West Cheshire & North Wales Magazine March 2022 by Benham Publishing Limited

Together, We’re Well Connected Quarterly Business Magazine

The Big Interview DHESI Cheshire College - South & West

Spring 2022

British Chambers of Commerce Ac

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WELCOME

Welcome to the Spring edition of our Quarterly Business Magazine. The start of 2022 has soon flown by and after a month of Covid-19 restrictions in January, there is cautious optimism that the worst of the pandemic is now behind us. However, new challenges now face businesses with many under intense pressure from a variety of costs including rising wages, energy bills and raw materials. I continue to work closely with colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce who have recently set out a Five Point Plan to tackle the cost of doing business crisis, which you can read about on pg8 of this magazine. Please remember that the Chamber is here to support you and your business in any way possible so don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team on 01244 669988 if needed. The start of the new year has also seen further changes to Customs Declarations procedures when trading with the EU and our international trade team has been on hand to support businesses through this period. Please do get in touch with them via internationaltrade@wcnwchamber.org.uk or 01244 669985 if you have any questions about trading overseas.

Since our face-to-face networking events returned in the Summer last year, they have been going from strength to strength. I recently attended our Lunar New Year celebration event at The Slow Boat in Chester and there was a real buzz in the room with members catching up and making new connections. We now have an extensive line-up of events on our website (portal.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events.html) and you will be able to view the next few months on pg6-7, it would be great to see you there! Our Young Chamber Programme is also back in full swing as we help students across the region gain the skills and experience needed when starting their careers. A number of events at schools are planned in the coming months and if you’d like to find out more about how you can support the business people of tomorrow, please email youngchamber@wcnwchamber.org.uk. I hope you have a great quarter and do get in touch if there is anything the team can help with.

PLEASE NOTE: Some articles in this edition may have been written before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Article and image content therefore reflects this time lapse. 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 March 2022 © Benham Publishing Media no. 1916 Advertising and Features Karen Hall t: 0151 236 4141 e: karen@benhampublishing.com Design Peter Wilkinson t: 0151 236 4141 e: peter@benhampublishing.com

INSIDE: 6-7

CHAMBER NEWS

38-39

26-27

ON BOARD WITH...

THE BIG INTERVIEW DHESI, Cheshire College South & West Principal and CEO

Disclaimer The magazine is mailed without charge to all Chamber members

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

PERSON BEHIND THE BUSINESS

GETTING STARTED

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.

@ChamberWCNW West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce /wcnwchamber WCNWChamber

CHAMBER NEWS “I have enjoyed being a Director of the Chamber, working with excellent people and contributing to the Chamber’s success.” Commenting on his appointment, John said; “When I joined Ellis & Co 18 years ago, I was aware we were members of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce but it has come such a long way and has thrived since Debbie and the team have been involved. “Over the years, myself and Ellis & Co have enjoyed helping support the Chamber and its members and I look forward to doing this for many years to come. On a personal note, I was very proud to be asked to join the Board of Directors and to take over the position of Treasurer from Robert, but I know following him is no easy task. I’m really excited for the job ahead, along with working with the Board, I hope I can continue to help and support them and the Chamber members.”

John Farrell Welcomed to the Chamber’s Board of Directors as Robert Ellis Steps Down

Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, said; “We are delighted to see John join the Board of Directors at the Chamber of Commerce. John’s appointment will help guide the Chamber forward and his expertise will only further help support our members.” The appointment of John follows the end of an eight-year tenure as Board Director and Treasurer for Robert Ellis, Director at Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers. Robert has helped the Chamber work towards its Vision 2021 whilst also supporting the Chamber and its members through the challenging last two years.

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is delighted to welcome John Farrell, Director at Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, to its Board of Directors as Treasurer.

“I cannot thank Robert enough for his support over the last eight years. He has been a crucial part of the Board of Directors and has put so much time and effort into ensuring our members are supported in the best way possible” said Debbie Bryce.

John, an experienced Accountant at Ellis & Co since 2004, has been an avid supporter of the Chamber over the years and is a regular attendee of Chamber

Robert commented; “I have enjoyed being a Director of the Chamber, working with excellent people and contributing to the Chamber’s success.”

networking events. John has also supported the Chamber’s Start-Up Clubs on many occasions and is part of the Chamber Member Focus Group.

CHAMBER NEWS n A cheque was presented to the Neuro Therapy Centre by Debbie Bryce and members of the Member Focus Group.

Chamber of Commerce raises over £8,000 for Neuro Therapy Centre The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce has raised a substantial amount of £8045 for local charity Neuro Therapy Centre and in particular, their Virtual Centre. Neuro Therapy Centre supports nearly 500 people from across North Wales, West Cheshire and the Wirral that have long term neurological conditions including MS, Parkinson’s, MND and ME. The Virtual Centre was established in 2020 in order to provide support throughout the coronavirus pandemic and after its success, funds are now needed to ensure that the services can continue going forward.

Executive Officer at the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce.

During 2021, the Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 100 years of supporting business and Neuro Therapy Centre was named by the Member Focus Group as the chosen charity to support at different fundraising events throughout the year. This included a Bake-Off competition, raffles, a 100-mile challenge and, most recently, an auction and raffle that took place at the Chamber’s Annual Ball & Recognition Awards.

A cheque was presented to the Neuro Therapy Centre by Debbie and members of the Member Focus Group, Sarah Bailey, Director of Business Banking at NatWest, and Claire Davies, Director of Marketing at Umbrella Marketing Team.

“We are delighted that we’ve raised over £8,000 for the Neuro Therapy Centre and we couldn’t have done it without the incredible generosity of our Chamber members,” said Debbie Bryce, Chief

“Our members have been there to show their support at each fundraising event and I want to extend my utmost thanks to each and every one that has donated. The Neuro Therapy Centre is a brilliant charity and we hope that the money raised will enable their Virtual Centre to carry on for years to come.”

Jane Johnston-Cree, Centre Director at Neuro Therapy Centre said: “We were delighted to have been chosen by the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce as their charity to support for 2021. It is a particular honour to have been part of their centenary celebrations.

“The last couple of years have not been an easy time for many and this support has been very much welcomed in a year when it has been a challenge to hold our usual fundraising events. The pandemic created an opportunity for the Neuro Therapy Centre to trial virtual and telephone services and they have proved popular and lifechanging. We now have the challenge of keeping this new initiative going whilst returning to our face-to-face delivery – it is a great challenge to have, knowing that this change can help us to reach more people with neurological conditions. “We’d like to thank the Chamber for their support and all the winners at their recent awards who make such a difference in their field.” You can still make a donation to Neuro Therapy Centre on their website: https://www.neurotherapycentre.org/. To find out more about the Chamber’s centenary year, please visit https://100years.wcnwchamber.org.uk/.

CHAMBER NEWS

Upcoming Chamber of Commerce Events The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s events calendar is jam packed for the next few months with face-to-face networking back in full swing! We have collated the next few months of Chamber events and you will be able to book your places by heading over to our website: https://portal. wcnwchamber.org.uk/events.html.

different guest speaker at every event. We are delighted to reveal the speaker for this event will be June Potts from Menopause 360. June has been helping organisations to get the menopause conversation started through training and support initiatives aimed at providing a menopause friendly place of work for the benefit of all employees.

Banastre Hotel & Spa makes a fine location for Chamber members to enjoy building their business connections. Members will have the opportunity to network with local business professionals before enjoying a delicious twocourse lunch:

of breakfast treats will be available. Guests will then have the chance to fill their contact books as business professionals from across the region take part in Round the Table Networking.

Main Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pappardelle. Vegetarian option: Penne Arrabiata Dessert New York Cheesecake Paul Matthews, Founder of Bibbins, will be our guest speaker for the event and will be talking to guests about his business which serves top quality freshly rolled ice cream. Paul will also be giving a demonstration of the ice cream rolling!

Networking Lunch at Ramada Plaza Wrexham 26/04/2022 12:30 - 14:30 This event will take place at Ramada Plaza Wrexham, and is set to be a superb event bringing together business professionals from across the region.

The event will be held on Thursday, 17th March, 9:30am – 11:30am at Cheshire View, Christleton.

Ramada Plaza Wrexham is a premier four-star hotel boasting 85 air conditioned beautifully appointed bedrooms and is just a short drive from North Wales’ hidden treasures and heritage sites.

Round the Table Networking at Wrexham Glyndwr University

West Cheshire Women’s Network Cheshire View, 17/03/2022 09:30 - 11:30 Organisers of the West Cheshire Women’s Network are gearing up for its first event of 2022! Founded in 2013, West Cheshire Women’s Network provides an opportunity for businesswomen to come together. Co-hosted by Natwest PLC, Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce and Cheshire West and Chester Council; the group meet four times a year with a

Networking Lunch at Brook Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa

20/04/2022 09:00 - 11:00 We’ll be welcoming guests to Wrexham Gylndwr University for April’s networking event!

We’re looking forward to welcoming Chamber members to our networking lunch at Brook Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa!

The university has delivered education at their main Wrexham campus since 1887 and aims to inspire and enable; transforming people and places and driving economic, social and cultural success.

Dating back to 1853 and situated just outside Chester, the historic Brook Mollington

Members will be welcomed to the campus by the Chamber team where a selection

30/03/2022 12:30 - 14:30

Guests will be served a two course meal on the day: Main: Grilled chicken fillet & smoked bacon with baby onion & chive velouté. Vegetarian option - Tortelloni Four Cheese, Tomato Sauce with Parmesan & Rocket Dessert: Lemon tart with strawberry coulis, sweetened cream & mint syrup There will be plenty of time for networking amongst guests and we will be hearing from our guest speaker, Joe Swiffen of Mynydd Sleddog Adventures, who will be sharing her business story of how she established

CHAMBER NEWS Wales’ first and only Sled Dog Adventure Trails. One of her dogs, Drake, will also be in attendance!

lunch taking place at Boughton Hall Cricket Club, sponsored by WR Partners. Delegates will have a fantastic opportunity to meet new and existing contacts, securing strong business relations and friendships and promote their business, all whilst in a friendly and relaxed environment.

provides excellent meeting and conference facilities, with refreshments of tea, coffee and pastries.

Adventure Golf Networking Las Iguanas, Cheshire Oaks, 06/05/2022 09:00 - 11:00 Forget crazy golf – this is adventure golf! Two 18-hole indoor courses are set amidst the hidden tropics at Coliseum Leisure Park. This is set to be a really enjoyable networking event and a great chance to take part in a fun activity with fellow Chamber members. Delegates will have a fantastic opportunity to meet new and existing contacts at Las Iguanas for arrival and networking prior to taking to the golf course. There will be tea, coffee and pastries for all attendees from 9:00am.

Delegates will have a fantastic opportunity to meet new and existing contacts, secure strong business relations and friendships and promote their business, whilst in a friendly relaxed environment. Different to the normal Round the Table Networking, this event will see members line up opposite each other and then given two minutes each to introduce themselves and their business to the person sat opposite. Once they have spoken, one side moves along and the process repeats!

Members will be welcomed to the venue before sitting down for a two-course meal: Main Sesame Chicken, sticky rice and Asian greens Vegetarian option will have Chicken replaced by Quorn.

and 1,000 Apprentices to access high-quality teaching and learning at their campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester. Members will be greeted to the Ellesmere Port site by Chamber staff and a selection of breakfast pastries, tea and coffee will be ready to enjoy! Guests will then have the chance to fill their contact books as business professionals from across the region take part in Round the Table Networking.

Background vector created by rawpixel. com - www.freepik.com

Dessert KitKat cheesecake Our lunch events give members the opportunity to spread the word of their business and build relations with others in attendance. We will be hearing from a WR Partners representative at the event about their latest developments.

This gives members a great opportunity to have one-toones where they can explore areas of collaboration and build business relationships.

Guests will then take the short walk to Paradise Island Adventure Golf, where delegates will split up into groups of four to play one round of golf, before heading back to Las Iguanas for the presentation of the winner!

Round the Table Networking at Cheshire College - South & West

Round the Table Networking at Conwy Business Centre

Networking Lunch at Boughton Hall Cricket Club

11/05/2022 09:30 - 11:30

25/05/2022 12:30 - 14:30

Guests will be welcomed to Cheshire College – South & West for June’s Networking event!

Chamber members will be welcomed to the centre, which

We are looking forward to another fantastic Chamber

Cheshire College offers exciting opportunities for 11,000 learners

09/06/2022 09:00 - 11:00

Sponsorship Opportunities Available There are sponsorship opportunities available at our upcoming events which can help spread the word of your business to members of the Chamber and the wider community. For information, please contact Jenny Davidson on j.davidson@wcnwchamber.org. uk or phone 01244 669988.

CHAMBER NEWS

3 in 4 Firms Raising Prices as Chancellor warned of ‘Cost of Doing Business Crisis’

The British Chambers of Commerce has warned the Treasury of an impending ‘cost of doing business crisis’. A new survey of more than 1,000 businesses, showed that firms across the country are under intense pressure from a variety of costs. It found that prices were likely to rise as a result, further fuelling the cost-of-living crisis for households. In response to the new research, BCC Director General, Shevaun Haviland, has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak warning of the dangers facing firms. The British Chambers of Commerce has outlined

a five-point plan, which if implemented, will help businesses to weather the current conditions and keep price rises under control. These measures included a temporary energy price cap for small businesses, extending the Chancellor’s energy bills rebate scheme for households to smaller businesses and delaying the planned National Insurance rise by 1 year.

Survey Results When firms were asked if their business was facing pressure to raise prices from a variety of sources the results were as follows:

73% of firms in a new survey say they are raising prices in response to rising costs

Source

Overall (n=1,078)

Manufacturers (n=349)

B2B Services (n=393)

B2C Services (n=336)

More than 3 in 5 (62%) cite soaring energy bills as driving factor, rising to 75% for manufacturers

Remuneration (wages, salaries, bonuses, contractor costs)

63%

70%

60%

59%

63% site increased wage bills as driving prices rises

Utilities (e.g. electricity, gas)

62%

75%

50%

62%

British Chambers of Commerce call on the Chancellor to adopt their five-point plan to address these challenges. These include a temporary energy price cap for small businesses and the extension of the financial support announced for households last week to include small firms

Raw materials (e.g. steel, cardboard, food)

52%

87%

19%

54%

Domestic taxes

34%

32%

34%

Not facing pressure to raise prices

16%

When firms were asked what they were doing in response to rising costs the responses were as follows: Response

Overall (n=985)

Manufacturers (n=347)

B2B Services (n=329)

B2C Services (n=309)

Raise prices

73%

61%

86%

71%

Seek to cut costs

50%

42%

56%

Scale down investment

18%

17%

21%

Consider ceasing trading

Five Point Plan to Tackle the Cost of Doing Business Crisis

2. A moratorium, for the life of this parliament, on all policy measures that increase business costs, including no new business taxes or added regulatory burdens, but excluding only evidence-based changes to the National Living Wage.

In a letter to the Chancellor, dated 3rd of February, Director General Shevaun Haviland laid out the issues facing firms in relation to energy and raw materials costs, and the impact that the incoming NI increase would have in compounding these factors. She put forward a five-point policy to respond, which is detailed below:

3. A temporary energy price cap for smaller businesses to protect them from some of the price increases they would otherwise face, offering the same protection as households.

1. Publish the findings of the government’s Supply Chain Advisory Group and Industry Taskforce and work with businesses to deliver practical solutions to ease the supply and labour shortages that continue to drive the upward pressure on prices.

4. Additional financial support, through the expansion of the energy bills rebate scheme for households to also include small firms and energy-intensive businesses and a new support fund, administered by Ofgem to support to the smallest firms with their soaring energy bills. 5. Delay the impending National Insurance rise by one year to give firms much needed

financial headroom to weather this unprecedented surge in costs and allow them to power the recovery Director General Shevaun Haviland said: “Without help from the Treasury to weather this storm many businesses, especially smaller ones, will be faced with a nearly impossible situation that will leave them with little choice but to raise prices. “Our research has shown that businesses were drowning in rising costs even before the energy crisis began to bite. This latest data reveals that companies are now also under extreme pressure from spiralling gas and electricity bills as well as increased wages. “The majority are having to raise prices in response, though many are also being forced to scale back planned investment or cut other costs from their balance sheet. “The Chancellor must implement our five-point plan to give firms a chance to stabilise without having to seriously increase their prices, cut jobs or the investment that is so vital to sustaining our economic recovery from Covid. “Unabated, the surging cost pressures produced by the cost-of-doing-business crisis will continue to lead to increased prices and fuel the cost-of-living crisis currently being faced by people across the country.”

