Government Business Magazine issue 17.12

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk | VOLUME 17.12

ECO BUILD The future of design, construction and the built environment

What is right for tomorrow’s new homes?

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

MONEY MATTERS

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE

INCENTIVES & REWARDS – Motivation with a token of appreciation + MORE

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Government Business | Volume 17.12

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Dear Reader,

www.governmen

tbusiness.co.uk

The highly anticipated spending review has been announced and, as expected, many will be worse off with tough times ahead. As the UK is currently spending £43 billion a year on debt interest repayments, it is not surprising that the government wants to tighten its purse strings.

2

eCo BuIlD

Investment and innovation must, however, continue as new ways of working can prove more efficient, saving money along the way.

The government has restated its commitment to a 34 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, with 15 per cent of energy is to come from renewable sources, and announced £200 million to be used for the development of low-carbon technologies. Worth keeping in mind though, is that even the simplest steps can reduce energy use and have financial benefits, which the Environment Agency talks more about on page 13.

With 8.8 million working days lost to musculoskeletal disorder every year, it is clear that physical, environmental and psychological aspects of office work must be ergonomically sustainable. The Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors explains what ergonomics is and what products and services are available to the public sector on page 43.

| Volume 17.1

The future of design, construction and built environmen the t

What is righ for tomorrow’st new homes?

BuIlT eNVIRoNmeN T

moNeY mATTe RS

INCeNTIVeS &

CoNFeReNCeS & eVeNTS

FACIlITIeS mANAGemeNT

ReWARDS – Motiva tion wit

h a token of app

lANDSCAPING & GRouNDSCA Re

reciation + mo

Re

Enjoy the issue.

Sofie Lidefjard, Editor editorial@psigroupltd.co.uk

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE If you would like to receive 12 issues of Government Business magazine for £95 a year, please contact Public Sector Information, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055, Fax: 020 8532 0066, or visit the Government Business website at: P NEWS P FEATURES P PROFILES P CASE STUDIES P EVENTS P AND MORE

8 www.governmentbusiness.co.uk PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED 226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 EDITOR Sofie Lidefjard ASSISTANT EDITOR Angela Pisanu PRODUCTION EDITOR Karl O’Sullivan PRODUCTION DESIGN Jacqueline Grist PRODUCTION CONTROL Reiss Malone

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Visit the Garden of England for your next conference, meeting or event.

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CONTENTS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS 17.12

06 NEWS 09 MONEY MATTERS

to hold events but is also ideal to combine business with pleasure

Debt and debt recovery is a growing problem, says the Institute of Credit Management

Academic venues are a credible venue choice for the meetings, conferences and events market, writes Nottingham Conferences

Local authorities working with the private sector to improve debt management was one of the topics covered at Public Sector Credit

Located at the very heart of England, the West Midlands offers a wide variety of distinct venues perfect for conferences and events

13 BUILT ENVIRONMENT The Environment Agency gives an update on the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme – post registration The Zero Carbon Hub discusses how to achieve carbon compliance when building new homes What will be happening at Ecobuild 2011, the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment?

19 CONFERENCES & EVENTS Visit London highlights why London is not just a fantastic city

The South West of England can’t fail to attract delegates from the UK and overseas to its many conference and events facilities Surround yourself with inspiration for your next event at International Confex

43 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT What should employers consider when setting up an ergonomicallysound workplace?

The UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association highlights the benefits of using remanufactured cartridges over original cartridges

With the remit for facilities managers constantly expanding, Total Workplace Management 2010 gave FM professionals a chance to address all their needs

53 SPORT & LEISURE We take a look at the main attractions at this year’s Leisure Industry Week

59 LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE We preview Harrogate Week, the only international event bringing together all the key users and producers of turf and groundscare products

65 INCENTIVES & REWARDS The UK Gift Card & Voucher Association examines various solutions available for rewarding and motivating staff this Christmas

69 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS We take a look at promotional merchandise in the public sector and the sort of products that are widely purchased by government offices

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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Government Business | Volume 17.12

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NEWSINBRIEF Councils free to raise £250m for underpaid workers More councils are getting the green light to tackle pay inequalities as the coalition government backs workplace equality, Local Government Minister Bob Neill has announced.

Thousands of historically underpaid workers will benefit as 21 councils get the go-ahead to borrow against or sell assets up to £250 million this financial year to settle their equal pay commitments.

This financial flexibility is important for councils needing to meet and manage one-off costs of equal pay compensation while protecting frontline services and keeping down council tax. Thousands of local government employees – mostly women on low pay – are legally entitled to backdated pay following years of being paid less for doing equally valued jobs.

Bob Neill said: "By allowing councils to sell assets or borrow up to £250 million collectively, councils can deliver on equal pay compensation without affecting local services or council tax."

NEWS

Conwy Valley flood defence scheme opens nvironment Minister Jane

E Davidson has officially opened the new Environment Agency Wales Conwy Valley flood defence scheme.

This part of the Conwy Valley has been prone to flooding for a number of years. However, 96 properties in Llanrwst and Trefriw are now protected thanks to the scheme funded by the Assembly Government and European Regional Development Fund.

The Minister said: “If we are to adapt successfully to climate change, the

way we manage our shores and rivers will be critical. Projects such as this will do just that and help protect the local area, homes, businesses and jobs.”

The scheme, which cost approximately £7m, has been developed and constructed to allow the natural flood plain to flood to protect homes and businesses. This was put to the test in November last year when the area was hit with heavy rain. While parts of the flood scheme’s construction site were under water, properties in Llanrwst and Trefriw were protected.

Richmond puts people first with new web pages For the first time, extensive details about adult social care services are available in one place after Richmond Council launched new web pages.

Information is available on a range of areas from how to stay living at home and financial advice, to social care and leisure opportunities. Services include those provided by the council as well as other organisations in the borough.

Cllr Nicola Urquhart, cabinet member for Adult Services, Health and Housing, said: “People who receive social care support are now, quite rightly, more in control over what they receive, when they receive it and who provides it, whether they qualify for a financial contribution or not.

“I hope those with internet access have a look at the pages. Help in person or over the phone also remains available.”

Newcastle launches community and voluntary sector fund Newcastle City Council has committed to invest in local communities through a fund targeted at the city’s voluntary and community sector.

The Newcastle Fund – worth at least £10m over four years – brings together a range of separate grant funds operated by the council. Funding will be targeted at community and voluntary-based projects that support the most vulnerable residents and communities in Newcastle.

Newcastle City Council leader and chair of Newcastle Partnership, Cllr David Faulkner, said: “We are pleased that, despite the financial challenges facing the city council and cuts in central government funding, we’ve been able to sustain the investment we provide from the council’s own resources.

“This new fund is a positive example of Newcastle’s commitment to residents and underlines the strength of our partnership with the community and voluntary organisations that work hard to make life better for so many people across our city.”

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

Help for social tenants to set up business at home ousing Minister Grant Shapps

H has urged councils and

housing associations to make it easier for social tenants to set up businesses from their homes.

Of the 200,000 small businesses operating from home only 22,000 of these are in council or housing association properties. This means that only 11 per cent of small businesses in the 1,000 most socially deprived areas operate from home – compared to 36 per cent in the rest of the country.

Grant Shapps said: "Tenants should have the same opportunities as anyone else, and landlords have the key to unlocking this untapped entrepreneurial talent. I want them to get the message out loud and clear to their residents that wherever possible, and in the majority of cases, they will be able to set up and

run their new businesses from home.

"Of course, councils and housing associations must consider the possible impact on neighbours that a new company in the area could make.

But I urge them to use their common sense and, where a tenant is making a reasonable request to start their career at home, that it be granted."

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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Aberdeen introduces home insulation scheme scheme that will give more than 8,000 Aberdeen residents the chance to have their homes insulated for free this winter has been launched.

Taking up the offer could save householders a combined £218,611 on their annual fuel bills and cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,369 tonnes.

Residents in the Cove, Torry and Nigg areas are being written to with details of the Aberdeen Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) which is being funded by the City Council with £500,000 grant funding from the Scottish Government and private funding.

Housing and Environment Convener Councillor Aileen Malone said: "By ensuring homes are properly insulated we can help people to save a considerable amount of money on their fuel bills

©Norman Adams, Aberdeen City Council

A

by cutting energy use, while also reducing the impact that heating their homes has on the environment.

"This is a win-win situation for everyone involved and I am confident that the scheme will have a good uptake among the Nigg, Torry and Cove communities.

This is a great opportunity for 8,700 city households to keep warm for less."

Firms get cash incentives to hire new apprentices iverpool businesses are being offered grants by the city council to support and encourage them to recruit apprentices.

A one-off payment of up to £3,000 per recruit is being offered to support employers who take on new apprentices for a minimum of a year.

Businesses are expected to recruit Liverpool residents aged 16+.

Councillor Nick Small, the council's cabinet member for employment and skills, said: "At a time when cuts in funding are being made across the board it is even

L

more important that we support our young people in gaining the skills they need to obtain employment. We want to have a highly-skilled and motivated workforce ready to take advantage of any improvement in the economy in future years.”

The Liverpool Apprenticeship Scheme business grant initiative is looking to create 100 extra apprenticeships across the city.

The scheme is being promoted by the city council and is supported by the National Apprenticeship Service, TUC's unionlearn and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

Scots feeling safer from crime eople are feeling safer from

P crime in Scotland in 2010

according to the largest survey of perceptions and experiences of crime carried out in Scotland.

The survey of 16,000 people across the country found that the public are more positive about crime rates in their local area in 2009/10 compared to 2008/09.

The survey also found that the risk of being a victim of crime is lower in Scotland than in England and Wales, and the number of crimes carried out in Scotland has fallen by ten per cent in 2009/10 compared to 2008/09.

Commenting on the survey results, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "These are welcome trends which show that we are making progress in our fight against crime in Scotland's communities.”

NEWSINBRIEF Scottish procurement app launched Public Contract Scotland (PCS), the Scottish Government's purchasing portal, has launched the world's first app specifically designed to alert business to new contract opportunities from the public sector – a market worth £9 billion annually.

The PCS procurement app allows businesses to access contract notices as they are posted, and works with Apple iPhones and iPads, with plans to roll out to other mobile phone models. App users will be able to access information more easily and faster than by browsing on the mobile web, as well as search notices by category, commodity and date.

Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, said: "The portal, and now the PCS app, make contract opportunities even more accessible to suppliers; are helping to make public sector procurement more transparent and competitive; and play key roles in achieving efficiency improvements.

"In a challenging economic climate, it is more important than ever that we make best use of available resources, and deliver greater value for money in public procurement."

Photo ID considered to combat tenancy fraud Brighton’s council tenants are being consulted over proposals to introduce photo ID as part of a new drive to crackdown on tenancy fraud. The proposal follows calls by tenants to prevent unlawful subletting of homes or council properties being obtained through deception.

The council has improved training for housing officers to identify tenancy fraud and is running publicity campaigns, including posters, leaflets and articles in tenant magazines, as well as a hotline to report suspected fraud.

With each council officer charged with checking up to 800 properties each, photo ID is being considered as the only way to verify that a tenant is legitimate.

Tenants with religious or cultural reasons for not being photographed could be exempted, but would have to provide additional identification when officers visit in order to help verify their identity.

Tenants benefit from swapping scheme Newydd Housing Association, one of Wales’s leading housing associations, has partnered with HomeSwapper.co.uk, meaning that social housing tenants in Wales will be able to benefit from the UK’s leading mutual exchange service.

With 2,500 homes across 11 local authorities, Newydd tenants will now benefit from free membership of the popular national home swapping service – a service which matches tenants wanting to move to other homes that match their requirements.

Paul Roberts, Newydd chief executive, commented: “Newydd is delighted to be working with HomeSwapper in offering this service to our tenants.

HomeSwapper is not only a hugely popular service across the UK but it is achieving results for both tenants and landlords alike – more than 22,000 families are swapping every year through the service.”

To date, 33 landlords in Wales have all partnered HomeSwapper. This means that over 177,650 tenants in Wales are able to use HomeSwapper for free.

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

07

In the toughest conditions, experience pays.

Debt collection is our business. Whether collecting money from individuals or companies, working with our people pays. So what’s stopping you?

Call The Lewis Group today on 0870 751 3402 or log on to www.lewisgroup.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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MONEY MATTERS

THE DEBT RECOVERY CHALLENGE Unpaid debt, such as council tax and rent, is a growing problem and local authorities are bearing the brunt of it, says Kerry Walsh, head of Training & Events, Institute of Credit Management MOST BUSINESSES will need effective debt recovery in the current economic climate, as cash flow is the very lifeblood of every business. With local authority debt now running into millions of pounds and with consumer borrowing at an all time high, councils are finding themselves in direct competition with demands for mortgages, credit card repayments and other loans.

Keeping a tight control on costs and cash flow can be critical just to survive, let alone to make a profit. Unpaid debt – whether it’s council tax, commercial rent or sundry debt – is a growing problem and will ultimately impact the level of services that can be offered.

CHALLENGING COLLECTIONS This means councils have a huge challenge on their hands to collect debt and replenish the revenues that will provide our public services.

They also have to do so against a backdrop of a changing legislative environment that, on the face of it, appears to favour the debtor.

The efficiency and modernisation of local authorities is a key factor, and in some cases has already commenced. It is fundamental to delivering savings and reshaping services, whilst minimising any detrimental outcomes for customers and service users.

Local authorities need to be effective in collecting and recovering debts. If not, the effect on service provision will be significant, i.e. there will be a budget shortfall and service provision would either have to be cut back or additional borrowing arranged to meet the shortfall.

The best judgement of the effectiveness of recovery action is the level of write-offs, i.e. if the debt is not recovered it is written off.

Bad debt write off trends can be analysed to inform members whether debt collection recovery procedures are improving (or not).

IMPROVE COLLECTION PERFORMANCE Wouldn’t it be great to review, discuss and develop workable and proven applications that will strengthen areas of weakness, improve

collection performance and generate significant cash flow benefits to your organisation?

BEST PRACTICE It is, with this in mind, that the Institute of Credit Management (ICM) runs a practical one-day course on best practice in the billing and collection of sundry debts, and the use of performance indicators to measure and improve cash flow benefits. This highly interactive training day, which can be run in-company at your offices, will give delegates a better understanding of how to set, hit and then beat targets through improving their own performance and by influencing changes elsewhere in the business.

We never forget that training isn’t an end in itself: it is a means to achieve better performance and greater business success.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.icm.org.uk

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MONEY MATTERS

STAYING AHEAD IN THE CREDIT GAME Local and national government professionals had the opportunity to get up to speed on the latest issues facing the public sector at the recent Public Sector Credit Conference THE SECOND PUBLIC SECTOR CREDIT CONFERENCE organised by Credit Today took place at the Midland Hotel in Manchester in September. Over 100 people attended the event, which was chaired by Claire Sandbrook of Shergroup.

Speakers included Peter Wordsworth, CEO of Fairfax Solicitors, who discussed his experience of working with the public sector: “In my experience, when the public and private sector work truly in partnership, compelling results can be achieved. This has been evidenced by the recent HMRC pilot and the work that Fairfax Solicitors has undertaken for the Child Support Agency where we were able to secure the agency’s largest single payment in its entire history.

“In my speech I wanted to highlight the relationship as a complementary one – where the private sector added resource and capabilities to complement those in the public sector. I therefore see no conflict between the two sides as we are both focused on achieving the same objective.

“Whilst in the beginning, the relationship between the private and public sectors was understandably tentative, the experience

has been overwhelmingly positive and I wanted to highlight the potential of this relationship going forward.

“I believe that there is much to be obtained by the public and private sector working in true partnership to help recover monies and tackle the financial challenges which lie ahead, together.”

AXING CREDIT CARD BAN Alison Cunningham, performance director of Debt Managment at the Department of Work and Pensions, announced that the DWP may axe their ban on credit card repayments.

She said that the increasing number of people claiming benefits as a reult of the recession could cause the government to re-think its stance towards accepting payments on interest free debits, through methods that would incur interest payments for debtors.

She said: “I think the way our current administaration thinks about public sector debt might change.”

Alison warned that human rights lobby groups would protest at using a credit card payment to pay an interest-free debt. The DWP currently has a debt stock of £2.1bn. Between 2009/10 the department collected a total of £294m.

Sally Gubbins, National Fraud Initiative, discussed council tax fraud, saying that the NFI should be saved despite the government’s decision to scrap the Audit Comission. Sally pointed out that the NFI had succesfully identified £664 million of fraud in the public sector from 1996-2010. Sally used Salford Council as an example as they are expected to raise an extra £1m in revenue this year by overcomming single person council tax fraud with the help of the NFI. Andrew Hobley of the LGO told delegates that councils need to improve their communications with debtors prior to seeking bankrupcy proceedings. He argued that councils need to have better outlined policies on bankrupcy, and that checks should be made so that the debtors understood the actions being taking against them.

He said: “Recovery officers need to talk to council departments to try to recover debts fairly, and avoid the LGO writing a Public Report about them.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.credittoday.co.uk/ publicsectorcredit.cfm

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

THE CHANGING FACE OF CRC With the spending review still fresh in our minds, David Mole, deputy managing director of Landmark Information Group, explores its implications for organisations working to meet their obligations under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme THE GOVERNMENT’S COMPREHENSIVE Spending Review has caused consternation for many public sector workers, and in this period of upheaval it would be easy for organisations to overlook the changes to the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, which were quietly announced among more dramatic measures.

Yet many have accused the government of introducing what amounts to a stealth tax on participating organisations, and those involved cannot afford to ignore the ramifications.

SO WHAT’S CHANGED? Participating organisations were originally advised that in exchange for upfront payments to the Treasury, those whose emissions performance placed them in the top half of the league table would receive financial incentives. However, the Treasury has taken

could still yield financial rewards. Performance in the CRC league tables will impact on reputation and in the long term this can indirectly impact on user satisfaction and the bottom line. What’s more, identifying areas of high carbon use can help to identify potential areas where cost-savings can be made.

CARBON COUNTER IN PRACTICE Perth and Kinross is one local authority that has benefitted from using Landmark’s Carbon Counter. Gordon Dick is the energy officer for the council, and is responsible for its energy management and conservation policy as well as delivering the data, registration and compliance for CRC. Gordon comments: “As energy officer in a local authority I am responsible for administering electricity, gas, oil and biomass

Ensuring that the data is correctly stored, filtered and analysed first time around can help organisations to avoid potentially costly and time-heavy errors, which the public sector can ill-afford at this time of fiscal scrutiny the decision to hold on to the revenue, effectively removing the carrot from the system. In fact, removing the financial incentive from CRC means that the scheme runs the risk of becoming an administrative burden for businesses with no direct benefits.

WHY CRC STILL COUNTS The fact remains that CRC is a legal obligation for eligible organisations. While they do not stand to gain directly there will be no way to avoid completing the process accurately, with heavy financial penalties for those who fail to do so. It means that organisations will now need to focus more than ever on delivering and recording the necessary data as efficiently as possible – particularly in the public sector where widespread job cuts are likely to leave staff and resources stretched.

Using a tool like Carbon Counter, Landmark’s online data management tool, can save time and help avoid errors. It is designed to ensure that participating organisations provide the right information in a format compliant for the Evidence Pack. It also acts as a secure repository of information, so in future years organisations can refer back to older data to quickly draw useful carbon emissions comparisons.

It should also be remembered that CRC

12 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

for a portfolio containing more than 300 sites. I was concerned to see that by using our existing monitoring and targeting software, mistakes could be introduced into the evidence folder from the amount of sundry information the M&T application stored. This meant an unacceptable increase in the risk of penalties to the organisation.

“By considering an application designed specifically for CRC, we agreed that Carbon Counter could complement our existing M&T software. We are using Carbon Counter to filter out relevant information in order to create our evidence folder and reports.”

Ensuring that the data is correctly stored, filtered and analysed first time around can help organisations to avoid potentially costly and time-heavy errors, which the public sector can ill-afford at this time of fiscal scrutiny.

