West Cheshire & North Wales December 2022

MELANIE RANDALL MANAGING DIRECTOR

Accredited

British Chambers of Commerce

Contact Matthew Hodgson Churchill House, Queen’s Park Campus, Queen’s Park Road, Chester CH4 7AD t: 01244 669988

e: info@wcnwchamber.org.uk w: www.wcnwchamber.org.uk

Publisher Benham Publishing Limited Suite 5 & 6, Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ t: 0151 236 4141 f: 0151 236 0440

e: admin@benhampublishing.com

w: www.benhampublishing.com

Published December 2022

© Benham Publishing Media no. 1919

Advertising and Features Karen Hall t: 0151 236 4141

e: karen@benhampublishing.com

Design Chris Millett t: 0151 236 4141

e: chris@benhampublishing.com

The political and economic uncertainty of the past few months has been incredibly damaging to business confidence and with a new Government and Prime Minister at the head of the table, we need to see a long-term growth plan that involves investment in people and skills; supports businesses to adapt and thrive; and builds good relationships with our global allies to get British businesses selling again.

As always, if you would like to highlight any issues your business is currently facing, do not hesitate to get in touch with the team on 01244 669988.

Despite the current economic challenges, it was amazing to celebrate the success of our members at our recent Annual Ball & Recognition Awards 2022. The night saw over 350 people come together and recognise the successes of the last year whilst also raising funds for The Joshua Tree. You can read more about the night on

pages 26-29 and many congratulations again to those who took home an award!

It is not long now until we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in the new year. I would like to thank you for your continued support over the past 12 months and we are very much looking forward to supporting your business in 2023. We already have an extensive line up of events on our website, and do save the date for our North Wales Dinner taking place on 12th May 2022. I would highly recommend booking onto our maximising your membership benefits meetings to ensure you are getting the most out of your Chamber membership or arrange a 1:1 meeting with the Chamber team.

With that being said, I hope you have a wonderful festive break and take the time to relax with family and friends. The Chamber will be here in the New Year to help support your business in any way possible.

Disclaimer The magazine is mailed without charge to all Chamber members and distributed to businesses in the region. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in publication are not necessarily those of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2022.

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.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce WCNWChamber

Ellis & Co Become Patron Members of WCNW Chamber of Commerce

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that Cheshire and North Wales based Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers have become Patron Members.

Ellis & Co are one of the leading accountants and business advisers in the area, helping over 500 clients and businesses across the region with a range of support, from annual accounts and auditing to acting in an advisory role with high end taxation advice as well as general taxation services. Ellis & Co also provide a high level of management and financial advice.

The move to Patron Membership follows nearly six years of Ellis & Co as Strategic Members of the Chamber of Commerce. Throughout this period, Ellis & Co have been incredibly active, supporting members when needed, attending networking events on a regular basis and offering advice to businesses as part of the Chamber’s Start-Up Clubs.

“We are extremely proud to become Patron Members of the Chamber of Commerce and feel it is perfect timing as our ongoing relationship with the Chamber and its members continues to grow. Being strategic members has helped the Ellis & Co brand across the Cheshire and North Wales region and the step up to Patron will only help this even more. We look forward to another great year with the Chamber and to also carry on helping new and existing members with accounting and finance needs they may have.” said John Farrell, Director at Ellis & Co.

By becoming Patron Members of the Chamber of Commerce, the relationship between Ellis & Co and the Chamber of Commerce has been enhanced further, opening new doors for the business and

connecting them to new opportunities.

Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the news saying; “Ellis & Co have been a huge supporter of the Chamber of Commerce and our members from the moment they joined and I am delighted to now welcome them as a Patron. The advice they have given to businesses during their time as Strategic Members will only grow and we are really excited to work even closer with them going forward.”

Find out more about Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers on their website https://www.ellis-uk.com/ and view the Chamber of Commerce’s other Patron Members here https://wcnwchamber.org. uk/become-a-chamber-patron/.

n Debbie Bryce, CEO of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, was delighted to welcome Ellis & Co Directors (L to R) John Farrell, John Moorhouse and James Ellis to their Patron Membership.

East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise

Welcomed as Affiliate Members

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the establishment of an affiliation with the East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise.

By becoming an Affiliate Member of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, the voice of business is strengthened in the region with firms of all sectors and sizes represented on the local, national and international scale.

East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce also now has a direct link to the British Chambers of Commerce via West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber, enabling them to strengthen further their membership proposition and benefit businesses in the region.

Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, commented:

“West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is delighted to welcome East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce as an Affiliate Member.

“Having worked together for many years, it has been an absolute pleasure to build on our existing relationship and take the next step by signing an affiliate agreement. In signing the agreement, both Chambers have made a formal commitment which greatly benefits members of both regions.

“We very much look forward to working closely with Jackie and the team in the coming months and years.”

Jackie Randles, Chief Executive of East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, commented:

“East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce is proud to become affiliated to West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, an accredited member of the British Chambers of Commerce.

“Affiliation provides an opportunity to develop complementary services, work together, share best practice and provide a platform for business engagement. We now have a direct link to the British Chambers of Commerce through West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s ongoing accreditation.

“The backbone of this arrangement is a service level agreement which outlines the many benefits and positives for both Chambers.

“I would like to thank Debbie Bryce for helping us achieve this.”

n L to R Jackie Randles, Chief Executive of East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, was welcomed as an Affiliate Member by Debbie Bryce, CEO of WCNW Chamber of Commerce.

Selling through stories the focus of our first Sales Club

Our first Sales Club meeting took place in October and such was the popularity that an additional session was added for the afternoon to meet the demand for places.

The Sales Club has been established in collaboration with Sales Geek North Wales to provide members, and non-members alike, a chance to learn about one of the most crucial aspects of running a business.

The sessions are held quarterly at Xplore!, Wrexham and cover diverse topics such as goal setting, building a pipeline and selling through stories.

In total, over 30 people were in attendance at the sessions and heard from Director at Sales Geek North Wales, Aaron Sussex, who focused on understanding customers and prospects on a more emotional level.

“It was fantastic to see so many businesses turn out for the inaugural Sales Club in partnership with the Chamber to enjoy the session entitled, “Selling with Stories”. Due to the high turnout, we’re now adding another date for January and we very much look forward to seeing businesses for the “Goal

Setting” session in the New Year,” said Aaron.

Following the demand for the first Sales Club, additional dates have been added to the remaining three meetings to ensure that everyone that wishes to attend can do so. The dates can be viewed to the right and you can book your place via the QR code below.

Session 2

Setting goals and targets to smash 2023!!

Tuesday 10th January or Friday 13th January

Session 3

Developing your pipeline (setting the scene and building expectations)

Tuesday 25th April or Friday 28th April

Session 4

Building rapport and trust through the art of communication

Tuesday 4th July or Friday 7th July

n The first Sales Club was a huge success!

WCNW Chamber of Commerce

Recognised for its support of the Armed Forces Community

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce was delighted to achieve the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award for 2022 earlier this year and was presented with the award at its recent Annual Ball.

To achieve Silver, organisations must proactively demonstrate that the Armed Forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruitment policies. They must also actively ensure their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards Defence people issues for Reservists, Veterans, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, and spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.

Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at the Chamber, was presented with the award by Lt Colonel Mark Powell The Royal Welsh and Tony Fish, Regional Employer Engagement Director at RFCA for Wales, in front of 350 people at the Chamber’s Annual Ball.

“We are over the moon to achieve the ERS Silver Award for 2022. The Armed Forces Community give so much and it is only right that employers offer them equal opportunities as part of their recruitment processes. We are proud to have received this recognition and will continue to work closely with RFCA for Wales to build awareness of employing those from the Armed Forces Community,” said Debbie.

Tony Fish said “It was a shame Debbie couldn’t make the Silver awards evening down in Cardiff earlier in the year due to other commitments so the Gala dinner presented a fantastic opportunity to present the Award adding to a very enjoyable and entertaining evening.

“The Defence Silver Employer Recognition Scheme Award is given to organisations who have demonstrated support to Defence by signing the Armed Forces Covenant and by having positive Defence friendly policies in place ensuring no member of the armed forces community will face disadvantage.”

The Chamber is one of only 21 Welsh employers to have received an ERS Silver Award in 2022 from the Ministry of

Defence for its support to the armed forces community. It also follows the awarding of the ERS Bronze award in 2020.

To find out more about the Employer Recognition Scheme and how your business can benefit from supporting the Armed Forces Community visit https://bit.ly/3TT2ZJw.

n The WCNW Chamber of Commerce were presented with the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Employers Recognition Award

Zodeq gears up for the festive period following a year of growth

As much of the business world begins to slow down in preparation for the festive period, the team at invoice finance and back office support specialists, Zodeq, are preparing for what is typically their busiest time of the year. With many businesses opting to close their doors during the Christmas period, the shorter December month means that ensuring cash flow and all administration requirements are complete is made that much trickier. For Zodeq clients however, this burden is taken off their hands, making the lead up to the Christmas period far more festive.

Industry growth

This year has seen tremendous growth both in the recruitment sector and within Zodeq itself. With vacancies reaching record breaking heights, the industry has seen a huge rise in the number of recruiters taking

the leap and setting up their own business.

Managing Director at Zodeq, Paul Cooney, has commented:

“SME growth in the UK continues at pace, and the recruitment industry in particular is going from strength-to-strength, with record numbers of people looking to change their career path or take on new opportunities following the pandemic.

We’re seeing an influx of entrepreneurs setting up exciting businesses in response to this market opportunity, and we’re committed to developing longstanding relationships and supporting the next generation of founders as they build their businesses”

Zodeq growth

Significantly, 2022 marked a huge step for the business, with acquisition by leading North West based debt and equity capital provider, Praetura Group. The move enabled Zodeq to provide its renowned invoice finance service to businesses on a much greater scale than ever before.

Recognition for Blacon sustainability project

Work to make Blacon Adventure Playground more environmentally-friendly has been recognised at the National Energy Efficiency Awards.

Avenue Services has installed new solar panels, energy-efficient lighting and an air-source heat pump at the playground, while hands-on learning materials are encouraging visitors to find out more about sustainability. The improvements, funded by national housing provider Sanctuary, have reduced CO2 emissions at the playground by five tonnes a year.

That success was recognised at this year’s National Energy Efficiency Awards, where the project placed third in the Multimeasure Project of the Year category.

Avenue Services is working with Cheshire West and Chester Council to deliver further improvements, with the long-term goal of becoming net zero.

Summer fun in Blacon

Families in Blacon enjoyed a summer of fun thanks to a series of events organised by Avenue Services.

Furthermore, the business has recently hit a milestone £1bn in invoicing provided to invoice finance clients, making 2022 a record-breaking year for the Zodeq team.

If you would like to learn more about how Zodeq supports clients with their finance and back office support needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch paul@zodeq.com.

In July, around 2,000 people attended the 25th annual Blacon Festival – a chance for residents to come together and celebrate life in their local community.

Then, during the remainder of the school holidays, hundreds of children took part in the Blacon summer programme – five weeks of activities featuring everything from health and wellbeing sessions to theatre workshops and fishing lessons, with free food provided every day.

Avenue Services delivered the programme with partners including Cheshire West and Chester Council, Canal and River Trust, Edsential, Holy Trinity Church, Blacon Beacon, Blacon Children’s Centre, Cheshire Police, Welcome Network and Blacon Butterflies WI. Further support came from local councillors and volunteers, along with West Cheshire Foodbank, Aldi, Asda, Heron Foods, Morrisons, Spar and Tesco.

Paul Knight, Head of Avenue Services, said: “After limited opportunities over the last couple of years, it was wonderful to see people coming together. The success of these events really showcases the strength of community we have in Blacon.”

n Paul Cooney, Managing Director at Zodeq Ltd

n National recognition for Blacon sustainability project

Effective communication is key at times of uncertainty.

Here at Umbrella Marketing Team, as with most businesses, we’ve never known a time of such uncertainty as we’ve experienced over the past couple of years, and it looks like there are likely to be many more twists, turns and challenges ahead. If there is one thing that we know, it’s that effective communication is essential for all parties as we meet the unknown head-on.

We work with a wide range of clients on a variety of marketing projects, including lotions, potions, health, wealth, and well-being, and we’ve seen first-hand the positive impacts of excellent communication from businesses and organisations, both internally and externally. We’ve also seen the damage that can be done due to poor communication and how sometimes relationships between businesses and customers, or employers and staff, can be irreparably damaged if communication is poorly handled.

We’ve shared two of our key principles of effective communication during uncertain times.

It’s OK not to have all the answers, but it’s not OK to say nothing.

Your customers and your staff will look to you for guidance in times of uncertainty, but you

shouldn’t wait until you have all the answers before communicating with them. Using whatever channels are available to you (e.g., in-person announcements, social media posts, emailing customer lists etc.), you can help reassure people by:

Smart meters are a smart decision for your business this winter

Firms of all sizes are currently confronted by a host of challenges, from soaring energy bills, labour shortages, spiralling inflation, and climbing interest rates.

