatment have improved dramatically over the last 20 years, the majority of patients still present relatively late.

Acid Reflux, also known as GORD (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease), is extremely common with up to one third of the population experiencing some symptoms on a weekly basis. It is also a major health economic issue with drug expenditure accounting for over £200 million per year.

Recently, there have been a number of health campaigns targeting acid reflux, one example of which was “Action Against Heartburn”. The driver for these campaigns has been the acknowledgement that the UK has a very high incidence

of oesophageal (gullet) cancer which has been linked to chronic GORD. Whilst these campaigns made an important point, they were not intended to cause panic amongst occasional heartburn sufferers, but rather to improve public awareness and provide some sensible advice on the thresholds for further investigation. As doctors we have a responsibility to get the balance right between early detection of serious conditions, such as cancer, and the avoidance of unnecessary testing.

GORD is a known risk factor for the development of Barrett’s

The consensus from these campaigns recommended patients with persistent (3 weeks or more) or unexplained symptoms of reflux should see their GP, and discouraged prolonged periods of self-medication with over the counter remedies. Those who continue to experience symptoms despite treatment and anyone with difficulty swallowing should be referred to a specialist for endoscopy.

Patients diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus should be enrolled in a surveillance programme.

conscious sedation, this is rarely an issue. In fact, many of the symptoms of reflux, which can be debilitating, can be effectively managed by medication and lifestyle changes. The added reassurance of having had an endoscopy can be important to many patients.

Surgery is sometimes considered for patients with particularly severe reflux symptoms or those that do not tolerate (or wish) to take long term medication. It can be extremely effective when used correctly, and involves keyhole surgery and an overnight stay in hospital.

The new JAG accredited endoscopy suite at Spire Clare Park is an exciting development that will provide first class facilities for the investigation of reflux symptoms. The increased capacity will allow us to offer more appointments at greater convenience to our patients and is planned to open in Q4 2016.

People experiencing these symptoms, may be reluctant to consult their doctor because of the perception that endoscopy is an unpleasant and poorly tolerated procedure. In truth, with modern equipment (such as narrow endoscopes) and the options of throat spray and

Mr. Andrew Davies is a Consultant upper Gastro-intestinal and general surgeon at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS trust and Spire Clare Park, Farnham. He has a particular interest in laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery as well as being a specialist for endoscopy, abdominal hernias, gallstones and oesophageal and gastric cancers. Patients with any of these conditions can be seen at Spire Clare Park Hospital, assessed rapidly and treated. Mr. Davies offers regular consultations, investigations and treatment here.

For more information on acid reflux, you may visit our website www.spireclarepark.com, search consultant : Mr Andrew Davies. Appointments can be made by contacting Spire Clare Park directly on 01252 895 490 or Mr Davies' medical secretary on 0203 7635 933.

theChamber 15

Health & Wellbeing

Taking a healthy approach to the workplace The importance of health in the workplace is increasingly being recognised and more and more employers are acknowledging that they have a role to play.

So what else can you do to improve things?

A study published several years ago underlined that point. Produced by the Work Foundation in partnership with RAND Europe and Aston Business School, the report showed that an estimated 27.6 million working days were lost in a single years in Britain due to work-related illness. This represented 1.15 days lost on average per worker.

The report suggested that help offered in the workplace can be effective to address poor health and well-being.

It said that the idea of health and well-being at work should go beyond the mere absence of illness or disability. It should be understood as a “state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing” as identified by the World Health Organization.

Evidence reported in the study showed that that workplace ‘health interventions’, including targeting problems due to work-related factors such as low back pain, musculoskeletal disorders and mental health disorders, can have positive health outcomes.

The study also suggested that interventions aimed at improving damaging lifestyle behaviours such as poor diet, smoking, alcohol abuse and lack of physical activity can be effective.

The result of all this awareness is that company bosses are increasingly coming to realise that a healthy workplace has many benefits for their businesses According to ACAS, the benefits of promoting a healthy workplace include more motivated workers, improved customer service, fewer absences and greater creativity.

16 theChamber

The organisation advises companies to have in place effective policies for managing people issues, high levels of trust between employees and managers and line managers who are confident and trained in people skills ACAS also says that a healthy workplace is one where workers feel valued and involved in decisions.

The organisation advocates managers who identify problems at an early stage and seek to resolve them using informal methods.

It says that such companies use services such as occupational health where practical, to keep employers healthy and get them back to work quickly if they do have problems.

ACAS says it helps if managers have been trained so that they who know how to manage common health problems such as mental health and musculoskeletal disorders Another suggestion from health advisors is healthy options in the canteen, including plenty of salads and fruit.

As for employees, NHS experts say they must play their part to support the company.

The NHS say that knowing how to deal with pressure at work is critical and its advice includes learning to identify the symptoms of stress as well as learning to prioritise your workload.

Certainly, if you work on a computer a lot, it’s important to take regular breaks. That means for every hour at your keyboard you should rest for at least five to ten minutes.

The need for regular exercise is also advised by occupational health experts, whose suggestions include walking over to someone’s desk at work rather than speaking to them by phone, take the stairs instead of the lift and using your lunch break to exercise.

Carry out health checks Cardio vascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death of working age people in the UK and costs the economy £3.1 billion a year due to days lost to death, illness and the care of people with the disease.

Check with your local surgery or hospital about health checks which can be carried out to reduce the risk to your staff.

Lose weight It’s all too easy to put on weight with a hectic modern life but you can change things.By making simple swaps, you can lose weight without giving up the things you love. For example you can swap your high calorie coffee drinks like whole-milk lattes and frappe for drinks made with skimmed milk.

Swap your high sugar or fat snacks biscuits and crisps for a healthier food like fruit. At work, you can swap the lift for the stairs and rather than eating at your desk get up and move about.

Be physically active Being active is good for your mind and body. Employees who are physically active take 27% less days of sick.

You don’t have to join a gym or set up a rigid exercise programme. Walking and cycling to work are good low-cost ways to increase your physical activity and can be fitted into you daily routine.

Many companies encourage their staff to walk and cycle to work. However, a visit to the gym is a good idea as well and some enlightened companies provide gym membership as part of employment packages for their staff, recognising that healthy workforces benefit everyone.

Eat well Poor nutrition can effect your energy levels, concentration and health and make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. With almost two thirds of adults over weight or obese in England it is important to ensure that you eat a range of food and cut down on foods high in salt, sugar and fat.

Stop smoking If you are a smoker, stopping is probably the single biggest thing you can do to improve your health. Smokers on average take 4.4 more days of in sickness absence than non smokers.

Stopping smoking will improve your health and fitness.

Health & Wellbeing

Did you know gentle exercise actually helps back pain?

Back pain is a common problem that affects most of us at some point in our lives. It can be triggered by bad posture while sitting or standing, bending awkwardly or lifting incorrectly.

Expert spinal consultant, Adam Way of BMI Mount Alvernia Hospital talks further about what can be done to prevent/help back pain and whether painkillers actually help.

What is back pain?

Back pain is suffered by 50% of the adult population annually lasting over 24 hours; it has a significant impact at home, work and with leisure activities. Often it is caused by muscle spasm but can also be due to problems like: • a disc prolapse • wear and tear of the joints in the spine e.g. facet osteoarthritis.

The majority of back problems are self-limiting within 6 weeks and management is aimed at settling symptoms as fast as possible and also reducing the number of future episodes and severity.

What can I do to help/prevent back pain?

Years ago, we used to tell patients to rest their back and often retire to bed, but actually research shows, this was incorrect. The most important thing with managing an acute episode of back pain is to gently keep moving by doing the following to help the spine: • Gentle stretching exercises • Walking • Swimming • Cycling

Essentially, it is imperative to keep moving the joints, ligaments and muscles and prevent buildup of spasm. Yoga and Pilates type exercises are excellent to build up core stability strength and hopefully reduce future episodes of pain. Beware of lots of high impact work though e.g. road running, which is associated with exacerbating some back symptoms.

Do off the shelf painkillers actually help?

There has been recent evidence published that paracetamol is not useful with the treatment of back pain. It is a safe and easily available tablet that has little impact on other medications and thus is still a reasonable first choice. Other medications such as naproxen or ibuprofen, called anti-inflammatory tablets, are useful but can have an impact on other medications and should be considered after discussion with your GP if a prolonged course is required. Paracetamol and antiinflammatory tablets can be taken together. Other stronger

painkillers such as Cocodamol or Tramadol are effective and your GP can increase to morphine based tablets or even patches, which release a very low constant dose of morphine via the skin.

What treatment can be carried out if the problem persists?

If your back pain has not settled with the above time, gentle exercise and pain killers, then the next consideration is seeking professional help via a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor. They all have their expertise and all have proven evidence of success with treating back pain. Treatments with 1 therapist should start to take effect after 3-4 sessions and if this does not occur then either different treatment or a spinal opinion may be considered.

The mainstay of treatment will then range from spinal injections e.g. an epidural or facet injections to settle the inflammation of a nerve or facet joint respectively.

These are successful in about 60% cases but for ongoing pain,

one may need to consider discectomy/decompression surgery or lumbar fusion surgery if all the above treatments have failed. Techniques are very advanced nowadays and although like any surgery, there are risks, they are generally small.

Many procedures will utilise a microscope now and be termed “minimally-invasive”, which is a generic phrase for causing the least muscle damage to the spine, which will assist with post-operative rehabilitation.

Patients often leave hospital the day or two days post-surgery and rehabilitate over 4-6 weeks after spinal surgery. With advancements in both surgery and anaesthesia, we are routinely operating on older and more complex problems as a matter of routine and patients who were previously incapacitated with pain are doing very well.

ADAM WAY MSc, FRCS(Orth) Consultant Spinal Surgeon BMI Mount Alvernia Hospital

theChamber 17

Members News

St Catherine's Hospice host successful business breakfast St Catherine’s Hospice hosted their annual business breakfast, giving local business supporters and businesses interested in finding out more about supporting their local hospice the chance to come together and network.

Sponsored by employee benefit specialists, Unum, the breakfast was hosted at the Alexander House Hotel and Utopia Spa Hotel and treated guests to interactive networking activities, and exclusive hospice updates.

The breakfast also included speeches from Giles Tomsett, Chief Executive at St Catherine's, Patricia Brayden, Medical Director at St Catherine's and inspiring guest speaker and hospice supporter, Patrick McIntosh.

In a moving and honest presentation, three time cancer survivor, Patrick, shared his personal battle with bowel, skin and prostate cancer and described how he walked 222km to the South Pole whilst recovering from the illness to raise awareness and funds for charity.

Dr Christopher Schenk, Chief Medical Officer at Unum UK, shared with other businesses how Unum have raised more than £23,000 for St Catherine's after nominating them as their chosen charity of the year.

