SBT issue 464

A CUTTING EDGE FERTILITY CLINIC

THE AGORA CLINIC IN BRIGHTON IS A FAMILY BUSINESS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD

All business is symbiotic in nature. You can be inspiring your peers one day, learning from them the next. In the end, people buy people. That makes sharing our stories the most compelling way to connect with one another.

What’s needed is a platform to embrace and empower our regional business ecosystem. Where varied backgrounds and perspectives provide new context. Harnessing potential, enabling growth. And at the heart of it, a dedicated term of curators unlocking insights for the good of us all.

So we’re changing the way people think of connecting. Because we believe in self-reflection, rather than self-promotion. By demystifying the art of storytelling, we deliver authentic thought leadership through events, publishing and broadcast media.

We come together to discover, share and grow. But we won’t be limited by geography, or our imagination. Instead, we’ll seek out local leaders, visionaries and experts, wherever great businesses thrive. Growing communities, in partnership with the businesses that power them. And nurturing the enterpreneurial spirit in everyone.

SBTWelcome

Welcome to another issue of SBT

Spring is all about renewal and growth - something businesses aim to achieve and what this issue highlights from cover to cover.

With Easter just behind us, many will have equated the religious celebration with more earthly topics such as fertility and birth. We are delighted to be delving into both with our cover feature celebrating the cutting edge work of The Agora Clinic. It’s a real family affair in every sense, providing a supportive and widely successful service to both private and NHS clients.

The business scene across Sussex has, like the weather, started to warm up in recent weeks. This is reflected in bumper editions of our Monthly News and the Networking and Events section.

The really great thing is that all of this news is positive.

Carpenter Box has reached its 100th birthday year - and plans to mark the huge milestone by making a difference to the local community - and Loch Associates Group has evolved its brand as a direct result of continuing success.

Networking has really notched up a gear. The Boundary Club is back and we hear from the organisers of Brighton & Hove Business Show and Sussex Business Show. Plenty of networking opportunities available there!

Charities share their recent fundraising successes and we hear from local chambers of commerce that work so hard to help their members thrive.

This is traditionally a time of year when seasonal sectors notch up a gear. This Easter proved a fabulous draw, with Sussex welcoming tourists from far and wide - a wonderful boost to the local economy just as a new financial year begins.

I hope you all enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend and that Spring will offer new opportunities as well as some muchneeded warmer weather.

Sam Thomas, Managing Director

Joint Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk

07894 762304

Joint Managing Director Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production & Design Kim Butler kim@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Accounts Clare Fermor clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Monthly

A bumper round-up of business news from across Sussex, including centenary celebrations at Carpenter Box and the latest from the organisers of the up-coming ACUMEN Business Convention.

County

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright The Business Group Sussex Ltd. 2020 ©

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Legal

A brand new venture is announced - a storytelling retreat. This ground-breaking offer is brought to you via a partnership between County Business Clubs Sussex and Inside Stories. 16

News from Mayo Wynne Baxter on changes to EPC rules and some good news for property owners from STax.

Finance

Carpenter Box highlights the key changes resulting from the Spring Budget and Andy Page from SEICO Group outlines the benefits of using a commercial broker to raise funds.

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We learn all about about The Agora Clinic, a cutting edge fertility service based in Brighton.

Good Business

The Good Business Club and Plus Accounting have joined forces to help local enterprises.

Sales & Marketing

Meet the man who makes brands - Bill Wallsgrove.

Charity

News from Search Seven, Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and WOLO Foundation.

Networking & Events

News from County Business Talks Podcast, Best of British Events, Brighton & Hove Business Show, Network My Club and more.

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Motoring

ULEZ scrappage scheme in detail and discover the ORA Funky Cat EV - all courtesy of Rivervale.

Chamber News

Latest business news from Sussex Chamber of Commerce and Brighton Chamber of Commerce.

Good News

Loch Associates Group evolves brand after another year of staggering success.

Wine of the Month

Michael Yeoman has something special to suggest from Tickerage Vineyard.

The benefits of programmatic advertising

Following the recent report by Statista that predicts global digital advertising revenue will surpass one trillion US dollars by 2027, leading omnichannel programmatic data specialist Crimtan is emphasising the best approach to reach and target the right consumer, at the right time and at the right cost by using programmatic advertising.

Programmatic advertising is the process of buying and selling advertising space that gives marketers and businesses total visibility over a campaign, to see exactly where the ads are being placed, who is viewing them and when. It is predicted that by 2026, 86% of overall digital advertising revenue will come from programmatic advertising, so it is vital that businesses get ahead of the game to truly understand its value and the benefits it brings to a business.

As programmatic ads are scalable, they are mutually beneficial for businesses of any size however big or small a budget may be. Businesses can set a maximum spend for a campaign so that they do not overspend, and with millions of ad spaces being sold by the second, campaigns can have a much larger reach compared to other forms of advertising.

One of the biggest benefits to a business is how specific programmatic adverting can be targeted. Multiple different factors

can be segmented and targeted, such as location, , behaviour and even the weather. For example, if pollen count is high in a particular area, hay fever medication can be targeted to that specific area. As all data is analysed in real-time, marketers can clearly see the return of investment of campaigns and have the ability to make adjustments in real-time to adapt as necessary.

Andy Houstoun, Chief Commercial Officer at Crimtan, said: “Programmatic advertising is increasingly becoming the go to advertising option for businesses globally, due to its easily accessible real-time reach across many different platforms and channels. Programmatic advertising should be included in every marketing strategy to ensure maximum return on investment, no matter how big or small a budget you have.

“Crimtan’s dynamic creative platform can deliver thousands of variations of creative and messaging to a brand’s prospects and customers. Our unique, independent technology enables us to build clientcentric programmatic solutions that

deliver the performance you need.”

And with audio and video programmatic becoming more popular, there have never been so many ways for marketers to reach the target consumer, at the right time and at the right touchpoint.

Crimtan is a compliant and trusted partner and been awarded the TAG Brand Safety Certified Seal by the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) after demonstrating its compliance with brand safety standards. This award recognises that Crimtan meets industry best practices, giving brands the confidence that all advertising produced will not be associated with content that could jeopardise brand reputation. Crimtan works with businesses to create powerful campaigns that grow the value of online sales and increase in-store footfall, supported by exceptional expertise and customer service. To maximise return on investment and to begin incorporating programmatic advertising into your business, get in touch with the experts at Crimtan today at https://www.crimtan.com/.

Football charity teams up with former Albion star’s consultancy

The new partnership will see Cube develop sponsorship opportunities with local and national businesses for the charity. They will have a specific focus on securing partnerships for RMF to support their plans to transform the former football ground at Old Barn Way in Southwick into a new community football hub.

Monthly News

Rogers enjoyed an 11-year professional football career with Sheffield United, Wigan, Notts County and Brighton & Hove Albion, where he captained the club to back-to-back promotions in 2001 and 2002 at their temporary Withdean Stadium home.

After retiring from professional football

in 2003, he later went on to become the Sussex club’s commercial director before setting up Cube Consultancy in 2017, the same year that RMF was established.

Cube currently provide support to companies in the professional services, creative media and automotive sectors but their tie-up with RMF is their first in the sports sector and their first charity client.

Paul said: “I’ve always been passionate about the positive impact football can have on local communities and the role businesses can play in that, so this partnership with RMF is a really exciting one for me and Cube. I’m looking forward to getting started and helping the charity continue to grow.”

Alan Sanders, CEO, The Russell Martin Foundation, added: “I am delighted that we have someone with so much local knowledge and expertise working with us at such an important time for the charity as we develop our future plans, particularly for Old Barn Way. On a personal level, it’s great to be linking with him again after working closely together at Brighton & Hove Albion and Albion in the Community.”

The Russell Martin Foundation was set up in 2017 by Brighton-born former professional footballer Russell Martin and uses the power of football to change lives across Sussex.

To find out more visit www. russellmartinfoundation.co.uk

The Russell Martin Foundation (RMF) has announced a partnership with Cube Consultancy, the Sussex-based business development company run by former professional footballer Paul Rogers.

Sussex events agency in Financial Times’ list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies

For the second year running, Identity, the human experience events agency, is named as one of Europe’s fast-growing companies.

Identity ranked 53rd in the 2023 edition of the FT 1000 Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies - a climb of 249 places since last year and the only human experience events agency on the list in consecutive years.

Monthly News

The seventh annual edition of the FT Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies, compiled in association with Statista, was published in the FT and on FT.com last month. Regarded as one of the entrepreneurial world’s most valued league tables, it ranks the 1,000 European companies with the strongest revenue growth between 2018 and 2021 across 31 European territories.

This year, Identity reported a 183.5 per cent compound annual growth rate* – an increase of just over 100 per cent on last year’s reported compound annual growth rate of 83.45 percent between 2017 and 2020.

Commenting on Identity’s achievement, Paul Fitzpatrick, MD of Identity, said: “This prestigious ranking is a public acknowledgement of Identity’s excellent performance.

“Featuring in the Financial Times’ 1000 for the second year in a row and jumping up the rankings by a whopping 249 places is very reassuring. It means we are doing things right! We have a fantastic

team in place that continues to produce engaging and flawless events for an everexpanding portfolio of enviable clients across the private and public sectors.

“I’m so proud of everything Identity has achieved and even more excited about the next chapter.”

Identity has continued its exponential growth with investment and opening of new offices in London and Abu Dhabi, as well as ongoing senior hires, and further additions to the board of a directors. The agency now has 150+

employees across its offices, up from just 38 in 2017.

The business is a multi-awardwinning events agency and has been responsible for the delivery of some of the UK’s largest and most prestigious events including COP26 in Glasgow, the NATO Leaders Summit, London, as well as working with global brands such as New Balance, Unilever, Panasonic and Siemens among many others.

www.Identitygroup.co.uk

Kreston Reeves gains coveted B Corp status

Accountants, business and wealth advisers Kreston Reeves has achieved B Corp status.

The business believes the achievement is a clear and strong demonstration of the firm’s commitment to being a sustainable and socially conscious adviser.

Kreston Reeves has a turnover of £40m with a team of 500 experienced and highly motivated people across its offices in Kent, Sussex and London. Its clients include ambitious and scale-up businesses, charities and not for profits, as well as individuals and their families. It is one of the largest accountancy firms to achieve B Corp status.

Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner at Kreston Reeves said: “This is a significant achievement for the firm and a milestone in our journey of being a purpose-led advisory firm. It is a formal recognition of the efforts we continue to make to have a positive impact on clients, our people and the communities in which we work.”

Jennifer Williamson, a Partner at Kreston Reeves who has been instrumental in the firm’s journey towards B Corp accreditation adds: “We are part of a global movement that recognises the need to balance profits with purpose. The firm has a clear purpose - to guide our clients, colleagues and communities to a brighter future – and B Corp status puts this into an independently verified framework.

“It stands Kreston Reeves apart from its peers, demonstrating to current and

future staff and clients that we are firm that chooses to do the right thing.”

There are over 6,000 certified B Corps across 159 industry sectors in 89 countries. To achieve certification, businesses must undertake a rigorous and independently verified assessment that encompasses an organisation’s entire social and environmental performance, from supply chain and input materials to charitable giving and employee benefits. A score of 80 or more in that assessment is needed, with Kreston Reeves achieving 80.6 in its first certification. The firm will be required to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability with recertification every three years.

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kreston Reeves to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for

good. We know that Kreston Reeves are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.

“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming Kreston Reeves is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the accountancy industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Kreston Reeves in paving the way for a new way of doing things.

“Being able to welcome Kreston Reeves to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit.”

It is now part of a global movement that recognises the need to balance profits with purpose.

Carpenter Box aims to give back as it marks centenary milestone

In 1923 Robert Carpenter agreed to go into partnership with Harold Box and together they opened a Worthing office at 8 Liverpool Gardens. Fast forward 100 years and we now have five offices, 19 Partners and a team of over 200 staff who support clients ranging from start-ups to large international businesses.

Launch event

To kick off our year of celebrations, we were delighted to host a launch event at our Head Office in Worthing on Wednesday, March 29.

We were pleased to welcome some special guests including Sir Peter Bottomley, MP for West Worthing, Cllr Henna Chowdhury, Mayor of Worthing,

Also in attendance were some of our Gold sponsors who have generously donated to our Charitable Foundation, as well some of the main charities that will benefit from these donations - Red Balloon Worthing, Crawley Open House, Turning Tides and West Sussex Mind.

Guests enjoyed some Ridgeview sparkling wine and canapes whilst they met and mingled with local businesses and charities. They also heard a few words from John Billings, Senior Partner, Robin Evans, Partner, and Alan Edwards, Managing Partner, as well as Cllr Henna Chowdhury, James Whitmore and East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim

What’s next?

