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Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Sussex Chamber of Commerce currently represents over 1,000 member businesses. Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce offers access to invaluable business advice, money saving benefits, networking opportunities and provides a voice for businesses at a local, regional and national level. Business Edge is delivered free of charge to all Sussex Chamber of Commerce members as well as key business decision makers across the county. It has a circulation of 4,000 copies per issue.

Business Edge is a Sussex Chamber of Commerce publication.

If you have any stories you would like to tell us about or any comments please drop us an email at enquiries@

sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Unit 4, Victoria Business Centre, 43 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing 3rd Floor Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 5805990 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Welcome to our Business Edge magazine!

Ana Christie Chief Executive Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Businesses are the driving force of the UK economy. Their creativity, hard work and acumen are what makes us one of the world’s strongest and most resilient economies, and they deserve recognition for the crucial role that they play. The Chamber Business Awards are the perfect opportunity to celebrate our business community’s achievements, to take stock of the outstanding performances of UK businesses and to encourage and inspire others. The Chamber Business Awards is one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business award programmes which will open up again for entries in March 2019.

The 53 accredited Chambers in the UK are trusted champions of businesses, places and global trade. The Chambers provide a voice to the business communities they represent, amplifying their priorities and concerns. On the 28th March 2019, the British Chambers of Commerce will be holding their Annual Conference at the QEII Centre in London which will explore the subjects most relevant to UK business.

The Conference is a must for business leaders. Chamber members receive discounted tickets.

Our magazine is packed full of amazing member stories. Membership provides many benefits, services, and savings. Please speak to the team to find out more and make the most of your membership.

Enjoy reading the latest Business Edge. I look forward to seeing you at one of our events or training courses. For further information please contact the Sussex Chamber on 01444 259 259.

The British Chambers of Commerce sit at the heart of the Chamber network that spans the length and breadth of the UK, with links to markets across the world.

ADVERTISING Angie Smith, Business Development Manager, Distinctive Publishing 3rd Floor Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 5805990 angie@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

CONTENTS

FEATURE EDITOR

welcome

Ellen Rossiter ellen.rossiter@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

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DISCLAIMER Distinctive Publishing or Business Edge cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Edge.

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cover feature

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chamber campaigning

34-35

chairmans column

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sussex showcase

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business matters

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business matters

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sussex showcase

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hospitality and events

ask the expert

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business matters

fine print

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finance focus

business matters

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sussex showcase

business support

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sussex showcase business matters

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training and events

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chamber news

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sussex showcase

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construction focus

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new members

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inspirational leaders

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five minutes with...

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Celebrating 25 years supporting children and young people with learning disabilities in and around Mid Sussex Samantha Norgate - Fundraising Co-ordinator (Business, Community and Events) is thrilled that in their special 25th anniversary year, Kangaroos has been chosen by Sussex Chamber of Commerce as their local charity to support for 2019 and part of her busy role is to engage and encourage businesses to support such a worthy cause.

Samantha Norgate Fundraising Co-ordinator Kangaroos

History - Kangaroos was originally set up in 1994 by a handful of parents of children who attended Court Meadow special needs school in Cuckfield, West Sussex.

At that time there was no real provision for after school, weekend or holiday activities for children with special needs in that area and parents were keen that their children could be given the opportunity to enjoy a social life out of school like any other child enjoys and takes for granted, and this is still Kangaroos ethos today.

Originally a Saturday Playscheme with 6 children, Kangaroos now provides year round clubs and trips out for over 200 young people. Kangaroos does not only cater for children, it has a wide ranging social programme for young adults, many of which joined Kangaroos from its early beginnings and remain today. Kangaroos has played an important part in their difficult transition period from childhood to adulthood.

Parent testimonial - ‘Kangaroos is a fantastic charity with amazing staff and volunteers.

Our son loves going there to see his friends and enjoys the wide variety of activities on offer. It is a very caring environment and the staff are very experienced. Kangaroos has helped us as a family and I would highly recommend them.’

Corporate and Business Support With the constant threat of government funding cuts and charitable grants being squeezed, corporate and local business support is essential for the sustainability of organisations like Kangaroos which provide vital services in this area for children and young adults with additional needs in and around Mid Sussex.

Business Testimonial ‘We wanted to support a small charity where our efforts would make a significant difference locally. It’s really important to our company that we can contribute in some way

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to the local community and we couldn’t be happier supporting such a worthwhile cause.

Kangaroos is such a brilliant charity doing amazing work.’

We also felt it important to stick with one charity. Many businesses offer support to chosen charities for a year, but then switch to another charity. We can see how this must make it difficult for small charities trying to forward plan. That is why we felt it was important to grow a relationship over a longer period.’

Kangaroos 5th Annual Charity Golf Day - Fri 10th May 2019 Mid Sussex Golf Club, Ditchling - Teams of 4 in each @ £55 per person to include a great golfing day out with lots of prizes to be won - Coffee and bacon baps. Shotgun start @10am prompt.

2 course meal / presentation of prizes/ Raffle / Auction - Golfers, sponsors, auction and raffle prizes needed! Contact sam@kangaroos.org.uk for more info.

‘The team are really supportive of building a relationship with Kangaroos and many have been involved in our fundraising efforts so far. There’s definitely a positive feel-good factor here about the work we are doing with Kangaroos. We are a rapidly expanding business and we’ve already noticed in our recruitment programme how our charity work is attractive to new recruits.

To find out more about Kangaroos visit

www.kangaroos.org.uk, facebook.com/ Kangaroos.midsussex or contact info@ kangaroos.org.uk Reg charity no: 1150202 Company no: 8273898

Ultimately, our commitment to CSR is about making a difference to our local community.

It is also having a positive impact on attracting, retaining and maintaining a happy team.’

‘We have seen first-hand what a difference the Kangaroos clubs make to the children and young adults who attend them and the valuable respite it offers to their families.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

The Creative Group CEO invited to 10 Downing Street Matt Turner, the CEO of The Creative Group, was invited to 10 Downing Street last month by the Small Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst, as part of a roundtable session to discuss what more the government can do to help small businesses after Brexit comes into effect.

The Creative Group is the parent company of four businesses which includes; Creative Pod, a full-service marketing agency, ECHO, a sponsorship brokerage, Printshop, a fullservice printing agency and SquareOne, a market entry specialist. Matt is incredibly ingrained in the Sussex business community, being a Patron of Chestnut Tree House, as well being one of the founders of Young Start Up talent, a community initiative aimed at budding entrepreneurs aged 18-25 looking to start their own business. All of this, of course, makes him incredibly well versed on the topic of small business and the impacts Brexit could potentially have on small business owners.

The event was set up by Emma Jones, who was appointed as Small Business Crown

Representative in 2016 and is the founder of Enterprise Nation. It is her role to identify barriers to small businesses doing business with public sectors, and is supporting the launch of the ‘open for business’ campaign to help show that the government is indeed open for business for SME’s in helping them bid for, and win more contracts.

Matt Turner, CEO of The Creative Group, said: “I was incredibly honoured to be invited to be part of such an initiative. It was such a surreal experience to walk up to the doors of 10 Downing Street, to offer my expertise on running small businesses.

The session was incredibly insightful and I believe the roundtable gave the government some valuable feedback to take forward.”

Opportunities for all in STEM Have you ever considered where your employees come from? Not their travel to work but their story of why and how they chose their particular career path.

Bronagh Liddicoat Head of STEM Sussex, University of Brighton

Your organisation will recruit staff to demonstrate a wide range of skills that allows problem solving to be approached from all angles, therefore building resilience within your workforce.

A new report Social mobility in engineering published last month by EngineeringUK revealed that less than a quarter of those working in engineering and manufacturing come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, compared with 26% in the total labour force.

It’s estimated that the UK will need at least 203,000 roles requiring engineering skills (Level 3+) to be filled annually through to 2024.

The engineering industry is wellrepresented in the South East as it represents nearly a quarter of the region’s workforce (23.4%) - higher than the rest of UK which is just under 19%.

However, as in the rest of the country, SE manufacturing and engineering businesses need to boost the numbers coming into the industry.

There is a compelling business case for the sector to harness and widen the talent pool to address the skills shortage.

According to research by the Boston Consulting Group and Sutton Trust, even a modest rise in social mobility could increase the nation’s annual GDP by 2% (equivalent to £39 billion).

The report suggests that more should be done to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study and succeed in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

It’s clear that business benefits massively if young people from all backgrounds can be made aware of the STEM career path opportunities. Over 10,000 young people of all ages and from all backgrounds attended the 2018 Big Bang Fair SE, part of Crawley STEMfest, at the South of England Showground at Ardingly at the end of June 2018. A showcase of innovative manufacturing and engineering from local employers.

Young people had the chance to meet industry professionals and enjoy hands-on engineering activities.

Research shows that this is an effective way of helping young people from all backgrounds to discover how fulfilling, diverse and exciting careers in modern engineering can be.

The 2019 Big Bang Fair SE will be held at Ardingly on 26-27 June 2019. For more information contact e: bigbangse@

brighton.ac.uk

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february/march 2019 business edge

Clatteratti open the show at 2018

Can it get any bigger or any better? It seems like it will do just that this year!

The 8th of May will see the 10th year spectacular Acumen Business Convention event at the Grand Hotel in Brighton bringing wonder and insight to hundreds of delegates across the South East.

You can always expect the unexpected at the Acumen Business Convention and this year, at its special edition 10th anniversary, it will top all others! Special live entertainment, an After Party(!), three Speakers Arenas (TED talk style), organised networking, Link & Learn sessions and a lot of Acumen surprises throughout the day.

Since 2009 Acumen Business Law has been staging the Acumen Business Convention, a unique annual event put on for the business community to promote, celebrate and learn from all aspects of the business world. This year marks the decade of this prestigious occasion with the special 10th year edition being held on 8th May 2019 at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. The convention has become an important event for the movers and shakers of the business scene in the South of England.

The convention speakers this year are second to none! They include a Special Tenth Anniversary Guest Speaker the one and only Tony Bloom who is the man behind the phenomenal transformation of the new Amex Stadium and the remarkable business success story of the now Premier League Club, Brighton & Hove Albion. A top Keynote Speaker, Simon Woodroffe OBE, the Founder of YO! Sushi, will also be

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featuring on the convention stage. Since appearing as an investor on Dragons’ Den, he has popped up everywhere from Question Time to ITV’s Millionaire’s Club.

Other guest speakers include Graham Moore, the co-founder of Humantopia, one of the country’s leading speakers and authorities on improving wellbeing for students and staff in the workplace and Jules White, the entrepreneur’s sales coach and author of Live it Love it Sell it. Jules brings great experience to the conference having won investment in the Dragons’ Den from Peter Jones for her business ‘Truly Madly Baby’ - the reason she is known as the real dragon slayer!

If this isn’t already exciting, this special year will see the launch of the Convention’s Speakers Arenas with six fantastic arena sessions showcasing local success stories, these include: Anthony Prior founder of Bagleman, Tom Druitt founder of The Big Lemon, Nigel Lambe of Bold Decisions, Sarah Rudder of Ginger Dog Development, Janet Gordon of Bluestarfish Consulting and Neil Laughton of Laughton & Co. The event has been inspiring the business leaders in the South East, as well as supporting local charities by ensuring the

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event supports a different charity every year. It attracts in excess of 300 business decision makers and is now recognised as the most prestigious and professional business conference south of London.

Besides knowledge, inspiration and the latest business trends, it provides its audience with the perfect platform to endorse their business in front of leaders and decision makers of established businesses. The programme line up exceeds itself year on year and attendance is increasingly in demand; it’s definitely the place to be in May! Every year most delegates have secured their tickets by the end of February and each year the event is sold out. With only limited places available at the large hall of the Grand Hotel, make sure you secure your ticket today and take advantage of the early booking offer by visiting Acumen’s convention website on www. acumenbusinessconvention.co.uk. You can find out all the latest information here and see the spectacular programme full of inspiration, knowledge and experiences that will be happening on the day. Of course, as with any Acumen Business Convention, there will be more uncovered on the day with that special touch of Acumen magic.

tel: 01444 259 259

february/march 2019 business edge

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Sussex Showcase - How productive are we?

In November 2018, the balanced measure of regional gross value added (GVA), along with both of its constituent parts, was awarded National Statistics status, following an assessment by the Office for Statistics Regulation.

Now this may not be the most staggering news around at the end of last year but is significant as it marks a shift away from GDP/head (Gross Domestic Product per person) as a measure of regional productivity. GVA is a measure of the increase in value of the economy due to the production of goods and services and therefore GVA/head is an equivalent (and better) measure of productivity.

Well, where do we stand? With a population of nine million people, the South East is the second most productive region in the UK (£29,415 GVA/head) but only around half as productive as London (£48,857). London’s productivity is also growing at 3.8% per year whilst the South East languishes behind (at 2.3%) all the other regions of the UK apart from Yorkshire and the South West.

How to tell if you are behind the marketing curve in 2019 Mark Brown Director, Applicado

Unless you are an emergency plumber or locksmith, there are 3 key online marketing trends that your business should be evaluating. If your marketing team is not thinking about how they can take advantage of these trends, then you are almost certainly behind the curve and leaving food on the table for your competitors. At Applicado, we have been busy implementing the following strategies in 2018 and are delivering transformative results for local businesses.

1. Hyper Geo Located Targeting You now have the ability to deliver banner and video advertising to specific street addresses and specify a radius which can be a couple of metres and upwards. Canny estate agents can target specific properties that have not sold through a competitor, or roads with the most lucrative opportunities. Outlets in shopping centres can target shoppers with their current promotions. Business to business? How about targeting expos or competitor locations. Car dealerships geo-targeting competitor lots down the street. Brainstorm to see if you can take advantage of this exciting opportunity.

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2. Messenger Marketing In today’s on the go mobile world, it is often preferable for a prospect to initiate engagement via a message. Rather than responding with a message that says we normally respond within a day, would it not be better to respond immediately with a sequence that allows you to deliver the answer to their query in real time, and if need be alert your sales person to get online and move the prospect along the sales process. There is an even bigger opportunity combining Facebook advertising and Facebook messenger.

Once a prospect has engaged with your campaign, you can send them Facebook follow up messages without having to pay Facebook again for the privilege. It’s the perfect complement to email marketing, with the bonus that over 90% of your messages will be read.

3. Video Marketing Video is a great way to convey a story about your brand or a promotional offer.

Just like TV advertising except its more efficient with measurable ROI. Video advertising works well when you craft the right message and put it in front of the right audience. So if you consider on average, over 98% of your website visitors do not contact you, using video remarketing is an awesome way to follow up and spur them to take the action you desire.

Of course there are many explanations for some of the differences - commuters living in our region but working in London, ageing nonproductive populations, rural economy, digital economy, but rather than feeling disappointed in our relative productivity, I see it as a challenge to add growth and income into the Sussex economy, following the example of many of the Sussex businesses showcased in this edition of Business Edge.

Regional variations in productivity (GVA/ head) - source; Regional economic activity by gross value added (balanced), UK: 1998 to 2017 - Office of National Statistics.

Region

GVA/head (£)

West Surrey

35,685

West Sussex (NW)

30,834

West Kent

29,057

Brighton & Hove

27,539

Mid Kent

24,296

West Sussex (SW)

22,793

East Sussex

19,348

UK Average

27,555

What would 10x’ing the leads from your web marketing do for your business?

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

David Sheppard Chairman Sussex Chamber of Commerce

DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER Degree apprenticeships bring together the best of vocational training and higher education and enable apprentices to combine university study with valuable ‘on the job’ training. The University of Chichester offers a range of degree apprenticeship options to suit the needs of local businesses.

