CONNECTED magazine March 2013 by connected magazine

MARCH 2013

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE

CAMBRIDGESHIRECHAMBER.CO.UK

AL LOC RISE RP E P T EN NERSHI IX EN T PAR IR GRAHANMS FOR PLA CHA D NEW RES HIS BEYON A D H N S A 2013

An engaging strategy

PAGES OF YOUR BUSINESS NEWS AND STORIES

PLUS

REAL TIME PAYROLL: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? ALCONBURY UPDATE TRENDING: BUY BRITISH

AN ECONOMIST’S VIEW IS CAMBRIDGESHIRE PERFORMING?

THE OFFICIAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE

CAMBRIDGE FOCUS: THE FIRM THAT PUTS TRADITIONAL VALUES AT THE HEART OF A MODERN APPROACH

Brighton

EA ST

A1M

AS AIN T M

Abbots Ripton

L IN

Alconbury Village

Little Stukeley A14

RAF Alconbury B

B1090

M IN E

Great Stukeley

A1(M)

Proposed new station and Busway connection

ST RE

A141

A141 Huntingdon Racecourse

The Busway Huntingdon B1514

A14

Great Ouse

A14 Brampton

B1514 A14

Alconbury Weald Enterprise Campus offers 150 hectares of business space set within a high quality, low carbon development of homes, greenspace and community facilities. From winter 2013 the Incubator will offer flexible space for start up and small businesses from 250 sq ft to 250000 sq ft. To see how you can join our community, call 01480 413141 or email abrading@savills.com

alconbury-weald.co.uk

CONTENTS |

Inside this issue

6-11

Chief Executiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comment Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber News

12-13 Huntingdonshire Chamber News

Fenland Chamber News

Charity of the Year

Ely Chamber News

In the Hotseat: Interview

18-20

30 41

Peterborough Chamber News Cambridgeshire Chamber News

22-23

Out & About

Ask the Expert

26-27

New Members

Policy Update

Chamber Updates

Alconbury Update

Legislation Update

32-33

Real Time Payroll

LEP Update

36-37

Events

39-41

Sector Updates

Trending: Buy British

Directory

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 3

| EDITOR’S COMMENT

Contributing this month...

Welcome March brings the first of our Business Exhibitions for 2013...

Richard Couchman Streets Accountants

Taking place at Newmarket Racecourse on Tuesday 5 March, the Two Counties Business Exhibition offers the opportunity for businesses to showcase their services and network with others from across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. There are a number of seminars taking place during the day. The Chambers’ Communication Sector is running a dedicated session in the morning from 10.30-11.15am entitled ‘Social Media: The Exhibition Guide’, aimed at preparing you for social media activities during the day ahead. While seminars are free of charge, we do ask that you register your interest in attending in advance. Please visit our website for details at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk Finally, as part of our rebranding, we now have new ‘Member of’ logos available for members to use on their letterheads, email footers, websites and even advertising. If you would like the logo relevant to your membership area please email me at s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Do you follow us on Twitter?

Sadie Parr Editor, CONNECTED

We regularly tweet Chamber news; follow us at @CambsChamber to be kept up to date with all the latest news.

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Chief Executive John Bridge OBE | Editor Sadie Parr | Creative Director Jillian Boys Publisher methodcreative.co.uk | Ebenezer House, Rooks Street, Cottenham, Cambridge CB24 8QZ | 01954 253060 | Print cambridgeprinters.co.uk Disclaimer Views expressed in CONNECTED are not necessarily those 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. Membership Development Officer Peter Watts 07545 697799 or Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 Cambridge Enterprise House, The 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 | www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

@CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

4 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

With experience in dealing with complex tax matters and as a partner at the firm, Richard deals with a range of technical issues.

Kirsten Corrigan Method Creative Journalist turned brand strategist, now growing local creative agency. Encouraging SMEs to think bigger and engage more.

Nick Milne Robinson College Conference and hospitality team leader at Cambridge’s Robinson College who puts excellent service above all else. Our editorial panel: We would also like to thank the other members of the Chamber Communications Sector group who will be responsible for shaping the key topics every month and researching these features to better serve the Chamber members in the pages of CONNECTED.

Advertise in CONNECTED and reach more than 3000 potential customers every month! Contact Lorna Hopkins on 01954 253060 or email connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Prices start from as little as £75

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COMMENT |

Creativity, innovation &

enterprise AT the Chambers’ recent Driving Business Confidence event Professor Alan Barrell, Entrepreneur in Residence at Cambridge University’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, described our subregion as having everything needed to remain one of the fastest growing in the country. He described how we have the people, the passion and the purpose to succeed. He highlighted the creativity, the innovation and the enterprise which has made our sub-region what it is today. And he pronounced our entrepreneurial spirit something which, as a Chamber, we know extremely well. But he also highlighted the fault lines which, in his words, could be improved by innovation and change. Professor Barrell described our efforts as not being joined up enough, a serious problem, he said. He outlined barriers to collaboration and a ‘not invented here’ mentality that resulted in a reluctance for Cambridge and Peterborough to work together. We need coherence, he said, and a greater willingness to cross barriers between disciplines and functions. Wider adoption of open innovation and knowledge sharing are essential. Despite these apparent shortcomings, Professor Barrell still maintains that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have the potential to be ‘a marvellous and growing hub of increasing international importance’. These are the words not just of an

academic, but of a successful businessman who led two separate multinationals with business in more than 100 countries and all from a Cambridgeshire technology base. They are words from which we can all gain confidence and inspiration, whether it is to invest, to collaborate, or to explore. Most importantly, they are words from which we can all be inspired to grow, and to succeed. The comment that resonated with me the most however was that there is “no better place to be” with the potential for continuing economic and social development, a sentiment with which I fully concur.

John Bridge OBE Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

We have the people, the passion and the purpose to succeed

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 5

| CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from across Cambridge & South Cambs

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

Generating a good return on engagement IT seems appropriate for one of the county’s financial institutions to be leading the way with a new style of investment plan. Rather than looking solely at the direct return on investment that marketing, advertising and traditional PR can bring, The Cambridge Building Society understands the value of engagement which can be delivered in a host of guises. It’s also a little more

Supporting our community brings added value abstract and intangible in terms of attributing a value to the bottom line. Embracing social media and community engagement, the inhouse marketing and PR team understands the

power that local loyalty can bring and invests heavily in nurturing this. The recent ‘Cash for the Community’ campaign is an example of how to quickly reinforce the message that the business cares about its customers – and the broader community. Giving away £10,000, to be divided between 25 local not-for-proft organisations is a quick-fire way to achieve ‘hearts and minds’ engagement. It’s hard to imagine the big banks ever striking the same chord at local level. “We continue to develop the ways in which we support the community and this is an example of how we can help a range of wonderful causes,” says chief executive Stephen Mitcham. “The Cambridge’s support for the local community goes back to 1850 when it was established. It has continued to be an important part of the Society’s culture and brings a lot of added value to the business.”

It’s a simple but effective plan and for the current campaign, there is a double win. The first success comes as a result of the buy-in from the organisations hoping to receive the funds, while the second comes from the broader community engagement. Meanwhile, the reach will be extended even further through Twitter and Facebook to ensure the campaign delivers optimum return on engagement. By all accounts, it’s a thoroughly modern plan for the 160-year-old firm. n

STAFF ENGAGEMENT

Boosting morale “OUR staff members are able to come together and volunteer their time to help the local community and use this as a team building exercise,” says Stephen Mitcham. ”It forges relationships, builds trust and allows them to feel a sense of pride.” With employees regularly taking part in charity fundraising, community volunteering and staff-led initiatives to foster positive morale across the network of local branches, employees are as engaged as customers.

A happy team is a productive team Stephen Mitcham at the launch of the 2013 campaign

6 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Redback Design celebrates its 21st birthday IN an industry where creative agencies come and go, this is a milestone to be proud of. Redback was founded during the recession of the early 1990s and has continued to flourish. “It has been achieved through highly effective creativity, close client liaison and attention to detail,” says founder Alan Wheeler.

“Some of our clients have been with us almost since ‘day one’ and individual marketing and brand managers have taken us with them as their careers develop. There can be no finer recommendation or mark of trust than a client staying with you through the years.” n

IN BRIEF March 2013 Credit Unions – a great ‘local’ way to manage your money Cambridge City Council is helping residents to find out about a safe way to manage their money – a great benefit during these uncertain economic times. With support from Cambridge CAB and the local Volunteer Centre, a project has been launched to promote the City’s two credit unions.

CambsQuality – 10 years on February marked the tenth anniversary of CambsQuality, an independent quality and environmental consultants based at St John’s Innovation Centre. They support clients throughout East Anglia and the Midlands in areas such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, environmental impact assessments and CE marking.

Redback’s team celebrates a birthday milestone

Shining light on city path RESIDENTS in the city have welcomed a trial on Parker’s Piece of a new lighting system, designed to make the area safer at night. Led by Cllr Tim Bick, leader of Cambridge City Council, the four-week trial aims to ascertain the merits of the proposed lit bollards before a potential £30,000 project goes ahead. “Parker’s Piece is a major thoroughfare in the heart of the city and we would like people to feel safer using it after dark,” he said. Community stakeholder consultant Ed Cearns was also present for the unveiling. He is actively involved in the local residents’ association for the city and said: “This is a much needed improvement. If it helps to ensure residents, students and visitors feel safe then it’s worthwhile.” You can comment online about the pilot: cambridge.gov.uk/consultations n

Premier Travel raise £260 for Addenbrookes Premier Travel Agency has raised £260 from a Christmas Party Raffle in aid of ACT (Ward C2) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The Christmas party is a regular event at which staff from the agency’s 25 branches attends, together with their sister company Premier Holidays. ACT is one of the country’s largest specialist Children’s oncology units, and is the designated charity for Premier Travel.

