Arun Business Partnership - Annual Review Magazine 2011

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magazine

Annual Review 2011

Arun Business Partnership

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OFFICIAL

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

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The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

Meet your

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Welcome to ‘The Magazine’

Steve Cusack Publisher

Melanie Peters

Anna Sexton

Sales Manager

Account Manager

Miriam Nicholls on behalf of the Partnership Team.

Josh Domini Web Developer

How to use‘The Magazine’

Publisher: CAM Business Development Solutions www.camcentral.co.uk 0870 1900 220 Design and Production: Grapevine Print & Marketing Ltd. 01903 531531 Produced on behalf of the Arun Business Partnership

Arun businesses often have a lot to say. Generally that’s great!

In this edition of the magazine you’ve all said so much that we’ve run out of space. Not wanting to cut you short we’ve edited each article and put the rest on our website - brilliant!

Throughout the magazine you will see read more...

Just go to: www.arunbusinesspartnership. co.uk and read more of the story!

Find out more about the team at

www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk If you’d like to talk to Miriam call 01903 737845 To talk to the CAM team call 0870 1900 220

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

3 THE MAGAZINE

WELCOME

Miriam Nicholls Arun District Council Editor

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

W

ho would have thought when we first gathered together local Managing Directors to see just how many knew each other and did business together, that the result would become The Arun Business Partnership and 15 years later it would still be going from strength to strength!

I said last year that it had been and would continue to be a challenging year for businesses – no crystal ball needed there, but it is still amazing how so many of our local businesses seem to do so well in these difficult times. Some of the stories we have all heard over the past 12 months are inspirational!

I hope that your Arun Business Partnership has continued to help you to build your business and that we will continue to do so in the coming 12 months. As you will see we have a range of meetings, events and activities planned but don’t have the monopoly on good ideas and it is your Partnership so if you have thoughts about how we might improve things or events that you think other businesses would benefit from please get in touch.

I hope you enjoy this edition of your Magazine. If you, or a business you know, wants to know more about The Arun Business Partnership, what we do and how they can get involved please do them a favour and point them in my direction or get them onto www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk

CONTENTS & A-Z OF ADVERTISERS

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Contents

ARUN BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

30 Business News

5

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About The Partnership

12 Finance & Legal 18 Marketing & IT 25 Training

34 Education 59 The Business Partnership Awards 80 Bognor Regis Regeneration 82 Littlehampton Regeneration 84 Wine & Dine 92 Motors

A-Z of Advertisers

Executive Carriage

Orion Lightning Protection

F A Holland & Son

Pallant of Arundel

Access By Design

Fenton IT

Paritas

Ace Car Hire

Ferring Nurseries

Paul Bros

Adams Beeny Halson

Finch Lynton Ltd

PCS

Advance Sales Services UK Ltd

Fox Inn (The)

Performance Effects

Aldingbourne Trust (The)

Frame of Mind

PPL

AJ Parker

Funky Lunch Ltd

Rainbow International

AJS Labels

GC Flooring

Redwood Television

Arun Computer Equipment Ltd

GWA Cars & Finance

Regis IT Ltd

Arun Waste Services

Hilton Avisford Park Hotel

Reilly Construction Ltd

Arundel Carpet Company

HMP Ford

Russell Hotel

Avantguard Security Ltd

Holiday & Homes

RW Masters & Autos

AVN Petersons

I Fast

RWP Group

Bay Studio

Innermost Developments Ltd

Saunders Specialised Services Ltd

Beachcroft Hotel (The)

Inspire Leisure

Solarun

Beeching UK Ltd

JMT Embroidery

Sounds The Business

Bennett Griffin

JSP Easy Accounts

South Coast Skips

Black Horse Inn (The)

Just Wood Flooring

Spotted Cow (The)

Bodysense

Krowmark Workwear

Stephen Walby Photography

Botting & Co

L Guess Jewellers

Stock Blinds

Butlins

Littlehampton Academy (The)

Store 2 Door

CAM Business Development

Little Book

STS Communications

Solutions

Look & Sea Centre

Total Accounting Services

Cartridge World

LWS Creative Ltd

Unique Workwear Printing &

Chichester College

Lock Centre Security (The)

Embroidery

Clear Computing Ltd

Marketing Kitchen (The)

Uniquevents Ltd

Cobwebs Quality Cleaning

Media Healthcare & Clinical

University of Chichester (The)

Comfort Inn Arundel (The)

Development

Upfront Events

Concept Audio Ltd

Middleton Sports Club

White Swan Hotel (The)

Corina Cleaning Services

Newbarn Kia

Woods Travel

Cuff Miller

Nilerose Catering

Zimmer Stewart Gallery

dizzy Support 4 Diabetes

Old Selden Farm

Eagle Inn (The)

Omni Brokers

THE MAGAZINE 4

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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you!

If you already know just how wide the Arun Business Partnership ‘offer’ is and you’re making the most of every opportunity well done! If you don’t or you think you might just be missing something read on... www.arunbusiness partnership.co.uk That’s where you’ll find all you need to know about the Arun Business Partnership along with the latest on the events and general goings on with the Partnership.

Once you have become a member of the web site you will gain access to: A Full Business Listing – make sure everyone knows all about your business.

Who you are, what you do and how you do it. You can add a full profile of your business, upload photographs, links to your web site and we automatically provide a google map so that your customers know just where to find you.

Add Your News and Events – tell everyone about what you’re doing, what awards and accolades you’ve won, new contracts you’ve just signed, maybe it’s your company birthday or you’ve got a special event going on– whatever it is tell us all!

Marketing Service – we will contact you each month to check that you’re making the most of your ‘membership’.

We’ll ask for your news and special offers and we will make sure they are on our web site and in our e-newsletter that goes to around 3,500 businesses each month.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

5 THE MAGAZINE

YOUR PARTNERSHIP

Yes really, it is all about you!

When the Arun Business Partnership was first formed it was your local business partnership run by local businesses, for local businesses and 14 years on it’s still that way. Of course, with the help of our Steering Group (made up of local businesses) we’ve developed things and we will continue to do that to give you the very best opportunities to grow your business locally.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

It’s all about

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YOUR PARTNERSHIP

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

Jobs – don’t pay for expensive newspapers adverts. Use the jobs listing as often as you want and for as many jobs as you want.

Discount Card – our discount card will give you access to all the offers that local companies provide as well as giving you the option to provide special offers for other local businesses. You can have as many cards as you’ve got staff – yes one each!

e-newsletter to keep you up to date with what is going on locally along with information to help your business, news, special offers and (almost) anything else you want us to put in. This goes out to around 3,500 local companies and is a key part of our marketing of both the Partnership and your business.

There’s lots more you can access on the web site so have a look and become a premium member!

Networking Events and Jollies!

We’ve known for a long time just how important networking with your business colleagues is – that’s why we’ve been helping you to do it for about 14 years!

We are still holding our quarterly meetings with increasing numbers and for 2011 we’re adding a few more. These will have a social as well as that all important networking element. We also have our Race Night at Fontwell Park and our charity Golf Day for the more energetic amongst you.

Staying in Touch Every month we put together our

Arun Business of the Year Awards Our annual event which celebrates the

Downloads – if you’ve spent hours searching for business forms and documents then stop now! Download generic business forms covering a range of areas and help your colleagues by uploading things to help them.

THE MAGAZINE 6

best of Arun’s businesses. Around 250 business people join us for a glittering awards ceremony to celebrate all that is amazing about Arun’s local companies.

Getting to Know You Coastal This is our annual business to business event which in 2010 went coastal. In previous years around 60 companies gathered to display their goods and services. In 2010 we went slightly crazy and together with our colleagues from the Education Business Partnership got together 200 businesses and 3,000 students for a joint Skills Fair and B2B event. And we’re doing it again in 2011!

The Magazine Well, you’re reading it! It’s our annual publication that is distributed year round to decision makers in the Arun district and is yet another opportunity for you to tell everyone about your business.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

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arun business partnership Dates for your Diary 2011 For more information go to www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk/abp-events

31st January

Arun Business Partnership Jolly and Networking Evening Venue: The Fish Factory, Littlehampton from 5pm onwards

7th March

Spring Networking Meeting Venue: The White Swan Hotel, Arundel from 5-7pm

18th April

Arun Business Partnership Jolly and Networking Evening Venue: The Black Horse, Climping from 5pm onwards

June TBC

Arun Business Partnership Race Day Venue: Fontwell Park Racecourse

27th June

Summer Networking Event Venue: Middleton Sports Club from 5-7pm followed by a Summer Barbecue

12th September

Autumn Networking Meeting Venue: The Comfort Inn, Arundel from 5-7pm

28th September

Arun Business Partnership Golf Day Venue: Bognor Regis Golf Club

13th 14th October

Getting To Know You Coastal Venue: Fontwell Park Racecourse & Conference Centre

17th November

Arun Business of the Year Awards Venue: Butlins, Bognor Regis

12th December

Christmas Networking Event Venue: The Beachcroft Hotel, Felpham from 5-7pm

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For All Your Security Requirements FREE Estimates and Security Surveys Security Alarm Systems Fire Alarm Systems Digital CCTV Door Entry Systems Automated Gates / Access Control Steel Grilles, Gates and Doors Garage Roller Doors and Shutters Locksmith Service Safes and Locks Key Cutting Service Finance Available for Business and Household Customers (subject to status)

Tel: 01243 829427

www.thelockcentre.com The Old Fire Station, 8 The High Street, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1SR

Stock Blinds

QUALITY, STYLE & EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

Come and visit our new showrooms at

Stock Blinds 38 Bedford Street, (next to Morrisons) Bognor Regis, West Sussex Tel: 01243 863091 e.Sales@stockblinds.wanadoo.co.uk Web: www.stockblinds.co.uk

Our huge stock ranges from small shrubs to magnificent fully mature specimens that will create an instant result, and all are available to buy or to hire.

Plant displays can be specially designed and prepared and are available for short and long term hire for exhibitions, open days, sporting and corporate events, showrooms and display areas. Delivery and collection is included in the package and detailed quotations are available on request.

Littlehampton Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN12 6PN Tel: 01903 241122 E: plants@ferringnurseries.co.uk

www.ferringnurseries.co.uk

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BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

Tee’d Off The Annual Arun Business Partnership Golf Day has become an increasingly popular event in the calendar and the 2010 match was no exception. Once again the Bognor Regis Golf Club welcomed the players with bacon rolls and coffee and it was soon onto the real business of the day. 40 players took off with their best woods and putters to, once again, prove that their team was the best that the Arun Business Partnership has to offer!

That accolade went to the AVN Peterson Team. Team Captain Peter Rollason commented “we’ve had a fabulous day with great organisation, great golf, great food and perfect weather and what’s more we won which is always a bonus!”

The Players returned to a fabulous 3 course dinner and a chance to swap golf stories and even meet new business colleagues.

The day raised £900 for local good causes dizzy and Chestnut Tree House.

Huge thanks are due to the Barclays

YOUR PARTNERSHIP

Again!

Business Team in Bognor Regis who matched the raffle ticket sales £ for £ and to Darren Crabb Wealth Management who re-raffled his prizes to raise an additional £98 – entrepreneurship at its best!

A big thank you to all of this year’s Sponsors and all the companies that donated raffle prizes Overall Sponsor: Helen Services Darren Crabb Wealth Management Clear Computing Ltd FA Holland & Sons LWS Creative Crawford Davies Orion Lightening Protection LTD Chandlers BMW Inspire Leisure Arun District Council CAM To get involved with sponsoring this event or to book your team for 2011 please contact Melanie Peters, on 0870 1900 220 or email melanie@arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

9 THE MAGAZINE

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Trusted and Reliable Security Services Keyholding Alarm Response Security Patrols Security Guards

PERFORMANCE EFFECTS

Business Consultants Strategic Business Planning Performance Improvement Sales and Marketing Strategy Business Development International Collaborations Tel/fax: +44 (0)1903 783976 E:enquiries@performanceeffects.co.uk www.performanceeffects.co.uk 26 Lansdowne Road, Angmering, West Sussex, UK, BN16 4JX

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Getting To Know You Coastal

T

The popularity of the event grew but if you had told us that some thirteen years later we would be holding a 2 day event with over 200 stands, around 1000 business people and that we would be working alongside our Education Business colleagues to bring in students to witness the range and quality of our local companies, although we are all optimists, we may well have laughed you out of the room!

However, thirteen years on and that was just what happened. A full 2 day event at Fontwell Park Racecourse giving our Arun businesses the opportunity to get to know businesses not just from Arun but from Shoreham to Chichester and plenty of

“

YOUR PARTNERSHIP

hose of you with extremely long memories may recall that our very first Business to Business event was held when the Arun Business Partnership was the Littlehampton Business Partnership and The Littlehampton Academy was The Littlehampton School – confused yet?

Hang on in there!

The very first Business to Business event was indeed held in the Main School Hall at the Littlehampton School in 1997 and some 25 companies attended – we were delighted with that response! The time frame for the event was reasonably short, 3.00 – 7.00 p.m., because we had to wait until the school had finished using the Hall before we could set up.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

Getting to Know You Coastal

them too! Again, if you cast your mind back you may recall that one of the major ‘moans’ from local businesses has been that it wasn’t possible to get the right young people to train once they had come out of school. This was the year we tried to address that with around 3,000 students coming along to see exactly what local companies were around and what future careers they might want to start gaining the right qualification for.

Alongside that the fact that these youngsters are future customers and for some future employers!

As well as the opportunity to meet all

those other businesses there was also the chance, courtesy of Barclays Bank, to attend an afternoon seminar by marketing guru Robert Craven. This was hugely popular and saw plenty of you buzzing with ideas after an afternoon of the very energetic Robert!

It’s not easy to capture the atmosphere of an event such as this in mere words but we are hoping the pictures speak for themselves!

Planning is well already under way for the 2011 event. To make sure you are involved email: miriam.nicholls@arun.gov.uk

A great event and a great chance to meet over 200 companies in two days. Let’s face it you would have to be a pretty special sales person to see that many companies in two days!

Sean Maginnis – The Lock Centre, Bognor Regis

”

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

11 THE MAGAZINE

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JSP Easy Accounts can provide you with:

Going the extra mile...

It is impossible to tell you all we can offer in an advert so visit us at

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Consultancy Service Annual Accounts Tax Payroll Tax Returns HMRC Agent Services Tailored to individual Requirements Spread the cost with flexible payment plans

I can help your small business with your accounts, and talk to you in a language that you understand for a much smaller price tag!

www.jspeasyaccounts.co.uk T 01243 826502 | M 07877 931390 | E enquiries@jspeasy.co.uk 12 Ullswater Grove, Felpham, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 8NB

L O O K I N G

Chartered Accountants and Business Development Advisers It’s not what you earn…………it’s what you keep!

We are looking for new business but we are not new to what we do - and that is, tax and accounting services for individuals and small businesses. We have learned that what you need is a personal and professional service at a reasonable fee, delivered on time. We take pride in offering all of the above and ensuring that you do not pay any more tax than you have to.

All of our services come with our “No Surprises” fixed fee policy and “No Quibble” guarantee of satisfaction. To introduce you to our friendly, efficient team, we would like to offer:

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We can help you!

LOW PREMIUMS FREE IMPARTIAL ADVICE EXCELLENT COVER FRIENDLY PROFESSIONAL SERVICE Business Insurance Motor & Home

Life & Critical Illness Cover

Professional Indemnity

Property

Open Weekdays 8.30am - 5.00pm

1. 1⁄2-hour complimentary consultation to discuss any tax or accounting issue!

2. 10% discount on your first service with us!

Just contact Bob Stebbings to make an appointment.

Finch Lynton 2/4 Ash Lane, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 3BZ 0845 345 2456 0845 345 2457 bob.stebbings@finchlynton.co.uk www.finchlynton.co.uk

Tel: 01243 864 018 www.omnibrokers.co.uk Omni (Brokers) Limited 32 Sudley Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex. PO21 1EL Fax: 01243 826833 Email: mail@omnibrokers.co.uk Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

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Company Car or Personal Car?

I want a new car, but how should I procure it? I get asked this question time after time.

Should I; Buy it Lease it Contract Hire it With maintenance or without New or Used What period How do I structure it Decisions to be made which, if wrong, could cost £000’s. What, on the face of it, appears to be cost effective could prove devastating in the long run if the wrong decisions are made.

In truth however, there is no actual hard and fast rule that says “because of... then you must do this,” it’s more what is right or appropriate for you as an individual or business. All of us are different in our individual requirements, these could be broken down / prioritised in something as simple as;

Many years ago the Government tasked the motor manufacturers with lowering the CO2 output levels to a certain level by 2010. Sadly this has not been totally achieved, but great strides have been taken by them to achieve the goals and naturally the projects are ongoing.

The Government attached both Tax Relief and driver Benefit in Kind tax to various levels of CO2 emissions to entice a cleaner environment, and it has been noted that company car drivers have continually requested lower and greener engine sizes on their replacements, in order to fall in line with the long term goals of the Government. In simple terms, the lower the CO2 rating the lower the tax a driver will pay and the greater the Tax relief a company can claim.

The current break point on either a Lease or Contract Hire arrangement is 160 g/km, below which 100% of rentals can be claimed against taxable profits, above which this drops to 85%, similarly below this level, 20% capital allowances can be claimed (there is an exception to this below 110 = 100% in the first year) or over 160 then only 10%

It is also worth noting that this 160 level will be lowered annually in the near future, therefore it is very important to factor this in for tax relief when making decisions for the long term.

If the car is acquired via the company, then the driver will pay BIK tax, the lowest of which is 10% on cars emitting 120 or below and goes up in 1% increments to as high as 35% and this is on the list price of the car, not what you pay for it.

Naturally when this equation is factored in the decision as to whether to have a company car or a private one becomes a little easier to understand, although of course there are other factors that may affect a decision you make individually.

This really only brushes the surface of how to procure your next car. It is, as you might expect, very much more complex today than it ever was! Whether you are a private individual, a sole trader, partnership or are incorporated, it is prudent to either speak with your accountant, or, at the very least, to an independent specialist in this area.

What may appear on the face of things to be attractive, may, if not investigated thoroughly, cost you a lot of money in the long run.

For further detailed information please email: gary@gwacars.com

Omni Brokers 50th Birthday!

It’s Happy Birthday to Omni Brokers!

The Bognor Regis based company have spent 50 years arranging insurance for local companies and individuals.

being suitable in the event of a claim.

Their good, impartial and professional advice helps businesses to be properly protected and surely their 50 years

experience speaks for itself.

Happy Birthday Omni Brokers and here’s to the next 50 years!

Omni Brokers arrange Commercial, Personal and Life Insurance cover and the team pride themselves on their quality of service and value for money.

At Omni Brokers one of the friendly team will sit down with you and tailor a policy to suit your needs which means you are properly protected - they firmly believe that buying an “off the shelf” product could possibly lead to it not

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

13 THE MAGAZINE

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

Once this is covered then we could start to look at how “Green” is the car, before deciding whether to fund it via the company car route or a personal route.

allowances can be claimed if using a purchase type agreement.

BUSINESS CORNER

Total of payments Tax relief Cash flow

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

BUSINESS CORNER

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VAT Flat Rate Scheme T

his scheme is designed to reduce the cost of complying with VAT obligations by simplifying the way small businesses calculate their VAT. It is available to businesses who expect their taxable turnover in the next 12 months to be no more than £150,000.

Taxable turnover is calculated by looking at the total of supplies at the positive and zero rates, excluding VAT and the value of any capital assets expected to be sold.

The flat rate scheme saves time by removing the need to calculate and record output tax and input tax in calculating the net VAT due to HM Revenue & Customs. The VAT in a period is calculated by applying the flat rate percentage to the tax inclusive business income for the period.

The flat rates will be amended to take account of the increase in the standard rate from 17½% to 20%. The current flat rates were published in the 2009 Pre-Budget Report. HM Revenue & Customs has reviewed the rates to check that they accurately reflect the VAT paid by businesses in each sector.

The flat rate to be used depends on which trade sector most accurately reflects any particular business. If a business includes supplies in two or more sectors, the percentage to be used is that appropriate to the main business activity as measured by expected turnover in the year ahead.

registered, you can reduce the VAT by one percentage point until the first anniversary of your registration.

If you are making supplies to other VAT registered businesses, you give them a VAT invoice charging VAT at the normal rate for the supply (not the flat rate percentage).

Most traders with qualifying turnover are eligible to join the scheme, but there are a number of exclusions designed to prevent abuse of the scheme as well as a few to avoid complex interaction with other schemes. The scheme is optional, but traders wishing to join should complete Form VAT 600 (FRS) (which can be printed off the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk).

Traders should be aware that the flat rate is applied to all business receipts even if they are normally zero rated or exempt.

For instance, if a trader also receives rental income, VAT will be payable at the flat rate on the rental income.

Kindly supplied by Bob Stebbings from Finch Lynton. To contact them please call: 0845 3452456 or email them on bob.stebbings@finchlynton.co.uk or view the website at www.finchlynton.co.uk

If you start to use the flat rate scheme within a year of becoming VAT

Accounts You Can Understand!

How would it be if the person looking after your accounts talked to you in a language you could understand and didn’t charge you the earth for that service? Sounds good? Then look no further than JSP Easy Accounts. Janet Stockley Pollard took a change of career path after running her own business and

THE MAGAZINE 14

finding that dealing with her accountant was the biggest challenge of the year and now she can provide you with just that service.

building at a steady pace. Janet is available to meet clients at a time and place to suit them, which all adds to that friendly, personal service.

All of Janet’s clients have come from personal recommendation or from local networking and her client base is

To contact Janet call: 01243 826502 or 07877 931 390 or you can email enquiries@jspeasy.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BG Wealth This arrangement enables us to ensure that the advice and quality of service that our clients receive in respect of financial advice is consistent with the quality of our own. The connection between the two firms also enables us to ensure that account is taken of the possible impact of financial arrangements on legal matters and vice versa.

Elderly Client Financial Issues Pension Consultancy Business Financial Planning Divorce Settlements We consider it appropriate to make it clear that this service is not part of our legal practice and the protection afforded our clients by the Law Society and Solicitors Regulatory Authority is not available. Instead, the appropriate protection is provided by the Financial Services Authority and Financial Services Compensation Scheme. No lawyer connected with Bennett Griffin provides services through BG Wealth as a practicing lawyer regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Please visit our website to find out how BG Wealth could help you or your family or business and to find out more about John Kelly (also a Chartered Accountant) and Andrew Melbourne (Chartered Financial Planner).

For bespoke Financial Planning and Advice go to www.bgwealth.co.uk or email bgwealth@bennett-griffin.co.uk

BG Wealth has been created to provide strategic advice focused on : Inheritance Tax Wealth Management Legacy Investment

The law is an ass To kick some you’ll need a good lawyer

S O L I C I TO R S A N D N OTA R I ES

Telephone 01903

229999

Shelley House, 23 Warwick Street, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 3DG with offices also in Ferring, Rustington and Crawley (by appointment) www.bennett-griffin.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

15 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS CORNER FINANCIAL & LEGAL

I

n our experience, there are always close links between the legal issues that we advise on and financial matters, be they for individuals or in respect of company and commercial matters. Our response has been to form an associated firm of Chartered Financial Planners, BG Wealth, with two excellent and highly qualified financial advisors who are Directors with two of our partners here at Bennett Griffin.

S O L I C I TO R S A N D N OTA R I E S

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FINANCIAL & LEGAL

BUSINESS CORNER

Total Accounting Services Are you nearing the end?

TAS have traded in the Arun district for over 40 years. Based in Bognor Regis offering a comprehensive accounting and bookkeeping service for small & medium sized businesses.

If you are coming to the end of your financial year, here are some expert accounting tips from Botting & Co Chartered Accountants in Littlehampton that could make a significant difference to your business:

There is a strong emphasis on client service with high satisfaction levels being consistently achieved.

1. If you are planning any significant capital expenditure on plant and equipment, complete the investment before the end of the financial year to accelerate the claim for capital allowance.

Specialists in VAT but offering a full service including Payroll and Tax for all sizes of clients.

Clear, competitive fees are quoted up front and collected monthly to avoid the surprise bills!

The experienced staff are always on call to deal with any issues that arise for clients and a free helpline for non-clients is available on 0844 2641741.

