Connected Issue 106

MEET OUR PATRON NOVOTEL CAMBRIDGE NORTH

The official magazine for Chamber members

Welcome ....

Welcome to the latest issue of connected.

I am delighted to have taken over the role of Editor from Sadie Parr who has pulled this publication together for many years. This issue we are delighted to announce that we have launched the Cambridge B2B taking place in November. We have a number of sponsorship opportunities available and are now taking stand bookings and visitor registrations.

We also feature one of our Patron members – Novotel Cambridge North. Turn to the centre page spread to find out more about the hotel and their passion for wellbeing and the community.

To be included in the next issue of connected please email your copy and images to connected@cambscci.co.uk by Friday 1 September.

PHOEBE ELLWOOD

p.ellwood@cambscci.co.uk

Charlotte Horobin appointed CEO

and very proud to have been chosen to succeed Vic Annells. I look forward to leading a highly motivated team and will make sure that the brilliant work that has been undertaken, becomes a springboard for further success.”

within the Advanced Services Group at Aston University.

Brian Jones, Chair of Cambridgeshire

The Chamber announced Charlotte Horobin as our new CEO last month.

Charlotte is succeeding Vic Annells who has held the post since 2021 and took up the role of Chief Executive on Monday 24 July. Having spent the last 10 years at Make UK, Charlotte will use her expertise as their Membership Director for the Midlands and East region to lead the Chamber to their next phase of growth.

On her appointment as Chief Executive, Charlotte commented: “I am honoured

Charlotte joined Make UK, formerly the Engineering Employers’ Federation, in 2013. Her role has encompassed responsibility for a fastgrowing membership representing manufacturing, engineering and technology related industries across the Midlands and East of England. Charlotte is a Trustee of WMG Academy for Young Engineers, Board Director for the West Midlands Growth Company, Midlands Engine Partnership Board Member and leads Make UK’s engagement across the West Midlands Combined Authority and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Charlotte attained her undergraduate degree at The University of Leeds and completed her Masters at The University of Nottingham in Biomedical Sciences. She is also a Senior Industrial Fellow

Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Charlotte as our new Chief Executive. The Board and I look forward to supporting her as she leads the Chambers’ continued growth in our area. Her achievements on behalf of our friends in Make UK have been truly extraordinary and the impact she has made on her region is simply outstanding.

“Charlotte continues our line of exceptional CEOs in recent years. We are hugely grateful for the exciting transformation that Vic Annells has led the Chamber through during his tenure which in turn built on the outstanding work of his illustrious predecessor, John Bridge. Vic’s focus on our finances, brand, team, and above all our members has seen a record 314 new companies joining the Chamber in the last two years as more and more businesses are recognising the extraordinary value that Chamber membership brings.”

Chamber Patron Members

Chamber team

We provide Chamber members with many opportunities to widen their network of business contacts – building connections, creating opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network.

GET CONNECTED AT CHAMBER EVENTS

Elton Hall Summer Drinks

We were delighted to host Summer Drinks at the stunning Elton Hall in June, welcoming over 60 guests to the evening. The guests were surprised on arrival with transport to the house provided by Marshall Jaguar Land Rover, our event sponsor, in an impressive fleet of Range Rovers.

We enjoyed a free-flowing tour of the ancestral home of the Proby family, a fascinating walk through several centuries, before enjoying prosecco and canapes whilst networking. This unique setting and structure enabled guests to connect and form relationships in an exciting and memorable way, unlike any other networking experience.

Thank you to the fantastic people and businesses that helped make the event a success:

The events team at Elton Hall, Canape Cart for the delicious canapes and brilliant service, Marshall Jaguar Land Rover for sponsoring and providing a photographer for the evening, Mike Greene for supporting and providing Terry Harris as a videographer for the evening.

Thank you to those that joined us on the evening for what was a really special event.

Comedy Night and Black Tie Dinner

In June over 120 guests attended our annual Comedy Night and Black Tie Dinner, supported by our Construction and Property Sector. Holiday Inn Peterborough West was the setting for a fantastic evening of dressing up, a three course meal and entertainment.

Thank you to our Construction and Property Chair Steve Dighton for hosting, as well as Vice-Chair Phil Elmer for being our compere for the evening, and finally our guest comedian John Martin for entertaining the guests.

We were delighted to raise £1,810.50 for our Charity of the Year, Cambridge Children’s Hospital, during a raffle and auction on the evening. Thank you to the generous businesses that donated some amazing prizes: Peterborough Milton Golf Club, Marshall Cambridge, The Old Bridge, The Jockey Club and BMW Peterborough. Thank you to those that donated and congratulations to the winners, especially the winner of the auction to have use of a BMW i4 for a weekend – what a prize!

It was a fantastic evening with all of our guests, thank you for attending and supporting us so we can host events like this, watch this space for more in the events calendar.

How to Increase Export Profits by Translating Your Content

Recent research compiled by the renowned Aston Business School at Aston University and the Association of Translation Companies, has indicated that SMEs that embrace translation and language capabilities are up to 30 per cent more successful with their export efforts than those who don’t.

It’s important that any successful export business utilises a range of techniques to increase awareness of their brand; whether that’s hiring people with extensive knowledge of different languages and cultures, training existing staff, or investing in high-quality translation services that understand the lay of the land in your chosen foreign territories.

that may put businesses off building an overseas business strategy.

“Much of the general advice out there focuses on ensuring that companies plant the right products in the right countries and take into account the variables of culture, customs and regulations.” says Mary.

“This advice in itself, is not wrong, of course these factors do need to be taken very seriously. However, there’s seldom any mention of increasing language capabilities. Being able to effectively communicate in different ways in your target languages may seem obvious, but it’s very often overlooked by SMEs looking to expand overseas.”

in your native language and the other in a language you didn’t understand, then quite naturally you’re far more likely to buy the product in your native language.”

It’s for this reason that translation is also an important risk management tool as well. Just as you must protect and nurture your brand messaging in your domestic market, you must also do the same overseas too, to ensure that your brand goals, messaging and marketing carry over to new cultures, languages and customs.

How can Anglia Translations Ltd help you?

Opening

the

Door

for Increasing

Trade International trade has been the backbone of the world economy for centuries, so why are so many businesses missing out on increased trade opportunities?

Back in 2014, The British Academy’s ‘Born Global’ Project surveyed more than 400 SMEs and found that 62 per cent of non-exporters find difficulties with language barriers, and 55 per cent report issues with cultural understanding.

In addition to this, a massive 83 per cent of all SMEs surveyed reported that they used English and no other languages. This lack of foreign language skill and cultural understanding is reported to cost the UK economy up to £48bn every year.

Mary Gilbey, Managing Director of Anglia Translations Ltd, has been aiding business trading overseas for years and has an in-depth understanding of the potential roadblocks

“We’ve seen even the biggest corporations, such as KFC, Pepsi, HSBC, Pampers and many more make massive mistakes in foreign markets, simply because they failed to understand the difference in communication styles and cultural symbolism.”

Why Consider Language Capabilities?

Translation is one of the easiest and biggest wins during your export journey, because, quite simply, people trust the products and services that are put to them in their native language.

Translating materials can also be a crucial legal requirement for many countries, specifically when it comes to the packaging and the ingredients of certain products in regulated markets.

As Mary explains: “If you were looking to buy a product, and you were presented with two different options: one with packaging written

If you’re interested in moving into a global marketplace, then why not get in touch with us at www.anglia-translations.co.uk.

We have more than 30 years’ of experience in the translation sector, helping many businesses make the transition to overseas markets using our extensive experience of more than 50 different languages.

We believe that a translation agency should be an extension of your business, which is why we work closely with our clients to understand their goals and objectives before so much as translating a single word.

We also work only with the most experienced linguists, who are not only native speakers, but have the knowledge and understanding of your specific industry too.

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

Tailoring Your Message for International Audiences in the E-commerce Sector

Top Tips from Iwona Lebiedowicz, founder of PAB Languages Centre

In today’s interconnected world, e-commerce businesses have a huge opportunity to reach global audiences. However, to truly engage and connect with customers in different countries, it is crucial to embrace the power of localisation. In this article we explore how professionals in the e-commerce sector can leverage localisation strategies to tailor their messages for international audiences, ultimately driving business growth and success.

Understanding Cultural Context

Localisation involves understanding the cultural context of your target markets. Professionals should invest time in researching and understanding the cultural norms, values, and preferences of their international audiences. This knowledge allows for the adaptation of marketing messages, product descriptions, and user interfaces to align with local customs and resonate with customers on a deeper level.

Language and Tone

Language plays a significant role in effective localisation. Professionals should

prioritise adjusting their content accurately and fluently into the local language of their target markets. Adapting the language to suit the cultural nuances and preferences of the audience can help build trust and credibility, making customers more likely to engage with your brand.

Customised User Experience

Customising websites and platforms to meet the specific needs and expectations of each target market includes adapting elements such as currency, payment methods, date formats, and shipping options. By creating a user-friendly and culturally relevant experience, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, increase conversions, and foster long-term loyalty.

Localisation of Product Descriptions

One key area where localisation has a significant impact is in product descriptions. This involves considering factors such as local measurements, product terminology, and cultural references. By speaking the language of your customers and addressing their

specific needs and preferences, you can create a stronger connection and drive higher sales.

By tailoring messages for international audiences through cultural understanding, language adaptation, customised user experiences, localised product descriptions, and embracing local marketing channels, professionals can create a strong global presence, engage customers on a personal level, and drive business growth in the international e-commerce landscape.

Why PAB Languages?

PAB Languages Centre helps organisations across all industries connect and communicate with their audiences in over 200 languages. Whether you’re looking to translate your advertising copy, create a video in several languages or localise your website PAB’s resolute project management team with global network of expert copywriters, marketing linguists, and certified translators can help. Please get in touch today  www.pabtranslation.co.uk/contact-us/ or 07799 772360 to discuss your project.

Uptick in exports but trade with the EU remains weak

The UK trade data for April 2023 was released by the Office for National Statistics in June and showed a welcome rise in exports but goods exports to the EU remained weak declining by 0.5%. Services trade was broadly static. Goods imports values fell by 0.4% in April after removing inflationary effects. Goods exports values rose by 3.4%, this was due to an increase to the rest of the world as they fell to the EU.

EU picture

The 0.5% decrease in April was due to falls in miscellaneous manufactured goods offset by rise in fuel exports to Germany and the Netherlands. Goods imports also declined by 3.6% (largely down to lower chemicals imports - medicines and pharmaceutical products from Belgium, and organic chemicals from the Republic of Ireland).

The Rest of the World Non-EU goods exports rose by 7.3% in April (led by increases in car exports to China and mechanical machinery to New Zealand; chemicals and miscellaneous manufactured goods) and goods imports rose by 1.3% (led by machinery and transport equipmentaircraft from the US; manufactured materials and fuel imports).

