inbusiness Northamptonshire Feb March 2021 by Kemps Publishing

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inbusiness @NorthantsCoC

www.northants-chamber.co.uk

THE VOICE OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BUSINESS

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

123 INTERNET GROUP GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEWS: RESULTS FROM LATEST QES SPOTLIGHT: LEGAL SERVICES MEMBER ZONE: NEXT GENERATION THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER

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INBUSINESS

CONTENTS inbusiness

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

16 POLICY MATTERS 5

The latest views from policy executive Christopher Jones

BUSINESS REPORT

Wilson Browne Solicitors receives Feefo’s highest ‘Platinum Trusted Service Award’ 2021

Partnership delivers Digital Future First service

IT specialist earns RISQS credentials

Nappy firm ranks in Fast Track 100 league

Manufacturer offers EU-compliant pallets

Asbestos expert lends support to charity

Milestone for virtual assistant

GOING GLOBAL 17

Delivering ChamberCustoms

ISSUE SPOTLIGHT 18

LEGAL SERVICES Don’t forget about the value of your digital assets

BUSINESS CRIME & PROTECTION Understanding cyber risks

APPRENTICESHIPS & SKILLS Plan to get apprentices back in work

TALKING BUSINESS

123 Internet Group

TRAINING & EVENTS 26

The latest comprehensive list of Chamber training courses and events

MEMBER ZONE

Full STEAM ahead for virtual event

Member Profile: Marie Baker, Poppy Design Studio

Progress is made on school projects

Next Generation, plus member benefits

The Chamber welcomes new members

The April/May 21 issue of inbusiness will include features on: Communications & Marketing; Motorsport & High Performance Engineering and Hotels, Conferences & Events

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

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INBUSINESS

inbusiness

THE VOICE OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BUSINESS

CONTACT DETAILS

VIEWPOINT

T: 01604 490490 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Waterside House, 8 Waterside Way, Northampton NN4 7XD NEWS AND ARTICLES SHOULD BE SENT TO: inbusiness@northants-chamber.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY: Kemps Publishing Ltd 11 The Swan Courtyard, Charles Edward Road, Birmingham B26 1BU T: 0121 765 4144 W: www.kempspublishing.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR: Laura Blake DESIGNER: Lloyd Hollingworth ADVERTISING T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk PRINTERS: Stephens & George Print Group FRONT COVER: 123 Internet Group See pages 24-25 COVER PHOTO: Jane Russell Photography ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE: inbusiness is a bi-monthly publication and digital magazine distributed to 6,000 Chamber members and key businesses in Northamptonshire. The publication focuses on news and information about local companies and the initiatives and advice available to increase the prosperity of county firms. Northamptonshire Chamber welcomes newsworthy articles of business interest, giving preference to Chamber members. As editorial space is limited, inclusion cannot be guaranteed and the editor may amend or reject articles submitted.

FOLLOW NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER AT:

www.facebook.com/northamptonshire.chamber @NorthantsCoC www.linkedin.com/company/northamptonshirechamber-of-commerce

CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS Firstly, I’d like to wish you a safe and Happy New Year. I hope 2021 brings with it more certainty for business and an end in sight to this global crisis. The announcement that the country was entering another national lockdown will have caused more uncertainty for businesses. Rest assured your Chamber team will continue to support your business and will play a leading role in lobbying the Government to provide a long-term strategy to help firms see the light at the end of the tunnel. Business leaders throughout Northamptonshire will have welcomed the latest round of financial support from the Chancellor. Grants of up to £9,000 are available for the retail, leisure and hospitality sector while a further £594m is being given to local councils to offer discretionary grants to businesses needing support. This is on top of the Chancellor’s announcement before Christmas that the furlough scheme would run until the end of April. It’s now crucial that the support is swiftly distributed to the businesses that need it most to support their cash flow. The Chamber will continue to urge the Government to set out a longer-term package of support, with a real emphasis on how firms can plan for 2021 and grow out of the crisis. A relief for business will be the finale of the Brexit saga with an EU/UK trade deal being agreed at the last moment. While this agreement doesn’t address every concern the Chamber of Commerce Network has raised, it does provide a foundation that can be built upon, while our new trading relationship develops. Companies can contact our International Trade Hub and utilise our ChamberCustoms service if they need support in exporting to or importing from the EU. I’d urge members to make full use of our services from connecting you with new opportunities, providing advice on trading internationally or supporting your business through these challenging times. Your Chamber will continue to champion the best interests of businesses in our vibrant region and support our members to not only survive but to thrive. Stay safe, Louise Wall Interim CEO, Northamptonshire Chamber

www.youtube.com/NorthantsChamber You can also follow our International Trade Team on Twitter: @NhntChambExport For further information on Northamptonshire Chamber call 01604 490490 or visit www.northants-chamber.co.uk inbusiness is produced on behalf of Northamptonshire Chamber by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed without charge to all Chamber members and other leading businesses in Northamptonshire. The Chamber and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. However, views expressed in the magazine are independent and while every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither Northamptonshire Chamber nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. PRIVACY NOTICE: Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: • To provide postal copies of this publication to Chamber members and Kemps' customers; and • To offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects. Whenever we process data for these purposes, we always ensure we treat your Personal Data rights in high regard. If you wish to, you can visit www.kempspublishing.co.uk to view our full Privacy Notice and to learn more about our legitimate interests and your rights in this regard.

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CHAMBER BUSINESS PARTNERS

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POLICY MATTERS

CHRISTOPHER JONES, the Chamber’s Policy Manager represents your views to the people who matter

ECONOMIC SURVEY REVEALS SHARPEST DECLINE IN HISTORY The UK’s latest flagship Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) makes for sombre reading for businesses. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has just released the results of its latest survey which questioned thousands of businesses throughout the country about their experience of trading in Q4 of 2020 and their expectations for the first quarter of 2021. The survey revealed that following the sharpest decline in the history of the QES in Q2 of 2020, all the key indicators in the final quarter of the year remained substantially worse than pre-pandemic levels, with nearly half of firms reporting decreased sales. BCC head of economics Suren Thiru said: “Our latest results indicate that economic activity was strikingly downbeat in the final quarter of 2020 as the re-introduction of tighter coronavirus restrictions, including a second lockdown, weighed heavily on the key drivers of growth. “The services sector endured a particularly difficult quarter, with consumer-facing businesses most severely exposed to the

‘ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WAS STRIKINGLY DOWNBEAT IN THE FINAL QUARTER OF 2020’

renewed restrictions. “Though the vaccine rollout provides real optimism, with the UK facing a sustained period of tougher lockdown restrictions to tackle the new variant of Covid-19, the risk of a double-dip recession in the first quarter of this year is uncomfortably high.” Manufacturers and service firms reported drops in export orders, export sales and

domestic orders during the final part of 2020. Service firms were most severely hit, having seen their domestic sales fall by nearly a quarter, their export orders drop by 28% and their export sales reduce by more than a fifth. More than 40% of firms surveyed reported a decrease in their cash flow with only 21% reporting an increase. More than a third of respondents continued to report decreased investment in plant, machinery and equipment, with only 17% reporting an increase, highlighting longer-term concerns for the economy. Fieldwork for the Quarterly Economic Survey for Quarter 1 of 2021 is open from now until 8 March. If you want to contribute visit www.britishchambers. org.uk/page/quarterly-economic-survey-2 Members will also directly receive a link to complete the survey from the Chamber Communications team.

SILVERSTONE’S SHORTLIST SUCCESS A car and van leasing firm in Northampton is celebrating after reaching the finals in five regional and national business award categories. Silverstone Fleet Management (pictured) and the company’s managing director have collectively been shortlisted for three Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards, a Northamptonshire SME Business Award and a National SME Business Award. The company and MD Scott Norville have been recognised across a wide range of categories including: • Marketing Campaign of the Year for the #SingForCynthia viral fundraising campaign on LinkedIn, which raised more than £1,400 for the Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton • Employer of the Year • Businessman of the Year • Service Excellence • Lockdown Leader of the Year. “To be finalists in so many top award categories is a fantastic endorsement,” said Scott Norville. “Like many businesses, we faced some tough challenges during 2020 but we pulled together as a team and went above and beyond to

support our clients and each other. “To be shortlisted for these awards, during 2020 in particular, is a real boost to myself and the team and recognition that we have made some worthwhile decisions during this tricky time to keep our service levels up and our team happy and safe.” The winners of the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards will be announced on

Thursday 25 February 2021. The winners of the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards and the SME National Business Awards will be revealed in May. For further information about Silverstone Fleet Management, visit www.silverstonefleetmanagement.com or call 0800 612 8901. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

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BUSINESS REPORT

BUSINESS REPORT POLKA DOT TAKES EVENTS ONLINE An events expert from Northamptonshire has taken the world of online networking by storm since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. Polka Dot Events, based in Kettering, was set to have a fantastic 2020 – then the coronavirus pandemic hit. However, the dynamic company was quick to adapt to the changing environment and began hosting a series of exciting virtual events. Best of all the firm’s popular online networking events have been a major hit with networkers and as a result, Polka Dot Events is now running them every week. Owner Kerry Bate (pictured) said: “When coronavirus hit our business had to be agile and adapt quickly. “We introduced Business ONline Networking events which we’re delighted to say were a big success. “We now host an informal networking event on the first Wednesday of every month and run Speed Networking events every Friday. “Another exciting initiative for us was the launch of our Virtual Business Showcases which are open to all businesses. These events attracted over 40 businesses and the feedback we received was amazing. “We held our first showcase of 2021 in January and have other showcases planned for March and April. We hope to be able to make these events face-to-face from the third quarter of the year onwards.” Visit: www.polkadotevents.co.uk

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NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER keeps its members up to date with all the latest business news. Whether it’s through the pages of this magazine, via our website or by regular email updates, we will always endeavour to keep you in the picture and informed