Our Degree Apprenticeships: n Chartered Manager n Digital Marketer n Digital Technology Solutions (Software Engineer) n Digital Technology Solutions (Cyber Security Analyst) n Electrical/Electronic Technical Support Engineer n Mechanical Engineer n Postgraduate Teaching n Senior Leaders Masters Level (MBA)

FIND OUT MORE Find out about the University of Chichester’s degree apprenticeships at www.chi.ac.uk/apprentice.

Interested businesses should get in touch at apprenticeships@chi.ac.uk

sussex showcase

february/march 2019 business edge

The Edge: Sussex Showcase As we approached the end of 2018, it was a good time to reflect on what we achieved over the past year and our accomplishments across all aspects of our business and for our customers. It is the time of year that I especially like to take a moment, chat with my employees and ensure that they know they were and continue to be part of our ongoing success.

Kogo celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018; it was a great time to launch a new website and have fun with a “Find the Hearts” competition to coincide with Valentine’s Day, starting the year off in a good direction. As the Kogo team grew we had the challenge of finding more office space and in early spring a new home for the finance team was constructed in the corner of the warehouse; this, combined with reconfiguring the office layout, created an opportunity to expand both the technical and sales teams.

As we highlighted on our new website, our ongoing specialisation in cybersecurity attracted businesses who valued our proactive approach to addressing vulnerabilities that could and would be exploited by cybercriminals. With the additional demand on our technical services, attention was turned first to making sure we were GDPR compliant with a more efficient and robust document management system, then maintaining an excellent customer satisfaction experience and finally putting in place a level of management that would continue to develop the team.

Our first step was the implementation of IT Glue, a powerful IT documentation platform that integrated into our existing systems.

This allowed us to find, track, and monitor everything about our clients while securely holding that data, their digital footprint, in a vault behind a password-protected, multifactor authentication login. This provided

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that we were rated 2nd in the country against peers using the same CSAT system.

us with a best practice approach with unmatched efficiency, transparency, and consistency throughout our organisation when working with our clients.

This IT documentation system not only provided a centralised vault for our technicians, it also meant that our Account Managers were able to provide their clients with a runbook that showcased all their IT infrastructure including servers, workstations, operating systems, warranties, certificates, and software. With this ability to track assets, domains, and SSLs our clients felt more in control of their IT environment and therefore their budgets going forward.

The second step was a delightful outcome of the first, as our team became more productive and efficient our customer satisfaction rates soared. With over 1500 reviews in 2018, of which 98.8% were positive, it was quite an achievement when we found

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

The third step was an important move for Kogo: I was invited on to the Executive Council of CompTIA UK. CompTIA is the voice for the world’s Information Technology industry and has brought together the IT space to create an open dialogue between IT vendors and partners. I’ve been a member of this association for many years, and it was a great honour to be invited on to the Council. One of the benefits of becoming more involved was networking with other directors, and when they made the recommendation that I join IT Nation Evolve (formally HGT Peer Group), I did. This member-based community is helping me focus on my journey to grow and develop both my professional and personal life.

At their suggestion I hired an Operations Manager and stepped back from dealing with everyday issues so I could focus on the strategic direction of my company.

With a strong management team in place and regular meetings ensuring we are all moving forward in the same direction, I can look back on 2018 with immense satisfaction, knowing that I’m heading into this year from a secure position for growth.

Finally, just as 2018 ended I learned that I had been accepted onto the board of the Sussex Chamber of Commerce, where I will help champion cybersecurity and support the strategic direction of the company. The year couldn’t have ended on a better note!

tel: 01444 259 259

sussex showcase

february/march 2019 business edge

Sussex manufacturer at the forefront of plastics recycling Hastings cable management manufacturer Marshall-Tufflex is driving the recycling agenda in its sector by encouraging others within the industry to join it in increasing the use of recycled plastic.

The company, which employs some 120 people at two manufacturing sites in the town, has been using recycled plastic in its award-winning PVC-U cable management solutions for more than 20 years. On average its product range is made up of 80% recycled material, with some solutions being 100%. It is now calling on other cable management manufacturers, specifiers and electrical contractors to support it in driving up the sector’s eco credentials by specifying and using PVC-U trunking solutions with a minimum content of 50% recycled plastic.

“Our ultimate goal is for all PVC-U cable management specifications to state that systems should be manufactured from a minimum of 50% recycled plastic,” said MarshallTufflex CEO Paul Hetherington. “We wanted to start the conversation throughout the supply chain, from architects to end-user clients, encouraging everyone to make more informed decisions when selecting, buying, installing and using PVC-U trunking systems. We take our impact on the environment seriously and want the rest of the sector to join us; we’d like to see the whole plastics cable management industry reducing reliance on single use plastics and recycling as much as possible,” he added.

Continued investment in advanced technology has enabled the company, which produces more than 16 million metres of PVC-U cable management annually, to continually increase the amount of recycled material it uses. This depth of knowledge and expertise ensures its cable management remains top quality while being the most eco-friendly in the market – it now recycles top grade plastic equivalent in weight to 300 double decker buses annually.

“If more manufacturers joined us we could double or treble that amount, which would make a terrific impact on the environmental performance of our sector and really contribute towards a circular economy,” Mr Hetherington added.

Marshall-Tufflex works closely with recycling partners to secure high grade recycled plastic sourced from the window fabrication industry. Because it is window grade, the raw material is stronger and more robust than virgin extrusion grade PVC-U cable management material. Mr Hetherington continued: “Our focus has been on quality and testing to maximise the recycled content which also improves the quality of our products. It’s a programme that has worked extremely well and we are very proud to now be using such high levels of recycled material.”

“The film perfectly captures the passion and commitment we have for the environment,” said Marshall-Tufflex Marketing Manager Katie Barnes. “It showcases the beauty of our locality brilliantly, which only serves to reinforce our desire to do all in our power to protect the environment. We’re very proud to be using our staff in the campaign; Hannah, Craig, Dave, Rob, Debbie and Herbie the dog, who star in the film, really enjoyed being part of this project and helping to tell Marshall-Tufflex’s great environmental story.”

To promote its recycling ethos MarshallTufflex has produced a short film entitled ‘A Window into Cable Management’ featuring members of staff taking part in activities they are passionate about in the outdoor environment, all set against gorgeous East Sussex locations including the Seven Sisters Country Park and Hastings Country Park.

The short film was produced by the Drummer Agency in Heathfield.

Creative Director Toby Hamilton said: “By featuring members of the MarshallTufflex team in the campaign we were able to communicate their shared and common values in a really engaging and genuine way. We believe the end result is a powerful and emotive campaign that we sincerely hope will help Marshall-Tufflex achieve its environmental aims and bring about real change in their industry.”

The aim of the film is two-fold; to inform the market that Marshall-Tufflex products

See the short film at www.marshalltufflex.com/reassuringly-recycled

Movie stars

Paul Hetherington

are made from an average of 80% recycled material across their PVC-U ranges and to give an insight into the environmentally responsible philosophy and manufacturing process of the business.

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ask the expert

february/march 2019 business edge

Don’t be complacent with your online security

Leading Cyber Security specialists Blue Cube Security warn against any complacency in dealing with online threats.

Bob Marsh Professional Services Director, Blue Cube Security

Cyber Security is one of the biggest concerns for any modern business no matter how big or small. Hackers have always been a menace to the working internet-connected world but in the past few years they’ve gotten bolder, meaner, and they don’t care about hurting your business in order to wreak a little havoc or steal a few credit card numbers. Having firewalls, virus scanning programs, network monitoring and managed IT teams will all help you resist invasion, but there are things a hacker can find out simply by watching your internet traffic and, sometimes, malware manages to sneak in despite your best efforts. When this happens, your best defence is a clever combination of backups, detection triggers and, of course, encryption.

Encryption is the art of encoding your data in a way that strangers couldn’t possibly read and is the perfect defence against hackers who manage to get into your business or personal networks. Listed below are five of the most important times to use encryption when securing your business IT infrastructure.

1) Transmitting Login Information Login information is one thing that almost every single online platform has to deal

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with. From websites and online services to mobile apps and IoT devices, hackers have been gaining access to business networks and customer accounts through spoofed, guessed, or stolen login information for decades. Logins should always be encrypted from the moment they’re created and stored in your database to the moment the submitted credentials are transmitted when a user logs in on their personal computer or device.

2) Processing Digital Payments A hacker’s favourite game is collecting credit card numbers from digital payment processing. Anyone who handles credit cards is at risk including businesses with portable card readers. Your customers trust you to use their credit card information once and then store it safely or immediately wipe the information. Immediate encryption is the best way to ensure that hackers can neither ‘skim’ the data from your card reader or steal it from your business databases.

3) Storing Client Personal Data Along with credit card information, hackers have also managed to steal a dangerous amount of personal data from businesses with unsecured and unencrypted information. Any time you store anyone’s personal information, make sure that data is encrypted so it can’t be stolen in a security breach and lead to identity theft.

4) Protecting Sensitive Company Data

be targeted with the clever use of sensitive company data. Financial statements, internal procedure documentation, marketing strategies and trade secrets all fall into the category of sensitive company information you would want to keep encrypted.

5) Transmitting Personal or Sensitive Information Finally, even if you effectively keep hackers out of your business network with solid cybersecurity measures, they might still be able to steal your data while it’s transiting over the web. This means that any sensitive data you transmit from an app or platform to the corporate network or vice versa should be encrypted while in transmission.

For more information about how to protect your business give us a call at Blue Cube or join us at the next Sussex Chamber Cyber Security Forum.

Cyber Security - GDPR a year on We’ll be looking at how the guidelines have evolved - making sure you’re covering all bases – legal, security, technology, process & procedure and what should you be doing next Cyber Security Forum Holiday Inn, Gatwick Tuesday April 4th 8.00am – 10.30am To book your place: www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk/ events/chamber-events/cyber-securitygdpr-a-year-on

While your business can’t be personally attacked through identify fraud, you can

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tel: 01444 259 259

fine print

february/march 2019 business edge

Effective Negotiations in easy steps To negotiate: to confer with others in order to reach a compromise or agreement.

Matt Saunders Managing Director, Storm12

Storm12’s tips for video marketing Consumers love video. Over the past year it’s been recognised as one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers. That’s why, in 2019, the use of video to drive e-commerce sales is going to become increasingly widespread. But how can you refine what you produce to ensure that your video marketing is effective?

1. Create your own content – view it as an investment Dedicating resources to producing great quality video content will reap rewards. A video can be much more effective than written content when it comes to selling products and tends to be more shareable.

2. Be clear and direct Remember that many people watch videos with the sound off, so captions may be essential. It’s also wise to get straight to the point and avoid preamble, as you only have a limited amount of time in which to engage with your viewer.

3. Integrate customer content This could be reviews or testimonials, depending on what you have available. Including what your real customers think about your products or services can be incredibly effective when it comes to converting video marketing into e-commerce sales. It establishes authenticity and trust and taps into the current consumer trend for checking reviews before making purchases.

4. Be a storyteller As more and more brands start to engage with video marketing, the quality of what’s out there is increasing significantly. Without the video’s hook, it’s all too easy to get lost in the sea of content that can feel overwhelming to consumers trying to navigate it. Make sure your videos stand out by using them to tell a story.

5. Use video for product display It’s often difficult for customers buying online to get a real sense of the product that they are interested in. However, the use of 360-degree video can provide that essential missing visual data.

6. Remember to make it mobile responsive More and more consumers today are viewing videos on mobile devices.

This creates real opportunities for brands to reach out to connect with customers and potential customers using video content, as long as it has been designed for mobile.

That’s the dictionary definition. It’s something we do every day, like it or not. We can’t avoid it. It doesn’t have to involve contracts or business deals.

It might just mean agreeing a deadline for the task you’re working on, sorting out office accommodation or equipment for a new member of staff, or talking to your boss about your vacation plans.

Discussions of this kind may not be thought of as negotiations.

But often, in order to arrive at a solution all the interested parties can accept, you need to settle for less than you would ideally like. You need to give and take – in other words, to negotiate. Negotiations don’t have to be formal exchanges with a set agenda conducted around a table. They can be formal or informal; internal (with colleagues in your own organization) or external; bilateral (involving just one other party) or multi-party. They come in all shapes and sizes. They can take a couple of minutes or a couple of months.

Whether you have to negotiate contracts, you’re in sales and have to negotiate with customers or your organization has overseas interests and you’re involved in international negotiations, the principles and techniques of effective negotiation apply to all of these scenarios. Effective Negotiations in easy steps will show you how, in the familiar In Easy Steps style, with clear and easy steps and explanations, colour illustrations and hot tips.

About the author Tony Rossiter is a former diplomat and civil servant, who has negotiated on behalf of the UK. Since retiring, he has become a successful management consultant and trainer for management and communication skills courses. He has seven books to his credit and writes regular articles in a range of national magazines.

More info and images here: http://ineasysteps. com/products-page/all_books/effectivenegotiations-in-easy-steps/ .

Want to make your own video? Get in touch with Storm12

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13

business support

february/march 2019 business edge

The Future of CRM - Genuine Intelligence From An Artificial Source If you jump onto any tech blog or happen to come across some marketing material for IT giants, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic shaping the marketplace. But the term does seem to get overused and maybe undervalued at times AI is used to describe any type of automation, something which many often get away with due to a lack of detailed general knowledge.

To help clarify what these means in my industry, I’d like to look at some of the key AI advances I expect to see in the CRM market over the next 12 months which may shape the way tasks are performed intelligently on the behalf of you, our user.

Lead Forensics Most CRM systems are based, at their heart, around improving the efficiency of the sales process for a business. For generating new business, this typically starts at the Lead/ Prospect stage and for many Sales Directors, the key way to boost efficiency is to prioritise the needs of the highest value prospects.

This is done through something known as lead scoring.

Lead scoring isn’t something that’s new to the market, but it is something which I believe is often wrongly classed as ‘AI’ for purely marketing reasons. Currently, most CRMs score leads on fairly straight forward conditions, i.e if the prospective company size is 30+ or the expected spend is higher than average, give them a high score.

The CRM hasn’t really applied intelligence, it has just followed the rules set out by the administrator.

True intelligence would sit outside these rules, with the CRM using trends of the past to inform decisions of the future. Soon, we may see systems recommending next steps based on previous results of leads with a similar profile.

An example being leads from a certain industry over the last 6 months are taking longer to close on a deal. So instead of just giving them a medium score, your CRM extends the expected close date and adds a warning to that effect. It may even automatically schedule the a few extra calls in advance to maximise the chances of success.

When it comes to prospects, AI won’t just enable us to build up a score but instead, map out the ideal process which is tailored to their needs to get them over the line intelligently.

Pipeline Forecasting Almost an extension to the above, pipeline forecasting is used to give a manager information about how many sales are likely to come through in the future and what the revenue of those might be. This

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allows them to make plans related to hiring and other outgoings.

Soon enough I think we’ll see systems taking historic sales data, mapping it against data of the present, to give us intelligent insight into the future. Giving a secondary forecasting that maybe goes even further into the future.

Let’s simulate a second situation - from historic data, your CRM knows that Construction companies of employee size 10-20 close 50% at an average order value of £3,000. The CRM can then look at the current pool of prospects and, for those that meet the criteria, apply a baseline average expected revenue to give me a forecast of my prospects.

It would then update that on a rolling, daily basis using the newest data available, something a set of simple rules couldn’t do.

