New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
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ISSUE 2 Winter 2008
the NEW FOREST BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
connexions For the New Forest Business Partnership
Brilliance In Business Awards Edition
CATCH UP WITH 15 THIS YEAR’S WINNERS
SPOTLIGHT ON... THE RINGWOOD 26 CHAMBER
THE BEAULIEU 31 HOTEL – REVIEWED
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Dates for your
EVENTS
DIARY
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
19th February - NFBP Question Time (Hangar Farm, Totton) This event provides an opportunity for NFBP members to quiz local decision makers on matters which affect the everyday running of their business. Whether it be transport, the environment, planning or skills, this is your opportunity to have your questions answered. Personal invitations will be sent to all NFBP members later in January. For further details please see page 29 or visit www.nfbp.org.uk 29th February – Free New Forest Green Business Event (The Crown Hotel, Lyndhurst) This tailor-made session will focus on helping you identify the 'green' steps you can take in your business. It will provide the information needed to take immediate action to reduce the negative impacts of existing practice. For further details please see page 24 or call 01590 646664. This event is free of charge but booking is essential. 30th April - NFBP Tendering Workshop (Appletree Court, Lyndhurst) Are you a small business that has thought about bidding for the opportunities that come out of Local Authorities and other Government departments? If so, and you want to know more about successfully bidding for these potentially lucrative contracts, then make a note of the date in your diary and attend this workshop later in the year. Further details will be available in the April edition of Business Connexions. Peer Group Learning If you want to benefit by learning from other businesses, you could profit by being part of Peer Group Learning. It allows business owners to interact, share knowledge and learn from each other's business experiences. All business sectors are welcome to encourage collaborative working and development of the consortia. Meetings take place across the county with the New Forest meeting taking place in Burley on the last Monday of the month. Visit www.business-x-change.net for full details.
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Ringwood Chamber of Trade and Commerce Ringwood Chamber holds bi-monthly network meetings. For details of future meetings and membership visit their website at www.ringwoodchamber.co.uk or contact Leigh Neville on 0777 5644242
Lymington Chamber of Commerce Lymington Chamber holds regular meetings for their members. This provides an opportunity to you to network with other local businesses and understand the business-related issues in Lymington and the surrounding area. For further details visit www.lymington.biz Federation of Small Business The FSB has a monthly networking meeting on every second Thursday of the month at 6.30 in the Crown Hotel, Lyndhurst. Meetings regularly feature a guest speaker with recent topics including employment law, and health and safety. Attendance at non-speaker events is free and non-FSB members are welcome to attend any meeting. For further details contact Rob Dewing on 023 80 283452 Sway Manor Business Club Sway Manor Business Club hold monthly breakfast meetings offering high quality guest speakers and networking with other local businesses. Meetings take place on the second Thursday of each month. For further details of membership and future meetings visit www.swaymanorbusinessclub.co.uk Free Business Advice Clinics 1 to 1 business advice clinics take place across the New Forest each month. These are run by Business Link advisers who specialise in the issues facing smaller businesses. There is no charge for these clinics. Totton – First Wednesday of each month Hythe – Second Friday of each month Ringwood – First Friday of each month Lymington – Second Wednesday of each month New Milton – Second Tuesday of each month To book your one hour session call 0845 600 9006
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Welcome to ‘The Magazine’ WELCOME BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
New Year, so out with the old and in with the new? Having just rounded off the Partnership’s 2007 activities with the very successful Brilliance in Business Awards presentation evening, I was left wondering whether things are that simple. Are the new and the old mutually exclusive? Or can they live happily ever after in harmony? Yes, there are occasionally tensions between the two, but for me, our Awards demonstrated that there is a need for both. Our winners ranged from tourism and hospitality businesses making full use of the area’s heritage on the one hand, to those investing in the future through innovation and training on the other. It is this combination of the old and the new which adds diversity and dynamism to the economy of our District, and which should ensure that, without an excessive reliance on any one business sector, the New Forest will weather any economic slowdown which might appear.
W
e will be supporting our diverse economy with a varied programme of activities in 2008. In the coming year we again have a full calendar of events, starting off with our version of Question Time on February 19 at Hangar Farm in Totton. Using the same format as the BBC’s programme, this will be the third time that we have run this event and we are fortunate in having a distinguished panel of leaders from Hampshire County Council, New Forest District Council and the New Forest National Park Authority for you to interrogate on local or wider issues (more details on page 29). Later in the year we continue with seminars (see page 25) on subjects which include doing business with the public sector and business development in the National Park, followed by the wide ranging set of Business seminars at Brockenhurst College in the autumn. Again, the year will finish with the celebration of local success stories in the Brilliance in Business Awards. Last year we made a number of representations to the Council on issues such as the Air Quality Management plans for Lyndhurst and Totton, and more especially the Core Strategy proposals for the Local Development Framework, which set out a context for commercial development in the area over the next twenty years. In 2008 we expect to be equally busy, starting with the Changing Lives Partnership’s “Future Matters” document, continuing with LDF proposals for the National Park area and the Employment DPD. While current indications are that the forthcoming year will be an especially challenging one for those in business, the New Forest Business Partnership will continue to raise the profile of economic issues in the area and will ensure that the business view is properly represented in the policy making process of local authorities. We will try to help in achieving the best combination of old and new. We welcome your involvement in any of our activities and hope that you will keep an eye on developments through our website. Please don't forget to tell your business associates and colleagues about the benefits of being a member of the Partnership; after all, our strength lies in the number and different types of commercial activities that we represent. May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a happy and prosperous year ahead.
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BARRY OLORENSHAW
For full details of this issue’s award-winning cover artist – Paul Rapson – please see page 26.
Editor: Neil Hopkins editor@camcentral.co.uk
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Produced in January 2008 on behalf of:
Sales Team: Vicki Fairman and Michael Pisko 0870 1900 220 Publisher: Steve Cusack, Cam Publishing 0870 1900 220 Design: Grapevine 01903 531531
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great minds think differently
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Hampshire & Isle of Wight companies that want to improve their environmental credentials can now benefit from more in-depth advice and support than ever before
sustainable business practices can also provide a clear way of looking at some of the risks your business faces. Being aware of and complying with environmental legislation ensures that your company is on the right side of the law.” The new online topics include:
• The direct business benefits of being green • How to manage a greener business • Support and advice available for businesses on environmental issues • How to grow your business through sustainable innovation • How to make your business more sustainable • How to prevent your business causing pollution • How to understand your legal compliance and waste responsibilities Business Link has created a number of
online interactive tools to help businesses with green issues including ‘Assess your environmental compliance’ and ‘Identify where you can save money by going green’. Hants & IOW businesses can also sign up for email alerts to ensure they are aware of forthcoming changes and new environmental regulations. Deborah Wyatt continued: “There are real benefits to becoming an environmentally aware business and if you do manage to gain ‘green credentials’, you should tell your customers and suppliers. Business Link can offer access to specialist advice on how to tackle environmental issues and gain bottom line benefits.” For more information on how to ‘green’ your company, call 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/ southeast/environment
New Year (Business) Resoltions
T
his time of year traditionally sees us look to throw out the old (if I can still say that) and bring in the new. Business is really just like people. Your business needs a fresh start and a rethink at times so why not look at this at the same time that you review your personal ‘goals’. To give you some food for thought (rather than yet another Turkey);
your business and finances to make sure that the profits that you make are turned into good returns Start Something New. Traditionally this is the time to start something new. Make sure that your business is up to date with the latest information regarding tax opportunities and pitfalls, accounting matters and computer assistance. Call us to discuss all these aspects and more.