WILSON BROWNE SOLICITORS RECEIVES FEEFO’S HIGHEST ‘PLATINUM TRUSTED SERVICE AWARD’ 2021 review platforms frequently feature The firm is delighted to have comments and ratings that are not received the award from Feefo – from actual clients – an issue that an independent service that affects many businesses. recognises businesses for “This award recognises how hard delivering exceptional client we work as a business to give all service, as rated by real customers. our customers the best possible The awards are based on the experience, even in a year as tough number of reviews collected and as 2020. All of the Wilson Browne the average rating. All reviews are Solicitors teams are fully verified as genuine, and committed to the the accreditation is a highest quality of true reflection of a ‘THIS AWARD service, so we need business’s RECOGNISES HOW to listen, commitment to HARD WE WORK understand, and outstanding AS A BUSINESS TO respond to all our service. GIVE ALL OUR customers. We Wayne Jenkins, CUSTOMERS THE have maintained business our standards in a development and BEST POSSIBLE marketing director very demanding EXPERIENCE’ at Wilson Browne climate and under Solicitors, commented: extremely challenging “Feedback from Feefo really conditions.” matters to us as it’s based on the Congratulating Wilson Browne views of real clients and customers, Solicitors on winning this year’s who are the most critical judges of award, Steph Heasman, director of all. customer success at Feefo, adds: “The aspect of these being “The Trusted Service award has genuine reviews from genuine always been about recognising clients is essential. Sadly, other companies that are outstanding in

Wayne Jenkins

customer experience and generate great feedback from happy customers. “This year, despite the incredible challenges of a global pandemic, so many companies using Feefo have continued to provide remarkably high levels of service, and they deserve a huge amount of credit for what they have achieved.” Feefo is a reviews and customer insights technology company that provides businesses with the tools to collect real, verified reviews and insights, ensuring that all feedback is authentic, by matching it to a legitimate transaction. This latest award builds on a succession of other awards from the Law Society of England & Wales, Northamptonshire Law Society, The Legal 500 and many other industry-related bodies.

HR FIRM LENDS HELP TO CHARITIES A firm that helps smaller ‘everyday’ organisations with their HR and recruitment so they can compete against the bigger brands when it comes to attracting top talent is on a mission to help 100 charities recruit for free. If you’ve not heard of hireful before, it is a recruitment services company based in Strixton, Northamptonshire. Well, normally anyway. These days, its team operates from the comfort of their own homes, working hard to be the most helpful recruitment company you’ve ever known. When March 2020 came along, many people began to struggle and hireful found it became harder for it to support charities as fundraising events and staff volunteering days were not really an option when their staff had been ordered to stay home. So, it came up with help100 – a 12-month mission to help 100 charities recruit for free.

CEO Sean Maher said: “Our thinking was that we need charities now more than ever. They’re stepping up to help our most vulnerable during the most difficult time. But charities are suffering too. People don’t have the means to donate as they did 12 months ago. “So, we’re giving them free recruitment software, ondemand recruitment training and 1-2-1 recruitment strategy calls for 12-months. Meaning their recruitment budget can be re-allocated to their frontline services, whilst still recruiting great talent.” To find out more about the programme visit https://hireful.co.uk/help100-programme/ Charities who could benefit from the scheme should contact Sean at sean@hireful.co.uk or 01933 667126.

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BUSINESS REPORT

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BUSINESS REPORT PEGASUS ENJOYS YEAR OF GROWTH A training provider saw its business increase last year despite the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Pegasus Lift Truck Training has more than 25 years’ experience of delivering high quality forklift training. It believes its success last year can be attributed to its willingness to adapt to meet clients’ specific needs - it even developed a new bespoke course at the request of longstanding customer, and fellow Chamber member, Alpro. Pegasus co-owner Dawn Girardi said: “Alpro are always very supportive of us and we were delighted to be asked to develop an Emergency Evacuation Escape Techniques course specifically for working with Very Narrow Aisle trucks. “Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do and we are proud to deliver training for a range of manufacturers, retail companies and government agencies.” Visit: www.pegasus lifttrucktraining.co.uk

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DELIVERING DIGITAL FUTURE FIRST SERVICE Chamber Platinum Business Partners dbfb have partnered with two Northamptonshire-based firms to deliver Digital Future First, www.digitalfuturefirst.co.uk a freeto-access business service that advises on the ideal programmes and training providers available to access local support and develop digital and business skills. During 2020 there has been an unprecedented move to remote working. The rapid rate at which businesses have needed to fully adopt and adapt to technological advances has exposed missed opportunities for maximising technology, and also highlighted shortcomings in skill levels. “The easiest way to stay one step ahead is to adopt digital technologies sooner,” explained Simon Pickering, managing director of dbfb, which delivers ultra-fast internet, telecoms and cloud-based services. Healthy businesses are already aware that digital systems are a prerequisite. However, the systems are only as good as the team's

Simon Pickering

understanding of how they work and how to get the very best from them. A productive, talented employee is at the core of a great company; giving staff the right training gives the company an advantage and keeps teams motivated, focused, and interested in contributing more to business success.

Digital Future First is partfunded by the European Social Fund and has been developed in partnership with dbfb, Supplyant and the Learning and Skills Academy CIC – delivering technology and talent advice exclusively to 83,000 businesses operating across Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and some areas of Buckinghamshire. From manufacturing to marketing, the platform is designed to enable every learner to develop their own unique syllabus, ensuring both business and personal development is tailored to precise needs. Advisors are available to assist businesses at every stage – from selecting the right scheme, to ensuring each business meets requirements. The dedicated teams behind Digital Future First are committed to guaranteeing that throughout our region, opportunities aren’t missed, and all talent is maximised. For more details and to register visit: www.digitalfuturefirst.co.uk

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BUSINESS REPORT

IT SPECIALIST EARNS RISQS CREDENTIALS IT specialist AiMTech has become a Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) verified supplier. The RISQS certification is the latest success story for the firm which provides first class IT services for the SME market. The UK rail’s supplier assurance scheme RISQS is run by the industry, for the industry, under the stewardship of RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board). It is central to the safe and cost-effective procurement of railway products and ‘WE ARE services, providing ENABLING OUR assurance for dozens of CUSTOMERS buyers to do business TO GROW BY with confidence with SUPPORTING over 4,000 suppliers. Kevin McAuley, THEIR BUSINESS business development NEEDS IN AN manager at AiMTech, AGILE WAY’ said: “We are delighted to have become a RISQS verified supplier. “It proves our credentials in wanting to serve the rail industry to the highest of standards and that we are capable providers for companies’ IT solutions.” AiMTech was set up in January 2020 by Arron Marsden, a former global IT manager within the railway OEM market, who has brought together over 20 years’

experience of providing IT solutions to businesses. Kevin, who joined the company last summer, said: “We offer everything from infrastructure support and cyber security, through to remote support and a bespoke IT strategy. It’s going really well so far, and we are enabling our customers to grow by supporting their business needs in an agile way, providing first class business services.” Visit: www.aimtech.ltd

NEW CHAIR FOR HOSPICE TRUST Cransley Hospice Trust, which provides specialist palliative care to patients with life limiting illnesses, has welcomed Paul Humphrey as the new chair of its board of trustees. Paul has been on the board since April 2020 and is an experienced general manager and non-executive director, with an MBA from Cranfield University Business School. Paul’s early career was in UK manufacturing and human resources management and he has held senior executive positions in the international fashion and consumer sector. Paul has been an active volunteer for Cransley for many years. He becomes chair as the hospice is preparing for the lease of its current building adjacent to St Mary’s Hospital in Kettering, to expire in 2023 and the team works to drive forward plans for the hospice’s future. Paying tribute to previous chair Cllr Maureen Gaskell, Cransley Hospice Trust CEO Peter Kelby said: “On behalf of the board and staff I’d like to express my deep gratitude to Maureen Gaskell, for her commitment to the hospice over the past few years and for the knowledge and support that she has shared with us.”

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BUSINESS REPORT NEW MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES OFFERED Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the launch of two new membership packages, designed to best serve the differing needs of Northamptonshire’s business community – International Trade Membership and Start-Up Membership. The new International Trade Membership has been designed for members with international trading needs, allowing members access to all standard Chamber membership benefits alongside enhanced support for international trading. This new package offers exclusive access to vital forums, and international trade seminars in addition to dedicated international trade advice and support lines. Start-up membership is aimed at businesses who have been trading for 12 months or less, as a costeffective route to becoming full Chamber members. This exciting new membership allows start-up businesses to tap into the wide range of Chamber profile-raising benefits, as well as the opportunity to attend the diverse range of Chamber networking events, forums and seminars. The start-up membership will also include £1m worth of legal expenses insurance and the wider Chamber protection benefits such as Chamber HR, Chamber Legal, Chamber Health & Safety and Chamber Tax. We are delighted that the start-up membership is sponsored by GPW Consulting. Gary Wilson (pictured), managing director of GPW, said: “GPW are very proud to be associated with the new Chamber Start-Up Membership scheme. We fully recognise the benefits that being a Chamber Member can offer and the fact this is now made available to start up businesses at a reduced cost is brilliant. “Part of the services offered by GPW Consulting are business problem-solving sessions to support the growth and development of SME and start-up businesses. “The level of service and access to support, help and advice offered by the Northamptonshire Chamber will allow these new businesses to grow and flourish. It is great to be involved with such a pro-active and supportive service.” Contact Sunny Singh for further information at sunny.singh@northantschamber.co.uk 10 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

BAMBINO MIO RANK IN FAST TRACK 100 LEAGUE Eco-friendly baby brand Bambino Mio has been ranked 84th in the latest Sunday Times Fast Track 100 league table. Appearing in the prestigious league table, which ranks Britain’s 100 top-performing private companies, is a landmark achievement for the Northamptonshire-based, family business that has grown from humble origins into a British success story. The prestigious league table recognises Bambino Mio’s continued year on year growth and incredible international performance. The reusable nappy experts’ range of sustainable products are now available in over 50 countries and its products are stocked by major retailers across the globe. Founder and managing director Guy Schanschieff (pictured) said: “This is an amazing achievement and I’m thrilled that our continued success has been recognised. This is yet another accolade which proves that the purposeful work we’re doing is genuinely driving a positive change within the reusable baby product category.” The FT100 rankings reveal the companies with the fastest-growing sales over the last three years.

