Contact - October-November 2013

NECC: Making the North East a success

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

ON A MISSION The deep sea bomb raids which start in Darlington

TO RUSSIA, WITH LOVE We’re back in the USSR

FAST TRACK

necc.co.uk - necontact.co.uk

✱

IN THE DEN

Who’s your magic Dragon?

IN IT TO WIN IT North East Business Awards - are you a contender?

60 seconds with Steve Cram

GENE-IUS

STEM SELL

Centre for Life’s Linda Conlon: Exploding the myths of weird science

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Welcome...

WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF CONTACT. What a summer we’ve enjoyed across the North East in 2013. Sunshine can do much to lift the spirits and we’ve had plenty of it this year to match the growing optimism among the region’s businesses.

It was an enormous pleasure that one of my first official tasks as president of NECC was to unveil the most positive Quarterly Economic Survey since the beginning of the recession in 2008.

Companies are recruiting faster, investing more and seeing more sales and orders than at any time over the last five years.

This is fantastic news and provided one of the highlights of an incredibly eventful summer, which also included the enormously successful Ashes

NECC president Dave Laws asseses the impact of high-profile events on the region

match at Durham County Cricket Club’s Riverside Ground. It seems a long time ago now that the champagne was sprayed and the little urn awarded to Alastair Cook, but the dramatic scenes from a sun-baked Chester-le-Street will live long in the memory.

Much has been said about the economic impact of the match, with a figure of around £20m quoted as the economic boost it will provide the North East, but how is it possible to put a price on the exposure we have enjoyed? Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground is the most picturesque in the UK with Lumley Castle and the Riverside Park providing a stunning backdrop, and as a region we have to continue to push for these large-scale, prestigious events.

Sunderland Football Club continues to host some of the biggest names in music with its summer concerts, NewcastleGateshead Quayside’s Evolution Festival gets bigger every year, the Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the UK and Durham’s Miner’s Gala and Lumiere all prove, to differing degrees, that we’re capable of attracting, organising and putting on amazing shows in our region.

We must keep building on this growing reputation and work to ensure that every person we help bring to the region leaves with nothing but good things to say.

Dave Laws, NECC President

EDITOR Jane Pikett jane@offstonepublishing.co.uk EDITORIAL TEAM Karen Dent Laura Emmerson Alastair Gilmour Liz Hands Owen McAteer Paul Robertson Contact is the magazine for NECC members. News and press releases should be sent to submissions@necc.co.uk ADVERTISING Contact our commercial team 01661 844115 sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk Nicky Rogerson www.nrphotography.co.uk Peter Skelton www.photo-psp.co.uk

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Mike Odysseas

Linda Conlon

Nora Senior

“I believe in buying local.

If only local authorities thought the same way and purchased local also, the net effect would be three-fold.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen, but it would be a brilliant way to revitalise the local economy.”

“We want our visitors to meet technologists, engineers, and so forth, and this would enable companies to showcase what they do and in turn get young people switched on and enthused by STEM. Our part is in providing an exciting, hands-on environment and role models. ”

“Success is not dependent on academic achievement alone.

Employers value hard work, a positive attitude, and skills that are relevant to their business. The North East is demonstrating that more contact between pupils and businesses, and apprenticeship schemes are the way forward.”

Odyssey Systems

Centre for Life

British Chambers of Commerce

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 3

Join us for THE most important and prestigious business event in the region’s calendar which is the ideal place to meet with many of the largest organisations and key businesses from across the region. Guests attending will be the region’s decision makers and influencers.

Tyne & Northumberland Annual Dinner Thursday 24 October 2013; 18:30-00:00 Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Dress code: Black tie The Tyne & Northumberland Annual Dinner welcomes Gateshead College and Newcastle International Airport as its sponsors and Tim Clark as our keynote speaker for the evening. Tim Clark is President of Emirates Airlines and has been in the civil aviation business for his whole professional career, having joined British Caledonian in 1972. Tim was instrumental in making Emirates a global success and in bringing Emirates to the North East, delivering game changing connectivity.

Jarrow’s Steve Cram will return again as our after dinner speaker. Steve is a British Icon recognised as one of the finest athletes of his generation. He is a World, Olympic, European and Commonwealth medallist as well as 3 time World Record holder during his illustrious athletic career. He was recognised for his achievements by winning the BBC Sports Personality of the year in 1983, and receiving his MBE in 1986.

Tickets: £85 plus VAT for members (£100 plus VAT for non-members)

Contents

From business with the Russians to deep-sea bombing missions, all business life - and more is here...

Plus 10 ALL CHANGE

Malhotra Group goes public in a £100m investment

11 SHOW OFFS!

Boosting the reputation of the region at the party conferences

12 FIRM FOUNDATION Esh Group announces strong results

13 SHIPS AHOY

Port of Tyne’s cruising

14 CUTTING RED TAPE Support for Deregulation Bill

17 OLYMPIAN TASK

Tackling our infrastructure

18 STAKE A CLAIM

Features 6 60 SECONDS

On track with Steve Cram

24 APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE

Linda Conlon on the part you have to play in spreading the joy of STEM

Linda Conlon, above, is calling on NECC members to join with Centre for Life in communicating the wonder of STEM industries p24

30 IN FOCUS

Your role in winning inward investment for the region

34 BACK IN THE USSR Russia’s nice at this time of year!

24

6

The North East Business Awards are open for entries

22 YOUTH OF TODAY

A major campaign backing apprenticeships in the region

65 DOUBLE TAKE

They’re in the money

40

40 ON A MISSION

Jake Tompkins’ Boy’s Own adventures deep under the sea

42 THE MAIN EVENT

Conferencing and hospitality in focus

54 HI! TECH

Smartwatches - the Emperor’s new clothes or the next big thing?

56 WORKING LUNCH With June Grimes

66 LAST WORD With Nora Senior

Steve Cram, above, Jake Tompkins, above right, and Nora Senior, right

66

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 5

60 SECONDS

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I look just like Steve Cram the bloke off the telly. He used to be a runner

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Fast track...

60 seconds with Steve Cram Q Who or what has most inspired you in your life and why?

I get inspired more by deeds, so there’s no one person in particular. Acts of bravery, endeavour, kindness, or just plain bloody-mindedness that sees someone change their own lives or those of others inspire me.

S

teve Cram is one of the UK’s most well-known sporting individuals. As an athlete his career was forged alongside Seb Coe and Steve Ovett during a period of unprecedented success in British athletics. Since retiring, he has become one of the BBC’s most respected commentators. He is based near Hexham and is a founder of the international children’s charity COCO. He is the after-dinner speaker at the forthcoming NECC Tyne and Northumberland Dinner at Newcastle Civic Centre on October 24.

Q You’re meeting someone for the first time in a busy place. They’ve never met you before. How do you describe yourself?

I look just like that bloke Steve Cram off the telly. He used to be a runner!

Q What’s the best job you’ve ever had and why?

I’ve never really had a ‘proper job’ , but earning a living as a professional sportsman is surely the best job in the world.

Q What’s the best decision you’ve ever made and why?

To go to the athletic club in Jarrow for the first time when I was 12. I don’t think there was anything good on the telly that night. Jimmy Hedley was the coach there and he helped change my life forever.

Q What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail, and why?

I’d be the manager of SAFC. After 45 years of watching them predominantly fail it would be a welcome change!

Q How does the you of today compare with the you aged 21?

I can’t run as fast, that’s for certain! I’m probably less tolerant, but on the other hand I’m prepared to work with others much more. I also think I’m better looking than the long sock-wearing, curly-haired 21-year-old me!

Q What would you be doing if you weren’t involved in sport?

I’ve always had a passion for politics and I’ve come to realise how important travel is for me, so maybe the Prime Minister of some far-flung Polynesian Island?

Q How does broadcasting compare to competing?

It’s doesn’t really because it’s a subjective world in contrast to the objectivity of sport. There is an element of performance

which requires passion, preparation and application of some skill, but if I don’t do a great commentary in the heats of the 100m I still make it through to the final!

Q Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

It tends to go in phases – or even phrases. All commentators have hook lines which they sub-consciously grab when processing information. The biggest issue tends to be the hierarchy of superlatives. Is a ‘super’ run better than a ‘great’ run? Was it ‘magnificent’ or is it ‘incredible’?

Q What do you find really scary, and why?

I was always scared of the prospect of a repetitive daily routine, which may seem odd from someone who trained twice a day every day as an athlete. These days, I really enjoy my full and varied lifestyle, even though it seems a little too busy at times. There’s no set 9-5, Monday-Friday, and weekends don’t really exist for me.

Q What was your nickname at school?

My friends were all very inventive, creative and at times a little off the wall, which is why they came up with ‘Crammy’!

Q Who is your sporting hero?

My first sporting hero was Charlie Hurley, who I had the great pleasure of meeting many years after watching him as a child, and I wasn’t disappointed; a lovely man.

Q Who would play you in a film version of your life?

Owen Wilson – he’s the only tall, blond goofy-looking actor I can think of, though I’m not sure about his Geordie accent.

How about Chris Ramsey – the guy from ‘Hebburn’? He could do it.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 7

INBOX

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Then inbox may be the perfect home for you. Send your views, comment and gossip to inbox@necontact.co.uk STAR SPARKLE

READY…AIM….FIRE

The Photo of the Month Award (which comprises nothing but the glory) goes to AlphaGraphics North East (AGNE) for this submission, taken at its 20th birthday party at Hardwick Hall recently. Our crack team of hacks have yet to discover what - or who - they were aiming at. Answers on a postcard, please…

News with a hint of Hollywood sparkle from South Shields market, where we are told that plucky 79-year-old Bridget Brosnan - a distant relative of movie star Pierce Brosnan (we are assured!) - has scooped herself a pitch.

“I decided that I was just spending

too much time sitting around doing nothing,” says Bridget, who lives in sheltered accommodation in South Shields. Now the greatgrandmother runs her brica-brac stall every Friday and Saturday at the market and she sends a share of her profits to the British Heart Foundation and South Shields’ St Clare’s Hospice.

You’re never too old...

GOT IT IN ONE

The onesie, as any fashionista will tell you, is very on-trend, and so we celebrate the All-inOne Company of Ashington, Northumberland for its work.

Founder Kate Dawson has a team of 21 at present and is looking for more machinists and sewers (that’s people who sew, not pipes full of pooh). Kate and co made 17,000 all-in-ones last year, when turnover exceeded £1m.

Onesies from Northumberland are now selling to more than 150 countries. Stylish!

CHAMPION EFFORT

Medals all round for team members from North East housing associations who battled it out at the 2013 Housing Community Games at Riverside Park in Chesterle-Street. The event, which features events from football and 100m sprints to obstacle and sack races, featured staff from 12 housing associations including Cestria Community Housing, Derwentside Homes, Fabrick Housing Group, and Vela Group. They raised money for the Foundation of Light, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Hartlepool and Butterwick Hospices, the Great North Air Ambulance and the Holistic Cancer Care Centre at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

8 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

GRAND DESIGN OUT-STANDING…

If the tips contained in the new book, Stand-up Marketing, are as good as the pictures (see left) it’ll be a best seller. Its author, marketing consultant John McRae, works with businesses and organisations large and small, including the NHS and Newcastle and Northumbria universities. Stand-up Marketing, says John, offers practical advice from small businesses in the North East with humour.

It’s on Amazon.

What better way to herald the birth of young Prince George than a new tea towel?

Dishes throughout the land will be dried in style thanks to the efforts of a Redcar-based business which has printed more than 15,000 Royal baby tea towels at its base at UK Steel Enterprise’s Innovation Centre on the Kirkleatham Business Park. Class Fundraising has also just taken on a third unit at the Innovation Centre to meet demand. The tea towel design features a rocking horse, pram, stork, teddy bear and bunting. Ahhh!

IN MY VIEW everything in our garden is rosy and we must not get complacent about the improvements we have seen, but things are improving, and if we are to continue that upward trend exports are going to play a major role.

Here at NECC we’re very fond of encouraging our membership to make friends overseas. We’re not trying to establish a corporate inter-business penpal project; we’re helping our excellent businesses sell more of their product in potentially lucrative foreign markets.

Each year the North East raises the bar and seems to set a new export record.

Even with a slight dip reported in figures earlier this year, we remain in rude health.

Seeking out and maintaining relationships on foreign soil is essential if we are to stimulate the regional economy and see some real, sustained growth.

Never let it be said that NECC doesn’t practise what it preaches. September saw us establish a relationship that will NECC chief executive hopefully benefit some of our business James Ramsbotham on as we welcomed visitors from Midhow exports continue to drive Ruhr Chamber of Commerce, based in Bochum, Germany. the regional economy The aim of the visit was to showcase the region’s private sector offer, discuss potential link-ups between members, and arely can the seasons have changed as quickly and noticeably share best practice in how and what we deliver to our members. as they have this year.

Chamber of Commerce organisations Somebody upstairs turned off the tap in May and our glorious summer had arrived, then somebody turned it on again in September as the temperature dropped and it was all over.

Thankfully, our economic fortunes have not fluctuated quite so wildly and it is now great to hear people speaking optimistically about the future instead of whispering it in fear of disrupting the slow but steady progress we have made over the last two years.

A survey by Manpower reflected what we have seen in our own Quarterly Economic Surveys, namely that our firms are recruiting, investing and have enjoyed a rise in sales and orders.

All of this combined has helped create a feel-good factor that is reflected in a significant rise in positivity across the private sector.

It would be wrong to say that

In my view

R

have a slightly different set-up in Germany, most notably the fact that businesses must be members.

Now, on hearing this, my first thought was, “wouldn’t that be wonderful”, however it does strip away an organisation’s ability to lobby and set itself against potentially damaging Government policy if the organisation is an extension of that Government.

The removal of choice is also a major issue. By choosing to become a member of NECC, businesses are making a statement that they believe in what we stand for, that businesses in the North East are stronger together and that a united regional voice has more chance of getting things done.

This was something that hugely impressed our colleagues from Bochum, along with our region’s diverse business base and fantastic cultural offering.

I am sure I will be equally impressed with their region of Germany when a return visit is organised in the New Year.

The friendship between the two organisations was cemented when our visitors presented the Chamber with a keg of Moritz Fiege Pils Beer – produced in Bochum by a company owned by their Chamber’s President.

It was fantastic to raise a glass (or stein, they also arrived with a large box of those!) and toast our new relationship.

“EVEN WITH A SLIGHT DIP IN REPORTED FIGURES WE REMAIN IN GOOD HEALTH”

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 9

NEWS extra £100m will be ploughed in to grow the business after a restructure overseen by Newcastle law firm Sintons.

Plans include constructing a new 54-bed care home at Melton Park, Newcastle, with a target to grow the care home side of the business to provide 2,080 specialist places across the North East by 2018.

Following the major restructuring operation, involving more than 100 properties and numerous businesses, all of the Malhotra holdings have been consolidated into one formal group which will obtain PLC status.

The creation of Malhotra Group PLC, which employs 1,000 staff, comes at a time of significant growth, with plans to inject £57m into care and a further £43m into leisure.

Meenu Malhotra described it as a “very exciting time” for the family and its divisions.

NEWS

Up on the roof Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital has new roofs, thanks to specialist contractor Hodgson Sayers.

The Stanley-based company has finished a £500,000 refit of the roofing of the hospital’s operating theatre and cardio wards after winning a competitive tender.

While the 13-strong roofing team faced challenging strong winds during the work, managing director John Sayers said his staff were thrilled to be part of such a rewarding project because of the lifesaving work which takes place on both wards.

ALL CHANGE Newcastle-based Malhotra Group has announced plans to go public as part of £100m investment plans.

The group, which owns and runs divisions specialising in care, leisure and commercial property investment and development, already has a

consolidated turnover of £40m.

And now it has plans for further growth after securing a £25m deal using the Funding for Lending Scheme structured

by The Royal Bank of Scotland, which is designed to provide accessible funding to SMEs. Over the next five years, an

Personal Service, Unbeatable Prices That’s what it’s all about at Brack Office Solutions, building trust with our customers, simply doing what’s right. With over 20 years’ experience in selling office stationery supplies, office furniture supplies, school educational supplies, and promotional print, Brack Office Solutions are experts in everything from plain A4 paper to the latest designer executive office chairs.

Our Price Pledge makes pricing as clear and simple as possible. We offer blanket discounts on actual manufacturers RRP’s; we do not inflate them to enable us to then offer more impressive sounding discounts, and we promise to match pricing if it can be shown that the same product has been offered at a lower price by a competitor.

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10 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

in association with

NEWS

images: ©NewcastleGateshead

Energy efficient

JOIN THE PARTY A showcase of the best the North East has to offer is being put before delegates at this year’s party conferences.

The region’s public and private sectors are staging a series of events highlighting the North East’s business credentials and demonstrating its untapped potential.

Northumbrian Water, the Association of North East Councils (ANEC) and the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) are working together on the Made in Britain – the

Best of North East Innovation events, which provide a platform to show off the strengths of the region as a place to invest.

The region’s two Local Enterprise Partnerships are also on board, along with eight businesses ranging from global household-name brands to small local firms, who are all leaders in their own field.

