Chamberlink April 23

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Edgbaston Stadium

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83 Chamber Insight Dino Kyriacou, Göbel & Partner Ltd (G&P)

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) is here to connect, support and grow local businesses. Accredited by the British Chambers, we have acted as the voice of local businesses since 1813.

Editor: John Lamb 0121 274 3237, 0797 1144064

j.lamb@birmingham-chamber.com

Deputy Editor: Dan Harrison 0121 274 3239, 0797 1144052 d.harrison@birmingham-chamber.com

Assistant Editor: Jon Griffin 07963 405538 j.griffin@birmingham-chamber.com

Reporter: Feron Jayawardene 07508 317356 f.jayawardene@birmingham-chamber.com

Reporter: Darby Newman +447951245985

d.newman@birmingham-chamber.com

Editor’s View

By John Lamb

A city where everyone belongs

It struck me what a diverse and caring region Greater Birmingham has become while reading the ChamberlinkDaily news bulletin every morning.

And it was the issue published the morning after the Chambers’ annual dinner and awards that really brought home that message. Here was a myriad of very different stories which seemed to offer proof that business in this region was, indeed, in safe hands.

First, we had the news that a bank had won an award for being socially minded. Unity Trust Bank, part of the Birmingham business landscape for nearly 40 years, won the Business of the Year award after picking up the Contribution to Community category. The bank was founded by trade unions in 1984 with a challenging mission to “create a better society, delivering impact not simply maxmising profits”.

Throughout the challenges of economic disruption, the Covid-19 pandemic and low bank rates, Unity maintained their mission of providing banking services for organisations that share their principles of acting with integrity.

And they stuck steadfastly to their commitment to small and medium-sized businesses by only lending to creditworthy organisations that share their values as well as delivering quantifiable impact to their local communities.

In the same ChamberlinkDaily bulletin, the Chamber released the first podcast of a 2023 Growth Through People mini-series, in which the Chamber’s policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs talks to National Express about the bus operator’s approach to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment.

This includes wellbeing and engagement along with creating a workplace where “everybody feels safe, and belongs” and ensure employees "have the best possible conditions to succeed”.

FRONT COVER: Deborah Hazell, CEO of Unity Trust Bank See page 5

And that single bulletin alone included:

• A story about a plan by the West Midlands Combined Authority board to level up opportunities for residents regardless of their race, ethnicity, and heritage as the region becomes more ethnically diverse.

• Chamber member Cerium Coaching offering a free online business coaching session mentoring support to small business owners looking to develop and retain their employees.

• The British Heart Foundation launching free RevivR (CPR) training courses that can more than double the chances of survival from a heart attack.

• Solihull Sixth Form College holding an Employability Fair for learners on their BTEC courses, as well as Year 13 employment seekers, to give them an opportunity to talk to employers about the range of opportunities open to them.

And all of this and more was in one day’s bulletin demonstrating business as a force for good. More than any other time in most of our lifetimes, business today is more aware of how it can contribute to the wellbeing of the communities in which they operate as well as ensuring that they have the finance and training to build sustainable enterprises.

I remember the example of one Chamber manufacturing member who was blighted with break-ins and vandalism in the community where it operated. Rather than turning their backs on the community, they invited residents in to take a look at what they were doing.

Not only did the vandalism stop but they have ever since not had to advertise for new employees – they have a long waiting list made up mainly from their neighbours.

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Business News

Latest news from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Unity Trust Bank named Business of the Year at Chamber awards

By Jon Griffin

Unity Trust Bank – a key part of the Birmingham business landscape for nearly 40 years – is celebrating after winning the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Business of the Year award.

The Brindleyplace bank, which also won the Contribution to Community category, was originally founded by the trade unions in 1984 to serve the common good.

The awards – hosted by broadcaster Ed James – took place at the ICC in Birmingham with around 1,100 guests in attendance.

The event was supported by headline sponsors Birmingham City University, Elonex, Schumacher Packaging and headline partners Birmingham City Council.

Judges praised Unity Trust Bank’s mission to “create a better society, delivering impact not simply maximising profits.”

In 2022 the bank recruited seven new commercial banking officers for the region and three new relationship managers covering North and South Birmingham, the Black Country and Sutton Coldfield, taking the size of its frontline Midlands team to 20 people.

Net lending increased by £63m to £786m in H1 2022, including an additional 99 borrowers accessing loans through responsible finance providers.

The lending supported 149 jobs, enabled 384 people in safe housing, created/renovated 488 bed spaces, provided 504 day care spaces and 89 community facilities.

The Birmingham bank unveiled two new charity partnerships for 2022/23, with the Prince’s Trust and Fareshare.

Chief executive Deborah Hazell says the bank loans to applicants with a solid financial base, a good credit risk and the ability to demonstrate social purpose. The minimum loan level is £250,000.

Deposit clients include the likes of charities, parish councils, care organisations or trade unions, all with a social purpose, and the bank also supports Community Development Financial Institution Funds.

In 2022 Unity extended its established employee volunteering programme, initially launched in 2009, with the unveiling of Unity and Me, described as a ‘vibrant and engaging employee experience.’

The Greater Birmingham Business of the Year award was sponsored by Crowe UK.

Katrina Cooke, the GBCC’s chief commercial officer and chair of the awards judging panel, said: “A huge congratulations to Unity Trust Bank on winning the Greater Birmingham Business of the Year award.

“The judges were extremely impressed by the standard of entries for this year’s awards, which reflect the breadth, diversity and talent of businesses across the region. Thank you to all those who took the time to enter.”

• See pages 6, 7 and 8 for the category winners and President’s Award

Creating a better society: The awardwinning Unity Trust Bank team

Double triumph: Unity Trust Bank CEO Deborah Hazell

Biggest celebration of business success

The judging panel of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Awards & Dinner was chaired by Katrina Cooke, chief commercial officer at GBCC.

The panel consisted of Alex Claridge (chef-patron, The Wilderness restaurant), Yetunde Dania (partner at law firm Trowers & Hamlins and chair of WMCA Race Equality Taskforce), David Jackson (centre manager, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands), Yiannis Maos (CEO and founder, Birmingham Tech CIC), Dr Nik Kotecha (entrepreneur and philanthropist), Steve Allen (partner at law firm Mills & Reeve and past president of the GBCC), Carmen Watson (chair of recruitment agency Pertemps Network Group), Rosie Ginday MBE(founder and managing director, Miss Macaroon CIC), Professor Geoff Thompson (vice-chairman, Birmingham 2022), Tani Dulay (CEO of real estate developer Woodbourne Group) and Cllr Brigid Jones (deputy leader of Birmingham City Council).

CATEGORY WINNERS

Excellence Contribution to Community, sponsored by runyourfleet

Winner: Unity Trust Bank

Unity Trust Bank has also been crowned overall Greater Birmingham Business of the Year. See page 5 for more.

Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by Birmingham Airport

Winner: Intercity Technology

The Holloway Head communications and IT firm enjoyed a highly successful year in 2022, which contributed to turnover growing by 18.6 per cent.

The firm increased its workforce by 10 per cent and now employs 200 people, with the majority based in Greater Birmingham. Intercity was ranked by Best Comp anies as the 11th best company to work for in the Midlands.

Excellence in Hospitality and Retail, sponsored by Pinsent Masons

Winner: KIBOU Japanese Kitchen and Bar

KIBOU has served nearly 37,000 guests since its launch, recruiting an entirely new team all from the local area. The diner works closely with Solihull BID to help draw footfall to the town, noticeably the Food Festival.

It launched a new Japanese-inspired afternoon tea, bento box lunch menu and takeaway/Deliveroo service.

Excellence in International Business, sponsored by Gowling WLG

Winner: Y International UK Ltd

The Birmingham company specialises in exporting the best of British food mainly to Middle Eastern markets.

Over the past 18 months the company has seen a growth in turnover of 10 per cent while exports have increased from £32.5m to £35m.

Since it started trading, Y International has int roduced over 300 bespoke British brands to Gulf states, with the majority attracting repeat orders.

Excellence in Manufacturing, sponsored by University of Birmingham

Winner: Webster and Horsfall & Latch and Batchelor

For the past 300 years the Birmingham manufacturer has pioneered best industry practice in the city and the last 12 months have seen the firm’s established charity, the Hay Mills Foundation Trust, convert meeting rooms into historical exhibitions.

The company has seen a 20 per cent and 18 per cent increase in turnover and full-time employees respectively.

Around 30 per cent of the turnover has been reinvested into manufacturing growth.

Excellence in People Development, sponsored by GuruYou

Winner: Fleet Evolution

The company mission is to move as many employees to electric cars as possible.

The firm works with SMEs in all sectors. Its smallest customer has three employees, its largest 7,000 and the company boasts 52 customers within the Chamber area.

Over the last 12 months the firm has increased headcount by 33 per cent, all in the local area and all via its apprentice programme.

The firm supports charities, local sports clubs and social enterprises, and turnover has increased by 75 per cent.

Excellence in Responsible Business, sponsored by Aston University

Winner: Serco Restart Scheme

The Restart Scheme, run by FTSE 250 company Serco, has supported 33,000 people into work across the whole of the West Midlands.

Its 14 staff members in Birmingham support long-term unemployed people seeking to access the workplace.

To help tackle the cost of living crisis, the Restart Scheme delivered three roadshow events in the West Midlands last year.

The November event at Birmingham’s Summer Hill Road Jobcentre saw a wide range of companies in attendance and helped over 800 people.

Excellence in Sales and Marketing, sponsored by Birmingham City University

Winner: Park Regis, Birmingham

2022 saw the Broad Street hotel win the ‘Best UK Hotel’ national accolade for the second year

Excellence: Intercity Technology won the award for Customer Service

Glory night: All the winners from the annual dinner and awards

running as well as a silver gong for ‘Best Incentive Provider’ at the Meetings and Incentive Travel awards, voted for by clients and event planners across the UK.

Web traffic grew by 224 per cent, contributing to a record year of sales which exceeded prepandemic levels.

Compared to 2019, visitor numbers were up by five per cent with projected total revenue up by 41 per cent.

Excellence in Sustainability, sponsored by South & City College Birmingham

Winner: Birmingham County Football Association

The Association, which covers Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry as well as the Black Country, Walsall, Warwickshire, Tamworth and East Staffordshire, governs 5,100 teams, 1,200 match officials, 25,000 volunteers and coaches and around 100,000 players from all formats of the game.

In June 2021 the Association launched Save Today, Play Tomorrow, a pioneering sustainability programme which seeks to empower local grassroots football to support the goal of creating a low carbon greener game across the region.

Excellence in Technology and Innovation, sponsored by Close Brothers Asset Management

Winner: runyourfleet

The fleet management and vehicle finance company has grown in 12 years to a £15m business managing over 31,000 vehicles and employing a team of 34.

Profits have increased by over 100 per cent year on year for three years in succession.

Revenue is now forecast to grow to more than £21.5m over the next 12 months through further growth in the B2B market and entry into the consumer market.

Excellence in Third Sector, sponsored by Unity Trust Bank

Winner: Molly Ollys

The charity supports children with lifethreatening illnesses and over the last 12 months has supported around 400 children treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

It has donated its therapeutic toy lion, Olly and Brave, to youngsters and has delivered wishes to Midlands children to help them create special memories.

Since its launch in 2012 the charity has raised over £3.5m, emotionally supported more than 16,000 children, completed more than 2,500 wishes and donated more than 13,000 Olly The Brave lions and books.

Excellence in Training and Development, sponsored by University College Birmingham

Winner: BMet College

The college raises aspirations and improves life chances for young people and adults in Greater Birmingham.

It serves a range of industries, and the overall impact of BMet on the local community is estimated at £308.7m in added income.

The campuses number around 10,000 students, from 16-year-olds to adults looking to change careers or continuing lifetime learning.

Its student population comprises of a ‘majority minority’ encompassing 66 per cent Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students, 27 per cent White British and five per cent other White, Irish and Gypsy/Irish Traveller groups.

Showstoppers: Aston Performing Arts Academy

Host: Broadcaster Ed James

Chamber Business Awards 2023

President’s Award honours work of Games organisers

By Jon Griffin

The huge international success of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games came under the spotlight at the city’s biggest business dinner – with a special President’s Award.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce president Deb Leary set the seal on the Games by presenting the prestige accolade –for outstanding contribution to Greater Birmingham - to Professor Geoff Thompson, deputy chair of the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee.

Prof Thompson was called to the stage at the ICC to accept the award on behalf of “all the partners, volunteers and businesses involved in making the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games a success.”

Deb told guests at the ICC: “Let us not forget that the brightest light of all last year was that of the Commonwealth Games. The success of the Games wasn’t just about sport. The Games shone a light on the people of Greater Birmingham,

their passion, enthusiasm, their kindness and their humour. Even the sun shone for us!”

She said the Games had been ‘the largest multi-sport event to be held in England in 10 years, featuring thousands of world-class athletes.’

“With Birmingham being home to more than 180 nationalities, Birmingham 2022 became a home Games for every nation. With the iconic Raging Bull on opening night through to the legendary Ozzy

Osbourne closing the event, the Games captured the imagination of the city, the region, the UK and the world.

“From the mountain biking in Cannock Chase to the NEC in Solihull and Triathlon in Sutton Park, the Games showcased the best of us, the best of this city, the best of this region. How can anyone not be impressed by the

spectacular volunteers who guided us throughout the Games? Their smiles, their passion and energy for the Games and their home was a joy to behold.

“But for any of this to happen it takes more than an idea, it takes people with not only the vision of what it should be but the tenacity, energy and commitment to

inclusivity. It takes a legion of people who are not only focused on the moment, but on the legacy.

“Including local businesses, 46 per cent of suppliers directly contracted by the Commonwealth Games were based in the West Midlands and many, many more companies became part of the supply chain.”

Chamber chief praises community resilience

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Henrietta Brealey has paid glowing tribute to the ‘resilience, ingenuity and creativity’ of the business sector in the face of Covid-19, the Ukraine war and economic obstacles.

Ms Brealey praised the ‘stunning examples’ of more than 80 regional businesses shortlisted for the Chambers’ showpiece annual dinner and awards at the International Convention Centre.

She told more than 1,100 guests: “Just when you think we’re getting to a new normal we get through three Prime Ministers and four

Chancellors in four months, and the country gets obsessed with a live stream of a lettuce.

“In fact if anyone had told us a few years back that we’d be experiencing a global pandemic, war in Europe, an energy crisis, Brexit, eye watering inflation, rising interest rates and labour market shortages all at once – you wouldn’t

think there’d be any business success to celebrate.

“And yet, here we are. The 83 shortlisted organisations tonight are stunning examples of the resilience, ingenuity and creativity of the businesses that are proud to call this great region home.

“From Burton to Brum, Sutton to Solihull, Cannock to Lichfield & Tamworth – we had applications from businesses right across the region, all doing incredible things to lead their

fields and make a difference to their communities.”

Ms Brealey hailed the longevity of the Birmingham Chamber, which will be 210 years old in the summer. “In fact to be very precise, we’re going to be 210 years old at 11am on 22 July. They kept very good minutes in 1813.

“This longevity, this way in which the Chamber and the brilliant people that bring this network to life, continue to be so embedded in the foundations of this region is a testament to the fundamental nature of what we do. Because business just is better together.

“Whether we’re supporting each other when times get tough and facing challenges, together, or taking forward new ideas and ways of working together or championing the views and needs of businesses together.”

Ms Brealey revealed forthcoming changes to the Chambers’ Future Faces network, the young professionals’ arm of the organisation.

“We’re proud to be home to the region’s largest cross-sector young professional network, connecting and developing the business leaders of the future. In 2020 The longstanding BPS network Birmingham Future, joined forces with Future Faces.

“To mark the next stage of this merger we’re delighted to reveal that this year’s Future Faces Chambers of Commerce Awards has been rebranded as the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards.”

‘The Games showcased the best of us, the best of this city, the best of this region’

Games success: Professor Geoff Thompson and Deb Leary

‘The 83 shortlisted organisations tonight are stunning examples of the resilience, ingenuity and creativity of the businesses that are proud to call this great region home’

Glowing tribute: Henrietta Brealey

President’s Focus

In this month’s column, Future Faces president Kasim Choudhry states there has never been a more important time for young professionals to be part of a collective. Kasim, creative director at corporate events and networking company Thinkfest, believes that, as well as aiding the development of young professionals, Future Faces is adding value to organisations who are looking for new ways to retain staff

When I walked into the ICC for the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce annual dinner and awards wearing my president’s medal, I took some time to reflect.

Firstly, I looked at how Future Faces has aided my personal growth and secondly, how, as a network, it has never been more relevant.

I’ve been a Future Faces member for around six years, having been nominated for an award by my Chamber relationship manager. I didn’t win but it gave me the opportunity to attend networking events I didn’t know existed.

In those six years, I’ve won two Future Faces awards, been on the executive committee, served as vice-president and then finally graduated to the role of president towards the end of 2022.

I have made many contacts over the years, one of them being a guy called Greg, the first person I met at my first Future Faces social event. We became very good friends and would often hang out and support each other. Now I’ve come to realise that, as young professionals, we all need a Greg to push us out of our comfort zones!

Representing Future Faces as president at last month’s GBCC awards – attended by 1,200 of our region’s brightest and best –reminded me of the value this organisation has added to my work and personal growth.

I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve encountered imposter syndrome during my career.

To now be recognised by senior leaders in Greater Birmingham as a key voice for young professionals

shows how far I’ve come since being part of Future Faces.

Not to mention it has given me the opportunity to regularly connect with and seek advice from an array of experienced and highprofile leaders, who would otherwise be difficult to reach.

Whether you are part of our committee or just starting out as a member, the opportunity to be matched with some of Birmingham’s most knowledgeable figureheads – either through our mentoring scheme or simply by putting yourself out there at events – is invaluable.

Of course, there are countless stories throughout our network of

how Future Faces has aided an individual’s growth and success.

But let’s not forget this is a twoway street. Companies also have lots to gain by encouraging their talented young professionals to be part of a group like ours.

We’ve just lived through the era of the ‘Great Resignation’, where organisations have faced unprecedented difficulties in holding on to high-calibre employees.

Many SMEs simply do not have the resources or infrastructure internally to cater for the needs of staff in areas such as training, mentoring and professional development. However, Future Faces offers all of those things,

which means encouraging – and even sponsoring – your brightest young talent to join us can benefit both sides.

Not to mention it helps to build their confidence through networking (usually at some of the best venues around the city!).

It can’t be overstated enough that Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe and there is an insatiable appetite among young people to get out there, meet new faces and to learn – particularly since the pandemic.

So, Future Faces has arguably never had a more important role.

The strength, as they say, is in the collective…

‘There is an insatiable appetite among young people to get out there, meet new faces and to learn’

Kasim Choudhry: Strength in numbers

Devolution deal welcomed – but Budget falls short

By Dan Harrison

The Chancellor’s Spring Budget answered some of the calls from businesses but still fell short in several key areas, Greater Birmingham business leaders said.

At the heart of Jeremy Hunt’s statement was the muchanticipated devolution deal for the West Midlands Combined Authority, which secures wideranging new powers and funding for the region.

This includes a landmark housing deal worth up to £500m.

The West Midlands is also now eligible to bid for an Investment Zone which aims to drive growth through measures including tax incentives and specialist business support.

Among the most eye-catching announcements was the extension of the childcare system, with the existing 30 hours of free weekly childcare to working parents now covering children below the age of three. This will eventually cover all children from the age of nine months.

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We called on the Chancellor to use his Budget to

tackle the escalating cost of doing business and labour market shortages, while fostering real growth and ambition.

“This Budget strikes the right chord on some key areas, while leaving businesses unmoved on others. Helping parents back into work with meaningful reform to childcare support is a welcome development.

“The move towards to full expensing around capex investment is a step in the right direction.

“There was good news for the region as the West Midlands Combined Authority secured a significant new devolution deal and confirmation of the much-trailed opportunity for local authorities within the region to secure an Investment Zone.”

Mr Hunt pledged additional energy bills support for households, with subsidies limiting average bills to £2,500 a year extended until the end of June.

However, no equivalent support was announced for businesses.

Ms Brealey added the Chancellor could have done more to address recruitment challenges facing firms.

Meanwhile, the Budget contained no mention of business rate reforms.

Ms Brealey said: “The additional support for households struggling with rising energy costs felt inevitable and will play an important part in reducing inflationary pressures in the short term.

“However, the lack of equivalent support for the business community will jar with a number of firms, given the new support scheme which goes live in April will be a lot less generous than its predecessor – we can only hope that wholesale gas prices continue to come down otherwise any rise could lead to real hardship, particularly for those hospitality

and retail firms that are still struggling with huge debts wracked up during the pandemic.

“A lack of reference to business rates reform was also disappointing to see – especially as innovative incentives could be linked to supporting businesses transitioning on their journey to net zero.

“The Chancellor could also have gone further in helping businesses overcome recruitment challengesand introducing more modular short courses for Apprentices would have an immediate impact on boosting employment numbers.”

Decision to delay HS2 a disappointment

Business leaders in Greater Birmingham are disappointed with the “short-term thinking” behind the government’s decision to delay a key section of HS2.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce took part in high-level discussions with Minister of State for Transport Huw Merriman about plans for the high-speed rail project following an announcement that the Birmingham to Crewe leg would be delayed by a further two years.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has also suggested Euston station’s opening could be delayed as an “affordable” design is worked on. However, he insisted the government remains “committed” to delivering the project in full.

Raj Kandola, head of policy and strategic relationships at the GBCC, joined discussions with Mr Merriman alongside Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and transport bodies Midlands Connect and the Department for Transport.

He said: “While we understand the

Delayed: Leaders are frustrated by the latest HS2 announcement

challenging fiscal position the Government currently finds itself in, we are disappointed with the short-term thinking behind this decision.

“Any additional delays are likely to add to the long-term cost of delivery, particularly as inflation is forecast to come down over the coming months.

“Here in Greater Birmingham you can see first-hand the thousands of jobs and apprenticeships the programme has already delivered and the positive momentum that has played an important role in driving confidence

across the region as we emerged from the pandemic.

“While it was reassuring to hear from Mr Merriman that the Government remains committed to the project, this sentiment must be backed up by policy.

“Levelling Up can only be realised if HS2 is backed in its entirety given the broader economic benefits it will bring the country from years to come.”

• More Business Travel news on pages 66 and 67

Henrietta Brealey: The Budget fell short in some areas

‘This Budget strikes the right chord on some key areas, while leaving businesses unmoved on others’

The Griffin Report

With the global pandemic driving a dagger through the heart of the live entertainment industry, staff at Lichfield Garrick turned to technology to ensure that, in the best traditions of theatreland, the show went on.

Jon Griffin met head of marketing and sales Hannah Jackson and director of development Matt Clay to find out how the popular theatre emerged from the biggest crisis in its history with a new-found global audience and an exciting programme to mark its dual anniversary year.

It was the world’s worst medical emergency in more than 100 years – but even the deadly Covid virus couldn’t put a stop to Christmas pantomime fun at the Garrick Theatre in Lichfield.

Faced with months of shutdown as coronavirus wreaked havoc with the UK’s live entertainment sector, the Garrick turned to 21st century technology to ensure that - in the best traditions of theatreland - the show went on.

