Business Focus 168

// BUSINESS FOCUS //

www.havering.gov.uk/living | SUMMER 2015 | 31

It's time for businesses to shine Entries are now open for the 2015 Havering Business Awards with 12 categories available to enter, or sponsor.

The top award is the Golden Anniversary Award for Achievement, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the formation of the London Borough of Havering.

Other categories are: • Growing Business of the Year • Havering Business of the Year • Innovation Award • New Business of the Year • Apprentice of the Year • Customer Care Award • Best Small Business of the Year • Environmental Business of the Year • Business Person of the Year • Best Family Business of the Year • Staff Training and Development Award There is no limit on the number of categories a business can enter and all finalists will be invited to the Gala Awards Dinner on Friday 16 October, at the CEME Centre in Rainham.

2014 Business of the Year winner – Harrison Wipes

NEED HELP WITH YOUR ENTRY? You’re welcome to attend a free workshop and we will assist you.

Town Hall, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BB (5pm, training suite): • Monday 8 June • Monday 22 June

•5Monday 15 June •5Monday 29 June

More information www.haveringbusinessawards.co.uk or call 01708 560056

Key dates ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

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Monday 6 July - Entries close Monday 27 July - Judging starts Friday 31 July - Finalists announced Friday 16 October - Gala Awards Dinner

Shine as a sponsor A range of sponsorship packages are available starting at £100 for the award certificates through to the top package for the main event sponsor – the aim of each package is to give your business the maximum return on your investment. This is an ideal opportunity to get your company in front of Havering’s business community, as part of a high profile five-month publicity campaign.

Kall Kwik Romford Director, Sorcha Thomson, explained: “Kall Kwik Romford are proud to repeat their support as Havering Business Awards Print Sponsor 2015.

“We have been established for 25 years and very much applaud the encouragement and recognition the awards provide individuals and companies in our local business community.”

More information joanne.yeomans@havering.gov.uk

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// BUSINESS FOCUS //

32 | SPRING 2015 | living IN HAVERING

Raising the roof on business success When Fred Breyer started his own asphalt and felt roofing business in 1956 in Leytonstone, it is unlikely he expected the firm to eventually turnover more than £100 million a year and employ more than 500 staff working across the country, but that is what the Harold Hill based Breyer Group now does.

Fred’s son, Tim, now runs the firm, developing the roofing business to be the largest in the south-east, as well as setting up construction and repairs divisions.

And it was that growth that prompted the firm to look for new premises.

Managing Director, Tim Breyer, explained: “We wanted to stay in the Waltham Forest area but there were no suitable premises available.

When the then Finance Director suggested Harold Hill we were unsure, but came along to see what he had found and were impressed.

Big investment “We moved our head office to Harold Hill in 2003; since then we have bought two neighbouring sites and invested more than £5 million in the area.

He added: “We now have more than 200 staff based at Harold Hill and have been very impressed by the quality of candidates available locally when we advertise a vacancy.

Our policy is that for any vacancy in

the firm we look for a suitable Havering resident first to fill the job.

Apprentices “There are currently 55 apprentices in the Breyer Group – around one in ten of our staff – and our apprenticeship scheme has won

national recognition as being at the forefront of such schemes.

“We are committed to helping all our staff fulfil their potential. For example the person responsible for putting together contract bids for the roofing team is a graduate who joined us as an apprentice.”

Strong commitment The Breyer Group has a strong commitment to the area and is supporting Havering College in developing a construction campus to provide people with the skills they need to work in the industry.

Tim added: “It also shows our continuing commitment to Havering, as being based in the Borough has proved beneficial for the business, our staff and the wider community.”

More information www.breyergroup.co.uk

// BUSINESS FOCUS //

www.havering.gov.uk/living | SUMMER 2015 | 33

Romford lawyers are best conveyancers in UK

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for business

DESIGN AND PRINT that’s right up your street

Rory Bremner with Claire Savill, Melanie Carroll, Laura Darwin and John Pickford from Mullis & Peake

“My team are exceptional at what they do and I am so pleased to be able to take the trophy home for them,” said a proud Melanie Carroll, Head of Residential Property at Mullis & Peake LLP Solicitors of Eastern Road, Romford, after they won the Best Residential Conveyancing Firm of the year 2015 at the inaugural Property Forum Awards.

The firm won the award in the category for firms with a

maximum of 50 staff and received it from comedian Rory Bremner.

The judging panel said: “Mullis & Peake LLP impressed the judging panel from all angles. We liked the fact that Mullis & Peake LLP has been able to successfully embrace technology and innovations but still keep the customer at the heart of everything they do.”

“There’s clear evidence that customers keep coming back, the team

really deserves a pat on the back for working so hard to make their clients’ lives easier.”

“The internal development and training is excellent with importance placed on upskilling existing employees [with] superb examples of Estate Agency interaction… [they] also deserve praise for non-fee earning activities, including their charity ball that raised more than £20,000.”

FAST TURNAROUND

LOCAL SERVICE

PERSONAL COMMITMENT

// BUSINESS // BUSINESS FOCUS //FOCUS //

34 | SUMMER 2015 | living IN HAVERING

Cash help to create childcare If you’re thinking of starting a childcare business or nursery the Government has announced that the Childcare Business Grant is being doubled and that businesses which have received their OFSTED certificate in the last year can also benefit from the scheme.

Under the scheme up to £1,000 can be received to help a new childcare business.

More information www.childcarebusinessgrants. dcms.gov.uk

Networking group dates Business Networking is a proven way to build good relations with news to other businesses, which can lead to referrals and new contracts. There are a number of networking groups in your inbox Havering including those listed below.

4N This networking group meets every fortnight at Liberty Bell, Mercury Gardens, Romford RM1 3EN on Thursdays from 8am until 10am. www.4networking.biz/Events

BNI Valour chapter This networking group meets each Tuesday morning at YMCA, Roneo Corner, Rush Green Road, Romford, RM7 OPH. www.bni.eu/chapter.php?chapter=2200

ebn (Effective Business Networking) Upminster and Hornchurch group meets at Manor Hotel, Berwick Pond Road, Rainham RM13 9EL from 8am until 10am on alternate Tuesdays. www.effectivebusinessnetwork.co.uk

Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) and Essex FSB This group hold joint networking events on the first Friday of each month from 7.30am until 9am. www.haveringbusiness.org.uk/events

NELE (Networking in East London and Essex) This group meets at The Railway Hotel, Station Lane, Hornchurch RM12 6SB, from 12.30pm until 2.30pm on: ■■ Tuesday 16 June 2015T ■■ Tuesday 14 July 2015 www.networking-in-east-london-and-essex.co.uk

More than 5,100 subscribers receive Havering Council’s monthly Business Briefing email update, which includes details of forthcoming events, awards, changes in legislation and how to access funding to boost their business.

If you are not getting a copy go to the website below and choose Business Briefing from the list More information www.havering.gov.uk/Havering-Updates

Diary Dates Leader’s Business Network Events 5.30pm, Town Hall, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BD ■■ ■■

Thursday 1 October Thursday 10 December

Women in Business (WIB) 5.30pm at Havering College, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch, RM11 2LL ■■ ■■

Wednesday 9 September Wednesday 11 November

Booking and more information www.eventbrite.co.uk then search for Havering Council