connected issue 75

INSPIRING BUSINESS SUCCESS

ISSUE 75

The official monthly magazine for Chamber members

CLEANTECH REVOLUTION How the UK has the potential to become a global leader in Cleantech innovation

PLUS. . . all the news from the Chamber Network Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

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this issue

CONTENTS

15

18

16

29

24 5

Chief Executive’s highlights

6-7

Connections

8-9

Influence

10-11

Global reach

12-13

Knowledge

14

Protection

15

Ask the expert

16-17

New members

18-19

Charity

20

Fenland Chamber news

21

Ely Chamber news

Chambers of Commerce

33

22-23

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber news

24-25

Out & about

27

Cambridgeshire Chamber news

29

Huntingdonshire Chamber news

30-31 33 34-35

Peterborough Chamber news Stamford Chamber news Cambridge Cleantech

39

Signpost 2 Grow

41

Marketing Insight

43

Employer Supported Policing

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

We’re holding a special informal networking evening on Thursday 21 March where we welcome our Charity of the Year, Romsey Mill. This is a great opportunity to drive your business forward whilst having a tour of Barons BMW showroom and even taking a test drive. Full details, and all our other forthcoming events, are available on pages 45-47 and on the Chamber website.

This month we introduce ESP - a staff development opportunity that supports Cambridgeshire Police and the local community. Further information can be found on page 43.

To share your news in connected, please email your article and a photograph directly to me. You can also upload your news and events onto the Chamber website by loggingin to the member area.

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

Editor Sadie Parr Published by

Print xlpress Design Jill Rowbotham Advertising Caroline Baker caroline.baker@trinitymirror.com 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

20

FEB 2019

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

MAR 2019

Informal Networking Evening, St Ives

4

21 Informal Networking Evening, Cambridge

6

Informal Networking Evening, Stamford

27

Making Tax Digital Breakfast Seminar, Huntingdon

7

27

Informal Networking Evening, Chatteris

8

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Ely

International Women’ Day, Peterborough

20

20

Visit cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

11

4 connected

19

Two Counties Business Exhibition, Cambridge

Business Brunch, Cambridge

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Peterborough

21

21

26

27

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.

13

Informal Networking Evening, Ely

Amazing Benefits of Chamber Membership, Cambridge

Drive Your Business Forward, Cambridge

What does trade look like moving forward, Huntingdon

Informal Networking Evening, Chatteris

Informal Networking Evening, Peterborough

28

BCC Annual Conference, London

view from the

BRIDGE

I am pleased to advise that Brian Jones has been elected as Chairman of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Board. Brian has extensive senior experience with businesses in Cambridge and Peterborough and is best known locally as Chairman of Alwalton Hall in Peterborough which he jointly owns with his wife and business partner Maggie.

His prior experience includes 15 years on the executive boards of FTSE100 companies, including as Chief Information Officer at Allied Domecq, Head of Business Transformation at Burberry, Chief Commercial Officer at Smiths Group, and President of Smiths Detection.

This unique combination of entrepreneurship and a successful global corporate career, have given Brian a wealth of experience to draw upon as well as a passion for independent businesses and we very much look forward to working with him.

It is a pleasure once again to be one of the judges for the prestigious Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards, and I was able to catch up with Andy Harter CBE, Chair of the judging panel, Jenny Chapman, Former Business Editor, and Karen Bull from the Cambridge News,at our latest round of judging. Andy is High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Chairman of Cambridge Network, Founder and Group CEO of RealVNC. Despite all that is currently going on, it is fantastic to see so many excellent high-performing businesses taking part.

This year is no exception, with such a high standard of entries it has been difficult to determine the final shortlist.

The winners will be announced in the Great Hall at King’s College, Cambridge, on Thursday 21 March.

I recently met with Cllr Matthew Lee, the Leader of South Kesteven District Council, to discuss InvestSK and the exciting plans for the future particularly in relation to Stamford.

InvestSK is responsible for leading South Kesteven’s ambitious economic development agenda, working to support local businesses to grow, deliver new inward investment and enhance the skills of the future workforce.

As a Chamber we are exploring with Matthew, a dynamic leader, and Steve Bowyer, Chief Executive of InvestSK, how we can work in partnership to drive the economy forward and create business success. You can find out more about a new grant fund that has been launched to boost South Kesteven’s town centres on page 33.

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.

New member Cofinitive talk about joining the Chamber Corporate communications consultancy Cofinitive has become the first new Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce member of 2019.

Founded in 2015 by Faye Holland, and selected by Cambridge News as one of Cambridge’s ‘130 most influential businesses’, Cofinitive is a corporate communications consultancy working with clients locally, nationally and globally, offering a powerful combination of strategic business partner and consultancy.

“As a local company we’re committed to supporting Cambridge business,” says Faye. “The Chamber has a strong collective voice on key issues facing businesses and we want to help make that voice even stronger, through our own network and business experience.”

Cofinitive’s team of communications experts work across industry sectors and international boundaries. Last year, the company worked with

The official monthly magazine for

Promote your company in our magazine.

Chamber members

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

6 connected

through the sharing of insights and knowledge as well as directly supporting a young organisation like the Cambridge China Centre.

Faye summarised: “We have been told we are ‘networking experts’ so it makes sense to join one of the biggest networks in the UK, as well as here locally across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority area. And with our global portfolio of clients, we’re hoping to add value to both the Chamber and their members over the coming years.”

Keep your business connected

ISSUE 74

INSPIRING BUSINESS SUCCESS

the Cambridge China Centre to launch the first Cambridge China Forum which attracted over 130 Chinese and English industry leaders, scientific experts and government officials.

The Chamber’s own Chief Executive, John Bridge, delivered the keynote address which focused on the integration of industry, academia and research and Cambridge’s expertise in attracting top talent. It’s a prime example of how Cofinitive is working with the Chamber to benefit the business community; through the sharing of insights and knowledge as well as directly supporting a young organisation like the Cambridge China Centre.

This is a prime example of how we would like to work with the Chamber to benefit the business community;

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The official publication for the Chamber, brought to you by Cambridge News, puts you in touch with people you want to do business with. Content includes expert opinions, discussions and debates in addition to local business success stories and exciting new opportunities.

The magazine showcases local events and covers networking, new business, market leaders, ones to watch, and so much more.

In addition to placing an advert you can also include leaflets in this publication which is read by over 2,500 local business people each month.

RATES Quarter page - £125.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £225.00 (plus VAT) non-member Half page - £225.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £350.00 (plus VAT) non-member Full page - £450.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £600.00 (plus VAT) non-member Leaflet insertion - £400.00 (plus VAT) To place an advert, please contact Caroline Baker on 07890 561669 or email caroline.baker@reachplc.com

widen your

CONNECTIONS

#BalanceforBetter The Chamber of Commerce Business Women’s Sector committee is delighted to once again be hosting an event to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). This prestigious event is held in the spectacular surroundings of Peterborough Cathedral on Friday 8 March from 9.30am-1.00pm. Why not sign up for this fabulous opportunity to listen to inspiring and motivational speakers, join in the debate and network with other local business leaders.

We are delighted to introduce our keynote speaker Christine Tacon CBE. Christine has been the Groceries Code Adjudicator since 2013, regulating the largest grocery retailers in the way they treat their suppliers.

Christine commented: “International Women’s Day is a chance to recognise that women across this county are challenging the old image of food and farming as a man’s world and ready to take on senior roles in the industry.

As the Groceries Code Adjudicator I find it really exciting to meet increasing

numbers of young women who see jobs in farming and the food industry as great career prospects. Today there are no longer jobs reserved for men or women; it is about who is right for the particular job and who has the right skills and knowledge.”

Other speakers include Linda FogartySmith, Director at Talkspace, and Canon Sarah Brown at Peterborough Cathedral.

They will share their experiences and lessons learnt from working in male dominated sectors.

Book now to avoid disappointment – via the event page on the Chamber website www.cambridgeshirechamber. co.uk, or call 01733 370809.

MEMBER BENEFIT As a Chamber member you have access to many exclusive and discounted offers from national partners and local Chamber members, helping to drive your business costs down.

One of these is employee health cover from Westfield Health.

Health Cash Plan is exclusively available to Chamber members of all sizes and starts from just £5.57 per employee, per month. It allows staff to claim money back, up to set limits, for things like sight tests and glasses, dental bills, therapy treatments and consultations. The plan also provides access to health and wellbeing

services including: • DoctorLine™ service, providing policyholders with confidential telephone access to a practising UK GP, 24 hours a day – every day, from anywhere in the world, with optional webcam consultations • Best Doctors® - expert second medical opinion service • Scanning Service - MRI, CT and PET scans • 24 hour Advice and Information Line and up to six face to face counselling sessions (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – CBT) Find out more at www. westfieldhealth.com/chamber or contact Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@ cambscci.co.uk.

My GP recommended I accessed some counselling but the wait on the NHS was six months. A colleague suggested I access the service from Westfield Health as part of our Chamber plan. The lady that took the initial call was extremely helpful and patient while I explained my situation.

I was told someone would be in touch within two-three days but I received a message from my counsellor within the hour to arrange my first appointment. I’m half way through my sessions and I have found them to be extremely useful and highly recommend this service.”

ANONYMOUS, CAMBRIDGE

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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.

Lloyds Banking Group supports East of England businesses in 2019 with up to £1.7 billion of lending

As part of Lloyds Banking Group’s national pledge to lend £18billion to UK businesses, the Group expects to support firms in the East of England with up to £1.7billion of lending during 2019.

As part of the Group’s continued commitment to help British businesses prosper, today’s announcement underlines to existing and new businesses across the East of England that the Group is committed to supporting businesses through 2019 and beyond.

The £1.7billion is available to firms across the East of England and will support entrepreneurs looking to start-up a new business, microbusinesses seeking to scale up and small businesses considering trading

internationally for the first time. It will also support established mid-sized businesses and large, multinational corporations seeking further growth.

Last year, Lloyds Banking Group supported Hightown Housing Association, which owns 6,300 affordable homes across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The association secured a £60million loan from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking which will help to fund its development pipeline of over 2,000 new affordable homes in the next five years.

Matt Hubbard, Lloyds Banking Group’s Ambassador for the East of England, said: “The East of England has one of the most diverse business communities in the UK. From our advanced technology, software and

biomedical businesses in Cambridge and the Silicon Fen to our strengths in agriculture.

“With up to £1.7billion of lending we’re looking to help businesses throughout the East of England to start up, scale up, trade internationally and ultimately grow. The support we’re offering today underlines our commitment to help Britain prosper, and ensures businesses and communities across the UK can continue to thrive.”

Throughout 2018, the Group demonstrated its ongoing commitment to supporting British businesses, launching initiatives such as the creation of the £500million growth fund to help firms invest in equipment which improves their productivity, backing the Lloyds Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre with an additional £5million to help train 3,500 manufacturing apprenticeships, and also the swift creation of a £50million fund to support small businesses within the Carillion supply chain.

In addition, the Group reinforced its support to the UK housing sector by launching a £500million fund for housing associations last year, supporting the Government’s pledge to deliver 300,000 houses each year by the middle of the next decade. It also committed £750million in 2018 for social housing projects, contributing to the Group’s commitment to enable more people in Britain to get a home.

BCC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2019 The 2019 Annual Conference will be taking place on Thursday 28 March at the QEII Centre, London. Programme and speaker information will be added to the website in the lead up to the event.

