The Masthead by Benham Publishing Limited

the

masthead

Official Magazine for South East London Chamber of Commerce - Issue 9

Claire Pritchard

explains why there has never been a greater need to focus on local communities

• ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH - Greenwich Council helps its businesses thrive online - Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2019 • LEWISHAM'S Thriving Creative Industry gets a major boost • BROMLEY Your Bromley supports The Bromley Homeless Shelter • BEXLEY Council wins more funding for Erith • SKILLS The theme of National Apprenticeship Week 2019 in March will be Blaze a Trail • VIST GREENWICH A year to look forward to • CONSTRUCTON sector maintains modest growth • HEALTH & WELLBEING Mental health is becoming less of a taboo in the workplace according to a new survey •

THE ALL NEW TOYOTA COROLLA The next generation of hybrid driving. Coming soon. Derek Palmer 07468 861109 derek.palmer@jemca.co.uk Jemca Toyota Sidcup Business Centre 146-150 Maidstone Road , Sidcup, Kent DA14 5HS 0208 309 4464 jemcasidcup.toyota.co.uk /ToyotaSidcup Images shown may not be to UK speciďŹ cation.

@ToyotaSidcup

Jemca Toyota Bromley Business Centre 146 Burnt Ash Lane, Bromley, Kent BR1 5TD 0208 860 1303 jemcabromley.toyota.co.uk /ToyotaBromley

@ToyotaBromley

Welcome |

find

inside 8

5 7 8-10 14 15 16-17 19 20-23 24 25 26-27

Chamber News Economy Focus on Greenwich Focus on Lewisham Focus on Bromley Focus on Bexley News Education & Skills Ask the Expert News Big Interview with Claire Pritchard

28-31 32-33 35 36-37 38-40 43 44-45 47 48-49 50 50

Chamber Events Visit Greenwich What’s On News Construction Finance Update Member Benefits The Person behind the Business Health & Wellbeing New Members and finally...

Welcome To The Masthead - the South East London Chamber of Commerce magazine.

elcome to 2019. This is a special year for the South East London Chamber Commerce as we celebrate our 130th anniversary

Editorial and General Enquiries

South East London Chamber of Commerce Unit TW/145, Trinity Wharf, Harrington Way Warspite Road London SE18 5NR Tel:

020 8317 3365

Email: office@selondonchamber.org www.selondonchamber.org

with an evening drinks reception at City Hall on Thursday, 23 May. Full booking details will appear in the next issue of Masthead. We have had positive feedback from our membership questionnaire about events. There are three Executive Lunches planned this year, the first being on Thursday, 28 March. James Murray, Deputy Mayor for London, Housing and Residential Development will be our first speaker at DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich. The other speakers will be Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport and Deputy Chair of Transport for Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published: January 2019 © Benham Publishing

Photography Warren King Tel: 07779 337765 email: warren@wkphotography.co.uk web: www.wkphotography.co.uk

London and Rob Elder, Agent General for Greater London at the Bank of England. We are embarking on a series of morning training events, the first being on Wednesday, 27 February when Chamber Board Director Dave Millett will speak on: “How to Create the Perfect Business Plan & Grow Your Business in 2019” I would like to thank two of our Chamber members, Grant Saw LLP and Hindwoods who have moved to brand new offices which necessitated new furniture. Grant Saw donated very smart, Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1684 Disclaimer The Masthead is published for South East London Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members.

matching office desks and Hindwoods have complimented these with equally smart chairs. Team Chamber are very happy sitting in their new chairs at the curved desks. Another member, Quay Office Group, did a splendid job in hauling the donations to Chamber HQ. Finally, Alan Harwood thank you for your old laptop. The office is delighted you chose to upgrade so soon. Upgrades and a good job all round.

Helen McIntosh FCIPR President

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at South East London Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in The Masthead are not necessarily those of South East London Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2019 Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

January 2019

“Meeting and Conference facilities set in extensive grounds within easy reach of central London and the South East. The site is also home to exceptional sports facilities making it an ideal venue for team building, tournaments and sports socials”. Conference and meeting packages available with catering options. • Free wi-fi connectivity • Large free carpark • 3 min walk from 2 mainline stations • Fully licensed bar Please see our website for more details and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

www.stdunstansenterprises.co.uk January 2019

Chamber News |

South East London Transport Update These are exciting times to visit, live and work in South East London. The Mayor’s Transport Strategy highlights a number of key initiatives to help people travelling to and around the area.

here are a number of committed projects underway in the region including the Elizabeth Line which will add around 10 per cent capacity to London’s rail network as well as the

recently approved Silvertown Tunnel which will help relieve London’s most congested bottleneck that is the Blackwall Tunnel, as well as providing significant cross river bus improvements.

TfL is also considering a range of exciting proposals including an extension to the Bakerloo Line to Lewisham and potentially beyond, possible extension of the DLR across the river to serve Thamesmead to complement Peabody’s proposals for new homes in the area and a pedestrian and cycling bridge linking Canary Wharf and the Rotherhithe area. Matthew Yates, TfL’s Head of Projects and Consents, will present these proposals at the Chamber's February Breakfast Meeting, taking place at The Clarendon Hotel. Join us for this early presentation and Q&A on TfL's exciting developments in SE London.

For further information see forthcoming events on page 30-31

Feasibility work under way Detailed design and feasibility work for a new proposed leisure and library facility in West Wickham is getting under way following the appointment of Perfect Circle by Bromley Council. erfect Circle, a company that delivers consultancy services to the public sector, and Montagu Evans will build on the initial concept work to design the new leisure and library facility. This detailed work will then enable consultation to take place, with a planning application then being submitted after this, later in 2019. Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, said: “We are at the early stages of what is an exciting proposal, which will deliver new leisure and library facilities which are needed locally. “A new building, replacing the existing leisure centre, but also incorporating a library and potentially residential accommodation, would bring modern facilities to West Wickham.

“We need to make sure that any proposal that is brought forward is both viable and feasible and then we will consult local people. Only after this point, will a planning application be submitted and, therefore, we are early stages of this project.” Duncan Green, director at Perfect Circle, said “We’re incredibly proud to be involved, delivering full multi-consultancy services for this significant refurbishment – including architecture, building services and structural and civil engineering - and are working closely with Bromley Council to design a contemporary, new scheme that will truly benefit the local community.” The early stage proposals would see a new building replacing the existing leisure centre, incorporating a new swimming pool and leisure

facilities, including a modern library. The new 25 metre swimming pool and learner pool would meet Sports England specifications, with the new library having at least the same floor space asthe existing library. Residential accommodation will also be included, with the existing library site also being used for housing. If the works are approved, it is anticipated that a muchneeded boost of capital investment will come from an appointed developer, who would potentially then take the build project forward. This would then be the second combined swimming pool, leisure and library facility in the borough, with a similar concept already in operation in Biggin Hill.

A rebrand for L.A.C.E.S For many years the Chamber has supported the work of London Anti Crime Education Scheme, L.A.C.E.S. Set up in 1994 by ex-offender Charles Young this educational programme offers help and practical support to vulnerable young people of all ages. harles has spoken to thousands of young people about drugs, alcohol abuse and how not to pursue a life of crime.

Chamber member Origin Systems Limited, an eight year old Greenwich based IT Support and Design company heard about the educational programme and decided to help Charles with a complete company rebrand to refresh the L.A.C.E.S identity. They donated a workstation and monitor to enable L.A.C.E.S to work more efficiently. A new website and an update of the brand identity across social media followed as well as new business cards, letterhead, compliment slips and promotional materials. In 2019, the rebrand will help L.A.C.E.S. with their vital work in our community.

www.laces.org.uk

www.origingb.com

January 2019

Artistic trailblazers. Digital game-changers. Design groundbreakers.

Join the creatives Over the past five years Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative and digital sector has grown by up to 150% - from award winning advertisers to gaming software innovators and film pioneers. Come and join the future.

www.locateinkent.com

Image: Luke Quilter, CEO, Sleeping Giant Media, Folkestone

Kent inspires.

Economy |

Four out of ten freelancers ‘plan to stay freelance’ Almost four out of ten (39.5%) UK freelancers plan to remain so in the long term, with only 7.2% wanting to work as an employee again in the future, according to new research. he results come from the latest survey conducted across five European countries by the Payroll and HR services provider SD Worx and the Antwerp Management School. The report says that there are clear reasons why freelancing is proving to be an effective career choice, rather than just a short-term fix.

Freelancers are often highly engaged employees, due to the qualities that come with the sense of autonomy they have, such as being able to manage workloads effectively and being in control of personal development.

This results in freelancers feeling competent in their jobs, with 75.5% of UK respondents stating that they feel they are doing well, while only 14.5% have doubts about whether they can do their jobs properly. Secondly, says the report, freelancers have the flexibility to develop and enhance their professional skills as they see fit.

Freelancers in Germany (46.6%) and France (42.9%) are most likely to spend time developing and adding to their own skills, followed by The Netherlands (36.6%) and Belgium (38.3%), whilst UK freelancers (29.9%) are least likely. Despite three out of ten UK freelancers spending time developing their own skills, there are clear deficiencies to be addressed, says the report. Only 22.4% of them actually use professional or personal networks for support. Of the freelancers surveyed, UK freelancers are the least likely to use support networks, compared to 35.5% in Belgium and almost one in three (31.1%) in the Netherlands. Additionally, 64.9% of UK freelancers never look for support on commercial advice, qualities that are increasingly important for professionals across any industry, says the report.

Fiona McKee, Head of Human Resources at SD Worx UK & Ireland, said: “It’s easy to think that people freelance as a temporary solution, possibly to bridge a gap between different jobs or because they need extra flexibility due to family commitments. “Clearly, there are many more significant factors behind why people are seeing freelancing as a long-term career choice, though. “As a freelancer, people have the flexibility to be in control of their personal

development and as a result, they tend to be highly engaged in the workplace. “However, that flexibility isn’t necessarily restricted to freelancers only. We are seeing a trend towards a personalisation of the employer-employee relationship. The focus is increasingly on the individual.”

SD Worx and AMS surveyed a representative sample of 1,874 independent workers in the Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

“

As a freelancer, people have the flexibility to be in control of their personal development and as a result, they tend to be highly engaged in the workplace.

”

January 2019

| Focus on Greenwich

Doing Business with Greenwich

Cllr Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills and Apprenticeships

Businesses in Greenwich have been receiving support to take advantage of the opportunity to work more closely with the Council, and advice on how to compete for contracts across London. he Council, in partnership with East London Business Place, delivers the Building Legacies Programme, which is funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

This ensures local businesses are fit to respond to contract opportunities. The aim of the programme is to enhance the competitiveness of businesses enabling them to benefit from existing and emerging contract opportunities.

Delivered through workshops, networking events, masterclasses and 1-2-1 mentoring/ coaching, 85 businesses have been supported through this programme since May 2017, and 64 jobs have been created. To date, businesses in Greenwich have secured £8.2 million contract awards.

There is tailored support for both suppliers and buyers and this work is further complemented by the “Doing Business with Greenwich” initiative. Through this, the Council is putting social value at the heart of their procurement strategy - simplifying the process on lower value contracts to improve access to opportunities. The Council is committed to ensuring that, year on year, more is spent with local businesses. A key element of this work includes targeting local businesses to ensure they are aware of opportunities as they arise. This will include a programme of workshops for local businesses and presentations on specific contract opportunities Only recently, Cllr Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills and Apprenticeships held an

Clive Jelf, East London Business Place

event with East London Business Place to brief local companies on opportunities relating to the

£4 billion Thames Tideway project, including procurement and apprenticeship opportunities.

If you would like more information on how to do business with the Council, please email business@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Grand opening of Alcatel Submarine Networks at the Greenwich site n Monday 22nd October 2018, Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) celebrated the Grand Opening of Telegraph House.

L-R Cllr Denise Hyland, Piers Grumett and Helen McIntosh

January 2019

This occasion marked the modernisation of the ASN site and factory which has been in

Greenwich since the mid-1850s. Approximately 450 ASN employees are based at the ASN Greenwich site working across various activities including Industrial Operations, Marine Operations, Purchasing, Sales & Marketing and Finance.

Focus on Greenwich |

Greenwich Council helps its businesses thrive online Greenwich Council recently re-launched its e-business support programme, following the success of its predecessor programme which helped 700 businesses in the borough. ince 2014, the Council’s delivery partner, South East Enterprise, has supported businesses in the borough with embracing the opportunities created from the rapid growth in digital commerce and digital media. These include low cost or in some cases free solutions to help businesses improve their marketing strategies, manage workflow and increase productivity. Assistance included help with more traditional digital platforms such as websites, intranets and social media, or more innovative ways of doing business including online

payment platforms and QR codes. A key reason for originally commissioning the first E-business programme in 2014 was because research showed that fewer than a third of UK SMEs actually transact online – a major risk in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. The Council wants to help local businesses and the local economy thrive. 700 businesses were supported by the original programme delivering more than £17 million in increased revenue, creating 110 new jobs and safeguarding over 1,000 jobs.

