ISSUE 26 MAY 2017
WakeďŹ eld & District free business community magazine
WWW.TOPICUK.CO.UK
Destination Success With Sam Harvey founder and Managing Director of One World Travel
Disobedient Bodies at The Hepworth Havana a good time at Qubana Partners in Ad:Venture! WakeďŹ eld Council gains funding
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Why choose YPO? 100% publicly owned Loyalty scheme Award winning customer service e Fully compliant Over 40 years’ experience in the education sector We power over 3,500 schools nationwide with electricity and gas
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Over £2 million given back to schools last year through our loyalty scheme
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Topicmedia T i di
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TopicUK is four! And we have signed a number of new partners recently who recognise the beneďŹ ts of our services and with the recent launch of TopicTapas, Topic Business Club and TopicTV, we
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can promote businesses in all areas, including digital. If you want to join our growing business community, be recommended by a trusted source and promote your
business in print, on social media, on TV, digitally and in person, contact TopicUK today and we’ll arrange this for you. 07711 539047 editor@topicuk. co.uk www.topicuk.co.uk
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WakefieldUpdate p07- Ramsdens shortlisted for law firm award. p09 - Shopping Centre shortlisted for retail oscar.
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p10 - Rugby Stadium dreams become reality. p12 - Benidorm comes to Wakefield. p14 -Wakefield voted YES! p16 -TopicUK joins forces with Brand Yorkshire. YTL take top award.
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Sam Harvey has the world at her feet
Disobedient Bodies at The Hepworth.
Roman Jewellery unearthed in Pontefract.
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Havana a good time at Qubana.
Contents & Comments Details of this month‘s TopicUK, your Local Business Community Magazine
For a full list of where you can pick up your free copy visit our website: www.topicuk.co.uk
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Cover: Sam Harvey
For Advertising Sales
Tel: 07711 539047
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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Editor’s Notes by Gill Laidler
TopicUK Wakefield is celebrating its fourth Birthday! I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed since we launched our first edition in April 2013. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our contributors and partners, without them, TopicUK would not be here today. We think we have the best job in the world as we get to meet lots of people, businesses and entrepreneurs and there are some really fantastic ones in our region. We have promoted lots of businesses over the last four years and have produced approximately 6,000,000 pages of news and promotion in Wakefield alone! With the introduction of TopicTV, TopicTapas and our business club, this can only lead to more connection with local business which will benefit our partners and supporters, many of whom have been with us since our launch. Our cover story this edition features Samantha Harvey, managing director of One World Travel. Not only does Samantha find the time to run a busy three branch travel agent, she is also involved in local politics. Read Sam’s story on page 21. We are delighted to welcome to the TopicTeam photographer, Andy Matheson. Andy has agreed to be our official photographer, taking care of our cover shots and features, this will of course make your magazine look even better with super high quality professional images. I’m sure many of you will get the chance to
meet Andy over the coming months, in the meantime you can have a look at his work on his website www. andy.matheson.com We are also delighted to announce a couple of new partnerships. TopicUK has teamed up with Hemsworth Miners Welfare Community FC who are launching their new business club and Legacy Community Project. You can read about the club on page 11. We have also become partners with Brand Yorkshire and will be accompanying them at the Brand Yorkshire Conference on 5 October at Harrogate Pavilions. Keep your eye on forthcoming editions where we will be publishing all the details of the event, including the fabulous speakers they have booked. As usual I have been out and about attending lots of events. First it was to the Wakefield Hospice annual Ladies Lunch at the Cedar Court Hotel with special guest Sherrie Hewson from TV’s popular comedy Benidorm and formerly of Coronation Street who entertained guests with tales of her long and varied career. See page 12. It was then back to Cedar Court for the annual Yorkshie Health Charity annual ball, which this year carried a Vegas theme. Showgirls were on hand to help with the raffle and auction and for the grand draw of a superb diamond, kindly donated by Berrys jewellers. Sadly, it wasn’t destined to come home with me! We are delighted to welcome back The Hepworth as guest editors for the arts this issue. You can read all about their new exhibition by James Anderson - Disobedient Bodies, which is on display until 18th June. Read the full article on page 24. Best wishes
TopicUK EDITOR
GILL LAIDLER
CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROB BLACKWELL
LOCAL HEROES EDITOR
THE ARTS MURRAY EDWARDS ARTS & BUSINESS CONSULANT, THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD
LEGAL MATTERS RAMSDENS SOLICITORS
BEAUTY & WELLBEING Tu es Belle Spa HEALTH DR ANDREW FURBER
FOOD & RESTAURANT REVIEW KEVIN TRICKETT, WAKEFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY
RECRUITMENT ANDY TURNER, FIRST CHOICE RECRUITMENT
SOCIAL MEDIA SINEAD SOPALA, RAMSDENS SOLICITORS
BUSINESS GARY KING, TENDO LTD
IT PAUL HEIGHAM, BELLINGHAM IT
EDUCATION SILCOATES SCHOOL
FASHION FARAH YAKTINE
BANKING BARCLAYS BANK
For Advertising Sales
Tel: 07711 539047 The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@topicuk.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing Limited, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Red Hall Crescent, Wakefield WF1 2DF. Law pages are written by Ramsdens Solicitors LLP and TopicUK is not responsible for any advice given.
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WakefieldUpdate
News Update
YTL takes reseller of the year contact centre award Yorkshire Telecoms were honoured to win Braxtels ContactQ Reseller of the Year award at Pragma Technologies Annual Conference.
TopicUK joins forces with Brand Yorkshire The eighth Brand Yorkshire Conference returns on the 5th of October 2017 at the Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. Organisers are really pleased and honoured to announce that the new media partners for the 2017 conference will be TopicUK. The incredible success of this event is due to the high calibre of speakers and this year there are thirteen inspirational speakers, who will share their expertise and knowledge on a range of topics, with the 1500 business leaders who attend the conference.
This key event took place at the prestigious hotel and golf resort The Belfry in March. The award was in recognition of YTL providing innovative and effective Contact Q contact centres to their customers, in conjunction with Ericsson-LG’s voice platforms. YTL customers include Sheffield United FC, 707, and Keycare.
functionality regardless of location. The Pragma Conference was hosted by ITN and Channel 4 newsreader and technology commentator Bridgad Kzanwu, with the conference recognising and celebrating excellence in product, service and solution delivery across their Reseller Channel.
Specialising in both premises and cloud delivered communications and contact centres, YTL have demonstrated exceptional success in providing contact centre solutions. Their products and expertise offer customers flexibility and mobility by empowering office staff, home workers and remote staff to have full access to call features and
Annette Reynolds, Sales Director of Braxtel said: “We were delighted to award Yorkshire Telecoms' with the Braxtel ContactQ Reseller of the Year award. The award recognises Yorkshire Telecoms innovative approach, creating flexible solutions with ContactQ’s Contact Centre to provide measurable business benefits to their customers.
Topics will include marketing, illustrating the benefits of developing your emotional intelligence and mindset, branding, leadership skills, how to find your ideal new customer and how to close that so important deal. The conference also offers the opportunity to meet hundreds of potential new customers and referral partners. There will be 100 stand holders, with over 60 companies re booking from 2016, illustrating just how much business is completed on the day.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE EMAIL MONA AT MONA@BRANDYORKSHIRE.COM
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i.One Photography (www.ionephotography.co.uk)
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Ramsdens shortlisted for Law Firm of the Year Award Ramsdens has announced it has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Law Firm of the Year category at the Solicitors Journal Awards 2017. Managing Partner, Paul Joyce comments: “We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for these national awards. This nomination recognises a significant period of growth and development at Ramsdens over the past year and is a real tribute to the continued hard work of our entire team. We are very proud to be flying the flag for the North (and Yorkshire) in our category.” The Solicitors Journal Awards are designed to showcase and celebrate solicitors, law firms, barristers, and other legal
Eitex Moves to a Wakefield District professionals who are making significant contributions to the legal services sector. This year the awards are even bigger and better than before with 18 Awards categories covering all aspects of legal practice and being shortlisted as a finalist is a real accolade as the number of entries this year has been the highest ever. The winners of the 2017 awards will be announced at a ceremony at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London on the 17 May #SJAwards.
The Eitex IT Services team has now settled into brand new offices. Bright and modern, with the streamlined comms services they need, they’re looking forward to a brilliant future. And that, in turn, means they’ll be serving even more customers in the Yorkshire and surrounding areas. Investing in Our future, and Yours Since Eitex opened in 1997, it has been their principle to be here for the long haul. They see buying the new office as a dual investment and they’re investing in the future of Eitex, and in their commitment to clients and to Yorkshire. Eitex take pride in the fact that their customers rely on them to be there when needed. Reflecting recent business growth, the new offices see them well placed to build on foundations built over the last 20 years. A Prominent Yorkshire Location The new offices are just off Junction 32 of the M62. Those familiar with the region will know this is close to the popular shopping area Junction 32, and family entertainment centre Xscape. With convenient links to the A1, M1 and the M62, Eitex now even easier to find from all the major transport routes. Function Rooms and Fast Dedicated Internet There is a dedicated function room with facilities for seminars and product demonstrations and they now enjoy a superfast, dedicated Leased Line Ethernet link to the Internet. In pleasant, modern surroundings, the purpose built building and its location reflects their technologically advanced business. “We’re confident that our new offices will allow us to expand our IT Services across Yorkshire,” said director, Dean Spencer.
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WakefieldUpdate
Roman jewellery unearthed by archaeologists
Wakefield stylist is En Route to success Local hairdresser Jade Morrin of En Route Hair & Beauty, Wakefield has successfully secured herself a place on the prestigious and highly sought-after Schwarzkopf Professional Young Artistic Team (YAT). Jade was put through her paces in an intense judging process which took place in London, where hopeful young stylists were assessed on their live cutting and styling work, presentation skills and potential for team work. Judges included session stylist Kim Rance, Tom Connell, the Artistic Director of hairdressing super-group Trevor Sorbie and industry icon Peter Burkill from the famous HOB Salons. The national competition is open to those aged 25 or under and successful applicants are given the opportunity to work for a year under the wing of Schwarzkopf ’s premier hairdressers and technicians. The team can look forward to exciting opportunities such
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Construction of an exciting new housing development is giving archaeologists from Archaeological Services WYAS a chance to investigate a regionally important Roman settlement on the outskirts of Pontefract. The site has revealed an extensive landscape of fields, enclosures and occupation activity, as well as some of delightful finds which help to illustrate the daily life of our RomanoBritish ancestors. These include a bone needle, tweezers and part of a brooch which are easily recognisable today. A large amount of pottery has been recovered, which was mainly used for cooking and the storage of food. The number of ovens found on the site is surprising, with at least 12 identified so far.
Nansi Rosenberg of Prospect Archaeology who is overseeing the project on behalf of the developer says;“The aim of the excavation is to identify and record the archaeological features and artefacts, I’m very excited by the results so far and proud to be adding to West Yorkshire’s heritage”. The finds will be deposited at Pontefract Museum when they have been analysed and recorded.
Excitement surrounding the site has mounted as archaeologists have found a considerable number of human burials dating to the Roman period. One of the burials, of a teenager, contained grave goods which included copper alloy bangles positioned on either shoulder, a blue glass bead necklace and a drinking beaker next to the skull. This remarkable discovery suggests this person was very important to this community.
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Wakefield shopping centre shortlisted for retail ‘Oscar’ A Yorkshire shopping centre has been shortlisted for two major national awards following a record year. Trinity Walk in Wakefield, has made the finals of the Purple Apple Awards – dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of the shopping centre world. They have been shortlisted in two categories: Best Strategic Marketing Campaign and Best Tactical Marketing Campaign. The centre will now go head-tohead with some of the UK’s biggest shopping centres, with the winners announced at a Glitzy awards ceremony in London on May 4. Cormac Hamilton, Centre Manager, said: “This is a major step forward not just for Trinity Walk, but for the city of Wakefield. The city deserves to be on the national stage in so many different ways – so if we can play our part in helping to do that, then brilliant.
The ‘Where will a Trinity Walk take you?’ campaign, developed with Huddersfield-based The Sharp Agency, and the Trinity Walk Family App, developed with Wakefield-based digital agency Statement, have both been shortlisted for an award. Trinity Walk smashed its previous annual footfall record after welcoming around 11.27million visits in 2016 and recorded its busiest ever week with around 324,000 visits in midDecember 2016. The centre’s website trinitywalk.com also saw visits up 33% year-on-year. The £210 million centre covers around 560,000sq ft and at peak times employs 1,500 people across its stores. It opened in May 2011 and was one of the first shopping centre developments in Europe to be completed following the global credit crunch in 2009.
“The centre has gone from strengthto-strength since we opened in 2011, through some incredibly challenging economic times. Thanks to some strong and creative marketing, quality events, partnership work with other organisations and of course our shoppers, we are bucking trends.”
A legal move for TopicUK After almost two years based at Unity Works, TopicUK has moved to new offices on the Paragon Business Park. “We are delighted to be based within the Chadwick Lawrence offices at Paragon Point,” explained editor Gill Laidler, “and will be working closely with the law firm in Leeds.” The move gives us the use of Chadwick Lawrence meeting rooms across the region, at their offices in Leeds, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield and Morley. “This is brilliant for us to have the support of extra meeting space,” added Gill, "as well as parking at many of the sites.” Chadwick Lawrence are a well respected law firm and we are looking forward to working with them across all of their offices and in particular Leeds, where they will write the law section for TopicUK, extending their partnership from Kirklees/Calderdale.”