Kitemark inspection passed

Cllr Tim Bick with Ed Cearns

Robert J Barnes passed its six-month BSI Kitemark audit earlier this year. Independent engineers turn up unannounced and check that cars are being repaired to the specified BSI – Thatcham standard. The company passed on all counts demonstrating to customers that their cars are being repaired properly. Dennis Cooper, Managing Director, said: “It’s good news for us and our customers.”

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 7

| CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from across Cambridge & South Cambs

CRC offer CIPD Higher Apprenticeship CAMBRIDGE Regional College has launched a new CIPD Higher Apprenticeship in Human Resource Management aimed at professionals in the industry who want to improve their qualifications. The new high-level qualification is a response to the Government’s drive to put Apprenticeships at the forefront of practical vocational training and is heavily subsidised. The apprenticeship is a Level 5 qualification, equivalent to the second year of a degree, and is ideal for current HR staff looking to increase their skills. Ray Hilton, a management consultant at CRC, said: “The employee, the business and the economy benefit, so it’s a true win-win situation. It is also candidate-led, meaning that the college works around the candidate’s business schedule to optimise business efficiency and candidate results.” n

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

Agency makes a conscious addition PR and marketing agency Conscious Communications has boosted its team with the appointment of Nicola Collenette as Account Director. Nicola joins the original founding team of three, Alison Taylor, Kelly Allnutt and Zoë Scorer. She will be working with a mix of consumer and b2b clients in the drinks, education, lifestyle, energy and construction industries. Nicola has extensive knowledge of media relations thanks to more than 15 years’ experience as a copywriter and journalist for a range of major business publishers in the FMCG, hospitality and travel sector. Alison Taylor, Managing Director, said: “Nicola’s enthusiasm and knowledge combined with our passion for public relations and marketing is sure to be a powerful mix.” n

The Conscious Communications team

£3.2m earmarked as part of KEEP fund SMALL and medium size businesses from across the East of England are being encouraged to apply for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support to help them reduce energy consumption, develop new products and increase profitability. With an initial fund of £3.2 million to invest, the Low Carbon KEEP programme, which is managed by Anglia Ruskin University, has already supported over 35 successful projects, providing £675,000 of funding to small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). The Low Carbon KEEP programme runs until December 2014, and the deadline to apply for a maximum 18-month project is May this year. For more information, visit www.anglia.ac.uk/lowcarbon, phone 0845 196 4310 or email lowcarbon@anglia.ac.uk n

8 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Prospect Research welcomes guest B2B marketing agency Prospect Research welcomed a prestigious guest to their offices. Andy Harrison, Assistant Director at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), spent a week with Prospect Research as part of their Week in Small Business initiative, championed by Business and Enterprise Minister, Michael Fallon. The Week in Small Business initiative was introduced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to enable its staff to gain an in-depth understanding of the specific needs of small and medium size businesses (SMEs). During his time at Prospect Research, Andy spent time with the whole team to understand more about their portfolio of work, as well as attending client meetings and getting involved in market research projects.

Chris Walthew, Founder and Managing Director at Prospect Research, states: “Over the last three years, Prospect Research has been involved more and more in marketing campaigns for government initiatives and it’s great for Andy to experience our work first hand.” n

March 2013 Commotion Communications Commotion Communications, a newly launched PR company, will be a stand alone company complementing the portfolio of media and digital services offered by Media Managers, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2013.

Flora-Tec still celebrating Christmas Whilst Christmas is but a distant memory for most, Flora-tec are still celebrating. As a leader in corporate horticulture, supply and installation of office Christmas trees is one of their specialist skill. Plans for next year are already under way – after all, there are only around 300 sleeps to go… Andy Harrison and Chris Walthew

St John’s College rewarded in Health & Vitality Honours

POLAR celebrates quarter century

Local printer Victoire Press has helped restore a unique book with help from Heritage Lottery Funding. ‘A Record of Shelford Parva’ by Fanny Wale was written approximately 1908 but was never officially published.

IN BRIEF

POLAR Communication Services have just celebrated 25 years in the IT/Web industry. To coincide with this significant achievement, they have rebranded as POLAR the web people and launched a new website www.polarthewebpeople. co.uk and corporate video. POLAR the web people are a local company with over 10 years of expertise specialising solely in Internet related service. They offer the latest in web technologies and Internet marketing strategies. Gennaro Colloparo said: “Many website owners won’t update their website due to the investment they have made in their current website. We have recently launched a Website Part Exchange scheme where the old website can be traded in for a new one.” n

Bill Brogan, Catering & Conference Manager at St John’s College, was the winner of the Special Achievement Honour at the first ever recent Heath & Vitality Honours presented during a celebration lunch at The Long Room, Lord’s Cricket Ground. The awards rewarded those organisations that keep customers eating in hotels, pubs, restaurants and within the workplace well fed.

Chadwicks Expands Chadwick Export Services welcomes two new members to its well-established team in the field of International Trade. Sara Collings, joins in the role of Export & Office Administrator and Ross Chadwick in role of Projects Development. Sara and Ross recently attended Chamber Export courses building upon their knowledge of export/import documentation and procedures including incoterms, export licences and Letters of Credit.

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 9

| CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from across Cambridge & South Cambs

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

BT chosen for superfast broadband Curtain call for £8m site CAMBRIDGESHIRE County Council has announced BT as the winning bidder to roll out better broadband for homes and businesses across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough over the next three years. More than 90 per cent of homes and businesses in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will be able to receive superfast broadband with basic broadband available to nearly 100 per cent of premises by 2015. The milestone comes just one year after the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme was formed to get the best deal for the county

through a procurement competition involving several bidders. More than 24,000 households and businesses supported the push. Cambridgeshire County Council has committed up to £20million to the programme with up to £3million from Peterborough City Council and an allocation of £6.75million government funding from Broadband Delivery UK. “Investing in better broadband is vital to driving local economic growth and building thriving, connected communities across our county,” says Cambridgeshire County Council Leader, Councillor Nick Clarke. “It will help Cambridgeshire and Peterborough businesses to grow and compete, allow more people to work from home and create new jobs.” n

COMMERCIAL property consultancy Januarys is completing the final planning and letting stages for a new £8m cinema and restaurant complex in St Neots. Chairman Simon Dazeley said the scheme was a significant development for the business and added, “Working on this project allowed us to expand on the experience gained working on Cambridge Leisure.” n Simon Dazeley led the project for Januarys

Saturday 2013 e n u J t s 1 ned up g i s u o y Have ourful l o c t s o for the m usiness b l a c o l and fun vent? e y t i r a h c ils Full deta shortly. d e s a e l e r Supporting:

In partnership with:

10 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

Sign up today for one of the 10 team places available, Register your company’s interest at methodcreative.co.uk/wackyraces

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS |

Why academic venues are Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

2013 in the cloud CAMBOURNE-based IT consultancy Adept Software predicts growth in its sector will be conservative in 2013, within the range of zero to five per cent after identifying a definite shift in market trends and consumer needs. “A key emerging theme over the past 18 months has been the rise of cloud computing and further growth in this area is expected,” says MD David Smith. “Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has a proven track record in the cloud and now it's the turn of mainstream Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to offer this. Making it readily available and more affordable, as rather than a Capital Expenditure, makes strategic sense.” To reinforce the prediction, Microsoft’s NAV 2014 will be released in late 2013 when the long-awaited emergence of a cloud version is expected. n David Smith predicts cloud platforms for ERP in 2013

FAST-growing brand communications agency Method adds a quartet of new talent to its Cottenham-based team. (L-R) Alex Uglow joins as graphic designer and photo editor, while Alex Kreisl, Caroline Lenoury and Oliver Halls all take up roles working on the agency’s Red Bull account producing content in English, French and German for a portfolio of the brand’s global websites.

Bucking the trend By Nick Milne, Catering & Conference Manager, Robinson College Cambridge

THE events industry press is full of stories of conference venues struggling for survival. Many are owned by venture capital companies and regularly sold on or part-owned by a financial institution resulting in a precarious position. Desperate for business, there is fierce competition over rates and massive Nick Milne discounting to secure bookings. This leaves companies making the bookings – and frequently paying upfront – feeling insecure about their investment and their future event. In contrast, academic venues throughout the UK are bucking the trend and seeing a rise in the number of enquiries and bookings. Event organisers are appreciating the benefits of venues offering cost-effective facilities in a nofrills environment that is conducive to learning. There’s also added value in terms of free wi-fi and inclusive rates quoted so organisers know in advance what the cost will be and there are no nasty shocks with the final bill. And with academic venues, any profits are ploughed back into the institution itself to improve facilities and educational courses – a policy which appeals to many companies. All of this can be evidenced at Robinson College, where we have just achieved a record year which is particularly encouraging in a very challenging marketplace. Enquiry levels increased by 29%, day business by 15% and overall revenue by 25%. This is down to a number of factors – our Service+ integrated marketing campaign to target specific markets more closely, new technology to help our clients achieve their delegate numbers by assisting with social media and offering our online delegate tool and of course our Conference team whose professionalism and flexibility are so often singled out for mention.