Why not visit our website at www.tas-limited.co.uk where there is much more information about our company and services as well as a comprehensive range of free information.

Call 01243 828931 for a free of charge quotation tailored to your business.

We will be pleased to hear from you.

(Quote this article to qualify for a 5% discount on your first years fees).

2. Consider deferring income into the following accounting period by timing sales of goods or services into a later accounting period 3. Where business is seasonal you may be able to extend/shorten the accounting period to exclude a profitable period or bring in a future loss making period 4. If you are a limited company, consider making additional pension contributions to the director’s personal or company pension plans, or accelerate bonuses to directors and staff so that they fall into an earlier accounting period 5. Use specific provisions for redundancy, impairment losses (bad debts), slow moving stocks and similar items 6. If you have incurred revenue expenditure on R&D of at least £10,000 in a 12 month accounting period you may be able to obtain tax relief for 175% of that expenditure read more...

First visit free!

We are Li lehampton’s best kept secret...

Bo ng & Co are Chartered Cer fied Accountants that have been established for over 60 years in Li lehampton. We are regulated by the ACCA and we have a professional, highly trained team ready to help you.

So if so you would like to change accountants or need some advice, talk to us, your friendly local accoun ng experts.

Call us today on 01903 713508 and book in for a free ini al mee ng to discuss your accoun ng needs.

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www.bo ngandco.co.uk THE MAGAZINE 16

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Adams Beeny Halsen

There are just three types of accountants: those who can count and those who can't.

Adams Beeny Halson Chartered Certified Accountants Chartered Tax Advisors

Are you...

– Starting out in business?

Where do homeless accountants live? In a tax shelter.

What is the definition of an accountant? Someone who solves a problem you did not know you had in a way you don't understand.

What's an extroverted accountant? One who looks at your shoes while he is talking to you instead of his own.

What is an auditor? Someone who arrives after the battle and bayonets the wounded.

What do accountants suffer from that ordinary people don't?

Depreciation.

If an accountant's wife cannot sleep what does she say?

“Darling, tell me about your work.”

What is the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion? Jail.

To talk to your friendly accountants at Adams Beeny Halson Limited get in touch at www.adamsbeeny.co.uk or call them now on: 01243 841100 read more...

– Struggling with your tax return?

– Looking for a competitively priced firm of accountants who'll take an interest in your business?

We are a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers with offices in Bognor Regis and Hayling Island.

From our South Coast offices, we offer accountancy, taxation, payroll, business advisory and support services to a wide range of businesses and individuals.

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION T: 01243 841100 | F: 01234 841900 | E: info@adamsbeeny.com 4 Sudley Road | Bognor Regis | West Sussex | PO21 1EU

www.adamsbeeny.co.uk

AVN Petersons Most economic commentators will agree that the UK economy continues to face major challenges as the Government takes action to deal with the Budget deficit and SMEs will inevitably bear more than their fair share of the burden.

Business owners should ensure that they receive as much support as possible from their accountants in these difficult times and such proactive support and guidance could include the following: Diagnostic review and report to identify key options for strengthening cashflow Systems to provide all the information to make better decisions and get better results Understand and manage break even points in order to deal with falls in demand Benchmark analysis against others in the same industry to see where improvements can be made Identify which of the 8 key profit drivers has the greatest potential Review the 43 ways to improve collections from customers Pay no tax on profits from new products and services for 5 to 10 years Legally cut corporation and personal tax liabilities to zero (or close to zero) Create an initial improvement action plan covering all the key areas listed here Accountants have been proven time and time again to be the most trusted business advisors so ensure you make best use of your accountants and that they provide the support you need.

Author: Peter Rollison FCA, Managing Director of AVN Petersons Ltd, Chartered Accountants and Business Development Specialists

Helping local owner managed businesses become the most successful and enjoyable to run in the world

We provide one hour consultations free of charge and can give fixed price quotes.

We offer traditional accounting and taxation services and much more………. advice on improving cashflow, business diagnostic reviews, benchmarking

Petersons - “Making a difference by being different” Church House, 94 Felpham Road, Felpham, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 7PG

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Tel: 01243 825924 Fax: 01243 837736 email: info@avnpetersons.co.uk Web: www.avnpetersons.co.uk

17 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS CORNER FINANCIAL & LEGAL

In these times of economic privation, it should be remembered that it takes fewer muscles to smile that it does to frown. So please take a few moments to scan these ‘Christmas Cracker’ type accountant jokes and save a little energy in the process.

MARKETING & IT

BUSINESS CORNER

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llws ws

web w eb | design design | mark marketing eting g | print print | tr training aining

2011 2 011 is is here here - iiss y your our m marketing arketing p plan lan iin np place? lace?

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So, m ake tthat hat promise promise to to yourself, yourself, gget et So, make together all all yyour our marketing marketing collateral, collateral, together place itit oonn the the ttable able nnext ext to to your your laptop laptop oorr place computer screen screen with with yyour our w ebsite oonn iitt computer website

and ask ask yourself yourself tthese hese qquestions; uestions; and

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While it’s it’s very very easy easy to to say, say, “my “my llogo, ogo, While materials aand nd w ebsite ddoo tthe he jjob” ob” tthat hat m ay materials website may not be be what what yyour our ccustomers ustomers think, think, aand nd iits ts not probably not not reality. reality. ItIt is is possible possible that that yyour our probably printed m aterial iiss llooking ooking a llittle ittle drab, drab, printed material your llogo ogo ddoesn’t oesn’t reflect reflect the the strides strides you’ve you’ve your made ssince ince itit was was created, created, and and ifif your your site site made is over over 3 yyears ears oold ld iit’s t’s llikely ikely to to bbee m issing is missing some kkey ey eelements lements of m odern w eb ddesign esign some modern web

So… m ake 22011 011 tthe he year year w here yyou ou re fresh So… make where refresh your llook ook and and feel, feel, develop develop yyour our bbrand, rand, your enhance yyour our ccurrent urrent llogo, ogo, uupdate pdate yyour our enhance website, explore exploree social social media, media, get get out out website, networking, eenhance nhance ccustomer ustomer rrelations elations networking, and grow grow your your business. business. and LWS Creative Creative are are an an Arundel Arundel bbased ased LWS Web, Design Design aand nd Marketing Marketing agency agency Web, providing tailored tailored solutions solutions tthat hat hhelp elp providing your bbusiness usiness grow. grow. Wherever Wherever you you are are your and whatever whatever yyou ou ddo, o, w can provide provide and wee can you w ith exactly exactly what what you you need. need. you with For m ore iinformation nformation vvisit isit our our w ebsite For more website at www.lwscreative.co.uk www.lwscreative.co.uk or or call call the the at team on on 01903 01903 790 790 100.

100. team

This sort of thing happens a lot with our clients.

(It’s called ‘Going Live’)

info@lwscreative.co.uk www.lwscreative.co.uk Call us now 01903 790100

THE MAGAZINE 18

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Advance Sales Services UK Ltd Logistics Solution Service Providers Looking for a specialist in International & UK parcel and freight distribution?

The Aldingbourne Trust is a local charity which supports adults with learning difficulties to gain greater independence and develop skills leading to employment within the community.

With help and guidance to established & new businesses.

The Aldingbourne Country Centre – visit our delightful café and gift shop selling locally made crafts and artwork. Bring the family and saunter through our woodland walk, where we are home to www.kidsloveearth.co.uk and www.themagicofmushrooms.com

Need to export to the E.U. & the rest of the world?

Look no further!

We are open Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm Weekends / Bank Holiday 10am – 4pm.

We are closed during Christmas and New Year.

The Aldingbourne Country Centre, Blackmill Lane, Norton, Chichester West Sussex, PO18 0JP Tel: 01243 542075 weekdays Tel: 01243 546032 weekends

Number 64 – The centre is designed to encourage adults with learning difficulties and their families to “drop in” and enjoy a cup of tea and be signposted in the right direction regarding information on benefits, housing, health needs and encouraging community participation. It is also home to our Creative Arts Studio where you are able to attend workshops on lino printing, craft and lots more.

We have the knowledge, expertise and a pricing policy to help you succeed!

Our Services Include: Worldwide Express & Economy Courier UK Parcel and Freight Distribution Worldwide Air Cargo

We are open Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm Tel: 01243 838530 Number 64, First Floor, 64 High Street, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1SP

Worldwide Sea Cargo

We have conference rooms available to hire with catering and refreshments at both venues – please contact 01243 542075.

European Road Freight

Charity No: 276484

www.aldingbournetrust.co.uk

T: 01243-583913 E: advancesalesuk@aol.com F: 01243-585662 1 Felpham Gardens. Bognor Regis. West Sussex PO22 8QS

info@aldingbournetrust.co.uk

www.advancesalesuk.com

Tel: 01903 732775 Mob: 07773 374927 Sounds the Business has over 10 years experience in the Trade. We specialise in Car Hi-Fi and Security.

We have a regular stock of some of the leading brands in in-car entertainment.

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We can supply and fit the following: ■

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info@sounds-the business.co.uk

www.sounds-the-business.co.uk

MARKETING & IT

BUSINESS CORNER

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Twitter

is for losers

I

n the new era of social networking, is Twitter really for losers? Or a way forward for business marketing? Robert Craven explores the "Twitter revolution" and whether its benefits reach out to the world of business.

A recent blog of mine about social networking got the comment “only fools don’t get the Twitter revolution”.

For the uninitiated, Twitter is a text messaging system but over the internet.

People can subscribe to your Twitter account. They can receive your text, and follow whatever you want to say. (“So what!” I hear you say.)

Ten minutes later someone sent me the inflammatory “Twitter is for losers” comment. So what’s going on? Is Twitter a licence to print money? Clearly not.

Some people make money from talking about it; some people claim to make money by using it; some people just enjoy using it.

It appears that the majority of traffic is not dissimilar to the FaceBook noise, only shorter and more regular. Plenty of people seem to tweet their followers several times a day. (“Who cares?” I hear you say.)

FaceBook and Twitter are known as social networking where the emphasis is on the social bit. I have no problem with that.

There is no shortage of media to make contact (websites, blogs, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, networking meetings) and Twitter is simply another way. Some people love it because it is instant, quick and easy.

And some people hate it because it is banal, shallow and simply noise.

The answer is somewhere in the middle.

Nothing will ever replace the intimacy and contact of a face-to-face meeting. Twitter does let you into other people’s worlds if you wish to follow them.

Some people are great to follow and some are dreadful. 20 minutes of following various Tweets is like 20 minutes in the

THE MAGAZINE 20

world of Google – you find all kinds of fascinating stuff, and the not so fascinating.

So how do we put together the business case for using or not using Twitter?

Like any marketing activity the key to deciding if it is worth it is in the measurement.

Marketing is all about creating a compelling offer, deciding who you are trying to attract and finding the best ways to reach those people and sell your product. It is easy to be busy or active; it is much harder to actually make sales.

At its simplest level, the measure of any marketing device is the average cost (in time and money) to attract one new customer. For the sake of this discussion let’s go for this brutal ‘Return on Investment’ criterion.

So now for the GCSE-type maths: Question: If Jeremy spends, say, half an hour a day twittering and his time is valued at £40 per hour... And he gets one new client every month from this Twitter activity, then how much does it cost to acquire one new client (via Twitter)?

Answer: he has spent 2½ hours per week twittering; he gets one new client every four weeks. It costs Jeremy £400 in time to win one new client (excluding any other costs).

Jeremy should then compare this cost of customer acquisition against all other means. The reality is that it is harder to measure the effectiveness than in our crude example.

However, the principle stands. Before you go mad on Twitter ask yourself the following: Who is your target customer?

What is the best way to reach them?

How much time and money on average would it cost to acquire one new customer?

What is the most effective way of reaching these people?

Is it word-of-mouth, networking, exhibition stands, direct mail, PR, telesales or any of

the other ‘channels to market’?

Yes, Twitter is today’s new marketing device but does it actually work?

FACT: Lots of people do it and they believe it is doing them good.

FACT: Some people seem to actually be benefiting in terms of ROI. Question: Is it right for you? Will it help you grow your business?

Answer: If someone can show you why you should be doing it then you should sign up. Do you hear clients or prospects asking you to get a Twitter account ASAP (or rather only one or two Twitter fans)?

Question: Do the Twitter conversations strengthen a relationship any more than a decent blog or website or actually talking to people?

Answer: Maybe I am old fashioned but I do not wish to confuse activity with business.

A focused Twitter account may be good for regular updates in products/services with more than one field, for example in training. Twitter could then be used to communicate updates if that's what your target audience wants (or you could just use email!!).

Playing the devil’s advocate, if the medical evidence of the effectiveness of a heart op was as vague and non-specific as the business case for Twitter, then I don't think I'd sign up for it.

Twitter will help you find people to listen to and to talk to. Are they the right people for you? Is Twitter just another case of the emperor’s new clothes? Twitter me at twitter.com/robert_craven! The business sales will determine it for me.

Robert Craven is a keynote speaker and the author of business best-seller ‘Kick-Start Your Business’ and runs The Directors’ Centre. For further information, contact Robert Craven on 01225 851044, rc@directorscentre.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

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• The NO CHORE Radio Store • • One call does it all! •

• Licence free PMR446 radios • Low cost licensed radios – complete packages supplied • All major manufacturers supported • Lone Worker • Free advice and coverage surveys • Special event radio hire – extra radios for sports day etc.

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Phone: 01903 713074 Fax: 01903 726069 Email: sales@stscomms.co.uk www.stscomms.co.uk

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Are you feeling deserted by your IT company?

At Clear computing we pride ourselves on our customer service levels, but don’t just take our word for it, take a look at our website to view testimonials from some of our clients. We offer a complete service for all your requirements from complete multi-workstation installations to laptops and wireless remote working.

Our services include: b IT Project Delivery b Full Support Services b VOIP b Broadband b Web Development b Software Development b Hardware

BU

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, info@clear-computing.co.uk

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t 01903 786702 a clear-computing.co.uk

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Ask about our 24/7 support packages which won’t leave you stranded!

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The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

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Clear Computing’s Managing Director Barny Hall has put together a quick 10 point check list which Technical Manger Glenn Stockinger expands on for you to easily identify the IT strengths and weaknesses in your business.

Is your licensing up to date? Have you bought a new PC or Laptop and used that same Office CD that you had lying around?

If you have, you may not be licensed.

Does your current business system allow you to interface with your suppliers and customers? It takes creative thinking and good planning, but there are suppliers out there that specialise in making the technology work for you and not against you.

Are you paying too much for your services...broadband, IT support or telephone system?

Do you have a copy of all your documentation? Documentation is the key to speedy recovery and minimal downtime – and we all know what downtime means: lost revenue!

What is the value of IT with your

business? Businesses often underestimate the role that the humble computer plays in the business until it all goes wrong!

As an IT provider we come across a number of businesses who give good front-line service but fail to manage their client’s IT systems in the background. A proactive approach to your IT will save you money from ‘managing for the time being’. A good IT system and practice will free up your most precious yet costly commodityyou and your employees’ time.

Clear Computing, call us on 01903 788702 or email info@clear-computing.co.uk www.clear-computing.co.uk

Was downtime a significant issue for you in the past twelve months?

Have you had a security audit in the past year? Knowing that your systems are secure should be of paramount importance – especially if you keep details of your customers and suppliers!

Do you have a 3 year IT plan in place for your business? Having a solid plan for your IT systems always makes good sense, especially given the rate that software and hardware advances.

Have you renewed with your IT provider in the past twelve months?

There are a minefield of IT service providers, all of them offering different services – but ask yourself: are they local? Do they give you clear advice? Do they pull out all the stops to get your issues resolved? Is their pricing competitive? And most importantly, can you trust them to do the job right, first time?

Does your website reflect the current face of your business? Giving a professional first impression is key in today’s climate.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

23 THE MAGAZINE

MARKETING & IT

T

here is never a bad time to take a minute to reflect on how the key services to your business have performed. Any modern business knows it is vital to utilise IT for the benefit of the business. If you are 100% reliant on your IT, it is critical to examine your system and come up with a robust plan of action, then put it in place.

BUSINESS CORNER

Ten Top Tips

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Demystifying

the Cloud

MARKETING & IT

BUSINESS CORNER

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

Have you heard about the Cloud?

The IT world is buzzing about it.

Aside from something that puts paid to many a barbecue, what exactly is it? A Cloud is generally used to represent the Internet, but why is it in the headlines now? The next evolution for IT is computer services that run in the Cloud rather than just through it. The new Cloud covers three broad classifications: Cloud Services, Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage.

Cloud Services If you move your Exchange mailbox from your local server to a hosted service, it becomes a Cloud Service.

The key benefit is that your provider is responsible for backup, maintenance and ensuring your email is always available.

Cloud Computing Let’s say your e-commerce site is your lifeblood. You have a pair of dedicated servers at a data centres. If one server fails the other can take over. Cloud Computing changes this. A virtual Cloud Hosted Server is maintained by your provider. It anything fails, it will be restarted within seconds on different hardware or even at a different Data Centre.

Cloud Storage This is something that will most likely be included as part of another service.

Consider offsite backup. Your offsite backup provider might well be using virtual Cloud Computers and virtual Cloud Storage drives, but to you it would be a Cloud Service.

Perhaps there is a little too much marketing hype surrounding the Cloud at the moment, but if used appropriately, Cloud Computing has the potential simplify IT for small businesses.

For more information please contact Regis IT, call us today on 01243 842082, or send us an email enquiries@regis-it.co.uk www.regis-it.co.uk

How to save money on your IT costs...

Outsource your IT requirements This can save you around 50% on your IT staff costs, will give you a greater IT knowledge base and takes away the stress of holiday and sickness cover.

Outsourced IT can also be used to compliment your in-house IT, by providing expertise, cover and carryingout project work.

‘Cloud’ based solutions Using the internet for solutions such as data back-ups, hosted email and data storage can save a small business in the region of 30-50%. We recommend a tailored hybrid approach, whereby you use the specific cloud solutions that suit your business and use them to complement the in-house systems that work well for you.

businesses significantly reduce their IT support requirements through training.

Extended software subscriptions Up to 30% can be saved on software subscriptions, when purchased for an extended subscription period, such as 2, 3 or 5 years. It’s well worth thinking about, especially when it comes to security software.

Regular pro-active IT maintenance Performing regular IT maintenance procedures reduces IT problems and improves system performance. We’ve helped clients save money by increasing the life expectancy of their computer systems and reducing their IT support requests.

For more information and ideas on saving IT costs please call 01903 786287 or visit www.fenton-it.co.uk

Staff training Ensuring your staff are well trained in the software and systems they use will save money from unnecessary support requests and increase staff productivity. We’ve helped

THE MAGAZINE 24

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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main answer must be the Learning Contract which, I believe, should be at the very centre of any people development programme. The Learning Contract asks five questions of each individual in the Self Managed Learning Set, consisting of six people facilitated by a Set Adviser.

As a practitioner of Self Managed Learning, I am often asked if the process is a hybrid of Action Learning. I always reply that, although there are some similarities, there are also many unique differences.

Question 2 asks “where are you now?” It is best described as reality, a very clear picture of where you are in terms of strengths and areas where you need to obtain future strengths. Additionally, as with any journey, it is good to know where you start from and what resources you have at your disposal.

I have experienced both processes and, although I practice SML, I studied for my MBA at Brighton University in an Action Learning Set. Both AL and SML challenge many of the existing educational and training systems that are still in place today; and give people real choice about how, when, where and what they learn.

So, how did Self Managed Learning help me? Firstly, it made me understand about myself, how I learned and what I needed to do to learn. This, I believe, is the first major difference to Action Learning, where the emphasis is on action (the task in hand or a problem to solve) rather than on the individual’s learning needs, which in AL still remains, as with other options, accidental or random. Self Managed Learning is a planned and tailored approach to the individual’s immediate and future learning needs. At this point in time, one of life’s lucky coincidences allowed my new thought processes to be further strengthened when I heard Tony Buzan, of mind mapping fame, put forward his theory that, if we really believe in the lifelong learning process, then surely we must reverse the previous emphasis of teaching the individual, en mass, facts about other things and first teach them facts about themselves: how they learn, think, recall, create and solve problems.

So why do I continue to advocate Self Managed Learning in most cases? The

Question 1 asks “where have you been?” and is normally illustrated by a lifeline, which is then individually presented to the Set.

You are now ready to answer Question 3, “where do you want to get to?” and, once written as a Learning Contract, the challenge and support of the Set process stops this element ending up as the usual wish list or New Year’s resolution, both of which seldom, if ever, happen.

Question 4, “how will you get there?” follows on and allows your plan of action to be formulated: what resources will you need; how much time will be required; and what are the budget and policy restraints of your current organisation, assuming they have both input into the contract and are part or fully funding the costs?

Question 5, “how will you know if you have arrived?” is the evaluation part of the process.

You will demonstrate to the Set where and how you have achieved your goals.

The five stage process I have just described is, I believe, uniquely different because it takes you below the superficial and general level that training often stays at and is wider than a single issue or problem to complete or solve.

It’s the green cross code. It has promoted safe road crossing for years, but it’s sage advice for anyone starting a new business or launching a new product or service too.

Compare business owners launching a new business, product or service with kids intent on a trip to the park. From a child’s perspective, all they see is the park in their mind’s eye. How many times (if you have kids) have you shouted stop?

They are so excited that they are blind to the road and everything around them. They attempt to cross it without stopping, looking and listening to see if the way is clear.

In a business context, business owners have a great idea and rush into solution and launch mode. More often than not, we are called in, rather like the emergency services, after the event to clear up. The business has spent a small fortune on designs, marketing collateral and an updated website, only to be disappointed with the resulting sales.

If you are interested in a clear route to success, follow these simple steps.

To find out more on marketing your business contact Adrian on: 01243 837770, mobile: 07801 799780 or email us on: enquiries@themarketingkitchen.co. uk or visit the website: www.themarketingkitchen.co.uk

read more...

Innermost Developments Limited www.innermostdevelopments.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

25 THE MAGAZINE

TRAINING

nnermost Developments uses Self Managed and Accelerated Learning techniques for both Personal and Business Development, but what is Self Managed Learning? It is often best summed up as, it’s not what you think, its how.

BUSINESS CORNER

Self Managed Stop, Learning look, listen.

I Sound familiar?

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TRAINING

BUSINESS CORNER

Will your company thrive

or just survive in 2011?

T

he next decade will still be a challenge for most businesses. We all know how important it is to keep our customers. We all know it costs more to gain a new customer than look after our existing ones. You may have been offering more incentives for them to stay with you, loyalty rewards, discounts on memberships etc.

But what about the people who work for you? What have you been doing to develop their loyalty and commitment to you and your company? In the companies I have been working with over the last few years I have seen immensely loyal team members who,

THE MAGAZINE 26

invariably, have been asked to take on the work of other employees, produce more and often not get paid any more for doing so. Just who are your loyal employees and what can you do to develop them in the next decade in a way that will still fit with your future plans and budgets and help you to improve your company?

Paul Sparrow, from Lancaster University Management School presented at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development conference in October 2010 talked about 4 key challenges facing us in the next decade.

The need to be a lean organisation and the continuing pressure to keep our costs to a minimum The need to be innovative in order to compete in a fast changing world Being customer centric – i.e. keeping the customer at the centre of everything we do Identifying our internal heroes i.e. the talent that exists within our organisations Whilst you may have already recognised those areas, the fourth point

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS CORNER TRAINING

about identifying our internal heroes is a very important one. With innovation and lean organisations the need for adaptive staff with transferrable skills is even more important. What price do you put on individuals in your team? How much are they worth to you? What do you need to do to keep them being a valuable contributor to your business profits?

Paul Sparrow talked about the need to ensure that our job roles reflect our innovative ideas and customers’ needs.

What does this mean for you? It may mean that you need to challenge the roles you currently have and question whether they still reflect the needs of the business and your customers.

What does this mean for the people who do those roles? It means that you need to understand the talent of your individuals within your company, their strengths, not just their job and industry knowledge. You also need to know what skills and competencies are required for each job role and also the human capital of your team. Human capital is not just how much business they bring in or a unique skill or knowledge they have, it may also be the social capital individuals in your team bring, their networks and local influence they may have.

As well as identifying who your heroes are and what talents they bring to your company you also need to consider how well you are engaging with your team.