We have some exciting fundraising events planned during 2023 to achieve our target of raising £50,000 for our Charitable Foundation which will be documented on our website carpenterbox.com/100

We would like to thank all our staff, clients, professional contacts, family, and friends who have been a part of Carpenter Box’s journey so far. Here’s to the next 100 years!

Alan Edwards, Managing Partner

James Whitmore, the High Sheriff of West Sussex, and Martin Randall, Director for the Economy at Adur & Worthing Councils.

Loughton, who couldn’t join in person but recorded a short video for the event.

Giving back to the community where the business has been based for 100 years has seen the launch of a £50,000 fundraising target for the Carpenter Box Charitable Foundation.

Monthly News

Spring is in full bloom - and so is the annual ACUMEN Business Convention!

Spring is a time of many beginnings. New love blooms, nature awakes from a peaceful slumber and even the financial year kicks off! So it is no surprise that the ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW team, gearing up to host the 13th annual ACUMEN Business Convention, are on an equal buzz (bee pun intended).

Listed in the FT’s Top 50 Ground-breaking and Innovative Lawyers in the UK and Europe and a UK Rising Star vote by The Observer, the Acumen herd is dynamic, as well as innovative, and disruptive, being one of the only, if not the only, law firms who put together a prestige, professional but

fun, and friendly Business Convention for its local business community.

And just when the team thought they could not beat last year’s event... This one is gearing up to be another sellout with even more packed into the day for the business delegates, 50 per cent of whom purchased this year’s ticket blindly right after the 2022 event.

At the time of writing this article, there are only 50 tickets left for this year’s event, with the majority of the tickets having sold last year.

Scheduled for the 24th of May with a sharp 10.30am start at Brighton’s most prestigious hotel, the Grand, the event will host Charles Rolls, the co-founder of internationally recognised tonic Fever

Tree. Charles has gone into the market by targeting those thirsty for quality and prestige with the premise that “if ¾ of your long drink is the mixer, mix with the best”. The company has grown to an iconic status with Europe and the US now accounting for nearly 50% of sales and the company still being one of the fastest growth category around the western world.

Acumen’s popular TedXstyle speaker guests ensure there is something for every business person in the room, all of whom will receive short but punchy inspirational and educational talks across all stages.

Rachel Watkyn, the founder of the largest UK online gift packaging e-commerce company, Tiny Box, and Dragon Den’s most successful female entrepreneur to date, will be speaking about building resilience.

Susan Payton, owner of The Business

of Stories, will give us all tips on how to create an articulate and crownbringing narrative for every business. Described as a “game-changing” framework, her simple but powerful process helps entrepreneurs and marketers craft stories and narratives that launch businesses, build brands and create raving fans.

A story that will tug at every heart string and inspire even the biggest pessimist, Perry Power, an author, charity founder, and survivor of interfamilial child sexual abuse will share and show you how to own one’s story - even when it has the darkest of narratives. Ranking over 60 million video views and 290,000 followers on social media, Perry raises awareness of the often stigmatized subject and helps

other survivors to recover from pain and trauma by the process of re-framing.

Be sure to check everyone out in preparation for your day here: www. acumenbusinessconvention.co.uk/

Ending the day just after 5.30pm with a thirst-quenching Ridgeview Reception and appetisers, the day will provide a more relaxed end with more room for networking. The organisers see this as a crucial point of the day.

“Every year without fail”, says Penina Shepherd, founder and CEO of Acumen, “we are told of multiple meaningful business connections that were made on the day that, in total, are worth millions of pounds!”

So grab your ticket today out of the remaining 50 at: www. acumenbusinessconvention.co.uk

The Storytelling Retreat - a game changer for business

Sam Thomas announces a brand new partnership - and retreat - that harnesses the power of storytelling in a truly all-embracing way.

Storytelling has been a fundamental part of human communication since the beginning of time. It is how we transmit knowledge, teach lessons and share experiences. Storytelling has the power to captivate our imaginations and connect us on an emotional level. In recent years, businesses have recognised the importance of storytelling and have started to incorporate it into their marketing and branding strategies. It is also the essence of what County Business Clubs is about.

Many people would have heard me talk and shout from the rooftops over the last six to 12 months about our process last

year we did with the amazing Terry Bower and Gareth Dimelow, of Inside Stories.

This was hands down the most gamechanging experience I’ve had since I’ve been in business. How we articulate, communicate, and tell our stories is what makes our businesses unique.

Gareth and Terry delve deep and unlock your narrative so that your story is:

• Meaningful

• Memorable

• Moving

The process was a HUGE turning point for County Business Clubs Sussex and gave me and the team a clear direction and vision to take the

business forward, and that we have done. That is why we have come together for something really special.

The Retreat Business or pleasure? How about both!

Convention doesn’t stand out, it’s there to be challenged, refined and perfected.

It’s the same with your business. You need an edge. Something that’s true to your values and who you are. It’s the thing that sets you apart in a genuine, authentic and honest way. So that customers, investors, collaborators and suppliers truly understand why you exist and what unique value to bring to the market.

CBC Retreat

Hosted and led by Inside Stories and County Business Clubs, The Retreat is the perfect opportunity to refine, reshape and rediscover the story of your business. It’s not for everyone. There’s work to be done.

You’ll arrive with an open mind, a hunger and willingness to roll up your sleeves. All in the name of bigger market awareness, increased revenue and mutually rewarding collaborations for you and your business.

Join us to work and play in the beautiful surroundings of Alexandra House Hotel and Spa for two & a half

Itinerary for The Retreat, 10th-12th July 2023. Alexandra House, Spa Hotel

Day 1 (10th July)

Arrive 2:00 pm

• Check-in and welcome

• Inside Stories / County Business Clubs

• Inside stories will set the scene and talk through the process

• Guest will have time to relax and make use of the spa facilities

8:00 pm Private dining - Dinner

days of work and relaxation.

You’ll join a small select group of business owners from different backgrounds and industries for an intensive deep dive and Business Story development Workshop, fine dining, 5-star spa and health club. All finished off with a personal and group Podcast interview and recording to showcase your new narrative / story skills with Sam Thomas.

In these challenging times, we’re all searching for an edge. But we don’t need to re-invent the wheel. What’s needed is a re-education of our mindset

Day 2 (11th July)

09:30 am

• Exercise 1 Feel | Think | Know | Do

• Exercise 2 Golden Circle: Why | How | What

• Exercise 3 Archetypes

1:00 - 2:00 pm Lunch

• Exercise 4 Manifesto

• Exercise 5 Elevator Pitch

• Guest will have time to relax and make use of the spa facilities

8:00 pm Dinner & surprise guest speaker (tbc)

to create a story for our business that’s meaningful, memorable and moving.

As you know, I believe everyone has a story to tell - so wherever you are on your business journey, how you tell your story is the key and the retreat will provide that opportunity.

This will be a game changer for your business.

For more information or to register your interest contact me as spaces are limited: sam.thomas@ countybusinessclubs.co.uk

Day 3 (12th July)

09:00 am

• Exercise 6: Hero’s Journey

• County Business Clubs Podcast / Q&A with Sam

• Putting the skills you have learnt into practice and sharing your story

1:00 pm Lunch

2:30 pm Wrap up and Finish

Join us for this exclusive retreat and unlock your story narrative Cost per person £5750 + VAT

Changes to the EPC rules

What do non-domestic Landlords need to know ahead of 1 April 2023? Legal

Under current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (‘MEES Regulations’), a Landlord cannot lawfully grant a lease of a non-domestic property where the property does not have a valid EPC with a rating of F or G. This applies to both brand-new leases and the renewal of existing leases.

The MEES Regulations were initially introduced in 2013. These have since been reviewed and from 1 April 2023, it will be unlawful for a Landlord to grant a further lease or continue letting a non-domestic property pursuant to an existing lease if that property has an energy rating of F or G.

Looking further into the future, the government has plans for the minimum ratings to increase over the next 7 years. From 1 April 2027 the minimum rating required to lawfully let non-domestic properties will by C, and by 1 April 2030, a rating of B. Landlords as well as potential buyers of non-domestic properties should therefore be mindful of the future increases as the costs and inconvenience of works over the years could be significant.

Leases should also be drafted and interpretated carefully to ascertain whether the relevant provisions in a lease allow the Landlord to recover the costs of improvements from the Tenant.

Where a Landlord does not comply with the above requirements, they could be subject to a penalty based on 10-20% of the rateable value of the property. This is subject to a minimum

fine of £5,000 and a maximum fine of £150,000. Enforcement is carried out by local Weights and Measures Authorities.

There are some exceptions. Some properties do not require an EPC at all. Other properties that do require an EPC, but do not meet the minimum rating requirements may not need to carry out works to improve the EPC rating if they can prove and rely on a legitimate reason as set out in the MEES Regulations. In that scenario, a Landlord must register the property on the ‘Private Rented Sector (PRS) Exemption Register’. Only then will a Landlord be exempt from the minimum EPC rating requirements and enforcement action.

If you are a Landlord and do not have

a valid EPC, or an existing EPC with a rating of F or G, we strongly recommend that you instruct an energy assessor to carry out an assessment of your property as soon as possible. They will then be able to advise on any works required to improve the EPC as necessary as well as any exemptions you may be able to rely on.

To talk to someone in the Commercial team about these changes and how they might affect your property, please give us a call.

Kirsty Grimley, Solicitor kgrimley@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk 0800

84 94 101

STax - helping property owners realise the benefits of Capital Allowances

With over £450m in successful claims, STax is one of the UKs largest specialist Capital Allowance consultancies. It works with major conglomerates through to owners of furnished holiday lets.

Combining qualified Tax Advisors, Accountants and Chartered Surveyors in our nationwide, 20 strong team, we are perfectly positioned to help anyone involved in real estate access the benefits of their due Capital Allowances.

The claiming of Capital Allowances is your statutory right and STax is a recognised expert in this specialist area of taxation – over the last 12 months, STax has been recognised with the following awards:

• Best Specialist Real Estate Tax Advisers – UK

• Best Specialist Nationwide Tax Consultancy 2022

• Commercial Tax Consultancy of the Year

• Finance Tax Awards : Capital Allowances – UK.

STax has been providing effective advice for property owners and their advisors for over a decade, to ensure they access their full entitlement to capital allowances on fixtures. Being a fusion of professionals from taxation, accountancy and quantity surveying, STax is ideally placed to ensure you

maximise on the benefit of this relief whilst complying with the rules.

The claiming of Capital Allowances is a highly specialist area. This has resulted in tens of billions of pounds of tax relief going unclaimed; STax ensures that clients claim the maximum amount of relief due.

Advice relating to Capital Allowances on fixtures requires more than one specialist discipline. To build an accurate and robust claim report, you need within your armoury a Chartered Surveyor, a forensic accountant and a property tax

specialist with knowledge on the inner workings of over 100+ years of case law relating to Capital Allowances. Not the sort of thing you see in many general practice accountancy firms.

When you buy a property, subject to what is agreed in the purchase documentation, you are perfectly entitled to claim a proportion of the purchase consideration as Capital Allowances.

However, calculating that figure in a compliant manner is far from straight forward.

Due to the mechanics of the processes in place, claims are often made as a percentage of the expenditure and can be for quite a considerable proportion.

Below is a selection of some of the many property types STax have worked on and the average of the unrestricted claims made. (see original for which image goes here)

Which types of properties are eligible?

In the eyes of the Capital Allowances Act, all properties qualify but there is an exclusion for a Dwelling Houses.

Dwelling Houses are, in effect, your plain, vanilla living space i.e. residences and buy-to-lets. HMRC does accept that some properties may comprise of multiple dwelling houses and therefore the fixtures in the space between them can qualify for Capital Allowances.

Purchase, developments, or improvements to the following types of property are potentially eligible for Capital Allowances:

• UK commercial property

• Furnished holiday lets

• Overseas commercial property (subject to UK tax)

• Multi-unit residential properties e.g., blocks of apartments

What is an eligible item of fixed plant and machinery, i.e., a fixture, has been the subject of over a century of debate through the courts. Fixed plant and machinery covers many systems that are commonplace in almost all properties, including:

• Electrical distribution and lighting

• Plumbing and heating

• Air conditioning and handling

• Security and fire alarms

• and many, many more

How easy is to make a claim?

In the first instance, all STax needs to assess a potential Capital Allowance claim is the property address, on receipt of the address one of our dedicated team will perform a “Desktop Review” (at no cost) to ascertain the nature and extent of any potential claim. Once we have this information, one of the STax sales team will be in touch to outline the potential size of your claim – it really is that simple

Allan Shaw, Senior Sales Manager at STax, said: “We have made the process of claiming this niche area of tax relief our sole focus and it’s always satisfying when we hear from clients who have benefited from many thousands of pounds of tax relief of which, previously, they were completely unaware was due to them.”