@RobCollConf robinson.cam.ac.uk/conferences 01223 332859

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 11

| HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER NEWS

Huntingdonshire Chamber NEWS

IN BRIEF March 2013 FlexErefrigeration FlexErefrigeration Ltd is a new company from the Flex-Able Group serving the business community for their commercial refrigeration and air conditioning needs. A full range of commercial fridges, freezers and air conditioning units will be available, as well as one-off projects and installations. The business will operate on a 24/7 basis for emergency call outs, as well as planned servicing and maintenance contracts. FlexEregrigeration will be headed by Colin Melhuish, a fully experienced and qualified refrigeration engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the industry.

George Hay welcomes new tax partner

Phil Blackburn moves from 11-partner firm

Chartered accountancy firm George Hay has recruited an additional tax partner following substantial growth and new client wins in recent years. Phil Blackburn joined George Hay at the beginning of February, having previously been the tax partner at an 11-partner firm in London. He brings with him expertise in the tax issues affecting successful companies, high net worth individuals, property matters and international and non-resident tax planning issues. He will be based primarily at the firm’s Biggleswade and Letchworth offices.

12 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

A round-up of news and events from Huntingdonshire

Huntingdonshire Chamber of Commerce

Beacon win advisors of the year IN January, Beacon Wealth Management Ltd attended an awards ceremony in London that recognises the best financial planning companies across the UK. Up to 6,000 UK financial adviser practices were asked to complete an in-depth survey and were judged on factors that included professional qualifications, the proportion of money they earn as recurring fee-based income, and the overall efficiency of their business model. Shortlisted firms were then taken through an interview process looking in detail at these areas and additional factors, such as client education and communication, and the use of technology to run an efficient financial planning business. The East of England was the first award to be announced. Tony Larkins, Beacon’s Managing Director, commented: “I had no idea we had been shortlisted. I couldn’t believe it when they called out our name and handed us the trophy.”

Beacon’s Tony Larkins

This award means they are considered to be the best financial planning firm in the East of England and are already making plans for the future, starting with the renovation of a Chapel for their new offices in Kimbolton. n

Building work to start at Huntingdon gym club AFTER over eight years of trying, Huntingdon Gymnastics Club, home to Olympian and Strictly Come Dancing winner Louis Smith, has announced that it will commence building its new hall. Thanks to a grant of over £250,000 from British Gymnastics, and a further £50,000 from the Freemen of Huntingdon, the club

An artist’s impression of the Hunts Gym community hall

is able to move forward and build a smaller community gymnastics hall. The club has set a target to raise £100,000 in the next six months, and has already seen over £10,000 in donations since the launch in October. The club is now reaching out to local companies to get involved by launching various corporate sponsorship opportunities. n

HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Bright future toasted at Borney 20-year do MARKING a significant milestone in the journey of display sign company Borney UK, a colourful 20th birthday celebration attracted local business supporters, clients and press. Hosted by company founders Andre Severs and Richard Beary, the evening also included a tour of the Huntingdon site. Newly appointed directors Carli Beary and Nick Dowell also spoke at the event and described the exciting plans following the merger between Your Sign Company and Borney UK as it extends its offer in the market. Among attendees was Eric Borney, from the French parent company, who said he was “really proud” of the efforts of Richard and Andre who set up the company’s first distribution business outside of France and “hoped to be back for their 40th!” Chamber chief exec John Bridge also made a speech. n

The 20-year celebration for Borney UK was a colourful event

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 13

| FENLAND CHAMBER NEWS

Fenland Chamber NEWS A round-up of news and events from Fenland

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

Tourism is a shop window for Fenland “TOURISM is the key to the countryside,” Adam Henson told industry representatives as they watched him press the button to launch the new Cambridgeshire Fens website. “The general public are more engaged with food and farming than they have been for many years, and for Fenland District Council to support tourism by using a multi-media platform is wonderful; it is the way forward,” said Adam. “I am sure the new website will drive more people to the district.”

Fenland offers great views across the East and the new website aims to showcase this

The website, which got a warm welcome from tourism industry representatives, is the culmination of nine months’ work by the new Fenland Tourism Board. Tourism board Chairman Mike Cornwell said: “Businesses involved in tourism are often small employers, putting their heart and soul into their work and they deserve our backing.”

Council leader Councillor Alan Melton said: “We recognise that tourism is one of the main drivers of our economic development and it is a shop window for the Fens. We want to advertise that fact to as many people as possible. Our website is going to be a market leader and I can promise that we shall continue to resource tourism in Fenland.” n

Youngsters given green challenge FOSTER RENEWABLE ENERGY (FRE) is working on an energy project in partnership with Freebridge Community Housing. This will allow a group of 14 and 15-year-olds to monitor and improve their households’ energy use. FRE donated 12 energy meters and recording charts for the youngsters to monitor their households’ energy consumption over a two-week period during February After the initial two-week period, FRE provided a list of tips and energy saving advice to all the participants. A second fortnight of monitoring is due to take place in March. Once the youngsters have completed the final stage, FRE will collate the energy recordings so we can compare them. “We are pleased to be able to take part in a project which involves helping younger people monitor energy use with a view to reducing fuel bills and ultimately carbon emissions,” says Jeremy Pallant, Renewable Energies Manager. “This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with proactive youngsters. Providing monitors so they can see how much energy they are using and how much they can save is extremely worthwhile in helping them to understand the concept of energy efficiency.” n

14 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

CHAMBER CHARITY OF THE YEAR |

Continue your support... Join Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust’s Business in Action for Addenbrooke’s corporate network and let us help you address your CSR objectives. By working in partnership with Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), companies can help support the continued development of Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie as world-class centres of excellence in clinical care and medical research.

Gold Membership £1,000 per annum

Silver Membership £250 per annum

As a Gold Member, companies will receive a significant number of business and staff benefits:

As a Silver Member, companies will receive the following package of benefits:

✓ Y ou will receive a framed certificate to acknowledge and promote your support for ACT.

✓W e will invite you to attend two networking events each year, which provide opportunities to increase your profile.

✓ Y our staff will benefit from development opportunities offered through the ACT Corporate Ambassador Programme.

✓ Y our company will be named on the ACT website as a Silver Member.

✓ Y our staff will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for events organised by ACT at a 10 per cent discount.

✓W e would be happy to offer you advice and guidance on additional ways for your company to increase its profile across the region.

✓W e would be happy for you to use the ACT logo on your corporate materials to further demonstrate your commitment to CSR. ✓ Y our company will be named on the ACT website as a Gold Member and be included in regular internal fundraising updates circulated to the hospitals’ 8,000 staff. ✓W e would be happy to offer you advice and guidance on additional ways for your company to increase its profile across the region.

“Supporting ACT helped us raise our profile as a legal business supporting the local community, and enhance our client relationships.” Christine Berry, Partner, Taylor Vinters

UPCOMING EVENTS Sunday 5 May

THREE COUNTIES WALK Bartlow, South Cambridgshire Join the 10th annual Three Counties Walk starting in the village of Bartlow, South Cambridgeshire, to support prostate cancer patients at Addenbrooke’s. Offering a range of walk options for all the family. Find out more at www.bartlow.org.uk

Saturday 18 May

‘OLD FARTS’ FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT AND CHARITY AUCTION Cambridge City Football Club

The Waitrose team get ready for It’s a Knockout!

Fundraiser, Robert Lacey, of the Fulbourn ‘Old Farts’ football team is once again holding a football tournament in aid of prostate cancer. For more information contact ACT on 01223 217757.

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 15

| ELY CHAMBER NEWS

Ely Chamber NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Ely

Just Jobs Peterborough and Labour Tech seal deal

Just Jobs and Labour Tech

LOCAL recruitment website Just Jobs Peterborough has expanded its reach across Fenland by signing a three month deal with awardwinning recruitment agency Labour Tech in Ely. The three month deal will mean that Labour Tech Recruitment will be able to promote unlimited temporary and permanent vacancies across the region to over 6,000 local jobseeker visitors to the site. In addition, Labour Tech’s company news will be displayed on the website and promoted across Just Jobs Peterborough’s highly engaging social media and internet marketing campaigns to local businesses. Just Jobs Peterborough’s Managing Director, Steve Copeland says: “For local employers and recruitment agencies, our service is the answer for targeted, cost effective and far reaching advertising for job vacancies, at a fraction of the cost of the more traditional newspaper alternative. We also help promote our clients to other businesses across the area to create a community “hub” of news stories and look forward to helping Labour Tech build upon their success.” “Labour Tech Recruitment is a firm believer in ‘local jobs for local people’ and so the very ethos of Just Jobs Peterborough fitted the bill perfectly for us,” says Jo Cox, Head of Recruitment at Labour Tech Recruitment. “We look forward to continuing to build strong relationships with clients and jobseekers across the region.” n

Friday 5th – Thursday 11th April 2013 Ely Cathedral

Celebration of Business ECBG believes that there is a strong correlation between the health of the business sector and the well being of the communities in which those businesses operate. The purpose of ECBG is to explore this relationship, and strengthen the correlation. We want to help businesses succeed and thereby make our communities stronger.

• Week long exhibition in Ely Cathedral – Friday 5th April to Thursday 11th April • Networking on Thursday afternoon • Followed by the Celebration of Business Reception at 18:00 • With Key Note addresses at 19:00 from: George Freeman – MP for Mid Norfolk, Adviser to the Government on Life Sciences, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Science,Technology and Agriculture ‘The Crisis of Disconnection’ Rt Rev David Thomson – Bishop of Huntingdon ‘People or Profit?’