See TopicTV PresenterKate Hardcastle's regular consumer blog
the
CUSTOMERWHISPERER
http://thecustomerwhisperer.co.uk/katehardcastle/
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WakefieldUpdate
Luxury door manufacturer enrols help of students Bespoke door manufacturer Deuren has enrolled the help of three design students to develop its next cutting-edge craftsmanship. Three creative young minds from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) were chosen as the winners of a competition set by Deuren’s founder and managing director Ian Chubb. And now the stand-out work will be put into production at Deuren’s West Yorkshire workshop.
cast in bronze. Finally, in third place, Ben Hunter impressed by focusing on the technical composition of a door rather than the aesthetics – his work highlighted the need for adaptable doors that can easily be changed with inlays that update the look and feel of a room.
Ian set the same design parameters he would give to anyone who approaches Deuren with an enquiry – no limits. He was looking for something eye-catching and truly unique for an internal door set.
Both Leigh and Abigail’s work will now come to life when Deuren’s own craftsmen turn the concepts into reality.
The students did not disappoint. In first place 28-year old Leigh Nikita Cain came up with a bold geometric design with sophisticated mali wenge and driftwood vinyl – a modern twist on a traditional piece of furniture. Abigail Bailey came second with a striking aged wood and resin door with twig handle
Commenting on the reason for the competition, Ian said: “We’re constantly encouraging home owners to think differently about door design. So who better to help us do that, than the creative talent of the future. “We were truly shocked by the innovative thinking among these young students. Choosing the winners was incredibly tough.”
Rugby stadium dreams become a reality Castleford Tigers super league team finally have their new stadium and are expecting to move in to the development, known as Five Towns Park, by 2020.. The new development, which was given planning permission in September 2015, cosing £135m, is expected to deliver 2000 jobs and will also include a mixture of retail and leisure facilities. The Tigers have been located at their current stadium ,The Jungle, at Wheldon Road for 90 years. “There has been a lot of work put in to this project,” said Castleford’s chief executive Steve Gill . “The plans were drawn up four years ago and millions of pounds have already been invested. I don’t want to go from our home at The Jungle on Wheldon Road, after all we’ve been here 90 years. We’ve probably got another 30-40 games before we move and we want everybody to enjoy it and soak up the atmosphere, because when we do leave, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.”
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Business Club launch Hemsworth Miners Welfare Community Football Club are launching their new Business Club and LEGACY Community Project. The new trustees all share the same future vision for the club and realise that for the club to continue with the success they currently enjoy, they will have to truly collaborate with everyone in the community. They have set out these long term goals in their new Legacy Community programme. They will create this community spirit, by collaborating with other local junior sports clubs and organisations, charities, schools, businesses, local media and the community at large. Trustees are also looking to further develop the facilities at the MDC Stadium, for the benefit of future generations and everyone in the community. They are also on the lookout for new players to help develop their junior and ladies football sections, whilst also helping young disadvantaged people gain real career opportunities through their new mentoring and coaching programme. The club is also set to launch it’s new Business Club in partnership with media partners, Brand Yorkshire and TopicUK. The launch will take place on May the 9th, at the MDC Stadium. Attendees will be able to hear three knowledgeable and inspirational speakers, whilst gaining some top quality networking opportunities.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER DETAILS OF THE BUSINESS CLUB AND THE LEGACY COMMUNITY PROGRAMME, PLEASE EMAIL RICHARD@CIGROUP.CC
Distinction and examiners prize for MWA Architect Daryl Le-Vine of Martin Walsh Architectural (MWA), one of the region’s leading architectural firms, has been awarded a distinction and the coveted External Examiners Award from Huddersfield University after completing his Masters in Architecture with International Accreditation to become a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Chartered Architect. Daryl, who has spent the last two and a half years combining study with full and part-time employment at the Dewsbury based architects, achieved the examiners accolade for outstanding understanding and experience of the Masters in Architecture course. Having worked through all stages of construction from early feasibility proposals to delivering completed schemes on site, Daryl will now take on new challenges, working on larger schemes and actively engaging with clients to secure new projects for the practice. During his studies Daryl used his work with the Heritage Lottery Funded Townscape Initiative as a basis for his
case study, enhancing his conservation and restoration knowledge which has provided him with additional skills in this specialised sector of construction. Daryl comments: “When you start out on your journey to become an architect you understand that it takes a significant amount of time and effort – not just at university, but fundamentally through hands-on, practical experience. Martin Walsh Architectural has supported me throughout my studies providing invaluable on the job learning, support and mentorship which has enabled me to achieve excellent results and endorsements from Huddersfield University. Matt Robinson, Director at MWA and mentor comments: “From developing drawings to job runner on a wide variety of projects including conversion of historic dwellings, Daryl has embraced every task and opportunity, delivering with ease and passion. “He should be very proud of his success. His hard work and commitment has paid off and we look forward to his continued success with the MWA team.”
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WakefieldUpdate
Benidorm comes to Wakefield Hospice Wakefield Hospice was pleased to hold its annual Ladies Lunch at the Cedar Court Hotel, with special guest Sherrie Hewson and MC Pat Langham. Guests were entertained with tales of Sherrie’s long and varied career with lots of ‘behind the scenes gossip’ from the shows she has appeared on including Loose Women, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Benidorm. In addition to this, Sherrie answered questions posed to her by the hospice supporters as well as taking time to visit every table for photographs and sign autographs. The afternoon was sponsored by local business Glenton Palmer Holidays.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR FUTURE HOSPICE EVENTS PLEASE EMAIL FIONA.DAY@ WAKEFIELDHOSPICE.CO.UK OR CALL 01924 331401.
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St Pierre is raising the bar! The Hotel St Pierre has recently opened its newly refurbished bar, renovated at the end of February. The hotel, set in the heart of Newmillerdam, is delighted with the new modern look and is hoping to continue this modernisation to other parts of the building. At the launch, guests said they were amazed with the make-over and will be visiting the hotel a lot more for drinks and both daytime and evening meals. The colour scheme of mixed blues and black along with the new lighting was specifically chosen to create a relaxing, spacious feel where people can come and enjoy a friendly atmosphere with great service. The bar area also offers new high seating areas, USB ports and charging points for
those looking for a bite to eat while they work. General Manager, Sarah Bolson, says; “We are looking forward to continuing this style in other parts of the hotel in the future and can’t wait to see even more happy guests visiting us for drinks and meals in the bar”. Hotel St Pierre is welcoming guests to come and enjoy the new bar for drinks, meals or even a function any day of the week and are taking bookings on 01924 255596.
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WakefieldUpdate
Did you find Fatimah? Created by British Muslim TV (BMTV), romantic comedy, Finding Fatimah, tells the story of one young Muslim searching for his perfect match. With a failed marriage and a failing business, all Shahid (Danny Ashok) wants is to find someone to lighten his heavy heart and accept him for who he is. He turns to the internet to help him find ‘the one,’ but when push comes to shove, can he really put his heart on the line and tell the truth about his difficult past? This movie, British Muslim TV’s first feature film, was screened across the country during April, premiering in Leicester Square London and in BMTV’s home town of Wakefield on 3 April. TopicUK were lucky enough to be on the guest list, as Penny Appeal, the humanitarian charity founded in Wakefield and who commisioned the film, is TopicUK’s Wakefield charity of the year. The aim of the film was to raise the profile of the work of Penny Appeal and funds for its Orphan Kind Programme. Around the world, orphans face a daily battle to stay alive, they are forced to work instead of attending school and are trapped in poverty. By fundraising, Penny Appeal can help these vulnerable children with hot meals, education, clothing and medical care, all in a safe environment.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE PROGRAMME, VISIT WWW.PENNYAPPEAL.ORG
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Wakefield voted YES! Determined not to let the grass grow under their feet, Wakefield Business Improvement District (BID) team has started work straight away.
make the city a great place to do business and give the local economy a boost.
Following the successful vote which was announced at the end of February where eligible business backed the BID by 63 per cent to 37 per cent a board has been appointed to oversee setting up and running the company.
“For so long business people in the retail, leisure, arts, culture, hospitality and evening economies have stood by frustrated that their voices have not been heard. This will give them that voice, but more significantly the chance to take action.”
David Owens who runs the Wakefield Beer Exchange will be chair with Cormac Hamilton of Trinity Walk, Graham Howarth of Wakefield Busines Centres and Lynne Thompson of Created in Yorkshire making up the team and representing all the sectors. The post of BID Manager has also been advertised. Their appointment should be confirmed in time for a mid May start. The team is also looking for a suitable location for a BID base that will be central and allow all stakeholders easy access. Dave Owens, who lead the successful BID steering group said that the YES vote demonstrated the power of independent businesses who had collaborated with the larger multiples to create a plan that would
“This YES vote gives a stronger voice to independent businesses in the city centre who have been desperate to influence how their immediate environment is promoted and maintained,” he said.
“It says a lot about independent businesses in Wakefield city centre that they are prepared to put their money where their mouth is and pick up the baton to make a difference that will change the face of the whole of Wakefield and benefit everyone. “Our plans will attract more people by making the city centre more attractive, safer and more vibrant but the benefits will ripple across the wider district. They have every reason to be proud of themselves and the business values they demonstrated,” he added. CONTINUAL UPDATES ON THE BID CAN BE VIEWED AT WWW.WAKEFIELDBID.CO.UK OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WAKEFIELDBID.
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WakefieldUpdate
Record year for Red Nose Day at Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk
Colleagues and customers from Sainsbury’s Trinity Walk made their laugh matter for Red Nose Day.
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ainsbury’s colleagues worked hard and enjoyed a record year of fundraising for Red Nose Day. The store sold over £27,000 in merchandise and collected over £2,000 in donations. Fundraising activities at the Trinity Walk store included head and beard shaving, the Red Nose selfie frame, a hamper raffle, Design a Red nose competition, guess how many sweets in the jar, Wakefield to London static bike ride, pool table speed clearance challenge and wearing silly wigs. The stores PR Ambassador Steve Scriven and Online Manager Tracy Baldock also visited the Learinig Zone at Wakefield Trinity RLFC. The kids in the Learning Zone, from Newton Hill Community School, learned a few facts about Comic Relief and received Red Nose Day goodies from the Sainsbury’s team.
Store colleagues also paid a visit to Heighfield Specialist School, in Ossett, to support their coffee morning. Tea, coffee, biscuits and a raffle prize were donated in advance, to support the school in their fundraising efforts. Dee O’Brien, Store Manager said: “Our colleagues love getting involved with Red Nose Day fundraising both in store
and in our local community. We had some great fundraising activities this year which helped us achieve a record year of fundraising for our store” Sainsbury’s has supported Comic Relief since 1999 and has raised more than £100 million for the charity to date, thanks to the support of customers and colleagues alike.
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What season are you? By Gill Laidler - Editor TopicUK It was some time ago that I paid a visit to a House of Colour consultant, who worked with me to find out what ‘season’ I am in terms of the colours that suited me.
The night Vegas came to Wakefield
A fabulous £10,000 was raised for Yorkshire Health Charity who will go on to support smaller charities across the district with the funds.
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Guests enjoyed a three course dinner whilst being entertained by Elvis, Cher and Rat Pack singer, Richard Daniels, before joining in the grand auction for a variety of wonderful prizes and experiences, including a fine dining experience donated by Liam Duffy, chef and proprietor of Iris Restaurant who offered to visit the highest bidders home to cook a private meal for six people, amongst others.
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Showgirls with their plumes of feathers, greeted guests as they arrived for the black tie dinner, at the Cedar Court Hotel, organised to raise much needed funds for charities across the district.
This was followed by the much anticipated grand draw of a diamond, kindly donated by Berrys Jewellers. Guests were presented with envelopes and for just £20 a go, were entered into the draw for the diamond with the offer of a half price setting in either a ring or necklace mount by Berrys. Everyone was a winner too, as each entrant was handed a delightful Berrys commemorative bear.
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Wakefield rolled out the red carpet, putting on the glitz and glamour recently when Las Vegas came to town for the Yorkshire Health Charity annual gala ball.
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For those readers who know me, it will come as no surprise that I am an Autumn, browns, orange, purple and greens, something I pretty much knew before the consultation. Fast forward a few years and I was recently asked to visit a different consultant Harry Purewall who is based in Wakefield. How could I resist and I wanted to find out if I was still an ‘Autumn’! House of Colour provides colour and style analysis for both men and women of all ages. Their Image Consultants receive comprehensive personal stylist training and work with clients in small groups or on an individual basis, depending on preference. They deliver accurate colour analysis to find the colours that harmonise with your natural skin tone, hair and eye colour. They also work
with body architecture and personality to discover your individual style. This will enable you to confidently build a capsule wardrobe to suit your lifestyle and aspirations. When I arrived at Harry’s house, I wondered if I was to go through the same treatment as I had all those years ago of being completely stripped of make up and have my hair taken away from my face and wrapped in a white muslim cloth! Horror to most women, especially when placed in front of a mirror which is in a window in full daylight - I can hear the sympathy cries now from the ladies out there. Fortunately Harry did not inflict this on me as she knew I ‘knew the ropes’ so to speak! A quick chat confirmed that I am indeed still ‘Autumn’ and somewhere between romantic and earthy.