Laura Kelly, Corporate New Business Fundraiser at St Catherine's, said, "It was great so many local businesses came along to enjoy breakfast with us and it was a lovely chance to publicly thank them for their support, celebrate their achievements and share how they can continue to help St Catherine's in future..”

18 theChamber

SMEs improve business performance, Kingston Smith research shows Business performance has improved for over two thirds of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) compared to three years ago with increased turnover, profitability and staff numbers.

This is according to Kingston Smith’s fourth report in its SME Success series, ‘Winning New Business’, which surveyed over 1,000 SMEs, researching how they attract new business.

Interestingly, areas outside of London and the South East have shown similar improvements in business performance to those within the South East. However, turnover growth differs greatly by sector, with Information & Communication, Finance & Insurance Activities and Transport & Storage leading the way.

Paul Samrah, partner at Kingston Smith in Redhill comments, “This data backs up what we know about Surrey SMEs; they are thriving, growing and have a critical role to play in driving the UK economy. Much of the improved business performance can be attributed to these SMEs demonstrating tenacity, drive and

commitment to finding innovative ways of winning business.”

The survey shows that face-toface networking emerged as the highest rated method of building contacts and boosting relationships. Paul comments, “This finding validates the

excellent work that Surrey Chambers of Commerce events continue to run in support of the Surrey region.”

For further information or to request a copy of the report, please email Paul Samrah at psamrah@kingstonsmith.co.uk

Safe Haven service opens in Guildford Oakleaf is the location for the new Safe Haven in Guildford.

The Safe Haven will offer a safe, calm and therapeutic environment, promoting independence and recovery for people and their carers in need of support in a mental health crisis.

The Guildford service builds on the success of the Aldershot Safe Haven which has been

running for more than a year and those in Camberley, Woking, Reigate and Epsom.

The aims of the service are to reduce emotional and psychological distress and offer an alternative to attending A&E when people are experiencing, or at risk of escalating to, a mental health crisis.

The service is a partnership between NHS Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group; Surrey County Council; Surrey and Borders Partnership

NHS Foundation Trust, Community Connections The Welcome Project - Catalyst and Oakleaf Enterprise.

Clive Stone, CEO of Oakleaf Enterprise, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity not only for Oakleaf, but for Guildford and the surrounding community.

“It not only allows us to develop better relationships with other mental health professionals but also increase the provision of support offered to beneficiaries, especially those facing or in crisis situations.”

Safe Haven at Oakleaf will be open 7 days per week (including Bank Holidays) from 6pm-11pm.

For further information, contact 01483 303649 or safehaven@oakleaf-enterprise.org.

Investment News

Currency Risk As everyone knows, this June sees UK citizens voting on whether or not to remain in the EU.

Family Fortunes There is nothing wrong with protecting our hard earned assets!

But that is not necessarily how our populist press would see it.

The uncertainty surrounding this referendum has had a negative impact on the value of sterling in the last few months, particularly against the Euro and the US$ and has made the markets very volatile.

Whilst some of our clients are waiting for the outcome before proceeding with currency transactions, many do not have this option and have to press ahead with their plans despite the exchange rate uncertainties. So how can they minimize risks on their buying power, and give them a bit more certainty?

One option is the Forward Contract. This simple facility allows clients to fix the exchange rate now for completion at a future point in time up to 2 years.

So how does it work? Let’s say a client needs to sell Sterling for Euros but the contract is going to take 3 months before completion.

In the meantime the Brexit debate is likely to put some pressure on the Pound, meaning that the cost of the transaction could effectively go up before the final payment date. We can agree a fixed exchange rate based on the market rate today, meaning the buying cost in Pounds remains exactly as it is now, no matter what happens to the Pound after June.

Another option, for regular travellers to the Euro zone, is to use one of our PremierFX Currency Cards. This enables clients to top up a card with Euros or US$ at any time then spend the currency in any retail outlet that accepts Mastercard, once abroad, with minimal transaction charges and no currency risk.

Whether you are private individual or a company, contact Premier FX to discuss reducing currency risk and international payment costs.

For more information contact Premier FX: PremierFX, Reigate Tel: 01737 735064 Email: Reigate@premierfx.com

The recent haranguing of Mr Cameron, regarding his family’s inheritances issues, is a perfect example of such misinformation, mis-enterpretation and misleading journalism.

Now obviously being Prime Minister, Mr Cameron needs to consider how such things are regarded far more carefully than us mere mortals, but this rampant coverage has put an unpleasant smear across the whole subject. The fact is that we are entitled, quite legitimately to protect our assets from further tax, such as inheritance tax without any fear of exposure or humiliation. After all, most of our assets will have already been taxed once before, so the whole subject is very questionable.

However as British citizens we should all carry out some reasonable financial family planning to make sure that the Chancellor does not become the largest beneficiary of any of your family’s estate. Not only do we all have access to a nil rate band of £325,000, but as of next year a further exemption relating to our houses as well. Additionally we all can take action to transfer assets over our lifetime, quite legitimately without incurring the wrath of the Revenue - in fact just as Mrs Cameron did.

Like many of us in Chambers, we have worked hard for our assets as we have grown our busineses, and therefore it would be negligent of us not to protect their value for the benefit of our families. So fear not the lazy media out to try and humiliate politicans over their financial affairs, but rather we should all look to start to plan as to how we should minimise such payments now.

As for the future, well I want to see some ‘radical common sense’ around Inheritance Tax. I would like to see individuals being able to transfer their wealth into new businesses as a way of investment for the future. This I think would be a far more creative way of turning something as negative as inheritance tax, at times of family trauma, into something more long lasting and creative by allowing the previous generation to invest in the companies of the next generation. Surely passing on money for the growing of wealth and the economy is far more laudable than just the punishing of the wealthier for their success.

Yours, Justin Urquhart Stewart

Call 020 7760 8777 or Email: information@7im.co.uk

www.7im.co.uk

theChamber 19

24 Hours with ...

24 Hours with ...

Nick Wyschna - Guildford Fringe

Busy days as anticipation grows for Guildford Fringe Festival Things have stepped up about 4 gears since we took on Charlotte so there is plenty to do!

12:15

05:30

Day starts with a coffee and some lemon water (which I have become addicted to!). Leave the flat at 6am for my networking breakfast.

06:30

Arrive at the breakfast club and wake up quickly ready to promote what events we have coming up at Guildford Fringe Festival. With about 100 events happening throughout July I have plenty to talk about but it’s always a challenge to chose!

08:30

Leave networking and get off to the gym for an hour, getting myself ready for the day ahead.

09:45

Open up our rehearsal room and welcome the actors in. Normally this includes plugging in as many portable heaters as I can get my hands on.

We don’t use theatres, our main venue is the Back Room of The Star Inn in Guildford which is awesome but you don’t have all the luxury’s you get with theatre rehearsal spaces… like warmth in the mornings!

11:30

Go and meet my General Manager Charlotte at the office and see how her day has started. It’s good to start the working day with a chat about where we are up to with our tasks and formulate an action plan for the day.

20 theChamber

Shoot over to local drama school, Performance Preparation Academy for our first ever TV interview on BBC South Today. We are the first Fringe Theatre Company in the South East to come off of the profit share contracts for actors and onto a set wage for everyone who works with us. Big news in the theatre world and something I am very proud of.

17:00

All of our sponsors are on different deals and are looking to get different things out their sponsorship.

This evening I am giving a public speaking workshop to a possible future sponsor in Guildford to show them what we can do.

I used to be an actor and I bring the training that I got at drama school into my workshops with businesses.

13:30 Email catch up time at the office.

At the end of the day, public speaking is a performance and you need to get a message across clearly without boring your audience!

Oh, and lunch!

19:00

14:30 Off to check in on rehearsals for our play. The actors rehearse 10am5pm and by this time it’s almost certain that a problem has come up that they want to talk about. Costumes and props are the favourites. Luckily I love my job and this actually excited me, sad I know.

A happy cast means a great show so often my visit is accompanied with Millies Cookies!

15:30 July is our big month with Guildford Fringe Festival. The Festival takes us 5-6 months to programme andthe brochure arrived last week!

To see the product in print is always so exciting. And if anyone finds a typo in it we do not want to know!

It’s time to drop off the brochures to the 12 venues that are taking part in the Festival, along with any other places that will take some so its Surrey road trip time.

Running over to meet Charlotte in Reigate where she has been setting up for Reigate Gag House Comedy Club which is our newest comedy club. We now have two in Guildford, one in Wisborough Green and one in Reigate.

They are such great nights! Gag House Comedy is part of Guildford Fringe but we are in the process of separating the brand so we can take it to any town in the UK, I want 15 by the end of 2016.

20:00

Comedy Club starts… I buy a beer and sit down to enjoy the club with our audience. We have a full house for our first gig here which is just superb!

22:15

The day is almost at an end.

I say goodbye to our audience and collect their emails (most importantly!).

Myself and Charlotte do the quickest clear up of our PA and lighting rig and jump in the car home, hoping to be in bed by 11pm.

Big Interview

The importance of protecting scientific ideas Science is all about generating good ideas, but how does a scientist or inventor protect a concept or invention that could spark the creation of an exciting new business or take a company to the next level in its development?

That is where patent attorneys such as Anton Hutter, the Partner who runs the Guildford office of intellectual property (IP) law firm Venner Shipley LLP, come into their own, as they guide scientists through the complex legal process required to prevent their ideas from being copied and exploited by people who do not have the right to do so.

Crucially, although Anton is a patent attorney, he is first and foremost a scientist, having

22 theChamber

worked in academia until he was twenty seven, during which time he developed a specialism in bioscience, particularly genetics, and attaining a Doctorate degree.

During his own research, he created work which warranted patenting, and which exposed him for the first time to the field which would later become his career.

Having become intrigued by the world of patents, he decided to move away from his scientific research career, and instead become a patent attorney, undergoing five years of training and on-the-job experience, before joining Venner Shipley’s London office.

Then, in 2014, he set up the Guildford office on the Surrey Research Park in order to help the Surrey-based businesses protect their IP. He said: “That first exposure to patents and intellectual property when I was working in academia really appealed to me and I became interested in the idea of protecting inventions.

“I see my role as explaining the importance of patents and other forms of IP to clients

ranging from lone inventors, research scientists in white coats to large corporate clients, all of whom may realise that they need to do something to protect their work but do not necessarily understand how to do so.

“My job is to explain complex legal issues to scientists who understand the science but not the law. To be a patent attorney you need to be a scientist as well as a lawyer, because you have to fully understand what the scientists are telling you about their inventions.”

The work is crucial because regardless of their business, scientists will undoubtedly at some stage in their careers face external threats from their competitors and it is only by registering their inventions as a patent before anyone else that they can be legally protected.