And so the curtain went up on the Garrick’s Christmas 2020 production of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ – and theatre lovers from as far afield as Australia, Hong Kong and the United States tuned in at the height of the Covid crisis to enjoy some festive pantomime slapstick direct from the Staffordshire cathedral city.

As the Garrick’s head of marketing and sales Hannah Jackson recalls: “We called it the bite-sized ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. We only had four actors, socially-

distanced. We had to film the panto, go online with it and see if people wanted to watch it online with their family or have a refund.

“With that panto we were able to get audiences from across the globe – we could target everybody, not just Lichfield or the region.”

The cyber production of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ was just one of several novel ideas the Garrick management came up with to keep

Santa’s Grotto to vacant retail premises later taken over by Tesco. “Because there was nothing going on, we wanted to let Lichfield people have something to enjoy at Christmas.”

Thanks to the Garrick management’s ingenuity and their show must go on spirit in the face of the global virus the Lichfield theatre was awarded the Large Business of the Year prize at the Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth and Cannock Chase Chambers of Commerce’s annual awards at the Drayton Manor Hotel.

better do another month’s worth, and it just kept going and going.

“As soon as we could open, we opened our cinema in the September/October of 2020, and we showed a few films. We had been in a good state going into Covid – we had had a really successful year.

“Furlough was a godsend and help came from the DCMS in the form of the Cultural Recovery Fund, Government money administered by the Arts Council. That was why we were able to weather the storm.”

the Covid wolf from the door – and generate much-needed revenue during the worst crisis for the theatre world in living memory.

The Garrick also switched other productions outdoors and into empty shop units – and even transferred their popular festive

The accolade came almost exactly three years on from the worst crisis in the popular Lichfield theatre’s 50-year history as Covid drove a dagger through the heart of live entertainment across the UK.

Matt Clay, the Garrick’s director of development, says: “It was really worrying – literally overnight we cancelled everything. We only thought it would be for three weeks – we just cancelled for three weeks and then it was ok, we had

The Covid stormclouds are now, thankfully, a fast receding memory for the Garrick as the theatre prepares for its 20th anniversary celebrations two decades after its transformation from its original incarnation as the Lichfield Civic Hall.

As Matt recalls: “The Garrick opened 20 years ago on the site of the old Lichfield Civic Hall. We became a charitable trust in 2013, 10 years ago. Lichfield District Council are our landlords and we work as closely as we can with them.

‘We had been in a good state going into Covid – we had had a really successful year’

Matt Clay: Keeping the Covid wolf from the door

“With a charitable trust, you are able to do so much more community work, fund-raising. You have got more freedom to make a difference, you are not just a commercial operation. It’s more about working with the community as well as presenting great live entertainment – it gives the trust more autonomy as an organisation.”

2023 marks a red letter year for the theatre, with its 50-year anniversary since the venue originally launched as Lichfield Civic Hall in September 1973 and its 20th anniversary milestone since it became the Garrick.

“We have found our very first brochure. As part of our birthday year, we want people to come

forward to tell us more about their memories of the Garrick and the history of the theatre. There will be people in Lichfield who were at the

the Civic has firmly established a genuine niche in theatreland, both in the West Midlands and further afield.

Matt adds: “I think for a city the size of Lichfield, to have a venue the size of the Garrick is quite unusual, Lichfield is really lucky. Over the years we have established ourselves and have attracted some really highprofile names, Pam Ayres, Michael McIntyre and many others.

“We don’t see the Birmingham theatres as competition in terms of some of the shows but we are competing for people’s nights out regardless of the size of the venue. The people of the West Midlands are really lucky that they have got plenty of great theatres within a reasonable distance.

“People can come to Lichfield for a day out, go to the Cathedral, there are lots of independent shops, we do feel the Garrick is really part of the community.”

panto, ‘Snow White’, was the most successful ever - over 36,000 people came to see the show.

“Our turnover pre-Covid was about £2.5m. Last year – our financial year runs from August to July – it was about £1.7m.”

Now the Garrick has its sights firmly set on its dual anniversary year, with a spring production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap already sold out and Willy Russell’s acclaimed Blood Brothers hard on its heels. Meanwhile, the 2023 panto, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, has already sold over 5,000 tickets. The panto will be directed by the Garrick’s new chief executive Daniel Buckroyd, who combines the day to day running of the theatre with a role as artistic director.

first performance who will know if there was an opening ceremony. We will be running a bit of a callout for people to come forward and tell us about their memories.”

The Covid emergency notwithstanding, over nearly 50 years the Garrick and its predecessor

The theatre has bounced back from Covid in impressive style, with ticket sales almost back to precoronavirus levels, a far cry from the early days of the pandemic three years ago when the Garrick had to refund 20,000 tickets and reschedule 400 shows.

Says Matt: “Last year, we sold 93,000 tickets. Our last full year before Covid, 2019, the total was about 112,000. We are encouraged by the recovery from Covid. Our

Also due to tread the Garrick boards are Motionhouse Dance company, who performed at last year’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, another coup for the Lichfield venue.

With its anniversary celebrations looming, the Garrick is full of confidence for the future. “We want to work with 20 schools in the district, do workshops, offer 20 work placements and work with 20 community groups,” says Matt.

It promises to be another memorable year for a theatre which has regularly punched above its thespian weight across the decades…

‘We do feel the Garrick is really part of the community.’

Anniversary: Matt and the team have grand plans for 2023

Get the support you need to hire an apprentice

The region continues to struggle with a shortage of skills and many job vacancies remain unfilled, which in turn adversely affects the profitability of our industries. The Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) will be published in the coming months and we need to ensure that as a college, we support the priorities outlined in the development of skills for our region.

We are looking to the future and planning a comprehensive portfolio of boot camps, SWAPS and adult courses for September. However, one of the ways in which we are able to support employers right now is through our apprenticeship scheme.

At the moment it is really difficult to recruit staff and an apprentice may be the talent injection your company needs to move forward. We offer a wide range of qualifications and currently have excellent candidates for business admin and customer services.

Studying a programme in business administration, your apprentice will learn a lot of different things including the basics of business, like operations, finance, marketing, HR, and management. As important as that is, they will also learn how to communicate well, think critically, and lead and motivate people.

Customer service apprentices can help your business boost sales, upsell products and services and allow you to remain competitive in the marketplace.

We have a fantastic new apprenticeship team in place ready to help your business. We can provide support to help you navigate the recruitment and sign up processes too. Give us a call on 0121 602 7777 option 6 or email skillsshop@halesowen.ac.uk to recruit your apprentice.

Double recognition for Chamber chief executive

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Henrietta Brealey has earned regional and national recognition with two accolades.

Henrietta received the ‘Young Leader of the Year’ award at the West Midlands Leadership Awards, organised by TheBusinessDesk.com.

The awards ceremony was held at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham city centre and sponsored by Chamber patron Curium Solutions.

Meanwhile, Henrietta has also been named as one of top 23 British Women in Business by BusinessLive.

The list - released to coincide with International

Women’s Day last month – also included Miss Macaroon founder Rosie Ginday, British Chambers of Commerce director general Shevaun Haviland and Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden.

Speaking about the accolades, Henrietta stressed the importance of having a good team around her.

She said: “Behind every leader is a team of great people and that’s certainly true of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

“It’s a privilege to work with an exceptional team of 80 dedicated colleagues who care about making a positive difference for local businesses and each other.”

Siddall Jones named top property agent

The boss of West Midlands property agent Siddall Jones has been named the West Midlands’ best in the latest industry rankings.

Ed Siddall-Jones’ 99 deals in 2022 put him in first place in the nine English regions and second overall in the UK, according to the EG Radius Leaderboards. And the firm he founded in 2012, Siddall Jones, is top for total deals with a record 180 sales and acquisitions throughout the year - nearly double that of the nearest rival. The managing director also ranks

Ed Siddall-Jones

seventh out of 10 in the UK for retail sales, transacting a total of 122,088 sq ft in 2022, which also places him fourth in the West Midlands.

Siddall Jones has two offices covering the West Midlands region, in The Mint, Icknield Street, Birmingham, and with a Black Country focus, at King Charles House, Castle Hill, Dudley.

Mr Siddall-Jones said: “The results are a fantastic achievement and testament to our hardworking team, who are driven to deliver the best possible outcome for our clients. We are thrilled to once again be crowned the most active agent in the West Midlands.”

• More property news on page 74

Leadership: Henrietta collects her Young Leader award from TheBusinessDesk.com’s managing director Alex Turner (right) and Alex Cottom from sponsor DRPG (left)

Eileen’s service to legal sector is celebrated

The newly-elected president of Solihull Chamber of Commerce was honoured at the 21st Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards.

Eileen Schofield, owner and principal of Schofield & Associates, received a Lifetime Achievement award for her service to the legal sector.

Eileen is also vice-president of the Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce.

The legal awards took place at the ICC in Birmingham and were hosted by ITV’s Emma Jesson.

Other winners included Irwin Mitchell’s Fiona Farrell, who scooped Solicitor of the Year, Gowling WLG, who claimed Law firm of the Year (National), and Trowers & Hamlins’ Christopher Plumley who was named Partner of the Year.

Tony McDaid, president of Birmingham Law Society, said: “The West Midlands is blessed with some of the legal sector’s most influential and sector-leading firms and individuals – all of whom choose to flourish here in our region.

“The Birmingham Law Society is proud to be part of its success and honour it with this fantastic awards ceremony.”

• Eileen Schofield becomes Solihull Chamber president

– see pages 44 and 45

Students thrive at Event Week Live

The NEC has held its most successful Event Week Live to date - welcoming undergraduate students from local universities to its venue for a taster of the live events industry.

Twenty-eight event management students from Birmingham City University and Coventry University spent a week on the campus, receiving talks, advice and guidance from a variety of leaders at the NEC.

Coinciding with National Careers Week, Event Week Live gives students an insight into the real workings of an industry leading live events business, during one of the UK's most highprofile exhibitions, Crufts.

This included visiting back of house to see the different and varied roles available within the

events industry, as well as a trip to the Resorts World Arena and Vox conference venue.

The NEC’s head of events, Michelle Baldwin, said: “With each year that we run Event Week Live, the more we have been able to enhance and adapt the content further. Designed to give an immersive week-long look into our industry, our aim is to inspire the next generation of talent, and what better way to do this than with one of our flagship and world-renowned events, Crufts!"

Michelle began Event Week Live in 2011, after realising her passion for developing young talent and showcasing the variety of roles within live events.

Many of the students who have taken part over the years have since become fully-fledged

live events professionals, working across the industry, with ten individuals currently in roles across the NEC Group.

Event Week Live closed with a networking lunch held at the Vox, which featured talks from events specialists such as Easyfairs, NCC, Hydrock Events and the Association of Event Venues (AEV).

Dr. Libby Carter, course leader BA(Hons) Event, Venue and Experience Management, at Birmingham City University, said: “Events Week Live is such an important initiative to give students real insight into the industry.

“It is an invaluable opportunity for our students and something they are extremely proud and excited to be a part of.”

Going live: Students were shown around the Vox conference venue on the NEC campus

Lifetime achiever: Eileen Schofield

A world-class home for ambitious sports students

Birmingham City University has announced a major £5m investment to fit out the areas of the city’s Alexander Stadium that will serve as a world-class home for its sports and exercise-related courses.

The eyes of the world were on the stadium last summer when it hosted key events as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games - including the opening and closing ceremonies.

Leaders from Birmingham City University and Birmingham City Council met to sign the lease.

BCU will become one of the venue’s tenants alongside organisations including UK Athletics and the famous athletics club Birchfield Harriers.

Professor Philip Plowden, vice-chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “Not only will our sports students benefit from world-class facilities based at an internationally-renowned sporting venue, but we’re also playing our part in securing the legacy of the Commonwealth Games for both the city and future generations.”

UK Central Hub gathering speed

The Canary Wharf of the Midlands is gradually taking shape – turbo-charged by HS2.

The Urban Growth Company – a special purpose vehicle set up by Solihull Council – unveiled a £3bn masterplan back in 2020 to create a new business, leisure and residential centre near the high-speed rail line’s Interchange Station in Solihull.

The mixed-use site, part of a major project called the UK Central Hub, has the potential to become the Midlands’ very own Canary Wharf, according to Urban Growth Company strategy and planning director Nigel Hudson. And HS2 is set to play a huge role in the overall project, he said.

“Canary Wharf has attracted scores of high-profile companies and we are confident that the same will happen here,” said Mr Hudson.

“The UK Central Hub is one of the best-connected collections of development opportunities in the UK. We have motorways and an international airport right on our doorstep, while the West Coast Mainline also passes through the area. But it’s the arrival of HS2 which has effectively turbo-charged plans for the UK Central Hub.”

And the stadium will now play host to an altogether different type of sporting success as BCU’s sports students will begin studying at the stadium in Perry Barr from January 2024.

Work is currently underway to adapt the stadium’s East and West stands to house a range of specialist equipment and teaching facilities which will eventually be the base for up to 1,200 BCU students.

Dr Matt Cole, course director of the Sports and Exercise at Birmingham City University, said: “Our students will have access to increased placement, research, and partnership opportunities which will further enhance the ability for our students to be ‘employability-ready’ upon graduation, as well as increasing our capacity to impact/engage with professional sports organisations and community partners.”

• More sports news on page 82

Region nets unspent Games funds

Around £70m of unspent

Commonwealth Games funding is to be used to realise legacy ambitions, grow the West Midlands economy and boost its trade and tourism sectors.

The Government will provide the money, which is £10m more than originally announced, to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to help enhance and amplify the positive legacy of the Games.

The WMCA board has agreed to allocate just under £39m to bolster

the economy, trade and tourism and support initiatives set out in the region’s economic blueprint Plan for Growth.

Another £20.8m will be used to help tackle inequalities in the region’s more deprived communities including encouraging participation in sports and physical activity. Just over £4m will be used to support the region’s culture and heritage sector and programmes to improve environmental sustainability and people’s wellbeing will also get £4m.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street led the discussions between council leaders and the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport to secure the agreement that the unspent Birmingham 2022 budget would be handed back to the West Midlands.

The mayor said: “This news is not only a real vote of confidence in the ability of local leadership to deliver but also means we have tens of millions of pounds to spend on imp roving the lives of people right across our region, ensuring the Games leave a lasting legacy.”

Mr Hudson said the highspeed rail project had also brought ‘many challenges’ alongside raising the profile of the Hub as a place to invest.

“One of the biggest issues has been a large chunk of land ripe for development which has been compulsorily purchased by HS2 Ltd for the station, the line itself and associated parking.

“The HS2 base case includes a 7,000 space surface level car park, which would cover a large part of the Arden Cross site. The UGC has argued successfully that the solution is a multi-storey car park and a reduced level of car parking.

“This would help to release over 30 acres of land for development and make the whole Arden Cross site much more attractive to investors. We are now working with HS2 and the Department for Transport to get this land released ahead of HS2’s delivery into the service date.”

Mr Hudson said it would be a missed opportunity not to develop the land around the station.

Sporting legacy: BCU sport student and gymnast Joshua Nathan, Councillor Jayne Francis, Councillor Mariam Khan, and BCU sports student and footballer Thierry Anderson Taylor

‘Our students will have access to increased placement, research, and partnership opportunities’

By Dan Harrison

The Policy and Strategic Relationships team carries out all research, campaigning and stakeholder engagement activity on behalf of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and its 2,500 members.

And with pressing issues such as the cost-ofliving crisis, Brexit, skills challenges and HS2, department head Raj Kandola admits no two days are the same.

“I’ve been with the Chamber for over six years and have loved my time here,” says Raj.

“In policy, no two days are the same and it’s very exciting to be lobbying on behalf of the business community on key issues such as the cost of doing business, skills, transport and international trade.”

As well as leading the GBCC’s policy activity, Raj regularly acts as a spokesperson for the region’s leading business support organisation.

In fact, he was thrust into the regional and national TV spotlight twice last month when the Chamber was asked to comment on the delay to HS2 and the Chancellor’s Spring Budget.

This month’s Meet the Team series features the Policy and Strategic Relationships team, who spearhead the Chamber’s research, lobbying and stakeholder engagement activity.

MAY: In the next issue of Chamberlink, we will be meeting the Documentation team, who provide assistance to exporters and issue them with a wide range of documents used in international business.

Meet the Team POLICY AND STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

Raj joined the Chamber in November 2016 as senior policy advisor, having previously worked in London as a recruitment consultant and then in communications for a former Shadow Minister. He was promoted to head of policy in 2021. In addition to policy-related matters, he is also responsible for managing the GBCC’s patronage scheme alongside patron manager Jason Simpson.

Jason serves as the main point of contact for the Chamber’s top tier membership group –which includes juggernauts like Jaguar Land Rover, the NEC Group, Birmingham Airport and Birmingham’s universities.

A hospitality management graduate, Jason previously worked for one of those patron members, Hotel du Vin, as well as award-winning Solihull venue Hampton Manor.

“I have the privilege of working with the Chamber’s top tier of membership, which includes some of the region’s biggest and best employers,” he said.

"My role entails raising awareness of GBCC patronage as a high-profile, exclusive group and to build and strengthen patron relationships through regular contact to confirm priorities and

align these to Chamber activities and events.”

Tasked with delivering the Chamber’s various commercial research and business engagement initiatives is senior policy and projects manager, Emily Stubbs.

The University of Birmingham law graduate’s specific areas of focus include education, employment, skills and business productivity.

Emily co-ordinates the annual Growth Through People productivity and leadership campaign and is currently driving key research and analysis that will underpin the West Midlands Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).

Emily, who joined as a policy and patron adviser in 2017, says: “I love that I get to work on exciting, varied projects with all kinds of local businesses and stakeholders.

“Ultimately, what we do is all about making Greater Birmingham the best place to start, grow, move and invest in a business. It’s amazing being a part of that.”

Supporting the team’s activities and objectives are sustainability policy adviser Kuranpal Singh and the two newest recruits, policy and projects officer Gemma Dilkes and policy and public affairs adviser Cameron Uppal.

Policy matters: From left – Emily Stubbs, Cameron Uppal, Gemma Dilkes, Kuranpal Singh, Jason Simpson and Raj Kandola

Passionate about laundry

Priory Dry Cleaners and Laundry is a family-run company that has been in the business for over 40 years. We are proud of our excellent customer service and we have a network of shops and vehicles covering the Midlands, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and mid Wales.

Our head office and main factory is based in Worcester and provides extended coverage with two additional branches in Birmingham. Our On Parade Dry Cleaners location in Solihull and our Pride Cleaners location in Cotteridge offer the same quality and convenience as our main location, making it easier than ever to get the professional cleaning services our customers need.

In addition to our professional dry cleaning, domestic and commercial laundry and linen hire service, we also offer in-house alterations and repairs, suede and leather item cleaning, household cleaning and special bridal dress cleaning.

Our Worcester factory has a unique setup that sets us apart from others in the UK. We have divided our facility into three distinct sections: professional dry cleaning, commercial laundry, and domestic laundry. This separation allows us to keep each job secure and avoid crosscontamination. Additionally, we use a colourcoded system to process jobs more efficiently, no matter their size or complexity.

Our laundry process utilises ozonated water, incorporating ozone gas that effectively eliminates a wide range of harmful pathogens, including SARS Coronavirus, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and E-coli. This enables us to wash items at lower temperatures, thereby reducing wear and tear, and minimising our carbon impact.

We are committed to providing the best possible dry cleaning service to our customers. That is why we use only the latest technology and high-quality machines. Our dry cleaning process includes both traditional methods and the newer ‘wet cleaning’ technique, which has yielded impressive results; particularly when it comes to cleaning bridal wear.

We are proud to serve a wide range of clients, including the hospitality sector, hotels, B&Bs, gyms and restaurants. We are also honoured to have government, NHS and university contracts. Our family-run company has a strong commitment to supporting the local community, as demonstrated by our achievement of being the official laundry provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Our factory is undergoing expansion in the coming months; we will be adding new machines and a brand new fleet, as well as an extra floor for expanded storage and offices. As we grow, we are also looking forward to introducing new services like wholesale bed linen, tablecloths and uniform sales.

Our team is passionate and motivated to tackle any challenges that come our way and provide exceptional service to our existing and future customers.

The Priory Dry Cleaners team with (holding certificate) CEO Ishtiaq Lone and John Steed, regional manager and Commonwealth games project manager

introducing our sales manager, Michelle Jacques.

She can be reached at: michelle@priorydrycleaners.co.uk Or: 07891 677 314.

Michelle is available to answer any questions you may have. She is also happy to schedule in-person meetings to discuss our services.

Head office address: 1A Everoak Industrial Estate, Bromyard Road, Worcester WR2 5HP

Tel: 01905 420001

Email: support@priorydrycleaners.co.uk

Website: www.priorycleaners.co.uk

Trinity’s baby loss support

A beauty contestant who suffered four miscarriages has launched a project to help other women who are left devastated by baby loss.

Trinity Jean Harper, aged 21, has been donating self-care bags to City Hospital, Birmingham where she was cared for.

The sales administrator from West Bromwich is now a mother to nine-month old Evan. However, she was determined to help others who have been in her situation and set up the Halo’s and Memories project bags.

The bags include scrolls of positive quotes and affirmations, words of encouragement and acts of self-care.

Trinity said: “I’d often still reflect on my losses and how there are still so many women going through this grief every single day. I wanted to create a resource that was different to what’s already out there.”

The stage isn’t unfamiliar to the mum-of-one. In 2019, she was crowned Miss Royal UK Teen. This year, Trinity will be heading to the Middleton Arena in Manchester to compete for the Royal UK Pageants ‘Miss’ division.

She hopes to win a spot at the international competition in Florida.

Trinity is using her platform to raise awareness of baby loss - both miscarriage and stillbirth.

Victoria Weaver, bereavement lead midwife, said: “The Halo’s and Memories bags will help our families in maternity and gynaecology who have suffered the loss of a baby to feel less alone, which is so important at such a difficult time.”

Parking greed harms city centre trade

Private parking firms in town and city centres are ‘greedy’ and harming trade, according to the British Independent Retail Association.

BIRA, which works with more than 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, hit out at news that private parking is set to become a billion-pound-a-year industry as the number of tickets issued by firms hits an all-time high.

Data released by the DVLA suggests drivers were on course to receive more than 11 million penalties in private car parks over the course of the 2022-23 financial year.

In the first three quarters of the year alone, 8,564,762 vehicle keeper records were bought by the companies from the DVLA.

This figure is a proxy for the number of tickets issued as it allows the firms to chase up vehicle keepers for supposed parking infringements on private land.

Each ticket can be for up to £100 - suggesting more than £1bn will be demanded from drivers overall.

But BIRA has called these firms ‘greedy’ and a huge deterrent to people wanting to park in city and town centres to do their shop.

BIRA CEO Andrew Goodacre said: “This figure released by the DVLA is phenomenal and just goes to show that being a private parking firm is a very lucrative business.

“But this greed by the many firms we now see popping up throughout the country has a counterproductive outcome as its driving people out of the centre and to either shop online or to out-of-town shops which more often than not are not owned and run by independent traders.

“We need our businesses to be supported and nurtured if the high street is to survive, not have another barrier to them being able to thrive in such a difficult economy.”