‘I’M THRILLED THAT OUR CONTINUED SUCCESS HAS BEEN RECOGNISED’ Year after year, Bambino Mio has experienced impressive increases across online sales, attributed to the fact that parents and retailers are consciously opting for environmentally friendly products rather than single-use plastic products. To meet the growing product demand, Bambino Mio continued to increase their output by making big

investments across their business in 2020. This included increasing their workforce by 33%, significant IT investment and expanding the brand’s warehouse and office space. Visit: www.bambinomio.com

EXPERT ADVICE PROVIDED BY ENERGY FIRM When a tenant vacates a property, its owners may not be aware that they can end up on out-of-contract energy rates with electricity and gas suppliers. The discovery often only comes when a sizeable and unexpected energy bill arrives requesting payment. This was the case for Mothercare Global Brand Limited when their tenant vacated their warehouse and the electricity and gas suppliers for the site began charging deemed rates. The company knew it needed to take fast action to resolve the contract issues and determine why the consumption rates were so high. Mothercare contacted fellow Chamber member Dunore Energy, a specialist business energy advisor, for help. Dunore Energy founder Jon Newsham said: “After speaking with the Mothercare team, I quickly arranged a site visit so I could assess the site’s expected energy consumption and check meter numbers and readings. I immediately identified issues with the gas invoice; I alerted Mothercare and began planning our next steps towards resolving the issues.” Dunore’s assessment gave Mothercare confidence that they were in good hands, and that there was a strong chance of achieving a reduction in their energy

invoices. It provided Dunore with a Letter of Authority, which allowed Dunore to negotiate with the energy suppliers on their behalf. This meant the Mothercare team could remain focused on their day-to-day tasks, while the Dunore team took on the challenge to resolve the outstanding issues. Jayne Twaddle, senior supply chain consultant at Mothercare added: “Jon did a fantastic job of resolving the issues related to our energy supplies at our Crick warehouse. His knowledge and expertise not only saved us tens of thousands of pounds, but also hours of time. I’d have no hesitation about recommending Dunore Energy to any other business. I’m recommending that Mothercare use them again when we move to a new site.” Visit: www.dunore-energy.com

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BUSINESS REPORT

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BUSINESS REPORT TRUCKSTOP KEEPS ON TRUCKING A truckstop known as the destination for drivers, not by chance but by choice, has continued providing its valued services during lockdown. The Red Lion TruckStop has looked after customers for over 30 years and provides facilities for all motorists from car drivers to drivers of the largest Articulated Lorries. It includes a 24-hour restaurant, comprehensive bar, self-service laundry, attended toilet and shower facilities. During lockdown, restaurants have once again been forced to close but The Red Lion TruckStop has remained open with no changes to its hours or facilities with the exception that all meals are takeaway in line with Government guidelines. The site, which is close to the M1’s junction 16, can accommodate 200plus HGVs per night. It accepts Key fuel, UK Fuel, Morgan and AS24 cards, and drivers receive added value when they apply for a Certas Energy Fuel card. Diesel, Adblue and Gasoil can all be purchased under one account. Anyone interested in opening an account should email info@redliontruckstop.com

NO NEED TO GET BOARD BY BREXIT PALLITE®, an award-winning international designer and manufacturer of paper board products, including pallets and shipping crates, has supported exporters to navigate the change in legislation for wooden export packaging. Before the UK left the EU on 1 January, EU member states weren’t required to use heat-treated wooden packaging, primarily wooden pallets and shipping crates, for the movement of goods between themselves, including the UK. After the UK left the EU, the law changed to state all wooden packaging moving between the EU and the UK, in either direction, must be ISPM15 compliant. ISPM15 applies to all wooden packaging materials such as pallets and shipping crates. All solid wood

and wooden packaging materials over 6mm in thickness and used for export must be treated. In addition, wooden packaging moving in either direction between Great Britain and Northern Ireland must now be ISPM15 compliant and any wooden packaging moving in either direction between Ireland and Great Britain via Northern Ireland. Due to this change in regulations and the impact of the global pandemic on the heat treatment

capacity for wooden packaging, it’s believed current UK supplies of heat-treated pallets and shipping crates will not meet demand. There are several alternatives available on the market. PALLITE®’s honeycomb board pallets are a strong alternative to wooden pallets and are exempt from ISPM15 regulations as they’re made from just paper and glue. The Northamptonshire-based business has seen a significant increase in demand for their pallets and shipping crates due to this shortage. Download PALLITE®’s new e-book How To Export After Brexit And Not Get Caught Out By The New ISPM15 Wooden Packaging Regulations for free at www.pallite.co.uk

Benefits of Factoring & Invoice Finance

✔ Significantly improved cashflow Access funding upon issue of invoices rather than having to wait for customers to pay. ✔ Business growth In order to grow, businesses need a steady cash flow. Funding grows in-line with turnover. ✔ Flexibility More flexible than business loans or overdrafts.

✔ Affordable fees Service charges range from 0.75% to 2.5% of a business’s turnover.

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BUSINESS REPORT

Lending has been government focused from the first lockdown back in March last year, with the CBILS and Bounce Back Loan lending £60.64bn in 2020 alone. The view at Century is that when these government loans finish on the 31st of March, commercial lending will take the forefront of how businesses thrive moving forward. Over the past 12 months they have worked with a large number of businesses that have used their unsecured loans specifically and now have a platform to push through these tough times. Considering, lending will not be the same as what people are used to after being so spoilt over the last 12 months with no payments for a year and interest rates that simply would have not been an option ever, even before Covid-19.

Century’s years of experience offer a meaningful solution to all commercial needs, they urge companies to discuss needs so that their specialists can help, not push organisations in to making decisions that do not need to be taken.

Lending has changed, similar to everything in the world at the moment. The risk for lenders is higher, naturally, so lending periods are looking at being slightly shorter. However, it is not all doom and gloom, Century has seen many lenders ‘re-open their doors’ so to speak, meaning the avenues to source funds are getting bigger and bigger. Options have been minimal over the past 12 months, 2021 is looking like there will be plenty more roads open to travel. While businesses look to the future,

Personal guarantees are a huge talking point within the lending world currently as customers are unsure what this entirely means. A personal guarantee is, essentially, a promise to the organisation that they are borrowing from that if the business fails to pay then they will pay this back personally if they can.

Personal guarantees, within the close future at least, are going to have to be part of the furniture, without a doubt. The label of a personal guarantee sounds a lot scarier down to the wording, however this is part and parcel of any loan that has been and always will be. There is no question that 2020 has been tough, for everyone, but with that in mind, Century sees a bright future for lending in 2021. The inevitable conclusion of the Covid-19 vaccine pushes thoughts of a more normal (if not tainted) future.

As mentioned beforehand, the risk involved for lenders at the moment is at the highest it may have ever been.

If you believe that Century Business Finance can help you with any of the points raised above, or if you would like to discuss anything further, please do contact us:

T: 01604 434343 E: info@centurybusinessfinance.co.uk 14 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

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BUSINESS REPORT NEW BRANDING FOR DESIGN FILM

FOUNDATION GETS HELP FROM ASBESTOS EXPERT charity hopes to hold an opening A charity headed by boxing legend event soon. Frank Bruno is a step closer to Frank Bruno MBE said: “The opening its first UK centre for thought that we’ll soon welcome people with mental health issues ‘guests’, who cannot get help thanks to an asbestos from the NHS or social management company. services concerning Acorn Analytical ‘WE’D URGE their mental Services was one of problems, and dozens of firms ANYONE WHO hopefully try to which FEELS THEY CAN improve their volunteered to DONATE THEIR mental health help the Frank TIME OR issues, makes me Bruno Foundation very proud and get its new centre SERVICES TO GET humble. off the ground. IN TOUCH’ “I’d really like to The firm carried thank Acorn – not just out an asbestos from me but from all the refurbishment survey free people we hope to help in the of charge for the charity prior to future – their work will be work starting to transform the appreciated time and time again. Standens Barn Community Centre “We’d urge anyone who feels in Northampton into the Frank they can donate their time or Bruno Foundation Centre. The services to get in touch with us as centre is now complete and the

we’ll be looking to open other centres soon.” Acorn director Ian Stone added: “We always look to support our local community and have carried out lots of charity work and provided many donations to good causes over the years. “We were extremely proud to be able to help the Frank Bruno Foundation.” When the centre opens, it will offer 12-week courses for people with mental health issues. During the evenings it will be used as a boxing gym to provide health and fitness opportunities to some of Northampton’s most vulnerable residents. For further information about The Frank Bruno Foundation visit www.thefrankbrunofoundation.co.uk

NN Design has started 2021 with new branding. The firm, which specialises in web design development, hosting, e-commerce, and web support, was founded by Gurj Chagger in 2013 and traded as Fat Studios for its first six years. As the firm developed and took on increasingly highprofile projects, Gurj knew the time had come to undergo a rebrand to reflect the company’s values. He said: “Last year was a transformative year for our whole team. “We’d outgrown the Fat Studios brand, and despite my colleague remaining a valued member of the team, and indeed still taking full-fat milk in his tea, it was time to move on. “We’re proud to be based in Northamptonshire, so NN Design was a natural choice for our new name. Design is such a key component of our work. We ensure that all our websites are designed to be accessible across any mobile platform and design is key to converting our clients’ visitors into online sales, so this needed to be reflected in our name.” The team at NN Design is pleased to have recently joined Northamptonshire Chamber and is looking forward to meeting fellow members at Chamber networking events this year. Visit: www.nndesign.co.uk