So, the key points; How well are you listening to your

employees? How involved are they?

And how much responsibility do they have for some of the solutions for the company?

We all aspire to creating a business that will have sustainable financial success. We probably all have a close handle on our bottom line costs and the targets we want to achieve next year. As a manager, are you developing and rewarding your staff. Remember, that development and rewards do not always have to be financial – there are many other ways to develop loyalty, engagement and growth. A little investment can bring huge rewards for you and them. David Fairhurst, senior vice-president and chief people office at Mc Donald’s defined engagement with staff as 3 C’s Commitment, Competence and Confidence. Ensuring that we motivate at all levels across the organisation is vital.

Here are a few tips for 2011.

In 2011 think about the cost of recruiting and training new staff versus developing those already in the business. What value does my current human capital have and how can I capitalise on that. What am I going to do this year to ensure they are delivering the results I need.

1. Create an agile organisation that can face up to the ever changing challenges we might face in the year ahead. Think about tasks being able to be done by more than one person so that you multi skill your team – this can be a great help in reducing the pressure on one person.

2. Create a working environment that

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

inspires your employees to thrive.

They probably know what is needed to inspire them. Do you? If not find out! Listen and discuss what options you can come up with. Challenge “the way things are done around here,” take the New Year as a great way to spark off new ways of tackling certain tasks.

3. Encourage commitment, creativity and innovation in times of change – have meetings where you aren’t discussing the day to day targets, orders, queries but meetings to inspire and challenge the ways things are done. Keep their minds sharp. The responsibility does not all fall to you.

4. Invest in them and you. Simple low cost investment. One to one coaching, plans for individual improvement. If this isn’t your area of strength get someone in who can do this for you. Mentoring from an internal colleague or external person. Monthly /quarterly coaching/mentoring sessions from an expert independent consultant can be a worthwhile investment. Coaching can encourage independence in your team, its amazing how some people can grow with just a little bit of time to develop their strengths!

So, good luck in 2011. Remember help and advice is available through many of your fellow members.

Written by: Lisa Lye. Independent Training and Development Consultant.

Helping you to Improve Performance. llye@sky.com

27 THE MAGAZINE

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F I R E S A F E T Y

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Media Healthcare & Clinical Development

+

are pleased to announce a training day where fire and first aid training will be available...on the same day.

ABC Emergency Aid, First Aid Theoretical and practical content including the basics on life saving skills, as well as CPR and burns.

Dates: 10th February 2011 Dates: Thursday Wednesday 18th May 2011 Wednesday 2011 Wednesday18th 14thMay September 2011 Wednesday 14th September 2011 Wednesday 22nd November 2011 Wednesday 22nd November 2011

F I R S

£70per perperson person (+vat) £70 (+v at)for forsingle singlecourse course £110per perperson person(+v (+vat) for BOTH BOTHcourses courses £110 at) for

i

ifast

HSE Health and Safety Executive

ABC EMERGENCY AID TRAINING

We offer a wide range of specialised medical and healthcare training courses including: • First Aid Courses Appointed Persons Defibrillation (AED)/Basic Life Support First Aid at Work First Aid for Schools First Response Training First Aid Refresher Training • Other Courses Manual Handling Conflict Resolution

• Nursing Courses Diabetes Venepuncture And Cannulation Phlebotomy & Venepuncture Wound Care Stoma Care End of Life Care Palliative Care Bereavement • Paediatric Courses Child Protection Basic Life Support Paediatric Venepuncture Assessment of Injury / Illness Newborn Basic Life Support Recognition of the Sick Child

T

• Specialised Medical ECG Interpretation Physical Assessment Training Epipen & Anaphylaxis Training Epilepsy Awareness & Diazepam Training

A

We can tailor courses to suit your individual requirements – just tell us what you think you need and we’ll do the rest.

I D

Our staff are all medical professionals with many years real life experience – we really have been there and done that!

Venue: Chichester ChichesterRacquets Racquets Club Venue: Club Cost: Cost:

For all your specialist healthcare & first aid training needs

Please call us on: 0845 0943570

www.mediahealthcare.co.uk

Create your future memories with Innermost Developments Limited On our ‘Learning how you learn’ course.

Visit our website www.innermostdevelopments.com For more information about who we are and what we do.

It’s not what you think, its how.

Most people know if they are right or left handed and quite often if their right or left foot is dominant. However not many people know they also have a dominant eye, ear and side of the brain and if you don’t know this then any learning you undertake will often be ineffective and random. Find out the answers to the questions above and any future personal learning experience will be faster, more easily retained and quicker to recall. On the same course you will also find out your sensory language preference and how to tell others’ sensory preferences within a couple of minutes. Why is this important? Well when you know your customers’ sensory preference or you write e-mails or create your website using multi sensory language patterns, you will then lock onto every person you are trying to communicate with and not just the one third that you currently achieve. You can learn to communicate with your customers in their preferred sensory language which, in itself, will cut out most of the misunderstandings that often lead to those costly mistakes being made.

Take up our offer and learn how you learn, the ultimate competence. We will give members of the Arun Business Partnership a 50% reduction in the ‘Learning how you Learn’ one day course (normally £580 + VAT) for six delegates. We can also come to you and train up to six people for the same special price of £290 + VAT.

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DEVELOPMENTS

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

Advertisers Announcement

Mental Ill-Health –

Can you Afford to Ignore It? FOR MANY OF us the world seems to be becoming a faster paced and more intense place to live! With the increasing demand for decision making, organising and communicating in both our working and personal lives it’s perhaps no surprise that there has been a huge increase in anxiety and stress related illness, as we all strive to adapt to modern life and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Some of the Facts (figures for United Kingdom): ■ 1 in 4 people will experience mental ill-health during their life-time ■ Mental health related work absence costs businesses in excess of £9 billion per year and Mental Health services cost the UK around £110 billion a year ■ Over 11% of employees leave their job due to a mental ill-health condition created in the work-place ■ Over 50% of employees will conceal mental ill-health in their work place ■ The stigma attached to mental ill-health prevents people from accessing health services or gaining employment ■ Working is good for people with mental ill-health Mental Health in West Sussex: West Sussex County Council and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are dedicated to improving Mental Health in West Sussex and through the Paritas project have been working together to Increase awareness of personal well-being, Place people with a mental health history into work and Break the stigma of mental ill-health.

Paritas: Established three years ago, Paritas provides individual candidate recruitment services and Employer Training / Consultancy. The Recruitment Service is unique in enabling each candidate to freely discuss their mental health condition, barriers to work and job preferences with a team of dedicated vocational mental health support specialists. The team will use this initial interview to identify and focus on what the candidate ‘can do’ , the key transferrable skills and any reasonable adjustments or occupational health needs they may require once in work. There is no further need for disclosure throughout the whole process where candidates are matched only to the most appropriate job roles and have access to support at all times. To date most roles have been office based and temporary in nature, which has enabled individuals to improve their self-confidence, work skills and bring their CV up to date before moving on to more demanding roles, if they choose to do so.

Through the life of the project a 50% candidate placement rate has been achieved, where the national average is just 23% for people with a mental health history.

Through the development and delivery of Well-Being awareness and management training to over 300 Public Sector Managers, Paritas have significantly helped to reduce the stigma of Mental Ill-Health within West Sussex.

For more information on how Paritas can help you or your company, please visit:

www.paritas.org.uk

BUSINESS NEWS

BUSINESS CORNER

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Trained Staff Save Lives How Many Staff Are Trained In Fire Safety & First Aid In Your Workplace ?

Our courses cover as a minimum the following topics:-

Good quality training can mean the difference between saving life or not.

Fire Safety How to minimise the risk of fire breaking out in the first place If, how and when to use extinguishers effectively?

How to manage an evacuation

Trained staff in fire and first aid contribute to health and safety by helping prevent incidents occurring.

Over half of businesses affected by fire do not continue to trade. Human error is the main cause of business loss as a result of a fire.

Every year 180,000 people have a heart attack. If one of your work colleagues suffered this fate not having trained staff could result in the casualty dying before paramedics arrive.

Our job at IFAST is to minimise the risk to your business from fire and medical emergencies.

be trained in either fire safety or first aid or do both courses on the same day and have lunch included in the price.

For booking details of this and other courses IFAST provide either ring Gary Tompsett on 07947 867621 or visit their website at www.ifast-online.co.uk

First Aid How to keep someone alive long enough for paramedics to arrive CPR and the management of burns Treatment of choking For 2011, in addition to courses held on customers premises, we are offering what we believe to be a unique event where attendees from smaller companies, who may not require group training, can attend Chichester Racquets Club where they can, on the same day

Aldingbourne strikes Gold!

The Aldingbourne Trust has been rewarded for looking after its staff as carefully as the people it sets out to suppport, by achieving the prestigious Investors in People Gold Standard.

The Aldingbourne Trust – a local charity based in Norton, Chichester, help local business, communities, and people with learning difficulties to reach their potential and enjoy life, together by providing support with housing, work, training, leisure, health and wellbeing. The Trust employs 200 staff and began working with Investors in People ten years ago before recently achieving Gold status. Investors in People is a national quality Standard awarded to well-run organisations which demonstrate good management practice with a high emphasis on best practice people management and development. The additional recognition of Bronze, Silver and Gold status is designed to celebrate success and to stretch those organisations that are doing particularly well.

Fewer than 1% of organisations nationally have stepped up to the mark to achieve the Investors in People Gold Standard.

THE MAGAZINE 30

Aldingbourne Trust’s Managing Director Sue Livett said: “We decided to work with Investors in People originally because it is a nationally recognised benchmark and an externally recognised standard. We pride ourselves on having good staff communication, training and morale, so when the Investors in People assessments take place we don’t feel the need to tutor people specially.

Investors in People centre for London and the South East, said: “Aldingbourne Trust is a shining example of a charity that practices what it preaches. It is a great tribute to all the staff that has shown so much enthusiasm and determination to achieve Gold status.”

“We have found the process has been quite motivating. When we heard we had achieved Gold, our team at Milton Lodge, based in Bognor Regis took the initiative and rang the local radio station, Spirit FM, which sends bouquets to workplaces which have achieved something they’re proud of, and the staff were delighted to be sent flowers.

“It’s also been beneficial during these difficult financial times to be holders of the Investors in People Standard, as when it comes to tendering for contracts it can give you the competitive edge.”

Trish Fraser, Joint Managing Director of Inspiring Business Performance (IBP) the

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Customer Service Rant

Presumably too, those responsible for abysmal customer service do not read the Arun Business Partnership magazine!

4. We will honour our promise – if we say we will do something we will!

We’re always the sunniest, we’ve even been the sunfloweriest, so what about the friendliest?

5. We will keep you informed of progress (or lack of progress) if we are looking into something for you.

How easy would this be and yet how effective? What a selling point:

6. We will train our staff to be the friendliest and most welcoming.

‘You are always guaranteed a friendly welcome in Arun’ or ‘Arun, the friendliest customer welcome in the country’ Even better it wouldn’t cost anyone any money to participate. All you have to do is make sure your business offers the friendliest, warmest and best ever customer service.

Of course they are those who offer great service, who know how to make their customers welcome and special and who train their staff to be great company ambassadors too. You only have to look at those companies nominated in the Customer Care Award category of your recent annual awards to see that.

What would be the key features of Arun’s ‘the friendliest and most welcoming place in the country’? As I see it, there would be 10 ‘golden welcome’ criteria to promote to visitors and customers:

Well done to you, but you must feel let down by those who don’t give customer care and service that same levels of attention and even worse that you are ‘tarred with the same brush’ when people like me (customers!) talk so generally about poor service.

2. We will always look at you when we talk to you.

1. We will always say ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and treat you politely.

3. Give you our full attention when we are dealing with you.

7. We will invite and welcome your comments and we will act upon them.

8. We will tell our customers what actions/changes we have made as a result of their comments.

9. We will always offer a clean, attractive and welcoming environment.

10. We will continually improve!

Obviously I think this is great idea not least because I came up with it, but what about you, are you up to the challenge?

How do we make it happen? How do we persuade all of our businesses to sign up and more importantly deliver?

Could we develop the Arun Business Partnership ‘Customer Charter’?

Tell me or Miriam what you think?

So I have an idea!

What about we set out to make Arun

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

31 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

As no one turned up on my doorstep threatening a lawsuit, no one called to tell me I was wrong and no one ‘sent the boys around’, I can only presume you all agree with me!

the most welcoming place in the country?

BUSINESS CORNER

T

hose eager Arun Business Partnership magazine readers amongst you will have read my last rant about poor quality customer service where I wrote of the worst features of customer service, those which annoy and irritate me.

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Arun Business Partnership

in Pictures

The Arun Business Partnership Networking Event at The Fish Factory in Littlehampton Pictures kindly supplied by Graham Franks - www.grahamfrankspics.co.uk

EVENTS

PARTNERSHIP IN PICTURES

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

Getting To Know You Coastal Business 2 Business Exhibtion at Fontwell Park Racecourse Pictures kindly supplied by PPL and Stephen Walby

THE MAGAZINE 32

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Advertisers Announcement

Woods Celebrate their Ruby Anniversary - 40 years in the Travel Industry It all began in 1971 with two London boys and two ZephyrZodiacs, providing quality taxi services from a small office in Aldwick. Now the company, Woods Travel Limited, runs the premier private coach hire service on the Sussex coast, has a full international tour programme, an ABTA bonded independent travel agency, runs the Sussex Cruise Club and employs over 45 people.

Roger Elsmere and Bill Wood started the company with the aim of being the best and never deviated from that goal. After the death of Bill Wood, Roger took sole charge of the company and by 1992 had opened a second side to the business, Woods Holidays Limited, an ABTA travel agency that was soon bonded with ATOL and IATA. The Sussex Cruise Club was added to the Woods group in January 2008 to highlight the travel agency’s cruising expertise and has gone from strength to strength.

The tour programme began in 1982 offering just five UK

destinations. 2010 has seen over 125 departures, carrying over 6500 passengers to various destinations ranging from The Isles of Scilly to Eastbourne to the Austrian Lakes. The day excursion programme covers everything from train rides to boat trips, gardens to London shows.

Roger Elsmere believes that his company can cater for the modern-day traveller, and he has a good idea why Woods will be the popular choice this year.

"People are becoming more demanding about what they want from their holidays, requiring a quality package which still represents excellent value for money. This year we have the usual mix of UK destinations but we are also travelling to the Italian Dolomites and cruising to the North Cape of Norway.”

“We have also found that our door-to-door service by taxi to the coach pick up point has proved to be popular for many people across Sussex and Hampshire, especially for the older members of our community."

Today the business is family-run with Roger as MD, and daughters Tina and Kristy as directors.

CALL US NOW FOR...

Woods Excursion & Tour Programmes on ........01243 868080 Travel Agency Facilities on ................................01243 870870 Sussex Cruise Club Cruising Offers on ............01243 871664 Private Hire Hotline on........................................01243 871656 Group Travel Hotline on ......................................01243 871651

Woods Travel Limited Park Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 2PX Telephone: 01243 868080 Fax: 01243 871667 Woods Holidays Limited 43 Aldwick Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 2NL Telephone: 01243 870870 Fax: 01243 871667

www.woodstravel.co.uk | info@woodstravel.co.uk

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EDUCATION

BUSINESS CORNER

Developing People

Developing Business Is your management team ready to face the challenges required to grow your business and increase your company’s competitive advantage?

The University of Chichester’s Foundation Degree in Management starts 1st February 2011.

Suitable for business owners, new managers and experienced managers with no formal qualifications, this programme will deliver tangible business benefits.

Improving Business Performance Participants will be learning from experts in the field who are working with the latest research to provide programmes that deliver real performance improvements.

Each module within the programme

THE MAGAZINE 34

includes a work based project which enables participants to make an immediate impact on the business, even while they are learning.

Giving staff the opportunity to learn and develop through a recognised qualification is proven to have a positive effect on retention and recruitment, enabling you to attract and keep the high quality people you need to drive your business forward.

The Foundation Degree in Management The Foundation Degree in Management is delivered over 2.5years The first year comprises 6 modules.

Each module consists of three one-day workshops over a 4-6 week period plus a work-based project Option of additional CMI (Chartered Management Institute) qualification available

Accredited Short Courses If the full Foundation Degree is not for you we also offer a suite of Accredited Short Courses including Introduction to Management, Financial Decision Making and Business Law. For more information contact Sandra Coley, Business Development Manager, Tel: 01243 812133 email: s.coley@chi.ac.uk or visit www.chi.ac.uk

Successful completion of 8 modules achieves a Certificate in Management

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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C

hichester College Training Services provide courses designed with businesses in mind and recent research proves that regular training accelerates business growth.

Our short courses cover the fundamentals of leadership and management, organisational and personal development courses specifically tailored to help businesses improve performance, staff development and administration enhancement.

to help address any skills gaps or areas for improvement. We can deliver training at our sites in Worthing and Chichester, or throughout Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey, at a time and venue to suit.

In addition to these courses, we offer

one-to-one coaching and support as well as bespoke organisation improvement services; business reviews, mentoring services and excellence model assessments.

You can call us on 01243 786321 or visit our web site www.chichester.ac.uk

One of our key aims is to meet with employers and find out about the organisation; get to know the structure and how individuals fit in. This enables us to carry out a genuine training analysis to ascertain their needs. Only then, do we endeavour to find a solution

In a recent survey of our business customers 98% said they would happily use us again to train their staff. Call now to find out what makes our training so special and how it can improve your business performance.

Our advisors can help you decide which training will work best for you.

10% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE FOR ARUN BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS

Enjoy a brighter business future!

For more information please call (01243) 771781 or visit www.chichester.ac.uk Chichester College | Chichester Campus | Westgate Fields | Chichester | West Sussex | PO19 1SB

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

training services 35 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS CORNER EDUCATION

Bespoke for Business

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Arun Enterprise EDUCATION

BUSINESS CORNER

Challenge

T

he Arun Enterprise Challenge, now in its third year, is proving to be a popular event with both students and local business. Hosted by Arun companies including Butlins and Greenpower, students from across the area take part in real life challenges created in collaboration with local business.

that schools in the Worthing area have asked for their own Enterprise Challenge, with a view to competing with the Arun schools in a regional final.

In just three hours, they have to work through the challenge, searching through resources, making decisions, and creating a presentation for the judges, challenging their entrepreneurial skills to the limit.

“Business involvement is crucial to the development of our young people, both professionally and personally - one morning is all it takes to really make a difference. After all, these are the people who’ll be running our businesses in the not too distant future!”

In order to give them the best possible experience, teams are supported on the day by local volunteer business mentors from a range of sectors. For many students, this will be the first time they work directly with businesses and have the benefit of expert advice. Students and mentors arrive without any prior knowledge of the challenge, making the standard of work produced even more incredible.

The event has become so successful,

Turning ‘no way’ into 5-a-day

Jacqui Scerri, from West Sussex Education Business Partnership organises the event and is passionate about getting local businesses involved,

She adds, “I’m so fortunate to work with local business people who see a value in getting involved – not just for the students, but for themselves and their businesses. Working with teenagers really makes you challenge your own train of thought and the way you do things – imperative if you want your business to succeed.”

If you’d like more information about

Trying to get children to eat their 5-aday is a problem that most parents face on a regular basis. Enterprising dad Mark Northeast’s creative approach to food is getting school children tucking into those nasty fruits and vegetables and loving it.

Mark‘s company, Funky Lunch, runs school workshops that allow children to get hands-on creative with wholesome food, encouraging them to try new things by turning ordinary fruits and vegetables into works of art.

The workshops are aimed at primary years children. Each session involves tasting, designing and making a novelty sandwich, incorporating educational skills such as numeracy, design and practical tasks.

THE MAGAZINE 36

the Arun Enterprise Challenge or working with students, please contact Jacqui on 07545 200278, or email jacqui.scerri@westsussex.gov.uk

“The children get so wrapped up in using different foods to create their sandwich that they forget they’re actually eating a carrot or a cucumber. For older years we’ve created an ‘Apprentice’ style challenge,” said Mark. “It gives the children a real sense of achievement when they’ve completed the tasks set for them.”

The response to Funky Lunch school days has been so positive that 2011 will see the introduction of a unique alternative to a cook-along party – the Funky Lunch birthday party.

For more information please call Mark on 07771 723510 or email munch@funkylunch.com or visit www.funkylunch.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

funky funky lunch lunch

TM

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The Littlehampton Academy & College

! m u y , Yum l fun ationa Educ

ES URAG NG ENCO Y EATIN H HEALT

Faith Unity Vision

EN ON AS SE PETER BLUE

1

1 OR 20 NEW FAY PARTIES D BIRTH

Creative Food Workshops Worksho ops for primary schools +HOS GHYHORS FXUULFXOXP VNLOOV DQG FRQÀGHQFH +HOS GHYHORS FXUULFXOX P VNLOOV DQG FRQÀGHQFH

Hill Road, Littlehampton BN17 6DQ Academy: 01903 711120 | College: 01903 711149

Call 07771 723 510 or email mu munch@funkylunch.com unch@funkylunch.com for details

ww.tla.woodward.co.uk

www.funkylunch.com www .funky ylunch.com

Developing People, Developing Business.

Are your managers ready to face the challenges required to grow your business and increase your competitive advantage?

New from February 2011

Courses

University accredited short-courses for managers and supervisors. Benefit from degree level training and the opportunity to gain credits and work towards our Foundation Degree in Management at your own pace.

• Financial Decision Making • Introduction to Management • Marketing and Customer Service

For more information contact Sandra Coley, Business Development Manager, Centre for Work & Learning. Tel: 01243 812133 Email: s.coley@chi.ac.uk.

• Introduction to Business Law • Operations Management • Managing through ICT

www.chi.ac.uk

BUSINESS NEWS

BUSINESS CORNER

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Bognor Regis

B

utlins first opened its doors in Bognor Regis on 2nd July 1960 when the company was still owned, and managed, by its founder, Sir Billy Butlin. In 1972 it was bought, along with other brands such as Haven Holidays and Warner Leisure Hotels, by the Rank Organisation who in turn sold their entire holiday division to its present owners, the wholly British owned Bourne Leisure Ltd, in 2000.

Originally the Bourne Leisure Board planned to sell Butlins but fell in love with the brand and realised, with some inward investment, its potential to once again become one of the biggest players in the UK leisure industry.

Since 2003 around £116m has been invested in the brand with a substantial amount being spent on the resort at Bognor Regis. In 2005 Shoreline Hotel, at a cost of £10.5m, was opened followed in 2006 by the Shoreline Conference Centre and in 2009 the £20m Ocean Hotel & Spa was launched. In 2010 more than £2.7m has been invested in landscaping,

THE MAGAZINE 38

constructing new activity areas such as the beach courts and modernising entertainment venues, bars and restaurant. Subject to planning permission 2011 will again see heavy investment into the resort with almost £21m being spent on a third hotel and new concept family restaurant.

Jeremy Pardey, Resort Director at Butlins, Bognor Regis, said; “The level of investment into the resort illustrates the confidence, and commitment, Bourne Leisure has not only in the UK holiday industry in general but also in Bognor Regis as a location. The brand celebrates its 75th Birthday in 2011 – as one of its guardians I’m aware of the weight of history on my shoulders.

However, I do believe that if Sir Billy could see our resorts today he would be extremely proud” Today Butlins Bognor Regis welcomes around 420k guests every year many enjoying family breaks that offer modern places to stay whether that is in the hotels or the apartments. Always famous

for top quality entertainment there is something for everyone including all the Hit Entertainment characters for little ones and west end style shows for the whole family. There is also a wide variety of sports and activities including fencing, archery and the Climbing Wall and High Ropes Course available that are perfect for all the family as well as team building events.

Many national as well as regional companies have held conferences and team building events at the resort including such diverse ones as the Irish Dance Championships for the third year running. With a choice of venues and excellent cuisine it is the perfect venue for intense business meetings and rewarding staff with a team building experience with activities such those already mentioned as well as making a DVD or line dancing!

For more information on holding an event at Butlins Bognor Regis call 01243 810118 or visit www.Butlinsevents.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Thinking inside

When it comes to communicating

creatively with customers, the temptation is to go for ‘blue sky thinking’, to ‘think outside of the box’.

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of open-minded brainstorming, but what you must never lose sight of is the key message you need to communicate to persuade your audience to buy from you.

costly brochures have suffered the same or worse, gone straight into the bin?