Heidi Mottram, chief executive of Northumbrian Water, says: “The challenge

VIDEO OF THE MONTH We’re all over STEM-themed stuff in this issue, which prompted a Google around ‘science’, ‘tech’, ‘innovation’ etc. We eventually settled on this from the Beeb. It features some irritating Cbeebiesstyle graphics, but if you ignore that, you might learn something.

We particularly liked the vintage film of the IGM 1401 computer; the size of a house and 300,000 times slower than a modern mobile phone. We know the feeling. in association with

we face in the North East is to create a culture of innovation.”

Coun Paul Watson, chair of ANEC, says the North East’s credentials in innovation and cutting edge technologies are clear to see, making the region the best place to invest and do business in.

Meanwhile, NECC’s chief executive James Ramsbotham says the time has come for the UK’s decision makers and opinion formers to recognise the true potential of the North East.

Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU) hosted a visit from Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon (above). He toured the UK’s largest advanced gasification energyfrom-waste plant and a leading safety training facility, as well as meeting representatives from the renewable technology sector and business leaders. He also toured the £300m energy-from-waste plant being built by Air Products at Billingham, and Falck Safety Services, which offers offshore and renewable training.

NEWS

Bon voyage Blyth boat builder Alnmaritec is sending off two of its latest creations to far-off seas.

The commercial boat builder has just completed two vessels at its yard in Blyth. The first will head to a shipyard in Singapore before being put to work in Indonesia’s oil and gas industry. The second will go to Singapore’s Keppel yard before sailing to Angola.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 11

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

NORTH EAST BUSINESSES ARE OWED THOUSANDS – ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

A

North East law firm says businesses in the region are owed hundreds of thousands of pounds from the latest mis-selling scandal.

The scandal saw complex Interest Rate Hedging Products (IRHP) sold aggressively by banks on to small and medium-sized companies when they were sold loans.

Businesses were sold the products on the basis that if interest rates shot up, they would be better off. But as interest rates plummeted to record lows, thousands of busineses have been left out of pocket – some have even been forced to close. TLW’s professional negligence specialist lawyer Rachel Burns said in some cases, SMEs in the North East are owed six-figure sums as a result of the mis-selling.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO CLAIM. She said: “IRHPs were a one-way bet for the bank with a devastating legacy for thousands of businesses in the North East. As rates began to fall businesses were stuck with high monthly payments unable to afford the fees charged by the bank to exit to specialist lawyer: the agreement. Compensation claims for Rachel Burns interest rate swap mis-selling can be complex because businesses are entitled to be restored financially to the state they would have been had they not been mis-sold the products.

“However, ther is a time limit approaching – there is a six-year limit to make claims, so people who bought these interest rate hedging products in 2007 should seek immediate legal advice as they could soon run out of time to make their claim.”

If you think your business has been affected by an IRHP loan call Rachel Burns for a FREE ASESSMENT on 0800 169 5925

TLW Solicitors, 9 Hedley Court, Orion Business Park, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 7ST 12 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

FIRM FOUNDATION One of the North’s biggest construction companies has announced strong results for 2012.

Co Durham-based Esh Group revealed at a shareholders meeting that turnover last year was £174m, compared to £171m the previous year.

And, while operating profits dipped from £2.05m to £1.3m, profits after deductions

soared from £60,000 to £1m.

Esh Group chief executive Brian Manning says improved internal processes and expanding operations in Yorkshire, Cumbria and the North West meant the firm was feeling positive about the future.

“We are in really good shape to take advantage of the upturn which we are now seeing in 2013,” he adds.

(Left) Christine Allinson of Barclays, the overall winner at last year’s awards, with Coun Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, and Leanne Chambers, business manager for Contact Centre Solutions at headline sponsor, NRG Resource Solutions

PUTTING IN A CALL FOR THE BEST OF THE BEST The crème de la crème of the region’s call centre industry are set to be honoured in a Willy Wonka-themed event at Rainton Meadows Arena.

Entries have now opened for the North East Contact Centre Awards, which will honour some of the 145 call centres and their 160,000 in association with

employees in the region on November 22.

This year, the awards are being organised by Sunderland City Council and sponsored by recruitment agency NRG Resource Solutions.

Details here: www. necontactcentreawards.co.uk

NEWS

In good health

SHIPS AHOY The Port of Tyne’s successful cruise season came to an end with the arrival of an expedition ship usually found exploring Antarctica.

Starting and finishing in Germany, the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Bremem arrived on Tyneside as part of an expedition around Britain.

Over the summer season, the Port of Tyne has welcomed 32 cruise ships, along with daily ferries from Amsterdam, with 600,000 visitors helping to add £54m to the region’s economy.

Highlights included four calls from MSC’s Magnifica, the largest cruise ship

ever to visit the Tyne. And, already, the Port has 34 cruise calls booked for 2014.

It’s been a busy autumn so far for the Port, which has also supported the Tyne River Swim for the third year running.

Thirty experienced open-water swimmers took part in the event, swimming from Newcastle Quayside to the river’s mouth at Littlehaven Beach in South Shields.

And, the Port has also thrown open the doors to two of the region’s most iconic and historic buildings as part of Heritage Open Days tours at Tynemouth Lighthouse and the Swing Bridge.

Specialist medical and healthcare accountant RMT is expanding its team and its services.

The firm works with medical professionals from the North East and beyond, along with more than a third of GP surgeries in the region.

Now the Gosforthbased firm is also aiming to further develop its services in other areas, including to opticians, dentists, pharmacies and the home care sector, as well as veterinary practices.

Three senior practitioners have been recruited to join the existing 13-strong medical and healthcare team and further appointments are planned for the coming months.

NEWS FUNDING FEARS A specialist in Regional Growth Fund (RGF) applications is warning that large businesses could miss out because of a change in the rules.

Neville Baldry, a partner at Clive Owen & Co LLP in Darlington, has helped more than 50 companies in the North East and Yorkshire secure more than £50m worth of RGF grants and associated programmes since the scheme was established in 2011.

But he says changes to be introduced as part of Round 5 of the RGF mean larger companies will miss out on grant support for some capital projects. in association with

The new rules ban aid to large companies expanding existing activities, typically the main beneficiaries of RGF funding in the past.

In future, large companies will have to be carrying out a new activity in order to qualify.

Larger firms are classed as having more than 250 employees and a turnover of more than 50m Euros.

Baldry says: “A major benefit from RGF for the region’s SMEs has been the supply chain opportunities made possible because of large scale projects of international companies.

“The changes will significantly reduce the attractiveness of the region for projects of this nature, and lead to a reduction in investment.

“Large companies with expansion plans should look closely at this round of the RGF as they may not qualify under the new rules.”

In the pipeline Northumbrian Water is to invest £1bn in services.

The huge cash injection, between 2015 and 2020, is designed to improve services, protect and create jobs and encourage new businesses into the area.

Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water’s chief executive officer, said making sure water and sewerage services are second to none could encourage new businesses to come to the region.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 13

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

MASTERCHEF FINALIST OPENS RESTAURANT IN NEWCASTLE

A

Alok Loomba, Geeta Ral, Dave Coulson and Katrina Hopkin

partnership between former Masterchef finalist Dave Coulson and the team behind a successful restaurant business has seen a £250,000 investment into a brand new venture.

County Durham born Coulson, who made it into the final three of 2010’s Masterchef: The Professionals, will head up the culinary team at Peace & Loaf, a restaurant he is opening in Jesmond, Newcastle, with business manager and fellow director Geeta Ral. Working in partnership with Ral’s sister and brother in-law Bob and Neeta Arora, owners of Sachins restaurant in Newcastle, the pair are creating 16 new jobs at the restaurant, which is set to open next month.

Ral, director and business manager, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming our guests into Peace & Loaf and have all worked day and night to ensure that everything is completely perfect.

“This all stems from my brother in-law Bob, who took part in a cooking demonstration some time ago with Dave. The two of them got on like a house on fire, so we all met up again for a meal, started throwing around lots of ideas and Peace & Loaf is the end result.

“The restaurant only has 56 seats so we hope it will be busy, and should it take off we definitely plan to expand, either into a larger restaurant or possibly by rolling it out. We’re currently recruiting for the best possible team to ensure each visit to our restaurant is memorable for all the right reasons. We’re hiring three chefs, ten front of house staff and offering three apprenticeships to catering students from Gateshead College. It’s a really exciting time.’’

Coulson, added: “There’s a lot of pressure on youngsters to perform well in exams, I don’t have any formal qualifications, I’ve just been fortunate to gain invaluable experience.

“It is with that we decided we’d take on apprentices in the restaurant, being able to share my knowledge and vibrant career history with young chefs is a dream come true.”

Newcastle law firm Sintons has handled all legal work connected with the opening 14 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

RIPPING THROUGH RED TAPE NECC is now calling NECC is throwing its weight for greater clarity on how behind proposals to cut red Parliament is proposing tape stifling the region’s to remove outdated and economic growth. irrelevant legislation. It has Government ministers also welcomed proposals to are now consulting on the cut health and safety burdens Draft Deregulation Bill as for firms which use selfpart of plans to remove employed workers in unnecessary low-risk jobs, and bureaucracy “UNNECESSARY plans to restrict costing British AND COMPLEX the jurisdiction business millions.

REGULATIONS of employment NECC policy PLACE A BURDEN tribunals. adviser Rachel ON BUSINESS” “The power Travis says: of tribunals “Unnecessary and to make wider complex regulation recommendations, such as places a considerable burden suggesting companies bring on business, draining time in external consultants to and resources and hindering implement training, extends economic performance. jurisdiction to an unwarranted “North East firms degree,” says Travis. “Removing consistently cite red tape as a this power will encourage barrier to business growth and business confidence in the NECC is committed to reducing tribunal system.” the burden of regulation.” in association with

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L-R Rita Leat, consultant chief operations officer from NALP, Robin Ghurburun, deputy principal, Newcastle College, Helen Hall, legal clark, Winn Solicitors, Amanda Hamilton, CEO of NALP, Barbara King, director of the School of Health and Enterprise at Newcastle College and Katrina Rayne, solicitor and team leader, Winn Solicitors

LETTERS OF THE LAW Two of the region’s colleges have announced new legal qualifications for budding legal eagles.

Newcastle College is starting a two-year paralegal foundation degree, the only one in the country endorsed by the National Association of Licensed Paralegals.

Meanwhile, New College Durham is launching a new qualification giving students the opportunity to train to be a lawyer without having to go to university or incur student debt. It is studied part-time and is a vocational qualification, so students can learn on-the-job.

SAFE AS HOUSES

Police have given an official seal of approval for a new housing development on the outskirts of Consett for its crime-beating features.

Durham’s chief constable, Mike Barton presented Story Homes with a Secured by Design certificate for phase one

of the company’s development next to the Shotley Bridge Hospital site. The accolade is presented to developments which build houses in a way which means neighbours can keep an eye on each other’s properties and feature secure windows, doors and gardens.

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cademy status gives schools more control over curriculum, budgets and staffing. With over 3,000 academy schools in England & Wales, Craig Malarkey and Theresa Carling from Tilly Bailey & Irvine’s academy team, along with Headteacher of Stranton Academy Trust discuss what are the pros and cons of converting and where can schools go for help?

What are the main benefits of converting to an academy?

Neil - Flexibility and freedom – we can devise a curriculum that meets the needs of our children and use increased finance to better direct resources to where they are most needed.

Craig – Becoming an academy gives autonomy of control to the teaching staff and management.

What’s involved in the consultation process?

Craig – Schools need to be honest when following the process. From the outset we can guide schools, to ensure that they are following the correct path.

Neil – A consultation took place with parents, which included forums and meetings, allowing people the opportunity to ask questions. Tilly Bailey &Irvine were there throughout to answer these questions.

Theresa - Due to the TUPE process, Craig Malarkey, Neil Nottingham, employment issues are minimal as all terms and Theresa Carling conditions of employment are transferred over in their entirety from the local authority to the new established Trust.

What part does Tilly Bailey & Irvine play in the transition?

Neil – The team at Tilly Bailey &Irvine was a magnificent support from day one. Be it through supporting the formal processes of TUPE, or preparing the Articles of Association – to the knowledge of somebody being at the end of the phone for every little question we had.

If you are a school considering converting to an academy then contact Craig Malarkey at Tilly Bailey & Irvine to find out more.

Email cmalarkey@tbilaw.co.uk or call 01740 646000 www.tbilaw.co.uk OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 15

New members This page brings you information about the companies that have recently joined NECC - the region’s largest business membership organisation. Along with contact details, there are announcements from new members keen to publicise their products, services and activities to other NECC members.

While listings are free to all new members, editorial announcements are part of a broader package designed to promote a new member’s business to reach the readership of Contact magazine.

For further details contact the Contact advertising team, tel 01661 844 115, email sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk

Thank You For your recent membership renewals. Particular thanks to members supporting NECC for over 15 years 60+ YEARS Ringtons Limited

63

40 +YEARS Marton Hotel & Country Club

41

34-39 YEARS North East Truck & Van Ltd

36

25-29 YEARS Komatsu UK Limited

27

20-24 YEARS Dennhofer Wines Ltd Haines Watts Punch Robson Carroll & Meynell Ltd DBH Serviced Business Centres New Bridge Street Bedding Centre Ward Hadaway Solicitors Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Isocom Components 2004 Ltd Ladrim Ltd T/A Cleveland Chroming Company Thermal Detection Ltd BIB (Darlington) Limited Contex Office Services Ltd Dinnington Fencing Co Ltd Dissington Hall Draycott & Kirk KNW Partnership Ltd Radford HMY Group Limited JBT Waste Services Ltd New College Durham Washington Components Ltd

24 24 24 23 23 23 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 20

15-19 YEARS

Architectural Powder Coatings Langley Castle Hotel

The contact details of all the companies which joined NECC between July 1, 2013 and August 31, 2013 are now available at www.necontact.co.uk under the ‘New Members’ link

19 19

Latimer Hinks 19 statexcolourprint 19 Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service 19 Whittle Jones North East 19 Datastor 18 Foster Findlay Associates Ltd 18 Lintron Electronics Limited 18 NorthEast Press Ltd 18 Northumbria Safety Limited 18 Perception 18 Poppies 18 4D Distributors (Northumbria Ltd) 17 CDS Security Ltd 17 High Force Research Ltd 17 Kimmerston Design Ltd 17 Orange County Ltd 17 Partners in Excellence Ltd 17 Pipe Coil Technology Ltd 17 Readman Steel Limited 17 Rosh Engineering Ltd 17 S M H Products 17 Signet AC Ltd 17 Stephenson Gobin Ltd 17 Sun FM Ltd 17 Turbo Power Systems Ltd 17 Volac International Ltd 17 Wearset 17 Flying Fish Design Consultants 16 Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP 16 Scotia UK plc 16 Total Communications & Security Ltd 16 2Touch 15 A Williamson Ltd (AWL) 15 Assembly & Packaging Services Ltd 15 Cox Agri 15 Davison Tyne Metal Ltd 15 Direct Recruitment 15 Intelect (UK) Limited 15 LCP Real Estate Limited 15 OH3 Ltd 15 Peacocks Medical Group Limited 15 RMIPS Ltd 15 Westwaters 15

The above includes members that have supported NECC for over 15 years and renewed their membership during July to August 2013 We would like to thank all of our members for their continued support

NEWS

NEWS

The big sleep

OLYMPIAN TASK The North East Chamber of Commerce is calling for action following a review by former Olympic boss Sir John Armitt.

Sir John, who was chairman of the Olympic Development Authority, has just published an independent review on how to rebuild the country’s crumbling transport, energy, telecoms and water infrastructure.

NECC has welcomed his proposals to take

politics out of infrastructure planning by setting up an independent commission.

NECC infrastructure specialist Mark Stephenson says: “Infrastructure investment is essential to keep the wheels of business turning.

For too long, we’ve welcomed ambitious plans and long-term strategies that have ultimately failed to come to fruition.

It is now time to see some

VIDEO OF THE MONTH At Contact HQ, we have developed a near-addiction to video tips from the super-rich in the hope that something will rub off. This collection is very American in all the wrong ways, but if you can cope with that, there are some gems from the likes of serial entrepreneur Ryan Blair and the King of all the World, Richard Branson. There are 20 short films, all worth watching, if only for Spanx billionaire Sara Blakely’s blindingly white teeth. in association with

A Newcastle hotel has been named one of Britain’s best places to work.

Sleeperz Hotel, which opened just off Westgate Road last year, has been shortlisted in the Best Employers in Hospitality Awards 2013 by caterer.com.

Javeed Anwar, head of sales and marketing at the hotel, said the recognition was down to Sleeperz policy of training staff in all aspects of the business, from guest relations to housekeeping, rather than them specialising in one area. delivery on the ground. Sir John Armitt is one of the few people in Britain who knows what it takes to deliver a major project, and his report sets out some welcome ideas on how to break our infrastructure log-jam.

“An independent infrastructure commission could help end what we call ‘Stop-Start’ Britain, and promote business investment.”

NEWS

Nas Khan, managing director of Jennings Motor Group

Motoring ahead

Jennings Motor Group has created new jobs with the opening of a Teesside showroom.

The multi-franchise group has opened the biggest Kia site in the North East on Opus Park in Stockton, employing 20 new staff.