In association with

To book exhibition stand space, and attendance at the Celebration of Business Reception (both free of charge) please visit elycathedralbusinessgroup.org

16 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

Ely Chamber of Commerce

SPECIAL REPORT |

In the HOTSEAT

Mike Spicer Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce

Economist, former strategic executive for the East of England Regional Development Agency and longstanding Cambridgeshire resident Mike Spicer speaks exclusively to CONNECTED about why we fascinate policy makers.

WEATHERING the daily commute into London from Cambridge, Mike Spicer bridges the geographic gap between our local accredited Chamber and the administrative HQ of the British Chambers of Commerce. “I’ve been a Cambridgeshire resident for more than ten years,” begins Mike, whose speech at the new brand launch of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce last month resonated with the audience of business leaders and public sector figures. “I worked in the area until 2011, when I took up a role with the BCC – initially as Senior Policy Adviser and now as Head of Research.” Mike’s local knowledge reaches far beyond the commute, however, with insight gleaned from his time with both Cambridge Econometrics and the East of England Development Agency. A particular insight into the economic fibre of our region comes from delivering the regional economic strategy review for EEDA during his tenure. “In many ways, Cambridgeshire is the county that the government would most like other counties to look like,” Mike says. “There are of course issues and challenges that the county faces, with some of them more severe and particularly around transport. But, in areas like the skill level of the population, quality of educational institutions, quality of life, rate of entrepreneurship... it’s very positive. “You often hear government talk about the need to rebalance the economy towards more innovation-led and export-led activity and

that’s exactly the kind of economy you’ve got in Cambridgeshire. It fascinates policy makers in a sense, as it’s a glimpse of the future.” Mike identifies another characteristic that defines our region – a desire to get stuck in to the community, share knolwedge and help improve the landscape. “Very often leaders will play a role in the community – sitting on the board of the local LEP or getting involved in the Chamber. There’s a kind of ‘recycling’. It’s a very supportive community environment for businesses,” he says. “Those roots run deep, they take a long time to develop and you don’t always see it in other areas. I think there are a lot of places around the country who would do a lot for an economy like it.” n

In many ways, I believe Cambridgeshire is the county that the government would most like other counties to look like. It fascinates policy makers.

What does growth look like for us in Cambridgeshire? Mike says: “The big perennial challenge is the pressure on land use. Economic growth, in a spatial sense, is not just about growth of companies, both physical and financial, but also the effect that has on bringing people into the area. “There is always the ever present danger that the supply of new office space and commercial space doesn’t keep up with demand. With growth comes challenges, and those will remain for the foreseeable future.”

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 17

| PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS

Peterborough Chamber NEWS

IN BRIEF March 2013 ACR recieves ISO accreditation for 18th year running Independent Peterborough agency Anne Corder Recruitment (ACR) has achieved ISO accreditation for the 18th consecutive year. The accreditation is recognised as the only international indicator of quality. The report made special reference to ACR’s commitment to its award-winning eco credentials through the maintenance of a paperless office. It also highlighted the company’s comprehensive methods in obtaining customer feedback.

Kamarin help companies adapt Accounting software providers Kamarin Computers are offering advice and assistance to their customers who are preparing for the upcoming changes regarding PAYE and Pension changes implemented by the HMRC. The seminars walk users through the steps required to use their payroll software in-line with new legislation.

Neil Bedford and Danny Gill of Kamarin

Metrix provides blog boost Metrix Marketing has launched a new blog, EasternNewHomeBuyer, which provides a variety of news and information that new home buyers will find useful. The blog offers a variety of material about new homes, housing market updates and current trends in the UK homebuilding industry. It also highlights some of the news, comments, statistics and other information featured in regional and national media coverage.

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A round-up of news and events from across Peterborough

Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

£900,000 refurbishment transforms 20 Bloomsbury Square IN May 2010, the London Estate of the Duke of Bedford appointed Waterland Associates to manage the complete refurbishment of 20 Bloomsbury Square, a grade II listed building on the prestigious North side of Bloomsbury Square. The client wished to return the historic interiors to their original design whilst simultaneously integrating modern IT infrastructure and low-energy and renewable technology. Waterland Associates worked at the head of a team of specialists to develop detailed proposals that not only returned the historic interiors to their former glory, but also provided comprehensive telecoms and data cabling throughout the building and air conditioning, using low-energy air source heat pumps and concealed photovoltaic roof panels. The design also increased the amount of lettable floor area by simplifying the existing layouts. n

20 Bloomsbury Square

Plans to transform city centre unveiled PETERBOROUGH has launched its City Centre Plan which sets out how it will grow over the next 15 years. Development opportunities include a major extension to the city’s main retail area and a brand new 100-acre riverside development. Peterborough’s economy is predicted to have expanded by 40 per cent by 2025; in 2012, almost 4,500 jobs were created. Peterborough has also seen rapid population growth over the last decade increasing 20 per cent to 184,000 residents. By 2031, that figure is expected to reach almost 240,000. Peterborough therefore needs a bigger, better city centre to support new shopping, leisure and environmental improvements, as well as increasing the number of dwellings and office space available.

A state-of-the-art film has been produced to highlight the huge number of investment opportunities. You can watch the film by visiting www.peterborough.gov.uk/ citycentreplan n

Councillor Marco Cereste

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Top Customer Service Award CUNNINGTON Clark has received a prestigious Diamond BenchmarQ Award for outstanding Customer Service. The award, which is operated by QMS International plc, was based on responses and feedback given by a selection of clients to a survey and resulted in an overall achievement of 90 per cent Customer Satisfaction. Chairman Andrew Cunnington said: “We are delighted to have progressed from the Silver Award we received in 2011 to the top Diamond Award. This means we made significant improvements in all the areas covered by the scheme, including marketing, service and products. We scored well on price and service quality against

our competitors, but it is the area of staff performance where we really seem to have made our mark, scoring 92 per cent overall.” n

Cunnington Clark receives award

Team expands at Activ8 IT ACTIVE8 IT has added to its ever-growing team following on from the successes of 2012. Catherine Batley joined the team in January as new Marketing Executive. Catherine will be looking to build on the company’s excellent reputation and innovative approach, which has already led them to win Small Business of the Year Award 2012. Active8IT is an established IT consultancy based in Peterborough. Focusing on tailored solutions for the Small to Medium Business market. The primary skill base includes the design, sales and support of server based networks utilising Windows Server 2008/R2 and Windows Small Business Server 2008 and the more recent 2011 release. In 2006 the company further enhanced its status by achieving ‘Gold Status with Microsoft, the highest award for excellence given by the technology company. Active8IT says its services deliver reliable, ‘enterprise’ grade solutions at affordable prices and recently won an award for this. n

Charity total tops £40,000 A FUNDRAISING committee has said a big thank you to the hundreds of people who supported its events last year, helping to raise an impressive £40,000 to help local children. The final total raised by the NSPCC’s Peterborough Business Support Group surpassed all expectations. Chairman Chris Collier said: “To raise such a large amount is wonderful. Everyone who contributed can rest assured the money will go towards supporting vulnerable local children.” n

Beating a multinational IT giant to the post shows that we can compete with anyone

Catherine Batley joins Activ8 IT on the marketing team

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 19

| PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS

Peterborough Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from across Peterborough

Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

Hegarty clients raise over £500 for charity HEGARTY Solicitors recently took part in Will Aid and announced they have raised £535 to date for the nine Will Aid charities. As part of the Will Aid campaign, Hegarty drew up basic Wills for local people without charging the usual fee. In return for this service, the clients made a donation to Will Aid. Will Aid is the UK’s leading charity willwriting scheme. It offers everyone the opportunity to make or update their Will in return for a donation to help people in need in the UK and all over the world. This money is shared by nine well-known UK charities:

ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, Sightsavers, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (Northern Ireland). It was a very busy and successful campaign. Solicitor Jo Wild wrote 11 Wills in total for local people, giving their families the security of a properly drafted Will as well as the opportunity to support popular charities. Jo said: “I really enjoyed meeting many new clients and would like to thank those who took part and donated so generously in order to make our fundraising efforts such a success.” n

Celebrities on Ice turns weekend into a scorcher WITH breathtaking ice stunts, jaw-dropping aerial routines, glitzy costumes and a cast of famous faces, Celebrities on Ice was the hottest show in town. The star-studded ice dancing, music and skating spectacular was regional entertainment venue Peterborough Arena’s first major event of the year with more than 10,000 people attending the five shows over three days. Peterborough Arena Managing Director Keith Dalton said: “This has been an amazing

weekend for the venue and the entire Peterborough Arena team. “We’ve been delighted not only to have been chosen to host this fabulous show, but to give so many visitors – many of whom may not have been here before – and other events organisers the chance to see just what we have to offer in the city. “To have an attendance figure of over 10,000 is magnificent, and we hope that the show promoters will make Peterborough Arena the new home of Celebrities on Ice.” n

Some of the action from Celebrities on Ice at Peterborough Arena

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Jo Wild of Hegarty Solicitors

Toojays celebrates 10th anniversary 2013 marks a 10-year milestone for Management Training & HR Consultancy Services Toojays. Since the company started back in 2003, thousands of delegates have benefited from their workshops. The company delivers Leadership, Management and Team Development solutions to a range of international

We look forward to the next 10 years! clients. Focusing on practical and value adding learning, Toojays has assisted many large and small organisations with business development interventions. Lee Martin, owner and Managing Director, says: “Whilst we are extremely proud of our record over the last decade, we’re not resting on our laurels. We will continue to work hard to ensure that we are providing a valuable service with real ROI. We look forward to the next 10 years!” n

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER NEWS |

Cambridgeshire Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from Cambridgeshire

Social media warning to jobseekers CLARITY Appointments has echoed a warning issued to young jobseekers about their social media activity. The Recruitment Society and The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) have warned young people that their posts on social network sites may be risking their careers, something Clare Wight, Managing Director of Clarity Appointments, has Clare Wright, Managing Director

experienced recently. “We had an incident recently where a client was nervous about taking someone on because of their Facebook posts even though they were the best candidate for the job. Anyone looking for a job can no longer think that their social media activity won’t be taken into consideration.” Clare says the answer is not to avoid social media completely as it can be extremely useful for job hunting and career development but to bear in mind the dangers of covering social lives in detail for anyone to see: “My advice would be to keep your settings private, check what friends are posting about you and don’t put anything on social media that you wouldn’t want a potential boss to see. n

IN BRIEF March 2013 Local Solicitor Celebrates 25 Years Nicholas Amor, the Managing Partner and Head of the Commercial & Employment Department of Gross & Co celebrated his 25th anniversary with the firm earlier this year.

