North East Times Magazine - November 2013 by North East Times Magazine

CONTENTS

November 2013 BUSINESS NEWS –

SAVE THE DATE –

Business events – mark them on your calendar.

NORTH EAST VIEWPOINT –

Thoughts from the region’s businesswomen.

10 QUESTIONS FOR... –

Karen Nelson of Calibre.

INTERVIEW –

Dame Margaret Barbour.

ON THE MOVE –

New executive appointments.

BALANCING ACT –

Alexandra Johnson of RHWE.

COVER STORY –

Kathryn Taylor of Gordon Brown Law Firm.

THE LONG GAME –

Katharine Lowthian of Sintons LLP.

STATE OF THE ART – ONE TO WATCH –

Antonia Clifford of Quay2 Media.

INTERVIEW –

114

Kathryn Williams.

MOTORS –

119

GET TO KNOW ME –

130

Emma Glover of Rowlands Accountants.

CREDITS

Directors: Mike Grahamslaw, Mick O’Hare Commercial director: Martin Stout Editor: Alison Cowie Sales: Chris Turner, Luccia Graham Editorial: Jessica Laing, Elise Rana Hopper, Alexis Forsyth Senior designer: John Haxon Feature photography: Chris Owens Additional photography: Ivan Burn Illustrations: Low Moon Over High Town (www.lowmoonoverhightown.com)

Office: 11 Causey Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4DJ. | t: (0191) 284 9994 | f: (0191) 284 9995 www.northeasttimes.co.uk | @NETimesmagazine Front cover: Kathryn Taylor (Gordon Brown Law Firm), by Chris Owens.

All photos taken by North East Times staff are copyright North East Times Ltd, and are taken solely for use in North East Times magazine or products published by the Accent Magazines Group. If you wish to use or publish a photograph taken for North East Times, please contact the sales department on (0191) 284 9994. Photo charges: £50 for a single image, £295 for full buy out of a photo shoot. Advertising charges: There is a £25 charge for every set of amendments, following the first initial set of amendments, which is free of charge, for adverts designed by North East Times Ltd. Cancellations: If an advert is cancelled by the booker within a seven day period prior to our print deadline, the advert will be charged in full, plus VAT.

Editorial: Contributions should include a fully stamped addressed envelope. No responsibility is accepted for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission, or while in the Editor’s or Printer’s hands. Editorial must be received by the 12th of the month or no responsibilty is accepted for errors. Advertisements: Although every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the Publishers regret that they cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by an error in the printing or damage to, or loss of artwork, transparencies or photos. Complaints: regarding advertisements will only be considered for up to a week after publication. Advertising must be received by the 15th of the month. No responsibilty is accepted for errors. © 2013 Published by North East Times Ltd.

INTRODUCTION

Editor’s word Welcome to the first North East Times Women’s Issue ...

he aim of this special issue is to support and celebrate the region’s working women. Not in a gratuitous way – you’ll not find that hackneyed two-word phrase popularised by the Spice Girls, in this magazine. We are simply telling the stories of inspirational businesswomen in the North East as well as highlighting some of the issues that may be effecting professional females working in the region, and beyond – all this alongside the regular news and advice that North East Times has been bringing the local business community for the past 32 years. Highlights you may want to look out for in this issue include an interview with Dame Margaret Barbour who has steered the company she inherited after the tragic death of her husband, aged just 29, to one of the UK’s most respected and successful fashion brands. She has also consistently supported the region’s women through her extensive philanthropy work – making her a true heroine of the North East. The newly appointed director of Newcastle Science City, Fiona Standfield, also shares her thoughts at being tasked with delivering a project set to turn the city into a national hub of scientific research and development. The future headmistress of Newcastle High School for Girls reveals how the new school will equip its girls with the necessary skills to succeed after graduating. Kathryn Taylor, the woman who graces this

month’s cover, reflects on being appointed only the second female managing partner in the North East legal scene. And Mercury-nominated singer songwriter Kathryn Williams reveals why she has chosen the North East as her adopted home to raise a family and forge her acclaimed folk career. The challenges that working mothers face on a daily basis are well documented: juggling work and family commitments, the guilt at not being there for their children 24/7, the reliance on partners and extended family, and the decision of whether a packet of Mini Cheddars does constitute a well-balanced meal (or is that last one just me?). In Balancing Act, Alexandra Johnson reveals how she copes with the demands of being chief executive of Reviving the Heart of the West End Ltd and mother to five-year-old daughter, Rosie; I'm sure many working mothers reading the piece will relate. Other issues facing working women are tackled in a special extended North East viewpoint this month, where we ask prominent businesswomen in the North East their views on everything from positive discrimination to whether women really can, ‘have it all’. I would like to thank everyone who has supported this magazine and I hope that North East Times’ inaugural Women’s Issue engages, entertains and inspires.

Alison

BUSINESS NEWS

Previous winners

Countdown begins for the region’s winning women The North East’s top women business leaders will gather together on November 15 to celebrate at the WIN Annual North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

his month will see The 14th Annual North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards ceremony take place, bringing together successful business women from a variety of sectors. Judges this year have shortlisted women who have excelled at providing focused, clear leadership abilities in running or playing a key role in business. With entries for this year’s award, organised by Women into the Network (WIN), reaching a record high. Nickie Gott, WIN Chair and founder of events management company She’s Gott It! said: “The standard this year is better than any previous year and the award ceremony should be a fantastic event to celebrate the achievements of these women.

“We’re also putting together a collection of short films on the finalists as we really wanted to give everyone an idea of the amazing businesses and female entrepreneurs who work in this region.” WIN has combined this year’s event with the If (Inspiring Females) Conference to be held at Gateshead College on the same day with an line-up of prominent speakers and workshops. Among the awards sponsors are Gateshead College and UK Trade & Investment. Judith Doyle, principal of Gateshead College, said: “Our region has a strong entrepreneurial spirit and it’s vital that we support, celebrate and grow the talent amongst our female entrepreneurs in order to ensure this

continued success. “I’m thrilled the College is able to support these awards and play our part in creating the next generation of inspiring businesswomen.” Lisa Balmer International Trade adviser, UK Trade & Investment added: “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious target to help create 500 new exporters in the region by 2015. We hope that awards such as these will help inspire others to take up the export challenge.” This year’s North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards evening takes place on Friday, November 15. Tickets are £75 + VAT and includes a drinks reception, a three-course meal and live entertainment. Tickets for the conference are priced at £40 or £30 for NECC members.

Kate strikes gold

ate Slater, a Newcastle based freelance PR consultant, has won three Gold Awards at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Pride Awards 2013 held last month at Gateshead Hilton. Former print, television and BBC radio producer won Gold in: Best Campaign under £10,000, Best Healthcare Campaign and Outstanding Freelance PR Consultant Kate said: “Winning these three awards is a huge vote of confidence in the campaigns that I create and implement.”

Apprentices helped by B-Skil

wo young women have benefited from apprenticeships organised by BSkill. The apprenticeship provider has organised one-year business administration apprenticeships for Emma Lathan with the Newcastle office of national pension specialist Punter Southall and Gemma Farmer has joined B-Skill’s own Newcastle head office.

Golfing events raise serious funds

charity golf day last month at The Lee Westwood Filly at Close House has raised £39,500 for the The Alan Shearer Foundation. This joins the £20,000 that Alan, himself, raised for his charity, by playing 18 holes on 18 different golf courses in a single day in September.

Investment up in North East

HSE to stop regulating first aid training

irms across the region are investing more than at any time since 2007, according to The North East Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Survey. The third report of the year clearly demonstrates the upwards economic trend established in quarters one and two has been carried into the second half of the year. NECC members have reported the highest rise in business investment since 2007 and the largest increase in staff training investment since 2008.

t John Ambulance is urging employers to protect their staff and customers by checking the credentials of first aid training providers, following news from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will no longer be doing so through the current approval and monitoring process. The changes to workplace first aid regulations mean employers will no longer be restricted to choosing an HSE approved training provider, giving businesses greater flexibility to select a provider and training based on their needs assessment.

Dr. Martens challenges students

Partnership for growing Age Inclusive

ritish fashion brand Dr. Martens worked with Northumbria University’s School of Design last month, setting students a project brief to design an outfit that sums up the rebellious nature of Tyneside’s musical and cultural history.

ge Inclusive, an company based at Newcastle University has won a major partnership deal with the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion, to help manage the local challenges and opportunities that ageing can present within the workplace.

SAFC charity shortlisted for award

underland AFC’s charity, the Foundation of Light, has been named as one of eight finalists in the Best Football Community Scheme category at the Football Business Awards 2013. The winner will be named in a ceremony at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on November 7.

Large companies to target depression

ome of the UK’s largest employers, including Royal Mail, BT, Barclays and Unilever have joined The Target Depression in the Workplace initiative to help conquer the impact of depression and its cognitive effects in the workplace.

DIARY

SEASONAL BEAUTY BAZAAR

Nov

Rockliffe Hall, County Durham Tel: (01325) 729999 Web: www.rockliffehall.com/whats-on/ Email: enquiries@rockliffehall.com Price: £22.50 per person Lovers of all things beauty are invited to attend this ladies luncheon, where Victoria Lees, Rockliffe Hall’s spa treatments manager, will be sharing her top beauty tips, showcasing the spa’s latest promotional deals and talking guests through her favourite seasonal gifts from the spa boutique. The event includes a sparkling wine reception, a two-course lunch and advice from the spa’s brand partners.

LADIES FIRST TUESDAY LUNCH CLUB Nov

Save the date Charity balls, business dinners and seminars.

NORTH EAST WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS Nov

Hilton Hotel, Gateshead Tel: (0845) 269 9862 Web: www.necc.co.uk Email: info@womenintothenetwork.co.uk Price: £75

Blackfriars Restaurant, Newcastle upon Tyne Tel: (0191) 261 5945 Web: www.blackfrairsrestaurant.co.uk Email: info@blackfrairsrestaurant.co.uk Price: £25 per person A ladies lunch club that is sure to tickle your tastebuds. Aimed at aspiring bakers and foodies alike, the event features a bread-making demonstration with home-baking aficionado, Adrian Clarke, who will be showing you just how easy it is to bake your own bread at home. Fizz, wine, coffee and a three-course lunch are also included.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS Nov

Central Library,Training Room, South Shields Tel: (0191) 277 4100 Web: www.bipcnewcastle.co.uk Email: bipcnewcastle@newcastle.gov.uk Price: Free Those wanting to learn more about how social media can benefit business are urged to attend this free, informative ‘webinar’, which will cover everything from Twitter and Facebook to blogs, LinkedIn and more. Guests will be taught the basics about the different types of social media platforms, how to use them properly and to a business’ advantage and also how they can increase sales and brand awareness.

IF (INSPIRING FEMALES) CONFERENCE Nov

Gateshead College, Gateshead Tel: 0300 303 6322 Web: www.necc.co.uk/events-and-news Email: events@necc.co.uk Price: £35+VAT per person This conference will be showcasing some of the UK’s top female speakers, including Sandra Rogers, managing director of Marketing, UK Trade & Investment, plus an opportunity to hear case studies and take part in practical workshops, all aimed at supporting business growth for our region’s women.

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Nov

Rockliffe Hall, Darlington Tel: (0191) 500 7780 Web: www.entrepreneursforum.net Email: info@entrepreneursforum.net Price: £99+VAT (members and members’ guests) £125+VAT (non-members) A special autumn business conference, designed to inspire those in large and small businesses and spearhead fresh drive for growth in the coming year. The event provides an opportunity for attendees to hear from special guest speakers, each of which lead an organisation in highly competitive sectors. A great chance for attendees to connect, network and learn from each other.

Women operating a woman-owned or led business – of any size in any sector in the North East, are urged to attend this annual ceremony, which recognises, rewards and promotes the achievements of the region’s businesswomen. This is the 14th year that the prestigious award ceremony has been contested. Held at Hilton Hotel, Gateshead, the highly anticipated event provides local entrepreneurs and women in local business with a chance to come together and celebrate and learn from each other’s success.

Email jessica.laing@accentmagazines.co.uk

with your events

BLACK TIE & HEELS ANNUAL CHARITY BALL

Nov

The Assembly Rooms, Newcastle upon Tyne Tel: (0191) 386 8606 Web: www.heelandtoe.org.uk Email: jane@heelandtoe.org.uk Price: £60 per person, £550 for a table of ten Children’s charity, Heel & Toe, invites local parents, professionals and businesses to its largest fundraising event, in aid of children with cerebral palsy and dyspraxia in the North East. This year’s event is the charity’s fifth annual ball and, as well as raising vital funds for the non-governmental charity, will celebrate local children’s achievements. Hosted by Metro Radio’s Stu and Kelly, the ball includes a champagne reception, four-course meal, complimentary wine, an auction, a grand raffle and live music.

OPINION

North East viewpoint In a special edition for the Women’s Issue, Alison Cowie asks prominent businesswomen in the North East for their opinions on some of the most pressing matters effecting working females today.

JUDITH DOYLE

VIKKI JACKSON SMITH

SHARON LANGRIDGE

Principle and CEO, Gateshead College

Managing director, J&B Recycling

www.gateshead.au.uk

www.jbrecycling.co.uk

Principle solicitor, Langridge Employment Law Board member of Women into the Network Member of NECC’s Women’s Advisory Board

www.sharonlangridge.co.uk

KARI OWERS

RACHEL TURNBULL

AGNES WILKIE

Managing director, OPR Current WIN North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

CEO, TT2 Limited (Tyne Tunnel 2)

Deputy director, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

www.tt2.co.uk

www.balticmill.com

www.opr.co.uk

OPINION

KARI: I don't think you can say a characteristic is inherently male or female; talent and commitment is not gender specific. But having a balanced mix of women and men in the workplace does create great teams.

RACHEL: Without wishing to stereotype, I believe women can offer a different style of leadership and approach to problem solving. In my experience, women can be less directly confrontational, achieving the same results as men. I think many women make exceptionally good negotiators, reading non-verbal communications more astutely and influencing decisions in a more subtle manner, than their male colleagues.

SHARON:

What do women bring to business that men don’t?

VIKKI: I think it’s a question of how this would influence or affect my own business. Fortunately, we have a working ethos of equality and have always measured recruitment or promotion on an individual’s abilities and skills. If we recruited and promoted in line with quotas and gender we could potentially miss an opportunity to work with a great new individual.

KARI: I don't agree with quotas, life is a meritocracy and women don't want handouts, they want opportunities. I think women that work hard should be given equal opportunity to reach the top, and we need more champions (male and female) within business to help them be more visible to the board.

VIKKI: Men and women actually compliment each other in business with each bringing their skills and ability to succeed. These attributes are unique to the individual rather than gender. My career journey has been heavily influenced by my dad who I worked alongside for 13 years in the fuel industry and then grew into a supporting role.

JUDITH:

Is positive discrimination/ quotas to get more women into ‘decision-making’ roles a good thing?

SHARON: I think businesses who are openminded and have a longer term view are more likely to see the advantages of investing in women employees. Yes, maternity creates career breaks but taking a long view is likely to yield rewards with engaged and motivated members of staff. It’s not about giving women special treatment, but recognising their value and not being influenced by negative assumptions. For every mother who needs time off for family reasons, there’s a father who’s coasting through work without anyone knowing how long he’ll stay committed, or whether he’ll go off to a competitor.

I’m not going to generalise, but I do believe ‘softer’ skills are now much more valued in the workplace. I find that women have high levels of selfawareness and insight into what makes people tick. Empathy isn’t a soft and fluffy concept, but the ability to understand what customers value, or how to get the best out of your team.

Any initiative to get the right people into the right job is positive. The important thing is to have good role models in business so that more women are encouraged to be aspirational in their careers. I hope that I can inspire in my role, where I am succeeding as the first female principal of Gateshead College having worked my way up through the ranks. I want our students to think, ‘Judith can do it, so can I’.

AGNES: No - there will always be a suspicion that they’re not there on merit and that puts inappropriate pressures on ‘over achieving’ and potentially undermines their authority.

JUDITH:

What steps should companies take in their working practices to allow more women to succeed?

KARI: I am a big advocate of mentoring. I think every company should ensure each young woman they recruit has the opportunity to be mentored by a senior executive.

Companies need an inclusive recruitment programme, they need to promote vacancies effectively and allow their own successful women to have a profile internally and externally. I like to take a light-hearted view and celebrate that men and women are different, that they bring different skills and that this enriches the culture and success of any workplace.

AGNES: Practical recognition that children require care and that both male and female parents need to be able to provide that. Therefore, flexible parental leave and flexible working hours are important. In my experience, happy employees - including parents - work better and produce the best results for themselves and their employers. But that presupposes that a good employer would ensure that keeping parents happy is not at the expense of those equally brilliant employees who don’t have kids.

RACHEL: I don’t necessarily think there is a prevailing sexist culture in business. However I do think some business leaders hold sexist attitudes. It reflects individual opinions rather than representing the culture of a particular business, industry or sector.

SHARON: Yes. As an employment lawyer I see regular examples of women being treated less favourably because they are women or, most often, because they have chosen to become mothers. I would say that in the last 20 years we have moved away from crass deliberate behaviour and are more likely to encounter thoughtless behaviour or unconscious bias.

AGNES:

Does sexist attitudes (overt or covert) still exist in business?

RACHEL: It's possible to have equal opportunity regarding gender by removing the policies that discriminate. However, gender equality in the workplace is not so straight forward, because there are differences not only between males and females, but between all of us. Human beings are diverse by their very nature and hence equality in the workplace, in practice, is likely to be something that will continue to vary according to those that implement the policies.

VIKKI: Many people would believe that the industries I have worked in could be guilty of being sexist however this is not the case. I appreciate that I may have been very fortunate but I have never experienced any barriers to expand my business in an area that some consider a male industry.

JUDITH:

Do you think that complete gender equality in the workplace is achievable?

AGNES: We all have to work hard to ensure that it is. We will never achieve all we can if we don’t fully exploit all of the talent, all of the time.

SHARON: I don’t think it’s helpful to continue this debate in the 21st century. We all have to make decisions about priorities in life, how much work or career matters, the time we’d like to spend with our families, or travelling, or on our hobbies and passions. Everything is a compromise, and sometimes sacrifices are made. The old notion of ‘having it all’ is past its use-by date and we need to be talking instead about lifestyle choices for both women and men.

Of course! But it’s getting better. Strong, confident organisations don’t tolerate them these days which is huge progress in my lifetime.

It has to be achievable. I am an example of that in leading an FE college and I am promoting success and opportunity. It would be wrong for me to suggest that there is a ceiling for anyone’s success. Everyone deserves a chance and I feel it’s my role to ensure that everyone at Gateshead College can be successful.

SHARON: Equality laws force people to modify their behaviour, even if not their thoughts, and that’s often good enough. I would like to think workplaces can become gender-neutral in the same way they say they’re ‘colour-blind’. But we have to be realistic about managing maternity and childcare, as these are facts of life. Once we have pay that is truly equal, and women not being sacked just because they’re pregnant, then we can say equality is achievable.

VIKKI:

Can women ‘have it all?’

KARI: Probably not. Something will always have to give on a daily basis. Its about balance – if you have a heavy week at work then you should be able to plan in some family time to rebalance things. It’s never going to be easy to manage work and family, we always feel guilty wherever we are!

Women can have it all but this requires support from both inside and outside of your work environment. I have achieved my goals in life while raising a family thanks to the support of my husband and family. All the legislation in the world on positively promoting women within the environmental will never allow women to ‘have it all’ if the support outside of working environment does not exist.

RACHEL: That very much depends on the individual’s perception of what ‘having it all’ is. My husband and I operate as a family unit, which currently allows me to take up the CEO position at TT2. My husband supports our daughters as the primary carer while running his own business around them. This works very well for our family, and therefore I think we ‘have it all’.

INTERVIEW

10 questions for ...

Karen Nelson Karen Nelson left a successful career in the NHS five years ago to join her husband, Steve, in starting up specialist ICT practice Calibre.

What was your first break in business?

What attracted you to your current role?

What has been your career highlight?

And your career lowlight?

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I managed a busy NHS outpatient department before starting Calibre in 2008 with my husband, Steve. I was ready for the challenge of a new career. Five years later, I still love what I do; enjoying the variety of the everchanging, fast-paced and never dull IT landscape – running a fast-growing company ensures we can never rest on our laurels.

The chance to carve out a new career working alongside my husband; we compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses, skills and qualities. Of course it means we never switch off but when it’s your own business you never really can – the opportunity to build and nurture something for the future is what really motivates me. I knew we could compete head-to-head with existing IT companies because we are fresh, bursting with new ideas and our approach is utterly different.

Attaining ISO 27001 was a huge achievement setting us on the right path for growth and giving our clients the assurance that they are placing one of their most valuable assets – information – in the right hands. Another highlight was recently winning a large ICT contract. It was compelling stuff; the kind of adrenaline rush that makes everything else appear to standstill as you pour every effort and strain every sinew into winning the deal. Pure elation and a massive step forward. It will remain long in the memory, and enables us to expand our team quickly and move the business to the next stage.

Luckily there have been no real low-lights so far. That’s not to say I haven’t encountered stressful or challenging times. I’m not one to dwell on negative experiences preferring to take a positive outlook on life in general and not wasting time in analysing things that can’t be changed. Life is too short.

Working with highly motivated, talented individuals who are driven by a common ambition – to see Calibre recognised as the best accredited technical team in the North East. They always go the extra mile and give without being asked. I am very lucky to be working alongside some of the very best talent in the business. It’s the people who make a company - a philosophy that lies at the heart of our business.

What's your biggest challenge?

Who are your heroes, in and out of business?

What is the best piece of business advice anyone has ever given you?

Remaining at the top of our game in a saturated and highly competitive market is the biggest challenge. We have to take great care to get the balance right between growth and consolidation and there are many things to juggle, especially at the moment as we gear the business up to move to the next level; challenging but nonetheless exciting times at Calibre.

My heroes are people who achieve and get to where they want to be despite facing setbacks and adversity. IT entrepreneur Martha LaneFox is an obvious heroine for me. It’s amazing to see how after a near-fatal car accident she went on to even more success with new ventures. My husband is an inspiration too – he has a drive and determination like no-one else I have ever met. Set-backs simply serve to fuel his desire to achieve even more.

I’ll never forget business mentor Keith Marriot from One Step Ahead, whose experience and guidance was very inspirational, when we started out. His credo: “If you don’t see it coming, you can’t do anything about it.” It resonated then and still does. His words are timeless; I try to apply his advice daily to ensure that we are always aware of what is around the corner.

What does the future hold for Calibre? The future is exciting for us. We are busier now than ever. We are planning for further growth, investing in new technical talent and utilising our capacity and resources to generate more opportunities in-house. Turnover will double year-on-year over the next three years, while reinvesting will see us secure important accreditations that will affirm our reputation as industry experts.