Perhaps you need to find a more succinct and appealing way of communicating your message and making sure it sticks in customers’ minds.

Label design demonstrates this rule perfectly. Packaging is the primary tool for marketing practically every consumer product - it is literally the product’s identity. But a label is a box, generally a small box, which places constraints on the scope for design and communication.

No-one these days has the time to read reams of promotional blurb. Your product or marketing materials need to grab consumers instantly. This forces us to pare everything back to the bare bones - to get to the nub of the matter. But this is also where our creativity can really start to flourish – where less really is more.

They may be a larger ‘box’ but the same rule applies to brochures. Take another look at that pile – are any of those promotional materials doing their job if this is their fate? And how many of your

For more information call AJS Labels 01903 731212 or visit www.ajslabels.com or contact Little Book on 01903 738226, info@littlebook.co.uk or visit www.littlebook.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

39 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

Design’s central role is to creatively communicate key messages to other people, primarily consumers, and ultimately entice them to buy.

the box

BUSINESS CORNER

Good design – we know it when we see, right? If you want to test that theory, sift through that pile of brochures and flyers that have been sitting on your desk for weeks and pick out an example of what you think is good design. Then ask yourself: Does it communicate the key facts about the product or service? Does it make the product or service more appealing? And ultimately, would I consider buying that product or service? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, then it is good design. If the answer is yes to all three, it’s great design.

Page 39

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BUSINESS CORNER

Executive Carriage Group is a family run business with over 20 years long distance Taxi driving experience. They pride themselves on providing a first class service to top executives of multinational companies to families travelling for their holidays.

BUSINESS NEWS

Executive Carriage Group

Their fleet comprises 4and 6 seater luxury vehicles and are driven by smart, friendly, helpful and polite drivers who have a vast geographical knowledge and driving experience.

All drivers hold full licences, are fully insured and CRB checked.

Vehicles are cleaned inside and out on

a daily basis and are all licensed by the local council meeting their exacting high standards.

They offer a genuine 24/7 collection or delivery service weekdays and weekends to and from anywhere in the mainland UK. Elderly and unaccompanied minors are provided with extra special care.

For reservations or enquiries you can call their helpful and polite operators 24/7 on Freephone 0800 8 247 822, 01243 822666 or 01243 372862.

Alternatively why not book online at www.executivecarriagegroup.co.uk

Look & Sea Littlehampton’s Look and Sea Centre offers a variety of options for corporate events and conferences.

All or part of the Centre can be hired for product launches, meetings, personal celebrations or promotions. Our 360 degree Viewing Tower, Conference Room or Restaurant are all stunning venues guaranteed to impress your clients and with the best of catering from our Harbour Lights Cafe and Dining you can be assured of a top quality event. With hire prices from only £100 per day we can promise the very best value for money, call us today to discuss your requirements.

Corina Concept Audio Ltd. Cleaning Services From a small sound system to a full tour production, From the UK to the World

Concept audio is best known for their High Fidelity sound systems but over the years has diversified into offering a full bespoke service to the events industry by providing, Lighting, staging, Audio/Visual systems and power needs too.

Their dedicated team of in-house engineers are highly skilled and are constantly updating their knowledge &

skills to enable them to deliver a first rate production each and every time!

Concept Audio’s professionalism and expertise is clear to see from their client list and a quick look at the events they have worked on this year should leave you in no doubt that you’re dealing with a truly professional company.

For further details about how you can enhance your event with Concept Audio call them on 01243 827915 or visit www.conceptaudio.co.uk

Corina Cleaning Services is a family business, trading for thirty four years.

They provide a carpet and upholstery cleaning service to both the private and commercial sectors. Using the latest equipment capable of cleaning large areas such as hotels, golf clubs, pubs and large office areas. Specialising in all aspects of cleaning for the commercial sector. Also providing a service for letting agents with changeover cleans. Church and community halls, dance studios, staff areas in plant nurseries, in fact any commercial premises you can think of.

The service is tailored to the customer’s specific requirements.

All staff are fully employed, insured and trained by Corina Cleaning Services. Holiday cover for employees is covered by other employees so a high quality service is provided all year round.

To find out more contact Adrienne Williams on 01243 587716.

THE MAGAZINE 40

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Part of the business community Prisons, where appropriate, are encouraged to generate income to offset the cost to the tax payer of keeping offenders in custody. The purpose being, to promote law-abiding behaviour, we do this by developing a work ethic whilst in custody, and preparing offenders for resettlement back into the community.

established and operating workshops within Ford. The work includes machinery refurbishment, recycling, warehousing and distribution. We are currently looking for ways to develop this area further.

Ford Prison also has the biggest horticultural unit in the prison service contract growing bedding plants, trees, shrubs and producing vegetables for numerous prison kitchens. We also have on site a commercial laundry, a welding

and fabrication workshop, and a plastic injection moulding workshop.

Charitable work is also important to Ford. We help local groups with numerous work Opportunities. This is done within our workshops with the expertise of Instructional Officers and Offenders. Another area we are looking to develop and grow.

read more...

HMP Ford runs a number of industrial workshops that complete a range of activities both for the prison service and also under contract. We also work alongside a number of commercial partners in various activities. This work allows offenders to gain realistic work skills and experiences whilst serving a custodial sentence.

Partnership working is a key part of the regime with three commercial companies

Saunders Specialised Services For almost 50 years Saunders Specialised Services has been providing a first class service for installation, maintenance and servicing for all building service requirements from design and installation through to testing and commissioning throughout the South of England.

Saunders Specialised Services work in a vast variety of facilities such as offices, factories, warehouses, airports, churches, educational facilities, stately homes and castles as well as garden centres, theatres, hospitals, care homes and restaurants – to mention a few!

Saunders are very proud of their impressive client base, which is as

extensive as the list of services they offer. National and local companies include The Body Shop International, Sainsbury’s, Hilton Hotel Group, Comfort Inn, JCC Lighting, Butlins, Goodwood Estate and Arundel Castle Trustees. To ensure that every Saunders client benefits from the highest level of expertise and service they are affiliated with all of the major organisations such as Gas Safe, OFTEC, NICEIC, Refcom and HVCA, these bodies check that work is carried out to the highest professional standards.

Whether your building services requirements are for design, construction, installation, servicing, reactive & preventative maintenance Saunders have the solution. Saunders

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

specialise in all types of boilers, warm air & radiant heating, hot-water generation, radiators, system controls, power flushing, Natural gas, LPG and electrical installations including Periodic Inspections and Testing as well as air conditioning, oil, steam, solar, compressed air, thermographic inspections, energy saving equipment, underground district heating, ventilation, ductwork & much more!

Every company large or small will at some time have an need for the services that Saunders provide, more details of which can be found on the inside back cover of this magazine or you could visit their web site at www.saundersheating.co.uk for more information and contact details.

41 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

HMP Ford is always seeking opportunities to work alongside the commercial and charitable sectors to provide realistic work experience to offenders. We value our customers more so because they enable us to train offenders and develop work skills in the closest we can get to a real work environment within a prison.

BUSINESS CORNER

Working with HMP Ford

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EXEC-CARS OF BOGNOR REGIS & CHICHESTER AND SURROUNDING AREAS

LOOK&SEA Conference Facilities With a View

4 AND 6 SEATER LUXURY AIRPORT & DOCK TAXIS A DEDICATED LONG DISTANCE TAXI SERVICE (PART OF THE EXECUTIVE CARRIAGE GROUP) Family Run Business with over 20 Years Experience WE WON’T BE BEATEN ON PRICE/COMFORT/SERVICE OR RELIABILITY

Prices from Airports........£40 Docks...........£45 Other prices on request.

Ring Now (24hrs) (01243) 822666 & (01243) 372862 Book Online @ www.executivecarriagegroup.co.uk

WE COVER YOUR AREA

Meeting rooms with a BIG view!

• Versatile Conference Room For Up To 60 • Multi Media projector/ WiFi/ air conditioned • Harbour Lights Cafe/Restaurant • Catering Available

• Breakfast Meetings Available • Open 7 Days A Week • Very Competitive Prices • Whole Building Available For Hire Including Tower • Heritage Exhibition

Please contact us for further information or come in and have a look.

Look and Sea, 65 Surrey Street, Littlehampton info@lookandsea.co.uk

01903 718984

Sound - Lighting - Staging - Backline Specialist professionals in production solutions to the entertainments & events industries.

Tel: 01243 827915 www.conceptaudio.co.uk email: info@conceptaudio.co.uk

www.lookandsea.co.uk

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BUSINESS CORNER

Stephen Walby Photography

BUSINESS NEWS

Stephen Walby has had a busy year! Not only has he covered a huge range of individual events from corporate photo shoots through weddings and social events, he has also given expert tuition at both West Dean and Northbrook Colleges.

Stephen has a wide range of photographic skills both in the studio and on location and he very cleverly combines that with the latest digital camera and lighting technology. This year Stephen has also developed a large library of photographic images that are suitable for one-off use. read more...

You can contact Stephen Walby Photography on 07795 954292 or to view some of his work visit www.stephenwalby.com.

Redwood Television Chris Evans has been working in the TV industry for many years, firstly with the BBC and then at Granada TV before going freelance some 25 years ago.

Since then he has worked on numerous productions in Broadcast TV such as Location, Location, Location, Property Ladder, Food & Drink, Watchdog and numerous consumer magazine style programmes. He has also done considerable work in the corporate arena for companies of all sizes.

Chris will always give you the best quality production he can for your budget; well produced films, however simple the idea.

So if you’ve a presentation to give, a service to explain, a product to sell, staff to train or an event to cover, Redwood Films can produce a cost effective answer to your requirements.

See what Redwood Films can do to promote your business. Give Chris a call on 01903 884441 or 07831 604338 or visit www.redwoodfilms.co.uk to see examples of his work.

As a result of his experience Chris, and his company Redwood Films, based in Arundel, West Sussex, can help you produce films that will do justice to your business.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

JMT

Embroidery From work wear to supplying and fitting the military uniform to MOD training regiments across the south JMT Embroidery do it all!

They are a family run business that has been operating since 2002 and their aim is to supply quality embroidered and printed clothing to small businesses and local tradesman at an affordable price.

They also supply to lots of local sports clubs and associations as well as being heavily involved with the Help for Heroes Charity.

So if you’re looking for quality work wear at a great price give Gary Jones a call on 07824818354 or email info@jmtembroidery.co.uk Oh, and JMT also do one offs and stag and hen party costumes too!

43 THE MAGAZINE

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Working with HMP Ford Opportunities to work with HMP Ford including business and non-commercial work. Current workshops including injection moulding, laundry, horticulture, and waste management. Also employment and work experience placements for offenders who are seeking to prepare for release back into the community.

For more information about our forthcoming employers’ days, please call

Tel: 01903 663 027 - business. 01903 663 000 - placements.

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Zimmer Stewart Gallery was established in 2003 and has rapidly gained a reputation as a great venue to view and purchase artwork for both business and home.

Based in Tarrant Street, Arundel the gallery holds regular exhibitions showcasing a range of paintings, prints, ceramics and sculpture by local and national artists both emerging and established. 2010 was a busy year for the gallery with eight exhibitions as well as the launch of a book on the artist Felix Anaut with an exhibition in Chelsea which then moved to the Arundel gallery during September.

The team at the gallery are clearly passionate about what they do and are constantly on the lookout for new artists to show and they regularly attend degree art shows at local colleges as well as exhibitions at other galleries in order to bring their customers fantastic and original work.

Customer service is the watchword at Zimmer Stewart and they strive to meet and exceed customer expectations in terms of product knowledge, communication and service.

So why not pop along and see what’s in the gallery – it changes regularly and they are (almost!) as happy for you to just go along and look as they are to help you choose that perfect piece of artwork.

You can contact James Stewart on 01903 885867 and visit their web site at www.zimmerstewart.co.uk

A referral agent can be an individual working part time from home, a new business created specifically to market our properties, an existing business looking for an additional income stream, a club or a society. Little or no financial investment is required and the agent only needs to pass the prospective clients’ details to Holidays and Homes for processing. As an agent you will then earn commission from every sale made by Holidays and Homes to a client you have referred.

Full support is available through our Littlehampton office as required including

product familiarisation, descriptions and pictures for marketing material and assistance with website design. The properties are in resorts that are attractive to the holidaymaker as well as the investor who wants to see capital growth and/or rental income.

Our flagship development is an Expedia Top 5 Resort, with annual growth of 15% and rental income conservatively estimated at 9.4%. These properties are also suitable for purchase using a SIPP or FPT so will also be of interest to referral agents working in the financial sector.

Share in our success!

For more information contact Anthony on 01903 733006. Email: anthony@holidaysandhomes.com www.holidaysandhomes.com

Arun Man Lands Top Award for Business Success An Arun business has been recognised for its excellence in providing disaster restoration services to businesses and homes with a top award.

Disaster recovery specialist Rainbow International has named Paul Ryan as Rookie of the Year in its annual awards. Paul, who set up the business just two years ago has grown turnover to nearly £500,000 creating 14 new jobs in the process.

Rainbow International specialises in restoring homes and businesses following fire, flood or accidental damage, as well as providing a commercial and domestic carpet and upholstery cleaning service.

Based at in High Street, Littlehampton the business has won a reputation for providing a high quality service.

In presenting Paul with his award Rainbow International Managing Director Phil Else said: “Paul thoroughly deserves this award for his dedication to customer service and for showing a real can do attitude.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Rainbow International is used by the UK’s leading insurance and loss adjusting companies who demand the highest standards, as well as working for many national commercial organisations.

Paul said: “We are delighted that our efforts have been recognised. I am working with a great team of people who are all dedicated to doing the best job possible for all our customers.

“When a fire or flood hits a property the effects can be devastating but we have the expertise to turn round the situation and restore properties and their contents to pristine condition.”

Rainbow International Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Chichester can be contacted on 01903 714376.

45 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

Holidays and Homes are International Property Specialists, with offices in Littlehampton and in Spain with villas and apartments for sale in Spain, Cape Verde and Turkey. The company are recruiting more referral agents to sell their properties.

BUSINESS CORNER

Thinking Become an Agent for about art... Holidays and Homes ...

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GC FLOORING For all your domestic and commercial needs No job too small • Competitive prices

Laminates Wood Flooring Safety Flooring Vinyl Carpet Tiles Hardboarding Astro-Turf Altro Flooring Karn Deen Flooring All supplied and fitted

• Laminates

• Vinyl

Agents Required by Local Company Share in our Success!

Attractive Resorts - Attractive Prices - Attractive Commission Start a New Business Add another Income Stream to your Existing Business Full Time or Part Time Little or No Financial Investment required Full Local Support from our Littlehampton Office Contact Anthony on 01903 733006 Email: anthony@holidaysandhomes.com Web: www.holidaysandhomes.com Arundel Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex

20 Years Experience in International Property

• Safety

Unit 5, Brookside Business Park, Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LP

0791 2012491 SPECIALIST SURVEYING SERVICES Energy Performance Certificate On construction Part L Compliance Lighting Energy Audit Asbestos Survey Fire Risk Assessment For a prompt and reliable service:

Simon Beeching BSc Hons. FCIOB Dipl. EA 07740 405603 simon.beeching2@btinternet.com BEECHING (UK) LTD Unit 22a Ford Lane Business Park Ford, West Sussex, BN18 0UZ

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Are You Protected?

From up to 1km away, a single

Logistics, it’s their business!

If you’re looking for a great caterer look no further than Nilerose Catering Services. The team at Nilerose can provide any type of buffet from cold finger buffets to hot fork buffets.

There are no set menus so you aren’t restricted and the team will work with you to make sure you get first class catering within your budget.

Nilerose pride themselves on their fabulous quality homemade food and customer service. The team will happily research and cook different types of food to suit more specific requirements and are flexible enough to take bookings months in advance or right at the last minute.

For more information visit their web site www.nilerose.com or call Chris on 01903 850525.

transient overvoltage protection alone.

The British Standard on Lightning Protection (BS EN 62305) treats the protection of electrical and electronic systems as an integral part of a lightning protection system and is considered within the overall risk assessment.

Not only does Orion Lightning Protection have the expertise to help you get to grips with the new requirements of the Lightning Protection Standard BS EN 62305 but we can survey your site identifying what does and does not need protecting, provide written recommendations and provide full cost implications.

A structure may need both a structural lightning protection system (LPS) and a fully coordinated set of Surge Protection Devices (SPD) to incoming metallic electrical services that cannot be bonded directly to earth or just

Quality, Tradition, Innovation If you’d like a well established family run firm looking after the logistics side of your business then look no further than Advance Sales Services UK Ltd. The father and son team at Advance are so good that some of their customers refer to them as “their logistics department!”

Advance Sales Services has been established for 12 years and continues to grow. But they’re still small enough to give the personal touch to all your shipping and

SPDs are key in providing protection against Lightning Electromagnetic Impulses(LEMP)

Talk to us today and let us know how we can help you with your projects.

Contact directors Justin Gale or Jason Harfield Tel: 01903 724218.

parcel needs. When you call the company you’ll talk to a real person, someone who is interested in your business – the team all believe that “customers make paydays possible”.

Over the past year the company has established themselves in the business of moving cremated remains around the world – a highly specialised and sensitive service which surely makes your day to day needs fairly simple!

To find out more about Advance Sales Services, call them on 01243 583913 or www.advancesalesuk.com

Body Sense With almost 20 years experience behind them Rustington based Bodysense know a thing or two about the beauty business and during the last year the company has gone from strength to strength, extending its range of products and introducing two late night open evenings in response to customer demand.

Key to the Bodysense experience is the warm welcome and great customer service, alongside the excellent value for money and the range of different treatments and products they provide. The team treat both men and women so if you fancy a little pampering pop along to the salon or have a look at their web site www.bodysensebeauty.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

47 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

Lightning can devastate the electronic systems on which businesses rely, can damage computer, telephone, CCTV and manufacturing systems, can corrupt data and destroy components and can cause costly and unnecessary downtime.

lightning strike can inject up to 6,000 volts on the power, data and phone lines running straight into the electronic systems at the heart of your organisation.

BUSINESS CORNER

Your Safety Is Our Business

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Catering Services

Call us for all your catering needs.

We aim to give a personal service to all our customers.

Home made food.

Specialising in: • Corporate Events • Children’s Parties • Birthdays • Weddings • Anniversaries • Funerals • Dinner Parties Last–minute bookings welcome!

At Nilerose Catering Services we are very happy to work with clients who are on a budget, no matter how big or small.

Call us today!

Corporate Wear I Work Wear I Team Wear I Sports Wear

Let us help YOU promote YOUR business or organisation with customised quality embroidered products.

We provide: I Personalised designs I Design set up FREE OF CHARGE I FREE Samples I FREE Quotes I Full Catalogue I No Minimum order (Ideal for small Businesses...)

To obtain more information or a no-obligation price quote, please call us on 07824818354 or email: info@jmtembroidery.co.uk

JMT Embroidery Unit 5, Brookside Business Park Brookside Avenue, Rustington West Sussex BN17 7GX

Smart Shirts I Polo Shirts I Sweat Shirts I Printing I Bags & Accessories

12 Broadmark Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex.

BN16 2HQ T: 01903 850525 E: chris.lush@nilerose.com

www.nilerose.com

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World

Cartridge World is the UK’s number one franchised re-filler of ink jet and laser cartridges on the high street, and the brand is growing all the time.

We aim to save our customers up to 50% of the price of the Original Manufacturer’s cartridges, which in this economic climate can’t be a bad thing!

Our store in Littlehampton has been trading since 2004 and we have built a good reputation not only in the quality of our re-fills and re-manufactured toner cartridges but also a quick turn around of cartridges to minimise disruption and fantastic customer service.

Most of our cartridges are already filled

so there is normally no waiting involved, but it’s cheaper if you bring in any empty cartridge as an exchange.

You may not be aware but we actually produce our product on-site. We hold over 200 different types of ink and 150 different types of toner to ensure that we meet the needs of all of our customers large or small, and of course our product has a full money back guarantee.

So if you are interested in saving money either for your business or at home, then take us up on our offer of buy 1 Cartridge World cartridge get your next one free. Just ask in store. (Please see terms and conditions in store).

You have nothing to lose, but will save pounds.

See our advert and our fantastic offer on page 22. or call us on 01903 714444.

Darren Sheppard took Gardner Security through BAFE accreditation Buy With Confidence, ECA and FSA accreditation. He was also awarded Best Security Installer in the UK. Darren brings many years of experience with him after providing innovative security solutions to many of the high street household names and government departments including local and national government Police and prison services. Darren Left Gardner Security after Gardner’s were taken over by another installation company located in Hampshire as he wanted to be with a local company offering true local expertise and support The services offered by The Lock Centre include Intruder Alarms, Fire Alarms, CCTV systems, Access Control systems and analytical security solutions. They continue to provide the usual Locks, Safes, Shutters, Gates and Barriers.

We asked Darren & Sean what message they wanted people to understand about the company and they said: “Regardless of your security requirements if you are not totally happy with your current provider call The Lock Centre, we guarantee to provide impartial advice and to deliver the best solution to your needs. We’re a company that treats you as a person and not as another contract number”.

To contact Darren or Sean please call tel 01243 829 427. www.thelockcentre.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

49 THE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NEWS

Yes, 2011 is here the snow has gone but with rising cost of fuel, food and the increase in VAT duty everybody wants to save as much money as possible either businesses or home consumers.

The Lock Centre is celebrating over 25years of trading within the area and is going from strength to strength. Sean Maginnis Proprietor of The Lock Centre has grown the business over the years to now be the only NSI Gold standard installer within the Arun district. Sean has now extended the business taking a new business partner Darren Sheppard previously Managing Director of Gardner Security.

BUSINESS CORNER

Cartridge

The Lock Centre Expands and Grows

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Get me outa’ here!

Cobwebs Quality Cleaning and laundry and ironing service.

The Arundel Carpet Company Specializing in Natural Products We will supply and fit domestic and commercial carpets specialising in natural products such as: • Wool • Wood • Stone • Marmoleum • Amtico

103 - 107 Tarrant Street | Arundel | West Sussex BN18 9DP Tel: 01903 884559 | Fax: 01903 885859

www.arundelcarpetcompany.com

Why not spend your weekend relaxing, you deserve it, we’ll take care of everything. Cobwebs is a very successful Cleaning Company, we have been established since 1999, and have recently relocated to West Sussex and still maintain in Kent. We will bring the sparkle back in your home or your office.

Spring clean fortnightly, weekly or a 1 off super clean. We will create a fully customisable cleaning programme specially tailored your personal requirements.

Laundry & Ironing 24/48 hour service. Don’t want to be washing and ironing all weekend work shirts, work uniform, school uniform, let cobwebs take it away Friday and bring it back Sunday washed, ironed, folded and smelling wonderful, all ready for Monday morning.

• Office cleaning • Domestic cleaning • Carpet cleaning • Upholstery cleaning • Window cleaning • Moving in/ moving out

• Driveways cleaning • End of tenancy clean • Builders cleans • Wheelie bin clean • Insurance claims • Emergency cleaning

All our staff are carefully selected Trustworthy, Professional and Efficient.

All materials and equipment are supplied.

Staff are all CRB checked and fully trained.

We are also fully insured.

All our staff work in teams of two as this cuts down on time in your homes.

Please contact Caroline or one of our staff on:

07736 446361 or 08455 190502

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Body Sense beauty salon has been established for nearly 20 years and offers all aspects of beauty therapy in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Stockists of: CRYSTAL CLEAR, NAILTIQUES UNIVERSAL CONTOUR WRAP Opening Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

9.00 - 5.30 9.00 - 5.30 9.00 - 9.00 9.00 - 8.00 9.00 - 5.30 9.00 - 1.00

FOR SPECIAL OFFERS AND PROMOTIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.bodysensebeauty.com Body Sense, 54 The Street, Rustington, BN16 3NR (01903) 850680 info@bodysensebeauty.com

The Magazine Issue 9 1-57:Issue 7_Nov 08

Reilly Construction are justifiably proud of being specialists in Value Engineering, which means that you get great expertise, project planning and solutions at a great price – couldn’t be better really!

For more information give Kevin Gearing a call on 01903 734141.