Anton said: “Timing is absolutely crucial. It is no good a scientist saying that they went public with their invention a week or two previously and someone subsequently suggesting that they get it patented because, in law, that is too late. This is because, in patent law, there is a strict requirement of confidentiality

until the patent application has been safely lodged at the patent office. Once an idea is in the public domain, but not protected, anyone can take advantage of it.

“You have to make sure that the idea is protected with a patent application before it is released to the public. We may, for example have a visit from a scientist who comes into our office on a Friday and says that the following Monday they will be addressing a conference at which they will reveal their invention. If the Intellectual Property it is not patent-protected anyone can take that research and exploit it for their own ends, whereas if it is patented, it is then protected.

“It can usually take two to three weeks to write and lodge a patent application at the patent office, but in cases such as the scientist walking into our office on a Friday we can work very quickly to register the patent application on the day of the conference or preferably before.”

As patent and trademark attorneys, Venner Shipley LLP focus their attention on the three main forms of registered IP rights – patents (which

Big Interview

“I see my role as explaining the importance of patents to clients ranging from lone inventors in white coats to corporate clients, all of whom may realise that they need to do something to protect their work but do not necessarily understand how to do so.”

protect technical inventions), trademarks (i.e. names and logo’s), and design rights (i.e. the shape or patterning of a product).

The Guildford team has a diverse technical background, and has been successful in obtaining protection for a wide range of inventions, including software, electronics, engineering, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

Patents are territorial, meaning a UK patent will only provide protection in the UK, but Venner Shipley has a large network of trusted foreign associates that it uses to obtain cost-effective global patent protection.

Anton said: “Marking you invention with “patent pending” or “patent applied for” can provide a powerful deterrent

against the competition and allow you to secure a first-mover advantage.

“It can also be used to attract funding and investment from banks and business angels.

Moreover, having a UK patent allows you to reduce your UK corporation tax bill on the product associated with the patent to 10% under the Government’s recent Patent Box scheme, which enables the patent to effectively pay for itself.

“Intellectual property is a great

value to any business, but is a complex field that necessitates expert advice and we are seeing our workload increase as the scientific and research sector grows in Surrey.

“We started out with four people in the office, then it went up to five and we are seeking to expand again.

It is just a matter of when.”

For more assistance, please call Dr Anton Hutter, Venner Shipley LLP, The Surrey Technology Centre, The Surrey Research Park, 40 Occam Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7YG Tel: 01483 685610 Email: ahutter@vennershipley.co.uk

theChamber 23

www.premierfx.com | reigate@premierfx.com | 01737 735064

International Trade

International Business: Top ten tips to exporting With so much of the country’s attention on the June EU referendum, it can be easy to lose focus on the importance of exporting to both Europe and further abroad to facilitate the growth of your company and to support UK PLC. NatWest’s Director of Commercial & Corporate Banking Peter Quilter shares his top ten tips for companies looking to take their business international.

3)

4)

5)

Vital to the growth of British businesses and the UK financial market alike, international business has long been the cornerstone of the British economy.

A recent survey run by the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) suggested that 85% of exporting firms agree that by choosing to export their goods and services they have achieved a level of growth that would not have been otherwise possible if they had traded solely in domestic markets.

But as well as growth benefits, exporting presents many other significant advantages for businesses including stronger financial performance, higher efficiency levels and access to more ideas for new products and services.

Unfortunately for many, exporting can seem a complex activity and financial implications such as lengthier order to cash cycles can prove a barrier.

If you are thinking about taking the next step in your business lifecycle, then it is important to do your homework.

Here are ten key points you need to think about before getting started: 1) Know your overseas markets – be sure of the demand for your goods; understand the potential for growth; consider the competition and how you should price your goods 2) Tackle one new market at a time – focus your efforts and investment in the one market you’re confident you can succeed in

6)

7)

8)

Get to know your overseas customers – it is important to research the commercial imperatives they work under as well as their customs and culture Be prepared for different documentary requirements – understand what is needed as countries differ in their demands for documentation over and above the standard ones Consider the different ways you can sell goods overseas – when starting out it may be easier to look for a partner that understands the market.

For example, you can sell to a distributor, or use a sales agent to sell on your behalf Check the copyright on your products – Patents and trademarks are only recognised and protected in their country of origin so consider securing additional protection in the countries you choose to export to Check your customer’s ability to pay – if you do have any concerns, you may ask a customer for an export letter of credit or even cash upfront Customise your marketing – research the different rules around marketing, advertising and promotion as it can be different to the UK.

9)

Select your transportation methods wisely – it is vital that your goods are insured, whether by you or the importer 10) Build relationships – connect regularly with your customers, agents or partners. Monitor the economic and political environment in the destination country Last November, the UK Government launched its Exporting is GREAT campaign.

The campaign is designed to encourage more British businesses to export their goods and services overseas. Over the next five years, the aim is to inspire and support 100,000 new UK exporters by 2020.

At NatWest, we are working in partnership with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) by promoting the benefits of exporting to our SME, corporate and entrepreneur customers, and how we can help them grow through selling to new markets.

The government takes this issue extremely seriously and is planning a wealth of activity up to 2020. We are excited to be involved, helping to boost UK exports. As well as helping customers trade overseas – working with about 135,000 companies last year - we will also work with UKTI and organisations like the Institute of Exports to raise awareness of international terms of trade and the importance of good documentation through training days, webinars and site visits.

To find out more about the Exporting is GREAT campaign and the support that UKTI provides UK based businesses, visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-trade-investment

theChamber 25

Cover Feature

Preparing for the big vote The referendum on Britain’s future membership of the European Union in June promises to be one of the mostly hotly contested votes in UK political history.

One of the key issues will be the impact of an exit on business – will companies suffer from less trading opportunities or will they increase? Will there be less bureaucracy or more? In short, how should business vote?

We sought out some opinions.

••• EU debate – should we stay or should we go?

A great many conflicting views have emerged from the EU debate, which has until now lacked independent evidencebased analysis, writes Paul Samrah, Redhill partner at Chartered Accountants Kingston Smith LLP. The vote on 23 June has huge ramifications, not only for the UK, but also for the rest of the world - not least from a trading and security perspective.

26 theChamber

Passionate views are being expressed on both sides of the debate and many are undoubtedly bewildered and confused. I suspect that people’s voting intentions are changing on a weekly basis.

Many would admit to still being undecided, even those that do have a firm view now may well hold a different one when at the ballot box.

We’d like to find out what you think. Why not take part in our online poll, which will take less than 30 seconds to complete, at: http://bit.ly/1NaFhVT On 15 June, Kingston Smith are holding a debate on Brexit, which will conclude with a further live poll to see how many minds may have been changed following the debate.

The debate will be chaired by Sir Michael Snyder who, apart from being a partner at Kingston Smith for 42 years and leading the firm for 37 years, also served the City of London where he was the Chairman of Policy and Resources, effectively the leader, for over five years.

issues affecting London as a key international financial centre.

We also have three speakers who aren’t short of opinion: Lord Flight, Mark Boleat and, to provide a perspective from the continent, Jean-Pierre Larroze.

Event details

Lord Howard Flight is a Conservative politician and a member of the House of Lords.

As well as this he holds various Director and Chairman positions in commercial organisations.

Mark Boleat is Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee at the City of London Corporation, leading on policy

Jean-Pierre Larroze is the Managing Partner of French accountancy firm Aplitec and was instrumental in founding an international association of accountancy firms.

Date:

Wednesday 15 June 2016 Venue: Barber Surgeon's Hall, Monkwell Square, Wood Street, London, EC2Y 5BL Time: 5.30pm registration To register for this event, please email your details to Becky Honeysett at events@ks.co.uk or call Becky on 020 7566 3850.

Cover Feature As the debate heats up over whether the UK should remain in or leave the EU, Menzies carried out a short poll to help understand and share the views on this hot topic.

The Results: Cessation of free trade with other EU member states is the top concern for [UK/region] SMEs contemplating a potential BREXIT, according to our recent survey.

In the run up to the EU Referendum, Guildford’s MP Anne Milton is working with a number of local organisations to make sure local residents and businesses get to hear the arguments for remaining, and for leaving the EU. Co-chaired by Anne, these debates will be an excellent opportunity for people to be better informed ahead of the vote on 23rd June.

The One London Square Business Forum group, in association with Chapters Financial, have kindly agreed to host a debate for the business community at GLive on Thursday 16th June at 8:00-9:30am. This will be chaired by Anne Milton.

The panel of speakers who will focus on the implications for business will include: • Chris Parker, CEO of London & Scottish International ltd • Keith Churchouse, Chapters Financial Planning • Councillor Paul Spooner, Leader of Guildford Borough Council • Harry Aldridge, Export Business Owner and former UKIP Parliamentary Candidate The event on 16th June is invitation only.

More information can be obtained from the One London Square Business Forum, via Virginia Cook at Charles Russell Speechlys, on Virginia.cook@crsblaw.com.

Dates will be published shortly on the remaining Guildford debates but for further information please contact Anne Milton’s office at anne.milton.mp@parliament.uk .

Our research revealed that almost fifty per cent of SME business leaders cite free trade as the main benefit of staying in the EU. This provision was rated as more important than the negotiating power being in the EU affords, selected as a top benefit by 36 per cent of respondents and the free movement of talent, which was held in highest regard by just 14 per cent.

The free movement of goods is unsurprisingly high on the business agenda, with UK trade in the EU accounting for 45 per cent of exports and 53 per cent of imports of goods and services in 2014. However in the coming months, it is uncertainty, rather than political change, that could prove to be the real enemy.

Europe

by John Owen Arcom IT “Nobody likes change” – is a common refrain heard across all walks of life. Indeed, working in the IT industry where the pace of change in technology is always accelerating.

I hear this more often than most from customers, suppliers and even our own people struggling to keep up with the everincreasing demands of the workplace.

Change however is a constant – and no matter what happens in the forthcoming referendum on the UK’s future participation in the European project, we will all continue to face differing demands and new regulations that govern our working (and private) lives.

If we stay in, there will be a raft of new legislation that ties us more closely to our neighbours over the Channel. If we decide to opt out, we will need to amend or scrap the measures implemented since our entry back in 1973.

One area that is particularly relevant to all businesses is the changing landscape surrounding data protection. The European Parliament has voted to approve the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the long legislative journey is finally over.

First proposed in 2012 by the European Commission, the GDPR will unify data protection across the EU, superseding national data protection laws such as the UK’s Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

Among many new obligations under the GDPR, the most significant for companies that do business in the EU is the increase in penalties for noncompliance. Under the UK DPA, for example, the maximum fine for a data breach is £500,000.

Under the GDPR, the maximum fine will be €20 million or 4% of the breached organisation’s annual turnover – whichever is the greater.