CHAMBER NEWS

Communications Support from your Chamber of Commerce The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce has a host of benefits for its members with one key part of the package being supporting communications. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you can utilise our communication streams and spread the word about your business, for example; news about your recent growth or fundraising efforts, special offers to fellow members to take advantage of or upcoming events that you are hosting.

News Articles The Chamber has an incredibly active news section on our website (https:// wcnwchamber.org.uk/news/) where we share articles sent to us from members. These are also shared through our social media channels to increase exposure and we’ll tag you in the posts to help drive people to your profiles. Not only do we share the articles with our thousands of followers, we also choose a selection of articles to feature in our monthly newsletter to all Chamber members. Furthermore, articles are also selected to feature in the Members News sections of the magazine you are currently holding!

This means that one article you share with us has the potential to reach far and wide across the West Cheshire & North Wales Region. Articles can be sector insights, good news, hints and tips, new employees and more! Just remember, the articles need to be news based rather than advertisements for your products or services and need to be accompanied by a picture. Please send your news stories to info@wcnwchamber.org.uk or add this email address to your press release database and we’ll do the rest!

Special Offers Do you have something that you’d like to offer fellow Chamber members? Maybe a 10% discount on your products or services, a free hour no obligation consultation or a 2-4-1 offer they can take advantage of? Creating an offer for your fellow members is a great way to entice them to find out more about your business and the services or products you provide. An offer can help create that initial enquiry that can lead to a potential sale or a conversation about collaboration.

If you have a special offer that you would like to make available to other members, you can add these to your profile in the Chamber Portal (portal.wcnwchamber.org. uk/profile.html). Alternatively, you can send the information to info@wcnwchamber.org.uk and the team can help get this active. To increase exposure of your offer, they are included in the Chamber’s monthly newsletter for as long as they are active. Don’t forget! You can also take advantage of offers from fellow members which you can view here: portal.wcnwchamber.org. uk/memberoffers.html.

Events The Chamber of Commerce can also promote events that you may be hosting, including workshops, training courses and launch events, on our website. These are then included in a weekly events newsletter, for the four weeks leading up to the event, that is distributed to all members of the Chamber. As with special offers, events can be uploaded to your profile in the Chamber Portal (portal.wcnwchamber.org.uk/profile. html) or sent to info@wcnwchamber.org.uk. View and book onto events from fellow Chamber members here: portal.wcnwchamber.org.uk/events.html.

We’re only a phone call away If you need help accessing any of the above benefits or have any questions, the Chamber team is only a phone call away and will be happy to assist, please call 01244 669988 or email: info@wcnwchamber.org.uk.

ON BOARD WITH...

n Paul Cooney, Managing Director at Zodeq Ltd

On Board with Paul Cooney I am a time served Invoice Finance financial services professional having started my career in 1996 after I left school and college. Starting out, I had a brief part time job working in JD Sports; the company was a lot smaller then and serving the general public was a great introduction to working life! During my studies, I did very well in Maths and Business Studies and a career in the Finance sector seemed inevitable to me from the age of 12. I initially worked for Royal Bank of Scotland in Manchester City Centre as a payment and reconciliation clerk in the 90’s – the most junior job in the company. In those days everything was done manually, and all payments were sent via cheque – computers were around but not to the extent that they dominate our lives today; this allowed me to really learn my trade inside and out. Over time I studied for my Asset Based Lending Diploma and made my way through the ranks into the Client Relationship Management team. I moved to ABN Amro in 2001 and headed up the Invoice Finance division of their Manchester branch. The invoice finance market has grown significantly since this time and today over 50,000 businesses in the UK use it as

part of their financing strategy. I am the Managing Director and was one of the founders of Zodeq in 2016 as a Recruitment sector specific invoice finance company and our business has gone from strength to strength during that time. We currently employ 23 people at our head office in Chester City Centre. What is your role as a Board Director? I was delighted to be asked to join the Board of Directors of the WCNW Chamber of Commerce in 2019. My role is to help to achieve our vision to support our members and to grow our presence across the region. I am a big networker and have many contacts across our region. I see my role to preserve the reputation and promote the benefits of being a Chamber member. In my role, I am also available to support our Young Chamber programme of events and I have particularly enjoyed attending many days at schools across our region, meeting young people who are about to embark on their working lives, providing advice and guidance to them when I can. What are your aims over your tenure as a Board Director? Supporting SMEs is my passion and throughout my career I have always worked with these businesses in almost every sector at one time or another, from hauliers to engineering companies to recruitment companies and everything in between. Predominantly clients have been family run businesses. My aim during my tenure as a Board Director is to regularly speak to businesses about the benefits of being a member

of the Chamber, highlighting the benefits that this has had on my own business. The Chamber has recently appointed Helen Nellist as Chair; working with and supporting Helen and the rest of the wider Board is something I really enjoy. Furthermore, I have been honoured to have been a member of the Board during our Centenary Year last year. Even with the Covid disruption it is an achievement I will always be very proud of. What has been your greatest achievement so far? From a corporate perspective, my greatest achievement definitely has to be in forming Zodeq in 2016. Having worked for large banks and financial institutions for over 20 years, I felt there was a gap in our market to serve smaller sub £10m turnover SME businesses – especially those turning over less than £2m. This decision proved to be the right one and we currently work with over 200 businesses across the UK. As a team, we feel like an extension of our client’s business and as a result have formed great friendships. If you could go back and pass on one piece of advice to your younger self, what would that be? I am not a believer in having any regrets, I believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason, so I generally don’t regret anything. However, if I had to look back, my advice would be to form a trusted network of people you can rely on (as big as you can!) and cherish these valuable contacts. I’d probably also tell my teenage self to read more books!

STRATEGIC MEMBERS NEWS

Local Certification Body Welcomes Major

Changes to the Cyber Essentials Scheme scheme. The scheme, which started in 2014, sets out a base standard of cyber security hygiene for organisations of all sizes. The NCSC estimates that the Cyber Essentials controls can protect against up to 80% of common, Internet-borne cyber-attacks when adequately implemented. Cyber Essentials certification has been a requirement for many years for public sector frameworks and contracts. However, the standard is also increasingly becoming a requirement for private sector contracts and cyber insurance liability cover.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently announced significant changes to the government-backed Cyber Essentials

One of the most significant changes to the scheme is cloud systems such as Microsoft 365, Google G-Suite and Amazon Web Services being in-scope for certification. Previously, bringing these services into scope was optional. However, the wide adoption of cloud services and the vast number of cyber-attacks targeting cloud systems have meant that it is now essential that the scheme covers these services.

Multi-factor authentication and changes to password requirements are also other critical changes to the scheme this year. Organisations should now enable multi-factor authentication for all cloud users, meaning users accessing systems must also authenticate via another method, such as a prompt from a mobile app alongside their password. Passwords should also now be a minimum length of 12 characters, and users should have clear guidance on choosing strong passwords. Darren Kewley, Technical Director and Lead Cyber Essentials Assessor for local Certification Body, Protos Networks, welcomes the changes. Darren said: “These changes are welcomed, long overdue and will help organisations of all sizes improve their cyber resilience”. If your business wants to learn more about the Cyber Essentials scheme, please get in touch with Protos Networks by emailing info@protosnetworks.com or by calling 0333 370 1353.

MEMBERS NEWS

How Wrexham and Chester SMEs can use HR to drive success The role of HR has been in the firing line in the national press: “Personally, I have never met anyone in HR who is not a presumptuous dullard.” and “It is a classic example of the HR doom loop that has taken root in the British workplace since the pandemic.” are just two of the acerbic comments that have been published. Níamh Kelly – Director of The HR Dept Wrexham & Chester, puts forward the case for the role of good quality HR advice in modern British businesses. “As in any profession, there will be different approaches and you need to find advisers who suit your vision. At The HR Dept Wrexham & Chester, we put your business first, and one of our mantras is ‘We tell you what you can do, not what you can’t’. This avoids the constrictive approach that can give HR a ‘bad name’ or the impression

that HR is ‘risk averse’. It means we look for positive solutions to help you meet your goals whilst staying legally compliant. This could be helping terminate the contract of a troublesome employee who thinks that employment law protects them when they take liberties. It could be helping you navigate difficult conversations during times of adversity, or leading you safely through any number of tricky situations. These are reactive scenarios, but good HR looks ahead and helps you create the right conditions for your team to thrive in their roles as they work towards your business goals. For instance: widening the talent pool from which you can recruit by coaching you in inclusion and diversity; introducing the latest management techniques and processes to raise productivity and maintain a happy workforce; and cutting costs by developing remuneration packages which do not rely on ever larger salaries, but instead tap into other things which staff value. Then there is the lurking danger of tribunal courts. When an employer falls foul of employment law, they are at risk of having to make a substantial pay-out after a tribunal claim.

In fact, so confident are we in the advice we provide, that we are able to offer an insurance-backed guarantee to our Advice line customers who follow our advice from the outset.” For enquiries on this topic, please contact Níamh or Laura from The HR Dept Wrexham & Chester, at wrexches@hrdept.co.uk or on 01978 884328.

STRATEGIC MEMBERS NEWS

Climate change is one of the biggest issues communities are facing and more businesses are looking at ways that they can become more sustainable. The Climate Hub brings together resources, products and services that address some of the gaps identified in NatWest’s A Springboard to Sustainability report, as well as educating SMEs around the financial benefits of transitioning towards Net Zero. Visitors to the Climate Hub will also have free access to: n To support businesses with their green goals, NatWest has created a Climate Hub which features tips, insights and tools aiming to help all UK SMEs act now to tackle climate change, by reducing emissions and unlocking green growth opportunities.

Information on the pilot of our carbon tracker app, developed in partnership with Cogo, which is due to launch in February 2022 with up to 500 SMEs in the manufacturing and transport sectors. The app is designed specifically for SMEs to give an estimate of, and help them understand, their carbon footprint and

provide suggestions as to how SMEs may be able to reduce it. n

Details of the new green loan for SME businesses announced today, and green asset financing solutions to support SME customers in their transition journeys.

Information on NatWest’s six specialist Accelerators connecting SMEs with regional centres of excellence to support SMEs to identify the biggest opportunities for their business.

In addition to the new online hub, NatWest will continue to work with partners across the Merseyside and the North West support businesses with their climate goals as well as their day-to-day business needs. Natalie Hughes, Local Enterprise Manager at NatWest, said: “More and more of the businesses I speak to are making climate a priority in terms of their business and priorities. There are a variety of resources available to support businesses at any stage of their climate journey and I am happy to support enterprises in finding solutions which are right for them.” You can access the Climate Hub here: http://www.natwest.com/climatehub

Introducing Colonel Dominic Morgan OBE, Chief Executive of the Reserves Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales. I joined the Association last summer after a career in the British Army. My service has included command at troop, squadron and regimental level, with various staff roles in Brigade, Divisional, Army and Defence Headquarters. I have served on operations in Afghanistan, the Former Yugoslavia and in the UK. My last appointment was as the British Defence Attaché in Warsaw. I began my time in uniform as an army cadet and am proud of my Welsh military heritage. My great grandfather lived in Welshpool and

served in the Rifle Brigade during WW1. My grandfather was a miner at Maerdy Colliery before enlisting into the Army. Now eight months into this job, I need to say just how delighted I am to be the Chief Executive of RFCA for Wales. I spent my first weeks visiting various unit locations across Wales, but more importantly meeting the great people who are the Reserve Forces and Cadets within Wales. Those who work as staff supporting the cadet organisations,

the adult volunteers, the permanent staff of the Reserve units and reservist personnel. I have also had the opportunity to meet key stakeholders within the broader community in Wales who take a keen interest in our activities and, additionally, often support and represent all our endeavours at the highest levels. Away from the ‘sharp end’ of what our reservists and cadets do, there are a number of MOD and single service reviews ongoing that will have a bearing on how we will in future support both reservist and cadet units. As we all emerge from the challenges of the pandemic and a return to some normality, my focus will be on ensuring these reviews deliver the best outcome for reserves and cadets in Wales, as well as minimising the impact on their outputs. In summary, it is a privilege to be the Chief Executive of an organisation that punches above its weight, with a staff of 73 that manages a budget of over £5million, maintains over 400 buildings, supporting over 2000 reservists and almost 6500 cadets and adult volunteers in Wales.

CHAMBER EVENTS A Perfect ‘Venue in the Park’ for Chamber Networking!

Manager at Paradise Island Adventure Golf, where they had an opportunity to network whilst enjoying complimentary pastries, cakes and tea & coffee. Guests were split into teams of three and they took they short walk over to Paradise Island Adventure Golf to complete the 18-hole course. Everyone couldn’t wait to get onto the course which saw them tee-off from Coral Cove amidst an abandoned shipwreck, navigating through sea caves and rock pools to reach a tropical desert island beach with palm trees and beautiful seascape! The guests all thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the event, making connections whilst having some friendly competition!

West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce hosted a networking lunch in the beautiful location of Venue in the Park, in Wrexham on 18th November. Venue in the Park is set in the beautiful surroundings of Alyn Waters Country Park and on arrival, Jenny Davidson, Events and Young Chamber Manager at the Chamber, greeted guests and then introduced Hanna Clarke, Marketing & Events Manager at Groundwork North Wales, who welcomed everyone to this lovely venue. Guests were treated to some amazing Welsh Lamb or Vegetable Cawl with a creamy cheese and chive mash, and dessert of Bread & Butter Pudding with apricots and amaretto served with vanilla custard. Hanna Clarke then gave a presentation to guests about the work that Groundwork North Wales does to help the community, going through their upcoming projects and also the different types of events they were holding in the lead up to Christmas. Lyann Farrelly, Owner of Thursdays Child Coaching and Consulting Ltd: “What a great event, lovely people, and such a great opportunity to talk business over a friendly environment, and thank you to the amazing food from the venue!”

Tee-rific Networking Event at Paradise Island Adventure Golf! Chamber members had a fantastic opportunity to network whilst enjoying adventure golf at our event held at Paradise Island Adventure Golf on 23rd November. Guests were greeted at Las Iguanas in Cheshire Oaks Coliseum by Craig Nichol, Marketing

Craig Nichol, Marketing Manager at Paradise Island Adventure Golf, commented: “We were delighted to host the recent WCNW Chamber “adventure golf” networking event at Cheshire Oaks. It’s often said that many a business deal is done on the golf course . . . so why not on our “adventure golf” course.

these events saw over 50 guests attend the incredible Gothic style Cathedral for afternoon tea and special performances from pupils from Young Chamber Schools and the Dee Sign Choir. Guests were welcomed into the refectory café at the Cathedral by Jenny Davidson before being seated to enjoy a delicious afternoon tea which included an array of sandwiches and cakes! Jenny then introduced performers from schools that participate in the Young Chamber programme, which helps to bridge the gap between education and business Then to finish the festive entertainment, the Dee Signing Choir performed some classic Christmas songs. The choir performs in British Sign Language (BSL), the official language of Deaf people in the UK, to music. It is truly amazing to see and everyone clapped & danced along with their amazing performance. Debbie Bryce, commented: “Thank you so much to Chester Cathedral for providing wonderful hospitality and for allowing us to gather and celebrate our Centenary year in this stunning venue. All the performances were amazing and it created such a festive atmosphere! Thank you to all who attended and helped end our centenary year in such a special way.”

“Traditional networking can be a challenge for some people, but playing a fun activity in a relaxed environment really does help break down any barriers. Everyone who took part had a great time, made some new connections and hopefully would consider adventure golf as a team-building or corporate day/night out in future”.

Christmas Cheer and Celebrations at Chamber’s Afternoon Tea Event

Festive Fun at Chamber Christmas Lunch!

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce concluded celebrations of its 100th year of supporting business by hosting a celebratory event at Chester Cathedral on 1st December.

Attendees arrived for the Chamber Festive Lunch at Crabwall Manor Hotel & Spa from 12pm on December 14th. Guests were in the festive spirit for this event and had an opportunity to have some open networking over a drink to begin!