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WakefieldUpdate
Fantastic Media Launch New Blue Apple Training Website Award for Ribbon of Hearts A local creative designer has won a string of awards for her Ribbon of Hearts business. Emma Kitchen who set up her business three years ago, leaving her work in the finance sector, has won a #WOW ‘Championing Working Women’ Award, chosen by Jacqueline Gold CBE. In addition, she also recently won a #QueenOf ‘Memories to Treasure’ and ‘Order of Fabulous’ award, given by The Aqua Design Group in Stockport who founded The Royal Connection. Emma also won a #Smartsocial award for the smart use of social media within business, awarded by @marketme, experts in web and social media. Most recently ‘Business of the Week’ from an Early Years Hour Networking Group. The entrepreneur from
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Wakefield said that her business has gone from strength to strength. “A friend inspired me to start a creative business as I loved designing and making things. I was getting so tired of the financial world and the changes ahead. I’d been there for 8 years, but over 12 years in the industry, so I had to make a big change in order to start enjoying life.” “I love hearts so I decided to focus on wooden heart gifts that I personalise myself to meet a client’s requirements.” And the simple but beautiful designs have been proving popular with the rise of Shabby Chic trends and decor. Emma added: “Business has boomed within a short period of time thanks to winning awards and customer’s sharing their gifts on social media.”
Leeds based training and recruitment company, Blue Apple Training, has selected Fantastic Media as its marketing partners in a business rebrand, complete with web-site redesign. Fantastic Media has worked with the team at Blue Apple Training to refine their brand, clarify their product offering and futureproof the business. Following on from an initial Insight Workshop, the team at Fantastic got to know the business and understand how it had grown rapidly and in recent years. To futureproof the business and create a sense of ‘presence’ in the training and recruitment industry, the team decided that a modernisation of the brand was the best fit. The team have helped by refreshing the existing logo, redesigning the website with a clearer user journey in mind and assisting in the production of the learning materials and redesign of the office collateral in line with the new brand refresh.
Blue Apple Training is a Yorkshire based company that primarily specialises in training within the welfare to work sector, with learning hubs in both Leeds and Huddersfield. The company also helps to recruit learners into suitable programmes of study, with the intention to get individuals back into the working environment with all the required skills to succeed. They firmly believe that ‘every person matters’ and take time to get to know the individuals and their circumstances, in order to offer them the best advice and guidance in their future. Mike Gore, operations director and co-founder of Blue Apple Training said: “We’re very happy with the rebrand and the new website. It is easy to find information on all the services that we offer, and is easy to update with new news stories and online courses. Fantastic Media took the time to get to know our company, and the attention to de-tail has clearly shown in all the work they have produced for us.”
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Getting a good deal for Britain By Natalie Sykes, Regional Director, Institute of Directors
Prime Minister Theresa May has triggered Article 50, marking the start of two years of negotiations to secure a deal for Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Water Compliance Solutions secures placement Water Compliance Solutions is celebrating securing a place on a contractor Framework Agreement to provide water treatment services at the University of York. Established in 2013, Water Compliance Solutions provides a comprehensive service to businesses, institutions and individuals that have a statutory requirement to provide safely managed water systems to their employees and visitors. Based in Birstall, the company has rapidly expanded since their incorporation and now employs a competent skilled team of engineers and assessors covering the entire country. Spokesperson Martin Hillam commented: “It’s always a pleasure for us to work with one of the great educational establishments in Yorkshire.
The university regularly sets a strong example to others on how to effectively maintain and treat their water supplies. Safety of staff, visitors and students is clearly a priority here and that is to be commended. “We’re proud of our close ties with the University of York, and many colleges and schools in the area, and hope to see this continue and grow going forward.” Established in 1963, The University of York is celebrating its’ fifth year of membership of The Russell Group in 2017 and is consistently recognised as a top 20 performing University.
The focus now must be on getting a good deal for Britain, which means the Government listening to businesses on the issues which are important to them. These include maintaining tariff-free trade, keeping customs red tape to a minimum and ensuring that bringing in the necessary skills is not met by too many bureaucratic hurdles. The Institute of Directors (IoD) has outlined the business priorities for the negotiations which are now underway. These include extending the two-year negotiating deadline if a new trading arrangement has not been agreed – businesses do not want to leave the EU without a trade deal agreed. Any trade agreement with the EU should also be implemented evenly across sectors, nations and regions of the UK. The Government also needs to create favourable trade deals with the rest of the world simultaneously with its EU negotiations. The IoD has also stressed to the Government the need to
guarantee that the three million EU citizens living in the UK will be able to stay after Brexit. More than a third of IoD members employ EU nationals and this measure will reduce the ongoing uncertainty for employers and their employees. Businesses across the UK are resilient but in the face of substantial change, the Brexit process must be as smooth as possible. Importantly, the terms of the withdrawal deal and our new trading arrangement must be firmly in place before we leave the EU. We need a good Brexit for Britain. Our prestigious Director of the Year Awards for Yorkshire and the North East take place on 5 July. The winners across eight categories will be announced at a gala dinner at the Principal York Hotel. They will go forward to the national IoD Director of the Year finals. TO BOOK A TABLE AT THE AWARDS, PLEASE CONTACT IOD. YORKSHIRE@IOD.COM
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WakefieldUpdate
Businesswoman with the world at her feet Armed with a set of questions, TopicUK editor recently caught up with Samatha Harvey, founder and Managing Director of One World Travel with offices inYarm and Beverley, to find out a little more about this successful local businesswoman and TopicUK partner.
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Describe the role in no more than 100 words? As Managing Director, I manage the operations of our group, which involves overseeing the management of three branches, as well as leading on strategy and coordinating marketing activities. The role also involves maintaining relationships with suppliers to find the best deals for our customers, the up-side of which is I get to travel a lot myself, both to check out destinations, and to attend travel conferences and evvents. What is it the company does? One World Travel, founded in 2002, is a luxury independent travel company, with decades of professional experience. We are particularly good at creating bespoke itineraries in specialist destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, China and the Far East, Australia and New Zealand, and the USA, Canada and the Caribbean. Our Yarm, Beverley and Wakefield offices, offer a wide range of services, from competitive currency exchange rates to extras such as car hire and travel insurance. We expanded into Yarm in 2013 and Beverley in 2015, and we currently turn over around £30 million. What does your role involve? On a day-to-day basis the immediate part of my job is overseeing our sales and customer service operations. I visit all three of our branches each week and work alongside the manager and staff. In retail, it is important to experience for yourself what it is like at the coal face, so your team see the standards you expect and your customers feel valued. This also means I get to see lots of the friends I’ve made over the years, many of whom I met in the early days of the business when it was just me working there. Give us a brief timeline of your career so far – where did you start, how did you move on? I was born in Shenyang in North East
China. I studied English Literature at university then began working as a travel agent after I graduated. I met my husband Nigel when he visited China with his work..
putting people in charge of large parts of your business.
Nigel and I married and moved to Yorkshire in 1995. I studied for a master’s degree in political economy at the University of Leeds, where I also lectured in Cantonese.
I tend not to get stressed. It might be an old-fashioned attitude, but I just get on with it. When I do need to relax I generally go swimming, or ride my bike; in May I will be completing a charity cycle from the North to the South of Israel
I started the business as Asia Pacific Travel in 2002, which was an interesting time to say the least. Confidence in travelling was low due to the 9-11 attacks, the Iraq war and the Indian ocean Tsunami. We later changed the name of the company to One World Travel. What do you believe makes a great leader? You have two ears but just one mouth, so a leader should listen twice as much as they talk. It is really important for leaders and people who aspire to lead that they listen to the views of the people they expect to follow them. You don’t have to take all the advice on board, but you’d be a fool not to listen. In the same sense, the ability to communicate is vital, if you can’t accurately communicate your vision to people, you shouldn’t be surprised if their results disappoint you. What has been your biggest challenge in your current position? The earliest days of the business were tough. Travel is a competitive market and getting people through the door is essential. At one point I even had a sign in the window offering to teach people how to play Chinese Chess. Businesses have growing pains too. Scaling up and opening more branches was difficult, especially when you get to the point where you need to start delegating serious responsibility and
How do you alleviate the stress that comes with your job?
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was six or seven, I remember my uncle laughing at me for saying I wanted to be an ambassador. In such a closed society this would have been impossible, although I knew what I was and what I wanted to do. In a way in was inevitable that I ended up in a job that let me travel the world. Any pet hates in the workplace? What do you do about them? I suppose my biggest complaint is with 24 hour news alerts. We have to keep an eye on current events, but they can distract an entire office more than once a day, even ones that aren’t relevant. Where do you see the company in five years’ time? I would like to see us grow from being a small regional chain to having five more branches. In the age of the internet people think that going online is the best way to book travel, but more and more people are opting for the personal touch and the protection that professional travel agents offer. What advice would you give to an aspiring business leader? Retail business has simple principles. If you can keep your customers loyal, find good staff and keep a tight control of your costs then you’re on the right track. Small retail businesses must be community based both in position and ethos.
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WakefieldUpdate
Just Balance for women On Friday 23 June, the Just Balance conference, in association with Croft Myl, will be taking place at The Moorlands Inn, Halifax boasting an incredible line up of speakers, an extensive marketplace and hundreds of women in business attending from across the UK.
EXCLUSIVEOFFER For readers only
For women, balancing just comes naturally. From organising the household, the children, your social life, to running a business women just do it and this is what inspired organisers to call the conference 'Just Balance'. Speakers at the conference will include, Judith Wright, CEO of a the successful marketing agency, Wright Angle Marketing, Deborah Ogden, a nationally respected speaker on Positive Impact and Presence, Nicky Pattinson, who built her own business turnover to £2M within a year, and Cheryl Chapman, author of Find Your Why To Become Frickin’ Awesome. Our headline speaker, is Debra Searle MVO MBE, who confounded the odds by rowing singlehandedly across the Atlantic and has continued to test herself and push the limits ever since. The day will start at 8:30am with registration, coffee and networking, with the morning session starting at 9:30am.
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Use coupon code TOPIC when booking at L4NUK.com/Just-balance
Throughout the day, attendees will be inspired, motivated and given the tools and knowledge to help develop and grow their business. The conference will close at 6:30pm with the option to stay for a couple of post-conference drinks. There will also be a marketplace where enterprising ladies can showcase their products and services whilst also giving attendees a chance to do a little bit of shopping. Just Balance is open to all women in business, providing the perfect
opportunity to bring together business women from across the UK to connect, build relationships and get a fresh perspective on business topics – it’s not one to miss. Tickets for the conference are available from the L4N UK website. A limited number of VIP tickets are also available with a host of additional benefits including lunch with the speakers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, HEAD OVER TO WWW.L4NUK.COM.
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WakefieldUpdate 18 March - 18 June 2017 Disobedient Bodies installation photography Lewis Ronald
DISOBEDIENT BODIES:
JW ANDERSON CURATES THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD fashion photographers working today’. Hawkesworth worked in the gallery with 123 Yorkshire school children wearing fashion pieces by designers including Issey Miyake and Vivienne Westwood.
This edition, TopicUK features a major exhibition at The Hepworth that sees Jonathan Anderson, one of the world’s most innovative contemporary fashion designers, exploring the human form in art, fashion and design.
Anderson has collaborated with Tom Emerson and Stephanie Macdonald of 6a architects to present this exhibition, which unfolds across the galleries, offering a series of contrasting experiences for you to explore.
Dior Day Dress
A personal selection of sculptures are on display, alongside notable fashion pieces and objects of craft and design, investigating the way the human form has been reconceived by artists and designers across the 20th and 21st centuries. The selection is shaped by Anderson’s long-standing passion for modern art (from the mid-20th century) and the underlying questions of gender that have been posed by his own fashion collections at JW Anderson.
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Figurative sculptures by artists including Jean Arp, Louise Bourgeois, Lynn Chadwick, Naum Gabo, Barbara Hepworth, Sarah Lucas, Henry Moore, Magali Reus and Dorothea Tanning are in direct dialogue with fashion pieces by designers such as Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garçons, Helmut Lang and Issey Miyake. The exhibition also features a new series of photographs by Jamie Hawkesworth who Dazed magazine describe as ‘one of the most visionary
DISOBEDIENT BODIES EXHIBITION CATALOGUE This beautifully produced catalogue brings together all of the pieces of sculpture, fashion photography and art that are on display in the exhibition. Featuring New Eyes on the Establishment, an essay by Sarah Mower and an interview with Jonathan Anderson. Buy online for £30 or in the gallery shop for the special exhibition price of £25 LIMITED EDITION £550 An edition of 20 unique framed pieces by contemporary fashion designer Jonathan Anderson, generously gifted to the gallery to coincide with Disobedient Bodies. The works explore the human form in art and fashion, combining Anderson’s signature use of knitted fabric with pierced views to the human body.
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MORE ABOUT JW ANDERSON Jonathan Anderson was born in Northern Ireland in 1984 and studied menswear at the London College of Fashion. He established his label JW Anderson in 2008 with a menswear collection. In 2010 he launched a capsule collection for women, quickly achieving critical acclaim and commercial success. He is regarded as one of London’s most forward thinking brands, with a unique design aesthetic that offers a modern interpretation of masculinity and femininity. In 2013 investment by LVMH Moet Hennessy further cemented
JW Anderson’s status as a rising, new generation brand. In the same year Jonathan was appointed Creative Director of Loewe and works on both brands in tandem. Jonathan has evolved into an internationally renowned and award-winning brand. Awards include British Fashion Award for ‘Emerging Talent, Ready-to-Wear’ (2012), ‘The New Establishment Award’ (2013) and ‘Menswear Designer of the Year’ (2014). He was also the first designer to win both womenswear and menswear designer in the same year at the British Fashion Awards (2015).