At Landmark we are certainly noticing that public sector clients are finding Carbon Counter suits their purpose, and in fact almost half of the organisations currently signed up to Carbon Counter are district councils, county councils, police authorities and NHS trusts.

The data management tool is also proving good value for money, as John Sinclair, energy manager for London Borough of Sutton, comments: “I looked at quite a number of

alternative systems ranging in price from £1,000 per annum to £25,000 first year cost (followed by around £10,000 per annum thereafter). At a fraction of these prices, Landmark’s Carbon Counter is streets ahead both for overall price and value for money.”

So CRC compliance costs can be managed effectively and can even yield overall cost savings to the organisation. Despite the changes to the scheme there are benefits available to those organisations sharp enough to maximise the opportunities ahead. *Correct at time of submission: 29.10.2010

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.carboncounter.co.uk

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

DRIVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY Malcolm Fergusson, head of Climate Change at the Environment Agency, tells us about the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme and what the EA is doing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions REGISTRATION FOR THE CRC ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCHEME closed on 30 September 2010, and its administrator the Environment Agency was one of the first to sign up. It is a new mandatory emissions scheme designed by the government to help reach our national greenhouse gas emissions targets.

For the first time large non-energy intensive organisations in the public and private sector, which account for about 10 per cent of UK CO2 emissions, are legally bound to closely monitor and report their emissions from energy use in preparation for buying carbon credits in 2012. The scheme will also give people and businesses the opportunity to compare organisations’ efforts in reducing energy consumption.

Participants successful in reducing energy consumption will not only save money on energy bills, they will also boost their environmental reputation. With the government announcing in the Spending Review that revenue from the scheme is not to be recycled, the financial incentive to cut energy bills is all the greater.

HOW DOES CRC WORK? The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will be phased in over the next three years.

CRC participants are required to monitor their emissions and purchase allowances at the beginning of each reporting year for each tonne of CO2 they emit.

Organisations that reduce carbon emissions will save money both on their energy bills and by purchasing fewer allowances.

As I write in October 2010 over 90 per cent of the energy emissions expected to be captured by the scheme have been reported by those already registered, and we expect this to increase over the coming weeks as the final registrations are processed.

All government departments are now registered for the scheme. Examples of the public sector organisations registered include Kent County Council, Barts and the London NHS Trust, and Leeds Metropolitan University.

Participants will be closely monitoring their energy use in preparation for producing their annual report and buying carbon credits. More than ever before, they will be looking at where they can make significant energy savings and thinking about their organisation’s environmental impact.

As the Europe’s largest environmental regulator, at the Environment Agency (EA) we’ve always been aware of our environmental footprint and done what we can to minimise

it. As the UK administrator of CRC, the EA is responsible for helping organisations understand their obligations under the scheme. We are also a full participant in the scheme, so it’s important for us to lead by example when it comes to reducing emissions and energy use.

Whilst CRC participants need to make their own decisions on how to reduce energy use, we’re sharing our experiences with others to help them make their own plans.

We have a dedicated internal environmental management team who are constantly looking at ways to make sure we do our work in the most environmentally sensitive way possible. We have targets in place to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, water use, waste sent to landfill and mileage that we are aiming to reach by 2015.

MEASURING EMISSIONS We measure carbon dioxide emissions of all the work we do, including emissions from buildings, travel and our operational work, such as pumping flood water and maintaining river levels. Through taking steps such as driving fewer miles and using renewable energy, we’ve cut our CO2 emissions by around 6,000 tonnes since 2007, which is a reduction of nine per cent.

We’ve also set up our internal innovative Carbon Reduction Fund. This takes our staff’s good suggestions to reduce emissions and makes them happen. Projects that received funding in 2009/10 include a hydropower turbine at a fish hatchery in Wales and fresh air cooling at a laboratory in Leeds.

It’s not always easy to reduce emissions from our operational work. If there’s a major flood we have to do everything we can to pump flood water away from people’s homes. We are, however, looking into all our pumping operations and trying to find more energy efficient ways of getting the job done.

ENERGY USE We’ve been working to cut our buildings’ energy use for several years now and have so far managed to cut our annual consumption by 5.4 million kWh compared to 2005/06 levels – that’s the equivalent energy use of making around 88 million cups of tea. This will save us around half a million pounds annually in energy bills.

All of the energy we buy to use in Environment Agency-owned buildings is supplied by a green tariff, meaning our supplier generates it from renewable sources. We are also working with landlords of buildings we rent to get them to supply electricity from green

tariffs. This means that 95 per cent of our total energy supply is from renewable sources.

We’ve set a policy for heating and cooling our buildings, and looked at where buildings need more insulation. We’ve also installed energy-efficient lighting with intelligent controls, so they only come on when people are in the room and there isn’t enough light coming in from outside.

We’ve installed voltage optimisation across 39 of our buildings, with several more planned. This reduces the incoming voltage from the buildings from 240v to 220v, and as a result emissions and energy bills at these sites have fallen by around 10 per cent.

TOP TIPS FOR REDUCING CONSUMPTION You don’t need to be a participant in CRC to see the benefits of energy efficiency.

According to the Carbon Trust, just switching off unnecessary lighting can save an organisation 15 per cent on its energy bills. There are lots of ways to reduce your organisation’s energy use, ranging from simple behaviour change to investing in energysaving technology. Here are some top tips: 1. Get the CEO/board/directors involved in plans to improve your organisation’s environmental performance 2. Set easily measurable targets that form part of your corporate performance 3. Expect and be prepared to make some investments in technology 4. Have good quality data for all your utilities and travel 5. Make sure you have the people resource available to help deliver environmental outcomes 6. Take simple steps to cut energy use wherever possible 7. Make sure your procurement considers sustainability issues 8. Engage your staff and help them help you In the current economic climate the public sector is looking for ways to save money wherever possible, and reducing energy use can have significant financial benefits. That means there’s never been a better time to think about your organisation’s environmental impact, even if you just begin with the simplest steps.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on CRC visit www. environment-agency.gov.uk/crc. For more information on the Environment Agency’s environmental performance visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/aboutus

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

13

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

A QUESTION OF COMPLIANCE Neil Jefferson of the Zero Carbon Hub explains what is right for tomorrow’s new homes THE ZERO CARBON HUB is working to define zero carbon in a way that encourages the production of mainstream, comfortable homes that provide attractive options for purchasers. This article sets out progress so far and highlights a major consultation this year that will inform the debate on carbon compliance – the low-carbon target that will be set for individual homes from 2016.

STEP 1 Fabric first – defining an efficient building fabric (to minimise energy demand). This time last year a task group led by the Zero Carbon Hub was entering a crucial stage in its work to develop a standard for the energy efficiency of a zero carbon home.

What emerged was a standard that was widely accepted as challenging but also pragmatic, simple to apply and low risk for UK conditions. This standard, the result of close collaboration across the sector, showed how well the combination of walls, floors, roofs, windows and doors should perform, and provided a reference point for anchoring the rest of the zero carbon definition.

STEP TWO Carbon compliance – agreeing a feasible level of on-site low-carbon energy technologies for heat and power (to increase renewable energy contribution and reduce the demand for fossil fuels).

As the chart shows, carbon compliance is

something that is achieved by a combination of fabric energy efficiency (step 1 above) and low carbon energy technologies – both making a contribution to lower carbon emissions. However, what contribution can we reasonably expect in practice for the energy technologies available? Equally important, how will we know that we have achieved the required carbon compliance target?

Six months ago we would have been guessing at the answers to both of these questions. Now, new modelling and evaluation work by the Hub is building a powerful evidence base for robust decisions and highlighting areas where new research is needed. As an insurance against future changes and circumstances, my colleague David Adams led a cross-industry task group exploring the suitability of modelling tools for assessing carbon compliance. Urgent recommendations from that task group are now in circulation with ministers who are alert to shortcomings in current modelling tools, the risk these pose to achieving national carbon reduction targets, and to many practical issues that should inform modelling assumptions.

To veteran zero carbon definition commentators, the oldest chestnut in the pile is the setting of the overall target for carbon compliance. This figure is now under very close scrutiny by a second carbon compliance task group, convened and facilitated by the Hub, which is exploring the practicalities of delivering carbon compliance to different levels in a range

of circumstances. Hub colleagues are gearing up for a busy time ahead to assist this task group as it develops its final recommendations – which will be built on technical, commercial and policy strands of work – and to deliver a consultation programme starting at the end of November.

This work is a critical opportunity to provide the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, with an informed, broadly-derived, consensus view of where the target might be set. This target will become the standard against which tomorrow’s new homes will be designed and built. You can register your views on the development of the Carbon Compliance standard by attending our ‘Have your Say’ events – details on our website www.zerocarbonhub.org.

STEP 3 Oh yes, step 3 – that’s allowable solutions. I hope we will be able to tell you more about these next time. While preliminary work is proceeding on allowable solutions within the Hub, we are awaiting a further announcement on the government’s proposed direction on this.

We are aware of strong industry support for inclusion of an approach based on a community energy fund, alongside the pallet of other allowable solutions under consideration.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 8887620 E-mail: info@zerocarbonhub.org Web: www.zerocarbonhub.org

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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Wood – at the heart of a good window ORMED IN 2007 by 40

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16 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

A GREEN BUILDING REVOLUTION Find out the latest developments in sustainable design, construction and the built environment at Ecobuild 2011 IN 2011 ECOBUILD MOVES to London’s ExCeL exhibition and conference centre – a bigger and more modern venue – and the move has already fuelled further growth from exhibitors eager to take part in the world’s biggest and most successful event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment. Taking place 1-3 March 2011, Ecobuild is the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment.

Visitors can expect a comprehensive exhibition of sustainable construction suppliers. Every product and technology is represented at the Ecobuild exhibition, from micro-renewables to water management systems, and energy efficiency products to the latest materials. Hundreds of exhibitors will be unveiling new and innovative products, meaning you’ll be the first to experience many of the solutions on display.

Ecobuild’s conference and seminar sessions create a context for the wealth of products you’ll see, and put you in touch with expert speakers, whilst dozens of interactive attactions and special events give you the chance to get hands on experience of the very latest products and techniques.

CONFERENCE The Ecobuild conference focuses on emerging issues, new thinking, challenging ideas, and the new policy priorities of the coalition government responding to the need for budget cuts.

For 2011, there is much to assess and debate, including: • the progress made in putting sustainability at the core of construction and the built environment • the future direction the sector needs to take • how a new government with new priorities will affect the direction and speed of change • how sustainability will fare in an age of austerity.

The Ecobuild conference in 2011 comprises three streams and examines the key issues surrounding sustainability, construction and the built environment, from big picture debates, such as international political cooperation, global economic models, behaviour and psychology of climate change, and the role of science, through to more domestic challenges such as the how the UK construction sector needs to change, how to refurbish the existing stock, decarbonising electricity generation, the impact of localism and the big society on planning (and in particular the housing sector).

A new conference stream for 2011 will look at sustainability from the perspective of architecture and design, and debate

The Ecobuild conference focuses on emerging issues, new thinking, challenging ideas, and the new policy priorities of the coalition government responding to the need for budget cuts topics such as the role of architects in a resource stressed world, how designers can help change behaviour, what a sustainable community looks like, how ecologically successful cities can be created, and how sustainability and art can be combined.

SEMINARS In an expanded programme for 2011 – Ecobuild’s biggest yet – more than 130 seminars cover the most pressing issues for built environment professionals. Topics include: • future energy • energy in buildings • regulations revealed • simplifying standards guides and tools • refurbishing Britain • sustainability and the city • sustainable by design • sustainable small projects • from grey to green • sustainable architecture & design • beyond construction • installer business • installer skills With the emphasis on practical and applied information, each seminar is carefully structured to provide key learning points, supported by case studies, analysis, and examples of best practice.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Ecobuild hosts an exhibition featuring sustainable construction suppliers, with many exhibitors unveiling new and innovative products for the first time.

Exhibitors cover a comprehensive range of products and services, including: • renewable energy and micro generation • water management and efficiency • building services and management • external works • substructures • building structures • building completion • building systems • building materials • professional services • finishing products and materials • fittings • special activities and requirements Ecobuild 2010 was a huge success with more than 1,000 exhibitors, over 41,000 visitors, and dozens of new attractions, initiatives and special events. Ecobuild 2011 is set to continue, if not surpass, this trend.

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you would like to find out more, please visit: www.ecobuild.co.uk

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17

Bright Idea No 241 600 bright ideas to guarantee you a good meeting

For ‘bright ideas’ and inspiration for your next meeting, look no further than the Crowne Plaza London – Gatwick Airport.

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For more ‘bright ideas’ for your next meeting, call the Conference Team on: 01293 608 609 Crowne Plaza London – Gatwick Airport Langley Drive, Crawley, Sussex, RH11 7SX T 01293 608 608 E info@cpgatwick.co.uk W cpgatwick.co.uk

SAFE HANDS The award winning Holiday Inn Woking has been recognized as one of the best performing hotels for its commitment to guest satisfaction… so, you can be assured your meeting will be in safe hands with us.

The new conference centre has been designed and built with state-of-the-art facilities and all our staff have a ‘can-do’ attitude to ensure your meeting runs smoothly.

• Five meeting rooms to cater for up to 300 delegates • WiFi throughout the hotel • Natural daylight and black-out facilities • 24 hour Business Centre • Restaurant and Bar • 161 comfortable bedrooms To ensure your next meeting will be in ‘safe hands’, call the Conference Team on: 01483 221011 Victoria Way Woking Surrey, GU21 8EW T 01483 221000 E info@hiwoking.co.uk W www.hiwoking.co.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

LONDON – AT YOUR PLEASURE Visit London, the official visitor organisation, offers inspiration with some of their favourite itineraries LONDON IS A CITY THAT IS ALWAYS recognised as a great city to do business in.

With so many headquarters of international businesses making their home in the UK’s capital, a deviser array of conference and meeting spaces and a buzzing media industry, it’s an ideal destination to hold your business events and meetings.

But what about when the meeting is over? What about your precious downtime when the laptop has been packed away.

London is also the ideal city to extend your business trip and get a bit of wellearned relaxation and pleasure from!

For most business visitors part of the attraction of coming to London is the almost

Greenwich Park view of the National Maritime Museum. All images © Visit London.

endless list of fantastic downtime activities, from sight-seeing to shopping to eating out.

Around every corner of London visitors will find new and exciting options – it’s a city of choice, with music, theatre and museums.

London has attractions to keep everyone happy. Visit London, the official visitor organisation, offers some inspiration with

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

19

NEW YORK

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

The Tate Modern and the Millennium bridge lit up at night

With 48 Michelin stars to its name, London continues to be heaven for foodies. Pierre Koffmann, arguably the world’s best chef has just opened his new London restaurant at The Berkeley some of our favourite itineraries… or visit www.visitlondon.com for more information.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD With 48 Michelin stars to its name, London continues to be heaven for foodies. Pierre Koffmann, arguably the world’s best chef has just opened his new London restaurant at The Berkeley. London will also see the new opening from Heston Blumenthal – ‘Dinner

by Heston Blumenthal’ which is set to open at the Mandarin Oriental in January 2011. Daniel Boulud has brought 25 years of experience of the New York dining scene to London with Bar Boulud, his first European restaurant, also at London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Other new restaurants to hit London’s busy restaurant scene are the amazing Viajnate at the

Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green, Bistro Bruno Loubet at The Zetter Hotel and Tinello, which has been opened by celeb chef Giorgio Locatelli.

A further 6,000+ licensed restaurants, bars and cafés are also on offer to tantalise the taste buds where you can get a real flavor of London.

Some of the best value food in London is ethnic – Chinese, Indian, or Italian – but don’t forget the famous British dish of fish and chips!

Specific areas of London offer great value, particularly in ethnic cuisine. Brick Lane is famed for very good, cheap Indian and Bangladeshi food, Turkish restaurants abound in Stoke Newington and Chinatown is found in Soho.

London also offers some major calendar events that celebrate food as well as numerous food markets and farmers markets. These can be an ideal reason to hold a business

Street entertainers in Covent Garden

Orleans House Gallery in Richmond

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Hosting your conferences and meetings… … thinking about the bigger picture

With 78 venues nationwide, please contact conferencing@cineworld.co.uk to find out how Cineworld Cinemas can host your film screening, presentation or award ceremony

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

event in the capital and extend your stay.

Taste of London in Regent’s Park is extremely popular, so too is Southbank’s Real Food market, which runs over the first weekend of every month.

Most recently, all eyes were on the city for the second London Restaurant Festival (www.londonresturantfestival.com). Over 600 establishments signed up, many creating special festival menus, and with over 70 different national cuisines on offer in just a few square miles, there was truly something for everyone. The annual two week celebration happens every year in early October.

PARK LIFE London has a huge amount of green spaces including more than 600 garden squares, 148 parks and gardens, 122 heaths, commons

Cyclist passing the Cutty Sark in Greenwich

and greens, 16 city farms, eight Royal Parks and one historic battlefield. It is one of the greenest capitals in the world. There’s also so much to see and do outdoors in the capital. In fact, the only time you need step inside is when you return to your hotel at the end of an action-packed day.

Start your day in south west London. Kew is home to the amazing Royal Botanic Gardens. Covering 326 acres, they’re an oasis of calm. For those feeling like a surge of adrenaline, the Treetop Walkway is a must. It’s 59 feet high and 660 feet long, taking visitors into the tree canopy of a woodland glade.

Take the District Line Tube up to High Street Kensington and stroll down Kensington Palace Gardens. Nicknamed ‘Billionaire’s Row’, the road contains some of the grandest and most expensive houses in the world but also

provides some great high street shopping.

Halfway down you’ll find Kensington Palace. Its gardens are beautiful, while its orangery is an ideal spot to grab a bite to eat or even indulge in a fabulous afternoon tea and give your legs a well-earned rest.

With your batteries recharged, take a number 49 bus over to Chelsea and spend the rest of the afternoon at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, it continues to research the properties, origins and conservation of over 5,000 plant species.

SHOPPING AND LUXURY For lovers of the finer things in life, there’s no better city in the world than London for fashion and shopping. With Bond Street at the top-end of the scale right through to boutique markets

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

like Spitalfields, London really does have a huge amount to offer in your downtime.

In the morning, head east. Opening in spring 2011, Westfield Stratford City is a stone’s throw away from the new Olympic stadium and is set to be Europe’s largest retail and leisure complex.

After a spot of lunch, it’s time for the next stop on your shopping pilgrimage.

Go west on the Central Line to St Paul’s.

Here you’ll find One New Change, which boasts an amazing rooftop terrace with spectacular views of St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as three floors of shopping.

Well worth a look is the recently redesigned Louis Vuitton store on New Bond Street (head to Bond Street Tube on the Central Line).

Designed by flamboyant architect Peter Marino at a cost of £30 million, it is surely one of the most opulent places in the world to buy a handbag. But a word of warning: under no circumstances must you use the word ‘shop’.

In Louis Vuitton world, the term is ‘maison’!

Stroll through the West End and browse through some of the capital’s favourite department stores. Selfridges, which combines fashion and art in their Ultralounge, is a popular choice for great brand and designer names while the ever popular John Lewis offers everything from fashion to food and home wares to footwear.

Busy Covent Garden

POST-RETAIL PAMPERING Next, a bit of post-retail pampering. In Knightsbridge you’ll find the Mandarin Oriental hotel, home to a spa frequented by the stars (Jennifer Aniston is rumoured to use it when she’s in London).

Or you could go to see Leighton Denny at Harrods. Joan Collins and Davina McCall are just some of the stars who can’t resist his jewel-encrusted manicures and expert pedicures. Head over to Harvey Nichols to find all your favourite designer brands and end the day with a glass of bubbles at the wonderful Champagne bar on the Fifth Floor.

SPORTING ACTIVITIES From watching the biggest names in world sport to getting involved yourself, London is a hotbed of great sporting activity all year round and a perfect way to unwind and relax after a busy conference or meeting.

Start your day in north west London with a behind-the-scenes tour of Wembley.

