MARCH 2018
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MID YORKSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-WAKEFIELD AND DISTRICT EDITION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH TOPICUK
FOR BUSINESS
Kirklees Business Conference is back! BUSINESS LEADER
richard kendall MOVING PEOPLE FOR 50 YEARS
Business of the Month EATON SMITH PRESENTS THE LATEST WINNERS
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WELCOME Welcome to the March edition of Close Up for Business, from all here at the Chamber and our associates on the magazine, TopicUK.
With a few weeks to go, we are currently gearing up for our upcoming Kirklees Business Conference (KBC), which takes place on Wednesday 21st March at The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield. We would like to thank our sponsors and key partners for supporting the Conference; AD:VENTURE, The John Smith’s Stadium, Design Mechanics, Social Progress, TopicUK, Kirklees College, John Steel Photography and Virtual Huddersfield. This free, one day event has been organised to help local businesses to connect, learn and grow. Attracting hundreds of business people and 50 exhibitors, KBC includes a fantastic programme of engaging seminars, an exhibition showcasing a wide range of local businesses, and plenty of networking opportunities throughout the day. Visit
kirkleesbusinessconference.co.uk to find out how you can still get involved. In other news, together with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) we have been urging the Government to set out its plans for the future status of the UK’s relationship with the EU. Francis Martin, President of the BCC and Adam Marshall, the BCC’s Director General, have written an open letter to the Prime Minister, making an urgent appeal for clarity on Government objectives. In the letter, the BCC’s leaders urge Theresa May to ensure that the Government makes key policy decisions and delivers a definitive Brexit strategy – so that businesses of all sizes and sectors can make decisions for the future. This is likely to be a major factor in stimulating further confidence and
optimism which will enable businesses to invest and create wealth in our region and for the UK in general. All of us at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce stand alongside our members’ and the wider regional business community as we continue to lobby and strive for the Government to facilitate the best possible conditions for businesses to thrive. We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Close Up Martin Hathaway Managing Director Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce
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Contact Us Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield, WF1 2QW Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre, Halifax, HX1 5ER Managing Director Martin Hathaway
Ambassadors 16 Bid Hit the Streets
Hall 22 Raithwaite A haven of tranquility
Business V Kirklees Conference is Back!
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Marketing Manager Rebecca Walker Membership Coordinator Rachel McDerby 01924 311605 Event and Sponsorship Coordinator Rory Bourke
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Business of The Month With Eaton Smith
Contents &Comments D E TA I LS O F THI S M O NTH‘S CLO SE UP FO R B USI NE S S T H E MAG A ZINE FO R THE M I D YO RKSHI RE CHA M B E R O F CO M M E RCE
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Editor’s Notes by Sophie Mei Lan
What does International Women’s Day have to do with business?
Bondholders, Melody from Johnston Press newspapers and several other women in business, including myself. I’d not realised how many female movers and shakers there are in the city and my, what a pool of talent! Just look at the local media too with our very own Group Editor Gill Laidler, Hannah Thaxter who is editor at Yorkshire Evening Post, Amy Garcia presenting BBC’s Look North and Sarah Hall heading up Go Magazine. However, I for one understand the fight to get to those top positions. The not being taken seriously, the lack of opportunities and the ‘imposter syndrome,’ where you feel so unsure of your role and success due to being constantly belittled and going against the ‘norm.’
Well a lot. All too often women are still having to break through those glass ceilings that appear in boardrooms, in workplaces and in the home. We need to champion women because they are vital to success. Even a small city such as Wakefield relies heavily on female talent, something which I noted at an event recently. I was at the opening night of The Ridings food court and, due to lack of childcare I rarely get the chance to network or socialise, but on this occasion, I had just jumped off the train at Westgate and decided to pop in (and make the most of having my husband at home with the kids). I was surrounded by top women – Sara who is Marketing Manager at The Ridings, Liz who runs Wakefield Bid, Melissa who manages Wakefield
We are reaping the rewards of having leading business women across the district but as entrepreneur and author Sarah Cobham writes, we’ve still got a long way to go: “Because some issues remain stubbornly unchanged (it will take 80 years at the current voting rate for women to be equally represented in UK parliament) whilst other issues around glass ceiling technology, social media representation, historic sex abuse and having a president of the United States who needs to be challenged.
For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk
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The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk. co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Red Hall Crescent, Wakefield WF1 2DF. Law pages are written by Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.
“So many women don’t yet have basic rights let alone equality. I meet too many women who don’t have a voice, who are denied an education, who’s thoughts and opinions are irrelevant.” So join us this March 8th to celebrate and think about this year’s theme to “press for progress,” as women greatly improve social and economic growth.
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Wakefield & District NEWS
UPDATE
Topicuk Brings You A Full Round-Up Of Business News And Events And What’s Been Happening In Our Region Over The Last Couple Of Months.
Shoppers raise £8125 for Poppy Appeal
Shoppers at Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk have raised £8125 for The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, by donating in store last October and November. It takes the total raised by Sainsbury’s customers across the UK to over £3 million in 2017. As one of The Royal British Legion’s largest corporate partners, Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk welcomed Poppy Appeal volunteer collectors in store to raise vital funds for the charity. Customers were also able to donate their old £1 coins, which went out of circulation earlier in the year. In 2017, Sainsbury’s also marked the Centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele through sales of a commemorative pin badge, which can still be bought online through the Sainsbury’s website. Dee O’Brien, Store Manager, said: “Our local community always get behind the Poppy Appeal and each year our customers and colleagues continue to dig deep to support the charity. We’re thrilled to have raised such a huge amount for The Royal British Legion and look
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forward to seeing what the future holds for the 23 year partnership.” Ben France, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Royal British Legion, added: “We’d like to thank the Sainsbury’s customers and colleagues in Wakefield for their ongoing support. Money raised through the partnership continues to help the Legion provide care and assistance to our Armed Forces community, which includes serving personnel, veterans, and their families. The Royal British Legion is the nation’s biggest Armed Forces charity offering support and advice to the Armed Forces community in key areas such as; finance, care, recovery, Independent Living, respite and employment. In the last year, the generosity of the British public helped the charity answer more than one million requests for help.
Stage all set for Production Park Creative England has invested £250,000 into the development of Yorkshire based Production Park, as part of an ambitious project to expand its offer. The facility, in Wakefield, is already Europe’s leading destination for the live events production industry, and is a go-to location for the build and design of many high-profile music tours.
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It also has a keen focus on education. Created to train the next generation of live industry professionals, Backstage Academy currently delivers degree level education to students in Live Events Production, Live Visual Design & Production and Stage Management and is looking to expand its range of degree courses over the next couple of years. With its base on Production Park, students get to study right at the heart of the action in a true example of industry-led education. Outreach is also an important element of Production Park’s support for the industry. Backstage Academy went on tour in England and Wales from mid January to talk to students about the roles available in the live events sector and the routes that can be taken to realise them.
The Beat the Street tour bus will be visiting schools and venues across the country. Students will spend some time on the tour bus to gain a glimpse of life on the road, and will also get handson and learn about the skills required to safely load-in and load-out of a venue. Creative England’s investment will help to grow the education element by funding a new 200-capacity lecture theatre and four classrooms, as well as management offices and a social hub. This will mean Production Park can scale up its student operation, and welcome 400 students by 2019 – double the present number. They have also recently announced that Backstage Academy has embarked upon the two-year Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP) process to enable them
to award degrees in their own right. If approved, the university could be up and running by 2020, making it not only the first university for Wakefield, but the first for live events in the world. The expanded facilities will also allow Production Park to permanently house more supply chain companies, some of whom
Charity Chairman wins National Great British Entrepreneurship Award Following on from winning two awards in the regional 2017 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards at the end of last year, Founder and Chairman of humanitarian charity Penny Appeal, Adeem Younis, has picked up the top national award for ‘Entrepreneur for Good’ in the National Awards that took place in London. Beating off stiff competition with over 1000 business leaders entering the awards nationally, Adeem said “I am thrilled that we have been recognised nationally for the work that we do. To be given such a prominent award recognises the incredible effort of our diverse staff and dedicated volunteers at Penny Appeal. We’re humbled by the
have a temporary base in the campus and others who will be completely new arrivals. Production Park has won Yorkshire Business Insider’s ‘Rising Star’ award and been rated as the tenth fastest-growing business in the county, the stage is certainly set for big things in Wakefield.
The awards have celebrated some outstanding entrepreneurs who have gone on to become household names: David Buttress from Just Eat; Julie Deane from the Cambridge Satchel Company and James Watt, Brewdog are just a few examples. Creator of the Awards, Francesca James said: “We were inundated with some incredible entries this year and all winners should be extremely proud of themselves. This year has seen a record number of entrants and we’ve been blown away by the strength and diversity of applications.”
acknowledgement of our life saving work, here in the UK and in over 30 countries across the world.” Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneurship Awards highlight the hard work and inspiring stories of British entrepreneurs and businesses in Great Britain.
This year’s judges include Former Dragon’s Den star James Caan CBE, Hayley Parsons OBE, founder of GoCompare, Toni Mascolo, co-founder of TONI&GUY and Jeff Lynn, co-founder of Seedrs.
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Shirt makers playing their part in changing the environment!
As British Prime Minister Theresa May recently vowed to eliminate the UK’s plastic waste by the year 2042, Double TWO Limited, the Wakefield based shirt makers are proud to state that in the last year they have reduced their use of plastic packaging by 75% It comes as the government steps up its plan for a cleaner environment in the midst of increasing concern around the amount of plastic waste produced in this country. Double TWO and its corporate arm, Sugdens, has long recognised that its products and services have an impact on the environment and, to keep this to a minimum, the company adheres to a strict environmental management system. This involves a commitment to pollution prevention and reduction of carbon emissions, minimisation of waste and avoidance of landfill, efficient use of energy, transport, water and other natural resources and a commitment to reducing upstream environmental impacts through its supply chain. Environmental performance is
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constantly monitored and continually improved, resulting in a current BS EN ISO 14001 : 2004 certification. “We’re delighted to have been able to achieve a 75% reduction in the amount of packaging we use on our garments and as such reduce the amount of waste produced. We’ve always been committed to doing our bit for the environment and will continue to do so.” states company Chairman, Richard Donner. “We recycle every surplus item, from plastic cups to used garments. These are mainly made into new plastics for industrial use or made into mattress fillings. Many garments are also recycled to charities for the homeless and for refugees.” Richard said of the company’s environmental policy. With a recent reduction in the amount of plastic packaging used for storing and presenting Double TWO Shirts and garments, the company is proud of the fact that they are now using 75% less single use plastic than a year ago. In the wake of the government’s announcement the company have undertaken a new resolve to help eliminate plastic waste entirely.
Entrepreneur Claire Young to judge Awards Pitman’s SuperAchievers Awards is back for 2018 and they are on a global search for their next set of inspirational award winners.
Conference returns for the ninth year The ever popular Brand Yorkshire Business Conference returns for the ninth year and is booked for the 4th of October 2018. The conference, organised by Richard and Mona Norman and partnered again this year by TopicUK magazine, will once again be hosted at the Pavilions Of Harrogate. As always there is an inspirational
line up of thirteen top quality speakers, who will share their knowledge and experience, on subjects such as, marketing, customer service, sales, social media, how to win awards and how to deal with stress in the work place.
Wakefield & District The UK’s leading independent training provider, Pitman Training launched the SuperAchievers Awards to show anything is possible and to help reward people committed to driving their careers forward in a bid to inspire more of the British workforce to strive for more.
within the media as a journalist and radio presenter and is a Director of TopicUK, in addition to advising the government on a range of projects supporting young people and women. She has won several business awards and combines her busy career with being a mum to her young daughter Eva.
Winners of the core categories - PA of the Year, Working Mum of the Year, Working Dad of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Inspirational Achiever of the Year and Pitman Training Student of the Year - will all win an engraved award and a cheque for £500!
SuperAchievers sets out every year to reward inspirational individuals such as working parents, those with an entrepreneurial spirit, committed PAs and dedicated Pitman Training students. In additional to the core categories, this year sees the exciting introduction of the Community Awards.
Claire says; “I am delighted to be judging the SuperAchiever Awards 2018. It is great to see that Pitman Training are committed to recognising success and rewarding talent. I believe that one of the key reasons people leave their jobs is that they don’t feel recognised and valued - so I would encourage you to take time out to nominate your Superachievers.”
The winners of the Community Awards will be awarded a fantastic £1,000 worth of training. With the vast range of training available this prize can help organisers or volunteers in the groups fill skills gaps or improve existing knowledge. Community groups also have the chance to submit a video to accompany their entry, which Pitman Training will share on their social media channels, to further raise awareness of the work that these groups do, whether they make it to shortlist stage or not.
Wakefield’s Claire Young is delighted to be judging this year’s awards. Claire was made famous by her role as the highly driven runner up of series four of ‘The Apprentice’ where was dubbed a ‘Rottweiler’ by Lord Sugar for her tenacious approach in the boardroom and drive not to quit. She beat 40,000 candidates to reach the final and this experience inspired Claire to set up ‘School Speakers’ an award winning business. It is the UK’s No 1 speaking agency working alongside schools, colleges and universities across the world to provide talks to students and staff. She also works
The conference has proved over the past nine years, to be a fantastic opportunity to create new business opportunities, new referral partners, whilst also helping the audience to develop new personal and business skills. “TopicUK was delighted to partner last year,” said TopicUK Group Editor, Gill Laidler. “All delegates received a copy of TopicUK Leeds edition in their welcome bag,
The categories available for entry are:-
1. Inspirational Achiever of the Year 2. Working Mum of the Year 3. Working Dad of the Year 4. PA of the Year 5. Entrepreneur of the Year 6. Pitman Training Student of the Year 7. Community Award (for local community groups) **NEW**
Pitman Training Group M.D Claire Lister said: “As part of this award we want to shine a light on local volunteers really contributing to our local communities so we are excited to be able to give them a platform via our social media channels to shout from the rooftops about the incredible work they do. This way we hope to impact more than just those who win and support groups throughout the campaign”.
which was perfect timing for us, as TopicUK was new to Leeds, although we had been established in other areas more than five years, so this enabled to grow our awareness to more than 1500 delegates, this proved a real winner for us with TopicUK Leeds edition quadrupling distribution since then.” To find out more about the conference, please see www.brandyorkshire.com
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T
he appointments follow a successful year of growth for the firm, and pave the way for the development of internal talent to strengthen the already existing expert team. The new trainees are Charlotte Ardron, Hassan Daji, Sarah Burrow, Jonathan Exall and Rochelle Newson. All have been employed by Chadwick Lawrence for a number of years, and have exhibited dedication to developing the business and embodying the Chadwick Lawrence way. Charlotte has worked within the employment and regulatory team since joining the firm in 2015. She is studying towards her Legal Practice Course at the University
Chadwick Lawrence welcome five new trainees Yorkshire’s Legal People, Chadwick Lawrence, have appointed five new trainees at the firm following a number of internal promotions. of Law. Alongside her previous experience in the employment and regulatory team, Charlotte frequently assists with business seminars across West Yorkshire. Hassan has worked in the Commercial Property department since 2015, and is currently based at the Wakefield office where he will complete his training contract with the firm. Sarah is a member of the Home and Property department where
she will be completing her training contract with the firm. Having joined the team in 2015, Sarah’s previous qualifications include a BA (Hons) in Law and Accountancy and the LPC. Jonathan graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in History, and has since completed the GDL at University of Law in York. He has experience working in financial consultancy in London, as well as working with a number of
firms across Yorkshire focusing on property and property finance. Since joining the firm, Jonathan has been based at the Leeds City Centre office where he has regularly dealt with sales and purchases of all types of commercial property. Rochelle has been undertaking regular work experience with Chadwick Lawrence since 2012, but joined the firm full time in 2015. Based at the Dock Street Office, Rochelle completed her degree in Law at Sheffield Hallam University. Neil Wilson, Managing Partner, commented “We are extremely proud of our training scheme and are seeing a number of colleagues progressing their careers through this training route.
Pictured: (L-R) Charlotte Ardron, Jonathan Exall, Rochelle Newson, Neil Wilson, Hassan Daji and Sarah Burrow.
Recruitment for Wakefield PR Carmel Harrison PR has appointed two new staff to enhance their offer to manufacturing and B2B clients. Grace Franklin, 19, a former Notre Dame Sixth form college student is taking a gap
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year and spending it curating the Twitter, FaceBook and Instagram feeds for the mainly manufacturing portfolio of customers. At the same time, she is working on a blog, developing her understanding of industry and manufacturing prior to starting a degree
“As the legal profession develops in the modern age, we are seeing more and more taking alternative approaches to starting their career in law and we are delighted to be helping to shape the future minds of the legal profession.” course politics and English Literature at University. Also joining the firm is Nikki Henshaw, a former daily newspaper journalist and PR account manager with vast experience in the B2B and manufacturing sectors. She brings experience of working with corporate clients such as GSK and Unilever and understands the needs to raise awareness across the business landscape.
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Yorkshire firm at forefront of cryptocurrency revolution A Yorkshire engineering firm has helped the inventor of a cabinet which harnesses the power of cryptocurrency turn his design into reality a resounding thumbs-up.
Normanton based Yorkshire Laser and Fabrication was first choice for Inventables Technologies director, Matt Waters, who has designed a case to house mining rigs, the devices used to process the transactions on some cryptocurrency networks. Matt, was looking for a company that could turn his design into a physical product in a responsive, cost effective way. “There are now more than 1,300 cryptocurrencies of varying sizes and it is a booming area of technology. Anyone can join the network to help process transactions in cryptocurrency and it is a fast-growing market that has boomed from around $18 billion to $600 billion in just 12 months,” explained Matt.
“Supporting networks like Ethereum and Zcash is achieved through devices incorporating numerous graphic cards known as mining rigs. I wanted to design a case to enclose these that was both aesthetically pleasing so that it passes ‘the wife test’ as well as allowing enough airflow to enable them to operate effectively.” In YLF he found a company that responded quickly to his requirements both in providing quotes and, once the order was placed, in making and delivering the cases. “I don’t have a vast experience of sheet metal working but YLF has an automatic quote facility which enabled me to work on my design and tweak it according to how much it was going to cost to produce,” said Matt.
“In recent months we have won a lot of work from manufacturers keen to develop their communications digitally and in print. We needed more experience and at the same time we saw the opportunity to provide a real work experience for an ambitious ‘A’ level student who was digitally tuned in to contemporary and changing communication channels,” said Carmel Grace Franklin Harrison.
“I was able to modify the design and get a new quote within an hour which was incredible. This was a tremendous benefit for me.” He added: “I’m operating in a fast-moving market so while cost was one consideration, making sure we were going to deliver on time was also very important. YLF provided a one stop shop – they took the design, laser cut and folded to order, sent the components for coating and then delivered the product. They make the external shell of the case plus an inside chassis which the devices are mounted on.” A side benefit of the rigs is that while they use a lot of electricity to process transactions, they also generate a significant amount of heat. “This heat is usually wasted in large scale
commercial concerns. By designing a device that people can live with in their homes, they make use of this waste product, heating the rooms in which they are located and helping to reduce household heating costs,” said Matt. So far YLF have delivered the first batch of five cases with another 10 on order. “The cases are already proving popular with customers. They are quite a convincing investment for people and are selling as fast as they can be made,” commented Matt. “It is an interesting niche product that will probably evolve over the next year or two and I look forward to working with YLF in future on modifying it to meet customer needs and demand.”
Nikki Henshaw
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Federation of Small Business shake-up
Image : David Chalmers
The Federation of Small Businesses is delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Askew as Regional Policy representative who will lead members on local grassroots campaigning in Yorkshire and the North East.