Search for digital market guru! With its first two apprentices now fully fledged web developers, Cambridgeshire web development specialist Granite 5 is on the look out for apprentice number three.

www.januarys.co.uk

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 21

| OUT & ABOUT

Out&About Enjoy our monthly montage of events and happenings across the local area with this colourful round-up of Chamber gatherings. Make sure you send us your photos each month and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll include the best of the bunch! Email images straight to the creative team: connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Business leaders come together to drive business confidence Some of the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most influential business leaders came together to highlight how working in partnership is key to improving business confidence and realising potential for economic growth in our region at a breakfast seminar organised by Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

Vita Bella! Helen Bosett, from the Chamber, joins staff from Cunnington Clark at the official opening of the new Carluccios Restaurant in Peterborough City Centre.

22 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

OUT & ABOUT |

Boost from Buckles

Winning smile

To support the Olympics theme in 2012, the team at Buckles organised a decathlon of challenges which encouraged employees to get involved and raise money for Sue Ryder – Thorpe Hall Hospice. The total raised at the end of the year was an amazing £3,534.81. Colleen Gostick and Chris Holdsworth from Buckles Solicitors (right) presented the cheque to Alison Toomey and Stephen Wallace from Thorpe Hall Hospice.

John Bridge and Iain Crighton present Paul Gibbons, centre, with his Chamber Chops prize for the ‘best tache’.

Charity of the Year 2013 unveiled

Toyota Auris launches with style

Sadie Parr and Helen Bosett from the Chamber meet with Tom Scott, Marketing and Events Manager at Shine, at their head offices at Park Road, Peterborough in preparation for becoming the new Chamber Charity of the Year.

Marshall Toyota Peterborough hosted a high octane launch in February, showcasing the new Auris to Chamber members at a breakfast event. With catering from Chef de la Maison and an exciting vehicle wrap from Borney UK, the sleek compact Auris made an impression.

Salute to two decades John Bridge makes a presentation at the 20th birthday party of Borney UK to the directors.

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 23

| CONNECTED MAGAZINE

24 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

ASK THE EXPERT |

Ask the expert: Increasing profit Alan Blake, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants and specialist in looking after owner managed businesses, explains how profit can be achieved without cutting costs or putting up prices. INCREASINGLY I am asked how to improve profitability. You would probably expect an accountant to say ‘keep your costs down’, whether they are direct or overhead expenses. You are probably less likely to get them to consider some of the other key areas that can help to improve your profitability... Focus on core business Identify key areas of profitability and those with an upward trend. Enthusiasm for new products and services can distract from profitable core activity. Know your customer and ensure your customers know you Maintain a balance between generating new and servicing existing customers. Selling to existing customers costs six times less than it does to sell to a new customer. It is important that staff are fully aware of your products and the cross selling opportunities. It is equally important to ensure that your customers are fully au fait with your products and services. How many times have you heard the saying ‘I didn’t know you did that?’ and, as a result, a

customer has bought from a competitor. Keep up to date with customer expectations; most business is lost through indifference. Cherry pick new customers Focus on characteristics that are similar to your more profitable, existing customers. Consider splitting the role between those in your organisation that are good at hunting for new customers and those who are good at looking after existing ones. Spend time on the business not just doing the business If you are looking to increase capacity or improve efficiency, spend time looking at the way you do business, it can be surprising how often it is possible to achieve increased sales and profitability without taking on more people or investing in additional resources. Measurable objectives Setting key targets that can be easily measured, and communicated, are undoubtedly valuable and very effective in the quest for profit improvements.

We create innovative solutions to integrate offline processes with online services. Make sure you don’t get left behind, talk to us about improving your business online.

Outsource There is a growing trend for companies to outsource specialist services where there is a shortage of technical knowhow or the cost of doing it in-house would be prohibitive. Persistence It is not rocket science, but in most scenarios the failure to attain one’s goals is simply the result of a failure to pursue them. Good ideas and intentions all too often are lost when we revert back to old ways and bad habits. By giving a little attention to some of the points above, you can make a significant difference to the bottom line of your business. n

www.printondemand-worldwide.com

Modernise your business workflow

Invest in your people Often, staffing is the biggest cost and the most significant resource. Consider developing existing staff and rewarding them with a bonus scheme, training or better working conditions, an approach which can often help to reduce employment costs through improved retention and reduced absenteeism.

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CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 25

| NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS

NEW Members

A warm welcome to our new Chamber members

NEW MEMBERS

Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace

THIS MONTH

www.juiceplus.co.uk

Avita Medical Ayudar Ltd Biogas Technology Ltd Collaborative Systems Consulting Digital Barriers Services Ltd Cambridge Fresh Grape Creative Gelder Ltd Greater Anglia

NSA is a privately-owned company which markets a new concept in whole food nutrition called Juice Plus+, designed to raise people’s awareness of the importance of good nutrition. The product’s potential to help create a healthier lifestyle to promote health and wellbeing, is applicable both in and outside, the workplace. Juice Plus+ with its track record of success in 21 countries around the world, provides a powerful business opportunity

to promote its holistic health benefits through a personal franchise that can run in conjunction with, or complement, one’s own business. More detailed information on the product, the company and the franchise can be found on www.juicefacts.eu or www.juicepluspersonalfranchise.eu and anyone interested in looking at this more closely should contact the Cambs Wellness co-ordinator Derek Burton at derek@derekburton.net

Hidalgo Ltd HMP/YOI Littlehey Hytner Exhibitions Ltd

Tudor Morgan-Owen Photography

ISS Ltd

www.tudormorgan-owenphotography.com

iTEXS Ltd

Tudor Morgan-Owen is a professional photographer with over 15 years of experience covering Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and London. We specialise in Corporate, PR, Commercial, Press and Event photography with clients including The Sunday Times, Clydesdale Bank, Fitzwilliam Museum and Bidwells. Tudor says: “If you are a business and want to be seen to be working proactively and keeping your website and company profile up to date, have something to launch or have an event you want covering, or just have some good news that you want to broadcast then why not get in touch?”

Lease Our Cars Lemontree Properties MWB Business Exchange NBC Bird & Pest Solutions Peterborough – Serco Strategic Partnership Polkadotfrog Ltd Pro K9 Ltd The Cambridge Centre for Languages WLP

AJJ Recruitment www.ajj-recruitment.co.uk AJJ Recruitment has built up an enviable reputation for being a refreshingly different agency, for providing tailormade recruitment and career solutions across the country. We focus on people and work mainly with small to medium sized companies and independents. We are a growing company and our ethos is to deliver no

26 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

matter what the recruitment needs are. We enjoy building long-term trusting relationships with our clients and are passionate about the development of our candidates’ careers.  Our belief is that a successful placement is not just a transaction but is the start of a continuing and productive relationship. Our clients come to us for

our knowledge of the market, excellent service and honesty. We are judged on delivering results and achieving aims. Our candidates come to us because we are approachable and discerning. We can help fill those essential, yet ‘hard to fill’ positions enabling clients to spend time more effectively on developing their business.

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS |

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

Hytner Exhibitions

Fresh Grape Creative

www.hytner.com

www.freshgrape.co.uk

Hytner Exhibitions Ltd is a leading exhibition design and build company offering a total exhibition solution to the public and private sectors. The business was established in 1993 by Managing Director Gary Hytner and is now managing the exhibition and stand design needs of a number of householdname organisations. Hytner’s is based on the outskirts of Peterborough and has a 2,000 square metre warehousing facility that can be used for any size or type of exhibition design requirement. The company has built up an enviable reputation for creating cost effective, impactful installations by delivering projects on time and on budget. However, what truly sets them apart is their personal approach, attention to detail, project management and their craftsmanship.

A Cambridge based Creative Agency - we help business like yours breathe new life through creative design and effective online strategies. If you need an improved brand or website, our experts take a consultative approach to ensure your end product is exactly right for your business. Our experienced and creative team are here ready to help your business take its next creative step. Give us a call on 01223 750257.