The stadium will be hosting high-profile games throughout the year, including England’s qualifying matches for the 2012 European Championships and the final of the 2011 UEFA Champions League.

If you’re in town from 8-14 August 2011, pop along to see the Yonex BWF World Badminton Championships in London at Wembley Arena.

As well as seeing the best in the world smash a shuttlecock around, you’ll also be in the venue hosting the Badminton at the 2012 Olympics.

The O2 becomes the London venue for NBA

Stroll through the West End and browse through some of the capital’s favourite department stores. Selfridges, which combines fashion and art in their Ultralounge, is a popular choice for great brand and designer names while the ever popular John Lewis offers everything from fashion to food and home wares to footwear THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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With a colourful past that pre-dates the Doomsday Book; Addington Palace is set in 163-acres of landscaped grounds in Surrey and boasts two stunning venues.

Addington Palace has twelve stunning rooms, which offer an opportunity for private dining for groups of up to 180. Each room has been meticulously restored to epitomise luxury, style and elegance. This, coupled with excellent cuisine from our in-house chefs, make up all the ingredients of an event to remember.

The Royal Marquee, with its cream lining and gold chandeliers is located on the south lawn next to the magnificent Cedar of Lebanon tree, which dates back to 1781. This area is suitable for groups of 150 to 750.

With the added bonus of two venues onsite we are able to cater for a variety of events including Christmas Parties, Exhibitions, Gala Balls, Conferences and Weddings. As well as being ideal for Conferences, Exhibitions, Banquets and Team Building Activities, the venue is also licensed for Civil Ceremonies with excellent facilities for Wedding Receptions.

Addington Palace knows you deserve the ultimate and we look forward to welcoming you.

0208 662 5000

ADDINGTON PALACE GRAVEL HILL, ADDINGTON VILLAGE, CROYDON CRO 5BB

www.addington-palace.co.uk

info@addington-palace.co.uk

NUMBER 45 MILLBANK LONDON’S PRESTIGE VENUE

Number 45 Millbank, a refurbished Grade II listed venue, located just steps away from Tate Britain, offers an unforgettable event experience coupled with spectacular views of the Thames. With stylish outdoor space at a premium in Westminster, the Ornamental Garden offers an intimate setting for alfresco entertaining.

For more information call 020 7514 8514 Contact our Events team / 020 7514 8514 / 45millbank@chelsea.arts.ac.uk / www.45millbank.com

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

season games in Europe in March 2011. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is set to make another welcome return to London in its quest to make basketball history, when the league holds its first-ever regular-season games in Europe. The New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors will square off for back-to-back games at The O2 arena in London, England, 4-5 March as part of NBA Games – London 2011.

Just a few stops along the Jubilee Line to St John’s Wood is the world-famous Lord’s Cricket Ground. On the fascinating guided tours you’ll get to see some of the most famous sights in world cricket, including the precious urn for the famed Ashes.

In the afternoon, head down to south west London and complete your day by visiting the homes of two other sports.

Twickenham Stadium is the focal point of English rugby, while Wimbledon is famous for tennis and has an excellent interactive museum, including a virtual John McEnroe revealing the secrets of his pre-match rituals.

Inside the grounds of the Garden Museum

A busy shopping day in St Christopher’s Place

HIDDEN GEMS There are surprises around every corner in London. From historical sites, to areas of natural beauty, to brilliant but unsung shops, bars and museums, the list of things that you can find only in London is almost endless.

Start with a spot of history in east London by visiting Eastbury Manor House in Barking, reputedly the place where the Gunpowder Plot was first conceived. South Kensington’s Victoria & Albert Museum is one of the most popular visitor spots in London. Less well-known is the fabulous V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green (just a few stops away from Barking).

End the morning at the Bank of England Museum where you’ll be able to hold a bar of gold and see the largest collection of Bank of England notes and associated material in the world.

In the afternoon, experience a bit of religious splendour. First, explore Bevis Marks, the nation’s oldest synagogue.

Established in 1701 to serve the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation, it’s only minutes from Bank station.

Then you could either head up to Neasden in north west London to see the truly jawdropping site of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the largest traditional Hindu Mandir outside India. Or make your way to south west London to visit the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh temple Southall. Once again, it’s the biggest outside the sub-continent.

PLEASURE WITHOUT A PRICE A major benefit of London’s cultural offering is that many of the events or museums in the capital are free – which is a huge cost saving to any delegate and a perfect way to compliment any business programme or offer a huge cost saving in your own downtime. Whether it’s watching the Chinese New Year celebrations in

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27

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Call 00 44 161 436 1931 or visit www.parkinn.co.uk/meetings For all your accommodation needs, visit www.rezidor.com/ukgov

115030 PARKI Ad M&E Government Business (178x125).indd 1

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BRADY ARTS & COMMUNITY CENTRE The Brady Centre is home to LBTH Arts and Events Service.

As well as providing an exciting range of arts activities and events for local people we offer all our spaces for hire.

STUDIO THEATRE (18M X 10.5M)

Raked seating or cabaret style. Training, conferencing or performing. Digital Sound System. Full AV. Capacity 150.

Rates: Hourly: £29:00 (Community); £40:00 (Private)

MAIN HALL (13M X 8.5M)

Theatre or cabaret style. Training, conferencing or performing. Full AV. Capacity: 120.

Rates: Hourly: £37:00 (Community); £48:00 (Private).

MAIN HALL & FUNCTION ROOM COMBINED

Rates: Hourly: £60:00 (Private); £43:00 (Community).

FUNCTION ROOM ( 13M X 7.5M)

Theatre or cabaret style. Training, conferencing or performing. Full AV. Capacity: 80 Rates: Hourly: £17:00 (Community); £29:00 (Private)

OTHER FACILITIES

Small Meeting Room Capacity: 15 ( 4.5m x 2.5m); exhibition space; cafe; kitchen.

KOBI NAZRUL CENTRE

Stunning period building with small performance/ rehearsal space with stage. Small exhibition space and training/meeting rooms.

Rates: Main Space Capacity: 80, Hourly: £18:00 (Community); £26:00 (Private) Meeting Room: Capacity 25 Hourly: £15:00 (Community); £20:00 (Private)

Tel: 020 7364 7900 Tel: 020 7364 7928 E-mail: william.cooper@towerhamlets.gov.uk E-mail: jerry.deeks@towerhamlets.gov.uk

FUNCTION ROOM AVAIILABLE FOR HIIRE CONFERENCES, MEETIINGS, WEDDIINGS & PARTIES For more information call our events team now on

01708 381108

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

View west towards Tower Bridge from the Butlers Wharf Quayside at dusk

London has over 300 museums, galleries and collections, including some of the greatest in the world, as well as some of the most unusual and interesting. What’s more, many of these superb cultural attractions are free China Town, viewing the latest exhibitions at the famous V&A Museum or simply watching the street performers in Covent Garden, there is something to offer any budget.

London has over 300 museums, galleries and collections, including some of the greatest in the world, as well as some of the most unusual

and interesting. What’s more, many of these superb cultural attractions are free (except for certain special exhibitions and events).

For all national collections, free admission has been introduced for everyone. These include: Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Imperial War Museum, National

Maritime Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of London, Theatre Museum, Queen’s House Greenwich and Royal Observatory.

In addition, the Royal Airforce Museum has also recently introduced free entry for all.

Markets are a good source of inexpensive goods – London has over 300 of them, ranging from the attractive Columbia Road flower market to authentic east London markets like Ridley Road, which sells ethnic goods and food and Walthamstow Market, which has 450 stalls. Although prices and variety of goods vary considerably, there are excellent bargains to be had.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.visitlondon.com

Good value meeting and event space in London’s East End WONDERFUL VENUE with a mix of heritage and modern facilities and only minutes from the City/ West End, Oxford House is a great place for all sizes and types of events. We cater for conferences, meetings, arts events, rehearsals, training days and launch parties.

You can even have lunch in our café.

Our historic chapel is also available by special request. Beautifully restored wood panelling it is the perfect quiet, atmospheric space suitable for meetings or away-days.

We offer affordable and flexible hire rates, great in-house catering service and a range of audio visual equipment for hire.

A

Located in Bethnal Green we are a short hop from central London and only five minutes walk from Bethnal Green underground (Central Line).

Oxford House is fully wheelchair accessible and open seven days a week.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 77399001 E-mail: room.bookings@ oxfordhouse.org.uk Web: www.oxfordhouse.org.uk

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The perfect place for your next event Situated in the stunning, recently transformed Grade II* listed building at Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Conference Centre offers an exceptional setting for any event.

• Executive boardrooms, meeting rooms and large lecture theatres

• Dedicated event management, delivering bespoke events every time

• Fully integrated audiovisual technology in all meeting rooms

Find out more about Nottingham Conference Centre, arrange a visit or contact us to discuss your next event.

• Unique and beautiful rooms for that very special occasion

• Competitively priced, all-inclusive packages • Outstanding catering from gala dinners to private dining

+44 (0)115 848 8000 enquiries@nottinghamconferencecentre.co.uk www.nottinghamconferencecentre.co.uk Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU

5825b/10/10

A great venue in an ideal location

Campus Worcester Excellent value for meetings, events and conferences.

Call: 01905 542121 or email: conferencing@worc.ac.uk

3

www.worcester.ac.uk/conferencing

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A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT Choosing an academic venue to hold your conference or event can offer value for money, without a compromise on product or service, writes Kirstie Danzey, Nottingham Conferences UNIVERSITIES WITH CONFERENCE facilities have been suitably placed to offer event organisers a viable venue option in the current economic climate. Based throughout the UK, their main reason for being is to provide a varied, accessible and stimulating learning environment.

Ranging from those traditional universities steeped in history, featuring impressive architectural surroundings to a new raft of universities with modern state of the art facilities, they offer not just something for the student population, but are also a credible venue choice for the meetings, conferences and events market.

LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS These stimulating environments at universities provide inspiring locations for event organisers but do the facilities and service provided live up to expectations?

Traditionally, academic venues have been favoured by the association, sports and notfor-profit sectors. Limited availability of facilities and varying standards has not always painted a positive picture for event organisers looking for an inspiring location with facilities and a service that meet their expectations.

However, many of the larger universities now offer meeting facilities and overnight accommodation all year round. They have continued to invest heavily in their meetings facilities even in the current economic climate to keep up with the requirements of students and conference organisers. This has enabled them to retain a competitive advantage compared with other conference venues, boasting a healthy ratio of repeat business.

And those universities with year round meetings facilities but limited overnight accommodation out of student vacations develop strong relationships with adjacent hotels to offer a complete residential conference package all year round.

As well as benefitting the university, there is a significant economic impact on the local economy. The two ‘customers’ for the universities generally complement each other.

Those universities with purpose-built, all year round facilities often employ specific teams dedicated to the needs of the event organiser.

For those with limited availability, students clearly take priority during term time but when they leave for vacation, they also leave often in excess of 1,000 bedrooms which the conference teams actively sell to larger organisations. The more traditional association, sports and not-forprofit sectors often require a large number of bedrooms to be reserved which hotels are not always willing to do a long way in advance.

Ranging from those traditional universities steeped in history, featuring impressive architectural surroundings to a new raft of universities with modern state of the art facilities, they do offer not just something for the student population, but are also a credible venue choice for the meetings, conferences and events market POSITIVE FEEDBACK Strong award-winning marketing campaigns have helped to raise the profile of academic venues to a wider audience, earning them a credible place in the meetings, conference and events market. The consortium VenueMasters provides a collective marketing opportunity for academic venues as well as networking

opportunities for the venues to learn best practice and keep up to date with current market conditions. But do the facilities and service provided by academic venues live up to the promises made in their marketing drives?

Recent research carried out by VenueMasters with 200 buyers, 73 per cent of whom had used academic venues suggested that they

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do. 53 per cent of these buyers who had used academic venues thought their facilities were the same or better than hotels and 58 per cent believed they were the same or better than conference centres. And all buyers rated value for money as the most important factor when selecting a venue.

Looking to the future, although these buyers are predicting an increase in the number of events being planned for 2011 compared with 2009, the increase in expenditure predicted did not necessarily match, suggesting that value for money would continue to be a major decision-making factor.

Good news then for academic venues, often able to offer a variety of options for an event organiser, especially if budgets are tight. The wide range of different facilities available at an academic venue can also offer a number of options to an event organiser, without compromising on the overall quality of the event.

ACADEMIC FACILITIES IN NOTTINGHAM The conference facilities at the University of Nottingham were re-branded under the collective ‘Nottingham Conferences’ banner in May 2008. Prior to this, the same set of facilities had been promoted either under the purpose built all year round banner of the East Midlands Conference Centre or the University of Nottingham Conference Centres, which reflected all of the conference facilities available over three campuses in student vacations.

A confusing picture then for the event organiser and the team selling both products?

Two years on and now that the Nottingham Conferences brand is established, the team have effectively been able to market their complete range of products to a wider market and offer options for clients depending on their requirements. They still have a number of clients in the association, sports and notfor-profit categories but have found that corporate clients are now considering not just the year-round East Midlands Conference Centre, but also facilities based on Jubilee Campus and Sutton Bonington, where on-site accommodation can be offered.

Teaching facilities continue to be invested in on all campuses, and on University Park current ongoing building work totaling over £10 million is a combination of brand new teaching buildings and extensions to existing facilities. This will provide a new 380-seat tiered curved theatre and a number of small meeting rooms for 2011, to further complement the existing offering.

SPECIFIC ACADEMIC FIELDS For event organisers looking to attract speakers who are experts in a specific academic field, universities often offer a wealth of relevant resources. And with ongoing research being carried out, they offer a unique resource for a conference. Experts in their own field are also

32 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

often keen to showcase the university where they are based and conference teams based at universities can help organisers to find a relevant speaker from sources on campus.

Award-winning chefs are now commonplace in academic venues, allowing a range of high quality menu choices to suit a variety of different events.

Profits generated from conferences held at academic venues are reinvested into the university. As well as providing a source of income for keeping these meetings facilities up to date, revenue can also be invested back into other learning facilities. At a time when the funding of higher education is being reviewed universities are recognising the importance of the revenue streams that hosting conferences and events can generate.

INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE In November of this year the EMCC, Nottingham Conferences flag ship venue will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee. Rather than hosting a lavish celebration, the conference team decided to work alongside the community partnerships team at The University of Nottingham to develop a range of activities with local school children. In February the teams launched a competition to develop a logo to celebrate the anniversary that will be applied to certain publicity materials linked in with the celebrations.

Rather than paying a graphic designer to design a logo, the team developed a project in partnership with three local primary schools.

In May, 115 pupils from Dovecote Primary, Whitegate Primary and Milford Primary schools in Clifton, Nottingham visited the East Midlands Conference Centre to find out the winner of the competition. The winning team were presented with their certificates

by Chris Jagger, chief estates and facilities

officer at the University and then went on to spend a morning at a local design studio to see their winning design transformed onto the website and a new advertising campaign.

After the summer break, the same children who are now in year six were presented with the second part of the project.

Ian Litchfield, head chef at the East Midlands Conference Centre visited each of the schools to launch a competition by asking them to design a healthy sandwich. After inspiring them with knowledge gained over his 15 years experience at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Ian left the teams to consider their choice of bread and filling, paying particular attention to presentation and ease of eating along with a full ingredient listing and costs and an illustration of their creations. Entries will be judged by Ian and a panel of colleagues and two teams from each school will be shortlisted to return to the EMCC’s kitchens to prepare their designs from scratch in a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style event at the end of November.

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE Nottingham Conferences represents the entire range of conference facilities at The University of Nottingham and incorporates the East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park, Jubilee Campus and Sutton Bonington.

A flexible range of facilities are available for conferences meetings and events across the four locations, all supported by dedicated event coordinators, on-site audio visual support and award winning chefs.

Accommodation is available on site during student vacations or in adjacent hotels via a dedicated hotel reservation service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.nottinghamconferences.co.uk

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Everything you need for a successful event MONGST THE

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New facilities at the University of York E AT YORK

A MANY events

W CONFERENCES,

hosted by the University, quite the most complex was when The University of Birmingham became the location for the final televised Prime Ministerial Debate, broadcast by the BBC. In addition to the Great Hall, which hosted the Debate, is the Conference Park.

Adjacent to the campus, the Conference Park offers a productive working environment and provides year round residential accommodation. The four principal buildings – Lucas House, Peter Scott House, Hornton Grange and Garth House – have 23 rooms accommodating between 10-90 guests, set in beautiful landscapes.

The mix of contemporary and heritage venues are available, providing the perfect backdrop for virtually any type of event, whether a large scale residential conference, banquet, fine dinning experience, training course, social event, or simply a meeting for two.

University of York are thrilled to announce that in addition to the huge expansion at the Heslington East Campus, the University has invested over £4 million in their existing facilities over the course of the summer.

This means that the University of York has a vast range of fantastic facilities to offer.

The new campus incorporates sustainable development, with 10 per cent of energy requirements being met by renewable sources. Sitting at the heart of this new campus is the Ron Cook Hub building, which provides excellent facilities, including a 220-seat tiered lecture theatre and a 100-seat teaching room with roof terrace.

So, being in an exciting historic city with great accommodation, food and facilities, guests can be sure of a memorable

The University of Birmingham is continuing to expand its portfolio of venues with the refurbished Winterbourne, an Edwardian Arts and Crafts property, which showcases 13 contemporary meeting spaces and is fitted out with the latest AV technology. Due to open in 2012 is The Bramall Music Building featuring a 450 seat concert auditorium, available for conferences, product launches and other high profile events.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Jo Wheatley Tel: +44 (0)121 4148987 E-mail: j.wheatley@bham.ac.uk

Providing a cost effective solution to events management S AN ACADEMIC

A VENUE, the Royal

Agricultural College provides a cost effective solution to events management. It offers a versatile range of meeting spaces for 3-300 delegates, complemented by a full professional catering service.

Situated in 25 acres of parkland, on the outskirts of Cirencester, the College is easily accessible by road and rail, with ample free car parking on site.

The 16th century Bathurst Wing, with its suite of fullyequipped meeting rooms, serves as a dedicated conference centre for smaller business meetings, training seminars, or a teambuilding day with colleagues. It provides a tranquil setting for 25-30 delegates, with overnight accommodation available all year round in rooms within the historic main building.

Built around an attractive quadrangle, the Royal Agricultural College also offers elegant meeting and function rooms suitable for corporate events, functions, parties and family celebrations. Traditional in style, but contemporary in outlook, the focus is on flexibility and personal service, at competitive rates.

stay as they experience real Yorkshire hospitality. There is no time to hesitate, York Conferences is already taking bookings for their spectacular venues. York Conferences offers special government business rates starting at £75.60 24hr rate (+VAT). Quote GOV10 to get this rate*. *Offer is subject to availability and is valid for new bookings made and hosted before 30 June 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.yorkconferences.com

Coventry Technocentre – flexibility, comfort and technology PART OF COVENTRY A SUniversity Enterprises Ltd, the Coventry Technocentre provides a variety of meeting spaces for 2 to 200 delegates with a focus on flexibility, comfort and technology.

Our five unique venues are perfectly located across the Park and offer an ideal selection of conference and event services to inspire delegates.

With teleconferencing, videoconferencing and wireless internet access across the park, our facilities offer natural daylight, air conditioning, and are fully equipped with ceiling mounted LCD projectors, large wall mounted screens, water coolers and flipcharts. There is also a stylish onsite restaurant providing an especially designed menu for everything from breakfast

to formal evening receptions.

Our venues include: The Technocentre with spaces for up to 200 delegates in the largest room; The Serious Games Institute (SGI), Institute for Creative Enterprise (ICE) and Health Design & Technology Institute (HDTI) which bring together our conference facilities and the leading applied research from Coventry University; and the Design Hub, a selection of creative spaces supported by the University’s international product design expertise.

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you’d like to find out more about our facilities, please e-mail Laurence at LChilver@ cad.coventry.ac.uk or call him on 024 76236427.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information or to arrange a visit Tel: 01285 652531 E-mail: events@rac.ac.uk Web: www.rac.ac.uk

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Conferences. Meetings. Events.

