connected Issue 74

INSPIRING BUSINESS SUCCESS

ISSUE 74

The official monthly magazine for Chamber members

DISABILITY CONFIDENT What you need to know about disability solutions for employers and individuals in the workplace PLUS. . . all the news from the Chamber Network Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

e

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this issue

6

CONTENTS

7

10 5

8

19 Chief Executive’s highlights

24-25

34 Out & about

6-7

Connections

27

Fenland Chamber news

8-9

Influence

29

Huntingdonshire Chamber news

10-11

Global reach

12-13

Knowledge

14

Protection

15

Ask the expert

16-17

New members

18-19

Charity

20- 21 22-23

Ely Chamber news Cambs & South Cambs Chamber news

Chambers of Commerce

30-31 33 34-35

Peterborough Chamber news Stamford Chamber news Iansyst Ltd

39

Signpost 2 Grow

41

Marketing Insight

43

B2B recap

45-47

Events

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100 YEARS inspiring business success

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welcome from the

EDITOR Welcome....

Chambers of Commerce

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100 YEARS inspiring business success

Chief Executive John Bridge OBE DL Editor Sadie Parr Published by

Facebook was a huge hit at our Peterborough B2B exhibition. A recap of the day, plus some key websites used in the Facebook seminar, can be found on page 43. We also bring you details of our Two Counties Exhibition taking place on Wednesday 13 March at IWM Duxford Conference and Events Centre.

If you use our export documentation service, please turn to the Global Reach pages to familiarise yourself with key documentation dates over the Christmas break.

There will not be an edition of connected in January, look out for the next edition landing week commencing 11 February. To include your good news, please email me your article of 100150 words, plus high-res image, by Wednesday 16 January.

From everyone at the Chamber, we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Sadie Parr Editor, connected s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Print xlpress Design Jill Rowbotham

Membership team Bren Coleman 01223 209811 Paul Gibbons 07759 934111 Cambridge Enterprise House, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR. Tel 01223 237414 Peterborough 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT. Tel 01733 370809 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk Visit cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

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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FEB 2019 JAN 2019

Advertising Caroline Baker caroline.baker@trinitymirror.com

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Informal Networking Evening, Huntingdon

14

Informal Networking Evening, Ely

17

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Cambridge

4

Informal Networking Evening, Huntingdon

13

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Peterborough

16

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Peterborough

22

Safari Networking Breakfast, Cambridge

5

16

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

23

Informal Networking Evening, Fenland

6

17 Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

24

Beer Tasting and Networking, Ely

11

12

Storm in a Teacup, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

Informal Networking Evening, Ely

Safari Networking Breakfast, Peterborough

14

20

21

27

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

Informal Networking Evening, Fenland

view from the

BRIDGE

I was privileged to be a keynote speaker at the recent Cambridge China Forum where I was also interviewed by Richard Bond, together with cameraman Steve, for BBC Look East who covered the event for our local news. This was the inaugural Cambridge China Form event to connect with businesses and promote investment in both the UK and China.

I am passionate about bringing entrepreneurs, enterprises and governments together in order to develop prosperous relationships and am delighted to support the Cambridge China Forum and their initiative to establish, define and support the development of UK / China relationships to drive successful business outcomes.

We were extremely grateful to Facebook for organising a speaker at our Peterborough B2B Exhibition. The seminar was well attended and offered some useful links for businesses which you can find on page 43.

It was great to meet up with Arjun Paliwal, Strategic Account Manager at Facebook, who has worked with a portfolio of small and medium businesses to drive their growth across the family of apps. I took the opportunity to speak to Arjun together with Stella Cockerill, our Chief Operating Officer, to chat about the benefits that businesses derive from using Facebook.

It was a pleasure for me not only to speak at this key event but to have the opportunity to meet Sally Gunnell OBE DL, the keynote speaker at this year’s East Cambs Business Boost.

Sally captured the hearts of our nation and remains the only woman ever to hold four major track titles concurrently – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth.

Following her retirement from international athletics, Sally developed a new career as a television presenter and motivational speaker. Expertise, mentality and organisation are three factors that shaped Sally’s career. Her excellent inspirational presentation related to a wide range of businesses in all sectors, providing realistic goal setting and fresh approaches that can be applied by any of us.

John Bridge OBE DL Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

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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.

ChamberFX Foreign exchange and global payments solutions IN ASSOCIATION WITH

As part of our ongoing efforts to help members that trade overseas, the British Chambers of Commerce has identified that many small and midsized businesses ambitions for growth are being hindered by currency volatility and expensive international payments.

To help you protect your business against adverse rate fluctuations and minimise your international payment costs, we’ve partnered with specialists moneycorp.

Whether you’re importing or

exporting, paying overseas suppliers or managing international payroll with moneycorp you’ll benefit from: Exclusive exchange rates and discounts: we will give you access to exchange rates closer to the interbank market – often up to two per cent better than other providers Expert service and market guidance: founded in 1979, moneycorp dealers will tailor their services to your business and provide a level of service the banks often find too resource intensive Fast, easy payments: Access 100+ currencies online or over the phone and manage your account online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any device Free foreign exchange health

#BalanceforBetter #BalanceforBetter is the theme of the 2019 International Women’s Day – Better the Balance, Better the World.

On Friday 8 March 2019 the Peterborough Cathedral will again provide the setting for a morning of inspirational speakers, networking and debates.

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Our 2018 event was a sell-out with 150 business representatives and 6th form school and college students. The feedback from the day was overwhelming. We look forward to another engaging and 6 connected

inspiring event!

Further details and speakers will be announced as they are confirmed on the Chamber website and social media channels @CambsChamber and @CCWomensSector. However, if you would like to receive the details first-hand contact Helen Bosett, Sector co-ordinator at the Chamber, h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk

check: practical to help you protect your bottom line from rate volatility Free currency holding accounts: currency accounts can cost up to £20 a month with high street banks Free tools and market intelligence: stay one step ahead with a host of free tools and charts. Set personal rate alerts then sit back as moneycorp monitor the markets on your behalf.

For more information, contact Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk TTT Moneycorp Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Service Regulations 2017 (reference number 308919) for the provision of payment services

widen your

CONNECTIONS

LOOKING TO RAISE YOUR PROFILE IN 2019?

There are sponsorship opportunities available starting from as little as £250.00 (plus VAT) being offered across a large range of events at various cost levels for all sizes of businesses and budgets. Any sponsorship provides extensive Chamber marketing and exposure to support your business.

Perhaps you are interested in hosting an event?

Why not contact one of the events team to chat through options and see how the Chamber can support you in 2019.

Contact Helen Bosett or Jenni Misseldine on 01733 370809 for more details.

Sally Gunnell OBE leads line-up at East Cambs Business Boost 2018 Key note speaker and Olympic champion Sally Gunnell OBE was joined by over 250 local businesses at East Cambs Business Boost 2018 held at The Hive Leisure Centre in Ely on Friday 23 November.

Business Boost is the District’s largest business to business networking event and is organised by East Cambridgeshire District Council’s (ECDC) Enterprise team in collaboration with the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

‘Activate’ was this year’s theme, reflecting both the district’s fast business growth and the setting of the venue.

Presentations from leading businesses including social media giants Buffer, Westfield Health and Sandler Training as well as Sally Gunnell’s excellent talk on corporate wellbeing provided an outstanding backdrop for delegates. All visitors were further engaged with the opportunity to network with local firms in the exhibitor hall.

As the only female British athlete to have held Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles concurrently, Sally now leads a corporate wellbeing

company working with organisations to develop wellbeing strategies. Sally spoke with local businesses about her experiences and challenges on the path to success and how to use those principles to take business growth to the next level by building self-belief and developing the right team.

“What a fantastic event to be invited to be part of!” said Sally Gunnell.

“It provides the perfect opportunity to speak to other businesses, share some of the hurdles (pardon the pun!!) we all face and explore how we can overcome them. I love to make a difference! Being given the opportunity to pass on my passion, knowledge and experience to inspire and energise individuals is something I am very grateful for. My philosophy is simple ‘small positive changes, consistently made’ are a winning combination both in life and in businesses.”

Stella Cockerill, Chief Operating Officer at the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are pleased to support the return of this successful event, which provides a great opportunity for businesses to

connect with each other. We were delighted to have secured some really excellent speakers that were able to offer businesses insights, tips and guidance into issues that many of our members report as key challenges such as effective use of social media but also the importance of managing wellbeing in the workplace to attract and retain a productive workforce.”

Councillor Peter Creswell, Chairman of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Following on from the success of the first Business Boost we were keen to support another high profile event to promote East Cambridgeshire as a growing economy and a great place to do business. Business Boost has proved more than just that. With visitors from across the region networking together, coupled with engaging and useful content from top speakers, the day has been an outstanding success.

“We owe thanks also to sponsors PEM, Ellgia Recycling, Grovemere Property and Busy Bee Recruitment for their excellent support in making the day highly enjoyable.”

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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.

EASTERN REGION NOT-SPOT SUMMIT: ‘POINTS THE WAY TO COLLABORATIVELY SORTING THESE ISSUES’ A summit which brought together leading businesses, public sector organisations with mobile network operators and their trade body has been hailed as a good first step in identifying and addressing the problem of mobile not-spots across the eastern region.

Held in the Guineas suite at Newmarket Racecourses, the ‘by invitation’ summit was hosted by Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) – the first of its kind under the latter’s nationwide ‘No More NotSpots’ campaign.

The campaign aims to mobilise everybody with a role to play in improving our digital infrastructure - from network operators to local planning authorities and consumers themselves – to identify and address poor or non-existent mobile voice and data coverage. The initial stage of the campaign has identified over 1,500 not-spots across the UK with nearly 400 of these located in the East of England.

Delegates heard speeches from Rt. Hon Matt Hancock MP, the current secretary of state for Health and the previous secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Hannah Essex, co-executive Director of Policy & Campaigns at the BCC, Mobile UK’s Head of Policy & Communications, Gareth Elliott and Geoff Connell, Head of IMT at Norfolk County Council.

These speakers outlined the impact on businesses of poor or non-existent mobile coverage, the level of investment being expended to address the problem and proven ways of

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working in partnership to more rapidly identify and solve not-spot issues.

The delegates also engaged in roundtable discussions to look in detail as to how businesses themselves, local planning authorities and the mobile operators can address specific notspots in future months.

Stella Cockerill, Chief Operating Officer at Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The event was successful in highlighting the challenges and it was very encouraging that attendees were keen to find better ways of working together to ensure effective digital access for our area. It was clear that businesses don’t always have the required information about where the Not Spots are and what plans are in place in the localities that they do business in, and this is an area we will be working on in the coming months.”