You can check out more about STax and the process of making a Capital Allowance claim at www.s-tax.co.uk or by emailing us at sales@s-tax.co.uk

Spring Budget 2023: key changes

Jeremy Hunt opened his first full Budget speech by declaring that it was a ‘budget for growth’. He emphasised that this would be ‘long term, sustainable, healthy growth’. The Office for Budget Responsibility reported that there is unlikely to be any growth in 2023, but the UK is likely at least to avoid a recession.

After the turmoil of four Chancellors of the Exchequer and three fiscal statements in 2022, it was to be expected that Mr Hunt would try to avoid too many surprises. The great majority of the tax announcements had been made in advance, and most of the speech concentrated on spending plans.

Finance

What’s changing from April 2023?

1. Pension savings

From April 2023, the Annual Allowance

(AA) is increased to £60,000; the taper will begin at £260,000, and the minimum AA will be £10,000. There is also an increase in the Money Purchase Annual Allowance, which applies where someone has started to draw taxable benefits from a money purchase pension scheme and then wishes to make further contributions: this will also be increased from £4,000 to £10,000.

From 6 April 2023 the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) Charge is abolished. The maximum amount that can be drawn as a tax-free lump sum remains 25% of the current LTA unless the person is entitled to

‘protection’ in relation to the original introduction of the LTA or any of the subsequent reductions of the limit. The LTA will be abolished altogether and a separate rule will be brought in to limit the tax-free lump sum.

This may encourage people who have stopped contributing to funds because they are over or near the LTA to consider further investments. The problem with pension schemes is that the rules change many times over the life of the scheme, and the most relevant ones are those in force when benefits are taken. It would be prudent to bear in mind the

possibility that this very substantial tax cut for those with the largest pension pots might not be permanent.

2. Personal Income Tax

Personal tax rates and allowances on income and capital gains, and National Insurance Contributions, confirmed for 2023/24.

The income level above which the personal allowance is tapered away remains £100,000; it will be reduced to zero when income is £125,140. For 2023/24, this is also the threshold for paying 45% tax (reduced from £150,000).

3. Corporation Tax

Confirmation of corporation tax rate increase from 19% to 25% from 1 April 2023 on profits over £250,000 and marginal rate of 26.5% on profits between £50,000 and £250,000.

Since 1 April 2017, all corporate profits have been taxed at the same rate; the

‘small profits rate’ that was familiar before that will be reintroduced at 19% for companies with profits of up to £50,000. Between £50,000 and £250,000 there will be a tapering calculation that produces an effective marginal rate of 26.5% on profits between these limits, but an average rate on all profits of between 19% and 25%. The limits will be divided between companies that have been under common control at any time in the previous 12 months, whether UK resident or not. Companies with an accounting period that straddles 31 March 2023 will time apportion the profits of that period to be taxed at the two different rates.

4. Capital Allowances for plant and machinery

Super-deduction’ for plant and machinery (P&M) bought by companies up to 31 March 2023 replaced by 100% first-year allowance for qualifying capital expenditure, without upper limit, for three years from 1 April 2023.

The Chancellor also said that he intended to make this relief ‘permanent’ as soon as it was prudent to do so. New ‘special rate’ P&M assets will qualify for a 50% first year allowance (FYA) in the same period.

The 100% Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), which is available to unincorporated businesses as well as companies, is confirmed at £1 million a year ‘permanently’. This has the same effect as a 100% FYA, but it covers some special rate assets as

well as general plant and machinery. It also applies to the purchase of second-hand P&M, whereas the super-deduction and new FYA are for investment in new assets. With limited exceptions, cars do not qualify for the new FYA or the AIA.

5. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

The generosity of the SEIS will be increased with effect from 6 April 2023. The amount that companies will be able to raise will increase from £150,000 to £250,000; the gross asset limit will be raised from £200,000 to £350,000, and the age limit on a qualifying trade will be increased from 2 to 3 years. The annual limit for investors will be doubled to £200,000.

6. National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage

The National Living Wage will increase by 9.7% for individuals aged 23 and over to £10.42 per hour from 1 April 2023. Other rates of National Living Wage will rise from the same date by different percentages.

How we can support you

We have created a dedicated Budget Hub which includes our Budget Summary as well as video reactions from our team.

Our team will be happy to help you adapt and reassess your plans in light of any legislative changes. And our colleagues at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers are always on hand to help manage your investments and pensions.

For more information, please visit www.carpenterbox.com or call 01903 234094

As a small business, why use a commercial broker to raise funds?

Andy Page, Commercial Finance Manager of Seico Group, de-mystifies this conundrum by sharing some of his clients’ most ‘Frequently Asked Questions’…

How can we buy our business premises and ensure we are getting the best commercial rate?

There are a bewildering array of lenders on the market - Seico has access to them all and has the experience and expertise to find the right deal for the client, whatever their size and operational sector. At Seico, we know which commercial lenders have appetite for their own niche sector and can introduce the client to the right one.

Can we arrange finance to buy another business? Yes, lenders want to lend money to assist trading businesses and lending to a going concern is less risky than to a start up situation. We can place deals of this nature with the right lender who will develop a relationship with the client, not simply view the deal as a transaction.

What about non-property related finance? Seico has the background knowledge to understand the entire commercial and corporate market. We can find the right deal to help the client fund cashflow, purchase assets and to address short-term liquidity issues.

Can we borrow money to develop property? Yes. We know which lenders have appetite for development finance, whether that is building a number of

houses from the ground up, funding a commercial build or a straightforward conversion. Funding is available- nowto developers with viable projects.

Can we raise capital against a property portfolio? Yes certainly, and we know who has appetite for portfolio lending and how much can be raised against it. This goes for residential, commercial and mixeduse portfolios.

Will we be able to secure finance for an ‘unusual’ property? It’s not easy to define what makes property unusual, or perhaps even ‘awkward’, but we all know which ones they are. They may not fit the mainstream banks’ criteria

but there’s rarely a case that cannot be placed with a specialist or niche lender and Seico know exactly which ones to talk to on your behalf.

If you’d like to discuss funding for your business, get in touch for a chat on: 01273 778888

Scan to find out more:

www.seicogroup.com

Finance

The Agora Clinic - a true family business in Brighton

Inclusivity and hope at the heart of cutting edge fertility clinic, led by world renowned experts who use pioneering techniques while delivering exceptional care.

Cover Story

The Agora Clinic in Brighton is a family business in every sense of the word.

Founded in 2007 by Consultant Gynaecologist and fertility expert Carole Gilling-Smith, the Agora recognises that there are many diverse pathways to parenthood, that every parenting dream is unique and that every individual may encounter different hurdles and emotional needs along the way. This forms the cornerstone of the Agora philosophy which is to combine medical and scientific expertise with a nurturing, holistic, patient centric approach to ensure the emotional and physical needs of every single person who

embarks on a fertility journey is fully addressed every step of the way. This bespoke, individualised approach to fertility healthcare, with a strong focus on inclusivity and diversity, is what has established the Agora as one of the leading fertility clinics - not just in the South East but in the whole of the UK.

Their approach is refreshing at a time when the UK and global fertility industry is growing exponentially in response to a rising demand for fertility care and the number of fertility expert-led, independent clinics like the Agora is rapidly declining. By the start of 2023, over 85% of IVF care in the UK was being delivered by large scale corporate entities or clinic ‘chains’

funded by private equity. The downside with this approach to medical care is that investors have little interest in the individuals receiving treatment and success is primarily measured by the number of IVF cycles generated by the clinic and the profit made. The human suffering behind such an approach can be immense, particularly for those who are misguided into having IVF in the first place or suffer repeated failed attempts.

The Agora has grown significantly over the last 16 years to become the largest provider of NHS and privately funded fertility care in Sussex. They have also developed a strong following of patients who praise the clinic’s 40 strong staff for their commitment to taking the time

to deliver their excellent services in the most humane and sensitive way.

The clinic has always pioneered the latest scientific developments in the field of fertility and Carole leads a strong team of world renowned medical and scientific experts which ensures that anyone coming for treatment can expect the very best possible outcome.

Each year the UK fertility watchdog, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) publishes IVF clinic success rates and the Agora is proud to have the highest IVF success rate per embryo transferred of any clinic in London and the South East and the 5th highest success rate in the UK. But the HFEA also recognises that successful pregnancy outcome is not the only measure of a good clinic and other factors should be considered. The Agora has won numerous accolades for their exceptional patient support and customer care which is what sets them apart from other clinics. More importantly, they are proud to be able to deliver the same high quality of care

to NHS-funded patients as they do to those who self-fund their treatment and they have no waiting lists for either!

Doctor Carole is a mother of three herself, and often speaks of this being the driving force behind her mission to deliver better fertility care. “Nothing is more special than the love and unique bond between parent and child. Although I never needed IVF myself, having children was the most special and treasured gift life has given me and I have always strived to ensure those who cannot conceive naturally, not only get the help they need, but receive the very best support and emotional help in what can otherwise be a very complex journey to navigate and a huge emotional roller coaster.” She has dedicated her career to ensuring that everyone who needs fertility help is empowered with the knowledge to understand their fertility and the treatment options they can pursue so that patients coming to the Agora are all given the opportunity to make informed decisions.

She believes everyone should be able to access NHS funded medical expertise

if they need fertility treatment and that this should not be postcode lottery driven, nor exclude those that are taking a more modern route to parenting. Sussex is blessed with one of the most generous and diverse NHS funded fertility programs in the UK and nearly 70% of the fertility cycles carried out at the Agora are fully funded by the NHS. The Sussex policy includes funding for up to 3 cycles of IVF in women under 40, egg donation for those who have had a premature menopause and donor sperm treatment for male infertility, same sex couples and single women.

Although the Agora clinic was originally based in Hove, in 2021 they acquired new premises at 138 Dyke Road, Brighton. These were formerly owned by The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). The project to transform the old, tired and dilapidated Edwardian building, which had housed a pregnancy termination clinic, into a state of the art IVF clinic was a huge enterprise, worthy of Grand Designs! The result is stunning and resonates with the ethos of the clinic which is to

put emotional and physical wellbeing at the centre of everything they do, both for patients and staff.

The clinic is bursting with light and colour, with different green hues throughout and a real sense of calm and serenity prevails. Most healthcare settings still insist on using unimaginative names for individual rooms such as Consulting or Ultrasound room but at the Agora, each room is imaginatively named after a fertility God or symbol with many ethnic groups or religions across the globe represented.

The themes of inclusivity and hope also prevails with the use of names like Rainbow Suite for the area where all the magic happens in the laboratory and Ice Suite where the little frozen embryos are stored. Patients can even catch a glimpse of the embryology team busy at work in the lab through some glass doors.

Earlier this year, in a unique event celebrating the launch of their new clinic, 28 Agora children conceived through IVF over the last 15 years at

their old premises were invited in to discover how they came to be. The young visitors attending with their parents were given a once in a lifetime chance to meet the doctors and scientists who had helped create them and get a behind the scenes look at the fascinating equipment and techniques that are used in IVF and see videos of how an egg and sperm develop into human life.

Some of the Agora’s oldest children are now teenagers and had many interesting questions to ask. Young Albi, now 13 and conceived through ICSI using donor sperm, attended with his mother Amanda Heatherington.

He was fascinated by the laboratory processes that are involved in creating life and wanted to know more about why people donate their eggs and sperm and whether he would one day get to meet his sperm donor. He was particularly excited to meet other children who, like himself, had been conceived with the help of IVF, something he had never had the chance to do before. He even

chatted to some of the other parents like Faye Mills Maye, a mother of three children conceived through sperm donation who donated her eggs at the Agora clinic four times.

She spoke with Albi and Amanda about her reasons for being an altruistic donor and said: “I felt incredibly grateful to our children’s sperm donor for giving us the chance of having a family and I wanted to do the same in return and help others by donating my eggs.”

You can see the video of Alby and Amanda being interviewed in a short film of the event ‘Discovering IVF’.

All the children attending were given a signed certificate of their visit and a personalised video of how Agora and other IVF conceived children are made, including some very special and emotional staff testimonials.

Speaking at the event, Carole said: “Moving to new premises allowed us to plan and design the perfect fertility clinic environment for our patients and

we placed emotional wellbeing during the fertility journey high on our list of requirements. We also put our staff at the heart of the project by creating a work environment that embraced their needs as healthcare professionals so they could be in the best position to look after our patients.

