Business Direction 35

Direction

Business

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW YEAR WITH OPTIMISM

AWARD RECOGNISES COMPANY’S INTERNATIONAL AMBITIONS

PAGE 30

PAGE 32

Issue 35 January/February 2017

Est 1985

Quality Counts Your award winning team of Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors

web ballardsca.com call 01905 794504

Bu sin es s

Di re ct io n

FIRSTWORD

2017 – A NEW YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY Happy New Year to our businesses! 2017 has arrived as quickly as ever - I hope that you all had a good Christmas and enjoyed a well deserved break.

EAD TO LOOKING AH R WITH THE NEW YEA OPTIMISM

OGNISES AWARD REC COMPANY’S AL AMBITIONS INTERNATION PAGE 32

PAGE 30 Issue 35 uary 2017 January/Febr

HWCHAMBER.CO.UK Business Direction, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s full colour bi-monthly publication. Designed and produced by business people for business people. Distributed to 4,000 businesses.

EDITOR Rebekah Harris 01905 673 639 rebekahh@hwchamber.co.uk

EDITORIAL & SUBSCRIPTIONS businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk 01905 673 639 www.hwchamber.co.uk/busines-direction

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 887 3810 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

ADVERTISING Distinctive Publishing Tel: 0845 887 3805 michele.keeler@distinctivegroup.co.uk

FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the publisher accepts no responsibility for omissions or errors within this publication.

Editorial submissions are included at the discretion of the editor. The opinions expressed in articles and letters within this publication are not necessarily those of the Chamber. All offers, promotions and competitions appearing in Business Direction are the sole responsibility of the advertiser/ promoting party and Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce does not accept any responsibility for any representations made within them.

First Word

3

Chamber News

4-5

Chamber News

6

Business News

10

Policy

11

Business News

14

Skills

16

Business News

18

2016 was an eventful and successful year for Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce. As you may know, we have recently appointed a new Chief Executive, who will take over on 1 April. By the time you read this, that person will have been announced, and I look forward to how they will take the Chamber forward in the years ahead.

Business News

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Business News

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The past year was an eventful year for the UK and for the rest of the world, with a vote for Brexit, the US elections and economic volatility across the globe. There has been some impact already from these events, but only time can tell how they will affect UK businesses.

Visit Herefordshire

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Visit Worcestershire

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2016 has had many highlights. During the past year, the two counties have significantly progressed their process for inward investment. A Trade Mission to Cyber Maryland last October saw both Worcestershire LEP and the Marches LEP, Hereford Enterprise Zone, the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Chamber working side by side to promote Cyber valley as part of the Midlands Engine. We look forward to a proposed return visit from Maryland to the UK this spring.

Chamber Training

22-23

Chamber Events

24-25

Cover Feature

30-31

Big Interview

32-33

Worcestershire Business Central 44 Business News

46

International Trade

47

Business News

50

Business News

52

Charity News

56

New Members

58-59

Movers and Shakers

60-61

Last Word

62

Preparation for our two biggest events of the year - the Chamber Business Expo and the Chamber Awards – is already underway, and we look forward to welcoming Lord Digby Jones as our keynote speaker for the Expo on Thursday 2 March. Have a look at our Events page for more information (page 24).

This New Year looks to be significant for many businesses and in this edition of Business Direction, we hear from some local companies about their plans and ambitions. The Big Interview this time is with Mike Forrester, Vice President for Herefordshire at the Chamber and Chairman of Orchard Valley Foods Limited. Mike discusses the company’s international success, the values of working in Herefordshire and his role at the Chamber.

All the best for the New Year, Mike mikea@hwchamber.co.uk

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Our Patrons are:

January/February 2017

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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REFLECTINGON2016

2016: AN EVENTFUL Y JANUARY

OP Software celebrates tenth year as provider of IT support solutions in Herefordshire.

MAY

Curo Chartered Accountants celebrate 10 years in business.

Gowling WLG appointed global advisor to Weetabix.

Chamber IT Trainer John Legge celebrates 20 years in business

FEBRUARY

Hereford FC play in the Vase Final at Wembley.

APRIL National Living Wage comes into effect.

Five businesses receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – Green Lighting Ltd, Kudos Blends Ltd, Orchard Valley Foods Limited, PCA Predict and Winsted Ltd.

Love Worcester Heritage Festival celebrates Worcester’s spectacular history with events across the city.

Businesses attend events across the country for Exporting is GREAT week.

JUNE

Britain votes to leave the European Union with a majority of 51.9%.

Kingspan Insulation named Business of the Year in the Chamber Business Awards.

Celebrations take place across the country for the Queen’s 90th Birthday.

Rural Media Company receives funding boost of over £100,000 from the Arts Council England.

MARCH

Business leaders and politicians including Jeremy Corbyn MP speak at the British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference.

Food and drink businesses exhibit at the Chamber Expo, attended by a delegation from HezHou, China.

Eckington Manor and the Fleece Inn become Gold Winners in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2016.

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January/February 2017

REFLECTINGON2016

YEAR FOR BUSINESS The Chamber achieves the Investors In People Gold Award

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

Athletes from Herefordshire and Worcestershire compete in the Olympics and Great Britain comes second

Visit Worcestershire & Visit Herefordshire Awards for Excellence celebrate local tourism businesses Bee Lighting Ltd, Gemporia, RGS Worcester, Vision Labs Limited and Waste Spectrum Environmental Limited become winners for the West Midlands in the British Chamber Business Awards

Hotel Chocolat opens in Worcester, supported by Print Strategy Europe

DECEMBER

Chamber relaunch the Apprentices in Business Club.

Award-winning Worcester jeweller Anja Potze celebrates 21 years in business.

Cyber companies take part in a Midlands Engine Cyber Mission to Baltimore, Maryland

National Trust Croome Court and Berrington Hall are featured on a commemorative stamp for the 300th Anniversary of “Capability” Brown

The first of the Chamber’s “President’s Lectures” takes place – “Insights into Liberating Leadership”.

OCTOBER EBC Group become a Patron member of the Chamber.

Facebook speak at the biggest ever Chamber Business Expo.

Marches Growth Hub celebrates first anniversary.

JULY

Teresa May becomes Prime Minister and elects a new cabinet. Local MPs Robin Walker and Mark Garnier take roles in the new Departments for Exiting the European Union and International Trade.

Hereford Racecourse hosts the first jump meeting in four years with over 4,500 racegoers.

Worcestershire Works Well celebrates five years.

Over £31,000 raised for St Richard’s Hospice at the Worcestershire Way Walk.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

NOVEMBER

Businesses exhibit at Careers Fairs across Worcestershire, organised by the Chamber and The Careers and Enterprise Company Donald Trump wins the election for US President Bee Lighting win “Small Business of the Year” at the British Chambers of Commerce Awards Chamber receives over 600 responses to the Quarterly Economic Survey

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CHAMBERNEWS

BEE LIGHTING NAMED BCC SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR On Thursday 24 November 2016, Bee Lighting represented Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce at the British Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in London. Against stiff competition, the Redditch based lighting technology company won the National Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by NFU Mutual.

The Awards Ceremony was the culmination of a long process starting in the early summer. In June, BEE won the “Small Business of the Year” Award for Herefordshire & Worcestershire and succeeded to win the Award for the West

Midlands later in September.

BEE Lighting are recognised industry experts in interior and exterior lighting products – mostly, but not solely, for the automotive industry.

Paul Crees, Managing Director, said: “I’m completely blown away by this award, when they announced our name it took me a few moments to take it in”. He went on to state: “myself and Colin Fulford are very proud of the team’s achievements and it is so nice for them and us to be recognised in such a way”. www.beedesignltd.co.uk

Bee Lighting celebrate at the British Chambers of Commerce Awards

BUSINESS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMME OFF TO A GREAT START Over 46 businesses have already signed up to receive free energy efficiency advice from The Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP).

BEEP is a European Union funded service that offers eligible small-to-medium sized businesses free energy assessments and access to grant funding up to £20,000. Projects can include updating lighting and heating, making building fabric improvements to reduce heat loss, and replacing old and inefficient machinery.

The project operates throughout Herefordshire, Worcestershire

and Telford & Wrekin and is run in conjunction with local authorities.

Working on the project at The Chamber is Liz Rushton, Energy Efficiency Advisor, with a background of providing resource efficiency advice to around 150 businesses in the South-West.

To find out more about BEEP or to attend the forum, please contact the team on 01905 677 888 or email info@ business-central.co.uk

The Chamber will be running a quarterly Sustainability Forum to focus on energy efficiency and wider sustainability issues, the first of which will be held at Thorlux Lighting, Redditch on Thursday 9 February. This will highlight the business benefits of energy efficiency, and will include a tour of Thorlux’s Application Centre.

Liz Rushton, Energy Efficiency Advisor

CHAMBER PHOTO COMPETITION - SHOW US YOUR SKILLS! Budding photographers are invited to enter the Chamber’s 2017 business photo competition.

Photos can be taken at Chamber Events, Training courses or company business meetings, and can show anything from networking to office interiors to international trade. There are no limits, the more creative the better!

All photos must be submitted to socialmedia@hwchamber.co.uk before Friday 3 March. Photos will be shortlisted and judged by local photographers,

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including Paul Attwood from Attwood Media Ltd, Hamish Gill from F8 Creates, Gavin Allen from Photoglide Ltd and Julie King from Dpix Creative.

The winners will be announced at a special event at the end of March, with the opportunity to win some exciting prizes: a 360 degree business tour from Attwood Media Ltd, a place on a Photoglide Ltd photography course, and £100 of vouchers for London Camera Exchange, Worcester. All finalists will be featured in Business Direction and the winning photo will be featured on the front cover.

For more information visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/photocompetition or contact socialmedia@hwchamber.co.uk. *Photos must be a limit of 1600x1600 pixels.

Amateur photographers only. By entering the competition entrants consent to provide Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce with the license to use their photos for marketing purposes, including Business Direction and other publications, online and social media.

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January/February 2017

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ADVERTORIALFEATURE

ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF LOCAL SERVICES Health and care leaders across the county are encouraging people to get involved in helping shape the future of local services

A draft plan published by health and care organisations across Herefordshire and Worcestershire provides some early thoughts on how local services might change. The draft has been submitted as part of the national Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) programme which encourages local areas to develop 5-year plans (up to 2020/21) to address local health outcomes, care and quality issues and financial pressures.

In Worcestershire we have a population which is growing with people living longer with long-term health conditions. For example there is an estimated growth of 40% of those aged over 65 living with ‘long-term conditions’ over the next 15 years. This is contributing to an overall rise in demand on health and care services.

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We want to make sure people don’t get admitted to hospital unless they really need to be. This will involve strengthening our community services with a focus on prevention and providing services for people in their own homes. This might also mean changes to the role of some of our community hospitals and we will be working with stakeholders to understand how many beds we may need and how community hospitals could offer a broader range of services such as more outpatient or day case activities.

We also need to ensure people can get the urgent care they need in the right place without delays, that our acute services only treat those who really need that level of care and treatment, and that our specialist services are sustainable so we aren’t spreading resources too thinly.

While the overall standard of care provided locally is good, there are some practical issues in Worcestershire, for example the system often feeling disjointed, we have poorer health outcomes for some conditions, and difficulty recruiting and retaining staff in some of our specialist roles.

Under the banner of Your Conversation, residents will be invited to get involved in moving the initial suggestions and ideas forward into more detailed proposals. A new website – www.yourconversationhw. nhs.uk – has been launched where people can read the draft plan as well as a shorter summary update and there is also a survey to complete. In addition through the Your Conversation campaign we will be getting out and about over the next few months talking to patients, service users, carers and members of the wider community.

This will include roadshows in local community venues, public meetings and online Q&As.

The proposed priorities included in the published draft plan focus on the need to put much greater emphasis on encouraging people to lead healthier lives, to prevent the kind of illnesses and conditions which are influenced by lifestyle, and to support people to take more control over the management of their condition(s). We need to work much better with housing providers, schools, colleges and local businesses, and we also need to empower our communities, the voluntary sector and other local groups to help put physical and mental wellbeing at the top of everyone’s agenda.

Sarah Dugan, who is leading our local Sustainability and Transformation Plan, said: “Overall the services we provide for people in Worcestershire are good, but we do face some significant local challenges now and into the future and it is important that we address these together, as a health and care system with the support of local people. We are clear that we will have to make some difficult decisions about how we provide and access care, treatment and support, but with the help of our patients and communities we also think we can do lots of things better and increase efficiency as a consequence.

There will also be a focus on improving access to primary care services, providing more care and treatments closer to home.

In Worcestershire we have based our plans around the feedback from local people over recent years and we want to continue these conversations to help shape our

thinking and develop them into more detailed proposals.”

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability & Transformation Plan; a partnership between: Worcestershire County Council, Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, South Worcestershire CCG, Wyre Forest CCG, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Primary Care Collaborations, Herefordshire Council, Herefordshire CCG, Wye Valley NHS Trust, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust

January/February 2017

FOCUSONLEGAL

Slips, trips trips and and the the victims victims Slips, of clinical clinical negligence negligence of Last Autumn mfg Solicitors launched Last Autumn mfg Solicitors launched its new Personal Injury and Clinical its new Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence team. Part of our Negligence team. Part of our nationally-recognised Litigation nationally-recognised Litigation department, the new team is led department, the new team is led

by Michelle Hartshorn and is already

by Michelle Hartshorn and is already making an impact, helping people making an impact, helping people to receive compensation due to to receive compensation due to them following significant, lifethem following significant, life-the changing issues.

Michelle and changing issues.

Michelle and the team have been supporting victims team have been supporting victims of work-related incidents, road of work-related road traffic collisionsincidents, and people who traffic collisions and people have experienced problemswho following have experienced problems following medical negligence.

Each and medical negligence.

Each and every one have rightfully received every one have rightfully received compensation. compensation.

In this latest edition of Business In this latest editionanswers of Business Direction, Michelle some Direction, Michelle answers key questions and gives hersome views key questions and gives herisviews on why the claims process simpler on why the claims process is simpler than many believe. than many believe.

I have had accident, where do IIhave go? had accident, where do I go?

It is important to say that the law Itrelating is important to sayinjury that the law to personal is intricate relating to personal injury is intricate and an extremely specialist area. and extremely specialist Thean first port of call should area. be a The first port callexpert shouldinbe a solicitor who of is an dealing solicitor who is an expert in dealing with personal injury claims. They with personal injuryonclaims.

They will always advise the process will always advise on the process and should support every step of and the should way. support every step of the way.

When should I contact When should I contact a solicitor? a solicitor?

My advice is to contact a solicitor My advice is to contact a solicitor as soon as possible after an incident. as soon as possible after an incident.

In the majority of cases you will have In the majority of cases you will have three years from the accident date three years from the accident date to make a claim, but the evidence to make a claim, but the evidence gathering process can always take gathering process can always take time. Therefore the sooner a solicitor time.

Therefore the sooner a solicitor is involved, the better. There are is the better. There where are a involved, few special circumstances athe fewthree special circumstances year rule does notwhere apply the three year rule does apply so even if the injury wasnot some time so even the injury was some time ago it isifalways worth contacting ago it is always contacting a solicitor to seeworth if anything can be adone. solicitor to see if anything can be done.

Will the legal process Will the legal process be expensive? be expensive?

Not necessarily. Personal injury or Not necessarily.

Personal or medical negligence claimsinjury can be medical negligence claims can be funded on a no win, no fee basis and funded on consultation, a no win, no fee basis with and the initial certainly the initial consultation, certainly with us, is free. us, is free.

How long does the claims How longtake? does the claims process process take?

The length of the process depends The of the processIfdepends on alength number of factors. the other on a number of factors.

If at thean other side admits responsibility side admits responsibility at an early stage, and any injuries or pain early anyainjuries or pain have stage, settledand down, claim could have settled down, a claim could be settled in a matter of months be settledless in athan matter of months (usually six months). (usually less than six months).

However, if apportioning blame However, if apportioning blame becomes an issue, or recovery from becomes an issue, or recovery from the injury is prolonged, it could be the injury is prolonged, it could be longer, possibly up to two years longer, possibly up to two years or more. or more.

Will I end up in court as part Will I end up in court as part of the process? of the process?

This is a worry many people have This worryunlikely. many people have but itis isa very The vast but it is very unlikely.

The vast majority of personal injury claims majority of personal injury settle without the need for claims court settle without the need for court proceedings or a trial. proceedings or a trial.

If you have a claim or would like If haveyour a claim or would like toyou discuss situation further, to discuss your situation further, please contact Michelle on: please contact Michelle on: 01527 831691 or by email 01527 831691 or by email michelle.hartshorn@mfgsolicitors.com michelle.hartshorn@mfgsolicitors.com

Michelle Hartshorn Civil Hartshorn Litigation Associate Michelle Civil Litigation Associate

Members can contact the team at mfg Solicitors Members can contact the team at mfg Solicitors by telephoning 0845 55 55 321 or by by telephoning 0845 55 55 321 or by visiting: www.mfgsolicitors.com visiting: www.mfgsolicitors.com

Tel: 0845 55 55 321 Tel: 0845 55 55 321

www.mfgsolicitors.com www.mfgsolicitors.com

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

@mfgsolicitors @mfgsolicitors 09

BUSINESSNEWS

BRYAN ADAMS SET TO ROCK SIXWAYS You can get your hands on the hottest ticket in town when Sixways plays host to Bryan Adams live in concert next summer.

The multi-platinum rock legend, who rose to fame with a string of huge hits in the 1980s including Summer of 69, Run to You and Heaven, will take to the Sixways stage on Friday 14 July.

Ahead of the concert Adams said: “I’m delighted to be continuing my tour and heading to Worcester next summer. It will give me an opportunity to perform tracks from my latest album Get Up as well as some of my earlier classics. It’s going to be a special show and I hope my fans are able to join me.”

The concert gates will open at 6pm and standing tickets are available for £49, while seated tickets are available for £59. To book your tickets visit www. sixwaysstadium.co.uk/bryanadams, call

ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS – MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 2017 Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service are offering businesses the chance to save lives in 2017.

On-call firefighters are men and women from all walks of life, from teachers to shopkeepers, company directors and builders. They help serve and protect their local community by responding to emergencies when they are needed. By supporting members of your staff to be on-call, you can make a really positive contribution to your local area and help save lives. Where this is not possible, some employers have also helped to promote the role by encouraging staff to consider it outside normal working hours.

Area Commander Keith Chance said: “On-call firefighters are trained to deal with a wide variety of situations, meaning they are more prepared and able to cope with unexpected events in other areas of working life. They are also trained in trauma care so not only will this make your workplace safer, but it will also increase first aid cover within your organisation. A large proportion of our firefighters are on-call and we need local businesses to support us by releasing their staff to carry out vital firefighting duties.” www.hwfire.org.uk

01905 459309 or visit the Warriors Ticket Office. For information on Hospitality, Gowling’s Chief Executive David Fennell

GOWLING WLG NAMED IN MOST INNOVATIVE LAW FIRMS IN EUROPE The Financial Times ranked Chamber patron member Gowling WLG as the second most innovative law firm in Europe at the Innovative Lawyer Awards 2016 in October.