Ace Car Hire In 1969 two young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs decided to fill the winter gap in their small gardening business by purchasing two Ford Zephyrs and running them as a taxi service under the name Ace Car Hire. Subsequently, they purchased one of the largest independent licensed Hackney Carriage companies in the area and today they are still going strong!

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Corporate Memberships & Active Workplace Tournaments At Inspire we can help your company reduce levels of sickness, improve motivation and increase productivity with our corporate memberships.

Working out is a great way to increase energy levels and relieve stress.

Our Premier Corporate Membership package includes unlimited use of the Tone Zone gym, fitness classes and swimming during all public sessions, all at a discounted price.

We offer payment plans to suit all businesses, whether as a company you wish to pay in full and then deduct from your employees wages, OR alternatively employees can pay monthly by direct debit or pay in full for the whole year.

Inspire also promote an Active and Healthy Workplace for those businesses with a real competitive streak or for those that enjoy team building exercises.

Through the course of the year we also offer local businesses a chance to get involved in fun, sport based activities.

Evidence proves that there are multiple business benefits to be gained through focusing more attention on employee

health and well-being. A workplace environment that fosters physical activity and good health can contribute to the health and well-being of all employees and presents a positive image both to the outside world and to employees.

(British Heart Foundation) So what are you waiting for? Thanks to our funders: Active Sussex, Inspire Leisure is continuing from last year’s success and running more Healthy and Active Workplace Tournaments! We are hosting a series of sports competitions in 2011. Whether it’s for team building or a networking opportunity, come along and have some competitive fun against other local businesses. Make sure your business is ahead of the game in the lead up to the 2012 London Olympics!

If your business is interested in being placed on the mailing list or you would like any further information then please do not hesitate to contact Charlotte Anning on (01903) 890316 or email charlotte.anning@inspirelesiure.co.uk For more information on corporate memberships please call Inspire Felpham on 01243 826612 or Inspire Littlehampton on 01903 725451 and speak to a membership advisor today.

Ace Car Hire now has a fleet of over 20 vans and 25 cars. They are still a family run business and are well known for their friendly service. They maintain all their vehicles in house and are happy to arrange for one way vehicle hire.

As well as vehicle hire Ace also provide nationwide courier services for both trade and domestic customers. Again, you can be assured of a friendly and efficient service from a long established local company.

For more details of Ace Vehicle Hire call on 01903 713208 and for the Courier Service on 01903 725875 or you can visit www.acecarhire.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS NEWS

With over £63 million pounds worth of construction projects behind them, Reilly Construction’s track record speaks for itself! The Littlehampton based company is just going into its 15th year of trading and works on anything from small residential extensions and refurbishments through to large commercial developments. All their staff are employed directly which is a real bonus when it comes to that all important task of making sure the right people are in the right place at the right time!

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Building in Value!

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BUSINESS NEWS

BUSINESS CORNER

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dizzy : support 4 diabetes dizzy : support 4 diabetes was founded by Jools Chaffer and his wife Jane (a diabetes sufferer for more than 25 years) who now direct the social enterprise and along with a team of staff, plus an army of volunteers, help raise awareness of an illness which affects nearly three million people in the UK, plus around half a million who don’t even realise they have it! dizzy is a very active social enterprise and registered as a regulated 'Community Interest Company'. West Sussex County Councils dedicated department, the West Sussex Social Enterprise Network (WSSEN) defines such enterprises as “businesses with social

objectives” and that they are “increasingly becoming a new way to deliver local services and to ensure community needs are met. Social enterprise is now an integral part of the government agenda for public service delivery and the development of social enterprise is being actively encouraged.”

Local stores (Littlehampton, Middleton-on-Sea, East Preston and via eBay ‘dizzy2me’), support groups, awareness days or sessions, leaflet distribution, educational books, discounted (subsidised) diabetes Glucose Monitors, diabetes assistance /aid products, providing financial assistance for Children’s education ‘holidays’, also regular attendance at local networking events, community

groups or similar, plus highlighting other health and fitness initiatives; are all vital to further improving education of the condition and directly assisting people with the control of diabetes. dizzy : support 4 diabetes also have a direct presence on social networking websites such as Facebook (dizzy : support 4 diabetes) and twitter(dizzy2me). So log on, sign up and join in...

Contact : office 01903 868924 or email info@dizzy.org.uk

From Arun to the World?

The UK economy and its traditional markets may be improving but the recovery is yet to become secure. How has your business responded to the challenge? Are you in a position to take advantage of the improving outlook or struggling to replace the business that has evaporated during the past couple of years? Have you thought about how you can improve your business by expanding beyond Arun into new international markets?

If you are in any doubt about the future strategy you should be following as a result of your recent experience then you could consider tapping into the knowledge of experienced external advisers who can bring new ideas and provide different solutions to improve the performance of your business.

Performance Effects Ltd is a local management consultancy practice, specialising in assisting small and

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medium sized companies throughout the UK and abroad. As a small team of experienced industry professionals who have spent many years at the sharp end of business in UK and international markets they understand the problems and pressures facing companies today.

“We offer business advice AND hands on support’” says David Smith, Director.

“We do not believe in simply advising companies what they should do…we work with them to help develop and implement their improvement programmes. We know that advice and recommendations are worth nothing if they are not put into action. So we prepare detailed action plans to ensure the goals are achieved, and stay with the company as long as needed during the implementation process”.

follow the IBC Code of Conduct and Practice at all times so you can be assured of our absolute integrity, objectivity and confidentiality.

Performance Effects Ltd is an independent consultancy practice and its senior consultants are members of the Institute of Business Consulting. We

For further information – www.performanceeffects.co.uk Tel: 01903 783976 E: enquiries@performanceeffects.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS CORNER

Media Healthcare and Clinical Development Mark gained all his practical experience on the roads of Sussex as a Paramedic before completing a teaching qualification to allow him to pass on this knowledge and experience to his South East Coast Ambulance Service colleagues and now as Director and Clinical Tutor of his own company you can benefit from that experience too.

The company provides a wide range of courses from First Aid at Work to the much more specialist clinical courses such as diabetes care, ECG recognition, paediatric and end of life care, all of which are delivered by professionals with many years practical experience in emergency and hospital settings. They’ll tell you “we really have been there and done that” and what’s more they still do! A full list of courses is available on the website or page 28 of The Magazine.

Recently added to the company portfolio is the Conflict Resolution Training Course – perfect for all front line staff or those who work on their own and may come into contact with difficult customers. Why take the chance? A small investment in a practical one day training course could help prevent the unthinkable.

BUSINESS NEWS

Media Healthcare and Clinical Development was established in 2010 by Mark Plaine, a Paramedic and Clinical Tutor of some 30 years experience.

For your wedding, party or corporate event Middleton Sports Club offers an unrivalled backdrop across the cricket green for guests to enjoy, setting a scene that is unique in the area.

Our clubhouse has an excellent bar and restaurant, please visit our website to view photographs of the interior. The function room has its own dance floor and we are able to accommodate up to 250 guests with the addition of a fully lined and heated marquee.

If you are interested in holding any special events with us, we would welcome the opportunity to show you around our facilities and discuss your requirements.

Telephone 01243 583157 e-mail info@middletonsportsclub.co.uk www.middletonsportsclub.co.uk

For further details visit www.mediahealthcare.co.uk or call Mark on 0845 0943570 for a chat about how they can help you.

Image is

everything Vehicle photography, pop band promo videos, modelling assignments, room set shoots, TV advertising, training videos and catalogue product shots big and small - all can be accommodated in the PhotoShedSouth drive-in studio. Situated just off the A27, mid-way between Brighton and Portsmouth, the studio has free parking, experienced cameramen, lighting technicians, makeup artists, and room-set builders ready to turn your ideas into cutting edge images.

And if items are just too big or time restraints too tight, we can bring our studio to you! Our stock-in-trade includes cars, kitchens, bathrooms, commercial equipment and industrial plant, modelling and corporate portraits for exhibitions, point-of-sale, print media and web sites. Take a look at our portfolio on www.photoshedsouth.com read more...

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Premier cleaning solutions

Flooring Carpet Cleaning Specialists• Planned maintenance cleaning programmes • Restoration cleans/deep cleans • Free on-site demonstration

0371 9100423 charged at local call rate

Office Cleaning • Dusting/vacuuming emptying bins etc • Regular cleans/one off cleans • All staff fully vetted Unit 1, Bedford Street, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1SD T: 0371 9100423 charged at local call rate M: 07771 755192 E: info@pcs-uk.co.uk www.pcs-uk.co.uk

53 THE MAGAZINE

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SKIP HIRE SPECIALISTS No job too big or small ARUN WASTE will take it all!

We offer the following services Skip Hire Specialist Local Family Run Firm for Trade and Domestic customers.

We offer Skip Hire at Very Competitive Prices.

Skippo Bags from £40 plus VAT. We Also Offer a Grab Hire Service We operate in • Worthing • Chichester • Selsey • Bognor • Littlehampton • Witterings • Storrington • Pulborough and all surrounding areas.

Call 01903 733773 or 07710 132273 for further details

www.arunwasteservices.co.uk

Workwear

Visit our brighter and larger shop in the Arcade Bognor Regis. +,' # * & ' -&" '*%+ & +( " $"+, /'*#/ * ", %+ $+' (*'." & "& !'-+ 2(*"&,"& % *'" *12+ *." " "+ $',!"& $,! * -&" '*%+ ,1 '',+ ,! * &" '*%+ & %- ! %'*

% 1 *." '& *"&, *% &,+ % 0 *% &,+

' &'* "+ ! *

+, -++ 0

*' % ', "'& ' -# /// -&")- (

Full workshops on the premises specialising in Antique and Modern Clock repairs Watch repairs â– Jewellery repairs â– Insurance & Probate Valuations â– Watch Battery Replacements â–

56 High Street, Littlehampton

tel: 01903 724392 or visit us online:

www.lguess.co.uk

â–

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Unique Workwear

As their name suggests they can supply you with a huge range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces and much, much more, all embroidered or printed with your company logo. They also stock a wide range of gifts so if you’re looking for that one off for a special client, some giveaways for a special event or even a

L. Guess L.Guess is a family owned business, established since 1940 and now in its third generation. They are Registered Valuers and Members of the National Association of Goldsmiths.

Based in the Sussex coastal town of Littlehampton they strive to provide an experienced, knowledgeable & personal customer service with a superb selection of gold & diamond jewellery, including new & secondhand at very competitive prices.

They are stockists of Chamilia jewellery, Citizen & Sekonda watches as well as a

gift for a friend they are sure to be able to help you.

Unique are going into 2011 in their brand new shop but will keep their competitive prices, friendly knowledgeable staff and great customer service – so you’ve no need to worry about that!

And if you don’t have chance to get along to the shop you can look and order via their web site at your leisure.

Just visit www.uniquepromotion.co.uk or give them a call on 01243 826132

large range of ladies & gents pre-owned wrist watches including Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Tag Heuer & Longines. All preowned watches are fully serviced, restored and come with a full guarantee.

They also offer a gold purchasing service. Just take in your broken or unwanted jewellery, scrap gold, gold coins, platinum, watches, dental gold, foreign gold, broken chain and odd earrings and they will offer you a free quotation with obligation to sell. Top cash prices are always paid & selling your gold couldn’t be easier.

For more information about all their products and services visit www.lguess.co.uk

Building Success –

Infinite energy Arun Construction Services was established in 1987 and rapidly built a reputation for outstanding quality of work at affordable prices. Having established that reputation and with their expertise and knowledge of working at height they wanted a new challenge and Solarun was born!

Solarun are a specialist solar photovoltaic design and installation company – for the uninitiated they supply and fit solar panels on business and domestic properties that help reduce your electricity bill and provide

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Arun Waste Services are a family owned and run company that proudly boast they were the first Skip Hire Service in West Sussex to be on Check- a-Trade. They provide skips, grab hire services and “skippo” bags to business and domestic customers and will even take “skippo” bags that weren’t delivered by them!

During the past year the company has expanded its fleet and moved to larger premises whilst at the same time keeping a loyal customer base. Manager Peter Whittle puts that down to their commitment to great customer service.

To experience that for yourself why not check out their web site www.arunwasteservices.co.uk or give them a call on 01903 733773.

an income via the Government’s “feed in tariff”.

How does it work? Solar panels generate power by using photovoltaic cells to capture the sun’s energy and convert the sunlight into electricity. The cells do not rely on direct sunlight to work – as long as there is daylight electricity will be generated. For all the electricity that is produced via the solar panels, the owner will receive the government backed “Feed-in Tariff”. In addition to receiving the tariff you can use all the electricity produced to power your premises and, as a result, reduce your electricity bill Whilst Solarun work largely with businesses including property developers they are just as happy to talk to you about solar panels for your home and how they can help reduce your home’s electricity bill and provide you with a healthy return on your investment.

For more details call 01903 734444 or visit www.solarun.co.uk

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BUSINESS NEWS

If you need bespoke workwear or personalised gifts take a trip into The Arcade at Bognor Regis where you will find Unique Workwear Printing & Embroidery.

Look for the big yellow skips and you’re sure to see Arun Waste Services on the side!

BUSINESS CORNER

Printing & Embroidery

Arun Waste Services Ltd

BUSINESS NEWS

BUSINESS CORNER

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Just Wood Local, state-of-the art Flooring

waste recycling Times are hard for many businesses and there’s never been a greater need to reduce cost and improve efficiencies. At Arun-based SCS Waste Management we know this only too well, and are no different to many of the businesses throughout the district.

Our company looks to support the regional economy wherever possible, by employing our staff and purchasing/procuring supplies at a local level in the hope that it will help sustain other local businesses. Most of our major competitors are foreign owned, which means that your money leaves the region and is not reinvested back into the local economy.

We offer the full range of dry waste collection services including Skip, Roll On-Roll Off, Wheelie Bin, Rear End Loader (Mobile Compaction) and waste recycling services.

All waste is transported to our treatment/recycling facility located just outside Littlehampton, where it is processed through our state-ofthe-art waste plant for maximum recycling/re-use. You

Uniquevents Uniquevents are organisers of Events, Conferences, Exhibitions, Roadshows and Corporate Entertainment We provide a complete service for our clients from the initial ideas to the completed project. We will project manage each stage, we know your time is precious so we will follow your brief and let you get on with your day job.

We manage the whole process, we book the space, venue, complete all the

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don’t need to segregate waste on your site – we do it at ours. This means you don’t need multiple or variable containers on your premises for waste segregation, and can be assured that your company will meet its obligations under the pretreatment of waste regulations imposed on the 31st of October last year. read more...

We offer some of the most competitive rates for our services, and don’t tie our clients into long-winded, hard to get out of contracts. For more information and/or a no obligation quotation, please contact our sales office on 01903 734056 or email: sales@southcoastskips.co.uk.

Just Wood Flooring specialises in all aspects of hardwood flooring, from renovation and refurbishment of old floors to fitting new, state-of-the-art floors. Just Wood’s extremely high standards of skilled workmanship, commitment and years of experience make them one of the best choices for your hardwood floor.

Just Wood prioritises quality and customer care, and uses independent third party Checkatrade to evaluate its work and customer service. On completion of a job, the client is asked to fill in a form and the results of these surveys are posted on the Checkatrade website. Just Wood now has well over 850 testimonials on Checkatrade, with 100% of clients saying they would recommend them.

In the past 18 years, Just Wood has worked for royalty, national landmarks (like the Tate Gallery), laid floors for celebrities, and even put the floor down in a squash court in the Bahamas. And the business is still growing! read more...

For more information contact Just Wood Flooring on 01243 827 888 or visit: www.justwood.co.uk

necessary paperwork, design and build the stand or theme, find presenters, speakers or event staff and work closely with our clients to ensure a smooth running and successful event for everyone involved.

Ours is a completely bespoke service and we will work to a client’s budget and objectives.

We listen, we care, we learn, and we will work with you to understand you, your business, your communication needs, your brand and your objectives.

We can provide you with the

Inspiration, Creativity & Solutions to ensure your event, exhibition or conference works for your business.

We have many blue chip clients including B&Q, Homebase, Husqvarna, GO Outdoors, Carphone Warehouse, we also work extensively with local companies such as Blackburn Trailers, Cancerwise, and Kate’s Cakes and we are happy to work with you on any project, size or budget.

Call Guy or Sue on 01243 860600 to find out how we can help you.

Uniquevents – where we make a difference! www.uniqueventsltd.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Whatever the occasion, Upfront Events will make your budget stretch and take away the worry. read more...

For a helping hand with your next event call Keith on 01903 726760 or 07932 176051, or email: info@upfrontevents.co.uk.

The company caters for large or small events, offering a high quality, professional service and a range of bespoke services to meet individual requirements.

Frame of Mind the, Award winning, Bognor Regis based, Community Interest Company provide employment, work experience and training in a real business environment for adults with mental health issues/learning disabilities.

Our innovative methods mean that we do so much more than just train people in picture framing: we have a much more rounded approach and all trainees take an active part in all aspects of running a business.

As well as picture framing our trainees gain experience in our digital printing workshop learning Adobe Photoshop, Photographic and Canvas printing.

Also we have recently started a ceramics workshop and will set up a community garden and horticulture project early in 2011.

Have you ever considered the risks involved when your intruder alarm activates and you or your nominated staff member has to attend? Most people think only of the obvious risk: what if there is someone in the premises.

But take a step backwards, its 2am, you are woken to be called out to your premises, there is snow or thick ice on the ground and the evening before you have had friends over and have enjoyed a drink with them.

Event co-ordinator Keith Croft has over 30 years’ experience in planning and holding events for clients such as The Body Shop, Worthing Bears, Sussex County Cricket Club, Creative Memories and the Littlehampton Town Centre Action Group.

He can orchestrate the entire event, from marquees and catering to staffing and promotion, or provide individual elements such as a bar facility, disco or race night.

Frame of Mind

business

So now look at the risks, you are sleepy, the road conditions are bad, you may well not be in a position to drive as you have had a drink, so you have the added cost of a taxi and the waiting time for it to arrive, and you still do not know who may be there.

As our trainee’s confidence grows they become more active members of their community moving on to volunteering, education and employment. Recovery is at the heart of everything we do: we want our trainees to once again take an active part in their communities. Our aim is to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of local people in Chichester, Bognor Regis and the surrounding areas.

Store 2 Door If you need a great courier company then look no further than Store 2 Door.

They deliver retail, commercial and domestic items from single items to one tonne in weight.

Store 2 Door promise that they complete all their deliveries scheduled for that day even if time is against them – they’ll work the job, not the hours. Those deliveries and undertaken by uniformed staff in liveried vans who will provide you with the very highest standards of customer service – it’s what Store 2 Door are most proud of.

For further details of their services you can contact Trevor Knell on 07956 600995.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Risk and inconvenience to staff are the two main factors why businesses choose to use a professional alarm response service.

Keyholding and Alarm Response is just one of a range of security services provided by Avantguard Security – The trusted and reliable local security services provider.

Avantguard’s Response team work evenings and weekends because you don’t, and as first Keyholder they will respond to your alarm activations in the fastest possible time. Their Response Officers are trained to deal with the risks and are alert to any possible dangers.

Once at your premises they quickly identify the cause of the alarm activation and dependant on the agreed escalation protocol, act swiftly to ensue your premises are secure and the alarm reset, with a full report produced and on your desk the very next morning.

If you would like to more information on Avantguard’s Keyholding & Alarm Response Service or any other of their security services please call: 01903 784885.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Upfront Events is a small but wellestablished company that specialises in hosting key events. With a wealth of media and public communication experience and a passion for motivating audiences, Upfront Events goes that extra mile to make your event run smoothly.

BUSINESS CORNER

We don’t remember days... It’s a we remember moments risky

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Tel/Fax 01903 724707 Mob. 07956 600995 Store2Door are a delivery and collection service operating somewhere between haulage and courier levels of work, covering Sussex and beyond. We work in both commercial and domestic sectors, specialising in work for retail operations. We also cover small removals to single item Ebay collections, if we can move it we will!

Contact Trevor on

07956 600995 for a quote or advice on what we can do for you

Stress free from start to finish Conferences Corporate Events Exhibitions Exhibition Stand Build Sporting Events Hospitality Bespoke Services & Tailor made packages For further information Tel - 01243 860600 Fax - 01243 837303 guy@uniqueventsltd.com

We can tailor make packages to suit your needs no matter what size your budget.

www.uniqueventsltd.com

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Introduction ne of my lasting memories of my 24 years working in Arun will be the Arun Business Partnership.

Having founded the Partnership in 1998 (initially as the Littlehampton Business Partnership) I have seen it grow and develop into the tremendously popular, productive and highly respected body that it is now.

Hosting the annual award ceremony is therefore not a chore or duty; it is an absolute pleasure, delight and honour! Having been substituted for the past two years, I overcame the understandable bitterness to willingly accept the role this year!

What a treat to have the event at Old Selden Farm. The grandeur of the occasion was matched perfectly by the venue. However and as if this wasn’t enough, Red Catering fed us sumptuously, The Sirens Band entertained us royally, and Ferring Nurseries and The Garden Florist regaled us florally!

The best part of the whole awards event however is you and being constantly amazed and impressed by the incredible quality, range & depth of the businesses which exist in the Arun District. We have some world class companies in this area and it is a

O

great source of pleasure to see a sample of them recognised at the Awards, not only as ‘winners’ but also as nominees in one or more of the 18 different award categories.

As always there was a great buzz during the evening not least from those modestly but eagerly waiting to hear their business read out as a potential winner, and secretly hoping that it would be their business name inside the sealed winner’s envelope.

Equally, every one of the capacity audience was happy to recognise the success and qualities of all the businesses and generous, even raucous applause was given to nominees and winners alike.

As always the event was not only very prestigious it was also great fun, following the well established pattern of every other Arun Business Partnership meeting. The awards, the quarterly meetings and in fact everything the Partnership does is about YOU, and your business, letting you get to know other businesses and to be known by them too.

If you were not there, you missed a terrific evening but you can get a little flavour of what you missed in the next pages.

Richard McMann

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS AWARDS

Partnership Awards

WINNERS & SPONSORS

The Business

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BUSINESS AWARDS

WINNERS & SPONSORS

the

Awards

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

Small Business of the Year Awards Under 5 employees Under 10 employees Over 10 employees mall businesses are undoubtedly the life blood of the UK economy.

In the UK as a whole, small and medium enterprises account for 99.9% of all enterprises, 60% of private sector employment and almost 50% of private sector turnover.

Small businesses are certainly critical to Arun’s economy where over 90% employ less than 10 people.

It’s well known that running your own business is no easy option but the relative freedom it provides seems to still be a major attraction.

Here are a few top tips gleaned from this year’s Award winners about just how they did it Some key areas that should not be scrimped on are training, marketing and innovation.

S

• Enthusiastic, committed staff are

key to the success of any business, but especially so for small businesses, where each member of the team is an ambassador for your product or service. Keeping your employees motivated is vital and providing training to help them develop their skills and fulfil their ambitions can be the key to keeping staff happy and productive.

• Marketing should always be a priority. In times of recession the marketing budget can be one of the first areas that is cut, but making sure

Under 5 employees

Winner: Relish in Spice “

his award means a lot to us, a recognition for our passion and hard work.

By having won this award we hope to raise our profile locally and love to work with more local businesses. We like to thank all of those who nominated us. ”

T

your customers know you are still actively trading is critical. When the downturn ends, those companies that have continued to promote their brand and carve a market share will be best placed to benefit from new growth.

• Innovation and new technology can save you time and money and improve your working practices. Developing your products or refining your services could also give you the edge when recovery comes. Smart thinking could be the key to riding a recession and coming out on top.

Sponsor: Bennett Griffin

“

This was the first time Bennett Griffin has sponsored an Award at the Arun Business Awards. It was motivating and rewarding to be involved in the success of local Business creators. For us the process and the presentation were valuable lessons on how vibrant is local enterprise in our area. Being a Sponsor was a great learning curve; we hope to sponsor again next year.

”

Relish in Spice Barbara Strachan 01243 555433 sales@therelishinspicecompany.com www.therelishinspicecompany.com

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Name Peter Bennett Position Partner Bennett Griffin 01903 229999 recw@bennett-griffin.co.uk www.bennettgriffin.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

The Magazine Issue 9 58-100:Issue 7_Nov 08

”

Chichester College 01243 786321 caius.slater@chichester.ac.uk www.chichester.ac.uk

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Under 10 employees

Winner: Just Wood Flooring

J “

ust Wood Flooring specialises in all aspects of hardwood flooring, from renovation and refurbishment of old floors to fitting new, state-of-the-art floors.