“Another big aim for me was to create a fertility clinic that was environmentally sensitive, and we put sustainability at the top of our agenda and ensured we did all we could to protect the young lives we are creating from the future dangers of climate change. We repurposed an old building, ripped out all the oil and gas fuelled central heating systems and replaced them with sustainable sources of energy. Where possible we used recyclable materials. There is plenty more to do but ‘The Agora Green Project’ is well and truly underway and we have plans to open our fertility garden later in the summer. However, creating this special environment and having the most advanced equipment is only part of our mission; the real magic comes from

my team who ensure every person’s IVF journey, whatever the outcome, is unique and special, filled with positive emotions and memories.”

The opening party was a unique opportunity for Agora families to come together and share their stories and for IVF children, who ranged from toddlers to teenagers, to see what processes go into creating life. Inviting these young people back to explain a bit more about why and how they came to be and answer all their questions was also a very special moment for the team as fertility professionals. It has always been so important to Carole that fertility treatment is demystified and explained to IVF and donor conceived children from a young age and what better way to do this than giving them a chance of going back to the place where it all started for them.

During the course of this event, the clinic raised over £1,200 for two children’s charities they support; Rockinghorse, the official fundraising charity for the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, and Cameron’s Orphanage

in Zambia that nurtures and supports orphaned children.

Carole often refers to her clinic as a ‘true family business’ as not only does the Agora help to create families, her husband and growing family have supported the clinic since it first opened in 2007. She is especially indebted to her husband Stephen Ulph whose company Oriole Constructors built both the old and new clinics and her daughter Michèle Gilling-Ulph, who was only 11 when the clinic opened, but is now the clinic’s Director of Operations and Egg Donation lead. Her sons are also both involved; Sebastian, who is a film maker, supports the Agora’s brilliant and diverse patient educational program through his videos and short films and their youngest Christopher plans to study medicine and has been working in the clinic during his gap year as a fertility healthcare assistant before heading off to University.

Carole has an extensive research portfolio on a wide range of fertility issues spanning three decades and

has published numerous pivotal scientific publications in the field. However, it is her dedication to medical advancement combined with an entrepreneurial mind, that has led to her innovating the way fertility care can delivered and pushing forward the boundaries. In 1999, she pioneered the UK’s first program of fertility care for those living with HIV through a groundbreaking sperm washing program which completely transformed the lives of those who had until then believed that

having a family was out of their reach. Coming to Brighton from London, she addressed the lack of fertility care for another minority group by setting up bespoke programs of care for those in the LGBTQ+ community. The Agora has become well recognised nationally and internationally as the leading authority on LGBTQ+ fertility pathways having helped hundreds of couples and individuals find safe and fulfilling roads to parenthood, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

In recent years, Carole has given up a lot of her time to educate organisations, schools and other healthcare professionals about fertility health. She believes all organisations should be now developing comprehensive fertility policies for their employees, providing guidance, financial and emotional support and time off work for appointments for those on a fertility journey. Likewise, she has been working with local schools to modernise the way fertility education is delivered to ensure young people start their adult lives with a far greater understanding of their own fertility health and the potential health risks that could reduce their chances of having a family in the future.

Although the Agora’s flagship clinic is in central Brighton, the IVF journey can involve numerous appointments so patients can also choose if they wish to use one of the Agora satellite clinics in Eastbourne or Worthing to reduce the need to travel to central Brighton for every visit. For more information, visit their website www.agoraclinic.co.uk

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This summer we have a fantastic opportunity to play in our 7-a-side charity football tournament with your friends and colleagues at the iconic American Express Community stadium home of BHAFC, whilst raising money for some great causes.

Thursday 1st June 2023 at American Express Community Stadium home of Brighton & Hove Albion FC @ £1200 per team

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The Good Business Club and Plus Accounting join forces to support local enterprises

These daily challenges aren’t going away, but where good business owners have a choice is whether they work in isolation to figure out solutions, or join forces with others to stand a better chance of creating a resilient venture.

Good Business

Studies have shown that businesses with a strong network are more efficient, are able to respond faster to changes in the market, have access to more accurate information and make better decisions compared to companies with

weak networks. That’s what The Good Business Club unlocks for mico and small businesses that are approaching business differently.

Collaboration is at the heart of how this social enterprise opporates and The Club has recently teamed up with Plus Accounting to unlock five fullyfunded memberships for growing good businesses in Sussex that are tackling the climate crisis straight on.

Plus Accounting, a leading firm of chartered accountants, business and tax advisors in Sussex, shares the

same values and cares deeply about having a positive impact on the world. This partnership is a natural next step for them as they look to support good businesses in Sussex in having a deeper impact in their local community.

Victoria King, Marketing Manager at Plus Accounting, says: “We’ve been involved with The Good Business Club from its founding years and have found that the Club community is aligned with our firm’s values and love of contributing to our city. This partnership is a true win-win relationship for all involved, and we are excited to unlock

Running a business is tough. Add decision-making around how to have a more positive impact on people and planet into the mix and the stakes are significantly higher.

opportunities that will ensure the local community remains a vibrant place to live and work.”

Businesses that benefited from this partnership to date include Harriets of Hove, a refill store expanding into the B2B space; Bee in the Woods Kindergarten, who are looking to raise investment to launch new sites across Sussex; Brighton Energy Limited, who are also looking to raise funding to invest in more renewable energy sources; Sage Holistic, who are looking for a new premises to deliver their treatments from as well as having a retail outlet; and Scrapless CIC, another refill store in Burgess Hill who

are exploring relocation plans.

The Good Business Club is known for its commitment to building a strong community of good businesses that care about their impact on society and the environment. This partnership with Plus Accounting has enabled them to support more growing good businesses in Sussex with the financial expertise they need to have an even greater impact through their business.

Running a good business is tough, and doing it alone is a choice. The power of collaboration between the Good Business Club and Plus Accounting shows that businesses can achieve

more when they work together. This partnership is just the beginning of something bigger and more powerful that will have a lasting impact on the local community.

For more information, visit www. thegoodbusinessclub.com or www. plusaccounting.co.uk

My creative journey – from ikigai to Brandad

I am a brand strategy, design and communications consultant with over 30 years’ experience and I’m still fascinated by brands and branding. I love this business and know that I have found my raison d’être or ikigai* - I will explain this later.

Although brands are a driving force of the economy people still ask me the question - “what is it?” - when simply confusing a brand with just a logo or product. It is so much more complex than that. It is the bridge between business strategy and creative delivery – the unique story and bespoke visual language for creating success.

Before a business goes to market it has to apply the first building blocks of branding.

Why do you exist? What do you do? How do you do it? Who is it for? Who are the competitors? What makes you different? These answers define the promise, purpose, personality, values and delivery. This brand strategy creates the brief for everything from the brand name to the brand identity and the means of communication.

Branding is really about building a reputation. It is not about what you say it is what people say about you. “A brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” as Jeff Bezos smartly observed.

I have worked with hundreds of companies - large, medium and small - in a wide

variety of categories across products and services, including consumer brands, retailers, professions, charities, museums, art galleries and personal brands.

This has been a fascinating journey that has taken me around the world working for Nestle in Mexico, Benetton in Italy, Diageo in Thailand, launching B&Q in China and Korea, creating and launching a vodka in Russia – even branding an electronics company in Kazakhstanand so much more

In a recent conversation with Sam Thomas at BBBC he asked me how I got here. It’s a great question and I guess the simple answer is the combination of nature + nurture + serendipity.

In reality making your own luck with the right people through positive networking.

This is how it all started. I loved drawing as a kid and would studiously copy images out of books and paint from life. My greatest fascination was comics and particularly American DC comic books this led to a fascination for the work of the Pop Artists Andy Warhol and Peter Blake who incorporate iconic images and household brands into their compositions and screen prints. This appreciation led me to art school where I studied graphic design.

I left after 3 years of inspirational study with some great mentors and visiting lecturers including Saul Bass and Milton Glaser – the American design pioneers. I first got a job in advertising but quickly realised that it wasn’t for me. I wanted

to work at the point of origin of brand creation not simply promoting brands created by others.

A friend recommended a new brand design company and I was delighted to get a job working for Andrew McCall at SMS. He is more famous as Davina’s father - she was the precocious schoolgirl with oodles of character running around the studio at the end of the day. My first project for the agency was to help on the creation of a brand for a range of savoury snacks inspired by global destinations. The senior team struck on a genius idea inspired by Jules Verne’s adventurous traveller around the world. Thus, Phileas Fogg was re-born and re-imagined as the discoverer of these exotic and delicious premium snacking treats.

The blue touchpaper was lit – the cat was out of the bag – Pandoras box was open - and the metaphors were mixed. I just loved the combination of

Bill Wallsgrove explains his fascination and passion for a precise set of carefully honed skills that benefit and even ‘make’ brands.

Sales & Marketing

business vision and ambition driving creative strategy and execution. The magic of imaginative design, storytelling and illustration skills combined with packaging innovation for a smart market launch. This was my happy place to be.

I worked in London for a few decades first as a creative director at Coley Porter Bell (McCoys & Hob Nobs) which was acquired by WPP and then as a director at Planet Design which we sold to Interpublic where it became a founding creative team in Futurebrand. I realised that big agency life was not for me and that I could achieve the same creative results with a hub and spoke network of creative talent using emerging digital technologies.

I formed a boutique agency Big Idea (B&Q) and later Brand Voice. I was an early adopter of the internet (2.0) and saw social platforms as a new way to create content and drive brands.

I was lucky to meet an emerging young and hugely talented team at Studio Blup and became their mentor and non-exec. I was hugely excited by their unique vision and creative flair – I still am. They joined the Lab Group in 2020 where they continue to thrive with insight, imagination and passion.

I love London and Soho creative life (and still do occasionally) but decided I wanted a refreshing change. I moved to Brighton, well Hove actually, to be closer to the sea and the beautiful countryside. Just the perfect place to walk my wonderful dog and find relaxation and wellbeing on the beach.

Once here I discovered a hotbed of creative and digital talent and a real spirit of collaboration the perfect patch to become an independent and media neutral consultant. I now combine big agency vision with the personal touch of an experienced and trusted advisor to help companies align their core purpose

and positioning with their brand identity and communications at every stage of their development. I see branding as a critical component capable of transforming businesses and the way people experience and interact with them.

I integrate business and brand strategy, creativity and technology to help businesses define their brand purpose, express their vision and voice to fulfil their promise.

My role is to help clients reimagine, recreate and realise the best brand approach for their businesses. Brands are about ideas, about the interactions between ambition, purpose, culture, spirit and design. I’ve seen how brands have changed and evolved over the years, becoming more sophisticated and more purposeful. They are now less about image and more about the whole customer experience.

I now specialise in delivering brand workshops with selected partners. These are media neutral because until I get under the bonnet I don’t know where the creative journey leads and what talent to introduce from my network where required. These sessions are strategic health checks and creative MOTs for refreshing existing brands or the launchpads for creating and building new brands. I combine a

number of bespoke questions and exercises with key stakeholders to define the forward-thinking creative and communication briefs.

One of my favourite exercises is mapping out a brand Ikigai* – your reason for getting up in the morning. What are you good at? What do you love doing? What does the world need? How can you be rewarded for it? The brand as a satisfied personality.

So, what is my personal brand? I have recently been working with the smart young entrepreneurs at Plus X, the innovation workspace, to help them define and launch their own brands. A couple of my talented and satisfied customers there named this grey-haired creative strategy and mentoring service – BRANDAD – my reputation outside the room.

I was not insulted, very much, but laughed and immediately registered the URL of course.

My fascinating journey continues under a new moniker. My elevator pitch? Decades of brand creation experience. Young at heart - now with added AI (Artificial Intelligence).

07831 659487

bill.wallsgrove@gmail.com

What does it mean to be a purposedriven business?

There has a been a huge cultural transformation in the last couple of decades, whereby it is no longer enough to be profitable. There is a responsibility to contribute to a sustainable planet and a fairer society; it is essential to have a purpose.

To get us started, here are a few stats around what it means to be purposedriven:

• Consumers are four to six times more likely to purchase, protect and champion purpose-driven companies.

(Global Study by Zeno Group)

• Purpose-driven companies experience higher market share gains and grow three times faster on average than their competitors, all while achieving higher workforce and customer satisfaction. (Deloitte)

To include another stat by Deloitte, the below infographic shows how the ethos of a company plays a significant part in the consumers decision-making stage too:

Data from an EVERFI consumer survey backs this up, with the infographic above showing that consumers expect a positive social impact from companies:

In summary, it is fair to say, that people’s views certainly do shape the market.

This change in social purpose is seeing a positive impact on companies’ profits, with investors and banks using social and environmental impacts as a key criterion for funding a business. It also has an impact on the value price of the company too.

Backing this up with how potential consumers and the company’s current, and potential, workforce view the company, it has never been more important to focus on your company purpose.