Cllr Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills and Apprenticeships

This programme is unique amongst London boroughs and the programme was recently commissioned for a further three years to 2020, to build on its success and evolve to give businesses the kind of support they need in the ever changing business landscape. Cllr Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills and Apprenticeships said: “The Council’s ambition is that the scheme will have a significant economic impact and bring benefits to the whole borough. “Supporting local businesses to achieve their growth potential has always been a key part of

the Council’s economic development programme. We are grateful for the support given by JP Morgan in helping South East Enterprise to develop this exciting new component.” Tony Goldstein, Managing Director of South East Enterprise, said: “We want to keep evolving the E-Business programme and ensure it continues to meet the needs of businesses in the Royal Borough.” If you would like more information on the E-Business support programme, please email info@seenterprise.co.uk

“

”

Tony Goldstein, Managing Director of South East Enterprise

January 2019

| Focus on Greenwich

Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2019 Whether you’re a high street retailer, a small business or anything in-between, enter your business for one of our prestigious awards.

Hear from our judges

Our judges have been sharing their top tips for a successful application.

“I want to see applications that are full of energy and enthusiasm. If you’re authentic as possible your application will stand out.” Cllr Denise Hyland Head Judge and Cabinet Member for Economy Skills and Apprenticeships

“Your application needs to be customer obsessed!” Taimoor Sheikh McDonalds Franchisee

“Treat your nomination like a new business pitch and let us know what your customers really love.” Prof Linda Drew Ravensbourne University

here are 10 award categories ranging from Online retailer, Greener Greenwich and Apprenticeship Employer of the Year.

Grand prize

London City Airport has joined as a sponsor for the 2019 Business of the Year Award. This year, the judges will be selecting an overall winner out of all the category winners, and the high flying winning company will receive a £2,500 marketing budget to spend on a campaign project of their choice.

Nominate your business for free and: • showcase it to the local community

• stand out from the competition

• generate positive publicity

• increase staff pride • celebrate your achievements

“Applications I’ll be scoring highly will demonstrate new solutions to old problems.” George Neris ArtFix London

“I am looking for businesses that are interested in, if not already exploring, new and dynamic ways to engage the community.” Rasheeda Page-Muir Revolyoution London

Visit royalgreenwich.gov.uk/businessawards for more information and to enter your business.

Deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 18 January 2019.

January 2019

Profile |

Hindwoods Chartered Surveyors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Efficient, Expanding & Easy to deal with Established since 1886 Hindwoods is one of the few independent firms of Chartered Surveyors that can offer a full range of property services. espite its longstanding history of providing high quality property advice the company constantly invests in staff, technology and premises in order to ensure that the best possible service is provided. The Company goes into 2019 having recently relocated around 25 staff to state of the art offices on Greenwich waterfront. The offices are fitted to allow teams to work with maximum effect, improve communication and occasionally enjoy the setting with views to Canary Wharf and the City together with excellent local amenities. As a regulated firm of Chartered Surveyors clients of the practice are assured of certain standards and safeguards not offered by many competitors. All staff which are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are required to constantly update their professional and technical

knowledge through a programme of continuing professional development. The company also has an enviable track record of training staff and offering opportunities for career development. Many surveyors have achieved their professional qualifications with the Company and Ben Wigglesworth is an excellent example having joined the company as a trainee and recently being appointed as an Equity Director with responsibility for Building Surveying services. Clients of the company and those searching for available commercial or residential properties will benefit from the recently launched website which has been entirely redesigned with ease of use and clarity at the heart of the brief. Further details on specialist services such as party wall matters are clearly explained to make it clear what procedures need to be followed to avoid costly problems.

2019 also sees the Geographical coverage of Hindwoods expanding beyond the existing teams based in the Dulwich and Greenwich offices. For the first time in its history the company has a team in Croydon

having recently acquired the Property Management business of long established Chartered Surveyors Stuart Edwards Fullermoon. The new colleagues joining as a result have swollen total numbers to around 45.

Hindwoods are always keen to discuss property matters with both existing and new clients and initial enquiries can be directed to Ben Wigglesworth, 020 8858 3377, b.wigglesworth@hindwoods.co.uk or visit the website www.hindwoods.co.uk. Images ÂŠ Joel Knight 2018

January 2019

EAT, DRINK & RELAX AT INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON - THE O2 EXCLUSIVE READER OFFERS, FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!

A VIBRANT MIX OF DINING EXPERIENCES ENJOY 10% OFF AT RESTAURANTS & BARS Choose from five distinctively themed restaurants and bars including a 2019 Michelin-guided restaurant and a sophisticated 18th floor sky bar with panoramic views of London. Reservations: 020 8463 6868 | dining@iclondon-theo2.com Please quote ‘The Masthead’ at time of booking.

REVITALIZE & REJUVENATE

15% OFF THE BRAND NEW TREATMENTS BY /skin regimen/ AT THE SPA Experience the perfect antidotes to modern fatigue and urban lifestyle.

Urban Longevity Facial 60 mins £120 Urban Longevity Detox Facial 60 mins £110 Bookings and enquiries: 020 8463 6815 | spa@iclondon-theo2.com Please quote ‘The Masthead’ at time of booking.

1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0TW iclondon-theo2.com | @intercontheo2 *Offers are subject to availability. Advance booking required. Restaurant and bar bookings limited to 6 guests. Spa treatments limited to 2 guests. Offers expire 31st March 2019.

Discover London from a fresh perspective and create timeless memories with InterContinental London – The O2 InterContinental London – The O2 is a riverside hotel and purpose-built conference centre situated on the vibrant Greenwich Peninsula. ach of the 453 spacious contemporary bedrooms and elegant suites subtly tell a story of the destination with its tasteful décor. The club rooms include access to the Club InterContinental executive lounge. The hotel also features direct access to the world famous entertainment venue, The O2, via a private walkway. Meetings and events The hotel features a dedicated 4,500sqm conference centre with a separate entrance, away from the main hotel lobby allowing for complete privatisation of events. The impressive Arora Ballroom features over 3,000sqm of pillar-free event space with multiple configurations, providing the

perfect setting for large-scale award ceremonies, exhibitions, conferences and parties.The Riverview Suites on the mezzanine floor and the Greenwich suites on the 2nd floor comprise of 19 additional event spaces that can also be used individually or as a multiple event space for dining, breakout sessions and meetings to accompany a main event. A vibrant mix of dining destinations The hotel boasts a collection of some of London’s finest destination inspired restaurants and bars, including the elegant 3 AA Rosette and 2019 Michelin-guided Peninsula Restaurant, offering modern European cuisine served against dramatic views of Canary Wharf and the River Thames. Guests can enjoy choose from a 3, 5 or 7 course menu, created by the talented Head Chef, Tomas Lidakevicius. Furthermore, a private dining room seating 24 guests is available for exclusive hire and special wine dinners.

Guests are welcome to savour afternoon tea in the stylish and aptly named Meridian Lounge, with assortment of homemade delicacies and Champagne or relax in the unique Clipper Bar, with a gin and tonic made using the bar’s exclusive Clipper Gin. Spectacular views across the London skyline are best enjoyed over cocktails in the sophisticated Eighteen Sky Bar which boasts a team of highly-skilled mixologists an extensive beverage menu. Escape to the only full-service luxury spa on Greenwich Peninsula The Spa offers a luxurious and holistic approach to wellbeing with its state-of-the-art facilities. The spa’s aesthetics draws on the hotel’s location with bespoke printed mosaic tiles, sumptuous rugs and

Key features: • 453 spacious and contemporary bedrooms including 59 exclusive suites • 5 destination inspired restaurants and bars • Fully soundproofed 4,500sqm conference centre • UK’s largest pillar-free ballroom for 3000 delegates • A luxury Spa with 2 indoor pools, 24 hour gym and 8 treatment rooms • Direct access to The O2 arena via a direct walkway • Complimentary hotel shuttle service to/from North Greenwich Station delicate die-cut pendant lighting. Spread over two floors, the spa features a 17m swimming pool including a 3 metre relaxation pool, a sauna, a steam room with an ice fountain, a relaxation lounge with herbal teas and nutritious snacks, a nail treatment room, a 24 hour gym and a full range of luxurious treatments designed by Comfort Zone and ESPA.

Well-connected The O2 arena and the brand new ICON shopping outlet are steps away and the Emirates Air Line zips over the Thames to ExCel London in minutes. Additionally, the MBNA Thames Clipper and the Jubilee line offer fast links to London’s West End and London City Airport is only 15 minutes away by car. Complimentary shuttle service operates to and from North Greenwich station frequently.

InterContinental London - The O2, 1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0TW 0208 463 6868 | info@iclondon-theo2.com | iclondon-theo2.com | @InterConTheO2

January 2019

| Focus on Lewisham

Living Wage employers on the up - but more needs to be done Latest figures show a huge rise in the number of employers paying their workers the Living Wage in the Lewisham borough. ince 2016, the number of accredited Living Wage employers in the borough has increased by more than 700%. There are now more than 5,000 people working at Living Wage employers across the borough. Among those organisations leading the campaign to increase the number even further is Lewisham Council, which says that much more needs to be done. To mark National Living Wage Week in November,

the council called on local employers to follow its lead and pay the real Living Wage. In 2012, Lewisham was the first council in the UK, alongside Islington, to become an accredited Living Wage employer and in 2016 it introduced a Living Wage business rate incentive. Under the scheme, the council gives a business rate discount of up to £6,000 to employers who commit to fair pay and become accredited with the Living Wage Foundation.

However, the borough still suffers from high levels of low pay; one in four people working in the borough earn below the Living Wage. This represents 13,000 jobs on poverty pay in the borough.

To mark Living Wage Week in November, Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, and Councillor Joe Dromey, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Skills, wrote to the borough’s 100 largest employers calling on them to pay the Living Wage.

Cllr Dromey said, ‘We are committed to building an economy that works for the many and to tackling poverty pay. We are proud to have been amongst the first Living Wage council in the country but one in four jobs in the borough still pays below the Living Wage, so we have far more to do. ‘We are offering employers a business rate discount if they do the right thing and go Living Wage. We are calling on all employers to commit to fair pay, and to help us tackle poverty in the borough.”

Lewisham’s Thriving Creative Industry gets a major boost as Deptford announced as one of the first Creative Enterprise Zones in London

FREE

PUNCTURE REPAIR We would like to offer all Chamber of Commerce members and staff free puncture repair when you show this advert

We supply & fit all sizes new & used The condition of roads is far from desirable and Grips wishes to keep South East London’s business on the road.

Opening times: Mon-Sat 8-6pm

Tel: 0208 697 8000

www.gripstyres.co.uk

January 2019

Lewisham Council have been awarded a Creative Enterprise Zone status by London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, in a major boost for Deptford’s thriving artistic and creative industry. he Lewisham North Creative Enterprise Zone, which covers Deptford and New Cross in the north of the borough, will provide at least £500,000 of funding to support the development of the borough’s creative sector, which is growing twice as quickly as the London average. The CEZ will help the sector grow by: • supporting creative enterprises to connect and collaborate • increasing access to affordable workspace to help creative enterprises put down roots in community • linking creative enterprises to the skills, expertise and facilities of the borough’s educational and cultural institutions • providing career pathways from school into further education, higher education and creative employment. The CEZ will involve a partnership between the

Council and key artistic, creative and educational institutions, including: • Goldsmiths, University of London • Trinity Laban • the Albany • Second Floor Studios • Studio Raw • Lewisham Education Arts Network. Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, said: ‘This funding is great news for the borough. Thank you to everyone for working so hard on our bid and to Sadiq Khan and the GLA for supporting us. ‘We’re proud of our creative history, and this money will help us support creative jobs and businesses in Deptford.’ Councillor Joe Dromey, Cabinet Member for Finance, Skills and Jobs (job share), said: ‘We are hugely proud of our thriving and innovative creative community in Deptford, and this is fantastic news for our area. The Creative Enterprise Zone will help support local

businesses to grow and to create good-quality jobs for local residents. We look forward to working with our partners, with local businesses and with our local community to make this a success for Deptford.’ The mix of creative and digital activity in Deptford provides a unique creative environment, influenced by the history of the borough. The areas have a growing number of creative businesses, including digital and graphic design, contemporary visual art, music and dance. They are areas with huge cultural assets and education institutions that support the current creative sector and are key to bringing through the workforce of tomorrow. It has great potential to contribute to the CDI sector in London and has experienced rapid employment growth over the last five years. The Lewisham North CEZ will be launched officially in the New Year.

Focus on Bromley |

Your Bromley supports The Bromley Homeless Shelter A new scheme launched in January, across Bromley town centre, designed to help caring residents and visitors to support The Bromley Homeless Shelter with dedicated house shaped collection boxes appearing in businesses in all four areas. he Business Improvement District is encouraging people to think twice about giving cash to beggars, instead encouraging those who care about homelessness to help bring about real change by donating to The Bromley Homeless Shelter.

“Not all beggars are homeless, and evidence suggests that most

homeless people do not actually beg”, commented a campaign spokesperson. “We’ve called this project ‘Loose Change 4 Real Change’ because we hope that people will be persuaded to give to a worthwhile organisation aiming to support homeless people rebuild their lives, rather than to individuals.”