As a business owner, you need to ensure that your doors stay open and that your business can thrive no matter what the season brings.

Did you know that a smart meter could help your business this winter and beyond?

Smart meters are the next generation of gas and electricity meters currently being rolled out in homes and small businesses across Great Britain by energy suppliers. If you are looking for practical advice to help tackle these challenges, a smart meter could be a positive step for your business.

Make informed choices about your firm’s energy usage

A smart meter could give you valuable insights into how your business uses energy, day and night, helping you to identify ways to reduce your energy use.

Close the door on estimated bills

Installing a smart meter is a positive step in taking control of business outgoings. Once installed, smart meters digitally measure how much energy you’re using and send your meter reading directly to your energy supplier at agreed intervals, putting an end to estimated bills.

n Letting them know that you understand n Telling them you’re working on a plan of information and action for the things which might affect them.

n Promising to tell them about it soon as you are able

n Thanking them for their custom/support n Giving them an opportunity and means to contact you

Transparency is essential

People always value honesty and transparency. Not everything you need to communicate at times like these is likely to be ‘good news’, but explaining why you’ve come to a particular decision can go a long way to helping keep the support and positive sentiment from customers and staff. In every case, communication is key to keeping customers in the know. Whether educating them on products and services, the need for price increases or sharing stories that resonate, being open and honest leads to trust. Trust that you understand their concerns, that you will do the right thing, that delivery will happen and that there is a way forward.

Don’t let energy costs keep you awake at night

Installing a smart meter can help you closely monitor where you spend your money, helping with planning and projection of costs in the short, medium, and long term. They allow you to spend less time worrying about cash flow and more time running your business.

Find out if you are eligible for a smart meter

Whether you rent or own your business premises, you could still be eligible. If you don’t have your own gas and/or electricity meter, ask your landlord if they plan to get one for your building.

Half of eligible businesses across Great Britain already have a smart or advanced meter installed.

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible for a smart meter.

Visit https://bit.ly/3GhSFYh to find out whether you are eligible. You can also contact your energy supplier or broker.

Tansy Rogerson to Study Overseas

On 4th November, Tansy Rogerson, Director at Armadillo Events, moved to Barcelona for a year to study her Masters in Sustainable Tourism Management in Destinations and Recourses.

“It’s a little scary with what I’m about to do, but it’s going to be a really fantastic challenge and adventure to go on, especially to move to another country and study abroad!” said Tansy.

“It’s the only tourism management school that I could find that offers this particular masters, so I’m really excited about studying this subject, as well as opening up my network further internationally.

“My fellow students will be from all over the world, coming to study solutions to issues they face in their regions, an amazing opportunity to learn about sustainable tourism issues that are affecting other countries first-hand, as well as an insight into how they are solving such challenges.

Premium Category which includes bottles priced between £20 and £30. From the entrants only nine Gold Awards were presented and of course, Kingdom Recommends was delighted to be one of the recipients.

Kingdom Recommends began in December 2020 and their product range now extends to five gins, four rums and of course the premium vodka. Since launch, the company has won a total of seventeen awards throughout the product range, including a Masters Medal from the International Gin Masters 2020 for their Ginger Spiced Gin. This award highlights the best of the best and as this was just after the launch the team were delighted with this vote of confidence.

A subject field Tansy has felt very passionate about over the many years she has dedicated to working in tourism, and during this time has seen many changes, and can see many on the horizon.

Tansy came across this masters two years ago, but couldn’t go due to commitments, plus she didn’t have a degree, the minimum level required.

So in Sept 2020 she decided to apply, got accepted and returned to Coleg Llandrillo to do her Degree in Tourism Management. One year later, she completed and attained a BA 1st with honours. Having dedicated her 25-year career so far to tourism, this was an achievement that she was absolutely thrilled to gain, reinforcing her knowledge and experience within the industry.

After the degree, Tansy decided to take a year out of study to focus on her part-time lecturing role and to rebuild her business. Though after the passing away of her best friend Huxley the cat in December, and then her father passing away in April, both having fought battles with illness, the feeling to do this masters returned, and Tansy decided it was now or never to apply for this masters in Barcelona.

“My plan is to use this masters to move my consultancy side of the business into another industry field, to return with the knowledge to help tourism associations/organisations/ businesses map out clear sustainable strategies to support tourism growth, that minimises environmental and social impacts on regions.

“I’m really looking forward to what lies ahead, it will be an adventure of a lifetime, that will only have positive outcomes for others and my business!”

Be sure to connect with Tansy on LinkedIn for updates!

Kingdom Recommends scoops prestigious gold award at The Vodka Masters Competition 2022

Kingdom Recommends has just scooped a prestigious gold award at The Vodka Masters Competition 2022. The competition was a blind tasting assessed by a panel of leading spirits specialists. There were entries from all over the world and competition was strong.

Kingdom’s Vodka was part of the Super

Based in Chester, Kingdom Recommends is part of the companies owned by Kingdom and Karen Thenga and was born out of lockdown. The initial idea was to find a house gin for their bar, the suburbs in Hoole, but feedback on taste and quality was so positive the couple decided to seize the opportunity and launch another new business. Working with Henstone Distillery in Oswestry the gin range was extended and the vodka was added to the choices soon after. The first spiced rum was launched in November 2021 and the new three spiced rums, Coffee, Vanilla and Navy Strength products will be available through the website in the next few weeks.

Kingdom and Karen are delighted with the award. Kingdom says ‘After such a difficult time in the hospitality business it’s great to have such good news. We are very proud of our products, our partnership with Henstone and all the hard work, effort and time the team has put into building Kingdom Recommends over the last twenty months. We are now looking forward to the change of season and the busiest time of the year, and the opportunity to take our business to the next level.’

n Tansy Rogerson, Director at Armadillo Events, is studying Masters Degree in Barcelona.

New HMRC filing regimes designed to hit persistent offenders

From 01 January 2023 HMRC are introducing two new penalty regimes for VAT customers. The penalties will affect ITSA customers from 2024.

receive a fine of £200. Every subsequent late return will incur another £200 fine.

Points will expire after two years and reset to zero. But, if at the penalty threshold, taxpayers must demonstrate a period of compliance to reset their points.

To do this they must:

Late Submission Penalties

Every time a business fails to submit a VAT return, they will get a point. Once they hit their penalty threshold (2 points for annual returns, 4 points for quarterly returns and 5 points for monthly returns), they will

Submit all returns on time for a set time period (24 months for annual returns, 12 months for quarterly returns and 6 months for monthly returns), and Submit all returns for the preceding twenty-four months (even if late).

Both conditions must be met for the points to be reset.

HMRC say this will be kinder to people who make a oneoff mistake, whilst penalising persistent offenders.

Late Payment Penalties

Basically, the sooner you pay the lower the penalty rate will be.

First Penalty

No penalty if payment is made within 15 days of the due date. Day 15 – penalty is 2% of the amount outstanding.

Day 30 – penalty becomes 2% of the amount outstanding at day 15 PLUS 2% of the amount outstanding at day 30.

Additional or Second Penalty Day 31 – daily penalty of 4%

per annum of the outstanding amount. This will only stop when the outstanding balance is paid.

Soft Landing Period

No penalty will be charged between 01 January 2023 and 31 December 2023, if the amount due is paid in full within 30 days of the payment due date.

Time to Pay Arrangements

If a time to pay arrangement is agreed with HMRC, the penalty will stop accruing, but only if the terms of the TTP agreement are honoured.

If you have any VAT related questions or queries, please contact Alix Hyde ahyde@wrpartners.co.uk

FREE Business Strategy Review.

Are you heading in the wrong direction?

Menter Môn’s Smart Towns Team helps businesses work Smarter not harder

A Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey County Council funded project to provide WiFi and LoRaWan coverage to high streets across the two counties is now helping businesses find digital solutions to the many challenges that this winter will bring.

Menter Môn’s project officers have been working closely with business owners, community stakeholders and members of town and county councils to create a specifically tailored action plan for each participating town, to promote data driven decisions and to help businesses and high streets function more efficiently.

The project has seen the launch of an open access data sharing platform (Patrwm. io) which displays footfall, dwell time and other valuable demographic information on 15 ‘Smart places’ online in simple graph format which can also be downloaded as spreadsheets.

This data can be used by businesses for planning their staff and services more efficiently, as well as for identifying gaps in the market and potential growth areas.

The deployment of LoRaWAN gateways in each town will allow businesses to install various sensors according to their needs. Catering businesses could deploy fridge and freezer sensors in order to save time manually recording temperatures, and in time identify and replace inefficient fridges. Footfall sensors can be placed in toilets to alert staff after a certain number of uses to reduce routine checks and free up the workforce. Retail businesses have also been using footfall sensors to compare their visitor numbers with the high street, and to monitor the effect of marketing campaigns.

As part of the project and in collaboration with the Enterprise Hub the project has also delivered a series of workshops to help businesses improve their digital platforms. Further support is now available to hospitality businesses through Cyngor Gwynedd.

The next phase of the project will see businesses working together to create town-wide email marketing campaigns, encouraging return visits, and informing locals of special offers.

Smart Gwynedd a Môn works closely with the Welsh Government’s Smart Towns program.

Trefi Smart Towns Cymru

“A smart town is an urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect data. Insights gained from that data are used to manage assets, resources, and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve the operations and future prosperity across the town.”

Menter Môn are now on to the second phase of the Welsh Government’s pan-Wales Smart Towns program and are continuing to raise awareness and encourage deployment of technology in line with the government’s Transforming Towns agenda.

An important part of the project has been the creation of an online tool that allows Welsh businesses and communities to access data about their local area in order to make informed business choices.

Menter Môn have been working with Urban Foresight, the UK’s leading place-based innovation consultancy to develop the SMART towns online tool, which includes data on high-street spending; footfall; car park use and transport. Access to these data sets could help decision makers plan future resource needs and make decisions about how to target services more efficiently, creating high-performance town centres and improving prosperity. The tool is free for anyone to use, and also identifies data sets which will become available in the future.

The project has also been working closely with consultants to produce 10 digital placemaking plans for towns across Wales. Bangor and Llandudno are both in possession of a plan which supports their regeneration aims and acts as a roadmap for digital development.

For more information, and to start on your Smart town journey please contact smarttowns@mentermon.com

n Llanberis receives WiFi kit from Welsh Government to become a Smart Village

Chester One City Plan Refresh

The One City Plan was originally launched in 2012 to set out the collaborative regeneration priorities for Chester over a 15 year period. In 2021 at the mid-point in the plan and to reflect the changing nature of challenges and opportunities faced in city centres, the Council appointed the Chester Good for Nothing Network (GFN) to undertake a review of the plan.

The review included a variety of engagement techniques to reach as wide demographic as possible and this has helped to shape the future priorities in 4 key themes of:

n Sustainability

n Connectivity & Accessibility

n City Experience & Play

n Thriving people and communities

n Business friendly Economy & Skills

In summer 2022 a refreshed vision document was produced, developed in partnership with people who live, work, learn and play in Chester. This then formed the basis for the new 45 actions we will deliver as a city by 2045.

The refreshed One City Plan will build on the successes of the first plan with relevant actions carried forward. However, it will also be reflective of the new groups that emerged in response to the pandemic, creating a governance structure that recognises the Council cannot do this alone. It will include voices from industry, education, housing, health, the third sector and the environment, as well as local neighbourhoods.

These groups, Making – Connecting – Visiting - Experiencing - Being in , have all met to discuss the actions they will lead on and influence culminating in a Summit with all groups coming together to discuss and agree actions within their remit and how they will work collectively. Further work will now be undertaken by each group to prioritise actions to form a programme of works for the short, medium and long term as well as aligning actions with ongoing work around the city.

These actions will be sensitive to changing circumstances and the plan will be flexible enough to respond to that change with a full review of the One City Plan set to take place every three years. This plan will be visible and open for everyone to see in the early months of 2023 and the governance framework will give a voice for people to influence and shape its direction.

For more information or to contribute to the delivery of the OCP please email cgp@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Chester’s new Market now open

The new Chester Market opened its doors to the public on Tuesday 8th November in Exchange Square off Northgate Street following a sell-out preview weekend; and will be open six days per week and closed on Mondays. Opening hours will be from 8am to 10pm on Tuesday to Saturday and from 10am to 9pm on Sundays.

As the new market prepared to open, the existing Chester Market in the Forum Shopping Centre closed its doors for the last time on Saturday 15 October, to enable those traders moving to the new market to complete their stall fit outs and prepare for the opening.

The previous market had been located in the Forum since it opened in 1967. Throughout the evolution of the Northgate development plans starting in the 1990s, the Council retained the long-held ambition of opening a new market within the scheme.

The new market is set to be a ‘modern traditional market’ with 40 stalls covering 36,000 sq. ft. providing a vibrant mix of produce, goods, food and beverage traders, with over 400 seats, a stage and screen, all designed to provide a stunning space to enjoy all that the market will offer, including retaining the popular foodie nights, events, demonstrations and acoustic music performances.