The Annual Conference explores the subjects most relevant to UK business. The Conference provides insights into these key topics through panel discussions, keynote speakers and by providing opportunities for discussion with other attendees.

Why should I attend?

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The British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference is an unmissable event for business leaders and those involved in corporate affairs or public policy to keep up with the key developments in Westminster and understand how they will affect UK businesses.

Further details will be added to the Chamber website as they are announced along with details of how to attend as part of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce group.

the power to

INFLUENCE

BIG SQUEEZE ON FIRMS FROM RECRUITMENT, PRICES AND CASH FLOW

The British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey finds that the UK economy ended 2018 stuck in a weak holding pattern, with stagnating levels of growth and business confidence as a result of heightened Brexit uncertainty and other economic pressures.

The results of the survey of 6,000 firms – employing over one million people across the UK – underline the impact that the current levels of uncertainty are having on a stalling economy as growth in domestic sales and orders reduced, recruitment difficulties stand near record highs and price pressures persist.

In the services sector, a key driver of UK economic growth, the percentage of firms reporting an increase in domestic sales and orders weakened to their lowest level in two years. Domestic activity among UK manufacturers also moderated in the quarter.

The findings highlight the extent to which labour shortages have risen in the UK as four-fifths (81%) of manufacturers that tried to recruit report difficulties in finding the right staff – the joint highest level since the survey began in 1989. In the services sector, the level (70%) hovers close to the record high recorded in the previous quarter (72%).

The survey results indicate an increase in price pressures facing firms. The percentage of manufacturers expecting to raise prices is at its highest in a year and is almost three times higher than its pre-EU referendum average. Cashflow continues to be a concern for both sectors, with the balance of firms reporting improved cash flow remaining weak.

KEY FINDINGS IN THE Q4 2018 SURVEY: Manufacturing sector: • The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales fell three points to +21, while those reporting improved domestic orders also fell from +20 to +16 • The balance of firms reporting improved export sales rose by a point from +19 to +20, while the balance of those reporting improved export orders rose from +14 to +18 • The balance of firms expecting to raise prices in the next three months stands at +43, up from +38 in Q3 • The percentage of firms citing the cost of raw materials as the source of cost pressures stayed at the same level as last quarter at 81%, the highest since Q2 2011 • The percentage of firms attempting to recruit remain unchanged at 67%. Of those, 81% reported recruitment difficulties – the joint highest on record • The balance of firms increasing investment in plant/ machinery rose slightly in the quarter from +15 to +18, and investment in training from +17 and +19 • The balance of firms confident that turnover and profitability to increase in the next 12 months fell, from +44 to +41 for turnover and +29 to +27 for profitability.

Services sector: • The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales fell from +22 to +18, the lowest since Q4 2016.

Those reporting improved domestic orders fell from +17 to +14, the joint lowest in two years.

• The balance of firms reporting improved export sales remain unchanged from the previous quarter at +14, while those reporting improved export orders fell from +12 to +9 • The balance of firms expecting to increase prices in the next three months stands at +33, up from +27 in Q3 • The percentage of firms looking to recruit rose to 50%. Of those, 70% had recruitment difficulties, down slightly from the record high of 72% in the previous quarter • Cashflow remains a concern, with a balance of just +6 reporting improved cashflow. This falls to just +2 among B2C firms • The balance of firms looking to increase investment rose slightly from +7 to +10 in plant and machinery, and from +14 to +15 in training • The balance of firms confident that turnover and profitability will improve over the next year fell slightly, from +38 to +37 for turnover and +29 to +27 in profitability.

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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.

IMPORT: CUSTOMS COMPLIANCE AND SAVINGS Tuesday 16 April, 9.15am-5.00pm This comprehensive course provides a clear explanation of import

practices and terminology as they relate to the UK company in the role of the buyer. We can also discuss the more complex scenarios, where there is more parties in the chain, where goods may be moving from or to locations other than that of the seller and buyer. Consider how Brexit and CDS may affect your current procedures and practices.

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

Full course outlines can be found at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Venue: Marriott Hotel, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6GB

To book, please call Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk

Bahrain documentation updates With immediate effect, any Arab Certificate of Origin being raised for Bahrain that requires legalisation must now be created by the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce. This can only be done via a manual application to ourselves and you will no longer be required to send a physical Certificate of Origin document to us.

We would require the following documentation: • Commercial Invoice • Packing List • Origin Evidence • List of Manufacturers names and addresses.

We must be able to clearly relate the item(s) on your commercial invoice to the origin evidence provided and be able to verify the country of origin for each item.

In addition to the normal Certification and Legalisation costs the Arab Chamber will be charging £25.00 (plus VAT) per document for this service.

Arab Certificates of Origin are normally required for shipments to any of the following Arab League States: Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Djibouti, Jordan,

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Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.

Some importers in these territories have special arrangements with their own customs authorities whereby European Certificates can be used instead of the Arab. We encourage you to double check which type of certificate your customer requires. If an Arab Certificate of Origin is requested, this document may need to be legalised by the relevant Embassy.

Please call our office on 01223 237414 to obtain a quote for your documents and find out any special documentation requirements. You should allow two-three weeks for the return of legalised documents.

GOVERNMENT PORTAL FOR BUSINESS NO DEAL ADVICE The Government has launched a new hub for no deal Brexit information on the .gov.uk website.

It has dedicated sections for businesses, individuals, UK nationals in the EU and EU nationals in the UK. This is accompanied by a new awareness raising campaign via radio and social media.

The webpages include a tool for filtering the technical notices, partnership packs and other guidance based on company sector.

extend your

GLOBAL REACH

PRICE PRESSURES HITTING MANUFACTURING EXPORTERS The British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with DHL, has published its latest Quarterly International Trade Outlook, based on survey and export documentation data.

It finds that as the clock ticks ever closer to Brexit, a combination of exchange rates and price pressures is forcing exporters to increase prices.

The survey, of over 2,500 exporters, shows that there is an increasing number of firms who are expecting to increase prices in the next three months. 41 per cent of manufacturers and 34 per cent of service firms surveyed report that their prices will rise, up from 35 per cent and 32 per cent in the previous quarter.

Exchange rates is the top external factor concerning business, with 68 per cent of manufacturers and 50 per cent of services firms citing it as an issue. The vast majority of exporting manufacturers (85%) site the cost of raw materials as a pressure driving prices.

These rising costs are contributing to a slowdown in export orders, with just 35 per cent of manufacturers and 24 per cent of services businesses reporting an increase in orders – compared with 39 per cent and 30 per cent respectively the previous quarter.

This is also reflected in the BCC/ DHL Trade Confidence Index, which measures the volume of trade documents issued by Accredited Chambers of

Commerce for goods shipments outside the EU. This decreased by 3.86 per cent this quarter and 4.81 per cent compared to the same quarter in the previous year, but still remains high by historical standards.

The current Brexit uncertainty is weighing heavily on business communities across the country. It is crucial that firms get the clarity and precision on the terms of trade they will face with the EU and many other countries in a matter of months. They will also need to know who they can hire, what rules they need to follow, and what more the government can do to support them through this period.

Key findings from the report: • 35% of manufacturers and 24% of services saw an increase in export orders in the last three months, a slowdown from 39% and 30% respectively • 17% of manufacturers and 14% of services sector firms saw a decrease in orders • 68% of manufacturers are more concerned about exchange rates than the previous quarter (up from 60%) • 76% of manufacturers and 69% of services firms who attempted to recruit, struggled to find the right staff. This is up from the 69% seen in Q2 for manufacturers and 60% for

services • 85% of manufacturers cite the cost of raw materials as a leading source of price pressure, up from 81% in Q2 2018 • The BCC/DHL Trade Confidence Index, a measure of the volume of trade documentation issued nationally, fell by 3.86% on the quarter, but remains high by historical standards.

Claire Walker, Co-Executive Director of Policy and Campaigns at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “The ongoing political and economic turbulence continues to play on the minds of exporters. Every twist and turn in Westminster is pounced upon by the markets, so it is no surprise that the volatility in the exchange rates weighs heavily.

“Despite the continued political turmoil, companies will always find a way to trade with each other. While exporters are doing their best to harness the advantages of the falling pound, its impact on imports in the supply chain often makes this a double-edged sword.

“Giving clarity and precision to firms should be of paramount concern for the government. And at a time of record high skills shortages, the government must urgently publish the Immigration White Paper, to give long-term clarity to firms in all corners of the country who need skills at all levels.”

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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.

BLUE DONKEY INTELLIGENT TELEMARKETING ASK ‘HOW CAN SALESPEOPLE GET THEIR PROSPECTS TALKING?’ One of the biggest challenges in sales is getting a prospect talking.

Once you’ve started a conversation, it’s easy to make your pitch, get your message across and begin to develop a relationship. However, if the prospect won’t engage with you, your chances of a successful call will be all but gone.

Though this is an important part of sales, a lot of people are still baffled by how to get prospects talking. While some people may be held back by fear or nerves, others may simply lack the communication skills needed to break down barriers and make meaningful connections.

One of the most important moments of any call, is the second between getting past the gatekeeper and waiting for the decision maker to pick up the phone.

In this moment, when you’re taking a deep breath and are poised to make your pitch, the success or failure of your call is often determined. If the next few seconds go well, you’ll be able to glide effortlessly into your call and connect with the prospect you’re speaking to. If you make a mistake however, you could end up fluffing your pitch, making the call awkward or even crashing out altogether.

To ensure disasters like this don’t happen, we’ve developed a range of techniques to guarantee a great first impression every time.

Quick and basic opening Make your opening introduction as quick and as straightforward as possible.

Introduce yourself, say which company you’re calling from and the reason for your call. The sooner you can get this bit over and done with, the sooner you can ask your opening questions and get the prospect engaged with the call.

Ask an open question An open question is a question that can’t be answered with either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Try to make the question relevant to your call, so you can glean an insight from the answer. Avoid generic questions, like ‘how are you?’, as these are not relevant and won’t further your call.

Be interested and be interesting If you want to get a prospect talking, you have to show that you’re really interested in what they’re saying. Listen to their answers, probe relevant details, and show how your product, or service, aligns with their needs. Rather than

Staff Wellbeing Your Competitive Edge!

Technology use, like mobile phones, laptops, tablets and social media, has exploded; consider how this impacts your employees.

Previously employees just stayed late to complete tasks, now often they continue working at home. Are you and your employees truly switching off from work? Improving the mental wellbeing of employees can benefit productivity and performance.

Help Employees’ Work-Life Balance If there’s a culture of managers checking in with teams after they’ve finished for the day, try to discover the reason and discourage after hours emails and calls.

12.5 million working days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety in 2016/2017.

The Health and Safety Executive 12 connected

Take a break yourself and encourage colleagues lunching at their desk to join you in the canteen or a walk, agree work won’t be discussed.

Beef Up Breaks Ask employees for ideas, their engagement will ensure great results. Maybe create quiet areas for staff away from a bustling work environment. For an alternative make an activities space for e.g. TableTennis, Scalextric, or Giant Jenga?

Happy work relationships can positively impact staff productivity and retention. Just two ways you could help people relax.

Manual workers have 2.1 average more absence days annually CIPD Survey 2016

listing off the benefits of your products and services all at once, prioritise the information you give according to your prospect’s particular requirements, preferences or business.