Contextual Recommendations As the name suggest, we need our CRM systems to help us better understand, manage and maximise the relationships with our customers. Whilst it’s undoubtedly true that they already play a major part in making this happen, with the data at hand and powerful computing, we need our systems to calculate the trends and highlight the issues we just can’t!

for this customer, that’s not normal and automatically schedules a call activity for their Account Manager to check in.

On the flipside, a customer who is regularly engaging with support (and raising lots of tickets) to expand their functionality goes quiet for a few weeks - again, the CRM system let’s their Account Manager know something might be amiss by scheduling an activity or raising a warning!

The intelligent thing here is the context. An automated system rule just wouldn’t cut it as every customer, their needs and their behaviours are entirely different. Soon CRM systems will be able to track hundreds of individual ‘norms’ and let you know when it’s time to step in!

Whether we like it or not, AI is on the horizon and won’t be disappearing any time soon!

For software organisations, it opens a whole new realm of possibilities and will allow customer the opportunity to transform the way they run their businesses and keep their customers happy!

To talk to a member of the OpenCRM team about how CRM software can benefit your brand, call 01748 473000 or visit the website: www.opencrm.co.uk

We’ll begin to see our CRM systems give us recommendations on next actions based upon the existing relationship with our customers.

Here’s a great example - a normally very satisfied customer suddenly starts raising a larger than average number of tickets with your support team in a short period of time. Your CRM system knows that,

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

business support

february/march 2019 business edge

Digital Startups – Inception through Growth more people, get external advice, build a presence in a new territory or for product development.

Some digital businesses are naturally scalable and might not need external investment to generate cash or increase turnover. These kinds of businesses can create new revenue streams, like wrapping up existing products and services as packages or adopting a subscriptionbased model. Notably, these work well for cloud-based solutions like those used for forecasting and accounts or for sales and lead generation.

Tariq Sayfoo, Senior Solicitor It’s that time, it’s time to scale up your business! This is the last of our three-part series on Digital Startups – Inception through Growth providing insights and guidance into key areas to help safeguard your business and put you in the best position to grow.

You’ve been commercialising your digital offering, you’ve built up a client base and now your focus is on growth. It’s true that not every business owner wants to grow their business, but sooner or later they’ll face the decision.

It’s no surprise that creating sustainable growth requires cash – whether it’s to hire

If external investment is needed, there are various options available including, equity finance (bringing in investors in exchange for shares), crowdfunding and good oldfashioned debt finance (bank loans). It makes sense to check ‘your house is in order’ before seeking external investment because you are, inevitably, inviting scrutiny of your business.

Here’s a handy list of things you can do: n If you’re running a private limited company, check the state of the constitutional documents and existing shareholdings. Do updates need to be made? If you have a shareholders’ agreement, how would this look to investors considering becoming shareholders?

n Check you’ve secured your IP (to the extent possible). Who owns key assets like your brand, domain names, designs, proprietary software and patents? Do they sit neatly within one entity or are they still owned by the founder? n Review your key contracts. Most digital businesses revolve around the licensing model. The licence terms are the essence of the business and tie it to the clients, without whom, there is no business. Review your terms for issues that were missed or simply weren’t anticipated at the outset.

If you employ people or use contractors, check your employment contracts or subcontractor terms. If you rely on sales agents to market and sell your solutions, review the contractual arrangements.

When were these last updated? Have there been any big changes that should be captured, like GDPR? The above is just a snapshot of things to consider, and each deserves consideration.

We can help put you in the best position to scale your digital business and get you ‘investor ready’. For more information, please call 0345 070 6000 or visit our website at www.emwllp.com

Cowan Architects is an award winning, local practice that has an established reputation across London and the South East for producing creative design solutions in a number of markets. With the experience of more than 35 years, we can offer: • Good relationships with local planning officers, conservation officers and building control • Expertise across Commercial, Health, Residential and Education sectors • Conservation and Heritage specialists • Passivhaus and sustainable design with low energy buildings • London edge with a regional touch • Services that include concept / feasibility studies, master plans, planning, building control, detailed design, cost planning and project management.

LONDON | WEST SUSSEX | DUBLIN T: 01342 410242 info@cowan-architects.co.uk www.cowan-architects.co.uk

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business support

february/march 2019 business edge

Outsourcing IT makes business sense Outsourcing IT can save businesses in the South East substantial sums of money every year and ensure technology and applications are always up-to-date.

For small and medium-sized businesses in particular, there are a number of key advantages to moving IT to an external managed services provider (MSP). These companies are often less likely to have a lot of in-house IT expertise and aren’t in a position to negotiate the best deals for network services.

Outsourcing helps control and reduce IT costs and enables a sharper focus on core business objectives. It also helps to avoid unforeseen expenditure in the future as IT costs will be much more predictable. An MSP can provide all the latest technology and applications, full back-up for all systems and data plus reliable monitoring.

Gary Jowett from Computer & Network Consultants in Brighton said: “An MSP can help you to minimise security risks and automate many processes to make your IT more efficient and do regular audits to ensure the technology is cost-effective and equips you with the tools needed to be more successful.”

Choose wisely Choice of an outsourcing partner needs to be done with care after a thorough analysis of the specific needs of your organisation.

Remember there can be pitfalls if you make the wrong choice. Cost alone cannot be the only measure.

For example, if you choose to use an off-shore solution, this needs to be fully evaluated before making the move. Certain off-shore services can offer significant savings in labour costs but the savings on the balance sheet need to be weighed against the quality of the service being provided by an overseas provider.

Quality outsourcing definitely removes the headache of managing your own IT when it isn’t your area of expertise. It also means the in-house IT team you retain has more time to concentrate on the strategic priorities,

IMAGINE HAVING ACCESS TO ALL THE BEST IT SERVICES.

aligning the IT estate with the organisation’s long-term goals.

Gary added: “There’s clearly no sense in a solicitor, accountant or engineer who has trained for years in their profession being waylaid by an IT problem because the network isn’t properly supported. With an MSP you establish service level agreements that impose penalties on the provider if they don’t support you as was originally agreed. This is a big incentive for the provider to ensure things run smoothly otherwise they won’t gain the profit margin expected from the deal.”

ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 27001:2013 Certified

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CNC provide the most comprehensive range of IT services in the South East including: – IT Support & Outsourcing

– Hosted Phones & Mobiles

– Internet Connectivity

– Security Services

– Installation & Infrastructure

– Cloud & Hosting

– IT Hardware & Software

– Disaster Recovery

– Cloud e-Mail Archiving

– Apple Support

– Mobile & Remote Access

– Virtualisation

– Off-Site Data Backup

– Office 365 & Azure

We would love to talk to you and offer a complementary systems & security check-up with no obligations to use our services.

— 01273 386 333 — sales@cnc-ltd.co.uk — www.cnc-ltd.co.uk

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business support

february/march 2019 business edge

Practical Compliance Sustainability Investing Ian Ashleigh Compliance Matters

Sustainability investing is set to be a hot topic in 2019 with environmental issues taking centre stage across many different aspects of our lives. In the financial services industry, we have fund managers talking about seeking environmental, social and governance information from companies as being one driver for investment decisions.

ESG, as it is referred to, is likely to be the acronym de jour in the New Year. The other acronym to watch out for is SRI, or socially (or sustainable and) responsible investment.

What does this mean, and what questions should you be asking your financial adviser?

First, let’s break down the acronym: n Environmental covers global environment issues, such as investing in renewable energy or the overall impact a company and its products has on the environment; n Social looks at how companies deal with ‘people’ issues such as fair pay and

equal opportunities for their employees, how they deal with suppliers and local communities; and n Governance relates to the way the Board and Senior Management operate – the ‘tone from the top’ which will percolate through the entire organisation. Common topics include executive remuneration and Board structure.

As part of their ‘know your client’ activity, many leading Financial Advisers have, for many years, been asking clients and prospective clients if they have a preference for investing in ethical funds. This was typically understood as meaning avoiding, say, arms, tobacco, alcohol etc and failed to recognise that issues like sustainability were also part of their client’s DNA. This was always seen as esoteric investing and clients were almost discouraged from investing ethically because of what was seen as a performance trade off. With the rise in popularity of model portfolios within advisory firms, asking for ethical funds is seen by some as even more of a chore because your adviser will need to construct a bespoke portfolio for you rather that using a standard model portfolio.

With the expansion and growing diversity of fund options – there are now over 40 such options - there are now tools available to help financial advisers build portfolios that incorporate the often-overlapping areas of sustainability, ethical, ESG and responsible investment strategies. This is increasingly becoming part and parcel of the consideration of investment committees when constructing model portfolios for clients.

With the development of this area, in part due to increasing awareness of environmental risks, sustainability investing looks likely to become an integral part of all conversations between financial advisers and their clients but, if you’re a consumer, don’t be afraid of starting the conversation – we aren’t quite there yet!

How can we help Compliance Matters UK Limited offers cost effective and practical guidance in respect of governance, risk and compliance to firms regulated by the FCA.

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sussex showcase

february/march 2019 business edge

Drallim wins Best Specialist Equipment Manufacturer 2018 The Team at the Drallim Group are delighted to have won this award from SME News, highlighting them as an innovative technology driven British engineering company.

David Mooney Managing Director Drallim

Drallim are a specialist manufacturer providing engineering skills, manufactured equipment & custom-built systems through 3 divisions: Aerospace, Industrial and Utilities. They are proud to win this award which recognises the creative and agile mindset of their loyal staff.

They have been successful by identifying very niche markets and providing unique solutions in a cost-effective manner, operating at the highest levels of quality necessary in safety critical industries. Not many companies of their size hold such a long list of accreditations; that takes time, money and dedication to achieve and

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maintain. (AS 9100 / 9001, BS 14001, BS 18001, MAA – DAOS and many others) Drallim has an unusual ownership in that its majority shareholder is a trust, set up for the benefit of the employees to maintain local jobs in engineering. In some ways this makes Drallim a very special place to work; a culture has developed whereby their people feel more appreciated than they would in many larger firms; a result is that they have a higher level of loyalty as people feel secure. Of course, staff still need to contribute by working hard and not all fit into the culture. A surprising number of those who have left, however, wish they could come back, having experienced working elsewhere.

Having won the contract to supply cargo hooks for the next generation Bell 525 helicopter, Drallim have demonstrated how they can provide good engineering jobs working on world class projects using British Technology. Being equipped with modern

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digital tools, equipment and the latest software enables Drallim to deliver their designs and products to market in good time. In their own small way, Drallim work to educate young people about careers in engineering, especially women who have much to contribute in our industry. This is the future for Britain, whatever happens in the final Brexit solution. Drallim will continue to develop new products and move forward.

The most recent development has been a device for telephone exchanges, which will ‘plug and play’ into an “internet of things” system to monitor the amount of water seeping into cables, which otherwise reduces the quality of calls and broadband services.

In 2018 Drallim were also awarded the accolade of “Industry Champion” for their work in supporting STEM educational activities. Looking forward, their mission remains as: Drallim: innovative people engineering quality products & contract services.

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business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

A Sign of Things to Come Local signage company Fastsigns Crawley has recently been taken over by three of its long term staff members – Melanie Martinez, Jose Martinez and Alan White. Melanie tells us about their excitement in taking over the business and their plans for the future.

Melanie Martinez Marketing Manager Fastsigns

‘Between us we have nearly 70 years of experience working for Fastsigns so buying the centre ourselves was always our long term goal. Murat our sign maker has also been with the Crawley centre for 20 years and I think our longevity is testament to the genuine enjoyment and passion we all feel for the business.

I was the first employee at the Crawley centre in 1995 with Alan joining me in 1998.

Jose was also the first Fastsigns employee in the UK at the pilot store in New Malden in 1993. As employees, we were able to focus on our own roles as well as developing our knowledge in every aspect of the business. This preparation put us in the perfect position to take on the challenge of ownership when Raj Vithlani agreed to sell us the business.

We have always loved our jobs and represented the company as though it was our own, but when it is finally yours it’s a wonderful feeling and that enthusiasm fuels you. The reaction and support we have received from our customers when we have given them the news has been overwhelming, particularly from those based locally, close to our centre within the Manor Royal Business District.

This is an extremely exciting time for us all, we know the business inside out and have wonderful long-term relationships with our existing customers. We are taking this on with a genuine passion for what we do and have plans to take Fastsigns to the next level. With the years of experience we have behind us as well as being blessed logistically, situated in the heart of the

Gatwick Diamond we feel everything needed is in place to enable us to achieve our goals.

Fastsigns International has over 700 stores worldwide in 9 countries and is at the forefront of the sign industry which means we have an incredible amount of resources at our fingertips as well as a great support network.

2019 has started well for us with the rebranding of the stadium at Crawley Town Football Club where we are a main sponsor and signage partner. The People’s Pension, also located in Manor Royal, are the new

stadium sponsor and working on their signage was a fantastic way to begin our year, giving us the opportunity to showcase some really innovative products.

We are confident that the future is bright for Fastsigns Crawley with new clients on the horizon as well as building on our existing relationships. We couldn’t be more excited about what 2019 will bring!’

For any Chamber members wishing to know a little bit more about what Fastsigns can offer please contact Fastsigns of Crawley.

We are confident that the future is bright for Fastsigns Crawley with new clients on the horizon as well as building on our existing relationships. We couldn’t be more excited about what 2019 will bring!

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construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Delivering the new Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Baxall are delighted to be partnering Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) in delivering the new Rye Harbour Discovery Centre. An exciting and unique project, the Centre will provide a modern, flexible community space housing training, education and meeting rooms alongside a café, retail, exhibition and information areas. Externally, a Community Wildlife Garden will create a quiet space for visitors to relax and enjoy the wildlife and some of the Reserve’s rare and endangered plant species.

This ecology-focused project is being led by Contracts Manager and Chartered Environmentalist Alan Leigh FCIOB, who maintains extensive experience and expertise in the specialist field of environmental construction and SSSI sites. Working collaboratively with SWT, the Environment Agency and Natural England, Alan and his team will ensure the correct and timely preservation and protection of flora and fauna habitats across the Reserve, including Sea Kale, Scarlet Pimpernel, Slowworms, Common Lizards and a diversity of nesting birds.

Mirroring SWT’s key objective to ‘create a learning environment’, Baxall will promote the same during the construction phase. As an important local community development, engagement and interaction will be encouraged by way of information boards, viewing windows, social media updates and newsletters. Community and school

engagement initiatives and education opportunities will be initiated by the site team both from a construction perspective and in support of SWT’s ecology, environmental and conservation campaigns and programmes.

A bespoke Construction Environmental Management Plan has now been submitted to Planners and the team will commence on site during Spring 2019. In the meantime, Baxall are working closely with key stakeholders including Rother District Council, Icklesham Parish Council and the Coastguard and developing operational and logistics strategies

which will ensure maximum safety and minimal disruption to all.

Managing Director Malcolm Clarke stated “‘We are extremely pleased to be delivering this exciting local community project and look forward to working collaboratively with Sussex Wildlife Trust and their design team to create the impressive new Rye Harbour Discovery Centre”. https://ryeharbourdiscoverycentre.org.uk/

Buildings Built on Teamwork Baxall Construction are a highly respected contractor delivering new build, refurbishment, project management and design and build solutions. We specialise in the education, community, high quality residential and commercial sectors across Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London for public and private clients alike.

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construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Changes in planning present opportunities The mass of information that is constantly produced with changes to planning can often make them hard to interpret. This is why it helps to use specialist advice to understand the opportunities, particularly as there have been some notable changes at national and local levels in the past year, with more changes to come throughout 2019. above retail properties for residential. Time limits on change-of-use for Commercial and Storage into Residential are looking likely to be removed, or at the very least extended, and there may also be the introduction of a knockdown and rebuild option for both.