Jennings, which reported an annual turnover for 2012 of more than £124m, now employs 388 people in branches across the North East.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 17

AWARDS

Championing our champions As the North East Business Awards 2014 are launched, NECC chief executive James Ramsbotham celebrates the champions doing business in the region The North East Business Awards provide a fantastic showcase for the successes and pioneering innovation of our companies.

NECC is a champion for regional business and we are delighted to be working with The Journal and Evening Gazette for the third year running on these prestigious honours, which celebrate the achievements of companies and toast the cream of North East talent.

It was a point of immense pride that most of last year’s winners are NECC members

and we would love to see the same thing again this year.

We’re aiming to attract more entries than ever before.

Simply Bows and Chair Covers followed up its win at last year’s North East Business Awards by scooping Best Newcomer at the British Chambers of Commerce National Awards, which was a fantastic achievement for an excellent company.

Business in the North East is doing more than its fair share for UK Plc. We are producing and exporting products around the world and earning real wealth for the nation. As a result, we remain

18 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

“Business in the North East is doing more than its fair share for UK Plc”

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the only part of the UK with a positive balance of trade and export a greater percentage of our goods and services than elsewhere.

NECC is helping our members succeed. We are working to open up new routes to overseas markets, combat youth unemployment by providing exciting and innovative apprenticeship opportunities and using our political clout to shout about what the region is doing well and call for support where it is needed to help us do better.

NECC is the champion of North East business and as the continued success of our membership demonstrates, we are also the choice of champions.

Entries are now open for this year’s North East Business Awards. For further details and to enter go to www.nebusinessawards.co.uk

National Competitors - 2013 Regional Winners due to compete for National Chamber Awards in London in November Most Promising New Business Northech Solutions Ltd

Outstanding Personal Achievement Port of Tyne

Exporter of the Year Guardian Marine Testing Ltd

Commitment to People Development Derwentside Homes

The Sustainability Award Elddis Transport (Consett) Ltd

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North East Business Awards - are you a contender?

GENE-IUS

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The IF (Inspiring Females) Conference is a one-day event showcasing some of the UK’s top speakers, including Sandra Rogers, MD, Marketing UKTI. To register for the North East Women’s Conference, go to http://uktinortheast. eventbrite.com For information on the WIN AWARDS email: info@ womenintothenetwork.co.uk tel 0845 269 9862

2013

ON A MISSION

North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2013 The 14th North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards ceremony takes place in November, showcasing the achievements of women in business throughout the region.

The Awards evening is on Friday November 15 at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, following the inaugural North East Women’s Conference organised by NECC and UKTI at Gateshead College that day.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER

2013

The winners and finalists of last year’s North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

STEM SELL

Centre for Life’s Linda Conlon: Exploding the myths of weird science

Scan this code with your mobile device to access the latest news on our website

Print: 7,500 magazines distributed on a bi-monthly basis to businesses across the region Online: An online companion to Contact, available 24/7 to an even wider audience Email: An e-bulletin sent to 5,600 NECC members every two weeks To discuss how to communicate effectively with these audiences contact offstone publishing on 01661 844115, or email sales@necontact.co.uk A magazine by

publishing

Offstone Publishing, Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, NE43 7AJ t: +44 (0) 1661 844 115 www.offstonepublishing.co.uk

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 19

NEWS

NEWS

A helping hand Businesses in the region are being given help to achieve industry standards.

C&A Pumps and Engineering has teamed up with Teesside University to support firms who want to put themselves forward for ISO certificates, the quality standards big companies look to when they want to out‑source work.

The firm will be helping businesses complete necessary paperwork in a partnership Dr Suhail Aslam, director of Teesside University’s Manufacturing Centre, said he believed would be “incredibly fruitful”.

NEWS

A safe bet Gateshead College has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of HR director Mark Thompson.

Thompson, from Bedale in North Yorkshire, started his career with betting specialist Ladbrokes before moving to travel group Holidaybreak. He has also been HR director at retail firm Ethel Austin, helping to steer the company through a management buyout before joining Rosebys as commercial director and law firm Cobbetts. He is thrilled to be joining Gateshead College.

Flying high 1,500m world record holder NECC Tyne & and Olympic silver medallist, Northumberland Annual Dinner will have a somewhat was part of the BBC team that covered the 2012 aerial theme with a keynote London Olympics and will address from Emirates reflect on 2012’s stunning Airline President Tim summer of sport as Clark and afterwell as his time on dinner speaking the track. duties from The dinner the “Jarrow THE DINNER attracted Arrow” Steve ATTRACTED MORE more than Cram.

THAN 300 GUESTS 300 guests The event LAST YEAR last year and at Newcastle promises to be Civic Centre another wellon October attended event with 24 is sponsored people from across the

by Newcastle regional business spectrum International Airport and acknowledging the excellent Gateshead College. work of companies who are Clark was instrumental spearheading the regional in bringing Emirates to the economic upturn.

North East, delivering gamechanging connectivity for the For information, go to http:// www.necc.co.uk/events region, while Cram, a former

QUALITY CONTROL Mincoffs Solicitors’ high standards have been recognised.

The firm has secured membership to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme, the mark of excellence for legal experts in buying or selling property.

Newcastle-based Mincoffs had to undergo a rigorous assessment to secure the status.

20 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

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SKILLS

The youth of today A major campaign is underway to keep the North East working and close skills gaps in the region’s industries

Dear Reader The North East boasts one of the strongest manufacturing and engineering sectors in the UK. It is the heartbeat of our economy. And it can be for many years to come.

Fundamental to that success is our great people. Our region’s workforce is steeped in the traditions of engineering, dating back to the start of the Industrial Revolution. Our people are highly-skilled, hard-working and passionate about their jobs. But we need more of them.

Recent research suggests that over 8,500 skilled people across the North East will be retiring from the engineering sector before 2016. This poses a considerable threat to our industry.

Our concern is that our supply chain is not put at risk as a result of this potential skills shortage.

Are you confident that enough is being done to develop graduates and apprentices? Is your business playing its part in up-skilling its existing workforce? Or could you do more to address this issue that threatens to stifle our progress in the coming years?

Companies such as British Engines make apprenticeship and graduate recruitment a key part of their own succession planning, while some of the leading manufacturing and engineerin g companies in the region such as Nissan, Ford Aerospace and Quick Hydraulics have also incorporated this within their procurement assessment for existing and potential suppliers.

We would ask that you do the same, conveying this message to all your suppliers and asking them to do likewise to theirs – thereby encouraging everyone in the sector to share in the responsibility of ensuring our region remains competitive.

We have made great strides in the North East over the last two years, with the number of employers with apprentices within the manufacturing and engineering sector increasing from 13% to 27%, representing an increase of nearly 2,000 apprentices. There is, however, still much to do.

The Journal and Evening Gazette have today launched a campaign that highlights those employers who are committed to skills development and sustainable supply chain management and encourages others to do likewise. The North East Skills Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing Employers, Semta, NECC, CBI North East, the EEF and the National Apprenticeship Service are uniting to join that campaign.

S

emta - the North East Skills Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing Employers – NECC, CBI North East, the EEF and the National Apprenticeship Service are uniting to front the campaign Proud to Back Apprenticeships, run in partnership with The Journal and the Evening Gazette.

The campaign launched with an open letter published in the Journal and Evening Gazette signed by companies and organisations large and small, appealing to other groups to support apprenticeships.

22 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

Thank you for your support.

NEWS

LATEST EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Front row l to r: Richard Banks, UKAR’s chief executive, Bette Huitson, UKAR HR co-ordinator and Coun Harry Trueman, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council welcoming 10 UKAR apprentices on their first day.

New horizons

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K Asset Resolution (UKAR), the company running the Government-owned businesses of NRAM (previously part of Northern Rock) and Bradford & Bingley, has recruited a new group of apprentices at its Sunderland office.

The company recruits approximately 20 apprentices each year in a company-wide scheme. Each apprentice is taken through a one-year structured training programme towards an NVQ qualification, with the majority going on to secure permanent roles at UKAR. HR team co-ordinator Bette Huitson says: “We value the enthusiasm, commitment and fresh ideas that these apprentices bring to our organisation. They can learn new skills and receive a weekly £150 training allowance. We support the personal

development of each individual, and we are keen to retain them in permanent roles if there are suitable vacancies.”

Out of 40 apprentices from the last two years, 32 are now working at UKAR in a variety of permanent roles including customer assistance, administration and property. Others decided to take further qualifications to increase their skills.

Based in the North East and West Yorkshire, UKAR serves some 584,000 customers and employs 2,200 people, with over 1,000 colleagues based at Doxford Park, Sunderland.

The organisation is focused on the core objective of maximising value for taxpayers and repaying the Government loan. More than £6.6bn has been returned to taxpayers since the organisation was formed in 2010 and continuing reductions in the numbers of customers falling behind with their mortgage payments.

SKILLS BOOST Accountant Greaves, West and Ayre is boosting workforce skills thanks to NECC. The company of 11 partners and 90 staff in Berwick, Northumberland, is putting 77 of its people through IT and customer training in a bid to improve turnaround for clients.

NECC uses a City and Guilds-accredited IT User apprenticeship for the 12-month programme.

NECC sought funding for staff not eligible for government funds and GWA funded the remainder.

GWA now intends to develop a long-term training strategy with NECC.

Labour market estimates released in September show employment in the North East stands at 1,170,000 or 67.2% – a rise of 11,000 over the quarter and 11,000 over the year.

This compares to a rate of 71.6% nationally.

North East unemployment stands at 136,000 or 10.4% – a rise of 5,000 over the quarter and 1,000 over the year. This compares to a rate of 7.7% nationally.

The claimant count stands at 83,600 or 6.8% in the North East, compared to 4.2% nationally.

“This is another mixed set of figures for the North East, but with some strong positives,” says NECC director of policy Ross Smith. “Employment is up both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, and most recently has been growing faster than UK trends. This seems to be a welcome reversal after worrying signs earlier in the year. The claimant count also continues to fall.

However, unemployment is up in the North East too, and is going in the opposite direction to the gradual drop being experienced in the UK as a whole.

“The growth in jobs reflects NECC’s Quarterly Economic Survey. However, with unemployment still above 10%, it remains deeply concerning the number of members who experience difficulty finding suitably skilled staff. It remains an urgent need to address.”

Colin Frame of Greaves, West and Ayre

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 23

INTERVIEW

The appliance of science

Everyone’s talking about skills gaps in STEM industries, but who’s actually doing something about it? Jane Pikett meets Centre for Life chief executive Linda Conlon to discover why she is opening her doors to local business in a bid to spread the word

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friend and I emerged, blinking into the late afternoon sunlight, from Centre for Life the other day, having spent a full eight hours inside with two six-year-old boys. If they hadn’t locked the doors, I suspect we might still have been there.

Of course, a major dinosaur exhibition is an easy sell for two little boys, but what surprised us was their complete immersion in the activities on the main exhibition floor of the Centre; simple things which absorbed them for far longer than the dinosaurs.

We played with cables attached to magnets for a full 60 minutes, and went back for more later. We became absorbed in a table which rewarded us with futuristic light and sound displays in response to the movement of patterned blocks, and we re-visited the ice wall at least a dozen times.

Alongside the headline attractions like the current Age of the Dinosaur show, the planetarium and the 4D motion ride, it’s the simpler stuff which seems to absorb kids – and adults – the most, and which Life chief executive Linda Conlon

explaining what they do. hopes spark a long-term interest Through a maker space, I want in the STEM disciplines of our visitors to meet Science, Technology, Engineering technologists, engineers, and so and Mathematics. forth. This would enable “Our role is to promote STEM companies to showcase what subjects and we’ve done pretty they do, and in turn get young well with Science and people switched on and Mathematics, and now we want enthused by STEM. There is not to expand further into one single institution with the Technology and Engineering; answer to providing STEM skills. areas not explicitly covered in the Our part to play is in providing an school curriculum,” exciting, hands-on environment explains Conlon. and role models.”

It is local businesses, she This year has been a says, which can get good one for involved; not STEMparticularly in a “OUR PART IS IN headline focused events in financial way PROVIDING AN the region. Life (though that EXCITING, hosted Maker wouldn’t be turned Faire in April, down) but with HANDS-ON attracting grass-roots ENVIRONMENT” thousands to this activities - popping show of makers and up on the main designers, and the British exhibition floor with things Science Festival in September that don’t have to be expensive, provided an international but do stimulate interest. spotlight on the region.

“We want to create a Maker Faire brings together permanent maker presence on communities of makers, bound the exhibition floor so people can not by disciplines but by their do something - maybe 3-D enthusiasm for invention in craft, printing or soldering - making hi tech, low tech, futuristic, and something they can take pride in the homely. It attracted 10,000 and take home,” she says. “We people over two days from as far have a programme of Meet the afield as Tokyo and Chicago.

Scientist events with scientists “That tells us there is a thirst and from institutions UK wide,

24 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

“We have to capture the energy and enthusiasm”

appetite,” says Conlon.Then, the British Science Festival returned to Newcastle in September, hosting more than 200 events with more than 350 of the world’s leading scientists, social scientists, technologists, engineers and science communicators.

“We have to capture the energy and enthusiasm of these events,” says Conlon.

“It’s amazing to see people learning by doing at events like Maker Faire. There was a big table with soldering equipment, for example, and I saw many young girls enjoying that.

“One of the region’s business leaders later told me that her daughter had since asked for a soldering kit for her birthday. I can’t think of anything we have done in 13 years which has stimulated as much interest as Maker Faire - even the dinosaurs. It presses the buttons across the generations, which is why we are so open to the region’s businesses coming here and setting up their own pop‑up activities.”

Meanwhile, the Schools Education programme at Life is the largest in Europe. There are festivals of maths for young people; professional development workshops for teachers, helping them make science and maths exciting; and you can do a DNA masterclass or one in bacterial evolution DNA fingerprinting.

Every age is catered for, from the youngest learners to the oldest enthusiasts.

Conlon feels that there is a momentum for STEM now, which she wants to harness.

“It’s happening organically, in small ways all over the place.

To harness that, you need energy, enthusiasm, expertise.

Yes, you need money, but I also feel you can do a lot without it through sharing; it just needs that impetus to get it off the ground.

“Research shows that

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 25

INTERVIEW parents still do not consider STEM subjects to be feminine, but scientists are not necessarily men in white coats with a row of pens in their top pocket; girls must not close off the route to STEM subjects too soon.”

Conlon, 54, was born and bred in Newcastle. Her first job was at Procter & Gamble in Newcastle, which she left after less than a year because she, “couldn’t get excited about the sales figures for Daz”. She worked in PR at Northumbrian Water, branching out to work for several government departments. After several years as a marketing and PR freelance, she worked for Tyne and Wear Development Corporation from 1987 to 1999.

She joined the Centre for Life in 1999, becoming chief executive in 2007.

Newcastle has emerged as a city of science with a worldclass reputation. The world’s first human embryo was cloned here and the city’s research is regularly published in international science journals. Life is home to world-leading genetic and Stem cell research, and ground- breaking fertility treatments. It also provides science lab facilities for schools which don’t have them on their own campuses.

“The complexity of what goes on here is very difficult to convey,” says Conlon. “We have research, application of that research, clinics, small biotechnology companies, science education and engagement. I can’t think of anywhere in the world that does all that. We are in a prominent city centre location.

Okay, we didn’t plan to have two pubs and a nightclub on the same site, but it brings people here, to our big, colourful, city centre presence.

“Looking back, we delivered it at the right time. In the late 1990s there was a big focus on DNA and genetics and that was

single body to apply to and no the impetus, though we government department to focused also on the wider panorama of sciences. Science take responsibility; yet every government claims that STEM wasn’t at the forefront of is important.” people’s thinking like it is now, The case, she says, for thanks to the Brian Cox effect.” operational funding, has There is no public money gone because science available to science centres have centres. “The proved they can capital “THE COMPLEXITY survive – investment in OF WHAT GOES Newcastle the 10 science through centres around ON HERE IS VERY property rents, the country was DIFFICULT TO conference and something like CONVEY” banqueting, and £1bn, yet there visitor attractions has been no money – but she is working to made available since,” bring together the nation’s says Conlon. “We are operationally self-sufficient, but science centres to campaign for capital. Newcastle’s when it comes to capital turnover is about £6m, its £2m replacement and renewal we profit ploughed back in to have to look for grants like day-to-day operations. While everyone else. There is no

the nation’s museums are funded to maintain their collections, science centres get nothing, and they don’t even have a place to go to ask for money. “We are working together now to decide who we make the case to.”

A problem, she says, is in quantifying the effect of what centres like hers do. “It vexes centres all over the world. A family might get an annual pass and come each time we have something new, or they may come once a year.

Measuring effectiveness is very difficult.”

Back to the big shop window attractions, and there’s nothing like dinosaurs or a Maker Faire to bring people through the doors, but for Conlon and her team, the most rewarding part of what they do is seeing youngsters engaged in STEM activities.

“Children,” she says, “fascinate me because they don’t know what they’re doing. The awe, wonder, excitement and total unself-conscious nature of them is wonderful.

“We have a duty and a responsibility to capture that. I hope the region’s businesses will join us in helping us to do that.”

