Members News

The Abbott Family and

Workforce Celebrate 75 years!

Steve Abbott started the Canterbury based contracting firm in 1947, his son Tony succeeded him and now Tony’s son Paul is at the helm, steering what has consistently been a steady ship.

75 years in construction is a milestone not many can boast. The Abbott Construction team have successfully weathered recessions, navigated constantly changing regulations, embraced new technology and survived the pandemic.

Their values which are focused on strong client and sub-contractor relationships, delivering value and exceptional quality, are what continue to ensure they retain clients year after year, as well as attracting new clients who benefit from their experience and passion to go the extra mile.

Supporting our local industry, Abbott’s have been involved in many development and redevelopment projects within Kent over their 75 years. One example being their first ever commercial project back in 1952 demolishing war damaged cottages, and then constructing Hallets Service Station on St Dunstan’s Road in the centre of Canterbury. 60 years later, the site was then redeveloped, again by Abbott’s; demolition and rebuild then provided the town with new student accommodation and a Sainsbury’s Local store.

Commitment to their clients has seen them work outside of Kent in more recent years. In 2009 the successful handover of a new rehoming centre for The Dog’s Trust in Canterbury, led the client to appoint Abbott to deliver three further centres, including one in Essex and one in Berkshire, without entering into a tender process, such was their confidence in the Abbott’s team.

Abbott’s focus remains in Kent however, where their approach is respected by some of Kent’s biggest clients in residential development and education. With project sizes ranging from £1-5M, in 2022 they’re currently working on a number of new school developments in the county and a large residential development in Canterbury, spanning five years.

www.abbottconstruction.co.uk

All under one roof

Lock Roofing Contractors Ltd carries out all disciplines in house, covering areas within Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, Essex & London. Our expanding Client Base leads to a variety of projects from Commercial, Heritage and Domestic taking on Slating, Tiling, Leadwork, Felting, Single Ply and Liquid Waterproof Systems. With our first-class workmanship and offering the best quality materials sourced by our subsidiary company, Discount Roofing Merchants Ltd, we can undertake all types of roofing contracts at a competitive price to an exceptional standard resulting in a proven record of customer satisfaction and repeat business.

We pride ourselves on delivering a first-class service at every stage of the project. The team has over 20 Years of experience, tackling any issue encountered with confidence. Our Management Team have also been in the industry for several years overseeing small Commercial/ Domestic projects to large Commercial / Housing Developments for various Main Contractors. We are looking to strike up long standing working relationships with several contractors and businesses to add to our already growing portfolio.

www.instagram.com/lockroofingcontractorsltd/

Working WITH YOU, not just FOR YOU

Tel: 01233 630000 www.mageegammon.com

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Xmas illumination trail event looking for stallholders

It may still be summer, but winter plans are being made by Glow Arts, for their Illumination Trail.

After a successful first year, the illumination trail will be back at Cobtree Manor, Maidstone, with a new theme of ‘Nature After Dark’.

And they’re looking for vendors and stallholders to sell their products to the Christmas guests in the new Market Street.

Last year, the event sold out, with around 26,000 people visiting – numbers were restricted due to Covid. But this year, more are expected each day and the event will run from December 1 – 31; a week longer than last year.

Sponsors who want to get their businesses in front of the expected 45,000 audience are also invited to get in touch to discuss tailored opportunities.

The woodland will be turned into a nocturnal landscape, coming alive with a kaleidoscope of colour, art installations will light the way and guests can enjoy an evening under the stars with friends, family or colleagues.

New for this year is the welcoming of dogs, so that people can enjoy the evening with the whole family.

Also returning, is the sensory nights – sessions to suit people who need a quieter experience; music is turned down, the lights are dimmer and there are less people. There will also be a Santa’s Grotto, walkabout performers and a delicious food village to create a wonderful night out.

Stallholders will have a huge audience to sell to and with Christmas just around the corner, will be looking for gifts.

If you’d like to find out more about having a stall in Market Street, contact Lisa Carpendale:

hello@glowarts.co.uk

Raise your glass to Chuko Chuko beer – an IPA with spice

Chuko Chuko is essentially the same as saying Cheers, Skal, cin cin, santé or salute.

And this is the name given to a distinctive spicy Indian pale ale recently created during the lockdown by master chef Paul Babra and brewed in Kent.