So, what is company purpose?

The way I see it, a company’s purpose is twofold: to solve issues for people and for the planet, and to not benefit from causing problems. This means not only returning interest on investment, but reducing a company’s impact on the environment, delivering value for clients, providing meaning to employees, contributing positively to society, and encouraging positive changes and innovation.

Company purpose is often referred to in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, community engagement, corporate sustainability, or impact investing. These concepts differ in scale, scope and intent, and their definition

Gavin Willis, founder and CEO of Search Seven, explains. Charity

is also influenced by the department under which their responsibility falls.

What does social purpose look like?

The importance of social purpose in corporate strategy cannot be overstated.

While the purpose of a business should inform all its activities, it is the initiatives that focus on improving society that are most visible to external stakeholders

These initiatives can take various forms, from short-term projects with limited scope to longer-term programs with significant impact. Below are some examples to inspire and inform:

• Community outreach events and programs

• Educational programs, including skill development

• Investment in infrastructure and community spaces

• Awareness and behaviour change campaigns

• Knowledge sharing and early career support

• Employee volunteering

• Sponsorships

Social purpose initiatives can target various community sectors based on a company’s industry, location, values, and social or environmental impact. A company may choose to focus on the community surrounding its local headquarters or extend its reach across an entire country. It may help the elderly, young mothers, children, young adults, former prisoners, unemployed people, or any other group that can benefit from its support.

For instance, a bank may offer financial education to prospective clients, a cosmetics company may raise awareness of sun safety, a supermarket may sponsor a competition to encourage school children to learn about healthy eating, and a technology company may help children develop STEM skills. The possibilities for how an organization can impact society are endless.

For a small business like ourselves, Search Seven focus most our CSR efforts on social purpose.

Our aim and ethos is to contribute positively to society and provide meaning to employees. We do this by engaging the community and charities alike in events that we organise and host. We sponsor charity events, and we encourage employee volunteering, with many of the team helping their chosen charities at their own fundraising events.

Time for action

With the acknowledgement that it is essential to be driven by company purpose and to practise corporate social responsibility, it is time to act. Any company not embedding an authentic mission into its strategy will be left behind by consumers, the workforce, and investors.

What is your company’s purpose?

How can you embed a successful CSR strategy into your business?

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to a company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility

in its operations and interactions with stakeholders. In recent years, CSR has become increasingly significant as consumers, employees, and investors demand that businesses consider their impact on society and the environment.

As we mentioned in the first chapter on company purpose, and within the stats that were shared, being a purposedriven business will not only make you feel better about making an impact on society and the planet as a whole, but it is also what consumers and team members are looking for in a business for them to engage with it.

As the CEO of Search Seven, I’ve outlined seven tips for implementing a successful CSR program:

1. Identify your stakeholders: Determine the parties impacted by your company’s operations, such as employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, and the local community.

2. Set CSR goals: Determine which issues are most relevant to your stakeholders and set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals to address them. Can you set a tangible target to aim for? What about creating a campaign to bring

it all together and give it its own identity?

3. Engage your employees: Involve your employees in the development and implementation of your CSR program. This can not only ensure that the program aligns with their values but also fosters a sense of pride and ownership amongst your workforce. Do you offer a match-funding scheme to encourage fundraising engagement? What about a team charity event?

4. Communicate your CSR efforts: Share your CSR activities and accomplishments with stakeholders through your website, social media, and other channels.

5. Partner with non-profits: Consider partnering with non-profits or other companies that share your values and goals to make a greater impact. Form and build strong relationships with the charities you are supporting too – keep them involved and engaged in your activities and give them the chance to have a voice.

6. Consider sustainability: Sustainability has become a critical aspect of CSR, and many companies are implementing initiatives to reduce their environmental impact. Conducting a sustainability

assessment can help identify areas for improvement and set sustainability goals.

7. Be transparent: Be open and transparent about your CSR efforts, including any challenges or setbacks you may encounter. This can help to build trust and credibility with stakeholders. Can you do an impact report after your efforts to show the impact you had on helping charities?

Implementing a CSR program can benefit not only society and the environment, but also your business by improving relationships with stakeholders, attracting and retaining top talent, and enhancing your company’s reputation.

If you are interested in embedding a strong CSR programme into your business, then please get in touch with Gavin to book in a CSR chat, where he can share Search Seven’s own fundraising journey, and the best practises they have adopted over the last 12 years in their efforts to raise £100,000 for charity. Please email gavin@searchseven.co.uk

www.searchseven.co.uk

Rockinghorse Glitter Ball raises

£58,000 for children’s charity

All the money raised will be used to help support Sussex children and families through a new psychology service.

The Brighton Grand was the glamorous setting for the recent Rockinghorse Children’s Charity gala dinner.

Charity

Three hundred guests arrived in The Empress Suite to be greeted by a stunning projector display along the west wall and beautiful table decorations, all aimed at reflecting the glittery theme.

This year’s ball was supported by headline sponsor The Agora Clinic. Supporting sponsors were Galloways, ILG, UnitedUs, Living Room Health, Creative Pod, Firmballs, Platinum Media Group, The Grand and Rubix VT. Thanks to their support, every penny raised on the night can go to right to where it’s needed most.

Dr Carol Gilling-Smith, CEO and Medical Director of The Agoram said: “To us, every child is special, and so are their

parents, which is why the Agora is so proud to support Rockinghorse give children the help they need when physical or emotional health issues become a challenge.”

Hosted by television presenter Marcella Whittingdale, a Rockinghorse ambassador, an incredible £58,000 was raised, all of which will be going towards funding a new psychology service for children and families recovering from cancer.

The service aims to offer a psychology service to families whose children have finished their treatment but who then have to deal with the often painful, emotional impact of the trauma they have experienced.

There is no other specialist support of this kind available in Sussex which means there are hundreds of children and their families struggling to manage and unable to move past potentially the worst experience of their lives.

Rockinghorse has previously funded a successful specialist oncology psychology service for children and families while they are receiving treatment, but this new service will help them manage what can often be serious mental health problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and help them return to a life after cancer.

Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Oncologist at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, Dr Anne Davidson, spoke movingly to the guests about the impact that a cancer diagnosis and treatment can have on families both in the short term and throughout their lives.

She said: “The emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis can cause just as much pain to their mental health as the physical treatment can to their bodies. How do you process what you have been through and try to return to some sense of normality? How do go back to school, manage friendships, return to work or support your other children?

“After years of working with young people and their families not just during treatment but afterwards in the immediate and long-term follow up has shown me how it isn’t so simple as end of treatment hurrah! And put it all behind you, if only….

“The trauma leaves some children, and increasingly their parents, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And if left undealt with I see the very longterm impact.”

Speaking at the Ball, Donna Holland, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, said: “I’m so proud of Rockinghorse’s ability to connect local people to ground-breaking and life-saving local projects. Thanks to the incredible support of everyone at this year’s Rockinghorse Glitter Ball we will be able to launch a brand-new cancer support service supporting children and their families all over Sussex.

“This service will support children and families coping with the trauma and lasting effects that cancer treatment can bring and means that families in Sussex have access to life-changing support on their doorstep.

“Thanks to our wonderful guests, brilliant sponsors and kind supporters this year’s Glitter Ball will leave a lasting legacy for support for children and their families in Sussex.”

Throughout the evening, guests were able to enjoy performances by students

of The Theatre Workshop, who sang two musical medleys, a delicious threecourse meal, live music from The Alison David Band and a disco courtesy of Capital DJ Dave Goodings.

Not only is this an amazing amount of money, but it’s made even more impressive as every single one of these prizes were donated absolutely free, including meals at eight of Sussex’s best fine dining restaurants, a ‘money can’t buy’ training ground experience at Brighton & Hove Albion FC and a private wine tasting session with wine expert and TV personality Olly Smith.

Olly said: “I was so pleased to be able to offer a prize to be auctioned at the Rockinghorse Glitter Ball. Rockinghorse is a wonderful charity that does so much for so many across Sussex. I have recently become an ambassador for them and I’m really looking forward to offering more support in the future. Congratulations to the whole team for organising such a successful event!”

Rockinghorse Rave new addition to Brighton Fringe

Rockinghorse Children’s Charity is organising a new fundraising rave event with a range of top DJs, including the legendary Kiss FM and Radio 1 star Judge Jules.

If you’re someone who misses those 90s raves but can’t pull an all-nighter anymore, then this is the experience for you.

Taking place at Caravanserai, near St Peter’s Church in Brighton on 14 May, the Rockinghorse Rave will give you

a chance to dust off those whistles, glow sticks and bucket hats, and dance like it’s the 90’s again. Plus, as the event will be finished by 11.00pm, you will still be fresh as a daisy the next morning!

Headlining the event will be the legendary DJ Judge Jules. For almost three decades he has led the way

in the world of dance music. Widely recognised as influencing an entire generation with residencies on both Kiss FM and BBC Radio 1, he also has the longest standing DJ residency in Ibiza history.

Appearing on the bill with Judge Jules will be Brandon Block, who started DJing in his local pub in Harrow

Charity

in 1985 and went on to have an incredibly successful career appearing on BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix, Kiss FM and on the legendary terrace at Space in Ibiza.

DJ Krafty Kuts will also be on the decks at the rave. He is one of the key pioneers in the UK breakbeat and bass movements and has played to crowds of 40,000 alongside the biggest names in music such as the Rolling Stones and The Prodigy.

There will also be local acts playing at the event including Brighton Fringe DJs Mango Django, along with Danny Lawson and Ben Bennett.

All these amazing performers will be taking to the decks in ‘Luna Parc’, the Big Top at Caravanserai, a newly built addition to Brighton Fringe. It’s a mad, wonderous circus village reproduced from Camp Bestival and will be located next to St Peter’s Church. Think Baz Luhrmann crossed with The Greatest Showman, and you’ll have a good image of the venue.

The Rockinghorse Rave is a new

event that the well-loved children’s charity has organised in order to help raise funds for a range of projects to support children and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, treatment and the impact on their mental health.

Dealing with the aftermath of cancer treatment can be incredibly difficult for both children and parents. Their whole world has been turned around with children worrying about what their treatment will involve, having to manage their fears about having painful procedures and whether they will be able to get back to normal, return to school and just have fun.

And it’s just as impactful on parents. Along with worrying about bills, jobs and childcare for their other children, they have to watch their child undergo brutal treatment and spend hours in hospital in the hope that they will still be able to watch them grow up and reach their potential.

All of this can leave families broken, even when the treatment has finished. So Rockinghorse are raising money to fund

a new psychology service for families once their child is no longer having active treatment such as chemotherapy.

This service will give them the opportunity to work through their trauma, often in the form of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), learn to deal with an experience they never thought would happen to them and start piecing their lives back together.

So, if you want to re-live your raving days without having to take a few days to recover, then get your tickets now for this spectacular event and support Rockinghorse to make this an annual gathering of like-minded souls supporting children and families across Sussex.

Get your tickets now at Rockinghorse.org.uk/events

Wolo Foundation marks third anniversary with a night to remember

In true Wolo fashion, the charity celebrated in style at its annual WoloBall!

Following the success of last year’s event, Wolo went bigger and better - raising an impressive £34,091 on the night to support families in Sussex affected by cancer.

Wolo is a grassroots charity, created by husband and wife, Fler and Justin Wright, after Fler was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. Since its launch, Wolo Foundation has supported hundreds of families affected by cancer in Sussex, and continues to play a vital role to local families with their bespoke approach, offering emotional guidance and practical help.

The WoloBall is a great way to celebrate

life and the great impact Wolo is having on the local community. For the first time, Wolo were able to invite along some of the families that they have helped through their cancer journeys, giving them a much-deserved night out. It really helped bring the Wolo community together. It was so lovely to see the families out having fun together, and making memories.

The night was packed with fantastic live entertainment! A local ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ contestant took centre stage and surprised co-founder Justin Wright with a ventriloquist act (with Justin as the puppet!), which went down a storm with the crowd - especially the children! Face painting added even more glitter and sparkle to the event, as well as

an amazing photo booth so everyone could take home photographic mementos of the night! A live band finished off the evening, with everyone dancing the night away.

Wolo co-founder Fler presented a powerful social experiment to help highlight the number of people affected by cancer. As written by Kevin Webber in the Sunday Mirror, ‘The most poignant moment from the night was when the 500 people at the ball all stood up, united, because in some way, they had been affected by cancer’. This moment really brought home the reason everyone was there - to come together to raise awareness and funds for Wolo, so they can continue with the vital role they play in the local community.

