President’s Column

M B Wilkes looking forward to a bright future

Family-owned Dorset supplier of aggregates and building materials, M B Wilkes, recently reopened their Dawkins Road depot.

The site, which was previously closed because of COVID-19, provides customers with a reliable, express service and great range of sands, soils and gravel. After the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the team say they’re excited to be back in action again!

They’ve also just invested in three new Hitachi loading shovels to replace their existing fleet. This move is designed to modernise the fleet, reduce downtime, and improve efficiency. The company says they’re delighted to be investing in what is looking set to be a positive future for the construction industry. www.mbwilkes.com #GetBusinessDone

Albert Goodman shortlisted in prestigious awards

Accountancy, tax, financial planning and business advisory services firm, Albert Goodman, has been shortlisted in the ‘Large Firm of the Year’ category at this year’s Accounting Excellence Awards.

The winners will be announced at a celebratory Awards Night dinner on October 21st, ‘hosting the best of the best of the accountancy profession’ at the historic, Grade II listed, former Whitbread brewery in London. www.albertgoodman.co.uk

Presidents Column by Caron Khan

For the first 30 years of my career, I never heard the word ‘menopause’. How ridiculous is that? But now there are more menopausal women at work than ever before.

With 2 in 5 women saying their menopausal symptoms were worse than they expected, and the majority of women unwilling to disclose menopausal health related problems to their line manager, it’s important that all employers put the right awareness, education and support in place.

We at Dorset Chamber are determined to create a culture where it is easy to talk about the menopause, and I do hope that by continuing to talk about this subject we can inspire other organisations to do the same.

It’s definitively not a taboo subject at Dorset Chamber, and I hope that we as a leading organisation in Dorset, and others like us, can turn this challenging time for women into a more positive transitional experience.

I’d really welcome your thoughts on how we can continue this conversation and journey of change, so please do get in touch with myself or Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber.

I just want to end by saying to any woman going through the menopause that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You may not feel like the woman you once were, but you’ll evolve into a new woman who is kinder to herself, and who has the inner strength and wisdom to remain a very important, in fact vital, part of the workplace and wider society.