Health. Your business could probably do
with a review of all matters related to PAYE, including the status of any workers. Why not arrange for us to do a PAYE Healthcheck? This will mean that you suffer less stress in the event of a visit from HM Revenue and Customs. Give up. Your business can benefit by giving up paying too much tax and NIC. Let us talk to you regarding all aspects of
Fitness. Make sure that your business is fit for the next year(s). Many businesses need a fresh/outside pair of eyes to give business and financial advice. We have people who are experienced in providing such advice and can make sure that your business gets the benefit of its own ‘personal trainer’. Join a Gym. This is another tradition at
this time of year but at Princecroft Willis we would urge you to ‘Join a Jimmy’. That’s because we now have our very own Business Tax Manager, John Caithness. John (Jimmy) would be happy to discuss all of your tax requirements and help your business reduce its heavy tax burden. Keep your Resolutions. One of the things that happens is, of course, that resolutions are broken. We will help you to keep those New Year Resolutions by keeping in contact with you over the months to ensure that the changes are kept up, reviewed and improved. For more information, contact John Caithness, Business Tax Manager, Princecroft Willis www.princecroftwillis.co.uk Direct Line 01202 785518
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ADVICE
B
usiness Link has expanded the information available on its website and now offers specific guidance for businesses wanting to tackle ‘green’ issues. New guides published include how to make financial benefits by saving energy, reducing and managing waste more efficiently and cutting carbon emissions. Deborah Wyatt, Director, Business Link Hampshire & IOW, said: “Greening an organisation has many business benefits; it is becoming more and more important in order to secure new customers. ‘Green’ supply chains are increasingly in demand and new contracts can be won, or lost, depending on a company’s environmental credentials. “Becoming more environmentally aware and improving resource efficiency can have a very positive effect on a company’s bottom line. Examining its
LOCAL BUSINESS
Going Green Gets Easier
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Brockenhurst College enjoys a reputation as a key member of the New Forest business community, providing a wide range of training, hosting business seminars and even sponsoring business awards. including Business Administration, Health & Social Care, Hospitality, Retail, Cleaning and Distribution and Warehousing. Cross sector training is also available in Customer Service, Team Leading and IT. The training can be free depending on employees’ existing qualifications and many employers will also benefit from an additional wage contribution. Colin Carter, from True Care said, “We have worked with Brockenhurst College Business Services for a long time and recently put a number of staff through NVQs as a part of Train to Gain. Train to Gain allowed us to redirect essential
funds to key growth areas. The Training was positive and helps my staff to progress.” If you are interested in finding out how Brockenhurst College Business Services can benefit your business, please call Jan Turner on: 01590 625589 or email: jturner@brock.ac.uk
Learning to fit your kills
I
believe it was the American management writer Peter Drucker who in the 1990’s used the phrase, “If you think training is expensive try ignorance”. Does this still hold true today as we all attempt to manage our work life balance? We know we have to keep our skills up to date in order to keep competitive and certainly the Government is aware of the need to upskill the workforce through funding the Train to Gain agenda. Against this background Totton College has reinforced its commitment to deliver learning that is responsive to employers and their employee’s needs. Totton College has recently become the first Sixth Form College in the country to achieve the prestigious Action for Business Award. (See picture) However this is not solely another kitemark as it demonstrates a college’s ability to deliver training to suit their clients’ business environment. This quality process
is continuing with colleges being asked to meet stretching National Standards. Totton College as with our fellow colleges in the Hampshire are now looking to help our customers evaluate the longer term impact that the training is having on the performance of the business. A few recent examples of how Totton College are delivering flexibility include:
employee who uses computers as part of their job • Developing customer care courses for the growing ocean cruise industry If you want to find out how Totton College can help deliver learning to fit your business please call our business team, Inge or Ann on 02380 427372
• Delivering management training to managers in the hospitality and care sectors through a blended (open) learning approach • Training healthcare professionals in the use of IT through the European Computer Drivers Licence • Delivering the new Information Technology Qualification (ITQ) for any
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COLLEGES
T
he College recently presented an award for training at the New Forest Partnership Brilliance in Business Awards in recognition of the best performing business in the New Forest area. Brockenhurst College supports local businesses in their pursuit of ‘Brilliance in Business’ by offering a range of outstanding training options. Business Services provides a wide range of short training courses from Health and Safety and IT through to Leadership and Management development programmes. We also offer bespoke training, working with employers to design a training package to meet specific business needs, providing it at a time and place to suit individual business needs. The College aims to provide businesses with the training they need to succeed. Through Train to Gain, training is also available across a wide range of sectors
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Brockenhurst Supports
TRAIN TO GAIN
BUILDING BUSINESS
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Train to Gain
TO SUCCEED 1.3 million people in England go to work without the appropriate skills to do their job; and these skills gaps are estimated to cost businesses £10 billion a year in lost revenue. That’s roughly equivalent to £165,000 for a business with 50 employees. Skills shortages threaten productivity, reduce competitiveness and demotivate employees. So who’s out there working to narrow the gap?
O
ne answer is Train to Gain – a completely unique, independent and impartial government funded (through the Learning and Skills Council) service dedicated to helping businesses improve their skill base. Whether the lowliest office junior needs training on a particular system or the Managing Director could do with brushing up his/her leadership skills, Train to Gain can help! One of their main thrusts is offering a skills brokerage service, which provides independent, qualified and impartial Skills Brokers to provide holistic advice and support on skills training. By ‘holistic’, Train to Gain mean that they look at every aspect of the business, taking into account not only the immediately identified skills gap, but other gaps which also affect productivity. It could be that an individual needs training on the latest accounting software to do their job, but they haven’t had time management training either. By identifying a rounded training program, the Skills Brokers can really help your employees to become more productive across the spectrum of their role, by connecting you with the most appropriate training providers for your needs. A qualified Train to Gain Skills Broker will, at no cost and with no obligation from the employer:
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1 Provide an impartial needs analysis of training required to help achieve business objectives. 2 Assess what skills the business has now – and what will be needed in the future. This can be from the most basic to the most advanced skills, and from practical and language skills to business skills. 3 Recommend skills training solutions that are most suited to the business, and help with selection of the most suitable training providers. Again, this is completely free and impartial, so ensuring the highest quality advice. 4 Identify the best way to pay for training; and advise on any available funding – including the possibility of a contribution to wage costs for companies with less than 50 employees, to cover the cost of time spent in training. Some training may require additional funding from the employer. Recently, Train to Gain have been able to access additional funding, which enables them to extend the breadth and depth of the training that they can propose that benefits from funding. Whereas before funding was focused on developing basic and intermediate level skills, funding is now available for training at more advanced levels. This means that this higher level training is no longer out of reach of even the smallest companies. As an example, the owner or senior manager of a small business, with over 10 employees, can
claim up to 60% of the costs in improving their skills as a business leader. Once the recommended training programme is underway, Skills Brokers continue to provide ongoing support, including monitoring the quality of all training provided and evaluating its success at the end of the process. If specific issues arise within the employment sector (for example, legislative changes), Train to Gain are often the first ones to set up business meetings or roadshows to connect with the business community, ensuring that they are up to speed on the latest developments and have training plans in mind (as required) to cope with any direct effect that these issues will have on their business. Their proactive – and free – approach has won them many fans and businesses quickly see the benefits of increasing the skills held by their staff. One of the other major benefits to the Train to Gain service is that they stretch right across the South-East. This enables them to share best practice across far more businesses than they’d be able to if they were in one single locality. To request a Train to Gain information pack, or for an impartial and free training needs assessment, call the Train to Gain team on 0845 751 2288; or email info traintogainse.co.uk with your contact details.
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N
ew Forest District Council has been working towards setting out its proposals for planning policies for the next 20 years in areas outside the National Park. The first stage of this “Local Development Framework” process has been the publication of options for the “Core Strategy” which sets out the general context for more detailed policies subsequently, and so it addresses issues such as overall amounts of housing and commercial floorspace requirements, and where these might be located around the District. Consultation on the proposals, which look at various ways of meeting the needs which have been identified, has now
closed. A wide range of responses has been received from the local business community and the New Forest Business Partnership had submitted an extensive response covering a wide range of issues. At the start of the consultation period, the New Forest Business Partnership was keen to ensure that there was an effective response from the business community which can sometimes feel distanced from these long term planning processes, and which might subsequently be disadvantaged as a result. Accordingly, the NFBP organised a seminar with presentations from both District Council planners and the private
sector. Following this discussion, the NFBP Chairman, working with a number of businesses represented at the seminar, submitted an extensive consultation response covering issues as wide ranging as the future of the ABP site at Dibden Bay, the scope for further shopping development in town centres and the need for further affordable housing. The next stage in this process will be the submission of a preferred option by the Council to the Department for Communities and Local Government during the summer of 2008, following which proposals for more detailed policies will be the subject of further consultation.