Owner Alastair Smyth says “We are very pleased to win this award for the 2nd year in a row, it has been a great year for the team at Just Wood as we also won the same category in the inaugural southern business awards, competing against business from all over the south of England”

Just Wood Flooring Alastair Smyth 01243 629780 info@justwood.co.uk www.justwood.co.uk

Sponsor: Over 10 employees Moore Stephens Winner:Clear Computing

“

Moore Stephens Chartered Accountants, have sponsored the Award for the best business with over 10 employees for the last 3 years because we understand how incredibly difficult it is to make a success of small businesses and the sacrifices that entrepreneurs have to make and we strongly believe they should be supported in every way possible.

”

Mike Scott Chairman Moore Stephens 01243 531600 michael.scott@moorestephens.com

“

e at Clear Computing feel delighted yet humbled to have received the award of ‘Business of the Year ’ as the support of the Arun Partnership members was critical in the growth of our company. Only through interacting with businesses in the area can we recognise patterns and styles which help us advise services and solutions to IT needs.

Winning Business of the Year will motivate us to strive further forward to work in close relationships with local businesses as well as nationally. Thank you to everyone who nominated Clear Computing.”

W

Clear Computing Barny Hall 01903 786702 bhall@clear-computing.co.uk www.clear-computing.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS AWARDS

“

Chichester College’s Corporate Training Team are happy to celebrate the success of small businesses in this challenging economic climate from little acorns bigger businesses grow.

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WINNERS & SPONSORS

Sponsor: Chichester College

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New Business of the Year Award

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ave you ever wanted to set up your own business but were not sure what it would take or what you would do? If so, then read on. You are going to find some great tips, do’s and don’ts for starting a new business, whether that new business is small and providing you with a little more money, or it is going to be your main source of income, hopefully for years to come.

Statistics show that one in four UK adults think about having their own business at some point or another in their lifetime. Reading this magazine probably means you have thought about it or are already running your own business.

Here are my five top tips for starting a new business: 1. Do your market research.

Prove that you are fulfilling a need in your customers. Do they want what you are offering?

2. Do your competitor research.

See who else is doing this and how you can improve on what they do and find out what will make you different.

3. Plan your finances carefully.

Work out all your costs to start up, the costs for running your business and the amount of sales you are hoping for. Do the numbers work out to show you will make a profit?

4. Write a business plan.

This will help you think about and plan for all aspects of your business and will include what you have done in points 13 as well as information on marketing your product or service and what you want to achieve with the business.

5. Get support from a mentor.

Research shows that writing a business plan and finding a mentor to support you as you develop your business can really make a difference to you succeeding in your business.

See www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for information and downloads.

Editorial kindly supplied by Gareth Sear.

Winner: Funky Lunch “

e are delighted to win this award and it was the perfect way to finish off a very busy and exciting 2010, with our book launch, a couple of TV appearances and the start of our School Workshops, we’ve hardly had time to reflect on what we’ve done so it makes it all the more special when you get recognised for your achievements.”

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Sponsor: The Best Western Beachcroft Hotel

“

New start up businesses are vital to the economy, they are also very challenging and especially so in a recession. Congratulations!

”

Phillip Roberts Manager The Best Western Beachcroft 01243 827142 reservations@beachcroft-hotel.co.uk www.beachcroft-hotel.co.uk

Funky Lunch Mark Northeast 0800 6335984 munch@funkylunch.com

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Business, Marketing and Promotion Award 2. Dig deep to understand why people should bother to buy from you. If you are the same as the competition then there is no reason why they should buy from you… so what makes you different from the rest?

3. Talk to your customers: a. What do they love about you? b. What do they hate? c. What do you need to get more business?

4. Don’t tolerate contented or satisfied customers – they will leave you. Seek to get customers who love what you do – what would ‘raving fans’ look like for your business?

5. Categorise your clients by profitability – 80% of profits come from 20% of your clients (the law of the vital few)… where can you find more clients with the characteristics of the top 20%? What would happen if you sacked, say, the bottom 20

What’s the Problem? What’s the Hurt?

For many of us the problem with marketing is that it just doesn’t seem to be working as well as it could. Typically our clients say things like: • “We don't have a clear view of the future...”

• “Our pricing is easily matched/ bettered by our competitors who seem to surpass and outflank us…”

• “Too much time and money is spent on sales promotion and we don't know how effective it is...”

• “Our so-called ‘innovative’ projects often don't look much different from those of our competitors...”

• “A lot is being given away...”

What is to be done?

1.Throw away the textbooks.

Sponsor: JS Humidifiers

BUSINESS AWARDS

R

obert Craven from the Directors Centre is an entrepreneurship guru who helps companies face the challenges of growth and develop and implement strategies that improve profitability.

or 30% of your clients?

6. Create a focus on client benefits – tell them what they will get if they buy from you and tell them about the benefits (how will it make them feel happier or better off?).

Editorial kindly supplied

by Robert Craven

Winner: dizzy “

“

JS Humidifiers is pleased to be involved in the Arun Business Awards because, as a local firm, we’d like other local businesses to be successful. Lots of local organisations offer great products or services, but if they can’t communicate what they do successfully with potential customers, they are unlikely to thrive. We believe that success comes from getting the message across to potential customers effectively.

ur judging peers have recognised our efficiency as well as our charitable aims and objectives which are to raise awareness of diabetes”

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”

Rik Prowen Operations Director JS Humidifiers plc 01903 850200 sverney@jshumidifiers.com www.jshumidifiers.com

Jools Chaffer 01903 868924 jools@dizzy.org.uk www.dizzy.org.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Green Business of the Year Award Green Stamp of Approval o, you've implemented some great environmental initiatives at your business. You've reduced your energy usage, your staff keenly recycle and you're well on the road to becoming the paperless office. But does anyone know of your achievements? Are you using them to win new customers and impress existing ones?

There are a number of ways to show off your green credentials, from a certified Environmental Management System (EMS) to creating your own publicity through the local press or your website.

What's right for your business depends on the result you are looking for, the customers you are trying to impress and also your budget.

An EMS is a framework to help a business assess and manage its environmental impacts. It promotes continuous improvement and is similar in structure to quality management systems common in many organisations. Many larger companies and local authorities now demand that their suppliers have an EMS and include this requirement when

S

Winner: Butlins “

eremy Pardey, Resort Director at Butlins, said; “I’m really proud that Butlins Bognor Regis won such a prestigious award. I’d like to thank Michael Thomas, Operations Director, and Ian Shanahan, Head of Facilities, and their teams for all their hard work”

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tendering contracts.

Gaining external certification for your EMS, such as the internationally recognised ISO 14001 or the British Standard BS 8555 designed for smaller businesses, provides an impartial stamp of approval that your organisation is on the right track.

Another high profile endorsement is to apply for an environmental standard, such as that run by the Carbon Trust for energy efficiency. Again a cost is involved, but the external recognition might just win over a deliberating potential customer.

Likewise, entering (and winning!) a green award, such as the Arun Business Partnership Green Business of the Year

Award, can be a great profile raiser.

Ensure you let everyone know of your achievement; contact the local press and publish the story online.

Your website is a great tool to keep customers updated with your initiatives.

As well as highlighting the environmental benefits of your products and services, let them know what's going on in house.

Upload photos of your new bike rack and staff conservation day.

So what are you waiting for? You have done the hard work, let the world know!

For more top tips and free services contact the WSSBP on 01243 777348, sbp@westsussex.gov.uk or visit www.westsussexsbp.org.uk.

Sponsor: University of Chichester

“

Green Business is innovative business. The Dome building on our Bognor Regis Campus that will house the University's new businesss support and enterprise facility will achieve the highest possible green rating.

The University of Chichester 01243 812125 h.aspell@chi.ac.uk www.chiuni.ac.uk

”

Jeremy Pardey 01243 810002 hazel.hatch@bourne-leisure.co.uk www.butlins.com

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Customer Care Award t is well known throughout the world of commerce that satisfied customers will come back for more, but unhappy customer will never return.

Worse still, whereas happy customers will recommend you to a few family and friends, unhappy customers will spread their dissatisfaction to a far wider audience. In this new social media age, with online feedback and ratings becoming ever more important, a bad review or negative feedback could seriously harm your business.

Alongside this, it is also well known that it is harder and more expensive to find new customers than to continue serving existing customers, particularly in these tough economic times. An established, loyal customer base can be the key to survival.

We can all recognise bad customer service: off-hand or disinterested sales staff, late deliveries, receiving the wrong order, being left on hold when phoning.

Good customer service always stands out: polite and friendly staff, clear information, and a prompt and reliable

I

BUSINESS AWARDS

service. These features should be at the heart of your business.

Putting your customers first should be part of your brand values and should be at the forefront of everything you do.

Remember:

• The key to good customer care is to treat your customers as you yourself would wish to be treated.

• Train your staff in customer care and make sure they understand its importance.

• Display a customer care charter and measure your performance against it.

• Ask your customers for their opinions and respond to their feedback.

• Set out a clear complaints handling procedure.

Editorial kindly supplied by Bennett Griffin.

Sponsor: Winner: Bennett Griffin SJA International “

“

Our ethos is giving a friendly yet professional service with high levels of customer care and therefore we felt this was the most appropriate award to sponsor.

”

Sarah Petras SJA International 01903 817977 sarah.petras@sjainternational.co.uk

here is no better test in our opinion than what your customers say about the services you offer to the public.

We are enormously proud to have won this coveted Award.

We would like to thank most sincerely all our clients and customers who have written, emailed and commented so favourably about our all solicitors and support staff.

It was a fantastic moment to accept the Award at the packed and lively Award Ceremony attended by the cream of entrepreneurs and Business leaders in West Sussex.

The Award logo is now proudly printed on our letterheads and literature.”

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Peter Bennett Bennett Griffin 01903 229999 www.bennettgriffin.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Website of the Year Award Why Would I Want a Website?

1. Do your own Search Engine Optimisation SEO isn’t magic. Search engines match sites to search terms by looking for key words and phrases in page titles, headings and in well-written, fluent text. They reward sites for accessibility and download speeds and penalise others for cramming key words.

2. So, create content for your visitors, not for search engines Your content should be for the benefit of your visitors, not for the convenience of search engines. Target your content to your target markets. Know who they are, write in a voice that suits them, anticipate their questions and answer them.

3. Keep your content and design fresh Your visitors need a reason to come back to your site. Add new content, update your offering, refresh the site’s look and feel – give them something new.

4. Every page must have a call to action Make it easy for your visitors. You’ve gained their attention, sparked their interest and made them desire your offer, so always give them a simple way to take action – get a quote, buy something, call you, share your site etc.

5. Integrate your website with your social media presence Nowadays, a website isn’t always enough. You need to attract attention to your website and brand by blogging, tweeting, gaining “likes” on Facebook, etc.

6. Manage your Content Nowadays, Content Management Systems (CMS) are very affordable so it makes sense to use one. CMS’s allow you to create and update pages and content online, using simple text editors so you don’t need any

Winner: Frame of Mind “

he award really belongs to Mike Hendry and his team at Blueprint Design Company who redesigned our website. It’s full of colourful vibrant images promoting recovery and attracting visitors from as far afield as Japan and Canada to witness first hand the work that we do..”

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Ian Bates Frame of Mind 01243 828066 ianb@frameofmind.uk.com www.frameofmind.uk.com

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knowledge of web programming or see any of the oily parts of your site.

7. Conform to conventions and regulations Your visitors will want to see About Us and Contact Us pages; they’ll assume your header logo takes them to the Home page and they’ll expect compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act, W3C and UK regulations on Data Protection and Company addresses.

8. Internet Explorer is not the only kid in town.

There was a time when the only browsers you had to consider were IE and Netscape. Now, there’s Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera to consider on the PC alone. There are also new viewing platforms to consider – Playstations, smartphones, tablets, netbooks – all with different browsers and screen sizes. You must test your site with all the popular browsers.

9. Know why you have a site That might seem like a daft question, but think about it… unless you’re clear on the site’s purpose and objectives, how can you judge its success?

10. Get the whole process right There are three key stages in which a visitor interacts with you online.

First, you have to make them aware of your site and herd them towards it. Then your visitor has to enjoy the experience and find what they were looking for quickly and efficiently. Finally, you must keep your promises to them – deliver what they order, answer their questions, fulfil their requirements.

Get all three right and earn the ultimate visitor accolade – a bookmark.

© LWS Creative Ltd, 2010

Sponsor: Clear Computing

“

Clear Computing was very grateful for the opportunity to sponsor ‘Website of the Year’. As a technology company we understand how important it is to communicate your message utilising the internet. We also welcomed the opportunity to support Arun Business Partnership as we have seen the benefit of local businesses working together. Our congratulations to Frame of Mind for winning this award.

”

01903 786702 bhall@clear-computing.co.uk www.clear-computing.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Disability Awareness Award

Sponsor: F A Holland & Son

work alongside their nondisabled colleagues without any, or with very few, adjustments being made. Any necessary adjustments are usually low cost and many are free. There's help available too from Access to Work which will help pay for equipment, travel and other forms of support.

The Access to Work grant is up to 100 per cent of the approved costs for someone who is starting a job with you.

If you don't employ disabled people, your workforce is not reflecting your customer base. One in four people in the UK are either disabled or have a direct link to disability. 5 By having a diverse workforce, which includes disabled people you are better placed to know your customers and therefore achieve success.

Editorial kindly supplied by Anna Borthwick, Head of Business Development, DisabledGo

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isabled people contribute to success.

In a small business, there is nowhere to hide. More than half a million disabled workers currently work for successful small businesses. 1 9 out of 10 SME employers believed that disabled employees are just as productive as nondisabled staff. 2 At DisabledGo we have disabled and non disabled employees and everyone adds value to our organisation bringing personal experience and knowledge.

As a business it is crucial that you are employing the most talented people who can help your business grow. There is often a misconception regarding disabled people and employment. There are approximately 3.4 million people with a disability or longterm health condition working in the UK and over 1.3 million disabled people want to join them! 3 So to attract the most talent to your organisation it is important that everyone is seeing your vacancies and feels their application will be welcome.

Making reasonable adjustments so that a disabled person can bring their talents to your organisation costs a lot less than most people think. On average costs are less than £76. 4 Many disabled people

Notes 1 'Towards Inclusion - Civil Rights for Disabled People' Annex 3, Department of Works and Pensions.

2. Small Employers' Attitudes to Disability.

A survey of 1,000 small employers in Britain conducted by Opinion Research Business for the DRC. 3. UK's Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey, 2009.

4. 'Impact on Small Businesses of lowering the DDA Part II threshold', Disability Rights Commission (DRC), 2001.

5. UN and World Bank

Winner: dizzy

“

F A Holland & Son feel very privileged to be sponsoring the Disability Awareness Award again. We realise how important it is that everyone has equal opportunities in life and are glad that those who help those with disabilities to lead as normal a life as possible, are recognised. We are an important part of the local community and feel that of all the awards, this is the most important and the one which we wanted to sponsor.

”

Cherry Ward F A Holland & Son 01243 827311 cherry.ward@letsco-operate.com

“

ith Diabetes in the Arun District running at a rate of approximately 10% higher than the National average, winning this fabulous award three years running, highlights that the team at dizzy : support 4 diabetes are doing just that, bringing awareness of a condition that can be incredibly debilitating”

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Jools Chaffer❘dizzy❘01903 868924❘jools@dizzy.org.uk❘www.dizzy.org.uk

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Let us put the pieces of the puzzle together for you...

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At CAM, we believe that we can. We believe that the larvae of ideas can be nurtured into the butterfly of achievement, to push a metaphor.

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We believe in us, and in your business

B U S I N E S S PA R T N E R S H I P

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CAM, Sussex House , 14 Chartwell Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8TU

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THR O U

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t: 0870 1900 220 f: 0870 1900 210 e: sales@camcentral.co.uk w: www.camcentral.co.uk

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Winner

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MAGAZINES WEBSITES BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS EVENTS WORKING WITH PRIVATE PUBLIC AND CHARITABLE SECTORS

good quality branded clothing

wanted

Time for a wardrobe clear-out? We require all types of clothing, preferably made by well known brands such as per una, Monsoon, Laura Ashley, Boden, next & TOPSHOP. Clothes can be donated at any of our boutiques during opening hours. You may also wish to stay and browse a while to pick up a bargain! dizzy is helping to raise awareness about the risks and symptoms of diabetes. To find out more and other ways of helping, please visit our website.

Blood glucose monitors available in stores and on ebay.

Branches located at: East Preston: 35b Sea Road, East Preston • 01903 774 777 Middleton: 6 Bankside, 128 Middleton Rd, Middleton-on-Sea • 01243 855 888 Littlehampton: 9a Arundel Road, Littlehampton • 07812 443 209 ebay.co.uk: dizzy2me (profile name) Registered Community Interest Company No. 05375930

dizzy.org.uk support4diabetes

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BUSINESS AWARDS

he Business Partnership is looked after by Arun District Council’s Economic Development Team.

They look after the day-to-day running of the Partnership and the various events that go on during the year.

But that couldn’t happen without a tremendous amount of input and goodwill from local companies. That might be by way of offering us meeting venues or giving up time to sit on the Steering Group that runs the Partnership. It might be referring people to the Partnership or even providing small amounts of funding for projects and events.

As a famous supermarket says – “every little counts” - and when it’s the Arun Business Partnership that’s certainly true!

Each year the Partnership Award is presented to the person that has given just that little bit extra towards making the Partnership the success it is.

Miriam Nicholls on behalf of the Partnership team.

Sponsor: Arun Business Partnership

“

With the amount of effort that local businesses and individuals put into the Arun Business Partnership choosing the winner of this category is always so very difficult. This year alone the list of possible recipients was huge but eventually whittled down to one very deserving winner. Well done Melanie!

Winner: Melanie Peters from CAM was honoured to receive this award and the recognition, I look forward to working with the local Businesses and the Partnership for another successful year. ”

“

I

”

Miriam Nicholls Arun Business Partnership Available for weddings barmitvahs and general entertainment!

WINNERS & SPONSORS

Commitment to the Business Partnership Award

Melanie Peters from CAM 0870 1900 220 melanie@camcentral.co.uk www.camcentral.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Melanie and Anna

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Business in Education Award Business and Education (still) working together ou’d be forgiven for thinking that the current economic situation has prevented businesses from supporting projects for local students.

However, Jacqui Scerri, one of three Education Business Partnership (EBP) Coordinators for West Sussex would beg to differ.

“We’re finding that businesses are keen to help out – despite some having to work harder to keep their heads above water. This could just be because they have more time on their hands but I think it’s because they really see the importance and positive effects their involvement can have on students, their business and ultimately, the economy in which they work”.

The last round of the Arun Enterprise Challenge was a key example. The event, now in its third year, was a huge success with approximately 80 students taking part. Students were mentored by fifteen volunteers from twelve businesses who all gave their time freely.

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“Really enjoyed feeling I was able to make a contribution”, “Good to participate with other local business”, and “Loved it - keep me posted for more!” were just some of the comments made.

Jacqui has lots of experience in bringing business and education together in innovative ways and is passionate about what she does.

“Our volunteers take part for different reasons – including the fresh perspective young people can bring to a business their energy and enthusiasm is

Winner: AM Designs “

M design is an enthusiastic young architectural practice, with extensive skills and experience in community, residential and commercial projects.

A

Being nominated was an honour and we are delighted and proud to win this award. As an architect to create, communicate and challenge ideas is essential and the Arun Enterprise Challenge allows the students to do the same, it is a great team experience.”

infectious!”

The EBP works to develop vital links between students and business to help local young people get better prepared for work and give employers the opportunity to influence the development of their future workforce.

Businesses can get involved in a range of ways to suit their interests and availability.

If you’d like to find out more about supporting schools and colleges, or to share your ideas, please contact Jacqui Scerri on 07545 200278 or email her at jacqui.scerri@westsussex.gov.uk

Sponsor: Education Business Partnership (EBP)

“

Business involvement is crucial to the development of our young people, both professionally and personally. The EBP values their commitment and is proud to sponsor this award.

”

Jacqui Scerri West Sussex County Council Education Business Partnership 01903 703 552 jacqui.scerri@westsussex.gov.uk

AM Designs Leeza Aldis leeza@amdesignltd.co.uk

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WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Benefits of employee training are varied, but here are just a few: • Increased motivation • Reduced staff turnover • Improved productivity • Reduced wastage • Improved morale and job satisfaction

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Sponsor: Northbrook College

“

We were delighted to be asked to represent Northbrook College and to present the award for Training and Development.

By training and developing staff now, businesses will ensure that they will emerge leaner, stronger and well placed to take advantage of future opportunities.

”

Anne Feldberg Business Development Manager Northbrook College 01903 60 62 64 a.feldberg@nbcol.ac.uk

Considering what training to put in place can be a challenge in itself - after all budgets are not unlimited - so it is vital to choose the right topics and delivery method for your organisation’s needs at the time. Short workshops such as Communication Skills, Appraisals, Customer Service and Health & Safety can have an immediate and positive effect, whereas longer programmes such as apprenticeships and work-based learning will ensure long-term development of employees.

It is important not to limit or restrict training to new employees. We all need to refresh our learning as well as learn new skills, and companies should encourage all employees, including senior management to embrace ongoing training.

In a recent survey of employers in receipt of government funded training, 66% believed that the training they received is contributing to improved longterm competitiveness. By training and developing staff now will ensure that businesses emerging from this downturn will be leaner, stronger and well placed to take advantage of future opportunities.

Winner: AJS Labels “

ur competitive advantage is, without doubt, the knowledge and expertise of our staff. Our back-to-basics approach has been to engage everyone in delivering a service that genuinely delights customers, with training and development at the core of that engagement."

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AJS Labels Andrew & Jayne Scrimgeour 01903 738225 sales@ajslabels.com www.ajslabels.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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here have been many studies showing that the most productive and successful employees are those who receive ongoing training from their employers.

All too often, training budgets are reduced in times of economic difficulty, but research shows that the most successful companies actually increase the level of training and continuous professional development (CPD) they offer to staff during these challenging times.

These organisations view training and development as an investment rather than an expense and have a structured and robust system of measuring the impact of training on performance, productivity and goals.

By focussing on measurable training outcomes companies are often forced to revisit their organisational goals and to challenge their existing methods of operation.

Businesses need to actively promote a culture of learning and development within their team and ensure that the entire management structure supports this culture.

WINNERS & SPONSORS

Training and Development Award

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Sussex By the Sea Tourism Award espite the British weather, the many tourism attractions of the south coast continued to draw in visitors last summer. The ‘staycation’ effect of the recession benefitted many tourism businesses across the UK. Statistics gathered by Tourism South East directly from businesses across the region show that visitor attractions, camping/caravanning and self catering businesses all benefitted from cost conscious households holidaying at

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home, with many businesses enjoying a record breaking season over the summer. The weekend domestic leisure market was also bolstered by the staycation trend.

Camping and caravanning were particularly popular amongst cash strapped Brits with higher levels of bookings reported across the South East. Visitor attractions across the region also reported brisk trade over the summer months. Admission numbers rose considerable for some attractions.

Behind these headlines, however, lies a rather mixed picture of business trends for the tourism industry. For many visitor attractions across the region an increase in admissions hasn’t necessarily led to a like for like increase in profits. Price sensitivity among customers has necessitated

promotions and offers. Nearly all report that ancillary spend in gift shops and catering is down. For some, increased volume has been achieved at reduced levels of profitability.

However, there is much to be optimistic about and with so many attractions to lure holidaymakers, the tourism industry in the south east can look forward to 2011 with anticipation.

Editorial kindly supplied by Tourism South East www.industry.visitsoutheastengland.com

Sponsor: Garden Innovations

Winner: Butlins ognor Regis has always been popular with families looking for a traditional seaside holiday and is still one of the nation's favourite destinations.

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“

We are delighted that Butlins have won this award, they have made a huge contribution to the local economy.