Dave Callin Director of Architecture, Cowan Architects

At National level, there has been a notable ‘Brexit-readying’ with a change of emphasis from EU to International references.

However, it also addresses increasing UK housing needs with the aim of meeting the current shortfall putting in measures to force Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to meet their targets and taking control away from those LPAs that fail to do this. While protecting green belt more robustly, there is a focus on rigorously exploring brownfield site opportunities and stipulating that LPAs house 10% of their new build on small sites of one hectare or less. There is also an emphasis on improving design quality and opportunities from conserving heritage assets with the right approach. All this could

lead to more permissions with design led proposals unlocking challenging sites and fewer surprises that currently lead to delays.

With the consultation period coming to a close, there are also possible changes afoot with the General Permitted Development Order which could lead to further development opportunities later this year.

These might see increases in flexibility in town centres and the rights for development

Locally, all LPAs will have to update their plans to reflect these National Planning Policy Framework changes. Currently, the local revisions are at various stages of ratification but largely focus on making provisions for meeting the new housing targets. This translates into LPAs actively looking for housing sites and in particular small sites of a hectare or less. There will almost certainly be a call for more SHELAA (Strategic Housing & Economic Land Availability Assessment) sites to meet their targets and with the adoption of the new Wealden Local Plan it would appear that Wealden, in particular, is finally lifting its development embargo.

Planning reform in 2019 will definitely provide new opportunity for those prepared to strike early.

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contruction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Stop searching!

You’ve found your home and property improvement partner

With over a decade’s experience of transforming properties across the South East, Newview is the region’s number one home improvement company.

Talk to one of our team today by calling 01903 244 449!

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construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Beard – building for education in West Sussex Guildford-based construction specialist Beard – a major regional provider of education facilities – is delighted to be working with West Sussex County Council on a muchneeded £2.5 million expansion of Crawley Down Church of England Primary School in Crawley Down.

The new learning facilities, which will increase the village school’s pupil places by a third, is one of four school expansions Beard is delivering in partnership with the Council to meet rising pupil numbers across the county which will require an extra 702 primary places and 2,281 in secondary schools by September 2021.

Crawley Down School currently caters for 355 pupils. The new single-storey extension Beard is building will provide a further three classrooms, a new main hall, a Key Stage 1 learning facility, a larger kitchen for school meals, a changing room and a Special Education Needs (SEN) office. Beard will also create a sports court and car and cycle parking facilities.

The expansion will enable the school to increase its annual admission number from 45 to 60 pupil places and provide the appropriate teaching accommodation. Construction works are due to start in February with completion scheduled for the end of this year.

Improving education facilities Beard is in negotiations with West Sussex County Council to further improve and expand learning facilities at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Bognor Regis and Bourne

Community College in Southbourne. If approved, the St Mary’s scheme will create an extra three new classrooms over two storeys, a new library, a group room, two offices and an extension to the current school hall.

The Bourne Community College development would create a five-classroom teaching block enabling the college to move from a five- to a six-form entry secondary school and provide many more academic places for students in the area. The scheme would deliver two general classrooms, a food technology room and a flexible teaching space – supporting digital manufacturing systems such as 3D printers – bringing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects to life.

It will also build a five-a-side 3G football pitch.

“We’re very pleased to be working again with West Sussex County Council on this vitally important expansion for Crawley Down Primary School,” says Guy Hannell, Beard’s regional director. “These new learning facilities will provide much-needed additional primary school places to meet growing pupil numbers in the village and East Grinstead area. I know that children, parents and teachers can’t wait for the new extension to be built and our construction team is really looking forward to building it for them.”

Main image: An artist’s impression of Beard’s expansion project at Crawley Down School Second image: An artist’s impression of the Bourne Community College classroom development

About Beard Founded in 1892, Beard has grown from a small family-owned building business to a professionally-managed, £144 million turnover construction company which operates across the South of England.

With specialist expertise in building for the education sector, the company undertakes new build and refurbishment projects, including complex schemes, up to £16 million in value. Beard also provides a property repair and maintenance service.

Beard Guildford Office Stonemasons Court, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Surrey, GU24 0BL Tel: 01483 485180 E: guildford.enquiries@beardconstruction.co.uk Website: www.beardconstruction.co.uk Twitter: @Beard_Construct

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construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Robinson Low Francis Independent Construction & Property Consultants

RLF Brighton – our take on the industry

COST MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

As we catapult into 2019, RLF Brighton are seeing a buoyant construction industry that gives Brexit a nodding glance, but it hasn’t stopped play. Look up and you’ll see plenty of cranes in Brighton and London – a sure sign of a positive market place.

Contractors are getting tenders in, but the gap between tenders has got bigger – does this mean that the tenderers aren’t quite so keen as they already have lots of work on-the-cards? Maybe.

HEALTH & SAFETY CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT BUILDING SURVEYING

Main contractors don’t seem overly concerned about Brexit, but sub-contractors seem understandably concerned. The unknown import costs of materials and the unknown labour costs and supply must all be playing their part.

BANK & FUND MONITORING T: +44 (0) 1273 325781 E: brighton@rlf.co.uk www.rlf.co.uk

Whilst resource can be challenging, we’re finding great people who want to work in the industry. Diversity in the workplace is key and we’re proud to say we have a 60/40 split of male/female staff (including Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers) in the Brighton office. A sign of things to come in construction? Hopefully.

If you’d like to get in touch, please contact tara.powell@rlf.co.uk on 01273 325781 in our Brighton office.

R H Partnership Architects Award-winning architectural practice rhp has been established in Brighton’s North Laine for over 30 years, delivering a variety of projects in key sectors across Sussex and the South-East.

Offices : Birmingham / Brighton / Glasgow / London / Stevenage

Drawing development dreams into reality

With additional studios in London and Cambridge, rhp’s extensive experience and expertise ranges from small housing refurbishments through to complete masterplans of mixed-use developments. rhp’s portfolio includes Elekta’s Cornerstone Hub at Gatwick, Kings College campus on The Level, University of Sussex’s Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, and St Wilfrid’s and St Barnabas Hospices in Eastbourne and Worthing.

2019 brings exciting developments for rhp, notably the completion of Brighton seafront’s historic Shelter Hall, which will provide valuable new public spaces.

Work should also commence on the first phase of the North Street Quarter in Lewes; a new development of commercial and residential premises replacing a 14-acre disused industrial estate. Upcoming projects include affordable housing schemes in Hove and Worthing, further phases of restoration for Brighton’s seafront arches, two new hospices in Kent, and a number of new-build business enterprise centres.

30-31 Foundry Street Brighton BN1 4AT 01273 645220 brighton@rhpartnership.co.uk

In uncertain times, rhp’s resolutions for 2019 are simple: continue designing and delivering projects which benefit end-users, stakeholders and wider communities; to support staff through personal development and mentoring; and continue to enhance the local environment.

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Business edge print ad final.indd 1

tel: 01444 259 259

07/01/2019 14:57:38

construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Geosphere4D geosphere4d is a technology led geospatial company specialising in the use of leading edge measurement and imaging technology.

We deliver bespoke 3D and 4D geospatial and documentation solutions within a broad range of Architecture, Engineering and Construction market sectors for our private and public sector client base. geosphere4d provide geospatial solutions within the following application areas:

n Photogrammetry capture & processing

n 3D data capture utilising laser scanners and imagery

n Virtual Reality environments

n 3D modelling & BIM

n Topographic and Measured Building Surveys

n HDR Spherical image capture and processing

We operate UK and Europe wide and have built strategic alliances with likeminded professionals to ensure that we can continue to develop and innovate our service solutions to our clients with clarity, focus and vision.

n Inspection, condition & dilaphidation survey imagery using spherical photography and 360 degree video n Structural Deformation Monitoring and analysis n Engineering surveys

geosphere4d are an Achilles registered and verified supplier and all staff are security cleared to provide resources for the projects which are undertaken within the nuclear industry and at other secure sites.

Our aim is to ensure the comprehensive and effective education and promotion of 3D data capture and its technologies to all our current and potential clients in a broad range of application areas and market sectors, providing precision and reliability in the 3D and 4D geospatial, modelling, visualisation, Asset Management and BIM marketplace.

Tel: 01903 742 222 Email ian.anderson@geosphere4d.com www.geosphere4d.com

W S Wright has delivered building maintenance, refurbishment and projects to a variety of clients throughout the south of England for over 70 years.

Our operational practices are approved by the leading authorities in industry standards supporting our directly employed mobile engineers in the delivery of reactive and planned construction and specialist maintenance services 24 hours 7 days all year.

Construction

Gas

Electrical

Joinery

Upholstery

Flooring

Water Hygiene

Glazing

Metal Fabrication

External Drainage

www.wswright.co.uk | info@wswright.co.uk | 01797 222 455 Head Office: Units 3-5 Lochin Marine, Rock Channel, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7HJ South West Office: Unit 5, Holloways, Bessemer Close, Ebblake Industrial Estate, Verwood, Dorset BH31 6AZ

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advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

SAFETY IN FOCUS

Part 1 of 4

Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail The world is full of products and services that had to be designed, planned and created. Everything from aircraft carriers to computer software has to be designed to a specification that suits the purpose it is intended for. But what about the people who will use it, or the environment in which it will be used? Not considering all the aspects of the intended use can lead to costly reworking that causes delay and loss of reputation.

Construction Regulations — Three Years On Three years after the CDM 2015 regulations were introduced some uncertainty persists.

The Regulations bring together several other pieces of health and safety legislation specifically with the construction sector in mind, and add various duty holder responsibilities.

The most important of these is the client who must control the entire project from start to finish.

Knowing who to appoint and when, what to provide on site, whether to notify the project and, indeed, what ‘construction’ actually refers to is paramount to the client’s duty.

Getting practical professional assistance at the very earliest stages of any project can make a huge difference in terms of expense, delivery, rework costs and exposure to risk.

Get all the help you need with Attis Attis can help with:

• Design and validation • Construction (CDM) • Health, safety and welfare • Operational processes and maintenance schedules • Assessments of risk

Whether you are moving premises, buying new plant, launching a new product, constructing or developing buildings, facing an engineering problem or just need practical advice on safety or risk — Attis have the expertise to help today.

enquiries@attis.org.uk 26

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

So how would it be if there was someone who could analyse a project from a variety of objectives?

Someone who could verify the design, establish how it will be used, draw up any maintenance schedules and plan how it will be finally disposed of. This is precisely what Attis do, from the joint perspectives of safe engineering and safe operation.

Designed-in safety from the start.

How valuable would that be to your next project?

Did You Know?

The phrase ‘reasonably practicable’ is often used in health and safety, but what does it actually mean and how does it differ from ‘practical’?

Practical means ‘suitable’ whereas practicable means ‘able to be done or put into practice’. In terms of safety this means weighing the price of safety against the possible gains. This is known as a ‘cost benefit analysis’ and was established in a court case in 1949 (Edwards v. National Coal Board) Engineering solutions do much the same thing, by balancing the cost of a solution against the expected outcome. But the cheapest solution to a problem may not, in the long term, be the cheapest to operate, so a lot of variables have to be considered in the equation.

Making sure that something is safe throughout its lifecycle is an important part of the cost benefit analysis.

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construction focus

february/march 2019 business edge

PDP Services Introduce Neil Pocock as Fire & Safety Manager and often get asked to manage additional fire safety requirements. Many businesses struggle to stay up to date with current legislation and don’t always realise that noncompliance can invalidate their insurance.

With the expertise and experience that Neil brings with him to the Company, PDP now provide tailored Policies & Procedures, Fire Risk Assessments and staff training in addition to our pre-existing services. I’m pleased to say that PDP are truly a onestop-shop for businesses and homes alike.’

PDP Services provide a full complement of fire and safety services including:

Neil Pocock joined PDP Services at the beginning of 2018 as Fire & Safety Manager, bringing many years of fire safety experience with him. Neil has been a retained Fire Officer for 22 years, and is fully qualified and experienced to carry out many aspects of commercial fire safety requirements.

PDP Services MD, Paul Padgham, commented ‘We were delighted that Neil joined the PDP team. We have been providing many fire safety services to our customers both old and new since 2013

n Fire Alarms – installation, servicing and testing

n Safety Training – Emergency First Aid at Work, Defibrillator and Manual Handling n Fire Risk Assessments n Fire Safety Policies & Procedures With nearly 20 years’ experience, PDP Services Ltd provide commercial electrical, heating & plumbing, fire safety, solar PV and renewable energy services in the Sussex area and beyond. The team of fully qualified engineers carry out PAT Testing, electrical safety checks, gas safety checks and water services (legionella testing, water sterilisation).

PDP install and maintain equipment in of many types of buildings, including large scale catering units, schools & universities, offices, banks, hospitals, factories & warehouses.

n Fire Extinguishers – installation and servicing

PDP are offering all members Sussex Chamber of Commerce a FREE fire safety consultation with Neil. For more information call 01444 480444 or email Neil directly neil@pdp.services

n Emergency Lighting – installation, servicing and testing n Fire Door – installation and maintenance n Safety Sign installation n Fire Safety Training – Fire Marshall, Fire Extinguisher, Evacuation Chair and Basic Fire Safety Awareness.

IS YOUR BUSINESS

COMPLIANT OR COMPLACENT? PDP Services provide essential fire safety services to help ensure you and your business are compliant with the latest Health and Safety Executive guidelines. Our experts install, service and train.

Installation

Servicing

Training

Fire Extinguishers

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ü

ü

Fire Alarms

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N/A

Emergency Lighting

ü

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Safety Signs

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Fire Safety

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Fire Warden / Marshall

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Call 01444 480444 or email info@pdp.services to find out how PDP will help your business.

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01444 480444 info@pdp.services www.pdp.services

PDP SERVICES LTD | UNIT 5, 55 VICTORIA ROAD, BURGESS HILL, RH15 9LH | REGISTERED IN ENGLAND. COMPANY NO. 05000105

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inspirational leaders

february/march 2019 business edge

Keep the wheels turning on our community transport Each year 44 million passenger journeys are made on community transport services across the country, so we decided to find out what it takes to keep the wheels turning on the services in our region.

Matt Roberts, CEO, Community Transport Sussex

In this issue, we speak to Matt Roberts, CEO of Community Transport Sussex, about the challenges and the rewards of working for the charity.

“Everyone that works here, employees and volunteers alike, are here to help people. We enable people to access transport so they can maintain their independence and access the other services they need.

“I first became aware of the charity when my family needed their services. My father became very ill in 2005 and we couldn’t get him to his rehabilitation appointments, so for two years, the charity stepped in twice a week to provide his transport.

“A couple of years later, I took up the part-time role as CEO of the Bluebird Community Partnership, in which I drew on my experience of running a family business.

I wanted to help the organisation that had helped my family so much. The hours I dedicated to the role soon grew and since 2014 it’s officially been a full-time position.

“In 2016, the trustees of the three charities Crawley Community Transport, the Bluebird Community Partnership and Horsham District Community Transport decided they should merge, so on 31st October of that year, Community Transport Sussex was formed.

“Now we have one headquarters and three depots, with around 70 employees and 3040 volunteers. When I began working here, we had just two vehicles, now we have 44 and last year 120,000 passenger journeys were made on our services.

“Our Dial-a-Ride services are not commercially viable and finding funding to keep them running is a challenge. We are contracted to provide transport for school runs and for some adult social services too and are also hired by local community groups.