In addition to this main recognition, the firm won the “Innovation in driving value for clients” category for its global operation to enforce Dyson’s IP rights in its bladeless fan technology in more than 50 countries, all co-ordinated and overseen from a single UK office. The firm was then commended or highly commended in a further six categories.

Chief Executive, David Fennell, said: “This is a fantastic result for Gowling WLG and really showcases the huge strides we are making in innovation and client service. I’m thrilled we’ve been commended for our innovations in business services as well; the work of our non-legal professionals is crucial to the smooth operation of the firm and directly contributes to the successes we enjoy with our clients.”

please visit the website, call 01905 459354 or email events@warriors.co.uk.

LOCAL COMPANIES CREATE EXCEL TO SMS Malvern based borwell Limited and Textlocal.com teamed up to develop a mobile solution for the SME market called Excel to SMS. This brand-new feature allows users to send text messages directly from Microsoft Excel, using the contacts stored within their spreadsheets.

The Excel to SMS plug-in sits within a spreadsheet and connects directly to a business’ Textlocal.com account.

Businesses can create personalised messages using the phone numbers and customer details they keep in their Excel columns, selecting the cells they want to include and typing their message in the Textlocal.com panel within Excel.

Head of Projects at Textlocal.com, Leanne Sofocleous, explained: “The project was initially an idea from our team in India, but it didn’t take us long to realise that it could benefit businesses in the UK too. We’re always looking for ways to offer more value to our customers and this is a perfect fit for organisations that use Excel.”

The plug-in is available to download from Microsoft right now at no cost at all. https://borwell.com www.txtlocal.com

www.gowlingwlg.com

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January/February 2017

POLICYNEWS

HEREFORDSHIRE & WORCESTERSHIRE QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY Q4 2016 RESULTS Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce knows the importance and the value of a strong bond between our elected representatives and the local business community. As a Chamber we strive to get our voices heard at local, regional, national and international levels – and work towards a better deal for the local and national business community.

The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is Britain’s largest and most authoritative private sector business survey, based on approximately 7,000 responses from across the UK. The QES enables businesses to have their voices heard on a national level and the results are instrumental in helping the Chamber to understand the key factors affecting local businesses. The Q4 results are as follows:

614 RESPONSES

SKILLS & RECRUITMENT

76%

53%

Services

had trouble in recruiting suitably skilled staff

24%

Manufacturing

67%

Herefordshire and Worcestershire received more results for the QES in Q4 than all other Chambers, ensuring that the two counties continue to be represented on a national scale

DOMESTIC SALES

expect their workforce to remain the same over the next 3 months

PRICE PRESSURES

43%

43%

said that UK sales had increased

feel pressured to raise prices, more than doubling since Brexit due to raw material prices (56%) and other overheads (49%).

38%

said that UK orders had increased, a drop of 4% since Q3

EXPORTS

TOP 3 BUSINESS CONCERNS

31% said that export sales had increased, compared to 32% in Q3 and 43% in Q2 This is the lowest reported increase in export sales since Q4 2014

40%

Exchange Rates

37%

Corporate Taxation

33%

Competition

To find out more about the Quarterly Economic Survey visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/policy/qes Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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FOCUSONRECRUITMENT

BEN MANNION TAKES A LOOK AT EMERGING TRENDS IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS… As UK unemployment hits an 11 year low and the total number of people in employment remains at a record high of 31.8 million, what does the future hold for the UK labour market?

The Bank of England has forecast that unemployment is set to rise amid uncertainty over Brexit but for now the market remains robust, with average weekly earnings also growing by 2.3% in the year to October. Much of what drives this stability can be put down to the flexible labour market that the UK has developed. Kevin Green, CEO of the REC, expanded on this point at Hewett Recruitment’s recent HR Conference, commenting that we have a labour market that is the envy of many countries.

However, alongside the Brexit question there are also challenges around the changing demographics of the UK and ever evolving expectations of the next generation of employees.

These two challenges also represent opportunities to change how we engage with talent in our organisations. There is a huge amount of intellectual and economic capacity that is going to waste – think of the 50+ age bracket or perhaps mothers looking to return to the workplace. In an era where the skills shortage is becoming more widespread, could offering a flexible approach to work ensure that this capacity is fully utilised? As Kevin Green said, now is the time to look at how to “hire flexibly from the outset” rather than just apply flexibility to your workforce retrospectively.

Then there is the rise in the gig economy, where online platforms provide instant access to people of all skills levels to complete whatever task you need doing – from washing a car through to designing a website. In an age when 85% of young people say that they want to at some point “be their own boss” this approach allows any individual or business to connect with this new generation of self-employed, where work-life balance is getting towards the top of the priorities list.

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So what does this mean for the place of HR professionals? As the traditional employer – employee relationship continues to evolve, the move away from old school “personnel management” towards strategic business partner becomes even more significant. Lucy Adams, founder of Disruptive HR, talks about how it is “time to…tear up the HR rulebook…whilst HR are doing this compliance-heavy, process-oriented role, playing policeman, they are not creating space to think about the future.” In practice this means HR approaching the talent question with an altogether different approach to the traditional need for skills and experience. It means starting to treat employees – both current and potential – as consumers, building the best employee experience to attract and retain the best talent.

In his book, ‘The Future of Work’, Jacob Morgan describes employee experience as “an organisation creating a place where people want to show up instead of assuming that people need to show

up”…and this is the challenge the modern employer faces. A combination of skills shortages and a dramatic development in the ways in which a person can “interact” with the employment market means we need to position ourselves as the employer of choice…and this is where the modern HR professional comes to the fore.

Ben Mannion

www.hewett-recruitment.co.uk

January/February 2017

FOCUSONCYBER SPONSORED BY: MINSTER MICRO

minster’s guide:

CEO FRAUD

HOW DO I PROTECT MY BUSINESS AGAINST THE GROWING THREAT OF ‘CEO’ FRAUD? So, what is CEO fraud?

Also known as email ‘phishing’ or ‘fake president’ scams, CEO fraud has become an increasingly popular method of conning finance administrators into transferring funds from the business accounts. CEO fraud is committed when an external sender poses as an important person in the company (often the Director) and emails a member of the finance team requesting a sum of money to be transferred to an account or asks a finance question.

The emails are very clever and are written in a similar way to most internal emails - even including a signature. At first glance, they appear completely normal right down to the email address but at closer inspection, you may find a random '.' (such as johnsmith.@abcltd instead of johnsmith@abcltd) or once you click ‘reply’ the sender’s email address will change.

Why does it affect me?

CEO fraud happens to many companies – of all sizes – so it’s easy to become a target. Within your role, it may be normal for you to have requests sent by your manager/director to pay invoices or transfer funds which you wouldn’t necessarily question.

However, it is vital you are being extra vigilant and checking that the requests are coming from internal or ‘safe’ emails.

If you don’t work in finance, you may think that CEO Fraud may never happen to you, but it’s important to be aware of it or even share the information with your colleagues as some companies have suffered huge losses as a result of these clever emails and have processed thousands of pounds to an unknown bank account.

How can I protect myself?

If you receive an email requesting money from another person within the business, the best thing you can do is check with that person face-to-face or by calling them before transferring any amount.

If you are ever completing a bank transaction after being requested to do so by email – ensure you know exactly who and where the money is going to, and also what the money is for.

Always ensure you read the email address and reply-to address of the sender thoroughly by clicking 'reply' to see who your reply will be sent to. If the address looks unusual or incorrect DO NOT reply.

Email info@minstermicro.co.uk for your free step-by-step video guide on how to set your email system to differentiate between internal and external emails which can significantly improve your defence against email scammers.

The Techy Bit “The internet as we know it runs on standards and protocols.

One of those protocols is Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, generally referred to as SMTP. SMTP was developed in the early 1980s and went on to become the accepted standard by which all emails are sent on the internet.

When it was developed there were very few servers online and security was not a priority, which meant there was no provision for checking that sender addresses were valid. The core functionality of SMTP has not changed much in that time which means it is very easy to send an email with an invalid email address (spoofing). The sender's display name can be set to anything, so these days a quick look on social media will find valid names for a company, which can be put on a fake email making it look convincing.

A variety of attempts have been made to implement features to verify sender information, but these have not been universally adopted which limits their effectiveness. Until a new standard implements sender checking features on all servers this will continue to be an issue and will continue to be exploited by spammers. Spam filters can help, but can only do so much, end users need to be wary of emails.”

Neil, System’s Expert & Support Consultant at Minster Micro

BUSINESSNEWS

MFG BACKING FOR COUNTY’S FUTURE RUGBY STARS Young rugby players in Worcester are being backed by law firm and Chamber patrons mfg Solicitors as part of a three-year sponsorship deal.

Richard Patching and Kate Oliver collect the Award

HAGLEY HALL WINS AT MIDLAND ASIAN WEDDING AWARDS The inaugural Midland Asian Wedding Awards 2016 were held in October at the Vox Conference Centre at the NEC Birmingham and saw all the prominent and leading figures in the Asian wedding industry in attendance.

The venue was a picture of opulence with guests, winners, hosts and judges dressed to the nines. In true Asian wedding style, the night began with a dhol drumming performance and bhangra dancing and culminated in a stand up performance from the writer and comic Abdullah Afzal from the hit show Citizen Khan.

Hagley Hall won Best Alternative Venue against strong competition. Richard Patching, Head of Operations and Kate Oliver, Marketing Consultant, were there to collect the award.

The Asian Wedding sector is a booming business for the Midlands and there is a multitude of choice for Asian couples wanting to tie the knot. If you are planning an event then call the Events Team on 01562 887290.

The legal firm has agreed a deal to provide £7,500 to the Worcester Rugby Football Club Mini Juniors Section until 2020, with the money helping towards the running of the grassroots section, tournaments and purchasing equipment.

Around 500 players ranging from the under-7s to under-18s, boys and girls, will benefit from the deal at a crucial time, as they seek to improve on recent success.

Tom Esler, partner at mfg Solicitors, said: “We have a strong and long-standing track record of supporting the local community, including the sports stars of tomorrow

Tom Esler and Maynard Burton (mfg) with some of the Worcester rugby FC mini juniors

here in Worcestershire. We hope that our backing over the next three years will help young people to achieve their full potential, play as much rugby as possible, and get more children and coaches involved in the grassroots of the game.” www.mfgsolicitors.com

RAIL SUCCESS FOR WYE VALLEY METALS Hereford-based Wye Valley Metals is delighted to announce the renewal of the Network Rail metal recycling contract, including the supply of skips and haulage covering the full UK mainland rail network.

This is a prestigious national client which has relied on the company’s logistical capabilities and experience in the industry. The contract renewal was open to all scrap metal and waste management companies, including national and international operators, so it’s a major achievement for the

Wye Valley Metal’s 35-acre recycling facility, on Fordshill Road, Hereford.

Hereford based business. Wye Valley Metals in based at the Wye Valley Group’s 35 acre Eastside Recycling Facility in Rotherwas, Hereford. www.wyevalleygroup.co.uk

www.hagleyhall.com

HEREFORDSHIRE DEFENCE & SECURITY EXPO Hereford Business Solutions Centre, as part of the University of Wolverhampton, is proud to be partnering with one of the UK’s leading law firms and defence and security solicitors, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, and with Hereford Enterprise Zone at Skylon Park (on behalf of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership) to launch Herefordshire’s first ever Defence & Security Expo.

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Taking place on Wednesday 1 February 2017 at The Courtyard in Hereford, this inaugural event will showcase the defence and security industries, and offer a forum for military, security agencies and suppliers to identify common interests, solutions and opportunities.

The event will also bring together senior level speakers from the defence industry,

the Forces, government & trade bodies and will attract business owners and managers, procurement contractors and defence and security experts.

To find out more about exhibiting, sponsorship and advertising opportunities or attending the Expo as a delegate, visit the dedicated event website: www.hdse.co.uk

January/February 2017

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

THE WILD SIDE OF BUSINESS At the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, we know that the wild side of Herefordshire is important to the people that live here – and why so many people come to visit.

From the meandering valleys of the Lugg River to the orchards scattered across the Woolhope Dome, this is a county rooted in its landscapes and its wildlife and we work with a wide range of organisations, businesses and individuals who believe it should stay that way.

We have opportunities for businesses both large and small to join us as corporate members. Working with you to enhance your business’s green credentials, you will have access to our skills and expertise as well as chances for your staff to attend events or break out of the office for a

day and see what happens on one of our beautiful nature reserves. However, our partnerships are always personal so we will tailor the membership to suit your needs, creating the approach that is right for you and your organisation

from Shepherds Ice Cream. We have also welcomed Gabbs Solicitors and Tim Kidson & Associates as Corporate Members – a huge thank you to you all!

Batty about bats? Mad about meadows?

We also have a fantastic range of sponsorship opportunities which support wildlife and connect people to nature.

Supporting the funding of a barn owl box or maybe a wildflower meadow can make a real difference and is a great way to show your support for our wild Herefordshire.

Find out more at: www.herefordshirewt.org/corporaterelationships Contact: John Clark, Development Director on 01432 356872 or email j.clark@ herefordshirewt.co.uk.

We have had a great 2016, working with Wye Valley Brewery promoting the importance of pollinators with our Hive event space while we have also had fantastic support

Herefordshire

So why not make this the year you go wild with the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust!

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford, HR1 1UT

Wildlife Trust

Love Herefordshire. Love nature.

Would your business like to strengthen its environmental credentials and show support for local communities?

We would like to offer you the opportunity to join Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, which in turn allows us to promote your company’s green credentials and social commitment to the environment and beautiful countryside of Herefordshire.

We’ve run thousands of events in communities across the county, getting kids active and engaged outdoors through our successful ‘WildPlay’ programme. Our volunteer teams and staff manage hundreds of hectares of woodland, wildflower meadows and traditional orchards – helping to keep Herefordshire special.

We are the only conservation charity dedicated to working in Herefordshire, with almost 5,000 members and 59 nature reserves across the county, including the popular Queenswood Country Park. Our aim is to protect local wildlife and its habitat, plus connect more people to nature in Herefordshire.

As a company based in the county, we would love your support to help make the case for wildlife in this gorgeous corner of England.

To find out more about our Corporate Sponsorship and Corporate Membership opportunities contact John Clark: 01432 356872 / j.clark@herefordshirewt.co.uk

nov 2016.indd 1

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Herefordshire

Wildlife Trust 07/10/2016 09:57:22

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SKILLS

PRODUCTION SUCCESS FOR KIDDERMINSTER STUDENTS Students at Kidderminster’s Holy Trinity School and Sixth Form Centre performed to packed audiences for all three performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat from Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 November.

With a cast of over 40 boys and girls, this year’s senior school production was once again a phenomenal success. Produced and directed by the school’s Deputy Head and Head of Music, Mrs Vikki Vincent, the cast had been learning their lines and well known lyrics for months, practicing together following initial auditions since early spring. Song after song kept the audience shifting between being spellbound and breaking in to rapturous applause.

Mrs Vincent commented: “Congratulations to a magnificent cast and crew for

Charlotte Beck and Jayne Spiers with new apprentice Sam Taylor

Some of the Holy Trinity School Joseph cast

delivering such strong performances and a stage set worthy of any West End star. This was a very demanding show to produce but our students rose to the challenge magnificently with some very strong performances.” www.holytrinity.co.uk

ISO QUALITY SERVICES LTD SHORTLISTED FOR NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS Worcester-based certification provider ISO Quality Services Ltd has been announced as a finalist in the National Apprenticeship Awards, after winning at the Midlands National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 regional ceremony in October.

The company was named Midlands Small Employer of the Year for the second time, after also winning the award last year. They have now been shortlisted for the National award in this category, competing against companies nationwide.

have now supported six apprentices.

In the last year the business has taken on three new apprentices to join their growing team in St Johns, Worcester.

Jennifer Appleton, Operations Director said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been have been put forward for the National Award for the first time.

Our apprenticeship scheme is at the very heart of our company and we are excited to be able to continue to offer opportunities for young people within our team.” www.isoqsltd.com

ISO Quality Services Ltd started their apprenticeship scheme in 2012 and

RECORD NUMBER OF APPRENTICES FOR ACCOUNTANCY FIRM Fast-growing Worcestershire accountants Ormerod Rutter took on its biggest cohort of apprentices last autumn.

The firm, which was named Medium Apprenticeship Employer of the Year at the 2015 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards, has welcomed 15 accountancy and IT apprentices aged between 16 and 20 to its offices in Droitwich Spa and Bromsgrove.

Ormerod Rutter launched its apprenticeship programme in 2012 in response to a skills shortage across the sector.

Accounts manager Doug Marshall, who devised the scheme, said: “I created the programme with the intention of recruiting young, ambitious individuals who would become the future of our company. In the first year, we recruited five school leavers and the number of apprentices taken on has risen year on year.

“We believe the scheme gives talented youngsters the opportunity to fulfil their potential by offering full study support, mentoring on site and a vibrant working environment. www.ormerodrutter.co.uk

TRAINING ASSOCIATION HOLD 2017 OPEN EVENINGS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training Association are delighted to be holding four Open Evenings in 2017 – two in Hereford on Wednesday 15 and Tuesday 21 February and two in Worcester on Thursday 16 and Wednesday 22 February.

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Businesses considering taking on an apprentice and those considering an apprenticeship are welcome to come and chat, find out more, talk to current apprentices and meet employers looking for apprentices this year.

Open Evenings are open for drop in between 4.00-7.00pm and are at Herefordshire Group Training Association, Holmer Road, Hereford, HR4 9SX or

Worcestershire Group Training Association, Sunnyside Road, Worcester, WR1 1RL. For more information call 01432 274310 or 01905 729993. Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training Association was recently rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted in 2016, who called it “one of the best providers of bespoke apprenticeships”. www.hwgta.org

January/February 2017

Huw Ponting Director 01432 806 990 hponting@novumlaw.com

The road to compensation and recovery

Surviving serious injury

Serious injuries, from road traffic accidents to work-related incidents can have a significant impact on the lives of victims and their families. Recovery can be challenging but compensation can provide vital rehabilitation and specialist care and support.

Step 3 - Get rehabilitation

Here are five key steps to compensation and recovery:

just as important. Local social services, charities and support

Step 1 - Instruct experienced and specialist solicitors After a serious injury, you need an expert legal team behind you. At Novum Law, we can help you secure maximum financial compensation and provide invaluable access to the best medical experts and care and support providers such as case managers and support groups.

Step 2 - Seek interim payments In cases where liability is not in dispute, interim payment awards (a proportion of your likely compensation award) can be sought from the defendant’s insurer. At Novum Law, we pride ourselves on obtaining early interim payments which is invaluable to our clients to be able to help pay for medical treatment, rehabilitation, specialist equipment and necessary adaptations to their home.

@novumlaw

There is a wealth of rehabilitation options available depending on your needs. At Novum Law, we are able to put you in touch with experts who have the appropriate qualifications and experiences to assess our clients’ needs.

Step 4 - Access support for those around you As a personal injury victim you are often the central focus throughout your recovery, but supporting loved ones is also networks can help. Novum Law can point you in the right direction.