The Chamber marked its centenary year on 11th March and held events throughout 2021 to celebrate this significant achievement with its members. The last of

Members had time to catch up with one another whilst also having the opportunity to meet new contacts before they were

great morning of networking at Delyn Safety on 9th February. Based in Mold, Delyn Safety are a Health and Safety Training and Consultancy organisation and they welcomed members into their training room to create connections.

one another whilst also creating new connections with new members.

Guests were greeted by Chamber staff from 9:30 am and had the opportunity to catch up with fellow members over breakfast refreshments of pastries and tea & coffee.

welcomed to the event by Jenny Davidson before starting a Christmas Quiz! The quiz consisted of 30 questions of anagrams, Christmas films & Christmas songs, everyone had lots of festive fun completing the quiz, then all the answers were checked before winners were announced. After guests had enjoyed a two-course meal, there was time for more connections to be made before Jenny brought the event to a close. Laura Clinton, Director of Titan Webtech, commented on the event: “It was wonderful to meet up with fellow Chamber members, another great Christmas event, thanks for the networking and a fun Christmas quiz!” As guests were leaving, they each had a gift box of Grazed Brownies as a Christmas gift from everyone at the Chamber.

Detection Dog Demonstration at Networking Event

Firstly, Wagtail UK brought out Bear the black Labrador who is a cash detection dog. He showed off his amazing detection skills to our members, searching for cash that was hidden at the venue, giving the guests a better understanding of the work Wagtail UK to do train their detection dogs for government agencies. Attendees were then split into tables and were given two minutes each to introduce themselves and their business to the person sitting opposite them. This gave individuals the opportunity to have oneon-one conversations and build business relationships. Once the four minutes was finished, one side of the table moved along so that the networking could continue! Phill Davies, Independent Financial Adviser at Financial Fortress commented on the event; “My first event went really well! Thoroughly enjoy the special networking setup as I found it very useful, it was interesting to see what Wagtail do as a business as well. The sample of Penderyn whiskey was great too!” Jenny Davidson, Events and Young Chamber Manager at the Chamber said; “Thank you very much to Delyn safety for having us for this morning and hosting a wonderful networking event for us, everyone enjoyed this event and the wonderful demonstration from Bear!”

Year of the Tiger celebrated at Chamber of Commerce event West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce collaborated with The Slowboat Chester to provide members with an amazing Chinese New Year themed networking lunch event to celebrate the Year of the Tiger on 1st February!

Members of the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce enjoyed a

With over 50 members in attendance, this venue was perfect to host the Chamber’s first networking lunch event of 2022, everyone was excited to catch up with

The Chinese banquet started with Spring Roll, Sesame Prawn Toast, Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings, followed by the mains; Sweet & Sour Chicken, Beef Black Bean, Chicken Vegetable Noodles & Egg Fried Rice. After lunch, Jenny introduced Bill Mackenzie, Director of Design and Passive Engineering at CityFibre, who gave a presentation to the guests in the room, providing an update of the work CityFibre are doing to provide Chester with improved broadband connectivity. Jenny then closed the event with a fun Chinese New Year quiz for everyone to take part in, with prizes for the winners too! Alan Knell, Philanthropy and Relationship Manager at Hospice of The Good Shepherd, commented on the event: “Fantastic to come to my first event, a great place to network and put faces to names from previous online events, and I can already see an expanded network from my first event.”

PATRON FOCUS

New short courses help managers and their organisations thrive Pandemic and societal pressures have accelerated the workplace’s evolution beyond anyone’s anticipation, with the ability to apply purpose, potential and perspective marking out successful leaders and organisations, research has shown. The University of Chester has now created a new set of short courses in response to the challenges, to help managers enhance their skills, develop their team’s skills, energise their teams, further their organisation’s success and reduce its carbon footprint. Deloitte’s 2021 Global Human Capital Trends report demonstrates that in an environment that can shift from moment to moment, organisations need to be grounded in a set of human principles including purpose, ethics, growth and collaboration. Meanwhile research such as The Industrial Strategy Council’s 2019 UK Skills Mismatch in 2030 report highlights the need to build the practical business skills that are necessary for this evolution. The University’s Advanced Manager courses provide a personalised development programme in a range of key areas. They

University part of bid bringing £13m investment to region The Cheshire and Warrington region is to benefit from £13m investment after a successful bid supported by the University of Chester to create an Institute of Technology (IoT) for the advancement of higher level technical skills. The University is the Higher Education partner in the joint application, granted as part of the second wave of the Government’s IoT competition. IoTs are unique collaborations between employers, colleges and universities that specialise in offering high-quality education and training in areas such as digital and construction. The Cheshire and Warrington collaboration is led by Cheshire College South and West, with partners also including Warrington and

can count towards a full Work Based and Integrated Studies Degree and may be eligible for part-funding. The five new courses, available from April 2022, are: n

Leadership Self-Review - looking at areas including effective leadership, communication skills, self-reflection and personality profiling.

Agile Leadership and Change covering aspects such as creating a wellbeing climate where people are happy and proud to work for their organisation, self-assessing agility, engagement theory and confidence with technological innovation.

Strategic Talent Planning - helping to understand how an organisation can plan its talent for today and the future, and create a continuous learning culture, with people, community and value at the core of decision-making.

Resilient Leadership and Emotional Intelligence - looking at developing and using key strategies in leadership, emotional intelligence and change to build a resilient team who are able to adapt to the needs of their service and community.

Sustainable Leadership - focused on how to understand the science of climate change, to lead sustainably, educate teams, contribute to wider company goals and Corporate Social Responsibility strategies, and reduce its carbon footprint.

Each is a one-day course at the University’s new facilities in Time Square, Warrington, with a follow-up online coaching session to aid each manager’s personalised learning. Karen Cregan, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Chester Business School said: “The courses have been designed in response to evolving workplace environments and to support the shift towards having skills to navigate, respond to challenges and thrive in a changing world, as outlined in recent research.” Employed individuals who live or work in the Cheshire and Warrington area could be eligible for 40% funding from the Accelerate programme towards the training cost. For further information, please visit: https:// www1.chester.ac.uk/chester-business-school/ study/short-courses-and-accreditation-priorlearning/advanced-manager. For an informal chat about the courses or a taster session, please email Karen Cregan at: k.cregan@chester.ac.uk.

The courses are taught by industry-led academics in the University Business School’s Centre for Professional and Economic Development (CPED).

Vale Royal College, Macclesfield College, Reaseheath College, Priestley College, the NHS and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The partnership, which involves leading names from the world of business, such as Encirc and Alderley Park Ltd, will offer worldclass training and education, with access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Providing the attributes that employers need to keep the region at the forefront of industry developments and addressing local skills gaps, the investment will be split among the colleges across Cheshire and Warrington. Professor Kurt Allman, Executive Dean of Chester Business School, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the region and recognises the strength and breadth of Cheshire’s productive economy. This timely investment will increase opportunities for people of all ages to gain higher technical qualifications in the specialisms

of; agri-tech (precision) agriculture, digital, engineering, health and life sciences, the built environment, energy and low carbon economy, transport and manufacturing. “With rapid advances in technology and industry, the Institute will help to provide skills that employers need - whether learners are gaining new skills, re-skilling or upskilling, and offer further routes into Higher Education and rewarding careers. “We’re delighted to be the Higher Education Partner, supporting the Institute’s overall development and its curriculum with our research. Furthermore, we are a very cooperative region with a shared vision that is about inclusive and sustainable prosperity for all of our region’s communities. The LEP, our Further Education College partners, industry, third sector organisations and the University are committed to supporting the enterprising and innovative skills of our region’s current and future workforce.”

Cheshire and Warrington are winners in the £120m Institute of Technology Competition Cheshire College, the largest provider of post-16 education in the region, have been named the lead organisation for Cheshire and Warrington, as part of the £120m Institute of Technology (IoT) competition. In collaboration with Warrington and Vale Royal College, Macclesfield College, Reaseheath College, University of Chester, Priestley College and employers, the region will benefit from over £13m investment. This partnership, involving a range of leading names from the world of business, such as Encirc, Warrington and Halton NHS Trust, Alderly Park Ltd and Case IH, will offer worldclass training and education and provide the skills that employers need to keep the region at the forefront of industry developments and addressing local skills gaps. Dr Kieran Mullan, Member of Parliament for Crewe and Nantwich, said: “The is great news not just for young people in our area, but anyone who wants to get new skills, create new opportunities for themselves and get on in life. “We know we have vacancies and skills shortages and that means opportunities for people and this investment will mean our local residents are well placed to take advantage of them. This will build on the already excellent work the college is doing to support T Levels and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee which all together are pushing forward further education as a key way to level up our country.” Institutes of Technology are unique collaborations between employers, colleges and universities that specialise in offering high-quality Higher Technical Education and training in subjects such as advanced manufacturing, digital and cyber security, aerospace and healthcare,

which will support businesses in gaining skilled workforces. Across the region, all industries have existing employees that will require ongoing re-skilling and up-skilling because of the rising impact of automation and digitisation. The Institute will deliver world-class higher technical skills in: Computing, Engineering, Health and Life Sciences, Agri-Tech, Construction and The Built Environment, Science and Maths. Those studying at the Institute will benefit from state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, providing them an ideal environment for their learning. Dhesi, Principal and CEO at Cheshire College commented: “We are incredibly excited to be the lead College for this project. We aim to provide learners with the skills, experience and qualifications needed to succeed, and we are committed to working with businesses and our local communities to help ensure we are supporting our learners to take up the high-quality, high-skilled jobs needed today and in the future. “This is just one initiative that will enable the local economy to recover from the impact of the pandemic and get back on track to achieve ambitious development within the Cheshire and Warrington region. I am delighted that Cheshire College is able to play a vital role in creating vibrant opportunities for the community.” “The IoT has been secured following a comprehensive and competitive process. This announcement means investment in prestigious new facilities and resources across all the colleges across Cheshire and Warrington, including almost £6m for Cheshire College’s Crewe Campus. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the MPs across the region for their support and in particular Kieran Mullen MP, who has been a strong advocate for the IoT from the very beginning.”

The Institute in Cheshire and Warrington, was one of nine Institutes of Technology announced by the Department for Education this month (December 2021), bringing the total to 21 across the country and delivering on the Government’s manifesto commitment. Clare Hayward MBE, Chair of Cheshire and Warrington LEP said: “I am absolutely delighted that this investment has been announced. This investment enables us to support our colleges to provide skills for the future in an inspiring environment. “This is a fabulous opportunity to develop and inspire young people across the region and respond to the skills gaps. I know many businesses here will also be very pleased to hear this news as our plans are as a direct result of what they have been telling us. “This investment enables us to support businesses across our region to build their future workforce and access the people and the skills they need to grow. This also demonstrates confidence in our region, enables us to deliver the vision and provides opportunities across the region. We are thrilled we have been selected and this is evidence of the excellent collaboration between the colleges, businesses and the LEP. “This is a great endorsement for Cheshire and Warrington and something that we can really build on.” If you would like to know more about studying at Cheshire College – South & West visit ccsw.ac.uk - Your Career Starts Here.

PATRON FOCUS

New year, new challenges Supporting you and your business throughout 2022 With Plan B restrictions lifted, and the message from the government being that we will need to “learn to live” with Covid-19, in some ways it seems as though life is finally starting to get back to normal as we emerge from the pandemic. When it comes to running a business, however, a cloud of uncertainty still reigns supreme. After almost two years of ever-changing restrictions, national and local lockdowns, and shaky consumer confidence, the road ahead is anything but clear for businesses across West Cheshire and North Wales. A new year is often seen as a time of fresh starts, new hopes and high expectations, yet for many, the start of 2022 is simply an extension of the problems and business interruptions caused by the pandemic. When you consider the continuing supply chain issues, continuing confusion over Brexit, and the threat of rising costs in almost every aspect of our business and personal lives, you have all the ingredients for yet another very challenging year. Here are some of the major issues that businesses are facing as we enter 2022: CBILS And Bounce Back Loan Repayments For many companies, the governmentbacked loans schemes (including CBILS and the Bounce Back Loan scheme) were lifelines during the start of the pandemic. However, now repayments towards the money borrowed have kicked in, many firms will simply find this monthly repayment too costly to meet while cash flow is still stretched to breaking point.

While the price cap provides some relief to consumers, this safety net does not apply to commercial contracts and leaves many small businesses fearful about just how high the cost could be. Consumer Spending Power Rising costs do not just affect those operating businesses; as consumers are forced to tighten their belts, it could mean bad news for those companies offering non-essential products and services. As rising energy, food, and fuel prices eat into consumers budgets, the amount left for discretionary spending is likely to contract. Rise In Production Costs The UK saw the sharpest growth in manufacturing costs on record towards the back end of 2021. These unexpected fluctuations in raw material costs are destabilising supply chains and making it difficult for manufacturers to remain in the black. Brexit Supply-chain issues in the UK have been compounded by Brexit, which has seen increased red tape, customs checks and trading difficulties, leaving UK firms more reliant on domestic trade. A shortage of HGV drivers has also added to the headache.

Rising Interest Rates

Staff Capacity

Interest rates having already risen to 0.25% and analysts are predicting yet more rises during 2022. Increasing interest rates could mean businesses with company credit cards and existing loans face higher interest payments, less disposable income and greater overheads.

While we may have been told that we will have to learn to live alongside the virus, this does not mean that it is not still causing huge problems to those trying to operate businesses. The spread of the Omicron variant across factory and shop floors is slowing operations and stretching staff capacity, leading some to consider expensive solutions to keep operating. For some this will require enlisting the services of costly agency staff to cover staff absences, while others may be forced to temporarily shut down production

Energy Prices Rises Having battled through the pandemic, some firms are being pushed to the brink by an astronomical increase in energy tariffs as old contracts expire and suppliers go bust.

or services lines altogether due to a lack of trained personnel available. Staff Burnout Jay Zigmont, the founder of financial planning firm of Live, Learn, Plan, believes “the biggest risk and threat facing leaders in 2022 may be burnout”. Burnout is not a new concept in the business world, but the past few years have put a level of stress on both leaders and staff that has never been seen before. We are all human and at some point, we all need a break. If you are feeling the weight of increasing financial pressure, whether on a business or personal level, you are far from alone; the past two years have been trying for many businesses of all sizes and across a variety of industries. No matter how bad you feel your problems are, rest assured that there are solutions that can help. Whether you want to throw all you have at saving your business and turning around its fortunes, or if you have decided that you have come to the end of the line with your company and want to close it down in an orderly manner, Begbies Traynor can guide you in the right direction. Keith Tully and Jason Greenhalgh are Partners at Begbies Traynor’s Liverpool office and they are on hand to provide sound and actionable advice to directors on all matters of corporate, as well as personal financial distress. Remember, the sooner you seek advice, the more options will be open to you and your company. For immediate help and advice, contact us today on our Directors Confidential helpline – 0800 056 1059.

PATRON FOCUS

Grants and Business Support Since the start of COVID-19, Cheshire West and Chester Council has delivered several projects aimed at supporting businesses to survive and adapt the impacts of the pandemic and Brexit. These have included High Street Recovery, Marketing, Exporting, Start-up, and business advice as well as Wellbeing support to help businesses and their employees manage the impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Since early 2020, we have also distributed more than £137m grants (38,000 payments), coordinating over 10 different grant schemes. In addition, the Council distributed almost £10m of Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG). At the end of 2021, the Council announced two further grants, which closed late February 2022: n

A new one-off grant scheme, Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grants, to support hospitality, leisure, and accommodation businesses. An Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant aimed at businesses that aren’t eligible for support through the Omicron

Loyal Free app The Council continues to work in partnership with multi award winning LoyalFree, providing fully funded access for West Cheshire businesses to promote their latest offers on the LoyalFree app. The place promotion app is designed to boost footfall and sales in the area by encouraging consumers to shop local safely. The app showcases vital area information for residents and visitors including a local guide, exclusive deals and loyalty

Hospitality and Leisure Grant or Restart Grant schemes. The Omicron ARG was aimed at businesses experiencing difficulties because of the Omicron variant, and the dual impact of staff absences and lower consumer demand.

upskill. Topics included Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Zero Carbon, Finance and Planning, Marketing Strategies, and Procurement and Winning Contracts. n

Additionally, the Council was awarded a top-up of £2.6m ARG funding which enabled us to deliver: n

Grants to continue to support businesses still impacted.

