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LEEDS EDITION NO8
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BUSINESS
JA NUA R Y 2 018 - W W W. TO PICU K .CO.U K
COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS, SAYS
PHILL BURKE £360
Scheme to Contribute m £14m Transformation for playhouse
Creating Inclusive Cultures (CIC) is a collaboration of established businesses in our major cities who understand the benefits of investing in diversity and inclusion. In our changing and competitive world CIC enables them to share insight and experience that will help everyone attract and retain the talent for the future success of their firms and their cities.
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Contents &Comments DETA I LS O F T H I S M O N T H ‘ S TOP IC U K , YOU R LOC AL B US I NE S S COM M U N I T Y M AG A Z IN E
GROUP EDITOR Gill Laidler CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rob Blackwell SPECIAL FEATURE School Correspondent Competition LEGAL MATTERS Chadwick Lawrence BANKING Barclays Bank iT Dean Spencer Eitex
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Impressive 'Push' For Polterheist Movie
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Firms Develop Taste For Lean Lunch
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Find a Cure For Your Cash Hangover
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Communication is Key To Success
Cover: Phill Burke Image: Duncan Lomax Ravage Productions ravageproductions.co.uk
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Editor’s Notes by Gill Laidler
For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk
Welcome to the final edition of TopicUK for 2017. It is now a little over a year since we launched in the city and we have been delighted with the response we have received from local businesses and delighted that we have been able to help many of them with free or affordable PR. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Leeds partners for their continued support. Pulling the business community together, supporting one another, really does work and is a benefit for all, financially and for public relations. We have lots of plans for 2018 and will be introducing lots of new features, but we want to hear from you, our readers, about what you would like to see in the magazine. Do drop us a line and let us know. Whenever I walk around Leeds there seems to be something new, whether it be a building, a bar, a restaurant or a new business. There is lots of work going on at the bottom of Eastgate and much of this is centred around West Yorkshire Playhouse who are undergoing major refurbishment work. Plans have also been passed for Town Centre Securities to work with Leeds City Council to develop George Street between the new Victoria Gate and Kirkgate Market.
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Tel: 07711 539047 read about this on page 40. The results of this competition will tie in with National Apprenticeship week in March. Every year in each of our editions, we choose a charity who we can support and promote. In 2017 we were delighted to have worked with Leeds Community Foundation and thrilled that Kate Hainsworth, our good friend from her days at Theatre Royal Wakefield, has been appointed Chief Executive from January. In 2018 we will be supporting Simon on The Streets and hope that you all will help us get behind this fantastic charity, I may even join their sleep out programme if I’m brave enough! We also caught up with Carolyn Pearson, founder of Maiden Voyage who, with recent investment, has been able to expand, offering even more essential services to ladies who travel for their work. Read about this on page 50.
In early December, TopicUK hosted a second round table debate on behalf of our partners CityFibre. Just like the first we did earlier in 2017, this proved very interesting with lots of ideas coming forward. You can read about this on page 48.
Finally, I cannot sign off without sending huge congratulations to TopicUK Leeds partner Charlotte Sweeney from Charlotte Sweeney Associates, who recently attended Buckingham Palace to collect her OBE. Very well deserved.
We have teamed up with West Yorkshire Combined Authority | Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, to bring to our readers a competition for students. You can
We are entering 2018 with renewed vigour, with lots of exciting plans, please do share yours with us and let us know how we can help promote your business.
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 Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.
Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield
January 2018
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NEWS
TopicUK Leeds edition brings you a roundup of news and events and what’s been happening in our city recently.
U PDATE
All change at marketing agency after 10 years
Nick Goring, who co-founded Banana Kick in the height of the recession in 2008 with Gary McCall, will be leaving the business – selling his half of the agency to the existing management team. With clients including Asda, Plusnet, Genting Casinos, Kingstone Press and Nisa, the firm employs 43 staff with a turnover of around £4 million a year. While Nick will pursue other interests away from the business, Gary will become the majority shareholder
with fellow director, Richard Flaherty, taking an increased stake in the agency. Nick said: “I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved since launching the agency. Over that time, Banana Kick has built a great reputation, an enviable culture and a very strong management team.
As such, I now have the opportunity to move on to some new experiences.” Gary said: “Nick and I have known each other, and worked together, for a long time and we’ve had a great partnership with the support of a talented team. Whilst we will miss him, I respect his decision to look for new challenges and we all wish him well in his next chapter. The future is extremely bright going into our 10th year and we have some exciting national and regional clients to work with.” The company’s work has included major national companies for leading brands and more unique, high profile experiential activity including the Red Rum experience at the Grand National. They also work regionally with brands such as Xscape and are responsible for the management and marketing of the Leeds Sports Awards – a major event in the Leeds sporting calendar.
Companies required to make a difference in 2018 Candlelighters, the Yorkshire charity supporting children with cancer, and their families, are on a mission to recruit more companies to support their fundraising efforts in 2018. Approximately 150 children, in Yorkshire, are diagnosed with cancer and Candlelighters offers support to them for a lifetime. 2018 is a significant year for the charity because they are raising £500,000 to purchase and renovate a property where families can stay while their child is being treated in hospital. Brian Curran, Candlelighters Corporate Fundraiser, said “Our corporate
Students reach UK science and engineering final Students from The Grammar School At Leeds have been selected to compete at the UK finals of a science and engineering competition after their exciting project caught the eye of judges. The six-strong team of 17-19 year-old pupils from the school will now take their place in next year’s The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition.
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The team has been announced as one of the winners of the regional heats at The Big Bang Fair Yorkshire, with the project from the group entitled ‘To gauge and improve the current understanding of AI and Machine Learning’. As part of the project, the team explore Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, its role in society and how it will affect our futures.
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supporters get involved in a number of ways including sponsorship, participation in sponsored events, raising awareness and volunteering. Every partnership is different and we will always try and meet our corporate partner’s needs. We know that charity partnerships helps staff morale, contributes to Corporate Social Responsibility requirements and raises awareness of our work.” Stephen O’Brien, CEO of The Pure Technology Group said,
“It is such a privilege to support Candlelighters. We have been supporting them since 2014 and have participated in many events including the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, Snowden by Night and the Leeds Half Marathon. We also sponsor a member of staff and organise our own events including our annual TPTG Bake Off. We feel it is important that our staff are engaged in all these activities and feel a sense of achievement when taking part in events and to this end many have volunteered at
Beth Elgood, Director of Communications, EngineeringUK said, “The team really impressed the judges with their project and we’re excited to see how they do at the finals at The Fair. Going into its tenth year in 2018, The Big Bang Fair continues to be a great source of STEM inspiration for young people,
events held by Candlelighters. ” Enact Conveyancing, based in Leeds City Centre, are delighted to have raised almost £25,000 for Candlelighters during the last year. Ben Carroll, Enact’s Managing Director, commented “Working with Candlelighters has been truly inspirational for Enact - not only have we been able to support this fantastic charity, and have insight into the amazing work they do for the children and families facing
representing an amazing opportunity for young visitors, their teachers and parents to get hands-on with a wide range of activities, workshops and shows, and engage in meaningful career conversations with professionals, all designed to bring classroom learning to life and inspire the next generation.”
cancer in Yorkshire, but we have also been able to bring people together in our own business to achieve wonderful results, for an incredibly worthy cause.”
If you would like to get involved or for more information please email brian. curran@candlelighters.org. uk or call a member of the team on 0113 322 9283.
The students will be invited to attend the competition finals, which are taking place at The Big Bang Fair at Birmingham’s NEC in March 2018. Here, they will vie for top prizes including the coveted title of UK Young Engineer and GSK UK Young Scientist of the Year.
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Luscombe Leeds best dealership to work for Luscombe Motors in Leeds has been named one of the UK’s Best Dealerships To Work For in a new programme launched by Automotive Management, the UK’s leading automotive retail business publication. More than 40 dealerships participated in the inaugural programme with 15 companies honoured as a Best Dealership To Work For. Best Dealerships is a celebration of elite employers in the automotive franchised dealer industry who have proven that they know what it takes to create an environment where people love to come to work. The aim of programme is to raise the bar among industry employers, creating excellence and employee engagement that will attract talented people for years to come.
Scheme will contribute £360m per year to city region economy Developers of Thorpe Park Leeds have hosted Sir John Kingman, Chairman and Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive of Legal & General Group Plc to showcase construction progress on the site as a leading example of Northern Powerhouse investment.
Tom Riordan, Chief Executive and Martin Farrington, Director of City Development for Leeds City Council as well as Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire joined the delegation, which included other senior executives from Legal & General, to discuss city wide initiatives where the Group has declared investment.
Thorpe Park Leeds was the first UK development to benefit from investment from Legal & General Capital following its partnership with the Department of International Trade to co-invest £1.5bn into Luscombe Motors was recognised for providing pipeline projects. This unique collaboration was announced at 10 Downing Street in 2015. an outstanding workplace environment that engages its staff and allows them to flourish. Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive at Legal & General Group said, ““The vision for Thorpe BCG, a global workplace research business Park Leeds, inspired by Kevin McCabe which runs similar programmes in other at Scarborough and Tom Riordan at the industries, used employee and employer Council, is fast becoming a reality as a surveys to assess dealers’ performance in key result of positive constructive collaboration. areas such as leadership and planning, culture Significantly boosting local jobs and and communications, employee satisfaction, economic growth, both during construction pay and benefits, training and development, and over the long term, our investment into working environment and manager Thorpe Park Leeds is an example of how the relationships.
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City is demonstrating that devolution – with local empowerment – is a powerful catalyst to further progress and prosperity. Legal & General has committed over £600 million to Leeds but more needs to be invested.” Kevin McCabe, Chairman of Scarborough Group International that is developing the site addressed guests with an important message about how the scheme is supporting major regeneration through critical infrastructure works that will unlock land for the delivery of up to 7,000 much needed homes and amenities in East Leeds. McCabe revealed that the Leeds City Region economy will be £360m per annum larger through the delivery of Thorpe Park Leeds and the scheme’s cumulative GVA generated between 2018 and 2028 will be around £3bn*. He said. “Through our ground-breaking partnership, we have been able to accelerate development on site with a 300,000 sq ft retail and leisure park that is now well underway for completion in Autumn 2018. Major progress is also being made for the first phase of the critical East Leeds Orbital Link Road and railway bridge which will ultimately facilitate a new railway station with park and ride.
LeedsEdition Tom Riordan, said, “Excellent schemes like Thorpe Park are why Leeds has recently come out at the top of studies about inclusive growth, housing investment and quality of life. We work in very active partnership with our business partners to make sure that in Leeds projects are delivered on time and on budget and in a way that maximises the benefit to local people. It was very good to see at first hand the results of this collaborative Leeds spirit and I look forward to the opening by the end of 2018.”
and a 113-acre public park with sports facilities. More than 100 new jobs have been created so far during phase two delivery through the main contractor GMI Construction and its supply chain. Thirty per cent of the jobs have been taken up by Leeds residents and in addition to the new jobs, 10 new apprenticeships have also been created.
Thorpe Park Leeds is already a wellestablished 800,000 sq ft business park with over 60 occupiers including IBM, National Grid, Atkins and United Utilities.
This achievement reflects a commitment made by development partners Scarborough International Properties and Legal & General Capital to support and promote local employment and skill opportunities wherever possible. It is part of an established partnership with Leeds City Council and its Employment & Skills Service.
Delivery of phase two is now underway to provide 1.35 million sq ft of mixed accommodation which includes the new 300,000 sq ft shopping and leisure park and the first phase of 940,000 sq ft of offices. The development also includes 300 new homes by Redrow
Scarborough Group and Legal & General are committed to support and promote local employment and skill opportunities wherever possible and are part of an established partnership with Leeds City Council and its Employment & Skills Service.
SD Sealants accelerates growth with Leeds office
Following a record year, SD Sealants, the UK’s leading sealant and cosmetic repair company, is expanding its workforce in Leeds with a new office opening. The company, which provides sealant application and cosmetic repairs for homeowners, house builders and commercial businesses, has seen rapid growth in the past few months and has created a total of 50 jobs across the UK in 2017. Nick Jones, Managing Director comments: “We are an ambitious company and want to continue the outstanding year we had in 2016. In 2017, saw an increase in sales and contracts every month. In particular, the North East has been a big growth area and we are hoping to improve on that by expanding our offices in Leeds to help us make 2017 another record-breaking year.” The office, houses 20 staff across cosmetic repairs, sealant and tiling services and SD Sealants are currently recruiting for a number of positions to be based at the new branch. Nick adds: “By taking on new staff we have
increased our capacity and so far, it has been a sound business move. However, we still have vacancies in all areas of the business, and the country, with a range of opportunities for people to take advantage of.” In addition to expanding its office space, SD Sealants has appointed a new Sales Manager for the Northern and Scotland regions of the business. Tony Dyson has joined the company to aid the expansion process and build on the successes of the cosmetic repairs service seen already this year. Tony has over 10 years of experience in the sealant business and was previously a sales expert in the tourism industry before coming on board with SD. He will be working primarily from the expanded Leeds office and will be promoting the business commercially to housebuilders and developers in the Scottish and Northern areas.