The BCC is working with the local Chambers to pull together the ideas from the summit into an action plan of improvements over the next year.

Log your NotSpots here: http://bit. ly/NotSpotsCCI

Mia and George to represent King’s Ely at Houses of Parliament Two King’s Ely Senior students will get to have their viewpoints heard by prominent Judge, Sir Brian Leveson.

Secondary school students across South East Cambridgeshire have been competing in this year’s Inter Schools Parliamentary Debating Competition. The contest, pioneered and organised by local MP Lucy Frazer, is now in its fifth year.

Year 10 students Sam Barber, George Collier, Mollie Egan, Isabella Boutwood, Rhys Williams, Richard Garrard, William Buckingham and Mia Gray represented King’s Ely in the first round of the competition on 16 November. Ms Frazer attended the event and enjoyed what proved to be a spirited and closely contested debate discussing whether the age of marriage should be raised to 18.

After much deliberation, George and Mia were announced as the overall winners. They now go forward to debate against the winning duo from each of the other competing schools at the finals, which will be judged by the current Head of Criminal Justice, the Right Honourable Sir Brian Leveson, at the Houses of Parliament.

Ms Frazer said: “The level of debate at King’s Ely was extremely high and choosing the winners was no easy job.

I am so heartened to see how well prepared all the participants were and how persuasively each argued their case.

I look forward to seeing Mia and George in December and wish them the best of luck in the final. Enabling young people to discover their voice and use it effectively is a life changing skill and I hope that by encouraging as many of our pupils as possible to have the opportunity to do just that will give them the confidence they need once they leave school to put forward their opinions, lead teams and communicate well.”

the power to

INFLUENCE

Cambridge’s 130 most influential businesses “It was a wonderful occasion to recognise and raise awareness of the important role that we all collectively play in the continued success of Cambridge.”

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce was amongst the list of 130 most influential businesses in Cambridge along with many Chamber members.

Image: David Johnson Photographic

Cambridge’s 130 Most Influential Businesses, as voted by the readers of the Cambridge News, attended a special event at Queens’ College.

The event was held to recognise the businesses’ positive impact on the region, whether through their contribution to the local economy or their outstanding customer service – or simply because they are a brilliant representative of the area.

The event was held to coincide with the News marking its 130th birthday and the readers of the newspaper were given the chance to nominate their choice of company earlier this year.

The list brought together businesses from both the past and present.

The sponsors of the event were HSBC and Marshall Cambridge.

Simon Edgley, Regional Managing Director of the Cambridge News, and Dr Andy Harter, founder and CEO of RealVNC, and the current High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, both gave speeches at the event.

Oliver Drury, Head of Corporate Communications at Marshall Cambridge, said: “It is important that we record and celebrate the achievements of those who have, are and will play a part in the continued success of Cambridge.

OVER HALF OF UK BUSINESSES PLAN BREXIT BLOCKCHAIN BOOST Over half (51 per cent) of businesses are planning a boost in blockchain technology to navigate Brexit, according to new research from Nexus, the blockchain and cryptocurrency enterprise.

The research, conducted by independent polling company Censuswide, surveyed 200 UK senior business decision makers in large and medium sized organisations around how blockchain will be used to prepare for Brexit and whether the technology could remedy the Irish border challenge.

When asked to rank the key reasons why companies would be increasing blockchain use to prepare for Brexit, one third (33 per cent) said they will be using it to reduce fraud followed by 18 per cent saying it was to keep up with technological innovation. Additionally, 11 per cent cited costs savings and 10 per cent said they would be using it to improve supply chain management.

The research also found that 62 per cent of business decision makers believe blockchain won’t solve the Irish border issue, with only 38 per cent believing it will despite the Chancellor Philip Hammond’s proposal.

Alex El-Nemer, Director at Nexus, comments: “With Brexit on the horizon, it’s abundantly clear that many companies are planning to boost use of blockchain technology to reduce risk and create a more accountable working environment. The research also indicates that company leaders see blockchain as a vital tool in preparing for a potentially uncertain economic climate next year.

“It’s clear that UK business leaders are far from convinced that blockchain will help solve the Irish border issue, despite the technology offering a digital solution to a politically complex problem. These findings underline the need for more policy detail about how the proposals might work in practice, in terms of practical application and enforcement, as well as the role the technology could play in avoiding a hard border.”

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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.

Accredited Training in International Trade The Chamber runs a rolling programme of training courses that culminate in the nationally-recognised Foundation Award in International Trade.

The courses provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities and you will receive detailed notes to take away to build up a toolkit of reference information.

2019 course dates: EXPORT PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION Tuesday 8 January, 9.15am-5.00pm

D L O

T U O

Gain an in-depth exploration into the procedures and documentation you need to be aware of when trading internationally.

S

INCOTERMS AND EXPORT LICENCE CONTROLS Tuesday 5 February, 9.15am5.00pm This course allows you to fully understand the comprehensive aspects of International Commercial Terms ‘Incoterms’. We also take a look at export licence compliance.

FINANCE OPTIONS: FOCUSING ON LETTERS OF CREDIT Tuesday 26 March, 9.15am-5.00pm Explore the options and reduce the costs involved in receiving payment.

Plus, learn when, why and how to use Documentary Letters of Credit.

IMPORT: CUSTOMS COMPLIANCE AND SAVINGS Tuesday 16 April, 9.15am-5.00pm Understand the rules and intricacies of goods crossing borders. We’ll look at when import duties and taxes are applicable and ways to reduce, or event abolish, the charges.

CUSTOMS SPECIAL PROCEDURES: FOCUSING ON INWARD PROCESSING AND OUTWARD PROCESSING Tuesday 21 May, 9.15am-5.00pm Learn how to complete the application forms for Customs Special Procedure and calculate your potential debt guarantee amounts. We also look at the roles of processing to identify if you could trade more competitively.

RULES OF ORIGIN: PREFERENCE AND NON-PREFERENCE Tuesday 4 June, 9.15am-5.00pm The complex subject of origin is essential to understand as the country that a product is made can affect the duty that is applicable.

Cost per course: £250.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £300.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

Venue: TBC, Peterborough Full course outlines can be found at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk To book, please call Jenni Misseldine on 01223 209810 or email j.misseldine@cambscci.co.uk

IMPORTANT - Dates for the Christmas break The Chamber will close for the Christmas break at 12.30pm on Monday 24 December and will re-open at 9.00am on Wednesday 2 January.

During the closure documents submitted electronically will be processed on Monday 31 December from 10.00am-1.00pm. Please ensure you upload all supporting paperwork to enable us to process these applications.

The last date for submitting consular documentation is 11.00am on Tuesday 18 December, documents submitted after this time will not be processed until Wednesday 2 January.

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extend your

GLOBAL REACH

SAVE THE DATE What does trade look like moving forward?

Tuesday 26 March, 8.00-10.30am Venue TBC, Huntingdon This breakfast event will have a panel of experts available to answer your queries relating to Brexit and the future of international trade.

We will also cover the Customs Declaration Service due to launch in the spring of 2019 and provide details of the Chamber Global Awards.

To receive more details on this event as it is confirmed, please email h.bosett@cambscci. co.uk

TATE'S EXPORT GUIDE

The essential guide for exporters The guide covers the essential requirements for documentation and procedures involved in exporting to over 200 countries of the world.

Established for over 25 years, it is the leading international trade reference publication and essential companion to all those concerned with exporting.

The Guide saves you time and money in processing shipments,

documents and getting paid. It provides peace-of-mind knowing you have all the information for processing exports at your fingertips!

• From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe relevant, comprehensive, updated export information to over 200 countries • Documentary and shipping requirements, customs and financial considerations

• Updated every two months • Available online and complete reprinted updates • Recommended by the British Chamber of Commerce and included for free as part of our Global membership package – costs £479.00 (plus VAT) when you subscribe directly!

"In my role as an International Consultant for Parcelforce, I find the Guide gives me the most up-to-date information on all aspects of shipping goods to wherever in the world. It is very clear on the prohibitions and restrictions and whether or not certain licenses are required and where our customers can go to obtain them.

It is all very concise and most importantly easy to understand and I never leave home without it."

ANDREW CASSELS International Consultant, Parcelforce Worldwide

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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.

7 KEY AREAS OF SELLING THAT SPELL SUCCESS

By Blue Donkey – Intelligent Telemarketing Small differences in the ability and skill of salespeople can lead to big differences in their results. Attaining the top level of sales – and staying there – requires constant innovation, awareness and improvement. In his latest book, author Brian Tracy identifies the following seven key areas that salespeople need to develop if they’re going to excel in their field.

Prospecting – By actively working on your technique, and looking for ways you can improve your results, you can ensure that your prospecting calls have an excellent chance of success.

Building rapport – Rapport is the thing that will set you apart from all the other salespeople your prospect may have spoken to that day. It earns confidence and trust.

Identifying needs – You need to know exactly what a customer wants before you can start selling them the solution. Get a real, two-way conversation going and then listen carefully to the answers a potential client gives.

Presenting – Now you know what a customer needs, you’ll be able to personalise the presentation of products and services to show how they can meet those specific needs.

Answering objections – Objections are inevitable, it’s how you handle them that counts. Think about what the objections might be and be ready to overcome them with confidence.

Closing the sale – There are lots of ways to close a sales call, the key is knowing which one to use and when.

Getting resales and referrals – Making a first sale is just the beginning, you want customers coming back again and again. What’s more, you want them to refer other individuals and companies too. There’s little as powerful as a recommendation from someone we trust.

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Business owners’ dedication to work knocks their wellbeing Running a business isn’t easy. It requires dedication and commitment, but that can lead to sleepless nights, working long hours and skipping meals.

And all that can impact your health and wellbeing in the long run.

Nearly nine out of 10 people rate their health as important to them. Yet, more than a third of business owners said they feel that running a business has, at some point, affected their health. And 19 per cent said their health has deteriorated as a result of starting their business.* To help readdress your work-life balance, AXA PPP healthcare senior psychologist Dr Mark Winwood has created a checklist: 1. Check in on yourself: take time to sense-check how you’re feeling mentally and physically. Stress can build up over time, wearing you down slowly so you don’t initially notice those tell-tale signs 2. Diet and exercise can have an uplifting effect on mood and psychological wellbeing. Be kind to yourself by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. And why not exercise before the work day starts, take a walk at lunch time or hit the gym at the end of the day 3. Take time out: Working all hours or taking calls at unsociable hours might, ultimately, do you no favours.