Jeremy Pardey, Resort Director at Butlins, said; “Butlins likes to work closely with local companies, for supplies, and organisations, with mutually beneficial partnerships. I am particularly proud of our apprenticeship programme which has seen the number of local apprentices rise from one to twelve in two years”

”

Peter Field Managing Director Garden Innovations 01903 859100 garden_innovations@hotmail.com www.garden-innovations.co.uk

To find out more about what Butlins in Bognor Regis can offer, not only for your family holiday, but your next conference or business meeting, call 01243 822 445 or visit: www.butlinsevents.com Jeremy Pardey ❘01243 810002❘hazel.hatch@bourne-leisure.co.uk❘www.butlins.com

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WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Healthy Workplace Award

Sponsor: Arun District Council

“

Arun District Council's Environmental Health service are delighted to sponsor the healthy workplace award and reflects the importance the workplace has on overall health . The award to Clear Computing was well deserved and recognises their commitment to the health of their workforce.

”

For more information about the Arun Wellbeing team visit: www.arun.gov.uk/wellbeing

• Workplace health and safety: ensure compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act. • Recruitment policy and sickness absence management: assess the costs of sickness absence in your business, develop a sickness management policy and provide return to work support.

• Work-related stress and mental wellbeing: assess work-related stress and take action to address problem areas.

• Musculoskeletal disorders (back pain and joint injuries): do risk assessments of work processes and review methods of working.

• Stop-smoking support: provide information about local stop-smoking services.

• Alcohol and substance misuse policies: provide information and access to support and counselling.

• Physical activity: encourage staff to walk or cycle to work and consider negotiating discounted gym memberships.

• Healthy eating: provide healthy options in the work canteen.

BUSINESS AWARDS

Healthy Workplaces The workplace is a key determinant of people’s health and wellbeing. Poor workplace health can have major costs for individual employees and employers leading to high levels of sickness absence, whilst a healthy workplace can increase productivity making staff more motivated and committed.

The figures are compelling: 29.3 million working days were lost overall in 2008-09 due to ill health (that equates to 1.24 days per worker). 24.6 million days were due to work-related ill health and 4.7 million to workplace injury (source: Health and Safety Executive). In the South East alone, there were an estimated 4.9 million working days (full-day equivalent) lost due to workplace injury and work-related ill health.

These levels of absence have huge costs to industry and hit small businesses particularly hard. You can use the HSE IllHealth Costs Ready Reckoner to find out what employee ill health is costing your business: www.hse.gov.uk/costs/index.asp It is in everyone’s interests to promote a healthy workplace. Here are a number of key areas employers should consider:

Above all, employers need to develop a culture of good health to safeguard and promote employee wellbeing. In this way, staff absence can be reduced and staff who are unwell can feel supported to return to work.

More information Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk Department of Health: www.dh.gov.uk

Winner: Clear Computing Having a healthy, happy workplace is the best foundation to create a thriving business. It is not just a case of having all the legal policy requirements but a need to look at ways to improve the workplace environment. These are some of the area we have actioned at Clear Computing:- increased natural light in the office, educated staff in the dangers of smoking, offered free optical care, provided back rests, regularly sterilized phones and computers and carried out massages. Exercise and healthy eating was encouraged with free fruit and health drinks provided. We are thrilled to have received this award.

Clear Computing 01903 786702 | bhall@clear-computing.co.uk | www.clear-computing.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

Business in the Community Award

B

usiness in the community is about ensuring your business makes a positive contribution and does not have a negative impact on staff, the community and the environment.

Investing time and resources in your local community can have many benefits for your organisation and the way it is perceived by staff, customers and suppliers. It will pay dividends to demonstrate your commitment to the community through responsible business practice.

Here are some things you can do: Support local charities Businesses can support local charities by enabling staff to donate through payroll giving, or by sponsoring events, matchfunding money raised by staff, giving staff time off to help with projects such as decorating and landscaping, or donating items of furniture or IT equipment.

Employee engagement This involves seconding your staff to work as volunteers with local charities and social care organisations. Employee

Sponsor: Kittiwake

engagement is a great way for your company to share its skills and expertise with others. At the same time, your staff can learn new skills, such as leading teams and project management.

Provide work placements With unemployment rising fast amongst young people, the need for training and work experience opportunities has never been greater. Your company can help by working in partnership with local colleges to provide work placements for young people entering the workforce.

Go green Introduce green policies on recycling,

responsible energy use, environmentally friendly products and green travel to reduce the impact of your organisation on the environment. For example, you could provide secure bike shelters so staff can cycle to work, or use video conferencing to reduce travel to meetings. You could also encourage the use of Fair Trade products in your company canteen.

Promote a healthy workforce Stress is a major cause of time lost from the workplace, so encourage your staff to achieve a healthy work-life balance. Make sure staff have access to information about healthy eating, exercise and other health issues.

Winner: F A Holland & Son

“

Businesses that support the local community do so without recognition in mind. Sponsoring this award is an excellent way to make sure their efforts are congratulated Gavin Friend Kittiwake 01903 738342 gavin@kittewake.com

”

F A Holland & Son took home the Business in the Community Award for the fourth time in five years and it’s no wonder why!

“We at F A Holland & Son feel extremely privileged to be in receipt of the Business in The Community Award” say Cherry Ward. “We pride ourselves on being able to support our communities in many different ways above and beyond how a business would usually get involved.”

F A Holland & Son❘Cherry Ward ❘01903 732523 ❘cherry.ward@letsco-operate.com

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WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Sponsor: Littlehampton Academy

“

We were very pleased to sponsor the award again this year. Good people are essential to a company's success and this is a lovely way to publicly recognise someone's hard work and commitment.

”

employment.

Ollie has picked up his skills by watching and working with our experienced engineers and, despite not being academic, Ollie worked hard and surpassed himself by passing his NVQ3 with flying colours.

Ollie constantly demonstrates a passion

Winner: Oliver Sorrell Clear Computing was really shocked when I heard my name called out to say I had won Employee of the Year. It was so unexpected. I am thrilled and honoured to have been nominated and am extremely proud to be an employee of Clear Computing. Barny Hall, the Managing Director, has been a great mentor to me and taught me so much in the two years I have been with him. I would not want to work anywhere else than at Clear Computing.”

I

Sara Hopkins Littlehampton Academy 01903 714 361 shopkins@tlawoodard.co.uk www.tla.woodard.co.uk

Oliver Sorrell Clear Computing 01903 786702 www.clear-computing.co.uk WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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BUSINESS AWARDS

ll of us at Clear Computing are so thrilled that our colleague Oliver Sorrell has won the ‘Employee of the Year’ at the Arun Business Award. Ollie has been with the company for two years, starting as an apprentice at sixteen years old.

He worked hard to pass his driving test as soon as he was seventeen, which was a proviso of his

for the IT industry and works with a smile on his face. His sunny disposition is a joy in the office and also much appreciated by our customers, whether they are large businesses or elderly home users.

Having been with Clear Computing since its first year, Ollie’s loyalty to the company and to Managing Director Barny Hall is exceptional.

Ollie is willing to turn his hand to anything or any problem. Clear Computing prides itself on the innovation and independent thinking of the technical team which turns people’s ‘what ifs’ into concrete solutions. Even though Ollie’s education is obviously not complete with us, he is very much part of the technical team, and under supervision, has his own clients who value his services.

To sum up, Ollie is a great asset to Clear Computing and is a valued, popular member of staff. He is extremely willing and becoming very able. Ollie certainly is our Employee of the Year and we all congratulate him.

WINNERS & SPONSORS

Employee of the Year Award

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F.A. Holland & Son Your local Funeral Director

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FOOD

lives longer works harder says more

Proud of our Labels Passionate about our Customers

COSMETICS

HOMEWARES Short to long runs Complex to simple blanks

littlebook@ajslabels.com www.littlebook.co.uk Tel: 0800 316 0707 or 01903 731212

AJS Labels for all your labeling needs.

T: +44 (0) 1903 731212

E: sales@ajslabels.com

www.ajslabels.com 12 Arndale Road, Lineside Ind. Est., Littlehampton, W. Sussex BN17 7HD

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WINNERS & SPONSORS

Business Person of the Year Award

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Sponsor: LWS Creative/ BriceAmery Capital

“

Successful businesses are a function of good quality leaders who are driven by passion and the desire to maximise value for their stakeholders.

Briceamery recognized this in LWS Creative and wanted to recognize with LWS other emerging business leaders in the Arun District.

”

Claire Love and Mike Escott LWS Creative/BriceAmery Capital 01903 785568 claire@lws-uk.com

“I believe passionately in fairness and justice. Business should not be about the pursuit of profit at all cost nor about personal ego. It’s about going on a journey and taking everyone with you. I can genuinely say that everyone at AJS is on the train together and no one is travelling in first class!” says Andrew.

The pair also firmly believe that in order to exceed customers’ expectations, the company needs a committed and content team. Staff are encouraged to think of themselves as ‘partners’ in the operation and success of AJS, to believe that, rather than working for a company that was part of a big conglomerate, as was the case before the MBO, AJS Labels is their company.

To help achieve this partnership approach, the company has an active social and sporting calendar and noticeboards feature photos of the latest social or prize-giving rather than just compliance notices and statistics. Staff are actively encouraged to be involved in the community and do just that, with the company boasting scout and cub leaders, rowing and football captains,

football and cricket club managers, NHS and Hospice volunteers and many charity fundraisers. Andrew and Jayne also believe in leading by example and in January 2010 walked to the Southern tip of India to raise money to build homes for local communities. Jayne is also actively involved in the Worthing Homeless project.

“A lot of businesses say that people are their most important asset but at AJS we really do believe it. Having spent most of my working life in education and the voluntary sector, where simply telling people what to do is never effective, I bring a different approach to people management. I believe that clear communication, allowing people to have a voice and making them feel they are an integral part of the company’s success are all key factors to making that success reality,” says Jayne.

Winner: AJS Labels have lead a number of turnarounds in my time but, unlike many business leaders, I believe it is down to all the people in the company. The people were what made us want to buy the business and I knew they could be successful.”

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Andrew & Jayne Scrimgeour AJS Labels 01903 738225 sales@ajslabels.com www.ajslabels.com

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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hen Andrew and Jayne Scrimgeour completed their management buyout of a Littlehampton-based labels manufacturer in 2009, they were convinced that they could make it a successful venture. And in just 18 months they have achieved just that, turning the company around, bringing it back into the black and scooping up a multitude of industry awards as testament to their hard work in the process.

Andrew and Jayne both championed a simple back-to-basics approach to achieve their turnaround strategy for AJS Labels, a leading supplier of self-adhesive labels.

This strategy, with its focus on reconnecting with customers and engaging all staff in delivering a service that genuinely delights customers, saw Andrew leading talks with customers to find out their thoughts about AJS and to learn more about their needs and wants. Secondly, he and Jayne held one-toone meetings with all AJS employees to hear about what they thought was good in the company, what needed preserving, what was bad and needed changing, and what they personally were going to do to help make the change.

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BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

Overall Business of the Year “We are very proud to have won this award and join our local business community in celebrating the pocket of business excellence that exists down here on the Sussex coast. We are delighted to have all the hard work and dedication of everyone at the company acknowledged.”

Andrew Scrimgeour, Managing Director. aving made millions of them for other people, Littlehampton-based company, AJS Labels, now has a very special label all of its own – Overall Business of the Year.

A leader in the supply and production of self-adhesive labels in the UK, AJS took home the top honour at the 2010 ABP Business Awards having already bagged the awards for Training and Development and Business Person of the Year.

The hat-trick of awards topped an award-winning year for the company, which was formed out of a management buy out 18 months ago and has gone on to turn around its fortunes despite tough economic times, returning to profit in its first year of operation.

“It’s the result of everyone in the company pulling together,” comments managing director, Andrew Scrimgeour. “I often teach my staff the ‘one percent’ rule, whereby if everyone achieves a one percent improvement in performance, it absolutely transforms the company.”

The business, which traces its roots back over four decades, boasts an impressive line-up of clients, including The Body Shop International, Kate’s Cakes, Nestle and Dulux. The turnaround strategy for AJS Labels has been a simple back-to-basics approach focussed on reconnecting with customers and engaging all the staff in delivering a service that genuinely delights its customers.

In addition to investing in state-of-the-art technology and the

H

expertise of its staff to ensure customers get the labels they want, when they want them and to the highest quality levels every time, AJS Labels stands out for: • having customer-focussed processes and service; • having high level staff engagement and involvement; • placing teamwork at the core of the company’s operations; • keeping a sharp focus on and control of key measures; • having a clear mission to exceed customers’ expectations.

The first year profits reported by AJS Labels illustrate the success of this strategy, but it is the feedback from both customers and staff that really bear witness to it.

When 25 top customers completed a survey on AJS’ product quality and customer service standards, a high proportion rated the company as good or excellent for: • the support they receive from the AJS team (100%) • the quality of our customer service (96%) • the quality of our labels (96%) • the speed of our response to customer enquiries (87%) • our flexibility in responding to urgent customers requirements (87%) The success of the partnership approach to the organisation and operation of AJS Labels is also borne out by the result from a recent employee survey, in which all 60 took part: • 95% feel confident in the leadership of the company.

• 95% feel that the company shares its goals and performance • 92% enjoy the work they do “We deal with many big companies and whilst many espouse excellence in management, customer service and business strategy, the reality is often far from the written policy document. At AJS the staff have genuinely turned this company around by getting the basics right,” adds Andrew.

Sponsor: Sussex Newspapers

¨ AJS Labels ❘01903 738225❘sales@ajslabels.com❘www.ajslabels.com

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Sussex Newspapers sponsored the Overall Business of the Year award, bringing with them £2,000 worth of advertising space.

‘The Bognor Regis Observer and Littlehampton Gazette have been central to the Arun business community for generations and we firmly believe in supporting local businesses just as they have supported us over the years.’

Karl Dimmock, MD Sussex Newspapers

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Get the benefit of infinite energy for your business and home • The Governments Feed-in Tariff pays you for all the electricity you produce , even if you use it all yourselves • The Feed-in Tariff will pay a typical home owner around £ 920 every year. This represents a return on your investment of between 7 – 10% and is tax free • The Tariff is guaranteed by the Government to run for at least 25 years • Businesses can benefit from the Feed-in Tariff scheme in a similar way, plus project a green corporate identity • Business tariffs varying according to size. We can provide realistic guidance on generation tariffs and design a bespoke system to suit your business needs • Value is added to your home, because solar equipped homes are becoming increasingly attractive to house buyers looking to gain the very significant financial benefits.

Visit our website and use our online calculator to see the returns you can achieve: www.solarun.co.uk Units G8/G9 Rudford Industrial Estate Ford | Arundel | BN18 0BD

01903 734 444 Solarun is a trading identity of Arun Construction Services Limited

*Figures based on a typical domestic system as quoted on the Energy Saving Trust website

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Creating an even brighter future for Bognor Regis

BOGNOR REGIS

ARTS & REGENERATION

The Magazine Issue 9 58-100:Issue 7_Nov 08

he Bognor Regis Regeneration Task Force was established in January 2007 to stimulate, coordinate and progress an ambitious programme of regeneration for Bognor Regis. This has (wholly coincidentally!) collided with the worst recession of recent times.

Whilst not completely unaffected, remarkably and as a tribute to the extent, range and quality of the respective programme partners and their developments, significant progress has still been achieved in a number of particularly significant areas.

Butlins brand new £20M Ocean Hotel & Spa has been completed and opened offering 200 bedrooms and spa facilities of the highest quality. Even more investment is planned as Butlins develop the next phase of their Masterplan.

The University of Chichester have successfully secured £8M from the

T

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Higher Education Funding Council of England (£6M) and SEEDA (£2M), for the first stages of the Bognor Regis campus improvements and other new opportunities.

The brand new Bognor Regis Community College, now known as ‘The Regis School’ - campus is complete with new primary school facilities having

already opened in January 2010 as part of a programme which sees more than £45M being invested into a new Community College, new single primary school and new youth and community facilities. The whole programme was completed and open in September 2010.

A planning application for the development of the contaminated, derelict former LEC site has finally been approved by the Secretary of State, following a ‘call in’ Inquiry in May. The £50M proposal provides for the complete remediation of this gateway site, with a new Sainsbury’s foodstore (creating 400 jobs), relocated and enhanced businesses and 20,000 sq ft of new business (B1) space.

The proposed development programme includes a range of other obligations which have also been negotiated and these include:

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Apartment Development in the UK and was one of only six shortlisted for the World’s Best Apartment development award.

Work is now well underway on the development of 1350 new homes in Felpham and Bersted. Developers Persimmon, Berkeley Homes and Barratt have endured a difficult time like all others over the past year or so and they & we are pleased to see the first houses complete and marketing commenced.

A Development Agreement has been signed between Arun District Council and leading regeneration developer St Modwen for the redevelopment of two key Town Centre and seafront sites. The development will bring new leisure & entertainment facilities, office accommodation, retail space, housing, and new exciting & attractive public realm on the seafront. Although the current economic climate has delayed the anticipated progress of the development, St Modwen and the Council are still committed to their partnership and have agreed to extend the terms of the Devlopment

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

Agreement until March 2012.

Hotham Park, the Town’s centrepiece green space has just undergone a £2.5m restoration & enhancement with support funding from the Heritage Lottery. To build on this, it is now planned to attract the creation of privately funded high quality restaurant facilities in the Park as a ‘destination’feature.

The Task Force, developers, investors and local businesses are alive and kicking in Bognor Regis and by working together are creating an even brighter future for the Town.

For Further information log onto www.arun.gov.uk or contact 01903 737959

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Significantly & somewhat unusually, the negotiations have also secured obligations for the delivery of qualifications & training, and participation in the Developer & Partner Charter.

Sainsbury’s are planning to host an event promoting opportunities for local businesses in the development in 2011.

Sime Darby are also seeking businesses who want to be part of the development and occupation of their new 20,000 sq ft business space.

At the same time, Morrisons have submitted a planning application for a new £20M plus larger and realigned foodstore in the Town Centre. Whilst this in itself is great news, Morrisons said they will not progress this investment if approval to develop the rival Sainsbury’s foodstore is given, but they have now advised that a revised application is ‘imminent’.

The quite magnificent Roffey Homes ‘Esplanade Grande’ seafront development has been voted the Best

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• £0.5M for Town Centre • £125K for enterprise development • £260k for improved transport links to & around the Town Centre

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Award winning

Regeneration

LITTLEHAMPTON

ARTS & REGENERATION

The Magazine Issue 9 58-100:Issue 7_Nov 08

uring the last twelve months regeneration has continued to move forward in Littlehampton with exciting plans and proposals coming forward and being adopted. The overall regeneration for Littlehampton is underpinned by The Littlehampton Vision which identified a number of key regeneration sites. Here is a very brief round up of what’s been going on with those sites.

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requests are still coming in.

Work is continuing to allow cycling to take place on Littlehampton promenade between Harbour Park and Littlehampton Swimming & Sports centre. That’s likely to be concluded by spring 2011 so get your bike oiled up and ready! Pier Road, the Harbour and West Bank

Pier Road The Environment Agency revealed details of the proposed flood defences for Littlehampton. The scheme will be around 2.5 km, starting at the river mouth and finishing just north of the road bridge. Whilst the primary aim is to protect the town from flooding it provides a great opportunity to include

Littlehampton Seafront The Longest Bench was finished in August and has received worldwide acclaim – the sort of publicity you just can’t pay for! In December the bench received an international award for ‘emerging architecture’ from Architectural Review As you would expect, local views have been mixed – it’s a bit like Marmite, love it or hate it, but over 300 people have purchased slats to have their own personal messages engraved on and

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WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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ARTS & REGENERATION LITTLEHAMPTON

enhancements to Pier Road and Arun Parade and a number of partner organisations are already working on this.

West Bank Early in 2010 Baca Architects were commissioned to look at the opportunities and constraints associated with development of the West Bank of the River Arun. The study revealed some exciting options for dealing with flooding and land contamination issues. It

highlighted opportunities for recreational benefits as well as habitat creation, river bus connections and new moorings along with housing and business space.

St. Martin’s Car Park The St. Martin’s Car Park site was identified in The Vision as the key opportunity to enhance the retail offer in Littlehampton. A Development Brief has been drawn up and during the year some

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

“soft market testing” was undertaken to assess any possible interest in the site. A number of developers were positive about this opportunity and Arun District Council who owns the land is now considering how best to take this forward.

For more information please contact Miriam Nicholls on 01903 737845 or email miriam.nicholls@arun.guv.uk

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Pallant of Arundel Where better to find the perfect foodie gift to thank your clients, reward your staff or treat yourself Pallant of Arundel is an independent specialist food shop with an impressive selection of cheeses, a unique range of wines, ports & spirits, together with a vast array of food & drink hamper and gift ideas.

So whether you are sending an important client gift, thanking your staff or treating yourself we will provide excellent service taking the stress out of organising, selecting and sending; leaving you to your business (or pleasure).

Satisfied customer: “Having many high profile customers it was important for us to use a company that would maintain our strong reputation and at the same time provide a product based around local Sussex produce. We were very happy with the service; once we’d selected the hampers and provided the addresses the Pallant team took it out of our hands and the only follow up we heard were the ‘thanks’ from our clients.”

Richard Madden, The Telegraph: “A must for any foodie, Pallant of Arundel is an independent specialist food shop that stocks a vast range of Sussex products, including cheeses, hams, pies, cakes, chutneys, smoked salmon, wines, beers and ciders.”

Visit our website for more information www.pallantofarundel.co.uk Or phone Mark or Jonathan on 01903 882288

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Wine & Cheese? suggests four great combinations

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2005, West Sussex We are aware that the geography of Sussex is very similar to Champagne and at Nyetimber they use the same grape varieties, namely a blend (or cuvee) of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Released only when ready to drink this local sparkling wine is complex with a good balance of fruit and a creamy biscuity finish. The fine bubbles bring roundness yet also freshness. A highly awarded wine and something we can be very proud of here in Sussex.

Langres is a soft cow’s milk cheese from Champagne. Coming from the region that produces the world’s most famous sparkling wine, this cheese will go very well with our own Nyetimber. As they do in Champagne, fill the characteristic dimple on the top with wine. Inside is a rich, moist cheese with a hint of spice.

Sancerre 2009, André Dezat, Loire Valley, France Sauvignon Blanc has become incredible popular in recent years. Not being slaves to fashion, Pallant recommend a Sauvignon with great pedigree. Sancerre is perhaps the worlds most famous Sauvignon Blanc and André Dezat one of Sancerre’s most famous producers. Full of crisp, gooseberry fruit with a dry flinty mineral structure. This is a classic old school Sauvignon without any of the residual sugar or tropical fruit found in wines of the New World.

Golden Cross is a goats’ milk cheese of great quality made in East Sussex. Similar in style to French goats’ cheeses from the Loire Valley, it is velvety in texture, strong and complex but not too goaty. To cut through the rich texture, a fresh crisp Sauvignon should be chosen and André Dezat’s Sancerre would be perfect.

Dandelion Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, South Australia The crisp acidity of white wines means that they accompany creamy cheeses surprisingly well. However for stronger hard cheese like Cheddar you will need a more traditional full bodied red. A new wine on our shelves, Dandelion’s Cabernet Sauvignon is just that. Punchy and full flavoured with blueberry and plumy fruit together with cedar spice and soft tannins. Its power will accompany steaks and hearty stews, as well as strong cheeses.

Montgomery’s Cheddar is made by Jamie Montgomery in North Cadbury, Somerset and is a proper farmhouse cheddar. Like the wine above it packs a punch and delivers real power. Sweet fruity and nutty with a distinct beefy flavour, reminiscent of the caramelised edge of a Sunday roast. Not for the faint hearted!

Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos 1999, A Single Quinta Port is made with grapes from a single vineyard (or quinta).

Malvedos is the best vineyard owed by Grahams and is produced in undeclared vintage years. Full of rich juicy dried fruit with nutty characteristics, it is Christmas pudding in a glass! Although it will keep, Malvedos is released ready for drinking and will benefit from being decanted as there will be some sediment.

Stichelton is a stilton with a difference. It is made with unpasteurised organic milk and is a great example of modern British cheese making. This classic blue cheese has a good balance between strong savoury flavours with a hint of caramel sweetness. Like Port & Stilton? Try Malvedos & Stichelton - a tradition that needn’t be saved for Christmas.