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Morley & Outwood Business Association all set for 2018 wants MOBA to build on this success. The MP is aiming to help increase employment and prosperity within our local area, while at the same time giving companies the opportunity to interact with local political leaders, national policymakers and Secretaries of State. This gives local business a real voice to help shape the economic roadmap of doing business in the UK.
Local MP Andrea Jenkyns, a strong business supporter and a former small business owner herself, has set a date of the 12th of January for next year’s Morley and Outwood Business Association (MOBA) first event. Ms Jenkyns founded MOBA in 2014 prior to her election in Morley and Outwood as a great opportunity for local businesses to meet each other and have a dynamic, two-way relationship with politicians who are shaping this fantastic local business environment. Indeed, in 2016 alone, Yorkshire and the Humber region exported £13.9 billion’s worth of goods and Ms Jenkyns
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Commenting on next year’s plans Ms Jenkyns said: “ MOBA is a platform where businesses of all sizes can network, share best practice and truly have a voice. I wanted to be able to interact with businesses and learn about what they see as areas central and local government can improve on, in order to drive the economy forward. At MOBA politicians can regularly interact with Morley and Outwood’s entrepreneurs in order to understand the challenges they are facing and how my colleagues and I can help. “We have had senior visits from people such as the Housing Minister, Business, Innovation and Skills Ministers and the Economic Secretary the Treasury in the past, and having this kind of expertise was fantastic, as it allowed local businesses to learn and have a
say about different Government departments’ plans and the policies as these are developed and implemented. “Following the 2016 referendum result and the 2017 General Election, it is clear that huge opportunities await both our national and local economies. There are over 200 VAT or P-AY-E registered enterprises within Morley and Outwood, and I would encourage any business who wants to join to get in touch and be part of building an exciting local area in which to do business.” Local successful business AWM spokesman, Mike Robinson, said: “MOBA is a great initiative for all companies in our area as it gives us a real opportunity to talk to those who directly affect our way of doing business every day, offering much more than a networking opportunity. “MOBA is a vibrant organisation with many events and interesting speakers and ministers. It is a great opportunity for local businesses to get to know each other as well as the local and national political field and I would recommend anyone who has a passion for business in our area to join.” If you would like to get involved, please visit www.andreajenkyns. co.uk/contact-andrea
Businesses in West Yorkshire and York could now benefit from grants of up to £3000 to get gigabit broadband installed as part of a £2 million trial taking place in four areas around the UK.
Broad Band Boost for businesses
The range of internet connectivity options available has changed immensely over recent years with a fibre option becoming a connection of choice for many businesses across the UK. Despite taking on a fibre connection, businesses all too often can still encounter downtime and unproductive hours mounting up through varying download speeds. The reality is that ‘fibre’ and ‘full-fibre’ are vastly different. When some of the UK’s biggest providers talk about fibre, in reality what consumers are getting is fibre cable used for part of the journey to the local cabinet. From there, old fashioned copper wire carries the data to and from your premises, meaning you will rarely see the headline speeds that are promised. Full-fibre on the other means just that, a new network of fibre throughout
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Suppliers will be offering vouchers worth between £500 and £3000 each to local businesses which can then be used to pay for the installation of gigabit speed connections. The aim of the pilots is to encourage the market to extend full fibre infrastructure in the UK by increasing demand and reducing the cost to customers. The many benefits of a full fibre gigabit connection include: Allowing businesses to upload and download massive files in a matter of seconds enabling widespread use of videoconferencing throughout an organisation providing an unprecedented level of reliability whilst greatly enhancing resilience future proofing - making sure that businesses have the technology in place to deal with the ever increasing demands for internet speed and connectivity allowing businesses in remote communities to compete on a technologically level playing field with those companies based in major cities who
may already have full fibre connectivity Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said: “Top notch broadband is essential to compete in the modern world. Faster and more reliable connections are transforming the way we live and work, and better broadband supports businesses to grow and become more productive. So we’re introducing gigaspeed vouchers to help businesses of britain get connected to the next generation of broadband technology. The areas in our region that have been carefully selected to test the market conditions and infrastructure conditions we aim to help to create through the wider Local Full Fibre Network programme are: West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield and York). Kersten England, Chief Executive Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Lead Chief Executive for Digital and Innovation Leeds City Region, said: “West Yorkshire Combined Authority is very pleased to be
working with DCMS to deliver the new Gigabit Voucher Scheme across West Yorkshire and York. Over 3,500 SMEs across West Yorkshire and York took advantage of previous funding to upgrade their connections and we know that businesses here want to invest in improving their connectivity. As a partnership WYCA want to encourage investment in gigabit capable connectivity to homes and businesses across our wider city region in order to help deliver our productivity and growth ambitions” The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Jones, MP, said: “We are determined to provide the infrastructure needed for British businesses to thrive and prosper. The rollout of next generation, full-fibre broadband will help do that. “Lightning internet speeds and unprecedented reliability will boost trade and ensure our firms can connect effortlessly to their customers and suppliers.”
The truth about ‘fibre’ versus ‘full-fibre’ In the information age, it’s imperative that businesses and their systems are up and running 24x7, and downtime can be costly and disruptive for any business. the entire connection, providing speedier connectivity, which is up to 100 times faster and is much more reliable and resilient, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for businesses. As a CityFibre Gigabit full-fibre internet partner for Leeds and other Yorkshire cities, NGC is ideally placed to advise on the latest range of connectivity solutions available for local businesses. There is government funding of up to £3,000 available towards a new Gigabit connection, but demand is expected to be extremely high, so please contact us today to discuss your options on 0800 588 4003 or email enquiries@ngcnetworks. co.uk
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Impressive ‘push’ for Polterheist movie A new full length gangster horror movie, filmed across West Yorkshire and due out in 2018, showcases some of the UK’s fastest rising acting talent including Pushpinder Chani. Pushpinder stars in Polterheist, penned and directed by Bradford-based writers Paul Renhard and Dave Gilbank, and he describes his role as gangster Uday as ‘one of the most exciting characters I’ve had the opportunity to play’. Pushpinder, or ‘Push’ as he prefers to be known, has spent
Adapt, working alongside Ship
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Push, commented: “The whole experience on set with Polterheist has been fantastic. I was asked to audition for Dave and Paul by my agent and it’s been a great experience since having landed the part. The script is imaginative and funny and it’s been great to visit Bradford for the first time where
much of the film is based. It’s a great, iconic city. “This film feels like it’s got legs. The vibe throughout filming has been good with an experienced team, including Dave and Paul, behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly. I’ve also been impressed with the acting talent I’ve worked with on set including Yorkshire-based actors Sid Akbar and Jamie Cymbal and many others. “Dave and Paul have have picked up numerous awards globally for the short movie version of Polterheist and I hope the same will be said of the full length feature!” concluded Push.
Congratulations Charlotte!
Park Row House acquired for £8.7m
Adapt Real Estate has acquired Park Row House in Leeds for £8.7m. The Grade Two listed building provides 41,955 sq ft of space. Partially refurbished in 2013, the property is currently let to six tenants including Search Consultancy, Charlton Morris and Icelolly Marketing with approximately 15,500 sq ft vacant.
the last few months filming scenes across Bradford and Leeds whilst simultaneously starring in touring stage play ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. He’s also featured in Foyle’s War and DCI Banks, to name but two, and plays a part in the recently broadcast BBC drama ‘The Boy with the Topknot’.
Pushpinder Chani
Street Advisors and acting on behalf of UKRO, a Jersey domiciled fund, represented by Savills, purchased the building from a global real estate investment manager. Mark Wilson, associate director in the investment team at Savills Leeds, said: “We are delighted to have acquired another prominent office asset for our client.”
TopicUK partner Charlotte Sweeney from Charlotte Sweeney Associates, collecting her OBE from Buckingham Palace.
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US award victory for Leeds agency
he 420-place school, subject to planning approval and public consultation, will be located in the heart of Middleton on a currently undeveloped plot at Acre Mount. The planning proposal is expected to go before the council’s planning committee shortly, with the school set to open in September 2018. The School, which will educate children aged four to 11, is being built in response to a shortage of places in Leeds. It forms part of a wider £50m school building partnership programme between Wellspring Academy Trust and Leeds City Council. Wellspring Academy Trust, which operates 15 schools across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, has achieved notable successes that include Top 10 Most Improved Primary School in 2015 and Top 5 Most Improved Secondary School in 2017. Sarah Horsbrough has been appointed by the Trust as the founding Principal at Elements. Sarah has an impressive track record as a Headteacher, most recently as an Executive Headteacher over two Bradford Schools. Mark Wilson, Wellspring Academy Trust Chief Executive Officer said: “Sarah brings considerable leadership experience and is a massive boost for Elements and for the Trust. An appointment of Sarah’s calibre demonstrates our intentions at Elements – to be an exceptional school, right from day one.”
Search Laboratory, a Leeds based digital marketing agency, has been named the best agency in the United States for PPC at an award ceremony in Las Vegas.
New £5m primary school for South Leeds A new Primary School is to be built in South Leeds in a partnership between Wellspring Academy Trust and Leeds City Council. Sarah added: “I look forward to welcoming our first cohort of children into Elements in September 2018, I cannot wait to get started on this amazing opportunity for the area and for the city.” Cllr Lisa Mulherin, Executive member for Children and Families at Leeds City Council said: “We’re pleased to be able to provide these much needed school places for children in Middleton. Investing in children’s futures will ensure we can meet the needs of children in this part of the city for years to come and leave a lasting legacy of high quality learning environments. The team behind the school has exceptional pedigree. Mark Wilson is former headteacher at nearby Robin Hood Primary, which he guided to OFSTED
Outstanding status. “As one of the newest schools in Leeds it will have the newest technologies that will inspire our learners and help prepare them for life,” explained Mark. “Elements will have a unique identity and will be a source of pride for its community. “This is a very exciting period for the Trust and for families in Leeds. We are transforming the life chances of young people in Leeds and will continue to do so when Elements opens its doors next September.” To apply for a place parents need to complete an expression of interest form on Leeds City Council’s online admissions page. More information about Middleton’s new primary school is available from www. elementsprimaryschool.co.uk
The company, with it’s head office on West Park Ring Road, lifted the Best Large PPC Agency Award at the 2017 US Search Awards which took place at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. The win follows a period of significant growth in the paid media team in the New York division, which has doubled in size due to contract wins. It has also seen clients increase their investment in their services 47% year on year. Pete Whitmarsh, Head of Paid Media said: “To win this award and be recognised for the pioneering and innovative approach we apply to our international digital services is fantastic. This category was extremely competitive and we feel enormously proud that we have beaten other leading digital teams.” Search Laboratory was also nominated for the Best Large SEO Agency award at the ceremony. This comes after the company received a ‘highly commended’ accolate at the Biddable Team of the Year category and a nomination for Organic Team of the Year at The Drum Search Awards in the USA in September.
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B A NKIN G
U P DATE
The time is now for Yorkshire manufacturers to invest in smart tech says Barclays Corporate Banking report New Barclays manufacturing report predicts that the cost to the British economy could be as much as £102bn per year[i] Additionally, 11.000 jobs would be created in Yorkshire in the next 10 years if manufacturers invest in smart factory technologies.
Following a recent Government review on industrial digitisation, Barclays cautions that failure to adopt ‘fourth industrial revolution’ technologies will be a lost opportunity for manufacturers 93 per cent of manufacturers in Yorkshire are confident about Britain’s ability to compete on an international scale over the next five years, yet many in Yorkshire are putting off necessary investment in transformative tech and blaming a lack of skilled workers for the delay [19 per cent].