The key changes relating to GDPR which will affect Chambers’ members are as follows: 1. The definition of personal data will become broader, bringing more data into the regulated perimeter.

Companies should take measures to reduce the amount of personally identifiable information they store, and ensure that they do not store any information for longer than necessary.

2. The appointment of a data protection officer (DPO).

This will be mandatory for public authorities and also for companies that process “special categories of personal data”. Further information is awaited on what they mean by “special categories”.

3. The right to be forgotten.

The Regulation proposes that data subjects should have the “right to be forgotten”.

4. Data portability.

This will allow a user to request a copy of personal data in a format usable by them and electronically transmissible to another processing system.

5. Privacy by design.

The essence of privacy by design is that privacy in a service or product is taken into account not only at the point of delivery, but from the inception of the product concept.

All organisations that collect, process or store information will have to meet the requirements of the GDPR. Implementing an information security management system as per the international best-practice standard ISO 27001, is a sensible route to compliance.

The law comes into effect in 2018. Make no mistake: Brexit or no Brexit, this could require your company to do a lot of work to comply.

If you haven’t started preparing already, you really ought to get to work as soon as you can.

theChamber 27

Sector Focus Venue Finder

When being hospitable pays off In an age that seems increasingly reliant on technology, corporate entertainment and conferences remain a key business tool.

The main reason is that they help companies to maintain personal relationships with their clients.

In a fast-moving age dominated by the Internet, texting and Cloud Computing, the personal touch remains highly valued because it is often when client and customer are together, and relaxed, that business is done, that relationships are forged and deals struck.

Creating that kind of environment takes many forms in Surrey.

For many companies, it often revolves around sporting events, a trip to the races, a day at the cricket or perhaps a meal followed by watching a football match.

However, there are other options for the more adventurous, daytrips, teambuilding events, extreme sports challenges, or for the more cultural, events such as trips to the theatre.

They may be diverse events in nature but the key to them all is that they represent time spent away from the office and a sense that the company staging the corporate hospitality truly values

those whom it has invited, that their presence is seen as important.

Those companies that are prepared to invest in corporate entertainment do so because they can see something to be gained from showing clients and staff alike that there is life after work.

And that can pay dividends.

Conferences are important as well, bringing people together in a manner which allows relaxed networking.

So what are you looking for if you are trying to organise an event?

Well, one of the key factors is a good location, somewhere be it a hotel, specialist conference centre or other venue, that is easy to reach and that looks attractive for delegates.

When assessing the venue you are looking for a number of other important factors.

Can the venue cope with the numbers expected to attend, has it got a good meeting room, will it provide equipment like projectors and Internet access, are the staff friendly and flexible in helping you meet your needs?

If the answers to those questions are yes then the event is likely to be a success.

The good venues are the ones that can tailor themselves to providing the exact needs of the event organisers. The first consideration is the nature of your event. Do you need a large hall or will something a little more intimate work? Is it formal or informal? They are salient questions because atmosphere is important to the success of exhibitions and getting it right matters.

Whatever the choice, it is vital that visitors can easily understand the layout and find their way around with the minimum of fuss. Large conferences and exhibitions can be bewildering events so adding to visitors’ problems with poor layout

can only detract from the success of the event.

In a world where business people feel more pressured than ever, wasting time getting lost is unlikely to foster much in the way of goodwill.

One of the other things that makes a conference or exhibition successful is a sense that something is happening so it is useful to have staged areas for demonstrations and performances, or for companies to show their products at work.

Such activities, with the interest they attract, makes an event feel like it is alive. All good events a touch of theatre about them.

It’s what singles out the poor ones from the good ones.

“So what are you looking for if you are trying to organise an event? Well, one of the key factors is a good location, somewhere be it a hotel, specialist conference centre or other venue, that is easy to reach and that looks attractive for delegates.” theChamber 29

Sector Focus Venue Finder

30 theChamber

Sector Focus Venue Finder

A-Z Venues in Surrey • Ascot Park Polo Club Woking • Best Western Reigate Manor Hotel Reigate • Bishop's Table Hotel Farnham • Bridge House Hotel Reigate • Brooklands Museum Weybridge • Burhill Golf Club Walton on Thames • Burrows Lea Country House Guildford • Camberley Theatre Camberley • Carlton Mitre Hotel East Molesey • Charterhouse Godalming • Chessington Resort Hotel Chessington • Chipstead Golf Club Coulsdon • Chobham Golf Club Woking • Coulsdon Manor Hotel & Golf Club Old Coulsdon • Cranleigh Golf & Country Club Cranleigh • De Vere Venues Gorse Hill Woking • De Vere Venues Hartsfield Manor Betchworth • De Vere Venues Horsley Park Leatherhead • Dorking Halls Dorking • DoubleTree

by Hilton Woking Woking

• Epsom Playhouse Epsom • Esher Place Conference & Training Centre Esher • Esher Rugby Club Hersham • Ewell Court House Epsom • Farleigh Club & Restaurant Farleigh • Farnham Castle Farnham • Farnham House Hotel Farnham • Gatton Manor Dorking • Go Ape Alice Holt Farnham • Great Fosters Egham • Great Tangley Manor Wonersh • Guildford Cathedral Guildford • H.G. Wells Conference & Events Centre Woking • Ham House Richmond-upon-Thames • Hilton Cobham Cobham • Hoebridge Golf Centre Woking • Holiday Inn Express London Epsom Downs Epsom • Holiday Inn London Gatwick Airport Horley • Holiday Inn London Sutton Sutton • Holiday Inn Shepperton Shepperton • Hurtwood Inn Hotel Guildford

Theatre venues in Surrey Camberley Theatre A busy theatre venue in theheart of Surrey Heath offering an exciting programme of arts and entertainment, with spaces to hire for events and conferencing. www.camberleytheatre.biz Dorking Halls From the new home of a much-loved music festival to a 3D cinema, Dorking Halls has always been at the heart of the Mole Valley community. www.dorkinghalls.co.uk

• Hurtwood Park Polo Country Club Cranleigh • Imber Court Sports Club East Molesey • Kew Palace Richmond • Lake View at THORPE PARK Chertsey • Lakeside International Hotel & Country Club Camberley • Langshott Manor Horley • Leatherhead Golf Club Leatherhead • Lingfield Park Resort Lingfield • Loseley Park Guildford • Lythe Hill Hotel & Spa Haslemere • Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa Camberley • Mandolay Hotel & Conference Centre Guildford • Mercedes World Weybridge • Mercure Dorking White Horse Hotel Dorking • Mercure Farnham Bush Hotel Farnham • Merrist Wood Golf Club Guildford • Milford Golf Club Godalming • Nonsuch Mansion Sutton • Nutfield Priory Hotel & Spa Redhill • Old Deer Park Richmond • Pennyhill Park Hotel & The Spa Bagshot

• Pine Ridge Golf Club Camberley • Priory Events Redhill • Pyrford Golf Club Woking • RHS Garden Wisley Woking • Redhill & Reigate Golf Club Redhill • Richmond Gate Hotel Richmond • Richmond Theatre Richmond • Ridge Farm Dorking • Riverbridge House Business Centre Leatherhead • Robert Denholm House Redhill • Royal Holloway, University of London Egham • Savill Court Hotel & Spa Egham • Soper Hall Caterham • Thatcher's Hotel Leatherhead • The Angel Posting House & Livery Guildford • The Bingham Richmond • The Box Tree Tadworth • The Bridge Hotel Chertsey • The Cobham Curve Cobham • The Compton Club Guildford • The Conservatory at Painshill Park Cobham • The Georgian House Hotel Haslemere • The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema Redhill

Farnham Maltings Extensive venue with a variety of spaces for theatre, film, meetings and festivals. www.farnhammaltings.com G Live G Live has been developed as a contemporary, state-of-the-art entertainment and concert hall, for a 21st Century Guildford and the region beyond. www.glive.co.uk The Leatherhead Theatre Grade 2 listed theatre in the heart of Leatherhead offering drama, dance, live music and independent cinema all year round.

• The Legacy Farnham Hog's Back Hotel Farnham • The Lightbox Woking • The Lord Roberts Centre Woking • The Manor House Godalming • The Manor House Hotel Guildford • The Runnymede Centre Addlestone • The Talbot Inn Woking • The Woldingham Golf Club Caterham • The Worplesdon Place Guildford • TopGolf Surrey Addlestone • Traditions Golf Club Woking • Vue Camberley Camberley • Warren House Kingston upon Thames • Watts Gallery Guildford • Waverley Abbey House Farnham • Wildwood Golf & Country Club Waverley • Windlesham Golf Club Bagshot • Woldingham School, Marden Park Caterham • Woodlands Park Hotel Cobham • Wotton House Dorking • Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford

Meeting rooms and auditorium available to hire. www.theleatherheadtheatre.org

The New Victoria Theatre The New Victoria Theatre in Woking offers the very best of the West End with musicals, drama, and comedy and, of course, international dance and world famous opera. www.ambassadortickets.com/woking Yvonne Arnaud Theatre A busy producing and receiving theatre in Guildford with an 80 seat studio in addition to the main house. www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

theChamber 31

Sector Focus Venue Finder

32 theChamber

Sector Focus Venue Finder

theChamber 33

Sector Focus Venue Finder

If you are looking for the ultimate venue to host an event, then Surrey has some world class offerings to choose from.

Whatever your budget or requirements, formal or informal, historic or modern, Surrey has the ideal location and some of the best are featured here: Brooklands Museum

Corporate Meetings, Events, Functions and Weddings are our speciality.

T: +44 (0)1252 720406 T: +44 (0)1252 413091 R: +44 (0)1252 721194 W: www.farnhamcastle.com Farnham Castle, Farnham, Surrey GU9 0AG

Brooklands Museum offers the perfect opportunity to organise an event that gets people talking – not only with its fascinating and unique exhibitions and landscape but also with its stylish function rooms.

With extensive outdoor space, seven dedicated event rooms and a world class collection of historic Motoring and Aviation exhibits including Concorde, all of which can be used as hospitality spaces, we can accommodate up to 300 guests, making it an ideal venue to meet all your hospitality requirements.

For further information please contact 01932 858005 or email hospitality@brooklandsmuseu m.com www.brooklandsmuseum hospitality.com

G Live

Farnham Castle

From conferences and exhibitions to private drinks and canapé receptions, right through to corporate gala dinners, G Live boasts a great range of adaptable spaces and offers the perfect venue to hire for any event in Guildford, from a conference for up to 1000 delegates, a dinner dance for up to 420 guests, or meetings and receptions for up to 130.

All of our spaces have been designed and equipped to host any type of event in a stylish, modern environment with the theatrical flair of an entertainment venue. Whatever your requirements our experienced team will be on hand to assist and make sure that your event runs perfectly.