The 800-space multi-storey New Market Parking is now open on Hunter Street to coincide with the market, with state of the art facilities including electric vehicle charging and an indoor secure Cycle Hub. The previous Market car park has now closed under the Forum.

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy and Regeneration, said: “Opening the new Chester Market has been a huge achievement for the city despite the challenges of the past two years, and the start of the latest chapter in Chester’s illustrious trading history going back to the first market charter in 1159.

“It was also a bittersweet time when we closed the current market for the final time, it had served Chester well and I would like to thank all the customers and stall holders for over 50 years of support and service. We can be confident it will leave a lasting legacy and its entrepreneurial and community spirit will live on in the new market; with both the many fantastic existing traders transferring, alongside passionate new traders who will bring fresh ideas and new ranges of good and services.”

Networking Lunch at Liverpool Football Club 24th August

West Cheshire Women’s Network 22nd September

Tour of Penderyn Distillery 13th September

Round the Table Networking at Costco 8th September

Thursday is the new Friday Networking 13th October

Round the Table Networking at Mercure Chester Abbots Well Hotel 4th October

Networking Lunch at Croes Howell Restaurant & Bar 28th September

Networking Lunch at Leonardo Hotel Chester 16th November

Round the Table Networking at Brewhouse & Kitchen Chester 1st November

Networking Lunch at Artezzan Restaurant & Bar 18th October

A new year of Networking at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

Upcoming Chamber Networking Events

Graduate’s recipe for business success

A graduate has launched a business helping people to create their own signature curries after developing the enterprise at the University of Chester.

Hamza Hussain officially presented Mona’s Curry Base to the market this year, and offered tastings at the UK launch event in Greater Manchester.

He was supported in the entrepreneurial idea from the start, by the University’s Business School, while studying a Business Management with Marketing degree.

Named after his mother who created the recipe, the gluten-free and vegan product is an authentic Indian curry sauce base, suitable for Halal and Kosher diets, which with a few additional fresh ingredients can be used to

Free Start-Up Bootcamp

A free Start-Up Bootcamp helping new businesses to thrive is being run in January 2023 by the University of Chester’s Business Growth Programme (BGP) team.

The online Bootcamp is designed for businesses that are about to launch and start-ups that have been trading for less than one year.

Offered in partnership with Ruby Star Associates, the Going for Growth Bootcamp will be split into three sessions, all of which need to be attended. Each takes place from 9.30am to 1.30pm, on Monday January 9, 16 and 23.

Across the interactive sessions, participants will learn about:

n Lean start-up modelling; n Understanding their customer; n Value proposition; n Pitching; n Finance and funding; n Marketing, and

n Responsible and sustainable business practices with reference to climate change, Net Zero and Corporate Social Responsibility.

To find out more, including eligibility, and to register an interest, please visit: https://www. eventbrite.com/e/start-up-bootcamp-growthrive-survive-tickets-338754061517.

The Bootcamp is part of the European Regional Development-Funded BGP’s comprehensive free business development support for Cheshire and Warrington-based entrepreneurs and SMEs registered with them.

make any curry.

Mona’s Curry Base has already secured interest and orders from a range of businesses, universities, caterers and the NHS.

Hamza showed determination to succeed from the beginning of his degree studies, winning the 2017 Santander Enterprise Challenge in his first year, after impressing the judges with the initial Curry Block idea.

Sponsored by Santander, Hamza, from Prestwich, Manchester, won a cash prize and the opportunity to have the idea tested by

Scheduled events can be viewed at the Cheshire and Warrington Business Growth Programme Events Collection on Eventbrite. Make sure to follow the page for notifications of any new events as they go live.

Business School shortlisted for Times Higher Education Award

The University of Chester’s Business School has been shortlisted among the best in the UK and Ireland, in awards known as ‘the Oscars of higher education’.

Chester Business School is a finalist in the Business School of the Year category of the 18th annual Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.

Celebrating stand-out achievements in Higher Education, judges were looking for bold and creative strategies and initiatives that have helped business schools to flourish during 2020-21.

The shortlisting recognises how Chester Business School is at the heart of the next clean energy Industrial Revolution, and its contribution to the community and economic prosperity in the North West and beyond. The submission also outlined its commitment to supporting enterprise and entrepreneurialism among students and staff, as well as equipping students with the skills and connections they need to make a difference and navigate constant change in emerging business environments.

business experts. The annual competition is run by the Business School, which encourages entrepreneurship as part of all its degree programmes and offers dedicated entrepreneurship courses at its Queen’s Park, Warrington and Shrewsbury sites.

Hamza said: “I’d like to thank all my lecturers at Chester Business School for giving me the help and motivation to set up Mona’s Curry. If it wasn’t for the opportunities that the Business School provided, I would not be where I am today.

“My advice to future graduates is to be ambitious and go for it. Never be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. If you are determined enough, you will succeed.”

Since this edition of the Chamber of Commerce Magazine was published, the winners have been announced. Follow the Business School on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

New skills and businessboosting course

A new, work-based short course has been designed by the University of Chester with employers in Cheshire, Warrington and Shropshire to upskill employees and boost business.

The unique Gateway Certificate in Professional Education has been created to provide the skills that employers have identified as crucial for today’s - and the future workplace. Employees can focus on their professional development to enhance their career potential, while also bringing immediate positive change to organisations.

It is eligible for new tuition fee short course loans along with bursary grants.

To find out more, please visit: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/gatewaycertificate-professional-education.

The University is also offering a series of one day courses, with online follow-up, for managers and aspiring leaders.

For further information go to: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/advancedmanager-courses.

n Hamza Hussain at the University of Chester’s Business School

National Three Peaks Success for Protos Networks

In September, the Protos Networks team set themselves the challenge of conquering the National Three Peaks Challenge. The 24-hour challenge consists of climbing and descending three mountains (the highest in Scotland, England, and Wales), with the added obstacle of a long journey between each mountain. There is a total walking distance of 23 miles, a climb of 9,843ft and 462 driving miles, all within 24hrs!

The team trained hard for several months and shared their training progress online, with a view to raise funding for The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.

On 23rd September they boarded their minibus and began a six-hour drive to Fort William in Scotland. After a quick pit-stop for a couple of pints of Dutch courage, the minibus pulled up at the accommodation for the night where the hikers would get some well needed rest.

At 5.30am sharp the alarm clocks started to ring, and the hikers began to arise. The early morning brought heavy fog, but the team noted their gratitude that it was not raining and the forecast for the day was looking good. Arriving at Ben Nevis at 6.40am gave the team time to enjoy a cup of tea before heading up mountain number one at 7am.

It took the team 2 hours and 38 minutes to climb Ben Nevis, and a descent time of 1 hour and 28 minutes. The minibus pulled off at 11.15am and the team began their five-hour journey to Scafell Pike in Cumbria.

Scafell Pike was unanimously voted the most difficult mountain and was described by all team members as relentless and not a mountain they will be rushing back to. The added challenge for mountain number two was that night was starting to fall and they were in complete darkness for the descent. Torches and headlamps were essential at this point and the team were now feeling very tired.

A drained team boarded the minibus at 9.45pm and began their four-hour journey to Wales for the third and final mountain, Mount Snowdon.

After a short sleep on the bus, and knowing it would all be over soon, the team started climbing Snowdon at 2.10am and in good spirits. Complete darkness and very heavy fog quickly took its toll. Hollie Joinson, Senior Administrator at Protos Networks recalls “the support we gave each other at this point was crucial. We all knew it was the final mountain, but the darkness, fog and freezing temperatures added significantly to the mental challenge”.

Snowdown was completed in 4 hours and 20 minutes, and the team had fully descended Snowdon by 6.30am. The Protos Networks team, therefore, completed the challenge in a total of 23 hours and 30 minutes after

Archers Brook School tour of Young Chamber Sponsor Altimex Ltd

Students from Archers Brook SEMH School recently had a wonderful opportunity to gain insight into how a successful business operates day to day. Students from years 9, 10 & 11 were given a guided tour of the purpose-built facility of Altimex Ltd in Thornton Science Park by the company’s Managing Director Davinder Lotay.

During the tour, Davinder gave students an

Young Chamber Careers Talk inspires students at Archers Brook School

idea of the wide variety of careers available and the number of different departments within his award-winning business. Students were able to see for themselves some of the cutting-edge equipment in action during the production process of creating bespoke circuit boards.

Liam Kavanagh, PSD & Careers Lead at Archers Brook School, added the following:

experience to these Year 11’s was a gift. They were attentive and engaging and it was a pleasure to offer a fraction of my time.”

Davinder Lotay, Managing Director of Altimex Ltd, followed Andrew and gave an interesting presentation about his career and education journey so far which has taken him all over the country following his passion to learn from the best lecturers in the field of fibre optics. Davinder told students about setbacks he faced in his early career and how he dealt with these by utilising his secondary skills in coding.

“The pupils engaged with Davinder throughout as they toured the workshop, learning about the various machinery and job roles at Altimex. The pupils loved watching the 3D printer create them all key rings. Whilst listening about the different job roles at Altimex, the pupils learnt about the range of qualifications people working there had. They heard how some employees were on apprenticeships, others had degrees and masters and some had even learnt all their trade on the job. As always, Davinder was brilliant with the pupils, he engaged them throughout and ensured that they were actively thinking,asking and answering questions.”

for when recruiting, such as teamworking, problem solving and communication skills. During this time the second group had 1 to 1 interviews based on the role that they had previously applied for. This group were also given numerical and aptitude tests to complete. After a lunch break the groups swapped around so that all the students had the opportunity to experience all the assessment activities.

Archers Brook SEMH School recently held a careers talk supported by Young Chamber to help their Year 11 students with future career choices and to understand the different options that are available for them when taking the next step in their journeys.

The talk started with Andrew Barton, Managing Director of Brownlow Furniture, who gave an inspiring presentation about his career path from an aspiring musician to his current role as Managing Director of Brownlow Furniture, an organisation that designs and manufactures handmade bespoke furniture.

This careers talk was Andrew’s first Young Chamber event and he had the following to say: “Passing on work and life knowledge and

Students from Helsby High School put through their paces by Russell

Taylor Group

A group of 13 students from Helsby High School recently gained some vital experience of the working world as they were put through their paces at a Mock interview day at recruitment specialists Russell Taylor Group’s Burton Manor head office.

The day started with an introduction to the Students by Peter Russell, Chairman of Russell Taylor Group before they were split into two groups. The first group took part in an activity which was aimed at assessing important soft skills which employers look

Peter Russell, who has supported many Young Chamber events had the following to say about the day: “The commitment of Helsby High School to develop future talent is exemplary, and the young people who engaged with us are a true example of all that is great about the youth of today. The team at The Russell Taylor Group had an amazing experience with the 13 fabulous students who no doubt have great careers ahead of them. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure they follow the right paths and realise their dreams.”

n Davinder Lotay gave the students a tour of his facility in Thornton Science Park

n Andrew Barton spoke to students about his career path

n Peter Russell led the session for Helsby High School students

Hawarden High School joins the Young Chamber Programme

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is delighted to welcome the newest Young Chamber Member, Hawarden High School.

Hawarden High School has been in existence since 1606 and serves the young people, families and communities of Hawarden and its surrounding villages. The school encourages all young people to make the most of their learning opportunities and operates upon a foundation of high standards which includes mutual respect, good manners and the creation of responsible members of the whole community

By becoming a Young Chamber member, Hawarden High School will be working closely with Young Chamber Sponsors on a variety of events, giving students opportunities to be involved with local employers and helping them improve essential skills needed in the workplace. The events range from careers talks or interview days, to interactive workshops and enterprise projects.

James Kitchen, OSIC Lead Teacher at Hawarden High School, commented the following about why they decided to join the Young Chamber Programme: “I have worked with the Young Chamber before in my previous school and I have seen first-hand the benefits participation with the programme brings. I feel the more opportunities our young people have with businesses, the more informed and motivated they will become.”

The Young Chamber programme is part of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s aim to tackle the skills gap that exists for young people when moving between the education and work sectors.

James added “I feel young people need to have these opportunities throughout their education as it helps them realise what interests them. I feel the pupils at Hawarden High will benefit from such activities as mock interviews, CV building and skills workshops as this will help to equip them will the tools that can help them succeed in life.”

Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, commented on the news: “We

are thrilled to welcome Hawarden High School to our Young Chamber programme and look forward to supporting the school and their students through a number of insightful and intriguing events and projects in order to help as many young people as possible to develop the skills necessary to thrive in life after education.”

For more information about the Young Chamber programme, please email youngchamber@wcnwchamber.org.uk.

Welcome to our new Young Chamber Sponsors!

n L to R Paul Connolly and James Kitchen of Hawarden High School with Debbie Bryce, CEO of the Chamber

Extra mile legal service

Getting Started with PR Lift Equipment

What’s in a name?

When we started planning the initial business idea, we had so many bad names that we knew would not stand the test of time. In the end, we decided to keep if quite simple, being the first letter of our surnames and what we supply.

Your position?