Loose

change

REAL CHANGE

To find the navy blue house shaped donation boxes near you simply visit yourbromley.com. The Bromley Homeless Shelter, who will receive all funds raised through the campaign, have a mission to give all homeless people of all races and beliefs a warm, safe, place to sleep and a hot meal during the winter months and provide support as they start to

rebuild their lives. For the rest of the year they provide specialist support and advice. Donations can also be made online to The Bromley Homeless Shelter, who are also looking for volunteers to help out. Visit bromleyshelter.org.uk to donate online or to volunteer your time to make a difference.

NOT ALL BEGGARS ARE HOMELESS; MOST HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE NOT BEGGARS.

House shaped collection boxes for Bromley Homeless Shelters will be appearing soon in various businesses throughout these areas. For details of collection box locations in Bromley town centre, visit

YOURBROMLEY.COM SUPPORTED BY

DONATE TO

The Bromley Homeless Shelter

January 2019

| Focus on Bexley

“

We want to make the town the prosperous and forward-looking place it used to be, and we are excited about the cultural,employment and housing opportunities it could offer.

”

t will be used to make further improvements, including rejuvenating existing open spaces, bringing empty buildings into use, nurturing innovation and enhancing all the things that make Erith great, to make the most of its unique setting by the River Thames.

Council wins I more funding for Erith Erith has won £1.6m from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, following a successful bid by the Council. January 2019

Cllr Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “We want to make the town the prosperous and forward-looking place it used to be, and we are excited about the cultural, employment and housing opportunities it could offer.”

For more information go to www.greatererith.com

Focus on Bexley |

Lifeline for ‘Cathedral on the marsh’ Crossness Pumping Station, one of Bexley’s most treasured heritage sites and a Grade I listed building, was given a lifeline by two major companies operating in the borough, following the discovery of asbestos early last year. Thames Water and Cory Riverside Energy both came forward to meet the £400,000 cost of resolving the problem. Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske said: “I would like to sincerely thank both organisations on behalf of the Council and the community for their generosity. They are a prime example of businesses who #doitforbexley.” The site is expected to reopen in the spring/summer, in time for celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir Joseph Bazalgette. Erith Station Improvements Rail travellers are benefiting from improvements designed to improve access to Erith Station. The space in and around the station forecourt has been opened up to improve pedestrian and vehicle access. New seating, trees and shrubbery, plus more secure bicycle racks, have been added. CCTV coverage at the station has also been upgraded. The improvements are part of a wider works taking place across the town as part of the Greater Erith programme. They are funded by the London Borough of Bexley and the Mayor of London. Approval for BexleyCo's updated business plan Councillors have approved the updated Business Plan of BexleyCo Limited, Bexley’s wholly-owned development company. Its focus will be on delivering new homes for local people, in sustainable localities, which respect the borough’s overall character and identity. The plan covers the period 2019–2025. It has been revised to reflect recent changes, including the appointment

“

I would like to sincerely thank Thames Water and Cory Riverside Energy on behalf of the Council and the community for their generosity. They are a prime example of businesses who #doitforbexley.

”

Cllr Peter Craske Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Places Cllr Peter Craske, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Places said: “This is an incredible achievement by the residents of Bexley, who have really got behind the drive to recycle more. To put this in context, since Bexley became Number One for recycling in London there have been three American Presidents, four British Prime Ministers and five Doctor Whos.”

Richard Blakeway last summer of Huw Lewis, BexleyCo’s Managing Director. BexleyCo’s Chairman is Richard Blakeway, a former Deputy Mayor of London.

Bexley is top London Borough for recycling again Bexley residents are once again the highest recyclers in London - for a fabulous 14th year in a row.

Huw Lewis

Upcoming 2019 Small to Medium Office Space in Bexley Chamber Strategic Partner Peabody have announced some exciting news regarding small to medium office space which will be coming up locally in 2019. The London Borough of Bexley are currently seeking feedback in relation to what the requirements and demand are for local businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs in the borough for a space they own in Erith.

The space will be called Engine House Erith and will be partnered with Engine House Bexley (currently Thames Innovation Centre). They already have a good understanding from local businesses and enquiries made, but are keen to see what the demand is with the local businesses we are working with and would like to offer you the opportunity to have some input into this in order that it can help them shape an attractive offer for businesses across the borough and meet the high demand for space in the area. In order to assess this, Peabody would be appreciative if you could complete a short survey to feed into this and highlight what your requirements are.

The survey can be found using the following link: https://www.greatererith.com/ engine-house-erith/

January 2019

COMING SOON SOON A NEWCOMING CO-WORKING ASPACE NEW CO-WORKING FOR BEXLEY SPACE FOR BEXLEY

POWERING BEXLEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PBUSINESSES B

enginehousebexley.london

News |

E-Z Cycle electric bike loan scheme not just for cyclists, it's for everyone! As part of a scheme to improve air quality and get people active, you can now enjoy a month-long e-bike trial for just £10. Loan sessions, where you will

-Z Cycle allows you to ride a pedal-assisted e-bike - to give you a boost up hills or when starting off from junctions. They are a great way to return to cycling if you haven’t done so for a while, or if you have health conditions that make riding a regular bike tricky. Following a successful trial in the Low Emission Neighbourhood of Greenwich West and Peninsula wards last year, the Council and Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) are expanding the scheme to all residents in Royal Greenwich.

Cllr Denise ScottMcDonald, Cabinet Member for Air Quality, Public Realm and Transport, said: "This is one of a wide range of measures we’re taking to improve air quality across the Royal Borough. "As well as helping more people try out cycling, which is a great way to take more exercise, the E-Z Cycle e-bike hire scheme will help reduce traffic." Deb Browne, CACT’s Head of Health Improvement, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this project and very much looking forward to the first session. We know that there are many benefits to be enjoyed through

cycling, including increased cardiovascular strength, muscle strength and flexibility, improved joint mobility, and decreased stress levels - he list goes on, really. "Our Health Improvement advisers will be on hand to provide one-to-one support to everyone who collects and drops off a bike and will be able to inform residents how they can keep cycling." E-Z Cycle is open to anyone who lives, works or studies in the Royal Borough of Greenwich aged over 18. The £10 cost is to cover insurance for a month.

collect your e-bike and do some training, take place twice per month: • on the fourth Saturday of each month at Charlton Athletic FC Training Ground, Sparrows Lane SE9 2JR

• on the second Sunday of each month at The Valley Stadium, Floyd Road SE7 8BL The first session is on Saturday 26 January, 1-4pm, at Charlton Athletic FC Training Ground, Sparrows Lane SE9 2JR.

You can also have the option to buy an ebike at a discounted rate after taking part. E-Z Cycle is a Royal Borough of Greenwich scheme, part of the Sharing Cities programme and the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund.

January 2019

| Education and Skills

January 2019

Education and Skills |

Trailblazing employers to be celebrated The theme of National Apprenticeship Week 2019 (NAW2019) in March will be Blaze a Trail. pprenticeships and Skills minister Anne Milton made the announcement as it was confirmed that the 12th annual National Apprenticeship Week will run from 4 to 8 March.

The week is seen as a great opportunity to highlight the opportunities that an apprenticeship brings to employers, individuals and the economy.

The Blaze a Trail theme will feature throughout the week to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships to employers, individuals, local communities and the economy. As in previous years, NAW2019 will see a range of activities and events being hosted across the country. Organisers want to change the perceptions that people have on what an apprenticeship is, and who takes them up, to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to take up an apprenticeship.

The week will also show the number of high quality of apprenticeships opportunities available at all levels around the country in a huge variety

of sectors such as aviation engineering, finance and policing. Anne Milton said: Blazing a trail is what being an apprentice is all about and will be our theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2019. That’s what’s happening up and down the country – apprentices and employers blazing a trail. “I want everyone to recognise the change that apprenticeships can bring for employers blazing a trail to new markets, apprentices to new career opportunities and for colleges and training providers raising the skills levels for everyone.” Keith Smith, director, Education and Skills Funding Agency said: “I want the 12th annual National Apprenticeship Week to be the biggest and most successful yet. “The theme for this year, Blaze a Trail, is at the heart of what apprenticeships are all about. I really hope our partners feel as excited about it as we do and, like previous years, they will can get fully behind the week.

“We want everyone to consider hosting an event or activity so more people get to see and hear about the huge benefits apprenticeships can bring to employers, individuals and local communities.” National Apprenticeship Week 2018 was recordbreaking, with 780 events taking place across England.

The ambition of delivering a 10,000-talks movement #10kTalks - to inspire the next generation of apprentices was exceeded, reaching more than 33,500 people in more than 300 schools across the country. A further 130 schools hosted teacher-to-teacher talks, reaching an additional 2,300 adults, to support them to talk to their students about apprenticeships.

The Big Assembly reached 20,000 young people with a live video stream, showcasing apprentices and employers sharing their apprenticeships stories.

Events also took place to celebrate International Women’s Day, apprenticeships diversity and a launch event with the BBC and Sutton Trust

included the announcement of a new ground-breaking apprenticeship programme.

Richard Hamer, Education & Skills Director, BAE Systems, is one of the business people supporting the event.

He said: “We have always supported National Apprenticeship Week. It’s a great, focused way to showcase the many benefits of apprenticeships. For National Apprenticeship Week 2019 we will be celebrating our apprentices’ achievements through our own internal apprenticeship awards. “We’ve been a ‘trailblazer’ in developing new standards across the engineering sector and were delighted to hear that the theme for this year is Blaze a Trail. “We have 2,000 apprentices in learning and for 2019 will be recruiting more advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships across a wide variety of apprenticeship standards.”

More information on National Apprenticeship Week 2019 is available by following @Apprenticeships on Twitter.

January 2019

LET US HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS Training for businesses and professional development courses at London South East Colleges We are committed to delivering the highest quality skills development in the region for adults and employers. From apprenticeships to professional development and commercially relevant short courses, we have a range of options to suit your needs. www.LSEC.ac.uk | e: commercial@LSEC.ac.uk | t: 020 8295 7072

January 2019

Arrange a

FREE consultation now!

Education and Skills |

Chamber Members offer!

Bespoke support to grow your business from GetSet for Growth Every business needs time to step back, reflect and evaluate; to look into the future and plan actionable steps to not just survive but wildly succeed. After all, ad hoc actions can only lead to ad hoc results. ince GetSet launched in 2013, we’ve supported over 6,000 UK businesses across the country to define and implement solid growth strategies. We help with your 2 main growth drivers: access to finance and access to markets, by giving you access to a series of specialist workshops and the 1-1 support of our advisors.

We know it is hard to step back from working in the business and carve out time to work on the business. That is why GetSet for Growth is now offering GetSet Plus to a select number of Chambers members.

What is GetSet Plus?

GetSet Plus is a bespoke marketing advice service for businesses with at least 5 employees, looking to significantly grow their revenue and hire more staff in 2019. Whether your most pressing next challenge is your overall marketing strategy, your brand direction or social media strategy, we will come to you and work directly with you and your team to help tease out the right answers. And if you’re still not convinced, all of our services are fully funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation,

making them completely free with no sales pitch! Read what our clients have to say about working with us: https://www.getsetforgrowth. com/results/

How do I take advantage?

GetSet Plus is designed to support businesses that have at least a small team in place and strong ambitions to grow over 2019. If that’s you, the next step is to register via this link https://www.getsetforgrowth. com/london/plus_register/ If you qualify one of our friendly advisors will be in touch to set a date for an initial meeting to assess your needs. Based on where you are at with your marketing, we might suggest a 1, 2 or 3-day programme to develop a strong, sensible and, most importantly, actionable marketing strategy. We can o this by acting as a sounding board, conducting analysis on your current marketing, providing facilitation to your

team to develop a marketing strategy and introducing tools to measure your marketing success. Example support themes: How Do You Compete? market analyses, USP development, goal setting What do you want to be known for? - brand identity, messaging and value Who is your best customer? target audience persona building and analyses, including segmentation, interview techniques and how to apply the data you’ve gathered Social Media and Content Strategy - channel mix, hero and supporting topics, content production and publishing calendar Metrics that Matter evaluation of marketing and sales numbers, cost of acquisition & customer lifetime value, identifying the key metrics for your business and how to track them, Google Analytics and other dashboards.

Get in touch today and start growing your business with intention!

| Ask the Expert

What is Change Management? Change Management is a discipline which enables companies to make changes to how they operate in a consistent way t Green Robin Solutions, we use a number of change management methodologies – both well established and also innovative to effectively deliver change, improving efficiency and engagement from both team and customers. Business owners may be familiar with LEAN and PRINCE2 methodologies, but new and exciting approaches to change management – behavioural science (or “Nudge Theory”) and artificial intelligence and robotics are now emerging. Nudge Theory enables businesses to move to consistent processes with the needs of the customer firmly in the centre of the business. As many readers will know, when buying a new mobile phone the manufacturer or network operator will have pre-installed settings and software. This is known as “choice architecture”, and is an example of Nudge Theory that is used to provide a default framework through which the behaviour of customers is influenced. The same approach can be used by businesses of any size and in any industry to influence the behaviours of team members to ensure internal efficiency and consistency of delivery to customers, as well as improving cost management.