Visit: www.acorn-as.com

HR FIRM MAKES SME SHORTLISTS A leading light at a rapidly expanding HR and Health and Safety consultancy has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards. HR operations manager Sue Watson, of HR Solutions, has been named a finalist in the Lockdown Leader category at both the SME National Business Awards and the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards for keeping her team motivated and informed during lockdown while continuing to deliver a first-class service to clients. When the first lockdown was announced, the firm experienced unprecedented demand for its services as clients sought support with furloughing, the Job Support Scheme and the Good Work Plan. That, coupled with Government guidance that was constantly changing, meant the company had to change its guidance and documentation on an almost daily basis whilst ensuring its own team were supported as they moved to homeworking. The company ran mental health awareness courses for staff and gave them three days of ‘Lockdown

Leave’ to ensure they took time out for themselves. Additional support was also provided to new recruits and staff members who had just returned from maternity leave and long-term absences. Whilst all this was happening, HR Solutions ran weekly webinars on Covid-19 and related issues which proved hugely popular with the public. HR Solutions chief executive Greg Guilford said: “One person who was integral to ensuring we delivered a high standard of service to our clients and looked after the wellbeing of our team was Sue. “She was abreast of all the changes the Government was making and ensured her team had the guidance they needed to help our clients. She also helped to draft our webinar content and co-delivered most of them. She has been a true lockdown champion.” The award winners will be revealed in May. Visit: www.hrsolutions-uk.com

Sue Watson of HR Solutions

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BUSINESS REPORT Jo Ferredey

HYBRID EVENTS ARE HERE TO STAY A venue finding, event support and hospitality booking firm believes hybrid events are the future as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Like many businesses in the hospitality and events industry, Sheer Edge, had to find new ways of working last year to balance its clients’ desires to continue holding events with the national restrictions that prevented business as usual. Long-standing client, GSE UK had previously turned to the firm for help when it outgrew the venue for its popular exhibition and needed a larger space. Their experience of working with Sheer Edge was incredibly positive and when their annual event had to be cancelled they asked Sheer Edge to deliver the event virtually. Sheer Edge managing director Jo Ferreday said: “We knew we had to approach this virtual challenge as we would any other event. The beauty of having such a skilled team meant it was easy for us to transfer the format online and focus on helping the client get to grips with doing things virtually.” The online event was so successful GSE UK has asked Sheer Edge to pull together a hybrid solution to complement their in-person Conference and Exhibition in November. Jo added: “We were thrilled that attendance numbers at the virtual event were double the number that had previously attended in person. When people are unable to come along on the day, they can still log in, as either presenters or visitors, which has opened up a world of possibilities for increased participation. As restrictions are lifted, we believe that hybrid is here, and it’s not going anywhere.” Visit: www.sheeredge.co.uk

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VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY As the administrative and business support services Sarah sector continues to grow, one Northamptonshire Damani virtual assistant is proving business start-ups can succeed during a pandemic. Sarah Damani, from Wellingborough, is celebrating her first business birthday having launched her Alchemy Virtual Assistance (VA) Hub in December 2019. Through her Virtual Assistance franchise Hub, Sarah supports multiple business owners with their PA, marketing and administration, reinforced by the award-winning Alchemy brand. ‘I’VE MANAGED Sarah says her success highlights TO ACHIEVE IN how much opportunity there is despite Covid-19, and how more ONE YEAR WHAT businesses are opening up to the I SET OUT TO idea of outsourcing. ACHIEVE IN “As a new business I could either THREE’ sink or swim when Covid-19 hit, but I’ve managed to achieve in one year what I set out to achieve in three. The backing of Alchemy VA has empowered me, it could have easily been a different story if I had gone it alone,” said Sarah, who has just hit ‘Executive Status’ – the highest rung on the Alchemy franchise development framework. Sarah has recruited a small team of high calibre works. Most clients who have begun working with us in virtual assistants to help her, renovated a tailor-made the last year started out wanting one thing and ended home office space, left her job as a business advisor to up realising we can assist with so much more. Many of focus entirely on growing her Alchemy VA franchise our contracts have grown when clients realise the vast hub, and more recently became a finalist in the ‘Rising skillset of our VAs and how much time and headspace Star’ category in the PA Life Star Awards 2020 we can free up.” programme. “More people were fearful and somewhat untrusting Visit: www.alchemyva.co.uk of remote working pre-COVID, but they’ve now seen it

AN EGGS-CELENT NEW PARTNERSHIP A sustainable egg producer has selected Cawleys as its exclusive recycling partner at a time when business is growing. As a Bedfordshire-based family business, Bird Bros are extremely proud of their environmental achievements, including low-carbon production, solar energy, tree planting, drastic plastic reduction and eco-friendly packaging. Cawleys is one of the UK’s leading independently owned waste and resource recycling companies. The company ethos is ‘local recycling, global responsibility’ and the company celebrated its 70th anniversary in business in 2017. The appointment of fellow family run local business, Cawleys, has allowed Bird Bros to further improve their green credentials by ensuring that all of their waste will now be segregated and sorted for recycling using a Cawleys state-ofthe-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). This facility uses fans, blowers, magnets, hand pickers and an

industrial trommel to extract any waste item that is suitable for second life production. The items are then separated, collected and baled for transportation to relevant recycling facilities. Any excess waste that is not suitable for traditional recycling is baled and used for conversion to fuel. Cawleys head of customer services Anna Cawley said: “We’re delighted to have been selected as Bird Bros’ recycling partner. It’s

lovely to hear that a client of ours is doing so well in these difficult times and we’re excited to be working with this fantastic egg producer to ensure the sustainable treatment of all their waste. “Supporting businesses and the local economy is vital right now and we are extremely pleased that the team at Bird Bros recognise the value we can add.” Visit: www.cawleys.co.uk

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GOING GLOBAL

The Chamber’s INTERNATIONAL TRADE TEAM will help you navigate your way through all of the regulatory procedures and documents that you’ll need for successful international trading

DELIVERING CHAMBERCUSTOMS Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce has been appointed an official delivery agent for ChamberCustoms, which delivers a customs declaration service for UK importers and exporters of all sizes, in every region of the United Kingdom. An assurance-led customs brokerage service that will deliver a future proof and HMRC-compliant service. With the United Kingdom having agreed to adopt the Union Customs Code (UCC), and HMRC set to deliver a new customs declaration service which will implement the rules of the UCC, digitised trade is a key requirement. This pilot is a demonstration of the UK’s ability to lead technology for international trade. • Separates the function of ‘moving freight’ and ‘customs declaration’ to single areas of expertise • We will offer traders efficiency, peace of mind and a trusted partner when trading goods across borders • Transition to CDS will mean better service by those embracing core principles of good practice dictated by Union Customs Code • Badges at all significant UK ports • Provide GDM automatically (Goods Departure Message – DIT S8) as official proof of export to

EXPERT ADVICE ON EXCHANGE RATES

remove VAT liability • Nationally recognised brand • All staff possess accredited recognition of training in customs brokerage • ChamberCustoms is CDS ready platform, enabling exporters and importers to be prepared. The experienced International Trade team at Northamptonshire Chamber understands that navigating trade documentation can be complicated. Please contact the team with any queries regarding trading internationally, or to find out more about customs declarations services, email: chambercustoms@northants-chamber.co.uk

For companies trading internationally, fluctuating exchange rates can be difficult to manage and hard to budget for. Market volatility may erode or even eliminate profits, and in a time of tighter margins and increasing raw material costs it is ever more important to protect yourself from exchange rate risk and make savings wherever possible. To get expert advice about managing foreign exchange risk visit www.moneycorp. com/chamberfx

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: LEGAL SERVICES

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In this issue we look at the LEGAL SERVICES, BUSINESS CRIME & PROTECTION and APPRENTICESHIPS & SKILLS sectors in the Northamptonshire area

‘ESTATES MAY STRUGGLE TO RECOVER ASSETS WITH A SIGNIFICANT VALUE’

DO DIGITAL ASSETS HAVE VALUE? A forward-thinking law firm is urging people to consider the value of their digital assets. EMW says many individuals see digital assets as the preserve of those who invest in cryptocurrencies, or those businesses who hold information within a digital format. Those assets can have a significant value – the price of bitcoin reached a record high this year and now has more value than both Visa and Mastercard. However, digital assets also include photographs, videos, online payment accounts and social media accounts. The danger is many people do not recognise the significant financial value of their digital assets

and are not accounting for them in their estate planning. EMW solicitor Oliver Kent (pictured) said: “A recent Law Society survey showed just 26% of respondents know what happens to their digital assets after they die, with only 7% saying they fully understand. Of those surveyed who have a Will, 93% hadn’t included digital assets in their Will. “These statistics show many individuals aren’t leaving a plan on how these assets will be accessed or what they want to happen to them on their death or if they lose capacity. “This means estates may struggle to recover assets with a significant value, including

Cryptocurrencies, business secrets and software, and personal assets, including photographs, could be lost to families. “It’s crucial you provide clear instructions to your executors or attorneys about what should happen to these assets to avoid disputes.” When estate planning you should consider what digital assets you or your business owns, their value and how they are accessed. You should also consider if you had made provision to deal with your digital assets and whether you need to arrange for written requests to be made for the transfer of digital assets. For further advice contact Oliver or a member of EMW’s Private Client team at privateclient@emwllp.com

HOWES PERCIVAL NOMINATED FOR FIVE AWARDS A leading commercial law firm, which has clients ranging from individuals and families to global businesses and Government departments, is in the running for five top awards. Howes Percival has made it to the finals for five awards at the Insider Media’s Central & East Dealmakers Awards 2020. The annual awards recognise high-quality work from the top professional services firms in the central and eastern region. The firm has been shortlisted for Corporate Law Firm of the Year, has two nominations through to 18 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

the finals in the Deal of the Year (Below £10m) category and a further two nominations in the Deal of the Year (above £10m) category. Howes Percival’s Northampton corporate, commercial and banking partner, Gerald Couldrake said: “This is excellent news and we are delighted to have been shortlisted for the third year running. Our goal is to be the ‘go-to’ firm for corporate, commercial and banking work in the region and these nominations prove that our team is more than capable of handling some of the biggest, high-profile deals in the area.