(Lee-Roy Rushforth) I am the Technical Sales Director, with my business partner Andrew Phillipson being Technical Operations Director. We each have a different way of tackling problems, and both complement each other’s working style.

About your business?

We import Elevator control systems from Turkey and supply throughout the UK. Providing controller solutions for problematic elevators. Working with small independent and major installers in the UK (including the likes of Otis, Schindler, etc). What sets us apart from other suppliers, is our passion and dedicated UK support.

About you!

Lee-Roy has worked with Elevator control systems most of his working life, with a few years in Water and Nuclear control systems.

Andrew has also worked with Elevator control systems most of his working life, being R&D and Technical Support. We both enjoy the challenge of supporting site engineers, fixing that something that was broken.

Why?

Always working for someone else seemed to be losing its appeal. We wanted something that we could call our own, something that would challenge us…

The light bulb moment!

The supplier that we work with has known us for a very long time. They liked the way we worked and came to us asking if we would like to be their UK Agent. This seemed to be the right thing at the right time.

Who is your ideal client/customer?

We love working with customers that see the value in the customer support that we give.

Best moment so far?

We have so many milestones that we have achieved. The most recent being that we exhibited in the Excel exhibition centre in London. LiftEx has not happened since before Covid, our stand was nonstop

throughout the whole event. Our first ever exhibition and it was amazing.

Biggest challenges?

COVID was our biggest challenge - Our business start date was Covid Lockdown March 23rd 2020. Being a new business, we had one customer and one order. We did not get off to a great start, but here we are in 2022, discussing business plans / marketing budgets / growth / new employees and so much more. I think our biggest challenge is yet to come.

Benefits of the Chamber Start-Up club since you joined?

Being able to share experiences of starting up a business. Most business have a good idea on how to start, but it is the finer detail that helps. Have made some valuable contacts and friends during our time with the start-up club.

Lessons learnt…what would you do differently and why?

I would like to say that I would change our start date from the first day of lockdown, but on reflection we gained some valuable skills that would have taken us longer to learn. A bit cliché, but would not change a thing.

A highlight for PR Lift Equipment has been exhibiting at the Excel exhibition centre in London

Planning for 2023 with Ellis & Co.

I think we can all agree that 2022 was not without its challenges. With ongoing issues surrounding COVID, a cost of living crisis, and the turbulent political climate to boot, it’s no surprise that many local businesses are dedicating time to planning for 2023 to encourage a successful 12 months.

across the region, not only building our client list but also our strong network of contacts.

When it comes to supporting clients with business planning, our team takes a methodical approach that truly looks at where a client is, where they want to be and what they want to improve, with our team subsequently providing their expert guidance on how they can achieve this.

In order to do this, it is crucial that we understand our clients and the industry in which they operate, as well as ensuring regular ongoing contact is maintained to be aware at all times of any changes in circumstance.

Of course, knowing a business inside out is key to ensuring that the Ellis & Co. team is able to provide effective, tailored tax advice based on each individual client’s requirements. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for businesses, and therefore each company will require a unique approach when it comes to forward planning.

Keeping in regular contact with your accountant is equally as important as this will guarantee that you are kept informed of the ever-changing tax landscape and how it applies to your business’ position. Failing to communicate regularly means that you risk missing out on or incorrectly interpreting tax changes that could lead to issues for your business further down the line, and will ultimately hinder your ability to forward plan.

Communicating critical changes for businesses is something that we have been involved in many times over in recent months due to the tumultuous political situation and a multitude of evolving or retracting Budget announcements.

a sustainable footing, get debt falling and restore stability” according to the Treasury.

Of course, when reading this article, the Autumn Budget announcement will have already been made and your business should have been informed by your accountant as to how this impacts your business directly. If you haven’t, perhaps it’s time to get in touch with Ellis & Co!

Tips for effective business planning

To help fellow businesses get started with their 2023 planning, our team has put together some of our top tips…

Review the past 12 months – before you can plan ahead, you must see where you’re coming from. Analyse your cash flow from the past year, celebrate your successes, review any issues your business came across and how these were resolved.

Outline your goals – where do you want your business to be in 2023? And how can you ensure you get there? Ensure you are setting realistic goals and share these with your wider team.

Create your own budget – an effective budget is critical to ensuring you have the tools and working capital necessary to reach your goals.

Discuss your goals with your accountant and business advisor – receiving advice and guidance from the experts will put your plans into perspective and put you on the right path to success.

Below, hear from some of Ellis & Co.’s valued clients as they discuss how they have been supported over the past 12 months:

“We needed an accountant who understood our challenges, one who had our best interests at heart and the expertise to advise us. Our relationship with Ellis & Co. is built on trust and continuously delivering a great service.” – Andy Brown, MD at Business Reform Limited.

This year, the team at Ellis & Co. have successfully navigated these challenges, both for the business and our clients, whilst maintaining a strong relationship with the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce (even becoming Patron members). This close relationship has meant that we have been able to meet a wide variety of like-minded professionals from

Having already been presented with a ‘Mini Budget’ via previous Prime Minister Liz Truss (the majority of which has now been withdrawn) we are now, at the time of writing, awaiting a further ‘full’ Budget announcement from new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, having been delayed from 31st October to 17th November. The statement will provide details on “the UK’s mediumterm fiscal plan to put public spending on

“Ellis & Co. have a good understanding of our business and provide help with business planning, payroll services and proactive advice. We would recommend Ellis & Co. to anyone looking for an accountant and business adviser.” – Andrew Hughes, Director at Ringwood Fencing Ltd.

If you’re looking for an established, local accountant to support your business in the New Year, get in touch with the team at Ellis & Co today on 01244 343 504.

n L to R Robert Ellis - Director

James Ellis - Director

John Moorhouse - Director

John Farrell - Director

Cheshire College Students Triumph On A Level Results Day

Over 200 A Level students at Cheshire College – South & West have seen their hard work and determination pay off as they collected their A Level Results this Summer, resulting in the highest number of A* grades achieved in the history of the College, marking yet another year of academic excellence and momentous personal achievements.

at the College and they’ve always been supportive of me and my goals.”

Several students attended A Level Results Day with parents, guardians, and friends who shared in their success. Mike, proud father of Katie, who achieved A, A and B grades in her subjects and is going on to study Physiotherapy at University of Birmingham said: “This is fantastic. I’m really pleased. Cheshire College supported [Katie] every step of the way and have always encouraged her to do her best. Last year, it was my eldest daughter Sophie who achieved success at the College and went on to study at the University of Liverpool.”

Achieving over 180 A*-A grades, the College continues to deliver outstanding results for its students, including 30 that achieved A*- A in all chosen subjects such as Economics, History and English. These extraordinary results ensure that several students will be continuing their studies at some of the UK’s most prestigious universities.

Among those celebrating was Brandon who achieved A*- B grades in Business, English Literature and History, and will be going on to study Politics and Modern History at University of Manchester. When asked about his results and time at the College, Brandon said: “I’m ecstatic. The College has been really welcoming from day one and the teachers have provided me with valuable feedback throughout my studies.”

Another remarkable achievement came

from Ellie, who achieved A-B grades in Business, Sociology and Geography. Choosing to further her studies at Cheshire College, Ellie is pursuing a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business Management.

International student, Louis, will be attending King’s College London to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics, after achieving A*-A grades. Talking about his Cheshire College experience, he said: “I didn’t have the opportunity to study Religion or Politics at home in Hong Kong so I started my studies in those areas from scratch at Cheshire College. The teachers have been really supportive, and I couldn’t have achieved what I have today without them.”

Pursuing a Degree Apprenticeship in Digital Creative Design in September, A*-A student Ella, added: “I’ve had a great time

Dhesi, Principal and CEO of Cheshire College, commented: “We are delighted with the brilliant results our students have received this year and it couldn’t have been possible without the hard work and determination of both the staff and students; many of whom will be continuing their studies at some of the UK’s most prestigious universities or heading for a range of Apprenticeship and full-time employment opportunities with industry powerhouses.

“This news tops off a great year that marked the fifth anniversary of Cheshire College – South & West and myself and the team are incredibly excited to continue to build on the positive impact the College has had so far on our students, with regional and national employers, and the wider community.”

Ruth Szolkowska, Vice Principal for Innovation, Curriculum and Quality at Cheshire College, added: “It’s been wonderful to celebrate our students’ achievements today but to also be given the opportunity to teach, guide and support each individual so that they can reach their full potential and progress onto exciting next steps.”

n Students celebrate their A Level Results at Cheshire College - South & West

Melanie Randall Managing Director Design Reality Ltd

WCNW: To begin, tell us a little about yourself and your background.

Professionally, I’m an experienced Sales, Marketing and Business Development Director, with a history predominantly in the medical device industry. In addition to being skilled at directing companies. My strengths include change management, strategic development and implementation, product lifecycle management, commercial thinking, and customer relationship management.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and dogs, in the great outdoors.

WCNW: What attracted you to the company?

I took on the role of Managing Director as part of the company merger with Full Support Group Ltd in 2021. Before joining Design Reality, I was the International Sales Director at Full Support Healthcare, one of the largest PPE manufacturers to the NHS. In 2021, their parent company, Full Support Group, acquired Design Reality Ltd and the owners looking for a Managing Director to navigate the acquisition and develop the vision for the future of Design Reality. Keen for a new challenge, I relocated and took the helm at Design Reality.

WCNW: Once the idea was formed, what did you do next?

The acquisition by Full Support was a great opportunity for Design Reality to improve on their current business practises. My first exercise was to complete a due diligence review to understand the business, processes, and the team. This exercise enlightened me to areas for improvement and enable me to plan the journey where, together, we set our vision and goals for the future.

WCNW: What are your main responsibilities?

As the Managing Director of Design Reality, my role is varied from day to day and involves developing, executing, and monitoring the performance of the business plans and financial performance, establishing company procedures and policies, creating a creative solution-based culture whilst overseeing our employee’s performance and development, building strong relationships with our internal and external stakeholders as well as customers and suppliers, and representing Design Reality at exhibitions, awards dinners and public events.

WCNW: What does a typical day involve?

In the world of design, every day is different and can include catch ups with the senior leadership team to discuss the latest innovative design or policy enhancement, to discussions with stakeholders about forecasting and budgets, to external

meetings with customers and suppliers; my role involves lots of communication and the advancement of video calling made during COVID-19 has increased my productivity and reduced my travel time to enable projects to be completed in a shortened period of time.

WCNW: Who are your target audience and what is the main aim of the organisation?

As a Product Design Agency, with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485, our service offers support to other companies/organisations/ individuals to help them turn their ideas into manufacturable products. Using our knowledge and know-how, we offer the ability to complete projects to enable certified products to be launched. Whether the project is for an innovative respirator, cutting-edge prosthetic limb cover or revolutionary hand-dryer – we follow the same process; we’ll work with you to develop it, prototype it, and perfect it.

WCNW: What projects are you currently working on?

Our extensive team of mechanical, industrial and electronics designers are always working on a vast number of projects at any one time. We use the vast capabilities we have in-house to complete projects from design feasibility, concepting, product development and testing, prototyping to qualification and certification.

Our customers range from large global organisations, governments around the world and small start-up businesses with a range of projects which include highly innovative unique technology.

WCNW: How have things gone so far? Design Reality have won six international design awards in 2022 for our internally developed innovative products - twoway filtration reusable half mask respirator developed for the healthcare setting to protect the healthcare provider and patient and our FitCheck technology. We have launched a brand-new website, introduced a new commercial department to our team and have expanded our design team.

WCNW: Any difficulties? If so, how did you overcome them?

Part of our role at Design Reality is finding solutions to our clients’ problems. Whether you need a shatter proof casing for an industrial monitor, Wi-Fi connectivity for a therapeutic device, or a 3d printed prototype – we are in the business of overcoming difficulties and finding innovative solutions to maximise efficiencies and productivity.

WCNW: Did you ever think ‘I’ve taken on too big a risk’? If so, how did you overcome it?

The services our customers receive is to provide innovative solutions to existing problems; usually for problems that have not been solved in the past. If our customers could identify and develop the solutions themselves, we wouldn’t be needed!

Within the culture of Design Reality and especially within our design team, we work with open communication and instil that no idea is a bad one, that no product design comes out perfect on the first go and that mistakes are just ideas that are not solutions to the current project, as it’s all part of the process.

WCNW: Looking ahead, what are your main aims for the organisation and how would you like it to develop?

At Design Reality, we’re taking active steps towards a more sustainable future, through design. As a Design Agency, we’re involved in every aspect of product development, from concept to prototyping, development to production. And, as a result, we’re able to make positive sustainable changes to the products we help make through the way in which we design them. For example, our multi-award-winning respirator was designed to be a reusable alternative to singleuse respirators. With millions of single-use respirators used each year by the NHS alone, we are actively trying to reduce waste through design.

We are also looking at ways we can invest in more sustainable living ourselves. Whether its car-pools for staff or our plans to invest in a new eco-friendly facility, we’re doing all we can to live more sustainably.

WCNW: How have businesses and individuals responded to what you’re offering?

