connected issue 96 by connected magazine

INSPIRING SUCCESS

ISSUE 96

The official magazine for Chamber members

MAKE A TRUE DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO WORK FOR YOU PLUS. . . ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE CHAMBER NETWORK

SETTING THE

STANDARD

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this issue

CONTENTS

Editors comment

Chief Executive’s comment

New Members

Connect

Charity news

Football Hospitality

18-19

West Suffolk College

24-28

Member news

Transform

Growth Works

10-11

Global news

Make a true difference to the lives of those who work for you

12-14

Inform

Training

Protect

Cambridgeshire County Day

Ask the Expert

Huntingdonshire Business Fair

Marketing Insight

8-9

34-35

Chamber Events

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welcome from the

EDITOR

Welcome .... Welcome to the March issue of connected. ISSUE 96 INSPIRING SUCCESS

for The official magazine

Chamber members

CE TO THE LIVES OF MAKE A TRUE DIFFEREN K FOR YOU THOSE WHO WOR PLUS. . . ALL THE LATEST

ER NETWORK

NEWS FROM THE CHAMB

Chief Executive Vic Annells Editor Sadie Parr Published and Printed by

www.xlpress.co.uk

This month we showcase Huntingdonshire Business Fair which takes place on 27 April at Burgess Hall in St Ives. We are delighted that this event is being sponsored by West Suffolk College. Details of the event can be found on page 33. Our guest article focuses on West Suffolk College and the work they do across the county. You can read more on our centre page spread but you can also speak to them to find out more at Huntingdonshire Business Fair where they have a stand and are also delivering a seminar on sustainability. You can also read news from across the Chamber Network on page 24-28. To have your news published in connected please send it through to me along with a photo.

For details of our advertising rates and editorial spreads please send me an email or give me a call.

Advertising in connected is key to ensuring we can continue to produce this publication.

SADIE PARR s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Design Helen Dwyer Advertising Sadie Parr s.parr@cambscci.co.uk Membership Team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Chamber contact details Clifford House, 2 Station Yard, Oakington, Cambridge, CB24 3AH Tel 01223 237414 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk Visit www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

• D IA RY DAT E S • APRIL 2022

@CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce @CambsChamber

Views expressed in connected are not necessarily these of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/ or omissions. The editor reserves the right to make amendments without notification.

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MAY 2022

Safari Networking Breakfast, Ely

Cross County Networking – online

Rooftop Canapes and Sustainable Spring Networking, Cambridge

HR Coffee Club, Peterborough

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

Safari Networking Breakfast, Stamford

Mental Health, Intersectionality, and the Workplace Conversation, Huntingdon

Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

HR Coffee Club, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, Huntingdon

Construction Networking Lunch, Peterborough

Informal Networking Evening, Wyboston

Construction Networking Breakfast, Alconbury

Safari Networking Breakfast, Peterborough

Safari Networking Breakfast, Cambridge

Sizewell C Supply Chain Engagement, Cambridge

comment from the

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Chief Executive’s comments Last month, I had the pleasure of being one of four pitch-day judges helping to select winning start-up candidates for the Jumpstart programme run by the Business & IP Centre Cambridgeshire & Peterborough (BIPC). We had a fantastic range of applicants pitch their businesses to us on the day and it was a joy to hear from each of them and to understand their individual plans and the journey they’re each on.

Congratulations to the four winners who were each awarded £5k of funding and additional prizes to support their business growth. They are situated within Cambridgeshire and each works in a distinct sector – from education to farming, sustainable logistics and photography.

The eight finalists were selected by Consultant Judges Tom Hennessy, Chief Executive of Opportunity Peterborough, Councillor Lis Every, East Cambridgeshire District Council, and Andy Maul, Owner of Bygone Diner in Wisbech.

Lisa Kent, REUSE2GO – Cambridge

Representing exceptional business links across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the Consultant Judges mentored each of the finalists to prepare them for the big day when they would pitch to the panel. On this panel, I was joined by Julie Deane CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of The Cambridge Satchel Company, Danielle Bridge, Founder and Chief Executive of ABC Life Support, and Alex Hughes, Founder of Shift Momentum and Shifties. BIPC Jumpstart is a unique initiative offering grants, resources and support designed to help start-up businesses get set and grow. The winners were announced at their regional centre in Cambridge Central Library on Monday 28 February.

Annika Bennett, Acben Music – Cambridge Amy Corney, Acorn Flower Farm – Ramsey Rebekah Watson, Rebekah Daven Photography – Wyton Congratulations also to all the businesses that presented on the day. Each business delivered their pitch with a clear determination to succeed, and they should all be very proud of what they showcased to the judges. I wish all the participants the very best of luck in the future and continued business growth and success.

VIC ANNELLS Chief Executive

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We provide Chamber members with many opportunities to widen their network of business contacts – building connections, creating opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network. photo created by pch.vector - www.freepik.com

EXCLUSIVE SERVICES FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS Chamber membership provides you with links to national companies providing services at exclusive rates for members. One of these is Chamber Finance Finder.

NEED INVESTMENT? THESE HMRC SCHEMES MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE ATTRACTIVE

If you are looking for investment in your business, you will know that many investors are seeking to place funds under SEIS and EIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and Enterprise Investment Scheme), which offer highly attractive tax relief incentives on their investment. Advanced Assurance from HMRC will show investors that your business qualifies under these schemes and thus make it a more attractive investment, but a recent tightening of rules around issuing this Advanced Assurance leaves businesses with a dilemma: It’s harder to get investors without Advanced Assurance, and it’s harder to get Advanced Assurance without investors.

The Chamber Finance Finder likes to make things easier, not harder. Our panel of investors can be used to prove to HMRC that there is serious interest in your company, helping you to win coveted Advanced Assurance status. Andrea Reynolds, Founder and CEO at Swoop has written a blog about how SEIS and EIS work (don’t panic! No jargon!) which you can read here: https://bit.ly/3IZzP6I If you’re thinking about raising investment for your business, you can save a lot of time and money by getting in touch with Swoop’s experts early. You can sign in to the Chamber Finance Finder at https:// swoopfunding.com/cambridgeshire-chambers-of-commerce/ to check your options or get in touch with our experts.

CHAMBER CONFERENCE ROOM AVAILABLE TO HIRE We have a conference room available to hire for up to 10 people with free parking.

Costs: £200.00 (plus VAT) full day, £115.00 (plus VAT) half day. 10% discount for Chamber members. Tea, coffee and biscuits provided for £2.00 (plus VAT) per person. If you’re interested in hiring the John Bridge Conference Room please email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk or telephone 01223 237414

GET CONNECTED AT CHAMBER EVENTS Our events calendar is filling up fast giving you ample opportunities to connect with new and existing Chamber members across the county. Turn to pages 33-35 to see what’s coming up or visit our website https://www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/events/ 6 connected

SUPPORTING CAMBRIDGE UNITED Sadie Parr, Head of Marketing and Events at the Chamber, took Lesley Fettes, Director at Network Design, and Tim Headley, MD and AudioVisual Specialist from Impression AV, to the Cambridge United match against Plymouth Argyle where they saw United claim a 2-0 victory. Lesley was delighted to win the signed Cambridge United shirt on the evening presented to her by Man of the March Liam Bennett.

Football Hospitality BUILDING CONNECTIONS AT FOOTBALL HOSPITALITY As part of our efforts to rekindle the Chambers activity, returning to networking and meeting with companies across the county, we have secured hospitality tickets at Cambridge United and Peterborough United for the remainder of the 2021/22 season. This gives us the opportunity to connect with members and nonmembers alike whilst enjoying a good old game of football; something that many of our Chamber members are passionate about.

FANTASTIC EFFORT FROM PETERBOROUGH UNITED March saw a big game for Peterborough United Football Club, and the Chambers were very pleased to be able to offer local companies the opportunity to be part of the occasion. Lucky winners of our Charity Raffle were able to attend the match on Tuesday 1 March against Manchester City. The Chamber sold 119 raffle tickets and were delighted to give winners Anglia Translations and Intelligent Fingerprinting the opportunity to attend the match that saw Manchester City having to battle for their 2-0 win in the FA Cup fourth round tie. Ahead of the game our winners joined Chamber CEO Vic Annells live on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire where Chris Mann presented them with their prize tickets before they headed indoors to enjoy the hospitality. The Chambers is really pleased with the support we received for our charity raffle from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Telegraph and are delighted that we were able to raise some funds for Anna’s Hope, the Chamber Charity of the Year.

Sadie Parr commented: “The opportunity to take clients to hospitality games at Cambridge United and Peterborough United is a great way for the Chamber to build their connections with existing members and introduce prospective members to the Chamber network. “We look forward to connecting with more companies throughout the remainder of the season.” Members of our Ely & East Cambs Chamber committee attended the Shrewsbury game which was held at a draw.