Babra’s IPA beer is infused with spices such as cardamom, fennel and chilli and was reviewed by University of Kent MBA students. Paul was thrilled with the response to his beer which he proudly admits is very different. Paul insists that drinking tastes keep changing and there is always room for a new beer that offers something special.

He sees a bright future for Chuko Chuko, attracting new customers with his spicy brew and forging fresh business opportunities in new markets.

“My beer is about understanding the art of brewing and crafting a truly unique taste. It has taken a lot of hard work and a great deal of skill – but the aromatic and spicy results are remarkable. “I have tried to capture new tastes both locally and around the world and produce something that is incredibly enjoyable to drink.” I’ll be brewing in Belgium then in Australia for the wider audience.

The beer’s founder urges those who have the chance to drink this great IPA to do so. As they say in Punjabi, Chuko Chuko!

Jean de Bethune, vice governor Provincial Government of West Flanders, Kristien Vandamme, Business Advisor and Moustapha Assahraoui Head of Trade Belgium Embassy in London

Internet access is the fourth utility

Over the past couple of years fast and reliable internet access has become a necessity, not a luxury at home and at work. Internet access is the fourth utility, and many would not be able to live without an internet connection. This became especially apparent through Covid-19 lockdowns when children were home-schooled, and parents worked from home. Throughout rural Kent where the old copper telephone lines were not up to the job and fibre is not and will not be available for years. It was apparent that another solution was needed that could deliver now, not in years.

At Broadband for rural Kent Ltd, we have delivered a few different solutions to provide superfast internet access faster than other companies. There are three key technologies we use, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), High-Gain LTE and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). Two of these are slow to deploy, require significant investment and only cover small areas. But one is a game changer; our High-Gain LTE solution does not rely on building a new network, we leverage the mobile phone networks to provide superfast internet access. We do this by installing a highgain dish antenna that is capable of connecting to the mobile network even where there would normally be no signal on a mobile phone.

https://b4rk.co.uk/lte

How a family packaging business in Aylesford

are driving sustainability forward in Kent

Priory Direct is the online division of a family business established in 1989 now successfully based in New Hythe near Aylesford. With 21,000 customers and a mission to minimise the impact of moving goods on the planet they are making a big difference to the footprint of e-commerce and supply chains on the environment. www.priorydirect.co.uk was launched in 2010 to address the needs of the fast-growing e-commerce market, Priory always had sustainability as a core value, so this new venture represented an exciting opportunity to create a truly triple bottom line business with sustainability and contribution to society at its core.

Along its journey, Priory Direct has helped remove over 280,000km of bubble wrap from the supply chain, sold over two million paper mailing bags as poly mailer alternatives, and helped over six thousand retailers eliminate single use plastics and reduce their carbon footprint through better material choice, process design, and packaging optimisation. In addition to helping businesses solve their packaging challenges and minimise environmental impact Priory have taken some great measures to contribute back to the planet and society. Charity partnerships with 1% for the Planet, Cancer Research UK, Save The Children, and the Heart of Kent Hospice have generated over £30,000 in the last 12 months. Through Conservation Circle Membership of the Rainforest Trust Priory Direct have protected over 4.7 million square metres of rainforest. Priory Direct’s team have completed 20 days of active volunteering in community and environmental projects in the last 12 months and aim to complete 90 days in the year ahead.

Priory have been Chamber members for 3 years now but have not been actively involved, they want to champion sustainability in Kent by supporting more local businesses with their packaging needs, sharing their story and ideas on how to be triple bottom line and reduce environmental impact, and by speaking with more Chamber members - so please visit www.priorydirect.co.uk and look out for them at upcoming events.

Middle Management –

The key to business growth

There comes a time when we need change in our lives – for instance, it could be moving to a larger property or even planning a holiday of a lifetime.

When we reach this turning point, we make provisions and sacrifices to enable it to happen and finally we commit to it. By planning ahead, we are able to progress.

Yet in business, companies often struggle with this idea. They tend to just carry on juggling all the various elements and steadily lose the ability to look at growth (or progress) at all. Growth and strategy are crucial for future proofing the business, and if there isn’t a sound structure in place with the right pipelines, processes, policies, strategy and implementation, there is a very real threat of stagnation- or worse.

Finding key personnel who can take over elements of the dayto-day running of the business comes with its challenges. Employment costs are not cheap. The time and money taken to get someone up to speed is significant and let’s be honest, it doesn’t always work out and you’re back to square one again. So why not outsource the function?

Fortress provide the middle management function into your business on a fixed hourly rate, allowing you, the business owner to focus on the larger issues.