Based in the heart of the UK, Coventry TechnoCentre offers a wide range of meeting and conference facilities suitable for everything from informal breakfast meetings to annual events. Our modern, technology-focused facilities include wireless connectivity, video conferencing and well-appointed break-out/ seminar rooms. With a high quality restaurant on site, we can cater for daytime and evening events, from freshly cooked breakfast to formal dining.

Based at Coventry University’s Technology Park, the TechnoCentre is in easy reach of all the main motorway networks with excellent public transport links as well as within easy walking distance of Coventry University campus.

To find out more about our facilities, visit our website or call Laurence on 024 7623 6015

www.coventry.ac.uk/conferences

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MEET IN THE HEART OF ENGLAND Situated in the middle of the country, West Midlands is made up of a variety of regions which offer organisations a wealth of venues to hold their conference, event or team building activity STAFFORDSHIRE is one of the greenest counties in the UK and many venues offer tranquillity and relaxation for your delegates.

Located at the very Heart of England, and with a wide variety of first class, unique and unusual venues, Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent is the perfect location to hold your next event.

STAFFORDSHIRE HOTELS Staffordshire is home to an abundance of high quality and first class venues for those events requiring a touch of luxury. Swinfen Hall Hotel, near Lichfield, is an Inspectors Choice 4 red AA star venue and sits within 95 acres of stunning parkland, formal gardens and a wild deer park.

The Best Western Stoke-on-Trent Moat House is the former family home of Josiah Wedgwood and can accommodate up to 650 delegates in theatre style whilst the Premiership Britannia Stadium offers delegates a view of the pitch.

Relax and unwind from the daily stresses at Hoar Cross Hall – the impressive stately home has been lovingly restored and offers a range of luxurious spa facilities. It’s the perfect setting for business incentives, meetings and corporate hospitality or visit Moddershall Oaks spa with their brand new conference & events venue – accommodating up to 130 delegates and due to open in December 2010.

ALTERNATIVE VENUES Staffordshire is also home to a number of unusual attractions which offer conference facilities. Why not enter a world of excitement and surprises at Alton Towers Resort, the UK’s number one theme park.

The attraction has 391 bedrooms available on-site across its two fantastic hotels plus a purpose built conference centre which can seat 550 delegates for an event.

Drayton Manor Theme Park set in 280 acres of parkland and lakes is not only one of the country’s leading theme parks, but is also an ideal venue for conferences and events and has the capacity to accommodate up to 300 delegates.

Thousands of people from around the world visit Stoke-on-Trent, known affectionately as ‘The Potteries’. Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Portmeirion and Moorcroft are just a few of the UK’s leading lifestyle brands you will find in this unique city.

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in the Cultural Quarter of the City Centre, houses the world’s largest collection of Staffordshire ceramics and can accommodate conferences for up to 300 delegates. Gladstone

Pottery Museum is an authentic Victorian pottery factory with cobbled courtyards and bottle ovens and offers delegates the chance to throw their very own pot.

Trentham Monkey Forest is an ideal venue for smaller events where delegates can get creative in a tranquil setting. Delegate packages include entry into the Monkey Forest and enables delegates to discover the 140 free roaming Barbary macaques.

COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE Coventry & Warwickshire is a dynamic destination situated right at the heart of a unique, vibrant and bustling region.

Ideally located just 20 minutes from Birmingham International airport and one hour from London by train.

Coventry is now well established as a major conference and business events destination with industry research (‘British Meetings & Events Industry Survey 2009’) ranking it as the tenth most popular destination amongst event organisers, its location making it accessible for not only businesses but also attendees boosting visitor attendance. With famous landmarks, stunning scenery, superb historic and modern contrasts, Coventry & Warwickshire offers a world of award winning conferencing venues, accommodation and services.

COVENTRY CONVENTION CENTRES The IEC at the £113 million Ricoh Arena is a world class destination for business, entertainment and sport and boasts a 15,000 sq m purpose-built conference and exhibition centre as well as an onsite hotel. The E.ON Lounge is the Midlands largest 1,000 seat column-free conference and banqueting suite with natural daylight and spectacular views over the football stadium. A variety of events ranging from exhibitions to indoor concerts are held in the sound proofed column free 6,000 sq m Jaguar Exhibition Hall which can be divided into 4,000 and 2,000 sq m. There are also more than 50 suites, lounges and executive boxes for smaller businesses and organisations. A multi million pound expansion has recently been completed and includes a further 2,500 sq m of space allowing the Ricoh to attract audiences of up to 10,000 for indoor events. Two additional halls have been added which includes a 650-seat auditorium.

Recently the Ricoh Arena received an environmental award for successfully reducing its carbon emissions.

CONFERENCE IN WARWICK Located in Coventry Warwick Conferences on the University of Warwick campus hosts the widest choice and concentration of event space in the UK with three dedicated training and conference centres and a main campus Conference Park with 2,000 free car parking spaces on site. There are over 300 meeting rooms for 2-1,200 delegates supported by award winning catering and second to none service. The specialist training and conference centres have 479 en-suite bedrooms of a 4-star hotel standard. The conference park has a vast range of auditoria for up to 1,200 delegates accompanied by exhibition space and banqueting. The venues are located on the University of Warwick’s 700 acre rural campus, alongside banks, bars, shops and restaurants providing a unique hub for delegates.

Recently Warwick Conferences was awarded silver status in the internationally recognised IACC (International Association of Conference Centres) Green Star accreditation for its environmental policy.

QUALITY ACCOMMODATION From luxurious to quality value, Coventry & Warwickshire has a wide range of accommodation to suit the needs of organisers and their pocket. The Ricoh Arena has 71 rooms on site with 1,950 rooms ranging from 4-star to budget within a five mile radius. The University of Warwick training and conference centres have on site 479 en-suite rooms and the Conference Park over 1,200 bedrooms (available only during student vacation periods Christmas, Easter and summer) there are also 2,850 rooms again 4-star to budget within a five mile radius.

Staff at the Convention Bureau have a wealth of knowledge about the region, providing a free venue finding service and an online accommodation booking and registration facility and event management services.

GET MOTIVATED IN WORCESTERSHIRE Everyone knows that motivated staff are happier and more productive.

Whether it’s an exciting away day, a team-building challenge or simply a well-deserved pampering session, Worcestershire offers an abundance of opportunities for morale-building events.

If the phrase team-building conjures up images of dreary games to ‘brighten up’ a meeting, then think again. How about a session of Katakanuing? Take the team out on the water with Cotswold Conference Centre and

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Ragley Coporate Venue - 86x125mm

Chasewater Innovation Centre the natural place to meet

RAGLEY

Creating Experiences to Remember

Fully equipped training and conference rooms

Situated at a prime waterside location the Innovation Centre in Chasewater Country Park offers fully equipped training and conferencing facilities that are available for hire weekdays and weekends Easy access from the A5 and M6 Toll (T6 Burntwood) For more information contact: Chasewater Innovation Centre, Chasewater Country Park, Pool Road, Brownhills, WS8 7NL.

Tel: 01543 370737 or e-mail chasewater.ic@staffordshire.gov.uk

RAGLEY HALL, PARK & GARDENS

Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5NJ 01789 762 090 • functions@ragleyhall.com • ragleyhall.com

Free high-speed

Internet access

Discover the world of Radisson Blu across the UK. Belfast • Birmingham • Brighton • Bristol • Cardiff Durham • Edinburgh • Glasgow • Jersey • Leeds Limavady • Liverpool • Manchester Airport London • Stansted Airport

Book your accommodation online now at

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Aztec Watersports for a half day of Katakanuing along the picturesque River Avon, where they will need to work together to ensure their boat stays on course. Round the event off with a relaxing riverside pub lunch back on dry land.

Or perhaps you prefer to try one of the many Eye Opener team-building activities the centre offers. These self-contained activities, designed to be run without the need for outside support, offer exceptional value to trainers wishing to add an experiential element to their programmes. Treasure hunts, mystery solving and orienteering can all be carried out in the centre’s 300-acre grounds – the perfect way to energise staff and build relationships among colleagues.

ENJOY THE EXTRAORDINARY Treat your team to an experience they won’t forget with a walk on the wild side at West Midland Safari Park. Get up close and personal with some of the park’s 600 animals, enjoy the four-mile self-drive safari or enjoy one of the many tailored corporate programmes available.

Entertaining team bonding with delicious results is on offer at Eckington Manor Cookery School. Eckington Manor’s expert

staff will hone guests’ cookery skills and techniques, ensuring mouth-watering dishes are created each time. The school works with clients to create a bespoke event and luxury accommodation is available.

For the more adventurous employees, Marksman Leisure enables employees to perfect their teamwork with a range of energetic challenges from Laser-Tag Combat, indoor target shooting and Laser Clay Shooting, which can be carried out at their base, near Bromsgrove, or at a location of your choice.

A SPORTING CHANCE Treat sports fans to an exhilarating day out at one of Worcestershire’s many high-quality sporting venues. Get the adrenalin pumping with a day at Worcester Racecourse – this picturesque tree-lined course on the banks of the river Severn offers a range of executive and private hospitality boxes, which provide the ideal opportunity to treat hard working colleagues to some trackside luxury.

Rugby lovers will be in their element with a thrilling day at Sixways Stadium – a 65-acre complex home to the Worcester Warriors. See the team in action from

Treat yourself at the Peveril of the Peak T THE PEVERIL OF THE

your very own luxury, pitch-side box.

Sixways’ events specialists will ensure your matchday experience is second to none.

PAMPERING SESSION Reward colleagues’ hard work with a luxurious pampering session. The Spa at The Elms Hotel in Abberley provides the perfect rural retreat. Featuring a steam room, sauna and ice fountain as well as a hydro-spa, mud therapy room and relaxation suite, The Spa is the perfect way to say thank you and well done.

If escaping from the office is difficult, then Moto’s Mobile Massage Ltd is the solution.

Run by Moto Sasaki, a Japanese massage therapist specialising in oriental massage therapies, the company provides services for corporate events and private clients across the Midlands. Treatments include Japanese chair massage, Indian head massage, Shiatsu, Thai yoga massage and reflexology.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.conferencestaffordshire.co.uk www.cw-conventionbureau.co.uk www.visitworcestershire.org

A leading venue for conferences and events S WELL AS BEING one

A PEAK we understand

A of the UK’s most popular

the importance of organising your conference or meeting to maintain your timetable and personal requests.

It is our attention to detail that will make your event proceed smoothly and successfully.

With friendly and welcoming staff you and your delegates will soon feel at home. The benefits of this peaceful location makes it ideal for high profile meetings where an “away from it all” location is required in an easily secured environment.

The hotel’s two meeting rooms have own entrance, private car park, 52” plasma TV screen, LCD projector, sound system, natural lighting as well as down lighting, and are suitable for up to 150 delegates.

The Hotel has 45 spacious, well appointed and confortable bedrooms, all have Eensuite bathrooms, colour television, trouser press, hospitality drinks tray and hair dryers.

Direct dial telephones are available in all rooms and Wi-Fi

family attractions, Drayton Manor Theme Park is also a leading venue for conferences and exhibitions.

Conveniently located close to junction 9 of the M42 motorway, T2 of the M6 Toll and just over 10 miles from Birmingham International Airport, Drayton Manor’s success in the corporate market is built on 60 years of experience. The majority of new business comes as a result of word-of-mouth and recommendations from customers.

Drayton Manor has three large suites that can cater for events attended by 20 to 400 guests. Each suite comes with free and plentiful parking for both cars and coaches.

is available free of charge in some areas of the hotel.

The hotel is within reach of many of the country’s finest and most popular tourist attractions.

Chatsworth House, Alton Towers, The Heights of Abraham, Carsington water plus many more.

Within easy reach of Derby, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham, Stoke on Trent, Sheffield and Notthingham, we are centrally located for all East Midland Industrial Centres, Notthingham East Midlands and Manchester Airports.

The park can provide bespoke packages to meet the needs and requirements of corporate clientele. In addition, event and exhibition organisers can choose from a variety of different layouts for each suite, such as Theatre or Boardroom style.

Next summer, the park will open a multi-million pound 150-bedroom hotel, allowing event attendees to stay overnight rather than having to travel elsewhere for accommodation. The hotel will also feature extensive conferencing and hospitality facilities to complement the existing facilities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01827 252408 E-mail hospitality@ draytonmanor.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION Peveril Of The Peak Hotel Thorpe, nr Ashbourne, DE6 2AW Tel: 01335 350396 Fax: 01335 350507 E-mail: frontdesk@ peverilofthepeak.com

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

CREATIVE CONFERENCING IN THE SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND If you’re looking to provide delegates with a unique conference experience away from the usual uninspiring locations, then look no further than the South West of England THE SOUTH WEST DESTINATIONS of Dorset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire have an exciting and surprising array of inspirational options for your conference or event. You’ll find plenty of luxurious hotels decked out with modern conference facilities in breathtaking landscapes, as well as some truly unique and unforgettable venues such as grand country houses and private cathedral rooms.

The region’s three world heritage sites, abundance of outdoor pursuits, gorgeous scenery and good transport links can’t fail to attract delegates from the UK and overseas.

WILTSHIRE For those who prefer the tranquillity of the countryside, Wiltshire offers a great range of choices. Whatley Manor, near Malmesbury, has purpose built conference facilities and a private cinema with 40 Italian leather seats.

Bowood Golf & Country Club has enhanced its existing conference facilities with addition of a new hotel and spa, which opened last year. The Five Star Lucknam Park, set in some 500 acres, offers facilities for smaller executive meetings with the chance to add on a range of team building activities such as archery, reverse steer driving and sheep dog handling.

The grand surroundings of Longleat’s 900 acres of landscaped parkland (including safari park) offer a fantastic meeting point for intimate meetings in the Green Library, elegant dinners in the Elizabethan grandeur of the Great Hall or the contemporary atmosphere of the Banqueting Suite, located within the house’s Private Apartments.

SPECIAL VENUES Salisbury Cathedral’s Refectory Restaurant offers facilities for evening events with fabulous views through the glass roof to Britain’s highest spire. At Wilton House you can choose from the Visitor Centre in the Old Riding School with its 50 seat lecture theatre or the magnificent surroundings of the 17th century Double Cube Room decorated with paintings by Van Dyck.

Many of Salisbury’s hotels, for example the Mercure White Hart and Red Lion, trace their history back to the 13th century when they provided accommodation for those building the Cathedral. Today this tradition of hospitality is combined with their modern conference facilities, such as the recently upgraded facilities at the Milford Hall Hotel, which has three flexible and fully equipped rooms.

For training seminars, in-house conferences

38 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

and day meetings, Swindon has the greatest concentration of accommodation and hotel based conference facilities in Wiltshire, with over 1,400 rooms. In addition to internationally known hotels brands, you’ll also find independently owned properties such as Chiseldon House Hotel, Blunsdon House Hotel and the Pear Tree at Purton. For something a bit different, The Science Museum has a range of well-equipped and inspiring spaces including an intriguing corporate events area that can comfortably seat 500 people for dinner and The STEAM museum, housed in a restored Grade II listed building, boasts excellent facilities for business events, with six different rooms that hold up to 600.

DORSET Set in a tranquil part of the south coast, Dorset enjoys charming and unspoilt countryside. Its famous Jurassic Coast has joined the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon as one of the wonders of the natural world. The seaside cities of Bournemouth and Poole have enjoyed a regeneration in recent years and provide a host of excellent locations to hold your event.

If you’re looking to impress delegates in grand surroundings then the elegant Lulworth Castle, East Dorset, is set within 12,000 acres of rolling parkland, woods and farmland that provides conference organisers with such a spectacular backdrop that the scope and diversity of possible events are only limited by their imagination. Kingston Maurward House and Gardens, Dorchester, is a Georgian mansion situated in undulating countryside boasting a lake, sweeping lawns and formal gardens creating an exceptional venue for conferences and seminars.

BEST UK RESORT Winning Best UK Resort at the 2009 Group Leisure Awards for the second year running, Bournemouth is the place where business and pleasure meet. The city boasts the largest venue on the south coast, the purpose-built Bournemouth International Centre (BIC). Its stunning location offers sea views, which mixed with the ability to cater for up to 10,000 people across its four auditoria and breakout space, means the BIC has the flexibility to suit any event. In addition, the Chine Hotel in nearby Boscombe presents contemporary elegance at its very best. It offers all of the conference and training facilities that one would expect from a top 3-star hotel and is perfectly positioned

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

overlooking Bournemouth’s artificial surf reef.

Poole’s bustling Quay, great beaches and stunning natural harbour make it a fantastic location. Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts, houses modern, inspiring and flexible facilities from 150 seat studios, to 1,500 seat concert hall, complete with an excellent support network including audiovisual engineers, catering and event management.

The beautiful art-deco Haven Hotel, is situated on the Sandbanks peninsula with magnificent views across the harbour and bay and boasts its own self-contained business centre (the Studland Suite), gourmet restaurant, and heated indoor and outdoor pools. If a great view is important The Harbour Heights is another option. This luxury boutique hotel with its state of the art conference room commands impressive views over the harbour.

The Boardroom can hold up to 50 delegates and the Hytes restaurant can hold up to 120, and for those team-building sessions, they even have their very own water sports academy!

When the work is over there are a wide range of water based activities available in and around Bournemouth and Poole, perhaps most notably Bournemouth’s artificial surf reef. In addition, The Lifeboat College, home

of RNLI training based in Poole, is the perfect venue for a unique and challenging team building event, the Sea Survival Experience.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Gloucestershire, which includes Cheltenham and most of the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean, is a beautiful part of the region and is just a stones throw to Bristol, Bath and Birmingham, and less than two hours from London.

The regency town of Cheltenham has a range of great venues in grand buildings that can’t fail to impress delegates such as Cheltenham Ladies College, the Town Hall and the Mercure Queen’s, Chase and Cheltenham Park Hotels. If you’re planning a larger event then the recently opened Centaur centre at Cheltenham Racecourse offers over 2,600m² of multi-purpose conference space with seating for up to 2,250 delegates and can hold 1,200 for dinner. The racecourse also has over 12,500 free parking spaces.

Gloucester is well located for conferences, near the meeting point of the M5 and M4 motorways. Venues often appeal to organisers looking for facilities in historic venues such as the medieval Parliament Rooms at Gloucester Cathedral (the city knows a thing or two

about meetings having been the Norman King’s winter court of England), and there are also state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus and GL1’s multi-purpose Glevum Hall.

The nearby Forest of Dean is a fantastic resource for team building and motivation sessions with Go-Ape, caving, river adventure or even llama trekking on offer. The internationally known Cotswolds are strewn with historic houses, gardens and ‘one-offs’ such as Tewkesbury Abbey which will add real appeal for delegates attending your event.

Recent additions to the area include the 220 room Four Pillars Hotel at the Cotswold Water Park, near Cirencester, which has added rooms to become the largest hotel in the South West of England – conference facilities are for up to 800 delegates. As a new 4-star hotel, facilities are state of the art. Calcot Manor is a Cotswolds country house hotel with health spa that has won tremendous respect locally for its new conference venue The Barn, a beautiful and intimate space.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.visitsouthwest.co.uk

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IT’S SHOW TIME FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFEX Innovation is the buzzword for the return of International Confex. The team have been hard at work to ensure the 27th edition of the show packs a full punch with a wealth of new and returning features, sector specific content and a whole lot more OVER 1,000 EXHIBITORS will take their place on the show floor, ready to help visitors with their event needs. A mixture of established and returning features, all of which have been designed to leave visitors inspired and with knowledge that can be implemented in their day-to-day role, will offer visitors a huge variety of content.

One of the major developments has been the creation of a new simplified floorplan split into three areas, Location, Logistics and Something Special, which will aid navigation around the show. Event director Jonny Sullens comments: “We invested significantly in research to ensure that we were delivering above and beyond what our exhibitors and visitors wanted, and the floorplan was highlighted as an area for improvement. By the very nature of the show, its influence and dominance has seen it grow substantially, which is why we have stripped back the layout to three key areas. After all,

in event design will be the Theme Factory. This feature will pit some of the leading names in theming against each other to transform their own individual area into an event concept using just their imagination and tools at their disposal.