Charity

Two of the brilliant Ocean Dadventure crew (Matt and Neil) were also in attendance, after taking on the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge - the world’s toughest row! They completed 3,000 miles in an incredible seven weeks across the Atlantic Ocean! After battling stormy seas and 50 foot waves, Wolo couldn’t be prouder of all they have achieved and are extremely grateful to them for raising an incredible £42,487 for Wolo.

Wolo also showcased its exclusive Wolo 100 Club at the WoloBall. Wolo 100 Club is a brand new Wolo initiative, encouraging local businesses to come together and provide regular support for Wolo. The club gives members an exciting

opportunity to support their local community, whilst meeting 99 other like-minded people throughout the year at exclusive events, as well as receiving priority Wolo event invitations, direct support for staff affected by cancer, and extensive opportunities to volunteer, fundraise and advertise. Once 100 spaces have gone, they’re gone! Make sure you don’t miss out. To learn more or sign up visit: https://wolofoundation.org/ wolo-100-club

It was certainly a night to remember, and Wolo would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came, helped out, donated prizes and time, the families who came - we couldn’t have done it without you all!

Statistics show that one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Life is precious - we need to make the most of it - we only live once - Wolo!

To read more about the work Wolo does and its upcoming events (including the life-enhancing Wolo Africa 100 trek challenge), please visit their website: www.wolofoundation.org

‘There’s Nothing Like This’ - live podcast event with Omar Lyefook MBE

County

Business TALKS records special edition of its podcast live at Soho House, writes host Sam

Thomas.

Networking & Events

When I first started the podcast back in 2021, I never would’ve dreamt that I’d be interviewing the legend Omar Lyefook MBE on stage at Soho House in front of over 100 people.

On Tuesday, March 28 I did just that. I welcomed a music icon with a career spanning four decades, a ‘signature’ hit tune that led on to eight solo albumsmnot to mention collaborations with some of the biggest names in pop music history, including Stevie Wonder, Leon Ware and Erykah Badu to name a few. A catalogue of side-projects more extensive than many artists’ entire working lifetimes, Omar Lyefooka ois ne-man stage show. He is also credited with a TV appearance in Eastenders and had an MBE pinned to his chest by King Charles.

It was a fascinating, inspiring conversation with Omar sharing his journey and some amazing stories from his incredible career.

I never saw myself as an interviewer - I’m certainly not the most articulate person in the world. I don’t always finish my sentences, but I’m curious, I’m fascinated by people’s stories and I love listening. I love a chat and with the many, many, many different things I’ve tried in my life I’ve genuinely found something that I absolutely love.

My thanks to everyone who came and supported the event, to my good friend Martin Leppard and H2 Productions Ltd, to Xavier Clarke for the great

photos, the wonderful team at Soho House and, of course, the absolute legend that is Omar Lyefook MBE.

It’s a night I will cherish for a long time and look forward to doing it again very soon.

Follow your dreams

Do the things you love And in the words of Omar, ‘Don’t give a S**t’

Everyone has a story to tell…

CBC in collaboration with Freedom Works and Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Networking & Events

On Wednesday 29th March, County Business Clubs, in collaboration with Freedom Works and Sussex Chamber of Commerce, held the first Gatwick meet-up.

Three great communities came together and welcomed their members to the fantastic Astral towers, one of the newest Freedom Works space in a portfolio of nine impressive work hubs across the South.

With County Business Clubs (CBC) sharing the same values and ethos as Freedom Works and the Chamber, it will make for the perfect partnership for the year ahead. The CBC member meet-ups offer a relaxed environment to simply connect and build relationships,

no hard selling and no pitching.

These monthly events are designed to help people extend and grow their network, so we will be hosting a member meeting up on the last Wednesday morning of every month, rotating between Astral Towers, Hastings and Worthing.

Ahead of these events, all attendees will receive a guest list and myself and Sam will be on hand to introduce you to anyone that you would like to meet over a coffee and some light breakfast. Places are limited at each event, you can book you space here for all upcoming events - https://www.eventbrite.com/ organizations/events

For our CBC Premium members, these events are included free as part of the

membership benefits. Membership is only £29.99 a month ,so if you would like to join or upgrade ahead of booking your space on 26th April, please drop me an email and I will happily take you through all the benefits of becoming a premium member.

Upcoming member meet-ups

Wednesday 26th April, The Palace, Hastings

Wednesday 24th April, The Creative Hub, Worthing

Wednesday 28th June, Astral Towers, Gatwick

Wednesday 27th September, The Palace, Hastings

Wednesday 25th October, The creative Hub, Worthing

November date TBC

The CBC annual Xmas party

First 2023 meet-up at Gatwick staged - thanks to three-way partnership, writes Jackie Ashwood.

Best of British Events prepares attendees for the Cheltenham Festival in style

Last month saw the Best of British Pre Cheltenham Lunch at Malmaison Brighton - a great event in the Best of British calendar and a ‘must’ for all racing fans, writes Sam Thomas.

Guests had the opportunity to listen to the legendary Mick Fitzgerald, accompanied by Luke Tarr from Star Sports, with insights being shared about the then upcoming festival. They talked attendees through the race card for the week ahead.

Networking & Events

As with all Best of British (BOB) events, the room was packed with business owners and decision makers from across the region, participating in fundraising activities brilliantly hosted by the enthusiastic Ryan Heal and the BOB team.

Talking with Ryan Heal, he said: “This event has become a permanent fixture in amongst our many events, but as a racing fan myself it is a personal favourite and sets us all up for a great Cheltenham Festival week.”

I am yet to catch up with Ryan following the festival to see how the tips from the event paid off. Hopefully, he had a successful trip. It was great to host some of our Value Added Partners and, even for those not massively into horse racing, hearing the brilliant Mick Fitzgerald and the banter between him and Luke Tarr, it really did make for a fantastic, fun afternoon.

The event was sponsored by KTDA, with the Sussex Business Times as media partner.

The event raised money and awareness of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

I am looking forward to more Best of British Events this year in Brighton, London, Eastbourne, Gatwick and the new venue at Tunbridge Wells. If you would like to attend or find out more, go to https://bestofbritish.org.uk/ public-events/

Ggroup photo

Be inspired by top speakers at Brighton & Hove Business Show

Motivational seminars will run alongside unlimited networking opportunities at the June 8 event.

Brighton and Hove Business Show is just around the corner - and gearing up to ensure everyone who attends comes away with not just new contacts but new ideas too.

Networking & Events

Motivational speakers are set to offer inspiring insights into a wide range of business issues from company culture to how diversity can power growth.

But, before the exhibition lounges at the AMEX Stadium open their doors, there will be an opportunity to make connections and learn from another speaker - at the event’s first ever Network Breakfast.

Taking place at HB’s Restaurant, also at the AMEX, the breakfast networking event is being hosted by show organiser Mike Monk.

The event includes breakfast and starts at 8am. The guest speaker will be Camille Pearson. She will talk about ‘How prioritising well-being is good for business’.

Camille, who founded award-winning The Float Spa after a successful corporate career, says: “Personal well-being has slid down the priority list for many people in our modern society to our detriment.”

Ticket information is available at the end of this feature.

Seminars

The show’s seminar timetable kicks off at 10.40am with a session led by Brandon Harris on the topic of ‘Simplicity is best in business’.

Brandon is a professional EOS Implementer® at EOS Worldwide. He helps entrepreneurial leaders achieve company-wide alignment on their vision and gain real traction against that vision. He also helps them create healthy teams and culture.

At 11.15am keynote speaker Carlene Jackson will talk about ‘How to make company culture your biggest asset for growth’.

She is the CEO of Brighton-based tech company Cloud9 Insight. It is a Microsoft Gold Partner and has provided over a thousand businesses with cloudbased CRM software systems.

Founded in 2010, the business puts workplace culture front and centre of business growth. Shortlisted in the ‘Woman of the Year’ category in the Women In IT national awards 2021, Carlene set up Cloud9 University, a training business to support development of talent in the tech sector

At 12.10pm, marketing expert Emma Pearce, of Pearce Marketing, will offer invaluable insights on lead generation.

If you are a sales director, business owner, sales rep or business development manager, this seminar will help you boost the number of prospects you have to work with.

Emma will be sharing invaluable LinkedIn tips.

She is a highly respected marketing consultant and has been running her

marketing agency for over 13 years.

At 12.45pm, Lawrence Howard, founder and CEO of Thriiver, will talk about ‘How diversity can support your businesses growth’.

He will tackle common challenges businesses are facing today, and how, by embracing diversity, employers can overcome these to deliver growth.

Lawrence was diagnosed as dyslexic during his school life. He founded Thriiver in 1997 as a result of the lack of practical support he experienced in the workplace.

At 2.10pm, Ben Kench, the UK’s top sales and business coach specialist, will talk about ‘From the heart – a better way of business’.

Ben is a best-selling author and wrote ‘Selling For Dummies’. This seminar promises to be entertaining and enlightening, sharing ideas and insights that take a slightly different approach but deliver significantly better results.

Networking

Brighton Chamber will host a Slo-Mo networking session at 1.20pm.

To pre-register for a free show ticket, visit https:// brightonandhovebusinessshow.uk/

Tickets for the Network Breakfast cost £25 and are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ brighton-hove-network-breakfasttickets-463522005797

The two types of networkers you meet networking

Bradley Hatchett, Founder of Network My Club, shares the difference between being a battery charger and a battery drainer at networking events.

How good does this feel when networking?

Networking & Events

Walking away from a conversation at an event feeling buoyant, energised and motivated. Thinking that person was great to be around. You’re charged up, full of energy, you can’t wait for next time.

But I bet you’ve been here too...

Leaving a conversation feeling flat, uninspired, sapped of your energy. Thinking that you couldn’t wait to leave the conversation. Feeling drained. Ever thought why that might be? It comes down to two different personality types in social interactions. That I refer to as

Battery Chargers

Think back to a time you’ve been at a networking event, or any social gathering for that matter. You leave thinking ‘that person was great to be around, I really enjoyed their company’. You’ve likely been around a battery charger.

With battery chargers – you leave feeling energised, inspired, motivated, happier, and you want to be around them.

In conversation, you find yourself more animated, expressive, and generally smiling more. You feel yourself being charged up.

At networking, they tend to demonstrate these traits:

• Ask questions

• Be positive and see the upside

• Offer advice, ideas and share value

• Bring others into conversations

• Listen and make you feel heard

• Are curious and show genuine interest

• Celebrate the success of others

• Find ways to lift others

• Kind and considerate

Close your eyes and picture this kind of person. Does someone come to mind? I can think of a handful of people immediately. These are the sort of people you want to be around. And those you

‘Battery Chargers’ and ‘Battery Drainers’.

look forward to being around. They are the sort of people you see on an event guest list and immediately think it’d be good to see them. Or you see them as you walk into a room and head straight towards.

Compared to the opposite…

Battery Drainers

Battery drainers, on the other hand, are individuals who drain the energy of others with their negative attitude, complaints or outlook. You feel the life being sucked out of you.

You’re resisting the urge to look around to find another conversation or someone that could save you. Counting down the seconds before you can excuse yourself and move on. Or start thinking of excuses to leave the conversation. You look down and your coffee cup is full. You’ve been to the toilet. Fake phone call?

You eventually leave feeling drained and demotivated after your interaction. And thankful you’re finally out of the conversation. Why is that? What do you need to look out for?

Battery drainers often:

• Talk more than they listen

• Don’t ask questions

• Quick to complain, moan or criticise

• See the downside

• Listen to reply – not understand

• Think ‘what’s in it for me?’

• Show no interest and make it about them

• Take more than give

Try to get ‘one up’ (if you’ve been to Tenerife, they’ve been to ‘Elevenerife’)

If you’re on the receiving end of this, sound the alarm. Code red. Excuse yourself politely and get out of that conversation now.

Some of those traits are more obvious to spot than others. You may have even identified ones you often slip into. That’s

OK, being aware of them and changing it is part of the process.

The good news is, that can change.

How to be more Charger than Drainer

I’m not suggesting you have to go into every event as the most charismatic, energetic, or inspiring person.

There are simple ways to act, or considerations to be aware of to be more charger than drainer. It involves making conscious efforts to shift your mindset and behaviour when networking.

You are a walking billboard for your business when networking. And how you project yourself is a representation of your brand.

Here are a few considerations:

Take a genuine interest in others. Ask questions and lead with curiosity. You never know what they’ve done, what they’re into, or who they know. Instead of making conversations about you, ask questions about them and show genuine interest in their business and lives.

Avoid complaining. Resist. The. Urge. Even if it’s pouring outside, or the traffic was bad, find ways to focus on something positive. These negative behaviours drain the energy of others and leave a negative impact. Including criticising and gossiping too. Leave it at home or the office.