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As a Chamber member you have the power to influence key decision makers and play a leading role in tackling the issues that are preventing your business from reaching its potential, while an experienced team of lobbyists represents your interests in Whitehall.

BCC Forecast: UK economic growth to halve this year as domestic and global headwinds soar UK economic growth is expected to halve this year amid soaring inflation, major tax rises, and global shocks - including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

UK ECONOMIC OUTLOOK – 2022

The British Chambers of Commerce has downgraded its expectations for UK GDP growth in 2022 to 3.6%, from 4.2% in its previous forecast in December 2021 and less than half the growth of 7.5% recorded last year. The downgrade largely reflects a deteriorating outlook for consumer spending and a weaker than expected rebound in business investment: • Consumer spending is forecast to grow at 4.4% in 2022, down from its previous forecast of 6.9%. The downgrade reflects the historic squeeze on real household incomes from high inflation. Inflation is projected to outpace wage growth until Q2 2024, maintaining the squeeze on household finances. Weakening consumer confidence is expected to limit households’ willingness to support spending by running down savings built-up during Covid. • Business investment is forecast to grow at 3.5% in 2022. This is down from the previous forecast of 5.1% and materially lower than the Bank of England’s latest projection of 13.75%. The downgrade reflects the expected weakening in investment intentions from rising cost pressures, higher taxes and weakening confidence amid deteriorating UK and global outlooks, including the current impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES

Rising raw material costs, the increase in the energy price cap, the reversal of the hospitality VAT cut and upward pressure on energy and commodity prices from the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are expected to lift CPI inflation to a peak of 8% in Q2 2022. If realised this would be the highest rate since July 1991. The impact of the invasion and rising raw material costs are also projected to keep UK inflation higher for longer. CPI inflation is expected to fall back to the Bank of England’s 2% target in Q4 2024, over a year later than the previous forecast of Q2 2023. UK interest rates are projected to double over the course of this year, from 0.5% to 1%. However, with the current inflationary spike mostly driven by global factors, higher interest rates are expected do little to curb further increases in inflation.

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

Following forecasted GDP growth of 3.6% this year, UK economic growth is expected to slow sharply again to 1.3% in 2023, before 8 connected

easing to 1.2% in 2024 amid the limit on activity from the cost-of-living squeeze, weak business investment and sluggish export growth. The BCC’s latest outlook also projects that a legacy of the pandemic, and the ongoing issues with the UK’s trade deal with the EU, is a more unbalanced economy with business investment and trade lagging the wider recovery: • Rising cost pressures, higher national insurance and corporation tax rates and a weakening UK outlook are expected to continue to weigh on firms’ investment plans. Consequently, business investment is forecast to remain 6% lower than its pre-pandemic level by the end of the forecast period in Q4 2024. • UK exports are forecast to remain 13.7% (£25.5 billion) lower than their pre-pandemic level by the end of the forecast period in Q4 2024. This reflects the impact of postBrexit trade friction and a weakening global outlook on demand for UK goods and services. In contrast, consumer and government spending are projected to be 2.4% and 12.2% higher respectively at the end of the forecast period than their pre-pandemic level. Commenting on the forecast, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our latest forecast signals a significant deterioration in UK’s economic outlook. “The UK economy is forecast to run out of steam in the coming months as the suffocating effect of rising inflation, supply chain disruption and higher taxes weaken key drivers of UK output, including consumer spending and business investment. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to weigh on activity by exacerbating the current inflationary squeeze on consumers and businesses and increasing bottlenecks in global supply chains. “Our latest outlook suggests a legacy of Covid and Brexit is an increasingly unbalanced economy with a growing reliance on household spending to drive growth. Such economic imbalances leave the UK more exposed to economic shocks and reduces our productive potential. “The downside risks to the outlook are increasing. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could drive a renewed economic downturn if it stalls activity by triggering a sustained dislocation of supply chains or a more significant inflationary surge. Tightening monetary and fiscal policy too aggressively risks weakening UK’s growth prospects further by undermining confidence and damaging household and firm’s finances.” Responding to the forecast, Hannah Essex, Co-Executive Director the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our downgraded projections for the UK economy highlight the critical challenges facing business

the power to

communities and households against the backdrop of the growing uncertainty surrounding both the UK and global economy. “Coming hot on the heels of two years of a pandemic-induced squeeze on cashflow and investment plans, it is clear Government must do more to support UK business and the wider economy. “We urge the Chancellor use this month’s Spring Statement, to tackle the cost-of-doing-business crisis by implementing our five-point plan. This includes delaying the National Insurance

TRANSFORM

rise, introducing a temporary energy price cap for smaller firms to protect them from energy price rises, and committing to no further policy measures that will increase costs for business for the remainder of this Parliament. “We also need a cast-iron commitment from the government’s Supply Chain Advisory Group and Industry Taskforce to continue to work with firms to urgently deliver practical solutions to ease the supply and labour shortages that continue to drive the upward pressure on prices.”

Key points in the forecast: • UK GDP growth forecast for 2022 is 3.6%, 1.3% in 2023 and 1.2% in 2024 • Following Q4 2021 growth of 1.0%, quarter-on-quarter GDP growth forecast to slow to 0.7% in Q1 2022, then to 0.2% in Q2 and 0.1% growth in Q3 • Household consumption forecast is for growth of 4.4% in 2022, growth of 1.3% for 2023 and 1.2% in 2024 • Business investment forecast is to grow by 3.5% in 2022 before more than halving to 1.6% in 2023, amid the end of the super deduction and the corporation tax rise, and slowing again to 1.5% in 2024

• BCC expects export growth of 4.2% in 2022, 1.6% in 2023 and 1.6% in 2024, compared to import growth of 4.7%, 1.6% and 1.5% • BCC expects UK unemployment rate of 4.0% in 2022 and 2023, before easing slightly to 3.9% in 2024 • CPI inflation is forecast to peak at 8.0% in Q2 2022 before easing to 5.5% by the end of the year. Inflation is expected to drop back to the Bank of England’s 2% target in Q4 2024 • UK official interest rates are expected to rise to Q3 2022 to 0.75%, then to 1.00% in Q4 2022, ending the forecast period at 1.50%

We’re your gateway to international trade, providing a unique combination of expert knowledge, essential documentation and the business connections needed to capitalise on new market opportunities overseas and succeed in a global marketplace.

THE UKRAINE CRISIS With the full-scale attack on Ukraine launched by Russia in the early hours of 24 February, much concern and uncertainty has been felt across the globe. The British Chambers of Commerce team is assessing the business impact and has written to the UK government to call for an announcement on the support that will be available to business, as the potential long-term consequences of Russia’s actions may be significant. EU sanctions have come into force including import bans from Donets and Luhansk, and export bans on selected goods and services to those territories. These will apply to EU commercial entities. Members who are concerned that

business may be affected are encouraged to reach out to the Chambers’ International Trade Team via internationaltrade@cambscci.co.uk or call 01223 237414. If you have queries about trading with Ukraine or Russia, you can: • Use the dedicated online service on gov.uk • Call the helpline on 0300 303 8955 • Read the latest information about sanctions on trading with Russia on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ russia-sanctions-guidance

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Events beyond its shores drives the Pound Although the United Kingdom is geographically relatively small (about the size of the US State of Oregon), a population of over 66 million drives commerce activity and a ranking by the World Bank as the world fifth largest economy.

and the financial markets for a time to come. Again, the Pound is a relative bystander, the US dollar will benefit as a ‘perceived’ safe haven the Euro and US dollar will move on interpretation to live events on the ground within Ukraine.

The UK may punch above its size in global trade but the reality for Pound Sterling is slightly different. While events in the UK will have an impact, how the Pound performs on the foreign exchange markets is mostly a result of events and policy beyond its shores.