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New research from Barclays Corporate Banking shows 93 per cent of manufacturers in Yorkshire are confident about Britain’s ability to compete in the international marketplace over the next five years, mirroring the findings of the Made Smarter report published earlier this month. Over two fifths (40 per cent) of manufacturers in Yorkshire attribute t heir confidence to ‘fourth industrial revolution’ (4IR) technologies, such as machine learning, sensors and big data, which they believe will boost the productivity of their business. Confidence isn’t translating into investment Of those that have already
invested, 46 per cent of manufacturers in Yorkshire report that the adoption of 4IR technologies has improved productivity, while 17 per cent are already seeing return on investment. Yet, there is still resistance to investing in the very latest innovations. The Barclays Corporate Banking Manufacturing Report, Intelligent manufacturing: an industrial revolution for the digital age, is based on the views of over 500 manufacturing industry decision makers. It found that, while basic forms of automation, like robotics, have a high rate of adoption (76%), 43 per cent of manufacturers in Yorkshire are yet to invest in 4IR technologies like artificial intelligence. Yet economic modelling included within the report predicts that manufacturers could boost the sector by an additional £102bn per year by 2026, provided 4IR sees greater adoption and investment over the coming years. The study also shows that the industrial heartlands would benefit most from investment in 4IR technologies, such as sensors, big data, energy self-generation and machine learning. The West Midlands (14,000), North West (13,000), Yorkshire & Humber (11,000), and East Midlands (also 11,000) all set to see a big hike in employment. Tony Walsh, Barclays Managing Director Norther Region said:
are at a watershed. While the outlay may seem expensive for many at a time of uncertainty, the industry needs to raise its levels of investment in the skills and infrastructure needed to harness these new technologies and keep us more productive than other international manufacturing hubs. Businesses that make the leap will be rewarded.
“Our research shows that Yorkshire manufacturers see the benefits of this cutting-edge technology, and many have started to match their intentions with investment. However, we
As well as creating jobs, investment in technologies like AI were also understood to have a positive impact on the quality of work people experienced. Of the manufacturers that have already
“Yorkshire manufacturing is going through another industrial revolution but confidence alone does not translate into success and benefit. With sterling currently weaker and a robust appetite from domestic and international markets for Yorkshire goods, the industry is in a strong position to take advantage of the opportunities investing in Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies can bring.” Weighing up the benefits Contrary to popular perceptions about the impact of AI, investment in 4IR technologies has the potential to create jobs for Britain. Barclays has found that 101,000 jobs would be created in the next 10 years if manufacturers invest in smart factory technologies, and textiles and clothing (12.6%), pharmaceuticals (8.3%), wood, paper and printing (6.9%), and fuels (6.7%) would benefit the most.
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invested, 32% of said it freed up staff to concentrate on more highly skilled work. Tackling barriers to investment The skills gap is a major barrier, as highlighted by the Made Smarter review. Barclays’ research further reveals the scale of the problem faced by the industry. One in five (21%) manufacturers cited a lack of skilled workers as the reason for putting off investment in 4IR. Additionally, of those that aren’t confident about the UK’s ability to keep its competitive edge internationally, 40% attributed their pessimism to difficulties around recruitment due to a skills shortage. With the research reporting that 19% of manufacturers believe the Government’s industrial strategy will have no impact on their business, it is clear that more targeted communication is needed to underscore the potential of 4IR. The Made Smarter review recommended strong leadership and better branding to make a difference. Survey findings show that 36% are not aware of the strategy at all, underlining the point made by more than a third (35%) of manufacturers, that more education and information on the tangible benefits of 4IR technologies would encourage them to invest. Although manufacturers have been slow to act, this is not to say that they don’t have plans to do so in the future. 78% of manufacturers have committed to investing in automation over the next five years: over two-thirds see more potential in sensors, big data, energy self-generation and machine learning. And just over half predict more use of 3D printing over this period. This suggests that the industry has confidence in its ability to transcend these barriers, and propel Britain forward into a new industrial age and on a global stage but timing will be key.
Social enterprise launches digital training On World Diabetes Day 2017, Leeds Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Leeds-based social enterprise, DigiBete. org, began a 90day countdown to the launch of an innovative online support platform, which will significantly improve the lives of children affected by Type 1 Diabetes.
DigiBete, which was founded by Maddie and Rob Julian in 2016, was established after they recognised that there was a pressing need for more clinically approved digital resources and training for families, having experienced an almost life-threatening misdiagnosis with her own son in October 2015.
digital resources focusing on Children’s Diabetes, Maddie and Rob established DigiBete with the goal of improving education and awareness for extended families, carers and nurseries about the best way to look after a child suffering with the condition. DigiBete is a sustainable not for profit video support model designed for the digital age; providing those who require it with access to training 24/7. Dr Fiona Campbell, Consultant Paediatrician and Diabetologist at Leeds Children’s Hospital said: “The countdown event on World Diabetes Day was a fantastic way for us to raise awareness about the goals DigiBete is trying to achieve; these revolutionary resources, which will no doubt transform the lives of many families and children across the UK, are vital to enhance people’s understanding of the often misunderstood disease.
Frustrated with the lack of
David Welch, Chief Executive
The team at DigiBete, staff at Leeds Children’s Hospital and families living with Type 1 Diabetes, joined together at Leeds General Infirmary, to mark the unveiling of DigiBete’s online resources which are due to launch in February 2018. Type 1 Diabetes is an invisible, life threatening autoimmune condition affecting nearly 30,000 children and young people in the UK.
of Leeds Hospital Charitable Foundation said “We are delighted to be able to support a critical initiative such as DigiBete, which will make a very significant impact on the young people affected. Maddie added: “After receiving the diagnosis for our son, our friends and family admitted they were too scared to look after him. This was heart breaking for us, as we realised life would never be the same again. “DigiBete aims to reassure people caring for children with Diabetes and help them to understand how to best support them. Working with the Leeds Children’s Hospital team has been vital in launching DigiBete’s resources; the team there recognise, not only how much NHS resource we could save, but also how long-term outcomes for selfmanagement would improve.”
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Fashion brand exceeds Kickstarter campaign by over 2000% L to R: Helen Kaye and Mel Crooks from Deloitte Leeds receiving their Corporate Supporters award from Shirley Firth, MD of award sponsors SICL.
Fundraisers and supporters honoured Businesses, organisations and volunteers from across West Yorkshire have been honoured at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance annual Recognition Awards. The rapid response emergency charity has to raise £12,000 every day to keep its two, state-of-the-art helicopters flying. It relies on the generosity of individuals, community groups and corporate supporters such as the Leeds office of professional services firm Deloitte. They were honoured with a Corporate Supporters Award after raising £27,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance during a two-year charity partnership. The head office of Leeds Building Society was also recognized for its two-year fundraising campaign which banked almost £20,000 through a wide range of
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initiatives including dressdown days, cake sales, a raffle, quizzes and various sponsored events. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s 11th annual Recognition Awards were held at the Principal Hotel, York, and hosted by ITV Calendar weatherman and YAA patron Jon Mitchell – who himself received the Chairman’s Award for his longstanding support for the charity. Walker Foster Solicitors, who have branches in Ilkley, Skipton, Silsden and Barnoldswick also received a Corporate Supporters award after raising almost £10,000 for the charity through a range of initiatives including
hosting Will Days, donating any fees to the YAA. Among the community groups recognized were Yarnbury Beer Festival, a longstanding supporter, whose three-day event in Horsforth has grown in popularity over the last six years and has so far raised over £8,000 for the charity. Drighlington Parish Council Event Committee also received a Community Group award recognising the fantastic support they, and the village, have given the YAA over many years, which has resulted in donations totaling more than £10,000. Individual supporters recognised on the night include the organizer of Wakefield Car Show Paul Copley, and Keith Rushworth who organizes a football prediction competition at his local Railway Inn pub in Huddersfield. Between them they have so far raised around £20,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
A Leeds-based designer and manufacturer of men’s accessories has exceeded its most recent Kickstarter campaign by more than 2000%. Vanacci launched a Kickstarter campaign for its range of hacker-proof Carbon Exo wallets on October 19th last year. With time still remaining on the campaign, the company has exceeded the initial £1000 pledged goal by over 2000%. The increasing total currently stands at £22,126. Following the success of the original wallet, the Exo offers the same unique style with improved functionality. The wallet has expanded to accommodate seven cards internally, as well as space for cash. The design also features a quick
10 Years Old! We are
Key Commercial Finance Solutions Ltd are very pleased to announce that they have reached their 10-year anniversary, and we thank all our introducers and clients for all their continued support over the years. Since Key was set up in October 2007 by Tony Newham (Director) the business has gone from strength to strength and they now have a team of 11, mainly ex bank managers who
LeedsEdition About Vanacci Established in 2014, Vanacci injects a fresh and modern feel into men’s accessories, combining striking appearances with practical design. Consisting of a tight-knit team of designers, engineers and fashion professionals, Vanacci is headedup by co-founder and managing director, James Whitfield. James is supported by fellow co-founders, sales director, Ryan Ward and creative director, Sean Sykes. The company’s design philosophy combines minimalism with bold and cutting edge practical features to create a product that fulfils a genuine need and serves as an excellent conversation piece.
access RFID (radio-frequency identification) active pocket at the rear, preventing hackers from accessing contactless cards through the wallet. Having previously launched seven products via Kickstarter, Vanacci holds the title as the company behind the most successful
crowd-funding campaign in the design sector in the Yorkshire region. Commenting on the success of the campaign, managing director James Whitfield said: “We are thrilled to have exceeded our goal, this is a fantastic achievement and it’s great to know that our customers are as excited as we are
have an impressive 300+ years of combined expertise. Their managers operate along the M62 corridor covering a wide variety of locations from Yorkshire through to North Wales. At Key they are independent commercial finance advisors sourcing from the whole of the market. They are a well- respected firm that have successfully built a solid reputation within the financial sector, with their clients and banks alike. They offer a diverse range of finance opportunities and their dedicated team always work to find the best solution for their clients. I joined the team at Key in April this
about the new Carbon Exo range. “Following our previous success on Kickstarter, we were confident that we could run another successful campaign with a new innovative product. We are delighted with the results and can’t wait to release more products in this way.”
The company’s product offering includes watches, wallets, bracelets, pendants, cufflinks, and scented jewellery, with new ranges being released every 3 months. Having recently expanded their office space by 76%, Vanacci recently invested in additional machinery and equipment, including a lathe and a permanent photography studio, to support an increase production and fulfil customer demand.
year after 15 years working in the Invoice Finance market. It’s great to be part of such a great team and attach myself to a well-respected name. The support and wealth of knowledge within the team has already help me greatly."Said Vicky We’re now looking forward to building on this great achievement and look forward to continuing to support businesses in the area with their Commercial Finance needs.
Vicki Walker Commercial Finance Consultant Tel: 07718 302493 vicki@keycommercialfinance.co.uk www.keycommercialfinance.co.uk
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Inspirational leadership can reignite the Northern Powerhouse Natalie Sykes - Regional Director, Institute of Directors the IoD, and both are in Yorkshire this Winter. In December, we welcomed Lady Barbara Judge to Wakefield, where she met local businesses and spoke at the brilliant Forward Ladies Awards.
In my last column I voiced my frustration with the lack of progress towards devolution in Yorkshire. Business cannot stand on the sidelines. Now is the time for inspirational leadership. We need strong leaders to state our case to the government and ensure that progress towards realising the potential of the Northern Powerhouse does not stall. Thankfully we have two such people leading
Lady Judge is the IoD’s first female chairman and a distinguished commercial lawyer with a wealth of international experience. The theme of her speech was inspirational leadership – a subject she truly embodies. In January, we have Stephen Martin, director general of the IoD speaking at our North Yorkshire dinner at Rudding Park Hotel, Harrogate. Stephen was appointed to the role in 2017 and was previously chief executive of Scunthorpe-based construction, logistics and property business Clugston Group.
Rapid first year growth
You may well remember Stephen from his appearance on Channel 4’s Undercover Boss, which saw him go incognito in his own company to learn what employees really thought of the firm! Stephen will be joining us to see first-hand how businesses and entrepreneurs in North Yorkshire are embodying the spirit of the Northern Powerhouse. He will also offering his own inspiring take on the issues that matter to businesses. Contact iod.yorkshire@ iod.com to secure your ticket. Prices start from just £69. The IoD’s new business lounge in Wakefield opens its doors on 10 January. Come and visit us at Leeds Beckett University Business Centre at the Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre, Wakefield College City Campus, Margaret Street WF1 2DH
allows members to exercise from the comfort of their own home. In 2017, the firm was successful in securing a place on the world’s largest free business growth accelerator programme, Entrepreneurial Spark. Sponsored by NatWest, Entrepreneurial Spark is an enablement programme tailored to start-up and scale-up businesses operating in hubs across the UK, including Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Belfast.