The calming oasis of The Spa will allow visitors to escape the hustle and bustle of the showfloor. It offers a tranquil haven and somewhere to take the weight off your feet, as well as massages from skilled beauty therapists.

Other features to look out for will be The Acropolis created by Crafty Arty Parties, which will be Olympic themed.

This will include a Greek theatre and live shows, as well as costumed characters, Olympic games and competitions.

Other changes include further investment into the hosted buyer programme to accommodate 300 visitors, while VisitBritain will align its Discovery programme with the show, which will include a visit to Earls

By the very nature of the show, its influence and dominance has seen it grow substantially, which is why we have stripped back the layout to three key areas.

After all, buyers wanting to find a location for their next event want something that ticks all the right boxes and by over segmenting, visitors may have missed seeing all the available options to them buyers wanting to find a location for their next event want something that ticks all the right boxes and by over segmenting, visitors may have missed seeing all the available options to them.”

MEDIA 10 MARINA One of the most substantial and awe-inspiring new features that visitors will find hard to miss is the Media 10 Marina. Located at the heart of the show, this floating networking area and bar is just one of the ways in which International Confex is adding the wow factor.

Another new feature is the Flame Academy, where six chefs from highly regarded caterers and the in-house teams of some of the country’s best-loved venues will compete in a live cookoff right on the show floor. The winner will be announced on the last day of the show.

Showcasing the wealth of creativity and talent

40 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

Court on the first day of the show and a hosted lunch at the venue for all 125 buyers. Show days will also be dedicated to particular sectors with specific educational content aimed at their needs including ‘PA & Corporate Day’ and ‘Association Day’.

Returning features include the always in-demand Confex Knowledge seminar programme, which will be split across four dedicated theatres: Marketing, Business Skills and Development, Organising, and Industry Forums. Industry experts and insiders will look at hot topics in the events sector as well as providing guidance and advice. There will also be celebrity keynote speakers and, as always, seminars are completely free-of-charge.

Also returning for 2011 is the CV Clinic and Advice Centre which will be run through pre-booked appointments via the website

at www.international-confex.co.uk As International Confex raises the bar on innovation and creativity, so too will its exhibitors with venues, suppliers and destinations ready to take their place in adding to the buzz and vibrancy that has been the show’s hallmark. We’ve put together a sample of those at the show to give you a flavour of what you can expect.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Bringing the Liverpool City Region to London once again will be stand partners Liverpool

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Convention Bureau (B242), ACC Liverpool (B240) and Southport Conferences (B241).

Liverpool will be shouting about its connectivity with new flights regularly being added to Liverpool John Lennon Airport and of course train times of just over two hours from London Euston to Liverpool. The city will also be on hand to talk about the major events it has hosted including the Liberal Democrats conference and MOBOs, both of which were at ACC Liverpool.

The cosmopolitan seaside resort of Southport has undergone significant investment in recent years, namely in its business tourism facilities and infrastructure. This investment has resulted in a surge of new business wins for the resort, now fully AIM accredited across all of the bureau’s venues and services.

DETAILS, DETAILS BIG is the international badge specialist and Europe’s largest dedicated supplier of high quality name and ID badges and custom lanyards. The range includes permanent ID

name badges for customer facing staff in retail and offices, and professional, re-usable name badges and lanyards for conferences and events. The company recently rebranded to refresh its image and will be launching three new products at International Confex.

Vere Venues comprise city based business centres, listed country houses as well as unique venues. They will also launch some exciting changes to the brand, as well as some additions to the portfolio following the Preferred Partner Programme launch.

IN THE COUNTRY A Day in the Country (B852) has been running corporate events and conferences for over 25 years. The venue is centrally located in Oxfordshire, Junction 10 of the M40, and is set in 250 acres of wooded estate. A beautiful 18th century stone barn is the main hospitality and conference area providing space for over 200 delegates. The company will be showcasing its Segway vehicles which make up one of the many activities provided at its venue in Oxfordshire.

De Vere Venues, the UK leader in training, meetings and conferences, will sponsor the Confex VIP Club Lounge for a fifth year providing the hospitality they’ve become renowned for. With a diverse portfolio, De

A CHAMPION OF PREMIER EVENTS Chelsea Football Club, current Premier League Champions and FA Cup holders, will be further promoting its superb facilities at International Confex. These comprise meetings and events spaces, stadium tours and museum, on-site restaurants, two hotels and a spa. You can find Chelsea FC on the Visit London stand, LA100.

The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) is situated in the heart of Glasgow, Scotland’s cultural and commercial capital, and is the UK’s largest integrated venue, purpose-built to provide exhibition, conference and concert space. Capable of delivering events from two to well over 10,000 delegates, the SECC has space with flexibility; from the iconic Clyde Auditorium to the Loch Suite of meeting rooms, all joined to 22,355m2 of exhibition space.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEWCASTLEGATESHEAD NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau celebrates its 10th birthday in 2011 and is bringing the party to the show floor. The Bureau will be celebrating its success to date, which includes the development of new worldclass conference facilities at unique venues such as The Sage Gateshead, Great North Museum and Life Science Centre and its hosting of high-profile events from the Labour and Conservative Spring Conferences.

It will also highlight how the destination can continue to deliver successful conferences and events, share ideas and suggestions, and of course, there’ll be birthday cake too!

LIVE EXPERIENCES Eventsforce (G220) is online software used by event organisers worldwide to develop and manage event websites with no prior technical ability. Visitors to its stand will be able to experience live demonstrations of the technology and discover how, unlike other management software providers, Eventsforce is made up of modules which organisers can select depending on their needs. In doing so, individuals can optimise limited budgets and eliminate the need to manage unnecessary functions. Eventsforce modules allow users to manage anything from registrations, right through to badge printing and much more. There is no aspect of event management that Eventsforce doesn’t cover.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

NewcastleGateshead Quayside ©Graeme Peacock

For more details on the show visit www.international-confex.com or follow the team on Twitter @IntlConfex

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Pledge Office Chairs offer a “Complete Solution”, catering from entry level and mainstream office seating as well as specialist back care, restaurant, soft and breakout seating.

Producing the majority of its own metal and wood components Pledge is considered a “true” manufacturer.

This allows the company to design and manufacture products with complete flexibility.

Pledge Office Chairs Ltd Mill Road Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire LU7 1BA t: 01525 376181 e: sales@pledgechairs.co.uk www.pledgechairs.co.uk

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ERGONOMICS IN THE WORKPLACE Problems such as back pain are a major cause of sickness absence in office-based work. Richard Graveling highlights what to consider when setting up an ergonomically-sound workplace MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE HEARD of ‘ergonomics’ (or human factors) and many will have their own idea of what it is all about. Some will have encountered ‘ergonomic chairs’, ‘ergonomic keyboards’, or other furniture and equipment with the label ‘ergonomics’. Sometimes the label is justified but, on other occasions, it seems little more than a useful marketing tool.

Ergonomics (or human factors) is concerned with the understanding of the interactions among human and other elements of a system, in order to optimise wellbeing (including the risk of injury) and overall system performance.

In the office ‘system’ this can cover physical, environmental and psychological aspects of office work and its organisation, not just the desks and computers. This article will outline the physical elements of the office but it is important to recognise that this is only part of the story.

WHY BOTHER WITH ERGONOMICS? A survey of over 1,300 office computer users, from a total of 130 organisations from throughout the UK, carried out by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found that nearly three quarters of respondents reported one or more musculoskeletal symptom. According to

HSE figures, in 2007/08 an estimated 539,000 people in Great Britain, who worked in the last year, suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder they believed to have been caused or made worse by their work. Between them they accounted for an estimated 8.8 million working days lost, averaging an estimated 16.4 days off per person affected.

It is clear that, in office-based work as with many other sectors, problems such as back and neck pain and upper limb disorders are a

and equipment which is poorly designed or wrongly used can contribute to symptoms and, equally, that using well-designed equipment correctly can help to avoid or reduce them.

WHERE DO I START? In the UK, the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (DSE Regulations) and their Schedule of Minimum Requirements provide a good starting point. However, the Schedule is best thought of as a list of

It is clear that, in office-based work as with many other sectors, problems such as back and neck pain and upper limb disorders are a major cause of sickness absence from work, with many other people functioning at a reduced capability whilst remaining at work major cause of sickness absence from work, with many other people functioning at a reduced capability whilst remaining at work.

Although the extent to which computer work actually causes such problems is unclear there is no doubt that furniture

ingredients, the important part being how well you mix/use those ingredients. Although well-designed furniture and equipment is important, how they are used to create an individual’s workstation is critical.

We’ll start with the chair – probably in

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Sapphire Business Interiors Ltd is a supplier of “Office & Leisure Furniture”. We specialise in Ergonomic Seating, Desking, Meeting/ Training Room, Breakout/Soft Seating & Bespoke Furniture.

SERVICES E Contract furniture supply and procurement

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LESS ENERGY – MORE COMFORT TYCOON indirect luminaires in the workplace promote productivity and health by providing glare free lighting. The Waldmann PULSE light control system reduces energy usage and costs. Further details and a free lighting design service are available from: Peter Young, Waldmann Lighting Ltd 07932 403848 Email: p.young@waldmann.com Web: www.waldmann.com Holme Well Road, Middleton, Leeds LS10 4TQ

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Office, home, car hotel, plane, train, wherever an employee is working it is important that they adopt good working practices and postures. Advice and guidance should be given, as well as appropriate equipment most offices the most-used item – although perhaps we should question whether sitting is necessarily best. Any chair must have seat height adjustment and a backrest adjustable for height and angle. These are the legal minimum. Part of ergonomics is recognising that people come in all shapes and sizes and one-size-fits-all doesn’t work. In addition to these adjustments the seat itself should preferably be made available in different depths (front to back). One effective way of achieving this is to provide chairs where this aspect is adjustable. The backrest should have good, supportive lumbar moulding. Again, having this moulding adjustable can be useful, so that it can be changed for size as well as height.

Opinions vary a little over armrests. They can be helpful for those with mobility problems in getting up and down from their seat – and for those who find it hard to stay awake.

Slumping sideways with one elbow on an armrest, twisting because the armrests stop the chair from turning by hitting the desk, or sitting too low for the same reason are just a few of the problems they can cause. On balance therefore, unless there is a specific need, my advice would be to not choose them and to use the money saved on buying a better chair.

DESK-BOUND Most desks are currently fixed height, within the fairly narrow range allowed by the office furniture standard (BS EN ISO 9241-5).

Height adjustable desks are advocated by the standard and can provide a greater flexibility, avoiding the need for footrests which are often disliked. Although many such desks provide for a variety of sitting heights, more extreme adjustability accommodates both sitting and standing postures (which can at least be good for those with severe back problems and might actually be a better option for many employees). The desktop should be large enough to accommodate the equipment and other items needed to carry out the work required, enabling the individual to arrange the layout in an appropriate manner. It is not necessary to accommodate the needs of the hoarder who cannot bear to put away (let alone throw out) anything that crosses their desk.

Next, attention turns to the computer itself.

Smaller system units and flat display screens make much more efficient use of space and allow for more flexible arrangements.

Increasingly however, with a more mobile workforce, greater use is being made of laptops and other portable devices, providing

the individual with the flexibility to work in the office, at home, on the train or plane, in the hotel or anywhere else their fancy (or their employer) takes them. More will be said about the peripatetic office later. For now, suffice it to say that the laptop computer does not permit an ergonomically sound working posture and, wherever possible, it should be supplemented by at least a separate keyboard and mouse (so that the screen height can be raised appropriately) and, ideally, a separate display screen as well.

Talking of keyboards and mice (and other input devices) these are available in a (sometimes) bewildering variety of shapes and sizes. Some alternative keyboard layouts are also available to replace the ‘qwerty’ board (which was allegedly designed to slow typists down) but these have never generally caught on.

There is evidence that some people suffering from upper limb problems benefit from a different design of keyboard but, for many, the conventional design and layout is sufficient. Cutdown keyboards (e.g. no separate number pad) or even reversed keyboards (number pad on the left) are available and again can be beneficial for some. Big mice, small mice, joystick mice, mice with (roller) balls can be purchased and again, different sizes, shapes, and methods of function can suit and help different people.

Other devices such as document holders (again available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes) can also be helpful. Try and choose one which suits how the employee likes to work – they are more likely to use it.

IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT Giving people suitable and well-designed furniture and equipment is only part of the story. It needs to be correctly set up and used.

Again, the DSE Regulations point the way.

Employees must be provided with information and training – information on the possible risks of not setting up and using the furniture and equipment correctly; and training on what constitutes that correct set-up and use. Setting it up for them is all very well but, when they come back off holiday to find that someone has used (and re-adjusted) their chair, will they know how to put it right? Well-chosen furniture and equipment, correctly laid out, should allow most people to achieve a comfortable, correct sitting posture. Space doesn’t permit the detailing of that correct posture in this article but there are many useful sources, including the HSE guidance freely available online (www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/index.htm).

Workplace risk assessments (required under

the DSE Regulations) should cover checking that people are able to adopt a suitable posture, preferably by actually observing this rather than relying on them filling in an online form. Where a person has particular problems and symptoms then help should be sought from a professional ergonomist.

A mobile workforce requires a mobile workstation. With hot-desking and other shared workstations becoming increasingly common, good, easy adjustments are important – but a workforce which understands the need for and how to make those adjustments (and is motivated to do so) is even more so. When they are working away from the office this becomes potentially even more essential. Do you do workplace assessments for those working from home?

POINTS TO PONDER There are a number of other important issues which should be addressed.

In no particular order they are: Prevention is better than cure: The DSE Regulations require employers to carry out workplace assessments. Many use online systems for this, relying on the individual and only actually visiting the workstations of those who report problems. Is this adequately fulfilling a preventative role?

Hold your head up: The guidance usually given has the screen placed at or slightly below eye height – where it can most easily be seen. What do most of your employees look at when they are typing?

Good ergonomics doesn’t stop at the office door: Office, home, car hotel, plane, train, wherever an employee is working it is important that they adopt good working practices and postures. Advice and guidance should be given, as well as appropriate equipment (and furniture where practicable).

Work – a moving experience: The human body is designed for movement and, no matter how good a working posture is adopted, that lack of movement will in time lead to problems. Consider the legal requirement for regular breaks. About five minutes every hour is a good rule of thumb although, when working in less than ideal conditions (e.g. when travelling), more frequent breaks are advisable.

Never say never: Finally, nobody should ever be told that they can never use a computer again because of their “disabling illness” (it happens) – try telling that to Professor Stephen Hawking.

Richard Graveling is a fellow of the Institute for Ergonomics and Human Factors and principal ergonomics consultant at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM).

FOR MORE INFORMATION Enquiries about any of the points raised in this article can be directed to him at richard.graveling@iom-world.org

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www.governmentbusiness.co.uk Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Recycle toner cartridges with Green Cat Co Ltd REEN CAT CO LTD,

G was established in 1991 as a specialist remanufacturer of laser printer cartridges.

Since then our customer base has grown steadily and ranges from individual end users to NHS Trusts, universities and commercial organisations. The success we have achieved has been gained by working with our customers, listening to their requirements and delivering the quality products they need at competitive prices combined with a high level of service.

From our earliest days we have been committed to maintaining and improving product quality and service standards, both our own and throughout the industry. To this end we were instrumental in establishing the industry trade association

UKCRA, the United Kingdom Cartridge Remanufacturers Association. This organisation has done much to rid the industry of the “cowboy element” and improve standards generally.

Our company believes in reducing waste and improving our carbon footprint, so all our waste materials are collected by local authority approved waste management companies. The used cartridge collection scheme, which is part of our service, will enable you to improve your waste management.

By allowing us to collect and remanufacture your used cartridges you are avoiding landfill and reducing your carbon footprint.

oving? e can handle it.

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Environmentally friendly toner from Kleen Strike LEEN STRIKE UK LTD,

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remanufactures high quality, best value, environmentally friendly toner cartridges that are legally placed on the market.

We offer only quality assured toner cartridges, drum units and other printer consumables.

ISO14001 and ISO9001 accredited, we indemnify all printers using our cartridges giving you total confidence that we offer the best in quality and reliability.

We understand the importance of such key factors as quality, customer service, and cost effectiveness. We can contribute towards reducing your carbon footprint by one simple action – using our remanufactured toner cartridges.

Purchasing a locally produced remanufactured toner cartridge rather than the imported original saves a minimum of 3kg of CO2 that equates to a savings of 60 per cent in greenhouse gas emissions. The primary manufacturing and carbon cost has been eliminated, as well as

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reducing emissions by purchasing from a local manufacturer.

Using best quality and best buy Kleen Strike branded cartridges is an effective way to reduce your expenditure with the added advantage of being the best environmental solution.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For further information on prices and services call 01706 658582 or e-mail us at sales@kleenstrike.co.uk Kleen Strike (UK) Ltd. Royle Works, Royle Road Rochdale, Greater Manchester OL11 3EH.

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

IS IT TIME TO REVIEW THE UK’S CARTRIDGE PROCUREMENT POLICY? The use of UK remanufactured cartridges over original ones has the potential to cut costs, cut waste, reduce CO2 and safeguard jobs, urges the UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association ON 15 JUNE 2010, the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, announced that the government would undertake a full review of waste policy in England.

The government’s ambition for waste management in England was defined in the Coalition’s Programme for Government and Defra’s Structural Reform Plan as ‘Working towards a zero waste economy’. The purpose of this review is to look at all aspects of waste policy and waste management in England to ensure the country is taking the right steps to delivering this ambition. The government’s commitments include: tackling the fiscal deficit, environmental protection, localism and addressing climate change.

The following response from the UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association outlines one surprisingly easy way for the public sector to achieve the above objectives.

A SIMPLE ANSWER The association has said that switching to procurement of UK remanufactured cartridges would cut costs, cut waste, reduce CO2 as well as safeguard and create UK jobs and contribute towards a zero waste economy.

To illustrate the logic behind the association’s request for a change in UK public sector policy on cartridge procurement, an example of a local authority (LA) is used. The logic scales across the entire public sector.

The following is a realistic analysis of printer cartridge impacts of a local authority.

In a period of one year, one LA purchased 65,716 original manufacturers brand toner cartridges at an average cost of £53.75 per cartridge. In total, this amounts to spend by the LA of £3.53 million on original toner cartridges. From a carbon footprint study of cartridges commissioned by UKCRA, each cartridge has a carbon footprint of approximately 7 kgCO2 and so the carbon footprint incurred by the LA in its purchase of original cartridges is 460 tonnes CO2.

The same carbon footprint study showed that the carbon footprint of the same model of toner cartridge going through just one remanufacturing cycle is 1.6 kgCO2. The cost of the remanufactured cartridge is on average £30.82.

It can be seen from table 1 that by choosing to purchase remanufactured printer cartridges the LA can save approximately £1.5 million in costs as well as reduce its carbon footprint by 355 tonnes CO2.

Regarding value, table 2 illustrates the

TABLE 1

ORIGINAL CARTRIDGES

REMANUFACTURED CARTRIDGES

Number of units purchased

65716

65,716

Cost per unit

£53.75

£30.82

Total amount spent

£3.53 million

£2.03 million

Carbon footprint per unit

approx 7 kgCO2

approx 1.6 kgCO2

Total carbon footprint

460 tonnes CO2

105 tonnes CO2

Cost savings

£1.5 million

Carbon savings

355 tonnes CO2

TABLE 2

ORIGINAL CARTRIDGES

REMANUFACTURED CARTRIDGES

Toner Cartridge costStandard Yield - 2,300pp

£47.00

£25.97

Cost per page Standard Yield

£0.020

£0.010

Toner Cartridge costHigh Yield - 6,500pp

£112.00

£34.50

Cost per page - High Yield

£0.017

£0.005

approximate cost per page of printing using original and remanufactured toner cartridges.