A new chapter for Birmingham hospice group

A new name in hospice care for Birmingham has launcheddrawing on more than 150 years’ experience of providing support for people living with a terminal diagnosis.

The Hospice Charity Partnership – bringing together services from Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice in Selly Oak and Erdington-based John Taylor – has been renamed Birmingham Hospice.

The two hospices merged in August 2021 to form one single

registered charity. Leaders at the hospice said the move towards a single, clear identity will help raise the charity’s profile and open up new opportunities to care for more people living with a terminal diagnosis.

Each year, after NHS funding, the charity must raise £5.5m from voluntary donations to provide its care.

Dawn Ward, chair of trustees, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the 157 years of heritage Birmingham

St Mary’s and John Taylor Hospices have shared, and what we have achieved since merging in 2021, and we are still retaining our history with our new logo and colours.”

The hospice has more than 20 charity shops across Birmingham, Sandwell, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Walsall which help to raise vital funds for its services. It’s Selly Oak and Wylde Green stores have already rebranded, with more to follow over the coming months.

Care project: Trinity Jean Harper with Victoria Weaver

Andrew Goodacre: Trade is being hampered

Cathedral staff get new office

Staff at Birmingham Cathedral are now working from a new office, located within their Grade I listed building.

The project marks a £165,000 investment by the cathedral in future-proofing the building, while also helping to manage operational costs and achieve ambitious netzero targets.

Midland Conservation Ltd –specialists in renovating heritage and listed buildings - undertook the

work between June 2022 and February 2023.

An open-plan desk space has been created within the 300-yearold cathedral’s former south-east Vestry.

The airy and modern space replaces three smaller rooms.

Extensive rewiring has also been completed, along with the installation of an air-source heat pump to improve temperature control.

The Dean of Birmingham, The Very Reverend Matt Thompson, blessed the office on 6 March 2023.

Anna Pitt, CEO at Birmingham Cathedral, said: "Our central location allows us to work as part of a vibrant and bustling community in the city centre.

“For our team to be able to work within the building, alongside our visitors, and together in one space, will make a real impact on what we can offer.”

New chief at Acorn’s hospice

Acorns Children’s Hospice has named Trevor Johnson as its new chief executive.

Mr Johnson, who was previously CEO of Katharine House Hospice in Oxfordshire, replaces Toby Porter, who stepped down in September 2022 after six years at the helm.

Acorns, which opened its first hospice in Birmingham in 1988, provides specialist palliative care to babies, children and young people across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire.

In the past year, the charity has cared for more than 700 children and supported more than 900 families, including the bereaved.

With three hospices located in Birmingham, Worcester, and Walsall, the charity’s aim is to ensure every child and family can access the care and support they need.

Mr Johnson said: “As someone who is very familiar with the hospice sector, I’m excited to be leading Acorns and helping the charity as it works towards its ambition to reach even more families with the care they need.

Strictly star brings show to Birmingham

Former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ champion Giovanni Pernice is visiting Birmingham this month as part of his UK and Ireland tour.

CEO Simon Fuller said: “An estimated 100,000 people in the UK who could benefit from palliative care, die without receiving it each year.

“Demand for this expert care continues to rise as people live longer and with increasingly complex needs.

“We’ve rebranded as a promise to our local communities to grow and reach more people who need us to offer them the care of their choice at the end of life.”

His show ‘Made in Italy’ comes to the city’s Symphony Hall on Saturday 8 April and follows on from the Italian dance star’s sold-out 2022 tour ‘This Is Me’.

Pernice, a professional dancer on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ since 2015, has become one of the best-loved and most successful dancers on the hit BBC One show.

He secured a place in the final three times before finally lifting the glitter ball in 2021 with celebrity partner Rose Ayling-Ellis, the show’s first deaf contestant.

‘Made in Italy’ is described as a journey to Giovanni’s homeland where he will be joined by some of the best dancers and singers from the worlds of ballroom and theatre.

The leading lady is Birmingham’s own Lauren Oakley, one of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’s’ newest professionals.

“Acorns is a place where families can build memories and encounter support they often didn’t even know was there, at a time when they need it most. It’s an honour to join an organisation so rooted in my community, and I’m very much looking forward to working with the fantastic teams across the charity to take Acorns forward over the coming years.”

Matt Bullock, Acorns’ director of People and Culture, and interim CEO, said: “This is an exciting time for Acorns and my fellow executive directors and I are looking forward to working closely with Trevor to set out the priorities for Acorns as we enter the second year of our three-year strategy, For Any Child.”

Showstopper: Giovanni Pernice

Honoured: Trevor Johnson

New era: Simon Fuller

Blessing: The Very Reverend Matt Thompson blessed the new office space

Where do you fancy?

Smoke + Ash is a new, independent pizzeria focused on delivering great Neapolitan style pizza, quality wines and seasonal twists on classic cocktails. Joining the ever-growing Edgbaston hospitality scene as part of the Greenfield Crescent/Edgbaston Village development, the pizzeria and bar is already making a name for itself as one of the top destinations in the city for pizza and cocktails.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner…

Food and drink

The menu is focused on fresh, simple and honest ingredients sourced both locally and from Italy. Alongside great value pizza menu, S+A offer a range of cheese and charcuterie sharing boards, salads and desserts. A 30-bin wine list covers a quality range of grape varieties and regions across still and sparkling. The cocktail menu changes seasonally to incorporate interesting twists on classic serves. All pizzas are available for takeaway and through Deliveroo, alongside a selection of wines and pre-batched cocktails - complete with instructions for the perfect serve at home.

Lunch

S+A has launched a speedy weekday lunch menu alongside pizzas and sharing boards,

Smoke + Ash Pizza

Address: 12 Greenfield Crescent, Edgbaston, B15 3AU

T: 0121 454 9544

E: hello@smokeandashpizza.co.uk

W: www.smokeandashpizza.co.uk

Owner: Paul & Clare Collins

Chef director: Liviu Paduraru

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday: 12–10pm Sunday: 2-7pm

introducing a range of panuozzo sandwiches (made fresh in the oven each morning using the same ingredients as the pizza dough).

Wines

30 bins across still and sparkling, with a focus on Italy, Spain and France but reaching as far as New Zealand, California and South Africa. The pricing ladder starts at £25. The majority of wines are between £30 and £40.

Business facilities

S+A is business friendly and happy to discuss bespoke event requirements. The restaurant has hosted networking events, office team parties and business lunches. It can also discuss whole venue bookings, agree set menus, and take pre-orders for speedy service

and simplicity of event management. If you need to stay in the office, give the team a call to discuss office catering, order collection or Edgbaston delivery, or simply order through Deliveroo.

Private dining facilities

Whole venue bookings can be discussed.

Exclusive offer for Chamber members

S+A would love to invite Chamber members to enjoy one of the following when dining in-house:

• 125ml glass of Prosecco

• Pint of draught beer

• Soft drink

Please advise the team of this specific offer when visiting.

Restauranteurs: Clare and Paul Collins

Investing in the new tax year

The 2023-24 tax year introduces a far more stringent tax regime for investors. The capital gains tax (CGT) allowance has fallen to £6,000 and will drop to £3,000 from 2024-25. The dividend allowance has reduced to £1,000 and will also halve later.

So, what can investors do? A good starting point is understanding the allowances, and wrappers, still available and how different investment returns are subject to different tax treatment. There are still positives; ISA subscriptions remain £20,000; CGT is less punitive than income tax and some investments are exempt; and inter-spouse transfers allow full use of individual allowances.

There is also the personal savings allowance. Base-rate taxpayers can earn £1,000 interest tax-free (£500 for higher-rate taxpayers). This has implications for ISAs. Those not using their savings allowance should check if a cash ISA is an effective use of ISA budget, especially if investments are held outside a tax-free wrapper.

A bespoke discretionary portfolio service can help with managing investments, in a tax-efficient manner, aligned with personal circumstance and objectives.

Kyiv mayor praises West Midlands’ Ukraine support

Former world heavyweight boxing champion and the incumbent mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has written a letter praising the West Midlands for its support for Ukraine and generosity in welcoming Ukrainian refuges.

The letter was sent to West Midlands mayor Andy Street on the anniversary of the Homes for Ukraine scheme - and less than a month after the first anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion.

As of February 2023, 1,663 Ukrainian refugees had found a host family in the West Midlands under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Across the UK, more than 110,000 have arrived, with the vast majority being women and children.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme was set up to allow Ukrainians to live, work, study in the UK and access public funds. It is one of the fastest and largest visa programmes in UK history.

that help us see who our true friends are, and our friendship is

citizens as only by defending our common democratic values to the very end, can we succeed in calling ourselves free.”

Capital at risk. Quilter Cheviot Ltd does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Quilter Cheviot Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, IRN 124259. Approver Quilter Cheviot 06/03/2023

In his letter, Mayor Klitschko wrote: “Allow me on behalf of Kyiv and the Ukrainian nation to express our highest consideration to you and all the officials and residents of the West Midlands for your consistent support of Ukraine.

“It is the support of our friends for the citizens in need, both who took refuge in your towns and cities of the West Midlands, and those who are weathering all the challenges at their homes in Kyiv,

only growing stronger due to your actions.”

“With the Homes for Ukraine scheme nearing its one year anniversary I would like to stress the value of people in the UK… understanding the importance of further support of Ukraine and its

Mr Street said: “From aid to providing sanctuary, the UK has helped to lead the way when it comes to international support for Ukraine. Thousands of local people right across the West Midlands have contributed to this effort.

“When this tragic conflict does finally come to an end – and peace and freedom is restored - I hope to work with fellow regional leaders like Mayor Klitschko to develop closer trade and cultural ties in the months and years ahead.”

‘Our friendship is only growing stronger due to your actions’

Heavyweight: Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko

To speak to Investment Manager, Andrew Cartwright (pictured), or one of the team, on how we can help with your investments, call 0121 212 2120.

Praise: West Midlands mayor Andy Street

Apprenticeship Skills Focus

In the past two academic years Halesowen College’s apprenticeship team has been working hard to restructure and refocus on two main skill areas, Business & Professional and Healthcare.

With fantastic links with local NHS Trusts, not only have the team recruited, assessed, and placed the first four Healthcare Science Associate Level 4 apprentices, with a focus on Genetics, in the country, but they have also increased recognition as being the premier college in the Black Country, and wider Birmingham area, for Healthcare Science apprenticeship training. In the same vein, the team are in the final stages of implementing the Pharmacy Technician Level 3 apprenticeship, allowing current learners to stay with the college to continue their training and allow employers in the local area to recruit trained staff.

During the Pandemic many businesses restructured, and this has allowed some employees to progress into management roles. In a bid to support these new managers, the apprenticeship team are looking to refine and re-launch the Operations Manager Level 5 apprenticeship. As well as this support to management, the team are supporting human resource specialists by launching the HR Support Level 3 Qualification. This focus will not only provide the skills that the area needs, but it will also provide opportunities for local business to recruit the necessary staff as well as develop and grow tomorrow’s workforce.

For more details on recruiting apprentices or training through apprenticeships contact Christian Vivash at the Halesowen College Skills Shop on 0121 602 7784 or 0121 602 6000

Chamber Patrons

Greater Birmingham Chambers’ leading supporters

Contact: Raj Kandola T: 07815 952462

Uni in diabetes discovery

Raising awareness: Dr Alvaro Bedoya-Ronga

Virtual challenge raises awareness

A gynaecologist has raised awareness of endometriosis by climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest - in the gym.

Dr Alvaro Bedoya-Ronga, who works for City and Sandwell Hospitals, tackled his epic 35,000-step journey by devoting 20 minutes a day to the task. He hopes that more people will understand the effect that endometriosis has on women.

Endometriosis can cause tissue similar to the lining of the womb to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, causing pain. It can affect women of any age.

He said: “I want to raise as much awareness of endometriosis as I can. On average it takes eight years for patients to be diagnosed with this condition which can be crippling. I want patients to be aware and feel empowered to seek answers to why they are in pain. And I want clinicians to also be more aware of the symptoms and repercussions of endometriosis related chronic pain in a woman's life.”

As part of his challenge, Dr Bedoya-Ronga also raised money for Your Trust Charity, the official charity for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust which runs the hospitals.

Cash will go towards enhancing the Endometriosis Centre which will be based at the organisation’s new hospital, the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, opening next year in Smethwick.

To donate go to bit.ly/3ZS4nzI

Aston University researchers have hailed a potential breakthrough in the fight against diabetes and other obesity-related diseases – in the form of a small protein. Research published by the university shows that a peptide (small protein) called PEPITEM could provide a significant approach to reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and other diseases such as hepatic steatosis (fatty liver).

The researchers used an animal model of obesity to investigate whether PEPITEM, delivered by a slow-release pump, could prevent or reverse the effects that a high fat diet has on the pancreas.

The results showed that administration of PEPITEM significantly reduced the enlargement of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and also significantly reduced immune cell migration into various tissues.

The research team was led by Dr Helen McGettrick (pictured) and Dr Asif Iqbal from the University of Birmingham’s Instituteof Inflammation and Ageing and Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.

Dr McGettrick said: “We have found a new therapeutic approach that could provide new drugs to tackle the root cause of obesity-related conditions by preventing the damage caused by systemic inflammation.”

PEPITEM was first identified in 2015 by Birmingham researchers who described its role in the adiponectin-PEPITEM pathway, which is involved in controlling the onset and severity of auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases.

Professor Ed Rainger from Birmingham’s Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences led the team that first identified PEPITEM. He said: “We are all very excited about these latest results. PEPITEM is a naturally occurring peptide. “We have already shown it has effects on several organs and now for the first time, we have shown that PEPITEM is effective in a model of a disease process that is not driven by the immune system alone.”

New village hall funded by HS2

The new, state-of-the-art Burton Green Village Hall near Kenilworth has been officially opened – thanks to a partnership with high-speed rail.

The Warwickshire facility was launched at an event attended by Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, Warwick District Councillor Andrew Day and Cheryl Wall, chair of the Burton Green Village Hall trustees.

HS2 has worked with the Burton Green Village Hall since 2014 to design and build the new facility that will serve the local community for decades to come.

Key features of the building – which was built by Coventry-based Deeley Construction and designed by Dave Benn and John Viner from local firm VB architects - include an expansive main hall complete with exposed wooden beams, a professional kitchen, outdoor BBQ area, reception, and dedicated office space.

The building also features a series of stained-glass windows produced by local artist Vicki Aizlewood, influenced by drawings from children at Burton Green C of E Primary School.

The windows depict the past, present and future of the nearby Greenway, with the final scene showing the re-established Greenway, complete with a HS2 train running underneath.

Alan Payne, senior project manager at HS2 Ltd, said: “Burton Green’s Village Hall has been almost a decade in the making and highlights the importance of HS2’s continued engagement with the local community.”

Cheryl Wall, chair of the Burton Green Village Hall trustees, said: “Campaigning for and delivering a new facility that builds on and enhances that legacy has been a long and challenging journey. We are delighted with the end result and believe Burton Green’s new village hall is a first-class facility of which the whole community can be proud.”

HS2 powered: Burton Green Village

New approach: Dr Helen McGettrick

Major security event makes return to NEC

The world’s leading security brands, market leaders and industry experts are set to come together as The Security Event returns to the NEC Birmingham this spring.

Bringing together a world-class education programme and spearheaded by nine of the industry’s major players, the show will run from 25 to 27 April.

Buoyed by the success of last year, The Security Event will be bigger than before and offer free access to industry professionals to five major leading colocated industry events - The Fire Safety Event, The Health and Safety Event, the National Cyber Security Show, Professional Security Officer Live and The Workplace Event.

There are a number of new features for this year's event including the Physical Security Zone, which will place a spotlight on the latest products and solutions in physical security, and the addition of the Live Security Testing zone in partnership with element, a dedicated area of the show that will host twice daily demonstrations.

Those attending the event will also have free access to six other co-located industry events, such as The Fire Safety Event, The Cyber Security Show and Professional Security Live.

Tristan Norman, group event director of the Nineteen Group, said: “The Security Event brings together the best and brightest from across the industry, and 2023 is no exception as we return bigger and better than ever before. We have all the right experts and knowledge at hand to make sure businesses are protected for the future.

“Owners and decision makers will have access to everything they need to run a safe and secure businesses under one roof.”

Visitors will have the chance to see hundreds of exhibitors, networking with other businesses and solutions providers, view specialist zones and features, as well as sit in on a number of seminars.

For further information about The Security Event, any of the other co-located shows or to register for a ticket visit www.thesecurityevent.co.uk

Wesleyan investments team scoop top award

Wesleyan’s in-house Investments team is celebrating after being named Investment Team of the Year (re/insurer) at the Insurance Asset Risk Awards 2023.

The award recognises the achievements of Wesleyan’s Fund and Property Managers, Analysts, Sustainable Investment professionals and Investment Communications staff.

It’s the second time the team has been successful in this particular category, having first picked up the title back in 2020.

Martin Lawrence (pictured), director of Investments at Wesleyan, said: “The Investments team is responsible for managing funds that help our members and customers achieve their financial goals.

“The last few years have been challenging for investors and investment markets alike; however,

Mr McDonald’s receives MBE

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce patron and board member Doug Wright has received his MBE from HRH The Prince of Wales.

Mr Wright – who employs around 2,500 people across the West Midlands through his McDonald’s franchised business Douglas Wright Restaurants (T/A McDonald’s) –was named in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours last year for services to the economy and charity. He was presented with the honour at Buckingham Palace.

As well as rising through the ranks at McDonald’s to become one of the brand’s most successful franchisees, Mr Wright has also helped to raise millions of pounds for Ronald McDonald House Charities during his time as chair.

He said: “I was delighted to receive my MBE at Buckingham Palace from HRH The Prince of Wales.

we have remained focused on our long-term investment strategy, which is designed to maximise the likelihood of our funds outperforming the markets over time, to deliver the best possible outcomes for everyone who trusts us to invest on their behalf.

“During the last two years, we have strengthened our in-house research function and enhanced our sustainable investing approach to ensure Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are factored into our entire investment process, which covers all our directly-managed customer funds.

“We have also increased our communication and engagement activities, with more to come in the year ahead.

“Being named “Investment Team of the Year” for the second time is

an achievement that everyone at Wesleyan is proud of. As a mutual that has kept our customers frontof-mind for over 180 years, I hope it’s something our customers will join us in celebrating too.”

The Insurance Asset Risk Awards recognise stand-out performers in the field of asset management and are open to firms based in Europe and the UK.

“Thank you to everyone who have been part of my business and charitable journey. This award means a great deal to me and my family.”

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: "It is fantastic to see Doug recognised at this highest level.

“The impact he has made on the businesses and charities he has championed support for, and the individuals he has mentored, is phenomenal.

“As a non-executive director of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and patron through his company Douglas Wright (t/a McDonalds) he is a real force for good within our Chamber movement.”

Delighted: Doug Wright

Delegates at the NEC’s Security Event

Mutual celebrations: Martin Lawrence

‘The Security Event brings together the best and brightest from across the industry’

1813 Club and Premier Members

Greater Birmingham’s leading companies

Lawyers expand into Frankfurt

International law firm Gowling WLG is to open a further office in Germany with a launch in Frankfurt.

The Frankfurt team will become an integral part of Gowling’s global Corporate, Finance and Tax, and Real Estate practice groups, focussing on corporate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets.

Gowling already has a presence in Stuttgart and Munich.

Premier Membership

Contact: Gary Birch T: 0845 6036650

Energy firm steps in to reduce charity’s bills

The Frankfurt team will launch with five partners, a significant team of associates and key business services.

The partners include Dr. Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann and Ulrich Reers who will lead the capital markets team in Germany.

Michael Sinhart and Dr. Michael Lamsa are to lead the M&A, PE and VC team, and a further partner is joining in Frankfurt to lead the firm's real estate offering across Germany.

David Fennell, chief executive at Gowling WLG (UK) LLP and co-chair of the International board, said: "Expansion in Germany is an important part of our growth strategy, so we are excited to be welcoming these outstanding lawyers to the firm and opening in Frankfurt - a key hub for legal services in Continental Europe.

"It is important to us to have a strong core platform across the three largest economies in Europe, in the UK, France and Germany.”

A utilities company has stepped in to help Birmingham charity SIFA Fireside – which was facing the prospect of a 300 per cent energy bill increase this year.

With rising costs affecting many organisations across the region, The Student Energy Group (TSEG) has halved the energy bills of the charity.

Natalie Allen, chief executive at SIFA Fireside, said the charity would have had to find an extra £45,000 to cover its energy bill costs.

She said: “The additional £45,000 that we needed to find to pay for these essential costs could have made a real impact on the centre and the services that we offer.

“Thankfully the team at TSEG stepped in and not only halved our bills but also made a generous donation of £8.5k to the charity.”

Birmingham-based TSEG provides energy bill splitting options for students.

Chief operations officer Simon Wheeler said: “SIFA Fireside does an amazing job and gives hope to those that need it the most.

“As a Birmingham-based business that offers a simple and effective energy bill splitting option for students, we have extensive knowledge and expertise in the energy sector and were only too happy to help find a solution.

“We’ve been able to halve what they were set to pay.”

Amardeep to lead growing practice

A Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce board member has been appointed to lead law firm Trowers & Hamlins’ growing public sector practice.

Amardeep Gill, a partner at the international law firm Trowers & Hamlins, succeeds Scott Dorling as the national head of public sector.

Amardeep has extensive experience in advising government and public bodies on business critical or transformation projects such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Transport for West Midlands’ 5G pathfinder connectivity project. He has contributed to a number of initiatives designed to improve the delivery of public services and inputted into the sector's policy agenda, including working alongside The Centre for the New Midlands on the development of future devolution plans across the UK.

He is recognised nationally by Chambers as a leading individual in the sector and has a tier one ranking in Legal 500 for his local government work.

He said: “We are committed to providing public sector organisations with market leading legal advice and our recent growth is a testament to our vision of providing this as we continue to advise on some of the most innovative projects across the public sector.”

• More Legal sector news on pages 70 and 71

‘It is important to us to have a strong core platform across the three largest economies in Europe’

Helping hand: Natalie Allen and Simon Wheeler

Committed: Amardeep Gill

Business with wellbeing at its heart pledges to help workers

A Birmingham-based health and wellbeing group is marking 150 years in business with the launch of a pledge designed to support causes that mean something to colleagues.

BHSF hopes the Big 150 Pledge as part of its anniversary celebrations will create a wider fundraising legacy.

From its roots in the industrial revolution when employers first realised the value of ‘well workers’, the BHSF vision has been to work

with firms across the UK to provide access to vital health services and create happier, healthier workplaces. The pledge will bring together its 280 strong workforce across the UK, with the aim of inspiring and supporting colleagues to go above and beyond – either to fundraise or raise awareness of causes that are important to them.

BHSF Group CEO Heidi Stewart said: “We were born to make a difference to ordinary working

people when health care was extremely scarce - and the nation is once again reaching a crisis point not dissimilar to the 1800s.

“We have been a business for good ever since and want to help employers provide best-in-class health and wellbeing services, which more than ever, are priorities for businesses of all sizes.