A West Cheshire Business Support Programme designed to help businesses recover, grow, adapt, diversify, or expand through direct support, workshops and bite-sized training including grants for eligible businesses.

The activities delivered through the wider West Cheshire Business Support Programme were shaped using evidence from a survey of 500 businesses, consultation with partners and existing enquiry pipelines. The programme, launched on the 2 December 2021 and completes end of March 2022, was supported by two main delivery partners, Blue Orchid and West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Over 150 businesses across all sectors, including those in the Third Sector, were supported through a mix of support and activities: n

A 10-day online programme of support and advice to help those considering self-employment, helping them to take action no matter their starting point or background. Delivered by Rebel Business School, Winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2021. Over 15 workshops on a variety of topics, working with industry experts to demystify the subject, explore opportunities and help businesses

schemes, fun local events, and interesting trails. Businesses benefit from advertising opportunities; customer insights and social media support and the dynamic app allows users to benefit from using just one app across the UK – so they can tap into the local area wherever they are.

1-2-1 support and direct grants to over 100 businesses to help with their growth and resilience plans, which included: m Training and skills, supporting businesses with their recruitment challenges and expansion through skills development. m New commercial space, through a mix of pop-ups and directly supporting businesses to secure new premises. m Start-up and scale up, a mix of support aimed at helping new businesses to launch and existing businesses to explore and develop their recovery and growth plans. m Investor Funding, aimed at helping established businesses that had identified opportunities to grow to expedite their plans which helped safeguard and/or create new jobs.

Through the programme businesses were also able to access online support through a Continued Professional Development portal and the Knowledge Hub on the Let’s Talk Business website. The programme also delivered activities aimed at motivating young people to consider self-employment as part of their career opportunities, inspiring the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. An end of project video, which is currently being compiled, will capture feedback from some of the businesses that have been supported through the programme and when complete will be available on the Let’s Talk Business website, https://www.letstalkbizcw.co.uk/Home.

You can download the LoyalFree app for free: www.loyalfree.co.uk/download or search ‘LoyalFree’ on the iOS and Google play store.

Local businesses already signed up include Flowers by Jenny Penny, Amy’s Fruit & Veg of Tarporley and The Cheshire Wine & Cheese Co. LoyalFree’s digital trails are one way app users can explore the area’s history, hidden gems and best independents. There are already some exciting trails live on the app including the Sandstone Ridge and Rural Attractions Trail and the Local Activities trail which showcases some of Cheshire West and Chester’s most popular days out.

SAVE MONEY

WHEN YOU SHOP LOCAL DOWNLOAD FOR FREE

PATRON FOCUS

5 Business IT Security Tips You Need to Know It’s safe to say that the last 2 years have had a huge impact on how businesses use there IT and this has posed many challenges when it comes to security. During the pandemic, it was vital that businesses had the capability to offer remote working in order to continue operations. Now we’ve returned to some level of normality, businesses are still under pressure to offer hybrid and permanent home working in order to remain competitive with recruitment and meet the changing needs of the workforce. We think that it is fair to say that the IT budgets of many businesses have been pushed to the limit by the adaptation caused by the pandemic, therefore the thought of investing more money and time on their IT strategy may seem like a risk. However, having an IT network that is well-protected and effectively secured is always worth the investment. Knowing where to start when it comes to improving your IT security can feel like the toughest part of the challenge. So, we’ve put together 5 key steps that you can take to improve your IT security and effectively defend your data.

1) Implementing Key Security Tools Multi-factor authentication, email security, secured cloud environments and effective password protection are all tools that can provide effective protection and reduce the risk of a security breach, even when working from home. It is beneficial to implement other more complex security measures on top of these key solutions, however, ensuring that you are using these security measures as a minimum is a good start.

2) Prioritise your IT security projects Like we said in the introduction to this article, considering investing in your IT projects may seem risky, given the financial impact the pandemic has had on business. Therefore, to safeguard your financial situation, it may seem wise to put IT projects on the back burner for now. However, if a project will improve your IT security, it will be a worthwhile investment. Rather than forgoing improving your IT altogether until you feel more financially comfortable, evaluating the short and long-term benefits that the projects could offer your business and choosing projects that will support the future of your IT is a much more logical approach.

3) Assign prioritised access Naturally, the more people who have access to business data, the risk of a security breach or accidental release/ deletion of data is increased. Identifying a list of people who require a higher level of access to data and restricting those who do not need this level of access is an excellent way of limiting the risk of a security breach. This approach can and should be applied with employees who work both within the office and from home.

4) Consistent cyber security communication and training When it comes to hybrid and remote working, one of the biggest issues is the mixing of business and personal use of devices. From your business data being accessed by insecure Wi-Fi networks and employees using company devices for personal use to files being stored on personal devices and

therefore out of your control – it is a minefield of potential gateways for cyber-criminals. Therefore it is important to ensure you keep on top of cybersecurity communication with your team. Refresher training doesn’t need to be complicated. Virtual team meetings and informative emails can be an easy and effective way to maintain open communication about cybersecurity and spread awareness of common security issues.

5) Assess your disaster recovery strategy With a location-agnostic team, your employees knowing what to do should your business fall victim to data loss or security breach is more important than ever. Having an effective disaster recovery plan, coupled with a comprehensive backup of your business data ensures that your business can restore data effectively and avoid too much downtime should an issue arise. Regularly updating your team on what to do should they identify a security breach is also of paramount importance so they can alert the business and it can be taken care of sooner.

Secure Your Systems with Elite At Elite, we understand how difficult it can be to adapt your IT for the ‘new normal’ whilst keeping your data secure. We have a range of security solutions available that are capable of protecting businesses of all sizes in all sectors. With a wealth of experience and a team of experts, you can also take advantage of specialist knowledge, advice and support, so you can make the most of your security solutions and ensure your data has the best protection possible. Call us on 0344 875 8880 and let’s work together to provide the best defence for your IT network and its data.

Welcome to NORTHWICH

Where Pina Coladas are all the rage

Northwich Pina Colada Festival was one of the most talked about successes of the Northwich events delivered in 2021. In the midst of Covid, the event drove people into the town centre to celebrate Rupert Holmes, singer of ‘Escape’ (the Pina Colada song) who was born in Northwich. The first event featured live music, Cuban Fusion street animation, children’s activities and of course... Pina Coladas. Northwich has become the unofficial UK capital of this famous drink! The event gained national coverage in 2021, after BBC Radio 2 picked up on the festival and has consistently been referring to it ever since, so who knows who might turn up for 2022. This year’s event will be one of the biggest events Northwich has ever seen, with more than just Pina Coladas (although there will be plenty to choose from). As with the majority of events in Northwich Town Centre, it will be free for anyone to attend. www.pinacoladafest.co.uk

The place where having a hill comes in handy

In 2022 Krazy Races is coming to Northwich with thanks to Northwich Town Council. There will be fun, entertainment and “wow, did they really just do that!?” moments. Come and join thousands of spectators from across Cheshire and beyond to cheer on our krazy, wacky and outrageous soapbox downhill racers at our first Northwich Krazy Races. Launching themselves down Castle Street in their carefully hand-crafted karts our racers will tackle our track of over 350m with chicanes, obstacles, water and more. Hopefully they will avoid the traffic lights and stop before they hit the swing bridge! The event is fuelled by our amateur teams who will be entertaining the crowds and competing to be the best dressed, have the best designed and the fastest soapbox karts powered by nothing more than krazy courage, wacky inspiration, gravity and a bit of luck! Our competitors will work their way through a knockout style competition with only the fastest 10 cars making it through to the final, where they will battle to take home the winner’s trophy! www.krazyraces.co.uk/northwich-krazy-races/

A town where businesses prosper Northwich is a town which has faced its fair share of challenges compared to other areas, with the flooding in 2021 that saw businesses devastated. But as it has throughout history when the salt mines collapsed and subsidence ensued, it’s now rising to be a hotspot for commerce in midCheshire. With new water pumps now in place to help resolve the flood risk, it’s seeing a surge in new businesses opening and footfall in 2021 was already back to 88% of where it was in 2019. 2022 is the year where Northwich will be a town that you’ll regret not opening in sooner; with a supportive business community that looks after each other, great transport links and a schedule of events and activities taking place throughout the year. If you’re looking to open a new business and want to see what Northwich has to offer, get in touch with Adam Gerrard, Northwich BID Manager. Adam.gerrard@groundwork.org.uk

PATRON FOCUS

North Wales Nuclear Supply Chain Opportunities Nuclear Decommissioning – great potential to bring opportunities for local businesses Menter Môn is in the process of leading on a pilot scheme for nuclear decommissioning in North Wales. Trawsfynydd will lead on the Magnox reactor decommissioning project in the UK. The intention is that this step will secure employment in the local area for the next two decades. This change in strategy will lead to an increase in onsite activity for the next two decades and has the potential to bring significant economic benefits to the region.

Gwen Parry Jones – CEO Magnox Ltd. said: “Wales, particularly North Wales is rich in supply chain opportunities. I would like to encourage you as Welsh ethanies to engage with the nuclear decommissioning sector and learn more about the opportunities at Traws and at Wylfa.” Menter Môn’s main role in the scheme is to engage with the supply chain, prepare information sessions, run workshops, and encourage and support local companies to take advantage of the opportunities that will be part of the process.

the company has successfully built relationships and trust with others. These links will provide a solid foundation for the company to support economic benefits for the area. Bethan Fraser-Williams, Projects Director at Menter Môn added: “With recent major development in nuclear decommissioning, over the next 5 years much of our attention will turn to ensuring that the economic benefits stay local.

Menter Môn have delivered economic development programmes for 25 years and are also developing projects in the energy sector.

Our role as a Social Enterprise, through the work of the Enterprise Hub, is to ensure that the support is available and that we work with small and medium businesses to provide easier access and specialist support to the UK nuclear market, and in particular the nuclear decommissioning market.”

Having worked with partners and businesses in the area over a considerable period of time,

More information available here: https://www.hwbmenter.cymru/en/nuclear

Having used funnels in my nursing career, I somewhat dislike this term and prefer to call it ‘relationship growing’. When I ask clients why they have chosen to work with me, they say that it is because ‘I am everywhere online’. Whilst this may seem to be the case, I have honed my skills around repurposing content and being disciplined with sharing this to grow my email list, which gives me a substantial edge, as I can communicate directly with my audience. This growth has massively increased the number of clients I work with, both 1-2-1 and in my Membership group (NOBS).

Have you faced any particular challenges recently? Sometimes I tend to wear my empathetic hat too readily when talking to a potential client about working together. I worked hard in 2021 to recognise that entering into a clients story or excuses without challenging them is not providing the most valuable experience when working with a coach. This has come about by working with my own coach and helps align my integrity around the coaching experience; I am also challenging myself to work on my mindset and the practical outworking of that, whilst also doing this with my clients.

What are your plans for the future? A brief overview of your role and company Like many people, I have had several ‘Careers’ before I found my purpose in helping leaders and entrepreneurs to brand themselves and their companies. Whilst my previous roles as a cancer nurse, personal stylist and network marketer may seem somewhat sporadic, they have actually meshed together to make the perfect skill set for what I now do. My first objective is to understand my clients, walk alongside them, and know their strengths and weaknesses. I then look at how they present themselves or their business to the world. Latterly we examine how they should best represent themselves, both online and in-person, through marketing, advertising and the power of their brand.

Can you tell us a short overview of an average day at work? I have discovered that the setting up of habits, processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) have been invaluable to my growth.

An average day starts with coffee, exercise and then a cold shower - this has many proven benefits that I could write the whole article on just those. I also follow the science of intermittent fasting and do not eat until lunchtime, which allows me to be far more focused. I then enjoy some quiet time looking over the River Dee before I plug into the online world of social media, reconnecting and sharing my message. I am usually at my desk before 9 am, with a diary full of client calls/zooms, networking or planning content for my membership group No. B. S. Just Brand Secrets (NOBS) or any speaking gigs I have coming up.

I am busy working 1-2-1 with clients at the moment, but one of my passions is to help as many people as possible. So, with that in mind, I will add a Mastermind into my portfolio. The objective would be to offer entrepreneurs and leaders a 3-month programme where they choose to work on a huge goal that they may have been putting off for some time. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, and to have someone to be your champion, advocate and greatest critic can be invaluable to expedite success.

If there was an extra hour in the day, how would you spend it?

How has the company grown in recent years?

I love reading all kinds of literature, so that is always an option, but in the last few weeks I have taken up a new hobby of Tap Dancing so a bit of practise there is always a good thing.

Since being more present on Social Media and having a strategic action plan to attract clients, I have created what is affectionately known, in marketing speak, as a ‘funnel’.

I advocate decluttering as I think it helps the brain as much as it does your environment… Or maybe I should decide to be more decisive and focused!

YOUNG CHAMBER

n Managing Director at OES, Wayne Jones, being welcomed as a Young Chamber Sponsor by Debbie Bryce, CEO of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce.

OES joins the Young Chamber programme, focused on tackling skills shortages The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that OES is the latest business to join the Young Chamber programme. OES is a rapidly growing digital technology company, providing industry-leading solutions and practices to help every team unleash their full potential. OES’ team of experts are there to understand businesses allowing them to tailor solutions for Managed IT Services, Cyber Security, Cloud

Solutions, Managed Print Solutions, Web Development and CCTV. Many businesses from the region are facing large skills shortages and this is exactly what the Young Chamber programme aims to improve. OES will engage with students from the schools and colleges that are supported by the Young Chamber programme at different types of events, such as Career Days, Mock Interviews and Enterprise Projects. “I am thrilled to have become a sponsor of the Young Chamber programme; it is a great initiative. I see this as a great opportunity to allow an insight into our industry whilst having the potential to assist in the growth of upcoming talent” said Managing Director at OES, Wayne Jones. “OES places huge importance on community engagement and development of talent. I believe this is vital in ensuring that upcoming talent has suitable skills when searching for employment in the future.

challenging coronavirus restrictions. We have plenty of physical events scheduled for 2022 including Career Days and Mock Interviews, along with our online resources and virtual events depending on restrictions. By providing their knowledge and experience in the IT sector to students across the region, OES will give students an idea of what it’s like in their workplace and industry through their sponsorship of the Young Chamber programme. Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, was delighted to welcome another leading business from the region to the Young Chamber programme, saying; “It was great to meet the team at OES. We are delighted that they have joined our growing list of Sponsors, helping to bridge the gap between business and education.

“I am personally excited at the opportunity of meeting individuals involved with Young Chamber and look forward to being able to advise and guide their career in business.”

“At a time when many businesses are reporting recruitment difficulties, OES will be able to give insights into their industry and the skills required to succeed. We are really looking forward to working with them at upcoming events.”

The Young Chamber programme has been continuing to support students despite the

Email: youngchamber@wcnwchamber.org.uk to find out more about Young Chamber.

YOUNG CHAMBER

Young Chamber Careers Talks held at Archers Brook School Local business professionals have supported pupils at Archers Brook SEMH School, based in Ellesmere Port, by delivering careers talks as part of a series of Young Chamber events held by West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce. The talks took place over three days and saw three businesses give pupils an insight into their career journeys and the industry they operate in. The aim of these events was to open the eyes of young people to career opportunities on their doorstep and give them an idea of the skills needed to enter different sectors. Davinder Lotay, Managing Director of Altimex Ltd, was the first to speak to the students and he introduced himself and the business that provides a broad range of Electronics Manufacturing and Fibre Optic services to a diverse customer base.

Davinder then gave a very interactive demonstration which included a robot and showing a fibre optic cable that was as thin as a strand of hair. Davinder then focused on the different subjects needed to enter the industry which included sciences, art, maths and English. Davinder said that his emphasis is always on learning and how he can improve both himself and the business. On the second day, Sam Lee, an apprentice at Less Common Metals Ltd, spoke about his journey to working at the manufacturer of complex alloy systems and metals. Sam spoke about his interest in mechanics, which he gained from fixing motorbikes at a young age, and this led to him working at his dad’s printing company where he would carry out maintenance on the printers. Sam’s interest in engineering developed and he then started an apprenticeship at Less Common Metals.