“Our recognition in this years’ awards also demonstrates that, despite the external pressures of the pandemic, we have been able to provide the same high standard of work and uninterrupted service to our clients throughout.” The awards are judged by a panel of independent experts and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner event that is due to take place in Milton Keynes on 22 April. For further information about Howes Percival visit www.howespercival.com

Gerard Couldrake

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: BUSINESS CRIME & PROTECTION

UNDERSTANDING CYBER RISKS An innovative cyber security company is urging businesses to protect themselves from cyber attacks. 4Secure is renowned for successfully countering and responding to the most sophisticated cyber threats. The first death caused by a cyber attack last year has now prompted the firm to urge businesses to take steps to protect themselves. Managing director Peter Hoinville (pictured) said: “Last year saw possibly the first death to be caused directly as a result of a cyber attack on a German hospital’s IT systems. It resulted in them being unable to admit a patient who later died as a result of the delay and being diverted elsewhere. “There’s also been increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks against a growing number of home and remote workers, using newly issued, or potentially unfamiliar, IT systems. These attacks targeted the very tools used to enable access and collaboration, including efforts to gain remote access credentials, faked Zoom accounts and social engineering. There’s also been a reported increase in malicious emails exploiting pandemic-related anxieties. “Every business has assets that

need protecting; their information, know-how, bank account details. If an attacker stopped you accessing your accounting information or customer database in an effort to extort money from you, it could place your business at risk of collapse.” Firms should ensure their critical IT systems are secure, protected and up-to-date as this will, in most cases, defend against almost 80% of common cyber attacks. By signing up to the Cyber Essentials scheme, businesses can better understand these risks and implement appropriate technical controls. 4Secure helps organisations achieve Cyber Essentials and prepare for cyber incidents by educating staff and putting defences in place. Its virtual Data Protection Officer and virtual Chief Information Security Officer services offer expert level data protection, GDPR-compliance and information security skills on demand without increasing headcount. It also offers additional services including the VEILLANTTM security monitoring centre that gives customers 24-7 visibility network activity enabling real-time alerting, or a response, as necessary.

‘ATTACKS TARGETED THE VERY TOOLS USED TO ENABLE ACCESS AND COLLABORATION’

Visit: www.4-secure.com

HOME WORKERS MUST REMAIN VIGILANT Officers from Northamptonshire Police Cyber Protect Team are urging businesses to remind staff to be extra vigilant while working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic last year, Northamptonshire Police reported that the risk of businesses being targeted had increased with more employees working remotely, some using their own devices, and less opportunity to discuss suspicious links with colleagues. Ransomware is a type of malware used by criminals that prevents access to your computer documents by silently encrypting them, which means they cannot be opened, modified or used. The computer itself may also become locked or the documents might be stolen or corrupted irreversibly. Ransomware will usually try to spread on to other networked devices and storage, infecting them and encrypting more stored data. The force has issued a guide of five steps to help reduce the risk to businesses and their staff from ransomware. Businesses should: • Always have a recent copy of their most important documents. Make regular backups via the cloud and/or use storage that is disconnected after each backup is complete • Keep their operating system, apps and other 20 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

software up-to-date. Security patches are included in these updates • Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails and texts. Phishing is the still the main technique used by cybercriminals • Only download from trusted sources and app stores and never open attachments in unverified emails. Attachments and downloaded files can infect your device with malware

• Ensure they’re using an up-to-date and trusted antivirus package on each device and have enabled their firewall For more information on protecting yourself online visit www.ncsc.gov.uk If you believe a live ransomware attack is taking place call 999. Alternatively, report it and other cybercrime to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: APPRENTICESHIPS & SKILLS

PLAN TO GET APPRENTICES BACK IN WORK chance to continue their A not-for-profit organisation is apprenticeship with a new encouraging firms to see the employer. benefit of taking on redundant Damian Brown, chief operating apprentices when they are hiring. officer of Instructus Skills, Instructus Skills, based in explained: “Apprentices have a Kettering, works with small window to make it employers to help work – they have to apprentices develop start their new role the skills, knowledge ‘HIRING A within 30 days of and experience finishing their they need to REDUNDANT previous role to succeed in their APPRENTICE continue on the roles. COULD BE same programme. At the end of INVALUABLE FOR “Hiring a last year UK redundant redundancies rose A BUSINESS’ apprentice could be to a record high. For invaluable for a apprentices, redundancy carried the business. As an advanced additional penalty of cancelling learner, a re-hired apprentice their qualification. brings with them the skills and However, last October the experience they developed prior to governing body for their new role and because they are apprenticeships, the Education and further along with their training, Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), they can also provide companies brought in changes which meant with a much faster return on their investment.” redundant apprentices have the

PET POOCH INSPIRES CHRISTMAS ADVERT A talented teenager in his first year of studies at Northampton College has produced a film that seasoned industry experts have hailed as a ‘masterpiece’. Level 3 Creative Media student Leo Kelly’s festive film was heavily inspired by previous John Lewis Christmas adverts and tells the tale of his family dog going missing, with a long and anguished search proving fruitless until the mischievous pooch, Poppy, Leo Kelly emerges at the front door just in time and Poppy for Christmas, to the delight of Leo’s little brother, Ben, aged 11. Leo, 17, said: “I’m from a generation that’s grown up with a phone in their hand so filming things is second nature to me. I’ve always made short clips or versions of music videos and I love editing them afterwards. “When I had the chance to do this for a college project I knew immediately what I wanted to do. I love the John Lewis adverts and I really wanted to use those as my inspiration.” The video has attracted thousands of views on Leo’s YouTube channel and the college used it as part of its official digital Christmas greeting. Principal of Northampton College, Pat Brennan-Barrett, said: “Leo’s outstanding video is an incredibly touching film which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of emotive messaging.” To see the video visit: https://youtu.be/oEk5z_oSMEw For more information on courses at Northampton College visit www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk 22 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

A re-hired apprentice brings with them a more developed set of skills and greater experience

Under the Government's Plan for Jobs scheme, businesses may also be eligible for incentive payments if they hire a redundant apprentice. If an apprentice is 16 to 24, companies may be eligible for up to £2,000 and if the apprentice is 25 or older, firms may receive £1,500. There are also further payments of up to £1,000 available if your apprentice is aged 16 to 18 or receiving local government

support. To facilitate the new process, the Government has established the Redundancy Support Service for Apprentices which connects employers with redundant learners and provides a vacancy listing service. For more information visit www.instructus-skills.org or call 01536 738631.

(T x L x C x M) S = EXPONENTIAL BUSINESS GROWTH What can a business mentor do for your business? What can T, L, C, M, S do for your business? With a business mentor, using the existing techniques you use in your business – T,L,C,M,S - you can achieve business growth, increased profits and an increase in the value of your small or medium sized business using my world-class mentoring system Marketing and growing your small or medium sized business isn't rocket science, but it IS a science. I help my mentoring clients apply a proven scientific FORMULA used by over 26,000 businesses to quickly grow any business. Experience the formula for yourself – complete the 5-day “Sell More Stuff Challenge” During your 5-day Challenge, you'll discover what makes marketing work and how to transform EVERY sales, marketing and advertising tactic and strategy you currently use, into ones that massively increase the results you’re currently getting. And you’ll do it WITHOUT spending a penny more than you do already (guaranteed!). Even if you already apply one or two Core Elements right now, chances are they can be implemented better to achieve optimum performance. By completing your daily assignments, you will see your results transform almost immediately, then in the coming weeks and months you'll see the full benefit of the work we do together over the next 5 days.

Now is the time to ‘take the bull by the horns’ and take a very positive step to transform the results of your marketing and to increase your sales.

Visit: www.mentoreugeniewinter.com/smsc-eugenie-winter

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: APPRENTICESHIPS & SKILLS

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TALKING BUSINESS

PROVIDING A VITAL SERVICE IN TOUGH TIMES Multi-award-winning full service digital marketing agency 123 Internet Group kept many businesses afloat during the pandemic thanks to its innovative scheme which saved firms over £50,000 on the cost of digital transformation and marketing projects. CEO Scott Jones talks about backing other businesses and reveals that the firm has continued to expand and secure more award nominations during the toughest trading period in living memory.