Leeds-based start-up health and fitness firm, AllShapeUp is celebrating rapid growth in its first year in business, signing up 400 members and has grown to a strong team of five staff in just under twelve months. Founded by young entrepreneur and former infantry soldier, James Hesling, AllShapeUp was established in 2016 and makes exercise accessible to hundreds of people across the country.
James was also awarded Entrepreneur’s Choice twice consecutively at the Entrepreneurial Spark awards in 2017; voted for by his fellow peers.
AllShapeUp is a digital platform built for individuals to help them become fitter, healthier and more confident through
Commenting on the company growth, founder James Hesling said: “I am delighted to be celebrating our first Birthday in business. The last year has been incredible for
18 2018 January
exclusive workout programmes and original recipes. It suits all ages and abilities and
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ocial enterprise and office furniture supplier Re:Work have launched a new Leeds showroom, having relocated to larger premises in preparation for further growth. With two recruits on the horizon, the new 10,000 sqft office at New Craven Gate will facilitate the social enterprise’s next wave of development. It includes a reception area, showroom, offices, separate warehouse, meeting room and kitchen, along with potential for expansion into an additional 4,000 sqft space. Split into two halves, one side of the showroom displays the enterprise’s ‘reconomical’ range – while the other will be stocked with its portfolio of new office equipment. The used furniture that is acquired from businesses looking to refresh their workspace, undergoes rigorous in-house quality control and safety checks before being exhibited, whilst the new equipment is mainly supplied by carefully selected UK manufacturers. Technician Jamie Wherritt commented on the showcasing potential of the new site: “The showroom is what we have wanted since we
us and has allowed me to help hundreds of people to improve their fitness levels and become healthier versions of themselves. “Becoming an entrepreneur and building a business to be proud of has been the best thing I’ve ever done and I plan to continue working to change the mindset of people who feel that exercise is not accessible to them. I’ve helped hundreds of people get back into working out and the results have been outstanding. This makes it all worthwhile. “2018 is looking like a very exciting year for the business as we increase to more than 200 workouts and 200 recipes in January. We’re also launching a pre-and post-natal exercise and recipe guide in early 2018 after listening to the feedback from our AllShapeUp community.”
New social enterprise furniture showroom started almost ten years ago, as it allows us to display exactly what we do. This space really does the furniture justice and there’s even room to promote the more unusual colours
and textures that we have on offer, which we couldn’t do in our previous warehouse. Sometimes clients need a little inspiration and I hope this is what these premises offer.”
Digital influencers given a tour de brewery Bloggers, vloggers and social media influencers were taken on an independent brewery tour of Leeds and surrounding areas. Online influencer network Blog Up North collaborated with Brewtown Tours to put on the event. Founder of Blog Up North, Sophie Mei Lan, said: “We were thrilled to host our first networking event for influencers in our team to meet one another and to sample some of the finest beers and ales Leeds has to offer.”
Brewtown Tours took the influencers to Yorkshire Heart, Quirky Ales and then their final stop for food and drink was at Northern Monk Brewery.
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PwC and Sky Betting & Gaming develop taste for Lean Lunch
An innovative healthy lunch delivery service launched earlier this year in Leeds is already showing it’s appetite for growth after successful trials with two of the city’s biggest employers. by PwC and SKYBET has been fantastic, it validates how forward thinking employers view the positive impact of nutrition on wellness. We are very grateful for the grant support from Adventure which has crucially supported the capital costs of launching the business”
The team worked with experienced chef Matthew Benson-Smith, who trained in Paris with a Michelin-starred chef and nutritionist Elizabeth Cooper to develop incredibly tasty yet super healthy meals using high quality fresh produce with no refined ingredients. Founder and MD Sat Mann is passionate about the effects of nutrition on mental and physical health and wellbeing and after exiting from a successful recruitment company wanted to create a solution to the problem of city centre eating, crowded queues at peak times and that habit of grabbing anything to eat – unhealthy, unsustainable, not environmentally friendly and impacting on productivity. Like most businesses, this start up began trials and testing at home, but after successfully
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securing grant funding of £11,200 towards project costs from the European Regional Development funded AD:VENTURE programme they have recently moved into a new custom kitted kitchen in the Cardigan Workspace. The move has already resulted in 4 full time jobs, with more to come. The AD:VENTURE scheme offers mentoring and growth support, including access to finance for companies showing high growth potential in the Leeds City Region and is looking for more companies to work with who want to boost their growth. Sat says “It’s been an amazing experience to launch the first online healthy food delivery service in Leeds. Our ambition is to change the way people eat at work with a conviction of the positive impact this will have for both employers and employees. The early adoption of our service
Sat’s enthusiasm and passion was evident when two of Leeds City centre’s largest employers accepted the opportunity to trial the healthy delivery service, nutritional seminars and workshops that Lean Lunch were offering, showing their ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of their employee’s. Catherine Boddington, Head of Learning & Development at Sky Betting and Gaming commented “It’s really important to us to look after the wellbeing of our people at SBG. Part of this is making it easy for people to eat delicious and nutritionally balanced food whilst they are at work ….. That’s what Lean Lunch offer. They deliver freshly prepared, healthy meals to our office every day, making healthy and tasty food accessible” Richard Giles, Partner and Health and Wellbeing Leader for PwC in Leeds is a big supporter. He commented “At PwC we believe it is important to look after the health and wellbeing of our team.
Making it easy for our people to be physically active, eat well and take care of their mental wellbeing is the right thing to do from a moral and business point of view - Lean Lunch fits right into that. Delicious and nutritious food delivered to the office is a great option for us to make available to our teams. We are also now looking to introduce Lean Lunch to client events too.” To find out more about growth support from the AD:VENTURE programme please visit www.adventure.org.uk, to see what Lean Lunch have on offer visit www.leanlunch.co.uk
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ahad Khan joins Simon on the Streets as a business development manager with main responsibilities to establish and develop corporate partnerships within Yorkshire’s business community. As an independent charity which does not receive government or local authority funding, it relies heavily on corporate partnerships to continue its vital work with rough sleepers. Founded in 1999, Simon on the Streets works with local people who are affected by homelessness and rough sleeping in Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield. The organisation offers street-support to individuals who have complex needs and cannot access mainstream services, due to behavioural issues or mental illness.
affects everyone, regardless of background.” The charity has also recruited two new outreach workers who will carry out essential work in the Leeds area. Sarah Curry and Ellie Panteliou will be working to help rough sleepers find aspirations and sustainably make positive changes in their lives.
A trio of appointments for Yorkshire charity A homeless charity has appointed a business development manager and two new outreach workers to support its expansion. Commenting on his new role, Fahad said: “I’m delighted to have joined the team, I have known about the charity for a long time. I’m passionate about
supporting rough sleepers and recently the number of people affected by homelessness has clearly grown. This is not an issue we can ignore, it
Commenting on the new appointments, general manager Gordon Laing said: “It’s fantastic to have Fahad, Sarah and Ellie on board, the Simon on the Streets team is continuously growing which means that we can carry out our essential support with the homeless community on a larger scale. “I look forward to working with Fahad on strategically growing the charity which will enable us to support as many rough sleepers as possible.”
All-female business tribe grows Girl Tribe Gang, which connects like-minded women in business, launched in Ilkley last summer has since grown across Leeds and the rest of the region. GTG was set up to empower the “Girl Boss” to help increase in confidence and knowledge, in a relaxed and informal way through networking and skill sharing. The Gang was set up by Catherine Asta Labbett, who runs a Psychotherapy and Success Coaching practice, because she founded running a business “isolating.” Catherine said: “What I have found
and have created is a solid network of women, in the same situation as me, predominantly through social media . “Since we launched in June last year, we’ve had 100 members join and seen over 300 guests attend our meet ups. “We are all about creating a community of like-minded women, an eco-system of support, and we have a real passion for
wanting to create something you can feel part of, which fits and supports what you are about. The Founder of Yorkshire company www.ginfestival.com Marie Harris is heading up the Leeds Tribe. Catherine said: “We’ve got big plans for 2018, we want to
establish a Tribe in every major town/city across the UK. Girl Tribe Gang has already established Tribes right across Yorkshire in Ilkley, Leeds, Sheffield and Harrogate. Plus, Buckinghamshire and Surrey, Berkshire, Manchester and East Midlands all launching this month.
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IT
UP DATE
Ask the Expert – Office 365 FAQ: As Microsoft Office 365 experts we get asked lots of questions about the cloud computing service, but there are 5 questions which get asked more than any other: By Dean Spencer MD Eitex Limited 1.
HOW SAFE IS MY DATA?
Our response is this: Data is encrypted using military strength encryption. It is backed up regularly and behind multiple layers of firewall protection. In addition to this data is replicated between data centres. The safety and security systems in place are far more advanced than many small, medium and large businesses could afford.
2. WHAT HAPPENS IF I LOSE INTERNET CONNECTION?
For any business, losing internet connectivity is a problem. With Office 365 though, users can carry-on working
with offline files / folders, work on their mobile phone, use the internet connection from their mobile phone, or work elsewhere, i.e. home! 3.
CAN DATA FROM MY NETWORK BE COPIED TO OFFICE 365?
Yes, Eitex can migrate email from Exchange (email) servers, from Google Mail, and from many other email services. Likewise, files / folders / data can be copied to SharePoint too.
4. IS MY OFFICE 365 EMAIL AND DATA BACKED UP?
Yes. Microsoft backup all data. If a user
inadvertently deletes something, it is captured in the Deleted Items, if data is removed from there too then there is an administrator Deleted Items which is hidden from the user. Data can be recovered from there! 5.
WILL YOU TRAIN MY STAFF?
Yes. Eitex not only implement Office 365, we show you and your users how to use it as well with training in our training centre.
If you’re considering Office 365 for your business, or if you have recently implemented it, why not book on one of our free Office 365 taster sessions! Visit www.eitex.co.uk/events
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LEGAL
Each issue Chadwick Lawrence, Yorkshire’s Legal People, share with our
M A T T E R S readers information to keep us all within the law.
An employer’s guide to dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace Employment law specialist at Chadwick Lawrence explains how employers should deal with this difficult and sensitive area.
What is sexual harassment? Under the Equalities Act 2010, sexual harassment is defined as unwanted conduct related to someone’s sex, or which is of a sexual nature, and which creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It may involve colleagues looking at sexually explicit content at work, uninvited physical contact, making sexual comments or emailing sexual jokes.
Responding to concerns about sexual harassment
Recent headlines have shattered any illusions that sexual harassment in the workplace had become a thing of the past. The ongoing media coverage of allegations made against high-profile business figures may now lead to an increase in complaints made by others who have encountered inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature while at work. 24 2018 January
Employers can be liable for one employee’s sexual harassment of another employee, even where they were unaware that it was happening. Therefore, any suggestion that sexual harassment may be occurring, or has occurred in the past, needs to be taken very seriously. Do not wait for a formal grievance to be raised – even the mere mention of concerns to a manager should put you on notice of a potential problem. The employee may feel embarrassed and worried about not being believed or the potential consequences of raising a grievance. Although the employee cannot be forced to pursue an official complaint, an employer’s failure to act could be risky: vicarious liability for any sexual harassment claims, potential further harassment of other staff, loss of talent and reputational damage are all possible consequences. The employee should be offered support and
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reassurances that any concerns will be dealt with appropriately and confidentially. Many employers have a bullying and harassment policy with specific commitments on supporting employees raising allegations of harassment. You and all of your managers need to be familiar with your policy.
Consider suspending the alleged perpetrator If the allegations are serious, consider whether the alleged perpetrator should be suspended from work. Even where the allegations are less serious, the complainant may feel uncomfortable continuing to work with the person they have raised concerns about. You may consider changing their working arrangements to minimise contact between the employees during the investigation. This needs to be done carefully to ensure neither employee feels victimised or that the outcome of the investigation has been pre-judged.
Investigating the allegations and wider issues As with any grievance, investigate the allegations promptly. The investigator should be careful before reaching any judgments about whether the complainant is being ‘over sensitive’. As explained above, conduct may be regarded as sexual harassment where it has the purpose or effect of violating the complainant’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. When determining whether the conduct complained about meets this criterion, an
employment tribunal will consider the complainant’s perception, the surrounding circumstances and whether the conduct could reasonably have that effect. Look out for any wider issues, which may need to be addressed. For example, might colleagues be turning a blind eye to inappropriate behaviour due to a perpetrator’s seniority or status as a joker or star employee?
defend harassment claims in the employment tribunal.
