# STEVENAGE Text
The unique digital magazine for Stevenage promoted by social media
Oct ober 2020
Supporting a legend
PAUL FRY speak s t o M ar t in Git t in gs abou t t h e bat t le h e f aces - Page 12
The unique digit al m agazine f or #St evenage
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# St ayal ert savel ives t hrough t he coronavirus crisis Advert ising and not publ ic charit y support s t his publ icat ion
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Development Board appoints new independent chairman Adrian Hawkins has been appoint ed as t he chairman of t he St evenage Development Board. The former deput y chairman of t he Hert fordshire LEP will lead t he board which was est ablished in March 2020 t o deploy government funding allocat ed t o St evenage t hrough t he Town Invest ment Fund The government -led campaign has select ed 101 t owns t o provide funding wort h up t o ÂŁ25m and has enabled local resident s t o help decide how t his money is spent . The board?s role is t o provide st rat egic leadership and t o set out a Town Invest ment Plan wit h a clear vision, st rat egy and delivery proposals in place which reflect t he ambit ions of local people. Adrian, who was born and raised in a council-owned est at e in t he t own, founded innovat ive advanced manufact uring firm Weldabilit y SIF in St evenage in 1980. He is also t he chairman and co-founder of biz4Biz, an organisat ion est ablished t o support Hert fordshire business owners and leaders, as well as a pat ron of business clubs, working alongside local MPs. Adrian is also t he chairman of t he Hert s LEP Skills and Employment Board having maint ained t he role
for t he past six years, working alongside t he principals of t he Hert s based FE colleges and t he pro vice chancellor of Hert fordshire Universit y t oget her wit h local businesses and privat e skills providers.He remains passionat e about lifelong learning and providing vibrant career opport unit ies t o people of all ages, having delivered HOP t he Hert fordshire Opport unit ies Port al a flagship project on behalf of t he Hert s LEP. He also cont inues t o work wit h t he operat ional board of t he Hert fordshire Growt h Hub, developing it s purpose and presence for t he past 5 years alongside t he t eams based at t he Universit y of Hert fordshire.
Comment ing on his new role Adrian said: ?I am delight ed t o be appoint ed as t he Chairman of t he St evenage Development Board and t o a role which will play a key part in driving forward t he development and regenerat ion of St evenage.I am deeply passionat e about St evenage having been born here and I see t his as a really excit ing opport unit y t o help guide t he fut ure direct ion of our t own.One of my key aims for t he board is t o ensure t hat we engage wit h t he public and t he business communit y t o ensure t hat t his is a regenerat ion delivered for and by t he people of t his t own. ?We already have a st rong set of local and nat ional part ners, but I am keen t o hear from anybody t hat want s t o discuss pot ent ial opport unit ies in t he Town. Toget her, we can deliver on our vision t o t ransform St evenage for t he bet t er. I am ever mindful of t he cont ribut ions t hat t he early founders of our t own, and many ot hers in successive generat ions, have made t o t he evolving st ory of St evenage.These are t he big shoes whose foot print s I am honoured t o walk in ? and t o which I hope t o do just ice ? in delivering furt her on our shared effort s in t he Town.? The board consist s of key st akeholders from public sect or organisat ions, privat e businesses, and not -for-profit groups based in St evenage and t he surrounding areas, t o ensure a diverse range of views are represent ed. By bringing t hese different backgrounds t oget her t he St evenage Development board aims t o ensure t hat t he views of resident s, businesses and ot her key st akeholder groups are aligned in order t o drive furt her t ransformat ional change in St evenage, t he UK?s first New Town. The t own is also benefit t ing from an ongoing 20-year, £1bn regenerat ion programme wit h t hree separat e development schemes current ly underway. More informat ion about t he programme can be found at www.St evenage-Even-Bet t er.com
excellent part ners working t hrough t he St evenage Development Board t o help at t ract in furt her government funding t o support our shared ambit ions t o regenerat e t he t own, creat e opport unit ies for resident s and achieve our vision for an even bet t er St evenage.?
More information on the wider 20-year, £1bn town regeneration plans can be found athttp://www.stevenage-even-better.comand on Twitter and Instagram (@StevenageBetter) The Stevenage Development Board was established in March 2020 to oversee the development of a Town Deal for Stevenage. The board?s role is to provide strategic leadership and to set out a Town Investment Plan with a clear vision, strategy and delivery proposals in place, which reflect the ambitions of local people. The board consists of key stakeholders from public sector organisations, private businesses, and not-for-profit organisation, to ensure a diverse range of views are represented. The board is chaired by Adrian Hawkins, founder of Weldability Sif and co-founder of biz4Biz, who has recently served as the deputy chairman of Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership
The board includes members from public sector organisations (Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council, LEP), private businesses (MBDA, Airbus, Mace) and not-for-profit organisations (Wenta, Stevenage BioScience Catalyst) and more. The Government-led #MyTown campaign has given people in 101 places the chance to write the next chapter for their town. The #MyTown campaign gives people a say in how a new generation of Town Deals, each worth up to £25 million, should transform the place they call home.
Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of St evenage Borough Council said:
It also provides a platform for communities to share their proud history and ambitions for a bright future.
?We are delight ed t o have Adrian Hawkins join us as t he independent chair of t he St evenage Development Board.Adrian is St evenage born and bred, wit h a passion for t he t own.He brings wit h him a wide range of valuable and relevant experience.
From Blackpool to Bedford, Torquay to Truro, 100 towns will get the chance to pioneer new multi-million pound Town Deals as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund. Communities, businesses and local leaders are being asked to draw up ambitious plans to transform their town?s economic growth prospects.
?We look forward t o working wit h Adrian and t he
Time to run the Striders virtual 10K The Virtual Stevenage 10K 2020 With the impact of Covid19 and the strong
you are one of the entrants have until 31/10/2020 to complete a 10K on a route of their choice.
possibility that public gatherings for running
All finishers receive a bespoke race medal and a
events won?t be allowed until much later in the
branded technical t shirt.
year (if at all) Stevenage Striders have decided to hold the Stevenage 10K as a virtual race in 2020. This enables the club to ensure that funds can still
Stevenage Magazine publisher Hashtag Digital Media is proud once again the sponsor the event. Entries are now open!
be raised for the race?s nominated local good causes - Stevenage Community Trust, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, Stevenage Haven and staff at the NHS Lister Hospital. On line entries for the race have now closed but if
For full details head here. h t t ps:/ / st even agest r ider sr c.or g.u k
Sub-3 Michelle breaks FVS marathon record For t he f irst t ime in t he 36 year hist ory of Fairl ands Val l ey Spart ans a woman member beat t he t hree hour barrier f or a marat hon on Sunday. In dif f icul t wet and windy condit ions MICHELLE REEVES (pict ured) ran t he Dorney Lake Marat hon, near Et on, in 2 hours 58 minut es 3 seconds. Michel l e began in t he Spart ans?st art er group.Now she?s a cl ub record hol der! Nine Spart ans were amongst 525 f inishers at t he ?waves and rippl es? event . Teamwork by CRAIG WILSON; ANDREW PATTERSON and SIMON JACKSON saw t hem f inish t oget her in 2:53:42; 2:53:42 and 2:53:43 and 105 t h, 106 t h and 107 t h posit ion. Michel l e was 147 t h wit h her 2:58:03.She was f if t h senior (under 40 woman). Wel l wit hin t he import ant qual if ying t ime of 3:15 came SUZY HAWKINS in 3:10:35.That ?s a personal best (PB) by el even minut es.She was 210 t hand f if t h woman aged 40 pl us. STUART HAYCROFT and SAMANTHA PRETTY came in 224 t h and 225 t h in 3:13:49.PETER SMITH f inished in 3:37:46.Running her f irst ?proper? marat hon CHARLOTTE SMITH said she ?hit t he wal l ? at 13 mil es but hel d on t o f inish in 4 hours 14 minut es 22 seconds. Virt ual London and 10K Many Spart ans were al so running virt ual 10Ks and marat hons.Many on l oops around St evenage, some in ext raordinary condit ions wit h f l oods and t rees bl ocking t heir rout es. 4 t h Oct ober woul d have been t he dat e f or t he popul ar St andal one 10K and whil e t he el it e runners were compet ing in west London f or t he masses it was al so t he day f or t he virt ual London Marat hon. The st and out virt ual perf ormance was by ADRIAN BUSOLINI. His marat hon was a f ant ast ic achievement running sol o, get t ing wet f eet , f ight ing t he wind and rain, and wit hout regul ar of f icial wat er st at ions on a course in St evenage yet f inishing in 2 hours 55 minut es 17 seconds. His f irst marat hon under t hree hours and a personal best by t en minut es. MIKE GREEN t ook 4:02:01 f or t he 26.2 mil es. MARTIN DUDLEY compl et ed his virt ual London Marat hon in 4 hours, 34 minut es, 4 seconds. A very wet run wit h f l ooded roads bet ween St evenage and West on on his way t o t he Garden House Hospice in Let chwort h. Dean Carpent er did not have a virt ual pl ace but ran t he whol e 26.32 mil es t o support him. Wel l a dif f erent event said ERICA GRAYSON who ran t o support Sue Hamer who had a 2020 bal l ot pl ace. They ran side by side around t he cycl e pat hs of St evenage wit h one pit st op where t hey changed t heir soggy kit and ref uel l ed.
Their of f icial f inish t ime was 5:04:16.Erica said it was great t o be out running an event al beit an iconic mast ers in virt ual f ormat . A group of Spart ans had chosen a rout e al ong t he al ong t he Al ban Way but on t he day t hey had t o t ry t o avoid f l oods and a f al l en t ree wherever t hey coul d.Rout e comprised of road wit h a spl ash of t rail and wading t hrough wat er at point s.There?s an amazing pict ure of a f ancy dress runner ? a birt hday cake - going downst ream. Hazel said a wat er st at ion was provided by f el l ow Spart an Sharon Fl ahert y and her t wo amazing l it t l e hel pers. A real boost t o moral e every t ime we saw t hem.That group?s f inishing t imes were: Karen El l is 4:52:29; Ed Hare 5:07:27; Hazel Smit h 5:15:38; Robert Wright 5:15:53; Jul ie Shadbol t 5:25:27; Linda Nol an 5:28:35; Ada Janusiene 5:25:22; Jackie Downes 5:14:23 and Cat hy Craig 5:39:11.They weren?t al one in having some probl ems wit h t he of f icial app.