Step 5 - Plan ongoing support Safeguard your future by seeking advice from specialist solicitors on Personal Injury Trusts which will protect your funds and benefits. If you struggle with making financial decisions as a result of your accident, Novum Law is able to put you in touch with deputyship services to help you manage your affairs and ensure your ongoing needs are met.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident and sustained a severe injury, call us in confidence on: 01432 806 990 or email: hponting@novumlaw.com for free expert advice.

BUSINESSNEWS

CB, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS LAUNCH 2017 BUSINESS LEADERS PROGRAMME Tim Morris, Operations Director takes her HRH for a tour

ROYAL SPOTLIGHT FOR ABT LOADMAC Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal visited ABT Products Limited in Ross-on-Wye in October. ABT is the UK's leading manufacturer of Industrial and Agricultural Equipment Operator Cabs, Vehicle Chassis and Europe’s largest Construction Dumper Rollbar manufacturer.

ABT welcomed the visit from HRH, who spent over an hour at the factory. Arriving by helicopter, and accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Lady Darnley, the Princess Royal was welcomed

by Cadets, the High Sherriff, Bill Jackson, members of the ABT management team and other dignitaries.

HRH experienced the company’s full range of manufacturing facilities, from sheet steel laser cutting and folding, tube manipulation, welding, surface finishing and assembly lines.

CB, Business Leaders is a combination of 1:1 advisory support plus action-orientated online and face-to-face training, combined with peer networking and online tools.

John Painter, Managing Partner and Mindshop Business Coach, said: “Getting the support you need for your business and addressing your personal development needs is critical to ongoing success, but many support programmes are too prescriptive, or don’t directly relate to the pressing issues you’re facing on a daily basis.

CB, Business Leaders addresses individual direct learning and development objectives as related to immediate commercial needs.”

1 Access the experience and problem solving skills of a senior business advisor 2 Commercially focused workshops with local business leaders 3 Online courses, videos and webinars

Tim Morris, Operations Director, said: “We considered it an honour to welcome The Princess Royal to ABT and demonstrate our design and production capabilities.

She was particularly interested in our apprenticeship program and graduate scheme, which has really started to bear fruit in the last year, training highly skilled welders and design engineers. ”

4 Access to a network of business leader peers sharing ideas and best practice

www.abtproducts.com www.loadmac.co.uk

www.cbcharteredaccountants.com

5 Access to Mindshop Online 6 Powered by Mindshop leveraging 25 years of expertise and experience in online learning and development solutions

3D printing in action

MALVERN INSTRUMENTS SUPPORTS INNOVATION IN 3D PRINTING Malvern Instruments is collaborating with the University of Nottingham on an EPSRC funded project, which aims to exploit 3D printing technology for the formulation of complex products.

Malvern is an industrial partner of the project, which has been awarded a £3.5m grant to create ‘plug and play’ platforms of materials, material combinations and formulations to create 3D printed products. Covering industries including pharmaceuticals, food and consumer products, it should overcome the currently limited palette of materials available to industry, leading to increased adoption of the technology.

Project Lead Professor Ricky Wildman, from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Nottingham, said: “There is considerable industrial demand for products that can efficiently support the 3D printing industry, and help the technology to reach its full potential as a manufacturing platform in the UK.” To find out more please visit http://bit.ly/MT16841

NEW STRATEGIC MEMBER - CITIZEN COMMUNICATION MEDIA LTD Citizen has grown over the years to be an agile and forward-thinking creative agency. Whatever the brief, Citizen provide results-driven, creative design, digital and marketing solutions that help their clients build better connections with their customers.

Since Citizen was formed in 1987, the company has grown steadily, thanks to a broadening client base which boasts the likes of EE and Europcar. After outgrowing several offices over the years, Citizen

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now resides in Anglo House, Stourport on Severn.

Martin Leonard and Charlotte Holmes, both directors, head up the Citizen team who come from a variety of backgrounds. This unique team mix give Citizen an unrivalled pool of experience to tap in to when it comes to working with their clients and ensures that creative solutions can be created to suit their client’s businesses and campaigns. www.citcom.co.uk

Citizen – where everyone’s a character!

January/February 2017

BUSINESSNEWS

ARE YOU BEING DIGITALLY DISRUPTED? At Not Just Travel, we think that holiday web bookings work best when combined with personal service.

Nick Franzen, Commercial Director, collects the Award

COOL AWARD FOR ARCTIC CIRCLE

The travel business is just one of many (newspapers, music, TV, taxis and many more) that have been digitally disrupted.

No doubt your business is also facing the question: how do we engage and secure customers in a digital age?

training as an agent for Not Just Travel I’ve learned to parse, interpret and classify large amounts of information quickly and communicate it clearly to my customers – with my personal recommendation.

That knowledge, precisely and sensitively applied to customers’ specific needs enables me to give them the best of the internet with that human touch.”

At Not Just Travel, we’ve worked hard to understand how best to use the power of the internet in our business.

Experience the combination of digital and personal holiday booking services. Contact Szilvia at 07577 457461.

Szilvia Bacsa, Not Just Travel, said: “In my

www.notjusttravel.com/freshtravel

Arctic Circle walked off with the award for “Refrigeration Innovation of the Year” at October’s RAC Cooling Industry Awards in London – dubbed the Oscars of the refrigeration industry.

MOVING FORWARD ONLINE IN 2017

Based in Herefordshire, the privately owned business designs and manufactures equipment for the heat transfer markets. Debbie Gittoes, Managing Director, said: “The evening had a real buzz, we had been short listed in five different categories, however I am really pleased to have won this particular award. Our business is all about innovation and doing things differently so to have this recognised is a real boost for all of our staff”.

2017 brings the conclusion of West Bromwich Albion’s deal with Football League Interactive – the developers of the Club’s main website. This gives the Club an opportunity to revitalise their approach to their online presence and identity in what is an ever changing online landscape. Tomorrow’s fan, supporter or customer is somewhat different to three years ago, meaning the requirements of each visitor to the Club’s online spaces are very diverse.

The product, the ‘Optimiser’, is an energy saving device that can be fitted to any refrigeration system saving up to 20% energy. www.acl-online.com

TOP 25 RANKING FOR MA BAKERS Ma Bakers were delighted to be voted one of the Top 25 UK bakeries by The Sunday Times in November.

A family bakery based in Worcester, Ma Bakers specialise in craft bread and legendary lardy cakes which are made fresh on the premises daily. The company also provides for businesses, restaurants and private functions.

The judges called the company “a cross generational triumph” and praised its mix of “ol’bloomers, lardy cakes and iced buns, along with custard doughnuts, fermented loaves and charcoal brioche buns.” www.mabaker.net

Managing Director of EBC Group Richard and Midlands Air Ambulance Charity

MIDLANDS AIR AMBULANCE PARTNERS WITH EBC GROUP Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is set to soar to greater heights after completing a new IT partnership with leading managed service provider EBC Group.

The organisation is responsible for operating three air ambulance services covering six Midlands counties and is the largest air ambulance region in the UK. Through the partnership with EBC Group, the Charity will look to benefit from a brand new IT infrastructure, all backed up and hosted directly from EBC Group’s privately owned dual data centres. It also includes a new disaster recovery solution, improved connectivity and a new Swyx telephony system.

Moving forward in 2017, the Club is aiming for personalised and bespoke content to every visitor in an attempt to increase user engagement levels and contribute to an enhanced experience at West Bromwich Albion. This will hopefully generate a pattern and carry over to the Club’s additional offerings, such as Matchday Hospitality, Conferences and Events at The Hawthorns. To view all things West Bromwich Albion, visit www.wba.co.uk.

Richard Lane, Managing Director of EBC Group comments: ‘‘Having worked with the charity for a number of years via our own fundraising events, we fully support all the fantastic work the team does and look forward to working closely with them, not only via the new IT services, but also through a range of fundraising events already in the pipeline”. www.ebcgroup.co.uk

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

NEW INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT WORCESTERSHIRE STARTUPS Simon Williams, Arrivista, and Paul Wallace, Auditel

AUDITEL AND RANDD ENTER ALLIANCE WITH ARRIVISTA Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s leading Business Coaching and Training firm has announced a ground breaking three-way alliance.

Arrivista Business Coaching, having helped over 1,000 local businesses over the last 10 years, will now be working with Auditel and Randd to extend the range of services offered to its clients.

Auditel is a 2016 winner of the Innovation and Excellence award for its work in helping a wide variety of businesses better manage costs in areas such as utilities.

Randd won the 2015 Finance Award for Best R&D Consultancy (UK), for its work helping businesses with their R&D tax credit claims.

Arrivista Managing Director Simon Williams said: “we are delighted to enter a partnership with two UK leading providers of services which help better control costs and improve cashflow. With our focus on helping clients grow successful businesses these are often vital considerations in ensuring sustainable profitability”. www.arrivista.co.uk www.auditel.co.uk www.randduk.com

A core of investors in Worcestershire have started a group to support start ups and new businesses in the county: the Worcestershire Development Group.

The group aims to “invest in tomorrow’s businesses today”, by supporting new and inexperienced businesses with financial support and mentoring. If a project is considered worthwhile by the group, the business will receive between £10,000 - £20,000 and will be matched with a business mentor in the relevant sector to provide ongoing business support.

Jim McBride, Chairman of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Chairman and Lead Investor of the group, noticed a gap in the market locally for helping new businesses get off the ground. The group aims to encourage innovation in Worcestershire, and by doing so create opportunities for jobs and investment in the region, both nationally and internationally.

The investors welcome applications from any sector – to get in touch contact Jim McBride: jim_mc_bride@msn.com, 07973 108638.

Alison Garvey, Louise Hewett, Kevin Green, Sally Morris, Ben Mannion and Laura Hewett

NATIONAL SPEAKERS FOR BIGGEST HR CONFERENCE YET Hewett Recruitment’s 2016 HR Professionals Conference saw speakers from both the local and national stage discuss where HR and recruitment is heading.

The annual event, held in association with the Chamber, had over 100 delegates in attendance at the Bank House Hotel & Spa. Sally Morris, Head of Employment Law at mfg Solicitors opened proceedings, highlighting some of the recent changes in legislation and how they can impact upon businesses. The discussion then turned to “disruptive HR” as Alison Garvey, HR Business Partner at PCA Predict, discussed the importance of HR professionals’ role in developing a business.

The keynote speech came from the returning Kevin Green, CEO of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation.

Kevin spoke at length about the challenges facing “UK plc” in the wake of Brexit and a burgeoning skills shortage. There was cause for optimism as the UK’s flexible approach to work meant that we have a labour market that is the envy of many countries, but there is no doubt we face some interesting times ahead. www.hewett-recruitment.co.uk

LENDER PRAISES SMES FOR “IMPRESSIVE” JOBS CONTRIBUTION A Midlands based business lender believes that local SMEs are not receiving the praise they deserve for helping to reduce levels of UK unemployment.

Following the recent announcement that UK unemployment reduced to 1.6 million in the three months to September, BCRS Business Loans has spoken out in support of local SMEs. Paul Kalinauckas, Chief Executive, said:

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“Large companies have rightly received the praise they deserve for stimulating local employment, but we feel it is our responsibility to thank small and medium sized businesses for their contribution to bringing unemployment to an 11-year low.

“In the West Midlands specifically, BCRS Business Loans have also seen some very impressive jobs figures. By providing loans to support growing local businesses that

wouldn’t otherwise be able to access finance, we have helped them create an additional 341 jobs and safeguard 210 existing jobs since the start of 2016...We believe that no viable SME should go unsupported and realise how important they are in strengthening our local communities.” www.bcrs.org.uk

January/February 2017

LEGALMATTERS

LANYON BOWDLER - LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH OPTIMISM It’s the start of another New Year and here at Lanyon Bowdler we are looking to the future with optimism One of the big changes we have seen recently is a move into new offices in Bromyard. We can now be found in the former bank premises at 44 High Street.

We previously occupied the offices on the first floor of this building, so we haven’t moved far! The new space provides a much improved working environment for the team.

Importantly, the new offices are also much more convenient for all of our Bromyard clients, as the entrance is now at street level.

These offices are easily accessible for everyone and we have access to a portable ramp for anyone who may struggle with the one step off the pavement.

law services and employment law to compensation claims and family law.

We also now have comfortable meeting rooms, as well as open plan space for the team to work in.

In addition Karen Ross, who has recently joined the team, is experienced in all aspects of residential conveyancing and Bridget Hughes, who manages the office, specialises in the administration of estates and wills.

Our firm is made up of specialist lawyers covering all areas of law from corporate

In short, whatever your legal needs might be, we will be able to help.

Lanyon Bowdler expanded into Bromyard following the merger with Beaumonts Solicitors and moving into this new office gives us a great base in the town.

Lanyon Bowdler has a large legal team, offering advice on many aspects of law, and has offices in Hereford town centre as well as in Bromyard and throughout Shropshire.

For more information, visit the website at www.lblaw.co.uk or call 0800 652 3371.

Transparently priced, practical advice and support delivered by legal specialists in Herefordshire Our specialist corporate, commercial property, dispute resolution and employment lawyers provide support to help you grow and protect your business, giving you a solid foundation to build upon

Incorporating Beaumonts Solicitors

01432 378379 www.lblaw.co.uk Supporting People, Businesses & Communities

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Broadway House, 32 - 35 Broad Street, Hereford HR4 9AR Beaumont House, Offa Street, Hereford HR1 2LH 44 High Street, Bromyard HR7 4AE Offices also in Shrewsbury | Ludlow | Oswestry | Telford

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CHAMBERTRAINING

A YEAR IN TRAINING HAPPY NEW YEAR – WE START 2017 WITH A LOOK BACK OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S TRAINING. 2016 saw us running just over 100 public training courses and around 50 bespoke courses in various companies around the two counties and beyond. That means over 1000 delegates received our training and we served over 800 buffet lunches and over 3000 cups of tea and coffee. We also printed over 10,000 pages of notes and handouts...with a full time equivalent of 1.5 members of staff, we think we’ve done ok!

Alongside this, we research new courses and subjects, offer advice and support during visits and over the telephone, write all of our marketing material, analyse evaluation reports and closely watch the budgets.

Some of the ideas we had in 2016 were to introduce a new buffet supplier to make sure that your food is not repetitive and uninspiring. We have also introduced new trainers for our series of courses, invested in new equipment in the training rooms, removed courses that rarely fill, but added a process so that we can run them once we have enough people who are interested. We have streamlined our processes so that we are able to spend more time communicating with people

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who need relevant information and lastly, but by no means least, we have a new member of the team.

Lauren Salisbury joined us in April and, whilst dividing her time between training and events, her background of Business and Events Management has meant that she was able to hit the ground running.

Her efficiency and ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment has helped to improve the service we offer.

The way we run the departments at the Chamber is as smaller entities within a larger organisation, responsible for our own budgets and marketing. This enables us to understand the problems and situations that can arise for many of our members. Do we skimp on biscuits and add more to the buffets? Do we print in monochrome so that we can keep the folders? Are sweets a necessity? And do we limit numbers more on courses around topics that encourage lots of discussion so that we finish on time? Do we pass on extra costs around bespoke courses or take the hit to remain economical? Do people complete evaluation forms honestly and can we trust what we are being told through these? Is our research valuable and relevant and where do we go next?

John Legge, our IT trainer, celebrated 20 years in business in January and has trained an estimated 12,000 people throughout that time. One of our buffet providers, Ma Baker’s has just been nominated in the top 25 bakeries in the UK according to the Sunday Times and we’re really proud of their achievements, but any of you who have tasted their wonderful sausage rolls will not be surprised.

WHAT’S NEXT? We are hoping to begin 2017 scrutinising what we deliver and considering what we can add to benefit our delegates. As with lots of businesses, we work slowly on our changes within the department, but watch this space for 2017, we’re hoping for bigger and better things and are curious to know your ideas too. Without the business community’s feedback, we may just stray along the wrong path and find ourselves sidetracked by the wonderful food!

Lauren Salisbury joined the Training department in April 2016

Some of the vital people who rarely receive mention throughout the Chamber are those trainers, caterers, printers and various others and they too have all achieved great things in 2016.

January/February 2017

CHAMBERBUSINESSTRAINING

TRAINING CALENDAR NOVEMBER 2016 - JANUARY 2017 JANUARY COURSES

FEBRUARY COURSES

MARCH COURSES

Writing Effective Marketing Copy Thursday 12 January - 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Effective Use Of Social Media Wednesday 1 February - 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Intermediate Microsoft Excel Friday 3 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Finance Skills for Managers & Team Leaders Thursday 19 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

IOSH Working Safely Thursday 2 February, 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

An Introduction to Digital Marketing & PR Tuesday 7 March – 9.30am-1.30pm FREE for Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Basic Import Documentation & Procedures Thursday 26 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members

INCOTERMS (2010) Wednesday 8 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members

Managing People in the Team Wednesday 8 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Project Management Thursday 27 January - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Introduction to Microsoft Excel Friday 10 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Emergency First Aid at Work Thursday 9 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Fire Marshal Training Monday 30 January - 10.00am-4.00pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Role of the Team Leader Tuesday 14 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Google Analytics Tuesday 14 March – 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

Basic Export Documentation & Procedures Wednesday 15 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members

Advanced Import Documentation & Procedures Tuesday 14 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members

Intermediate Microsoft Excel Wednesday 15 February – 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Creating a Customer Care Culture Wednesday 15 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Search Engine Optimisation Thursday 16 February – 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

IOSH Managing Safely (4 Day) Monday 21 March – Thursday 24 March 9.30am-4.30pm £495+VAT Members, £595+VAT Non-members

Train the Trainer Tuesday 21 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members 2016 success: Ma Bakers was nominated in the top 25 UK bakers (top) and John Legge celebrated 20 years in business (bottom).

Advanced Export Documentation & Procedures Tuesday 21 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members

What’s New – Changes in International Trade Monday 21 March - 9.30am-4.30pm £225+VAT Members, £250+VAT Non-members Employment Law Update Friday 31 March – 10.00am-3.00pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Email Marketing Thursday 23 February – 9.30am-1.30pm £80+VAT Members, £100+VAT Non-members

KEY: Professional Telephone Techniques Tuesday 28 February - 9.30am-4.30pm £150+VAT Members, £188+VAT Non-members

Chamber Business Training Courses Import and Export Training Courses

For more information and bookings contact us on 01905 673 611, training@hwchamber.co.uk. www.hwchamber.co.uk/training Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHAMBEREVENTS

2017 CHAMBER BUSINESS AWARDS The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber Business Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Sanlam, is one of the highlights in the business events calendar.

This year, the glittering event will once again take place at the Worcester Arena on Thursday 15 June.

Bee Lighting, Winner of the 2016 Small Business of the Year Award

Entries open on Thursday 12 January Entering the Chamber Business Awards is free to Members and Non-Members, and there is a category to suit all businesses.

Best use of Technology - This award recognises organisations that have fully exploited the range of technology available to them to grow their business.

Employer of the Year - This award rewards organisations that demonstrate excellence in the promotion and implementation of a learning and development culture. This year we are also looking for companies that can demonstrate commitment to the health and wellbeing of their staff and have clear projects in place supporting their local area.

Excellence in Innovation Celebrating innovative businesses, this award celebrate the products, technologies and processes that lead the way in Innovation.