“Our future vision of being the UK’s leading provider of health and wellbeing services will rely on a

commitment to innovation, enabling us to make it simple for everyone to access the right healthcare support, at the right time, in a way that works for them.

“To mark our anniversary and through the Big 150 Pledge, we will be celebrating our customers, our people, and our partners, reflecting on our rich heritage and legacy, but also looking forwards to how we leverage these strong values in the future.”

Pledge: BHSF staff are hoping to go the extra mile as part of their anniversary celebrations

International Trade

T: 0845 603 6650

E: ibh@birmingham-chamber.com

First step to paperless exports

Exporters throughout the West Midlands are being urged to go green and protect the planet – by joining the march towards a new paperless revolution.

From 1 April the British Chamber of Commerce – which includes Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) – has ruled that plain paper UK Certificates of Origin (export documents) will be issued throughout the UK.

GBCC documentation manager David Harris said over 40 per cent of Certificates of Origin issued worldwide were now printed on plain paper.

“As we move into a digital future the BCC wants Chambers to be in the vanguard working with the Government to achieve its digital ambition for a paperless border by 2025. The move to plain paper Certificates of Origin is the first step in this journey.

“From 1 April 2023 all applications will have to be made via our online platform (ecert). All

Logistics firm upgrades customer services

Solihull-based freight forwarders Röhlig Logistics have unveiled a new upgrade to their services to help ease deliveries for clients.

Röhlig, a global freight forwarder founded in Bremen in 1852, has announced the enhancement of its European Road Freight and Customs Solutions in the UK.

With nearly 2,400 employees in over 30 countries across all continents, Röhlig Logistics say they are committed to their clients’ success by achieving the highest level of organisation for their complex logistics processes.

Robert Lawry (pictured), managing director of Röhlig UK Ltd said: “At Röhlig, we are committed to improving our services to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Our enhanced European Road Freight and Customs Solutions have been improved to provide our customers with the most efficient and cost-effective logistics possible.”

Andrew Albrighton, an industry veteran with nearly 25 years of experience in European Road Freight and a DGSA (Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser) qualification holder for the previous 18 years, has also joined the Röhlig UK Ltd team, strengthening the service.

back-up documents, invoices, packing lists, proof of origin etc must be uploaded to ecert. We will be unable to accept separate emails.

“At the moment some customers will send a driver to pick documents up or they will wait for it to come in the post. We have fallen behind other countries – there are 12 others already operating in such a way (plain paper) and they have not reported any issues with customers or customs authorities.”

“To print an Express application you will need a colour printer. However, there is no requirement to print Certificates of Origin. You will be able to print directly to a PDF and this attachment can be emailed directly to your customer.”

David described the new Chamber of Commerce regime as a ‘no-brainer.’ “Why would you want me to print a document out when you can download an attachment in two minutes?

The Chamber House based documentation team currently processes around 1,600 export documents a month. “This is all part of the move towards a greener future worldwide. It will also save exporters money on transport and postal costs etc.

“We would prefer exporters to download the PDF rather than print off an export document, but they still have the option to do that if they want.”

Exporters with queries should contact David at 0121 274 3218 or at d.harris@birmingham-chamber.com

Manufacturers fly flag for Midlands at retail trade fair

Two leading Midland companies jetted out to Germany to showcase their products and expertise at the world’s largest retail trade fair, EuroShop.

Hot holding specialists Flexeserve launched a range of its innovative hot-holding units at the Dusseldorf event, as well as showcasing its allnew Flexeserve Solution.

Warwick Wakefield, director of customer experience at Flexeserve, said: “We were so excited to return to EuroShop – it’s a major event for our industry and one that can influence the strategies of retailers around the world.

“Our team of experts has grown significantly in the past few years – and that’s why, beginning at EuroShop, we can now offer our customers a new Flexeserve Solution.”

Dirk Wissmann, operational support and development manager, said the firm had looked forward to welcoming operators to the stand to discuss their hot food and demonstrate the new Flexeserve Solution. “Enhancing how we help customers to ‘make it a reality’ is a major aspect of Flexeserve Solution’s progression.”

Meanwhile, also pounding the beat at EuroShop were Kings Norton-based Kenfield, which has grown to become one of the largest manufacturers of specialist doors in the UK, with many major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Aldi among their client base.

The Birmingham firm has grown its extensive product range to include crash doors, insulated curtains, steel security doors, PVC strips and cold room flip-flap doors.

Jon Carn, managing director at Kenfield, said: “We take great pride in demonstrating the doorway solutions we’ve developed, and helping retailers understand the benefits they can achieve with Kenfield.

“We design and manufacture products that are truly fit for purpose – products that will integrate perfectly within operations.”

On display: Flexeserve

‘Over 40 per cent of Certificates of Origin issued worldwide were now printed on plain paper’

Contact: Mandy Haque

T: 0121 725 8994

Trade talks with the USA on the table

Trade and investment between the West Midlands and the USA received a significant boost at a special roundtable event held in Birmingham.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce organised the roundtable with VIP guests including Rosemary Gallant, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy. Also in attendance was Gus Franklyn-Bute, Senior Regional Investment Advisor at the US Embassy. Ms Gallant met with committee members of the Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce and a range of businesses including Arup, Birmingham Airport and Jumar.

The event was hosted in the Birmingham offices of law firm Browne Jacobson and chaired by James Tait, President of the Transatlantic Chamber.

Businesses discussed a wide range of topics with Ms Gallant, including the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and the opportunities for local businesses to expand into the US market.

GBCC head of policy Raj Kandola said: “Building on our long-standing ties with the US Embassy, it was great that Rosemary was able to join us in Birmingham to offer learned insight on

New Birmingham office to boost links with Belgium

A senior trade and investment official has hailed the launch of a new Birmingham office as a key development to promote trading links with Belgium.

Claire Lammens, trade and investment counsellor for Belgium and a member of Birmingham Consular Association, said the new West Midlands base would strengthen trading opportunities between the region and Belgium.

Claire said: “Because the UK market isn’t limited to London and AWEX (Wallonia Export & Investment Agency) wanted to be closer to decentralized innovative sectors the agency opened two offices in the UK: one in London covering the South, and one here in Birmingham. Having an office in Birmingham helps us stay relevant and improve our visibility.

“To date, in relation to our role in facilitating trade between Belgium-Wallonia and the UK, each year new success stories show that the region is very active and eager to collaborate with Wallonia. For example, we sourced the distributor for the introduction of the Belgian

electric street cleaning vehicle which can be seen on the streets of Birmingham.

“We are also taking part in several trade shows at the Birmingham NEC, and for example last year, the trade stand at Packaging Innovations resulted in two companies finding multiple clients in the UK.

“In terms of challenges, a lot of fieldwork and networking is necessary sometimes to identify the key contacts to reach out to. Also, there are some cultural differences which needs to be addressed in terms of communicating with British people.”

Keith Stokes-Smith, former consul for Lithuania and founding president of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce, added: “The Birmingham Consular Association is open to any overseas nation who have formal representation in the Midlands to join. The association is always keen to collaborate with organisations who promote trade, as this is one of a number of key focus areas the local diplomatic Corps are responsible for.”

the importance of bolstering trade links between the West Midlands and the United States.

“As an experienced diplomat, Rosemary covered a range of topics across sustainability, procurement and air travel as the UK looks to strengthen its economic ties with the US government.”

Mandy Haque, international director of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “There was excellent feedback on the content of the discussions that took place and great connections were made with the US Embassy.”

Business mission to Latin America

Brierley Hill-based Eurolatin Strategy Consulting is aiming to bridge the trading gap with Latin America – with a special trade mission to Ecuador.

The mission is being organised from 22-27 May with the support of GBCC and two government departments of Ecuador.

A spokesman for Eurolatin Strategy Consulting, whose expertise lies in connections with Latin America, said: “If you join us for this Business Tour, you or your company will have the opportunity to experience face-to-face meetings with companies, CEOs, government departments along with interviews with the press of Ecuador, where you will have an opportunity to speak and promote your company, business, and projects.

“With the UK entering into the Andean Free Trade Agreement, Eurolatin doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to connect these two markets.”

For more information contact the Chamber’s international director Mandy Haque on m.haque@birmingham-chamber.com

Global Chamber Patrons

Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce

Transatlantic Chamber Patrons

Trade talks: The roundtable was another boost to West Midland and US relations

New president vows to maximise value

By Feron Jayawardene

The new president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has vowed to maximise new partnerships and provide value for members.

Omar Rashid - the owner and director of The HR Dept at Birmingham Central and Wolverhampton - was named as ABCC president at the organisation’s annual general meeting.

Omar, who has been on the executive board since 2019, said: “I look forward to what is going to be an exciting year ahead.

“I am delighted to have Neelam Afzal and Sapreena Kumari as vice-presidents. It is great to have community veterans like Aftab Chugthai and Fajli Bibi on the board, but I am also excited to work with the new members on the board that have just been announced.

“Together, we understand our responsibilities in being the voice of the Asian Business community to ensure that we provide the very best platform Asian businesses can benefit from.

“As a board we will strive to ensure we maximise new partnerships and new opportunities ensuring we provide value for our members.”

Omar graduated from Coventry University in 2006 after acquiring a business management degree and a masters degree in human resource management.

After working across public, private and third party sectors in HR and recruitment, he started his own HR Business in 2018 with the HR Dept. The business focuses on providing HR and Recruitment services to SMEs.

Omar is also a co-founder of The Networking Clubs and a radio presenter on Unity FM.

He has been serving as co-president alongside Amina Hussain of SME Outsourcing since September after Dr Jason Wouhra stepped down.

Updates and useful information from the largest ethnic support organisation in the UK

Contact: Anjum Khan

T: 0845 6036650

New faces to bang drum for Asian business community

By Feron Jayawardene

A new executive committee was appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).

The AGM was held at Chamber House with the attendance of members and guests.

Omar Rashid, director and owner of The HR Dept, was appointed as the new president of the division.

Neelam Afzal, partner and employment law solicitor of Wildings Solicitors and Sapre ena Kumari, executive director for admissions and student recruitment at Staffordshire University were appointed as vice presidents Other committee members include;

• Tarnbir Athwal – Desicity.com

• Aulfat Bi - Innovation 4 Business

• Fajli Bibi - Faj Transformation Consultancy Ltd

• Aftab Chughtai MBE – Aftabs

• Monica Ghai - Shakespeare Martineau LLP

• Sartaj Gill - Housman Consulting Ltd

• Indy Goraya - Bluebird Care Solihull and Birmingham

• Ahmer Nawaz - Fraser Russell Limited

• Mal Powar - Santander Corporate & Investment Banking

• Gurdas Singh – WANAMA

• Harmesh Singh Pooni - Finance 4 Business Henrietta Brealey, CEO of GBCC said: “The ABCC is a dynamic part of our Chamber family

as a leading network for, and gateway to engaging with, the region’s Asian business community.

“I am delighted to welcome our new comm ittee members and presidents team.

“Together with ABCC director Anjum Khan, they bring a wide range of skills, industry experience and perspectives to the leadership of this influential organisation – it’s set to be an exciting year.

“I’d also like to thank our outgoing copresident, Amina Hussain and the committee members completing their terms this year.”

Vice president Neelam Afzal said: “I am delight ed to be appointed one of the two vicepresidents alongside Sapreena Kumari, led by the new president, Omar Rashid.

“We have an exciting, fresh, and dynamic committee who are all acting as ambassadors to lead the ABCC from strength to strength, and acting as the ‘voice’ for businesses across the Midlands, to connect, support and grow.

“I look forward to supporting our members over the next 12 months, from business challenges to celebrations!”

Vice president Sapreena Kumari said: “Its an honour to be voted vice president of ABCC and have the opportunity to support the new executive committee and members.

“I am looking forward to growing ABCC alongside Omar and Neelam.”

ABCC president: Omar Rashid

Executive committee: Pictured from left to right: seated - Fajli Bibi, Neelam Afzal, Omar Rashid, Sapreena Kumari and Mal Powar Standing - Ahmer Nawaz, Aulfat Bi, Harmesh Singh Pooni, Aftab Chughtai, Gurdas Singh, Monica Ghai and Sartaj Gill

ABCC celebrates International Women’s Day

By Feron Jayawardene

The inherent resilience within women was the key point of discussion at the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) International Women’s Day celebration.

The event was held on 8 March at Hotel du Vin, with the attendance of members and guests.

ABCC co-presidents Amina Hussain and Omar Rashid welcomed the guests and speeches were given by biochemist and CEO of Entec Si Eman Al-Hillawi, co-CEO of the Birmingham Museums Trust Sara Wajid, GuruYou founder Rebecca Mander, and Latifa Facer from South & City College Birmingham.

Sara Wajid, the first Asian museum director of the UK, spoke about solidarity that women should have.

She said: “We need leadership among women and more importantly, we must hold every leadership position accountable if we are to embrace equity.”

Rebecca Mander related her inspiring journey through loss and tragedy to become a successful business coach.

She said: “We should watch our messages we give to young people, especially women. We must be cautious of how we communicate and have strong mentors around us.”

Eman Al-Hillawi said: “We have the ability to influence and create opportunities for more women and we should make it happen.”

An expert panel discussion around this year’s IWD theme ‘Embrace Equity’ was also held, featuring all four speakers.

The event was sponsored by South & City College Birmingham.

ABCC Patrons Premier+ Partners

Embrace equity: (L-R) Henrietta Brealey, Omar Rashid, Eman Al-Hillawi, Amina Hussain, Latifa Facer, Rebecca Mander, and Sara Wajid

Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Richard Brooks

T: 07796 242029

Marketing boss takes reins

A new executive committee was appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce.

The AGM was held at the Aquarius Ballroom with the attendance of members and guests.

David Mitchell, marketing and communication consultant from The Marketing People Digital, was appointed as the new president of the division while Chris Wheeler, cost management consultant of Auditel, was appointed as the new vice president.

Other committee members include;

• Gill Durkin – Performance Through People

• Chris Ansell – Geogrow

• David Jackson – McArthurGlen

• Joanna Dugan – Newlife

• Kathryn Lamb – Chasetown Football Club

• Steve Rogers – Dains

Richard Brooks, head of Cannock Chase and Burton & District Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the guests and members while Lilian Elekan, head of membership of the GBCC gave an overview of the wider Chamber.

‘The Chamber can assist our region’s businesses

Richard said: “We have made an excellent start to the year so far, putting in place the correct Chamber support team, liaising with

existing contacts and making new connections with other key businesses, organisations, and individuals locally. It will be an exciting time for membership and our executive committee, as we look to re-develop the Chamber, reestablish our presence and re-define our local business identity.

David Mitchell said: “I’m honoured to be Chase Chamber President. As a growing Chamber, I wish to ensure that the supporting team and I build on the hard work and positive impact that recent Chase Chamber presidents have had. The Chamber can assist our region’s businesses to thrive, not just survive. The more companies that take advantage of that assistance, the better for them and the rest of our community.”

Charity in search of support

By Feron Jayawardene

Joanna Duggan has been involved in the charity sector for over 20 years.

She is the director of fundraising and communications at Newlife charity, the chosen charity of the Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce where she is also a board member.

The charity, formed 30 years ago, provides specialist equipment to children with disabilities.

“I took on this role at Newlife 18 months ago to grow awareness and funding,” she tells me in a resolute voice over the phone coupled with determination. “We are the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist disability equipment. Our main goal is to ensure that disabled and terminally ill children get the best possible start in life.”

It supports over 3000 disabled children every year with specialist equipment worth over £1m, provides a loan of sensory toys to 1,500 children

and the nurse led helpline delivers over 5,000 instances of care and support.

Looking ahead at the future, Joanna is keen to build and foster new relationships through the GBCC.

“The GBCC provides a great new opportunity to increase awareness of our charity. I also want to thank all the members of the Cannock Chamber for nominating Newlife and for the support given to us throughout the year.

On an ending note, Joanna says the charity plans to launch a ‘Mobility Matters’ campaign in the spring to help raise vital funds in order to support 500 families with specialist mobility equipment. She said: “We would be keen to talk to anyone interested in joining us to help change more children’s lives.

“To talk to us about fundraising and awareness opportunities you can contact the team on fundraise@newlifecharity.co.uk or visit www.newcharity.org.uk to find out more about the work we do.”

Chase Chamber Patrons

to thrive, not just survive’

Keen to build relationships: Joanna Duggan

Exciting times: (L – R) Richard Brooks, Steve Rogers, Chris Wheeler, Gill Durkin, David Mitchell, Lillian Elekan, Kathryn Lamb and Chris Ansell

Funding boost aids Wilshee’s growth

Willshee’s, a Burton business specialising in waste and recycling management, has secured a multi-million-pound funding package from HSBC UK to drive its expansion plans.

Plans include helping customers to improve their carbon footprint and achieve zero waste to landfill.

Zero waste to landfill is achieved through a combination of reusing and repurposing waste as well as turning residual waste into energy

This provides an essential boost to the environment as landfill waste is the most significant contributor of greenhouse gasses in the waste management sector.

Willshee’s Waste & Recycling Limited will use the funding from HSBC UK to re-finance the recent modernisation of its three depots, and to fund future growth and modernisation of its large fleet of vehicles and sites based in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

Willshee’s expects to achieve its aim of reaching £30m turnover in 2023.

Having increased turnover by 20 per cent per annum over each of the last few years, the business is forecasting turnover of £50m by 2026 which will involve additional sites, additional equipment, further job creation and potential acquisitions.

John D’Aubney, finance director at Willshee’s, said: “As well as enabling us to he lp more businesses reach zero waste to landfill, the partnership with HSBC UK will be fundamental in helping us grow the business and expand our workforce, and enhance our services to customers in the region.

“The assistance provided by our relationship director Rakesh Patel has been incredibly valuable and we look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship going forward.”

Debbie Harper, area dire ctor at HSBC UK, added: “Willshee’s provides a critical service and does so in a responsible way by ensuring minimal waste ends up in landfill.

“HSBC UK is committed to supporting businesses like Willshee’s that are leading the way to create a more sustainable future.”

Chiara sets her sights on career as Norland Nanny

A former Childcare student at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) has secured a highly sought place at Norland College in Bath.

Chiara – who has asked for her surname to be omitted in line with Norland’s media guidelines –has been selected to study a degree in Early Years Development and Learning.

She studied a Level 3 course in Children’s Play and Development in 2018, which included a range of industry work placements, providing her with the skills, knowledge, and experience for her next steps. During the course at BSDC, Chiara also had the opportunity to take part in an exchange visit to South Korea where she was able to take part in childcare lessons to compare the different childcare practices in place, broadening her global mindset in the process. During the pandemic, Chiara worked in a hotel resort as a nanny where she enjoyed taking children swimming and kayaking. She started to look into careers as a nanny

and eventually secured a place at the Norland College where she is now in her second year of degree and has had the opportunity to take part in summer jobs across the continent.

Chiara said: “The Childcare course at BSDC set me up for my next steps, including help with personal statements and preparation for interviews for university or jobs.

“One of the most memorable parts of my time during BSDC was visiting South Korea in 2019. The trip was amazing as we experienced a completely different culture.

“I love working with children; it’s so rewarding and fun. I am proud to have progressed to Norland where I am enjoying gaining a greater understanding of children and being able to travel with a job that I am passionate about.”

Norland College has a 130-year reputation for pioneering early years training and producing the best early years practitioners, backed up by high quality teaching and learning.

Contact: Richard Brooks T: 07796 242029

Burton & District Chamber Patrons

Norland

nanny: Chiara

Cutting waste: (L – R) Dean Willshee, Rakesh Patel, and John D’Aubney

Council agrees to fund leisure facilities

Lichfield councillors have agreed a multimillion pound investment in leisure to support the long-term health and wellbeing of residents of all ages –including a new £10m complex.

The full council backed the financing of a new £10m purpose-built leisure centre at Stychbrook Park and allocating up to £1.55m of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to fund new leisure projects in Lichfield and Burntwood.

Councillors also approved transferring the management, budget and operation of Burntwood Leisure Centre and Friary Grange Leisure Centre from current operator Freedom Leisure to the District Council.

The new leisure centre at Stychbrook Park, which will be built to replace the ageing Friary Grange Leisure Centre, will include a six-lane 25 metre swimming pool, vending area, dance studio, changing area for outdoor activity, 3G pitch, a 80-station fitness and toning suite, Spin Studio and cycling points.

The council will utilise a pre-existing design that another council has successfully built and means that works will commence in October 2023 and the facility expected to open by December 2024.

The Community Infrastructure Levy allows local authorities to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in the area.

The Council has approved awarding £1.45m of CIL funding to develop a range of new sports and leisure activities including outdoor swimming and paddleboarding at Stowe Pool, an aqua park at a location to be confirmed and a climbing wall and a soft play at Burntwood Leisure Centre; Adventure Golf at Beacon Park to replace the pitch and putt, an obstacle course and padel tennis at Beacon Park plus a 3G sports pitch in the city for rent by community and sports groups.

An award of £100,000 to Chasetown Football Club has also been approved for the development of a 3/4G turf pitch.

The leader of Lichfield District Council, Councillor Doug Pullen said: “I am very pleased that the council has backed a significant investment in a comprehensive range of leisure facilities for the district.

“We are taking over management of the district’s leisure centres from Freedom Leisure to ensure that they are available for use. In parallel we are forging ahead with delivering a new leisure centre for Lichfield city while introducing some new and exciting leisure activities to the district for residents to enjoy and we are able to do this without increasing the tax costs for district council services.”

Contact: Chris Brewerton

T: 0845 6036650

Tamworth businesses move to new home

Two Tamworth-based businesses are broadening their horizons after relocating to new premises in a major regeneration boost for the town centre.

Sister companies Prizm Solutions Ltd, an insurance firm founded in 2006, and IT consultancy business Maximity Ltd, launched in 2000, have moved into the newly renovated The White House at 16-20, Church Street.

After outgrowing their previous offices in Tamworth’s Albert Road, Prizm and Maximity’s 20 staff started working from the new office after a 10-year lease was agreed for The White House.

Peter Robinson, MD of Prizm Solutions Ltd said: “We’ve been looking to make this move for some time now, as we needed the additional space of a larger building. Both businesses have grown immensely over the last few years, thanks to the efforts of our teams and the strength of the relationships we’ve built up with our customers, suppliers and the local community.

“The move to The White House gives us the extra room we need. The town centre location is also a bonus as it allows for easy commuting.”

Tracy Pound, MD at Maximity Ltd says: “We were looking for a new home for both businesses that would meet all our current office requirements, plus give us some contingency for continued growth. If our plans for the next few years come to fruition, we will be expanding our teams further – so we need a space that has the potential to grow with our businesses and have a positive impact on the way we can work.

“We look forward to welcoming colleagues and clients to The White House, and continuing to collaborate with other businesses in Tamworth.” The White House is a Grade II Listed building, located near Tamworth Assembly Rooms, which has historically been used for offices and has been recently refurbished.

New school welcomes Alfie

The clock is ticking towards the launch of Lichfield’s latest school - the £7m Anna Seward Primary.

The school, located in south Lichfield on the new Deanslade Park development, is the newest addition to the highlyrespected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership and preparations for the official opening are gathering pace.

Alfie Eke (pictured), Anna Seward’s most recent appointment, has spoken of the honour of becoming the school’s first Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Lead and reception teacher.