Despit e f l oods and an enormous t ree f al l ing down on her rout e due t o gal es CATHY CRAIG said she had a great run and f inished her virt ual London Marat hon in 5:39:11. HAZEL SMITH says she has wrinkl y f eet f rom al l t he wat er in her shoes, had t o rise t o t he chal l enge wit h t he f l oods and f al l en t ree, but it was al l wort h it f or cheese on t oast and prosecco in t he bat h. PAUL HOLGATE spl ashed his way around t he virt ual marat hon in St evenage on Sunday.His t ime was 6:33:42, t wo hours quicker t han his l ast road marat hon which was in Snowdon l ast year. BITSY KHAMBHAITA said, ?What a day, I?m absol ut el y exhaust ed but so proud f or get t ing out in t he hideous weat her, I was soaked by t wo mil es, had t o rerout e t wice and shimmied al ong a grass verge due t o f l ooding! But despit e t he bl ist ers carried on and made it t o f inish t he Virt ual London Marat hon in 7 hours 14 minut es 42 seconds.?She t hanked t hose who l ooked af t er her, cheered her on and f ol l owing her around bringing snacks and drinks and said she coul d not have done it wit hout t hem. Al t oget her t hirt y seven Spart ans ran an act ual or virt ual marat hon on London Marat hon day.You can f ind al l of t hem in t he t abl es near t he end of t his rel ease: Virt ual 10Ks YUKO GORDON ran her virt ual St andal one 10K in 49 minut es 55 seconds; MARTIN JACOB his in 56:37 and LINDA GEORGE ran 1:06:42. Sarah and St eve Pike did t he "cl ub" 10K virt ual course. They said it was pret t y horribl e weat her and t hey were never pl anning t o go around very quick. Their t ime was 69:30. The Fab Four of Nicol a Hat herl y; Niki Pl umb; Hayl ey Peach and Nichol a Durent ran t he Virt ual St andal one 10K. They said despit e t he const ant rain it was an enjoyabl e run and vibe seeing l ot s of runners out doing t heir own runs and virt ual races.Their t imes were Nicol a 1:17:20; Niki 1:21:22; Hayl ey 1:34:32 and Nichol a 1:35.38. PAM TAYLOR and STEPH BIGGAR did t heir 10Ks in 83:12 and 84:17. SHARON CROWLEY covered t he dist ance in 1 hour 32 minut es 56 seconds in t he midst of doing t he whol e 42.2 kil omet res just f or t he f un of it . Ot hers doing various virt ual runs incl uded JIM BROWN who bumbl ed around a hal f marat hon on t he way t o 15 mil es. Ot her Virt ual s In t he Fl y 5k Event 16. Nick Kl eant hous 25:03 (YB 0:12) and Paul Hol gat e 33:17 In addit ion in t he (not ) St evenage ParkRun 5k Event 14.Lee Pickersgil l 23:35 (YB 0:23); James McSweeney 26:50; Paul
Jennings 27:29 (YB 0:53) and Nicol a Andersson 28:51 More Than A Thousand Marat hons In Virt ual Rel ay FVS have visit ed t he f our Twin Towns of St evenage and cont inued t o run in some of t he worl d?s iconic marat hons in t heir amazing virt ual rel ay which f inished on t he same day as t he Virt ual London Marat hon. The 40 t h (virt ual ) London Marat hon brought t he Spart ans home 126 days af t er l eaving St evenage.On 4 t h Oct ober t hey recorded 801 mil es wit h 64 members post ing a dist ance.That is t he highest dail y t ot al of t he whol e virt ual rel ay. The f inal t ot al mil eage f or t he cl ub was 33,045 mil es.Al ong t he way t here were 4,867 mil eage post s and 33 count ries were visit ed (some of t hem t wice).The Spart ans compet ed in 40 running event s. BRIAN WHITE was named Spart an of t he Mont h f or ef f ort s organising t he virt ual rel ay f or many mont hs. Parkrun Roundup 3 rdOct ober 2020 Parkruns have rest art ed in some ot her count ries but not yet in t he UK. Fairl ands Val l ey Spart ans and many ot hers are l ooking f orward t o t he 200 t h St evenage Parkrun which wil l be t he f irst l ocal parkrun when t he event s can rest art .The 199 t h parkrun was on Sat urday 14 t h March. It ?l l be some part y when t hey rest art . Dozens of event s were cancel l ed in t he Spring and Summer incl uding t he mass part icipat ion London Marat hon but t here are some gl immers of a ret urn t o ?l ive? compet it ion wit h ent ries being invit ed f or event s on 18 t h Oct ober and 7 t h November amongst ot hers.
Train Virt ual l y Wit h The Spart ans Limit ed coaching sessions have rest art ed wit h Spart ans making sure t hey maint ain t he t wo met re separat ion f rom everyone el se and appl ying t he ot her current Covid requirement s. In addit ion Brian Whit e, t he head coach, is publ ishing weekl y t raining programmes f or members t o f ol l ow sol o; many Spart ans were al most marat hon ready bef ore l ockdown and are rel axing wit h l ocal runs f rom home t o maint ain f it ness l evel s wit hout over t raining. Brian has al so been organising a virt ual rel ay f or many weeks.This has t aken t he cl ub t o al l f our of St evenage?s t win t owns and cont inues making it s way home via t he rout es of some of t he worl d?s f amous marat hons.The l at est guidance is t hat peopl e can run in smal l groups but social l y dist anced. To join t he Spart ans visit www.f vspart ans.org.uknow.
Stevenage FC launches new supporters' lottery SA LOTTERY LAUNCHED St evenage Foot ball Club is pleased t o announce t he launch of it s Support ers' Associat ion Lot t ery powered by Unit y Lot t ery. Following t he delay in a ret urn of crowds and t he Associat ion?s abilit y t o fundraise on mat ch days, t he support er run organisat ion has launched an online lot t ery t o help raise funds for t he Club during a challenging t ime. The SA Lot t ery will be t he new way for Boro support ers t o help t he club, wit h ent ry available from just £1 a week and mont hly direct debit payment opt ions available via t he new online and mobile plat form. SA Websit e & Comms Manager Andrew Mugridge
explains, "The new lot t ery enables us t o raise funds for t he SA, wit h 50% of each £1 t icket sale going t o t he SA, which in t urn will help support t he great work t he Club does for t he communit y. The lot t ery also offers much bigger cash prizes t han ever before wit h a t ot al of 4 prizes up for grabs and an amazing £25,000 t op prize." Chief Execut ive Alex Tunbridge st at ed, "The Club is grat eful for t he SA t o be launching t he lot t ery and finding new ways t o support t he Club in t hese challenging t imes." For furt her informat ion and t o join for your chance t o win £25,000 head t o ht t p:// www.sfcsa.co.uk/ home/sa-lot t ery /st evenage-sa-lot t ery
Paul Fry on # St evenage
Paul Fry on of # StMartin evenage Memories Gittings and call to support the legend A great phot o popped up on my socal media recent ly of t he t eams lined up casually before a special mat ch at Broadhall Way t o mark t he swit ching-on of new floodlight s at t he st adium. It was Tuesday, November 23, 1982. So I know exact ly where I was t hat part icular evening when Boro played a Leeds Unit ed XI. As a former Leeds player, Boro st alwart Paul Pet erson was able t o call in a few favours, and t he Unit ed t eam t hat night included st ars such as t he Gray brot hers Eddie and Frank - Terry Yorat h, John Lukic and Paul Hart . This was just six years aft er St evenage Borough FC was founded, from t he rubble t hat was St evenage At hlet ic, almost lit erally, aft er t he Broadhall Way pit ch had famously been dug up on t he orders of owner Javier Revuelt a t o prevent t he st adium being used by t he phoenix club. I ment ion t he Leeds game because it was a major career highlight for a Boro legend, Mart in Git t ings, who played in t hat game. Sad t o say, Mart in, who was a cent ral and almost defining figure in Boro's rise t hrough t he non-leagues in t he 1980s and early 1990s, is st ruggling wit h
Parkinson's. It seems cruel t hat someone who was a superb at hlet e has been laid so low at just 57 by such an awful disease, which afflict s all t oo many ot hers, of course. It was shocking news. Mart in has had it for a couple of years and says it is get t ing progressively worse. Mart in's st ory is indelibly ent wined wit h t hat of St evenage Borough FC. He scored 217 goals in 351 games, which in it self is a t remendous achievement . He was part of somet hing very special. And his phenomenal haul of 44 goals in just one season, 1991-92, is a club record t hat will t ake some beat ing. And t he club has had some very t alent ed st rikers down t he years. For comparison, Carl Alford bagged 59 goals in 93 appearances; Barry Hayles 76 in 141 st art s; and St eve Morison 89 in 151. Morison's t ally makes him t he club's second-all-t ime goalscorer by a dist ance. Mart in won t he Diadora League Golden Boot for t hat achievement in 91-92 as Boro st ormed t heir way t o t he Division 1 t it le and promot ion. But it was no flash in t he pan. He net t ed 34
t imes t he following season when Boro finished sevent h in t he Premier Division and anot her 40 when t hey won t he t it le a year lat er, which secured promot ion t o t he Vauxhall Conference. He made his debut for Boro against Sharnbrook in 1980 and had four spells at Broadhall Way. He was also Player of t he Year t wice. There was also t he small mat t er of having a club fanzine named aft er him - Git t s Is Up. Quit e t he accolade. Paul Fairclough was Boro manager during t hose incredible years of repeat ed success. He says of Mart in: "In my t ime as a foot ball coach and manager t hrough t he various leagues I have come across a number of 'charact ers'. "Some of t hose charact ers are memorable for t he wrong reasons. Mart in Git t ings is very high in my list of great charact ers. "On t he pit ch Mart in was phenomenal. He had an insat iable at t it ude t o score goals and an unquenchable desire t o win. "He was a t rue predat or in t he penalt y area and could t each many of our highly paid modern-day foot ballers a lesson
or t wo on how t o score goals. "It was also Mart in's ot her aspect s of play t hat made him t he great foot baller he was; he was feared by opposit ion defenders because of his physical combat iveness. Defenders knew, for sure, t hat Mart in would make huge challenges for every single ball. "Mart in, had ot her charact erist ics t hat made him a t errific front man. His work et hic and his abilit y t o t ake pressure off his own defenders was huge. He would oft en be seen in his own penalt y area at t acking every cross t he opposit ion made." Paul added: "He was t he perfect player t o enable his own t eam t o get up t he field and for midfield players t o join in t he play; when we did clear our lines at t he back Mart in was invariably t he first t o t he ball wit h his back t o t he opposit ion goal. "He would use his physical presence t o secure and hold t he ball unt il his t eam mat es arrived support him. "Mart in loved t o t rain and he will remember well t he hill he used t o run up and down in our t raining sessions, always eager t o beat his t ime. He was a leader of men. "In t he changing room he loved t he bant er but did not suffer fools. He was, and st ill remains, a winner" They are sent iment s shared by many t eammat es - and doubt less a few bruised opponent s, t oo. As Mart in deals wit h t he cont inuing challenge of his illness, he will no doubt get a real boost from such words. Anot her remarkable memory is his own personal one, from t he 1984-85 season. Mart in recalls:
"We played an away league mat ch against Billericay Town. The t eam t hat night included me and t wo brot hers: Pet er in midfield and Alan, who came off t he subst it ut es' bench in t he second half." Mart in pocket dialled me recent ly and t old me of his healt h st ruggle. He lives in Biggleswade but is looking t o move back t o St evenage knowing he will need more support . As we chat t ed, I reminded Mart in t hat he was a major bridge t o t he success St evenage FC has enjoyed in lat t er years: t he promot ions, t he great FA Cup giant -killings and t he Wembley appearances. His one big regret is t hat he never played at Wembley. But he would not have been out of place t here. Mart in had a t est imonial mat ch in 1994 but t he club has been looking t o organise a Legends game for Mart in which has had t o be put on hold because of t he coronavirus pandemic. And a group of fans is also looking t o support Mart in. There are various ideas t aking shape. Proof t hat Git t s is st ill up t here in t heir est imat ion. And right ly so. ----------------I had quit e a bit of blowback from my last column on how I t hought t he Old Town High St reet could benefit from being pedest rianised. I t ake heart from t he fact t hat t he majorit y who responded did so favourably. And mount ing evidence t hat such approaches appear t o be paying dividends in ot her t owns, encouraging foot fall and creat ing more convivial and greener surroundings for people t o enjoy.