NECC members interested in showcasing their activities at the Centre for Life are invited to contact Sheela Joy, tel 0191 243 8292, email sheela.joy@life.org.uk

26 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

SKILLS

Nice work

A little-known workforce in the south of the region may have an unconventional ‘home’ life, but they’re plugging the gaps caused by a lack of skills in the wider community, discovers Jane Pikett

I

followed by paid am happily settled at The employment outside.

Grange Coffee Shop, The prisoners holding down watching the torrential jobs on the outside come and rain battering the glass go to work in their car or by bus, houses and poly tunnels just as you or I would. The only outside. The coffee and cake, difference is, they spend their served with a smile by two non-working and sleeping time lovely lads, Anthony and in prison.

Andrew, hits the spot.

The prison is providing a The Grange has only been significant workforce for the open a couple of weeks and the area and filling skills gaps. Paid boys are glad of the work. “It’s a at least minimum wage privilege to be here,” says and in parity with Anthony, smiling any other worker, broadly. The ‘here’ local employers to which he refers “IT IS A PLACE are queuing up is not only the LESS CONCERNED to recruit them. café and shop, WITH PUNISHMENT “They’re but also Her THAN PREPARATION good time FOR LIFE” Majesty’s Prison keepers with Kirklevington good sick records,” Grange near Yarm, says the prison’s head home to Anthony and Andrew as they begin to prepare of reducing re-offending, Graeme Parry. “They have to themselves for life on the earn the right to go out and earn outside after serving lengthy and they work hard in return.” jail sentences.

Behind him on his office wall This is a transitional unit, hangs a photograph of a former where prisoners in the final prisoner being presented with months of their sentences the Hartlepool College Student follow three employment steps of the Year Award 2012. This – a job within the prison, young man was a life sentence followed by a minimum of 30 prisoner, now out on licence, his days unpaid community work,

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Graeme Parry, HMP Kirlevington Grange

life, it seems, thoroughly turned around. There is a sense here of mutual respect between staff and prisoners. As Parry and I walk the corridors, prisoners nod and smile hello, and greet Parry with a ‘afternoon Mr P,’ or a ‘hello Graeme’.

The place feels more like a sixth form college than what I’d imagined a prison to be. There are no clanking keys and slamming doors, and the cells are more like student halls of residence than ‘Porridge’. It’s not a holiday camp by any means,

but it is a place less concerned with punishment than preparation for life.

“I say to every one of them at their exit interview, ‘I’m delighted to see you go and I don’t wish to see you again’,” says Parry. “We’re here to help them never enter the system again.”

Anthony in the coffee shop is 32. A tall, handsome man, he is set to return to his old job with his old employer when he is released. “I’ve been so lucky that they want me back,” he

says. “It’s great to be here, preparing to get back to life on the outside and being trusted with a job here at the café. Being here is helping me prepare, giving me back my confidence to work again.”

Andrew, 31, is coming to the end of an eight-and-a-half year sentence and, until he took up his post in the café, he’d never had a job. Appearing shy, he explains quietly how it feels to be trusted to work here, handling money, interacting with the public. He has a shop-fitting job

awaiting him on his release.

Men working on the outside are paid the same as anyone else, but the Prisoners Earnings Act ensures that after tax, NI, and £20 per week, they pay a 40% levy on the remainder of their earnings, which goes direct to Victim Support. They then use whatever is left as they see fit; to fund weekend home visits, their own car and fuel to get to work, and travel for home leave.

The prisoners on the community service programme head out daily in a bus carrying

the slogan ‘Supporting the Local Community’, and their contribution in the last financial year was £750k-worth of minimum wage hours spent tending church grounds, parks, charity shops, forests and the like. The prison’s target this year is £1m.

On site, revenue is generated in a variety of ways. There is an agreement with RAF Leeming, where prisoners have repaired white goods in the barracks.

Produce from the glass houses and poly tunnels is sold in the

cafe and shop alongside beautiful iron work - benches and the like - made by the prisoners. The prison’s five hives provide honey for sale alongside jars of homemade jam, and there are plans to keep hens for their eggs. And the best bit - when you stop off for coffee, you can have your car valeted.

The prison is a member of NECC and is actively seeking employers in need of manpower.

Of 283 prisoners, around 80 are in paid employment outside the prison, another 80 do unpaid work in the community, and 32 are at college. Prisoners can complete courses and qualifications at Kirklevington, there’s a job club where they work on CVs and applications, and the careers service has an office here.

Prisoners’ employers are fully supported by the prison. Parry, who has worked in the Prison Service for 18 years, says: “A prisoner told me recently that he was the first person in three generations of his family to have a job. It was a major step.”

The prison supplies a variety of workers including scaffolders, mechanics, drivers, kitchen staff and forestry workers. Attitudes to employing serving prisoners vary, says Parry, but employers come back time and again to boost their workforce.

I leave Kirklevington armed with vegetables bought in the shop, carried to my car for me by Anthony. As I get into the car, I spot a grey squirrel atop the perimeter fence. He’s showing no sign of making a run for it, and with produce like this on site, I don’t blame him. Next time, I’m staying for tea.

To discuss employing prisoners contact Graeme Parry, tel 01642 792 669, email graeme.parry@noms.gsi.gov.uk or Andy Haslam, tel 01642 792668, email andrew.haslam@hmps.gsi. gov.uk The café, shop and car valeting bay at HMP Kirklevington Grange is open to the public seven days a week, 7am-6pm (follow signs for the visitor car park)

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 29

NECC FOCUS

North East international

The region has fared well in recent years in terms of inward investment, so how, asks Jane Pikett, can the private sector use its muscle further as the global and national market place becomes ever-more competitive?

L

ord Adonis, in his report commissioned by the North East LEP in April, highlighted the need for the region to focus on promoting itself at home and abroad as a magnet for trade, talent, tourism and - crucially - inward investment.

We fare well in the latter, third only to the larger Manchester and Greater London in our record of more than 42,000 jobs created through direct foreign investment 2005-2012.

The region is also unique in the UK as a net exporter, and it is home to global players including Eversheds, KPMG and HSBC, which nurtures our reputation overseas.

So how do we maximise our potential for foreign investment and UK-grown business? A new private sector assessment of inward investment activity across both Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas in the region entitled Bringing Business to

the Table: NECC’s Inward Investment Report, focuses on the many benefits the private sector can offer. The report, from NECC with guidance from a private sector steering group chaired by NECC Partner member Eversheds LLP, highlights private sector influence and in their foreword to the report, Eversheds partner Charles Reynard and senior associate Richard Eglington state: “It is important that ...the private sector is used to leverage its experience and connections to keep the North East at the top of the list.”

As mentioned, the North East has fared well, from Nissan’s arrival in Sunderland in 1986 to the more recent welcome to Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe. “Once successfully embedded,” says the report, “the impact of such large companies is hugely positive for the entire region through expansion, supply chain developments and the potential to bring additional businesses and operations to the region.”

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Re-location from within the UK There are opportunities for the region to encourage UK-based businesses to locate facilities in the North East.

Case study: Accenture

Accenture had a presence in the North East for 15 years before changing its business model to provide a delivery centre capability instead of locating staff with clients. The first UK delivery centre was in London and the second in Newcastle, chosen for its competitive property costs, low staff attrition rate and local skills.

Employment at the Newcastle base increased 50% to 300 in 2011-12 and the firm has launched a scheme to train 40 apprentices.

Foreign Direct Investment

For 2012/13, the North East LEP landed 26 projects creating 1,693 new jobs, safeguarding 510 more.

Case study: Air Products

At the Tees Valley New Energy and Technology Business Park, Air Products is constructing the UK’s largest advanced gasification-based renewable energy-from-waste (EfW) plant.

Tees Valley was chosen for its available industrial land, access to electrical infrastructure, excellent road links, and workforce skills. The plant has created around 700 construction jobs and will provide 50 permanent jobs.

Expansion of foreignowned companies

If foreign-owned companies can be embedded effectively into the local economy, they will be more inclined to put down roots and broaden their operations.

Case study: TRW

In January 2013, the American-owned TRW announced a £15m investment in its Sunderland plant, supported by £1.75m from the Regional Growth Fund, underpinning the long-term future of the plant.

Support for the investment was provided by Sunderland City Council’s business investment team.

Repatriation of manufacturing

Mergers and acquisitions

With increasing costs in many offshore locations, the repatriation of manufacturing and service functions is now a genuine prospect.

When North East companies are bought by foreign-owned firms, there is a decision to be made regarding location, which is both a threat and an opportunity; one for which the region must be prepared.

Case study: Roman Showers

Roman moved its price entry range abroad in 2005, but in 2010 returned it to its Newton Aycliffe plant in the face of increasing costs of Chinese labour and freight. MD David Osborne says: “There were increased import costs and regular currency fluctuations. We wanted better control of product development, quality, and customer service. It was a great success.”

Case study: Jordan Valley Semiconductors

When it was acquired by an Israeli firm, Jordan Valley Semiconductors had to justify any decision to retain its operations in the region. To do so, it highlighted the competitive price of manufacturing in the North East and operations were retained here.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 31

Hay & Kilner proudly presents...

Till Death us do Part How to Manage a Departure

Hay & Kilner’s employment lawyers will be looking at how recent changes in the law have altered the managed departure support they provide to businesses.

This role play demonstation will include scenarios showing the departure of an employee that is resisted, with allegations of discrimination / victimisation, and another that is resolved by way of a negotiation leading to a Settlement Agreement.

A review of the new shareholder / employee principles will also be covered.

Venue: Centre for Life, Newcastle Date: Thursday 7th November 2013 Time: 8:30am - 10:45am Feedback from the previous seminar: "Hay & Kilner's employment seminars are engaging and realistic. They have helped our HR managers improve their knowledge and understanding, and most of all, their handling of difficult people situations.�

To book your free place at this seminar contact Jenny Simon Call: 0191 232 8345 Email: jenny.simon@hay-kilner.co.uk 32 / CONTACT / FEB - MAR 2013

NECC FOCUS Key areas in which the private sector can contribute

Business support infrastructure

Presenting the region as internationally connected, open for business and supporting business growth.

Lead generation

Communicating the North East’s offer to a broader audience to develop a pipeline of potential investors.

Articulation of the offer

Capitalising on existing brands in the North East to create sector champions; add private sector input to enhance inward investment offers.

Repatriation of manufacturing

Repatriation of operations to the North East in the face of increasing costs in Far East and Eastern European markets.

Encourage businesses to enter supply chains to help embed investor businesses here.

Why would I base my business in the North East?

Support infrastructure

A strong regional support infrastructure is needed to attract investors and encourage existing firms to retain and expand operations within the North East. Private sector networks demonstrate a ‘can do’ attitude and reassure investors.

Skills

The North East has a strong skills infrastructure which needs to be integrated with the inward investment process to help investors access the most appropriate provider.

Finance

A range of financial support is available to support businesses, highlighting the fact that the North East is open for business investment.

Nationally, reduced UK corporation tax makes the UK an attractive location, especially for US investors, and the North East has a range of specific measures

available to support businesses including the Regional Growth Fund, Enterprise Zones and the Growing Places Fund.

Sector groupings

The private sector can also provide peer support for investors to support them to embed in the North East and grow. Sector groupings can be used to attract investors by promoting the region as a vibrant hub for key investment sectors, and can also help to embed and retain companies once they have located through the provision of peer support and a coherent sector body for articulating lobbying issues, such as skills.

Lead generation

With an accessible interface to delivery organisations, private sector input could help develop a regional pipeline supplementing UKTI’s pipeline to increase inward investment activity throughout the North East. Private sector activity can help to stimulate interest and spread the area message, before feeding leads in to delivery partners with UKTI acting as an additional avenue for support.

Interface with delivery partners

The capacity of the private sector to generate inward investment leads must be supported through a no wrong door approach with delivery organisations through the LEPs and any combined authorities. This approach will help to strengthen the development of an independent North East inward investment pipeline.

Articulating the offer

The strong brand names located within the North East should be utilised to add credibility to investor offers. Inclusion of case studies and sector champions within the inward investment offer will enhance proposals by capitalising on the strength of business-to-business communications.

50 Great Reasons to do business in the North East NECC members have taken the opportunity to promote the region during organised trade missions. Hart Door Systems of Newcastle participated in a

trade mission to Russia led by the British Chambers of Commerce in March and NECC’s 50 Great Reasons campaign material was translated into Russian in support.

Naylors and Northumbria University recently participated in a Newcastle City Council trip to Atlanta and circulated the 50 Great Reasons campaign. Translations are now planned in Chinese, Japanese, French and German.

Recommendations for action LEPs

Identify key players from key sectors to match LEP focus.

Private sector advisory board linked to LEPs to include professional services and sector champions.

Co-ordinated public sector approach to property and planning to support repatriation of operations.

Flexible finance available to support supply chain entry.

Mapping of the current delivery structure and priorities to enable private sector to feed in leads.

Private sector

Commit to circulating a positive message about the North East among existing contact networks.

Volunteer as sector champions to add the private sector to the inward investment offer.

Develop relations with local delivery partners.

Investigate the opportunity to repatriate elements of manufacturing to the North East.

NECC commitments

Circulation of NECC’s 50 Great Reasons resource to support private sector activity.

Encourage members to investigate the opportunity to repatriate manufacturing to the North East by raising awareness of existing case studies.

Brief regional decision makers on Bringing Business to the Table and its recommendations for action.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 33

EXPORT

TO RUSSIA, WITH LOVE

The region’s export record is good and our reach overseas is growing, but how to get started?

NECC’s new Access Programme is opening doors

HAND OF FRIENDSHIP There was a distinctly Teutonic flavour at the region’s largest business membership organisation recently.

Visitors from the Mid Ruhr Chamber of Commerce in Bochum, Germany, arrived in the region to sample North East culture, meet with businesses, and share good practice with counterparts at the North East Chamber of Commerce.

Dr Sabine Schlaeger, Dr Hans-Peter Merz and Helmut Diegel were welcomed to the region by NECC chief executive James Ramsbotham, who accompanied them on visits to Port of Tyne, Gestamp Tallent and Kromek, as well as arranging viewings of the Lindisfarne Gospels, a visit to NewcastleGateshead Quayside and Locomotion.

“It’s always great to talk about the good things we do at NECC, particularly when our progress has been noticed in foreign fields,” says Ramsbotham. “Our German visitors were keen to hear about

how we recruit members, but also the make-up of the regional business community and our strengths in exports and manufacturing.”

Dr Schlaeger is one of three directors at Pentagal Chemie und Maschinenbau GmbH, a medium-sized family-run engineering company. Herr Diegel is general manager of the Mid Ruhr Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dr Merz is head of the chamber’s International Trade Department.

Herr Diegel said: “I’m convinced that the exchange between our organisations will be of mutual benefit. We are very interested in working with NECC members and staff, particularly in the co-operation between education and businesses, which is a key topic of our development strategy.

“It was great to meet such interesting people and businesses and we very much look forward to welcoming a delegation from the North East to Germany next year.”

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designed to help North East For Victoria McLaren, trading with Russia is as commonplace companies develop or initiate a market presence in the as popping out to the corner expanding markets of Brazil, shop; an “obvious step”, India and Russia. she says, with its wealth of The ERDF-funded Access opportunity.

Programme is designed McLaren, MD of Solo to highlight business Thermal Imaging in Darlington, opportunities in these countries admits that her team’s initial and over the next two years perception was that the it will dispel myths and Russians would be preconceptions about difficult to deal trading overseas with, but while while highlighting experience “TO SUCCEED IN support has taught RUSSIA, BRITISH packages her that they FIRMS MUST TAKE available for strike a hard A LONG-TERM North East bargain, they’re companies keen also, in her VIEW” to engage with words, “highly these markets. professional”, The programme includes and she is planning an market development grants, expansion of Russian markets. market intelligence events and “To succeed in Russia,” market visits: says Trevor Barton, executive director of the Russo-British MARKET DEVELOPMENT Chamber of Commerce, GRANTS “UK companies must take a These can provide funding long-term view, spend time for North East companies to making the right contacts and buy-in additional consultancy learning from the many UK support to facilitate market business people who have entry development. The grant been operating successfully in is available to companies Russia for years.” which are already experienced Exactly that is at hand with exporters or those in the early an innovative new programme

5 minutes with...

Expert insight:

Trevor Barton, executive director, Russo-British Chamber of Commerce

Nynzi Maung

Access Programme manager and international market development executive

stages of business and unable to employ the skills of an export professional.

EVENTS A varied events programme of country-specific workshops, seminars and briefings will cover a range of topics from upcoming tangible market opportunities and practical advice on market entry strategies to tackling market specific non-tariff barrier challenges such as customs, certification and taxation. Attendees will also have the chance to meet companies already trading with these markets, offering practical advice and honest perspectives.

MARKET VISITS Open to any industry and aimed at providing North East companies with a passport to developing their business insight, or trading relations with Brazil, Russia and India.

For further information regarding the ERDF-funded Access Programme, contact Nynzi Maung, tel 08450 768 391, email nynzi.maung@necc.co.uk

Overview of your role on the new NECC Access Programme: To provide practical support to North East companies wishing to fully exploit the trading opportunities in these three markets.

Who are you targeting with the Programme?

There are two target groups; those who are experienced exporters and up to now haven’t attempted to penetrate these markets, and those already trading but who are looking to expand their presence.

What are the common perceptions about these markets?