Similarly, artificial intelligence and robotics are improving how companies process client requests. These automation solutions are moving repetitive tasks from humans to algorithms, increasing capacity within the business which, if utilised correctly, will allow businesses to focus their resources on more value-generating activities.

Why do businesses need Change Management? It has been said that the only constant in life is change. Businesses are constantly having to change, evolve and react to meet changing requirements of their customers, as well as a changing legal and regulatory landscape. Often, businesses which fail to adapt to change will go out of business as they are overtaken by rivals who are better placed to innovate and meet changing demands. Traditionally within smaller businesses, change initiatives have been carried out on an adhoc basis with individuals tasked with delivering change on top of their day job. Very often this is without proper training or understanding of the tools to be used and, without this knowledge or standardised approach projects can be delivered without the necessary quality or consistency to meet the needs of the customer or the requirements of external bodies.

This can result in the need to make ongoing changes to fully meet requirements, or the need to rework large parts of the project. Also, projects delivered in isolation can have unexpected impacts on interdependent processes and do not give business owners the necessary transparency on cost and quality in order to effectively plan for the future. As many business owners will recall, when GDPR went live, a whole host of requirements existed, which were not always straightforward to understand and required new processes and procedures to be established.

What can businesses do straight away? The best resource available to a business to help shape its future is its team. Remember, they are the ones who are at the coalface and have a direct link with customers. They are a fantastic source of information on your customers’ engagement and what customers feel about your products or services. They are also customers of other organisations and therefore are a great source of ideas on how your business can make improvements. There are very simple changes a business can implement to drive positive change. Having a mechanism to elicit and record ideas for innovation from the

team (such as an ideas board), and actively using it, will help businesses to think outside the box to solve problems and even anticipate them before they arise, to perform basic competitor and other industry analysis and drive all important team engagement. Many smaller businesses do not formalise internal collaboration and innovation, which can lead to missed opportunities as day-to-day activities and servicing current customer needs will take priority and may restrict innovation and growth. I have always found it to be good practice to schedule monthly innovation catch-ups where ideas are shared and discussed and opportunities for collaboration are shared, explored and implemented in structured environment. ••• Rob Walker founded Green Robin Solutions in 2018 to draw on more than a decade of change management experience and is a LEAN SIX Sigma Black Belt. Using established change methodologies, Green Robin Solutions helps businesses of all sizes to improve their processes, in order to improve the customer experience and reduce operating costs.

TIME IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY, DON'T WASTE IT BEING INEFFICIENT For further information please contact Rob on

020 3355 6889 email rob@greenrobinsolutions.com

www.greenrobinsolutions.com January 2019

News |

Bromley Children’s Services leap to ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ leadership Services for children and families in Bromley have made a remarkable leap forward to ‘good’ overall with leadership that has an ‘outstanding’ impact on social work practice, according to Ofsted. ublished on 7 January, this judgment represents an unprecedented turnaround for the council over a very short period of two years. Bromley Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families Councillor Peter Fortune said: “I am extremely proud of this absolutely remarkable achievement. This improvement in such a short space of time has simply never been achieved by any other local authority.

“To go from where Bromley children’s services were two years ago when Ofsted judged them inadequate to a position of strength with ‘outstanding’ leadership, and a ‘good’ overall rating across all services is unheard of in this time frame. “I commend the new leadership of our children’s services under Interim Chief Executive Ade Adetosoye OBE, as well as councillors, staff and our partners who have shown such unflinching dedication to the young people of our borough over this period. I should also like to thank the Leader of the Council, Councillor Colin Smith

and former Leader Stephen Carr for their personal support and commitment.”

Ofsted reported that services have improved dramatically over the past two years and the rapid improvement continues unabated, driven by the vision, commitment and determination of senior leaders.

Recommendations have been tackled with vigour and there has been a significant shift in political and corporate support for children’s services underpinned by sustained financial investment.

Effective action has been taken across all areas and there is an unwavering focus on continuous improvement, with high aspirations for all children. The report says ‘a new and highly experienced senior leadership team has driven a rapid and sustained pace of improvement, supported by a whole council investment in children’s services. This has led to vastly improved services for children and families.’

The report referred to the local authority as a highly committed

“

‘corporate parent’ of children looked after and described the improvements as ‘palpable’. Children in care told inspectors that, in Bromley, they feel ‘they are known’ and that there is a ‘huge’ difference now in how much they feel valued. Ofsted found that direct work with children has become a significant strength in Bromley and the children’s voices and experiences ‘sing out’ in their assessments and plans. Bromley’s Early Help and Family Support Services, found to be effective in 2016, were also singled out for praise for being further strengthened since then. The report paid tribute to the exceptionally well managed and skilled, enthusiastic, childfocused staff in this area. Councillor Fortune said: “Despite the hard-earned success we have achieved so far, we won’t be resting on our laurels. Bromley will continue its improvement journey towards even higher aspirations for the children and young people of our borough.”

To go from where Bromley children’s services were two years ago when Ofsted judged them inadequate to a position of strength with ‘outstanding’ leadership, and a ‘good’ overall rating across all services is unheard of in this time frame.

”

Sidcup accountancy firm promotes three team members McBrides Chartered Accountants in Sidcup has made three new promotions effective from 1 January with two new client managers and a new team leader. ndy Fuller joined the firm in A May 2015 as an accounts senior from Dendy Neville in Maidstone and progressed to team leader. He becomes a client manager and will continue to be the firm’s resident expert on cloud accounting.

Sarah Miller is one of the firm’s ‘home-grown’ talents having joined as a trainee in August 2010. She has worked through the ranks to become team leader and as client manager will be working predominantly with the firm’s audit clients. Another home-grown talent, Clara Matthews also joined McBrides as a trainee in 2010 and has been busy building her client portfolio. She becomes a team leader and will continue to build her portfolio, as well as help to develop the firm’s trainees. McBrides’ managing partner Nick Paterno said: “Our latest round of promotions are recognition of the hard work and excellent contribution that Andy, Sarah and Clara have made to our firm. It’s great to recognise this through promotions – and even better to continue to grow our firm from within. We wish them well with their new responsibilities.”

January 2019

| Big Interview

Agency that is driven by the desire to help people to help themselves There has never been a stronger focus on the need for communities to help themselves, particularly as austerity and benefits changes have an ever-greater impact on their daily lives. January 2019

Big Interview | owever, for the approach to work, people need expert support. That is what drives the team at the Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA), which has supported hundreds of community initiatives over the past four decades.

At the helm of the organisation is Claire Pritchard, who worked in catering, including a spell at the Royal Festival Hall, before taking on the job at GCDA 16 years ago.

Since then she has overseen the growth of the agency, which has been helping the area’s communities to be healthy and sustainable since 1982 and now employs 36 people and a team of freelance trainers.

Its aims include developing enterprises which meet economic and social needs and are co-operatively managed, and delivering training programmes for communities and organisations in the areas of enterprise, health and the environment. Other aims include creating community hubs based on cafes, farms, allotments, market places and training centres and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Among the hundreds of projects that GCDA has supported are everything from cookery clubs and Nordic walking groups to new businesses and schemes which support renewable energy and the production of locally-grown food.

Indeed, food has always been an important GCDA area of interest, to the extent that in 2013 the Royal Borough of Greenwich, in a partnership bid led by Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency, was selected as a founding member of the UK-wide Sustainable Food Cities Network.

GCDA also runs community buildings. An example is Woolwich Common Community Centre, which offers a range of classes and groups and has five rooms for hire including a large commercial kitchen, two large halls, an IT suite and several smaller rooms.

Everything that the agency takes on is underpinned by a strong belief that people can achieve great things if they are given the right support and the proper training.

Claire said: “Our approach is to help people to help themselves. For instance, if a community asks us to run a community centre, we take the view that we will run it for them if required, but how much better would it be if they ran it themselves and we supported them?

“We are very much involved in supporting people as they make things happen and our training courses are designed to give them the skills they need. It is about empowering communities by showing them how to do things for themselves.

“When I came to the agency 16 years ago, food was an obvious area which would allow us to expand, given the importance of the sector to the London economy, but we have broadened out into other areas as well.

“We have worked hard to be financially sustainable. We have moved away from a funding model based on grants towards projects that are financially secure as long as they are needed, to the extent that today only 5 per cent of our income comes from grants.”

Running through everything that GCDA does is a strong ethical philosophy. It has, for example, a comprehensive operational system to reduce

Plenty food stall at Brockley Market

its CO impact and maximise the recycling and use of waste, including food. This commitment was acknowledged when it was awarded the Carbon Smart Blue Award in recognition of the work it carries out in the area. 2

GCDA also has an ethical procurement policy and is promoting the Living Wage and encourages other employers to do the same; Claire and her team believe that work should be the surest way out of poverty.

She said: “I think our strong ethical ethos is an advantage for the agency because our beliefs appeal to more and more people, not just individuals but councils and the private sector, which helps us as we seek to be sustainable. “Our work includes a commitment to tackle poverty and we see the Living Wage as a way of helping to achieve that.

“We are seeing demand for our services growing all the time, what with the impact of austerity, the effect of the Bedroom Tax and the problems being caused by the introduction of Universal Credit. “We work with a lot of vulnerable people and we are giving them the support and

Ladywell Nordic walking group

knowledge that they need. By doing that, we can help them to expand their horizons. “We are keen to expand, perhaps by taking on more buildings, but we are conscious that we cannot become too large.

“When we take on a project, we work hard to find out everything we can about that community and we do not want to be too large an organisation for that to be possible. “However, it does not have to be the agency that carries out the work and we are keen to share what we have learnt. We are developing a model by which other organisations can learn from what we have done and replicate it, not just in London but anywhere in the world.”

Claire’s work has received recognition and she is a Trustee of Borough Market and Chair of the London Food Board, which advises the Mayor of London and the GLA on the food matters that affect Londoners. She said: “Roles like my work with the London Food Board give me a regional remit and are, I think, a recognition of the achievements of the Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency.”

January 2019

| Past Events

Making the right connections Each month the Chamber hosts a variety of events which offer members a superb opportunity to meet and chat to fellow business people. Here, we review a few of our past events.

Bromley Breakfast Meeting 18 October 2018

The Chamber’s October Breakfast took place with Cllr Peter Morgan of Bromley Council, Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Skills.

Cllr Peter Morgan | Photo: Bill Fitch

Cllr Morgan acknowledged the issues facing the Council; including the concerns over the imbalance in residential and commercial property creation, the regeneration of Bromley Town Centre and the borough’s infrastructure.

Charity Quiz Night

In all, Cllr Morgan was fair in acknowledging the Council’s challenges and their intended responses to them.The Bromley Court Hotel is a Chamber favourite for Bromley events and we look forward hosting events again with them in 2019.

Special Event

The Raynsford Review 5 December 2018

The Town and Country Planning Association

published the Raynsford Review in November

and the Chamber was delighted to have the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford speak on the Review’s findings.

1 November 2018

The Chamber kicked off November with a fun Quiz night held at Chamber member The Clarendon Hotel, in aid of fellow member Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. The Hospice care for over 2,500 people across the boroughs of Royal Greenwich and Bexley and rely on the community for twothirds of their budget. In addition to the quiz, some of our members generously donated prizes for a raffle. Fun was had by all, but more importantly over £700 was raised

Photo: Bill Fitch

for the Hospice. Congratulations to the team from Chamber member Bridge Support for winning the quiz. Due to the success of this event the Chamber has already made plans for another Charity Quiz to take place Thursday 26 September 2019, this time in aid of Bridge Support themselves.

Royal Greenwich Breakfast Meeting 29 November 2018

Cllr Danny Thorpe | Photo: Warren King

Bright and early once in November as the Chamber hosted a breakfast at the Royal Blackheath Golf Club, with guest speaker Cllr Danny Thorpe, elected leader of Royal Greenwich in 2018.

By his own admission the Leader spoke with an honesty and frankness; outlining his personal priorities for his term. Cllr Thorpe spoke of the need to create successful communities and much focus was placed on the needs of

Christmas Lunch

the Borough’s children; the Leader certainly drawing his previous experience as a teacher. The Chamber is looking forward to working with Danny in 2019 and beyond.

13 December 2018

Ending our yearly event calendar was the annual Chamber Christmas Lunch.

This year our lunch featured traditional Christmas fare provided by The Clarendon Hotel. Menu options this year included Christmas favourites turkey, sea bass or roast vegetables for those so inclined.

January 2019

Cllr Denise Hyland and Chamber President Helen McIntosh | Photo: Warren King

As ever our annual Christmas lunch was a relaxed affair, providing a warm event for members and strategic partners to enjoy. Now onto 2019 and the Chamber’s 130th Anniversary!

Rt Hon Nick Raynsford | Photo: Warren King

The English Planning system is badly due an overhaul.

The Raynsford Review was set up to identify faults and offer suggestions for reform within the Planning system. Nick spoke on how the TCPA had a comprehensive look at the entire Planning system, and on the 10 propositions and 24 recommendations that the Review concluded. The Review is to be a “basis for fundamental change” and indeed the findings were warmly welcomed by those in attendance.

The Chamber wishes him well in his new role. This event was generously sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich, who provided a venue dressed in its festive best. Attendees were treated to delightful Christmas canapés with featured festive favourites. DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich is a Chamber favourite for its hospitality and we are set to return in March for an Executive Lunch.