Thank you to the following Young Chamber Sponsors for supporting this event: n

Altimex Ltd

ITAS

Less Common Metals

Lauren mentioned that it was important for the students to look for extracurricular activities as it really helped her to develop her communication and teamwork skills,

The West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s Young Chamber programme recently supported a mock interview event for year 11 and 13 students at Queens Park High School in Chester. Five Young Chamber Sponsors supported the event that saw over 100 students interviewed for roles that they had previously prepared for. The aim was to give students the experience of a real-life job interview, or as close as possible, so that they could receive feedback from professional business people.

Mark Gillooley, Apprentice & Inclusive Employment Co-ordinator at Cheshire

Jennifer Kennedy, Membership Director at the Chamber of Commerce, attended the talks and said “Thank you so much to Davinder, Lauren and Sam for taking the time to talk to the students of Archers Brook School. The aim of these events is to give pupils an insight into different career options in the local area whilst informing them of the types of skills needed to enter those industries. By sharing their experiences, our Young Chamber Sponsors have given pupils an insight into the world of work and will have informed them of potential routes to take.”

On the final day of the careers talks, Lauren Davies, Solutions Consultant at ITAS, spoke to the students about her role in the business that provides Sage solutions to firms. Lauren highlighted that problem solving was a key part of her job as she speaks to customers and potential clients about issues they may be having with their accountancy software and helps them overcome them.

Young Chamber Sponsors Support Queens Park High School Mock Interviews

This event forms part of the wider Young Chamber programme that sees local business professionals engage with schools and colleges in the region to help prepare their students for the working world. With skills shortages widely reported, it is hoped that by engaging with pupils’ businesses will be able to help students understand the skills required when they start their careers.

two things that are crucial when entering the workplace.

I sincerely wish them the very best in their future careers.” Jenny Davidson, Events & Young Chamber Manager at the Chamber of Commerce, said “Thank you so much to our sponsors for supporting the mock interview event at Queens Park High School. These events really help students get an understanding of the job interview process and the feedback given is invaluable for when they leave education and start their careers.” Thank you to the following Young Chamber Sponsors for supporting this event:

West and Chester Council, was one of the interviewers on the day and said “It was fantastic to attend Queens Park High School Mock Interview Event in conjunction with the Young Chamber Programme. “I met very impressive pupils, both friendly and gifted, their energy expressed a readiness to take on the world, offering their skills and talents to future employers. These pupils are a testament to their School and

Simonetta Pearce from Cheshire College – South & West

Mark Gillooley from Cheshire West and Chester Council

Leon Stowell from Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

Elisha Burness from Tiger Trailers

Dan Haggett from Wockhardt Uk Ltd

If you are interested in helping students gain the skills needed when they enter the world of work, please email youngchamber@ wcnwchamber.org.uk or call 01244 669988.

WCNW: Why did you initially choose to move to South Cheshire College before it merged and evolved into Cheshire College – South & West? I never envisioned leaving where I was previously, but it was the right move for me and my family. I had spent all my career at Yale College and I knew the time was right to set myself a new challenge and a fresh start. South Cheshire College had a fantastic reputation, so when the opportunity became available, it felt like the right step for me to challenge and better myself as a leader. WCNW: Tell us about your leadership approach during the merger of South and West Cheshire College? We were very clear from the beginning that we were creating a new College with a new identity. Although the College campuses are very different and serve three very different communities across a large geographical area, the values and high expectations are the same. This is something that the whole leadership team has worked hard to create. It was important to us that everyone was invested in the new College. So, we engaged with staff through lots of small focus groups, as well as specific groups for learners and stakeholders, these discussions helped us to collectively define what our goals and values would be. It’s because of this approach that our values are embraced by all and not seen as something that is written in a document. With different campuses and even within campuses, you naturally get different environments reflecting the curriculum areas and the industries they cater for. But at any one of our campuses, the staff and learners all feel valued, safe and benefit from a unified and inclusive feel. WCNW: How do you create effective leadership across three locations across the region?

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

WCNW: Why is Further Education a true passion for you?

I’ve been at the College since January 2014. I previously worked at Yale College in Wrexham for 22 years (I started there as a trainee teacher and 19 years later I was the Principal).

It’s all about changing people’s lives for the better. Within Further Education, we have the privilege to work with many people from all backgrounds and ages. Really making a difference to their lives and their families is incredibly fulfilling. Seeing how we have a positive impact on so many people, and then how that filters through to their family and the examples they set for their children. There’s nothing like it.

I love Further Education and everything that comes with it. The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is seeing learners excelling and coming back and sharing their experiences and stories with us.

I understand that the tone and pace that I set as Principal/CEO is important. But it’s also important that the whole leadership team set the best example too, as behaviour filters all the way down to the learners’ day to day life at the College. It’s important to me that we don’t forget the small details; no matter how senior a team member may be, the small gestures and efforts to embody our values go a long way. The leadership team being visible and accessible is really important. So, we have a core leadership team based at each campus. Whilst other leaders may have a cross college role, they are equally visible

THE BIG INTERVIEW and accessible to staff, learners, employers and parents. This is essential in a large multi-campus College like Cheshire College. The leadership team at the College has a rule that office doors are wedged open unless we are in meetings. Every morning at all three campuses you will see leaders greeting learners, staff and visitors. These small things are even more important than ever because of the increased use of technology to hold virtual meetings. WCNW: How are you leading Cheshire College into the future? It is essential that we continue to adapt and innovate. We need to be creative and to challenge ourselves and each other. The world is changing at a faster pace, learners, employers, parents and staff expectations are evolving at a faster pace than ever before. As a leadership team we need to constantly adapt to ensure we are meeting needs. It is important that we are adaptable to embrace change and not be afraid of it. We need to be particularly mindful of this in how we communicate with our different stakeholders.

Designed specifically to boost digital skill and enhance career pathways, our Digital Hub project will benefit over 50,000 learners with access to state-of-the-art technology and equipment so that they feel inspired more than ever to progress onto higher-level courses and skilled employment. Our Motor Vehicle Engineering offering is relocating from Chester to new purposebuilt facilities at Ellesmere Port where it’ll be closer to some of the leading businesses within the sector and an enriched curriculum that will include bigger facilities, wider access to specialist equipment and new training; including our new Electric and Hybrid Vehicle course delivered by our expert tutors in a purpose-built workshop. With Cheshire at the forefront of the UK’s drive to be net zero, it is great that Cheshire College is at the forefront of such advancements.

WCNW: What were you like during your studies? I was quiet and shy - no different to how I am outside of work. But the difference is, I know how I need to adapt my style to be the most effective leader when I’m at work. I definitely wasn’t the most vocal at my school so I’m grateful for the teachers who supported and encouraged me to fulfil my potential. WCNW: Describe your leadership style in three words. I can do it in one. Adaptive. WCNW: If you had one year off from your role as Principal and CEO, what would you do? Travel the world! WCNW: What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you still use today?

The investments we are making are going to have an impact for years to come.

It’s OK to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them.

WCNW: What do you want your learners to take away from their Cheshire College experience?

WCNW: Is there anything else you’d like to achieve in your lifetime?

The impact of Brexit and Covid19 means the UK economy is going through a period of significant change. The UK government has commitment to invest in skills to address the higher technical skills shortage and improve productivity. We have committed to a £16m capital investment programme to ensure that we can support our employers and communities to upskill and reskill. We have worked closely with employers to ensure that every pound of this investment will have the maximum impact. WCNW: What are the next few exciting projects you’re working on? We are proud to have been selected to lead the Cheshire & Warrington Institute of Technology (IoT), one of only 21 in the UK. Each IoT is a collaborations between colleges, universities and employers, with employers at the heart of decision-making, curriculum development and delivery. This investment means prestigious new facilities and resources available for learners and the opportunity for the College and employers to deliver world-class higher technical skills in Computing, Engineering, Health and Life Sciences, Construction and The Built Environment, Science and Maths. As well as the IoT, we’re going to be undertaking significant programmes of capital investment across our campuses in partnership with employers, which will ultimately enhance our offering in the digital and motor vehicle industry. Our new construction centre at the Ellesmere Port campus will open this September, focusing of retro-fit and decarbonisation.

That they learnt new skills, they achieved what they wanted to, gained in confidence and had fun along the way.

Well hopefully I’ve got a long time left! There are lots I’d want to achieve but more importantly, I’d want my family to stay healthy, happy and have a fulfilling life.

We are specialists at getting our learners into University, Higher Education and employment but just as important as that, we help them grow so they are ready for the next stage of their life. That’s what we want them to take from their time with us.

I also want to see Cheshire College reach its full potential. We are really seeing the benefits of the merger and we have so many exciting plans for the future. I want to look back and be able to say: “Wow we really achieved a lot for our learners and the region.”

ECONOMY Quarterly Business Report paints challenging picture at start of 2022 The latest Quarterly Business Report from the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce indicates a slowing in the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, even before the identification of the Omicron variant in the latter half of the quarter. The report, based on a survey of 93 firms that employ over 9500 people across the region, revealed a mixed response from the region’s businesses as they reported positive sales and orders but all-time high concerns for many external factors and price pressures. The report points to a drag on the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic as businesses tackle widespread labour shortages and spiralling price rises. Key Findings n

Business confidence in the region, for both profitability and turnover, continued to fall from their all-time high level recorded in Q2 ‘21. The decline in confidence is likely to reflect supply pressures and the sharp rise in inflation.

The number of businesses reporting plans to raise their prices in the next three months rose for a fifth consecutive quarter and to the highest level on record for the second successive quarter.

Concerns around pay settlements increased to their highest level in five years with raw material prices, finance costs and other overheads concerns also at or near all-time highs.

Businesses’ concerns about inflation and interest rates rose to record highs with concerns around competition and exchange rates easing. The labour market continued to tighten as recruitment difficulties rose to their highest level since the start of the pandemic in Q2 ’20. Overall sales and orders eased marginally from their three year high in Q3’21. Domestic sales and orders eased reflecting in the main supply constraints. Export sales, by comparison, continued to recover rising to their highest level since Q2 ’19, and in line with the increase in orders reported last quarter.

The survey fieldwork took place between 1st November and 22nd November 2021 and before restrictions were implemented as a result of the Omicron variant. Debbie Bryce, Chief Executive Officer at the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, commented on the report:

“Our latest Chamber Quarterly Business Report reveals a mixed response from WCNW businesses as they show positive sales and orders (although these have slowed since last quarter) but all-time high concerns for many external factors and price pressures. Our latest survey paints a challenging picture for the UK economy as we start 2022. Supply chain disruption is continuing to persist, inflation is soaring, and rising energy costs are presenting firms with a huge headache. This is even before the Omicron variant surged and Plan B was imposed. The Government has listened to our previous calls for support, and it must do all it can to steady the ship and steer the economy through these uncertain times. The focus must be on creating the best possible environment for businesses to grow and thrive. By supporting firms, they can begin to generate wealth, create jobs and support communities.” Gemma Davies, Director of Economy and Housing at Cheshire West & Chester Council, said “The Council welcomes the quarterly survey and is one of a number of reports on business need that the Council uses to identify issues and opportunities and inform future packages of support as a part of our Inclusive Growth Strategy across the Borough.” To view the full report, and to express your interest in taking part next quarter, please visit https://wcnwchamber.org.uk/voice-ofbusiness/quarterly-business-report/.

In Focus with Acton Edocs In this feature we hear from Technical Director, Chris Grice, on his contribution to the Quarterly Business Report. You’ve indicated that domestic sales and orders have increased over the last three months. Are there any specific reasons behind this?

n Chris Grice, Technical Director at Acton Edocs Acton Edocs is a health and safety company that underpins good old fashioned customer service and consultancy with software that puts the client in control of the day-to-day health and safety operations of their business.

During the last two years, businesses have had to change the way they work and are looking for systems that are as flexible as their businesses are. The mix of home working and office working that many businesses have now adopted means that many ‘off the shelf’ e-Health and Safety systems are not suitable, and that the traditional consultancy model is not sustainable. In short, we have disrupted the health and safety industry and it is paying off. You’ve recruited and looking to recruit further in the next three months. Can you explain why this is the case?

Our team has grown from 2 – 8 in just over 18 months, as we move forward to develop new features and health and safety systems for specialist industries, such as the care sector, education and hospitality. Finding new developers who fitted in with our team and worked within our culture was very hard. The kickstart programme has allowed us to invest in training up new talent to our way of working, and then offer them a role at the end of the placement. What would you say is the biggest challenge facing businesses in your industry at the moment? Attracting and keeping quality staff… definitely, staff strongly value wellbeing as well as financial compensation. Looking forward, how do you see the next 12 months for your business? In short… A very good year indeed.

MEMBERS NEWS

Lufthansa connects Liverpool to the world

“Lufthansa will be the first global network airline in Liverpool with easy reach to destinations on 4 continents”, says Heinrich Lange, Senior Director Sales Northern Europe Lufthansa Group Airlines. “As a premium carrier, we will be the only airline at John Lennon Airport to offer seats in Business Class and all the amenities of a full-service approach.” John Irving, CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport commented, “It has been a long-held desire of both the Airport and the City Region as a whole to reconnect Liverpool with the world and we are therefore absolutely delighted to be welcoming Lufthansa to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. To be able to connect Liverpool globally via Frankfurt will bring huge benefits to the business sector across the region both now and into the future and of course will now enable the world to easily connect inbound too, helping visitors from across the world, to access the City Region, Cheshire and North Wales far easier.” Access to the airport from across Cheshire and North Wales has been much improved in recent years following the opening of the Mersey Gateway bridge and the Halton Curve rail line, with direct rail services from Chester to nearby Liverpool South Parkway rail station and frequent bus links to the airport. Commencing 2nd May 2022, the new connection at a glance (all times are local):

Chamber members from across West Cheshire and North Wales will soon be able to take advantage of flying from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to a host of global destinations following the recent announcement by Lufthansa to open up a new connection between Liverpool and their main hub at Frankfurt. Starting 2nd May 2022 the German carrier will offer flights direct from Liverpool to Frankfurt, where all Lufthansa and Star Alliance carriers operate under one roof within one single terminal, enabling transferring passengers from Liverpool to easily connect to over 150 destinations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Lufthansa is one of Europe’s leading airlines and this will be the first time in their 66-year

history that they will have operated from Liverpool. Flight time will be just one hour and 40 minutes with the route operated by their Airbus A320 (168 seats) or Bombardier CRJ900 (90 seats) jet aircraft. Chamber member Liverpool John Lennon Airport is the award winning faster, easier, friendlier Airport of choice for passengers from across the region and is recognised for its relaxed, hassle-free environment and best in class operational performance with a record that shows that more flights departed on time from Liverpool than from any other airport in England. Chamber CEO Debbie Bryce attended the recent announcement of the new route by Lufthansa held at the airport and commented, “As a Chamber, we are always looking for improved connectivity for our members, particularly as we all look towards recovery from the pandemic and the global connectivity that this new route brings combined with all the benefits of flying from Liverpool is great news for the Chamber and its members.”

Every Monday and Friday: LH968 Frankfurt 16:05

Liverpool 16:45

LH969 Liverpool 17:30

Frankfurt 19:10

Every Wednesday and Sunday: LH968 Frankfurt 07:25

Liverpool 08:05

LH969 Liverpool 08:50

Frankfurt 11:30

Chamber parking discount West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce members have access to an exclusive parking offer at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. If you book to fly with Lufthansa from Liverpool, Chamber members have access to a 20% discount on FastTrack Parking at the airport, parking immediately outside the terminal, with a dedicated entrance into the building and able to speed your way through security if it is busy with a Fast Track ticket included. Simply email info@wcnwchamber.org.uk with your flight booking reference and you’ll receive a code for your 20% discount.

BGS

UK Geoenergy Cheshire Observatory – clean heat beneath our feet Plans to increase UK research and innovation capability in low-carbon geoenergy supply and storage, such as geothermal, have taken a big step forward with the news that planning permission has been granted to construct the second of the £31 million UK Geoenergy Observatories. Planning permission for the Cheshire Observatory, which will be located in the University of Chester’s Thornton Science Park, was granted in February this year by Cheshire West and Chester Council. New location Originally, planning was in place to build the Cheshire Observatory at Ince Marshes, however preliminary investigations revealed difficult ground conditions. These included greater than anticipated depth to bedrock and a high (artesian) water table in the bedrock aquifer. Together, these would have led to a significant increase in drilling costs and increased both the cost and complexity of research operations. The new location at Thornton Science Park is ideal for the Cheshire Observatory. Being on higher ground than Ince Marshes, it is not affected by artesian groundwater and the sandstone bedrock is close to surface. Relocating the observatory to Thornton Science Park will deliver a world-class science and research facility for scientists and innovators working in subsurface energy storage to meet the challenges associated with decarbonising our society and the road to net zero.

performance, sustainable designs that take account of natural variation in rock properties. ‘It will complement the Glasgow Observatory, which is already providing important insights into how thermal energy in flooded former coal-mine workings can be extracted for the heating of buildings. ‘This world-class facility will be open to users from around the world and will play a key role in our path towards a net zero energy future.’