There are of course t hose who don't see it t hat way and t hey largely seem t o be from t hose more wedded t o t heir cars. The Town Cent re has never seemed inhibit ed by being pedest rian-friendly, and I see ext ending t hat t o t he High St reet as a logical move. The Town Cent re is of course morphing under t he ÂŁ1bn modernisat ion plan which will lead t o a more balance mix of resident ial and ret ail. It is somet imes hard t o imagine t hings being very different t o how we have lived for decades. But change, if embraced, rat her t han feared, can be posit ive. ---Just one fleet ing t hought on t he virus pandemic. W hile we are present ed wit h ever-changing and oft en mixed messages, t he lat est being hands, face and space, I would implore people t o bear a couple of ot her t hings in mind: Tech. Sanit ize your phone screens and comput er keyboards. They have been found t o harbour all kinds of nast ies. There seems lit t le point in washing your hands, t hen sanit ising, only t o pull your dirt y phone out and play wit h it for 20 minut es. Quick, nurse, t he screens t akes on a whole new meaning in t he current carry on...
St at ement from Sharon Taylor, Leader of St evenage Borough Council:
Council leader issues call to local people over Covid
?As we head int o what was already ant icipat ed t o be a difficult wint er period, we are ext remely concerned t hat t he most recent dat a is showing an increase in t he number of COVID-19 cases in St evenage and elsewhere across t he count y. The number of cases in t he t own is at it s highest level since May. ?The majorit y of new infect ions are in t he 20-49 age bracket and while t hey may not pose a serious t hreat t o t he healt h of
available, t his pandemic is not over and could get worse during t he wint er mont hs, present ing challenges for our local NHS t o administ er care t o all pat ient s. ?If we all t ake personal responsibilit y in helping t o st op t he spread of infect ion reinforcing our commit ment t o social dist ancing, wearing masks and washing our hands regularly and properly - we can mit igat e t he worst of it and prevent more drast ic measures needing t o be t aken. We?ve only just reopened t he t own, let ?s not see our pubs, rest aurant s and ot her businesses closing again. The applicat ion of some good old-fashioned common sense can help prevent t hat . ?To keep our resident s safe and t o avoid becoming one of t he Government ?s local lockdown areas, we need all St evenage resident s t o keep playing t heir part in reducing t he spread of COVID-19 wit hin t he local communit y. Please observe t he well-publicised social dist ancing guidelines and t he new ?Rule of Six?wit h regards t o group gat herings.
most younger people, we all need t o be aware t hat t he virus can st ill have dangerous effect s. The risk of spreading t he virus t o older and more vulnerable resident s is st ill high and could result in an increase in serious COVID-19 cases which require hospit alisat ion. ?W it h no vaccine current ly
?And if you t hink t hat you may have come int o cont act wit h someone wit h COVID-19 you should self-isolat e for 14 days. If you are feeling unwell, you should call?119 or book a t est on t he Gov.uk websit e.?
Striders enjoy a busy month of running Sept em ber h as been a bu sy m on t h f or m an y St r ider s w it h t r ain in g session s bein g u sed w ell an d m an y vir t u al even t s an d ch allen ges t ak in g place, t h er e h ave even been som e act u al even t s h eld w it h m odif ied con dit ion s an d sever al St r ider s h ave t ak en advan t age of t h ese w it h gr eat per f or m an ces. Rem em ber t o ch eck session availabilit y f or t h e var iet y of clu b session s on of f er u sin g t h e below lin k s an d w e even h ave Su n day r u n s r esu m in g so do t ak e a look at t h e sch edu le an d as alw ays, m an y t h an k s t o you r r u n leader t eam f or f acilit at in g t h ese session s.
h t t ps:/ / st even agest r ider sr c.or g.u k ./ diar y Th e w eb sit e allow s m em ber s t o see session availabilit y. Fu ll book in g in st r u ct ion s h ave been
t h e last f ew m on t h s t h ese ar e, Ben Dr ak e, Ash ley Joh n son , Ph illip Row lan d-M or r is, Sof ie En gelh ar dt , M ar t a Saez, M oh an Taylor , Han n ah Ben n et t , Em m a Ew ar t , Joh n M or r is, Sar ah Keel, Lar n ie Ziw a, Br adley Bir ch , Pr aveen Selvar aj,
em ailed t o clu b m em ber s an d book in gs can be com plet ed u sin g t h e f ollow in g lin k h t t ps:/ / st even agest r ider sr c.or g.u k / book -t r ain in g New M em ber s Welcom e
Han n ah Br ass, Sar ah Sau n der s an d Nick y Gin ger . Welcom e all. 10K h an dicap Th e clu b w ill be h oldin g t h eir Han dicap 10K
In t h e cu r r en t clim at e it is per h aps even m or e
r ace on Su n day 18/ 10/ 2020. Th is is an
im por t an t t o look af t er ou r ph ysical an d
oppor t u n it y f or all clu b m em ber s t o r u n a
m en t al h ealt h an d w h at bet t er w ay t h an t o
t im ed 10K on a m easu r ed cou r se (a f ast on e
m eet sm all gr ou ps of f ellow st r ider s as par t of
t oo) f ollow in g Covid r elat ed gu idan ce an d
a r u n n in g clu b, t h is is dem on st r at ed by u s
r u les. Th e r ou t e is an ou t an d back on a
con t in u in g t o w elcom e n ew m em ber s an d over
r elat ively f lat r ou t e (by St even age st an dar ds)
t h at in cor por at es t h e Fair lan ds Valley sou t h
as w ell as t h e Bedf or d 5 &am p;10k an d gain in g
an d n or t h par k s. All cyclew ay/ t ar m ac based.
a PB f or t h e St even age 10 of 1:37:10, Pen n y
How w ill it w or k ?
Fan t h or pe also com plet ed t h e St even age 10k in 1:24:10
To t ak e par t you m u st be a clu b m em ber , You n eed t o let Ch r is Leigh k n ow you w an t t o t ak e par t . A t ar get t im e w ill be calcu lat ed f or t h e 10K based on you r cu r r en t f or m an d all t h e
Eloise Billin gt on com plet ed h er f ir st m ar at h on t ak in g par t in t h e M K vir t u al even t w it h a t im e of 5:06:44.
r u n n in g dat a w e h ave f or you (w e h ave lot s
Am y An der son an d Ton y Cast r o com plet ed t h e
n ow !).
Su n r ise cit y 5k an d t h e St even age 10k .
Ru n n er s ar e t h en r an k ed based on t h eir t ar get
Ally Br ow n also com plet ed t h e Bedf or d 5K
t im e. Th e qu ick est r u n n er s w ill st ar t f ir st ,
37:58 &am p; 10k 1:07:02.
en su r in g t h er e is appr opr iat e dist an cin g bet w een r u n n er s t h r ou gh ou t t h e 10K. Ru n n er s w ill be ask ed t o com e t o t h e st ar t n o lon ger t h an 2-3 m in u t es bef or e t h eir sch edu led st ar t
Ph il Deaves r ack ed u p 125 m ile f or t h e RAYP ch allen ge as w ell as t h e Bedf or d Ru n n in g Fest ival 5k , 10k , h alf m ar at h on an d 20 m ile even t s.
t im e an d w ill be st ar t ed as t h ey ar r ive, en su r in g t h er e ar e n o gat h er in gs at t h e st ar t ar ea.
Ch ar lot t e Leigh an d Lin da How ell w er e also Bedf or d r u n n er s com plet in g t h e 5 an d 10k even t s.
As r u n n er s f in ish in t h e f ield adjacen t t o Ridlin s st adiu m t h ey w ill t ak e t h eir f in ish er s m edal an d w ill be able t o t ak e a dr in k an d n ibbles bef or e bein g ask ed t o r et u r n t o t h eir
Pet er M on k r an 2 h alf M ar at h on s in t h e River side h alf an d Ph oen ix Her cu les h alf , 2:12.1 an d 2:14:13.
car et c an d depar t . We w an t t o avoid
Ch r issie Th om as com plet ed t h e Gr eat Nor t h
gat h er in gs at t h e f in ish f or obviou s r eason s.