Have fun Though your call should always be professional and on point, as a skilled telemarketer you should also be able to inject an element of fun into the conversation. If you’re confident and a good communicator, then this sense of fun will automatically enter your call as most people get a lot of enjoyment from doing a job they’re good at. The more success you have, the more you will enjoy yourself, and the more your enthusiasm will be communicated to the person you’re talking to.

SWITCH OFF CHALLENGE Try our Switch Off challenge for one month and see the benefits to your organisation.

It’s simple just: • No emails and no phone calls between 7.00pm and 7.00am weekdays • No emails or phone calls on Saturday and Sunday • Encourage use of staff rest areas for breaks Post photos of how you’re helping staff to Switch Off* on Facebook: Skybluesafety with #SwitchOff for a Chance to WIN Cineworld Vouchers.

We have two prizes of 1 x £20 Cineworld Voucher to give away.

Entries closing date: 15 March 2019 *See prize draw rules: www.skybluesafety.co.uk For help to improve mental wellbeing at work call Sky Blue Safety Ltd 01933 625542

grow your

KNOWLEDGE

Are you ready for the next step in auto-enrolment pension contributions?

Steph Gordon, Senior Employee Benefit Consultant at Scrutton Bland explains more.

Minimum pension contributions will need to increase from April 2019. As a reminder, there are four different definitions of pensionable pay employers can use. The minimum payment you need to make will depend on which definition of pensionable pay you use. These are: Pensionable Pay Definition

Employer minimum contribution

Staff contribution

Total minimum contribution

Qualifying Earnings

3%

5%

8%

Set 1 - Basic Pay

4%

5%

9%

Set 2 - Pensionable Pay*

3%

5%

8%

Set 3 - Total Earnings

3%

4%

7%

Date From 6 April 2019 onwards

The key three things you need to do now are: Budget: Hopefully you will have already budgeted for the additional pension contribution cost increase to the business.

If not, it is important that you consider the cost implications which will arise from these increases.

Communicate: You should think about a communication strategy for your employees which explains the changes, as they are also likely to need to budget for the increase.

Review: Consider whether your current scheme and pensionable pay definition is still

*Set 2 – where pensionable pay is at least 85% of total earnings.

appropriate. Many companies reacted to the initial auto enrolment legislation and put in place a basic scheme with contributions at the lowest possible level, which may not be competitive in the market. Pension contributions are likely to be your biggest employee spend after salary so making sure your employees understand and value your pension scheme is important.

WHO READS INSTRUCTION MANUALS ANYMORE? Advice from Andy Rice, Director of Business Development at Giggabox The truth is, I never did! I’d always feel I could work it out - and so followed hours of frustration: plugging in wires to the wrong sockets, or using the right screws in the wrong holes. But the explainer video has come to my aid and somehow I don’t feel quite so emasculated watching these and, let’s face it, they’re a lot easier to understand.

And so 2019 is going to be the year that YouTube overtakes Google as the most popular search engine in the world!

I was invited to conduct some video training recently, inspired by new research by CRM platform Hubspot.

Interestingly they have just launched their own DIY video platform, and subsequently spend 126 pages explaining how easy it is to capture your own content! But to be fair, it is pretty easy to do. However, it’s slightly more difficult to do it and make it look professional.

Limit your authentic and honest, yet poorly lit and badly framed videos, to social media. But, if you want to present yourself as a professional outfit on your website, or in reception, or as part of your sales pitch, get in a professional to help you. It doesn’t have to be expensive. If your sink gets blocked at work, you don’t get your tools out and begin messing around with stop cocks, you get a professional plumber in. Likewise, if you want a professional film to tell your story, or simplify your

product proposition with an animation, get a professional in. After all, there are few more valuable things that will disappear down the plug hole than your professional image if you get it wrong.

As part of my preparation for the training, I gave some thought to pantheon of ways in which video can be used to help you boost your business success.

Humanise People buy from people. What is your corporate personality? How do you show it? What’s your genesis? What drives your passion to delight customers?

Are you approachable, likeable; a mix of characterful humans, or a faceless corporation? Which would you rather deal with? Video can help you express your brand identity in a way that text can never do. Still images seem weak and staged. You build business by building trust - and you build trust by starting relationships. What type of online dating profile do you have? Oh, and when you have commissioned a video that addresses the above questions, make sure you include a link in your email signature.

Engage It’s easy to win in the digital space. To engage you need to either make people smarter or happier. Either educate them, or entertain them. When you are creating explainer videos, don’t talk about what you do, or how you do it, but what solutions you provide. How do

you solve problems and alleviate pain points? Animation is a great way to simplify complicated concepts, and who doesn’t love Disney? Tell a story, and make your clients the heroes.

Show delight What’s the most persuasive thing you could take into your next sales presentation? How about your three best customers - would they strengthen your case? If they explained the problems you had solved for them; the fantastic customer service you provided; how you over-delivered on your promises, would that help you close the deal? But it’s not really practical is it? Unless…you have them on film. Then you can take them to all your sales calls; you can put them on your website, you can even send out their messages on your social media feeds. Their advocacy will grow your business. Guaranteed. In an age of fake news, text endorsements have lost their credibility. If your clients will endorse you on film you will have the trust of future clients. 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.

ASSESS RISKS TO YOUNG PEOPLE AT WORK Advice from Quest Employers have the same responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of young workers (under 18 years of age) whether they are engaged as employees or work experience placements (students), as they have for the rest of their workforce.

Equally, it is applicable to persons classed as a ‘child’ who is yet to attain Minimum School Leaving Age (MSLA) where the employer offers school work experience through a recognised scheme.

Under Health and Safety Law, employers must assess the risks to young people before they commence work and advise them what these risks are. For MSLA students, this information must also be imparted to the parents / guardian together with information on the control measures put in place.

As a Chamber member you have access to four key services as part of your Chamber membership, provided

by Quest.

ChamberHR Access to advice on all HR related matters including discipline and grievance, apprentices, national living wage, absenteeism, disputes, recruitment, annual leave and legislation. An HR health check is also part of this service.

ChamberHR 14 connected

Specific risks often associated with your persons include: • Lack of experience and awareness of risks • Work beyond their physical capability • Exposure to substances harmful to human health • Exposure to radiation • Extreme heat, noise and vibration.

• Welfare arrangements • First aid arrangements • Details of on-going training programmes • Introduction to colleagues and line managers • Supervision arrangements.

It is important that all young persons receive induction training, especially during the first few weeks of their employment or work experience which includes: • • • •

Site rules Prohibited equipment Machinery Fire procedure and precautions

ChamberLegal Through your membership you are protected by a comprehensive legal expenses insurance policy covering business and employee cover across 11 sections, with up to £100,000.00 per claim and £1,000,000.00 in the annual aggregate, plus there is no excess to pay.

ChamberH&S Advice on any health & safety matter,

ChamberLegal

including risk assessments, first aid, compliance, training and fire safety.

ChamberTax Advice on any tax related issue including benefits in kind, corporation tax, capital gains, advice on any VAT matter including registration, exemptions, VAT on land and property – all of which helps to ensure that you are compliant and will help you deal with any HMRC enquiries.

ChamberHS

ChamberTax

ask the

Is your website a truly effective sales tool?

We all have websites - yet only a few of us really know how to use them effectively. Kris, a web design and online marketing specialist at UK WebSolutions, explains how SME’s can increase their sales by optimising their website.

Why is just having a website not enough?

In order to get from A to B we need to (1) have a clearly defined destination, (2) take appropriate actions and (3) measure their effects.

Unfortunately, most companies are already failing at the first point with their websites. What is the purpose of your company’s website? Do you have one because others do, or do you want it to be an effective prospecting tool?

Do you know how many new leads you gained in 2018 thanks to your website?

Do you know how many people visit each month and what your average conversion rates are? If you can’t answer these questions, it means that your website is not helping you grow your business.

How can I use my website to increase sales?

It’s simple; firstly optimise your website to make it more effective in converting more users into leads. Secondly, focus on driving as much relevant traffic to your website as possible.

The order here is crucial. To avoid wasting money on ineffective marketing, make sure that your website:

choose bricks and mortar. It’s only for commercial properties, though, not residential.

Investing your pension in commercial property Ben Hewitt, Chartered Financial Planner from Alan Boswell Group, answers his top five questions about this relatively unknown form of investment.

How does investing my pension in property work?

Just like you can invest your pension in stocks and shares, you can also

I’m a business owner – can my company benefit?

This form of investment can be most beneficial if you own a business. Your business will take up a commercial lease with the pension, and every rental payment is paid straight into your pension fund. So, you’ve benefitted in two ways – your business has new premises, and your pension has a tangible investment. Plus, you don’t have to worry about troublesome tenants!

What if I don’t have enough money in my pension to buy a property?

You have three options.

• Add extra money into your pension pot before you purchase. If you’re a 40 per cent tax payer and need an extra £10,000 to fund the property, you’d only need to add another £6,000 into your pension pot as the government tops it up with tax relief – 20 per cent relief is paid into the pension with the remaining 20 per cent claimable on your tax return.

• Take out a mortgage to cover the

EXPERT

• Allows the user to easily find what they are looking for • Clearly shows all the main benefits (not features) of your offer to build the necessary interest and trust, to make a sale.

• Most importantly, have a direct call to action that encourages them to contact you.

Is this expensive?

Most marketing activity comes with a price tag, however digital marketing (on average) has a higher ROI than other traditional marketing methods.

Radio and TV ads are often out of reach of SME’s. Printing, distributing, and paying for ad space are also not cheap.

Optimising your website is a one time investment that will help you to increase your conversion rates, and actually lower your marketing costs by increasing the number of people that contact you.

Where to start?

To benefit from a free website audit and a consultation on how to transform it into a powerful prospecting tool, call 0333 303 1403 or email: info@ukwebsolutions.com

difference.

• Join forces with other Directors and use their pensions as well to boost the total pot.

What if my pensions are spread across several schemes?

This isn’t a problem, however it might be advisable to consolidate them first.

Purchasing with two pensions means the building has two owners, meaning twice/three times the cost for things like conveyancing, and you’d need two rental agreements. So, it might make sense to put your funds into one pot before making the purchase.

I’ve seen a property I’d like to invest in.

Can you help me?

Of course. You can call Alan Boswell Financial Planners on 01603 967967 and talk to a financial planning expert – we’ll help you understand if investing in commercial property is right for you.

Don’t forget, the value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up and you might not get back the original amount invested. The value of tax benefits depends on your individual circumstances and the laws concerning these can change.

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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 AIM COMMERCIAL CLEANING @AIMCLEANING BUSINESS MOVES GROUP

Growing creative agency joins the Chamber network Meet Big Bear Creative - the full service marketing and design agency with 30+ years combined experience that’s now a proud Chamber member.

Working from its Cambridgeshire studio, the Bears deliver exceptional branding and digital marketing to both local and national organisations – from household names to dynamic small businesses with the ambition to grow. www.bigbearcreative.co.uk

CAREMARK CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE @CAREMARKC CHANGE2ACHIEVE LTD CHOICE LASER CLINIC COFINITIVE LTD @COFINITIVE DENNIS & ASSOCIATES LTD H2 INFORMATION RISK MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS @HAH2OFFICIAL HUMAN CAPITAL DEPARTMENT @HCDEPT KR CONSULTS LOGISTICS SUPPORT SERVICES & DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY @LOGISTICSSUP OPTIMUM ELECTRICS LTD REDWOOD PROPERTY SOLUTIONS RIVER & WIND LEGAL CONSULTANCY SHERPA CONSULTING THE MISSING PIECE

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Business Moves Group Business Moves Group bring the very best in office moving and storage services.