Excellence in Customer Service This award has been designed for businesses who can demonstrate excellence and commitment in the ever important area of customer service.

Exporter of the Year - This award recognises the strength of Britain’s exporters.

Most Promising New Business – Celebrating new businesses which have started within the past three years, including innovation, launch and growth.

High Growth Business of the Year This award is open to businesses of all sizes and recognises businesses that have experienced exceptional growth in sales, profit, market share, jobs or international trade.

Education and Business Partnership This award recognises schools, further education colleges, universities and training providers that engage effectively with business.

Colin Jackson and Giles Cross, Sanlam at the 2016 Awards

Manufacturer of the Year – Awarded to a business that has excelled in this sector, covering all aspects of the manufacturing process; including product design, testing, development, marketing, sales and overall business performance.

Small Business of the Year - This award will go to the company that has achieved consistent growth backed by a strong financial performance, while demonstrating a clear understanding of the markets that it operates in.

Excellence in Professional Services – Recognising excellence within a professional services company, business or organisation.

Business of the Year – The winner of winners will be crowned on the night!

Download an entry form at www.hwchamber.co.uk/awards. Entries close on Friday 31 March.

CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO, SPONSORED BY HEWETT RECRUITMENT Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce will be returning to the Three Counties Showground, Malvern on Thursday 2 March. This is your chance to meet new suppliers, generate sales and increase awareness of the products and services that you offer.

We are pleased to welcome Lord Digby Jones as our keynote speaker at breakfast (8.00-9.30am), who will present on – “The Regional Economy in a post-Brexit World”. Places for breakfast can be booked on the website. We are also delighted to announce that Google

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will be delivering a FREE seminar on “Micro-Moments – the future of online marketing”.

Exhibition stand bookings start from £275.00+VAT. For information about the Expo, including booking forms and a video of the latest event, please visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/expo or contact the Events Team on 01905 673 624.

Lord Digby Jones, keynote speaker for the March 2017 Expo

January/February 2017

CHAMBEREVENTS

NETWORKING CALENDAR JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 JANUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

Malvern Curry Club in association with Sharpmonkeys Tuesday 17 January - 6.00-8.00pm Anupam, 85 Church Street, Great Malvern WR14 2AE £20.00+VAT Members and Non-members

Worcester Women’s Business Forum in association with borwell Ltd Thursday 2 February - 9.30am-12.00pm Hogarths Stone Manor, Stone, Kidderminster DY10 4PJ £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Hereford Networking Breakfast Wednesday 18 January - 7.30-9.30am Burghill Valley Golf, Tillington Road, Burghill, Hereford HR4 7RW £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Bromsgrove Networking Lunch Friday 3 February - 12.30 - 2.30pm Grafton Manor, Grafton Lane, Bromsgrove B61 7HA £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members

Redditch Golf Networking Breakfast Tuesday 24 January - 7.30-9.30am Abbey Hotel Golf Club and Spa Resort, Hither Green Lane, Dagnell End Road, Redditch B98 9BE £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Apprentices in Business sponsored

by Worcestershire Business Central Wednesday 25 January - 5.30-7.00pm Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Worcester WR2 4QQ FREE event Worcester Wine and Cheese Evening Thursday 26 January - 5.30-7.00pm Bottles Wine Bar, 22-24 New Street, Worcester WR1 2DP £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Redditch HR Forum in association with Hewett Recruitment Tuesday 31 January - 9.30-11.30am Abbey Hotel Golf Club and Spa Resort, Hither Green Lane, Dagnell End Road, Redditch B98 9BE FREE event for Chamber Members and clients of Hewett Recruitment

O2 AND WELCOMM COMMUNICATIONS EVENT This FREE joint event with local company Welcomm Communications and worldwide brand 02 will give attendees the opportunity to learn about the internet of things, digital revolution and how cloud-based communication systems can improve business productivity and efficiency.

Date: Thursday 16 March 2017 - 9am - 12pm Venue: Sixways Stadium, Warriors Way, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8ZE

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Hereford Women’s Business Forum in association with Thorne Widgery Accountancy Tuesday 7 February - 9.30 - 11.30am Thorne Widgery, 2 Wyevale Business Park, Kings Acre, Hereford HR4 7BS £10.00+VAT Members and £20.00+VAT Non-members Worcester Networking Breakfast Thursday 9 February - 7.30 - 9.30am Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester WR2 4QQ £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Sustainability Forum Thursday 9 February - 8.30-10.30am Thorlux Lighting, Merse Road, North Moons Moat, Redditch, B98 9HH. FREE event with breakfast included Droitwich Wellbeing Networking Breakfast Thursday 16 February - 7.30 - 9.30am St Andrews Town Hotel, St Andrews Drive, Droitwich, Worcestershire WR9 8AL £17.50+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Maximise Your Membership Event Friday 17 February - 8.30 - 11.00am Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester WR2 4QQ FREE to Chamber Members Ledbury Networking Lunch Monday 20 February - 12.30 - 2.30pm The Talbot Inn, 14 New Street, Ledbury HR8 2DX £20.00+VAT Members and £35.00+VAT Non-members Worcester HR Forum in association with Hewett Recruitment Wednesday 22 February - 9.30 - 11.30am TBC FREE event for Chamber Members and clients of Hewett Recruitment

To book your place on any of these events visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/events, email events@ hwchamber.co.uk or phone 01905 673 600.

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2016ANNUALREVIEWBANKING

OPTIMISM AS BANK LOOKS AHEAD TO THE COMING YEAR Philip Dutton, Branch Manager of Handelsbanken in Worcester, looks back on 2016 and ahead to 2017

WHAT KIND OF A YEAR WAS 2016 FOR THE BRANCH? We have had an excellent 2016 at Handelsbanken Worcester. My team has worked incredibly hard, helping our existing personal and corporate customers to achieve their goals, whilst also bringing in a range of new customers who have enjoyed our personal level of service and become advocates of our branch.

We have also been actively involved in our local community throughout 2016, working with the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Prince’s Trust, Worcester Breast Unit Campaign, and Severn Valley Railway, amongst others. Speaking of the Severn Valley Railway, we were delighted to host customers on the Flying Scotsman in September when this historic steam train visited Kidderminster.

In terms of our business, we have continued to grow our lending book assisting our personal customers with their private mortgage and investment property needs, whilst similarly assisting our corporate customers with acquisitions, commercial premises purchases, foreign exchange requirements, and both asset finance and invoice discounting.

We have seen our team grow in 2016 with the addition of a new member of staff on our Account Manager Support team, and this has allowed us to continue to provide a high quality service to our customers, looking after their day-to-day banking, savings, and transactional needs alongside their longer-term borrowing requirements.

WHAT MAKES THE BANK SPECIAL IN THE WAY IT OPERATES? Our decentralised model. In simple terms, each Handelsbanken branch has the discretion to make all the decisions with their customers - from account opening, through to how much we lend to them. At Worcester we work specifically within the ‘WR’ postcodes which allows my team and I to build up expertise within the markets in which our customers do business.

All of my account managers have their own discretion and can work with

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customers to put tailored banking packages in place. We look to develop long-term relationships with all of our corporate and personal customers to help them both now, and with their long-term aims and goals. Behind this, we also have the support of a global bank, which allows us to have an international presence whilst ensuring all decision making is based out of the local branch. My team and I have no targets, and are not paid bonuses, with our focus being on providing the right products and services to the right customers at the right time.

WHAT ARE YOUR KEY TARGETS FOR 2017?

We do not have targets, but throughout 2017 we aim to continue to grow our business as we have done over the last 6 years. We are looking to work with our existing customers, providing them with the high quality service they have always received, whilst also ensuring we are ready to help them with any new plans they may have in their personal lives and within their businesses.

We are also looking for quality customers within Worcestershire who we can begin to develop relationships with. We do not have specific criteria for banking with us; we look to work with businesses and individuals who share our values, understand their finances, and are looking for a long-term bank that will support them both now and in the future. We are able to provide all of the banking services you would expect for both businesses and individuals - personal lending,

current accounts, wealth management, commercial mortgages, asset finance, invoice discounting, online and mobile banking, and more - but we are proud of our personal and traditional approach.

WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? The banking industry has for many years been in a constant state of change, and inevitably as we move further away from the recession, our competitors are looking to do more.

Further regulatory changes, and the uncertainty around what Brexit will mean in practice, also cause challenges to us and our customers that we will all need to face and adapt to as necessary.

Nonetheless, we will continue to do what we have always done; provide the best customer service experience for our customers whilst working with them to help them achieve their goals. Whilst 2017 will no doubt be a challenging year, we will continue to build lasting relationships with quality customers and local professionals, whilst remaining actively engaged within our local community.

The bank can be contacted at: Unit 4 The Triangle, Wildwood Drive, Worcester, WR5 2QX Office phone: +44 (0)1905 360728 Fax: +44 (0)1905 360886 email: worcester@handelsbanken.co.uk

January/February 2017

2016ANNUALBUSINESSREVIEW-PRANDMARKETING

TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT MARKETING PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR COMPANY Droitwich-based marketing agency Fresh Nous enjoyed a highly successful 2016 – and 2017 looks like it will be even better as the company continues its growth.

The company, which was formed in 2013

by Laura DuPont and Celia Felgate, helps businesses develop relationships that allow them to best respond to their customers’ needs.

Fresh Nous has enjoyed increasing success and within two years of being created was shortlisted as a finalist in the Hereford and Worcester Chamber Business Awards 2015 and 2016 In 2016, the company continued its growth and welcomed two new team members – Georgia Williams joined in June as an apprentice and is showing her talent as a future marketer harnessing new channels in marketing for clients. Lisa Guest joined in September after working in the education sector and specialises in content.

Director Celia said: “2016 was a fantastic year of growth and achievement for Fresh Nous, including being shortlisted for the Chamber of Commerce’s award for ‘Most Promising New Business’.

“Our client base has grown considerably as we continue to work with large organisations nationally as well as a fantastic diverse mix of small businesses in the region.”

“We’ve completed hundreds of projects from new website builds to outdoor and press advertising campaigns, customer contact strategies and social media management plus many more. Delivering against our strapline of new thinking, practical action.”

Fellow Director Laura said: ”We’ve enjoyed the journey developing our in house capability around pipeline and sales analysis which has enabled us to identify additional opportunities for our clients to convert more leads into sales whilst undertaking campaign activity. ”We’ve delivered three rebrands for clients, developing a new look and feel for their business and managing the new brand launch, including PR activity.”

Among the projects was working closely with the Women2Web programme, helping businesswomen in Worcestershire make the most of marketing their business online.

of topics around social media and digital marketing.

Celia said: “2017 looks to be bigger and better still. With plans to add another apprentice during the year to our team we’ll be ready take on even more projects.

“We’re looking forward to working with our current clients to continue delivering above and beyond seeking new opportunities for them. Our eye is always on the ball for new ideas for everyone we work with “We are going to be investing heavily in adding to our team’ skills and are developing a new proposition aimed exclusively at start ups, providing the crucial assets any business needs to get their business up and running.”

“We’re always looking for new ways to meet more businesses in the region and we hope 2017 will present many opportunities to get out and about and explore the vibrant business community in H&W more.

The company has a schedule of dates for upcoming training courses which can be found at www.freshnous.com/ trainingandevents More general information can be obtained at www.freshnous.com

Fresh Nous supported the programme by delivering free training courses on a range

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Laura DuPont has a degree in Business Systems, a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and a Diploma in Digital Marketing. She has worked at a senior level for many years diagnosing and solving business problems, managing marketing programmes, developing and improving processes and managing projects and business change.

Laura brings specific experience from retail, utilities, business to business and internet startup businesses. She is also a certified Prince 2 Practitioner.

Laura’s ability to drive new sales has won her many plaudits over the years and she sees even the most aggressive target as an exciting challenge.

Celia Felgate has a degree in History and Politics and more than a decade of experience in marketing. She has experience across retail, utilities and voluntary sectors.

Her creativity brings the voice of the customer to life as well as helping businesses understand the benefits to be gained from getting closer to their customers.

Celia’s experienced in delivering effective campaigns to fit all budgets and she’s determined to help small business deliver the same great results that she’s achieved in big organisations. She brings specific experience from retail, utilities, business to business and internet start-up businesses.

She is also a certified Prince 2 Practitioner.

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2016ANNUALREVIEWFINANCIALPLANNING

SEEKING OUT OPPORTUNITIES IN A TIME OF CHANGE This year promises to be one of volatility in the world of business and investments and a level of change unseen in the world for maybe twenty-five years.

However, for wealth advisor James Goldby that may actually prove to be a positive thing rather than heralding the negative impact that many people fear.

James, who runs Worcester-based Goldby Wealth Management LLP, believes that times of change provide opportunities for those who keep a level head when making business decisions, which is why he is looking forward to 2017.

James brings a wide experience to the role of helping his clients make wise decisions.

Prior to joining the financial services industry, he spent ten years working in procurement. During that time, he spent a number of years managing the copper position for a large industrial user; as a consequence he has developed a real understanding of different risks and how to manage them.

His company provides financial planning to personal and corporate clients in and around Worcestershire.

James said: “We are seeing a lot of change at the moment. Last year, for instance, we saw the introduction of the Financial Reporting Standard which changed the way that companies reported their earnings and which led to some tax bills that some did not expect, and we also saw a raft of changes to tax allowances.

“In 2017, we will see the introduction of changes to the way buy-to- let property owners are taxed, which will provide challenges for some of them, as well as the introduction of 800,000 pension auto-enrolment schemes.

“If people have not set up an auto-enrolment scheme yet, this will be the year they do so, unless there are a very new company, 2017 will be a big year for auto-enrolment.

“Then there is Brexit. No one quite knows what the effect will be yet but I think the way to view it is as something short term whereas investments are long-term. In five years, Brexit will be done, we will have an elected Prime Minister again and it will all have become part of history.”

He does not view the change as a bad

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thing, rather as something of which businesses can take advantage.

to offer a rounded, professional and principled service.

He said: “We have been fortunate in that we have lived through long and settled times. It is 25 years since the Soviet Union broke up, which was the last truly international crisis.

“I think the complexities of tax and investment systems can be daunting for some people but bringing in someone like ourselves allows our clients to make informed decisions.

“Since then, times have been settled but what we are seeing now is a return to times that are going to be more volatile.

I think that times like that offer not just challenges but also opportunities.”

“I believe that, for all 2017 is likely to be volatile with so much change happening, there are opportunities for those who keep their heads and consider all the options before taking the big decisions.”

James believes that is where companies like Goldby Wealth Management come into their own, helping clients to make considered and informed decisions when it comes to investment.

He believes in an approach to financial planning and wealth management that places a strong emphasis on establishing personal and financial goals prior to engaging in any specific advice.

James takes pride in ensuring that he is fully aware of all the possible solutions available and uses his broad spectrum of qualifications to enable him to practice in most areas. In cases where a greater degree of specialist knowledge and experience is required he will work with other professionals to ensure the solution is the best available.

For further information, or to receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement planning or Inheritance Tax planning, contact James Goldby of Goldby Wealth Management LLP on 01905 935535 or email james.goldby@sjpp.co.uk.

The Partner Practice represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

The 'St. James's Place Partnership' and the titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives.

He said: “I am committed to developing solid personal relationships with my clients, which ensures that I am able

January/February 2017

2016ANNUALREVIEWLEGAL

LAW FIRM STRIKES A POSITIVE NOTE FOR 2017 Another sector affected by Brexit is the construction sector and the firm works with many businesses who are already experiencing change.

Business has always been about meeting challenges and, as lawyers at Harrison Clark Rickerbys look forward to 2017, they are confident that companies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire will continue to survive and thrive in these uncertain times.

The law firm, which has 400 staff and offices in Worcester, Hereford Cheltenham, Birmingham, Thames Valley and the Wye Valley, enjoyed a successful 2016 advising clients in a number of specialist sectors.

Now it is looking forward to a new year with confidence that its teams can help their clients grow and, although its staff are realistic about the challenges facing their clients, they are very upbeat about the future, too.

Harrison Clark Rickerbys was created by the merger of long-established law firms, Harrison Clark and Rickerbys.

Listed as First Tier in the prestigious legal directories Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, the firm is also Lexcel accredited, the Law Society’s rating for excellence in client care and practice management.

Harrison Clark Rickerbys has developed a high level of expertise in six specialist sectors and each one faces challenges, according to partner and Head of Sectors, Charlotte Thornton-Smith.

She heads the health and social care sector with clients including some of the country’s leading care operators as well as regional care groups, dental practices, GPs, pharmacies and vets.

Charlotte said: “Amid the impact of national minimum wage increases which is hitting this sector hard, another challenge for this sector is the increasingly tough line taken by regulators, who have shown themselves more prepared to take enforcement action. Much of our work has been to help our clients comply with legislation that is changing all the time.

“One of the visible effects of this climate has been the sale or merger of businesses and in some cases, the closure of businesses, which means that there has been a lot of consolidation in the sector.

Charlotte said: “The indications from our construction clients are that Brexit is already having an effect, particularly from those companies with exposure to London. Usually, London leads the way in growth but the companies we are talking to say that the traditional quiet period in London in the summer has stretched into the winter.

“There are also concerns about skills shortages – companies still simply cannot find enough of the skilled people that they need.”

We have done a lot of work to help our clients achieve their goals amid such challenging conditions.”

Also facing challenges is the defence and security sector, another specialist area for the firm, which works with a lot of the defence companies based in Herefordshire and is collaborating on the first Herefordshire Defence and Security Expo at the Courtyard Theatre, Hereford, on February 1 next year.

Some of the biggest challenges relate to individuals. Known for its expertise in this area, the firm has been retained by the Reserve Forces Association, and offers HR and legal support to manage the welfare of military personnel, as part of a pilot project in the Midlands.

Publicity surrounding threats to prosecute armed forces personnel for actions taken in battle have not helped. Charlotte said: "Some of them do feel vulnerable, and our support has been deemed as valuable to them.”

It does not take long in the conversation with Charlotte for the word Brexit to crop up and that is particularly true of the agricultural and rural business sector in which the firm specialises.

Charlotte said: “We expect that there will be a lot of changes ahead. Brexit will have an impact, we know that, but no one is yet sure how it will manifest itself.

However, there are steps that can be taken now particularly in the context of migrant workers. This is an area in which we are working closely with our rural business clients, especially surrounding the immigration issues which affect staffing for fruit and vegetable growers.”

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Then there is another sector facing a changing landscape, education. The firm is recognised for its support and advice provided to more than 450 independent schools, academies and FE colleges, with a whole range of legal services from cyber bullying, construction, employment, safeguarding and data protection.

Charlotte said: “Our role is to be on the front foot and help support educational establishments to meet their regulatory obligations in an evolving political and legal landscape.”

The final specialist sector in which the firm works is advanced manufacturing, where changes in patent laws are causing more uncertainty for businesses, an area where the firm is working with clients. Charlotte said: “Our main work with manufacturers is helping with their intellectual property and we assist them in protecting their ideas.”

Overall, Charlotte and her colleagues are upbeat. She said: “We think 2017 will be a good year. Yes, the sectors in which we work face challenges but we are confident that our clients will be able work their way through these. Our role will be to anticipate those issues and to work with our clients in delivering a solution.”