Design Reality has been running for over 20 years, working with some of the biggest corporations in the world, providing product design support and development. This has gone from strength to strength, and with our new commercial department, we expect this to grow even more.

WCNW: What message would you give to other people in business?

Businesses are only as successful as the people within the company; personally, I am committed and passionate about leading the Design Reality team to achieve the growth objectives we have set and leading by example with honesty and confidence in all business decisions, the team at Design Reality are all working to achieve the same goal.

Winners Revealed at the Chamber’s Annual Ball & Recognition Awards 2022!

Over 350 guests came together to celebrate the success of businesses in West Cheshire & North Wales on Friday 11th November at the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Ball & Recognition Awards.

Taking place in the Pavilion at Chester Racecourse, the event, sponsored by Protos Networks, was a chance for members of the Chamber of Commerce to come together and reflect on the accomplishments of the last year.

The evening started with guests enjoying arrival drinks in the Champagne Bar, kindly sponsored by Valto, whilst listening to a live acoustic performance by Anthony Kluge, lead singer of Skynights who were the live band for the evening.

After guests were seated, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, Debbie Bryce, took to the stage to welcome all and to get the evening underway. As the event took place on Armistice Day, a minute’s silence was then observed as a mark of respect.

Debbie then introduced the host for the evening, Sian Lloyd. Sian is an experienced journalist and broadcaster and is a familiar face with viewers across the UK for presenting national programmes, including BBC Breakfast, BBC Crimewatch Roadshow and Panorama. Sian grew up in Wrexham, where she learnt Welsh and now frequently presents programmes on S4C.

Sian introduced Helen Nellist, Chair of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, who thanked the Headline Sponsors for the evening, Protos Networks, and gave an introduction to the chosen charity for the evening, The Joshua Tree.

It was then over to Sian to officially begin the awards ceremony, which had seen a record number of businesses enter the 12 categories up for grabs, with finalists chosen prior to the evening.

The winners of each award can be found on the next page!

Once the awards came to a close, a raffle and auction then took place to raise funds for The Joshua Tree. A total of £7,500 was raised for the children’s cancer charity that provides bespoke support to all immediate and extended family members that are affected by childhood cancers.

Before the evening came to an end, the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce were then presented with the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Employers Recognition Award by Lt Colonel Mark Powell. The Chamber received the award as recognition for its support for the Armed Forces.

Debbie Bryce said: “This evening’s awards have been an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the great work and success of our members. After the record number of entries for this year’s awards, the judges had the extremely challenging task of first choosing the finalists and then the winners. I would like to thank each and every one of our members who took the time to complete an entry, the calibre of the nominations was exceptional. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all of our sponsors, your support makes nights like these possible!”

Thank you to our photographer for the evening, Stewart Foley, and to Umbrella Marketing Team for their support. A special thank you to Alex Foster at the University of Chester and Brownlow Furniture for the creation of our sustainable awards.

AAG Events Ltd

Anglesey Sea Zoo

Artezzan

Asentiv

Azets

Brownlow

CH1

Cheshire

Chester

Chester

CityFibre

Cloud

Daktela

Disability

Fitz

GE

HM3

Kirsty

Lavinia

Legat

Liverpool

Llandudno

Loft

Lyan

McArthurGlen

MOXY

Paradise

Penderyn

Platts

Recycling

Residential

Rhug

Rossett

Sandstone

Snowdonia

Stanley

Stark

Swayne

Tappers

The

The

Venue Cymru

Wilderness

Xplore!

n Protos Networks were the Headline Sponsor for the event.

n Sian Lloyd was the host for the evening

View the winners of our Annual Recognition Awards 2022 below!

Darren

Kewley, Protos Networks (L), presented the Protos Networks Award for Digital Innovation to Think Beyond

Stephen Lovatt, S L Procurement Solutions (L), presented the Excellence in Sustainability Award to Platts Agriculture Limited Simon Roberts, Azets (L), presented the Kickstart Employer Award to Chester Zoo

Petter Russell, Russell Taylor Group (L), presented the Young Chamber Award to Castell Alun High School

The Award Winners at the Annual Recognition Awards 22

Paul Cooney, Zodeq, presented the Start Up Business Award to Artezzan Restaurant and Bar

Sarah Bailey, Natwest (L), presented the Business Growth Award to Accted

Philippa Leonard, ITAS (L), presented the Export & International Award to Lavinia Stamps

Debbie Bryce, CEO of WCNW Chamber (L), presented the Kickstart Trainee Award to Chester Zoo and Countess of Chester Hospital

John Farrell, Ellis & Co (L), presented the Business of the Year Award to Bathgate Business Finance

Donna Crompton, Leonard Curtis (L) presented the Customer Excellence Award to Penderyn Distillery

Debbie Bryce, CEO of WCNW Chamber, presented the Made a Difference Award to Russell Taylor Group

Davinder Lotay, Altimex (L), presented the Young Person Award to Brownlow Furniture

Protos Networks Award for Digital Innovation

Recognising organisations with a focus on digital innovation, this award was designed for businesses that could demonstrate that they embraced digitisation and have used technology to increase their profitability.

Congratulations to our Finalists: n Nelson Myatt Solicitors n Think Beyond n Topwood Ltd

Congratulations to our Winner: n Think Beyond

Young Chamber AwardSponsored by Russell Taylor Group

As we bring the education and businesses closer through our Young Chamber programme, the achievements of one of our Young Chamber schools or colleges over the previous year has been recognised.

Congratulations to our Winner: n Castell Alun High School

Kickstart Trainee Award

This award recognises young people who have undertaken a placement via the Kickstart Scheme. Businesses nominated trainees they feel made a significant contribution to the business.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Jamie Hickson – Cheshire West Recycling n Fraser Crossan – Chester Zoo n Stephen Higgitt – Countess of Chester Hospital n Naomi Chapple-Parry – Groundwork North Wales

Congratulations to our Winners: n Fraser Crossan – Chester Zoo n Stephen Higgitt – Countess of Chester Hospital

Kickstart Employer AwardSponsored by Azets

This award recognises businesses that have embraced the Kickstart Scheme. Entrants for this award demonstrated how they have improved outcomes for young people on the scheme.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Chester Zoo n Paul Bristow Associates n Valto

Congratulations to our Winner: n Chester Zoo

Young Person/Apprentice of the Year Award - Sponsored by Altimex Ltd

This award highlighted the exceptional contribution of a young person or an apprentice, aged 25 or under, to the

success and growth of a business based in West Cheshire and North Wales.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Sophie Foster – Brownlow Furniture n Hristina Tsvetankova – WR Partners n Jasmin Hughes – Your Space

Congratulations to our Winner: n Sophie Foster – Brownlow Furniture

Start-Up Business of the Year AwardSponsored by Zodeq Ltd

This award was open to businesses that have been trading for less than 2 years and seeks to recognise the determination and hard work of entrepreneurs across West Cheshire & North Wales.

Congratulations to our Finalists: n Artezzan Restaurant & Bar n Kingdom Recommends Limited n Menopause 360 n Positive Planet

Congratulations to our Winner: n Artezzan Restaurant & Bar

Made a Difference AwardSponsored by The Alternative Board

This award recognises a business, or one of their employees, that have made a difference to the social well-being of their local community. This could be through volunteer and charity work or by any means where the business or employee has gone above and beyond to support their community.

Congratulations to our finalists: n HMP Berwyn n Menopause 360 n P&A Group n Russell Taylor Group n Wildnerness Tribe

Congratulations to our Winner: n Russell Taylor Group

Customer Excellence AwardSponsored by Leonard Curtis Recognising organisations with a focus on customer service and care, this award has been designed for businesses that can demonstrate excellence and commitment in the ever-important area of customer service.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Artezzan Restaurant & Bar n HM Legal n Liverpool John Lennon Airport n Penderyn Distillery n Tours Around Chester

Congratulations to our Winner: n Penderyn Distillery

Excellence in Sustainability AwardSponsored by S. L. Procurement Solutions

This award recognises businesses that are leading the way to a low carbon, low waste and sustainable future.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Cyd Innovation n Less Common Metals n Platts Agriculture Limited n Rhug Wild Beauty

Congratulations to our Winner: n Platts Agriculture Limited

Export & International Trade AwardSponsored by ITAS

This award recognises the strength of exporters in West Cheshire & North Wales. Entrants for this award demonstrated that they have generated significant and/or sustained increases in their export activity.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Consort Precision Diamond n Lavinia Stamps n Less Common Metals

Congratulations to our Winner: n Lavinia Stamps

Business Growth AwardSponsored by NatWest Business Banking

This award recognises those that have experienced exceptional growth in sales, profit, market share, jobs or international trade. Judges looked for an organisation that can demonstrate the highest levels of growth with a strong plan for sustainable financial performance.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Accted Ltd n itas

n The Literacy Company

Congratulations to our Winner: n Accted Ltd

Business of the Year AwardSponsored by Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

This is the premier award for businesses in West Cheshire & North Wales and was open to companies of any size, working in any commercial or industrial sector.

Congratulations to our finalists: n Bathgate Business Finance n Lavinia Stamps n Platts Agriculture Limited n Valto

Congratulations to our Winner: n Bathgate Business Finance

Removing Trade Barriers Key to Boosting Export Growth of UK Businesses

54% of businesses say smoother customs procedures are the key to boosting UK exports.

42% favour lowering tariffs, while 35% said there is a need to reduce regulatory barriers, and 29% want better support for smaller businesses.

Overcoming the new requirements of the TCA has encouraged one-in-ten (9%) UK exporters to Europe to trade with new non-EU markets.

While barriers to trade affect most firms, overcoming recent EU challenges has led some to expand into new markets, a survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and DHL Express has highlighted.

The survey of almost 1,000 UK businesses – 92% SMEs – shows almost half (48%) said the top barriers to exporting were costs and disruption, alongside tariffs (48%), and customs procedures (47%). A further 41% of businesses said regulatory issues such as product certification were a hindrance to trade, and 37% cited political, social, economic or environmental uncertainty.

Only 9% of firms surveyed said their business does not face any barriers to exporting.

The lack of engagement amongst businesses with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is another stumbling block preventing more international sales. Four out of five firms (79%) had not carried out any assessment into what they may need from a trade deal with major international markets. This falls slightly to 69% for UK exporters.

However, businesses want their trading journey to be straightforward and allow them access to new markets with ease and speed. More than half (54%) of respondents said ‘smoother customs procedures’

would be a top priority for future trade deals between the UK and other countries, followed by ‘lowering tariffs’ (42%) and ‘reducing technical barriers’ (35%).

When it comes to trading with the EU, almost two thirds (61%) of UK exporters to the EU say they can meet the requirements of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), while 20% say they can’t.

But overcoming the challenges presented by the TCA has offered growth opportunities in new markets for some businesses.

Of the exporters to the EU that agree they can satisfy the TCA requirements, 9% say they are now trading with new non-EU markets as a result of this, and a further 9% say they will now consider doing so in future. This highlights the opportunities that trade presents for businesses, especially those who show resilience in the face of challenges.

Commenting on the results, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:

“For traders exporting to the EU, speed, efficiency and reduced hassle are even more to the forefront of their minds. The BCC has a plan to cut red tape on UK-EU goods movements. We also have ambitions to boost UK exports across our key global markets through new Single Trade Window developments and trade negotiations.

“While there are challenges currently facing exporting businesses, there are also of course many opportunities. It’s crucial that in the coming years, SME exporters working with trusted logistics partners feel the significant benefits of global trade as we hopefully see the removal of barriers and the opening up of new international markets.”

Ian Wilson, CEO, DHL Express UK said:

“Businesses have been through enormous challenges over the last two years, but they have shown incredible resilience. During times of economic uncertainty, having a presence in a number of markets is an effective way to minimise risk, so we need to ensure that UK businesses are encouraged to keep looking for international trade opportunities.

“Our findings highlight the real priorities traders have for UK trade negotiations with partners across the world, and other trade policy developments. Faster customs processes, tariff reductions, removing technical barriers to trade, focused support for SMEs’ easier labour mobility, and mutual recognition of professional qualifications are the top six issues for the UK’s SME exporters.

“While international trade can be challenging, businesses don’t have to go it alone. We can see from the research that most businesses aren’t aware of what FTAs could mean for them. It’s in everyone’s interest for them to succeed overseas, so we want exporters to feel empowered to talk to Government, their trade bodies and businesses like ours about what support they need.”

n William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC

Selling Overseas – Talking International Trade

Looking to 2023, the Chamber are planning a programme of support targeting International Trade. Whether you’re new to exporting or importing or have some experience of International Trade, our focus is to raise ambition, inspire and on give you the ‘tools to trade’ and grow.

As a Chamber, we offer a range of Export Documentation Services and also a range of International Trade Training Courses. There’s a diverse selection of British Chambers of Commerce accredited courses available, offering a varied curriculum proving invaluable service whether your company is large or small. We can help you to navigate some of the key areas; Incoterms, Commodity Codes, Customs Procedures and Documentation and Rules of Origin and support your business trade ambitions.