The cost and carbon savings illustrated are not insignificant figures. For example, assuming the average cost of employing an LA employee is about £30k, the cost saving on printer cartridges of £1.5 million equates to about 50 employees.

Procurement measures based on print managed services will have an advantage in comparison to new original cartridges but not in comparing cost per page to a remanufactured cartridge. Such measures do not, however, bring the same level of CO2 reductions and UK jobs safeguarding and UK jobs creation associated with remanufacturing.

FURTHER BENEFITS In addition to the savings in costs and carbon, there are also other benefits, such as diverting materials (about 0.7 kg per cartridge totaling 46 tonnes for 65,716 cartridges) away from landfill and incineration, because the cartridges are kept in circulation rather than driven to end-of-life (EOL) after a single use and recycled (crushed).

Cartridges can be remanufactured more than once and examples of individual cartridges being remanufactured 25 or more times without loss of print quality have been demonstrated in the UK. Furthermore, assuming that on average an employee in the remanufacturing industry can remanufacture approximately 7,000 cartridges (an average of four cartridges per hour), the switch by this

LA to purchasing remanufactured cartridges would create about nine remanufacturing jobs.

Recognising that jobs created in remanufacturing are jobs created in the UK (the low-carbon activity displaces original products shipped into the UK from abroad, mainly the Far East), the total jobs impact through the switch by the LA to procuring remanufactured cartridges is 50 public sector jobs safeguarded in the LA and nine jobs created for the UK remanufacturing industry.

To summarise, the impact of this LA switching from original to remanufactured cartridges is as follows: • Cost savings for single LA: £1.5 million • Carbon savings by the LA: 355 tonnes CO2 • Waste diverted from EOL: 46 tonnes (of high value materials) • Jobs safeguarded in the LA: 50 employees • UK remanufacturing jobs created: nine These cost, carbon and waste savings and jobs safeguarding and jobs creation opportunities can be scaled across the public sector: across local authorities, hospitals, educational establishments, police authorities, defense and other establishments.

The UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association (UKCRA) is an association of toner and inkjet cartridge re-manufacturers, cartridge collectors and component suppliers to the UK remanufacturing industry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.ukcra.com

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

47

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

DEDICATED TO THE FM PROFESSION Total Workplace Management 2010 gave FM professionals a chance to address all their needs through an extensive exhibition, innovative features and useful networking opportunities PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), the UK’s leading FM and estates event took place from 6-7 October at London Olympia.

Adrian Newton, portfolio director for Safety and Building Management at UBM Live, organisers of Total Workplace Management, said: “At a time when facilities managers are really having to justify their time out of the office, we were delighted to be able to offer such a comprehensive event which incorporated all the disciplines required to carry out effective management of a working building. With the aisles and seminar theatres packed throughout the two days, we are in no doubt that this event was a great success.”

EXHIBITORS The extensive exhibition was once again the platform for many of the industry’s leading names to showcase their developments, including Bywaters (Leyton) Limited, Coca-Cola, Comet, FSI, Watco UK Limited and Wincanton. Feedback from exhibitors demonstrates their success: Matthew Hadden, UK sales manager at WATCO UK Ltd, said: “The show’s important because we get to meet people we wouldn’t normally meet on a day-to-day basis. We’ve got some really positive leads to follow up – we got a hundred-plus leads yesterday!”

Compton Darlington, business development director at FSI, said: “This for us still is the number one trade show we do each year. I think the idea of co-locating it with those two other disciplines (energy management and facilities management) is absolutely spot-on.”

Finally, Steve Courtney, national account manager at Jangro Ltd, said: “We’ve been here the last two years – this is our third year now –

and every year we certainly get good business out of it and it’s a great investment for us.”

INNOVATION SHOWCASE Total Workplace Management 2010 also saw the launch the Innovation Showcase, sponsored by powerPerfector. This exciting feature area sat at the heart of the event and gave visitors the chance to see the latest and best innovations available in the industry.

Education took centre stage at the event with two dedicated seminar theatres on the exhibition floor. The FM Academy, sponsored by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), hosted more than ten hours of free seminars to provide insight, practical information and direction to help put a business’s sustainability roadmap into practice. With the theatre packed out for the two days, the FMJ Debate, ‘Myth or reality: Is FM now a commoditised industry?’, was particularly well received by visitors. Having previously run at The Facilities Show at the NEC Birmingham in May, this hugely popular debate had visitors flocking to The FM Academy.

HEALTH & SAFETY SEMINARS The Health & Safety Seminar Theatre, supported

by SHP, gave visitors the chance to keep up-todate with the latest legislation and discover the newest advances in safety and FM. The theatre sat at the heart of the Managing Safety & Health Area, home to a variety of exhibitors providing health and safety products.

Total Workplace Management also contained a variety of features to make everyone’s visit as beneficial as possible. These included the Green FM Trail, which highlighted those companies offering sustainable solutions, and a Recycling Centre which

ensured the event remained sustainable.

Finally, the Innovation & Sustainability Awards rewarded those companies who demonstrated efficient and effective management of a working building. The winners were: • Best innovation in green products or services, sponsored by Water, Energy and Efficiency (WEE) – SenseLogix Ltd • Best innovation in energy management, sponsored by Energy in Buildings & Industry (EIBI) – Datum Phase Change Ltd • Best innovation in FM services, sponsored by Premises and Facilities Management (PFM) – Interserve • Best innovation in building services, sponsored

by Housing Association Building & Maintenance (HABM) and Local Authority Building & Maintenance (LABM) – Hoval Ltd • Best product innovation, sponsored by Facilities Management Excellence (FMX) – Radio-Tech • Best innovation in health & safety, sponsored

by Safety & Health Practitioner (SHP) – Swallow EMP Ltd • Outstanding contribution to the industry, sponsored by Facilities Management Journal (FMJ) – Mike Malina, director of Energy Solutions Associates • London workplace of the year, sponsored by Premises and Facilities Management (PFM) – Business Design Centre Total Workplace Management returns to London Olympia from 11-12 October 2011. It will once again be co-located with Energy Solutions, the UK’s fastest growing energy management event, and M&E – The Building Services Event, the UK’s only event dedicated to all building services.

Review your costs with a free costs healthcheck A UDITEL IS A LEADING, specialist cost and purchase management consultancy.

We help thousands of organisations across the UK, including the public sector, to reduce financial waste and operational costs.

Auditel’s approach to cost and purchase management is designed to achieve ethical and ongoing savings for our clients. It takes into account all the costs – both direct and indirect – associated with making effective cost management decisions across a broad range of business costs, including energy, telecoms, waste, stationery, premises costs, archived data storage, IT and other overhead costs. We are supplier independent and tender the market to get best value.

We can review service management issues, prepare service level agreements and undertake projects to manage and drive change.

Our response can be immediate and, using our network of multi-disciplinary professionals, is scalable to meet the demands of small and large organisations. Contact us now for your free costs healthcheck.

Using a performance based procurement model, sharing savings with our clients, we work solely in their best interests. Our services include historical invoice checking as well as ongoing monitoring and service management.

We also undertake project work for our clients in areas such as energy procurement and efficiency, smart metering and waste.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Stephen Gaubert 62 Meadway, Southgate London N14 6NH Tel: 020 84821370 E-mail: stephen.gaubert@auditel.co.uk Web: www.auditel.co.uk/stephengaubert

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An all-in-one Digital Signage solution

LG SuperSign, is the first Digital Signage solution that’s a combination of hardware and software in an easy-to-use package – providing a cost-effective, professional and user-friendly way to deliver content.

Using the LG Media Player and SuperSign Manager programme, this solution provides templates for users to drag and drop video, audio, documents and Flash files – to create and manage a scheduled display across one or many LG screens. Quickly, easily and consistently.

For more information call 01943 850 800

Email: info@innovations-av.co.uk web: www.innovations-av.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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THE COMPLETE AUDIO VISUAL PACKAGE

Low Grange Health village in Middleborough.

This solution described as a landmark installation by Samsung provided our client with the largest video wall in Europe consisting of 40 x 46” Samsung Magic Info Screens installed in an eight screen by five screen video wall.

Innovations were also commissioned to provide a content management service which involves collecting content from various areas of the community to display on the screen, as well as access to our in house design team to provide cutting edge content to display on the wall.

Innovations has built its reputation on the supply of patient management systems with GP practices and hospitals throughout the UK. These systems are designed to help practices manage and communicate with patients while they are attending appointment. These systems consist of touch screen/kiosk applications that allow patients to self arrive for their appointment, relieving pressure from receptions areas. Clinicians’ can then call patients to their appointments via large format screens which are also capable of running other content such as NHS information including Video and TV.

Digital signage is the modern day poster system using a medium that people naturally take note of, writes industry experts Innovations in Technology Ltd

INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY LTD specialises in the supply and integration of the latest innovative audio visual solutions.

Founded in 2006 Innovations in Technology Ltd has shown continued growth to offer a portfolio of solutions nationwide with a team of in house engineers. We offer our clients a full service from initial consultation, installation, configuration and maintenance.

Innovations’ portfolio covers exciting solutions covering a wide spectrum of the latest audio visual products. These include digital signage and content management, interactive technology including touch screens, interactive whiteboards, kiosk applications, projection solutions, innovative software including way finding Applications, 3D software and IP based video conferencing.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP Innovations In Technology Ltd has developed key partnerships with leading audio visual manufacturers and distributors including LG, Samsung, IIyama, Casio Sanyo, and Hitachi. This allows them to offer clients a true service package with the full support of the audio visual channel, giving clients piece of mind that they are the company to choose when integrating new projects.

Digital signage has been the core element of Innovations’ portfolio since the company’s inception. This innovative application offers a real alternative to traditional print. Digital signage is the modern day poster system using a medium

that people naturally take note of in the shape of large format LCD/plasma screens that can be used separately or collectively in a video wall.

These solutions can be controlled locally and remotely via local or wide area networks.

This means a large number of screens can be scheduled independently or collectively from one desktop to offer instant access for updates and changes in content.

CLEARING THE CONFUSION Since the introduction of digital signage in the UK there are many solutions available to end users and choosing the right solution can be difficult. This is because they can differ greatly from an integration perspective, manageability perspective, and – we believe most importantly – from a support perspective.

We believe our portfolio of hardware and software solutions offer our clients a digital signage package that suits all applications and requirements. Our experience and expertise will provide a full service level from integration to continuous support and maintenance.

Innovations’ hardware based signage solutions offer the latest cutting edge commercial displays combined with easy to use software interfaces that link directly to existing IT infrastructures giving cutting edge signage controlled from a single desktop with control of up to 200 screens.

Here is an example of our hardware based signage solutions installed by Innovations at

CONTENT MANAGEMENT Innovations offers clients a content management service called the Well Being Network which allows the client access to the company’s in house team of content designers who provide bespoke and generic content for the screens provided.

Innovations has adapted this principle to offer similar solutions which can be used in other environments that have a health centre presence, such as prisons, where touch screens can be used to self arrive patients before their appointment, reducing the need for personal to cover this task.

Applications such as libraries, citizen advice, public information centers who require assistance in managing attendee movement and the facility to inform and educate all on the same system.

Our software based digital signage solutions offer our clients flexibility to use existing IT and the ability to utilise different display options. These include LCD projector systems including innovative rear projection screens and films that allow the use of audio visual solutions where wall space is a premium or where there is a need to display digital signage using window space.

Rear projection film combined with digital signage gives access to display content to passing traffic. It can also be interactive when combined with touch capable signage and can inform passing traffic about important information or services available.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.innovations-av.co.uk

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How can BalanceMaster™ add to your gym?

Who will it help?

u Increase range of movement u Improve dynamic muscle stability u Build strength and power u Enhance spatial awareness u Reduce the risk of injury

BalanceMaster™ does not challenge the aerobic system nor does it encourage the development of lactic acid, which means customers actually enjoy its use. It carries none of the perceived barriers to exercise and allows the user to gain confidence to progress and to stay with their exercise programmes.

BalanceMaster™ provides progressive, safe, rhythmic movement patterns that improve joint mobility, proprioception and dynamic muscle stability for the lower limbs and pelvic regions. This is achieved by a series of rotational stretching exercise involving inversion, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the angle joints with simultaneous rotation of the hips and sacroiliac joint.

BalanceMaster™ has a growing application in health and fitness sites where it is used to improve balance – a key element of fitness now, quite rightly, assuming prominence in health club provision.

What other applications can BalanceMaster™ be used in? u Fall Prevention u Sports Injury u Stroke rehabilitation u Mobility u Physiotherapy u Hip replacement rehabilitation u Warm up u Cool down u Part of a circuit u Active rest u IFI accreditation

BalanceMaster™ is a product for the whole community

To view a preview video or arrange a trial please visit:

www.balancemaster.co.uk or call: 01293 787075

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SPORT & LEISURE

A FUSION OF LEISURE ATTRACTIONS With a host of interactive features, a wealth of educational content and numerous networking opportunities, the UK’s key commercial leisure event, Leisure Industry Week, closed a success LEISURE INDUSTRY WEEK 2010 was hailed a success by visitors, exhibitors and organisers alike when it took place from 21-23 September 2010 at the Birmingham NEC. The atmosphere was electric with a host of interactive features, a wealth of educational content and numerous networking opportunities – LIW clearly reinforced its position as the UK’s key commercial leisure event.

With over 350 exhibitors, the event was divided into seven different leisure sectors – Health & Fitness, Play & Attractions, Sport, Licensed Business, Eat & Drink, Leisure Facilities and Pool & Spa. Providing excellent news for the market, the event reported a significant increase in the number of key decision makers and budget holders attending compared to previous years with over 20 per cent of visitors having purchasing authority in excess of £250k, and over 35 per cent with a budget of over £50k. With over 40 per cent of exhibitors confirming their participation for 2011 before the show closed, LIW continued to deliver a qualified audience from sectors that have the confidence to invest.

Kevin Yates, head of commercial development at Leisure Connection, said: “I’ve been visiting the show for 15 years which demonstrates how important it is to me and my role at Leisure Connection. Overall I think this year has been a really successful show. I’ve been more aware of the smaller suppliers due to the dedicated areas. The show gives me the opportunity to network and meet with key people and this year I had pre-arranged meetings throughout my visit. It’s great to see that the industry is still demonstrating new and innovative ideas in the current climate.”

INNOVATIVE PLAY AND ATTRACTIONS Play & Attractions at LIW attracted a large number of exhibitors from across the industry. The main theme of the sector was innovation, with a specific area dedicated to the most innovative play equipment on the market and an award for the most innovative product at the Aspire Awards.

Jane Conroy, play centre manager at Horizon Leisure Trust said: “This is the first LIW I’ve ever visited and I’ve really enjoyed my experience. The show has inspired many new ideas for me to use. I’ve met numerous relevant suppliers and will be following up with exhibitors after the show to discuss future business investment. I will be back next year to see what’s new within the industry.”

The Play Innovation Zone, in association with the Play Providers Association (PPA), was a great success, with 12 of the most

innovative products in the industry being demonstrated. Sound Leisure Ltd won the Aspiration4Innovation Award at the PPA Aspire Awards for its innovative ‘Sound Stage’ product with Mini Melts taking Silver and Smart Dragon the Bronze.

Exhibitors included Entre-Prises UK Ltd who demonstrated its Clip n Climb challenges for adults and children, PartyCentreSoftware.com who showed its online party booking and management service for the leisure industry, and Little Tikes, which has a wealth of products like slides, climbers, rockers and rideons that are popular in indoor play settings.

Also exhibiting were Instyle Fitness with its fusion of gaming and fitness equipment, and Villa Drinks, who manufactures a wide range of still and carbonated drinks including Wild Waters & Wild Juices.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS The Attractions Ideas Village was also a positive addition to the Play & Attractions sector. It allowed visitors to meet architects, consultants, marketers, designers, and themeing companies to discuss new design plans and developments.

The Play & Attractions sector at LIW also provided the first ever area dedicated to

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

53

Forgery Detectors from £1.95 Note Counters from only £99.95 Hi Speed Coin Counter / Sorters from only £145.95 Anglo-Tech Ltd West Buckland Somerset TA21 9LE Tel 01823 663583 E info@anglo-tech.com www.anglo-tech.com

The Massage at Work Specialists

ACADEMY OF ON SITE MASSAGE LTD Massage @ Work…. ….provides a valuable addition to the Benefits and Health & Wellbeing strategies of any organisation.

We are a major provider of Massage Practitioners to UK Business at work and for Events & Exhibitions.

The Academy has the experience and expertise to supply all your Complementary Therapy needs

Training We specialise in training Practitioners in our City & Guilds and CThA accredited course

Professional Diploma in Seated Acupressure (On Site) Massage Our range of additional one day Post Graduate courses provide ongoing training for Practitioners.

Courses run UK wide.

Contact us: W:aosm.co.uk

T: 0118 927 2750 E:info@aosm.co.uk

www.playrock-it-ball.com

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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SPORT & LEISURE

Exhibitors included PowaSava, Therma Pool, Pulse Commercial Utilities and Riva Global.

Mike Ford, director of PowaSava, said: “Good leads were generated and we saw many visitors who had an interest in managing their energy emissions more effectively.”

Other exhibitors included MHA Lighting with its new LED technology, which shines light sideways to avoid direct contact with the eye and creates a more safe and efficient light output, and Calorex who exhibited the Pro-Pac commercial hot water heat pump and the Heat Recovery Dehumidification units.

manufacturers and distributors of coinoperated amusements, The Coin-op showcase, in association with InterGame.

The Coin-op showcase included the latest range of machines from Harry Levy Amusements with its pusher, redemption and novelty machines. Electrocoin exhibited its range of products which are targeted at the family entertainment centre market as well as pubs, clubs and the leisure sector. The company manufactures and distributes amusement, gaming and ticket redemption machines. SAM Leisure exhibited its family friendly pool, air hockey and table football products.

Chris Brown, event manager at LIW, said: “This has been another great show with many new areas and exhibitors demonstrating and displaying some really interesting products.

The Coin-op showcase was probably one of the biggest surprises to visitors as it was a late entry into our plans. The showcase worked really well and we will definitely be dedicating an area next year to the Coin-op sector.”

RLMS Sales Ltd had a selection of products on display in the Coin-op showcase including B3, B4, Cat C, Cat D, Jukebox equipment and the latest multi entertainment terminals, catering for the needs of single site, bingo and both family and adult gaming centres. Simworx were also exhibiting and demonstrated their 3D/4D effect theatres, motion theatres, simulation attractions and the provision of 2D/3D film content.

LaserSniper, an electronic shooting simulator for the leisure industry joined the other exhibitors in the Coin-op showcase. As did Laserforce International, whose advisors on its stand offered visitors an insight into how Laserforce can be a profitable investment for a family entertainment business or theme park.

LIFE FITNESS It wasn’t just the Play & Attractions sector that had a successful event. Lawra Angell, marketing manager of Life Fitness, an exhibitor within Health & Fitness at LIW, said: “Life Fitness has a long standing relationship with LIW and has been exhibiting at the show for over ten years. We had a very successful show, exceeding our set objectives. It was a great team effort. It’s important to support the industry, help it evolve and best understand the needs of our customers.”

Sean Thornton, sales director of X-Force, also an exhibitor within Health & Fitness said: “This has been a really successful show for X-Force; I feel we’ve introduced and raised awareness of the product and educated people into a new type of exercise equipment. LIW is the only show, in the UK for companies to launch a new product to an informed audience. We’ll definitely be back next year.”

FOR THE ENERGY CONSCIOUS LIW hosted a new EnviroZone in the Leisure Facilities sector, which held a number of presentations by energy saving companies.

TRAINING A number of products that could transform small, unused areas of the gym were on display in the PTontheNET Functional Training Zone. The zone provided the perfect area for personal trainers to experience the most innovative products and programmes the industry has to offer. Exhibitors included Leisure Lines, Jordan Fitness, Escape Fitness, Keiser, FitPro, Fight Fit, Thump Boxing, Padbox, Premier Training and Nordic Walking.