For a confidential discussion about dealing with sexual harassment or other sensitive grievances, or indeed for employment-related issues generally, please contact sam pawson on 01949 379 078 or email sampawson@chadlaw. co.uk
If the allegations relate to incidences some time ago, think about and question why the complainant has felt unable to raise concerns until now. Is it possible that other employees have similar concerns as the complainant?
Avoiding and defending harassment claims Employers may wish to be proactive and challenge the workplace culture. This is with a view to both creating an environment in which staff are more likely to come forward with concerns, as well as discouraging harassment from occurring in the first place. This might involve tightening up standards of behaviour, such as tackling bawdy banter. Now may be the time to introduce or relaunch your bullying and harassment policy and to remind employees of your zero-tolerance approach. It is worth checking that appropriate staff training has been delivered. These steps should help create a positive working environment as well as establishing that you have taken reasonable steps to prevent workplace harassment, which can be used to
Sam Pawson
January 2018 25
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FIN ANCE
&
M AR K E T I N G
Find a cure for your cash hangover Everyone starts a new year with a renewed sense of hope and excitement about the prospect of what is to come in the next 12 months. But what if the tail end of the last year left you with a bit of a cash flow headache? January usually gets off to a sluggish start and businesses tend to have overspent in December due to increased orders, Christmas parties and bonuses as well as increased stock purchases for retailers. Then all this is exacerbated by late payment of invoices, due to similar cash pressures faced by customers. All these factors combined mean that January can bring some pretty dark days for business owners as a whole. Don’t worry - help is out there… While cash flow may be an issue it’s comforting to know that there is a plethora of solutions out there from a whole host of lenders looking to ease the pressures on businesses at these critical times. Look at the ways in which the commercial funding market can come to your rescue if you are struggling; you are not alone. •
•
Invoice Finance – Release the cash locked in your invoices to bridge the gap between the issue of an invoice and receipt of payment. Invoice finance covers a range of products to suit a variety of different businesses. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. From construction to professional services, there are businesses using these facilities to maintain a steady level of cash flow. Business Loan – If you need a quick cash injection, a business loan could be the best option. Again, there are different loans for different situations depending on the nature of your business and
commercial funding expert. Carry out a review of your business finances against your goals and see what funding options are available to relieve pressure now and throughout the year ahead.
whether you need the money urgently and, also, whether it’s for the short term or long term. Make sure you take advice and find the right product for you and your business. •
•
•
Refinance your assets – Yes, you can refinance your current business assets. If you have earth-moving plant, machinery, printing presses, a fleet of vehicles or engineering equipment, then there is a good chance that you have cash tied up in these assets. Many businesses use asset finance for a cash injection into the business or it may even be worthwhile looking at this option to reduce monthly payments. Call in debts more quickly – This may sound simple, but it is often an area that is overlooked when a business is suffering from cash flow pressures. If you are not chasing payments effectively, then outsourcing your debt collection activities can help to bring in some of the outstanding payments owed to you, positively impacting on your current cash position. Strategic commercial finance planning – Get advice from a
•
If you are looking for commercial advice around cash flow or structuring your business’s funding for the next 12 months, you can contact ABL Business on 01274 965356 or email me on andy@ abl-business.co.uk
•
Andy Redman is joint Managing Director of commercial funding and business support consultancy ABL Business and has more than 20 years’ experience in the commercial finance and asset-based lending sector.
•
ABL Business Ltd is a member of NACFB (National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers) and regulated and authorised by FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). Based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, ABL offers commercial finance and marketing support to SMEs.
For further information visit www.abl-business.co.uk
January 2018 27
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BUSINE SS
LE ADE R S
Communication is key to success The key to building a successful business is hard work, according to Phill Burke, Managing Director of Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited, so Group Editor Gill Laidler caught up with him to find out how his business became the success it is today.
but benefit the customers too. Learning about the industry from the bottom, working through each department, Phill quickly progressed into management roles. After leaving British Telecom Phill had gained enough experience and had enough ambition to set up his own business. This was to be a huge learning curve. He went into partnership with a telecom engineer, with the idea that he looked “I’ve always worked, even as a schoolboy and knew from an early age that if you want something, after sales and generated the business, as well as handling the customers and his partner managed you have to work for it,” Phill said. “I enjoyed operations and the business. “Things started off school, but I left at sixteen as I wanted to earn well, but after a while my partner thought he could a living, although secretly I just wanted to play run the business without me, but football!” what he didn’t take into account was that I had a good releationship with Phill went to work for British all our customers and ultimately Telecom and held various roles that’s what counted, customer is within the business. However, as a • Phill has been king!” he said, “but it taught me that fast learner and extremely ambitious, married to Rachel you should be involved in all aspects he often became frustrated with for 22 years. of your own business and not leave how slowly things were being • He has two some of it to others.” done and felt that systems could daughters from a be changed to be much faster and previous marriage This initial hiccup turned out run more efficiently. He knew this and is step dad to well and Phill branched out on would not only benefit the company Lois and Lauren. his own, setting up Yorkshire • Granddad to Telecommunications limited (YTL). Oliver, Freya and This was over 30 years ago with his Aaron. first office in Leeds. Due to hard • Alpha male to work, Phill’s energy and passion, the Toby team grew and the firm expanded • Loves his car quickly, resulting in large client gains • Loves IWC of top regional businesses, including watches law firms, manufacturers, schools, • Loves bumming colleges, Universities, stately homes, around on the Government offices and everything beach with Rachel else in-between. Very quickly to • Loves red wine business became national and • and is ridiculously offices in Tamworth, London and generous! Edinburgh followed. YTL has always been acknowleged for its technical brilliance and
FACT FILE:
28 2018 January
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the ability to translate this into real and tangible business benefits, benefits that drive efficiency, quality and genuine return on investment. “This is why with advances in technology, led to the reshaping of YTL and we made the decision to close our satellite offices to service the customer base as field engineer roles were replaced with technicians who could work remotely,” Phill told us. More major changes followed in 2014 when the business relocated to Calder Park in Wakefield, bringing all the staff too and of
course Phill’s constant companion, Toby his dog. “This was a new challenge and I quickly began doing what I love, building relationships, as well as maintaining current ones across the country,” continued Phill. So what will be the future? “Who knows,” Phill added. “This industry is very fast moving and there is always new things on the horizon, but one thing is for sure, we are in good shape and we will continue to provide an excellent service to all our clients and offer our expertise and experience to new ones.”
All images: Thanks to Duncan Lomax Ravage Productions
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Do you have what it takes to be a top entrepreneur? Mark Goldstone is Head of Business Representation & Policy, at West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and we’re thrilled that he will be a panel judge for a second year in 2018. Mark said this of the challenge: “This challenge is an enjoyable and fresh way for businesses in Leeds to make a social impact and meet their internal engagement objectives, as well as doing something great for a worthwhile cause. I would urge businesses in Leeds to get a team together and get involved!”
The Leeds Mencap Apprentice challenge is back for a fifth year and the charity are recruiting teams from the business world in Leeds, to get involved and demonstrate their creative and entrepreneurial skills and to battle it out for the top spot. Just how much money could you make from a £50 loan, with only seven weeks to do it? Taking part in the challenge raises much-needed funds for people with learning disabilities, whilst also providing a fantastic opportunity to improve team-working skills and fulfil corporate social responsibility aims. In partnership again with AQL, Leeds Mencap is hoping to build on the success of previous years with a competition that is bigger and better and with prizes for the most unusual and funniest way to raise money!
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Cath Lee, CEO of Leeds Mencap said; “I am incredibly proud and happy that we are able to present this exciting opportunity to the corporate world. The Apprentice has proved over the last two years that it is a thoroughly enjoyable
“My son Oliver was born with a very rare genetic disorder. We felt nobody really understood so when we were introduced to Leeds Mencap we finally found other families going through the same situation. In this very difficult life raising a disabled child it has become a very safe haven for us as a family.” “Peace of mind and a much appreciated vital service. Our kids really love coming here. I have watched my child blossom and grow in confidence at every session.”
and fresh way for businesses in Leeds to meet their objectives as well as do some great work in aid of a worthwhile cause. We are also very excited to have the challenge supported by AQL once again.” Mencap want to sign-up ambitious teams to take part, to ignite a bit of friendly rivalry and to showcase their entrepreneurial skills to the maximum! Each team will take a £50 loan and turn it into the highest amount possible over a 7 week period from 19th February to 6th April 2018. The more enterprising the ideas...the better! On the 19th April - all teams will come together at AQL’s fabulous Salem Chapel - and we’ll celebrate all the great ideas you’ve come up with - with prizes for the best, the wackiest, the idea that raised the most, and of course to crown the overall winning team! So why should you take part? The Apprentice Challenge will bring your staff team some incredible opportunities that will put your company on the map. It’s a fantastic way to build team work and strengthen staff engagement An enjoyable way to fulfill your corporate social responsibilities whilst building new partnerships with businesses across Leeds Increased positive press exposure through various media platforms about the work you do throughout the community as well as in business Above all else...it will be really fun! For more information about The Apprentice Challenge and how you can enter a team, please email Catherine Storey on catherine.storey@ leedsmencap.org.uk or Loretta on loretta.jones@leedsmencap.org.uk or call the team on 0113 235 1331.
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£14m Transformation of West Yorkshire Playhouse Arts Council England have a total grant of £6.6m towards the landmark redevelopment of West Yorkshire Playhouse, with further news that the project has been granted planning consent, thereby giving the green light for a transformational moment in the theatre’s history. The £14m project, led by Leeds City Council, will be funded by £4.4m from the City Council and £3m from the Playhouse’s own resources (including ongoing fundraising), alongside the Arts Council England contribution. The plans will deliver a full modernisation of the building, including the addition of the new Bramall Rock Void studio theatre space, significantly improved access across the theatre, and a brand new city-facing entrance. West Yorkshire Playhouse Executive Director Robin Hawkes said: “This is a fantastic
combination of news. It is the culmination of nearly five years of hard work by so many people both at the Playhouse and at the Council, and means a new era for our theatre. We are very grateful to partners at Arts Council England for putting their trust in us to deliver this brilliant project as well as for their ongoing input, guidance and support, and we look forward to giving Leeds the 21st Century theatre it deserves.”
theatre here in Leeds when we open the doors of the new Playhouse in 2019.” The Playhouse will continue to stage work during the redevelopment process, temporarily transforming a workshop space on the theatre’s site into a substantial 350 seat Pop Up theatre.
West Yorkshire Playhouse Artistic Director James Brining said that the Playhouse is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every year. He said: “The opportunity to make the theatre even more accessible, welcoming and fit for purpose for the 21st Century is one we relish. We take the responsibility of refashioning the Playhouse extremely seriously and look forward to many more years of fantastic
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Redesigning event catering New Year is often a time for reflection, not just in terms of achievements and performance, but also looking at consumer behaviour and identifying key trends to help shape how to progress in the coming months and years. One key trend which we identified led us to look at how people were able to buy our products as well as the range of products.
Daniel Gill is the Creative Director and Founder at Dine. Established in 1998, Dine caters for more than 100 corporate events and 200 weddings each year as well as providing exclusive private dining. The company provides event services for organisations ranging from English Heritage and the National Trust to the owners of some of the UK’s most notable private houses.