Mr Eke studied Primary Education –specialising in the early years - at university in Yorkshire and will arrive on the back of five years teaching in North Yorkshire. Two of those years

were spent teaching in reception and the past three teaching a mixed year 1 and 2 class and leading Key Stage 1.

He said: “I am very excited to be the EYFS Lead and reception teacher at Anna Seward Primary School. I feel extremely lucky to be able to teach the very first class at Anna Seward.

“I love teaching reception and I am always amazed at how much children learn in this first year of school. Children learn such important skills in reception and it is extremely rewarding to help lay foundations for the rest of their chooling.”

The school has been named after romantic poet and novelist Anna Seward, who lived in the city and was known as the ‘Swan of Lichfield’.

Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons

Pictured: (Top L-R) Peter Robinson, MD of Prizm Solutions Ltd and Matt Small, director at Prizm Solutions Ltd (Bottom L-R) Julie Pound, director at Prizm Solutions Ltd and Tracy Pound, MD of Maximity Ltd

Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Chris Brewerton

T: 0845 6036650

High street guru to share advice

Businesses in Sutton Coldfield are being urged to help reinvigorate the heart of the Royal Town by tapping into the expertise of leading UK high street guru Mary Portas.

Royal Sutton Coldfield Business Improvement District (BID) – which is funded by 377 local businesses – has lined up the retail expert to address local businesses at a seminar in the town centre this June.

BID chair Alison Clack, managing director of Cerda Planning, said: “We are very excited by the prospect of Mary Portas coming to Sutton Coldfield and sharing her knowledge and expertise in a way that will inspire local businesses.

“The BID understands that Sutton Coldfield town centre, like most towns and High Streets across the UK, is going through a period of change and we simply cannot ignore the concerns expressed in the media and on social media.

“We feel that an inspirational seminar from a renowned expert in this field will help to bring local businesses together with a renewed sense of resilience and pride in their town centre.

“As a BID representing hundreds of local businesses in the town centre, we want to change the narrative that Sutton Coldfield is more than just retail and be as proactive as possible.

“Bringing in Mary Portas to share her knowledge and expertise will go some way to help in these challenging times.”

Businesswoman, broadcaster, author and activist Portas is the UK’s best known retail guru who, in 2011, conducted a review of the future for high streets for the British government.

Sutton Coldfield town centre is the Second City’s second biggest shopping and business area, second only in size to Birmingham city centre, and its BID delivers year round events to boost footfall such as the monthly Farmers and Craft Market and Christmas events.

The seminar, which will be held on Wednesday 7 June at Sutton Coldfield College, will be free to BID Members – but will be invite only.

For more information contact Michelle Baker, Sutton Coldfield BID manager, at bidmanager@suttoncoldfieldtowncentre.co.uk

Junior school bowls over the competition to win top prize

Boldmere Junior School has secured £1,000 worth of building materials and a coaching session for pupils after claiming top prize in the 2022 Selco Six4Schools cricket campaign.

Run in conjunction with Club Sponsor Selco Builders Warehouse, the initiative saw schools across the West Midlands get access to adult tickets for all Vitality Blast group fixtures at Edgbaston last summer at a discounted rate.

With each adult ticket purchased, schools earn £6 cashback to be reinvested towards the education of local children, as well as the

chance for the top prize. Now the scheme is to return for 2023.

Every school selling more than 20 tickets were entered into a draw to win the building materials and a coaching session from Bears seamers Olly Hannon-Dalby, Craig Miles, and Central Sparks wicket-keeper Abbey Freeborn.

Matt Sadler, Boldmere Junior School head teacher, said: “We were delighted to have won the draw to receive this fantastic prize.

“A lot of our pupils love playing and going to watch cricket, so they were thrilled to welcome two Birmingham Bears and one Central Sparks player into the school to pick up some important tips and skills.

“The prize of building materials from Selco is also a massive boost to us. We will use the £1,000 to help us construct a sheltered outdoor area where children can head for reading sessions and other learning activities.”

Carine Jessamine, marketing director of Selco, said: “We have been long-term partners of Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Birmingham Bears and are always looking for opportunities to engage the local community.

“The Six4Schools campaign was a perfect fit and Boldmere Junior School was a fitting winner. We are delighted to help provide materials to create an outdoor space for the pupils.”

Royal Business Fair returns to Town Hall

Sutton Coldfield’s biggest networking event of the year is returning – with hundreds of delegates expected to attend.

The Royal Business Fair, hosted by Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, takes place at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall on Friday 30 June.

With around 40 exhibitors and hundreds of delegates in attendance, the fair marks the perfect opportunity for businesses to raise their profile, discover new business opportunities and grow their sales and client base. The event will also feature two seminars delivered by experts and a Speed Networking session.

Phil Arkinstall, president of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber, said: “We are very excited to be holding our annual business fair for the second year running at the Town Hall.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase your business by having a stand or to see what brilliant businesses are out there if attending as a delegate.”

Sutton Coldfield Chamber Patrons Charity of the Year

Last year's Royal Business Fair

Retail expert: Mary Portas

From left: Craig Miles, Simon Humpage (head of multi channel marketing at Selco), OHD and two Boldmere pupils

All the latest news, advice and events for the Solihull business community

Contact: Samantha Frampton

T: 0121 678 7488

Eileen steps up as Chamber president

Eileen Schofield, principal at Schofield Associates, was announced as the new president of the Solihull Chamber of Commerce, at the annual general meeting.

The meeting took place at Hogarths Hotel Solihull, and for those attending it was a chance to look back on the activities of the 2021-2022 term and review the plans for the year ahead into 2024.

The Solihull Chamber also announced their new vice-president, Emma-Louise Hewitt, as well as the new executive committee; Steve Whitmarsh, Jas Rohel, Kevin Johns, Ian Rogers, Kim Hulse, Amanda Holden, Rebecca Gater and Pauline Clarke.

Eileen takes over the role of president from Tony Elvin, general manager at Touchwood Solihull. Having previously served as vicepresident of the Solihull Chamber, Eileen has a wealth of knowledge and plenty of experience surrounding the businesses in Solihull, especially within the law sector.

Eileen is the principal of Schofield Associates, has lived in Solihull for most of her life and set up her business in Knowle. She has always considered Solihull to be her centre for business.

Eileen will bring her experience, commitment and energy to the role of president of the

Solihull Chamber of Commerce. She has stepped down from her role as vice president of the Transatlantic Chamber to take up the Solihull role, but will retain her links with the Transatlantic Chamber to the benefit of Solihull Chamber members. Eileen has worked closely with Tony Elvin on a number of projects and considers the two of them “a strong team who will get things done” and who will continue to make a difference following on from all of the excellent work of the past two years.

Eileen has worked closely with Tony Elvin on a number of projects, and considers the two of them a strong team who will get things done and who will continue to make a difference following on from all of the excellent work which has been done over the last two years.

Eileen said: “It is with great pleasure and a privilege that I take up the role of president of Solihull Chamber. I follow in the footsteps of the

great and the good of Solihull as I attempt to do justice to this role over the next two years of office.

“I want to pay tribute to Tony Elvin as outgoing president. Tony has worked tirelessly to promote Solihull and has make a huge impact in the way in which the committee works collaboratively and effectively for the benefit of Solihull Chamber and our members. I also want to thank Solihull Chamber head of division Samantha Frampton.”

A-Plan helps tackle rising energy costs

Solihull based insurance firm A-Plan has launched a new campaign to tackle energy bills which would save almost £400,000.

With the Energy Bills Support scheme ending in March, focus is back on how to balance the household and business books to compensate for the price increases in energy, petrol and diesel, mortgage rates and food prices.

A-Plan has devised a simple campaign that illustrates how even the smallest of changes can save a fortune – whether it’s energy usage, better driving, supermarkets or mobile phone contracts.

They are giving away 10,000 Status energy saving bayonet light bulbs – and a free handy cost-of-living booklet. Clients that visit their local APlan branch will be able to pick up their pack of light bulbs and booklet – free of charge. Based on everyday use, each recipient of two energy rated A+ Status 9W LED (equivalent to a 60W) bayonet bulbs can benefit by over £100 a year in energy savings.

A-Plan’s Nikki Kyriacou said: “We know that so many of our clients are concerned about the cost of energy bills and we want to show them that we are sensitive to that right now.

“We wanted to do something to help, so have joined forces with some of our insurance partners and one hundred of A-Plan’s high street branches across the UK to give away 10,000 Status 9W LED bayonet light bulbs –saving a combined £387,192 in energy usage in total.

“We are encouraging all our clients to consider how making small changes can return big results – and start to save energy from the moment the bulbs are used.”

‘It is with great pleasure and a privilege that I take up the role of president of Solihull Chamber’

Eileen Schofield: President of Solihull Chamber of Commerce

College helps firm with net zero goals

A local business has shown commitment to its sustainability pledge by upskilling employees through Solihull College & University Centre’s Distance Learning provision.

The college offers a wide range of free Distance Learning courses to support both the needs of businesses and individuals.

Understanding Climate Change & Environmental Awareness (NCFE Level 2 Certificate) is a popular choice for organisations dedicated to meeting their Net Zero goals and embedding good sustainability practices within their culture.

Amy Ahmed-Dolphin, account director and head of ESG Communications at Whistle PR Agency, studied the course along with two of her colleagues. After engaging with the college’s Business Elevator Project, designed to identify and support local businesses’ skills gaps, Amy was directed to Understanding Climate Change & Environmental Awareness by the college’s training

needs analyst, Nadia Davies. She said: “It’s been inspiring to observe the commitment and progress made by Whistle PR towards their Net Zero goals. They've done an outstanding job of applying their new knowledge in the workplace by designing an action plan to halve their emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

“Furthermore, Amy’s contribution at our event ‘How going green can boost your business’ provided other local businesses with a superb insight into Environmental Social Governance.”

Following the completion of the nine-week Distance Learning course, Amy delivered a presentation at one of the college’s Bitesize Events disseminating the knowledge she had developed on the course with other local businesses.

Claire Saltmarshe, business support manager at Whistle PR Agency, said: “I was impressed with the course content which was up to date with relevant and timely societal issues being

considered such as Covid-19. We recommend the course to others as it is a great resource to understand environmental issues on a regional as well as global level.”

Enrol now on the course by contacting professionals@solihull.ac.uk or 0121 678 7181.

Working with national contractors and leading house builders within the city and beyond, Shelforce’s continued success into 2023 has allowed the company to continue its business growth.

This has included an upgrade to its software system to improve efficiency, investment in new machinery to provide extra manufacturing capacity and an increase in full-time staff, part of a three-year plan to strengthen the team and continue its winning employment model of providing inclusive training, employment, and development opportunities for its inclusive workforce, 75% of which have a disability.

The company won ‘Most Significant Service Improvement’ earlier this year at the inaugural Housing Awards launched by City Housing, part of Birmingham City Council, to acknowledge the hard work, successes and achievements of businesses involved in social housing in the area.

Shelforce has been shortlisted for the Excellence in Manufacturing award at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBBC) Annual Dinner & Awards 2023.

Solihull Chamber Patrons

Upskilling employees: Whistle PR staff

Future Faces

Contact: Sophie

Poduval-Morrell

T: 0121 274 3276

Rising star: Ingrida Vengalyte of Jacobs (second from left) was last year’s Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year

Awards night gets a refresh

Future Faces has announced the newlyrebranded Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards, which are to take place on Friday 22 September at the Eastside Rooms.

The renamed awards reflect the BPS network, Birmingham Future, merging with the young professionals division of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce back in 2020.

New Members

Ashley Adkins (Adkinsio)

Chris Ronan (EFG Harris Allday)

Irsalan Asif (KPMG)

Amani Anwar (KPMG)

Benjamin Aston (KPMG)

Mridul Sharma (KPMG)

Ryan Jackson (KPMG)

Harry Stephenson (KPMG)

Lucy Parize (KPMG)

Charlotte Collett (KPMG)

Anah Ahee (KPMG)

Arjan Bains (KPMG)

Tom Green (mSix&Partners)

Thunzi Ng'ona (Jones Lang Lasalle)

Hattie Matthews (Jones Lang Lasalle)

Mark Henry (Jones Lang Lasalle)

Laura Allen (Jones Lang Lasalle)

Madeleine Partridge (Wilson Gunn)

Amy Hannah (King Edwards VI Foundation

Birmingham)

Jeni Butler (King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham)

Elle Shaw (Kinetic Communications)

Kloe Wright (Mills & Reeve)

Joanna Whiley (Rekom)

Ryan Siviter (RAWR UK)

David Akraka (EcoKool)

Federica Fontana (Incorporatewear Ltd)

Lorna Shepherd (Incorporatewear Ltd)

Henrietta Brealey, CEO of the GBCC, announced the new name at the GBCC’s annual dinner and awards.

She said:“As many of you will know we’re proud to be home to the region’s largest crosssector young professional network, connecting and developing the business leaders of the future.

“In 2020 the longstanding BPS network Birmingham Future, joined forces with Future Faces. To mark the next stage of this merger we’re delighted to reveal that this year’s Future Faces Chambers of Commerce Awards has been rebranded as the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards.”

Lillian Elekan, chair of judges for the awards, said: “It’s a real honour to be the chair of judges for the first Greater BYPY Awards brought to you by Future Faces. Both Future Faces and BYPY have a longstanding legacy in the city and beyond for their young professional support, development and awards nights, so it’s exciting to bring both brands together (after a merger in 2020) in an even greater event celebrating the best young talent of Greater Birmingham.

“Birmingham remains the youngest city in Europe, with 40 per cent of our population under the age of 25, and over 30 per cent growth in our Future Faces membership this year, it’s safe to say our young professional community is thriving.

“I would like to encourage all young professionals to consider entering the awards this year, and for those of you second guessing yourself and wondering whether or not to enter, please don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back, this is your opportunity to showcase your skills and achievements and to get recognised professionally… you may just be crowned the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year 2023!”

The deadline for award entries is 10 July 2023, and the shortlist for the awards will be announced on 21 August.

The 14 awards categories are:

1. Greater Birmingham Apprentice of the Year

2. GBYPY - Change and Sustainability

3. GBYPY - Creative Arts and Culture

4. GBYPY - Engineering and Manufacturing

5. GBYPY - Finance

6. GBYPY - Legal

7. GBYPY - People and Wellbeing

8. GBYPY - Retail and Hospitality

9. GBYPY - Sales, Marketing and Communications

10. GBYPY - Start-ups, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

11. GBYPY - Technology and Innovation

12. GBYPY - Third Sector

13. GBYPY - Training and Education

14. Future Faces Ambassador (members only)

One of the category winners will be crowned the overall Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year.

In addition, the President’s Award will be handed out to a recipient chosen by Future Faces president Kasim Choudhry.

For more information on tickets, sponsorships and award applications, scan the QR code.

Future Faces Chamber Patrons

How to cope with the stressors of life

Being aware of what you can do to prevent stress in both your career and general life is a powerful tool to have. Bel Hardman, (pictured) director and head of training at Integral Workplace Wellness, talks us through what young professionals can do to manage stress levels.

Stop for a moment, pause and really think about your stressors and how you handle them. Do you deflect or go into denial that they are actually there? Honestly, do you have a healthy way to release said stressors?

It is a must to recognise when you are stressed and what your body is trying to tell you. The warning signs you feel, before the bigger ones come along which have the potential to lead to long term mental, emotional & physical consequences.

We know work and finances are one of the biggest and constant stressors in our life. How is your life split right now?

The life trifecta:

Life falls into these three areas; Work and Finances, Personal and Relationships, and Social and Hobbies.

Are you stressed trying to achieve the impossible work/life balance?

Have you set boundaries to ensure the balance fits your changing needs?

Ideally like life, we should be in balance, therefore, ask yourself “Do I have a healthy way to rebalance myself?”

Are your words and habits effecting you and exacerbating some of your stress? Be careful to not compare your life & career with others. Know yourself and your goals. Protect your mental, emotional & physical health with healthy boundaries.

The internet is awash with tools and self-care ideas, but you must be willing to use them.

Below are a just a few examples:

• Square Breathing – Search for the explanation on line, it’s so simple and can be done anywhere to bring you back to a more relaxed state very quickly.

• Get enough quality sleep, this really can't be emphasised enough.

Ways the workplace can help

Stress is a hugely common factor in the number of work-related ill health cases. Yung Lau, senior strategic consultant at Jacobs, talks us through why this happens and what we can do as young professionals to ensure we are raising awareness of this issue.

It is estimated that stress, depression, or anxiety accounts for a total number of 914,000 cases in 2021/2022 according to the HSE. They have also stated that we are seeing new cases at an incident rate of 1,120 per 100,000 workers, with an average of 18.6 working days lost per case, a total of 17 million days in 2021/2022.

Overall, this means for employers a loss of productivity, morale, and staff, with the main factor cited due to workload pressures, too many responsibilities, and lack of managerial support.

Freya Dearman, senior employment paralegal for Wright Hassall LLP, says that stress is a common condition that she sees crop up in cases of long-term sickness absence, with employee’s stress being compounded by different factors, including workload, feeling of being undervalued, and a breakdown in communication with managers.

I also have seen this, especially when talking to friends who are working in a negative and toxic working environment, where people end up burnt-out, recognised by WHO as an occupational phenomenon “resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

Fortunately, there are more companies working towards tackling the stigma of mental health and

• Eat well - The 80/20 diet and keep hydrated!

• Mind your negative self-talk. You are enough –full stop!

• Gratitude - There will always be something to appreciate in the moment.

• Journaling – Even a few words can release and ease the internal struggle, plus it can help to realise one thing in the day to be appreciative for.

• Talk to someone.

• Take a Break – actually have a lunch break, go for a walk.

• Connect back with yourself again, listen to music, make plans, create a more empowering vision of your future.

Young professionals should remember, you can’t always have a good day. But you can always choose to face a bad day with a positive attitude

reduce stress

putting more in place to give their employees a way to talk about their challenges. At Jacobs, they have developed One Million Lives app to provide a free, publicly available, mental health check-in tool.

Having been through my own journey of understanding my own mental health, I am also a trained Positive Mental Health Champion at Jacobs, with a passion to help and support others.

The Future Faces executive committee are talking about mental health more, and started the initiative of a Wellbeing Café – a safe place for Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce members to unwind and talk about anything that is on their mind, in person and virtually.

Positive impacts: The Well-Being Café

The café provides resources to members to actively look after their mental and physical wellbeing. We hope our initiative will provide a safe space for young professionals to take a break from their busy lives to relax, de-stress and, if required, seek support and guidance. We believe that as a community we have the responsibility to look out for one another.

The Chamber’s ever growing network for young professionals and the leaders of tomorrow.

New Chamber events this month

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s events programme is one of the largest in the British Chamber of Commerce’s network.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s events programme is one of the largest in the British Chambers of Commerce’s network. April brings with it a range of events. From business breakfasts to TikTok masterclasses, the events span across all the Chamber’s divisions and membership levels. A stand-out event for this month is the Quarterly Business Report Q1 briefing.

For further information and to book a place, visit: www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/networking-events

Speed Networking Burton & District

Date: 3 April 2023

Time: 8:30am – 10:30am

Venue: Branston Golf & Country Club

Division: Burton & District

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £20 +VAT

Future Faces Professional Development

Date: 4 April 2023

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: Alpha Works

Division: Future Faces

Cost: Members: Free

Networking Lunch Sutton Coldfield

Date: 5 April 2023

Time: 12pm – 2pm

Venue: Boldmere St Michael’s Football Club

Division: Sutton Coldfield

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Business at breakfast Solihull

Date: 18 April 2023

Time: 9am – 10:30am

Venue: Shirley Golf Club

Division: Solihull

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Future Faces Social Networking

Sutton Coldfield

Date: 18 April 2023

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: TBC

Division: Future Faces

Cost: Members: Free

Good Business Forum

Date: 19 April 2023

Time: 3pm – 5pm

Venue: Edgbaston Park Hotel

Division: GBCC

Cost: Members: Free

1813 and Premier Members TikTok Masterclass

Date: 20 April 2023

Time: 9am – 11am Venue: Liquid PR

Division: GBCC

Cost: Future Faces Members: Free

Q1 Quarterly Business Report –Investment in Greater Birmingham

Date: 20 April 2023

Time: 9am – 11am

Venue: Birmingham City University

Division: GBCC

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces Members: Free

Non-members: Free

Social Networking Cannock Chase

Date: 20 April 2023

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: TBC

Division: Cannock Chase

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces Members: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Business at Breakfast with RT HON

Andrew Mitchell MP

Date: 21 April 2023

Time: 7:30am – 9:30am

Venue: Sutton Coldfield College

Division: Sutton Coldfield

Cost: Members: Free Future Faces Members: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Premier Members Networking Breakfast

Date: 25 April 2023

Time: 8:30am – 10:30am

Venue: Birmingham City Football Club

Division: GBCC

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces Social Networking

Date: 25 April 2023

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: St Paul’s House

Division: Future Faces

Cost: Members: Free

Business at Breakfast Burton, Cannock Chase and Lichfield & Tamworth

Date: 27 April 2023

Time: 7:30am – 9:30am

Venue: TBC

Division: Burton, Cannock Chase and Lichfield & Tamworth

Cost: Members: Free Future Faces Members: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Pro Solihull Networking

Date: 27 April 2023

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: TBC

Division: Solihull

Cost: Members: Free

Future Faces Members: £15 +VAT

Non-members: £50 +VAT

Networking & Vaisakhi Celebration

Date: 27 April 2023

Time: 6pm – 9:30pm

Venue: TBC

Division: ABCC

Cost: Members: Free

Non-members: £60 +VAT

Training courses

The Chamber’s International team has a portfolio of documentation training, aimed at those who are exporting goods to Europe and all over the world. The majority of the courses are British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) accredited and cover everything from customs procedures to intercoms. For more information, contact training@birmingham-chamber.com

Introduction to Authorised Economic

Operator

Date: 4 April 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £200 + VAT

Non-members: £280 + VAT

The attendee will gain an insight as to why their business should consider obtaining AEO status, what being AEO registers means for a business and looks at the application process.

Understanding Export and Export Documentation (BCC Accredited)

Date: 5 April 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £295 + VAT

Non-members: £345 + VAT

The attendee will see the end-to-end Export process and gain an understanding of the Export documentation requirements, including knowledge on shipping, using freight forwarders and couriers.

A Beginners Guide to Importing

Date: 6 April 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

The attendee will gain knowledge and understanding on terminology used in an import role and understand why import procedures must be correctly actioned and what can happen if rules are not followed. As this is a beginners course, procedures will be explained from the very beginning in a very easy to follow manner. Suitable for anyone with little to no experience in importing.

Course Title: Risk and Rewards in International Trade

Date: 25 April 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £110 + VAT

Non-members: £170 + VAT

This bespoke half day course is to help businesses and their staff understand the different areas of risks of International Trade and therefore be in a positio n to make informed decisions as to the risk it is prepared to take with different aspects of exporting and/or importing and where possible reduce/mitigate them.

Methods of Payment (BCC accredited)

Date: 26 April 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

The course will provide an overview of all methods of payment when trading internationally to include the risks and benefits involved. You will explore the most suitable options in different scenarios and the paperwork involved.