For more information on reducing the cost of foreign exchange for your business visit www.ascendant.world/uk or contact karen.benson@ascendant.world

The Pound has been supported in recent months in anticipation of the Bank of England (BofE) tightening interest rates in the attempt to contain inflation. The BofE expects inflation to top seven per cent in Spring, however as we write, the war in Ukraine could result in a much higher peak as fuel and wheat prices rise globally. At the start of February, The Bank of England raised interest rates for the second time in three months, however a few hours later comments by the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, were interpreted to signal similar action for the Euro zone. This redirection of sentiment by the foreign exchange markets, erased a months’ worth of gains for the Pound in just a few hours. The impact to the Pound was a reminder to the relative ability of UK news to fundamentally drive its own performance against other major currencies 2022 ranges for GBP (up to 28 February) Pound v Euro – High 1.2060 – Low 1.1784 Pound v US dollar – High 1.3749 – Low 1.3273 The war in Ukraine will dominate our thoughts, the news headlines, 10 connected

Ramnath Ramhit is the UK Managing Director at Ascendant. Formerly of Thomas Cook, Travelex & HSBC, Ram has been supporting businesses put perspective to and navigate foreign exchange and payments for over 25 years.

extend your

GLOBAL REACH

Trade Assurance: the easy way to protect your orders from China As a global export powerhouse, China is incredibly attractive to buyers. Whilst buying from China is easier than ever thanks to advances in transportation, communication, and international payment methods, it can still be daunting knowing your supplier is on the other side of the world. Prior to the pandemic, buyers would visit trade fairs like the renowned Canton Fair to gauge the quality of products in person, but it’s since become much harder. This is where Trade Assurance comes in. Trade Assurance is Alibaba.com’s free order protection service designed to help create trust between buyers and suppliers. Empowering businesses to reach new suppliers, Trade Assurance allows buyers to agree shipping dates and specific product standards upfront, thus minimising risk. Should an issue arise

with orders covered by Trade Assurance, alibaba.com will help businesses reach a satisfactory outcome – including reimbursing some or all of the costs involved. Advice from World First

Selling to international audiences Top Tips from Iwona Lebiedowicz, founder of PAB Languages Centre Selling your service or product to an international audience almost always creates additional challenges; many brands fall into the trap of trying to recreate what has worked in their native countries, often getting it wrong! Take Pepsi, for example. For English speakers the phrase “Pepsi brings you back to life” probably strikes the right inspirational tone. But when Pepsi introduced their products to the Chinese market, not localising their approach left them declaring “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave”. This is, of course, an extreme example, but it goes to show that even the biggest of brands can get things wrong. When people ask me about tackling these challenges, I always feel there are three key elements to get right. 1. Understand the differences in local culture For example, your sales messages in the UK may not be as effective in Italy or Australia because of the differences in culture and communication style. Ensure your content is culturally suitable and relevant for the target market. Should you be using more direct CTAs to suit a particular location? Are your product descriptions right for your audience? You’ll need to do lots of research and have oodles of conversations to get this right, but it’ll always be worthwhile. 2. Getting to grips with online browsing and purchasing behaviours Is your audience using the same search engine as you do or are you assuming that EVERYONE uses Google? Could Bing, Baidu or Yandex be more popular with your target audience? What about payment gateways? Worldpay, PayPal or Stripe are all popular in the UK, but making payments is an exchange of trust, so you need to know what your users trust the most.

Also, take the time to understand which social media platforms are popular for your specific audience. As marketers and business owners, we might make all sorts of assumptions around generational demographics when it comes to social media, for instance, that Tik Tokkers are all Gen Zers., but we don’t always consider geographical differences in social media platforms. 3. Work with language professionals! In most languages, words can have several different meanings. Without expert knowledge of both languages, it can be difficult to know the correct translation for the context. The reality is that machine translation tools – can fall short. Work with experienced linguists to translate your campaigns and increase your conversions, whether that’s a sale, a new business lead or a phone call. For example, if the purpose of your message is to sell, when our multilingual copywriters produce your sales copy, they want your messaging to sound good, inspirational in fact, but equally, they work to ensure your messaging ensures the reader takes the action you wish them to take. At PAB Languages, our team of native-speaking experts come from all over the world and understand all the elements and cultural references you’ll need to take account of when speaking to your audiences. Our creative linguists will use the right words, the right style and tone to ensure you are communicating effectively with your international audience. Get in touch today on 07799 772 360 to discuss your project. connected 11

Chamber membership provides access to key information, expert advice and legal protection, enabling you to stay informed, legally compliant and free to focus on what you do best – building your business.

IT SUPPORT

Microsoft Price Increases The entire tech industry is still adapting to Microsoft’s new licensing model called the New Commerce Experience (NCE). This is the biggest change in their Cloud platform since it was introduced back in 2015. Microsoft hasn’t changed their commercial pricing on Office 365 since its launch. What started off as predominantly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, has grown to include over 20 more apps. The platform has greatly improved over the years and the prices now reflect this increase in value. Therefore, you receive a better service in return. You have three options: monthly subscriptions, annual subscriptions with

monthly payments or annual subscriptions paid upfront. Monthly subscriptions give you the freedom and flexibility to cancel or amend seat counts (how many users you have) both up and down on a monthly basis. This option has a 20 per cent premium for such privileges; however, it is possible to combine them with annual subscriptions to help minimise the premium. Annual subscriptions can be paid monthly or upfront. It is cheaper in the long run but cannot be cancelled mid-term and seats cannot be reduced only increased. Overall, the new NCE model is designed to reduce complexity and offer simpler licensing, plus reward long-term commitments.

Advice from Cambridge Support

Personal Online Safety It’s always good to remind ourselves how to keep protected from cyber threats in our businesses, job and personal lives – at CyberScale we like easy wins. Password re-use is a habit we’ve trained ourselves well in. Fortunately, there are solutions to help us! Password managers store online passwords meaning you don’t need to remember them, keeping the detail secure. Using three random memorable words to create your passwords ensures they are strong, memorable and hard for computers to guess.

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It’s important to use multiple layers of authentication to verify your identity. Typically two types of factors are used, known as “2FA” or “MFA” (M=Multi). A combination of two things from different groups is required such as what you know, something physical you can access, what you are (fingerprint, face) and where you are. With phishing emails still the main cause of information breaches, we need to remain vigilant with what we open. Always check the sender, query whether you were expecting the email,

look at formatting and spelling, and question the sense of urgency phishing emails are often sent with. Keeping devices and the sensitive information they store or enable access to secure is a continuous task. Devices being lost, stolen or tampered with is a risk we all face. You can easily protect yourself by backing up data, encrypting the device and keeping them close! We also firmly believe that one of the most effective methods is to lock your devices, always. Advice from CyberScale

learn and

INFORM

Services for the Residential and Commercial Sector

CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT WHAT IS A SAP CALCULATION? You will require a SAP calculation if you are doing one of the following: • Building a new dwelling • Converting a building via change of use into a domestic dwelling • Building an extension where any new glazing is more than 25 per cent of the new floor area. SAP assessors must be fully accredited to help you achieve compliance in all the above types of SAP calculations. A SAP calculation is the energy calculation on a domestic dwelling required by Part L of the building regulations. Part L1A relates to new build properties, and Part L1B relates to existing buildings, conversions and extensions. The calculation itself evaluates the total amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) that the property produces. SAP stands for Standard Assessment Procedure, and it is the approved method for calculating the energy performance of a domestic dwelling. It is divided into separate sections for each element. Each element has stand-alone targets, with the individual and total sum creating the final result. This is a desk top calculation and is carried out from a set of drawings and specifications provided by the client.

The design stage SAP is carried out before the build is started, usually at the planning stage. A PEA (Predicted Energy Assessment) is produced. The As Built SAP is as it sounds and is completed once the property has been built, pretty self-explanatory. The As Built SAP is an amended version of the Design stage SAP, but it will include the actual products used, rather than what is proposed. The As Built SAP also includes the actual air test result, rather than the target figure. Conversion SAP calculations must show efficiency standards and meet carbon standards. The process is similar to the new build, but the calculation is different, and only one calculation is carried out. Extension SAP Calculations require that the extension does not have more than 25 per cent of the new floor area as new glazing. This is to show that the extension doesn’t make the existing property worse than it currently is with regard to solar gains. For this type of SAP calculation, you need to compare the existing building with the proposed building. If your SAP confuses you, contact your construction compliance company, they can offer you free advice and set you in the right direction. These compliances aren’t here to test us, but to help us build better! Advice from ATSPACE LTD

THE SAP CALCULATION FOR A NEW BUILD PROPERTY HAS TWO STAGES: • •

The design stage SAP The As Built SAP connected 13

EMPLOYMENT LAW ADVICE

What is happening in employment law in 2022? The Covid-19 pandemic continues to dominate the agenda, but employers can still expect legislative developments across all areas of employment law. This articles looks at what to expect in the coming year.

COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS

Despite the government, originally making it mandatory for NHS workers and carers to be vaccinated, this will no longer be coming into force. On 21 February the government published its plan for living with Covid-19. From 24 February, employees are no longer required to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid-19 or if they have been in close contact, regardless of vaccination status. However, government guidance is that those testing positive should continue to self-isolate. This guidance will be in place until 1 April 2022. This does mean that employees are no longer legally obliged to tell their employer when they are required to isolate. However, particularly as this may lead to a rise in cases, employers’ should consider putting in place a policy setting out their position if someone tests positive and what their stance will be on pay for those who have to self-isolate. Essentially, it is now a matter for employer discretion and so it is important to carefully consider and communicate your decisions.