What do you do to relax? Relaxing is spending time with my family – I love beach walks with our Boxer dog, Marvin, and listening to the laughter of my three boys. I love running where I can be in my own space, listening to music in a little bubble. When we get the chance, we love to go sailing on the West Coast of Scotland, where the scenery is awe-inspiring and the changeable weather never makes for a dull moment.

For further information visit www.calibre-secured.net or call 08455 576 355

INTERVIEW

What are you most proud of at Barbour? What makes me most proud is the team of people that I work with from the factory and warehouse through to the management team. Steve Buck, my managing director, has been with me for over ten years. It is the hard work of the people we employ that makes our business so successful - you can’t do it all yourself ... I’ve never been conceited enough to think I knew all the answers.

Waxing Lyrical

You also started The Women’s Fund to help women in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, with your daughter, Helen in 1999 ... The vision of the Women’s Fund was to establish an endowment fund supported by philanthropic women in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland to encourage and support women in disadvantaged areas to play a more active role in the community and to make a lasting difference to those communities where they live and work. The Women’s Fund offers access to information and assistance on social, health or economic issues and provides training and support. Over the years, we have helped organisations such as Newcastle Women’s Aid, Deaf Women’s Health, Advocacy in Gateshead and Prudhoe Young Single mums. It has always been important to my daughter Helen and I to give something back to our local community and to support other women to help them reach their full potential

When Dame Margaret Barbour’s husband, John, died suddenly in Despite the success of the brand, you’ve 1968, aged just 29. the mother-of-one always remained a family business took over the running of the family business comitted to South Tyneside, was there and transformed it from niche clothing ever pressure to move away from this? Barbour is a fifth generation family owned manufacturer into iconic global fashion business and the shareholders have always brand. Dame Margaret tells Alison Cowie been the Barbour family. In 1894, John Barbour founded the company in South about her inspirational journey and why Shields and our history and heritage is Barbour will remain a family interlinked with the region. We are now one of the largest employers in the South Tyneside area business rooted in South What have you learnt since starting this and many of our employees have worked for the Tyneside. fund/been most inspired by? company for a long time. When my husband, John,

I am always inspired by the many stories we hear through the Women’s Fund of women overcoming adversity and difficult times. The resolve of many of these women to make a better life for themselves and their families is humbling. I hope that through the Fund, I’ve made a small contribution in helping them achieve their goals.

died in 1968, many people advised me to sell the company but I couldn’t. I knew how much Barbour meant to John and I knew he would want me to continue and I think he would have been proud of what I have achieved today. As we have grown more successful, we have from time to time attracted interest from outside but this is a family owned company and the Barbour family will always be involved.

As this is for North East Times’s first Women’s issue, can I ask about your experiences being a woman running a successful business?

Part of the longevity of the brand has been the ability to evolve the brand to appeal to newer and newer audiences. Has this always been the company’s strategy?

The challenge of taking on the business back in 1968 was enormous. Back then, there were very few women business leaders. However, I was determined to succeed and through a great deal of hard work and support from a good team of people around me including my mother in law, Nancy Barbour, I quickly came to learn and understand the business and what was required to take it forward. Juggling a full time job and being a mother is always difficult but I always made sure I was there for Helen when she was growing up.

The company began in 1894 supplying oilskins and other garments to protect the fishermen, sailors, dockers and industrial workers. Then in the 1930s through to the 70s, it was known for its countrywear and motorcycle wear. In the 1980s, I designed the three jackets that have now become iconic – the Bedale, the Beaufort and the Border. Originally designed as equestrian and shooting jackets, they were soon adopted for both city and countrywear by a younger generation looking for smart casual attire. Today, we have introduced knitwear, shirts, trousers, footwear and accessories alongside our iconic outerwear. This is a development of delivering what we have always done – providing garments that fulfill the changing needs and expectations of our customers without compromising Barbour’s founding values of quality, durability, fitness for purpose and attention to detail. Our growth has been about evolution not revolution as new younger generations have discovered the timeless style of Barbour.

Your mother in law, Nancy, was very much part of Barbour. What did you learn from her? Nancy was affectionately known as ‘Granny Barbour’ within the family and was an amazing woman. She endured so much when her husband Duncan Barbour went off to fight in the Second World War. He had a horrible war and ended up as a prisoner of war in Japan, an experience he never recovered from and he died a relatively young man in 1957. Nancy ran the business with her father in law, Malcolm Barbour while Duncan was at war and then came back into the business again when Duncan died. She was always immensely supportive of John and I and when John died, she helped me enormously – we were two women supporting each other through our grief. In 2000, after her death, I sent up the Nancy Barbour Award in her honour to help women in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland to reach their full potential. Both my daughter Helen and I miss her very much.

Do you have a favourite Barbour jacket/coat style? I have many but I hold a particular affection for the Bedale jacket, It was originally designed for equestrian purposes and while many people still ride in it, it’s very versatile and ideal for dog walking or the school run.

You’re also known for your extensive philanthropy work. Was this something you were always interested in or did it develop in time?

What advice would you give women starting or already running their own business?

I have always felt it is important to give something back to the community in which you live and work. In 1988, I set up the Barbour Trust (now the Barbour Foundation) to help charitable causes, cultural and community projects and women’s groups primarily in the North East. To date we have donated over £11.25 million to these causes and it gives me tremendous satisfaction and pride to know that the Barbour Foundation has been able to help in some way and to make a difference.

Never believe that you can do it all yourself or that you know everything. Surround yourself with good people and be a good listener but never be afraid to be a strong leader and have the courage to make difficult decisions. www.barbour.com

APPOINTMENTS

On the Move Your monthly guide to appointments and promotions.

KATHRYN TAYLOR

AMY HARTFORD

FIONA STANDFIELD

Kathryn Taylor has taken the helm at one of the region’s longest standing law firms, making her the only second female managing partner in the North East legal scene. 10 years into her legal career, Kathryn is now taking over the future growth of Gordon Brown law firm, from Gordon Brown himself. She will now lead the 75-strong business, which operates from Newcastle and Chester le Street offices, on an ambitious growth strategy, as she plans to expand each of its departments.

North East-based recruitment company, Extension HR, has appointed Amy Hartford as an additional consultant. In her new role, Amy will specialise in engineering recruitment, with a particular emphasis on the oil and gas sector. Amy has recently relocated back to her native North East from Manchester, where she spent two years recruiting engineers into the offshore sector.

Fiona Standfield joins Newcastle Science City as director and will join the organisation - a partnership between Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council - for a three-year term. Fiona brings with her over 20 years’ experience in high profile and board level roles across the public and private sectors, and is currently both acting chair of the Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and chair of Northern Stage.

ALEXANDRA ROUTLEDGE

ELAINE MCLAINE

KAREN CARPENTER

Stockton-based call management company, Lemon Business Solutions, has appointed Alexandra Routledge as client relations manager. In her new role, Alexandra will focus on ensuring high quality service at the round-the-clock company, which offers a 24/7 service in handling emergency and out-ofhours calls from the public and counts a number of national names among its client base, from lift operators to international law firms.

Teeside law firm, Punch Robson, has appointed Elaine McLaine as partner, to grow its services to commercial and corporate clients as the economic recovery gathers pace. As the only firm based in Middlesbrough with a dedicated business and company law team, its client base and caseload are expected to expand with Elaine’s appointment. Elaine is known for her work with companies and academics, including major law firms, smaller niche practices and several academy conversions across the region.

Local building and maintenance contractor, WDL Property Services Ltd, has appointed Karen Carpenter as new office manager. Karen, who recently graduated from Northumbria University, will be based at the company headquarters in Westerhope. This is the latest appointment by the company during a period of expansion, which has seen the recent promotion of James Dickinson to operations director. WDL Property Services Ltd operates throughout the North East, North West and Scotland, servicing commercial and private clients.

INTERVIEW

G N I C N A L A CT

Working mum Alexandra Johnson is the chief executive of Reviving the Heart of the West End Ltd, an innovative charity based in the West End of Newcastle. RHWE manages John Buddle Work Village and Buddle House, providing flexible serviced office and workshop space, as well as offering opportunities to the local community through aspirational projects. Here, Alexandra reveals how she balances the demands of her working life with those of being mum to five-year-old daughter, Rosie – reflecting the challenge faced by millions of working mothers every day.

My typical working day begins at around 6.30am. I’m up and thinking about the day ahead and I’m checking the lists I’ve made in my trusty diary. Not long after that, my five-year-old daughter, Rosie, gets up.

My time with my family and my daughter gets 100 per cent of my attention. There’s no better feeling than getting in from work and Rosie shrieks and tornados down the hall to give me the biggest cuddle.

Thank goodness for Bluetooth so I can make several calls while I’m driving to the office after dropping Rosie off at school.

The biggest reward being a working mum is when my daughter says, ‘mummy I want to be a boss like you’. She doesn’t quite understand my job but she knows I have a desk and a twisty chair and that’s pretty impressive to her!

When you become a working mum, the hours just get longer and longer. The number of job descriptions you have increases from one to about five.

I’m so busy I just accept my house can’t be a show home 100 per cent of the time – that’s why God invented cupboards to chuck stuff in.

It can be difficult to balance the demands of RHWE Ltd with being a mum. I’m sure most mums will agree. You always strive to do everything, never say no to anything, always be there for the important projects, the early meetings, the late networking evenings and still be a super mum along the way. Ideally, all working mums could do with a clone or two of themselves.

Mum took a career break and returned to work after my brother and I went to school. She still managed to ensure we always had a home-cooked meal each night, our packed lunches were sorted for the next day, the house was organised. I went to a different activity every night after school and she was there to cheer me on at every netball junior game I played. I definitely got my talent for multitasking from Mum.

My parents and my husband are so proud of what I’ve achieved in my career – they know how excited I get when I hear good news from a business I know or a success story about our Business Sparks or Scholarship Students. They are well aware of the hours I put in, the rough with the smooth that I have to handle and how hard I have worked over the years. They know I simply don’t give up. They tell me to slow down but it’s not in my nature.

I always hear people saying all they do is work to pay for childcare. The Government needs to have a reality check on financial assistance for preschool childcare and improve access to out of school provision. I also think the Government needs to understand the pressures put on small businesses who support their employees that are parents and assist with more practical ways to help SMEs.

Rosie has been blessed with having four loving grandparents and an aunt and uncle who have supported us with childcare around nursery and school time, so we are very lucky.

For more information on Reviving the Heart of the West End Ltd, visit www.rhwe.org

Alexandra with daughter rosie

BUSINESS

Are you talking to your target audience? Asks Rod Findlay, consultant at Your Sport Consulting

any companies go to the trouble of creating a detailed marketing strategy but unfortunately some companies donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the full benefits of their efforts. Often it is because they haven't thought how the message might be received by their target audiences. When I worked in rugby league we wanted to understand why Super League crowds didn't match the demographics in places such as Bradford and the insight received was that the message and images used simply didn't resonate with certain groups. And that is very obviously seen with car advertising with markedly different adverts for vehicles aimed at male, female or young audiences, say. This could just as easily be applied to recruitment with job adverts perhaps also alienating certain groups. With this being North East Times' first women's issue, this is worth thinking about if you are either looking to sell your products to women or looking to ensure equality in recruitment.

Changing a few words can have a dramatic impact Stopping at Wetherby Services the other day, I noticed the language of the signs had changed. Instead of barking an order to take your litter home, the sign that I saw stated: Bin Your Litter. Other People Do. It was the last three words that jumped out to me and reminded me of an excellent book Yes by Robert Cialdini, which is subtitled 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion. I think the creator of the services sign has read this book.

EXPERT VIEW Rod Findlay Consultant Your Sport Consulting Twitter: @RodFindlay

The start of the book discussed how changing the wording on hotel environmental message cards asking hotel guests to recycle towels made a dramatic difference. We have all seen the little plastic cards in hotel bathrooms. Apparently the majority of people do reuse their towels as requested. However, what is the effect of simply changing the wording? When the basic message asking people to recycle was amended to state, truthfully, that the majority of hotel guests had reused their towels at least once during their stay, the number of guests doing so increased by 26 per cent. Going further, what do you think the effect would be of updating the message to state (again truthfully) that the majority of guests in that particular room had participated in the towel reuse programme? In that case there was a 33 per cent increase in towel reuse. That dramatic increase is down to one of the six universal principles of social influence: social proof; that is, that we look to what others do to guide our behaviour. And that is what the services sign was doing. It told me that others binned their litter and those simple three words will have had a greater impact than the three preceding words alone. The choice of language too is important. Certain ways of selling a product will appeal to

different groups. But it might also be worth using this principle of social influence when targeting a female audience by explaining, if true, that other women also buy the product.

Think about images, too Everyone knows the phrase that a picture is worth a thousand words. It is very tempting too select attractive models for advertising. While sex definitely sells, social influence theory would suggest that photos of similar people to your target audience might have more impact? Unfortunately we don't all look like catwalk models. Using perfect images might create the impression that the product is not for those that don't fit the chosen image. Gyms using pictures of thin people might be sending out the message to overweight potential members that they don't belong at that gym. Or images of predominately men enjoying a product or working in a business might make women feel that men are the enjoying impatiens using images of ethnic minorities is not political correctness but more positively sending out the message of inclusivity.

Careful choices for more effectivity The message you send out in marketing or recruitment is important and it is important to ensure that it attracts and doesn't put off your target audiences. Some companies might have different messages or even slightly different products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as Diet Coke aimed at women and Coke Zero aimed at men â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for different groups. If you can only afford one then consider your wording and imaging carefully to ensure it appeals to all.

BUSINESS

Mike Jobson and Kate Dawson.

All-in-One set for all-year-round growth An Ashington-based firm that helped bring the ‘onesie’ to the world has growth all sewn-up after taking advice from a specialist business coach. ince it established in 2008, The All-InOne-Company has exported ‘onesie’ suits of all shapes and sizes to over 150 countries worldwide and managing director Kate Dawson is again gearing up for her team’s busiest time of the year. Despite recording a turnover of over £1 million last year, wide seasonal fluctuations in the company’s order book was hindering further expansion so Kate turned to Mike Jobson of Oxford Innovation for advice. “With the onset of the colder weather and the run-up to Christmas we always experience a sharp increase in sales at this time of year,” explains Kate. “With our annual plan so heavily-weighted towards the final quarter of the year it was becoming difficult to plan the company’s next stage of growth and take decisions around recruitment and premises. “My initial thought was that we should look for ways to flatten our order book and spread production more evenly across the year but Mike showed me how real growth could be achieved by bringing our quieter months up to the level of the busier ones.” Through its delivery of the £1.35m Business Northumberland High Growth Programme, Oxford Innovation provides coaching to high growth potential businesses and start-ups across the county. Programme manager Mike Jobson says: “In some respects, Kate’s problem was a nice one to

have but managing growth is not always straightforward and it can become counterproductive if it is not planned properly.” Before she started working with Mike, Kate had been considering buying new premises and adding to the company’s 23-strong team. Kate continues: “Based on our busiest periods, it seemed obvious to me we would need a much larger production unit and new employees to meet the demand. However the premises we were looking at were expensive and skilled, experienced machinists are hard to find.” Mike’s analysis of The All-In-One-Company concluded the existing workforce could cope with producing 17,000 suits annually if production was spread more evenly throughout the year. Working together, Kate and Mike developed a solution based around the team producing a new collection of 3000 ready-made suits during the historically quieter periods of the year enabling fast turnaround of the remaining bespoke orders as they are received over the internet. Now, instead of buying expensive new premises, Kate has extended her existing unit on Ashington’s North Seaton Industrial Estate and remains on the lookout for skilled machinists while also training apprentices for the future. “I’m really happy with this solution,” says Kate. “The business was already successful but the next stage in its development had to be very carefully planned and managed. With Mike’s help and the fantastic team I have here we’re now very well

placed to grow and meet the incredible demand for our all in one suits.” For his part, Mike is confident about the future of The All-In-One-Company: “This is a fantastic business and one our region can be very proud of,” he says. “It’s been a great pleasure to work with Kate and her team and I look forward to seeing them employ more people and sell more products around the world for many years to come.” The Business Northumberland High Growth Programme is jointly funded by Arch, The Northumberland Development Company; Northumberland County Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Oxford Innovation’s methods have proved successful elsewhere in the UK, where the organisation has worked with over 2500 high growth businesses. And despite the challenging economic circumstances of the last three years, Oxford Innovation has helped its clients across the UK access over £100 million of funding, creating or safeguarding more than 400 jobs. Anyone wishing to find out more about the Business Northumberland High Growth Programme and how Oxford Innovation can potentially support their business should call (01670) 528403, email northumberland@oxin.co.uk or visit www.businessnorthumberland.co.uk

COVER STORY

READY TO STAND OUT Kathryn Taylor recently became only the second female managing partner in the North East legal scene when she took on the role at Gordon Brown Law Firm. Here, she reveals her plans for promoting and growing the practice and why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard work that has got her to the position sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in today.

COVER STORY

hen Kathryn Taylor took control of Gordon Brown Law Firm recently, she became one of only two female managing partners in the North East legal sector. The achievement is even more impressive when you consider the 38-year-old from Blyth only began her legal career 10 years ago. She has replaced Gordon Brown, who established the firm in 1981. While he will continue to practice commercial law, he is confident that Kathryn will take the firm to new heights: “She is an inspirational young modern businesswoman who is universally respected,” he says. “Not only for her technical expertise as a lawyer, but for her directness, courtesy and consideration to all who cross her path.” Kathryn will now manage the future growth of the 75-strong, full-service law firm with offices in Newcastle and Chester-le-Street, while retaining and building on the reputation the practice has built up over the years. Kathryn says: “Gordon has led the firm through 32 years and has kept its reputation as a down-to-earth, no-nonsense, friendly North East legal firm with a national reputation for key services like property law. “My intention is to build on that base, and now that the recession in the property markets appears to be over, pressing ahead with a new growth strategy for the next generation. It’s an incredibly exciting time for me and the rest of the team.” Kathryn studied law at Northumbria University before winning a training contract at Alderson Dodds Solicitors in Blyth. The small high street, mixed service, firm provided Kathryn with a good grounding in law, working on many aspects – from crime to property. It was in the area of property that Kathryn found her passion and two years later, she joined Dickinson Dees’ newly formed residential property department. Four-and-a-half-years later she was contacted by Gordon Brown who invited her to help build the conveyencing services at his firm’s Houghton-le-Spring office. Keen for a new challenge, she accepted the invitation. Kathryn clearly impressed and in 2011, was offered a partnership at the firm. Gordon Brown also consolidated the conveyancing service into one office that year – meaning a relocation for Kathryn to the Chester-le-Street office. Earlier this year, Gordon took the decision to take a back seat in the practice. “That created a managing partner vacancy and I was very pleased to be voted into the position by the other partners,” says Kathryn. Since taking on the role, Kathryn has wasted no time in implementing a new growth strategy to help promote the firm and attract new business. “We haven’t exactly reinvented ourselves,” she explains, “but we have had a good think about which areas of the business we can improve on. “Marketing is something we singled out straight away. We have a very good practice and we want to tell people about that; to stand out from the crowd. “We realise that we can’t have one strategy for the

whole firm so, with the help of our marketing manager Wendy Peffers, we have started to develop individual marketing strategies for each area of law we practice. We’ve appointed a marketing champion in each department who has been challenged to develop bespoke and targeted marketing strategies with Wendy. Kathryn also sees customer service as a key factor in ensuring the future success of the firm. “This is about paying attention to every detail,“ she explains. “Not answering the phone at Gordon Brown is a cardinal sin, as is not replying to emails. “Bad communication is something that happens too much in the legal profession. We actively encourage our people to talk to clients.” Kathryn and her team have also had to contend with recent changes to family law which has dramatically reduced those eligible for legal aid. “It’s been a massive change for all firms that practice family law, and a lot are really struggling now,” says Kathryn. “At Gordon Brown, we’ve had to be inventive to deal with the changes. We’ve started going out into the community and looking for clients who have previously qualified for legal aid. We’ve been to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and to community centres to see if we can price our services in a way that still helps people. Kathryn has also been charged with continuing the firm’s strategy to inspire a new generation of lawyers. “Over the last few years we’ve developed a strategy to develop staff from within the firm and we have taken on a lot of apprentices. We’ve been training them, challenging them and promoting them. We’ve got some really good talent into the firm that way.” Being one of only two female managing partners in the North East has already attracted attention from the regional media and legal scene, and perhaps, inevitably, Kathryn’s promotion will be encouraging to women practicing law in the region. While Kathryn admits that the legal profession is not weighted in women’s favour, and she is often surrounded by males at conferences and Law Society talks, she is keen to point out that she doesn’t feel she has experienced discrimination in her career and that she has got where she is today through her, “strong work ethic.” Her advice to aspiring female lawyers? “Be recognised for your hard work.” Kathryn’s strong work ethic is sure to be tested in the coming months and years as she helms the future of the firm in an industry that has undergone tough times recently. Leaving the last word to her predecessor, Gordon Brown reflects: “The whole legal sector has gone through challenging times in recent years, making this the ideal opportunity to bring in a fresh perspective and energy to push on and grow the practice. “[Kathryn’s] passion for customer service, and for creating opportunity for the next generation of legal talent to develop and grow the business, makes her ideally suited to the job.” For further information on Gordon Brown Law Firm, visit www.gblf.co.uk

LEGAL & FINANCIAL NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Dealmakers advise on cross-border transaction Hay & Kilner and Baker Tilly assist with the sale of a Sunderland-based global training company.

Q Management Systems Limited (IQMS) has been sold to Australian firm SAI Global Limited, with the assistance of North East dealmakers Baker Tilly and Hay & Kilner. The Sunderland based company, established by Geoff Hill in 1990, specialises in the delivery of high-quality management systems training and consultancy across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. IQMS has over 100 approved tutors, including 90 from its global partnership network spread across 13 countries. Geoff was advised by the corporate finance team of Baker Tilly’s Sunderland office and Newcastle lawyers Hay & Kilner. Baker Tilly’s Corporate Finance associate director, Michael Cantwell, said: “We have been working closely with Geoff for two years, preparing the Company for a sale. From the outset we recognised that there would be potential interest from across the globe, and so used our international network to identify Sydney based SAI

Global as a key potential acquirer. It is pleasing to see many months of planning come to a successful conclusion for Geoff.” Hay & Kilner’s corporate partner, Mark Adams, said: “Geoff has been a pleasure to

work with. I am absolutely delighted for him and to have played a significant part in helping negotiate this deal. We wish Geoff every success and are sure that IQMS will continue to thrive.”

Supporting new talent

New appointment for Tait Walker

Relocation for PwC

our aspiring investment managers have been taken on by Brewin Dolphin, as part of its commitment to support talent in the region. Peter Douglas, Oliver York, Matthew Worton and Tom Daniels, were chosen to join Brewin Dolphin’s Investment Training Programme based at their office in Newcastle. Over the next three years, they will work with the firm’s leading investment managers and financial planners to obtain their Diploma in Investment and Advice and Masters in Wealth Management, with Brewin Dolphin’s support.