Overall performance

On volumes (excluding inflation), total goods imports fell by 0.4% in April, with imports from the EU falling by 2.6%, and imports from the rest of the world rising by 2.6%. Total goods export volumes rose by 3.5% in April with nonEU goods exports up by 6.9% in April, while goods exports to the EU remained static. Services exports rose by 0.6% and imports by 1% in April. Services exports still remain 0.3%

below pre-pandemic levels in early 2020. The UK trade deficit narrowed to £12.3bn in April - trade in services surplus rose by £1.9bn to £40.3bn.

Reacting to the latest Trade data from the ONS, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, at the BCC, said: “The recovery in UK goods exports to the rest of the world in April after a disappointing first quarter of 2023 is welcome, but needs to be sustained.

“However, trade with the EU remains weak, even before the additional cost pressures on imports due to the introduction of new customs arrangements in the Target Border Operating Model later this year.

“The Government’s Export Strategy needs to maximise growth in services exports across a range of business activity this year, but so far in 2023, they have been broadly flat.”

If you need support with importing and exporting, please get in touch with our International Trade team by phoning 01223 237414 or emailing internationaltrade@cambscci.co.uk.

TRAINING

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

CHAMBER TRAINING

Course Dates 2023

UNDERSTANDING RULES OF ORIGIN

11 October

This course will explain all aspects of the Rules of Origin and Trade agreements and how to understand and comply with them to help companies be more competitive in export markets.

INCOTERMS 2020

12 October

This course will explain Incoterms® and their importance in international trade contracts, and give information on how to determine costs / liability.

UNDERSTANDING IMPORTING

8 November

This course covers all the basic key areas around importing and will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms.

UNDERSTANDING EXPORTING

15 November

This course covers all the basic key areas around exporting. It will explain the requirements for documentation, plus an overview of country of origin and incoterms.

IMPORT/ EXPORT DIAGNOSTICS WORKSHOP

6 September, 6 December

Ensure your company has the right tools to be compliant in the new world of UK/International Trade. This workshop shows companies how to look at their SOPS and compliance, going through key areas of procedures and compliance, preparing for trading internationally either by exporting or importing.

CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION

20 September, 13 December

The course looks at the procedures required to deal with customs. It is vitally important that importers and exporters understand the information required to be submitted, fines and inspections are things that no company wants to endure.

UNDERSTANDING A CUSTOMS DECLARATION

21 September, 14 December

The importance of understanding the legalities of a Customs Declaration has never been more important. Ensure your company has the knowledge to make sure your declarations are compliant should a HMRC Auditor arrive at your door!

UNDERSTANDING COMMODITY CODES

4 October

This course we will ensure you are aware of what a commodity code is and what it is used for, help you understand the process of how to classify goods, successfully classify a range of goods and understand the importance of getting your commodity codes correct.

INWARD AND OUTWARD PROCESSING

16 November

The course will cover special procedures and the benefits of using IP and OP in your compliance.

Full course details are available on our website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/training

TRAINING

COURSES

Our training courses run from 9.30am-1.00pm.

Cost per course: £250.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £330.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

To register please visit our website, email events@cambscci.co.uk or telephone 01223 237414.

Labour Shadow Minister meets businesses in Peterborough

The Chamber recently arranged a private roundtable event at Orton Hall Hotel with Bill Esterson MP, Labour’s Shadow Business and Industry Minister, with Chamber members to discuss challenges they are currently facing. Mr Esterson was joined by Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Peterborough, Andrew Pakes. The event was also joined by Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Mayor, Dr Nik Johnson.

Shadow Business Minister Bill Esterson MP said: “It was great to meet with local businesses in Peterborough and hear about the great work they are doing.

“Our Industrial Strategy has a long-term approach, creating certainty, stability and investment for local businesses. We

recognise the vital role that small and local businesses play in our economy, serving local communities, providing good quality local jobs, and boosting growth. Specifically for small businesses, Labour would scrap and transform business rates, tackle late payments, and reform the apprenticeship levy.

“Labour wants to work in partnership with business, to support prosperity for businesses and workers in Peterborough, and communities right across the country.”

Sadie Parr, Head of Operations at Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “This was a great opportunity for some of our members to meet with Mr Esterson and hear

the support that could be offered to businesses. Those attending also had the opportunity to share their views on what is needed to improve business conditions.”

Andrew Pakes, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Peterborough, added: “Backing local businesses and creating new jobs is top of my agenda for Peterborough. We are a proud working city, but it has been a tough few years for businesses and families. “Our future success will be built on making it easier for businesses to thrive and do well, investing in the skills of the future, and ensuring a partnership between employers and government to ensure we can grab hold of the opportunities before us.”

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

Net Zero Change Pivotal to UK Plc’s Competitiveness

Net Zero commitment on track. It has been chaired by Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce.

The CCC will now consider the report before making its final recommendations to Government.

Commenting on the proposals, Ms Haviland, said: “Net Zero is simply about commercial competitiveness and positioning companies to seize the global benefits that the low-carbon transition will bring.

“But if the UK is to stand even a chance of hitting the Net Zero target by 2050 then businesses and government must work together to achieve it.

“With the right framework in place, UK firms can lead on creating and manufacturing the technology to allow us all to live greener lives. Which is vital for supporting the consumer behaviour required to reach Net Zero.

“Everyone understands the imperative, but research also shows that many firms, especially smaller ones, do not fully understand how to capture those benefits.

Business says a partnership with Government is vital to meet the UK’s commitment to be Net Zero by 2050.

The proposal is a centrepiece of a new report from business leaders which recommends how we successfully transition to a Net Zero economy.

Among its other recommendations are:

• Government must ensure the UK doesn’t fall behind on Net Zero, and promote the advantages of a low carbon UK economy

• Reaching Net Zero means action beyond energy production – including upgrading our transport systems, homes, businesses, and land use

• All major Government spending and policy decisions should be stress tested to check they help deliver the UK’s Net Zero aim

• There must and can be a step change in the way we move people and goods, how we heat our buildings and what we produce and consume

• Action is needed now, if UK business is to remain competitive in a global race for investment

• To truly unlock the UK’s potential, business and government should focus on a five Is framework –Integrity, Investment, Implementation, Innovation and Influence.

The report, by the Advisory Business Group, has been sent to the Government’s independent statutory Climate Change Committee (CCC) for consideration.

The group was formed last November by the CCC to provide solutions from the business community to keep the UK’s

“There is a real danger that these businesses will get left behind unless politicians and business leaders come together to galvanise action. The UK is poised to be a global leader in Net Zero competitiveness and inward investment, but that opportunity may slip from our fingers.

“With so many business sectors making up our economy, the pathway to net zero will not be the same in each one –farmers, builders, creatives and accountants will all need to take different routes.

“What is essential now is building Net Zero into all aspects of Government policy and spending, to demonstrate the commitment. Giving that clarity and certainty will drive business confidence to invest.

“We need to know how businesses will be supported to switch from industrial scale heating systems; plans for electric vehicle charging networks; how our freight systems will be decarbonised, and our energy sources diversified and stabilised.   “Once we have the full picture it will then become much easier for firms to make their plans with confidence and work out how they can finance them.”

Responding, after receiving the report, Climate Change Committee Chief Executive, Chris Stark, said: “I’m grateful to our Advisory Group on Business for this report, which offers important ideas to realise the potential of business to support the UK’s journey to Net Zero.

“Our own analysis emphasises the integral role that the private sector must play in the transition. It is businesses that will develop and deploy low carbon technologies, their capital investment is the majority needed for Net Zero, their offering to consumers will drive the change in Net Zero lifestyles.

“The Advisory Group’s recommendations and insights will now feed into a new report we are preparing on the potential for business action on climate change later this year.”

How should employers handle workplace anxiety?

For a health issue to be a disability under the EA 2010 it must fall within the definition of disability under section 6 of EA 2010 namely:

A person (P) has a disability if…

(a) P has a physical or mental impairment, and

(b) the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on P’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Where an employee has a disability under the meaning of Section 6 EA 2010 and is dismissed by the employer, the employee does not need to have two years plus service to pursue an action before employment tribunal and if successful compensation in discrimination claims is uncapped thus employers must ensure that where an employee has a disability falling within the meaning of Section 6 EA 2010 that they support their employee which may require reasonable adjustments to the employee’s role to accommodate their disability following taking medical guidance.

WHAT WERE THE FACTS OF MORRIS V LAUREN RICHARDS LTD 2023?

The employee, Stephanie Morris, (SM) in late May 2019 started to suffer from

anxiety, giving rise to a loss of confidence and feeling overwhelmed with work and these health issues continued to the date of dismissal on 11 September 2019. What claim was made against the employer?

(SM) bought a disability discrimination claim in the Employment Tribunal (ET) based upon her anxiety that was centred round her job.

WHAT DID THE (ET) DECIDE?

(ET) accepted that (SM)’s anxiety was substantial and had an impact on her carrying out normal day to day activities but did not accept that it was long term ie likely to last more than 12 months, as it only had started few months before the termination of employment on 11 September 2019 or recur after termination as the anxiety was related to her job that ended on 11 September and thus was not a disability under the EA 2010. The (ET) considered that there was no pre-existing medical history of mental health issues that highlighted any vulnerability, as prior to current matters the only relevant medical history indicated that when (SM) had previously experienced a distressful life event, ie premature menopause diagnosis, she had recovered well with

a short period of counselling. (SM) appealed to (EAT).

WHAT DID THE (EAT) DECIDE?

The (EAT) decided that the question of the likelihood that the impairment would last more than 12 months or recur had to be addressed before the date of dismissal and highlighted that the threshold of whether the impairment was likely to last 12 months was “a low one” and that the (ET) should have asked itself whether “the substantial adverse effect was persisting, when it would have been likely to have ceased and what would have made it cease.” As the (EAT) did not have the evidence before it to answer these questions, the case was remitted back to the (ET) to address matters on the question of long-term effect.

In terms of determining whether or not a particular effect is likely to be persist, the (EAT) highlighted that there is no rule of law that it is necessary to have medical evidence in any given case, as in this case there was an absence of medical evidence on the question of the long term effect of the anxiety and it is a matter of factual assessment for the employment tribunal to decide on the evidence before it.

Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik

WHAT DOES THE DECISION MEAN FOR EMPLOYERS?

Despite the (EAT) findings, where employees are suffering from health issues it is always prudent for the employer to have in place an up-todate health assessment to determine if the condition is a disability under

EA 2010, this is even more essential requirement for mental health matters as in  Morgan v Staffordshire University [2002] ICR 475 Tribunal, Lindsay P presiding, observed that “the existence or not of a mental impairment is very much a matter for qualified and informed medical opinion” and it was held in that case the reference to the

applicant’s GP notes was insufficient to establish that she was suffering from a disabling depression.”.

The article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Chamber HR/ Legal advice line team.

CHAMBER FOUR SERVICES

Included in your Chamber membership is Chamber Four Services covering HR, Legal, Health & Safety and Tax.

You have access to advice lines, document libraries and legal expenses insurance.