PAY AND HOLIDAYS

The National Living Wage (for workers aged 23 and over) will rise to £9.50 an hour from 1 April 2022. From 6 April 2022, National Insurance Contributions will rise by 1.25% for most workers in order to increase funding for the NHS and social care sector. The National Minimum Wage rates will also rise from 1 April 2022 as follows: - 21-22 years old- £9.18 - 18-20 years old- £6.83 - 16-17 years old: £4.81 - Apprentice rate: £4.81 There will also be an increase to the statutory rates of pay from April 2022 including statutory sick pay increasing to £99.35 a week; and statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay together with maternity allowance increasing to £156.66 per week. There will be an extra public holiday in 2022 (Friday 3 June) to mark the Queens platinum jubilee, and the late Monday bank holiday has been moved to Thursday 2 June to make a four day weekend. Depending on contractual terms, this may also require further consideration for employers.

RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS

The Home Office’s adjusted right to work checks regime (which has been in place throughout 14 connected

the pandemic) is due to come to an end on 30 September 2022. After that date, employers must return to conducting full right to work checks, using original documentation.

DATA PROTECTION The Information Commissioner’s Office is due to issue updated employment practices. This will replace their employment practices code, which has not been updated since the Data Protection Act 2018 and will cover topics including recruitment and selection, employment records, monitoring of workers and information about workers’ health.

PAY TRANSPARENCY

The rules governing gender pay gap reporting are set to be renewed. At present organisations employing 250 or more employees are obliged to publish an annual report containing data on their gender pay gap. The aim of the review will be to assess, amongst other things, whether the current reporting requirement achieves the objectives of the regulations. This could also bring about the introduction of financial penalties for failure to comply. In the meantime, deadlines for submitting reports are to revert to the usual timescales: - public sector employers – 30 March 2022 - private sector employers and voluntary organisations – 4 April 2022

Nicola Cockerill, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Nicola. Cockerill@buckles-law.co.uk

AND MORE...?

Looking further into 2022, we expect the Employment Law Bill to finally make its way through parliament. The Bill covers: - Right to request flexible working to apply from day one - Redundancy protection applied to pregnant employees extended for six month after return and to apply to adoptive parents - 12 weeks leave for neonatal care - One week leave (unpaid) for carers - Rights for workers with variable hours contract - Duty to prevent workplace sexual harassment More to follow on these topics as the year progresses.

Claire Berry, Price Bailey Legal Services LLP, cab@ pricebaileylegalservices.co.uk

HR COFFEE CLUB Finally, the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce HR committee has launched a monthly HR coffee club for likeminded professionals to meet, share ideas and network. Typically meeting the second Tuesday in the month at venues in Cambridge, Huntingdon and Peterborough. Look out on social media or the Chamber website or contact Zoe McCabe Brennan, Events Co-ordinator, for more information.

Rebecca Ryan, Leeds Day LLP, rebecca.ryan@leedsday.co.uk

To access these services please visit the protection page on the Chamber website or call our membership team on 01223 237414.

how to

PROTECT

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS INCLUDED IN CHAMBER FOUR SERVICES? As a Chamber member you have unlimited access to four services – HR, Legal, Health & Safety and Tax. This includes: 5 Advice Lines – HR, legal, health & safety, tax and VAT 3 Document Libraries – HR, Legal, Health & Safety that contains almost 800 templated documents £1,000,000 Legal Expenses Insurance – includes employment cover and Tax Enquiry cover. Visit https://chambercambs.questcover.com/login or call the helpline on 01455 852037. If you don’t know your log-in details to access this service, please give the team a call on 01223 237414.

An example of what is covered by Chamber Four Services It is an employer’s responsibility to ensure their staff are not at any risk when they carry out their job. Understanding health and safety can be difficult but Chamber H&S can take the worry out of your hands. Members can call the advice line or check out https://www.questcover.com/health-and-safety/

a lot of stress for an employer, but that’s where our partners Quest Cover can help! Their experts can support you each step of the way. For more information visit https://www.questcover.com/resource-centre/hr-guides/ employment-tribunal/

DO YOU NEED GUIDANCE ON HR MATTERS?

Getting the right induction and probation process is crucial for employers, as it can make new employees feel more at ease and improve their performance. If you need information on the induction and probation contact our partners, Quest Cover and download their useful guide at https://www.questcover.com/resource-centre/hr-guides/ induction-probation/

ChamberHR is an extensive source for HR advice and guides. Members can call the advice line or view the range of guides and download them. Call the advice line or visit https://www.questcover.com/resource-centre/

ARE YOU FACING AN EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL?

Dealing with a tribunal isn’t always straight forward and causes

One2One Review Chamber members are entitled to book a complimentary One2One Review with a Quest support Manager. They will take the time to understand the challenges you face, assess your compliance status, and suggest solutions on how you can protect your business. Book your free One2One at https://bit.ly/3ILNH4p connected 15

ask the

EXPERT

Starting Your Journey to the Cloud Many organisations are considering migrating to the cloud as they look to accelerate their digital journeys. David Todd, Head of Technology at IT Naturally in Peterborough, talks through his top considerations to ensure a smooth and effective shift to the cloud. There can be huge benefits in adopting the cloud; cost savings, productivity gains, and removing the risk of being left with outdated, legacy equipment. However, it’s all too easy to erode these benefits and end up in a worse position than where you started without a good plan. It can often be hard to know where to start with the complexities that come with any major IT project. With an abundance of choice – public or private cloud, hybrid, or multi-cloud – it’s important to avoid the pitfalls with the right strategy and approach from the outset. What problem is the business trying to solve? What do you need to achieve by migrating to the cloud? Without answers to these questions at a strategic level, the project will inevitably fail. Put people at the heart of the project – it may seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many IT projects can be over-engineered, making the working lives of staff more difficult. IT should just work, be simple to the end-user and help them to do their job, not prevent it. Investment – this isn’t simply about money, but time and buy-in to the project at board level. Migrating to the cloud is not business as usual, and the entire process of migration must be managed and supported. From inception and design, to testing and go live. Initial audit followed by analysis – a successful cloud migration doesn’t come by chance. You can only begin to understand what you need to manage if you audit what business applications and infrastructure applications you have. This allows you to understand what you need and what you don’t. Once this is clear, you can look to turn off what you no longer use and then rehost, replatform, or refactor what you do need. What cloud? As different cloud environments are suited to different types of workloads, this would follow the analysis above. Is where your data stored important? How often will the data be accessed? How secure is it? These are important questions to consider as it is very easy for costs to escalate if data is put into the wrong cloud. Not all data has to go into the cloud; onpremise may be fine too! Do I need to make changes to my network? Moving to the cloud is fundamentally flawed without fit for purpose connectivity. A slow connection will affect productivity and make for very frustrated staff. Do you have enough bandwidth? Be secure – there are many threats associated with the cloud, and the landscape is ever-evolving. There is more control over security in the private cloud, but that doesn’t make it a more 16 connected

secure choice, as the public cloud often has leading edge security protecting it. My final tip is training. It’s so important that the training aspect is not overlooked. People naturally tend to worry about change, but careful planning, communication and training will help everyone get on board and enjoy the benefits of a simple, straightforward user experience. IT Naturally is an IBM, AWS and Azure Cloud Partner and a Technology Service Provider that offers a Managed IT Service Solutions to medium to large businesses. www.ITNaturally.com Follow us on LinkedIn @ITNaturally or get in touch enquiries@ITNaturally

insight from

SARAH WEST

How to develop the right B2B marketing strategy UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS

It may seem strange but many businesses have never taken time to formally identify who their customers are. While many may feel they already have a good understanding, there is much to be gained from identifying the common traits of existing customers and identifying those which might provide the greatest opportunity for future growth.

At its most basic, SEO is about having a secure website, which displays well on all devices and is regularly updated with fresh content. Adding news and blogs, as well developing the content of core pages should be your first job.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TACTICS

Like any great plan in history, the success of your marketing strategy will depend on identifying and embracing the right tactics.

The new year, Spring, and the start of a new financial year, are all triggers for businesses to look at their marketing plans. This year, with the end of covid restrictions, there is perhaps even more reason to start planning for the future. Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing, shares some advice on the best approach for your business’ marketing strategy.

Burst marketing – short term campaigns using just one or two types of marketing – rarely deliver results. So, drip marketing, where you maintain marketing through many methods over a six, 12 or even 18-months will be much more effective.