Local Business Community New Neighbours
T
he Wealth Care Partnership, new arrivals at The Glasshouse Studios on the outskirts of Fordingbridge, received a warm welcome from their near neighbours and invited guests alike when they officially launched last month. The Partners invited new friends and old to their recently refurbished offices in the countryside at Burgate. Karen Rayner and Tim Anstee started working together five years ago in Ringwood; building on over 30 years experience providing clients with specialist financial advice. Over that time, their expertise has become focused on advising individuals on protecting their assets and income in retirement. Karen and Tim’s vision to deliver a responsive, flexible and personal service to those serious about protecting their wealth, has led them to set up The Wealth Care Partnership LLP. “ When it comes to your wealth and future security, you need clear, concise and independent
advice, helping you make the right decisions, at the right time for the right reasons”, states Tim. “We are not a “one size fits all” Independent Financial Adviser; we believe that there is a general lack of understanding about the financial implications of many decisions made later in life particularly those surrounding long term care. The whole process of dealing with an elderly relative who needs care can be difficult, emotive and stressful. We specialise in giving advice by working closely with the family members concerned”, adds Karen. Determined to make a big impact The Wealth Care Partnership published its own “Guide to Care Fees Financial Planning” to coincide with their launch. The Guide brings together advice encompassing all aspects of care fees planning. It has already been well received by individuals and Care Homes as a great source of information. You can request a copy of the guide at www.twcp.co.uk
The Wealth Care Partnership LLP 7 Glasshouse Studios Fryern Court Road Fordingbridge Hampshire SP6 1NG
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NEWS
Framework
LOCAL BUSINESS
Local
ARTS & BUSINESS
NEWS
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Young Professionals on Arts Boards From the start of the new financial year, Arts and Business will be looking to recruit the brightest young professionals in the South East. This is the perfect opportunity for ambitious 18 to 25 year olds to really make a difference early on in their career. Young Professionals on Arts Boards builds on the success of Board Bank, which allows business people to use their expertise on the boards of arts organisations. Working as a non-executive director will give young professionals the opportunity to develop skills such as strategic management, leadership, problem solving, creative thinking, confidence building and networking, all skills they will need as their careers progress.
T
he training and induction process will be managed by us and we will ensure the best possible match between the young professional and arts organisation. We will also provide the young professionals with a mentor for the first year to provide training in the legal and moral responsibilities of board membership. The project has been so successful in 2007 that there are no registration places left. However, it will be running again this year and you will be able to register with Arts and Business from the start of the financial year. Give Jessica Stockford at Arts & Business a call on 01273 738 333 or email jessica.stockford@AandB.org.uk to find out how you can get involved with this unique, exciting project. A&B guide to tax incentives for supporting the Arts
Arts and Business have also launched an on-line tax guide to give you the lowdown on tax breaks available for giving to the arts. You can find the guide at: www.aandb.org.uk/taxguide Arts & Business has created this guide as there appears to be mounting confusion around the tax breaks that exist in the UK for giving to the arts. Writing in the Financial Times, Hazel Blears believes that the government should look at the scope of adding to existing incentives, such as Gift Aid, where the charity, rather than the donor gets most of the tax refund. Chris Blackhurst, City Editor of the Evening Standard, feels that we “must stop pretending that what we have in the UK at the moment is OK.” Arts & Business is the expert in this area, with over thirty years experience. This guide, in partnership with Deloittes and the DCMS, aims to educate and inform individuals to invest in the arts and make use of the tax incentives and THE MAGAZINE 10
mechanisms on offer. Snap Shot:
• It has never been easier to give to the arts and the financial rewards have never been greater. • A&B is the expert – your one stop port of call for tax information. • It’s good business to invest in the arts as it brings personal financial rewards and helps the UK maintain its creative edge. • It is time to make the arts your investment of choice and become one of a new generation of cultural entrepreneurs What needs to Change?
Arts & Business believes that there are three things that need to change to truly impact on the level of donations to the cultural sector: 1 Donors could be better educated about tax breaks. We are already embarking on a campaign work to achieve this.
2 Many arts organisations could significantly improve their delivery of donor care. The high levels of cultural philanthropy in the US are just as much the result of sustained relationship building by the cultural organisations as they are about tax breaks. There is much debate on what the Government and donors need to do to change. There ought to be an equal focus on changes that the cultural sector should undertake as well. 3 We should encourage more local giving. Cultural organisations in London raise 50% of the total business support for the cultural sector in the UK, but a staggering 80% of individual giving. We need to encourage a stronger sense of local philanthropy across the UK. For more information, visit www.AandB.co.uk to find out about everything that Arts & Business gets involved with!
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makes good business sense
Did you know?
• 40% of employees have dependent children • 1 in 4 women now return to work fulltime within a year of having a baby. With accessible, flexible, high quality childcare being important to a large proportion of the workforce it makes business sense to explore the options available. Initiatives to support employees
There are a number of ways that an employer may be able to support employees to achieve a successful worklife balance: • flexible working contracts (part time, job share, term time only) • flexible working hours (annualised hours, compressed hours, flexi-time) • home working • shift swaps/self-rostering • facilitating childcare vouchers • working with the local Children’s Information Service • financial support for employees with childcare needs • providing a work place nursery and/or out-of-school scheme • subsidising local childcare provision • sponsoring a local childcare provider • supporting a childminder network • support schemes for carers of adults • employment career breaks, sabbatical leave, study leave • providing a culture of sympathetic treatment to member of staff who have to take time off for caring responsibilities • providing an environment that supports work-life balance • diversity awareness, respecting other cultures and calendars.
Helping employees with the cost of childcare
Often a challenge for the employee is to find childcare that is affordable, flexible and meets their working and their child’s needs. Employers can help employees overcome this by looking at the support options available and incorporating some of the initiatives that are on offer within their company’s procedures. Childcare vouchers
• free, impartial information on childcare in the local area, including services that can provide emergency or temporary care • help with choosing suitable childcare for individual children’s needs • information about financial help for early education and childcare services • details of work-life balance initiatives • information to go on staff notice boards, in staff induction packs or for company intranet/website pages.
Through ‘salary sacrifice’ employees can purchase vouchers up to a maximum of £55 per week for childcare costs. The employee does not pay National Insurance Contributions (NIC) or tax on this sum and in a year can make a saving of £600 - £800. The employer who facilitates the scheme is exempt from paying NIC and therefore makes a saving of up to 12.8% on contributions. The employer does pay an administration charge to the company that provides the voucher scheme – approximately 5 to 8% of the total value of the vouchers purchased. In order for an employer to facilitate a scheme the qualifying conditions are that:
• the scheme is generally available to all employees where the scheme operates • childcare vouchers must be used to pay for childcare that is Ofsted registered or approved. For more information about the tax breaks available to businesses helping employees with childcare costs, visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/ childcare or call the Employers Helpline on 08457 143 143. Helping employees find childcare
“Make the parents in your workforce feel that caring for their children doesn’t mean not caring about their job.” Remember, whatever the size of your business, there are simple, practical steps you can take to support your workforce. Childcare information is available from your local Children’s Information Service (CIS) who provide:
Hampshire Children’s Information Service Tel: 0845 602 1125 (local call rate, landline) Email: childcare@hants.gov.uk Website: www.hants.gov.uk/childcare
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CHILDCARE
W
hatever the size of your business, there has never been a better time to explore how you and your staff could benefit from a better work-life balance whilst childcare needs are met. Supporting childcare can allow you to recruit from a broader pool of talent. It will help to attract the best applicants to vacancies in your company and to retain experienced staff who might otherwise be lost to competitors, or be lost to the workforce altogether.
BUSINESS ISSUES
Supporting childcare
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With their unmistakable red and white logo, many of you can’t have helped noticing Mayday Personnel Services Ltd, having been based in Rumbridge Street since 1978, they are looking forward to celebrating their 30th Birthday on Mayday 2008.