Image: Disobedient Bodies: JW Anderson curates The Hepworth Wakefield installation view.
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FirstStepsDayNursery Building a Foundation for the Future
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A festival of ideas By Murray Edwards Arts and Business Consultant Wakefield I was saddened to see recently that Faceless Arts as a company has had to cease operations in the face of funding cuts from both the Arts Council and Wakefield Council.
When Tadcaster was devastated by floods-Faceless arts created a lantern parade when the bridge was rebuilt.
Faceless have been working from their base in Wakefield for 25 years and have made a significant contribution to the development of creative activity, not only in Wakefield but around the country. The fact that they are unable continue as a company clearly demonstrates the need to review how we invest in developing creativity. In my view, it is inescapable that creative activity holds the key to the future prosperity of this country, Brexit or no Brexit! Our businesses, our communities and our public services are being asked to re-invent themselves to face the challenges of the future. Artists are now of even greater value than they’ve ever been, but we seem to be unable to accept that investment in people’s creative development is just as valuable, if not more valuable, than other areas of importance.
I read daily of how cuts in funding to schools is resulting in the loss of creative practitioners; that creative subjects are no longer considered important in terms of career choices, and yet nothing could be further from the truth. Public, private and voluntary sector organisations are crying out for inventive people – people who can help them to re-think their strategies. Innovation is already working successfully for some, but this is becoming more and more important, just as we’re reducing the resources available to invest in this work. I was interested to read recently about the Bristol Cultural Development Partnership, itself 25 years old this year. In 2004, they established the Bristol Festival of Ideas, to stimulate more debate in the city and to celebrate the work of great writers, commentators and thinkers in and outside the city. As a city, Bristol always strikes me as an exemplar of how best to harness what the arts has to offer – to use this for both economic and social development – and of course “ideas” hold the key to this. At the same time, it’s impossible to ignore the atmosphere of change and rebellion that is pervading much of our discussion and current debate. Brexit, Donald Trump in the US, Russian aggression in the East and more generally the changes a foot in Cuba and Latin America are all symptoms
of an apparently increasing belief that there needs to be a new world order. Amongst all of this, new ideas and the development of innovative approaches to change hold the key to ensuring that stability is maintained and that people are encouraged to make their contributions to their own development as well as those of others who may be less able to do so for themselves. The fourth industrial revolution (the rise of robots) is gaining momentum and this will have far reaching impacts on future employment patterns. The recent decline in voting and voter loyalty, and the political rebellions that signify dissatisfaction with the established norms will affect almost everyone, in ways that we can already recognise but cannot currently assess where they may lead. Amongst all this, cultural development and the investment that goes with it should be recognised as being an essential element in establishing our future direction; stimulating the wide-ranging debate that is essential if everyone is to feel part of the new order and thus ensure that we are all engaged in helping to make that happen. In many respects, Bristol is leading the way and reaping the benefits. I would like to see Wakefield building on its creative energy, re-defining itself (separately from Leeds) and accepting that supporting what it has and encouraging growth in the cultural sector will ultimately provide a payback, many times greater than the initial investment. How about a Festival of Ideas for Wakefield? Is this such a silly idea? I think not.
FOR FULL DETAILS, THE REPORT CAN BE DOWNLOADED AT WWW. CREATIVEINDUSTRIESFEDERATION.COM.
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WakefieldUpdate
Pop Up North BISTRO@PIT Asparagus Green are delighted to introduce a brand new event, in association with Pop Up North, to be hosted at The National Coal Mining Museum for England.
have put together a superb menu based on a Yorkshire theme. We will be focusing on impressing our guest from the minute they arrive. The café will take on a new bistro look for the evening for guests to sit back and appreciate the fine tastes of this amazing Yorkshire Menu. For all you lovers of fine dining – this is one not to be missed!”
Founder of Pop Up North and Master Chef Quarter Finalist Chris Hale joins Head Chef Murray Twigg for “A Fine Taste of Yorkshire”. Pop Up North Bistro @ Pit will be a unique opportunity to sample fine dining based on the best of locally sourced Yorkshire produce. Set in a beautiful rural location, with stunning views across the valley it’s the perfect setting for the menu theme. The Museum's café will be transformed into a Bistro style set up to create the perfect ambience.
Guests will enjoy delicious canapés on arrival and a glass of fizz followed by a sumptuous 5 course fine dining experience.
POP UP NORTH - BISTRO @ PIT THE NATIONAL COAL MINING MUSEUM FOR
Anthony Hegney, Director at Asparagus Green said: “We are very excited to be working with Chris and Pop Up North on this brand new event. Chris is an amazing Chef and he and our Head Chef Murray
ENGLAND – FRIDAY 2 JUNE 2017 ARRIVAL 7.00PM TO MAKE A RESERVATION, CALL THE EVENTS TEAM ON: 01924 844583 OR BOOK DIRECT ON LINE AT: WWW.ASPARAGUSGREENCATERING.COM/EVENTS
Meeting rooms, conference rooms, event and office space Whether you’re looking for a large meeting room to seat 30, a smaller informal meeting space for two or simply an office to work from - head to West Yorkshire Business Hive. Situated in Morley, Leeds we are close to all major motorways with free on-site parking.
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WakefieldUpdate Information Technology
It’s about making the right choices By Paul Heigham - Director of Bellingham IT
Do you ever feel confused by the choice of software available for business? Then you’re not alone. Everyday seems to see a new programme being launched. But how do you work out what will help and what will hinder your business growth? Our resident IT expert, Paul Heigham of Bellingham IT signposts the way to clearer options. You’re running a successful business but everyday someone sends you details of a new type of software that promises to help you run it more efficiently. They impress you with words and phrases that include 'cost effective', 'value for money', 'user friendly' and 'easy access'. But what do they all mean and how will they actually help you be good at what you do? Probably the first thing to consider is what information or reports you need your software to provide. Ask the team what information they need on a timely basis and then list these in priority order. Take the top three and use these as your reference guide when working out the pros and cons of each system. Bellingham IT has vast experience of the types of issues businesses need to resolve. We can point you in the direction of the most appropriate solutions for your issues. Secondly, the pricing: and I don’t just
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mean the overall cost. Times have changed from when software was sold as a one off license. Today you are just as likely to be sold a monthly subscription with options to upgrade as your business grows. This offers flexibility with budgetary certainty. There will also be options depending on how many users you have and whether or not they all have access to all the features.
Next, what features do you need from your software? Do you want it to allow workers to communicate with remote colleagues? Is it important people can work offline then upload later? List your preferred options then make a list of ‘must-haves’ and then ‘nice-to-haves’. Limit your ‘must-haves’ to a maximum of five, while your ‘nice-to-haves’ can be broader. Bellingham IT can advise and help inform your lists with details of all possible options.
each product against your ‘must-have’ list. It should tick all the boxes. Finally take a trial run. You would test drive a new car and your software could end up costing you as much. It is an investment. Reputable software providers will offer a free trial period. A month is a good period to find out what works and what doesn’t. Bellingham IT has access to a vast range of software and can organise trial periods and help you and your team monitor their performance against your needs.
Choosing software can make or break your organisation and we want to help you get the best option for your business. Give us a call on 01924 253205 or email: paul@bellinghamit.co.uk.
What are your team’s functional needs? Ask them to score your ‘must-have’ and ‘nice-to-have’ lists so that they feel part of the decision making process - it will boost your employee engagement and also build in resilience to the system up front. They can also add in features you may not have thought of. With this collated information make a list of all the systems that are available. Restrict the list to four or five to make your choice more focused and easier. Score
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Domestic Abuse by Karen Dawson-Senior Environmental Health Officer Anyone can experience domestic abuse and the statistics are always shocking: one in four women and one in six men suffer domestic abuse after the age of 16. Two women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner. Domestic abuse is not just an issue for the police; employers can play an important role alongside other agencies when dealing with abuse and violence. “Violence against women by their partners costs the economy $12.6bn a year – or close to 1% of GDP, according to PwC” For some victims of domestic abuse, work is the only safe place. So all employers in businesses large and small, whether in the public or private sector, should be encouraged to create safe spaces at work where staff suffering domestic abuse can seek the support they need. What is domestic abuse? There is a nationally recognised definition of domestic abuse which is used by the majority of organisations and across government departments. “Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: • • • • •
psychological physical sexual financial emotional
Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. “Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and
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intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.” This definition, which is not a legal definition, includes so called 'honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group. Home Office March 2013 Domestic abuse can be described as a pattern of abusive behaviours which are used against someone in order to gain power, control and compliance. Anyone can experience domestic abuse, any age, social background, education level, working or unemployed, any ethnic background, married, single, same sex partnerships, any level of physical ability, with or without children – anyone. Abuse can take many forms including: • Physical – a person may be attacked, beaten, subject to restraint and punishment, denied food and water, slapped, punched, burned, left in unsafe places – any act which physically harms or potentially hurts someone • Control – a victim may find they are unable to make their own decisions about what they wear, where they go, who they can talk to and what they do with their time. They may be under constant surveillance monitored via social media and mobile devices. Coercive control can be totally overwhelming for the victim • Emotional and psychological - this tactic of abuse is designed to make someone feel and think differently about themselves. Constant criticism and put downs, name calling, lying, manipulation all result in a
victim losing confidence, self-esteem and self-worth • Sexual abuse – may include rape, sexual degradation, control of contraception, unsafe sexual practices, forced pornography, unwanted distribution of sexual pictures or video • Financial abuse – stealing money, not allowing a victim access to the money, accumulation of debt in victims name, fraud and deception, making the victim beg from money or having a restrictive allowance • ‘Honour’ Based Abuse – All the tactics of abuse may be used against a victim of ‘honour’ based violence and abuse. This occurs when a family, community or person believes that honour has been lost and must be regained through controlling someone’s freedom. These are examples of some of the most common types of abuse; it is not comprehensive as victims of domestic abuse experience a wide range of behaviours designed to take control of their lives. Everyone’s experience will be different, unique and require individual support. Is this relevant to our business? Because domestic abuse is so common there is little doubt that some members of your workforce will be experiencing violence and abuse. Apart from this being an awful thing to go through for the individual, it can also have a negative impact on your business and service provision. The impact may be: • Employee lateness • Physical and emotional exhaustion • Absenteeism • Poor work performance • Behavioural change • Constant personal phone calls, stalking and harassment • Distress of employee, crying and a state of upset • Lack of confidence, low self esteem It is estimated that 75% of domestic abuse victims are targeted at work, with the
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abuser knowing where the victim is likely to be and using this information to apply tactics of abuse. Can our business do anything to help? Absolutely! There is free training available to help you offer appropriate support to any of your staff members who may be experiencing or in fact perpetrating domestic abuse. For further information on courses please contact atomlinsonsimpson@wakefield.gov.uk. Wakefield Council have a ‘Guidance and support on Domestic Abuse for Managers and Employee’s’ which we are happy to provide a copy of for you to adapt and replicate. We can give you support around this, please contact sfawcett@wakefield. gov.uk. What sort of things might help? You may want to consider some of the following steps to ensure your workforce is supported around issues of domestic abuse • Make leaflets, posters and flyers about specialist domestic abuse services available • Consider placing this information in toilets or private areas • Think about flexible working for staff who may be having problems, which may allow them to meet with specialists, attend Court, look for new housing etc. • Consider appropriate use of sick leave, reduced hours, time in lieu, unpaid leave which may make a difficult time much more manageable for a victim of abuse. The aim of any managerial support is to maximise the safety, health and wellbeing of your staff whilst protecting economic considerations.
Women in technology Daria Nitsche, 34, and Sophie Mei Lan, 28, are best friends as well as co-owners of Evoke Media Group. Evoke’s production guru Daria, who is based in Sheffield but hails from Germany, trained in film and media and has since worked for the likes of NetFlix, Wrigley’s and large feature films. Sophie, also from Sheffield but based in Wakefield, focuses on researching, interviewing and PR, using her skills as a multi-award-winning journalist to create dynamic campaigns and corporate videos for their clients. She said: “It made perfect sense for Daria and I to create a business together as we compliment one another’s skills. We’re really passionate about using films and technology to help promote our clients. “We work with a large pool of people and many are surprised to see a woman behind the camera as well as in front. But we’re very proud of the fact that we offer top-quality packages and we just happen to be women in technology.”
people wanting to learn basic skills for themselves. Daria, who has an MA in film, said: “A lot of businesses want to produce content in house but they don’t have the basic skills to do so. So we provide training sessions for staff to get to grips with the basics of film-making and also blogging.” Sophie added: “During my time working as a broadcast journalist at the BBC, I discovered how important it was for me to be able to work a camera and editing software as well as being able to present and report. And it’s not all just corporate and social media videos, the multi-award-winning duo also deliver workshops for people and businesses who want to get to grips with filming, editing, content writing, PR and social media marketing.