All directors, managers, operative and support staff are involved purely in the commercial moving sector. BMG help clients solve their challenges when moving offices and provide all the resources, knowledge and expertise for a successful move. www.businessmoves.com

Cofinitive Corporate communications consultancy Cofinitive has become the first new Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce member of 2019! Selected by Cambridge News as one of Cambridge’s ‘130 most influential businesses’, the company specialises in branding, strategy, marketing communication and engagement and works with clients locally, nationally and globally. www.cofinitive.com

news from

Caremark (Cambridge & South Cambridgeshire) Caremark Cambridge & South Cambridgeshire is a homecare company who deliver the highest standards of professional care and support to those in need and who choose to remain living in their own homes. They encourage and support the independence and safety of all of their customers and ensure that a person’s values and rights such as dignity, beliefs and freedom of choice are respected at all times. They offer this level of care through a team of well trained and valued care and support workers, who are encouraged to develop their skills and abilities. www.caremark.co.uk/locations/ cambridge-and-south-cambridgeshire

H2 Information Risk Management Consultants Ltd Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) tend to invest in discrete, standalone security solutions to protect their business.

H2 IRM take a different approach and have developed risk based services to protect these important

NEW MEMBERS It’s all about Synergy – new member ready to support the network We’re pleased to welcome a highly skilled team of professional cost management specialists to the Chamber network. Synergy Procurement Solutions use their extensive experience and expertise in procurement, strategic negotiation and sustainable supply chain to deliver effective cost management services to a number of successful businesses throughout the UK. With a growing client base in the Cambridgeshire area, Synergy look forward to offering expertise and sharing insights throughout the Chamber network. www.synergy-procurement.co.uk

networks from cyber-attack and data loss. They work with clients to target their spend on solutions that are affordable, appropriate and accreditable. www.hah2.co.uk

John Lewis of Hungerford

Dennis & Associates are a firm of Chartered Certified accountants who pride themselves on the ability to provide your business with quality personal services, forward looking advice, based on your unique requirements, simplifying your tax and accounting compliance to help you focus on important business decisions.

John Lewis of Hungerford is the original painted kitchen company established since 1972, creating luxury, tailored kitchens. They have 13 showrooms nationwide, including one located on Regent Street, Cambridge. If you’re looking for a new kitchen, pop in to the Cambridge showroom where their two talented designers, Penelope and Craig, will be able to talk you through each of the stunning ranges, giving you expert advice, guidance and inspiration to create the perfect space for your property.

www.dassociatesltd.com

www.john-lewis.co.uk

Dennis & Associates Ltd

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CRC STUDENTS HOLD FUNDRAISING CONCERT TO SUPPORT LOCAL HOMELESS CHARITY Students from Cambridge Regional College (CRC) have taken part in a gig at a local pub to raise money for a charity supporting homeless people in Cambridge.

The Music Performance students were given a choice of which charity to work with and chose Wintercomfort as they recognised the need to provide people living on the streets of Cambridge with food, clothing and most importantly company at a particularly emotional time of year.

The event took place at the Golden Hind pub on Kings Hedges Road and was supported by friends, family and passing trade. Although entry was free, guests were encouraged to donate £3 each to go directly to the charity.

Ben Pringle, Music Lecturer and Course Leader Music, Faculty of Creative Industries at CRC, said: “The evening was a great success and we raised £70 with more to come. The students organised the whole event, planning, promoting and playing, and enjoyed the whole experience.”

Representatives from the charity were in attendance on the night and spoke to guests about the great work they were

Sharon Allen OBE announced as new CEO of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity

Sharon Allen OBE, currently CEO of Skills for Care, has been appointed as Chief Executive of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, which supports people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting illness and those who need end-of-life care.

Skills for Care supports 21,200 adult social care employers in England to improve the skills and knowledge of more than 1.47 million workers. Since joining there in 2010 Sharon has helped Skills for Care put workforce development issues at the heart of the fierce debate about the future of adult social care services. Sharon will take up

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doing to support the homeless in Cambridge.

Simon Pickering, Fundraiser at Wintercomfort, said: “We are so pleased to have the support from CRC’s Music students.

We rely heavily on fundraising to raise income, making events like this one even more important to us. I would like to say a personal thanks to all the students and staff who organised the event.”

In addition to the live musical performance, the students have also been recording some original songs, written on the theme of homelessness, using their fellow production students as recording engineers in the College studios. The CDs were on sale during the evening and the tracks will also be promoted on Social Media and released on the college record label, Morph Bandcamp – seach for ‘CRC Winter Comfort Charity EP’.

her new role at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in April.

“I wanted a new role that really embedded me in the local community where I live and this opportunity at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity offers me a chance to make sure that people across Cambridgeshire can access high quality palliative and end of life care services that meets their needs,” says Sharon.

“Leading the highly skilled hospice team brings together my absolute commitment to local services with everything I have learnt throughout my career, particularly over the last nearly nine years at Skills for Care.

“I have really valued the skills, knowledge and commitment of everyone who has worked at Skills for Care who have transformed us into the go to organisation for all workforce matters in adult social care. I know whoever succeeds me will be taking over an organisation that is in a very good place thanks to the tireless efforts of a hugely talented group of professionals who I will miss greatly.”

The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity announced in November 2018, that Dr Lynn Morgan will retire as CEO at the end of March 2019. Dr Morgan, who has been in the current role for almost nine years has, with the support of the trustee board and colleagues, seen the charity embark on a remarkable journey. The number of employees has increased from five to 200, and the Charity has fundraised for, built and moved into a new purpose-built £10.5million facility at Shelford Bottom leaving its original home on Mill Road.

Dr Lynn Morgan said: “It is going to be a big wrench to leave the Hospice, the wonderful people I have worked with, our volunteers, supporters and trustee board. However, I am confident the Board has made an excellent decision in appointing Sharon and I know I couldn’t leave the Hospice in safer hands.”

chamber supports

Taz

CHARITY

“One, I’m a girl and I’ve come up in a traditionally mandominated culture, so for me, that life is hard. Second, I grew up in Arbury – it’s not the best area – and third, like, learning about it in Sociology, it opens my mind.

“If I was an A* student in English, maybe I’d write a letter to the council… I see so many things that really anger me, and I just want to do something about it, but when it comes to rap you can actually just express it really easily.

“When I’m with my mates, I’ll talk about it, and they’ll just be like ‘oh Taz, you’re so typical, always talking about this and that’. But I’ve written it into a bar, and I spat it to my friends, and they were like ‘oh my god, everything you’ve just said, that sounded so true’ – that’s because I put it into a bar and it sounded interesting.”

“I’m actually good at it”

“Without this, a lot of us would be very different people.”

Taz is an 18-year-old rapper from Cambridge. Over the last three years she’s taken part in a number of music-making projects run by local youth charity Romsey Mill.

The team at Romsey Mill have supported Taz to write, record and produce music in their in-house studio – helping her develop as an artist alongside her college studies in psychology, sociology and criminology.

“Rap is me”

“[My sister] was into loads of different rappers,” recalls Taz. “I was like 10 when I used to hear her listening to these rappers. As I got older she gave me her little iPod, and from then I just got into rap, and I was like ‘yep, rap is me, definitely.”

However it wasn’t until Taz met Karl, the music leader at Romsey Mill, that she started to write and perform her own material. Taz says Karl’s encouragement has been a massive influence: “K made me realise that what I have is actually different to most people my age.”

“I didn’t have any intention of going again and writing and doing rap music, but I think from that day, if I didn’t meet K, I wouldn’t be rapping.”

“It’s like a big family here”

Taz feels comfortable at Romsey Mill with Karl, because “he’s lived [a] similar [life] to us… I used to go to youth clubs, and I didn’t like how a lot of youth workers, if they saw how you dress, or they’d see the area you’re from – they’d sort of label you.” “[At Romsey Mill] we’re all different ages, different genders, different cultures, yet we’re all like a family,” she explains. “People are labelled, but you get the wrong idea about people. When it comes to music, like all these boys are actually really sweet and they actually do want to do well.

“I feel like the studio, it brings out the true in people, it’s a really, really positive thing, and I definitely think that without this, a lot of us would be very different people.”

“It’s such a good way to get things out”

“I have so much to say about the world,” continues Taz. “If I’m feeling something, I’ll write it. It’s such a good way to get things out.

“I felt like all my siblings had one thing they were really good at,” says Taz. “I just had it in my head that I was going to fail, and everyone has something they’re specifically good at, but what is that for me?

“I think [rapping] has helped me to have a purpose, like – something to work towards. I feel satisfaction after I’ve just written a lyric.

“I’ve always been really outspoken. It hasn’t changed my confidence in how I talk around people, how loud I am.

[But] it’s changed my confidence about myself – like my security about how well I can do, what I think about myself and what I can achieve.”

“I want to be the boss”

Taz’s ambition is to have her own studio and producer one day. She describes Romsey Mill as a “kick start” for her and her peers – “and then from a certain point we can just flourish.”

Although Taz wants to earn a living from her music, she says, “I don’t want to be famous. If it came to it, I’d just want to travel the world and share my music, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to be all over the media.

“I want to be the boss,” she continues. “And doing something I enjoy, which is music. Maybe something like K, maybe teaching kids… K was telling me ‘you should start getting young girls into rap, there’s not really a lot of girls in Cambridge that rap’.”

And whether or not it becomes Taz’s career, she’s certain that she wants to continue making music in the future regardless.

“If I stopped, I’d just feel horrible. I’d feel like I’m wasting something.”

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

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news from

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

FENLAND CHAMBER

100% pass rate for Wisbech students at the College of West Anglia Level 2 BTEC Computing students at the College of West Anglia’s (CWA) Wisbech campus have just achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in one of their Microsoft Office Specialist Qualification (MOS), with one student gaining full marks.

The MOS qualification is internationally recognised and ensures learners are proficient in all aspects of the Microsoft Office Suite. The qualification will help learners advance within their careers and is an excellent qualification for their CV. Shaun Strachan, computing lecturer at CWA’s Wisbech campus, said: “I am delighted with my students’ recent success.

Not only have they achieved an internationally recognised qualification, but it will provide them with invaluable skills that they can use in the work place.”

Students run, swim and cycle distance from London to Paris 46 level 2 and 3 Uniformed Services students from the College of West Anglia’s (CWA) Wisbech campus participated in an annual triathlon event to raise money for their chosen charity of the year, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

CWA students and staff kicked-off the triathlon event at 10.00am at the Hudson Leisure centre with the swimming event. Collectively, students swam the length of the Channel, which is over 24 miles. This was followed by 528 miles of cycling on the spin cycles, which covered the distance from Calais to the Arc d’Triumph. Finally, students completed a 120-mile run, the distance from Marble Arch to Dover.

Lee Mallott, programme manager for Uniformed Services, said: “The students worked extremely hard today and were a credit to both the department and CWA. They raised £460 for the RNLI, bringing our total so far for the year to over £1,000.”

We’re Auto Enrolment ready.

Are you?  Auto Enrolment reporting as standard  Enhanced services for all main pension suppliers  Complete solution enabling full AE compliance Hassle free payroll and HR data management pscpayroll.com GET IN TOUCH 01223 506366

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news from

ELY CHAMBER

ELY FREE WI-FI GOES LIVE East Cambridgeshire District Council (ECDC) has launched Ely’s first free public Wi-Fi network in the city.