The changing face of Totton – 30 years on 1978 saw the opening of Mayday Personnel Services in Rumbridge
Street; in those days the street was a bustling hub of the community with two Banks, a Chemist, Butchers shop, Post office, in fact all the local amenities. Mayday started its business in one room upstairs above Typewrite Stationers, those were the days… Business grew and expansion was inevitable, until eventually after a complete refurbishment 2 years ago, Mayday Court was opened along with Choices Internet Café, the new front
to Mayday Personnel Services offices. Many of the local shops and banks moved across the railway line to the Totton Centre. Mayday made the decision to remain in Rumbridge Street, being loyal to old Totton has been a good decision for us. Choices Internet Café has proved to be a great meeting place for the local people, whether for morning coffee or lunch – a warm welcome always awaits. We have a boardroom and private interview facilities available to hire, as well as four Internet stations equipped with Broadband, printing and scanning facilities. We are proud to announce our latest venture: Mayday Mortgages Ltd, opened on 1st January 2008, headed by Neale Bate, a professional with 30 years experience within the mortgage industry. Neale has bought his expertise as a totally independent advisor to us. Being independent we are not tied to any organisation, therefore free to source the ideal mortgage product to suit
individual requirements. With the same business ethos we have always had at Mayday, a professional personal service. We believe Mayday Mortgages will compliment our services. Call in for a free, no obligation review – it may be the key to securing your future. Contact Mayday Mortgages on: 02380 861926 & Mayday Personnel on: 02380 869986
First the forest, Then
B
lue Planet Holidays, a locally based online travel consultancy, has now opened an office in Hong Kong to provide on-thespot expertise and support for its expanding travel and holiday service to Asia and Australasia. “Blue Planet Holidays is delighted with the success of its specialist service but we are always looking for ways to improve and develop this. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the very best in personal service and as we believe that local knowledge plays a vital role we saw the opening of an office in the region as the next logical step,” explained owner George Nicholls. “While there are High Street and other Internet travel agents featuring holidays to this part of the world,” continued George,
“here at Blue Planet we want to offer something different, with a comprehensive travel and advice service that cannot be matched. Using our local expertise we can advise as to most suitable off-the-shelf holiday or create an individual tailored itinerary to match your requirements, dates and budget. The service we offer is based on listening to what our customers want from their holiday and then matching that as closely as we can at the best price we can achieve. The Hong Kong office can be contacted either via our local office or direct on (00 852) 6643 3752 and can arrange and advise as to both leisure and business travel to the region.” www.blueplanetholidays.com Tel: 01425 611596
13 THE MAGAZINE
NEWS
S
till run by Husband and Wife team Bob and Beryl King, the original founders and with many staff having been with the team in excess of 10 years, Mayday is still run on the founding principles of offering a personal, professional service at all times. Bob and Beryl recall the past 30 years…
LOCAL BUSINESS
30 Years Young
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Open Daily for Dinner & Breakfast BOOKING ESSENTIAL STATION ROAD, SWAY, LYMINGTON SO41 6BA
01590 683402 nurses.cottage@lineone.net nursescottge.co.uk
““A A proper proper w web, eb, de design s gn and si mar keting company!” compa pany!” marketing www.brief8.com w ww.brrief8.com
THE LLocal ocal Directory Directory & Maga Magazine zine “We “W We advertise advertise successfully successfullly on on Lymington Lymington Do Dott C Com om because they because they are arre the most most popular p p search searrch result result for for LLymington ymington o on n Google Google”” -R Robert obert Milton, Milton, Owner Owner Stanwell Stanwell House Ho ouse Hotel, Hotel, www.stanwellhouse.com www.stanwellhouse.com
DESIGN DE SIGN | WEB W | P PRINT RINT PHOTOGRAPHY MARKETING PR PHO OTOGRAPHY | MARKE MAR AR TING | P R
WEBCAMS | RE REVIEWS V EWS | AR VI ARTICLES RTICLES EEVENTS VENTS | NE NEWS WS
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...a member membe m ro off the ‘let’s ‘let’s get get it on’ on’ media media group group
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THE
BUSINESS AWARDS 2007
AWARDS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
WINNERS
The New Forest Business Partnership’s Brilliance in Business Award ceremony was a glittering success, yet again. Although the Awards have only been running for two years, the support and enthusiasm shown by all businesses in the Forest have firmly established the ceremony as an important fixture in the calendar.
T
he Awards celebrate the brilliance of the businesses in the New Forest – and the standards this year were higher than ever. From an ecologically minded taxi company to an online bridal boutique, the companies nominated for the Awards showed just how diverse the businesses within the Forest are – and how worldleading as well, if truth be told. There are companies here pushing the boundaries of design and innovation in ways that other Districts can only dream of. Key note speaker of the evening was Alex Aitkin – owner of Le Poussin at Parkhill. Having started with a single restaurant 20 years ago, Alex is now the head of a growing empire of high-quality, fine dining establishments. His talk took the audience through the highs and lows of his 20 year career, providing inspiration and insight in almost equal measure!
Throughout the evening, the audience was treated to in-depth presentations on each of the award nominees, presentations which outlined what each company did and why they’d been nominated for an award. This was a fascinating, and useful, exercise and one that served to underline the sheer variety of business in the Forest. With the company profiles showing on screen, it’s easy for one to understand why the judging panel had such a difficult time this year choosing each winner from the shortlisted nominees – it can’t have been an enviable job. However, winners there must be – and the Hon Ralph Montagu did the honours with the all important envelopes. One could almost feel the excitement in the room as the winners in each category were read out and the genuine ripples of applause that followed. There’s no doubt
that, although those who didn’t carry home a trophy were disappointed, they had a very real sense of congratulation for the winners. In fact, the spirit of the evening typified the aims of the Business Partnership – mutual support, cooperation and recognition. Held in the Beaulieu Hotel, the Brilliance in Business Awards evening was not to be missed. If you didn’t come along this year, then don’t forget to enter the Awards in 2008 and get your company the recognition that it deserves! We’ve profiled the winners in the following pages, giving you the chance to learn more about the companies and the individuals behind those companies. If there’s anything more that you would like to know about the Awards or the New Forest Business Partnership, either have a look at the website – www.nfbp.org.uk – or call Matt Callaghan on 02380 285 371.
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BUSINESS AWARDS 2007
WINNERS
THE
AWARDS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
It’s Been
a Year “It’s been quite a year” is an understatement for New Forest Spring Water. From the bottom of the barrel to the cream of the crop, this business really has changed beyond all recognition. How has this been done?