Listen to understand, not reply. You were given one mouth and two ears. Don’t forget to use the latter. Good networking isn’t just about your exercising your speaking skills, but your listening skills too. Actively listening makes others feel heard. That charges them up.

Root for others. With genuine curiosity, find out about what others are working on, what’s exciting them, and getting them charged up. Offer encouragement

whenever you can. Celebrate their successes. Positivity breeds positivity.

Leave value. Suggest a relevant podcast, book or article. Offer some advice (if appropriate). Make an introduction. Recommend another event or group to check out. Make your interaction a worthwhile, valuable, and memorable one.

Bring others into conversations. Facilitate introductions between other guests you feel could benefit from knowing each other. Bring them into your conversation. Often people are hesitant to join a conversation midway through. This has two benefits, it charges the people you introduce, and feels great for you. Win, win!

Be kind. Simple, effective, costs nothing. On the surface at networking events, everyone is doing well. But you never know what people are going through. If all else fails – kindness always wins.

Next time you’re walking into a networking event or joining a conversation, ask yourself; are you going to charge people’s batteries? Or drain them?

I’ll leave you with the famous quote from Maya Angelo: “People don’t remember what you said or what you do. But they remember how you made them feel.”

Leave them feeling charged. Go and charge up your networking and relationships. www.networkmyclub.co.uk

Bradley Hatchett

Making HERstory all about ownership of identity

Brighton marked International Women’s Day with the backing of a leading local charity, staging a powerful event that drew huge support.

A range of Sussex based businesses came together to celebrate and host Brighton’s leading International Women’s Day event, ‘Making HERstory II’.

Networking & Events

This was the second event of its kind and took place on Wednesday 8 March at the Ironworks Studios in Brighton. Rockinghorse Children’s

Charity was the event’s charity partner. The Ironworks is the head office of Brighton Pride and is a great venue that hosts a range of comedy, corporate and community events, which share the common goal of supporting inclusion and diversity in the city.

The event saw over 100 guests come together to network, take part in an empowering workshop led by award

winning comedians Funny Women, a panel discussion featuring some of Sussex’s leading business women, and a comedy hour hosted by leading comedian and TV personality, Zoe Lyons.

HERstory was staged in partnership with Healys LLP, Creative Pod, Warren House Accountants, Myla Health, The Ironworks Studios, Devils Dyke Gin, Phase Photography, SBT Magazine and Latest TV.

The topic of this year’s event was ‘Ownership of Identity’ and the powerful and expert panel, led by Marketing Manager and TV Presenter, Stephanie Prior, discussed their experiences along with the importance of owning one’s identity in the workplace.

The panel comprised Donna Holland, CEO of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, Dr Carol Gilling-Smith, CEO and Medical Director of The Agora Clinic, Dr Olivia Hum, founder of Myla Health, Paige Collins, partner at Warren House Accountants, Jamie Tavares, Commercial and Corporate Lawyer at Healys LLP, and Sarah Lyons, Marketing Director at Creative Pod.

It was a great chance for the audience to hear a range of examples of how members of the panel dealt with the

challenges they have faced during their careers and how they are paving the way for future generations of women to feel able to own their space both in their professional and personal roles.

Afterwards Dr Olivia Hum said: “This was a great opportunity to meet a whole range of exceptional women, share our thoughts on navigating the world of work and home life and enjoy a great evening in aid of a great cause. It was also fascinating to hear how other women’s experiences mirror each other, despite often working in very different fields.”

The evening was rounded off with a comedy showcase hosted by Bronwyn Sweeney with Yuriko Kotani, Elaine Fellows and headlined by the brilliant Zoe Lyons.

Donna Holland, CEO of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity said: “We were really proud to work with Stephanie on this brilliant event marking International Women’s Day. Brighton is a city renowned for its inclusivity and diversity – a city where different identities live, work and love. Celebrating people’s ability to bring their whole selves to work and supporting those that can’t yet, is vital to the success of our city.

“This event gave us a chance to come together, learn from each other, hear from our incredible panel guests and enjoy an evening of great comedy.”

For more information regarding Sussexbased Women in Business events, contact: Stephanie.prior@healys.com

Boundary Club meets for first time in 2023 - attracting big crowd

It was great to to attend the first Boundary Club gathering of 2023 at Hove Cricket Ground alongside 100 other businesspeople from across the South East.

• Glass of Ridgeview or soft drink on arrival

Networking & Events

Established in 2011, The Boundary Club is Sussex Cricket’s premium business networking and membership club, where business meets cricket, hosted right on the boundary’s edge of The 1st Central County Ground in Hove.

They networking events aim to bring like-minded Sussex and South East based businesses together nine times a year, with most events hosted against a backdrop of first-class cricket. Each event includes:

• Networking drinks reception

• Three-course seated lunch

• Keynote speaker

• After lunch networking

• Afternoon tea

Each event attracts around 100 members and guests - a mix made up of key decision makers from SMEs to large enterprises in a variety of sectors. It was great to see some familiar but also new members in the room, although a shame the cricket was cancelled due to poor weather.

Guest speaker in March was Sussex Cricket’s new Head Coach, Paul Farbrace. He discussed his expectations around winning, his plans for the season ahead as well as manging and leading his team.

April’s Boundary Club will be held on April 20th with keynote Speaker Matthew Phelan, CEO of the Happiness Index and author of ‘Freedom to be Happy: The Business Case for Happiness’.

This fantastic event will take place with the back drop of Sussex Vs Yorkshire day 1.

Brighton & Hove Business Show sponsors networking event

The Big Business Breakfast Club is back in Brighton for April.

brought to you by in association with

& ‘Face Media Group’

April’s sponsor supporting in April

Chestnut Tree House has been chosen as the beneficiary of of the meeting, kindly sponsored by Mike Monk, organiser of Brighton & Hove Business Show.

Networking & Events

Join us on Friday, April 21 at the Amex (home of Brighton & Hove Albion) from 8am. Our special guest speaker is Matt Garman, alongside Alex Ryan, of Marketing 101, who will share marketing hints and tips. We will give you plenty of time to meet other, like-minded businesspeople in the room.

Book here now: https://www. bigbusinessbreakfastclub.co.uk/

About the sponsor

The Brighton & Hove Business Show is the ultimate networking event for all ambitious businesses looking to grow and prosper. Whether you’re an existing business looking to grow, a business in the early stages, or want to explore the

possibilities of starting your own business – you will find something of interest at this major networking event. Taking place at the Amex Stadium on June 8, the freeto-attend show will boast two exhibition lounges, an outstanding seminar timetable and So-Mo Networking.

Sponsor’s nominated charity

Chestnut Tree House is the children’s hospice for Sussex and South East Hampshire. Thanks to support from the local community, children and families who know they don’t have long together have the chance to live life to the full and say goodbye in the way that is right for them.

The generosity of the community makes this happen. Over £4 million is needed every year to provide hospice care for local children and their families. Very little of this comes from central government. The rest comes from amazing donations, fundraising, gifts in wills, shops, the Chestnut Tree House lottery, and volunteering.

Matt Garman is a creator and CEO of Sales Enabler. He is a sales enablement expert with a variety of sales-related businesses. His work spans three decades. Matt is a speaker, mentor, non executive director, Ironman, Channel swimmer and, most recently to add to the repertoire, an Atlantic rower.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor of the Big Business Breakfast Club, get in touch with the team at team@ bigbusinessbreakfastclub.co.uk

The guest speaker

The masterclass experience at The Sussex Business Show

Clear your diaries for the 28th of September 2023 because, for the first time, the Sussex Business Show is coming to The Dome, at the Corn Exchange, in Brighton.

Networking & Events

For many, the Corn Exchange has been a wondrous experience where the past meets the present.

For us, it’s a brand-new venture and an opportunity to scale the Sussex Business Show and build upon the success of previous years.

In this historic venue on the south coast, business experts will tell their tales to help you. Throughout the day, no less than eight Business Masterclasses will be shining a light on the topics that are front of mind for business leaders for today and tomorrow.

Delving into multiple facets of businesses, the masterclasses address everything from mental health to marketing, well-being to climate and everything in between. These masterclasses are designed to make you

think and inspire conversations in the workplace and at the family dinner table. Talks will be hosted in the Studio Theatre in the Keynote Zone, based on the first floor at the Corn Exchange and will utilise the latest technology of wireless headphones for maximum clarity.

Take a look at what you can expect from our masterclass experts below:

• Mental Health Matters’ with Yaron Englar

• ‘Sales Without Selling’ with Ben Bennett

• ‘Wellbeing That Works’ with Camille Pierson

• ‘Marketing for Impact’ with Alice Reeves

• ‘Failure is an Option’ with Jeremy Jacobs

• ‘Beyond Net Zero’ with Michael Kennard

• ‘Understand Others Better’ with Roksana Awning

• ‘Business storytelling’ with Roxy Van Der Post

The masterclasses are simply the icing

on an already delicious cake. The Sussex Business Show promises to deliver many other fantastic additions too.

Or even check out some of the other unique elements on offer, exclusively at The Sussex Business Show: a wellness lounge, casino, and networking zone with 600+ visitors. With years of experience and feedback to tailor to people’s needs, this premier event experience has been crafted from start to finish to engage, help and support businesses and employees across the county.

Free to attend. Priceless attendance. Preregister on the site to secure your spot.

What are you waiting for? Book your ticket today online and look forward to experiencing the wisdom of the masterclasses and all the show’s offerings.

Website: sussexbizshow.com

ULEZ scrappage scheme to benefit London van and minibus owners

Van and minibus owners in London can receive up to £9,500 to ditch petrol and diesel vehicles as the expansion plan for London’s ULEZ Zone goes ahead.

The Mayor of London has launched a £110m scheme to clear London’s air, offering payments to successful applicants for scrapping or retrofitting vehicles that currently do not meet ULEZ emission standards. The scheme aims to stop the use of nonULEZ emission compliant vehicles and

boost use of cleaner forms of transport.

If your van or minibus does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards, you may be able to take advantage of this scheme. If your vehicle doesn’t comply with ULEZ regulations, you’ll need to pay a daily fee when driving within the area.

You can only apply for a grant payment

to scrap (or in some cases, retrofit) a vehicle that does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards.

Under the scrappage scheme, sole traders, micro businesses with up to 10 personnel and charities can claim funds of up to £9,500 to scrap or retrofit a light van or minibus, or use it towards the purchase of environmentally-friendly transport.

If a prior grant has been acquired through the previous Transport for London van and minibus scrappage programme, then you cannot apply to the equivalent scheme again.

Grant payment options

The van and minibus scrappage scheme offers six options:

• Scrap a van - £5,000

• Scrap a minibus - £7,000

• Retrofit a van - £5,000

• Retrofit a minibus - £5,000

• Scrap a van and replace with an electric van like the Maxus eDeliver 3 or eDeliver 9 - £7,500

• Scrap a minibus and replace with an electric minibus - £9,500

Organisation and vehicle eligibility

The scheme is open to micro businesses (with up to 10 employees), sole traders and registered charities with a registered address within the 32 London boroughs or the City of London (Greater London Area). The following organisations can apply:

Micro businesses with: 10 or fewer employees. Up to £632,000 turnover or up to £316,000 balance sheet total in the preceding and current financial year and Companies House registration as an active company or VAT registered within the 32 London boroughs or City of London.

Sole traders who must be:

A self-employed person who owns and operates a business within the 32 London boroughs or the City of London.

Charities that are:

Registered with the Charities Commission as active within the 32

London boroughs or the City of London.

A vehicle you intend to scrap must be:

• A light van (up to and including 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW) or minibus (up to and including 5 tonnes GVW) registered to an eligible organisation for more than 12 calendar months before the start of the scrappage scheme on 30 January 2023

• Registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the name of the business, sole trader or charity (if the vehicle is registered to an employee, director of the micro business or trustee of a charity you will need to provide confirmation of their link to the organisation)

• Insured for business use

• Certified with valid road tax and MOT

• ULEZ non-compliant (this includes preEuro 6 diesel vehicles and pre-Euro 4 petrol vehicles)

A replacement vehicle must be:

• A fully electric light van (up to and including 3.5 tonnes GVW) or a fully electric minibus (up to and including 5 tonnes GVW)

• Purchased or on a hire/lease contract that is at least two years long

• The same body type (van or minibus) as the vehicle that you scrapped

A vehicle you intend to retrofit must be:

• A light van (up to and including 3.5 tonnes GVW) or minibus (up to and including 5 tonnes GVW) registered to an eligible organisation for more than 12 calendar months before the start of the scrappage scheme on 30 January 2023

• Registered with the DVLA in the name of the business, sole trader or charity (if the vehicle is registered to an employee, director of the micro business or trustee of a charity you will need to provide confirmation of their link to the organisation)

• On the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) register;(you will need to find your vehicle’s make and model on this list to make sure it can be retrofitted)

• Retrofitted by a CVRAS-approved company with an approved emissions reduction system

Call 01273 433480 to talk to an expert about your options today.

www.rivervale.co.uk

ORA Funky Cat EV - a retro design packed full of modern tech

Unique hatchback set to disrupt EV market, says manufacturer.