“There is a sense that, despite all the uncertainty, business will go on as usual.”

To find the right legal support for your business, call Charlotte on 01905 744811 or email on ctsmith@hcrlaw.com.

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COVERFEATURE

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW YEAR WITH OPTIMISM Business is booming in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. BD examines three success stories offering reasons to be optimistic about 2017.

SEEKING THE NEXT BRIGHT IDEA Liz Hill lives much of her life clutching a notebook, listening out for the next idea that will help her grow her award-winning business and introduce more people to the delights of Herefordshire at the same time.

She established her business after recognising the need for a tourism-based offering that supported local business and encouraged more visitors into the county, whilst also catering for local people wanting to explore Herefordshire and beyond.

great days out. People mention local churches, artists or places that I have not heard of, and I think may make for a good visitor experience.

“What is special about what we offer is that we provide visitors with a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the area.”

The success of the idea has earned plenty of recognition for the business and in October it won the 2016 Best Rural Tourism Business Award, presented by the Rural Business Awards in partnership with CLA.

Based in the Butter Market in Hereford city centre, Rural Concierge was established in 2013. Organising tours, trips and holidays, they are also the booking agents for coach companies and, since the closure of Hereford Tourist Information Centre, act as an unofficial centre.

Liz, whose business now employs three people, said: “I am absolutely over the moon to win this award. It is a real honour and great that I have received national recognition for my relatively new business. I have a vision to put Herefordshire on the map, and encourage rural tourism to develop and grow.”

Liz said: “I always have my notebook with me because I am always hearing about things that would make for

Rural Concierge have also partnered with British History Tours and were a finalist in the Chamber’s Awards in

Jenn, Liz and Jo in Hereford Butter Market

June for the Small Business of the Year category. Liz was also nominated for the Daily Mail’s tourism superstar Award.

Liz said: “The business has been going really well and we are confident that 2017 will be a good year for us.

“It can be a battle getting people to come to Herefordshire with so many well known places on offer but by offering unusual experiences we are confident that we can continue to grow.” www.rural-concierge.co.uk.

FALKLAND ISLANDS CONTRACT HERALDS INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION Worcester business One Creative Environments Ltd has embarked on one of the most exciting projects in its 45-year history – amid the challenging landscape of the Falkland Islands.

The design practice won a tender to produce plans for an Older Persons and Vulnerable Adults Facility in the capital Stanley, which will revolutionise care for older and vulnerable adults on the island.

Officials from the Falkland Islands Government have asked the company to produce designs including 29 extra care apartments and eight nursing care bedrooms with supporting social, community and activity spaces.

Managing Director Matt Tebbatt said: “When we saw the contract advertised it fitted in with our desire to become more international. Within a few days

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of winning the contract, myself and my fellow director Mark Martin flew out to the Falklands Islands. The facility is a new development for the island because to date, older and vulnerable people have tended to stay in hospital and rehab; prevention and support in the community was under-developed, which is not ideal.”

“Our brief was to design something that allows people to live independently and where it feels like home. For instance, most houses on the island, and in particular in Stanley, are designed to take advantage of the sea view so this has been replicated on the new scheme.”

“In addition, people love being outdoors.

They like to have allotments, garden sheds and keep chickens, so we have tried to respect that as well. It is all about producing something that gives frail and

elderly people a community feeling.

“There are challenges in designing buildings on the island. Most materials will need to be imported in so the design needs to address certain methods of construction which are efficient and value for money.”

The scheme design is supporting a business case submission to the Falkland Island Government in early 2017.

Matt hopes that the company, which employs 40 people, can secure further contracts abroad.

He said: “We have also done work in Paris, Lisbon and Qatar and designed Gibraltar Prison. Our five-year business plan includes proposals to expand even further internationally.” www.oneltd.com

January/February 2017

COVERFEATURE

Speakers and attendees at November’s NWedR event

NORTH WORCESTERSHIRE – A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS Leaders from more than 100 companies gathered at a local hotel for a major business event in November aimed at boosting North Worcestershire’s economy.

The event was aimed at showcasing business opportunities in the area and was organised by North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWedR), which is responsible for promoting and enabling growth and sustainable development in the region.

Firms were able to pitch questions to a panel of experts and a number of local businesses and support organisations showcased their work during a networking session.

The event also saw the launch of NWedR’s new scheme which urges thriving companies across Bromsgrove, Redditch, and the Wyre Forest to become “Ambassadors” for the area - encouraging new businesses to grow or relocate in the region.

It reinforced the message that North Worcestershire is a “natural environment for business” and launched a new Ambassador scheme. This includes engaging local business leaders to be a “Business Buddy” for an organisation thinking of relocating to the area or a local company in need of a helping hand.

stories. The event was a run-away success and illustrated just how many thriving businesses are based in North Worcestershire.

“Businesses are undoubtedly benefiting from the region’s winning combination of its close proximity to good transport links and other industrial centres across the West Midlands, as well as the fact that it offers high living standards, which makes it an attractive place to live and work.

“Our event also demonstrated that North Worcestershire has a close-knit and supportive business community, with successful firms often willing to help and inspire new and fledgling firms.

“It was wonderful to have an opportunity to highlight all the reasons why North Worcestershire is the ideal place to locate a business.”

As part of its new Ambassador scheme, NWedR is also launching an online “we’re naturals” photo gallery, allowing businesses to post their images which capture North Worcestershire as a natural environment for business. Businesses can choose to feature the logo on their website, or connect through social media via the hashtag #natural @NorthWorcs and Twitter handle @NorthWorcsEDR. For more information visit www.nwedr.org.uk/ambassadors

Dean Piper, Head of Economic Development and Regeneration at NWedR, said: “We were very pleased to see so many business leaders gathering to share their expertise and inspirational

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BIGINTERVIEW

AWARD RECOGNISES COMPANY’S INTERNATIONAL AMBITIONS If 2016 was a good year for Orchard Valley Foods Limited then 2017 promises to be even better, as the award-winning company plans the latest stage in its impressive growth.

The Tenbury Wells company, which started in 2004 and now employs more than 70 staff and has an annual turnover close to £30 million, is particularly looking to expand its international trade.

The largest part of the business is in supply of confections and ingredients to the food manufacturing sector and they are sole distributors for a number of European and UK specialist manufacturers for fudges, sugar strands, pearls, caramels and decorative sweets. About half of the Orchard Valley Foods workforce is employed in its blending, bagging, sacheting and other packaging lines.

For Chairman Mike Forrester, who is also the new Vice President for Herefordshire on the Chamber Board, the company’s increasing success abroad can be attributed to a decision in 2013 to develop an export strategy.

He said: “Export has become very important to us. Like many companies, we had done bits here and there but in 2013 we decided that we needed a strategy to make sure that our export drive was well resourced.

“We consulted closely with Linda Smith’s team at the Department for International Trade (DIT), previously UKTI, and they were able to offer great support and some financial assistance for market visits.”

As a result, the company now exports to more than 30 countries, including across Europe and the Middle East, Indonesia, Canada and Australia. Indeed, Orchard Valley won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade last May. Mike said: “The award was about many things, not just international performance, which pleased us. To win you have to demonstrate that you

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are part of the community and have a committed approach to Corporate Social Responsibility.

“The effect of winning the award has been amazing and it has allowed us to expand our export business. Having the award to our name has given us extra credibility.

“As a result, the value of our export trade has gone up from an annual turnover of £300,000 a year to a predicted £3.5 million by the end of this financial year in May, which will be about 15% of the business.”

For Managing Director Cherry Blumberg, the key to achieving international growth has been teaming up with companies who can introduce Orchard Valley to new markets.

She said: “Finding the right partners is crucial because it helps us break into established markets. We work hard at maintaining our relationships, which gives companies confidence that we can deliver.”

One of the biggest growth areas for the company has been products for cake decoration. Cherry said: “The success of the Great British Bake-Off does not necessarily translate into direct sales for us but what it does do is raise awareness of the potential for baking at home. It encourages people to be more adventurous and confident and that is a good thing.”

Throughout its growth, the company has stayed loyal to the area and its own production facilities in Burford, near Tenbury Wells. Orchard Valley Foods also recently agreed a 10-year lease on a warehouse on Clinton Road in the Leominster Enterprise Park, thus consolidating its external storage. The site is its UK distribution hub, serving 700 customers in the UK and abroad.

As the new Vice President for Herefordshire on the Chamber Board, Mike is keen to promote the value of working in the area.

“I have always championed the need to attract and retain skilled people to our part of the world and that dovetails with what the Chamber does.

“It is not always easy to keep skilled people in the area when you have the allure of places like Birmingham and Worcester and much of my work with the Chamber is based on extolling the virtues of the area and persuading local people to stay.”

Cherry agrees, saying: “It is important to attract local people to work for us. We argue that it can take an hour and a half, even more, to reach Birmingham in rush hour whereas it is so much easier working for us plus there is a great quality of life.”

Mike is excited about his new role with the Chamber, saying: “The Chamber offer numerous support services and in the past 12 months provided more than 90 training activities, 8,000 export documents prepared for members and an achievable target to assist 118 companies gain export ‘wins’, including 46 companies gaining their first export sales that year.

“I would encourage business leaders to consider how the Chamber can help the network, build local links and make use of the services available.

“As a business we have linked up with another Chamber member who are providing transport solutions for our export activities and imported raw materials. The relationship is working really well and we are providing high quality third party storage for their goods in Leominster.”

And he is confident about the year ahead for Orchard Valley Foods: “We are looking forward to 2017. Although Brexit will have a significant initial effect, we are not so much about cost but the quality of our product and are on track for 15% growth this year.” www.orchard-valley.co.uk

He said: “There are challenges in being based in Herefordshire, not least for distribution, but we stay here because we have a fantastic, loyal workforce and a superb network of local service suppliers.

January/February 2017

BIGINTERVIEW

Chairman of Orchard Valley Foods Limited, Mike Forrester, with Managing Director, Cherry Blumberg

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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2016ANNUALREVIEWHR

TAKING THE HASSLE OUT OF HR n Performance Management n Redundancy Management

HR Consultancy Hassle Free HR Limited is marking its tenth anniversary by opening a satellite office in Worcester as it continues with its planned expansion.

n TUPE Transfers n Other difficult and sensitive employee related matters.

Hassle Free HR also provide their clients with bespoke; n HR Documentation (Contracts of Employment and Employee Handbooks)

The independent HR Consultancy, which specialises in helping clients to comply with employment law, says that it hopes to work with increasing numbers of Worcestershire businesses in 2017.

Hassle Free HR Limited have based their success on the professional way in which they provide their predominantly retained clients with high quality, customer- focused outsourced HR advice, guidance, training and documentation, including contracts of employment and HR policies and procedures. “This has resulted in satisfied clients who are happy to tell others about our services.” said Elaine Hedley.

Their clients are from a wide variety of different industries across Coventry, Warwickshire, the West Midlands, Worcestershire and beyond. The common theme with all their clients is they are all employers who benefit and value from the support and advice provided by Hassle Free HR Limited.

The company, which has its Head Office in Coventry, is run by two fully CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualified and experienced HR Advisors.

Elaine Hedley, a Chartered Member of the CIPD, has more than 20 years’ experience of working in HR, across manufacturing, retail, distribution and construction industries, and a multitude of other industries within the SME market.

Kirsty Denslow, an Associate Member of the CIPD, joined Hassle Free HR Limited in August 2012 as an Administrative Assistant but has since developed and earned promotion to HR Advisor, after successfully attaining the CIPD’s Advanced Diploma in HR Management in 2015 at Heart of Worcestershire College (formally Worcester of Technology). Prior to that Kirsty, worked in retail management and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree (with Honours) at the University of Worcester.

Elaine said: “2016 saw us celebrate our tenth successful year of trading, with year

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n HR Management Training (covering topics such as absence management, discipline and grievance, performance management, redundancy management.)

Elaine Hedley – Senior HR Advisor

n Job Descriptions and Appraisal Systems

on year growth, mainly through word of mouth referrals. We continued to grow, attaining new retained clients and repeat project work throughout the year, all via word of mouth referral.”

n Recruitment Processes

Kirsty said: “2017 will be an exciting year for us. During 2016, we experienced an increase in the need for ‘hands-on’ support from our clients, resulting in the design of new additional ‘hands-on fixed fee’ services, which we will introduce in 2017.

“We are starting the year with a new satellite office in Worcester, for which I will be the main contact. I live here, am a Worcester University graduate and completed my CIPD studies at Heart of Worcestershire College. The new satellite location at 32/33 Foregate Street, Worcester will provide Hassle Free HR with a platform from which to grow locally, over the next ten years.”

Elaine added: “As new members of the Hereford and Worcester Chamber of Commerce, we are very much looking forward to connecting with locally-based businesses, actively engaging with the local Chamber and continuing to participate in and attend the various networking events which are available.”

Hassle Free HR provides personal, friendly, confidential advice, guidance and ‘hands-on’ support to employers within the SME sector, helping them to solve employment problems including; n Employee Absence (short ad hoc repeated absence or longer term absence) n Claims of bullying, harassment, victimisation and discrimination n Discipline and Grievance Management

They also keep their clients up-to-date and informed by providing two electronic newsletters each month – one focusing on forthcoming employment law changes and case studies, and the other on HR tips, general HR advice and guidance.

2017 will see more services added, including the new ‘HR Plus’ services, providing employers with ‘hands-on’ support with the management of maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, with flexible working requests, holding appraisals, absence and recruitment management.

Elaine said: “These additional ‘hands on’ services really will, for many clients across the SME sector, take the hassle out of HR Management. We understand that many of our small business, owner/managed clients just want someone to ‘come in and deal with it’. They can rely on our experience, knowledge and professionalism to pick up an issue and manage it through to a successful outcome. This not only leaves them to focus on other critical areas of their business, but it also increases their peace of mind and at the same time, reduces any potential risk to their business.

“We are very much looking forward to increasing our client base and business contacts in general in the Hereford and Worcestershire business community.”

To find out more, contact; Elaine Hedley at ehedley@hasslefreehr.co.uk or Kirsty Denslow at kdenslow@hasslefreehr.co.uk or call the main office on 02476 992869.

You can also visit their website at www.hasslefreehr.co.uk and sign up to receive their monthly newsletters.

January/February 2017

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VISITHEREFORDSHIRE

www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

FREE WIFI IN HEREFORD CITY CENTRE Shoppers, businesses and visitors to Hereford are to be better connected after Hereford free wifi was launched across the City Centre in November.

The new network launched by Hereford City Life – the consumer-facing brand of Hereford Business Improvement District (HBID) - is a joint partnership with Herefordshire Council’s FasterCity broadband project for unlimited access to the internet.

John Maine, sculptor and creator of “Ascension”

SAS MEMORIAL COMING TO HEREFORD CATHEDRAL A major new, internationally important artwork, dedicated to the Special Air Service is to be installed in Hereford Cathedral in the form of a magnificent sculpture and stained glass window.

The £1m project, funded through donations by the SAS Regimental Association and due to be completed in April 2017, will be a modern focus for reflection, pilgrimage and worship in the 1,300 year-old Cathedral, which houses the world-famous Mappa Mundi and Chained Library. Called ‘Ascension’, the installation has been created by the world-renowned, Royal Academy sculptor, John Maine and has been two years in the making. The nine-metre high installation includes 3,000 pieces of European glass in 40 different colours.

The base of the sculpture includes the famous SAS motto of “Who Dares Wins”, together with the SAS regimental badge.

Members of the public are invited to be part of ‘Ascension’ by making donations via the SAS Regimental Association or Hereford Cathedral. Details of how to donate are at www.sasmemorial.co.uk

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Mike Truelove, Operations Manager at Hereford BID, said: “Hereford is steadily rising as a major shopping destination, offering a solid range of shops and leisure activities that consumers expect to see.

“This is a significant step in further meeting our visitors’ needs, and providing new opportunities for our businesses to reach out to customers in ways not done before. The power

VISIT HEREFORDSHIRE CO-SPONSOR BORDERLINES Visit Herefordshire is very pleased to announce that we are a co-sponsor of the Borderlines Film Festival 2017! The UK’s largest rural film festival, Borderlines is entering its 15th year, which showcased almost 100 films at 26 venues over 19 days in 2016. Aiming to bring a range of mainstream to independent cinema to all reaches of Herefordshire, the Marches and Shropshire, the popularity and scale of Borderlines has been growing year on year.

“We’re delighted that Visit Herefordshire will be co-sponsoring Borderlines in 2017, a year when Hereford makes its bid for UK City of Culture 2021. Support for the film festival is vital; local people and visitors alike come together joyously each spring to watch films and exchange ideas. Moving images make for culture in action”, said Jo Comino, Marketing and Press. Borderlines Film Festival will run from Friday 24 February to Sunday 12 March 2017. www.borderlinesfilmfestival.co.uk

of the system means that the great things going on in Hereford, including highlighting offers or exciting products, can be promoted directly to users.”

To access the network, simply select Hereford FREE WiFi from your WiFi settings.

Lowe Farm: Juliet and Clive Williams

LOWE FARM B&B WINS VISITENGLAND ROSE AWARD Pembridge based Lowe Farm B&B were recently awarded a VisitEngland Rose award for 2016.

In their second year, the R.O.S.E awards (Recognition Of Service Excellence) champions the excellent service given by tourism providers who go above and beyond for their guests. Nominations come from annual VisitEngland quality assessments and online customer reviews, as well as looking at the extra special features or facilities on offer.

With only 100 Rose awards being given each year, this is a great accolade for Juliet Williams and the team at Lowe Farm. It will join a host of other achievements, including a 4 star award for accommodation. Juliet said: “it's an honour to represent Herefordshire and receive this award, and it will really help put Herefordshire on the map.”

To find about more about the Rose award visit www.visitengland.com/plan-your-visit

January/February 2017

VISITWORCESTERSHIRE

www.visitworcestershire.org

Elgar Statue, Worcester

Ruth Smith, TIC Manager, outside the TIC

Chris & Barbara Morgan from the Cotford Hotel

2016 BEST EATING OUT, COTFORD HOTEL Chris and Barbara Morgan, Cotford Hotel, share their reaction to winning a Visit Worcestershire Award for Excellence.

“To be shortlisted in the two categories of Best Hotel and Best Eating Out left us flushed with pride, but to then go on and win the Best Eating Out award and Highly Commended in the Best Hotel award, we are somewhat flattered as there are some really lovely eateries in Worcestershire.

However, the response that we’ve received from the public and existing customers has been amazing. Bookings are effervescent at the moment, and the air of excitement is having the effect throughout all of our staff to review current standards and move on to higher levels across the board.

It just goes to show how exciting our industry is at the moment and public awareness has driven the level of expectancy up over the last few years.

We are immensely proud to represent Worcestershire in our category and to be able to showcase what the county has to offer.”

ELGAR’S 160TH ANNIVERSARY There are many ways to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of Edward Elgar in 2017 in Worcester. Worcester City will be holding an Elgar Festival starting on the composer’s birth date between Friday 2 – Sunday 11 June. The Elgar Birthplace Museum will reopen in spring, run by the National Trust, which is a hugely popular attraction for the county. Visitors can also see where Elgar got his inspiration for "The Dream of Gerontius" by walking around the grounds of Spetchley Park Gardens.