Left to Right: Michael Cantwell and Clare Cowie - Baker Tilly, Mark Adams - Hay & Kilner and Geoff Hill, IQMS.

ccountancy firm Tait Walker has appointed a financial planner at its Tees Valley office. Board financial planner Phil Griffin has over 15 years industry experience in the field of wealth management advising individuals, business owners, charities and trusts. He will join the 14 strong team at the Tees Valley office and work with each department to deal directly with Tait Walker’s portfolio of clients to provide them with independent, whole of market financial advice.

wC’s Newcastle office is relocating from Sandyford Road, which has been its home for the last 25 years. Advised by JK Property Consultants LLP, PwC has taken 24,000 square feet of offices at Central Square South, adjacent to Stephenson Quarter. Paul Woolston, office senior partner at PwC in Newcastle, said: “Sandyford Road has been a great office for the last couple of decades but it unfortunately couldn’t meet our current requirements. CCS will give us the additional space we need as we continue to recruit and attract the best talent as well as expand our client base.

LAW & FINANCE

Major achievements for North East legal practice Recognition in the Legal 500 and a national award for Major Family Law. he last couple of months have been monumental for niche family law practice, Major Family Law. At the end of September, the latest edition of the Legal 500 was published, naming Major Family Law as a top tier practice once again, and naming principal, Joanne Major, as a Leading Individual in the field of family law. According to the Legal 500, Major Family Law has a, “pre-eminent practice”. It refers to Joanne as a “well-respected rainmaker” with “a keen eye for the market” who has “put together an extremely strong team”. Then, on October 9 in the opulent surroundings of the Grand Ballroom at the Park Lane Hilton in London, Joanne was announced as Most Innovative Family Lawyer of the Year at the Jordans Publishing annual Family Law Awards. Professional recognition and accolade is always welcome, but this is not merely boasting for boasting’s sake. Major Family Law prides itself on recognising and delivering what it is that clients want and need. The Legal 500 is described as the clients’ guide to the best lawyers in the country. Entries are collated by the publishers using indepth research and independent references.

No one can buy their way into the Legal 500 or dictate what is written about them. It is therefore a trusted and respected publication, both by members of the legal profession and lay clients. It is, if you like, the strongest endorsement of the business & its services there is. Meanwhile, the significance of the award from the Jordans Family Law Awards is that it sends a very strong message, not only to the legal profession, but also to businesses generally, that creative thinking, determination, and concerted teamwork can truly level the playing field when it comes to standing out within a field of business. Major Family Law is small to medium sized, single discipline practice, situated on the southern borders of Northumberland. It does not have the marketing or advertising budget of many of the big hitters within the profession, but through being committed to excellence and the ability to communicate that effectively, the practice and every member of the team has won wider recognition and respect as a result. The award recognised that Major Family Law’s effective and creative use of social media has allowed them to “apply the most innovative solutions to promote and

enhance their practice and lead the way for other practitioners to follow”. The only lawyer and practice from the entire North of England to win an award, Joanne’s acceptance speech reinforced her belief in the strength of her team, and that “little things make the big things happen”. In recognition of the significant role her hand-picked team play in the success of the practice, Joanne has now announced the formal appointment of her long-standing colleague and Major Family Law office manager, Jane Henderson, as the first codirector in the business. Joanne is firmly of the belief that the support and key skills offered by Jane have been instrumental in the success of the business thus far. But, of course, in true Major Family Law style, there is little time to enjoy these recent successes as plans are already afoot for the next projects. Joanne MVajor is the principal and a trained Collaborative Lawyer of Major Family Law, the divorce and family law specialists located on West Road, Ponteland. For further information call (01661) 824582 or visit www.majorfamilylaw.co.uk, Twitter: @majorfamilylaw

LAW & FINANCE

Ask the professionals The importance of seeking expert advice when investing your money, by Ian Lowes of Lowes Financial Management.

EXPERT VIEW Ian Lowes Managing director Lowes Financial Management Tel: (0191) 281 8811 Email: enquiry@lowes.co.uk Web: www.lowes.co.uk

ne of the areas of investing that causes me concern is where ordinary investors are promoted to buy directly into company stocks and shares. Sometimes these promotions are from well-known and respected institutions and publications. The stockmarket is a complex and unpredictable environment and investing into it can be profitable but it has numerous inherent risks and there are many private investors who have had their fingers very badly burned. We only have to look at the volatility in the stockmarkets over the past 10 years to see how great expectations can be and how investors can jump onto a rising market only to have the rug pulled out from under them as the markets dive. As someone who has been investing for many years, if I were thinking about investing in the stockmarkets directly, I would ask myself the following questions:

• How do I know which sectors to invest in? • How do I know how much of my investment to allocate to each sector? • Once I’ve chosen a sector, how do I know which companies to invest in? • How good is the management running the company? How do I know that? • Does the company have good long-term prospects? How do I know that? • How might the external issues, politics, and environment affect the company? • How do I properly monitor each share holding?

• How can I ensure I won’t be left holding a bunch of devalued shares? The simple fact is that unless you intend to make investing your career and you are prepared to monitor your holdings on a daily basis, in my view, stocks and shares investing is best left to the experts. There are so many variables to consider that the average investor is pitting themselves against some pretty stiff odds when self-investing and just one major error can devastate even the most carefully constructed portfolio. As chartered independent financial advisers with a permanent investment manager and dedicated analytical team in place, we would not advise our clients to risk their investment portfolio on direct investment into shares. Most of our clients have spent many years accumulating their wealth and the last thing they want to do is put that at any more risk than is necessary for them to maintain their wealth and required income. Given the primary aims of the majority of our clients, our advice nearly always is to use collective investments, such as the core of the portfolio. The reason we use collectives is because each fund is run by one or more dedicated fund managers, backed by researchers and analysts whose full-time job is to talk with company management and other people in the industry, to ask the questions I’ve outlined before and to dig down until they receive the answers they

need in order to make their investment decisions. Depending on the type of fund and the areas in which it is invested, the fund management team literally could see hundreds of companies on an annual basis. We are well known for our expertise in the field of structured investments that we tend to utilise alongside collective investments. Structured products more often than not will offer a stated return, at a set point in time, usually based on the performance of a stockmarket, with various degrees of capital protection. For example, it might offer 60 per cent after five years if the stockmarket is above the level when the investment commenced. They are, in effect, contracts between the issuer and the investor, so the investor knows what they will receive, at what point in time and under which market circumstances. To our mind it simply makes sense for investors to put their trust in the hands of experienced managers who run money on a day-to-day basis with millions of pounds of technology and other resource behind them, or in defined contracts, than it does to try to pick stocks and shares for themselves. There are more than 10,000 collective investments and new structured investments are launched at an average rate of two per business day. So unless you plan on becoming an expert in identifying which experts to rely upon it pays to put your trust in an independent financial adviser.

INTERVIEW

The long game North East Times asks successful business men and women, with more than 25 years’ experience in their field, what their industry was like when they first started, how it has changed and where they see their sector going?

Katharine Lowthian Head of Family Law at Sintons LLP

PAST

PRESENT

graduated from Newcastle University in 1986 with an LLB (Hons) in Law. There followed a year of intense study for the Solicitors Final Examinations at Chester College of Law, followed by two years of articled clerkship at an eight office Newcastle firm. I joined Dickinson Dees in 1990 at the start of an amazing period of growth for the firm. I was made a partner in 1998 and together with Lyn Rutherford we built the family team to be the biggest in the North. Those days at Dickinson Dees were fantastic, with brilliant dynamic lawyers and an inspirational culture. Business was booming after the recession of the late 80s and early 90s and the law was an exciting place to be. After 18 years at Dickinson Dees I was desperate for a new challenge so I decided to set up my own niche divorce and family law practice, Lowthian Gray Family Law in Jesmond. At the beginning of my career I spent a lot of time in court, watching and learning from senior solicitors, barristers and QC’s plying their trade. I also learned how to run a successful business from watching senior partners at Dickinson Dees getting on with it. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. I have amazing memories from those early days which were a lot of fun.

fter seven very successful years as a sole practitioner, I realised that when a business gets to a certain size you have to do something with it, whether that is joining forces with a business of a similar size, or merging with a larger practice. What you cannot do is stand still. During my time as a sole practitioner the field of family law has changed immeasurably. In the early days family law was seen as contentious and litigious and most divorce lawyers operated from their firm’s litigation teams. Now, most divorce lawyers worth their salt are very skilled at settling cases and referrals to mediation are the norm. The law is now vastly oversubscribed and there are too many lawyers. In 1986 when I started my career there were 50,000 lawyers. There are now around 170,000 lawyers. There are many divorce lawyers in the North but, I feel, only a handful are really experienced and capable of dealing with big cases, and have the confidence to handle difficult situations. It is very important now to manage clients’ expectations as what they think they are entitled to can be very different from what they are entitled to in law. We cannot control another person’s behaviour, only a judge can do that and sometimes that is quite hard for clients to accept. Family law is the most challenging and demanding of all legal disciplines. We are dealing with people’s children, home, businesses and finances. It is a privilege to represent clients at the most difficult time of their lives.

FUTURE see my future and the rest of my career at Sintons. I chose to join the firm because of reputation (which should be crucial to every lawyer), its depth of service and the professional support that a small niche firm simply cannot offer. Family law changes daily. Some areas of the law, such as the law relating to cohabitation are in dire need of reform as more people now cohabit than marry. Further it is clear that social media is opening up a new way to win new work. Used properly, sites such as Facebook and Twitter can deliver instant information such as cases which have been heard the day before. In the field of family law however there will never be a substitute for good old fashioned personal service.

TIMELINE 1987-1990: Articled clerk (now known as trainee solicitor) 1990-2008: Dickinson Dees 2008-2013: Lowthian Gray Family Law 2013: Head of Family Law at Sintons

LAW & FINANCE

The monthly report With Richard Clark of Barclays

Taper pains The Federal Reserve (Fed) faces formidable challenges in transitioning from buying $1trn of debt this year to a ‘normal’ policy with no quantitative easing (QE) and a more neutral policy rate. In September, the Fed announced that it would delay the tapering of its asset purchases until there is further evidence of economic stability. The decision was probably driven by patchy housing data, sharply rising bond yields as well as looming negotiations about the government budget and debt ceiling. The announcement caused the dollar to fall substantially on the day, as well as causing gold and silver to rise 4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively – although this rebound was short lived. The continued availability of liquidity from the US has been good for all asset classes, particularly bonds. But as good as the third quarter has turned out to be for the markets, we have to remain realistic about the fact that tapering has been, not cancelled, only postponed. We think there is a good chance that the Fed will start its withdrawal this year. Geopolitics remained at the fore in September as the continued conflict in Syria and the use of chemical weapons caused outrage among the international community. While Syria’s oil production is negligible in a global context, concerns that the conflict could spread to neighbouring oil-producing regions

EXPERT VIEW Richard Clark Private Banker Barclays Wealth and Investment Management, Newcastle Web: www.barclays.com/wealth

caused Brent crude prices to surge to $115/bbl. Syria has since agreed to hand over all chemical weapons to international powers and oil prices have since fallen to $108/bbl. September, and in fact the year to date, were both positive for equities. US 10-year Treasury yields fell by 17 bps to 2.61 per cent during September, amid concerns about the delay in the tapering of QE and government debt-ceiling discussions. In currency markets, despite the introduction of forward rate guidance by the Bank of England in early August, sterling rallied and is up by 5.5 per cent since. This is due to strong UK economic data; the forward guidance has not had a substantial effect on the market. The US dollar fell 2 per cent during the month amid the disappointment that the Fed did not begin the tapering of QE. Developed stocks have seen some correction following the tapering speculation. That said the medium-term outlook for growth remains constructive and we have left our overweight intact for fear of missing a likely rebound.

Developed market equities remain inexpensive with positive support in the medium to long term. Across emerging market equities, we remain neutral. Looking ahead – if the Fed continues to delay tapering – one part of our allocation that we might consider adjusting is our outlook on the emerging markets. There is scope there to move towards a more positive stance. At present, we don’t yet have enough conviction to go any deeper into the market than we are –larger economies still have a lot of work to do. Turkey, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia, for example, are still running large current account deficits, and the BRIC governments are failing to deliver the necessary reforms. In mid-June, we cut our weightings in high yield and emerging market bonds to underweight, and raised our weighting in cash to neutral. If the days of easy money in developed markets are numbered, so too are cheap ‘carry trades’ financed by such money. We retain a long-term underweight position in government bonds and underweight in investment grade credit. We are underweight commodities as we believe there are better riskadjusted gains to be made in other asset classes. Although some commodities are likely to remain supported by positive fundamentals, softer supply-demand balances across some of the major commodities, such as industrial metals, and the prospect of monetary normalisation present downside risks to the class.

Barclays Wealth Management is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Share prices and the income from them can go down as well as up. Readers are advised to seek professional investment opinion before entering into dealings in securities mentioned in this article, which may be unsuitable in their personal financial circumstances.

LAW & FINANCE

Left to right: Alok Loomba (Sintons), Christopher Welch (Sintons), Paul Goodchild (RBS Invoice Finance), Mark Gulliford (DE Group), Andy Wilson (DE Group) and Adrian Dye (Sintons).

Aiming high DE Pharmaceuticals targets £196m turnover following a management buy-out. ne of the UK’s biggest pharmaceutical wholesalers is targeting £196m turnover in three years after being bought by two of its directors, in one of the most significant deals seen in the North East healthcare sector for several years. DE Group, based in Prudhoe, has been acquired by managing director Mark Gulliford and finance director Andy Wilson through a £37m management buy-out (MBO). The new owners are now targeting double-digit growth over each of the next three years to help fuel the fastgrowing company’s progress further. The business is the only short line wholesaler with distribution centres across the UK, and operates from 11 sites throughout the UK and Ireland. In the past few years, it has grown significantly with the acquisition of Doncaster Pharmaceuticals, which operates across Southern England, and Eurodrug in Ireland, as well as seeing strong levels of organic growth. Also included in the group are National Generics in the Midlands, Eclipse Generics in Scotland and Crosspharma Pharmaceuticals in Northern Ireland. Mark Gulliford, who has been with DE Group for 22 years, including a previous spell as owner, said the business, which employs 300 people and supplies to more than 4500 pharmacies, is now set for a period of further organic growth to hit its £196m target by 2016. The transaction was overseen by the specialist pharmacy team at Newcastle law firm Sintons,

with funding to support the MBO provided by RBS Invoice Finance, which structured a £37m Asset Based Lending (ABL) package. Mark Gulliford said: “Both myself and Andy are very much looking forward to taking DE Group to further levels of growth. It is a business and a sector we have unrivalled knowledge of, and after a period of acquisition, we are now on track to achieve 10 to 15 per cent growth each year for the next three years in a market where generic medicines account for more than 70 per cent of all prescriptions. “With strong support from Sintons, RBS and KPMG, the successful completion our MBO will allow us to focus on improving the already high levels of service that our customers rely on. “As the UK’s largest independent distributor of generic medicines, more than 4500 pharmacies benefit from our unrivalled buying power and the great deals we offer on a day-to-day basis.” Christopher Welch, partner in the Company and Commercial department at Sintons, led the team which completed the deal. Along with Alok Loomba, partner in the Real Estate team and associate Adrian Dye, the team is highly regarded across the North of England for its pharmacy expertise. Christopher Welch said: “This transaction is one of the most significant deals in the region’s healthcare sector for several years, and allows the management team to further develop the potential of DE Group. “DE Group intentionally maintains a low profile for its work, but from its base in Prudhoe, has become one of the leaders in its field across

the UK and Ireland. We have every confidence that Mark and Andy, who have so effectively run the business for the past few years, will lead the DE Group to even greater levels of success.” RBS Invoice Finance provided and structured the funding, with KPMG providing corporate finance advice. DLA Piper acted as advisors to RBS Invoice Finance. Christian Mayo, Corporate Finance partner in KPMG’s Northern practice, said: “The management team are precisely the right people to lead the DE Group into a prosperous long term future. The business is well placed to exploit the growth in generic pharmaceuticals as increasing numbers of drugs come off patent. “This deal represents a great result for DE Group’s thousands of retail pharmacy customers and takes the business back into independent hands where it will continue playing an important role in drug distribution throughout the UK and Ireland.” Paul Goodchild, Corporate Development director at RBS Invoice Finance, added: “DE Group has developed into a leading player in their field and the growth of the business is testament to the solid management team within which Mark and Andy have played a key role. “The sale of the business to such experienced and well respected individuals marks a key milestone in the firm’s evolution as it embarks on a new journey of independent ownership. We wish them all the best in the future as the team enter their next stage of growth.” For further information visit www.sintons.co.uk

EVENT

Pharmacy industry event Sintons Law Firm and Lloyds Bank Commercial hosts an evening for the pharmaceutical industry. xperts from the pharmacy industry spoke about the challenges facing the sector at an event hosted by law firm Sintons and Lloyds Bank Commercial. The evening involved discussion with three of the leading figures in the North East’s pharmacy sector – Mark Gulliford, owner of Prudhoe-based DE Group; Jason Smith, of Christie + Co; and Kevin Nicholls, from The Pharmacy Consultancy Ltd. The event, held at Ramside Hall, near Durham, was attended by pharmacists and other professionals in the sector from across the region. Christopher Welch, Partner at Newcastle-based Sintons and head of its specialist pharmacy team – which is regarded throughout the North of England for its work – also addressed delegates, as did Craig McNaughton from Lloyds Bank. Alok Loomba, pharmacy expert and Partner in Sintons’ Real Estate team, said: “Sintons, as a specialist adviser to pharmacies, works with many of the leading names in this sector across the North East and beyond. “We were very pleased to host this event, where ourselves and other regional experts were able to share advice and discuss impending issues in this exciting and fast-paced sector.”

LAW & FINANCE

But who would look after your money? Hay & Kilner’s Nicola Matthews reveals why Lasting Power of Attorney is something you should be thinking about ... now.

EXPERT VIEW Nicola Matthews Partner Hay & Kilner Private Client Department. Tel: (0191) 232 8345 Email nicola.matthews@hay-kilner.co.uk Visit: www.hay-kilner.co.uk

dvances in medical science are resulting in the population living longer. Sadly a growing number of people are losing the mental capacity to look after their finances as they age, or as a result of brain injury or illness. It is possible to safeguard against this eventuality, and also a sudden loss of mental capacity, by appointing a trusted family member, or friend, as your ‘Attorney’ before you lose mental capacity. This involves completion of a Property and Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney, which is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, the organisation which oversees such matters. It is possible to have one or more Attorneys, who are instructed to act either jointly, (all must agree before a financial transaction is performed), or jointly and severally (they can make decisions together or independently of each other). In addition, one or more replacement Attorneys can be appointed in case one of the original ones is not able to perform the role. You can also put a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney in place to appoint

an Attorney to make decisions about where you are to live and what care and other medical treatment you should receive, if you are unable to make these decisions yourself. The main advantage of having a Lasting Power of Attorney is that you choose the Attorney(s). It is like an insurance policy. You may not need it, but it is there in case the worst happens. If you do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney but you lose the ability to look after your finances, your money and property cannot be touched unless someone applies to the Court to be appointed as your Deputy. This is a longer and more costly process because the Court needs to be satisfied by medical evidence that you are unable to make decisions about your finances; it needs to consider the suitability of the proposed Deputy; it needs to ensure that some other people close to you are informed about the application, so they can object if they believe the proposed Deputy is not an appropriate person. The Court assesses how much money you have, to determine what level of supervision there should be over the Deputy and what level of insurance bond is required to

guard against the Deputy defrauding you. Although the court makes decisions based upon what it thinks is in your best interests, it could appoint someone to look after your money who you would not have chosen yourself. Therefore the best advice is for you to take control and make this decision now, in case you lose mental capacity in the future. In addition, if someone is appointed by the court rather than you, their powers may be limited. They may have to apply to the Court for permission to do certain things, like selling your property, whereas if they were appointed by you under a Lasting Power of Attorney, this would not be necessary. If you have a relative or close friend who has lost mental capacity and someone needs to be appointed to look after their finances, consider whether you would be willing to assist by acting as their Deputy. If so, it is advisable to consult with other close relatives and offer to apply to the Court to be appointed. It is recommended that you consult a solicitor who specialises in this area of the law as the application process is complex.

EVENT

The North East Entrepreneurial Awards Entrepreneurs honour an icon of North East business. ir Peter Vardy received a standing ovation from the 300 guests gathered for the Entrepreneurs’ Forum annual awards as he was recognised for Lifetime Achievement. One of the founders and now an honorary ambassador of the Forum, Sir Peter was chosen for making a significant contribution to business in the North East, for creating thousands of jobs and putting the region on the map. On being presented with his trophy, Sir Peter said he was, “deeply honoured.” “I have had an interesting and challenging life and enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “The car business was fabulous; we had a great time and built an amazing company. After my father died I was alone in business so I valued the Entrepreneurs’ Forum because it was a team of people who offered support. “As entrepreneurs we get lots of opportunities and I would encourage you to grasp them with both hands. It’s amazing, even from humble beginnings, the things you can achieve.” The award, which took place at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead on September 20 also recognised the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Entrepreneur of the Year, which went to Jeff Winn, co-founder of Winns Solicitors. Jeff was a partner in a legal aid practice for ten years before setting up Byker-based Winns, whose services are a one-stop- shop for road traffic accident victims. The Emerging Talent award for 2013 went to Rob Mathieson, of AYO Digital, a Gateshead-based supplier of web-based software systems to customers including Renault, Hyundai and Gentoo Group. For more information on the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, visit www.entrepreneursforum.net

LAW & FINANCE

New opportunities to attract

investment

Andrew Cawkwell reveals how Muckle LLP is helping North East businesses access funds. he economy has left many businesses in the North East cash-starved, unable to secure investment, stuck in a holding pattern of day-to-day operation and with no real prospect of growth. However, at Muckle LLP we continue to make introductions to a wide range of finance sources for different types of funding which could help these businesses attract investment. This is so often the key to helping them realise their ambitions and create growth. Through my work as a director of the Turnaround Management Association (UK) I have built some strong relationships with a number of distressed turnaround funds such as RCapital, which are ready and willing to invest here in the North East. They’re seeking new investment opportunities outside London as their own geographic markets are at saturation point. They are turning their attention to areas such as the North East, looking to use collaborative partnerships with organisations like Muckle LLP to help them identify opportunities. This is introducing a new dynamic and previously un-tapped opportunities to attract investment.