The new network will cover the busiest outdoor areas and is aimed at speedily connecting shoppers, market traders and the 100,000 visitors to the city each year.

ECDC’s Economic Development team has been at the forefront of developing the network and is utilising the project as a pilot for planning the wider inclusion of other market towns within the district and beyond. Working with local specialist company, Air Broadband, the team has managed to deliver in very short timescales an innovative and cost effective solution to building the necessary infrastructure to make this all possible.

From launch the ‘Ely Free Wi-Fi’ service will cover a large proportion of the city centre areas including the Market Place, Market Street, High Street and Forehill. A total of nine Wi-Fi hotspots have gone live, allowing users to log on via their phones or tablets whilst ‘on the go’ with additional connected zones outside the city centre identified for possible future inclusion.

The network has been designed for street use rather than inside buildings and users within range will be able to tap into free Wi-Fi following a simple on-off log in.

Charles Roberts, Leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "I'm delighted that we've been able to launch Ely free Wi-Fi. This will be a boost to the City centre and to

New website for Littleport based lawnmower specialists Fenland Spirit Services started 2019 with the launch of a new website and logo. This Littleport based family-run company sells refurbished lawnmowers, with servicing and repairs carried out by their qualified engineers.

By asking the right questions, the team find the right machine for customers, whether they need a walk behind or a rideon lawnmower. Each machine is different, with a unique personality, something reflected in the fun lawnmower character in the logo.

The new website is more customer friendly, with information on the different lawnmower types available along with the benefits of buying refurbished and maintenance tips.

Recycling is central to the company ethos, rather than selling new machines, Fenland Spirit Services specialises in refurbished lawnmowers. The website has a page dedicated to their green ideals.

More people are recognising the value of buying a refurbished lawnmower, which may explain the recent growth experienced by Fenland Spirit Services.

traders. The reality is that we're living in an increasingly digitally connected society and as a council we need to play a role in making people’s lives easier. More and more people are browsing the internet and making digital payments whilst they're out and about and Ely free Wi-Fi will be of benefit to them.

KING’S ELY STUDENT CALLED UP FOR LAMBS RUGBY SQUAD King’s Ely Sixth Form student and promising rugby star Thomas Stiff has been selected for the Lambs Under 18 Midlands Squad.

Tom, 17, represented both the Lambs and King’s Ely by playing for the Midlands Lambs against the North Lambs at Worksop College on 6 January.

Tom has been at King’s Ely since joining King’s Ely Junior in Year 3. He was a standout performer for the school’s 1st XV this year so his call-up is richly deserved.

Director of Sport at King’s Ely, Jim Thompson, said: “I am delighted that Tom has been selected for the Midlands Lambs Squad. Tom fully deserves to gain these representative honours on the back of some outstanding performances for the school 1st XV team this season. He has been a joy to coach over the last few years and is to be congratulated on his selection.”

King’s Ely has a proud reputation of students being selected for renowned rugby teams, with a number of boys in recent years being projected into the limelight and grabbing the attention of several national coaches and scouts.

Founded in 2006, the Lambs exists to create openings for boys to showcase their rugby skills at a representative level.

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Kershaw Mechanical Services welcomes the New Year with senior management promotions Cambridge based building services company, Kershaw Mechanical Services, has welcomed in 2019 with two senior management promotions.

The promotions will see Luke Ashton take the role of Managing Director for Kershaw Mechanical Services and Andrew Saunders promoted into the position of Operations Director.

Luke, with over 25 years’ experience in the industry, commented: “I am delighted to be taking the reins of one of the leading M&E building services companies in the country. Moving forward my role will be to ensure we continue to deliver a high level of service to our customers, whilst delivering on a profitable business plan.”

Andrew joined the company in 1988 and will utilise his previous experience as Contracts Manager to oversee the company’s operations.

Andrew said: “I am immensely proud to be able to represent Kershaw Mechanical Services as Operations Director. I have a long history with the company and I am looking forward to using my experience to help reach our business goals, whilst securing the company’s ongoing success.”

It’s gold for Airport Lynx Airport Lynx won gold in their debut entry in the category of large chauffeur operator of the year. It’s come as something of a surprise as Airport Lynx is known for not being self-promotional – it usually takes the approach of letting its work speak for itself, enabling the team to focus on the customers who are the heart of the service and the drivers who keep the wheels moving on the roads.

Professional Driver Editor, Mark Bursa, said: “All three of our medallists in this category are past Gold QSi Award winners, which highlights the stellar standard on the shortlist. Airport Lynx first entered the awards in 2014 and won gold in the medium category in 2016. It has since moved up a division and has secured gold without losing its strong focus on customers and drivers.

L’ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE RAISE £228 FOR DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS For their Christmas Party, l’Alliance Française Cambridge dedicated its annual tombola to Doctors without Borders.

This presented a wonderful opportunity for trustees, teachers, employees and volunteers to put shared values into action.

Thanks to the generosity of all, a total of £228 has been raised. These funds will be invested in the NGO’s medical projects that save people’s lives in conflict zones, areas of epidemics and natural disasters, or where people have no access to medical care.

L’Alliance Director Patricia Dalby

Ashtons Legal wins at LawNet Awards 2018 Ashtons Legal is proud to bring home to East Anglia the award for best Business Development and Marketing from the LawNet Awards 2018.

Innovative strategic vision and creativity has resulted in Ashtons’ success within niche areas of the law including GDPR consultancy, Road Transport Law, French Legal Services and Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Disease.

The award required Ashtons to demonstrate their strategic planning, implementation and outcomes from marketing and BD initiatives within these fields.

LawNet is a community of 71 member firms representing a 22 connected

“The judges were especially impressed by the personal approach the company takes to driver and customer relationships, and its willingness to get involved with local initiatives, all helping to build a strong and respected brand.”

Steve Russell reflected on the evening: “It is an incredible accolade to be recognised as a strong and respected brand. We are a strong team with a huge respect for the customers we have the opportunity to serve. To have that reflected, by our peers, will keep us warm no matter what the chill factor is outside.”

network of over 3,000 lawyers and professionals. LawNet has been supporting independent law firms for over 25 years.

BD Director, Mary Porch, comments: “There were many deserving winners and nominees at the LawNet awards this year. We were delighted to be singled out for our BD and Marketing achievements.”

announced that this is only the first step in supporting Doctors without Borders. This summer, the Alliance team will raise funds for the NGO through its annual charity challenge.

Celebrating 20 years of Realnet Ltd

Website designers and digital marketing specialists Realnet Ltd, are celebrating 20 years in business. It started in 1998 by a team of developers focused on using the internet to provide innovative answers to everyday business challenges and they have continued to invest in their in-house team which includes account managers, project managers, designers,

developers and digital marketing experts.

They celebrated by getting the team together for a fun day out which began with two Escape Room challenges and finished with a meal at a local Indian Restaurant.

MD, Kari Sewell said: “It has been an exciting 20 years for Realnet and the time has flown by. We’re in an industry that moves very quickly and we thrive on the continuous improvement needed to stay ahead. I’m particularly proud of the long term, results driven partnerships we have developed with our customers and within the team itself. There are exciting times ahead!”

news from

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER

LOCAL COMPANY GIVES OVER £100,000 TO HELP ORPHANS! Citystay, the premier supplier of serviced apartments in Cambridge, has donated over £100,000 to the Aquaid Lifeline Fund.

Since its formation in 2008, every time someone stays in a Citystay apartment, enough is donated to house, clothe, feed and educate an orphan in Malawi for an entire month. At the turn of 2019, the total amount surpassed the £100,000 landmark.

Jesus College hires Møller Institute Manager Jesus College has hired Møller Institute General Manager Stuart Websdale as Domestic Bursar, where he take charge of its major projects, including a planned large-scale kitchen redevelopment within the college’s Grade I-listed historic buildings.

Stuart will also head up the college’s operations team. In recent years the team has been involved in delivering projects such as the RIBA award-winning West Court, the development of Marshall Court for student accommodation, and the environmentally-friendly refurbishment of Chapel Court.

Stuart joined the Møller Institute in 2002 and has been the General Manager of its growing conference business for the past 14 years.

Stuart said: “I’m incredibly proud to be taking on this position. I look forward to building on the previous excellent work done by the team.

“This is a fascinating time for both higher education and conferencing, especially in Cambridge. I am extremely confident that with the team we have in place and the outstanding facilities on offer, the college’s conference business will continue to grow and succeed.”

Citystay are privileged to support the work of the Aquaid Lifeline Fund and are looking forward to continuing the relationship in supporting their work for many years to come.

Managing Director, Neil Fernandez, commented: “Visiting Malawi was very sobering and hopeful at the same time.

The level of poverty is striking but so is the vibrancy of the culture within the projects of the Aquaid Lifeline Fund

where lives are changed before your eyes. It is such a motivating privilege to know that Citystay are helping to provide much needed accommodation for these desperate young souls, by providing a crucial part of the infrastructure in the form of much needed accommodation for corporates requiring longer stays within the growing economy, the beautiful city of Cambridge.”

Masterclass spices up vegan cookery Meet Cambridge secures Meetings Industry Quality Standard

Joe Dean, Head Chef and David Correia, Sous Chef, both from Murray Edwards College, attended the one-day training course at Café Spice Namasté, in London, led by Chef/Proprieter Cyrus Todiwala OBE. The day comprised demonstrations and practical sessions, showcasing Indian Vegan Cookery and including dishes that can be created in University kitchens for students, staff and conference guests. A particular emphasis was using specific ingredients such as lentils and demonstrating how many different dishes can be made from the same base.

Joe said: “The Indian Vegan Cuisine Masterclass appealed to us as we were keen to learn more about different styles of vegan cooking. At Murray Edwards we have seen a huge increase in demand for vegan and vegetarian dishes and want to keep our offering fresh and appealing.

“We definitely plan to bring back some of the ideas from the day and try them in our own College kitchen.”

The conference and events bureau for Cambridge and the region is demonstrating its commitment to delivering excellence after helping its member venues gain accreditation from the UK’s leading meetings industry trade association.

Meet Cambridge now has 30 of its member venues signed up to the Meetings Industry Association (mia) Group Membership, benefitting both the establishments and their customers.

Venues are required to meet a minimum standard to achieve the mia’s AIM accreditation, the UK’s only recognised quality standard for venues and service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry.

Judith Sloane, Deputy Manager at Meet Cambridge, said: “Part of our commitment to our member venues is helping them to maximise their potential for holding a wide range of meetings and conferences and increase business revenue. By providing a way to partner with the mia, through our Group Membership offer, we hope that they will benefit from the wide range of activities available, including training and networking opportunities.

“Being accredited by the mia also gives potential clients confidence that the venues they are working with conform to a national code of good practice.”

Image by kind permission of the Provost and Scholars of King’s College, Cambridge. 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

LUMINUS FERRY PROJECT MEET PRINCE CHARLES A ‘Ferry’ royal welcome for Prince Charles and Camilla! Prince Charles was very interested in the work of the Ferry Project and spent time talking to Keith Smith, Ferry Project Director and the team about their work.

ENSURING YOUR B2B MARKETING FLIES IN 2019 Our first safari event of 2019 took off at IWM Duxford under the wings of Concorde. We welcomed Sarah West, awardwinning Chartered Marketer

from Full Mix Marketing, who presented her hints and tips for selecting the best mix of marketing to target fellow businesses in 2019.