By having a clear boundary between work and ‘home’ life, you’ll most likely find you have more focus and more energy to tackle your tasks at work 4. Take time off: Don’t work all weekend, every weekend – try booking breaks or holidays in advance so you’re committed to them and have something to look forward to! And plan your workload accordingly leading up to those welldeserved time-outs 5. And sleep… don’t overlook the importance and simple benefit of a good night’s sleep in keeping you refreshed so that you can be at your best – for you and for your business.

Please remember as a Chamber member, you have access to special offers from AXA PPP healthcare. Visit www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/ chambers-home/ to find out more. *Online survey of 500 SME business owners, carried out by One Poll on behalf of AXA PPP healthcare, August 2018.

PREPARING FOR BREXIT The Chamber Network is focused on the practicalities of Brexit for business communities across the UK. Since the decision to leave the EU, the BCC has campaigned for answers to the pragmatic concerns of business.

The UK government and the European Commission must focus on the future trading relationship – and swiftly conclude a deal that minimises further adjustment costs and that answers the many practical questions that trading businesses still face.

The BCC has put together resources to help businesses prepare for the change and to assess the progress of the negotiations Visit http://bit.ly/BCCBrexit1 to access the Business Brexit Checklist, Brexit Risk Register and Brexit Agreement FAQs. BREXIT EVENTS The Chamber will run events on Brexit as developments are announced. To receive event notifications and information please register your interest with Sadie Parr at s.parr@ cambscci.co.uk.

grow your

PENSIONS UPDATE

Automatic enrolment duties are a continuing process for employers – it doesn’t end after enrolling your staff into a workplace pension.

It’s not enough for an employer to just be compliant at the start of the automatic enrolment process. You need to continue to monitor the ages and amount they pay staff to see if they need to put any of them into a pension scheme. You’ll also need to manage any requests

KNOWLEDGE

to join or leave the pension scheme and keep accurate records of how you’ve met your legal duties. Employers will also need to maintain the pension contributions at the right rate and be aware of any changes that might affect pension contributions. It’s the law.

For more details on your ongoing workplace pension responsibilities, visit www.tpr.gov.uk/ongoing

UK Inheritance Tax is set for big shake up next year In the early hours of Friday 23 November, the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) released its first report reviewing Inheritance Tax (IHT) - Ben Taylor, solicitor at Roythornes Solicitors, shares his initial thoughts on the report and what it could mean for 2019.

Despite less than five per cent of UK estates being subjected to inheritance tax, it is apparent from the report that many people are concerned about it and unsure whether it applies to them. In fact, the report notes that IHT is seen as the most unfair of 11 major taxes and the process described as complex, stressful and timeconsuming.

Whilst there is clearly a perception that IHT applies more often than it actually does, the report shows that there is an increasing number of people subject to IHT. The OTS puts this down to increasing house prices and a freeze on the value of the Nil Rate Band (NRB).

An analysis of HMRC data shows that higher value estates appeared to suffer lower rates IHT, which is put down to increased application of reliefs. Relievable property such as shareholdings and farm properties appear to make up the vast majority of estates where the value exceeds £6 million but significant tax reliefs, such as the Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), are allowed affecting the rate of tax.

Whilst these reliefs don’t help with the public perception that IHT favours the wealthy, it is worth bearing in mind that they were introduced to ensure that a business is affected as little as possible by the death of its owner. The business will therefore continue contributing to the economy and not be broken up by inheritance tax - which particularly applies to farming businesses.

Another key feature of the report related to digitalisation. One of the principal recommendations by

the OTS is for the government to introduce a fully integrated digital IHT reporting system which is unsurprising given the recent focus on ‘making tax digital’. However, it is recognised that such a service would take time to implement so we could be expecting a revision of the IHT forms in the meantime.

The OTS also recommended that the process for tax payment be streamlined and consideration be given to extending the payment deadline. Again, this is not surprising as the current time limit of six months has been criticised by the public and professionals alike.

The first OTS report is incredibly detailed and offers a number of recommendations. Given that this is the first of three reports looking into issues affecting the IHT regime, I would be very surprised if we don’t see a considerable shake up of inheritance tax in 2019. connected 13

enhance your

PROTECTION

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

Be Safe With Us

Did you know that Chamber members have unlimited access to a range of essential business support services.

ChamberHR

ChamberHealth & Safety

ChamberLegal

ChamberTax

These services give you unlimited access to no less than five business advice lines and a website which features over 750 free downloadable template documents.

Not only that but you are protected by £1,000,000 of legal expenses insurance which includes employment cover and tax enquiry cover.

Believe it or not all these services are included in your membership fee – you will have nothing extra to pay!

These services offer members real protection and peace of mind. To ensure that you can have access to these valuable services all you need to do is join.

Don’t delay… join today!

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ask the

Event Marketing Events can meet many business objectives, if they are well planned and executed. Judith Sloane, Deputy Manager at Meet Cambridge (www. meet-cambridge.com), provides some insight for successful event marketing.

I need to promote an event, where do I start?

Think about the objective of your event and ask yourself what success looks like – by considering the end point, you

can begin to visualise how to achieve your goals. Do you want to acquire new clients, reward staff, build brand awareness, share knowledge, network, or any combination of the above?

Think about your target audience, then write a communications plan with clear actions for before, during and after the event. Itemise what resources you might need – web site, landing page, online registration etc. and what content you will need to share with your target audience – written content, images, video etc. Do you need to engage the services of a PR professional, photographer or videographer?

Is it possible to market an event with a low budget?

It’s important to include marketing in your overall event budget, but success doesn’t necessarily depend on the level of promotional spend. It’s more about being strategic and savvy… consider carefully where your target audience might be and what communications they might want to receive.

Ask your speakers to assist with promotion. Word of mouth referral from a trusted source can be powerful. Offer early bird discounted rates or perhaps piggy back onto an existing event, if

EXPERT

there’s a common theme or area of interest. Could you work with another organiser to cross-promote your event with theirs?

How can I extend the reach of my event beyond the event itself?

You may want to consider setting up a live stream to allow delegates to access the content remotely, or you could work with a videographer to capture the event for distribution afterwards. Likewise, slides and presentations can be shared with your audience and your prospects.

Create a hashtag, so that the event can be followed on social networks in real time and don’t forget to capture feedback; strong testimonials can be used to promote your next event – peerto-peer endorsement is invaluable.

Meet Cambridge provides a one stop for event planners in Cambridge and the wider area.

It is inviting event organisers to a free ‘Event Marketing Masterclass’ with guest expert, Luan Wise, at The Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre, on 4 February 2019 1.304.30pm. To reserve your space, please email: enquiries@meet-cambridge.com or call 01223 768740.

Perks of the job? Or engaging your employees?

Saving Energy Barry Walsh of ChangingEnergy explains how a small business can save energy.

What’s happening in the energy market?

We have had an unprecedented rally through most of the summer, with Q119 prices for NBP gas (48%) and electricity (37%) rising on increased global demand for coal and oil,

European coal-to-gas switching, LNG arbitrage diverting stock to China and a spike in the cost of carbon. Unusually, we have had a significant retracement in October with record LNG deliveries, mild weather and a slump in the price of carbon.

Feed in Tariff charges may well be scrapped next year but unfortunately we also have a 45 per cent hike (67% for gas!) in CCL coming in April 2019.

What can I do about it?

Well, small-sized customers can go online and source ‘off-the-shelf’ deals, for example, switching supplier via a price comparison website. If you are looking for purchase agility, buying your energy in tranches can be an option if you meet the criteria. And if you want to go a step further, energy solutions like DSM or self-generation such as PV and batteries can help consumers save costs or generate revenue.

I heard the biggest ever Dragons Den winner was an automated energy switching service, should I be using that?

Automated switching services like lookaftermybills, Flipper and Labrador are innovative, though as tech companies they only work with deals already published on supplier websites - ChangingEnergy can in certain cases negotiate a better deal. Lookaftermybills also won’t seek your approval before switching while Labrador will always seek your permission, so it depends on how much of a final say you want.

Digitalisation is impacting every part of the workforce, how is energy supply affected?

The trend in energy is towards increasing consumer ownership of energy supply. ChangingEnergy also offer digital AI and machine learning services to support and accelerate companies data strategies, and its our vision to help bring to consumers an ‘ebay of energy’, offering peer to peer energy solutions to help mitigate or avoid unacceptable energy price risks.

Visit www.changingenergy.eu/ smeprocurement to find out more.

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Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

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 this month

BIG BEAR CREATIVE @BIGBEARCREATIVE ENDURANCE ESTATES LTD

Chippenham Park Events Chippenham Park is a privately-owned Grade II listed house, surrounded by 300 acres of parkland and gardens. It’s located on the SuffolkCambridgeshire border; both Cambridge and London are within easy reach.

The venue specialises in weddings, private parties and corporate functions.

Chippenham Park are delighted to join the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. www.chippenhamparkevents.co.uk

HUGH CRANE CLEANING EQUIPMENT LTD @HUGHCRANE JOHN LEWIS OF HUNGERFORD @JLOFHUNGERFORD LETS CAMBRIDGE LTD @LETSCAMBRIDGE WORKSPACE TECHNOLOGY LTD @WORKSPACETECH

Established recruitment firm joins the network We welcome the long established Coulter Elite Resourcing to Chamber membership this month. Its Peterborough head office and bases in London and Milton Keynes work on behalf of clients both locally and nationally; supplying permanent, temporary and contract personnel in multiple sectors. Priding itself on building professional relationships with clients and candidates alike, the team is looking forward to building new relationships in the Chamber network too. www.coulter-elite-resourcing.co.uk

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news from

NEW MEMBERS Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd

Endurance Estates Endurance Estates are a Cambridgeshire based property group specialising in land promotion and delivering sites for commercial and mixed uses. We have recently obtained planning permission for new homes across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and are currently delivering an urban extension at Ely. www.endurance-estates.co.uk

Sharon Holloway, Sales Manager for Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd Peterborough branch, is delighted to have joined the Chamber.

A family run business established in 1983, Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd supply a range of quality cleaning equipment to the commercial and industrial sector from their purpose-built premises in Whittlesey. From pressure washers to vacuum cleaners and scrubber driers they provide a solution for all your cleaning equipment requirements throughout the UK. Sharon has over 15 years of sales experience and thrives on building working relationships and finding solutions to customers’ everyday problems. www.hughcrane.co.uk

SKK Design SKK Design are based in Hatfield Heath and offer the full range of architectural design services using their professional team of designers. Inspiration, flair, style and taste combined with an honest, pragmatic and caring approach result in successful, innovative and practical solutions - delivered on time and within budget.

www.senkenken.com

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BRIDGE THE GAP CHARITY WALK SMASHES £500,000 MILESTONE £31,926.94 was presented from Bridge the Gap to Romsey Mill and Arthur Rank Hospice; taking the impressive grand total raised since 2001, to nearly £505,000!