HOW TO ACCESS THESE SERVICES

Advice lines: All advice lines – call 01455 852037

Document libraries: Access via https://chambercambs.questcover.com/login and use your unique credentials to enter the site.

If you don’t have these, please contact the Chamber on 01223 237414 or email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

Secure your business with proactive penetration testing solutions from IT Governance

Protecting your business from cyber threats is more critical than ever. One of the most effective ways to ensure your systems are secure is through penetration testing. By conducting regular penetration tests, you can proactively identify and fix security vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious actors. Common vulnerabilities we often encounter during penetration testing include weak passwords, shared credentials, misconfigurations in cloud and on-premises systems, and web application vulnerabilities. These weaknesses can leave your systems exposed and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your critical data and assets. Our penetration testing services help you address these vulnerabilities effectively, so you can safeguard your business against unauthorised access and data breaches. By assessing external/web applications, and databases, we can identify vulnerabilities that could lead to unauthorised access or data breaches, allowing you to take the necessary steps to prevent or mitigate potential damage.

What are R&D tax credits

First introduced in 2000 R&D tax credits are designed to encourage businesses to invest in developing ‘new’ or ‘improved’ products. Many companies are put off by the words ‘Research and Development’. They often interpret the phrase as meaning that they have to be a research company, work from a laboratory, wear white coats or maintain a large team. In reality, if you innovate and improve the way something works in your business and the outcome lacked ‘certainty’ from the start, you may qualify.

There are two different routes to successfully claim R&D tax credits. This first being SME for businesses that employ under 500 staff as well as having an annual turnover and balance sheet of less than €100 million and €86 million respectively. The other scheme, Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC) is for any business above these thresholds, as well as some below, and that’s when you start getting into the finer details!

At Fiscale, we also help businesses with Patent Box claims. The Government introduced The Patent Box scheme in April 2013, to incentivise businesses to protect their intellectual property. Therefore, the Patent Box scheme has been designed to reduce the Corporation Tax (CT) that companies would pay on any profits that are obtained from qualifying intellectual property (IP).

WHO WE ARE

Fiscale is a specialist tax advisory company, formed in 2014. The world of R & D is ‘specialist’ and the current direction of travel from HMRC, is that businesses should engage with specialist tax advisory firms rather than ‘generalists’, after all, you wouldn’t expect or want your GP to undertake open-heart surgery would you!

We also recognise the importance of evaluating internal systems, cloud security, compromised cloud accounts, and the human element. Our comprehensive approach includes testing against phishing attacks, malware assaults, and access controls.

We leave no stone unturned to ensure your organisation is protected from all angles.

HOW IT GOVERNANCE CAN HELP YOU

At IT Governance, we offer CREST-accredited penetration testing services that are tailored to your specific needs and budget. Our proprietary security testing methodology is aligned with industry best practices, ensuring accurate and reliable results. Whether you require a Level 1 test for basic vulnerability identification or a Level 2 test for more complex environments, we have the expertise and experience to deliver.

Please contact us at www.itgovernance.co.uk or email servicecentre@itgovernance.co.uk

We work with companies to identify qualifying projects and then help guide them through the submission process. Since 2014, we have helped companies in a variety of different sectors to receive tax credits in excess of £10 million.

CLIENT SUCCESS

As mentioned above we have successfully claimed in excess of £10 million for businesses that were eligible for R&D tax relief. But this is not a one business success story, we have helped over 200 separate businesses, from software developers to fudge manufacturers, from large scale construction businesses to small scale sign manufacturers.

Might your business be missing out on these opportunities and if so, maybe it’s worth a call to explore the possibilities?

Please contact us on 01440 708333, email info@fiscale.com or visit www.fiscale.com

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

How to use marketing to launch a product, service or innovation

financial, engineering or technology-based products and services. However, the benefits of your product or service may be much more compelling, so think of the best way to communicate them. If you can’t communicate the benefits quickly, succinctly and convincingly, a busy business person may dismiss it.

Avoid going down the route of ‘doingdown’ the competition. Instead, use communications to lead customers to the same conclusion you’ve reached about your new innovation.

MARKETING MOMENTUM

Innovation is more important than ever in modern business and a critical part of the B2B environment too.

So, if your business is planning to launch something new and unique, how can you use marketing to ensure your innovation is a success?

Sarah West, Managing Director of B2B marketing experts Full Mix Marketing, shares some tips:

MARKETING FIRST, DEVELOPMENT SECOND

It’s easy to convince yourselves that your proposed new product or service will sell. Whilst it doesn’t pay to be cynical, it’s a good idea to conduct some research before you invest time and money in your innovation. Carefully define who your innovation is targeting and put yourselves in their shoes. Ideally, conduct some genuine market research by speaking to existing or potential customers but be careful not to encourage them to say what you want to hear.

Customers will have to embrace your new innovation in the cold light of a busy day…

Try to analyse the reasons why your innovation might face resistance. An understanding of any barriers can help target your product or service at those more likely to buy.

SELL THE SIZZLE, NOT THE STEAK!

It’s easy to become fixated on the technical features, particularly with complex, scientific,

As with B2B marketing of established products and services, drip marketing is the best weapon for new innovations. Drip marketing is the continual marketing of a concise message through multiple marketing channels.

Even if your innovation has the potential to revolutionise how people interact with whatever you deliver, it takes people and businesses time to embrace change. Through continual drip marketing, you can build brand awareness until your target customers have the time to consider your innovation.

EMBRACE AIDA

AIDA is a simple model which describes the journey your marketing needs to take a customer or business on before they buy:

A – Attention

I – Interest

D – Desire

A – Action

When planning the marketing mix to launch for your new innovation, it’s important to take this a step at a time. First, your marketing must grab attention, before piquing interest.

BE REALISTIC

Whilst a lot of innovation fails to deliver against the business’ expectations, the innovation is rarely bad. The business simply underestimated the challenge of encouraging busy customers to take notice.

Many new consumer products (e.g. food, electronics, cars) have a marketing budget that’s as big as their development budget. However, setting a marketing budget needs to be realistic.

In order to realise a return on investment, work out the intensity of marketing you’ll need and the period you’ll need to maintain it before you get meaningful results.

Marketplaces can be frustratingly slow to react to innovation, so air on the side of caution!

MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT

Marketing is all about feedback – analysing results and listening to potential customers. A common mistake is to panic if results are not immediate and to prematurely cease or change your marketing.

If you make sound choices when establishing your marketing campaign, have faith in the decisions you made. Only change them when the evidence clearly indicates something can be improved.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

However much you might anticipate a particular strength or benefit will be the sources of sales, something else may prompt that final buying decision.

Many of the greatest innovations in history –like Coca Cola and the mobile phone - have ended up being used for a purpose different to that originally intended!

WHAT IS THE RIGHT MARKETING MIX?

Direct marketing through email, social media, telesales or events can be highly effective if you know who your customers are. The press and websites love new developments so using content marketing, PR or social media to create a buzz can be very powerful.

Digital marketing is an important part of any campaign, to put your new innovation in front of the decision makers you wish to target.

However, don’t underestimate the impact of something physical such as a brochure or flyer. They can be widely retained and actioned.

Likewise, the busiest stands at many trade events are those launching a new product, service or innovation. A specific launch event can also be a great way to engage existing customers and create media buzz.

More help can be found at www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk

Unlock the Power of Social Media Marketing with Engaging Content

STRUCTURE FOR SUCCESS BY DEVELOPING CONTENT PILLARS

To make content creation less frustrating, easier and more consistent, identify three-five content pillars for your activity. These pillars are simply themes that resonate with your audience which you can use to guide you in creation of content that educates, entertains, informs, or inspires them.

SOME EASY IDEAS TO BRING YOUR CONTENT TO LIFE

Listen to your audience: Social media is a two-way street. Engage with your audience by actively listening and responding to feedback, comments, and questions. Do you find you’re asked the same questions again and again? Can you use this input to shape future content?

CREATE A CONTENT FOLDER AND MAKE IT A MONTHLY HABIT

Do you find the thought of planning social media content overwhelming? Or feel stuck in a content creation rut? In this article, Dan Ince from BrandWorks Social shares why you need to be creating regular content for your business and how you can do it more easily!

WHY IS CONTENT CREATION SO IMPORTANT?

Social media has become a vital tool for businesses to connect and engage with their audience.

With over 66 per cent of the UK population actively using social platforms, your ability to reach and engage potential customers has never been greater. Whether you’re targeting professional business users on platforms like LinkedIn; or targeting consumers via Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, social media provides an unparalleled opportunity to build visibility for your business.

However, the ease of reaching people also means there’s a lot of noise to cut through. Research shows our average attention span when scrolling is only eight seconds, allegedly shorter than that of a goldfish! So to make an impact, your content needs to be aligned with your target customers’ needs, delivered consistently, and shared regularly. While this may sound challenging, it’s much easier if you apply some structure to your content planning process.

Use and repurpose existing content: Don’t feel like you must reinvent the wheel with every piece of content. Look back at previous content, blog posts, or customer testimonials, and find ways to repurpose them for social media. Can you turn a blog post into a series of engaging social media graphics?

Share what you’re up to: People love to know what’s happening behind the scenes in businesses. Can you take them on a journey by sharing your work process, product development, or company culture? Can you showcase your team’s efforts and the passion behind your brand to create a personal connection with your audience?

Curate useful content: You don’t have to create everything from scratch. Curating content from trusted sources that align with your audience’s interests and needs provides real value. Sharing industry news, relevant articles, or helpful tips not only informs your audience, but also positions you as a knowledgeable expert within your field.

Share reviews: Don’t be afraid to share what existing customers say about you. Positive customer reviews are a goldmine for social media content. Highlighting customer experiences and success stories not only builds trust by providing social proof, but they also provide valuable insight into who you work with and how you operate. Encourage customers to share feedback with you regularly and use their testimonials creatively in your posts.

To make content planning less overwhelming or sporadic, consider creating a ‘content’ folder where you collect ideas, inspiration, and examples that resonate with your brand and audience. This folder can include screenshots of posts you find engaging, articles or videos that inspire you, or even snippets of conversations that spark ideas. Set aside dedicated time each month to plan, create, and schedule your content based on your content pillars and the ideas in your folder. Like most things, by forming a habit of doing this it will become less of an uphill struggle.

CREATING CONTENT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE FRUSTRATING

By understanding the need for social media marketing and adopting a structured yet simple approach to content planning, you can unlock the power of creating engaging content more easily to cut through the noise, captivate your audience, and drive meaningful results for your business.

If you need support with your social media marketing visit brandworkssocial.co.uk

Marketing Planning

One common question we hear is, “Why is it important to invest time in planning and strategising our marketing?” This is often followed by the concern that it might be a waste of resources when they could be focusing on their business. Marie Wimlett, Founder and CEO of MW Marketing Solutions explores these questions.

Firstly, what is Marketing?