Many businesses will shudder at the memory of 2020 but one local firm, 123 Internet Group, can look back with pride on a year where they not only continued to grow but helped other companies to survive. During the 15 years it has been trading, the full service digital marketing agency has built up an enviable reputation as a dynamic, innovative and supportive company. Never has this been more clearly demonstrated than in the past 12 months, when 123 Internet not only went above and beyond to support its own staff but exceeded all expectations when it came to the levels of help it offered to other businesses. With support from Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, its sister Chamber in Milton Keynes and NatWest, 123 Internet threw many organisations a vital lifeline in the shape of its Growth through Digital Innovation (GDI) voucher support scheme. The scheme offered businesses and charities a £1,000 voucher towards essential website design and branding work. As a result, businesses across Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes benefitted from more than £50,000 worth of support and many have credited 123 Internet with helping them to survive 2020. CEO Scott Jones explained: “We were incredibly proud to support businesses through our GDI scheme. It gave businesses a significant discount on digital marketing services that, in many cases, helped to aid their recovery, kickstart their digital transformation and boost their growth. “It’s fair to say that throughout this global crisis our innovative and supportive approach has been what our clients have appreciated the most and the GDI scheme is just one example of that. “We were also delighted to be able to support several charities last year, including Track NN in Northampton and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. “We’re equally proud to say that our supportive ideology extends to our own people. We’re a passionate, close-knit team with shared ‘family values’ of looking after our clients and each other. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve avoided making redundancies and furloughing staff and have even expanded our highly experienced team. We always do all we can to look after our team – and they certainly look after us.” The firm’s innovative approach to business explains why, even during 2020, it continued to pick up award nominations, which included Scott being named a Lockdown Leader finalist in the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards. This was great recognition for the 123 Internet team which was also kept extremely busy throughout the year supporting businesses that used the enforced ‘downtime’ of lockdowns to reflect on their marketing strategies. Given its impressive reputation, it’s unsurprising so many businesses turned to 123 Internet for support with their creative branding, website design, search engine optimisation (SEO), 24 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

The 123 Internet team meet online while working remotely

pay-per-click marketing (PPC) and social media management requirements during 2020. Its 20-strong team has more than 40 years of combined experience and provides award-winning services to more than 600 local, national and international clients in the logistics, IT, automotive, legal, leisure, business, hospitality, charity, manufacturing, property and home improvement sectors. “It’s now more important than ever that businesses focus on the future and invest in their digital marketing to ensure they come out on top in the digital era,” explains Scott. “During lockdown many organisations realised it was time for their businesses to undergo a digital transformation and because we are a full service digital marketing agency we can

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TALKING BUSINESS PHOTOS BY JANE RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHY

CEO Scott Jones

help them with their marketing strategies, social media, website design, SEO and media. We help businesses to bounce back and thrive by supporting them with things like new product launches, Google rankings, social media support, brand awareness and rebranding. We even do things like bespoke packaging design. Effectively, we are the go-to, one-stop shop digital agency for any business needing help with their marketing.” So, what’s next for the firm which is also a Platinum member of both Northamptonshire Chamber and its sister Chamber in Milton Keynes and includes a Milton Keynes Chamber nonexecutive board director and a Next Generation Chamber committee member amongst its staff? “Looking ahead we are very excited to be extending our team of digital marketing specialists to cope with the ever growing demands for our services,” said Scott. “In the short-term this expansion will include the appointment of a new social media manager and a creative designer. We’re also working on plans this year to enhance our own website which will make it even easier for customers to get in touch with us, book free online consultations and talk to us about their marketing goals for 2021. “Despite the challenges of 2020 we remained positive throughout the year and have high hopes for continued growth in 2021.”

For further information visit www.123internet.agency or call 01604 231231.

123 INTERNET SUMMARY OF SERVICES 123 Internet is a full service digital marketing agency which works with firms to develop their digital marketing strategy in order to strengthen the image and presence of their brands. Following a consultation meeting and free SEO website audit, 123 Internet identifies short-term solutions firms need for their digital marketing before moving on to long-term solutions. It • • •

can offer clients: A tailored strategy plan Social media management Support with website design and development projects • Increased Google Rankings through SEO services • Help with branding and rebranding • 3D models and virtual tours for their websites

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TRAINING & EVENTS

Follow us on Twitter @NorthantsCoC Follow #ChamberTraining for the latest updates Follow #ChamberEvents for the latest updates

will arise at some point, and if you are unprepared or inexperienced, you will find yourself giving into your customer’s demands. This 1/2 day workshop helps you to develop your negotiation skills for whatever scenario you come across in your day-to-day dealings.

TRAINING COURSES All Chamber training courses are currently delivered virtually in compliance with Covid-19 restrictions. Call the Training department for more details on 01604 490490 or email training@northants-chamber.co.uk BUSINESS TOOLKIT

EXPORT LICENSE CONTROLS

ISO INTERNAL AUDITOR TRAINING

DATE: 25 February (half-day) COST: Member £299 + VAT Non members £369 + VAT We will enter the world of Export License Controls, explaining the roles of BIS (Business innovation and skills) and their SPIRE system. Whether you are selling military goods, or dual use items, or are not sure, we will explain the classification process and the importance of end user undertakings. How Export license rules stretch to encompass software, technology and beyond.

DATE: 1 April (half-day) COST: Members £160 + VAT Non members £200 + VAT This course will give you a base knowledge of three key ISO Standards 9001:2015, 14001:2015, 45001:2018. You will gain an understanding of what is required and why business bothers with ISO. You will learn about continuous improvement and ISO, internal auditing, audit procedures and schedules, audit documentation, performance evaluation and practical audit application.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE BCC ACCREDITED COURSES TARIFF CLASSIFICATION MASTERCLASS DATE: 19 February (one-day) COST: Member £299 + VAT Non members £369 + VAT • Harmonised System • Combined Nomenclature • TARIC Measures • Explanatory notes • Classification Guides • Court Rulings • Binding Tariff (BTI) - advanced rulings • General Rules of interpretation (GRI)# • Section & Chapter notes • Incomplete/unfinished goods • Mixtures/combinations • Packaging • Sets • UK Global Tariff – NEW tariff from 1 Jan 21

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INCOTERMS 2020 DATE: 11 March (half-day) BCC Accredited COST: Member £299 + VAT Non members £369 + VAT Delivery Terms – We cover what’s changed with the new Incoterms 2020, terms removed / changed / added; how these updates will affect you, Delivery Point, Transfer of Risk, Insurance, Contracting for Carriage, Seller’s Obligations, Buyer’s Obligations, Seller’s Costs, Buyer’s Costs

SALES & MARKETING DIGITAL MARKETING FOR SMES DATE: 25 February (half-day) COST: Member £140 + VAT Non members £180 + VAT This course gives delegates a firm understanding of digital marketing, teaching them how to define and implement an effective digital strategy. By the end of the session we’ll give you a firm understanding of everything you need to get in front of your customers online.

HEALTH & SAFETY HEALTH & SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE LEVEL 2 HABC

ESSENTIAL SELLING SKILLS DATE: 10 March (one-day) COST: Member £229 + VAT Non members £299 + VAT Selling is an art, but an art that can be learnt by anyone. People who sell well, simply understand that there is a structure and a process to successful selling and follow it. They also know that to be really successful they must learn to blend their own personality and experience with the sales structure in order to develop their unique style. Nobody buys from robots. Attend this course to understand the underlying structure of selling and begin to assess your own competence in the various component parts of the sale. Then learn where and how to get better and make more sales.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS BASICS DATE: 18 March (half-day) COST: Member £140 + VAT Non members £180 + VAT We teach you the essentials for monitoring your online marketing and improving your website, along with skills and analytics tips that you will put into practice on a daily basis. Google Analytics doesn’t just provide you with website insights; it’s incredibly valuable to the commercial success of your business. From marketing campaign optimization through to budget allocation, this course will give you direction on how Google Analytics can benefit your business.

THE ART OF NEGOTIATION – BASIC LEVEL DATE: 15 April (half day) COST: Members £140 + VAT Non members £180 + VAT Within the sales arena, negotiation

DATE: 17 March (one-day) COST: Member £229 + VAT Non Member £299 + VAT The most basic requirement of any workplace is that it is a safe place to work. If this isn’t the case then your business is at risk from all kinds of legal cases and even worse, your employees may be risking their lives. Good health and safety relies on employers and their employees working together. This course provides a solid foundation of knowledge that is required by everyone and provides essential knowledge of health and safety for employees working in any type of business sector.

GETTING THE MESSAGE RIGHT MINUTES MADE EASY DATE: 24 February (one-day) COST: Member £229 + VAT Non members £299 + VAT Minute taking does require skill, this course will help you understand what is needed to produce concise and clear minutes, with discussion about the nature of meetings and looking at the relevance of annotating different kinds of information. You will also be introduced to speed writing.

DEVELOPING ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS DATE: 25 March (one-day) COST: Member £229 + VAT Non members £299 + VAT This workshop aims to enable you to be more effective in your communication skills. To be positive and competent in the workplace and outside it, by learning to be firm but fair with your colleagues. It will help you

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TRAINING IN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

make a plan for realistic change and enable you to realise the benefits of non aggressive assertive behaviour. You will learn to say no effectively, give and receive criticism and deal with fear in a positive way.

MANAGEMENT & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAIN THE TRAINER DATE: 3-4 March (two-day) COST: Member £458 + VAT Non members £598 + VAT To give staff who have recently been employed in a position of a trainer, or who are expected to train other staff in any areas such as procedures, skills or other core functions e.g. customer service or health and safety, the ability and confidence to deliver first class training.

The next generation of business leaders are being given the chance to delve into the world of Emotional Intelligence with an award-winning trainer. Paul Beesley, of Beyond Theory, will deliver the session in March to help Next Generation Chamber members learn about emotional intelligence, otherwise known as emotional quotient (EQ). Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, use and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. The free session is part of a series of inspirational and interactive Personal Development sessions run by Next Generation Chamber exclusively for its members. It is a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs to work with Paul who has more than 20 years of experience of working in HR and training across private, retail and public sectors and with blue chip companies. Paul is also a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), a

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Excel courses at all levels available, to view outlines go to website link: www.northants-chamber.co.uk/ training/information-technology All course outlines and forward dates can be viewed on the website: www.northants-chamber.co.uk/ training Call 01604 490490 for bespoke delivery option and any further information regarding the Training Services

To secure your place, click on the booking link under the Emotional lntelligence entry on www.northants-chamber.co.uk/next-generationchamber/our-training-sessions

NEW EVENTS The Chamber events team has been working hard to adapt and deliver a new format of events, increasing the range and availability of our schedule. Look out for the following NEW events on the calendar:

CHAMBERLIVE

SUCCESSFUL SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT DATE: 13-14 April (two-day) COST: Members £458 + VAT Non members £598 + VAT The transition from team member to team leader is one of the most challenging. This pragmatic workshop teaches you how to increase work output, improve the quality of work and achieve greater flexibility in working. It is essential training for established and newly appointed supervisory staff. It is vital training for anyone about to become a supervisor.