The funds raised by this year’s walkers in what was the event’s 70th year, will be split evenly between two charities. To mark the occasion, The Cambridge Building Society opened the doors of its Central Cambridge store to more than 40 guests, who gathered to reminisce about the highlights of this years walk. Participants, sponsors, partners, suppliers and volunteers were welcomed by the Bridge the Gap Committee as the grand total was revealed.

Aristocaters and Coop food stores - both generous partners of Bridge the Gap Walk - provided nibbles and wine respectively, which were very much enjoyed by guests during the evening.

A photo presentation, showing highlights of this year’s picturesque route, including special features of the College grounds and Museum of Zoology, provided a colourful backdrop.

Dr Lynn Morgan CEO of Arthur Rank Hospice welcomed guests, going on to explain why Bridge the Gap is such an important event to both the benefitting charities’ and the City of Cambridge as a whole: “This event has a real sense of excitement about it. The Colleges change every year and with that, the committee continue to work hard to develop not just the route but the whole experience. It really does just get better and better.

From the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides dotted around the featured College’s grounds, to the talented

City of Cambridge and Waterbeach Brass Bands and Cambridge Lindy Hoppers at Parker’s Piece, I never fail to be amazed by the enjoyment I get from this event.

Furthermore, it is truly wonderful to know that this enjoyment is ultimately converted into vital funds, which help ensure the delivery of our essential care each and every day, at the Hospice and across the county.”

Representatives from the event’s sponsors were in attendance, including Stephen Mitcham, CEO from Cambridge Building Society who also spoke. He adds: “This was our 10th year as headline sponsor for Bridge the Gap and we’re delighted to have played such an active role in another successful event which has raised an incredible amount for two very important local charities.

This year the event was enjoyed by over 154 members of our staff and their families! It’s a firm fixture on our calendar here at The Cambridge and remains an iconic and wellloved event for Cambridge residents and visitors alike.”

Neil Perry, Chief Executive of Romsey Mill, concludes: “Bridge the Gap charity walk is a superb example of what is possible when so many different organisations, groups and individuals come together to organise, deliver and participate in such a unique community event. The money raised will help to make a huge difference to the lives of the hundreds of disadvantaged local children, families and young people with whom we work. On their behalf, and on the behalf of the whole team at Romsey Mill, I want to thank everyone who helped make Bridge the Gap happen, as well as everyone who paid to take part in the walk, raising vital funds for Romsey Mill and Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.”

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chamber supports

CHARITY

Building relationships to support families Building relationships is the hallmark of all aspects of Romsey Mill’s work.

These relationships provide the foundation for helping those in our communities overcome the daily challenges and barriers that they face. They enable us to offer opportunities for families to learn important new skills and wrap-around care for those feeling overwhelmed.

Since Romsey Mill was established as a charity in 1980, our base in Cambridge, Romsey Mill Centre, has served as a community hub and the provision of a safe and welcoming space has been vital in helping families with young children to combat isolation and build community.

Our Child & Family Worker Susan Condie provides an important link for our work with families across other areas of our work, including our Pre-School provision and our work with teenage mums and young fathers.

Encouraging local parents and their under 5s Our weekly play session called ‘Little Millers’ engages with more than 250 families with children aged four and under, providing advice and encouragement over issues like pre-school provision, language development and behaviour. The Little Millers group dovetails with Romsey Mill’s Pre-School provision, across two settings in Cambridge, which helps many local families receiving funding for their child’s place. All of these are opportunities for us to get to know the families and for us to generate the support that they both want and need.

Moving from Anxiety to Resilience We are increasingly finding that anxiety is an issue for many families. So, we deliver a bespoke Building Resilience course for parents. Through teaching parents about anxiety and encouraging them to think about how to build resilience in their children, they also consider the impact that their own anxieties might have on their children. By understanding anxiety, they increase in self confidence to cope with everyday stresses, recognising how thoughts affect behaviour and are better able to face significant challenges such as lone parenting and children with additional needs, in a positive way.

Comments from parents on the course included:

“I’d take notes home and go over them with the children in our family time - it helped them verbalise their problems and emotions” “I found it really useful and it helped me to build my confidence back up.”

“The course helped me learn about different strategies to aid resilience and support my child.”

Saving money through new skills We also run a series of courses to teach parents new skills, such as a Creative Sewing Group, which helps people with no previous experience and low confidence.

The parents love having time to themselves and enjoying how to be creative and learning new skills gives them a real sense of achievement. They also learn how sewing can help save money - by making and mending things and replacing buttons, and not having to throw clothes out or buy new.

Fun with a cardboard box We also run Creative and Interactive Play coaching sessions to encourage parents to find simple and inexpensive ways to add to their playtime with their children and support bonding between parent and child.

This has included activities such as transforming cardboard boxes into cars to stimulate the children’s imaginative play, and boost the young parents’ confidence, giving them a real sense of satisfaction and helping them to come up with their own ideas for creative play with their child.

But ultimately, it’s not just these events and courses in themselves that make the real difference in families’ lives, it’s the relationships that deepen as a result and enable us to provide the one-to-one support for the parents and young people that helps them thrive in the face of any disadvantages.

Romsey Mill Telephone: 01223 213162 Email: development@romseymill.org www.romseymill.org Twitter /Facebook/Instagram: romseymill

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COUNCILLORS VISIT AWARDWINNING RECYCLING CENTRE Members from East Cambridgeshire District Council (ECDC) were recently invited to visit an award-winning recycling company based in Lancaster Business Park. The visit is a part of a wider effort to meet with and understand the needs of businesses from across the district.

Ellgia, who recently won a national award for Independent Operator of the Year at the MRW National Recycling Awards, pride themselves on using the latest technology to design bespoke waste solutions in Cambridgeshire.

Councillors and officers of ECDC were given a guided tour around the facilities where they gained an understanding of the business and an

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insight into recycling.

Ellgia presented their innovative ideas and methods for waste management to councillors, including how they fulfil their zero waste to landfill commitment. They not only offer recycling options for cardboard, paper, plastic, metal and rigid plastic, but also converts left over general waste into a material to fuel power stations and food waste into biogas.

Creating renewable energy in this manner has saved thousands of tonnes of waste going to landfill.

Councillor Steve Cheetham, service delivery champion for economic development at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Councillors thoroughly enjoyed their recent visit to Ellgia. It was a fantastic opportunity to see what the company does and how it works to reduce landfill.

“Ellgia is another example of a business that has decided to grow within the area, with two of their depots based right here in East Cambridgeshire and local offices close by.”

Blue Donkey wins Innovation Award at 10th Ely Standard Business Awards The innovation award is awarded to the business that has shown how they have introduced new ideas, techniques or technology into the organisation or marketplace or how creative ideas are being turned into business success stories.

Blue Donkey Ltd is a company that provides intelligent, unscripted, business to business outbound telemarketing.

Their work includes lead generation, appointment setting, database services, market research, mailing follow up and associated consulting and staff training.

Judges said of the winner: “Despite being an established business, Blue Donkey works in the competitive market place of B2B telemarketing.

“It has innovative processes to maintain and develop their position in the corporate world and are worthy winners of this category.”

news from

ELY CHAMBER

EXPANSION AT RED SHOES Littleport based accountancy practice, Red Shoes Accounting, has welcomed Chartered Accountant, Stephanie Whelan, to the team as the firm continues to expand.

Stephanie’s role at Red Shoes Accounting will be to develop the Virtual Finance Office providing accounts department solutions for businesses as the service grows in popularity with clients.

Victoria Cooper, Owner at Red Shoes Accounting, said: “Stephanie has vast experience in accountancy of both corporate and personal clients; she will be a great asset to our team leading

our Virtual Finance Office.

“Stephanie’s skills and knowledge will complement those of our other expert accountants at Red Shoes Accounting, offering a comprehensive service to existing and new clients.”

“I’m delighted to join the friendly and expert team at Red Shoes Accounting as they have such an excellent reputation in the area,” says Stephanie.

“Leading the Virtual Finance Office team means I’ll be working very closely with clients as an outsourced accounts department function - which is a great flexible solution for local businesses.”

King’s Ely raise £23,583 for charities in Uganda The King’s Ely community has raised more than £23,000 for two charities which support povertystricken families in East Africa.

Over the last 12 months, students, staff, families and friends of King’s Ely have been taking on a whole host of fundraising initiatives in aid of the Uganda Marathon charity and the Friends of Mengo Hospital charity.

The biggest challenge by far was in June when Richard Oliver, Alison Stewart, Amanda Kippax and Claire Kyndt, who are all members of teaching staff at King’s Ely Junior and King’s Ely Senior, signed up for the Uganda Marathon itself. The gruelling challenge saw the team, including Richard’s wife Niki, joining thousands of people from around the world to take on the 26.2 mile course through beautiful yet remote, hard-baked tracks in the equatorial heat.

Andy Miller, a representative of the Uganda Marathon charity, attended King’s Ely’s Michaelmas Mid-term Service at Ely Cathedral in October to receive a cheque for an astounding £23,583. The money will be split equally between the Uganda Marathon charity and the Friends of Mengo Hospital charity, which both work tirelessly to help reduce poverty in the Eastern African country.

MD of Xanthos Digital Marketing, publishes Guide to Digital Marketing for Managing Directors Olga Travlos, MD of Xanthos Digital Marketing, has published a book about digital marketing specifically for Managing Directors and CEOs of small to medium-sized businesses in order to help MDs grow their businesses online.

After 16 years of working with many SMEs, Olga realised the increasing complexity of the digital marketing landscape meant that managing directors and business owners would benefit from a highlevel overview, as well as a stronger understanding of how digital marketing can fuel business growth.

While as an agency, Xanthos offers consultancy and services to help with online marketing, writing a

book on the topic was the best way to share knowledge and make this information available to everyone, in order to help a wider audience understand the various strategies and channels available.

The book was written specifically to help MDs understand digital marketing in simple terms, how to define a digital marketing strategy, and how to use this knowledge to get the best out of working with an agency to generate measurable results.

BUSY BEE RECRUITMENT WIN NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD The team at Busy Bee all attended the glamorous Ely Standard Business Awards evening at Ely Cathedral, accompanying Founder, Kayleigh Bysouth.