Marketing, contrary to a common misconception, is not just about advertising and selling. Whilst these are components, true marketing revolves around understanding and satisfying customers’ needs. It should be seen as a philosophy that permeates your entire business, aiming to create customer satisfaction profitably and build valued relationships. By integrating marketing philosophy into your business’ DNA from the beginning, you’ll find that less time is needed for planning, allowing you to focus on your core business.

Marketing works by influencing customers to take action and is all about getting the right message in front of the right people at the right time. And this is where brand and marketing strategies come into play.

What’s the difference between a brand strategy and a marketing strategy?

A brand can be described as ‘a person’s perception of a product, service, experience or organisation based on an organisation’s identifying logo, name and presence.’ Note the word ‘perception’. Another way to look at it is your brand represents

your business’ personality. It shapes how people think or feel about your business and it needs to be consistent. Your brand is likely the first impression potential customers have of your business and, as the saying goes, first impressions count! A brand strategy assists in defining your brand, starting with your brand purpose, which is the reason for your existence and what you stand for (both the ‘why’ and the ‘what’). Once this foundation is established, you can move on to develop your brand attributes and brand values. Essentially, your brand attributes are the core values that define your business. They are the characteristics your audience recognises as integral to your brand, much like how we describe ourselves as individuals. How would your friends and family describe you? Are you intelligent, focussed, amusing, professional? These attributes align with your personal brand.

Brand attributes also encompass your business’ brand values – the principles ‘within’ your business, for example ‘Integrity’, ‘Accountability’, ‘Quality’, and so on.

Once you have established your brand strategy, you can move on to develop your marketing strategy focusing on the long and short-term ‘tactics and activities’ needed to meet your goals. This includes creating your ‘Marketing Mix’ – the combination of tactics used to effectively market your products or services to your chosen target market. This concept is commonly referred to as the ‘4 Ps’ (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the ‘7 P’s’ (adding People, Process and Physical Evidence). However, we suggest starting with R, S and T - customer research, segmentation and targeting - to refine your marketing strategy.

Is marketing strategy important?

Absolutely. Just like embarking on a journey without knowing your destination or travel time would be unwise, marketing your business requires planning. A well-developed marketing strategy paves the way to smoother and potentially faster achievement of your business goals.

Why marketing strategy is the foundation of a marketing plan?

Short-term tactical marketing plans support longer-term marketing strategies. Without a marketing strategy, it becomes impossible to develop tactical marketing plans that align with your business goals.

As a small business, it’s beneficial to devise a long-term marketing strategy spanning one to five years, focusing on two or three priorities. Subsequently, you can create short-term tactical marketing plans that support these priorities. Keep in mind that approximately 80 per cent of your marketing efforts will consist of ongoing business activities, while only 20 per cent will be dedicated to addressing challenges and priorities. Therefore, marketing plans should primarily concentrate on the 20 per cent and should be revisited regularly in line with environmental/business changes.

How do brand and marketing strategies help with competitive positioning?

Before addressing this question, it’s important to note that the answer depends on whether your business aims to compete within an existing market category or develop its own. If your business chooses to compete it may opt for differentiation or price (or both) as competitive strategies.

An alternative perspective involves creating a new, uncontested market space. This concept is the essence of the ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’, a term coined by Professors Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in their book, ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’. It revolves around value innovation and provides an alternative approach to determining brand and marketing strategies. I highly recommend reading the book as it offers valuable insights.

Wellbeing Update

The Power of Listening

One of the main causes of a breakdown in communication is the lack of listening. People feel unsupported and unimportant when they feel that they are not being listened to and if asked, many people would feel that they listen well!

Let us look at listening in the context of the workplace. Many organisations believe that they provide a culture and environment where people feel that they can speak up and be heard, however we also know that statistically speaking, this is not always the case. Leaders and managers need to recognise and acknowledge what their employees need and want and asking and listening are ways to do this. True listening and understanding are imperative skills but sometimes neglected in the workplace. The cost of poor listening and employees not feeling recognised, heard, or understood can lead to decreased productivity, job dissatisfaction, low commitment, burnout, or even seeking out work with another organisation they believe will value them (Pery et al., 2020).

The culture of any organisation is built on lots of individual actions and therefore it is understandable that it is the everyday interactions where a person may need to adopt active listening skills when conversing with another person. Here is a comprehensive list of points of how to start.

• Focus on the intent and purpose of the conversation – try and keep to the point but remain flexible

• Pay attention to body language – How somebody carries themselves can tell you a lot about a present mood

• Give encouraging verbal cues and maintain eye contact but not too intensely!

• Clarify and paraphrase information – This shows that you are indeed listening and are interested

• Ask questions to gain clarity and understanding from your point of view, especially if you have actions to take from the conversation

• Refraining from judgment, although very tough at times, is important

• Summarize, share, and reflect.

Another point to remember when conversing with people is the ultimate one; Seek first to understand before being understood.

Every conversation needs to be a two-way process but not every conversation needs to be equal in terms of time speaking or getting one’s point across. If done correctly, allowing a person space to speak, and be heard can create an environment of honesty, empathy and understanding which is surely a wonderful place to work.

Danielle Bridge, ABC Life Support CIC

An introduction to our custom build homes

What is a Custom Build Home?

Custom build homes are a new form of buying a house that enables you to design and create your new home as part of a supported process. With Stellco Homes, a custom build home makes building your dream home quicker, easier and also reduces the risk for you. A home designed and created specifically for you which allows you to enhance many aspects of your life and create a home that meets the needs of the whole family at a fixed price and timescale and removes all the hard work and frustration leaving you to enjoy the experience.

What we Do

Finding a plot is the number one obstacle preventing people from building their own home. Stellco Homes acquires smaller sites, in desirable locations and sells each plot to individual customers, making it easier, quicker and less risky for you to design your forever home. We obtain planning permission and build your home at a fixed price, both on time and on budget. This is the ideal way for you to build your own home without the stress and risk of going alone.

Our Latest Development

Our latest development, Haslingfield Place, Cambridge , is a unique and desirable location which offers a choice of five detached home plots for you to design a high-quality home to your specific requirements and needs and to your very own specification. Have a look on our website www.stellcohomes.co.uk

The development will provide you the opportunity to design your own home and for us to obtain planning and build your dream home to your specification, lifestyle and taste. You choose your home plot and work with us, and we take care of everything without the stress and hard work leaving you time to enjoy the experience.

We are passionate about helping you to custom build your very own dream home and lifestyle that is both unique and beautiful for you. We understand that your home is not a place… it’s more of a feeling… of happiness and security for you and your family.

So, if you are serious about building your own home, register your interest with us today, so that we can help you make your dream home become a reality.

CAMBRIDGE NORTH

Just a stone’s throw away from the bustling city centre, Novotel Cambridge North offers a peaceful escape, allowing guests to immerse themselves into the captivating beauty of the surrounding nature while remaining within easy reach of the city’s renowned attractions. Whether you are staying with us for business or leisure, we strive to create an experience that exceeds your expectations and leaves a lasting impression. Our prime location is situated next door to Cambridge North Train Station, providing easy access to business parks, corporate offices and quick links into Cambridge Centre, London and Airports. Along with public buses from the guided busway and the minibus for the business parks picking up outside our front doors.

We are pleased to offer exclusive corporate rates designed to meet the needs of our customers. Our range of contracts are available from fixed rate to dynamic rates applying to a variety of room types. To discuss and create a tailored corporate rate package that best suits your requirements, please reach out to our dedicated sales team. Additionally, if you are travelling for leisure, we have a loyalty program for guests to become an ACCOR member and receive 10 per cent off their stay. Points are rewarded with each stay, which can be accumulated and used for a stay in one of our suites.

Here at Novotel, we offer a collection of versatile and well-equipped conference spaces available for rent, perfect for hosting corporate events, meetings, or conferences. These rooms can be booked hourly or for half and full days. Our Events team are committed to ensuring that your event is a success, from start to finish, with little hassle for yourselves while at our venue. We also have a 10 per cent donation scheme in place for charities.

Our Conference spaces feature the following amenities:

- Flexible Room Configurations: We can arrange the rooms in various setups (depending on the size required), including theatre-style, boardroom or banquet.

- Audiovisual Equipment: Each room is equipped with a retractable projector and sound systems. We have a team onsite that can help with troubleshooting and any tech queries.

- High-Speed WIFI: Complimentary WIFI is available in all conference rooms, ensuring seamless connection throughout the conference.

- Event Planning Support: Our experienced Events team will work closely with you to understand what you are after, with regards to the set-up, catering and accommodation.

- Refreshments and Catering: We offer different options for your event from teas and coffees to snacks and full lunches.

Well-being is important for our hotel whether this is for guests or staff. We understand the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle even when working. That’s why we inform guests on their arrival about our leisure area. This includes a state-ofthe-art gym, heated swimming pool, equipped with a jacuzzi, along with a sauna. All these are included free of charge when staying in the hotel but can also be purchased as a separate membership through Club100. Currently, we are looking into the possibility of exclusive rates on the leisure premises as part of well-being activities from local corporates.

Alongside the hotel, we currently have a unit space to rent, which is measured around 200 square meters. It is believed to be perfect for a Hair Salon, Beauty Treatments, Co-Working spacing or more.

The location is great for access from the station and for the new offices due to open next June. For more information, this unit is now available to rent through Cheffins.

Within this last year we have been focusing on getting involved more with our local community through the Environmental, Societal, Governance Strategy. We are keen to collaborate long term and are currently in partnership with Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and Cambridge United as well as the Cambridge United Community Trust. We have also been working with Brewboard, Cambridge Juice, Saffron Ice Creams and Fitzbillies. Christophe Ughetto, General Manager of Novotel Cambridge North, commented: “Being a new business in the area, we needed to find a platform that would assist us to raise our profile, create networking opportunities and generate business contacts. The range of events available and the close relationship with the Chamber team allowed us to bring credibility to what we are trying to achieve and be fully informed on the longer-term vision for Cambridge and the region. It gives us a voice and the opportunity to act as a sounding board. To date, I strongly believe the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce has been one of the most active Chambers I have had the pleasure of working with over the years hence our decision to become a Patron.

“Cambridge Regional College has recently partnered with us, as a part of our involvement with local education partners. We’re willing to work with people who are involved in offsetting our carbon footprint, protecting local biodiversity, tree planting programmes, food waste management and singe use plastic.”

The hotel are actively seeking to partner up with people to fight food waste, protect biodiversity, plant trees and focusing on well-being such as yoga classes and nutritionist.

Christophe continued: “Being part of a large international group, our ESG strategy is at the centre of everything we do. And we know that as a local employer and operator, we can make a difference and contribute for the better to our local community and economy. Whilst we are very aware of our reach, we are determined to engage with all local players

to enable us deliver on our three key pillars: Acting as a responsible group, Respecting people and the environment and delivering positive hospitality.