That they are ‘too difficult’ - true, they are not for making a ‘quick buck’, but they cannot be ignored. Any North East company trading internationally will need to consider either one or all of these markets, for the benefit of their long-term future.

What’s next on the Access Programme event agenda?

October 30 - a seminar on Russia at the Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle, focusing on making GOST certification easy.

Contact gemma.bainbridge@ necc.co.uk Also, November 21 - an annual conference on ‘Russia: Practical Solutions’, at St James’ Park.

Russia is the UK’s fastestgrowing export market, with the value of UK exports to the country increasing by more than £2bn in the past two years. For British companies of all sectors and sizes, the market holds huge potential.

There is a growing middle class with an appetite for quality product and for UK companies in particular, the ‘British Brand’ is a true asset, with the stamp ‘Made in the UK’ recognised as a mark of quality.

Russia’s ambitious plans for infrastructure development are also promising. Ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2018 Football World Cup an array of major infrastructure projects have been implemented, offering tremendous opportunities for UK companies to share their expertise.

There are plenty of myths about the Russian market, but companies rarely, if ever, face difficulties any worse than in other markets.

Case study:

Solo Thermal Imaging Ltd

Darlington-based Solo Thermal Imaging Ltd is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of thermal imaging, and is at the forefront of firefighting, search and rescue and surveillance operations.

The company manufactures everything on site and 80 per cent of its sales are exports to countries including China, the USA, Australia, South and East Asia and, most recently Russia.

MD Victoria McLaren says: “There was every reason to consider doing business with Russia. It is an up and coming market with money to invest in the fire market.

“Our initial perception was that the Russians would be very difficult to deal with.

In our experience, it quickly became apparent that this was complete hearsay. Sure, they strike a hard bargain but they simply want to ensure good price efficiency and are highly professional.”

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 35

SUCCESS

Hanging on the telephone Bryn Littleton meets Mike Odysseas, a man who has known the best, and the worst, of life in telecoms

I

’m late for my meeting with Mike Odysseas. It’s only by five minutes, but first impressions are important.

My tardiness is down to the major roadworks in the centre of Stockton, a multi-million pound infrastructure project that will ease traffic congestion and open up quicker routes to and from the town’s Preston Farm business park.

However, this particular morning it’s a log jam. Having successfully negotiated cones, ramps and traffic lights and arrived at Odyssey Systems, I’m relieved to discover Odysseas too is running late, as he’s just back from an emergency run for ice lollies for his entire workforce.

“They’re the healthy option ones,” he states, quickly doling out iced treats around the office as I offer apologies.

“Don’t worry about it. Was it the roadworks? Yeah, they’re a pain, but those works are so important for Stockton and will really benefit business in the town.” Mike Odysseas’ glass is always half full.

An entrepreneur who over the past 25 years has built one of the region’s most successful telecommunications companies, Odysseas is as brutally honest about past

the two customers that had business failures as he is ordered them, I’d make them about his commitment to his for the entire restaurant to save loyal workforce and further developing Odyssey Systems. time, and by the time I’d finished making them all they’d He thinks fast, talks fast be stone cold. and, over the course of the “I really loved the job and interview, it is evident that he didn’t have a care in the world also acts fast, with his ability to spot an opportunity and act then one day I took a call from a friend of my father’s. It on it clearly key to his was a chap called Joe early ventures into Telford who asked the world me one question of business.

“MY FIRST LESSON; – “do you want However, THE LATEST to be a waiter for that business CUTTING-EDGE the rest of your instinct is TECHNOLOGY IS life?” something NOT ALWAYS THE “It was just one that has been ANSWER” simple question, but honed over the it really hit home. I was years. Odysseas’ happy and enjoyed my life, first foray into the world of entrepreneurialism was, in his but until that point my future wasn’t something that I had words, “an absolute disaster”. really thought too much about.”

Stockton-raised, he moved Telford, a teacher, worked to Preston as a teenager and with Odysseas to create a was happily making a living piece of software to provide as a waiter in his uncle’s online help for users of the restaurant when an early BBC Model B computers. unexpected phone call was to “This was an unmitigated change his life.

“I was the best waiter in the disaster!” says Odysseas.

“People couldn’t get their world,” laughs Odysseas. “I heads around it. We were could run the restaurant from constantly asked “Why do I the front of house and I’d be need this software? I have this looking after 160 customers enormous book that tells me on my own. And while I was what to do!” obviously brilliant, the service “These books were hundreds was a complete joke! I of pages thick, but people just couldn’t just make coffees for

36 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

weren’t ready for online help at the time and we lost a lot of money, but this provided my first real lesson in business - that the latest cutting edge technology is not always the answer.”

Glass cases surround the boardroom table at Odyssey Systems containing telephones from the very earliest models to state-ofthe-art touchscreen iPhones.

The collection includes a selection of mobile devices, from “bricks” made famous by Michael Douglas in Wall Street to the first car phones, WAP phone technology right up to modern devices.

It was the rise in popularity of car phones and mobile systems that was to set Odysseas back onto the entrepreneurial path and

ultimately lead to the creation of Odyssey Systems.

“After the software disaster I was broke. I literally did not have a penny and I bumped into a friend,” says Odysseas. “I had installed a car phone in this piece of junk Mazda I was driving and it immediately caught his eye. He said that he wanted one and out of instinct I told him I sold them. Of course I didn’t, I have no idea why I said that, but it was out before I had time to think about it.

“He asked how much and I plucked the figure £1,500 from somewhere – I didn’t have a clue! I told him I could have it fitted in his car and we shook on it. Fortunately I found someone who could install it and that is how I started selling car phones and mobiles.”

It wasn’t long before

clever features that would Odysseas had taken on a help our clients.” couple of employees and was From Odyssey Systems’ operating from a base in Preston Farm Offices in Middlesbrough, but he was to Stockton, Odysseas’ 32 soon realise that the rise of employees can constantly large mobile telephone retailers like Carphone Warehouse could monitor customer service, with wall-mounted flat screens spell the end of most showing everything from the independent traders. number of calls a client is “I decided to making and receiving concentrate on to their internet telephone systems usage. They can and we began “IF LOCAL pinpoint faults installing AUTHORITIES within seconds, BOUGHT LOCAL, THE telephone NET EFFECT WOULD switching switchboards, BE THREE-FOLD” clients to supplying back-up systems cabling, providing so their telephony call logging; always remains online. anything the customer Odysseas always employs wanted, really. at least two trainees in his “And we developed our team of 14 engineers. products; concentrating on “Our trainees know that if providing excellent customer they work hard and perform service, better pricing and

well we look after them.

All our employees must have a personality; if you don’t have that we’re going to struggle to get along.

“We also match our guys with the customer to ensure that they will get along.

“If one of our clients wants to speak with me then I am available, anytime, anywhere.”

Odysseas, who was raised in the Bowesfield Lane area of Stockton, is equally committed to the North East.

The vast majority of his 1,500 clients are in the region, he says. “I believe in buying local. If local authorities purchased local the net effect would be three-fold.

Unfortunately that doesn’t happen, but it would be a brilliant way to revitalise the local economy.”

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 37

FAB 5

Fab 5 Magic dragons We’ve all got that one business idea that we think would get past the formidable dragons on BBC2’s Dragon’s Den. Liz Hands finds out who your favourite dragons are

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Shaun Causer

Laura Sharpe MD, Sharpe Recruitment

MD, Simply Bows and Chair Covers

Sarah Pittendrigh Jonathon Stokes

Ian Gott

Peter Jones because his first-ever business failed and he still made it big.

He set up a company making PCs in the early 90s and it didn’t work.

He was so skint, he ended up moving back in with his parents.

That’s hard for anyone, but the fact that he picked himself up, dusted himself down, got on with his life and learnt from his mistakes would make anyone aspire to be like him.

Imagine; you not only lost your business but you end up losing your home, too.

If he reads this, I’ll expect a pint off him next time he’s up in the North East!

It’s got to be Hilary Devey. She’s just brilliant. She says it exactly how it is. And, she’s got awesome dress sense which can’t fail to make you smile.

Those shoulder pads are just brilliant. You’ve got to love a bit of Devey power dressing.

She is very blunt, but I don’t think she ever goes too far with the people who are pitching for investment, because she’s honest and she always remains professional and constructive in her business appraisals. I like Deborah Meaden, but she comes across as more arrogant. Hilary seems a bit more real.

Theo Paphitis is a real champion of small business.

Theo’s Small Business Sunday (SBS), which he runs through Twitter, gives small businesses the opportunity to tweet Theo. He reads through them all and re-tweets the six businesses he thinks are worthy of a re-tweet to his nearly 400,000 followers. Once a year he gets all those businesses he’s re‑tweeted together for an opportunity to meet him and to network, which I’m doing in November.

He gives up a huge amount of his time to support small and fledgling businesses.

With the current series of Dragon’s Den it is difficult to choose a favourite from the three established Dragons but I think I am going to plump for Deborah – which is surprising because when I first started watching I didn’t like her.

My first impression of Deborah was that she was a hard, unlikeable character but over the years I’ve realised there is much more to her than that. Yes, she is tough on visitors to the den but usually for good reason. It is one of the most entertaining parts of the show when she gets furious with potential investees.

Marketing manager, Newlife Cleaning

38 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

Head of dispute resolution, Gordon Brown Law Firm LLP

The suave and urbane James Caan is a loss; and to think he’s invested in a law firm! He should have said, “I’m out”! Hilary Devey was a pussy cat, once you got past the armour plated power suit.

The ever curmudgeonly Duncan Bannatyne is always a source of amusement and Deborah Meaden is a combination of intuition and flair.

So, Theo and Peter.

There is so much to admire in what Theo has done with the businesses he has turned round.

But for me, it has to be Peter; sharp and incisive; yet with a sense of humour and fun. But above all, it is the socks.

Director, Gott Technical Services

I DON’T SEE BORDERS I SEE OPPORTUNITIES. AS A CHAMBER MEMBER I’M WELL CONNECTED. IF IT’S NEW CUSTOMERS YOU’RE AFTER OR THE RIGHT ADVICE TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS GROWING, BELONGING TO YOUR LOCAL ACCREDITED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEANS YOU ARE ALWAYS WELL CONNECTED. VISIT WWW.NECC.CO.UK TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS. #JOINYOURCHAMBER

PROFILE

On a mission Jake Tompkins can point to the fact his firm’s work rivals any computer game, so why are more youngsters not becoming engineers, asks Owen McAteer

I

t’s Boy’s Own stuff – underwater robots seeking out unexploded bombs and detonating them, making a seabed littered with the things (relics of the war, most of them) a safe place for the heroes of offshore wind farms to work.

So why, asks Jake Tompkins, don’t more young people want to get into engineering?

And as he endeavours to get more young people into the sector, his company, Modus Seabed Intervention, is a leader in this subsea work – a recent development for the firm, whose core business is in underwater cable laying and support work for subsea infrastructure.

Its clients include firms working in offshore renewables such as wind power, oil and gas, telecommunications, defence and security.

It’s a little known fact to most of us, but as more wind farms are developed off the UK coastline, unexploded explosive devices present a serious hazard, which is where Modus, a specialist in the deployment of the underwater robots called ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles), comes in.

Tompkins says: “There’s a lot

of unexploded ordnance and a lot of it is coastal at a time when many offshore wind farms are being developed close to the coast. Most of it is from the Second World War; when bombers were flying back from missions they would just dump them in the sea rather than taking the risk of flying back with a full payload.

“Other unused ordnance was dumped offshore after the War and some could have been from test firing.”

The ROV used for this type of work is an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle); a remote-controlled robot which doesn’t have to be attached to a ship by an umbilical cable while operating at depth.

Modus specialists send AUVs to identify targets and then use ROVs to put detonating charges next to them.

With most of its previous work carried out by ROVs attached to ships by cables, this development has led Modus to set up a new division specialising in AUV robots, with former Royal Navy officer Richard Hill leading it.

The firm has grown and

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“We are firmly rooted in the North East and will continue to be so”

developed constantly since its foundation five years ago, and other recent developments include a geological consultancy business.

The company is also working on bringing new talent into the subsea industry; a rapid growth sector worth £9bn a year to the UK economy.

There are more than 50 firms in the North East alone, employing 15,000 people and with annual revenues of £1.5bn, yet the sector still suffers a skills gap.

“There is a shortage of engineers and technically qualified people with subsea experience, and the perception of engineering, particularly to a number of school-age pupils, is that it is a dirty, grease and muck-type industry,” says Tompkins. “But it is a specialist industry, very challenging and very rewarding with great opportunities in terms of career and global prospects of employment.

“We need to give that understanding and opportunity to as many as we can; we have apprentices within the business and give work experience and work placement opportunities to young people at school and university.

“We’re working with Teesside University and Darlington College to develop a specific training strategy for subsea-related engineering and we hope to introduce the first phase of that during this calendar year.”

Tompkins’ father Charles is credited with transforming Darlington into a major centre for the UK subsea industry by bringing CTC Marine, founded in 1993, to the town, but Tompkins Jnr didn’t always intend to follow in his footsteps.

“Charles had always been in the offshore sector so it had been part of my life from day one, but I had studied design at university, following a

engineering, project foundation degree in management and provision engineering, so I went into of personnel. advertising after graduation. It “The risk profile had gone up, was a fairly brief sojourn, but to develop the business though, and after seven or through that difficult period eight months I went to join has given us a very strong CTC, which was quite a small foundation.” company at that time.

Having started with three “They were looking to bring ROVs, the firm now has a fleet in a systems designer and that of nine. It employs 50 staff took me down a career path at onshore and a further 15 CTC for the next 10 years, offshore. A further 50 or so working through various offshore contractors are different sections such as working for the firm and it had project management and business development, before I turnover of £14.5m last year.

“At the moment we are North took a board level position as business development director. Sea-focused in the Dutch and German sectors and we have “CTC was probably the first subsea-related business based recently completed some operations in the Americas, in Darlington in terms of Mediterranean and West Africa,” subsea construction. says Tompkins.

“Now there is ourselves, “We’re in the process of Deep Ocean, Reef and Tekmar, developing plans to among others. A establish a presence in number of those “IT IS A different global companies have SPECIALIST regions and we’re evolved from INDUSTRY, VERY looking at opening CTC so maybe CHALLENGING a regional office in CTC was the AND VERY a different area.” catalyst for that REWARDING” The renewable Subsea energy sector is concentration in becoming increasingly Darlington.” important to the firm, CTC was sold to Deep accounting for around 55% of Ocean Group in 2006 and its work, with the majority of its Tompkins decided to strike out other commissions coming on his own, which led him to from oil and gas firms. start Modus in 2008, again Tompkins, a father of three, collaborating with his father.

The initial aim was to develop a is on the steering committee of a programme to address youth fleet of ROVs and rent them unemployment in Darlington. out to larger companies.

He is also a trustee of First Stop Circumstances beyond their Darlington, which works with control dramatically changed disadvantaged people to the plans of Tompkins and his improve their employability former CTC colleague Nigel skills. His wife Emma also Ward, who had joined Modus volunteers there. Modus is also as commercial director. part of Darlington Cares; a “It was initially a low-risk project where firms encourage plan in an area no one had staff to carry out really focused on, but as a community projects. result of the recession the Going forward, the firm, he opportunities disappeared,” says, will remain locally says Tompkins. “No one was focused, despite its global looking to rent vehicles; they were looking for mobilisation of reach. “We are firmly rooted in the North East and will continue their own assets. As a result we moved, after a period, into a to be so,” he says. “And why not?” full-service provision;

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 41

A great place to do business

COME AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD’S ONLY LEE WESTWOOD GOLF COURSES ONLY AT CLOSE HOUSE With the recent opening of the Lee Westwood Colt and the Lee Westwood Filly courses, now is the perfect time to visit us.

Close House is looking for associate partners to savour the full Close House experience: play the Lee Westwood Filly course, dine in our fabulous restaurants, hold meetings in wonderful surroundings and enjoy complimentary stays in sumptuous bedrooms. This is the perfect destination to host a charity event to raise funds for your chosen charity. Our events team will take care of every detail, ensuring that your guests enjoy superb food and tremendous entertainment, making your event a great success.

Close House offers a range of private rooms in the Grade II mansion house, all with magnificent views across the three hundred acres of parkland. It is the ideal venue to host a wide variety of events, from breakfast to all day board meetings, training seminars to larger scale corporate functions and exhibitions.

To find out more call the membership team on 01661 85 22 55.

Close House, first class business facilities, with a first class service Winners of the service award CLOSE HOUSE HOTEL & GOLF, HEDDON ON THE WALL, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE15 0HT TELEPHONE 01661 85 22 55 WWW.CLOSEHOUSE.CO.UK When travelling to Close House using a SAT NAV please use NE41 8BL

CONFERENCES

The main event The region’s hospitality and conferencing offering is as good as it’s ever been, discovers Liz Hands

T

he green shoots of economic recovery are clear to see in regional hotels across the country, according to a new report.

Prepared by analysts at Zolfo Cooper for Hotel Bulletin 2013, the research shows strong signs of profitable growth for regional hotels for the first time since Britain plunged into recession and 10 out of the 12 provincial cities surveyed reported recorded increases in room occupancy rates.

Newcastle and Belfast reported negative revenue growth but the 5% drop in room rates for Newcaste can be directly linked to a 15% increase in the size of the hotel market. with 1,500 additional bedrooms since 2011.