As well as winning New Business of the Year 2018, sponsored by Cambridge Commodities, Kayleigh was recognised for her achievements since starting the business in 2017 and was a finalist for Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Fraser Dawbarns.

Kayleigh Bysouth, Founder and Managing Director, commented: “After starting the business from my bedroom I feel incredibly lucky to now be surrounded by my wonderful team. Each and every one of my talented and extremely dedicated staff have played a huge part in Busy Bee’s success so far.

“We hope that with our continued effort, and always working with integrity, that we will continue to be successful. I am aware that things can change in a heartbeat and I vow to never take any day for granted, and as a pledge to our customers and my team we promise to always give 100 per cent. Thank you to everyone who supports us, we will always be eternally grateful.”

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Scrutton Bland signs partnership with leading farming app Scrutton Bland has signed a preferred partner agreement with leading financial software company Figured, making the East Anglian based financial services firm the first to offer this app to clients in the South East.

This new partnership with the New Zealand founded technology firm, sees Scrutton Bland further strengthen its cloud accounting and business advisory service sblive and closely follows the announcement of the firm in October as the UK’s first certified partner of GoCardless, the direct debit app.

Figured is designed to take the stress and frustration out of financial planning and management for farmers. Figured achieves this by combining up to date farm production data with real-time transactional data on a cloud platform to provide an accurate view of the farm’s financial position, both current and forecast. Being cloud-based and integrated with Xero, one of the UKs biggest cloud accounting software providers, means that farmers and their advisers can work together collaboratively, look at the same figures and proactively work on the financial health of the farm business.

Nick Banks, Business Advisory Partner and Head of Scrutton Bland’s agricultural division, has been working alongside Figured as part of a development group to test and advise on the software for the UK market.

Flora-tec outsources its fleet management

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Domino Printing Sciences wins national award Domino Printing Sciences was given the ‘Operational Excellence’ accolade at the annual Manufacturer MX Awards held recently.

This is the second year in a row that Domino has won an award at this event which is the highlight of the UK manufacturing calendar, earning the ‘Supply Chain Excellence’ honour in 2017.

The Manufacturer MX Awards are organised by The Manufacturer magazine in partnership with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Awards are presented following a rigorous and detailed review of each company’s entry by groups of judges, who visit each factory in turn to review the manufacturing system design, performance indicators,

continuous improvement methodology and interview management and staff to assess the culture in the business.

Carl Haycock, UK Printer Operations Director at Domino Printing Sciences, says: “We are delighted to have won this award, which recognises the continuous improvements the business is making to its operations. By investing in our staff, products and processes, we continue to improve the service to customers, supplying a diverse range of products from an efficient, attractive workplace environment.”

VINTAGE VANS DELIGHT HUNGRY CUSTOMERS Passengers at Cambridge station now have a choice of Kumpir, coffee and French hot dogs thanks to three new colourful food trucks. A trio of colourful vintage vans are parked on station square outside the Old Ticket Office.

Coffeelink is based in a red van and sells coffee and snacks, Flavour Station operates from a black and gold van and sells freshly made Kumpir (Turkish jacket potatoes), sandwiches, salads and hot drinks, while Saucisse Mon Amour in the yellow van specialises in baguettes, French hot dogs and pulled meats.

Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia’s Asset Management Director, said: “Cambridge is the busiest station on our network and the new food trucks are proving popular Flora-tec, one of the UK’s leading horticultural services companies, has outsourced the management of its 55-strong car and van fleet to Fleet Operations.

The independent fleet management services provider has taken over full day-to-day responsibility for Flora-tec’s company vehicle operations, including fuel management, multi-bid vehicle sourcing and funding, vehicle tracking, accident management, DVLA licence checking, invoice validation and a dedicated driver helpline.

Kirsty Richardson, Operations and Client Support Manager at Flora-tec, said: “As the company has grown, we have found it much more cost

with customers throughout the day.

“We are very pleased to welcome Coffeelink, Flavour Station and Saucisse Mon Amour to Cambridge station, together they bring a great variety of food to the thousands of people who use the station every day.”

effective to outsource all our fleet management needs. We switched to Fleet Operations because of their ability to deliver on fleet cost saving promises.

We have already seen cost reductions from a variety of sources since their appointment in April.

“Multi-bid leasing obviously means we are getting the best possible cost for our vehicles each time, but we’re also benefiting from discounted repair and tyre costs, lower fuel usage due to ongoing trend analysis and lower insurance costs. Because Fleet Operations conduct weekly vehicle audits, it means that we are never paying for insurance cover which we don’t actually need.”

news from

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER

MEET CAMBRIDGE CELEBRATES 20 SUCCESSFUL YEARS A celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the conference and events bureau was attended by more than 90 people, raising £2,160 for a mental health charity.

Meet Cambridge held its fundraising event at Kettle’s Yard in November,

supported by representatives from regional companies and organisations who came along to recognise the milestone. They also helped to raise valuable funds for Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire (CPSL) Mind which focuses on support for those with mental health issues.

After being welcomed by Meet Cambridge Director Kelly Vickers, guests heard the keynote speech given by bestselling author and Telegraph journalist Bryony Gordon.

Kelly said: “Twenty years is an important milestone. Back then the team of two were handling just 20 event enquiries per week by fax; today we are dealing with 20 enquiries per hour. We now work with 75 partners,

including colleges, hotels and other conference and meeting venues, not just in Cambridge, but across the region too. These days, when most of our communications are virtual, face-to-face meetings are more important than ever.

“So, we wanted to celebrate but also to raise awareness and funds for CPSL Mind, our designated charity. A huge thank you to all our sponsors for the event whose generosity means that 100 per cent of the proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to CPSL Mind.”

Guests enjoyed a Pinkster Gin cocktail on arrival, exclusive access to the Kettle’s Yard exhibits, drinks and canapes from CDC Events and also the chance to win one of a list of exceptional experiences in the charity raffle.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) Verification Certification for Kershaw Mechanical Services Kershaw Mechanical Services, a leading Mechanical and Electrical Building Services company, is celebrating after achieving verification certification to PAS 1192-2 covering Design and Construction for Level 2 BIM for its design, manufacture, installation and supply of specialist services to the building industry.

Kershaw was an early adopter of BIM, and as an increasingly important part of the global construction market, they took the step to have its BIM capability formally recognised by BSI (British Standards Institution).

In order to achieve formal recognition, Kershaw has successfully completed the BIM level 2 for design and construction audit process, which examined the companies BIM processes, procedures and management system – ensuring they were compliant with PAS 1192-

Charity quiz raises £1,612

2:2013, BS 1192:2007 and BS 1192-4:2014.

Ian Greenstock, Managing Director at Kershaw Group, said: “I am immensely proud of what our technical team have achieved, it is a significant step forward for Kershaw and it demonstrates our investment into BIM processes and the knowledge and expertise of staff working with BIM level 2 for design and construction processes.”

CRC welcomes VIP visitors

Cambridge Regional College (CRC) has played host to two VIP visitors in support of the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ campaign that the College, students and staff support.

Alex Mayer, MEP for the East of England, visited the College’s Huntingdon campus while Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge joined the students and staff at the Cambridge campus on Wear Red Day to show their support for the campaign.

Daniel Zeichner MP said he was delighted to see the support of students at CRC’s Cambridge Campus, which proved they really cared about the issue. He commented: “Fighting racism is an important issue for our

communities and it is something that we must continue to be vigilant about. This city has a long tradition of being opening, welcoming and inclusive and I am sure that future generations will keep it that way.”

Pure hosted its annual Cambridge charity quiz night on Thursday 8 November, bringing local businesses and clients together for a fun evening which raised over £1,600 for Cambridgeshire’s bereavement charity STARS. The battle of the brains, organised by professional recruitment specialists Pure, saw 21 teams from organisations across the county pitting their wits against each other and there was plenty of friendly rivalry on the night. The overall winners were a team from Envigo with each team member being presented with a bottle of champagne for their efforts.

The event, held at The Granta Centre, also included a raffle to help raise further funds with prizes kindly donated by local businesses.

David Culley, Director at Pure, said: “Our annual charity quiz nights are one of our main fundraising activities and they are a great way for local businesses to come together, support good causes and to have fun at the same time. We are delighted to have raised such a fantastic amount for STARS, a charity we have developed strong connections with and are proud to be able to support. I would like to thank everyone who attended, donated and contributed so generously to the event. We hope to see you all again next year.” connected 23

Send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch! Email images direct to s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Ely Heroes at Informal Networking We were delighted to welcome Naomi from MetroRod at our recent Ely Informal Networking Evening at Poets House to hear a presentation on the Ely Heroes and the success of the awards.

Odd socks for Children in Need Luminus staff raised over £150 for BBC Children in Need by wearing odd socks. The money will support disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Buckles Solicitors achieve Green Apple Award for environmental best practice Caring for the environment has once again proved fruitful for Buckles Solicitors, as the firm scooped a prestigious Green Apple Award for the first time. At a glittering ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament, members of Buckles’ ‘Green Team’ collected their trophy in recognition of their efforts.

King’s Ely community remembers the fallen Students, staff, families, Old Eleans and friends of King’s Ely came together in Ely Cathedral to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. Hundreds of people gathered inside the cathedral on 9 November for the school’s Act of Remembrance – a moving service of silence, hymns, prayers and readings.

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it’s happening

U’s fans and ex-pro’s raise £2,350 for charitable cause

OUT & ABOUT

CHEESE FESTIVAL A BRIE-LLIANT SUCCESS Cheese, cheese and more cheese saw food fans enjoy a festival feta than all the rest in a first event of its kind to be staged at the East of England Arena and Events Centre.

Sean Wilson, well known for playing Martin Platt in Coronation Street, started a new venture in 2009 ‘The Saddleworth Cheese Company’ and delighted Cheese Fest goers by manning his stall and staging a series of entertaining demonstrations throughout the weekend.

The fourth Mick George Charity Match was once again another fantastic occasion, raising a commendable £2,350 for the ongoing medical assistance of U’s supporter Simon Dobbin, who was in attendance on the evening alongside wife Nicole, and members of the wider family.

PUDSEY BEAR VISITS THE LOCAL AREA DANCING TO HIS OWN SONG Pudsey Bear has had a fantastic time with Beacon Wealth Group visiting the local area, in the run up to his special night on 16 November 2018.

CWA STUDENTS BATTLE FOR RAF RECRUITMENT CHALLENGE CUP Students from the College of West Anglia (CWA) participated in a wide range of competitions at RAF Witteringham for the Recruitment Challenge Cup.