The pair have recently added another string to their bow by offering a range of filming, blogging and PR workshops for
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BEAUTIFUL RANGE OF FULLY SERVICED OFFICES
I N WA K E F I E L D Wakefield Business Centres provide quality serviced offices in centres of Wakefield and Ossett. All offer a range of office suites either furnished, unfurnished, hot desks or virtual, with a friendly unrivalled service and tailor made packages to suit all. Safe gated car parking with CCTV is available and all three buildings are close to major transport links. Excellent meeting room and conference facilities are offered, and the offices in Wakefield are situated 300m from Wakefield Westgate train station with services to London in less than 2 hours, and 5 minutes walk away from Wakefield centre.
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Tel: +44 (0) 1924 580959 - Email: info@wakefieldbusinesscentres.com - Web: www.wakefieldbusinesscentres.com
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Getting jiggy with Josie at Qubana By Gill Laidler- Editor TopicUK
Qubana restaurant on Wood Street has caused a bit of a stir it seems, with a scramble to reserve a table at this beautiful new restaurant with a Cuban theme. TopicUK editor Gill Laidler, decided to give it a try when she caught up with Victoria Clapham, marketing director at Made TV, who many in Wakefield will remember as former marketing manager from the Ridings Shopping Centre. “I didn’t realise that Kevin Trickett, TopicUK restaurant reviewer, had already paid them a visit, to report back on his dining experience to our readers. See the full review on page 36. Judging by the number of people in the restaurant on that occasion and the visits I have paid since, I think by the time the review is published, many will have experienced this fabulous new bar restaurant. I met with Victoria, less formerly known as Vicky on a busy Saturday lunchtime, to find out what she had been up to since leaving Wakefield. On arrivial, I was shown to the table, a very comfortable booth by Craig. Vicky was already there and perusing the extensive menu. Craig took our drinks order a house red and a house white and left us to settle in for our catch up. Where does the time go, Vicky joined made TV in October 2014. “When I joined there were just four stations, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff and Tyne & Wear. This has now increased to eight,” Vicky explained, “with openings in Birmingham, Liverpool, Teeside and North Wales. This has meant our staff has doubled to 150 and there are plans to double again by the end of the year. Birmingham alone is enjoying up to one million regular viewers.”Very soon, Craig was back with our drinks, asking if we
were ready to order. We both decided that at lunchtime we wouldn’t manage three courses and as we both had our eye on the same dessert, opted to miss the starter, although all looked delicious and go straight for the main course. Vicky ordered the Halumi salad with sweet potato fries, whilst I went for the house burger with salad and fries. Getting back into our conversation, Vicky was keen to share with me a new show being produced by Made TV, Getting Jiggy with Josie! Host, Josie Gibson is a former
star of Big Brother and a recent contestant on Channel4’s series of ‘The Jump’. The six-part series will air weekly, unveiling a contemporary twist to dating, blending a unique mix of Cilla-esque blindfolds and intrigue with probing questions about the lives and loves of each contestant. Vicky was also excited about the second Leeds Lifestyle Awards taking place again at the end of the year. Craig soon returned with our main courses and I have to say that I wouldn’t normally choose a burger, but it really was amazing, cooked to perfection with a surprise topping of a rasher of bacon. Vicky was thrilled with her choice, saying she would definitely order again. Returning to our conversation, it was clear that Vicky is loving her role, although she did say that she missed Wakefield and had already paid a visit to The Ridings before lunch. Time for dessert and as we both wanted the same dessert, we decided to share profiteroles with a salted caramel sauce. These however were not the traditional profiterole, they had a rather unique baked quality, firm in the centre. Accompanied by coffee, as I wasn’t driving and celebrating my birthday, I decided to try the salted caramel stoli espresso martini, which is now my most favourite drink ever - I will be returning very soon! Prices are set very reasonable and the menu is extensive, especially the tapas menu, set at £9 for three. With Cuban music and a wonderful atmosphere I can understand why Qubana is proving very popular. I for one can’t wait to try out the new roof terrace this summer. TO RESERVE A TABLE CALL: 01924 299000. 1-3 WOOD ST, WAKEFIELD WF1 2EL
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RestaurantReview
Havana a good time at Qubana! By Kevin Trickett - President of Wakefield Civic Society Images - Andrew Matheson
I’m going to begin this review, if you’ll indulge me, with a short history lesson...
The banking firm of Leatham, Tew and Co was originally established in Doncaster and Pontefract in 1801. In 1809, the bank acquired premises in Wakefield when it took over the failing Wakefield firm of Ingram, Kennett and Ingram (at 67 Westgate) and opened a branch on the corner of Wood Street and Silver Street. In 1880, the bank commissioned the building of imposing new premises, designed for them by Leeds architects J Neill and Son. This new building, still on the Wood Street site, opened to customers in 1881. It’s actually two buildings: look at the Wood Street elevation and you’ll notice the main banking hall to the left and then a smaller, ‘mini-me’ version to the right. This smaller building was designed
as residential accommodation for the bank manager! (You’ll also notice the dates 1809 and 1881 inscribed above the windows.) Leatham, Tew and Co continued in existence as an independent bank until their merger with Barclays Bank in 1906. The premises on the corner of Wood Street remained in use as a bank until Barclays moved to Trinity Walk in 2011, ending a banking tradition on the site that had endured for over two centuries. When one of the city’s grand old buildings falls empty, one can only wonder what fate will befall it. When a business as important as a major bank moves out, there is inevitably a knock-on impact for neighbouring properties, and I suspect that many businesses in and around the Wood Street area noticed the drop in footfall when Barclays moved away. So it was with some considerable relief that we saw plans being submitted last year to bring this landmark building back into use as a restaurant (with flats above) and to help breathe new life into the street. Those of you who dine out in Wakefield may already be familiar with Qubana, a restaurant that has traded with considerable success from its Northgate premises for several years now. The
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re-location to Wood Street has enabled owner Matthew Burton and his partner Jenny Thompson to develop their ideas to create a smart and very stylish bar and restaurant that is sure to be a major draw for anyone looking for a lively and glamorous evening out in the city. As the photographs show, having bought the building, the new owners have gone to considerable lengths and not inconsiderable expense (around £1M) to renovate the interior of the former banking hall. High ceilings and a mix of new and retained plasterwork, exposed brickwork, chandeliers, comfortable
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their ingredients are sourced as locally as possible before being treated ‘with all the know-how of a Catalonian’! I can certainly vouch for the quality of the food. My two dining companions and I enjoyed a mix of tapas and main course dishes – I’m told that the chicken Jambalaya with King Prawns was especially good. As regular readers would expect, I sampled a selection of the vegetarian tapas and found that four or five dishes between two of us was more than adequate, allowing plenty of room for dessert (and just as well I did – the Turron Cheesecake I ordered was light but very filling!).
seating, some of it in high-backed booths, and lots and lots of pictures add touches of elegance while a spacious bar area and open kitchen give the place a vibrant atmosphere. There’s also a new rear entrance onto George and Crown Yard and an open air roof-top terrace on the first floor, La Terraza, with its own bar.
Tapas dishes start at just £3.50 while main course dishes range from £12 to £17 – a little more if you want one of the grilled steaks. I was the designated driver for the evening so contented myself with a soft drink but large glasses of white and rosé wine were consumed by my fellow diners. Maybe next time I’ll get to try something more exotic from the extensive drinks menu which includes draught and bottled beers, wines, cocktails, gins, rums and, of course, Daiquiris and Mojitos.
The food is a mix of Cuban/South American and European tapas – the Qubana website says they take ‘the sensual Latin flair of Cuba and combine it with the hearty, honest flavours of Spain to create dishes that perfectly fuse these two cultures’. It also says that all
Presentation and service could not be faulted. Although we were there on a Tuesday evening, perhaps one of the quieter nights in Wakefield, the restaurant was busy with a steady stream of customers and the staff were kept fully occupied. (I’m told that there are some 40
staff currently employed by the restaurant under the overall managership of Gareth Quinn and more are being recruited. I didn’t get to meet Gareth but assistant managers Craig Cizic and Faye Capitano made sure that my party and I were looked after.) The restaurant opens at 10.00 am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when a ‘brunch’ menu of light snacks is available until 12 noon when the lunchtime menu (served from 12 until 5) takes over, offering a mix of sandwiches, wraps and tapas dishes. On other days, Monday to Thursday, the restaurant opens at noon. It stays open until 10 pm except for Fridays and Saturdays when it is open until 11 pm. You can see the full menus on the website. Watch out for special live music nights and, if you are a party of up to 10 looking for something special, ask about the The Vault, a private dining room which, as its name suggests, is inside the former bank’s vault. Whatever time you visit, if my evening there is anything to go by, you’ll be sure to be Havana good time at Qubana! Qubana, 1-3 Wood Street, Wakefield, WF1 2EL
WEBSITE: WWW.QUBANA.CO.UK TELEPHONE: 01924 299000 FOLLOW KEVIN TRICKETT ON TWITTER @MRTRICKETT
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LegalMatters Each issue Ramsdens Solicitors, share with our readers information to keep us all within the law. If you have a legal question, or need to know about a particular subject, email editor@topicuk.co.uk
The case for No Fault Divorce Following the decision in Owens v Owens interim research findings have been published exploring how current divorce law works in practice. The research highlights the need for reform of divorce law in England and Wales. The project, Finding Fault, explores how the current law on the ground for divorce and civil partnership dissolution operates in practice and to inform debate about whether the law should be reformed and if so, how. The study addresses three main areas: How the current law works in practice during the process of filing a petition. In particular, what impact fault based petitions have and do they accurately reflect the real reasons for breakdown of the marriage. Consideration of the ‘duty of the court to enquire, so far as it reasonably can, into the facts alleged’ has this simply become an administrative process? Is there a desire and need for law reform, and if so, how? The key interim findings of the research are: The majority of divorces are based on ‘fault’, ie blaming one spouse for the marriage breakdown. Using fault (adultery or behaviour) means the divorce can take as little as 3 months, instead of a wait of at least 2 years through the two years separation. Helen Thewlis, Head of Family at Ramsdens
0800 988 3650 www.ramsdens.co.uk text LAW to 67777
Divorce petitions are not necessarily accurate records of who or what caused the breakdown of the marriage. Petitions can be watered down so as to stop unnecessary upset and confrontation or alternatively can simply represent one parties view as to why the divorce has broken down. The court cannot test whether allegations are
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true or not and petitions are taken at face value. The threshold for unreasonable behaviour petitions appears to be lower than thirty years ago. Very few petitions appear to be rejected on substantive legal grounds, whether ‘true’ or not. Fault can create or exacerbate conflict. This can affect negotiations about children or finances where the law expects parties to work together. In reality, there is already divorce by consent or ‘on demand’ So far, there is no evidence from the study that the current law does protect marriage. Reform of the divorce law is long overdue. A single system of notification of intent to divorce would be clearer, more honest and neutral between petitioner and respondent. The interim report concludes: ‘This is a timely opportunity for law reform so that divorce is based solely on irretrievable breakdown after notification by one or both spouses.’ Helen Thewlis, Head of Family at Ramsdens comments: “It is clear from this report that there will be further scrutiny and consideration of the case for No Fault divorce over the coming months which we will follow with great interest. At Ramsdens we are accredited members of Resolution, expert family law specialists. If you feel you need our help and advice then please do not hesitate to contact one of our expert family lawyers at any of our 12 offices.
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Is it time to dust off your old Will With Summer Time now upon us, blossoms on the trees, spring lambs soon to be born, annual spring cleaning - spring symbolises, for many, new beginnings and a fresh start. If you are embarking on the annual spring clean or are just simply making plans for the (hopefully) beautiful spring and summer weather - have you thought about reviewing your old Will? Veronica Mullins, Partner in Ramsdens Private Client team comments: “We recommend that you dust of your old Will for a review around every five years. It may be that nothing has changed and that you can simply allow
your Will to continue to gather dust at the back of your cupboard for another five years! Alternatively, however, things may have changed considerably and it may be time to make an appointment to make a Will which reflects your current circumstances.”
according to the intestacy laws at the time of your death. Ultimately, this could mean that your Estate passes to someone who you would not wish for it to pass to.
Why is it important to make a Will? • Your “Will” is just that - it allows you to decide to whom you would wish your sole assets to go to after you have died. • If you don’t have a Will then you will pass away “Intestate.” This means that your Estate will be administered
Veronica Mullins Veronica is a Solicitor and Partner who deals with all aspects of Private Client work including Wills and Powers of Attorney and Trust and Estate Administration.
How to keep your home move moving The only thing more stressful than buying a house is getting divorced. That’s according to a survey last year by Which? Mortgage Advisers, which found that seven out of ten described it as a nerve wracking experience. However, by keeping organised, you can make the process much more straightforward. Keep your documents in one place There is a lot of paperwork that accompanies a property transaction, from the mortgage documentation to the various searches you need to carry out with Land Registry. It’s a really good idea to keep all of those documents in one place, for example in a binder - that way if any issues arise or you need to check something quickly, you’ll know exactly where to find them. Write everything down It can be really useful to make a note of each conversation with the various people you deal with in the transaction, and write down exactly what is due when.
For example, you might have a section in your binder devoted to correspondence with your solicitor. If they tell you that a number of searches are due on a certain day, then note that down. You can then chase them up if you don’t hear from them on that day. Keep a calendar In fact, why not use a calendar, so that you can keep track of what needs to happen on each day? You could do this all digitally if you prefer. Book a removals firm early If you are going to be using a removals firm, then it’s important you book them up nice and early. That means you can focus on everything else. Make an inventory It can be really useful to make an inventory of your various possessions, so that you ensure that none of your items go missing during the move. Don’t panic about delays...
