13 minute read
Monthly News
from SBT issue 445
SBT
MONTHLY NEWS SPECIAL
Brighton & Gatwick Businesses in Sussex, powered by data business world, Acumen Business
Monthly News based business specialist law firm, Acumen Business from mnAI (the world’s first AI-powered deal-flow search engine for the private investment markets). Law is delighted to celebrate some successes too and the purpose of the initiative is to identify and provide Law, has today recognition to local businesses for their revealed the Top 50 Fastest-Growing After one of the toughest years in the outstanding growth year on year.
The Top 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses in Sussex revealed today are:
• Asset Plus Financial Ltd • Avanti (Abi) Ltd • Bare Biology Ltd • Bgl Wealth Ltd • Bozboz Ltd • Brightec Ltd • Casgo Connections Ltd • Class Cover (Surrey) Ltd • Clearstone Business Services Ltd • Cleghorn Lighting Ltd • Clifford Osborne Ltd • Curtis Building Solutions Ltd • Dyer Technology Ltd • Gbvi Ltd • Goodman Lantern Ltd • Green Lemon Company Ltd • Houseen Lettings & Property Services Ltd • Insa-Rend Ltd • Insure For Travel Ltd • Its Cycling Ltd • Lease Group Ltd • Lyons Finance Ltd • Marketing Edge Pharma Ltd • Meridian Finance Partners Ltd • Middleton Heating & Plumbing Ltd • Minton Young Ltd • Mjh Tax Ltd • Nio Comm Ltd • Numbers Studio Ltd • Organic Zoo Ltd • Ozum Ltd • Pathway Healthcare Ltd • Phonicsplay Ltd • Premier Gt Ltd • Projects Abroad Ltd • Prosper Home Loans Ltd • Ramjam Ltd • Rotamac Energy Solutions Ltd • Sketch Events Ltd • South Downs Safety Ltd • Stratospherec Ltd • Streetpave Groundworks Ltd • Sure Property Solutions Ltd • Technology Box Ltd • The Fabulous Collective Ltd • Tnk Engineering Ltd • Tradestar Glazing Systems Ltd • Trenchline Utilities Ltd • Tuff-Trek Ltd
Penina Shepherd, Founder & CEO of Acumen Business Law said: “As a Founder & CEO of a Sussex based business myself, I know what a rollercoaster this year has been for businesses. I’m thrilled that the Top 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses in Sussex initiative can recognise the success and efforts of the teams involved, who are all making a remarkable difference, especially during such unprecedented times”.
The Acumen Top 50 businesses were contacted by post with their certification, along with recognition on social media, before meeting digitally or face to face with Penina, when the national lockdown ends, and it is safe to do so.
Penina Shepherd
You can follow Acumen Business Law on social media, where each finalist will be announced:
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Latest pictures show progress at
Edward Street Quarter
Two of the buildings
Monthly at Brighton’s newest
News neighbourhood Edward Street Quarter have reached their highest point in a major milestone for the development. A building containing homes and office space, together with another accommodating both homes and local amenities have topped out. Steve Eccles, Project Director at First Base, said: “Topping out two of the buildings was a very exciting step forward for us. building The Clubhouse which will to boost mental and physical wellbeing, feature a stunning roof space with adding to the feelgood factor of working “Brighton’s newest neighbourhood looks views stretching out towards the sea by the sea, along with touchless set to be completed by early next year and pier. Work has also started on Two technology that responds to office and we cannot wait to welcome the Edward Square, a contemporary, high working in a post-Covid world. community and tenants to this new area, specification workspace. which will provide a home to businesses, The development will include three residents and cafes, as well as gyms, The developer said it was pleased with public green spaces, heavily planted bars and restaurants.” progress on the site which has been with mature trees and an ‘edible’ garden made, despite the challenges posed by full of herbs, as well as public art. Developer First Base said work has operating during the pandemic. already begun on the next stages of Edward Street Quarter, including First Base has included design features For more information, please visit
www.edwardstreetquarter.com
Post-Traumatic Growth: is it possible to emerge from a pandemic year fighting fitter than before?