Pudsey Bear attended Kimbolton fireworks and visited local schools, pre-schools, nurseries and Holly Ward at Hinchingbrooke hospital.

‘A drop in the ocean’ Over 120 professionals working across the food industry, discussed the consumer driven decrease in the use of plastics at a packaging innovation event held by Roythornes Solicitors in November at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.

Over 110 students from 10 schools and further education colleges took part in the annual event.

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Talent spotters We know where to look for the right people.

news from

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

FENLAND CHAMBER

Swann Edwards Architecture scoop Small Business of the Year at Fenland Business Awards Architecture firm Swann Edwards made it two in two after winning at the Fenland Business Awards for the second consecutive year.

The architectural practice, which won Employer of the Year in 2017, continued its winning streak by taking home the Small Business of the Year award.

Upon winning the award, the judges commented that Swann Edwards was a “well-managed business growing year on year”, adding that its evolution and diversification will “catapult them even further towards becoming a key architectural business in East Anglia”.

Swann Edwards was established in 2011 by directors Gareth Edwards and Russell Swann. Based in Guyhirn, near Wisbech, the practice works on a variety of projects throughout East Anglia and beyond, including residential, industrial, eco-friendly, commercial and more.

Following the successful launch of its two sister companies, White and Eddy Limited and Liv Architects Limited, Swann Edwards intends to

continue its growth throughout the region.

Owner Russell Swann, who attended the awards ceremony in October, credited the team at Swann Edwards for making the company what it is today: “We’re feeling really good about the awards and it’s fantastic to be recognised for the effort two years in a row.

“This is a great testament to the hard work of the whole Swann Edwards Team.”

Swann Edwards has not shied away from the challenges of recruiting for an architectural practice in such a rural location, instead choosing to invest heavily in local talent and focusing on reducing staff turnover.

The firm has invested in dedicated HR resource, ongoing professional development, team building activities and all-expenses paid-for trips, plus employee wellbeing initiatives.

In 2017 Swann Edwards was recognised for this investment when it picked up the Employer of the Year Award at the Fenland Business Awards 2017.

Picture credit: Fenland Enterprise Business Awards 2018

Russell added: “Investing in our team is crucial to the growth and development of our business, but also to the type of environment we have and want to continue to nurture at Swann Edwards. We are passionate about our business and we work hard, but we also enjoy what we do – creating the right environment for our team means both our people and our business thrive.”

Nathan scoops top Nationwide Apprentice of the Year Award 19-year-old Nathan Cope, College of West Anglia student, joined other finalists to win the nationwide Young Apprentice of the Year award at the Food Processing Awards 2018.

The Food Processing Awards are

Nathan Cope (third from left) alongside other award-winners at the Food Processing Awards 2018

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designed to recognise and reward engineering innovation in the food and beverage sector.

Nathan is currently studying for his Level 3 Food and Drink Engineering Maintenance Apprenticeship Standard, splitting his time between study at the College of West Anglia’s (CWA) Wisbech campus, and working at Bakkavör salad site, Bourne Prepared Produce in Lincolnshire.

CWA have a strong history of delivering apprenticeships and are the only college in the East of England who have been rated Outstanding for apprenticeship delivery by Ofsted.

Currently, CWA have over 900 active apprenticeships in a wide-range of industries, including engineering, horticulture and administration.

CWA principal, David Pomfret,

said: “We are delighted with the success of Nathan and our apprenticeship employers.

Apprenticeships play a vital role in strengthening the economy and are both beneficial to businesses and individuals alike; learning pays, literally.”

Nathan said: “My apprenticeship involves shadowing engineers as they are called to jobs allowing me to gain first-hand experience of the processes they use to find and solve any faults. I attend college alongside working, which has allowed me to develop quickly. Bakkavör have already provided me with so many opportunities, I am guaranteed a job there when I finish my apprenticeship, too. I plan on completing a HNC while working here, and I will definitely think about continuing on to Higher Education in the future.”

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news from

HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER

Hunts Post Huntingdonshire Business Awards This Awards evening, held at Burgess Hall in St Ives, is dedicated to recognising and celebrating commercial success in the Huntingdonshire district. The awards, celebrating their 21st year, demonstrate the strength and diversity of local companies and their employees.

Award win for Switch Now CIC

Switch Now CIC were thrilled to win the award of Business in the Community Award.

Director Mark Hawking said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the work we do, we have worked extremely hard to establish Switch Now since forming in 2015.

“We are so proud of the young people we train, they all have many skills they can use to progress into employment.”

Switch Now have a dedicated job coaching team that supports businesses and individuals towards successful employment.

apprenticeship at the College on behalf of her employer, Huntingdon District Council, as part of its staff development programme.

Tina Spark WBL Manager, Business Services & Health and Social Care at Cambridge Regional College, nominated Melanie for the award because she has already exceeded expectations, passing the ICT Level 1 element of her apprenticeship and working towards Level 2 and shown full commitment to her qualification.

“Everybody at CRC is delighted for Melanie, she deserves this award as recognition for all her hard work and the example she has set. Melanie has taken full ownership of her apprenticeship and drives the qualification forward with an extremely positive attitude. Feedback from her managers is exemplary and she always receives very complimentary feedback from her colleagues on her attitude and the significant contribution she has made within her department,” said Tina.

Business Awards. Encocam was nominated for three awards, Apprentice of the Year, The Innovation Award and Business Development Award.

We were up against tough competition from the region but came away with great results; Cellbond (Division of Encocam) was the Winner of Business Development for growth in the Crash Test Dummy sector, Insight (Road Safety product) was a Finalist for The Innovation Award and Chris Hartley, from our HR department, was a Finalist for Apprentice of the Year.

Well done to all involved, it was a great night and the accolades received were well deserved!

CRC student wins Apprentice of the Year accolade An apprentice from Cambridge Regional College (CRC) has achieved the title of Huntingdonshire Apprentice of the Year at the Hunts Posts Business Awards 2018.

Melanie Le-Fort is currently studying a Level 2 Business Administration

Encocam success at The Hunts Post Huntingdonshire Awards 2018 Encocam enjoyed a successful evening at The Hunts Post Huntingdonshire

TOP 100 INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER SIX YEARS RUNNING Current figures show there are 13,690 financial advising firms in the UK and Beacon Wealth Management Ltd have just been nominated one of the Top 100 Independent Financial Advisers in the UK by the New Model Adviser.

This is the sixth year running Beacon Wealth Management Ltd a growing firm has achieved the Top 100 award.

Beacon Wealth Management Ltd was the first Chartered Financial Planning Company in Cambridgeshire when it opened its doors in 2010. Since then the company has

grown, having an umbrella name of Beacon Wealth Group containing Beacon Wealth Management Ltd, Beacon Wealth Legal and Beacon Wealth Estates.

Tony Larkins, Managing Director at Beacon Wealth Group, commented: “My management team and I have worked together for 10 years or more, and my heads of Investment, Finance and Marketing are all Chartered in their own profession. I am very proud of my team and will continue to enter awards and will hopefully achieve our seventh year next year.”

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page?

Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk connected 29

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page?

Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Successful year for Colin Brackley In October 2017 Colin started his company Agile Engineering, a tailored structural and civil engineering consultancy service. In just one year Agile has expanded to three members of staff and further expansion is expected in the next six months.

The team supporting Agile Engineering includes graduate Structural/Civil Engineer Dimitrios Petridis, who completed his master’s degree in 2017 and Office Manager Johann Boorman. Dimitrios commented that he was excited to be part of the team at Agile Engineering and looked forward to working with Colin. Johann is an experienced administrator and has a multifaceted expanding role.

Agile Engineering works with clients

Qualification achievement

in the education, commercial, residential and domestic sectors on a range of projects such as commercial buildings, new builds and home extensions.

Agile Engineering thrives by ensuring that clients are provided with solutions to their needs and by understanding that good communications is paramount to excellent working relationships.

Colin commented: “This last year has exceeded all my expectations and I look forward in anticipation to the year ahead.”

Full steam ahead for local accountants All aboard! More than 100 guests turned out to bid farewell to Moore Stephens’ Senior Partner, Dickon Sandbach, who retired from the Peterborough-based accountants after 40 years with the firm.

Guests enjoyed a memorable day out in the late autumn sunshine aboard the iconic Tornado steam locomotive, travelling between Peterborough and Wansford on the Nene Valley Railway.

Andy Hancock, Managing Partner at Moore Stephens Peterborough office, said: “The event was the perfect way to say goodbye to Dickon, who was a member of the finance committee

Charles Whattoff from New Behaviours is pleased to announce his qualifications with the British Psychological Society (BPS) in occupational psychometric testing.

Earlier in the autumn he completed his BPS Level 2 (A&B) certification and he is also accredited with the European Federation of Psychologist’s Associations in Work and Occupational Assessment.

Charles said: “I’m delighted to have achieved these qualifications. The understanding of personality and behaviour is very complex. Whilst the use of psychometrics in the work place is relatively common, they can be easily miss-interpreted and it is important to me to be able to advise on and administer psychometrics to the highest professional and ethical standards.”

of the Nene Valley Railway for many years. Dickon has made an enormous contribution to Moore Stephens over the years, and we wish him the best of luck for the future.”

SUCCESS FOR HUNT & COOMBS AS LEGAL 500 RANKINGS ARE ANNOUNCED Hunt & Coombs Solicitors are extremely proud to have once more received top tier recommendations in the Legal 500 UK 2018.

A rigorous process of assessment was followed whereby client testimonials were scrutinised and specialist researchers provided independent assessments before making their recommendations.

Hunt & Coombs were delighted to have had 10 lawyers listed in the elite ‘Leading Individuals’ list – the Legal 500’s guide to outstanding lawyers. This is an outstanding result for the firm and a credit to each individual and the teams that support them. In addition to this, Louise Ballantyne was recognised by the guide as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer’ and 27 other lawyers were recommended.

30 connected

Senior Partner, Anna Spriggs, commented: “We are tremendously proud of our achievement in the Legal 500 this year.

To have 10 lawyers awarded the elite ‘Leading Individual’ status as well as 28

other individuals recommended is a fantastic achievement. Our lawyers and support staff work enormously hard to exceed the expectations of their clients and these results reflect our expertise and commitment.”

news from

Customer Service award for Charis Wedgwood Women Leaders Peterborough is a prestigious awards event that recognises the talents and achievements of women living or working in the Peterborough postcode area.