Thornton Science Park is located in an area of large sustainable energy projects and the observatory will be an ideal focal point for collaboration between researchers and industry, including local companies that could directly benefit from storing heat underground.

boreholes will be equipped with a range of subsurface technologies, including borehole heat exchangers for heating and cooling of the subsurface, advanced sensors for 3D imaging of subsurface processes in real-time, and equipment for multilevel groundwater monitoring and hydraulic control.

The Cheshire Observatory will provide unique insight into the response of the subsurface to energy transfer and storage with real-time, 3D-imaging of subsurface processes. The infrastructure will support control of groundwater flow, heating and cooling of the subsurface and high-resolution monitoring using advanced sensors and multilevel sampling installations.

Data will be free and open to the public, public bodies, researchers and industry.

Subsurface energy storage

Now that planning permission has been granted, construction is expected to start in summer 2022. The project team issued a tender for the principal contractor to build the Cheshire site and will announce the results of this in due course.

The Cheshire Observatory will provide researchers with at-scale test facilities that they can use to optimise the design and operation of subsurface energy storage systems. These systems are an important and growing component of the UK’s heating and cooling demand.

Dr Mike Spence, science director of the UK Geoenergy Observatories, said: ‘Balancing renewable energy supply and demand, and reducing our dependency on gas for heating, will be key to the UK achieving its decarbonisation goals.

The Cheshire Observatory will comprise a network of 21 boreholes installed to a depth of 100 m. The

‘The Cheshire Observatory will be a place where developers of energy supply and storage technologies can work together to develop high-

The Glasgow Observatory, which is equipped to investigate thermal storage in former mine workings, is already delivering these benefits for researchers and partners across the UK and complements the research that will be carried out at the Cheshire Observatory into geothermal energy in stored in aquifers. The Cheshire Observatory is a publicly funded NERC/UKRI facility and, when complete, it will be available for a wide range of investigative work by academics and commercial organisations exploring aquifer thermal energy resources, subsurface energy transfers, novel sensor systems and the de-risking of future commercial ventures. If you are interested in using the Cheshire Observatory then please contact the UK Geoenergy Observatories team at ukgeosenquiries@bgs.ac.uk or visit the website www.ukgeos.ac.uk for more information and to sign up to the newsletter.

WHAT WE’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT

Your Space

be a constant presence in the lives of our families. Our face-to-face sessions became a regular program of online videos and interactive sessions including Makaton, Craft, Cooking, Ball Skills, Zumba, Quizzes, Treasure Hunts, Bedtime Stories and so much more. We also provided packs filled with activities, sensory toys and even science experiments! Our staff also supported families that were shielding by providing a shopping and prescription collection service helping to keep our community safe. This was also an isolating time for parents feeling cut off from support. Our Outreach Team moved the support groups to Zoom and made endless phone calls to ensure no one felt alone. As a charity, we are extremely passionate about our volunteer program as we rely heavily on them to support the work we do. We have opportunities for people from all walks of life, young people doing their D of E, professionals on our board of trustees and parents who fundraise for us, admin and office staff. We are really proud of our track record of supporting volunteers into paid roles. Many of our current staff started as volunteers, including our Fundraising Assistant, Andrew Edwards:

At Your Space, we are passionate about providing fun, engaging and inclusive activities for young people with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and providing a support network and community for the families and Carers. Your Space (Marches) Ltd is a small charity with a big reach across Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Shropshire that supports children with Autistic Spectrum Condition and their families. However, you don’t need a diagnosis to engage with the services as Your Space understand that can be a long process and families miss out on valuable support while they are waiting. 1 in 100 people have a diagnosis of Autism in the UK. We currently have over 250 young people registered with Your Space who can access our services. Our activities give young people with ASC an opportunity to engage socially with others in a fun and supportive environment. Social and Communication skills is an area people with Autism can find challenging. Autism is described as a spectrum as it is a diverse neurological condition. This means that no two people with Autism are the same. Some traits may be similar but each person with Autism is unique. At Your Space, we ensure our sessions are inclusive and led by the interest of the young people

attending the group. This is called a personcentred approach and it best supports the young person’s development. Supporting a young person with Autism to get a diagnosis and beyond affects every member of the family in different ways. Your Space currently has 216 families registered with our Outreach Team. Our Parent Support groups provide a safe space for parents to share what they are going through with people who truly understand. “The outreach service has made an amazing and huge difference in making me feel supported and like am not alone, I am coping with everything that has been going on. The help and support I have received has made the world of difference and kept me going during one of the darkest times in my life.” Structure is something that helps people with autism cope with the very unpredictable world around them. When the Covid-19 Pandemic caused the first lockdown everybody’s day to day life was abruptly halted but for our young people who rely so heavily on routine, it was especially difficult. Your Space quickly learned how to change our way of working so we could continue to

“I started volunteering at Your Space in September 2017 after some bad obsessional behaviours had taken over my life with my autism. During my time as a volunteer, I regained my self-worth and confidence in a very supportive understanding environment. “After the sudden loss of my beloved mother Hazel Davies, aged 77 at Christmas 2020, I contacted Rachel regarding a paid role upon the advice of a close family member. Rachel, as she usually has for me and my family, delivered the role of a Fundraising Assistant which started on June 8th 2021. “This role not only enables me to pay my bills, which I have had to take on following Mum’s passing, it also gives me extra independence along with giving my family a well-earned break from me during the time I am at work. “Your Space is a wonderful charity that myself and my family will be forever indebted to.” On 2nd April 2022, it is World Autism Day, and Your Space will be hosting an event at Ty Pawb which will include art, photography, music, interactive workshops and information. We are looking forward to celebrating our Your Space Community. If you are interested in volunteering for or supporting Your Space or attending the event on 2nd April, we would love to hear from you please contact debbie.moody@yourspacemarches.co.uk.

Intelligent Recruitment support to drive your business to the next level Recruiting the right people is vital for growth and success. Kirsty Craig Associates offer recruitment and training support to help companies manage the process from start to finish in the most professional and effective way possible.

Tel: 01244 732070 | Email: hello@kirstycraigassociates.co.uk

www.kirstycraigassociates.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

How does your business look to a candidate?

So how do they decide who they want to work for?

First (second and third) Impressions do count to candidates! Therefore, how you stand out and how you look to the candidate is important. Don’t start off on the back foot, look at your employer brand and how you communicate this…your Employee Value Proposition or EVP if you like. Candidates will research your business before they even step onto your premises, this will include internet searches; your website, social media channels and review sites, and asking for people’s opinions on their experiences or knowledge of your organisation. What do you think they will find, and will it show your company in the best light? Obviously, there are some things we cannot control, but have you conducted a review yourself to see how your brand looks to a candidate? We actively encourage reflective thinking, so do conduct your own review to identify what you need to address i.e. •

• When a new client approaches us to discuss a role they are looking to fill, one of the first questions we ask is ‘what’s your recruitment process?’. For many, recruiting for new employees doesn’t happen regularly enough for them to be really good at it, and whereas they may have the basis of a recruitment procedure there can be gaps in the process.

Sound familiar?

We ask this question not just because we are recruiters but because having a plan in place is important, particularly in this climate when it really is a candidate’s market now. You may have seen in the media the reports that businesses are struggling to recruit at the moment, this is true and it’s not unusual for some candidates to have three to four job offers on the table and are literally able to take their pick of the bunch.

•

Company website - is it up to date? Does it reflect your business accurately? If there is a team page, is everyone on there still employed? In the news section, when was the last piece posted - anything older than a few months could indicate that the site isn’t being updated. Social media accounts - dormant company accounts give a poor impression. If they are not being used then consider closing them down or if you do still want them visible, then keep them active. Reviews - keep an eye on internet sites such as Glassdoor where reviews may be left and respond appropriately. People understand that negative ones can be given (rightly or wrongly), but how you react is key!

How do you handle the interviews?

Have a clear process in advance of inviting a candidate for an interview and communicate that to them so they understand how many meetings they may potentially need to attend before a decision is made. Identify who is the right person (or people) in the organisation to conduct the interviews, and if there isn’t the skills, time or role experience in-house then consider outsourcing to your recruitment agency, or ensure your managers have the right tools by investing in training workshops that will provide them with knowledge they need. Our two-day intensive management training course The Art of Recruiting Well covers the aspects required to attract and retain high quality people to your organisation. Schedule the interviews accordingly so that there is ample time and with no distractions. A candidate recently reported that a senior director interrupted their interview to talk to a colleague who was passing by the meeting room, and another mentioned a telephone call being taken mid-session. Neither candidate was impressed, they felt it was rude and that the company didn’t hold any weight on the importance of interviewing and so gave them an unfavourable impression on what working life could potentially be like there. Both asked to be withdrawn from the recruitment process.

Getting it right

It can be a fine line to getting it right, NOT having a well-structured process can be as bad as taking it to the extreme and incorporating more stages than is necessary for a role. One business had a fourstage interviewing process for every candidate, when really that level is only really needed for highly technical roles, or for senior positions. Kirsty Craig Associates are professional recruiters and have the added benefit of having HR and Training expertise meaning we can support your team with learning and development sessions on how to attract the best talent, recruiting right first time, interviewing skills and how to onboard new employees. For more information, or to discuss how Kirsty Craig Associates can help your business, visit www.kirstycraigassociates.co.uk, call 01244 732070 or email hello@kirstycraigassociates.co.uk

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Four hacks for leaders who are struggling to motivate their teams to achieve peak performance. by Kate Morris-Bates, MD of Accelerate Potential Ltd. I can also confidently say that the reason for below par team performance is not always down to the team, it is sometimes down to the way it is led. The stats back this up – in the 2021 Gallup “State of the Global Workplace” report, 74% of employees report active disengagement from their role – with <20% stating that their leaders make them enthusiastic about the future. Why does this matter to your business growth strategy? Because disengagement impacts productivity. Numerous research pieces prove that highly engaged teams are more 1418% more productive than those with average engagement.

being transparent enough with themselves and others to admit their wrong doings so that those around them can also benefit from their learnings. Motivational leaders are able to use mistakes to build a culture of trust, integrity and courage with their teams; demonstrating a safe supportive work environment.

3. Listen Actively… Listening is an act of respect and connection. Monopolising the narrative is a sure-fire way to disengage your team. Engaged employees have a genuine desire to contribute to the mission of the business, and to make a positive difference to it – this can only happen when leaders not only seek the views of others but also listen actively to what they have to say. Using the abundance of two-way communications technology in an intentional way, leaders who listen can create great impact.

So, how do leaders become great motivators? I’ve identified four common behavioural blind spot themes that, when addressed, build strong foundations for performance growth. How many times have you had discussions about the best way to get your team to perform at their peak, have invested in courses, and rolled out engagement surveys for it all to make little, if any, difference? Have you wondered why this might be but drawn a blank? I spent two decades as a Top 100 Executive leading large teams, and now support corporate leaders to overcome hidden barriers to success through coaching and consultancy so I can confidently say that even the most self-aware amongst us, have “leadership blind spots”; it is part of human nature.

1. Show Appreciation… What you feel on the inside needs to be shown on the outside. Frequent and sincere acts of appreciation for the effort, contributions, skills, and expertise of the people in your organisation go a long way to creating a high-performance culture. Rewards don’t need to be costly; saying thank you and recognising effort in a personalised way can be enough.

4. Be Honest…

2. Admit Mistakes… Leaders are not responsible for always being right. But they are responsible for always

Helping business leaders perform at their best Tel: 01244 912123 | Email: kate@acceleratepotential.co.uk Florence House, Bromfield Lane, Mold. CH7 1JW

www.acceleratepotential.co.uk Chess photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com

Trust is the foundation of every relationship. Being honest is more than telling the truth when asked; it is about saying what you mean and meaning what you say consistently in all interactions. Honesty is about being aligned with your values and behaving consistently in a way which demonstrates this alignment. Creating a culture of trust creates a culture of

reliability and dependability; research has shown people who trust each other are more productive, feel a higher degree of loyalty to their team and organisation, and are also known to give outstanding service. You may read this and think “I do these already”, but I’d like to throw in a pause for thought. Engagement problems arise when leaders believe they’re demonstrating these behaviours, and their employees don’t – and this happens more often than we realise. Human beings tend towards overoptimism when evaluating their own performance; demonstrated by an oft-replicated experiment “the average person, when asked, typically claims that s/he is ‘above average,’ which is statistically impossible.” Leadership is a complex discipline requiring vision, strategic thinking, financial savvy…and behavioural competency. Having worked with a wide cross-sector of business leaders from construction to manufacturing to financial and legal services, I recognise that acknowledging your leadership blind spots takes courage and humility. It also requires time, introspection, and technical support such as StrengthScope analysis, behavioural coaching and personalised L&D strategies. Once you invest in this, you will see your business perform higher than before!

Supporting over 8,000 families

We champion training and innovation to support our care home teams to deliver outstanding care. Residents’ quality of life is at the heart of everything we do, helping individuals to stay active and independent so they can live each day to the full. If you’re considering care, call 01244 456872 or email donna.brown@careuk.com

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AARON & PARTNERS

The Importance of thorough employment documentation in an Employment Tribunal defence matters relevant to employment within a business. Disciplinary and Grievance policies are two obvious examples, with different industries and businesses having different further considerations. Whilst also containing useful, practical information such as a business’ values and key personnel, procedures included in these documents are invaluable when dealing with any workplace issue.

Scrutiny in the Tribunal Helen Watson, Partner and Head of Employment

Contract of Employment Once the decision to recruit a new member of staff is taken, the importance of finalising the contract of employment should not be overlooked in a bid to get the appointment over the line. As well as the key terms an employee would look for, it is crucial from an employer’s perspective that any contract accurately reflects their business needs and ways of working. It is also now law that contracts must be provided on the first day of employment. There is a long list of elements that must by law be contained in an employment contract. An employer is also likely to wish to protect its position on a practical level on termination of the contract, with clauses preventing a former member of staff poaching clients or setting up a rival business, for example.

Policies and Handbooks An employee handbook containing policies and procedures is another key document or suite of documents which sets out requirements and expectations of both sides on various

It goes without saying that all employment documentation, including things such as an offer letter and not just those documents outlined above, should be carefully thought out and precisely drafted. Should these documents be challenged in a Tribunal, a defence will be challenged if there are gaps or inconsistencies in the documents which form the basis of the employment relationship. A witness who is able to refer to reliable contemporaneous documents whilst giving evidence will be under less pressure and appear more credible. We often see issues arising when a business has tried to cover every eventuality with a broad brush – pledging that they will thoroughly investigate all disciplinary issues, for example, and often within a timescale which they think will demonstrate fairness but may well be unattainable. Can an employer really conclude a disciplinary process within, say 14 days? What about unforeseen circumstances that mean the timeframe must unavoidably be extended? Being too prescriptive can also be a pitfall, and there is a balance to be struck. Whilst thorough documentation is a great starting point, it is of little use if it is treated as a tick-box exercise and left untouched. A Tribunal will want to see evidence that

a contract has been complied with and procedures followed, and so whilst being comprehensive in what they cover, the documents need to contain realistic clauses that can be put into practice in the day to day working environment.

Steps to Take It is important to get employment documents right at the outset so that they are less susceptible to challenge and can be used to guide both an employee and the employer through internal processes. Whilst there are certain things that must be covered, they should be tailored to a business’ need where possible so that they are in fact usable: non-compliance with its own policies can be an employer’s downfall. Drafts should be thoroughly scrutinised with examples followed through to ensure that they work in practice, and training provided to staff where needed to ensure compliance. Having confidence in your documentation will carry through into an Employment Tribunal claim, and provide a solid ground on which to build a defence. We frequently review existing employment contracts and employee handbooks and can draft bespoke documents to suit your needs. If you require any advice or assistance in this regard please contact helen.watson@aaronandpartners.com.