L
ast year New Forest Spring Water was under the ownership of a Mr George Axton a local “character”. The company was failing; staff morale low and the prospects were not good for the business. Jason Gregg the new owner explains,
“I first met George Axton the previous owner in February 2006, I was looking for a water company as a route to market for a new invention. I was not impressed; the company was in a state. It made Del Boy and Peckham Spring look like Evian”. Following protracted negotiations a deal was struck in May and the business purchased. “Most people thought I was mad,” Jason Gregg continued, “The local business community saw nothing but trouble to be associated with this company. But I felt that there was an opportunity. Surely the newest National Park with its fine tourism and environmental policy could do with a local water company with a product that would embody the pure essence of sustainability”. “I knew that we had to be efficient, so the first task was to find a bottling line capable of filling more than 2000 bottles per hour. The
The 2007 Brilliance in Business Awards have been kindly sponsored by the following companies: THE MAGAZINE 16
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BUSINESS AWARDS 2007 WINNERS
water plant also needed the finest filters available to give the purest possible water; we now filter our spring water down to 0.2 of a micron. All this was purchased and installed. “We then needed an identity and a label that showed that we were serious. I spent hours designing a label with ponies on it. The association with water and ponies just doesn’t work on a bottle of natural and fresh spring water, I then decided to make our glass range look as modern, stylish and elegant as possible, something that could grace the finest restaurants and hotels anywhere in the world”. The glass range was launched at the Hotel and Catering exhibition at the BIC, the local hoteliers liked the product and good local distributors such as Ringwood Brewery and Coastline Produce took the new look product in its range. As if that wasn’t enough, the ongoing development of the sustainable “Biottle”TM continued. Jason Gregg explained. “We have been working with a company called Idealogy in Southampton, they have been instrumental in keeping the project on course. We have had the “Biottle” designed, patented and trademarked. The “Biottle” was always the flagship project for New Forest Spring Water; the aim was to produce a “good” plastic bottle. Something that has an iconic image, both on the shelf and in the waste stream. The “Biottle” will be made from a totally sustainable source, corn, the product is biodegradable and in the right conditions it can be composted
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within 80 days ready for use as fertilizer”. But not content with just this amazing new material New Forest Spring Water have developed the “Biottle” TM so that it compacts during and after use, Jason Gregg explained “We have all seen bins in the park or even your waste bin at home that are overflowing. But when we compact this waste we find that it is only really half full, the other half being fresh air. In order to overcome this we have designed the “Biottle” to collapse during use and unlike other bottles it stays collapsed. Because of this unique look the plastic is then identifiable within the waste stream. Its also real fun to do!” New Forest Spring Water has tried hard to assist the local community and has helped in many events locally; the Oakhaven Hospice Bike and Hike and various charity golf days including The Childrens Wish Charity. Jason Gregg explains “I really want New Forest Spring
Water to be part of the New Forest Community, its important in the current climate to be a socially responsible business, we really like helping these good causes and to see the enjoyment and refreshment our product brings to the fundraisers at these events”. Jason Gregg, on behalf of New Forest Spring Water was presented with the Exxon Mobil Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and then went on to win the New Forest Business Partnership Award for Best Business of the year 2007. When asked about the Award Jason smiled and said “ How far we have come, this year has been tremendous for New Forest Spring Water. I am so pleased that the achievements of our business have received the recognition of our business peers”. So what about the future for New Forest Spring Water, will progress be slowing? Jason just smiled.
ExxonMobil
New Forest Produce Ltd
The Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Award for Best Use of Local Resources
Hampshire County Council
HSBC
The Award for Contribution to the Community
The Award for Best New Business
Brockenhurst College
New Forest District Council
The Award for Training and Development
The Award for Outstanding Customer Service
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WINNERS
THE
AWARDS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
A true New Forest success Winners of the ‘Best New Business’ award at this year’s ceremony, The Carpet Care People have got big plans for the future.
A
ctually, the company’s name is ever so slightly misleading as it doesn’t do full justice to the services that they offer. They don’t just clean carpets, but rather any type of soft furnishing that you could find in the home, the office or on a yacht. On a yacht? Well, apparently yachts do have soft furnishings – a revelation that came as a surprise to this writer for one. “Yes,” Alina Jenkins, co-founder of The Carpet Care People, laughs. “We can do pretty much anything!” The client list for the company is certainly impressive. As well as many contracts in the local area, the team won a contract to clean in Westminster Abbey, adding extra prestige to their portfolio. In fact, they’ve amassed over 2,000 customers in just over 12 months, prompting them to expand the business five-fold. “It’s been a busy year, that’s for sure,” Alina continues. “When we began trading in October 2006, it just my husband out in the van and myself back in the office. It quickly became apparent that we’d
THE MAGAZINE 18
need to expand and so began looking for extra people. We’ve now got five vans out on the road, all the time, and expect this growth to continue into next year.” So how does the operation work? In simple terms, the Carpet Care People is a franchise organisation, giving suitable individuals the chance to work for themselves but under the umbrella of a larger corporation. However, it’s more than that, as Alina explains. “I think that our method of franchising is unique as everything is centralised into one office,” she explains. “When jobs are booked, they are called into the head office and then I pass them out to the franchisees. We also run all of the marketing and publicity initiatives from here, leaving our people out on the road to do what they do best.” In setting up the business, the team decided to invest in the best of the best in terms of equipment. “We could have spent less,” Alina admits, “but the pay off would have been in equipment that would have worn out sooner or not done as good a job for our clients. Plus, because we appreciate that clients’ homes, offices and yachts are special places to them, we need to be certain that the equipment we use will be completely reliable. So we bought in the best of the best, and have been delighted with the strength of our investment.” All of the chemicals that The Carpet Care
People use are completely harmless to man and beast, which has the added bonus of being extremely kind to your soft furnishings. You won’t find that anything used will react adversely with your carpets, curtains or upholstery. Furthermore, before a job even begins, every client’s house or office undergoes a complete survey to highlight any potential problem areas. The customer then signs this to say they are happy for the team to continue. The sense of confidence that this engenders with the Carpet Care People can’t be underestimated – especially when you consider that customers the team don't accept payment until the customer is satisfied with the clean. If the customer feels a couple of days later that it's not what they expected then the Carpet Care People would return and re-clean any areas for free. Now that’s customer service! In the next twelve months, it looks like the incredible business growth of the past year will continue and, if current forecasts pan out, by the end of 2008 the team will have doubled their workload and substantially increased the workforce. The Carpet Care People is a real success story in the New Forest – and long may it continue! To find out more about everything that the team can do for you, give Alina a call on 02380 870675.
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
“W
e’ve all become too global,” comments Christina. “It’s so easy to source products from abroad that most of us don’t think about where our goods come from – be they apples, soaps or roofing tiles. “However, by buying from abroad, I believe that this reduces the impact of your pound in the local marketplace. In fact, buying locally is a way of investing in the local community and helping local businesses to thrive – which, by extension, helps the entire New Forest to prosper.” Christina’s dedication to putting her pound into the local marketplace rather than further afield has seen the Cottage Lodge scoop this year’s ‘Best Use of Local Resources’ award from the Business Partnership. From buying in local produce for the 20,000+ New Forest Breakfasts that she serves each year to sourcing locally produced materials for building and renovations work, Christina thinks about where every pound goes and makes sure that it counts. It’s a philosophy that has paid dividends in the last year – the Business
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Partnership’s award is the fourth that Cottage Lodge has been presented with! They’ve been awarded the ‘Best B&B in the New Forest National Park’ (August 2007 Guardian Newspaper), taken Gold in the ‘Green Tourism Business Scheme’ (May 2007), become the ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’ (October 2007 Tourism South East) and have been Highly Commended in the Green Hotel of the Year category by Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine. Of course, Christina’s enthusiasm for all things local has been increased by the sheer quality of the products that come out of the Forest. “I have never been disappointed when buying from a local supplier,” Christina says, “and I now have an excellent relationship with many local producers. For example, I know when my quiet and busy periods are respectively, so I can advise my suppliers accordingly so that they can get in what I need. I never have any doubts about the quality of the raw ingredients that I’ll be serving to my guests – and I believe that this is something that they appreciate.” Much of this is down to the New Forest Marque, of which Cottage Lodge is a member. Christina says that Sarah Green (who oversees the strict quality standards laid down by the Marque) “does a superb job in running the Marque, ensuring that all members uphold their standards and
giving us ways of improving our offer.” The Marque’s recognition grows year on year, and helped the New Forest as a whole to be voted the ‘Most Environmentally Friendly Destination in the World’ (Virgin/The Sunday Times). Christina makes sure that her guests become enthused by the ‘buy local’ philosophy. A New Forest Marque map is displayed in the dining room showing where all produce comes from within the local area and, having sampled the local produce during their stay, guests are signposted to nearby providers including Owls Barn and Setley Ridge to stock up before they return home. In addition, guests staying at the Cottage Lodge are always encouraged to make use of the local restaurants in Brockenhurst. Having sampled the local food, guests then write a short review in the book provided. The entire philosophy behind the Cottage Lodge centres around complete immersion with the local producer community and giving guests the very best New Forest experience possible. In the three and a half years that Christina has been running the business, it’s becoming ever more evident that this approach will reap dividends both now and into the future. For more information, give Christina a ring on 01509 622296 or visit their website – www.cottagelodge.co.uk
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WINNERS
For Christina Simons, owner of the Cottage Lodge B&B, buying locally sourced produce is a way of life, and something that she feels extremely passionate about.