EXPERT VIEW Andrew Cawkwell Partner, Banking and Restructuring Team Muckle LLP Email: Andrew.cawkwell@muckle-llp.com

Business owners usually approach their accountant or a corporate financier for support on these matters. However, we have seen these

traditional routes and mechanisms to investment fail to provide adequate capital for financially distressed businesses. We have then advised them from the distressed turnaround perspective and have been able to secure investment – up to £10m in one case. At Muckle LLP, the Banking and Restructuring Team has daily contact with banks and borrowers, giving us a strong understanding of their appetite for lending. We also work with firms which are looking to be refinanced, ensuring we understand their needs and can provide appropriate introductions to those distressed turnaround investors who are seeking for investment opportunities here. As a result of the diverse nature of what we do, the geographical areas we operate in and the strength of connections we have through the Turnaround Management Association, we have the right networks to create opportunities for businesses. So, while a law firm might not be the first place a business might look for support on financial matters, Muckle can help you take a different approach.

LAW & FINANCE

Accountant to test his mettle UNW’s Michael Morris is set to take on the best triathletes in the Ironman world championships. North East accountant, who competes globally in his day job, has taken his international capabilities a step further after qualifying for the world's toughest half Ironman triathlon test, the 70.3 World Championship. Michael Morris, a partner at UNW business advisers and accountants in Newcastle, is used to his audit and assurance work taking his mind overseas but now he will swim, cycle and run in the world championships in Quebec, Canada, next year against the best triathletes in the world. Michael recently competed against 2000 others from around the world in Zell Am See, Austria, and not only won the 35 to 39 year old age group in the half ironman competition but also finished as the top British competitor overall. He will now represent the UK by swimming 1900 metres, cycling 56 miles and then running a half marathon in Mont-Tremblan at one of the world's most elite endurance events, in September 2014.

Michael Morris

Michael, who recently completed the Great North Run in just 75 minutes, said: “The main reason I like to do triathlon is because coming from a running background the event allows me to continue at a good level whereas my

body struggles with running just miles and miles these days. “UNW has recently joined BKR International, a global association of independent and business advisory firms, which gives us the opportunity to travel and do business globally but the Ironman triathlons take us through some tiny villages in some wonderful and obscure places you wouldn't ordinarily get to see. “When I crossed the line first in my age group in Austria I didn't believe it for about the first two hours and thought the results might get revised. “But, not only did I win my age group, but I was the highest place Brit, with a total time of four hours and 22 minutes.” UNW managing partner Andrew Wilson said: “We are more used to helping our clients expand into new territories than qualifying for world championships of Ironman but Michael is certainly very dedicated and focussed and everyone at the firm wish him every success in Canada next year.”

LAW & FINANCE

Getting the nation moving again Brewin Dolphin divisional director, James Cartmell, looks at the impact of the Government’s schemes aimed at improving the affordability of mortgages.

EXPERT VIEW James Cartmell Divisional director Brewin Dolphin Tel: (0191) 279 7431 Email: James.cartmell@brewin.co.uk www.brewin.co.uk

he Government’s Funding for Lending and Help to Buy have both improved the availability of mortgages and when combined with a historically low cost of credit, the affects of these support measures are beginning to feed their way through into the figures. Reports suggest the number of mortgage approvals and housing transactions have picked up, but the talk of a boom is, in my view, slightly premature. House builders, such as local Bellway and Persimmon, as well as other property related stocks, Howden Joinery and Travis Perkins, have benefitted from the introduction of the Help to Buy scheme and the increased confidence in the sector. The Bank of England recently reported a rise in activity in terms of both enquiries and transactions for house builders, plus buy-to-let investors also remain highly active. At the same time, upward movements of share prices in the sector have boosted the performance of UK small and mid-cap collective funds in 2013 which typically hold reasonable weightings in these stocks. A recent correction notwithstanding, shares

in the sector have performed well and investors may be thinking it’s a good time to take profits, but that doesn’t mean to say the sector has run its course. Far from it. Government seems very keen to help people onto the housing ladder, with Help to Buy widening from 2014 to include everyone, not just first timers, plus both old and new homes. House prices, it seems, have already started to move in anticipation of increased demand resulting from the widening of the scheme. According to Nationwide’s recent house price report, UK house prices rose 0.6 per cent in August and 45 per cent of the upturn in activity was driven by first time buyers. The same first time buyers who appear to feel more confident that they can get that first foot up. However, with demand currently running ahead of supply, affordability is still an issue. Whilst this disequilibrium remains, prices could remain artificially high. Critics of the Help to Buy scheme also fret that it could support a bubble in the South East, with the Chancellor giving the Central Bank his blessing to reduce the cap on eligible properties, currently £600,000, if needs be.

On the plus side, affordability will, for the time being, continue to be supported by the low interest rate. Whilst Mark Carney’s intent on maintaining the current base rate until unemployment reaches 7 per cent provides some reassurance on future rates, employing the use of trigger points allows the Government to increase rates should things change dramatically in the future. Carney recently reassured markets he was aware of the economic threats of an overheated housing market and would take action if needed. Potential policy measures could include asking lenders to make their borrowing terms more onerous, or forcing banks to hold more cash on their balance sheets. If that is the case, it is certainly my hope that any such measures are done against a backdrop of encouragement for the construction of new homes. The recovery in the share prices of house building stocks has produced very attractive gains since their 2008 nadir, but this recovery was from a very low base. With several economic unknowns still reflected in share prices and taking a longer term view I don’t think the best has passed by any means.

LAW & FINANCE

New year opportunities Dave Gibson, co owner of Blu Sky Chartered Accountants on how to make the most of the next six months in business. ummer is now a distant memory and our thoughts, and clothes, have turned to winter. As business owners, we need to constantly look to the future, so what should we consider over the coming season and into spring? Seasonality is important for many market sectors. If you are in retail you will, of course, be already stocked up for Christmas and now thinking beyond that to that great friend of restaurants and flower shops, Valentine’s Day. But what about those dull days of January? Start thinking now about how you may be able to provoke a little more spend at a time when your customers feel they have full stomachs and empty wallets after Christmas. Be creative with your offers, have fun with your marketing, and do all you can to attract customer’s attention. The sales pipeline can also freeze in December for many service businesses. Every decision-maker you chase for the next contract seems to be on holiday or away at a Christmas meal.

Maybe you’re rushed off your feet to deliver and complete a project by, let’s say, December 20 this year, but you can bet no-one else will want you hanging around their office for the following fortnight. That makes this a great time to take a break (and go spend some money with those

retailers), but it’s also a great time for some horizon-gazing time. Take yourself away from those day-to-day issues and examine the key aspects of your marketing and business development strategies. What’s not working, and how do you fix it? Plan some serious thinking and development time into that fortnight. It could even help you escape the in-laws. Amazingly, we’re already half-way through the tax year so, as part of that thinking time, now is a great time to review any tax or remuneration planning you did earlier in the year, to ensure your actions are still relevant and on-course. There are also a couple of tax changes being introduced from April 2014 that may have a significant impact on business owners, so make sure you work with your accountant to understand what they mean. Remember, you cannot plan retrospectively. More information on North Shields-based Blu Sky visit at www.bluskytax.co.uk

LAW & FINANCE Ian Richards and Alasdair Greig.

Helping future stars Northstar is a venture capital company dedicated to building successful high growth businesses across the North East. Here, directors Alasdair Greig and Ian Richards explain more. Tell us about Northstar Ventures ... Alasdair Greig (AG): Northstar Ventures has been around since 2004, and since then we have invested £75m in over 400 regional businesses. This figure has come from three funds that are now fully invested: £30m North East Co Investment Fund, £13.5 million North East Proof of Concept Fund and £2.4m North East Creative Fund. We are also currently managing two funds that are part of the Finance for Business North East programme: the Accelerator and Proof of Concept Funds. Ian Richards (IR): Between the two active funds, we have nearly £10m left to invest. We are interested in making investments of £50,000 to £750,000 in North East companies and while our funds cover most sectors, we tend to concentrate on the digital and technology sectors. We have a team of 14 professionals based in the region – our office is in Newcastle city centre, but we cover the whole of the North East from Teesside up to Northumberland.

How do you determine which businesses to invest in? IR: There are various reasons as to why we would invest, however there are three main aspects we always look for: Is the business scalable? Is the business operating in a fast growing and exciting market? Does the company have a good management team? AG: Particularly the latter. We understand that some of these young companies will not have a fully formed management team when they first approach us, however this is something we like

to help them with and we are more than happy to work with them to add additional resources, when required.

What is the process when applying for funds? IR: We prefer the management teams to give us a call to chat through their plans first. The usual process after this is to invite them into the office to discuss their proposition. AG: Once we are going through the investment process, we can turn round the deal fairly quickly as all our decisions are made locally.

Which companies have you already invested in AG: We have invested in some really exciting early stage businesses, many of which you can find on our website under the portfolio section. Some of our most interesting investments to date have been in Palringo, Eutechnyx, Nomad Digital and Kykloud.

Apart from capital, what benefits do Northstar give businesses that it has invested in? IR: As Northstar has been in the region for ten years and we have a team of 14 professionals with a diverse range of backgrounds – including operational, finance and tech transfer – we have an extensive network that we can introduce our portfolio companies to. AG: Due to our local decision making, we can make quick decisions both at the time of investment and afterwards. We see our

approach as a partnership with the companies we invest in, and we have people in our team who can help management teams realise their potential.

What has been Northstar’s highlight to date? AG: One of our highlights this year and last has been our involvement with the Ignite 100 programme. Ignite100 is one of Europe’s leading Accelerator programmes, and certainly one of the most successful ones outside of London. The companies involved in this programme receive funding of up to £100,000 and get to spend 14 weeks with investors and mentors (including members of the Northstar team) in Newcastle, London and New York.

What are your long-term plans? IR: Our long term plans for Northstar are to continue raising funds to support North East businesses, and we really want to put the North East on the map as a good place in the UK to start a business due to the amount of funding available and the potential to grow these businesses thanks to the support and network connections that are available to companies. AG: We would really like more North East businesses to become market leaders and be globally recognised in their industries – and we believe that Northstar can play a pivotal role in their success. For more information on Northstar and its investments, please visit www.northstarventures.co.uk

The Finance for Business North East Funds are backed by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank. Previous funds were backed by the European Regional Development Fund and One North East.

BUSINESS

Providing employable skills Emma Glendinning is a senior national administrator for Newcastle-based B-Skill, which supports young people and adults across the UK gain vocational, educational and employability skills. North East Times speaks to her about her career and how the training industry has changed over the last ten years.

Tell us how your career in training began? I left school in 2001 after gaining my GCSE qualifications and embarked upon a health and social care qualification at college. Very quickly I realised that this was not the course for me so I left college but I was definitely keen to do something that allowed me to develop and improve my own skills. In time I joined B-Skill, a leading training provider to the support services industry, which engages with employers to develop their workforce and raise the aspirations and achievements of all learners. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not looked back since.

Have things changed much since you first joined B-Skill? My first role saw me supporting the network of trainers and assessors as well as managers and directors in the company with a range of administration tasks. In some ways, the needs of our clients are very much the same now as when the business was established in 2000, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the methods and approach to the training have changed significantly. There has always been a demand from companies of all sizes for their employees to have sound business skills so specialist training in areas such as business admin, team leading and customer service continue to be highly sought after. Since my promotion to senior national

administrator I work with our specialist trainers and assessors all across the UK and lead a team of administration assistants at our head office in Newcastle. Apprenticeships were seen as unfashionable at one time but in recent years we have seen an increased demand as employers recognise that these offer an excellent training route for young people to acquire the skills which can lead to long-term employment, as well as growth and development for a business. Our apprenticeships scheme is run with funding from the Skills Funding Agency, supported by the European Social Fund. The range of training opportunities has also substantially increased. We offer bespoke courses tailored to the individual needs of employers, pre-employment training to help young people and those needing to find work in new industries acquire the skills that employers are looking for, as well as individual tuition in subjects such as maths, English and IT. We additionally work with various organisations to support young people and adults into employment including Job Centre Plus, National Apprenticeships Service and Sector Skills Councils as well as offering a range of NVQs and vocational qualifications.

How has the recession impacted the apprenticeships scheme you run?

For many businesses, budgets are tight but investing in their employees is still seen as essential to enable them to remain competitive and retain a strong workforce so we have seen an upsurge in enquiries. Demand is coming from companies of all sizes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from small owner managed businesses with a handful of employees to larger organisations and public sector bodies such as councils.

What do you think the future holds? Funding rate reductions mean that the training industry is far more competitive now and I expect that this will continue as the Government demands more from providers. Apprenticeships will remain a smart option for employers wanting to bring new and enthusiastic people into their businesses and will help businesses to retain their best staff to place themselves in a stronger position ready for the economic upturn. The way in which training is delivered will further evolve in order to make smarter and more efficient use of budgets and time. There is already far greater use of information technology such as video conferencing and increasing engagement via social media platforms and there is more to come. For more information on B-Skill visit www.b-skill.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Strengthening the team St. James’s Place Wealth Management has recruited two representatives.

Having worked successfully since 1987 for Prudential, Bradford & Bingley and Halifax, Michael Westwood has witnessed many changes, particularly within the banking sector, which do not support his views on the level of service that clients should expect. Having seen that Michael could provide clients with a better service and the best possible advice, he was delighted to be invited to join the prestigious St. James's Place Wealth. With a bespoke personal service, tailored to your specific needs and aspirations, Michael Westwood is able to offer a wide range of

wealth management services of outstanding quality. With guaranteed advice and a ‘best of breed’ approach at St. James's Place, Michael Westwood Wealth Management is able to offer advice in all aspects of financial planning, in particular: building and preserving capital, personal protection, retirement planning, inheritance tax/estate planning and mortgages.

MICHAEL WESTWOOD

Grant Callander has worked within financial services for the last 10 years. Formerly area director for Regulated Sales at Barclays Bank, across Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside, Grant was delighted to recently accept his invitation to join the St. James’s Place Wealth. Grant’s alliance with St. James’s Place and the synergy it brings, helps him to make clients’ finances understandable, providing exceptional

Contact Michael on (0191) 2605373/07971647859 or email: michael.westwood@sjpp.co.uk

commitment and a well grounded and comprehensive knowledge of the needs and aspirations of all clients – offering expert advice across a wide range of complicated financial planning areas such as investment, inheritance tax, protection, retirement planning and pensions. Contact Grant Callander on 07738 431 892 or email grant.callander@sjpp.co.uk

GRANT CALLANDER

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected, and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up with payments on your mortgage. Grant Callander and each run separate businesses within St. James's Place and do not operate in legal Partnership with each other. Representing only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group's website at www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title 'Partner Practice' is a marketing term used to describe St. James's Place representatives.

EVENT

Left to right: John Barron (Solutions) and Stephen Callaghan (Ryecroft Glenton)

Solutions Recruitment open evenings Recruitment specialists moves to new city centre office.

Left to right: Rob Eldon (Ward Hadaway), Jamie Gamble (Ward Hadaway), Michael Grayson (Solutions), Abu Ali (Ryecroft Glenton) and Stephen Cairns (Eversheds)

olutions Recruitment invited existing clients and guests to join them at its prestigious new offices on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle city centre on September 19 and 26. Attendees enjoyed champagne, canapés and a personally guided tour of the employment and meeting facilities which are set out over five floors. Guests also took the opportunity to network with many of the North East’s key decision makers.

Left to right: Dan Sempers, Craig Davey, Adam Knox, Chris Steenberg and Michael Bulmer (Solutions)

Left to right: Sarah Duckworth, Selina Deeney (NUFC Foundation), Natalie Scott (Esh Group) and Micheala Robertson (Solutions)

Left to right: Charlie Thompson (Meldrum Construction), Julia Oxley Davies (Solutions) and Dean Burns (Redesdale Consultancy)

Left to right: Becky Mortimer and Sophie Kirton-Darling (Solutions)

Left to right: Penny Vincent and Caroline Watson (Solutions)

Left to right: Sara Spoates (Solutions) and Jamie Gamble (Ward Hadaway)

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A wealth of knowledge ... By Chris Buckland of Global Wealth Management.

s a financial adviser based in the North East of England, readers of North East Times are able to benefit from my wealth of experience and knowledge in the financial sector by way of providing my insightful monthly columns. This month I’d like to ask you; do you have the will to protect your wealth from the ever-present threat of Inheritance Tax? It seems like a long time since the Conservative Party said it would raise the Inheritance Tax (IHT) threshold, above which deceased estates are taxed at 40 per cent. Since forming the coalition government they have yet to turn those words into action and have confirmed the threshold will remain unchanged until at least 2015, and subject to further legislation the freeze will be extended up to and including the 2017/18 tax year. The days are long gone when IHT could reasonably be regarded as a tax only for the very wealthy. Many of us still think that we are unlikely to be affected by it, but many of us would be wrong. The IHT threshold currently stands at £325,000. Married couples and civil partners can pass assets to each other without paying IHT, while

they are alive or in their death. A fairly recent change of rules also allows them to transfer any unused portion of their nil rate band when they die. It’s now possible for the surviving spouse or partner to leave assets of up to £650,000 before IHT becomes payable. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to reduce any liability. A good place to start is with your will. Everyone should consider

having a will and one that is IHT-efficient. If you don’t, or if there are mistakes in the drafting, the laws of intestacy may distribute your assets in ways that you never intended, or your estate may be taxed in ways that could otherwise have been avoided. If you own a business, your will should cover your business assets unless you have made appropriate succession plans with your partners. And you should review it whenever your circumstances change – a subsequent marriage, for example, automatically invalidates a will. Your will is the place to take advantage of the rules on charitable legacies which came into effect on April 6, 2012. If you bequeath money to a charity, it will not be subject to IHT – that’s not new. But, if you leave 10 per cent or more of your taxable assets to charity, what remains attracts IHT at a reduced rate of 36 per cent. To receive a free guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact me on (0191) 260 53 73 or email chris.buckland@sjpp.co.uk

Corporate ﬁnance brieﬁng ... with Mark Irving, director at Irving Ramsay Limited.

n addition to the disposal mandates which I’ve talked about in recent columns, Irving Ramsay remains heavily involved in raising finance for early stage businesses. We completed our most recent deal with North Star Ventures last month and are currently working with some really interesting businesses. The Finance for Business North East funds remain very active in supporting growing North East based SMEs and we are seeing greater levels of activity from private investors; they are sensibly using the very attractive SEIS and EIS tax reliefs to manage the risk attached to making investments. Building the right team of investors and management is critical to these early stage businesses and it has been good to recently see a couple of very successful North East entrepreneurs not only invest cash in such businesses but also take an active role in the ongoing development. We are currently working on a software development process where we have been able to secure the services of a highly experienced professional from the sector who will not only play a leading role in the development process

but will also be taking a meaningful equity stake in the company – thus ensuring his ongoing medium term commitment to the business. The involvement of experienced people who have ‘been around the block’ can be the perfect foil for an energetic, determined, ambitious but sometimes relatively inexperienced management team. Time and again the presence of such experience around

the boardroom table has had a meaningful impact on the decision making of other potential investors. At Irving Ramsay we have invested a considerable amount of time building relationships with such contacts to enable us to enhance the service we offer our clients. Not only do we have significant funding contacts but we also have an extensive and growing network of experienced professionals who are seeking to invest cash and take active roles in growing North East businesses. So it is important to remember that you can get a lot from your corporate finance adviser nowadays. A business plan and a well project managed process are the bare minimum you can expect; the real added value is in the commercial and strategic advice you can obtain as well as the access you gain to an extensive network of contacts. Contact Mark at mark.irving@irvingramsay.com or on 07730 437 617. Alternatively, visit www.irvingramsay.com or follow @IrvingRamsay on Twitter.

INTERVIEW

ack to her roots Businesswoman Fiona Standfield looks ahead to her next chapter as director of Newcastle Science City. Alexis Forsyth reports. iona Standfield returned to her native North East eight years ago after forging what can only be described as an impressive career spanning over 20 years across both the private and public sectors, including a spell at the House of Commons. Originally from Blyth and educated in Newcastle, Fiona is quick to point out that her new role at Newcastle Science City is located a stone’s throw from where her father studied, at what was then called Rutherford College, located in the city’s Rye Hill area. Fiona left the region to read french and theology at Leeds University, and completed her postgraduate course at Oxford. Reflecting on her undergraduate studies, Fiona says: “French was my love and my first choice, and I very much enjoyed studying that.” She soon moved into a fast tracked civil servant role but spent many years at the Royal Mail Group, where she held a number of senior manager and director level appointments. “That was one of the joys of working for a large organisation like Royal Mail - there were plenty of opportunities,” Fiona recounts. Since returning to the North East, something which Fiona admits she knew in her “heart of hearts” that she would always do, she has amassed a remarkable amount of experience, from lecturing at the University of Sunderland’s business school, to her role as acting chair of Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. She is also a member of the first tier tribunal for the Ministry of Justice; is the chair of city centre theatre Northern Stage and is an associate at the North East Sales and Marketing Academy. How does she fit all of these commitments into her schedule? “Just being well organised and managing my time!” Fiona enthuses, before adding that she is involved in voluntary work, too. Amidst this bustling repertoire, this month sees Fiona take up her new role as director of Newcastle Science City. A partnership between Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University, Newcastle Science City is responsible for maximising the North East’s scientific potential and raising global awareness of the region’s expertise to create a scientific legacy for the region. Science Central is part of the Newcastle Science City

initiative, and is a 24-acre development that boasts St James’ Park and the former Scottish and Newcastle headquarters as its neighbours. Connecting and restoring previously run-down areas in the west end of Newcastle, it promises to create a vibrant new urban quarter in the city centre. Discussing what attracted her to the role of director, Fiona says: “It was the opportunity to use the skills I have gained over the years and to put something back into the region.” As expected, the interview process was in depth, comprising two stages, with a panel of interviewers from across Newcastle Science City’s board and partner organisations. As for standing out against the other candidates during this arduous process, Fiona says: “I think I’ve had a lot of leadership experience in a variety of organisations in both the private and public sectors, and that was key. My skills in programme management and sales and marketing will also be integral to the success of Science City and Science Central.” As director, Fiona will lead the organisation and the delivery of its aims; primarily to advance the cause of the city as a driving force of science excellence on the regional, national and international stage. Indeed, Fiona’s new role presents her with an unrivalled opportunity to make a real difference within the North East and it’s one that she is eager to make a start on: “I think it’s the most wonderful opportunity to contribute to the economic and social development of the region which is my home; it’s a true privilege and that’s what I am particularly looking forward to.” Although Fiona admits it’s too early to talk about the legacy from her impending three year role, she is focussed on the task at hand, acknowledging that challenges will undoubtedly lie ahead and expectations will be high, but if her track record is anything to go by, this looks like a role she will flourish in: “I think the potential for Science Central to deliver real and tangible benefits is huge. It’s important that the site, which is an iconic location in Newcastle, has a driving community at its core, and it’s the mixed use development – science, business, living and leisure - that will make it very special for us all.”