TOP TIPS

Top Tips to ensure you are not underinsured! In 2021, it was estimated that over 50% of businesses were underinsured. Unfortunately, this only comes to light in the event of a claim. Why is it bad to be underinsured? The consequences of underinsurance can be serious in two ways: leaving you unable to claim for your full loss, because all risks are not insured. Also undervaluing a covered loss means, only the value insured will be payable not the full loss. That’s a double whammy that’s difficult to swallow. We have produced the following Top 7 Tips in the hope that these will assist you in reviewing your insurances and stop you being underinsured: Don’t Just Assume Your Broker/Insurer Knows Everything – Be Honest. A broker will not know everything, it is better giving more information than needed. Don’t forget if you change the name of your company or move premises etc. you will need to let your insurance company/ broker know.

of cover and statement of fact/proposal forms as these are likely to include, amongst others: minimum security conditions (physical and alarm); electrical inspection requirements; work away exclusions; portable heater exclusions; trade specific exclusions and/or conditions etc. For fleet policyholders, these are likely to include: driver age, licence &/or vehicle restrictions; driver checks; reporting requirements in respect of changes of vehicle and MID updates; all vehicles being owned by/leased to the policy holding company (unless specifically agreed otherwise) etc. Check Your Basis of Cover Most policies provide cover on a ‘reinstatement as new’ basis, however if any plant and machinery has been purchased second hand/reconditioned, then so long as ‘like for like’ replacements would be widely available in the event of a loss, cover may be more appropriately arranged on a specified ‘indemnity’ basis.

Be Aware of Claim Reporting Procedures and Requirements Insurers do at times impose very strict reporting requirements, irrespective of whether a claim is to be made. Always forward communications to insurers, unanswered and without delay, and do not enter into any discussions or communications in respect of liability without your insurer’s formal consent. If in Doubt Ask!

Be Aware of Average

Do you work from home? Don’t assume your Homeowners Insurance will cover you.

Most policies carry an average condition, which essentially means that in the event of a loss, insurers would scale down a claim in proportion to the level of any under insurance:

This is of paramount importance as the claim’s verification process is now far more rigorous than ever before and insurers will perform checks for CCJs, insolvencies etc.

i.e. (Sum Insured ÷ Full Value) x Full loss = The proportion that will be paid by the insurer.

Insurers impose these for a reason, usually as a result of previous claims/losses! Also check your policy wording, as well as the schedule

Contents: Don’t assume your contents sums insured are adequate, as the total cost of replacing all business contents purchased over the years, including plant, fixtures, fixtures and fittings etc can so much greater when itemised and added up. If stock levels vary, ensure that adequate cover is in place for the worst-case scenario. If laptops and/or other business contents are taken away from the premises, check what limits apply.

Where cover is provided on a ‘reinstatement as new basis’, the sums insured need to reflect the full reinstatement as new costs, allowing for inflation and increase costs in materials such as wood, cement etc.

Check all documents and statements of fact/proposal forms to ensure that the information contained therein is complete, correct and up to date.

Check Compliance with Policy Terms, Conditions & Endorsements

of a property with the rebuild value. Even with new builds, the cost to demolish, clear a site and rebuild following a loss, will be significantly greater than the original build cost. Be mindful that not all insurers apply index linking when offering renewal terms.

Finally

If you’re one of the millions who run a home-based business, chances are you still need commercial business insurance. Many homeowner’s insurance policies contain exclusions for home-based businesses.

The average condition usually applies to all sections of covers, therefore care needs to be taken to ensure that the declared values remain adequate at all times. Check Your Scope of Cover Buildings: Don’t confuse the market value

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

BCC says more must be done to improve UK-EU trade On the second anniversary of Brexit, and with huge lorry queues being reported at Dover last week, the BCC is calling for urgent action to improve trade with Europe. With well over half of UK exporters (60%) surveyed by the BCC in November 2021 reporting difficulties in trading with the EU, an increase from 49% in January 2021, it is clear urgent action is needed. Pictures of lorries stacked up on the A20, waiting to get into the port of Dover, also offer a vivid illustration of the problems continuing to impact the operation of the trade deal between the UK and the EU. William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: “The main issue at Dover currently appears to be linked to the export of food products across the Channel. Like many of the problems, this looks to be down to a differing interpretation of how the trade arrangements work after leaving the EU. “In this case, we are hearing French customs require a wet signature on paperwork for exports of animal and plant products, but as much of the documentation is produced digitally this is creating hold-ups. “It is the latest in a string of issues with the trade deal that speaks to the wider problems of interpretation, inconsistent application and glaring gaps in its coverage. “No one is expecting goods to flow as freely across the channel now as they did prior to Brexit. But the way the trade agreement is being interpreted in 27 different EU countries is a major headache for UK business – especially smaller firms without the cash reserves to set up new EU based arrangements. “Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. It is possible for the UK Government and EU to take a pragmatic approach and work together to reach new understandings on a consistent interpretation of the rules and to build on them further. “Accredited Chambers of Commerce support the UK Government’s ambition to massively increase the number of firms exporting. Freeing up the flow of goods and services into the EU, our largest and nearest overseas market, will go a long way to realising that goal.”

Liam Smyth, Managing Director of ChamberCustoms, added: “At ChamberCustoms we work, day in and day out, with companies to help them navigate the complexities of international trade. We’ve seen a huge demand for our services in relation to trading with the EU since the implementation of the trade deal, and we know first-hand what difficulties firms on the ground are facing. “If the UK Government and the EU are willing to take action on these proposals from the Chamber Network, it will serve to improve trading conditions and let businesses get on with growing our economy and generating prosperity.” The BCC has set out five key issues, and the solutions needed, to improve EU trade. They are: n

ISSUE: Export health certificates cost too much and take up too much time for SME food exporters.

SOLUTION: We need a supplementary deal on this which either eliminates or greatly

reduces the complexity of exporting food for SMEs. n

ISSUE: Some companies are being asked to register in multiple EU states for VAT in order to sell online to customers there.

SOLUTION: We need a supplementary deal, similar to Norway’s with the EU. This exempts the smallest firms from the requirement to have a fiscal representative and incur these duplicate costs. n

ISSUE: As things stand CE marked industrial and electrical products will not be permitted for sale on the market in Great Britain from January 2023/4. The same is true for components and spares.

SOLUTION: We need action from the Government to help businesses with these timelines. Many firms are far from convinced about a ban on CE marked goods in Great Britain. n

ISSUE: UK firms facing limitations on business travel and work activities in the EU.

SOLUTION: Government needs to make side deals with the EU and member states to boost access in this area as a priority for 2022. n

ISSUE: Companies starting to be pursued in respect of import customs declarations deferred from last year.

SOLUTION: We need a pragmatic approach to enforcement to ensure companies recovering from the pandemic do not face heavy-handed demands too quickly on import payments, or paperwork.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

New generation of exporters needed to power economic growth – BCC Trade Manifesto

shows that firms trading overseas are more productive, innovative and resilient.

The British Chambers of Commerce is today setting out its manifesto to recruit legions of new UK exporters as its research continues to show poor overseas trade growth:

“Our research shows that overseas trade fell off a cliff in early 2020; just 8% of UK exporters saw any increase in the second quarter of that year. Almost two years later and the figures are still way below where they need to be, with only around a quarter reporting improvement.

– In Q4 of 2021, just over a quarter of exporting firms (29%) saw their overseas sales increase – Almost half (47%) saw no change, and a quarter (24%) reported a decrease – This is despite substantially more firms reporting improved domestic conditions, with 45% confirming increased UK sales in Q4 BCC research also shows that exporters are uniquely facing a wide range of issues, from unprecedented inflationary pressures and global supply chain crises to a raft of new requirements flowing from the EU trade deal. The Manifesto sets out a comprehensive list of steps to get more UK businesses, currently just 10%, involved in international trade. This compares to more than 60% of companies which are members of an Accredited Chamber of Commerce. To do this the BCC is working with the whole of its Global Business Network, both within the UK and in 76 markets across the world, to help encourage the shift. It is making the move after 23% of firms surveyed said finding a business partner or distributor overseas would encourage them to either start exporting or export more.

“So, it’s vital we now recruit a new generation of exporters to help take our overseas trade to the next level. We are standing at a moment where we can seize the opportunity to be in the vanguard of a world-wide revolution in new technology, digital services and Net Zero innovations. “Accredited Chambers of Commerce have all the tools necessary to equip these new recruits and allow them to trade with confidence. Our ChamberCustoms service can also provide training, advice and brokerage to help goods clear UK borders with as little fuss as possible.

“We are using our entire Global Business Network and will do everything we can to help firms explore the amazing possibilities that are out there. But more also needs to be done by government to support UK companies that have had to battle with rocketing costs, disrupted supplies and reams of new paperwork in Europe. “If we all work together to take action then we can revitalise our exports growth and help power the UK’s economic recovery.” The manifesto sets out a number of steps that the UK government could take to help

firms trade with the EU and to make sure that any new trade agreements put the interests of business at their heart. In Europe these include: n

Streamlining customs and trade processes to reduce paperwork and delays

Developing more business-friendly rules on cross-border VAT

Bringing back, and boosting, the Brexit SME Support Fund to help firms adapt

More widely they include: n

Creating a Business and Trade Growth Office at the Dept for International Trade to help smaller businesses get involved in exporting

Providing better access for UK professional services and mutual recognition of qualifications

Setting rules on trade that support the future exports of environmental goods and services

Securing real benefits for importers and manufacturers in the UK on tariff reductions and rules of origin

Providing manufacturers with better options on sourcing materials and components

Ms Haviland added: “We want to work with the UK Government and other trading bodies to build a proper coalition of support for a strong UK trade and investment strategy. “If we want more firms to get involved in exporting then we need to see more end-toend support to help them make the leap. “But businesses also have the knowledge and practical know how to help the UK Government negotiate trade treaties that can open up new growth opportunities. “We have always been champions of international trade and there is no doubt in our minds that businesses that embrace exporting to overseas markets will be better off for it, as will our economy. All it takes is a willingness to try.”

A further 16% of firms also said support with trade documentation would encourage them to start exporting or increase the amount of business they do overseas. Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “The UK is bursting with amazing businesses offering goods and services that are high quality, sustainable and well designed. There are hundreds of overseas markets which are crying out for what we can offer. “Yet only 10% of UK businesses are currently involved in exporting when all our research

MEMBERS NEWS

An Acclaimed business and management qualification is celebrating its most successful cohort ever.

More than 1,000 senior managers, owners, and directors from across Wales – and 10% of its 300 top firms – have graduated from the 20Twenty Business Growth Programme over the years. The latest group to complete the course – all based in Flintshire, Wrexham and north Powys – have the best results in its history; 14 delegates on the CMI (Chartered Management Institute) Level 7 received the highest average results in Wales, including seven distinctions.

Various themes and topics are covered, and delegates are focused on developing a Strategic Growth Plan (SGP). With the programme 80% funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through Welsh Government, it has been lauded by alumni for the long-term impact it has had on their businesses, and the relationships forged among representatives from different sectors.

Among them was Ian Danby, Head of Biodiversity at the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), who scored the best overall marks in the country.

Learning and Evaluation Manager Greg Parry praised the record-breaking group for their achievement and encouraged other company and social enterprise leaders to sign up for the next cohort, which begins in February.

He said the programme – delivered by Bangor University in collaboration with Cardiff Metropolitan University – gave him a real confident boost.

“I took over this role halfway through this latest programme and had the pleasure of reading the delegates’ Strategic Growth Projects,” he said.

“20Twenty was a wholly worthwhile experience,” Ian added.

“While their grades are brilliant, the biggest impact will hopefully be developing aspects such as leadership, marketing or change management in their organisations.”

“I went into it wanting to both confirm the skills I had and to develop new ones in areas of business management where my career to date has had less emphasis. The lecturers on the course were a diverse group of seasoned professionals and I really enjoyed it.” Those studying for the qualification – which has been held online due to the Coronavirus pandemic – attend masterclasses and workshops with some of the leading names in myriad industries, including former BBC Business Doctor, Dr Paul Thomas, Director and Founder of DNA Definitive.

Dr Paul Thomas added: “The programme will connect you to a real sense of self and that of human leadership. It will inspire and challenge you to grow, to become a future-fit leader who can take on the complexities of driving modern organisations – well done to those who have achieved such brilliant results.” For more information and to sign up for the next 20Twenty Business Growth Programme, email j.whittaker@bangor.ac.uk or visit the website: www.20TwentyBusinessGrowth.com.

North Wales law firm wants to make it easier to plan for the future

“We are offering significantly reduced fixed fees from January until the end of April for all Wills and LPAs handled by our Conwy office, so now is the perfect time to get your future secured.”

The most important thing you can do in 2022 is plan for the future – that’s the advice from experts at a North Wales law firm who want to make it easier for people to get their affairs in order.

For more information contact Dewi Jones or Emma Deering on 01492 555676 or email dewi.jones@lblaw.co.uk or emma.deering@lblaw.co.uk

Lawyers at Lanyon Bowdler in Conwy say writing a Will and getting the right legal arrangements in place is vital – and now is the time to get it done. The firm is cutting fixed fees on the preparation of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) until the end of April as part of a project called ‘Positive Planning for the New Year’. Dewi Jones, a specialist in the private client department in Conwy, said the start of the year was a great time to think about writing a Will. He said: “I always find that getting the correct legal documentation in place is

always a big weight off people’s minds, and it really is one of the most important things you can do to protect the future of your family or business. “That’s why we are calling this project ‘Positive Planning for the New Year’ – writing a Will and preparing an LPA is a hugely positive step, so we are really keen to make the process as accessible as possible. “Most people know what a Will is, but the advantages of LPAs are less well understood. Essentially, an LPA enables you to appoint someone – known as an attorney – to look after your financial affairs if you ever lose the mental capacity to do so yourself. “It’s a vital legal document which can prevent a lot of stress and heartache for everyone concerned.

MEMBERS NEWS P&A Group Managing Director and Teammates Complete an Epic Cycle, Raising Over £28,500 for Motor Neuron Disease Research Former rugby players, Steve Morgan, Managing Director of the P&A Group, Robert Boyns from Boyns Information Systems Ltd, Wyn Jones from Pritchard Jones Lane LLP and Matt Davies have successfully completed the Doddie Cup 500 and are celebrating raising over £28,500 in the process! The four riders and a support team of two, set off from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 10th February and cycled to The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, arriving on 12th February in time for the actionpacked Wales vs Scotland game. Steve and his teammates were also lucky to make it on to the pitch to present the match ball,

alongside Dr Rob Wainwright, a former back row forward for Scotland and the British Lions. Dr Wainwright carried the match ball on the back of his bike all the way from Scotland as part of the charity fundraising event. In total, 22 teams took part in the Doddie Cup 500 all of which were raising funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation whose vision is: A World Free of MND. Doddie Weir OBE is one of rugby’s most recognisable personalities. He earned 61 caps for Scotland during a successful playing career, represented the British and Irish Lions on their successful tour to South Africa in 1997, and won championships with his two club sides. Doddie is now facing his biggest challenge. In June 2017 the Scot revealed he was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease. From the outset, Doddie has been driven to help fellow sufferers and seek ways to further research into this, as yet, incurable disease.

two who kept us well fed and watered and it was definitely worth the pain and the cold to raise over £28,500 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. “We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who encouraged us along the way, as well as to our sponsors who very generously supported us. We’re now going to put our feet up for a well-earned rest but only after we’ve cleaned all the mud off our bikes!” It’s not too late to support the team. You can visit the JustGiving page (www. justgiving.com/fundraising/DoddieGog500) to help raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Commenting on the challenge, Steve Morgan said: “It was a really difficult challenge, with some awful weather along the way which chilled us to the bone. We had about three hours sleep over the 48-hour period and there were some dark moments in the middle of the nights, both physically and in terms of dark, rural roads but, thankfully, there were no disasters and we kept on peddling! We were incredibly well looked after by our support team of

Penderyn Distillery wins Best Attraction at Go North Wales Tourism Awards The Welsh whisky company, Penderyn, opened a new distillery in the tourist seaside resort of Llandudno in North Wales in May 2021 and won Best Attraction at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards which was held in Llandudno on Thursday 25th November. This is a wonderful achievement, and is testimony to the upgrade of the former Grade Two listed school, and also the Distillery

tourism experience. The shop is open to the public seven days a week. Hour-long Tours are also available seven days a week (which end up in the bar), and the 2.5 hour Masterclasses are available at weekends. With over 94 rave reviews (including 92 x 5-stars and 2 x 4-stars), and being #1 of ‘91 things to do in Llandudno’ on Trip Advisor, this award cements Penderyn’s place

in the heart of Llandudno, and also the wider North Wales tourism community. And outside of the local visitors, people have come from all over the UK, especially the North West England area where there are many whisky fans in Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Stoke. Dafydd Pesic-Smith, Distillery Manager, said: “We have seen several thousand visitors already, even though we launched during the pandemic. We have made sure our site is safe for all visitors, and this award is incredibly satisfying after only being open for 6 months. We hope that visitors to Llandudno come to see us, and also that we bring more visitors into Llandudno.” Stephen Davies, Penderyn’s CEO, said: “We are delighted with this award. We have invested a lot of money in Llandudno with a view to increasing our distilling power and also engaging with our loyal community in North Wales, as well as tourists and this award will help us achieve that.”