PRIORITISE THE MOST APPROPRIATE MARKETING

When developing an effective B2B marketing strategy, there are some common marketing methods which require consideration: Direct Marketing (email and mail)

This may sound obvious but it’s hard to judge success without a clear objective in mind.

If you’re an established business, your earlier analysis should have helped identify who your likely customers are. Going straight to your ideal customers with direct marketing is a strong tactic.

Your goal may be financial, related to sales or something a little harder to quantify like becoming more widely recognised in your market place.

Data can typically be purchased or gathered and an approach tailored to communicate the right message to decisionmakers and influencers.

IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS

Regardless, by identifying your objective for all to see, the decisions you make and the actions you take will be far more likely to help you reach it.

ESTABLISH A BUDGET

There are two key ways in which most businesses establish marketing budgets. The first is to identify all the marketing you want to do, then price it all up and agree the cost.

DIGITAL MARKETING

Digital marketing is a broad term including your website, social media, search engine optimisation, PPC paid search ads and anything else online.

WEBSITES

Whatever you sell to businesses, the chances are that they will visit your website at some point to check you out. Almost any marketing you use will encourage prospective customers to look you up online. Your strategy should identify any weaknesses in your website and include actions to improve them.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The second is to look at what you can afford – or what you’re willing to risk – and agree a level.

Social media use continues to boom and it is a strong way to keep what you do in the minds of your customers.

If you’re looking for double-digit growth in an established and competitive market, your marketing budget needs to have a realistic chance of making a difference.

LinkedIn remains the primary platform for B2B. It’s good for updating your followers, sharing successes and commenting on developments.

CONTENT MARKETING & PR

This talk of fresh content brings us on to content marketing – creating written or visual content which helps spread the word about what you do. Whether it’s a blog, press release, video, guide or infographic, it’s success will ultimately depend on how useful, informative or engaging your potential customers find it.

MARKETING MATERIALS

Within B2B marketing, sales aids such as brochures, datasheets, presentations and videos have a strong role to play – particularly if what you do is complex, high-value or difficult to distinguish from competitors. Like all marketing, a consistent look and feel is essential. Just like your website, you want to give the right impression of your products and services.

EVENTS, SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING In B2B marketing, trade events can be an unprecedented way to meet your customers and encourage them to spread the word about what you do. Sponsorship – of events, awards, even sport – can be another way to rapidly increase brand awareness. Once you’ve chosen the right marketing method, consistency and persistence will deliver results.

HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCE For greater success, consider outsourcing your marketing to a full-service marketing agency with all the experience and capabilities you need to identify and benefit from the right marketing. More help can be found at https://www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk/ contact/ connected 17

chamber

GUEST ARTICLE

WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE MOVE INTO CAMBRIDGESHIRE As educators – we have a shared understanding with businesses across the Cambridgeshire region. We understand the vital importance of linking skills to jobs. And as one of the leading apprenticeship providers in the country, our mission is to use education as a catalyst for positive social change and prosperity for the communities we serve.

Laraine Moody, Principal of Strategic Growth & Partnerships at West Suffolk College, talks about the college and their move into Cambridgeshire.

We are thrilled to announce our extended presence in the Cambridgeshire region by announcing our partnership with Stainless Metalcraft Ltd to run the North Cambridgeshire Training Centre (NCTC) in Chatteris - which promises to be a game changer for the local economy. We will be responsible for the management of the Centre - which was created using £3.16m from the Local Growth Fund via the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Combined Authority Business Board. We will provide technical, virtual and hands-on training for Apprentices and students of all ages, as well as engaging with local employers to help with recruitment, training and upskilling of existing staff. Courses will range from introductory to Higher Level Apprenticeships. Crucially, the range of subjects will be informed by demand from local businesses, with priority areas including advanced manufacturing and engineering, and a focus on future-skills training, including robotics, automation and composite materials manufacturing. This is huge growth area in the region, which is why – just like our apprenticeship programmes – we will tailor our approach to suit the need. Key to this will be the creation of an Employer Advisory Group

Laraine Moody and CEO of Eastern Colleges Group Dr Nikos Savvas (centre right) with the Metalcraft executives at the new North Cambs Training Centre launched last month 18 connected

chanber

which will help co-design and co-deliver the required skills training. We also intend to work with businesses to offer mentors and trainers the chance to develop their teaching and mentoring skills and offer opportunities to share their skills in the world of education. We continue to grow apprenticeships at all levels; in a huge range of sectors. From accountancy and advanced manufacturing to hairdressing, human resources and carpentry – 90 per cent of our apprentices will remain in employment or progress to further training. Our apprenticeship numbers have more than tripled in the past seven years with extremely high levels of achievement and progression. This speaks volumes about the impact our training is having on both learners and local employers. We’ve seen a lot of discussion recently about the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda and, as expected, this has resonated with people in different ways – bringing both sceptics and supporters. For us, we’re interested in what this means

for our students, our community, the employers we collaborate with and the economy that we’re boosting and we look forward to ensuring that the Fenland and wider Cambridgeshire area benefit from this agenda. While an apprenticeship is the product of a national policy - what makes West Suffolk College one of the top providers in the country is how we tailor each apprenticeship with the employer and student-employee in mind. We consider future skills and requirements for that sector, employer and the individual to tailor training to fit. If a student needs to understand more about sustainability in a manufacturing role, we cater for it. Or if management skills are required for someone destined to oversee a team, we make sure that they have those skills and qualifications built into their training. We also recognise employers need the right fit in behaviours and attitudes, as well as skills - so all of our programmes build character strengths such as resilience, respect, team working and enthusiasm.

GUEST ARTICLE

Our apprentices are shaping the future of businesses and organisations and rewriting the script for what it means to be in Further Education. We work hard to acknowledge those who have grasped opportunities with grit and determination – we held an awards ceremony at our Bury St Edmunds campus recently to do just that and recognise our highest achieving apprentices. It’s also important to recognise where businesses go above and beyond to make apprenticeships really shine - investing time, resource and expertise. We believe that the essential qualities of an apprenticeship stands for everything levelling up should be about – mobilising somebody’s strengths and providing a springboard to prosperity. We currently work with over a thousand businesses - from one man bands to multinational companies - so my message to businesses is to talk to us so that together we can shape future careers with high quality and inclusive education. By working together we can help people reach their goals and contribute to the prosperity of our communities and economies. connected 19

Would you like to become a Chamber member? Get in touch today to find out the many benefits. Tel: 01223 237414 Email: enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

• NEW MEMBERS • Ayaan Ices Ltd Chess Engage Ltd Coach on a Boat Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre Gainmore Solutions Ltd

PETERBOROUGH LIMITED operate many of the city’s essential services on behalf of Peterborough City Council. You will know us better by our trading names – Aragon Direct Services and Vivacity Leisure.

Mantle Business Centres Ltd Orton Hall Hotel & Spa Peterborough Ltd Subcon5 Ltd Taylor Rose MW Solicitors

ARAGON DIRECT SERVICES

www.aragondirect.co.uk We deliver a wide range of waste and environmental services for businesses, including: • Grounds maintenance • Waste and recycling collections • Street care and cleaning of commercial/industrial estates • Facilities management and cleaning • Property services • Passenger transport • Commercial vehicle maintenance and servicing. To help us meet your business needs, email enquiries@aragondirect.co.uk

VIVACITY LEISURE

Introduction to CWA Cambridge Worldwide Academy exports British education systems and supports international government agencies, educators and investors who wish to implement British programmes or establish British schools, technical colleges or higher education institutions in their own country. We offer tailor made services and turnkey solutions through one of Cambridge Worldwide Academy’s franchise models. www.cambridgeworldwideacademy.co.uk 20 connected

www.vivacity.org Our centres across the city offer flexible membership options to suit today’s hybrid working lifestyles. Your employees can benefit from: • Discounted corporate membership schemes • Health and wellbeing services • Indoor and outdoor sports facilities for hire • Corporate events and seasonal swimming at the fantastic Peterborough Lido • Full day holiday childcare options, before/after school clubs and swimming lessons. To talk about how we can help with the health and wellbeing of your employees, email membership@vivacity.org

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chamber supports

CHARITY

Introducing Maggie’s, the Chamber Charity of the Year from April 2022 diagnosis, treatment and throughout their cancer journey. People across Cambridgeshire and East Anglia can come to Maggie’s at any stage, for as long or as little as they like. We believe that the built and natural environments in which people are cared for have a direct impact on wellbeing and how a person responds to the challenge of cancer. Our Centre is staffed by Cancer Support Specialists, Benefits Advisor, Nutritionist, Counsellors, and Psychologists who can support people in whichever way is best suited to their needs. Maggie’s is a place to find practical advice about benefits and eating well; a place where qualified experts provide emotional support; a place to meet other people or simply to sit quietly with a cup of tea.