Steering Group Member for the Engage for Success movement and, as a member of the British Psychological Society, is qualified in a range of psychometric profiling tools. Paul said: “This session will help Next Generation Chamber members to discover what emotional intelligence is and what it isn’t and show them how to develop and improve their emotional intelligence. “An important part of that process is learning what behaviours you need to stop in order to improve your emotional intelligence so we will also be covering that in the session too.” The session on Emotional Intelligence will be held online from 3.30pm to 4.30pm on 24 March.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

60-minute, bitesize sessions that pack a serious punch. Hosted by renowned, expert speakers covering current business needs. These are the topics on everyone’s agenda, and ChamberLIVE is here to tackle them.

MAXIMISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP Date: Tuesday 23 February Time: 10am-11am

SPEED NETWORKING

Date: Wednesday 24 February Time: 3.30pm-4.30pm

Hosted by experienced, friendly Chamber staff, this is your opportunity to introduce your business and make vital connections with a receptive audience. Ten people per room, three room changes per event. Fast-paced, high-energy, results-driven.

FRIDAY WIND-DOWN NETWORKING

FRIDAY WIND-DOWN

Date: Friday 26 February Time: 3pm-4pm

End the working week on a high with an informal, fun networking session. Moderated by experienced Chamber staff who know how to keep the conversation flowing, ensuring you can make connections that matter.

NEXT GENERATION CPD

NEXT GENERATION SANDWICH SOCIAL Date: Tuesday 9 March Time: 12pm-1pm

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER SPEED NETWORKING Date: Wednesday 17 March Time: 10am-11.15am

NEXT GENERATION CPD: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WITH PAUL BEESLEY – BEYOND THEORY Date: Wednesday 24 March Time: 3.30pm-4.30pm

FRIDAY WIND-DOWN NETWORKING Date: Friday 26 March Time: 3pm-4pm

Business doesn’t recognise borders, so why should we? Joining forces with neighbouring Chambers, these structured networking sessions are designed to forge new business relationships across county boundaries, and maximise your opportunity to build a profitable network.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL Look out for our new YouTube channel entitled ‘NN & MK Chambers of Commerce’ which allows our subscribers to watch back ChamberLive events, such as our recent Wellbeing Week, so you never miss out! FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 inbusiness 27

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MEMBERZONE Latest news from NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER MEMBERS including award wins, relocations, appointments, new contracts, member profiles, mergers, company expansion plans, sponsorship deals and business success stories

OPEN PROGRAMME IN MANAGEMENT

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR EVENT

The University of Northampton took its latest annual Women into STEAM event online for the first time so it could continue to showcase the career opportunities available to women within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The event, which was organised by the University of Northampton and funded through Aspire Higher, was aimed at girls aged between 11 and 16 and attracted more than 1,000 students. It featured an impressive list of speakers, including world-famous

TV scientist Dr Emily Grossman and businesses from a variety of sectors. Working with global content agency Clearhead, the event was streamed on YouTube over five hours and featured pre-recorded content, live Q&As with presenters and businesses and engaging videos. Linda Davis-Sinclair, engagement lead and STEM ambassador at the University of Northampton, said: “The university has a long history of providing face-to-face STEAM events for young people and we work collaboratively with Aspire Higher to raise aspirations of

children from Year 6 upwards. “Over 1,000 students from 36 schools in Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire registered for the event and the feedback was fantastic. Teachers enjoyed that students could access real-life careers information and pupils liked learning about the variety of work scientists do and how there are multiple ways of solving problems.” To watch a video of the event visit www.aspire-higher.co.uk/womeninto-steam

ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF DATA Data and insights consulting firm Sales Growth Consulting is excited to share news of enhancements to its research services. Sales Growth Consulting helps SMEs by providing independent market and competitor landscape data that supports business planning, decision-making and crucial funding requests. By partnering with a Researchas-a-Service (RaaS) platform, with more than 5,000 registered experts globally, including PhDs, consultants and industry veterans, the firm will be able to compile relevant data to answer business critical questions faster. The firm says this will yield enhanced data quality, delivery

lead times that are faster by up to 50% and client fees which are lower by as much as 30%. Managing director Victor Chauhan said: “Previously, compiling such detailed and meaningful data like this was labour-intensive and timeconsuming. Now we’re able to enhance the quality of our research by leveraging these experts, reduce our lead times and offer lower fees; it’s a huge win for our clients.” To celebrate the launch of its new partnership, Sales Growth Consulting is offering fellow Chamber members 10% off the total fee for any research project commissioned before 31 March 2021. Email victor@sgc-ltd.com

Victor Chauhan, MD of Sales Growth Consulting

After a successful first year in business, Competitive Edge is bringing to market a new and innovative Open Programme to further enhance one of their core offerings Management & Leadership Development. Having worked successfully with clients, taking internal cohorts of managers through their development programmes, Competitive Edge is now opening the programme out to enable SME businesses to develop their managers and leaders. Learning alongside people from multi-sector organisations, the Open Programme offers four experiential learning modules over a 12-month period, delivered in three-day residential blocks. Learners then return to their respective businesses with ongoing coaching and support, which is critical to the transfer of learning. Despite the changing Covid-19 restrictions, the residential course is fully health and safety compliant. Director Ian Wearne (pictured) said: “There’s often an expectation that a highperformer can somehow make a seamless transition into management, or that existing managers and leaders have a full grasp of their responsibilities. But how well prepared are these people, and what are the implications on a business, if critical competencies and behaviours aren’t fully developed and applied?” The Open Programme commences on 12 May, with the first module entitled ‘The self-aware leader – manager’. Visit: www.yourcompetitiveedge .co.uk

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MEMBER PROFILE

NAME: Marie Baker COMPANY: Poppy Design Studio Limited JOB TITLE: Managing director/head designer WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION DO? Website and graphic design.

HOW DID IT ALL START? My daughter got diagnosed with a rare brain condition, Chiari malformation and needed brain surgery urgently. So she could recover from home, I gave up my college course and became selfemployed as I’d been working with WordPress since 2003.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR? Giving back to Home Start Kettering. My brother has severe disabilities and Home Start in Coalville supported my family as I was growing up. Now owning my own business, I’ve been able to give back to them and help them with a website and graphic design.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST IN YOUR JOB? How many people have been burnt in the past by poor website designers. I didn’t realise how many people have had a bad experience. A lot of our testimonials start with ‘I’d been poorly treated but then found Poppy…’

The INBUSINESS APP provides you with a fast, free and convenient way to read the latest Chamber news on the go.

in business

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST RISK YOU’VE EVER TAKEN – AND DID IT WORK? Going on stage to talk about branding when I hate public speaking. Thankfully when I talk about what I love, I was able to forget the people watching me!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT? Someone very close to me now, who I met five years ago at my first networking event before I even understood what a business network was, told me that people do business with people. That’s so true, always be yourself and you’ll never need to sell as they will buy into you as a person.

WHICH BUSINESS PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?

‘THE BEST WAY TO KEEP UP TO DATE’ FOR CHAMBER NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR SMART PHONE OR TABLET, DOWNLOAD THE INBUSINESS APP

Providing a digital version of INBUSINESS across all platforms, including iPads and iPhones, and reaching a wider audience of readers. Members can stay connected thanks to push notifications to alert readers when the latest edition is available and live links to all websites.

Becky Adams. She became a mentor to me and a friend. She taught me to believe in myself and helped me grow my business and not put my own hang-ups in the way of growing.

WHAT EXCITING PROJECTS IS YOUR ORGANISATION WORKING ON? We’re delighted to be working with The Recovery Through Enterprise programme led by East Northants and Borough Council of Wellingborough on their new website design.

WHAT MADE YOUR ORGANISATION JOIN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHAMBER? The Chamber’s Sunny Singh came to a Kettering Business Network meeting which I help run with Simon Cox and gave a talk about the benefits of being a member and showed us how the Chamber supports businesses and how they could help Poppy Design Studio. Visit: poppydesignstudio.com Call: 0800 321 3843 Email: marie@poppydesignstudio.com

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WHITE PAPER ON EV CHARGERS PUBLISHED

PROGRESS IS MADE ON SCHOOL PROJECTS Award-winning construction partner Stepnell made significant progress with three of its education projects last year – Gordon’s School, Canford School and The Woodroffe School. The projects, which include the development of brand-new facilities for students and staff, have recently reached substantial construction milestones and contribute to Stepnell’s ever-growing portfolio of education clients. Located in Surrey, Gordon’s School’s new sports facility was completed towards the end of last year following a £6m, 36-week programme that continued to progress throughout lockdown. It includes a 1,223 square metre sports hall with changing rooms, supporting spaces and a new, all-weather 3G pitch. Throughout the lockdown, Stepnell also remained on site at Canford School in Dorset, working on its new,

56-bed boarding house. The £3.9m development is due to be complete in June. Its latest £2m project at The Woodroffe School in Dorset will include a new, two-storey teaching block with classrooms and a group learning space, library resource centre and additional office space to help expand the school’s academic offering. Landscape work will also be undertaken to include the creation of new footpaths in the surrounding areas, providing full accessible circulation to the ground floor and accompanying lifts for disabled users. The year-long scheme will pose a number of challenges, including the navigation of a live site and logistical difficulties – with the stand-alone new build cut into a hillside to accommodate for the elevated terrain. Visit: www.stepnell.co.uk

An electrical contractor which delivers multi-discipline, electrical engineering solutions to commercial and industrial clients has published an important document about the future of Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. PB Solutions is recognised as a valued industry leader and its team prides itself on keeping its finger on the pulse and maintaining advanced knowledge of the expectations of electricity, as they develop. As a result, in November PB Solutions published a White Paper on Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers, which made the case for why the UK needs more EV chargers and sets out the changing landscape of car purchase. To download their industry leading White Paper visit pbsolutions.co.uk/ev-chargerwhitepaper

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MEMBER BENEFITS CHAMBER FX Exclusive foreign exchange member package offering free health check, low transfer fees and free account opening. Key benefits include bankbeating exchange rates.