With affordable rates, flexible rolling contracts and the agility to respond quickly to your requirements, Fortress can provide the crucial element lacking in your business. So why not commit to change this year?

www.fortressgm.com

Greg appointed

main board director at Inkerman Group

The Inkerman Group has appointed Will Greig as an Executive Director.

Greig has joined the main board, having worked with the company as Group Operations Director for the last two and a half years. He has already brought significant operational and management experience to Inkerman Group activities to date, particularly in regard to the company’s ongoing global expansion.

Greig has been instrumental in establishing key operational activities and services to Inkerman’s clients throughout the world.

His team delivers key services such as corporate intelligence, crisis management, cyber response and emergency evacuations and repatriations.

They provide 24/7 support and response to Internationally based clients, including most recently in Ukraine. Commenting on his appointment, Greig explains “I am extremely pleased to be invited to join the Board at this time - it is an exciting opportunity, in particularly challenging times for our clients.

“The Inkerman Group continues to spread its influence and continues to grow and develop its client base and specialist products and services globally”.

Gerald Moor, CEO at Inkerman insisted Greig skills are exactly what the Inkerman Board needs to take business to a new high.

“His knowledge of AI and cyber coupled with his exposure to hostile environments will give clients an added leverage on their competitors.

“He has witnessed and been instrumental in the company’s step change which started during the last two to three years.”

Moor added: “Will brings a unique level of knowledge and experience, particularly in handling risk management issues for clients and operational service delivery.”

Quest – the ultimate app to

get you out and about exploring

The summer holidays are long – and if you’re looking for something fun and free to do with the kids, Quest might be the answer.

It’s a free adventure app that’s been designed by Canterbury digital creative agency Red Bullet to get outdoors, together and active.

Locate checkpoints, collect clues, solve puzzles and find your way to the end.

Just choose a Quest, download the app, enter your activation code and away you go; with the kids, on your own, with family or friends.

It's for all ages and abilities and can be enjoyed walking, running or cycling. You can also stop and start, so if you don’t finish it, you can come back another day.

So far, there are a number of Quests to choose from in Kent:

• Curious Canterbury • Canterbury heritage • Charles Dickens Rochester • Faversham town • Oare Gunpowder Works –

Faversham • Eastling Village • Whitstable coastal • Folkestone harbour • Barham village • Fort Amherst, Chatham.

Whether you want coast, country or town, there is a Quest for you.

You can also licence your own Quest – Red Bullet currently partners with Park Holidays, UEA, and Medway Council, offering bespoke Quests to their guests.

Creative Director Gareth Payne, said: “The app has been particularly popular with families and with summer still here and the autumn weather fairly good, it’s a great time to use it.

“We are passionate that the great outdoors should be free to explore and any activity that enhances the experience for people should also be free, so we don’t charge – we just want people to get out and explore places while having fun too.”

For more information, go to

www.questapp.co.uk

How much are SPONSORED COLUMNyou worth to How much are your business? you worth to your business? By Peter Colechin at Advanta Wealth

By Peter Colechin at Advanta Wealth Sadly, history is full of stories of successful business leaders who have died and whilst everyone’s immediate thoughts are for the welfare of their family, the business they ran finds itself with a leadership vacuum and a financial challenge. This financial challenge impacts everyone from the remaining directors, employees, investors, lenders, trade creditors and debtors. So, what steps can a business take to protect itself? Loan Protection – this is protection for the bank that any business loans will be repaid in the event of the death of one of the directors. Whilst the bank can insist on the insurance cover, they cannot insist which insurance company or adviser arranges this for you. Keyperson Protection – usually a requirement by an investor in the business or by the business itself to ensure corporate survival in the event of losing someone who is key to the success of the company. Typically, this would be the CEO, MD, or Sales Director but we are now often seeing the CFO, Compliance and IT directors included as well as the employee who wrote the code for a business operating or IT system. Generally, this insurance cover would be expected to be for a short period of time, say up to five years. Putting a specific value on a director or employee requires a mix of science and art and will usually include a combination of factors: -