Richard Askew
This restructure of FSB will see a renewed focus on collective campaigning, both from a national and grassroots perspective across 12 major areas of the UK, overseen by Regional Leadership Groups, made up of key FSB members and staff situated at the local level. Richard Askew, Regional Policy Representative, said: “I am delighted to have been chosen as the Regional Policy Representative for Yorkshire and the North East. The role will allow me to support members to campaign on the issues which really matter to small businesses in the area. I am looking forward to working in this key role and want to ensure that the voice of small businesses across Yorkshire and the North East is heard. Matters such as
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devolution, skills, business rates, access to markets; both in this country and internationally, business support and late payment are all set to feature prominently in my work. With special interest groups in these areas developing, I would encourage any member who is interested in getting involved to get in touch.” Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said: “Volunteers are crucial to FSB’s success as it’s only by drawing on the experience of our members who run their own small businesses that FSB is able to be such a strong campaigning voice – locally and nationally. Therefore, I want to congratulate Richard on his new role. I know he will be a strong advocate for businesses across Yorkshire and
the North East. ” FSB was founded to enable grassroots activists to fight for change. As we look back over the last year, we can celebrate a number of significant wins for our members – £6.7 billion taken out of the business rates regime, the scrapping of NICs increases for the self-employed and reforms to Making Tax Digital – all sparked by our members being vocal at the local level.
PEOPLE in Yorkshire are being urged to sign up to Swimathon, the world’s biggest annual fundraising swim, to raise money for two great causes, Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie. Swimmers of all ages and abilities are being invited to take part in the annual sponsored event in pools across Yorkshire to help raise money for both charities. The event takes place from Friday, April 27 to Sunday, April 29. Participants can choose individual challenges of 400m, 1.5k, 2.5k or 5k or team distances of 1.5k or 5k. There’s also the opportunity to take
“Looking forward, we need to increase our focus on effectively mobilising FSB’s grassroots activists. That means creating an environment that’s goal-led, and where any small business owner from any background or walk of life can contribute to the campaigns they care about. “This restructure is about ensuring all of our members have their voices heard and are equipped with the tools they need to create change. That is, after all, where FSB has its roots.” Concluded Mike.
City centre bins receive a facelift Mike Cherry
Wakefield & District
Yorkshire swimmers urged to take the plunge
Swimathon started in 1988 and since then over 700,000 participants have dived into 1,000 pools across the UK and raised over £48 million for different charities.
a real joy to see Swimathon develop into the great event it is today, and raise so much money for so many worthwhile charities. Swimathon really gives people a chance to get active with friends and family, whilst doing some good at the same time. I am so proud that Swimathon gives so many people the chance to enjoy the water.”
Olympic gold-medallist and Swimathon President Duncan Goodhew said: “It has been
For more information and to sign up now, visit www. Swimathon.org.
part in ‘MySwimathon’, where participants can complete one of the individual challenges or set their own distance at any time from April 20 – May 6.
Swimathon President and Olympic gold-medallist - Duncan Goodhew
further to improve public spaces. Tree Wardens work with schools, community groups and adults who have learning difficulties on a variety of projects. In the Spring they grow garden plants and British wild flowers, that are used to improve public green spaces. In the autumn and winter they plant trees, make bird and bat boxes, renovating park benches and now they refurbish bins. Wakefield BID has paid for the bin refurbishment as part of its commitment in its business plan to improve the city centre environment to help make it a great place to visit and do business.
Wakefield City Centre’s metal litter bins have had a facelift thanks to Wakefield BID and local volunteers, Wakefield District Tree Wardens.
Tree Wardens, based at the Rose Garden Nursery at Thornes Park, have taken 24 old bins stripped off the old paint, cleaned them up and repainted them in satin black. before returning them to
their city centre locations. Wakefield District Tree Wardens are volunteers committed to protecting and enhancing trees and woodland in the Wakefield area but they have gone much
Wakefield BID Manager Elizabeth Murphy praised the work of the Tree Wardens. “The bins look so much better than they did before their renovation. Street furniture like bins are fundamental to the environment of the city centre so it is important that they look smart and help give a good impression,” she concluded.
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Wakefield & District Wakefield Civic Society president Kevin Trickett was made an MBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List for ‘services to the community in Wakefield’.
VA franchise for Wakefield National virtual agency Get Ahead VA is delighted to be extending its reach into Wakefield by welcoming a new franchisee to its portfolio – Fiona Ibbetson. Following a career spanning two decades at grocery giant Morrisons, Fiona was ready for a new challenge. Fiona worked for Morrisons for twenty years across a variety of roles including Sales Team Leader and Senior Planning Manager. She said: “I loved the fast pace of grocery and the constant challenges. But the most rewarding part for me was always managing people. Working together to get the best out of people and deliver exceptional results for customers is hugely rewarding. But I have always wanted to run my own business. Last year presented the right time to make that dream become a reality. After researching lots of different options, I met Rebecca Newenham of Get Ahead VA. I discovered that what she has to offer and her team is the perfect match for me.” The British Franchise Industry is currently booming, with more and
more people looking for flexible employment solutions. According to the latest BFI/Natwest Franchise survey there are 901 franchisor brands operating in the UK with 621,000 people employed in franchising. The industry has tripled in size in the last 20 years, now delivering £15 billion to the UK economy. On average, franchise businesses are also becoming larger as the industry matures, with over half now claiming an annual turnover of more than £250,000 and one-third now employing 10 or more staff. Rebecca Newenham, founder and director of Get Ahead VA comments: “Our franchise model
provides people like Fiona with the opportunity to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves. In Fiona’s case, she had always wanted to run her own business, but she wanted support at the same time. “As a Get Ahead VA franchisee, she is part of something bigger, yet still a business owner in her own right. She has the security of being part of an established award-winning and profitable brand, with the tools to hit the ground running and the opportunity to build a business that works for her. I am looking forward to supporting her on her journey and watching her team develop over the coming months.”
Kevin, who joined the Society’s committee as a trustee in 1990, was elected president in 2002. He also chairs the Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies (YHACS) and was a trustee of Civic Trust, the national body for civic societies from 2004 until 2009. When Civic Trust closed, Kevin worked with others to set up a new organisation to represent the movement, Civic Voice, becoming one of the original trustees. Kevin is also deputy chair of arts charity Beam, based in Wakefield, and was a trustee of Wakefield Community Foundation for seven years. He sat on the steering group for the Wakefield BID and now acts as advisor to the BID Board. In addition to his civic society duties, Kevin is, of course, a regular contributor to this magazine where he writes restaurant reviews and other
Artist displays at Theatre An art exhibition depicting landscapes of Yorkshire and beyond has been on show at Theatre Royal Wakefield.
St Agnes2
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Artist Jan Parsons of ‘Parsons Creative Services Limited’ exhibited limited editions of her original landscape paintings which were made in acrylic on canvas. She said: “Among my work is a view of my crossing the River Tay on a visit to Scotland;
another recalls a mid-summer afternoon wandering in a garden in north Yorkshire. “I travelled in Norway and Greece in 2017 and used the experiences of the light and landscapes of my travels to inspire artworks in the exhibition. The cool blue of the Scandinavian light in my ‘Fjord’ painting complements the bright whites of northern Greece in ‘Mediterranean.”
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Council Leader backs ‘One Yorkshire’ devolution proposal Wakefield Council’s Leader has given his support to the ‘One Yorkshire’ proposal in a bid to prevent the Government using delivery model differences to stop the devolution of power and resources to the region. The Leader of Wakefield Council Cllr Peter Box CBE said: “I believe that a City Region devolution model had the potential to deliver the biggest growth in the shortest time for Wakefield.
Kevin Trickett, recognised in 2018 New Year’s Honours List articles. He also writes, blogs and speaks about some of his favourite subjects such as Art Deco, architecture and travel. Kevin said “I am, of course, delighted to receive this honour. It is a great privilege to have my work recognised in this way but I think the award also reflects well on what my committee and I have achieved for Wakefield Civic Society over the years. The Society has
undergone many changes since I took over as president and chair back in 2002 and that has been to the benefit not just of our members but to the city as a whole. I think the Society can claim to be one of the most active and lively civic societies in the country. Long may that continue!” Kevin is set to collect his award at Buckingham Palace in June.
Through her art Jan captures how light dramatically alters a scene; how different times of day, changing weather and seasons impact on a landscape. She said: “I feel really lucky living in Wakefield to have wonderful scenery so close by to walk in, to experience and record. “I am also attracted to the coast for its fleeting moods and dramatic weather. One piece of artwork in my exhibition imagines the viewer on the cliffs of the Cornish coast
“It’s clear that the overwhelming majority of councils believe that that growth can be delivered on a wider Yorkshire geography. “At the end of the day though we all want an ambitious devolution deal.
region and its residents. “I will therefore be putting my full support behind the ‘One Yorkshire’ proposal and will work closely with colleagues across the county to try and ensure that we have a deal in place by 2020. “I will be working to make sure that we get a deal which matches Wakefield’s ambition, has a strong sub regional element and ensures that any bureaucracy and red tape is kept to a minimum.
“Over the last few weeks it’s become apparent that the government will use any difference between us over the best model of delivery as a reason for not devolving any of the powers and resources that we need to deliver our shared ambitions. That cannot and must not be allowed to happen.
“Finally I hope that the government will see sense and avoid the wholly unnecessary cost of having a mayoral election in Sheffield this May. An interim mayor is clearly the most appropriate option in the present circumstances.
“As someone who chaired the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly for almost 10 years, I am totally committed to getting the best deal for Wakefield, the wider
“A Coalition of the United has the best chance of transforming our region and making a real difference to the lives of those people we are privileged to represent.”
as clouds gather and a storm brews!” Jan studied for a fine art and education degree at Liverpool, specialising in drawing, painting and primary education and graduated with a first-class honours degree. “I teach on a freelance basis and share my love of creating art with local school children in Wakefield. “Children are always eager to explore and express their creativity in energetic, uninhibited ways. This is incredibly inspiring
to me as an artist and a pleasure as a teacher to receive such a unanimously positive response from my students. “I have lived in Yorkshire for twenty years now and have seen the Wakefield arts scene grow, with the amazing Sculpture Park; the opening of the Arthouse and of the amazing Hepworth Gallery. At the moment I’m looking forward to the opening of the new Centre for Creativity at the theatre. I am so proud of our flourishing cultural scene in this city; Wakefield has so much to offer!”
March 2018
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Wakefield & District Wakefield Business Improvement District (BID) has hired two ambassadors as part of its commitment to make the city centre a better place to do business.
Ambassadors hit the streets
Caroline from Havercroft, the pair will be employed in the WF1 area to welcome visitors, keep levy payers informed of developments and news, gather information to share with the BID’s stakeholders and be visible as part of the plan to make the streets safer. Although they have no law enforcement capabilities, that is still the mandatory job of West Yorkshire Police and PCSO’s, they will be additional eyes and ears able to highlight issues such as anti-social behavior, litter and vandalism that can deter from Wakefield city centre. Megan Davies, 21, and Caroline Briggs, 52, joined the team at the start of the year and have spent their first month getting to know businesses so they are
able to sign post visitors around the city centre. Both local women, Megan is from Pinders Heath and
“The BID’s commitment is to make Wakefield city centre more attractive, welcoming, safer, cleaner and a better place to do business,” said BID
manager, Elizabeth Murphy. “Levy payers said they wanted ambassadors who would be visible and a conduit for improved communications for visitors, amongst themselves and with statutory bodies. Both Megan and Caroline impressed us at interview with their passion and enthusiasm. “Both women already knew many businesses and have a depth of knowledge about services that will be valuable to visitors who have never been to the city before but also to businesses. “Megan and Caroline have already attended an accredited training course and joined our first Make A Difference day where volunteers from local businesses and the board
Sainsbury’s reaches food donation milestone The retailer’s latest announcement means that 80% of Sainsbury’s stores now have a collection point where customers can drop off donations of canned and packaged food for charity.
Sainsbury’s is marking a key milestone in its food donation programme by announcing its 1,000th donation point for customers. 16
March 2018
Customers at Trinity Walk can donate products throughout the year to support The Well Project at the dedicated food donation point which is located at the front of the store. Products are then collected by volunteers at the charity and redistributed to people in the local area. Dee O’Brien, Store Manager said:
“We’re thrilled to have reached such an impressive milestone. Our customers are very generous all year round and we hope to see even more food donated to help people in the local community who may be at risk of going hungry.” Michelle Newton from The Well Project said: “We’re delighted to be receiving so many donations from the generous customers and colleagues at Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk who have helped to raise awareness of our cause. These items really will benefit
local people suffering from food poverty. We’re looking forward to working with the store in 2018.” The charity collects a variety of products including pasta, tinned goods and cereals. As well as customer food donation points, Sainsbury’s has committed to redistributing its surplus food to charities through a network of charity partners. Picture by Katie Hill. L – R Steve Scriven, Sue Richardson, Michelle Newton (The Well Project), Alison Beech.
Wakefield & District started foundation work to enable city centre improvements in the spring.” added Elizabeth. Already their appointment has been greeted enthusiastically by local business who welcomed their high visibility presence in the city centre during the day and early evenings. Andy Sherwood, manager of Wilko’s store said: “It’s great to see the work been undertaken by the BID, and the new Ambassadors add a visual presence to the town. The hope is that this presence encourages visitors to make multiple trips into the city. While Lynne Thompson, of Created in Yorkshire added: “It’s a massive step forward for Wakefield BID having the Ambassadors working in the city centre I have had some real positive feed back from levy payers since Megan and Caroline joined the team. I can’t wait for the coming months as we have lots of great things happening and we’re putting Wakefield back as a great place to visit and spend time.”
Membership of a business networking organisation in Wakefield is proving mutually beneficial for local companies. Bondholders is a private sector initiative which aims to accelerate the development of Wakefield by branding, marketing and promoting the district both nationally and internationally. Its members are representatives from local firms who are passionate about the area and keen to create a more powerful and successful business environment. Business IT specialists Bellingham
Children of Courage Award Jack Caroll and Louis Tomlinson. There is a packed entertainment programme with lots of surprises in store! Linda & Eddie Gray
Once upon a magical star studded evening is coming to Leeds this October. The 8th Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards 2018, will take place at New Dock Hall on Friday 13th. Book your place now and help celebrate the achievements of some of Yorkshire’s finest children and young people. Last year, more celebrities joined than ever before and this year, there is another very impressive line-up. Hannah Cockcroft MBE becomes an Ambassador joining The Chuckle Brothers,
The evening will commence with a drinks reception, a three course Indian banquet from the Award winning Aagrah Restaurants Group, opportunity to chat with celebrity guests, full programme of entertainment and music throughout the evening, adjacent parking and a beautifully decorated venue with great service. A fabulous evening to remember. TopicUK are proud to be associated with this amazing event which wil raise funds for the St James Place Charitable Foundation. To book your place call the ticket hotline: 07703 271238 and for more information visit: www.yorkshirechildren.co.uk
Collaboration between Wakefield businesses IT has been a member of Bondholders since 2015 and recently experienced the direct benefit of its involvement with the organisation when it won new business contracts with three of fits fellow members – graphic and web designers Shackleton Rollin, Stada Video and Carmel Harrison Public Relations. “One of the aims of Bondholders is to create a dynamic, informed and proactive local business to business network. Membership of the organisation is made up of
a pretty diverse mix of businesses and we meet regularly at good quality networking events where we have the opportunity to get to know each other and what our businesses have to offer,” explained Paul. “The new contracts we have recently won from our fellow Bondholders are a good reflection of the variety of services Bellingham IT deliver and the support we can provide. “Shackleton Rollin and Carmel
Harrison PR came to us with various IT challenges which we have solved through our holistic services. This has ranged from the hosting of exchange email through to the use of complete IT advice and strategy services.” Paul added: “At Bellingham IT, who also partner TopicUK, we specialise in providing IT services, tools and support that are tailored to the needs of your business no matter how complex or rudimentary they maybe. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work collaboratively with our fellow Wakefield businesses and look forward to building on this.”
March 2018
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Wakefield & District
Unity Works to reopen
music and live events Mr Green said Unity Bars and Clubs wanted to reopen it before it fell into disrepair and could be salvaged. “Unity House wins because there is nowhere quite like it in the city. It offers banqueting, conference, live events and hospitality as well as office space to numerous business. The event furniture and technical equipment is still on site after purchasing all existing fixtures and fittings prior to auction and the major and minor halls are waiting to welcome back the big-name performers who have previously played and performed here, we are also open to new events and looking forward to working with Wakefield College of music and various charities,” he said.
Image: Unity Bar & Cafe - John Jowett
The city has welcomed news that the iconic Unity Works is set to reopen as a business and conference centre just three months after going into administration. Unity Bars and Clubs which already operates The Establishment in the same building on Westgate has already booked conferences and events at the listed building and is promising to secure the safety of other high-profile events this Summer. Renamed, Unity House and Business Space Limited, the company, headed up by Rob Green, is looking to guarantee the future for the 23 businesses currently operating out of the venue and attract more conferences to the location which was renovated to reflect its 19th century heritage in 2013. “We were as disappointed as
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“Already we are talking to the team behind Wakefield Beer Festival and Wakefield Business Week who have held hugely successful high-profile events at Unity House in previous years as well as other businesses and individuals who had made bookings hoping to persuade them to consider Unity House again for their events
everyone in the city to see Unity House close its doors and were keen that such a unique event space could be lost to Wakefield and fall into disrepair,” he said. “Unity House is part of Wakefield’s history and important to very many people. We believed that with years of experience running successful, award winning businesses and being so closely linked to Unity House we can give it and the existing business commercial stability.” Wakefield BID manager, Elizabeth Murphy said of the news: “This is great for the BID because there were genuine fears the city could lose a valuable resource.
Rob Green
Unity has the potential to attract more new visitors to the city for business and leisure and being run by a company already successful in the city centre is a huge boost. I am delighted it is here for future generations.” Ambitious to turn the fortunes of Unity Hall Business Space around for the existing commercial businesses and to attract back
“We are taking bookings and anyone keen to look at Unity House can contact us via sales@ unitybusinessspace.co.uk “Having stripped out a lot of cost we are confident we can make it work. The previous business was largely grant driven; we are a commercially mature business team with a lot of experience and the determination to make it work.” he concluded.
Wakefield & District
Singing sensation Yusuf Cat Stevens backs Winter Campaign elderly this Winter, the advert will be shown on both Penny Appeal’s online platforms as well as those of Yusuf / Cat Stevens. The singer has partnered with Penny Appeal on several projects previously, including helping Syrian and Rohingya refugees.
International singer, song writer Yusuf Cat Stevens, is to support the Penny Appeal Winter Emergency campaign, by lending a previously unreleased song for a special TV advert. Highlighting the need to take special care of the
Yusuf Cat Stevens says: “When I first saw the campaign video, my thoughts went to a song I had written in 1967 which compliments the message of tackling loneliness through good company and a cup of tea.” The song ‘Cup of Tea’ was recorded whilst Yusuf/Cat Stevens was on his 50th Anniversary Peace Train tour in Australia and New Zealand at the end of 2017. Charity CEO Aamer Naeem said, “Although we work in 30 crisis hit countries, here in the UK we provide aid to the poor, homeless and needy to help alleviate poverty and transform lives,
for just a few pennies a day. This is particularly important during the Winter months, especially for the people who live on the streets, who desperately need warm food and shelter.” Penny Appeal have already hosted Christmas dinners for the homeless and vulnerable and held tea parties for the elderly, as well as delivering gifts to sick children in hospitals. This campaign will continue over the winter months, distributing winter warmer kits to rough sleepers and providing over 10,000 meals by way of hot meal provisions and family food parcels. “With so many people struggling, especially at this time of year, it is important that we work together to make a positive difference,” added Sarah Ashraf, Penny Appeal’s UK Programmes Coordinator, who stars in the commercial. “Government statistics reveal that 14 million people were living in poverty in the UK in 2015/16*, the highest figure since 1996/7*, an increase of one million people since the start of the decade.”