CHAMBER HEALTH PLAN Provided by Westfield Health, Chamber Primary Health Plan can give members cover from just £5.57 per employee, per month.

CHAMBER AA Chamber members can save up to 63% on roadside assistance for business vehicles in a scheme provided by The AA.

‘OUR NETWORKING EVENTS OFFER MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES’

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT WOMEN WITH VISION NETWORK

NEW EVENTS PLANNED FOR NEXT GENERATION Next Generation Chamber has built up a strong reputation for itself as the go-to platform for aspiring young business people throughout Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. The organisation was launched by Northamptonshire Chamber and its sister Chamber in Milton Keynes and has been welcoming young entrepreneurs from a wide variety of industries since 2017. It provides a series of monthly events, alternating between networking events and personal development sessions – all of which are currently held online. Northamptonshire Chamber events, communication and marketing manager Matthew Cannon, who sits on the Next Generation Committee, said: “We are very proud of our Next Generation Chamber members and its committee members who are fantastic ambassadors for the organisation and show the breadth of skills of the talented young business people in our region. “Next Generation Chamber was initially created to help these young business people as they aspire to grow and to support the firms that are doing their very best to nurture them. “Our networking events offer members the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences with their peers in a relaxed and informal environment whilst our personal development sessions deliver

inspirational and interactive sessions aimed at developing essential business and leadership skills.” Next Generation Chamber has a series of exciting events coming up during February and March, including personal development sessions on topics such as Emotional Intelligence and its popular Next Generation Sandwich Social. To learn more about the platform and to read case studies from current members visit www.northantschamber.co.uk/who-we-are/next-generationchamber To find out more about the benefits of Next Generation Chamber membership email info@NextGenerationChamber.co.uk or call the Chamber team for an informal chat on 01604 490490.

Northamptonshire Chamber is proud to offer a new mentoring and networking association which has been created to educate, inspire and promote women in business. The Women With Vision Network will offer its members access to: • Six online free CPD events across the year • Access to four networking events across the year* (online or face-to-face, Covid19 restrictions dependant) • Twice yearly social events* • Bimonthly drop-in event to discuss any issues/successes you have in your business • Free 30-minute Mentor zoom call with a Champion *Where any face-to- face events take place there will be an additional cost involved to cover room hire, refreshments and catering. The new network will launch between 10am and 11.30am on 8 March to coincide with International Women’s Day. It will give attendees the chance to learn about the network, meet the network champions, network with other women in business and to take part in an International Women’s Day event #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021 For further information about the Women With Vision Network contact Kate Denne at kate.denne@northants-chamber.co.uk

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NEWMEMBERS Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome its NEW MEMBERS. Membership offers your business a whole host of support services and ways to connect and network with other companies. Contact the Chamber membership team on 01604 490490 3FFF Ltd CORBY 01536 202919 www.3fff.co.uk Exterior cleaning – drives/gutters/ patios/windows

Consulo Health and Safety Ltd NORTHAMPTON 01604 518728 www.consulohealthandsafety.co.uk Health and safety consulting including training and fire risk assessments

ABC Macintosh Ltd CORBY 01536 260333 www.abcmacintosh.com Manufacture of firefighting foam and equipment

Digital Future First NORTHAMPTON 01604 679099 www.digitalfuturefirst.co.uk If you are a business owner in Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire or Luton we can offer you free advice and guidance government incentives

Alchemy Virtual Assistance NORTHAMPTON 01604 312195 www.alchemyva.co.uk Alchemy Virtual Assistance provides award winning administration services, practical marketing, flexible PA support BBM Sport DAVENTRY 01327 366205 www.bbmsport.com One of the leading historic racing car preparation companies in the world Bella Marketing Solutions Ltd IRCHESTER 01933 816016 www.bella-marketing.uk Digital marketing, social media management, Wordpress websites BTS (UK) NORTHAMPTON 01604 926100 www.btsuk.net Technology consultancy, supply of business grade services - telephone systems, internet connectivity, rugged mobile phone and tablets Business & IP Centre Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTON 01604 361447 www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/business library Supporting entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses from that first spark of inspiration to successfully launching and developing a business through events

E M Rogers Transport Ltd NORTHAMPTON 01604 755511 www.emrogers.com International Trade Services Transport Fortec Motor Sports Ltd DAVENTRY 01327 879999 www.fortemotorsport.com Formula 3 and 4 Racing Team Genus Breeding Ltd BASINGSTOKE 07971 118683 www.genusbreeding.co.uk To provide Agricultural Services to farmers including the production and distribution of bovine (dairy and beef) semen and breeding advice/solutions Hampton Frames Limited NORTHAMPTON 01858 575743 www.hamptonframes.com Importer and distributor of photograph and certificate frames Houghton Hams Ltd NORTHAMPTON 01604 644247 www.houghtonhams.co.uk Manufacturer, process and distribution of pork meat into hams. Bacon and other fresh products. Our customer base is UK

Business Buzz Northamptonshire CALVERT GREEN 07770 876300 www.business-buzz.org Business Buzz is relaxed informal dropin B2B networking for your local business community

Julie Futcher T/A The Sales Ace RUSHDEN 07775 741203 www.thesalesace.co.uk Sales training and consultancy

Business Times OLNEY 01604 259900 www.business-times.co.uk One of the most respected business publications in the Northamptonshire region, delivered monthly by Royal Mail to more than 9,500 business owners

Latitude Building Consultancy Limited WELLINGBOROUGH 07951 464442 www.latitude.com Latitude Building Consultancy is an independent firm of Chartered Surveyors providing architectural, building surveying and project management services

Career Inspiration Ltd T/A Kirti Patel WELLINGBOROUGH 01604 372301 www.careerinspiration.co.uk 1:1 and group career coaching and outplacement/redundancy support for individuals who want to stand-out and be in a role where they feel they belong

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Licharz Ltd DAVENTRY 01327 877500 www.licharz.co.uk Engineering plastics stockholders and distribution

Living Well Take Control LLP BIRMINGHAM www.lwtcsupport.co.uk Your local NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme provider MK Gallery MILTON KEYNES 01908 676900 www.mkgallery.org Educational registered charity running a contemporary art gallery MK Pulse OLNEY 01908 465488 www.pulsemagazine.co.uk MK Pulse is a local A4 printed lifestyle magazine which is hand delivered to the door of over 32,000 ABC1 homes in and around Milton Keynes and Bucks NN Design NORTHAMPTON 01604 385000 www.nndesign.co.uk Website design agency NN Pulse OLNEY 01604 935300 www.pulsemagazine.co.uk NN Pulse is a local A4 printed lifestyle magazine which is hand delivered to the door of over 22,000 ABC1 homes in and around Northamptonshire Obtainwise Limited NORTHAMPTON 01604 758999 www.obtainwide.com Cleaning and catering supplies to businesses, specialising in consumables products for rapid cook ovens Ovation Systems Ltd MILTON COMMON 01844 279638 www.ovation.co.uk Video surveillance equipment and systems for the police and military Pet Divine Ltd WEEDON 0800 3689805 www.petdivine.org Pet funeral services, your treasured pet remembered with love and dignity Print Data Solutions WELLINGBOROUGH 01933 672150 www.printdatasolutions.co.uk With 20 years’ experience in print management, design and merchandise, Print Data Solutions has a long pedigree of service that has enabled our business to grow Proactive Young People CIC RUGBY 07702 048618 www.proactiveeducation.co.uk We are a not-for-profit third sector organisation who support young people and adults with employability support and skills, job applications and virtual work experience

RB Recruitment Solutions WELLINGBOROUGH 07496 531374 www.rbrecruitment.co.uk A small independent recruitment agency using over a decade of recruitment experience across multiple sectors S & R Gardening Services NORTHAMPTON 07967 836262 Gardening services SAE Health Care Solutions Ltd WITHINGTON 01242 890328 Appointed Representative of WPA Healthcare Practice Plc, private medical insurance for individuals, families and businesses of all sizes SBA Project CORBY 07399 502612 www.sbaproject.org.uk Specialists in adult education and employment Sedgebrook Hall NORTHAMPTON 01604 821666 www.sedgebrookhall.co.uk Sedgebrook Hall is a restored Victorian country house set in 13 acres of landscaped grounds with 23 meeting rooms, 103 bedrooms and located near to the M1 & A14 Sky Blue Safety Ltd WELLINGBOROUGH 07722 270166 www.skybluesafety.co.uk Health and safety consultants. Health and safety recruitment Square Media CORBY 03303 800630 www.squaremedia.solutions Your outsourced marketing team specialising in digital projects and marketing retainers giving your business the skillset of 10 marketing staff The Fashion Warehouse WELLINGBOROUGH 07904 772585 www.thefashionwarehousewelling borough.com Retail, wholesale and export of end of line, return etc high street on online fashion, footwear and furniture The Travers Foundation GRETTON 01536 771440 www.travers-foundation.org.uk Volunteer run charity that provides support to local 13-30 year olds to help them to realise their dreams in sport, music, and arts UD Merchant Services MILTON KEYNES 01908 470566 www.Ud-ms.co.uk Merchant services - giving your business a better cash flow

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