“Our staff’s well-being is also very important to us. We firmly believe that to have a thriving and motivated workforce is the foundation of a business’s success. To achieve this, we have implemented activities and incentives that focus on our staff’s well-being. An established environment has been created for open communication, where employees are made to feel welcome in expressing their thoughts, concerns and ideas. Additionally, we understand the importance of work-life balance and actively encourage our employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle in and outside of the workplace.

“Moreover, we have implemented several health and wellness initiatives, such as providing access to gym facilities, being a part of our wellness committee set up by our HR. These initiatives are set up to support our employees’ physical and mental well-being, allowing them to thrive both inside and outside of work. Part of our wellness committee has set up a running club for the staff, meaning we have some quite enthusiastic runners on a Wednesday evening. We have had in-house guests wanting to get involved, which we are now looking into.

“In the last year, we have started to do more within celebration of our staff’s birthdays. Each staff member receives a card from everyone in the hotel, personally signed along with a voucher to use within our restaurant. All staff participate in upselling challenges with the targets being raised each month. We have now decided that we want to reward further and are looking into starting a larger reward scheme. Points will be awarded for each winner of the monthly challenge, these points can then be clubbed together and used for something of their choice. These can be used for getting an electric bike and participate in the bike to work scheme. The chance to volunteer somewhere for a given amount of time that equates to the number of points they have or plant a tree somewhere and sponsor it.”

To find out more about the hotel, or to book a stay or meeting room, please visit https://all.accor.com/ hotel/B2Z3/index.en.shtml or give the team a call on 01223 867170

Streams of supporters help raise thousands of pounds for local hospice at city’s sell-out dragon boat festival

An ‘ore-some’ £33,000 has been raised so far for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice at this year’s Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival following another successful event which saw 48 teams take to the water last month.

The annual boat race now in its 23rd year was held at Peterborough Rowing Club, Thorpe Meadows on Saturday 10 June, with The DL Dragons from David Lloyd Peterborough scooping top spot in the Mixed Crew Champions and the Smurfit Kappa Dragons from Whittlesey packaging manufacturers, Smurfit Kappa, taking gold in the Champions finale.

There were also prizes for the best dressed crew, won by the SDM Speed Dragons from SDM Fabrication Limited, who wowed crowds with their Gangsta Granny outfits created from items bought at the Sue Ryder charity shop in March.

In addition, a special prize of a 15hole crazy golf experience at Glo Golf Peterborough was presented to the PCML Group who, for the second year running, raised the most for the hospice totting up a total £6,575.

The awards were presented to the winning teams by the Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Nick Sandford, and the Mayoress, Alderman Bella Saltmarsh. Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is one of the Mayor’s chosen charities.  Nilesh Patel, Senior Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who made a splash at this year’s Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival helping us to raise an incredible more than £33,000 and counting so we can continue to be there when it matters.

“A special thanks to festival organisers NewWave, our sponsor Hotpoint and media partner ESP Magazine for their support and promotion. Not

forgetting our amazing team of staff and volunteers for their invaluable help on the day. We are already looking forward to seeing everyone back at the lake again next year!”

Alicja Mierzejewska, Executive Director at NewWave Events, organisers of the dragon boat festival, said: “The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival was a great success on Saturday, and we are

thrilled that once again, the event raised so much money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. The sun was shining, and all 48 teams did brilliantly on the water. We can’t wait to start planning for the 2024 event, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year!”

Ian Moverley, Communications Director from Hotpoint, said: “We were thrilled to sponsor the 2023

Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival once again and continue our support raising vital funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. We’re glad to have helped be part of an amazing day and are already looking forward to the 2024 festival.”

If the Peterborough Dragon Boat Race has inspired you to raise money for Sue Ryder visit www.sueryder/events to find out how you can be involved.

Children’s charity Embrace support record numbers of young crime victims

In the past year Peterborough-based children’s charity Embrace Child Victims of Crime has supported record numbers of children and families whose lives have been destroyed by crime – more than in any other year in its 30 year history.

However the charity, which is the only one in the UK offering bespoke recovery services tailored to meet each child’s needs, is looking for corporate partners to help fund their services to meet the ever-growing demand for support.

From April 2022 to April 2023, the charity, which is the main provider of young victim services in Cambridgeshire, supported 5,435 children, young people and families to recover from the devastating trauma caused by crime.

This is an increase of 1,697 children young people and their families - 45 per cent more than the previous year. We have also provided 6,237 services to those families – an increase of almost 50 per cent on the previous year.

This year the charity celebrates its 30th anniversary. But despite reporting unprecedented growth and its most productive year ever, funding those services is becoming increasingly challenging because of the cost of living crisis. Chief Executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime, Anne Campbell, said: “Despite the very difficult financial climate, which has left many charities fighting for survival or sadly closing, and despite receiving no direct funding from the Government, Embrace has continued to thrive and grow and we are helping more families than ever before.

“This year we have provided more emotional support, parental support, advice and counselling and more cost of living support including clothing and food vouchers, school uniform, mobile phones and tablet devices than in any previous year. We know many families we support are living on the breadline. Before we can help families heal the trauma they are experiencing in more and more cases we need to help them meet their most basic needs of making sure they can provide food for their families, clothes and keep a roof over their heads.

“We know what we provide is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the huge demand out there. Every day we speak to families who’ve often been struggling for months to get the help they so desperately need. When they speak to us they are so grateful that we are there to listen and to provide the support to meet their individual needs.

“We receive no direct funding from Government and rely heavily on support from corporate partners and public donation. We already work with some very generous businesses who sponsor some of our projects or make donations and we are very grateful to them. However, to achieve our ambition of ensuring every child who has been harmed by crime gets the support they need, we are keen to partner with more organisations who can help us grow our recovery services for families suffering crime-related trauma. In the past year alone we have provided 2,218 packages of practical support to families which includes food and clothing vouchers, mobile phones and tablet devices to access our services, books and toys.

Almost four out of 10 young people we have supported in the past year have been affected by domestic abuse and two out of 10 were affected by sexual abuse or sexual assault. We have also supported families affected by homicide, harassment, assault, neglect and abuse, and child sexual exploitation and cyber-crime.

According to our feedback surveys from families who had worked with our KIDVA (child independent domestic violence adviser) service, every child who had been supported found the sessions useful, 99 per cent said it had improved their confidence and they would recommend it to a friend and 98 per cent said they felt safer.

If your business would consider making Embrace its charity of the year, or if you’d like to hear more about sponsorship or fundraising opportunities please email Head of Income Generation Emma.Fleming@embracecvoc.org.uk

An update on the Local Skill Improvement Plan (LSIP)

Since September 2022, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce have been working in collaboration with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to deliver the region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). An LSIP is an initiative being rolled out across the nation and is funded by the Department for Education (DfE). It seeks to identify the skills needs of the employers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and set out the priorities

for change. It represents a new business-led and locally owned approach to bringing together employers, education and training providers, as well as other key local stakeholders.

We are truly grateful for the time and input given by employers of all sizes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The success of the project has also been a result of the time engagement offered from partners across the region, including:

Business representative organsations

Education and training providers

Third sector and local government organisations

What’s next?

Findings from this work have been collated into a report, which has been submitted for approval to the DfE. We expect to be able to make a copy available on our website around 28th July 2023. But the creation of the plan is just the first part of the process. Moving forward, the Chamber will be working to embed the LSIP within the wider skills system and support the implementation of the changes made moving forward. We will be sharing more information on this very soon, but in the meantime make sure you are signed up to our LSIP mailing list to keep informed (available on the LSIP page on our website).

Introducing Cambridge Children’s Hospital

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce has selected the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital as its Charity of the Year.

The East of England is currently the only region in the UK without a dedicated children’s hospital, this will be the first hospital to fully integrate the physical

and mental healthcare for children and young people on a single site.

The Cambridge Children’s Hospital is an innovative and ground-breaking project for our region and is urgently needed as the East of England is currently the only area of the UK without a dedicated children’s hospital. CCH will be a world first – taking an entirely new approach to healthcare as the first fully integrated hospital to treat the whole child. CCH will provide treatment for both mental and physical health and will bring together leading research, treatment, and technology. Serving 1.5 million children in the area, and connecting with the 16 existing regional hospitals, CCH will draw on telehealth technology to allow the ongoing treatment of children and young people within their own homes and school environment, with admission for only those children in critical need.  It will bring physical and mental health expertise

together under one roof, working in unison to organise treatment that supports everything a child may be going through — whether that’s visible or not. Throughout the partnership we will be working with the team at Cambridge Children’s Hospital to bring you some exciting fundraising activities, challenges and events. We are really looking forward to working with the Cambridge Children’s Hospital and will be looking to you all to help us make this partnership a massive success.

If you’d like to know more about the campaign, please visit their website www.cambridgechildrens.org.uk

Architects’ drawing of the front of Cambridge Children’s Hospital - Hawkins/Brown and White Arkitekter

4QD Ltd

Absolut Security

Bricks and Mortar Management

Cambridge Corporate Gifts

Cambridge English Class Ltd

Change Aligned Ltd

Fonn Ltd

Four Seasons Private Care Ltd

Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd

Inktop Commercial Ltd

Insightful Transformation Ltd

The Alternative Board

Lord Knows Ltd

Moore Thompson Chartered Accountants

Prana Resourcing Ltd

Save Money Cut Carbon

Sodexo Government (HMP Peterborough)

Thana Asaad

The Ancient Grain Company

The TeaPod

THS Property Solutions

World Travel Protection Ltd

Zinwave Ltd

Peterborough Women’s Aid

www.peterboroughwomensaid.co.uk

The Alternative Board (TAB) Cambridge partners SME business owners across the region.

TAB harnesses the power of peer support from like-minded business owners to drive both business and personal growth. Its peer advisory boards and business mentoring services empower business owners across all sectors ensuring they are focused, accountable and on track to achieve both business and personal goals.

Visit www.thealternativeboard.co.uk/cambridge or call Martin Oakley on 07494 175824

Peterborough Women’s Aid is delighted to join the Chamber of Commerce. Our mission is to provide a specialist response to domestic abuse and violence against women and girls; empower victims to be in control of their own future and create everlasting change.

PWA provides safe and stable refuge accommodation for women and children fleeing high risk domestic abuse, potentially at risk of homicide. We also have a number of specialist services supporting men, Lithuanian women and South Asian Women. We run a number of community groups in Peterborough.

PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH BUSINESSAWARDS 2023:

Entries are officially open for the Peterborough Telegraph Business Excellence Awards 2023

Nominations are sought for 13 categories that showcase endeavour and enterprise shown over key aspects of business life and are a chance for businesses to showcase their achievements over the last year. The deadline for companies and staff to submit their entries is August 31st after which the judging panel will meet during September to October before the finalists are announced in November. The Awards Ceremony will take place on November 23 at a Black Tie gala dinner at the Holiday Inn West, Peterborough.