“In addition, we organise fundraising events and make applications to grantmaking trusts too, but these are few and far between these days. The pressure is on to go out and earn the money we need to provide our charitable services. The biggest challenge day to day is to maintain our

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focus on service delivery whilst ensuring we have the funding to support these services.

“We’ve built up a great relationship with local businesses, like Albion Business Computers, who help with our IT. The voluntary sector is the fifth largest employer in the UK and it presents lots of opportunities for businesses too, so it’s well worth getting involved.

“In July 2017, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a change in the way they interpreted the guidance on how community transport is run, which has led to a Select Committee inquiry and a DfT consultation.

“We are still awaiting the final outcome of the consultation, but it’s fair to say that there are changes ahead and the pressure on community transport providers will intensify. We are fighting very hard to maintain the services we provide.

“Community transport services help many disadvantaged people and when evaluating their services, it’s important to bear in mind the cost to the exchequer of the emergency interventions that would be required if we weren’t here to help.

“Despite the challenging environment and uncertainty, we continue to expand the

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services we offer and assist our partners in neighbouring boroughs to improve their services too.

“Each week we assist more than 8,000 people - which makes all the hard work worthwhile. To be as fulfilled as I am in my work is a great privilege. Every fortnight, I get out and about on our services as a driver or passenger assistant, so I meet the team, our passengers and listen to their feedback.

I’ve met some incredibly inspirational people during my time on the buses.

“We have a very strong staff and volunteer base – without whom we could not deliver our services. We are always on the lookout for more volunteer drivers, so if you have a few hours to spare do get in touch.

“Some of our drivers are people for whom driving was part of their work, so we have retired firefighters, paramedics and royal mail employees driving our vehicles.

“I would recommend getting involved in the charity sector and lending a bit of your time as it’s enormously rewarding. Sussex has a very strong voluntary sector and it is very worthwhile getting involved whether you give business support, practical help or get on-board as a trustee.”

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inspirational business matters leaders

february/march december/january 2019 2018 business business edge edge

Mike Knivett Managing Director Artemis Marketing

Transparency is all In this issue, we speak to Mike Knivett, Managing Director of Artemis Marketing about the genesis of the business and how their ethos has led to business success.

Set up in 2004, with just one employee, the digital marketing agency now employs 28 people, having helped numerous small companies significantly increase their revenue.

The results are telling, for Artemis Marketing is rated the UK’s number one SEO company for small businesses on FreeIndex. A result that’s all the more impressive given it’s based on customer reviews of 1,383 digital marketing agencies.

“Almost all of our work comes through personal recommendations,” explains Mike, “we don’t have sales people and we have a waiting list of clients who want to work with us.

“As someone who’s always run my own business – I understand the commercial realities of running a small business, of the importance of generating leads and how best to deal with them.

“Essentially Artemis Marketing was born out of necessity. We’d had bad experiences with the agencies employed to market our property business online, so we decided to take our marketing in-house.

“Soon people were coming to us for assistance and it was out of this that Artemis Marketing was formed. Our first client, stayed with us for eleven years until they retired in 2015 and in that time we transformed their business.

“We set out to do well online ourselves and in doing so, found there was a demand for digital marketing services that delivered robust, evidence-based results. We know our digital marketing works – because it works for our businesses too.

“Digital marketing is an area around which there’s a lot of negativity and it’s a sector that lacks regulation. In the early days, we had no visibility of the work being done on our behalf by the agencies we’d employed and no evidence that this translated into sales.

“Every month we’d receive a presentation full of pie-charts and graphs, but no one would tell us what actual work they’d done, there was lots of data but no information.

So in founding Artemis Marketing we set out to do things differently.

“Working in financial services earlier in my career has greatly influenced how we run the business. Complete transparency is paramount to us – as a client, you should understand everything we’ve done for you.

We won’t do anything we’re not prepared to show you. Every 15 minutes of activity is logged, so clients know exactly how their money’s been spent.

“Before we begin working with a business, we analyse their online presence. We take a detailed code level look at their website, find out what’s working, what’s not and what can be done to improve their online presence and translate this into sales. We won’t work with anyone if we don’t think we can make a difference.

“We keep in close contact with our clients, holding regular meetings, providing feedback, developing strategy, educating them, so they gain the greatest benefit from their website and future proof their business.

“Our clients and staff stay with us for the long term. As a business owner, I’ve found talent acquisition the biggest obstacle to

growth, technical specialists are hard to find. It’s important to put the time into the recruitment process to find the right person for your team. Over the years I’ve learnt that successful recruitment is about so much more than salary, it’s about the ethos of your business too.

“Our ethics and social responsibility are important to us, we’ve put a lot of thought into how we run the business, from our customer relations to being as environmentally friendly as possible. As a team, we take part in charity fundraising events like bike rides too, which are great for team building and great for the charities too.

“Web technology and how websites are ranked in an artificial intelligence environment is developing exponentially. There’s been a huge growth in people searching and shopping via their mobiles over the last few years, so it’s important to put mobile first when designing your website.

“Websites aren’t static, you must be proactive, updating the content and working at your SEO - a strong organic online presence doesn’t happen overnight.

If you need to make your presence felt online quickly, then paid search options like Google AdWords work well. In a challenging economic climate, it’s all the more important to keep working at your online presence.

“We’re a Sussex based company that’s been passionate about delivering results for fifteen years, helping many local businesses along the way, and although we do work with large international and ecommerce businesses – the focus for us will always be clients that are SMEs, just like us.”

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cover feature

february/march 2019 business edge

Sussex Chamber appoints new Non-Executive Board Directors The Sussex Chamber of Commerce, who provides export documentation, business services, training courses and networking events right across Sussex, is thrilled to announce the appointment of 10 new Non-Executive Board Directors.

The appointments are part of a larger strategic plan to help shape the Chamber’s continued growth as the independent voice of business for the county. The new appointments have been recruited from a range of sectors to help bring together skills and expertise from a variety of industries to help enhance its member’s opportunities for growth and development.

The new board members, which span across IT, law, construction, finance, media, and education include; Martin Bannister, Managing Director of Kogo Limited, Harry Sherrard, Director of Sherrards, Rhonda Backwell, Managing Director of TECO Building Products, Andy Wheeler, Director of Cantandra Ltd, Gary Chown, Director of Natwest Commercial Banking, Andrew Hookway, Managing Director of Extech,

Lee Fisher Jones, Director of 3D Media Solutions, John Bullivant, Managing Director of PSM Instrumentation, Dean Orgill, Chairman of Mayo Wynne Baxter, and Daniel Shelley, Executive Director of East Sussex College Group.

The new recruits bring the board of directors to a total of 15. The new recruits join existing board members, Ana Christie (CEO), David Sheppard (Chairman), Robert Clare, Melanie Richardson (Head of Audit Committee) and Penina Shepherd.

David Sheppard, Chairman of Sussex Chamber of Commerce, said: “I am extremely pleased that we have been able to expand the Board of Directors. I am also thrilled that we have a diverse range of experience and talent. This is a very opportune time to continue the Chamber’s

progress. The plan is to take the Chamber to a new level.”

Ana Christie, CEO of Sussex Chamber of Commerce, said: “I would like to thank all of the candidates who put their name forward to join the Board. Each member of the Board volunteers their expertise, time, and knowledge. I am very pleased to have a strong representation from across the business community and look forward to a successful and productive 2019 and beyond.

I look forward to working with all of the Board members to shape the future of the Chamber and actively support business and economic growth in Sussex.”

To find out more about the Sussex Chamber of Commerce, please visit: https://www.

sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk/

“I would like to thank all of the candidates who put their name forward to join the Board. Each member of the Board volunteers their expertise, time, and knowledge.”

Ana Christie, CEO

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business covermatters feature

february/march december/january 2019 2018 business business edge edge

Ana Christie

Andrew Hookway

Andy Wheeler

Dan Shelley

David Sheppard

Dean Orgill

Gary Chown

Harry Sherrard

John Bullivant

Lee Fisher Jones

Martin Bannister

Melanie Richardson

Penina Shephard

Rhonda Backwell

Rob Clare

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business focus on matters crawley

december/january february/march 2019 business edge

Crawley Growth Programme unlocking £750m regeneration The Crawley Growth Programme is delivering jobs, business space and homes.

The programme includes an investment package of infrastructure improvements and physical regeneration in the town centre and Manor Royal, designed to support significant additional increases in new homes, business investment and employment growth over the period to 2030.

It is bringing about 7,000 extra jobs, 135,000 square metres of additional floor space and 1,000 new homes. The programme also has defined ‘stretch’ targets, subject to better than expected economic performance of up to 11,000 extra jobs, 200,000 square metres of commercial space and 2,000 new homes.

The value of the regeneration expected to be unlocked by the programme is estimated at £750 million.

Sustainable transport infrastructure and highway upgrades are planned to boost overall transport capacity and enable a significant shift from car usage to bus, rail, cycling and walking alternatives. In addition, connectivity enhancements at the major railway stations of Crawley, Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport will improve commuter

access to Manor Royal Business District and the town centre via sustainable transport connections.

Crawley town centre and Manor Royal Business District will be transformed to upgrade the quality of both the living and business environments to attract higher quality new jobs and homes. It will also be a catalyst for significant new Grade A commercial office space in the town centre’s Eastern Gateway and for a new business and jobs growth hub.

The programme will be delivered by a major partnership of public and private bodies, including the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council, Metrobus, Gatwick Airport Limited, Manor Royal Business Improvement District (BID) Company, the Arora Group, Gatwick Diamond Initiative and Crawley Town Centre Partnership.

For more information visit

www.regeneratingcrawley.org.uk

One of the region’s most successful IT companies, delivering client delight by exceeding customer expectations. Providing IT support and advice covering Security, Microsoft Cloud services and full network management.

For a free security and support audit please contact info@intelligentperformance.co.uk or call 01293 530683

www.intelligentperformance.co.uk

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business focus on matters crawley

february/march december/january 2019 2018 business business edge edge

Probably the best located Flexible Office Space in Crawley!

Only a few minutes walk from Three Bridges Mainline Station n Gatwick – 1 minute n Brighton – 18 minutes n London Bridge – 32 minutes n 5 minutes drive to M23 High quality, flexible workspaces from single desks to larger requirements available. n Prices from £175 pppm n Flexible contracts n Adaptable workspaces n Onsite parking n Help & support n Immediate availability We make office space easy.

For more information call Edward on 020 3142 7000. Locations also in Horsham and London. www.needspace.co.uk

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chamber campaigning

february/march 2019 business edge

CHAMBER NETWORK BUDGET WINS 2018

“I am increasing the Annual Investment Allowance... delivering on a longstanding ask of the British Chambers of Commerce.�

Chancellor Philip Hammond, delivering his Budget, October 29 2018

JOINING YOUR ACCREDITED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Gives you a voice at the highest levels of govrnment.

You become a part of a local, national and international network, working together to create a fantastic business environment.

The Chamber of Commerce Network has an unrivalled understanding of issues affecting firms.

Our policy successes come directly from your participation in our research and events programmes.

We represent you on the issues that matter, create positive change, and build relationships on every level. Working together, we strive to build a better business environment for you.

WE CALL IT BUSINESS TOGETHERNESS Find out more about your accredited Chamber visit www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

Turn your innovative ideas into commercial reality Government funding is available for organisations that want to develop their products and services.

We offer a range of partnering services, providing access to our expertise and applied research across disciplines from advanced engineering to innovation management, for any organisation.

Collaborate with us to: access a wide range of grants to support your business ideas work with leading experts partner with an innovative university to help reach your business goals

National Centre for Universities and Business

Investment in R&D produces and supports the vital innovations that keep us at the forefront of technological discovery.

Let us help you achieve the step change your business needs this year, with you firmly in control.

Talk to us to discuss your ideas and explore your options KnowledgeExchange@brighton.ac.uk www.brighton.ac.uk/edge19

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advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

How to plan your training investments to get the best bang for your buck Ed Hussey Director, People Solutions at Menzies LLP

How? To identify the training that will support your future success, ask yourself what training and development you will need to: n Maximise our use of existing resources n Achieve our future strategy e.g. for new technology

Training costs, so how do you ensure it is an investment and not just an overhead?

n Meet our growth targets for the next three years

You need to think about it from two perspectives:

n Adapt to the changing market / regulations

n What training do we need to help us achieve the company’s goals and strategy? The right training will improve the speed of change and ensure you get more out of the technical, physical and human resources employed.

Consider your answers across the following key skill areas

n What training should we provide to whom, and when, to maximise their performance and motivation? Targeting your training resources sensibly will get the most out of every £ spent and improve not just skills but also motivation and loyalty to the company.

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n Professional / Technical e.g. engineering, technology, marketing, legal

To identify whether and how to invest in training individual employees, place them in one of the following categories: n High ability and great attitude = Top Talent. Understand their motivations and aspirations and provide training and development opportunities to suit. n High ability but poor attitude = Review & Challenge. Hard to tackle – they need good constructive feedback and coaching.

Training may not be the answer here. n Low ability but great attitude = Development Potential. May be early career or have reached their level. Work out what their potential is to learn and make it happen for them.

n Commercial / Sales e.g. negotiating, pricing, selling, key account management, product/market analysis

n Low ability and low attitude = Manage Performance. Only invest in training if you are confident of a return. Don’t use it just to avoid tackling the issues head on!

n Leadership / Management e.g. strategy development, planning, project management, people management

For further information please contact Ed Hussey, Director, People Solutions at Menzies LLP on 01483 755000 or email ehussey@menzies.co.uk

n Personal Effectiveness e.g. customer service, prioritising, communication, assertiveness.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

Boost Boost your your leadership leadershipskills skillsand andaccess accessfresh fresh thinking. thinking. Become BecomeaaSussex SussexBusiness BusinessMentor Mentor Businesses in Sussex and beyond can benefit enormously Businesses in Sussex and beyond can benefit by taking part in the Sussex Business Mentors scheme enormously by taking part in the School.

Sussex Business from the University of Sussex Business

Mentors scheme from the University of Sussex

Business School.

You’ll receive comprehensive mentoring training providing you with tools you can use to manage your own teams.

You’ll receive comprehensive mentoring The scheme is as an excellent opportunity to linktraining up with our talentedyou students. providing with tools you can use to manage

your own teams. The scheme is as an excellent

Why take part in our Sussex Business Mentors scheme? opportunity to link up with our talented students.

Signing up as a mentor to one or more of our students gives you the perfect chance to develop your management and leadership Why take part in our Sussex Business Mentors scheme? capabilities, as well as communication and interpersonal skills.

Signing up as a mentor to one or more of our students gives you It’s great way to build a network andmanagement connect with local business the aperfect chance to develop your and leadership leaders, allowing you as to benefit from others’ knowledge and skills. capabilities, as well communication and interpersonal

experience while sharing your own expertise. You’ll also make a positive difference students’ career prospects, It’s a great way to to build a network and connect especially with localthose business seeking find out you more your business industry sector leaders,toallowing toabout benefit from others’and knowledge and for placement graduate vacancies. experienceorwhile sharing your own expertise. You’ll also make a

positive difference to students’ career prospects, especially those seeking to find out more about your business and industry sector for placement or graduate vacancies.

What kind of training will I receive?

What kind of training will I receive?

A full day of mentoring training is provided, equipping you with the

A full you’ll day ofneed mentoring training is provided, skills to mentor students and your equipping own staff. you with the skills you’ll need to mentor students and your owntimes staff.throughSessions take place on the Sussex campus several out the academic year.