By Richard Freeman, CEO, always possible
It was mid-February distancing and the prospect of a few brains and the patience of some brilliant
Monthly News 2020. One of my nonexecutive directors sent me a text: ‘Apart weeks, maybe months, of disruption – I’ll admit I was not even remotely entertaining the complete shut-down of clients. For many others, this hasn’t been the case. from ensuring the our clients in the arts or hospitality, or In the mid 1996, US psychologists team are safe and well, what do we that our upcoming programme of 1,100 Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence need to do to manage any risks from events across summer and autumn Calhoun published a paper in the COVID-19?’. Nothing, I said. We’re a would be, um, illegal. Journal of Traumatic Stress that small and agile consultancy, staff can detailed a phenomenon that they had work from home if they need to isolate. My nonchalance quickly became observed in some war veterans and in We’re cool. As long as our clients are still anxiety, and I don’t think I have ever survivors of major accidents or lifemanaging to trade. worked as hard in my life as I did in threatening illnesses. They called it April 2020. But, we know we are one of Post-traumatic Growth (PTG). Naïve is generous. With people only the lucky ones – we are small enough starting to get their heads around social to pivot, but big enough to pool expert With instances of Post-traumatic
Growth, “…people develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life,” says Dr Tedeschi.
There are lots of reports, memes and blogs circulating the internet right now, about PTG in mental health and education, families connecting and in other parts of public life.
But what might this look like in business?
Once I had figured out how to stabilise the always possible team, we put 100% of our time into understanding what the real impact on businesses was going to be. From April 2020 to Feb 2021, we ended up delivering 1:1 or small group support to over 180 small and micro businesses across the UK; 25 webinars and 18 engagement sessions around adaptation and innovation in a digital market-place. We’ve published six insights reports for UK regions on what different sectors need, and why, with recommendations for action.
We’ve helped SMEs to launch online services, secure grant and innovation funding and pivot their business plans. We’re managing the South East Boost grant programme in East Sussex, enabling 157 SMEs to draw down £1.6m in business grants – and we’ve designed and delivered the Reset. Restart programme for Brighton Business & IP Centre running workshops on digital pitching, pricing, marketing and resources.
It has given us an aerial view of the challenges and opportunities affecting all sorts of enterprises, and it is clear that there are universal trends but it is not a level playing field. Businesses will fold, but I’m not so sure that the enterprising spirit will. Viable retailers, events businesses and venues are badly bruised – but they’re not out. And when you scratch away at tech, engineering, construction and professional services – you don’t have to go far to see the impossible become possible, and some radical ideas starting to bear fruit.
It has been so, so exciting. Sussex businesses are innovating hard.
If we are to distil the path to PTG into a process of five skills or mindsets, it might look a bit like this:
1. Think big
What you know and what you do right now, might not be enough for the future
2. Listen hard
Find some space to find out what your customers really need, not what it is convenient for you to sell
3. Plan with clarity
The best thing you can do is give yourself permission to get rid of the noise and the baggage – go back to basics, start simple, and be pragmatic
4. Wing it with style
We’re all in new territory – and you don’t need all the answers; own your exploration, be clear that you’re trying things out and take your customers on a new adventure
5. Collaborate, radically
Businesses that pulled up the drawbridge are the ones that have failed – you’re surrounded by experience and expertise; find some partners and you can achieve more
By plotting out our own Post-Traumatic Growth journey, we’ve been able to
create a transformational approach to our work. And we want to share it.
The always possible team are now on a mission to help transform one hundred businesses in 2021. We’re seeking ambitious entrepreneurs, creatives and business teams to join The 100, working with each business to create a bespoke, practical, visual 12-month roadmap that clears the fog and nails some big decisions.
Post-Traumatic growth is what some teams are ready for, emerging from the Brexit and COVID-19 disruption with the energy, ideas and opportunity to do things differently. Better. Bolder. Grabbing 2021 by the horns. This might be you. This might be someone you know.
Because we’re trying something new, all the support we’re providing for The 100 will be affordable for most budgets – some will be given away for free.
Richard Freeman
Interested?
alwayspossible.co.uk/The100
Culture Recovery Fund opens the door to arts this spring
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival (BDBF) has received vital support from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund today (Friday 2 April 2021).