Beer and Networking!

The Ely Chamber Committee teamed up with CAMRA for a special networking event that took place on opening night of the District CAMRA, 10th Elysian Winter Beer Festival.

Photos courtesy of Mike Rouse at Ely Standard.

24 connected

it’s happening

OUT & ABOUT

Christmas tree recycling scheme raises more than £26,500 for Arthur Rank Hospice

Over 100 volunteers helped Arthur Rank Hospice Charity collect 1,860 pre-loved Christmas trees in January. Thanks to them – and the overwhelming support of residents living in postcodes CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB22, CB23 and CB24 who generously donated to the Charity to have their trees collected – more than £26,500 has now been raised.

BUDDING DESIGNERS ENJOY MASTERCLASS WITH JOSÉ HENDO

Business Women learn top tips at networking lunch At the Business Women’s Christmas lunch Sureya Landini, Founder of Blue Donkey Intelligent Telemarketing shared the 21 life lessons she has learnt

Fashion and Design students at King’s Ely were able to pick up tips and advice from awardwinning designer José Hendo. The exciting masterclass saw José teaching A Level Fashion and Design students how to create striking sculptural accessory designs using Barkcloth and Sinamay.

The workshop proved to be a fantastic opportunity for the young designers to explore and develop new ideas, resulting in a highly inventive range of headwear and neckwear designs being created.

in 21 years of business.

A charity raffle raised £250 for our Chamber charity of the year, Romsey Mill.

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Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

news from

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER

MITRA INNOVATION LAUNCHES MACHINE LEARNING SOLUTIONS ON AMAZON Mitra Innovation, a global tech company that specialises in digital transformation, cloud enablement, and software development, is developing and deploying a series of new-to-

market machine learning (ML) products on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace for Machine Learning.

Three of Mitra’s pre-packaged ML products are available on AWS Marketplace for Machine Learning: • Bitcoin indicator: designed to indicate future cryptocurrency rates using an algorithm that analyses historic performance and tracks the factors affecting price fluctuations • Diabetes detector: designed to predict the probability of a person having diabetes based on several parameters including age, BMI, glucose level, and blood pressure • Abusive text content detector: designed to detect abusive content and offensive language within a given text. Organisations can use this algorithm to analyse and control inappropriate comments and reviews.

These algorithms will be priced at a modest rate of £0.10 per hour in order to promote ML as a businesscritical tool and to encourage early adoption. The collaboration will reinforce ML’s potential, helping to demonstrate and democratise its capabilities to the wider marketplace.

Ashok Suppiah, CEO of Mitra Innovation, said: “Mitra is delighted to be leveraging Amazon Web Services to develop its ML offering. Our ML models have been developed and created to allow for specific business predictions. Customers will be able to configure these ML workflows to allow for smarter decision-making.

The AWS Marketplace for Machine Learning can improve the adoption and monetisation of ML and we’re excited to be playing a part in making it easier for organisations to get access to the ML models that promise to transform the business world.”

randd uk secure £32,000 in R&D Tax Credits for Cambridgeshire-based Trade Association Recognised as industry leaders in their field, randd uk are R&D tax credits experts with a decade of specialist experience. Introduced in 2000, the R&D tax credits scheme was established by the government to boost the economy through UK innovation.

Founded in 2008, randd uk have a 100 per cent success rate and have rewarded UK clients with over £90 million (so far!); the team are on track to hit the £100M mark by the end of 2018, celebrating randd uk’s tenth anniversary in style. With an average of over £50,000, randd uk work closely with clients year after year to ensure they receive the optimum amount of R&D tax credits deserved.

Our reputation is built upon hard work, approachability and specialist knowledge. We strive to provide a

first-class service to maximise the claim size with minimal effort required from the client; friendly team members are available to assist at every stage to simplify the process.

Tom Painter, a client from the animation industry, said: “We’re grateful for the expertise of randd who have a long history of successful claims and a good relationship with HMRC.” Every claim starts with an initial chat to determine eligibility, the correct scheme to apply for (SME or RDEC) and which projects qualify. Technical experts visit the client to go through R&D projects and use this information to write a report. This is then submitted to HMRC along with the financial figures which are collated by R&D Consultants in-house. To ease the process, we work with the client’s

finance department, their Accountant and liaise with HMRC. Simon McArdle, Managing Director at Webscript Designs, remarked: “You’ve made a complex and potentially problematic process almost quite pleasant and very worthwhile.”

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news from

Webtec launches invaluable industry guide Webtec, a global specialist manufacturer of hydraulic measurement and control products is launching ‘An Introduction to Practical Hydraulic System Maintenance’, a new guide for all fluid power technicians.

Co-authored by industry experts Steve Skinner and Webtec’s Managing Director Martin Cuthbert, this invaluable tool is aimed to help educate technicians and engineers new to hydraulic fluid power maintenance and hydraulic engineers embarking on a career in this industry.

All profits made from the book will be donated to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programmes such as the ‘Fluid Power Challenge’ run by the charity Primary Engineer in the UK and set up to help encourage the next generation of engineers in schools.

Martin Cuthbert, Webtec’s Managing Director and co-author, said: “We are excited to launch this guide and encouraged by the support and recognition that the book has received from the many trade organisations and educational establishments globally.”

HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER

EXAM JOY FOR GEORGE HAY’S JOE Local chartered accountancy firm, George Hay, had cause for celebration as Joe Kokotka received the news that he had passed his final ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) exams, to become a fully qualified chartered accountant.

Joe, who is based at George Hay’s Huntingdon office, has been with the firm for over six years having joined as a Trainee Accountant back in 2012.

Joe said: “I am absolutely delighted to have passed my final exams.

“It is what I have been working towards since starting my career in accountancy and to know that all my hard work has been worth it is really rewarding. This is definitely my greatest personal achievement to date!”

Partner at the Huntingdon office, Barry Jefferd, said: “Joe’s exam pass was well deserved. We know he has worked extremely hard and he is a very popular member of our team, both with staff and clients.

“We look forward to him using his qualification going forward; to not only strengthen the Huntingdon office further, but also to reach his own potential.”

Mick George Land £1.7m university package Having recently secured a £250 million contract for the new University of Cambridge ‘Cavendish III Physics Laboratory’, Bouygues UK have appointed local construction specialist Mick George Ltd to begin enabling works.

Located on the West Cambridge campus, Cavendish III will be a purposebuilt laboratory for world-leading research for the university’s Department of Physics, bringing the large number of research groups in the department together under one roof to encourage collaboration.

Michael George, Managing Director at Mick George Ltd, commented: “While this development has many economic benefits for Cambridgeshire and local communities, these benefits will also be felt much wider afield.

“Having completed Earthworks on a number of the University’s recent new developments, we are well versed in the complexities that are likely to be involved with this project. As ever, we look forward to applying our technical expertise in delivering another first-class service that will ensure more top-quality research facilities.”

REC strengthens senior team Resource and Environmental Consultants Ltd (REC), the UK environmental consultancy, part of the Concept Life Sciences Group, has announced the appointment of three new senior team members. Ged Sojka joins as National Operations Director in GeoEnvironmental, Martin Lucass as team leader for Northern Geo-Environmental, and Mike Armitage as Head of Ecology.

REC has made these appointments to support its ongoing growth and development plans. The Company aims to provide national integrated environmental solutions across the UK, and to broaden and

strengthen its service offerings, including regulatory compliance, to new clients and across new sectors such as regulated industries.

“We are delighted to announce these new senior appointments, which are testament to the strength and success of our current team, the quality of our service offering and the traction we are developing in our markets, said Gary Winder, Managing Director, REC. “These additions will enable us to continue that journey, marking our ongoing commitment to understanding and supporting the needs of our clients.”

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

PLANS FOR 104 NEW PETERBOROUGH HOMES GET GREEN LIGHT Cross Keys Homes (CKH) is to deliver more than 100 new homes on Newark Road, Peterborough, over the next two years.

The leading housing association acquired the land at the former site of Perkins Engines in 2015 and has since received planning approval to build 48 flats and 56 houses for affordable rent and shared ownership.

Claire Higgins, Chief Executive at CKH, said: “The demand for affordable homes in our city is huge, so finding

opportunities to regenerate brownfield sites like this is essential to providing the homes that people need.

“We’re incredibly pleased to be able to start work on this site and look forward to welcoming people to their new homes from next year.”

The development has received grant funding from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority as well as Homes England to support the delivery of the affordable homes.

Katherine Duff to judge Employee Experience Awards We are delighted to announce that our very own Katherine Duff has been invited to judge the Employee Experience Awards in May. Part of the culture at Keeping HR Simple is to support businesses to nurture the best environments they can to attract and retain the best people. Operating slightly outside of the normal parameters for a HR support provider, we recognise that the people working in your business are your best asset and with that in mind, we promote a great employee experience.

If you have a happy, engaged, motivated workforce you will ultimately have happy customers and a healthy profit. It’s a win win situation. This has now been recognised by the organiser’s of the Employee Experience Awards who have invited Katherine to be on their

panel of judges in 2019.

Katherine said: “Employee experience is something we are always talking about at Keeping HR Simple and we know that an engaged and motivated team mean a successful business. I am delighted to be involved with such prestigious awards and I am looking forward to reading the entries.”

NPSP Managing Serviced Business Centre NPS Peterborough have recently taken over the management of a serviced business centre in a historic listed building in the heart of Peterborough City Centre.

The Estates team within NPSP are managing the building that houses 28 offices and offers a range of virtual tenancies and conference facilities to Peterborough’s business community.

Overseen by Felicity Paddick and Veronica Sykes of NPSP, the Eco Innovation Centre at Peterscourt is the latest addition to the portfolio of properties NPSP manage on behalf of Peterborough City Council.

NPSP are now in discussion with two other local authorities who are considering outsourcing the management of similar business centres.

HEGARTY APPOINT COURT OF PROTECTION SPECIALIST Expanding local law firm Hegarty Solicitors have announced the appointment of Karon Walton as their Head of Court of Protection department.

Karon Walton specialises in laterlife client law which includes Court of Protection applications; a specialist Court that deals with applications on behalf of people who have lost their mental capacity and are therefore unable to manage their own affairs. Karon also specialises in contentious issues around the management of people’s financial affairs.

Karon has a wealth of experience having previously worked for Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), a national organisation, as their Chief Legal Officer. She was also previously a Partner and Head of the Court Protection Team at another local solicitors, where she gained her experience in this important area of law.

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“I am looking forward to joining the team at Hegarty Solicitors to meet the growing demand for support and advice regarding later-life planning. It is really important to ensure older and potentially vulnerable clients are represented and given the best advice possible to plan for the future” commented Karon.

Greg Baker, Partner and Head of the Trusts and Probate Department at Hegarty Solicitors, commented: “As the overall age structure of the UK has tipped further towards the later-life age groups, it is now more important than ever to ensure we have the right expertise to help people when planning for their future.

“Karon’s knowledge and wealth of experience in this area will mean that we are well placed to assist clients dealing with later-life issues such as Court of Protection applications.”

news from

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER

The King’s (The Cathedral) School Peterborough awarded the title of ‘East Anglia’s State School of the Year’ Everybody is delighted to have received this recognition of the wonderful school that we are. The very challenging reductions that we have suffered in government funding over the past four years, and our continued efforts to offer an unrivalled education for our pupils, make this award all the more significant for us. The breadth and variety of the education we offer is very important to us, as is a broad and balanced curriculum. Young people deserve an education that enables them to look to the future with confidence, optimism and excitement.