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So, as we enter 2018, keen to remain at the forefront of innovation, the management team at Dine have not only bought a new contract catering company, but are delighted to be able to launch our brand new our brand new service – Dine Delivered (www.dinedelivered. co.uk). Dine Delivered is a world first - by asking clients simple questions, similar to how they would have worked with an Event Manager, we are able to identify what style of menu would be most suitable for their event. Based on an analysis of how our Event Managers consult with both private and event clients, we have created a platform that can allow clients to go through that process quickly and producing a personalised result. In addition to this, it crucially allows people to buy events in a component
led fashion, much as you might buy a holiday; for example you may choose a particular hotel or villa, then choose to add flights, hire cars, or even a tour guide later, and whereas you can do this with most products, we realised that with hospitality there was no integrated service which allowed clients to buy hospitality in a similar customised way. Dine Delivered allows clients these options from the start, with the ability to add service staff, crockery, glassware, linen, drinks, table arrangements and much more as part of the planning process. This innovative development has involved redesigning our
food from the ground up, allowing our guests to take fantastic canapĂŠs on smart palm leaf platters and meals straight out of the box. Dine Delivered can be delivered anywhere in the UK with both 24 hour and 72 hour options and offers a wide array of options suitable for both corporate and private clients. Digitalising services and creating a personalised, flexible experience is something we believe clients now expect in hospitality; we wanted to be the market leader on this and have big hopes for Dine Delivered. www.dinedelivered.co.uk
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A D V E RTORIA L Marketing is high on the agenda of the world’s biggest companies and brands; imagine the impact on an SME if they gave it the same prominence? Unfortunately, many SME owners see marketing as a cost rather than an investment in the future of their business. Let’s look at the function of “marketing”. It’s so much more than social media posts, leaflets and e-newsletters. These are the tactical outputs of marketing communications - but smart SME businesses focus on the ‘outcomes’ they want to achieve. What IS your business trying to achieve? If you examine more closely what you want to achieve, you can then tie your activities back into the company’s business plans and financial objectives. And for marketing communications to be successful, this is exactly how it should be done. Research carried out by Marketing Week found that 40% of business owners believed a lack of budget to be the biggest barrier to companies doing more marketing and PR. This was followed by a lack of expertise (25%) and a shortage of time (25%). In fact, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on marketing for it to be effective. You just need to know how and where to spend it and target your activities more efficiently. Alex Beardsley, Chartered Marketer and joint Managing Director of ABL Business says: “Over the last six years I’ve provided outsourced marketing support and consultancy to SME owners as well as teaching strategic marketing to a range of diverse businesses and organisations. At ABL Business, the way we ensure that marketing works is by putting it at the very heart of the business and ensuring that all activity is in line with the Managing Director’s vision”. Embedding marketing into your SME To ensure that you use the marketing process
Bringing your marketing into the boardroom to your best advantage, you can start by including it on the agenda of all of your board and team meetings. Regular and collective discussions around the marketing strategy and business activities embed the process into the wider culture and keep things moving forward. A really good way to achieve this is to have a marketing specialist on your board. This could be in the form of a non-executive director or you could draft your internal marketing manager onto the senior management team. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it! This old adage is every SME’s route to the stars when it comes to marketing. Measure it and then it can be managed effectively.
It should influence future product and service developments, customer service and sales strategies. And, last but not least, it should also play a role in shaping the future direction of the organisation.
Alex Beardsley is an MCIM Chartered Marketer and joint Managing Director of ABL Business Ltd, a business consultancy based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. ABL Business provides commercial finance and marketing support to SMEs across Yorkshire and beyond. Call the office to speak to a human on 01274 965356 or visit our website www.abl-business.co.uk to find out more about us.
Done correctly, good marketing should involve internal communications as well as external promotions.
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Festive season continues to end of January
West Yorkshire Playhouse is extending the run of festive spectacular The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe for a further week. Opening at end of November, this brand new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic story will now run until Saturday 27 January. This major new production will see West Yorkshire Playhouse’s 750 seater Quarry stage transformed into a 1000 seater theatre in the round, bringing director Sally Cookson and designer Rae Smith’s incredible vision to life. Telling of four war time evacuees sent to live with an eccentric Professor in the country, an innocent game of hide and seek leads the children through a magical wardrobe marking the start of a life-changing adventure. Performed by a multi-talented cast including ITV’s My Parents Are Aliens actor Carla Mendonça as the White Witch, this visually spectacular production showcases stunning puppetry and aerial performance in this new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ treasured classic.
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This festive season will see West Yorkshire Playhouse transformed into the fantasy world of Narnia, as the Playhouse brings to life an enchanting re-imaging of C.S. Lewis’ classic tale. A co-production between West Yorkshire Playhouse, the newly formed Elliott & Harper Productions and Catherine Schreiber, opened on 29 November 2017 and run until 21 January 2018, with a press night on Wednesday 6 December. Directed by Olivier award nominee Sally Cookson (Peter Pan and Jane Eyre, for the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic and Hetty Feather in the West End and on tour), this magical new production tells of four war time evacuees who discover an icy kingdom through a mystical wardrobe. Transforming the Quarry stage into a theatre in the round for the first time, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will be designed by award winning War Horse designer Rae Smith. Director, Sally Cookson said: “Who doesn’t get excited by the idea that a humble wardrobe can be the door to another world? Whether you’re a Grandparent or starting your first term at school, C.S. Lewis’ much loved fable has something for everyone. A fantasy world where
it’s always winter but never Christmas, where fauns, beavers, and four plucky siblings, not to forget a very special lion, all help bring Spring back to Narnia and rid it of the terrorising White Witch. I can’t wait to bring this timeless story to life in a new version full of magic, mischief and mayhem. Expect a wonderland of imagination and a story to warm the cockles of the iciest of hearts.” James Brining, Artistic Director of West Yorkshire Playhouse, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sally Cookson to make her first show at the Playhouse. Her work in recent years at the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and on tour has been exceptional. She finds wonderful new ways to tell well known stories and I am excited to see what she and her excellent creative team make of C.S. Lewis’ classic story. We like to set ourselves new challenges at the Playhouse and turning the Quarry into a theatre in the round is a challenge we’re all very excited about.” Joining Sally and Rae on the creative team for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe are Leeds born Adam Peck as Writer in the Room, Ian Dickinson as Sound Designer, Dan Canham as Movement Director and Bruno Poet as Lighting Designer, with music by Benji Bower and Jill Green as Casting Director.
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Brunch is the new Lunch Just some of the best places to have brunch in our region. by Sophie Mei Lan
T I’m sat flicking through a magazine, whilst munching on sourdough toast with poached eggs and having the odd sip of a strong black filter coffee… It’s no surprise that many people now opt to go out and have brunch rather than an afternoon tea or lunch. Brunch is also ideal for those informal business meetings when breakfast is too early and lunch seems to take up the whole day. Everything is better over food and drink. So we asked our Topic UK readers where are your favourite places to enjoy brunch in West Yorkshire?
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Bistrot Saigon
Mr and Mrs C’s
Epicure Bar & Kitchen
If you like something a little bit different for brunch, who not try Bistro Saigon, which offers an authentic Vietnamese experience in a charming Ilkley eatery with first class customer service.
This is a quirky coffee shop based in the centre of Wakefield, perfect for all things coffee and cake. The place is friendly, beautifully decorated and has lots of art to admire whilst indulging in the many seasonal delights that they serve.
Epicure Bar & Kitchen is the go to emporium for flavoursome locally sourced foods and artisanal treats in Huddersfield. They serve Artisan coffee, rotating their seasonal origin coffee to ensure the very best espresso and filter coffees are available. They have an extensive brunch menu serving traditional breakfast fayre of porridge, bacon and eggs to something more exotic like Avocado & Egg on Toasted Sourdough.
All dishes are freshly cooked to order, providing a mouthwatering range of tastes and textures. “Amazing!” @ CharlotteMagpie 1a Railway Road Ilkley. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
They can be found at 19 Bull Ring, Wakefield and are open Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm.
37-39 Queensgate, Huddersfield. Open daily.
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The Hepworth Café, Wakefield Hand-crafted coffee, fine food and exceptional service at The Hepworth Café based inside The Hepworth Wakefield Gallery. Whether you’re after brunch, lunch or a good cup of tea, The Hepworth Café is the perfect place to discuss their exhibitions, catch up with friends or enjoy a meal with the family. The café’s seasonal menu combines all-day brunch favourites with cutting edge cuisine, putting Wakefield firmly on the culinary map with its excellent food and drink. Gallery Walk, Wakefield. Open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Blacker Hall Farm
Farmer Copley’s
A team of Chefs prepare the farms varied menu from their own expert butchers, bakers, local farmers, growers and producers.
Farmer Copleys is a speciality Farm Shop and home of ‘Moo by Day’ Cafe and ‘Beast by Night’ Restaurant based between Pontefract and Featherstone. It is the perfect place for a farmhouse brunch whether its for a business meeting or for the family.
Breakfast and brunch is served from 8.30am to 11.30am and they have a range of pastries, sandwiches and hot dishes available. Branch Road, Calder Grove, Wakefield. Open daily from 8.30am to 6pm.
Menus are changed seasonally making the most of the produce grown on the farm. Pontefract Road, Pontefract. Open 7 days a week from 8.30am.
Rivers MEET Café and Crafts A Leeds-based traditional craft cafe, serving delicious home-made food, made with locally sourced produce, including a range of teas, coffees and cakes. The cafe has a range of dishes available for brunch and is open daily. 102 Leeds Road, Methley, Leeds.
Where do you enjoy brunching? Tweet us @topic_UK January 2018 37
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M
embers of Leeds City Council’s executive board have approved Town Centre Securities as the council’s preferred partner to transform the George Street area, between Kirkgate Market and the Victoria Gate shopping development. Town Centre Securities submitted plans for the development following an open invitation by Leeds City Council, to all developers, for proposals to create a highquality area for the gateway between the new Victoria Gate development and newly refurbished Kirkgate Market. It was agreed at the executive board meeting that the council and Town Centre Securities will form a partnership, with the council acquiring a 50% ownership of the completed development. The overall investment by Leeds City Council is estimated to be £12.9m. The proposals include replacing the current outdated 1930s and 1980s buildings with a new apart-hotel and nine commercial units.
Developer revealed for site
The ground floor commercial units will have The development company selected to carry out entrances on George Street with connections revitalise an historic street in Leeds city centre has through to the former Butchers Row, inside the market, which offers the opportunity to out of proportion with The apart-hotel will also link access the market from several points along the Grade I Listed market directly into the market as George Street. building and the Victoria well as from George Street Leeds development opposite, to encourage guests to visit so by creating a building Kirkgate during their stay in more in-keeping with its Leeds. new surroundings, we can encourage new visitors and Cllr Richard Lewis, executive enhance business for our member for regeneration, market traders.” transport and planning, said: “The redevelopment Edward Ziff, chairman and of the George Street area chief executive at Town is a unique opportunity to Centre Securities, added: enhance and revitalise an “We are keen to work with historic area of the city. We the city council to continue are at early stages of the the regeneration of this area proposals but we are keen of the city and build linkages to work with Town Centre with the adjacent Victoria Securities to create the right Gate development. We development for this part believe the redevelopment of of the city. The existing the George Street buildings buildings are outdated and
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a major scheme to been revealed. will strengthen these linkages to the benefit of both.” A full planning application for the development will be submitted in 2018 with work due to start in 2019. Discussions with the existing tenants who will be affected by the redevelopment have been taking place for a number of years and alternative arrangements have already been made with the majority, either to relocate elsewhere, or potentially look to be part of the completed development or receive an appropriate level of compensation, the council said.
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Yorkshire Building Society Creating a Fairer and Inclusive Workplace
In little over a year Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) has progressed their ambition to create a more inclusive environment where everyone connected to the brand can contribute to the Group’s success. Partnering with programmes such as Creating Inclusive Cultures has enabled them to accelerate their progress in a relatedly short space of time. Nicola Hosty, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at YBS stated “Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is important for all of us. It’s about recognising and appreciating difference in everything, not just what’s immediately visible, but what people believe, how they behave and what they value. We aim to create an environment where everyone can be themselves at work and develop to their full potential”. To help us with this journey YBS has partnered with Creating Inclusive Cultures, an organisation that encourages like-minded businesses to collaborate, innovate and create change. Through the best practice
innovation forums this has helped shape their business D&I action plan and activities. They have also partnered with the National Centre for Diversity, an organisation that supports businesses in understanding their starting point via the Investors in Diversity accreditation process. Nicola said, “We received over 1200 responses when surveying colleagues. This helps us to understand what we need to do to maintain the good progress we’ve have made and identify our improvement areas in order that we can achieve our diversity and inclusion ambition”. They’ve made great strides over the last year, which include
delivering ‘Celebrate Difference’ workshop to over 500 colleagues which aims to dispel the myths around what Diversity and Inclusion is and isn’t, how to encourage more diversity of thought across the business to increase innovation and how to make collaboration happen naturally. Nicola said “We now have 66 Agents of Change, our diversity champions, who are located across the business and throughout the UK. Events such as Leeds Pride and the Bradford Festival have helped to raise our profile and promote the Group as a financial services provider and local employer. Our #prideinoursociety was our best performing social media campaign – which has really increased our online presence”. “We’ve made a great start,” says Nicola. “But there’s still lots to do to achieve our D&I ambition.” So what does 2018 have in store for Diversity and Inclusion at YBS? “There will be a heightened focus on social mobility, promoting the business case and threading D&I into the way we do business around here and embedding this further into our employee value proposition.”