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WakeďŹ eld & District BUSI NE SS
LE ADE RS
Image : Evoke Media
Richard has been moving people
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FOR FIFTY YEARS! Group Editor Gill Laidler caught up with Richard Kendall, Founder and Director of Richard Kendall Estate Agents who shared with us his 50 years in the industry
March 2018
Wakefield & District BUS I N E S S The name Richard Kendall must be one of the most well known in Wakefield. His name can be found outside at least one house in many streets across the district, displayed in a distinctive oval shaped sign. These signs have been around for almost 30 years, but the man himself is approaching his half century as an Estate Agent. Richard began his career at Laidlaws as a trainee, progressing to Sales Manager, a position he held until he set up Richard Kendall Estate Agents in 1990. “I rented a small unit at 49 Northgate, which until recently was a gift shop trading as Jam and moved in with just a secretary who was pregnant at the time, but was willing to help me out for a couple of months until her baby was due,” he told us. “After that, I was on my own! “The first thing I needed was a brand and stationery. Fortunately, I knew someone who worked in the art department at Asda at the time and she said she would create something for me. However, when I popped in to see her a few days later, she admitted she hadn’t had time to design something, so I left disappointed. She must have sensed that, because the next morning very early, she called me to say she had a logo for me, she had stayed up all night to complete it, that brand still exists today along with that famous oval sign and I sold that young lady’s house for her for free a few years later when she wanted to move.” Richard worked on his own for two years, doing every job undertaken in an estate agents office. Then around that time, Richard’s wife Jennifer was made
redundant from her job at a Chartered Engineering firm, so informed Richard she was going to run the Richard Kendall Rental Department! “I did point out at the time that we didn’t have a rental department,” laughed Richard, “when she replied, we do now!” So the rental department started in the fourth bedroom at the family home, with just three properties. “Jennifer did very well,.” added Richard, “and before long the rentals grew, and the demands of the job meant we needed more staff and ultimately more space and so it was time to move the business and let the children and dogs have their home back. “We were extremely lucky, at the time of looking around for affordable premises, a shop at Cluntergate in Horbury came up for lease, so we snapped that up. We are actually still there today, but we did acquire a neighbouring unit so the Horbury office is now twice the size.” Over the years business continued to grow and thrive with new offices opening in Ossett, Normanton and Wakefield moving to larger premises in Northgate. More recent offices have included Pontefract and Castleford.
As Richard heads towards his 50th year in the business, he knows it will be in safe hands when he decides to take life more easy with Jennifer who left the business sometime ago, as both their children Claire and Simon joined the firm with Claire based in Northgate, mainly responsible for sales and Simon in Horbury, taking care of lettings. “I am thrilled both Claire and Simon joined me in the business, we are a real family and I am proud of their contribution, along with our excellent staff team of which there are now over 70.” So what has changed over the last fifty years? “Absolutely nothing, the industry is exactly the same, it’s just the way we sell houses that is different,” added Richard. “Technology has played a large
L E AD ERS photography on his brochures. The firm provides a constantly updated website where people can book valuations and viewings. They have first class property software and even telescopic poles for photography, in addition to the firm producing their own magazine which is as popular today as it was when it launched more than 20 years ago. So what does the future hold for Richard Kendall? “For the business, it will continue to be the local family Estate Agents that ensures all properties trusted to us to sell or rent is marketed correctly and that we find the right homes for people, Claire, Simon and the team will make sure of that I am confident,” he said. “For me, I think 50 years is enough and it’s time for me to hand over
“I did point out at the time that we didn’t have a rental department,” laughed Richard, “when she replied, we do now!” part in this. Gone are the days when we had to have rolls of film developed, digital photography has made life so much simpler and it means that we can view a property, value it, take images and put it online within hours, selling houses much faster. However, whilst this has helped High Street Estate Agents, it has created lots of online agents, many of whom value homes depending on postcodes, its not the same as a personal visit, as each home is very different and should be valued as such.” The firm has embraced technology wherever possible with Richard being one of the first Estate Agents in the UK to use digital
the baton and enjoy some quality time at our home in Sandsend near Whitby, I’m sure we will still see lots of Claire and Simon with the grandchildren as Sandsend has some of the finest beaches in the UK. What is your favourite food? My wife makes a wonderful Shepherds Pie What is your favourite Drink? I’m still a pint of beer man, but it’s not the same now as when I was a lad. What is your favourite holiday destination? Anywhere on a cruise ship What is your favouirite gadget? Definitely my iPad or a garden trowel.
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Wakefield & District BANKING
UPDAT E
Rising inflation and cybercrime are the biggest SME fears Inflation, cyber-attacks, and state of the UK economy more widely feared than Brexit.
opportunities, and 49% predicting a year of challenges.
According to Barclays’ annual SME Hopes and Fears Index1, which asks decision makers at UK SMEs which factors they expect to help or hinder their business growth in 2018, inflation is most cited as a fear (by 43%). It can increase costs for a business, and also impact the wider economy, with 36% fearing the effects of prices rising faster than wages, which could put pressure on consumers.
Most SMEs plan to maintain the same level of investment (65%) and employee numbers (68%) as for 2017. However, those making changes are generally positive, with 21% planning to increase the number of employees, compared with 5% planning a decrease, and 20% planning an increase in investment, compared with 8% planning a decrease.
Inflation is followed by the risk of cyberattacks (41%) and the state of the UK economy (40%). These factors are followed by fraudsters targeting small businesses (39%), and Brexit and UK politics (35% each), which rank sixth.
Growth Top 5 SME fears for 2018 and factors expect to hinder business growth: 1. Inflation (43%) 2. Cyberattacks (41%) 3. State of the UK economy (40%) 4. Fraudsters targeting my business (39%) 5. Price inflation outpacing wage rises (36%).
Caroline Pullich, Head of SMEs for Yorkshire
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In May 2017, Barclays launched a major engagement campaign, Barclays DigiSafe, to raise awareness of cyberattacks, fraud and scams. It includes a £10m national advertising campaign, and provides customers with additional tools to protect themselves. Dedicated support for the bank’s one million SME clients has included free support clinics.
SMEs have high hopes for consumer demand and are more positive about technology. When it comes to the factors business owners expect to positively impact their business growth, consumer demand is most widely tipped to have a positive impact, with 50% expecting it to do so. This is a change from last year’s results2 when just 22% expected it to have a positive impact.
Positive SMEs have become more positive about technology, with 48% expecting that availability of better technology will have a positive impact on their business (37% last year), and 42% expecting e-commerce/digital presence to do so (23% last year). Top 5 SME hopes and the factors SMEs believe will have a positive impact on business growth in 2018: 1. Consumer demand (50%) 2. Availability of better technology (48%) 3. E-commerce/ digital presence (42%) 4. Investment in the local area (34%) 5. International marketing opportunities (28%).
Challenges Reflecting the uncertain times, there is a near even split among SMEs about the outlook for 2018, with 46% believing it will be a year of
Help Caroline Pullich, Head of SMEs for Yorkshire said: “The research reflects small businesses being empowered by new technology and e-commerce. Compared with a year ago, more think these developments will have a positive impact on their business. From our work with small companies, we see them making more use of data and online services, including our own, that help them manage their marketing and finances more easily and effectively. By making the most of these opportunities, SMEs can increase sales, cut costs and save time, strengthening their business. “Inflation is clearly a worry, and in particular the potential for prices to rise faster than wages. Business owners are clearly taking a prudent and cautious approach to the year ahead. However, there are positive signs of SMEs investing more and hiring more staff.”
Wakefield & District T HE recently told Arts Professional.
CREATIVITY IN SCHOOLS By Murray Edwards - Art and business consultant Wakefield
One of my over-riding interests has always been the importance of introducing young people to the concepts of creativity. I was fortunate, because my parents encouraged me to pursue a creative interest, which in my case was music and the theatre. In fact, this ran parallel to my other, more academic work, and when I went to University it really became apparent that a career in the arts was where I wanted to be. For me “education” was achieving a balance between both elements and I wish this was still the case today. Current UK education policy has been criticised for introducing a hierarchy of subjects, squeezing arts out of schools, and failing pupils that do not fit a narrow definition of intelligence. GCSE entries into arts subjects in England fell by 8% in 2016, or 44,000, while entries into
subjects that are included in the EBacc school performance measure grew by 8% in the same period.Whether the English Baccalaureate (EBacc)-driven curriculum is holding creativity back among English pupils will soon be revealed, as a major international consortium prepares to assess creativity in education systems around the globe. Paul Collard, Chief Executive of international foundation Creativity Culture and Education, described the EBacc performance measure as “narrow”. “I’m not convinced the EBacc in its current format is a sufficiently rounded indicator of the extent to which the potential of a young person has developed,” he
In whatever way we construct our list of 21st century skills, creativity in one form or other always comes across. Future jobs are likely to marry computer intelligence with creative skills, and the dilemma for educators is now that routine cognitive skills – skills that are easiest to teach and easiest to test – are also the kind of skills that are easiest to digitise, automate and outsource. A new focus on creativity is absolutely essential, because all of a sudden people are beginning to realise that being good at maths isn’t enough and creativity is just as important. As a result, this opens the door to a much higher quality of education. The respected Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which conducts a test of school children around the world every three years, is drawing up new questions to measure the quality of creativity among pupils. Details are yet to be confirmed, but it is understood the changes will be introduced to the test from 2021 to ensure that students are better prepared for future careers. Traditionally focused on numeracy and literacy, the most recent PISA test in 2015 assessed half a million 15 and 16-yearolds in 72 countries. The tests produce a statistically valid score per country which is used as the basis of a league table. “In whatever way you construct your list of 21st century skills,
ART S
you’ll always come across creativity in some form or other,” said Andreas Schleicher, who heads the PISA programme for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “As you know very well, teachers’ and countries’ ability to foster and monitor progress is limited by a lack of understanding about how some of those skills actually materialise at different ages.” The idea of measuring creativity was first discussed at a conference in September 2017 focused on equipping young people with the creative skills “required by tomorrow’s societies”. Details will be released soon about how the tests will be conducted, although the Times Educational Supplement has reported that PISA will use the ‘five habits of mind’ definition of creativity - inquisitive, persistent, collaborative, disciplined and imaginative. To quote Paul Collard again, “if the Government’s focus was on kids who were failing, they would be looking at education practices which actually make a difference to those young people, instead of doing more of what we know doesn’t work.” Squeezing creative subjects out of the curriculum benefits nobody. We can only hope that this new initiative will be the beginning of a change in education policy that will progressively offer our young people a much more balanced education than is currently the case.
March 2018
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Wakefield & District T HE
A RTS
Beam is an arts charity based at The Art House in Wakefield with over 30 years’ experience of engaging artists and communities to enhance places through the development of creative arts projects.
Beam Arts for People & Places
Walking together by studio broadbent. photo by derbyshire county council
commissioning and the creation of strategies to cultural partnership development and fundraising. Beam has recently been looking back through its extensive 30 year archive to review how public art has developed, looking at examples locally, nationally and internationally.
The Power of Temporary Arts Projects The Green Wood Street Wakefield
Providing a link between the arts, people and places, Beam develop creative approaches to embedding the arts into the public realm, and work both locally and nationally. The organisation offers a range of services from public art
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Beam believe that temporary arts interventions can have powerful and longlasting impact on partners and participants. They can engage people in different ways with their environment and enable them to see spaces / issues from a different perspective.
An early example of this approach from the Beam archive is ‘The Green – Yorkshire Festival of Places’ from 2003. This sculptural intervention designed by artist Walter Jack and landscape architects Whitelaw Turkington created a pop-up new village green for the 21st century. ‘The Green’ travelled to 5 Yorkshire Towns, temporarily closing main high streets, including Wood Street in Wakefield, to encourage the public to see their public space from a new perspective. At The Orangery, Wakefield – Beam’s former home, a number of innovative temporary installations transformed the gardens including A Maze for Yorkshire by artist Richard Woods and Swing It! by Morag Myerscough, both of which appeared on the cover of TopicUK, The Maze issue 3 June 2013 and Swing It issue 9, August 2014.
Wakefield & District
Swing It!
Artists as part of Design Teams Beam advocate for the importance of engaging artists and creative practitioners early on in the design process for public spaces and embedding them as part of the overall design team. Artists can have a different approach to problem solving and the ability to see things from the users perspective. In the 1990’s Beam collaborated with Wakefield Council to commission artist Tess Jaray to propose a new scheme for the enhancement of the Cathedral Precinct. This approach was very forward thinking and enabled Jaray to take the lead in designing a public space that met the users needs. Jaray aimed to create a natural amphitheatre type space for sitting, observing and participating in city life. The archive materials show the pre-digital approach to developing such proposals.
communities and stakeholders in the design journey is key to the success of this approach. Beam has adopted this holistic approach at Markham Vale in Derbyshire since 2009, initially developing a Public Art Action Plan for the former industrial site, turned Enterprise Zone. One of the key projects identified by the Action Plan was a clear need for a mining memorial at the site. Beam worked in close collaboration with a community working group of local families, former miners and volunteers to develop the concept for artwork ‘Walking Together’ by artist Stephen Broadbent.
More locally, Beam has been working with Featherstone Town Council since 2016 to develop and fundraise for a new WWI memorial at Mill Pond Meadows, Featherstone. ‘War Horse – a place of peace to be together’ commissioned from Artists Codsteaks will see a majestic woven willow structure installed as a proud testimony to local heroes whose lives were lost in WW1, supported by Arts Council England and WREN FCC Community Action Fund.
Public Art Strategy Development When developing public art strategies for new developments Beam engage a wide range of stakeholders and explore the possible options for embedding the arts and the potential impact.
Tess Jaray-Sketch for Cathedral Precinct
Engaging Communities with Permanent Public Art Beam believe that permanent public art works should be site specific to their context - the place and its people. Closely engaging
Wakefield Council commissioned Beam to develop a Public Art Plan for City Fields, the planned urban extension to the east of the city centre. Guided by stakeholders a vision was developed which sets out how culture and the arts can be used to support the growth of a creative, healthy, integrated and resilient community. We are now working with
Wakefield Council on the implementation of the plan.
Cultural Sector Partnerships Beam work closely with representatives from a range of sectors and disciplines and support the development of partnership and crossdisciplinary working. As coordinators of the national ‘Arts & Place Working Group’ Beam seek to address and promote the role of the arts and artists in place-making. The group emerged from the Farrell Review of Architecture and the Built Environment 2014, and has now been adopted as a working group of the Place Alliance. Locally in Wakefield Beam supported the initiation of Wakefield Arts Partnership in 2015, which has continued to grow in strength and ambition. The group includes arts organisations and individual creatives who meet regularly and is supported by Arts Council England. Beam currently manage a series of collaborative arts commissions between WAP members which will be showcased to the public during Long Division Festival 2018. Beam act as project managers for the Wakefield Cultural Consortium who are in receipt of Cultural Destinations funding from Arts Council England. This 3-year project aims to increase cohesion between cultural and tourism organisations to increase cultural tourism to the Wakefield District.
Get in Touch! If you would like to find out more about any of the projects mentioned or about the wider work of Beam we’d love to hear from you. In addition we are currently seeking to add to our expert board – particularly in the areas of finance, fundraising and IT. Kate Watson, Principal Consultant kate@beam. uk.net Frances Smith, Principal Consultant frances@ beam.uk.net www.beam.uk.net @Beam_ArtsUK www.wakefieldartspartnership.org@Wakefield_ ArtsP
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WakeďŹ eld & District TRAVEL
UPDAT E
Raithwaite Estate a haven of tranquility
The North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby has been popular with people from across the region for many years. With its charming cobbled streets, bustling harbour and quaint cottages, how could anyone not fall in love with it?
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March 2018
Wakefield & District It is believed author Bram Stoker drew inspiration from the town of Whitby for his legendary 1897 novel Dracula and of course everywhere you look there are reminders of Whitby’s famous son, Captain Cook. A short drive out of the town, on the road to Sandsend, or a brisk walk along the beach for the more active, is the beautiful Raithwaite Estate, Luxury accommodation on every level and TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler was delighted to be asked to visit and review for our readers. “We arrived at the estate around 6.30pm on a cold January Friday. There are different types of accommodation on the estate: The Hall; The Keep; The Cottages and the Lake House. We were booked into The Hall and were told we could drive to the front door where the Conceirge would help with our bags and park our car. However, on reaching the bottom of the sweeping drive, The Hall car park was clearly signposted, so we parked ourselves took the short walk to reception. Here, we were greeted by evening receptionist Keith who swiftly checked us into our Deluxe room and introduced us to the Conceirge who took our bags. The room was bright, clean and spacious with a huge King size bed, plenty of storage and with that important full length mirror. The en suite bathroom was very generous with a huge double walk in shower and a bath, as well as a good size wall mirror
and a smaller shavers mirror and quality toiletries. Bath robes and slippers are also provided. Complimentary bottled water, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are provided with use of both a kettle and an espresso coffee machine. There is also complimentary wifi throughout the hotel. However, be warned if you are a mobile phone addict or staying there on business and need to stay in touch with the office, there is very little mobile reception, so the wifi is essential for making calls on WhatsApp. After a comfortable nights sleep, we headed downstairs to the large dining room for breakfast, where we were offered a choice of a table in the restaurant or in the bright conservatory overlooking the beautiful award winning grounds. Choosing the dining room, we were given menus with a large selection of hot breakfast options from a full English, porridge or eggs benedict to famous Whitby kippers. There was a also a large help yourself continental buffet of croissants, muffins, fruit, yoghurt, cereals,
cooked meats and cheeses. We both chose the full English with tea and toast which was brought to the table very swiftly. I have to say the food was perfectly cooked and piping hot. After breakfast we decided to explore the grounds, even though it was quite bracing out. Across the courtyard from the main hall are small apartments that are
seating, that on such a cold day I can only imagine will be beautiful in Summer as these overlooked stunning gardens and an arbour which is used for wedding ceremonies. Moving up the hill, another pleasant surprise, a small waterfall that is an overflow from the lake that is situated in front of the Lake House, private for hire as a luxurious venue.
A visit to Whitby wouldn’t be complete without tasting the famous fish and chips... dedicated to guests who wish to bring their well behaved dogs. Venturing around the rear of the buildings, we noticed many had private patio or balconies. Adjacent to the apartments were enchanting stone cottages of varying sizes from one bedroom to three. Following the path signposted for the gardens, this took us towards the rear of The Hall where we found a little stream with bridge over, leading back to the hotel’s conservatory area with outside
Turning back and walking in the opposite direction down the driveway and you arrive at The Keep, an unusual looking building, housing further accommodation in a woodland area of the grounds. From here it is just a short walk to the estate entrance with magnificent views of the sea, Sandsend down the hill to the left and Whitby with its stunning Abbey on the hill to the right. A short ride into Whitby followed, just a few minutes by car.
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Wakefield & District For those who have never visited or not been for a long while, now is the time. We have been many times in recent years and it never disappoints. Quaint shops on cobbled streets, selling unique items, most notably famous Whitby Jet where many of the shops have workshops within the shops so you can see the craftsmen at work. There are lots of pretty tea shops and the streets are awash with artist work both modern and traditional scenes of the old town and abbey. At the foot of the 199 steps that take you to the famous abbey is Whitby’s traditional smoke house where all the fresh herrings are brought and smoked. The famous Whitby Kippers are on sale here as well as at fishmongers across the town. A visit to Whitby wouldn’t be complete without tasting the famous fish and chips from the many restaurants dotted along the harbour. The Magpie Cafe is world renowned but is currently closed due to a recent fire. I’m sure it won’t be long before it’s back in business. Back to the hotel and a nap before changing and heading down to the bar for pre-dinner drinks.