For the slightly more adventurous, take a bike ride around the Malvern Hills which Elgar enjoyed as a pastime. Worcester City and Malvern Hills District Councils have created an Elgar Route for those who want to follow the sights by vehicle. With links over the border in Herefordshire, take time to visit Hereford Cathedral and see the Elgar statue in Cathedral Close.

Find out more on www.visitworcestershire.org/elgar

VISITOR GUIDES & TIC Worcester Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is celebrating the installation of their eye-catching new signs on the Guildhall, giving visitors no chance of missing the shop and information centre.

Soon to be displayed in the tourist information centre are the new Visit Worcestershire guides; the Official County Guide and Explore Guide give visitors information about everything they can see and do in the county, as well as where to stay and places to eat.

The Tourist Information Centre has a large selection of Worcester gifts, cards, books, maps and local produce.

They are an agent for events, First Bus, National Express Coaches and Daytrips, as well as taking bookings for accommodation. Pop in and see what’s on offer - open Monday – Friday 9.30am-5.00pm and Saturday 10.00am-4.00pm. Tel: 01905 726 311 Email: touristinfo@visitworcestershire.org

THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL WORCESTER 2017 The Three Choirs Festival takes place in Worcester from Saturday 22 – Saturday 29 July 2017. Highlights of concerts by the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and Philharmonia Orchestra include Elgar’s "The Dream of Gerontius", Mendelssohn’s "St Paul", Mozart’s "Mass in C" and Sir Michael Tippett’s "A Child of our Time".

The Three Cathedral Choirs will perform works dedicated to St Cecilia, and the

Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir will sing "Fauré’s Requiem". Guest artists include the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, the National Youth Choir of Great Britain’s Fellowship Octet, organist Wayne Marshall and the mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, who will premiere the orchestral version of "A Welsh Night" by Torsten Rasch.

The festival programme also includes late night concerts featuring Dixieland Jazz

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

and ragtime, walks, talks, exhibitions and daily cathedral services. College Green will host the Festival Village where visitors can eat, drink and relax between events. The full programme will be published in March and booking opens in April. Sponsorship opportunities are available; please contact Head of Development Genie Dyke genie. dyke@3choirs.org www3choirs.org

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HEALTHANDWELLBEING

ROTHERWOOD HEALTHCARE CREATES NEW CAREER PATHWAY FOR CARERS Rotherwood Healthcare are implementing a new career pathway for carers as part of their ongoing efforts to create a better standard of healthcare.

The position is titled ‘Assistant Clinician’ and will allow carers to earn up to £9 per/hr.

Rotherwood Healthcare are in a unique position, having their own training company that operates internally within the business allows staff to constantly develop and specific pathway training to be monitored. The new position will be trialled at the exemplary Hereford Homes: Lynhales Hall, Gwen Walford House and Hampton Grange - which were recently

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awarded ‘6th best and number one nursing home in the West Midlands respectively’ by carehome.co.uk.

A new analysis of the healthcare sector is warning that the UK could face a shortage of 60,000 nurses in 2020 if measures are not put in place to resolve staffing issues.

The survey, produced by Christie & Co, found using agency staff typically cost 100% more per hour than the cost of regular staff.The total agency share of overall staff costs has increased by 51% on average.

Both increased reliance on agency nurses and pay increases for permanent staff means overall staffing costs have increased.

The analysis includes a survey of 12 of the largest nursing home providers who together offer 74,000 nursing home beds and represent around 30% of the UK sector.

Heavy reliance on agency nursing staff can be detrimental to a healthcare provider and the quality of service for the end user. Nursing Home budgets are heavily impacted by the higher rates of agency nursing staff, curbing agency spend allows money to be invested back in the business and into the service provided to create better experiences for residents and relatives.

Richard Claridge, CEO of Rotherwood Group, had this to say: “We’re excited to trial the Assistant Clinician position within the Hereford homes. It gives existing Rotherwood carers the potential to take on more responsibility and continue their professional development whilst simultaneously supporting our nursing staff.”

January/February 2017

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Rotherwood Rotherwood Healthcare Healthcare offers offers a acareer a career career pathway pathway for for Rotherwood Healthcare offers pathway for everyone. everyone.

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Rotherwood Rotherwood employees employees also also enjoy enjoy an an of your potential. Rotherwood employees also enjoy an unrivalled unrivalled benefits benefits package package including: including: Retail Retail discount discount unrivalled benefits package including: Retail discount card, card, free free mobile mobile Phone Phone insurance, insurance, free free break break down down cover, cover, card, free mobile Phone insurance, free break down cover, cinema cinema discounts discounts and and Salary Salary sacrifice sacrifice schemes. schemes. cinema discounts and Salary sacrifice schemes.

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IfIfIf you’d you’d like like toto to find find out out more more about about the the opportunities opportunities you’d like find out more about the opportunities at at Rotherwood Rotherwood Healthcare, Healthcare, please please get get in in touch touch with with our our at Rotherwood Healthcare, please get in touch with our Head Head of of Recruitment, Recruitment, Tim Tim Ward, Ward, for for a confidential a confidential chat: chat: Head of Recruitment, Tim Ward, for a confidential chat: mo mb oibl iel e 07852 07852987 987495 4950 0 mobile 07852 987 4950 e me a mial i l tim.ward@rotherwood-group.co.uk tim.ward@rotherwood-group.co.uk email tim.ward@rotherwood-group.co.uk

HEALTHANDWELLBEING

LOOKING FOR QUALITY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS? THEN CALL SEVERN ANGELS Managing Director Spiwe Mhondiwa, herself a nurse, said: “All our people are highly trained and we make sure that we provide the right person for the right job.

When it comes to providing health care you need to recruit the very best people possible – and that is why new company Seven Angels Healthcare Limited has already proved so successful.

Severn Angels is a nursing agency that provides short-term, permanent contracts and shift work for a range of NHS trusts, nursing homes and hospitals.

The reason its services are so much in demand is the Worcester-based company’s mission is to provide top quality and effective nursing professionals where they are needed most.

Severn Angels employs professional, considerate, fully-trained, reliable workers who prioritise compassion and put the needs of patients first.

“We only take on people with experience which means that we are offering the very best healthcare professionals to our clients.”

The company provides staff for sectors of the healthcare industry across the West Midlands and Worcestershire including: n n n n n n n

Nursing homes NHS Trusts Private hospitals Community Nursing Mental Health Services Learning Disability Services Prison Health Services

If you are having staffing issues, or your healthcare needs are simply not being met, Severn Angels have the nurses for you and the company’s services can be utilised for short-term permanent contracts, or shift work, as required.

To find out more, please contact Severn Angels on 01905 930707 or visit www.severnangels.co.uk.

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Join us for one of our FREE open events at Nuffield Health Hereford Hospital Let’s talk varicose veins Tuesday 31st January 2017 · 6.30pm Let’s talk cosmetics - Abdominoplasty Tuesday 21st February 2017 · 6.30pm Ear, nose and throat: Common conditions and treatments Tuesday 28th February 2017 · 6.30pm Let’s talk cosmetics - face & breasts Tuesday 14th March 2017 · 6.30pm

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January/February 2017

HEALTHANDWELLBEING

GETTING BACK INTO WORK FOLLOWING A MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust is responsible for mental health services throughout the county. The services are designed to provide support early to prevent issues getting worse and then to help someone recover following a mental health issue and to regain independence and control over their lives.

We talk to Julie Evans about a service supporting people much earlier, and Pete Jordan, who leads the local team helping people get back into work following a mental health illness…

Julie Evans, Clinical Lead with the Worcestershire Healthy Minds Service says: “The Worcestershire Healthy Minds service is all about providing much easier ways for people to get help with common mental health issues to prevent them becoming more serious. Around 1 in 4 of us will feel anxious, depressed, have low mood or be stressed due to issues in our lives and the Healthy Minds service offers a range of support for people experiencing these common difficulties.

These feelings can be associated with a range of issues, for example pressure at work, a bereavement, money concerns and relationship problems . The groups and talking therapies we provide offer support which we can tailor to a person’s specific circumstances. The great thing about the Healthy Minds service is that we accept self-referral, so people can pick up the phone and be booked on to the next available group/course without having to be referred by a GP or another healthcare professional.

When setting up this service we identified the business community as a potential key beneficiary of this type of early support.

We have had lots of HR teams contact us requesting information which they can

share with their own staff to alert them to the service should they feel they need additional help. We all get stressed due to work-load or pressures from time to time and quite often we are able to deal with these ourselves, but when these feelings are prolonged, or are causing difficulties outside of work, for example problems sleeping, it could be that additional support is needed.

The Healthy Minds service has supported lots of people whose issues have linked to work or their job so we would urge local employers to get in touch with us and make their staff aware of the support available locally. Just visit www.hacw.nhs. uk/healthyminds to find out more. We also have a Healthy Minds app which provides tips, tools and techniques to help someone boost their mental wellbeing or handle issues themselves; you download it from the app store now.”

In addition the Trust’s Employment and Reablement service helps clients in their recovery from more severe mental ill health, through engagement in meaningful roles and activities. This can be through progression towards employment and education, or through more informal recreational and social activities.

The Individual Placement and Support team helps individuals to identify suitable work vacancies, make approaches to employers and help with all stages of the application process. Within-work support is then offered

Pete Jordan, service manager

Pete Jordan, Service Lead, says: “There is a common misconception that having a mental health history is an obstacle to work and this is really not the case. Many people we work with are able to go straight back to employment with our support . For others, we work to identify local businesses who would be interested in offering a work-based placement to support someone who is in recovery. for lots of people getting back out into the workplace boost their self-esteem and sense of self-worth, and gives them an added sense of purpose which can be key to the recovery process.

We ensure the employer is equally well supported and that we match clients with a placement which might be consistent with their skills, job history or interests and the feedback we have from both clients and businesses providing the placements are extremely positive.

Many of our clients have high levels of experience, and since recovering from ill health, are ready to offer these to your business. We have a dedicated team of employment workers, helping people back into work following ill health. they have achieved significant success, with 80% job retention at 12 months and accreditation as a national Centre of Excellence If your business is interested in finding out more about the scheme then please contact WHCNHS.Vocational@nhs.net

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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ADVERTORIALFEATURE

SPINAL AND BACK PAIN n Don’t bend when you could kneel or squat, and never stoop or bend over for prolonged periods

By reducing the stresses and strains on the spine during daily activities, the risk of developing back pain or limb pain from spinal nerve compression can be lessened.

It is important to be constantly aware of a good posture, both at home and at work.

DAILY SPINAL HEALTH CHECK LIST: n Be aware of your posture and ensure that your spine is straight and well-balanced n Take time to improve core muscle tone and set aside a few minutes each day for tensing exercises of your stomach, pelvic and back muscles

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n If bending over or sitting for a long time, gently stretch backwards when standing up n Avoid sit ups, double leg lifts and touching toes unless part of a properly planned exercise programme n Always warm up and stretch before sport, and cool down and stretch afterwards n Good exercises for back muscles include swimming, walking, cycling and gentle keep fit n Maintain a good bodyweight to avoid unnecessary strain on your spinal joints n Remember to use correct lifting techniques and distribute the weight evenly while carrying

Many spinal problems can be prevented and some can be self-treated. However, when the symptoms do not settle, or worsen, then professional help and advice may be needed. Patients with persistent or progressive symptoms can benefit from a specialist assessment with a view to offering treatment including physiotherapy,diagnostic MRI scanning, injection therapy, and pain management.

January/February 2017

ADVERTORIALFEATURE Occasionally, surgical intervention such as nerve decompression for arm or leg pain is advised. These procedures have a greater than 80% success rate in relieving symptoms, allowing patients to return to work and leisure activities.

SPINAL CONDITIONS n Spinal degeneration - Neck or Back Pain n Cervical disc prolapse - Nerve compression with arm pain n Spinal cord compression - Myelopathy with arm and leg weakness n Lumbar disc prolapse - Nerve compression with leg pain n Spinal Injury n Lumbar spinal stenosis with leg pain

TREATMENTS n Core stability Physiotherapy n XR guided facet joint injections and radiofrequency therapy

n Lumbar micro-discectomy

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n Spinal micro-decompresssion

n Minimally invasive spinal surgery

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n Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

Back pain or nerve pain affecting the arms or legs, in its many forms, can strike anyone at any time of life. It could be the

n Cervical disc replacement

result of a slipped disc, arthritis of the spinal joints, repeated minor stresses, bone deterioration or an injury. Whatever the reason, it can bring pain and misery to sufferers, seriously affecting their quality of life and work.

Introducing the New Spire Spinal Service The Spire South Bank Spinal Service brings together the expertise of experienced UK qualified and trained spinal and neurospinal surgeons and our modern, fully-equipped private hospitals and clinics in Worcester and Droitwich.

Offering NHS and private services for the diagnosis and management of spinal and back pain amongst other conditions, our consultants are available for appointments across multiple locations, and are able to provide a unique first-class service at a time and place that is convenient for you.

Spinal Services

The Spire Clinic, Droitwich Spa 29 Worcester Road, WR9 8AA www.spireclinicdroitwich.co.uk Tel: 01905 799 116

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Spire South Bank Hospital 139 Bath Road, WR5 3YB www.spiresouthbank.com Tel: 01905 350 003

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WORCESTERSHIREBUSINESSCENTRAL

A POSITIVE YEAR AHEAD FOR WORCESTERSHIRE BUSINESS SUPPORT During 2016, Worcestershire Business Central signposted and supported over 1400 individuals and companies to start or grow their business. From our business engagement officers who are a telephone call away, to our Business Engagement Managers who offer one-to-one account management support, Worcestershire Business Central bring all aspects of business support into one place, making it simple for businesses to access and find the help they need.

As we move into 2017, the team are looking forward to building on the success of 2016 and are supported in this with the launch of some new and exciting programmes and funding. If you are interested in learning a little more about how you can access support to train your staff, reduce your energy bills or enable next stage business growth then you can learn more about these programmes at a number of events across the county visit www.business-central.co.uk/events.

Our website and newsletter are the best place for you to find all of the information on the programmes which are available (www.business-central.co.uk) with exciting updates appearing on a weekly basis.

Here is some more detailed information on a few of our recently launched programmes:

SKILLS SUPPORT FOR THE WORKFORCE

Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) has recently launched to help support

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small and medium-sized businesses upskill their staff. Offering bespoke training relevant to your business needs, employees can benefit from a variety of courses; including leadership and management, technical skills training, and higher level skills training. The training is fully funded, with no cost to your business and employees, and in the long run can be more cost effective than hiring skilled employees, consequently improving the competiveness of your business, whilst boosting the local economy.

BUSINESS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMME

The Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP) is available for small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Telford & Wrekin. The programme offers free energy assessments which could lead to grants to assist your business in being more energy efficient. By assessing your equipment, premises, processes and performance, BEEP will work with your business in reducing costs and improving your environmental credentials.

WORCESTERSHIRE BUSINESS LOAN FUND

loans, offering loans from £10,000 to £50,000.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY - CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) EVENT

Worcestershire Business Central and Worcestershire County Council are joining forces for an event called ‘Opportunities on Your Doorstep’. The event will bring businesses and organisations together to learn more about each others opportunities, and hopefully develop exciting CSR related activity supporting future partnerships and collaborations.

Ensure you save the date for this exciting event, being held at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Friday 20 January 2017 from 8am-10am.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE To find out more about the above programmes or events, and hear about the business support available in Worcestershire, ensure that Worcestershire Business Central is your first port-of-call by contacting one of our advisors today on 01905 677 888 or info@business-central. co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

Follow us on twitter @WBCUpdates

Worcestershire Business Loan Fund is a brand new business loan specifically designed for businesses that are unable to access finance from traditional lenders. The initiative was established by Worcestershire County Council and one of the region’s largest providers of business

January/February 2017

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

MOOVIT4U EXPANDS OFFER FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

Welcomm Communications Ltd receive Highly Commended for ‘Best SME Vertical Market Solution’

WELCOMM COMMUNICATIONS TRIUMPH AT NATIONAL AWARDS Thursday 13 October saw the Comms National Awards being held at one of London’s most prestigious venues, The Hilton Hotel.

Welcomm Communications Ltd were shortlisted from hundreds of applications for the ‘Best SME Cloud Solution’ as well as the ‘Best SME Vertical Market Solution’, battling alongside industry giants.

After some networking, delegates gathered for the award announcements, and Welcomm received the accolade of ‘Highly Commended’ for ‘Best SME Vertical Market Solution’ based on a converged voice and data solution that they provided to one of the largest growing carpet and flooring retailers in the UK. Welcomm’s dedicated team fulfilled the challenge of helping to facilitate the opening of 50 stores in 12 months, over-delivering on the customers’ expectations; a triumph acknowledged by the expert judges.

Colin Lewis’ award winning Hereford based Moovit4u removals and transport services has purchased a new van to help the company cope with the high demand they have received in the past 12 to 18 months.

The new van is custom built; it boasts a 5 meter long bed and is 7’ft wide with a height of 7’ft 8”inchs and a pay load of 1.3 tonnes.

Colin commented: “Having two vans on the road has enabled me to take on more work in different locations and has even enabled me to complete two jobs in one day.”

Moovit4u has been operating for nearly eight years and Colin has over ten years experience in the removals and transport industry.

They can transport anything for your business at any time of day, day or night any day of the week. www.moovit4u.co.uk

Sajid Javid (centre) celebrates with the GBW team

GOUGH BAILEY WRIGHT CELEBRATES 80 YEARS Full-service Midlands/local marketing agency Gough Bailey Wright (GBW) welcomed Bromsgrove MP and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, to its offices in November to help celebrate the company’s 80th birthday.

Founded as advertising agency Tom C Gough and Partners back in 1936, GBW has become the oldest independently owned agency in the West Midlands.

Eighty years on, the company has grown to offer fully integrated marketing services, including PR, social, digital, creative and a specialist property communications team.

Since their management buyout in 2005, Sue Bailey and Michelle Wright have taken GBW from strength to strength, more than doubling in size and evolving to provide the full suite of marketing disciplines.

Sajid Javid said: “80 years as a business is an impressive achievement and Sue and Michelle should be very proud. The company is a great example of a local business which continues to succeed and create jobs and I look forward to seeing its continued growth in the future.”

Winners on the night also included Welcomm’s partners, Gamma, for ‘Best Hosted Platform’ as well as Akixi winning ‘Best Call Management Solution’.

www.gough.co.uk

www.welcomm.co.uk

CERTIFICATION SUCCESS FOR ACCREDITED MARKETING Accredited Marketing is delighted to announce that both Charlotte Greenman plus all their online and onsite training courses are now CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified.

This means that they have been approved by an independent, external assessor which now enables all delegates to gain CPD points on every course.

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Charlotte Greenman, Owner and Trainer, said: “It is important that both myself and all our training courses are CPD certified because clients know they are getting high quality and valuable courses based on learned skills and over 20 years of experience and hindsight.”