Chris Collier, head of the awards’ judges, said: Since the 2022 awards held last November, there have been far too many negative comments on the British Economy from politicians and The Bank of England. My personal belief talking to businesses in The Greater Peterborough Area is that there are many Companies bucking the trend, and have inspiring stories to tell. When businesses are shortlisted for the Peterborough Telegraph Awards, it is an excellent way of showing their achievements to the rest of the world, and many companies who win awards use this as a marketing tool in many ways, including on web sites, emails and stationery. It also gives the employees a feel good factor, knowing the high regard there is for their employer. I strongly urge any companies with achievements in any of the categories to enter and see the benefits of being shortlisted for the awards which are presented at a Gala Evening in November 2023.

A spokesperson from our Headline Sponsor said “Inspire Education Group is proud to be the headline sponsor of this

year’s prestigious Peterborough Telegraph Business Awards. As a leading institution in the education sector, we recognise the immense value of celebrating excellence and innovation in the business community.

At Inspire Education Group, we seek to transform the lives of those in our communities through inspirational education and training. By sponsoring this esteemed event, we aim to showcase our commitment to supporting businesses that demonstrate outstanding achievements and contribution to the social and economic prosperity, growth and aspiration of our local economy.

Through our sponsorship, we hope to encourage and motivate entrepreneurs, industry leaders and business professionals to continue pushing boundaries, embracing innovation, and pursuing excellence.

We extend our warmest congratulations to all the nominees and look forward to applauding their accomplishments during the awards ceremony.

Information on categories and criteria are available on the event website below. To enter your business please complete the nomination process available on-line: www.peterboroughbusinessawards.co.uk

Closing Date for entries is 31st August 2023

If you have any queries on how to enter the awards or would like information on sponsorship opportunities please contact Event Manager Linda Pritchard

Linda.Pritchard@nationalworld.com

07837308942

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

Get in touch. Tel: 01223 237424

email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

New horizons for Guardtech Group as international presence continues to grow

The Guardtech Group are expanding their horizons. The company that began life in 2000 as a small-scale provider of modest modular cleanrooms is now a multi-brand powerhouse delivering a wide range of cleanroom solutions to an ever-wider array of leading applications in the UK. But this isn’t enough for Guardtech. There’s a big world out there – and the Group is discovering just how in-demand their firstclass total cleanroom package is globally. Guardtech currently have three significant international projects under way, having already delivered modular, CleanCube and Isopod projects on the continent this year. The Group only undertook their first international job three years ago – a 40ft CleanCube Midi container for Oil &

Gas work in Nigeria for Schlumberger. A series of overseas projects followed soon after, including a COVID-19 PCR testing unit for Tenerife, Spain, a 470sqm ISO8 modular cleanroom in Mullingar, Ireland and a 30sqm double Softwall Isopod for disinfectant providers in Estonia. And the wider Group also has a history of working some modular magic on the continent – turnkey arm Cleanroom Solutions previously developed a stunning 190sqm cleanroom suite for bioprocessing company Cellon in Luxembourg. With the sudden recent surge of international interest, Commercial Director Mark Wheeler is anticipating even more rapid growth beyond UK shores in the second half of 2023.

“Every year seems to bring more positive change for the Group – and 2023 is proving to be no different,” he says.

“We went into the year believing that we could make a real impact overseas, but the rate at which this side of the business is growing is incredible. We’re tying up exciting new partnerships with some impressive companies in Life Sciences, Electronics and beyond and showing our new friends in Europe and further afield why Guardtech has become such a trusted brand in our industry.”

The Group are currently installing a 300sqm modular cleanroom with ISO5,

6 & 7 spaces for leading technology innovators in Germany, having already provided the same client with two bespoke 30sqm and 45sqm ISO7 Softwall Isopods in Denmark. This is alongside a 130sqm ISO8 modular cleanroom for Electronics manufacturing specialists Swisstronics in Zurich, Switzerland, plus a 60sqm ISO6 Electronics modular in Dublin, Ireland, working alongside NSP Expert Lab Solutions. That’s on top of having already provided a bespoke CleanCube Maxi for a world-leading Life Science firm’s operations in Sweden.

The Group have a number of distributors working across the globe, from Europe all the way to Oceania, and Mr Wheeler is anticipating more enquiries than ever before for Guardtech’s award-winning portable solution CleanCube and their rapid-assembly ‘flat-pack’ cleanroom solution Isopod.

The Guardtech Group recently recruited experienced cleanroom installation specialist Miles Gardner to bolster their overseas modular construction projects. He’s already got his teeth into the Dublin modular and is looking forward to many more exciting builds in Europe and beyond. “It’s a great time to be part of the Guardtech family,” he says. “We’re lining up some amazing projects at home and overseas and I hope I can play a big part in the Group’s continued success.”

Peterborough Positive brightens city centre with flower power

Peterborough’s Business Improvement District, Peterborough Positive, has partnered with St John’s Church, HMP Peterborough, West Town Primary Academy, Marshfields School and Peterborough City Council to reintroduce planters in the city centre with ‘Flower Power’ displays for Cathedral Square and its adjoining spaces.

In January, workers at HMP

Peterborough began the construction of 14 planters made from wooden pallets, while children at West Town Primary

Academy created designs for the prison workers to apply with paint. The first flowers were potted by children from Marshfields School, who enjoyed getting green-fingered with a range of blooms. As the heat of the summer continues, Peterborough Positive is encouraging local businesses to donate any number of flowers to help keep the displays looking as full and beautiful as possible. If your business would like to contribute to the Flower Power project, please email contact@peterboroughpositive.co.uk

Anne Corder Recruitment snaps up job seeking candidate to join its growing team

Having worked with Anne Corder Recruitment as both a hiring client and job seeking candidate for over 20 years, Sarah-Jane Bond has now secured a role as a Recruitment Specialist within the agency’s own growing team.

Sarah-Jane first worked with the recruitment firm as a candidate and joined RNIB as a temporary PA before moving into an operations management role. As part of this role, she stayed in contact with Nel Woolcott, now Anne Corder Recruitment’s Managing Director, and worked with the agency to recruit temporary workers.

Anne Corder Recruitment was her first point of call once again when she moved on from RNIB, and before long the agency had helped her secure another operations manager role where she would regularly pick up the phone to Nel and the team to hire staff and place vacancies.

However, when Sarah-Jane reached out recently in search of the next step in her own career, Nel promptly offered her a role within the agency’s very own team. “Sarah-Jane has always felt very much part of the ACR family,” says Nel “and it felt like it was the right time to make it official. She and I have had several conversations over the years about joining the business, but the time was never quite right – until now!”

Nel added: “We always knew she was a clever recruiter and can spot the perfect candidate for her own team at 10 paces –she is now using that expertise to support our clients in building their own brilliant teams. She has an amazing ability to connect easily with clients and candidates, and really understands what it is they are looking for. She will be a brilliant asset to our already fabulous team!”

With two more additions to the team already planned, Anne Corder

Recruitment is building on the significant growth it saw in 2022 and strengthening its team with more talented people to help meet increasing client and candidate demand.

Cambridge appoints new Head of Lending

and across the Society, for continuously putting its members at the heart of everything it does.

The Cambridge Building Society has appointed Carly Nutkins as its new Head of Lending.

Carly joined The Cambridge in March this year and leads the Society’s ambitious plans for mortgage growth.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to come to The Cambridge to lead the Lending team and streamline its processes to make it easier for more people to have a home,” said Carly.

“I am constantly impressed by the passion and desire shown by everyone in the team,

“Working in an organisation that’s committed to the Women in Finance Charter and celebrates diversity, inclusion and wellbeing was a key factor in my decision to join The Cambridge. I think it benefits customers, our culture and Society.” Chief Executive, Peter Burrows, said: “We are delighted to welcome Carly to our team. She brings a unique combination of strong financial leadership in the mortgage market with a community-first attitude. I am confident she will make a difference to our lending proposition, to the benefit of the Society and its members.”

Since joining The Cambridge, Carly has led the implementation of its Consumer Duty compliance. The new Duty sets higher and clearer standards of consumer protection by putting the needs of customers first. She started her career as a cashier at Barclays in 2008 before achieving promotion to its personal finance team.

Carly has over 15 years banking experience

and joins the mutual from Allica Bank where she worked as its mortgage operations manager. Carly developed its lending team from the ground up by delivering the effective processing of commercial mortgage applications. She is tasked with making mortgage applications at The Cambridge easier to ensure a smoother lending process for its customers, intermediaries, and brokers. The Cambridge has also appointed Tom Llewelyn as its new Company Secretary and Head of Governance, and Fred Holland has been appointed as its new Head of Operational Risk.

Tom achieved promotion at the Society in February, having previously held the title of Operational Resilience Manager. He will continue to ensure the Society meets all its governance and compliance obligations. Fred joined the mutual in February this year to lead its evolution of a sophisticated three lines of defence model. His focus is on ensuring the Society remains a trusted mortgage provider and a safe place for its customers to keep their savings.

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CAW Business School celebrates a decade of excellence in AAT Accounting and Bookkeeping Training

“We are incredibly proud to be commemorating a decade of providing AAT training courses,” said Melanie Young, Vice Principal at CAW Business School. “Our commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and maintaining the highest standards of education has been instrumental in the success of our students during this time.”

CAW Business School comprises highly qualified and experienced tutors who bring a wealth of industry knowledge to the classroom. The combination of theoretical instruction and practical application allows students to develop a deep understanding of accounting principles while gaining hands-on experience with industry-standard software and tools.

CAW Business School, based in Godmanchester near Huntingdon, is thrilled to mark a significant milestone as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of offering accounting and bookkeeping training courses accredited by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Over the past decade, it has been providing courses that equip aspiring accountants and bookkeepers with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the ever-evolving financial landscape.

The success stories of CAW Business School alumni speak volumes about the quality of education they received. Many past students have gone on to achieve remarkable professional milestones, taking up positions in accounting firms, corporate organisations, and public sector entities. One such student, Danielle Chelley, said: “I am proud to have achieved my AAT level 3 and 4 with a merit. Professionally I have just secured a secondment and am working abroad for three years. I know I will go from strength to strength and my AAT qualification will help me get there.”

CIOB launches new membership grade aimed at technical experts

A new grade of membership launched by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is already giving specialist construction workers a platform to boost their careers whilst increasing professionalism across the sector.

Historically, individuals who excel in one certain area – a site supervisor, fire safety officer, rail technician, utility technician or site manager for example - have struggled to find a suitable place within a professional body and in turn gain recognition for their talent.

CIOB’s brand-new Technical Membership, TechCIOB, aims to empower those specialists to promote their achievements and successes and demonstrate their competence and professionalism while improving their chances of promotion and higher salaries – as well as benefitting from access to unique training programmes and hundreds of exclusive CIOB events.

Other technical specialists including CAD designers, building control technicians and BIM modellers would also be suitable for apply for TechCIOB membership with CIOB. As well as people who work in technical construction roles, TechCIOB membership is also available for those working in off-site manufacturing, digital technologies and robotics.

Caroline Gumble, Chief Executive of CIOB, said: “I am delighted that our TechCIOB membership is now open for applications, as this is a significant development for us and for the wider industry.