Great Wall Motor Group’s car brand ORA launched in the UK in Autumn 2022 with the Funky Cat. The car boasts a unique design, packed with premium technology and, unsurprisingly, ORA has stated that this all-electric hatchback is set to ‘disrupt the current EV market’. But, what makes it so special?

About the Ora Funky Cat

The first edition spec boasts a modest 193 miles of range, similar to the Fiat 500e - perfect for day-to-day city

driving. The Funky Cat will charge from 15% to 80% on a standard 6.6kW home charger in around 5-6 hours. Additionally, it will take about 3 to 4 hours on an 11kW street charger. However, on a rapid charger of 80kW, this charging process will take as little as 43 minutes. Ideal while doing your weekly shop!

Although the acceleration (0-62MPH) and the top speed of this vehicle are nothing to write home about (8.3 seconds & 99MPH respectively), that is not where this vehicle aims to please. The range of premium safety,

comfort and infotainment features will turn this little machine into a great driving experience.

Technology and features

This small 5-door hatchback comes entirely equipped with high standard specifications inside the cabin. Below are some of the impressive features that this affordable EV delivers.

Safety

Safety features include a surroundview camera system, cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane centring, lane changing, blind spot detection

Motoring News

and emergency braking, high beam assist and other comprehensive ADAS safety package features.

Comfort

To keep you and your passengers comfortable, the ORA offers a stylish and customisable leatherette interior, electric driver and passenger seats, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry and start and, of course, wireless ’phone charging.

More notable features include facial recognition systems, allowing the car to check who is driving, load preconfigured preferences and even monitor their habits. By monitoring the driver, the car can use its fatigue detector to alert the driver on long journeys to keep them safe.

Additionally, the Funky Cat contains automatic climate control, allowing the driver to set a certain temperature in the cabin regardless of the weather outside.

Infotainment and connectivity

Finally, the all-important centre console hosts a pair of 10.25in displays. The digital driver display is sharp and helpful at telling you what you need to know while on the road.

The other screen is a super responsive infotainment system. All the features you would expect from a more premium brand are present, including Android Auto, Apple Car Play, DAB radio, Bluetooth and SatNav.

Needless to say that this machine is full of tech, comparable to some pricers models from big named rivals.

Body Shape

The Funky Cat is a small urban hatchback with a body shape comparable to the Renault Zoe and the Fiat 500 Electric. This vehicle has 18” alloy wheels and is available in 4 colour variants - Nebular Green, Starry Black, Mars Red & Aurora Green - all

of which are available with a black or white contrasting roof.

Conclusion

The retro style of this vehicle may give the impression of something out of touch. However, we think that the daring design choices and the mountain of up-todate technology and spec demonstrate exactly what ORA was aiming for with this vehicle. It isn’t trying to win any awards for performance, it’s trying to win over the driver with its character and driving experience. Whether you are a new driver or just need something small and effective or just want to turn heads, this could be the perfect EV for you.

If you think the Funky Cat is the car for you then take a look at our leasing offers, or if you have any questions, get in touch with an expert on 01273 433480

www.rivervale.co.uk

New equity campaign follows landmark survey

The BCC worked with leading panel provider “Find Out Now” to conduct a landmark survey of more than 4,100 respondents in February 2023. The research found that two thirds of women feel they have missed out on career progression because of childcare responsibilities.

The survey, the first of its kind from the BCC, looks at the perceived impact childcare, general caring responsibilities and menopause have on a person’s career, as well as the support available to those impacted by the issues.

Childcare

Two-thirds (67%) of female respondents who have had childcare responsibilities in the last 10 years felt they missed out on career progression as a result. This includes career development, pay rises and/or promotions. For male respondents who have had childcare responsibilities, 35% believed they missed out. Almost two-thirds (62%) of female respondents said they would prefer to take time from paid work for childcare responsibilities, compared to 55% of male respondents.

General caring responsibilities

77% of male respondents believe there is not sufficient support available for people with non-paid caring responsibilities for elderly or disabled relatives or friends. This figure increases to 86% for female respondents. For those who have had caring responsibilities in the last 10 years, an equal proportion (52%) of males and

female respondents felt they missed out on career progression as a result of their duties.

Menopause

Almost three quarters (74%) of female respondents feel there is not sufficient support for those experiencing menopause. One in three (34%) female respondents who have gone through menopause felt that it impacted their career negatively. However, there is a higher level of concern about the impact of menopause on a woman’s career amongst those who are yet to experience it. Almost half (43%) of female respondents believe they will miss out on career opportunities due to menopause.

Levelling Up for Women in the Workplace

The BCC is committed to facing these challenges head on by levelling up for women in the workplace, through an urgent three-year Chamber campaign. The campaign will be based on a threepoint plan, to include:

Short-term action: Convene employment experts, Chamber CEOs, and employers to create a Chamber Workplace Equity Commission.

Medium-term work: The commission to analyse research findings and case studies, to develop policies for Government and best practices for businesses enshrining equity in the workplace.

Long-term goal: Re-run the same survey with the aim of moving the dial on the findings we are publishing today.

Many people feel that the burden of childcare, caring responsibilities and menopause have had a negative impact on their career, but women report higher levels of concern across the board. What women want is a level playing field. They don’t want handouts or a hand up, they simply want to make sure there are no barriers to career progression and face the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Tackling these issues is integral not only to the wellbeing of our women and workplaces, it is crucial to the functioning of any strong economy. Sarah Howard MBE, Chair of the BCC, said: “Priority number one is to immediately form a BCC Workplace Equity Commission with business leaders, employment experts and Chamber CEOs from across our national and international network to analyse the survey findings in detail. The commission, led by the BCC, will work with Government to help shape the future of the workplace and will also develop best practices for businesses to adopt.

“Our ultimate goal is to see the dial moving in the right direction when we rerun this same survey again over the course of the next three years. A level playing field is not just a nice to have. Gender equity is good for the economy, good for our labour market and good for society as a whole.”

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Chamber News

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has launched a three-year gender equity campaign based on stark research findings.

Human theme for Brighton Summit

Brighton Chamber has announced the return of Brighton Summit, which will be back at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts on 20 October for a day of inspiring keynotes, interactive workshops and surprising sessions to help you learn and connect differently.

Delivered by Brighton Chamber, Brighton Summit is your annual opportunity to boost your connections, stretch your brain and breathe new life into your business. It’s a day of energising workshops, inspiring and insightful talks, with plenty of networking breaks and opportunities to meet with like-minded businesses in-between.

From personal to business development, new ideas have been born at Brighton Summit; new businesses forged and longlasting business connections created.

And from budding entrepreneurs to growing businesses with international clients to experienced CEOs, it’s an opportunity to learn, engage and reflect – no matter where you or your business is at on its journey.

About the Human theme for 2023

Each year, we focus on a single theme

which provides a focus for the day and enhances our shared discussions. This year it’s ‘Human’.

Through this human-centric theme, we’ll consider what it means to be human by reconnecting with each other on a human level. We’ll hear stories of human resilience, human courage and human kindness.

We’ll explore how human-centred businesses can flourish, and we’ll listen to a programme of inspiring superhumans who’ll engage and energise us throughout the day.

In the Summit’s ten-year history, we’ve had household names like Kamal Ahmed, Floella Benjamin, Peter James, Guy Standing and Gina Miller deliver impactful and inspiring keynotes – plus heard from some Brighton success stories with Hannah Dawson and Nikki Gattenby.

More announcements on this year’s

programme, including our keynote speakers and sessions, to come soon.

Earlybird tickets for Brighton Summit on 20 October are on sale now – snap one up today before they fly away! Head to brightonchamber.co.uk/event to find out more and book your ticket.

Brighton Summit is run by Brighton Chamber - a dynamic, supportive and welcoming membership organisation for businesses of all sizes.

With thanks to some of the humans helping behind the scenes at this year’s Brighton Summit: brilliant branding by Visual Function and Sandra Staufer, and captivating copy by Rich Ford, Sherlock Studio.

And thanks to our headline sponsor, Galloways Accounting.

www.brightonchamber.co.uk

Chamber News

Sussex’s leading multi-service law firm evolves brand after period of record growth

Loch Associates Group, which has headquarters in Brighton, has evolved its brand after doubling turnover and its team in the last three years.

The rapid growth is a direct result of Loch Associates Group being the only firm in the Sussex to offer such a range of multiple services under one roof to help organisations manage their staff while protecting their business.

Their services include Business and Employment Law, Immigration, HR Consultancy, Health and Safety Training and Wellbeing and Mediation Services. Recognising that organisations are now investing more on the development of their people, Loch Associates has created a dedicated Training division as part of the rebrand, offering a wide range of training services.

The venture, which includes new branding for each service and a new Loch Associates group website, is part of the Group’s mission to showcase its ambitions to service more sectors of the Sussex market, attract new clients and highlight its unique position by providing a ‘one stop shop for its clients’.

Loch Associates Group was founded by Pam Loch in 2007. She started the business from her bedroom, with nothing but a laptop to kick-start the business. Today, Loch Associates Group has grown to become the South East’s leading award-winning and multi-service law firm with offices in Kent, Brighton and London, and employs 30 staff.

The Group has just launched a new London office to accommodate the

influx of new business, solicitors and support staff.

Pam Loch, Employment Law Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group, said: “In such a tough economy, our continued expansion is largely enabled by our growing reputation as a trusted alternative to traditional law firms, being able to offer such a wide range of services to businesses under one roof, is something that is unique in the South East.”

Over recent years, Loch Associates Group has been on a hiring spree. “Our growth has been delivered by recruiting and retaining a fantastic team who have helped us gain a larger share in existing markets and by extending the

Group’s services to new sectors and disciplines,” added Pam.

Loch Employment Law, HR Advise Me and Loch Wellbeing, has now evolved to Loch Law, Loch HR and Loch Training and Wellbeing reflecting the extended services in the employment and business law and training it now provides.

Pam said: “The rebranding better aligns with our Group strategy of being able to provide multiple services to help clients look after their staff while protecting their business under a single umbrella.”

https://lochassociates.co.uk

Good News

County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month April 2023

Tickerage Chardonnay 2018 - a wealth of ‘perfect fruit’

Wine of the month comes from the ‘best harvest’ in a quarter of a century for England.

The choice for this month is a still wine from a small vineyard, based in the village of Blackboys in East Sussex and crafted at Tickerage Vineyard. The estate is owned and managed by Anthony and Zena, who make a range of excellent still and sparkling wines as well as ciders.

After working for many years in London, in May 2007 they decided to plant new roots with their very first vines, beginning a new exciting chapter of their lives. There was no illusion to the fact that this was just the beginning of many years of hard work but something they were used to, albeit in a different way.

In Anthony’s own words: “There’s no grand plan, no exit strategy, we’re in this for the long-term and for the love of it. There are simply 5 acres of vines that demand attention each day, come rain or shine and the resulting grapes express the variations of the weather each year. It’s the challenge of the unknown, the unpredictable, that makes this such an exciting endeavour.

“As a family, we feel privileged to live within the Wealden and Ashdown Forest backdrop and the plants and wildlife that our little slice of paradise attracts during the ever-changing seasons.”

About the wine

The Chardonnay vines gave a wealth of perfect fruit in the 2018, the best harvest for 25 years in terms of yield. The juice from these grapes was aged for 11 months in tank and a further 11 months in bottle before release. A pale, lemony gold in colour, it has a fresh, zesty nose with hints of asparagus and tropical fruits. This unoaked Chardonnay has been created with minimal intervention and is unfiltered. This retains as much of the flavour as possible, fresh and creamy on the palate with notes of ripe lemon zest and fresh cut pineapple. A smooth, fresh finish, clean and crisp on the palate with good longevity. It was a Silver Medal winner at the Independent English Wine Awards 2020.

Michael’s comments

This wine has great freshness, minerality and engaging acidity, Many have commented that this is an English

version of Chablis. High praise indeed, but shows the quality of wine we are now producing in the UK. For me it is great to see a small batch sparkling wine producer such as Tickerage producing a range of still wines which are such quality. Once again, this is a small batch producer with just 3,000 bottles of this fine still wine so get a bottle or a case when you can.

This wine retails at £20 a bottle and can be purchased directly from the vineyard at www.tickeragewine.co.uk

Written for County Business Clubs

Sussex by Michael Yeoman, English Wine Specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, artisan award winning local spirits.

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