Pallant of Arundel | The Square | 17 High Street | Arundel BN18 9AD | Tel. 01903 882288

www.pallantofarundel.co.uk WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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read and cheese served with some great wine and you have what might be called the holy trinity of food. Who needs expensive chef created dishes? Keep your fussy sweet desserts and instead treat yourself to some outstanding cheese and wine. Like a lot of today’s food, much of the wine on offer in our supermarkets is industrially made factory wine. But fear not, the wines featured below have one thing in common - they are all made by small producers whose priority is quality, distinctiveness and character (not mass produced, bland uniformity). We have suggested suitable cheeses to accompany these wines and hope you agree they are matches made in foodie heaven. All available from your local delicatessen and wine merchant: Pallant of Arundel.

BUSINESS CORNER

Pallant of Arundel

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the

Eagle Inn Restaurant

Pub & Cellar Bar

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Also available for private functions Please ring for reservations. Booking recommended

01903 882304 www.theeaglearundel.co.uk

41 Tarrant Street | Arundel | West Sussex BN18 9DJ

The Comfort Inn Arundel provides the perfect location for any business meeting or conference.

A very warm welcome awaits you and your delegates to our meeting and conference rooms.

Hotel amenities include: ➣ Four air conditioned conference and meetings rooms

➣ In room tea & coffee making facilities

➣ A fully licensed restaurant & Bar

➣ Direct Dial telephone

➣ 53 ensuite bedrooms

➣ Hairdryer

➣ Non-smoking rooms

➣ Wireless Internet

➣ Easy access rooms for wheelchair

➣ Ample free car parking

Contact our reservation and conference booking team now to reserve your conference and let us look after you.

Call us now on: 01903 840840

➣ Television with Sky

Junction A27/A284, Lyminster Road, Crossbush, Arundel, West Sussex, BN17 7QQ T: 01903 840840 F: 01903 849849 E: reservations@comfortinnarundel.co.uk

www.comfortinnarundel.com

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The White Swan

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fabulous home made desserts - Apply and Brandy Creme Brulee and a Chocolate Fondant (of course we shared both!) at £5.25 each.

Also available were a great selection of locally sourced cheeses (£8.95) and New Forest Ice Creams (£3.95).

Our hostess Jacqui was friendly and helpful - as a result I booked the Arun Suite for the LWS Creative board meeting at which we received professional and friendly service and a great range of sandwiches and snacks perfect for a meeting environment.

Highly recommended.

Old Selden Barn ld Selden Farm is set in over fifty acres of woods and surrounding fields in an area of outstanding natural beauty within the South Downs National Park. As you approach the farm down a quiet country lane, you will be greeted with a selection of Sussex flint and brick out houses as well as the main farmhouse. Tucked away and overlooking some 50 acres of open land is The Barn, a fabulous venue for everything from corporate functions to weddings The first time you visit The Barn be prepared to have your breath taken away! The views, vintage chandeliers and the pleated ivory drapes make this venue somewhat special.

The 2010 Arun Business Awards were

O

held here and around 230 guests fitted comfortably into the well heated Barn.

The dimmed lighting and floating candles made the whole room look magical and just added to the atmosphere. The raised dance floor and vintage bar simply add to that.

If you’re looking for a special venue for a conference, large business meeting or a special family event or celebration then you need look no further.

Why not take a long look at Old Selden Farm’s web site: www.oldseldenfarmweddings.co.uk feast your eyes on the beauty of this wonderful place and then plan what event you can have there – if ever there was an excuse to plan something big this is it!

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

The White Swan Hotel 01903 882677 www.pebblehotels.com thewhiteswan.arundel@pebblehotels.com

The Black Horse ClImping rive a short way down Climping Street and you will soon come across The Black Horse, a traditional pub and restaurant dating back to the 18th century.

The Black Horse is a fantastic venue for drinks and dining, whatever the season. For those cold winter months there are cosy log fires and when the sun shines a large outdoor terrace.

It’s also a great venue for business meetings of any size. Mike and Annie will happily host your small business meetings and for those larger events they have 3 main seating areas which they are happy to show you round.

Catering is no problem with everything from a lunchtime snack to full a la carte menu, there will be something to suit your occasion and your budget.

The Black Horse is also the perfect venue for family parties, weddings, christenings and all sorts of other family events.

Why not pop along and see them, call them on 01903 715175 or visit their web site: www.blackhorseclimping.co.uk

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or a great meal in relaxed, informal surroundings, The White Swan at Arundel is definitely worth a visit.

Melanie Peters and I visited and found a warm welcome, great menu and tasty food.

For starters I enjoyed Thai Style King Prawns Pan Fried in Chilli Lime Juice (£6.95) and Mel tried the signature Duck Pate with Toasted Homemade Bread (£5.95).

Perfect for me to follow on a cold winter's day was the Chef's Sausage and Mash (£6.25). Mel enjoyed a half portion Chef's Maple Syrup Roasted Ham Egg and Chips.

That left enough room for a couple of

BUSINESS CORNER

Review of

by Claire Love, Managing Director, LWS Creative.

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The

WHITE SWAN Hotel

The Black Horse Inn Climping

The White Swan offers designated beautiful and fully equipped Suites for different events from Exhibitions, Private Functions, Conferences and Training Sessions to a simple Boardroom Meeting.

THE BLACK HORSE INN, formely a smugglers Inn, is a traditional pub and restaurant dating back to the 18th century. Situated in the quaint village of Climping the pub offers a variety of fresh dishes and quality wines, available lunchtimes and evenings seven days a week.

We also cater for special occasions, anniversaries, birthdays, weddings or business meetings. For large groups we close off one of the main seating areas for a more intimate venue, which can be decorated for the occasion.

Give us a call to discuss your requirements Climping Street | Climping | Littlehampton | West Sussex BN17 5RL

T: 01903 715715

Please contact The White Swan on 01903 882677 or email: thewhiteswan.arundel@pebblehotels.com and for more information please visit our website www.pebblehotels.com The White Swan | 16 Chichester Road | Arundel | West Sussex | BN18 0AD

Old Selden Farm Barn

A beautiful barn draped in permanent linings in a tranquil countryside location feeling that you are 20 minutes in the countryside but really only a 1 minute drive from main roads. With open fields and woods on all sides this is an ideal location for any wedding, fun-day, corporate or charity summer and winter ball as well as Christmas parties. With accommodation, a civil ceremony license and several in house caterers to choose from you can enjoy a venue exclusive to you with over 50 acres of glorious visual landscape to experience.

Old Selden Farm | Selden Lane | Patching | West Sussex | BN13 3UL | 0800 083 1350

Barn Enquiries 0800 083 1350

bookings@oldseldenfarmbarn.co.uk

for an appointment to view the barn

www.oldseldenfarmbarn.co.uk

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Anyone for

specials menu, and a more traditional ham, egg and chips from the standard menu.

Both were freshly cooked and served immediately – making a significant difference to the quality of food at the table.

Our meal was presented well, again, piping hot and offered with a choice of sauces and condiments.

Having had our fill, we opted to order coffee and peppermint tea and sat for some time longer in very relaxed surroundings. We would have been happy to settle in for the afternoon but sadly had other commitments.

The Eagle Inn is certainly a hidden gem in Arundel and one would be forgiven for walking straight past it but I would encourage you to take a

chance, open the door, and enjoy the same warm welcome in relaxed, comfortable surroundings.

Great Conference Facilities at The Beachcroft he Beachcroft Hotel’s quiet location, coupled with good conference facilities make it an ideal choice for a meeting, conference, seminar or exhibition.

The Award winning team at The Beachcroft Hotel are able to look after all your business needs be it a small meeting or a large conference of up to 80 delegates. Their extensive facilities mean whether it’s catering or wifi they can easily and quickly deal with your request. With their totally revamped car park, the Beachcroft Hotel car parks front and back can now easily provide 35 free car parking spaces In addition to full conference facilites, of course, the hotel boasts fabulously upgraded accommodation which, with its amazing sea views is the perfect place to relax after your meeting. If you have business visitors why not put them up at the Beachcroft Hotel and

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arrive there for a breakfast meeting or finish your days negotition with a first class dining experience.

Simply give the team a call on

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

01243 827142 and they’ll be happy to discuss how they can help you. Or visit www.beachcroft-hotel.co.uk

89 THE MAGAZINE

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D

Lunch?

BUSINESS CORNER

on’t let the traditional exterior of The Eagle Inn, Arundel fool you. Inside has a definite contemporary feel with pale walls, stripped tables and floors, comfortable chairs and an atmosphere that could encourage you to outstay your welcome. The Eagle is calm and friendly and on this cold and very wet day, particularly welcoming with a roaring log fire.

Once settled, we were offered drinks and a menu and although we took quite a bit of time to catch up with each other’s news, never felt hurried to order. In fact, the service throughout our visit was friendly and efficient, avoiding the necessity to try and catch the waiter’s eye.

The menu offered a good choice of both hot and cold dishes and lunchtime snacks with a comprehensive list of chef’s specials.

In the end, we opted to share a starter of filo prawns with a sweet chilli dip which was served piping hot. Our main course choices represented the varied offerings; a soft noodle and vegetable stir fry from the

Review by Jacqui Scerri

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The Fox

at Patching

Arundel Road Patching West Sussex BN13 3UJ

Yapton Lane, Walberton, Arundel, BN18 0LS T: 01243 558303 E: events.avisfordpark@hilton.com

www.avisfordparkhotel.co.uk Meetings & Conferences at Hilton Avisford Park Use of meeting room from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Unlimited tea and coffee Buffet lunch Screen, Flip Chart, Pads, Pens & Mineral Water FREE use of LCD projector – normally £150.00 (subject to availability) VAT at current rate & all service charges £30.00 per person Minimum numbers for the above package are set at 10. Please quote Arun Business at time of booking to receive special rates; subject to availability; normal hotel terms and conditions apply.

Tel:

01903 871299

www.thefoxpatching.co.uk

The Spotted Cow

Overview of facilities: 140 bedrooms, 89 acres of parkland, 16 flexible function rooms, dedicated event support, health club and beauty treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, 270 free car parking spaces, helipad Book early for Christmas 2011! • Prices from £22.95 per person.

15% discount on all bookings confirmed by 31 March 2011

1 The High Street Angmering West Sussex BN16 4AW Tel: 01903 783919 www.spottedcowangmering.co.uk

Kings Parade, Aldwick, Bognor Regis PO21 2QP

For readers of The Review 2011 only

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The gym and swimming pool are open to non residents and because the hotel is opposite the sea and in a flat area it’s ideal for those looking for a more active break.

If you have visitors why don’t you check out and check them into the Russell Hotel.

For more details visit www.visionhotels.co.uk or give them a call on 01243 871300.

Scrumptious&Filling he Spotted Cow is tucked away along a country lane in the village of Angmering and its rustic pub and restaurant décor adds to the peaceful rural atmosphere. Barny from Clear Computing and Melanie from the Arun

T

Business Partnership enjoyed lunch in the spacious conservatory recently…

On arrival the staff were friendly and chatty, and recommended the specials which change on a daily basis. The menu itself is a perfect combination of British classics and a wide variety of fish dishes. There is enough of a choice to suit everyone’s tastes.

Barny started with the soup, a warming cream of leek and potato, and Mel tucked into pitta bread and a pot of hummus. For their mains, they both ordered fish dishes. Smoked haddock fillet topped with Welsh rarebit, and beer battered hake with minted mushy peas. There was a choice of fresh vegetables, salad, chips, new potatoes or a

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

jacket potato to accompany their mains.

They both opted for chips and veg which came in generous portions.

Then came dessert. Orange and raspberry brulee for Barny – sweet and tart in all the right places! And for Mel, a chocolate and walnut brownie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Delicious!

As they settled up the bill, the staff advised that the conservatory can be used for larger parties such as wedding receptions and birthday bashes. The extensive garden also provides enough room for big get-togethers in the sunshine.

Overall, a scrumptious and filling lunch, attractively presented in a high standard old style pub at a very reasonable price.

Easily a family favourite.

If you like the Spotted Cow, you should know that The Fox at Patching is also owned and run by Paul and his team.

91 THE MAGAZINE

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n the surface, it may appear that The Russell Hotel in Bognor Regis is part of just another hotel chain. They have great facilities, amenities and services and are proud to have been awarded the AA 3 Star accreditation.

But the hotel has come a long way from humble beginnings, when they simply offered holiday breaks for blind and partially sighted people. They realised that the friendly, relaxed and comfortable environments that they created and their incredibly helpful and accommodating staff were quite a powerful combination and that it would just be unfair to keep this the UK’s best kept secret!

Recently The Russell Hotel has successfully created ‘themed breaks’ such as ‘Magic Outdoors in the South Downs’ or ‘Olde England Holiday’ Houses which join together with regional attractions to allow visitors to get the most out of their stay.

BUSINESS CORNER

‘Magic’Russell Ideal Accommodation!

MOTORS

BUSINESS CORNER

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Ford : Feel the Difference – I did!

I have to be honest, I’m not the world’s biggest Ford fan but that probably made me the ideal candidate to review the new Ford C-Max. I drove the 5 door 1.6 TDCi and my first impressions were pretty good.

Externally the car looked neat and stylish with the alloy wheels and triangular headlights giving it a nice sporty look. The interior didn’t disappoint and the chunky controls teamed with the ability to control the temperature, music and my mobile phone via voice control were impressive.

I’m a little under 6 feet tall and found the car easy to get into and the driving position good. Miriam joined me for the drive and (at somewhere less than just under 6 feet tall!) was equally comfortable.

THE MAGAZINE 92

I drove the C-Max just after the worst of the winter snow but the road holding was good and the suspension gave a smooth ride and was equally good on corners. The positive steering and the acceleration at 0-62 in just over 11 seconds was just about right for around town driving. What also rates a special mention is the Active Park Assistant option which means that the car finds a suitably sized parking space and parallel parks for you – something which I found a little difficult to trust at first but it actually works!

My job as MD of a clinical training company takes me all over the south east and I was confident that I could happily fit in everything I needed from my flip chart stands to my vast array of

Review by Mark Plaine, Media Healthcare and Clinical Development.

medical equipment without having to pack and repack several times. Also the miles I travel would be completed in comfort and I wouldn’t be ashamed of my “ride” and have to park around the corner! Equally as a family car it would fit the bill also.

Overall my impression of the C-Max was very favourable and with the huge range of custom options that are currently available the car can be tailored to suit each individual owner and that’s got to be a plus.

Have I been converted to a Ford fan?

Maybe!

Car supplied by Cuff Miller, Littlehampton 01903 714367 www.cuffmiller.co.uk

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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A J Parker VEHICLE SERVICES M.O.T & SERVICE CENTRE

Established in 1972

CAR & VAN HIRE

Established Over 10 Years

We are part of Practical Car And Van Rental, the fourth largest vehicle rental company in the UK. We have a large and varied fleet of modern vehicles including...

A wide range of cars up to and including 7-seat MPVs with aircon Cars and vans available with toe hitches One-way rentals available 17-seat minibuses Vans from small combo to 7.5ton trucks Luton vans with tail lifts

Call: 01903 234220

COURIER SERVICE We have a fleet of vans and trucks available to get your goods to where you need them to be. Our service includes...

Daily London courier service Same day to and from any UK location No job too small or big, from a single envelope to 3000kg!

All our vans are GPS tracked

Call: 01903 725875

We have offices at: 31 Beach Road, Littlehampton 34 Railway Approach, Worthing

cars@acecarhire.com

www.acecarhire.com

Class IV - Cars Light Vans

•• ••

MOT SERVICE DIAGNOSTICS WELDING

AJP

Class VII - Light Vans up to 3500kg

•• •• •

Class VL - Private Mini Buses up to 3500kg

COURTESY VEHICLES COLLECTION & DELIVERY REPAIRS TYRES, EXHAUSTS, BATTERIES FLEET MANAGEMENT

Service 01243 841969 MOT 01243 828283

AJP

Unit 14 Arun Business Park, Shripney Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex. PO22 9SX

MOTORS

BUSINESS CORNER

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An Open invitation

H

ello, my name’s Roger Joy and I am the dealer principal at Newbarn KIA. I know from talking to our customers that many of them were unsure at first about test driving a KIA. After all, we in the UK are known for being reserved when it comes to trying out something new, even if it does turn out to be better than we first imagined and an improvement on what we currently drive.

Without exception all were impressed with what KIA has to offer – especially the warranties; 7 years/100,000 miles across the range and they’re transferable – when you come to sell your Kia, the balance of the warranty is passed to the next owner.

That’s great news for re-sale values.

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to the models that are the KIA family by inviting you, the next time you are in Bognor Regis, to drop in to our showroom at 65 Aldwick Road and discover for yourself why the KIA brand is going from strength to strength.

THE MAGAZINE 94

There’s the Picanto - small on the outside but super-spacious on the inside – the ideal town and city car or why not try the Rio, Kia’s super-mini is a must for those who want something a little larger but still small enough for town and city driving.

Then there’s the all new Venga which opens up a whole new world of space, a truly versatile small car that shows you how to make the most of compact dimensions, with a panoramic glass roof that floods the stylish interior with light and much more.

The amazing Cee’d range offers generous equipment levels, including air conditioning, 6 airbags, electric windows, alloy wheels, an RDS radio/cd audio with MP3 player, iPod connectivity and USB and AUX ports, central door locking, power-steering, anti-lock brakes with electronic stability control, hill start assist control and vehicle stability management. What’s more the Road Fund Licence for diesel models is only £30 per annum.

The Soul is an excellent example of what a “crossover” should be – part hatchback and part MPV - designed by the same person who designed the Audi TT and VW Beetle.

The Carens is ideal for growing families with plenty of seats and plenty of room.

The Sedona is a larger family MPV that delivers all it promises. The Magentis, our luxury executive saloon, has everything the discerning senior manager could wish for.

For those who require on and off road flexibility, nothing beats the new Sportage, our off road star or the new Sorento with its 2.5kg towing capacity.

Don’t forget the invitation. When you’re next in Bognor Regis call into our showroom at 65 Aldwick Road and test drive a KIA – I know that just like our existing customers you too will be impressed. Visit www.newbarnkia.co.uk then call me on 01243 841200.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Unit A1, Riverside Ind Est, Bridge Road, Littlehampton SPECIALIST SPRAYERS & ACCIDENT REPAIR SPECIALIST

HIGH QUALITY REPAIRS at Affordable Prices Tel: 01903

715598

Mob: 07973

695737

24hr BREAKDOWN SERVICE Chosen sprayers & repairers to A1 GP racing & BTCC touring Cars

MOTORS

BUSINESS CORNER

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R. W.Masters Paul If you were asked to name a company based in Littlehampton that had sprayed helicopter parts, bespoke kitchens and even a coffin you wouldn’t automatically think of R. W. Masters! This long established and well known company is indeed based in Littlehampton and has recently been taken over by Mark Porter with Roger Masters still providing his expertise 3 days a week.

fashioned workmanship, pride and always aiming to please.

So, if you need anything, and we mean anything, spraying it seems that R. W. Masters is the place to go.

Read more...

To find out more phone 01903 715598.

Mark loves his new venture because every day is different – one day it’s cars in for the “usual” repairs and the next it’s a Ford Touring race car in for a spruce up or some aircraft doors that need speckle spraying. The company do lots of work for various race teams such as A1GP Arena and also work on Sunseeker Yachts as well as local companies.

THE MAGAZINE 96

During the past year Paul Bros have expanded their premises and installed their own MOT bay so that they can provide a complete service and MOT package to all their customers.

A free collection and delivery service is also available.

A.J Parker A

Paul Bros is your local family run garage based in Bognor Regis who between us have over 50 years experience!

Whilst they specialise in MG, Rover and Land Rover their computer diagnostics is set up to allow them to work with any make of car. They also fit and service air conditioning and can supply tyres and exhausts.

Mark is proud that his business is probably best known for its quality, old

s an independent MOT Centre established for over fifteen years in Bognor Regis, A. J. Parker Vehicle Services has built up a large and loyal customer base, repairing all makes and types of vehicles.

This includes MOTs for class 4, cars and small vans, Class 7. Larger vans and trucks and Class 5L for private minibuses. This garage also has the added advantage of being able to under take MOT’s and mechanical repairs to camper vans and the larger mobile homes.

As well as manufacturers recommended servicing schedules, you will get tailor made servicing to suit your mileage and driving needs. A.J. Parker Vehicle Services’ fully trained technicians are equipped to carry out diagnostics, general repairs and welding. Together with timing belt fitment and brake overhauls they will give you very competitive prices to fit batteries and exhausts.

If you are considering servicing your air conditioning, pop in and have a chat about their fully automated equipment

Bros

that will refresh your vehicle’s refrigerant system. Not only will it enhance the operation of the air conditioning but ensure a longer component lifespan. Did you know that it is recommended that most air conditioning systems to be serviced every 12 months?

Not only do A.J.Parker Vehicle services offer a free local collection and delivery service, there is the opportunity to take one of the free courtesy vehicles (when available) to keep your daily routine running smoothly with the minimum of disruption.

For business customers a fleet management service is available, including PMI (pre maintenance inspections.) This will keep your fleet legally up to date fully serviced ensuring your company keeps moving forward.

With every intention of keeping your vehicle serviced and maintained to a high slandered, at a cost which is not main dealer priced, go to A.J.Parker Vehicle Services. You get the chance to speak to the person who actually repairs

Next time your car needs looking at why not give Alan or David a call on 01243 868555.

your vehicle, who will happily talk you through the repair operation.

Additionally there is the peace of mind that genuine parts are filled where required. All of their work is guaranteed.

For more information, a free estimate or just to book your vehicle in for some professional attention, please telephone A.J. Vehicle Services on 01243 841969. read more...

For more information, a free estimate or just to book your vehicle in for some professional attention, please telephone A.J. Vehicle Services on: 01243 841969.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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You can come along and see a great line up of motor dealers, talk to them about

their cars and maybe even negotiate a great deal on your new Wheels! Then take the family around and enjoy having a try at everything from slot car racing to the vast array of crazy bikes – form penny farthings to backwards bikes, yes backward bikes!

MOTORS

The Wheels event is back in Littlehampton for its fourth year. It’s a great day out for the whole family and this year will be no exception with a bigger and better event. The team behind Wheels aims to bring something different each year and this year looks set to be pretty spectacular.

New attractions and experiences are signing up as we speak to join in the line up for the day 2 event.

BUSINESS CORNER

Wheels 2011 Wheels 2011 takes place on Littlehampton seafront on 30th and 31st July and it’s free entry!

For more details contact Keith Croft at Upfront Events on 01903 726760.

WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

97 THE MAGAZINE

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in Pictures

The Arun Business Partnership Awards 2010 at Old Selden Barn in Patching Pictures kindly supplied by Graham Franks – www.grahamfrankspics.co.uk

EVENTS

ABP IN PICTURES

Arun Business Partnership

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WHERE YOU SEE: read more... visit: www.arunbusinesspartnership.co.uk for the full article

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Est. 1963

SAUNDERS SPECIALISED SERVICES LTD.

Your Local Mechanical, Electrical & Building Services Specialist for all Commercial, Industrial, Private & Public Sector Facilities.

The continued expansion of Saunders Specialised Services Ltd over the last few years has meant that after four very successful years based in Chichester, the Company has once again found it necessary to relocate to an alternative location in the West Sussex area.

Offering exceptional new modern office facilities and state of the art fabrication workshops for all off-site & pre-fabrication work, as well as all general maintenance required to support the Company’s activities for all Mechanical, Electrical and Buildings Service requirements. Why not drop into our office sometime and judge for yourself.

Just a few of our satisfied customers in the local area include: ■ Arundel Castle Trustees ■ JCC Lighting ■ Butlins

■ The Goodwood Estate

■ Chestnut Tree House

■ The Body Shop International

■ Comfort Inn

■ University of Brighton

■ Hilton

■ University of Sussex

Specialists in Commercial & Industrial Gas, Oil, Heating, Electrical, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Installation, Sevicing & Maintenance.

Unit 7 Minster Court, Courtwick Lane, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 7RN T: 01903 732842 F: 01903 739055 E: sales@saunders-heating.co.uk www.saunders-heating.co.uk

www.saunders-electrical.co.uk

www.gray-heaters.co.uk

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