Utility Warehouse www.earnmorepayless.info As authorised distributors for the Utility Warehouse, Marty and Barrie Turner offer the benefits of Utility Warehouse Discount Club Membership to both residential and business customers. More and more people are saving by switching and having all services for phone, broadband, mobiles, gas and electricity on one monthly bill, for businesses this has the added advantage of reducing bank charges. Utility Warehouse not only offers best value services, but also provides additional savings across a wide range of goods and services both on-line and on the High Street using our unique cash back card. Call 01480 474874 for a free no obligation consultation.

Polkadotfrog www.polkadotfrog.co.uk At Polkadotfrog Ltd, we feel honoured to support the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Recently, we had to be creative in our approach to raising money in ‘The Accumulator Challenge’ and managed to raise about £500. As one of the leading independent recruitment companies in the area, we have also had the pleasure of recruiting for the ARHC too, both on a temporary and permanent basis. We look forward to continuing in our support of this fantastic charity as well as being there for all their recruitment needs in 2013.

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t: 01223 597919 adeptsoftware.co.uk

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 27

| POLICY UPDATE

Policy UPDATE Keeping you informed, representing local business

Growing your business BUSINESS success is largely dependent on having an effective business plan and employing the right people to help achieve it. This is particularly true for small businesses when employing people with the right skills and attributes can be crucial for achieving growth. With this in mind, the Ely Chamber has been working with partners to arrange an event at Ely Cathedral during the Celebration of Business week, designed to help businesses grow through their people. Business owners, particularly SMEs, are often so busy responding to the daily demands of the business that they miss the opportunity to invest in their own and their employees’ development. If a business can create an environment in which training needs are identified and professional development is nurtured this will drive growth both for the individual and for the company, potentially reduce cost through improved performance and provide a competitive advantage. In recent times we have seen examples of large well established retail businesses failing because they were unable to adapt to changing demand. Entrepreneurial businesses need to be adaptable and flexible and therefore they need to be led by people who embrace these qualities. Help and advice is available to businesses, if you know where to look. To find out more about developing your business through planning and people then, as a first step, you could attend the ‘Grow your Business through People’ event at Ely Cathedral on Wednesday 10 April. At this event you will have the opportunity to consider what success would look like for your business and what skills you and your staff might need to achieve success? You will have the opportunity to find out how the Greater Cambridge, Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership will be working with businesses to achieve economic growth. There will be time to reflect and plan how to develop yourself and your employees. You will have access to providers of further and higher education so you’ll be able to find out

28 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

about the wide range and levels of apprenticeships and professional development available as well as the different learning styles and methods offered. In addition, you can find out about business mentoring and where to go to get your business’ training needs analysed. It is free to attend the ‘Grow your Business through People’ event, but as space is limited you do need to book a place by emailing k.hewitt@cambscci.co.uk I look forward to seeing lots of you there. However, if you are not able to attend and would like to find out more about developing your own or your employees don’t hesitate to get in touch and I will help you connect with an appropriate adviser g.prangnell@cambscci.co.uk n

Event sponsors

Ely Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER UPDATES |

Chamber Updates An overview of news from your Chamber

Margaret Chadwick

Export Clinic Have you got a query about export? Margaret Chadwick answers your questions.

International Trade Training Courses Q THE Chamber run a series of training courses that culminate in a nationally-recognised Foundation Award in International Trade.

Fiona Tester, International Trade Officer, said: “Our international trade courses are extremely popular and we are often over-subscribed.

The new International Trade Skills Training Programme has been designed to complement the government’s ‘Get Britain Exporting’ agenda and focuses on improving the skills and competencies of employees who complete export documentation within their role.

“Completing the full programme now gives you the opportunity to receive a recognised qualification. To date, all our delegates have sat the optional assessment and passed with flying colours with Stacy Garner from International Flavours & Fragrances awaiting her Foundation Award in International Trade having completed all six modules.”

The programme has been designed to compliment the ‘Get Britain Exporting’ push

Full details of course content can be found on our website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk To book, please contact Karen Dawson on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk n

The next available courses EXPORT

FINANCE OPTIONS

IMPORT

Procedures and Documentation

Focusing on Letters of Credit

Compliance and Savings

DATE Tuesday 5 March

DATE Tuesday 19 March

DATE Tuesday 30 April

When selling under the incoterm CIP, why do we have to give the buyer an insurance certificate; surely it is sufficient that we have the marine open cover insurance policy?

You must issue an insurance certificate to the buyer when selling under incoterm CIP or CIF if the goods are being despatched via seafreight. Your Marine Open Cover Insurance Policy covers you for your risk, which for CIP is up to the goods being handed over to the carrier in country of shipment. For CIF, the transfer of risk point is when the goods are on board the vessel at port of shipment (for example on board the vessel at Felixstowe Port). In both these instances you will notice that the seller bears the risk of the goods being lost or damaged up to a point in the country of despatch. Whilst the seller is bearing the cost of the main carriage to the place/port in destination country, the seller is not taking the risk. If you do not issue your buyer with an insurance certificate, then he is not insured. It is by the act of you raising an insurance certificate off of your policy that alerts your insurance company to cover this extra risk. n

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 29

| ENTERPRISE ZONE

Alconbury Update

Keeping you informed, representing local business

Alconbury Weald Major milestone reached THIS month will see a major milestone for Alconbury Enterprise Campus. As it moves towards its first anniversary, it will be the first of the current round of Enterprise Zones in the country to get a new building out of the ground. The Incubator Unit is due for completion in late 2013 and will provide flexible space for start-up and small businesses, in a flagship building at the heart of the developing Campus – developed by renowned architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. Tim Leathes, Project Director, said: “We have been working with St Johns Innovation Centre, and talking to the Chamber and local businesses directly about the sort of support small businesses need to survive and thrive. The Incubator is about providing that support in a

The Incubator is about providing support for businesses in a low carbon environment low carbon high quality environment. We hope some of those taking space, will outgrow the building, and be able to move into their own premises elsewhere within the Campus. “One of our key challenges to the architect was to create something which had an inspiring design and would be a real statement of intent about the quality and vision of the site. Critically, it will also to provide businesses with the very practical things they need: whether that’s meeting rooms like the roof terrace to take potential investors, discreet roller door access, or robust superfast broadband and IT systems.” Urban&Civic will shortly announce who will manage construction of the building from a shortlist of locally-based contractors. Tim added: “This is part of our commitment to providing businesses with a place to make, a place to grow.” n

THE BIGGER PICTURE Businesses moving to the building will benefit from the five-year business rate relief which comes with Enterprise Zone status. The building will also be the main Alconbury office for Urban&Civic, and have meeting rooms, tele and video conference facilities and a café. Information about space in the Incubator: Andrew Brading on 01480 413141, or abrading@savills.com Keep up to date at alconbury-weald.co.uk

30 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

LEGISLATION UPDATE |

Keeping you IN THE KNOW

Are You TPS Compliant? DOES your business carry out any kind of sales activity via the telephone? If the answer is yes, then are you aware of the legal requirement for you to TPS check your customer database every 28 days? The TPS (Telephone Preference Service) is the central opt-out register that both companies, Corporate TPS and private individuals can use to opt out of receiving unwanted and often unsolicited sales calls. I am often surprised by the fact that many of our clients are totally unaware of this requirement and, as such, are potentially leaving themselves open to large fines (up to ÂŁ500,000) for calling TPS barred numbers. So, if you have a customer database or use the telephone as a sales tool, here are some things to think about:

If you have a list of customers that you do not speak to, or have not spoken to regularly, get the list TPS screened; a good telemarketing company will do this at a very reasonable cost.

If you have a list of customers that you deal with regularly but they show up as TPS barred, it may be a good idea to ask them whether it is still okay to call them.

You must screen your data every 28 days. You can download plug-ins for most CRM systems, or even Excel, that will do this for you. Make sure that you

record the date and time of the check to prove that it was carried out.

If a prospect says that they are on the TPS register when you are cold calling, ask them whether they have recently registered. It takes 28 days for the registration to take effect and they may have registered the day after you screened your database.

Be aware that Sole Traders are registered via the consumer TPS service and not corporate. If you deal with one-man-bands or target them, it may be an idea to screen via both media.

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CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 31

| SPECIAL REPORT

Special REPORT

Export trends explored

BUY BRITISH ‘Best of British’ in Demand LAST year exports of British food and drink rose by almost 10 per cent according to Defra, despite the difficult global trading conditions. The UK food and drink industry accounts for 16 per cent of the UK’s total manufacturing and much of this increased international demand for British products has been attributed to the ’Olympic-effect’, with the world’s spotlight on our island during the 2012 summer months. Commenting on the 2012 ‘buy British’ effect, Richard Callum, founder and managing director of The Truckle Cheese Company, based in Oakington, Cambridge, distributors of quality cheeses and chutneys, says, “We saw a definite rise in demand for our British products during 2012, particularly things sporting a Union Jack! The Olympics put Britain on the map in many ways and demand for our British cheeses and chutneys increased considerably to a global audience visiting Great Britain. We see this as a start of a very exciting future for the British food industry and our marketing strategy for 2013 is designed to build on this momentum.” Supply chain transparency With this increased demand for provenance, comes a need for transparency in supply chains and the impact of this is obvious for all to see on supermarket shelves, with prominent origin labelling now commonplace across many food products. Recent events resulting from the discovery of horse meat in supermarket products have highlighted the associated issues for the food industry and the importance of rigorous supply control.