Contact the events team on 01483 739050 or hospitality@glive.co.uk

Guildford Cathedral

Within the Historic Bishops Palace, Our Stunning historic venue is a fabulous venue for meetings and corporate events, where something a little different is required. It provides an inspiring base for team building days and corporate hospitality guaranteed to bring out the best in delegates.

Exclusive Weddings, perfect setting for your special day coupled with catering provided by Galloping Gourmet, offers a truly unique feel for any event.

34 theChamber

The Marquee at Guildford Cathedral is now available for hire.

Located on the Cathedral Lawn with clear window walls at the front to give a fabulous view of the Cathedral, especially when it is lit at night, The Marquee offers 585m of blank canvas event space,

is hard sided, has a wooden floor and is carpeted throughout. It is fully lined and has temperature control. The Marquee is available for conferences, award ceremonies, dinners and much more.

If you are interested in hiring the space please contact the Events Team at events@ guildford-cathedral.org or telephone 01483 547874

Hilton London Gatwick Airport Hilton London Gatwick Airport is conveniently located just 30 minutes from central London by Gatwick Express, easy access from the UK motorway network, and is linked to Gatwick Airport's South Terminal by a covered walkway. This 821 bedroom hotel offers 21 versatile, fully equipped meeting rooms including the recently renovated Ascot Suite, a flexible function room up to 450 guests.

With its impressive event spaces, unrivalled hospitality, flexible catering options and experienced staff, Hilton London Gatwick Airport is the ideal venue for any business meetings, corporate events, private parties and social celebrations.

For bookings, please call +44-(0)-1293-610-809 or email events.gatwick@hilton.com

Nutfield Priory Nutfield Priory is a four star country house hotel and spa inspired by the Neo-Gothic splendour of the Palace of Westminster. This unique Victorian mansion house in Surrey, which dates back to 1872, delights with its stylish interiors hung with fine paintings, unique artwork and

many original features. The hotel has 60 bedrooms with 15 feature rooms and 9 meeting rooms.

The main house meeting rooms offer a traditional backdrop for any meeting or Private dinner, and the North wing rooms offer contemporary meeting rooms, one of which includes a Smartboard. Along with versatile menus, this venue offers it all.

Contact 0845 452 0902 or Enquiries@handpicked.co.uk

The Conservatory at Painshill Create the perfect first impression with a corporate event at The Conservatory at Painshill. This purpose-built venue can accommodate a wide range of corporate occasions, from conferences, summer parties and product launches to team building and fundraising events. This dynamic events space can accommodate up to 320 guests.

The venue is ideal for both summer and winter corporate events. Summer events can also make use of the venue’s stunning private gardens, which are perfect for welcome drinks, barbecues and team-building challenges.

The exclusive venue comes complete with state of the art sound, lighting and production equipment, perfect for even the most complex of corporate events. painshillevents.co.uk 01932 584283 events@painshillevents.co.uk

Sector Focus Venue Finder RHS Garden Wisley

Watts Gallery

RHS Garden Wisley is the perfect setting for a whole host of events, we have spectacular garden venues for every season.

From drinks receptions to Christmas parties, meetings and team building to summer parties, there is a space to suit everyone.

Take your pick between the Rose Garden, Glasshouse, Fruit Mount or Rock Garden as well as our marquee site that can cater for larger parties.

Our expert event planners would be delighted to work with you to bring your ideas to life.

For more information, please contact the Functions Team at functions@rhs.org.uk or visit www.wisleyvenuehire.co.uk

Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village is a unique historic venue tucked away in the Surrey Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The historic 19th century Arts & Crafts architecture includes fully restored Grade I and II listed buildings which house the artwork of Victorian artists G F and Mary Watts. Watts Gallery offers a refined backdrop for larger celebrations and conferences, while presentations, receptions and away days can be held in the book-lined seminar room, the Old Kiln or Limnerslease, the artists’ home. Our award-winning Tea Shop can also be rented for events and celebrations.

Whether you are looking for a meeting room for 10 people or an auditorium for 400, Royal Holloway can provide cutting edge conference facilities, comfortable on site accommodation and delicious catering to make your event truly memorable. www.venue.royalholloway.ac.uk sales-office@royalholloway.ac.uk 01784 443045

at

Guildford Cathedral Available for Hire

Please contact the Events Team at events@guildford-cathedral.org or telephone 01483 547874 for further information

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway is a unique conference, event and banqueting venue located in Surrey, close to the M25, M4, Heathrow and Windsor and just a short train journey from London Waterloo.

Built around two quadrangles, the iconic Grade 1 listed Founder’s Building impresses by its size and the exuberance of the roofline.

It provides a unique retreat for conferences, meetings and events as well as a perfect setting for functions, celebrations and weddings. Several lavish and impressive function spaces showcase the historic nature of the venue.

The Marquee

Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village Down Lane Compton, Guildford Surrey GU3 1DQ Tel: 01483 813580 wattsgallery.org.uk/venue-hire

Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre: Conference and Venue Hire Situated on the banks of the River Wey, with excellent road and rail links, Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre offers an ideal venue for meetings and conferences: a tranquil location, right in the heart of Guildford.

Whether delegates are visiting for seminars, conferences and training courses, or guests are invited to a stylish wedding reception in our landscaped riverside garden, our distinctive building and unique setting never fail to impress.

Our versatile function rooms can accommodate between 6 and 600, and the Theatre is able to provide bespoke catering and technical support.

Enquiries: 01483 440077 ops@yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

theChamber 35

Venue - Industry Comment

Farnham Castle Farnham Castle is set in 5 acres of grounds and overlooks the historic town of Farnham, on the border of Surrey and Hampshire.

It was first built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, and from the times of the Norman Conquest until the Tudors, the all-powerful Bishops of Winchester shaped English politics from within the walls of Farnham Castle.

For some 900 years, the Bishop’s Palace has played host to meetings and celebrations, and many English monarchs, including King John, King Henry VIII and Queen Victoria, have stayed at or visited the castle during this

time. Historical associations and nearly continuous occupancy make the Castle one of the most important historical buildings in the south of England and yet, it remains a little known gem in the heart of the Surrey countryside, within striking distance of London and the South East.

Farnham Castle’s Bishop’s Palace, with its complex of Grade I and II listed buildings, and the Shell Keep, is both a stunning back drop and the perfect location for any ‘Home Counties Event’.

Planning a wedding?

Available to hire for exclusive weddings, Farnham Castle’s recent renovations have brought a new sense of style to this beautiful historical venue.

Licensed for civil ceremonies and with its own private Chapels for religious ceremonies, guests can dine in the Great Hall and spill out onto the Great Lawn after the formalities. Guests wishing to stay overnight, may do so in one of the thirty-two bedrooms on site. The beautiful Gatehouse preparation suite

and a stunning honeymoon suite in Fox’s tower, both add to making Farnham Castle the most fabulous venue, offering a totally unique experience.

Pic courtesy of Schutters

36 theChamber

Venue - Industry Comment A special event, meeting or conference?

We take a contemporary approach to business and offer a complete range of rooms with facilities to match your exact requirements.

The recently renovated Bishop’s Palace is a fabulous venue for meetings, conferences, away days and corporate hospitality. It provides an inspiring base for team building and guarantees to bring out the best in your team.

Colleagues, clients and business associates will appreciate our unique setting, first class catering in the tranquillity of the Surrey countryside, less than an hour from central London.

After the business of the day, guests can explore the Castle Keep, stroll through neighbouring Farnham Park, relax in our beautiful grounds and make themselves at home over dinner looking down on Farnham by night, before retiring for the night in one of our 32 en suite bedrooms.

It’s the perfect venue, when something a little different is required.

Visit Us

Farnham Castle Intercultural Training

Privately managed, yet playing an important part in the life of the town, the Keep and the Bishop’s Palace are popular tourist attractions. The Keep is open every weekday, weather permitting, (except in December, January and February) from 9am to 5pm (or dusk, if earlier), and at weekends (except in December, January and February) from 10am to 4pm.

The 900 year Living History Exhibition is open during Keep opening times.

The Bishop’s Palace is open for private historic guided tours, once a week (usually Wednesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm with the last tour starting at 3.30pm).

For the Bishop’s Palace only, tour prices apply.

To visit Farnham Castle or the Bishop’s Palace, it is always advised to contact us before travelling as opening days and times may be subject to change.

Home to Farnham Castle Intercultural Training for more than 50 years, this world leading global business consultancy provides an unmatched range of international learning solutions in over 150 countries worldwide, including:

• International Assignment Training • Language Training Solutions • International HR Workshops • Global Leadership Training • Cultural Skills for Business Pic courtesy of LJ Photographics

• Executive Coaching

To Contact Us •General enquiries : T. 01252 721194 •Events and Corporate enquiries : T. 01252 720406 •Weddings : T. 01252 413091 •Farnham Castle Intercultural Training : T. 01252 720415/720407

www.farhamcastle.com

theChamber 37

Design & Leisure

Designing an exhibition stand that stands out Exhibitions are a great opportunity to help raise awareness, show off new products and engage with customers directly, whether its local or in a country you want to expand to.

However, every other business will be thinking the same thing and trying hard to attract the attention of visitors.

So what can you do to stand out over other businesses also trying to stand out?

FdK has designed a number of exhibition stands over the years; most recently we worked with our long-term client Elanco to design a stand for the British Small Animal Veterinary Association

(BSAVA) Congress in London.

We firmly believe that the most successful stands focus on three things: Attracting visitors, engaging them on the stand and providing them with a clear path to follow up after the exhibition.

There are a number of different things you can do to help achieve these objectives and we go into more detail about what we did to help Elanco in our blog on our website.

However, one thing we would highly recommend is deciding on a theme for your stand that helps people understand what your business is about.

Elanco have built their brand around innovation, so it was important that we designed their stand around that theme without simply printing the word on the stand.

The next step, arguably the most important, is to do your research.

What makes your business unique? What makes your products different? Who are your competitors and what do they offer? What sort of people will be attending the exhibition and why?

This research will inform your stand design but will also give you the opportunity to define your objectives. Focusing on a few specific goals instead of trying to promote and sell your entire business will help keep your messaging clear and concise.

Ultimately, however you decide to design your stand, it will be up to you or the staff manning it to be welcoming, approachable and knowledgeable so remember to show them (and yourself) some appreciation to keep them motivated.

It doesn’t look good if the people manning your stand and sitting down and looking bored!

Exhibitions are a big investment, but if done right they can deliver huge rewards and help build relationships. So be sure to think carefully about how you are going to attract visitors, engage them on the stand and encourage them to give you their contact details.

You can read more about exhibition stand design over at fdk.co.uk/read-our-thoughts.

Written by Ollie de Kretser Communications Manager FdK Design Consultants Telephone 01483 243565

There’s honey for ‘Tee’ at Foxhills Surrey club produces own raw honey.