Ru n Solo even t f in ish in g w it h 301.2 m iles, t h e
Tr oph ies w ill be pr esen t ed t o t h e 3 r u n n er s w h o beat t h eir t ar get t im e by t h e biggest m ar gin . Th er e w ill also be a t r oph y f or t h e qu ick est m an an d qu ick est lady. Race Resu lt s
M K 5k an d h alf m ar at h on , Bedf or d 5 an d 10k , Dor ot a Adam czyk com plet ed t h e Bedf or d 5k 38:23 an d 10k 1:25:44 an d t h e St even age 10k 1:19:24 Esper an za Cast r o also r an t h e Bedf or d 5k 23:42, 10k 54:54 h alf m ar at h on 2:03:42 an d 20 m iles
Lea Valley Ru n Fest : Sever al St r ider s t ook t h e oppor t u n it y t o r u n in a st aged even t w it h som e
4:14:23, an d t h e in t er n at ion al peace ch allen ge 5k 23:29.
PB?s ach ieved on 27t h Sept em ber , Glen n Cu zn er 43:47 PB, St u ar t Cu zn er 41:48 PB, M ar t in Wat son 52:47, Ph il Deaves 47:27 PB,
Tr acy Nor r is also gain ed a 10K pb in t h e St even age even t w it h 1:37:00.
Ch r issie Th om as 55:35 PB, Esper an za Cast r o
M ar t in Scales com plet ed t h e GNR h alf
53:12, Ally Br ow n 1:06:17, Lau r en Pegg 1:11:44,
m ar at h on in 1:54:55 an d also com plet ed t h e 40
Ch ar lot t e Leigh 1:13:36, Lin da How ell 1:03:50,
r u n s in 78 days solo ch allen ge.
Lean n e M ah on ey 58:05. Vir t u al Even t s an d ach ievem en t s Rach el Hall com plet ed t h e 2.5k su per h er o r u n ,
Dan ik Bat es r an in t h e bat t le of Br it ain six h ou r even t f in ish in g 1 st place in t h e h alf m ar at h on 2:05:57.
Ready for Pride awards
This year?s Pride of Stevenage Awards will be held virtually for the first time on Saturday 24 October and will be live streamed from the council?s YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/SBCComms Categories highlight the good work of individuals and businesses that have made a difference during the pandemic. The award categories are: ·Best Covid communit y support service to help the people of Stevenage during the pandemic ·Covid lockdown hero someone who selflessly helped others ·Best company providing Covid support to the residents/local community ·Best t eam Covid support providing support to the residents/local community ·Best Covid communit y hero someone who helped local groups of people / volunteering that made a difference / someone who was a good neighbour or Samaritan during the lockdown ·Best Covid healt hcare hero/ heroes healthcare specialist/s who made a huge difference ·Best Covid adapt able business organisations that redeployed staff, made donations, changed
services/products during the pandemic and/or lockdown period. Nominations are now closed. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges, chaired by Leader of the Council, councillor Sharon Taylor. Finalists will be informed after the judging. The host for the evening will be Stevenage FC matchday announcer, Jay Drackford. Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Councillor Sharon Taylor, said: ?Although we cannot host the awards ceremony as we usually would, it?s more important than ever that we recognise the good work of community groups and individuals, so this year?s Pride of Stevenage Awards will be held virtually. ?The heart of our town lies in its people and over the past six months, I have been truly humbled by the acts of kindness and community spirit shown by so many people and organisations during such a difficult time. We really have seen the best of Stevenage, it?s something our town should be extremely proud about and we look forward to being able to recognise and say thank you in October. ?The Pride of Stevenage Awards is a chance of us to come together virtually to celebrate and say thank you to some amazing people and recognise the outstanding contribution they have made to our town and the lives of people in it.?
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The benefits of nature It?s a well known fact that spending time outdoors has major health benefits, both physically and mentally. Getting back to nature can improve your mood, reduce stress, help you be more active and even increase your self-esteem. During the early stages of lockdown, government guidelines restricted us to just one form of exercise outside a day. Thankfully, we can now spend unlimited time outdoors ? and the benefits are clear. Get t ing back t o nat ure According to research by the National Trust, 79% of adults infrequently or never smelled wild flowers and 62% either infrequently or never listened to birdsong. We wonder how these figures have changed since lockdown? Nature is restorative and one of the gifts lockdown has brought us is the time to notice it. We?ve seen many more people walking, cycling, jogging, picnicking and meeting (socially-distanced) outdoors. Perhaps ironically in a time of ?lockdown?, we are re-establishing our connection with nature and the wider world.
quote from Angie Weiland-Crosby says: ?Nature is the kind of friend that never leaves my side. Even in grief-stricken times, in her soul I can confide.? Nature reminds us that death is a part of life and that life goes on; we watch the seasons change before us and without fail, from Spring through to Winter each year. Nature also gives us time to reflect because it doesn?t demand anything back from us. And nature encourages us to see outside of our ever-circling thoughts of grief and to reconnect with others. ?In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks,?the wise words of Naturalist, John Muir. Harwood Park During lockdown, our own Harwood Park Memorial Gardens has remained open for families to reflect on their loved ones. With 25 acres, there is plenty of space for quiet contemplation. The memorial gardens serve both as a final resting place for loved ones and also a peaceful retreat for family and friends to visit. From the carefully pruned roses, to the pretty line of cherry trees and the immaculately planted topiary crescent, it?s a lovely place to enjoy the beauty of nature.
failing to get council backing to build on municipal land, John decided to source a plot of private land in the village of Datchworth and 10 years later, in February 1997, Harwood Park Crematorium and Memorial Gardens was finally opened. John thought of all the little touches when planning Harwood Park, including a large window in the chapel overlooking the countryside and raised areas to make it easier for wheelchair users to view the floral tributes.. Nat ural memorials Natural and ?living?memorials continue to grow in popularity. We have chestnut, birch and woodland trees, all planted as saplings, so you can watch them grow and mature. There are memorial trees throughout our grounds and woodlands, all accompanied by a memorial tablet or plaque, and ashes can be scattered or buried by the tree. Our memorials also include benches and seats, with an inscription dedicated to the person who has passed. Nature can help us through life?s toughest questions, so find time to take that walk or to just sit and watch the world go by. You won?t regret it.
Nat ure and grief Outside of lockdown and Covid, there are also many stories of nature helping in people?s grieving processes after losing a loved one. A beautiful
When John Austin (Claire?s father) took over the business in 1965, his vision was to provide a crematorium to serve the local community. After
Find out more about Harwood Park Crematorium and Memorial Gardens at www.cremat orium.co.uk
#Stayalertsavelives
A warm welcome back to everyone Hello! it ?s you we?ve been looking for!
1 Game = 18 holes: 2 Games = 36 holes.
We are open so please click here t o read our new rules before you arrive so we can keep you & our t eam safe: Mr Mulligans New Rules
Please not e: Under 13?s are required t o be accompanied by an adult during all golf act ivit ies. Under 18?s must be accompanied by an adult bet ween 18:00 and 20:45. All under 18?s must leave t he venue by 20:45, ID will be required. This is a legal requirement , please bear in mind when booking online.
ht t ps://mrmulligan.com/ st evenage/ ?fbclid=IwA R1dRoCUgvhQ1shvc6 Text TO2aJo0d04ZUroy9 eg3YBrnm4LbCzKH Pj-ETQzEvo
Click h er e t o book !!
GIFT VOUCHERS
Fancy playing some crazy golf? Online we have some handy FAQ?s on how we are ensuring your safet y & our t eams.
Looking for a gift t hat ?s a lit t le different ? Give t he ult imat e crazy experience wit h Mr Mulligans gift vouchers! They?ll be put t in??t il t heir heart s cont ent ! Sure beat s socks right ?
TICKET TYPE
1 GAME
2 GAMES
VENUE INFORMATION
12 and Over
£9.50
£13.25
Under 12
£6.50
£8.50
The ult imat e family day out in St evenage. Perfect for children?s birt hday part ies, corporat e event s and Christ mas part ies.
NUS/ St udent
£8.50
£12
Family*
£28
£38
*One or t wo '12 and overs?wit h t wo or t hree ?under 12s?(Maximum 4 people)
2 x 18-hole Indoor Advent ure Golf Courses A Limit ed Food & Drink Menu Is available at sit e via QR Code Use Call 01438 879579
ElectrAssure contract
St evenage based Elect rAssure have won a major t ender exercise wit h VW. A t ender process was commenced in lat e 2019 and bidders were asked t o provide 7KW charging at 3 port locat ions on t he U.K.?s east coast and 50KW rapid charging at t heir PDI cent re in Kent . Upon carrying out t he required sit e surveys it was realised t hat one port sit e and t heir PDI cent re had limit ed power capacit y which meant t hat load management was required. W it h t he PDI cent re t his was a much great er t ask as a solut ion didn?t exist t o provide load management bet ween numerous rapid chargers. As part of Elect rAssure?s bid, t hey worked wit h back office part ner Hanger 19. As well as providing t he back office and monit oring for t he project t hey also built a unique ?Dynamic Demand Cont roller?(DDC) which managed t he charging out put of all chargers t o provide a robust , bespoke charging solut ion t hat worked wit hin t he available capacit y of t he elect rical syst em at all t imes. This solut ion alongside Alfen?s ?Smart Charging Net work?and ?Act ive Load Balancing?capabilit ies for t he 7KW charging requirement s and Elect rAssure?s reput at ion for t he highest inst allat ion st andards and cust omer service culminat ed in t he bid being successful and t he project commenced in early 2020. VW GUK are now more t han prepared t o provide EV charging for t he new models coming t o t he UK, over
t he next 5 years. Volkswagen AG (VW ), as part of it s TOGETHER 2025+ St rat egy, declared int ent t o elect rify it s ent ire model range, wit h at least 1 elect rified model in each of t he Group?s 300 or so model range across all VW AG Brands by 2030. As t he largest aut omot ive group in t he world t hat is some commit ment . VW AG will int roduce 50 purely elect ric and 30 hydrid models by 2025, meaning t hat almost 1 in 4 VW AG vehicles sold will be an alt ernat ively fuelled vehicle (AFV). For t he UK t his will mean t hat well over 100,000 VW G Brand vehicles a year will be sold wit h an AFV drive t rain by 2030. The high paced market offerings of AFV vehicles will need t o be support ed by an appropriat e charging infrast ruct ure in t he VW G UK supply chain t o support t he offer t o VW G cust omers and t he VW G Ret ail Net work. The charging infrast ruct ure t o be provided was based on t he annual number of vehicles expect ed at VW port sit es and it ?s Pre Delivery Inspect ion cent re (PDI) over t he next five years. For 2020 t hat figure st ood at just over 15,000 vehicles rising t o over 79,000 in 2023. This meant t hat VW needed an EV charging solut ion t hat was not just resilient and reliable for t he ?here and now? requirement s but also fut ure-proofed for t he dramat ic increase in expect ed numbers of vehicles.