In addition to acting as President of the TCPA, in December Nick stepped up to the role of Deputy Chairman of Crossrail in the face of its delays.

The Raynsford Review can be found on the Town and Country Planning Association’s website at:

www.tcpa.org.uk/raynsford-review

Executive Lunches |

Executive Lunch with James Murray, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development Sponsored by BPTW

Thursday 28 March 12.00 – 14.00 DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich, Catherine Grove, Greenwich SE10 8BB Cost: Member £40 Non-Member £50 Topic: Housing Delivery and Policy Priorities In London James Murray has served as London’s Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development since

2016. In his current role, James oversees the Sadiq Khan’s £4.8bn affordable home programmes. He other work includes overseeing improving the private rented sector and tackling homelessness in the capital. This two-course Executive Lunch event is sponsored by Chamber member BPTW, who have been providing expert services in architecture and planning for over 30 years.

Supper & Lecture: Understanding the spaces where we live with Dr Zena Wood Thursday 28 February 18.30 – 20.30 Council Room, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, University of Greenwich, SE10 9LS Cost: Member £25 Non-Member £35 Speaker: Dr Zena Wood, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Spatial Informatics, University of Greenwich Topic: Understanding The Spaces Where We Live

Join the Chamber and the University of Greenwich for this supper and lecture event focussing on techniques within Geographic Information Science and how its research assists in producing efficient transportation systems, manage crowd behaviour, reduce crime and improve the sense of community. Understanding how groups of individuals interact with their environment, and any role that the environment plays

in their behaviour, allows for improved design and better developed space to suit their needs. This event will feature a two-course supper and drinks, with your choice of wine or soft drinks. •••

Dr. Zena Wood Zena joined the Centre for Spatial Informatics (previously known as the Greenwich GIScience Research Group) in January 2015 as a Senior Lecturer in Spatial Informatics. Prior to this she was employed as a Senior Lecturer in

Computer Science at the University of Exeter. During her time at Exeter, Zena was seconded to IBM’s Emerging Technology Services for 6 months as part of a Royal Academy of Engineering Secondment. Her research focuses on collective behaviour and movement pattern analysis with applications in Smart Cities, transportation and urban planning. Many of her projects involve collaborations with experts from geography, psychology and business. The Centre for Spatial Informatics at Greenwich (CSIG) Formed as a research group in 2012 and led by Prof. Mike Worboys, the Centre for Spatial Informatics at Greenwich (CSIG) is rapidly becoming a world leader in computational

aspects of GIS and digital mapping. We take scientific, formal, computational approaches to geospatial questions. We specialize in all aspects of geographic data from underlying theory, to building systems, to investigating how people think about the spaces in which they live, work, and travel. Recent projects have involved models of navigation for indoor spaces, role of sketch maps as interfaces to spatial data, digital mapping for emergency management, assessing the impact of Uber on the transportation system in London, and location-aware sensor networks. We also work on the underlying theory of spatial informatics with special emphasis on movement, time, and uncertainty.

January 2019

| Forthcoming Events

EVENT NAME

Brexit With RationalFX: Drinks and Discussion

DATE & TIME

VENUE

Thursday 24th January 18.30 - 20.30

RationalFX, Level 32, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB

Lewisham Link 'n Drink

Wednesday 30th January 17.30 - 19.00

Everest Inn, 41 Montpelier Vale, Lewisham, London SE3 0TJ

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 5th February 18.30 - 21.00

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards

South East London Transport Update: Breakfast Meeting with Matthew Yates (TfL)

Friday 15th February 12.30 - 16.30

Thursday 21st February 07.30 - 09.00

January 2019

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Speaker: William Anderson-Jones, Dealing Team et al., Rational FX . Topic: An overview of negotiations to date, possible outcomes & how to manage your currency risks. Join leading currency experts as they discuss up-to-date Brexit ramifications. Drinks & canapés to be served at this prime venue in One Canada Square. Cost: Member £20 | Non-Member £25 Host: Helen McIntosh, Chamber President Free informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. Canapés served. Cost: Free Informal networking with a presentation, in association with Greenwich B2B. Cost: Free

The Intercontinental Hotel, 1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich SE10 0TW

Sponsored by Chamber Strategic Partner U+I Plc and supported by the South East London Chamber of Commerce, the Awards showcase business excellence from the Royal Borough across 10 categories. Event to feature champagne reception followed by lunch. With guest presenter Steph McGovern. Cost: £45 + VAT

The Clarendon Hotel, Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 0RW

Speaker: Matthew Yates, Head of Projects & Consents, Transport for London Topic: TfL Projects and Proposals affecting South East London Join us for this early presentation and Q&A on TfL's exciting developments in SE London, including the Elizabeth Line, the Silvertown Tunnel and the proposed Bakerloo Line extenstion into Lewisham. Hot breakfast buffet included in price. Cost: Member £16 | Non-Member £21

Forthcoming Events |

EVENT NAME

DATE & TIME

VENUE

How to Create the Perfect Business Plan & Grow your Business in 2019

Wednesday 27th February 09.30 - 11.30

The Clarendon Hotel, Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 0RW

Supper & Lecture: Understanding the Spaces where we Live with Dr Zena Wood

Speaker: Dave Millett, Director, DFR Consultants Topic: Business Plan Workshop All successful businesses need a plan. This interactive workshop will show you how to create the perfect one, with examples of how to structure it and measure performance. Suitable for new start-ups or pre-starts looking to write their first plan or for established companies looking to review or revise their existing ones. Cost: Member £20 | Non-Member £30

Thursday 28th February 18.30 - 20.30

Council Room, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9LS

Speaker: Dr Zena Wood, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Spatial Informatics, University of Greenwich Topic: Techniques Within Geographic Information Science (See Page 29 for more details) Cost: Member £25 | Non Member £35

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 5th March 18.30 - 21.00

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

Wednesday 27th March 17.30 - 19.00

The Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley BR1 4JD

Executive Lunch Sponsored by BPTW

Thursday 28th March 12.00 - 14.00

DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich, Catherine Grove, Greenwich SE10 8BB

Greenwich B2B Link 'n Drink

Tuesday 2nd April 18.30 - 21.00

The Greenwich Tavern, The Treehouse, 1 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JH

Bromley Link 'n Drink

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Informal networking with a presentation, in association with Greenwich B2B. Cost: Free Host: Terri Johnson, Chamber Vice-President Free informal meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, open to businesses from all boroughs. Canapés served. Cost: Free

Speaker: James Murray, Deputy Mayor of London Housing and Residential Development Topic: Housing Delivery and Policy Priorities in London (See Page 29 for more details) Cost: Member £40 | Non Member £50 Informal networking with a presentation, in association with Greenwich B2B. Cost: Free

January 2019

| Visit Greenwich

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival

Old Royal Naval College Collonade Shadows

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival Image: Michel Wiart

Greenwich Comedy Festival January 2019

Greenwich+Docklands International Image: Dyptik

National Maritime Museum, Tudor and Stuart Seafarers Gallery

Image: Casson Mann

National Maritime Museum, Polar Worlds Gallery Image: Casson Mann

National Maritime Museum, Sea Things Gallery Image: Casson Mann

Visit Greenwich |

A year to look forward to As 2019 gets under way it feels like nobody knows anything about the course of the next year, thanks to the B-word and deal or no deal. hich makes it all the more cheering to realise that at Visit Greenwich they have a very good idea indeed what’s going to happen, at least as far as exciting events and new openings is concerned. It’s going to be one of the most interesting and entertaining years yet, so here’s an amuse bouche for what’s on the way. Everything kicks off on 7 February when Ikea open their new store on Greenwich Peninsula, their 22nd big box store in the UK. It features a roof garden, green spaces, flexible work areas and workshops and will create up to 500 jobs. Next up is the Vitality Big Half on Sunday 10 March, a festival of running featuring a variety of distances, including a half-marathon from Tower Bridge to Cutty Sark. Organised by London Marathon Events Ltd in conjunction with Sported, one of the UK’s leading Sport for Development charities, this community event culminates in a great fun family festival in Greenwich Park. Cutty Sark is 150 years old in 2019 and a number of events throughout the year mark the ship’s anniversary. The first of these is the return of the BBC Singers with a concert to celebrate Cutty Sark's place in trade history and her many connections across the globe.

And after months of eager anticipation the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College re-opens to the public on 23 March after two and a half years of careful conservation. It will also be open for daytime events from mid-January. Featuring a new shop, café and information centre as well as the immaculately restored interior, the Painted Hall is definitely going to re-establish itself as an essential component of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The actual Virgin London Marathon gets under starters orders in Greenwich Park and Blackheath on 28 April and there’s another big retail opening in early Spring when ICON Outlet opens its second phase at The O2. More brands and a selection of restaurants and cafes will be added to the existing range of stores. Also on its way to The O2 is Mamma Mia – The Party, a glorious night of song, dance and celebration featuring favourite

ABBA songs performed by actors and musicians all around the audience and including Mediterranean food & drink. As Spring begins to slip in to Summer the festivals begin! First up is Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, London’s biggest and best celebration of outdoor arts, when hundreds of performers take to the streets for free. Hot on its heels comes Greenwich Music Time, the collection of concerts in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College which has so far confirmed appearances from Paul Weller and Cliff Richard. More artistes will be announced soon so keep an eye out for your favourite. Another anniversary celebration sees the opening of a major exhibition at the National Maritime Museum on 17 July. The brand new show explores our evolving relationship with the Moon from prehistory to the present.

You’ll even be able to see amazing objects that have been to the Moon and back. More Moon magic at the Moon Festival in Woolwich next July featuring a series of events including literature and poetry and a club night for senior citizens. On Blackheath takes up the musical baton in September with performances from top pop personalities and bands in what last year was glorious late summer sunshine. September also sees events for Totally Thames set sail on the river, with things happening all the way down the river from the Pool of London to Greenwich. Greenwich Performs returns in October, after an excellent debut in 2018, for a second run of performances including poetry, theatre, music and dance. This new arts festival takes place in some of the most iconic buildings in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The year comes to a close with Blackheath Fireworks on the Saturday nearest to Guy Fawkes Day and ATP tennis at The O2 where a selection of the best players in the world will be serving and volleying. A few weeks later it’s already time for the Christmas Lantern parade in Greenwich, the Winter Warmer in Woolwich and Advent Windows, an event created by St Alfege Church which puts advent art in shop windows and homes. All in all it’s looking like a year to remember – once we get to the end of it!

January 2019

The UK’s leading independent business water supplier.

Switch for a better deal on your business water Cut your business costs

Flexible payment options

Excellent customer service

Expert water efficiency advice

I was worried that the whole process would take lots of time and “ lots of explaining, but Castle Water’s staff were superb - thank you! WPM UK

More 5-star reviews than all other water retailers combined.

Get a quote castlewater.co.uk/switch Castle Water Limited | 1 Boat Brae | Rattray | Blairgowrie | PH10 7BH Registered company number SC475583. VAT number 189 7750 40

”

What’s On at the Greenwich Theatre Bookings : 020 8858 7755 www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

2-3 February The Singing Mermaid

21 February Illusion Confusion

19 February Rouse Ye Women

25-28 February The Shroud Maker

5-16 February The Tempest

20 February One Duck Down

22 February Mirror Mirror

1-3 March The Odyssey

5 March Narcissist in the Mirror

14-16 March No Miracles Here 20-30 March Lord of the Flies

What’s On at The Albany Theatre Bookings : 020 8692 4446 www.thealbany.org.uk

9 February Charles Hayward Presents

12 February City of London Sinfonia: Comfortable Classical

14-15 February Luca Rutherford’s Political Party

1-2 March Flight Paths

23 February Sarah Gillespie: Wishbones

28-30 March Likkle Rum with Grandma

15 February Geo: Live

19-20 March Glory

What’s On at the Bromley Churchill Theatre Bookings : 020 3285 6000 www.churchilltheatre.co.uk

24 Jan-2 February Club Tropicana 26 January Comedy Round Mine 2 February Alfie Brown 3 February One night of Elvis-Lee Memphis Night

6-10 February Horrible Histories – The Egyptians 13 February The Classic Rock Show 14 February Rat Pack 15 February Greatest Hits of Motown

Information correct at time of going to press, please refer to theatre website for further information.

25 Feb – 2 March Dirty Dancing 7-9 March Dorian Gray 12-16 March Mousetrap

25-30 March Lady Vanishes January 2019

| News Tube, DLR and London Overground fares within Zones 26 are £1.50. In addition, the Mayor’s Hopper fare applies all day and night, allowing Londoners to take unlimited bus and tram journeys across the capital within an hour for just £1.50, with the total cost capped at £4.50 for the whole day. By 2020, Sadiq’s TfL fares freeze will have saved the average London household about £200. This is in addition to the Mayor’s ‘Hopper’ bus fare that has now saved money on more than 250 million bus and tram journeys since it launched in September 2016. TfL fares increased by more than 42 per cent in the eight years before Sadiq became Mayor.