At the same time, a crackdown on government and local authority spending has resulted in a sharp decline in public sector-sponsored meetings and events.

Damon Roberts, joint chair of the North East Hotels Association (NEHA), says:

“The decade leading up to the recession saw huge government investment in North East infrastructure, services and jobs. Only in Northern Ireland and the North East were as many people employed in the public sector as the private sector,” adds Roberts, who has worked in the region for the past 17 years and is general manager of the Thistle Hotel in Middlesbrough.

The North East has had big successes in the past, attracting thousands of delegates from the worlds of business, science, culture, medicine and politics to its hotels and conference centres.

And the region had big plans in place before the economic downturn, with government funding to invest in a £30m advertising campaign, and advanced plans for a new £30m regional conference and exhibition centre in Gateshead.

British hotels experienced a dip in residential conference business and corporate stays, with demand contracting by 5m room nights to 53m in the run-up

to the Olympics, according to The British Hotel Guest Survey. It’s a picture that was compounded by the dismal British summer last year.

Other regions have been able to bounce back with assurance, says Roberts. As an example, he says: “Manchester was spurred on by rapid growth in its financial services, media and the BBC’s relocation.

Hotel performance is the barometer of a regional economy and Manchester is now a seven-night-a-week location.”

Against this backdrop, the hotels of the North East made a commitment three years ago to use their influence and resources to the benefit of the region, to help lead it into economic recovery.

And the NEHA certainly has a lot of clout. It is the biggest hotels association in England, with just over 3,600 rooms collectively, supporting 1,420 direct and indirect jobs and bringing millions into the economy through visitor spending.

In the past three years, membership of the organisation has doubled and Roberts believes the association’s hotel heavyweights can help to bring strong future economic growth to the region.

“The association’s sales managers have attended conference and event trade shows and this autumn we’re entertaining 24 UK conference bookers and agents, putting aside our drive to promote individual properties by working together to benefit the region.”

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 43

CONFERENCES

University expands Teesside University has applied for planning consent to build a £20m teaching and conference facility at the heart of its Middlesbrough campus.

The planning application also outlines a vision for extensive landscaping and improvements to the area.

The design of the building was initially generated as part of an architectural competition to produce a unique environment at the centre of Teesside University through the provision of a new building and ‘campus heart’ to rival any new university in the UK or Europe.

Last year, Teesside was one of the top few universities to achieve the student number target allocated by government – the Student Number Control, and it remains a popular choice for thousands of

students each year. A further 300 places have been allocated to the University by the Government for October 2013 entry.

The University has already invested approximately £150m on the Middlesbrough campus in recent years and is now committed to developing a ‘campus heart’ with its library, Students’ Union and this proposed new development creating a central space which is a safe and attractive environment for use by

Exceptional Rates for NECC Members with Fast Free Wi-fi throughout

students and the community.

The proposed new building will provide a mix of flexible modern teaching space and offices. This additional space will also mean the university can reconfigure its office accommodation on campus to further develop its library which last year underwent a £2m refurbishment and is the best university library in the North East, according to the National Student Survey 2012.

Special Day Delegate Rate from

£29pp

• Transparent packages: select a day or 24 delegate package.

• Clearly included: unlimited refreshments, stationery and supplies.

• Superfast: BT Wi-Fi throughout and the latest AV technology.

• Special perks: organiser room upgrade, late check-out and energy breaks.

• Energy boost: a range of inspiring menus, ‘Good Honest Food’.

• Getting it right: one point of contact throughout your meeting.

For more information contact: Jenna Herlingshaw jenna.herlingshaw@thistle.co.uk telephone: 01642 232 000 Terms and conditions apply.

Middlesbrough

44 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

thistle.com

ADVERTORIAL

AN INSPIRING LANDSCAPE WITH BEAUTIFUL GARDENS

T

he Alnwick Garden is one of the world’s most extraordinary contemporary gardens. The Duchess of Northumberland describes The Alnwick Garden “an inspiring landscape with beautiful gardens, unique features all brought to life with water.” Designed by Wirtz International, The Garden is a remarkable combination of spaces, themes, quirkiness and play. Alongside being home to one of the world’s largest tree houses, The Alnwick Garden boasts the beauty of the Ornamental Garden, the excitement of the Grand Cascade, the mysteries of the Bamboo Labyrinth, the spell-binding water sculptures of the Serpent Garden and the intrigue of the Poison Garden.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 45

CONFERENCES

images: ©NewcastleGateshead

Open for business They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and conference promoters in the region are hoping the same principle holds true when it comes to attracting delegates to the North East.

Destination management and marketing organisation, the NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), led conference planners on an adventure in food as part of a trip to showcase some of the inspiring experiences on offer to delegates attending an event in the region.

Planners responsible for booking conference venues were treated to a Nordic Feast as part of the EAT! festival’s programme of pop-up restaurants at The Boiler Shop Steamer in Newcastle’s Stephenson Works.

NGI chief executive Sarah Stewart says: “We were delighted to welcome these

46 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

influential event planners during EAT! NewcastleGateshead. The destination has a strong reputation for delivering a yearround programme of festivals and events, meaning there’s always something fresh and interesting happening when delegates descend on the city for major conferences.

“We hope the weekend inspired the planners and showed them that, as well as our knowledgeable and supportive Convention Bureau, first-class venues and support services, NewcastleGateshead has a huge amount to offer organisers

looking to bring their next big event to North East England.”

The trip also featured a tour of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, a stadium tour of St James’ Park, and was topped-off with a bespoke roof walk atop the Sage Gateshead.

Sandra Fontaine from Sanofi Pasteur MSD, says: “While it’s clear the place has some fantastic venues for hosting conferences, I was delighted to see some of the equally wonderful activities on offer to delegates, and indeed all visitors, to

the city.” A survey conducted by NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau revealed that delegates visiting the region enjoyed it so much that 87% would consider returning with friends and family for a leisure visit.

The Convention Bureau’s Experiences Your Delegates Will Love campaign encourages event planners to inject some fun and creativity into their conference programmes, positioning NewcastleGateshead as the ideal delegate destination.

Meeting your budget, exceeding your expectations Rockliffe Hall, the luxury five star hotel, golf and spa resort, recently awarded Silver for Business Tourism at the VisitEngland awards for Excellence, offers awardwinning facilities - without the five star price tag.

The perfect setting for meetings, conferences and events: • Great links to A1, A19 and Darlington train station • Complimentary Wi-Fi and state-of-the-art technology for smooth presentations • Award-winning food in stunning surroundings • 11 well-equipped meeting rooms • Sublime guest service, a five-star home from home

Autumn Delegate Offer This autumn, delegates can enjoy a meeting in Rockliffe Hall’s newest meeting facility; The Gatehouse from just £28+VAT per delegate including delicious lunch, refreshments and private meeting space for the day.

You will be surprised just how affordable five-star luxury can be.

www.rockliffehall.com Hurworth-on-Tees Darlington County Durham DL2 2DU +44 (0)1325 729999 enquiries@rockliffehall.com

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 47

CONFERENCES

It’s the business Deals have always been done on the golf course, and increasingly so it seems, but what about raft-building? Clay pigeon shooting? Or a corporate golf day?

There are so many ways to do business these days, and increasingly businesses are choosing to associate themselves with one venue offering a variety of entertainment options.

Mill Garages is a corporate partner of Close House Hotel and Golf. Like many of the partners, Mill uses the facilities regularly, for staff and board meetings, team building, golf and corporate entertainment.

“It’s a fantastic facility in amazing surroundings, and there is huge benefit in taking our team out of the workplace, to allow them to think creatively and enjoy

 Jeff Tab, Mill Volvo the freedom to stretch their thinking,” says Mill Garages operations director Jeff Tab. “We have our own golf competition at Close House now, which is huge fun and superbly organised for us. It’s of great benefit to our business, and a superb way to entertain our clients and friends. We as

Our approach to Meetings & Events is uncomplicated Free ‘click and go’ Fast Wifi throughout

We keep it Simple...

• Transparent packages: clear offers for 24 hour or day delegates • No surprise costs: unlimited refreshments, stationary and supplies • Vouchers for booking: cash back Booking Bonus scheme with special seasonal offers • Vibrant, fresh menus for easy dining, all-day grazing, health and concentration • Rooms for every need: flexible space from intimate meeting rooms to banqueting halls • ‘Can Do’ approach and commitments to service For more information contact: Thistle Newcastle, The County, Neville St, Newcastle Tel: +44 (0)191 206 7691 www.thistle.com

Newcastle

thistle.com

48 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

a business really feel the benefit.”

There are few players who have never dreamt of owning their own championship golf course, and Close House also offers the next best thing by allowing you to ‘own’ a course for the day, complete with your business branding on each hole.

Football With

Style

A winning combination of top facilities, first-class service and all the thrills and excitement of the Barclays Premier League - matchday hospitality at the Stadium of Light is truly in a league of its own.

With showpiece games against Manchester Utd, Newcastle Utd, Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs coming up, prices start from just £55 pp.

Call now to book your matchday hospitality on 0871 911 1555 or email hospitality@safc.com

S UND ER L A N D A S S O CI AT I O N F O OTB A LL C LU B

Manchester United Saturday - 5/10/13 5.30pm

Chelsea Wednesday - 4/12/13 7.45pm

Newcastle United Sunday - 27/10/13 1.30pm

Tottenham Hotspur Saturday - 7/12/13 3.00pm

Manchester City Sunday - 10/11/13 2.05pm

15 - game packages also available, starting from Newcastle United and guaranteeing your seat for the derby and all home league games after that

SJM Concerts by arrangement with CAA & Modest! Management presents

WE D N E S DAY 2 8 T H MAY

SUND ERLAND STADIUM OF LIGHT CONCERT HOSPITALITY FROM £145+VAT CALL 0871 911 1555, EMAIL 1DHOSPITALITY@SAFC.COM OR VISIT WWW.SAFCCONCERTS.COM

L I M I T ED AVA I L A BI L I T Y

THE HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN

ADVERTORIAL

WORLD LEADING SCIENCE FROM NORTHUMBRIAN WATER Working with the region’s Universities, Northumbrian Water is pioneering the scientific frontiers of water and waste water treatment

A

successful small trial of a hydrogen Microbial Electrolysis cell (MEC) reactor at a waste water treatment works on Tyneside has lead Northumbrian Water to try to scale up this form of energy production to fully assess its viability.

Having pioneered making electricity using Advanced Anaerobic Digestion from sewage sludge, it is now leading the industry again on another sustainable alternative energy production as the first water company in the UK to take the lead on detailed studies of MEC potential.

Northumbrian Water and Newcastle University collaborated to install a pilot at Howdon waste water treatment works - the first working MEC reactor fed on ‘real’ waste water in the world.

New methods of identifying and understanding micro biology are also being studied to shed light on sources of bacterial pollution and improve treatment processes.

Northumbrian Water is working again with Newcastle University to investigate the potential for the use of next-generation DNA sequencing – identifying and distinguishing the genetic make-up of life. It’s not only for high value medical research or finding criminals now, DNA, for example, has also been used to find traces of horse meat in ready prepared food!

The water company project is focussed on bathing water quality and the management of the activated sewage sludge treatment process. It is the first time that next-generation sequencing has been applied in an operational sense. The 16S gene is being studied using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine which can identify 10 million bacteria in just three hours.

As tighter standards for the bathing waters around our coastline are being introduced it may be possible, for example, to identify where contaminating bacteria have come from and if they are from a human, animal or bird source.

Knowledge of what and where contaminating bacteria are and come from will help pin-point the most effective place for improvement investment.

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Northumbrian Water is also working on drinking water innovation Thousands of tonnes of sludge remain every year after water has been treated to top quality to drink from the tap. Successful innovative trials, offering sustainable solutions to re-use or recycle the sludge bi-product, have been tested in the North East of England. More than two million bricks made from water treatment sludge have been used to build houses.

Also, the sludge has been spread on land to successfully start the clean-up of toxic elements including lead, arsenic and cadmium.

In addition a high energy grass crop has been grown, harvested and compressed to form a biomass block for use in domestic and commercial heating and energy systems. The collaborative research and testing work by the team from Northumbrian Water and Teesside University identified brick manufacture, and brownfield land soil remediation as viable alternatives to the existing sludge landfill which is costly in both financial and environmental terms.

With populations increasing and ever-tightening drinking water quality regulations, sludge volumes are growing annually.

There are currently 2.6 million customers in the North East and drinking water treatment results in some 16,500 dry tonnes of sludge a year. Nationally in the UK that figure is around 131,000 dry tonnes in a year.

The trial with a local brickworks investigated the optimum volumes of sludge that could be added in brick manufacture before strength would deteriorate outside strict engineering standards. The sludge was particularly suitable for brick making because of its high clay content.

After laboratory testing found that 3% added sludge was best, the trial was scaled into full production and 90 tonnes of sludge was used to produce more than two million bricks which have been used in buildings around he UK.

For more information visit www.nwl.co.uk @NorthumbrianH20

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 53

HI! TECH

“I’m in an art gallery!”

Mark Anderson’s thinks ‘smartwatches’ are the tech equivalent of the Emperor’s New Clothes, and he’s not wearing one

R

emember those idiots who wandered around bellowing into shoebox-sized ‘mobile phones’, like Dom Joly in Trigger Happy TV? Or the blokes (sorry guys, it was always blokes) who donned massive Captain Scarlet-style Bluetooth headsets so they could drive and annoy people at the same time?

Well today those goons are all wearing the newly released Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch and will be in the queue for a slew of similar products heading our way in the coming months. Sony, which knows a thing or two about wearable tech, releases its Smartwatch 2 (the first one, er, wasn’t), and Google and Apple are racing to get their versions to market. They are the ‘next step in tech’, apparently.

So what do they do? Well, when paired with a phone, the Samsung Galaxy Gear – and you can bet all new entrants will do the same at least - will store all your contacts, alert you to incoming calls, texts and social media messages. It will let you make and receive calls, take and display pictures and video, allow you to surf the web, run android apps and has GPS.

“Fantastic!” I hear you cry. But there is a problem with this. My iPhone 5 already does all of that.

Surely I can just strap it to my wrist if I want to look like an idiot? There will be room on my wrist after all, because I stopped wearing a watch years ago, when I got a decent phone that told the time accurately.

My 15-year-old daughter has never worn a watch in her life. As far as I can see, the smartwatch is just a satellite to a device you already have in your pocket or bag - either a smartphone or tablet computer.

To get the best out of the Gear, it has to be paired with a Samsung phone or tablet. The fitness apps look handy, though, as the only scenario where I might want a GPS-linked computer strapped to my body is while running.

But I ain’t paying £170 for a bangle that tells me I’m never going to beat Usain Bolt in a sprint.

I can buy a fitness watch for buttons. Smart watches bring nothing new to any party I can think of and I suspect only tech nerds and “I’m in an art gallery” show-offs will buy them. Which is great, because I can avoid people wearing them in exactly the same way I avoid criminals wearing curfew bracelets.

54 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

ADVERTORIAL

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We’re going down the pub

If you spend a lot of time driving or on trains during the working week and, like me, prefer to avoid conversations about the price of tickets/ sandwiches/fish with your fellow travellers, or another worthy Homage to the Duffle Coat half hour on Radio 4, then I heartily recommend audio book website, Audible. It’s full of all the latest blockbusters and also contains a lot of business advice stuff. Learn The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People while schlepping along the A19, or absorb Nietzsche in an hour.

Audible.co.uk

My teenage daughter has done away with speech as her primary means of communication, choosing instead to text me even when, and I’m afraid this has happened, she is in the same room as me. Not only that but she eschews proper English in favour of an arcane mix of symbols and abbreviations collectively known as ‘textspeak’. If you are afflicted with a teenager or younger colleagues with silly hair, netlingo.com will illuminate.

Netlingo.com

Facebook won’t let you send big files like videos or long audio files to friends as messages, which can be a pain when the conference speaker you are watching is dressed like a children’s TV presenter and only video will convey the true hideousness of it effectively, so download the Pipe app to Facebook and share the horror with ease. The app actually sends the file directly to your friend’s computer or smartphone, bypassing Facebook’s paltry file size limiter.

Pipe.com

Hankering for a pickled egg and a pint of lager? Thought not.

Why not instead revisit the rapidly trendifying North East pub scene. The real ale and pub scene is undergoing a revival.

Craft brewers are selling everything they can produce and hipster bars like Ernest in Newcastle’s Ouseburn and Darlington’s Number 22 are thronged with a crowd enjoying a cheeky wheat beer with their olive tapenade and artisan loaf.

Check out cheersnortheast. co.uk which has a handy A-Z of the best of them all.

Cheersnortheast.co.uk

B

Businesses are under increasing pressure to adopt social media as marketing and communications platforms, but in doing so they may be leaving themselves open to risks which aren’t yet fully understood. For many businesses, Facebook and Twitter have become “musthaves” for communication with customers. The perception is that this cheap one-to-many channel offers cost-effective ways of getting messages out quickly through networks of fans and followers.

Unfortunately it can backfire, as many companies have found, because a few disgruntled customers or mischief-makers can use the same channels to spread stories of bad service, bad products or worse about the company.