Head to 360play.co.uk and book a family treat 360 Play begins t he second phase of welcoming local families back for some safe fun. We are so pleased t o have welcomed back many of our loyal cust omers since we reopened in July and we are now moving int o our second phase of reopening and t aking gradual st eps as we reint roduce all of t he t hings t hey love about 360. We know how hard lockdown and t he change in rout ine has been on lit t le ones and how import ant free play away from screens is for t hem.Research shows t hat regular physical act ivit y cont ribut es t o bet t er academic result s, improves concent rat ion, helps development and helps t o prot ect against negat ive behaviours such as bullying.We are passionat e about giving children and t heir families t he chance t o enjoy act ive, creat ive and engaging play. Our cent re provides a safe and secure environment where t hey can do just t hat ? what ever t he weat her. Now t hat t he school holidays are over, our cent res have become quiet er during t he week and wit h reduced capacit ies it ?s a great t ime t o come along wit h younger children t o enjoy some exclusive t ime. Our cust omers will st ill need
were pleased t o see how well t hey have responded t o coronavirus and t heir excellent cleaning regime. We bot h t horoughly enjoyed t he experience? ?Fabulous session t his morning. My t wins really enjoyed being back at t heir second home. Everyt hing was run really well and very clean and we felt safe. All t he Covid procedures seemed spot on and lovely hand foam!? t o book an arrival t ime but t here is no longer a t ime limit on sessions when we are not at capacit y so t hey can st ay and play as long as t hey like. For our play pass holders t hey can enjoy visit ing wit hout advance booking when t hey visit Monday t o Friday in t erm t ime and can just t urn up and check in as normal. For weekends and school holidays pass holders will st ill need t o book so we can closely monit or our capacit ies. All t his will make visit ing easier for our regular cust omers. Cust omers have really enjoyed being back in our familiar environment , ?I was delight ed t o t ake my Granddaught er t o @360Lakes at Rushden Lakes yest erday and
Healt h quest ionnaires, PPE and t emperat ure checks for cust omers and st aff will all cont inue as st andard pract ise and we ask t hat if t hey or any of t heir part y are showing any signs of illness t hat everyone please st ays at home as t hey will not be permit t ed ent ry. Wearing a mask is now mandat ory in indoor set t ings except for when seat ed at a t able. We t rust t hat our cust omers will prot ect t hose t hey care for and our st aff by wearing a mask at all t imes as direct ed and not put our st aff in t he awkward posit ion of having t o remind t hem. The soft play frame now has it s
own capacit y and t o ensure t hat we st ick t o t his we have a member of st aff on t he ent rance t o count guest s in and out and t o sanit ise your hands as per t he government regulat ions. Some of t he exit s have been net t ed off t o make part s of t he play frame one way so it ?s best t o accompany young children unt il t hey become familiar wit h t he new changes.
Social dist ancing is st ill in place in t he cent re and we encourage all cust omers t o wash t heir hands regularly and use hand sanit iser provided t hroughout visit s.
wit h smart phones. Individual bags of sanit ised play props for children t o play wit h on 360 St reet are available from recept ion.
We have removed some of t he loose play element s for now such as balls, t oys and 360 St reet props but we have replaced t hese wit h int eract ive QR code st ories use
For more informat ion on 360 Play visit www.360play.co.uk
Why it is crucial to keep full working time records Keeping records of working t ime ? why is t his import ant ? By Rebecca List Since the introduction of the Working Time Regulations in 1998, UK employers have been required to maintain records to enable them to show that working time limits are being complied with. More specific regulations govern working time for young workers, for those doing night shifts, and for work involving special hazards or heavy mental strain. On the advice of the Health & Safety Executive, there was no need for specific records to be kept of actual daily working time and instead, existing records that were maintained for other purposes (such as pay) may be relied upon to ensure that limits on working time were being adhered to. A recent case brought before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has called that advice into question. Is it possible that the UK?s Working Time Regulations do not comply with EU law after all? The ECJ were asked to determine whether employers were required to record actual hoursworked each day, in order to ascertain compliance with working time limits, and the answer was a definitive yes. It considered that the only way to guarantee workers? fundamental rights to maximum working hours and rest breaks was for employers to have an ?objective, reliable and accessible?system of keeping adequate records of the actual hours worked by those workers who had not opted out of the 48-hour weekly working time. It is also the responsibility of Member States to ensure that this is implemented, and employers cannot cite expense in sidestepping their obligations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are yet to update their guidance, but what can employers do in the meantime to mitigate the risk of claims? Look at whether your system is capable to recording actual working hours, especially if you have staff who work regular and unpaid overtime or nightshift, or young workers, since they may
Rebecca List - Head of Empl oyment Law at Tol l ers
become subject to greater scrutiny by the tribunals and the HSE. Remind your workers to declare any second jobs, and where there is any doubt, ask them to opt out of the 48-hour limit. Keep adequate records of those who have opted out together and copies of their signed opt-out agreements. Remember also that those records must also be kept for two years. The Government has consistently maintained that ECJ decisions made before the UK?s departure from the EU will continue to bind domestic courts post-Brexit, although whether we will see a formal amendment to the Working Time Regulations to properly implement the EU?s Directive, remains to be seen.
To find out more regarding t his complex area ?Talk t o Tollers?Employment Team on 01438 901095.
Support for business during Coronavirus The latest advice support and guidance in these challenging times to support your business. This update includes: ·Self-Employment Income Support Scheme ·Self-Employment Income Support Scheme eligibility ·£20 million to improve small business leadership and problem-solving skills in the wake of coronavirus ·Claims service for Eat Out to Help Out Scheme ·Update on Face coverings ·Innovative new pilot launched to speed up access to key digital services ·Enjoy Summer Safely campaign update ·HOP Newsletter ·Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme WEBINAR (6 - 14 August)
·Herts Chamber Events ? Virtual Networking Event and Chamber Customs - Trading across the World Self-Employment Income Support Scheme The Self Employment Income Support Scheme opens for claims from 17 August for eligible self-employed customers to claim their second and final taxable SEISS grant.If you were eligible for the first grant and can confirm to HMRC that your business has been adversely affected on or after 14 July 2020, you?ll be able to make a claim for a second and final grant from 17 August 2020. You can make a claim for the second and final grant if you?re eligible, even if you did not make a claim for the first grant. For further information visit
-access to new markets
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant -through-the-self-employment-income-support -scheme?&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium =social&utm_campaign=covid19&utm _content=seiss#claim
-sustainable economic recovery projects
Self-Employment Income Support Scheme eligibility
-young innovators
HMRC has recently published guidance on how those who are self-employed, or a member of a partnership, can verify they had a new child which affected their eligibility for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
·Innovate Funding Streams Currently Available to support:
-designing sustainable plastic solutions -developing innovative healthcare products -technologies and processes -digital technologies to transform supply chains in UK manufacturing -recovery and growth of the UK?s foundation industries ·Support from Wenta for small businesses including: -free advice and support services -Skills Development Support, including Free Webinars to support Sales and Marketing, Finance and bookkeeping, Cash Flow, Website Development, Social Media training and much more.
For further information visithttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/ask-hmrc -to-verify-you-had-a-new-child-which-affected -your-eligibility-for-the-self-employment-income -support-scheme £20 million to improve small business leadership and problem-solving skills in the wake of coronavirus Two new leadership programmes to help small
business leaders grow their companies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic have been launched.
tackle these challenges head-on while growing their business.
Interested small business leaders can sign up to the Small Business Leadership Programme which will focus on strengthening decision-makers?leadership skills, to address management challenges, such as remote working, have arisen from coronavirus. The programme will equip business leaders with the confidence and leadership skills to plan for the future of their business, and ensure that they are in a great position to recover from the impacts of coronavirus.
Claims service for Eat Out to Help Out Scheme
The Peer Networks Programme will focus on helping business owners improve their problem-solving skills, through a series of guided exercises. Participants will take part in sessions where common coronavirus related business challenges will be discussed, such as finding new customers and using technology such as customer record management and websites to adapt a business model. Members of the programme will be given skills in areas such as leadership and management, sales and marketing that they need to
The claims service for the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme is now live. Registered establishments can make a claim after 7 days from the date of their registration. They can only claim for scheme discounts they offered on or after the date they registered. Claims can be made weekly and when signed into the service, businesses must select the periods that they are claiming for. For further information ant to claim visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-money -back-through-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme A video is also available which guides users through making a claim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB7OTL4SNaY Business can still register for scheme by visiting
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-your -establishment-for-the-eat-out-to-help -out-scheme#register Update on Face coverings The guidance on face coverings has been recently to reflect changes on when face coverings should be worn. From 08 August, the list of places where members of the public will have to wear a face covering will be expanded to include: ·funeral directors ·premises providing professional, legal or financial services ·cinemas ·theatres ·bingo halls ·concert halls ·museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites. ·nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers ? other than where necessary to remove for treatments ·massage parlours ·public areas in hotels and hostels
digital services which require identity checks, such as online mortgage applications, financial services and recruitment on-boarding. The new service will also help organisations tackle fraud and test if there is a market for this type of digital identity checking service. The pilot will run for approximately a year aims to deliver significant time savings for people who previously went through in-person processes to verify their identities. It will also provide financial savings for organisations who can move their identity proofing processes online. The Document Checking Service, run by the Government Digital Service, allows a small number of approved organisations to digitally check a person?s passport data to speed up application processes. Up until now, the Document Checking Service had only been available to GOV.UK Verify identity providers. The pilot will give no organisation access to government-held data and an individual must consent to having their data verified. The organisation checking the ID will simply receive a ?yes or no?answer confirming whether the document provided is valid. Enjoy Summer Safely campaign update
·places of worship ·libraries and public reading rooms ·community centres ·social clubs ·tattoo and piercing parlours ·indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities e.g. laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites etc) ·storage and distribution facilities ·veterinary services ·auction houses Innovative new pilot launched to speed up access to key digital services
As part of the government?s Enjoy Summer Safely campaign,Shop Local Week (10-17 August)has been launched to encourage shoppers to return to their local high street and shop safely. Businesses are encouraged to use their social media accounts to join the conversation, informing the local community why they should shop local, using #ShopLocal, to help encourage customers back to the shops. Businesses are asked to post photos, gifs, videos and Boomerangs demonstrating local produce and items, demonstrating how they have made their shop safe for customers. Businesses are also encouraged to use the tag @BEISgovuk so that posts can be reposted. HOP Newsletter
An innovative new scheme has recently been launched to give people easier and safer access to
Please find attached the latest newsletter from the Herts Opportunities Portal for the latest support from
the Employment Recovery Hub including, job and career related support available to Hertfordshire residents, employers and students.
connections on offer. The financial support and tailored coaching and mentoring will be provided directly to the successful applicants.
Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme WEBINAR (6 - 14 August)
The Award includes a £5,000 grant, tailored business support and a living allowance.
The webinar provides an overview of the changes to the scheme, how employers will be affected, flexible furloughing, key dates and support available.
For further information visit
The webinars are running 6 - 14 August 2020 with a number of daily sessions. For further information visithttps://register.gotowebinar.com/ rt/8528021499696163331?source= August-HMRC-DCS-Supp-Emp-1 Innovate Funding Streams Currently Available The Sustainable Innovation Fund UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £26 million for new projects focusing on sustainable economic recovery from COVID-19. The aim of this competition is to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19. Eligibility This competition is open to single applicants only To lead a project your organisation must: be a UK registered business of any size Project?s total eligible costs must be between £50,000 and £100,000. The competition is now open and closes on2 September 2020 For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/ competition/678/overview Young Innovators Awards 2020/21 Innovate UK in partnership with The Prince?s Trust is supporting young innovators to turn their great ideas into successful businesses. The Project is looking for young people who would benefit most from the Young Innovators Awards, including the financial support and tailored package of expert advice and access to innovation tools and
https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competiti EUREKA GlobalStars Singapore CRD ? Round 2 UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million to develop innovative proposals with Singapore and other EUREKA participating members. This competition has an open scope, with projects funded to result in a new product, industrial process or service. Projects must be innovative, involve a technological risk, and have high market potential in the participating countries. Projects funded by Innovate UK must include at least one partner from the UK and one partner from Singapore. Projects can include additional partners from other participating EUREKA participating members listed below: Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Canada, Estonia, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine. The competition is now open and closes on 15 October 2020 at 11:00 For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service .gov.uk/competition/636/overview Designing sustainable plastic solutions As part of UK Research and Innovation, Innovate UK will invest up to £800,000 to fund early-stage, human-centred design projects to reduce the harm that plastics have on our environment and to therefore increase productivity and growth of the UK economy. This funding is from the Plastic Research and Innovation Fund. This aim of this competition is to help businesses to create designs for innovative goods, services or business models that will result in less persistent plastic waste entering our environment. This should be achieved by them obtaining a better understanding of relevant customer and user behaviours. The competition is now open and closes Wednesday
16 September 2020 12:00.
Late stage experimental development.
For further information visit
The competition is open and closes Monday 20 July 2020 at 11:00.
https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov .uk/competition/631/overview Biomedical Catalyst 2020: round 1, early and late stage awards UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to ÂŁ30 million to develop innovative healthcare products, technologies and processes. These can include, for example: disease prevention and proactive management of health and chronic conditions
For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service .gov.uk/competition/659/overview Manufacturing made smarter: digital supply chain, industrial research UK registered businesses can apply for funding towards an industrial research project in digital technologies to transform supply chains in UK manufacturing.
tailored treatments that either change the underlying disease or offer potential cures
Projects must help UK manufacturing supply chains to develop digital technologies to become more efficient, productive, flexible, resilient. These must encourage the use of digital approaches to better integrate and optimise the performance of supply chains.
The competition is open and closes Wednesday 7 October 2020 at 11:00.
This competition comprises of 2 strands running at the same time. The strands are:
For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service .gov.uk/competition/623/overview
feasibility studies
earlier and better detection and diagnosis of disease, leading to better patient outcomes
TAgri-tech catalyst round 10: agriculture and food systems, early stage UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to ÂŁ2.5 million to work on agri-tech and food chain innovations in Africa. Up to ÂŁ2.5 million of funding is available from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) across the 3 strands. This is for projects working on agri-tech and food chain innovations with partners in eligible African countries. The aim of this competition is to increase the pace of innovation in the development of agricultural and food systems in Africa. Projects must result in more use of innovations by farmers and food systems organisations, such as manufacturers, processors, retailers, distributors and wholesalers. Innovate UK are running 3 strands to this competition at the same time: Early stage feasibility studies (this competition). Mid stage industrial research.
industrial research (this strand) The competition is open and closes Wednesday 7 October 2020 at 11:00. Manufacturing made smarter: digital supply chain, feasibility studies UK registered businesses can apply for funding towards feasibility studies into digital technologies to transform supply chains in UK manufacturing. Projects must help UK manufacturing supply chains to develop digital technologies to become more efficient, productive, flexible, resilient. These must encourage the use of digital approaches to better integrate and optimise the performance of supply chains. This competition comprises of 2 strands running at the same time. The strands are: feasibility studies (this strand) industrial research The competition is open and closes on Wednesday 7 October 2020 11:00am For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service .gov.uk/competition/649/overview
ISCF Transforming foundation industries: Building a resilient recovery UK registered businesses can apply for a share of £8 million in grant funding for projects supporting recovery and growth of the UK?s foundation industries.
·Emotional needs and motivation ·Overcoming barriers ·Time management To be held 27 August and 23 September between 15:00 and 17:00.
Eligibility
For further information and to book visit
This competition is open to both single applicants and cross-sector collaborations.
https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/is-starting -a-business-right-for-me-online-bootcamp/
To lead a project your UK registered organisation must:
How to set up your small business (The practical elements): Online Bootcamp
be a business of any size or a research and technology organisation (RTO)
What will it cover:
carry out its project work in the UK
·Registering your business as a sole trader or limited company
intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
·Insurance and legalities
The competition is open and closes 4 November 2020.
·Registering a business name
For further information visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service .gov.uk/competition/684/overview
·Bank accounts
Support from Wenta Support for those considering self-employment or improving skills
·Invoices ·Tax, NI and VA To be held 20 August, 2 September and 14 September between 15:00 and 17:00. For further information and to book visit
FREE skills training webinars for Stevenage residents and business owners available
https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ how-to-set-up-your-small-business-online-bootcamp/
Wenta and The Business & Technology Centre (btc)are continuing to run a wide variety of FREE skills training webinars on subjects from?starting a business? to ?social media?, ?websites?and ?finance?.
Business planning for your small business: Online Bootcamp
These free webinars are ideal if you are looking to learn new skills or improve on existing ones and are particularly useful for the self-employed. Wenta?s online bootcamp webinars now also include networking opportunities.
*Ideal for anyone exploring the idea of starting their own business
What will it cover:
·Research and preparation ·The purpose of a business plan ·Completing the sections of a business plan
See below for a selection of these but more can be found on their website: https://bit.ly/35QxJn0 Is starting a business right for me? Online Bootcamp
·Financial projections To be held 17 and 28 August, 9, 16 and 24 September between 9 and 13:00. For further information and to book visit
What will it cover? ·Pros and cons of self-employment
https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/business -planning-for-your-small-business-online-bootcamp/
·Personal values
Social media for your small business: Online
Bootcamp
Online Bootcamp
What will it cover:
What will it cover:
·Social media channels, networking and streaming
·Financial assessment and review
·Generating attention with Twitter and Facebook
·Financial Management
·Social Media influence and monetisation
·Financial support
To be held 19 August, 1 and 17 September between 09:00 and 13:00.
To be held 20 August, 15 and 28 September between 09:00 and 13:00.
For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ social-media-for-your-small-business -online-bootcamp/ Finance and Bookkeeping For your small Business: Online Bootcamp What will it cover: ·Basic bookkeeping and legal status ·Cashflow, profit and loss ·VAT, NIC, Personal and Business Tax To be held 27 August, 10 and 25 September between 09:00 and 13:00. For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/finance -and-bookkeeping-for-your-small-business -online-bootcamp/ Cashflow Management for your small Business:
For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ cashflow-management-for-your-small -business-online-bootcamp/ Content marketing for your small business: Online Bootcamp What will it cover: ·Advantages of content marketing ·Target markets and your brand ·Content marketing platforms To be held 21st August, 4, 5 and 22 September between 09:00 and 13:00. For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ content-marketing-for-your-small-business -online-bootcamp/
Marketing for your small business: Online Bootcamp What will it cover: ·Marketing and market research ·Understanding your customers and competition ·Marketing planning, pricing and branding To be held 18 and 24 August, 3,14 and 21 September between 09:00 and 13:00.
finance to sales and marketing. This service is available via live chat, in-person, telephone and email. For business advice, visit www.btcstevenage.co.uk to live chat to an advisor (Mon-Fri, 9am ? 5pm)or book your one-to-one, advice appointmenthere. Herts Chambers of Commerce Virtual Networking Opportunity
For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ marketing-for-your-small-business-online-bootcamp/
Herts Chambers have just announced their latest virtual network opportunity to support members and non-members.
Website development for your small business: Online Bootcamp
The networking event on Wednesday 26th August at 11am will provide networking with the opportunity to meet up to 50 different business peers, providing the chance to meet with up to 50 different business people in an informal atmosphere. All participants will be given the opportunity to introduce themselves and their business.
What will it cover: ·Audience demographics and website domains ·Website structure, keywords, GDPR and analytics ·Website building, Google Ads and Traffic
To book please email bookings@hertschamber.com To be held 26 August, 2, 7,18 and 30 September between 09:00 and 13:00. For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/ website-development-for-your-small -business-online-bootcamp/ Online Presence for your small Business: Online Bootcamp What will it cover: ·Online assessment, review and strategy ·SEO, websites and Google ·Social media To be held 25th August, 8 and 23 September between 09:00 and 13:00. For further information and to book visit https://wenta.co.uk/training-events/online -presence-for-growing-your-small-business -online-bootcamp/ To browse more FREE Wenta webinars visit: https://bit.ly/35QxJn0 Free business advice The Business & Technology Centre on Bessemer Drive provide FREE business advice services for all types of small businesses on a wide range of subjects from
Chamber Customs - Trading across the World UK Border Customs Controls from 1/1/21- What it means for your business If your company trades goods anywhere in the world, new border controls that start when the EU Transition period ends will mean that you MUST prepare for change NOW. Whether you have previously prepared for no deal or not, the environment for importers and exporters has changed and recent announcements from Government mean change is more certain than ever. So, if you import or export, there are just 23 weeks to get ready for new systems and processes critical to your business. JoinL iam Smyth, Director of Trade Facilitation at the British Chambers of Commerce, customs and trade expert, member of HMRC Joint Customs Consultative Committee, participant of a number of Government Expert trade Advisory Groups for an insight on the new UK Border Operating Model, as well as advice on the actions you need to engage in now and for funding support for trader readiness. Chamber Customs - Trading across the World takes place on18 August between 10:00 and 11:00. To book contact the Export Team by telephone 01707 502193 or email export@hertschamber.com
#Stayathomesavelives
Is your business eligible for a support grant?