At family-owned Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey the honey served at breakfast can be measured in eco-friendly food metres rather than miles thanks to the resort’s very own colony of honey bees tended by local beekeeper, Sergio Pignagnoli.

The bees are located in a number of hives on the 400-acre estate and the honey they produced is raw honey, so-called because it is not treated in any way. It is simply extracted from the honeycombs, filtered and bottled. Because there is no heating or processing involved, the flavour is preserved, and the honey retains some of its local pollen which is said to help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever for those sufferers who live in the same area.

Sergio, who comes from Woking, has been a part time beekeeper

38 theChamber

for four years. He first established the colonies of honey bees at Foxhills in April 2014 and set up the hives in a secluded area amongst the trees just off the green of the 9th hole on the Longcross golf course.

The honey is extracted twice a year in June and August, producing as much as 375– 500lbs of honey per year.

Commenting on the project, Sergio said: “When I first approached General Manager, Jason Adams, about having some hives at the resort, his reaction was fabulously enthusiastic. We’ve had great success with the bees in the last two years and I’m looking to increase the number of colonies this year by raising some queens in April or May, depending on the weather conditions. There are good foraging opportunities for bees at Foxhills and the

surrounding areas, from wild flowers, trees such as birch and lime, and flowers planted along the course and in the estate.”

General Manager, Jason Adams said: “We’re delighted to have our very own honey at Foxhills and it’s certainly a great talking point with our guests. As an additional unique element to complement the honey we have even hand turned our very own

honey dippers using wood from trees felled on the Foxhills estate.

Definitely a case of recycling at its best.”

The honey can be purchased at the hotel for £6.00 per 350g jar.

Foxhills is only five minutes from J11 of the M25, and the 400-acre Surrey estate is open to Members and visitors alike.

For more information, visit foxhills.co.uk

Economy & Development

Mind the Gender Gap A major new requirement for all employers in the private and voluntary sectors with at least 250 employees is about to impact them from April next year.

The Government has recently published its long-awaited draft Gender Pay Gap Information Regulations, which come into force on 1 October 2016, requiring employers to take a preliminary snapshot of their pay data from a specific pay period, from April 2017, analyse and then publish the required information from April 2018, to enable employer identify and address gender pay differentials in their organisation, before April 2017 when the first snapshot is taken.

Employers are required to publish data in four ways - the overall mean gender pay gap, the overall median gender pay gap, gender bonus gap, and salary quartiles.

The comparison will be done using average earnings figures which are unaffected by the number of hours worked so employers will need to calculate an hourly rate for each employee.

This information has to be published on the employer’s searchable UK website so that it is accessible to both employees and the public and has to should remain there for three years and be accompanied by a statement confirming it is accurate and signed by an appropriate senior person in the organisation; plus it also must be published on a governmentsponsored website.

Whilst the Government has decided that it will not create any additional civil penalties for failure to publish the required information, it is intending to produce publicly displayed tables by sector of employers’ reported pay gaps, highlighting employers publishing full and explanatory information and probably those known not to have complied.

The Government will publish guidance this year to help employers implement the Regulations. It will set out how

to account for the different governance structures (such as subsidiaries and parent companies) and give advice on providing a voluntary narrative to explain any pay gaps and what actions the employer is taking. The Government considers that contextualising any gender pay gap with a voluntary narrative should mitigate the risk of reputational damage.

What should employers do now?

Employers have been given a much longer breathing space to prepare than originally expected. But to conduct a full and proper review and manage any equal pay issues that may arise will take time and a commitment from senior management to the process.

In particular we recommend employers should take action as soon as possible, in conjunction with employment experts.

Specifically they need to audit current pay structures, take advice on how to deal with differentials,

communication with staff, collection and publication of data and statements in the most appropriate way, and ensure recruitment processes are in line with the new requirements.

It will be important that any bad publicity is avoided given the Government’s intention to enforce compliance by naming and shaming those who do not comply, and equally a failure to comply may also put off the best candidates applying for jobs. Positive action will also have the added advantage of providing a defence to any equal pay claim which might be brought in the meantime.

For a full briefing paper on this subject or any further information or advice on these points, please contact Nick Hurley, Employment Partner, in our Guildford office on 01483 252612 or by email at nick.hurley@crsblaw.com

A place at the front The University of Surrey, now ranked as a top ten university within the UK, builds on its success with the new ground being covered by Surrey Business School.

We are leading in many areas from thought leadership to actively creating connections with business and industry.

Earlier this year Surrey Business School’s Centre of Digital Economy led a panel discussion in London, questioning the government’s new role in a digital world and using citizen data to improve services.

More recently in April, we hosted an event on campus inviting the top technical talent of IBM; for an interchange about technical directions and the implications on business. We place ourselves at the forefront of business developments to better understand the current landscape.

A key driver of the success of Surrey Business School is how we encourage students to get hands-on experience with real integrated business projects and businesses get access to the ideas and ideals of future leaders. Surrey Business School focuses on practice and how business is done; principles which underpin the Surrey MBA. Surrey's Executive MBA is a transformational experience, both personally and professionally. You will put theory to the test and skills into practice, as you learn alongside your career with other students from a wide range of business backgrounds and sectors. Over 11 countries are represented in the current

cohort, shaping a truly global business experience.

It has been specifically designed to help you balance a demanding career and personal commitments with a 24-month period of study and professional development; executivestandard accommodation in the Guildford area, with access to University of Surrey campus facilities.

Our mentoring programme, careers coaching and personal profile development has fuelled Surrey MBA graduates onto sustainable careers in a wide range of businesses around the world. Many of our alumni are now entrepreneurs who have established and lead their own companies.

If you’d like to find out more about developing your leadership skills through the Surrey Executive MBA programme come along to one of our Open Events Saturday 21st May and Tuesday 21st June 2016 and find out more about our business consultancy and scholarship opportunities on our website surrey.ac.uk/mba To set up a 1:2:1 discussion with our MBA team please contact Siobhan Neveling S.Neveling@surrey.ac.uk Twitter: @sbsatsurrey Facebook: sbsatsurrey

theChamber 39

Technology Showcase

Surrey gaming companies invited to event Following on from the success of last year’s event, a second G3 Futures Event aimed at galvanising the Guildford-based games industry is taking place at the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre on 29 June from 5.00pm. technology law specialist Charles Russell Speechlys.

Free to attend, this will provide an opportunity for local gaming companies to network as well as to learn about the latest innovations from key note speakers and a panel of industry experts.

G3 Futures is being organised

by The University of Surrey, UKIE (UK Interactive Entertainment trade body) and South East

All three organisations are committed to supporting the local gaming industry, helping Guildford to maintain its reputation as a major technology and games hub, often referred to as “the Hollywood of the games industry.” This year’s event will comprise of a keynote speech as well as short presentations from regional developers and publishers about key topics including Virtual Reality and Immersive Content.

Delegates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to other attendees and there will be a panel discussion, followed by a BBQ for all delegates.

The University of Surrey will host an Expo, showcasing its latest R&D including 5G mobile, spatial audio and performance capture as well as relevant degree programmes.

Dr John Collomosse, of the University’s CVSSP department, said: “There is huge scope for Guildford to really extend

AMPlify your Search Results Google has been pushing a new concept recently called Accelerated Mobile Pages, or AMP for short.

This is the next initiative from Google to improve the search experience for mobile users on slow connections.

Search statistics now show that the majority of users accessing the internet now do so on a mobile device, very often on a 2G or 3G connections.

Hence, any speed improvement, no matter how minor, will be a boon to those users.

What AMP does is deliver to those users a stripped down version of your web page with almost all design removed and only the bare bones content remaining. Mobile users on slower connections are automatically delivered your AMP pages, and user on faster connections will see your page with images / links / ads all in place.

In short, AMP is a ‘function over form’ initiative from Google – much like it’s ‘mobile friendly’ snippet that allows users the chance to select a result which is formatted for the small screen, you can now choose a result based the fact that

40 theChamber

it is likely to load faster than a non AMP enabled page.

If you perform a search for a newsworthy topic on your mobile device (try Trump, Google etc) and look out for the green lightning bolt icon underneath a result those are AMP results. Give them a tap whilst connected to a cellular network and see how the loading speed compares.

So what does all this mean to marketers or website owners? Well, as we all know by now, Google gives priority in its search results to faster websites.

Websites that offer AMP pages are by definition faster, and therefore this is a great initiative to help you further improve your SEO. So if SEO is important to you in generating new business enquiries then AMP is something you need to be integrating into your digital plans.

For further information visit : www.canvas-digital.co.uk

and expand its games footprint and this event is, hopefully, driving that.”

Nick Hurley, Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys and Co-Host of the G3 Futures event, said: “Guildford has a proliferation of gaming studios and independent developers who have made games enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.

It’s important that we value the contribution this makes to our economy and support the local gaming community.”

New service to help Investing in the next small businesses in the generation creative, digital and tech growth sectors A Guildford accountancy firm has launched a new cost-effective service to support start-up businesses in the digital, games and apps market which Guildford is becoming increasingly renowned for.

Alliotts Accountants has developed Omnia, a product and service designed for those businesses involved in developing apps and for those in the digital and creative industries.

Nick Watterson from Alliotts, who has developed the new product said: “Although it’s one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors, the majority of digital and creative businesses are not multinationals.

Most are tight knit teams of two or

three people passionate about building their apps, games, software or design ideas into a solid business.

“The idea behind Omnia is to give start-ups in these sectors a way of budgeting for their accountancy costs well in advance. Because we work closely with digital and creative businesses we know that cashflow is sometimes squeezed and it can be a real pain not knowing what you need to budget for month to month. As well as offering Omnia, we can introduce growing innovative businesses to the various tax reliefs and incentives that you be may eligible for and help you by being a sounding board for your future plans.”

Creative, digital and technology industries have proliferated across Guildford and the South East over the last five years. In fact Guildford is often cited as a hub for the UK gaming industry with some well known names making it their base including EA’s Criterion Studio and Lionhead studios.

For more information about Omnia visit www.alliotts.com

“Although it’s one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors, the majority of digital and creative businesses are not multinationals. Most are tight knit teams of two or three people passionate about building their apps, games, software or design ideas into a solid business.”

If we could reliably predict what’s going to happen to our business, your business, Surrey, the UK economy and world markets in five years’ time, we wouldn’t be here now.

The truth, of course, is that none of us knows what the future holds; and after the seismic shocks of 2008, the default setting in the business community is generally prudence, if not outright risk-aversion.

While short-term survival remains the overriding priority for some, the majority of us (fortunately) are continuing to play the long game.

But with so much commercial, economic, financial and political uncertainty still swirling around, what constitutes a safe investment these days? Through advising clients of all sizes across a wide range of sectors, we can offer two suggestions.