DO YOU NEED A SUPPORT WITH YOUR OR YOUR FAMILY’S CANCER DIAGNOSIS? At Maggie’s we can help. We provide free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer, their family and friends, from diagnosis throughout living with the affects after cancer. Maggie’s has been providing high quality, evidence-based support since 2013 in the local area. We help over 8,000 people a year to achieve the best possible state of psychological and physical health during

You don’t need an appointment - just come in for a chat to find out more about the support offered to them. Our centre is open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. Find us at: 21 Milton House, Puddicombe Way, Addenbrooke’s, Cambridge CB2 0AD T: 01223 249220 E: cambridge@maggies.org Facebook: @maggiescentrecambs Instagram: @maggiescambridge Twitter: @maggiescambs Website: www.maggies.org

Nearly 100 new volunteers sign up thanks to EACH’s We Need You campaign A campaign to recruit extra charity shop volunteers has resulted in nearly a hundred new sign-ups. The East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) We Need You initiative ran for a fortnight in January. It featured daily interviews with existing volunteers and eye-catching signage in the charity’s 44 shops, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. As a result, 92 people have stepped forward and offered their services – taking the army of EACH Retail volunteers to nearly 1,000. Ian Nicolson, EACH Director of Retail, said: “We’re thrilled with these figures and grateful to everyone who has come forward and offered their support. “Ninety-two extra recruits is very impressive because, as I’ve said before, volunteers are the lifeblood of our organisation. Without them, charity retail isn’t a viable operation. “Volunteering is rewarding on so many levels. You get to work with a great bunch of people, be part of a loved charity shop and make a huge difference to the lives of the children we care for by helping the retail team raise such a significant amount of money. “I’m so pleased this campaign resonated with the public and they felt compelled to step forward. We look forward to welcoming them to our team.” In terms of figures, two of the big successes came at EACH’s shops in Colchester High Street and Unthank Road, Norwich. Both recruited nine new volunteers. 22 connected

Six people signed up at Dereham, five in Holt and four apiece in Diss, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Huntingdon, Poringland and Woodbridge. Speaking at the start of the campaign, Ian revealed that volunteer numbers were down 21 per cent compared to figures pre-COVID. At one point it was 50 per cent, although it still equates to just short of 200 volunteers. To sign up or for more information about volunteering, head to www.each.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering or email volunteerservices@each.org.uk There are a host of roles available and the charity is still keen to hear from anyone who has time to spare, even if just a couple of hours a week.

Chamber Charity of the Year

Anna’s Hope is the leading children’s brain tumour charity in the East of England. We are committed to giving hope to children and young people diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Every penny Anna’s Hope receives from those who raise money for our charity goes to helping children and young people with brain tumours.

https://annas-hope.co.uk

Do you have come exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237424 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

£5,000 of funding awarded to Age UK Norwich from the Aviva Broker Community Fund The Aviva Broker Community Fund offers insurance brokers the opportunity to champion local charities and community projects by applying for a portion of £300,000 of funding. Of the 140 applications, 40 were awarded funding. Alan Boswell Group submitted an application on behalf of Age UK Norwich and were successful, with a grant of £5,000

being awarded to the charity’s Community Befriending project.

has also impacted people’s normal connections and attitudes to going out.

Dan Skipper, CEO of Age UK Norwich, said: “We are delighted to have been aided by Alan Boswell Group in securing funding for our befriending service. Norwich has a significant loneliness issue and some areas of the city see 60 per cent of people aged 65 and over living alone. The pandemic

When we give people a befriender, it’s often the start of their journey with us and we support them with a wide range of issues, such as housing and social issues, transport, digital skills, and getting more active in the community. This service is solely financed by donations so this significant funding from the Aviva Broker Community Fund will help us continue this vital service.” Alan Boswell Group have been Age UK Norwich’s insurance broker for a number of years and have previously supported their emergency Covid-19 appeal with a grant of £5,000 from the Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust. Alan Boswell Group are passionate about supporting their local community and charities in the regions they operate, the allocation of £5,000 to Age UK Norwich will provide much needed support to over 150 older people in the local community, as well as help to relieve pressure on the NHS by combating the risk of falls.

Donation supports Construction training at Cambridge Regional College Cambridge Regional College has taken delivery of a generous donation from partners, Bellway Homes. Following a change in the industry specification for bricks, Bellway Homes found themselves with a surplus of materials that no longer met industry standards. Not wishing to waste the supply of bricks, Bellway Homes contacted the Construction team at Cambridge Regional College to see if the stock could be utilised in training student bricklayers. Anthony Scott, Work Based Learning Manager for Construction and Motor Vehicle, said: “We would like to thank 24 connected

Bellway Homes for their kind donation and arranging delivery of the bricks to the Cambridge Campus. The cost and availability of construction materials has been an ever-increasing challenge and this donation will mean that our stretched resources will be alleviated to a degree. The bricks will be put to good use by our students to develop their brick laying skills within the college workshop.” Bellway Bricks and Cambridge Regional College have an ongoing apprenticeship partnership to train the next generation of tradespersons entering the Construction Industry.

chamber

MEMBER NEWS

The Cambridge relaunches and increases rates on Children’s and Business Bonds The Cambridge Building Society has increased interest rates on its relaunched three Year Fixed Rate Children’s Bond and one Year Fixed Rate Business Bond. The Society has also made the Bonds available to new customers. The Society’s three Year Fixed Rate Children’s Bond goes up from 1.10 per cent previously to 1.50 per cent and is available to new and existing customers, for children up to the age of 15. The one Year Fixed Rate Business Bond’s interest rate increases to 0.85 per cent from 0.50 per cent for new and existing customers. Previously the product was for existing customers with maturating accounts only. The Cambridge’s Head of Customer Engagement, Andy Jukes, said:

“Our Fixed Rate Children’s Bond is one of the few available and has previously proved popular with our members. We wanted to help more people benefit by opening it up to new customers, as well as our existing members. And the new rate is also great news. “And we’re also delighted to relaunch our Business Bond to new and existing customers. We constantly look for ways to help customers with their savings and we feel sure these two products will prove attractive.” The Children’s Bond requires an opening deposit of between £1,000 and £20,000. The Business Bond is available on opening deposits of between £1,000 and £2.5m. No withdrawals are permitted during the terms.

Cambridge Worldwide Academy Exceptional High Growth during The Pandemic Cambridge Worldwide Academy is proud to be named a finalist for two FSB awards in the categories of: International Business of the Year Award and High Growth Business of the Year Award. Having received international recognition several times, it is wonderful to be recognised in the East of England which is the home of Cambridge Worldwide Academy and the headquarters of all its international operations. To make it to the finals as the International Business of the Year and High Growth Business of the Year is a reflection of the significant success Cambridge Worldwide Academy achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic which either financially ruined or negatively impacted

some providers and suppliers in the private education sector, Cambridge Worldwide Academy reaped the fruits of its robust vision for business growth in international education. Its belief in being an agile business that provides local education solutions abroad using blended modes of delivery proved to be very beneficial. During these tough times when supply chains got disrupted and international travel was restricted, competitors lost customers who were unable to come to study or use education services in the UK. Cambridge Worldwide Academy backed this trend thanks to the resilience it gained through doing business in tough emerging markets and its willingness to transform itself to

becoming an international business 100 per cent. The result was expansion into three new international markets, the signing of three new contracts for projects in three different countries, doubling of income and 374 per cent growth in profits. This great business performance created employment opportunities for over 180 staff in four countries and a further 200 job opportunities are expected to become available once the new education institutions open. Cambridge Worldwide Academy did not just generate business and income for itself but has also benefited British suppliers of books, uniforms, teaching resources, equipment, etc.

IT Naturally Go Carbon Neutral IT Naturally are delighted to announce we are now carbon neutral.

become carbon neutral by connecting them to market-leading carbon projects.

“Being carbon neutral is a no brainer if we want to slow climate change. IT Naturally is proud to do what we can.” Richard Gardner, CEO IT Naturally

IT Naturally has opted to offset our carbon footprint by contributing to a mix of projects.