For more information about Newcastle Science City and Science Central, see www.newcastlesciencecity.com.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Hot new product A pioneering device, created by North East entrepreneurs, is set to make homes warmer this winter.

ollowing successful trials earlier this year, a device developed by North East entrepreneurs Roland Glancy and Simon Barker (pictured) has now gone into mass production, making it available to homes and businesses worldwide. The Radfan is a pioneering fan unit, which attaches to radiators and stops hot air rising to the ceiling by re-directing it back into the room - making homes up to 2˚C warmer at a cost of around £2 a year in electricity and saving you around £100.00 a year on average. NowLightweight and portable, the Radfan can be secured to the top of any central heating radiator by magnets and has a thermostatic switch to ensure it only runs when the radiator is warm. Last month the Radfan won the Marblar prize for innovative technology and was shortlisted for the British Gas Connecting Homes award. “The Radfan works on a relatively simple

principle,” said Roland, “but it makes a really significant difference to the warmth of a room by directing the heat to where it is most beneficial.

“We’ve already received considerable demand for it and are delighted to be able to meet that demand in time for winter.”

Academy keeps it local

SCS settle into Boldon home

Third acquisition for Reece Group

hree Hartlepool businesses have helped overhaul the lighting and electrical schemes at Catcote Academy. The academy chose to sourcing three firms from the town to provide the equipment, the technical know-how and to manage all of the waste produced during the work. C & A Pumps and Engineering installed all of the new electrical and lighting equipment while the energy efficient sensor controls were provided by Durable Technologies. Both businesses are based at Hartlepool’s Queen’s Meadow Business Park. All of the waste from the installation was then collected and processed by J & B Recycling to ensure none ended up in landfill sites.

pecialist Computer Systems (SCS) is settling in to their new South Tyneside base on Boldon Business Park. The company has chosen a newly refurbished office unit at Council-owned estate, Witney Way to accompany offices in Manchester, Wolverhampton and Glasgow that employs over 50 staff in total. SCS has been providing specialist project management and support to education and public sector ICT for over 10 years. Earlier this year, they were awarded the contract to provide ICT support to a number of secondary schools and academies in the South Tyneside and Gateshead region.

he Reece Group has acquired a 100 per cent stake in Pipe Coil Technology

Ltd. The Group is the holding company for a number of innovative North East engineering businesses including Pearson Engineering in Walker, Responsive Engineering in Gateshead and Velocity UK in Sunderland. These businesses operate in the defence, subsea, construction and oil and gas markets. Following the acquisition the group turnover will be £100m and the business will have over 500 local employees.

TECHNOLOGY

Left to right: Andy Hunter (ITPS), Ian Shard (Orchard) and Paul Crennell (Orchard).

Partnership creates new model for social housing Orchard and ITPS work together on a project set to revolutionise the delivery of public and social housing services. he North East is rich in innovation and nowhere more so than in the field of software development and technology solutions. One of the latest successes is a multi-million pound collaboration between housing and financial management software specialists Orchard Information Systems and technology solutions experts ITPS, which is set to create at least 50 jobs and revolutionise the delivery of public and social housing services. The two companies have been partners for nearly a decade, developing a strong relationship and working collaboratively on housing sector commercial opportunities. Orchard’s £2m development project, codenamed Liberty, will transform its marketleading housing management software into a fully web-based product suite, available on a ‘software as a service’ basis and accessible on any device. ITPS’s expertise in complex infrastructure design and management is underpinning Orchard’s delivery of a cloud-based solution to its expanding client list. The move also sees Orchard adopt its own cloud-based infrastructure, via virtualised servers located in ITPS’s Tier 3, ISO27001-certified data centres. ITPS has invested £750,000 in a 10Gb ring to support Orchard and its clients with highspeed communications circuits and strengthened business continuity and disaster recovery. Orchard’s managing director Ian Shard explains: “The housing sector was formerly fairly traditional but that is changing and it is no longer just about taking rent and doing repairs. Today it’s more about people and building sustainable

communities and that provides opportunities for us. Our clients are changing their business models to meet the challenges of welfare and benefit reform, and a growing move towards 24/7 service delivery is driving innovation. Working with ITPS enables us to make our complex and functionally rich product available via software as a service. The housing market needs the benefits of modern CRM and software that allows them to create their own business rules and processes to support growth. We can provide an affordable solution and our investment will enhance our offering and open up new opportunities. Andy Hunter, director of Technical Services, explains ITPS’s part in the project: “The new secure and scalable infrastructure we have created for Orchard gives it a framework for swift and agile development activity as well as a robust backup, storage and recovery platform supporting its own business and that of its clients. “Switching to a cloud model means Orchard can give its clients the flexibility and functionality of a bespoke system at a fraction of the cost. Our expertise is in supporting the delivery of continual and innovative service improvements to Orchard’s clients, as well as to its own business.” One of the first clients to adopt the cloud model was a London-based award winning housing company managing 22,000 properties. Moving from dedicated on-site servers to a fully managed and data centre-hosted solution resulted in a fully functional housing management solution, plus a sound technology platform and development capability directly in its hands.

“Over a million properties are managed using Orchard systems. That’s a lot of people’s lives we impact,” adds Ian. “Our executive chairman Peter Hunt started Orchard 30 years ago based on a strong ethical framework and a commitment to the North East. We have never wavered from that vision and we choose our partners on the same basis.” Paul Crennell, Orchard’s CTO and visionary behind both the Liberty project and Orchard’s move to the cloud explains the importance of the relationship: “The level of mutual trust developed between ITPS and ourselves did not happen overnight. Although we have an open relationship built on respectful challenge, we hold the same principles in that we only work with partners who add value, who have integrity and who work as one to achieve mutual objectives. A commitment to putting on the client’s shoes and giving them a good experience is key. Clients see our partnership as providing a single point of delivery, which is important in today’s market. “ Both companies made the Fastest 50 listings this year and were the only two IT companies to feature, demonstrating how well the partnership works. Collectively they employ over 270 people and will create around 50 jobs over the next 24 months. With a joint mantra of growth, profitability and sustainability, the partnership is well-placed to meet the continuing challenges of the housing sector, in the UK and further afield. For further information on ITPS visit www.it-ps.com

TECHNOLOGY

Combating cyber-crime Steve Nelson, technical operations director at Newcastle-based Calibre Secured Networks Ltd, is urging North East businesses to act quickly if they are to avoid becoming victims. s recently as September, Britain’s major banks were reportedly being warned by the Bank of England to guard against cyber crime, revealing concerns that the threat ‘had many dimensions and was growing’. That same month, we also saw one of the biggest banks come under attack – 12 men were arrested in London after trying to fit a device to computers in a Santander bank which, if operational, would have allowed data and contents of the computer to be downloaded over the network. And this was not an isolated incident. There are daily reports from around the world of attacks on so-called ‘protected’ computer networks, e-commerce and websites by sophisticated, organised and resourceful criminals, which are costing industry and commerce billions of dollars in lost revenue, extra security and untold damage to reputation and market share. Moreover, cyber-crime does not discriminate: attacks can be totally at random with criminals striking at anytime of the day, regardless of where they are in the world - and certainly without compunction. All the evidence suggests that the North East faces the risk, where hundreds of private and public sector organisations should be, if they are proactive, finalising plans to protect their systems and procedures.

“Business and commerce, particularly SMEs, are at risk from the criminals like the ones who targeted Santander in September,” says Steve Nelson. “Many North East firms are unaware of the dangers that could cost them dearly. Today, there is a compelling narrative for far more strategic investment to be made in resources, security systems and processes if enterprise is to be safe. I’m urging owners and managers to be far more proactive by putting cyber-crime at the top of their agenda rather than trusting to luck and remaining hopeful that they’ll not be targeted.” Steve also points to the new body set up to tackle crime, the National Crime Agency. He believes it is a welcome move, but wants to see the Government act swifter and with far more reach when it comes to tackling cyber crime, pushing the issue much further up the national and international political and funding agendas. He echoes shadow policing minister David Hanson saying the organisation does not have the resources to be strong or robust enough to deal with the ‘tidal wave’ of economic and online crime facing UK business. “The Government has to realise that much more needs to be done to tackle cyber crime – and quickly. The NCA is welcome, but I would like to see more resources, investment and education invested in supporting crime fighting agencies and UK plc in the battle to beat the

digital and online criminal,” he believes. “I would like to see every company – regardless of siz-place far more importance on security, ensuring it is addressed in every aspect of their IT operations and networks - even IP Telephony is vulnerable to attack.” Cyber crime is now organised on an industrial scale, showing staggering maturity, but companies like Calibre have responded, investing heavily in highly skilled and talented people who can deal with the growing threats. Steve Nelson, who has advised BT, Virgin Money and HBOS among other multinationals, is a Certified Ethical Hacker and Offensive Security Professional - one of only a handful of Cisco CCIEs who hold a dual specialism in routing and switching and security and along with other experts at Calibre, provides a niche service not available elsewhere in the region. His expertise enables companies to close a widening knowledge gap as they fight to keep pace with changing threats and find it difficult to locate suitably skilled personnel required to address vulnerabilities across a company’s network. His solutions protect reputations, improve productivity, peace-of-mind and ultimately, property, people and profits. So act now. Find out more at www.calibre-secured.net

TECHNOLOGY

State of the art What’s new in the world of technology and gadgets.

KINDLE PAPERWHITE mazon has launched its all-new Kindle Paperwhite. The sixth generation e-reader promises users the best reader experience yet with a new display boasting higher contrast, better reflectivity and a built-in light to ensure it is still easy to read in bright sunlight or darker

conditions. The Kindle Paperwhite also boasts a 25 per cent faster processor and new features such as Smart Lookup (allowing you access information without losing your page), a Vocabulary Builder (enabling you to compile an easy-to-access list of words) and Page Flip (so that you skim pages and skip

chapters). At 206 grams you can read comfortably for hours with one hand and it has enormous eight weeks of battery life.The Kindle Paperwhite 3G is priced £169 and the Kindle Paperwhite, £109. www.amazon.co.uk

XPERIA Z1 he elegant and waterproof 5-inch Xperia Z1 is the latest addition to Sony’s premium Z series that offers camera capability akin to a compact digital camera. The smartphone boasts Sony’s award winning G Lens with a 27mm wide angle and bright F2.0 aperture, high shutter speeds and high sensitivity sensor, and a 3x image zoom that produce sharp and bright 20.7 megapixel photos even in low light that you can to instantly upload to social media or share with friends.

www.sonymobile.com

VAIO FIT MULTI-FLIP ony’s new 13.3, 14 or 15.5-inch VAIO Fit Multi-Flip offers a seductive blend of productivity and entertainment. Beautifully crafted in aluminum, the laptop offers everything you could want from a laptop while also transforming into a touchscreen tablet for sketching notes and ideas, enjoying apps or browsing the web. But that’s not all, you can also flip the screen to ‘viewer mode’ to show your work to others – perfect for meetings or presentations.

www.sony-europe.com

GALAXY GEAR he new Galaxy Gear allows you to get on with everyday life while staying connected to your Samsung Galaxy. The handy device is worn on the wrist and notifies users of incoming calls, text messages, emails and alerts, saving you from fishing your phone out of your pocket or bag every few minutes! You can even conduct hands-free calls, draft messages, record memos, create new calendar entries, set alarms and check the weather via the Galaxy Gear. Very futuristic, indeed!

MEDIA NEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ITPS

Northumberland’s finest A new social media campaign by OPR is set to show the very best of Northumberland.

his autumn a new social media campaign (#BestNland) will celebrate Northumberland by creating a real ‘people’s guide’ to the county. The interactive campaign, created by Newcastle PR and social media agency OPR, alongside advertising agency Drummond Central which has created a radio and outdoor campaign, is in partnership with Northumberland County Council, Northumberland Tourism and Kielder Water & Forest Park. The #BestNland seeks to share visual imagery of Northumberland's ‘best’ features from its best castles and photo locations to best food and drink.

Focusing on a different theme across eight weeks, the campaign aims to find out what the public think is best about Northumberland, and features prizes from a variety of Northumberland destinations and accommodation providers for the best suggestions shared. Kari Owers, managing director of OPR, said: “Northumberland is a magical place, and what better way to share that than through social media? “Visit Northumberland is keen to gather those experiences via this social media campaign, and give visitors to www.visitnorthumberland.com a very special ‘insider’s guide’ to what the county has to offer.”

Ramarketing scoops awards hat-trick

Newcastle-based marketing and public relations agency is celebrating after picking up three awards at the tenth CIPR PRide North East Awards ceremony. Ramarketing won Gold for Outstanding Small Consultancy, for the second year running, plus a Gold for Integrated and Silver for Healthcare

campaigns for its services to Crafter’s Companion and Keiro Group respectively. Founder of ramarketing, Raman Sehgal, said: “We are stunned to be crowned the North East’s Outstanding Small Consultancy again this year and so proud to collect the other awards in great categories.”

Horizonwork organises international conference

orizonworks, which has offices in Newcastle and Manchester, has again delivered the Regener8 Annual Conference which look place on October 10 at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.

This year’s event focused on ‘Translating Regenerative Medicine to a Global Market’, and featured internationally respected experts from Canada, Switzerland and Australia.

As well as organising and promoting the event, Horizonworks created a 36-page magazine which featured news and articles from the regenerative medicine sector.

PROFILE

One to watch

Antonia Clifford As part of a series of interviews with talented professionals set for major success, Antonia Clifford, co-director of Quay2 Media, reveals what drew her to a career in PR, taking inspiration from others and why her chosen profession can suffer from an image problem.

y interest in PR first started when I was at university. I was studying for a degree in English Studies at Sunderland and had a notion that I quite fancied becoming a journalist. My Dad, who was in the newspaper industry at the time, suggested I try a few placements with marketing agencies before committing to journalism, though. So I spent one of my summers with Faulds Advertising in Edinburgh. I discovered I was really excited by the PR side of the business. I would still get to write, and I could also be involved in the creative process too. While studying, I worked at Northern Rock in the property repossessions department. As luck would have it I was sat quite close to the marketing team. I started making it my business to watch what they were up to, help out and, on graduating, started looking for my first chance in agency PR. Throughout my career I’ve been drawn to a number of specialisms. Pre-recession, property was my thing, both new build and estate agency, as was the motor retail sector. Then the care sector seemed to draw me in, which I found really rewarding. I still do. Since setting up Quay2 though, our portfolio has been so varied that my skill set has diversified hugely. We work across private, public and charity organisations and I really love the mix. We do have a USP at Quay2, and that is our crisis management offering. I cut my teeth very early in this discipline, and learnt some hard lessons helping companies through a crisis at the start of my career. My business partner, Christian, is a former journalist, and with our combined on-the-job experience we are adept

at assisting those who find themselves caught in the eye of a media storm. As the world of social media has developed, the types of crisis a company experiences is morphing quickly and our skills in this area – the ability to divert negative headlines – have expanded to match this. We do have a couple of mentors at Quay2. Our company secretary is an experienced businessman, and he keeps us on our toes. Christian and I also have each other, and constantly teach other new skills, and take each other out of our comfort zone to see a different picture. After ten years of working together it says a lot that we can still surprise each other with ideas or an alternative approach. We both also pick the brains of our friends and family. It’s important to have sounding boards that aren’t too close to the story. The layman’s perspective is a crucial one. To get ahead in PR it is important to have those mentors, to have good listening skills, be able to communicate, to take the time to get to understand your clients and their needs, and to be able to build relationships. You don’t have to be liked, but you do have to be direct, and be able to have honest conversations, even if they are sometimes uncomfortable. We’re paid to consult and offer advice. To be a good consultant you need to make decisions and offer a path that a client may not, at first, like or be comfortable with. One of the biggest challenges in PR is proving your value. We’ve worked very hard to get over this ridiculous notion that the discipline is a disposable luxury. That’s plain wrong! Companies need to manage their message more than ever if times are tight, to

stay ahead of the competition. Also, disappointingly, there are a lot of PR practitioners that do the industry a disservice. It has led to a misunderstanding of our role. It can be very frustrating when you meet a potential client who is very negative about the whole industry because of bad service from others. There’s a big PR job to be done on PR itself before we even get to discuss its own needs. Owning the business allows both Christian and I a chance at getting a manageable work life balance. PR isn’t about being on the clock from nine to five. It’s about making a difference to your client and being there when they need you. This can of course see us working early mornings or late nights and weekends, but being your own boss offers you the chance to do the things that are important to us personally too – the odd school drop off or stories at bedtime and even an early morning gym session. Communications have moved on. The office is always in your pocket and clients can always reach us at any time of the day or night. When it’s your own business, a late night work call or incoming email feels a lot less intrusive. My short-term career goal is to keep Quay2 healthy and our client base well-serviced. Long term, we’re looking to add new services and win clients in exciting new sectors, growing the portfolio and ultimately creating more jobs for what is a great pool of young talent in the region. For more information visit www.quay2media.com

MEDIA

A timely top up for your business Samantha Davidson, managing director at Horizonworks, explains that there are various funding programmes available to support you in your marketing activities.

f you believe that nothing comes free in business then what you are about to read will come as a welcome surprise, as there is actually a significant amount of funding up for grabs to provide a catalyst to grow your business. A financial boost can make a significant difference at this time of year and not enough companies are taking advantage of these opportunities. Marketing is an essential component of any business strategy and Horizonworks is working on innovative business to business marketing campaigns to help clients to identify and target new customers, launch new products and services and expand into new markets. We work with SMEs to scope out their project requirements, focussing on what is best for the business, and support their applications for public funding which can cover up to 50 per cent of costs towards their marketing activities. Our approach works best when we work with clients right from the start on the development of a proposal tailored to the requirements of a selected fund. By working closely with clients on the project application, then we can save them time and share our own ideas to ensure that no stone is left unturned. This way of working can also help to ensure strategic fit for activities eligible for funding, such as company rebranding, creating a marketing strategy, marketing campaign development and enhanced online presence. At Horizonworks we have recently completed a strategic marketing assignment for vehicle electronics specialists, Hyperdrive Innovation, to launch their new technology range into new

EXPERT VIEW Samantha Davidson Managing director Horizonworks Tel: 08450 759955 Email: hello@horizonworks.co.uk Web: www.horizonworks.co.uk

markets. The project received funding from Newcastle Science City’s Enterprise to Business (E2B) programme and will drive a twelve month marketing and PR campaign. A project with tourism website provider Tour.iSM received support from the Investment4Growth fund to develop their customer engagement strategy. New materials and online resources have been well received by

Tour.iSM‘s customers across the UK, increasing retention rates and forming an important part of their new sales strategy. Devine Chemicals supply high quality specialty chemicals to a wide range of national and international manufacturers and are another example of a client benefitting from the funds available. Support towards their marketing enabled them to implement a new marketing strategy to position themselves as a niche company within the sector and target international customers and included a re-brand, a suite of sales materials and a new website. So this sounds great, what next? North East Access to Finance Limited (NEA2F) provides a signposting service for businesses in the region and directs them to sources of finance and support that are relevant to different needs. There are a number of funding programmes you can consider and we have supported our clients through many of many of them, they are not as complex as you think. Each programme available is open for a limited timeframe and funds are awarded on a first come first served basis. So whether you want to increase your profile, improve communication with your customers or gain a better understanding of your competitors, there is support out there to help you achieve this. If you are gearing up your business for high growth and need to review your marketing, get in touch with Horizonworks as we can work with you to sign post you to the most relevant funding programme for your business as well as deliver a high impact project for you!

MEDIA

A different approach Michael Owen of onebestway reveals how not marketing Sage Gateshead is helping it sell out concerts. age Gateshead’s current advertising campaign is everywhere at the moment. It’s shouting loudest as a huge poster on Newcastle’s biggest permanent poster site at St. James’ Park. But the strangest thing of all is that, when we explore the thinking behind the work, the campaign not born from traditional marketing reasoning at all. In the North East, Sage Gateshead carves an iconic and truly beautiful shape along the river’s bank and our city’s skyline. And it houses many great musical names and lots of really valuable learning and participating activities. But it is a lesser known fact that makes Sage Gateshead truly exceptional. Those who have heard concerts there will probably know what it is that makes Sage Gateshead a force on a global scale. Others may be oblivious. Since Sage Gateshead opened in 2004 it has always been – and still is – one of the world’s most superb venues acoustically. Sage Gateshead offers acoustic supremacy. If we now glance at Jamie Cullum or Billy Bragg’s actual quotations that have been harvested for the latest Sage Gateshead advertising and which form the basis of the communications idea, we start to get the message And there is a lesson here for all businesses. Sage Gateshead truly is about hearing music in a unique way. At Sage Gateshead, and this is where the marketing starts to creep in I guess, it is ‘Hearing in HD’. Sage Gateshead’s communication is a real example of how the fusion of brand building (homing in on what a brand really stands for) and

marketing (then making every single aspect of the messaging revolve around that brand) is really is the best way to communicate any business or organisation. Certainly any business or organisation that wants to maximise.

Brand first, marketing second The principle is a common sense one. The reason that the Sage Gateshead advertising is proving so successful in 2013 (early signs are that ticket sales are up on 2012) is because before the powers-that-be at Sage Gateshead spent a penny on marketing messaging, they asked themselves a really important question. That question was, ‘what is it that makes Sage Gateshead so motivating, compelling and distinct?’ ‘If there is one thing - just one thing that we want the market to be saying about Sage Gateshead - what is it?’ And once they had established that - once Sage Gateshead had identified the brand position - then and only then did the marketers get a look in. Sage Gateshead has something to say. Acoustic Supremacy. So all the marketers then had to do was come up with a clever and compelling way to deliver that message.

were positioned three other world-leading music venues. The Sydney Opera House, The South Bank Centre in London and Madison Square Gardens maybe. Then they were encouraged to ask themselves a question - why would anyone choose Sage Gateshead? The answer was, of course, the acoustic supremacy and it is on this brand position or ‘brand promise’ that all of the organisations communications are now built. Sage Gateshead will become increasingly famous for this one thing, the brand will strengthen, and they’ll spiral continually upwards. The principle is simple really. But it is of course amazing how any businesses and organisations don’t actually ask such questions of themselves. Why would anyone choose me over my competitors?

Think brand So, before you ‘market’; think ‘brand’. When a business thinks like this, it stands out. Just listen to Sage Gateshead and what they are saying ... If you want to see Jamie Cullum you can see him in lots of different places. But if you want to hear him, really hear him, you must go to Sage Gateshead. Perfect!

How it all started The work started with a thought experiment. Staff at Sage Gateshead were encouraged to imagine that along the bank of the Tyne, there

Sage Gateshead’s latest advertising has been developed by the Sage Gateshead Communications team, by Violet Bick and onebestway.