The first is your brand. Your brand tells consumers, clearly and consistently, what they’re buying into in terms of your values, identity and personality, which is often as important to them as the product or service itself.

The second is people.

The corporate claim that ‘our people are our greatest asset’ has almost become a cliché, but it’s no less true for that. It’s also true in a wider

context. By offering students and young people work experience opportunities, for example, you’re investing not only in your own future, but your industry as a whole.

And if you find someone with real ability and potential, you can instil your brand and company values into them from the very beginning, laying solid foundations for a long-term commitment – and a real return on your investment.

It’s something that’s worked well for us. In our industry, talent and attitude matter as much as – if not more than – paper qualifications.

The only way to tell if someone has ‘the right stuff’ is to give them a chance to demonstrate it. Plus, new entrants generally have fewer preconceptions and hang-ups, and bring a new perspective on things.

In our experience, that can be incredibly refreshing for everyone. And we like to think that if you ask them ‘what do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?’ they’ll reply: ‘Working here’.

For further information please call 01730 710033 www.farrowcreative.co.uk

theChamber 41

Ask the Expert

With the charity sector under increasing scrutiny what challenges do you face and how are you addressing them?

Carrie Lee Media Manager Princess Alice Hospice Telephone 01372 468811 www.pah.org.uk/yourhospice

“We strive to ensure that our fundraising approach not only complies with the law but follows best practice.”

Over the last year we’ve seen the Hospice sector further subject to external factors such as the challenging economic environment, nursing shortages and changes to the amount of care provided by local authorities.

There is a greater than ever demand on our services and a call for care beyond our current remit at a time when fundraising is particularly difficult. Hospices exist within a complex climate and these pressures have all had their impact on the care that is required and the funds that are available.

It costs over £9.1 million a year to provide our services and at Princess Alice Hospice we are proud to say that despite a zero increase in our annual budget we’ve grasped these challenges and sought out innovative ways of working; reconfiguring our services to enable our funding to stretch further. Essentially we are working smarter, making the most of the resources that we have available to us, which has enabled us to extend our reach with patient referrals to us up by 6% last year.

Like many people, we’ve been shocked by the news stories of poor governance and unethical fundraising techniques that have sadly been adopted by some charities. The rising levels of media scrutiny have impacted on public confidence and is extremely damaging to all charities. The sins of a few don’t define the whole. As a charity founded by its local community, the Hospice is an organisation that takes its governance very seriously.

We strive to ensure that our fundraising approach not only complies with the law but follows best practice to deliver the best possible experience for our supporters.

The Hospice’s in-house Communications Team is experienced in creating fully integrated campaigns consisting of web, direct mail, social media and sustained press and radio activity.

A splendid example of this in action has been our campaign to build a Man Shed in our grounds which will provide a supportive space for the bereaved and those affected by terminal illness to work together on practical projects.

Our campaign strategy led to the fundraising target being

surpassed within three months; reaching a total of £112,000.

As a result we’ve been able to build a bigger workshop that will enable us to help more people than we had initially envisaged.

One in three people will be touched by hospice care at some point in their lives and we know that investment in increasing awareness of our services and promoting our need for funds is fundamental to our success. To raise awareness of who we are and what we do, and to mark three decades of providing free, high quality specialist end of life care to tens of thousands of people, we are taking the Hospice on a three-month tour of our care area. ‘Your Hospice; Your Town’ will hit the roads of Surrey, south west London and Middlesex with the aim of connecting more people to their Hospice.

We hope that by challenging the taboo around death and dying and demystifying our work people will take us into their hearts as their local charity of choice…enabling us to carry on for the next 30 years and beyond.

Come and see us on tour.

theChamber 43

Members News

Midgley Snelling LLP extend global reach with MGI re-branding Midgley Snelling LLP have re-branded to MGI Midgley Snelling LLP, further cementing their long-established relationship with the international accountancy network MGI Worldwide.

The long-running accountancy firm founded the prestigious MGI network more than 60 years ago and, in fact, the ‘M’ in ‘MGI’ originates from the network’s original name, “Midsnell”.

Established in 1925, MGI Midgley Snelling LLP recognised the benefits that a network of firms across the globe could bring to their clients both in the UK and abroad. This led to the forming of the international MGI Worldwide Network which now ranks as a Top 20 global accountancy network with 260 offices spanning across 76 countries.

The network is made up of 4,900 professionals worldwide, which enables MGI Midgley Snelling LLP to provide clients with international business and tax advice that not only increases access to trade across borders but also helps to ensure compliance with international tax and trading laws all around the world.

Tracey Wickens, Partner at MGI Midgley Snelling LLP, said: “We hope that our new name will serve as a reminder to clients and contacts that in addition to providing services to local and UK clients, we are also committed to the MGI Worldwide Network and hope to further enhance our reputation as an international accountancy firm.”

44 theChamber

Hotel checks in to the top 10 Brooklands Hotel has been named in the top 10 of the Sunday Times Top 100 Small Companies to Work For, moving up 16 places from 25th last year.

The four star luxury hotel in Weybridge, Surrey, opened in 2010, scored 80% (1st) for the skills of its employees and scored 95% (5th) as a fun place to work.

The ‘Make It Happen’ team are motivated by their managers to give the best every day. 98% of the team thought that their direct line manager regularly

expresses their appreciation when a good job had been executed.

Marco Gervasoni, General Manager of Brooklands Hotel, says “Our mission has always been to exceed the ordinary or expected with the team striving to ‘Make It Happen’ through their enthusiasm, commitment and creativity.”

The makings of a truly unique venue The Living Planet Centre in Woking is not only the head office of leading conservation charity WWF-UK, it is also home to their stunning, state-of-the-art venue facilities.

After 25 years hidden away in an industrial unit in Godalming, WWF-UK decided it was time to create an exemplar building to showcase the possibilities of a fully sustainable office environment. As a result - and after much careful planning - the award-winning Living Planet Centre was built on a brownfield site in Woking just minutes from the mainline station. Every element of the build was considered, from providing natural ventilation via four wind cowls on top of the building, to

flushing toilets using recycled water from the sinks, to installing carpets made from recycled fishing nets.

In line with the award-winning design and construction of the building, a great deal of consideration also went into the design of the venue’s facilities - which include a 150-seater auditorium and 20-seater boardroom.

The abundant natural daylight, flexible seating, top of the range AV and spacious areas for networking, ensure that WWF-UK

has the best facilities not only for their own events but also for external clients.

For those keen to find out more about the Living Planet Centre, behind-the-scenes tour of the building can also booked where you can see how WWF work and how, through the smart use of design, materials and technology, they have created an outstanding building with minimal environmental impact.

To find out more, please visit wwf.org.uk/venuehire or email livingplanetcentre@wwf.org.uk

Local business growth expert steps in to save SMEs abandoned by the government Brian Doubleday, a local business expert, is helping SMEs left in limbo by the Government’s shock decision to scrap its Growth Accelerator programme (GA).

This scheme provided heavily subsidised coaching to help them grow. For example, under the old GA scheme, depending on your business size for just £600 you received £3,500 worth of advice and guidance face-to-face with experts like Brian after paying VAT which was recuperable.

According to the Government’s Business Growth Service (BGS) website, the hugely popular, GA signed up 18,000 businesses, helping them to raise more than

£100 million with a 94% approval rating. But the Chancellor ditched the programme in November 2015, leaving those who’d spent hours applying, furious and those in mid-course exasperated as the scheme was stopped on 1st March.

“The Government has given up on SMEs,” said Brian, formerly a Marketing Director at ICI, and now a franchise owner with Action Coach, the world’s leading business coaching firm.

“What I do is help entrepreneurs and CEOs realise their vision and free up their time by making better choices to get better results.

“It’s a shame the Government has pulled such a popular and effective coaching programme as part of the latest cuts to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

However, I am now offering to step into the breach.”

Business News

High Stakes for Brexit Gamble On 23 June we will be asked to cast our vote on whether the UK should remain within or leave the European Union. Simon Lewis, CEO of Partridge Muir & Warren, looks at the arguments surrounding trade and immigration.

The Government line is that leaving the European Union (EU) would be risky and that now is not the time to take a risk with the economy.

We are therefore encouraged to vote ‘stay’. The fact that the Government is taking a risk by holding a referendum at this time, primarily in response to internal party politics, is not without irony.

Trade At present approximately 50% of the UK’s goods exports are to the EU and a further 13% are to countries where there is reliance upon their free trade agreement with the EU. In other words, 63% of the UK’s goods exports are linked to membership of the EU, contrasted with the fact that the UK receives less than 10% of the EU’s exports. In other words, from the perspective of trade, it would seem that the UK is more dependant on Europe than Europe is dependant on the UK. It is certainly true that an independent UK would be free to negotiate its own trade deals with the EU but if we wanted full access to the single market there would be a price to pay. For example, both Switzerland and Norway are required to accept the free movement of people and make substantial payments towards the EU budget in order to achieve their special status.

Another factor is that the goods and services we wished to export to the EU would still need to comply with EU regulations and having left the EU we would have even less influence over how these regulations were developed. At this juncture it would seem that leaving the EU but agreeing a deal to access the single market would likely not provide two of the major goals of the ‘leave’ campaign, whilst removing the UK’s ability to shape future policy.

Of course, we would also be free to negotiate trade deals outside the EU and other nations might

well find it easier to agree terms with an independent UK. We might also be able to better target those countries that have a need for what the UK is good at offering, something that the EU might be less motivated to achieve.

Nevertheless, we need to be realistic about our commercial appeal with a population of only 85 million potential customers, albeit relatively wealthy ones, versus the EU’s single market of 500 million potential customers.

Immigration It is estimated that there are currently 3 million EU migrants in Britain, representing roughly 5% of the population. The number has risen strongly in recent years, in part as a result of an influx from Southern Europe. Nevertheless, over half of net migration to Britain comes from outside the EU and would not therefore be affected by the outcome of the referendum.

Statistics show that EU nationals of working age are more likely to be in work than UK nationals and non-EU citizens. For example roughly 80% of working age EU citizens in the UK are in work, compared to 75% of their UK national counterparts.

In the circumstances, it would seem unlikely that benefit cuts and deferral of entitlements will

act as a material deterrent as most migrants appear to want to come to Britain to work. In reality, the introduction of the new national living is likely to encourage immigration, because those in work over the age of 25 years will see the minimum hourly wage increase from £6.72 to £7.20; rising progressively thereafter to £9.00 per hour by 2020.

Research indicates that on a year by year basis, EU migrants contribute on average £1.34 to the UK public purse for every £1.00 taken out. If we look at the figures in more detail they show that the economic contribution is lower (£1.12) for migrants from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004 (mainly Eastern Europe) while those originating from the rest of the EU contribute £1.64 for each £1.00 taken out.