New developments for 2023 include a series of ‘bitesize’ regular online International Trade Briefings, these will cover a range of topics and themes. The objective is to

provide takeaways and learning whether you’re new to export or want to breakdown terminology or navigate the landscape of new documentation. We will consider new markets and explore our worldwide access to the Chamber of Commerce Global Business Network.

We are also planning a series of quarterly ‘face to face’ International Trade Forums; commencing in March with a collaborative event with Innovate UK Edge https://www. innovateukedge.ukri.org/. These sessions will provide the chance to hear from guest speakers and experts but also experienced companies who will offer their perspective. You can also have the benefit of networking

and sharing experiences and challenges and learning together.

Our key aims and objectives are to enable you to trade successfully in the international arena, if you aspire to do so we can support you on that journey.

To find out more, drop us an email or take a look at the content on the website to book.

Email: internationaltrade@wcnwchamber.org.uk Website: https://wcnwchamber.org.uk/exporting/ Events: https://portal.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events. html

Business confidence declines significantly

- Quarterly Economic Survey Q3 2022

The BCC’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q3 2022 shows a significant decline of key economic indicators, with weakening structural business conditions and confidence a cause for concern.

The QES is the UK’s largest independent survey of business sentiment and a leading indicator of UK GDP growth. The survey took place between August 22 and September 16, prior to Rishi Sunak being named Prime Minister and the Autumn Budget.

The survey of over 5,200 firms – 92% of whom are SMEs – reveals there have been significant declines for indicators of business sales, cashflow, and profit expectations.

All indicators of business conditions and confidence have fallen significantly from Q2

More businesses are now seeing their cashflow decreasing, instead of increasing. One in three (32%) firms reported reduced cashflow over the last three months, while 23% reported an increase.

Indicators for business confidence have plummeted; less than half (44%) of firms expect their turnover to increase over the next 12 months, while 25% expect a

In Focus With Equals Money

Below we hear from Chamber member Equals Money on their response to the Chamber Business Report for Q3 2022 and the wider BCC QES.

Introductions

My name is Ashley Salisbury and I’m a Regional Sales Manager for Equals Money, based out of Chester. Equals Money is a part of Equals Group PLC which is AIM-listed on the London Stock Exchange. Equals Money is a challenger in the payments sector catering to both business and retail customers.

How has the relationship with the chamber been so far?

Equals Money have a great relationship with

decrease. Those expecting an increase are down ten percentage points from 54% in Q2.

Profitability confidence has dropped to an even lower level; only one in three (33%) businesses believe their profits will increase over the coming year, while 39% now expect a decrease. This is the lowest level since Q4 2020 at the height of the Covid crisis.

Unsurprisingly, firms are not upping investment in their business. Only 22% reported an increase to plant/equipment investment in the past three months, while 57% reported no change, and 22% reported a decrease.

Business activity is taking a hit, with fewer firms reporting increased sales

Only 33% of firms reported an increase in domestic sales over the past three months, a sharp decline from the Q2 level of 41%. 24% of firms reported a decrease in sales.

The outlook is particularly bleak for the retail and wholesale sector. The sector is now in its second quarter of negative territory; with far more businesses reporting a decrease in sales rather than an increase. 25% of retail/wholesale firms reported an increase in domestic sales, while 39% reported a decrease.

Alongside the retail and wholesale sector, other sectors are also struggling; almost three-quarters (71%) of hospitality businesses

reported they are operating below capacity. Inflationary pressures are showing no signs of letting up

The percentage of firms expecting their prices to rise over the coming months (62%) remains close to last quarter’s record high. 84% of firms also cite inflation as a growing concern to their business – by far the highest level on record. A rising proportion (37%) are also worried about interest rates.

David Bharier, Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

“This quarter’s results point to a significant decline in business confidence, with a clear shift downwards in many of the key indicators we track. Every sector has seen a falling proportion of firms reporting increased domestic sales, with the retail and wholesale sector particularly affected.

“Diminishing sales coupled with soaring inflation is a toxic mix, and many firms are no longer looking to the future with optimism. Profitability and turnover confidence for the next year have dipped significantly since the last quarter. Both measures are heading towards levels not seen since the onset of the Covid crisis.

“Businesses now desperately need to see economic stability in order to rebuild the confidence to invest.”

You’ve indicated that sales and orders have increased over the last three months. Are there any specific reasons behind this?

Yes, Equals Money has had a good past year, Equals Group PLC (the greater entity of Equals Money) has seen an 84% growth in revenue at £31.3 million. In addition to the strong financial performance, we’re continuing to invest in our product development, customer marketing, frontoffice staff resources, and compliance capabilities.

Looking forward, how do you see the next 12 months?

the Chamber, we regularly attend Chamber events and lunches and have relationships with members with international footprints. We have found the Chamber to be a great way to connect with local businesses.

“It’s good to deal with a local company like Equals Money who offer a friendly, personal, and efficient service along with great rates”

- Lavinia Stamps, WCNW Chamber Export & International Trade Award Winners 2022

Given the uncertain times we are currently living in, I see the next 12 months to be a challenge for many businesses. With the UK now officially in a recession, companies like Equals Money will likely see an impact on sales with the cost of living crisis having a direct correlation to the cost of doing business.

www.equalsmoney.com

Ashley Salisbury, Regional Sales Manager at Equals Money

Almost half of SMEs facing April cliff-edge on energy bills

A new British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey has found almost half of SMEs say they will find it difficult to pay their energy bills once the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme ends on 31st March 2023.

A further 4% say they will not be able to pay their energy bills at all, while 37% predict they will find it difficult to pay even when they are in receipt of Government support.

Over four in ten (41%) SMEs disagreed that tariffs available the last time they renewed their contract were affordable. A further 29% said a range of tariff options was not available, while almost a quarter (24%) did not feel it was easy to change providers.

A quarter of SMEs surveyed had renewed their electricity tariff since April 2022, while 22% had renewed their gas.

SMEs that renewed their energy tariffs after April 2022 report more difficulties

“With over 5.5 million SMEs across the UK, if this was replicated on a national level, over 220,000 small and medium-sized businesses would be in danger.

“While current Government support is welcome, there is a cliff-edge looming, and firms will struggle to see beyond it. They need certainty on what will happen in April so they can plan with increased confidence.

47% of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) say it will be difficult to pay their energy bills when Government support ends

4% say they will not be able to pay their energy bills after 31 March 2023

Energy cost is the number one priority for businesses

Over four in ten (41%) SMEs disagreed that tariffs available the last time they renewed contracts were affordable

These firms were more likely to struggle to pay their energy bills going forward with 60% saying they will face difficulties paying after March 2023, and 7% saying they won’t be able to pay at all. Over half (51%) will find it difficult to pay their bills between now and the end of March, during the period of the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme.

SMEs who had renewed their tariffs since April 2022 also faced greater difficulties during the renewal process; 69% disagreed that the tariffs available to them were affordable, while almost half (47%) disagreed that there was a range of tariff options available.

Commenting on the findings, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said:

“Energy costs are the number one business concern, with 55% of firms saying it should be a top priority for the new Prime Minister.

“It’s clearly worrying that almost half of SMEs say they will face difficulties paying their energy bills once the Government support runs out. But what is, perhaps, even more concerning is that 4% said that they will not be able to pay their bills at all after March 31.

“Government should not forget those businesses that will not benefit from a new energy package but will continue to require support once the current scheme ends. There are other levers that Government can pull to relieve cost pressures, such as a reform of Business Rates to compensate firms that see energy support reduced or phased out.

“There is also a lack of competitiveness in the business energy market. Firms are struggling to get quotes from different providers, and they are not guaranteed access to fixed-rate contracts.

“Ofgem should be given more power to strengthen regulation of the energy market for businesses, ensuring suppliers offer fixed-rate contracts to business customers, and that competitiveness is increased.”

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC

The World of Rare Earth Elements and Permanent Magnets

Over the last decade, there has been a burst of technology from mobile phones to laptops and in more recent years, ‘greener’ technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles.

All these devices require permanent magnets to function and to manufacture permanent magnets critical minerals such as rare earth elements are typically mined from the Earth’s crust.

The mine-to-magnet supply chain commonly consists of six steps:

1. Mining of rare earth elements 2. Chemical processing known as ‘cracking’ 3. Separation of rare earths into individual oxides/salts 4. Production of rare earth metals 5. Melting and casting of rare earths together with other metals into alloys for magnet production

6. Processing of alloy into permanent magnets

Less Common Metals (LCM), based in Ellesmere Port, is responsible for step 4 and 5 in the supply chain and are situated in the midstream. To add, LCM is the only company in the western world commercially producing the highly specialised strip cast alloys needed to produce the highest performance neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets. NdFeB magnets are the most powerful permanent magnets commercially available, to put things into perspective, they are ten times stronger than your average fridge magnet.

Recently, demand for NdFeB permanent magnets has increased due to playing a key

part in environmentally friendly technologies such as electric vehicles and wind power. Each electric vehicle contains around 2kg – 2.5kg of NdFeB magnets which means the pressure is going to rise as Governments push for a “greener” way of life. These strong magnets are also found in car speakers, electric brakes, starter generators, drive motors, sensors, and ignition cells. With a huge portion of the market being controlled by one country in particular (China holds 90% control over the market), it can be difficult to find an alternative sustainable supply chain.

LCM participates in a diverse range of European and UK-funded projects focussed on product and process development. These projects allow LCM to look forward to future technologies and ensure that we continue to be active participants in the European academic, research, and development communities.

These projects specifically include work on the development of sustainable European sources of rare earths, extraction, and recycling of rare earths, new materials for hydrogen storage systems, and development of new methods to produce Scandium-Aluminium alloys for aerospace applications.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the demand for green technology is rising and in order to meet the demand, more permanent magnets need to be produced in a sustainable way. There is no logic behind the production of permanent magnets for green technologies being churned out in an unsustainable manner just to meet targets.

There are many challenges companies in the rare earth industry face especially cheap supply from abroad. LCM only works with worldwide reputable companies who are required to fill in a declaration form to prove where their material has come from. Unfortunately, with a disconnected society, it can be difficult to explain to end-users the importance of purchasing a product that has been manufactured via a sustainable supply chain. Typically, this will cost more, and it poses the question to society if they are willing to pay more for an item knowing it has been made via an environmentally friendly route and all of the components have been sourced sustainably.

Global magnet buyers have stated they need alternatives but historically have been reluctant to pay premiums over Chinese prices. Any supply chain needs to be competitive, and this can only be achieved by ensuring each step in the chain is as lowcost as possible and by establishing close collaboration between all participants.

LCM is continuously searching to secure a sustainable and independent supply chain, to follow LCM in this mission, meet the team behind the factory gates and learn more about rare earth elements follow LCM on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The LCM site in Ellesmere Port

Children Today Charitable Trust looking for help to give the Gift of Togetherness this Christmas

Children Today is a Chesterbased charity, providing disabled children and young adults with information, support and specialist equipment – such as adapted trikes, sensory equipment, tough furniture and more – to help them live the lives they choose, today!

when he’s out and about, exploring. We call him our ‘Curious George’ after the cartoon character!”

Cody’s family reached out to Children Today for support, and the charity was able to help provide an adapted trike, meaning he can finally join his younger brother, Logan, and the rest of his family on bike rides.

Alisha continues: “Having the trike has made a huge difference to us as a family. Simply being able to all go out on bike rides together is a major thing for us and watching Cody being able to play with his brother, Logan, is just amazing.

“The first week we got the trike we went to a local park, and for the first time ever we were able to just sit back and watch Cody play with Logan and his cousins, knowing he was safe. Usually we have to carefully supervise his every move, so seeing him have the freedom to play and be more independent was a very emotional moment.”

two thirds of all information, such as the qualifications of their managers, or more general claims such as being specialist or professional. Next came information about how trustworthy or supportive the business was but some firms provided little and sometimes no information here. Dr Wang commented, ‘Small firms are often stereotyped as being less competent than their bigger rivals so emphasising competence makes sense. What was worrying was that many forgot to mention warmth.’

Individuals will use whatever information they can when making their initial judgments as potential customers, employees or suppliers. Failure to provide any or only general information risks people jumping to conclusions, which can be negative. Trust judgements are important, and companies should help people reach a positive verdict.

For many of the children and families we support the idea of a Boxing Day walk, a New Year bike ride or even sitting together to eat Christmas dinner together is a distant dream. This Christmas, we want to give even more families the gift of togetherness.

Children like Cody, from Ellesmere Port, who’s adapted trike has given him and his family the chance to make memories together.

Cody – who his family affectionately call ‘Cody Bear’ – has multiple conditions including Autism, Epilepsy, Global Development Delay (GDD) and ADHD.

His mum, Alisha Thomas, says: “As a family we love cycling, but obviously our ‘Cody Bear’ can’t ride a regular bike as it wouldn’t be safe for him. Not only is he at risk of having a seizure, but he has the mental age of a three-year-old, so has little danger awareness.

“Cody is an absolute whirlwind and has so much energy, so it can be a challenge to keep him busy and entertained at home. He loves the outdoors and is never happier than

If you would like to know more please email sarah@childrentoday.org.uk or ring 07950 730 576 or visit our website www.childrentoday.org.uk.

