Apprenticeships and their value to the workforce of the future

Mark Smith - Commercial Banking Relationship Director at Lloyds Banking Group and President of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce - shares his positive approach to apprenticeships.

Mark says: “Lloyds Bank see apprenticeships as an essential part of the commercial economy. We’re thrilled to be able to support and shape the future of the workforce - in every sector - ensuring that the expertise of today continues into tomorrow.” Indeed, Lloyds Banking Group celebrated the recruitment of its 10,000th apprentice with a series of events earlier this year to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2023.

The Group’s apprenticeship schemes have grown over the years. Only six roles were available in 2012; now, the company employs around 200 apprentices. They also provide 30 apprenticeship programmes available to around 1400 people, starting from level 2 - GCSE equivalent - to level 7, equal to a master’s degree. Over the years Mark has been delighted to work with and support Herefordshire & Worcestershire Group Training Association (HWGTA), one of the leading apprenticeship organisations in the two counties. HWGTA supports employers from small local businesses up to large international companies in recruiting, developing and training their apprentices. Many other local organisations also celebrated their successes with a variety of events including open days, careers fayres and a double-decker ‘apprenticeship bus’ which hit the Worcestershire roads.

Mark concludes: “It is of utmost importance that we continue to develop the workforce of the future through apprenticeships and beyond.”

Blue Print takes steps to meet 2023 head on!

We might be in the middle of an economic crisis with prices rising and budgets squeezed but at Blue Print Direct Mail in Droitwich, they have been recruiting to make sure they have the right staff to meet client needs this year.

They have recently been in the fortunate position of recruiting several new members of staff with the purpose of these hires being to bring more of the processes behind mailings in-house, thus affording greater control, flexibility and cost effectiveness. They are able to design, artwork, audit/sort data, print, personalise, enclose and release to the mail network themselves. They do not act as a print management company simply passing on client’s work to a third party with a mark-up included.

This is what makes them stand out in the direct mail industry and make a difference to client relationships.

“We have had clients report that they find us very supportive when they are working with us and we’re keen to demonstrate that to others who use direct mail as part of their marketing activity” says Jo Widdowson, Marketing Manager.

For more information on how Blue Print Direct Mail can help with your print and direct mail requirements, email sales@bpdm.uk

Terms and Conditions of Sale – why are they important?

Increasingly gone are the days when you can just do a deal on a handshake. A litigation aware customer base, regulatory requirements, and good customer care, calls for the need to have agreements recorded in writing.

Generally speaking, terms and conditions set out the basis on which the parties are going to contract, what is being supplied, when and for how much, and importantly what the parties remedies would be if things go wrong.

It is important to ensure that terms and conditions are regularly reviewed – at least once a year and certainly whenever you change how you do business – move online, use different delivery methods, change the way you take orders or change the type of products/services you sell.

Different rules apply where your customers are private individuals (consumers) or businesses. The sales platform may also attract special rules regarding the information you have to give and how a contract might be cancelled. The type of product/service you sell may also

DEFRA’s new five-year plant biosecurity strategy features Hereford-based Wyevale Nurseries

One of the country’s leading commercial nurseries based in Hereford is featured as a case study in DEFRA’s recently published five-year plant biosecurity strategy – it also quotes the company’s Production Manager, Kyle Ross. The document covers areas of potential regulation and opportunity and explains how increasing domestic production will make an important contribution to reducing the risk of importing harmful pests and pathogens.

Andy Johnson, Managing Director of Wyevale Nurseries, says: “We’re delighted to be included as a case study in this strategy document. The case study relates to how we were an early supporter and adopter of the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme, which we’re very proud of.”

DEFRA’s comprehensive, five-year plant biosecurity strategy, which has just been published and runs from 2023 until 2028 is available here: www. gov.uk/government/publications/ plant-biosecurity-strategy-forgreat-britain-2023-to-2028

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk attract special rules regarding when it could be considered faulty. It can be extremely useful and is sometimes compulsory to record these things in your terms and conditions.

Thursfields’ Commercial Team can assist you in ensuring your terms and conditions work for your business.

For more information call 0345 20 73 72 8 or email info@thursfields.co.uk