Dear colleague In response t o t he Covid-19 pandemic, t he government recent ly set out a package of measures t o support businesses t hrough t his period of disrupt ion. Around 750 businesses in t he dist rict are eligible t o apply for a grant of up ÂŁ10,000 t o help t hem t hrough current financial difficult ies and a furt her 180 are eligible t o apply for a grant of up t o ÂŁ25,000. St evenage Borough Council has allocat ed over ÂŁ8m in grant s so far and would like t o administ er t he remainder of t he funding t o all t hose who are eligible under t he scheme. We st ill have around 160 businesses in St evenage who receive Small Business Rat e Relief and have not applied for t his funding. We are very keen for businesses in St evenage t o claim t his funding. If you operat e a business in St evenage and t hink you are eligible could you kindly complet e our online form ht t ps://services.st evenage.gov.uk/ brcovid-19grant The online applicat ion form is quick t o complet e and help is available. Please not e t his is a grant not a loan and money is wait ing t o be claimed right now. We look forward t o hearing from you Mena Caldbeck Business Relat ionship Manager
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Brilliant businesses in High Street need you After our amazingly successful piece in our last edition on Middle Row and the independent shops in that area, we have turned our focus on other shops in Stevenage High Street. The shares and likes we have gained by putting these businesses in the spotlight has been amazing, so don't forget make sure if you need a product or a service which they offer head down to them and keep them in business in #Stevenage
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#Stevenage magazine spotlight on support
Survivors Against Domestic abuse offering support SADA cont inues t o offer advice and support t hroughout pandemic Stevenage Borough Council is reassuring any victims of domestic abuse that Survivors Against Domestic Abuse (SADA) will continue to offer advice and support throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the government advice is to stay home, anyone who is at risk of, or is experiencing, domestic abuse is still able to leave and seek refuge, and SADA will continue to provide support to victims. SADA is available to residents in Stevenage, North Herts, and East Herts, and expanded to include Welwyn Hatfield in January. Councillor Sharon Taylor, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council and Chair of SADA, said: ?Unfortunately increasing financial pressures, school closures and more people working from home all mean that there could be an increase in domestic abuse. ?We know that this is a worrying time for all of us, but this may be heightened for those who have suffered or are suffering any form of domestic abuse and are now isolated with their abuser. ?We want to reassure residents that we will continue to support anyone who needs our help. Please contact SADA and do not suffer in silence.? Cllr Gary Grindal, North Hertfordshire District Council?s (NHDC) Executive Member for Housing said: ?NHDC will continue to work closely with
SADA during the coronavirus pandemic to make sure that those who are victims of domestic abuse still get the help they need. If you need advice or help because you are in a difficult situation, please pick up the phone and talk to SADA, or access their services online?. Please call 01438 242666 to speak to a dedicated domestic abuse worker. For more information, visit: www.stevenage.gov.uk/ about-stevenage/so-safe/187555/
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h t t ps:/ / w w w.f acebook .com / gr ou ps/ m em or iesof st even age/
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For r esult s t oday speak t o t he com m unicat ion exper t s at Spit f ir ePR Media rel at ions
Copy writ ing
Social media market ing
Media t raining
Market ing
Crisis management
Proud publ i sh er of #Herts @h ash tagh erts For al l your mark eti ng and soci al medi a needs: 07539 782979 w w w .spi tf i repr.com darren@spi tf i repr.com @DarrenI sted1 @h ash tagh erts
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Ashr idge Est at e
# St evenage Sept ember 2020
PROPERTY
The unique guide to property news in #Stevenage
#STEVENAGE PROPERTY: THE INTERACTIVE WAY TO VIEW YOUR AGENT
DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK OUR AGENTS ARE OFTEN WORKING REM OTELY SO PLEASE M ESSAGE THEM AT THIS TIM E
# PROPERTY STEVENAGE Let 's f ace it - w e live in a digit al w or ld - w h en
t h e agen t s w h o ar e act in g on beh alf of bu yer s,
w as t h e last t im e you u sed pr in t t o t r y an d bu y
seller s, lan dlor ds an d t h ose look in g t o r en t .
or sell a h ou se or t o look f or a pr oper t y t o r en t .
In t h ese pages you w ill f in d live lin k s st r aigh t
Th e on lin e w or ld allow s f or qu ick an d easy
t o t h e agen t s - so h it t h eir w ebsit es n ow , em ail
con n ect ion t o all h ou ses f or sale or r en t , w it h
t h em or ar r an ge a visit - all f r om t h e com f or t
f u ll f act s at you r f in ger t ips an d in st an t lin k s t o
of you r ow n ph on e.
101 High St r eet , St even age
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Tel 01438 231200 m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k
TLC est at es, 4 Bak er St r eet , St even age
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Tel 01438 219282 let t in gs@t lcest at es.co.u k
61-63 High St r eet ,
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St even age Tel 01438 316846 w w w.pu t t er ills.co.u k
86 High St r eet ,
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St even age Tel 01438 728444 h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k
A-Top Pr oper t y Let t in gs, 1 Dr aper s Way, St even age
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Tel 01438 369173 con t act @a-t oplet t in g.co.u k
# PROPERTY STEVENAGE 24 M ar k et Place St even age
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Tel 01438 720100 geof f r eym at t h ew.co.u k
19 M ar k et Place,
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St even age Tel 01438 312312 st even age@w r igh t sof .com
Ow n Hom es, 2 M iddle Row , St even age
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Tel 01438 367753 sales@ow n -h om es.com
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Call 0800 0248 914
8 M ar k et Place, St even age
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Tel 01438 728444 st even age@con n ells.co.u k
74 High St r eet , St even age
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Tel 01438 870673 en qu ir ies@agen t h ybr id .co.u k
The independent local estate agent Text
2 M iddle Row , St even age Tel 01438 367753
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St ephen Harris and Michael Not schild est ablished Own Homes in 2008, operat ing as a successful, independent local St evenage est at e agent .
Here at Own Homes, we understand that each property and sale is individual and therefore tailor our service to suit your specific requirements.
We have prominent offices ideally situated in the heart of Stevenage Old Town. One in Middle Row covering lettings and mortgages and one on the High Street to deal with sales. Our recent expansion and our double fronted office allows us the scope and ability to serve Stevenage and the surrounding residential areas.
Passionate in all we do, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest level of service. Selling and letting a property can be a stressful time, which is why we go the extra mile to make your involvement with us as enjoyable and professional as possible.
Working in Hertfordshire for the past 10 years has enabled Own Homes to develop a comprehensive understanding of residential property in the local areas of Stevenage, Hitchin and surrounds. We have an established an experienced team, on hand to work with you throughout the selling and buying process, ensuring personal contact is maintained from start to finish.
We use a number of marketing styles to ensure your property, whether you are selling or letting, gains maximum exposure and a smooth efficient sale. This includes advertising in local newspapers and glossy magazines, as well as Internet marketing. Our double fronted office also allows people to see
our properties in both windows. To arrange a free valuation, or to find out more about Own Homes and the services we provide, simply call 01438 367753 or email sales@own-homes.com. You can also visit our office. Awards In recognition of our outstanding service, we've been awarded two gold winner awards by the British Property Awards, one for being the top Estate Agent in Stevenage and another for the top Estate Agent in the South East. We're very proud of these awards as the Own Homes team has worked tirelessly to provide industry leading property services in and around the area.
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Hom e an d M or t gages St even age, 86 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 728444
em ail st even age@h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k
Homes and Mortgages Estate Agents are ready and waiting to help the Stevenage community with all its property needs, be it buying, selling or renting, Homes and Mortgages are committed to providing great value customer service for all our clients. Situated in the heart of the historic Old Town and set over three floors, each department provides a professional, welcoming and comfortable environment for all of our customers. We have a team of 9 full time, experienced Sales and Lettings staff on hand to deal with any property enquiry. W hat 's new? The rebranded branch and heavy investment in IT has set Homes and Mortgages up to stand out in 2017 and for the future. Our experienced and dedicated staff all share the same view in providing a fantastic customer experience and are heavily focused on the importance of transparency between ourselves and our customers. The IT software is excellent at allowing vendors and Landlords 24/7 access to information regarding their property. At the click of a button, vendors can see feedback, current interest from web portals and can track the progress of a sale online. Likewise, Landlords have the option to view property maintenance schedules and access statements. mailt o:st evenage@homesand mort gages.co.uk
Click on t h e im ages an d lin k dir ect ly t o t h eir det ails on lin e
Agent Hybrid falls bet ween t radit ional and online est at e agency. Our aim is t o deliver a personal, one-t o-one est at e agency experience, whilst delivering a service of excellence.
ht t ps://my.mat t erport .com/show/ ?m=GCbcjmCyYn
Click on t he image of our Monument Court propert y (above) and t ake a walk t hrough using t he lat est Agent Hybrid Technology
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Putterills Stevenage - talk to the professionals Text
61-63 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 316846
Founded by Tony Putterill in 1992, with our first office in Welwyn Garden City, Putterills are now celebrating 26 years of serving the Hertfordshire community. We have grown from our original branch in Welwyn Garden City to having offices in Knebworth, Hitchin, Stevenage Old Town and St Albans, as well as a partner office in London?s Mayfair. Each of our sales offices are overseen by a Director who is actively involved in the day to day running; this helps to ensure that we are providing the highest possible levels of advice and service. All of these offices are prominently located to ensure all properties receive the best possible exposure. In addition to our network of sales offices, we have an award winning Land and New Homes department. Our specialists help landowners maximise the development opportunities for usually previously
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used land known as Brownfield, as the country struggles for space for new homes. We have always believed that our task is to provide our clients with the best, up to the minute, expert advice when dealing with what is usually their greatest asset. Our clients have a wide range of emotions and circumstances and we help guide less experienced first time buyers, provide yield information and advice to investment buyers, schooling information to families, hold the hands of those who have not moved for many years and deal sensitively and professionally with those. Over the last few years, we are proud to have won a number of national awards which we believe underline our philosophy of being Trusted Property Experts. 2017 saw Tony Putterill retire and hand the reins of the company over to Mark Shearing. Mark has been in agency in Hertfordshire since 1982
and joined Putterills in 1993. As the company moves into a new era with changing markets, advances in property marketing and the use of technology, our aim is simple - to keep at the absolute forefront of full service Estate Agency and to continue the exceptional levels of service and advice that our clients have been able to rely on over the last 26 years. Our primary purpose has always been to provide an outstanding customer experience and our core values continue to represent this: EXCEPTIONAL ? we are passionate about delivering excellence. RESPECT ? we respect and value those we work with, both our colleagues and our customers. EXPERTISE ? we deliver outstanding skills and knowledge in all we do. TRUST ? we act with honesty and integrity at all times.