Health and Safety & ISO Compliance Guaranteed Are you considering obtaining ISO certification and struggling with knowing what you must do to obtain ISO certification? Don’t have internal resources, time or knowledge on how to go about this, then call SQR Group for a free no obligations 1 hour consultation. Our expert consultants will be able to provide you with competent advice and support on what you need to do to become compliant with H&S legislation, the ISO compliance process and we will walk you through the process of obtaining ISO certification for your company. We will support you all the way through the certification process, guaranteeing you obtain certification which could result in wining new clients or retaining current clients. We have over 25 years’ experience in developing and implementing health & safety, quality and environmental (HSQE) management systems and assisting clients achieve and retain ISO certification(s) (ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015, ISO45001 & ISO27001:2013), and other industry accreditations such as RISQS, NERS, HERS, FORS, CHAS, Constructionline Etc. across multiple industry sectors such as rail, construction, manufacturing, engineering, utilities, telecommunications, retail etc.

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Testimonials We contacted Sean at SQR Group for assistance in gaining a RISQS accreditation. Once we signed up with SQR, we were extremely impressed with the way Sean supported us with the requirements to enable us to gain the accreditation. We thoroughly covered each section of the audit protocol and felt we were in safe hands with Sean with his vast wealth of experience within H&S and the Railway industry. SQR proved to be professional, efficient and with their help we managed to successfully pass the audit. We would recommend them to any company looking to achieve accreditations Tower Lifts

The decision to commence the process to acquire ISO9001:2015 and pursue methods which would improve evidencing our internal auditing process was made simpler by appointing SQR Group Limited. Sean Rintoul invested time prior to our appointment of their services to understand our business model and presented us with a realistic, supportive programme which would assist Intaglio Engraving Limited achieve ISO9001:2015 accreditation. Sean devised methods of recording evidence which complimented our existing Integrated Management System, making the process simpler – with almost no additional time or effort for me! The best part was that I could completely trust Sean, his team and certified company to represent our company professionally. Intaglio Engraving

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PERSON BEHIND THE BUSINESS

June Potts Director at Menopause360 An overview of yourself and your current role. I’m a workplace menopause consultant and director of Menopause 360 Consultancy, a company I founded in 2020. I support organisations to understand the impact of menopause from a financial and inclusive perspective, ensuring menopause is recognised at work for the benefit of all employees, not just women. I approach menopause from three perspectives: personal, academia and business. Having experienced menopause negatively at work, I returned to education, achieved an MBA, and researched why menopause remains stigmatised in the workplace. Through the creation of a menopause 360 framework, organisations are guided through the process of embedding menopause into organisational culture to create a menopause friendly place of work. This is achieved by opening up conversations, creating safe spaces, providing educational and awareness training, and more importantly real solutions.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Everything! But if I had to choose it would be networking, building and forging relationships. Menopause has to be the best-kept secret on the planet. Therefore, I love that I can regularly challenge the status quo to make a real difference, not only for women but the ecosystem of family, friends and work colleagues who support those going through the menopause transition, a natural and biological process that can last between 4-10 years.

I’m particularly passionate about raising menopause awareness at work because menopause doesn’t need to be a negative experience. Research shows women don’t want to be treated differently in the workplace all they want is their hormones back to continue to lead a healthy, normal life. If women are educated and empowered to make decisions about their health they can age well and remain productive at work.

Was a role like this always what you aspired to? Working in the Customer Service industry for many years, pre-menopause and Covid, I aspired to combine my experience of people, creating customer journeys, and delivering exceptional levels of service with my passion for travel. However, life tends to guide you to where you need to be. Upon commencing my MBA, when asked about my future aspirations, I simply defined this as ‘to find a career I love.’ In my role as menopause advocate and workplace menopause consultant, I’ve achieved this aspiration.

Tell us about your previous roles/ business journey. Upon leaving school, I started a position working for Littlewoods Pools, initially marking coupons, gradually progressing to become a trainer. At 25, I entered into full-time education at LJMU having been told by the admissions tutor they were taking a huge gamble on me, alluding to my lack of suitable qualifications. I returned the gesture by achieving a 1st class (Hons) degree in Home Economics and Consumer Studies. I accepted opportunities to work in Dublin and San Francisco and later started work as a graduate trainee for a leading gas cooker manufacturer. I

eventually settled into a customer service role and for the 25 years that followed, I headed up call centres mostly in the financial services sector. I left the corporate world behind in March 2020, following redundancy.

Tell us a bit about what you do outside of work to relax. Outside of work I love to keep fit and have a routine of attending gym classes most mornings. As a social exerciser, I enjoy highenergy group exercise. I also like baking, excelling in the art of pastry making. My biggest passion is travel. I’m fortunate to have travelled around the world twice and aspire to return to Borneo to work with the orphaned orangutans when I eventually retire.

In an ideal world, what else would you like to be? A travel writer. But what I do now is pretty cool and lends to my strengths.

What advice would you give to anyone else in business? Starting up in business is tough, but persevere. Be patient and don’t stress about the things out of your control - just go with it but never give up! Connect with like-minded people. Surround yourself with positive, realistic people who will tell you as it is and provide support to get you back on track. At the beginning of my journey, I identified four cheerleaders with different strengths, whom I would check in with during times of self-doubt. It’s also important to remember that failure helps to build resilience and grit. Growing a business isn’t easy and can be lonely at times, so having a sense of belonging is vital, which is why I joined the Chamber.

Business MOT – why servicing your business keeps it running smoothly solving them? For many business owners, their time is taken up working “in” the business rather than using their time working “on” the business.

What are the top three problems facing businesses today? There is no set answer to this, it will all depend on a variety of factors. However, how many businesses know what their problems are and how to go about

Looking deeper into a business and its challenges can often feel overwhelming, but by implementing some straightforward processes, positive changes can start to take place. Issues that appear insurmountable can often be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces, and then a clear plan of action can be created to address these in an achievable way. The first stage is understanding where the business is now, and from that a clear strategic direction can be set for where the business needs to be. The gap can

then be bridged by identifying key actions that define how the business can get to its owner’s end goals WR Partners are offering the opportunity for business owners to undertake a free business MOT. This takes the form of a short, online questionnaire which covers all aspects of running a business, including Marketing, Sales, People, Implementation, Strategy, Profit, Leadership, Innovation, Technology, and Systems. Once completed, the results generate a report, which is emailed directly to the participant giving them analysis, suggestions, and possible actions to employ. For further information or to complete the free business MOT – visit www.wrpartners.co.uk/business-mot

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Who is your ideal client/customer? Someone who can Feel Our Ethos “DARE TO BELIEVE”. A person who is making their own statement of intent to the world. Little or large, these clothes, these images and these designs resonate. Someone who is conscious of their impact on this rock we call home and appreciates our biodegradable packaging, water-based vegan ink, 100% organic cotton and loves comfy trendy looking threads.

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Best moment so far? Getting Goliath XXI up and running again (now) after the cotton prices more or less trebled in 2010.

Biggest challenges? Competing with Fast Fashion which promises trendy clothes at a cheap cost. We no longer hear about six month waits for a seasonal drop. The convenience of fast fashion isn’t dissimilar to fast food – it’s quick, it’s cheap – and it seems too good to be true. The fast fashion industry is too good to be true, because although it’s saving our pennies now, it isn’t sustainable.

Goliath XXI What’s in a name?

It took four-five months to come up with a name. I wanted something relatable to everyone on this planet. About overcoming your obstacles. Beating the odds. Doing what you didn’t at first believe was possible. That’s when David and Goliath came to mind in modern times, the 21st century. XXI being the Roman numerals for 21.

When Goliath XXI is running at full capacity it will be donating a percentage of the proceeds to community organisations that work with young people!

About you!

Benefits of the Chamber Start-Up club since you joined? The networking opportunities have been immensely valuable. Then the seminars on marketing, accounting, social media, photography etc, have really opened my eyes. I’m keen to explore more when the time presents itself. I believe there’s also a mentoring program I can access. Admittedly, when I get past the current schedule, I should be free to take a deeper look into it all.

Lessons learnt… I would have joined the Chamber sooner and before I made my initial steps to get Goliath XXI off the ground.

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I come from a Pro Boxing background and routinely wear sports clothing and use most apparel. I’ve volunteered with the “Princes Trust” and “project endeavour” as a mentor for young people before going on to work for Nacro and Positive Futures (also working with young people in the north of England).

About your business? WhosOﬀ delivers a streamlined answer to the Why? We ethically source sustainable products I’ve often looked at the way things are done nduring problem of managing your staﬀ leave, to produce sports apparel for our brand, within fashion and I’ve seen the injustices that Goliath XXI. Currently, it is sold online at hether you’re a two-man business or a been global have allowed to carry on, i.e. slave www.GoliathXXI.com. labour, so I decided to do something about it! orporation. Key features are biodegradable packaging,

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MEMBERS NEWS

The elite team that’s equipping the UK science economy with vital skills An elite team of consultants has been put in place in Russell Taylor Group’s Scientific Division to equip the UK Science economy with its growing demand for sector skills. The newest members of the specialised team working out of the company’s Burton Manor headquarters both join the business with expertise gained in the academic, research and commercial fields of the industry as well as in Scientific recruitment. Principal Consultant Johnathan Miller, a qualified geneticist and molecular biologist, left the University of Liverpool with a BSc in Genetics and, after working in Cancer Research laboratories, moved into scientific recruitment with a major North West technical, engineering and scientific operation. In his 16 years there, he helped more than 830 people into new roles across a wide

range of disciplines and industries under the Scientific umbrella. Tom Lambert, with a BSc in Applied Chemistry gained at Liverpool John Moores University, joins the Scientific team after working as a Process Chemist in the Pharmaceutical industry. As a qualified chemist, naturally it makes sense for Tom to be offering recruitment solutions within the Chemical, Contract Testing, Life Sciences and Pharma/Medical Devices industries. Taking over responsibility for the division’s Certification Desk is Hannah Williams who, joining the business more than two years ago as a graduate with an MSc in Sports Nutrition and knowledge of the Sports Nutrition market, has given Russell Taylor Group an operational boost in one of the country’s fastest-growing health sectors.

Equicantis is a subscription-based SaaS web app allowing qualified animal physical therapists to create and send bespoke exercise plans to their clients. This makes Equicantis the first digital business tool of its kind to offer both equine and canine exercise prescription to animal therapists.

“Employers have specific demands to meet job roles in vital fields such as research and development into new products, drug testing, food production, environmental monitoring, climate change solutions and charity research. This is where our team’s detailed knowledge and awareness of ongoing scientific advancements in health, medicine and environmental issues enable a constant supply of the right candidates to fill these posts.”

Supporting Hannah will be new trainee consultant Ciara Sheard who joins the team after working in recruitment and compliance for a Merseyside-based provider of specialist complex care for children and adults with life-limiting conditions. Tom Hammond, who heads up the Scientific Division, says his team’s strengths lie in their new ideas and innovation to serve the challenging employment needs of the industry.

Titan Webtech Launches its First SaaS Product to Lead the Market Titan Webtech Ltd has released its first company-owned Software as a Service (SaaS) product making it the leading application in the equine and canine exercise prescription marketplace.

He said: “It’s also their scientific backgrounds and hands-on experience gained by working in this sector themselves that take the division up to the next level when it comes to recruiting highly qualified and trained professionals to work in areas currently experiencing huge growth.

Titan Webtech Ltd is a web and software development company based at Bell Meadow Business Park, Pulford, Chester, and is run by directors David and Laura Clinton. The web app is a meeting of minds between the husband and wife team. Laura is an Equine Musculoskeletal Therapist who has been treating horses for 12 years, and David has been a web and software developer for more than 15 years. Laura saw a gap in the market for a platform that contained a library of exercises for both horses and dogs that fellow animal therapists could use to send out home exercise plans to their clients following physiotherapy appointments. Titan Webtech, which employs three additional developers, is an Umbraco Partner and Equicantis has been built using Umbraco CMS and Umbraco Cloud because of its flexibility, scalability and extensible open-source framework. Laura said: “My aims were to help animal physios cut down the amount of time they spend on admin, whilst giving animal

owners an easier way to access their exercises and to increase their confidence in performing them with the overall aim of helping the animal. I am delighted that we have found a solution and launched to market, and I’m so excited for the new features that are in the pipeline to continue to grow and improve this platform.” As well as the UK, Equicantis currently has animal physical therapists subscribed from all over the world including USA, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Zimbabwe. David said: “As a company we help to solve our clients’ problems with web and software solutions, such as CRM systems, e-commerce sites, and other bespoke web applications. It has been a great experience to build our own web application from scratch, myself and the team have really enjoyed the challenge and we look forward to creating the future development plans we have for the platform. For more information about how Titan Webtech Ltd could help you and your business with web and software requirements email: contact@titanwebtech.co.uk

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How can I make my packaging eco-friendly without compromising quality? Opting for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable option certainly doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on quality. A recent example is the addition of the Eco-Box and Corr-Box box solutions to the Icertech product range. These are both entirely paper based and are 100% kerbside recyclable, providing customers with a brilliant alternative to the more traditional polystyrene solutions. The paperbased solutions still offer great levels of performance, allowing customers to ship their temperature sensitive goods using a more sustainable solution. Switching to environmentally friendly packaging can improve a company’s brand image. When customers learn that a company is using sustainable resources, they

perceive that the company is responsible and cares about the planet. As a result, your business could retain and attract more customers than it otherwise would. Our industry allows us in certain cases to supply product that is made from either sustainable or recycled sources. If this is safe and practical for an application, we will always advise the customer of this environmentally sound and preferred option. Not only does this benefit the environment but it can also show the customer cost savings as the recycled options are often more inexpensive than virgin grade products. Ensuring you have the right size carton for your shipment is also important, as this will minimise the risk of damages whilst also

Assess the level of protection provided by the box, ensuring that the shipment is fully protected from crushing, bursting, or denting. Use a carton made of high-quality corrugated cardboard (preferably double walled) to ensure strength, durability, and protection.

Choose the correct size of carton to match the contents – under-filled boxes are likely to collapse, and over-filled to burst open. This point can really impact your customers perception of your business, as we have all received parcels from an unnamed online retailer where the cardboard box size was inconsistent with the size of the product! We’re happy to discuss your requirements and provide samples to enable you to choose the best fit.

Fill all spaces in your package with a suitable filler such as scrunched paper or biodegradable loose fill.

Use clear and accurate addressing: make sure the recipient’s name, address and post code are clearly written on the parcel. We recommend “Documents Enclosed” wallets to include all the relevant paperwork neatly and securely.

The environmental impact of oversized packages and damaged deliveries is significant, and the above points are a quick and simple way of introducing some improvements. The next few years will be challenging for the packaging market in general as it can be quite difficult to find alternatives to certain materials which are both fit for purpose and commercially viable. Despite this, we see the market continuing to grow as companies strive to offer more and more sustainable packaging solutions.

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A wealth of legal experience A A wealth wealth of legal experience right on your doorstep. right right on on your your doorstep. We provide first class legal solutions for local businesses We first legal solutions for local businesses Weprovide provide first class class legal solutions forNorth localWales. businesses and individuals in West Cheshire and and andindividuals individuals in in West West Cheshire Cheshire and and North North Wales. Wales. Some of the areas we cover... Some Someof ofthe theareas areaswe wecover... cover...

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