Meanwhile Britain’s Got Talent finalists Strike demonstrated their martial art prowess in the Group Fitness Arena. They were at the show to demonstrate their new martial arts programme for children and young adults, which they have created with ZigZag. The programme includes martial arts, dance and gymnastics choreographed to music.

IN AND AROUND THE SHOW The Interactive Showcase saw VEQTOR, CyberCoach, ZigZag, Pulse, Trixter and Fitnessgaming demonstrating their latest innovations. Equipment on display included the Dance Machine from Pulse, the Z³ from ZigZag and the Xdream and XBike Interactive from Trixter.

Exhibiting for the first time in the UK, Wavesurfer within the Pool & Spa sector of LIW encouraged hundreds of visitors to don their wetsuits and have a go at surfing.

Several professional demonstrations took place, showing visitors a number of techniques that can be used whilst on the wave. The nine metre portable installation is perfect for leisure centres, visitor attractions, retail sites, water parks and corporate events.

Recognising his mammoth achievement, Mike Buss completed his 100th marathon in the same number of days on the last day of LIW and visitors gathered round him to support and celebrate. Sponsored by Star Trac, Jeep, Brooks, Timex, Juice Performance and Gatorade, the challenge raised money for Help for Heroes.

LIW returns to the Birmingham NEC 20-22 September 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.liw.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

55

IT

OP E

LF IL

L

N

U O Y

D & WE N I M R ’L

01-03 March 2 011 A WORLD OF DISCOVERY FOR PIONEERS IN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY Over 1,000 exciting exhibitors of venues, destinations & event services

60 FREE exhilarating seminars & celebrity keynotes

Exceptional networking opportunities

New ideas, zones and feature areas

Register now at www.international-confex.com

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

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Beat the forgers and protect your profits

Outdoor and indoor activity equipment

BANKNOTES are an F AKE ever-increasing problem for

ADVENTURE H IGHLINE delivers dynamic mobile

retailers across all sectors, (nearly £40m in the last four years) and with the quality of these forged notes ever improving, it is becoming very difficult to tell the genuine from fake notes.

Anglo-Tech Ltd has specialised in the field of counterfeit detection for over ten years and sell only the best in loss prevention equipment for many different currencies.

We supply the most cost effective solutions, making it virtually impossible for crooks to pass forged notes into your tills.

With prices from only £1.95 you can save £000s. We also supply a

range of cash counting machines for notes and coins along with a range of coin sorters, all designed to speed till counts, bankings and floats. This will save you precious time and ensure the cash is counted and safely stored away quickly, along with till guards and banknote safes to protect your cash from opportunist theft.

Call us or visit our website for the best products and advice for your cash handling requirements.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Anglo-tech Services Ltd, West Buckland, Somerset TA21 9LE Tel: 01823 663583 E-mail: info@anglo-tech.com Web: www.anglo-tech.com

AOSM – the Academy of On Site Massage E SPECIALISE in training practitioners in our City & Guilds and CThA accredited Professional Diploma in Seated Acupressure (On Site) Massage.

We strongly believe that quality training produces quality practitioners. Emphasis is placed on practitioner posture, correct application of techniques, and a solid knowledge of screening and contra-indications to ensure every massage is performed to the very highest standard.

Classes are kept small thereby ensuring high quality training and time with each student.

We also offer a series of one day post graduate courses including seated therapeutic massage, marketing on site therapies, hands free chair massage techniques, and additional skills for chair massage. See website for details. www.aosm.co.uk

W

Massage @ Work – we are a major provider of massage practitioners to business. Massage @ Work provides a valuable addition to any organisations benefits and health and wellbeing strategies.

Exhibitions and shows – whatever you are exhibiting, massage will be visually attractive and a constant draw to your stand. Massage is especially valuable for exhibitors sponsoring or incorporating chill out areas.

Conferences – short energising massages at break out times help revive delegates and wind down massages at the end of the day relax them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Academy of On Site Massage Ltd Tel: 0118 927 2750 E-mail: info@aosm.co.uk Web: aosm.co.uk

outdoor and indoor adventure activities for events, organisations and schools. All activities are suitable for six-year olds and above, including climbing, using a nine metre high climbing wall and a seven metre spider mountain, bouldering, canoeing, skate boarding, archery, mini-fencing, problem solving/team building and orienteering, all of which promote personal development and working together.

The portable nature of the activities means a convenient, fully supervised, cost effective event can be delivered direct to your venue for an exciting, hassle free day. We bring our range of risk-assessed and liability insured activities operated by fully qualified staff to your site.

One activity can be brought to your location or a multi-activity programme can be put together to your specification, designed to meet your requirements. This choice of programmes applies

equally well to leisure centres, community and corporate events.

Highline Adventure mobile equipment can be used effectively indoors or oudoors depending on customer requirements and our activity programmes are designed for groups of around 20-25 people per activity. Our aim is to give you a reliable, top quality experience for all participants that is easy for you to achieve at an affordable price.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 4091303 E-mail: info@ highlineadventure.co.uk Web: www.highline adventure.co.uk

BalanceMaster – more than a fitness product does B ALANCEMASTER not challenge the aerobic system nor does it encourage the development of lactic acid, which means customers actually enjoy its use. It carries none of the perceived barriers to exercise and allows the user to gain confidence to progress and to stay with their exercise programmes.

BalanceMaster provides progressive, safe, rhythmic movement patterns that improve joint mobility, proprioception and dynamic muscle stability for the lower limbs and pelvic regions. This is achieved by a series of rotational stretching exercises involving inversion, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the angle joints with simultaneous rotation of the hips and sacroiliac joint.

BalanceMaster has a growing application in health and fitness sites where it is used to improve balance – a key

element of fitness now, quite rightly, assuming prominence in health club provision.

Other applications BalanceMaster can be used for other than fitness include fall prevention, sports injury, stroke rehabilitation, mobility, physiotherapy, hip replacement rehabilitation, warm up, cooldown, part of a circuit, active rest and IFI accreditation.

This in return draws potential new users to clubs not because of the latest products with touch screens and iPod connectivity but because of a key product that will assist training /rehabilitation better than any other product on the market.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01293 787075 E-mail: jasonmc@ balancemaster.co.uk www.balancemaster.co.uk YouTube: balancemasteruk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

57

Specialists in the clearance of aquatic vegetation from water courses nationwide Aquatic Solutions UK use versatile and lightweight machines that are specifically designed to remove aquatic weed and silt from pond, lakes, rivers and canals. To cut and clear reed growth and generally assist in waterway and reed bed management.

Aquatic Solutions offer; n n n n n n

Invasive weed cutting & removal Water course maintenance Reed bed management Silt Pumping & dredging Reed Removal Aquatic weed spraying

Z 07770 606423/01788 525393 Y info@aquatic-solutions.co.uk

www.aquatic-solutions.co.uk

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LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE

A GROUNDSCARE ONE-STOP-SHOP If you’re looking for inspiration to revitalise your sporting venue, discover the latest trends, meet current suppliers and make valuable new contacts, then Harrogate Week is the place for you HARROGATE WEEK INCORPORATES BTME, Europe’s largest indoor turf exhibition which runs alongside the ClubHouse Exhibition every January at Harrogate. The two shows combine to become Harrogate Week and give visitors a genuine one-stop shop for their clubhouse and sports venue needs. Ever since 1988, the exhibition has been held annually at Harrogate International Centre.

The event features 7,000 exhibition visitors from more than 30 countries; 2,000 senior level conference attendees over five days; a five-day educational conference featuring 60+ international speakers and an international industry exhibition covering three days.

A world of new ideas will be showcased at Harrogate Week in 2011 where you’ll find exhibitors conveniently brought together, including leading international names, for you to browse and buy for the coming growing season. If you’re looking for inspiration to revitalise your sporting venue, discover the latest trends, meet current suppliers and make valuable new contacts or be the first to purchase exclusive new products launching at the show, then Harrogate Week is the place to find serious exhibitors, which means serious business for you.

EXHIBITION The opportunity to network with 7,000 key decision makers from across the turf industry at the exhibition is invaluable attracting visitors from the entire turf management industry including: aeration, drainage, fertiliser applicators and associated equipment, groundscare machinery and equipment, irrigation, mowers, pesticides and fertiliser storage, plant breeding and biotechnology, plant nutrients, regulatory bodies, soil management and testing equipment, sprayers and spraying equipment, turf and seeds, water/lake/ pond management and wetting agents.

View the full list on the show website.

Visitors will also have access to free Fringe Seminars, where exhibitors will introduce the industry to the newest product developments.

BIGGA SOCIAL NIGHT Harrogate Week not only has three full days of exhibition and five days of learning and development, it also has many networking opportunities throughout the week. There is as much business conducted in the hotels and restaurants in the evenings as there is during the day.

Visitors have the opportunity to network at the BIGGA Beer Festival and enjoy an evening

sampling local brews whilst meeting up with friends and industry colleagues. The evening includes live music and a hot buffet, this is a definite event to add to your diary during your visit which takes place at The Old Swan Hotel on Tuesday 18 January between 7pm to 10.30pm.

GREEN ZONE New for 2011 is the dedicated Envirozone for green technology showcasing green solutions for the sports and turf industry.

Visitors will be able to speak to exhibitors about their products for expert advice whether it’s rainwater harvesting, power optimisation, wind energy or ground-source heating. The exhibitors are there to advise you on how to achieve your environmental targets and successfully face the challenge to go green.

ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY The Awards Ceremony will take place 18 January at 4.00pm in the Queen’s Suite of Harrogate International Centre.

Presentations and acknowledgements will be made to recipients of: • Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year 2010 • Diploma of Continuing Professional Development • Master Greenkeeper Certificate • BIGGA Photographic Competition • STRI Golf Course Environment Awards 2010 If you are looking to further your career or just gain more advice on how you can improve your career prospects, then the

Personal Development Zone at Harrogate Week 2011 is an invaluable resource for any sports turf professional who is looking to gain careers advice or inspiration for becoming a sports turf professional.

Featuring experts in the field of greenkeeping, careers assistance and consultancy there is a wealth of specialist advice available throughout the three days. Improving your skills can make you stand out, helping you to progress and fulfil your career ambitions.

The Personal Development Zone has information on: • CPD (actively participating in a CPD scheme makes you an asset to your employer) • working abroad • moving into consultancy • Ohio State Programme • Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year • applying for jobs and how to cope with redundancy.

Keep a look out for the full timetable to make sure you get the advice you require. You can make an appointment prior to the show by contacting BIGGA HQ or you can drop by the Personal Development Zone stand 18-20 January.

CONFERENCE Building on the foundations and heritage of BTME, ClubHouse and Continue to Learn, Harrogate Week’s five-day conference will encompass every aspect of managing your turf from basic golf course mechanics and

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www.governmentbusiness.co.uk Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

measure • record • forecast Integrated Plant Management Environment

Weather, Light, Rain, Temperature, Humidity, Leaf Wetness

Nutrition

Nutrients, Chlorophyll and pH Levels

Pests & Diseases Insects and Diseases

Soil & Water

Soil Moisture, Soil Compaction and Water Quality

It is often said that “to measure is to know” and this is never more true than for anyone maintaining a quality turf playing surface. Our product range makes accurate science in the field easily affordable.

So you can measure, you can record what you measure and you can use that information to forecast and make intelligent decisions.

Westham Business Park Eastbourne Rd Westham, BN24 5NP

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The importance of soil and water monitoring IS OFTEN SAID I TTHAT “to measure is to know” and this is never more true than for anyone maintaining a quality turf playing surface.

EnviroMonitors provide affordable and quality technology designed specifically for grounds care to measure and record climate and the growing environment. This is technology that will allow you to measure, record what you measure and enable you to use that information to form the basis of prediction and aid decision making.

Today there are many drivers behind why we should be measuring and recording what goes on around us. The need to conserve resources such as water will drive the need to more measurement information technology.

Turf and groundscare custodians and managers, including sports and leisure grounds staff, need to keep a very close eye on resources and the resulting turf product.

Our product range consists of

60 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

meters to measure the soil and water, environment, nutrition, and pests and diseases. Within these ranges we provide meters to measure soil compaction, soil moisture, chlorophyll and grass colour, light, pH, EC, and data-logging rain gauges.

The new product to our range is a GPRS communication solution for either Spectrum or Davis weather stations. Our product range makes accurate science in the field easily affordable.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 6806803 Fax: 0845 6801833 E-mail: info@weatherfront.co.uk Web: www.enviromonitors.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE

WHY GET INVOLVED? This is the only international event bringing together all the key users and producers of turf and groundscare products to meet and discuss the challenges of sustainably providing a first class playing surface, an ideal opportunity for any organisation to network, influence decision makers and position itself as a leader in this sector.

basic greenkeeping techniques, golf course design, irrigation systems and carbon auditing to moving into management, budgeting, Ryder Cup Cymru, golf club marketing and sustainability. There are ten seminar theatres delivering over 130 hours of information with knowledgeable trainers whose aim is to improve your professional education.

There’s something for everyone with industry experts giving free seminars all aimed at helping you to grow your business.

The Continue to Learn programme at Harrogate Week offers educational opportunities to absolutely everything. Golf greenkeepers are catered for as you would expect, but so too are golf club professionals, golf club officials and owners as well as groundsmen and officials from just about every turf connected sport you can imagine.

AGENDA The conference programme has been developed in conjunction with the Learning and Development Committee and feedback from delegates of the previous conference. It is designed to provide you with the opportunity to tailor your own agenda to suit your needs.

Days one and two will include a series of full day workshop sessions led by key trainers and consultants from organisations at the top of their field including: • Dr John E. Kaminski, assistant professor, The Pennsylvania State University • Dr Kate Entwistle, turfgrass pathologist, the Turf Disease Centre • Robert Hunt, chairman, International Design Group • Stanley J. Kostka, PhD, director – Technology and Innovation, Aquatrols Corporation

• Dr David Jones, research scientist, The Natural History Museum • Howard Swan, principal architect, Swan Golf Designs Limited Days three, four and five will include 42 content-focused sessions including exhibitor presentations by influential business leaders exhibiting at the show.

SUPPORTERS The five day comprehensive and informative education programme is supported by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), The Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA), Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC), Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA), The Sport and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), English Golf Union (EGU), Scottish Golf Union (SGU), Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), English Women’s Golf Union (EWGA), Golf Union of Wales (GUW), Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE), European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA), and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA).

BIGGA INTERNET POINTS If you need to check your e-mail whilst you are at Harrogate, find out about the weather, turf disease risk back at home or just find the telephone number of a restaurant in town you want to book, the BIGGA Internet Points, sponsored by Syngenta, gives you free access to the Internet whilst you are at the show. You can even take the opportunity to keep up to date with the latest Show news on the Harrogate Week website.

WHO ATTENDS? By visiting Harrogate Week you will be one of the many buyers and decision makers with job titles including: course manager, head greenkeeper, head groundsman, estate manager, horticulturist, landscaper, chairman, course owner, managing director, finance directors, procurement officers, heads of sales and marketing, heads of R&D, adviser, regulator.

These decision makers span the entire groundscare industry from seeds, agrochemicals, sprayers and spraying equipment, fertiliser applicators and associated equipment, global positioning systems, plant nutrients and fertilisers, water and irrigation, machinery manufacturers and dealers, plant breeding and biotechnology, regulatory bodies, education and training, soil management and testing equipment to pesticides and fertiliser storage.

PARK AND RIDE Harrogate Week will once again be providing a park and ride service, which will not only be kind to your nerves, it will ease the strain on your wallet. Park your car in the secured area of the Yorkshire Event Centre, home of the Great Yorkshire Show, then one of the regularly running shuttle buses will ferry you the ten minutes to Harrogate International Centre where you can enjoy the delights of Harrogate Week to the full.

At the end of the day, or if you have left your car for the duration of the show, the week, you can catch another shuttle bus, safe in the knowledge that your car will be waiting for you and, for once, not cost you a penny.

REGISTER NOW With all that’s happening during the week a visit to Harrogate is a must as you will be able to see the benefits to both you and your sporting venue. All you need to do is make sure that you register in advance for free entry to the exhibition and avoid the queues. You can register via the website at www.harrogateweek.org.uk To guarantee your place on the conference you will need to book early, and you can also make a saving by avoiding the VAT increase. Prices have been reduced thanks to the Learning and Development Fund.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.harrogateweek.org.uk

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Tried and Trusted Sometimes the Unexpected?

After 10 years of 'in field' experience e the Profihopper takes a further 'unexpected' cted' step cted We know that its performance in long ng grass, short grass, leaf collection and scarification ification has proven the Profihopper to be a true 'All Seasons' machine.

Now you have the option of a PPO FullBio Profihopper - not what you expected? d?

Contact us for more information and d explore the Amazone 'Unexpected' Groundcare machinery range.

sales@amazone.co.uk ama one co k

For over 85 years, Little Wonder has been the choice of professionals who demand top quality Today’s Little Wonder commercial debris management products , from truckloaders and high performance vacuums to the industry’s best walk behind blowers, continue the tradition of the Little Wonder brand as one of the world’s most innovative lines of professional quality landscaping equipment.

A broad range of Little Wonder Debris Management products will be shown at Saltex 2010, stand DAA37 To find out more about Little Wonder products or to find your nearest dealer, please visit our website www.littlewonder.uk.com Email: david.goose@mantisonline.net Intl Phone: 0044 (0)161 474 1525 Phone: 0800 840 0888 Fax: 0800 840 0889 Web: www.littlewonder.uk.com Mantis UK Limited, Orchard House, Hempshaw Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK1 4LH Little Wonder products are distributed in the UK by Mantis UK Limited

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

ATV World – specialists in quads and ATVs, side by sides and parts

Spray Shroud protects from risk of drift

ONE OF THE UK’S A Slargest distributors and

for the walk-behind Techneat Acuspray and Acuspray Pro now enables professional landscape and turf managers to apply herbicide treatments accurately and effectively in all conditions.

With the sprayer nozzle safely hidden beneath the Spray Shroud, surrounding turf, flower borders and environmental habitats are protected from spray drift when treating pathways, lawns and other amenity areas.

The precision-moulded unit provides a spray pattern covering 800mm, with the spray nozzle selected to give even and complete coverage of the target foliage and delivering the best results with contact herbicides and other products.

The unit’s designer, Tom Neat, highlights that the outstanding spraying performance of the Acuspray and Acuspray Pro is maintained by the Spray Shroud.

Once fitted, it can be used for all spray applications, including liquid feeds, fungicides and moss killers.

“Turf and landscape managers

suppliers of ATVs, quad bikes and side by sides, ATV World provides an extensive range of products and services to meet all your requirements. Our enthusiasm, experience and dedication to this industry sector have helped us to develop specialist services within the agricultural and utility markets. Recently awarded 2010 Polaris Challenge winners, we have been at the forefront of the ATV industry for over 21 years and continue to be passionate about our services.

We are a supplier of Polaris, one of the highest quality ATV manufacturer’s in the world. Utility ATVs and Ranger performance machines range from 300cc to 850cc and Electric with 2x4,

4x4 and 6x6 drive systems ideal for farm, estate, park, nursery, equine, golf, council and amenity use. We also supply both genuine and aftermarket attachments including fertilisers, sprayers, salt/grit spreaders, toppers and trailers. The whole Polaris range can be viewed on our website.

We also supply parts and accessories for most makes and model of ATV and side by sides including bed lift kits, mowers, lights, wheels, tyres, winches and mounts – everything you need!

FOR MORE INFORMATION 73a Low Road, Hunslet, Leeds, LS10 1RH Tel: 0113 2778663 Fax: 0113 2760158 E-mail: sales@atvworld.com Web: www.atvworld.com

Cut costs as well as grass with Lastec

PURPOSE DESIGNED

A Spray Shroud covered boom

SOLUTIONS A QUATIC UK is a company that

amount of grass on half the amount of fuel compared with many other mowers. That’s a 50 per cent reduction in costs and in greenhouse gas emissions, which is good for budgets and good for the environment.