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A way of life...
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BUSINESS AWARDS 2007
WINNERS
THE
AWARDS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
.Com L
ymington Dot Com was started just over two years ago but has only been online properly for eighteen months. Since then it has grown rapidly to become the de facto online source of information about Lymington and unlike many directory websites is a true online magazine brimming with reviews, articles, live webcams, a comprehensive business directory and much more besides. Now with a team of five full-time staff and several freelance associates the company also runs a very successful web, design, marketing and pr business called brief8™ which compliments both Lymington Dot Com and the umbrella ‘Let’s Get It On Media Group’ brand. The company was originally formed by Jan Simmonds whose background at a high level as a Manager in the Music Industry together with subsequent senior level experience in corporate IT, brings together several decades of his experience in Media & Technology into a unique business model which is constantly breaking new ground and now operates as a London style company in a ‘local’ environment. Lymington Dot Com has had from the beginning a ‘Charity of the Month’ section which has featured charities like Oakhaven, Naomi House and the RNLI to name but a few. Jan says, ‘I’ve always held the view that the more money I can make the more I can give away, and equally the more I give away the more I will make. This is what I personally call ‘the Felix Dennis principal’ for whom one of my great friends has been running his Dennis Publishing empire in the US for many years. (Having just sold out for over £700m and probably donating more than most to charity over the years he must be doing something right.) More than anything I simply get a lot of pleasure out of knowing that our business model provides a continually growing platform to do things in the community which benefit all of us and just maybe make some people realize the value and pleasure which can be found on the doorstep as opposed to the telly as well as promoting the immense benefits of local
THE MAGAZINE 20
independent businesses which stop towns becoming faceless and irrelevant.” Jan has recently organised the first ever ‘Dreams Weekend™’ which transformed Lymington over a whole weekend into a Christmas fantasyland in aid of the charity Dreams Come True. With different parts of the town transformed into Harry Potter’s ‘Diagon Alley’, Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, Lapland, Aladdin and added attractions like a Dream Train service provided by South West Trains and a ‘Wightrink’ sponsored Ice Rink the event raised after costs in excess of £15,000 for the charity and also brought Lymington’s local retailers and families from throughout the area together into a hugely enjoyable weekend with substantial local and regional press coverage. As the first event of its kind ever this weekend looks set to become a firm
fixture on the local calendar but has also been picked up by people from all over the UK and even further afield who are interested in running similar events in their towns. As far as Lymington as well was concerned it was an unprecedented success, with businesses reporting their best ever takings during two days despite the weather which saw gale force winds and rain. With sites launched in New Milton and shortly Henley, Ringwood, Chichester and others under the Let’s Get It On umbrella, Jan looks certain to be contributing similarly to other communities in the future. To find out more about Jan, his Team and Lymington Dot Com, please visit www.lymington.com/aboutus
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THE
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
The Nurse’s Cottage Restaurant with Rooms in Sway took home the ‘Outstanding Customer Service’ award – and highly deserved it was too!
T
ony Barnfield, Chef/Proprietor at The Nurse’s Cottage, had already won two major prizes this Autumn before he was presented with the Business Partnership’s award at the 27 November ceremony. In October, Tony won the same category in the Tourism South East Tourism ExSEllence Awards and more recently, won a cheque at the Edge Awards for £5,000 to spend on practical and vocational learning opportunities for his young staff, winning the South-East England Small Business Award. Over the years, Tony has achieved unrivalled success in local, regional and national awards for his restaurant with rooms, established in the former Nurse’s Cottage in Station Road, Sway in 1992. In fact, there hasn’t been a year in the last decade when he hasn’t been presented with at least one award! “There’s an award out there for almost everything you can think of,” he says, “and when you are running your own small business, they enable you to focus on different aspects of what you do, in
our case from breakfast to the wine list, housekeeping to accessibility, and more besides. “Awards are the antidote to complacency, which it’s all too easy to succumb to when you seem to be doing well. I am particularly delighted to have won these awards for customer service,” Tony continued, “as this has to be the main focus for any business. “Customers are always right, they say: there’s certainly no doubting that customers are always important, they are surely the lifeblood of any business!” To be recognised within the New Forest area is a particularly highly treasured accolade, especially as the competition was so fierce. However, Tony’s application stood out from the rest, thanks to the way that The Nurse’s Cottage is managed. Key to the success of The Nurse’s Cottage is the way that Tony has looked at the business from a customer’s perspective, as well as from an individual and employer’s perspective. For example, each of the five bedrooms have been designed and fitted imaginatively to match customer needs. In addition, all signage, staff badges and menu holders have been redesigned to make them clearer, brighter and more customer friendly.
The restaurant meanwhile has become an Associate Member of the New Forest Marque®, using local organic produce wherever possible, in the belief that this will benefit the customer. And, as longstanding Members of Hampshire Fare, Tony and the team have been committed to using local produce for many years. Each guest bedroom is supplied with a six page guide offering information on the premises and its facilities. The guide covers everything from accessibility to tourism information, allowing Tony’s guests to instantly feel at home and start planning their New Forest break. The Nurse’s Cottage has also made strenuous efforts to be accessible for all guests, and is the only serviced accommodation business in South-East England to have achieved success in all three standards - Mobility (M1), Hearing Impairment (H1) and Visual Impairment (V1). In a nutshell, this means that The Nurse’s Cottage is unique in the SouthEast, thanks to its care for those with specific individual needs. On the back of this, Tony won the Judges' Award for Excellence in Continuing Commitment to the Interests of Disabled People (Southampton Centre for Independent Living Awards 2005). One of the joys of The Nurse’s Cottage is that you don’t have to be a staying guest to enjoy the excellent restaurant facilities. Advance booking is essential at all times for the restaurant – but the wait is most certainly worth it. The dinner menu is revised seasonally, and offers British Classics, House Specialities and daily specials – with most of the ingredients sourced from within the Forest or just outside. The breakfast at The Nurse’s Cottage has been endorsed by a clutch of awards and can’t come any more highly recommended than being called the AA ‘Best Breakfast in Britain’. If you’d like to be treated like royalty by a multi-award winning team, give Tony a call on 01590 683402 and book yourself in for a little bit of luxury.
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WINNERS
Another award to add to the cabinet!
BUSINESS AWARDS 2007
AWARDS
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Churchill Retirement Living the UK’s fastest growing, privately owned retirement housebuilder
We are committed to providing the first choice for secure and friendly retirement living Founded in 1994 Churchill Retirement Living is a privately owned, family run company specialising exclusively in developing attractive, purpose-built retirement apartments. Following rapid expansion the Company now has sites across the South of England, Midlands, West Country and the North.
Churchill Retirement Living has a philosophy to create a dynamic working environment in which all Colleagues feel valued and are able to benefit from the Company’s success. www.churchillretirement.co.uk
Award Winning Company We hope that it is reassuring for our Customers to know that they are buying from an award winning company. At Churchill Retirement Living we are continually striving to ensure that we provide an excellent product and service for Customers to enjoy in their retirement. Thanks to a highly motivated and dedicated team, we have been successful in winning prestigious industry awards.
Spencer McCarthy Chairman
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THE
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
Churchill Retirement Living Celebrates Success in Brilliance in Business Awards
F
or a record second year running, Churchill Retirement Living, the UK’s fastest growing privately owned retirement housebuilder, has demonstrated its proactive approach, and commitment to excellence in its staff training and development by winning the New Forest Brilliance in Business Award for Training and Development. At the presentation evening on 27th November at The Beaulieu Hotel, Brockenhurst, the Ringwood-based housebuilder was singled out by the panel of judges, for its wide range of training opportunities and ability to show an improved performance as a result of
of their abilities.” “We recognize that by recruiting and training our team to the highest standards and encouraging excellence throughout the workplace, this enables us to provide our Customers with a first class service, which is key to the continued success of the business.” Churchill Retirement Living’s developments can be found in carefully selected locations in the south of England and in the Midlands, all of which offer the very best of local amenities and shopping, together with independence, security and 24-hour support and help when required. In the local area, the company is currently selling from sites in Lilliput, near Sandbanks and Portswood in Southampton with new launches planned in the New Year. For more information about Churchill Retirement Living and current developments, please visit www.churchillretirement.co.uk or call free on 0800 458 1857.