Just off the reception, the bar area is both stylish with its baby grand piano and comfortable, with a welcoming log burner, perfect for the cold winter nights. Comfortable armchairs and low coffee tables welcome you as do the pleasant and friendly bar staff. Settling in, we enjoyed a glass or two of wine before dragging ourselves away from the comfort for our 7.15 dinner reservation in the Hall’s French Brasserie. The Brasserie is the same location as the breakfast room, but transformed with white linen table cloths and napkins, you would be forgiven into thinking it was a different place. The only
giveaway is the French caricature artwork on the walls which is very entertaining. The menu, although French in style is written in English and is quite extensive. I opted for the Pain de Yorkshire, a selection of breads and olive oils at a reasonable £4, the portion of which was huge and easily enough for two people. My partner opted for the East Coast Crab, mango and cucumber granita with toasted hazelnuts which he assured me was excellent. This was the most expensive starter at £12 but looking around the restaurant, it was popular amongst the other diners. For the main course we both opted for the same, Sirloin steak served with watercress, mushrooms, confit tomato and hand cut chips. Sauces are available for a small extra cost and we opted for a mixed leaf side salad to share. The whole meal was perfect and for someone fussy about how their steak is cooked, my instructions were followed to the letter and it was cooked perfectly.
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Both courses were served very quickly, so we asked for some time before deciding whether we could manage dessert. Once again, our server followed our request and left us a good 25 minutes before returning, by which point we thought we would try something light, Glaces - homemade ice cream cones. These were served in unusual ceramic holders and looked very stylish, tasting as good as they looked. Summing up, there was nothing at all we could fault and looking around at how busy the restaurant was, our fellow diners agreed with us. The one thing we didn’t have time for was a visit to the lovely spa, but as we are hoping to return again in the late Summer, this is top of the list to try. There is a huge heated pool, sauna, steam room and of course the spa where there is a range of relaxing treatments on offer. Visit the website for the full range of treatments that are available. The spa is just one of the reasons why Raithwaite Estate is chosen for many weddings. In fact there were two weddings whilst we were there. Not surprising really when you look at the stunning surroundings. The estate also hosts corporate events, with lots of activities available in the grounds or indeed just outside on the beach and with all the conference facilities you would expect of a venue of this quality, it is the perfect place to hold your corporate away day(s). Following another delicious breakfast of locally sourced bacon, sausage and eggs on the second morning, it was time to pack up and reluctantly leave for home, knowing that it was au revoir and not goodbye.
WakeямБeld & District
YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
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Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited March 2018
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Wakefield & District I N FO R M AT I O N
T EC H N O LO GY
Compliance clock counting down 2018 is very much seen as the year of compliance with the clock loudly ticking on the countdown to General Data Protection Regulations. Confused about what this means for you? TopicUK IT expert Paul Heigham of Bellingham IT sheds some light on the matter.
Every business must inform individuals of the intended use for their data, ask their permission to use it and be able to provide written proof of that consent to regulators. Data must be stored securely so that it cannot be accessed without permissions. It must also be easy for individuals to withdraw their consent for their data to be used.
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Continuous vulnerability scanning (identifies risks such as those effecting the NHS last year)
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Web asset protection (protects the data and reputation of a business)
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Online staff training and awareness (demonstrable continuous awareness and training)
Due to be implemented in May, General Data Protection Regulations – or GDPR as they are more commonly known – are set to have a wide-reaching impact on any business or organisation which holds people’s personal information on file.
Complying with GDPR involves a mindset change to ensure the importance of data and security is at the forefront of everybody’s mind. This ranges from simple security password complexity, simple measures to protect and make passwords hard to find out or work out - to ensuring that emails are not wrongly addressed and portable data is not at risk.
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Email sandboxing (stops ransomware entering a business by email)
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Simulated phishing attacks (identify the staff putting an organisation at risk)
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Device encryption (protect data should it fall into the wrong hands)
While many companies will by now be well down the road to compliance, initial poor communication of the regulations mean many are not and, what’s more concerning, there’s still a certain amount of misunderstanding out there. So, what are GDPR and what do they mean in practical terms? Much of GDPR relates to process, accountability and education. In essence, they give ordinary people control over the data that is held about them and ensure that it is processed fairly and lawfully. Personal data is defined as any information relating to an individual’s private, professional or public life. It can be anything from a name, a photo, an email address, bank details, posts on social networking websites, medical information or a computer’s IP address.
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From a security perspective, everything should be considered, even down to protecting the cookies and visitor tracking information on a website. Basic protection needs to be put in place to ensure sites cannot be hacked, data cannot be intercepted in transit and ransomware cannot enter an organisation via email. This also includes educating people in how to spot malware and what to do if they do spot it. At Bellingham IT we work with specialist suppliers to provide some very advanced solutions for small business using the cutting-edge technologies mandated in GDPR to help with data security. This includes:
Failure to comply with GDPR could result in a heavy fine relating to four per cent of total global turnover to a maximum level of €20 million.
To understand how GDPR can affect you and the practical technical solutions that you could and should implement contact Paul@bellinghamit. co.uk or give us a call today on 01924 253205.
WakeďŹ eld & District
March 2018
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Wakefield & District F E AT U R E in the hospitality industry where a growing number of businesses ranging from accommodations to restaurants to caravan and camping sites - are becoming dog friendly, making “staycations” a favourable option for UK residents over travelling abroad for a holiday.
How do you manage the stress levels and motivation of your employees? Maybe you buy your team a lavish lunch, or let them leave work 30 minutes early. But have you thought about the effect of bringing your beloved waggy-tailed dog into the office? Allowing dogs into the workplace – an appropriate workplace, of course, with no hazards or staff with a phobia of dogs – is proven to reduce stress and boost morale. Here, are a few good reasons why this can work for the company, the staff, and the dog! Dogs reduce sick days Studies by the Kennel Club found that 90 percent of employers who allowed dogs in the workplace have “noticed a positive change in the working environment”. Additionally, the studies found that half of all businesses noted a decrease in absenteeism. One veterinary surgeon told us: “The human-animal bond can be a very special one that can have profound health benefits that should not be under-estimated. Owning a dog in particular is more likely to lead to a more active lifestyle. But there are also deep psychological benefits in terms of emotional wellbeing that mean that individuals are less likely to get stressed or sick.” Dogs reduce stress and boost morale A study by International Journal of Workplace Health Management found a significant difference
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DOGS BOOST SALES: 5 reasons dogs should go to work
in the stress levels of a group of employees allowed to bring their dogs to work, compared with those who were not. There was also a substantial difference in stress patterns for the employees in the group allowed to bring their dogs to work, on days their dogs were present and absent. One company owner who takes two of his dogs to work said that while it started as a matter of convenience on select occasions, he quickly realised that it was having a wider, positive effect on the company and its staff. As well as being helpful for security, the dogs brought a lighter mood to the place and acted as stress relief on occasion. Another said they have an open-
door policy to well-behaved dogs and provides free onsite kennels for staff to use. He explains: “It’s difficult to get too stressed when there’s a waggy-tailed companion around. “Taking a break from the computer screen and getting fresh air is great in theory, but many people fail to do so and remain chained to their desk. With a dog, there is a real sense of urgency to walk them, it’s not optional. ” Dogs boost sales OK, so the evidence is more anecdotal, but there is evidence that in the right environment dogs can help businesses be more successful, boosting sales and profitability. The best example of this is probably
But there are also some good examples in the world of retail. The owner of an art and photography gallery, shares his workplace with two dogs Archie and April – two Irish large red setters who greet prospective customers and spend the day in the gallery with Gary. The photographer says that 99.9% of customers love his two well behaved dogs and they can play a key role in helping sales. Dogs boost productivity Not only is boosting the morale of your staff crucial to obtaining a happy and motivated workforce, but ensuring productivity is high is equally important to meet business goals. Research shows that taking regular short breaks increases an employee’s productivity. Allowing dogs in the workplace enables employees to step away from their desk and pay attention to the dog for a short period of time. This, as a result, also increases the exercise of employees – playing games with the dog, as well taking the dog outside for fresh air. Dogs can save staff money and time Being allowed to bring your pet to work eliminates the common problem of employees needing to rush home from work to let the dog out, or pick them up from doggy day care. Additionally, it saves them the costs of putting their dogs into these day care units – it’s a win-win!
CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS
If you are looking for advice on Accountancy and Taxation matters... OR HAVE THE NEED FOR SPECIALIST SERVICES SUCH AS
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Contact Chris Dix or Carolyn Harman for your free initial consultation
CWDIX LIMITED ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS
Unit 4 Silkwood Court Wakefield WF5 9TP Telephone: 01924 263766
Wakefield & District
You don’t have to be an expert to benefit from social media marketing Did you know there are now over 2.8 billion users on social media? Like it or not, it’s now an integral part of our lives and the ultimate way to connect with consumers online. In a recent report, 40% of adults with social media said it’s very or somewhat important that companies they purchase from have a strong social media presence.
Keep it simple Focus on one or two platforms, to begin with. Ideally, the social networks your target audience is likely to use most frequently. Perfect your profile
Post valuable content As a general rule of thumb, try to strike a balance of around 10% promotional content, 30% owned content, and 60% industryrelated curated content.
To increase brand awareness, make sure your branding is consistent across all your social media profiles. Use your logo as your profile photo and don’t forget to add a link to your website. Consistency is key
If your business isn’t on social media already, now is the time. You don’t even have to be a marketing genius to reap the benefits! Here are four key tips to get the ball rolling…
Treats at Sainsburys this Easter Easter is almost upon us and many people will be thinking family gatherings and Easter Sunday lunch. The sweet toothed amongst us will heading out to buy Easter Eggs for both children and adults alike. With so many on the market to choose from, staff in the TopicUK office were delighted to receive a selection of eggs from Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk to sample. First to be opened were net bags full of Sainsbury’s milk chocolate mini eggs at 80p a bag. Small bite sized solid eggs made from smooth milk chocolate are super delicious and cheap enough to buy lots of them to hand out to the children.
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Along with a little patience, a regular content schedule is by far the best way to build an audience on social media. Aim to post on your chosen social media channels once or twice per day.
Next came Sainsbury’s milk chocolate eggs with buttons inside 120g and the white chocolate version too. Excellent value for money at just 90p each and unsurprisingly for Sainsbury’s own brand, good quality chocolate too. Finally for people with food alergies, we tried a white choc egg and buttons from their Free From range. These are free from wheat, gluten and milk. Advertised as a tasty alternative to white chocolate, this egg tastes really good and is a good size at 125g. Little higher priced than the others at £3.50 but looked more expensive too with pretty packaging. Moving away from the eggs and attention turning to Easter lunch, it was time to sample the wine. First, Taste the Difference Touraine Sauvignon Blanc from France, a dry complex and elegant wine, fresh with layers of vibrant citrus fruit flavours, perfect as an aperitif with smoked salmon blinis. Nicely priced at just £7.50. More of a red wine fan? Worth trying is the Taste the Difference Fairtrade Cabernet Merlot from South Africa. A well structured wine with
DANNYLACEY@STADAVIDEO.CO.UK 0113 403 2037
ripe juicy bramble and intense plum flavours. Perfect with a lamb curry! This full bodied red is sensibly priced at £6.
CHAMBER
Close Up
News
Chamber staff member achieves 99% to become fully qualified The Mid Yorkshire Chamber is pleased to announce that Aleksandra Piech has officially passed the relevant courses to become a Certification and customer services coordinator for MY Export Hub, the exporting arm of the Chamber. Aleks joined the Chamber team as a Business Administration apprentice at the start of
April 2017, and trained and studied around other work commitments for three months leading up to a successful completion of her apprenticeship and the British Chamber of Commerce’s (BCC) two day assessment course in December. The course was a review of everything Aleks has learnt about
exporting and documentation, before the final simulation test, in which she scored a remarkable 99%. Jo Palmer, Certification Services Manager said: “We are so pleased and proud that Aleks’ hard work and dedication to the job has paid off. To complete her apprenticeship and successfully pass her export accreditation
is a credit to her determination to succeed. Aleks has become a valuable asset to the team and with the growing exporting demands, another qualified member of staff ensures we can continue to provide a high level of service to all our customers.” Commenting on her achievement, Aleks said: “I am delighted to have completed my apprenticeship and BCC qualification. It has been hard work, as there is a lot to remember and learn, but I enjoy the fast pace and I am looking forward to finally being able to officially stamp documents.”
Policy
Will 2018 be a better year for business?
wealth. Business success lies at the heart of communities and provides the prosperity which the UK needs to fully fund and support our public services. IMMIGRATION POLICY MUST SUPPORT BUSINESS
Early in January the Chamber published its own Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for the final Quarter of 2017. The economic indicators in our QES Surveys are forward projections of business sentiment, and our figures for Q4 2017 suggested that there may be some reasons for a degree of cautious optimism about the UK’s economic outlook for 2018. Some of the important pointers in the survey showed signs of greater resilience than had been reported earlier in 2017. These included: Strong Export Sales and Orders, Strengthening Cash Flow balances, Record Employment figures and Business Confidence rising. In addition to these more positive indications, the FTSE 100 started 2018 at record levels, in addition to which the Markets provided nearrecord Dividend growth in 2017. Furthermore, the OBR Q4 2017 Manufacturing figures as reported in January by The Daily Telegraph were well-received, and prompted this comment: “Manufacturers in the UK are celebrating a surge in growth as the strong global economy combined with the weak Pound pushes up demand for British goods”. Adding to this more optimistic prospect, the respected financial analyst Martin Beck of Oxford Economics said: “The world economy is buoyant, the Eurozone is buoyant, and the Pound is very competitive - this is a perfect spot if you are an exporter” Let’s hope that these more buoyant indicators will prove accurate, and that 2018 be a better year for Business! PROMOTING THE BEST BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Here at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce we are members of The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which encompasses a network of 52 Accredited Chambers across the UK. II Close Up for Business
Individually, and collectively through the BCC, Chambers like ours work tirelessly on behalf of our members and our wider regional business communities, to lobby for the best polices from Central and Local Government which will allow businesses to thrive. We believe that sustainable economic growth can only be fully achieved if businesses are allowed to flourish and create true wealth. We regularly use the analysis in our Quarterly Economic Surveys’ (QES) to publicise the need for the Government to embrace policies which will encourage entrepreneurism and reward brave decisions, to incentivise businesses to invest in Training, in Plant and Machinery, and in developing Innovative systems and processes which will increase Productivity. For example, we have recently urged the Government to call a halt to any new business taxation during 2018, and hopefully for the remainder of the Parliament – because it is already very difficult for new (and many established) companies to absorb the raft of upfront taxes which they face even before opening their doors for business. During 2017 a number of up-front taxes were introduced which have added considerably to business costs – examples are the Apprenticeship Levy, the ‘Living Wage’ undertakings, automatic Pension Enrolment and in particular, increases in Business Rates - which become payable regardless of whether a business is making any profit or not. Over many years there have been numerous undertakings by UK Governments to conduct a fundamental review of the Business Rates system. One obvious reform of Business Rates for which we have championed is for process plant and machinery to be excluded from Rating Valuations. Businesses should not be penalised for investing in new equipment by an increased liability for Business Rates. On the contrary, the Government should be encouraging British businesses to invest, grow, generate new employment, and create
Commenting on the Home Affairs Committee’s report on Immigration Policy, which was published in January, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) said: “The BCC has long campaigned for an Immigration Policy that supports business and the economy, so we welcome the Home Affairs Committee raising these issues. “With unemployment at an all-time low, job vacancies remaining unfilled and businesses facing pervasive skills shortages, it makes no sense to cut-off an important supply of skills and labour. “Businesses are not deliberately targeting nonUK workers, nor are they failing to train the UK workforce, but over half of firms which we recently surveyed told us they would be affected in some way or other by any future restrictions on the freedom for EEA nationals to work in the UK.” “Foreign students are crucial to the success of universities and surrounding business communities, but the majority do not stay in the UK once their studies are finished - so including them in the immigration statistics is misguided.” “The UK should be striving to attract the brightest talent from around the world, so it’s crucial that our immigration policy reflects this.”
Steven Leigh Head of Policy and Representation Call: 07809 658 533 Email: steven.leigh@mycci.co.uk
Member News
Calrec Audio and GTC clinch deal for Portugal Calrec Audio has signed GTC - Sistemas Digitais de Video as its exclusive distributor in Portugal, representing Calrec’s full line of digital audio consoles to Portuguese broadcast, media, and entertainment companies. “Renowned for their performance, reliability, and outstanding sound quality, Calrec Audio consoles represent the gold standard in audio mixing desks particularly in the OB world,” said Paulo Lima, CEO, GTC. “Adding Calrec to our portfolio of solutions reinforces our dedication to providing excellent service together with the industry’s most innovative products and solutions. We look forward to introducing Calrec consoles to our clients throughout Portugal.”
Leeds Bradford Airport hits record passenger numbers in 2017
Founded in 1989, GTC offers technology solutions and integration for television, radio, and multimedia installations from its offices in Lisbon and Porto.
Leeds Bradford Airport is flying high after celebrating record passenger numbers
Jim Green, international sales manager, Calrec Audio, commented, “Gaining on-the-ground representation in the Portuguese market is a big step forward for Calrec as we continue to build momentum in Europe, and GTC is the ideal partner to fill that role. Not only will GTC offer invaluable local market knowledge and native language support, but their technical expertise and dedication to their customers’ success mean a bright future for Calrec in this dynamic market.”
Last year saw 4,078,069 passengers travel through the airport, which has now seen three years of positive year on year growth. August was the busiest month for the travel hub, with 524,707 passengers flying through. The same month saw the airport record its busiest ever week, when more than 120,000 passengers flew out for the first time in its history.
services to Dalaman, Antalya and Palma for Summer’18. A number of changes took place in 2017, with the airport announcing David Laws as its new Chief Executive Officer and AMP Capital acquiring the business. David Laws, Chief Executive at LBA, said: “We had a tremendous 2017 at LBA and these passenger figures show how the airport is going from strength-to-strength.
Alicante was the favoured destination for Yorkshire’s travelling public, with 328,133 people travelling to the Costa Blanca.
“There is a rising demand for air travel across Yorkshire and the surrounding regions, and our ambition is to meet that by offering the very best choice of destinations for both business and leisure passengers.
With 33,024 scheduled flights to more than 70 direct destinations, 2017 saw Flybe’s inaugral flight to Dusseldorf in October, Ryanair add the Polish city of Wroclaw, as well as Jet2. com increasing their overall capacity and announcing a new route to La Rochelle in Fance. This year, the airport will welcome Thomas Cook back to Leeds Bradford with
“Despite some disappointing setbacks, including the collapse of Monarch and a reduction in our BA service, we now have the widest choice of flights available and will continue our approach to secure additional routes to ensure the people of Yorkshire have an airport to be proud of and are connected to the world.”
Close Up for Business III
Member News
New appointment for Rybrook Jaguar and Land Rover Rybrook Jaguar and Land Rover in Huddersfield are delighted to announce the appointment of Jane Watson to the Fleet Team as Business Development Manager effective 1st February. Jane has made the decision to transfer from the Jaguar Retail Sales team to take on this new challenge. Jane commenting on her appointment said: “I am passionate about the Jaguar Land Rover brand and excited
about my new role working with the local business community representing Rybrook Jaguar and Land Rover.” Charlotte Gardiner, Fleet Sales Manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jane to the fleet team. Jane has a wealth of knowledge and passion for the brand, together with her excellent customer service skills and we are confident she will be a success.”