Sadly, history is full of stories of successful business leaders who have died and whilst everyone’s immediate thoughts are for the welfare of their • Contribution to turnover family, the business they ran finds itself with a leadership vacuum and a financial • An assessment of a multiple of profits impact challenge. This financial • Market contacts and industry challenge impacts everyone reputation from the remaining directors, • Cost of replacement i.e., employees, investors, lenders, head-hunter fees, joining trade creditors and debtors. bonus and equity participation So, what steps can a business take to protect itself? Loan Protection – this is protection for the bank that any business loans will be repaid in the event of the death of one of the directors. Whilst the bank can insist on the insurance cover, they cannot insist which insurance company or adviser arranges this for you. Keyperson Protection – usually a requirement by an investor in the business or by the business itself to ensure corporate survival in the event of losing someone who is key to the success of the company. Typically, this would be the CEO, MD, or Sales Director but we are now often seeing the CFO, Compliance and IT directors included as well as the employee who wrote the code for a business operating or IT system. Generally, this insurance cover would be expected to be for a short period of time, say up to five years. Putting a specific value on a director or employee requires a mix of science and art and will usually include a combination of factors: Advanta Wealth

• Contribution to turnover • An assessment of a multiple of profits impact • Market contacts and industry Sadly, history is full of stories of successful business leaders who reputation have died and whilst everyone’s • Cost of replacement i.e., immediate thoughts are for head-hunter fees, joining the welfare of their family, the bonus and equity participation business they ran finds itself with a leadership vacuum and a financial challenge. This financial challenge impacts everyone from the remaining directors, employees, investors, lenders, trade creditors and debtors. So, what steps can a business take to protect itself? Loan Protection – this is protection for the bank that any business loans will be repaid in the event of the death of one of the directors. Whilst the bank can insist on the insurance cover, they cannot insist which insurance company or adviser arranges this for you. Keyperson Protection – usually a requirement by an investor in the business or by the business itself to ensure corporate survival in the event of losing someone who is key to the success of the company. Typically, this would be the CEO, MD, or Sales Director but we are now often seeing the CFO, Compliance and IT directors included as well as the employee who wrote the code for a business operating or IT system. Generally, this insurance cover would be expected to be for a short period of time, say up to five years. Putting a specific value on a director or employee requires a mix of science and art and will usually include a combination of factors: • Contribution to turnover • An assessment of a multiple of profits impact • Market contacts and industry reputation • Cost of replacement i.e., head-hunter fees, joining bonus and equity participation

Shareholder Protection – established to enable the company or its directors to purchase the shares held by a Shareholder Protection deceased director shareholder. Shareholder Protection – established to enable the Shares normally pass to a – established to enable the company or its directors to surviving family member in a company or its directors to purchase the shares held by a Will so unless the company purchase the shares held by a deceased director shareholder. doesn’t want control over who deceased director shareholder. Shares normally pass to a the inheritor sells the shares Shares normally pass to a surviving surviving family member in a to, a competitor perhaps, then family member in a Will so unless Will so unless the company agreements need to be in place the company doesn’t want control doesn’t want control over who alongside the insurance to over who the inheritor sells the the inheritor sells the shares protect the business. shares to, a competitor perhaps, to, a competitor perhaps, then agreements need to be in place alongside the insurance to Partnership Protection – for partnerships, many of the same keyperson issues exist but then agreements need to be in place alongside the insurance to protect the business. protect the business. added to this, is the requirement Partnership Protection Partnership Protection – for partnerships, many of the to repay partnership capital on death.– for partnerships, many of the same keyperson issues exist but same keyperson issues exist but Common mistakes to avoid added to this, is the requirement to added to this, is the requirement include: repay partnership capital on death. to repay partnership capital on death. • Incorrect tax treatment Common mistakes to avoid resulting in policy proceeds include: Common mistakes to avoid being treated as a trading include: receipt.• Incorrect tax treatment resulting • • Incorrect tax treatment Insurance for a purpose in policy proceeds being treated resulting in policy proceeds not allowed under the as a trading receipt. • • being treated as a trading receipt. Insurance for a purpose not allowed under the Memorandum & Articles Memorandum & Articles of Association such as the company not having legal powers to purchase the shareholding. Insurance for a purpose not allowed under the Memorandum & Articles of Association such as the company not having legal powers to purchase the of Association such as the If you would like to discuss shareholding. company not having legal how we can help you protect powers to purchase the your business, please call us on If you would like to discuss shareholding. 020 3668 7480 how we can help you protect If you would like to discuss your business, please call us on how we can help you protect 020 3668 7480 your business, please call us on 020 3668 7480

130 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9SA www.advantawealth.co.uk Advanta Wealth pcolechin@theadvantagroup.co.uk 130 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9SA