Left to right: Spencer McCarthy, Chairman and Group Managing Director, Churchill Retirement Living (CRL), Di Roberts, Principal of Brockenhurst College, Theresa Weir, Human Resources Manager, CRL and Suzanne Revell, Group Marketing Manager, CRL.
23 THE MAGAZINE
WINNERS
Ringwood-based housebuilder is awarded the training and development award for a record second year running.
training initiatives. Over the last 12 months, the company has developed and introduced a number of training initiatives including an Induction DVD and booklet which is given to all new Colleagues, Welcome lunches for new Colleagues and their teams to forge good working relationships and a ‘buddy’ system to help new starters settle into the organisation. Comprehensive training programmes have also been introduced for staff in many disciplines. This has provided the company with very tangible results including an increase in planning permissions granted and sales growth of over 40% compared to the previous year. “We are delighted to have received another Brilliance in Business Award which we feel is an excellent achievement,” said Spencer McCarthy, Managing Director of Churchill Retirement Living. “This is very much in line with our ongoing policy of pursuing excellence in training right across our company and the great effort we place to ensure that each and every one of our hand-picked team is given the opportunity to grow to the best
BUSINESS AWARDS 2007
AWARDS
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
MARTINS ( S O L I C I T O R S )
3 Courtyard Mews, Brookley Road, Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7RB
Tel. 01590 623252
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New Forest Spring Water E L E G A N T,
MODERN AND LOCAL
Fax. 01590 623786
Email: melanie.groarke@martinssolicitors.co.uk
We offer a comprehensive range of legal services • Wills & Probate
• Family Matters
• Lasting Powers of Attorney
• HIP Providers
• Residential Conveyancing
• Elderly Client Care
We provide a personal and competitive service to meet the needs of all our Clients.
Tel. 01425 654668 for your local distributor
New Forest Green Business Workshop YOUR BUSINESS… FOR FREE! REDUCE THE COST OF RUNNING The aim of the workshops is to address a range of sustainability issues such as:
The tailor-made session will focus on helping you identify the ‘green’ steps you can take in your businesses. This will provide the information
• Energy efficiency
needed to take immediate action to reduce the
• Sustainable packaging
negative impacts of existing practice.
• Local purchasing
Delivered by an experienced trainer, this event will
• Alternative energy
allow you to make savings on energy and waste
• Waste minimisation
costs, ultimately improving your bottom line!
Friday 29th February 2008 • 10am - 4pm • Lyndhurst
To book your place FOR FREE or for further details call 01590 646664
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BRILLIANCE IN BUSINESS
in Business Seminars
SEMINARS
Brockenhurst College opened its doors to over 50 businesses on October 24th for the inaugural NFBP Brilliance in Business Seminars.
T
hroughout the afternoon, those attending had a choice of eight seminars on varied business topics including marketing without a budget; finding a grant for your business and web site optimisation. Each seminar lasted just 45 minutes ensuring businesses received a concise yet highly informative briefing. The format of the seminars was such that businesses could ‘pick and choose’ those seminars most relevant to their individual business needs. This meant that in between seminars delegates were able to take advantage of the ‘Exhibition Area’. In this room, each seminar speaker was available throughout the afternoon to answer individual queries relating to their own business. This relaxed, informal system meant that businesses were able to have queries answered they wouldn’t normally have time to focus on during the everyday running of their company. Following the final set of seminars, a networking buffet provided opportunity for business to meet and exchange contact details at the same time as providing a further opportunity to discuss individual business issues with the seminar speakers. NFBP Chairman Barry Olorenshaw said “This event demonstrates the wide range of business support available to businesses in the New Forest. These seminars have been designed to appeal to a wide range of businesses whether prestart or well established; sole traders or larger employers” Following the success of this event, NFBP have decided to repeat the format again in 2008. Further details will appear nearer the time so keep an eye on Business Connexions and the NFBP website (www.nfbp.org.uk) for further details.
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COVER ARTIST
PROFILE
Artist P
aul Rapson, a local professional photographer based in Fawley, has enjoyed great success in The 10th International Unconventional Photography Competition held in Poland. He has won two Gold Awards from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for his images - entitled ‘Water Dance’ and ‘Worship’. Water Dance was created after many hours of using Photoshop to adjust the image on the computer; whereas Worship was an absolutely straight photographic shot without any computer manipulation. Paul has run Positive Services (his photographic business) for the last 28 ographer knows how to create impressive images of the many styles of architectural buildings old and new as well as oil terminals, industrial plants, warehousing and factory interiors. Working safely, using novel angles, a variety of lenses,
These and many more images are on Paul's artistic web site www.PabloPaul.com many of which are ideally suited for office receptions, waiting rooms or eating areas because not only are they attractive but the viewer often interprets them in a different way to their neighbour - a great conversation starter! Paul's work is now split between his commercial work (see advert on page 12) and developing the photo-art aimed at the corporate office market. If you have a suitable wall at work that you feel needs an original, thought provoking piece of photo-art or you have a specific colour or ideas that you would like to commission, contact Paul (paul@rapson.co.uk t: 02380898741).
THE MAGAZINE 26
understanding light and shade and above all getting along with people, means that images Paul creates will depict your company well. At Positive Services there is a depth of experience in image capture and creation using many modern digital tools. Talk to Paul about your next project. In recent years, some commercial clients had started to tighten their budgets and carry out their own photography. However, Paul is now seeing a reverse trend, as many of these clients are returning to Positive Services because they value the image quality and creative input that he supplies. He comments: “Some people still believe that photography is just a matter of pointing a camera and shooting. However, if a business wants to make a real impact, it needs to use images of the highest quality. I believe that photography is really an art form. It requires careful planning, a good imagination and an eye for detail. I put a lot of thought into my photographs, so it is wonderful to have won these awards from Poland, and to know that people appreciate my work.” Paul is supplying quality images to the London Science Photographic Library and this often enables him to offer a substantial reduction in the cost in return for permission to use/submit the images to the library.
Paul Rapson, The Studio, Copthorne Lane, Fawley, Southampton SO45 1DP t:02380898741 e:paul@rapson.co.uk www.paulrapson.co.uk
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T
he committee, which meets monthly, is comprised of volunteers from a range of business types to ensure the Chamber represents the entire business community. Committee members have been working hard alongside the local council to ensure local businesses are fully represented during consultations for everything from town planning to tourism issues to proposed road works which might affect their ability to trade effectively. Our aims are to support the local traders, businesses and people of Ringwood and liaise with local and district councillors to the benefit of all businesses in Ringwood and surrounding areas. In 2007, we have started to hold regular Networking Evenings, which have been a huge success. These bi-monthly events are open to both members and non-members and aim to improve connections between local businesses, thus increasing local business-to-business
In 2007
opportunities. The next meeting is due to be held in February 2007 and anyone interested in attending should contact Leigh Neville at treasurer@ringwoodchamber.org.uk We publish our newsletter in the Ringwood & Fordingbridge News, which gives us huge coverage without the problems associated with arranging printing, collating and distributing our own publication whilst at the same time supporting one of our local businesses. We have also joined forces with Ringwood Tourism Group who are working hard to promote Ringwood as a destination for visitors from both the UK and overseas as not just a gateway to the New Forest, but as an integral part of the New Forest experience. Months of organisation by our dedicated Christmas Committee culminated in a fabulous Christmas Parade on 7th December, which was a huge success and more than achieved our
goal of drawing visitors to Ringwood town centre to increase pre-Christmas shopping spend in our High Street. The parade included three wise men on camels, a pipe band and Santa being rescued from a roof top by our local Fire Brigade. As well as the parade, we hosted a top-class French Market from Dieppe and some fairground rides for the children to enjoy. Local shopkeepers joined in the fun by dressing up in Victorian costume and vying for the Best Christmas Window trophy – won by Maison in Star Lane. We are constantly actively recruiting new members to help increase our voice. Subscriptions start at just £52 annually and benefits of membership include: • Representation of members’ interests and concerns to policymakers at local and regional levels. • Networking and social events • Access to training programmes • Joint promotion and marketing initiatives • Sharing of information relevant to local businesses through newsletters and our website • A free listing on our website Plans for 2008 include encouraging local businesses to get more involved in policymaking decisions by active participation, adding more events to our calendar and ensuring we work even more effectively for the town’s businesses. To find out more about Ringwood Chamber of Trade & Commerce, you can visit our website at www.ringwoodchamber.co.uk, email us at treasurer@ringwoodchamber.org.uk or call our secretary, Fiona Clapp, on 01425-473280.