Third year of Mayor’s TfL fares freeze begins On 2 January, it was confirmed that pay as you go fares on Tube, DLR and bus services across London are still the same as they were in 2016, while National Rail fares have increased by 8.8 per cent in the last three years. n addition, ‘Monday to Sunday’ (weekly) capping on Oyster across Tube and rail network is due to launch by Spring 2019 following the successful introduction for bus and tram users.

Fares on TfL services have been frozen again for a third year as part of the Mayor Sadiq Khan’s continuing commitment to make them affordable for all Londoners – at a time where National Rail fares have increased by 3.1 per cent.

January 2019

The Mayor’s four-year freeze of TfL fares continues to help Londoners and visitors by ensuring travelling by bus or tram in London costs not a penny more than it did in 2016. Pay-asyou-go journeys on the Tube, DLR, Emirates Air Line and rail services where TfL fares apply are all also frozen, as well as the cost of hiring a Santander Cycles bike. Using pay as you go with a contactless card or Oyster, off-peak fares including Zone 1 start at £2.40 and off-peak adult

As with previous years, Travelcards and associated caps, which are set in agreement with the train operating companies under fares regulations set by the government, will increase, by 3.1 per cent. This increase means that the overall increase in National Rail fares since May 2016 is now around 8.8 per cent and could exceed 10 per cent by January 2020. Evidence suggests that the benefits of the Mayor’s freeze of TfL fares has helped cushion London from the severity of impacts seen elsewhere around the country. 2018 was also the most successful year ever for Santander Cycles, with a recordbreaking 10.5 million journeys made across the year and more than a million hires taking place in five of the 12 months in the year. Despite a recent upturn in Tube ridership, with 7 December seeing the busiest day in the Tube’s 155-year history with 5.031 million journeys, passenger numbers overall have been slightly down, particularly on buses. However, a reduction in bus passengers is being seen more generally across the UK, with year ending June 2018 figures from the DfT showing a 1.5 per cent decrease across England. All TfL travel concessions are also protected, ensuring that children, those over 60, veterans, apprentices and those on unemployment benefits continue to benefit from free or discounted travel. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted to be freezing TfL fares for the third year in

succession. Our ‘Hopper’ bus fare and TfL fares freeze has made travel more affordable for millions of people across London, and helped keep public transport an easy and affordable option for everyone.

“Our TfL fares freeze is in contrast to the private rail companies hiking up fares again, despite the litany of cancelations, delays and overcrowding on services like Southern and South Western Railway. Given the continuing woeful services on suburban rail routes, the increase in rail fares of 8.8 per cent over the last three years is simply a disgrace.”

Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at Transport for London, said: “We are committed to ensuring that customers pay the lowest correct fare by making our fares system as simple and easy to use as possible. Throughout 2019, we will be introducing further enhancements to our ticketing system, including completing the introduction of weekly capping on Oyster to allow all customers to benefit from more affordable and convenient fares.”

During 2019, TfL will be delivering further improvements for customers to help make travel more accessible and convenient for those traveling in and around London. As confirmed by the Department for Transport in November, pay as you go will shortly be expanded to cover rail services to Epsom and Hertford North, with a wider consultation on extending pay as you go across the rail network around London expected to take place during 2019.

Following the successful introduction of ‘Monday to Sunday’ (weekly) capping on Oyster for bus and tram passengers in December, TfL is also now working with the Train Operating Companies to extend this to cover Tube and rail passengers by Spring 2019. The cap, which is already available for contactless users, will ensure that Oyster customers are never charged more than the cost of an equivalent 7-Day Travelcard.

The fares freeze is being fully paid for through TfL’s efficiencies programme, which has been outlined in its December 2016 Business Plan. TfL’s efficiencies programme has already helped save more than £500m a year.

News |

Mayor’s Action on Air Quality will benefit poorest Londoners the most New research published on 10 January 2019 shows how the Mayor’s bold measures to tackle London’s filthy air, including launching the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone in April, will benefit all Londoners, but particularly those living in the capital’s deprived areas. esearch has long indicated a strong link between air quality and social inequality, which Sadiq is determined to address alongside his work to protect the environment and improve the health of Londoners. Across the country, toxic air leads to around 40,000 premature deaths every year, and increases the risk of asthma, cancer, dementia – imposing a financial burden of more than £20 billion on the economy every year. London’s filthy air makes chronic illnesses worse, shortens life expectancy and damages lung development in children. People living in the capital’s most deprived areas are, on average, exposed to about a quarter more NO2 pollution. 10 January’s report, commissioned by City Hall and carried out by air quality and climate change emissions consultants Aether, shows that the Mayor’s tough air quality measures would help improve air quality so that the difference would narrow considerably, with the gap reduced by 71 per cent by 2030 – from 7.55 µg/m3 in 2013 to 2.23 µg/m3. The research reveals children from some of the poorest backgrounds will benefit the most from the Mayor’s bold measures to tackle air quality. A previous Aether study found of the schools in the highest polluting areas of London around 80 per cent were defined as being ‘deprived’. Today’s report predicts that as a result of the Mayor’s action, no schools in the capital will be exposed to illegally high levels of air pollution by 2025. The number of primary schools in areas exceeding legal limits for harmful NO2 is projected to drop dramatically from 371 in 2013 to just four in 2020, while the number of

secondary schools is expected to fall from 82 in 2013 to only one in 2020, with no schools at all in high polluting NO2 areas by 2025. The report also looked at the exposure of different ethnic groups. Areas of London where people from mixed or multiple ethnic groups were more likely to live were also more likely to have higher levels of NO2, whereas those areas where white residents were more likely to live were more likely to have lower concentrations. Mainly as a result of the Mayor’s tough measures, including ULEZ, the difference in exposure between these areas is expected to reduce by 85 per cent. The Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, launching in the central London congestion zone on 8 April and expanding to the North and South circular in October 2021, is just one element of Sadiq’s bold strategy to improve Londoners’ health and protect the capital’s environment. It will play a significant part in achieving these improvements by removing the most polluting vehicles from the areas of poorest air quality. The 10 January report highlights that while excellent progress is being made to reduce NO2 levels, these improvements are lower for PM2.5, with current research suggesting that all Londoners will still live in areas exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines in 2030. Sadiq simply does not have the regulatory powers he requires to address this problem – including ULEZ-style powers for construction equipment and the Thames, and powers to address emissions from buildings – and he continues to lobby Government for these ahead of new clean air legislation being tabled later this year.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Improving London’s air quality is a social justice issue as well as a public health matter, given it is certain communities which are affected by filthy air the most. [This] report shows that some of the poorest Londoners will benefit the most from the bold measures we are taking to tackle London’s filthy air. By taking tough action, we can ensure that within six years the most deprived schools will be no more likely to have higher exposure to NO2 pollution than the least deprived schools. It cannot be right that your background and where you live determines the quality of the air you breathe and that is exactly why measures like the Ultra Low Emission Zone are so vital.” Katie King, Director of Aether, said: “This builds on earlier analysis undertaken by Aether and shows that the link between deprivation and poor air quality can be substantially reduced through positive action. The very mixed social structure of London complicates this type of analysis but the overall pattern of both improvement and a reduction in inequality can be clearly seen. However, there is clearly more to do if the WHO Guideline Values for particulate matter are to be achieved across the capital.” Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Air pollution contributes to thousands of heart attacks and strokes every year, which disproportionately affects the most deprived people in our society. It is encouraging to see action being taken in the capital to tackle this, as air pollution is one of the biggest public health threats facing our generation. The introduction of ultra-low emission zones will help to

lower the dangerously high levels of air pollution in London, and protect the heart and circulatory health of those who are most at risk. “It’s now paramount that action is taken at national level to protect those most vulnerable from the damaging effects of the air we breathe. This means bringing the WHO’s guideline limits into UK law to ensure that everyone across the UK is protected from the health harms of poor air quality.” London’s drivers and business owners who drive in the London Congestion Charge Zone are being urged to check whether their vehicles comply with new, stricter emissions standards designed to tackle the capital’s toxic air, as the three-month countdown to the launch of the central London ULEZ began. Replacing the current Toxicity Charge, vehicles will need to meet new, tighter exhaust emission standards or pay a daily charge (£12.50 for cars, vans and motorcycles, £100 for buses, coaches and lorries) to travel within the zone. The Congestion Charge will be unchanged by the introduction of ULEZ and will continue to apply for all eligible vehicles entering the Congestion Charge zone. Drivers can use TFL’s simple online checking tool to see if their vehicle will meet ULEZ’s tough new emissions standards. Alongside introducing the world’s first ULEZ, the Mayor is also cleaning up the capital’s bus and taxi fleets, rolling out rapid charging infrastructure to support electric vehicles, delivering improvements to some of London’s most polluted schools, planting thousands of new trees and funding a scrappage scheme to help microbusinesses prepare for ULEZ.

January 2019

| Construction

January 2019

Construction |

Construction sector maintains modest growth The construction industry experienced modest growth in the third quarter of 2018, following a weather-related boost to activity in Q2, according to a quarterly survey of product manufacturers, contractors, civil engineers and SME builders. he Construction Products Association’s Construction Trade Survey for 2018 Q3, which included responses from London companies, showed that during the quarter, 27% of product manufacturers, 25% of main contractors, 16% of SME builders and 10% of civil engineering firms reported an increase in activity. Output was lower for one-third of specialist contractors. According to the Association, the new orders and enquiries logged in Q3 indicate that the drivers of growth in areas including London for the next 12 months will be private housing, repair and maintenance, and infrastructure, whilst further rises in costs have been reducing profit margins for main contractors and specialist contractors since the beginning of 2017. Eighty per cent of main contractors reported a rise in materials and labour costs and 90% of product manufacturers reported an increase in fuel costs and cost rises for civil engineering contractors reached a three-year high. Rebecca Larkin, Senior Economist at the Construction Products Association, said: “The industry looks to have maintained some of the momentum from its catch-up in the second quarter.

“However, beneath the top-level growth rate, firms throughout the supply chain are grappling with a narrowing base of activity led by private housing and infrastructure work and rising costs for labour, raw materials and fuel. This triple threat for input costs is placing a clear strain on contractors’ profit margins, worsening confidence in an already-heightened environment of risk aversion.” Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders said: “The latest trade survey indicates a general increase in construction output, workloads and enquiries for SME contractors throughout the third quarter of 2018. “This trend reflects the effect of the unseasonably warm weather in lifting up overall industry performance. The fall in profit margin for 7% of main contractors and 33% of specialist contractors is rather worrying because it is less than one year since the collapse of Carillion. “With the economy facing further uncertainty in future months with the UK’s departure from the EU in March 2019, contractors operating with falling profit margins are a reason for concern.”

Key survey findings include: • 25% of main building contractors reported that construction output rose in the third quarter of 2018 compared with a year ago • 10% of civil engineers, on balance, reported an increase in workloads during Q3 • 16% of SME contractors reported increased workloads in Q3 compared to three months earlier • Main contractors reported that order books were higher in private new housing, and the housing and non-housing R&M sectors

• 15% of civil engineering firms reported an increase in new orders in Q3, on balance, but new orders fell for 17% of specialist contractors • 22% of SMEs reported an increase in enquiries in Q3, on balance • Overall costs increased for 89% of civil engineering contractors, whilst 80% of main contractors reported a rise in costs for labour and materials. Fuel costs rose for 90% of heavy side and light side product manufacturers • Profit margins fell for 7% of main contractors and one-third of specialist contractors in Q3.

“

89% of main contractors reported a rise in materials and labour costs and 90% of product manufacturers reported an increase in fuel costs and cost rises for civil engineering contractors reached a three-year high.

”

January 2019

| Construction

Work under way on library construction project

Construction and refurbishment work has begun at Plumstead Library, the first step in combining it with a new leisure centre for the high street. The occasion was marked with a ground breaking ceremony, attended by Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich,Cllr Matthew Morrow, of Plumstead ward, and representatives from Osborne, the Council’s main contractor; and GLL, which will manage the new facility for the Council. Plumstead Library is a Grade II listed building which is being refurbished, while a non-listed back office extension has been demolished to help make way for a new combined library, leisure, cultural and sports facility. The building will be fully accessible with increased opening hours, and will also feature: • a new library • sport, leisure and cultural spaces, including large soft play facilities for young people and families • gym and fitness studios, and a multi- purpose sports space provided to include badminton and dance. The £16m project is the flagship element of the Plumstead Urban Framework, adopted in 2015 to

Concerns remain despite improvement in construction industry accident figures

make improvements to Plumstead as a place to live and work, along with the train station, new housing, gyratory traffic system, and more. Cllr Thorpe said: "The library is important to me and to the borough as the centrepiece of the regeneration of Plumstead, and we are focusing substantial resources from both the public and private sectors to help improve the area. "We are now creating a multiuse facility for the whole community, making the most of our resources to support people who live, work and learn within the borough and also encouraging them to take up the opportunities available to get involved in sport and physical activity. "There are some truly committed residents and community groups in Plumstead, and we want to help them, work with them, and empower them to deliver a positive Plumstead for all." Andrew Osborne, Chairman of Osborne, said: "Osborne has a track record and ethos of working closely with our customers to deliver high-quality facilities that are carefully-designed, wellconstructed and focused on enhancing the local area for local people. We are delighted to be an integral part of this important landmark in the Royal Borough of Greenwich." The scheme is expected to be completed during 2019.