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rely on A-TOP A-Top Pr oper t y Let t in gs, 1 Dr aper s Way, St even age Tel 01438 369173
em ail con t act @a-t oplet t in g.co.u k
If you are looking for a t eam t hat you can t rust t o deliver t ime aft er t ime t hen A-Top Propert y Let t ings in Drapers Way, St evenage is t he one for you. A-Top, which is owned by founder Mervyn Terret t , has gained an impressive reput at ion as t he go-t o agent for all your propert y needs whet her you are looking t o rent or are a landlord seeking t enant s. W it h a combined market experience of more t han 60 years, t he st aff at A-Top are t he most knowledgeable in t he business and along wit h advice on t he rent al market , t hey can also provide informat ion which allows cust omers t o make t he most informed choice possible. Over t he past 33 years t he t eam lead by Mervyn has seen t he local market undergo a wide number of changes, but t hrough t hem all A-Top and it s experienced st aff have always given t he very best and most informed service. There have been plent y of changes which have alt ered t he let t ings landscape in St evenage. Through t hem all however t he reliabilit y of A-Top Propert y Let t ings has remained a const ant and t heir port folio of excellent landlords has increased dramat ically. Comment ing on t he t eam Mervyn said: ?W hat once was a rarit y in t he UK i.e. rent ing, is now so common as a source of income/ invest ment for landlords and of mobilit y for professional working t enant s. We are delight ed t o be able t o use our expert ise t o help bot h t enant s and landlords.? For furt her det ails cont act 01438 369173 or email cont act @a-t oplet t ing.co.uk
Portfolio - for serviced apartments in #Herts Text
Tel 0800 0248 914
Booking a holiday is possibly one of the greatest feelings and counting down the days when you?re having an awful day at work or are just desperate to get away from home can seem like a joy, but there can be a downside. Hotels. While some people may see staying in a hotel like a dream, it can actually be a nightmare if you?ll be staying there for a long time, especially if on a business trip or secondment. With that said, here are the top reasons to stop staying in hotels for your business travel trips. Limit ed Wardrobe Space Packing for a holiday or for a business trip puts you on one of two teams, you?re either naturally gifted and find it a breeze or it?s the worst part of the trip for you, but one thing unites these two camps ? limited hotel space. If you love to pack an outfit for every possible occasion you will know how difficult it can be to cram your clothes into tiny hotel wardrobes, or even worse live out of a case. Staying in a serviced apartment fixes this and means you have a home away from home and all the storage you could need. You feel like you?re t rapped Walking into a hotel room can at first glance feel wonderful, everything is conveniently within arm?s reach and for the first day you love it. Then the second day comes and the third day and by the fourth you feel like you almost can?t breathe. Hotels just aren?t feasible for long periods of time or for anyone who likes a sense of space, after all, who wants to feel trapped by the same four walls for the entire of their trip? Privacy? W hat privacy?
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Hotels may seem like a good idea for a romantic night away, but if you?re travelling with family or small children or even colleagues, then all sense of privacy goes straight out of the window when you?re all sharing a room just feet away from each other. Forget staring dreamily into each other?s eyes when you wake up, you?ll probably be staring at a toddler who immediately wants to play or be woken by another family member?s snoring and that?s not even mentioning the housekeeper who always turns up at the most inconvenient times! Serviced apartments let you have time to yourself no matter how many you have brought along for the trip, so you can sleep well and feel like you have privacy if you are all loved up. Money money money! Straight to the point hotels aren?t cheap. Even for the savviest of spenders and the keenest bargin hunters, you may think booking your hotel means it?s all done, dusted and paid for but you will undoubtedly end up incurring extra fees. Whether you give in to the lure of room-service with its extortionate service charges, or buy a film to keep energetic youngsters occupied, your bill when you check out can hit you like a smack in the face and leave you wanting a more affordable option. Meals on wheels Speaking of room-service, while this may seem like a decadent treat on the first night, by the time you come back from a long day of exploring and are tired, it is so easy to have a burger brought straight to door along with its crazily hiked-up price and extra delivery charges. This can not only wreak havoc on your bank account,
but also on your waist-line and by the time you leave, the only thing that will be thinner is your wallet. Serviced apartments absolutely win here, as having a fully equipped kitchen at your fingertips means it?s easy to rustle up something quick and delicious that will probably be healthier for you and will also save you money! If you want some tips on how to eat well when working away from home check out next weeks blog post, or check out our apartments to find out why it?s time to say goodbye to hotel hell and wake up to apartment heaven! Though staying in a hotel may seem like the obvious option at first, there?s no denying that a serviced apartment brings with it a number of benefits that a hotel just can?t offer. At Portfolio Serviced Apartments we specialise in providing luxury serviced apartments and temporary homes for corporate and business travellers. We offer a secure spacious base which can become a home from home for longer staying guests. Portfolio Apartments are located throughout all of Hertfordshire including Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, St. Albans and Hatfield, whilst through our partners we have access to over 90,000 luxury apartments across the globe. So whether it?s a placement in St Albans or a secondment in San Francisco, Portfolio is consistently the favoured choice for travelling professionals. For more information,get in touch. Our team at Portfolio looks forward to helping you soon. Give our friendly team a call on 0800 024 8914 (Mon ? Fri 9-6pm) or visit our website to view our modern serviced apartments.
101 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 231200 w w w.m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k pr oper t y@m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k
Partners with vast knowledge of the local area Text
Mark Simon Estates is an established Estate Agency situated at: 101 High Street, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3HR. Here at MarkSimon Estates, we have over 40 years combined experience of Estate Agency within Stevenage and its surrounds. Our Partners Mark Sollis & Simon Jacob both grew up in Stevenage and therefore have a vast knowledge of the area and its surrounds. This in itself, is proving an invaluable asset to prospective Vendors and Purchasers seeking a property which meets both their needs and expectations in a home.
?To Mark, Many t hanks for all your hard work selling my house for us in Jessop Road. You went t he ext ra mile in so many ways. You always kept me well informed and I knew I could t rust you t o carry out everyt hing you promised.? From H.
?To MarkSimon Est at es & your t eam, Thank you for being t here t o help us. ? Mr K & Miss T
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?To Mike and everyone at MarkSimon Est at es, A Big t hank you for all your help selling our house, Best wishes.? The W ?s
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The agent with more than 18 years experience Text
TLC est at es, 4 Bak er St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 219282
em ail let t in gs@t lcest at es.co.u k
TLC est at es is sit uat ed in t he delight ful set t ing of St evenage Old Town. We pride ourselves on t he personal and professional services we offer t o all landlords and t enant s alike We offer very compet it ive rat es we are one of t he very few let t ing agent s only left in t he t own . W it h over 19 years of experience in t he St evenage market we are sure t o offer you t he best of services from under one roof.
Renowned for our open and honest approach ,TLC will give you t he full informat ion on t he market . Many of our landlords and t enant s have been wit h us since we opened in 2000 and we are known for our close work wit h bot h. Pop int o our Baker St reet off ice or give us a call and find out how TLC can help wit h your let t ings needs.
The Connells team that you can trust Text
8 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 318080
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Connells Estate Agents in Stevenage are located in the Town Centre along Market Place, and within walking distance of the Train Station. We would love to help you sell or rent your home or find a property to rent or buy in and around the Stevenage area, as well as the villiages Walkern, Knebworth, Little & Great Wymondley, Gravely & Aston. Connells Estate Agents in Stevenage are managed by Gary Young. Gary has had a successful estate agency career over the last 20 years. Gary is supported by Callum Souter who is the Sales Executive with four years experience behind him, Oz Ansari who is the branch valuer, and Melanie Retberg the Branch Administrator. Our in-house Mortgage Consultant Juliet Twining, is fully trained and qualified to advise you on the right mortgage product to suit your needs. Connells Lettings would love to help you rent your property. Lettings Manager Patricia Bowden has 10 year's experience within the Lettings industry and is assisted by Trainee Lettings Negotiator Ben Brooks. With their combined experience and extensive knowledge of the area and rental market, are always happy to offer their assistance to new and experienced buy to let investors and first time landlords
alike. Whether you are looking to sell or rent your property, we offer FREE market appraisals. Please feel free to pop into the branch or call 01438 318080 (Sales) or 01438 318258 (Lettings). We offer a range of property related services all under one roof. In house Mortgage Consultant. Premium Marketing Packages available including Floorplans, Professional Photography, audio tours, and premium listings on Rightmove & Zoopla We have pioneered a dedicated service called The Property Finder
- You tell us what you are looking for and we will find it We know how the Stevenage market moves - our staff are local and extremely knowledgeable. Their in-depth and up to date local experience. Over 10 years?worth of experience and knowledge within the local market. A professional team providing services to suit all your needs including property management, accounts and high quality administration. We accompany all viewings, we believe it is really important, we?ve been trained to do it so you get really good feedback.
Geoffrey Matthew property innovators Text
24 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 720100
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Geoffrey Mat t hew Est at es are a propert y business wit h offices in Harlow, St evenage and Great Ashby t hat specialise in t he sales and let t ing of resident ial propert y. Over 25 years of experience in propert y and finance give us an unparalleled insight t o t he needs and desires of sellers, purchasers, landlords and t enant s alike. W it h a dedicat ed, hardworking, innovat ive forward-t hinking t eam t hat use modern met hods and good old-fashioned cust omer service, we offer a unique bespoke service t ailored t o you. Tel 01438 720100 w w w.geof f r eym at t h ew.co.u k