The registered arts
Monthly charity has received
News two grants to help the organisation recover and reopen over the next few months. Brighton Festival will benefit from £296,500 to ensure it can bring events back to audiences online, outdoors and safely back on stage with the re-opening of Brighton Dome Concert Hall this May. The region’s largest music education service which teaches thousands of school to have such loyal audiences who we need as the public health advice changed. children and young people, receives know want the arts to thrive and survive The funding has been awarded by Arts £174,000 for Brighton & Hove Music & beyond the pandemic.” Council England, as well as Historic Arts and East Sussex Music teachers to England and National Lottery Heritage resume tuition in person with students. These awards are amongst more than Fund and the British Film Institute. £300 million allocated by Arts Council Andrew Comben, Chief Executive, England to 2,300 cultural organisations Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival announced by the Culture Secretary today. added: commented: “Our record breaking Culture Recovery “We’re delighted to receive this Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Fund has already helped thousands of invaluable support in the week we Council England said: culture and heritage organisations across announced that Brighton Festival will “Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the country survive the biggest crisis return safely back to the city in May. the heart of communities is a vital part they’ve ever faced. Now we’re staying by Since last year’s cancellation and with of helping the whole country to recover their side as they prepare to welcome the the continued closure of Brighton Dome, from the pandemic. These grants will public back through their doors - helping it’s been hard to imagine that we’d be help to re-open theatres, concert halls, our cultural gems plan for reopening and able to look forward to this moment. and museums and will give artists and thrive in the better times ahead.” This funding will also allow us to support companies the opportunity to begin our music services as students return making new work. We are grateful to Brighton Festival 2021 takes place to lessons and to present a Festival the Government for this support and for from 1 May to 31 May and features 94 that works with local artists, community recognising the paramount importance events, performances and installations, organisations and a range of creative of culture to our sense of belonging and both as specially commissioned online professionals who are all committed to identity as individuals and as a society.” projects, as livestreams and across and excited about coming back. multiple outdoor and indoor locations The funding awarded today is from a extending from Brighton to Worthing. A We are enormously proud to be in a city £400 million pot which was held back last third of the events will be free to attend. that believes in the value of the arts, year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund both economically and socially, and could continue to help organisations in
www.brightonfestival.org
Freemasons provide £1M funding and 18 Million hours of community support
Freemasons throughout England came together in 2020 to challenge Covid and support their communities. Donating £1M, as well as their time, to help those in need.
Freemasons also
Monthly worked 18 million
News hours as volunteers in a range of different areas, where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser. In Sussex, Freemasons provided wide ranging and much needed support to charities across the counties to enable them to continue their work during the pandemic. These included: Supplying 50 Samsung Galaxy Android Tablets to hospices in East and West Sussex to help Covid patients stay in touch with their families.
Helping fund CPR machines for Chichester and Worthing Hospitals
Providing mobile phones to support remote working in the NHS, £30,000 to directly support NHS staff working in the major hospitals across the county (St Richards in Chichester, Worthing Hospital, the Royal Sussex County in Brighton, the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath, the Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings) and PPE to a wide range of charities and hospices.
Supporting the work of Domestic Violence charities
Providing £28,000 cash support to food banks in Brighton and Hove City Mission, Portslade, Burgess Hill, Horsham, Crawley, East Grinstead, Worthing, Littlehampton, Chichester, Rye, Bexhill, Battle, Seaford and Newhaven.
Supplying a four wheel drive car to St Wilfrids ‘Hospice at Home’ team to help their team of Rehabilitation Assistants, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists to reach patients in outlying areas.
Christopher Moore, Head of Sussex
Freemasons said “I am very proud of the way in which Sussex Freemasons have come together to support our communities in so many different ways, from sourcing and producing PPE to providing and delivering hot food to those in crisis and supporting those who are vulnerable”
In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the Freemasons have committed a further fund of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19 crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000 has been allocated to support homeless people through several charities with which UGLE partners. More than 40,000 homeless individuals are being provided with food and essentials, transport, help with accessing services such as counselling and healthcare, as well as employment and training opportunities.
Dr David Staples, chief executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said “Our response to the Pandemic shows what Freemasonry is all about; supporting those in need, giving back to our communities and volunteering where it can make a real difference. Freemasons have been doing this for over 300 years and I am proud of the time and commitment that our members have given to support the nation in its fight against Covid-19.”
www.sussexmasons.org.uk