Charis Wedgood, Director of Chef de la Maison Ltd, was presented with the Customer Service Award.

Charis commented: “I was absolutely thrilled to be chosen as a finalist in the Women Leaders Peterborough Awards, to be listed as a finalist in the customer service category was especially exciting as it’s always been our business ethos

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER

since we started 20 years ago.

“To win, when I was in a category with such inspirational women who work in much larger companies than my own, was a huge achievement for me. ”It was even more special as I was nominated for this award. This award is not just for me, it’s for my wonderful team and especially Alison Wood who has worked with me for nearly 15 years. Any business, big or small, is nothing without a good team behind them and I have a wonderful one.”

Chef de la Maison was established in 1998 by Charis Wedgwood and Nathan Higgins. Their aim is to continue to grow Chef de la Maison and take on more staff, especially apprentices, and do more work for our local charities.

EML Electrical donates tools to local community project The Green Backyard was targeted twice by thieves recently taking three power drills which are used on a regular basis, a generator and £100 cash.

Mark at EML Electrical saw this awful news and was quick to react. He spoke to the co-founder of the Green Backyard and said he would donate these power tools.

He purchased brand new power tools for the organisation and had these delivered to Sophie and her team within the week.

Sophie of Green Backyard said: “We would just like to say how grateful we are.

It’s taken a really unpleasant situation and turned it around,

reminding us just how amazing the community can be. We didn’t want share the story publicly online because it was not very good news. But we are very pleased we did and grateful to all those that have overwhelmed us with their kindness.”

Mark said: “When I found out that these power tools were only purchased because Sophie had run the Great Eastern Run to raise money for the drills it really pulled at my heartstrings. We are a relatively small business, but I felt it was out duty to help this local community project get back on their feet by donating some power tools to them.”

EML Electrical are a commercial and industrial electrical contractors offering commercial and industrial electrical services including electric charging point installation, electrical installations, electrical maintenance and data and fibre optics cabling.

Roythornes excels in Legal 500 Top 200 national law firm Roythornes Solicitors is celebrating after seven of its key practice areas were named in the Legal 500.

Roythornes’ agricultural and estates team added East Anglia to their collection of top tier rankings for providing quality legal services, whilst the firm’s commercial property team broke into the East Midlands real estate rankings for the first time.

The Legal 500 is the world’s most comprehensive analysis of law firms, this includes a research programme which is revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market.

Vember Mortlock, Managing Director at Roythornes Solicitors, said: “We are

delighted with the progress we’ve made over the past year and our Legal 500 rankings are a reflection of the hard work and one team ethos we instil across all our offices.

“As a practice, we’re always looking to grow, learn and develop and in each of our practice areas we have some extremely talented individuals who are bringing their commercial know-how to the business and building longstanding relationships with clients.”

Electrical Contractor of the Year Early 2018, Brook and Mayo entered the National Electrical Industries Awards under the category ‘Best Electrical Contractor’.

They looked at how they could approach the entry to make them stand out from every other electrical contractor.

“Our entry was focussed around the business, and the people within the business. Our employee ownership model, all of our employees are shareholders within the company, makes us unique in our industry.

“Along with our simple philosophy of being an honest, friendly and reliable contractor, which has stood us in good stead for the last 50 years, we felt we have put an attractive entry forward.”

They made it through to the finals where they beat eight other contractors from across the UK to win Electrical Contractor of the Year.

The panel of judges, all industry leaders, stated that they were impressed with the structure and ethos of the business which made them stand out above the other finalists.

BUCKLES SOLICITORS HIT THE HEIGHTS IN LEGAL 500 RANKINGS Buckles Solicitors LLP are celebrating after achieving their highest ever number of leading individuals to be featured in the Legal 500 rankings.

The 2018 listings included nine of the firm’s lawyers from across seven departments who were noted as leading individuals. In addition, Alex Burch, a contentious probate lawyer, received recognition in the ‘next generation’ category.

Buckles also received Tier 1 rankings for four departments in the prestigious rankings which are highly regarded throughout the legal sector.

Duncan Jackson, Buckles’ Chief Executive, said: “We are all extremely pleased with our Legal 500 rankings.

They are a reflection of the expertise and dedication of the whole team.” connected 31

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news from

STAMFORD CHAMBER

Employers and college showcase construction careers to local schools Almost 500 students from local secondary and primary schools tried their hands at a range of construction skills during a have-a-go event designed to inspire the tradesmen and women of the future.

New College Stamford teamed up with South Lincolnshire Group Training Association (SLGTA) and a wealth of local and regional employers from the construction industry, to offer local school pupils the opportunity to explore a variety of technical, professional and trade career opportunities available within the construction industry.

320 primary school and 170 secondary school students took part in a range of have-a-go activities including building with recyclable materials, cable-stayed bridge building, operating hydraulics and plant machinery, road construction and surveying. Alongside tradition skills such as plastering, tiling and joinery.

Gary McPartland, Head of

Construction at New College Stamford, said: “Over the next five years the construction industry will need to recruit over 220,000 additional people to meet the skills challenge. It is important we sustain the future economy and give young people a taste of the different trades available to them in the professional and technical construction industries.

“As well as having lots of fun, we hope that inviting students to have a go themselves will give them insight into a career they may have not considered before.”

The hugely successful event is now in its fourth year, and celebrates the

working relationships and collaboration of not only schools and colleges, but local employers, students and tutors who all engage with supporting and delivering activities to the future of our construction workforce.

New year, new careers: Strawman’s latest website build for Quanta Contracts For many people, a new year means a fresh start.

Any resolution can be tricky, but for those radical changes, like a career shift or a new company project, employment specialists Quanta Contracts are there to help.

A leading construction and commercial recruiter, Quanta approached Strawman to help them refresh their website.

The result is a streamlined site, with slicker functionality, and fully responsive design that puts the people first.

‘Search’ and ‘upload CV’ features take

prominence, helping you find what you need easily, and highlighting the peoplecentric approach that defines Quanta.

A slick responsive approach for mobile devices was vital, with mobile market share now higher than desktop, and 48 per cent of users citing smartphones as their most important device for internet connectivity.

Strawman’s latest web build aims to help people start 2019 the right way; and if you have your own business resolutions, Strawman would be happy to help.

STAMFORD’S BEST KEPT SECRET The Stamford Chamber of Commerce recently held an exclusive evening of fine dining at the Gallery Kitchen, offering the opportunity to meet members of the Chamber committee and Cllr Matthew Lee, Leader of South Kesteven District Council. Cllr Lee spoke about his first year in office and plans for the Stamford economy.

The event was hosted by Janet Meenaghan, Principal of New College Stamford, at Gallery Kitchen which offers finest gourmet dining with all food freshly prepared,

with great emphasis on local and seasonal produce and presented by their catering students to the highest standards.

John Bridge OBE DL, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, commented: “A great evening was had by all. We had an excellent six course dinner at Gallery Kitchen, which was of exceptional quality, and provided by a great team of students both in the kitchen and serving. I would highly recommend that you attend.”

Janet Meenaghan, Cllr Matthew Lee, John Bridge and Richard Olsen, Chair of the Stamford Chamber

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that could be featured on this page? Get in touch.

Tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk connected 33

DISABILITY CONFIDENCE

IN THE WORKPLACE

I

n the UK, one in five people have a disability or health condition. Most people acquire their disability during their working life and have to come to terms with physical changes and new challenges.

What is the definition of a disability?

The Equality Act defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-today activities. Long-term means it lasts 12 months or more.

34 connected

There are also many disabilities that are ‘hidden’ such as dyslexia or diabetes etc.

Statistics show that one in 10 people will be dyslexic (British Dyslexia Association) and one in four people will experience mental health problems during their life (MIND). It is therefore highly likely that there will be disabled individuals in each and every organisation.

For over 35 years, Cambridge based company Iansyst ltd has provided a range of disability solutions to help individuals of all ages.

“One of the challenges is that individuals may feel worried about asking for help. It’s critical that employers create

report from

an inclusive environment where everyone can feel comfortable about disclosing their disability or health condition,” said Janine King, Managing Director of Iansyst Ltd. “In your organisation, if a member of your team required support, would they know who to contact and the type of workplace adjustments that are available to help them? Do your managers also know how best support them? This is where we come in. We help thousands of disabled individuals every year.”

Iansyst offers workplace assessments, assistive technology products, training, disability awareness workshops and one-to-one coaching services. By helping a disabled individual use assistive technology and develop workplace strategies to help them in their role, they often become more confident and it improves their overall wellbeing. This helps to reduce absenteeism, which is currently costing the UK economy £18 billion (2017 figures), and enables those individuals to achieve greater independence in their work and daily lives.

and go into companies of all sizes to find solutions that will work for both the employer and employee.

To help identify what is needed, Iansyst will provide a workplace assessment with an experienced assessor who will work with the employee and listen to the challenges they experience with their impairment. A workplace assessment considers the type of tasks required in an employee’s role, the physical workplace environment, the coping strategies and resources they may already be using and any other relevant information in which to build a report.

The report will include a proposed range of reasonable adjustments such as the most relevant assistive technology software and equipment, as well as one to one training and coaching sessions.

Janine added: “At Iansyst, we will handle the process from start to finish and also work with the HR team and line manager to ensure everything is set-up and in place. This saves everyone time and ensures the individual receives the support they need as soon as possible.”

As an employer, what is your responsibility?

The Equality Act 2010 requires all businesses to provide workplace adjustments for individuals with a disability. This also includes long term physical conditions or illnesses that have an impact on the workplace.

Is funding available?

The government provides a grant for employers called ‘Access to Work (ATW)’.

This is aimed at providing personalised support for disabled people to remain in work, or to take up work. If an organisation has fewer than 50 employees then the Access to Work grant will cover the costs for a range of workplace adjustments. Above that, there is a sliding scale of charges. Information is available

What services does Iansyst provide?

The Iansyst team talk to employers

IANSYST

at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ access-to-work-guide-for-employers What is the ‘Disability Confident’ employer scheme?

There is a government initiative called ‘Disability Confident’ which is a scheme to help employers be confident in their ability to recruit a more diverse pool of candidates. This scheme helps to attract new employees with disabilities and benefit from their skills and knowledge. Disability Confident also includes a range of free resources for employers. www.gov.uk/government/collections/ disability-confident-campaign As part of this scheme, Iansyst Ltd has been awarded the ‘Disability Confident Leader’ status which means that we have demonstrated our commitment to disabilityfriendly approaches in our business and we can also help other employers to do the same.

Where can I find out more?