Stephen White, Chief Operating Officer, is a keen supporter of the work delivered to date and stated “I’m delighted to be part of the Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Forum where we are leading the work towards our commitment to embed Diversity & Inclusion into the heart of everything we do. We have developed a Diversity & Inclusion action plan which will provide a clear road map to enable the Group to support this and I encourage everyone to support this work”. Charlotte Sweeney OBE, founder of Creating Inclusive Cultures (CIC) stated, “YBS has shown that by creating a clear call to action and delivery plan it doesn’t have to take a long time to start to see the positive impact that creating a workplace that works for all can bring. YBS is a firm contributor and partner of CIC where companies across our city work together to create more inclusive workplaces”.
To find out more about CIC contact Fiona@ creatinginclusivecultures. com or visit www. creatinginclusivecultures. The CIC app can also be downloaded for iOS and Android smart devises.
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SPECI AL
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Schools Careers Correspondent Competition TopicUK has teamed up with the WYCA/LCR LEP to support a Schools Careers Correspondent Competition
TopicUK was first launched in Wakefield five years ago. Its purpose is to help SMEs (small and medium sized businesses) with free or affordable promotion, something they struggle to afford elsewhere or cannot find the right platform If you are in years 9 you are tasked with writing a 400 word (approx.) article about a particular industry sector/ career/job role that appeals to you. The competition deadline is January 20th and all submissions should be sent via your teachers to: enterpriseadvisers@the-lep.com The article should include a little about yourself and why you chose your particular sector. You will need to do a little background research about sectors/job roles/qualifications/ skills, etc. We would imagine the best articles will also have some employer input. Your teachers may be able to help by acting as your go-between with the
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employers. You may also want to include a photograph that would make your article stand out. It might be from the company you have chosen or the sector in general. Tip. An industry ‘sector’ is a term covering a range of businesses that do roughly the same kind of work. The key sectors in the Leeds City region are engineering & advanced manufacturing, digital and infrastructure. Winning articles will be published in TopicUK magazine in 3 areas. Kirklees & Calderdale, Wakefield and Leeds. Articles will appear in the February issue to coincide with Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week (March 5th)
You must include your name, school and year group. Here is a link to an article by Chloe to give you some ideas. http://topicuk.co.uk/
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There is some great information out there to help you get started including the Shape Your Future booklet and resources, the Careers Yorks & Humber website, the LCR LEP Employment & Skills Plan as well as company websites. https://careersyandh.co.uk/cyh_ uploads/Newsletters/Inspiration/ Shape_your_Future_September_2017. pdf
https://careersyandh.co.uk/ Inspiringyandh
http://www.the-lep.com/LEP/ media/New/Leeds-City-RegionEmployment-and-Skills-Plan-20162020-FINAL.pdf
You may also want to look at the BBC School Reporter videos with examples of how to gather information for an article and writing a report for publication.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/ teacher_resources
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Findings reveal which cars are performing well at auction Recent statistical findings from Leedsheadquartered G3 Remarketing suggest that the cars currently performing well at auction are bucking the industry trend for winter. The company says that SUV and 4x4 sales are rising as expected, but the seasonal switch to these vehicles is not as sharp as in recent years. In fact G3 sales of other car types indicate that dealers are going against the grain. Bikes are holding up despite the changing season, and smaller petrol cars under the value of £5,000 are also performing well. Conversion analysis reveals diesel stock has continued to prove popular too. This is perhaps surprising given the Government’s plan to introduce a ‘toxic tax’ on such vehicles ahead of an initiative to ban them altogether by 2040. However, it would appear that, as yet, demand for these vehicles still exists, certainly in the North, with diesel estates continuing to be G3’s best-seller. Commenting on the trends, G3’s buyer services manager Alex Miles said: “Of course buyers are reactionary to the market and environment, so, the recent flurry of snow aside, the milder weather perhaps explains the softened switch to 4x4s and SUVs. “But other statistics will appear surprising for this time of year. The mixture of vehicle types
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selling well suggests good growth potential for remarketers and dealers alike.” Business development manager, Adrian Maclauchlan added: “In an industry where new car sales have been popular for so long, it is encouraging to see vehicles under £5k performing well.” G3’s findings support recent prediction figures revealed by The Society of Motor Traders and Manufacturers. The SMTM has suggested that there will be a 4.7% drop in new car registrations over the next two years, resulting in consumers looking towards the used car market to reduce their depreciation risk and overall financial exposure in times of economic uncertainty. Miles believes that auctions will continue to help the used car market to further thrive. “The great thing about auctions is that buyers feed off each other,” he said. “When one or two begin bidding on certain vehicles, then often many more will follow their lead. Even vans and minibuses are flying in our Wednesday sales – in recent months we’ve continued to achieve 100% conversion rates.” G3 Remarketing holds up to fourteen online and physical auction sales each month, with Motability Operations one of the most recent vendors to have come on board as a client.
New Chief Executive for Leeds Community Foundation Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) has announced the appointment of Kate Hainsworth as its new Chief Executive. Kate has over two decades of development experience and has worked for a number of Third and Private Sector organisations. Her previous experience includes senior roles at Opera North and Theatre Royal Wakefield. She is currently Development Director and Deputy CEO of LCF, and will take up the new role in January 2018 with a key responsibility for implementing the charity’s strategic plans and overseeing the management of the staff team.
TopicUK to help support the homeless Every year, each edition of TopicUK chooses a charity to work with, who we can support with free promotion. In our first year of 2017 we supported Leeds Community Foundation and we are delighted
LeedsEdition LCF is a local charity with a mission to create positive change in the communities of Leeds that need it most. Since 2004, LCF has raised over £50 million in donations and distributed over £33 million in grants to local community groups. Kate succeeds Sally-Anne Greenfield who, after 13 years building up LCF into the respected and effective organisation it is today, is stepping down as Chief Executive to pursue a career in consultancy. Sally-Anne, said: “It has been a privilege to have led such an amazing organisation and to see, at first hand, the incredible impact the 4,673 grants we have given out have had on the lives of so many people. I’m delighted to leave the Foundation in such a strong position and to pass over the reins to Kate who I am confident will continue to build on LCF’s success. I look forward to watching the Foundation grow from strength to strength.” Kate will work closely with the charity’s Board of Trustees and Chair, Rachel Hannan.
Kate, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed Chief Executive of LCF. Over the past 2 years, I have had the opportunity to work with SallyAnne and a growing team of now 18 dedicated staff that support hundreds of charities across the city with millions of pounds in donations and guidance. I look forward to taking on this new challenge and working with the team and Trustees to address the real needs faced by our city.” Rachel Hannan, Chair of Leeds Community Foundation said: “The Board of Trustees underwent a comprehensive and rigorous external recruitment process and were impressed with the number of high quality applicants attracted. However, Kate stood out as the strongest candidate, with a passion for the city and the skills to lead the team to realise LCF’s vision of making Leeds a city of opportunity for all. LCF has ambitious plans for the future and we are keen to encourage and enable more donors to provide vital community investment and support across Leeds. With the Foundation unable to fund half of the grant applications it
to announce that in 2018 we will be working with Simon on the Streets. Simon on the Streets is an independent charity covering West Yorkshire, in particular Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield. They are a charity who supports the homeless community, in particular, entrenched rough sleepers. Remaining independent of statutory funding is critical to their success as it allows them to work without restrictions and deliver tailormade support on an individual basis. They do not seek Government or local authority
receives, there is much more still to be done. We would like to thank our outgoing CEO, Sally-Anne Greenfield, for her huge contribution, hard work and dedication over the past 13 years and wish her all the best for the future.”
funding, instead are funded from a number of sources, mainly corporate support from businesses within the community. They receive trust funding towards core costs and organise a number of fundraising events and appeals throughout the year. West Yorkshire is afacing worsening homelessness crisis. As a result of Government policies, the numbers of those finding themselves on the streets is not forecast to reduce, rather it is forecast to increase drastically year on year. Shockingly, the charity Crisis, recently forecast a rise in the number of
LCF’s most recent projects have included the renovation of the Old Fire Station in Gipton to create a new community hub, and the implementation of the charitable initiative, The Leeds Fund, which brought Prince Harry to Leeds in July 2017.
rough sleepers by 78% over the next decade. Over the coming year we will keep you posted as to what is happening with the charity and how you can help. In the meantime, please do take time to have a look at their website www. simononthestreets. co.uk and even possibly manage to make a small donation or an offer of help?
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YORKSHIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
YTL SYSTEMS
LINES & CALLS
INTERNET
MOBILE
t: 0844 847 0080 e: info@ytl.uk.com 11 Appleton Court, Calder Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 7AR
Yorkshire Telecommunications Limited
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Organisations not doing enough to help employees reach full potential months, it appears they have still been achieving progress. It was pleasing to see that 37% believe they continue to have a strong and respected presence in the boardroom too, as recognition among senior management teams has been an ongoing struggle for many professionals in the past.” With automation set to be a big theme in 2018, a greater reliance on HR technology could alleviate some of the pressures that HR has recently been feeling, suggests Oliver.
‘Businesses are not doing enough to encourage employees to reach their full potential’, is a striking viewpoint to emerge from a survey conducted by Cascade HR. In a poll of 447 UK-wide Human Resources professionals, the research found that 44% believe the workforce does not have enough support to thrive, with a further 23% unsure if organisations are doing enough. The findings arose alongside another startling statistic which revealed that 72% of participants feel slightly or significantly more over-stretched in their roles, compared to in 2016.
“Only 3% of participants said that HR departmental efficiency and effectiveness is not at all dependent on automation. But 50% believe automation has a partial role to play, and a further 45% believe that role is significant,” he summarises. With the survey also unveiling that 32% have found employment legislation harder to navigate, it appears to have been a challenging year for HR, believes Cascade’s CEO Oliver Shaw. “The pace and magnitude of change within the employment landscape – let alone the wider business environment – has posed immense pressures on the world of Human Resources,” he said. “And the stand-out finding from the research is that HR professionals don’t feel organisations are now doing enough to help employees reach their full potential. In an economy where talent is difficult to retain and commercial competitive
advantage is hard to sustain, this is something that needs addressing – and quickly!” But the survey has also presented some encouraging conclusions, stresses Oliver. “A reassuring 61% of HR professionals now feel ‘somewhat prepared’ for GDPR, which has understandably taken up a lot of preparatory time and resource as 2017 has unfolded. In fact, only 15% of HR professionals surveyed feel significantly or slightly underprepared, which seems to contradict national statistics on a business-wide level. “So, whilst HR directors, managers and executives may have felt overstretched during the past 12
“The more that tech can relieve HR of burdensome, adminintensive tasks that could easily be automated, the greater the time that HR will have to spend on the more value-adding elements of their roles. “Automation has often been feared, in the past, as set to remove the ‘human’ from human resources. But tech won’t wipe out job roles in 2018 – it will supercharge them!”
All findings from Cascade’s recent research can be found in the full-length report – The 2018 HR landscape: What’s in store?
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A beginners guide to Vlogging Vlogging is all about personality over good quality footage and content. So it’s worth noting that vlogging isn’t suitable for all businesses, as bad quality content from some corporations won’t suit the brand and can be damaging if you don’t understand what you’re marketing, as well as the technical side of vlogging. So in that case it’s worth investing in corporate videos instead. HOW TO START VLOGGING: THE BASICS
T Vlogging has become very popular and is a great way to showcase your business. Sophie Mei Lan is a professional journalist and award winning blogger. Here she shares with us a few tips on how you can begin your own vlog. When I introduce myself as a ‘vlogger’ I normally get a blank or confused expression from the person I’m talking to. But whenever I teach vlogging or blogging (don’t worry if you’re lost already, I’ll explain more below) to young people, about 9 out of 10 consume vlogs and YouTube videos at least twice a day. I think vlogging is a really useful digital skill which will help you to get ahead in your career as well as helping many businesses to reach a wider audience. Vlogging is not new, it has been around for a while now but many businesses are just starting to catch on to the power of vlogging. Rather than being a faceless brand, you can connect with your audience almost face-toface.