Inevitably, things won’t go entirely to plan. If you’re part of a large chain, then it’s very easy for issues further up the chain to translate into delays for your purchase. For example, while some local authorities will complete searches within a couple of days, others may take much longer. It can be very easy to let delays get under your skin, but don’t panic. Delays are perfectly normal! …but feel free to chase things up That said, don’t worry about calling up your estate agent or solicitor for regular updates on how things are progressing. A regular catch up every couple of days can go a long way, keeping you on top of what’s happening. Be flexible Even if you are the most organised person around, a house purchase can throw all sorts of unexpected hurdles your way. It’s important to be flexible and keep calm. To make sure your home move runs smoothly, our efficient and knowledgeable conveyancing department at Ramsdens is here to help.
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WakefieldUpdate
for all your legal needs call your local solicitors Ramsdens ZLWK RĴFHV DFURVV :HVW Yorkshire we’re never too far away
#knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens
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Building a high performing team Do you find that you have members of your team that are not performing at the level you would want them to, are not always acting in the right way or you cannot seem to attract the right talent?
By Gary King Managing Director of Tendo
I
f you are, I’ll bet that you are not trained in recruitment and are using CVs and an interview as the basis for bringing in new people. For most of us, staff is the single biggest cost that we incur, so getting the best out of our teams is imperative. A bad hire can easily cost 20-30 times
their annual salary in lost opportunity; a cost that many SMEs can ill afford. As a small business, the first decision you have to make is whether to recruit people to employ or find good contractors to deliver what you need. Recruiting staff on the payroll increases your overheads and presents issues around where they sit and providing equipment as well as commitments to holiday pay, sick pay and training. Using external people can be more expensive but you can usually get a trained expert on a pay-as-you-go basis with lower risk. If recruiting for staff to join your team on the payroll, consider the following four questions and how you ensure you get the right answers: 1. Will they do the job – do they have the right attitude? 2. Will they fit in – are their values aligned to those of your business? 3. Will they stay – are you providing the
right environment for development and delivery? 4. Can they do the job – do they have the basic technical skills to deliver or do they need some training? If you undertake a rigorous process, recruiting a good team member should take four to six months. Any quicker than this and the chances are you are cutting corners – or got very lucky. If you find that you have doubts over a member of staff delivering (I am sick of hearing that probationary periods are being extended) then you must act fast and get rid of them. Remember: hire slowly, fire quickly! If you are struggling with building the right team, hiring the right talent or exiting poor performers, give Gary a call on 0113 897 0900 to discuss how he could help with your talent strategy. TO QUICKLY DIAGNOSE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN YOUR BUSINESS AND SEE INSTANTLY WHERE TO FOCUS FIRST, TAKE TENDO’S FIVEMINUTE BUSINESS SUCCESS TEST HERE HTTP:// BUSINESSGROWTHINDICATOR.COM/
Local Firm helps communities in Africa
Local foodservice provider, Bidfood’s, joined forces with ethical water supplier, One Water, to raise funds for projects building and repairing water pumps in Africa. Employees at the Wakefield site ran a series of fundraising and promotional activities in the lead up to and during World Water Day on 22 March. Activities
included a sponsored 'wear blue day', weekly football card and One Water’s 5L Challenge. Fundraising will also continue to run throughout May with employees taking part in a sponsored walk from London to Brighton on 27h – 28 May. As part of One Water’s 5L Challenge, employees were tasked with using just five litres of water over the course of 24 hours. This included for all their drinking, cooking and washing needs – an everyday task for millions of people around the world without access to clean water. A stark difference from the 150 litres of water an average person in the UK uses per day. Speaking about the 5L Challenge, Tristan
Dale, Stock Control Clerk said: “It was far from easy. In fact, a lot harder than myself and my colleagues had anticipated, however, it was really worth it and opened our eyes to how important water is. “It’s been a privilege to raise funds for the One Foundation and I would encourage others to test themselves and take on the challenge. You’ll think twice before wasting water afterwards!” Bidfood’s 22 depots across the UK took part in various promotional and fundraising activities including 150 participants in World Water Day, so far raising over £9,500 towards the worthy cause. Fundraising activities will continue during the next few months.
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WakefieldUpdate
Partners in Ad:Venture! Wakefield Council has gained funding to become a partner in an exciting new business support programme Ad:Venture.
Cara Brundle
Ad:Venture will support new and young businesses across the Leeds City Region to grow at a faster and stronger rate.
for Business Link Yorkshire, Cara gained significant experience in economic development and business support.
A range of partners have worked collaboratively to design and fund this innovative new programme, which will enable entrepreneurs, startups and ambitious SMEs under 3 years old showing high growth potential grow in capability, credibility and confidence.
She is committed to business improvement and service excellence, and is very excited to be joining the Wakefield First team.
In order to create the best possible opportunities for growth and new jobs in Wakefield - in addition to this core programme - Wakefield First has recruited two exciting new roles, which will focus on developing key growth sectors across the district. Jim Farmery
Cara Brundle, Sector Development Manager Business and Professional Services Cara’s career features roles involving change leadership, business improvement and new service development in a variety of sectors - from large and medium sized private companies to charities. Working as Head of Strategy and Development
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Cara commented :“I’m delighted to be working with professional service businesses in Wakefield. This is a rare opportunity to develop a programme of support that will provide what local businesses really want, and will in turn create more and better jobs for local people.” Jim Farmery, Sector Development Manager Digital and Creative Industries Jim leads on a development programme for Wakefield Council focused on growing the number of creative & technology businesses in Wakefield with emphasis on key strategic sites in the Civic Quarter of Wakefield, Rutland Mills and the partnership with Tileyard Studios as well as Production Park in South Kirkby. Jim’s previous role was Director of Business Investment of Creative England, a £10m
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The Green Paper and Ackworth School national programme investing in creative businesses working in TV, film, games and digital media across the country.
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, recently warned in her Green Paper on Education, that she wished to amend Charity Commission guidance for independent schools ‘…to enact a tougher test on the amount of public benefit required to maintain charitable status’.
Jim commented:‘’We are currently running FutureStart: a series of workshops for first time tech startups from across the Leeds city region. This free lab will run one night a week over four weeks in Wakefield. These startups will receive practical advice and 1-2-1 mentoring from experienced mentors, including Emma Cheshire, the Co-Founder of Dotforge. The aim is to provide a range of resources, enabling the entrepreneur to validate their ideas, define their MVP, and build a plan to acquire their first customers, create a pitch and discover various ways of financing their business. We are also in the process of developing an exciting new programme, tailored to the needs of the business and professional services sector.’’ If you would like more information on this or to be involved with AD:Venture, whether you’re a startup, entrepreneur or you are an established businesses under 3 years old then please do get in touch. Contact: Business and professional service businesses Cara Brundle, Sector Development Manager, Tel: 07557813264, email: cbrundle@wakefield.gov.uk Digital and creative businesses Jim Farmery, Sector Development Manager, Tel: 01924305819 or Mob tel: 07770678274, email: jfarmery@wakefield.gov.uk
The Prime Minister went as far as to tell small independent schools exactly what she expected from them, and I will share this with you. Smaller independent schools would be asked to provide direct school-toschool support where appropriate. This could include supporting teaching in minority subjects such as further maths or classics, which state schools often struggle to make viable. It could include ensuring that members of our SMT become directors of multiacademy trusts; provide greater access to our facilities and provide sixth-form scholarships. Of course this is only a Green Paper and there is likely to be resistance to this in both Houses; however, Ackworth School has never waited to be directed. I want our school to be proactive. I know that schools can make a powerful difference to social mobility. I am already a trustee of a local academy and I can see at first hand the confusion legislation has caused, as well as the advances it has allowed. I am also aware of the budgetary restraints and the rigours as well as advantages of Ofsted. Ackworth School is working closely with BECSLink, an organisation which aims to provide opportunities for our
students as well as those who attend local primary and secondary schools. BECSlink are helping us to engage with our community and with national and international corporations. They have useful links and sufficient know how to help us make a difference. We need advice and help from our many parents who work in businesses in West Yorkshire or further afield who can help us to make a difference. Please let me know if you can help us.
Table tennis update Over the weekend of 19th and 20th of November 2016, the table tennis academy players travelled to Grantham to compete in the junior 4* event. Ruby produced some excellent performances over the weekend to take the girls’ under 13 title and under 18 band 1 title. Reece also walked away with the title of under 18 band 1 winner. Shayan played well to reach the semi-finals in the under 18 event losing to the eventual winner. Future boarder and academy player Jamie Liu took the under 13 boys’ title dropping just one game on the way, as well as losing out in the final of the under 15 boys’ singles. Chris Parker - Table Tennis Coach
Supported by the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund Programme
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WakefieldUpdate
India a beautiful jewel
By Samantha HARVEY Managing Director One World Travel Group
It’s no surprise India attracted more than 8 million visitors in 2016. It’s colourful, loud and vibrant; a total assault on the senses – but in the best way possible. deceased wife, and also to enshrine her remains. It took 17 years and 20,000 men to build. The red sandstone Agra Fort, while often overlooked, is equally as captivating and well worth seeing whilst staying here.
With a population of over 1.3 billion, it’s the seventh-largest country on the planet, so you may be surprised to discover that so much of its rich cultural heritage can be found within a relatively small area in the northwest. The cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur form an area commonly known as “The Golden Triangle” – delivering those who visit an insight into what makes India such a unique global destination. From the Birla Temple, which is made out of 2,000 tons of pure Rajasthani white marble, to the ‘India Gate’ – Delhi’s equivalent of the Arc de Triomphe, the new city has been built rapidly over the last 100 years thanks to the developing economy. The old city however is where it gets exciting: travel through the narrow streets on a rickshaw, passing vibrant food markets where you’ll be met by the scent of fresh naan breads baking in tandoor ovens, and chai wallahs brewing their
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sweet tea. The regal Red Fort of the old town is beautiful; giving you a glimpse into the opulence in which the former rulers once lived. Agra may only be a small city – however it delivers something extra special: The Taj Mahal. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, this white marble palace was built by the heartbroken Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a monument of love to his
Jaipur is often referred to as the ‘Pink City’ due to the colour of the buildings – originally painted to emulate the red sandstone architecture of the ancient Mughal cities. The Hawa Mahal, with its many tiny windows, often draws a crowd – one of the most significant landmarks and unique palaces of both the city and India itself. Jaipur is perfect for the shopaholic, with plenty of markets and stalls selling everything from clay ovenware to fabrics, spices and jewellery. Your last cultural stop should be the Amber Fort – another stunning palace located just over 6 miles from the city.
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TopicTapas grows stronger and stronger ESS MAGAZIN SIN ES BU
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Early February saw the second event take place at the National Coal Mining Museum for England and it certainly didn’t disapppoint with a huge number of businesses turning up.
all six planned events over the year, they will have the opportunity to apply for the profits of the event. Don’t worry though if you are new to what will be our third event in March, there is a way you can still apply for the funds.”
“TopicTapas is unique,” explained group editor Gill Laidler. “We wanted to create an event where everyone attending could potentially meet everyone else in the room, but in a relaxed informal way, over delicious food. In addition, for businesses who attend
The next event takes place at the Mining Museum on Thursday 23rd March, from 12 noon to 2pm. To reserve a place check out the Mining Museum website or for further information, email: editor@topicuk.co.uk
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5th May at The National Coal Mining Museum for Yorkshire to reserve your place please visit http://asparagusgreencatering. co.uk/event/topic-tapas/
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May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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Bondholders reaching new heights It seems like only last month that Wakefield Bondholders proudly signed-up its 100th member, yet today this private sector initiative, which was created to accelerate the growth of the Wakefield district by branding, marketing and promoting it to a national and international audience, is exceeding 150. As more and more businesses recognise the importance of showcasing the district as a great place to visit, live and invest, they also appreciate the impact that Bondholders can have on sharing this message with a wider audience. Experiencing growth at an accelerated pace, Wakefield Bondholders is helping to create a real buzz around and about the district. Adrian Spawforth, Bondholder Chair comments: “There are great things happening within our region, and it all stems from the fact that we are all fiercely proud of the Wakefield District and have the ambition and drive to create a more successful environment for business, residents and stakeholders. “At Wakefield Bondholders we bring together individuals that share this ambition and drive. But, it’s not just Wakefield Bondholders working in isolation; look at the success of the Wakefield Bid and Wakefield’s Cultural Consortium that was recently awarded funding from the Arts Council England’s Cultural Destinations initiative. Through collaboration and shared passion, we are and will continue to make a real difference that will benefit the Wakefield District.” The Wakefield Bondholders steering group recently welcomed Jenny Layfield, General Manager of Nostell National Trust and one of the founding members
of Wakefield’s Cultural Consortium, to its steering group. Representing culture and tourism, Jenny will also chair this important sub group, which will bring together bondholders that support and promote the districts ‘must visit’ offering. Bondholder subgroups are new for 2017. Regularly bringing together members who have the experience and expertise of working in a specific sector, these sub groups will help to inform how each one is represented as part of Wakefield Bondholders promotional plans. Strengthening the Bondholder brand locally, the Wakefield Wallpaper continues to be integral to the groups recruitment drive. In the coming weeks Bondholders will be taking to the big screen at Trinity Walk to reinforce Wakefield’s visit, live and invest message.