Sessions take place on the Sussex campus several times throughContact us to find out out the academic year.more business-communications@sussex.ac.uk

www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/business-mentors-scheme Contact us to find out more

business-communications@sussex.ac.uk www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/business-mentors-scheme

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Don’t miss out on funded training for your business Did you know that small businesses throughout Sussex are eligible* to receive free, government-funded training to upskill their staff.

Whitehead Ross Education and Consulting is an independent training provider delivering government funded courses in a number of key areas for businesses in Sussex. Our programmes are part of the Sussex Skills Support for the Workforce initiative and include fully accredited classroom based courses which lead to a formal qualification and include: Hospitality Supervision and Leadership

Social Media for business First Aid in the workplace Food Safety in Catering

We can even deliver training at your own premises. For further information please contact 01273 281981 or e-mail workforceskills@wrecltd.co.uk

Sales and Marketing Certificate in English and Maths To be eligible your business must be a SME (2 – 250 staff) and based in West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Lewes and the Gatwick Diamond.

The programme is funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency through the European Social Fund

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

37

sussex showcase

february/march 2019 business edge

A Classic Tale of a British Icon in the Heart of Sussex With over 70 years’ experience manufacturing thoughtfully designed, wellengineered kitchen appliances, Dualit lead the way in innovation. Founded in 1945 by Max Gort-Barten in a garage just off the Old Kent Road, the independently owned, third generation family business continues to nurture Max’s inventive and entrepreneurial spirit and is well-known for its popular Classic Toaster collection. The company moved to its current home in County Oak Way, Crawley in 2003. Gracing kitchen worktops since the 1950s, the iconic Dualit Classic Toaster has maintained its industrial looks and repairable features to continue to be the toaster we know and love today.

Each Classic Toaster is individually handbuilt from start to finish in Dualit’s factory in Crawley, West Sussex and are sold in over 50 countries worldwide. Now lovingly used in homes, restaurants, cafes, hotels and even on a nuclear submarine as well as first class aircraft cabins, Dualit Classic Toasters have a dedicated following and have been known to be passed down through generations with a few spare parts to keep them ticking!

Family values have always been at the forefront of the Dualit business, with the late Max Gort-Barten, his son, Leslie Gort-Barten and now grandson Alex firmly involved in the day-to-day operations. Dualit has a dedicated and passionate workforce, some of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years and often includes more than one member of the same family and even spans the generations.

Dualit’s Crawley head office also houses the company’s capsule plant, where Dualit’s

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award winning range of Nespresso® compatible* coffee and tea capsules are produced. The plant has roasting and grinding facilities, as well as encapsulation and Dualit is the only capsule brand to manufacture their own capsules in the UK. Dualit also offer own-label manufacturing and demand has led to increased manufacturing capacity and expansion of the plant since it was built in 2013. In 2016, Dualit was one of the first companies

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

to launch compostable coffee capsules, where capsules including the pod, lid and protective bag are produced using Corn Starch material, a renewable resource. This means that all the components can be placed in authorised collection scheme food waste bins* for industrial composting. *Suitable for drop through machines only.

Excludes professional machines and “built in” models. Nespresso® trademark is owned

by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

A Smart Way to Start 2019 Phil Cottrell Managing Director, GCL Building Technologies

Over the last decade there has been a rapid rise in energy consumption in the public and commercial buildings sector and this is despite all current initiatives to reduce that consumption.

If you are working within construction, commercial or property management it’s time to consider implementing and integrating new innovative technology solutions to move your business forward in 2019. These solutions will not only enhance your sustainability, but also help to reduce your operating costs.

With our many years of experience in this field GCL Building Technologies recommend you consider the following factors in creating your own smart solutions: Small incremental changes can bring enormous benefits Take your first steps now, small changes over time make a big impact. Continue to implement that change incrementally.

Review your progress continuously and assess the available technology at each step – you will begin to reap the benefits of reduced costs immediately, and those savings can then drive further change. Some changes can be made that will incur minimal costs: n Removing flickering/buzzing lights within your office n Allowing enough natural light for a better office space n Set up a creative space/corner n Create an ergonomic office space with good colour scheme to match.

Innovation: This should be the driving force behind everything you do. By introducing new solutions, you will be creating opportunities to enhance the way you provide your products and services, as well as delivery and performance. By integrating all your solutions, from hardware to software. You will create your very own tailored, intelligent building solution.

Integration: A fundamental aspect of creating future value and success is understanding the benefits of new technologies and finding ways of integrating these into your business. By integrating and harmonising all your platforms into one unified solution you will create an intelligent and efficiently controlled working environment.

You’ll need an easy management platform in order to control, monitor and manage your portfolio of energy dependent functions.

GCL provide integrated solutions offering a ‘plug and play’ approach to building operations. With cloud-based solutions from any smart device, these applications are easy to access and allow you to continue to extend and expand the range of services you are actively managing and the level of connectivity, designed to suit your building and your applications.

When you can monitor and manage your buildings performance with precision your control over fixed and operating costs improves significantly. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and security are all easy to monitor. By doing so you will be able to closely manage your current usage in any specific space or area of your premises, this will lead to cost reductions.

Creating intuitive working environments Create collaborative and innovative working zones. Technology offers tremendous potential to employers to support a broader culture of health, and well-being.

green office supplies to energy saving lighting and smart building solutions.

A mindful workplace: Create an environment that nurtures and encourages mental health and well-being. To achieve a well-balanced social/work life.

Make a clear decision at the start of your workday to be present as best you can.

Pause for a few moments before you start your work day to set this intention in your mind.

A smart workplace: An intelligent and intuitive office environment can be achieved using data. This data can then be used to improve moods, morale and the wants and needs of your employees.

Collaboration and crowdsourcing, videoconferencing with translation and transcriptions, workplace analytics are ways of creating a smart data workplace.

Benefits of integrating smart solutions include:

n Bio adaptive lighting in your workplace CAN prevent tiredness and stimulate your brain.

n Improved employee well-being

n The use of virtual reality for staff training and engagement.

n Operating cost savings

n Energy cost savings

n Reduced carbon footprint

n Introduce remote working, remote workers are happier thanks to the increased level of freedom and flexibility enjoyed.

n Ease of use - integrating applications into one seamless solution

n Increasingly, we are seeing innovative energy saving and environmentally protective solutions in the workplace. From

At GCL Building Technologies we have over 20 years of experience helping businesses to implement the latest technologies into the management of their buildings.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

39

business matters hospitality and events

february/march 2019 business edge

Unrivalled entertaining experiences at the world’s most beautiful racecourse The Qatar Goodwood Festival – taking place from Tuesday 30 July to Saturday 3 August 2019 – is one of the most prestigious weeks in the flat racing calendar and a much-loved fixture of the British sporting and social season.

Affectionately known as ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ the festival meeting attracts world-class horses and jockeys and is renowned for its relaxed yet sophisticated style. Steeped in history and adored by royalty and sporting heroes alike, the exhilarating spectacle of ‘Glorious Goodwood’ provides its guests with a summer experience like no other- where fashion, high society and world class horseracing come together for five enthralling days.

World-class sporting action, right on your doorstep Whether you are looking to dine with work colleagues or host important clients, there are a number of entertaining options to choose from, all of which can be tailored to your own individual requirements. These include Private Box experiences, where you can enjoy the thrills of raceday in your own intimate, private space, to the award-winning Secret Garden restaurant – an enchanting wonderland of

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wild flowers and quintessential English charm, located just beyond the Winning Post, to name just a few.

New for 2019 is the option to upgrade to the Platinum Package, where you and your guests can enjoy ‘behind-the-scenes’ access to the racecourse before gates open, your own betting expert to guide you through who’s ‘hot’ and who’s ‘not’ on the betting front, as well as a guided visit to the Parade Ring – a truly once in a lifetime experience. This is in addition to an exquisite four-course meal, afternoon tea and complimentary drinks throughout the afternoon, within your own Private Box. If you are looking for a more informal, relaxed setting, look no further than Goodwood’s two beautifully designed Private Bars – The Lookout and Sussex Roof Garden. Nestled within the prestigious, Richmond Enclosure, The Lookout is aptly named for its breath-taking views, and effortlessly cool members-club vibe.

Likewise, the Sussex Roof Garden, in the

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Gordon Enclosure, is a bar with a botanical twist, a chic space for escaping the crowds below and socialising, whilst watching the thrilling action from its own private balcony.

Private Bars are available for exclusive use, dependent on numbers.

‘Glorious Goodwood’ will always be the pinnacle of the Estate’s horseracing year, however, the action at Goodwood extends far beyond, with racing taking place from May to October, with a total of 19 fixtures from which to choose from – these include the three-day foodie themed May Festival (23-25 May), racing and music at Three Friday Nights (7, 14, 21 June) and fireworks and family entertainments at August Bank Holiday (23-25 May).

If you are looking for that extra-special day racing that will live long in the memory of your guests, visit www.goodwood.com or call our friendly hospitality team on 01243 755054 to talk through our bespoke packages.

tel: 01444 259 259

february/march 2019 business edge

hospitality business andmatters events

GLOR IOUS T H E Q AT A R G O ODWO OD F ES T I VA L

3 0 J U LY – 3 AUG US T

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41

hospitality and events

february/march 2019 business edge

Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the country’s most loved and lively theatres, renowned for the exceptionally high standard of its productions as well as its work supporting local communities.

Corporate Sponsorship offers a perfect way to align your business with excellence and raise awareness of your organisation to our 360,000+ visitors each year.

Our corporate packages offer: • Programme advertising • Corporate hospitality and client entertaining • Complimentary tickets • Invitations to exclusive events and Press Nights • Employee engagement benefits • CSR opportunities

01243 812915

development.team@cft.org.uk

A unique wedding venue surrounded by botanic gardens in the heart of beautiful Sussex

For details call 01444 894024 or email wakehurstbooking@chandcogroup.com

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

cft.org.uk

hospitality and events

february/march 2019 business edge

How do successful businesses in Brighton & Hove talk to over 10 million visitors?

‘VisitBrighton played a crucial part in our success helping us reach a target audience outside the city…’ The Salt Room ‘From marketing support to driving revenue into the hotel, VisitBrighton are the best value for money channel we have’ Old Ship Hotel ‘It’s important we let people know we’re here…

VisitBrighton has proved a cost effective way for us to do this’ – Vinyl Revolution To join these and 550 other businesses enjoying the benefits of partnering with VisitBrighton, contact us at partnership@ visitbrighton.com or call 01273 292621, quoting VB01 for your exclusive 10% discount.

Find out more at www.visitbrighton.com/work-with-us

2019 FiXtures AT PLUMPTON RACECOURSE Wed 13th Feb Injured Jockey Fund Charity Raceday Mon 25th Feb February Raceday

Mon 11th Mar Anglo-Irish Raceday Mon 18th Mar Sky Sports Racing Spring Jumps

Sun 21st & Mon 22nd Apr Easter Festival Sun 12th May Ladies Day

Sun 7th Apr Sussex Raceday

Advance Standard Racedays Tickets available from: £13 Advance Picnic Enclosure Tickets available from: £13 (not available at every fixture)

Tel. 01273 890383 racing@plumptonracecourse.co.uk www.plumptonracecourse.co.uk

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

43

hospitality and events

february/march 2019 business edge

MA TC HDA Y H O S P I TA L I TY PAC K A GES

THE PERFECT MATCH DAY EXPERIENCE AT T H E AMER ICAN EX PR ESS C OMMU NITY STAD IU M

Guarantee a seat for some of the biggest matches at the Amex this season Premium seating Three-course meal Inclusive drinks

FROM £165 +VAT PER PERSON

Coming up at the Amex Albion v Watford Saturday 2 February

Albion v Huddersfield Town Saturday 2 March

Albion v Southampton Saturday 30 March

Albion v Newcastle United Saturday 27 April

Albion v Burnley Saturday 9 February

Albion v Cardiff City Saturday 16 March

Albion v Bournemouth Saturday 13 April

Albion v Manchester City Saturday 12 May

BrightonAndHoveAlbion.com/hospitality For more information, please call the hospitality team on 01273 878 278 or email commercial@bhafc.co.uk www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

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tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

Investment in Young People Award The Business Mark for Corporate Social Responsibility Youth skills development is an important part of the UK’s industrial strategy. Are you playing your part as a business? Can your business help move the youth skills development agenda forward?

Introducing Investment in Young People (IiYP). The business mark for corporate social responsibility. IiYP is a National Award that recognises the important work that businesses carry out in assisting young people aged 5 to 25 gain employability skills and assist them with the transition from education into the world of work.

By gaining this Award, and proudly displaying the IiYP business mark, it will make your business stand out as an employer of choice, demonstrating that you are making a real difference to young people’s lives in your local community. The IiYP business mark is exclusive to companies that have been successful in meeting the required standard.

The Award is held by the business for a 3-year period. To qualify you will have worked with a local school, college or education provider by engaging in activity that helps students with a better understanding of enterprise and businesses whilst gaining a range of employability skills.

Any sized business, both Chamber members and non-members who are working with young people can apply, as long as you can provide evidence of your activity against specific criteria.

There is no specific requirement for what this support can or needs to be, but the following is a list of possible activities: n Careers events n Apprenticeships n Work experience placements (structured longer-term activity) n Work taster events (short-term placements at/visits to employer premises) n Support for academic studies – i.e. help with BTEC courses etc. n School-led enterprise activity n Young Chamber activity n Student mentoring Sussex Chamber is now your sole delivery agent for IiYP in Sussex. The IiYP accreditation is a national initiative of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Young Chamber and makes you stand out from the crowd as a Sussex-based employer of choice. This will help to attract and promote Chamber-based jobs which are competing with London, and elsewhere -

giving you, Sussex employers, the tools to reduce your recruitment costs and help you satisfy your replacement staff demand.

ANY BUSINESS CAN APPLY (MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS)

£750 + vat - Medium business (£5m to £49m turnover) including Public sector bodies £1500 + vat - Large business (£50m+ turnover)

The prestigious national award recognises the important work that employers do in supporting a young person’s understanding of the world of work and helping them to gain the all-important employability skills required to gain meaningful employment in the future.

YOU RECEIVE

HOW TO APPLY

Electronic copy of the IiYP Award logo for use on stationery, website and marketing materials Press release and photos.

1 Register your interest online and complete the application form at

Entry into the online Awards register which lists employers who have achieved the IiYP Award.

This list can be viewed at www.iiyp.co.uk An IiYP certificate which will be presented at a Sussex Chamber networking breakfast or lunch (2 free places)

www.iiyp.co.uk.

Listing on the Sussex Chamber website

2 After submitting your application you will be contacted by Sussex Chamber to arrange a short on-site visit to verify your application.

Being recognised as an Investment in Young People company shows your commitment in supporting the development of a Young Persons employability skills and their understanding of work and support for their future careers and employment.

3 Upon successful verification your award will be confirmed and Issued 4 Promote the good work you do by using the IiYP standard across your business.

Investment in Young People Award can help you to attract the best young talent to your business

THE COST There is an accreditation fee for the award which covers the employer for a 3-year period: £375 + vat - Small business (up to £5m turnover) including Voluntary Sector organisations

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

45

finance focus

february/march 2019 business edge

Going Green for 2019 - What were your New Year’s Resolutions?

Happy New Year, I hope you have all had a wonderful and restful Christmas and have returned to the office full of vigour for what is probably going to prove to be a very interesting year for businesses across Sussex and the rest of the country.

Hopefully your New Years resolutions started looking like this No.1 To be more “Green” No.2 File an R&D Tax Credits Claim Imagine if you could actually do both as business?