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What is Vlogging? A Vlog is a Video Blog e.g. YouTube Videos, Facebook Lives, Instagram Stories and Twitter videos… essentially it’s using video to tell a story. For me, it’s giving a real insight into my world rather than just a shiny and polished impersonal brand or person. Why Vlog? Most of us are nosy so we love following other people’s journeys. How to get started? Ask yourself these questions: Why are you vlogging? What’s the purpose? For my personal blog and vlogs on family life – my purpose is to show an honest insight into my daily life – warts and all. But for my business vlogs – I prefer people don’t have such a raw look into my life! So for TopicUK – it’s more about us reaching and appealing to a wider audience, as a media outlet, as well as championing more businesses. What types of vlogs will connect with your desired audience? It’s important to think first about your audience – what social
media platform(s) do they use and what do they enjoy watching? Hint: Most people won’t voluntarily watch adverts – so useful videos are ideal. What style vlog would fit your business? e.g. “day in the life of” vlogs – tend to be rougher, which is great if you’re desired goal is to become a vlogger. But most businesses will benefit from more posed vlogs e.g. Where you’re talking straight to the camera
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– maybe sharing tips or some exciting news. HOW TO FRAME AND SHOOT YOUR VLOG Tools: Here are a few things I’d recommend investing in: A camera or phone (if you don’t already have one), a tripod and ideally lighting and sound. Movement: Depending on the style of vlog you’re going for depends if you want to be walking around with your phone/camera. But I’d say start simple with business vlogs and have a still and steady camera/phone.
Framing: We want to see you! So make sure your head and shoulders are fully in shot and that you’re looking straight into the camera. Some more tips if you’re serious about vlogging… Sound: Sound is key! Is the room quiet? If you can hear any buzzing, try and turn things off or change location and if there is music on in the background – turn it off, otherwise you may have to pay for the copyright license. Lighting: You may want to invest a little in lights
or record outside (if it’s not too sunny or windy) or position a good lamp (beware of shadows though!) Editing: It depends on the style of your vlogs but some will require editing as you don’t want your vlogs to be too long. There’s a range of software from basic apps to more complex editing tools. Editing takes a lot of time so to reduce the time spent editing; planning your vlog beforehand can help by creating a “concept.” Live videos: I love live videos as there is no editing time involved although for businesses, I’d recommend you do spend time planning. I record live vlogs on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Yes, it takes some getting used to but I love the interaction that live videos get. Plus at the moment, social media platforms are pushing live videos so you’re more likely to appear in someone’s time-line. RoundUp: Do what feels right for you and your business. If live doesn’t feel comfortable, don’t do it, or think of creative ways to do lives. E.g. if you run a catering company you might want to do a live of people cooking food or serving. I am really passionate about vlogging as a career and a business in its own right or as an almost-free marketing tool for a business. But it’s important you think about what kind of content you want out there as well as the platforms you use. For me as a business person and editor, Facebook lives are great for unedited videos, showing a snapshot into what we’re doing, but YouTube is more static so I prefer to upload good quality content to that as it’s like a gallery for me. So whether you’re thinking of becoming a vlogger or vlogging for business, it’s worth having a plan and upload schedule.
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SPECI AL
F E ATU R E
Brand, Skills and Infrastructure: Stimulating growth in Leeds
T A roundtable discussion with Leeds businesses which they agreed are all essential to unlocking growth in Leeds. Positioning Leeds as a top location for businesses large and small
With Leeds’ tech sector thriving and large digital businesses such as SkyBet, FinTech and NHS Digital choosing the region for their headquarters, the city is certainly making some positive steps towards realising this ambition, but it is clear there are desires to continue this upward trend and achieve further growth. Chaired by Marc Lough, city development manager at CityFibre, the company behind Leeds’ recent transformation into a Gigabit City, the panel included Stuart Clarke from Leeds Digital Festival, Paul Taylor from Creative Space, Richard Micchie from the Marketing Optimist, Sharon Jandu from Yorkshire
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Asian Business Association (YABA), Blaine Craig from local telecoms provider and CityFibre launch partner Diva Telecom, and TopicUK group editor, Gill Laidler. The panel discussed a range of issues including skills, infrastructure and marketing the city as a great place to live and work,
Speakers noted that Leeds is ideally positioned to become the digital city of the North with its rapidly developing digital sector. However, the panel argued that the city needs to do more to promote its successes. Stuart Clarke said: “We need to shout to the world about what we are doing in this city and how we are truly the digital capital of the North. As a city we need to support this.” Participants also highlighted a desire for Leeds to be seen as a place for businesses to set up roots and grow. Blaine Craig exemplified this by acknowledging the role SME market plays in driving any city, with 80 per cent of the economy built from these small to medium enterprises. While the group agreed that Leeds is making good
progress in attracting digital start-ups, it was flagged that the city may not have as much success in retaining larger businesses. Paul Taylor was concerned that once businesses reach a certain size, they move out of the city looking for more plentiful resources such as better access to technology and talent. He said: “We should be encouraging businesses to remain in the city. As a region, we’re not good at singing our own praises and I think Leeds needs to look at where its focus is and celebrate everything it has to offer.” All parties agreed that the city has a lot to shout about, not least its new fullfibre digital infrastructure, which forms the perfect backbone for a modern business. Paul added: “With the benefits that Leeds has to offer such as a thriving tech scene and access to next-generation full-fibre connectivity, businesses shouldn’t have to move away.” Equipping our young people with the right skills for the future The group all recognised that Leeds has an incredible
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pool of smart, talented and well-educated young people, with 11 universities and colleges in the area. However, many find that there is very poor availability of local employment opportunities that match their skills. All speakers agreed that if the city is to support further growth and retain local talent, it needs to ensure that students are equipping themselves with the right skills to ensure they are utilised in the workplace. Sharon from YABA added: “The world of work is moving at such a pace. Technology is moving so fast, and if universities aren't able to keep up, they are doing students a disservice.” They acknowledged however that the city’s universities and public sector organisations are keen to learn and work with Leeds’ digital businesses to remedy this. Stuart from Leeds Digital Festival said: “We have more undergraduates staying in the city but we do need to get students to think about what it is they want to do. They need to look at the market, understand what skills are missing and go for courses and degrees in these areas. This will help them secure a good job for the future.” The roundtable also highlighted that many businesses are looking for positive individuals with the drive to learn new skills at work. The group noted that it was not just about hiring people with skills, but also providing the right tools to learn in the workplace. Richard Micchie spoke from personal experience: “I’m looking for people with passion businesses want people with a good attitude who don’t necessarily have to have been through higher education.” Infrastructure is the key to unlocking growth The group spoke at length about how infrastructure is crucial for growth in the city, arguing that without the right infrastructure
in place at a base level, the adoption of innovative technologies proves difficult. Improving Leeds’ transport options were discussed at length from the new proposed pedestrian areas in the city centre and the ban of diesel vehicles, to the future opportunities and possible benefits of electric cars and driverless vehicles. Stuart Clarke suggested that investors are often put off moving to Leeds due to lack of a good transport system. “Transport is a threat, it’s a nightmare to get home unless you live and work in the city centre.” Richard Micchie agreed, saying that “transport chokes the city”, adding, “we need the transformed infrastructure that London has. It would be good to have a congestion charge in Leeds.” But it was not just the traditional transport infrastructure of the city that was noted as a key proponent for growth. Participants also recognised the increasingly pivotal role the city’s digital infrastructure plays in Leeds future success as a thriving digital city. The panellists agreed that access to an ultrafast full-fibre internet connection is “as essential as electricity” if businesses are to thrive and grow in the region. Marc Lough explained: “The UK needs a full-fibre network from schools right through to enterprises and households. It’s readily proven that our present lack of fast, reliable connectivity is stifling the economy, not just in Leeds, but everywhere.” Lucky for Leeds, it is in a very strong position following a full-fibre digital upgrade from CityFibre and its promotion to Gigabit City status in 2016. CityFibre’s full-fibre optic network runs 117km across the city connecting local businesses with gigabitspeed internet connectivity – supporting them as they innovate, communicate and grow. CityFibre has ambitions to grow this infrastructure in the future to serve every part of the community, from schools and hospitals, to support smart city applications,
5G mobile deployments and home users. what’s more, the local government has put growth at the top of the agenda and is developing its own growth plan for the city. Marc Lough pointed out, “Leeds City Council very forward-thinking and sees connectivity such as improvement to digital infrastructure and roads as key investments for future growth." In short, collaboration and communication is vital On reflection of the discussion, It was clear that if Leeds is to continue growing and contributing to the success of the wider region, city leaders needed to be aligned in creating a better space with plentiful resources for businesses to innovate and grow. Sharon Jandu suggested that it’s not enough to simply talk about ways to grow the region. People need to see real action and this can only be achieved by different stakeholders working together, joining forces on local projects and pushing economic development in the city. She said: “We need good leaders who can bring the right people along with them. We’ve got leaders with the right intent but you need a buy-in from many different groups in the city for maximum impact.” Rounding up a solid debate, Marc commented: "I think Leeds is in a good place. The city has enjoyed a good solid growth. It’s great to see the universities and public sector getting behind it. Leeds is acknowledging what can be done to drive a better outcome, which is really promising to see.” It is clear that there is much more room for discussion. The debate has really only just begun, but we will be sure to continue this debate early in the New Year and work out how ideas can evolve into actions. If you would like to be involved, please email: editor@topicuk.co.uk
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Does your job often take you away from home? Do you stay in hotels often at home and abroad? Are you a business lady or entrepreneur? If you answer yes, then you know all too well how stressful it is finding the right hotel and making sure your safety is top priority.
easy target oblivious of your surroundings.
TopicUK caught up with Carolyn Pearson, Managing Director of Maiden Voyage, the business set up to advise the lady traveller on how to stay safe and choose the right hotel. They also offer the opportunity for your to meet up with one of their ambassadors, a welcome friendly face in a strange city.
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Choose Your Hotel Room Wisely It is a hotel’s duty to ensure their guests are safe and secure. When booking a room, specifically request one that is not on the ground floor or at the end of a long corridor which can be isolating, especially if walking to your room alone in the dark. Guard Your Privacy Hotels should never announce your room number verbally as this makes it public to anybody else in the lobby. Instead, your room number should be written down and presented to you with your room key. If your hotel fails to disclose your room
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Text Your way to safety. Save this number: 61016. If you experience harassment or untoward behaviour on the train, you can text the British Transport Police directly with your whereabouts. If required, they’ll send security to help you out.
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Hotel Rooms are For Sleeping, not Meetings! In light of recent news, it should come as no surprise that business meetings in hotel rooms are not advisable. Even if you know your contact well, keep meetings in office settings or open and public places. If meeting in the latter, maintain discretion around disclosure of private and personal details.
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‘Tis The Season to Steal Luggage…Suitcase theft on trains peaks during the festive season. Don’t get caught out- store your luggage between two seat backs, under your own seat, or overhead. If you do leave your luggage in the luggage rack, check on it regularly. Attaching a padlock to the zipper acts as a deterrent to potential thieves.
Are you a business lady who travels alone? of how much you are giving away about yourself as even your name and company are enough for the nosy parker next to you to Google you (as has happened to our CEO!).Unless You’re in a Cab
number discreetly, you are within your rights to request a new room.
Here Carolyn and her team share with us their top 10 tips when travelling alone: 1.
7.
3.
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Check and Check Again You should have a minimum of two fully-functioning independent locks- if you don’t, change rooms. Check the security of windows or balcony doors, and ensure they shut and open properly. If you are still concerned about the security of your hotel room door, pack a nifty DoorJammer for extra security to protect you from any persistent, unwanted visitors. Save Calls for Later… While it can be tempting to get pending business and personal calls ticked off while on the train, remember that fellow commuters are privy to anything you say. Be wary
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Should your taxi driver be overfamiliar with you or putting you at unease, feign a phone call to your spouse (real or imaginary!) casually mentioning your whereabouts and ETA. Use pet names liberally to throw the driver off the scent!
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Walking between sites can seem like the perfect time to catch up on podcasts or audiobooks, but having your headphones in not only puts you at higher risk of traffic accidents but also sends a message to potential pickpockets that you are an
10. Please Mind the Gender Gap Sexual harassment on the tube is on the rise. If you are being targeted or feel uneasy, don’t be afraid to call the perpetrator out. The bottom line is that your safety comes before politeness in every scenario.
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Join the pure-fibre revolution Businesses in Leeds city centre are now accessing gigabit speed pure fibre internet connectivity, thanks to CityFibre’s completely independent network. Ultra-fast upload and downloads: Speeds of up to 1000mbps enables you to fully embrace next-generation cloud services. Future-proofed connectivity: Supporting your business now with quick and easy upgrades as your digital requirements evolve. Responsive and resilient network: Allowing your business critical services run smoothly.
Find out more at cityfibre.com/Leeds Services available from
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Business Hive January 2018 51 22/09/2016 18:06