What Small Businesses Must Tell their Markets

When we meet a new group of people we judge them immediately for three things, how ‘warm’ (friendly, trustworthy) and ‘competent’ (efficient, effective) and how ‘prestigious’ (up-market, middle market) they appear to be. Well tested theory maintains that we inherited this reaction from our ancient ancestors. Those who failed to make such judgements, or got them wrong, did not survive. So we make the same judgements today including about small businesses claims Dr Dian Wang who recently completed his doctorate at the University of Chester. His work analysed what nearly 200 small businesses said about themselves by interviewing their owner-managers or analysing their websites.

He found that many did not communicate about their warmth and many more their status. Competence communication predominated accounting for nearly

And what about prestige or status? Surely not everyone needs to consider talking about this? Not so argues Dr Wang, ‘If you are an accountant or a lawyer, for example, people want to know what kind of people you regularly deal with so they can decide whether you are for them’. He added,’ However, my work shows that status is a tricky area as promoting an image for being prestigious can imply high prices, which can be off-putting. Employees like working for a high status business but it’s the customer who pays the wages.’

Finally, Dr Wang advises that businesses should be specific in their claims, providing evidence where they can, of accreditation, testimonials, or qualifications, rather than use great sounding phrases such as ‘we believe the customer is always right’.

Dian Wang is now a lecturer at Bangor College in Changsha China

Cody’s trike can also attached to his Dad, Ste’s, bike.

How the Employee Ownership Trust Offers the Ideal Exit Strategy at ZERO Tax

The Latest Triumph for Employee Ownership

The initiative to introduce the EOT through Schedule 37 of Finance Act 2014 emerged from the Coalition Government as the single most significant triumph in the development of employee ownership since Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) and the Share Incentive Plan (SIP) were introduced by New Labour in 2000. Unlike EMI and the SIP, which deliver direct employee share ownership to individual employees, the EOT offers indirect employee share ownership.

The unique feature of the EOT is that the sponsoring company’s shares are held in a discretionary trust as a collective arrangement for the long-term benefit of the company’s total workforce in stabilising the company’s ownership structure and securing its independence.

Although different in kind from EMI and the SIP, either of these two scheme arrangements can, if the company so chooses, operate alongside the EOT and offer direct employee share ownership to complement the collective ownership by the EOT.

Notably, the grant of EMI options to senior employees, properly implemented and communicated, can act as a motivational empowerment for executives, thereby ensuring that the shareholder succession is matched by a management succession that is so essential for a successful exit. Nevertheless, the EOT can operate without any accompanying taxadvantaged (tax-approved) employee share schemes, and still offer, courtesy of its own 2014 legislation, if the company so decrees, tax-free bonuses to its employees.

The Headline Capital Gains Tax Exemption: ZERO Tax Charge for the Selling Shareholders

Under Section 236M, TCGA 1992, the Controlling Interest Requirement secures a complete exemption from capital gains tax for the seller of the shares for the sale of the 51% (or more, up to 100%) controlling share interest to the EOT in a defined single tax year. This exemption is available for persons who are not companies.

Provided the statutory requirements are met, notably that the shares are in a trading company or the parent company of a trading group, then the capital gains tax exemption is available to an unlimited extent. The fact that the exemption is unlimited is a particularly attractive feature, even if the seller has access to Business Asset Disposal Relief, for the simple reason that the sale of shares to the EOT attracts zero capital gains tax on an unlimited amount of value.

The Income Tax Exemption for Qualifying Bonus Payments to Employees

Chapter 10A within Part 4 of ITEPA 2003, introduced as a new EOT insertion, is devoted to the rules for the tax-free status which accord to qualifying bonus payments to employees. The tax-free status is given as an exemption from income tax for up to £3,600 for each employee in any given tax year, operated for all employees on a same-terms basis.

Although it is the establishment of the EOT that provides the opportunity for the company to introduce qualifying bonus payments, it is the company that pays the qualifying bonus payments to the employees and not the EOT trustees.

The Deferred Consideration

The Sale and Purchase Agreement for the sale of the shares is between the existing shareholders and the EOT trustees acting on behalf of the EOT. Although the company is not a party to this agreement, it is the company that funds the EOT through an arrangement that must be non-binding in order to ensure that monies received by the EOT from the company are not subject to income tax.

The whole of the sale proceeds, linked to the whole company value, will be paid to the existing shareholders immediately following the sale if the EOT has the available funds, albeit supplied by the company. Alternatively, though, the sale proceeds may be paid as a series of deferred consideration payments over whatever time-period is manageable for the company to fund the EOT.

Given that the deferred consideration does not have to appear on the balance sheet, the creditworthy status of the company is protected in the eyes of the business community. This piecemeal payment profile is an appealing feature for a company that, at the actual date of the sale transaction, does not have the full amount of the available cash to fund the EOT.

The Growing Popularity

Since 2014, 1030 companies have taken the EOT route to a company sale. The ownership by the EOT of the shares of the company in perpetuity stabilizes the independence of the company and reinforces the employees’ confidence of continuing employment. In a consultation on exit, as well as discussing the advantages of the EOT, discussion should also be given to the Employee Share Trust (“EST”) which allows a more gradual sale approach over several years. The capital gains tax rate for the sale of shares to the EST (as distinct from the EOT) is the Business Asset Disposal Relief rate of 10%.

David Craddock, M.A. (Oxon.) is a recognised authority in the UK and worldwide on employee share schemes and the author of Tolley’s Guide to Employee Share Schemes.

In this article, David identifies the role that the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) can fulfil in facilitating the ideal tax-efficient and cost-effective exit strategy as an alternative to a trade sale or an initial public offering.

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

THE CHANGING FACE OF OUR REGIONS’ COMMERCIAL MARKET

As major investors in commercial development, FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) has built an impressive portfolio valued at £1bn, spanning more than 1,000 properties with 15m sq ft of lettable space. Through its rapidly expanding estate, FIREM has brought a wealth of superior, well connected and multi-functional commercial space to market, with a number of flagship industrial zones set to transform the West Cheshire and North Wales markets.

Bringing 2.2m sq ft of new build commercial space to Wrexham

In 2021, FIREM broke ground on the first of its new build sites at Wrexham Industrial Estate, marking a milestone in the creation of 38 acres of new build commercial space. Transformational for the North Wales market, the investment brought with it a commitment to provide high quality developments for domestic and global businesses and bring a significant employment boost for the town.

Just 18 months later, building work has now completed at two of FIREM’s new build sites, totalling 25,000 sq ft and 45,000 sq ft respectively, with the latter occupied by North Wales logistics specialists, Gorton Brothers. Taking a 15-year lease, Gorton Brothers’ move to the new space will enable the business to consolidate and expand its operations with increased storage and distribution capability.

A spokesperson for Gorton Brothers commented: “The success of our business relies on investments such as FI’s, which increases our options for high quality space where we can improve and expand our business. It’s really important that these investments are part of a bigger picture for the local economy because it’s not just simply a case of supporting local businesses but also attracting businesses from elsewhere, which bring a valuable boost to employment.”

FIREM’s wider investment plans for Wrexham Industrial Estate comprise a total of 2.2m sq ft of new build commercial space with roadside retail, leisure, industrial and trade counter units. Sites in the pipeline include Wrexham Point, where construction is underway on the creation of 11 units ranging from 800 sq. ft to 6,000 sq. ft. Future plans also include a detailed planning application for a single 150,000 sq ft unit as well as the proposed redevelopment of

the Bridgeway Centre on Bridge Road to create new industrial units ranging from 900 sq ft to 8,400 sq ft for small and large businesses.

FIREM’s presence in Wrexham also includes the acquisition of 833,000 sq ft warehousing company, F.Lloyd (Penley) Ltd, in April 2021 and a multi-let, twoacre site which includes 13 units totalling 21,000 sq ft.

Brand new flexible commercial space in Northwich

2022 has seen the creation of a brand new business park in Northwich, FIREM’s Winnington Business Park where the developer has created 113,201 sq ft of multi-let trade and industrial units. Neighbouring the new Winnington Urban Village and with easy access to the M56, M6 and M60, this brand new development brings flexible commercial space to Northwich with eight blocks spanning a 7.5-acre site. Units start at 807 sq ft, offering a variety of start-up, trade and industrial space with full blocks available in their entirety, providing larger enterprises with up to 55,260 sq ft. Fulfilling its commitment to continually elevate the quality of commercial space available, FIREM is offering a bespoke fit-out service at Winnington Business Park with all units coming complete with dedicated parking, roller shutter doors and EV charging points.

Creating a positive impact for the community

Wrexham Industrial Estate and Winnington Business Park are being built by FI Construction, an approach that has ensured consistency in design and delivery as well as continuity in the vision for the new commercial developments. The team at FI Construction have also

developed a social value strategy, through which it works with local education providers to create opportunities for training for local people. In Wrexham, FIREM and FI Construction are working closely with Wrexham Council and Glyndwr University to provide opportunities for local people, as well as a range of tangible community and social benefits.

Tim Knowles, Managing Director of FI Real Estate Management, commented: “Our vision is to create a supply of high quality space for businesses to grow, diversify and innovate, and with this we have the opportunity of helping to create employment in the areas in which we develop. We are proud to take this one step further and, in partnership with the team at FI Construction, use construction as a means of training the future workforce. In doing so, we ensure that our investment has a tangible social and economic benefit for the local community.”

Long-term strategic investment across North Wales

FIREM boasts an impressive development pipeline with seven new sites under development totalling 775,645 sq ft, with a further 5m sq ft of land also being targeted for acquisition by 2026. As part of this wider investment, FIREM is also exploring development opportunities in Caldicot, Ebbw Vale, Cwmfelinfach, Cwmbran, Caernarfon and Deeside. All plans form part of the business’ strategy to boost local economies through the provision of high quality commercial property.

How Small Businesses can Lead the Charge to Net Zero

Our relationship with the world around us continues to change on a daily basis. People care a lot more about the impact we’re having on the environment than they did a couple of decades ago, with green schemes, sustainability drives and heightened social pressure to take care of the world we share.

Planning for the future

For all businesses, including SMEs, there’s a sense of expectancy to ensure you’re doing everything you can to keep your carbon emissions and other harmful environmental outputs to a minimum. If you run an SME and are unsure exactly how to do that, below are some tips to get you started on this journey.

Understanding your carbon emissions

The first step on your sustainability journey and road to net zero is understanding how you and your business create carbon emissions. A great starting point is taking part in Carbon Literacy Training, a course certified by the United Nations. The course provides organisations with an awareness of the climate-related costs and impacts of their activities and the ability and motivation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a fantastic way to get everyone in your business on the same page before taking the necessary steps to measure and reduce your carbon emissions.

Earlier this year, research revealed that 87% of UK SMEs are unaware of their business’s total carbon emissions. In order to take action to reduce emissions, you need to understand and measure where they’re sourced from in the first place, through the measurement of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. The three scopes are a way of categorising the different kinds

of emissions a company creates in its own operations and in its wider value chain. The scopes come from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which is the world’s most widely-used greenhouse gas accounting standard.

How to reduce your carbon footprint?

Once you have a better understanding of how your company creates carbon emissions and have successfully measured. The next step is to look at all aspects of your business from waste disposal methods to travel plans for staff members. There are numerous ways to reduce your carbon footprint, below are three top tips that you could start to implement:

1. Reduce the commute or make it sustainable, employees commuting to the office or to in-person meetings adds up to your business’s carbon emissions. From encouraging biking and carpooling to offering incentives that reduce the costs of public transportation, and buying or using electric vehicles.

2. Make the switch to a green energy supplier, the easiest way to banish fossil fuels from your business is by switching to a green energy supplier.

3. Green your pension scheme, switch to a fund that aims to earn interest for its savers through investment in environmentallypositive, low-carbon companies.

While plans for hitting zero net carbon emissions by 2050 might seem far away now, it’s a good idea to make sure your business is sustainable in the long run. What’s more, making moves towards zero net emissions in the meantime may prepare you for any government penalties once new laws are introduced. Once you have begun putting plans in place, it is important to look to the future and the bigger changes you could make. This can be done through reduction planning, a basic carbon reduction plan is a great starting point for most small businesses and is a key long-term strategy to minimise your carbon footprint. Your zero net emissions strategy may change year on year, depending on circumstances, so it’s best practice to stay ahead of any speedbumps and understand your progress. You don’t want your strategy to become stagnant and end up losing out as a result.

The benefits to your business

Once you successfully start your journey to net zero, there will be an array of benefits to your business. A 2021 British Chambers of Commerce survey found that only 11% of respondents measure the carbon footprint of their business. The study suggests that knowing your carbon footprint and reducing it could give you a competitive advantage over other businesses with some customers increasingly interested in a business’s sustainability credentials, from the packaging of products to the carbon footprint of produce.

Becoming a net zero business may be attractive for investors and shareholders looking for companies with a long-term sustainable strategy. Investors may be attracted to smaller businesses that are less reliant on fossil fuels, as business operations are less likely to be disrupted in the event of supply problems.