The last 12 months have seen an interesting shift in the environmental awareness of pretty much everyone in the UK and probably the world, first there was the really concerning Blue Planet documentary that opened our eyes to the problems of plastics, whether they be large bottles and containers or micro-beads in our oceans, followed towards the end of the year the UN Committee on Global Warming’s damning indictment of the world’s efforts to slow down the process.

Both should have got us all thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions and hopefully got us placing being more “Green” somewhere near the top. Whether that means you are going to reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill by recycling more, or you are going to use the car less and walk more or rely more on public transport (which wasn’t particularly reliable in 2018) we’ve all hopefully got an idea of something that might help us help the planet.

In the world of Research and Development Tax Credits, I find it is essential to get out and visit my clients, particularly those that are involved in manufacturing, engineering or processing as businesses. Being in the place where the R&D happens is an essential part of making sure that we understand the business and can highlight potential additional areas for a claim. However, even if it’s App or Software Development or a new piece of Tech, being in the business remains a key part of how we work. I know there is plenty of technology to help us work remotely and we do make use of it for our initial scoping meeting and for subsequent claims, but in my mind nothing beats a face to face meeting with a client.

As a result of this, it’s hard to rely on public transport to get me to where I need to be, so I am afraid I can’t give up my car. I am however finally going to buy a bike and cycle to work sometimes!

So what else will I be doing to be more “Green”, well, after a lot of thought towards the end of last year, I decided there were a few things I could do, perhaps the best could be to support “Green” Innovators more.

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What’s our definition of “Green”?

Any product that reduces the use of plastics, waste, water, emissions and energy consumption, increases efficiency and encourages renewable energy generation and storage. Any business that has received a grant from The Green Growth Platform at the University of Brighton or a similar incubator across the UK.

Is your Innovation “Green”?

If you are running a “Green” business and you are keen to prepare a Research and Development Tax Credits claim, we’ll do it for you at a significantly reduced rate of 12.5% of the tax saving if you sign up with us at any time, which is a 50% discount on our normal rates. Likewise if you have a Patent for your “Green” technology, we’ll help you access the “Patent Box”.

Not a “Green” Business, but still trying to work out whether you can claim?

Why not take advantage of our New Year’s Sale! We are always keen to work with new businesses to help them maximise their opportunities to claim, so if you reference this article when you talk to us at any point before the end of March 2019, we’ll prepare your claim for a reduced rate of 20% of the tax saving.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

If you are already claiming but are looking around for a specialist to support your future claims, then why not get in touch with us and see what we can do to help you.

Just a quick reminder on the definition of Research and Development for R&D Tax Credits?

You have to have been undertaking a project that creates an advance in science or technology, where the advance could only be created through the resolution of scientific or technological uncertainty.

That means you have to be developing something new or making a significant improvement to something that already exists. The solution can’t have been obvious and normally you would have been working through your challenges on a “trial and error” basis. Your project doesn’t have to have succeeded to be eligible, in fact a little bit of failure is great for R&D Tax Relief.

Let us help you with your R&D Tax Credits Claim, call Simon on 01424 225345 or visit www.coodentaxconsulting.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

finance focus

february/march 2019 business edge

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

Accountants, tax and business

Accountants, and business adviserstax to owner-managed Accountants, tax andthroughout businessSussex advisersbusinesses to owner-managed businesses throughout Sussex advisers to owner-managed

businesses throughout Sussex We provide a wide range of business advisory services which go accounting compliance matters.

Webeyond are trained tax not toand only in compliance matters, but a wide range of areas. =PZP[ WHYRLYWHY[ULYZOPW JV \R [V SLHYU TVYL VM [OL ZLY]PJLZ ^L WYV]PKL Visit www.parkerpartnership.co.uk to find out more about us and HUK [V ZLL ZVTL VM [OL MLLKIHJR ^L OH]L YLJLP]LK MYVT JSPLU[Z the services we provide or follow our popular twitter account @Parkers_Hove.

For a free initial consultation call us on

For a free initial consultation call us on 01273 722505 We are trained not to only in compliance matters, but a wide range of areas. =PZP[ WHYRLYWHY[ULYZOPW JV \R [V SLHYU TVYL VM [OL ZLY]PJLZ ^L WYV]PKL HUK [V ZLL ZVTL VM [OL MLLKIHJR ^L OH]L YLJLP]LK MYVT JSPLU[Z For a free initial consultation call us on

Are you a Small or Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) developing an innovative new product or service?

We have grants available for academic collaboration and internships, as well as funding for low and high value capital equipment purchases and consultancy services.

Contact the KEEP+ team on 01245 684207 or email keepplus@anglia.ac.uk to find out more.

KEEP+ is a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supported programme, offering match funded grants to eligible SMEs developing new products and services. The programme is a partnership of six universities across the South East.

KEEPPLUS.CO.UK

KEEPPLUS

@KEEPPLUS

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47

advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

PROFESSIONAL PART-TIME COURSES OPEN EVENING

Career-focused courses

Our accredited part-time courses enable you to learn in a way that works for you. You will develop the knowledge and practical experience to accelerate your career, and widen your professional network.

Come and visit us on 25 April

This event offers you a chance to speak directly with students and staff and to find out more about our professionally accredited courses in marketing, management, accountancy, human resources and law.

Find out more

To book your place and find out more visit www.brighton.ac.uk/bbs/part-time. If you have any questions about our postgraduate courses, the course team will be happy to help. Email them at business@brighton.ac.uk.

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

advertorial

february/march 2019 business edge

Be trained by the professionals - give your staff fire safety confidence Fires in the workplace are more common than you might think. Last year West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service attended 62 fires in commercial premises. The majority of these were caused by faulty equipment, appliances and leads.

Fire Safety in the workplace is a legal requirement for employers, owners, landlords, occupiers, building managers, managing agents, or anyone else with control of business or non-domestic premises! Remember you are equally accountable and liable for site safety including visitors, customers, staff and anyone who is lawfully allowed to be on your premises.

How confident are you in knowing which type of extinguisher to use on which type of fire?

As a fire service we’re running courses to help businesses meet their fire safety legislation requirements, giving their staff hands-on experience of using fire extinguishers and fire blankets.

Building Manager, Clive Caswell at The Pallant Gallery, Chichester said “The training my colleagues and I received in the use of fire extinguishers was excellent. The trainer engaged the group very well providing a thorough and extremely useful combination of practical and audio visual experience.”

There’s a whole range of courses available at various West Sussex Fire Stations throughout the year including: n Fire extinguisher training - suitable for all members of staff and introduces them to different types of fire and the most appropriate types of fire extinguisher to use. Participants will be able to try using fire extinguishers and fire blankets in a safe, controlled environment. £60 per person – 2 hours. n Fire warden / marshal training - an introduction to basic fire safety training in the workplace. This course includes hands–on use of fire extinguishers on ‘live’ fire. £115 per person – half day.

specific evacuation, water safety, business continuity, team building and fire safety within car parks (including multi-storey), safe hoist training. And, we offer bespoke training courses tailored to your needs.

The prices above are exempt from VAT therefore the price you see is the price you pay! For more information and to book a place mention The Edge magazine, see www.westsussex.gov.uk/frsct, email frsct@ westsussex.gov.uk , or call 01243 772870.

Sussex Chambers of Commerce members are entitled to 5% off West Sussex Fire & Rescue training fees.

n Management of fire risk – this course is for managers. It enables them to manage fire safety in the workplace and helps them to understand the requirements of their fire risk assessment. £135 per person – half day Other courses include: market specific such as landlords including hotels/B&Bs, care homes and schools. Manual handling (including warehouses & logistics), site

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

49

sussex showcase

february/march 2019 business edge

Adelphi win their second Environmental Award of 2018 The Adelphi Group of Companies, based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, are delighted to have won the Sustainable/Ethical Manufacturer award at this year’s Made in the South East Awards.

Adelphi are a specialist manufacturer of process and packaging machinery and equipment, including machinery for filling and capping, and work most closely with the food and beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Rewarding excellence in South East manufacturing The Made in the South East awards, hosted

by Insider Media, are designed to “recognise and reward manufacturing companies based in the South East region that have demonstrated success” in one of their eight categories. The winning entry outlined Adelphi’s eco-friendly production facility, The Friary, which was completed in October 2017.

Exemplifying Adelphi’s core values, The Friary took into account energy efficiency at every stage of the build, and as a result had eco-friendly LED lighting installed, thermal testing conducted, high quality insulation introduced, and 256 photovoltaic solar panels mounted on the south-facing roof of the warehouse, which now produce more electrical power than is used. The building was also constructed to harvest rainwater for use in cleaning and plumbing. Whilst work was underway on The Friary, an old artesian well was uncovered, which was excavated, re-lined and recommissioned.

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This, along with the harvested rainwater, now serves all the buildings on Adelphi’s West Sussex site with water for cleaning and machine testing.

of cardboard above 95% every month.

Adelphi also recycle plastic, metal and glass wherever possible, and exchange offcuts of stainless steel at the local scrapyard.

Wherever difficult choices were presented, Adelphi avoided taking the cheapest option, to deliver a facility to be proud of in every regard. Staff, contacts and clients alike have been impressed with the scope of the project, which was designed to deliver a statement about Adelphi’s commitment to a more sustainable future. Now complete, The Friary has given life to a new consciousness within the company, and a determination to improve our environmental impact in as many ways as possible.

The win follows on from Adelphi’s Environmental Initiative of the Year award at the Process and Packaging Machinery Awards in September this year. Everyone at Adelphi is understandably delighted with the double-victory, with Managing Director Chris Wilson commenting that “these awards reflect the commitment Adelphi have to pursuing excellence. We have sustainability concerns at our heart, and are constantly looking to improve our processes. We are thrilled to have been recognised among our peers at such prestigious events”.

Adelphi’s environmental awareness initiatives now extend beyond what has been facilitated by the building of The Friary. An air source heat pump has been installed to provide eco-friendly heating for the site’s sister building Blacksmiths. Staff have swapped plastic for paper cups in all water coolers and for all hot drinks, and have had a conscious drive of everyday recycling awareness, taking our recycling

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

As a regional victor at the Made in the South East Awards, Adelphi now move forward to compete for a nationwide title at the Made in the UK event, representing the South East region - winners of the national titles will be announced at a glitzy dinner and awards ceremony in June 2019.

tel: 01444 259 259

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business matters events

december/january february/march 2019 business edge

Events & Training Diary

A lot of business people simply want to meet new clients directly and a cost-effective way of generating new business is networking. Networking is a great way of building your connections quickly at a very low-cost.

Our networking events will bring you face to face with some of the brightest business minds this county has to offer. They will give you the chance to grow your contacts through our 100+ annual events and get you shaking hands with the right people.

Training isn’t just important to your company, it’s vital. Training across your workforce can improve competitiveness, morale, profitability, market share, customer satisfaction and company reputation. In these uncertain times training increases your ability to respond effectively to change.

We are proud to announce the expansion of our training programme, please see the next page for a selection of current and new courses which are now available for bookings.

Please see below a selection of events which are now available for bookings.

Networking Breakfasts 08:00am - 11:00am 26th Feb

Finding and Retaining Talent In a Post-Brexit World

Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, Eastboune

29th April

Making Good Decisions in Time of Change

Goodwood Hotel, Chichester

Networking Lunches 12:00 noon - 14:30pm 14th March

Making Tax Digital

Sandman Signature London Gatwick Hotel

General Networking 19th March

Better Business for All

Hilton Avisford Park Hotel, Arundel

1st May

Joint Speed Networking

Uckfield Civic Centre, Uckfield

14th May

Speed Networking with the Neighbours

Old Thorns Manor Hotel, Liphook

Non-Members Only 09:00 - 11:00am 27th Feb

Connect with Sussex Chamber - Benefits of Becoming a Chamber Member

Jubilee Community Centre, East Grinstead

20th March

Connect with Sussex Chamber - Benefits of Becoming a Chamber Member

Freedom Works, Worthing

20th March

Connect with Sussex Chamber - Benefits of Becoming a Chamber Member

Freedom Works. Hove

27th March

Connect with Sussex Chamber - Benefits of Becoming a Chamber Member

The New Sussex Hotel, Lancing

Forums - Cyber Security 2nd April

GDPR A Year On

Holiday Inn, Gatwick Airport

Forums - Maufacturing 6th Feb

Manufacturing & Engineering - Ricardo Centenary Innovation Centre

Ricardo UK Ltd, Shoreham

Forums - Construction 5th March

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Environmental issues in construction

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Crowne Plaza, Felbridge

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters training

february/march december/january 2019 2018 business business edge edge

Business Courses

Tailored Group Training

Sussex Chamber of Commerce will unleash your business potential by developing employers’ staff to perform effectively, efficiently and with pride to deliver excellent customer service.

Sussex Chamber of Commerce can provide on-site bespoke training courses, this is a fantastic way of designing one of our training courses to suit your business needs. This is a cost-effective way of training a group of your employees at the same time, on a date that suits you and at the premises of your choice.

A variety of short courses are available to all throughout the year. Typically, 1/2 day, one day and 2 days in duration, sessions are interactive and lively to ensure real benefits that contribute to the success of you and your business.

Scheduled Training Courses All scheduled courses are held at the King’s Church, 33-35 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR Sales & Customer Service 6th Feb

Time Management and Personal Effectiveness

Business Skills 12th Feb

Presentation Skills

4th March

Networking for Business Growth

4th March

Coaching for Performance

14th March

Train the Trainer

19th March

Effective Negotiation Skills

Human Resources & Development 25th April

Understanding Mental Health in the Workplace

Personal Development 7th Feb

Mental Toughness and Wellbeing in the Workplace

22nd Feb

Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

26th Feb

Stepping Up to Senior Management

7th March

Building Client Relationships

21st March

Introduction to Mindfulness

30th April

Stepping Up to Senior Management

Management & Leadership Skills 31st Jan & 1st Feb

Essentials of Supervision & Team Leadership – 2-day course

20th Feb

Managing People for Business Success

26th Feb

Stepping Up to Senior Management

6th March

Coaching for Performance

12th March

Introduction to Supervision and Team Leadership

International Trade 14th Feb

A Foundation Course in Importing

15th Feb

Classification of Goods Using Commodity & Tariff Codes

28th Feb

Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills

25th March

Exporting – Understanding the Paperwork

26th April

A Foundation Course in Importing

For more information or to see our 2018 Calander visit our website www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk to book please call us on 01444 259 259.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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chamber news

february/march 2019 business edge

Seaford Chamber of Commerce Rachel Brown Secretary, Seaford Chamber of Commerce

Seaford Chamber is enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, with membership going from strength to strength.

Its organising committee of 12 has the greatest number of young business owners in living memory, offering a refreshing change from the ‘men in grey suits’ image that many Chambers suffer from. Indeed during the Year of the Woman 2018, Clare Davis was elected Vice President to take over the reins next year so with a young woman at the helm, the diversity of the Committee is increased.

Whilst the main aim is to raise the profile of local business in Seaford, the Chamber has also recently established a community face, adopting a local charity to be the

beneficiary of its annual Golf Day. With matched funds from Barclays Wealth Management, over the last few years around £12,000 has been donated to St James Trust (2018), The Bevern Trust (2017), The Barn Theatre (2016) and Remember Spencer (2015).

The Chamber has also offered free training to its members on issues such as cyber security and e-mail marketing, while also establishing a Directory on its website where searches for local contractors and businesses can be made by the public.