We have been working with Minimum, who’s platform allows businesses to understand their carbon impact and

“Going completely carbon neutral is a hugely positive step and more businesses need to follow their example to keep the Paris goals within reach.” Freddie Green, Co-founder Minimum

“Becoming Carbon neutral is just one step along our journey of being a responsible company. We are also supporting Peterborough-based charity Little Miracles” Julie Bishop, CEO IT Naturally IT Naturally will closely monitor our emissions as we continue our journey to corporate sustainability and net zero. connected 25

Do you have come exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237424 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

New rail station posters highlight delights of Ely to boost tourism Beverley Bishop, Hereward Line Community Rail Partnership Officer, said: “Visiting Ely by rail is so easy and there is so much to discover, but it’s a bit of a well-kept secret. “The Ely – Peterborough rail line provides access to wide-open Fen, East Anglia’s famous big skies and offers tourists the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Anglo-Saxon hero and legend, Hereward the Wake. The line is graced with two beautiful cathedrals at each end – Ely and Peterborough, and in between, historic market towns and villages. And, of course, we mustn’t forget the nature reserves, cycling routes, narrow boating and traditional festivals that can all be experienced here. New posters are on display at Ely rail station to encourage passengers passing through to stop and discover the area. The new poster boards and large posters – which display images of the city’s attractions such as the cathedral, waterways and town centre - have been funded by the Hereward Community Rail Partnership (CRP), Community Rail Network and Visit Ely. The images portray the scenic highlights of the city for people arriving at the station. With Ely station often used as an interchange by many, the Hereward Line CRP also wanted to let people know what they were missing just a stone’s throw from the station - and encourage them to come back and discover the historic city.

“It’s a voyage of discovery and we hope to see tourists returning in greater numbers this year, making use of the convenient rail links, which have been improved with the arrival of Greater Anglia’s brand-new trains.” Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said: “It’s great to see people coming back to rail and feeling confident to travel and these posters will help even further. “Visiting by train is a great way to discover the region in comfort and is better for the environment, helping to reduce pollution and congestion in our tourist hotspots, towns and villages. Along with our great value tickets, visiting by rail is an attractive alternative to the car for more sustainable journeys.”

The Green Team supports Grafham Water construction project The latest commission for the Cambridge Regional College Green Team is a project to build a willow fence at Grafham Water as part of a re-purposing exercise to utilise a largely unused green space, increasing capacity for residential visits at the centre. In January a group of CRC adult learners and their leader Andrew Fountain - from the Supported Learning department - started work preparing the materials required for the project. With a brief of creating a boundary fence over 100 feet in length, the team had to cut, prepare, and transport over four tonnes of willow to Grafham Water ready for construction in February. The team will spend the next five weeks weaving from one end of the fence to the other before securing the willow and working their way back again. A detailed and focussed method which requires a great deal of attention to ensure high standards. The Green Team is made up of approximately 20 adult learners with a range of additional needs. Working in partnership with Grafham Water, the project will provide the opportunity for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to develop their skill set and employability skills, while supporting their local community. The team also have ongoing projects with Hinchingbrooke Country Park and Anglesey Abbey. 26 connected

Director for Supported Learning, Jeremy Lloyd said: “This is one of the biggest single projects we have worked on. It is not simply a case of installing the fence. The team have spent weeks cutting down enough willow to meet the brief and they will now spend a further five weeks weaving the willow to create a boundary fence that is 4ft high and over 100 feet long. We are extremely proud of the commitment the team are showing in this endeavour, which promotes the importance of how adults with learning disabilities contribute to their local communities.”

chamber

MEMBER NEWS

INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY ACCREDITATION FOR DOMINO SCIENTISTS A Cambridge company is congratulating three of its members of staff who have recently received a prestigious accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Marco Albertini, Jessi Godleman and Jack Conway, all in senior science roles in the Marking Materials Department at Domino Printing, have achieved Chartered Chemist (CChem) status after successfully completing a Professional Development Programme. Marco Albertini, Senior Analytical Chemist, performs investigations to support the development of food packaging inks, ensuring their compliance with the current regulations. Jessi Godleman, Senior Chemist – Automation of Ink Development, first became involved with Domino when working on her PhD in novel polymers for inkjet printing at Reading University and undertook several placements at the company before joining two years ago. Jack Conway, Senior UV Formulation Chemist joined Domino in the UV Ink Development team as a Formulation Chemist after graduating from the University of Hull four years ago.

Chemist status. This accreditation gives staff and customers the confidence and assurance that our scientists are working to the highest national and international practices and standards.”

In 2013 Domino as a company was recognised as an official provider of the Professional Development Programme which is internationally benchmarked by the RSC.

Dr Jonelle Harvey from the RSC added: “The jewel in the crown for me is the positive way that Domino showcases candidates from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating that becoming a Chartered Chemist is for everyone who plays an active part in the scientific community, developing strong scientific and transferable skills and showing a commitment to building them over their career.”

The Accredited Scheme is run by three Co-ordinators at Domino – Fiona Calver, Christina Bird and Steven Lancaster – who said: “Congratulations to Marco, Jessi and Jack on achieving Chartered

Cambridge is high on the agenda for international event organisers buyers from the USA, Canada, India, Indonesia, Europe and the UK. Organised by VisitBritain, the showcase was held over two days with time zones to accommodate an international audience. Judith Sloane, Head of Meet Cambridge, said: “All the buyers we met – a combination of professional conference organisers, association management companies, independent agents and incentive buyers – showed an enthusiastic interest in bringing events to Cambridge over the next few years.

The official conference and events bureau for Cambridge was recently handpicked to participate in a prestigious international summit, connecting with business meeting buyers from around the world. Meet Cambridge was chosen to take part in MeetGB Virtual 2022 alongside other UK destinations, with the chance to meet virtually with

“It was clear that everyone we spoke to was ready to get back to face-to-face meetings and were keen to know more about the unique venues we have on offer here. With our wide portfolio of the Cambridge Colleges and other historical and contemporary spaces, we were able to discuss suitable settings for groups ranging in size from 12 to 600. “Our team was proud to showcase what Cambridge has to offer, not only in terms of facilities for meetings and conferences but also a memorable experience for delegates and unrivalled opportunities to key into clusters of world-class excellence.” connected 27

Do you have come exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237424 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Guardtech Group seal SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards win Guardtech Group enjoyed a triumphant evening at the SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards after winning the Business Innovation Award with CleanCube Mobile Cleanrooms at a glitzy event at Imperial War Museum Duxford. The Haverhill-based controlled environment experts have been providing their innovative portable cleanroom solutions for businesses across the UK throughout the pandemic, with mobile laboratories stationed at major airports, TV production studios and elite level sporting events and beyond over the past two years.

Guardtech now go through to the SME National Business Awards at Wembley in December, with Commercial Director Mark Wheeler looking forward to another golden night for his inspirational team. “We’re delighted to have won the SME Cambridgeshire Business Award for

photo by Keith Heppell

It marks a highly successful spell for the product, which has also been nominated for the Business and Product Innovation Award at the East of England Federation of Small Businesses Awards. Business Innovation,” he said. “It truly is testament to the hard work, creative spirit and can-do attitude of the whole team. “I’m proud of the positive impact CleanCube Mobile Cleanrooms continues to have in the battle against COVID-19

and can see a really bright future for this innovative product, in the UK and internationally, as it offers a range of businesses a lot of flexibility and opportunity where space, time and budget is compromised.”

This Land and Vistry exchange contracts for site in Burwell (part of Vistry Group) – which builds Bovis Homes and Linden Homes properties – join forces with This Land and build 300 of the total 350 homes on the 6.5 hectare site at Newmarket Road. Maison Mokena, Land Director of Vistry East Midlands, said: “We are incredibly pleased to have been successful in the exchange and completion of this highly sought after land in Burwell, which represents an exciting opportunity for Vistry Group in a competitive market.”

This Land has exchanged contracts with housebuilder Vistry Group, which will deliver 300 homes as part of its exciting new development in Burwell, Cambridgeshire. The collaboration will 28 connected

Vistry East Midlands is now preparing to submit a reserved matters planning application to East Cambridgeshire District Council. accelerate the delivery of new homes in the region. Forming part of This Land’s Millstone Park development, the land acquisition in Burwell will see Vistry East Midlands

Infrastructure works to build a new spine road off Newmarket Road began in early 2022. This will act as a gateway to the development along with associated landscaping and drainage infrastructure.