recently showcased Wakefield’s Why Invest message at MIPIM; and, through Wakefield Bondholders m2r, members were showcased at the British Schools Middle East (BSME) Head Teachers, Conference and Exhibition in Bahrain. Wakefield First Friday also continues to be instrumental in supporting the groups growth and engagement plans, through offering quality networking with high profile speakers. In February, in association with Cognitiv, Bondholders welcomed Christine Bellamy, Head of Business Operations at the BBC. Presenting to more than 120 business representatives, Christine put the spotlight on the BBC supply chain and the opportunities that this presented for local business. FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT WAKEFIELD BONDHOLDERS, BECOMING A MEMBER AND UP AND COMING EVENTS PLEASE VISIT
Internationally, Wakefield Bondholders
WWW.WAKEFIELDBONDHOLDERS.COM
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You can never go wrong with black By Farah Yaktine -Fashion Consultant
It’s hard not to be a fan of the colour black. It’s as versatile as a colour can get. Think about it. Black goes with everything, black looks good on all skin tones and hair colours, black is slimming, black gives you an instant chic and elegant allure and last but most certainly not least, black makes your life so much easier in the morning when you are half asleep deciding what to wear to work. However, some people might protest and say that black is too monotonous, boring, sad and one-dimensional. Well this is where we come in. Here is your guide on how to wear all black to work without looking if you are headed to a funeral. Here are a few simple yet crucial guidelines to keep in mind whilst implementing to yourself the all-black dress code. 1) In order to avoid making your outfit look to boring, play with textures, fabric and pattern and vary them. Stray away from an all-black outfit all in cotton for instance. Try to enhance the volume, shapes and create some sort of diversity to your attire. 2) Given that black is slimming, pay special attention to the fit. If you are looking for something super fitted, get a size smaller, or focus on your waist. Let your all-black outfit flatter you. However, if you prefer a looser outfit, always make
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sure to balance it out. Either the upper part of your body should be loose or the lower. You do not want to look like an inflated black balloon. There’s no problem with loose fits, just style your garments appropriately in order for them to flatter you rather than make you look shapeless and dull. Keep in mind, the fit is key. 3) Fabric is important too, and must be chosen according to the season. Do not wear linen when it’s pouring rain and the temperature has hit one digit. For winter, go for cashmere and wool which will give more depth and elegance to your outfit. If it’s spring or summer, silk and linen will make the heat more tolerable and make your outfit breezier yet still professional. 4) Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! When you add a piece of jewellery to your outfit, it instantly makes it less boring and more eye-catching. It could be anything, earrings, a ring, a bracelet, a statement necklace or even a broche. Accessories are one of the easiest to turn
your all-black mundane outfit into a winner work attire. 5) Heels are also another very effective shortcut that takes your all-black outfit from zero to a hundred. Go for classy stilettos that are super chic and elegant yet sexy. Perfect if you have a rendezvous straight after work and have no time to change. So here you have it ladies, five simple steps to turn around your all-black outfit. Black will always be the new black, you just have to know how to style it. Black suggest consistency, coherence, professionalism, elegance and class. And this is what you as a working person would want to reflect – with style of course.
Follow the above guidelines to ensure that you are representing the best version possible of yourself to the office environment and whoever crosses your path that day.
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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Start-up Yorkshire Film Makers enter first Feature Film to The Cannes Film Festival Visualize Films, a start-up television and film production company from Huddersfield, have teamed up with multi award winning playwrite John Godber to turn one of his stage plays into a feature film. John Danbury and Daniel Coll launched Visualize films just a year ago and have already produced a 10 part television series set in and around Ireland which stars former Coronation Street actor, Charlie Lawson. John said “It has been an insane year, Danny and I went to a TV forum in Cannes and we picked up a commission to make our first program, as soon as that went into edit we went into pre-production of the feature film.” Daniel is no stranger to film having picked up a best director award for his “Tragedy of Macbeth” in LA a few years ago and has been in discussion with John Godber for some time before the launch of the company with regard to making this film.
Walker to enable us to do it.” Danbury continued: “One of the things that has amazed us is the support from people in the industry who have joined us on this project and given time and resources, mainly for nothing. We had 15 crew, 50 actors, 150 extras, 22 locations and just 24 days to film the whole thing so wouldn’t have been able to do that without the dedication and hard work of everyone concerned” John Godber is a name that is synonymous with the East riding of Yorkshire after the playwrite spent over 20 years creating one of the most well respected regional theatres in the country, Hull Truck. He has written much for TV with hundreds of episodes of well-known programmes under his belt including Brookside and Grange Hill. He also wrote and directed the film adaptation of his award winning play “Up n Under” as well as winning two BAFTAs for his TV Film “The Odd Squad”. The film “Last Laugh” is set in Hull and Whitby and follows the life of Martin Dawson, played by native Yorkshire Actor and national theatre star, Nick Figgis,
who is on the brink of a career and life breakdown. We see natural comedy derived from the everyday situations he is in as he spends an ill-fated weekend away with his parents played by real life husband and wife John Godber and Jane Thornton. The story is, at its core, about family and love and also features 80’s pop music icon Toyah Willcox in a supporting role. “Last Laugh” was shot on location all over Yorkshire but mainly in and around Hull and Whitby with some days hidden in a secret location in the North Yorkshire Moors. The entrepreneurial pair now plan a three film deal with Godber to bring some of his best known work to the screen, as well as a documentary based on the playwright himself and a second and third series of the TV travel show and are currently seeking investment.
“We have had our trials and tribulations over the first year like any start up business and have basically run the first year on nothing, no outside investment in the company and working full time on no income is not a good thing for your sanity, but we have a focus and the projects at least gathered small investment to enable them to be made, even if we are yet to be paid.” said Daniel. Daniel said “John Godber and I had tried unsuccessfully to get funding for the project two years ago. Then JD and I started Visualize Films and have been lucky to gain the financial backing from a distributor and a couple of local businesses including Wakefield based, Sir Rodney
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RecruitmentUpdate WakefieldUpdate
How important is a Positive Working Environment? Aside from the job itself, one factor that significantly influences how our staff feel about work is the environment. A positive work environment makes employees feel good about coming to work, and this provides the motivation to sustain them throughout the day. In the last edition, I wrote about ‘office relationships’ and the pitfalls/ consequences which follow romance in the workplace, but how can we actively promote a positive environment? I feel there are five steps all companies should try to take:Transparent and Open Communication - In essence, a transparent and open form of communication addresses the employee’s need to feel that what they have to say has value. It is what makes employees feel that they belong in the organisation. Work then becomes meaningful because the employees know that what they contribute affects the organisation as a whole. Work-Life Balance - There has to be some sort of balance between work and personal life. In general, having that sense of balance will improve job satisfaction among employees because they will feel that they’re not overlooking the other areas of their lives that are, if not more, important to them than work.
Each edition, Sainsburys Trinity Walk kindly donate two bottles of wine and some nibbles for one of our readers to try. Sampling those delights this issue is Gareth Glendinning from St James Place. It isn’t very often I get a bottle of wine and some nibbles and get asked to write about it, but that is exactly what happened. commonly used ten years ago could be made obsolete today. Adapting to change is never more crucial in this era because those who don’t, get replaced. This applies to both the individual and the organisation itself. Recognition for Hard Work – not just rewards, but positive reinforcement makes such a difference - When hard work is appropriately rewarded and duly recognised by the management, employees will naturally feel valued by the organisation for their efforts. Such mentality is healthy for the company because employees will be willing to go the extra mile without worrying about not getting anything in return.
Padthaway Shiraz is an Australian red that declares on the label that it is a full-bodied red with juicy black plum, blackberry and cocoa. While I don’t claim to have a pallet that fully appreciates all the subtleties of the flavours this is one bottle of wine that really surprised me. It was smooth and rich on its own and I could imagine it being very good indeed with a nice red meat dish – a great steak for example. And at just £6, I will most definitely be enjoying this wine again.
I enjoyed the wine with a nice fresh plate of antipasti which included stuffed halkidiki olives – some stuffed with feta and some with red pepper. I love olives and can eat them every day, but I usually avoid the stuffed variety. Strong Team Spirit – this is so valuable These have changed my mind. in bad times and good times, create that ‘band of brothers’ mentality to really The feta stuffing provided a light succeed. creamy-ness and the red pepper I firmly believe that if you follow these five steps, your staff and your company will ‘truly take over the world’!
Training & Development - In a time when change is more rampant than ever before, it is necessary for everyone to be keep abreast with the changes and train their employees accordingly. For instance, technology is evolving By Andy TURNER Managing Director - First Choice Recruitment so rapidly that what organisations
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Taste the Difference with Sainsburys
provided a fresh fruity flavour. Both are marinated in olive oil and have a subtle chili flavour. With sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts these were fantastic and great value at £3.15 for a 285g jar. Finally, I sampled a Cotes du Rhone White full of floral aromas, combined with ripe rich flavours and spicy vanilla notes. This French wine is perfect with chicken and a very respectable £7.00 per bottle.
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Get yourself Summer ready Now the lighter nights are here and the weather is brightening up, its time to prepare our bodies for the summer fast approaching. We are all guilty of not looking after ourselves over the winter months; cracked heels, unshaven legs, unpainted toes etc. So what do we do to get our bodies summer ready?
Top tips from Liz Firth who runs Tu Es Belle Spa at the St Pierre Hotel, Wakefield. • Get your pedicure booked. Have the lovely foot soak, all hard skin removed and preened and painted ready for the pretty sandals coming out of the wardrobe. Or do it yourself at home; buy a lovely foot cream (my favourite soap and glory 'heel genius') and start to massage every night using a foot file to take off the hard skin.
• Looking pasty? Slightly corned beefy legs? Why not try a gradual tan? Use every day to brighten the skin and give that stunning golden glow. There are a few fabulous ones out there for all budgets; St Tropez sell a lovely one to use in the shower and priced at around £12.50 it’s a great buy. My personal favourite is Decleor 'Gradual Glow'. It is more expensive, but it does last a lot longer and is a hydrating body lotion all in one.
• Due to the winter damage done to our skin, you need to ensure we look after it during the sunnier days. Always use an SPF, even on cloudy days. We can still burn when the sun isn’t out. We are all obsessed with not looking older; so protect the one area that ages so quickly, your face. Use a minimum SPF 15 and keep reapplying during the day. I am a lover of the once a day Ultrasun, once applied in the morning it gives you all day protection.
• Drink plenty of water. Hydrated skin is better skin and it’s easy to become parched during the summer months. Dehydration results in dry skin, frown lines, spots, a sluggish complexion and a major lack of glow. Have a fantastic summer !
LIZ, TU ES BELLE SPA, ST PIERRE, BEST WESTERN HOTEL, NEWMILLERDAM. 07889 730630 OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK
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WakefieldUpdate
what they achieve,” he explained.
TopicUK joins forces to create a better image
“I specialise in capturing special events, portraits, and interiors, for businesses and individuals, and right now the successes in Wakefield is providing me with some great subjects. With incredible events, stunning new bars and restaurants, and people that are thriving with enthusiasm, there are plenty of occasions that need professionally capturing and sharing with the world!
TopicUK is always looking for ways to make your magazine look better and more appealing to read and one of the things that enables us to do this is good images. However, as we publish as much business community news as we can, this means using images sent in by our readers, which are not always of the best quality. So we are delighted to announce that Wakefield based professional freelance photographer Andy Matheson has agreed to join us to photograph our covers and feature articles. “It is incredible to see the major
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developments and events planned for Wakefield in the coming months. As a photographer I find myself working with a whole array of businesses from across the city, gaining a unique insight into the to raw hard-work that goes off behind-thescenes, and having the pleasure to capture
“Being approached by TopicUK to be their official photographer is incredibly exciting as it allows me to be part of sharing the great stories of inspirational people and businesses that are found right here, in our local community,” Andy concluded. Do you have something that needs capturing? Contact Andy to discuss your requirements: Email: hello@andy-matheson.com Website: www.andy-matheson.com
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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MAGAZINE FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, APPRENTICES AND STUDENTS
tomorrow Sponsored by
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Wakefield College on expedition
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West End performance
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Ackworth School wins five titles
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WakefieldUpdate
Wakefield College students go on an expedition… Health and Social Care students from Wakefield College recently spent a morning on Mars, exploring the Great Barrier Reef and visiting Buckingham Palace all in the comfort of their classroom. The College teamed up with Google Expeditions recently to give students the opportunity to try on new virtual reality headsets giving them unique insight into areas of interest from across the world and beyond. Health and Social Care
lecturer, Beverley Caunt organised the visit by the tech giant having successfully secured a spot through the Google Pioneer Program. The College beat off competition from a host of other schools and colleges in the Yorkshire region after submitting a bid to secure the full day visit. Commenting on the experience, Beverley said: “This was an amazing opportunity for all our learners as it gave them the opportunity to learn in a whole new immersive style. The feedback I received from the lecturers and learners was extremely positive. Tools such
as virtual reality headsets are transforming teaching and learning and it was great to see Wakefield College being amongst the first to try them out.” The headsets have over 1,000 destinations to choose from and range from the Great Wall of China and the surface of Mars to inside the human body and colourful coral reefs.