The fuel saving is due to Lastec’s patented design with belt-driven decks – the most efficient technology of any wide area mower. They are also easy to maintain and service, which means less downtime and more cutting time.

Delivering the productivity of a wide area mower with the precision cutting of a small push mower, the articulating decks follow the contour of the terrain so that mounds are not scalped and valleys are not missed. The operator can easily adjust cutting height and the decks also have effective mulching capability.

The range includes PTO-driven mowers – front and rear mounted

specialises in the clearance of aquatic vegetation from water courses nationwide.

Our versatile lightweight machines are specifically designed to remove aquatic vegetation and silt from ponds, lakes, rivers and canals.

We cut and clear reed growth, and generally assist in waterway and reed bed management.

Due to the amphibious machines very light footprint it is ideal in sensitive areas where heavier plant equipment cannot get, or would cause too much damage.

The machinery is towed on a trailer using a 4x4 and can literally turn up at the job and be on the water within minutes.

Aquatic Solutions UK recommends keeping on top of any aquatic vegetation growth by regular maintenance. Bulrush is pulled out by the roots while pond weed is cut and removed from the water onto the bank. Silt

– for use with existing tractors and self-powered zero turn ride-ons.

Machines can have up to seven articulated decks, offering cutting widths from 1.5m to 3.3m. Outer decks on some models are easily raised to reduce the width of the mower so that it can be loaded onto a trailer or flatbed truck.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Andy Taylor Tel: 01622 812103 Fax: 01622 815534 E-mail: sales@lastec.co.uk Web: www.lastec.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information contact Techneat Engineering on 01353 862044.

Lake and pond management solutions

L mowers cut the same

ASTEC ARTICULATOR

are often limited from spraying by prevailing weather conditions and the potential risk to surrounding vegetation. Providing it is dry, the Spray Shroud can help to complete maintenance programmes in one visit.

“The sleek design looks great, but is manufactured to withstand general knocks and abrasions in professional use,” he adds.

The Spray Shroud and fitting kit is available as an optional extra on all new Acuspray and Acuspray Pro sprayers, or can be quickly retrofitted to all existing machines.

can be pumped several hundred metres to a designated area or into de-watering bags, dredging is done using a clam-shell bucket.

Other services the company can offer are the spraying of vegetation with an approved herbicide from their boat as well as the re-generation of water bodies in the form of re-planting, bank repairs etc.

Aquatic Solutions motto is “Maintain it – don’t lose it!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01788 525393 Fax: 07770 606423 E-mail: info@aquaticsolutions.co.uk Web: www.aquaticsolutions.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

63

Delivering the big names people want!

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Improve your company’s motivation this Christmas for your chance to win £5,000!

Choosing an appropriate corporate gift that appeals to everyone, represents your brand and has a high perceived value (without costing the earth) can be really hard.

SayShopping Pass is the multi-retailer gift voucher that gives your employees and valued clients a wealth of gifts to choose from in one simple and attractive wallet.

Order £500 or more for your chance to win £5,000 of vouchers, or enter our free prize draw to win £1,000, no purchase necessary!

Visit www.ChoiceIsImportant.co.uk now.

To find out more about SayShopping Pass visit www.SayShopping-Business.co.uk

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INCENTIVES

KEEP STAFF SPIRITS HIGH THIS CHRISTMAS How can you keep staff motivated in the face of major cutbacks, asks Andrew Johnson, director-general, the UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UKGCVA) FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT’S hard hitting spending review, public sector organisations will be forced to change their priorities in order to make less funding go a great deal further in the coming years. But where do efficiency savings really begin?

Encouraging behavioural changes among staff will certainly be at the crux of the situation. This will not only involve getting everybody on board with the changes in the first place, but the real challenge lies in keeping staff motivated in the face of major cutbacks on an ongoing basis.

This becomes extra difficult as it arrives at a time of the year when thoughts will inevitably turn towards the festive season. Many staff will probably begin to question whether the Grinch will be wielding an axe over the rewards

festive period has to be spent wisely and deliver to the target audience. With so many options available to choose from, why risk getting it wrong and wasting your budget when you can give the recipient the ability to choose for themselves via a gift card or voucher?”

The flexibility and range of choice that gift cards and vouchers offer is certainly a strong argument in their favour. Paul McRae, business development manager at The Voucher Shop, adds: “Gift vouchers continue to increase in popularity as a corporate Christmas gift as they have broad appeal and are a simple way for employers to cater for their employee population regardless of all tastes, preferences and beliefs.”

There are many alternatives available on the market too. From supermarkets

Due to the current economic climate and the pressure on budgets, flexible value for money gifting ideas are at the forefront of every budget holder’s mind. Every precious penny spent on a gift over the coming festive period has to be spent wisely and deliver to the target audience – Martin Todd, head of corporate business at Signet budget for this Christmas as a benchmark for the year beyond. The motivational aspect of presenting gifts and rewards for Christmas and the end of year, however, is an important one. Cutting too many corners on this token of appreciation from employers, one that is always well received, could have serious consequences on the frame of mind in which valued staff return to work in the new year.

REWARDS THAT DON’T COST THE EARTH This said, while a total lack of celebrations would be notable by its absence, it need not be an extravagant cause. Instead, it is important to find a reward that does not cost too much, can be delivered with ease and is simple enough to cater for a variety of different tastes yet still offers added value and can be viewed as a worthwhile treat. So what’s the best solution?

As Martin Todd, head of corporate business at Signet, the world’s largest specialist jeweller, with UK brands including H. Samuel, Ernest Jones and Leslie Davis, says: “Due to the current economic climate and the pressure on budgets, flexible value for money gifting ideas are at the forefront of every budget holder’s mind. Every precious penny spent on a gift over the coming

to high street favourites, to experiences, days out and specialist interest, such as cinema and gardening, there is a voucher or gift card out there for almost everything.

Here are some of the options: SUPERMARKETS Supermarkets have now diversified into a vast variety of product ranges and a gift card will allow its recipient to select from essential items, such as groceries, or from more luxury treats that are now found on supermarket shelves.

Joanne Taylor of Asda Business Rewards says: “Supermarket gift cards and vouchers have always proved a popular reward at Christmas.

Staff love the opportunity to treat themselves and their family. The breadth of product choice offered by supermarkets like Asda means that recipients can use their gift cards and vouchers to trade up to special ranges and luxury foods that they might not ordinarily choose.”

Sainsbury’s also operates within the corporate business sector and anticipates that Christmas, as with the consumer-facing side of the business, will be exceptionally busy.

Anita Bourke, Sainsbury’s gift card manager, highlights again the importance of offering

staff a Christmas gift: “Naturally, public sector organisations, as in the private sector, need to provide a Christmas gift, but rewards for public sector staff have to be handled carefully. Gift vouchers and cards can provide the solution. With bulk discounts offered by the majority of suppliers and with vouchers having a higher perceived value than cash, gift vouchers and cards can tick many boxes as an ideal public sector Christmas incentive.”

HIGH STREET FAVOURITES For many people, it is the shopping experience that adds significantly to the value of being given a gift card or voucher, allowing the recipient to browse the high street and select something special. Mark Towler of House of Fraser Business Incentives points towards this added value: “The public sector should look to reward with gifts that are exciting, truly aspirational and innovative.”

Love2reward is another member of The UKGCVA, offering multi-store high street vouchers among its product range. Its sales and marketing director, Martin Cooper, commented: “As uncertainty about the economy continues to impact upon negotiated wage settlements, we expect to see an increased spend on staff reward this Christmas. Public sector employers are looking for ways, other than a straightforward pay increase, to recognise the contributions made by valued employees.”

With the economic pressures that public sector organisations are under, it is worth looking at some of the additional cost-saving benefits that the latest gift cards offer. On this, Rob Froome of New Look Business Solutions makes some interesting points: “The public sector is looking to reduce costs and those brands offering best value will be in demand,” he says. “We recently introduced our Gift Card Management System, which delivers improved cost savings for our corporate purchasers – our gift cards hold no value until activated. Therefore they can be sent out via normal post, rather than conventional secure post. Our b2b customer benefits from improved cash flow, cheaper delivery, reduced stock-holding and greater flexibility.” Such systems are now common from retailers and gift card agencies such as P&MM and Edenred alike, offering added security and piece of mind that expenditure will not be wasted.

One-off luxury experiences have become very sought after as the gift with a difference; a hot-air balloon ride, spa treatments or even a gardening experience with Charlie Dimmock! Some of our members that

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Government Business | Volume 17.12

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INCENTIVES

operate in this sector include Treatme.net, Smartbox, SpaFinder and Acorn PLC. Ilona Kogutiuk, business development manager at Smartbox, says: “In these austere times, a gift such as a memorable experience is perceived as being worth a lot more than the actual cost. It has a high perceived value in the eyes of the recipient, but a low actual cost to the giver.”

Cassandra Cavanah, executive director, SpaFinder Europe, puts forward spa treatments as an alternative: “A luxurious spa experience is an indulgence that not all people can afford – and therefore makes a great reward for employees at Christmas.”

Paul O’Brien, managing director at Acorne PLC, said: “This year organisations will take advantage of the bumper crop of added value deals and great offers out there to go the extra mile with corporate gifts. We’ve seen an upturn in the number of businesses turning from cash and shopping to experienceled gifts which allow recipients to take time out and seize the day, creating priceless memories for cost effective budgets.”

Denise Porter, business development director, Treatme.net, adds to the argument that cash is no alternative to offering more experienced

based rewards and gifts: “An increasing number of companies are transferring from cash bonuses to vouchers for Christmas, due to money being perceived as less effective because it can get absorbed into day to day spend rather than used as a gift. Vouchers, on the other hand, offer users the ultimate in flexibility, enabling the employee to choose their own gift and make the incentive more rewarding.”

SPECIALIST INTEREST Experiencial value is a key benefit of vouchers and gift cards, whether a once in a lifetime experience, the pleasure of shopping to choose a gift for yourself or, in the case of some types of specialist interest vouchers, the recreational time that can be enjoyed on their redemption. As an example of an organisation that offers such solutions, National Garden Gift Vouchers appeal to anyone with an interest in gardening and are redeemable at garden centres, nurseries and sheds throughout the UK. David Butler, general manager, National Garden Gift Vouchers, said: “In the current financial climate non-monetary rewards such as vouchers continue to increase in popularity, particularly during the festive season, as businesses struggle to offer the salary increases

and bonus packages that were once the norm.

The beauty of non-monetary rewards like vouchers is that they can tick a lot of boxes for all parties concerned. They can be ‘green’, promote wellbeing and physical activity and be family inclusive, as our gardening vouchers offer.”

Cinema vouchers are another alternative within this section of the market. “The level of demand for cinema vouchers as incentive rewards has been consistently high,” commented David Pearson, director of cinema voucher provider Filmology, part of P&MM, “quite simply because everybody enjoys a trip to the movies! The relatively low cost of offering cinema vouchers and the widespread popularity of film makes cinema an appealing proposition for employee rewards and corporate gifts.”

So there we have it. With so many costeffective and interesting solutions out there, motivational cuts within the public sector need not go too deep this Christmas. The benefits of keeping staff morale high will ultimately aid in making the difficult times that lie ahead that little bit easier to get through.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.ukgcva.co.uk

Gift vouchers and gift cards from Charity Gift Vouchers really are a true “Flexible Friend”

F

ROM THE EARLY DAYS, gift vouchers were the ideal present, giving a choice of goods and retailers, as previously some of us would purchase the wrong colour or size present. As the gift voucher market matured the customer choice expanded with even greater choice offered by the multi-store gift vouchers.

This choice and flexibility made the gift voucher ideal as a retiring or leaving present, and the company Christmas bonus. The issuing of a gift voucher was a simple procedure and market research companies and competition operators chose giving gift vouchers as a preferred option to cash. With the growth of staff and customer reward programmes the gift voucher was ideally placed to fulfil these programmes with inspirational products such as balloon rides, holidays, high street shopping and the luxury goods that would not normally be purchased.

Gift vouchers were seen as a personal treat rather than cash, which easily disappeared into the household budget. With almost every purchase experience covered by gift vouchers the value of the reward or incentive programme was enhanced by the feel good factor of the reward. Gift vouchers have also been used to encourage difficult sections of the community such as teenagers and smokers to enrol into programmes that not only help themselves

but reduce the long term cost to the nation.

With the development of the gift card and associated technologies new areas became available with gift malls opening wherever the public had access. These new technologies have allowed reward programmes that are able to top-up the value of the gift card as performance is achieved, giving quicker access

to the rewards and a greater satisfaction to the customer or staff member.

Recent technologies have been able to reduce the administration costs of reward and incentive programmes, and reduced the delay between achieving the reward and actually receiving the gift voucher or gift card. By the use of a secure code, which is issued to the staff member and an associated secure website, staff members can activate and select from a vast range of gift vouchers to the value of their secure code, giving the greatest choice possible and as quick a delivery as possible.

Gift vouchers and cards can now provide an almost instant reward, incentivising where necessary, rewarding for achievement and as a thank you. And let’s not forget their original purpose, as a gift for Christmas or birthdays.

Many of those working abroad or with the British Forces find sending a gift voucher with the word of sentiment the most satisfying method of sending gifts to family and friends.

The level of choice, variety of values and methods of delivery really do make gift vouchers and cards the true “Flexible Friend”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01323 848686 E-mail: info@vouchers4charity.org.uk Web: www.vouchers4charity.org.uk

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50% off +

at 1000 Restaurants

tastelondon allows all of its members to save £1,000’s on dining out every year by offering 50% off the total food bill at over 1000 restaurants.

Your organisation can offer tastelondon memberships to your staff at a highly preferential rate, this is available exclusively through you as an employer. Implementing the tastelondon benefit at your company is completely cost free with little administrative burden. tastelondon works with numerous London based companies enabling them to provide

a new, unique, emotive and cost effective addition to their employee benefits package.

These companies most notably include: Virgin, Arcadia Group, UBS Bank, Dennis Publishing, Lovells, Emap, Getty Images, Harrods, Wavv Wrap Collins, Fortnum and Mason, Greater London Authority, Buckingham Palace and Associated Newspapers to name but a few.

For more information visit www.tastelondon.co.uk email corporate@tastelondon.co.uk or call 0800 5677 241

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it’s a dining revolution

Tel: 0800 5677 241

Government Business | Volume 17.12

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PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

MERCHANDISE AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL Helen Martindale takes a look at the latest trends in promotional merchandise in the public sector and the sort of products that are widely purchased by government departments FROM PENS AND DIARIES TO LANYARDS, fleeces and mouse mats, the value of promotional merchandise has long been recognised by the public sector. Its applications are many and varied, from its use as a tool to communicate with citizens about issues that affect their lives, from health and education to benefits, rights and welfare, to internal reward and recognition schemes, such as long service awards.

The value of merchandise as a communication tool was substantiated in a recent survey by P&MM, a marketing services agency that specialises in performance improvement, which revealed that almost 95 per cent of respondents believe that branded promotional merchandise increases awareness of a brand, campaign or initiative.

AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS Richard Wood, managing director at High Profile, a manufacturer of standard and bespoke made plastic promotional products, has seen an increase in the use of promotional merchandise to support government funded initiatives such as the Love Food Hate Waste and Change4Life campaigns, which are targeted at consumers to make them aware of current issues.

“Products such as sports bottles, skipping ropes, food can lid covers and bag clips are effective, practical products that are relatively low cost and ideal for mass awareness campaigns to either children or parents through local councils, schools or sports partnerships,” he comments.

Of course, it is not only new initiatives that make use of promotional merchandise. It is prevalent throughout public sector organisations in many every day ways from the branded pens used in offices to the jackets, fleeces and lanyards that form part of the uniform of many public sector employees. One of the most popular items of promotional merchandise is the pen, as Melissa Chevin, marketing manager at promotional writing accessories manufacturer Senator, explains: “There is no doubt that the pen is an integral part of the marketing mix, both internally and externally, in creating and maintaining brand awareness. It is as effective with employees as with the public in communicating a campaign, a launch or a way of thinking. The promotional pen has universal appeal and this is one of the reasons that it is utilised by a whole range of organisations.”

As well as consumer-facing applications, promotional merchandise is also used

extensively in employee reward and recognition schemes, including long service award programmes. Here the challenge lies in offering employees appealing rewards that succeed in toeing the corporate line as Sheila Sheldon, director of European Operations at employee reward and recognition provider Michael C. Fina explains: “A reward and recognition programme should be designed to appeal to the employees of an organisation and the rewards must be aspirational and desirable. Branded merchandise is one solution, but there is an obvious line to be drawn between giving an employee a designer watch with a logo emblazoned across it on the one hand, and allowing the message to slip by totally unnoticed with a gift that has no obvious connection to the organisation at all.

“Staff will not respond well to having the organisation’s image thrust upon them at all opportunities. At the other end of the spectrum there is the problem that the employee will forget entirely who gave them the gift! Finding the right balance, therefore, is cardinal,” she concludes.

GREEN TREND Whether it’s for internal or external use a key trend in 2010 is the increasing prominence of green issues as Melissa Chevin explains: “The influence of social and environmental consciousness continues as more and more companies have predefined environmental targets to meet.

Buyers sourcing promotional merchandise are looking for greater use of biodegradable and recycled materials, low carbon footprints and supporting documentation to reinforce the eco credentials of the product.”

This is a view echoed by Richard Wood who notes that High Profile has seen a large increase in demand for recycled or environmentally friendly products in government-funded campaigns.

This focus on socially responsible and eco-friendly products has extended to employee reward and recognition schemes, as Andy Philpott, marketing director at Edenred, explains: “We recently launched Compliments Green, the first fully integrated ethical incentives and rewards solution, in partnership with Green Rewards, so staff – whether they pride themselves on being eco-citizens or just want to feel they’re reducing their impact on the planet – can be motivated by rewards that appeal to them.

“The points-based programme enables participants to choose an environmentally-

friendly reward at Green Rewards, an existing internet store that specialises in independently assessed ethical products and services. This range of reward options is expanding dramatically as demand for true green products increases.”

In summary, promotional merchandise will continue to play a key role in the public sector as it can be used to help achieve a myriad of objectives, from raising awareness of issues among consumers to incentivising employees across the board. The key lies in selecting the right product which is high quality, has longevity and will succeed in getting the right message across to the target audience.

Helen Martindale is an account manager with specialist PR agency Clareville Communications.

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

69

Government Business | Volume 17.12

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 45 Millbank

26

Drayton Manor

34

Pledge Office Chairs

42

4Imprint

10

G2 Business Services

44

Prominent Fluid Control

OBC

Addington Palace

26

Green Cat Co

46

Qube Vocational Development

10

Alexandra House

39

Greenwich University

30

Ragley Hall

36

Anglo-Tech

54

Harrow Green

46

Royal Agricultural College

33

AOSM

54

Highline Adventure

54

Sapphire Business Interiors

44

Aquatic Solutions UK

58

Innovations in Technology

50

Sodexo Motivation Solutions

64

ATV World

58

Intercontinental Hotels Group

24

Stapleford Abbotts Golf Club

28

Auditel

49

Kleen Strike UK

46

SVM Europe

64

Balancemaster

52

Landmark Information Group

12

Techneat Engineering

60

Brady Art & Community Centre

28

Language Line Services

IFC

The Lewis Group

8

British Woodworking Federation

16

Lastec UK

60

The Oxford House

29

Charity Gift Vouchers

66

Leema Technologies

14

Radisson Blu

36

Chasewater Innovation Centre

36

London City Airport

20

The University of Birmingham

33

Cineworld Cinemas

22

Mascot

10

University of Worcester

30

Confex

56

MRN Mediation

16

Waldmann Lighting

44

Counter Terror Expo

14

Noticeboard Company

48

Weather Front

60

Coventry TechnoCentre

34

Nottingham Conference Centre

30

York Conferences

33

Crimson Hotels Group

18

Park Inn

28

Crown Outdoor

IBC

Peveral of the Peak Hotel

37

70 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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