HOW GROWTH WORKS HELPED A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE REDUCE LANDFILL WASTE THROUGH EFFICIENT REMANUFACTURING The Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network (CCORRN) is a social enterprise based in March, that reinvests profits into their local Fenland community. Their income is made from repurposing, reinventing, and remanufacturing products that would normally go to waste. CCORRN’s main revenue stream is the remanufacturing of surplus paint, one of the main contributors to landfill. Surplus paint is manufactured into either ReColour, RM or bespoke paint ranges – giving it a new lease of life. The challenge: Scaling up production to reduce waste quicker and meet demands When CCORRN started their paint recycling service in 2013, they were mixing in small 50 litre batches. They’ve been growing production ever since and are currently at a point where they need to scale up with new equipment and staff because the demand is bigger than they can meet. They’re also receiving more unused paint than they can handle. Their goal is to save one million litres of paint from going to landfill by the end of 2023. But with any business scaling and growth plans come challenges. Originally, they had planned to keep increasing their capacity incrementally over two-five years. They were in a cycle of always stunting their progress based on cash flow, having to save up before buying any new equipment. This also brings difficulties to employ and train new staff. The solution: Rapidly reducing the timescale for growth with investment in equipment Nikki DiGiovanna, the Development Director of CCORRN, reached out to Growth Works and received a large capital investment after submitting a successful application. They are using this to hit the ground running with their growth plans, investing in larger equipment that will inevitably require hiring new staff to fulfill manufacturing needs.

“The Growth Works funding was perfect as it’s about accelerating that growth… it’s not that we can’t do these things, it’s about how fast we can do them, how fast we can grow - that’s the big difference for us. Do we want to wait another two years until we can go to that next level?” Nikki also explained that CCORRN had “been struggling with our carbon-footprint. As an eco-organization, we really wanted to improve what we were doing… we’re marketing a recycled product but using a diesel van to collect and deliver it” and “were agonising over this big cost of going even greener and how we would do that” but funding available with Growth Works will help them buy an electric van. “Now they can make ‘green’ deliveries sooner than expected with an investment that will pay off for years to come being able to have some support through this grant to purchase that means… we will reap the benefits when it comes to lower fuel costs and lower repair costs going forward, we will save money in the long-run.”

THE OUTCOME: SCALABLE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND PLANS TO IMPLEMENT AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR RECRUITMENT With funding now available to scale their manufacturing operations, CCORRN are reviewing their systems and processes to ensure they are remaining strategic. Growth Works are also helping to set up an educational system to attract, hire, and retain dedicated employees from the local area. With this talent programme, CCORRN will be able to increase their future output by 400% and provide training for essential skills. Their business plan is solid, as Nikki explains: “What we now have is a very clear plan”, with equipment and vans on pre-order. Their next steps involve bringing forward the new team hires. Nikki told us she’d highly recommend eligible businesses to apply “if you have a clear plan for growth and you want to accelerate it, this is a really good programme”. connected 29

Mental Health, Intersectionality, and the Workplace Conversation Thursday 5 May, 11.00am-1.00pm Brampton Park Golf Club, Buckden Road, Brampton, Huntingdon PE28 4NF WHAT DOES INTERSECTIONALITY ACTUALLY MEAN AND HOW DOES IT APPLY TO ME AND MY ORGANISATION? Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression, and we must consider everything and anything that can marginalise people – gender, race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc. The term intersectionality was first brought to the mainstream by Kimberle Crenshaw in 1989. The Social Model of Disability is a fantastic way to have a wider conversation around Mental Health, where there are disorders and diagnosis listed within the Disability Act 2010. The model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets or they can be caused by people’s attitudes to difference, like assuming mentally unwell people can’t do certain things. An understanding of the protected characteristics and the experiences of those who identify as living within the parameters of one needs to part of education around accessibility, discrimination, and care of people in the workplace. What is key however is the onboarding of entire workforces, after all, workforces are made up of individuals.

WHAT IS YOUR FRAME OF REFERENCE? In social psychology, the frame of reference pertains to the set of assumptions or criteria by which a person or group judges ideas, actions, and experiences. A frame of reference can often limit or distort perception, as in the case of prejudice and stereotypes. When having conversations around the Human Resource within work, there are a number of factors which should be taken into consideration in order to have a truly accessible inclusion and diversity framework. In the Mental Health arena within an organisation, we need to work on the basis that no one individual has knowledge of another’s experience and the frame of reference model allows for the building of empathy and understanding. 30 connected

Taking time to work through the framework will allow you to understand the barriers that different people have when living in the world and in doing so recognising areas where discrimination takes place. Join us for a workshop where we create a safe and open environment where work through the models. You will gain clarity around the subject and walk away with next steps on how your organisation can make a true difference to the lives of those who work for you. Cost: £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £27.50 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members This event is being delivered by Danielle Bridge, Founder and Chief Executive of ABC Life Support.

Our regular training courses provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities. Currently, all courses will take place online via Zoom.

chamber

TRAINING

CHAMBER TRAINING 2022 Course Dates

INTRODUCTION TO IPAFFS 21 April By the end of this course you will have the knowledge to successfully import live animals, their products and germplasm. IMPORT/ EXPORT DIAGNOSTICS WORKSHOP 26 April, 11 August, 24 November This workshop shows companies how to look at their SOPS and compliance, going through key areas of procedures and compliance, preparing for trading internationally either by exporting or importing. UNDERSTANDING EXPORTING 10 May, 8 September This course covers all the basic key areas around exporting. It will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms. BITESIZE WORKSHOP: EXPORT STRATEGY 10 May, 8 September We will discuss the importance of Export Strategy, new or old. Building new international markets is the first stage. Export Strategy: • Market entry • Barriers to understand and overcome • Useful tools and website to help your journey • Assessing needs of customers and capabilities • Making a procedure plan. UNDERSTANDING IMPORTING 19 May, 20 September This course covers all the basic key areas around importing and will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms. CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION 7 June, 6 October The course looks at the procedures required to deal with customs. It is vitally important that importers and exporters understand the information required to be submitted, fines and inspections are things that no company wants to endure.

BITESIZE WORKSHOP: EXPORT MARKETING 7 June, 20 September Find out how to market your products and services overseas. • Understanding how countries adopt different methods when marketing your products • Origin plays a key role when dealing with some countries • Check best trading countries - we will show you some useful tools to use • Importance of FTA when exporting. INCOTERMS 2020 21 June, 18 October This seminar will explain Incoterms® and their importance in international trade contracts. BITESIZE WORKSHOP: DOCUMENTATION 23 June, 18 October Having the following set up allows Export and/or Import departments to move goods without delays and extra costs. • Processing and Documentation • Understanding Incoterms • Understanding Commodity codes • Correct Documentation and procedures. UNDERSTANDING A CUSTOMS DECLARATION 5 July, 3 November This course will highlight what you need to know to complete customs declarations accurately for both the import and export of goods, including taking you through step-by-step guidance on completing the SAD C88 form. BITESIZE WORKSHOP: LOGISTICS AND BROKERAGE 5 July, 3 November Gain a snapshot of what is involved with logistics and brokerage: • Engagement with Forwarders • Understanding Costs • Insurance • Documentation - having a good broker and the importance.

UNDERSTANDING RULES OF ORIGIN 14 July, 6 December This course will explain all aspects of the Rules of Origin and Trade Agreements and how to understand and comply with them to help companies be more competitive in export markets. UNDERSTANDING LOGISTICS 19 July, 13 October Understand the process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination. LETTERS OF CREDIT 15 November This workshop covers the five main types of payment for exports, from advance payment to open account, including Sight Documentary Collection, Term Documentary Collection and Documentary Letters of Credit. It includes the use of Bills of Exchange with and without documents. INWARD AND OUTWARD PROCESSING 1 December The course will cover special procedures and the benefits of using IP and OP in your compliance. Full course details are available on our website www. cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/ training TRAINING COURSES Our training courses run from 9.30am-1.00pm. Cost per course: £250.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £330.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members. BITESIZE WORKSHOPS Our Bitesize sessions run from training courses run from 3.00-4.00pm. Cost per bitesize session: £50.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £75.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members. To register please visit our website, email j.mansfield@cambscci.co.uk or telephone 01223 237414.

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Celebrating our county and inspiring the next generation The Lieutenancy of Cambridgeshire, in partnership with key organisations across the county, has launched the first ever Cambridgeshire County Day, taking place on Thursday 23 June 2022 at the July Course, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire.

The Chamber are working with TR Global events to offer this opportunity to businesses in Cambridgeshire. If you are interested in taking a space please email countyday@tr-globalevents.com. We will contact you to discuss your space requirements and confirm your booking.

The Chamber has secured a large marquee and is inviting Cambridgeshire businesses to share this exhibition space and take the opportunity to showcase, reach, connect and network with new audiences. It is anticipated that over 6,000 people will attend on the day.

As well as the exhibition space showcasing companies across the county, the day will also involve networking, hospitality, demonstrations, performances, a Garden Party and racing on the July course.

Space available: 3mx3m space – from £1,500 (plus VAT) 2mx2m space – from £800 (plus VAT) 1mx1m space – from £400 (plus VAT)

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Huntingdonshire Wednesday 27 April, 10.00am-3.00pm Burgess Hall, St Ives Build new connections, promote your products and services and inspired by a programme of guest speakers and speed networking.