“

There are some truly committed residents and community groups in Plumstead, and we want to help them, work with them, and empower them to deliver a positive Plumstead for all.

”

January 2019

New research from Direct Line for Business reveals that workers took 4.3 million sick days between 2014 and 2017, with 568,000 being the result of an accident in the workplace. Employers are losing on average 1.4 million days of workers’ productivity each year due to sickness, with many of them in the construction industry. Since 2014, every day on average 3,927 workers have called in sick to work and 147,000 have been off for more than seven consecutive days. The construction industry alone lost 392,000 work days between 2014 and 2017 due to employees self-reporting illness caused or made worse by their job. Showcasing just how risky working in the construction industry can be, between 2012 and 2017 there were 26,196 non-fatal accidents recorded on building sites and 196 fatal. Almost half (49 per cent) of fatal accidents on a building site were the result of workers falling from a height. When it comes to non-fatal accidents, more than 100,000 people were injured following a slip, trip or fall, while 84,734 recorded an injury when handling, lifting or carrying something. Regionally, the East and South East have had the highest number of prosecution cases by the Health and Safety Executive. Thirty-nine successful convictions were recorded between 2012 and 2017. London (30) and Wales and South West (25) complete the top three for the number of convictions in this time-period. Proving that improvements have been made and lessons learned, 2016/17 saw the lowest number of fatal accidents in the construction industry in the last five years with just 30 deaths, compared to 47 in 2015/16. The decrease was driven by a decline in the number of fatal accidents caused by falling from a height (down 27 per cent), while deaths caused by being trapped by a collapsed or overturned item fell by 88 per cent. Matt Boatwright, Head of Direct Line for Business, said: “Our research highlights that further improvements could be made to ensure productivity does not suffer due to sick days following

accidents at work. Many jobs are dangerous, but the construction industry in particular comes with a lot of risks. A simple slip or fall could have disastrous consequences for an employee and a business as a whole. “Business owners should ensure they have the appropriate cover in place to cover them should they be liable for an accident occurring due to the work they are undertaking. Employers’ liability will cover them if an employee is injured and public liability cover will be required in the event that an injury is caused to a third party.“ Direct Line for Business’ top tips for staying safe on site: 1. Check tools and equipment regularly and make sure employees are wearing the correct protective gear 2. Ensure training programmes are introduced and up-to-date to maintain good safety standards 3. Register for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme this is a great way for employers to make sure everyone on site has the appropriate qualifications and training for the job they are doing 4. Ensure risk assessments and method statements are done to make everyone onsite aware of any risks they may face on site 5. Display clear signage to warn workers and the public of any potential dangers. Matt Boatwright said:, “It’s reassuring to see there are areas where improvements have been made and fewer people are being injured, but businesses shouldn’t become complacent and remain on top of these things to constantly improve.”

Facilities Services for Commercial Buildings

Warmth in Practice and in Service

Design | Upgrades | Commissioning | Service Contracts | Project Management

HISTORY & PRESENT:

Started off as Project Management company in 2011 mainly for Consultancy and Design Services, we developed our Contracting Services in 2013 and have delivered more than 100 projects so far for Construction, Engineering Services while our Facilities Services for our clients started in 2015. Ecowelle Facilities Services offer most generous deals and competitive services for commercial, industrial and residential buildings for Gas, Electrical, Mechanical, Heating, Catering and Water Services

MISSION STATEMENT:

Ecowelle is committed in working towards a sustainable tomorrow. We understand sustainability cannot be achieved unless affordable, most efficient and suitable solution are offered to our clients for their new installations, upgrades and services.

QUALITY & SOCIAL VALUES:

Accredited and Members of Professional Institutes, we at Ecowelle gives first preference to Quality and Customer Service. We comply with the industrial standards and also contribute for Social and Environmental Values through various schemes including, Charity & Volunteer Services, Apprenticeships & Graduates, Safe Environment and multiple Awareness Campaigns. • • • • •

BUILDINGS WE COVER:

All Commercial Buildings Commercial Kitchens & Catering Operations Educational Establishments Health Care Organisations Industrial & Storage Units

HALF PRICE GAS SAFETY CHECKS FOR ANY COMMERCIAL CLIENT FOR BOROUGH MAGAZINE ANYTIME BETWEEN JAN- APRIL 2019.

Visit, Follow & Like Us on Social Media

and we will Offer You 25 % DISCOUNT ON GAS SERVICE for any Size & Type of Building between Jan- April 2019

Email: info@ecowelle.com

Tel: 0208 391 0777

Curating tomorrow’s ideal

Wealth management for individuals and small businesses in South East London. • • •

Pensions & Retirement Estate Planning

• •

Insurance and Protection

•

Investments

Tax Planning

SME & Corporate Benefits

For your free, no-obligation consultation, please call us on 0203 841 6881 or email hello@ambroseclayton.com Don’t forget to mention your Chamber status. Partner of

ambroseclayton.com Ambrose Clayton is a trading style of Wealthmasters Financial Management who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Business Insurance • • • •

‘Your local insurance experts’

Property Insurance Liability Covers Professional Indemnity Directors and Officers Insurance

• • • •

Office and Retail Fleet Vans Cyber Cover

Chamber Account Manager

faran@stewartandpartners.co.uk Tel : 020 8304 2638 www.stewartandpartners.co.uk

Chambe

Member

DISCOU

146A Bellegrove Road, Welling, Kent, DA16 3QR

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

January 2019

Finance |

Reducing the risk of payments being sent to the wrong account Nick Paterno, managing partner, McBrides Chartered Accountants ay.UK, the UK’s leading payments authority, has announced how a new ‘Confirmation of Payee’ service will work when it begins to be rolled out in the first half of this year.

Aimed at reducing the risk of payments being sent to the wrong account, Confirmation of Payee can help prevent many fraudulent payments from being made in the first place, by introducing another hurdle for fraudsters. Banks, building societies, and other payment providers will be able to roll out Confirmation of Payee during 2019 as a way for their customers to check the name of who they are paying. The aim is to reduce the risk of errors and certain types of fraud, such as ‘malicious redirection’ invoice scams where, by posing as a

legitimate business known to customer, payers are convinced to redirect a payment to an account controlled by the fraudster. Under the new system, when setting up a new payment, or amending an existing one, banks will be able to check the name on the account of the person or organisation you are paying. There are three possible outcomes following an automatic check that the payee name entered by the payor matches the owner of the recipient account: Yes

If you used the correct account name, you will receive confirmation that the details match, and you can proceed with the payment. No, please check

If you used a similar name to the account holder, you will be

provided with the actual name of the account holder to check. You can update the details and try again or contact the intended recipient to check the details. No, the name is wrong

If you have entered the wrong name for the account holder, you will be told the details do not match and be advised to contact the person or organisation you are trying to pay. The matching decision is made by the intended recipient’s bank as they have the best knowledge about the name of the person or business that is being checked. No matter what the outcome of the name check, the decision on whether to proceed with a payment will

always rest with the sending customer with the risks made clear if they choose to go ahead after receiving a non-match. There will still be some types of malicious payee fraud that Confirmation of Payee cannot address, such as purchase scams where someone is tricked into paying in advance for goods that do not exist. The Payment Systems Regulator recently announced it will consult on requiring payment service providers to implement Confirmation of Payee in the first half of 2019. Further details can be found at: www.wearepay.uk.

Fraud and cybercrimes should also be reported to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk

January 2019

44 | Member Benefits

ithout this people will generally not make the best decisions for their long-term financial health, thereby depriving them of much needed finances in their retirement. The facts would back this up, with a report from the ILC-UK think tank and Royal London calculating that advised clients are better off by a total of ÂŁ41,099 in financial assets and pension wealth when compared with those who did not take advice. This is why we offer to visit all our corporate clients, regardless of size, to deliver a financial planning seminar for their staff. We are delighted to extend this offer to all South-East London Chamber of Commerce members, whether they are existing clients or not. We can tailor the seminars for each audience, but the topics generally covered are pensions, ISAs, protection insurance and inheritance tax. With it now being a legal requirement for all workplaces to offer a workplace pension, it is important your staff understand the key facts about the scheme to ensure they are getting the most value. You may think that your staff donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t earn enough for a seminar to be relevant for them,

Free financial W planning seminar at your office Here at Ambrose Clayton Wealth Management we believe that everyone, regardless of wealth, has a right to accurate financial advice to assist them with their financial Leo Davies - DipFA planning. January 2019

but everyone needs a long-term financial plan in order to have a comfortable retirement. Moreover, sound financial planning is even more important for those with limited means, as losses for them will have a larger impact than for those who can afford it. The majority of the population do not get advice from an advisor, leaving many to search for the correct information online. This can lead to many getting the wrong information or being more susceptible to financial scams. This fact, when combined with the ÂŁ40k+ value of advice, means you may find there is no more valuable support you can offer your staff than providing them with access to regulated financial advice. By booking in a seminar you will be providing an essential benefit for your staff with no financial cost and with minimal disruption, as we will conduct the seminar in your office. The seminar usually takes 45-60 minutes, and we can visit whenever is most convenient, whether that is before work, after work or at lunchtime. Please call 0333 011 2200 or email hello@ambroseclayton.com to book in your free seminar today.

Member Benefits |

Managing costs and minimizing your risk When it comes to company vehicles, keeping a lid on the costs can be difficult to achieve. Whether your business’ fleet consists of five or 500 vehicles, managing their collective risk can feel like an endless exercise in futility. he benefits of implementing a risk management strategy can include reducing business disruption and protecting your employees, not to mention the potential for legal action against you or the company if you fail to do so.

As part of this strategy, it’s important to look at past claims’ history. Your insurer can supply the details including the costs and circumstances – additionally looking at who was driving, when the accident occurred and at what time of day.

Armed with this information, you can look to make changes that help streamline processes and promote a positive health and safety culture. An important part of your strategy is to introduce Drivers’ Handbooks.

These contain vital information for your vehicle users including do’s and don’ts as well as the correct procedure to follow at the time of an accident.

The Drivers handbook needs to be clear on your company’s policies which typically include:

• Working hours policy: Consider the maximum number of driving hours, breaks and times of the day when driving should take place.

• Route and workload planning: Study whether there are more efficient ways to allocate assignments and chart routes. • Mobile telephone policy: Enforce a mobile policy that complies with the law and stresses driver safety.

• Safety equipment: Establish clear rules for using safety equipment such as seat belts, first-aid kits and fire extinguishers.

• Vehicle controls: Adopt a ‘clean car’ policy which prohibits leaving any valuables in view and dictates that drivers can only park in secure places. • Responsibility for vehicles: Assign specific vehicles to drivers who are responsible for their condition.

Don’t worry - you don’t need to do this alone. At Stewart & Partners we look to work with you and can even supply you with Drivers Handbooks which are fully compliant with your legal requirements – and best of all we give them to all our fleet customers free of charge. We have negotiated discounts with many of the leading Insurers for customers who demonstrate positive fleet management.

Reining in your business’ motor fleet and driver risks can feel like trying to hold water in the palm of your hand — no matter what you do, some risks slip through the cracks.

For further information to help find

you the perfect insurance policy that

comprehensively covers all your needs call us on 0208 304 2638.

January 2019

Become a Mental Health First Aider Mental Health First Aid at Work (MHFAW) is a two day training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and support someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. The course is externally accredited by OCNL and has a value of 2 credits at level 2. Course workbooks are assessed, and successful candidates are awarded a pass certificate.

Course option

Day 1

Day 2

Option 1

Mon 11/2/19

Fri 15/2/19

MHFAW wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t teach you to be a therapist anymore than regular first aid would make you a paramedic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but just like physical first aid teaches you how to preserve life and prevent worsening, it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis; and potentially stop a crisis from happening.

Option 2

Mon 11/3/19

Mon 18/3/19

Option 3

Fri 29/3/19

Fri 5/4/19

We limit numbers to 12 learners per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn. Candidates are provided with a manual to keep and a workbook to complete and submit for assessment. After verification your workbook will be returned to keep as a reference. There will be assignments to complete in your workbook at the end of each day of learning. Successful candidates will receive a pass certificate awarded by Open College Network London, accredited at level two with a value of two credits.

For further information or to book, please contact Tel: 0208 298 9677 Email: carol.goss@bridgesupport.org

www.bridgesupport.org

The Person behind the Business |

hat is where Bridge Support comes into the equation and the charitable organisation, which is a provider of mental health and wellbeing services, is launching a new training programme to help people identify and tackle mental health issues.

From its base in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, Bridge Support works within communities to help people live with mental ill-health while remaining at home, rather than seeing them admitted to hospital. The new Mental Health First Aid course, which is a competitively priced two-day training course, fits in with the organisation’s philosophy of helping people to remain in the community.

New course brings thinking on mental health up to date There has never been a greater emphasis on mental health but many people, ranging from individuals to business owners, do not know how to recognise the signs or work out ways to improve the situation.