Halifax solicitor marks 30 years at Wilkinson Woodward Commercial and property law specialist Andrew Crabtree is celebrating after notching up thirty years’ service with Halifax legal practice Wilkinson Woodward. After graduating from the University of East Anglia in 1984, Andrew began his legal career with John Rothery, a sole practitioner in Cleckheaton, before qualifying as a solicitor in 1986. In December 1987, Andrew joined Wilkinson Woodward as a general practitioner. The high growth in demand for property work which followed his appointment led to his subsequent lifelong specialism. IV Close Up for Business
In 1991 Andrew became a partner at the firm and subsequently a director when the practice incorporated following a merger with Huddersfield based Norcliffe & Co in 2012. As the firm’s senior property and commercial specialist, Mr Crabtree has represented hundreds of businesses, handling all types of property transactions from the firm’s offices in Fountain Street, Halifax. Andrew, 54, is married to Lynn who is also a director at Wilkinson Woodard. The couple live in Hipperholme and have two children.
Chamber News
Kirklees’Unmissable Conference Returns
opportunity for companies to run their own seminars, workshops or one to ones.
Following on from the huge success of the 2017 Conference, the Mid Yorkshire Chamber is delighted to be hosting their 2018 Kirklees Business Conference (KBC) at John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield on Wednesday 21st March. The free, one-day conference has become an unmissable event in the local business calendar which is dedicated to helping businesses to connect, learn and grow. Attracting over 600 business people and 50 exhibitors, KBC includes a fantastic programme of engaging seminars, surgery sessions and networking opportunities throughout the day. This year the Mid Yorkshire Chamber is proud to announce an official partnership with Google bringing a Digital Garage to KBC as part of the seminar programme. Delegates also have the opportunity to find out what funding and finance is available to help businesses grow in 2018. With the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) coming into force from 25 May 2018, an expert panel will be on hand to highlight how this will affect the way organisations hold and process personal information, and how businesses can best prepare for the changes. Closing the seminar programme, will be entrepreneur Graham Leslie CBE. A self-made businessman who established Galpharm International in Huddersfield
which rapidly grew to become the UK’s biggest supplier of non-prescriptive medicine, and was eventually sold to the multinational Perrigo Group for $88m. Graham was also founder chairman and co-creator of Huddersfield’s new 25,000 all-seater stadium, the home of Premiership football team Huddersfield Town and rugby league team, the Huddersfield
Giants. Hear Graham’s story and his plans on how as a business community we can make a difference. Running alongside the four seminar sessions, surgery sessions will also take place following their success last year. Held by local businesses located in the stadium boxes, the surgeries will provide the
Rory Bourke, Events & Sponsorship Co-ordinator at the Chamber said: Kirklees Business Conference is definitely shaping up to be a day not to be missed. The conference is a fantastic opportunity to raise your profile, make new contacts and learn from other experienced professionals. There are many opportunities for local businesses to get involved through sponsorship or attending as a delegate.”Confirmed conference sponsors and partners include; AD:VENTURE, The John Smith’s Stadium, The Design Mechanics, Social Progress, John Steel Photography and Virtual Huddersfield. Delegate tickets are free but registration is essential. For further information about the conference visit kirkleesbusinessconference.co.uk or follow @MYBizConfs and #KirkleesConf on twitter. To find out more about sponsoring or exhibiting at the event please email events@mycci.co.uk or call 01484 483679.
Google Garage to kick off seminar programme This year the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is excited to be partnering up with The Digital Garage from Google – a digital skills training platform to assist businesses in growing online.
this seminar led by industry professionals will help businesses understand how to boost and grow online. It’s going to be a fun, practical and hands-on session so come prepared to learn and ask questions.”
Kicking off the Kirklees Business Conference (KBC) seminar programme a Google digital expert will explain what is needed to gain a competitive advantage in the ever changing digital landscape.
Alice Mansergh, Director of Google Marketing Solutions for UK and Ireland, said: “Google’s products and free digital training are a growth engine for people and businesses up and down the country. So if you live in or around Kirklees and you want to turbocharge your business, please join us at our Digital Garage at Kirklees Business Conference and talk to our experts. We can help you connect to new customers and help boost your productivity no matter what field you work in.”
Rebecca Walker, Marketing Manager at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber said: “We are delighted to have secured the Digital Garage from Google as part of the Kirklees Business Conference programme. The digital landscape is constantly changing and evolving, so
Close Up for Business V
Chamber Events ○ WHEN?
○ MORE INFO:
First Thursday of the month 09:30–11:00 ○ WHAT?
○ WHERE?
Join us for light refreshments and an opportunity to make some valuable new contacts. Delegates get the chance to introduce their business in a short elevator pitch and follow-up new business leads. It’s a great way to make new contacts in a friendly, but focused way. You are also welcome to bring your company literature and banner stands.
We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region:
MY NETWORK WAKEFIELD
• Thursday 5th April, ASIC Building Lecture Theatre Wakefield City Campus WF1 2DH
Book your place online at www.mycci.co.uk/events Tel: 01484 483 679 Follow @MidYorksChamber and #ConnectionsCount on Twitter
• Thursday 3rd May, Kirklees - venue tbc
○ WHAT? A very informal networking opportunity, come along and make some new contacts in a relaxed setting and enjoy a drink on us! Run in partnership with Barclays, Copiserv, First Choice, Ramsdens Solicitors LLP, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Northern Media
It’s FREE for members and just £20.00 plus VAT for non-members.
○ WHEN? Second Friday of the month 12:30-13:30
○ MORE INFO: No need to book, just turn up! Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkWakey on Twitter.
○ WHERE? The Hop, Bank Street, Wakefield, WF1 1EH.
○ WHAT?
○ WHEN?
○ MORE INFO:
A fantastic opportunity to network in an informal environment, making some great new contacts for your business.
Third Wednesday of the month 09:00–11:00
No need to book, just turn up!
Run in partnership with Ramsdens Solicitors LLP, Better Telecoms, Social Progress and The Media Centre.
○ WHAT? Monthly lunchtime business networking meeting: have a chat, mingle and make some new contacts. Run in partnership with Barclays, Cresswells, and Ramsdens Solicitors LLP. VI Close Up for Business
Follow @MidYorkshireNet and #MYNetworkHud on Twitter.
○ WHERE? The Media Centre, Northumberland Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RL
○ WHEN? Last Friday of the Month 12:30–13:30 ○ WHERE? Gin Lane The Piece Hall Blackledge Halifax HX1 1RE
○ MORE INFO: No need to book, just turn up and the first drink is on us. Follow@LastFridayClub on Twitter
Chamber Events
Local Business Forums ○ WHAT? Enjoy a light breakfast and the opportunity to have your say about pressing business topics which are facing the local business community.
○ WHERE? We rotate the location within the Mid Yorkshire region • Friday 23rd March, Kirklees • Friday 27th April, Calderdale
○ MORE INFO: It’s FREE for members and just £10.00 plus VAT for non-members. Places are limited, book your place online at www.mycci.co.uk/events or contact steven.leigh@mycci.co.uk Tel: 07809 658533
○ WHEN? Monthly (times may vary)
Courses in exporting
The next courses are as follows: -
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has ten nationally accredited core courses in exporting and international trade. Together the courses create an export curriculum, providing invaluable basic exporting skills for small and large companies alike.
○ UNDERSTANDING THE COMMODITY CODING SYSTEM Thursday 22nd March 2018 09:30 - 12:30 £125 (+VAT) for members and £140 (+VAT) for non-members
By completing six courses, candidates achieve a nationally recognised foundation award in exporting. The courses are suitable for both experienced and inexperienced exporters. Courses are priced individually. A discount can be offered when booking 6 or more modules or booking 3 or more delegates on the same course All of the courses will take place at The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG.
○ IMPORT PROCEDURES Wednesday 7th March 09.30-16.30 £250 (+VAT) for members and £290 (+VAT) for non-members
○ AGENTS AND DISTRIBUTORS Thursday 22nd March 2018 13:30 - 16:30 £125 (+VAT) for members and £140 (+VAT) for non-members ○ CUSTOMS PROCEDURES & DOCUMENTATION Wednesday 28th March 2018 09:30 - 16:30 £200 (+VAT) for members / £240 (+VAT) for non-members ○ INCOTERMS Thursday 19th April 2018 09:30 - 12:30 £125 (+VAT) for members / £140 (+VAT) for non-members ○ UNDERSTANDING EXPORTING AND EXPORT DOCUMENTATION Wednesday 25th April 09.30-16.30 £250 (+VAT) for members and £290 (+VAT) for non-members For more information and to full our full export events calendar please visit www.myexporthub.co.uk/events
Kirklees Business Conference ○ WHAT?
○ MORE INFO:
Kirklees’ largest annual Business Conference is back attracting over 600 business people, 50 exhibitors, engaging speakers and industry leaders.
Visit www.kirkleesbusinessconference.co.uk or contact events@mycci.co.uk Tel: 01484 483 679
○ WHEN? Wednesday 21st March 2018 ○ WHERE? The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG
Close Up for Business VII
Business of the Month
Business of the Month
The Business of the Month Award is open to firms in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. Each month a new winner is chosen and all 12 then go through to the annual Business of the Year award. For your chance to win the Business of the Month award visit www. businessofthemonth.co.uk or contact Eleanor Cummings at Eaton Smith on 01484 821430 LtoR: Steven Leigh – Mid Yorkshire Chamber, Annie Bradley – DIT, Kate Booth – Partner, Eaton Smith, Jill Peel, David Worthington – 10 Associates, Gill Carman – Wilby Ltd.
Business of the Month – November
10 Associates 10 Associates was established in 2004 by three colleagues who had worked together for other creative agencies for many years. The company helps grow businesses through their unique Brandschool® process, creative understanding and commercial insight. They also have ambitious plans for the future with the launch of an online product. Kate Booth, Partner at Eaton Smith and member of the judging panel said: “The judges commented that this was a very well presented application and believe that
VIII Close Up for Business
10 is a stable and sustainable business as they have weathered the loss of a substantial client and have exciting plans for the future with the proposal of a fixed price online product. The testimonials provided are very impressive and we liked the employee rewards and engagement they described.” David Worthington of 10 Associates commented: “It is fantastic to be chosen as Eaton Smith’s Business of the Month. We have created a business that we are really proud of and our team work very hard to ensure its success.”
Business of the Month
Business of the Month – December
Hunter Safety Solutions Hunter Safety Solutions is a full-service health and safety consultancy providing hands-on support in the construction industry, with extensive experience in manufacturing. Deborah Melluish, Partner at Eaton Smith and member of the judging panel, said: “The judges were very impressed with the speed with which Hunter Safety Solutions has grown, the way in which the business has diversified and also the passion for the business that was evident from the application.
Hunter Safety Solutions is a very worthy winner of the Eaton Smith Business of the Month Award.” Managing Director of Hunter Safety Solutions, Katie Hunter, said: “We are so pleased to have won this award. I’m extremely proud of everything we’ve achieved at Hunter Safety over the past five years so for this to be acknowledged by the judging panel is very rewarding. It’s great to see local businesses supporting each other in this way.”
L-R: Chris Jowett – Jowett Chartered Surveyors, Steven Leigh – Mid Yorkshire Chamber, Suzie Harker – Hunter Safety, Hannah Nash – Hunter Safety, Mike Webb – Senior Partner, Eaton Smith, Matthew Rogers – Hunter Safety, Angelika Postrozny – Hunter Safety, Adam Durnin – Hunter Safety, Paul Greetham – Huddersfield University.
Close Up for Business IX
Members Update The benefits of Chamber membership are many and varied; two of our newest offers, exclusive to members, include: Four services for all members Provided by fellow member, QDOS Consulting, the newest member service encompasses the following: • Chamber Tax • Chamber Legal • Chamber Health & Safety • Chamber HR Members can access a range of documents, including templates and advice, through an online library and also have access to a dedicated advice and support line 24/7 365 days a year. Also included is a comprehensive package of essential legal expenses insurance.
New Members Direct Data Systems Limited www.ddsit.co.uk Computer and related activities
Dutton Construction Construction
Kirkwood Hospice www.kirkwoodhospice.co.uk Charity
MerlinSoft Ltd www.merlinsoft.co.uk Computer and related activities
Rhubarb Revolution www.rhubarbrevolution.co.uk Marketing
Ridley & Hall Solicitors www.ridleyhall.co.uk Legal
SEB Training http://www.sebtrainingservices.co.uk Business Management Consultants
Tisski Limited www.tisski.com Computer and related activities
Waterside Colours www.watersidecolours.com Manufacturing
YPO www.ypo.co.uk Education, Marketing, Transport
X Close Up for Business
There’s no extra fees the above is included in the cost of your membership! Energy Management For a number of years the Chamber has worked closely with member Kinect Energy Group formerly Orchard Energy who are based in Elland to provide members with access to cost savings against their utilities; These services and savings include: · Discounted HIA for Gas, Power and Water 30% instead of 40% · Free kVa review · Free energy efficiency walk around · 10% discount on full technical audit, Data Management Portal, EPC’s and DEC’s
· · · · ·
Free legislative advice Dedicated Energy Consultant Invoice Validation Query Management, COT’s, and Terminations Independent Market News
Chamber membership gives you access to a wide range of benefits including ways to raise your profile, save on company costs and get involved in policy at both local and national levels. To find out more about membership and benefits please contact Rachel McDerby, Membership Coordinator, on 01924 311605 or by email, Rachel.mcderby@mycci.co.uk
Member Offers
MemberOffers CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP GIVES YOU ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE BUSINESS DISCOUNTS, OFFERS AND FREE PUBLICITY! What? A heavily discounted service offered exclusively by members for members. Benefit from free publicity as a host or gain huge savings by utilising our Member Offer of the Month benefits. Why? We understand that members have a business to run, through hosting a Member Offer of the Month, you can save time on marketing and benefit from free publicity. By using members offers, save money on valuable services for your business. How? To discuss how your company could take advantage of the Member Offer of the Month and other publicity opportunities:
CONTACT RACHEL - 01924 311605 For details on our current Member Offer of the Month, please visit our website www.mycci.co.uk/get-connected/member-offers
Chamber Connect Card ENJOY EXCLUSIVE LONG TERM BUSINESS DISCOUNTS! What? Access a range of long term discounted offers, negotiated for your business as part of your membership package. You can also participate by offering your own discounted products and services to fellow members.
Why? Your Connect Card is a value added service that could represent significant savings for your business. By participating as an offer provider you can gain increased brand exposure and create new business opportunities.
How? Log into the MY Chamber at www.mycci. co.uk/my-chamber to redeem and view all Connect Card offers. To discuss how your company could participate in a connect card offer, contact Rachel on 01924 311605
All Connect Card offers can be viewed on our website, some current offers include:
Bob’s Business Ltd With GDPR around the corner, Bob’s Business are offering members of the Chamber an exclusive 20% discount for those who pre-order the GDPR Awareness training module suite.
Purple Dog
20% off all online courses including; Manual Handling, Working at height, First Aid at Work Refresher, Levels 1 & 2 Food Safety, Legionella Management and many more. Chamber members can also benefit from 10% off monthly First Aid training courses.
Bird Board Ltd Free visitor places worth £25 for all women business leaders who are members of the Chamber, attending a board meeting before 1st May 2018.
Selbie Opticians Selbie Opticians are offering a £50 discount to Chamber members when purchasing any prescription spectacles or prescriptions sunglasses.
Chamber members can benefit from a free lighting survey by local lighting specialists and an additional 10% discount on your first light bulb order. The lightbulbs have a lifetime guarantee.
Selbie Opticians 15% free credits added to any top-up made by a member. VoodooSMS provides the platform for businesses to send text messages to customers, clients, employees and more.
Close Up for Business XI
Patrons Update
Civil and Commercial Mediation Service I am delighted to announce the launch of our Civil & Commercial Mediation Service. As a firm, we have long advised clients in mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. I have been involved in mediations since 2003 and have gained considerable experience in this area. I am a firm believer in mediation as a cost effective, flexible and participant centred way of resolving disputes which can deliver a more attractive outcome for the parties than going to court.
It is confidential and, compared to litigation, inexpensive. The parties control the outcome, they choose to be there, they can explain their point of view and it is their choice whether they settle and if so on what terms. I am happy to accept appointments as mediator in the following areas: Partnership disputes, Corporate transactional disputes, Commercial agency disputes, Professional negligence disputes, Employer/ Employee disputes, Insolvency
disputes, and General commercial disputes. Mediators facilitate negotiation; they do not take sides or tell the parties Philip Clarke, Partner what to do. The parties remain in Eaton Smith control. If you would like more information regarding our Civil & Commercial Mediation Service please contact me on 01484 821 300 or philipclarke@eatonsmith.co.uk For more information on our services please visit www. eatonsmith.co.uk.
Christmas Party Nights Christmas 2017 at The John Smith’s Stadium welcomed 2359 guests across 7 nights, as well as 6 private parties. The Jackrabbits, Little Rebels and Agent Smith entertained our guests with a fantastic performance and covered music from the 50’s right up to the current chart toppers. During December we served, 1600kg of turkey, 450kg of potatoes, 1800kg of pigs in blanket, 200kg of carrots and
400kg of parsnips. Also, 3000 glasses of prosecco and wine were poured. Most importantly we provided guests with over 40 hours of entertainment for their sell out nights.
with mince pies, festive decorations, novelties and late bar. Early bird Christmas offering: Book a party of 10 and receive a complimentary place up until Friday 27th July 2018.
Join us this Christmas for our big band party nights and celebrate the festive season in style at the iconic John Smith’s Stadium. Packages include a live music performance on live party band nights, DJ and disco, three course dinner, tea and coffee
For more information or to book Gareth Davies a place please ring Olivia on Managing Director 01484 484 116 or email johnsmiths. stadium@kudosknowhow.co.uk. Visit our website www.johnsmithsstadium.com/ christmas 01484 484151.
New initiative launched in Wakefield Leeds Beckett University has launched a new initiative, in partnership with Wakefield Council and Wakefield College, to drive growth amongst early-stage and growing businesses. The Business Centre, which opened its doors in January, provides a wide range of support, including business advice and mentoring, professional training and development, and access to graduate talent and research expertise. The centre is located on site with Wakefield College at their Advanced Skills and Innovation
Centre and at Bond Terrace in the heart of Wakefield.Additional support is provided to businesses through Leeds Beckett University’s collaborative partnerships with The Institute of Directors (IoD), Mid Yorkshire Chamber, Lupton Fawcett Solicitors, the AdVenture partnership, WGN Accountants, Yorkshire Bank, The Yorkshire Post and Wakefield Express. Working with Wakefield College and Wakefield Council, together with our other partners, we are committed making a difference to business growth and new job creation in the Wakefield District.
XII Close Up for Business
The Business Centre allows clients access to a Wakefield city centreregistered business address and private, newly-renovated office space which includes coworking, meeting and Gail Cherry private office spaces, plus a whole raft University Business Centre of support to help their businesses to Coordinator at Leeds Beckett University grow. To find out more about our University Business Centres and the support we can offer visit www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/ universitybusinesscentres, email universitybusinesscentres@ leedsbeckett.ac.uk or call 0333 555 8855.
Wakefield & District co-working suites, 11 offices, a meeting room, and hot-desk and virtual office facilities. The Grade II listed Bond Terrace facility is also the first multiple gigabit bandwidth building in Wakefield.