Seaford Chamber also collaborates with its neighbouring Chambers in Newhaven and Peacehaven to promote the Seahaven Business Awards each year, recognising excellence and achievement for local entrepreneurs. Whilst there is always friendly rivalry between the Chambers in a business sense, other social events encourage a more competitive element with the annual Go Karting challenge at a local racing circuit!

Who says you can’t combine business with pleasure?

Sponsoring the ‘best window competition’ for the annual town centre Christmas shopping event and leading the initiative for ‘I Love Seaford’ town app, the Chamber is engaging both visitors and residents with local businesses.

Uckfield & District Chamber of Commerce Street is closed and a number of stalls and entertainments are spread up and down it making it a really grand evening for all. In addition the Chamber produced a glossy colour 47 page booklet promoting Christmas in Uckfield delivered to 7000 households.

Phew! What an action packed 2018!

Uckfield Chamber of Commerce enjoyed a really action packed year in 2018 and finished the year with 220 members.

After the AGM, we had a very well supported members’ meeting in a heated marquee at the Bluebell Vineyard at Furners Green, a barbecue at the Crockstead Farm Hotel at Halland and at Screen 2 at The Picture House, Uckfield followed by a visit to Hendall Manor Barns, just north of Uckfield.

There was an inaugural breakfast networking meeting at Chamber member The Highlands Inn in Uckfield with guest speakers which was well attended. The second breakfast took place in October with over 30 people attending. This was a brand new event organised by Chamber which was open to both Chamber members and other businesses in the town. It was very well supported and there are more planned for 2019.

The big event of 2018 was the Uckfield Chamber Business Awards which was an outstanding success held on 8th November at The Sussex National Hotel where over 330 people attended the Gala dinner. There were 15 sponsored business

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categories and the sponsors carried out the judging. There were just under 1,900 nominations across all the awards, each sponsor selected 3 finalists and the winner.

All the finalists and winners attended the Gala dinner. The big winner of the night was Kevin Markwick of the Uckfield Picture House who picked up the Business Person of the Year, The Outstanding Achievement Award and The Picture House itself winning The Business of The Year category.

The charity of the night was Friends of Sussex Hospices whose Chairperson, Kathy Gore, was attending and picked out 3 cash prizes. The Chamber raised £1,600 on the night for the charity.

The Chamber has been active in campaigning on various issues. One is the refurbishment of the Uckfield CCTV system where the Chamber paid for an extra camera to be provided to cover part of the industrial estate. It is also actively involved in re-establishing the Youth Trust with a number of community groups including the Town Council and has pledged £5,000 to help re-establish regular meetings of the Youth Trust. The Chamber also submitted their views on the new Wealden local plan and supported the proposed expansion at Gatwick Airport.

The Chamber website was re-built and improved being launched in the autumn and revamped its printed business directory. Phew - what a year!

We then moved quickly to organising the late night shopping event when the High

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

chamber news

february/march 2019 business edge

Sussex Chamber of Commerce joins forces with a further three town Chambers The Sussex Chamber of Commerce, who provides export documentation, business services, training courses and networking events right across Sussex, has joined forces with a further three town Chambers; Peacehaven, Seaford, and Uckfield.

The new affiliation aims to broaden the Chamber’s partnerships, whilst still enabling both the town Chambers and the Sussex Chamber to retain their independence.

The town Chambers will continue to work at a local level on issues of concern, whilst the Sussex Chamber will work with a more strategic role and a wider economic overview.

The initiative was put in place to give county Chambers a louder voice and platform to represent businesses on a local, regional, and national level.

The affiliation brings a wealth of benefits for its members, which include town Chamber members being able to access additional savings and discounts, attend networking events or training courses with the Sussex Chamber at member rates, and to have a say in national polls and surveys.

Sussex Chamber Chief Executive Ana Christie, said: “There is a huge opportunity for the whole Chamber network across Sussex to really come together. The

network of Chambers can be far stronger and far more cohesive than it has been.

It is fantastic that a further three town Chambers have become affiliated with the Sussex Chamber. The affiliation fosters better collaborations among the business community as well as creating a stronger voice for Sussex businesses.”

The committee from Seaford Chamber of Commerce, said: “Seaford Chamber Committee is delighted to be affiliated to the Sussex Chamber of Commerce due to the additional benefits it will bring to their members. Additionally, it will bring a higher profile to Seaford Chamber, giving a stronger voice on business issues locally and across the county. The opportunities for networking are also of great interest to members and overall, the association will increase the influence and power of both organisations. We are looking forward to 2019 to promote a wider audience.”

Chris Lawson, President of Uckfield & District Chamber of Commerce: “We are

very pleased that Uckfield Chamber has affiliated to Sussex Chamber. The services and benefits that Sussex Chamber can provide to our members will be of great assistance such as good training seminars and networking opportunities, together with help for those members who are exporters, as well as discounts for those who need healthcare plans or roadside assistance.

We look forward to working with Sussex Chamber in the future to the benefit of all businesses in Sussex.”

Mark Derrick, Chairman of Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce, said: “Peacehaven & District Chamber of Commerce is delighted to affiliate with Sussex Chamber of Commerce and look forward to future networking opportunities, member benefits and further strengthening our offering within Peacehaven and the wider business community.”

To find out more about the Sussex Chamber of Commerce and the benefits you can get as a member, please visit www.

sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

55

business sussex showcase matters

august/september december/january february/march 2019 2018 business edge

Brighton & Hove, City By The Sea Richard Pearson Partnership & Visitor Services Manager, VisitBrighton

In the last couple of years Brighton has seen visitor numbers increase to over 11 million a year with shopping and attractions being two of the main reasons to visit, not to mention a lively food and drink scene and of course the iconic seafront, where further developments continue, the newly restored Victorian Shelter Hall for example is due to open early 2020.

The shopping offering in Brighton is unique with hundreds of independent traders, a real draw for visitors both locally and overseas. A new shopping development opening later this year is the Hanningtons Estate which is an extension of The Lanes behind North Street.

Here at VisitBrighton we’re a really passionate small team, working in this amazing city and lucky to have over 500 businesses as ‘’Partners’’ with us, mainly Brighton-based but also some

fantastic hotels and attractions in Sussex, all collectively contributing to the local tourism scene.

done through our website, social media and PR which generates over £5 million a year in advertising value.

We will often be the first port of call for people either thinking of setting up a business in the city or running an event, our what’s-on guide is brimming with great ideas of what to see and do and we probably have over 200 events a month listed on the site. Promotion of the city is

Our work is good fun and never a dull moment but with a serious message; partnership working, helping to grow businesses market share and providing visitors with a great experience so that they’ll want to come back time and time again.

How to write for business without going nuts Al Robertson Brand Language Consultant, Future Proof Branding

So, grab a blank piece of paper and ask yourself:

Why am I writing this?

Al draws on over twenty years of brand language experience to take the stress out of writing.

Business writing can be tough. Every so often, I’m sure you’ve had writing a vital report, proposal, presentation or even just an email turn into a stressful, timeconsuming nightmare.

So I thought I’d share my quick guide to stress-free business writing. It’s a simple approach, but it’s helped me train people at and write for brands like Vodafone, Twinings, Ronseal and Legal & General.

I’m sure it’ll work for you too.

Start with a clear brief Writing without a brief is like driving without a map. You probably won’t get to your destination, and even if you do you won’t be sure that you’ve arrived.

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Try jotting your points down on Post-It notes and moving them round to get your structure just right.

Something needs to change when your audience reads your communication.

They should know, feel and / or do something new because of it. Make a note of that change.

Blast out your first draft

Who am I talking to?

Give it a polish

Imagine you’re writing to just one person.

Who are they? When and how will they read your communication? Why should they care about the change you want them to make? What’s in it for them?

Editing is a vital part of the writing process. It usually takes me two or three rewrites to get a document right.

What will I tell them?

Plan out what to tell your audience to achieve your change, in this order: n The points they absolutely need to hear n The ones that are important but not essential n Whatever you’ll squeeze in if there’s space

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Your first draft is just for you. So don’t try and make it perfect. Just follow your brief and keep typing. All that matters is getting to the end.

First of all, test your writing against your brief. Is it doing everything it needs to?

Reading it out loud can give you a useful new perspective on it. Or ask a colleague for feedback, using your brief to make sure they know exactly what you’re trying to achieve.

Edit for style, too. Keep your sentences no longer than fifteen to twenty words and your paragraphs no longer than three to four sentences. Eliminate the utilisation of grandiloquent corporate vocabulary comparable to this – just use clear, simple, day-to-day words like these.

And that’s it. Happy writing!

tel: 01444 259 259

business new members matters

february/march august/september december/january 2019 2018 2018 business business business edge edge edge

Welcome to Sussex Chamber of Commerce Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce can help you increase profits, get the best from your people and find new clients. Also, it saves you money, gets your voice heard and puts you in contact with even more businesses.

Abbeyfield South Downs

School of the Wild

Stratus Coaching Ltd

Holdenhurst, Mill Road, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0XD

26 Seafield Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 2TP

18 Lyndhurst Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6FA

www.abbsd.co.uk 07442 499451

www.schoolofthewild.com 01273 721258

www.stratuscoaching.co.uk 07799 334594

Community Transport Sussex

Sodexo Prestige

2 Wivelsden Farm, North Common Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4EH

Brighton & Hove Albion FC Amercican Express, Village Way, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9BL

www.ctsussex.org.uk 01444 471919

www.prestigevenuesandevents.sodexo.com 01273 878272

Indigo Splash Ltd 74-82 Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5DL www.indigosplash.com 0844 6868 660

Magicman Limited Gordon House, 15 Gordon Road, Portslade, East Sussex, BN41 1GL www.magicman.co.uk 0345 458 1010

On The Spot Tax Limited Ferncroft, Nuthurst Road, Maplehurst, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6RE www.onthespottax.co.uk 01444 882677

Patterdale Supply Chain Services Ltd Grosvenor Lodge, 72 Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, East Sussex, TN1 2AZ www.patterdalescs.co.uk 01892 249045

Rialto Global 53 Linden House, Chartway, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1QB www.rialtoglobal.com 07904 191094

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business five minutes matters with

december/january february/march 2019 august/september 2018 business edge

5 minutes with...

Matthew Willetts Managing Director, Comicus Ltd

Matthew Willetts runs Comicus Ltd a creative agency and consultancy supplying comedy, speakers, music and creative services to the corporate market place. The company produce and arrange artistes for corporate events, conferences, after dinners, cruise ships and exclusive resorts plus create & produce original theatre shows, tours as well as developing media projects (TV, Film & Radio) with various clients and performers including Marcus Brigstocke’s debut

DVD ‘Planet Corduroy’. Matthew has been in the Media & Entertainment business for nearly forty years, starting as a performer then marking his mark as a comedy writer on many leading TV shows of the 80’s and early 90’s. He joined the Walt Disney organisation as a writer being flown over to Hollywood to join a team of writers. More recently he produced the BBC Radio 4 documentary on Ken Dodd ‘What a beautiful day’. Dodd’s last broadcast interview. Matthew is a great sports fan, working with leading sports speakers, as well a season ticket holder at Brighton & Hove Albion and an Executive member at Sussex County Cricket club where he often follows the team away as pictured above at Lords.

Mobile phone & keys

have been accomplished but it’s been a weird, tough and thought-provoking journey which has not yet finished.

Whatever job you’re in, the grass at some stage always looks greener on the other side of the fence. But seldom it is. Just a different colour.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

As a business person, what are your three main qualities?

What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

Paper boy £2.30

What do you always carry with you to work?

The digital age – continual changes in technology which effects marketing plans

If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change to help business?

Get Brexit sorted – then have a nervous breakdown.

What can you see from your office window?

A Church

If you could do another job what would it be?

I am fortunate that most of my career ambitions in Media & Entertainment

Pro-activity, dealing with clients and sales

What was your biggest mistake in business?

Years ago, being persuaded to get into a business partnership without fully checking out the other person.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Work for a company before starting out on your own and gain sales & marketing experience

Who do you admire most in business?

Richard Branson.

Goals & New Faces in 2019 Oldland Consulting Ltd Following a ten-year period of R&D Tax claim success and consistent growth, Oldland Consulting Ltd (OCL) have made a new appointment to its board of Directors. Stephen Kus joined the company in Sept 2018 and has spent the last 4 months embedding himself into the OCL framework. Stephen’s background has been predominantly within the cosmetics industry working for L’Oreal and Estee Lauder companies, within various management positions over the last 14 years.

“Having come from a different industry I am excited and eager to apply my business expertise to Oldland Consulting Ltd and to continue to build on its ongoing successes.

What I have learnt very quickly is the need to provide potential clients with reassurance and confidence that their claims will be successful. Many companies that are developing new products, new processes or software do not realise that the UK’s R&D Tax Schemes were intended for them. The R&D Tax schemes are in place to support innovating businesses, whether they be start-ups or trading for 100 years. OCL are happy to play a part in ensuring this extremely worthwhile business support gets to all the businesses that are entitled to it. In my new role I intend to deliver to our growing client base, continued trust, professionalism, success and above all ongoing friendship”.

Having grown organically for the last 10 years, Oldland Consulting Ltd is now set to expand its client base further during 2019 and beyond. Building on its already impeccable record of successful R&D Tax Credit claims and ongoing long-term relationships with their clients.

David Oldland Founder & Director

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

Thinkers Challengers Innovators Leaders DISCOVER THE SUS SE X MBA

M A S T E R S O P E N D AY – S AT U R D AY 9 M A R C H 2 0 1 9

www.sussexmba.com AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business matters

february/march 2019 business edge

Tailor-made solutions We offer a high quality service to both corporate and individual customers, coupled with a flexible and innovative approach. We start from a blank canvas and build a bespoke solution, with all key decisions made locally by the branch.

Hove Hunt - Branch -Manager Hove branch branch| Nicky | Simon Nicholson Branch Manager Tel: Tel: 01273 01273 721819, 721814, email: email:nihu05@handelsbanken.co.uk sini07@handelsbanken.co.uk Brighton Nicholson - BranchManager Manager Brightonbranch branch| Simon | Simon Howe - Branch Tel: Tel: 01273 01273 779937, 779937,email: email:sini07@handelsbanken.co.uk siho03@handelsbanken.co.uk

Crawley branch | Simon Briggs - Branch Manager Tel: 01293 525895, email: sibr01@handelsbanken.co.uk Haywards Heath branch | Dave Barden - Branch Manager Tel: 01444 450189, email: daba08@handelsbanken.co.uk Eastbourne branch | Neil Hooper - Branch Manager Tel: 01323 736061, email: neho02@handelsbanken.co.uk

handelsbanken.co.uk Handelsbanken isisthe name of Svenska Handelsbanken (publ).isRegistered Office: ABcompany (publ), 3 Thomas More Square, Handelsbanken thetrading trading name of Handelsbanken plc,AB which incorporated in Svenska EnglandHandelsbanken and Wales with number 11305395.

London, E1W 1WY. Registered in England and Wales No, BRE1W 000589.

Incorporated in Sweden with liability. Registered in Sweden No, 502007Registered office: 3 Thomas More Square, London, 1WY, UK. Handelsbanken plc limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation 7862.

Headand Office in Stockholm. the Swedish Financial Authority (Finansinspektionen) and the Prudential Authority Authority regulated by theAuthorised Financialby Conduct Authority andSupervisory the Prudential Regulation Authority. Financial ServicesRegulation Register number and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct and Prudential Regulation Authority.

Details about the of our authorisation and 806852. Handelsbanken plc is aAuthority wholly-owned subsidiary of Svenska Handelsbanken ABextent (publ). regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259