It’s difficult to prevent this sort of activity, but you can take steps to monitor it and react to it.

Monitoring doesn’t, necessarily, involve having someone watching a screen 24 hours a day just waiting for the unwanted to happen. Both Facebook and Twitter have options (albeit quite well hidden) to download archives of the data that they hold roughly every 24 hours.

These archives include messages sent and received, Internet addresses used to access the account, copies of pictures and videos and all sorts of other interesting information.

We’ve successfully used data from these archives as evidence in criminal cases, but the information in them is easy to read, in a web browser, and a few minutes spent reviewing your corporate archive can help to identify unwanted issues so you can deal with them before they become a real problem. Of course, if you find something really unpleasant in there, you might need some extra help. Typically, a competent digital evidence examiner can deal with queries relating to social media in about an hour, so it won’t cost much, but could save a lot.

Angus Marshall is a director of n-gate ltd., a firm which specialises in solving “interesting” forensic science problems.

He is also a registered expert adviser to law enforcement agencies and the UK’s principal expert on digital evidence to the ISO Information Security committee.

Tel : 0870 1998 506 email: contact@n-gate.netwww OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 55

OUT TO LUNCH

Hope for homeless A social enterprise and its city-centre café offshoot impress Alastair Gilmour enormously tackles today. A profound social conscience and a passion for helping vulnerable people through training and personal development also makes her particularly well suited to the role.

“The group we cater for at Crisis – people aged 22 to 55 – is not considered to be a priority,” says Grimes. “People become homeless for numerous reasons; it could be through addiction, debt, joblessness, homelessness, mental issues, relationship difficulties or marital breakdown. While these things can happen to most people [without becoming homeless] the tipping point is that they have two or more of them happen, making them vulnerable.”

And when Grimes explains the above over an agreeable lunch at the Crisis Café in central Newcastle there may be a reaction of, ‘there by the grace of God’.

Crisis was founded in London in 1967 in response to the Ken Loach film, Cathy Come Home, televised the previous year and fuelled thereafter by a campaign to highlight the plight of the homeless. More than 40 years later, they haven’t gone away.

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❝

We have to be very business-like to survive.

We’re not woolly headed

❝

I

n all honesty, do we think much about the homeless?

Shouldn’t we leave them to their own devices? Is not caring where you bed down for the night the limit of some people’s social ambition, in which case, why should we bother?

If you think that way, talk to June Grimes (pictured top), director of Crisis Skylight Newcastle; the first of the charity’s centres for single homeless people outside London. She radiates compassion and the impact strikes deep.

“We specialise in the single homeless, the majority of them male,” she says, “and with the current welfare reform we’re seeing more people coming through.”

Grimes has never been homeless herself (you have to ask these things) but a background in management in social housing, residential care, education and complementary therapies informs all she

Grimes says: “Our definition of homeless isn’t ‘street’ homeless, it’s people who have no security of tenure; for them it’s hostels, sofa-surfing, living with friends and family.”

Crisis Skylight Newcastle operates like any other business, offering a range of creative workshops, art classes, vocational workshops, tailored employment programmes and accredited qualifications in literacy, numeracy, IT and English language for non-native speakers.

Its café, which opened in 2007, specialises in training, work experience and qualifications for those aiming to work in the catering industry. The training, registered with City & Guilds among others, is thorough, rising to diploma level, and café manager Christine McDermott isn’t shy about reeling off a clutch of awards won recently by trainees.

“Our minimum aim is to bring back the spark into people’s lives,” says Grimes. “We do that through engagement, entrusting and basic skilling; even with art and how to do sums. A lot of people have had bad experiences in education, yet some are very well educated.

“Most of them want employment and we work with other agencies in the city towards that. It is engagement, education, learning skills, qualifications and getting into work which will overcome what they have in their lives.

“Even if we can encourage them to come to an art class two mornings a week, we can ignite a spark. It’s two hours they’re not drinking; they’re socialising and learning to build their lives. It’s small, but so important. After that it’s good to hear people talking about themselves in a positive way.”

Most Crisis funding is sourced from individual donations, corporate input, and statutory sources. The Northern Rock Foundation is a notable supporter.

Crisis Skylight may be a charity, but it’s also strictly a business with all the issues that brings. “We’re a social enterprise,” Grimes says, “but we have to make a profit, work along recognised business lines and have accountability to trustees.

“We have to be very business-like to survive and it’s important for the voluntary sector to become more efficient. We’re not woolly headed!”

Lunch is served

The 60-seater Crisis Café on City Road, Newcastle, is a commercial venture in competition with every other eating house in the city. The standard is high, and so it should be, given the professional training involved and the enthusiasm it generates.

The chilled cabinet at the bright, immaculate and artwork-heavy café is a tempting display of quiches and wraps, while the quality and selection of daily specials and regular sandwiches is the equal of anywhere.

Soup is always vegetarian and baked potatoes come with traditional fillings (from £4.10). Sweet chilli chicken panini (£4.30) is a spicy delight and breakfasts (full English, £4.10) are so highly regarded that a former trainee is now breakfast chef at the Malmaison just down the hill on Newcastle’s Quayside. Daily specials include chicken curry with rice (£3.95) and - our recommendation - leek and aubergine bake (£3.50). But is there anything better than a double egg sandwich (£2.80) to set you up for the day?

Crisis Café, City House, City Road, Newcastle NE1 2AF Open 8am-3pm Monday to Friday.

For outside catering, tel 0191 269 9399

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 57

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: LUNCH CLOSE HOUSE ARGENT D’OR

THE CROFT HOTEL

HOTEL DU VIN

MARCO PIERRE WHITE STEAKHOUSE BAR & GRILL

Those who love to embrace the style of a truly fine dining experience know the surroundings should fit the occasion. Offering simple modern style cuisine with a contemporary British influence meticulously prepared using the finest seasonal ingredients and sourced locally wherever possible. Enjoy two courses for £13.50 or three for £16.50 at lunchtime this October.

Reopened in February 2013 following extensive refurbishment and under new management, The Croft Hotel now boasts a new Gastropub, private dining room, traditional Tea Rooms, extensively refurbished function/conference suites and 20 bedrooms.

The Croft Gastropub is the perfect venue for a business lunch with our highly competitive Market Menu available between 12-2pm every week day. Just £12 for 2 – courses.

Experience an elegant and informal setting for lunch and dinner. At Bistro du Vin Newcastle, dishes rely heavily on fresh, seasonal, locally sourced produce. We’re celebrating with our Al Fresco menu, served daily in the Bistro and on the Terrace. 2 courses and a half bottle of wine for £25 (£20 without wine).

3 Courses and a half bottle for £35 (£30 without wine).

The Steakhouse Bar and Grill Express lunch is £18 and includes two-courses and a glass of wine (quote NECC).

If you haven’t got much time out of the office try the Marco in Minutes express lunch two-courses and a glass of wine for £18 and you should be back at your desk within the hour. If a leisurely lunch is more your thing, that’s always available, too.

LOCATION: Close House, Heddon on the Wall, Newcastle, NE15 OHT www.closehouse.co.uk

LOCATION: The Croft Hotel Croft-on-Tees Darlington, DL2 2ST Tel: 01325 720319 www.crofthotel.net

LOCATION: Hotel du Vin, Newcastle City Road Newcastle, NE1 2BE Tel: 0191 2292200 www.hotelduvin.com

LOCATION: Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, 2-8 Fenkle Street, Newcastle NE1 5XN Tel: 0191 300 9222 www.mpwsteakhousenewcastle.co.uk

SACHINS

NATIONAL GLASS CENTRE BRASSERIE

RENDEZ VOUS AT THE COUNTY HOTEL

ROCKLIFFE HALL

Celebrating almost 30 years in service, the award winning restaurant Sachins on Forth Banks in Newcastle has been delighting diners with their signature, meticulously crafted menu since opening its doors.

Using only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, chef and proprietor Bob Arora perfectly balances his dishes; a skill learned from years in the profession, which many other restaurants do not offer, truly offering Punjabi perfection.

Eating at the Brasserie is as much about the atmosphere and stunning surroundings as it is about the food. Having undergone a stylish transformation, from the décor down to the tableware, the Brasserie stands out as one of the most attractive restaurants in the North East. Echoing the philosophy of National Glass Centre, the menu showcases heritage and innovation, delivered with creativity and passion. Open Daily: 10.00 – 17.00

Located directly opposite Newcastle Central Station and in the heart of the city, the County Hotel is the perfect location for a light midday snack, drinks after work with friends or a relaxing lunch or dinner. Our Rendez Vous Restaurant, lounge and bar are open daily. The County Hotel also has 11 meeting & event rooms from 1:1 interviews to a conference for 220 delegates.

Experience triple-AA Rosette food in The Orangery at 5* Rockliffe Hall with its stunning views and menus to match. The Orangery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, whether you’re seeking business or pleasure. Tuck into a culinary tour of the North with specialities such as North-East coast mackerel, Cumbrian lamb, Neasham beef and local linecaught Whitby cod. Menus start from just £19.50 for two courses.

LOCATION: Sachins, Forth Banks, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3SG Tel: 0191 261 90 35 www.sachins.co.uk

LOCATION: National Glass Centre Brasserei, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL Tel: 0191 515 555 www.nationalglasscentre.com

LOCATION: The County Hotel by Thistle, Neville Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5DF Tel: 0191 2322471 www.thistle.com/newcastle

LOCATION: Rockliffe Hall,

58 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 2DU Tel: 01325 729999 www.rockliffehall.com

APPOINTMENTS

Giles McCourt (left) and Mike Ward (right)

FIRST-CLASS APPOINTMENT

North East-based PR and marketing agency Harvey & Hugo has appointed first-class multimedia journalism graduate Nazila Wilson as a PR exec.

Nazila, who is currently completing a Masters in Marketing Management at Durham University, will manage a range of accounts for a wide range of clients. Harvey & Hugo has also taken on business development manager Tori Gill and it now employs eight people in Darlington.

LEARNER DRIVER

16-year-old Michael Hague is driving towards a successful career in the motor industry after embarking on an apprenticeship programme at his local Ford dealer, Jennings.

Michael, from Jarrow, is the latest apprentice to join the busy service department at the Jennings Ford Direct dealership, part of Jennings Motor Group, on Newcastle Road in South Shields.

He says: “The Apprenticeship programme allows me to gain hands-on valuable experience and at the same time I will also be gaining additional nationally recognised qualifications through studying on a block release basis at college.”

The three-year Apprenticeship will consist of on-the-job training, on-going assessments and block release training at college.

EXPLORING NEW MARKETS

Marketing expert Claire Fenwick is the latest professional to join the team at Mincoffs Solicitors in Jesmond to support the firm’s on-going expansion and growth.

Claire brings a wealth of experience to the firm, with a marketing career spanning 17 years. Her most recent role was marketing manager at Northumbria University Law School, where she spent 12 years.

Her role will see her working across all the commercial and private client teams, managing the firm’s external and internal communications including advertising, PR, print and online marketing collateral and business development as well as raising Mincoff’s profile through events, networking opportunities and sponsorship.

NEW DIRECTIONS

Two senior managers have been promoted to key roles to further drive patient care and quality at Spire Washington Hospital.

Shelagh Alderson is the new hospital director and Andrew Johnson is the new head of clinical services at Spire Washington.

The long-standing members of staff beat stiff outside competition for the appointments at the hospital, which is part of the 37-strong Spire Healthcare Group.

LEGAL EAGLES

Growing Durham legal firm Swinburne Maddison LLP has strengthened its corporate and commercial, and commercial property teams by appointing solicitors Mike Ward and Giles McCourt.

Mike Ward brings a wealth of experience to the firm’s corporate and commercial teams including company law, commercial contracts, intellectual property and IT related legal affairs.

Commercial property specialist Giles McCourt will advise on licensed and leisure sector accounts and assist clients with legal matters relating to their commercial and residential property portfolios.

The two new colleagues bring their expertise to Swinburne Maddison at a time of significant growth for the firm.

Neil Robson, head of property at Ward Hadaway (centre) with new recruits (from left) Rhiannon Griffiths, Nicholas Gholkar, Phillip Dunn and Saji Bratch

TEAM BUILDING

The property team at law firm Ward Hadaway is continuing to grow as the sector’s revival sees an upturn in work from a wide range of clients.

The UK Top 100 firm has added three new recruits to its team in Newcastle in the past two months - associate Saji Bratch and assistant solicitors Rhiannon Griffiths and Phillip Dunn - in the wake of increased instructions and enquiries.

WATERSTONS INVESTS IN 20 NEW RECRUITS Business and IT consultancy Waterstons has taken on 20 new recruits at its head office in Durham following an increase in turnover of 25% to £6m over the last financial year. The company attributes the growth to an increase in referrals from existing clients.

Waterstons has taken on 14 software developers and five technical services consultants as well as an account director charged with managing its customers from the transport sector which include Port of Dover, PD Ports, Port of Tyne and Newcastle International Airport. The company, which now employs 83, was officially recognised by Investors in People, which awarded a gold award for a second time last month.

NEW WEDDINGS AND EVENTS MANAGER

Wynyard Hall in Co Durham has appointed Mariza Ampaza weddings and events manager.

Mariza joins Wynyard Hall from Alnwick Castle and Garden where she spent six years as event sales manager following a seven-year stint in sales at Matfen Hall, near Hexham.

A new marquee, the biggest in the North East at 1,600sqft, will be erected at the edge of the estate’s walled garden within sight of the Hall and will be available for weddings and events by spring 2014.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 59

EVENTS

Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham, 11am-2pm, Thursday 14th November, 2013 FREE This is the NECC’s flagship networking event encouraging an exchange of experiences, ideas and offers. Members are invited in a round table setting to share successes, challenges and ideas with ample opportunity to mix and mingle before and after the event. Delegates can network around a mini-expo and take part in a trading board making offers and posting ‘wanted’ ads. To book an exhibition stand at a cost of £50 please email events@necc.co.uk. Space is limited.

Sponsored by Ramside Hall Hotel Supported by Bristol Street Motors and Hyundai:

NECC Tees Valley Annual Dinner Guests gathered for this major event in the Tees Valley business calendar and enjoyed speeches from Nora Senior, president, British Chambers of Commerce and executive chair, UK Regions and Ireland of global public relations and public affairs consultancy, Weber Shandwick, and Bob Champion MBE, the Grand National-winning former jockey from the Tees Valley. The event was sponsored by Middlesbrough College.

 James Ramsbotham, NECC, Nora Senior, BCC, Bob Champion, Zoe Lewis, Middlesbrough College, Dave Laws, Newcastle International Airport and president, NECC

Set in a unique location surrounded by a Championship 18 Hole golf course and extensive gardens, Ramside Hall has 80 stunning bedrooms, award winning restaurant and is one of the finest dining venues in Durham.

Jurys Inn, Newcastle, 4pm-6.30pm, Wednesday 20th November 2013 FREE If you are not a member of NECC and would like to find out more about the benefits of belonging, join us at our new ‘Knowledge’ event. Hear from two guest speakers; Dan Bond - How to effectively network and present in business, and motivational speaker Pete Ironman Attitude Wilkinson.

The event will include refreshments and an opportunity for networking and interaction with other businesses. There are limited member places available.

Sponsored by Jurys Inn: Jurys Inn Newcastle has been transformed and now boasts 274 Brand new stylish bedrooms, 9 state of the art meeting rooms plus a newly designed Bar & Restaurant. Located on Scotswood Road, Jurys Inn Newcastle is perfectly located within a few minutes’ walk of Newcastle Central Station, City Centre & business districts.

 Guests at the dinner

60 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

CIM Digital Marketing Bootcamp, 9am-4.30pm Thursday 28th November 2013

 Nora Senior, BCC, with Julie Underwood

 l-r James Ramsbotham, Nora Senior, Dave Laws

NECC President’s Club Lunch Members of NECC President’s Club enjoyed a speech from John Lewis MD Andy Street at this UKTI-sponsored event at Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground

 Dave Laws, Eamonn Leavey, Isabella Miller, Andy Street, James Ramsbotham

 Nickie Gott, She’s Gott It

 David Coppock, UKTI

 Geoff Ford of Ford Aerospace

NECC is joining forces with the Chartered Institute of Marketing to bring an exciting Digital Marketing Bootcamp to the North East.

Join us for a half or full day to stimulate your brain and put your marketing abilities through a workout.

The morning ‘Digital Bootcamp’ will include three workshop sessions.

The afternoon ‘Design Bootcamp’ includes a session on design thinking and innovation for marketers and will be delivered by Nick Devitt and Robert Bewick from the Design Council.

Marketers are often responsible for design and innovation leadership and this session will help you to quickly acquire the skills and thought sets that can help you get the most out of the creative process and work more effectively with designers. It’s also a practical, hands-on learning experience about the approaches and tools that can help you to come up with creative solutions to ambiguous problems by combining imagination and intuition with analysis.

Visit www.necc.co.uk for more information.

The NECC Christmas Exchange Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle, 11am-2pm, Thursday 5th December 2013 FREE A Networking Lunch with a Christmas theme. An exchange of ideas as well as an exchange of gifts for a local children’s charity.

If you are interested in taking an exhibition stand at a cost of £50 please email events@necc.co.uk.

Space is limited.