‘Expeditions’ are tailored to the subjects studied by student groups. Each expedition allowed a lecturer to act as ‘guide’ leading students as ‘explorers’ through a collection of panoramic images and 3D models whilst pointing out interesting sights along the way. Pictured: Students trying out the virtual reality headsets.
College visit to Drax power station extensive process of generating electricity and supplying it across the UK.
Electricity is in the heart of everything that we do. It powers our homes, our businesses, our computers, phones and tablets; but how many of us can say we really know how it’s generated? Drax power station kindly opened its doors to 27 Level 2 Electrical Installation learners from Wakefield College recently. The trip consisted of a very informative tour of the power station, showing students the
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Drax generates 7% to 8% of the UK’s electricity, and to do this, they have to operate on a massive scale, which students experienced at first-hand. The professional tour guides took the learners to see the six boilers situated at Drax, each as high as a 15-storey office block, a main chimney taller than the London Eye, and over 1,800 miles of steel tubing, enough to stretch from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again. The students got a huge buzz from the scale of the operation and were keen to learn about the newest biomass technology, which is cutting Drax’s carbon footprint by a whopping 80%.
Piotr Szatkowski, a Wakefield College Learning Support Assistant said “The trip to Drax was extremely beneficial to our Electrical Installation students for many reasons; it’s really important for the learners to understand the principals of generating electricity and supplying it to homes and businesses across the UK.” Kevin Mincher, lecturer in construction, said “Our Electrical Installation students study the principles of electrical science and electrical installations technology within their course material, so seeing these in action at a working power station can only encourage and inspire our learners to continue to work hard.”
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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Performing Arts students get a masterclass from West End star… Performing Arts students from the University Centre at Wakefield College were in the esteemed company of West End star Julia Worsely recently when she lead an interactive masterclass and took part in an open question and answer session at the Mechanics’ Theatre, Wakefield.
Opera, Les Miserables, Oliver, Evita, The Bill, Footballers Wives, Doctors and Holby City. Performing Arts lecturer Paul DaleVickers said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Julia to the College. The students found it hugely inspiring spending time with someone who has been there and done it. Julia offered some incredibly insightful guidance on how to develop and sustain a career in musical theatre. The students were visibly impressed and inspired, her visit generated such an incredible buzz and the students were enthusiastic - an incredible industry visit.”
Julia has an impressive list of credits to her name on both stage and screen having worked alongside the likes of Madonna, Antonio Banderes, Anne Hathaway, Gerard Butler and Hugh Jackman. Her list of credits in film, TV and stage include The Phantom of the
Mechanics’ Performing Arts offers a wide range of courses for those interested in pursuing a career in the arts. For more information, please contact the College Course Information team on 01924 789111.
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Topic Tomorrow
WakefieldUpdate
Ackworth School wins five national titles in one week! The school is now the All-England Under 15 Boys and Under 19 Boys Squash Champions, and Under 15 Girls Squash Trophy Champions. In Table Tennis Ackworth has just won both the Under 16 Boys and Under 16 Girls National Championships! “These are remarkable achievements for a small Boarding and Day School and
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speak volumes for the dedication of our students and staff ”, said Head Anton Maree. “In the Squash tournament the Under 15 Boys team, having won their competition, then competed in the Under 19 section and won it! One member of our team is aged 11! I must acknowledge the support of the Pontefract Squash Club in preparing our students for the tournament.
“Our Table Tennis success can be put down to the 18 hours per week of training the students receive from Matjaz Sercer, one of the top coaches in Europe. We are working hard to further develop Table Tennis in the area by providing free equipment and coaching to twelve of our local primary schools. We hope to continue to produce more champions,” Anton concluded.
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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WakefieldUpdate
Wakefield Civic Society announces its 2017 Design Awards By Kevin Trickett - President of Wakefield Civic Society
Despite a low number of nominations, Wakefield Civic Society’s design panel of judges found that it was quality that trumped quantity when the Society presented its annual Design Awards at an event held in Wakefield Town Hall on 20th April. Despite a low number of nominations, Wakefield Civic Society’s design panel of judges found that it was quality that trumped quantity when the Society presented its annual Design Awards at an event held in Wakefield Town Hall on 20th April. As usual, nominations were considered in five categories and, while not every category provided a winner, the judges were impressed by some interesting and laudable schemes. In the new build category, the new West Yorkshire History Centre in Lower Kirkgate received a commendation. The judges recognised that this was a building of very modern design where function was just as important as appearance. In effect, the building is a temperature controlled
box designed to store archive documents in secure conditions while providing access for historians and members of the public to study records in the ground floor visitor area. As it is built on the flood plain for the River Calder, it was necessary to give prominence to the protection of the archival collection so this is held on the first and second floors to ensure that, in the unlikely event of a flood, the records would be safe. In the refurbishment category, owners of the new Qubana Restaurant at 1-3 Wood Street were presented with an award for the refurbishment of the former Barclays Bank building. This had been very well carried out, preserving, refurbishing and even enhancing many of the original architectural features of the banking hall. A new entrance on George and Crown Yard and restrained signage on the external façade had all helped to convince the judges that this should be an award winner. A second award was presented for 10 Kilby Street, a private house which had been completely transformed, turning a fairly modest detached house into something which made a strong design statement. (As for Qubana, the architect was Neil Bowen.)
West Yorkshire History Centre
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In the shop fronts category, there was
Wakefield Cathedral
one award and one commendation. The award went to Urban Quarter on Cross Square, a male grooming parlour that had recently re-located from its Wood Street premises. The property, part of the Woodhead Investments portfolio, had been given an eye-catching new look and classic design theme, carried over from the Wood Street shop. And just across the road at 14 Cross Square, Black Craft Custom Tattoos shop was given a commendation both for its restrained signage scheme but also its smart reception area which, by virtue of the plate glass windows, was clearly visibly from the street and, through choice of
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Black Craft
Urban Quarter
There were no awards made in the residential category (for developments of six units or more), a category that often fails to offer any winners.
At the Society’s Awards evening held at Wakefield Town Hall on 20th April, not one but two Restaurant of the Year Awards were presented to local establishments. The first of these went to José’s Tapas Restaurant in Cross Street and the second one was presented to Create Café at Wakefield One.
Finally, the judges made a special award to Wakefield Cathedral. Back in 2014, the Society had made an award for the work done to remodel the nave of the Cathedral. Since then, more work had been done to complete the restoration and cleaning of the building’s interior, this time around the choir and the east end of the church. While there was less new design in this second phase the judges felt that the work had been carried out to a high standard and was such a significant project that it was worthy of recognition by way of a special award. materials, picked up on the colours and fabric of the street it overlooked. Another award was presented to The Establishment on the Bank Street corner of Unity House in the bar/restaurant frontage category. This former night club entrance had been transformed by the new bar. Removal of opaque vinyls on the glass had opened up the bar area so that it was possible to see in from the street. Again, restrained signage and a colour scheme selected to complement work done elsewhere within the Unity Works refurbishment convinced the judges that this was worthy of the award.
Civic Society president Kevin Trickett offered his congratulations to all the winners and hoped that their success would inspire other property owners in and around the city to go that extra mile when thinking about the importance of good design, whether it be for a new property or for the refurbishment of an older building. The judges were Angie de Courcy Bower, Roger Brown, Elizabeth Motley, Graham Roberts and Peter Taylor. Wakefield Civic Society’s Restaurant of the Year Award for 2016
The award is now presented each year to one of the restaurants visited by the Society’s monthly Dining Club members. After each meal, members score their experience and the award is presented to the establishment scoring the highest overall mark. In 2016, two establishments tied for top place. At José’s, the Dining Club had enjoyed a very enjoyable evening where they had taken over the whole restaurant for the evening and had been offered a sampling menu of the dishes on offer by proprietors José and Sophia Escribano. At Create Café, manager Shaun Mounsey and his team had offered members a cocktail master class before serving a three course meal. Society president Kevin Trickett said “In both cases, it was the overall experience that members had rated so highly; everything from the quality of the food and service to the value for money and the friendliness and general atmosphere created by the staff.”
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Barclays eldUpdate Banking Advice for Business Wakefi
Family businesses your questions answered Keith Waddington, Barclays Business Manager
non-family businesses, they enjoy a greater turnover per member of staff, implying a more productive workforce. • What are the pros and cons of keeping my business in the family? Family business owners say that they prefer to, or do, employ other family members – twice as many as non-family business owners. Where this is the case, they say that this is because family members of staff are more trustworthy and reliable. They are also perceived to display a greater degree of loyalty to the business. In addition, family business owners believe that family members are easier to get on with and have a better understanding of the business. On the flip side, many family businesses would rather not have family members as staff. When asked the reasons why not, owner-managers of family firms believe that relatives are more difficult to manage and having them on board causes more general problems for the family or the business.
Barclays answers some of the most common questions posed by family business owners. • Are the rules totally different for family businesses than for traditional SMEs? No. Family businesses certainly have to confront all of the challenges that normally face SMEs. But in addition, they also have to deal with the changing nature of their family and how this affects the development of their enterprise, especially on issues such as succession planning. • What is succession planning? When looking ahead to retirement, business owners are undecided about what will happen to their business. Many believe it is too early to be thinking about retirement, but this may well be something that needs thinking about sooner rather than later. Family members need to look at their children
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and ask themselves, do they really want to be part of the business, are they ready to take on the responsibility, and do they have the right experience? • I want to retire, but my children are loath to take over the reins of my business at present. Should I consider bringing in outside management? Quite possibly. Owning a family business doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t bring in staff or managers who follow your aspirations and may also bring fresh ideas and the drive to help you succeed. In the long term, this could stop family members feeling forced into taking on roles before they are ready to accept the responsibility that comes with them – enabling them to gain wider life and business experience before deciding on their chosen career path.
• Are there any other ways that I can plan for the future success of my business? Absolutely. Barclays research has shown that businesses which have developed a formal business plan are likely to have a higher survival rate than those who do not. Yet many small businesses do not have a business plan, or even see the need for one. • What is a business plan? Your business plan should provide you with a blueprint for the operation of your business and help you monitor progress against your objectives. It is very much a document for you and your business and should not be produced merely for the benefit of a third party, in conjunction, perhaps with a request to raise finance.
• Can a family business be profitable? On average whilst family businesses operate with less full-time employees and fewer part-time employees than
May 2017 - Wakefield & district Edition
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Advanced Skills & Innovation Centre – the new hub of high-level skills in the region
Opening 2017! The new Centre will transform high-level skills training in the District. Not only will it become the new hub of our University Centre at Wakefield College, bringing modern teaching and learning facilities for our students, it will also become a focal point in the District for innovation and entrepreneurship, allowing enterprising students and local start-up businesses to bring their business ideas to life.
businessschool at ZDNHíHOGcollege
Working in partnership with nationally recognised professional bodies, our Business School at Wakefield College will help train the business leaders of tomorrow. So whether you have a passion for accountancy, management, personnel, legal services, procurement, or leadership, our Business School could be your ticket to success.
ASIC Engineering Centre Students will benefit from learning in our superb new engineering centre. The centre will provide opportunities to study higher-level courses developed with leading industry employers, including Coca-Cola Enterprises and BOSCH. This allows our students to learn the relevant skills and knowledge to progress into industry, and have a head start in their careers.
With the creative and digital industries identified as key growth areas locally, our creative and digital industry students will benefit from high quality facilities and collaboration with local businesses to nurture the talent of the future and help to fill the regional skills gap.
Nationally, the Creative & Digital industries contribute
6%
of GDP and employ over
2 million people
‘We expect our future growth to come from increasing demand for and investment in areas including engineering, finance & business services, transport & logistics, and creative & digital’ Leeds City Region Skills Plan, 2013-2015
Supported by
This project has received investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.
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Manufacturing a new digital presence Fantastic Media is proud to launch a brand new website for International educational technology specialists, Denford Limited. After creating a number of websites for the Denford education programmes; F1 in Schools STEM Challenge and the Land Rover 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge, Denford enlisted Fantastic to help deliver a new web presence for the parent company.
A British manufacturer, with a worldwide reputation for quality and technological excellence, Denford Limited has established itself as a leading provider of machinery and software for CAD and CAM products, primarily in the education sector.
The brief was to showcase Denford’s specialist product portfolio and communicate its projects and services to current and potential clients. The end result is a customer facing website which delivers an outstanding user experience with clear call to actions. Customer feedback has been superb so far and the business has already seen an uplift in enquiries. Andrew Denford, Chief Executive of Denford Limited, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Fantastic Media on the Denford website project. “At a time of rapid technological advances, schools are constantly searching for new and affordable technologies and materials to allow students to investigate, practically, how and why products work – teaching them the knowledge and skills needed to turn their creativity into functional ‘real life’ products. It is important that our website reflects this and I believe the design and functionality certainly achieves this.” Beth Saville, Account Manager at Fantastic Media, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Denford and are extremely pleased with the result of the new website. Working in the creative sector, we understand the importance of giving young people the chance to develop their skills in the creative, STEM and digital industries; Denford do a fantastic job of delivering opportunities for young people to do this around the world. The new site makes the products and services that help them do this accessible to schools and teachers, as well as communication how to get involved with the educational programmes we’ve had the privilege of working on including F1 in Schools STEM Challenge and the 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge.”
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Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Biscuit provides a complete IT service and flexible office IT solutions for businesses and organisations throughout the UK.
Our IT Solutions services support your team in thinking about the bigger picture when it comes to your IT systems.
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hello@biscuit.uk.com 01924 241281
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