MEDIA

Social media and the business of

inﬂuence Sarah Hall, managing director of Sarah Hall Consulting Ltd, looks at how to find out who in social media really matters in your industry.

nly people who have been living down a hole with no internet access for the past couple of years can have missed the effect social media now has on what we think and do. ‘Influential’ in social media marketing terms basically means who matters most and if you’re wondering why this is important, well, if you can isolate the really relevant people in your business area, you can target them with your marketing efforts. A few positive words from the right person can be extremely valuable in terms of generating brand awareness, good will, enquiries and even sales (or the very opposite!) – just think about the effect that one retweet from Stephen Fry can have. The difficulty to date has been how to identify who holds true influence. I’d argue this isn’t simply down to popularity and who has the most followers, or whoever shouts loudest and most frequently – instead this is whoever has a relevant voice in a particular sector and whose authority usually goes beyond social media. The proper research and the results can be pretty startling. I spoke to Adam Parker, whose Gosforthbased company has come up with Lissted - a useful app for marketers to identify the most relevant people they want to target on social media based on real world authority. Tagged as the new ‘superhuman social listening tool’, Lissted allows you to research, create and manage lists, which can be exported directly to Twitter for monitoring and engagement. Adam said: “Too many online tools claim to help you find influencers using hundreds of

EXPERT VIEW Sarah Hall Managing director Sarah Hall Consulting Tel: 07702 162704 Email: sarah@sarahhallconsulting.co.uk Web: www.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk Twitter: @hallmeister

complicated signals. Lissted is much simpler and starts with human-moderated lists of the people who really matter to an industry whether journalists, politicians or brands themselves. From here, its algorithm maps their relationships to other accounts and predicts who they listen to the most. “The result is a fuller picture of who speaks authoritatively about an industry, not based on 100 per cent internet-defined machine signals but derived from the seeds of a more powerful source: real world relevance.” Need an example of how this can be helpful? Well, Lissted can help identify the people who influence the policy makers so if you’re lobbying for change, you may well decide to target those people initially, knowing that their opinion will be heard by those you’re trying to reach. Very powerful, especially if you can’t get direct access to a minister or decision maker - or they are ambivalent towards your business or sector. What if you find yourself in the middle of a

crisis? Lissted can immediately draw down a list of who is talking about the issue and update this in real time. Speed is always of the essence in this situation so knowing that you are focusing your efforts on the most relevant stakeholders as the news spreads is invaluable. Different people are recognised as influencers in different industries. Ultimately it’s not how big someone is, it’s what they are saying that counts. “The big data approach is: listen to everything and then build a powerful machine to try and filter out the noise, with humans then sifting through the results to find the people and conversation they are interested in,” Adam said. “Our small data approach is fundamentally different. We focus on only listening to people and organisations we know really matter and then listen to who they tell us matters too. We call this recognition not reach. Being recognised in your field suggests that those who matter think you do too, whereas reach suggests simply numbers and popularity.” Lissted is a subscription app, starting from £149+VAT per month with no tie-in. It’s a great tool to help you target your marketing efforts effectively at the people who really matter and get them on your side. You can find more information at www.lissted.com And who knows, if you’re serious about developing your own social media relevance, you might find yourself Lissted as well - sooner than you think. For more PR and marketing related news and articles, please visit http://blog.sarahhallconsulting.co.uk.

EVENT

Networking event A training and recruitment company hosts an evening for local businesses. pectrum Training and Recruitment hosted an informal corporate introduction night last month. The evening was designed to bring new and existing clients together to reinforce the aims and goals of Spectrum Training and Recruitment while allowing everyone to benefit from the new connections they can make to enhance their own business objectives. The event was held at Fat Buddha in Newcastle and with exceptional service and hospitality, the combination of a social corporate introduction and great food allowed the evening to flow extremely well, providing an excellent networking opportunity. Becky Hutley, finance director at Oliver Parks said at the event: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spectrum has certainly given us as a company food for thought and we look forward to hopefully using its services in the near future.â&#x20AC;?

MEDIA

The power of change Daniela Meyhoefer, a Violet Bick Brand consultant who has held senior positions all over the world, tells us about how she adapts to change.

t seems that Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection isn’t just applicable to biological life. It can also help you to survive and thrive in your working environment. I should know. I’m a Serbian born in Germany, married to a real Englishman, living in Newcastle. Before that I was a Serbian born in Germany living and working in Germany and across Europe. Whichever country I lived or worked in I had to adapt to new cultures, new ways of doing things and learning how to evolve my personality and style. Not only to ‘just fit in’, but also to make sure I was successful in whatever it was I was working on.

The English invasion This started as early as my school years, carried on through my career for one of the biggest accountancy software firms in the world and still carries on through my working and (social) life today. When I started my first job as a marketing executive for a medium sized German accountancy software company in Frankfurt in 1994, I didn’t expect that what happened a year later, would happen to me. The English invaded. That as such wasn’t the scary part. I spent a year studying at Sheffield University in the late 1980s so knew what the English were like – or did I? This nice medium-sized company I was working for at the time, was bought by the

English accountancy software giant Sage. This, very quickly, brought some fundamental changes to the business. The brand, to start with. Now we were green – not red anymore. And we were called Sage. And the bosses spoke English. And the business model changed. And the culture changed. And the values and strategies changed, too. A lot of changes which – if you didn’t adapt and evolve – you’d quit. And many did. Some would say that this is probably normal. But if you were to quit every time circumstances change and new ones are put in place which you weren’t entirely happy or comfortable with – you’d probably never stay in a job or relationship longer than a year. Over the years I was lucky to work and travel across the world and introduce the Sage brand to many countries outside the UK (and outside Germany). Not only as a matter of governance (i.e. telling people that this is now how they should behave and communicate) but as a matter of understanding their cultures and behaviours and translating the brand into messages that would work in their countries and respective cultures. Only if you achieved that, could you be sure to have translated the brand promise into a life enhancing benefit in the mind of the consumer. And only then would the company be successful.

I am lucky that I am still doing this today at Violet Bick, helping businesses to become meaningful, profitable brands and then showing them how to change - for good - so that they continue to be meaningful and profitable. Every business we work with is in a different industry. This means we deal with different cultures (business and industrywise), different types of people and personalities, different aspects that are important to their staff and customers and different ways of ‘translating’ the brand message for that industry/culture and customer.

Change and you So, next time you are faced with change – and business in 2013 and beyond demands change – embrace it. I know about change and the work I do at Violet Bick helps to build strong brands - but they are flexible, too.

I’ve changed a lot – so can you. Maybe my upbringing and work experiences over the last 20 years have helped me to be very good at adapting and evolving. Maybe women are better at it? Or maybe I’m just not a quitter. Daniela Meyhoefer can be contacted at daniela@violetbick.com or by calling (0191) 276 6621

MEDIA

Stefan Lepkowski, managing director of Karol Marketing.

Think big Do we need a public sector body to promote the North East, or should the region’s businesses stand up for themselves instead? Stefan Lepkowski, managing director of Karol Marketing, argues the case for self-reliance. ast month, Newcastle’s Discovery Museum was teeming with regional business people. The occasion? Lloyds Bank’s Big Picture Event, which saw the BBC’s Gavin Esler host a debate on how North East firms can capitalise on the economic recovery. I listened with great interest to the speakers – Jane Robinson, chief executive of Gateshead Council, Dr Joanna Berry, director of engagement at Newcastle University Business School, Martin Lawlor, chief executive of Port of Blyth and John Walker CBE, chairman of Gentoo – and their thoughts on how the region’s businesses could evolve and thrive. A common theme was whether the North East should have an appointed organisation - or an elected figurehead in the Boris Johnson mould - to promote the region in the national and international arenas. That got me thinking. Instead of relying on a single organisation or high profile public figure to do our talking for us, why not take a DIY approach to ‘selling’ the region instead? Of course, there have been examples of ‘flag flying’ for the region in the past, courtesy of the public sector – and their impact shouldn’t be underestimated. One North East invested £15 million into its award-winning ‘Passionate People, Passionate Places’ campaign, which was launched in 2005. The region was heavily promoted to commuters on the London Underground, plus air, rail and taxi passengers among others, and the initiative reached nearly 19 million adults. However, time was called on

One North East in 2012 and in this age of austerity, we may never see such a campaign again. Admittedly, organisations such as the NewcastleGateshead Initiative are still doing much to generate interest in the North East, but perhaps the region’s businesses could take more direct responsibility over their own destiny. A case in point - many organisations seem to be satisfied with seeing their new product in the local paper, or making an appearance in the trade press. Nothing wrong with that - and it’s true that regional and trade press provide an effective means of communication. They will help firms reach potential customers, engage with their communities and employees, and increase exposure to decision makers in their target industry sectors. But why should this be the limit of an organisation’s ambition? In the last few months, Karol’s clients have appeared on repeated occasions in the likes of Metro, The Daily Express, The Sunday Times and The Sunday Mail, as well as a host of national consumer magazines. Many regional businesses will already employ a PR team – whether in-house or externally – perhaps our business leaders should challenge their communications teams to extend the reach of good news to include mainstream national and international media. Take, for example, the case of a Tynesidebased wind turbine manufacturer. Regional press coverage will raise its profile. A presence

in magazines such as Wind Power Monthly will build its credibility. However, by gaining national consumer media exposure – BBC News, The Financial Times, et al – the company is likely to reach investors, business leaders and politicians. Interest from these parties could have huge implications for such a business... and will benefit the region. For if every North East firm was making national headlines, via the efforts of their PR teams, the cumulative effect would be farreaching. It would make national and international investors sit up and take notice. It would enhance the area’s burgeoning reputation as a hotbed of innovation, entrepreneurial zeal and creativity. It would be beneficial for all of us. Why look to local or central government when we should be capable of standing up for ourselves? Surely it’s more credible to speak with our own voices, rather than see our messages diluted through a public sector filter. The North East must show ambition. We must not be content to live in our own little bubble, as comfortable as it can be. There’s a world of opportunity out there, but it won’t just come to us. If you run a successful, forwardthinking company, you’ll have many great stories to tell. Make sure that the nation hears them, not just your neighbours. For more information on Karol Marketing, tel: (0191) 265 7765, email: info@karolmarketing.com or visit www.karolmarketing.com

MEDIA

Lucky seven for Lisa The founder of angelfysh and former North East Businesswoman of the Year, Lisa Forster, is celebrating seven successful years in business for her and her all-female team. Here, she reveals her seven essential questions to ask when dealing with Search Engine Optimisation companies.

t angelfysh we understand that as a business owner it can be really hard for you to choose a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) company. It’s especially hard when you are using someone for the first time as trust plays a really big part. It’s worth remembering that professional SEO companies are making you a simple promise - a results promise. Their promise should be sensible and achievable and your expectations need to be managed, but there’s nothing at all wrong with you asking exactly what phrases you will be listed on page on of Google for, and by when. A little bit of direct questioning – from you – can work wonders. Here are seven questions, one for each of our seven years if you like, that will help you to choose the right Search Engine Optimisation company, for you.

Are prospective customers actually searching online for the products and services that I offer? It sounds a little obvious but there’s little point in investing in professional SEO unless you are going to see some sort of return (this can be measured in other ways than simply an increase in sales). This should be the very first thing an SEO company researches for you. They should tell you exactly how many searches are being made - now - for the most desirable search terms in your Industry.

What results can I expect - and by when? Asking this question will help you to gauge pretty accurately what value can be added to your business by paying for SEO. It will also test that the firm has done their homework into your market and the competition you’re up against. A good SEO agency should be able to predict an approximate timeframe that it will take to achieve page one positioning for each keyword you’re to be optimised for. And they should also be able to predict the approximate number of visitors your website can expect to

achieve as a result of this. Be wary of SEO agencies who promise valuable number one positioning within weeks. For competitive search terms this isn’t achievable without breaking some of Google’s rules (which, eventually, will get you de-listed or banned altogether). SEO is a long-term game and every project differs.

Do you guarantee results? A killer question! SEO has a reputation for being mysterious, a ‘black art’. But there’s a simple way to bust this myth – by your SEO agency coming up with the results. Ask them what they have achieved for others and live test. Live testing is asking to see how they have got desirable listings (search terms that lots of people are actually searching for) to page one of Google, today. Pop to Google and take a look. If an SEO company is not confident and clear that they can do this (see question 2), they shouldn’t embark on a project.

How do Google Updates affected the SEO tactics you use? This is an important question as the online world (Google in particular) is constantly changing. You want an SEO agency that predict and are ready for Google algorithm changes. Ask how they prepared for and reacted to Hummingbird and Penguin in the second half of 2013. And get them to be specific!

How will you report progress? You most likely don’t want to listen to SEO jargon or look at graphs that you don’t understand. All you want to see is your website ranking rising in Google and visitor numbers increasing – can they provide you with that? Ask to see an example report and find out how often you will receive them.

Who will be working on my SEO project?

What an important question. With SEO, do try to get close to the person that’s actually doing at least some of the SEO work for you. You want a responsive, experienced and specialist team leader that knows what’s happening with you project, who can talk knowledgeably and fluently about it and who you can meet with regularly. There’s nothing like being able to look the person in the eye a few months down the line whose promises made you sign up in the first place.

Do you subcontract any of the work, can you assure me that absolutely none of your practices might get my domain and website penalised by Google and what else does your business actually do? OK, I admit it, these are three questions in one! Avoid SEO Companies that subcontract as there is little control and responsibility from the person who is selling to you in these circumstances. And with regards to outsourcing abroad, methodologies are often formulaic, unsophisticated and ultimately ineffective. So definitely avoid Companies that do that. Certain SEO trickery can get you listed quite quickly, but are likely to get your website penalised and de-listed by Google. Ask for absolute assurance - in writing - that your chosen supplier’s practices are beyond reproach and 100 per cent squeaky clean. Finally, use a specialist. Keeping up with industry changes is almost a full time job in itself. So if you’re not going to get SEO from an agency who specialises only in SEO, make sure your team are all dedicated SEO specialists. The principle is, leave great web design to a great web design specialist - and leave great SEO to great SEO specialists. Visit www.angelfysh.com or you can contact Lisa Forster, angelfysh’s founder and technical director on (0191) 276 6627 or by emailing lisa@angelfysh.com

Lisa Forster with Jeff Banks

MEDIA

Brand is

for everyone Violet Bick’s Mark Tinnion reveals why for all businesses – big or small – brand is king.

EXPERT VIEW Mark Tinnion Brand director Violet Bick Brand Consultants Web: www.violetbick.com

t Violet Bick we are lucky enough to support some amazing big and even global brands. But we look after smaller local businesses, too. Brand is for every serous business owner, big or small. It’s always a shame when we see a small business focus on product development rather than creating a value proposition that will form the strategic direction of their fledgling enterprise. Your value proposition is not about the products or services you sell. Your value proposition must articulate a highly valued outcome that the customers desire. In every business category today, more businesses are being commoditised by the sheer abundance of choices customers have. This is true if your business sells products or provides services. This is true for businesses large and small. Customers have abundant choice. It is customers who decide who leads and who follows. When customers have abundant choice, the competition is always fierce. Those entrepreneurs who eventually grow up to dominate their market have a compelling offering, a compelling something that, in the minds of the target at least, is simply not available from the alternatives in the category. This is brand building. Here are some fundamental questions that will require you to answer with clarity of vision and confidence in your actions if you are to

create true ‘competitive advantage’ for your business from the value you bring to the marketplace: • How do you differentiate your offering in ways that matter to your customers? • How do you command premium prices and greater profit margins when everyone else is fighting to break even? • How do you gain real advantage over your would-be competitors in an ultra-competitive marketplace? Customers care about their desires and outcomes far more than the functions of your products and the details of your services. It is of critical importance for start-up owner managers to understand this distinction. Your value proposition is more about beautiful outcomes ‘for them’ rather than the ‘bricks and mortar’ of your products and services. Remember, buying is an emotional decision too, not simply made out of necessity or convenience. The more emotionally engaging your value proposition is, the more competitive advantage you’ll gain in your marketing and sales activities. To build desire, you must focus on uncovering ideas and insights on what clients and customers care about most. Product features, claims of expertise and quality delivery are table stakes. They are not enough to distinguish the real ‘value’ and promise your enterprise makes to customers. When there is abundant supply, customers need

something more than superficial claims to make purchase decisions, and more importantly, become loyal advocates of your business. A value proposition is a simple statement answering the question of why should a customer do business with you. There are the six things that you must consider when creating your value proposition to customers and clients: • The target audience. Really know them. • The customer need/business problem. Really know them, too. • The value of your solution. Understand the functional and emotional benefits of why people want you. • Your products and services. How will you providing outcomes and experiences that customers adore? • The reasons to believe. Bring your offering to life. Use stories, case studies, testimonials and any number of methods to provide proof your offerings deliver on the value promised. • The point of difference. You must have a compelling, emotional benefit that is highly valued in the minds of customers and clients and difficult for your competitors to match. Your difference must also be highly valued! If you can build your behaviours in the marketplace around these six things - you are well on your way to building a brand. And because the best brand will always, always beat the best business - it’s easy to see which you should be building.

STYLE

Get the look Fashion and accessories for women. By Jessica Laing.

Women’s white shirt, £25, Evans

Limited Edition Mono Trouser, £35, Next

J by Jasper Conrad Blazer, £65, Debenhams

Jinelle Shoe, £100, Dr. Martens

he androgynous, ‘boy-meets-girl’ look is one of this season’s key trends – and it’s a one that lends itself perfectly to work wear. You heard right, ladies, it’s time to dress for success and suit up! There was a time when it belonged firmly in the working man’s wardrobe, but it appears that the power suit is now creeping its way in to women’s closets everywhere. It’s all about masculinity this winter, so show you mean business and say so long to skirts and bye-bye to blouses. Instead, showcase the classic blazer/trouser combo. Searching for the perfect fit? Short, fitted blazers accentuate womanly curves beautifully, while longer, sharp-tailored suit jackets look fantastic on those blessed with long legs. To pull your outfit together, opt for a crisp white shirt (buttoned up, of course), straight cut trousers and a pair of brogue-like shoes (with a heel if you want a touch of femininity). Add a pocket square and a briefcase (or a satchel) to replace your handbag, and you’re ready to hit the boardroom in style.

Pocket square, £65, House of Fraser

MODEL ATTIRE Best of British White shirt, £89 Best of British Grey Mix Tailored Suit Jacket, £199 Best of British Tweed Tailored Trouser, £129 Best of British Black Brogues, £165 All from Marks & Spencer

Penbury Satchel, £229, Jack Wills

EVENT

Oyster Festival Well-known event celebrates its 10th birthday. he 10th anniversary Oyster Festival at Hardwick Hall in Sedgefield was a huge success and raised more than £17,000 for Norton-based charity Daisy Chain, which supports families in the region affected by autism. John Adamson, managing director of Ramside Estates, said; “The demand for this year’s Oyster Festival was incredible with close to 1000 people coming along to celebrate our 10th year. “We’re thrilled to have raised much needed funds for Daisy Chain and hope that this will help support them in the fantastic work they do in the North East.” Festival-goers were entertained throughout the day with performances from comic pianist Kev Orkian, soul diva Diane Shaw, the Wildcats of Kilkenny and The Singing Irish Waiters.

PROPERTY

Party walls: what’s the fuss about? Chris Jude from Building Surveyors Ltd explains your rights when it comes to the Party Wall Act 1996. party wall is the boundary between two building owners. The Party Wall Act 1996 applies to England and Wales and confers rights and duties on a building owner carrying out works that may affect an adjoining property. A building owner is a person in possession of the land on more than a year-to-year basis. This, therefore, includes a freeholder and long lease holder or either a residential or commercial property. It is too easy for building owners to see the Party Wall Act as an unnecessary and potential expensive bureaucratic procedure. However, the act grants substantial rights to building owners and it is therefore necessary that the adjoining owner is properly safeguarded when these are being exercised.

What works are covered by the Party Wall Act 1996? Three main sections of the act deal with works for which notice needs to be served. In general terms, the Party Wall Act relates to the following: • Where the owner is intending to build a new wall/building on or adjacent to a boundary. • Works to party walls and works to adjoining structures • Excavation or foundations works close to neighbouring structures

Advantages of the Party Wall Act to building owners:

• Rights over adjoining structures • Permits access to neighbouring property to carry out necessary works • Protection over spurious claims • Protection from tortuous claims

Advantages for adjoining building owners: • Compensation for incurred loss or damage caused as a result of the works • Procedure for dealing with damage • Security for expenses where there is a risk that they will be left financially exposed by the proposed works

What happens if you ignore the Party Wall Act? Failure to serve notice to an adjoining owner may result in your neighbour serving an injunction which will ultimately suspend the works until a Party Wall Award is in place. This can be a very timely and expensive process and therefore instrumental that relevant notices are served prior to undertaking any building works.

Our role under the Act As Chartered Building Surveyors for the developer we advise on the rights imposed and obligations conveyed by the act, identify which elements of the proposed works fall within the remit of the act and which do not, identify ownership interests in adjoining properties,

prepare and serve notices, prepare and agree schedules of condition and Party Wall Awards and resolve any issues of damage or compensation. For the adjoining owners we advise on the validity of notices received, consider details of works proposed to ensure that proposals are appropriate and will avoid causing unnecessary inconvenience, check and agree schedules of condition, negotiate the terms of party wall awards and ensure that the building owner fulfills his statutory obligations.

Who are we? Building Surveyors Ltd regularly act for building owners and adjoining owners and our clients include property companies, financial institutions, housing associations, owneroccupiers and private individuals. With our expert knowledge, we can advise how to make best use of the legislation. In addition to Party Wall matters we provide a comprehensive range of building surveying services for both residential and commercial clients. These include party wall matters, project management, building condition and defect diagnostic surveys, new-build and refurbishment design and CDM-C. For free property related advice or a no obligation quotation call Building Surveyors Ltd on (0191) 267 9108 or visit www.buildingsurveyorsltd.co.uk, Twitter @BuildingsLtd

WINE & DINE

The Blacksmith’s Table Alexis Forsyth visits the fine dining restaurant celebrating its 25th anniversary. uaint and oozing bundles of charm, The Blacksmith’s Table is a fine dining restaurant that occupies a 400 year-old building in the heart of Washington Village. Formerly a blacksmith’s forge, the restaurant is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Jeremy Cajiao is now at the helm, having taken over from his parents earlier this year. Inside, the ambience is welcoming and cosy, with relics relating to the building and the local area framed on the walls. Ornate mirrors, exposed brickwork and fairy lights all accentuate the restaurant’s captivating setting. The restaurant’s strong heritage and olde worlde interior can be deceptive though, as the menu reflects an establishment that is by no means stuck in the past and which is in fact forward-thinking and keen to experiment with a host of different flavour combinations. New dishes are conjured up by the whole team, with the menus being updated every couple of months. Alongside its early evening offering, the Blacksmith’s Table has an a la carte and ‘Farrier’s Fayre’ menu; the latter comprising three courses at a set price of £25. Across both menus you’re likely to find a selection of familiar ingredients, think scallops, lamb, fillet steak and chicken breast, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure, too, such as crocodile and elk. Drinks-wise, there is an extensive wine list, as well as a separate cocktail menu featuring attractive creations like the Bellini, Black Russian and Chambord Fizz.