32 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

London 2012 doesn’t, however, explain the increasing demand for British products we’ve seen from within our own shores, a phenomenon which has also been commented on by many Chamber of Commerce member companies. A YouGov report last autumn showed that 59 per cent of UK consumers prefer to buy meat and poultry produced in the UK and 48 per cent opt to buy locally sourced meat if given a choice. Richard Callum adds, “Sampling and face-to-face marketing are a large part of our strategy. Wherever we go people just love having the opportunity to taste our cheeses. European speciality cheeses will always be popular but there’s huge and growing demand for British products that offer quality, taste and provenance and, with no issues relating to supply in the dairy industry, this looks set to continue.” Market conditions The issues of supply and demand are more complex within the fresh produce industry, where seasonality plays a major role. Commenting on the ‘buy British’ trend, William Burgess, Chief Executive of Produce World, says, “Customers want to buy British and retailers need to take this seriously. However, the British palate is now so used to eating whatever it wants, all year round, it is difficult to see that this demand will continue past a certain point and, taking a very long-term view, the rising population, continuing demand for housing, and the consequent diminishing land-base will reduce the space available for farming and continue to drive the market overseas.”

SPECIAL REPORT |

National pride Other industry sectors are also seeing changes in purchasing behaviour with construction experiencing positive British purchasing trends. Nick Sims Group Commercial Director of Ridgeons Timber and Builders Merchants adds, “Our work with the national construction buying groups suggests that there are signs that the ‘buy British’ movement is gaining momentum, with manufacturing moving back from Asia to Europe. This will take time but is potentially a very positive sign for the future.” So, as we move further into 2013, it seems that the British pride that was so evident last year still flourishes and that flying the flag for British grown, manufactured, packaged, engineered and produced goods and skills will continue to reap rewards for businesses and the economy. It’s good news for the many local businesses which contribute to this sector. n

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| CONNECTED MAGAZINE

HMRC Focus

Important changes to payroll reporting

The biggest change in payroll history since PAYE was introduced in 1944 THE new system of Real Time Information (RTI) is mandatory for all employers and is to be implemented from April 2013. Significant changes are due to come into effect with regard to the way payroll information will need to be submitted to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Under RTI employers or their agents will be required to make regular payroll submissions for each pay period during the year detailing payments and deductions made from employees each time they are paid. Whilst the majority of payroll systems are gearing up to ensure that they are able to deal with the new compliance requirements of the RTI system, there are some important changes which will need to be made to the way you process your payroll and it will certainly affect the way you pay your employees. The sequence of events is as follows: Data Validation You will need to send employee data to HMRC which they will validate using their own databases. To avoid any discrepancies during the validation procedure, you need to ensure that the employee information you currently hold is complete and up to date. HMRC notification HMRC are planning to stagger the start dates of RTI across employers. Employers will be allocated a start date of somewhere between April 2013 and October 2013. You will receive notification from HMRC regarding your PAYE scheme’s RTI date. New employee details Under RTI you will not be able to process pay for new employees which fail the HMRC validation checks. Therefore, please 34 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

98 65 7 12 10

ensure the appropriate checks are carried out and the correct employee information is obtained for all new employees after April 2013.

Casuals Under RTI employers operating PAYE will have to tell HMRC about payments of earnings to all employees, even where an employee earns less than the lower earnings limit (LEL) – currently £107 a week. This is a change from the current situation where employers do not have to maintain a P11 if someone, for example earns £20 a month, well below the LEL.

3 2 1

KEEP IT REAL

Payroll processing The payroll submission you make each pay period must be sent to HMRC on or before the employees have been paid. Therefore, you may wish to introduce an earlier cut-off date for your pay period after which you will be unable to make any changes for that pay period.

Make sure you comply with the new rules.

Certainly, as we approach the end of one payroll year and the start of the next, it is an excellent time to consider the impact of RTI on your business and your approach to payroll. With increased levels of compliance and reporting pressures, it may be time to look at outsourcing or upgrading your payroll software. n

Payments to HMRC Please bear in mind that under RTI HMRC will be aware of the amount due on a monthly basis. Further details are also available on the HMRC website and can be found by visiting hmrc.gov.uk/rti/employerfaqs

Unsure if you’ve ticked all the boxes? There is a helpful business checklist online that you can download to ensure everything is in order. Find it at hmrc.gov.uk/payerti

CONNECTED MAGAZINE |

LEP FOCUS

Keeping you informed and up to date

Four key areas FOCUSING ON SKILLS Mark Cooper, Skills and Business Growth Lead at the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, is heading up a vital research project that will ensure our local area has the appropriate skills to meet future business requirements. “This year we will be surveying businesses to build a better picture of current and future skills requirements in our area,” he says. “This will enable us to encourage students to get the qualifications needed to help drive economic growth in their local areas.” yourlocalenterprisepartnership.co.uk/ how-can-we-help/skills/

SPEAKING at the Alconbury Enterprise Zone last month, new LEP Chair Grahame Nix outlined his plans for 2013 reinforcing the manifesto, “to lead our area’s growth to 100,000 significant businesses, creating 160,000 jobs by 2025 in an internationally renowned knowledge-based economy”. Through the use of the £16m Growing Places Fund, the LEP has already made grants that will help establish a business park, create a business incubator and enable the establishment of a Research and Technology park. In addition, a number of projects are going through the approval process that are expected to lever a further £26m in public and private funding to unlock a total of 12,500 jobs. However, such plans bring with them a number of challenges, noted Grahame in his speech. “There are still areas of our region with high levels of unemployment, the infrastructure has difficulty coping with the demands of growth in our area, and there is a common misconception that Cambridge generates ideas and technologies but is less successful in developing £ billion businesses.”

Despite these issues, the LEP is ensuring it continues to grow by narrowing its targets down to four key areas: The Enterprise Zone at Alconbury, The Skills Agenda, Innovation and Transport. This follows the delivery of a Growth Prospectus in 2012 and builds on detailed consultation with businesses. Enterprise Zone status has been awarded for a significant part of the Alconbury airfield site, and the LEP is working closely with Urban&Civic, Huntingdonshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council to ensure this delivers on its huge potential. Specialist groups have been created, looking at banking and access to finance, skills, science, industry, innovation and technology to bring together experts and interested parties to focus on these key areas. These are but a few ways in which the GCGP LEP is helping your area to grow. It urges you to get involved, as they are eager ensure that the important views of the business communty influence their regional agenda. yourlocalenterprisepartnership.co.ukkn

King's lynn oakham

Wisbech Peterborough

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ELY

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CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 35

| CHAMBER EVENTS

CHAMBER EVENTS Please visit the Chamber website for full details of all future Chamber events www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Your essential business calendar for the next month and a recent round-up

Employment Law: The Spring Collection 2013 DATE Wednesday 13 March TIME 11.45am-2.00pm LOCATION Marriott Hotel, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6GB MEMBER PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER PRICE £27.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.hewitt@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www. cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk Whether you are solely or partly responsible for HR in your business, keep yourself up to date with our Spring Collection of HR law and legislation. It’s informative, interactive and you will leave with better knowledge! A panel of experts will give an introduction to their specialist subjects after which there is the opportunity to discuss in depth three of five topics in this ‘safari style’ lunch. Topics on the agenda are Pensions, Driving Policies/Offences, RealTime, Parental Leave and Employee Owner Status. Organised by the Chambers’ HR and Recruitment Sector, feedback from previous sessions has been overwhelming. You say: excellent value for money and a lot is learnt in a two-hour session – there is a buffet too! n

2013 Budget Briefing Free Breakfast Seminar DATE Friday 22 March TIME 7.45am start LOCATION Brampton Golf Club, Buckden Road, Brampton, PE28 4NF PRICE Free to attend CONTACT seminar@georgehay.co.uk or book online at www.georgehay.co.uk Supported by Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, this event allows you to hear, in a clear concise manner, what was announced in the 2013 Budget on Wednesday 20 March. Find out how the Chancellors announcements will affect you, your business and your family. n

36 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

Cambridgeshire Export Club DATE Monday 25 March TIME 5.00-7.00pm LOCATION Park Inn Hotel, Wentworth Street, Peterborough, PE1 1DH PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Informal networking evening for anyone participating in, or considering, exporting. Cambridgeshire Export Club is an invaluable forum to exchange views with other exporters and keep up to date with new developments in a rapidly changing global business environment. n

Share exporting best practice

CHAMBER EVENTS |

Safari Networking Breakfasts PETERBOROUGH DATE Friday 8 March TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION Park Inn Hotel, Wentworth Street, Peterborough, PE1 1DH MEMBER PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE

Chamber Member Induction Mornings Peterborough DATE Tuesday 26 March TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Chamber Offices, 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT Cambridge DATE Wednesday 27 March TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Chamber Offices, Enterprise House, The Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk

Informal Networking Evenings March 2013

DATE Tuesday 26 March

Wed 6, 20

Ramada Hotel, Peterborough

5.00-7.00pm

TIME 7.45-10.00am

Thurs 7, 21

Holiday Inn, Impington, Cambridge

5.00-7.00pm

Mon 11

The Lamb Hotel, Ely

5.00-7.00pm

NON-MEMBER PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT)

Wed 13

5.00-7.00pm

CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Waterfront Bar, Wyboston Lakes

Tues 19

The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 27

Oliver Cromwell Hotel, March

5.00-7.00pm

LOCATION Homerton College, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PH MEMBER PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT)

FORTHCOMING BUSINESS EXHIBITIONS

Two Counties Business Exhibition In association with Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and Forest Health District Council, sponsored by Crafted and CKLG. DATE Tuesday 5 March TIME 10.00am-4.00pm LOCATION Millennium Grandstand, Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, CB8 0TF MEMBER STAND PRICE £150.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER SYAND PRICE £210.00 (plus VAT)