The training courses include the popular “Client Creation Roadmap - 8 Essential and Proven Steps to Creating Clients for

Life”, “Set Your Cold Calling on Fire” and the accompanying video series “How to Set Up Your Social Media Profiles to Generate Leads”.

To check out all their paid and free CPD training courses visit: www.accreditedmarketing.com/ training-courses or call 01989 762243.

January/February 2017

INTERNATIONALTRADE

THE DEMAND IS OUT THERE. YOU SHOULD BE TOO All around the world, people want UK goods and services. Meeting that demand can help you secure and grow your business – and it’s never been easier to access help and find opportunities.

In November 2016, the Department for International Trade (DIT) launched https://GREAT.gov.uk, which offers support and advice to help you start exporting, as well as opportunities to sell all over the world.

Start exporting to grow your business today by:

Cherril and Derrick celebrate JMDA’s 25th anniversary

GLOBAL COMPANY JMDA DESIGN CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY On Saturday 5 November 2016, to celebrate JMDA Design’s 25th Anniversary, Cherril and Derrick Barker hosted a Masquerade Ball at the magnificent Warwick Castle.

Starting 25 years ago with just one child car seat design project, Cherril and Derrick Barker have grown JMDA to become a leading global design company specialising in the design and development of children’s car safety seats, with offices in Worcestershire and Shanghai.

With help and support from the Department for International Trade (DIT), JMDA has established a worldwide network of clients and specialist associates, placing them in a unique position within the market place.

International recognition was highlighted in 2016 when the company won a prestigious Red Dot Award, presented at a ceremony in Singapore.

n Signing up for our new Find a Buyer service (https://find-a-buyer. export.great.gov.uk). By setting up a company profile to showcase your company’s success stories and high profile projects or products to overseas buyers looking to source UK products and services. n Using our Selling Online Overseas tool (www.exportingisgreat.gov.uk/ selling-overseas) to find the best place to sell your products online.

You can also take advantage of special deals negotiated by the government for UK businesses. n Searching for potential buyers using our upgraded Export Opportunities service (www. exportingisgreat.gov.uk/ opportunities), which lists thousands of businesses who are actively looking for UK goods and services. You can now create an account so you can keep track of opportunities you’ve applied for and how they are progressing.

You can also get new opportunity announcements, tailored to your business, straight to your inbox. n Learning how to export using our online guides and services. You can also search for events, trade fairs, missions and webinars relevant to your sector or overseas markets. https://GREAT.gov.uk

www.jmdadesign.com

Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Bracelets from Franco Florenzi – Lazio Collection

CHANGES TO JEWELLERY MAKER’S WEBSITE TRANSLATE INTO BOOSTED SALES A Midlands jewellery designer has increased its overseas sales by more than £30,000 after it took expert advice to have its website geared up for international markets.

Rowena Simmons, Managing Director of trade at Worcestershire-based Franco Florenzi, said sales to Spain, Germany and France have soared since it received match-funding from the Department for International Trade (DIT) West Midlands earlier this year. The funding helped the company translate their website and marketing materials into Spanish, German and French.

Rowena said: “Although 85% of our turnover comes from outside of the UK, language barriers meant we could only sell to English speaking countries or individuals.

“It wasn’t until we started working with the Department for International Trade in Worcester that we realised the importance of website internationalisation when trying to secure sales from non-English speaking countries.

“Over the past 16 months we have worked closely with the DIT team to improve our knowledge of exporting and to familiarise ourselves with the culture and language of different countries, which has enabled us to increase sales from Germany, France and Spain.

“DIT’s advice has also helped us to define which international markets are best suited to our products and marketing strategy.” www.francoflorenzi.com

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MOTORINGFEATURE

AN ALTERNATIVE TO SALARY SACRIFICE CAR SCHEMES In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced salary sacrifice schemes and benefits in kind schemes will, from April 2017, have the tax benefits abolished.

But what does this mean for you or your company? Michelle Howles, director of Bewdley based vehicle finance specialists, Affinity Leasing, discusses what the salary sacrifice changes will mean for employers and HR professionals: “For those responsible for existing salary sacrifice car schemes or those thinking of offering this benefit to their staff, this is a cause for concern. For businesses of all sizes, and anyone with a staff salary sacrifice car scheme in place, can now move it to Affinity Leasing free of charge, and they will no longer be restricted or tied due to previous scheme constraints.

So the tax change doesn’t need to be all bad. At Affinity Leasing we are supporting employers who currently

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offer salary sacrifice schemes to switch to an alternative scheme offering brand new vehicles on personal lease terms and finance as a voluntary benefit, which has no Benefit In Kind tax payable. We are industry leaders in car leasing, and have, over the past 12 years, provided thousands of cars via our scheme, partnering with leading vehicle manufacturers and funders to match individual needs.

Unlike many salary sacrifice car schemes, Affinity Leasing’s scheme is free for companies to join and offers brand new vehicles, often with large discounts, to members of voluntary benefit schemes.

administration and can supply a wide variety of makes and models to suit the needs of the driver without needing to be restricted by the CO2 emissions of the vehicle or the cost to the driver of BIK tax.”

For more information regarding company car, cash opt-out, salary sacrifice alternative or voluntary benefit schemes, contact Michelle Howles at 01299 269521 or by emailing: Michelle.Howles@ affinityvehicleleasing.com

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January/February 2017

MOTORINGFEATURE

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

BRAND UPDATE ROUNDS OFF BUOYANT YEAR

Prometheus’ CEO, COO and Group Accountant with Hereford FC’s Captain and Jonny Evans the Physio

PROMETHEUS SPONSORS HEREFORD FC Prometheus is proud to announce that they will be sponsoring Hereford FC, their local football club, for the next five seasons.

Hereford FC is now in its second season following its promotion to the Southern Football League Division One South & West. Thanks to Manager Pete Beadle and his fantastic squad of players, the club won three out of the four competitions it entered last season and only fell at the final hurdle in the FA Vase after a memorable day-out at Wembley for over 20,000 Herefordians in May.

To say that Print Strategy Europe has had a very busy and successful 2016 might be an understatement. Not only was the company the delighted recipient of the Excellence in Customer Service Award presented

by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, they have also taken on another apprentice in social media and digital marketing.

That’s not to mention their part in the hugely successful opening of the latest Hotel Chocolat Café in Worcester.

The company’s ambitions, however, did not stop there as they forged ahead with an exciting brand update, complete with a new logo and a new slogan: “Luxury brands, quality solutions”. This development underlines Print Strategy Europe’s expertise in the luxury market as they look for even more success in 2017 through exciting luxury brands with ambitions to grow who need a print and marketing partner to help them do that. www.printstrategy.eu

Hereford FC was formed with the Hereford community at its very heart and Prometheus feel that sponsoring the team is a wonderful opportunity for them to be an integral part. As a leading supplier of pre-hospital emergency medical equipment, Prometheus will sponsor the club’s physiotherapist, Evans, and provide high quality medical equipment.

Claire Sawyer at the AGSM Supplier Excellence Awards

CLAIRE WINS WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AWARD Claire Sawyer, Operations Manager at Oakleaf Commercial Services’ Energy team, is celebrating after winning the Women’s Leadership award at this year’s Association of Gas Safety Managers (AGSM) Supplier Excellence Awards.

Held in November 2016 at The Midland Hotel in Manchester, the awards recognise the importance of collaboration and innovation in the industry. This category recognises women in Gas Safety Leadership roles across the industry and the diversity needed at all levels for it to be successful.

Ian Hancock, Managing Director of Oakleaf Commercial Services, said: “We are very proud of Claire. She has achieved so much in such a short time in a service that is very important to the Group and its customers. It is a very well deserved award and recognition of all her hard work.”

Claire responded: “I am really honoured to win this award. It is mostly men working in the gas industry and it is great, as a woman, to be recognised within the sector.”

www.prometheusmed.com www.herefordfc.co.uk

www.oakleafcs.com

UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES CHARTERED MANAGER DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP The University of Worcester has recently launched the new Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship and welcomes enquiries from employers and potential apprentices alike.

The course, delivered in collaboration with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), uses a work-based delivery model with day release (one day per week) for University-based studies.

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Applicants must be in employment, as all assessed work relates to the employer’s organisation and the apprentice’s role.

Funding has been secured until March 2017, so that the employer will only need to contribute one third of the cost of the programme, with two thirds coming from Central Government. This pre-dates the introduction of the Apprenticeship levy in April 2017.

If you are an employer, committed to developing fresh talent within your organisation, or if you are looking to recruit leaders and managers of the future, this course may be of interest to you. For further details, please contact our Course Manager, Dr. Scott Andrews, on s.andrews@worc.ac.uk or 01905 543336. www.worcester.ac.uk

January/February 2017

MOTORINGFEATURE

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESSNEWS

BUSINESS LEGAL SERVICES FOR CHINESE INVESTORS

AWARD WINNING CAMPAIGN KEEPS HEARTS HEALTHY Worcester-based Cyber Security company Titania received the Outstanding Achievement award from Worcestershire Works Well for their lifesaving Heart Safe Campaign. The campaign was established earlier this year to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and train people from across the community to potentially save lives. The award, sponsored by Southco, was presented to Titania’s HR Manager Shelley Gunnell and Vice President of Operations Ruth Inglis.

There are 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK and only 10% survive. With immediate action from a bystander and access to an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), this can be dramatically increased to 50%.

American Police Officer Bryan Platz, of Minnesota, visited Titania’s headquarters

Councillor Roger Knight and Officer Brian Platz at the Heart Safe Training

last February at the invitation of Chief Executive Ian Whiting. A close friend of the business, Officer Platz delivered potentially lifesaving Heart Safe training to the Titania team and members of the local community. www.titania.com

VAN GETS STITCHED UP TO HELP COMMUTERS KEEP WARM (L-R) Gill Hutchinson, Chris Hutchinson and Lizzie Hopkinson of Aardvark Marketing Consultants Ltd

REGIONAL AWARD FOR AARDVARK MARKETING CONSULTANTS As winners of Corporate Vision Magazine’s Technology Innovator Award, Aardvark Marketing Consultants Ltd are recognised as leaders in the West Midlands for Marketing.

Gill Hutchinson, Aardvark Marketing Consultants, said: “As a company we invest heavily in our staff and in new systems and processes. We consistently spend over 10% of turnover on innovation. Our broad commercial experience means our customers trust us to give them open, honest and impartial advice in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.

Constant evolution in marketing is confusing to business owners; we help them implement marketing that combines both traditional and digital options to generate good quality sales - ready leads with measurable results”. www.aardvardkmarketing.co.uk

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It took 10 months, 5 knitters, 3 helpers and 40,000 metres of red, blue and white wool to transform a plain white Sprinter van into a giant woolly warmer.

Bewdley artist and poet, Betti Moretti, was commissioned to create the extra-large woolly jumper, which took over 1,000 hours to knit, sew and crochet the 500 balls of wool as part of Worcester, Bosch Group’s Rely On advertising campaign.

The company’s latest advert shows how the Worcester family can rely on their boiler to warm their home. The van set off from London’s South Bank in mid-October dishing out knitted goodies, hot drinks and bacon sandwiches, before continuing its journey to spread its warmth around the country. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/rely

With an increased demand from Chinese citizens to buy property and invest in business in the UK, Thomas Guise have set up a dedicated service to enable Chinese companies to optimise their European investment and to look after their legal requirements.

From the Birmingham office, Chinese born solicitor Nancy Hai specialises in property, business acquisition, Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (investor) visas to the UK. She is supported by her Paralegal, Thohura.

In 2014, Thomas Guise signed an important agreement with Wang Jing & Co Law firm which has a network of 11 offices in China including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. China based clients can now obtain the necessary documentation required to invest and buy property in the UK for a fixed fee at any of the Wang Jing & Co offices. www.thomasguise.co.uk

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR AT HILL HR Hill HR was set up in November 2015 and has just celebrated its first year in business.

Claire Hill, Owner, said: “I have had an incredible 12 months. I have met some truly inspiring people and worked with some great businesses. I have learnt so much along the way. I have loved every minute of my business and look forward to the next year.”

Hill HR provides HR support to businesses which do not have their own in-house HR team, and works alongside in-house teams to offer additional support. The company guides and supports businesses through the challenges of employment, whilst also helping them grow their people.

Van stitched up to bring warmth to increasingly chilly mornings

Claire would like to thank Hill HR’s existing clients and looks forward to a continued working relationship, whilst also welcoming new clients to her business. www.hillhr.co.uk

January/February 2017

ADVERTORIALFEATURE

ARE YOU READY FOR A CRM SYSTEM? Ok, that sounds strange coming from a company that sells its own CRM solution, but hear me out. I can tell you honestly that, unless you can set aside some time to get your strategy right, there is really no point.

CRM is more than a system, it’s an approach to how you run your business.

A CRM system should be a corner stone of your business strategy with achievable goals and deliverable objectives that pay dividends both financially and emotionally.

I’ll start with an example. When you go on holiday, you do a lot more than just buy some swimming trunks and a snorkel and hope for the best.

WHY?

You plan, decide on the best time of year for everyone, and consider hotels and resorts. Will the location and hotel be good for the whole family? Or is it more of a romantic getaway? How will you get from the airport to the hotel? What will you do when you get there? How much money should you take?

There are a whole host of questions you ask and plans you need to make. Your holiday strategy will become a blueprint for you and your family’s two weeks off, so you want to make sure you get it right.

SO WHY ISN’T IT THE SAME WHEN YOU’RE BUYING A CRM SYSTEM FOR YOUR BUSINESS? So many times we hear how a business needs a CRM system, but when you dig a little deeper and actually look at the plans behind the decision, there are no clear objectives or goals.

Of course we all want “more sales” or “increased profit” or “better efficiency.”

We even use phrases like these in our own mission statement: “Increase your sales; make more profit; grow your business.”

But so what?!

How, exactly, is that CRM solution going to do those things for YOUR business?

When you start out looking for your new CRM solution, you first need to look at exactly why you need that system. Who in your business is going to use it? What do they need it for? How will it fit it with what they’re already doing?

Once you’ve answered this, however, you’ve only got the barest outline of how your system will be configured. There are more questions to answer.

WHAT? Now that you know why you need a new CRM, you have to think about the goals you want to achieve with it. What are these goals? What will you use to measure whether or not you have met them?

With some clear objectives and ideas for metrics to gauge your progress, you’ll be able to flesh out that rough configuration outline with key points and goalposts.

CRM system will function and how your team will utilise it. This will give you a system that is tailored to your business and that can give you measurable goals to make sure it continues to earn its keep.

But if you aren’t willing to take the time to review your needs and focus internally on what you need to do, there’s no point in buying a CRM system.

If you aren’t sure what you do best, where you can do better, and get some targets set to measure your improvement, your CRM system won’t really be working for you. You’ll just be paying money out for something that is only half fulfilling its promise.

Sure your sales might increase and people might be working a little more efficiently, but you’ll never know if it is down to the CRM system or just coincidence.

Trust me, I’ve seen enough CRM implementations start off without clear goals that end up struggling and occasionally failing to know that taking this time is always worth it.

If you have any questions about OpenCRM, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you. Find us at www.opencrm.co.uk or drop us a line at hello@opencrm.co.uk

HOW? With this more detailed blueprint, you’ll be able to speak with your CRM provider to go through what you need the system to do and the key attributes your system will need to be logging. This blueprint will give your account manager something to build on.

Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

They will be able to work with you to go even deeper into the details of how your

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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Business Direction published by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

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CHARITYNEWS The Bishop and Kayley Seymour, Family Support Worker at The HOPE Centre

Volunteers work on the Community Garden

BISHOP OF HEREFORD VISITS FAMILY CENTRE The HOPE Family Centre, based in Bromyard, recently opened its doors to The Right Reverend Richard Frith from the Diocese of Hereford in November.

The Bishop and his wife, Kay, were invited to the Centre by its Chair, Jan Pearce-Higgins, to showcase the services and support that families and children can access.

He said: “I found The HOPE Family Centre to be a warm and welcoming place where access to help and support is available.

The local community is lucky to have such a wonderful resource and the staff and volunteer team work together in partnership to create an environment where everyone is made to feel valued and where trust and respect abound. The inclusive and holistic ethos of the centre is reflected in all areas, from the café to the Early Years department, enabling families, children and others in the community to access opportunities and support.”

Three years ago, local volunteers transformed a pocket of wasteland on a Droitwich estate into a Community Garden. National Lottery funding helped to further boost the transformation and three years later, it is still blooming!

The volunteers there are as hardy as the plants they tend but they are struggling to stay on top of the physical work, and the weeds in particular. They’re in need of some weed busting support and are looking to local businesses to help.

Perhaps you can spare a few staff for a morning, or day, in the spring to help us prepare the garden for the growing season? Or even spare an hour every week or two to help keep on top of things during the Summer?

For more information call The HOPE Family Centre on 01885 488495.

If you are interested in helping in any way you can, please call Chris Colley, Community Officer at Fortis Living on 01905 670271 or email ccolley@fortisliving.com.

www.hopefamilycentre.org

www.fortisliving.com

WORCESTERSHIRE BREAST UNIT HAVEN We are a new charity, the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven, established when the Worcestershire Breast Unit opened in 2016 on the site of the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Our aim is to be one of the best breast units in the UK, providing clinical services and assistance over and above what the NHS can offer. It raises funds to support two key areas: n The invaluable services of Breast Cancer Haven, who offer complementary therapies on site at the unit. n Any clinical needs of the team over and above NHS provision.

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VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR DROITWICH COMMUNITY GARDEN

The unit provides a comprehensive service under one roof; state-of-the-art equipment, including new digital mammogram and ultrasound machines for sole use of the breast unit. It is a more efficient service with patients getting results much quicker.

In addition we offer well-being evenings, Pink Ribbon Pilates courses and Look Good Feel Better Masterclasses.

Following our Sing Yourself Happy evening, we hope to establish a choir.

For 2017 we are planning yoga classes, T’ai Chi, coffee mornings and support groups.

For more information, email: Jacquie. clements@nhs.net or Alexandra.craigie@ nhs.net or call 01905 733786.

WORCESTERSHIRE HOSPICES JOIN FORCES Three Worcestershire hospices - who together support more than 4,600 patients and their loved ones in the county each year - have joined forces to encourage support from corporate partners.

St Richard’s in Worcester, KEMP in Kidderminster and Primrose in Bromsgrove provide free, expert care to adults living with life-limiting illness and offer support to their families. Together they cost over £10m each year to run and rely on donations for 72% of their income.

St Richard’s Fundraising Director, Tricia Cavell explained: “Together the three hospices make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of patients and their loved ones every year...Our business partners can help make a difference to the one in three people who will be touched by hospice care. Whether making a straight forward donation, taking on a team-building challenge, attending an event, taking on a volunteering project or choosing Worcestershire Hospices as your Charity of the Year – we can work with you all the way to ensure success for all involved.”

To find out more please contact tcavell@strichards.org.uk 01905 763963; Lindsey@Primrosehospice. org 01527 871051; or Cathy.Sloan@ kemphospice.org.uk 01562 756000.

January/February 2017

CHARITYFEATURE

HOW SUPPORTING A CHARITY’S WORK CAN BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS Businesses in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are being urged to make older people the focus of their corporate social responsibility policy in 2017.