For starters, my partner chose what I can only describe as an evening incarnation of a breakfast, aptly named the Farrier’s Fry Up, comprising black pudding, bacon and soft chorizo sautéed with spinach and cherry tomatoes, topped with a fluffy poached egg. It was beautifully presented, with the sweet tomatoes contrasting perfectly against the strength of the chorizo. Meanwhile, I plumped for chicken strips caramelised and marinated in a Texas style barbecue glaze. The barbecue glaze provided a hint of flavour and the moist chicken strips were accompanied with a generous serving of thin noodles. Overall, it was light and refreshing on the palate. Appeasing his adventurous taste buds, my partner was tempted by the kangaroo burger topped with bacon and brie, served with chips

and onion rings. In a word, this was a triumph; my partner really enjoyed the gamey taste to the meat, which he had never tried before. The sirloin steak was my vice for the evening, a sizable juicy portion served with crispy battered onion rings, grilled tomato and a bowl of fresh cut chips on the side. The peppercorn sauce was thick and creamy and brought all the ingredients on the plate together rather nicely. Despite being defeated by the portion size, the dish was superb. Chocolate fudge cake, hot apple pie and profiteroles were just a few of the tantalising desserts available, but I was intrigued by the chocolate pot, one of the evening’s specials. It proved to be a popular choice though and I was pipped to the last one by another diner. Taking up the chef’s recommendation – we indulged in the orange panna cotta instead. Lusciously smooth and with a subtle zesty orange flavour, this was a dreamy dessert by all accounts. It has to be said that the staff were fantastic from the outset. Jeremy in particular is a charismatic chap brimming with lots of stories; he clearly loves his job and this translates into every aspect of the restaurant, from the cuisine through to the amiable atmosphere. He even gave us shots of an intriguing nutty liqueur called Frangelico and a cupcake to take home. It’s this one-to-one attention that no doubt lures the customers back, and of course, the top quality food. The Blacksmith’s Table is at The Green, Washington Old Village. Tel: (0191) 415 1788, web: www.blacksmithstable.com

L E I S U R E & H O S P I TA L I T Y N E W S

A recipe for success

ne of Newcastle’s most acclaimed café restaurants, Café Royal, has opened its kitchen doors to trainee chefs, thanks to a unique work experience partnership. Every year, one student studying towards a VRQ Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery at Newcastle College is invited to spend one day a week in the kitchen, gaining priceless, hands-on experience. Cevat Robert Elat, head chef at Café Royal (right), said: “The work experience partnership offers students the chance to build their confidence and expertise in a real-life kitchen environment: there is only so much you can learn in a classroom. Many people who have learned their trade here have gone on to work in internationally renowned venues.” 20-year-old Lewis Morrison, from Wideopen, and 17-year-old Lauren Downing, from Blyth, are two of the students taking part in the programme, which was developed by Café Royal in conjunction with Newcastle College’s Lifestyle Academy. Lauren said: “I still have a long way to go, but as a result of this experience, I feel I’m

on the right track to success.” Andy Brown, head of catering and food service at Newcastle College, said:

“Working with chefs of this calibre is truly invaluable and we are delighted to be able to offer our students this experience.”

Fizzy Fridays

Government export plan

Quorum serves up new dish

almaison Newcastle Hotel has launched a brand new drinks offer, aptly named ‘Bubble Time’. Every Friday, between 5-8pm, guests will receive a range of speciality champagne cocktails and a host of offers, including a selection of canapés with every purchase of a glass or bottle of champagne and a complimentary room for the evening with every purchase of Krug Magnum champagne. Cocktails on the night include Malmaison Fizz, infused with Belvedere pink grapefruit vodka, and Valentine Rose, comprising of raspberry and rose cordial, lavender bitters and Veuve Clicquot champagne.

ood and drink firms in the North East stand to benefit from the government’s new export plan. Launched last month by the UKTI and DEFRA, the plan aims to help 1,000 British food and drink firms and deliver a £500 million boost to the UK economy.The plan aims to deliver in six key areas, including promoting UK food and drink internationally, helping UK firms win business internationally through targeted campaigns, unlocking market barriers and simplifying the paperwork, promoting inward investment, enhancing dialogue between government and industry and encouraging more companies, particularly SMEs, to explore exporting.

orth East-based Quorum Business Park has welcomed the arrival of independent deli restaurant, Eat@. After relocating from its former premises at Four Lane Ends, Longbenton, Eat@ opened its doors at the end of June. It offers coffee shop, handmade deli sandwiches and bistro restaurant facilities and can accommodate up to 40 people, with outdoor seating for a further 30. Eat@ serves from breakfast through to early evening for tenants and employers of the park, and there are already plans in place for it to extend opening hours this month, as it also operates a full drinks license up to 11pm every day.

BUSINESS

Business bespoke Malmaison Hotel Newcastle is changing the way it caters for businesses by launching a brand new meeting and events concept. ituated in the heart of Newcastle’s vibrant city centre, providing unbeatable views of the city’s famous bridges and bustling Quayside, Malmaison Hotel Newcastle is the ideal venue for business meetings and events - with a difference. Due to client demand for flexibility and individuality, in September 2013, the luxury boutique hotel chain - which has hotels in 13 locations across the country - decided to make the move from set meetings and events packages to a more creative, custom-built service. Malmaison’s new ‘Business Bespoke’ concept allows a diverse range of businesses – from a vast range of sectors - to tailor-make their meeting or event to suit their needs and desires. One call to the hotel’s Central Events desk – a team of dedicated and highly experienced event organisers and specialists – and businesses will receive expert assistance with every element of their booking from availability, capacity and practical information, to aesthetics, entertainment and enhancements. Once contracted, event information is transferred across to their Malmaison hotel of choice quickly and in complete confidence. Alongside professional and reliable hosting staff who can always ensure a smooth-running event, Malmaison can also offer businesses a variety of versatile venues and a wealth of innovative extras – all of which can help turn a boring boardroom meeting into a roaring success. In addition to sumptuous boardrooms, private dining rooms and lounges, the Malmaison brand can also reinvent unusual

spaces, creating a range of unique environments and backdrops – complete with made-to-measure table, seating and floor plans to create atmosphere and bring an event to life. Malmaison Newcastle has space for drinks receptions, private dinners and boardroom meetings and can accommodate up to 70 people in its newly extended meeting room, which will be ready from December 1 2013. When it comes to the finishing touches, Malmaison’s events teams can arrange everything from showcasing a business’ product in reception to cocktail-making classes with onsite mixologists, post-meeting beer and whiskey tastings or even ghost stories over dinner, to ensure each event is as interesting and as memorable as possible. Also included in Malmaison’s ‘Business Bespoke’ concept are five food collections for businesses to choose from, perfect for themed meetings and events or as a treat in between discussion. All food is freshly prepared every day, by Malmaison’s

award-winning chefs. Devoted to some of the world’s most notable cities, including New York and Milan, the luxurious collections see Malmaison take on a multi-cultural approach to catering and offer something to suit all tastes. The New York collection features a mix of mouthwatering dishes from across the pond, including sticky BBQ ribs, Boston crab claws and fried buttermilk chicken buckets. The Hong Kong collection can add a little spice to proceedings, with exotic dishes such was Goan prawn and vegetable curry and duck, cucumber and hoisin wraps. The Milan collection brings together a selection of southern Europe’s most flavoursome dishes in elegant bite-sized portions, such as pitta hummus, paella and steamed herb cous cous. And for businesses looking for something a little closer to home, there is the London collection, which comprises of classic British dishes such as individual pork pies, scotch eggs and honey roast gammon. The Mal collection, meanwhile, represents a great selection of the hotel chain’s most popular meeting and events cuisine: mini Mal burgers, sole goujons, haddock fishcakes and more. Malmaison also realises that technology is constantly evolving so, to flatter your figures, its experts are always looking for the latest ways to deliver businesses the fastest WiFi and the slickest presentation tools available. Malmaison Newcastle is located at 104 Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DX. For more information call 084469 30658, email events.newcastle@malmaison.com or visit www.malmaison.com

ADVERTISER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Christmas Market returns full of festive cheer Christmas is coming and that means one thing – the International Christmas Market is on its way to Newcastle. rganisers are thrilled to once again be bringing the International Christmas Market back to Newcastle’s Market Place this year. Almost as important a part of the Festive season to many as the sound of Christmas carols, this year the International Christmas Market will take place between Saturday November 16 and Saturday November 30, as usual around Grey’s Monument and sections of Grey Street. This time Santa will be there in his grotto waiting to meet young visitors and see their special Christmas wish lists. The festive market is bigger and better this year injecting a blaze of International colour to the city’s seasonal retail experience with over 30 traders from 18 countries across the world in attendance. Traders from as far afield as Spain, Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Russia, Poland, Iran, Thailand, China and of course Lapland, will congregate around the Grey’s Monument area. Sample the great range of international foods on offer and look out for that special present that you can’t find anywhere else. Why not try the Bigos (a Polish stew), the crepes from France, the paella from Spain, the mouthwatering array of chocolate cakes and biscuits from the Italian biscotterie or the wonderful cakes and pastries from our French patisserie. If it’s a present you are looking for, the market can offer the very latest style in scarves and ties from Italy, genuine Russian dolls, a huge fantastic Dutch flower garden and

a wide range of jewellery all at very affordable prices. Now in its ninth year, the Christmas International Market has become an essential festive fixture, not only with Newcastle shoppers but also for tourists and visitors to the city from far and wide. We are delighted to be able to offer schools the unique opportunity to take part in an educational tour of the festive market this year. The guided tours of the market will both educate and entertain the children as they learn more about language, food and culture, from across the globe and the best part is they are free. The key objective of the tours is to ignite children’s imaginations and stimulate their

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minds for a more proactive approach towards academic study. Schools are required to book in advance to guarantee a tour slot and are responsible for organising transportation to and from the market, with each tour lasting between 45-60 minutes. Ten to 12 children per group are recommended for each tour, however up to 20 pupils can be accommodated if required. Tours run daily from 10am-2pm and are guided by our very own market manager. To book email Emma Rhodes at emma@marketplaceeurope.co.uk before November 11. Market Place has gained a reputation for delivering quality Christmas Market events supported by both investment and initiatives in order to create the right environment so that all who visit the market have a truly memorable experience. Chris Hulley, operations manager for Market Place said: “Shoppers in Newcastle can expect a fantastic array of traders and products, which will certainly make Newcastle the place to be this Christmas. Our traders have a particular fondness for Newcastle and the friendliness of the people which only adds to our enjoyment when we visit. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a festive visit to Newcastle.” For unique hand made gifts, traditional festive fayre or some international gourmet food visit the Newcastle Christmas International Market between 9am and 8pm, each day. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the Newcastle Christmas International Market.

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

The view from Hotel Indigo Mark Winter talks to North East Times about his new role as operations manager at Newcastle’s Hotel Indigo.

he New York hospitality scene really fascinates me. I love its 24-hour ‘can do’ service. You can literally get food or a coffee any time of day or night. The Big Apple is jumping and I am trying to share that ethos here in the UK," says Mark who, at 23, is storming the hotel scene in Newcastle in his new role. Career-focussed best sums up Mark and he is an aficionado of branding. With a degree under his belt and an initial dream of being a school teacher, this focussed and driven character knows exactly where he is going. Since joining Hotel Indigo a year ago, he has worked hard to maintain the success of the Newcastle venue. "This business is all about people,” says Mark. “Without a focused and inspired team, Hotel Indigo Newcastle wouldn’t be as successful. “I have developed the staff base, with fast promotion where possible, and I believe the team is our unique selling point.

“I’ve been proud to watch Sian Bell grow from a receptionist to a reception manager in a 12-month period. Confident and passionate, she’s a female version of me! Talking about recruitment, Mark says: “I'm

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not a believer in looking at people's work experience when recruiting. I look for passion, commitment and personality. I can train skills, but I can't train someone to have personality or have passion for the role. “I feel that the Indigo brand has revolutionised the hotel industry across the UK and the North East. We are not a traditional hotel with strict procedures; a guest comes in and is treated as an individual. “It's almost a family environment, but more professional. Our guests are not just a room number, so if you are here to celebrate an anniversary or attend a business event, we will hopefully enhance that experience. “It's not customer service, it a guest experience and it's making that guest feel unique.” For further information about Hotel Indigo Newcastle visit www.hotelindigonewcastle.co.uk

EVENT

MasqueRed Ball Derwent Manor hosts the masked charity ball. est Western Derwent Manor Hotel, was pleased to support Bright Red charity by hosting the MasqueRed Ball. The charity based at the Freeman Hospital raises monies to fight blood cancer for a brighter future to improve the lives and treatment of people in the north who are dealing with blood cancer. The event held in the Grand Hall at Derwent Manor hotel was organised by charity manager Ashley Elliott, with the support of Billy Robson and family who were celebrating the life of son Lee who sadly passed away just prior to the event.

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EVENT

BMW 4 Series Coupé launch Lloyd Newcastle celebrates BMW’s latest model. loyd Newcastle welcomed more than 150 customers to the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead for the grand unveiling of the eagerly anticipated the BMW 4 Series Coupe. The evening reception took place on Thursday October 3 and guests were greeted with Champagne and canapés on arrival and with a live DJ playing throughout the evening. The star of the evening was the new BMW 4 Series model. Perfectly proportioned, it exudes an elegance that will take your breath away. To arrange a test-drive contact Lloyd Newcastle on (0191) 26173666 or visit www.lloydnewcastlebmw.co.uk

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LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

Buon Natale! Take the stress out of Christmas the Italian way with Martino’s. ith Christmas just around the corner, the festive party season is fast approaching and the question on everyone’s lips is, “where shall we hold the office party?” The answer: Martino’s where a relaxed, friendly and vibrant atmosphere is paired with a meticulously crafted festive menu. The team of dedicated and highly skilled chefs have worked tirelessly to perfect 2013’s festive offering. From an intimate meal within the restaurant, or an indulgent gathering for up to 140 guests, the grand ballrooms situated in Martino’s Seaham and Jarrow venues can provide the ultimate Italian experience for you and your guests. Working alongside you, fully trained events coordinators will help to tailor-make the perfect package to ensure your Christmas celebrations meet all of your requirements. Each of the three restaurants are more than happy to house your celebrations and they pledge to do their best to create a package to suit everyone’s tastes, as well as providing a luxurious meal within your budget.

traditional roast turkey, roasted strip loin of beef or a flavoursome Scottish salmon fillet, and, of course, no Christmas feast would be complete without an abundance of tasty desserts. Choose from Christmas pudding, pavlova or the cheeseboard. For just £49.95 or £39.95 for age 14 and under, diners can indulge in Martino’s fantastic three course menu. There are two sittings from 12 noon until 14:15 and then 14:45 to 17:30. To place a reservation, simply contact your preferred venue.

Helping you to spread the Christmas cheer this year, Martino’s Seaburn and Jarrow venues are open on Christmas Day serving up their delicious, signature twists on the traditional festive fayre. The menu includes favourite starters such as roasted parsnip soup, prawn cocktail and smoked duck breast, followed by

To find out more information or to see the festive menus, visit www.martinoleisure.co.uk or call into Martino’s Seaburn on Dykelands Road, Seaburn, (0191) 529 5295, Martino’s Seaham, 19-20 North Railway Street, Seaham, (0191) 513 0078 or Martino’s Jarrow, 59-61 Ellison Street, Jarrow (0191) 483 26 90. For regular posts, discounts and giveaways find Martino’s Restaurants or Martino’s Jarrow on Facebook and follow @MartinosGroup on Twitter.

Keeping the UK clean How Newlife Cleaning Systems makes life easier for its clients. ith over 30 years in operation, Newlife Cleaning Systems has built up a wealth of experience and an impressive portfolio of well over 200 commercial contracts, nationwide. Boasting an extensive range of cleaning solutions and specialist services, Newlife aims to ensure its clients receive seamless, cost effective, quality cleaning services at all times. As a privately owned company, Newlife aim to work for its clients. Never forgetting that, as part of the service industry, the quality of service determines future success, Newlife guarantee the safety and peace of mind of its clients by providing

full CRB checking wherever necessary. Specialising in office, extraction unit and kitchen deep cleaning, Newlife cleaning systems ensure that each of its 312 staff fleet are fully NVQ trained and regularly assessed, so that each of its clients are provided with an unrivalled level of professionalism and customer satisfaction. With extensive knowledge, experience and a first rate reputation, Newlife is proud to work in partnership with high profile organisations within both the public and private sectors. Providing a perfectly tailored cleaning schedule, Newlife offer high quality and sustainable solutions to fit your requirements.

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Regardless of size or value, each contract is treated with the same attention. Never outsourcing any of its cleaning options, Newlife offer both internal and external services; from the supply of toilet rolls to window cleaning, and the sourcing of its own products and equipment, Newlife’s operatives fully integrate as part of your company’s maintenance team. Newlife is pleased to offer a complimentary, no obligation cleaning services quote to assess your needs, address your requirements and provide an entirely tailored package. Quotes can be provided contacting one of the Newlife team or by emailing sales.national@newlifecleaning.com.

INTERVIEW

ensuring futuresuccess HILARY FRENCH, HEADMISTRESS OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND FUTURE HEAD OF NEWCASTLE HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, REVEALS HOW SHE PREPARES HER GIRLS FOR SUCCESS IN THEIR ADULT LIFE – PROFESSIONALLY AND SOCIALLY. WHAT DOES ‘SUCCESS’ MEAN FOR YOU?

WHAT DIFFERENCES DO GIRLS FACE COMPARED TO BOYS?

Real educational success involves encouraging students to have high aspirations, ambitions, dreams and the self-esteem to go out into the world and achieve whatever they want to do - whether that be in the corporate world, campaigning for a cause or as a parent and homemaker.

Girls are more likely to face gender and social stereotyping than boys. It is still likely that a behaviour which in a boy is called ‘assertive’ will be labelled ‘aggressive or punchy’ in a girl. Also, many girls are still not brought up to have high expectations or aspirations for themselves.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL PREPARE GIRLS ACADEMICALLY FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATING?

HOW DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF WOMEN WILL CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS? HOW IS THE SCHOOL SUPPORTING GIRLS FOR THAT?

We teach our girls to be independent thinkers, open minded, well organised, confident in their own abilities and potential, as well as appreciating and valuing learning for its own sake. Creating an environment that allows girls to explore and discover their academic abilities and personal skills is at the heart of Central High and will be at the heart of Newcastle High School for Girls next year.

It is difficult to predict exactly how the role of women will change, but it is clear that the rapid changes we see today will continue. Promoting women to leadership roles is a priority. We hold events for our Sixth Formers to help them develop their networking skills and, this term, the Institute of Directors has led sessions simulating Board meetings. Our Sixth Formers also participate in the GDST’s annual Young Leaders Conference to put their leadership skills to the test in an apprentice style challenge. The challenge is designed to help the girls build the skills they’ll need to succeed – such as team work, communication, time management, presenting, negotiation, problem solving and financial management.

WHAT ABOUT SOCIALLY? We work on developing their social skills and ability to interact with other people, both younger and older as well as their peers, from an early age. Working in groups and teamwork are central to our practice. Understanding what it means to be a good citizen is equally as important. The girls at my school learn the value of supporting their community and understand the influence they can have in the wider world. I hope that these values will stay with them into adulthood and that they will continue to play a positive and supportive role within the community.

GIRLS CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORM BOYS ACADEMICALLY, BUT THIS ISN’T REFLECTED IN FTSE 100 COMPANIES’ BOARDROOMS? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? HOW CAN THE IMBALANCE BE ADDRESSED? One deep-rooted problem, mentioned above, is that many girls are still not brought up to have high expectations or aspirations for themselves. It requires action at all levels to address gender and social stereotyping. Schools play an essential role in changing attitudes among girls and their parents. It is our role to ensure that every girl is given the opportunity to develop and reach her own potential. We need to remove barriers. For instance, it is wrong to say that boys are better at sciences than girls. Our results prove that every year and contribute to changing people’s opinions. Education opens doors. Other initiatives such as the BBC Woman’s Hour ‘Power List’ also help to provoke debate about the choices women make, the obstacles they face and what it is to be powerful in the 21st century. Another reason that there are few women in FTSE 100 boardrooms is that women are voting with their feet and leaving companies at twice the rate of men. It is unacceptable for women to be so poorly represented in the boardroom. As we do in schools, organisations need to break down the gender barriers and support female employees through training, mentoring and flexible working. The ‘old boy’ networks of the past are no longer appropriate. There is a new generation of women coming through who will not be deterred and will demand to be given the right opportunities.

HOW DO EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES HELP GIRLS IN THEIR FUTURE? The school is a hive of activity, from early morning to late evening with clubs, co-curricular programmes and activities, artistic, cultural and sporting events as well as weekend trips and opportunities to travel further afield. Taking part in any extra activities in school helps build confidence as well as developing skills in organisation, teamwork and commitment. Getting involved in activities such as the Engineering Education Scheme, Young Enterprise, Debating, Sports and Performing Arts can also have a profound effect on the girls’ choice of career. WHAT ARE THE KEY SKILLS THAT NEED TO BE DEVELOPED IN CHILDHOOD IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE WORKPLACE? Communications skills, team working, organisational skills, independence and confidence. Grit, resilience, determination and strength of character are also essential. HOW HAS THE SCHOOL IDENTIFIED THESE SKILLS AND HOW DOES IT EDUCATE PUPILS IN THEM?

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL ASPIRATIONS FOR GIRLS WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOL AFTER THEY GRADUATE?

We keep up to date through relevant research, links with the CBI and the North East Chamber of Commerce, as well as speaking to employers directly. We also hold discussion forums with parents and pupils. Our new curriculum for Newcastle High School for Girls encourages girls to think independently, analytically, logically, creatively and imaginatively. Traditional subject areas are grouped into faculties to allow us to adopt an interdisciplinary approach and show pupils that learning knows no boundaries.

My personal aspiration is that our girls become the women they want to be and have the strength to feel positive about their decisions and, thereby, lead happy and fulfilled lives. For more information on Newcastle High School for Girls call (0191) 281 1768 or visit www.newcastlehigh.gdst.net

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EDUCATION

News from

Dame Allan’s Schools Why education at Dame Allan’s Schools is more than just academic learning.

chool must be about academic excellence,” believes Dr John Hind, principal of Dame Allan’s Schools. “However education, or ‘proper education’ as our visionary founder, Dame Eleanor Allan, describes the purpose of the schools bearing her name, is about so much more. It can and arguably should be a life changing experience, opening young people’s eyes to the world around them and equipping them to take their place in this world. “This first half term has been packed with examples of how students have been taking up the many challenges and opportunities given to them.”