THE TWO COUNTIES BUSINESS EXHIBITION 2013 Tuesday 5 March 2013 10.00am-4.00pm

Millennium Grandstand, Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket Sponsored by

In association with

CONTACT Karen Dawson on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk

Huntingdonshire Business Fair In partnership with The Federation of Small Business, sponsored by Urban&Civic, supported by Borney UK and Purple Haze. DATE Thursday 18 April TIME 11.00am-4.00pm

FREE ADMISSION TO ALL meet new business contacts pick up new ideas attend free seminars and workshops

LOCATION Wood Green Animal Shelter, London Road, Godmanchester, PE29 2NH MEMBER STAND PRICE from £65.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER STAND PRICE from £90.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT Karen Dawson on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk @2Counties_Expo CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 37

| COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Make do and WHEN cash is tight we all look to make what we have go that little bit further. Indeed, when times are tough, fixing an item rather than replacing it often becomes a necessity. However, having something unexpectedly fail, upon which your business relies, can be of little fun. A support contract that covers your IT equipment is an excellent way to ensure that the money you are saving is not being wasted. At DSM, the performance of your kit will be monitored and fine tuned for optimum performance. In the event of any failures, it will be fixed within an agreed time and, more importantly, at no additional cost. All costs are fixed up front, so there will be no surprises, allowing you to concentrate on your own business without too much worry. In addition, you’ll have that extra bit of cash (which you may have considered spending on new kit) in the bank and ready for investment elsewhere.

mend! There are many deals to be had so make sure you do your research and choose wisely. Ask potential suppliers questions, such as these, to ensure they are the best partner for your business: ✓ How long have they been in business? ✓ Do they have references of customers willing to discuss their service with you? ✓ What are the skills/qualifications of their technical staff? ✓ Will they offer flexible term contracts? ✓ What’s included or, more importantly, excluded?

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SECTOR FOCUS |

Sector Focus

Updates from Chambers Sector Groups

For any feedback, general information regarding the Sector Groups, or to contribute, please get in touch with Helen Bosett. tel: 01223 237414 email: h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk

BUSINESS WOMEN

Meet the Committee!

Meet Tina Clayton, Chair of the Business Women’s Sector

Q A

What do you do in business?

I am responsible for the administration and assist with business development at Regency Chambers, a set of barristers in Priestgate, Peterborough. As well as ensuring that chambers runs well behind the scenes I, together with our senior clerk, explore ways of making sure that chambers services evolve to match our solicitor and lay clients’ needs and ensure that we are proactive and able to offer effective solutions in the ever changing legal environment.

Q A

What are your top three tips for running or working in a business?

1. Think solution, not problem. Always see an opportunity for a solution and not the negatives of a problem. 2. Be humble. Both customers and employees relate well to humility. 3. Widen your web. Your network or web

is your lifeline for your business and should include links that reflect all the important parts of your business.

Q A

What do you do to unwind?

I enjoy dog walking and reading. Having spent a lot of my early years in dance studios (I actually had the same ballroom and latin teachers as Anton Du Beke, and knew Len Goodman when he had hair), last year I started tap dancing again and have recently taken my adult silver medal!

Q A

What’s your favourite book and why?

‘L’Etranger’ by Camus. An exemplar of existentialism. Explores how individuals are free and responsible for their own choices and actions, we are not victims of circumstance because we are who we have chosen to be.

Tina speaks at the The Business Women’s Christmas Lunch

Q A

What value do you get from being a Chamber member?

It’s a great chance to meet and connect with people through the networking opportunities that the Chamber offers. The Business Women’s sector is invaluable not only for meeting business colleagues, but also for exchanging information and learning about such a diverse range of topics from the speakers at the events, from ‘marketing on a budget’ to fashion tips at the ever popular fashion events! n

A spring in our step!

Helen Bosett, Sector Coordinator

SOME new energy to the Business Women’s Sector has generated some fresh ideas about how to engage with its members. This will kick start at the end of April with a series of workshops over three sessions on Women in Leadership. Helen Bosett said: “Aimed at business owners, managing directors, women in senior roles, managers or those looking to step up into management, these workshops will be informative, interactive and fun.” The sessions will be designed to run as a series or attended in isolation.

The three two-hour sessions will deal with: • What is stopping you as a leader being more effective? • People management and use it more effectively • Conflict management, how to effectively deal with it Further details will be announced in CONNECTED and via the Chamber website. n

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 39

| SECTOR FOCUS HR & RECRUITMENT

Temporary staff still valued Pure Resourcing Solutions conducted a survey on The Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) in December 2012 across the Eastern Region. AWR was introduced in October 2011 and we were keen to understand whether this had an effect on our clients perception and attitude to temporary recruitment. (AWR entitles the temporary worker to the same basic employment and working conditions as if they were a permanent employee in an equivalent position, if they complete a qualifying period of 12 weeks in the same job.) After surveying more than 250 clients, the results would suggest that our clients still value the flexibility and immediate availability of temporary staff. The reasons remain for recruiting temporary staff, namely: flexibility, availability, specific skillset expertise and short notice cover. In addition the surveyed clients also highlighted that the length of the assignment will often continue longer than 12 weeks.

The summarised results: • 40% of companies recruited more temporary staff compared to the same time in 2011. • 57% normally recruit a temporary member of staff longer than the 12 weeks qualifying period. • From our survey 93% of our clients said that AWR hasn’t affected their volume of temporary recruitment and 91% of clients said that it also didn’t affect how long they recruit temporary staff for. • What are the main reasons you recruit temporary staff?

Clients who answered the questionnaire said the following was important to them: 57% thought Knowledge & Expertise were the most important while 55% thought Team Fit was the most important. 43% thought that Availability was important and finally 33% said that the Cost was important to them as a business. n

15%

23%

Cover for sickness Maternity leave Projects

24% 18%

Temp-to-perm Other

20%

COMMUNICATION

Help is at hand with communications THE Communications Sector has announced its manifesto which is to share expertise,

40 | CONNECTED MARCH 2013

experience and industry best practice to help Chamber members communicate more effectively in all aspects of business, including both internal and external communications. So how will they do this? An editorial panel has been established through this sector. Its first special article featured in last month’s CONNECTED from one of the Sector committee members Nick Siragher on the topic of Customer Service. Regular informative communication tips will appear in future issues of CONNECTED – if you would like to contribute please get in touch.

The Communications Sector page on the Chamber website will feature special information too as well as a list of the committee members. The Communications Sector committee is represented by a variety of experts with a wide range of knowledge which is available to be shared with Chamber members. A dedicated LinkedIn Group has been set up and encourages members to pose questions relating to communications as well as share best practice, better still the group can help solve practical day-to-day communication problems. The Sector’s first event, ‘Social Media: The Exhibition Guide’ will be held at the Two-Counties exhibition at Newmarket on 5 March. LinkedIn: Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Communications Sector Email: communications@cambscci.co.uk n

SECTOR FOCUS | INTERNATIONAL

Chamber International Sector invited to China Chris Kubicki, Chair of the Chambers’ International Sector and Vice Chairman of UCCTEA the China -UK trade consultancy, was invited by China’s State Administration of Foreign Experts to attend a series of conferences in China at the end of last year. The meetings were aimed to seek support from the Developed World to address gaps in the Chinese economy. British business remains significantly unrepresented in China and it is essential that our exporters of both products and services increase their efforts to secure a balanced share of the market. Even under current world economic conditions growth is very strong and opportunities exist in virtually all sectors. n

Heading to China to ensure relations remain positive for export potential

INTERNATIONAL

ICT

Making an exhibition of yourself EXHIBITING, overseas or closer to home, can be expensive and demanding on resource and staff, both leading up to and during the event itself. There needs to be results not only to cover the outlay but to feed the business with sales over the months to come. The Chambers’ International Sector delivered a workshop at Wyboston Lakes by UKTI’s Trade Adviser Noel Harvey. From his own experience of delivering successful shows worldwide, Noel covered lots of ground from preparing for your tradeshow to your presence on your stand plus the follow up process. Joining Noel was Chamber member Chris Taylor, of Eve Taylor who was able to share

his company’s experience of exhibiting worldwide along with Margaret Chadwick of Chadwick Export Services who talked through the process of what is required to ensure you have your shipping paperwork in order. The event attracted almost 50 delegates and was sponsored by UK Trade and Investment and Flight Centre Business Travel. Here is some of the delegates’ feedback: ‘Very good overall event, excellent speakers!’, ‘Gave me very useful information that I can apply in my job’, ‘Made me stop and evaluate how to prepare and especially follow up’ and ‘Case study powerful! Interaction good, not just powerpoint!’ n

International Sector Workshop was a useful forum for members

Committee members needed to re-launch the ICT Sector Computers, smartphones, tablets and the technology that goes with it although easy for some can be a minefield for others. This is where an ICT Sector could help. A forum for those that provide an IT service from infrastructure and support to those that could benefit from IT advice and support. To get this Sector off the ground we need a small committee to take the lead and drive it forward. So whether you are a provider of IT or dabble in IT as part of your role and would be prepared to be more actively involved we would like to hear from you. The Sector group would have a regular column in the members’ magazine CONNECTED and as well as a dedicated page on the website. Please contact Helen Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator at the Chamber, h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk n

CONNECTED MARCH 2013 | 41

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