The appeal comes from Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire, a local independent charity and brand partner of Age UK nationally. The organisation is increasingly working with local businesses on programmes that help older people for example, combat the effects of loneliness and also provide value for money support services.

The charity represents the views of older people and delivers services to help people live independently at home and maintain, or enhance their wellbeing.

Employing 90 staff, supported by more than 160 volunteers, Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire has an average of 225

contacts with older people a day creating a lifeline for many of them.

Chief Executive Officer Philip Talbot, believes “Working with businesses benefits both parties. They help us become more business-like and effective by sharing their skills and experience; we help them grow their corporate image within the communities we both serve”

organisation such as ourselves can also be good for staff morale. There is plenty of research which demonstrates that staff who volunteer are happier and healthier.”

You can find out more about working with Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire by contacting Jane Longmore on 01905 740950 or email marketing@ageukhw.org.uk.

“Businesses are part of the heart of our communities and to be seen helping an

WALK THE BLINDFOLD MILE SATURDAY 22ND APRIL 2017 - WORCESTER CITY CENTRE Sight Concern Worcestershire is inviting businesses to get involved in this unique team-building event.

You will walk in pairs, one blindfolded, one sighted, along a designated mile long route. Your partner will guide you, you can take turns, and at the end, you will undertake a number of sensory challenges to complete everyday tasks.

Take part to experience some of the challenges that blind and partially sighted people overcome each day and to support the vital services Sight Concern provides to help people to overcome these challenges. £10 per person booking fee is required and we ask you to raise as much as you can to support our work.

For more information Log on to our website: www.sightconcern.co.uk/ blindfoldmile Call: 01905 332914 or email: Penny Weir at: p.weir@sightconcern.co.uk Book your place online at: skiddle.com/e/12781901 This event is proudly supported by Paralympic Silver Medallist swimmer Rebecca Redfern, featured in the picture above.

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

Sight Concern Worcestershire is your countywide charity helping blind and partially sighted people to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

FB /sightconcernworcestershire Twitter @sightconcern Sight Concern Worcestershire, The Bradbury Centre, 2 Sansome Walk, Worcester WR1 1LH Charity Reg No 1136716 Company Reg No 07258623

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NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH BROMSGROVE

KIDDERMINSTER

ROSS-ON-WYE

ASB Operations Ltd

Allen Hydraulic Engineering Ltd

Capitol Imagesetters Ltd

01562 852 436

01989 769 651

www.allenhyd.co.uk

Large Format Printing www.capitolimage.co.uk

0800 075 6699 Housing Association & Local Authority www.asbrespectline.com

Camonets Limited

01527 559 205 Online Retail www.camonets.com

Penguin Office Supplies

0845 222 2456 www.penguinoffice.co.uk

Bissell Park

01562 701 201 Equestrian centre & Wedding Venue www.bissellwood.co.uk

Human Resources Consulting, Coaching, Women in Business www.sbwpeople.co.uk

HEREFORD

07714 237 449 Interim Executive Management and Strategy Consultancy www.salesnova.co.uk

LEDBURY

01905 619 144

Protective Coating Supplier www.uniquepolymersystems.com

www.crescentinteriors.com

01531 633 717 Financial Advisors www.winnelldouglas.com

GWP Formus

SW&A Accountants

01905 622 202 www.swanda.co.uk

OUT OF AREA

MALVERN

HR Champions

Jolliffe Plumbing & Heating

HR & Training www.hrchampions.co.uk

01684 575 976

01452 331331

www.jolliffeplumbing.co.uk

01432 598 041 Photoglide Ltd

01684 325025 Professional Specialist Photography Company www.photoglide.co.uk

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www.cartwrightking.co.uk

Crescent Interiors

Business Continuity Management Consultancy www.continuoussolutions.co.uk

Digital Marketing www.lindenmarketingandpublishing.com

0116 253 9222

01531 636 300

Winnell Douglas

Linden Marketing and Publishing Limited

WORCESTER

Unique Polymer Systems Ltd (T/A) Environmental Emission Control UK Ltd

01432 851 352

Professional Services/Software www.gwpformus.com

Promotional goods www.clearbranding.co.uk

Cartwright King Solicitors

Continuous Solutions Ltd

01432 373 620

Clear Branding Ltd

01584 819 777 Sales Nova Limited

SBW People Limited

07837 886 201

TENBURY WELLS

Kingfisher Leisurewear Ltd

01584 877661 Print and Embroidery on clothing www.gocustomclothing.com

January/February 2017

NEWPEOPLETODOBUSINESSWITH

CLEAR BRANDING LTD Who are Clear Branding and what do we do? Clear Branding is the new name for an exciting new initiative born out of the merger of two industry leading promotional goods providers, with an extensive heritage of materials, print and solving our customers problems.

Our mission is to help our clients grow their companies and better develop their brand and identity through high quality branded and personalised promotional products and merchandise.

We have over 3,000 clients benefiting from our hassle free one

stop shop approach to promoting their identity. Aspects of our promotional solutions include, but are not limited to: badges, plaques, awards, conference, clothing, drinkware, bags, office, sport and technology.

We are keen to listen to your needs and provide an innovative solution complimentary to the ambitions and direction of your business. If you think we may be able to help, please call 01584 81977, email sales@clearbranding.co.uk or visit www.clearbranding.co.uk and www.clearbrandingsolutions.co.uk

CONWAY LOGISTICS CONSULTANTS PHOTOGLIDE SPECIALIST PHOTOGRAPHY Photoglide is a professional specialist photography company based in Malvern, Worcestershire in the heart of the West Midlands, delivering images through the use of our very own ground breaking technology.

We provide 360 Product Photography, Time-Lapse, Special Effects, Motion-Control, Slow-Motion and Elevated Photography to businesses throughout the UK. Photoglide works with a diverse range of industries to provide solutions to our customers’ needs, by turning images into powerful sales tools. People remember 80% of what they see and just 20% of what they read; at Photoglide our dedication, experience and deep knowledge gives us the competitive edge to create the highest quality, most cost effective photography.

We are constantly innovating; creating systems and testing new technologies, making us much more than your average photography company.

If your needs are out of the ordinary, our in-house team of engineers can create a bespoke photographic solution for you.

Tel. No. 01684 325025 Email: hello@photoglide.co.uk www.photoglide.co.uk

Based in Bromsgrove, Conway Logistics Consultants aims to provide logistics solutions and support to small-medium sized businesses in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area.

hands on solution. This could be simply driving a HGV vehicle to resolve a short term problem or it could include full fleet management and operator licence compliance.

Conway Logistics Consultants specialise in Hazardous Goods advice, Carrier Management, Transport Solutions, Operator Compliance, Freight Forwarding, Fleet Management and Contract Management. With over 25 year’s experience, Alex Howse CMILT has the knowledge and qualifications to be able to confidently advise and solve complex logistics problems, or to offer a

We offer a free initial consultation to all members of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, and suggest viewing our website or emailing enquiries@ conwaylogisticsconsultants.co.uk for more details. www.conwaylogisticsconsultants.co.uk

AACE LTD The AACE group is an agile and trusted technical services solutions provider with a strong heritage in the Aviation sector.

We specialise in delivering airworthiness system safety engineering, logistics and operational support assurance to both the public and private sectors.

A specific area of strength is the authoring, publishing, maintenance and configuration control of technical publications. In our third year at the Malvern Business Park, the AACE team has increased workload by 30%. Utilising information supplied from project requirements to OEM supplied datasets, we produce manuals/document sets and illustrations from CAD packages.

Experts in document layouts and formats, achieving the customer requirement is our key strength and our priority is to

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

AACE Team Training

achieve 100% customer satisfaction. The locally employed team are looking forward to 2017 and are available to assist you in the creation and management of your publications.

Please contact enquiries@aace.co.uk or martin.hopkins@aace.co.uk for more information. www.aace.co.uk

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MOVERSANDSHAKERS

BEN DREW, OPTIONS TRAINING ALLAN SULLIVAN, DRIVER HIRE Driver Hire – DH Recruitment (Hereford & Worcester), are pleased to announce the appointment of Allan Sullivan as Business Development Manager.

Allan has over 40 years sales, marketing and management experience gained predominantly with H P Bulmer, H J Heinz, Phillip Morris and Gallaher. Most recently Allan held the position of Commercial Director for one of Moscow’s leading executive search and recruitment companies, where he was responsible for assisting international and Russian clients in the legal, FMCG and B2B industry sectors. www.dhrecruitment.net

Growing training provider Options Training, part of the eResponse Group, has appointed a new director as it addresses a surging demand for apprentices and staff with the latest skills.

Ben Drew has been promoted to a new role of Business Development Director at the eResponse division which provides bespoke training and workplace learning programmes.

Mr Drew is now responsible for extending the reach of the Worcestershire-based group by building training links with partner businesses, awarding bodies, and through the creation of an innovative online learning platform. www.optionstraining.co.uk

18 year old Courtney (left) with Jo Frost, Worcestershire County Council (right)

GROWTH FOR THE GREEN FINGERS PROJECT A Worcestershire County Council project has taken on a new traineeship and apprenticeship. The Green Fingers Project, which engages Looked After, Adopted and Kinship young people in artistic, horticultural and healthy lifestyle activities, now has a business and admin apprentice and a gardening traineeship.

The traineeship is being run through 2 Counties Training and Evesham College. The apprenticeships will be run with the Heart of Worcestershire College and Pershore College and the young people will receive extra support in the form of a mentor.

KYLE BARTRAM, ECL-IPS After finishing his GCSE exams, Kyle came straight to Ecl-ips as an Apprentice Project Engineer.

Kyle will be put through a lot of training and will learn every aspect of being a project engineer within the company.

Kyle will work with the current project engineers to configure and install systems and solutions on site, making sure that each one is set to the highest standard possible and ensuring customers' satisfaction. www.ecl-ips.com

www.greenfingersproject.com

JENNIE HERMOLLE, HEREFORD COLLEGE OF ARTS

L-R Alistair Hayward-Wright and Gareth Wood

GARETH WOOD, HAYWARD WRIGHT ACCOUNTANCY GROUP Gareth Wood has been promoted to the position of director at accountancy firm Hayward Wright. The management accountant joined the firm in 2014 and has since played a key role in the group’s expansion and client growth plans.

Managing Director Alistair Hayward-Wright said: “Gareth is a first-rate accountant and someone with the ability to give clear and concise advice. His promotion is well-deserved.”

Hayward Wright has offices in Redditch, Worcester and Solihull. www.haywardwright.co.uk

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CLARE CROSS, PROFESSIONAL CALL MINDERS

Jennie Hermolle has been appointed by the College as the new Head of Communications. She takes over this senior management role from Kate La Barre, the outgoing Marketing Manager.

Rebecca commented: “I’m looking forward to applying the range of skills I’ve acquired to this new challenge. Hale are a great team that I’m sure I’m going to enjoy working with”.

The Worcester based independent call centre has grown year on year since the business started in 2005. The company provides telephone answering and telemarketing services to a range of businesses.

Clare’s previous experience of owning, running and selling a successful call centre will be invaluable for the next stage of this exciting business.

Jennie will be responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external communications strategies to meet College objectives and build on Hereford College of Arts’ profile and reputation. She brings an impressive range of experience to the role in brand, marketing and PR having worked for a cross-section of companies.

www.hale-events.com

www.professionalcallminders.co.uk

www.hca.ac.uk

REBECCA THOMAS, HALE EVENTS Hale Events are delighted to announce that Rebecca Thomas has joined the team as an Accounts & Office Administrator.

Following their acquisition of the Hotel, Catering & Retail Show last year, Hale Events now run five successful trade shows and have expanded their staff numbers.

January/February 2017

MOVERSANDSHAKERS

Robert Capper, Head of Commercial with Joanna, Richard and Rob Cobley (Partner)

NEW MEMBERS FOR LAWYERS’ STRONG COMMERCIAL TEAM Making the move from Jaguar Land Rover, intellectual property (IP) and commercial lawyer Joanne Glaze has joined Harrison Clark Rickerbys to boost their strong commercial law team in Worcester. Associate Richard Williams has also joined the Worcester team, bringing considerable experience both in the UK and abroad.

Robert Capper, head of the commercial department, said: “I am delighted to welcome both Joanne and Richard to the firm – their experience and specialist skills complement the team and I know that their expertise will be much valued by clients.”

L-R: Kayley Seymour and Heidi Mulholland

FAMILY CENTRE WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEES The HOPE Family Centre, based in Bromyard, has welcomed new members of staff following a successful recruitment drive, signifying the ongoing success of the Centre.

The new recruits are: Heidi Mulholland, Family Support Team Co-ordinator; Kayley Seymour, Family Support Worker; Lou Galloway, Contact Centre Co-ordinator; and Carly Roper, Early Years practitioner.

Other new employees include Tanya Burden, Family Support Group Worker; Jo Hyde, Early Years Practitioner and Cheryl Balsdon, cleaner. www.hopefamilycentre.org

INSIGHTCONXS STRENGTHENS BOARD Insightconxs is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Director. Adrian Hughes has supported the business from its infancy, but now joins the company full time to support the continued growth enjoyed over the past two years.

Having grown Cloud Voice/ IT companies previously from start up, Adrian sees the opportunity at Insightconxs as very exciting. Over the past two years, Insightconxs has now embedded itself as a premier local provider of Cloud IT Services and is positioned well for further expansion. www.insightconxs.co.uk

Ryan Hughes and Sarah Price

NEW STARTERS AT ISO QUALITY SERVICES LTD ISO Quality Services Ltd are pleased to announce that they have hired Level 4 Digital Marketing Apprentice Ryan Hughes. Fresh from completing his Level 3 Diploma in Digital Marketing, Ryan has joined the team in a permanent position to complete his Level 4 qualification.

The company are also pleased to announce that they have hired Sarah Price to join the Client Services Department.

Sarah has experience working in finance for Atkins both in the UK and in Dubai and holds NVQ Levels 1-3 in Management. www.isoqsltd.com

www.hcrlaw.com

KAREN ROSS, LANYON BOWDLER ELLEN CONRY, SME SOLICITORS SME Solicitors is showing its commitment to supporting local young talent with the promotion of Paralegal Ellen Conry to Trainee Solicitor.

Ellen, aged 26 from Worcester joins the firm’s other (now second year) trainee solicitor Will Cadbury and is in the first year of her training, having been working for 13 months as a Paralegal in the Conveyancing team at SME Solicitors. The training period lasts two years, during which time Ellen rotates in six monthly seats over four departments. www.smesolicitors.co.uk

A Herefordshire law firm has announced a major new appointment as it begins an expansion of its residential property services.

Karen Ross has taken up her post as a senior conveyancer for residential property at Lanyon Bowdler based in the Hereford office but with specific responsibility for their new Bromyard office.

MICHELLE HARTSHORN, MFG SOLICITORS mfg Solicitors have appointed a specialist lawyer to lead its newly-launched medical negligence and personal injury team.

Michelle Hartshorn has joined mfg as an associate from a West Bromwich-based practice after a successful 20-year career handling a variety of clinical negligence and personal injury cases.

Karen will be working with the already well known team in the Hereford offices and helping clients with their residential property needs across Herefordshire, including Leominster as well as Bromyard and Hereford.

The new team is providing advice to people who have suffered serious injuries at work, as well as those injured in road traffic collisions, victims of abuse and people suffering the effects of medical negligence – including misdiagnosis, surgical errors and cancer-related treatments.

www.lblaw.co.uk

www.mfgsolicitors.com

Business Direction published by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

BRIAN MORGAN, RIMILIA Rimilia, the leading finance software company, has announced a major change to its executive team structure, with the appointment of Brian Morgan as Operations Director.

In the new position, Brian Morgan will be responsible for delivering business services to many of the top companies worldwide. He will be also accountable for contributing to Rimilia’s overall strategy and strategic corporate partnerships. www.rimilia.com

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LASTWORD

MARCH/APRIL FOCUS - SKILLS

2016 AGM and Conference in the Costa Del Sol, Spain.

For the Last Word, Sophia Haywood, Policy Executive at Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, discusses the skills shortage in the two counties and what we can expect to see in 2017.

Sophia Haywood, Policy Executive at Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

2017 CHARITY GOLF DAYS Join the Chamber Golf Society for some great golf networking opportunities this New Year.

Wednesday 10 May - sponsored by HomeXperts Golf Course: TBC Wednesday 21 June Golf Course: The Herefordshire Golf Club

SKILLS REMAINS A CRUCIAL ISSUE FOR BUSINESSES IN HEREFORDSHIRE & WORCESTERSHIRE It has become a common trend in our Quarterly Economic Survey data that over half of businesses, time and time again, struggle to hire suitable staff. Skilled manual and technical roles, followed by professional and managerial roles, are the hardest for businesses to fill. It is for this reason that skills remains at the forefront of the Chamber Business Manifesto for 2017.

Recruitment troubles, combined with concerns over Brexit, are particularly pertinent for local businesses that employ from the EU. The community will want to make sure that current and future employees feel welcome to live and work in the two counties. With an ageing workforce, we should not underestimate the importance of EU workers in this country and how much they contribute to our local economy.

The Apprenticeship Levy will come into effect in April 2017. Businesses need to make sure they are prepared for the levy, however despite this, many are still unaware of what the levy is and how it will affect them. It’s not just large businesses that will have to pay the levy; in a recent British Chambers of Commerce Survey,

30% of medium-sized businesses (50–249) fell under the scope for payment. Only a quarter of these businesses expect to recover all or most of their levy payment suggesting that for most businesses, it will feel like an additional tax.

The Chamber will continue to champion these issues and work to influence government legislation. We are fortunate to have the support of our local MPs in addressing this challenge and look forward to work with them on bridging the gap between business and education in 2017.

CAREERS FAIRS We have seven Career Fairs lined up for 2017, taking places in schools across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The skills issue is a two way street - businesses and the education sector must work together to prepare our counties’ young people for the world of work.

If you would like to get involved in exhibiting at one of these events, whatever your size and sector, visit www.hwchamber. co.uk/careers-fairs, email events@ hwchamber.co.uk or call 01905 673 600.

We’d love to hear the latest news and achievements from your business – please send your 150 word stories to businessdirection@hwchamber.co.uk by Thursday 26 January. For more information visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/business-direction

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Wednesday 4 July - sponsored by Nicklin Business Advisers and mfg Solicitors Golf Course: Kings Norton Golf Club Wednesday 20 September - sponsored by CB, Chartered Accountants Golf Course: The Vale Golf & Country Club Booking details are available from www.amrosgolf.co.uk, or contact Neil Bettridge at sales@amrosgolf.co.uk, 07792 62035.

BCC ANNUAL CONFERENCE Join a high-level audience of business decision-makers, policy makers and the Chamber network on Tuesday 28 February at the QEII Centre in London. Topics include: n Growing Business in the Regions and Nations n Brexit: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity n Keeping the UK Competitive – vision 2030 Early bird tickets available before Tuesday 10 January 2017.

Visit www.hwchamber.co.uk/ bcc-conference to find out more.

January/February 2017

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The first Herefordshire showcase for the defence and security industries.

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Senior level speaker programme

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