Documentary Letters of Credit (BCC accredited)

Date: 26 April 2023

Time: 1:30pm – 4:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

This course is suitable for those working in international trade, who are involved in the management and presentation of letters of credit or would like to increase their know ledge on the process. Delegates who are looking to learn about the letter of credit in detail as well as learn about alternate options will find this course useful.

Your Marketing Plan – Let’s Go into The

Detail

Date: 27 April 2023

Time: 10am – 1pm

Venue: Chamber House

Trainer: Mel Evans

Cost: Members: £95 + VAT

Non-members: £150 + VAT

The attendee will learn how to plan and deliver their marketing activity in a coordinated way. Knowledge and understanding will be taught along the way that will help businesses to save time, plan efficientl y and identify opportunities to enhance their marketing through partnership and cross marketing.

Course Title: Customs Procedures & Documentation (BCC accredited)

Date: 2 May 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £295 + VAT

Non-members: £345 + VAT

The course would suit those working in an Export environment and wants to grow their knowledge in more detail on the procedures of Customs compliance. The day will look at Customs proce dures in detail along with the documentation process for audit.

A Beginners Practical Guide to Exporting

Date: 4 May 2023

Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £250 + VAT

Non-members: £295 + VAT

The attendee will be learning how to create a commercial invoice correctly from the practical session that occurs on the day, it will show the attendee how to do this from a pre-defined set

of docu ments. As this is a beginners course, procedures will be explained from the very beginning in a very easy to follow manner. Suitable for anyone with little to no experience in exporting.

Understanding Export and Export Documentation (BCC Accredited)

Date: 11 May 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £295 + VAT

Non-members: £345 + VAT

The attendee will see the end-to-end Export process and gain an understanding of the Export documentation requirements, including knowledge on shipping, using freight forwarders and co uriers. A great follow on from anyone who has sat our beginner’s export course.

Understanding Commodity Codes (BCC Accredited)

Date: 17 May 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

The course would be suitable for those working in an export or import environment and wanting to learn exactly what commodity codes are, what they mean and how to determine the correct code.

Agents and Distributors (BCC accredited)

Date: 17 May 2023

Time: 1:30pm – 4:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

This detailed course is suitable for anyone in an international trade environment who lease with different agents & distributors or are looking for opportunities to get involved with an agent/distributor and the best way how.

Customs Procedures & Documentation (BCC accredited)

Date: 1 June 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £295 + VAT

Non-members: £345 + VAT

The course would suit those working in an export environment and wants to grow their knowledge in more detail on the procedures of Customs compliance. The day will loo k kat Customs procedures in detail along with the documentation process for audit.

Import Procedures including inward Processing and Outward Processing (BCC accredited)

Date: 8 June 2023

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £295 + VAT

Non-members: £345 + VAT

This knowledge based course would suit any importer who has experience in the role but wants to learn more. It will go into more detail then the beginners import course and would also be useful to those who have previously attended beginners import as an advanced course.

Preference, Rules of Origin (BCC accredited)

Date: 22 June 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

The course is suitable for anyone who would like to gain more knowledge on origin calculations. Detailed information will be provided on how origin affects sales and purchases, as well as documentation needed depending on origin.

Trading with Ireland and Northern Ireland

Date: 27 June 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:00pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: David Reader

Cost: Members: £110 + VAT

Non-members: £170 + VAT

Whether you are currently trading or looking to trade, information will be provided on what procedures to follow, what the Northern Ireland protocol is when delivering goods and what paperwork requirements are needed.

Incoterms 2020(BCC accredited)

Date: 29 June 2023

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: Online remote training

Trainer: Exporter Services

Cost: Members: £180 + VAT

Non-members: £240 + VAT

The course looks at each Incoterm in detail and explains what each term ‘does’ and ‘doesn’t do’. The half-day session will explore whether your current term is correct for your exports and provide details of how to decide on which term to use and when.

How to plan a sustainable event

Corporate hospitality is seen by many businesses as a vital way to gain and retain customers and improve their brand recognition. However, it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to also demonstrate a commitment to sustainability – but how can you deliver an event that has an enormous impact on your audience but not on the environment?

What’s your impact?

When planning an eco-friendly event, your first action should be to consider past events and measure their environmental impact. This will give you a great starting point to work from and show you the exact areas that need improvement.

Choose a responsible venue

For your event to be as sustainable as possible, it’s imperative that you work with a venue that shares your eco-friendly values. Some venues, such as hotels, will be able to offer a Green Tourism certification, but you can also check their policies on recycling and energy use, too. Consider the fact that a larger event space will require more energy to light and heat, so make sure you choose a space that is appropriately sized for your guest list.

Scrap paper

With the advance of digital technology, do you really need to clog printers with invitations, flyers, posters, welcome packs and brochures? Send out e-vites instead of printed invitations, and consider developing a website – or even an app – where your guests can find all of the information they need during the run up to the big day. This will eliminate the need to print out hundreds or thousands of programmes and will also help your guests stay on top of any last minute changes or additions to the day. Other ways to reduce paper consumption include only promoting your event on social media and presenting information digitally on the day, by

utilising interactive screens. Where you must use paper, opt for recycled products.

Go plastic free

Plastic cutlery; delegate badges; drinks bottles; straws; goody bags; decorations – how many single-use plastics are usually used and discarded at your corporate events? A simple way to make your event more eco-friendly is to see where you can minimise or ditch entirely the use of plastic. If your budget allows it, consider giving out reusable drinks bottles as a gift, and encourage your guests to practice being more sustainable once the event is over.

Sustainable refreshments

If you are planning on catering your event, there are a few steps you can take to provide sustainable refreshments. Where possible, choose organic, locally produced food and drink to cut emissions and to support local manufacturers. Avoid over catering, to save both money and to reduce food waste – but if you do have any leftovers, consider donating them to a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

Travel and transportation

If you have large guest list, consider how they will travel to your event – and what you can do to make their journey a little more eco-friendly. Can you pick a venue that is close to a train, bus or coach station, allowing your guests to travel via public transport? Can you arrange coach travel (or even a car share system) for delegates to travel together and share their emissions?

‘For your event to be as sustainable as possible, it’s imperative that you work with a venue that shares your ecofriendly values’

Life after Zoom

By Nicola Corfield

By now it’s no secret: the UK workforce is suffering from video conference fatigue.

The likes of Zoom and Teams, although once quite rightly hailed as a saving grace for businesses left fighting for survival in the throes of the pandemic, have quickly mutated into a top contributing factor when it comes to employee burnout, general disengagement and irritability at work.

In fact, a 2022 study from Pew Research Center found that one in four employees claim to be worn out by the amount of time they spend on video calls. A further study by Virtira Consulting discovered 63 per cent of remote workers now participate in more meetings online than they would in a conventional office environment, with 30 per cent spending up to three hours a day on video calls.

Now that the world has pretty much returned to normal, the enthusiasm for in-person meetings and events has rocketed, and a study by Cvent recently revealed that 83 per cent of events planners are expected to host more reallife experiences in 2023 compared to 2019.

It’s an exciting time for hotels with meetings and events facilities. The aforementioned Cvent study, The October 2022 Planning Sourcing Report, found there was an increasing appetite for creative space solutions offered by hospitality partners who can provide adequate meeting space and potential catering.

Budgets are also increasing, with company bosses keen to spend more on venues and travel options, plus onsite technology and catering options to make the return to in-person meetings as worthwhile and enjoyable as possible for employees.

For hotels to take advantage of and grow with this trend, investing in all the latest meeting room technology is crucial. At Crowne Plaza Solihull, each of our event spaces feature stateof-the-art technology and the support of a Crowne Plaza meetings director to ensure the smooth-running of presentations and keynote speeches. It’s through this investment that we

have been able to predict an 89 per cent increase in meetings and events revenue compared to 2021.

And let’s not forget the booking process. Although the requirement for in-person meetings has most definitely returned, that isn’t to say that the landscape has not undergone some significant changes brought on by our response to the pandemic and a new stream of workers coming into the fold.

Generation Z has entered the workforce, a pool of talent with technology at their fingertips and a preference to administrate electronically rather than pick up the phone and speak with a booker. So, if the hospitality industry wants to catch the proverbial wave that is business meetings and events, an online booking system is going to help. Recognising this trend, Crowne Plaza Solihull have partnered with third-party booking platform, Venue Directory, where bookers can select a room, date and time, plus any equipment, catering and additional requirements all in one place using the platform’s instant book service.

By implementing and investing in the things mentioned above, we have been able to create a seamless process for event planners and business owners, which has created an opportunity for hotel add-ons such as room bookings and dinner reservations for companies looking to utilise the hotel for networking and team building away days.

The future is looking bright: the once convenient video call is starting to lose its lustre and the demand for meetings and events spaces is growing. But without proper planning and investment, hospitality partners risk missing out on a key revenue opportunity, losing out to competitors who are keen to offer clients a seamless experience and complete package, all available at the touch of a button. So, while a bright future it may seem, the onus is on hospitality partners and M&E professionals to stay ahead of the curve or risk being left in the Zoom age.

(pictured), sales and marketing manager, Crowne Plaza Solihull

Bottom

Bottom: Boardroom meeting room featuring Samsung smart technology

Left: Crowne Plaza Solihull, the perfect setting for business, pleasure and leisure

Middle Left: De Limesi suite featuring natural daylight, private foyer and event bar

left: Relax and enjoy lunch or afternoon tea on the lakeside terrace

‘Now that the world has pretty much returned to normal, the enthusiasm for in-person meetings and events has rocketed’

Careers advice to drive applicants through your doors

By Viktoria Tarapanova (pictured), managing director of Surefire Logistics Solutions and KS 4, KS 5 and undergraduate students mentor, coach and enterprise adviser

According to an Ofsted report: “High quality careers education and guidance in school or college is critical to young people’s futures. It helps to prepare them for the world of work.”

And I totally agree with that!

With this in mind, I would like to emphasise on the hyper-competitiveness of the graduate jobs market and the demoralising and demotivating affect it can have on the huge percentage of the graduates applying for jobs post-university.

Ninety-nine per cent of the youngsters keep failing fundamentally on the basics. They totally underestimate the power of their performance at school, college and university and the fact that it is intertwined with their further career development – or the lack of it in many cases.

I have recently spoken to a few marketing management graduates and let me paint you a picture of their current situation.

They graduated in September 2022 with 2:1 or 2:2 degrees and started applying for local graduate jobs in February 2022. They have been unsuccessful so far.

They have been disqualified either at the interview stage or at the very initial stage when applying with their CV and cover letter.

These same young people are still occupied in the jobs they used to work as undergraduate students. At this point, they have lost hope that they would be able to find a job allowing them to build a career around the skills and knowledge they have gained throughout their university education.

At the time of writing this article, there are only 15 graduate marketing positions available on the local job market. There are hundreds of marketing graduates entering the Birmingham

‘Standing out in the crowd with a good degree is no longer enough to help the graduates penetrate the competitive job market and find their dream job’

job market each year with the hopes of finding a graduate job that will allow them to build their dream lives.

But here is the paradox.

I met old friends at a business event recently, and they shared something interesting with me. They are marketing agency owners doing the marketing for a local manufacturing company.

‘Ninety-nine per cent of the youngsters keep failing fundamentally on the basics’

They decided to get in touch with a local university and hired a couple of part-time final year students to support them with their operations, as their business is undergoing an expansion. However, a week after the students started, the first one dropped out. A few weeks down the line, the other one was discharged as they were not equipped with the required set of competences needed to do the job and was causing more harm rather than help.

This proves a valid point and clearly demonstrates the fact that even if the job is indemand, a gap occurs between what the employers look for and the competences (or lack of) that students offer. The educational setting is usually great at providing the core subject knowledge related to the course a student has signed up for. But there is a lot more to that if one desires to build a successful career after graduating.

Standing out in the crowd with a good degree is no longer enough to help the graduates penetrate the competitive job market and find their dream job. They must be supremely equipped with a wide variety of competences.

Career advice related to topics around UCAS applications, How to write a CV, cover letter and personal statement, interview preparation, teamwor k, leadership, communication, and time management skills are no longer enough.

Which is why we encourage all secondary schools and colleges to dig deeper and focus on providing more comprehensive career advice to KS4/KS5 students.

With a full set of competences, young people will face zero competition as employers will be chasing them insistently.

By providing such transformative trainings to your KS4/KS5 students you will gain massively, because your reputation will be enhanced which will in turn attract more applicants to choose your institution.

How to recruit the best talent in changing times

By Holly Vaughan MIRP, co-founder and company director, at The Recruitment Duo

Employees are the foundation of any business and their greatest asset but also the most overlooked asset!

Unfortunately, we have seen over the last couple of years some local businesses haven’t used the opportunity to make insightful and positive adjustments, by putting employees at the forefront of their mind.

These businesses are now experiencing a high turnover in a fast paced candidate market, as candidates are tempted away for a variety of reasons, and we have seen even when they provide feedback during exit interviews its overlooked by the businesses long term. Employee turnover is thus leading to frustrations recruiting to backfill those positions, or increase headcount as part of growth plans which can ultimately impact

customer satisfaction and profitability.

The GBCC’s recent quarterly business report showed that the percentage of businesses attempting to recruit talent increased from 52 per cent in Q3 to 61 per cent in Q4 2022, but sadly 69 per cent faced challenges when attempting to recruit. Regardless of skills challenges within particular sectors, businesses should also be looking at themselves in the mirror to see why they are struggling to recruit – obvious reasons noncompetitive salary or benefits offering, using ineffective advertising channels or failing to use recruitment specialists?

Recruiting in a post pandemic market is a different landscape to which we have ever personally experienced in our 20 years.

Companies still offering 20 days

Louise Dunn, co-founder and company director at The Recruitment Duo, and Holly Vaughan

holiday plus bank holidays in hope this will be attractive to jobseekers is simply not good enough. Candidates are interested in “flexibility” and what that truly means in reality with clear guidelines. These include hybrid working restrictions or can they start earlier or work later to suit around personal commitments? Another key topic of discussion with candidates is around “culture” such as policies relating to EDI, charitable commitments, wellbeing initiatives and a desire to know what the company will offer to them to enhance them both professionally and personally. Not the old school token comment of offering free tea/coffee or fruit in a break out room.

Social media is an essential marketing tool for any business to promote their products and services, but how often is it used to positively promote your business as a place to work? A continued focus on the positive promotion of the business as an employer of choice highlighting employee wellbeing and benefits, could be a deciding factor between a candidate clicking to apply, or even better speculatively getting in contact for future opportunities. Simple changes on social media could ensure an employer moves from being in the 69 per cent struggling to recruit, to the 31 per cent that aren’t because they now have a bank of candidates keen to work for them.

There is no one size fits all method for recruiting and growing your business through successful talent acquisition, however simple adjustments to benefits, working practices and social media could help businesses take a step in the right direction. A happier workforce will provide a better service to your customers, so maybe offering five days extra holiday won’t be such a bad thing after all. These discussions are not going away, and will continue to shape the world of work, for example the success of the four-day working week trial has been heavily publicised and will result in further changes. If businesses do not act now, then they will be inevitably left behind in this new post pandemic era.

‘Recruiting in a post pandemic market is a different landscape to which we have ever personally experienced in our 20 years’

Milestone met with renewable investment

has become one of the largest family-run packaging companies in Europe.

At the start of the anniversary year, company boss Björn Schumacher, who runs the company in the third generation with his brother Hendrik, explained: “Along our anniversary motto ‘Unboxing the Future of Packaging’, we are pursuing clear goals for the future. We see considerable potential to make packaging even more climate-friendly across the entire value chain. That’s why we want to further reduce the proportion of plastics in packaging across all sectors and replace it sensibly with the natural raw material paper.”

completely natural. They are not waste, can be returned to the material cycle 100 per cent or decompose in nature within a short time without leaving any residues. Currently, more than 85 per cent of corrugated and solid board packaging is recycled – this means that it is reprocessed into packaging after use. Unlike plastic-based reusable systems, no CO2 is emitted during return transport and cleaning,” said Björn Schumacher. “We exploit this potential by leading the way and constantly developing new industryspecific and sustainable products. In this way, we can offer long-term security of supply and be a reliable partner - now and in the future.”

The Schumacher Packaging Group, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of customised packaging made of corrugated and solid board (www.schumacher-packaging.com), successfully continued its dynamic growth course in 2022.

This year, the company celebrates its 75th anniversary and is investing more in sustainability: the focus is on expanding renewable energies and reducing plastics in packaging by using natural raw materials.

By 2025, Schumacher Packaging plans to invest around €700m in the expansion of existing plants and the construction of new ones.

For 2023, however, the focus is on sustainability. This is because the packaging specialist is pursuing the ambitious goal of climate-neutral production by 2035 and is therefore relying on the most modern, efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. Around €45m is being invested in the construction of solar power plants, and €10-20m is earmarked for the expansion of wind energy. Currently, a solar park is under construction at the German site in Forchheim, and two more parks are being built in Poland.

The construction of five more solar power plants in Germany and Poland is planned for 2023 and 2024. The total output of all photovoltaic plants will be around 12 GW/h.

Replacing plastics sensibly

With its innovative solutions made of corrugated and solid board, Schumacher Packaging has grown continuously over the past 75 years and

To achieve this, the family-owned company is leading the way in the industry: it provides information, works on innovations and seeks dialogue with stakeholders. The management assumes that more than one fifth of the plastic packaging currently used can be replaced by paper-based solutions. By using plastic-free, biobased barrier coatings, packaging with protective functions can be produced that can be fully recycled. Plastics can thus be completely replaced - with the greatest potential in the food industry.

Corrugated and solid board as the basis for a sustainable circular economy

Sustainability is of great importance to Schumacher Packaging’s business. “The biggest advantage of paper-based packaging is that it is

Raw material supply and security of supply still important

Despite the difficult economic situation due to the Ukraine war and the sharp rise in energy prices, Schumacher Packaging 2022 managed to grow.

The packaging manufacturer reacted flexibly and quickly in the crisis year and was thus able to guarantee supplies to its customers. Strategic decisions contributed to this, such as the acquisition of the Kaierde cartonboard mill, the majority stake in the Italian corrugated base paper manufacturer Cartiere Modesto Cardella SpA and the acquisition of the Leipzig Land GmbH cartonboard mill.

“The consistent expansion of our production and processing capacities represents an important contribution to securing the market's supply situation in the future and is part of our strategy for the future,” said managing director Hendrik Schumacher.

For more details contact Naomi Harvey at Schumacher Packaging sales_bir@schumacher-packaging.com

Sector Focus

The latest news from the sectors that matter to business

More than 2,000 penalties issued

A total of 2,014 train passengers were handed penalty fares in the first month since West Midlands Railway (WMR) increased penalty charges.

Rail users must purchase a ticket before boarding a train and as part of a national drive to deter ticketless travel, the penalty fare increased to a minimum of £100 from January.

This is reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days – plus the price of a full single fare if applicable.

In the run-up to the change WMR carried out an extensive publicity campaign to warn passengers of the upcoming increase.

Since the level of the penalty fare increased on 23 January, WMR has issued an average of 67 penalty fares every day.

Among the stations where the most penalties were issued were Birmingham New Street, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham Snow Hill and Redditch.

‘The number of penalty fares we have issued shows how seriously we take fare dodging’

Annamaria Izzard, head of revenue protection at WMR, said: “The number of penalty fares we have issued shows how seriously we take fare dodging and although the vast majority of our customers do the right thing and purchase before they travel, I hope the penalty fare scheme will encourage everyone to think twice about ticketless travel and attempting to evade the fare.”

The new penalty fare represented a significant increase to the previous fine of £20 or twice the full single fare to the next station, whichever was greater.

Trams named in honour of local trailblazers

West Midlands trailblazers from business and local government have had trams on the region’s Metro line named in their honour.

Trams have been named after twin entrepreneurs and philanthropists Roy and Don Richardson, and Theresa Stewart, the first and, so far, only female leader of Birmingham City Council.

The Richardson twins established a business that now invests in real estate and growth capital around the world.

Their business activity, which famously included the Merry Hill Shopping Centre and Star City in Birmingham, has created tens of thousands of jobs over many years.

Roy, who is 92, and Don, who passed away in 2007, were also

recognised for their work through the Richardson Brothers Foundation which has supported the region’s less fortunate through dozens of community groups and charities.

They were nominated for the honour by West Midlands mayor Andy Street, who welcomed Roy and his family for the name unveiling in Centenary Square.

Roy Richardson said: “While the family business now invests all over the world, we remain extremely proud of our Black Country roots.

“I hope people enjoy riding on the Roy & Don Richardson tram for many years to come!”

A tram was named after the late Cllr Stewart to mark International Women’s Day.

Honoured: Roy Richardson

Cllr Stewart led Birmingham City Council from 1993 to 1999 and was also the Lord Mayor of Birmingham for the year 2000-2001. She died in 2020.

It is the second time a tram on the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line has been named in her honour – the earlier model was retired from service in 2015.

Her daughters Selina and Lindsey unveiled the tram naming with their husbands Philip Hunt and James Wells along with their children and grandchildren.

Selina said: “This honours the commitment mum always had to public transport as a politician and also as an individual.”

Family pride: From left - Sabrina Stewart, Cllr Ian Ward (Birmingham City Council) , Lindsey Stewart, Sophie Allison (West Midlands Metro), Cllr Mary Locke (vice-chair WMCA Transport Delivery Committee) and Anne Shaw (Transport for West Midlands)

Qatar Airways resumes flights from Birmingham

Birmingham Airport (BHX) has announced Qatar Airways will be returning following a three-year absence.

The Doha-based carrier plans to restart daily flights on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner from July 10.

Eric Odone, vice-president sales, Europe, at Qatar Airways, said: “Qatar Airways is pleased to announce the resumption of flights to Birmingham Airport, further establishing our presence and partnership with the United Kingdom.

“The United Kingdom is a very important market to the airline, naturally through the leisure travel market, which we experienced during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, but also thanks to the strong connections with the commercial, technological and industrial industries.

“We look forward to offering passengers access to the more than 150 destinations that we fly to around the world via Hamad International Airport.”

Qatar Airways operated from Birmingham prior to the Covid-19 pandemic but ceased flights to and from the city in early 2020.

Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, said: “We are very pleased to welcome back Qatar Airways. Connectivity from Birmingham Airport to the Middle East, and onwards via their large network, is something our customers have missed.

“Birmingham Airport is the global gateway to the West Midlands region, an economic powerhouse on a strong trajectory of growth, which will be further buoyed by the presence of Qatar Airways.”

Plans for new railway stations

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) are to explore the feasibility and business cases for five new railway stations across the region.

The five proposed stationsBalsall Heath, Coventry East (Binley), Foleshill, Castle Bromwich and Tettenhallhave been selected from a long list of 15 following an initial feasibility study. It follows the award of funding from the West Midlands City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to investigate and plan the next phase of station development. Once complete these business cases could be used to secure further Government funding to design and build the new stations.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: “Investing in rail stations is Levelling Up in action - helping to regenerate local areas, offer a convenient alternative to the car and driving job creation.”

Take-off: Qatar Airways is resuming its Birmingham service

Are your investments ready for the new tax year?

This tax year, we will see a reduction in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Dividend Tax allowances, with further reductions expected in the 2024/2025 tax year.