It’s important not to become overwhelmed on your journey to net zero, celebrate every change (no matter how small). Remember it is always better to be doing something than doing nothing at all.

NEW MEMBERS Welcome to WCNW Chamber of Commerce

NEW MEMBERS Welcome to WCNW Chamber of Commerce

Digital Dragons Global

101 Princess Court

Marine Road Colwyn Bay Conwy County Borough LL29 8PX 01782 694542

Fieldway Wealth Management Ltd

Rodney Chambers 40 Rodney Street Liverpool Merseyside L1 9AA 01519 530090 https://fieldwaywm.co.uk/

Foster4 Recruitment Hub

1 Times Square Warrington Cheshire WA1 2NT 07581 045806

Hexagon Data Services Limited

6th Floor 49 Peter Street Manchester Greater Manchester M2 3NG

Hipswing

Unit 10 Oasis Business Park Road One Winsford Cheshire CW7 3RY 03301 224321 http://www.hipswing.co.uk

HL Financial

30 Handbridge Chester Cheshire CH4 7JE 01244 478007 https://hlfinancial.co.uk/

Insight Leadership Solutions Ltd 07593 362919 https://insightleadershipsolutions.co.uk/ home/

Inspire Excellence UK Limited 07535 940305 https://inspireexcellence.co.uk/

Inspiring futures CIC

Unit 3 Chester Boxers Lightfoot Business Centre Lightfoot street Chester Cheshire CH2 3AD 07710 465653

Laura Anne Hospitality Consultant Ltd

11 FRON HEULOG Hawarden Deeside CH5 3GG 07854 918405 https://www.lauraanneconsulting.co.uk/

Les Milne Property Brynfa Forden Welshpool Powys SY21 8LX 07712 624395

Maira Azhar Photography

Cheshire 07379 905153 www.mairaazharphotography.com

Motrac Research Engineering Ltd.

Building 105, Thornton Science Park Pool lane, Ince Chester Cheshire CH2 4NU 01244 568925 https://www.motracresearch.com/

NTG Training

Mallard House The Sidings Boundary Lane Chester Cheshire CH4 8RD 01244 678100 https://ntgtraining.co.uk/

OpsPal Ltd

14 Silverstone Drive Buckley Flintshire CH7 2QQ 07398 894678 https://opspal.co.uk

Palm Accountancy 07702 162954

Positive Planet

Bonded Warehouse 18 Lower Byrom Street Manchester Greater Manchester M3 4AP 01617 688555 https://positiveplanet.uk/

RCS

RCS - Wellbeing for Work

The Hub 69-71 Wellington Road Rhyl Denbighshire LL18 1BE 01745 336442 http://rcs-wales.co.uk

Satori People Development 07921 336238

SHEQ Aspen Thorn

Spinnaker House 141 Sefton Street Liverpool Merseyside L8 5SN 07525 591232 https://www.sheq-aspenthorn.co.uk/

Signix Business Consulting 07394 319725 https://signixconsulting.co.uk

Squeaky Pedal 07876 263249 http://www.squeakypedal.co.uk

Tegla Furniture Company

Ruthin Road Llandegla Wrexham Denbighshire LL11 3AB 07740 191319 https://www.tegla.co.uk

The Hive Collaborative

Prospect House Factory Road Sandycroft Deeside Flintshire CH5 2QJ 01352 781965 https://hivecollaborative.co.uk/

The Littler Places Art 07903 544850 https://thelittlerplaces.co.uk/

The Page Group

6th Floor The Plaza 100 Old Hall Street Liverpool Merseyside L3 9QJ 07779 568778 https://www.page.com/home-page

The Source Academy LTD

104 Stanney Lane Ellesmere Port Chester Cheshire CH65 9AG 07711 583473 https://www.thesourceconsultancy.co.uk

Type

on

Data

Ltd

07958 130729 https://typeondata.co.uk/

UP SEO 01978 337078 https://upseo.co.uk/

Validus Property Consultants Ltd

Hanover Business Centre

The Roe St. Asaph Denbighshire LL17 0LT 01745 335236 http://www.validuspc.co.uk

Venue Cymru

Promenade Llandudno Conwy County Borough LL30 1BB 01492 879771 http://www.venuecymru.co.uk

WhizzMind 07496 818377 https://www.whizzmind.com/

Quadruple Award Win for PA Whizz

“Not only does it offer clients a hugely valuable insight into who the most competent lawyers in the region are, it also provides us with a fantastic benchmark to judge how we compare to the larger firms in the region – and across the UK.

“At Aaron & Partners, we’re always confident our people and teams will be well ranked, and this year has shown once again why that is.

“Looking in detail at the rankings, there are so many extremely positive results and our teams and individuals have done incredibly well.

“Seeing 18 practice areas listed among the top tier and recommended listings is something we can take tremendous pride in.

National award-winner, Michelle Collins, owner of Pink Spaghetti PA Services Chester & North Wales, has returned from the Annual Pink Conference with not one but four awards, including Franchisee of the Year Award sponsored by Moneypenny.

The quadruple award winner is a Small Business Saturday #SmallBiz100 Alumni and is also proud to have taken home the People’s Choice, Consistency Award and the bronze award for turnover despite the stiff competition from over 60 franchisees. Michelle credits her success to understanding her strengths, and that she is a capable businesswoman who regularly seeks opportunities to develop both her own skills as well as those of her team.

Hollie Broadhead, Business Development Executive at Moneypenny said of the Conference; “Moneypenny were delighted to attend Pink Spaghetti’s Annual Conference and present the very welldeserved Franchisee of the Year award to the wonderful, Michelle Collins. The franchise network is full of inspiring and highly successful businesswomen, and I was impressed by the hard work & commitment they all share. We often recommend our clients who need more VA and secretarial support to Pink Spaghetti, and we do so with absolute confidence!

Picking up multiple awards on the evening demonstrates Michelle’s positive impact in the business and how valued her work is amongst the network.”

With over 7 years under their belt in the industry, Michelle and her team are looking forward to helping small businesses in Chester

and North Wales for many years to come by providing the 25th hour in the day so many people desperately need.

“Finally, I know I speak on behalf of all our Partners when I say how wonderful it is to read so many glowing testimonials about our staff, the services we provide, and the outcomes delivered. It’s a true testament to everyone’s hard work at the firm – and their commitment and expertise in their respective areas of law.”

Aaron & Partners’ Corporate and Commercial team retained its Tier 1 status, with Stuart ScottGoldstone commended for continuing to develop the firm’s expertise in the technology, renewable energy and care sectors. The listing added that the group maintains its reputation for handling complex transactions involving owner-managed businesses around the country. The team was highlighted for being “quick to respond, extremely proactive and [giving] clear, concise and commercial advice”.

Aaron & Partners has been ranked as one of the country’s top legal firms after almost 40 of its lawyers were mentioned by name in the new Legal 500 list.

The Chester-based firm has reinforced its position as one of the very best in Cheshire and the North West, as well as Shropshire and the West Midlands, after the release of the prestigious industry guide recognising the nation’s best professionals.

Among this year’s achievements were the Corporate and Commercial and Dispute Resolution departments being ranked in the top Tier 1 status, with a further 16 practice areas also gaining ‘recommended’ status in the guide.

The 38 lawyers, who are located across offices in Chester, Manchester and Shrewsbury, received a combined total of 47 individual rankings in different categories.

Nick Clarke, Senior Partner at Aaron & Partners, said: “The Legal 500 ranking release has become a real highlight in the calendar for us.

Aaron & Partners ranked as one of country’s top legal firms

Nick Clarke, Senior Partner at Aaron & Partners

Michelle Collins, Owner of Pink Spaghetti PA Services Chester & North Wales, pictured holding the Franchisee of the Year Award.

Adoption Matters celebrate adoption orders made during the Covid-19 pandemic

Children’s charity and leading voluntary adoption agency, Adoption Matters based in Chester, have held celebration events to commemorate adoption orders made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Families from across the North of England, Stoke and Shropshire were invited to the events held in Warrington, Leeds, Blackburn and Durham.

Our Cheshire, Warrington and Manchester event was held at the beautiful Walton and Hall Gardens.

Adoption celebration events usually take place after the court hearing that has granted an adoption order and the event involves adoptive families visiting the court and meeting the judge, who will then present a certificate and invite families and friends to take photos.

Unfortunately, these events were unable to take place during the pandemic, so the children’s charity wanted to offer something to the families who missed out on this celebration.

Just over 160 adoption orders were granted for Adoption Matters families during the Covid-19 pandemic (from March 2019 to early

2022) and they were all invited to attend.

The celebrations offered a variety of activities for families and children, marked with a commemorative tree planting.

Adoption Matters Chief Executive, Susy White, commented: “Adoption celebration events are such an important event for adopters. Most families have their own ways

of celebrating their adoption milestones each year, but we really wanted to offer our families who missed out on their court celebration events a special moment for them and their extended families and friends to celebrate together with our teams, who share in their joy of celebrating their families.”

For more information about Adoption Matters, please visit: www.adoptionmatters.org

Climate Challenge Hub

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it will soon be launching a Climate Challenge Hub which aims to support businesses in the region on the journey to Net Zero.

The hub will involve a dedicated support area on the Chamber’s website as well as a series of events held throughout 2023 which will give attendees guidance on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

To register your interest, please scan the QR code and complete the short survey.

Families have been presented with Adoption Celebration Event Teddies and Certificates

My Journey From Computer Code to Campfires in the Wilderness

What am I passionate about? That’s simple, my passion is the transformative power of nature, but not in a ‘hippy dippy’ tie-dyed kind of way, but as a measured practical tool in our busy lives. My passion for the role nature plays in our mental health, wellbeing and productivity is what has sent me on my journey from computer code to campfires.

In a past but not-so-distant life I worked in digital marketing, and like many people working in digital marketing, I was guilty of burning the candle at both ends (and probably in the middle too). Over a career that stretched over 20 years, this was always something that resonated with me as being a tad unhealthy.

Despite donning a shiny suit each day at work, I would regularly change into my scruffs and go out into the woods to connect with nature. This helped balance the stress of my role and enabled me to perform at my best.

I started to reflect on why nature was having such a profound effect on the lives of myself and the other hard-working professionals and business owners that I knew. We were all drawn to spend time in, and more importantly, connect with nature.

There are many ways to connect with nature and my chosen way was by practicing bushcraft and ancestral skills. A requirement of engaging with these traditional practices is slowing down and being mindful of your surroundings. You must also be self-aware both physically and emotionally. In my experience, I have found that those who connect to nature through bushcraft and ancestral skills tend to feel more personal benefit, than those who carry out high adrenaline activity outdoors.

As discussed, my background was in marketing. Therefore, as a data ‘geek’ I was not content with simply knowing that being in nature made me feel good. Most of us would agree that being within nature can give us a feeling of wellbeing. However, I was more interested in digging down into why this is and how this can be used in a business setting to improve the performance and wellness of my teams. As a result, I started to study the science behind it more thoroughly.

Fast forward three years and my passion for the transformative effect of nature has led me to set up Wilderness Tribe. Originally a side project, this is now my full-time role and spans two sites across England and Wales with a team of six facilitators.

We started by running programmes for the NHS focused on Adult Mental Health. This meant we could assess and record quantitative data from the sessions as well as anecdotal journal entries and observations. This hard data focused on the levels of difficulties that the person was experiencing in between the sessions. This was then split into three areas; emotional, peer, conduct and hyperactivity.

Our research showed that on average over an eight-week programme, which included nature connection and the use of personcentred therapeutic approaches, a person’s difficulty scores were reduced by almost 20% and their positive social skills increased by 7%. On top of this, we found that the people on our programmes displayed higher levels of resilience, self-awareness and emotional literacy.

These projects are seeing great results and over 150 adults have already come through the programme in the first year. Obviously, post covid the need for mental health intervention has never been greater and this programme continues to go from strength to strength to this day.

A revelation has been hearing the stories of the people on our courses who were burning out at work, and whose relationships were being affected by their lack of work/life balance. Isolation was also caused by home working. The list went on… It became clear that “Workplace problems are just people problems with a different hat on.”

Building leadership and team development services have always been on our wish list but

we understood that business clients would want more luxury than the compost loo and flask of tea that our original site had to offer!

As the project grew so did our story and we were approached by a 50-acre outdoor site near Ellesmere Port, easily accessible from both the North West and North Wales. Our new site has top-notch facilities, all weather classrooms (and 2 naughty alpacas named Pumpkin and Pickle, but that’s another story!).

Securing the new site enables us to bring the same measured approach which has been so successful in the delivery of our mental health programmes, to our team development and leadership packages. We are looking forward to offering these new products to businesses from January 2023 and would love to get your feedback about what challenges local businesses face.

The team at Wilderness Tribe are super excited about what the new year has in store for us. We look forward to meeting more of you at Chamber events, so look out for the team in their green t-shirts and say hello at a networking event soon!

The naughty Alpacas being fed by Director Chris Grice