“The new TechCIOB grade allows CIOB to extend our support to even more professionals working in this important industry by recognising and awarding post-nominals to technical specialists, who have become experienced professionals and are often thought leaders in their area of expertise, sometimes having spent decades honing their craft.

“I am pleased CIOB is now able to offer membership to some of the most talented individuals within the construction industry and welcome them into the CIOB community.”

CIOB has been working with its members and stakeholders throughout the industry to develop the new membership grade for technical specialists and launched a pilot programme in early 2023 and sign-ups are already in full flow.

Ian Gregory, who oversees the Integrated Track Team at Transport for London, took part in the pilot because he felt TechCIOB membership will help him progress his career.

He said: “The TechCIOB grade is a mark of excellence that I can carry with me regardless of where I work and it is a grade that reflects my years’ worth of experience earned outside of degreelevel education.

“I believe it will demonstrate to any future employers that I have met the required standard as a technical professional within the construction industry.”

Howes Percival recruits highly regarded Cambridge property Partner

Howes Percival has added Cambridge property Partner Susanne Hinde to its top tier Commercial Property team in the city. Susanne specialises in investment property, commercial landlord and tenant matters, commercial sales and banking covering the leisure, retail, office and life sciences sectors and has extensive experience from working with a variety of clients including Cambridge colleges, pension funds, charities, not for profit organisations and family-owned businesses.

Joining Howes Percival from HCR Hewitsons in the city, Susanne will be focused on landlords with portfolios of commercial property, occupiers with multiple sites, and biotech businesses at all stages, whether they are just starting out or expanding and in need of more space.

Cambridge commercial property Partner, Michaela Henson, commented: “Susanne is a trusted adviser and very highly regarded in the Cambridge commercial property world. We are delighted to welcome her to Howes Percival. Susanne’s expertise is a perfect fit for our team and for our clients who appreciate no-nonsense, pragmatic legal advice.”

Susanne commented: “Howes Percival has a fantastic commercial property offering in Cambridge and they have made a huge

impact on the local market since opening in the city eight years ago. It is such a strong team, experienced at partner level across many sectors. The ambition is there to keep growing the team and with the ongoing expansion in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and engineering, the demand for space in the region is still very strong.”

Jarrold celebrates belated 250th birthday in Cambridge

Jarrold Training (part of Jarrold & Sons Ltd), a leading learning and development provider in Cambridge that helps businesses and their people achieve their full potential, is celebrating its belated 250th birthday. Jarrold, which was first founded by John Jarrold I in Woodbridge in 1770, is one of the oldest family businesses in the UK with interests in training, property and retail. Unable to fully celebrate its 250th birthday due to the pandemic, celebrations have restarted this year.

In celebration of the anniversary, 20 Cambridge businesses will be able to reap the benefits of one free Insights Discovery profile and feedback session, usually worth over £300. The opportunity is available on a first come first served basis and will enable teams to build lasting productivity and creativity within teams. To apply, businesses should email enquiries@jarroldtraining.co.uk

The Insights Discovery Profile is a practical personal development tool which gives a powerful insight into individuals. Based on the long-standing work of Carl

Jung, Insights Discovery describes the fundamental building blocks of human behaviour in four colours, which can support with team building, problem solving and understanding leadership styles.

Susie Jarrold, who is one of the seventh generation of the Jarrold family and Managing Director of Jarrold Training, said: “We are so proud to have turned 250, albeit with a slightly delayed celebration in Cambridge. Since our founding, we have

had to adapt and navigate many business and economic landscapes and be agile in our offering. Post Covid-19 there has been a surge in people being enthralled by the understanding of self and others which is encapsulated in Insights Discovery. With an enthusiastic return to face to face learning and our 250 years celebration, we are delighted to be offering a free Insights Discovery session to the local businesses of Cambridge.”

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Cambridgeshire wide arts programme The Library Presents chooses Keystone as its 2023-26 communications partner

dance, storytelling, comedy, puppetry, magic, digital arts and workshops to libraries across Cambridgeshire.

Led by our Head of Communications Katherine Hesketh, Keystone will be working closely with the team at The Library Presents over a three-year period, to inject our well-regarded marketing skillset and community engagement expertise into the programme. Programme messaging, social media, PR, stakeholder relations and volunteer engagement all play a part in the campaign curated by the Keystone team.

Speaking of the new partnership, Keystone’s Managing Director, Hayley Williams said: “The Library Presents is committed to enabling local residents to experience high quality, low-cost arts experiences across the county – and we are so pleased to play a part in support of this vision. As the programme’s chosen comms team, we’ll focus on creating greater community engagement across numerous audience groups, and deepening relationships with all key stakeholders.”

Keystone has won a three-year contract to handle the communications for the flagship Cambridgeshire arts programme, The Library Presents – a longstanding vibrant and inclusive arts programme bringing music, drama, art,

Ticket sales for the summer 2023 season (the 11th season for the longstanding programme) open on 15 June, with events running throughout July and August. The programme offers an incredible lineup of artists and experiences; including live music, familycentric events, and a sprinkling of theatre, dance and comedy too. Showcasing its commitment to collaboration, the new season has been created with direct input from over 600 local residents who helped to choose this season’s performers and events.

King’s Ely duo on fine form in British Biology Olympiad

Two King’s Ely Sixth Form students are celebrating success in an international Science competition.

Barclay Greenway and Georgia Gordon, who are both in Year 13 and studying Biology at A-Level, have achieved Silver and Highly Commended, respectively, in this year’s British Biology Olympiad (BBO). More than 13,000 students from 800 schools worldwide participated in the contest. Barclay’s Silver award places him in the top 10 per cent of UK students who entered.

The BBO is designed to challenge and stimulate students who have an interest in Biology. Pupils are presented with topics and ideas which they are not familiar with, so they compete with their problem-solving skills and understanding of core principles. Co-curricular opportunities are high on the agenda at King’s Ely, and the BBO is a great example of how enrichment helps to place pupils’ studies in a wider intellectual landscape. Other enrichment opportunities at King’s Ely Sixth Form include talks by visiting speakers, either to the whole Sixth Form or to smaller subjectspecific academic societies, student-led discussion evenings, and visits and trips organised by academic departments.

In 2022, 42 per cent of GCSE results at King’s Ely were Grades 9-8. 50 per cent of all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics) subjects were at Grade 9. 46 per cent of A-Level results were at A*-A, with students securing places at their first-choice institutions, the majority of which were Russell Group Universities.

Vine Law is coming to Ely!

Ely, having worked in Ely in their previous law firm and have been keen to have a base there again.

Vine Law was founded in November 2020 by Melinda Smith and Kim Cross together with their colleague Cath Collins who joined them shortly after. In May 2021, Kieren Cross joined the firm as an additional partner with their legal technician Anouska Rains-Kardi

completing the current team in 2022. Working from their main office base in Wisbech, the firm was deliberately set up to be able to look after clients from all over the country and has grown steadily in the last two and a half years. Melinda, Kieren and Kim have close professional ties with

Managing Partner, Melinda, said: “We have always found Ely to be a particularly supportive professional community and the genuine wish to help others succeed in order to benefit businesses and individuals in and around Ely is something which we very much wanted to be a part of again. Although we can help clients remotely, having a base in Ely will enable us to be more involved in that professional collaborative community which suits the way we work. We’re excited to be back!”.

NEW ROLE AT DOMINO HELPS CUSTOMERS ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

A Cambridge company is building further on its commitment to customers with the creation of a dedicated new position to develop relationships and help achieve sustainability goals.

Domino Printing, which has UK headquarters at Bar Hill, has appointed Thomas Guerriero as Group Customer CSR Manager.

As part of a newly-created CSR team, Thomas will work alongside Domino’s customer base to identify their individual corporate social responsibility (CSR) targets and work towards goals in terms of reducing production waste and improving their environmental performance.

He will also manage Domino’s Ecovadis and Sedex accreditation roadmap, as well as working closely with the company’s sales channels to equip them with the training and resources to identify and develop sustainable growth opportunities.

Thomas previously worked as an Account Manager in Domino Benelux, where he supported customers and through other activities, gained experience of CSR projects.

Speaking about his new role, Thomas said: “This is an exciting time to be

working on supporting customers and through our initiatives, helping them to achieve their sustainability goals. Initially I will concentrate on mapping our customer and competitor landscape, identifying needs, requests and priorities and working alongside the commercial teams as they develop solutions.”

A Cambridge company is building further on its commitment to customers with the creation of a dedicated new position to develop relationships and help achieve sustainability goals.

Domino Printing, which has UK headquarters at Bar Hill, has appointed Thomas Guerriero as Group Customer CSR Manager.

As part of a newly-created CSR team, Thomas will work alongside Domino’s customer base to identify their individual corporate social responsibility (CSR) targets and work towards goals in terms of reducing production waste and improving their environmental performance. He will also manage Domino’s Ecovadis and Sedex accreditation roadmap, as well as working closely with the company’s sales channels to equip them with the training and resources to identify and develop sustainable growth opportunities.

Thomas previously worked as an Account Manager in Domino Benelux, where he supported customers and through other activities, gained experience of CSR projects.

Speaking about his new role, Thomas said: “This is an exciting time to be working on supporting customers and through our initiatives, helping them to achieve their sustainability goals. Initially I will concentrate on mapping our customer and competitor landscape, identifying needs, requests and priorities and working alongside the commercial teams as they develop solutions.”

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

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New business supports local SMEs

Martin has opened the Cambridge office of The Alternative Board (TAB), a national business that harnesses the power of the peer advisory boards to help privately owned SMEs improve their businesses in ways that achieve their broader personal goals. TAB is seeking to partner with business owners in Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Haverhill and surrounding areas. Martin’s career spans 30 years in senior leadership positions in investment banking across the UK and Asia, including HSBC. He has worked with businesses of all sizes to positively impact everything from revenue and operational efficiency to employee engagement and culture. Martin qualified as an executive coach in 2020, going on to study for a master’s degree in coaching for behavioural change. Martin’s new company sees him combine his extensive business experience with a passion for developing people, businesses, and communities.

“What I love about TAB is that allows likeminded business owners to experience the power of peer support. Running a business is hard, especially when you are doing it alone. By joining one of our peer advisory boards, you can work through business ideas and issues with fellow (non-competing) business owners who have lived what you are living. As a result, you’ll gain new perspectives on your biggest opportunities and challenges, receive constructive feedback and impartial advice, and get a supportive group of accountability partners. TAB members across the UK are making better decisions and taking more purposeful action with peer support, backed by regular 1-2-1 coaching.” TAB is the world’s largest franchise provider of peer advisory boards and business coaching to business owners, hosting over 500 peer boards a month comprising thousands of cross-sector companies with gross revenues totalling close to £30bn.

Delegates donate to Cambridge City Foodbank

The official conference and events bureau for Cambridge recently held a symposium to mark its 25th anniversary – and asked the 100 delegates attending to bring a donation for the city’s foodbank.