The King’s School is one

of only four State funded Cathedral schools in the UK. It was founded in 1541

by Henry VIII with only 12 students, and was originally housed at the Cathedral.

Today our family has 1,200 students, with our sixth form comprising of 360 students.

King’s provides students with an educational experience out of the ordinary, with children achieving highly and also contributing strongly to the local community.

Our students acquire sophisticated life skills and high standard qualifications that equip them for life beyond the school gates.

THE SKILLS SERVICE GIVES SPECIAL THANKS TO CATERPILLAR Over 200 staff from Caterpillar in Peterborough have received special recognition from The Skills Service for their voluntary support of vital careers and enterprise events in local schools.

In 2018 alone the Caterpillar team contributed over 200 hours of volunteering in schools with The Skills Service. A total of 235 volunteers from Caterpillar have taken part in events run by Skills Service over the last seven years.

The events range from mock interviews and CV masterclasses to enterprise challenges and careers shows, and often are students’ first experiences of the world of work. Aimed at students in Years 7-13 the events showcase the huge variety of careers available, different routes into work and enhance young people’s employability.

In recognition of this volunteering milestone Caterpillar’s volunteers were given a special award by Becky Cook and Debbie Longhurst from The Skills Service on Friday 30 November.

The Skills Service is run by Opportunity Peterborough and provides a brokerage role between businesses, education and training providers in Peterborough and neighbouring districts.

Sarah Anstiss, Skills Lead at The Skills Service, said: “We work with so many passionate volunteers from lots of local businesses on our events and the entire Caterpillar team have really been standout supporters.

We’re delighted to recognise the huge contribution the company and its staff have made to students in Peterborough and the surrounding area.”

FIRM’S PROMOTIONS TO FUEL GROWTH Rawlinsons, part of the Baldwins Group, has promoted Marie Craig, Matt Holmes, Richard Monkhouse and Craig

Tolliday to the role of associate director.

Marie joined Rawlinsons as a trainee in 2002 and works with a large portfolio of clients ranging from small owner managed businesses to large group companies, specialising in the health care sector.

Matt joined the Peterborough office as a trainee accountant in 2010 and now manages Baldwins’ Cambridge office.

He works closely with a broad range of owner-managed businesses, charities and academies.

Richard has worked as a senior audit manager at Rawlinsons since 2014, leading teams on a range of external audits for charities, academy schools, owner managed companies and large UK groups.

Craig moved to Rawlinsons in 2014 as a tax manager, during which time he has had responsibility for a portfolio with a wide variety of personal and corporate clients, including high net worth individuals and large corporate structures.

Colin Crowley, Partner at Rawlinsons in Peterborough, commented: “We congratulate Marie, Matt, Richard and Craig on their promotions which are a well-deserved recognition of their hard work at Rawlinsons.

“It also underlines the commitment by the Baldwins Group to the Peterborough office and to the continuing development of the regional presence and specialist areas of expertise.” connected 31

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news from

STAMFORD CHAMBER

New grant fund launched to boost South Kesteven’s town centres InvestSK, the area’s economic growth and regeneration company, has launched a new programme to support growing businesses and bring fresh life into local town centres, with funding from South Kesteven District Council.

The Town Centre Investment Fund is designed to facilitate growth on South Kesteven’s ‘high streets’ by supporting companies looking to grow their businesses into vacant town centre units within any of the District’s four market towns; Grantham, Stamford, Market Deeping and Bourne.

Up to £10,000 is available to help applicants with the capital costs associated with their move. To be eligible, businesses must create new

jobs locally and have an offer that adds value to South Kesteven’s town centres.

Chief Executive of InvestSK, Steve Bowyer, said: “InvestSK was established to help businesses grow, and support local job creation. This scheme helps with capital costs to enable vacant units to come back into life and supports businesses to realise their aspirations.”

The deadline for submissions for InvestSK’s 2018/19 Town Centre Investment Fund is 15 March 2019 but applications will be reviewed on a regular basis with decisions awarded as soon as possible. We would urge applications to come forward at the earliest opportunity – visit www.investsk. co.uk/towncentreinvestmentfund

Renovation of Stamford Town Hall ALLTECH impressive, yet affordable, backStamford Town Hall, the EXPANDS OFFICES renowned drop to weddings the newly Grade 1 listed refurbished Town Hall offers an Georgian building in the heart of ideal location for symposia, Stamford’s conservation area, has IN STAMFORD conferences and business recently completed an extensive Stamford has been home to the UK offices of Alltech, a leading animal health company, since 1988. Today, the Stamford team includes 115 highly skilled specialists who work hand-in-hand with feed, farming and food businesses to achieve performance targets through nutritional innovation.

Alltech officially unveiled its newly built office in Stamford before Christmas with a ceremonial opening led by Dr Mark Lyons, Alltech president and CEO, and Mrs Deirdre Lyons, Alltech cofounder and director of corporate image and design The 70,000-square-foot innovative design was initiated by Deirdre Lyons in late 2015 to accommodate Alltech’s growth in one office-only site. The facility features an open reception area and five meeting rooms, along with a purposebuilt training room, offices and dedicated creative spaces.

The vision for the new Alltech office in Stamford was to create a space that cultivates collaboration.

The initial design work started three years ago, in 2015, and ground was broken on the new building site in November 2016. The office now reflects the character of Alltech’s late founder, Dr Pearse Lyons, with open spaces designed to nurture creativity and innovation.

renovation programme entirely in keeping with its historic heritage.

To complement this important initiative, Stamford Town Hall is now licensed as a prestigious venue for the solemnisation of Civil Marriages and Civil Partnerships.

In addition to providing an

meetings – both large (up to 100 participants) and small alike.

Private dining for that very special event or private meetings is another new, exclusive facility now available.

Visit www.stamfordtowncouncil. gov.uk for further details.

Synergy makes four new additions Leading cost-reduction, costmanagement and procurement firm Synergy Procurement Solutions are delighted to announce the addition of four new clients to its portfolio.

Our success was based on our reputation for delivering flexibility, communication with the stakeholders and inclusion of the incumbent supplier in any tender process in addition to any costreduction exercise.

This is all only possible due to open-minded Finance Directors

and senior Executive Directors who realise the benefit to be had from a carefully managed cost-reduction program.

Local Director at Synergy, Damian Clarke, commented: “I am passionate about our British SMEs remaining alive and strong and it is my job to free up the resources of the FD by taking cost-management and reduction out of the equation.

We have huge potential to have companies both as clients and suppliers in this region.”

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

‘THE UK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A

GLOBAL LEADER

IN CLEANTECH

INNOVATION’ I

MARTIN GARRATT

34 connected

With the publication of the IPCC’s landmark report, there has never been more focus on the need for moving to renewable energy and clean technology.

Last year, the UK government released its 25-year Environment Plan, and one of the key strategies outlined was to support innovations to ‘achieve clean growth and increase resource efficiency’. It is not just the UK, governments around the world are waking up to the reality that climate mitigation is no longer an option but an urgent necessity to sustain our current way of living.

What often goes unsaid in the conversation about climate change is that beyond the scaremongering, humanity has been presented with a significant opportunity to fix how it has been doing

business for the last century or so. Take for instance, the push to move towards renewable energy. Renewable energy produced nearly a third of UK electricity in 2017. Wind energy already accounts for a major portion of the energy generated in Scotland.

Retro fitting has become a major player in the construction industry and with the sharp drop in the price of solar panels, solarpanel enabled homes are fast becoming the norm and not the exception. Consumers too have been asking for more substantial changes in how their products reach the table and businesses are taking note of the benefits, both tangible and intangible, of adopting sustainable methods of production.

Waste management, fuel cell technology and energy efficiency are some other areas in the cleantech sector which have seen astonishing growth in the last few years.

The United Kingdom has a strong tradition of leadership in scientific innovation and has

report from

the potential to become a world leader in cleantech innovation as well.

“With its extensive network of cleantech innovators, particularly in the LondonOxford-Cambridge triangle, the UK has the potential to become a global leader in cleantech innovation. At Cambridge Cleantech, our goal is to bring this vision to fruition,” said Martin Garratt, CEO of Cambridge Cleantech.

Cambridge Cleantech is currently working with Cherwell District Council and Bioregional to set up a business network to support the low-carbon economy in Oxfordshire; and with the Greater London Authority to provide business support to cleantech companies in London. Together, these centres could spearhead the growth of the cleantech sector in the UK to hitherto unseen levels.

A 2018 study by researchers at the University of Cambridge that was commissioned by Cambridge Cleantech looked into the role of cleantech in the local, regional and national economies.

The study showed that the cleantech sector was one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy, and the Greater Cambridge Region with its innovationhungry climate had ‘unmatched capacity’ to

grow firms from ideas to start-ups to market success.

Some of the key findings from the study include: • The cleantech sector produces high value jobs with more than twice the Gross Value Added per job than the average for the economy • It is one of very few areas of the economy that grew in strength during the recession and recovery • Cleantech is currently the leading sector in creating jobs per £ invested • The Greater Cambridge Area is at the leading edge of the cleantech revolution in terms of expenditure on R&D and number of people employed • The East of England region is home to upwards of 4,900 cleantech companies, and is home to a wide range of effective business incubators, business-for-business networks, science parks and academic and research institutions.

According to Dr Douglas CrawfordBrown, Professor Emeritus, University of Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research, and the lead researcher behind the study: “National and global goals for reducing the environmental impact of personal and economic activity

CAMBRIDGE CLEANTECH

will require greatly increasing the capacity of the UK to create, nurture and market innovative cleantech goods and services.”

With this in mind, Dr Crawford-Brown and his colleagues at Cambridge University studied the conditions required to build this capacity, focusing on the Greater Cambridge Area and Oxfordshire.

“Our studies have shown that both places are fertile grounds for cleantech growth, with strong track records to support four pillars that motivate investment: Reducing pressure on planetary boundaries for environmental impact, creating a high value economy, Raising the UK’s position in the global league table on cleantech innovation, and making the UK Industrial Strategy a reality,” said Dr CrawfordBrown.

It is becoming abundantly clear that supporting the growth of the cleantech sector is not just necessary from an environmental standpoint, but can pay huge dividends in the growth of the UK economy in years to come.

Provided by Cinthya Anand, Communications Manager with Cambridge Cleantech, a network organisation supporting the growth of the cleantech sector in the UK and beyond.

connected 35

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SIGNPOST 2 GROW

When it comes to website copywriting…

There’s a common mantra in business: “your website is your 24/7 sales person”, and it’s completely true; your website is like your digital shop window.

Even when you’re not actively marketing your product or service your website is constantly active, allowing potential customers to view your items; that is why it is crucial to make the right impression when creating content. That can be quite a daunting task. The key is to keep things simple; since most people when searching for something on the internet want to find the information as quickly as possible.

So, here’s a few tips on how to keep your website simple but effective.

Tip #1 Be clear and concise When was the last time you read every page of a website? Or read a whole article for that matter? The majority of website visitors don’t read every page of a site or even all the content. That means first impressions count. Create clear headlines that are concise and enticing. Headlines are also a great place for implementing keywords or key topics to benefit your readers.