This might be indicative of generally lower skill levels from those coming to the UK from some Eastern European countries and as a consequence lower levels of earnings and tax contributions. Therefore, if Britain were to stay in the EU it might be

wise to encourage it to temper its expansionary ambition because a high long-term influx of low skilled migrants might not be affordable for many member states.

It is also worth remembering that migration is not only an inward phenomenon. There are currently around 1.25 million British nationals living in other EU countries and every year the British expatriate population is increasing. Furthermore, within the EU, UK nationals represent the fifth largest expatriate population. For those who believe EU migrants should be sent home to reduce the burden on the UK welfare state, it is worth remembering that UK expatriates might also be encouraged to return home.

Readers might be forgiven for concluding that my allegiance lies with the ‘stay’ campaign, but the truth is that I have still not made up my mind. My instinct tells me that there are further surprising facts to discover. With that in mind I believe it’s too risky to place a firm bet at this stage; so my chips remain racked.

Simon Lewis CEO Partridge Muir & Warren www.pmw.co.uk

theChamber 45

Chamber Events

Maximising your Company’s Value

Telemarketing Marketing Masterclass 25 May 2016 13:30pm - 17.00pm

24 May 2016 09:00am - 12:00pm

Arcom IT

Something Big

Export House, Cawsey Way WOKING. GU21 6QX

3 Wells Court, Albert Drive, WOKING. GU21 5UB

Member: £35.00 +VAT Non-Member: £45.00 +VAT Are you looking to rapidly grow your company? Do you want to increase the value of your business? Then this event is for you!

This workshop is the perfect opportunity for owners and senior managers of businesses, to hear from experts Rob Goddard, Managing Director of Evolution CBS and Sally Pritchett, Director of Something Big as well as a legal expert about how to accelerate your growth strategy.

Member: £99.00 + VAT Non-Member: £129.00 + VAT This afternoon workshop will show you how to generate great leads over the phone with ease and will cure any feeling of “phone phobia”. Ideal for smaller businesses or those with a tight budget, these open workshops allow you to share the cost of the session with other businesses. If you have a small group of 1-5 people that need a little help improving their performance on the phone, then these are for you.

More Sales, Less Stress!

7 June 2016 17:30pm - 19:30pm

Guildford College Stoke Park, Guildford, GU1 1EZ

• Are you fed up chasing prospects, clients even?

• Frustrated that your people tell you “it’s in the pipeline” and then that pipeline gets longer and longer?

• Furious that deals slip from one period to the next?

• Annoyed by the number of proposals it needs to get one decent client?

• Worried that the longer it takes for the client to make a decision the more likely it is they won’t do business, and yet often there is too much invested to let go?

Join award-winning Paul Glynn, MD from Sandler Training (West M25), a seasoned sales director and trainer for More Sales, Less Stress!

Member: £22.00 + VAT Non-Member: £35.00 + VAT ***Early Booking Price***

Members: £15+VAT non members £30+VAT until Friday 30 May 2016 - BOOK NOW

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Networking Lunch

Presenting Skills Workshop

17 June 2016 12:00pm - 14:00pm

21 June 2016 09:00am - 13:15pm

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 1 Millbrook, Guildford. GU1 3UX

Epsom Downs Racecourse

Member: £15.00 + VAT Non-Member: £25.00 + VAT Teaming up with Surrey Chambers of Commerce, Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre will be hosting a lunchtime networking event which will be a great opportunity to meet some new clients in the area.

Running from 12 until 2pm you have the chance to pop out for a buffet lunch, make some new contact and find out what is happening locally.

Epsom Downs, EPSOM KT18 5LQ

Member: £85.00 + VAT Non-Member: £110.00 + VAT Are you passing up the opportunity to promote your business at the various networking events? Would you like to overcome this fear?

If you answered yes to any of these our workshop will be able to help you.

During the half day workshop you will learn skills and tools for presenting with confidence and creating engaging, productive presentations to help you showcase and present your business for maximum benefit.

Guest Speakers Louise Camby - Creative Producer and Voice Over Artist Ges Ray - Public Speaking Coach Jackie Donelan - Jackie Donelan Counselling

46 theChamber

Chamber Events

Marketing Measurement 23 June 2016 09:00am - 16:00pm

Reigate Manor Reigate Hill, Surrey RH29PF

Robert Denholm House

BBQ 5 July 2016 18:00pm - 20:00pm

Robert Denholm House Bletchingley Road, Nutfield. REDHILL RH1 4HW

Member: FREE Non-Member: FREE Join the Chamber for an evening of networking and delicious BBQ food at the impressive Robert Denholm House a Victorian mansion set in 25 acres of land. Be sure to bring business cards but grab a glass of wine and relax as this one is an informal, social event.

This event is free but you will need to book your place in advance to avoid disappointment.

Open 18 Hole Golf Competition 8 June 2016 13:00pm - 21:00pm

Hayling Island Golf Club Links Lane, HAYLING ISLAND. PO11 0BX

Member: £84.00 + VAT Non-Member: £105.00 + VAT 18 Hole Stableford competition open to all business people at the 2nd best course in Hampshire. Tee off from 13.00 hrs with dinner and prize giving after.

Join us as a team of 3 or 4 players and entertain your own clients or as a solo player and we will place you in a team.

To join Surrey Chambers Golf Society call 01483 735546

Member: £20.00 + VAT Non-Member: £30.00 + VAT Improve your marketing by measuring every step of the way.

It can take many months from a prospect’s first awareness of you to the time when they become a paying customer. In the meantime, through your marketing efforts, you need nurture the relationship so that when the time is right it’s you they choose.

But what if you could improve this journey to generate and convert more quality leads?

In this presentation Nicola Macdonald, founder of Attractive Marketing will take you step by step, measurement by measurement showing you how to improve on your marketing success.

This event is run in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Annual Summer Lunch 22 June 2016 12:15pm - 15:00pm

Chessington World of Adventures Resort Leatherhead Road, Chessington. KT92NE

Member: £50.00 + VAT Non-Member: £65.00 + VAT

One of the highlights of the events calendar, the Annual Summer Lunch, sponsored by The Surrey Research Park, is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself, employees or say thank you to your clients while networking over a two course lunch.

The Chamber is excited to be holding the event at Chessington World of Adventures Resort where there may even be a surprise or two.

One surprise we can reveal is the incredible explorer Mark Wood will be entertaining guests fresh from his latest exploration to the North Pole.

This is certainly one not to miss!

theChamber 47

New Members

Surrey Chambers of Commerce welcomes its latest member companies: 3di Information Solutions Ltd

DHJ Businesses

Saqqara Projects Ltd

Paul Ballard 01483 211533 IT and communications

David Harrison-Jones 07979 417276 Leisure & Entertainment

Karen Francombe 01252 715400 www.saqqara.co.uk IT and communications

Business Partnership

Doubleday Consulting Ltd

Stephen Boyle 01276 919650 www.business-partnership.com Business Support

Brian Doubleday 07703 107070 www.actioncoach.com/briandoubleday Business Consultants

Cars on Demand

Excel Office Cleaning Services Ltd

Michael Roberts 01293 852299 www.carsondemand.co.uk Transport & Storage

Cellar Magneval Boutique de Vins & Épicerie Fine Steve Rasmussen 01483 610610 www.cellarmagneval.com/ Retail/wholesale

Core Values Pilates & Massage Beatrice Somer 07941 220815

Crowd Funding Insight Limited

Sally Fenton 01276 856955 www.excelofficecleaning.com Business Support

Home Start Surrey Joanna Mckenzie Charity

Index Property Information Kevin Johnson 08436 594000 www.indexpi.co.uk Construction & Property

Kemp Marketing Limited

Saqqara Projects Ltd Graham Sercombe 01252 715400 www.saqqara.co.uk IT and communications

SIAN Trading Co Ltd Georgia Muggeridge 01306 621060 www.siantrading.co.uk Retail/wholesale

Stable Micro Systems Ltd Andrew McLachlan 01483 427345 www.stablemicrosystems.com Manufacturing/Engineering

Surrey County Cricket Club Maria Scullion 02075 826660 Leisure & Entertainment

Ken Smith 07788 414004 www.crowdfundinginsight.com Financial services

Sue Kemp 07748 637584 www.kempmarketing.co.uk Marketing & PR

Surrey County Cricket Club

Custodian Insurance

Limelight Design & Marketing

Turpin Barker Armstrong

Zahid Naqvi 02076 484343 www.custodianinsurance.co.uk Financial services

Karen Sutton 01932 355900 www.limelight-marketing.co.uk Marketing & PR

Andrew Bailey 02086 617878 www.turpinba.co.uk Accounting

George Hampson 02075 826660 Leisure & Entertainment

theChamber 49

Chamber Chat

Let’s

Explain the company to someone unfamiliar with the business CMM is a Public Relations Consultancy, which achieves recognition and third party accreditation through a communications strategy, building and developing opportunities with a clear and consistent message. It’s not the quick hit you might expect from an advertisement but PR can achieve more long-term awareness.

As a seasoned journalist with internal and external corporate communications experience, my support helps my clients to win business.

What differentiates your organisation from others?

Carol Miller CMM “In Surrey we’re fortunate to have a very friendly Chamber that has an impressive membership”

50 theChamber

I have worked on both sides of communications and the media – the giving and the taking. It’s given me the insight and skill to create the right platforms and deliver effective messaging for my clients. In addition, as a former Fleet Street journalist and magazine Editor, I know how to pitch stories to gain newsdesk interest. It’s a privileged perspective that gives me an advantage over competitors.

However, PR is much more than media coverage and my approach is holistic and bespoke, working closely with clients and their needs, incorporating a range of approaches to help them stand out.

What is your vision for the future of the business?

My specialist skills and experience enable me to give my clients a very bespoke service, from a multi-million pound enterprise to one-man operations, so they can realise their business aspirations.

Talk!

Currently my clients are primarily based in Surrey, so going forward I plan to expand my base to include London, Sussex and Berkshire. At the same time, I want to reassure clients that the CMM PR service will continue to be bespoke, personal and based on good two-way communication.

What advice would you give to a company considering setting up in Surrey?

I would advise any business to be clear about what it wants to achieve. It helps to use networking opportunities, such as Surrey Chamber of Commerce, which can also give you access to professional guidance or direct you towards reliable consultants. Most businesses aim to market their business through a website, advertising and possibly social media.

However, I would recommend seeking the advice of a PR Consultant from the outset.

It will help to build a strategy and ensure you target the right audience, identifying your unique selling point and it may also give you the added advantage of achieving free, positive media coverage.

If you were telling another business person about the chamber what would you say?

In Surrey we’re fortunate to have a very friendly Chamber that has an impressive membership. Starting your own business is daunting and sometimes lonely so I welcome the friendship and support I have experienced from the Chamber team and from other members.