CEO Raymond Sheehy said: “The course has been developed because I have become increasingly frustrated that, in my view, a lot of the similar courses on offer have not really been brought up to date. “Our course addresses that by using the very latest thinking on helping people with mental health problems. “It helps them identify the signs but, just as importantly, it gives them practical tools with which they can address the problems. One of the difficulties for a lot of people who have friends or relatives experiencing mental ill-health is that they simply do not know what to do about it.” Bridge Support has drawn on long experience of working in the field to put together the course. The organisation, which has been running since 1986, offers everything from support to ex-offenders to a 24-hour support service. At the heart of its work is a holistic philosophy. Raymond said: “The key to our approach is that we do not view people with mental ill-health in isolation. They are not just people who are ill, they are people who have problems ranging from debt to drug taking and we try to help them tackle all aspects of their anxiety and depression.

“The new first aid course, which is delivered by specialists in the field, brings thinking on mental ill health right up to date and is for everyone from individuals seeking to help a friend or family member to those who are involved in businesses. “There are many benefits for a business that prioritises good mental health in the workplace.” The importance of good health in the workplace was underlined by recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures that showed that 1.4 million workers were suffering from work-related ill health or injury in 2017/18 and 15.4 million days are lost each year to stress, anxiety and depression. The annual statistics, compiled by HSE from the Labour Force Survey and other sources, cover work-related ill health, workplace injuries, working days lost, costs to Britain and enforcement action taken and Martin Temple, HSE Chair, said: “These figures should serve as a reminder to us of the importance to manage risk and undertake good health and safety practice in the work place.” Ray Sheehy said: “There are plenty of statistics out there to illustrate the benefits for employers who make good health in the workplace a priority. “That research shows that employees that are happier are more productive. We ourselves are proud that we have the highest designation in the London Healthy Workplace programme. “Another advantage of taking our course is that we think that it is the first of its type to carry with it an educational accreditation. That accreditation comes from the Open College Network which means that it is subjected to regular, independent monitoring.”

You can find out more about Bridge Support and its new course at https://www.bridgesupport.org/

January 2019

| Health and Wellbeing

he research comes at a time when more employees are struggling with the problem. Almost 30% of businesses have seen an increase in the number of staff taking time off for mental health reasons, according to the survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce, and Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer.

One in three business leaders have also noticed an increase in the length of time that staff are taking off due to mental health issues. The survey of more than 1,000 business leaders from every region and nation of the UK, suggests that firms are more aware than ever of mental health concerns in the office, and that the topic is becoming less taboo for both employees and employers alike.

The findings suggest that employers are supporting staff with mental health issues, from reviewing individual workloads (36%) and flexible working options (35%), to organising counselling for staff (20%) and training for managers to better support staff (18%).

Mental health at work becoming less taboo as the number of cases rise Mental health is becoming less of a taboo in the workplace, according to a new survey. January 2019

However, the findings also suggest that firms could do more. Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed said that they did not access occupational health support for their staff from external bodies, and 10% were not aware of any available support.

Adam Marshall, BCC Director General, said: “As the world of work changes, it is absolutely crucial for business leaders to pay ever closer attention to the health and wellbeing of their employees – especially at a time when firms are facing severe challenges finding and retaining the skilled staff they need. “While legions of firms are now more aware of mental health concerns and acting accordingly,

far too many businesses are still turning a blind eye to this issue, which saps productivity, morale and individual wellbeing. Our message is that it is no longer acceptable for firms to ignore mental health in the workplace, and all companies need to step up their game. “Tackling mental health concerns in business need not break the bank. Reviewing workloads, considering flexible working practices and improving the skills of managers are simple measures that can help all firms build a happier and more productive workforce.” Dr Doug Wright, medical director at Aviva, said: “It is encouraging to see that more businesses are not only more aware of the topic of mental health in the workplace but also actively offering initiatives like flexible working options to help encourage a healthy work-life balance. “It is, however, worrying to see almost a third of businesses have seen an increase in people taking time off for mental health reasons and whilst some of this increase may be down to staff feeling more able to discuss the issue of mental health which is, in itself, good news, it also suggests that more can be done to help. “Looking at our claims data for protection insurance we know that mental health conditions are the number one reason for rehabilitation referrals, and that early intervention by experts can bring a huge benefit to employees, helping them make a safe and timely return to work. “It is therefore important to look at what health and wellbeing initiatives are on offer to staff to make sure they have a breadth of options to support them. Doing so will reap rewards for both employee and employer.”

“

While legions of firms are now more aware of mental health concerns and acting accordingly, far too many businesses are still turning a blind eye to this issue, which saps productivity, morale and individual wellbeing.

”

Health & Wellbeing |

Survey reveals workers’ failure to tackle stress New research has suggested that too many professional workers are failing to do enough to relieve stress outside of work.

survey of 1,015 UK adults in employment, carried out by learning marketplace Obby.co.uk, revealed that professional services workers – such as those in accountancy and law - are the worst in the UK at taking the time to relieve their stress levels, with 58% admitting they do ‘little or nothing’ to manage the problem.

Professional services workers were closely followed by those in education and healthcare, with 55% and 53% of staff in these sectors respectively confessing they are guilty of failing to address stress. For the overwhelming majority of professional services workers who claimed this was the case in the survey, it was a lack of free time that was the biggest obstacle (78%). According to the research, for one in ten people in the sector money was the reason post-work stress relieving activities are not pursued. Of those who do regularly take measures to reduce work-based stress, exercise and sport top the poll of most popular activities; 44% find relief from a physical outlet, while enjoying personal interests and hobbies came a close second (39%).

A total of 35% of respondents say that they turn to spending time with friends and family to relax them. Tom Batting, co-founder at Obby.co.uk, said: “It’s extremely worrying how many workers within professional services claim they do not prioritise getting the stress relief that is so important for maintaining their mental health. “The irony is that this can actually become a vicious cycle – if we don’t make time for stress

relief, this can lead to becoming more stressed or even burnout, both of which can reduce productivity further. “It’s in professional services managers and bosses’ interests to ensure that employees actually do take measures to manage their stress levels, whether that’s communicating how important this, allowing them flexi-time so that they can attend whatever activity it is that they do to relieve stress, or even providing classes or workshops for their workforce. “As well as reducing stress, this can positively impact on employees’ focus, concentration and efficiency in the workplace, which are particularly key in industries such as law and accountancy, where attention to detail and precision are especially vital. “We see this time and again employers who provide workers with healthy and stress-busting ‘perks’ like yoga, meditation or even arts and craft workshops reap the rewards in a more productive – and satisfied – workforce.”

“

Of those who do regularly take measures to reduce work-based stress, exercise and sport top the poll of most popular activities; 44% find relief from a physical outlet, while enjoying personal interests and hobbies came a close second (39%).

”

Absence figures trigger concerns New research from Direct Line for Business reveals that workers took 4.3 million sick days between 2014 and 2017, with 568,000 being the result of an accident in the workplace. mployers are losing on average 1.4 million days of workers’ productivity each year due to sickness, according to the report.

Since 2014, an average of 3,927 workers a day have called in sick to work and 147,000 have been off for more than seven consecutive days. The construction industry alone lost 392,000 work days between 2014 and 2017 due to employees selfreporting illness caused or made worse by their job. Stress, depression or anxiety are the most common illnesses keeping people off work, with more than 12.5 million days lost by more than 526,000 workers in the 2016/17 financial year alone. Musculoskeletal disorders, breathing or lung issues, upper limb or neck problems are other common ailments that keep workers from attending their job. Matt Boatwright, Head of Direct Line for Business, said: “Our research highlights that further improvements could be made to ensure productivity does not suffer due to sick days following accidents at work. “Many jobs are dangerous, but the construction industry in particular comes with a lot of risks. A simple slip or fall could have disastrous consequences for an employee and a business as a whole. “Business owners should ensure they have the appropriate cover in place to cover them should they be liable for an accident occurring due to the work they are undertaking. Employers’ liability will cover them if an employee is injured and public liability cover will be required in the event that an injury is caused to a third party. “

January 2019

| New Members

And Finally…

Patrick Loughrey Goldsmiths, University of London Warden Patrick joined Goldsmiths as Warden (Vice-Chancellor) in April 2010. He is retiring in 2019, after nine years heading the Lewisham-based institution of around 10,000 students and 1,500 staff.

Welcome to our new members Bexleyheath Marriott Hotel

Kimmicass

Cineview Studios

Lady Personalised

Tel: 020 8298 1000 Email: nicola.mredith@marriotthotels.com Contact: Nicola Meredith

Tel: 07971 539429 Email: info@kimmicass.com Contact: Kimberly Cassidy

Tel: 07875 212016 Email: info@cineviewstudios.com Contact: Dipesh Silwal

Tel: 07964 400190 Email: sales@ladypersonalised.com Contact: Sinead Gomes

Tel: 020 3633 6598 Email: info@ciwaexpresscleaning.co.uk Contact: Patience Chikohwa

Tel: 020 8317 0102 Email: tsheikh@uk.mcd.com Contact: Taimoor Sheikh

Tel: 020 3303 0007/077302 16214 Email: rebecca@greenwichmums.com Contact: Rebecca Thomson

Tel: 020 3358 3355 Email: rick@origingb.com Contact: Rick Hill

Tel: 020 8127 0210 Email: enquiries@helpsavelives.co.uk Contact: Rhona Manning

Tel: 07774 637932 Email: ellie@thesuppersmith.co.uk Contact: Eleanor Smith

CIWA Express Cleaning

Greenwichmums Limited Help Save Lives

McDonalds Restaurants Ltd Origin Systems Limited The Suppersmith

As a member of our Chamber, you are joining a unique organisation with a strong campaigning voice for business to local and national government. You can access a range of services, networking events and support to help your business do better. Importantly, you can also access other members to find new suppliers, promote your business services, or join forces on new opportunities. Find out how to join and learn how others are benefiting from their membership.

For more information telephone: 020 8317 3365 email: office@selondonchamber.org

“

As a member you're well connected with access to our range of benefits and services, including our directory of local member businesses.

”

January 2019

Originally from County Donegal, Patrick began his career as a teacher and freelance broadcaster for UTV and RTÉ before joining the BBC. He spent periods as Head of the BBC’s Project North, which included the creation of MediaCityUK in Salford, and Director of BBC Nations and Regions.

During his time at Goldsmiths, the College has expanded its academic offer considerably, doubling the number of courses on offer, and growing into areas such as management, entrepreneurship and law.

What was your first job and what was the pay packet? Hotel Hall Porter in County Donegal – and I took home £3 and 10 shillings a week.

What is the biggest challenge facing your organisation? We need to better meet the expectations of our students and ensure they leave their time at university satisfied that they made a worthwhile investment, and properly equipped to achieve their ambitions in a rapidly changing world.

What would your advice be to local business leaders? Make the most of your neighbours! We work in an area with a huge wealth of talent and expertise across the creative and digital sectors in particular. Your local universities all offer services to support businesses, such as prototyping and customer research.

If you could do another job what would it be? I am told I will be even busier in retirement than I am now, so perhaps I should be careful what I wish for! But I am keen to remain involved in the world of education, which can be a truly transformative force.

What book are you currently reading? John Williams’ Butcher’s Crossing, about a Harvard student who joins a buffalo-hunting expedition. It’s a gripping tale, and one with a serious moral about how we so wantonly destroy parts of our precious natural world.

One of the hidden jewels in South London, stunning

Kemnal Park

Those of us who drive frequently along the busy Sidcup By-pass will have passed many times, the signs that direct you to Kemnal Park cemetery, as well as the Eternal Gardens. But very probably, only a small percentage have ventured through the gates! Both Kemnal and the Eternal Gardens have firmly established themselves as the go to place for funeral services, but I wonder how many people know of the amazing history of these 55-acres of stunning park and woodland? The grounds are of the former Kemnal manor house, those who glance left once past Flamingo Park might even notice the ancient remains of the walls that held the gates to its entrance. It was an astonishing 745 years ago that the first manor house appeared in these

woodlands, the remains of the last house belonging to Lord and Lady Kemnal are still here. The first rector in the ancient church of St. Nicholas in Chislehurst founded the footpath that still runs through the top of the grounds, to enable him to walk through to Maidstone Road to catch the stage coach to Canterbury. When vacating Kemnal in the 1930’s moving to their other home in Dorset, the Kemnal’s handed the keys over to the wartime secret service, it stayed that way until 1945. Post War their only son sadly died and the estate fell into disrepair before being resurrected to its current stunning landscaped gardens. With the passing of time London is losing more and more of its green spaces to meet the demand of housing it’s ever growing

Kemnal Park, A20 Sidcup by-pass Chislehurst BR7 6RR

Telephone (020) 8300 9790 www.kemnalpark.org

population. However, Kemnal Park is a historical area fiercely protected, there is a host of wildlife, Buzzards, Kestrals, Kites, Parakeets, badgers, foxes and rabbits to name but a few. Kemnal Park is a stunning new development rapidly catching the imagination of South-London’s ever-growing population. It has been designed so gracefully and as it continues to expand, it offers a very unique community facility. Kemnal boasts a wide range of internment options for every culture with a range of lease periods. Some options like Private Gardens, Gated Gardens, Mausoleums, Cremated Remains Gardens etc. are available to purchase with a lease for the ‘life of the park’. These burial options are not only a solution for your future, but the future of your generations to come.