“S

was not for this unforgettable itinerary. It was to raise money to support a rural township school, Re-l-lwe School, which is linked to Pecanwood College. As a result of their efforts, the school was able to buy an industrial sewing machine which will not only be used for lessons, but also to help the students repair their own uniforms and clothes. The DABS boys also took with them £2500 worth of school uniforms and shoes, together with three large kit bags full of sports equipment. The boys agreed that a highlight of the trip was the day they helped to coach the boys from Re-l-lwe School. That day has inspired them to carry on fundraising with a target of £700 to build a new road to the school.

Carry on fundraising Getting to know you A group from Dame Allan’s Boys’ School spent the last year fundraising for their Rugby Tour to South Africa this summer. But, now they are back at school they have decided to carry on with their fundraising. The Under 15 and 16 rugby tour was a resounding success on and off the pitch. The boys were undefeated against Pecanwood College, Rocklands Rugby club and Tygerberg. Off the pitch they were impressed and moved by the sights of Pilansesberg Game Reserve, Table Mountain, Sun City and Robben Island. However, a major part of their fundraising

Early in their first half term, pupils in the boys’ and girls’ schools spend a ‘getting to know you weekend’ at Derwent Hill in the Lake District. They are accompanied by members of the sixth form, who have already taken part in their own leadership development programme. This year, gorge scrambling was voted the most popular activity by the Year 7 boys. They returned home with tales of an action packed weekend, after experiencing the thrill of a mountain challenge, canoeing and climbing the high ropes. The girls were equally adventurous on their

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Derwent Hill weekend. One response was typical: “My favourite memory of Dame Allan’s so far is our trip to Derwent Hill. Every one of us learnt so much from the weekend. My friend says that she learnt that she could push herself to do things that she never thought she could. Going to Derwent Hill with the rest of my year group was definitely a fantastic experience.”

Relais Meanwhile, eight Sixth Form students set off to attend the next conference of Relais de la Mémoire in Vienna. Dame Allan’s Schools are the UK representative on Relais de la Mémoire, an organisation set up by former resistance fighters and deportees so that the horror and atrocities of war should not be forgotten, and to promote peace and understanding between the European youth of today. Ever since the schools joined Relais as the UK representative in 2004, students have had an incredible opportunity to talk to former resistance fighters and politicians, including Relais founders Abel Farnoux, Stéphane Hessel, co-author of the Declaration of Human Rights, and former French Prime Minister Edith Cresson. For more information on Dame Allan’s Schools, visit www.dameallans.co.uk

CHARITY

Tounge-in-cheek night raises serious money The Percy Hedley Foundation raises £18K at Alternative Business Awards. he generosity of the North East’s business community was proved yet again when nearly £18,000 was raised in a single night for The Percy Hedley Foundation. The Alternative Business Awards fundraising evening is one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the region’s business calendar. It is a tongue-in-cheek take on a traditional awards ceremony that sees some of the ‘great and the good’ of the North East in less than serious mode. This year’s event, sponsored for the seventh year by Northumbrian Water, was particularly special as it is the Foundation’s 60th birthday year. The night at the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre was given a diamond theme and, under the watchful eye of compères Brendan Healey and Anna Foster, a series of diamond awards were handed out to ‘deserving winners’. The evening’s tone was set by the hosts appearing on stage not in the usual black tie outfit, but in some unusual garb. Anna, who was sponsored by Mintprice.com, the Newcastle based office supplies comparison website, was dressed in a costume designed by a local school and created entirely from stationery

products. Brendan, sponsored by Port of Tyne, graced the stage in a hard hat and high-viz jacket. The awards were interspersed with teams from local companies competing in the Opportunity Knackered Karaoke Show sponsored by Sintons LLP and a Neil Diamond tribute singer. Over 300 people attended the event which, now in its ninth year, is characterised by hilarity and chaos, a world away from the slick awards ceremonies that the majority of the people on and off stage are used to attending. Awards were presented for, among others, the region’s Diamond Geezer, Polished Diamond, Jack of Diamonds and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. Award winners included Fiona Cruikshank from SCM Pharma who scooped the Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend title and Lucy Armstrong who, coincidentally won the Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Award. And the crowd was entertained by Maggie Pavlou and her ‘People’s Beatles’ karaoke team from People Gauge with their rendition of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. But behind the fun and games was a serious fundraising message and between the event

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sponsors and the audience’s generosity almost £18,000 was raised for the Percy Hedley Foundation. Julie Calvert, head of Marketing, Communications and Income Generation from the Foundation said: “This event is one of the main events in our fundraising calendar and, in our diamond jubilee year, it took on even more significance. Raising this amount of money is a fantastic achievement in just one night – it will help us to continue to deliver the high quality services for disabled children and adults that we have done for the last 60 years. “We are, as ever, grateful to all our sponsors and everyone who donated on the night. The event sponsor is Northumbrian Water and, along with all the category sponsors – Esh Group, People Gauge, The Leighton Group, Ryder, Owen Pugh, Gordon Brown LLP, Gateshead College, Northumbrian Water and NECC – they enable us to deliver this event and raise important funds. This year we also had support from The Journal, Big Purple Productions, Press Ahead, Print Me and Re-Productions as well as Mintprice.com and Port of Tyne. Without this help, our Alternative Business Awards would not happen.”

INTERVIEW

Heart-shaped sound Now on tour with her new album Crown Electric, Liverpool-born, Newcastle-based singersongwriter Kathryn Williams talks to Elise Rana Hopper about songwriting in secret, conquering stage fright, and why she feels Newcastle is her ‘kindred spirit’. SINGING WAS A THING THAT WE DID, AT HOME. My dad was a singer in a folk group in Liverpool and me and my sister used to sing and play the piano. But I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was a late teenager and I didn’t have any lessons - I’d think I’d invented a chord but it was a D or something. My gran gave me a Dansette record player and I used to listen to songwriters like Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and Leonard Cohen in my room.

IT’S A LOVELY THING TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE DOING THE SAME JOB AS YOU. Guy Garvey came to my show in Manchester, Tom McRae came to my gig in Bristol. I’ve got a lot of peers doing a similar thing to me at the moment which is really nice - I’ve had massive support from them on this tour. BEING NOMINATED FOR THE MERCURY PRIZE WAS REALLY AMAZING but it’s almost like I blanked it out because it was too overwhelming. I used to be racked with stage fright. Now when I’m doing live shows, whether it’s for 50 people or 500, it’s special to be on stage enjoying it - these songs just feel lovely to play.

WE USED TO COME FOR ALL OUR HOLIDAYS TO WHITLEY BAY AND TYNEMOUTH - growing up it was a no-brainer deciding where I would go to university. When we got married at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth it was a lovely full circle.

I CAN PINPOINT WHEN MY STAGE FRIGHT WENT. I was on tour with Ray LaMontagne and six months pregnant with my son Louis, and because I had literally had something bigger to worry about in front of me, I had a sudden feeling as I stepped out onto the stage that the audience were with me instead of against me, and all my paranoia left.

I WOULD PLAY GUITAR AND WRITE SONGS IN SECRET. I was doing an art degree and living in a house with five other people, and unbeknownst to me they’d been listening in at the door and booked me in for a songwriters’ night when they told me I couldn’t sleep all that night. I did three songs and got asked to do it again. RECORD LABEL PEOPLE COMING UP FROM LONDON WANTING TO SIGN ME would say ‘oh, you’re quite Alanis Morrissette’ - I didn’t think they knew about music, and didn’t want to be swayed into making something fashionable or necessarily commercial. So I set up my own record label and put the album Dog Leap Stairs out. It’s quite nice looking back at the ten albums I’ve done now because there’s a chapter of my life in each one - it feels like a journey. I’ve never really had a plan but 14 years on I’m still doing this, it’s extraordinary really.

IT’S GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN MUSIC, because it takes the pressure off and allows you to focus on music in a different way. The only thing is wishing I could split myself down the middle and do touring and music, and be with the kids all the time - I think all working mothers feel like that. I TOUR ALL ROUND THE WORLD AND THAT CAN REALLY FOCUS YOU ON WHAT YOU HAVE. I’m proud of being from Liverpool but I feel like I’ve found a kindred spirit in Newcastle. It’s mega-friendly, you can drive a few miles to the most beautiful countryside and beaches and it has loads of culture - you can have a standard of living here, in the creative world, that you would never have in London.

I TAKE A PEN AND PAPER EVERYWHERE WITH ME inspiration is something that makes you want to write it down. We were on tour in Brighton and the woman looking after my son told me they’d found a heart-shaped stone on the beach to give to her boyfriend - immediately a lightbulb in my head went on and I knew it’d be great for a song. People keep giving me heart-shaped stones now, it’s really sweet.

Kathryn plays Cluny 2 on November 11. The single HeartShaped Stone and album Crown Electric are out now on One Little Indian.

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WELL-BEING

Eothen Homes Whitley Bay

Why we chose Eothen Homes ... Eothen Homes provides Christian care for the elderly at its residential homes in Tyne & Wear and Surrey. Roland Adams’ mother has been a resident of Eothen Homes in Whitley Bay for a number of years. He reveals why the family picked Eothen above other care providers.

Why did you choose Eothen Homes, Whitley Bay? In terms of initial criteria, the location was very important to us. Eothen Homes is in a central location in Whitley Bay, which is my mum's home town. The home is also adjacent to her church. That was a major factor in our decision.

What research did you do when you were looking for a suitable home and what other factors influenced your decision? While we were looking for a place for my mum, we looked at three other care/nursing homes that had favourable ratings from the local authority. Nice as they were, for us, they were just not in the same league as Eothen Homes. When it came down to it, the staff were our number one priority. We had to like and trust the employees from the management to the care assistants and believe they would provide great care and attention at all times. We were convinced of this pretty quickly from our first visit. The team in Whitley Bay are exceptional and we now count them as friends. We see the same staff every time we visit and this continuity is very reassuring. The team are happy and we believe this must come from having really good managers with a high degree

of competency and care for residents.

the home ever since.

Is there anything about Eothen Homes that sets it apart from the rest for you?

What does your mother particularly like about the home?

The home has a very high standard of cleanliness and Eothen carries out regular maintenance and invests in the furnishings and fabric of the building. In short, I’m impressed by the obvious willingness to budget for and spend money on maintaining high standards, as opposed to the cost reduction and focus on profit that you see elsewhere. The facilities at Eothen are also excellent. The home provides great meals, there’s a lovely garden and the central location is brilliant because it’s handy for the shops and the neighbouring church. The home also puts on a number of activities for residents, such as crafts, drama and plays. Everything is really well organised.

How has your mother settled in? In the early days, my mother resented not having a key to the front door. What’s more, my mother, being extremely bright, would sometimes be ‘prickly’ with other residents. Fortunately, the staff had seen all this before and they helped her to settle in. That was in the early days – several years ago now – and she’s been extremely comfortable in

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My mother likes the excellent all round care she receives at Eothen Homes. That includes the care from her carers, the excellent food and the regular medication, because they ensure she gets exactly what she needs to stay fit and well. She enjoys the garden and is happy to be somewhere that promotes a Christian ethos and services.

What has impressed you about the home? Recently, my mother had a spell in hospital. She is in her twilight years and she’s very frail. Eothen Homes management and staff went out of their way to do everything they could to make my mother comfortable on her return. My wife and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Eothen and we have tried to ensure that they know how we feel. Without doubt, there is an underlying atmosphere of Christian fellowship and love in the home and there is nothing more we could ask for where that is fostered. For further information on Eothen Homes visit www.eothenhomes.org.uk

WELL-BEING

Supported living Marion Anderson, volunteer committee member at Linden Road – one of Abbeyfield Newcastle upon Tyne’s supported sheltered houses – explains why supported living can enhance the life of people in old age.

’ve been a volunteer at Abbeyfield’s Linden Road supported sheltered house for the past ten years and friends often ask me to explain exactly what a sheltered supported house offers. Supported sheltered houses provide the perfect place for elderly people who wish to maintain their independence but no longer wish to worry about property maintenance, rising household costs or cooking meals for one. Families these days are often dispersed around the country or even further afield and can no longer provide the level of care and support that they once could. There are a team of Abbeyfield volunteers, together with experienced employees and a resident house keeper, who can help to fill this void and ensure that if needed, residents are accompanied to their doctor’s appointments or simply someone to chat to over a cup of tea. With their own front door bell and key, residents still have the freedom to come and go

there will always be two home cooked meals a day, a warm, comfortable and well maintained house as well as beautifully kept garden for them to enjoy goes a long way too. Three of our residents at Linden Road celebrated their 100th birthdays with us earlier this year- a fantastic advert to the benefits of supported sheltered living! But for me, the real difference supported living can offer is the ability to make new friends at a time in your life when you don’t expect to. One of the sad yet inevitable results of old age is the loss of friends and family members, but our residents make new friendships– friendships which will last a lifetime.

as they please should they wish but with the reassurance that someone is there who will know and care, if they do not get out of bed one day or they are feeling off colour. For the less active and less able, knowing that

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To find out more about Abbeyfield Newcastle upon Tyne and its two care homes and two supported sheltered houses visit www.abbyfieldnewcastle.org.uk or call (0191) 285 7174.

MOTORS

Charging into the future … How a Consett-based company is helping to make electric cars a more attractive option.

noozing that alarm for the third time doesn’t seem like such a good idea when you finally get up, rush out of the door and remember you didn’t fill up your car on the way home from work last night! Panic strikes when you realise you probably won’t be on time now because there will be a huge queue at the petrol station (if you even make it, that light has been on a little while) but, you have no choice. Now rewind … you wake up and the thoughts of people rushing to be the first to the pump amuse you knowing that this is no longer a part of your morning routine because there’s your car parked on the drive plugged in, full of charge, ready to transport you here, there and everywhere with no hassle of stopping at a petrol station. Now aren’t you thankful that you finally made that decision to switch to an electric vehicle? It affects parts of your everyday life you never thought it could, especially when your charging point at home can be supplied and installed free of charge. ELM Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions

Ltd is a North East’s electric vehicle charging point installer that is government and OLEV approved, offering a 100 per cent free car charge point to your home. With support from the government’s funding programme which issued £400,000 in support of the purchasing of full electric and hybrid vehicles, ELM are working as an implementer of this new generation movement, working on allocating tens of thousands of EV charging points

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throughout the UK. Public charging points are now beginning to be located by local councils and businesses in a number of areas around the UK, on motorway routes and in city locations to keep you running. The number of available charging points is continuously growing and can be found online on Google maps alongside a number of membership schemes running in city locations, allowing you to use charging points around the city for an annual fee. With a team of highly qualified engineers and apprentices on board, this long-awaited business venture holds the power to create an entirely fresh driving reality, where the ongoing ambush of climate change is no longer a concern. To find out more about the work that ELM Electrical Contracting LTD are currently doing, or if you have an enquiry about installing a commercial charging point at your business or home then call (01207) 693 894. Alternatively, visit www.elmev.co.uk

MOTORS

Behind the wheel by Jessica Laing

F.Y.I. Engine: 4.6-litre V8 engine Max power: 608hp Max Speed: 211mph Acceleration: 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds Battery charge time: 4 hours

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PORSCHE 918 SPYDER arrying pedigree motor racing technology with everyday utility and the addition of plug-in hybrid drive, the 918 Spyder boasts an unprecedented combination of performance (offering the 887hp output of a super sports car) and the virtually silent motion of an electric vehicle. Not only does the two-seater model mark a new era for sports car manufacturing, it demonstrates the potential of the hybrid drive to a degree never seen before: the presence of everyday efficiency and dynamic performance, without one being at the cost of the other. Once charged up, the model is said to drive for up to 20 miles without running the engine at all and benefits from the combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor-based drive to optimize performance. State-of-the-art technologies include lightweight design, a low centre of gravity, rear-axle steering and crash elements at the front and rear, to absorb and reduce the energy of a collision. Design-wise, the Spyder boasts simple curves and sharp detailing, such as full-depth side intakes and a futuristic-style center console. It also offers a variety of running modes, including E-Drive, Hybrid, Sport and Race. Price to be confirmed.

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EVENT

Jennings Kia launch event The CEO and president of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd officially opens a new flagship dealership for Jennings Kia. ennings Kia, part of the Jennings Motor Group, marked the opening of its latest flagship dealership in Teesside with a VIP launch event. The evening got underway with an official opening ceremony involving Paul Philpott, Chief Executive Officer and President of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, cutting the ribbon at the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Kia dealership located on Opus Park, Concorde Way, Preston Hall Farm in Stockton. Guests, including key representatives from Kia Motors and other members from within the local business community, enjoyed an evening of entertainment with a number of performances from Leeds-based flash mob dancers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the newest craze in crowd entertainment, in addition to a magician, string quartet and a grand finale firework display.

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EVENT

Benﬁeld golf day and gala dinner A star-studded day and evening event, supported by Benfield, raises more than £50K for The Prince’s Trust. orthumberland’s Slayley Hall saw Alan Shearer, Johnathan Edwards, Rob Lee, Steve Harmison and many more celebrated sports personalities tee off the Benfield Prince’s Trust Annual Golf Tournament and Gala Dinner. X Factor’s Amelia Lily and comedian Omid Djalili then provided the entertainment at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead for the gala dinner in the evening, with more than 300 guests enjoying a champagne reception, trophy presentation and money can’t buy auction and raffle prizes. The money raised will go towards running The Prince’s Trust’s programmes in the North East, giving disadvantaged young people the qualifications and experience to help them get a job. Mark Squires, chief executive, Benfield Motor Group, said: “This annual event to raise funds to help young people here in the North East change their lives is very close to our hearts and I’m so proud of the support that people have shown for it yet again this year. A big thank you to all involved.” For information on The Prince’s Trust visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/northeast

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SPORT

More than just a pretty face Roger Tames of Box to Box Media looks at the, often thorny, issue of women presenting sport. t would seem an act of unacceptable cowardice not to address the central theme of this special women’s edition just because it might involve a nightmare stroll along the tightrope of political correctness. Not that there’s any doubt that the role of women in television sport has changed spectacularly in the past couple of decades and certainly the programmes are the better for it. Only recently this column highlighted the BBC’s excellent coverage of the World Athletics Championships, presented by the flawless Gaby Logan alongside expert guests Denise Lewis and Paula Radcliffe. In fact, Gary Lineker apart, the BBC’s strongest presenters recently have been women with Sue Barker, Clare Balding and now Suzi Perry shouldering the bulk of the channel’s sports programming along side Gaby. It’s when you turn to the double handed presentation on Sky Sports News that the obviousness of the selection process threatens to become an issue.

Its female co-presenters are highly professional but, from my personal perspective, their overt glamour can go over the top when they look ready for a night out on the town, rather than dressed to tell me Dagenham & Redbridge have just lost their

unbeaten home record to Cheltenham. I can already feel myself wobbling on that tightrope. To be fair, many of these girls (can I use that term?) bring an impressive sporting pedigree with them – international showjumpers, ex-jockeys and single handicap golfers are all among the Sky team. It’s interesting that Sky Sports keeps its matchday reporting team, the brave souls who face Messrs Moyes and Mourinho in the immediate post-match cauldron, as pretty much a male preserve. Yet ESPN used Rebecca Lowe pitchside and this poised young lady is currently impressing American audiences as she fronts NBC’s booming new Premier League coverage. I came from the old school – learning my trade covering Rainham Town and Romford for the local rag. It seems that grass roots experience won’t get you far on television these days against an attractive, ambitious female reporter – providing she can do the job.

Strength training Michael Pellegrino tells North East Times why he has recruited strength coach, Charles Poliquin, to inspire his staff at Befit. t Befit we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with all of the latest exercise, rehabilitation and nutrition information. We constantly improve our knowledge by attending regular courses and seminars across the planet, taught by the world’s leading experts. Last month, we were very proud to have one of the world’s most recognised and successful strength coaches, Charles Poliquin, teaching our staff in our own facility in Newcastle. Our staff endured 15 tough workouts over a five-day period, experiencing some of the most effective training programmes for body composition, fat loss, strength and muscle gains and, in between these workouts, had many hours of theory based learning to ensure all of the methods were understood, in order to safely

Charles Poliquin (front) with Michael Pellegrino (back, right) with staff from Beﬁt.

and effectively deliver them and their results to our clients.

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The highly experienced and qualified trainers and strength coaches at Befit have been studying with Charles since 2006. Using Charles’ methods and a combination of many other skills and qualifications, we consistently deliver results in both conditioning and rehabilitation, not only to our private clients but also to our elite athletes in preparation for their competitions. Our constant dedication to learning advanced techniques and staying ahead of the game ensures that we can deliver the results that you need as quickly and as safely as possible – after all, your exercise should be as individual as you are, and at Befit we make sure that it is. To book a consultation with one of the Befit team, contact (0191) 213 5300, email info@befit.co.uk or find Befit on Facebook.

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INTERVIEW

Get to know me ...

Emma Glover Partner and tax planning specialist at Rowlands Accountants.

When I was growing up, I wanted to win a swimming gold in the Olympics. I failed to achieve that. Then, more realistically, I wanted to be an engineer. I was interested in how things worked and I loved Heath Robinson! I had Heath Robinson posters on my wall.

My first job was working on a farm. I grew up in the countryside and all my early jobs were on the local farms; strawberry picking, working on the potato harvester, even plucking turkeys. When I first left home I worked at the Ministry of Defence – at a tank factory in chobham. I was outnumbered by men by a ratio of about 5000 to 2.

I'd tell my 18 year-old-self to invest in Vodafone shares instead of a Mini with dodgy brakes. Although I did get a lot of engineering practice servicing the Mini – there was always something wrong with it.

I'm inspired by Aung-San-Suu-Kyi. She is incredibly tough but has managed to remain a warm and caring human being. I think anyone who copes with adversity and keeps their drive and personality, without becoming bitter or angry, is amazing. My greatest achievement is building my own house. Although I didn’t get my hands very dirty! We bought a wreck in the Yorkshire Moors, knocked it down and re-built it. I really enjoyed the whole process from design to decoration.

When I need a helping hand, I always ask a friend. I know there is an answer to every problem and this is particularly so in my working environment. Often you cannot find the answer on your own. I am a strong believer that there will always be a solution, and if we work together and explore all avenues we will find it. This is an

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aspect of being in business which I really enjoy and gives me satisfaction in my work.

My favourite piece of music is Brahms Second Piano Concerto. I can listen to it and do nothing else at the same time I never get bored of it.

In my spare time, I love to potter about my garden. Or sing. Or both at the same time (lucky neighbours!).

In five years’ time, I’ll be nearly finished paying school and university fees! I hope I will still be reading the finance acts every year and working out how I can help my clients in the new regime. For further information on Rowlands Accountants, visit www.rowlandsaccountants.co.uk