Sponsored by the Copthorne Hotel: The Copthorne Hotel Newcastle is one of the city’s best known hotels on Newcastle’s fashionable quayside. The hotel has 156 wellappointed bedrooms (all of which overlook the River Tyne), a large restaurant, bar, nine function rooms, a leisure club and on-site car parking.

The hotel takes great pride in meeting the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information please contact the team via events. newcastle@millenniumhotels.co.uk .

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 61

EVENTS

BUSINESS SEMINARS OCT

08 OCT

08

To book, tel 0300 303 6322 email events@necc.co.uk www.necc.co.uk/events

OCT

09

NETWORKING OCT

17 OCT

18 OCT

Durham Oktoberfest 2013 - Engineering and Manufacturing Show

9.00am - 4.30pm The Xcel Centre Newton Aycliffe

Coffee & Connections 10.00am - 12.00pm Gibside Stables Learning & Discovery Centre, Gibside

NECC Local

30

3.30pm – 5.00pm Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis & Wellness Centre, Sunderland

NOV

NECC Local

06 NOV

06 NOV

13

3.00pm – 4.30pm Hollywood Bowl, Stockton

Sunderland Professionals Lunch

11.30am - 2.00pm St Peters Campus, Sunderland University

North East Expo 9.00am – 4.00pm Newcastle Falcons, Kingston Park

FREE FREE

FREE

NOV

28

FREE

NOV

FREE

NOV

Stand Up and be Counted

FREE

NOV

The Knowledge

19 20 DEC

05

4.00pm – 6.30pm Jurys Inn, Newcastle

The Christmas Exchange

11.00am - 2.00pm Copthorne, Newcastle

FREE FREE

16 OCT

*Member Price + VAT

24 NOV

15

28 NOV

28

NECC Golf Day

12.00pm-7.30pm Slaley Hall, Northumberland

Tyne & Northumberland Annual Dinner 6.30pm til Late Civic Centre, Newcastle

North East Women Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2013 7.00pm-1.00am Hilton Newcastle Gateshead

team of 4

£85

*

£75

book online at: www.necc.co.uk

8.00am – 10.00am NECC Durham

How They Did It: Case Studies for Success – Ian Kinnery 3.00pm – 5.30pm Daisy Chain, Norton, Stockton on Tees

HR Knowledge – Legislation Update 9.15am – 11.30am NECC Durham

Inspiring Females Conference, 9-3.30pm

Gateshead College, Gateshead

HR Knowledge – Maternity, Paternity & Flexible Working Policies 9.15am – 11.00am NECC Durham

FREE FREE FREE** **For SMES 50-250 staff

FREE £30* FREE

CIM Digital Marketing Bootcamp (inc lunch)

Selling Skills

OCT 25

Introduction to Supervisory Skills

OCT 30

Presentation Skills

NOV 12

Telephone Skills

NOV 20

H&S Awareness

NOV 21

Linked In

NOV 29

Train the Trainer

DEC 02

Selling Skills

DEC 05

Time Management

DEC 12

AAT Finance for Non Financial Manager

Book online at www.necc.co.uk email: emma.lowery@necc.co.uk call 0300 303 6322

INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHORT COURSES

9.00am – 4.30pm For more info see www.necc.co.uk

CIM Digital Bootcamp (am session)

9.00am – 12.30pm For more info see www.necc.co.uk

CIM Design Bootcamp (pm session)

1.30pm – 4.30pm For more info see www.necc.co.uk

22

Sunderland Committee

NOV

Gateshead Council Budget Meeting

06 NOV

£100

Quarterly Economic Briefing

OCT

14 *

8.30am – 10.00am Newcastle International Airport

OCT 18

OCT 15

Incoterms*

OCT 22

Customs Compliance, Processes and Documents

OCT 23

Export Control Seminar (9am-1pm)**

NOV 07

Export Processes, Compliance and Documents

NOV 19

International Payment Methods/ Letters of Credit

NOV 20

Customs Compliance, Processes and Documents

NOV 28

Import Processes, Compliance and Documents

COMMITTEES

NOV

CORPORATE OCT

NOV

27

FREE

10.00am – 12.00pm Auckland Castle

15

FREE

The NECC Exchange

14

17 NOV

NOV

11.00am – 2.00pm Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham

OCT

Briefing – Newcastle International Airport Masterplan

SHORT COURSES

4.30pm – 6.00pm Venue TBC

4.00pm – 5.30pm Civic Centre, Gateshead

South Tyneside Committee

8.00am – 9.30am South Tyneside College

Durham Committee

15

8.30am – 10.00am Durham Community Business College

NOV

Northumberland Committee

20 NOV

25 NOV

26

4.00pm – 6.00pm Venue TBC

NewcastleGateshead Committee

4.00pm – 6.00pm Venue TBC

Stockton Business Forum

4.00pm- 5.30pm Stockton Riverside College

FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE

book online at: www.necc.co.uk

62 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

(All international courses are scheduled to be at Aykley Heads, Durham but subject to change dependent on numbers)

email: Jacqui.tulip@necc.co.uk call 0845 076 8324

NFLUENC E • I

W

• DEVELO

E

P LE

AD • ENGA

G

OUR RECORD GROWTH IS DOWN TO VALUES AND AMBITIONS WE SHARE WITH NECC: A GENUINE FOCUS ON CUSTOMER CARE, INNOVATION AND RESULTS

O

•

TWORK • G R

•

“

NE

”

NIGEL BEGG, MD, ASPIRE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS LTD WINNER OF THE NORTH EAST BUSINESS AWARDS 2013 – SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS To join the North East’s leading business membership organisation call 0300 303 6322 or visit www.necc.co.uk/join

MEMBER 2 MEMBER

Member2Member

Make more of your NECC membership with these great member offers and many more on the NECC website

www.necc.co.uk/member2member CONFIDENCE BUILDING / INTERVIEW SKILLS / PRESENTATION SKILLS SPEECH GENIUS

20% discount to members Offer Code: SG-NEEC Speechgenius offers a 20% discount off all of our courses to NEEC members.

PRINTING / GRAPHIC DESIGN / WEBSITE DESIGN / LARGE FORMAT STONEBROOK MEDIA LTD

September Special Offer Printed Stationery Offer Code: KS01 As a special offer for NECC Members this month we are offering a super stationery pack consisting of 1000 Letterheads, 1000 Compliment Slips and 500 Matt Laminated Luxury Business Cards.

ONLY £185.00 (plus VAT)* printed and delivered to one UK address. Usual price £245.00 (plus VAT).

TOYOTA DEALERSHIP MINORIES WEARSIDE

BRAND NEW TOYOTA AURIS TOURING SPORT FROM £199 PER MONTH 0% ***EXCLUSIVE OFFER FROM MINORIES WEARSIDE*** . Experience the all new Toyota Auris Touring Sports from only £199 per month ONLY from MINORIES WEARSIDE We will pay up to £2620 towards your finance deposit when financed through Access Toyota 3 year finance plan.

PLUS 0% APR.

MULTI FACILITY LEISURE COMPLEX WITH BOWLING - BAR DINER & GAMES TEESSIDE PARK HOLLYWOOD BOWL

CHRISTMAS PARTY DEALS Offer Code: STOXMS Bookings now being taken for Christmas packages available from 1st November.

Prices start from £16.95.

Member to Member offers of organiser goes free when offer code redeemed.

UKS LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OFFICE SUPPLIES / STATIONERY / PRINT/ FURNITURE & FILE / DATA STORAGE OFFICE TEAM

1 months free stationery Offer Code: FS1 1 months free stationery for NECC members(T&C’s apply).

TENDER CONSULTANCY -TRAINING - PROJECT MANAGEMENT - WEB DESIGN –IT

BOOMERANG CONSULTANCY LIMITED ISO Consultancy Offer Code: NEC8 We are offering 20% discount to members of the NECC who commission Boomerang Consultancy to help them secure ISO Certification.

We are also able to attract grant funding for comwish to secure ISO / Tender Writing Consultancy.

64 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

BAR / RESTAURANT / NIGHTCLUB & CORPORATE FUNCTIONS VENUE TIGER TIGER NEWCASTLE

Noisy Neighbours Offer Code: TTNELV 50% off Wednesdays if you live or work in central Newcastle!

If you live or work somewhere with an NE1, NE2, NE4, NE6 and NE8 postcode, then you can claim 50% off room hire every Wednesday night at Lucky Voice Newcastle!

PUBLICATIONS / EVENTS / DIGITAL & CREATIVE EPIC TIMES LTD

Calling all developers and designers thinking of attending DIBI Offer Code: NECCMember The 40 tickets left have a special code available for all NECC friends to use and get in on the action. Just enter NECCMember here on Amiando and save loads (30%)!

BESPOKE TRAINING & SUPPORT FOR SAGE 50 SOFTWARE SUE BOWMAN CONSULTING LTD

Sage Layout Design buy one get one free!

Offer Code: NECC OFFER Are you using Sage Accounts?

Do your Invoice and Statement layouts make it easy for your customers to pay, and reflect the right image for your company?

If not, then our design service is just what you need, and for NECC members we are offering to customise your customer statement layouts free of charge when you pay our standard price of £35 (+ VAT) for a customised invoice layout.

DEBT COLLECTION CREDIT CONTROL & CREDIT MANAGEMENT SERVICES PREMIUM COLLECTIONS NORTHERN LTD

Free Credit Report Offering NECC members a free credit report worth up to £50 on an existing or potential customer and also discounted rates on debt collection on a “no-win no fee basis” All phone calls made as if we are your accounts department using the olive branch not traditional big stick approach as we want you to get paid not get even.

INSURANCE BROKER NORTHERN COUNTIES LLP

FREE BUSINESS INSURANCE TRIAL Offer Code: NECCFree We want to prove to you that by choosing NC Insurance as your insurance broker, you and your business will benefit. In fact, we’re so confident in our ability to help you get the very best deal and service that we’d like to offer you a totally FREE TRIAL of our services. To take advantage of this free trial all you need to do is transfer your policy to us mid-term and the NC Insurance team will work on your behalf with zero charge for our services*.

INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PROMOTING LOACL BUSINESSES AND EDITORIALS DARLINGTON MONTHLY LTD

10% off all advertising.

Darlington Monthly is offering 10% off all advertising to all NECC members.

This will include all design work free of charge.

Entry into the Member2Member section is not an endorsement by NECC

TAKE TWO

Double take

TEES VALLEY BUSINESS MANAGER .

NORTH EAST FINANCE (NEF)I

SENIOR INVESTMENT EXECUTIVE NEL

Jane Reynolds Simon Johnson How long have you been in the job?

I have held this position for almost 18 months. The beauty of the Finance for Business Funds is their flexibility, and my appointment was a response to the need and demand on Teesside following the launch of the NEF for Business funds in January 2010. The funds are making a real difference to a region about which I care passionately; my home is in the Tees Valley and I am proud to be part of making that difference.

What do you love about your job?

The fact that no two days are the same. My remit is to talk to the people and businesses across the five local authorities of the Tees Valley to make them aware of the funds, and each meeting requires a new approach and has a different outcome.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

The SME community relies on the information I provide regarding funding and therefore I have to make the information concise and relevant to all. I need to ensure integrity of the information.

How long have you been in the job?

I’ll have been here 10 years next month. I was in corporate finance for Barclays before that, but that involved a lot of travelling up and down the country. A friend of mine made me aware of the fact NEL was putting together a team, with all the work based in the region, so that was a big draw.

What do you love about your job?

The best bits are being out and about spreading the word about what we do, talking to businesses that aren’t already aware of fund management itself or that we have a fund that they can access.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

We have to fully invest our funds alongside other fund managers trying to do the same thing. So we can spend a lot of time or resource on deals that ultimately don’t go in our favour and that can be a frustration.

Highlight of your career so far?

Spending two years working in the US. I learned about business performance, even more about business people and leadership and gained a greater understanding of myself.

Highlight of your career so far?

There’s something very positive about having a very small, but dedicated team that is successfully delivering our business plan and putting ourselves in a good position when it comes to raising new funds.

Who do you admire most?

I could not name one person as I have been extremely fortunate in meeting with some truly inspirational individuals who have influenced my thinking both professionally and personally.

Who do you admire most?

Warren Buffet started life making investments from his own back room. Now, despite the quantity of deals and the size of the business, he still lives in the same house he did in the 1950s.

What would you do if you weren’t in your current job?

I would like to be in the diplomatic service .

How will you spend your time when you retire?

I am not sure what retirement entails, so I cannot be sure that I would want to retire. I love my work!

What would you do if you weren’t in your current job?

Part of me always wanted to work outdoors.

How will you spend your time when you retire?

I play golf and cycle, and you see a lot of people of retirement age doing both those things. So, I’d do that - and gardening.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 / CONTACT / www.necontact.co.uk / 65

GUEST COLUMNIST

Last Word

British Chambers of Commerce President, Nora Senior

B

ritish companies have defied the odds by continuing to hire far more workers than the sluggish GDP figures would suggest, yet the proportion of young people aged between 16 and 24 in employment has barely budged.

For a long time, youth unemployment has been a problem in the UK. The latest unemployment stats show that youth unemployment is edging up closer to one million. Even in the North East, one in four young people - some 51,000 - are without a job. Why? Companies that I speak to up and down the country often find school leavers and graduates do not have the minimum skills they need to join the workforce. The most common problems include poor literacy and numeracy, and behaviour and attitudes that do not meet business expectations. Possible solutions have failed, and the Government’s constant tinkering with education and apprenticeships haven’t worked.

I am a firm believer that businesses are best placed to tackle the problem of youth unemployment; we are the ones who create the jobs, after all. There is no silver-bullet solution to the challenge, yet there are some simple things that can be done now to help educate our young people about business.

We need to see a dramatic change of approach if we are to make a real difference. A key problem is that the government is fixated with academic achievement to the detriment of ‘softer’, workplace skills. We need to see wider and more focused careers education in schools, more contact between pupils and businesses via work experience placements and employer visits.

Students need to be exposed to opportunities to see the skills in demand from business; working as part of a team,

reliability, organisational skills and so on, so that they can arm themselves with at least basic commercial and interpersonal skills before they leave school.

As a society we also need to change our attitude towards apprenticeships and other avenues to employment.

Apprenticeships often struggle to attract the best candidates. Students with good A-levels are encouraged to go to university rather than undertake an apprenticeship, when in reality they can provide a better route into a highly skilled career, and can offer the chance for individuals to earn while they learn. And there are many able candidates in the North East where the recent A-level results saw top grades up 0.4% compared to a national drop of 0.3%.

There are numerous companies in the region who are leading the way when it comes to growing from within, training, and apprenticeships. Take the Esh Group, based in Durham. They engage with schools and colleges and are strongly committed to employing and training

66 / www.necontact.co.uk / CONTACT / OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

young people. They have won awards for their employability skills programme, which helps young people across an entire academic year. In addition, they have a reputation for growing their own; most of the senior team first joined as trainees and apprentices.

They aren’t the only ones; a recent apprenticeships challenge conducted by the North East Chamber of Commerce got 950 employers signing up to the scheme, creating over 1,200 new roles within businesses.

What is clear, and my passion, is that success is not dependent on academic achievement alone. Employers value hard work, a positive attitude, and skills that are relevant to their business. The North East is demonstrating that more contact between pupils and businesses, and apprenticeship schemes that can develop basic workplace skills are the way forward.

The Government could learn a lot from them and must stop shutting business out of the education system.

THE ALL-NEW V40 CROSS COUNTRY £499 DEPOSIT. £299 PER MONTH. Roll on winter!

Volvo V40 Diesel Hatchback D2 Cross Country SE 5dr CREDIT EXAMPLE Mill Price

£21,069.00

Deposit

£499.00

Amount of Credit Total charge for credit

48 months at

£299.92

1 final payment

£20,570.00

(Guaranteed Future Value)

£9,776.00

£3,602.16

Total Amount Payable

£24,671.16

Interest rate (Fixed)

3.04%

APR Representative

5.9%

Duration

• Up to 74.3 mpg (combined) • Pedestrian Airbag • Bluetooth • Isofix • 16” Alloy Wheels • Front and Rear Side Airbags • Automatic Air Conditioning • Brake Assist System

49 months

Annual Mileage

8,000 miles

Euro NCAP has discovered the V40 to be one of the safest cars it has ever tested

VOLVO CARS NORTH EAST Mill Newcastle

Mill Sunderland

Mill Stockton

Mill Harrogate

Scotswood Road, Newcastle NE15 6BZ

Wessington Way, Sunderland SR5 3HR

Preston Farm Business Park, Stockton TS18 3SG

St James Retail Park, Knaresborough HG5 8PY

millvolvo

@millvolvo

www.millnortheast.co.uk

Tel: 0800 612 4715

Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Applicant must be 18 or over. Guarantees/ indemnities may be required. At the end of the Personal Contract Purchase there are three options: (1) Part exchange the vehicle, where equity is available (2) Pay the GFV (Guaranteed Future Value) to own the vehicle or (3) Return the vehicle. Excess mileage will be charged at the rate of 14.9p per mile (+VAT) for the first 5,000 miles and at twice that rate thereafter. Further charges may be made subject to the condition of the vehicle. Santander Consumer (UK) plc T/A Volvo Car Credit RH1 1SR. Car featured for illustration purposes only.

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