Tip #2 Maintain your style It is important, when designing and creating content for your website, that you decide on a style right from the beginning and stick to it throughout. It would not be effective to have a different

style for separate pages of a website; this would only confuse your visitors. A strong and clear style will be easier for visitors for remember for future reference.

Tip #3 Divide up information Effective copywriting is not just about the number of words on a site; the organisation of these words is just as important. Long, information-saturated paragraphs are dense and hard to scan, breaking up your text into digestible chunks. It will make your readers lives much easier. Dividing these chunks up with clear sub-headings that tell the reader what the paragraph is about is also helpful. Bullet points are also a great way to provide the key information in a quick and understandable format.

Tip #4 Who, what, where, when and why?

Using these five words as your template can help you achieve good website content. This is the same style as newspaper writing and allows you to include all of the essential information that people will be searching for. Once you have covered these areas, the ‘how’ will make up the rest of the content.

Tip #5 Keywords The use of keywords is a very common procedure when it comes to websites.

Consider the keywords most relevant to your page and think of ways to include them in the title and body of your article.

This will make it easier for people browsing the Internet to come across your website.

Tip #6 Hyperlinking Remember, when writing copy for your website, don’t overload your reader with vast amounts of information. If a person is overloaded with information they tend to switch off and either scan through the rest of the text or not bother to read it at all. Hyperlinks are a great way to provide more information to readers without bogging them down with reams of content. For example, if you refer to something on your website but do not want to explain the details, simply link the word or sentence to another site or article that does provide further explanation.

Tip #7 Use of multimedia People retain information or content in different ways, some people are content with just reading information and comprehending it, others need either graphics or videos to be able to understand information. By using multimedia forms, you will be able to grab the reader’s attention and, if the media is spread through the text, make them want to read on.

To find out more about please visit our website www.signpost2grow.co.uk

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Exploring Cambridgeshire Colleges to clocks, cows to punts

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insight from

Direct Marketing – Email Vs Mail Though digital marketing gets the limelight, many businesses find more direct methods more effective. Sarah West from Full Mix Marketing, shares her tips on direct marketing.

1 – Is Direct Marketing right?

Particularly with B2B marketing, if you know the type of customer most likely to need your product, you can often use mail and email to put your message directly in front of them.

You can target specific job titles or the most senior decision makers. Often anything which catches a director’s eye will find its way to the correct person.

If you’re targeting consumers, or there are already many businesses looking

for what you deliver, other forms of ‘pull’ marketing might be more effective, like Pay-Per-Click or offline advertising.

2 – Mail Direct mail was once a feature of most successful business’s marketing. Since the advent of email, its use has fallen due to the relative cost. However, as less mail is sent, the effectiveness of well-designed and targeted mailers has risen.

Unlike email, almost all physical mail is opened, considered and often retained.

The likelihood of the recipient recalling the brand and contents is also greater.

The higher cost is balanced against better response rates and the ability to send more powerful content like brochures.

3 – Email The low cost of sending an email makes it attractive.

The design and contents of your email are irrelevant if it’s not opened.

Counterintuitively, the more factual an email’s title, the more likely it is to be opened. As well as putting recipients off, superlative titles get caught by spam filters.

SARAH WEST

Emails have a split second to grab attention, so the use of images, headlines and valuable content is critical. An update about a recent development is usually more effective than a sales message alone.

4 – Getting results To balance costs, a good approach is to email an entire database and mail a smaller number of the ‘top’ targets.

Gathering or buying data from multiple sources ensures your message goes to the most productive people.

GDPR prohibits emails to consumers who have not signed up, though mail remains OK within certain constraints.

B2B emails and mailers can still be sent to businesses who may have a ‘legitimate interest’ in what you deliver.

It typically takes three or more pieces of direct marketing to create results but sustained campaigns can deliver business-changing success!

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

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pem.co.uk

A new angle on a Cambridge firm Delivering certainty in an uncertain world.

If we were to tell you that PEM’s financial services combine tradition with innovation, solid accountancy knowledge with personality and reliability with energy, you might think that it doesn’t add up.

But it does. Beautifully.

Choosing PEM means you’ll enjoy an honest relationship with someone who understands your needs and manages your finances in the best way possible.

PEM, Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2LA 01223 728222 pem@pem.co.uk

EMPLOYER SUPPORTED

POLICING

ESP - a ‘Special’ staff development opportunity that supports Cambridgeshire Police and the local community The idea of citizen policing goes back well before the days of Robert Peel and still makes an important contribution to the maintenance of law and order throughout the UK in the form of the Special Constabulary.

That being said, the basis on which the Specials actually operate is widely misunderstood, one of the most common of today’s misconceptions being to confuse them with Police Community Support Officers.

Specials are actually unpaid volunteers who have full police powers and work alongside regular officers, wearing identical uniforms, attending the same calls and working on the same operations. PCSO’s, on the other hand, are paid officers who support their regular colleagues, but do not have full police powers.

It follows from this that almost all Specials have a ‘day’ job and have to find most, if not all, of their minimum duty commitment of 200 hours per year from their own time. This means that Specials tend to go on duty during weekends, or sometimes evenings and are much less able to offer their services during weekdays, as they are at work.

Pressure on spare time is probably the most common reason why Specials leave the force and it was in an effort to help correct the imbalance in available time that the Home Office came up with the Employer Supported Policing Scheme.

ESP, as it is known, is probably best described as a benign partnership between the police and the private and public sectors, which also benefits the community at large. In essence, participating businesses and organisations give staff who are Specials a number of additional leave days to help them fulfil their duty commitments.

How many days leave per year each officer is offered is agreed with individual employers and is usually between one and 10. The scheme can be implemented through a direct agreement with the police, or incorporated within existing internal corporate social responsibility policies.

Employers supporting ESP are also asked to promote the idea of joining the Special Constabulary to their staff, perhaps by displaying posters, or allowing the police to mount a small recruitment event.

Helping to meet CSR and community engagement objectives is obviously an important aspect of the ESP scheme, but the ‘payback’ it offers goes a great deal further in the form of staff development. Every Special receives a comprehensive suite of personal and professional training that covers such areas as leadership, conflict management, prioritisation of demands, taking responsibility, decision-making, the delivery of objectives, an understanding of the law and first aid.

It is an immensely powerful package, worth several thousand pounds, but which cannot be purchased commercially. Many of the skills are transferable to the workplace and can make a significant contribution to the development of future leaders.

Little wonder that many participating employers consider they get more from ESP than they put in!

Cambridgeshire Constabulary is an enthusiastic proponent of the scheme and benefits from the efforts and dedication of many Special Constabulary officers,

some of whose employers are already ESP participants.

One Cambridgeshire Special who hit the headlines recently is Selly Rowles, a Software Solutions Consultant with a Cambridge company, who was running a five-mile road race when she was alerted to 67-year-old grandfather Tom Sullivan, who had collapsed in a ditch.

Finding no pulse, she administered CPR for about 30 minutes until the Air Ambulance arrived. Tom made a full recovery and subsequently participated in presenting Selly with a Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificate.

This is just one of many examples where the abilities and training of a Special have made a difference in the community or in the workplace.

Such actions are often the inspiration for members of the public to join the Special Constabulary – and hopefully for more Cambridgeshire employers to include ESP in their corporate social responsibility and/or community engagement programmes.

For more information about Employer Supported Policing, contact Vic Kerlin, the Head of Cambridgeshire Special Constabulary, on 01480 422256, or email him at victor.kerlin@cambs.pnn. police.uk

Special Constable Selly Rowles, pictured receiving her Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificate from Tom Sullivan and former Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Alec Wood, who retired last year.

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Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

chamber

100 YEARS

EVENTS

inspiring business success

AMAZING BENEFITS OF

CHAMBER

MEMBERSHIP DATE Monday 7 March TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Grovemere Property Ltd, Unit 112 Lancaster Way Business Park, Ely, CB6 3NX DATE Wednesday 20 March TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Peterborough Chamber, 6 The Forum, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT DATE Thursday 21 March 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.

Making Tax Digital Breakfast Seminar DATE Wednesday 27 February TIME 8.30-10.00am LOCATION Huntingdon Racecourse, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4NL PRICE Free to attend but please register in advance CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk For many businesses Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a big change to how they currently process their accounting records. This event aims to explain the key features of MTD and what actions, if any, you need to take in order to ensure you are compliant.

In partnership with

Chamber members can book events online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk connected 45

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 100 YEARS inspiring business success

Your essential business calendar for the next months.

INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENINGS

February 2019

20

Metro Bank, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

21

Hotel du Vin, Cambridge 5.00-7.00pm

27

Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

March 2019

4

6

11

St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club 5.00-7.00pm

Tobie Norris, Stamford 5.00-7.00pm

Poets House, Ely 5.00-7.00pm

20

21

27

KingsGate Conference Centre, Peterborough 5.00-7.00pm

Barons BMW, Cambourne Cambridge 6.00-8.30pm

DATE Friday 8 March TIME 9.30am-1.00pm LOCATION Peterborough Cathedral, Peterborough, PE1 1XS PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £27.00 (plus VAT) nonChamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci. co.uk International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Join us at this prestigious event to hear from inspiring speakers, networking and a debate on the International Women’s Day theme #BalanceforBetter.

Further details of this event can be found on page 7.

Sponsored by

Cross Keys Hotel, Chatteris 5.00-7.00pm

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

chamber

DATE Wednesday 13 March TIME 10.30am-3.30pm LOCATION IWM Duxford Conference and Events Centre, Duxford, Cambridge, CB22 4QR PRICE stands start at £50.00 (plus VAT) for Chamber members CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk This one-day event will showcase over 100 companies from a range of sectors across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, bringing hundreds of visitors to take advantage of special offers, free speed networking and seminars offering tips to take away to help grow your business.

In partnership with

Sponsored by

EVENTS

Cambridge Business Brunch – Investing in Employee Wellbeing DATE Tuesday 19 March TIME 9.30am-12.30pm LOCATION Arthur Rank Hospice Education and Conference Centre, Cherry Hinton Road, Shelford Bottom, Cambridge, CB22 3FB PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £24.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk Employee wellbeing is now a key issue that companies are striving to address. Let’s be honest, a happy and engaged workforce = increased productivity and employee loyalty and retention. If companies are willing to invest in employee wellbeing then workers are more likely to strive towards business goals and achieve greater revenue against targets. Who doesn’t want better cohesive teams, improved working environments as well as happy and healthy individuals in the workplace!

Join us with our expert speakers, Emily West from Made Agency and Darren Lawrence from Coaching and Consulting, and continue the conversation over the networking session.

Drive Your Business Forward DATE Thursday 21 March TIME 6.00-8.30pm LOCATION Barons Cambridge BMW, Sheepfold Lane, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6EF PRICE free to attend CONTACT Paul Gibbons on 01223 237414 or email p.gibbons@cambscci.co.uk Meet valuable business contacts, grow your connections and take a test drive at this special networking evening.

Hosted by Barons Cambridge BMW, supporters of our Charity of the Year Romsey Mill, this event will include an introduction from Kevin Appleton, Head of Business, who will explain the relationship they have with Romsey Mill and the benefits for them of supporting a local charity. We will take the opportunity to present a cheque to Romsey Mill for the generous donations from Chamber members at key events during the last year.

During the evening there will be informal networking, a tour of the showroom and the opportunity to take a test drive.

WHAT DOES TRADE LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD? DATE Tuesday 26 March TIME 8.00-10.30am LOCATION Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28 4XA PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £25.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk 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 2019. 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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