It is important to consider maximising investments elsewhere.

Pensions and ISAs allow your investments to grow without being subject to tax on the interest earned. In most cases, individuals can save up to £20,000 in an Individual Savings Account (ISA), and from 6 April, up to £60,000 each tax year into a Pension.

A Stocks and Shares ISA can be a great place to start as an investor.

It’s a tax-efficient investment account that allows you to hold money and invest in the markets, and you can make either one-off or regular contributions, allowing you to manage your Stocks and Shares directly.

If you would like a professional to manage your investments, our team of chartered investment managers manage SIPP and ISA portfolios on behalf of clients across the UK, with the support of a dedicated inhouse research team.

The information contained herein does not contain and should not be construed as tax advice. Investors should independently assess, with professional financial, tax, legal and accountant advisors, the specific financial risks and legal, regulatory, credit, tax, and accounting consequences. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you might get back less than you invest.

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Firms to benefit from social funding boost

Businesses in the West Midlands that struggle to access finance from high street lenders are set to benefit from a £4m funding package thanks to a partnership between three socially-minded organisations.

Block Inc (NYSE: SQ), a global technology company with a focus on financial services, is making its first social impact investment in the UK, providing £2m capital to ART Business Loans (ART), which is being matched by wellestablished ethical lender Unity Trust Bank.

ART, a Birmingham-based Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI), was founded in 1997 to help alleviate poverty through enterprise. ART lends between £10,000 and £150,000 to

businesses in underserved and disadvantaged communities which are unable to obtain their full requirements from traditional banks.

Dr Steve Walker, chief executive at ART said: “This deal is a real game-changer for us and a great vote of confidence from such well-established institutions as Block and Unity Trust Bank.”

Block is made up of ecosystems, including Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, with a united purpose of expanding economic access for everyone. The investment comes from its $100m social impact investment fund, which was established in 2020 to support minority and underserved communities, allocating $10m for social impact investments in markets outside the US.

Amrita Ahuja, chief financial officer at Block, said: “We are thrilled to be making our first UK social impact investment. ART’s efforts to help underserved groups access fair and responsible finance is completely aligned with Block’s mission of economic empowerment.”

Unity Trust Bank, a thriving commercial bank that is headquartered in Birmingham city centre, has been using banking to improve the lives of UK communities for nearly 40 years.

Deborah Hazell, CEO at Unity Trust Bank, said: “Financial inclusion is a key focus for us and we are committed to providing access to fair and affordable finance through intermediaries such as ART.”

Midlands net store closures slow down

Net store closures in the Midlands are at their lowest rate since 2018, according to new data from PwC and the Local Data Company.

The twice yearly research tracks over 200,000 outlets in over 3,500 locations to gain a picture of the changing landscape of high streets, retail parks, shopping centres and stand alone outlets.

The region saw a net fall of -2.3. per cent in 2022, improving from -5.4 per cent in 2021, with 1,024 shutting shop in the region, while 596 new stores opened in the same period, creating a net closure rate of 428.

The rate of closures has improved from 2021 when there were 641 openings and 1,676 closures and a net change of 1,035.

The West Midlands saw some parts of the high street thriving with takeaways, convenience stores, DIY and pet stores bouncing back, helped by pandemic trends.

Sarah Phillips, PwC partner and consumer markets leader for the Midlands, said: “In the last few years, the region has seen some major retailers exit the high street. However, it’s not all doom and gloom as we’re seeing some green shoots appear, as the rate of store openings has doubled in line with store closures.”

Partnership: Deborah Hazell, Dr Steve Walker and Helen Prowse, head of International Corporate Communications at Block Inc

Sarah Phillips: Green shoots of recovery

Tech incorporations grow across region

The number of new technology companies incorporated in the West Midlands increased 25 per cent in 2022, according to analysis of Companies House data by leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK.

A total of 2,378 tech businesses were incorporated in the West Midlands last year, up from 1,901 the previous year.

Mark Taylor, regional managing partner, RSM West Midlands, said: “It is fantastic to see this continued strong growth in tech incorporations in the West Midlands – reinforcing the increasing significance of the technology sector in the local economy.

“Birmingham has really defined itself as an emerging centre for technology innovation in recent years, with great support from our thriving local university community and facilities such as the Innovation Birmingham Campus, which offers a superb space for an ever-increasing number of start-ups and scale-ups to collaborate and grow.

“Fintech and healthtech are key parts of the landscape, but it is also great to see future winners emerging in fields such as cyber security, VR and blockchain. The prominence and momentum of Birmingham Tech Week – now the largest regional tech festival and conference in the UK - is also a clear indicator of the city’s expanding role in driving this key part of the economy.

“Nationally, 46,474 tech businesses were incorporated in 2022, up from 38,240 in 2021. The total number of incorporations in 2022 is nearly double the 23,531 companies in 2020, demonstrating sustained growth in new tech incorporations year-on-year.

“The data cements tech as an area of huge growth across the UK. All regions in the UK saw an increase compared to 2021, with London being home to the highest number of tech incorporations (24,783). Eight of the ten regions in the UK saw increases on or above 22 per cent.”

Ben Bilsland, partner and technology industry senior analyst at RSM UK, said: “Despite the obvious economic challenges, it’s been another strong year for the tech industry. While it is no surprise to see London at the centre of new tech incorporations, growth across all regions outside the capital is further evidence of the UK’s thriving tech industry.

“There is clearly appetite from entrepreneurs to start up new, innovative businesses and become part of the UK’s booming tech industry.”

Tech growth: Mark Taylor

Advice on food packaging information is our bread and butter

Whether it is low and no alcohol drinks, restrictions on high fat, salt or sugar, or targeted nutrition, you may not know where to look for support with labelling your food products (or doing your shopping). But while you are waiting for miracle weight loss drugs to be widely available and what law changes might mean for you, we can support you.

Product information on packaging or advertising encompasses not only ingredients, instructions for use and allergens, it may also make claims relating to origin or provenance – or how the product is the best on the market!

Over the coming years, legislation relating to food and trading law in the UK is going to change. It is almost certainly likely to diverge from European requirements and, Northern Ireland aside, it may even evolve differently across Wales, Scotland, and England. There are likely to be more pieces of information required on packaging – ingredients on wine? Animal welfare information? Packaging and recycling information? How is cell cultured meat going to be described? Front of pack nutrition labels?

All the information on products must be presented correctly and must be accurate. Clavis are perfectly positioned to support you through this. For over 30 years, Pete has worked in trading law as regulatory support to grocery retailers and manufacturers, protecting brands and their consumers.

From initial advice on new legislation, to support on formulation, to product information contact Pete Martin LLM DTS CTSI on tel: 07555 646950 Or visit: www.clavis-support.co.uk

Law firm supports black students’ empowerment

A conference designed to provide inspiration and empowerment for aspiring lawyers from African and Caribbean backgrounds was hosted by national law firm Freeths.

Freeths hosted the Birmingham Black Lawyers’ (BBL) Student Empowerment Conference: Tomorrow’s Lawyers, which offered guidance and support to the 16 to 18-year-olds who are looking to take their first steps in law.

Students took part in activities such as a panel discussion and skills workshops that included tips on networking and interview techniques.

They then had the opportunity to practice their team building and advocacy skills during a short debating session.

Abiola Adeboyejo, a lecturer in law and founder of the Tyro Lawyer Mentoring Programme, said: “Our students left motivated and they haven't stopped talking about all they saw, heard and did. Thanks to all the presenters and panel members. It was a truly amazing event for our aspiring lawyers”.

Lasharna Barnett, legal assistant in Freeths’ Birmingham corporate team, said: “It was a pleasure to form part of the panel for the conference.

“Events like this are important for inspiring the next generation of lawyers and ensuring diversity within the legal profession.”

Birmingham Black Lawyers was launched in 2011 by four junior lawyers who were keen to be part of a network of people from similar backgrounds and with similar.

The non-profit organisation is managed by co-chairs Kishma Bolaji, a principal associate specialising in medical negligence and Tamina Greaves, senior crown prosecutor at the CPS.

Kishma said: “We are proud of what our young people have learned and taken away from the event.”

Corporate team sets record

Shoosmiths is celebrating the exceptional performance of its corporate team - which advised on more than 400 transactions with an aggregate deal value of £5bn from January to December 2022.

The team worked across a record number of deals spanning private equity, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and venture capital – many with a strong crossborder element.

According to the 2022 Experian league tables, Shoosmiths is the most active law firm advising on corporate transactions across the UK.

Activity included advising Linnaeus Veterinary Limited on multiple strategic acquisitions, Sandbox International on the acquisition of Playkids (Brazil) and Nissan Motor on various strategic

divestments. Furthermore, Shoosmiths holds its first place ranking in the UK and Ireland for the second consecutive year, having advised on more Venture Capital (VC) than any other law firm.

Deal highlights for the VC team in 2022 include advising Octopus Ventures on a Series D Funding round which raised $100m, as well as advising Masabi on its significant strategic growth investment from Accel-KKR.

Deal highlights for the Private Equity team include advising Five Arrows Principal Investments on its investment into Mintec alongside Synova Capital, placing the firm, once again, in the top 10 for PE deals in the UK and Ireland (Pitchbook).

Ben Turner, national head of Shoosmiths’ corporate team, said:

“I’m exceptionally proud of our entire corporate team for what they have delivered in the last year, and for their dedication to our clients.”

Correction

We would like to point out that in the March 2023 edition of Chamberlink, Timothy Bowe and Rebecca Wade from St Ives Chambers were erroneously referred to as solicitors.

They are both barristers who have been appointed as King’s Counsel.

Chamberlink apologises unreservedly for the error and for any embarrassment caused to Timothy, Rebecca and St Ives Chambers.

Inspired: From left - Becky Egan (Freeths’ head of D&I), Kishma Bolaji, Abiola Adeboyejo, Tamina Greaves and Nicola Dolman (Freeths’ senior business development manager, Birmingham)

A radiant partnership as financial group sets out growth plan

Law firm Browne Jacobson has helped a wealth management business raise finance to fund its growth strategy.

Radiant Financial Group has entered into a new debt facility to fund its buy and build strategy as part of ambitious growth plans.

Leicestershire-headquartered Radiant Financial is a national independent financial advisory group, with established platform technology and discretionary fund management capabilities.

The group provides access to a comprehensive range of wealth management advice, solutions and services to a high quality individual and corporate clients.

The Browne Jacobson team advising Radiant Financial was led by banking and finance partner, Paul Ray (pictured) and included senior associate Melanie Hilton, associate Beth Nixon and specialist lawyers from the firm’s wider financial services and insurance practice.

Thomas Alldred, investment director at Apiary, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to support the next exciting stage of Radiant’s growth strategy, and the support from Browne Jacobson was invaluable throughout.”

Paul Ray said: “This strategic move presents huge opportunities for Radiant Financial to broaden and deepen its already excellent marketleading range of services and reflects the growing confidence in the transactional market and appetite for funding acquisitions.

“We are proud to have delivered this transaction with specialists from our banking & finance, corporate and FS teams.”

The four scholarships, which commenced on 15 February, were awarded to:

• Elice Homer-Walton, at Wolverhampton University

• Inderjeet Sandhu, at Birmingham City University

• Nisha Bagga, at Aston University

• Shukry Ali, at Birmingham City University

2022, The Ministry of Justice reported that, “ethnic minority individuals together constituted [just] 16% of barristers, 18% of solicitors and 9% of Chartered Le gal Executives.”

“As a firm, we want to use our platform to create opportunities not barriers.”

Four aspiring law students have won a work experience scholarship with Thursfields Solicitors as part of the second phase of an inclusion project at the firm.

The scholarship includes a guaranteed interview for a training contract with the leading Midlands law firm on the successful completion of each student’s Legal Practice Course.

The work experience will take place over two years during each student’s degree and will include mentorship and a cash prize.

Jade Linton, HR Director and Chair of Thursfields’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, explaine d that 16 students applied for the scholarship and were invited to a group assessment day, followed by a shortlisting and interviews of eight students before four were selected. She said: “We are delighted to announce the first four successful degree students who have now received our work experience scholarship.

“The programme is part of the company’s commitment to inclusion and widening access to the lega l profession for individuals from all backgrounds.

“We recognise that access to the legal profession is harder for students from lower social economic backgrounds, particularly those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. As at 1 April

Jade Linton said that the work experience would be taking place across Thursfields’ five offices in Worcester, Kidderminster, Halesowen, Solihull and Birmingham.

She added: “Students will be given varied work within our Top Tier teams in various departments, including Corporate and Commercial, Employment, Dispute Resolution, Commercial Property, Residential Property, Wills & Estates and Family.”

For more information contact Jade Linton on 0121 796 4024

Four aspiring law students: Elice, Nisha, Shukry and Inderjeet

Spotting supply chain problems

A new service designed to help manufacturers identify and resolve quality issues in their supply chains before they begin to affect the production line has been launched by quality management specialist G&P.

G&P’s service has been specifically developed to protect manufacturers from costly disruption through proactive intervention with tiered suppliers who pose a significant risk of creating disruption.

Simon Francis, group quality director of G&P said: “Our new service has been designed to prevent quality spills, instead of controlling spills that have already happened.

“To do this, our system develops a picture of the tiered supplier’s overall risk level by measuring and monitoring internal and external influences, through a business integrity and capability assessment.

“From here we can identify those suppliers posing the greatest risk of poor quality or missed delivery and find the right resolution to minimise any disruption before it occurs.”

The launch of the new service comes as several macro factors such as raw material shortages, parts supply problems and depleted workforces across several manufacturing industries continue to have an effect on production schedules.

Manufacturer makes a sustainable move into art

A family owned West Midlands automotive manufacturer is transforming unused parts into sculptures, thanks to a six-figure funding package from Lloyds Bank.

Birchills Automotive has been trading in Walsall for 130 years, manufacturing exhaust systems for the car and motorcycle industry.

To further its commitment to a more sustainable industry, the business has launched a project called Birchills Sculptures & Metal Restorations.

The firm repurposes unused metal from its manufacturing process to make and sell handcrafted designs. The sculptures vary from garden products to bespoke carvings.

The business plans to exhibit in the UAE in the coming months –developing its client base even further.

Director Andrew Wellings’ son Oliver sparked the concept of repurposing waste material into impressive sculptures when he joined the company back in 2021.

Andrew said: “When Oliver joined the company, his eye for creativity spotted that unused metal from exhaust parts could be completely transformed into beautiful sculptures. He soon got to work and began to create extraordinary monuments from the waste products.”

Lloyds Bank is supporting Birchills Sculptures & Metal Restorations to sell the designs internationally with an overdraft

‘When Oliver joined the company, his eye for creativity spotted that unused metal from exhaust parts could be completely transformed into beautiful sculptures’

and credit card package that will allow them to exhibit overseas.

Lloyds Bank has been working with Birchills for over 40 years and this new six-figure overdraft facility has been put in place to support the business as it rapidly grows.

Since the project began less than two years ago, it's already received a lot of overseas interest. One sculpture has been sold in the UAE and another is set to be purchased by a client in the USA for a six-figure sum.

Firms makes commitment to lowering carbon emissions

A Birmingham manufacturer has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 23,731kg a year - by investing in solar panels and energy storage.

Bailey & Mackey manufacturers high-quality instrumentation, such as pressure switches, pressure gauges and pressure transducers.

The deal between Bailey & Mackey and Experienced Energy Solutions (EES) is worth £500,000 and was supported by Azets, a UK Top 10 accounting firm.

Bailey & Mackey Limited worked with Experienced Energy Solutions

(EES) to invest significantly in solar panels and energy storage to ensure its operations are fully powered by renewable energy.

Excess energy that is produced through these systems will be sold back to the grid, generating further income for the firm.

David Saunders, partner at Azets Walsall, said: “Having had the discussion with the team at Bailey & Mackey around energy pricing and increases, it’s brilliant to see a solution to this wider problem, that fits with the business’ strategic plan.

“Working alongside EES allows us to encourage clients to move towards greener business practices, through innovative approaches.”

Commenting on the investment, Paul Topham, from Bailey & Mackey, said: “This investment will be able to pay itself back in just four years, whilst allowing us to heavily reduce our carbon emissions and generate cash savings annually.

“The project sits in line with our strategic plan to develop as a sustainable and forward-thinking manufacturing firm.”

Eco stride: From left - David Saunders, Paul Topham and Dominic O’Brien from EES

Repurposed: Oliver with his first sculpture ‘Ghost’

Strong activity continues for office market

Birmingham’s office market has seen sustained growth and the most active post-Covid year yet, according to strategic real estate advisor Avison Young’s latest report.

Covering the final quarter of 2022, the report highlights that the total take-up for Q4 was 273,147 sq ft, two per cent above the 10-year average and the third consecutive quarterly increase with the total annual figure being 932,320 sq ft.

But there is an undersupply of available quality space, with under one-fifth of total availability being grade A and just five grade A buildings having at least 15,000 sq ft available.

Charles Toogood, principal and managing director, National Offices Team at Avison Young, said: “Despite ongoing uncertainty, Q4 saw a healthy level of transactions, marking a 14 per cent increase nationally over the 10-year average, and bringing annual take-up to 8.1 million sq ft.

Major deals that contributed to the uptick were; Global Banking School - 43,766 sq ft lease at Norfolk House; Mott MacDonald - 30,811 sq ft at 10 Livery St; and Spacemade25,731 sq ft at 10 Brindleyplace.

Over the course of 2022, the professional services, financial services, and government sectors accounted for 68 per cent of deals within the city core area.

“While occupiers sought topquality workplaces to secure their place in the war for talent, they also continued to reassess their spatial needs, leading to a 19 per cent reduction in average lease size.

“Looking ahead, there are some standout schemes in the development pipeline for 2023, including projects such as One Centenary Way in Birmingham, which is already partially pre-let and Bruntwood’s Enterprise Wharf at the heart of the City’s Knowledge Quarter.”

Cladding manufacturer creates new jobs

Up to 40 jobs will be created by a cladding manufacturer’s expansion into a new industrial unit in Birmingham, helped by top commercial property agent Siddall Jones.

Finish Facades Ltd has continued its future investment strategy to secure recladding contracts on blocks of flats across the UK, triggered by new building regulations following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Finish Facades, the sister company to the longstanding Finish Architectural Ltd, will now be based in 24,300 sq ft of space at Unit 1 on the BSA Business Park, off Armoury Road in Small Heath, rented on a tenyear lease.

Terry Turner, director at Finish Facades Ltd said: “We’d been looking for the right property for four or five months but without much success until we came across this unit on the BSA Business Park.

“We jumped straight in and were really pleased with the response from Siddall Jones who worked quickly and out of hours to make sure the rental agreement was quickly progressed.”

Edward Siddall-Jones said: “We are delighted to have secured this letting and are thrilled to support Birmingham-based manufacturing in an area which has former manufacturing heritage.

“We are seeing the industrial sector between 10 to 30,000 sq ft perform well, with record take up and several active requirements from both manufacturing and distribution companies.

“Competition for freehold properties remain strong and the letting market continues to see rentals increase and landlords secure longer term leases with little or no rental incentives on offer.”

Unit 1 on the BSA Business Park was a former Orange Data Centre which was built for the company in the 1980s and acquired in 2017 by the current owner and converted into an industrial warehouse.

John Mclean of Nexa Law acted for the landlord on the deal.

‘Looking ahead, there are some standout schemes in the development pipeline for 2023’

Jobs galore: (L-R) Grahame Byrne, Joshua Byrne, Edward Siddall-Jones, Steven Espie Whitburn and Terry Turner

Brindleyplace in Birmingham

Thrilled: Susan and Luke Apprentice keeps it in the family

It’s a real family affair at a Midland recruitment agency where new teenage recruit Luke Challoner has joined as an apprentice at his parents’ company.

Training experts

Performance Through People (PTP) had enrolled Luke to Midlands recruitment agency Valyou on a Customer Service Level 2 apprenticeship.

Luke is the son of managing director Jason Challoner and Susan Challoner, who manages HR and finance.

Aged 17, Luke has joined as a trainee resourcer and digital marketeer after completing and passing his first year in media and journalism at Lichfield College.

He said: “During the first few weeks of my second year, I realised I wanted to enter the world of work, and I’m now enjoying getting stuck in at Valyou.

“My parents have obviously told me loads about the company and I just felt now was the time to join and make my own mark in the world of work, getting paid to become qualified at the same time.”

Jason Challoner, who is also honorary chair and a former president of Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce said: “We’re thrilled that Luke has decided to join the family firm and look forward to seeing him progress on his apprenticeship.

“We really value how PTP’s specialist knowledge and skills have helped us to arrange the appropriate funding for the training and ongoing development side of Luke’s role.”

Gill Durkin, business executive at PTP, part of the BCTG Group, said: “Small companies are quite often something that grows and thrives with family input, and Valyou is a great example of how this can happen.”

Hair care entrepreneur wins pitch competition

Entrepreneur Kameese Davis walked away with £3,000 in prize money and a package of bespoke business support to help her award-winning hair care products grow to new lengths.

An audience of more than 500 entrepreneurs, innovators and investors at the Venturefest WM 2023 festival of innovation in Birmingham voted Kameese the winner of this year’s Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition, which traditionally closes the annual festival.

Venturefest, which was held at the city centre’s Eastside Rooms, offers West Midlands entrepreneurs and innovators, particularly those in the fields of science and emerging technologies, a huge opportunity to develop and grow their businesses by meeting with potential investors and other cutting-edge companies.

Kameese’s business, Sandwellbased Nylah Hair, Heritage and Science, specialises in providing quality products for afro and curly hair care.

She pitched her proposition for investment in the head-to-head

Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up contest, sponsored by the British Business Bank, in front of the Venturefest audience who then voted her the winner.

‘Winning the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up means so much to me’

Kameese is no stranger to impressing potential investors. Last year she landed £50,000 investment for her range of vegan plant-based hair care products after winning over judge Sara Davies during an appearance on the television show ‘Dragon’s Den’.

Kameese said: “Winning the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up means so much to me. It’s given me a massive confidence boost in terms of the product and brand being an attractive proposition for investors.

“It also gave me the opportunity to speak and engage directly with people who are interested in helping the brand to scale up and maximize its full potential.

“The Venturefest festival is fantastic for giving you the chance to network with fellow entrepreneurs and share good ways of working because the experience of an entrepreneur can sometimes be quite lonely.”

Over the last eight years, Minerva Birmingham Pitch Upwhich is run by the Centre for Growth at Aston University, BizzInn at the University of Birmingham and Minerva at the University of Warwick Science Park - has put scores of entrepreneurs directly in front of investors and helped bring over £40m of investments to the region's small businesses.

Venturefest is organised and led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Innovation Alliance WM, working with its stakeholders, including local enterprise partnerships, universities and Bruntwood SciTech, a leading property and support provider to the science and tech sector.

This year’s event was also backed by several key sponsors including VWV, ICURe Midlands, Birmingham Tech, the British Business Bank and Tin Ventures.

Confidence boost: Kameese Davis

Providing Assistive Technology in the Workplace, at Home, in Education

Adapt-IT are specialist I.T and gaming solution and service providers for people with disabilities.