New centre to boost business growth in Wakefield Wakefield Council has worked with Leeds Beckett University and Wakefield College to launch a new initiative, which will drive growth amongst earlystage and growing businesses. The University Business Centre, located at 6-8 Bond Terrace and at the Wakefield College sister site, offers affordable office services and meeting spaces to early-stage and growing businesses, as well as access to professional business lounges and meeting facilities across Wakefield, including at Wakefield One. The Business Centre was officially launched in January at the Wakefield Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre, with presentations by Simon Baldwin (Head of Enterprise and Operations, Leeds Beckett University), Councillor Denise Jeffery (Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council), Sam Wright (Principal, Wakefield College), and Mark Casci (Business Editor, Johnston Press).
Simon Baldwin said: “The relationship between Leeds Beckett University, Wakefield Council and Wakefield College has been established for six years now; and the launch of the Business Centre is a huge milestone in the progress of our partnership. We see the success of the Business Centre being measured by its positive impact on the Wakefield economy, and through the creation and growth of innovative new businesses in the city, employing highly skilled local people.” For more information about Leeds Beckett’s Business Centres in Wakefield, please visit www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/ ubcwakefield
It provides a wide range of support, including Leeds Beckett business advice and mentoring, professional training and development, and access to graduate talent and research expertise. Corporate partners, The Institute of Directors (IoD), Mid Yorkshire Chamber, Lupton Fawcett solicitors, the AD:VENTURE partnership, WGN, Yorkshire Bank, The Yorkshire Post and Wakefield Express, are also on hand to offer free advice and support. Katie Rigarlsford, University Business Centre and Regional Development Manager at Leeds Beckett, said: “We are delighted at the launch of our new business centres in Wakefield and in
particular to be able to extend the value of our partnership working with both Wakefield Council and Wakefield College. Together we are committed to supporting business and job creation in the Wakefield District and to creating a pathway for higher level skills. We also could not deliver this without the support of our partners. Working together to support our business centre clients is sure to provide the ideal platform for growth for the individual businesses and for the district as a whole.”
Business and professional service businesses contact Cara Brundle, Sector Development Manager - Tel:07557813264, email:cbrundle@wakefield.gov. uk Digital and creative businesses contact Jim Farmery, Sector Development Manager -Tel:01924305819 or Mob tel:07770678274, email: jfarmery@ wakefield.gov.uk
The Business Centre gives clients access to a Wakefield city centreregistered business address and private, newly-renovated office space – including three
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Wakefield & District SPECI A L
FE ATU RE
Businesses celebrate world book day
It’s often said that most successful CEOs regularly read business books. So as March celebrates World Book Day, we asked some of our readers what their favourite business book is.
Photographer Ronel Jager-Martin: “I love The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. The Tipping Point explains how ideas spread like epidemics and which few elements need to come together to help an idea reach the point of critical mass, where its viral effect becomes unstoppable. Full of great everyday examples.”
- the founders of Coffee Republic and the first adopters of takeaway gourmet coffee to the UK. “I’ve read it a few times, and always take something different from their story. They show that luck and maximising opportunities play a huge part in building a business. No one ever gets an easy ride, and it’s human nature to feel emotion when it comes to a brand you’ve built (I don’t believe in the ‘it’s just business’ excuse for ruthless or rude behaviour). “It’s an honest account - some authors wouldn’t have shared all their mistakes as the authors here have done! A warm, engaging, inspiring read.”
Author Rachel Dove: “I’ve recently read a business book which deals with boundaries (on the mindfulness side). Boundaries: How to Draw the Line in Your Head, Heart and Home helps readers develop self-esteem and achieve healthy control of their lives by working through a four-step programme.
Book Publisher Diane Hall of The Writing Hall: “The book I’d recommend, certainly for people starting in business or those experiencing a rough patch, is Anyone Can Do It, by Sahar and Bobby Hashemi
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“I think in this day and age it’s very relevant to business. “I have another book called Little Black Book that I could recommend too, relating to creativity and business.”
£2m facelift plan to transform Westgate
Councillors are bidding to transform Westgate in a £2m facelift. The transformation of Westgate was discussed at a full Council meeting at the end of January. Councillors are to apply for the £1.5m needed, to Heritage Lottery Fund Townscape initiative, of which the council will contribute £50,000.
Westgate is an historic route and a key gateway into Wakefield. It comprises a Owner of Pop Up North large number of historic buildings that catering company: are underused, neglected and in need of repair. The funding will enable building Chris Hale owners to repair their buildings to a “I love The Miracle Morning Book, high conservation standard, bridging the it’s full of practical advice and tips conservation deficit, which ordinarily to transform your schedule and makes high quality repair prohibitively expensive. day-to-day life. “As running businesses is a big balancing task.”
Through the restoration of Westgate’s neglected buildings the funding will visually transform the appearance of the Conservation Area and provide a vehicle to deliver community and economic benefits for this part of the city. It is hoped that this will help to change the perception of the area and stimulate further investment in the local economy. The Council agree “in principle” to adding £0.5 million in match funding to the Capital Programme over the period of 2019/20 - 2023/24 in order to draw down £2 million in HLF Funding.
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What a day!
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Explore over 60 big name shops and restaurants, enjoy free Wi-Fi, and park for only 50p on evenings and all day Sunday in a choice of 1,000 spaces. A great day out awaits you in WakeďŹ eld city centre.
trinitywalk.com March 2018
Wakefield & District PARLIAMENTARY
UPDAT E
Andrea Jenkyns Andrea Jenkyns - Conservative MP for Morley & Outwood
Back in January, I was delighted to be made a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government. I thought I’d take this opportunity to update you about the Northern Powerhouse and the great work this Government is doing. In 2014, the Government made the Northern Powerhouse one of its primary agendas. It has long been recognised that there has been an economic gap between the South and the rest of the country. This needs to change. Building a Northern Powerhouse is about boosting the local economy by investing in skills, innovation, transport and culture, as well as
devolving significant powers and budgets to directly elected mayors. This ensures that decisions in the North are made by the North. Northerners are set to benefit from a £1.2 Billion Rail investment package which will provide new trains, including more than 500 new carriages, room for 40,000 extra passengers and more than 2,000 extra services
a week by 2020. £15 billion will be spent over the next five years developing HS2. This will better connect the Great Northern cities with the South and increase capacity. New figures released last month show the Northern Powerhouse region is one of the most connected in the UK thanks to
the government’s £1.7 billion broadband roll out programme. This is great news for local communities and businesses. The incredible cities that gave us the industrial revolution can once again be optimistic about their future and this Government is fully committed to making the Northern Powerhouse a realty.
Senior appointment at accountancy firm
services to clients, both across Yorkshire and nationally.
Andrew Marshall has joined the senior team at Jolliffe Cork in Wakefield. Andrew previously held senior positions at a number of accounting practices, including Grant Thornton.
property and professional services.
Adam Perkin, Senior Partner at Jolliffe Cork said, “We are delighted to welcome Andrew to the team. His vast experience will further strengthen the knowledge and expertise of the accounting and audit team.
Jolliffe Cork is one of the largest independent firms of Chartered Accountants in West Yorkshire. In addition to Andrew’s Director role, the firm has five partners and 40 staff proving the full range of tax, accountancy and business
“Andrew will also be taking on a number of important internal projects that will improve the quality of our client service offerings as well assuming a key role in forthcoming marketing initiatives” he concluded.
Operating at Director level, he brings additional expertise to their fast-growing audit and accounting department. His specialisms include retail, manufacturing, distribution,
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Andrew brings over 30 years of practice experience and enjoys working closely with owner managed, entrepreneurial businessmen and women to help them achieve the strategic objectives of the business as well as their personal ambitions.
for all your legal needs call your local solicitors Ramsdens
with 12 offices across West Yorkshire we’re never too far away #knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens
Yorkshire Legal Awards, Law Firm of the Year 2011, 2015 & 2017
01924 669510 www.ramsdens.co.uk March 2018
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Wakefield & District
LEGA L
MAT TE RS
Court alternatives for divorcing couples Each issue Ramsdens Solicitors, share with our readers information to keep us all within the law. If you have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject, email editor@topicuk. co.uk
Understandably, when people think of divorce they often associate this with going to Court. In reality, however, there are alternatives able for divorcing couples. Court proceedings can stressful for all involved and may not be the most appropriate process for your case. What are the alternatives to Court? Mediation Trained mediators assist you and your spouse to explore possibilities for resolving your disputes and come to a legally binding agreement. These meetings take place both separately and alongside your expartner, without solicitors present. It is important to remember that mediation is a voluntary process both parties must be willing to engage constructively with it.
Who is a mediator? A trained mediator is a qualified independent person who will not take sides nor will they try and counsel you and your ex to get back together! A mediator will not tell you what to do but instead, assists you and the other parent to discuss matters and hopefully come to an agreement. It is recommended that you take legal advice, alongside mediation to assist and advise you through the process of separation.
Is mediation for everyone? Please be aware - not all cases are suitable for mediation. This is particularly the case if there has been violence in the relationship or there are welfare concerns. At the outset, a mediator will assess whether or not your circumstances are suitable for
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mediation. A Mediation and Information Assessment Meeting MIAM - will help the mediator determine whether or not mediation is suitable for you.
Collaborative law gives you the constant support of your solicitor who ensures that your priorities are effectively met throughout the negotiations.
What happens once an agreement is reached through mediation?
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A document will be prepared by the mediator which summarises the proposals. You will then be advised by the mediator to seek legal advice regarding this document before formalising the agreement. If and when you are happy with the agreement this will be formalised into a Memorandum of Understanding, a formal legally binding agreement. • You decide the pace and agenda of the discussions • It can be cost effective for both parties • The decision reached at the end is yours, not that of a Judge or another third party.
Collaborative Law Collaborative law is similar to mediation as it is a nonconfrontational way of solving disputes however, it is different in that you have your solicitor by your side throughout the whole process without any third party present.
• •
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Benefits of the Collaborative Law Process: You decide the pace and agenda of the discussions You have your Solicitor by your side throughout the whole process of negotiations All parties are under a duty to provide full and honest disclosure so that couples are working with the facts Parties are placed under a signed agreement to instruct other solicitors should proceedings fail and require the involvement of the courts (this is a real incentive for both sides to stick with the discussions until they reach a mutual solution)
At Ramsdens, we are accredited members of Resolution and expert family law specialists. If you wish to discuss your divorce please do not hesitate to contact one of our friendly family law team to arrange a free 30 minute consultation at any of our offices across West Yorkshire. Call us free on 08000 147720 to make your appointment.
Wakefield & District
L EG A L
Does the focus on the “gender pay gap” create focus in the right area as we address the issues created by decades of imbalance in the opportunities afforded to women in the workplace?
Gender pay Recent comments on the gender pay gap made by the BBC’s China correspondent Carrie Gracie have brought this issue increasingly into the mainstream media and it’s something we’re likely to hear more of as the April deadline nears for organisations with more than 250 employees to publish data showing the extent of the pay gap between male and female employees. The decision by several male presenters to accept a reduction in earnings has further fuelled the debate. Many large employers such as Ladbrokes and easyJet have already done this and the headline figures are eye opening. For example, at easyJet, women’s hourly pay rates are 52% lower than men’s. Women earn 15% less per hour at Ladbrokes and 33% less at Virgin Money.
It is important to note that the gender pay gap is the pay discrepancy between men and women regardless of the job they do or the position they hold. It is not the same as equal pay which is where when employers are required to ensure that men and women carrying out the same or similar roles are paid the same for the amount of work they do. This difference is something that appears to be lost in the reporting of the issue so far and it’s clear that by digging deeper into the issues, the headlines are misleading. The figures can in fact be skewed by other factors. Within Easy Jet for example, pilots are paid just over £92,000 but 94% of pilots are men. Other organisations make similar statements about a disproportionate percentage of senior roles being occupied by men. That in itself is a separate, significant issue which needs tackling and one not likely to alone be solved by asking employers to publish pay figures. The analysis done on the raw data by the Office of National Statistics reveals some interesting threads and exposes the real issues of inequality. They show that where an occupation is comprised equally of men and women, the gender pay gap is at its smallest. Age was also a factor with the gap at its smallest between younger workers but widening from age 40 onwards and reaching a peak between 50-59. In addition, length of service also has an effect. A male with over 20 years’ service earns on average 21% more than a male with just one years’ employment. For women that figure is 17.8% more.
MAT T E R S
Arguably, the greater focus should be on equality of opportunity and training to deal with the core issue of earnings inequality. The focus on boardroom and senior management equality, educational intervention to ensure higher paid occupations are not closed or restricted to one sex and the continuation of support provided to both men and women during pregnancy and afterwards cannot be lost. Gareth Dando, Associate at Huddersfield based law firm Ramsdens Solicitors says: “We fear that the recent developments at the BBC with pay being reduced for men may release pressure from the issue and may act as a hurdle to female pay progression. Would a stronger message have been sent (at a high profile employer like the BBC) had a number of female presenters brought legal challenges based on the established principles and laws ensuring equal pay for equal work and equal pay for work of equal value?” For further information on gender pay reporting, and your obligations as an employer under the new Regulations, please contact Gareth Dando on 01484 558 060 or email gareth.dando@ ramsdens.co.uk.
Ramsdens Solicitors
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Wakefield & District 7
Box Office: 01924 211 311 Book Online: theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk
Theatre Royal Wakefield presents
Gala Dinner & Variety Performance Friday 9 March 5.45pm Champagne Reception & Black Tie Gala Dinner, Wakefield Cathedral 8pm Variety Performance, Theatre Royal Wakefield
The ever popular Gala Dinner & Variety Performance returns this year, in support of the development of the Centre for Creativity and our work with young people. Over recent years, the event has gained a reputation of delivering an outstanding combination of excellent food and fantastic Variety Performance. Guests will be surprised and delighted by a galaxy of stars associated with Theatre Royal Wakefield and beyond. The Gala Dinner starts with a Champagne Reception and features entertainment with unique auction prizes. Guests will have the opportunity to mix with the stars at the post-show party at Theatre Royal Wakefield.
Tickets are available for either the Variety Performance alone, or as part of the Black Tie Gala Dinner package.
To book for Variety Performance only, contact Box Office on 01924 211 311
£20 - £30 Variety Performance only £85 - £95 Gala Dinner Package
To book your Black Tie Gala Dinner package, contact Jon Ingham on 01924 334 116 jon.ingham@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk
Wakefield & District TRAVEL
UPDAT E
Each edition, One World Travel feature a world destination that can be arranged through their shop in the centre of Wakefield.
Located in the green hills in the north of the country, the city is relatively small compared to the bustling capital of Bangkok, but there is so much to do here visitors would hardly notice. Colourful markets and even more colourful temples provide those seeking a slower-pace of life here the perfect environment to stroll amongst in the day, with lively nightlife in some of the country’s best restaurants and bars. Not only does Chiang Mai showcase some of the finest examples of Thai cuisine, but the variety of cooking classes available are enough to excite all kinds of food-lovers. Adventure seekers can trek in the hills – perhaps catching a glimpse of traditional hill villages – or visit some of the region’s renowned (and ethical) elephant sanctuaries. Looking to relax? Chiang Mai may be far from the famous beaches Thailand is known for, but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch up on that R&R you’ve been craving. It may be a city, but it’s small yet spacious – and many of the fabulous hotels feature the most beautiful pools and lounge areas – so think more hillside retreat than urban rooftop pools or the resorts along the coast. The weather varies with the seasons, but you can expect temperatures upwards of 26°C year-round. Plan your trip correctly, and Chiang Mai could provide the perfect balance of both culture and rejuvenation in one beautiful package. It would be impossible to take in every temple in the city in one trip – with over 300 Buddhist temples located within the city and immediate surrounding area.
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absolute must when visiting. A perfect day in Chiang Mai? Enjoy some of the city’s cultural and historic offerings in the morning – bathe the elephants at a nearby sanctuary, or visit the stunning temples across the city.
The real Thailand? Chiang Mai is often described as ‘the real Thailand’ – as well as one of the country’s most friendly and relaxed cities. Some of the most famous are also the most beautiful – such as the White Temple, and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, adorned with
beautiful gold. The Royal Park Rajapruek, with the famous Ho Kham Luang Royal Pavilion, is an architectural masterpiece and an
In the afternoon, sip Cha Yen (a Thai iced tea) and indulge in Khao Niaow Ma Muang (sticky rice with mango) before relaxing with a traditional Thai massage - at a fraction of the price you’d ever pay for one back home. In the evening, sample delicious curries at a local eatery, wander the night markets in search of gifts, or simply enjoy the moment by taking in the city from the back of a Tuk Tuk. You are in Thailand, after all.
Wakefield & District A DV E RTO R I A L On a monthly basis, complaints about used vehicles consistently appear in the top five consumer goods and servicing complaints received by Citizens Advice. A staggering 11,000 complaints were made about the sale of used cars over the last year (Dec’16 to Nov’17) covering damaged, stolen or badly repaired insurance writeoffs. Other common complaints were those relating to repairs and servicing, with over 4,500 complaints being made during the same period. The purchase of new cars also provides cause for customer concern, with Citizens Advice receiving an average of 146 complaints per month. To help consumers across West Yorkshire purchase cars and vehicle repairs with confidence,
Car Purchase & Repair Buying with confidence through the Motor Trade Partnership scheme. West Yorkshire Trading Standards operates the Motor Trade Partnership quality scheme. Launched over 17 years ago, the Motor Trade Partnership promotes best practice and excellent customer service. Every Motor Trade Partnership
member makes a commitment to fair and honest practices and are regularly monitored by West Yorkshire Trading Standards.
To be a member of the Motor Trade Partnership, independent dealers and garages across West Yorkshire have to meet the following strict criteria: • Have an approved customer complaints procedure, ensuring that there are clear pathways to resolving problems; • Are thoroughly compliant with all relevant legislation regarding the sale of new and/or used vehicles; • Carry out thorough vehicle checks to ensure each is fit for sale; • Partake in annual audits by West Yorkshire Trading Standards. Through operating such a scheme, West Yorkshire Trading Standards work with local businesses to help raise standards.