Meet Cambridge hosted ‘Events: Matters Arising’ at King’s College which explored the current challenges and opportunities facing the meetings sector, including a panel of high-profile industry players debating ways to make events more sustainable.

Invitees were asked to make a donation to highlight the importance of corporate social responsibility at business events, resulting in hundreds of items being given which were later taken to the Cambridge City Foodbank’s Cowley Road warehouse.

Judith Sloane, Head of Meet Cambridge, said: “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the delegates at our anniversary event, ensuring we had a substantial amount to take to the Foodbank.

“This was just part of our focus on demonstrating the importance of making business events more sustainable and we will certainly do all we can to encourage other

event organisers to add a collection to their conferences and meetings going forwards.”

James Dore, Lead Warehouse Volunteer, added: “We are so grateful for the generous donation from the team at Meet Cambridge. Cambridge City Foodbank is currently experiencing unprecedented levels of demand for emergency food parcels and without the

generosity from companies, we would be unable to continue to provide support for those in crisis. Thank you to everyone who donated.”

Over the past 12 months, the Cambridge City Foodbank has supported 42 per cent more people than in the same period in 2021/22. This equates to around 14,500 people in a 12-month period.

A new company focused on supporting local SME business owners has been launched in Cambridge by former investment banker, Martin Oakley.

Apprenticeship success at Millrose

Millrose, certified data network installation experts, are thrilled to announce the successful completion of team member Zach Knights’ Network Cable Installer Level 3 Apprenticeship with an outstanding Distinction. Zach has displayed exceptional dedication, commitment, and technical expertise throughout his apprenticeship, earning him well-deserved recognition for his achievements.

The Network Cable Installer Apprenticeship programme is designed to equip apprentices with the necessary skills and knowledge to install, maintain, and troubleshoot network cables, ensuring seamless connectivity for businesses and homes. It encompasses a comprehensive curriculum covering various areas, including copper and fibre network

infrastructure, cable management, data transmission, and industry best practices. Zach’s commitment to learning and professional growth has been evident from the start. Under the guidance of Millrose’s experienced team, he embraced challenging tasks, honed his technical skills, and developed a deep understanding of network cable installations. Zach consistently demonstrated a meticulous attention to detail, ensuring the highest quality workmanship in all his projects.

“We are immensely proud of Zach’s accomplishment and dedication to data engineering,” said Keith Evans, Managing Director at Millrose. “His passion for technology and his unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional

results have made him an invaluable asset to our team. Zach’s Distinction in his Network Cable Installer Level 3 Apprenticeship is a testament to his hard work and commitment to excellence.”

Cambridge Science Centre announces AstraZeneca continued support for the charity

provided STEM learning opportunities for thousands of children and families in a variety of locations, from festivals and shopping centres to community centres and schools. Year to date, CSC has engaged with 4,500 children in school settings and 25,000 members of the public in its community pop-ups.

“We are delighted to continue our important and hugely beneficial relationship with AstraZeneca. With their support over the last few years, we have developed initiatives to encourage young people to explore and enjoy STEM at our Centre and via our extensive educational outreach programme. As we move into the coming year, we are excited to continue our relationship with some exciting new initiatives.”

Cambridge Science Centre (CSC), an educational charity dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) among young people, has announced that AstraZeneca will continue its long-standing support for the organisation in the coming year. AstraZeneca has been a key partner of Cambridge Science Centre in recent years, helping the charity to develop a range of initiatives aimed at inspiring young people to engage with STEM subjects. Rebecca Porter, Head of Development at Cambridge Science Centre, expressed her delight at the continuation of the partnership, which has enabled the organisation to deliver its outreach programmes to communities across the region. She highlighted the success of the PopUpScience Centres, which have

In recognition of the success of these initiatives, Cambridge Science Centre has announced plans to launch a new programme of touring educational Community PopUpScience Centres in the Fenland district, with the aim of reaching even more young learners and their families. The Hubs will provide a dedicated space for STEM learning experiences, and AstraZeneca’s support will be vital to their success.

Lisa King, Director, UK STEM & Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, praised the work of Cambridge Science Centre and emphasised the importance of the partnership for AstraZeneca’s own STEM outreach programme, particularly in the Fenland district. “The company sees the Centre as a valuable partner, and is committed to continuing its support for this important educational charity.

“Our links with Cambridge Science Centre forms an integral part of our UK STEM outreach programme. The Centre connects us with the Cambridge community and beyond, and provides us with a great source of inspiration, ideas and energy.”

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This Land appoints Julia Gregory as Non-Executive Director

This Land are thrilled to announce that Julia Gregory has been appointed as a NonExecutive Director.

Julia joins as Chair of This Land’s Environmental Social Governance (ESG) committee, assisting in developing ESG strategy as well as reporting and monitoring future performance. Known for her dynamism, organisational skills and openness, Julia has nearly three decades of experience in strategic leadership in both the public and private sector. Julia is a Non-Executive Director in a range of companies delivering real estate and construction, fulfilling her passion for benefitting the public good. Prior to

this Julia was the Director of Projects for Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Julia led the delivery of a £300 million investment for Ebbsfleet Garden City to deliver up to 15,000 new homes. Her early career was spent in the public sector within the development arena, before taking on high profile roles leading major development and infrastructure projects at two of the UK’s major airports –Stansted and Gatwick.

David Meek, This Land Chair commented: “This Land are delighted to have Julia on board. We’re certain the experience garnered over her career to date will add huge value to our business. More pertinently though,

her expertise in environmental, social governance will be to the great benefit of our stakeholders and the communities we serve across Cambridgeshire.”

Wyboston Lakes Resort’s sustainability activities shortlisted for major prize at industry-leading event

Resort have chosen to have a tree planted on the resort instead of having their room cleaned. This saves energy used on cleaning and laundry. The resort’s team have been involved in planting the trees. Last year the resort launched a four-year Green Energy Roadmap as the foundation for a plan to become self-sufficient by producing its own green energy using the natural resources at the Resort, helping to achieve its Net Zero Carbon Emissions target.

Wyboston Lakes Resort is a finalist in the Best Sustainable Initiative category at the Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT) Awards, the industry’s most highly coveted titles. The finalists are chosen based on the nominations of readers of leading industry magazine M&IT and verified by a consultative committee. The prestigious titles are the oldest established awards in the meetings industry.

Louisa Watson, Director of Marketing, said: “This is wonderful testimony to continuing commitment of our team to driving innovations and implementing our policy of ‘More Sustainable, No Apology’ wholeheartedly.”

In June 2022 the resort introduced Room2Grow. Since then, more than 20,000 eco-conscious guests staying more than one night at Wyboston Lakes

The resort’s commitment to sustainability has been independently accredited by earning gold awards from the Green Tourism Awards and the IACC, and EcoSmart Platinum Venue Award from Greengage Solutions. All electric energy on-site now comes from renewable resources, reducing the resort’s carbon footprint by 65 per cent. Zero-to-landfill was achieved for the sixth consecutive year. It is currently eradicating fossil fuels from the site and ensuring that zero food waste goes off-site.

The results of the M&IT Awards 2023 will be announced at a gala evening in aid of the Meeting Needs charity on 15 September at Evolution in London.

Cambridge B2B Exhibition

Helping our Region Thrive

CambsB2B is our annual event and exhibition to bring our community together within Greater Cambridge, under one roof to:

➜ enable businesses to reach new audiences

➜ bolster local trade and opportunities

➜ share experiences to enable our businesses to thrive

➜ discuss local issues, and

➜ help make the community work.

In addition to the core programme, in 2023 our themed zone will be ‘People and Productivity’.

The last few years have seen many changes in our workforce –from Brexit to COVID, to a requirement for more agile working. In our People and Productivity Zone, we will provide ‘quick briefs on some of the key challenges employers face, and signpost you to companies that can help you to find, retain and optimise your people.

During this one-day event, we will provide a B2B exhibition hall, informative talks, dedicated advice rooms on key topics, and our legendary speed networking.

If your business wants to connect with other businesses in Cambridge, then this is the dedicated business event for you. #CambsB2B

For more information email events@cambscci.co.uk

Imperial War Museum, Duxford

chamber

EVENTS

Chamber members can register for events via the Chamber website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk or please contact email events@cambscci.co.uk

SAFARI NETWORKING EVENTS

Take the opportunity to meet new business connections through safari networking. This relaxed but structured format offers the guests the chance to move around the room and form connections with new business contacts from a wide range of industry sectors.

Informal Networking Evenings

Build new connections at these free events taking place across the county. Catch up with familiar acquaintances you haven’t seen for a while, mingle with new business contacts and share knowledge and skills with like-minded professionals. These events are free to attend and we welcome members and non-members.

SEPTEMBER 2023

Huntingdon

Wednesday 13 September, 5.00-6.30pm

Old Crown, Stamford

Tuesday 19 September, 5.00-6.30pm

The Regent, Cambridge

Thursday 21 September, 5.00-6.30pm

Poets House, Ely

Monday 25 September, 6.00-7.00pm

OCTOBER 2023

Huntingdon

Wednesday 11 October, 5.00-6.30pm

Peterborough

Tuesday 17 October, 5.00-6.30pm

Cambridge

Thursday 19 October, 5.00-6.30pm

Poets House, Ely

Monday 23 October, 6.00-7.00pm

What would you like to see?

Are there any particular events you’d like to see us host?

Is there a sector you would like to connect with?

An area you would like to build relationships in?

Get in touch with the team!

SAFARI NETWORKING BREAKFAST

Tuesday 26 September, 7.45-10.00am

Peterborough Cathedral

Cost: £25.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £35.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members

SPONSORSHIP

We have a range of sponsorship opportunities at the Chamber. All sponsorship packages provide great publicity and exposure for an organisation through our event promotional channels and connected magazine with additional benefits specific to the type of event.

Get in touch with the team if you are interested.

Chamber members can register for events via the Chamber website www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk or please contact email events@cambscci.co.uk

Chamber Golf Day

Thursday 14 September

Peterborough Milton Golf Club

We’re excited to be hosting a Chamber Golf Day and have a great day lined up for you.

Join us for a round of golf in a team of 4, enjoy a carvery and finally an awards ceremony and networking evening, all included in the price.

Several sponsorship opportunities are available:

- Headline sponsor

- Halfway Hut sponsor

- Sponsor a hole

Get in touch with the team if you’re interested.

Hole sponsors confirmed: Aspray Peterborough, Burmor Construction and Fortus

Summer Garden Party

Friday 4 August, 3.00-5.00pm

Graduate, Cambridge

Join us for an afternoon of socializing with local connections, enjoy a delicious BBQ and punt along the river Cam.

Enjoy a drink on arrival, sponsored by Graduate, before enjoying the drinks on offer at the outdoor bar.

Held at one of our stunning Cambridge venues, it is sure to be an afternoon of fun and relaxed networking.

Treat your employees, colleagues, clients or suppliers and bring them along.

Cost: £25.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £37.50 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members.

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