Disability comes in many forms with a lot of conditions not even visible. However, the term disability is mistaken for incapable, and this is far from the reality. A disabled person is 50% more likely to be unemployed than an ‘abled person’. With the removal of ‘dis’, you can open a whole new abled, and accessible talent pool.

Adapt-IT has been helping companies with individuals with disabilities and individuals with disabilities for 20 years, from management awareness training to complete assessments, solutions and through life support.

FOLLOW US on all social media for support and guidance.

CONTACT US to enhance your business and learn how to provide access to people with disabilities.

VISIT US at the Disability Expo at ExCel London 6th/7th July

ASK US about our 45-minute Awareness Presentation on Assistive Technology, that could inform and support you, your business and/or your clients with neurodiversity and physical disabilities.

T: 03300 564079

E: support@adapt-it.co.uk

W: www.adapt-it.co.uk

Technology sector gets boost from partnership

Birmingham Tech, the organisation at the heart of the region’s technology scene, has teamed up with PR agency EAST VILLAGE to promote the thriving sector.

The organisations are joining forces to elevate the start-ups and scale-ups that are helping the region reach its global ambition of becoming a respected tech hub.

Birmingham Tech supports organisations across the region to foster an environment of collaboration and give businesses a platform to celebrate their success.

Through an extensive joint network and notable partnerships, the non-profit organisation has already supported over 500 businesses.

This includes helping to raise more than £25m in investment and funding through its first accelerator programmes.

Yiannis Maos, founder of Birmingham Tech, said: “There’s no doubting that tech is set to be a leading industry, not just for the West Midlands, but the UK as a whole – and Birmingham Tech is here to create the best possible environment for growth.

“Working with EAST VILLAGE means that we can not only tell more tech entrepreneurs that we’re here to support them, but really help those innovative businesses grow and thrive.”

Founder and managing director, Tara Attfield-Tomes, added: “Yiannis, his team, and their wider network of partners embody everything that is brilliant about this region.

“EAST VILLAGE is an agency that loves placing a spotlight on changemakers, and we know that this partnership is set to do just that!”

University develops new phase shifter

A new type of high performance ‘phase shifter’ for use in advanced phase array antenna systems has been developed at the University of Birmingham.

Researchers, led by Dr Yi Wang from Birmingham’s School of Engineering, created a new type of high-performance ‘phase shifter’ using a liquid Gallium alloy, which varies the phase angle of microwave and millimetre-wave radio signals. The phase shifter is a key enabling technology for advanced phased array antennas (PAA) which are widely used in mobile base stations, satellites and radar systems. These PAA systems use multiple phase

shifters to provide the controlled phase increments that steer the radiation beam.

However current phase shifters typically use semiconductors and suffer from high loss of signal (insertion losses) and relatively poor power handling capability.

Dr Wang said: “An ideal phase shifter would provide a stable, and wide phase angle range with a minimal loss of signal over the operation bandwidth.

“However conventional phase shifters suffer from signal losses which increase as the phase angle increases, and the phase varies with frequency. Taken together, these

issues can cause signal degradation and impair performance. Rectifying this requires additional complicated circuitry and consumes more power, which adds to both the bulk and the running cost of the entire antenna.”

University of Birmingham Enterprise has filed a patent application covering the microfluidic channel wave-guiding device.

Tech team: From left - Olivia Furniss (senior account executive, EAST VILLAGE), Tara Attfield Tomes, Yiannis Maos, Hattie D’Souza (director of people and strategy, EAST VILLAGE) and Naomi Nash (head of community and collaboration, Birmingham Tech)

Breakthrough: Dr Yi Wang

Online learning launched for SMEs

Innovative e-learning company click2 learn has launched its new online platform aimed at helping SMEs expand and improve productivity.

The online training company has branched out further to help small businesses improve their teams’ skills and tackle business challenges. The training, which is CIPD accredited, teaches employees how to identify aspects of the company or their role which could be improved, while showing them how to apply highly effective tools to then make change happen.

The Continuous Improvement courses can be accessed at any time and from any device.

Click2 learn’s managing director Dan Briscoe said the expansion of their business to help SMEs was as a result of direct requests from HR and operations managers who were keen to save money and upskill their teams.

Dan said: “We originally were offering the training to individuals, but it soon became clear that many SMEs were needing the support as well in helping expand their business through increasing productivity.

“But to do this they needed to also up-skill many of their employees. With so many companies under pressure with their time, staff and of course budgets, many options currently offered were not working for them, and SMEs who approached us were keen to find a cost effective solution. Our unique online programme was therefore designed with these size companies in mind as we are conscious that they may not be able to afford to bring in costly consultants, but need to find a way to make changes and survive in what are very difficult times.”

Prices for online courses start from £99. Visit www.click-2.com

Dan Briscoe: Supporting continuous improvement

TV star celebrated on Rep stage

Birmingham Rep will pay tribute to legendary news reader Bob Warman’s five decades in TV – in a show hosted by comedian Jasper Carrott.

‘A Night of Stars – Celebrating Bob Warman’s 50 Years in Television’ takes place at the city centre theatre on Tuesday 9 May.

The show will also feature many more famous faces as they revisit guests, stars and highlights of Bob’s extensive career.

Audiences can expect laugh-out-loud comedy, the best in Brummie live music and a trip down memory lane in this fundraising performance, full of surprises.

All proceeds from this one-off Night of Stars will go to the Journalists Charity – founded by Charles Dickens in 1864 to support journalists and their families through tough times - and Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Jasper Carrott said: “It is an honour to be

Garrick announces new season line-up

The Lichfield Garrick theatre has launched its new season brochure, showcasing an incredible line-up of shows over the next six months.

The award-winning arts venue and charity has added more than 20 new shows to its current line-up, including West End musicals and top-tier comedians.

Music lovers will be tapping their toes and clapping their hands at the selection of musicians, including fan favourites The Opera Boys, rock icons Voodoo Room, and the legendary Eddi Reader.

Some of the finest tribute artistes in the country are hitting the stage too - including The Magic of Motown, Nearly Elton, Arrival: The Hits of ABBA, and finally... Phil Collins.

Famous faces such as royal historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman, comedian Andy Hamilton, and critically-acclaimed dance troupe Motionhouse are also among those appearing.

To keep the kids entertained, La Navet Bête return with Dracula: The Bloody Truth after the success of their previous show, Treasure Island. Rounding off the next season’s top picks, the world-renowned musical ‘Blood Brothers’ comes direct from the West End. The #GarrickPanto is already selling fast and Lichfield legend Sam Rabone is back in a frock for ‘Beauty & the Beast’.

Tickets are on sale now over the phone on 01543 412121

presenting this very special evening celebrating the extensive career of Birmingham’s brilliant broadcaster, Bob Warman.

“This one-off event guarantees audiences plenty of laughter and entertainment at the city’s historic leading theatre.”

To book tickets visit Birmingham-rep.co.uk, call 0121 236 4455 or visit the box office during opening hours.*

Shrek the Musical casting revealed

Producers Mark Goucher, Gavin Kalin and Matthew Gale have announced a Shrektacular principal cast line-up including Joanne Clifton (Princess Fiona), James Gillan (Shrek) and Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey) in the new production of Shrek the Musical at The Alexandra, Birmingham from 4 to 16 April, 2024.

Anthony Lawrence played Scar in ‘The Lion King’ and performed in ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘Matilda the Musical’ and ‘We Will Rock You’.

Best known for her time on the BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, after winning the World Professional Showdance Champion and the European Professional Ballroom Championship, Joanne Clifton joined the TV show as a professional dancer.

Olivier Award-nominee James Gillan most recently created the role of Tray in ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ – a role he stayed with through the show’s entire West End run.

Brandon Lee Sears played the role of Jimmy Early in ‘Dreamgirls’.

His previous theatre credits include the original West End productions of ‘Be More Chill’, ‘Come From Away’, ‘Heathers’, ‘Motown the Musical’ and ‘On the Town’.

From the producers of ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’, ‘Shrek the Musical’ brings together a new creative team to re-image the award-winning Broadway and West End hit show for a new audience.

The team joining forces to re-create ‘Shrek the Musical’ includes acclaimed director and choreographer Nick Winston, co-director Sam Holmes, who returns to the swamp having played Lord Farquaad in the previous UK tour.

He is joined by Set and costume design will be by Philip Witcomb. Further creative team includes Ben Cracknel (lighting), Jim Arnold (casting) and Ben Harrison (sound).

A Night of Stars: Jasper Carrott (left) and Bob Warman (right)

New season: Lichfield Garrick theatre

‘Shrektacular’ scores at the The

Alexandra

The Business of Sport

Pilot course in climate education

Birmingham County Football Association (BCFA) and their Save Today, Play Tomorrow programme have launched a fully accredited Carbon Literacy in Grassroots Football course that will support the education of volunteers and players within the region.

The pilot course was delivered with great success at BCFA’s HQ in Great Barr to their staff, board members and representatives from neighbouring County FAs, the EFL Trust and professionals within sports and sustainability.

This one-day course gives attendees a months’ worth of knowledge and awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities.

Learners will also gain an understanding of the interdependencies between football and climate change, allowing them to take necessary steps to reduce the impact football has on the environment

Richard Lindsay, BCFA Save Today, Play Tomorrow lead, said: “We are thrilled about being able to offer this course to our member clubs and the volunteer workforce.

“We know from our own research that over 80 per cent of clubs in the region want to become more sustainable, but with such a complex topic knowing where to start or what to tackle first can eventually become a barrier.

“By completing this course, individuals gain a fundamental understanding of climate science coupled with an awareness and confidence to implement more sustainable alternatives.”

Each individual that completes the course is contributing to the 100,000 carbon saving actions already undertaken, which it is estimated to have saved 180,000 tonnes of co2e.

The course will be made available to all clubs and their volunteers over the coming weeks, with a blend of online sessions and in-person workshops.

New rooftop offering at Edgbaston Stadium

to unveil a Skyline roof-top terrace hospitality offering that will transform its match day experience for guests.

Skyline – situated at the height of the South Stand – will offer spectacular panoramic views of the pitch and Birmingham cityscape, while delivering an unrivalled hospitality package.

The major refurbishment includes high-end hospitality and banqueting, private inclusive bar, reception areas, live music and DJ, plus superior seating in a partially covered, contemporary roof-top setting.

Skyline in partnership with Stadia by GL Events, Arcadis and Woo Architects.

Skyline is set for completion in the coming weeks with packages now on sale for a host of Major Match days in 2023, including the Men’s Ashes Test, Men’s IT20 against New Zealand and Vitality Blast Finals Day.

Chief operating officer at Edgbaston Craig Flindall said: “Skyline will be a stunning viewing deck, offering an unrivalled spectator experience, that will be the envy of cricket enthusiasts around the world.

University lends its support to basketball club

Aston University has pledged its support to a school basketball programme delivered by the City of Birmingham Rockets Basketball Club.

The university has been announced as headline sponsors for the Rockets’ Secondary School Community Programme. The programme provides basketball opportunities for children in school years 911. Through the partnership, the Nechellsheadquartered Rockets hope to expand their offering to more young people across Birmingham.

Mark Smith, executive director of business and regional engagement at Aston University, said: “Basketball in the UK is a growing sport, one in which over one million young people take part each week.

“City of Birmingham Rockets are reaching the young people of the city and helping them realise their potential through engaging with the sport.”

space that transforms the existing seating area to a stunning highspec fit-out.”

All Skyline packages are bookable through Edgbaston’s official hospitality provider, Keith Prowse.

Nick Darke, Edgbaston hospitality sales manager from Keith Prowse, said: “Skyline creates a modern, high-end experience and adds a new dimension to the alreadyexceptional hospitality offerings within the stadium. It’s the ideal space for corporate entertaining or the perfect day out for family and friends.”

The Rockets were formed in 2003 with a mission to provide a pathway for young people from Birmingham and surrounding areas to play basketball.

Rockets CEO, Robert Palmer, said: “This is a very exciting time for the club, and we are very pleased to have the support of Aston University in our growing Community Programme. The club will work together with Aston University in several areas, utilising expertise to ensure the sustainability of the club.”

Slam dunk: Robert Palmer and Mark Smith

Cricketer’s envy: The Skyline stand

Chamber Insight Focus on a member

Name: Dino Kyriacou

Company: Göbel & Partner Ltd (G&P)

Job Title: CEO

What does your company do?

G&P provides effective quality solutions for businesses to eliminate disruptions throughout the product lifecycle and supply chain, supporting the drive for zero defects reaching the production line.

How did it all start?

When I was 23-years old, a friend called to ask if I wanted to meet G&P’s owner as they were looking to recruit someone. So, I met them to discuss the opportunity and the rest is history.

What’s your greatest achievement so far?

G&P receiving the coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise and visiting Buckingham Palace with my longest serving team member.

What is the biggest risk you’ve ever taken – and did it work out?

Buying G&P in 2001 which, despite its challenges has certainly worked out, but I’d say the two-year sabbatical leave in 2016, where I found myself returning to a company I no longer recognised.

What keeps you awake at night?

For me it’s the excitement and the challenges of the next day that keep me awake.

If you could turn the clock back, what would you do differently?

In hindsight, I would have not taken a sabbatical, which might have meant what I have done since returning would have been implemented a lot sooner.

What has surprised you most in your job?

That trust and integrity seem to be diminishing in business, which

are essential when building long term relationships with clients.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Don’t let opportunities slip through your fingers because you are worried about failure or lack of experience. With the right level of focus, drive, ambition, attention to detail; and a motivated, loyal and committed team, anything can be achieved.

Which business do you most admire?

When I see business success, I am always happy for the business leaders as I know how hard it can be running one myself.

What exciting projects is your business working on?

We’re excited to have diversified our business by branching into different sectors such as aerospace, off-highway and household goods, while offering manufacturers and tiered supplier support in high value services such as Product Development Engineering, Supply Chain Risk Management and Finished Product Acceptance.

What made you join Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and how are you making use of your membership?

The 3,000+ members allows us to promote our brand and showcase our services and support to businesses in our local community. In 2022, we entered the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce awards winning in the Excellence In Technology category.

Contact: 07990 413 228

New Members

Your guide to new sign-ups

Adkinsio LTD

Ashley Adkins 01216990121

adkinsio.co.uk

Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

All Wills & Trusts Limited

Charles Foster 01283 566133

www.allwillsandtrusts.co.uk

Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.

Burton and District Chamber of Commerce

Bob Willis Fund Limited

David Willis bobwillisfund.org

Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Bravo Benefits

Wojciech Dochan 03303339100

www.bravobenefits.co.uk

Management consultancy activities other than financial management

Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce

Brew Twenty Three Dayna Winter 07872187841

www.brewtwentythree.com

Unlicenced restaurants and cafes

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

British Heart Foundation Balvinder Kaur 0300 330 3322

www.bhf.org.uk

Other human health activities

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

Care UK Ltd

Zoe Doherty 01214551100

www.careuk.com

Management of real estate on a fee or contract basis

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Common Purpose

Louise Teboul 07961 556 378 commonpurpose.org/unitedkingdom

Other education n.e.c.

Transatlantic Chamber

Community Together CIC

Lee Bates 01827 59646

www.communitytogethercic.org.uk

Other service activities n.e.c.

Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce

Connecting the Dots Midlands Limited

Zillion Brook 07742 130933

www.connectingthedotsmidlands.co.uk

Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

D2 Communications Ltd

Joseph Richards 0121 423 5600

Other telecommunications activities

Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

Del Bosque Group Limited

Sean Byrne 0333 090 8318 delbosque.co.uk

Development of building projects

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Dew Services

Angela Walker 07523277222

Social work activities without accommodation for the elderly and disabled

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

GeoGrow Ltd

Chris Ansell 01543-224-800

www.geogrow.com

Manufacture of builders ware of plastic

Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce

Whatever your business size and requirements, the Chamber has a membership scale to suit your needs.

For more information visit: www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/membership

Get Indemnity

Simon Taylor 0345 625 0711 getindemnity.co.uk

Non-life insurance

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

I4B Capex Limited trading as Innovation 4 Business Aulfat Bi 0121 3090222

www.innovation4business.com

Tax consultancy

Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

Inclusive Life Projects

Beatrice Imielska 07985 110893

www.inclusivelifeprojects.org

Other social work activities without accommodation n.e.c. GBCCC

Inspired Kitchen Ltd

Sherelle Mattis 07398 108206

inspired-kitchen.com

Event catering activities

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Melanie Pannell

Melanie Pannell 078905280115

Management consultancy activities other than financial management

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Nursing you Nutrition and Lifestyle

Sharon Brown 07842 177758

www.sharonbrownnutrition.com

General medical practice activities

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

Personal and Professional life

Coaching with Karen Robinson

Karen Robinson 07946 511028

Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce

Pioneer Talent

Esther Wakeman 07791693340

Social work activities without accommodation for the elderly and disabled

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

Print Management Europe Ltd

T/A's PSE Offline Marketing

Phil Newton 01905 795700

offlinemarketing.co.uk

Advertising agencies

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

PYT Payroll Solutions

Ben Smith 0121 726 9227

www.pytronot.co.uk

Payroll Solutions Provider for all companies

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Quality Leadership Ltd

Richard Haywood

07568402323

www.quality-leadership.co.uk

Management consultancy activities other than financial management

Burton and District Chamber of Commerce

Rapido Racing Ltd

Sarah Arnold 01638 665145

www.rapido-england.com

Freight transport by road

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Result Hub Ltd

Matthew Sadler

07825915151

resulthub.co.uk

Other information technology service activities

Burton and District Chamber of Commerce

Rob Page Consulting

Robert Page 07532154464

robpageconsulting.co.uk

Management consultancy activities other than financial management

Burton and District Chamber of Commerce

S2C Virtual Reality Ltd

Davina Schonle

07974777769

Manufacture of other games and toys, n.e.c.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Samarito Ltd

Usman Hussain 07496312314

www.samarito.co

Other information service activities

n.e.c.

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

Sands - STILLBIRTH AND NEONATAL DEATH SOCIETY

Saranne Moreno 020 7436 7940

www.sands.org.uk

Other social work activities without accommodation n.e.c.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Sharp Bookkeeping Ltd

Joanna Darnley

01922351000

Bookkeeping activities

Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce

Shirley Golf Club

Laurence Pinnick 0121 7446001

www.shirley.golf

Activities of sport clubs

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

Solutions by Jigsaw Limited

Glenn Billington 0121 794 2081

www.jigsawinfrared.com

Plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

Skills Hub

Suzanne Quinn 07534 879 259 staffsskillshub.co.uk

Other social work activities without accommodation n.e.c.

Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce

Tattu Restaurant and Bar

Ash Shahsavary 0121 236 5556

www.tattu.co.uk

Licenced restaurants

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Taylex Group - Taylex Displays Limited

Simon Allison 07870 601643 www.taylex.co.uk

Joinery installation

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

The Snooty Pooch

Sarah Treanor 07858 587028 thesnootypooch.co.uk

Unlicenced restaurants and cafes

Solihull Chamber of Commerce

The Vesey Private Hospital

Benjamin Royal www.the-vesey.co.uk

Specialists medical practice activities

Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce

The Works Health Club

Renel Scarlett 01215440119

www.theworkshealthclub.co.uk

Fitness facilities

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

UKSE

Mike Lowe 01543 761 300

www.ukse.co.uk

Fund management activities

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

We Secure Limited

Malcolm Harris 033 3888 4444

www.we-sec.co.uk

Private security activities

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Webster & Horsfall Ltd T/A Latch & Batchelor

Jonathan Horsfall 0121 772 9797

www.websterandhorsfall.co.uk

Manufacture of wire products, chain and springs

Transatlantic Chamber

West Midlands Police Museum

Corinne Brazier 0121 609 1700

museum.west-midlands.police.uk

Museums activities

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

...any other business

A roundup of news from Chamber members

Police officer runs for Arthur

A police officer is set to take part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run in honour of a schoolboy whose death shocked the nation.

Jess Davies hopes to help keep Arthur Labinjo-Hughes’ memory alive and prevent more children from suffering by taking part in the half marathon on Sunday, 7 May.

Six-year-old Arthur was killed by his stepmother Emma Tustin and father Thomas Hughes at his home in Cranmore Road in Shirley, Solihull in 2020.

Jess was so moved by Arthur’s death that she decided to take part in the run to raise money for Arthur’s Angels – a charitable trust, aiming to raise awareness of child abuse by donating toys and essential items to vulnerable children.

Jess, who has been a police officer for 18 years, is also running to raise awareness of a campaign by Arthur’s Angels for all social workers to wear bodycams during home visits.

She said: “I’d like to raise as much money as possible for Arthur’s Angels to help other children and keep Arthur’s memory alive.

“I want to help raise awareness for what I believe is a very strong case for social workers to be equipped with Body Worn Videos, just like the police have and for visits to be unannounced.”

The 42-year-old has also written a poem in honour of Arthur which now features on a memorial plaque dedicated to the schoolboy near his home.

Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, headed backstage to meet her own ‘Spitting Image’ puppet following the world premiere of ‘Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World’.

Speaking at the gala opening night at The Rep, Jess Phillips MP said: “Stand down, call an election! The (‘Spitting Image’) puppets are genuinely better than the actual people.”

During the show, world famous celebrities are thrown together as Tom Cruise is tasked by King Charles with saving Great Britain. Greta Thunberg duets with Stormzy as Putin and Xi watch on from their premium seats in the stalls.

Director of ‘Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World’, Sean Foley said; “To be premiering this theatrical extravaganza in Birmingham, the home of the original ground-breaking television series of ‘Spitting Image’, is proving to be a wonderful thrill.”

Seeing double with Jess Music curriculum adds UB40

The BAFTA and Emmy award-winning satirical ‘Spitting Image’ television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996 and was watched by over 15 million viewers.

It made a popular return to TV on BritBox, where content has been hugely popular with more than 200 million views globally, three number one trending videos on YouTube and achieved critical praise across the political divide.

Three one-off specials for ITV have also seen huge success on terrestrial television with a 4.4 million audience achieving ITV’s highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years.

A primary school in Birmingham has added reggae band UB40 to its curriculum.

Teachers at St Edward's Catholic Primary School added the influential Brummie musicians to their oracy curriculum as a way of introducing different music genres to children and developing their understanding of culture, identity, and community.

Members of the bestselling Birmingham band appeared at a special event, where school children presented their research and sang a selection of the seminal group's hits including ‘Higher Ground’, ‘X’ and ‘Can't Help Falling in Love’.

The band also agreed to offer music equipment to the school, provided by electronic instrument brand Roland, and offering a legacy award for outstanding pupils over the coming years.

Robin Campbell, founding member of the band, said, “When we first started out making music over 45 years ago, we could never have imagined that we’d be part of a school curriculum. It’s a bit surreal, it’s very flattering and it’s a wonderful thing. It's great that the kids are getting to study this kind of subject.

Natalie Carry, deputy headteacher at St Edwards Catholic School, said:

“It was an absolute privilege to welcome the band. A lovely group of people, they were so humble and so appreciative of the children's work. To perform in front of the band was just the icing on the cake!”

With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 50 UK Top 40 singles and 10 UK Top 10 albums, UB40 are the most decorated and successful Reggae group of all time.

Lookalikes: Jess Philips with her ‘Spitting Image’ puppet

Surreal: UB40 watch presentations from pupils

Moved: Jess Davies