To look for your nearest member of the Motor Trade Partnership, visit www.wyjs.org.uk/mtp
Wakefield & District
Could I become a foster carer? As a social worker, I have worked in fostering for the past eight years and have recruited many foster carers. You may think there is a specific person who can foster, but I can honestly say, foster carers come from all walks of life. And rightly so. Children and young people are different, they all need different things in life and different people to care for them. Therefore, foster carers need to be different. Unfortunately, not everyone has a great start in life. Some children and young people suffer
abuse and trauma which means they can no longer live at home with their birth parents, and sometimes their siblings. I would say life experience is the key to being a good foster carer. Being able to understand the world around you and how it impacts on people, their lives and their behaviour is crucial. Foster carers are selfless, kind hearted individuals. They are also
strong and resilient. They must have a determination to care, but also a willingness to compromise or even to let go when the time is right. Contrary to belief you are
never too old to foster. Being in your late fifties or even in your sixties does not preclude you from becoming a foster carer. The oldest foster carer I have worked with was in their early eighties and his impact on
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fosteringtoinspire.co.uk Part of Prospects Services. Registered in England & Wales. Registered company number: 3042176. Registered office: 1 Red Hall Court, Wakefield, WF1 2UN
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Wakefield & District
REC RU ITM E NT troubled young people was remarkable. This calm, grandfather figure invoked respect within young people and offered unique encouragement to help improve their life chances. Every looked after child and young person needs stability and a listening ear. Single people can provide this and more. LGBT people and couples can provide this and more. People from minority backgrounds can provide this and more. Children and young people sometimes struggle with social interactions; their sexuality and their identity. They need foster carers who offer a high level of empathy; who can relate to their individuality. We all need acceptance – why would looked after children and young people be any different? I have worked with some extraordinary foster carers who have made a difference and have changed lives. I have also worked with foster carers who have sometimes struggled. I hold both sets of foster carers in equally high regard. Deciding to be a foster carer is a life changing event. It demonstrates a desire to help some of the most vulnerable people in society and a recognition that there may be challenges ahead. The worry of failure sometimes stops us from making certain decisions in life. When making big decisions, we balance the chances of success with the risk of failure. But what should take priority in deciding to foster is the significance of the successes – they are ultimately life changing to a child or young person. Is it not therefore worth dampening down those fears and giving in to the fostering aspirations you feel? Do something extraordinary – foster with Fostering to Inspire For further information, or to make an enquiry with Fostering to Inspire please telephone 01924 792 184 or email enquiries@fosteringtoinspire.co.uk Claire Ferris, Registered Manager
U P DAT E
Are you properly prepared for your interviews? By Andy Turner Managing Director - First Choice Recruitment
To recruit the perfect person requires a lot of time and effort, but it’s not just recruiters that should dedicate their resources to hiring. Everyone from the hiring manager, potential team leaders and receptionists can and perhaps should be involved, after all everyone is looking for the ‘right addition, the right colleague’. All interviewers must be totally on board, be positive and must know their role in the process avoiding ineffective interviews giving the candidate a positive experience, boosting your company brand and improving acceptance rates. To improve your hiring success I’d suggest a structured interview process. This involves outlining exactly what you’re looking for before you even write the job description and creating a framework for each step of the process so that every person who’s involved knows exactly what the purpose of the session is and which criteria they should be evaluating a candidate against. Do you want to learn the basics of setting up a structured interview process? Read these simple three-step framework:Decide exactly who you want to recruit. The first step of setting up a structured interview process is really understanding and defining the role. Going through this process helps ensure that recruiters and hiring managers are aligned, which reduces chances of confusion and miscommunication further on in the process. Decide how you’ll evaluate candidates Once you’ve defined what the role looks like within your company, you can decide how you’ll evaluate the candidate. It might
help to begin with a few general categories like basic requirements, necessary hard and softer skills, and hiring manager preferences. Outline the interview process In this final step, you’ll design the actual interview plan. This is where you’ll match each stage of the interview to a particular set of criteria. The number and types of interviews you conduct will vary depending on your organisation and the specific role, but here’s a general framework:Stage 1: Screen This step involves having the recruiter review applications and screen out candidates who are obviously not a fit—for example, those who don’t fit your basic education or location requirements or have the right type of experience. Stage 2: hiring manager screen This step involves conducting a phone screen. It allows the interviewer, generally the hiring manager, to get an initial sense of each candidate and review their work experience at a high level to understand whether it aligns with the role. Stage 3: in-person interview (1) culture fit, (2) team panel, (3) hiring manager one-on-one Depending on the seniority of the role, some of these steps can be rolled into one or even two rather than three separate steps but you must ensure the candidate’s personal goals match your own and will always end with the hiring manager. This may seem like creating extra work but how much does a bad-appointment cost? It’s an investment of your time rather than a chore, be prepared!
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Wakefield & District R ESTAU RA N T
You may already be familiar with 25-27 Northgate in Wakefield. For many years the premises operated as the popular, if unassuming, Qubana Restaurant and Grill – but the building fell quiet when Qubana picked up its skirts and moved across town to the spacious former Barclays Bank building at the end of Wood Street just over a year ago. Since then, the Northgate premises have lain empty and were even boarded up for a while as work started on a major refurbishment project. The only clue to what was happening was the mysterious word ‘Robatary’ etched across the front. The business is still owned by Jenny Thompson and Matthew Burton, who also own the new Qubana, but they needed a different brand for their ‘old’ restaurant, and Wakefield’s bon vivants waited with breath abated to see what would emerge. Finally, the shuttering was removed and all was revealed. Just a week before Christmas 2017, the new place opened its doors to the paying public. And that word ‘Robatary’? It turns out to be the name of the restaurant!
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REV I EW
Robatary
Keen as ever to sample something new, I booked a table for two and my partner and I went along to see what it was like. From the moment you step inside, it’s obvious that everything has changed! In fact, the only carry-over from the old Qubana is manager Gareth Quinn whose task it was to look after us as we sampled the food and I spoke to the customers and generally wandered around the place with my camera aloft.
With the opening of Robatary, Wakefield’s reputation for stylish new restaurants goes up another notch Wakefield Civic Society President, Kevin Trickett MBE, reports!
The word actually has a Japanese origin (although that is the only connection the restaurant has with that country – the food is British, albeit with a twist). Apparently, a robata is a sort of charcoal grill used to prepare food in Japan. Robatayaki is a
form of cooking in which food is cooked over hot charcoal, rather like a barbecue but, in the case, indoors. The charred taste that the hot coals infuse into the food, be it meat, fish or vegetables, brings the flavours to life.
Gareth brought us menus and took our orders. For a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was nicely busy, despite it being a very wintry night. (Honestly it was! Snow was falling outside as we arrived and not even in Wakefield were people taking advantage of the outdoor seating!), Seating inside is a mix of open plan and private booths (we had a booth, giving us a slightly raised vantage point to see what was going on) and, when the weather turns warmer, the glass doors facing onto the street can be opened up in the European manner. One thing that Jenny and Matthew do well is style. Visitors to the new Qubana have been very impressed with what has been achieved with the old bank but here at Robatary, the more modern building needed
Wakefield & District
something contemporary. There’s a mix of textures, wood, (faux) concrete – one wall reminded me of the Hepworth!, ceramic tiles, glass, chrome, and steel, giving off a slightly industrial vibe, but reined back and softened with velvet and leather upholstery and fluffy cushions. Carefully chosen background music adds a touch of class and even a slightly sultry mood. But of course, we were there to sample the food, not just ogle the soft furnishings. The menu was still slightly experimental at the time of our visit and was being updated after the pre-Christmas opening. The intention is that the menu, devised by executive chef Craig England, will follow the seasons and will be updated throughout the year. To begin your meal, you can select from a number of nibbles, breads and charcuterie dishes or go straight to the starters. Although a ‘grill’, the restaurant caters well for vegetarians. The main courses are listed under three headings – Land, Sea and Earth (for which read meat, fish and vegetable) – and there’s a fourth section offering a variety of steaks. All can be ordered with side dishes and sauces. There’s a handful of desserts (or ‘treats’ as they are listed) from which to select to finish off your meal. Prices are £5 - £7.50 for starters (nibbles range from £3 to £4.50), and mains run from £12 to £17 – but be prepared to pay more for a steak! Sides and accompaniments are charged extra. Desserts are all priced at £5. As regular readers would expect, my partner and I opted for the vegetarian dishes. For starters, I
my partner. For desserts (sorry, treats), we had Key lime tart, served with clotted cream, (me) and wood-roasted rhubarb, served with ice cream. These were served ‘deconstructed’ and again very artistically arranged. The cost of our meal would come in at a little over £20 per person plus drinks, which is very reasonable.
had the grilled spiced courgette skewers (the spiciness dialled right down which, for me, was good) while my partner had the goat’s curd (which looks and tasted better than it perhaps sounds!). These were both light and beautifully presented, setting us up well for the main courses: wood-roasted aubergine in my case and homemade gnocchi for
So, what did we think? Well, in terms of style, the friendliness of the service, food quality and overall presentation, Robatary comes out very well indeed; it will certainly give some of the local competition a run for their money. And that wasn’t just our verdict. Chatting to some of the other customers, they also thought very highly of the establishment. The restaurant is conveniently located and is at the heart of the city’s burgeoning restaurant scene. It is open daily from 12 noon (until late) and small groups can be catered for but, as Gareth pointed
out, the restaurant is really designed to provide for a more intimate dining experience. Gareth also told me that his ambition is to make Robatary the best restaurant in Wakefield. On the basis of our evening there, he’s well on the way to achieving that goal.
Kevin and his partner dined as guests of Robatary.
Robatary, 25-27 Northgate, Wakefield, WF1 3BJ. Tel: 01924 211904. Website: www.robatary.co.uk Follow Kevin on Twitter @MrTrickett
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Wakefield & District FOOD& DRI NK After the past few months of dreary weather, we are fast approaching Easter and the hope of some warmer weather...! With this in mind we thought that you might like to have some Easter inspired recipes this month from Create Café.
Sweet Easter treats from Create We have recently changed some of our sweet offerings and one of the popular changes was our home-made rocky road so we thought we would let you into the trade secret of how it’s made….! Also, Shaun designed a wonderful Easter cocktail during his days on the bar at Harvey Nichols Leeds and has shared his recipe for a Crème Egg martini (its surprising easy it is for how good it tastes!!)
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Rocky Road Ingredients Ready-made cookie dough (Or home-made shortbread) 200g Dark chocolate 3tbsp Golden syrup 135g Unsalted butter 100g Mini marshmallows 100g Digestive biscuits
•
Method • Roll out the cookie dough and place into an oven tray (about 20cm x 15cm) and bake according to the instructions. We use home-made shortbread for this step so if you’re feeling brave do this but the cookie dough will be a good alternative. Either way, bake and set to one side to cool and harden. • Break up the digestives
•
• • • • • •
•
•
•
not too small you need decent sized chunks. In a large pan, melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup and mix until smooth. Add the digestives and half of the marshmallow and mix together thoroughly. Once the base has cooled and hardened, pour over the chocolate mixture. Scatter the remaining marshmallows over the top and push into the mixture slightly so they stick. Allow to cool and set, then portion. Great served with some whipped cream and chocolate sauce, or just on their own!
Crème Egg Martini Ingredients • • • • • •
35ml Vodka 12.5ml Crème de cacao 25ml Vanilla syrup 12.5ml Condensed milk 25ml Cream Chocolate Sauce
Method •
• •
Chill a martini glass with ice or place into Drizzle the chocolate sauce into the glass, so that it trickles in Either blend, or shake and strain the rest of the ingredients Garnish with half a cream egg if you wish!
Wakefield & District
The Garden at The Ridings is now open The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield has opened its eagerly anticipated food and drink space, ‘The Garden’. The 240-cover space will bring together local independent restaurants Boss Hogs Burgers & Dogs, Woks Up Noodle Bar, Yorkshire Puddings & Pies and Fat Frank’s Taco’s & Burritos. Dessert bar the Sweet Shack is also serving Wakefield’s first ‘chocolate kebabs’ and a licensed Tree Bar selling
wines and beers is set to open in Spring 2018. As one of the first shopping centres in the UK to open a food court, also known as ‘In The Garden’, in 1983 the new leisure space will offer a contemporary open-plan space for shoppers to eat, drink and relax. Lee Appleton, Centre Director commented: “We are so pleased to have brought back ‘The Garden’ to The Ridings, giving our shoppers and the local community something new and exciting. Showcasing some
of Wakefield’s favourite eateries, the space is set to become a buzzy hangout which offers something for everyone.” The Ridings has also completed works on a new children’s play area, The Den, which will host Kids Club
events and is available for hire for groups and parties.
For further information on The Ridings Shopping Centre, please visit www.ridingscentre. com
£200,000 makeover for the Dam Inn Newmillerdam’s much loved landmark, the Dam Inn, has had a £200,000 makeover and employed four new staff to keep up the reputation of its rave review carvery, locally brewed real ales and attraction to visitors of the picturesque village. Yorkshire countryside enthusiasts will know the iconic Grade II listed pub for its position on the Dam at the start of the lakeside walk, 3.5 miles south of Wakefield. Popular with locals, walkers and ramblers, it’s a pub that knows a thing or two about local provenance from the fresh, locally grown veggies by farmer John Dudding served up at their delicious carvery, to locally sourced beers from the likes of Acorn, Ilkley and
launch of regular Friday night live bands. Diners won’t be disappointed either with more room to move around and enjoy the pub’s classic dining experience, which along with the carvery also offers a separate menu with traditional pub favourites.
Ossett breweries, and display of paintings for sale by local artist Jenny Hutchinson, who recreates views of the dam and countryside.
Walkers will be pleased to hear that the Dam Inn will still welcome dogs into the bar area, and so patrons can sit back and enjoy the spectacular views outside while also appreciating the views inside. Perfect for families, there’s plenty to keep the younger ones occupied.
To celebrate, a grand reopening party was held on February 16, showcasing the redecoration, new seating, and lighter, more relaxed space. There was menu tasters and fizz, and the
During high days and holidays the Dam Inn lays on exciting entertainment with Easter Egg Hunts and a bouncy castle, all taking place in its extensive outside area.
GOVERNMENT WARNING:(1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems. Please drink responsibly.
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Wakefield & District
BEAUTIFUL RANGE OF FULLY SERVICED OFFICES
I N WA K E F I E L D Wakefield Business Centres provide quality serviced offices in centres of Wakefield and Ossett. All offer a range of office suites either furnished, unfurnished, hot desks or virtual, with a friendly unrivalled service and tailor made packages to suit all. Safe gated car parking with CCTV is available and all three buildings are close to major transport links. Excellent meeting room and conference facilities are offered, and the offices in Wakefield are situated 300m from Wakefield Westgate train station with services to London in less than 2 hours, and 5 minutes walk away from Wakefield centre.
• • • • • •
Free resilient, fast broadband Telephones All utilities Manned reception Conference room hire Secretarial service
Tel: +44 (0) 1924 580959 - Web: www.wakefieldbusinesscentres.com Email: info@wakefieldbusinesscentres.com - Twitter: @WakeOffices
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Wakefield & District
In five years, the smartphone will be the most used digital device globally, according to new research. More than 90 per cent of adults in the UK alone are expected to have a smartphone by 2023, says professional services giant Deloitte. Its 2018 Technology, Media and Telecommunications report provides an interesting and useful forecast of the role of smartphones in business. For half of the UK’s workforce, ‘the smartphone may be the ideal digital tool: its merits are its portability, biometric security and constant connection’ says Deloitte’s Matthew Hughes. As a solution provider, NGC Networks provides a range of services to ensure the smartphone fleet in any business is cost effective, operates efficiently and is protected. Our mobile proposition provides businesses with a customised bill, portal access, management service and flexibility on mobile
UPDATE
Pexels.com-Bruce Mars
TELECOM
Smartphone Revolution Good For Business agreements across all of the UK’s mobile networks. And while business users want to receive strong and reliable mobile voice connectivity, data connectivity is equally if not more important as the smartphone revolution powers on. NGC’s own forecast shows ‘Machine to Machine’ or M2M technology featuring data only connectivity is set to grow as businesses take advantage of the ability for machines, including smartphones to communicate and share information without the need for human interaction.
Of course, one of the biggest threats to this technology are data breaches, giving rise to the increasing use of ‘Mobile Device Management’ or MDM to enable the required security. MDM provides a range of business benefits, particularly where companies have a large number of employees in the field or working remotely. NGC’s MDM solution is carrier agnostic and enables businesses to control and manage all devices remotely. MDM enables the security and efficiency of a smartphone fleet, as well as being a useful cost management tool.
Steve Tipper, NGC Networks
To discuss your mobile voice and data connectivity requirements, call NGC Networks on 0800 588 4003 or email enquiries@ngcnetworks.co.uk
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Apprenticeship Week is upon us as we start to distribute this, our latest edition and we are delighted to publish the result of a project we have worked on over the last few weeks with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority/ Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) that has engaged with schools across the region who were tasked with writing articles for publication.
The schools who took part were Cockburn High in Leeds; Honley High, Huddersfield; Leeds City Academy and Westborough High in Dewsbury. Students from years eight and nine. TopicUK tasked students with writing an article for publication, highlighting a business sector then drilling down into a specific company. They were asked to identify careers and job roles available, entry routes and qualification requirements, but particularly the key employability skills the company would be looking for from its employees. “When the LEP approached us, we were more than happy to run this competition to coincide with Apprenticeship week,” said TopicUK Group Editor Gill Laidler. “It is important that students at this age start to think about what they want to do when they leave education and more importantly how they get there. “We received a huge response, many moret than we expected and all entries were of excellent standards. We found it difficult to choose winners as the standard of work was very good, but we managed to choose a winner from each of the schools and an overall winner. Whatsmore, the students were so keen on this project, they have requested that we run this as a regular feature within TopicUK.”
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Students consider careers during Apprenticeship Week
Ruby Baxter,Cockburn High School (Year 9)
Why I want to be a midwife: Hey my name is Ruby Baxter I’m 14 years old, I have been asked many times in my life what I want to be when I grow up. If I’m being totally honest with you I’m not completely sure. All of my life I’ve been told by multiple people that I’m a very indecisive person. However after years and years I have decided that I would like to be a midwife when I’m older. Here are just a few reasons for why I want to be a midwife. Firstly I’ve always wanted to help others; a few years ago my mother put one born every minute on the television I was inspired by how hard the midwives work. From that day on I knew I wanted to be
a midwife. Another reason for why I want to be a midwife is that Midwives have a passion for women’s healthcare and want to extend their knowledge with their patients. A caring and compassionate person present at the time of such a scary moment is most certainly welcome. You get to be there when their child is born. Your care and advice will be the reason their baby is born healthy. You will also be able to advocate for them for issues that are important to them after their birth, for example breast feeding. Life can get boring when you have to be in the same place day in and day out. With midwifery, your location changes constantly. You are able to bounce around from house
Rebecca O’Connor, Honley High (Year 8)
I am interested in pursuing my dreams in becoming an author. I currently live in Slaithwaite, a small town in West Yorkshire and I am in Year 8 and go to Honley High School. Stories come quite naturally to me, it might only be one intriguing item and another world unfolds in my head. I used
to want to be a teacher, then I found my passion of writing. I really like English and art lessons at school, but not everyone in my art group would consider weaving it into their career. I think I am a great artist and my art teachers think so too, I might even be able to use some of my
to house, catching a glimpse of the lives of the people you work with. You get a better understanding of the people that you get to share these intimate moments. You also get to work in several different hospitals, maintaining friendships, without getting caught up in workplace politics. There is also the possibility of a few days of without working, or a 3 AM wake-up call to deliver twins. There is such a thrill in not knowing the particular details of the everyday schedule. The unpredictability of not knowing what is going to happen at any given moment prevents the monotonous feeling most people get in their careers, and you can be sure that will never happen as a midwife. These are just the few reasons for why I would love to be a midwife.
style of art in my books. A good thing for me is that my friends mum is an author (Chris L Longden) so I asked her a few questions. I asked: Was it hard becoming an author? Chris answered: “Yes it was so hard. You have to make a really good book because otherwise a publisher might not want to publish it. There are a lot of writers nowadays and if they write another book, it
Wakefield & District has a bigger chance of getting it published.”
own books the matter was a lot harder.
Approximately, how long does it take you to write a book? “If you are determined, patient and write flat out, then it may only take a month or two. But when you come to editing, it can be at least a year or so before you think about getting it published.” Was finding someone to publish your first book hard? “Yes, the first books that I did publish were ones that people had asked me to write. Once I started to write my
If you self publish and people start to by your books then sometimes professional publishers want to publish for you, and that means proper publicity.”