Iansyst is hosting a free Disability Confident event for employers in March 2019 in conjunction with the Cambridge Network, which will focus on the benefits of being Disability Confident and offer strategies to create a disability inclusive workplace. You can sign up to register for this event by emailing marketing@iansyst. co.uk.

If you would prefer to have an informal chat about how Iansyst can help, please email Janine.King@iansyst.co.uk.

connected 35

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Exploring Cambridgeshire Colleges to clocks, cows to punts

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connect with

SIGNPOST 2 GROW

Access to Finance Even in the era of crowd funding, businesses are often started on overdrafts or credit cards. However, before long those businesses will need to be financed so it can stand on its own two feet if it is to be a sustainably growing proposition.

Once a business is up and running on the growth journey, management will need to ensure that future plans for growth can be financed.

All in the prep The work to be done in getting a business to a position where it can take on additional capital need not be too daunting a task; however, nor should it be underestimated.

START by looking at the business afresh, with a questioning mind, so that the answers to the questions a potential shareholder or lender will probably raise are immediately to hand.

• Step out from your business – To make sure the business can move forward, entrepreneurs must step out from the business and ask the questions that need answering • Take a fresh look at prospects and challenges – Plans may have been made when the business was little more than an idea. Things change and circumstances move on. Make a fresh assessment of where the business is, what the opportunities are, how achievable they are and what new challenges you face • Analyse your opportunities – Analyse the prospects for the business in light of any changed circumstances.

Review the new upsides and the new downsides that need to be carried out and the impact of them, together with

the probability of different scenarios • Reach for the future – On the basis of the above analysis, prepare a detailed forecast, looking at the forecast profit and loss account and balance sheet and then, crucially, at the cash flow, which will highlight how much capital needs to be put into the business to finance your latest plans • Think about finance – Namely, how appropriate your finance options are and how attainable they may be. To secure debt financing and/ or investment, you need to make your business proposition clear and understandable to your target audience – with a business plan.

At this stage, it may be a good idea to get some outside advice to ensure that it is ‘investment ready’.

Business plan Remember, a solid business plan is the key to securing funding. A robust business plan helps potential lenders or investors understand the vision and goals of the business. It also brings focus to management’s understanding of the business strategy. It helps them understand the risks inherent in the strategy and the impact of any deviations from their plan – particularly when it comes to funding.

The plan should always be ‘fully funded’ – with sufficient headroom so that the whole process will not have to be revisited too soon. Whether it is short-term debt finance or long-term growth capital, different equity investors and different debt providers will all have specific requirements when it comes to the content of business plans.

Cash is king Managing daily cash flow is another essential factor when accessing finance.

Being able to demonstrate good cash management sends out the right signals to potential investors and/or lenders The only way cash flow can be kept under control is by understanding the ins and outs. A weekly cash-flow forecast is often essential, particularly in a growing business. Management must understand the amount of cash and working capital required to operate the business. Then working capital needs to be carefully managed.

This approach to cash management is not just part of the preparation for taking on new investment or debt; it is a procedure that must be ongoing. With new stakeholders the scrutiny of cash flow will likely be even greater as the business’s journey proceeds.

For any entrepreneur, wherever they are on their business journey, knowing what options there are along the way is key to making successful progress. And, crucially, this applies to the financing options. The idea that an exact route can be mapped out for a business is one road analogy too far. Running a business will throw up many new challenges: closed roads or roads that lead to dead ends, so being aware of the alternative routes is critical. You may need to take advice on directions but if you are forearmed with the knowledge that there are alternatives, the journey is far less daunting.

To find out more go online at www.signpost2grow.co.uk or email hello@signpost2grow.co.uk

connected 39

25.7m 477m Unique visitors each month

Page view each month

east.trinitymirror.com

insight from

PPC – Getting the Clicks That Count An increasing number of businesses are using search engines to deliver them more customers. Sarah West from Full Mix Marketing, shares her tips for getting the best from your pay-per-click (PPC) budget.

1 – Quality, Not Quantity The golden rule of PPC is ‘quality, not quantity’. One website visitor who buys or enquires can be more valuable than hundreds who simply visit your website but go no further.

A well-managed paid search campaign seeks to minimise the cost-perclick for effective terms. However, whilst it’s wise to target cheaper and more specific search terms, fewer clicks from

more competitive keywords might actually result in greater sales.

Conversion tracking is a good way to see which keywords are most productive.

Though customers may be unable to buy through your website, there are other behaviours you can track to ensure you’re targeting the most productive searches.

2 – Preparation is Key It’s wise to look at your current customers and identify any common attributes. For example, they may be men, clustered around one location and only search in the daytime. Be realistic about how far your budget will reach and refine your targeting to those most likely to buy.

If you’re using PPC to promote something new, consider also promoting your existing services to provide a meaningful benchmark.

3 – Landing Pages However effective your search ads are, you need to ensure those clicking find the experience they expect. Users need specific information that relates to their search and your homepage is rarely the

SARAH WEST

right landing page.

Too few appropriate landing pages and the bounce rate (those visitors who leave without exploring) will be high.

Too many and the time spent creating each page will exceed the likely returnon-investment. Generally, the correct number of landing pages for effective PPC also satisfies SEO and provides all visitors with the right experience of your company.

4 – More Than Just Search Customers may be unlikely to choose your product or service after just one visit to your website. Remarketing displays an advert on other websites which visitors to your website subsequently see. It’s strong for maintaining awareness and boosting sales conversion.

Particularly for B2B, searching online may not be the only way customers discover your product. Display, social media and affiliate advertising may also expose your business to your target audience.

Want to get more from your digital marketing? Visit fullmixmarketing.co.uk for more support.

connected 41

Financial Services focused on you. from the very start, the advice we give you will be tailored to your financial needs and objectives, helping you to make informed decisions for your future.

Contact us now to find out how we could help you.

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PETERBOROUGH

B2B

Peterborough B2B 2018 Over 50 exhibitors and 400 visitors Here’s a reminder of the useful websites attended this year’s exhibition at KingsGate shared with us during the session: Conference Centre where a busy seminar Facebook Business Hub: www.facebook. and networking programme allowed com/business companies to share knowledge and skills to Get started with Facebook Advertising develop and enhance their businesses. and Business Manager: https://business. facebook.com/overview The highlight of the day was our inspirational seminar with Arjun Paliwal, Instagram for Business: https://business. instagram.com/ Strategic Account Manager at Facebook, who works with a portfolio of small and Instagram Stories for Business: https:// medium businesses to drive their growth business.instagram.com/a/stories across the Family of Apps.

Messenger for Business: www.facebook. com/business/marketing/messenger This session advised how you can leverage Facebook’s tools to find your Facebook Blueprint e-learning customers and embrace the need for speed opportunities: www.facebook.com/ in a mobile world. business/learn?ref=ens_rdr

connected 43

C

2ounties 2019

BUSINESS EXHIBITION

Wednesday 13 March 2019, 10.30am-3.30pm IWM Duxford Conference and Events Centre, Cambridge, CB22 4QR • Exhibition space from £50.00 (plus VAT) • Free speed networking and seminars • A great opportunity to promote your business

Sponored by Est 1819

Cambridge Independent

To find out more, please contact Jenni Misseldine at Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce on 01223 209810 or email j.misseldine@cambscci.co.uk

www.twocountiesexhibition.com Advert IQ magazine.indd 1

22/11/2018 10:35:12

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

Your essential business calendar for the next months.

INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENINGS

January 2019

7

St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club 5.00-7.00pm

14

Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm

17

Barclays Bank, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

16

KingsGate Conference Centre, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

23

Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

February 2019

4

St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club 5.00-7.00pm

20

Metro Bank, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

6

Paten & Co, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm

21

Hotel du Vin, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

11

Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm

27

Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

Safari Networking Breakfast Cambridge DATE Tuesday 22 January TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION IWM Duxford Conference and Events Centre, Duxford, Cambridge, CB22 4QR PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) nonChamber members CONTACT Jenni Misseldine on 01223 209811 or email j.misseldine@ cambscci.co.uk Ensuring Your B2B Marketing Flies in 2019.

We‘ve lined up a room full of Chamber members ready to get connected with you and your business – all you have to do is get the date in your diary and book a place!

After breakfast Sarah West, awardwinning Chartered Marketer from Chamber member’s Full Mix Marketing, shares her tips and experiences for selecting the best mix of marketing to target fellow businesses in 2019.

Chamber members can book events online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk 46 connected

chamber

EVENTS

AMAZING BENEFITS OF

CHAMBER

MEMBERSHIP DATE Wednesday 16 January, Wednesday 13 February TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Peterborough Chamber, 6 The Forum, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT DATE Thursday 17 January, Thursday 14 February TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Milton Hall, Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6WZ PRICE Free to attend, please register in advance CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Come and learn the real, tangible benefits of membership in terms of financial savings and increasing revenue and profitability.

Whether you’re looking to generate interest in your services and increase sales, develop your professional skillset, explore new opportunities to do business overseas, or take advantage of the cost-savings and protection available, our extensive membership package offers it all.

You will also discover our latest promotional opportunities and get connected with our benefit service providers. We will also explain how we can help you engage with others in the Chamber network and across the wider business community.

STORM IN A TEACUP

DATE Tuesday 5 February TIME 10.00am-12.00pm LOCATION Hotel du Vin, 5-19 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA PRICE £12.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £17.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Storm in a Teacup is a supportive network offering the unique opportunity to glean feedback and ideas from others.

If you want to sound out a new initiative outside your own working environment or looking to explore a new business idea, this event offers you the ideal platform.

Safari Networking Breakfast Peterborough DATE Tuesday 12 February TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Pinnacle House, Fengate, Peterborough, PE1 5YD PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Jenni Misseldine on 01223 209811 or email j.misseldine@cambscci.co.uk Meet valuable business contacts and grow your connections at this breakfast event.

After breakfast we’ll hear from Paul Glenn, Director at Sliding Paradigms.

BEER TASTING AND NETWORKING

DATE Thursday 24 January TIME 4.00-7.00pm LOCATION The Maltings, Ely, CB7 4BB PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £27.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Jenni Misseldine on 01223 209811 or email j.misseldine@cambscci.co.uk

The Ely Chamber Committee has teamed up with CAMRA for a special networking event taking place the night before the Ely and District CAMRA 11th Elysian Winter Beer Festival opens to the public. connected 47

HEWITSONS YOU Whether you are an individual, a business, or an organisation such as a charity, our approach to understanding the issues you face ensures we deliver the specialist legal guidance to get you where you want to be. You and Hewitsons: it’s a partnership that works.

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