27 THE MAGAZINE
PROFILE
Under the dedicated leadership of its current President, Barbara Woodifield, Ringwood Chamber of Trade & Commerce has gone through an exciting time in 2007 with many new initiatives, doubling its membership in 2007 with new members who reflect the diversity of our wonderful market town. Members range from retail, service industries, tourist-based businesses and manufacturers.
RINGWOOD CHAMBER
RINGWOOD CHAMBER Doubles Membership
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Plants for life!
DOCORFOLIA
PROFILE
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
D
ecorfolia started trading back in 1976, since which time we have been providing tailor made interior planting schemes for premises in Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and London together with areas local to the New Forest. Our commitment is to provide a level of service that many large organisations are unable to give. From help with the concept and design of planted areas, we can offer plant displays on a Contract Rental basis or outright purchase. Our Monthly Care Contracts always include replacement of plants as found to be necessary. Pat Butt and her team have strived to make Decorfolia an eco-friendly company. Providing attractive plants for the workplace that help improve the working environment whilst at the same time helping to make the workforce feel relaxed and contented. Further details of our range of services can be found on our web site: www.decorfolia.co.uk
D
ecorfolia started trading back in 1976, since which time we have been providing tailor made interior planting schemes for premises in Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and London together with areas local to the New Forest. Our commitment is to provide a level of service that many large organisations are unable to give. From help with the concept and design of planted areas, we can offer plant displays on a Contract Rental basis or outright purchase. Our Monthly Care Contracts always include replacement of plants as found to be necessary. Pat Butt and her team have strived to make Decorfolia an eco-friendly company. Providing attractive plants for the workplace that help improve the working environment whilst at the same time helping to make the workforce feel relaxed and contented.
Further details of our range of services can be found on our web site: www.decorfolia.co.uk
THE MAGAZINE 28
Decorfolia Limited Pauls Lane Sway Hants SO41 6BR T: 01590 683300 E: sales@decorfolia.co.uk
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“W
hy,” we can hear you asking yourselves, “should I be worrying about an Act that came into force more than 2 years ago?” Well, when the Licensing Act 2003 was introduced all existing licensed premises, and subsequently all new applicants, wishing to sell or supply alcohol from their premises had to declare who was responsible for the day to day running of the premises, including the sale of alcohol. This person is known as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) and MUST be the holder of a Personal Licence. The legislation also decrees that each time the DPS changes an application
must be made to the Licensing Authority to effect the change. There is a prescribed form for the notification, a fee of £23 and the existing licence (or statement of reasons why this is not possible) must accompany the application to your Licensing Authority. Should a problem occur at your premises and the police are unable to contact the current DPS or find that changes have been made which have not been notified to the Licensing Authority, enforcement action may be taken which could result in the closure of the premises and the possibility of prosecution. Likewise if you should take over a new business the Licensing Authority MUST be
notified of the transfer of the licence into the new licensees name. Again there is a prescribed form and a fee of £23. Further information is available from our web site www.newforest.gov.uk . All the prescribed forms can be downloaded and then forwarded to us or you can telephone Licensing Services direct on telephone number 02380 285505 or email licensing@nfdc.gov.uk for further advice. The Licensing Services Team would like to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year and ask that one of your resolutions is to keep in touch with us with any changes to safeguard your premises licence.
Question Time T
his ever popular event makes a welcome return to the NFBP events calendar following a break for the local government elections last year. In the style of the BBC Question Time programme, Business Partnership members will have the opportunity to quiz local decision makes on the issues that affect the everyday running of their business. The event will be chaired by former BBC editor and reporter Chris Ware. The panel will consist of Melville Kendal, Leader of New Forest District Council and Portfolio Holder for Employment, Health & Wellbeing Maureen Holding. They will be joined this year by the Leader of
Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber, and the Chairman of the New Forest National Park Authority, Clive Chatters. Because the audience will be business people from the New Forest area, the agenda will be very much focused on the issues of interest to the local business community and the policies which relate to the organisations represented. NFBP Chairman Barry Olorenshaw said “This event provides a rare opportunity for businesses to get answers on the major issues affecting their ability to trade. It highlights the excellent working relationship the Business Partnership has with the local authorities in the New Forest and demonstrates the strong
communication channels which exist through the NFBP”. The event will be held at Hangar Farm in Totton on Tuesday 19th February at 17:30. After the formal question time session there will be a buffet of local produce during which those attending will have the opportunity to network. The Question Time event is open to NFBP members and their guest; all members will receive a personal invitation in the post later this month at which point bookings will be taken along with the opportunity to submit questions in advance. Membership of NFBP is free and can be completed quickly and easily on the Partnership’s website at www.nfbp.org.uk
29 THE MAGAZINE
NEWS
The start of a new year is a time for reflection and making plans for the future. Resolutions are generally made to improve our lifestyle and perhaps our financial situation. When making those plans for your business, think ‘Licensing Act 2003’.
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Reflection and
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
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16/1/08
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New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
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BEAULIEU HOTEL
Business or
REVIEW
The Beaulieu Hotel fulfils two distinct functions admirably. On one hand, it’s the perfect venue for a business conference or party. And, on the other, it’s ideal for a romantic getaway. Vicki Fairman takes a closer look.
O
f course, everyone who attended the Brilliance in Business Awards 2007 will have seen some of the Beaulieu Hotel’s offering to its business customers. There are in fact four separate conference rooms on offer within the Hotel – the Beaulieu Suite, the Exbury, the Ipley and the Applemore with capacities ranging from 250 to 40 delegates depending on the particular configuration of the rooms as required. For drinks receptions and other functions not requiring tables/chairs, you could fit between 300 and 70 people in – plenty for most office gatherings! Naturally, a Hotel as prestigious as the Beaulieu doesn’t just provide you with a space and leave the rest up to you. Depending on which suite you occupy, there are overhead projectors, PA systems, flip charts and screens available to help your meetings and presentations get off on the right foot. The staff team at the Hotel are very friendly and accommodating as well, so if there is something specific that you require and can’t see on the website, just give them a call and they’ll see what they can do! The on-site award winning restaurant is also ideal for that mid-conference lift and the food is truly exquisite, as those at the Awards ceremony will
remember from the extensive buffet. Should any of your delegates wish to stay over at the Hotel, then they will not be disappointed with the facilities in the slightest. There’s a heated pool and steam room on site, and the Hotel also offers special rates for residential course/conference bookings. The rooms at the Beaulieu Hotel are spacious and luxurious, ideal for work or pleasure. There’s a desk there so that you can load up your laptop and work in comfort (if you really want to that is!), and the level of the fixtures and fittings hints at the care with which the Hotel has been designed. Sinking into the double bed at the end of the day and drifting off to sleep in the inky blackness of the New Forest night is the perfect way to get much needed R&R! The majority of the
rooms boast a garden aspect and views across the Forest, making waking up with the first coffee of the day a real pleasure. As with the conference facilities, there are a number of different rooms on offer, ranging from the twin room to family rooms and an executive double, all at affordable prices. In fact, the Hotel also regularly offers a range of special deals, late availability rooms and so on to make a stay even more attractive. Whether you are a business looking for a stylish conference venue, or an individual looking for great places to stay within the New Forest, the Beaulieu Hotel is hard to beat. For more information, give the team a call on 02380 293344 or visit their website – www.newforesthotels.co.uk/ BeaulieuHotel.asp
31 THE MAGAZINE
New Forest Business Magazine Issue 2:The Business Magazine
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