Hannah Yeboah, Leeds Academy Leeds is the financial capital outside of London so In this region, we have many jobs, however not all of them are popular; Leeds is the financial capital outside of London so In this region, we have many jobs, however not all of them are popular; furthermore in the region we have four key developing sectors, which are Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, Digital, Infrastructure and Construction. However, I decided to look into law because law is an interesting sector to look at and when I grow up, I hope to become a barrister or solicitor. Law encompasses the rules that help people remain safe and helps them to be good citizens. Laws are regulations people need to follow and if a law is broken the person will have to pay the consequences for their action. However, we are here to talk about a person whose profession is to defend the freedom of another individual or to enter into various legal proceedings (advice or
Can it get frustrating? “Very, with my other jobs and my family, getting time to write is sometimes hard, and if you are working to a deadline you might start to get annoyed.
act for clients on other legal matters). There is a great deal of studying involved in becoming a lawyer. The criteria required to enter the universities is typically a range of A levels from A*AA to AAB. Universities also require good GCSE grades in English, maths and possibly a foreign language. The journey to become a lawyer is a long one. Before someone is able to fully practice law, completion of a qualifying Law Degree (LLB) is required at undergraduate level or if in another subject then the oneyear GDL conversion course, also known as the Common Professional Examination (CPE), must be taken. This process provides the non-law students with a basic foundation in legal theory. Additionally, a (LNAT) Law National Admission Test is required. Other skills that are required include verbal and written skills, ability to interpret and ability to analyse information and draw conclusions accurately. There are two types of lawyers: a barrister and a solicitor. A solicitor provides legal support to clients however, a barrister represents
During my research I found out that Dame Jacqueline Wilson, one of my favourite authors, has written over 100 books! I also discovered that it is very hard to get a book published and that if you want to be an author, have a main job and the writing the side work. This has not made my dreams less stable, in fact, more confident even though I might not get a book published. Jacqueline Wilson has published at least 60 books, and sold over 36,000,000 copies! I found this on a publishers website:
individuals and organisations in court. To qualify as a solicitor, I will have to complete the vocational Legal Practice Course (LPC), which helps one to complete the academic knowledge and practical skills. Subsequently, a training contract is required with a law firm. Once this process is complete a professional skills course must written. I will then be able to apply for the role of a solicitor. However, if I prefer to become a barrister I will have to undertake another process. I will commence my journey by taking a Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), followed by a practical experience in a barristers’ chamber followed by an application for tenancy as a self-employed barrister. The law sector requires an immense amount of commitment but it also offers financial reward. An average annual salary for a lawyer is of £138,880. A Corporate lawyer’s salary is from £30’000 to £100,000 and an average annual Criminal lawyer’s salary is around £115,000. The reason why I want to become a lawyer is not because of the financial
“Writing is a craft that requires skill, experience, and passion. Even the creation of a single manuscript takes a lot of patience. With the tremendous amount of effort put into weaving words into sentences, it is only fitting that the right publisher takes this collection of ideas and turns it into a book that will last generations.” So all this research is making me realize that writing is a talent that you could develop over time, but something that if I work hard and I am determined, which I am, I could achieve.
reward but because I want to help those people without a voice to get what is entitled to them. I want to make sure I make an impact on the future and future generations. I already have experience of this because I am currently in the White Rose Academies Student Leadership group which has reinforced my dream of becoming a lawyer. The student leadership group was formed to represent the student voice and we are the link between the students and the senior leadership team. We meet regularly and recommend changes in the Academy and we recently visited the Houses of Parliament in London. The main reason why I want to become a lawyer is that I want peace to reign and reinforce some legislations such as Human rights. I want to make sure everyone is treated justly and equally because that is what the majority of us want. That is also what most of our great late leaders wanted like: Nelson Mandela in South Africa, Martin Luther King Jr in America, Mahatma Gandhi in India and currently what Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan is still campaigning for.
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CO R R E SPO ND A N C E
Hannah Younas and Jumana Patel, Westborough High School (Year 8) We have decided to look into careers in construction exploring many job industries in business and enterprise. The reason we chose construction is because we were interested in how the majority of jobs in this industry are taken by men. During our research we found that there are over 150 professions which can involve anything from planning, design, financing, project management through to bricklaying and joinery. The construction sector in West Yorkshire employs around 45,000, 4% of all employment and a key sector in the Leeds City Region. Civil Engineer who has an average salary of £42,233; Electrician who earns up to an average of £31,648; Quantity Surveyor who earns £42,965 and a Construction Manager who earns £51,082. There is a perception; females in the construction industry are a minority although the further we
looked into it we found many females in West Yorkshire have chosen construction as their profession. The profession we have chosen to study is civil engineer. We have chosen this career because this stood out from all the rest of the careers as we were interested at looking into design and to build things that people use If you want to become a civil engineer then you can go to university and get a degree. For this you will need A-levels or equivalent. The entry requirements vary, but usually the subjects you study should include maths and physics. You can also apply for an Apprenticeship at Level 2 and move on to Level 3 and even a Degree Apprenticeship. We live in Dewsbury and found a local civil engineering company called Peter Duffy Ltd is a privately owned civil engineering, utility and Construction Company based
in Wakefield. We contacted them to enquire what subjects were needed to apply for an apprenticeship. They responded with “Well, firstly we are looking for someone with the potential and should have attained high GCSE grades in subjects such as maths, physics and English.” We think that it is important to consider looking at careers at this stage of life because it helps shape your future decisions. To end this article we would like to summarise the key reasons we chose this particular topic and emphasise the importance of why people should go into the profession of civil engineering. This is a key sector and there are many job roles available. Females are in a minority but there are many interesting and well paid careers to go for. We would like to thank Mr Patel and Miss Sissons for helping us to form this article.
Gill Laidler, Group Editor TopicUK “We thought long and hard of who to chose from these four entries for our overall winner,” continued Gill. “We finally settled on Hannah Younas and Jumana Patel as these students had
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followed the criteria more closely than all the others. The girls will now be invited to be junior reporters for TopicUK until the end of 2018, writing articles for our TopicTomorrow section that
focusses on young people and education. I would however, like to congratulate all the students who took part.”
Castleford businesses snapped up
Accountancy firm Mazars has advised the shareholders of the RM Solar group of companies, a manufacturer and distributor of cylinders, on its sale to Dublin-based Joule Group. Rob Burton and Stephen Nagle, both based in Leeds, led the deal for Mazars Deal Advisory, with legal advice provided to the shareholders by Richard Dean of Ramsdens. The Castleford-based group, manufactures water storage solutions for merchants and housebuilders, with the group of companies having aggregate sales of more than £30m and employing more than 130 people. The transaction is a strategic acquisition for Joule, a provider of renewable heating systems and hot water solutions, and a subsidiary of Dutch company Inventum Beheer BV. The acquisition of RM Solar will provide Joule with a cylinder manufacturer based in the UK. Richard Marsden, exiting shareholder from the RM Solar group, said: “I am delighted with the completion of the sale to Joule. The group has grown considerably in recent years, and this acquisition provides great synergies for both businesses. I’m sure RM Solar will continue to see impressive growth under the ownership of Joule.”
Wakefield & District
‘Voice and Vote’ By Aimee M. Jones Aimee M. Jones is a second year A-level student at Wakefield College. Later this year she will study English Literature with Creative Writing at university with aspirations of becoming an author. In her spare time, Aimee writes, plays the flute, and campaigns politically. A keen reader, Aimee’s favourite writers are the Bronte siblings. She chose to write about the centenary of women’s voting rights as she feels it is important that the suffragette’s sacrifices continue to be discussed today.
2018 marks the centenary of The Representation of the People Act, which allowed women over the age of 31 with certain property holdings the right to vote (all women were not granted equal voting rights to men until a decade later, in 1928.) In commemoration, a statue of suffragette Dame Millicent Fawcett is set to be unveiled in Parliament square following London mayor Sadiq Khan’s successful planning application last year. “This will be one of the most momentous and significant statues of our time,” commented Mr Khan, “I know that [sculptor] Gillian Wearing’s exceptional talent and
unique insight will do great justice to the movement and Millicent Fawcett’s legacy.” Calls for the statue came about when activist Caroline Criado Perez noticed the complete absence of female statues and artists in Parliament Square, despite the commemoration of 11 men. Cast in bronze, the statue will feature Mrs Fawcett’s original brooch, loaned from the Fawcett Society. Mrs Fawcett will be depicted holding a plaque that reads ‘courage calls to courage everywhere,’ a reference to her famous speech made after fellow suffragette Emily Davison was killed by a horse after walking onto the Epsom Derby track in 1913. It is widely believed she was about to stage a protest. Other women who campaigned alongside Mrs Fawcett are also to be remembered by the
engraving of their names onto the statue’s plinth. Following on from this, Parliament have implemented the Vote 100 programme to involve the public in initiatives such as ‘Voice and Vote,’ an interactive exhibition that will open in February detailing women’s fight for enfranchisement up to the current representation of females in Parliament. Great-Granddaughters of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, Lucy and Helen, have penned the ‘Pankhurst Anthem,’ which is set to air on 6th February on the Radio 3 website, exactly 100 years to the date of the Act’s passing. Helen, a prolific female rights campaigner, also gave a speech at this year’s Women’s March on January 21st in support of gender equality, a stark reminder that even 100 years later, it is imperative that we continue working together to ensure its progression in society.
Ackworth pupil best in the world! A student from Ackworth School has retained his title as the best Under 15 Squash player in the world, when he secured the British Open title for the second time.
securing medals at a future Commonwealth Games. Sam said: “Having won this U13’s British Junior Open two years ago, the U15’s British Junior Open was a title that I really wanted and have spent a long time working for.
Sam Todd secured the title with a clinical performance to defeat India’s Neel Joshi 8-11, 16-14, 11-0, 14-12 in a thrilling final at the University of Birmingham.
“When I won that final point, I could feel a sense of relief and the feeling of being crowned U15 World Champion was simply amazing. The Junior Open is the biggest tournament of the year for juniors and I was fully aware that I would need to be playing my best squash to win the title. Being seeded number One, did put some pressure on, however I tried to put that to the back
Sam follows, James Willstrop, another Ackworth School student, into the record books. Sam also hopes to follow in James’ footsteps in becoming world number One and
of my mind and focus on my squash. “I took each match as it came and didn’t think too far ahead. I was really proud of the way I played and delighted that I only dropped 2 games in the whole tournament. I’m always looking
to challenge myself and as I look forward, I have set myself an ambitious target of winning the U17 Open a year early.” Sam, who is currently studying his GCSEs at Ackworth School hopes to turn professional next year.
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Wakefield & District Call us to e arrangt i s i v a
Ackworth School Nursery Nursery 2 ½ - 4 years A secure, caring and stimulating environment where children learn through play. Children are at the centre of all that we do. With us they will develop conȴdence; which lies at the heart of their learning experience.
A Foundation for Life www.ackworthschool.com
Ackworth School Pontefract Road, Ackworth, Pontefract, Wakefield, WF7 7LT Tel: +44 (0)1977 611401 Email: admissions@ackworthschool.com www.ackworthschool.com l M /AckworthSchool l N @ackworth_school 60
March 2018
Wakefield & District
Featherstone Academy riding on the highway to success Featherstone Academy are going to hit the highway on a silver black phantom bike thanks to their latest engineering project with a Yorkshire engineering firm. Normanton based, Yorkshire Laser Fabrication (YLF) has teamed up with the school to collaborate as part of their Key Stage Four project The Year 10 and 11 students were challenged to design and make a product coming up with a motorbike shape weather vane which got the motor running for YLF’s MD, Matt Orford, who is bike mad. With teacher, Martin Speak, they went to the YLF factory at Mildred Sylvester Way to see it
professionally laid out on state of the art CAD/CAM technology and then laser cut in the factory. The company, who recently moved premises from its Castleford site to a new larger building in Normanton, produced some laser cut aluminium profiles which the students incorporated into their weather-vane project. This process, along with Yorkshire Laser’s thirty years of experience, proved invaluable to the aspiring engineering students at
Featherstone Academy. Matt Orford, MD at YLF said; “We are more than happy to help Featherstone Academy and we hope this gives the students some insight into the manufacturing process.” “As an engineering student once myself, I know how valuable it is that young people experience what we do first hand and as a keen motorcyclist I was extremely impressed with their designs.” With the government announcing that 2018 is the Year of Engineering, Yorkshire Laser are at the forefront of supporting a new generation of engineers. Martin Speak, course tutor at Featherstone Academy said; “ It was an amazing visit, the students got to see millions of pounds worth of cutting edge engineering technology producing real products from raw materials”.
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businessschool Why choose the Business School at Wakefield College? · New £7million Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre. · Courses in areas including accountancy, HR, leadership and management, customer service, retail, procurement and supply. · Your course will be accredited by a professional body such as the AAT, CILEx, CIPS, CMI, ILM and the CIPD. · An Advanced Learner Loan* could help you cover the cost of study with no upfront cost.
Visit www.wakefield.ac.uk/business-school or call our Course Information team on 01924 789111 *For more information visit: www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan 62
March 2018
Wakefield & District Born on 17 January 1956, Paul Young was the middle child of three. His interest in music dates back to when he was very young when he learnt to play the piano and the guitar. After leaving school, Paul worked alongside his father at Vauxhall Motors playing in various bands at night. In 1979 Paul formed a band called the Q-Tips. He performed all over the UK with the band for the next two years, developing his unique voice and stage persona. The Q-Tips went their separate ways at the end of 1982 and Paul signed as a solo artist with CBS/ Sony Records. His debut album No Parlez was released in 1983 and included the number one hit single Wherever I Lay my Hat, which stayed at number one for much of the summer. This was quickly followed by Come Back and Stay which maintained Paul’s presence at the top of the charts. With the release of his second album “The Secret Of Association” and the success of “Every Time You Go Away” his status as a world star was confirmed. In 1987, Paul recorded his third album “Between Two Fires” in Milan where he met the Italian singer Zucchero. They became good friend and were later to collaborate very successfully. There followed a period of time out when Paul wanted to spend time with his growing family (he married model Stacey Smith). He also spent time in America where he was to record in Los Angeles and New York, material for his fourth album Other Voices. Following various other projects, in
Win tickets to see
Paul Young Eighties pop icon Paul Young is coming to Wakefield, appearing at Warehouse23 on 16 March and you could win tickets to see him, with supporting act China Crisis, courtesy of TopicUK and MP Promotions.
2006 with the help of producer Dieter Falk and Uber-arrangers Steve Sidwell and Simon Clark, Paul released a Swing Album for the German, Austrian and Swiss markets entitled Rock Swings - on the Wild Side of Swing. Paul continues to write, record and play live and in 2012 even published a cookbook featuring his favourite recipes from the places his career has taken him. Towards the end of 2015, Paul was contacted by Gary Barlow and asked to consider recording a song for a soundtrack that Gary was producing for a movie based around the story of Eddie The Eagle which was released in 2016. The song People Like Us was a perfect fit for Paul.
China Crisis was founded by Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly and had major success in the UK with five top 40 singles, ten top 50 singles and three top 40 albums. The band are known for their string of hit singles including African & White, Christian, Working with China-Crisis Fire & Steel, Black Man Ray and Wishful Thinking. The band will be performing their classics alongside Paul.
You and a friend could be in with a chance of winning two tickets to see both perform. All ou have to do to be in with a chance is answer the following question:
“Paul Young sang the opening line of the 1984 hit by Bob Geldof’s Band Aid, what was the first line that Paul sang?”
In 2016 Paul released his new album Good Thing, his first in more than 20 years.
To enter, ‘tweet’ your answer as below:
Paul will be supported at Warehouse23 by China Crisis who started in Merseyside back in 1979.
Be sure to include @topic_UK so we can pick up your entry. The winner will be selected at random after the closing date of Friday 9 March. Good luck. There will be no cash alternative and the editors decsion is final.
@topic_uk I’m, going to see Paul Young with TopicUK because (put in the opening line of the song).
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Leeds Beckett launches new centre to boost business growth in Wakefield Leeds Beckett University has launched a new initiative, in partnership with Wakefield Council and Wakefield College, to drive growth amongst early-stage and growing businesses.
The University Business Centre, located at 6-8 Bond Terrace and at the Wakefield College sister site, offers affordable office services and meeting spaces to early-stage and growing businesses, as well as access to professional business lounges and meeting facilities across Wakefield, including at Wakefield One. The Business Centre was officially launched last week at the Wakefield Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre, with presentations by Simon Baldwin (Head of Enterprise and Operations, Leeds Beckett University), Councillor Denise Jeffery (Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council), Sam Wright (Principal, Wakefield College), and Mark Casci (Business Editor, Johnston Press). It provides a wide range of support, including Leeds Beckett business advice and mentoring, professional training and development, and access to graduate talent and research expertise. Corporate partners, The Institute of Directors (IoD), Mid Yorkshire Chamber, Lupton Fawcett solicitors, the AdVenture partnership, WGN, Yorkshire
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Bank, The Yorkshire Post and Wakefield Express, are also on hand to offer free advice and support. Katie Rigarlsford, University Business Centre and Regional Development Manager at Leeds Beckett, said: “We are delighted at the launch of our new business centres in Wakefield and in particular to be able to extend the value of our partnership working with both Wakefield Council and Wakefield College. Together we are committed to supporting business and job creation in the Wakefield District and to creating a pathway for higher level skills. We also could not deliver this without the support of our partners. Working together to support our business centre clients is sure to provide the ideal platform for growth for the individual businesses and for the district as a whole.”
The Grade II listed Bond Terrace facility is also the first multiple gigabit bandwidth building in Wakefield. Simon Baldwin said: “The relationship between Leeds
Beckett University, Wakefield Council and Wakefield College has been established for six years now; and the launch of the Business Centre is a huge milestone in the progress of our partnership. We see the success
of the Business Centre being measured by its positive impact on the Wakefield economy, and through the creation and growth of innovative new businesses in the city, employing highly skilled local people.”
Wakefield & District city centre-registered business address and private, newlyrenovated office space – including three co-working suites, 11 offices, a meeting room, and hot-desk and virtual office facilities. Clients also receive free access to Leeds Beckett’s network of business lounges across Yorkshire, which are shared with specialist member organisations, such as the Institute of Directors. Office clients can benefit from special offers for membership with Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. By subscribing to the Business Centre’s newsletter, businesses can keep informed of regular training and events, including the free Innovation Network event series, which is delivered by Leeds Beckett University and Wakefield College in partnership with The Yorkshire Post. Running quarterly events in Wakefield, the Innovation Network offers access to academic expertise and brings together leading experts and entrepreneurs to inspire and support business growth.
Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor at Leeds Beckett University, added: “Leeds Beckett is committed to supporting growth and prosperity in our region. This initiative is the latest example of this and will
provide access to resources and knowledge that will accelerate growth in new and developing businesses.” The Business Centre allows clients access to a Wakefield
The Business Centre at Bond Terrace and its sister site at Wakefield College are part of a network of Leeds Beckett University Business Centres that have been operating for more than 15 years. More than 250 businesses across the region are currently located in Leeds Beckett University’s office facilities, which to date have supported over 850 businesses to accelerate their growth. For more information about Leeds Beckett’s Business Centres in Wakefield, please visit www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/ ubcwakefield.
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Leeds Beckett University has more than 28,000 students on programmes in Leeds and abroad and more than 3,000 staff.
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The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University is Professor Peter Slee.
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Leeds Beckett was one of the first universities to hold the Customer Service Excellence standard across the whole institution.
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96% of Leeds Beckett University’s UK students were in work or further study six months after graduating. Source: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education 2015/16.
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Wakefield College has revealed exciting plans for the former Registry of Deeds Building on Margaret Street. The building, which the College took over in 2017, will see a year long renovation project bring in new facilities for the study of music, hospitality, animal care and horticulture. Learners will also benefit from modern training kitchens and large rehearsal spaces whilst members of the public will be able to access a new commercial training restaurant and cafe. College Principal, Sam Wright said: “The Archive Building project is something we are all looking forward to. It is a complex project but one that excites us as it will allow us to put in place modern teaching and learning facilities whilst at the same time preserving the legacy of an important historical building.” Director of Estates, Jon Howard added: “The College is conscious of the original features the building has to offer and hopes to help bring these back to their past glory with grant support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.” Consultations with students, staff and other stakeholders are planned over the
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Wakefield College reveals exciting plans for old Archive Building coming months to help develop the internal look and feel of the building whilst an experienced group of designers, architects and consultants are also being appointed to help bring the vision to life.
The multi-million project follows hot on the heels of the new £7m Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre which opened last year and saw it become the new home of the University Centre at Wakefield College.